📌 Extra Characters:
1. Eunice Lacroix - the bride / a friend
2. Alice Tan Lacroix -the bride's mom
3. Antoine Lacroix - the bride's dad
4. Eloisa Tan - the bride's aunt / Alice's younger sister
5. Lucille Wang - the wife of Antoine's best friend.
************
The bride and groom wanted to keep their wedding low profile. However, the lavish banquet was swarming with political and military dignitaries as well as affluent people.
Luo Jingyi felt helpless when Eunice whisked her to where Aunt Alice was. As much as she wanted to avoid, it seemed like tonight, she's destined to be paired with someone.
Aunt Alice's persistence to match her up was something she couldn't comprehend. Aunt Alice knew she would refuse yet, she would persist until Jingyi will eventually relent.
Feeling defeated, she pursed her lips and prayed silently…
Aunt Alice's eyes sparkled with glee when she sighted the two of them. She then excused herself with the people she was talking to and met them halfway.
"I miss you, darling." The woman wearing red cheongsam embraced her as if she was her long lost daughter.
Like there was something stuck in her throat, Jingyi murmured, "I miss you too." And drowned herself with the tiny woman's all familiar cinnamon scent that she carries around.
A clearing throat and a complaining voice muttered to their ears. "It's only been three months and the two of you hug as though you'd never seen each other for years."
Jingyi bobbed her head and met a pair of eyes that always reminded her of the sky on a fine sunny day. It was Uncle Antoine, Eunice's dad. He was looking ridiculously good-looking despite his age. Both Uncle Antoine and Aunt Alice treated her like she was their own child, even proposing to adapt Jingyi albeit the fact that her biological father was still alive. With the power they have in their hands, it was doable. Yet, Jingyi was adamant. She was just saving herself from troubles in the future. Because like any other rich family, there's also a power struggle within the Lacroix family and she didn't want to be caught in between.
"You stay with mom first." Eunice saw her husband gesturing something so she pulled her father with her and they headed to where her husband and his lawfirm partner was.
"You were late today. Did something happen?" Unlike Eunice, Alice's mom was sensible enough to ask her first before complaining. Jingyi recounted what happened which she listened to. As they were engrossed in their conversation, someone butted in.
"Oh, the famous Dr. Luo is here."
They all swirled around and found Madam Lucille Wang. She's someone in Aunt Alice's circle which Jingyi avoided like a plague. Madam Lucille Wang was like a pugnacious honey badger, aggressive and two-faced. Luo Jingyi presumed Aunt Alice detested her too, noticing how gentle woman's forehead puckered. But as always, Aunt Alice would still treat the other woman politely, with respect to Madam Lucille's husband who was Uncle Antoine's best friend.
"Madam, have you been well?" Jingyi questioned politely.
"Of course - of course. I'm just worried about you. When will you get married too?" She touched Jingyi's arm as if really concerned about her.
Jingyi let out a small laugh and answered, "Aiya. Aunt, I'm still very young."
"What young? My daughter is three years younger than you but now she has three children. That's very rewarding."
'And if she won't stop, sooner or later she will be like a pig.' Jingyi thought. But she kept the opinion to herself.
"Why is it that a woman's success is measured by how well she'd married and the number of children she has? Why do women have to prove their worth by marriage?" A woman's voice ranted suddenly. It was Eloisa Tan, the CEO of Zine Media Inc. She is the younger sister of Aunt Alice.
"Aiyah, that's not what I meant Eloisa. I was just really worried about Jingyi. I hope she finds someone to make her happy." The nosy woman tried explaining herself to Eloisa Tan who was standing with her arms crossed in front of her.
Aunt Eloisa's eyebrows waggled and belted, "And why can't a woman be happy for being single?"
Aunt Eloisa's lips were screwed into irritation after muttering those words. This wasn't the first time Lucille Wang commented on Jingyi's status. For Jingyi, it was nothing. But perhaps Lucille Wang triggered Aunt Eloisa's sore spot.
Lucille Wang was about to speak what's on her mind when Aunt Eloisa waved her hand to shut the other woman off. The former gritted her teeth for being ignored.
If only… But her family needed to suck up to the Tan family so she had no choice but to put on a smile as nothing happened.
Meanwhile, Aunt Eloisa hooked her arm on Jingyi's and stated, "Come on Jingyi, let's go hunt for eligible bachelors. Let's take advantage while it's raining men. My sex life has been stale lately."
"Eloisa Tan!" Aunt Alice glared at her sister for blurting out inappropriate remarks. Where Aunt Alice was the proper and graceful married woman, Aunt Eloisa was the scandalous, high-spirited single woman.
"Sister, don't shout at me like we are still kids. Why? What I said is true. There are many men around. Why should I be ashamed to express my needs?"
Aunt Alice uttered a humph.
Seeing the familiar banter, Luo Jingyi shook her head in amusement.
"Let's go Jingyi." Aunt Eloisa towed her away from the group and they wandered off. Seeing Aunt Alice's reluctant face, Jingyi assured her she will return later.