People who are taken
Seeing that the time was right, Old Master Cui put down his teacup. His smile remained gentle, but his expression had become more formal than before.
He cleared his throat softly, and although the sound was not loud, it drew everyone's attention.
Old Master Cui's gaze slowly swept over Meng's parents, finally landing on Cui Yu and Meng Yihe sitting side by side: "Mr. Meng, Mrs. Meng, the main reason I invited you here today is not only to try the food here, but also because I have something important to discuss with you and would like to ask for your blessings."
"Xiaoyu and Yihe have known each other for a long time, and their journey has not been easy. They understand each other and are convinced that they are meant to spend their lives together. As their elders, we see this and are very happy."
"So, since the two children are so in love, shouldn't we... take this opportunity today to formally arrange their marriage? It would put our minds at ease and give them a more secure commitment."
After he finished speaking, there was a moment of silence in the private room.
Although Meng Ling and Ye Chunhan were mentally prepared, they still showed excitement when they heard the elders of the other party make such a formal proposal.
Ye Chunhan was the first to react, and quickly nodded with a smile: "This is wonderful news! Sir, Madam, you are too kind! We...we are of course a hundred percent willing and a thousand times wishing you well!"
Mr. Meng nodded solemnly: "It is fate and a blessing that the two children can come together. We have no objection. It is entirely up to the old gentleman, the old lady and the children."
"well!"
Grandpa Cui was clearly pleased. He looked at Cui Yu and Meng Yihe and said, "Then this matter can be considered a mutual decision between our two families."
Then, Cui Yu took a box and turned to Meng Yihe, and everyone's eyes were focused on the two of them.
Cui Yu opened the box.
Inside are two simple yet exquisitely designed platinum wedding rings. There are no excessive patterns, only the initials of the other person's name and today's date engraved on the inside of the rings.
He took out the one that belonged to Meng Yihe and then looked at Meng Yihe.
Under his gaze, Meng Yihe slowly stood up. He still looked calm, but his slightly trembling eyelashes and quietly clenched fists betrayed the turmoil in his heart.
Cui Yu took his left hand, his voice not loud, but clearly echoing in the quiet private room.
"Yihe".
Meng Yihe looked up at him, took a soft breath, and then extended her ring finger. Cui Yu carefully and slowly pushed the cool ring into the base of Meng Yihe's ring finger; the size was just right.
After completing this action, Cui Yu gently stroked the ring he had just put on with his fingertips, then raised his eyes and looked deeply at Meng Yihe.
It was Meng Yihe's turn.
He took another ring from the box, took Cui Yu's left hand, and lowered his head. His thick eyelashes drooped, casting a faint shadow on his eyelids.
Once the ring was securely on, Meng Yihe seemed to breathe a sigh of relief, looked up, and met Cui Yu's burning gaze.
Their eyes met, and unspoken emotions flowed in the air.
"Great!" Old Master Cui was the first to applaud, his face full of a gratified smile.
Grandma Cui also smiled and wiped the corners of her eyes.
Mencius' parents clapped their hands, their eyes filled with blessings for their children's happiness.
After the simple exchange of tokens was completed, Cui Yu and Meng Yihe sat down again, their hands, adorned with matching rings, clasped together under the table.
With a contented smile on his face, Grandpa Cui glanced at the two sets of parents and the newlyweds before him and suggested, "Today is a good day, worth remembering. How about we take a group photo together?"
The proposal was immediately met with a positive response from everyone.
"Great! Great!" Grandma Cui was the first to agree with a smile, and Ye Chunhan nodded repeatedly, her face beaming.
Cui Yu immediately stood up and arranged for a waiter to take photos. He carefully made room for the main sofa and asked the four elders to sit side by side. Then, he walked to Meng Yihe's side, gently put his arm around his shoulder, and stood in the center behind the elders' sofa.
"Come on, look here—okay, one, two, three!" the waiter instructed skillfully.
The shutter clicked softly, capturing the moment.
"Great! The photos are really well taken!" Grandma Cui couldn't wait to see the results.
Cui Yu took the camera and, together with Meng Yihe and the elders, looked at the photos they had just taken.
Ye Chunhan looked at her son's rare, unguarded smile in the photo, and her eyes welled up slightly.
"Remember to send me a copy later," Meng Ling said with a rare smile.
After the group photo, the banquet was drawing to a close.
As he rose to leave, Old Master Cui patted Mr. Meng on the shoulder and said kindly, "Mr. Meng, let's keep in touch. Let's communicate more about the children's affairs."
Meng Ling nodded solemnly in agreement.
Grandma Cui held Ye Chunhan's hand and said sweet words all the way, making plans to go to the opera or the flower market together next time. Ye Chunhan smiled and agreed repeatedly.
As they walked down the corridor, taking advantage of the moment when the elders were chatting ahead, Cui Yu naturally lagged two steps behind and walked to Meng Yihe's side. He gently took Meng Yihe's hand, the one adorned with a ring, in his hand. Their fingers intertwined, the cool ring against her warm hand, its presence unmistakably clear.
Are you tired?
Meng Yihe gently squeezed Cui Yu's hand in return and whispered, "It's alright."
Laughter from the elders came from ahead, and they let go of his hand and quickly followed.
The group arrived at the entrance of "Yihexuan".
The Cui family's driver was already waiting in his sleek black sedan.
Grandpa Cui made thoughtful arrangements and smiled at Mr. and Mrs. Meng, saying, "Mr. and Mrs. Meng, let the driver take you home so you can rest on the way. You've had a long day."
Mencius's parents quickly expressed their gratitude.
Before getting into the car, Ye Chunhan turned back and held Meng Yihe's hand, giving her a few more words of advice. Her eyes were full of relief and reluctance before she got into the car with Meng Ling.
Grandma Cui also pulled Cui Yu aside and said, "Drive slowly on the road, safety first, and get Xiao Meng home safely."
"Okay, Grandma. You and Grandpa should get some rest too." Cui Yu smiled and opened the door of the other car for her grandparents.
After seeing off the elders, only Cui Yu and Meng Yihe remained at the door.
"Let's go, Director Meng." Cui Yu turned her head, smiled at Meng Yihe, and naturally opened the passenger door for him. "I'll take you home."
Cui Yu focused intently on driving.
Meng Yihe leaned back in her chair, looking out at the dazzling street scene, seemingly still savoring everything that had happened that night.
Cui Yu couldn't help but raise the corners of his mouth little by little, and suddenly spoke, his voice carrying a smug smile of having gotten a good deal: "Director Meng."
"Hmm?" Meng Yihe turned her head at the sound.
Cui Yu kept his eyes on the road ahead, but his tone was lazy and he dragged out his words: "Now... I'm someone with a title and someone who's been taken."
Meng Yihe paused for a second, then her ears turned a visibly red, and she bluntly uttered two words: "...Drive."
Cui Yu chuckled softly.
"We're here." Cui Yu stopped the car and turned to look at him. "Get some rest early tonight."
"Okay." Meng Yihe unbuckled her seatbelt and prepared to get out of the car.
“Wait,” Cui Yu called out to him, leaned over, quickly pecked him on the lips, and then stepped back. “Goodnight, fiancé.”
Meng Yihe: "..."
He glared at Cui Yu, the blush on his ears seeming to spread again, but in the end he said nothing, just quickly pushed open the door and got out of the car, walking hurriedly towards the unit door.
It was an ordinary weekend evening.
Cui Yu did not reveal any plans in advance. He simply called Meng Yihe near dusk that day, speaking in a normal tone.
"No plans for tonight? I'll take you somewhere to eat. It's a bit far, but the scenery is nice."
Meng Yihe agreed.
Cui Yu picked him up in her car, and the car eventually left the bustling city and drove up a quiet mountain road. Finally, halfway up the mountain, next to a viewing platform with a great view, a minimalist modern building came into view.
The waiter led them to a terrace seat that extended out from the cliff.
The sun was setting, casting a golden glow that painted the distant city and winding river in a magnificent light.
When the last dessert was cleared away, the waiters had already quietly left, leaving only the two of them on the spacious terrace. At this moment, Cui Yu suddenly turned around and faced Meng Yihe.
"Yihe".
Meng Yihe looked up at him.
Cui Yu took out a small, exquisite velvet box from the inside pocket of his suit, opened it, and handed it to Meng Yihe.
It is a simple platinum band with an extremely minimalist design, but the initials of the two people's surnames are clearly engraved inside the band.
"Our engagement was a natural progression, blessed by everyone."
Cui Yu's gaze was fixed on Meng Yihe, his tone slow and solemn, each word seemingly carefully considered.
"But it's more like a confirmation of a stable relationship between two families."
He paused, his gaze becoming even deeper and gentler.
"Now, it's just you and me here."
He glanced around at this world that seemed isolated from the rest of the world, his voice softer yet more forceful.
"What I want to ask you, setting aside everything else, just as Cui Yu, is this: ask Meng Yihe—"
He took a deep breath and asked the question: "Would you like to spend the rest of your life with me?"
The evening breeze ruffled the stray hairs on Meng Yihe's forehead. He stared blankly at the plain ring, his silence seemingly longer than ever before.
Finally, Meng Yihe slowly reached out her hand.
His fingertips even trembled almost imperceptibly. He didn't touch the ring, but gently covered Cui Yu's hand that was holding the box.
Then, he raised his eyes and looked at Cui Yu: "I'm willing."
Cui Yu's tense shoulders instantly relaxed. He took out the plain bracelet and put it on Meng Yihe's right ring finger, where it complemented the engagement ring.
Since that night, the word "wedding" has gone from a distant and vague concept to being officially on the couple's agenda, and the task of turning the wedding from a concept into reality naturally fell on Cui Yu's shoulders.
He handed Meng Yihe the information on several target institutions.
"This is a once-in-a-lifetime event, and I hope that everyone present that day, including ourselves, will have a perfect and unique experience. Which elements do you consider essential and must be retained?"
Meng Yihe's gaze swept over the exquisite case studies.
"The core is the people and the solemnity of the ceremony itself." He thought for a moment and then added the practical requirements: "The environment must be quiet and beautiful, and the food and drinks must be top-notch."
The guest list is almost a no-brainer.
Grandpa and Grandma Cui, parents Meng, and the core team members who have weathered many storms together—Lin Xueyue, Zhao Lei, Gao Yuan, Shen Xinyi, Wu Hao, and Xu Rui.
The location was quickly finalized: a top-tier resort hotel nestled amidst mountains and water. It stands out with its private lakeside lawn, stylish glass banquet hall, and luxurious guest rooms that guarantee absolute privacy.
In the days that followed, preparations began. Cui Yu was the chief planner and external liaison, while Meng Yihe was the final decision-maker and taste keeper.
"Keep the music volume below 45 decibels," Meng Yihe requested, looking at the flowchart.
“Understood. The piano and cello trio has been finalized. Here is the repertoire, which leans towards soothing classical pieces and a few modern arrangements that you like.” Cui Yu immediately offered a solution and handed over the tablet.
"The fragrance of the flowers should be subtle, and the visual appeal should be clean," Meng Yihe commented while reviewing the floral arrangement proposal.
"The designer recommended White Snow Mountain Rose as the main color, paired with a lot of greenery and natural branches, emphasizing form and texture, with a very light fragrance." Cui Yu swiped through the pictures, "This is the scent list and the final effect simulation."
"The total duration of all speeches shall not exceed fifteen minutes." Meng Yihe finally set the bottom line.
"I'll be in charge of the process and will be responsible for strict timing," Cui Yu said with a smile.
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