Standing by the edge of the high platform, Fang Nan felt his phone vibrate. He pulled it out and saw a trending notification—the second young miss's livestream had unexpectedly gone live for less than a minute before crashing under the flood of viewers.
Fang Nan: "..." How could this fall apart now?
Seizing the moment while the guests were applauding and Zhong Ziyan was slowly ascending the steps, lifting the hem of her dress, Fang Nan swiftly tapped the notification and scanned the replay of the mishap. He confirmed that apart from Zhong Ziyan, Wei Hanyun, and Old Master Wei, no other faces had been accidentally captured. Relieved, he exhaled.
Good. No unauthorized appearances meant no need for PR damage control.
Fang Nan forwarded the message to the team handling public opinion—they’d know what to do.
Yu Qianshan could have handled it, but he was currently "helping out" at the wedding venue, so Fang Nan delegated the task to another professional.
Unaware of the hiccup, the second young miss dutifully followed Zhong Ziyan’s path down the bridal aisle before quickly darting to a discreet corner of the high platform to continue filming.
The two ring bearers had long been standing on the platform with Wei’s Mother. Wei Ziqian, clad in a silver-gray suit as the groomsman, stood flushed beside Wei Hanyan, his gaze rigidly avoiding Zhong Ziyan by a deliberate ten meters.
Old Master Wei strolled leisurely up to Wei Hanyun, met his gaze, and subtly adjusted his bent arm.
Zhong Ziyan instinctively placed her gloved hand into Wei Hanyun’s palm.
She glanced up, taking another close look at the "palace" carved from white marble and the massive chandelier entwined with light strips hanging from the eighteen-meter-high ceiling—it resembled clusters of unnamed plants growing naturally there.
Zhong Ziyan had visited the realms of elves; this was strikingly close to those fantastical dwellings.
Old Master Wei cleared his throat. "Ahem."
The host reflexively handed him the microphone, expecting a tear-jerking pre-wedding speech from the esteemed figure.
But after clearing his throat, Old Master Wei merely said, "Live well together," then clasped his hands behind his back and walked off the platform.
The host smoothly retrieved the microphone and announced the ring exchange.
Wei’s Mother personally opened the ring box for the couple, beaming as she watched Zhong Ziyan and Wei Hanyun slide the bands onto each other’s fingers. Wiping her eyes, she led the ring bearers away by their hands.
Having rehearsed the day before, Zhong Ziyan knew the next steps:
The unordained host would jokingly ask if they’d say "I do" to the vows; then, a pre-recorded montage of the couple’s intimate moments, hastily edited overnight by the photography team, would play on both sides of the platform. Meanwhile, champagne and the first course would be served, followed by icebreaker games...
But none of these meticulously memorized details came to pass.
Just as Wei’s Mother left and the host was about to transition to the next segment, a child’s sweet voice piped up: "Kiss!"
Zhong Ziyan: "…?" Rehearsals hadn’t included this.
But children don’t follow scripts.
One shout of "Kiss!" sparked another, then another, until even the initially reserved younger guests joined the chorus.
The chant swelled into a unified demand.
Zhong Ziyan turned to gauge Wei Hanyun’s reaction.
He was already looking at her, a faint smile on his lips, as if he’d turned to her even earlier.
Then, his lips moved.
"On three," he mouthed.
Zhong Ziyan blinked, silently counting in her head as Wei Hanyun leaned in—
One, two...
"Three," Wei Hanyun murmured by her ear. "Follow me."
The moment his grip tightened around her arm, pulling her into a sprint, Zhong Ziyan yielded without hesitation, letting him whisk her away.
The venue’s lights cut out instantly. Sunlight filtered sparingly through birch trees and vines, casting disorienting shadows.
Fang Nan, unflappable, triggered a mechanism—twenty-four hidden doors along the aisle slid open, releasing swarms of butterflies with wings shimmering electric blue.
The morpho butterflies’ iridescence danced under the dappled light, outshining neon in its dreamlike glow, instantly captivating the crowd.
Even the second young miss swung her camera around, gasping as she captured the spectacle.
By the time the butterflies dispersed, the high platform stood empty—no groom in his suit, no bride in her gown.
The host glanced at Fang Nan, who signaled reassurance to proceed.
As the lights relit, two rows of identically dressed waiters filed in, expertly serving the first course. Overhead, a blizzard of petals cascaded endlessly, as if every flower in the world had been gathered there, showering the aisle for minutes without pause.
—This was meant to bless the couple as they exited to change attire.
Instead, the guests merely chuckled at the newlyweds’ playful escape, letting the moment slip into fond memory.
With little left to film, the second young miss snapped shots of the petal storm before hurrying back to her table, photographing the food before eating.
"They’re gone already?" Shen Beibei pouted. "I didn’t even get to talk to Ms. Zhong."
"It’s their wedding—they don’t owe anyone an explanation," Fu Mingyao said, though her face betrayed a hint of regret. "I didn’t get to apologize either..."
Hua Shuangshuang sipped her pink champagne, perfectly content. "If you’re upset, check the wedding favor under your seat. Might cheer you up."
Except for a select few with special arrangements, every guest’s favor lay hidden beneath their chair—one per seat.
Shen Beibei bent to retrieve her gift bag. "I wonder if it’s luxury chocolates or fancy candies?"
"The favors are randomized—pure luck," Hua Shuangshuang offered, having reviewed the list. "Ms. Yue, you might want to start filming now. Or you’ll miss the highlight."
The second young miss, sharp as ever, dropped her chopsticks and raised her camera.
Shen Beibei pulled out her gift and froze. "A Burberry scarf! Wait, there’s a small box inside..."
The camera zoomed in just as Shen Beibei opened the box—her stunned expression mirrored the second young miss’s own trembling hands.
Holy—that was a certified flawless diamond!!!
"Pretty lucky," Hua Shuangshuang remarked neutrally. "Though some got even better."
Song Xi raised an eyebrow and bent down to retrieve her gift bag as well. Her bag was noticeably heavier and thicker than Shen Beibei’s, requiring both hands to lift it.
The Second Young Lady followed suit, clapping in excitement.
Inside Song Xi’s gift bag were two bottles of wine—one a crystal-clear pink champagne, the other resembling a fine red. Digging deeper, she found a small box containing a mesmerizing black opal, its colors shifting mysteriously with the slightest movement.
Song Xi held up the red wine for inspection and nodded approvingly. "This is a 1982 Château Pétrus."
The Second Young Lady, unfamiliar with wines, asked bluntly, "Expensive?"
"Among 1982 Bordeaux vintages, there isn’t a single bottle that isn’t pricey," Song Xi replied with a smirk. "If you haven’t heard of '82 Pétrus, surely you know '82 Lafite?"
"Got it," the Second Young Lady said, giving a thumbs-up.
As they chatted, Fu Mingyao quietly reached under her chair for her own gift bag.
The Fu family wasn’t influential enough to secure an invitation to this wedding on their own. Otherwise, Fu Mingyao would have outbid Zhong Ziyan months ago at the Yansha Mall for that Stradivarius violin to gift Bai Ling.
But Fu Mingyao’s aunt had married well, and through relentless persuasion, she’d managed to hitch a ride to the wedding.
Fu Mingyao wanted to personally apologize to Zhong Ziyan for the misunderstandings and ill will stirred up by Bai Ling.
Yet, the opportunity never came.
With a sigh, Fu Mingyao opened her gift—a neatly sized box labeled "ROLEX." Inside was a ladies’ watch, accompanied by a pink diamond roughly the same size as Shen Beibei’s.
The Second Young Lady’s envy was practically dripping like lemon juice. Noticing Hua Shuangshuang hadn’t opened hers yet, she hurried back to her seat, handed Hua the camera, and reverently pulled out her own gift bag.
Hers was surprisingly light. A shake sent two boxes tumbling out—one small, one large.
The smaller velvet box was identical to the others, revealing yet another dazzling diamond.
Five minutes ago, the Second Young Lady would’ve been thrilled with this carat-plus gem—after all, she’d attended the wedding without spending a dime, enjoying free food, drinks, lodging, and even flights.
But after witnessing Shen Beibei, Song Xi, and Fu Mingyao’s extravagant hauls, her expectations had skyrocketed. She now believed she, too, could walk away with a six-figure windfall.
"Don’t lose hope," Shen Beibei said with a smile. "Yours might be the most valuable of all."
Hua Shuangshuang, however, let out a knowing hum.
The Second Young Lady’s heart raced as she lifted the lid of the larger box. Inside was a key fob with a remote sensor, emblazoned with the unmistakable emblem of a vertical trident.
Few wouldn’t recognize that logo.
The camera captured the Second Young Lady’s expression crumbling in sheer disbelief.
[Live-Stream Fanatic Second Young Lady: Attended a wedding, spent zero dollars, walked away with a diamond and a car. Couldn’t even dream of this luck… [Photo]]
…
Meanwhile, Zhong Ziyan and Wei Hanyun had slipped away from their own wedding ceremony midway. With an uncanny knowledge of the security layout—outdoing even the security team—she effortlessly led Wei Hanyun to the still-empty party hall.
The hall overlooked the beach, complete with a cocktail bar, stage, pool, and billiards table—a playground for unrestrained revelry.
"Do we have to go back?" Zhong Ziyan asked, tilting her head at Wei Hanyun.
"Not if you don’t want to," he replied, visibly pleased. He gestured at her opulent wedding gown. "If that’s uncomfortable, you can change."
Zhong Ziyan felt a pang of sympathy for the dress—a fortune spent, worn only twice, with its grand debut cut short.
But that didn’t stop her from wholeheartedly agreeing. "What’s next, then?"
Wei Hanyun thought for a moment. "I’ve got the next week free. We could start our honeymoon."
Zhong Ziyan nodded. "Sounds good."
Her mind was already on ditching the gown when she realized Wei Hanyun hadn’t specified a destination. She blinked. "Where are we going?"
Wei Hanyun grinned, his expression disarmingly innocent. "I’d rather not think during my vacation… so I’ll leave the planning to you."
Caught off guard—her plans had revolved around lazing and splurging—Zhong Ziyan froze. "...Hold on, let me check."
She pulled out her phone and frantically searched for the most luxurious honeymoon package available for immediate booking.
No luck with pre-made packages, but the app did recommend a European town famed for its hot springs and snow-capped peaks.
Skimming through the details, Zhong Ziyan zeroed in on a hot spring estate listed for sale. Without glancing at the price, she forwarded it to Hua Shuangshuang with a terse message: "Buy this. Urgent."
Hua Shuangshuang, mid-sip of champagne, checked her phone and sighed. "...Vacation’s over."
