219: Chapter 219 Welcoming the Bride

5:30 AM.

The sky was grayish, and the morning mist on the sea hadn't completely dispersed.

Li Xin stood at the entrance of the manor. His dark blue suit was neatly worn, but his tie remained undone, hanging loosely around his neck with both ends dangling naturally.

He lowered his head and glanced at his phone screen.

In the WeChat group, Luo Maifa had sent a voice message five minutes ago.

He tapped it open, and a familiar voice filled with irrepressible panic came through: "I'm up, I'm up. I was so damn nervous I didn't sleep all night."

Chen Hu walked quickly from the direction of the garage, holding a dark gray tie in his hand.

"Boss, should we change the tie? The champagne-colored suit would look better with gray."

Li Xin took it, held it against his collar to compare, and then handed it back casually.

"No need, this one is fine."

At the entrance, the black Bugatti was already in position. The car body was pressed very low, parked in the cool morning light like a beast silently crouching.

Chen Hu handed over the car keys and couldn't help but add a word of advice.

"Boss, the lead car is Mr. Luo's Phantom. You just need to follow behind. The order of the entire wedding motorcade has been set in advance."

"I know."

Li Xin raised his hand to tie his tie, smoothed out the wrinkles at his collar, and bent down to sit in the car.

The low roar of the engine broke the morning silence, carrying far through the air.

A few seconds later, a crisp honk came from the alley entrance.

He looked up and leaned out; Wang Hao's black Mercedes was already waiting at the intersection. The window was half down, and Wang Hao poked half his face out, shouting loudly: "Let's go, let's go. Old Luo is getting anxious over there."

When the motorcade slowly drove out of the manor, the sky finally began to brighten.

Through the gaps in the clouds in the east, a touch of orange-red glow seeped out, falling shallowly onto the asphalt road, dyeing the dark gray-black surface into a warm, mellow dark brown.

Li Xin drove, following behind Luo Maifa's Phantom, keeping a distance of two car lengths. His speed was steady, neither fast nor slow.

The entire motorcade was lined up neatly.

Wang Hao's Mercedes followed the Bugatti closely, followed in order by Qiang Zi's Land Rover, Yang Hong's Porsche, Xiao Pang's Audi, and Zhang Ming's Mercedes. Six luxury cars formed a line, driving steadily along the coastal highway toward the city center.

Luo Maifa had already posted the designated route in the group.

The entire journey avoided crowded main roads, turning from the coastal road into the inner ring, then detouring along the old river road. It was smooth sailing all the way, with no signs of traffic jams.

After about forty minutes, the motorcade slowly turned into a slightly narrower old street.

On both sides of the road were rows of old-fashioned high-rise residential buildings, their walls covered in emerald vines. Rows of air conditioning units hung scattered on the walls, many of their casings already rusted and mottled, exuding a strong sense of the passage of time.

The building where Su Wan lived was at the end of the street, facing the surging river.

The lobby downstairs wasn't spacious, and a few people were already standing at the entrance. They were dressed in light-colored clothing, holding fresh flowers, and whispering to each other.

Seeing the motorcade arrive, two of them immediately turned and ran into the building, presumably to go upstairs and report the news.

Luo Maifa got out of the Phantom, stood by the car, and raised his hand to carefully straighten the hem of his suit.

He was wearing a custom-made dark blue suit today, with an exquisite pearl lapel pin at the collar. His hair was styled neatly, much more groomed than usual. But the nervousness in his eyes couldn't be hidden, and his left hand kept tugging at his cuffs—his small fidgety movements never stopped.

Li Xin got out of the car and walked slowly to his side.

"How's your state of mind?"

"Good enough." Luo Maifa exhaled a long breath, turned his head to look at him, "What about you? Did you bring the item?"

Li Xin reached out and took a dark blue velvet flower holder from his inner suit pocket.

It was palm-sized, edged with a circle of tiny pearls, and had an arc-shaped tray in the middle, just the right size to steadily hold a bride's bouquet.

"I brought it."

Luo Maifa lowered his head to glance at it, nodded slightly, and didn't say anything more.

At this moment, Wang Hao and the others also got out of the car one after another, and the six of them stood neatly downstairs. Qiang Zi was holding a heavy red gift bag, with gold lettering on a red background—festive and lively.

The building's elevator was narrow and could only accommodate four people at most.

The group split into two batches to go upstairs. Li Xin, Luo Maifa, Wang Hao, and Zhang Ming took the elevator first.

In the enclosed metal cabin, the atmosphere was very quiet, with only the low hum of the air conditioner mixed with the slight vibration of the elevator rising.

On the 22nd floor, the elevator door slowly opened.

The front door at the end of the hallway was open, and a girl in a light pink dress was standing at the entrance. It was Su Wan's best friend, whom Li Xin had met once during the wedding rehearsal yesterday.

Seeing them, the girl immediately smiled and stepped aside to clear the doorway.

"You're finally here. Come on in. But I'm telling you in advance, the wedding gate-crashing challenges won't be that easy to pass."

Luo Maifa took a deep breath and stepped into the room first.

The living room wasn't large, but it was decorated with extra care.

From the entryway to the end of the living room, it was filled with white and champagne-colored floral arrangements. Eustomas and white roses were scattered on the coffee table, and in a small vase on the windowsill, a single white moth orchid bloomed quietly.

Soft sunlight penetrated the sheer curtains and spilled in, casting a layer of hazy, warm light and shadow on the wooden floor.

The bedroom door was tightly closed, and Su Wan was inside.

There were five or six young girls standing in the living room, all dressed in light-colored dresses or shirts. Several of them were holding up their phones, recording videos and taking photos the whole time.

"The first challenge begins!"

The best friend at the door walked to the center of the living room, holding the question card, and spoke loudly: "The groom has thirty seconds to name the bride's five favorite songs. For every one he gets wrong, he has to give a gift bag. Timing starts now!"

Luo Maifa was stunned on the spot, raised his hand to scratch the back of his head, recalled hastily for a few seconds, and tentatively said: "《Little Luck》?"

The best friend checked the answer card and nodded: "The first one is correct. Continue."

"《Those Years》?"

"The second one is no problem. Three more to go."

At this point, Luo Maifa was completely stuck.

He turned to look at Wang Hao beside him, but Wang Hao shrugged helplessly, making it clear he couldn't help.

Zhang Ming reminded him in a low voice: "She posted on her Moments before that she really likes 《Accompanying You Through the Long Years》."

Luo Maifa immediately replied: "《Accompanying You Through the Long Years》!"

"Correct. Two left."

Luo Maifa stood there racking his brain for a long time. Unable to remember, he simply waved his hand candidly.

"I give up on the rest. I'll just pay the penalty with the gift bags."

Wang Hao immediately took two gift bags from Qiang Zi and handed them over. The best friend smiled and accepted them, flipped the card, and started the second challenge.

"The second challenge: Draw the newlyweds. The groom and all the groomsmen have three minutes to draw the bride in your hearts. Only if the drawings are qualified can you pass."

The group was led to the dining table in the living room, where paper and pens were already prepared.

Wang Hao was the most casual; he sketched a stick figure in a few strokes and added a small flower on its head, stubbornly claiming it was an abstract art style.

Zhang Ming was serious, carefully outlining the side profile of a girl in a long dress. The lines were smooth, but the face wasn't detailed.

Li Xin sat at the very edge and didn't pick up the pen for a long time. After a moment of silence, he just drew a soft curve on the blank paper and said faintly: "This is her back."

The best friend brought the bridesmaids over to look at the drawings one by one, holding back laughter as she teased.

"I'm embarrassed to even show these drawings to Su Wan with your drawing skills."

After a two-second pause, she let them pass: "But your attitude is sincere enough. You pass this round."

Next was the third challenge: Pre-wedding rapport Q&A.

The best friend pulled a stack of question cards from under the table. The questions were varied, covering the bride's favorite season, the color of the clothes she wore on their first date, and her least favorite food.

Luo Maifa answered the previous questions quickly and accurately, passing smoothly all the way. Until he was asked about the bride's least favorite dish, he was instantly stuck.

After racking his brain for a long time, he guessed in an uncertain tone: "Is it bitter melon?"

The best friend shook her head immediately: "Wrong. It's chives. Su Wan never eats chives."

Luo Maifa slapped his forehead in annoyance and obediently handed over the gift bag to accept the penalty.

The final challenge had the simplest procedure.

The best friend stood in front of the bedroom door, holding an envelope, and handed it to Luo Maifa.

"Read the text in the envelope completely. Once you finish reading, you can open the door to fetch the bride."

Luo Maifa opened the envelope and pulled out a pink card.

Lowering his head to see the text clearly, he was silent for a few seconds before slowly starting to recite. His speaking speed was very slow, his voice not high, but every word was solemn and serious.

"From today on, her family is your family. You are responsible for scooping the poop for her cat. You are responsible for opening her packages.

When she is angry, you must patiently coax her. When she is happy, you must accompany her to enjoy it. When she doesn't want to talk, you just stay quietly by her side."

As the last sentence fell, his voice became slightly hoarse.

The living room instantly quieted down, so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

After two seconds of silence, the tightly closed bedroom door was gently pushed open from the inside.

Su Wan stood behind the door, her pure white wedding dress stunning and eye-catching. The fluffy skirt trailed on the floor, and the delicate lace patterns emitted a gentle white light in the morning sun.

She held a bridal bouquet of white roses paired with light pink eustomas, the stems wrapped carefully in light gold ribbon—exquisite and gentle.

Seeing Luo Maifa, she didn't speak, just smiled slightly. The smile was faint, coming from the bottom of her heart, natural and exceptionally moving.

Luo Maifa gazed at her quietly, speechless for a moment.

He took two steps forward, walked to Su Wan, and slowly knelt on one knee.

The movement wasn't agile; it was even a bit clumsy. His knee hit the wooden floor with a slight muffled sound. He didn't care at all, reached out to take the velvet flower holder handed by Li Xin, and held the bouquet steadily, presenting it before Su Wan.

"For you."

Su Wan lowered her eyes to look at the flowers, then raised her eyes to look at the boy kneeling on the ground.

When she reached out to take the flowers, her fingertips lightly brushed the back of his hand, fleeting, lasting no more than two seconds.

She leaned over slightly and whispered a sentence in his ear. The voice was too soft; no one else could hear it clearly except Luo Maifa.

A few steps away, Li Xin put away the empty velvet flower holder and tucked it back into his inner suit pocket after folding it neatly.

He retreated a step silently, stood between Wang Hao and Zhang Ming, and watched the scene before him quietly.

In the living room, applause and shutter sounds rang out one after another, crisp and lively.

At 8:20 AM, everyone prepared to go downstairs to return.

They took the elevator in batches as before, with Luo Maifa and Su Wan going down first.

Li Xin followed the second batch. When the elevator went down to the 15th floor, the door suddenly opened. An Old Lady carrying a vegetable basket walked in. Seeing a whole elevator full of men in crisp suits, she couldn't help but smile.

"It's a good day today. Going out to fetch the bride?"

"That's right, Auntie." Wang Hao replied.

The Old Lady nodded repeatedly with blessings: "Congratulations, congratulations. A happy wedding."

The elevator door closed, and there was no more conversation. The Old Lady stood quietly in the corner, and turned to leave when they reached the 6th floor.

Downstairs, the wedding motorcade was already rearranged.

The lead car, the custom Phantom, looked brand new. The doors were tied with two elegant light gold silk ribbons, and the center of the hood was adorned with an exquisite white silk flower, full of ritual sense.

Su Wan was carefully helped into the back seat, and Luo Maifa walked around to the other side and sat in the car. After the doors closed, the window was lowered slightly. Su Wan poked her head out and waved gently at Li Xin and the others.

Li Xin nodded slightly, then got into his car and sat down, starting the Bugatti's engine.

The motorcade set off again. The return speed was slower than the trip there, calm and steady.

Along the way, three security vehicles followed in secret to provide protection. All morning, the process went smoothly, without any accidents or twists and turns.

The motorcade arrived at the Wan Ding Seven-Star Hotel.

A large area of the vast parking lot had been cleared specifically for the wedding motorcade to park.

Li Xin parked the car, pushed the door open, and got out. Looking up, he saw the electronic screen at the hotel's main entrance, scrolling with red-background, gold-lettered blessings: Congratulations on the Luo family's wedding. The font was upright and grand, full of atmosphere.

Wang Hao walked up from behind and patted his shoulder.

"The Western ceremony starts at 2:00 PM. Shall we go to the lounge to rest for a while?"

Li Xin lit up his phone screen. The latest message was from Chen Jingming: Congratulations on the big day, brother. See you this afternoon.

He replied with a fist-bump emoji and tucked his phone back into his pocket.

"Alright, let's go."

The VIP lounge next to the wedding banquet hall wasn't spacious, but it was bright, clean, and elegant. The floor-to-ceiling windows faced the outdoor ceremony venue, offering an excellent view.

The floral team was still making final adjustments. Staff members were crouching beside the flower stands, meticulously fine-tuning the drape of the gauze curtains, striving for perfection.

Luo Maifa and Su Wan had already entered their exclusive hotel suite to change into their ceremony attire.

Li Xin sat on the sofa in the lounge, poured himself a glass of warm water, and took a small sip.

The tables and chairs on the terrace outside were neatly arranged, temporarily empty. Each chair back was tied with a small bunch of fresh white roses, elegant and romantic.

Wang Hao sat down next to him, stretched his body, and yawned.

"Old Luo's wedding is really decent."

"He put a lot of thought into it."

Li Xin put down the water glass and said faintly, "He held over twenty preparation meetings in the last few months alone."

"It's worth it."

Wang Hao looked at the ceremony terrace outside the window, his tone calm, "A person only gets married once in their life."

Li Xin didn't reply, leaned back quietly into the sofa, and took another sip of warm water.

A layer of fine water beads condensed on the cup wall. When his fingertips touched it, it felt slightly cool.

Outside the door, the sound of Zhang Ming making a phone call could be vaguely heard. Through the door panel, the content couldn't be heard clearly, only that the tone was calm and steady.

At the other end of the corridor, Qiang Zi and Yang Hong were whispering and laughing. The sporadic laughter came intermittently, not loud, but exceptionally clear.

Chen Hu pushed the door open gently, walked to Li Xin's side, and leaned down to report in a low voice.

"Boss, all the gifts have been handed over to the hotel's designated personnel for safekeeping. That set of gilded antique jewelry gift box has been stored in a dedicated safe separately, and the receipt is in your hand."

Li Xin fished out the neatly folded receipt from his pocket, didn't unfold it to check, and put it back directly.

"Good."

"In addition," Chen Hu added, "several collectors and industrial bosses on the guest list have already arrived and are currently resting in the tea room on the third floor. Mr. Chen Jingming is also there, saying if you have time, you can go over and say hello."

"Got it." Li Xin nodded, "We'll talk after the rehearsal here is over."

Chen Hu responded and exited the lounge. The door closed gently, and the room returned to quietness.

The sunlight outside the window became brighter and brighter, spilling down, gilding the white flower stands and layers of petals on the terrace with a light golden edge.

In the distance on the sea, a white yacht sailed slowly, leaving a long, slender water trail at the stern, sparkling in the bright daylight.

Li Xin leaned on the sofa, spinning the empty water glass unconsciously, remaining silent.

Beside him, Wang Hao was scrolling through his phone, the screen's faint light reflecting on his face. He occasionally swiped the page gently, his state relaxed.

The lounge door was half-closed. The sound of people walking in the corridor and the faint sound of conversation from afar drifted in through the door crack, muffled and very soft.

The electronic clock on the table silently jumped to 10:12 AM.

There were less than four hours left until the Western-style wedding ceremony in the afternoon.