When Zhang Jiahui first saw Zhao ii, her emotions were complicated, a mix of feelings.
The man she had been pining for years had suddenly beco soone else’s fiancé—and, frustratingly, that soone held a special spot in Shi Yang’s heart. If anyone had an irreplaceable place there, it was Zhao ii.
Back in high school, Shi Yang was exceptionally handso, tall and slim. His school uniform made him look like a model from a magazine. Everyone else rode ordinary bicycles with baskets to school, but Shi Yang’s was a mountain bike. Sitting with his rear slightly raised and his long legs extended, the taut lines from his waist to his ankles exuded an undeniable charm, capturing attention.
The only person who had ever ridden on Shi Yang’s bike was Zhao ii. The mountain bike didn’t have a back seat, so the passenger had to sit on the front bar, their back against the chest of the person riding, an intimate posture.
The first ti Zhang Jiahui saw Zhao ii was at the beginning of the school term when Shi Yang brought her to the school.
She was passing the playground with friends when one pointed out, "Look, isn’t that Shi Yang? Who’s the person he’s carrying? Could it be his girlfriend?"
The distance was quite far, and Zhang Jiahui could only see soone fleetingly on Shi Yang’s bike from afar.
That scene remained deeply etched in her mory; she could even vividly recall lying to herself at the ti, saying, "Soone Shi Yang would carry must be his girlfriend. He’s so proud and handso; how could he let anyone else ride on the front bar of his bike?"
Little did she expect that her casual words would turn out to be prophetic years later.
Despite the turmoil in her heart, Zhang Jiahui maintained a calm exterior and asked, "Have your dad and brother gone back to the hotown? Did sothing happen at ho?"
Zhao ii lied fluently, "...They went back to give offerings at my grandmother’s grave."
Unexpectedly, what Zhao ii said turned out to be true, as Shi Yang and Zhao Dazhuang indeed went with the family to visit the cetery the next morning.
Standing in front of Zhao ii’s grandmother’s tombstone, the family burned incense and offered fruit, each reminiscing about the elder resting beneath the earth.
Zhao Dazhuang gripped Shi Yang’s arm and said to the black-and-white photo of the old lady on the tombstone, "Mom, this is Yangyang, our ii’s fiancé. The two will get their marriage certificate on May 20."
This was the first ti Zhao Dazhuang had publicly announced it, and everyone was stunned.
Shi Yang bowed to the old lady, speaking clearly, albeit softly, "Grandma, my na is Shi Yang, and I’m ii’s fiancé. We’ve grown up together since childhood, and I love her very much. We are deeply in love, and after we get married, I will always treat her well, cherish her all my life, and spoil her. You don’t need to worry about my uncle and aunt; I’ll treat them like my own parents and take care of them..."
Spoken with sincerity, Shi Yang’s words moved Zhao Dazhuang. Reflecting on the relationship between the families over more than ten years, the tall and handso man before him had once been a schoolboy. It felt like only a mont had passed, and he had grown into a man ready to beco his son-in-law.
After completing the grave visit, the family gathered back at the old house, bringing the patriarch back from the nursing ho. Zhao ii’s young aunt, feeling guilty, volunteered to take charge of cooking, while her second aunt, sharp-tongued but soft-hearted, joined in the kitchen to help prepare dinner.
The old man cherished Shi Yang, holding his hand tightly and constantly praising his handsoness. Shi Yang patiently listened and chatted with him. After a while, Zhao ii’s eldest aunt interrupted, "Alright, Dad, stop holding onto Yangyang. You’ve been saying the sa things for years. I could recite them all by heart."
The old man, good-tempered, wasn’t bothered by the comnt and laughed heartily, "Alright, alright, I know you all like Yangyang, too. I’ll lend him to you to chat, alright?"
Zhao ii’s eldest aunt asked in detail about Shi Yang and Zhao ii, from how they t to falling in love and deciding to marry, learning everything thoroughly. She also inquired about Shi Yang’s family situation and his current work and business, not forgetting to praise Zhao ii.
Actually, Zhao ii had only returned to her hotown a few tis, and she wasn’t particularly close to her aunts. However, this didn’t affect the elders’ fondness for her due to their affection towards the family as a whole.
Zhao ii’s eldest aunt had always been fond of Zhao Dazhuang, which naturally extended to liking Zhao ii. Whenever she thought of it, she would call Zhao Dazhuang, always including Zhao ii in their conversations.
After confirming that Shi Yang and Zhao ii were only getting their marriage certificate on May 20—and that the wedding would be held after Zhao ii graduated from college—her eldest aunt promised, "Yangyang, when you and my ii get married, I’ll definitely bring your second and younger aunts over to attend the wedding. Our whole family will co and help organize. We’ll make sure the wedding is lively and magnificent."
After visiting the grave, Zhao Dazhuang had Shi Yang book return tickets. The trip had been too rushed, and there were still matters at ho that needed attention, so they couldn’t stay longer.
Before leaving, the entire family gathered for a al, where Zhao ii’s youngest aunt apologized to everyone. As family, there was no lasting grudge, and after so teasing, things returned to normal.
By the ti Zhao Dazhuang and Shi Yang boarded the plane to return, Liu Xiue’s fever had started to improve. Her illness was initially caused by stress and a weakened immune system, but knowing that the matters were resolved put her in a good mood, aiding her recovery.
In just four days, Zhao ii seed to mature overnight. She set an alarm to get up and buy breakfast every morning. After breakfast, she accompanied her mother to the community health center for an IV drip. Once they returned ho, while her mother rested, she would clean the house and study. Her days were full, and managing household chores made her realize how overwhelming these tasks could be.
On the fourth day, Liu Xiue’s temperature returned to normal, and after two more days of IV treatnt, she wouldn’t need to go to the health center anymore. Only then did Zhao ii return to school.
The day before going back to school, Zhao ii specially went to the downstairs supermarket and bought a coffee gift set for Zhang Jiahui.
Zhao ii expressed her gratitude sincerely. She truly appreciated Zhang Jiahui’s help, knowing that without her assistance in taking leave and arranging study matters, life at school wouldn’t have been as smooth. These kindnesses were etched in her heart, and over ti, the grumbling and complaints faded away.
Initially, Zhang Jiahui refused, but Zhao ii’s warm insistence made her accept it. They exchanged smiles, feeling a mutual sense of reconciled friendship.
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