The rest of my life
The first snow fell quietly. When I opened the window in the early morning, the camphor trees downstairs were covered with a thin layer of snow, their branches drooping as if they were covered with a layer of fine icing sugar.
Luo Yan had just finished washing up when she saw Qi Sheng standing at the kitchen door, holding two white porcelain bowls filled with warm pumpkin porridge. The rising steam blurred his features.
He looked up, his tone calm and serene, like the snowy day, "No need to work overtime today. Let's go for a walk in the wetland park on the outskirts of the city. There's a reed bed there; it should look beautiful after the snow."
Luo Yan walked over and took the bowl of porridge he handed her. The bowl was warm to the touch. "How did you know I wanted to go?" she had casually mentioned last week. The reeds in winter, covered in snow, looked like blank spaces in a traditional Chinese ink painting.
"I remember everything you said." Qi Sheng lowered his head and stirred the porridge in his bowl. His tone was natural and without any embellishment, but it warmed Luo Yan's heart.
After breakfast, Qi Sheng drove towards the outskirts of the city. The road was quiet after the snow, and the fields outside the car window were covered with snow. Occasionally, a few sparrows would fly up from the wheat fields, leaving a trail of light footprints.
The reed beds in the wetland park were more expansive than I had imagined. Snow fell on the reed heads, bending the slender stems slightly. When the wind blew, the snowflakes fell in a soft rustling sound. Luo Yan walked into the snow, each step making a soft "crunch" sound, leaving a string of shallow footprints behind her.
Qi Sheng followed half a step behind her, carrying a dark brown leather photo album, which he usually used to organize training photos. "Slow down," he said as she was about to step onto a thin piece of ice, his voice low but steady.
Luo Yan stopped and turned to look at him. Sunlight filtered through the reeds, casting a soft glow on his silhouette. He stood tall and straight in the snow, like a deeply rooted tree, giving her a sense of security.
"What is this?" she asked curiously, leaning closer to see what was inside.
"Here you go." Qi Sheng handed over the photo album, the cover of which had a frosted finish and felt very high-quality. "I organized the training photos and also sorted out our photos."
Luo Yan flipped through the photo album; the first page was a group photo from their graduation. She was wearing her graduation gown, her eyes crinkling with laughter, while he stood beside her in a white shirt, a faint smile playing on his lips.
Turning the page, you'll find photos from their trip to Linhu Town. She's holding rice cakes at the morning market, a touch of osmanthus sauce on her lips; on a bench in the old street, she leans on his shoulder, the backdrop a cobblestone path adorned with red lanterns. Below each photo is a line of his handwritten notes, neat and precise, reflecting his characteristic meticulousness:
June 19th, Happy Graduation! Her smile is like a little sun.
June 27th, rice cakes from Linhu Town. She likes them sweet, so she adds extra osmanthus sauce.
On July 1st, she fell asleep with her head on my shoulder, breathing very softly.
...
There were no fancy words, just simple records of their time together, yet it was more touching than any sweet talk. Luo Yan turned to the last page and found a blank photo space with a line written below: "Fill it in slowly in the days to come."
"How long did it take you to organize all this?" She looked up at him. She knew he was busy with work, with training sessions and lesson plans taking up most of his time, yet he still found the time to carefully tidy up their memories, page by page.
"I did this in my spare time," Qi Sheng said calmly. "I thought we could look back on it together someday, so it would be something to remember me by." He walked to her side and looked at the reeds in front of them side by side. The snow reflected in his eyes, carrying a calm gentleness. "Luo Yan, these days with you have been very peaceful."
This was a rare instance of his straightforward expression, devoid of intense emotion, yet like reeds after a snowfall, exuding a resolute strength. Luo Yan leaned against his shoulder, inhaling the faint scent of mint mingled with the crisp air after the snow, her heart feeling as if it had been warmed by gentle water, soft and reassuring. "Me too," she whispered, "Being with you, I feel at ease no matter what I do."
The two walked slowly along the wooden boardwalk through the reeds until they reached a small viewing pavilion. A thin layer of snow covered the pavilion, and traces of visitors' carvings remained on the stone table. Qi Sheng helped Luo Yan up the steps, took a tissue from his pocket, and carefully wiped the snow off the stone bench before letting her sit down.
"Sit down for a while, take a break." He sat down next to her, still holding the photo album in his hand, his fingertips gently tracing the texture of the cover.
Luo Yan looked at him and suddenly felt that he was a little different today. He was usually calm and composed, and rarely did he seem so slightly uneasy. Just as she was about to ask, she saw Qi Sheng take a dark blue velvet box out of the album's compartment.
Qi Sheng took a deep breath, making no exaggerated movements, but simply looking intently into her eyes with an unprecedented solemnity. He opened the box, inside which lay a silver ring. The band was a simple plain band, without any superfluous decorations, yet it exuded a sense of certainty that had been refined over time.
“Luo Yan,” his voice was lower than usual, but unusually clear, “I’m not good at sweet talk, and I don’t really know how to create romance. But I know that what’s important for two people to be together is a steady, long-lasting relationship. I want to give you that kind of stability. When you’re tired, I can offer you my shoulder; I will support whatever you want to do.”
He took her hand and gently slipped the ring onto her ring finger. It fit perfectly, as if tailor-made for her. "I've found an apartment in Su Yi, close to your company and the sports school. It has a small balcony where you can grow your favorite flowers." His fingertips lightly touched the ring, his tone carrying the responsibility of a partner. "Luo Yan, I want to build a home with you. This isn't just a passing fancy. Will you marry me?"
Luo Yan looked at the seriousness in his eyes and at the simple ring on his ring finger. There were no exaggerated vows, no deliberate embellishments, only his usual composure and thoughtfulness, which moved her more than any lavish scene.
She recalled the countless ordinary days he had spent doing little things for her, remembered all her little habits, and treated her joys and sorrows as his own.
These hidden acts of tenderness in everyday life wove a reassuring net, letting her know that the person before her was someone she could entrust the rest of her life to. Luo Yan nodded vigorously, her voice slightly choked, yet incredibly clear: "I do, Qi Sheng."
A light shone in Qi Sheng's eyes, like the sunshine after a snowfall. He held her hand tightly, his fingertips gently caressing her palm, a restrained tenderness in his movements. "Okay," he whispered, a single word that carried immense weight.
A breeze blew through the reeds, carrying the crisp scent of snow, and ruffled the hems of their clothes. They sat side by side in the viewing pavilion, gazing at the distant snowscape, their hands clasped tightly, the rings on their ring fingers gleaming subtly in the sunlight. There was no one else to disturb them, only the sounds of their breaths and heartbeats.
On the way back, Qi Sheng, who was holding the steering wheel, would occasionally turn to the side and gently pat the back of her hand. "Let's go look at houses together next week," he said calmly, yet with a sense of planning for the future. "If you feel there's anything you don't like, we can change it."
"Okay." Luo Yan leaned back in her chair, watching the snow scene flash by outside the window, a satisfied smile on her lips.
Snowflakes were still falling sporadically, landing on the car window and quickly melting into tiny water droplets. Luo Yan looked at Qi Sheng, who was focused on driving, and suddenly felt that the best kind of love was like this: two mature people, with unwavering faith in each other, making ordinary days into the most peaceful and stable life.
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