He asked like an onlooker, as if the instant’s brilliant splendor wasn’t his careful orchestration.
The house dulled the enormous sound of the fireworks exploding outside; the noise they could hear was very, very small.
His magnetic voice teased her ears.
The fireworks continued to burst for about ten minutes.
"How did you manage that? How precise must the location of the fireworks be to be seen right through the skylight?"
"As long as you want to do it, how can it not be done?"
Wen Nian’s reply was quite suave.
She took Wen Nian’s hand, "Thank you, Ah Nian. Happy New Year."
Wen Nian bent down and kissed her forehead,
"I’ve slept all day, besides... my body still aches a bit, but otherwise, I’m fine."
Lili said on her own.
Wen Nian tenderly wrapped his arms around her,
"When you said last night that you were going to give birth, you really scared me to death."
"Why are you so easily frightened?"
"You mentioned that the child from your past life died young, how could I not be afraid?"
Wen Nian’s lips brushed against her face.
The most comfortable thing on a winter night should be cuddling with your loved one in a warm bed.
Song Lili smiled and shifted closer into his embrace, the action was not grand, but it was filled with dependence and tenderness.
"I have a meeting tomorrow morning; I have to lunch with several department heads at noon, and I’ll be back in the afternoon."
"You should be busy with what you need to do. I’m not unreasonable. Uncle Wei is beside me, and I have a nanny to care for me. Dr. Ge will come every day; there’s nothing to worry about."
Song Lili hurriedly said, truly afraid that having a child might affect his work.
"Ah, I talked with Dad today. He seems to be thinking about... retiring."
Song Lili furrowed her brows,
"Why would he suddenly want to retire?"
"Don’t be anxious; it’s not a big deal. He just feels that being in officialdom for so long is too exhausting, and he wants to go back to Ruicheng to accompany your mother."
"However, it’s just a thought. When I said I couldn’t find anyone right now to take over as Anlin Mayor, he immediately said it was just a thought."
"Ah Nian, you can’t let my father go. Even if he offers his resignation, you have to keep him."
Song Lili turned to look at Wen Nian.
"How come? Does it have to do with your past life...?"
Song Lili shook her head,
"It has nothing to do with the past life. I won’t casually bring up past life matters anymore since the trajectory has already changed. Until I’m thirty-three, it’s not a repetition of time but a brand new one."
"When you just mentioned that Father wanted to resign, I suddenly got panicked inside, with a particularly strong premonition that something bad will happen."
"It might be because Dad has made quite a few enemies in Anlin over the years. He has always been very naïve, especially with Mu Lerong at his side all these years. I don’t believe that Mu Lerong is just a good wife and mother who doesn’t inquire about official matters."
The trajectory of this life is changing, but the character and values of adults, which have already formed, are very hard to change.
"What you’re saying also makes sense. Though the position of Anlin Mayor is exhausting, at least it comes with great authority. Besides, as long as I am in office, I can protect him."
Song Lili nodded, "Anyway, in some time, I will have a serious talk with Father."
"Wait until you’re well-rested, there’s no rush for these days, alright?"
Song Lili nodded, leaned in his arms, turned off the bedside lamp, but Lili still lay with her eyes open, staring at the ceiling... filled with worry.
The next morning, upon hearing that the President’s wife had safely given birth to a daughter, visitors arrived one after another with gifts.
However, it was Uncle Wei who greeted them. Once the gifts were delivered, people left.
A rare visitor among them was Xiao Ziyan, besides the officials, friends, and relatives.
"Madam, you... why have you come?"
Xiao Ziyan took off her coat, revealing a solid-color sweater and a pair of vertically striped wide-leg trousers.
The once-first beauty of Anlin, now already in her early fifties.
Yet time seemed to favor the beautiful; it had not etched too many wrinkles on her face.
She was still beautiful, exquisite, and incredibly elegant.
"Shouldn’t I come to see my granddaughter?"
Xiao Ziyan looked towards Wei Yuandong, her eyes carrying an inquisitive challenge.
"Madam, you’ve misunderstood. I thought you were still angry with Young Master Nian and the Young Madam, so I was surprised..."
"Wei Yuandong, you’ve served in the Wen Family for so many years. When Ah Nian was young and went to Ruicheng, Ah Chou and I both agreed to have you accompany him. But what about you? You just watched his relationship with the girl named Song Lili grow closer and closer."
Wei Yuandong bowed his head; in terms of age and seniority, he was about the same as Xiao Ziyan, older by a couple of years.