The gown arrived earlier than scheduled—not by courier, but hand-delivered by the boss of the embroidery studio himself, accompanied by professional bodyguards.
Normally, this wouldn't be enough to warrant a personal delivery by the boss.
But who told him to be such a Hollywood enthusiast?
If not for the fact that his family background was too prominent and any trip abroad required an exhausting amount of paperwork, he would've long flown off to America to experience the decadent delights of capitalism firsthand.
This time, he didn't just deliver the gown—he brought along the full accessory set: earrings, necklaces, hairpieces, and more. Considering the entire package was worth tens of millions, making the trip himself didn't feel beneath him at all.
Naturally, there was no ring among the accessories. After all, rings carry deep symbolic meaning, and finding a piece more exquisite than the blue diamond Roy had already given Laila? Practically impossible. If it wasn't going to be better, why bother looking for an Eastern replacement?
When Laila got the call saying the items had arrived, she was delighted and immediately had someone escort the visitors upstairs.
She hadn't expected the boss himself to come, but when she saw him, she instantly recognized the man she'd seen before at the studio—the one Yao Yingxia had said had a powerful background.
"Hello, I'm Li Zhi Mu from Xuanji Embroidery House. Li as in 'plum tree', Zhi as in 'knowledge', and Mu as in 'behind the scenes'."
Li Zhi Mu entered the room with a friendly smile, promptly introducing himself.
Laila smiled and shook his hand. "Nice to meet you. I'm Laila Moran. I didn't expect you to personally make the delivery."
"It's only right," Li Zhi Mu said cheerfully. "This stuff is too valuable. A single scratch or scuff would be unacceptable."
He smiled as he spoke, casually glancing around the office—completely missing the strange expressions on the faces of the two bodyguards behind him when he said "scratch or scuff."
Stored in layers of armored protective cases, with multiple security protocols—how the hell is anything going to get scratched?!
It was obvious their boss just wanted an excuse to come have some fun.
Do we look like bodyguards… or tourists?
Li Zhi Mu, of course, didn't care what anyone else was thinking.
He was far more interested in Laila's office.
"I've heard you're something of a Sinophile, Laila, but just looking around this office… wow. It's clear you're not just 'interested'—you really get it."
He gave her a thumbs-up, genuinely impressed.
He'd grown up surrounded by Eastern culture—how else would he have ended up running an embroidery business?
A lot of Westerners like to call themselves "experts" on the East. They thought speaking fluent Eastern, memorizing a few classical poems, or knowing a bit of regional customs was enough to be considered "in the know."
But that barely scratched the surface.
To truly understand, to embody that understanding, takes time—years of immersion.
Take Eastern design, for instance. Some luxury brands had started trying to incorporate "Eastern elements" into their products to appeal to the growing Eastern market—things like luxury-branded chopsticks or zodiac-themed makeup.
The result? Often laughable.
Many so-called "Eastern-style" outfits looked downright ridiculous to actual Eastern eyes. There wasn't a better word than cringe.
The root of the problem was clear:
The designers had only a shallow grasp of Eastern culture. They didn't understand the deeper layers—the flavor, the essence, the grace—and without that, everything they made ended up looking like a weird East-West hybrid.
But this office?
From the furniture to the vases, teacups, and paintings—the way it all came together exuded a quiet, refined harmony. A true sense of "Eastern elegance" permeated the space.
"Miss Moran, your reputation as a Sinophile is well-deserved. One look at this office and I'm completely convinced."
Li Zhi Mu sighed with admiration.
Laila smiled and replied politely, "Thank you. But please—just call me Laila. 'Miss Moran' sounds too formal."
Li Zhi Mu wasn't about to argue. He was already casually calling her by name when he came in—no reason to switch now.
"Alright, Laila. How about we take a look at everything and see if it meets your expectations?"
"Gladly."
Laila stood up and walked over.
The two bodyguards placed the two large security cases on the tea table nearby. After completing the complex set of security protocols, they finally opened them.
Laila started with the accessories—delicate, intricate pieces that fit in the palm of her hand and could be appreciated up close.
"These are perfect," she said, her eyes practically glowing. "Exactly what I had in mind."
Then came the dress.
The moment the two bodyguards carefully lifted it out and laid it before her, Laila's breath caught.
Stunning.
She knew the word "stunning" didn't even begin to describe it. But in that moment, her mind froze, unable to summon any fancier or more elaborate praise.
Bright red silk embroidered with golden auspicious motifs—mythical birds, powerful beasts, swirling patterns of fortune and harmony.
As the gown unfolded, it was like unveiling a scroll painting stretching across a thousand years of history. A dignified, timeless aura slowly emanated from it.
"Oh. My. God."
Demi, who had just come in with tea, spotted the gown and was immediately spellbound. "My God, what is that?"
Laila turned to her with a smile. "Beautiful, isn't it?"
Demi carefully set the tea tray aside, then walked toward the gown in a near-reverent daze.
She gently traced the embroidery with her fingers. "This is what Eastern brides wear? This is insanely beautiful. God, Eastern women are so lucky! Why didn't I think of this when I got married?!"
Laila blinked. "Married? You're married? Since when?"
Demi paused, finally realizing what she'd said.
"Oh—right! I mean, I registered the marriage, but we haven't had a wedding yet."
Laila was speechless. "Alright then. Next time you're planning a wedding, I'll gift you an Eastern-style gown too."
"Really?!" Demi lit up. "Thank you, boss! But don't go too overboard—it doesn't need to be anything extravagant. I just want to keep it forever."
She was practical. She knew if the boss promised, she'd probably get a gown as luxurious as this one. But Demi wasn't from a wealthy background. She didn't want to leave a priceless gown sitting at home for moths or burglars to worry about.
A simpler one—one-tenth as beautiful—would be more than enough.
Laila smiled and nodded. "Alright, I get it."
Then she turned to Li Zhi Mu.
"Looks like I'll be commissioning another gown from you soon."
"My pleasure."
Li Zhi Mu bowed slightly in a European courtly style—surprisingly graceful, given his tall frame and handsome features.
Even Demi, as she was leaving the office, couldn't help sneaking a few glances back at him.