“Just a lady,” replied the girl.
“A lady?” repeated Qin Ya. She was curious as she was well aware of all of Lin Xinyan’s close contacts. So, she racked her brains trying to figure out who else hadn’t shown up yet.
“Did she say what her name was?” asked Lin Xinyan. The dress wasn’t convenient to move around in, but she could hear the commotion from where she sat.
She knew that all her invited friends had shown up, and she had received well-wishes from the ones who couldn’t make it. Nobody said anything about delivering a gift like this, though.
For this unknown person to attempt something like this, she had to be quite vigilant indeed.
The hotel staff member shook her head, “She never gave me a name. Only a request that I deliver this to you.”
“And where did this exchange take place?” queried Shen Peichuan.
As long as she was able to provide more information, they could check surveillance tapes to figure out her identity.
The staff member blinked, sensing that something was off. They seemed awfully jumpy as if she’d just delivered a bomb to them.
Wait, it isn’t a bomb, right?
The very thought made her hands tremble.
She gulped audibly. “The northern entrance. She looked quite beautiful and claimed to be a friend of the bride. I’m only doing as she asked.”
Hearing that, Shen Peichuan immediately issued an order to check the surveillance cameras. He then hung up and received the box from the staff.
“You may leave,” he said curtly.
The staff was not about to be told twice. She left immediately, fearing that she would get mixed up in their affairs if she lingered.
Shen Peichuan untied the ribbon on the package, only to be stopped by Qin Ya. “What are you doing?” she asked.
Shen Peichuan replied, “I need to verify the contents. We don’t know who sent this! What if it’s dangerous?”
If the contents were dangerous, then there was no way he’d be able to explain if Lin Xinyan got hurt. Zong Jinghao had entrusted her safety to him and he was not going to let Zong Jinghao down.
His concerns were reasonable, but Qin Ya reached out for the package and held it close to her. “Since it’s dangerous, then you shouldn’t open it. Let me do it instead.”
Shen Peichuan was taken aback for a moment and quickly retorted, “Wait, what makes you think you should open it?”
“Look, I’m already miserable enough at the moment. I think my bad luck should have run its course by now, so nothing bad will happen to me. It’s probably better that I do it instead,” said Qin Ya.
Qin Ya was about to open it, but she was stopped by Lin Xinyan.
“Hang on, Ya. How is it appropriate for the both of you to open a gift meant for me?” Lin Xinyan walked over and disregarded the inconvenience posed by her wedding dress. “Hand it over,” she said, her hands stretched outward.
Qin Ya shook her head. “Absolutely not! What if it’s a bomb?”
“If it is a bomb, are you going to disarm it? Hand it over,” said Lin Xinyan insistently.
Qin Ya still refused and pressed the parcel closer to her chest.
With outstretched hands, Lin Xinyan tried again. “Come on.”
Qin Ya looked pleadingly at Shen Peichuan to intervene.
Before Shen Peichuan could say anything, Lin Xinyan interrupted him first. “The gift is mine. Nobody can keep that from me.”
Lin Xinyan took the box from Qin Ya and sat down on the sofa. As Lin Xinyan took a deep breath and prepared to open it, Qin Ya hurriedly said, “Why don’t we wait till after the wedding to open this?”
Meeting Qin Ya’s gaze, Lin Xinyan replied, “If I don’t do this now, I won’t be at ease.”
Qin Ya had a mind to further persuade Lin Xinyan to wait, but she was stopped. Lin Xinyan had already opened the box.
There was a layer of exquisite wrapping paper and a greeting card. Lin Xinyan picked it up and opened it. The card only said ‘Congratulations!’
Qin Ya stood beside her and angled her head for a better view.
“Whose lovely writing is this?” she asked in a puzzled tone.
Wordlessly, Lin Xinyan took apart the tissue paper to reveal the gift that was inside.
