Although the process was slightly bumpy, fortunately, a satisfactory reply was received. Shan Song leaned back on the sofa, thinking about it, and couldn't help but chuckle softly. The laughter was low and deep, slowly spreading in the air.
Tong Zhao, who was feeling awkward, caught it, and her ears suddenly went numb. Then she was overwhelmed by the sudden burst of heat.
The more awkward she felt, the more she wanted to do something. Tong Zhao gulped down her juice, then stared blankly at the empty glass for a moment before becoming flustered and her eyes darting around, finally settling on the fruit plate not far away.
Dan Song caught a glimpse of Tong Zhao's flustered movements out of the corner of his eye, suppressed the smile in his eyes, and turned to look out the window.
I can't tease him anymore, or I'll scare this little omega away.
Tong Zhao scurried around for ages, trying to find a comfortable spot, and started eating fruit as if it were nothing, while secretly glancing at Dan Song on the other side of the sofa.
He was acutely aware that he had found a true fiancé. From now on, they would live like a couple, get married in two months, mark each other, and if they were lucky, their feelings for each other would grow stronger day by day, eventually growing old together.
Shan Song truly embodied the principle of repaying a drop of kindness with a spring of gratitude.
He's like a seedling that's been watered by a spring, and he's starting to feel the strain. He helped me out a little, which was bad enough, but now he wants to upgrade her to a husband, and not just a casual one...
Lost in thought, he didn't notice when Shan Song sat down next to him again.
Shan Song observed for a while: "You like mangoes?"
"Huh? Ah."
Dan Song leaned closer, stuck a piece in his mouth, and fed it to Tong Zhao.
Tong Zhao subconsciously opened her mouth to take it, then froze, still holding the small yellow piece in her mouth.
"Eat it," Shan Song said.
Tong Zhao obediently swallowed.
Dan Song patted his forehead: "Be natural, just like before."
Tong Zhao touched her nose: "It feels a little strange."
"It's okay, take your time."
"Okay." Tong Zhao smiled at Shan Song, his earlier awkwardness largely gone. He checked the time and asked curiously, "Is Aunt Yuan not coming back?"
"Yes, she attaches great importance to the setup of the wedding venue and will probably be involved in the planning herself."
Tong Zhao hesitated and asked, "Is it because of your mother? Aunt Yuan loves her because of her?"
"Yes, that's one reason. Another reason is that the island wedding was actually designed by Aunt Yuan for my mother."
Tong Zhao's eyes widened, somewhat at a loss: "Then...then should we change to another one? This isn't appropriate, is it?"
Shan Song patted the back of his hand to comfort him, saying, "It's okay. She had this plan before she told you. Aunt Yuan has been watching me grow up in place of my mother all these years. This time, she wants us to fulfill their wishes."
"But we..."
Dan Song understood. He winked at Tong Zhao and said, "You chose this style out of so many options. Doesn't that mean we have a deep connection?"
Seeing Tong Zhao's still furrowed brows, Shan Song said again, "Don't worry too much. Actually, it's not just the island. Aunt Yuan's designs over the years have all been influenced by my mother to some extent. Do you know the name of the place you're in now?"
Tong Zhao asked in confusion, "What?"
“Huaizhen Mansion, my mother’s name is Shanzhen.” Shan Song said softly, “Aunt Yuan has spent most of her life regretting this. She settled here after my mother passed away. I come to visit her occasionally, and she always looks for my mother’s shadow in me. Now that she can see me get married on behalf of her mother, perhaps it will make her feel a little more at ease.”
"It's not so easy to let go," Tong Zhao couldn't help but sigh.
Regret is a normal part of life. The story of Aunt Yuan and Shansong's mother is just one of the millions of such stories. At first glance, it may not seem special, but like a strong liquor with a long-lasting aftertaste, only those involved can truly appreciate its bitterness and spiciness.
As bystanders, he and Shan Song could only offer sarcastic remarks.
Tong Zhao recalled a line she remembered from a long time ago: If a person is too insecure in front of their partner, they will do a lot of inappropriate things. This inappropriateness will not only drain themselves but also hurt others.
He felt that this sentence was quite appropriate for Aunt Yuan.
Just like many people, she felt that only when she reached a certain level could she be worthy of her beloved, but she ignored the torment of the other person waiting. She put the cart before the horse and did nothing but try to find a sword by marking the boat.
However, Tong Zhao felt that an additional condition should be added here: at least only kind people would suffer from internal turmoil while experiencing endless inferiority.
Some people are born bad, like Zhou Muyuan, who only knows how to use endless hurting of others to cover up his inferiority complex. Such people will never deserve fulfillment.
Tong Zhao sighed and, under Shan Song's gentle gaze, as warm as the rising sun, sincerely prayed, "It will definitely happen!"
Aunt Yuan will surely overcome the major life lesson of letting go, and he and Shan Song will surely overcome the minor life lesson of getting along first, and then overcome the major life lesson of falling in love.
Tong Zhao suddenly felt an urge: "Shan Song, let me tell you about my family?"
Dan Song asked in surprise, "Hmm?"
He thought it would take Tong Zhao some more time before she could completely let down her guard.
Tong Zhao was a little shy, but that didn't stop him from continuing: "Aren't we supposed to get to know each other? You told me about your family, and I'd like to share some with you too. But my family isn't as complicated as yours; it's a very ordinary story. Would you like to hear it?"
"Of course, I am honored." Shan Song looked at the brave and sincere omega in front of him and said in a deep voice.
Encouraged, Tong Zhao remained silent for a moment before saying, "When I was little, I lived with my mother and grandmother. Although the conditions were average, from my limited memories, it was a warm and cozy place."
“My maternal grandparents’ house is an old building, which was the staff housing that my maternal grandfather was allocated. We all know the neighbors well, and there are a lot of uncles and aunts, but there are very few children. During the Chinese New Year, my maternal grandparents would take me to visit relatives and I would receive a lot of red envelopes.”
Tong Zhao seemed to be searching for something in distant memories, but after a long time, she found nothing.
"It seems like that's all I remember. I had a bad memory when I was little, and all I remembered was money. Isn't that a bit superficial?" Tong Zhao laughed self-deprecatingly, but the smile was only on the surface, and her mood clearly had dropped.
He seems unable to articulate his experiences from an observer's perspective like Shan Song did.
"Nonsense. It's normal not to remember things from when you were little. I don't remember them either, but I'm still a CEO now." Shan Song gently pulled him into his arms. "It's okay. Just say whatever comes to mind. If you don't want to talk about it, then don't. I'll take you to eat."
Tong Zhao leaned against his muscular arm for a while, as if drawing strength from it, and a muffled sound came out again.
“My mother developed health problems after giving birth to me and passed away when I was six years old. My maternal grandmother was also in poor health. She managed to stay healthy for two years before passing away as well.”
Dan Song's heart skipped a beat, followed by a wave of intense sadness. "But you're only eight years old." Tong Zhao's fleeting moment of sadness resurfaced in his mind. Dan Song gripped Tong Zhao's arm tightly, abandoning all pretense of gentlemanly respect, and held him close to his body.
Tong Zhao's voice seemed to choke. He lowered his head and endured it for a while, suppressing the dryness in his eyes, and tried to speak as steadily as possible.
“I had just started elementary school when my neighbors helped me apply for subsidies, and with each family giving me a little help, they barely managed to keep me up until I finished nine years of compulsory education. They even wanted to pool their money to let me continue my studies, but by then I was old enough to understand that each of their families was also struggling financially, so I dropped out of school.”
“Before I was an adult, I did odd jobs. After I became an adult, the first job I got was as a waiter at that hotel.”
Tong Zhao looked up at him, her eyes sparkling with starlight, dazzlingly bright: "And then I met you. I think I'm really lucky. I only helped you because I wanted you to help me find a job."
“Yes, I know. Didn’t you say that back then?” Shan Song’s slender fingers stroked from the back of his head to his back: “That’s normal. Your selfishness and your helping me are not contradictory. A gentleman judges by actions, not intentions.”
Tong Zhao took another step forward and buried her head in the other person's chest: "I'm not a gentleman, you are. When you said you would sponsor me, I felt like I was being taken advantage of. It wasn't until you actually sent someone to contact me that I realized you weren't lying to me. It turns out I really met a great person."
Seeing that Tong Zhaoren was almost inside his suit, Shan Song comforted him, "You've won a big prize, a reward for children who were sensible, independent, and hardworking in their first eighteen years."
"...Do we really need to include so many titles?" Tong Zhao asked, trying to sound relaxed, half-jokingly.
"Why wouldn't you want it?" Shan Song's eyes were full of pride, and he praised people without blinking: "You are very well-behaved, with a strong character. You are more composed than most young people your age. You also have clear goals. You are worldly-wise but not cynical, and you are sophisticated yet innocent."
"Alright then." Tong Zhao reached behind Shan Song and hugged him tightly, wrinkling the once-fitting suit.
Shan Song embraced him back without hesitation. It was a powerful hug, and at that moment, a sentence suddenly popped into Tong Zhao's mind: "An embrace is the smallest safe haven in the world."
After a long while, Shan Song called out, "Tong Zhao."
"Um?"
"I'll take you to visit the Shan family in a while. My grandparents will like you."
Tong Zhao was stunned, then lowered her eyes, hiding the faint tears under her eyelashes in the shadows: "Okay."
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