“Get up, get up. Did you forget what day it is today?” Gou Yu patted the small lump in the middle of the bed, wrapped in a blanket.
The lump wriggled for a while like the belly of some insect from an R-rated movie, then let out two grumbles.
“I know, I know…”
After a moment, it fell silent again.
Gou Yu let out a helpless laugh.
He was nervous about today’s engagement banquet himself, but not as much as Zhu Yuan had been last night.
Zhu Yuan had been like an elementary school kid about to go on a trip the next day—too excited to sleep.
She kept scrolling on her phone, doing nothing in particular, just peppering Gou Yu with questions.
Stuff like would there be a lot of people, or whether some mysterious admirer who had never met him but was head-over-heels for Gou Yu might show up.
Gou Yu initially tried to answer and calm her down, but he soon realized Zhu Yuan wasn’t listening.
She was just using her scattered anxiety to torture him, dragging him into her sleeplessness.
Luckily, Gou Yu was strong enough. He held Zhu Yuan tightly, giving her enough reassurance, and managed to fall asleep despite her endless muttering.
“You’re seriously going to sleep in on the day of your engagement?” Gou Yu laughed. “Are you going to sleep in on your wedding day too?”
“Well, isn’t the groom supposed to pick up the bride on the wedding day? I’ll just lie in bed—who cares about anything else? The groom can just carry me to the car, and I’ll keep sleeping.”
Zhu Yuan seemed a bit more awake now. She squirmed under the covers, nudging the blanket.
“And will you keep sleeping through the wedding ceremony too?” Gou Yu crossed his arms.
“That’s not impossible. Weddings are basically just walking around like a zombie, putting on a ring, and hugging.” Zhu Yuan said it as if it were the most natural thing, still facing away from Gou Yu.
“So will you also keep sleeping when it’s time for the bridal chamber?” Gou Yu suddenly threw out that line.
“Sure, why not.” Zhu Yuan seemed ready to add that to her personal guidebook.
“Alright, then let’s pretend this is the bridal chamber. I’m coming.” Gou Yu said, pretending to pull at his clothes.
Inside the covers, Zhu Yuan seemed to snap to attention.
She threw off the blanket and scrambled toward the edge of the bed, away from Gou Yu.
“Actually, I think it’s too early for that kind of thing. Let’s talk about the engagement first…”
She turned her head and saw that Gou Yu, still in his white suit, hadn’t taken off a single piece of clothing. He was just scaring her.
Gou Yu pulled out his phone and checked the time. “Good, you’re awake. It’s seven now. Guests will start arriving at eight thirty. It’ll take us about forty minutes to get there…”
“Alright, you don’t need to say any more. I get it.” Zhu Yuan pointed to the door. “Now I need to change. You can go out first.”
“Don’t you want to wash up first?”
“I’ll wash after I change.”
Though he was looking forward to it, Gou Yu felt he had to remind her. “What if you get toothpaste on the dress?”
Zhu Yuan recalled the white dress that looked as delicate as a wedding gown.
“You have a point.”
So she went to the bathroom, brushed her teeth, and then touched her towel.
“Old Dog, did you use my towel again?”
“That’s a complete lie.”
“The towel is still warm, and you’re denying it?”
“Then I must have picked up the wrong one.” Gou Yu changed his story without hesitation.
Zhu Yuan sighed. After washing up, she went back to the room to change.
It was just like last time at the clothing store, except this time Zhu Yuan was a bit more practiced.
After putting on the dress, she looked down at the white slippers on her feet and suddenly remembered something.
Her lower-body gear was still on the sofa outside.
“Old Dog.” She cracked the door open, stuck her head out, and called toward the living room.
Gou Yu, who had been idly watching videos, stood up and said, “What does your dad want?”
“There’s a box on the sofa outside with a pair of shoes. Bring them over.” Zhu Yuan shouted loudly.
Gou Yu froze for a moment, then picked up the box. “So you’re actually going to wear those lunchbox shoes?”
“Is this how all you Carrot Defense otaku play?”
Still, Gou Yu slid the box through the crack in the door, then paused.
“Are you going to wear those thigh-high stockings too?” Gou Yu’s expression was dead serious, like an art student about to blitzkrieg Poland.
As if the answer to this question would determine his survival.
Seeing Gou Yu’s tense face, Zhu Yuan couldn’t bring herself to say anything harsh. “I’ll wear them…”
Then she saw Gou Yu swallow.
“Good. That pleases His Majesty.”
Zhu Yuan stared at his face for a moment, then finally let out a tiny “Pervert…”
And closed the door.
She looked at the knee-high stockings in her hands, sat down on the bed, hesitated, and then slid one foot in.
But after pulling for a while, it still didn’t feel comfortable.
So, just like putting on long johns in winter, she first rolled the stocking up, then slowly pulled it upward.
When she reached the top, she let it go gently. The edge of the stocking tapped softly against the soft flesh of her thigh.
The intense sense of encasement made her unconsciously spread her jade-like toes a little, like a contented kitten.
She had experienced a similar kind of wrapping sensation the last time she wore pantyhose, but this was different.
It wasn’t total coverage. The slight pinch of the fabric at her thigh gave her a brand-new feeling, and her eyes widened.
“Wow wow…”
With a couple of exclamations, Zhu Yuan put on the other stocking.
Actually, she liked the strip of bare skin between the skirt and the stockings—that absolute territory.
But it was winter, and Zhu Yuan was wearing a long skirt.
She didn’t want to go out showing off that kind of absolute territory getup to others.
Gou Yu could see it, though. That guy had the heart but not the guts.
Smiling faintly, Zhu Yuan slipped both her jade-white feet into the pair of white Mary Janes.
Then she fastened the buckles, lifted her skirt, and looked at herself from left to right.
No wrinkles. She didn’t know if it was because the stockings the store manager lady had given her were high quality, or just that she and the stockings got along well.
Either way, they looked gorgeous.
Finally, a big black butterfly bow hair ornament went on the back of her head, filling the void of decoration above her neck.
After everything was done, Zhu Yuan gently pushed the door open.
Gou Yu was waiting at the door. He turned around.
The phone he was watching Hachimi videos on dropped to the floor.
Zhu Yuan bared her teeth at him in a playful grimace.
“Little Bird.” Gou Yu paused. “You’re the most beautiful guy I’ve ever seen.”
oh boy