In the summer of 2024, amid the dense shade filled with cicada songs, Li Wu completed his undergraduate thesis defense early and officially moved into the doctoral student dormitory. What peers saw as an enviable rapid rise was simply following his planned steps one by one.

F University’s doctoral dorms were better than before, with double rooms and a relatively quiet atmosphere. His roommate was another doctoral student who had worked his way up from graduate school and was three years older.

This holiday, Li Wu didn’t immediately return home for part-time work. For high-energy experiments, he followed his group on a business trip to another province.

By the time he returned in August, Cen Jin had never been apart from him for so long. Missing her boyfriend intensely, she snuck out of the company early to wait at the airport.

She even bought a bouquet, as if welcoming an honored guest.

When the flight arrived on time, among the group of talented young people walking out of the arrival gate chatting and laughing, Cen Jin immediately spotted her tall young fiancé.

Before he noticed her, she felt playful and mischievously held the flowers in front of her face, seeing if he could pick her out from the crowd.

Seconds later, the bouquet was moved aside.

His face, more beautiful than the flowers, came into view, mouth slightly open, breathing lightly from rushing over: “What are you hiding behind?”

Cen Jin pursed her lips: “Wanted to see if you could recognize me.”

Li Wu looked back: “Never mind me, in that pose, it would be hard for anyone not to notice you.”

Cen Jin followed his gaze and indeed, everyone in his team was looking their way, showing subtle smiles.

Cen Jin’s face flushed as she stuffed the flowers into his arms: “Here you go, scientist.”

Li Wu took them with one hand, mouth curved: “Thank you.”

Then muttered: “Why buy flowers?”

“What,” Cen Jin retorted, “Men can’t receive flowers?”

Li Wu pressed his lips together: “Such a big bouquet, I can’t even hug you,” he said somewhat dissatisfied: “It’s blocking us.”

Cen Jin broke into a smile.

He lowered his eyes to look at the flowers: “This hand was supposed to be for hugging you.”

Cen Jin sighed helplessly: “Hold the flowers up high.”

Li Wu immediately transformed into a Statue of Liberty.

Cen Jin stepped forward, wrapping her arms around his lean waist: “If you can’t hug me, can’t I hug you?” Li Wu’s smile bloomed as he held her while clutching the flowers. Who needed flowers? She was his flower, the most beautiful one.

Back in the car, without barriers or audience, they could finally be intimate without worry.

The fragrance from the bouquet in the back seat filled the car.

Even after kissing until they were sweating, they didn’t fully separate, still embracing while gazing at each other from close range.

Cen Jin asked: “Have you lost weight?”

Li Wu raised an eyebrow: “Don’t think so, there was lots of good food there.”

Cen Jin tilted her head: “Your cheeks aren’t as chubby as before.”

Li Wu said: “I’m a man now, of course, I don’t have baby fat anymore.”

His sudden grand declaration made Cen Jin laugh out loud: “Oh, a man.”

“Man… man, hmph.” She murmured the title twice, finding it increasingly amusing.

“What’s so funny?” Li Wu didn’t understand.

Cen Jin exhaled: “I don’t know why, but no matter how old you get, I still find you so cute, the cutest little boy in the whole world.”

Li Wu laughed: “Even at eighty?”

“Of course,” Cen Jin narrowed her eyes: “Though by then I’ll be ninety-one, we might both be dead.”

“Don’t say that, you’ll live a long life.”

Cen Jin blinked: “Why?”

Li Wu answered without hesitation: “Because good people live to be a hundred.”

What a corny and silly answer. Cen Jin laughed, not quite satisfied: “Then wouldn’t you also live to be a hundred?”

Li Wu said: “When that day comes, I’ll leave with you.”

Cen Jin smacked him with a “pa”: “Pei pei pei, not allowed.”

Li Wu asked: “Why not?”

Cen Jin thought for a moment: “No reason.”

Li Wu looked at her: “After you’re gone, I’ll just be a grumpy old man. No one in this world will treat me like a little boy anymore. I want to follow you to continue being your little boy.”

Like a tear gas bomb, those words brought mist to Cen Jin’s eyes. She fought to hold it back, unable to argue anymore: “Fine, I reluctantly agree.”

After these two “elementary school students” with a combined age of over fifty made their promises to each other, Cen Jin’s brain cleared up and she suddenly broke away from him, patting his left shoulder: “How strange, why are we thinking about after death so early?”

Li Wu started laughing: “Because we’ll always be together.”

“Still not allowed to talk about it anymore.”

“Okay,” the young man changed topics: “Let’s talk about when to get our marriage certificate next year?”

Cen Jin paused: “Isn’t it on your birthday?”

Li Wu scratched his temple: “But that day is a legal holiday.”

“Oh, right,” Cen Jin just realized: “It’s all your fault, being born on New Year’s.”

Li Wu laughed: “Isn’t it good? Second day of the new year, something to look forward to, don’t have to wait another three to five months.”

Such logic – Cen Jin was convinced.

―

That year, when all trees had shed their leaves and the world was white, they found time to return home, get Cen Jin’s household registration book, and inform their parents they would soon get their marriage certificate.

Yes, inform.

It wasn’t something that needed discussion, it was indisputable between them.

At the dinner table, Cen’s father beamed: “You’ve decided?”

“Of course.”

They spoke in unison, startling Cen’s mother before she laughed and sighed.

After dinner, the four sat in different directions, and Li Wu began outlining his new round of plans, saying he would save enough for a down payment within his three years of doctoral studies to buy a house in Yi City.

Cen’s mother said: “How many houses do you need? Don’t waste money, just live at Jin Jin’s place.”

That wasn’t her main concern, rather: “When do you plan to have children?”

Cen Jin was silent for a moment, then said: “Don’t want any shortly.”

Cen’s mother said: “How old are you already? You’re not young like Li Wu anymore, the older you get, the more dangerous childbirth becomes.”

Cen’s father persuaded: “Leave them alone, one’s busy with the company, one’s busy with research. Having a child now would just create trouble for themselves and be irresponsible to the child.”

He muttered: “Haven’t we learned our lesson?”

He looked at Li Wu: “What do you think, Xiao Wu?”

Li Wu sat upright, looking very serious: “I’ll listen to Cen Jin. It’s fine if we don’t have children, and if we do, I hope they take Cen’s surname.”

His shocking words left all three Cens dumbfounded.

Cen’s father spoke earnestly: “Child, you’re not a live-in son-in-law, don’t compromise yourself out of gratitude or repayment.”

Still shocked, Cen’s mother also agreed: “Yes, you’ve been together so long, you know we’re not the kind of elders who bully others with our authority.”

“That’s not what I meant,” Li Wu laughed lightly, calm and unruffled: “I just don’t care about these things originally, and don’t need any clan continuation. I am who I am, and for the rest of my life, having Cen Jin and you two as a family makes me very grateful and satisfied. My current life goal is to give my all to become a devoted husband, and if Cen Jin needs it, I’ll also be a good father.”

Cen Jin took a deep breath: “I don’t want that.”

“Don’t want what?” Please don’t let it be that she doesn’t want him.

“Don’t want the children taking my surname.”

Li Wu asked: “Why?”

Cen Jin spoke nonsense: “Feels like I’ll have to be responsible for everything, you’ll be hands-off.”

Li Wu said: “How is that possible? If we have children, they’ll be our children together, regardless of surname.”

Cen Jin was still unhappy, looking down and fidgeting with her fingers.

Li Wu said no more.

Cen’s father sighed: “You two discuss this yourselves, we won’t interfere.”

Cen’s mother nodded in agreement.

On the way back, Li Wu drove while Cen Jin rested her head against the window, saying irritably: “Do you know what shocking statements you made today?”

Li Wu held the steering wheel, smiling faintly: “Not too bad.”

Cen Jin also smiled: “You didn’t see my mom, her face went from red to white, probably thinking, what kind of unfortunate son-in-law is this, will I ever get to hold grandchildren in this lifetime?”

Li Wu had never studied these things and couldn’t help asking curiously: “Is it really dangerous to have children at an older age?”

Cen Jin sighed: “Yes, after thirty-five you’re considered a high-risk pregnancy.”

“Then let’s not have any. You previously…” he hesitated.

“What about me previously?”

Li Wu’s chest rose and fell: “After I came to Yi City for school, one weekend I overheard you on the phone.” “You know I had a miscarriage?” She recalled for a moment, not avoiding the topic.

Li Wu made an “mm” sound.

Cen Jin sat up straight: “Well well, eavesdropping at such a young age.”

Li Wu felt a slight burning in his chest: “It wasn’t intentional.”

Cen Jin asked: “So? What are your thoughts?”

Li Wu said: “I absolutely cannot let you go through that.”

“You were thinking about having children with me at seventeen?” Cen Jin pretended to be shocked.

“No, that’s not it,” he struggled to explain: “I just felt bad for you.”

“Are you sure it wasn’t–” Cen Jin squeezed three words through her teeth: “Lust-ing af-ter me?”

Li Wu’s face and ears turned red as he hurriedly denied: “No!”

Cen Jin stopped teasing him: “Let’s get the marriage certificate first, children will come naturally if they do. After all, I have experience being a mother.”

Li Wu: “Hm?”

Cen Jin was implying something: “After all, I raised a doctoral student.”

Li Wu couldn’t help laughing.

“Of course,” Cen Jin changed her tone: “1 point was due to my luck, 9 points were his effort.”

Li Wu shook his head: “No, all 10 points were you.”

Cen Jin wouldn’t take false credit: “Forget it, let’s split it, five-five, that makes a perfect score.”

―

January 8th, auspicious for marriage and weddings, was a clear day, wonderful beyond words.

This perfect couple went hand in hand with the Civil Affairs Bureau.

They both wore the white sweaters from their Polaroid two years ago, sitting against an all-red background, smiling as they redefined their future together.

With the stamp pressed down, they were framed in two identical marriage certificates.

Walking out of the civil affairs bureau, the sky was azure, the sunlight brilliant. They each looked at their wedding photos on the certificates, unable to look away.

Cen Jin looked at her young husband: “You’re so handsome.”

Li Wu looked at his beautiful wife: “You’re beautiful too.”

Then they instinctively looked at the real person standing beside them, eyes curved in smiles, fingers tightly intertwined.

From this moment on, their lives became smaller, facing only each other; yet also became larger, enjoying double the brilliance.