Wang Yuan and Jiang Baoliang’s wedding was finally held as scheduled.
The bride was a famous violinist and the groom was a prominent lawyer in the city. Naturally, the wedding banquet was packed with distinguished guests.
Any woman, even if she doesn’t want to get married, would still want to try on a bridal gown.
Wang Yuan’s wedding dress was nothing short of dreamlike perfection. She and Jiang Baoliang had already registered their marriage over a year ago, but they had delayed holding the wedding ceremony, reportedly waiting for this handmade wedding dress to be completed.
Wu Mangmang’s gaze lingered on Wang Yuan the entire time, while Lu Sui, who should have been observant, showed no reaction at all. Wu Mangmang knew this man was definitely playing dumb on purpose.
“What does it feel like to see your ex-girlfriend get married, Mr. Lu?” Wu Mangmang asked, holding Lu Sui’s arm.
“A bit bittersweet,” Lu Sui replied. “I didn’t expect Wang Yuan to look so beautiful in a wedding dress.”
Wu Mangmang smiled without warmth. “Really? I support you crashing the wedding. Should I help you drag Jiang Baoliang away?”
“Really? Then I’d appreciate it.” Lu Sui solemnly nodded at Wu Mangmang in thanks.
“In your dreams. That kind of thinking is destructive to family harmony. In popular terms, it’s morally wrong, understand?” Wu Mangmang glared at Lu Sui with her hands on her hips.
Before Wu Mangmang could finish her shrew act, she saw Lu Jianan walking over from across the room. She quickly put her hands down and gracefully smoothed her perfectly neat hair.
“What’s going on?” Lu Jianan looked at Wu Mangmang, whose movements had been quite crude just moments before.
Lu Sui put his arm around Wu Mangmang’s waist and smiled at Lu Jianan. “She just saw Wang Yuan looking beautiful in her wedding dress and is jealous.”
Lu Jianan really wanted to roll her eyes. “What’s there to be jealous about? If you want to wear a wedding dress, hurry up and have your ceremony. Do you think you’re eighteen-year-olds with endless time to waste?”
Wu Mangmang said somewhat awkwardly, “I don’t want to wear a wedding dress.” How embarrassing—it made her seem desperate to get married.
Lu Sui said to Lu Jianan, “Mangmang doesn’t like wedding dresses. I was thinking a qipao would work too.”
Wu Mangmang immediately protested, “No, I want to wear a wedding dress.” She was really afraid of Lu Sui. If he actually arranged a qipao wedding for her, she’d cry. She had grown up playing with Barbie dolls and had collected many wedding dress dolls. While qipaos were beautiful too, her dream wedding dress had to be a snow-white gown.
“Alright, then a wedding dress it is,” Lu Sui said, seemingly reluctantly.
Lu Jianan shook her head in disgust at this increasingly childish couple, wanting nothing more than out of sight, out of mind.
So she finally just left them with one statement: “Whatever you wear, just don’t make it a shotgun wedding. Our family can’t afford to lose face like that.”
Upon hearing this, Wu Mangmang immediately looked up at Lu Sui, because Mr. Lu managed all these matters, including buying condoms and calculating Wu Mangmang’s safe periods.
Lu Sui also looked back at Wu Mangmang and asked, “Do you feel nauseous?”
Wu Mangmang really hated Lu Sui. “Can you not joke with me about this kind of thing?” She didn’t feel nauseous at all, but if she were pregnant, that would indeed be scary.
Ever since they had completely reconciled, Wu Mangmang felt that Lu Sui particularly loved bullying her. It was as if he had calculated that she had no way out and belonged only to him, so he was being particularly awful.
Wu Mangmang didn’t want to chat with Lu Sui anymore because the bride was about to throw the bouquet.
Everyone present was distinguished, so naturally they were too embarrassed to jump up and grab it. Wu Mangmang quietly chose an angle and positioned herself. She had specifically researched this online before coming—this direction had the highest probability of catching the bouquet.
Wang Yuan did indeed throw the bouquet in Wu Mangmang’s direction.
Wu Mangmang was delighted but kept her expression calm, standing in place waiting for the bouquet to fall obediently into her hands. But in a flash, Long Xiujuan appeared out of nowhere, leaping up to snatch the bouquet.
Wu Mangmang was on the verge of tears.
“Long Xiujuan, that desperate to get married? Afraid you won’t find someone?” Wu Mangmang said in embarrassed anger.
Long Xiujuan had been engaged to her wealthy boyfriend for almost two years, but there was still no wedding news. No wonder she was so desperate to marry that she disregarded her dignity.
Long Xiujuan turned back to Wu Mangmang, “Better than someone who’s extremely desperate to marry but pretends to be a lady, then attacks people when she doesn’t catch the bouquet, don’t you think?”
Wu Mangmang was completely choked up and nearly died from frustration.
Lu Sui walked over and patted the almost-crying Wu Mangmang, “It’s fine. The saying that catching the bouquet means you’ll marry soon is fake—it’s superstition. Lu Lin has caught bouquets countless times over the years. Do you see any signs of her getting married?”
This was completely unhelpful comfort! Wu Mangmang angrily pushed Lu Sui away. He clearly knew what she wanted but pretended not to give it to her.
Wu Mangmang stomped in her high heels thinking, hmph, as if she cared. Miss Wu didn’t want to get married anyway. Jia Baoyu said that married women all have dead fish eyes.
Wu Mangmang was quite angry and momentarily careless. When leaving the garden, she tripped on a small stone and nearly fell, fortunately someone was quick to catch her arm.
“Thank you.” Wu Mangmang looked up to see that the person who had caught her was Shen Ting.
“Is your foot okay?” Shen Ting asked.
Wu Mangmang stood straight and gently moved her ankle. It hurt a bit, and she frowned, “Could you help me sit down over there?”
Shen Ting nodded and was about to reach out to support Wu Mangmang’s waist so she could lean her weight on him and avoid further injury.
“Shen Ting, thank you, but let me handle this,” Lu Sui’s voice came from behind them.
Shen Ting smiled and made a yielding gesture. Lu Sui had already swept Wu Mangmang up in his arms, “What should I say about you? You can sprain your ankle just walking normally?”
Wu Mangmang pouted—look who had made her angry—and bit Lu Sui’s neck, “I’m going to suck all your blood dry.”
Shen Ting quietly watched this couple showing affection in public from behind Lu Sui and Wu Mangmang, the loneliness on his face probably something even he couldn’t detect.
He looked at Wu Mangmang’s foot dangling in the air—white, delicate, lustrous like the white jade he had recently photographed. That foot was currently in silver strappy high heels. Shen Ting’s throat moved, and it was a long time before he looked away.
He had never tried from the beginning. What was missed was missed.
In the rest room, Lu Sui massaged Wu Mangmang’s ankle, “Does this hurt?”
Wu Mangmang shook her head.
“How about this?”
Wu Mangmang shook her head again.
Lu Sui massaged for a while, then said, “Nothing serious. It’ll be fine in a bit.”
“You’re not a doctor. How do you know it’s not serious?” Wu Mangmang pouted and kicked Lu Sui’s shin with her foot.
“Don’t flirt in public,” Lu Sui caught Wu Mangmang’s foot.
Mr. Lu actually understood words like “flirt”? Wu Mangmang was amazed.
“Are you secretly playing my game again?” Wu Mangmang demanded.
Lu Sui didn’t respond.
“Don’t you know that playing games wastes money and time? With all this time, why don’t you do something meaningful and cultural? Even contributing to our country’s GDP would be better.” Wu Mangmang began lecturing Lu Sui.
“Stupid,” Lu Sui only replied with one word.
Wu Mangmang was so angry she doubled over. After returning to the Lu mansion, she decided to give up and started preparing to play games. Actually, she hadn’t played for a long time. After reconciling with Lu Sui, she had sworn to be an ambitious good girl, but now that Mr. Lu was being so difficult, she didn’t want to be ambitious anymore.
The game Wu Mangmang played had recently released a new expansion pack, so she needed to download and install the game’s additional content.
During the download, Wu Mangmang browsed the game forums and learned that the new expansion had opened a new map called “Besieged City.”
The character level had also been updated from the previous maximum of 100 to 101.
Wu Mangmang thought the game planners must be crazy. Previously, when updating maximum levels, they always jumped by 5 levels—from 50 to 55, for example. This time they only adjusted by 1 level. What odd planners.
After Wu Mangmang’s game updated successfully, she immediately logged into her old account. Her character was still level 100, which meant Lu Sui really hadn’t been using her account, or she would already be level 101.
Wu Mangmang slowly leveled her character by doing quests, planning to reach level 101 so she could run dungeons with her old gaming buddies.
Halfway through, Lu Sui came up to call Wu Mangmang for lunch. Hearing the movement, Wu Mangmang panicked and didn’t have time to close the game, so she simply turned off the computer monitor.
But who was Mr. Lu? He had sharp eyes—Wu Mangmang’s little tricks couldn’t fool him.
“Playing games?” Lu Sui asked.
Wu Mangmang cowered and lowered her head, “Uh, I was just a little bored, so I went online to take a look. I wasn’t really trying to play games.”
Lu Sui said gently, “It’s fine. I won’t scold you. Everyone needs to rest sometimes. That game of yours has beautiful graphics and good planning.”
“Really?” Wu Mangmang’s eyes lit up as she went over to hug Lu Sui’s arm, “I really only play a little when I’m free. Don’t worry, I definitely won’t get addicted.”
Lu Sui lowered his head and kissed Wu Mangmang’s lips, “I know.”
After lunch, Lu Sui said he had work to do. He turned his head and kissed Wu Mangmang’s cheek comfortingly, “Be good, go play your game. I’m going to the office and will be back for dinner with you tonight.”
Only then did Wu Mangmang reluctantly nod, complaining, “You seem very busy lately. Is something happening at Lu Corporation?”
“No,” Lu Sui said. “Don’t overthink it. Go play your game.”
To level up from 100 to 101, there was a quest that players had to complete to graduate.
Wu Mangmang rode her phoenix to the main city “Besieged City” and went to find the City Lord on the highest tower to turn in the quest.
Wu Mangmang handed the antique ring she had stolen from the old witch to the City Lord, and the game dialogue began—”Lu City Lord, will you marry me?”
Wu Mangmang looked at this dialogue and thought how crazy this was. How bored must the planners be to come up with such absurd dialogue?
Wu Mangmang looked carefully at the NPC Lu City Lord’s appearance. She was shocked—this Lu City Lord looked just like Lu Sui.
Wu Mangmang frowned, wondering if Lu Sui knew his portrait rights were being violated.
Wu Mangmang picked up her phone to call Lu Sui and tell him about this. While dialing, she looked at the screen and saw the game dialogue box pop up with Lu City Lord saying, “Brave maiden, you overcame all obstacles and retrieved my family heirloom from the devil’s hands. Your beauty and courage have deeply moved me. I am willing to marry you, Lu Mangmang.”
Wu Mangmang didn’t feel anything special reading this, but the entire game world was in uproar.
Beside Wu Mangmang, there were over ten other players also there to turn in this quest, plus several players who had just completed the quest and hadn’t left yet.
They had all received the uniform response: “You foolish humans, don’t even think about defiling this lord.”
When these players saw the dialogue box above NPC Lu City Lord’s head actually display “I am willing to marry you, Lu Mangmang,” they all spat on their computer screens.
【Impossible!】
【Are you kidding? That flashy City Lord of Besieged City actually agreed to Lu Mangmang’s proposal.】
【Who is Lu Mangmang? An NPC?】
【Is Lu Mangmang the one from the champion statue outside the arena in the main city?】
【That’s her!!!】
【What’s going on? A hidden quest?】
【What the hell? I heard some NPCs are semi-AI, and some NPCs are operated by staff. Could this Lu City Lord also be staff-operated?】
【Wow, what’s happening? Someone actually completed the 101st Proposal quest? My god, hero, let me worship you.】
Soon, in the blink of an eye, countless people teleported to Besieged City, swarming into the City Lord’s mansion to witness Lu City Lord and Lu Mangmang’s passion firsthand.
【System Notice: Attention all players, because player Lu Mangmang completed the 101st Proposal quest, the game will update. We apologize for any inconvenience. Please prepare to log off. At 8:30 PM tonight, please gather in Besieged City to attend Lu City Lord and Lu Mangmang’s wedding. All players attending the wedding will receive a red envelope of 9999 gold, a limited edition bind-on-pickup Harmonious Couple pendant set, and a Lovebirds appearance set.】
The entire game exploded.
9999 gold coins were worth 99 yuan in real money, and current game pendants were priced at 299 gold or more, with appearances being even more expensive, starting at 699 gold coins.
The system’s offer was essentially giving all players huge red envelopes.
Wu Mangmang looked at everything before her and covered her mouth in disbelief.
That bastard Lu Sui had been waiting for her here all along. No wonder he kept playing dumb and wouldn’t propose—he had actually planned for her to propose to him in the game.
Soon, Wu Mangmang’s phone rang.
“Hello,” Wu Mangmang said, trying to sound calm.
Lu Sui’s laughter came through the phone, “Miss Lu Mangmang, tonight I sincerely invite you to attend our wedding in Besieged City. Please do me the honor of your presence. I look forward to your visit.”
The evening wedding was magnificent. Wu Mangmang watched her game character “Lu Mangmang” wearing a phoenix crown and red robe bow to heaven and earth with Lu City Lord, drink the nuptial wine, then walk to the riverside in Besieged City to watch the floating lanterns.
Every player entering Besieged City automatically received a “Blessing Lantern” in their backpack. When they placed this blessing lantern into the moat, the system’s promises would be fulfilled—game coins, pendants, and appearances would automatically enter their backpacks.
Lu City Lord held Lu Mangmang’s hand as they stood side by side by the river. Wu Mangmang saw Lu City Lord begin setting off fireworks called “Eternal Heart” for Lu Mangmang.
These fireworks cost 999,999 yuan each in the game store. Wu Mangmang couldn’t count how many Lu Sui had set off for her. When she came to her senses, the sky above Besieged City was filled with diamonds engraved with Lu City Lord and Lu Mangmang’s names.
They would remain forever in Besieged City’s night sky, reminding all players of this day’s grandeur whenever they looked up.
A man had promised Lu Mangmang an “eternal heart” by this moat.
Wu Mangmang was incredibly moved, tears streaming down her face, and the internet exploded too.
Weibo, forums, and social media went crazy with shares. Male netizens began resenting the rich: “Which idiot spent so much money proposing to his girlfriend? How are the rest of us supposed to live?”
Female netizens collectively envied: “Oh my god, so romantic, so romantic, so devoted, so devoted!”
After Wu Mangmang’s emotional moment passed, she began complaining to Lu Sui, “Are you stupid? Those Eternal Heart fireworks are just virtual. Selling them so expensively is just ripping off suckers. You could have bought just one! Why buy so many? Tell me, Mr. Lu, do you still have money in your bank? Is there enough left to buy me a wedding dress?”
Lu Sui caught Wu Mangmang’s hand, “If there’s not enough to buy you a wedding dress, will you still marry me?”
Wu Mangmang didn’t speak, just smiled with pursed lips.
Lu Sui took out a ring from his pocket, knelt on one knee before Wu Mangmang and asked, “Miss Wu, will you marry me?”
Wu Mangmang still didn’t speak, just playfully extended her hand toward Lu Sui, “Let’s see if the ring you bought fits?”
Lu Sui slipped the diamond ring onto Wu Mangmang’s left ring finger, “This is the ring my grandmother passed to my mother, which my mother had me keep to pass to my future daughter-in-law. Do you think it fits?”
Wu Mangmang looked at the super large carat diamond ring, blinked, and said with difficulty, “I don’t think I can wear it out normally—I’d get robbed.” The diamond was really too big.
“No problem, I’ll hire you two bodyguards,” Lu Sui lowered his head and kissed Wu Mangmang’s finger. This sealed the deal—no taking it back.
Only later did Wu Mangmang learn that Lu Sui had long since acquired the game company she liked. Those virtual game coins, pendants, red envelopes, fireworks and such hadn’t cost Lu Sui any real money. Only the biggest boss could make the game company create this “101st Proposal” expansion just for the two of them.
This grand wedding was simply the most successful and typical marketing case, more effective than millions spent on advertising by the game company.
Lu Sui had achieved a double harvest of beauty and money—there was never a time when Mr. Lu suffered a loss.
The trending topic “So This Is How You Can Propose” on Weibo stayed hot for over a month.
It stayed hot until Wu Mangmang and Lu Sui’s real-life wedding began, reaching its peak then.
This day, Wu Mangmang frowned at the wedding date Lu Sui had chosen, “Isn’t this too rushed? All the time together doesn’t even add up to two months. My wedding dress definitely can’t be custom-made in time, but I don’t want to buy a ready-made wedding dress. Wang Yuan’s wedding dress was so beautiful—I absolutely can’t lose to her, or I’ll be upset for the rest of my life,” Wu Mangmang said willfully.
“It’s fine, I’ll have people rush the work,” Lu Sui placed dozens of wedding dress sketches designed by designers in front of Wu Mangmang, “Choose. Once you pick, I’ll have the designer work overtime to make it for you.”
These wedding dresses were all breathtakingly beautiful. Wu Mangmang had choice paralysis again, but this time Lu Sui firmly refused to indulge her.
“You can only order one wedding dress, and you’ll only get married once in this lifetime,” Lu Sui said.
“Superstition,” Wu Mangmang muttered. Who said choosing two wedding dresses meant getting married twice?
After a night of deliberation, Wu Mangmang finally chose the one she wanted most.
“This one,” Wu Mangmang pointed to a design sketch and told Lu Sui.
Lu Sui nodded.
In less than three days, the wedding dress was presented to Wu Mangmang.
“How is this possible? It’s only been three days. You’re not trying to fool me with a knockoff wedding dress, are you, Lu Sui?” Wu Mangmang said incredulously.
“Do you think it could be a knockoff?” Lu Sui raised his chin toward Wu Mangmang.
Of course it couldn’t be a knockoff. The diamond-studded wedding dress was exactly Wu Mangmang’s dream gown.
“But how was this done?” Wu Mangmang was still confused.
“Stupid. The wedding dress started being made a year ago,” Lu Sui said.
“So you never thought of letting me go, right?” Wu Mangmang looked at Lu Sui with an “I finally caught you” expression.
“Yes. But someone was so stupid, thinking I wouldn’t want to marry her. I was going crazy wanting to, but our little dummy just wouldn’t go browse the game to see the surprise I prepared for her,” Lu Sui hugged Wu Mangmang’s waist and gently bit her nose tip.
“Right, I’m the dummy,” Wu Mangmang admitted for the first time so readily.
If she hadn’t been so dumb, she might already be a proper Mrs. Lu by now.