Chapter 451: The wedding anniversary (4)
Chapter 451: The wedding anniversary (4)
Inside the room specially designed for the bride, all the ladies were busy helping get Nana ready.
Serena was doing her skincare part, Liu Chunhua and Chen Liling were busy adjusting the wedding gown, Liang Xiao Dan and Huian were choosing a hairstyle that would look the best on Nana. Yu Ichika was helping with the jewelry and accessories part.
For a change, Huo Xiao Fan was looking over the twins this time and also Zixin. Jian and Nian took all of her energy to tend to them, and Zixin was naughty today, too, apparently very excited to be with his cousin brothers.
Huo Xiao Fan felt as if she ran a marathon.
Ugh, I am looking after three kids, no three rascals…just how much energy they have….
She was now lamenting the fact that she offered to take care of them.
On her side, Nana was already feeling dizzy. Sometimes Serena would pull her head to comb her hair, sometimes Liu Chunhua would adjust the dress, and Yu Ichika was pulling her hand to try different bracelets on her wrist. But, she was enjoying this precious time of getting ready as a bride.
Serena said, “Well, we will get you ready and all, but what about the wedding vows? It was a surprise, so you wouldn’t have prepared for it, obviously.”
Nana smiled. “It’s okay. I know it’s sudden, and almost all couples practice their vows, but I think I know what I have to say.”
Grandma Liu nodded. “The most important thing is that you say and mean those vows with your heart. Who cares if you don’t prepare?”
Liu Chunhua chuckled. “And you are like a Goddess to Jinhai. He loves you so much that it wouldn’t even matter to him even if you say just one line.”
Everybody burst into laughter.
“True that. Jinhai is a slave to Nana’s charms.”
Nana sheepishly grinned.
“Oh, and by the way! What is your surprise?” Serena’s gaze sparkled with delight. “Don’t make such suspense now. Tell me already!”
Liang Xiao Dan nodded. “Yes! Yes! Trust us, Nana. We won’t say a word out.”
Huian put her finger on her lips. “Our mouths are zipped.”
“Hmm…” Nana gave it a serious thought. “I think I should say it…”
Everybody got excited and leaned forward. “So, so! What is it?”
Nana inclined towards them. “My surprise is…”
Everybody was focused on her next words.
Nana smiled. “My surprise is…what you will see when I show it to Jinhai.”
Everybody –”…”
Nana burst into laughter, looking at the dry expressions on their faces. Clearly, they were displeased.
Serena whined. “You are such a bully. Please tell us….”
“Nope. You will see it during our wedding,” she mysteriously smiled.
—
An hour later, Nana was finally ready. The others were busy doing some final preparations, and they took the babies outside too, so Nana was alone in her room now. Then she heard some noises outside, and she figured somebody was arguing.
The noises stopped, but they started knocking on her door.
“Nana! Nana! I am here!” Liu Hai’s booming voice was so loud that perhaps it echoed throughout the island.
“I am here too!” Liang Zou’s voice immediately came after him. “Nana dear, will you open the door? We have to…discuss something really important.”
Nana furrowed her brows and wondered why her fathers might be arguing.
She opened the door, and the two fathers almost barged inside. As soon as they saw her, they stopped, and it felt as if all their words got stuck in their throat.
“Child…you look so beautiful…Jinhai will go all gaga over you!”
Liang Zou felt so emotional that he couldn’t speak at all. He just kept watching his daughter, wearing that stunning wedding gown in which she looked no less than a fairy.
“I am so proud of Jing! It feels that this wedding gown is made just for you! He did an amazing job.” He nodded his head in appreciation. “He definitely deserves a good reward.”
Nana felt shy. “Thank you, Dad.”
Then she darted glances at them alternatively. “So, were you two arguing outside?”
They finally realized what they came here for.
Liang Zou fumed. “Yes. We have an important matter to settle! Why is Liu Hai insisting on walking you down the aisle?”
“Huh?” Nana blinked her eyes in confusion.
“Shouldn’t it be the bride’s father? That is me! Liang Zou! I should walk my daughter down the aisle!”
Liu Hai gritted his teeth. “Hey! Watch what you speak! Nana is my daughter too! Why can I not walk her down the aisle? I had already decided that whenever Jinhai and Nana would have their wedding, I would hold her hand and walk with her!”
Liang Zou looked at him speechlessly. “You are her father-in-law! I am her father! It’s the family members from the bride’s side who walk her down the aisle. You are changing the tradition!”
“Do hell with tradition!” Liu Hai refused to back down. “If somebody asks me to choose between Jinhai and Nana, then I would dump Jinhai in a heartbeat.”
Their mouths twitched.
“I never treated Nana as my daughter-in-law. She was always a daughter to me and always will. So, I have the right to walk with her.”
Nana felt stumped with his words. He was right. Not even once did she get the feeling in Liu Villa that she was the Liu family’s daughter-in-law. It felt as if she was always meant to be a part of it as any daughter was.
Liang Zou said, “Well, I appreciate your sentiments, but that still doesn’t change the fact that it should be me! We are finally reunited after so long. I am her biological father. Like hell, I will give this precious once-in-a-lifetime chance to you.”
“Hah!” he snorted. “Well, that is emotional too, your reunion and all, but look at the facts. Nana met me first. ME FIRST! LIU HAI. In fact, our first meeting was also so special. As a passenger and a cab driver.”
Nana suddenly coughed hard, remembering the past. Assuming Liu Hai to be a cab driver was indeed embarrassing to her even now.
Liu Hai smirked. “So, it means that I am her father FIRST. We bonded FIRST as father-daughter. Our bond is stronger than yours! Hah! The winner is the one who takes it FIRST! So, the moral of the story is that I will walk her down the aisle. Haha!”
“This is not a freaking race!” Liang Zou was getting more and more shocked by his shamelessness. “How does meeting her first matter? It’s not like I didn’t want to be with her.”
“I don’t care.” He shrugged, “You are just salty and jealous of me.”
“Like hell!”
“Okay, okay, now stop.” Nana felt that she would have to intervene finally, or this would never get over.
Nevertheless, her heart was filled with warmth, looking at her fathers bickering to be the one to walk with her.
She chuckled inwardly. This might be the first time that a father-in-law wanted to do the tradition with his daughter-in-law.
Liu Hai said, “Right. So, now you tell him, child, that I will walk you down the aisle.”
Liang Zou smiled, trying to control his urge to punch him in the face. “Yes, dear. You decide. Tell him that it should be me.”
“You two are so cute,” Nana laughed, “How about this? Why don’t we all three walk together? Dad…” she pointed at Liu Hai, “can be on my left side and you Dad,” she pointed at Liang Zou, “can be on my right. See? You both get the chance this way.”
They stared at her dumbfounded.
Ugh…this was a pretty simple and easy solution. Actually, this was the best solution.
Why didn’t I think of this before?
Why didn’t I think of this before?
Both of them thought at once. They cleared their throats.
Liu Hai said, “You just stole what was in my mind, child! See? This is a father-daughter’s telepathy. I was going to say the same.”
Liang Zou dryly looked at him and refused to comment. Otherwise, he thought he would surely explode in anger.
You were just fighting a moment ago!
Liang Zou smiled. “I don’t mind this arrangement. This is perfect.”
Liu Hai felt proud. “After all, she is my daughter. Then we will do as Nana said.”
Nana sighed in relief.
A crisis was averted.
She asked, “What about Jinhai?”
Liu Hai shrugged. “Jianyu and Shin are there with him. Who cares about him, anyway?”
Nana felt pitiful for Jinhai and Jing.
“Hai! Where are you!?” Liu Chunhua’s furious voice resounded. “Are you slacking somewhere? You are dead meat!”
Liu Hai gulped and sweated hard. “Right. I forgot Chunhua had called me for help. Bye!”
He dashed away like lightning.
“Finally, that storm has passed…” Liang Zou sighed.
“Don’t call him storm…” Nana shook her head, “He is not that bad…”
“Aish, my daughter is defending her in-laws already,” he pouted, “I feel so distant now.”
“Dad!” Nana hit him on his chest.
Liang Zou smiled and cupped her face. His eyes glazed with emotions as he spoke. “You look beautiful today. You are the prettiest bride I have ever seen in my life. Nana…I have missed out on a lot of things as your father. So many memories…But, I am so glad…so glad,” he choked as tears rimmed his eyes, “that at least I didn’t miss your wedding.”