Standing at the turn of the staircase, Cheng Wanyue posted on her social media: “Friends at sixteen, still together at twenty-six.”

The post included a group photo from their senior year’s New Year’s Eve, along with another photo taken on the lawn after the wedding. Huo Zhi was the photographer, and the lighting was exquisite, making everyone look beautiful.

Placing the two photos side by side, the positions were different, but all the same people were there. It seemed that time hadn’t taken anything away, but rather had left behind much more.

In the comments, she tagged Yan Ci: “You’re falling behind, hurry up and catch up.”

Yan Ci had the best alcohol tolerance among the group. He wasn’t staying at the Cheng family home but in a hotel tonight, and would probably return to Shanghai tomorrow or the day after.

Cheng Wanyue held onto the railing as she walked downstairs. Her hair was half-dry, with a towel draped over her head. She was biting into a green apple, her face clean without makeup, and she wore no jewelry on her hands. Meiqiu followed behind her, but being shy and having short legs, he was hesitant to go down the stairs. She used her foot to support him in mid-air, waiting until Meiqiu jumped into the living room before she looked up.

The living room sofa was full of people, but it was dead silent. Several pairs of eyes stared at her with complicated expressions, and even Cheng Guo’an, who typically doted on her the most, wore an extremely serious face.

“What’s going on?” She looked bewildered. “Why is everyone staring at me?”

Yang Huimin was also a bit angry. “Come over here and stand next to Qing Hang.”

Cheng Wanyue took a couple of steps, her slippers falling off. She leisurely put them back on and just as she reached Qing Hang’s side, he took her hand.

Cheng Guo’an took several gulps of tea, trying to calm himself down. His foggy brain had been jolted awake by Qing Hang’s earlier statement, but seeing his daughter’s carefree attitude made his head ache again.

What was all this about?

That morning, Yang Huimin had quietly told him that Chi Yue, the musician, was the boyfriend Cheng Wanyue planned to bring home. He had observed them almost all day and had convinced himself that it was just dating, nothing to worry too much about.

Cheng Wanyue’s university was near a high school, and Cheng Guo’an had worried that one day he’d visit her only to catch her with a high school student.

Although Chi Yue was still a student, he was a college student who would graduate next year. Two years younger wasn’t so bad if their personalities matched well.

The family hadn’t initially approved of Cheng Yanqing and Huo Zhi either, but those two had grown increasingly closer, with no problems despite their long-distance relationship.

For young people in love, being happy together was enough. No one could predict what the future would hold.

After convincing himself, Cheng Guo’an felt at peace. As long as Chi Yue respected and cared for her, he could be a loving father. In this day and age, no parents would deliberately break up a loving couple.

He had been drinking happily at the wedding banquet that evening, but then Qing Hang had hit him with an unexpected revelation that caught him completely off guard.

“Let go of her hand first,” Cheng Guo’an frowned while rubbing his temples, his eyebrows furrowed. In his mind, Qing Hang and Cheng Wanyue were like siblings.

Not only did Qing Hang not let go, he held her hand even tighter. “Uncle Cheng, Aunt Yang, Uncle, Aunt…”

“Call me brother,” Cheng Yanqing coughed twice. He was nearly a year younger than Qing Hang.

Men are boys until they die. Huo Zhi found it amusing, but the atmosphere was quite serious, so she nudged Cheng Yanqing with her elbow. “Don’t interrupt, let Qing Hang speak.”

Cheng Yanqing first established his position, figuring that with Qing Hang present, he’d no longer be at the bottom of the hierarchy. “I’m also part of this family, and Cheng Wanyue is my only sister…”

“Shut your mouth,” Cheng Guo’an glared at him. “Yueyue had only you by her side these past few months in Beijing, and you’ve done a poor job as her brother. Not only that, you conspired with her to keep us in the dark. We’ll settle your account later.”

Cheng Yanqing dramatically protested his innocence. “They only got together on the 1st, and they’re already reporting to everyone today. Whatever else you might say, at least their attitude deserves full marks.”

Cheng Guo’an’s expression visibly improved.

“Brother, Sister-in-law,” Qing Hang continued with what he had been saying, “I met Wanyue when I was 15, and it’s been 11 years now. In these 11 years, she has possessed everything I’ve longed for: confidence, happiness, courage, carefree spirit, and she has given me many things that weren’t originally mine.”

“I was just a small pebble, but she picked me up from the river and told me I was gold.”

“Then I began to have confidence, too. I can give her a good life and won’t make her wait too long.”

“I found many reasons not to like her, but in the end, they were all refuted one by one, so for all these years, I’ve only liked her.”

“My job is stable. Although my income isn’t particularly high, buying a house and car within five years won’t be a problem. I have no bad habits, no complicated relationships, I can do all household chores, and I regularly exercise to stay healthy. I will accompany her year after year.”

The last time Cheng Wanyue heard Qing Hang speak this much was on National Day.

Once during a hospital meeting, he forgot to turn off the video, and she listened to his entire speech. He wasn’t poor with words; in his professional field, his speeches and questions were sharp. He just wasn’t good at expressing affection, so he was mostly silent in front of her.

For him, saying these things in front of so many people was probably harder than preparing an academic report.

His palms were sweating. He was nervous. He was worried her parents wouldn’t approve.

Silly man, what was there to be nervous about?

When she stood by his side, he wouldn’t lose.

“Qing Hang, we don’t think your conditions are good enough, nor do we feel you’re worthy of Yueyue. What I mean is…” Cheng Guo’an’s feelings were complicated. “How can you two be dating?”

“Why not?” Cheng Wanyue’s confrontational personality emerged again. “He’s single, I’m single too. We’re not blood-related, nor distant relatives. Why can’t we date?”

Yang Huimin thought about it that way and found it made sense. “That’s true.”

Cheng Yanqing took the opportunity to help. Qing Hang’s surname isn’t Cheng. People’s thinking is progressive nowadays; no one would gossip about this. Let’s not confine ourselves to a narrow framework. Dad, aren’t you always worried that Yueyue might be deceived by a man of poor character? Qing Hang is great, and we know him well.”

“Exactly,” Cheng Wanyue approached Yang Huimin, “Mom, you don’t even know how many excellent and beautiful girls pursue Qing Hang. The fact that I could win him over shows how amazing I am. Aren’t you pleased?”

“It’s not that we’re not pleased, it’s just too sudden…”

“Not sudden at all. Qing Hang has liked me since his junior year of high school.”

Qing Hang said, “Even earlier.”

“Oh,” Cheng Wanyue patted the back of his hand. “See, puppy love didn’t prevent him from getting into Tsinghua. So dating doesn’t affect one’s career. Cheng Yanqing did so poorly in his exams simply because his IQ is low.”

Cheng Yanqing pretended to be displeased. “Why are you dragging down an innocent, handsome guy?”

Cheng Wanyue smiled. “I drag down whoever is handsome.”

Cheng Guo’an’s brow had remained furrowed throughout. “Alright, alright, let me have some peace. Qing Hang, you go rest too.”

Before going upstairs, he looked at Qing Hang again and instructed, “Stay in separate rooms, sleep separately.”

Qing Hang nodded. “Okay.”

But two hours later, he was knocking on Cheng Wanyue’s door. He had brought a change of clothes and, after washing up, was wearing his usual sleepwear, but without his glasses.

Cheng Wanyue poked her head out, looked left and right, then quietly pulled him inside.

She hadn’t fallen asleep either. Meiqiu was still on the bed watching cartoons on her tablet.

As Cheng Wanyue was locking the door, Qing Hang habitually began to tidy up the clothes she had thrown around. Suddenly, he paused in the middle of bending down, his gaze stopping at the low table beside the sofa.

Under the light, an earring glinted softly.