Marriage and perseverance
Rain trickled down the ginkgo leaves. As the calendar turned to November, Xiaofeng's rib pain finally stopped. She and Xiaoqi finished their yoga class at the Ninghai Shopping Center and went to a cafe for afternoon tea.
As soon as she sat down, Xiaofeng began to hum along with the music in the store, her fingers tapping a rhythm on the table as a few lyrics floated out of her mouth: "Your shoulders are my open-minded paradise..."
"It's your birthday tomorrow. How are you going to celebrate?" Xiao Qi's tone was a little cautious. He didn't want to interrupt her immersion, but he was also worried about his own "mission".
"I don't know. Wenqing didn't say anything." Xiaofeng held his chin, but there was no disappointment in his eyes.
"Such a meaningful birthday, he should at least show some appreciation, right?"
"Isn't every birthday unique?" Xiaofeng raised an eyebrow and asked, making Xiaoqi laugh.
Xiao Feng suddenly clapped his hands. "By the way, Fourth Uncle said that the boxing gym has a restaurant that needs a new partner. Is Uncle Ming interested in running a restaurant?"
"Cooperate with your Jiang family? We are not good enough." Xiao Qi waved his hand.
"I heard they said I don't need to invest, I can just participate full-time and get all the human resources shares... Do you understand what they mean?"
Xiao Qi nodded and instantly switched to "analysis mode." "It's about quantifying equity through daily operations, personnel training, and supply chain management. Usually, the total share capital is split into capital shares and human resources shares, and after the investment is recovered, the management share ratio is gradually increased. How many years has that restaurant been in business? How is it doing now?"
Xiao Feng immediately put on a playful smile and winked at Xiao Qi: "Can we change the subject?"
"So what do you want to talk about?"
"Why do we need a theme for a chat? If we have a theme, it's called a meeting."
"You have quite a lot of crooked ideas."
"Just tell me if it makes sense," Xiaofeng said, humming along with the music. "You're all in my head, all in my heart... The music in this cafe is just to my taste."
"How do you suit your taste?"
"They're all my favorite songs. Why didn't I notice this before? Did they change owners? This owner understands me so well. I'll have to come here more often."
Xiao Qi got up and went to the cashier. When he came back, he was holding the order card in his hand. "I ordered a tiramisu. Is that what you like?"
"Yeah! I love it."
"The waiter will bring it over in a moment."
"Thank you, you're the best."
Hearing this, Xiao Qi reached out and took Xiao Feng's hand, looking at her with deliberate affection: "How about... let's give it a try? Give me a chance."
Xiao Feng immediately put on a pitiful expression: "Xiao Qiqi, I'm sorry, I'm already past puberty and I'm afraid I can't satisfy you!"
Xiao Qi snorted "Tsk" and suddenly pulled his hand back. The two of them burst into laughter and almost cried.
The background music of the cafe suddenly switched to Khalil Fong's "Special Someone". Xiaofeng clapped her hands excitedly, "I really want to meet this boss. He's either a handsome man or a beautiful woman..."
"Miss..." A gentle voice interrupted her, so familiar that Xiaofeng's heart skipped a beat. She stopped smiling and turned back, only to meet Jiang Wenqing's smiling eyes. He was wearing a casual suit, holding a piece of exquisite tiramisu in his hands.
"Wenqing..." Xiaofeng stood up hurriedly, her mind racing, and blurted out, "Are you working part-time here?"
As soon as these words were spoken, good-natured laughter broke out all around. Coincidentally, the background music had reached its climax, and the voices of the "extras" who were originally humming along were disrupted by the laughter, but it was particularly lively.
"We are special to each other, we are willing to sacrifice everything for each other, inseparable, and our seriousness is not that of an ordinary person..."
As the music played, Wenqing put down his dessert and pulled a velvet box from his pocket. He opened it, revealing a diamond ring gleaming softly under the light. He knelt on one knee and looked up at Xiaofeng: "Xiaofeng...marry me."
Xiaofeng stood there with her mouth covered, her eyes instantly moistened with disbelief.
Wenqing held up the diamond ring, her voice steady yet trembling. "I want our names to appear on the same household registration. I want you to remember me whenever you make a decision. I want to walk the rest of your life with you legally and take care of you for the rest of your life... Are you willing?"
"I do." Tears finally burst out of Xiaofeng's eyes. She reached out and held Wenqing's hand tightly.
Wenqing trembled as he picked up the ring and slowly slipped it onto her left ring finger. Xiaofeng, already in tears, was held in his arms. He gently patted her back and whispered soothing words in her ear.
At this time, Xiaoqi handed over a file bag. Wenqing took it and handed it to Xiaofeng, explaining, "This is our 'Lifetime Cooperation Agreement'. Your medical care, life insurance, and family trust... are all in place, and they're all in your name."
The music continued, and the sunlight from outside the window shone through the glass and fell on the two people hugging each other, warm as a beautiful dream that would never wake up.
That evening, Xiaofeng nestled in Wenqing's arms, her left hand raised to the light, examining the diamond ring from every angle. Twelve smaller diamonds, each shaped like a snow leopard's paw, surrounded the main diamond, their shimmering light like shattered starlight. "A&H, 2012.11.25" was engraved on the inside of the ring, a code unique to them. Suddenly, she withdrew her hand, pressing the diamond ring tightly to her chest, her voice filled with joy: "I love it!"
Wen Qing raised her left hand, showing the platinum hammered ring on her ring finger, which matched her diamond ring beautifully. "We are a couple."
Xiao Feng turned slightly, held his face in her hands, and gently kissed him. Then she buried her head in the crook of his neck, her voice muffled but clear: "Wenqing, I love you."
Wenqing gently stroked her back, the warmth of his palm coming through the fabric, "I love you, Xiaofeng."
"Why are you so nice to me?" She raised her head with stars in her eyes.
"Because you're worth it." Wen Qing's eyes were serious and gentle. "These three words are never just words. Rather than 'I'll support you forever,' I want to be with you and live the life we both love. Your dream is my responsibility, and your name is in my future. Is that okay?"
"I will try my best." Xiaofeng nodded vigorously.
"Well, I'm not going to stop, so you have to try to keep up."
"Okay, Mr. Jiang." She smiled and suddenly remembered something, "Oh, it's my birthday tomorrow, and I need to ask my parents for a red envelope."
"You want a red envelope?"
"Well, I'm going to keep all those red envelopes and notes and save them forever. They are very precious gifts."
"Do you think mom and dad only give notes as red envelopes?"
Xiaofeng quickly got up from Wenqing's arms and took out a delicate little box. Inside were the notes she had treasured. "Isn't it? Besides birthdays, there are also notes for Chinese New Year and other festivals. My mother gave them to me last year. I think I must have saved up several more this year. I'll go ask my mother for them tomorrow."
Wen Qing was amused by this silly girl, but after laughing, he said seriously, "Little fool, a piece of paper represents a blessing, and the corresponding real money is all in your bank card."
Xiaofeng's pupils instantly dilated, her heartbeat accelerated, and her brain felt like it had been paused, completely short-circuited. This sudden news was like a psychological earthquake, temporarily leaving her unable to think or speak. She threw herself into Wenqing's arms again, her voice choking with sobs, "If this is a dream, please don't wake me."
"Our life is a happiness more real than a dream." Wen Qing tightened his arms and whispered in her ear, "Honey, let's get the marriage certificate tomorrow."
"Go...I'll go."
On November 25, 2012, at the entrance to the Civil Affairs Bureau, Wenqing shook the red book in his hand and said with a smile, "Nine yuan for a lifetime membership is worth it." He then picked up another book and brought it close to Xiaofeng's eyes. "Look, honey, even the stamp is in the shape of a heart."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
