Stars and seas as witness
Fueled by alcohol, Elder Shen pulled Ao Ming to a corner of the courtyard, winked and lowered his voice: "To woo a girl, after you've laid the groundwork, you have to confess! Be really serious! Girls all like that!"
Ao Ming's face flushed slightly again, and he said in a somewhat embarrassed voice, "I vaguely mentioned it once before. But..."
"But what? You ran into a snag?" The old man looked knowing. "Let me tell you, kid, confessing your feelings isn't about acting impulsively and gambling on whether the other person will say yes. That's reckless! A real confession is when both of you are pretty much on the same page, and you know before you even open your mouth that it's likely to work out. That's what I call a natural progression! If you didn't succeed before, it's because the timing wasn't right."
He stroked his beard, squinted at Qian Jin not far away, and chuckled: "However, in my opinion now, the timing... is about right."
Ao Ming suddenly looked up, a glimmer of light flashing in his azure eyes, filled with uncertain hope: "Elder Shen, are you telling the truth?"
"Of course it's true!" Old Ginseng patted his shoulder. "So, you have to create an opportunity, find an atmosphere that Qian girl likes. When she's happy and excited, this matter will be settled!"
To Elder Shen's surprise, Ao Ming did not immediately and happily adopt the suggestion. Instead, he pondered for a moment and shook his head: "Elder Shen, what you said makes sense, but I always hope... that she didn't agree to me in a state of 'being infatuated' or being moved at the moment. A promise made when emotions are running high is certainly passionate, but I want even more the certainty that she still wants to be with me after careful consideration."
Upon hearing this, Elder Shen was taken aback for a moment, then his gaze towards Ao Ming held genuine admiration. He patted Ao Ming's arm heavily: "Good lad! The fact that you think this way shows you truly cherish Qian girl! You're right, you're absolutely right!"
Ao Ming smiled slightly, his tone becoming firm: "However, you are right, I do need to find a suitable time to formally and solemnly tell her my feelings."
...
A few days later, Ao Ming told Qian Jin that there were some matters in Donghai that he needed to go back and handle, and that he would return in a few days.
Qian Jin was busy planning the foundation of the clinic and replied without looking up, "Oh, okay, go ahead, be careful on the way."
On the first day after Ao Ming left, everything was as usual. Qian Jin was busy repairing roads with the villagers and discussing the layout of the clinic with Elder Shen.
As she finished work in the evening, she habitually said to the empty space beside her, "Good progress today, tomorrow we..." She only realized halfway through her sentence that Ao Ming wasn't there. She paused, then continued speaking to Old Man Li's son beside her.
While cooking dinner, she subconsciously rinsed enough rice for three or four people, only to slap her forehead and chuckle as she scooped out half of it after the water boiled. Old Master Shen had a good appetite, but he couldn't eat that much.
The second day, the third day... these subtle feelings of unease would occasionally reappear. For example, when she saw something interesting and wanted to share it, she would turn around and only see the old woman's drunken, smiling face; or when discussing things, there was no one whose voice could always accurately understand her thoughts and offer practical advice.
Old Shen, who had been watching closely, took advantage of Qian Jin staring blankly at the stove fire that day to lean over and ask with a grin, "Qian girl, you seem distracted. Are you thinking about that boy Ao Ming?"
Qian Jin's cheeks flushed slightly, and she vehemently denied it: "No way! Elder Shen, don't talk nonsense! I was planning to make you your favorite braised pork tonight to go with your drinks, but if you keep this up, I really won't make it!"
The old ginseng immediately raised his hands in surrender: "No, no, no! Girl, we're on the same side, on the same side! I won't say anymore, I won't say anymore! You'd better stew the meat for me!" With that, he happily swayed to the side to wait.
...
Five days later, at dusk, Qian Jingang and the villagers returned to their small courtyard, slightly weary after a day's work. As soon as he opened the door, he saw that familiar figure standing in the yard, his tall and straight profile outlined by the golden glow of the sunset.
She paused for a moment, then the corners of her mouth unconsciously turned up, her tone light and cheerful without her even realizing it: "Why are you only coming back now? Luckily, some villagers brought us some freshly caught fish and freshly picked vegetables today. We'll eat later."
Ao Ming turned around and looked at her travel-worn but bright-eyed appearance. His heart softened, and he smiled and said, "Okay. After we finish eating, I'll take you somewhere."
Perhaps because Ao Ming had returned, Qian Jin was in an exceptionally good mood and prepared a particularly lavish dinner. There was steamed sea fish, garlic-flavored greens, fragrant braised pork, and a pot of delicious fish soup. Elder Shen ate with gusto, his mouth brimming with oil, praising the meal repeatedly.
After dinner, Ao Ming followed Qian Jin's instructions and, as dusk settled, arrived at the small port of Luming Town.
The last rays of the magnificent sunset lingered on the horizon, like an overturned palette, painting the sea with vibrant colors, serene and breathtaking.
Looking at the beautiful scenery, Qian Jin took a deep breath of the salty sea breeze and casually asked, "Is there something important that brings you back to the East China Sea this time?"
Ao Ming stood beside her, gazing at the shimmering sea, his tone calm: "I told my father and mother about the situation in Deer Cry Town. They were very supportive, so I mobilized some aquatic creatures and diverted some of the fish from several nearby fertile fishing grounds. In the future, this port will have a much richer catch, which will provide the town with a long-term livelihood."
As he spoke, he reached into his storage bag and took out several fishing boats of varying sizes. Although they weren't brand new, they looked very sturdy and durable. "These boats will be used by the town for now; they should be better than what they currently have."
Qian Jin's eyes widened in surprise as she looked at the ships, then at Ao Ming. She hadn't expected him to return to the East Sea for this. This gift, unassuming yet truly benefiting the entire Deer Cry Town, touched her heart more than any precious jewel. A warm feeling welled up inside her, and she said sincerely, "Ao Ming, thank you! This is truly... wonderful!"
“Let’s go, let’s go up and take a look.” Ao Ming said, taking Qian Jin’s hand and leading her onto one of the small boats.
Using his magic, Ao Ming's small boat, without the need for sails or oars, sailed smoothly into the bay with the gentle waves. As the boat moved, schools of fish of various kinds leaped out of the surrounding waters, clearly the result of Ao Ming's efforts.
Then, the last rays of sunset faded away, and night quietly descended. On the deep blue sky, countless stars lit up one after another, their reflections shimmering on the inky sea like scattered diamonds.
Suddenly, soft halos of light appeared in the depths of the sea beneath the boat. At first, there were only a few scattered spots, but soon more and more appeared, forming schools. Fish of various shapes, emitting different lights of blue, green, and purple, swam around the boat, adorning this sea area like a dream, as if sailing through a galaxy.
"Wow! How beautiful!" Qian Jin was captivated by the spectacular sight, bending down to look at the school of glowing fish in the sea, as happy as a child. She excitedly turned around, wanting to share this joy with Ao Ming, but instead met a pair of deep blue eyes filled with starlight that had been gazing at her the whole time.
Ao Ming didn't look at the beautiful fish; his gaze was fixed on her from the very beginning.
Bathed in the starlight and the bioluminescence of the sea, Qian Jin suddenly realized that she had been overlooking Ao Ming's appearance. Looking closely now, she saw deep-set eyes, a high nose, and beautifully shaped lips; combined, they created a captivatingly handsome and refined appearance. Especially his eyes, which usually seemed clear and even a little dull, now appeared exceptionally deep and focused under the starlight.
She was about to tease him with a few compliments when Ao Ming spoke first. His voice was deeper than usual, carrying an undeniable seriousness and solemnity:
"Qian Jin." He called her name, as if those two words carried a thousand pounds of weight. "I think you must know that I have loved you for a long time."
He paused, looking intently at her: "Are you... willing to spend the rest of your life with me?"
Qian Jin gazed at him, a calm and clarity she had never felt before. She suddenly understood that when it came to confessing one's feelings, what to say, how to say it, when to say it, and in what form—none of that mattered. What mattered was who was standing before her, saying those words to her.
Once upon a time, she thought that one of them was a dragon prince from the East Sea, and the other was a celestial being from the mortal realm, destined to be from different worlds and go in different directions in the future. But from some point on, Ao Ming used his actions to approach her time and time again, to integrate into her world, to be crazy with her, to make a fuss with her, and to do those seemingly unreliable but meaningful things with her.
He had already gradually steered their seemingly different futures toward the same goal.
A bright smile slowly curved her lips, her eyes sparkling with a mischievous yet touching light: "Ao Ming, are you saying that you plan to be bullied by me for the rest of your life?"
Seeing the smile in her eyes, Ao Ming felt a great weight lifted from his heart and smiled back, his tone incredibly firm: "I'm more than happy to, I'm completely willing, it's my greatest honor."
A gentle sea breeze caressed their hair, carrying a slightly salty scent and the faint glow of distant fishing lights.
Ao Ming's palm was warm, tightly enveloping her, the temperature emanating from his fingertips even more comforting than the most precious warm jade in the East Sea.
Qian Jin looked at her reflection in his eyes, where there was no longer any of the previous cautious probing or unease, only a calm and firm light like the starry night and the deep sea.
She suddenly realized that this was what it meant for things to fall into place naturally. No grand vows or dramatic promises were needed; it was simply on this ordinary yet unique night that they confirmed the fact that they had already become an integral part of each other's lives.
Ao Ming seemed to suddenly remember something and smiled, "Actually, I prepared a gift for you when I returned to the East Sea this time. But I felt that if I took it out first and then confessed, it would inevitably seem like I was using the gift to get you to agree, which would go against my original intention. Now..." He took out a delicate little seashell box and handed it to Qian Jin, "I think it's more appropriate to take it out now. Just consider it my heartfelt gift to celebrate that we... are finally... together."
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