Li Mo
The traces of last night's madness still seem vivid, but there is more of a sense of satisfaction and peace after the dust has settled.
Sunlight streamed through the gaps in the curtains, waking the two who were sleeping in each other's arms.
Li Mo stirred in Liang Xinchong's arms and was the first to wake up.
She looked up and met his gaze, which was already fully awake and staring at her intently.
In those eyes, besides the overwhelming love, there was an indescribable intimacy and sense of belonging.
"Good morning, Mrs. Liang." His voice was hoarse from the early morning as he lowered his head and placed a gentle good morning kiss on her lips.
"Good morning." Li Mo's cheeks flushed slightly, but her heart was filled with sweetness. She buried her face in his neck and rubbed against him.
The two dawdled for a long time before getting up. Like any ordinary couple, they had breakfast at the hotel restaurant and then went for a walk hand in hand in a nearby seaside park.
On this day, even the air seemed exceptionally fresh and sweet.
Sunlight filtered through the lush foliage, casting dappled shadows on the clean path. They walked slowly, hand in hand, occasionally exchanging a smile. No words were needed; the atmosphere was already tender and intimate.
Passing by a children's play area, I saw several adults leading their young children on the slides and swings. The children's silvery laughter was clear, melodious, and full of life.
Li Mo's gaze was involuntarily drawn to the little girl with two small pigtails, wearing a pink princess dress, clumsily trying to climb the slide, and a gentle smile unconsciously appeared on her lips.
She gently shook their clasped hands, turned her head to look at Liang Xinchong, her eyes filled with curiosity and longing, and asked softly, "Liang Xinchong, in the future... do you prefer boys or girls?"
Liang Xinchong followed her gaze to the group of children and, without thinking, blurted out, "I like them all."
He answered decisively, then lowered his head, looking intently at her, and added, his tone so serious it wasn't like he was saying sweet nothings, but rather stating a fact:
"I love any child, whether it's a boy or a girl, as long as they look like you."
His gaze was so direct and honest, there was no hint of jest in it, only pure, almost instinctive favoritism.
He imagined a small, soft child with clear eyes like Li Mo, a pert nose, and a gentle personality, and his heart melted completely.
Li Mo's ears burned at his undisguised favoritism and straightforward sweet talk. She glared at him reproachfully, but her heart felt as if it were soaked in honey. "You're so cheesy!"
She muttered softly, trying to shake off his hand, but he held it even tighter.
Liang Xinchong chuckled softly, pulling her closer to him until their shoulders were pressed together. "I'm telling the truth."
He looked at her flushed cheeks and said with certainty, "It's so good to be like you, smart, beautiful, and with a good personality. If you were like me..." He wrinkled his nose in feigned disgust, "you'd probably be a troublesome little devil since you were a child."
The sun was shining brightly, and a gentle breeze was blowing. The two walked hand in hand along the tree-lined path.
"You know about this too?" Li Mo was amused by him and couldn't help but tease him, recalling his "glorious deeds" in high school.
After visiting the park that day, Li Mo received a WeChat message from Yuan Hai, her high school teacher.
After graduating from high school that year, Li Mo's name appeared prominently on the list of outstanding alumni of Yuehai High School.
With her outstanding college entrance examination scores, her advanced studies at Beichuan University, and her impressive performance in her early career, she was invited back to her alma mater to give an inspirational speech to her juniors who were preparing for the college entrance examination.
Liang Xinchong put down his work and insisted on accompanying her back. In his words, "I have to go back and let Old Yuan see that his worries back then weren't in vain."
Stepping into the gates of Yuehai Middle School again, the red and white teaching buildings, the bustling playground, and the youthful atmosphere in the air instantly brought back memories of several years ago for the two of them.
This time, however, they were no longer wearing blue and white school uniforms, but rather appropriate casual wear, and on their ring fingers were wedding rings symbolizing their commitment.
The presentation was held in the school auditorium.
The audience was filled with high school seniors whose eyes were clear yet slightly bewildered.
Li Mo stood on the stage, sharing her experiences from Yuehai Middle School to Beichuan University, and then into society.
She recounted her initial adjustment period after transferring schools, her grueling senior year of high school, her choice of university, and how to transform knowledge into professional skills.
Her voice was gentle yet powerful, and her logic was clear, instantly captivating the hearts of all the younger students.
Liang Xinchong sat in the first row below the stage, just as he had done countless times before, his eyes intently following her on stage.
But at this moment, his eyes held not only familiar pride, but also a deep love and a sense of pride that had been tempered by the passage of time.
He saw Li Mo on the stage, confident and composed, radiating wisdom. She had undergone a magnificent transformation from the girl he remembered who had transferred to the school with aloofness and who had tried to remain calm when Yuan Hai talked to her in the office.
After the presentation, students rushed up to ask questions, which Li Mo answered patiently. Once the crowd had dispersed, Liang Xinchong stepped forward, handed her the thermos, and naturally took the notes from her.
"Li, you're as charming as ever." He smiled, his eyes filled with tenderness.
Li Mo took the cup and smiled gently.
After leaving the auditorium, the two went straight to the teachers' office. They knew that Yuan Hai would definitely be there at this time.
Knocking on the door, I found Mr. Yuan Hai hunched over his desk, preparing lessons.
Time has left its mark on his face, but his eyes, peering through his glasses, remain wise and stern.
"Teacher Yuan," the two called out in unison, with respect and a subtle tension of returning to the "crime scene."
Yuan Hai looked up and saw them. His serious face instantly broke into a smile, and he immediately stood up: "Li Mo, Liang Xinchong, come in quickly, come in quickly."
His gaze swept over them, finally settling on their tightly clasped hands and the striking rings. His smile deepened, and he nodded repeatedly, "Good, good! Seeing you like this, your teacher is truly happy for you!"
The office was filled with the familiar smell of chalk dust and ink. Yuan Hai inquired carefully about Li Mo's work, listening to her logically analyzed cases, his eyes full of admiration.
When Liang Xinchong talked about his entrepreneurial journey and how he balanced a long-distance relationship with his partner and planned for the future together, Yuan Hai patted him on the shoulder with satisfaction.
“Back then, I didn’t give you a friendly look in this office.” Yuan Hai pointed to the corner where they were “interrogated” back then, shaking his head with a smile, his tone full of emotion. “I was afraid that you were young and impulsive and would ruin each other’s future. Now it seems that I was overthinking it. A good relationship really is a ladder that two people climb side by side.”
He looked at the couple before him, whom he had personally witnessed grow from naivety to maturity. One was beginning to show his talent in his professional field, while the other was working diligently in the business world. They supported each other and grew together. This was undoubtedly the result that educators were most happy to see.
“Teacher Yuan, you were right to scold us back then.” Liang Xinchong touched his nose, a little embarrassed, but his tone was extremely sincere. “If it weren’t for your wake-up call, which made us realize the truth, we might have really gone astray at the crossroads. Thank you.”
Li Mo nodded solemnly: "Teacher Yuan, I am truly grateful for your strict requirements and your perseverance back then."
As I stepped out of the teachers' office, the setting sun bathed the playground in a warm golden light.
The two walked along the familiar tree-lined path, their shadows intertwined.
"It feels like a dream."
"Li Mo said softly."
“Yes,” Liang Xinchong held her hand tightly, his fingertips stroking her wedding ring, “I also feel like I’m dreaming.”
He tilted his head and looked at her quietly: "Perhaps God is blessing me? Otherwise, how could I be so happy?"
Not long after Li Mo's speech at the university, Liang Xinchong's "Chongmo" studio hosted a highly influential youth entrepreneurship summit.
The spotlight shone on Liang Xinchong, who stood confidently on the stage of the main forum of the Youth Entrepreneurship Summit, dressed in a well-tailored dark suit. As the organizer of this summit and a representative of successful young entrepreneurs, he presented the audience with the journey of "Chongmo" from a small studio to an industry leader, winning rounds of applause.
"This concludes 'Chongmo's' report card over the past few years." He nodded slightly, his tone calm. Just when everyone thought the speech was about to end, he didn't step down from the stage, but instead manipulated the remote control in his hand.
The image on the huge LED screen behind us suddenly changed.
A photo, clearly showing signs of age and with slightly blurry pixels, was projected onto the screen and instantly captured everyone's attention.
The background of the photo is the playground of Yuehai Middle School, with a red inspirational banner hanging on the platform.
A slender girl with a ponytail, wearing a blue and white school uniform, was speaking in front of the microphone, her posture upright and her eyes clear and firm. In the bustling crowd below the stage, a tall and thin boy, also wearing a school uniform, was looking up, his gaze fixed on the girl through the crowd.
That young and handsome face no longer held its usual nonchalance, but was filled with complete focus and undisguised admiration.
This photo caused a slight stir both at the event and in the online live stream. Many people recognized the confident and composed Mr. Liang on stage as the young man looking up in the photo.
Liang Xinchong gazed at the photograph with tender eyes, as if he had traveled through a long period of time.
He picked up the microphone, and his voice, carried clearly through the speakers, resonated throughout the entire venue, carrying a deeper emotion than when he was giving his business presentation earlier.
“Many people, including my investors and partners, have asked me a question,” he paused, looking away from the photo and towards the audience, “They asked me, Liang Xinchong, what was your original motivation for starting this business? What supported you through the most difficult times?”
His gaze swept across the entire venue, then settled on a spot in the VIP section below the stage—Li Mo was sitting there, dressed in the same formal suit as him, her eyes filled with the same surprise as his, which then turned into gentle tenderness.
A perfectly defined smile curved Liang Xinchong's lips as he spoke into the microphone, each word clear and firm:
"Now I can answer that question."
He pointed again at the big screen, at the glittering girl:
"My original intention was to be worthy of the sparkling girl in the photo."
The hall fell silent, then erupted into louder discussions and good-natured laughter. The camera also thoughtfully cut to a close-up of Li Mo in the audience.
Her cheeks flushed, and she was a little shy in front of the crowd and the cameras, but she still sat up straight and smiled back at him on the stage.
“Her name is Li Mo,” Liang Xinchong said, his voice filled with pride and love. “Now, she is my wife.”
He took a deep breath, his gaze fixed firmly on Li Mo once more, as if he were to deliver a confession to the entire world, a confession that was long overdue throughout his youth:
"Today, in front of everyone, I want to say to her..."
His voice was slightly choked, but still forceful and clear:
"Li Mo, did you see that? The boy who could only look up at you from below the stage back then has given it his all, and finally... finally he can stand at the same height as you."
After a second of silence, the entire audience erupted in thunderous and continuous applause.
This applause is not only for a successful entrepreneur, but also for this sincere and precious love that has transcended time and been nurtured by hard work.
The live stream chat exploded instantly:
"Ahhh! What an amazing love story!"
From school uniforms to wedding dresses, from looking up to each other to standing side by side!
"A double peak in both career and love! I cried!"
"The best kind of love is when two people achieve success together!"
"Young couple 99, you must stay together forever and never separate!!"
Amidst thunderous applause, Liang Xinchong bowed deeply towards Li Mo.
This bow was not only a thank you to the guests present, but also the highest tribute to the girl on stage who existed in the photo and illuminated his entire youth and years of struggle.
Li Mo stood in the audience, gazing at the radiant man on stage and the youthful, determined boy on the screen, and tears finally streamed down her face. But they were tears of happiness, tears of pride.
In his own way, he declared to the world that the initial driving force behind all his success came from her.
His greatest success was being able to stand shoulder to shoulder with her at the summit, sharing this dazzling starlight.
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