Beauty and the Beasts

“We’re getting married.”

Holding hands, Bai Qingqing and Curtis made an announcement that caught Daddy Bai and Mommy Bai by surprise, causing them to be stunned for a long while.

“Don’t you have a girlfriend?” Finally, Mommy Bai dazedly asked as she stared at Curtis.

Curtis held his mate’s hand with both hands and said with a smile as he gazed at his mate, “Qingqing is the girlfriend I’ve set my mind on. I didn’t expect Winston to beat me to it, but thankfully, Qingqing chose me in the end.”

At this moment, Mommy Bai thought of the ‘Qingqing Zoo’ back then, as well as various incidents. Unable to find any dubious clues, she could only resign to it.

“When are you two planning to get married?” Seeing their firm attitudes, Mommy Bai knew there was no way to turn this around.

“The earlier the better,” Curtis replied immediately.

Bai Qingqing rolled her eyes. “Let’s hold it during summer break. That’s ten-odd days’ time. We should be able to prepare for it in time.”

Mommy Bai also very much wanted to roll her eyes. “I think you’re more anxious than Ke Di. The pot calling the kettle black.”

“Mom!” Bai Qingqing blushed. “Let’s just hurry up.”

Mommy Bai stared at her suspiciously and especially cast a few more glances at her abdomen.

Bai Qingqing lowered her head and said in embarrassment, “I’m one month pregnant.”

Daddy Bai: “...”

Mommy Bai: “...”

Hence, the wedding preparations began.

When summer break arrived, Bai Qingqing donned a pristine white wedding gown and stood on the stage with the suit-clad Curtis. The emcee made a few jokes about the two of them, and Curtis also maintained a smile throughout.

There were tens of tables in the hall, a total of a few hundred people. Half of them were relatives on Bai Qingqing’s side, even though she didn’t know most of them. The other half were people related to Winston, Muir, Parker, and Curtis. There weren’t many of them, but it included both the underworld and the law enforcement. Even the mayor and deputy mayor were there.

“So she ended up marrying him, after all!” At a table near the front, a handsome youth said while looking lost in a deep reverie, before suddenly smiling and downing his glass of red wine.

“Hey, Zhang Xin, you know this bride. It’s that high school student you asked me to help before you went overseas. In the blink of an eye, she’s all grown up.” The deputy mayor seated beside him spoke.

Zhang Xin responded with an “Mm”, before lowering his head and not speaking anymore.

At the table beside them, a dissatisfied and disdainful voice suddenly rang out.

“Hmph! What’s the big deal? Isn’t it just marriage? Is there a need to make it such a grand affair?”

Donning sunglasses and seated at the frontmost table, Parker said in a tone reeking heavily of jealousy.

There were only three people at this table—Parker, Muir, and Winston. But if one were to go under the table, they would discover, to their horror, a lively scene—four leopards, two tigers, and three eagles reaching their claws to steal the food from the table every now and then.

“Now, let’s invite the two newlyweds to drink ‘cross-cupped wine’1. After drinking this wine, they will share weal and woe, and remain loving till the end of time!” The emcee’s sonorous and forceful male voice reverberated in the entire hall.

Bai Qingqing and Curtis hooked their arms together. Due to the height difference, she had no choice but to stand on tiptoes, and Curtis also had no choice but to bend over. This was a particularly difficult segment for them.

With great difficulty, Bai Qingqing managed to put her lips to the wine glass. She was about to drink from it when she accidentally saw a leopard paw reaching out from under Parker’s table, scooping a piece of roast duck before shrinking back underneath. Instantly, she spat out a mouthful of wine all over the emcee’s chest.

“Sorry, sorry. This wine is too spicy,” Bai Qingqing hurriedly apologized.

The emcee: “...” I very much want to believe you, but this is fruit wine, okay?