At my workplace, there’s a role called project manager. The general idea is to complete a specific set of tasks within a defined timeline and budget to execute a large-scale plan—whether it’s launching a new product, organizing an event, or getting married.
Marriage is essentially project management in action. The starting point is the proposal, and the end goal is the wedding day. In the span of a few months to a year, you have to handle wedding photos, invitations, cake selection, rings, wedding favors, hiring emcees, photographers, and videographers, creating wedding videos, planning the banquet... Every little detail involves cost control, quality assurance, communication skills, managing family expectations, and testing the couple’s emotional resilience. The complexity is no less than developing a product.
Compared to the grand scale of this project, resizing a ring is just a tiny detail.
“Wei Wei, this sleeveless white gown really suits your elegance. Want to try it on?” Mandy, the bridal shop consultant I’d met less than half an hour ago, was already calling me by my first name with the familiarity of an old friend. Her sweet smile was selling a dream that many women yearned for.
“But I haven’t paid a deposit yet. Can I still try it on?”
“Of course! I’m very confident in our gowns.” Mandy’s eyes sparkled with excitement, like she was my best friend. “I used to work in weddings, so I have a sharp eye for dresses! This sleeveless gown is very selective about body types, and yours fits perfectly. It’ll look amazing—go ahead and try it!”
“Hao Yi, what do you think?” I turned to him, sitting quietly to the side. “Does it suit me?”
“Try it on and see!”
“The groom has spoken,” Mandy said with a big grin, eagerly ushering me into the dressing room. “Your husband is so handsome! How long have you been together?”
“Uh, he’s not my husband yet...” For some reason, I felt a slight resistance to those two words.
“You’re about to get married—what’s there to be shy about? You’ll have to get used to it anyway, so take this time to practice!” Mandy said with a wink as she helped me adjust the adhesive NuBra.
Once I had the white gown on, I finally had a chance to take a proper look at myself in the mirror. The pure white dress exuded a classical and solemn elegance, transforming the bride into an image of purity and untouchable sanctity. But in the end, it was just a shell. Getting married wasn’t as simple as putting on a new outfit. Successfully planning a wedding didn’t mean the marriage itself would go smoothly.
“See what I mean? This dress was made for your figure. Don’t come out yet—I’ll grab a long veil to try on. Your husband is going to be blown away!”
Mandy whisked away, leaving me with more time to think. Maybe her eagerness to close the deal kept her focused on superficial matters, not noticing that she and I weren’t even on the same wavelength. Or perhaps I was just an outlier—maybe most brides welcomed this dreamy fantasy with open arms...
“Hao Yi?” A woman’s voice called to him from outside the dressing room.
I froze. That voice sounded familiar, but I couldn’t quite place it.
“Huh?” Hao Yi answered, revealing the truth. “Zi Yuan?”
“I thought you looked familiar—it really is you! Long time no see—” As the woman’s first sentence ended, my mental database connected the voice to its source.
She was Gao Zi Yuan, the girlfriend of Chu Ke Huan. The same Gao Zi Yuan whose boyfriend had a habit of mingling in social circles under the guise of networking, who had told me not to resist when he grabbed my hand at lunch, and who drunkenly messaged me late last night about wanting to sleep with me before my wedding.
And yet here she was, surrounded by rows of glittering white bridal gowns and evening dresses, pondering which one would make her look most radiant as she walked down the aisle with Chu Ke Huan to the applause and blessings of their friends and family. She was utterly unaware of what her boyfriend had been up to.
The realization unfolded like a thriller in my mind, each scene connecting seamlessly, each detail sending chills down my spine. The most horrifying part? Hao Yi was standing right in front of her, and I had no idea how I was supposed to walk out of the dressing room and face her. Maybe I didn’t need to face her at all. That red ballgown I saw earlier seemed like a good alternative...
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