Receiving the Marriage Certificate

Once Li Wei had finished getting ready, the two of them left the Small Building one after the other and headed silently toward the main building.

In the dim morning light, only Liang Qiushi sat at the long table in the Gu Family's main-building dining room, eating with elegant poise.

A maid beside her periodically cleared her plates and replaced her hot towels. An air of extravagance washed over them.

Breakfast was as exquisite as a work of art. Every portion was small and delicate, arranged in a feast for the eyes.

Li Wei had never seen food prepared with such fastidious care, but she had little appetite at the moment.

The thought of getting a Marriage Certificate with that man soon left her feeling unbearably heavy and twisted up inside.

Ah—how irritating!

Holding a silver spoon, she listlessly poked at the bird's-nest porridge before her, but her eyes kept drifting toward Liang Qiushi, carrying a trace of reproach.

Liang Qiushi's hand, holding her coffee cup, halted in midair. She looked somewhat embarrassed.

She set down the cup and said in her usual gentle voice, "I'm sorry, A Xue. I overlooked it..."

"It's mainly because the schedule is so tight," she explained. "The wedding is set for August 2. Counting everything, we only have a week left."

Li Wei's eyelid twitched when she heard that. The wedding was in a week?!

That was far too fast!

But then she thought about it. Gu Jinzhi would be leaving for Xijiang in September, and she would have to take his place, so they really did need to leave some buffer time.

If they waited until just before he departed to get married, the purpose behind the marriage would be too obvious!

Once she understood this, and remembered the false nature of the marriage, her mood inexplicably improved quite a bit.

I'm not getting married. I'm acting... I'm not getting married. I'm acting...

She repeated the words over and over in her heart, brainwashing herself.

Liang Qiushi watched her expression. Seeing that the tension between her brows seemed to ease somewhat, she secretly let out a sigh of relief and added:

"Don't worry. Taking the photos and getting the Marriage Certificate will be quick, and choosing the wedding dress won't take too long either. If everything goes smoothly, we'll be done by noon. In the afternoon, you can go to the Martial Arts Alliance. It won't interfere."

After hearing Liang Qiushi say that, Li Wei's mood finally brightened.

Gu Jinzhi, seated beside them, continued eating with meticulous precision. Only after Liang Qiushi finished speaking did he ask indifferently, "Where are Father, Jinyi, and Jinwen?"

Liang Qiushi glanced at Li Wei, intentionally or otherwise, and said evenly:

"Your father thought the two of them had been too lax lately, so he dragged them to the Training Ground for extra practice first thing this morning."

Li Wei silently shoveled up her porridge, lighting three candles in her heart for the unfortunate siblings. Pitiful. Truly pitiful.

After breakfast, the three of them set out together.

This time, they switched to a roomier, more luxurious silver-and-black two-tone sedan. They soon arrived at the nearest Civil Affairs Bureau.

The photo session was exceptionally difficult.

The photographer praised their immortal looks without end, saying things like "You two are a perfect match" and "A golden boy and jade maiden," while inwardly complaining furiously.

When these two took photos, one had a wandering gaze while the other was simply expressionless. Forget affection—even basic familiarity was nowhere to be seen.

"Groom, move a little closer! That's it!"

"Bride, look at the camera! Smile! Think of something happy!"

"Yes, that's it. Lift the corners of your mouth a little... No, that smile of yours looks worse than crying..."

With no other choice, the photographer had to step in personally.

First, he pushed the two of them until they were practically pressed together, then he patiently coached their expressions.

After fussing over them for more than ten minutes, he finally managed to snap a photo that looked reasonably normal.

In the Service Hall of the marriage registration office, the two of them attracted everyone's attention even more. Whispers and startled gasps rose one after another.

Li Wei and Gu Jinzhi kept stiff expressions throughout, like two soulless marionettes. Guided by Liang Qiushi and the staff, they mechanically signed their names, pressed their fingerprints, and completed every procedure.

Aunt Liang, I'm sorry. I wanted to pretend we were affectionate too, but... I overestimated my acting skills and my ability to withstand the pressure.

When that brand-new red booklet was handed to her, Li Wei felt as though her fingertips had been scalded. Her heart felt hollow.

It was as if something important had completely drifted away from her with the appearance of that booklet.

Damn it, if some old acquaintance from before saw my Marriage Certificate and then found out that I was the one with long hair and wearing a skirt... Would I have any face left after that?

Clutching the Marriage Certificate, she left the Civil Affairs Bureau in a daze, following Liang Qiushi and Gu Jinzhi.

The luxury sedan did not return to the Gu Family estate. Instead, it headed north and drove into the upscale commercial district in northern Imperial City.

At ten-thirty in the morning, the car entered the underground parking lot of Tianchen International Commercial Center.

Beside the exclusive VIP parking space, a young woman in a sharp professional suit and gold-rimmed glasses was waiting.

The moment she saw the three of them get out, she stepped forward and bowed respectfully.

"Madam, Young Master Gu, Miss Jiang, this way, please."

Under the woman's guidance, the three of them took an internal elevator directly to the seventy-eighth floor.

Ding—

The elevator doors slid open soundlessly. Before them lay a spacious area brimming with artistic atmosphere, while the vast floor-to-ceiling windows offered a view of Imperial City's bustling skyline.

The elegant gold-embossed cursive words "Cloud & Lace" were discreetly carved into the frosted glass wall at the entrance.

A woman in her early thirties, wearing a cream-white long dress and exuding an elegant, gentle air, came forward with an impeccable smile.

"Aunt Liang, Jinzhi." She first greeted Liang Qiushi and Gu Jinzhi with familiar ease.

Then her gaze fell on Li Wei, and dazzling light instantly burst from her eyes, as though she had discovered a priceless treasure.

She enthusiastically stepped forward and took Li Wei's hand. "You must be Miss Jiang, right? I'm Lin Shuying, owner and chief designer of CL. Come in, quickly!"

Caught off guard and surrounded by her excessive enthusiasm, Li Wei was a little dazed.

Then she was practically half-dragged, half-carried by this older sister into the even more private VIP fitting area.

Over the time that followed, Li Wei once again experienced the terror of being ruled by outfit changes, and this time it was even worse than yesterday.

Lin Shuying had practically taken her for a walking muse.

Excitedly, she brought out one breathtaking wedding dress after another for Li Wei to change into, praising each one without pause:

"It's perfect! This one was practically made for you!"

"No, no, this one is even better. The shoulder-line design brings out your collarbones beautifully!"

"The hairstyle has to match too. Only then can it bring out that ethereal quality!"

Li Wei felt as though she was about to suffocate.

The dresses were undeniably beautiful. Every one of them was ethereal, gorgeous, and dangerously alluring.

But... weren't they challenging her bottom line a little too much?!

They either had plunging V-necks that went all the way to her navel, completely exposed backs, or sheer gauze that faintly revealed the curves of her body.

There were even styles that used exquisite lace and scattered diamonds to cleverly cover the vital areas, while leaving nearly everywhere else bare!

She screamed frantically inside: What the hell is the difference between wearing this and wearing nothing?!

"Ahem, Sis Lin." Li Wei tried to remain polite. "This... isn't there a little too little fabric?"

"And... with the back cut so low, won't my butt be exposed?"

"Is there... I mean... perhaps... a slightly more traditional, conservative style?"

Only after Li Wei's vehement protests and insistence did Lin Shuying finally, with immense regret, give up on those "bold and avant-garde" designs and unwillingly bring out a comparatively "plain" one.

It was a vintage long-sleeved, off-the-shoulder wedding dress.

The neckline and cuffs were decorated with exquisite handmade lace patterns. The waist was fitted just right, while the bottom fell into layers of lustrous satin skirt, elegant and stately.

Although it still outlined her figure in delicate curves, at least it covered all the places that needed covering.

"This one!" Li Wei exclaimed, as though granted an amnesty, and hurriedly made the decision.

Lin Shuying and Liang Qiushi exchanged a look, helpless yet amused.

As for Gu Jinzhi, after trying on his suit, he had remained seated on the sofa in the lounge.

When Li Wei emerged in the wedding dress, reluctantly pushed out by Lin Shuying and Liang Qiushi, he froze.

At that moment, the world seemed to fall silent, leaving only the man's increasingly chaotic heartbeat.