He added the dress to his cart and continued shopping. She’d need shoes, he selected elegant heels in a neutral tone that would work with the dress. A clutch bag, small and sophisticated. He considered jewelry but decided against it; Shuyin should choose her own accessories based on her personal preference.

As he finalized the order, specifying rush delivery to arrive by early afternoon, he thought about the other practical concerns. Hair and makeup. Shuyin was naturally beautiful, but the kind of polished perfection expected at these events required professional help.

He needed to arrange for a stylist, and quickly. Lu Yuze glanced at his watch, still mid-morning, which gave him time to secure someone good. He could make calls himself, but Ah Ling would have better connections to the specific professionals who worked with the society women who attended these events. The assistant would know exactly who could deliver the right look, elegant and sophisticated without being overdone.

Closing his laptop, Lu Yuze stood from the dining table and made his way through the mansion corridors. He found Ah Ling coordinating with staff members near the guest wing entrance. Ting Fei was nearby, still overseeing the final stages of the children’s relocation, but Ah Ling looked up immediately when he noticed Lu Yuze approaching.

"Master?" Ah Ling said, straightening and giving his full attention.

"I need you to arrange something," Lu Yuze said. "Contact the best hair and makeup artist you can find who’s available this afternoon. Someone who can come to the mansion around one o’clock if the Madam decides to attend the charity event. Explain the situation, she needs to look polished and elegant but not overdone. Natural sophistication, not dramatic or flashy."

"Of course, Master," Ah Ling said, already pulling out his phone to make notes. "I know exactly who to call. Mrs. Chen’s personal stylist is excellent and discreet. She’s worked with many of the women who attend these society events."

"Perfect. Book her for one o’clock, but make it clear the appointment is tentative pending the Madam’s decision when she wakes. If she’s too exhausted to attend, we’ll cancel and compensate the stylist for her time."

"Understood. Is there anything else you need?"

Lu Yuze considered. "Yes. Prepare a light lunch for around noon, something nourishing but easy to digest. Madam will need to eat before making any decisions about the event, but her stomach might still be sensitive from last night’s alcohol and this morning’s stress."

Ah Ling nodded, a slight smile crossing his features. "I’ll have the kitchen prepare something appropriate. Perhaps a clear soup, some steamed fish, fresh fruit?"

"That sounds perfect. Thank you, Ah Ling."

Ah Ling bowed respectfully and moved off to make the necessary arrangements, leaving Lu Yuze to return to the formal dining room where his laptop and tablet were still open on the table. The order confirmation for the dress was fully loaded now. Estimated delivery time: 12:30 PM. That would give them plenty of time to see if it fit properly and make any last-minute adjustments if needed.

Lu Yuze sat back in his chair, surveying the work he’d done. The dress was ordered and en route. Hair and makeup artist being booked by Ah Ling. Lunch being arranged. Transportation would be simple, Ting Fei could drive them, or he could arrange for a different car if Ting Fei was still coordinating the children’s relocations.

Everything was falling into place. If Shuyin woke and decided she felt well enough to attend, even briefly, she would find everything ready and prepared. She wouldn’t have to think about logistics or worry about details. She could simply rest, eat, get dressed, and go if she chose to.

And if she didn’t feel up to it, that was perfectly fine too. The dress would keep, the stylist would be compensated, and the society women would simply have to wait for another occasion to see what the new Mrs. Lu had become.

He closed his laptop and tablet, satisfied with the preparations. The morning had been chaotic and emotionally draining for all of them, but at least this one thing was handled. Shuyin had enough to deal with without adding wardrobe stress to her plate.

Lu Yuze stood and moved to the window, looking out over the mansion grounds where the last of the vehicles carrying rescued children were pulling away. The crisis was being resolved. The children would be cared for properly. His family was safe and resting upstairs. And he’d done what he could to prepare for whatever decision Shuyin made about the charity event.

For the first time that day, he allowed himself a small smile. Life had changed so dramatically, but for once, the changes felt positive rather than devastating. He had a wife he genuinely cared for, children who needed him, and a future that held promise instead of just obligation.

The scratches on his neck might fade, but the life they were building together, that would endure.

The next two hours passed with the steady rhythm of a household returning to order. Lu Yuze remained at the dining table, working through correspondence on his laptop and tablet, occasionally checking his phone for updates from Ting Fei about the children’s successful placements. The large dining room made a comfortable temporary workspace, far more practical than the sitting area’s coffee tables, and since this was the Lin mansion rather than his own Yuyan estate, he didn’t have a proper study available here. Each report from Ting Fei brought relief: the hostel transfers had gone smoothly, the police were already beginning to contact families whose children had been kidnapped, and the psychiatric facility confirmed the violent teenager was being properly assessed and treated.

By eleven forty-five, the mansion had settled into an unusual quiet. The guest wings stood empty, cleaned and reset by efficient staff. The chaos of two hundred traumatized children had been replaced by the more familiar atmosphere of a well-run household, though the echoes of the morning’s events still lingered in everyone’s minds.