Avery paused. She already knew it was impossible to escape.
She looked around. There were some dancers she had seen before, including Yuki.
Avery held a white handkerchief, walking in front of the crowds.
"What are you doing?" Avery looked at the dancers in confusion.
"We had prepared a special activity for the bride and bridegroom," Yuki said and then spread a handkerchief which was covered with many lip marks.
Yuki handed the handkerchief to Avery and said, "You need to leave your lip mark on it. If the bridegroom can't recognize which lip mark belongs to you, he has to give you a French kiss."
Avery kept her eyes on the handkerchief but didn't take it over.
"I have never kissed Meyer. He can't recognize my lip mark," thought Avery.
"The handkerchief had been prepared. We are waiting for you," Some dancers urged.
"No. I refuse to take part in this activity," Avery said. She didn't want to participate in such a boring game. Although it was the custom of Ancient Country, Avery was not from Ancient Country. So, she didn't have to follow it.
When the dancers heard that, they looked disappointed. Some of them turned back and shouted at Meyer, "Mr. Charles, your bride refuses to participate. You once promised that she must be cooperative, but now, what shall we do?"
Meyer stayed calm. He walked over Avery and whispered to her, "Darling, they want to make everyone happy. Are you worried that I can't recognize it?"
Avery kept silent, signaling unspoken acceptance.
"Why not have a try?" Peter asked aggressively.
Avery curled her lips while Meyer said, "Don't worry about it. I don't like to kiss in public. After the party, do you want to go to see the little princess with me?"
Avery knew Meyer asked her to cooperate with him so that he would accompany her to see the little princess.
Avery agreed without hesitation though she would not like to do so.
Since Avery agreed, people laughed and said jokingly, "Mr. Charles knows how to persuade his wife."
"Mr. Charles is a good man. He is so patient and must be a good husband."
Meyer touched Avery's head and pointed to his seat, saying, "I'll wait for you there."
Soon, Meyer ran back. Avery had to get the handkerchief, left her lip mark on it, and gave it back to Yuki.
Everyone became excited. Someone handed it to Meyer quickly and stared to gossip:
"If Mr. Charles fails to recognize your wife's lip mark, you must be ashamed."
"It is said that Mr. Charles has loved the princess for three years. I believe he can recognize it."
"As I see, these lip marks look the same. Your lip mark is similar to the princess."
Meyer glanced over the handkerchief and then looked at Avery's lips.
"Her lips are just perfect. They are perfect. The pale pink color is very suitable for Avery, which looks like a jelly. I even want to kiss it, but I had promised not to kiss her in public," thought Meyer.
Meyer happened to see Evan, who was sitting there without any special expression as if he cares about nothing. Meyer heard there was a special medicine which could help people forget what he or she loved, but he was surprised to find that it was useful when Evan took it.
Meyer narrowed his eyes, touched Avery's lip mark, and finally stopped on another mark.
"Oh!"
Simultaneously the dancers smirked.
"I would think he got the right answer."
"Almost, if he pointed to the one next to the lip mark, he is right."
"Why do you think he fails to recognize it? I think he deliberately made a mistake so that he can give the princess a French kiss."
"That's right! Mr. Charles, kiss her."
"Mr. Charles, kiss her," everyone cheered.
It was just getting a little cheerful.
Avery was not happy about it. She trusted Meyer, who just said that he must get the right answer and didn't like to kiss someone in public, but now Meyer he broke his promise. Avery really got mad at him.
Meyer walked over, "Darling, I…"
Avery shook her head, stepped back a little bit, and said, "Do you still remember what you said?"
"Let's have a try, Can I?" Meyer made a polite asking as if he was discussing with Avery.
Avery shook her head again and said, "I don't want to kiss here."
Meyer was disappointed, but he still chose to respect Avery and explained, "My wife disagreed. I am very sorry about that. As a penalty, I would like to drink three glasses of alcohol."
"Mr. Charles really loves your wife very much."
"No, I don't agree. Mr. Charles, you shouldn't spoil your wife. Otherwise, she won't respect you," A man said.
"I think so. We want to see you have a French kiss."
"Come on. Come on. Have a French kiss."
Meyer glanced at Avery but kept his words because Avery looked very determined, and no one can't change her mind.
Mr. Black understood, so he said, "All right. They are a new bride and bridegroom. It is no wonder that they are so shy, so we don't have to make them embarrassed."
As the President of the Ancient Country, Mr. Black's words were powerful. No one objected in public, but muttered in a low voice, "It is so boring. Anyway, they don't have to be shy because they are going to get married. Otherwise, how could they make love?"
"I agree with you. I guess it is hard to get along with the princess. I still remember that she wore the same wedding dress as Tina's. I think she doesn't want to marry Meyer."
For a minute, many people started to gossip and whisper to each other. All the people were disappointed all of a sudden as if a balloon without air.
"Why not change another game? According to the tradition of Ancient Country, each couple should do something close in public. Otherwise, they won't have a happy life," A man proposed. Soon, everyone followed suit.
Meyer kept silent and stared at Avery.
Under such great pressure from Meyer and the crowds, Avery had to ask coldly, "What kind of game is it?"
Yuki immediately answered, "Since the bridegroom failed, do you want to have a try, the bride?"
"You mean…" A man got Yuki's idea.
"I mean the game is that the bride looks for a groom bride," Yuki interrupted.
"What is your meaning?"
"Bring some people who have almost the same height and weight as the bridegroom and cover the bride's eyes. By touching men's pectoral muscles, the bride will try to recognize who is the bridegroom."
Hearing the game rule, everyone cheered. The crowds can't wait to start the game.
Some were looking around and tried to find who was similar in shape to Meyer.
Avery seemed to hear the name of Evan.