The end of a blue duckweed (5)
The elderly couple looked overwhelmed, attempting to interrupt several times but failing to find the right moment. Seeing Lin Yan starting to take out money, the woman hurriedly sat up from the bed and grabbed her wrist.
“We can’t accept this, we’re already very grateful for your visit. We absolutely cannot accept the money.”
The elderly man beside her shook his head vigorously, gesturing his agreement.
Lin Yan held a red bill in her hand, neither advancing nor retreating.
Setting aside her previous temper, she would just throw the money after leaving, but facing this family, could she bear it? Could Liu Zhi bear it?
Song Yuhang walked over and took the money from her hand, neatly folded it, and stuffed it into the old woman’s pocket.
“Take it, this money is not from us, it’s from Liu Zhi to you. This is her salary and year-end bonus.”
She emphasized repeatedly, and the elderly couple reluctantly accepted it.
The woman looked at them, and then thought of the money, the amount of which was much more than what he had sent back before.
For some reason, there was a slight sense of unease in her heart.
“Why… why didn’t he come back… and sent you instead?”
Lin Yan had never lied in her life, this was the first time. Looking at the elderly couple’s dark cheeks and reddened eyes, she told a white lie out of kindness: “He… he works very hard… does a great job… the factory can’t do without him…”
Upon hearing this, a look of relief appeared on the woman’s face.
“Not bad, it’s considered progress. Tell him to work hard and not rush back. There’s nothing lacking at home.”
As they spoke, the food the old man had been cooking in the pot was ready. However, the noodles, after just a few bites, broke into pieces and were scooped into copper bowls and offered to them.
There wasn’t much oil in the bowls, and only a few pieces of pickled vegetables floated in the broth.
Since the food had already been brought out, Lin Yan prepared to leave. She took out a photo from her wallet and placed it on the bed.
“We won’t eat, it’s time to go. Here’s the photo, for you.”
That was the only family portrait Liu Zhi took before he left, and now it finally returned to its rightful owner.
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The woman gently caressed the child’s face and kept flipping through the photo.
On the back of the photo was his family’s address and a small wish: to come home.
There was no signature, thus no return date.
As soon as Lin Yan and Song Yuhang stepped out of the hut, Lin Yan couldn’t hold back anymore. She slightly curved her lips, desperately looked up, and tears welled up in her eyes.
Song Yuhang embraced her shoulders, using one hand to wipe away her tears.
As they walked away, there was movement behind them.
The elderly man limped over, stuffing a packet of shoe inserts into Lin Yan’s hand, his expression somewhat anxious as he gestured.
Lin Yan was momentarily stunned, lowering her gaze to see the exquisitely crafted shoe inserts wrapped in a plastic bag. The stitches were fine and the material felt thick and warm to the touch.
“What is this…”
Seeing her accept it, the old man’s face lit up with a smile. Despite being smelly, poor, and dirty, dressed without any dignity, every wrinkle on his face overflowed with genuine gratitude.
He turned around again and disappeared into the mountains and forests, limping and hobbling.
On the way back to Jiangcheng City, Lin Yan remained silent.
Song Yuhang was driving, and she freed one hand to hold hers. “We’re getting married, be happy.”
Lin Yan snapped out of her reverie and forced a smile. “Yeah.”
Luckily, she was there, and luckily, they were getting married. With everything settled, every day from now on would be a new life.
Lin Yan glanced out the car window, neon lights flashing, bustling streets. She seemed to see Liu Zhi standing in the center of the lights, smiling and waving goodbye to her.
She slightly lifted her lips and smiled back, then closed the car window.
The next day, back in Jiangcheng City, they prepared to depart for Vancouver. They packed their things overnight. When Song Yuhang wasn’t paying attention, Lin Yan secretly slipped a small box into the luggage. As soon as she turned around, she immediately closed the suitcase.
Song Yuhang: “Let me check again to see if there’s anything missing.”
Lin Yan pulled her towards the bedroom. “That’s enough, that’s enough. We’re tired. We’re leaving early tomorrow morning. Let’s go to bed.”
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“Ah…” Song Yuhang looked back, feeling like there was something she was hiding from her.
Lin Yan pushed her into the room, tiptoed, and kissed her lips. “Shut up.”
In February, the snow in Vancouver had not yet melted. As they stepped out of the car, cold winds mixed with snowflakes struck their faces. Lin Yan wrapped herself tightly in a down jacket, stomping her feet on the frozen ground. The breath she exhaled turned into white vapor.
Song Yuhang took off her own scarf and tied it around Lin Yan’s neck, then took the luggage from her hand and turned back to open the rear door.
Xiaowei was the first to jump out. “Wow, snow! Such big snowflakes!”
Ji Jingxing also helped Mother Song out of the car. “Mom, we’re here.”
Hotel staff came to greet them, and the group walked gingerly inside, one step at a time.
Xiaowei occasionally grabbed snow from the roadside to play with. Inadvertently, she covered Lin Yan all over, and snowflakes slipped into her neckline.
Lin Yan shivered, and without hesitation, retaliated, “You’re asking for it, Xiaowei!”
The two of them got into a scuffle, with Xiaowei hiding behind Ji Jingxing. Lin Yan threw a snowball at her.
Ji Jingxing’s face turned green with anger. “Lin Yan, Ji Weiwei, have you had enough?!”
Lin Yan shrugged. “Hey, don’t blame me. You chose to stand there.”
Although the two had long reconciled, she never missed a chance to tease Ji Jingxing over trivial matters.
It’s strange; Ji Jingxing was gentle and indifferent in her dealings with others, but she always had conflicts with Lin Yan.
Now, as the luggage was set aside and sleeves rolled up, she beckoned, “Xiaowei, come on!”
Song Yuhang was at the front desk checking in. When she turned around, she saw that the courtyard had already turned chaotic.
She shook her head helplessly, a faint smile curling her lips. “Hey, hurry up and come in. Let’s go have dinner.”
After finishing dinner, the group’s battlefield shifted from the snowy field to the hot springs. Eventually, even Song Yuhang was forced to join the fray, dodging the splashes of water coming from all directions.
Mother Song, being older, easily got dizzy from soaking too long. She went ashore early, wrapped in a thin blanket, holding one of those toys that clap when you press a button (hand clappers), cheering on from the sidelines.
“Quick, quick, over there! Xiaowei, Yanyan, she’s running over there!”
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Just as Song Yuhang emerged from the water, she was splashed right in the face. “Mom, Who’s side are you on? Bleh… Bleh bleh bleh!”
They played until they were exhausted, and only then did Lin Yan yawn and follow her to the room to sleep.
As soon as they entered the room, Song Yuhang lifted her up, and Lin Yan wrapped her arms around her neck, then was placed into the bathtub.
After finishing washing up, she was already yawning incessantly, so tired that she couldn’t keep her eyes open. She was carried to bed by someone, still half asleep.
Song Yuhang pulled the blanket over her and complained, “You’re still adjusting to the time difference. I told you to rest early, but you insisted on playing.”
Lin Yan’s long lashes fluttered as she scratched her hand. Just after her bath, not only was her skin rosy, but her eyes also faintly shimmered with moisture.
She scratched her hand again. “Itchy.”
Song Yuhang peeled back the blanket and saw a large patch of redness on her fair skin, likely from the cold snow.
The officer grumbled as she went to find medicine for her, “Can’t you be more careful next time? Hm?”
Lin Yan buried her face in her arms, “Mmm…”
This woman had her ways of asserting authority, but when she acted spoiled, she was even more adept.
Lin Yan couldn’t help but laugh and cry. After applying the ointment for her, she wiped her hands with a wet towel, turned off the bedside lamp, slipped into bed, and hugged her, gently patting her back.
“Sleep tight, goodnight.”
After enduring a day of jet lag, the two arrived at the city hall to submit their marriage application. The staff quickly stamped it with a red seal and requested that they complete the wedding ceremony within 90 days.
Upon returning to the hotel, Song and Lin and Mother Song consulted the almanac for a long time and finally settled on an auspicious date.
One week later.
The two woke up early and walked into the city hall together. The officiant was a government employee from the Province of British Columbia, who was already waiting for them.
With blue eyes and white hair, the foreign judge watched as the two newcomers walked in side by side.
Today in Vancouver, the rare sunshine illuminated the City Hall, a building with a few years under its belt, designed in a church-like style. Snow piled on the eaves, and sunlight filtered through stained glass windows, casting its warmth upon them.
Lin Yan wore a white tailcoat suit, tall and graceful, slender yet statuesque. Her hair was neatly arranged, with a slight hint of a charming smile on her face as she linked arms with her.
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Song Yuhang wore a matching black suit, her hair impeccably styled. Lin Yan had personally tied the tie for her this morning. Being naturally tall, her suit pants were straight, and as she stepped in her leather shoes, she appeared even more dignified and upright, exuding a noble and heroic aura.
There was a slight tremble in the hand holding Lin Yan’s, a hint of excitement. Song Yuhang turned her head to look at her, their eyes meeting.
Both couldn’t contain their joy.
The short red carpet, just a few dozen steps, brought back vivid memories. From knowing nothing about each other to facing off, and then to standing by each other’s side, knowing each other deeply, until they finally stood before the officiant.
Lin Yan’s eyes were slightly moist.
Song Yuhang was the same.
The judge’s voice was solemn: “We are gathered here today in the sight of God, and in the face of this assembly, to join together Song Yuhang and Lin Yan in holy matrimony.”
The judge opened the Bible and recited the lines. On the spectator seats beside them, Mother Song’s eyes were brimming with tears as she covered her mouth with her hand.
“Song Yuhang, do you take Lin Yan to be your lawful wedded wife, to live together after God’s ordinance, in the holy estate of matrimony? Will you love, honor, fort, and cherish her from this day forward, forsaking all others, keeping only unto her for as long as you both shall live?“
Song Yuhang looked into Lin Yan’s eyes and said without hesitation, “I do.”
When it came time to ask Lin Yan, she hesitated for a moment. The judge was looking at her, Song Yuhang and her mother were looking at her, and Song Yuhang was a little nervous, licking her lips.
Lin Yan’s lips curved into a smile, her face slightly flushed. “I do.”
The officiant closed the Bible with a look of contentment.
In theory, it was time for them to fill out the marriage registration form face-to-face, for the judge to announce them as officially married, and for Song Yuhang to finally kiss her wife.
But no one spoke.
Suddenly, Lin Yan dropped to one knee, pulled out a ring box from her suit jacket, opened it, and held it out in front of her.
Her eyes sparkled. “Although I used to say I didn’t want to get married, didn’t want to be emotionally tied to anyone…”
“But seeing you protect me, risk your life for me, work so hard for our wedding, and now seeing you in this dress standing here, I suddenly feel like marriage might not be a bad thing after all.”
She raised an eyebrow at her, the smile on her lips undiminished.
“Do you remember when I said I’d give you a diamond ring?”
“Song Yuhang, marry me.”
LP: Are they wearing matching suits or is SY wearing a dress?? Is it a mistake? Well, doesn’t matter, THEY’RE MARRIED!!!