Shuyin smiled at her seeing how excited she was, the expression feeling fragile on her face. "Thank you, Qiao. You've been incredible."
"Are you kidding?" Qiao clasped her digital tablet to her chest, her eyes shining with genuine excitement. "This is a real-life fairy tale! Six years together, and he still looks at you like you're the only person in the room. That's the dream, Miss Lin. That's the ultimate goal."
Six years.
The words echoed in the suddenly quiet room. It had been six years since a nervous seventeen-year-old Shuyin was dragged by her father to a high-profile tech summit, a transparent attempt to mingle with the powerful Lu family.
While other guests her age were distracted by their phones, her attention was captured by the young man on stage. Lu Zeyan, barely older than her, was confidently pitching his first big idea, a new platform for eco-friendly city planning. His passion was magnetic.
Then, amidst the crowd, their eyes met. And he warmly smiled, a warm, genuine smile that seemed meant only for her, and she was immediately captivated.
He later found her after his speech, standing alone by a bubbling fountain. "You looked like you were the only one actually listening in there," he said, his voice a quiet contrast to his stage presence.
She had laughed, a soft, surprised sound. "Because it was actually interesting. Everyone else is just here to be seen."
"Want to get out of here?" he'd asked. "I know a quiet tea shop that's still open."
" Yeah, sure! Why not?"
And they immediately slipped away from the glittering party and talked for hours. He spoke of his ambitions to change the world with technology; she confessed her love for art and design, a passion often dismissed by her pragmatic family. They bonded over a shared understanding of the gilded cages they were raised in.
That night, he posted a single picture of the two of them together. The caption read: *Met someone real tonight... Finally...* And that simple photo had garnered them fans that were royal and supportive. Fans who weren't afraid of spending on them since they were their ideal couple.
The world took notice. Their relationship was a public spectacle from the very beginning as they all came from prominent families. Every romantic date, every tropical vacation, every anniversary was documented and shared.
Their names became a brand, a hashtag, a modern love story that thousands of people online followed and adored. They had created the perfect couple image.
For six years, she had lived inside that story. Six years of perfectly staged photos. Six years of crafting a flawless image for the world to admire. Six years of reading comments that called them "perfect" and "goals."
Nobody actually knew how much she had sacrificed, nobody knew what it took her to get to that stage.
From compromising, getting abused, to even dealing with publicity, no one knew how much she had invested in this relationship, and everyone thought she had gotten everything on a silver platter and was lucky to have a man like Lu Zeyan.
Tomorrow would be the final, beautiful proof that it had all been real and worth it..
Tomorrow was the promised happy ending. And tomorrow was a new beginning for a new journey where she would become his wife officially and give birth to the beautiful babies they had been planning to have and have a happy ever after.
The phone buzzed again, a sharp vibration against the polished wood of the vanity. Shuyin strode back and picked it up. This time, it was a message from Michelle, her wedding planner:
(Final confirmation, your dress is absolutely STUNNING. Zeyan's jaw is going to hit the floor when he sees you walking down that aisle!)
A genuine, hopeful smile finally touched Shuyin's lips as she looked at her reflection. Her fingers rose unconsciously to trace the cool, smooth surface of the jade hairpin, a silent plea for luck.
"Miss Lin, you really should try to rest now," Qiao urged gently from the doorway. "Tomorrow will be a marathon, and you need to be radiant for every single camera."
"You're right, of course... Goodnight, Qiao. And thank you."
Once she was alone, Shuyin walked to the tall windows. The city stretched out below her, glowing with countless lights that looked like fallen stars. Somewhere out there, Zeyan was in his penthouse. Was he celebrating with friends, or lying awake like her, thinking about their future?
As if summoned by her thoughts, her phone screen illuminated with a new notification.
It was from Zeyan: (Can't wait to see you tomorrow in that beautiful gown. You're going to be the most beautiful bride.)
Her heart swelled, a warm, buoyant feeling that lifted all her lingering anxieties. She typed back quickly, her thumbs flying over the screen.
Shuyin: You're not supposed to text the bride the night before! It's bad luck!
His reply was instantaneous.