What started as their second kiss landed them in his room and bed for a passionate night instead. Later in the night, as Jazzlyn held him in her arms, she had never felt this blissful ever. Not even when she was with Benjamin, but her thoughts somehow find their way back to Mandy.

  "She must have suffered a lot..." Jazzlyn skeptically asked, not knowing what reaction she would get from him, who was admiring her beauty. He nodded, knowing she meant Mandy as she finally allowed herself to swallow the lump of nervousness in her throat.

  "How do you get over her when there are so many memories in this room with her?" She asked curiously.

  "Su Lan sure filled you in with a lot..." He teased her as he shifted her in his arms into a more comfortable hug.

  "We were too young... Dad treated her in the guest room..." He revealed calmly as Jazzlyn teared up a little at the revelation. She knew she was truly a gem to this family.

  "You're the only one who has been here and..." He smiled, meeting her gaze.

  "You should have known how crazy I am about you by now... But it's alright. We can always take it slow..." He helped to wipe her tears away as he stole all her lines.

  "Ethan... If..." Jazzlyn took a deep breath as he put her fringe behind her ears while humming in acknowledgement.

  "Why don't we just register our marriage?" She finally asked after a few moments of gathering the courage.

  Ethan was delighted but also skeptical that she was rushing the decision, as he raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure, Su Wei Wei? You're not going to change your mind again like you did before this?" He teased her while caressing her face as she sat up to face him with a serious expression.

  "I'm not..." Ethan's expression changed a little, thinking she meant she was serious, but she quickly added.

  "... going to change my mind. I felt like it was only right. I don't want to implicate your family so much and put them in a tough position just to protect me... And with you... I ..." He kissed her as they tangled for a brief moment before pulling away tenderly.

  "You don't have to keep worrying about them. It's you that matters..." He whispered gently.

  "If you don't feel the same along the way by then..." He was interrupted again by her kiss as she pulled away with a frown.

  "I don't think I will..." She denied. "I said if..." He insisted.

  "Why don't you throw me a wedding instead when we are much more certain in the future? That would seal us together forever?" Jazzlyn asked in all seriousness, as though proposing to him, as he grinned and kissed her, sealing the deal.

  "Since it's urgent, let's just have whoever is our witness in the bureau at the first available time slot tomorrow?" She suggested that Ethan blinked with a plan in mind.

  "Not telling your besties?" He teased as she shook her head.

  "Are you sure?" He tested as she giggled.

  "Stop teasing me!" He kissed her as they got entangled in another love-making session throughout the night.

  As Ethan ensured his bride-to-be was sleeping soundly, he quietly sneaked out of the room to send an urgent message to Isla, as he only had her number. He knew no matter how simple Jazzlyn's request was, she would only be fulfilled if her best friends were her witnesses. And for him, it was none other than Hilbert whom he texted the same message.

  Urgent! Send me a copy of your IC. Need you as a witness in 21 days, but we are applying for registration first.

  Isla was gaming with Ellie till late when she saw the message sent to her.

  "Oh my!" Isla exclaimed.

  "What? What! What happened?" Ellie questioned, wanting to peek at her message.

  "What does it mean? I don't get it. Register what? From who?" As she read the name of the sender, she got even more confused.

  "Ethan? Register? You and him? Huh?" Ellie swirled into deeper confusion as Isla laughed. Having the experience of being married before, Isla knew right away it was for marriage registration.

  You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

  "Should we head to visit them tomorrow in Malacca?" Isla suggested abruptly.

  "Why?" Ellie was still confused as Isla teased her by holding both hands in hers.

  "Ellie, we have been nurturing our good old daughter for ages, and it's only right now for us to meet her future in-laws before we marry her off... Let's do our parts on behalf of her parents." Isla said in a solemn manner, which made Ellie break into laughter as Isla joined along.

  "Oh my goodness! Now I get it! She is marrying him! That's really fast progress!" The excitement between the girls peaked as they jumped in glee.

  "Of course she is! I knew Ethan was meant for her..." Isla crawled into bed as Ellie landed on her left side.

  "Why? How would you know?" Ellie questioned as Isla had that distance look in her eyes when she pondered on things. Ellie knew it was story time.

  "'Cause when you meet with 'the one,' your body and soul just know it before your brain can connect it all," Isla explained as she recalled the time when she first met with Lex.

  "How so?" Ellie asked curiously.

  "That's why love is seen as irrational, isn't it? You will find yourself doing things you don't normally do. She wouldn't just fly off to meet Ethan obediently as arranged by us if she didn't already have the will in her heart to do so. Like I wouldn't say yes to Lex to dating back then if he didn't fly to Kuala Lumpur just to ask me that question face to face. The ultimate was when he told me he wanted to migrate over here. Any woman would see that the sacrifice was sacred enough to say yes to a marriage. So, that si gina* must have had Ethan convinced her well, and he is smart to use his family, which is the root to all this..." Isla paused after hearing a soft snore.

  Ellie had fallen asleep as Isla smiled to herself while tugging Ellie into the blanket.

  "Just when will you ever find love, silly? You can't stay single forever..." Isla asked gently, but Ellie was a heavy sleeper. Hence, Isla could only wait for time to tell the answers to her question.

  Before hitting the sack, she replied to Ethan.

  Do you mind accepting two guests later in the day? It's only right for us to visit your family on behalf of hers? Has there been any traditional formalities arranged?

  Ethan was surprised to receive a reply so fast from Isla, but recalled back then when he received a text from her the first time asking to head to the airport in the morning, to pick Jazzlyn was also about the same time.

  He smiled at her request and gladly typed his reply.

  Thanks for replying so fast. Hope I didn't disturb your sleep! Yes, always welcome! But aren't you both working? Since you brought it up, I could arrange for the traditional tea ceremony first and maybe delay the guo da li*.

  Isla chuckled at the reply.

  Nope, we just finished gaming! Jazzlyn is always a priority. Anything else can wait! Send me your address and we will come with gifts for guo da li*. You might want to push the tea ceremony in the afternoon when we arrive! Goodnight!

  Ethan laughed at her reply as the traditional way was for the groom's side to head to the bride's side for guo da li*. He wondered if she was joking as he sighed in relief, not regretting his decision to reach out to Jazzlyn's closest kin. Instead, he replied with his house address before wrapping Jazzlyn in his arms by his side blissfully.

  The excitement grew in him by the hour that he could not get himself to sleep. By dawn, he quickly woke to find his sisters were at their usual routine, preparing to open up their TCM shop, when he decided to break the news.

  "Uhm, Wei Wei has agreed to register our marriage..." Ethan said softly by his father's side, but he caught it.

  At first, Uncle Loong was surprised, but he laughed heartily as he patted his son's arms as Su Huang came over. "Get me a grandchild soon, alright?" Uncle Loong half-joked as Ethan smiled embarrassingly.

  "What's so happy about that you only share with Ah Pa, huh?" Su Huang reprimanded his brother.

  "This boy is finally out of my responsibility!" Uncle Loong cheered as Su Huang cheered with him, although she did not really understand her father.

  "Pa, her best friends will be coming today from Kuala Lumpur with guo da li* gifts. Is it alright if we arrange a tea ceremony in the afternoon?" Ethan quietly made his request.

  "What? What did you say again? Aiyo, can you please speak up, else we won't know what you want!" Su Qing scolded when she placed a pot of chicken porridge on the table. That was when Su Lan and Hilbert appeared for breakfast too.

  Seeing everyone was at the morning table except the bride-to-be, he took a deep breath before reannouncing his intention. Everyone was very delighted as they rejoiced in laughter, but Su Lan was a little confused.

  "But shouldn't we visit the bride's side?" Su Lan questioned the same as he did, but he did not know how to lie, so he just stated the truth and found himself struggling to find the logic.

  "Yes, but our circumstances are at odds now. So, Isla and Ellie, her best friends, would come as the Su's representatives. They both had been supporting Wei Wei since she left the Su's family. It's only right if they represent her..." Ethan explained, and the family could understand this part, but not the guo da li* part.

  "That's alright! It's the modern days now! We can give them both a warm welcome and accept their gifts if they really bring, but also return to them in multiples!" Su Huang exclaimed her suggestion, putting everyone satisfied with the arrangements.

  "You're so smart! Definitely, Loong's daughter! Hundred percent!" The father and daughter duo chuckled together. "Alright, let's do that!" Uncle Loong concluded.

  Everyone was very delighted as Su Qing and Su Huang quickly got into action by putting up a closure notice for the day and prepared a list of meals to prepare before rushing to the wet market for ingredients.

  Glossaries:

  * Si Gina: a Hokkien dialect directly translates into "this kid," but also means "you are asking for a beating" or "you're asking for it."

  *Guo Da Li: meant the betrothal gifts in Chinese. It's a traditional Chinese betrothal ceremony symbolising a formal union of both families. It is more common for the groom's side to visit the bride's family as a form of respect.