Episode 4 The Fitting
Two weeks passed in the blink of an eye. But for Lin, it was two weeks of her mother pestering her morning and night about wedding preparations she didn't even want to countdown to. Finally, Ma issued an ultimatum: she had to take that foul-mouthed brat to try on wedding outfits this evening. Just thinking about Chen's smug face behind those glasses made Lin feel too exhausted to move.
She sat staring blankly at the mountain of documents on her desk, sighing repeatedly until her coworkers finally took notice.
"What's wrong, Boss? You're scowling so hard the numbers on this audit are going to jump off the page and run away," Ching-Ching teased, placing a cup of coffee on Lin's desk.
"In the end, Ching... I really couldn't escape this wedding," Lin moaned, face-planting onto her desk in despair.
"Oh, come on. You've been running for years; it was bound to happen. Don't waste your energy complaining," Nam-Wan, the group's resident tough-talker, chimed in without looking up from her monitor.
"Ugh! I want a drink! I want to get wasted and forget the world exists!" Lin shouted, venting her pent-up frustration.
"Right... you know perfectly well you're allergic to alcohol. You'll turn as red as a boiled shrimp," Nam-Ping smirked while touching up her makeup.
"Exactly, Sis. Don't drink now," On, the youngest, added with concern.
"If you go to the fitting with a bloated, red face, it won't be a pretty sight."
"Are you guys even my friends?! Is no one going to comfort me?" Lin looked up, pouting at the group she'd known for years.
"Comfort you for what? Just get married already," Nam-Wan retorted.
"You're thirty-two. Are you waiting to wrinkle even more?"
"Wan! Are you on my side or not?!" Lin snapped.
"I'm your friend, that's why I tell you the truth," Nam-Wan replied coolly, offering a single wink.
Lin bared her teeth at her friend before a sudden idea struck her.
"Fine! Since you're all so supportive... all of you are coming with me to pick out the wedding dress tonight. No excuses!"
"Uh... sorry, Sis. I have a dinner date with my boyfriend," On chirped, offering a dry smile.
"I've got a date too, honey. My queue is full until next week," Nam-Ping added, packing her makeup to make a quick exit.
Lin whipped around to face her final hope.
"Don't you dare say you have a date, Wan," she warned, cutting her off.
Nam-Wan paused, looking at her friend who seemed on the verge of a breakdown. She let out a long sigh.
"Fine, fine... I'll go. I'll be your emotional support."
"Thank you, bestie! You're the only one I can rely on." Lin finally smiled. Even though she dreaded seeing her fiancé, having a friend there to help her talk
trash er, pick a dress made her feel slightly more confident.
Once the office quieted down, Lin slipped away to a quiet balcony. The silence allowed the anxiety she'd been masking to resurface. She stared at her phone with a heavy heart, exhaling weakly at the thought of the next few hours.
Why is my life like this? she asked herself. Being thirty-two and single wasn't bad. She had money and a stable career. Why tie a noose around her neck? Swallowing her irritation, she dialed the number she had recently saved as 'The Brat.'
After a few rings, a deep, calm, yet provocatively smooth voice answered.
(Yes?)
"Hello... you. We're going to the wedding studio to try on outfits this evening," Lin barked, her voice blunt and harsh.
(My, my... try to speak a bit more nicely to your future husband. Seniors who speak so aggressively should watch their blood pressure,) the caller replied, his tone infuriatingly cheerful.
"You little brat!" Lin flared up at the age jab.
(Tsk, tsk... don't call me that, darling. Why don't you try calling me 'Hubby' instead? I might find the energy to drive over then.)
"In your dreams!" Lin hissed through gritted teeth.
(Ah... in that case, maybe I won't go. I'm quite busy with work, Jee,) Chen teased, his voice dripping with intentional playfulness.
"Chen! Don't play games with me. Your Ah-Gong set the appointment. I'm just delivering the message per my mother's orders."
(If you just spoke politely, I might change my mind and clear my schedule right now.)
Lin rolled her eyes at the ceiling. She knew arguing only played into his hands.
"Whatever. Go or don't go. I've done my part. The shop is in the XXX district, it's called XXX Studio. That's all!"
Click. She hung up before he could respond.
"What an absolute jerk! I want to kick him in the face until his glasses shatter!" Lin muttered. She took a deep breath to douse the fire in her chest before heading back to finish her work. At least accounting was easier to manage than Chen Jao-Long.
Lin and Nam-Wan arrived at XXX Studio, a premium bridal boutique. The building featured massive glass panes reflecting warm, amber light from within. The wedding gowns on display were so exquisite they looked like they had been plucked from a fairy tale.
"Lin... is this really the place?" Nam-Wan asked, her voice dropping as she looked at her plain work clothes, which suddenly felt drab against the opulence of the shop.
"Yeah, this is it. Ma sent the location," Lin replied. She was just as stunned as her friend, but she maintained her "cool boss" facade.
"Your family is the real deal, man. It's so fancy I'm afraid to even step inside," Nam-Wan grumbled, nervously adjusting her shirt.
"Stop it. Ah-Gong is the rich one, I'm practically broke," Lin complained, though she unconsciously checked her reflection in the car mirror.
"Please. You're a world-class liar," Nam-Wan scoffed at Lin's fake humility.
"Hey, I'm just the owner of a tiny firm with you guys as partners. I couldn't afford this lifestyle if Ah-Gong wasn't forcing it on me," Lin countered, her eyes showing her boredom with the whole arrangement.
"I believe you, I believe you... wait! Is that your 'hubby' walking this way?" Nam-Wan nudged Lin hard, nodding toward a tall man in a tailored semi-formal suit. His presence was commanding, and he looked striking as he approached.
Lin turned to look. Her heart skipped a beat seeing Chen in a look that was far more polished than their first meeting. But within seconds, annoyance reclaimed her.
"Ugh... yeah. That's the foul-mouthed brat. He looks 'meh' at best. Like a buffalo's hoof," she said stiffly, though her heart felt strangely warm.
"Oh, shut up, Lin! If that's a 'buffalo's hoof,' then the rest of the men on earth are just buffalo dung. He's so handsome! Can I marry him instead?" Nam-Wan whispered, her eyes practically turning into hearts.
"Hello," a deep, polite voice greeted them. Chen bowed slightly to the "elders" with refined grace. He wore a warm, friendly smile the perfect gentleman straight out of a romance novel. Nam-Wan looked ready to melt into a puddle.
"Hello! I'm Nam-Wan, Lin's best friend," Nam-Wan chirped, returning the greeting with an overly enthusiastic smile.
"It's a pleasure, P'Wan. I'm Chen Jao-Long. Please take care of me," he said smoothly. Behind his lenses, his eyes were the picture of sincerity, hiding the devil within.
"Oh my, you're so sweet! You speak so much better than certain people around here," Nam-Wan teased, glancing at Lin.
"Fake..." Lin muttered, rolling her eyes at his 'Good Boy' act.
"Are you two going to flirt all day? If we aren't trying on clothes, I'm going back to the office to work!" Lin huffed, spinning around and stomping into the shop.
Chen watched her retreating figure, his eyes sparkling with amusement. He loved seeing this stubborn elder lose her cool every time they met.
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