The ceremony had not yet begun, but most of the dishes were already served.

Given my brilliant performance before the opening, the people at my table were especially attentive to me.

"Sis, try this, it's delicious."

"Take that plate over to sis, she can't move easily."

"Sis, this is good for pregnant women, have some more."

"Sis, I'll pack this up for you to take back and eat later."

I was almost losing myself in the repeated "sis," almost forgetting my own persona.

The bowl in front of me was never empty, my fake belly was already big, and now that I was full, my belly seemed even bigger, as if I had magically gained an extra month's worth of pregnancy.

I lowered my eyes, taking the opportunity to rub my belly to aid digestion.

"Thank you all, both me and the baby will remember your kindness towards us."

They were stunned, not knowing what else to say besides "you're welcome."

I felt secretly pleased.

Tonight, the only pure white jasmine flower was mine!

The long-awaited ceremony finally began, if it didn't start soon, I would faint from hunger.

The emcee on stage was narrating the love story of the two, the sentimental script felt like watching a reunion show.

The story was a factory-line tale, just with the names changed to Ye Lisheng and Qingqing.

Ye Lisheng hurried onto the stage, looking presentable today.

"Now, let's warmly welcome our leading lady today - Qingqing."

The emcee energetically gestured towards the closed doors.

The doors slowly opened, everyone held their breath, waiting for the bride to appear.

A middle-aged man with a big belly and balding head walked out from the door. In the light, he shielded his eyes and habitually scratched his belly, muttering to himself.

"Oh my, why is the light shining on me like this? I don't think I did anything wrong, am I being interrogated at a wedding?"

The venue fell silent, all heads turned towards the groom Ye Lisheng on stage.

The emcee was also stunned, taking the microphone away and shouting at the man to move aside.

The man, belatedly realizing, scratched his belly and moved to the side.

There was no sign of the bride behind him.

The emcee looked towards Ye Shengli for help.

He hesitated, then quickly stepped down from the stage towards the entrance.

After a while, he didn't return with the bride.

Not coming out at such a highly anticipated moment must mean there was a big problem.

I excused myself to the restroom, slowly making my way with a bulging belly towards the restroom - adjacent to the dressing room.

Before I could get closer, I heard a noisy conversation inside, many people talking at once, making it hard to distinguish who was who.

Thankfully, my hearing was good, so I quietly listened from around the corner.

"Son, look at your wife, I just asked her to use the dowry to pay for today's banquet, and she's here causing a scene, saying she won't leave. Look at her."

From that "kind" voice, it was highly likely to be the non-oil-saving lamp, my son Ye Lisheng's mother.

"Ye Lisheng, your family just gave me a few tens of thousands in dowry, and now you're thinking of ways to take it back. Do you think you can't eat or sleep well with that money in my hands?"

It had been a long time since I heard Qingqing's angry voice, much more comfortable than her usual clipped tone.

"No, the wedding ceremony is waiting for you now, don't make a scene, everyone is waiting, we can talk about this later."

Ye Lisheng's voice sounded like it was about to explode.

The voices grew louder, as if a group of people were about to come out, which scared me into quickly turning and heading back towards the banquet hall.

Such a big event couldn't go on without me.

As soon as I sat down, the open door revealed a pale-looking Qingqing and a sweating, forced smile from Ye Lisheng.

The emcee got back into character, vividly setting the atmosphere.

In the part where tears should have been shed and vows made, the two on stage awkwardly created a different, rare atmosphere.

The awkward atmosphere spread to the audience below, guests holding their phones for photos froze, unsure whether to raise or lower them.

"Oh dear, baby, your dad and stepmom are arguing." I said, rubbing my belly.

The people at my table couldn't even hold their chopsticks steady.

Suddenly, I exclaimed, and all their eyes turned towards me.

I radiated the glow of motherly love.

"You have to behave, later dad will come down to play with you, don't make a fuss~"

The people at my table completely lost their grip on their chopsticks.