Behind-the-Scenes of Pre-Wedding and Post-Wedding [3]

When I was little, I attended my neighbor’s older brother’s wedding. Aside from thinking how handsome he looked in a suit, I also thought the bride was absolutely beautiful.

When I grow up, I want to not only find a man who looks good in a suit but also become a beautiful bride myself.

—From “Little Tangxin’s Diary”

The air grew deathly silent, so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

Tang Xin stiffly turned her head, guiltily looking at Tang Yu’s expressionless face. She thought, I’m done for—I’ve been caught again. She gave an awkward smile: “I—I was just saying it casually.” Then, glancing at the embarrassed and nervous Secretary Chen, she frantically tried to salvage the situation: “Don’t listen to me rambling nonsense. Lately, I’ve probably gone a bit crazy writing scripts. It was just a discarded scene from the script—don’t take my words seriously…”

Secretary Chen was extremely uncomfortable, too embarrassed to even look at Mr. Tang. She quickly glanced at Gao Heng and hurriedly said: “No, no, no, I wouldn’t dare! That would be so inappropriate… Gao and I are just colleagues with a pure professional relationship.”

Tang Xin: “….”

Secretary Chen didn’t think much about it, unsure whether to feel relieved or disappointed.

Back when Tang Dingding heard this suggestion, her eyes lit up.

Tang Yu walked over, took Tang Xin’s hand, and coldly dropped a line: “Don’t listen to her nonsense. Let’s call it a day.”

Tang Xin was led away by him, leaving Gao Heng behind. He awkwardly pushed his glasses up, looked at Secretary Chen, and said: “Mr. Tang is right. Don’t pay attention to what Miss Tang said. Let’s head home.”

Secretary Chen blushed: “Okay…”

Tang Xin, who hadn’t walked far, heard this and rolled her eyes in exasperation.

Either Gao Heng was too rigid, or he was too much of a player.

Tang Yu brought Tang Xin into the elevator. After pressing the floor button and the doors closed, he shoved his hands into his pockets, lowered his head to look at her, and let out a cold snort: “Are you planning on passing this method down as a family heirloom? Teaching everyone you meet. Tang Dingding was one thing, but now you’re messing with the office secretaries too—what if she actually tries it and fails? How will you clean up the mess?”

Tang Xin: “….”

She huffed: “I was even going to apply for a patent! Secretary Chen didn’t say she wanted to try…” Who would take such things seriously anyway? Only naive little lambs like Tang Dingding would fall for it.

He laughed in frustration: “Have you been too idle lately?”

Tang Xin glared at him: “Not at all! I came here to wait for you so we could go home together, okay?!”

She was busy too, alright?

It was Friday, and they were heading back to the Tang household for dinner. After Tang Yu’s proposal, they had visited once before, but Tang Haiming wasn’t there that time because an old friend of his, someone he’d known for decades, had fallen gravely ill. Tang Haiming went to visit him and stayed for several days. In the end, the old friend passed away, and Tang Haiming had been in low spirits these past few days. Zeng Wan asked Tang Yu to bring Tang Xin home for dinner, and Tang Dingding would join them too, to liven up the house and cheer him up.

It was already mid-January, and their wedding date had already been announced by Tang Yu during the proposal: May 5th. The wedding preparations began after New Year’s Day, all handled by Zeng Wan, of course, with input from Tang Yu.

Before proposing, Tang Yu had asked Tang Xin where she wanted to hold the wedding.

Tang Xin said: “If I have to choose, I’d say England. When I was little and watched TV, I always thought Western church weddings were beautiful.”

They’d hold one ceremony abroad and another banquet in Suzhou for the traditional return-home celebration.

These matters still needed to be discussed with Tang Dawei and Zhong Lijun. In fact, the two families’ parents hadn’t met yet, but according to the plan, they would meet tomorrow, Saturday. When they arrived at the Tang family estate, Tang Dingding had just gotten out of the car and waved enthusiastically upon seeing them: “Big Brother, Sister-in-law!”

Tang Yu grunted in acknowledgment.

Tang Xin: “….”

Ever since Tang Yu proposed, Tang Dingding had started calling her “Sister-in-law.”

Should she respond to it or not?

Tang Yu held her hand: “Let’s go. What are you spacing out for?”

Tang Xin gave a soft “Oh” and smiled, walking over to Tang Dingding: “Little Lamb, how have you been lately?”

The movie had only been released for just over half a month, but the reviews were excellent, and screenings kept increasing. Tang Dingding had been very busy recently, traveling around promoting the film. Today, she happened to be in Beijing for a day before flying off to another city tomorrow.

She happily replied: “Great! Being with the team feels busy but happy.”

Tang Xin leaned closer and whispered: “Is it because you’re happy being with Director Lu?”

Tang Dingding’s face reddened, and she quickly said: “No way, don’t talk nonsense.”

During the three months of filming, after Tang Dingding was scolded and cried, she started bribing Lu Zhixing with sweets. Tang Xin had seen Lu receive so many candies that she worried the 32-year-old man might get cavities.

Tang Xin didn’t know if Tang Dingding had been truly happy shopping, traveling, and partying with her girlfriends every day in the past, but she definitely seemed happier now. If not completely transformed, at least fulfilled and joyful. Moreover, it seemed she really hadn’t thought about Huo Chendong anymore.

Even Old Feng commented that aside from being a bit older, Lu Zhixing suited Tang Dingding well—he was indulgent enough.

Of course, Old Feng loved playing matchmaker, especially for Lu Zhixing. Whenever he saw a pretty girl with a suitable job, he’d try to set them up with Lu. But when it came to Tang Dingding… she was a young miss…

Turning to Tang Yu, Tang Xin asked: “Do you think Lu Zhixing is old?”

Tang Dingding: “!!!”

Tang Yu frowned: “What does it matter to me if he’s old or not?”

Tang Xin: “… True.”

On the occasions Tang Yu visited the set, he only focused on her and didn’t stay long, so naturally, he didn’t notice anything between Lu Zhixing and Tang Dingding. Tang Xin glanced at the nervous Tang Dingding and decided to stay quiet.

However, Tang Yu misunderstood. Back when Lu Zhixing made such a big fuss trying to snatch the rights from him and made the collaboration negotiations complicated, Tang Yu found it hard to believe that Lu didn’t have any feelings for Tang Xin.

“He’s quite old.”

The man gave a cold evaluation.

Tang Xin and Tang Dingding wore different expressions. Walking behind them, Tang Dingding muttered under her breath: “He’s not that old…”

Aunt Zhang saw them walk in and called out: “They’re back.”

Zeng Wan stood up and smiled warmly: “You’re back. Let’s eat.”

After everyone sat down, Zeng Wan had someone bring Tang Xin a bowl of chicken soup. She gently encouraged: “Today’s chicken soup is very fresh. Drink more of it.”

Tang Xin quickly responded: “Okay.”

Zeng Wan then urged Tang Dingding to eat more, tenderly saying: “Look at you, how thin you’ve become in such a short time. Remember how well you used to live at home? Why did you have to go act in a movie…?”

At that moment, Tang Haiming kicked her lightly under the table. Confused, she looked at him: “What was that for?”

Tang Xin: “….”

Tang Haiming calmly glanced at her: “Dingding acting is for her sister-in-law’s movie. It’s all for the film promotion. Once this busy period is over, everything will be fine.”

Zeng Wan suddenly remembered—her daughter entered the production with resources… sent by her own brother. She glanced at Tang Xin and quickly smiled: “It’s fine. I was just worried about her. This child has never suffered before, but acting is good too. All my friends praise her talent, saying she was born to do this.”

Tang Xin knew Zeng Wan had no issues with her. Previously, Zhong Lijun had asked her how Tang Yu’s parents were. Since Tang Haiming’s surgery, he had been in retirement, recuperating, and had become gentler than before. Zeng Wan was different from other wealthy housewives—she had a mild temperament and wasn’t overbearing. She also didn’t interfere with Tang Xin’s work.

Moreover, the movie’s box office performance was excellent. Tang Dingding had jumped from obscurity to becoming a third-tier star, and her future prospects would only get better.

Tang Xin smiled: “Dingding is indeed talented. The movie will be a hit, and she deserves the most credit.”

Tang Dingding beamed brightly: “No, it’s mainly because Sister-in-law wrote such a great script!”

Everyone chuckled.

The Tang family dinner table was relatively quiet, with little conversation. After the meal, they sat in the living room to chat. Tomorrow, they would head to Suzhou. Zeng Wan had already prepared the gifts and betrothal presents, but she still asked: “Do your parents have anything they particularly like?”

Tang Xin: “….”

Zhong Lijun loved buying bags, and Tang Dawei loved buying them for her.

Did that count as something special?

Tang Xin couldn’t say that, so she smiled: “Auntie, there’s no need to go to so much trouble. They said everything can proceed normally.”

The betrothal gifts were definitely necessary. Although Tang Xin’s family wasn’t as wealthy as Tang Yu’s, they could afford to buy her a house in Beijing and owned several properties in Suzhou. Her family’s financial situation wasn’t bad, and since they were marrying off their daughter, they wanted it to be grand—but not overly extravagant.

Moreover, considering that Tang Yu had gone through the trouble of creating such a thick proposal plan, the wedding would undoubtedly be meticulously perfect.

There was nothing to worry about.

The next afternoon, the group boarded a plane bound for Suzhou.

When the two cars pulled up in front of Tang Xin’s apartment building, Zhong Lijun walked out from a neighbor’s place on the first floor to greet them. She had dressed up elaborately today, exuding an air of luxury, and Tang Xin almost felt blinded by her appearance. Was this really necessary…?

It was as if Zhong Lijun noticed her gaze and shot back a look: What do you know? We can’t lose face.

At first glance, Zeng Wan and Tang Haiming could tell that Zhong Lijun was Tang Xin’s mother because Tang Xin bore a striking resemblance to her—about 60-70%. Zeng Wan smiled: “Mother-in-law, hello.”

Zhong Lijun returned a warm smile: “Oh, oh, you’ve come all this way—it must have been tiring. Come upstairs and rest.”

The driver began unloading a pile of gifts from the car.

Zhong Lijun glanced at them and smiled again: “Why bring so many things? Such a hassle.”

Zeng Wan: “It’s only proper.”

Tang Yu had arranged the day’s itinerary. It was already past 4 p.m., so after resting upstairs for a bit, they would head to the hotel for dinner. As they walked upstairs, Tang Xin held onto Tang Yu’s arm and whispered: “Are you nervous?”

To be honest, she didn’t know how Tang Yu planned to approach Tang Dawei later. Tang Dawei could be quite difficult at times—if they gave too much money, he’d likely say, “I’m not selling my daughter.” But if they gave too little, it would make him lose face.

He was hard to please, and what worried her most was that Zeng Wan and Tang Haiming might also feel embarrassed.

That was the last thing she wanted.

“It’s fine,” Tang Yu reassured her, holding her hand and smiling faintly. “Don’t worry.”

Tang Dawei stood at the door and welcomed them inside.

When Zeng Wan and Tang Haiming saw Tang Dawei, they were momentarily taken aback. His demeanor was quite different from Zhong Lijun’s, leaving them curious about how the couple interacted privately.

“Come in, don’t stand on ceremony. Sit, sit, sit.”

Tang Dawei gestured for everyone to take their seats. He glanced at Tang Yu and Tang Xin—his mood today seemed relatively good.

After everyone settled down, they exchanged pleasantries. Zeng Wan praised Tang Xin’s personality, saying she was simple and adorable. “She complements our Tang Yu perfectly. He’s usually so cold and distant, but since being with Xin Xin, his personality has changed.” She teased with a smile, “Just look at how high-profile he was about announcing their relationship and proposing—even we were kept in the dark.”

So, it wasn’t just them who were left in the dark.

Both sets of parents were treated equally—no need to feel hurt.

This made Tang Dawei and Zhong Lijun feel slightly more at ease. Tang Dawei chuckled: “Well, young people tend to act impulsively. As long as they live happily afterward, that’s all that matters.”

When it came to the betrothal gifts, Zeng Wan and Tang Haiming had prepared everything in advance—all the necessary items were ready.

As Tang Dawei and Zhong Lijun looked over the card, stock transfers, and property deeds, their expressions weren’t particularly pleased. Tang Dawei glanced at Zhong Lijun, and the two shared an unspoken understanding. Tang Dawei bluntly said: “Isn’t this too much? It makes us look like we’re selling our daughter.”

Zhong Lijun felt uneasy as well. While she was satisfied with Tang Yu, marrying into a wealthy family wasn’t easy. Taking favors often meant owing something, and she feared her daughter might feel inferior in her new family.

She nodded in agreement: “Yes, although our family isn’t as wealthy as yours, we’re not short on money either. We may not have many houses or shops, but we do have a few. We only have one daughter, and everything will eventually be hers. The reason we agreed to this marriage is because they love each other—not because of Tang Yu’s wealth.”

Tang Haiming added: “The shares are my gift to my daughter-in-law. It’s only proper.”

Tang Xin: “….”

Sure enough, the topic had come up.

In the end—

Tang Yu calmly took out a document and placed it on the table.

A prenuptial agreement—

All of his personal assets would be transferred to Tang Xin’s name. If he ever wronged her after marriage, he would leave with nothing.

President Tang: “Lu Zhixing? Quite an old man.”

Little Tangxin: “Eh? Isn’t he going to be your brother-in-law?”

Little Lamb: “o(╥﹏╥)o Not old! Not old! Not old!”