The reason Zhan Mohan went to help was quite simple. It wasn't out of idleness or deep brotherhood; in fact, he was there to gain experience.
While none of the three had ever organized a wedding, three heads are better than one. The more he learned, the more useful it would be for his own wedding someday.
Moreover, pooling ideas for such matters was always beneficial. By helping Lin Jia now, Lin Jia would reciprocate in the future. This was precisely the principle of "no businessman is not cunning."
Meanwhile, Qiao Ningzhi had invited Wei Yumeng and Mu Linjing to be her bridesmaids.
"You two are good friends I made after returning to the country. I hope you will be my bridesmaids and that the three of us can always remain this close."
Qiao Ningzhi herself had few close female friends domestically due to her exceptional past. After returning to China, half of her overseas connections had also been severed.
She had met these two after her return, and they hit it off immediately. Naturally, she wished for such a relationship to last.
Wei Yumeng and Mu Linjing readily agreed. No one ever disliked having more friends, and the pact was made.
She adored the twins in the stroller. Before pregnancy, she hadn't felt this way, but after having children, perhaps her long-dormant maternal instincts were awakened, and she now had a particular fondness for such tiny tots.
With a little playful interaction, she could elicit the children's clear laughter.
"Yumeng, why don't you let these two recognize me as their godmother? If the baby I'm carrying grows up, perhaps they can fulfill the elder generation's dream and actually forge a marital alliance between the Zhan and Qiao families."
They say you can tell a person's future by the age of three. These babies weren't even half a year old, yet Qiao Ningzhi was already planning ahead.
Since they were a dragon-phoenix pair, whether she gave birth to a boy or a girl, they could become in-laws. The Zhan family's genes were so good; who wouldn't be envious?
Wei Yumeng didn't refuse. Perhaps observing the women making such a pact, Mu Linjing became envious. She once again vocalized her complaint about Zhan Yichen, lamenting that without him, she would have lost a godson and a goddaughter.
Seeing her envy, Qiao Ningzhi teased, "Don't be sad. At worst, I can have another child, and we can pair them up."
Even as she said this, she knew the possibility of having a second child was slim.
In that case, she needed to plan for her child even earlier, ensuring she'd trick a Zhan family child into marrying them in the future. In her opinion, good friends were meant to be godmothers to each other's children; otherwise, they weren't true friends.
A week wasn't long, and soon it was the day before the wedding. According to custom, the bride and groom were not to see each other on this day. Both parties were to spend time with their friends, celebrating their last night before marriage.
Wei Yumeng brought her two children and Mu Linjing to stay at the Qiao family's residence. Fortunately, Qiao Ningzhi's parents were very open-minded. Although their preferred son-in-law, Zhan Yichen, was now Mu Linjing's boyfriend, they treated Mu Linjing very kindly.
They had only one daughter, and everything was prioritized for her. They were also willing to treat their daughter's few friends in the country with kindness.
As for Lin Jia, the son-in-law, while they weren't entirely satisfied, they put aside their reservations upon seeing Qiao Ningzhi's affection.
Therefore, when Qiao Ningzhi announced she was pregnant with Lin Jia's child, they merely conducted another paternity test. Once confirmed that the child was indeed Lin Jia's, they never voiced any further objections.
In a way, their successful escape from Wen Yulan was greatly attributed to the open-mindedness of Qiao Ningzhi's parents.
The Qiao household turned off their lights very early that night, but the next morning, it was brightly lit from dawn.
Wei Yumeng and Mu Linjing, not only as bridesmaids but also as makeup artists, rose before daylight to help Qiao Ningzhi with her makeup.
Pregnant women had very strict requirements for cosmetics, so she used the ones Wei Yumeng had used during her pregnancy.
Paired with the wedding dress she had previously selected, the two of them designed a "nearly bare-faced" makeup look for her.
The wedding had come about quickly, and there wasn't enough time to custom-order the wedding dress, but she didn't feel wronged.
The three women looked into the mirror simultaneously, each with different feelings.
For Wei Yumeng, she was already a mother. Although a wedding was every woman's lifelong dream, for her, such formalities no longer seemed as important.
As for Mu Linjing, she was still anticipating, looking forward to a complete romantic journey, from confession to proposal to marriage.
Everyone had a worldly side, and all of this was understandable.
By the time they finished, the procession to escort the bride was nearing the entrance. The wedding had invited very few friends, so many segments were simplified.
Especially some strenuous activities, which Qiao Ningzhi's current condition could not withstand.
There was no door-blocking game. Lin Jia, accompanied by Zhan Yichen and his brothers, entered smoothly. Upon reaching Qiao Ningzhi, he knelt on one knee, presenting the ring, combining the proposal and the wedding.
The other two couples watched from the side. Mu Linjing was full of envy, while Wei Yumeng felt only contentment.
Because of these things, Zhan Mohan had already given her.
Standing nearby, Zhan Mohan leaned in and whispered in her ear, "How is it, wife? I taught him this."
Wei Yumeng looked at the man before her, amused and exasperated. Was he waiting for her praise?
The man before her was like a child who had done a good deed and was waiting for his teacher's commendation. If she weren't afraid of affecting President Zhan's dignified image, she would have loved to ruffle this big boy's hair and call him "so cute."
Due to Zhan Mohan's interruption, she didn't hear how Lin Jia expressed his love. She merely watched as Qiao Ningzhi was lifted up, ready to be taken to the wedding car.
They also immediately went downstairs. Upon arriving at the hotel, she knew from the venue's decorations that Zhan Mohan had been involved. This wasn't just helping someone set up a wedding; it was clearly using someone else's wedding as practice.
The wedding proceeded quickly. The guests consisted of Qiao Ningzhi's relatives and some business partners.
The wedding originally did not include the bouquet toss, as Qiao Ningzhi's condition made it inconvenient.
However, she added a segment for herself. "I have two bridesmaids today who are my good friends in China. Although Mrs. Zhan is already married, I still want to give her my blessings."
Saying this, she took another bouquet from a staff member and personally handed it to Wei Yumeng and Mu Linjing.
"My two good friends, I am generously passing on my blessings to you."
Both of them were holding a bouquet for the first time and held them carefully. Such blessings were naturally to be cherished.
The ceremony concluded swiftly, and it was time for the newlyweds to toast the guests. The duties of the bridesmaids and groomsmen were temporarily fulfilled.