Father Xu ultimately couldn't hold back his tears. The emotions that had been pent up for so many years were finally dissolved.
"Alright, child, take care of yourself. We'll come to find you soon, don't worry, we're always here for you."
Father Xu wiped his tears, and the man who had always been silent seemed as excited as a child in his words.
Uncle An also came to say goodbye.
"Thank you, Uncle An, for seeing me off. An Nuannuan has been very good to me. If I can return, I will definitely become good friends with Nuannuan." Yao Mingyue said with a smile, taking the initiative to speak.
An Shanhai looked at the young woman in front of him without speaking, nodding at her in heartfelt farewell.
Yao Mingyue came to An Nuannuan's side, and today An Nuannuan was wearing a subtle plain long dress.
Yao Mingyue's eyes flickered, and she smiled; this was their shared understanding.
An Nuannuan handed her a sketchbook.
"You'll know when you see it."
Yao Mingyue nodded, putting the sketchbook away first.
They didn't speak, just smiled knowingly as longtime friends.
An Nuannuan extended her pinky finger, and Yao Mingyue also extended hers, gently making a promise as they exchanged smiles.
"I'll wait for you to come back."
They were like the best of friends.
Xu Musen seemed to be the third wheel standing by.
Yao Mingyue looked towards Xu Musen.
Xu Musen spoke: "I'll come to find you once I get everything arranged."
Yao Mingyue's eyes curved with a smile as she shifted the tone.
"You've just gotten engaged to Nuannuan, you should take this time for a honeymoon. The world is vast, full of beautiful sights; you should see it with someone you love, don't wait until you lose the chance..."
Xu Musen didn't react.
Yao Mingyue patted his shoulder, her smile sweet and confident, raising her fair neck: "Alright, everyone can rest assured. I'm Yao Mingyue, not so easily defeated!
We'll see each other again!"
Yao Mingyue and Liu Rushuang boarded the plane.
Yao Mingyue opened the sketchbook An Nuannuan gave her.
An oil painting leapt into view.
It portrayed an elderly person with white hair, yet exquisite in presence, with a hint of their stunning past beauty in their eyes.
Those phoenix eyes carried deep wrinkles, yet remained bright, still exuding the pride and confidence of their youth.
Oil paintings are the closest to realism in art form.
In brief reverie, it seemed like a photograph transcending time and space.
The painting included a letter.
Written by An Nuannuan.
"You asked me if I've seen the way Xu Musen will look when he grows old. I haven't seen it, but I have seen the way you will look when you're old. That's still you, with eyes like before, the way he likes, you can rest assured."
Yao Mingyue gazed entranced at the painting; she laughed and cried, clutching the painting close to her chest.
How wonderful, even in old age, he'll surely recognize me...
She looked out the window. The plane was about to leave this city, under the airport's open sky.
Xu Musen and An Nuannuan watched as planes faded into the clouds.
An Nuannuan called him.
"Hmm." Xu Musen turned his head.
An Nuannuan took out another sketchbook.
Xu Musen reached out, but An Nuannuan took it back again, opening it herself for him to see.
The first page showed a high mountain.
The second page, a barren desert.
The third page, a grassland...
But the lower half of each page was empty, as if leaving space for people to take a picture there...
An Nuannuan smiled, gently shaking the sketchbook in her hand.
"Honey, let's go on our honeymoon!"