The film crew wrapped up two months later, and Su He's wedding was scheduled for June, less than two months away.
Fortunately, with both sets of parents handling the arrangements, Su He, the bride-to-be, had little to do. The basic procedures that had been decided earlier remained largely unchanged, saving her considerable effort.
The issue was that she seemed to have gained quite a bit of weight recently. The gown custom-made last year appeared to have shrunk, and she couldn't fit into it.
She hadn't noticed it when looking in the mirror, only realizing the ill fit when she put the dress on.
Su He couldn't help but sigh. "How did I gain so much weight!"
In the mirror, she still looked the same.
The only noticeable change was in a certain area below her neck and above her navel, which had gone from a B cup to a C cup. No wonder the clothes felt tighter.
When Lu Yanbei returned from work, he overheard Su He lamenting about her weight gain and her dresses no longer fitting. He casually remarked, "You were too thin before. This is just right."
"But the wedding is so soon. I'm afraid there won't be enough time to pick out new gowns," Su He said, quite fond of the existing dresses and reluctant to spend more time and money on new custom ones.
Lu Yanbei glanced at the red embroidered dress and had an idea. "Can we have them altered?"
"No, it's a domino effect. Altering one part would require changes everywhere else, or it would look all wrong," Su He explained. Her sister was a fashion designer, and Su He had picked up some knowledge from her.
She held the dress against herself in front of the full-length mirror, rejecting his suggestion.
"Then let's have someone make a new one according to your new measurements." Lu Yanbei had no shortage of money.
"Is there enough time? The craftsmanship looks quite complex," Su He asked, biting her lip.
"The pattern is already there. Two months is more than enough time," Lu Yanbei reassured her, putting an arm around her shoulder. Besides, money made things happen. With a sufficiently tempting price, nothing was impossible.
Lu Yanbei immediately contacted the embroidery master and settled the matter of the wedding gown. Although the timeline was tight, the artisan agreed to deliver the dress on time within the deadline.
With the wedding attire sorted, the next item was the venue.
They had initially planned to hold the ceremony at a hotel, but later felt the ballroom was too small. So, they switched to a private island. The island had a mild climate and breathtaking scenery, making it ideal for an outdoor wedding.
At first, Su He objected, finding it too troublesome.
Firstly, it was too far from B City, making it difficult for many people to attend the wedding.
Secondly, the cost was exorbitant and not cost-effective.
The venue rental alone was said to be tens of millions, and the Lu family was also arranging private jet transportation, adding another several million. Why go through such an elaborate fuss for just a wedding!
Lu Yanbei, however, insisted.
He said it was a once-in-a-lifetime event and had to be grand!
Su He couldn't argue with him and eventually let him have his way.
After all, whoever paid the piper called the tune.
During the wedding preparations, Su He's comic was also nearing completion. New stories were brewing, and she could finally take a proper break.
However, before she could truly relax, Ms. Hong called her over, mentioning that a friend from abroad had taken a liking to her artwork and wanted to know if she was interested in selling it.
Su He was flattered.
"It's the one you painted in Yuncheng. The buyer is willing to offer one million," Ms. Hong, who had taken Su He as her disciple, naturally looked out for her best interests. "If this painting sells, you'll gain a certain reputation in the art circle. Holding a personal exhibition later will then be a natural progression."
Su He was so overjoyed that she was speechless for a long time.
"But that painting isn't perfect..." she said modestly.
"With things like these, it's all about the first impression," Ms. Hong said with a smile. "Don't be overly humble. You're my disciple, how could your skill be lacking!"
Su He felt a little embarrassed by the praise. "It's not as good as you say."
"Regardless of the reason, being able to sell it is a testament to your ability. Your teacher believes in you!" Ms. Hong was not only a painter but also an excellent curator. She had facilitated the sale of countless artworks.
Su He had a lot of talent in this area, and her paintings were imbued with spirit. It was just that the girl was too lazy! She wouldn't pick up a brush for days on end, which was truly a waste of her gift.
Whenever she thought of this, Ms. Hong couldn't help but lecture her a bit. "Tell me, how long has it been since you last picked up a paintbrush?"
"I've been busy managing the affairs of the newly established studio," Su He said guiltily, touching her nose. "Don't worry, I'll definitely remember your teachings and won't neglect my painting because of it."
"It's good that you know!" Ms. Hong changed the subject to the wedding after a few words. "Ah Yan is someone I've watched grow up. I'm very pleased that you two have found each other."
"Oh, right. I've brought a wedding gift for you two from abroad. When will you be home? I'll have Xiao Fan drop it off."
"You've already given me a generous gift when we first met. How can I let you spend more money!" Su He politely protested.
"The last time was a gift for meeting, this is a wedding present, can they be the same?" Ms. Hong insisted that Su He accept it. After a brief chat, Ms. Hong left to meet her mahjong partners.
An hour later, He Shufan appeared at the doorstep.
As the hostess, Su He welcomed him.
He Shufan was wearing a light-colored suit. Compared to the playboy Gu Yuheng, he was much quieter and seemed gentle, yet exuded an approachable reserve.
"Coffee or tea?" Su He had attended several of their gatherings with Lu Yanbei, so they were quite familiar with each other.
"Plain water, thank you." He Shufan placed the gift box he was holding on the coffee table and casually sat down.
Sister Li had gone out to buy groceries, so Su He personally went to the kitchen to pour him a cup of warm water.
He Shufan took it, drank a couple of sips symbolically, and set it down.
"My mother asked me to bring this over," he nodded towards the coffee table.
"Thank you for making this special trip," Su He thanked him. "Lu Yanbei will be off work soon. Would you like to stay for dinner?"
"No, I have an appointment tonight." He Shufan said, standing up as if to leave.
"Wait a moment." Su He called out to him. Then, she hurried back to her room and took out a box. "I might not have time to visit Teacher for a while. Could you please give this to her for me?"
He Shufan nodded, speaking very little.
Lu Yanbei returned and happened to see He Shufan's car leaving.
"What did Shufan come for?" he asked.
Su He was doing yoga in the living room. "Running errands for Teacher."
"What did Auntie give you this time?" Lu Yanbei walked over to her and watched her stretch.
"The gift is on the coffee table. I haven't had a chance to open it yet," Su He said, taking a few deep breaths before moving to another pose. To have enough stamina to get through the entire wedding ceremony, Su He exercised for an hour every day.
Lu Yanbei glanced back at the box, his expression turning a little strange.
If he wasn't mistaken, the logo on the box was from a well-known international lingerie brand.
He suddenly found himself looking forward to the night.