The phone buzzed again, a sharp vibration against the polished wood of the vanity. Shuyin strode back and picked it up. This time, it was a message from Michelle, her wedding planner:
(Final confirmation, your dress is absolutely STUNNING. Zeyan's jaw is going to hit the floor when he sees you walking down that aisle!)
A genuine, hopeful smile finally touched Shuyin's lips as she looked at her reflection. Her fingers rose unconsciously to trace the cool, smooth surface of the jade hairpin, a silent plea for luck.
"Miss Lin, you really should try to rest now," Qiao urged gently from the doorway. "Tomorrow will be a marathon, and you need to be radiant for every single camera."
"You're right, of course... Goodnight, Qiao. And thank you."
" Good night too Miss..."
Once she was alone, Shuyin walked to the tall windows. The city stretched out below her, glowing with countless lights that looked like fallen stars.
Somewhere out there, Zeyan was in his penthouse. Was he celebrating with friends, or lying awake like her, thinking about their future? What were his thoughts like?
As if summoned by her thoughts, her phone screen illuminated with a new notification.
It was from Zeyan: (Can't wait to see you tomorrow in that beautiful gown. You're going to be the most beautiful bride.)
Her heart swelled, a warm, buoyant feeling that lifted all her lingering anxieties. She typed back quickly, her thumbs flying over the screen.
Shuyin: You're not supposed to text the bride the night before! It's bad luck!
His reply was instantaneous.
It was from Zeyan: You're worth the risk. Sleep well, soon-to-be Mrs. Lu.
A habit born from years of curating their love story took over, she screenshot the message, preserving this sweet, private moment for the digital scrapbook of their relationship.
As she set the phone back on her nightstand, it buzzed again, this time more insistently. The screen lit up with a stream of messages from the Lin family group chat.
Stepmother Chen: Shuyin, the planner confirmed the final schedule. Acknowledge you've seen it, we can't afford delays tomorrow.
Father: Is everything ready on your end? Your mother wants to know if you need anything.
Yueling: Big sis, getting cold feet? Just kidding! But seriously, why so quiet? You must be so nervous!
The messages piled up, polite, performative, and demanding. They expected her to play the part of the radiant bride, even here, alone in her room feeling exhausted.
For a moment, her thumb hovered over the screen, instinct pushing her to reply.
Then she stopped.
Tonight, she didn't have the energy to perform. Let them wonder. Let them think she was too overwhelmed with joy or nerves to answer. Their expectations weren't her burden anymore.
She silenced the phone, the room falling still except for the faint hum of the city outside.
Turning off the lamp, she slid beneath the sheets and closed her eyes, clinging to the warmth of Zeyan's last message as sleep slowly pulled her under.
Finally, she slipped beneath the soft silk sheets.
True sleep eluded her, replaced by shards of memory: the glare of cameras, the crackle of applause, voices melting into a hum.
She could only grasp at shreds of sleep, each one haunted by the ghost of cameras flashing and applause echoing.
The sudden buzzing of her mobile phone shattered the fragile silence of the bedroom.
Shuyin jerked awake, disoriented. The digital clock on her nightstand glowed, showing that it was 10:47 PM. She had barely slept for an hour.
She gently moved her fringes from her face before picking the mobile phone up, seeing the person looking for her, her heart leapt when she saw the caller ID, it was Zeyan. A flutter of warmth mixed with superstitious fear filled her. She accepted the video call, with a sleepy smile on her face.
"Zeyan? You know it's bad luck to call me now...."
The words died in her throat when the screen showed only his face, lit by the cold blue light of his phone. He wasn't smiling and his expression looked strained, like he was almost pained.
"Don't turn on your camera," he said, his voice low and tight. "Just... listen to what I'm about to say."
Her smile suddenly vanished feeling ominous, "What's wrong? Are you okay? Did something happen?"
"Is it your parents? Do they need anything? Did anything happen?"
A series of questions and thoughts crossed her mind in a flash wondering why he was that serious.
The silence that followed was heavy and wrong. She could see him swallowing hard, his eyes avoiding the camera lens like he didn't want to look into her eyes.
"Zeyan?" Her voice rose, sharp with panic. "Talk to me. Is it the venue? Your parents? Tell me, we can solve it together as always..."