"Where did you guys go? I was getting heat rash." Luo Yanran sat on the stone steps, looking sullen as he watched Qin Nuan and Luo Qianqian returning hand in hand.
Qin Nuan smiled, "The master told me that what comes easily won’t be treasured, so he asked me to really test you."
Luo Qianqian looked at her friend in surprise, but then saw her wink playfully and nodded in agreement, "Maybe the heat rash is a test sent from heaven."
Luo Yanran angrily looked at his sister, who was ingratiating herself with outsiders, rolled his eyes, and pulled Qin Nuan away, buckling his hat on, "Let’s ignore her. The Marriage Talismans here are said to be very effective."
Luo Qianqian watched the two walk away and approached Xu Tianyi, "Aren’t you worried?"
"Worried about what?" Xu Tianyi asked with amusement, reaching out to wipe away the sweat on the girl’s forehead with a tissue, "Worried that you might test me too?"
Luo Qianqian stuck out her tongue and didn’t reply; she didn’t want to undermine her future sister-in-law.
"Shall we take a look? It’s said to be very effective." Xu Tianyi looked towards the direction Qin Nuan and the other had left, his ears reddening.
Luo Qianqian nodded and stood obediently by his side.
After purchasing three peace charms, Luo Qianqian, with a blushing face, dragged Xu Tianyi to buy a Marriage Talisman and personally hung up their nameplates on the Ancient Tree. The United Hearts Knot shone brightly red.
Xu Tianyi turned to look at the girl, whose eyes sparkled captivatingly.
Having written down their wishes, they stuffed them into the peace charms and knelt obediently to pray, praying earnestly for the charms filled with heartfelt intentions,
Skipping the long overnight chanting and prayers, Luo Qianqian greeted the two, explained her next itinerary, and then left, not forgetting to leave behind the car and some food.
Having the car made it easier for them to catch rides. Although it was a bit slow, they successfully got back to Capital City before sunset. At the airport, after going through thorough checks, the two boarded the plane home. Luo Qianqian didn’t tell her mother and didn’t greet her friends. She felt like a nervous daughter-in-law about to meet her in-laws, her cheeks were flushed all the way.
Xu Tianyi hadn’t expected her to take him straight home; he had merely thought about playing on the beach and finding a random place to stay.
When they got off the plane, they saw Tang Chen, Fu Mingxue, and He Wenyu all standing at the arrival gate, their mouths gaping involuntarily.
After making eye contact with Luo Qianqian, He Wenyu’s tears immediately began to fall. The two embraced and cried woefully together.
It was a long while before they stopped.
He Wenyu looked at the person next to Luo Qianqian and frowned, "He looks somewhat familiar."
Luo Qianqian pulled gleefully at Xu Tianyi’s sleeve, "This is my personal pillar of support, the leg I want to cling to." Having graduated, he was still her pillar, "Xu Tianyi, future boyfriend."
"Boyfriend is a boyfriend, future indeed..." He Wenyu looked annoyed, then suddenly remembered, "Ah, your middle school deskmate... pfft, short-term deskmate."
Luo Qianqian nodded, her smile beaming.
Fu Mingxue had grown distant, but she still smiled and greeted.
Luo Qianqian looked at the three confusedly, "Why are you here? Waiting for someone? I have to take him home soon, no time for dinner, how about tomorrow?"
Upon hearing this, all four widened their eyes.
He Wenyu, "Meeting the parents?!"
Tang Chen, "Such audacity!"
Fu Mingxue, "Congratulations are in order."
Xu Tianyi: "I didn’t buy any gifts..."
Luo Qianqian pouted her lips, determined that admitting someone’s feelings openly wasn’t any secret—why not share it earlier so the family could rest easy? And with him leaving soon, shouldn’t he make his presence felt all at once?
Tang Chen patted Xu Tianyi on the shoulder, "Bro, that’s pretty awesome, I lose, show them what you’ve got." Then he pulled Fu Mingxue closer, saying, "Come on, call her sister-in-law."
Xu Tianyi’s mouth twitched slightly. He didn’t know if it was just his imagination, but he always felt there was a hint of pain on Tang Chen’s smug face.
Luo Qianqian didn’t miss Fu Mingxue’s 360-degree spin at Tang Chen’s waist. She hooked her lips and grabbed He Wenyu, "Have you visited my mom recently?"
He Wenyu rolled his eyes, "I’m visiting my godmother; why wait for you?" Yet, he was flipping out his phone, showing her the recent photos of the pregnancy he had taken.
Luo Qianqian giggled twice. Then she turned to Tang Chen, "Has the stuff arrived?"
"It arrived this afternoon, and you... " Tang Chen looked at her, watched her nod, his mouth slightly agape, his eyes on Xu Tianyi filled with envy. Then he hugged Fu Mingxue a bit closer, feeling a bit more consoled.
"Let’s go, let’s fetch the items—tomorrow I’ll treat you all to dinner." Luo Qianqian smiled, "Choose whatever." Since the decision was made, there was no need for secrecy. Their love spanned thousands of miles, meeting the safety and romance standards set by their parents. But unless absolutely necessary, neither wished to be apart.
They hailed cabs, the two guys in one and the three girls in another, and soon arrived at Tang Chen’s place. Luo Qianqian looked at the intact boxes, smiled, and, with a swift motion like a paper cutter, opened them all, revealing everything from nutritional supplements, maternity clothes, tonics, formula milk, to baby clothes, and even a set of men’s clothes.
Tang Chen, looking at the last unattended box, asked puzzled, "Isn’t there one more?"
Luo Qianqian looked confused, "Didn’t I say that was the gift I brought for you?"
"When did you say that?" Tang Chen blinked, while He Wenyu had already started to open the box, looking at the neatly named gift boxes inside, they were all stunned, "Wow, even that stinky kid Zhang Sheng got one?"
"Take your time looking?" Luo Qianqian glanced at the sky gradually darkening, "I need to head home now?"
"No, let’s go together, my aunt and uncle are staying nearby," He Wenyu quickly said.
Luo Qianqian smiled and nodded her head, bidding Tang Chen goodbye: "Then we’ll be leaving first, don’t forget to contact the people who got gifts about tomorrow night’s dinner."
Tang Chen was about to offer to walk them out but saw Luo Qianqian give him a wink. Before he could react, the door had already closed. He watched Fu Mingxue who wasn’t looking at the gifts but was tidying up the packaging, a tenderness in his eyes as he took over the box of items: "Let me help you."
Luo Qianqian went downstairs, seeing everyone’s hands full, realized a problem: "So, who’s going to hail the cab?"
He Wenyu gave her a disdainful look, and with a stretch of her long legs, she flagged down a cab.
"You can do that?" Luo Qianqian kept admiring, "The perks of being tall with long legs."
Xu Tianyi watched, admittedly shorter in comparison, chuckled, loaded the trunk, and got into the front seat.
The two young girls sat in the back, chattering nonstop about seemingly trivial matters, yet they laughed so hard they were almost bending backward. Xu Tianyi also curved his lips and after getting out of the car, looking at the lit-up homes, Luo Qianqian felt somewhat guilty.
As if sensing Luo Qianqian’s guilt, He Wenyu unhesitatingly pushed her up the stairs, shouting, "Chicken Leg, hurry up."
The corridor, stuffed with various bags, somehow made Luo Qianqian’s cheeks burn like fire, hotter than when Xu Tianyi had hugged her at the airport.
As if sensing something, the door at home suddenly opened. Yueran and her daughter, along with the people in front and behind them, stared at each other for a while. Yueran then shouted back, "Zilan, Qianqian’s back."
After pulling He Wenyu into the house and tugging Luo Qianqian upstairs to see.
Luo Qianqian, seeing them, calmed down a bit, put the stuff on the ground, and pulled Xu Tianyi into the room: "Godmother, this is Xu Tianyi."