This year’s New Year’s Eve dinner was held at a hotel with both the Ruan and Chen families. At the table, the elders set the date for the wedding and took full responsibility for all matters, big and small, related to the ceremony.
After the dinner, the group left the hotel. Chen Yi and Ruan Mian didn’t follow their parents home but instead took a detour to the city center.
Tonight, there was a grand New Year’s Eve celebration event being held there.
On New Year’s Eve, the streets were bustling with people and cars. Car horns sounded one after another. The headlights and street lamps shone together, forming a long, continuous band of light, like the Milky Way.
The winter night’s cold wind was fierce. Chen Yi and Ruan Mian walked hand in hand through the crowd, their pace slow, quietly chatting about daily trivialities.
After getting their marriage certificate, their life didn’t change much from before. The nature of their work, which kept them apart more than together, made every moment they could spend with each other all the more precious.
The hotel where they had dinner wasn’t far from the New Year’s Eve celebration venue. By the time Chen Yi and Ruan Mian arrived, the streets in the city center were already packed with people.
The middle lanes were also filled to the brim. Vehicles were stuck in the middle of the road, dividing the crowded flow of people into patches.
Ruan Mian received a call from Meng Xinglan. She and Liang Yeran were stuck in traffic to the south and couldn’t move for a while. Shen Yu, who was coming from home, also sent a message saying he was stuck in the west.
All around were lively sounds. Just as Ruan Mian was about to turn her head to speak to Chen Yi, she unexpectedly saw only unfamiliar faces in front of her.
Her lips parted slightly, her expression full of surprise.
After a moment of shock, Ruan Mian withdrew her gaze. As she walked, she called Chen Yi. She had just pressed the number 1 when suddenly, someone grabbed her arm from behind and pulled her into an embrace.
The man’s breath was warm and familiar, causing her to only struggle for a second before stopping. Chen Yi lowered his head and whispered in her ear, “No need to look. I can see you.”
There were too many people here. Just now, in order to avoid a couple carrying a child, he was squeezed to the side.
At this moment, Chen Yi stood behind Ruan Mian, his arm around her shoulders, walking forward with the flow of people. “Next time if this happens again, just stand where you are and wait for me. I will come back to find you.”
Ruan Mian nodded with a smile. “I know.”
The crowd in the city center on New Year’s Eve was unimaginably large. The entire street was like boiling water in a pot, lively and bubbling.
Chen Yi and Ruan Mian finally found a place to rest. When they stopped, both of them had more or less broken out in sweat.
Chen Yi simply took off his coat and stood in the cold wind wearing a single layer.
After so many years, he still hadn’t been able to change this bad habit. No matter how cold the winter was, he always only wore one piece of clothing under his down jacket.
Ruan Mian had told him countless times, but he never listened.
Out of sight, out of mind. Ruan Mian had said it so many times that she couldn’t be bothered to say it again. She simply didn’t turn around to look at him, her gaze fixed on the flickering lights in the distance, not speaking.
After standing for a while, Chen Yi seemed to sense something. He fumbled to put his coat back on and leaned over, calling out, “Wifey.”
Ruan Mian still didn’t turn to look at him.
Chen Yi held back a smile and walked in front of her. His tall figure completely blocked the light. Ruan Mian had no choice but to look up at him.
The two of them looked at each other for a moment.
He suddenly lowered his head without warning, his gaze level with hers. He coaxed softly, “Don’t be mad anymore. I’ll wear more when I go out from now on, okay?”
“I’ll do as you say.”
“I’ll wear sweaters and thermal underwear too.”
“I’ll wear long johns as well.”
“I’ll wear five pairs of pants.”
Hearing this, Ruan Mian somehow found it funny. She couldn’t help but break into laughter, teasing, “Are you crazy? Wearing five pairs of pants.”
Chen Yi also laughed. “Isn’t this just to make you happy? As long as you’re not mad at me, I’ll even wear ten pairs of pants.”
“Then go ahead and wear them.”
Ruan Mian reached out and pinched his face, pouting. “Men’s words are like ghosts, deceiving people.1“
As it neared midnight, the streets became more and more crowded. The Chen-Ruan couple successfully met up with the Liang-Meng couple and the still-single Shen Yu.
The five of them stood side by side on the lively street. In a flash, it seemed like they were back in school.
Shen Yu sighed with emotion, “I never thought that so many years would pass in the blink of an eye. I really miss our school days.”
With that one sentence, everyone was taken back to their days at No. 8 Middle School.
The endless cicada cries of summer, the chanting sounds in the classroom, the ever-crowded basketball court, and the boy and girl they liked.
In the unified countdown, Ruan Mian suddenly turned her head to look at the man standing beside her, recalling the New Year’s Eve of 2013.
She stood amidst the sea of people, hearing a bit of news about him. Not daring to confess her love out loud, she could only wish him a Happy New Year in her heart.
Years later, as the last syllable of “one” faded away, Ruan Mian turned her head to look at Chen Yi, only to find that at the same moment, he had also turned to look at her.
They both saw the same joy and love in each other’s eyes.
The winter night’s wind was cold and sharp, but it also carried the lover’s thousands of words, enough to make up for the countless regrets in this world.
“Happy New Year, Classmate Chen.”
“Happy New Year, Classmate Ruan.”
The man’s voice didn’t stop, drifting with the wind into the distance. “And…”
“I love you.”
After New Year’s Eve, Chen Yi and Ruan Mian began cooperating with the elders in their families to prepare for the wedding. The wedding date was set for August 23rd, the day before Chen Yi’s birthday.
After the busiest three months of the year, the couple squeezed out two days in June to return to Pingcheng to take wedding photos.
The locations were Pingjiang Xixiang and No. 8 Middle School.
On the evening of the last day of the shoot, in Pingjiang Xixiang, Chen Yi had something to attend to and would be arriving a bit late. Ruan Mian was discussing the details of the upcoming shoot with the photographer.
The sun was setting in the west. The photographer set up the equipment. Seeing that the groom was still not there, he suggested taking a few solo shots of the bride first.
Ruan Mian wore her No. 8 Middle School uniform and walked along the alley. Not far ahead was that old, dilapidated internet cafe. The setting sun passed through the messy, intertwined wires overhead, casting fragmented shadows.
A few boys were smoking on the steps in front of the internet cafe, as always.
Amidst the swirling smoke, Ruan Mian saw a familiar side profile. The man was wearing a black short-sleeved shirt, matching pants with white stripes, and a pair of white low-top canvas shoes.
As if it was destined.
He turned his head to look at Ruan Mian, his handsome features as vivid and lively as ever. Ruan Mian abruptly stopped in her tracks.
This time, the sixteen-year-old Chen Yi really looked her way.
Seeing Chen Yi’s familiar appearance, Ruan Mian couldn’t help but feel a sourness in her eyes.
She started running towards the light, towards the boy hidden in her heart, never looking back.
Just like the sixteen-year-old Ruan Mian.
To love someone for a lifetime.
After the wedding photos were taken, their wedding day was approaching.
Both Chen Yi and Ruan Mian did their best to take the longest leave possible. The wedding venue was set in Pingcheng. The best man was Shen Yu, and the bridesmaids were the newly engaged Lin Jiahui and Chen Yi and Ruan Mian’s high school classmate Fu Guangsi.
As for He Zechuan, he was temporarily unable to return to the country due to a last-minute work assignment overseas. On the wedding day, he sent Ruan Mian a big red envelope.
Jiang Rangyuan was in the United States. Chen Yi sent him an email. He replied with a simple “Congratulations on your wedding” but didn’t mention whether he would come back.
But Chen Yi still reserved a spot for him as a groomsman.
On the wedding day, both the Ruan and Chen families were busy. Chen Yi left home, picked up Ruan Mian, and went straight to the hotel.
There were still more than forty minutes until the start of the wedding ceremony.
Everyone sat in the room chatting. The wedding shoes were a bit uncomfortable. Chen Yi squatted by the bed and massaged Ruan Mian’s feet, only to be teased by everyone, saying it was too embarrassing to watch.
Shen Yu held up his phone and laughed. “I have to take a picture of this and show it to the people in the team. Let them see what their awe-inspiring Captain Chen is like at home.”
Everyone laughed.
Ruan Mian felt a bit embarrassed. She pushed Chen Yi’s shoulders and said in a low voice, “No need to massage anymore. It’s not that painful.”
Chen Yi didn’t mind at all. He stayed in a half-squatting position and massaged for a few more minutes. He took the hotel slippers and put them on for her. “If it’s uncomfortable, we can wear slippers when we walk down the aisle later.”
“I don’t want to.”
Ruan Mian mumbled, “Have you ever seen anyone get married wearing slippers?”
Chen Yi didn’t argue with her. He stood up and ruffled her hair, only to be scolded by Meng Xinglan. “Hey, hey, hey! Don’t mess it up. It took a long time to do Ruan Mian’s hair.”
The group chatted enthusiastically. Chen Yi sat beside Ruan Mian, occasionally taking out his phone to check the time and sometimes glancing at the door.
Fifteen minutes before the start of the wedding ceremony, the makeup artist came in to touch up the bride and groom’s makeup and adjust their attire. The room gradually became chaotic.
Chen Yi sat in front of the dressing table. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw another set of groomsmen’s suits hanging to the side. He couldn’t help but sigh.
It was an expected situation, and he couldn’t say he was too disappointed, but there was still a bit of regret.
After all, they had been brothers for so many years. To have reached this point, no matter how you looked at it, it was a shame.
The makeup artist was still applying powder to his face, the movements clumsy. Chen Yi sensed something was off and looked up at the mirror.
With that one glance.
“Are you a pig, Jiang Rang?”
Chen Yi laughed and cursed, turning his head to look at the “makeup artist” behind him.
The man was wearing a mask and a baseball cap, covering most of his face, but his eyes couldn’t hide his smile.
Jiang Rang reached out to take off the mask and hat, revealing familiar features, “If I didn’t do this, when would you have noticed me?”
“Holy shit!”
Before Chen Yi could say anything, Shen Yu beside him cursed, strode over, and punched Jiang Rang on the shoulder, “What the hell are you doing? We’ve been waiting for you until we’re all anxious, and you’re here pretending to be a makeup artist.”
Jiang Rang laughed, “I just wanted to give you guys a surprise.”
The private room became lively with Jiang Rang’s sudden appearance. Before they could chat for a few more sentences, someone from outside came to urge the groom to enter.
Chen Yi responded that he would be right there, then went over to take down that set of groomsman clothing and handed it to Jiang Rang, “Hurry up, don’t make me, the groom, wait for you, the groomsman.”
“Okay, okay, okay, you’re the boss today since it’s your wedding.”
Jiang Rang took the clothes and walked to the bathroom. In no time, he had changed into the outfit.
There was no time to do makeup and hair, so he just casually powdered his face, sprayed some hairspray, and didn’t even tie his shoelaces properly before running out with the other three.
In the spacious corridor, the four well-dressed men were still not walking properly, just like when they were teenagers, throwing punches left and right and occasionally kicking each other.
Meng Xinglan withdrew her gaze, closed the door, and complained to Ruan Mian, “The four of them must be over a hundred years old combined. How can they still be as childish as before?”
Ruan Mian shook her head with a smile, “I don’t know either.”
“Incomprehensible.”
Meng Xinglan sighed and shook her head.
They had rehearsed the wedding proceedings before, but when it actually started, Ruan Mian couldn’t help feeling a little nervous and even almost tripped on her dress. Fortunately, Chen Yi steadied her in time.
After she stood firm, Chen Yi simply picked her up horizontally, causing a round of cheers from the crowd.
Ruan Mian used her bouquet to cover her face, blushing and coquettishly complaining, “Chen Yi, can you be more mindful? There are so many people here.”
Chen Yi chuckled lowly, his steps still very steady. When he spoke, his chest vibrated along, “Just from me hugging you, you’re already this shy. Then when I kiss you in front of so many people later, you wouldn’t turn and run away, would you?”
He said with a straight face, “Let’s agree beforehand, you have to drag me along if you run. Otherwise, everyone will think you’re trying to flee from the wedding.”
Ruan Mian was so choked up that she couldn’t say a word.
When it really came to the part where the groom kisses the bride, Chen Yi tightly grasped her wrist as if he was really afraid she would run away. He wouldn’t let go, causing even the officiant to joke about whether he was nervous.
The audience burst into laughter.
Now Ruan Mian really wanted to run.
When tossing the bouquet, Ruan Mian stood at the front of the crowd, while Chen Yi stood a little further back with his hand on her waist, protecting her.
Before Ruan Mian was about to throw it, Chen Yi turned his head to glance behind him, then whispered to her, “Throw it to the left.”
“Huh?”
Ruan Mian was stunned for a second but quickly understood his meaning. She raised her hand and threw it to her left rear.
The couple turned together as the bouquet fell, seeing it land in the hands of the person they wanted to give it to. They looked at each other and smiled in tacit understanding.
Jiang Rang held the bouquet and waved at them, his smile frank and relaxed.
He took the microphone from the officiant, his voice gentle and powerful, “I wish my two good friends a happy marriage and a hundred years of harmony.”
“May our friendship last as long as the heavens and the earth.”
As his words fell, Shen Yu also squeezed over, shouting “Long live friendship!”. The four grown men hugged each other on stage. Seeing this, Ruan Mian and Meng Xinglan couldn’t help but tear up.
All along the way, they had cried and laughed. They had also gone their separate ways and lost contact. But no matter how time passed, they would always be each other’s most beautiful memories of their youthful days.
At the end of the wedding, everyone present took a group photo together. Ruan Mian and Chen Yi stood in the crowd, not looking at the camera, but at each other.
The moment the photographer pressed the shutter, Ruan Mian’s lips curved into a smile. Looking at Chen Yi, she said very seriously, “I love you.”
They met in the summer and parted in the summer. But fortunately, the heavens were kind and let them meet again after years had passed.
It seems that every summer in the story is beautiful.
It made every bit of affection become scorching hot, deeply engraved in each other’s bones, forever shining and burning, endlessly.
—
This is the end of their sweet romance. If you enjoyed this, check out Dear Love, a simple, sweet and romantic story with rebirth elements set in the showbiz setting.
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- “?????????” (nán rén de zu?, piàn rén de gu?) literally translates to “Men’s mouths, deceiving ghosts.”; a common Chinese saying that men often make promises or say things that they don’t really mean or intend to follow through on. ↩︎
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