Chapter 176: Preparing for the Wedding

Sang Yan finally returned carrying Qiao Suisui.

Zongfang and Ka'er saw them and immediately went up to meet them.

Sang Yan carefully transferred the person in his arms to Zongfang's, saying, "It's nothing, she's just tired from playing."

Zongfang said nothing and carried her back to the room to check her body. Ka'er noticed that after Zongfang took her away, Sang Yan's hands did not drop, but instead curled slightly into fists with lingering attachment.

Ka'er's eyelids twitched, then he immediately put on an enthusiastic expression and said to Sang Yan, "We want to hold the ceremony right here in Kanbukun; you're welcome to come and observe."

He had been using his light computer to browse various styles of ceremonies whenever he was free these past few days; he was dazzled and truly couldn't make up his mind. He wanted to discuss it with the other men, but it seemed everyone except him was quite busy, and Zongfang was taking care of Sui Sui 24 hours a day, so the task of arranging the ceremony gloriously fell upon his shoulders.

Sang Yan's hand paused; her lingering warmth was still in his arms, but his heart felt empty.

Ka'er flipped through the picture book in his hand and asked, "You're familiar with this area, can you recommend a few venues?"

Sang Yan stood where he was, feeling as if his feet were filled with lead, and asked bitterly, "What kind does she like?"

Ka'er leaned on the sofa with his two long legs crossed and said deliberately, "I don't know much about this; after all, it's my first time pairing up, and I have no experience. However, Sui Sui told me privately that she wants a lawn wedding. Do you know what that is?"

This man was very reserved, and thanks to this personality of his, Sui Sui did not realize his feelings, but the other men saw it clearly in their hearts.

Sang Yan was silent for a long while; when he spoke again, his voice was a bit dry, but he still earnestly suggested, "Perhaps you could ask her if she is willing to hold it using the traditional ceremony of the Freedom Alliance?"

"The tradition of the Freedom Alliance?" Ka'er asked.

"The tradition of the Freedom Alliance is to gather the Four Elements—water, fire, wind, and earth—when holding the ceremony. We believe this is the Shoushen's blessing for the newlyweds.

You can hold it in the Sunless Rainforest; I flew her over there today, and she liked it very much. The location of the Sunless Rainforest is uniquely gifted; there are rivers, so the water element is covered; you can hold the ceremony on the mountaintop, which is earth; besides that, I can have the residents hold a bonfire prayer celebration for you, so fire is covered too. As for wind—"

Sang Yan lowered his head to hide his loss, and finally said sincerely, "The Archbishop once gave me a kite that symbolizes promises and longevity. I can give it to you. As long as you release the kite then, the four elements will be gathered. You will surely receive the Shoushen's blessing."

Ka'er rubbed the bridge of his nose; he had intended to prick his heart on purpose, but he didn't expect this person to actually give him advice so foolishly. At this moment, he coughed in embarrassment and stopped 'bullying' him, nodding as he said, "Alright, I'll discuss it with her."

Over the next few days, the preparations for the pairing ceremony unfolded intensely. Ka'er had always been a person who was loose and free in his actions, but now that he had to arrange the plans, he felt overwhelmed and had been so busy lately that his feet barely touched the ground.

There were countless things to decide and plan in advance, and on top of that, Ka'er didn't want to make her too tired, but considering this was her first ceremony, he felt it had to be solemn yet not too cumbersome, so he put a lot of thought into every detail.

However, no matter how busy he was, he was full of energy and didn't have a single complaint.

The men would hold a quick meeting every night after Qiao Suisui fell asleep, planning to give her a surprise.

This day, Ka'er brought seven or eight strangers to her room. These people were designers specifically sent over by Laiboli via Flying Ship, all of them the top experts in the Federation.

Ka'er snapped his fingers, and the group began to professionally and quickly measure her dimensions. Qiao Suisui was left with her arms raised, completely bewildered.

"What is this?"

Ka'er paced over slowly with his hands in his pockets and said naturally, "The season is changing, let's get you some new clothes made."

Qiao Suisui didn't suspect anything, and as the group manipulated her arms and legs, every part of her body was measured. Next was choosing the styles; because the gowns were being custom-made behind her back, the act had to be played out fully, so Ka'er had people let her choose a few styles of daily dresses she liked.

Girls are always happy when they see pretty clothes. Qiao Suisui sat in a chair flipping through the picture book, pointing out the ones she liked to the designers, while the person next to her was responsible for recording. When she encountered styles she was conflicted about, Ka'er would take the initiative to lean in and offer her advice.

It wasn't the kind of 'I don't understand, you just pick whatever' from a dense man, nor the perfunctory 'you look good in everything,' but truly thinking along with her—whether this shoulder strap would be too thin, if that pattern was a bit old-fashioned, what kind of shoes would look good with this set—making Qiao Suisui feel like she was shopping even though she wasn't.

During this time, Ka'er saw her chatting enthusiastically with the designers and secretly pulled her chair over so it was right next to his.

His arm reached behind her back, his slender, bony hand pressing against her waist. Even though she was pregnant, her waist still looked slender from behind. At this moment, the man sat lazily tilted in his chair while massaging her lower back.

Qiao Suisui noticed the hand on her waist and thought he was messing around again, so her delicate arms reached behind her back, her slender fingers trying to pull his large hand away.

Ka'er leaned in and asked by her ear, "Sitting for so long, isn't your waist sore?"

Qiao Suisui realized this time that he was helping her massage her waist, so she let go of the hand that was stopping him and leaned closer to him.

"Then move up a bit."

Ka'er smiled and obeyed. The man moved his hand upward, asking her how it felt after every spot he massaged. His technique was neither too heavy nor too light, just right to help her dispel the fatigue brought on by pregnancy. He had discovered earlier that her waist was incredibly soft.

"Miss Qiao, your spouse is truly thoughtful."

Ka'er, having received the designer's praise, looked at Qiao Suisui and raised an eyebrow with a smile, his expression seeming to say: See, having me is your good fortune.

Qiao Suisui pinched the man's chin and turned his face to the side, suppressing a laugh as she said, "He can't handle praise, please stop praising him."

Ka'er maintained the pose with his face twisted and grumbled, "That's right, I'm the type of person who just can't handle being complimented. The less someone praises me, the more I'll pester her."

As soon as he finished speaking, the hand he had been using to massage her waist hooked, pulling her into his arms. Ka'er pretended to bite her, but in reality, he was blowing air onto her neck, making Qiao Suisui laugh non-stop from the tickling.

The two of them messed around for a while, then she suddenly held her stomach and frowned. Ka'er stopped immediately to look at her, asking nervously, "What's wrong? Does your stomach hurt?"

Qiao Suisui shook her head with a smile and said, "I have a stitch."

"My fault, my fault, be good and stop laughing." Ka'er held her waist and kissed her forehead, now acting honestly.

He waited until the stitch passed before he let out a sigh of relief.

He carried her into the room to let her rest, then came out himself to continue confirming the styles of the gowns with the designers. The only thing that was relatively difficult to confirm was the size of the waist and abdomen; her stomach was getting bigger by the day, and it was very likely that she wouldn't be able to fit into the gowns by the time they were finished.

Ka'er also thought of this, so he had them record the measurements and make a set for every style in every size.

The designer glanced at this man from the corner of their eye, seeing him flip through the gown catalog even more seriously than before, and occasionally stopping to ask about details, such as how soft the fabric was, or whether the waist design would constrict the baby, etc.

(End of chapter)