Playing with sparklers in the garden was a very ordinary activity, but later it was blown out of proportion in retellings.

A nurse came to change Cheng Wanyue’s dressing and asked her how it felt to be proposed to.

“It wasn’t a proposal. There was no proposal,” Cheng Wanyue explained for the fourth time, feeling completely unruffled and slightly amused. “Besides, that was during his break time. He’s very dedicated when he’s on duty. Don’t misunderstand.”

People talked, and stories changed as they were passed along. The nurse had just asked casually. Qing Hang came almost every day, and all the nurses knew him.

“Hardship reveals true feelings. The patient in bed 37 was just diagnosed, and her husband immediately asked for a divorce. During her recent hospitalizations, her parents have been taking care of her. Her husband hasn’t visited once.”

Cheng Wanyue had seen that patient. “When they got married, they never imagined it would turn out this way.”

“Indeed,” the nurse adjusted the IV and encouraged Cheng Wanyue. “Keep your spirits up, little sister. Stay strong.”

After the nurse left, Cheng Wanyue checked the time on her phone. Cheng Yuzhou messaged that he would bring food over later. Just as she finished replying, she received a call from Qing Hang.

She hadn’t gone to the airport to see him off the day he left the country.

The conference had no live broadcast, so she couldn’t watch it. Qing Hang found a way to let her listen.

Before going on stage, he placed his phone in his suit pants pocket, and the sounds from the conference hall traveled thousands of miles to Cheng Wanyue’s ears. Even though she wasn’t there in person, she could sense how he handled everyone’s questions.

After the conference ended, he conversed with academic seniors. One elderly professor, after discussing professional topics, smiled and complimented his suit.

Cheng Wanyue heard Qing Hang say in Chinese: “My girlfriend gave it to me.”

The professor didn’t understand, so he explained again in English.

Cheng Yuzhou was beside her. Though she was unwell, with medication affecting her appetite and sleep, listening to Qing Hang speak made her smile so broadly that her lips nearly reached the sky. After hanging up, she even drank an extra half bowl of porridge.

Cheng Yuzhou told Yang Huimin about this, and Yang Huimin sent a voice message: “Good girl, my daughter is amazing.”

Cheng Wanyue listened to this message several times. She was in her twenties, yet her mother joyfully praised her for drinking half a bowl more porridge.

“The cherry blossoms must be blooming soon, right?”

“They should mostly be in bloom by next week. I’ll go check Jiming Temple this weekend.”

Cheng Wanyue asked about Zhou Yu. “How was A’Yu’s prenatal checkup?”

At the mention of Zhou Yu, Cheng Yuzhou’s expression softened. “It went well. She wants you to give the baby a nickname.”

“A nickname? It should be something cute,” Cheng Wanyue thought for a while. When she made a bet with Cheng Yanqing, she had guessed it would be a girl, so she leaned toward a feminine name. “How about ‘Little Crescent’?”

Whatever name she chose, Cheng Yuzhou would approve. “That’s settled then. We’ve been calling it ‘baby’ all the time, and she doesn’t know who I’m talking about.”

Cheng Wanyue felt the sweetness of their relationship. She had watched Cheng Yuzhou and Zhou Yu’s journey from campus to the wedding dress and had contributed significantly. She had witnessed their dating, proposal, and marriage.

“Is Qing Hang coming back tomorrow?”

“Yes, he’ll come straight to the hospital after landing. If I can go home tonight, I’ll let you know in advance.”

Cheng Yuzhou wanted to stay longer, but Cheng Wanyue urged him to go home, saying she was tired. Only then did he leave.

A nurse brought her oral medication. After taking it, Cheng Wanyue felt slightly nauseated. Lying down was uncomfortable, so she lay on her stomach, but still couldn’t sleep. Qing Hang messaged her when he reached the hotel. She replied with an emoji, and he caught her still being awake so late.

When the video call connected, he was still wearing that suit.

The camera was held low, and he looked so handsome with his glasses, head slightly bowed. Cheng Wanyue moved closer to the screen and kissed it.

Qing Hang’s professor was also in the room. Her voice was loud, and his ears immediately turned red. Pretending to be composed, he took the phone out to the balcony to show her the view.

“Go to sleep. By the time you wake up, I’ll be on my way back.”

“I can’t sleep. Qing Hang, sing me a song.”

“…I don’t know how to sing.”

“Who says you can’t? The birthday song is still a song.”

Back in school, Cheng Wanyue had performed every New Year’s Day. Qing Hang still remembered that song she sang in tenth grade, “Flower Sea.” He had heard it countless times since.

“Turn off the light.”

“It’s off.”

“Cover yourself with the blanket.”

“I’m covered.”

“Put down your phone.”

“I’ve put it down.”

“Close your eyes.”

“They’re closed.”

The phone was placed face down beside her pillow. Everything was quiet both inside and outside the hospital room. Cheng Wanyue could hear the wind on the other end of the call. After a while, Qing Hang’s steady, deep voice came through.

“Don’t want you to leave, distance can’t separate us.”

“Thoughts turn into an ocean, unable to come in through the window.”

…

Cheng Wanyue fell asleep. Qing Hang didn’t even know how many times he had repeated the song. If his professor hadn’t called him, he would have been reluctant to hang up.

Li Yu had come with the professor. The conference had an afternoon session, and they were all going to attend.

Qing Hang changed his flight to the earliest one returning to China. His desire to return was so urgent that he kept checking his phone even during break times.

Li Yu joked, “You two are together almost every day. Just a few days apart, and you miss her this much. Why didn’t you bring her along?”

Qing Hang knew Li Yu meant no harm. “She couldn’t come.”

“Her work is so flexible. Taking time off shouldn’t be difficult. Is she sick?” Li Yu observed Qing Hang’s expression and thought; she guessed right. “Is it serious? Last time we met, she seemed fine. What illness is it? If it’s uncomfortable to say, you don’t have to.”

Qing Hang was silent for a moment, then simply said, “Very serious.”

Li Yu didn’t know how to comfort him. “So that’s why you’re carrying the ring with you all the time.”

Qing Hang explained, “It’s not because of that. When she said she wanted to get married, I should have bought the ring immediately. But I bought it too late and missed the best time.”

Li Yu wasn’t surprised by Qing Hang’s thoughts of a quick marriage. His relationship with Cheng Wanyue had no transition period; every minute was intense. Anything that seemed impossible for him became natural when it came to Cheng Wanyue.

“After returning to China, could I visit Wanyue?”

“She doesn’t want to see people. We’ll contact you when there’s an opportunity.”

Several colleagues were staying longer, but Qing Hang returned first. By the time he reached Nanjing, it was already dark. He went directly to the hospital.

Cheng Guo’an and Yang Huimin were outside the hospital room, comforting each other with reddened eyes. Qing Hang watched from a distance, waiting until they wouldn’t feel awkward before approaching.

They told him that Cheng Wanyue had a fever and had barely eaten all day. She also had a rash. They could only watch helplessly, unable to do anything, growing more distressed the longer they watched.

Qing Hang played Cheng Yanqing’s role, patiently reassuring them: everything would be fine.

Knocking on the door, he also repeated to himself: everything would be fine.

He knocked three times.

Cheng Wanyue wasn’t asleep. Hearing the knocks, she sat up in bed. She knew it was Qing Hang because others would call her name first.

Compared to yesterday, her condition was much better today.

She threw off the blanket, got out of bed, and ran to the door. Before Qing Hang could open his arms, she jumped and threw herself into his embrace. He had just come in from outside and still carried a chill. Her hands instinctively slipped inside his clothes.

His suitcase was outside the door. His hands were empty.

“Do you have a gift for me?” Cheng Wanyue stood on Qing Hang’s feet as he carried her inside. “If you don’t hand it over willingly, I’ll have to search you.”

Qing Hang deliberately avoided her gaze. “No, I forgot. Time was tight. I didn’t have time to buy a gift.”

Cheng Wanyue felt his pockets. “I don’t believe you. Let me see where you’ve hidden it… Found it!”

“This is a ring?” She held up the small velvet box she had found on him, but didn’t even pretend to open it. She just tossed it back to him and climbed onto a chair to get back into bed. “I don’t want it. Take it back and return it.”

Qing Hang’s actual gifts were in his suitcase. He had been carrying the ring, waiting for her to discover it. “Why don’t you want it?”

Cheng Wanyue picked up her game console, appearing too busy to pay attention to him. “I just don’t want it. There’s no reason.”

“I can’t return it, and I won’t,” Qing Hang took the opportunity to ask. “I spent a long time choosing it. Don’t you want to see what it looks like?”

Cheng Wanyue shook her head. She was very curious about what kind of ring Qing Hang, who had never bought one before, would choose. Would the size fit? Would it be a style she liked? But she knew too well what Qing Hang wanted to do.

“It’s late. You should accompany my parents home for dinner. You must be tired after such a long flight.”

“I’ll come back later.” Qing Hang put the ring away and didn’t mention it again.

Cheng Wanyue wanted Qing Hang to rest at home, but he wouldn’t listen. Even if he agreed, he would still come.

Less than two hours later, Qing Hang returned with hot porridge. He stayed with Cheng Wanyue until she finished eating, then went to the bathroom for a simple wash-up. There was a place to sleep in the hospital room. Being beside her, he fell asleep easily.

Cheng Wanyue called him softly. There was no response. After a while, she called again, making sure he was sound asleep before getting out of bed.

No lights were on. Moonlight shone through the window, enough for her to avoid bumping into chairs.

She started with his jacket, then his pants, searching inside and out but finding nothing. Finally, she turned her attention to the clothes he was wearing.

On the side closest to her, the fabric was smooth, not looking like it concealed anything.

She carefully shifted position, held her breath, thinking she would just feel once. Perhaps after she had rejected it, he had left the ring at home.

However, before she could make her next move, Qing Hang suddenly turned over, completely pinning the inner pocket under him.

She had no choice but to wait for him to turn back.

If he had the ring with him, lying on his side like this, the box would be uncomfortable.

She guessed correctly.

Not long after, Qing Hang turned again, lying flat.

This time, Cheng Wanyue easily retrieved the ring. She had only intended to open it and look, but after seeing it, she couldn’t resist trying it on.

The next moment, she was pulled by her wrist and fell on top of him.

“You were pretending to sleep!” Cheng Wanyue was caught red-handed. She used her hands and feet to try to escape from this incriminating scene.

Qing Hang kept one hand on her lower back while the other reached for the blanket that had fallen to the floor, wrapping her tightly. His voice couldn’t hide his laughter. “I was already asleep. I don’t know who was groping all over me, sighing and complaining.”

Cheng Wanyue, her face red, made excuses. “I was checking if you’d been eating properly these past few days. You haven’t.”

“Then I misunderstood. Qing Hang didn’t expose her. He shifted his body, frowning slightly. “There’s something under my back. It’s digging into my bones.”

Only after Cheng Wanyue felt the object did she realize—it was the ring she had dropped in her panic.

The cool ring had become a hot potato. She didn’t know whether to throw it or keep it.

She still had a fever, and it was warm inside the blanket. In the quiet of the night, Qing Hang remained silent. He grasped her hand and took the ring from her palm. After putting it on her finger, he rotated it half a turn left and right, finding the size to be a perfect fit.

Cheng Wanyue’s mind was dazed by this moment. She fell into a drowsy sleep and had a dream where she was wearing a wedding dress with a skirt that truly looked like a flowing river, endless.

In the morning, when the nurse came to take her temperature, the bed was empty. She almost thought the patient had disappeared until she turned and saw two people asleep on the sofa, letting out a sigh of relief.

The sofa was small, uncomfortable, even for one person to sleep on.

The two of them held each other tightly to avoid falling off. It was a wonder how they had managed to sleep that way.

Cheng Wanyue was still asleep. Qing Hang wrapped her in the blanket and carried her back to the hospital bed. She had worn the ring for just one night. When he put it away, it still held her body warmth.

She grew weaker day by day, but still remembered that the cherry blossoms at Jiming Temple were blooming. Since it was the weekend and Huo Zhi had also come to visit, she wanted to go outside and enjoy the sunshine.

Cheng Yanqing worried she would catch another cold and wouldn’t let her go. “Although it’s sunny, the wind is strong and chilly.”

Zhou Yu also said, “There are so many people viewing cherry blossoms on weekends. Wanyue, let’s go in a few days. Next Friday, the weather will be good and warm.”

Cherry blossoms only bloom for one to two weeks. Cheng Wanyue had been thinking about them since the buds first appeared on the trees. Today, she didn’t need an IV, and the attending physician had already made his morning rounds.

As Qing Hang was about to stand up, she caught his pinky finger.

Cheng Wanyue winked at him and whispered, “Qing Hang, let’s secretly escape.”

Just like long ago when they were desk mates and she found self-study class too boring, she would rest her head on the desk, signal him with her eyes, and say, “Qing Hang, let’s skip class today.”

Qing Hang averted his gaze. “No.”

Cheng Wanyue grew angry and ignored Qing Hang. The others around them were chatting and laughing. Qing Hang went to the nursing station for a while, and when he returned, he helped Cheng Wanyue get her coat. Only then did a smile appear on her face.

As the car approached the temple, Cheng Wanyue lowered the window and smelled the fragrance of cherry blossoms in the wind. She and Qing Hang mingled with the crowd, as happy as all the other visitors who had come to see the cherry blossoms.

Cheng Wanyue wore a blue hat. No matter where she went, Qing Hang could find her.

The air was filled with the scent of incense. While she was lighting a matchmaking lamp for Yan Ci, Qing Hang went to obtain a safety charm. As long as she was healthy, he could be nothing, have nothing.

Whenever Huo Zhi came to Nanjing, she brought her camera. If Cheng Yanqing was holding it, the lens would capture only Huo Zhi, so most of the time, Huo Zhi took the photos herself. Cheng Wanyue was always the most animated person in the videos.

They were not just friends, but family.

Qing Hang was paying for something while Cheng Wanyue looked eagerly at the small stall in front of her. Huo Zhi zoomed in with the camera, “Yueyue, what are you buying?”

Cheng Wanyue beamed with joy. “Plum blossom cakes, plum blossom cakes. You’ll know if you try them.”

She was just satisfying a craving and would stop after one bite.

Huo Zhi asked again, “Where do you want to go next?”

Cheng Wanyue answered without hesitation, “Hot pot and a little drink.”

Qing Hang reached out to press down on her hat. The brim covered her eyes. Thinking it was Cheng Yanqing, she didn’t even turn around before giving him a nudge with her elbow.

Yan Ci arrived in the evening and went directly to the restaurant. Cheng Yanqing waited until Yan Ci arrived before taking out his marriage certificate and tossing it casually on the table. With his right arm around Huo Zhi’s shoulders, he announced, “My wife, legally and officially.”

While everyone was still stunned, Qing Hang was the first to toast him. Cheng Wanyue drank plain water, and so did he. “Congratulations. Now you won’t have to climb over balconies anymore.”

“Thank you, thank you. Your turn will come sooner or later,” Cheng Yanqing snapped his fingers in front of Cheng Wanyue. “Little sister, notice anything?”

Cheng Wanyue was looking at the photo on the marriage certificate. “Zhi Zhi looks beautiful. You look ugly.”

Cheng Yanqing pretended to get up and hit her, but was stopped by Yan Ci. Yan Ci was stealing time from his busy schedule; gathering everyone for a meal meant more to him than closing a business deal.

Yan Ci smiled and said he should start preparing his monetary gift. “Today counts as an early wedding banquet. Congratulations. Have you set a date for the wedding?”

Cheng Yanqing raised an eyebrow. “The wedding is still a long way off.”

Cheng Wanyue interjected, “What do you mean by ‘a long way off’? It’s only a few months away.”

Cheng Yanqing explained, “We’re both very busy this year. Zhi Zhi also has photography projects. We’ll push the wedding back a bit.”

The words “Is it because of me?” almost escaped Cheng Wanyue’s lips. Qing Hang was peeling an apple for her, and she lowered her head to eat it. She knew it was because of her, and everyone knew it too, but no one tore through that thin veil.

Hot pot restaurants had become increasingly sophisticated in their decor, and their service was constantly improving. Cheng Wanyue had been craving hot pot for a long time, but she felt that the best hot pot was still the one they had made themselves in the Cheng family courtyard during their high school years.

On the way back to the hospital, they passed a beautiful road. Cheng Wanyue and Qing Hang got out of the car to take a walk.

She told him that when the phoenix tree leaves grew lush in summer, this road would be even more beautiful, whether in sunshine or rain.

He said summer would come soon.