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Chapter 59 — Who is Whose Substitute

In the elevator stood a woman dressed in a black, low-neck thin sweater, layered with a black leather jacket. Her slim, straight legs were wrapped in light blue skinny jeans, giving her an air of competence with a touch of casual elegance—completely different from the three times Chen Songxian had seen her before.

Yet her side profile, once glimpsed and unforgettable, remained the same.

Slender willow-shaped eyebrows outlined her charming almond eyes; the slightly upturned corners of her eyes carried a natural allure. Below her high-bridged nose, her slightly curved cherry lips parted politely, “Sir, are you taking the elevator? Please, come in.”

Her gaze, fluid and luminous like a pool of spring water, made Chen Songxian momentarily forget to breathe. The usually quick-witted and flirtatious playboy opened his mouth, only to find himself at a loss for words.

“Mr. Chen?” The other person in the elevator, Yang Qiuhui, scrutinized him and finally confirmed that the man blocking the elevator doors was indeed the representative of the Chen family, the fashion giant. She turned to introduce him to her boss, “President Lin, this is the person in charge from the Chen family.”

“Oh,” Lin Keying, always graceful and courteous with clients, quickly made space. “Hello, Mr. Chen. I’m Lin Keying, the person in charge of Xitian Building. Is there anything unclear about the Chen family’s clothing brand moving into Xitian that you’d like to discuss in detail?”

Lin Keying… Chen Songxian savored these three characters silently in his mind. Even her name was beautiful.

“Miss Lin, I—” As Chen Songxian was about to step into the elevator, he suddenly caught a whiff of alcohol on himself.

Crap!

He had been drinking all night. After a rushed morning following a hangover, he’d hurried here looking a mess—bloodshot eyes, stubble sprouting, a crumpled floral shirt hastily thrown on after waking at noon. He was absolutely disheveled!

Meeting his dream woman properly for the first time in this state—Chen Songxian felt like the sky had fallen!

“Miss Lin, hello, I’m Chen…” The words Songxian were about to slip out, but he abruptly stopped.

He almost forgot his current situation—he had secretly sneaked back from South Africa!

Chen Songxian calmly changed course, “My surname is Chen. You can just call me Kevin.”

Lin Keying, accustomed to Hong Kong’s British influence where many preferred to address each other by English names, nodded and accepted readily.

“I was busy with work this morning and couldn’t make it in time for the inspection. I’m sorry to trouble you, Miss Lin. I’ll definitely visit another day to further consult about our brand moving into Xitian.” Chen Songxian couldn’t let her see him in such poor shape.

First impressions mattered!

Since today’s first impression was already a loss, he couldn’t linger.

Reluctantly watching the elevator doors close, Chen Songxian’s smile lingered. He then turned to inquire with Chen Zhilang.

“Where is Miss Lin from?”

“Was she the one who bid for Xitian Building?”

“What does Miss Lin like to eat? Drink?”

“Does Miss Lin come to Xitian Building every day?”

…

After hurriedly gathering some intel, Chen Songxian left Xitian humming a tune, knowing he had to carefully plan his next steps.

He had to leave a good impression and wash away today’s poor appearance.

Driving the Bentley his uncle had arranged for him—with new license plates to avoid detection—Chen Songxian sped towards the hotel to change. But on the road, he suddenly spotted a Rolls-Royce driving towards him in the opposite lane. The license plate was A1.

He swerved sharply and sped past—luckily, his cousin usually sat in the back.

That was a scare! Why was his cousin suddenly on this road at this time?

The Rolls-Royce and Bentley brushed past each other.

Inside the Rolls-Royce, Cheng Wanting listened to Yang Minghui’s report on tomorrow’s schedule.

“Young Master, the custom-made Italian wedding dresses and suits have been arranged. Tomorrow at 10 AM, should they be delivered to the Mid-Levels villa for fitting or tried on at the bridal shop?”

“Let’s go to the bridal shop,” Cheng Wanting replied. After all, the shop had full-length mirrors and professional stylists unavailable at home.

With the arrival of the dresses and suits, the wedding date was drawing near.

Thinking of the wedding, a name resurfaced in Cheng Wanting’s mind that hadn’t appeared in a long time: “Is Songxian still behaving in South Africa?”

Since he had been sent far away, and last time his cousin had stayed obediently in South Africa for a month, Cheng Wanting hadn’t paid much attention to this current three-month assignment.

Yang Minghui reported truthfully, “Yesterday, I contacted the Chen family’s local representative. They said Young Master Chen has been quite well-behaved—learning and observing. He was out on a store inspection yesterday, so we didn’t connect directly.”

“Alright, let him be. It’s good if he can temper his character,” Cheng Wanting said with relief. By the time his cousin returned from South Africa, his own wedding would already be held.

[Section break]

There was plenty to prepare before the wedding. However, for the wealthy, little required personal attention as professionals handled everything.

The Italian custom wedding dresses and suits were styles Lin Keying had chosen herself some time ago. Since she hadn’t seen the physical items yet, she had selected four sets, all of which had now been airlifted to Hong Kong and displayed in the city’s largest bridal boutique.

Hong Kong weddings completely followed Western customs—updos and pure white gowns.

The luxurious bridal shop had been cleared for a private fitting. Huge full-length mirrors lined both sides of the second floor, while bright crystal chandeliers sparkled brilliantly in the reflections.

Cheng Wanting’s suit was simple and elegant, exquisitely crafted with subtle thoughtful designs. A few strands of dark red silk thread on the black suit hinted at festive cheer.

He changed into a crisp white shirt, donned the black suit, and fastened a black bow tie. His tall, upright figure fully displayed the nobility and elegance of the wedding attire.

For the first time, Yang Minghui saw a hint of genuine soon-to-be husband aura in the young master.

Joy indeed made people glow; even Cheng Wanting’s usual coldness and aloofness softened slightly.

Having little personal preference about attire, Cheng Wanting simply waited after dressing, standing behind the curtain.

After a long while, the swish of the curtain finally echoed, revealing a woman in a pure white wedding gown.

Her thick, curly hair was simply styled into an updo, with loose strands framing her petite oval face, highlighting her delicate beauty.

The strapless satin gown revealed her snow-white collarbones. Around her neck rested a pink gemstone necklace that sparkled dazzlingly under the lights.

The dress cinched at the waist, accentuating her ample curves and slender waist. The voluminous skirt flared out elegantly; as Lin Keying approached step by step, she bloomed like a budding flower.

Wearing a wedding dress for the first time in both her lives, Lin Keying felt its heavy weight—beauty indeed came at a price.

Turning lightly in a circle, the white veil trailed on the ground. She smiled radiantly: “Does it look good?”

Cheng Wanting’s deep eyes reflected her beautiful figure under the chandelier’s glow, lighting up bit by bit: “Very beautiful.”

Lin Keying had four dresses in total; trying on all four took several hours.

—First: an off-shoulder satin gown
—Second: a French-style sweetheart lace gown
—Third: a silk “cloud” gown
—Fourth: a court-style lace gown

Full of enthusiasm, she constantly discussed hairstyles and jewelry pairings with the boutique staff, while Cheng Wanting quietly waited, only voicing opinions when asked.

Yang Minghui had never experienced such a leisurely workday. He was amazed that his workaholic young master, who valued every second to make money, could patiently wait for hours just for outfit changes!

If someone had told him months ago this would happen, he’d have thought the world had gone mad.

Lin Keying finally struggled to choose between the first and second dresses and consulted her fiancé, “Which do you think suits me better?”

Cheng Wanting, who had memorized all four dresses on her, simply replied, “Both are nice, but the first one is better.”

The two differed mainly in material and chest design. The first satin gown hugged the bust perfectly; the second’s lace overlay subtly revealed curves—the most daring of the four.

Lin Keying understood. The man was conservative and disliked his wife revealing even a hint too much.

After much deliberation and consulting the female staff, she settled on the first gown for the wedding day.

The first gown secured, it was safely stored at the boutique. The remaining three were unnecessary; Lin Keying intended to sell them to the shop to bless other brides.

After removing the heavy attire, she left with Cheng Wanting. Once seated in the back of the Rolls-Royce, she heard him instruct Yang Minghui, “Send the second dress to the Mid-Levels villa.”

Lin Keying was puzzled: “Why are you sending the second dress to the villa?”

Cheng Wanting gazed deeply at her and whispered by her ear, “It’s custom-made from Italy. It can be kept as a collectible.”

Lin Keying: …

You, a grown man, collecting a wedding dress?

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