Chapter 644

The divine ceremony concluded solemnly, and the sound of clinking cups gradually rose within the Peony Hall.

Bride Uesugi Minami and officiant Shirakawa Mai, assisted by several well-trained female servers, quietly withdrew to the exclusive bridal suite connected to the main banquet hall.

The heavy carved wooden door closed behind them, temporarily shutting out the outside world's clamor and countless gazes.

The room was well-heated, filled with a faint scent of rose and cypress.

Minami let out a soft sigh, the tension from the ceremony easing slightly. She walked to the wide dressing mirror and began carefully removing the heavy "kakushi" and intricate hair ornaments on her head.

Shirakawa Mai, meanwhile, naturally shed her outermost Miko Chihaya and scarlet hakama, revealing the light indigo komon kimono worn underneath as an underlayer.

"Need help? My Uesugi Minami-sama?" Mai Xuejie walked up behind her, her voice carrying a hint of a smile, her fingers already nimbly touching a concealed fastener at the nape of Minami's neck.

Yes, from just now on, the name Watanabe Minami had formally departed, and from now on there was only Uesugi Minami.

Japan in this regard is very traditional and stubborn; if one spouse does not change their surname after marriage, conservative Japanese would consider it very strange, and in earlier years when Japan's economy was still good and feminist forces were rising, some women indeed self-proclaimed "independent" and "anti-traditional," insisting on spouses using two different surnames, but in recent years conservatism has resurged, making this practice increasingly rare—either the husband changes surname or the wife changes surname now dominates.

Minami looked toward the woman behind her in the mirror.

Having shed her solemn outer attire, Mai was still breathtakingly beautiful; that simple kimono accentuated her long neck, her skin like jade.

She did not refuse, giving a slight nod: "Today, thank you for personally officiating, Mai————sama, heh, I also don't know which name will appear in certain rumor circles—Shirakawa Sōsetsu or Uesugi Mai?"

This form of address, here and now, carried a subtle sense of approval and intimacy.

"Well, who knows?" Mai Xuejie neither admitted nor denied.

The two quickly removed their heavy traditional attire.

Miss Minami chose a neatly tailored ivory-white silk knee-length dress, the neckline adorned with lace, neither losing the bride's softness nor retaining the competence of Watanabe Minami.

Mai Xuejie changed into an olive-hued waist-cinched dress, the hem slightly shorter, making her legs appear even straighter and longer.

As Minami was about to put on the prepared ordinary stockings, Mai gently pressed down on her hand.

"Wait, use this." Mai Xuejie produced from somewhere an exquisite vintage lacquer box, opened it, and inside lay several pairs of pure white fabric, neatly stacked, shimmering in the break room's soft light with a pearl-like warm, delicate luster.

Miss Minami picked up one pair; the touch was an indescribable, extremely soft and smooth texture with a faint warmth. "This is————?"

"Custom-made Italian woven Venus velvet stockings." Mai's tone was as ordinary as discussing the weather, but her eyes flashed with a certain playful and alluring light: "Made from the finest goat wool and silk blend, the feel————well, you'll like it." She herself also picked up a pair and began putting them on elegantly.

Miss Minami carefully examined the expensive stockings in her hand and soon discovered something unusual.

The stocking body was not fully closed at the thigh root but adopted an extremely intricate open design.

Even more heart-racing was a chain of tiny pearl grains, extremely fine yet resilient, threaded through this open edge, following a hidden path, like a secret and bold ornament.

Miss Minami's cheeks instantly flushed two shades of red; she abruptly lifted her head to look at Mai Xuejie: "This————this is too————"

Even though she was decisive and not exactly conservative in male-female relations, such blatantly provocative underwear still exceeded her expectations.

While Mai Xuejie had already put on her stockings, she stood before the dressing mirror adjusting her hem; beneath her olive-colored skirt, the legs wrapped in pure white woven Venus velvet stockings were perfectly sculpted, lines flawless as a statue, luster enticing.

She turned around, winked at Minami, then made a bolder move—she lightly lifted one side of her skirt up to the thigh root.

"Hiss!" Miss Minami sucked in a breath of cold air.

She saw that the pearl fine chain, in the soft light, glimmered faintly, outlining the full contour of the stocking band in a barely visible way, full of forbidden allure.

"You know, this is the style Junior Student likes best." Mai Xuejie lowered the skirt hem, walked to Miss Minami's side, leaned near her ear, exhaled like orchids, her voice pressed extremely low, carrying the warmth of memory and a hint of boasting: "Before————when we dated, I often wore it this way. He said, it's like unwrapping a gift that is both most sacred and most depraved."

"Why not give it a try? Bride?"

Miss Minami's heart began to pound violently, a surge of mixed jealousy, curiosity, competitiveness, and easily stirred desire coursing through her body. She looked at her reflection in the mirror still wearing ordinary underwear, then glanced at the woman beside her who seemed to have stepped out of a sacred symbol, and bit her lower lip.

Mai Xuejie perceived her hesitation, and gently placed the end of the pearl chain into Minami's palm.

The cold pearl touch felt like it carried an electric current.

"Give it a try, Bride-sama. Tonight————you are the absolute protagonist. But this little secret and joy, we can share." These words were charged with dangerous provocation.

Miss Minami fell silent for several seconds.

Then, without a word, she removed the ordinary stockings and underwear she had just put on. With a kind of near-desperate courage, she began to put on the pure white velvet stockings. The supremely soft fabric wrapped itself inch by inch around her long, firm legs, the feel indeed wonderful beyond words, warm and skin-close, like a second layer of skin.

The special design brought about an unprecedented, liberating subtle coolness and stimulation.

Finally, she carefully hung the pearl fine chain in place; as the cold pearls brushed against her most delicate skin, she couldn't help but shiver slightly, a barely audible whimper escaping her throat.

Mai Xuejie watched her throughout, her eyes holding appreciation and a certain triumphant smile.

She stepped forward, helped Minami adjust the pearl chain's position, her fingertips barely brushing over, sparking a more evident shiver in both.

When both were fully dressed and stood before the mirror, the scene held a breathtaking harmony and undercurrent.

Two peerless beauties, one in ivory white, one in olive, their skirts lifted to reveal similarly pure white luxurious velvet-wrapped straight beautiful legs, stepping on matching-color high heels, further lengthening their leg lines. They appeared radiant and elegant, yet only they knew the secret within the pure white woven Baroque stockings—the pearls moved with every minute motion, bringing a continuous, grating stimulation only they could feel.

"Come, get used to it." Mai Xuejie smiled, took Minami's hand, and walked to the floor-to-ceiling window leading to the small balcony.

She opened a slight gap, and the cool late-autumn evening wind immediately rushed in.

"Whoa————!" The wind swept in unimpeded, the cold and the pearls' round smoothness rubbing together, creating an indescribable, brain-piercing numb thrill.

Minami and Mai almost simultaneously let out a soft cry, their faces instantly flushing with intense red, spreading from cheeks to earlobes, neck.

Minami's leg went weak, she instinctively grabbed Mai's hand. Mai also breathed rapidly, a sheen appearing in her eyes, but she smiled even more alluringly and triumphantly.

"How does it feel? Minami-chan?" Mai's voice carried a husky note of emotion.

Minami gasped a few times before finding her voice, carrying a hint of annoyance and more excitement: "You——really are a goblin, no wonder Sōsetsu————"

"Each to their own." Mai Xuejie closed the door, blocking the wind, but the stirred agitation had not subsided.

She readjusted her breathing and expression, then took Minami's hand again, this time with fingers interlaced.

"Come on, it's time to return to the banquet. Remember this feeling————this is our little secret." She added meaningfully, "And also tonight's first【surprise】appetizer for the groom."

The two beauties exchanged a smile, that smile containing too much only they understood—alliance, competition, sharing, and a kind of intimacy from jointly guarding a secret.

Hand in hand, like the closest sisters, they pushed open the break room door and re-entered the brilliantly lit banquet hall.

Beneath their swaying skirts, the pure white velvet gleamed with fine luster, the pearl chain in the unseen dark swaying gently as they walked toward the groom's steps, whispering of a silent yet fervent secret.

The wedding feast in the Imperial Hotel Peony Hall had entered the stage of free communication and toasting.

The crystal chandelier poured warm golden light onto delicate dishes, sparkling glasses, and adorned guests, creating a luxurious yet warm atmosphere. However, in the eyes of a few informed ones, beneath this banquet surged a more private and scorching undercurrent.

Watanabe Minami, now to be called Uesugi Minami, had already changed into that ivory-white silk dress. She linked arms with her husband Uesugi Sōsetsu, moving among the guests, accepting the tide of congratulations.

Her face glowed with a proper bride's smile, her bearing elegant and composed, yet if a concerned individual observed closely, they would notice she occasionally pressed her legs together lightly, or, by the motion of raising her glass, allowed her skirt hem to lift slightly for an instant, revealing the fleeting sheen of pure white velvet, the subtle weightless sensation beneath her skirt, and the faint sway of that pearl necklace, keeping her perpetually in a hidden, sustained state of excitement.

Each time she felt this, she would unconsciously glance toward Uesugi Muneyuki beside her, the flow of her gaze carrying an invitation and possession only he could understand.

Shirakawa Mai was even more at ease. Her lotus-hued dress did not stand out in the crowd, but her very presence was the focus. She held a champagne glass, chatting and laughing with prominent figures from the cultural and political circles, her demeanor encompassing all directions.

Only when she walked toward the new recruits, exchanged a glance with Minami Ojou-sama, or seemingly casually brushed past Uesugi Muneyuki's side, would she briefly reveal a hint of fairy-like allure that did not match the image of a sacred shrine maiden.

She would also occasionally adjust her stance, letting the smooth velvet wrapping her long legs trace an alluring arc in the lantern light, as if silently reminding someone of a shared memory.

Uesugi Muneyuki was undoubtedly the most "happy" and also the most "tormented" man in the room.

He keenly perceived the dangerous aura emanating from his wife and underworld companion, markedly different from the usual.

Their gazes, their occasional small movements, and the unnatural flush on their faces—all tugged at his nerves like hooks.

What are these two people doing?