Plans
Tuesday, continued …
As Du AnLing led Anna into the dining room, she signaled to a staff member, and Anna observed the round table that was set for a meal. Before anyone could take their seats, the staff began bringing out dishes, carefully placing them on the table for everyone to share. Hou Yi, realizing there was no way to prevent his mother from taking control, led the rest of the family into the room and took his seat beside Anna, placing himself on her right side. Du AnLing took the seat on her left, seemingly as a protective gesture, giving Anna some comfort from the overwhelming attention of the rest of the family.
Once everyone had seated themselves, Du AnLing’s attention was drawn to Anna’s left hand. She carefully lifted it and examined the ring, then, without any apology or hesitation, reached across Anna to lift Hou Yi’s left hand as well. “Jang, Father, Mother, Sister,” she began, her eyes gleaming with recognition, “I know the wedding rings. Aren’t these the Dream wedding set from Fengs? And if I’m right, this is the only set in the world with pink diamonds?”
Hou Yi knew immediately that his mother, ever the jewelry enthusiast, had figured it out. He let out a quiet sigh and replied, “It is, Mother. As Anna is from Australia, we wanted our rings to have Australian diamonds, and Anna fell in love with the pink diamonds from the Kimberly. I let her choose what she liked, and this was it.”
Hou Jang, who had been quiet up until now, interjected with a teasing comment. “Son, I never thought I’d see the day you’d voluntarily wear a ring.”
Hou Yi looked at him calmly and responded, “Father, I’ve married. Why would I not wear a ring to indicate my commitment to my wife?”
Hou Jang chuckled lightly, clearly enjoying the moment. “Don’t get defensive, son. It was just a passing comment. Given that you love your bride, I would expect nothing less. I never believed I would wear a wedding ring, but when I met your mother, I couldn’t wait to have one placed on my finger. I’ve never taken it off since then, and I never will. I guess you’ll feel the same way.”
Hou Yi nodded thoughtfully, and then turned to Anna with a soft smile. “Do you mind telling me your name?” he asked, his tone now much more cordial.
“Anna Jones, but as most women in Australia do, I will now use Hou as my surname, Father,” Anna replied, trying her best to remain calm.
Hou Yi, sensing that the tension was easing, quickly shifted the conversation. “Father, let’s not get into too many details right now. You have all the time in the world to ask questions about my wife, but it’s been a long day for us, and we do want to get home soon, so let’s save this for another time.”
He paused before addressing his mother and aunt. “Mother, Aunt, can you take Anna shopping tomorrow to fill out her wardrobe? She’ll have cards with highly generous limits, but please, don’t try to convince her to abuse the privilege, or I will cut access to your cards. While we’ll be traveling to Australia soon to settle her affairs, her current clothes won’t be suitable for the environment here.”
His voice grew more serious as he continued, “And I’m afraid there’s some bad news. We’ve decided to hold our formal wedding ceremony in Australia. Our friends and extended family can easily travel, but that’s not the case for Anna’s family and friends.”
He gave a brief pause before continuing. “If we married here, most would be unwilling to accept our assistance to travel for the ceremony, and I want them to be comfortable. Anna and I have decided to have the ceremony near her hometown of Warrnambool, Victoria. I’ll leave the arrangements to you, but please work with Anna. Assistant Wang, however, has control of the budget. And remember, no arguments about the ceremony.”
Du AnLing, her excitement palpable, quickly interjected. “Let’s not delay the bride and groom too much. We should eat so they can return home. And by the way, Anna, we’ll be at your apartment to collect you around 10 a.m. tomorrow.”
Before Hou Yi could protest, Du AnLing turned to him with a knowing look. “You’ll be at work by that time, so it doesn’t matter.”
With that, everyone decided it was best to eat before anyone could get more upset. Hou Yi helped Anna dish up some food, then served himself. About 20 minutes later, once everyone had finished, Hou Yi stood up and addressed the room. “Goodnight, we’re leaving now. Grandfather, Father, I hope you’ll come into the office tomorrow so we can begin fulfilling our agreement.”
Anna stood beside him, offering a polite farewell. “Goodbye. I look forward to seeing everyone soon.”
With that, the couple quickly left the dining room and made their way to the car. The drive back to the apartment was quiet, and both of them, exhausted from the day’s events, fell asleep during the journey. The driver had to gently wake them upon their arrival.
Once they reached the apartment, Hou Yi helped Anna out of the car and escorted her into the elevator. When they reached their floor, they were greeted by Butler Ge, who handed Hou Yi a package. Without much thought, Hou Yi took it with him as they walked toward their suite.
Anna, nearly asleep on her feet, allowed Hou Yi to help her undress and change into her nightdress before he changed into his pajamas. He gently helped her into bed, then settled in beside her. The exhaustion from the long day caught up with them both, and they fell asleep almost immediately.
In their slumber, they unconsciously turned toward each other, Hou Yi seeking the comfort of his bride and Anna, drawn to him for the support she instinctively knew was there. In the quiet of the night, the new couple found solace in each other’s presence.
