Xing Zheng's hand on the steering wheel paused. Red-backed photos, referring to wedding pictures. Her saying so meant they would get their marriage certificate tomorrow. Although he had proposed and fantasized about the moment many times, he hadn't expected it to come so quickly.
Taken aback, Xing Zheng remained silent for a long time. Lin Mei asked, "What's wrong? You don't want to?"
"How could that be!" Xing Zheng denied. "Are you sure about tomorrow?"
"Not sure," Lin Mei teased him deliberately. "I'm having second thoughts now."
"You dare!" Xing Zheng became flustered. Likely due to his haste, his cheeks and ears turned red. Lin Mei's eyes curved into smiles, a hint of triumph in them.
"I'll pick you up tomorrow," Xing Zheng settled the time, leaving her no room to back out.
Lin Mei had only been joking. Seeing how anxious he was, she didn't tease him further. They chatted as they returned home.
Lin Mei brought all the gifts Xing Zheng had given her during his proposal upstairs. Lin Zhengde and Xiao Yue understood what was happening at a glance. The ring on her ring finger was particularly eye-catching.
"You two are...?" Xiao Yue asked, hinting at the matter.
"I proposed to Lin Mei," Xing Zheng volunteered. "Tomorrow morning, I'll pick her up to get our marriage certificate."
"So soon?" Xiao Yue exclaimed.
Xing Zheng, however, smiled. He glanced at Lin Mei. "Not soon. I've waited a long time for this day."
Lin Zhengde said nothing and had no objections to their marriage. After dinner, Xing Zheng watched the child in the bedroom for a while before leaving. Before he departed, he arranged the time with Lin Mei for picking her up the next morning.
Not long after Xing Zheng left, the child also fell asleep. Lin Mei was called to the living room by Lin Zhengde and Xiao Yue. The family of three sat down and talked.
With Xing Zheng absent, Lin Zhengde spoke more directly when questioning Lin Mei, "Have you thought it through?"
Lin Mei nodded. "I know what I'm doing."
"Mm, it's good to get the certificate. After the New Year, you can start preparing for your wedding," Xiao Yue asked Lin Mei. "Have you thought about how you want the wedding?"
This question was a bit premature. "I haven't thought about it yet. I'll consider it when Jingchu is a little older." The child wasn't even a hundred days old yet; they could only consider this after he was weaned.
"Have you informed his parents?" Lin Zhengde brought up Xing Sha and Xie Qin Jia again. "They came to see the child when you went to Kyoto."
Lin Mei nodded. "Mom told me."
"What are your thoughts on this?" Lin Zhengde asked. "They are his parents, after all. Blood ties connect them. It's not right to carry on this way forever."
Lin Zhengde hadn't discussed Xing Zheng's family matters with Lin Mei before. But now, as they were getting their marriage certificate tomorrow and becoming one family, Lin Mei would naturally be drawn into his family relationships. As parents, they naturally hoped their daughter's married life would be harmonious. Xing Sha and Xie Qin Jia had also spoken with them last time, and they were very eager to mend their relationship with Xing Zheng. As long as Xing Zheng agreed, there would be no problems.
"Dad, on this matter, I'll listen to him," Lin Mei maintained the same stance she had with Xiao Yue, clarifying her position. "I haven't suffered those hurts myself, so I'm not qualified to persuade him to forgive. We can only glimpse how difficult his past life was. Whatever he chooses, I will support him."
Lin Zhengde immediately understood her meaning. "That's what you say, but for the wedding later, they must attend."
"These are things to consider later, no rush," Lin Mei told him. "I don't want to force him. He has already suffered enough grievances."
"Look how much you dote on him!" Lin Zhengde said, frustrated. She had dated before, but her personality had never shown such affection for anyone. Truly, she was completely captivated by Xing Zheng.
"He is my husband. If I don't dote on him, who will?" Lin Mei readily admitted. He had received so little love, and from now on, she had a legitimate reason to favor him.
Lin Zhengde and Xiao Yue exchanged glances, touched by Lin Mei's firm attitude. The elders had their worries, but they had witnessed Xing Zheng's behavior after Lin Mei gave birth. As he had said, he was doing his best to be a good father, and his attentiveness to the child far exceeded their expectations.
After chatting with her parents, Lin Mei returned to the bedroom and shared the news with Lan Lan and Feng Feng on WeChat.
Lan Lan: [OMG, how so fast? Was it a tornado?]
Feng Feng: [He proposed to you?]
Lan Lan: [How did he propose?]
Lin Mei recounted the proposal scene to them. After listening, Feng Feng and Lan Lan both complained, [How cliché?]
Lin Mei: [But I quite like it.]
Feng Feng was insightful. [Many things depend on who does them. Don't underestimate the lover's filter.]
Lan Lan: [Mr. Feng is right.]
Lan Lan and Feng Feng each transferred money to Lin Mei as a congratulatory gift for getting their marriage certificate. Lin Mei accepted it without hesitation and jokingly replied, [I won't be polite. When you two get married, I'll return it doubly.]
Lan Lan: [Then I'd rather not.]
Feng Feng: [This amount of money, it's really not necessary.]
The meaning from these two was clear: they didn't want to get married.
As if sensing that Lin Mei was going to handle an important life event the next day, Jingchu only woke up once during the night. After feeding, he slept soundly. Lin Mei had a relatively complete night's sleep. The next morning, she woke up to find Xing Zheng already there to pick her up. Xiao Yue arranged for them to have breakfast, and then they set off for the Civil Affairs Bureau.
For the photos, Lin Mei put on light makeup today. She hadn't worn makeup in a while, and her skills were a bit rusty, but her appearance was still radiant and captivating. She wore a white fitted top with a trench coat over it, her hair simply tied back, looking capable and neat. No one would believe she had recently given birth.
The couple first went to a designated location to take photos together. Besides the more formal set for the marriage certificate, they also took a few more lively shots under the photographer's guidance. Upon receiving the photos, Lin Mei realized belatedly that this was their first photo together.
She hadn't expected their first photo together to be for their wedding.
After the photos were developed, they went to the Civil Affairs Bureau. They arrived early, so there weren't many people in line. After a short wait, they completed the process.
The staff stamped the marriage certificates and, as they handed them over, offered their customary blessings, "May you have a hundred years of happiness together."
Lin Mei thanked her and, after receiving the marriage certificates, opened them, feeling a sense of unreality.
Xing Zheng put his arm around her and walked out. "We're legally married now. Happy?"
"I'm okay," Lin Mei told him. "Don't think you can do whatever you want just because we have a marriage certificate. If you treat me badly..."
Before she could finish, he interrupted her with a smile, "Wife, how could I treat you badly?"