Chapter 007 Substitute Marriage 07

Chapter 007 Proxy Wedding 07

Zhou Younan was taken aback by Zhou Mo’s words, realizing Zhou Mo had voiced his innermost thoughts.

Perhaps swayed by the warmth in Zhou Mo’s eyes, Zhou Younan let down his guard and nodded gently in agreement.

There was no mockery in Zhou Mo’s tone, nor a hint of disdain in his gaze.

He stood with Zhou Younan for a while, admiring the city and pointing out its iconic landmarks.

Zhou Mo mused, “I first visited Torikis when I was seven, and that memory will stay with me forever.”

Zhou Younan noticed a distinct sparkle in Zhou Mo’s eyes as he spoke, reflecting an emotion Zhou Younan couldn't quite decipher.

The two boarded a hovercar. Zhou Mo set the destination and activated autopilot.

Zhou Mo gazed at Zhou Younan, his dark eyes filled with nostalgia. “You’re alive and well—that’s truly wonderful.”

“Huh?” Zhou Younan hadn't quite caught Zhou Mo’s words.

This was his first time in a flying vehicle, weaving through towering skyscrapers.

The hovercar’s reflection glided swiftly and smoothly across the glass facades of the buildings.

Yet, Zhou Younan couldn’t shake the feeling that the skyscrapers were toppling towards him. He gripped the armrest tightly and hugged his bag closer.

“It’s nothing,” Zhou Mo said, turning to his terminal. “I have some matters to attend to.”

Zhou Younan nodded. “Alright.”

Zhou Mo made a pinching gesture with his thumb and forefinger, then began tapping the air before him.

Zhou Younan turned to the window, marveling at the vibrant energy and grandeur of Torikis.

Zhou Younan followed Zhou Mo to Torikis’s most renowned restaurant for lunch.

A medium-rare steak paired with a goblet of red wine reminded Zhou Younan of the grilled meat Marshal Wei Qing had once given him. With little appetite, he only managed a few bites of potato.

Declining Zhou Mo’s suggestion to explore the city, Zhou Younan said he needed rest.

Zhou Mo escorted him to a pre-booked hotel, advising him to rest well. In three days, they would go together to see the wedding attire and the venue.

After Zhou Mo left, Zhou Younan stood before the room’s vast floor-to-ceiling window.

Even from this height, the sprawling edges of the supercity of Torikis remained out of sight.

Close by were skyscrapers, further out lay lower residential areas, and beyond those, factories with colossal chimneys.

The sheer immensity of Torikis left Zhou Younan feeling powerless and insignificant.

The wedding attire, the venue—the ceremony was drawing near…

Zhou Younan pulled out the old tin box from his bag, clutching it tightly.

Only then, as he looked down at the colossal city below, did he feel a measure of security.

Three days later, on his day off, Zhou Mo took Zhou Younan to a luxury boutique named “Christine” for a fitting.

Located in a bustling commercial district, this high-end shop specialized in handcrafted custom attire, frequented by impeccably dressed and elegant individuals.

Dressed in a simple T-shirt and jeans, Zhou Younan felt conspicuously out of place.

To avoid curious stares, Zhou Younan lowered his head, focusing on the spotless white floor tiles beneath his feet.

The unassuming white tiles were subtly embossed with intricate patterns of flowers, plants, insects, and birds, exuding an exquisite elegance.

His old combat boots looked painfully worn.

Though he had scrubbed them clean, under the bright lights, their faded surface and frayed laces were glaringly obvious.

Zhou Younan was immensely grateful for the somewhat baggy jeans he wore that day, which concealed most of his boots.

He subtly glanced at Zhou Mo’s shoes: gleaming, pointed-toe leather shoes, not a speck of dust on them. The designer standing opposite him also wore pristine square-toed leather shoes.

Zhou Younan averted his gaze, no longer looking around.

After exchanging familiar greetings with the staff, Zhou Mo led Zhou Younan to a private fitting room.

A wall projection vanished, revealing an extraordinarily lavish garment.

Zhou Younan had expected another red jacket and white pants ensemble, assuming he was merely there to try on the size.

But the wedding attire on the mannequin truly astonished him.

His eyes wide, he turned to Zhou Mo, asking in disbelief, “I… have to wear this?”

Zhou Mo looked puzzled. “Is there a problem?”

The designer quickly interjected, “No problem at all! Perhaps the young master hasn’t seen this style before.”

He enthusiastically explained to Zhou Younan, “Allow me to give you a brief introduction.”

“This was custom-designed by our chief fashion designer at Mr. Zhou’s request, specifically tailored to Marshal Wei Qing’s preferences.”

The designer tapped his personal terminal, dimming the lights in the room. The soft hum of the holographic projector became the only sound.

A colorful, three-dimensional image slowly materialized, showing a tall man in a wedding suit similar to the one on the mannequin.

The man had fair skin, a toned physique, short black hair, and warm brown eyes filled with tenderness as he gazed affectionately at someone beside him.

“This is Marshal Wei Qing’s second spouse, Taylor Harris.”

The designer moved to the side of the holographic projection, swiping his arm to rotate the image.

As it turned, the graceful presence of this spouse became even more captivating.

His confidence and vitality were a stark contrast to Zhou Younan.

The designer continued, “He was once the Marshal’s comrade-in-arms. It’s said the Marshal was very fond of him, even personally planning their…”

Zhou Mo cleared his throat.

The designer immediately changed the subject, speaking rapidly, “The outfit he’s wearing was personally designed by the Marshal.”

With that, the designer swiftly dismissed the projection, replacing it with another figure in a similarly styled outfit.

He slowly explained, “After the Marshal’s wedding, this style of attire became a trend in Torikis.”

As he spoke, he scrolled through more projections, and one stunningly beautiful couple after another, all in similar wedding attire, appeared before Zhou Younan.

“Due to its high cost, it hasn’t caught on in cities outside Torikis.”

“Expensive?” Zhou Younan latched onto that word.

The designer nodded. “All the jewelry on this outfit features the latest popular designs. Mr. Zhou commissioned us to design the attire, and to live up to his expectations, we spared no expense, hiring highly skilled artisans who spent two full months handcrafting it.”

“Mr. Zhou mentioned you are quite slender, so we also incorporated anti-gravity technology. These pieces may look heavy, but they are actually very light to wear.”

Zhou Younan bit his lower lip, re-examining the outfit from top to bottom.

The intricately patterned headpiece was adorned with rice-grain-sized white pearls, while massive golden hoop earrings nearly touched his shoulders.

A somewhat sheer, midriff-baring, sleeveless black top clung tightly to his body. The neckline was adorned with a chunky gold necklace intertwined with black obsidian, the gold and black shimmering under the light, creating a look that was both opulent and mysterious.

The armbands were set with red gemstones the size of a thumbnail, and the wrist cuffs featured yellow, rice-grain-sized gems. A golden ring with a large red jewel adorned his thumb.

The upper half was exceptionally extravagant, while the lower half was only marginally better.

The waistband was woven from red and gold threads, with a fist-sized, pure gold sculpted disc hanging at the front.

The lower half consisted of wide-legged black pants that tapered into gathered hems, forming a lantern-pant style. Each ankle was adorned with a heavy golden anklet.

Zhou Younan couldn’t help but inwardly scoff: *This is literally plastered in gold and gems down to the fingertips!*

Marshal Wei Qing’s preferred style could be simply summarized as: gaudy and revealing?

It might have suited the previous wearer perfectly, but with his own physique, he couldn’t possibly pull off such a lavish look.

Zhou Mo walked over to Zhou Younan. “You don’t like it?”

Zhou Younan really wanted to say no. His everyday wardrobe consisted of simple T-shirts and trousers, rarely even in bright colors.

A midriff-baring, sheer outfit like this was simply too much for him to accept.

“If you don’t like it, I can have all these gold pieces melted down. Just tell us what design you prefer, and we’ll remake it.”

Before Zhou Younan could react, the designer beside them became flustered.

He looked at Zhou Younan with a hint of panic. “Young Master Zhou, both the craftsmen and I are great admirers of Marshal Wei Qing. We are truly looking forward to seeing you wear this outfit and stand beside Marshal Wei Qing at the wedding.”

“Enough,” Zhou Mo cut him off, his face darkening.

The designer fell silent, lowering his head and stepping aside.

Zhou Mo turned back to Zhou Younan, his tone much gentler. “Don’t mind what he said. The decision is yours.”

Zhou Younan pointed at the top of the outfit. “Change this part—not so sheer, not so short, and not so tight. The rest… I can accept.”

Hearing this, Zhou Mo smiled, a knowing look in his eyes. “You’re too soft-hearted.”

***

Torikis was a city where land was incredibly valuable, and the Levis Royal Hotel was the only establishment in Torikis boasting a grand hundred-meter-wide entrance.

The hotel’s interior was resplendent, exuding opulence and extravagance, unmistakably signaling the esteemed status of its guests.

Beyond dining and lodging, the Levis Royal Hotel also housed a wedding hall.

Zhou Mo brought Zhou Younan here to tour the wedding hall he had booked long ago.

“I am truly sorry, Mr. Zhou, but the Stellar Hall has been reserved by the Nabell Family,” the hotel manager apologized, a troubled expression on his face.

“Is this how your hotel upholds its reputation? I booked this hall two months in advance,” Zhou Mo replied, his anger barely concealed.

“It was a mistake by a temporary worker. We’ve already dismissed them.”

“Temporary worker…” Zhou Mo scoffed. “Since when does Levis employ temporary staff?”

“Not just any temporary worker—one with, uh, certain connections,” the manager mumbled, his explanation sounding incredibly weak.

“Oh? Connections? And yet you still fired them?” Zhou Mo pressed on.

The manager forced an ingratiating smile and lowered his voice. “Mr. Zhou, the Nabell Family isn’t someone we can afford to offend…”

“Zhou Mo.” A booming male voice cut through all other sounds in the lobby.

The man who dared to speak so loudly here was clearly someone of importance.

Zhou Younan curiously glanced towards the source—a slightly overweight Alpha, about his own height, with a prominent beer belly.

His gray hair and red eyes made him instantly memorable.

Zhou Mo also looked over, and his expression darkened further upon seeing the man.

Zhou Mo: “Lance.”

The Alpha named Lance approached, making no effort to suppress his pheromones. Zhou Younan caught a whiff of a pungent, decaying wood scent.

The hotel manager greeted him obsequiously, “Mr. Nabell.”

Lance Nabell’s scrutinizing gaze fell upon Zhou Younan, prompting Zhou Mo to step protectively in front of him.

Zhou Younan heard Lance ask Zhou Mo, “Want the hall back?”

Peering over Zhou Mo’s shoulder, he saw Lance slip a card into the breast pocket of Zhou Mo’s suit.

“Come find me here tonight—be a good boy.”

Lance gave Zhou Mo a lewd smile.

Zhou Younan frowned deeply. Zhou Mo replied calmly, “Thank you for the invitation. I’ll consider it.”