Back at the small wooden cabin, Fu Shijin carefully lowered the person on his back onto the bed, removed his coat, and lay down closely behind her, curling around her back.
For some reason, Mei Ran wasn't as sleepy as before anymore. She opened her eyes and looked at the pair of mandarin ducks frolicking in the water embroidered on the mosquito net. The man beside her was, unusually, not making any moves, simply holding her quietly.
"Shijin."
"Hmm."
So he wasn't asleep yet.
Mei Ran turned around, placing her hand naturally on his waist, and asked softly, "What did you wish for?"
The man's chin rested in her hair, his laughter carrying a soft, intimate quality. "It's already come true."
"Oh."
"Ranran," he said again, "We'll go back to S City tomorrow." He paused. "To register our marriage."
"Alright." She nuzzled against his chest.
They slept soundly until dawn without any dreams.
The elderly lady had already prepared a pot of soft, glutinous millet porridge. The child was helping scoop it into bowls but accidentally burned himself, pinching his ears and hopping around with a face as red as an apple.
After the two had breakfast and rested for half an hour, they prepared to leave. The old lady had packed a large bag full of things, mostly local mountain specialties. Mei Ran glanced inside and saw there were also several bottles of osmanthus glutinous rice wine. The elderly lady was truly thoughtful.
While the old lady was talking with Fu Shijin outside, Mei Ran went back into the house. She quietly placed a red envelope on the old wooden table, weighing it down with a small wooden box, then walked out as if nothing had happened.
It held no other meaning—it was simply a gesture of her own heart.
"Drive safely on the road."
The car started slowly. Mei Ran watched in the rearview mirror as the figures of the elderly woman and the child standing outside the wooden gate grew smaller and smaller. Only when she couldn't see them anymore did she finally turn her gaze away.
The picturesque mountains and clear waters along the way silently escorted them on their departure.
Once the car passed the rugged mountain road, it suddenly accelerated. The trees by the roadside sped backwards, and the faint, rushing sound of wind could be heard outside the window. Mei Ran, understanding perfectly what was on his mind, couldn't help but turn her head and smile.
They reached S City in only two-thirds of the usual travel time. Fu Shijin drove into a nearby shopping mall's parking lot and simply said, "Wait for me a moment," before opening the door and getting out of the car.
When he returned, he was carrying several shopping bags. Mei Ran asked curiously, "What's this?"
"Wedding sweets." He handed the bags directly to her.
He had even thought of this with such thoroughness. The corners of Mei Ran's lips curved upward. She unwrapped one and put it in her mouth. So sweet!
Her eyes glimmered with a thought. She unwrapped another piece and offered it to the man's lips. Without hesitation, he took it into his mouth. His brows first furrowed slightly, but seeing her mischievous grin, he helplessly pressed his forehead and ultimately did not spit it out.
The entrance to the Civil Affairs Bureau wasn't far. The car stopped steadily, and Mei Ran was led out by the man. He seemed very familiar with the process and took her directly to have their joint photo taken first. This step took some time, so by the time they reached the registration hall, there were only fifteen minutes left before closing.
The staff inside handed them two application forms matter-of-factly. They each took one and began filling them out. Mei Ran wrote slower; the man had finished filling his out quite a while ago before she finally signed her name and, with great seriousness, wrote the date: December 15.
Fu Shijin then took the relevant documents and proof papers from his bag and handed them to the staff for verification. Since he was a foreign national, the registration procedure was somewhat more complex. Fortunately, he had prepared all the necessary materials in advance.
The other staff members inside had already started packing up, preparing to go off work. Only the person at the window in front of them was still diligently reviewing the paperwork because of their visit. Mei Ran glanced over with a touch of apology just as the staff member suddenly looked up, her eyes wide. "Fu... Fu Shijin!?"
"Ah, h-hello..."
Mei Ran smiled. "Hello."
The young woman stood up, placing her hands on the desk. "Y-you two are here to register your marriage?!"
She then scratched her head regretfully. "I'm being silly, so silly!"
What else could people be doing at the marriage registration office of the Civil Affairs Bureau if not getting married?
Xiao Zhang hadn't been working with the system for long, but her professional skills were quite strong. Although she was a bit flustered, occasionally stealing glances at the two outside the window, the "application" process was eventually completed smoothly.
"T-the registration procedures will be processed within o-one month, and the m-marriage certificates will be issued."
Mei Ran: "Alright, thank you."
Fu Shijin: "Please do so as soon as possible."
Xiao Zhang: "S-Sure!"
Mei Ran quickly pulled him out, leaving behind Xiao Zhang, who remained a bit stunned in the office. After a long moment, she finally snapped back to reality, quickly pulled out her phone, opened the camera, and took several photos of the small pile of wedding sweets on her desk.
Zhang Shanshan: Ahhhh! Happiness came too suddenly! Wishing my idol Fu Shijin and his wife a happy newlywed life! [Celebration confetti] P.S.: My idol's wedding sweets are so sweet! [Picture]
When she came back after dinner, she discovered her Weibo had suddenly exploded with new notifications. Xiao Zhang was somewhat frightened. It turned out her post had been shared by a major influencer account called "Fu Shijin Global Fan Club"...
The fans underneath were "screaming" and seeking confirmation of the news.
Xiao Zhang only had a few dozen followers and minimal influence. She had originally just wanted to share her excitement and hadn't expected it to cause such a stir. Considering she hadn't obtained the individuals' consent beforehand, she made an immediate decision to delete the post.
Little did she know, this action only made it seem more like she was trying to cover something up. And once sparks fly, controlling the fire isn't easy.
Soon after, the Weibo accounts of "You Hao Hao Xiang Xiang" and Fu Shijin were both flooded. The two accounts had been silent for so long; the impact of this news was no less than an earth-shattering bomb.
The fans' point of attack shifted from "My idol has registered marriage; I have no will to live anymore" to "Who did my idol register with?" Well-wishes, heartbreak, and wailing intermingled harmoniously in the comment sections.
"My [broken heart] is for me, but my [heart] is for all of you. Wishing Mr. and Mrs. Idol a happy marriage and early arrival of a precious child!"
"They started following each other in August, got registered in December, with depressingly few public displays of affection in between. Is this a flash marriage or a flash marriage?"
"Why do you all assume the one Fu Shijin registered with is definitely 'You Hao Hao Xiang Xiang'?"
"Why do you assume it's *not* 'You Hao Hao Xiang Xiang'?"
"Probably few fans in Fu Shijin's Weibo circle are unaware of his OTP, right? Why did the original poster only tag him and not 'You Hao Hao Xiang Xiang' together? Plus, the post deletion was as fast as a tornado—definitely something fishy here!"
Under "You Hao Hao Xiang Xiang"'s Weibo, there was a neat row of comments: "If Fu Shijin didn't register with you, I'll never believe in love again [crying]."
The comments under Fu Shijin's Weibo were no less competitive, featuring an entire row without even punctuation variation: "Idol, please come out and clarify. If you're not with 'You Hao Hao Xiang Xiang,' I'll never believe in love again either!"
The phones of both individuals kept emitting faint notification sounds, but they were all drowned out by the music playing in the car. The car slowly drove across a stone bridge, and the Mei family compound was now within sight.
Fu Lanxin had already arrived before her son and was chatting with Mei Hongyuan in the main hall. Hearing that the young couple had returned, she couldn't help but tease, "Luckily, I happened to be in the country these few days. Otherwise, I might not have made it in time."
Mei Hongyuan put down his teacup and smiled. His situation was quite similar.
"Dad," Mei Ran greeted.
"Back already?" Fu Lanxin glanced at her son before pulling her daughter-in-law to sit beside her. "Driving back so early in the morning must have been tiring."
Mei Ran shook her head, her smile gentle. "It was okay."
Over there, Fu Shijin was also talking with his father-in-law. With their shared interests, their bond had deepened further now that they were officially in-laws. The atmosphere in the room was indescribably harmonious.
As the conversation flowed, Mei Ran suddenly thought of her mother. On such an important moment in her life, the woman who had given her life was absent. A slight ache rose in her heart as she turned her head. "Dad, I'd like to go see Mom."
Of course, Mei Hongyuan understood what she was thinking. He nodded. "If your mother knows in the world beyond, she will certainly be happy for you."
So the group went to the mountain cemetery. Fu Lanxin looked at the slightly yellowed photo on the tombstone; the elegant face was still familiar, her voice and smile seemingly from just yesterday. Yet now they existed in two separate worlds. The tip of her nose tingled with emotion. "Little Shimei, long time no see."
Perhaps they would never meet again. Their bond had been so shallow, lasting only a few years. Thankfully, unlike duckweed that gathers and scatters swiftly, their connection was being tied together once more, in a different way.
"Rongrong, from now on, I will love your daughter as my own. Rest in peace."
She gently wiped the tear from her cheek with a fingertip. "Shijin, come kowtow to your mother-in-law."
Fu Shijin walked over silently. With utmost reverence and respect, he kowtowed three times, thinking silently in his heart, "Mom, thank you for bringing her into this world."
Mei Ran knelt beside him. When he helped her up, her eyes were already slightly reddened. She had too much she wanted to say to her mother, yet could voice none of it. She could only tell her again and again, "Mom, I'm fine..."
As they descended the mountain, light snow began to fall, gradually growing heavier, covering the trails of footprints, whether deep or shallow. The green mountains remained quiet and still, as if no one had ever come.
When they reached home, a layer of snow had already accumulated in the courtyard. Old Aunt Zhou was busy in the yard and greeted them with a beaming smile upon seeing them. "The Household-Managing Grand Aunt is awake."
When Mei Hongyuan had arrived home, Mei Huiyuan was slightly unwell and had just taken medicine and gone to bed, so he had instructed everyone not to disturb her.
Following behind her father, Mei Ran entered the house. Seeing the slender and pale woman, she actually froze on the spot. Mei Hongyuan patted her shoulder. "This is your Aunt Huiyuan."
"Aunt Huiyuan." Mei Ran called out mechanically.
In her mind's impression, this woman who dared to love and hate shouldn't look like this. How could such a fragile, delicate frame contain her passionate love and hatred, her reckless and uninhibited wildness?
Mei Huiyuan walked over, smiling as she looked Mei Ran up and down for a moment. "Xiangxiang, I'm very happy to meet you."
Blood ties were truly wondrous, Mei Ran thought. Though it was their first meeting, she didn't feel a hint of estrangement or distance. Especially the pair of hands holding hers—they were so warm, like a small stove, as if this woman had watched her grow up and been a part of her life.
While the group sat down to chat together, Old Aunt Zhou had made a round of the entire compound. When she returned, the wedding sweets in her bag were almost gone. She walked in grinning like Maitreya Buddha.
"Household-Managing Grand Aunt, should we send a portion of these wedding sweets to the Side Courtyard?"
The Side Courtyard was naturally where the Old Madame resided. Rumor had it that Mei Mengran, to express her resolve to share fortunes and misfortunes with her, had moved in there a few days prior.
Mei Huiyuan's slender eyebrows arched like crescent moons as she smiled faintly. "Don't be discourteous. Send some over so they can also partake in the joyous air."
"Right away!" Old Aunt Zhou promptly acknowledged the task.
Truth be told, she was a few years older than Mei Huiyuan, but her insight wasn't as keen. In recent times, she had witnessed firsthand how this Household-Managing Grand Aunt managed the entire household efficiently and orderly, especially her approach towards those in the Side Courtyard... She was thoroughly convinced.
Partake in the joyous air? Only a miracle would prevent the Old Madame from fuming till her eyes rolled back!
As Old Aunt Zhou carried a bag of wedding sweets on her way to the Side Courtyard, Mei Mengran was on a phone call with her agent, her voice slightly trembling. "What do you mean by this?"
"Mengran, the company decided after a meeting to give you one more chance."
Mei Mengran's last album hadn't even recouped its costs; her concert preparations were canceled midway, and the upfront promotional expenses essentially went down the drain. Naturally, before a complete "benching," the company wanted to squeeze every last bit of her remaining value.
"What kind of chance?" Mei Mengran listened to the other end for a while, tightening her grip on the phone. "Will that really work?"
"To put it bluntly, it's a desperate attempt," Cen Chen said. "Mengran, believe me. This is your last chance for a comeback."
"I'll think about it some more."
Mei Mengran hung up the call. Turning around, she saw Old Aunt Zhou entering from the doorway. "What are you doing here?"
Old Aunt Zhou was brimming with joy. "Our young lady and her husband are celebrating their great happiness. They've specifically sent you wedding sweets."
Mei Mengran's expression instantly turned cold.
Old Aunt Zhou placed the wedding sweets on the table. Before leaving, she offered a well-meaning reminder. "I've heard that those who throw away someone else's wedding sweets will never have a good marriage in their entire lives."
"Cough, cough," came low coughs from inside the room. Old Madame was there. "Rourou, who is it?"
Mei Mengran walked in and briefly explained. Old Madame spat out, "Partake in joyous air? Hah, I don't know what she's really up to..." She spoke before being seized by another bout of violent coughing. "Rourou... I only have you now... only you."
"Grandmother, I know." She didn't know if she said it for the Old Madame to hear or for herself.
After the Old Madame took her medicine and lay down to sleep, she walked outside and redialed the previous number. She said only one word: "Okay."
Success or ruin—was there any outcome worse than the complete ruin of her reputation she already faced? People don't have rotten luck forever, right?
Snowflakes drifted down softly, settling on Mei Mengran's hair, her shoulders...
"I can hear the sound of falling snow," Mei Ran said, wrapped in the blanket. "Listen."
Compared to listening to the snow, the man was clearly more interested in another matter. He buried his head in the warm, fragrant curve of her neck, kissing every inch of her skin with tender thoroughness before continuing downwards...
"Th-this time, aren't you... using anything?" Mei Ran gasped softly.
So, merging into one without any barrier felt so incredibly blissful.
"Hmm," he murmured, his lips and teeth gently tugging at the pink bud at her peak. His voice was muffled. "Ranran, I'll be thirty after New Year's."
"Don't worry. By the time it successfully takes root, it will be legal."