The Reception

The reception began shortly after cocktail hour.

Long Yat-sen held his wife's hand to greet the guests. He introduced Shao Lin to his mother, Song Luli, and she was as beautiful as she was gentle. Her mother-in-law embraced her tightly, as she said in her ear, "You are family now. Let me know if you ever need anything." Shao Lin could not help but beam and smile in response.

Long Yat-sen then introduced her to his handsome brothers—Long Ken and Long Kun—who were identical twins from the sweep of their auburn hair to the golden-brown of their eyes. Shao Lin could only identify between them with one small difference. Long Ken had a small beauty mark on the upper corner of his lip, while his brother did not. They both beamed once they met her, each pressing a kiss to her cheek, congratulating Shao Lin on her marriage with their elder brother.

Shao Lin expressed how she was happy to meet them, but her smile faltered when she realized there should have been another present. The fifth, she recalled. But they weren't there, and she wondered where the mysterious last child and sibling of the Long family was, but she did not dare ask or question it. Not today. But perhaps another time.

Shao Lin continued to greet more people, and finally, she was formally introduced to the Best Man, Yuan Bojing. She recognized the man who caught her in the elevator with Long Yat-sen, but she never knew what his relationship was to him. Now she knew. Long Yat-sen explained that Yuan Bojing was his childhood friend and best friend. Shao Lin realized that Yuan Bojing's relationship with her husband must have meant that he knew Long Xia very well, which explains the secret longing he had for her, but their relationship seemed…unstable?

While Yuan Bojing pined after Long Xia, she looked as if she resented him. What was he to Long Xia? What did Long Xia really think of him? Some part of Shao Lin was desperate to know.

Yuan Bojing gave her husband a bear hug as her sister-in-law approached her swiftly, her jet-black hair swaying as she walked. Long Xia embraced her tightly while Yuan Bojing came up from behind and smiled at Shao Lin. He said, "Congratulations. There is now no way you can escape Yat-sen. You are tied to him forever."

Long Xia hit him on the arm. "Idiot. Why did you have to say it like that?"

He shrugged nonchalantly. "I was being honest."

"You were being annoying."

"And you need to lighten up, princess."

She narrowed her eyes. "And I really hate you," she spat.

Yuan Bojing placed a hand over his chest, where his heart was. "Ah, but Xia, I love you too."

Long Xia's face twisted at him. "But I never said I loved you," she announced as she brushed past him. Yuan Bojing watched as her figure sauntered away from them. Hurt flashed his eyes, but he quickly put on a grin as he turned back to face Shao Lin. "I was sincere about my congratulations. Yat-sen is a good man, and I'm confident he will treat you well."

Shao Lin smiled back at him. "Thank you, Mr. Yuan."

Yuan Bojing sketched a bow to Shao Lin and gave Long Yat-sen a final handshake and a pat on the back before he walked away.

Her husband took her by the hand again so they could sit at the head table, watching as their guests settled in.

Beneath the table, Long Yat-sen did not let go of her hand, and Shao Lin tried not to appear as flushed and embarrassed as she felt.

Long Yat-sen then placed a contour napkin over her dress and one on her chest to help her from ruining it during dinner.

After she finished eating, he wiped the corners of her mouth gently and he held her small makeup mirror as she retouched her lipstick. When she finished touching up, he leaned to whisper in her ear, "I can't stop looking at you."

Shao Lin's ear flushed. He made it difficult for her not to react in front of everyone. She looked at Long Yat-sen's smug expression, knowing the effects his words had on her. She puffed her cheeks at him, but she could not bring herself to be angry with him. Not with how he was smiling at her, not with the way he was flirting with her like a normal couple.

Perhaps their circumstances may have been anything but normal, but it brought them close together now, and Shao Lin had no regrets.

They say the Dragon was the one who kept the princess captive, but he was the one that let her out.

The toasts came next. Long Xia had said nothing but sweet words that captured the audience in awe, while Yuan Bojing shared stories that made everyone laugh so hard they were patting their knees and gasping for air. Long Yat-sen had said a few short words, while his parents spoken after, stating that they knew Shao Lin would make him happy, and he with her.

Shao Lin felt moved by the time they shared the first dance.

It was only the two of them on the dance floor, but to her, it felt like they were the only ones in the entire room. Long Yat-sen had a hand to her waist, the other entwined with her free hand. He pulled her against him, swaying together over the floor. Her breath caught with his beauty, his graceful swiftness, his gentleness. Shao Lin felt like she was in a trance. Her thoughts were entirely consumed by him.

Long Yat-sen pressed his head against hers as they moved slower and slower, and the other guests joined them until they were lost in the crowd, lost in each other.

Shao Lin had hardly noticed the other dancers, hardly noticed that Long Xia was dancing with Yuan Bojing, reluctantly, but they were too beautiful, too graceful to ignore. Even the audience was enraptured by the maid of honour and the best man as they were with the newlyweds.

Everyone had been too distracted by the music to notice that the bride and groom had slipped away, escaping together.

Long Yat-sen had Shao Lin up against a wall in the dark. He had his mouth over her neck, nipping, biting, licking, as Shao Lin moaned, her arms wrapped around him, her head titled back.

He lifted one of her legs over his waist, sliding the hem of her dress upward, his hand slipping between her thighs. Shao Lin gasped, pulling him closer toward her.

She ground against him, feeling him harden beneath her. Long Yat-sen was as breathless as she was. She kept moving, keeping the friction close, building their tension, feeling his length against her softness.

"Yat-sen..." she moaned his name, not knowing what else to say as they were sliding against each other as if they were nearly fucking with their clothes still on. It was a promise for later—a tease of their consummation.

Shao Lin parted from him slowly, not being able to face him, afraid that if she did, then perhaps they would indeed end their reception early. She walked away, as Long Yat-sen followed shortly behind, pretending as if nothing happened between them.

By the time they returned, and her lust had dissipated, her friend Yi Xiu had pulled her toward the crowd, placing a bouquet in her hand. Smiling, Shao Lin threw the bouquet behind her, and by reflex, her sister-in-law had caught it.

Long Xia had not reached for it, but it landed right onto the cusp of her hands. She feigned a smile for the crowd before she walked away with the flowers.

Long Yat-sen found Shao Lin again in time for the cake cutting. He had fed her the delicious strawberry cake and she with him. And the reception had not been entirely over, they had not said all their goodbyes, but Long Yat-sen escorted his wife out of the venue to head their way home.