238 Staged Wedding

October 23, 20XX (Wednesday)

Zhao Manor

Already experiencing the preparation yesterday, everything went smoothly and easier. Mei Lin was calm every minute of it. She was already used to wearing a mask of indifference. Even when inside of her were emotions exaggerated to the point of madness, her face remained impassive.

Aunt Qinyang grew worried when she saw how quiet Mei Lin was and asked, "Are you alright?"

Mei Lin's eyes shifted to stare straight into Aunt Qinyang's eyes, making the aunt back away at the hard steel glare Mei Lin's eyes gave off. Yue chucked lowly and said, "This face of hers is the reason why I asked her to be my friend. In the years that we spent together, I found that my brother's shamelessness and dominance does not match hers."

Mother Zhao nodded in agreement. At first, she had thought Mei Lin to be a gentle and sweet woman especially when she shows how affectionate she is and how eager she was to please anyone. It was only after knowing Mei Lin for more than two years that Mother Zhao realized that a sadist hid underneath all of her gentlenesses. It is one of the reasons why Mother Zhao liked Yang and Mei Lin together. They were a human representation of Yin and Yang.

Yue was not a good judge of a person's character, but Mei Lin was different because she spent most of her days with her, talking, doing nothing, sleeping, and breathing together. If there were anyone in the world that Yue can claim to know best, that person would be Mei Lin.

"Even if I panic, it wouldn't change anything." Mei Lin muttered.

Yue smirked as she sprayed Mei Lin's make-up with setting spray and said, "Done, put on your gown!"

Mei Lin stood up without anymore prompt. She took off her bathrobe and bared her white undergarments. Putting her foot first and stepping inside the open of the dress, Mother Zhao and Aunt Qinyang pulled the dress up, sliding it on Mei Lin's body like a perfectly fitted glove. Mother Zhao zippered her up as Aunt Qinyang took care of her traditional white veil. Mei Lin did not dare to move, even when Yue was taking too many pictures of her that made her annoyed and embarrassed.

All three ladies that helped her stepped back to look at Mei Lin farther. They sighed in awe. Mother Zhao clasped her hands together while admiring the dress, and said, "You look so beautiful in white."

Mei Lin had to focus and squint her eyes to see through the veil covering her face before she asked, "You didn't like my red dress yesterday?"

"I loved your dress yesterday too, but there is something angelic with white." Mother Zhao moved forward to pat Mei Lin's shoulders with a smile.

"Agreed," Aunt Qinyang nodded.

Yue smirked and couldn't help but tease, "She should have worn this angelic dress yesterday because she was still innocent then. Today, the red would be better because the devil has defiled her!"

Mei Lin's impassive face vanished and was replaced by a red and embarrassed expression. Yue crossed her arms in her front. She still got moves; she could always unmask her best friend's true self with a few words. Grabbing the suitcase that Chang Min had told Yue to give to Mei Lin, Yue opened it for Mei Lin to see.

With jaws dropping into the floor, Mei Lin's lady helpers ogled the emerald jewelry set with a necklace that has large green teardrop emeralds and small diamonds forming a V pattern, two bangle bracelet with the same green precious stone, and mid-size emerald earrings. What was more surprising was the two small pistols on the side. What was the most surprising thing was when Mei Lin first got the guns rather than the jewelry.

All three ladies sigh as they shook their heads. Mei Lin was always a Xue even when she was not raised as one. They watched as Mei Lin took the holster that Chang Min had given her in the drawer. Without any hesitation, she slipped the holster in her right leg and tying the support strap on her waist after she hastily upskirted her fluffy gown, putting the loaded gun easily.

Yue's eyes widen as Mei Lin made sure the magazine was full and checking the costume guns with awe. Mei Lin was far too comfortable with handling a pistol that Yue couldn't understand how easy it looked.

"Are you done?" Chang Min's voice echoed. Mother Zhao snorted when Mei Lin hurried to let her brother in. She opened the door wide, Mei Lin was shocked to see her father on Chang Min's side with the same old man disguise that he always wore. In a good mood, she beckons them to come in.

Chang Min had to stop Mei Lin from her long speech of appreciation of her two costume colored guns. He flicked his little sister's forehead and told, "It is time. Did you put your other pistol on the holster I gave you?"

Mei Lin nodded with a broad grin. Her hands began to shake, feeling the rush of nervousness, fright, and thrill in her veins. Chang Min offered his hands for her to take, hoping that he would be the one to walk her in the aisle since his father was not on her good books.

Mei Lin grinned at her brother and said, "Nice try, big brother. Since we have to keep up with the pretenses of me being Wu Mei Li and not Xue Mei Lin, Mentor Alfonsi would be the best person for the job."

The smile in Jerome Bonaparte's face still radiated blinding watts even with his guise. Jerome offered his left arm for her daughter to take, and almost cried when her hands clang to him. Jerome's heart tightened as he thought of his late wife and elder daughter; their family was not complete in this joyous day.