birthday gift

The gentle spring sunshine enveloped the two of them.

A gentle breeze from the lake, carrying warmth and the fragrance of flowers and grass, caressed the area.

As Cui Yu watched Meng Yihe holding the gift with such focus and care, the emotions surging within him almost overflowed. He took a half step forward, getting a little closer.

"Yihe," Cui Yu called to him.

Meng Yihe raised her head and met his unusually serious and gentle gaze.

Cui Yu took a deep breath and slowly began, "I know we're all very busy, and there's a lot of uncertainty, but..."

He paused for a moment, his gaze fixed intently on Meng Yihe's eyes.

Looking at you, I suddenly feel that perhaps we can make some things more stable.

Meng Yihe's heart suddenly raced. He looked at Cui Yu, at his own reflection clearly in the other's eyes, and at that undisguised seriousness and deep affection, and the book in his hand seemed to gain even more weight.

A period of time that seemed both very long and very short passed.

Meng Yihe took a deep breath, her gaze falling on the incomparably precious gift in her arms, her fingertips unconsciously tightening.

Then, he raised his eyes again and looked at Cui Yu, who was waiting. His clear eyes held an unprecedented firmness. He nodded and said in a soft voice, which fell on the spring breeze: "Okay."

Cui Yu reached out and hugged Meng Yihe and her book tightly.

After that birthday in the spring, neither of them immediately brought up the specifics of how to implement the promise of "being more stable".

A few weeks later, one evening, after finishing her work, Cui Yu drove to Meng Yihe's apartment.

Without prior appointment, when he entered, Meng Yihe was sitting on the living room sofa reviewing a report. When he saw Cui Yu come in, he glanced up at him as a greeting, then looked back at the screen.

Meng Yihe asked casually, "Is there something you need?"

Cui Yu took off his coat, went to the kitchen to pour himself a glass of water, then walked to the sofa and sat down next to Meng Yihe, but made no intimate gestures. He simply sat quietly for a while, watching Meng Yihe's focused profile.

Meng Yihe sensed that he seemed to have something to say, so she closed her laptop and turned to look at him.

"What's wrong?"

Cui Yu put down his water glass, turned around to face him, his expression serious, devoid of any joking tone. He hesitated for a moment before speaking.

"Yihe, I've thought about what you said last time, 'more stable.'"

Meng Yihe looked at him quietly, waiting for him to continue.

“I think…” Cui Yu’s gaze was sincere, “If we both agree that this is the direction we are heading in, perhaps… we can consider getting engaged first.”

Meng Yihe did not show any surprise, as if she had expected this suggestion.

He paused for a moment, then spoke, asking a very practical question: "Do your grandparents know what you're thinking?"

"It hasn't been officially announced yet," Cui Yu shook his head.

"I'd like to know your opinion first. If you agree, I'll talk to your grandfather first, and then he or I will formally invite your parents to meet and discuss it."

Meng Yihe raised her eyes and met Cui Yu's gaze: "I agree."

Without hesitation or coyness, just as he would when making any major decision.

Now that we've decided on a direction, let's move forward.

Cui Yu's eyes lit up instantly, and the corners of his lips turned up wide as he nodded emphatically: "Okay, then I'll find some time to go back to the old house in the next couple of days to talk to Grandpa first."

"Okay," Meng Yihe replied. "Should I talk to my parents about this beforehand?"

He considered that he might also need to make preparations on his parents' side.

Cui Yu thought for a moment and said, "If it's convenient for you, you can give them a heads-up so they can be prepared. As for the formal invitation, I will personally call your parents once my grandfather has finalized the time, to show my respect."

“Okay.” Meng Yihe approved the plan.

A few days later, Cui Yu chose a weekend afternoon and returned to the old house alone.

When he arrived, Grandpa Cui was reading in his study, wearing his reading glasses, while Grandma was tending to her flowers and plants in the yard. Cui Yu didn't beat around the bush; after refilling Grandpa's tea, he sat down in the chair opposite him.

"Grandpa, there's something I'd like to discuss with you."

The old man put down his book, took off his glasses, and looked at his grandson's unusually serious expression. He smiled knowingly and asked, "Is it about Xiao Meng?"

"Mm." Cui Yu nodded.

"I've discussed it with him, and we want to get engaged first. So I came to hear your opinion. Also... if it's convenient, I'd like to ask you to come forward, or I could formally invite his parents to meet for a meal on your behalf to discuss the specifics."

After hearing this, Grandpa Cui didn't seem too surprised; instead, he smiled with satisfaction.

He slowly took a sip of tea before saying, "This is a good thing. Xiao Meng is a steady and upright young man, someone I can walk alongside. You have good judgment."

He put down his teacup, his expression becoming slightly more formal: "Since you two have made the decision yourselves, we, as elders, naturally support you. Inviting Mr. and Mrs. Meng is the proper thing to do; it's a matter of etiquette. When is a convenient time for you? I'll personally call Mr. Meng to invite them; it will seem more formal. As for the location... how about 'Yihexuan'? It's a quiet place with exquisite dishes, suitable for discussing business."

"Yihexuan" is a very famous private restaurant in the city. It never opens to the public and only serves regular customers.

"Thank you, Grandpa!" Cui Yu breathed a sigh of relief. "As for the time... how about next weekend evening? I'm available anytime."

“Okay, I’ll contact Mr. Meng later.” The old man readily agreed, then added with a touch of sarcasm, “Finally, things are settling down a bit, that’s good.”

Things went even more smoothly than expected.

With her family's full support, Cui Yu felt much more at ease.

Meanwhile, Meng Yihe also took the opportunity to go home and briefly mention to her parents that Cui Yu was interested in getting engaged, and that the Cui family patriarch might formally invite her to meet and discuss the matter.

Although Meng Ling and Ye Chunhan were somewhat surprised by the speed of progress, they did not raise any objections given their growing fondness for Cui Yu, and simply said they would wait for a formal invitation.

The appointed day arrived quickly.

On a weekend evening, in the innermost private room of "Yihexuan".

Cui Yu and Meng Yihe arrived a moment early to arrange and confirm the final details.

Today, Meng Yihe wore a well-tailored dark gray suit, which made him look even more handsome and upright than usual. His expression was as calm as ever, but if you looked closely, you could see that his fingertips were slightly tense.

Cui Yu was dressed in a well-fitting black suit, his smile as composed as ever.

Soon, the Cui family's car arrived. Grandpa Cui, dressed in a crisp dark Zhongshan suit, walked steadily in, arm in arm with Grandma Cui, who was wearing an elegant cheongsam. The two elderly people wore gentle smiles and exuded an air of authority.

"Grandpa, Grandma," Cui Yu immediately greeted them.

"Sir, Madam," Meng Yihe stepped forward and bowed slightly in greeting.

"Good, good, Meng, you're in great spirits today." Grandpa Cui smiled and looked Meng Yihe up and down.

Grandma Cui then took Meng Yihe's hand and patted it gently, saying, "Your parents will be here soon. Don't be nervous, it's just a family meal."

As they were exchanging pleasantries, a waiter led Meng Yihe's parents to the hotel.

Meng Ling and Ye Chunhan had obviously dressed up carefully. When they entered the room and saw the two elders of the Cui family already seated, Ye Chunhan paused slightly.

Despite being mentally prepared, the profound cultural heritage and aura that Mr. and Mrs. Cui exuded naturally, without being deliberately displayed, yet were omnipresent, still made her feel slightly uneasy.

Ye Chunhan stepped forward with a smile: "Mr. Cui, Mrs. Cui, hello! I'm so sorry to have troubled you to arrive first."

Meng Ling followed suit with a greeting, his tone respectful.

"Mr. Meng, Mrs. Meng, you're too kind. Please have a seat, we just arrived." Old Master Cui stood up, smiling as he greeted them, his attitude approachable and without any airs. Grandma Cui also warmly took Ye Chunhan's hand, inviting her to sit next to her.

Cui Yu and Meng Yihe were responsible for guiding people to their seats and serving tea and water.

Upon taking our seats, the atmosphere inevitably carried a subtle sense of probing and politeness.

Ye Chunhan's gaze swept quickly and politely over the understated yet valuable furnishings in the private room, the elegant courtyard outside the window, and the distinguished Cui family elders before him, and his understanding of the situation became clearer.

The family background of this "Director Cui" was far more unfathomable than she had imagined.

Meng Ling didn't talk much, mostly just agreeing, but he sat upright, clearly trying to adapt to this occasion that was slightly different from his usual environment.

Old Master Cui was a man of great stature, and he immediately noticed the slight unease in the Meng family parents' eyes. He didn't point it out, but instead smiled and started talking about the tea and snacks on the table, naturally leading into topics such as the differences in customs and products between the two places and the ways of maintaining health.

Grandma Cui then joined in, recounting some of the funny things that happened to Cui Yu when he was a child, her tone full of love and the nagging of an ordinary grandmother.

Cui Yu skillfully navigated the conversation, sometimes jokingly echoing her grandmother's words, and sometimes steering the topic to Meng Yihe's outstanding performance at work. She subtly prompted her future in-laws to praise their son.

Meng Yihe only answered when asked, and her attitude was respectful and polite.

With the intentional guidance of the Cui family elders and the smooth handling by Cui Yu, the initial awkwardness and unease gradually dissipated.

Especially when Grandpa Cui sincerely praised Meng Yihe as "young and promising, calm and steady," and mentioned that "it is Xiaoyu's good fortune to meet Xiao Meng," the smiles on Meng's parents' faces became noticeably more genuine.

Ye Chunhan gradually relaxed and became more approachable and friendly.

The dishes and drinks were served one after another, each one exquisitely presented, but not in a blatant pursuit of luxury; rather, they emphasized the harmony of seasonal ingredients and flavors.

During the meal, Mr. Cui was composed, witty, and knowledgeable, yet never tried to show off, always keeping the conversation within a comfortable range. His casual remarks revealed a profound understanding of the world and a calm, collected approach to life. This made Mr. and Mrs. Meng acutely aware of the difference in their experiences and perspectives, leaving them deeply moved and more reassured about their son's future.

After a few rounds of drinks, the atmosphere became more lively than at the beginning.

Grandpa Cui put down his silver chopsticks, wiped his mouth lightly with a napkin, and looked at the Meng family parents with gentle eyes. He smiled and steered the conversation to the core issue: "Mr. Meng, Mrs. Meng, did you enjoy the dishes today? This chef is skilled at cooking according to the season. I see that these bamboo shoots and mandarin fish are extremely fresh and tender."

"It suits my taste perfectly, it suits my taste perfectly!" Ye Chunhan quickly replied with a smile.

"Sir, you've gone to so much trouble, arranging everything so thoughtfully." Meng Ling nodded in agreement.

"As long as it suits your taste." Old Master Cui nodded, his tone transitioning naturally. "Speaking of which, I am truly delighted to have you two here today. It's mainly about the two children."

His gaze shifted to Cui Yu and Meng Yihe, who were sitting side by side, his eyes filled with undisguised admiration.

"Xiaoyu used to cause me a lot of worry. I never thought she would be so lucky to meet such a steady and outstanding young man as Xiaomeng. The two of them can support each other at work and take care of each other in life. As their elders, we feel at ease watching them."

Upon hearing this, Meng Ling's expression became even more solemn. He cleared his throat and replied, "Sir, you are too modest. We all know that President Cui is young, promising, and exceptionally capable."

Meng Ling glanced at Meng Yihe: "Xiao He is a bit introverted, but she is quite serious about her work. It's a good thing that the two of them can get along and encourage each other."

Ye Chunhan added with a smile, her tone much warmer: "Yes, yes! Xiaoyu is such a wonderful child, capable, kind, and takes good care of our Xiaohe. When our family encountered a little trouble before, we were really grateful for Xiaoyu's secret help. We really... don't know how to thank her enough."

Cui Yu immediately smiled and said, "Auntie, you're too kind. It was nothing, just the least I could do."

Grandpa Cui waved his hand, his smile kind and gentle: "It's only right for the children to help each other. We like Xiao Meng from the bottom of our hearts; he's neither arrogant nor impatient."

Grandma Cui joined the conversation at the opportune moment, saying, "If you ask me, both of these children are good. From now on, we're family, and we can visit each other often. Wouldn't that be wonderful!"

"Yes, the old lady is right." Ye Chunhan nodded repeatedly, his initial nervousness dissipating considerably due to Grandma Cui's kindness.