A Guest from the City

A lovely lady in a striking red wedding gown with a headpiece on her hair examined herself in the mirror. Her cherry-red lips formed the sweetest smile. Her beautiful slanting ebony eyes reflected the greatest happiness that came from her deepest heart.

The makeup artist was still applying makeup to the bride's white cheek. Then, with deftness, she moved her hand to another part of her face, shading the eye shadow on her eyelids before touching up her brows. The makeup artist examined the bride's face with satisfaction, lifting her chin.

"You are the most beautiful bride I've ever seen," the girl she complimented responded with a broad smile that revealed her white teeth. When the makeup artist finished her work, she walked out of the room, leaving her alone.

Luna Yang, the bride's eldest sister, stood in one corner, enthralled by the view. Nothing was more important to her than her youngest sister's happy marriage. Despite the mockery and pity from the other guests at the party for her single status, she kept a smile on her lips.

As the only single woman in the family, it was natural for neighbors or relatives to question her about her marital status, especially since she lived in a society that had its standards about marriage. You were considered a spinster if you were over thirty and unmarried, which meant criticism would come to you every day until you could settle.

Luna Yang walked up to the bride in her wedding gown in front of the mirror, smiled, and took a seat next to her. Luna rubbed the back of the bride's hands in compassion, reaching for her palms. Her faded peach lips still had a smile on them, and her gaze was drawn to the girl's hand. Her lips moved.

"I am delighted for you because you have finally found your soul mate."

"Sister...." That girl couldn't say anything; the tears that had welled up streamed down her cheek in an instant. Luna was drawn into her embrace. "I believe you'll find yours one day as well." Instead of giving Luna hope, her whisper was more like a thunderbolt, as hopelessness was all that remained. Her age prevented her from fulfilling that wish.

"Please don't cry, my dear." After pulling herself out of her hug, Luna's hand quickly wiped the tears from her sister's face with a tissue. "Today is your most joyous day. Don't ruin it with your tears."

"How can I be ecstatic over your sadness?" Luna enlarged her smile.

"Who said I was sad?" Luna's sister rested her head on her shoulder as she listened to her sister's words. She didn't say anything until one of their relatives interrupted.

"Your place is not here, Luna. You must prepare the food for the groom and his family in the kitchen." Luna jumped to her feet, taken aback by her cousin's sudden intervention. She muttered nothing as the young girl reminded her of what was important. She should have been in the kitchen at the time of the conversation.

She moved her feet, but when that woman said the venomous word, she wished she could just ignore it. It was difficult to forget her insult.

"I hope you find a man who truly loves you. You must, however, lower your standard. You obviously cannot marry a doctor like your sister. It's even better if a laborer is interested in marrying you. Accept any proposal that comes your way, regardless of his occupation. I'm not sure any man in this world would accept you as his wife." Luna dragged her steps away without saying anything about her sister's arguments with that young woman.

If she had one regret, it would be allowing that woman's harsh words to seep into her heart. Hearing such intimidation was not unusual for her. The label of a spinster that society bestowed upon her was even worse.

She immersed herself in the kitchen, cooking delicious foods and serving them to the guests, to get over her exacerbation. Those activities kept her busy until the party ended. The crowds dispersed as people left one by one after congratulating the bride and groom.

It was time for her sister to depart from the house with her husband and family. They reciprocated with hugs. Her sister's red eyes revealed the conflicted emotions she was attempting to hide. With a forced smile, Luna tried hard to express how she felt in her chest. Her sister waved goodbye as she slid through the car door, which her husband had opened for her.

Their small house was quieter than usual because it only housed her and her mother. All of her sisters lived with their families in a different town an hour away from the village where they were staying.

Time flew by, and the day that would change her life arrived. The car horn blared amid Luna's work. She peered through her house's side window, a middle-aged man opened the door, and an elderly woman in her early seventies climbed into the luxurious car. Her mother greeted them as if they'd known each other for years.

That guest was having a serious conversation with her mother when Luna served the drink to the guest who was seated in the living room. The man was not seen with her; he could be outside waiting.

"The reason for my visit is to propose to one of your daughters as a bride for my grandson." That old lady in the white gown made her point. Luna's eyes widened in disbelief at her spot-on confession. Not only that, but her mother looked at that woman in awe before averting her gaze to Luna, who sat next to her.

"Luna is my only unmarried daughter." Her mother looked at her before continuing with her sentences. "It is a privilege for us to accept your proposal, but..."

"This has to be the little girl you brought with you many years ago." Luna's mother's words were cut off by her. Her gaze shifted to Luna, who was simply stunned in her place. "You're stunning." Luna was surprised by her compliment. Was it because this elderly lady didn't wear her glasses? It was natural for her to lose her sight without the spectacles at her age. In response to her compliment, Luna's lips curled into a small smile. "My name is Li Yue We, but you can call me Grandma Li," she said cheerfully. Her gaze remained fixed on hers. Luna couldn't help but nod. "I'm hoping you'll accept my grandson's proposal."

Everything happened in the blink of an eye. Someone proposed to her, and one of her relatives told her on her sister's wedding day that she should accept whoever came to her, regardless of what he did for a living.

"Of course, my daughter will not refuse it. However, will your grandson accept this arranged marriage?" Her mother's remark pricked her. How could her mother say she was certain she would accept the proposal? She was no longer young, but marrying a stranger wasn't a good idea either. Luna could only draw her chin to her chest in surrender as her daughter did.

"Don't be concerned. My grandson will do whatever I tell him to do. In addition, I will give you both time to get to know each other before you marry. My driver will come and get you tomorrow. So, be ready." It sounded like a command to Luna. The elderly lady sipped her drink after a half-hour of conversation, waiting for her response.

Luna said nothing. Her mind was filled with only questions. What did her grandson look like, and why did she want to marry him so badly? Was he unattractive? Did he have a bad odor? Was he too daring and lanky?

One thing she realized was that Luna was born with no privileges, not even the freedom to choose. Whatever choice her mother had made for her, it was fated for her. Besides, her mother's happiness was more important than her own. She agreed with grandma Li's words and nodded.

Luna lingered in the living room after the visitor had left, thinking about her mother's words, which still rang in her ears. Her voice stated repeatedly that she was unable to remove it.

"You will marry, and you will have a husband." You will be liberated from societal prejudice. Nobody will mock you for your social standing, let alone because he comes from a wealthy family. That is what is most important."

Luna sat on the sofa, sighing heavily at her fate. She felt bad that her mother decided without her input, but it was most likely her fate.

***

The next morning, the luxurious car came to a halt in front of Luna's house. Luna and her mother were greeted by a tall driver. Luna, unable to hold back her tears, said goodbye to her mother before climbing into the car that would take her to a place she had never known its depths or what lay beneath its surface.

The wealthy people were distinct in many ways. She had to take all of the risks now because her actions would never bring her back.

A house that looked more like a palace appeared before her eyes. All of its sides were painted white. It was as beautiful as a queen. The tall trees stood at the edge of the front yard, where the car halted.

Luna slipped out of the car in awe, witnessing a level of luxury she had never known before in her life. The maids rushed up to her and helped her with her belongings. They all treated her as if she were a princess. Was it all a dream? She begged God to wake her up from her dream and drag her back into reality before she fell in love with what she had just witnessed.

She wasn't dreaming; it was reality. The house and its inhabitants were real. And their kindness was genuine.

Luna walked inside after taking her shoes off. The maids' giggles made her feel awkward because she had no idea what they were laughing about.

"You are not required to remove your shoes, Miss." She couldn't believe she could wear her shoes because the floor was so clean. "It's all right, Miss. You may wear your shoes." Luna walked carefully on the tiles while wearing her shoes.

She walked into the living room, which was the size of a ballroom. Her gaze wandered around the room, catching only the beauty and luxury of the setting. All of the objects there, including the sofas, enchanted her to the point where she didn't notice someone watching her from afar.

"Who are you?" She turned her gaze, startled, to the one who had admonished her; a handsome dashing man in a white shirt that fit her perfect torso, his small round eagle eyes mesmerized her and locked her gaze. How could there be a man like him in this world, with a face as adorable as a baby's?