NOVEL WEB Chapter 120 - Trying on Wedding Dresses
Poor little Tang Yuan was jolted awake by urgent knocks on the door, accompanied by shouts of “Fire! Run quickly!” These words squeezed into her groggy mind as she floated toward the door, her steps unsteady.
Standing at the doorway, her eyes half-closed, hair messy, she wore a dusty pink long-sleeve pajama set. The sleeves were rolled up unevenly—one side short, the other long.
Mrs. Shi beamed with delight and pulled Tang Yuan into a hug. “Hey, darling, good morning!”
Tang Yuan sighed helplessly. “Mummy…”
She didn’t need to think twice—just hearing the commotion was enough to know her eccentric parents were back.
Behind Mrs. Shi, Mr. Tang feigned ignorance. “Ah Yuan isn’t fully awake yet? Did you stay up late last night?”
Yawning and rubbing her eyes, Tang Yuan mumbled, “Dad, look at the time… even dogs aren’t awake yet…”
“Sis, Mom, Dad? You’re back.” Tang Su greeted them, wearing his neatly pressed school uniform, carrying his backpack. He looked fresh and energetic.
“I’m heading to school now. See you in the afternoon.”
Tang Yuan shut her mouth and gently pushed at her mother’s tight embrace. “I’ll go wash up first.”
“Oh, no need! If you’re still sleepy, go back to bed. Mummy’s just teasing you. Go sleep in and get nice and rested~”
Mrs. Shi cheerfully nudged her back into her room and even closed the door behind her before returning to her own room with Mr. Tang.
Tang Yuan climbed back into bed, half-asleep, and lazily picked up her phone to send a voice message to Jiang Zi, letting her know her parents were back.
She slept until nine o’clock, waking up satisfied.
After washing up, she checked her phone and played Jiang Zi’s reply.
Jiang Zi: “Tomorrow is Reunion Festival. How about I book a hotel and officially meet your parents? It’s our first meeting, so it should be more formal.”
Tang Yuan couldn’t help but smile, her eyes crinkling. She teased, “Meeting at home is formal too. Why go out for dinner? Reunion Festival feels cozier at home.”
Jiang Zi: “Restaurants have festive atmospheres too, dear.”
Seeing Jiang Zi’s insistence, Tang Yuan relented. As long as family was there, any place would feel like a reunion dinner.
Mrs. Shi was full of energy. After breakfast, she enthusiastically dragged Tang Yuan out shopping—buying clothes, getting beauty treatments.
When they stood outside a nail salon, Mrs. Shi suddenly paused, realizing something. “Wouldn’t getting your nails done be inconvenient?”
Tang Yuan was stunned. “Huh?”
“Oh, it’s fine. We’ll just do short nails. Short ones can be pretty too. Besides, there are always finger cots for… that.” With that, she briskly pulled Tang Yuan inside.
Tang Yuan’s face flushed crimson. How could she say such things so nonchalantly? Thankfully, no one else overheard.
Mrs. Shi was quite fashionable. Knowing her daughter was dating a girl, she had researched how women… took care of each other. She understood these things.
With an appointment already made, they spent four hours on manicures.
By the time they finished, it was dinner time. The three men at home wanted to join them, but Mrs. Shi refused.
Tang Yuan couldn’t recall ever having a day out with her mother alone like this. Throughout the day, Mrs. Shi never pried into her relationship or mentioned Jiang Zi much—just focused entirely on spending time with her daughter.
After dinner, they strolled through Starlight Mall with no particular destination in mind, stopping in front of a custom bridal boutique.
Mrs. Shi stood silently, holding Tang Yuan’s hand. In her eyes, Tang Yuan glimpsed a rare complexity—probably imagining her daughter getting married, feeling sentimental.
Tang Yuan was about to coax her away when Mrs. Shi suddenly pulled her inside. “Come on, let’s go in and try some wedding dresses.”
“Huh?” Tang Yuan hadn’t expected this. “Mummy, we just ate. I’ll look bloated.”
“Nonsense! A full belly doesn’t mean you can’t fit. Your tummy’s small enough.” She patted Tang Yuan’s stomach.
Tang Yuan: …
What else could she do but comply?
The boutique staff welcomed them warmly, sensing their affluence. They immediately presented their top recommendations for Tang Yuan to try on.
The boutique lived up to its reputation—each wedding dress was unique, with refined, high-end designs. Tang Yuan tried on five dresses, loving each one.
Instinctively, she began searching for styles that would suit Jiang Zi. She found a shimmering gray gown with a strapless design, adorned with two black roses at the neckline. The layered skirt sparkled elegantly—a perfect match for Jiang Zi’s gentle beauty.
She’d always imagined Jiang Zi in black wedding dresses, but this gray gown painted a softer, more tender picture of her beloved.
With the boutique’s permission, she took photos of the gray gown and the one she liked best for herself, planning to consult the designer later. There were still two or three months until the Winter Solstice—just enough time for custom dresses.
After a long day of shopping, Tang Yuan was exhausted. Thankfully, the bridal boutique was their last stop.
That night, she intended to video call her sister to ease her pre-family-meeting nerves. But she fell asleep with the call still connected.
When she woke the next morning, the video call was still ongoing.
On the other end, Jiang Zi was leisurely making breakfast, having finally taken a day off.
Hearing Tang Yuan stir, Jiang Zi picked up her phone with a smile. “Awake, little sleepyhead? You slept ten hours.”
Tang Yuan stretched lazily. “Yesterday was exhausting… But at least no one woke me up today. I slept so well, hehe~”
“You deserved the rest. Come have breakfast.”
“You didn’t hang up last night either.” Tang Yuan touched her phone, pouting. “It’s so hot, almost out of battery. I’m hanging up now.”
“Wait.” Jiang Zi stopped her. “I arranged for a makeup team to come over. Don’t turn them away.”
Tang Yuan blinked, still half-asleep. “A team? Coming where?”
“To the Tang household. They’ll do makeup for you, your mom, dad, brother—everyone.”
Tang Yuan’s drowsy mind struggled to process. “Wait… Why such a big production?”
Jiang Zi chuckled. “Today’s a big day. Of course it has to be grand.”
“Reunion Festival… A big day…” Tang Yuan cradled her face, thinking. “You—what did you plan?”
“You’re so smart, I’m sure you’ve guessed. See you tonight.” Jiang Zi ended the call before Tang Yuan could react.
Tang Yuan stared at the phone, her heart racing.