Chapter 268: Chapter 268: Photoshoot

The day Lu Xiao and Ares had their wedding photoshoot, the weather was perfect, as if the heavens themselves were celebrating with them.

Since the photographer and location had all been arranged in advance, Lu Xiao and Ares simply drove over right after breakfast that morning.

The makeup artist team was already waiting for them when they arrived.

Selena had come along specifically to accompany Lu Xiao and help handle any small things she wouldn’t be able to manage during the shoot.

Having her aunt there put Lu Xiao’s mind at ease.

They had chosen a manor estate belonging to Cecilia as their location. It boasted not only vast lawns but also distant mountains and beautiful horses.

It was a very fitting location for a wedding photoshoot.

Most importantly, they could use the place as freely as if they were at home. If it weren’t so far away, Cecilia would have wanted to come along as well.

But it was too far, and Lu Xiao wouldn’t be able to pay her much attention during the shoot anyway. Cecilia didn’t want to get in the way, so she decided to just wait for news at home.

As the makeup artist was applying Lu Xiao’s makeup, he discovered something. “Your skin is in amazing condition! I don’t even need to use any contour; your complexion is completely flawless!”

Lu Xiao’s skin was not just fair; it was without a single visible pore or blemish. If the phrase “as smooth as a peeled egg” was just a saying for most, for Lu Xiao, it was a reality.

After all, Lu Xiao possessed purification power. Even without using any skincare products, an occasional touch of purification could cleanse her skin of impurities and keep it in perfect condition.

It was more effective than any skincare product on the market.

Of course, Lu Xiao wouldn’t say any of this. The makeup artist was also very tactful; he only offered praise and didn’t press for details.

He was already certain in his heart that Lu Xiao must have some secret recipe to maintain her skin so well. It was enough for him to admire it; he couldn’t ask more. What if it was a sensitive topic for her?

The fee for this on-location makeup service was not cheap, and he’d be devastated if he messed up such a lucrative job.

Because her skin was in such great condition, Lu Xiao’s makeup was finished quickly.

Ares also had some light makeup applied to make his features appear more defined for the best on-camera effect.

Next came the wardrobe changes.

All of their outfits were custom-made, in styles they had personally selected.

Lu Xiao had three gowns in total: one white, one blue, and one red.

When she changed into the first outfit, the white wedding gown, Ares wore a matching white suit.

The photography studio had chosen a black horse and a white horse to complement their look.

The photoshoot was actually quite a mechanical process. Lu Xiao and Ares were like two dolls, following the photographer’s every instruction.

The results were so good that the photos they took were nearly perfect and required almost no retouching.

However, due to the sheer number of shots, they didn’t finish until early evening.

After they wrapped up, Selena had already arranged for the manor’s chef to prepare dinner, inviting the entire crew to dine as a show of gratitude.

Meanwhile, Lu Xiao and Ares returned to their room. The moment she was inside, Lu Xiao kicked off her high heels and flopped onto the bed. “Ares, I had no idea photoshoots were so exhausting.”

She was only now realizing how difficult it was to be directed around, holding various poses and expressions.

Feeling a pang of sympathy, Ares walked over to her. “I’ve run a bath for you with essential oils. Go soak for a bit and relax.”

Lu Xiao nodded, getting up to wrap her arms around Ares’s waist. “Thank you, Ares.”

“Want me to help?” Ares asked, stroking her hair in a suggestive invitation.

Lu Xiao immediately refused. “No, no, that’s okay! I can wash myself.”

’If I let Ares help, this bath will just get longer and longer and never end.’

Ares was only teasing her. He had no intention of actually starting anything. His little female had worked hard all day and needed to rest.

Once Lu Xiao had finished her bath, the two of them went downstairs for dinner. By then, the staff had all left. Seeing them come down, Selena went to greet them, saying to Lu Xiao, “You must be exhausted, aren’t you?”

“I just took a bath, so I feel much better. Thank you for all your hard work and help today, Auntie.”

“Don’t mention it. Besides, I was happy to help. Now, hurry and eat. After dinner, you and Ares should get a good rest. You can head back tomorrow.”

“Okay, Auntie. Have you eaten?”

“I’ve already eaten. You two enjoy your meal, don’t worry about me.” Selena instructed the servants to set out their meal, and only left after Lu Xiao and Ares had finished dinner.

The finished wedding photos were ready two days earlier than the originally promised week.

When she saw the final prints, Lu Xiao thought they turned out even better than she had imagined.

The photographer also smiled happily. “It’s mainly because you and Lord Ares are both so good-looking. The final photos needed almost no editing, which is why they were ready so quickly and look so good.”

Lu Xiao didn’t hold back her own praise. “That’s mainly because of your professionalism.”

’Even if she and Ares were good-looking, it still took a professional to capture the right lighting, angles, and so on to get such great results.’

With over a thousand photos in total, selecting the final ones was a massive undertaking.

Lu Xiao enlisted the whole family to help. After looking through them, Cecilia thought every single one was perfect. “These are all wonderful! Why choose? I want them all! Make them all into photo albums as keepsakes. And send a set to me, too. They’re just gorgeous!”

Lu Xiao didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. “Grandmother, there are over a thousand photos! That’s way too many!”

’That would mean several hundred albums. We’d need a dedicated room just to store them!’

“A thousand or so isn’t that many. Have each album made to the highest standard, with six to eight photos per volume. If that’s a few hundred albums, so be it. It’s not like we don’t have the space at home. It’s settled. You just pick out a few of the very best to display at the wedding, and we’ll have the rest made into albums. Grandmother will keep them safe for you.”

Since Cecilia had spoken, Lu Xiao couldn’t refuse. And so, all one-thousand-plus photos were kept, made into albums, and stored away in Galileo’s Duke Luo Mansion.

Later, Cecilia even made a point of inviting some powerful noble ladies over to see them, showing them off with great pride.

Meanwhile, as Lu Xiao and Ares were busy with their wedding preparations, Buck quietly arrived on Emperor Star.

For Buck, who had left this place and not returned to his homeland for many years, the moment he set foot on Emperor Star felt almost surreal.

When he had left all those years ago, he had been prepared to never return in his lifetime.

He never thought he would get the chance.

Emperor Star had changed so much; it was no longer the place he remembered leaving. Even though he had seen it on the news, nothing compared to the profound feeling of actually standing here himself.

’I’m really back.’

He hadn’t notified anyone of his arrival. He wanted to look around Emperor Star for a while before dealing with that matter.

He knew very well that if that matter wasn’t resolved, it would affect Lu Xiao and Ares’s future in one way or another.

As for himself, he knew one thing for certain: there was nothing left that could affect him anymore.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep