There were no onlookers here, no carefully arranged venue. No balloons, no roses, no candles, no floral decorations. Just pouring rain, and her, and him.
Feng Ning stared at Jiang Wen.
She put away her playfulness, tilting her face up slightly, and said to him solemnly: “Jiang Wen, I’m ready.”
Jiang Wen took a long time to process this, trying to steady himself. His mouth opened, but his throat felt tight, “This is…?”
“Can’t you tell?” Feng Ning tilted her head, thought for a moment, then said with certainty: “I’m proposing to you.”
He paused for a long while before understanding what Feng Ning was saying, “Proposing… to me?”
Jiang Wen was a bit at a loss, his cold black eyes showing what seemed like happiness, yet also disbelief.
…
…
From long, long ago, Jiang Wen had been enduring, enduring feelings he couldn’t express. Sometimes he wondered why time passed so slowly, so slow that countless nights of missing her were filled with struggle. Life stretched endlessly ahead, and he had thought that deep feelings would eventually turn to just cheapness and embarrassment.
He had never imagined there would be such a day.
A day when Feng Ning would respond to all his feelings unreservedly and passionately. When this moment finally arrived, Jiang Wen’s entire being seemed frozen in place, unable to say anything.
Feng Ning looked at him, choking up, crying and laughing: “Let’s get married, you’ll be my family. In the future we’ll raise a dog, have a baby, I’ll cook for you every day. After meals, we’ll hold hands and walk in the park, go to the supermarket to buy fruit, eat hotpot in winter, go for drives in summer. Will you give me a home?”
In the violent rain, on the empty street, Jiang Wen held her in his arms.
After a long while, he answered: “Yes.”
Meeting his family happened two months later. Feng Ning specifically took a week off work.
There were two meetings total – first a dinner, then a formal visit.
Though Grandfather Jiang’s hair was completely white, his bearing showed no sign of weakness. Though he looked stern with his sharp spirit, his tone when speaking with Feng Ning was unexpectedly mild.
Perhaps because Jiang Wen had spoken to them beforehand, when Jiang Wen’s parents chatted with Feng Ning, they didn’t give her too much trouble. They didn’t even ask about her family situation or who was in her family, just casually discussed work and everyday interests.
Though she had mentally prepared herself, the anticipated cold reception didn’t materialize at all, and Feng Ning’s tense emotions eased.
She was naturally likeable with a good personality, and in just a few sentences, she had all the elders laughing happily.
Old Mr. Jiang was in a good mood and asked Feng Ning to play several games of chess with him. Jiang Wen stayed close by her side the whole time, clearly being protective.
Others found it amusing. When Jiang Yuyu passed by and watched for a while, she couldn’t help teasing, “Jiang Wen, who brings their wife home like this, being more nervous than the wife herself.”
Jiang Yurong also joined in: “Brother must be afraid sister-in-law will run away! Brother was single for so long, finally finding such a beautiful and cute sister-in-law, of course he has to be nervous!”
These playful words made everyone laugh.
The family’s housekeeper chattered beside them: “It’s lively this year, Xiao Wen finally brought someone home. It’ll be wonderful at New Year’s when everyone’s together, hopefully there’ll be one more person next year.”
After dinner that evening, when they were leaving, Jiang Yuyu pulled Feng Ning aside to talk at the door.
Jiang Wen stood at a distance watching them, hands in his pockets.
On the way back, while driving, he tried to ask casually, “What did my sister say to you just now?”
Feng Ning’s eyes and brows were full of smiles as she said seriously: “…Sister said you should always yield to me in the future, and if you dare bully me, she’ll deal with you directly. She also said that although you’re somewhat handsome, you have a very loyal personality and haven’t caused any trouble all these years, so I shouldn’t worry about you fooling around outside.”
After a quiet moment, she asked half-seriously, “Why aren’t you saying anything?”
“What is there to say?”
“If you dare bully me, I’ll go to your sister, got it?”
After saying this, Feng Ning started laughing first.
Jiang Wen said lightly: “My sister got it backwards.”
“Hm, what?”
At a red light, the car stopped and Jiang Wen turned his head, “I wouldn’t dare bully you.”
“?”
He maintained that flat tone: “The one who should worry about the other person fooling around isn’t you, it’s me.”
Feng Ning’s lips curved up slightly, “Don’t worry, I won’t betray you. If I betray you…”
Jiang Wen glanced at her.
Feng Ning sat up straight and finished her sentence: “There’s nothing you could do about it anyway!”
Jiang Wen: “…….”
The next day was scheduled for their wedding photos.
Nancheng had clear skies for miles, the weather was beautiful with occasional gentle breezes.
While shooting outdoor scenes, the staff chatted in the car. A young girl sighed enviously: “Haven’t seen such a good-looking couple in ages, and you were even high school classmates! How did you two get together back then?”
The makeup artist was touching up Feng Ning’s makeup. She closed her eyes and answered with a smile, “He was so aloof, I had to shamelessly chase him for a long time before I got him.”
Hearing this, the young girl secretly glanced at the man sitting nearby.
He wore a white shirt and had a cold demeanor. He wasn’t the feminine cream-puff type of handsome, but rather had a very masculine attractiveness, combined with an untouchable quality that made young girls’ hearts race just from looking at him twice. He sat there, and no one dared strike up a conversation.
While everyone was chatting, Jiang Wen took a bottle of mineral water and pressed it against Feng Ning’s neck.
She had been talking to others but jumped from the cold, “What are you doing?!”
Seeing her get angry, Jiang Wen’s lips showed a gentle smile as he unscrewed the cap and held it to her lips, “Are you thirsty? Have some water.”
Their interaction, oblivious to others, knocked down another group of single people.
…
…
They changed outdoor locations several times. After noon, the sun was scorching, and everyone was sweating profusely.
The last stop was Qide High School.
It happened to be during vacation, so there were few people at school.
After taking a set of photos on the sports field, Feng Ning said she needed to use the bathroom. Jiang Wen went with the staff to wait in the classroom area.
Years had passed, but the first-year teaching building looked the same as before – the corridors, stairwells, classrooms, desks and chairs and books, the tall lush trees below – all familiar scenery.
Jiang Wen looked around for a while, his gaze moving elsewhere before suddenly stopping.
Amidst the bustling voices, Feng Ning squinted, arms crossed, leaning against the railing, having watched him for who knows how long.
Not far away, several people were setting up equipment. She wore Qide’s blue and white uniform with a knee-length pleated skirt.
They quietly looked at each other. Just for those few seconds, Feng Ning walked over, step by step, right up to Jiang Wen.
As if they had returned to ten years ago, here, where they first met.
Feng Ning reached out her hand: “Hello classmate, I’m Feng Ning, the ‘Feng’ from ‘meeting too late to cherish.’”
Jiang Wen looked at her features and said: “The ‘Ning’ from ‘disturbing the peace.’”
Feng Ning smiled brightly: “Very happy to meet you.”
…
…
-If we could start over, would you still want to meet me? -Yes.
Their story was simple.
It began in a blazing summer.
Summer was about to end.
I took apart all my gentleness. Nine parts for the future, the remaining part hidden away, left at sixteen.
Left for that summer, in rain-drenched Nancheng.
— The day you and I met.
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