Chapter 122: Important events in life must be formal
As he spoke, he took something out of his pocket and handed it to Su Hong - it was a small velvet box. When he opened it, he saw a huge, glittering diamond ring inside. "If you think it's okay, we'll go to the Civil Affairs Bureau tomorrow. If you think it's not okay..."
"If not, just keep waiting?" Su Hong raised her eyebrows and interrupted him.
"If you don't agree, I'll come to your door every day and sing 'Proposal'!" Chen Ran said, looking ready to die. "Sing until the neighbors complain!"
Su Hong finally burst out laughing, and the few wrinkles at the corners of her eyes that were filled with disgust also became sweet.
"Then shall we go get the certificate tomorrow?" Chen Ran pressed the issue and continued to lead the group to get the certificate.
"Who wants to go with you tomorrow?" Su Hong didn't wait for him to finish, and reached out to close the velvet box. Instead of returning it to him, she held it in her hand, and gently rubbed the velvet surface of the box with her fingertips. "I haven't told my old sisters yet, so I have to be prepared."
Chen Ran's eyes lit up, and he almost jumped up from the sofa: "Does that mean you agree?! I've already prepared the household registration book, let's leave early tomorrow morning!"
"Is it necessary to be so urgent?" Su Hong was amused by him.
"I need it, I need it. It's already been over twenty years late. I don't want to wait even a day longer!" Chen Ran was so happy that he couldn't stop smiling. He leaned over to kiss her again, but Su Hong blocked him with her hand: "Don't push your luck. Have you washed the dishes in the kitchen? Have you wiped the stove?"
"Hey! I'll be right there!" Chen Ran immediately stood up and rushed to the kitchen like a chicken with its blood pumped up. He took two steps and turned back, "Hasn't it been washed and wiped yet?!"
Su Hong looked at his busy and chattering back. He was so old, but still so young and naive. The corners of her mouth couldn't help but curl up.
The next morning, as the sunlight just filled the living room, Chen Ran woke up - not because of the alarm clock, but because he couldn't contain his excitement.
He got up quietly, not daring to wake up Su Hong who was still sleeping, and turned around to go into the kitchen to busy himself.
The fried eggs have to be fried until crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, the milk has to be warm but not too hot, and even the toast has to be cut into neat squares and placed on the plate with a piece of lettuce leaf, just like a hotel breakfast.
When Su Hong woke up, she smelled the fragrance coming from the kitchen.
She sat up and rubbed her eyes, and saw the folded clothes on the bedside table - it was the off-white dress she had specially picked out yesterday, and even the matching pearl earrings were placed on a small plate next to it.
As soon as I walked out of the bedroom, I ran into Chen Ran carrying breakfast out. He was dressed in a suit and tie, with his hair combed meticulously, looking as formal as if he was going to a board meeting.
"Why are you dressed so formally? You're just getting a certificate. If someone doesn't know you, they'd think you're going to ring the bell at a public listing!" Su Hong couldn't help laughing.
"This is the first time in your life that you're getting a marriage certificate! This is a big deal, it has to be official!" Chen Ran handed the plate to her and turned back to get the household registration booklet. "I checked it three times last night, and everything is in order!"
Su Hong ate breakfast and watched him walking around in the living room, sometimes adjusting his tie, sometimes looking at his watch, just like a primary school student waiting to go on a spring outing. The smile on his lips never faded.
After the two of them packed up and went out, as soon as they got downstairs, they saw Su Nian waiting downstairs, holding his mobile phone like a professional paparazzi.
"Why are you here?" Su Hong was a little surprised.
"Dad sent me a message last night saying you guys are getting your marriage certificate today. I absolutely have to be there!" Su Nian smiled and waved her phone. "I want to film the whole thing, from leaving the house to getting the marriage certificate, as a souvenir!"
Chen Ran said seriously, "The main thing is that we all want our family to be here. For such a historic moment, everyone must be present!"
"Yes, you are not allowed to hide anything from me in the future! By the way," Su Nian said, "Si Yan sent me here this morning. He was in a hurry to go to work. He said he had arranged a dinner tonight, and you just need to dress up and attend."
"This kid is really..." Su Hong said, "We are not young anymore, so we don't need to be like this, right? Isn't it better to be low-key?"
"Mom, let's just have a simple meal. It can't be more low-key!" Su Nian said.
Chen Ran shook Su Hong's hand as she sat on the passenger seat. "Listen to the kids. Don't be afraid. I'm here for you!"
Along the way, Chen Ran was extremely talkative. Sometimes he said to Su Nian, "When we get to the Civil Affairs Bureau, please take a photo of me and your mom." Sometimes he said to Su Hong, "After we get the marriage certificate, let's have dinner together." Even Su Nian couldn't help but joke, "Dad, you're more excited now than when you confessed to my mom, right?"
Arriving at the Civil Affairs Bureau, there weren't many people. Chen Ran held Su Hong's hand and walked inside, his fingers clenched tightly. Su Hong could feel the sweat on his palms.
When filling in the form, he wrote every stroke with extreme care, even the two words "Chen Ran" were written more neatly than usual.
When it was time to take the marriage certificate photo, the photographer asked them to get closer. Chen Ran immediately moved closer to Su Hong and quietly helped her tidy up the hair around her ears.
"Smile and look at the camera," said the photographer.
Su Hong looked at the camera, then turned to look at Chen Ran beside her. The corners of his mouth were raised high and his eyes were shining.
She couldn't help but smile, and the fine lines at the corners of her eyes showed tenderness.
The moment the shutter was pressed, Su Nian quietly raised her phone and took a picture of the scene - in the photo, the two people leaned against each other, smiling particularly sweetly.
When he got the red book, Chen Ran held it in both hands, as if it were a treasure, and read it over and over again. He even leaned close to Su Hong's ear and whispered, "Ah Hong, we are now legally married."
Su Hong's cheeks turned slightly red, and she said "hmm" embarrassedly.
After leaving the Civil Affairs Bureau, the three of them got into the car. Chen Ran took out a red envelope from his pocket and handed it to his daughter with a smile, "There's a happy event at home, you should also share in your parents' joy."
"Thank you, Dad!" Su Nian said happily as she took the red envelope. There seemed to be a card inside. Fine, I'll take it! Now I can confidently live off my parents!
She then playfully reached out to Su Hong, "Where's Mom's?"
"You little money-grubber!" Su Hong scolded.
Su Nian smiled and took out a pair of Rolex watches from her bag and handed them to her parents. "This is a gift from Si Yan and me. Please accept it, Mom and Dad."
Chen Ran took the watch, which looked quite expensive. His eyes were filled with surprise. "The kids are so thoughtful."
I thought to myself that it was a good thing that the card in the red envelope was big enough, otherwise I would feel embarrassed to let my daughter spend money.
Su Hong also looked at the watch lovingly and patted Su Nian's shoulder gently, "Thank you, my dear daughter."
Su Nian said with a smile: "Mom and Dad, this watch symbolizes your future life together, which will be long, sweet and happy."
Sunlight streamed in through the car window. Su Hong looked at Chen Ran, who was grinning from ear to ear, and then glanced at her daughter, who was humming a song in the back seat. She suddenly felt very at ease.
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