Names mentioned in this chapter :

-苏芮 (sù ruì) – Su Rui, our female protagonist

-苏小芮(sù xiǎo ruì)- Su Xiao Rui, which translates to Su little Rui.

-顾煜城 (gù yù chéng)- Gu Yu Cheng, the male lead

-老顾(lǎo gù)- Lao Gu, refers to Gu Yu Cheng(in Chapter 26) and may also refer to Gu Yu Cheng’s father as well.

-顾安安(gù ān’ān)- Gu An An, Gu Yan Rui’s nickname.

-唐笑(táng xiào) – Tang Xiao, Su Rui’s friend and daughter of the chairman of Tang Jing Group

-唐小妞(táng xiǎo niū)- Tang Xiao Niu, which translates to Tang little girl.

-周子渊(zhōu zǐ yuān)- Zhou Zi Yuan, the young chairman of the Zhou Company

–唐俊(táng jùn)- Tang Jun, Tang Xiao’s elder brother and son of the chairman of Tang Jing Group

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Su Rui’s and Gu Yu Cheng’s wedding was fixed for the 27th of July.

This date was said to be an auspicious date that Gu Yu Cheng had asked a (feng shui) master to calculate it.

Su Rui wouldn’t have believed that Gu Yu Cheng actually believed in this if she hadn’t personally heard it from Tang Jun.

The preparations and the entire process of the wedding were much more complicated than their engagement party.

Although most of the things were already taken care of by Gu Yu Cheng while he was doing the preliminary preparations, there were other things that the parents on both sides assisted with.

There were also several things that Su Rui and the others needed to be personally involved in. For example, customizing the wedding dress and wedding rings. Another example is wedding photography.

Things such as travel photography may sound casual and elegant. But, in actual fact, it is a programme that causes one to be extremely tired. Without sparing a thought, Su Rui immediately rejected this.

In the end, Su Rui opted for an indoor shoot after much contemplation.

Objectively speaking, Su Rui felt that the indoor shots would be more beautiful and relaxing.

Of course, Gu Yu Cheng had considered this aspect as well.

Su Rui read many wedding photo posts on the Internet, and most of them mentioned one point. Even though she did not want to phrase it in such a way, the husband is basically a human prop during the wedding photography session, apart from the moment he sees his wife in a wedding gown with elaborate makeup and enjoys a stunning sight.

Most of the time, he waits for his wife to change her outfit, do her makeup, and take pictures. Then, he continues to wait for her to change, reapply her makeup, and take pictures.

It’s a bit miserable if one were to think about it.

Regarding this plan, Gu Yu Cheng had no objections to this as it mainly depended on what his wife liked.

But when it came to choosing a theme, Gu Yu Cheng said decisively, “Wedding gowns.”

Su Rui looked breathtakingly beautiful, dressed in outfits similar to evening gowns.

On that day, he accompanied Su Rui to the wedding gown fitting.

Gu Yu Cheng was truly mesmerized the moment he saw her walking out of the dressing room in a snow-white wedding dress.

Even now, he still felt that he could not take his eyes off the dress while he looked at the photos he took that day on his phone.

Hence, Gu Yu Cheng did not hesitate to choose wedding gowns out of the many styles offered by the designer, such as traditional clothing, Xiuhefu,^[1] liberation army uniforms,^[2] Republican era style,^[3] everyday style, and wedding gowns, etc.

“So what kind of effect and end result do the two of you want the photos to demonstrate?” The designer handed the tablet to Su Rui and Gu Yu Cheng again.

There were many options.

Romantic, beautiful, quirky, sexy, warm…

Gu Yu Cheng swiftly skimmed over the options and answered, “Intimate.”

After saying that, Gu Yu Cheng’s survival instinct kicked in. He looked at Su Rui and asked, “What do you think?”

Su Rui mulled over the word Gu Yu Cheng had spoken. When she noticed the insistence hidden in Gu Yu Cheng’s eyes, she felt it was amusing.

“I shall satisfy your request!” Su Rui smiled and said very “readily”.

Anyhow, all she needed to do was to be beautiful in the photo.

Listening to them whispering to one another, the designer across the table smiled along.

“So, the main theme will be according to this, right?” The designer asked.

“Mm, just go with what my husband has mentioned.”

“Okay, our set-up and clothes will be ready within a week. The two of you can check the results at any time during the process. If there are any dissatisfactions, we can always make adjustments and replacements.” The designer said in an extremely nice manner.

This wedding photography studio was chosen after Mother Gu went through countless recommendations from her friends. The examples they had been shown before were all beautiful. Hence, Su Rui had nothing to worry about.

She trusted in their professionalism. Therefore, during the process, Su Rui only roughly oversaw it initially and rarely checked on them afterward.

So much so that Su Rui was really surprised when she saw the set-up on the day of the photoshoot.

The stained-glass windows, flower rack, and such are normal, but isn’t that giant round bed decorated with all types of flowers a bit too…that?

“Wow, it looks great!” Tang Xiao was obviously attracted by the attractiveness of this big bed.

It is quite pretty. But, Su Rui feels that her face flushed just by imagining how the photos will be taken.

However, looking at Gu Yu Cheng’s expression, it seems like he is very satisfied with this?

“Pass An An to me. Go and quickly change!” Tang Xiao urged with glimmering eyes.

After a while, as Tang Xiao looked at Su Rui, who had changed into her first wedding dress and came out, she couldn’t help but sigh with emotion and said, “Ay. Why is it so difficult for me to be a bridesmaid!”

Su Rui didn’t want to have a bridesmaid when she got engaged. Tang Xiao finally awaited their wedding, but she was actually not allowed to be a bridesmaid again.

Hearing Tang Xiao’s complaint, Su Rui snorted and laughed.

“Can you blame me for that? Who let your daughter just so happen to arrive?” Su Rui teased her.

Who asked this chick to really become pregnant?

Originally, Su Rui always took the fact about Tang Xiao incessantly talking about her daughter as a joke and didn’t take it to heart. However, she didn’t expect it to actually happen this time.

Then again, it is not that Tang Xiao’s senses were accurate, but Zhou Zi Yuan calculated it very well.

“Besides, didn’t I allow you to take pictures together in your bridesmaid’s dress?”

“How can that be the same?”

“Tang Xiao Niu, it’s about the same.” Su Rui glanced at Tang Xiao and added, “A bridesmaid is busy from morning to night. So it’s for your own good that we don’t let you become one.”

“Ay. Okay, okay, let’s take a few pictures,” Tang Xiao said leisurely. She spoke while teasing Gu An An in her arms, “Come on, An An. Let’s take pictures with me, your mother-in-law, and your future daughter-in-law.”

Last night, Gu An An fought with his father over kicking the blanket and stayed up until almost midnight.

Today, his “retribution” came.

At first, Gu An An was quite excited as he looked at the camera and the equipment.

After taking a few pictures, the novelty wore off, and Gu An An started drifting off to sleep.

Looking at her son’s “forced to work” pitiful look, Su Rui was between laughter and tears.

Su Rui and Tang Xiao couldn’t bear to see this. So after taking a few pictures, they let this little pitiful off.

After taking the other shots, it was time to take Su Rui and Gu Yu Cheng’s wedding photos.

At first, the photography session went smoothly.

It wasn’t until the final highlight: the huge round bed.

“Mrs Gu can lean your upper body forward a little more. Your head can inch closer to your husband’s chin. Yes…”

“Relax your arms, don’t be so stiff.”

“Ease up a bit more. You can rest on your husband’s shoulders. That’s right…”

The photographer held the camera and kept adjusting the poses of Su Rui and Gu Yu Cheng.

On the other end, Tang Xiao was watching very excitedly.

While Su Rui was about to die of embarrassment.

The actual fact is that she and Gu Yu Cheng are also considered an old married couple, and almost everything that should be unlocked has been unlocked.

But that was, after all, a private affair between two people behind closed doors.

Presently, she was lying openly in the bright light with onlookers around her.

Even though she knew it was a photoshoot, Su Rui’s face still warmed up.

Luckily, the makeup artist had applied a thick layer of foundation for the photoshoot, which could conceal her flushed face.

“Done. Let’s change to the next pose.”

“You don’t have to move too much. Mrs Gu can raise your head a little more. Mr Gu can lower your head a little. And both of you can face one another. Yes, just like that.”

“Mrs Gu, you can place your fingertip gently on your husband’s lips. Yes, great.”

“Be a bit more natural with your facial expressions. ”

Su Rui: I can’t make it natural.

With her fingertips on Gu Yu Cheng’s lower lip, she could feel this man’s breathing getting heavier.

Finally, the photographer said, “Done,” when Su Rui’s arms were getting sore from holding them up.

“Now, you two can be a little closer and change into a more intimate position. ”

“Come, Mrs Gu can lie on your husband’s body. And Mr Gu can place your hands on your wife’s waist to slightly support your wife’s waist.”

“Let’s take this picture from the side. The expressions are very important.”

When the camera noticed Su Rui’s extremely stiff expression through the camera lens, he reminded them, “Mr Gu, you don’t have to be so rigid. And Mrs Gu as well, you don’t have to be so nervous. Relax your expression.”

However, the photographer didn’t know that the reason for Su Rui’s expression to turn stiff was not because she was nervous or shy. Instead, it was because she had discovered something even more awkward.

Gu Yu Cheng actually has a reaction!

“Gu Yu Cheng, you!”

Gu Yu Cheng said in a low, hoarse voice as the hand holding Su Rui’s waist tightened, “It’s a normal reaction. I can’t control it either.”

“Help me block it,” Gu Yu Cheng spoke as the photographer asked the two to adjust their new position again.

Su Rui was wearing a wedding dress with a large hemline.

Su Rui glared at Gu Yu Cheng and whispered, “Weren’t you the one who requested this kind of shot?”

At this moment, a shutter clicked next to them.

“That’s right! Just like that! Very good!”

“There it is!” The photographer said with some excitement.

The photographer didn’t hear what Su Rui and Gu Yu Cheng were saying, but their performance just now was indeed outstanding.

Originally, they were whispering about a very embarrassing matter. In the end, it became an intimate whisper between lovers when this pose was photographed by the photographer. Moreover, it looked very natural.

At this time, Zhou Zi Yuan, who had gone to buy cupcakes for his girlfriend, also arrived.

Zhou Zi Yuan raised his eyebrows while watching the two being photographed.

“This is a nice set-up. Let’s do the same when we shoot too?” Zhou Zi Yuan suggested.

“Yeah, I think this is good too!” Tang Xiao nodded.

She feels super emotional just by looking at this set of photos from the side!

“And it feels like Su Xiao Rui and Gu Yu Cheng are gradually immersed in the mood.” Tang Xiao said.

Upon hearing these words, Zhou Zi Yuan gave Gu Yu Cheng a thoughtful glance. There was a flash of suspicion in his eyes.

“Pfft, he’s not gradually immersed in the mood. He’s already in the mood.”

“What do you mean? Is there a difference between these two words?”

Zhou Zi Yuan casually blurted out, “Apart from the word ‘in’, the rest of the words are different. That’s the difference.”

“Let’s go. Aren’t you hungry? Let’s go out to sit and eat the cupcake.”

He was only responsible for taking his girlfriend out and bringing Gu An An along.

As for the staff at the scene and how to send them out after filming later, that was Lao Gu’s own business.

……

The 27th of July was a breezy and beautiful day.

Gu Yu Cheng and Su Rui’s wedding was held on a private island. Although it was already considered low-key to the outside world, it still created a huge buzz in the business world and the Internet.

From the outset, their marriage was never meant to be a marriage for commercial benefit.

Nevertheless, when news of their wedding was released, Gu Company and Su Hua Group’s share prices reached the daily trading limit several times.

Neither Su Rui nor Gu Yu Cheng was too concerned about this.

The reason is that as soon as the wedding was over, Gu Yu Cheng left his son behind and immediately took his wife and went on their honeymoon.

^[1] 秀禾服(xiù hé fú)- Xiuhefu is a wedding dress originated in the Qing dynasty. The Xiuhefu has a overlapping jacket which closes to the right side and it is worn with an A-line skirt. It is typically embroidered with flowers and birds to symbolize love for whole seasons. Picture of Xiuhefu from Wikipedia Credits: Wikipedia

^[2]Liberation army’s uniform.

^[3] In the Republican era, Zhongshan suit was popularised as a new style of men’s wear. For women, there was a transformation of the traditional qipao, which resulted in a slender form-fitting dress with a high cut. It is called the cheongsam. Credits: Wikipedia