“Xiao Rui, get the phone,” Mother Qi’s voice called from the inner room.

“Mom, I’m organizing the contacts list right now,” Qi Di’s voice answered from another room.

The phone kept ringing, one after another, until Mother Qi hurried over, too busy to even take off her reading glasses.

“Why is everyone so frantic…” she muttered.

“It’s all because of your second sister! Suddenly deciding to marry, and so fast! We haven’t prepared anything and I’m dead tired…” Qi Di shouted from inside. “I don’t even know the guy, we haven't met his parents, how can she just decide to marry? It's completely reckless…”

Ignoring her son’s grumbling, Mother Qi picked up the phone.

“Mom, Xiao Yue is getting married? Xiao Yue is really getting married? Why is Xiao Yue getting married?” The eldest daughter’s shout came through the receiver.

Ever since Qi Yue called back that first time, Mother Qi’s ears had been constantly filled with that demanding tone.

“Yes, she is getting married. Why shouldn’t she be able to marry?” Mother Qi repeated the words she had said countless times, her mouth dry, her voice growing weak. “…Don’t know, haven’t met him… Yes, haven’t met him, don’t know where he’s from, how old he is, or what he does… Our family will handle the entire wedding… It’s not a joke… As long as she’s happy… What are you saying? Does your sister have such poor judgment?... Wu Jianfeng was an accident… Everyone misjudges sometimes… This time won’t be a misjudgment… What do you mean shotgun wedding… We’ll talk when you get back.. We’re swamped here… You come back first, one person is one person… What time is your flight? Fine, have Xiao Rui pick you up…”

As she said this, Qi Di’s voice called out from the room.

“Mom, I don’t have time to pick her up. Tell big sister to take a cab back herself, she isn’t unfamiliar with the route,” he yelled.

Mother Qi hung up the phone.

“Look how busy you’ve made me…” she said, staring blankly by the phone. “What was I just about to do?”

After a moment of daze, she slapped her forehead.

“Right, right, the pattern for the duvet cover…” she said, hurrying toward the room. Before she took a few steps, the doorbell rang, ding-dong, and Mother Qi rushed to open it.

It was the delivery men with the new furniture.

“It’s not here, it’s at Yan Jing Hospital, Ren He Neighborhood…” Mother Qi called out urgently. “Xiao Rui, take them there…”

“Oh, Mom, I’m running late already…”

Just as things were heating up, Father Qi returned.

“I’ll call the people; you take them and arrange your sister’s marital home,” he said.

Only then did Qi Di grab his jacket and head out.

“Honestly, making her place the wedding home. Mom, isn’t it possible he’s just a gold digger who wants to steal her heart?” he muttered under his breath.

“Oh, just go already, can’t you think of anything good for once!” Mother Qi nudged him with a playful reprimand.

Father Qi entered, changed his clothes, sat on the sofa, and began looking through the phonebook with his glasses on. Mother Qi sat opposite him, also donning her glasses, flipping through the bedding catalog. Sunlight streamed through the window, and the sudden tranquility soothed the earlier atmosphere of frantic haste.

“Should we notify the relatives back home?” Father Qi asked.

“The timeline is too tight; they won’t be able to make it anyway. Besides, we are marrying off a daughter, not bringing in a daughter-in-law; perhaps it’s better not to say anything,” Mother Qi replied.

“Then, won’t the turnout be too small?” Father Qi hesitated before saying.

Mother Qi pushed up her glasses.

“Are you sure there are no in-laws on their side?” she inquired.

“Xiao Yue said no, just one person. A simple ceremony will suffice,” Father Qi said. “But a wedding is a major life event; how can it be done simply…”

“Exactly,” Mother Qi shook her head. “Don’t listen to them. Young people have these strange notions. A wedding is a huge part of life; not preparing for it properly is disrespectful—disrespectful to parents and to heaven and earth.”

Father Qi nodded.

“Then let’s do this. I’ve notified my colleagues, classmates, and acquaintances from the institute. Add Xiao Yue’s colleagues, classmates, and friends, and we’re looking at dozens of tables. I’ll go check with the Yan Jing Grand Hotel again…” he said.

“Are there any dates available?” Mother Qi asked worriedly.

“I pulled some strings to check. Xiao Yue didn’t give a specific time, just said immediately. I had someone calculate it—November seventeenth, that date seems acceptable,” Father Qi explained.

“November seventeenth? That’s only three days away! That’s too fast!” Mother Qi exclaimed, her face immediately tightening with anxiety again. “Those quilts won’t be ready in time!”

“Those are minor details. There are no in-laws to impress; who cares about the quilts? As long as the wedding goes well,” Father Qi reassured her.

It had to be that way. Mother Qi sighed, tossing the catalog aside. Deciding to only arrange the events for the wedding day, she felt a sudden lightness. In truth, there wasn't that much to do; the anxiety of the last two days stemmed entirely from the suddenness of her daughter’s marriage announcement.

“I wonder what kind of person he is…” she couldn’t help but murmur.

Father Qi marked entries in his contact list, head bowed.

“I… might have met him,” he suddenly said.

Mother Qi gasped and shot upright.

“You met him? When? Where? What does he look like? How old is he?” she peppered him with questions.

Father Qi smiled and took off his glasses.

In her call, Qi Yue had refused to say who her fiancé was, only promising to talk when she returned. But the moment he heard the news, the first image that flashed in his mind was that man.

The man who had entered his office that day, sat down politely, and presented his identification card.

“My name is Chang Yuncheng. I was hoping to inquire about Doctor Qi Yue.”

He hadn’t asked many questions that day, merely stating that he heard Qi Yue had been ill for a long time and he was very worried since he hadn’t been able to contact her. For some inexplicable reason, in this age where one is wary of strangers, Father Qi had relayed Qi Yue’s phone number and workplace to this man without hesitation. Yet, strangely, he didn't feel uneasy; it felt like the most natural thing in the world. Why had that man put him so much at ease? Perhaps it was the way the man’s hands clenched, his body trembled, and the sheer relief flooding his eyes when he spoke the name Qi Yue—a joy akin to surviving a catastrophe. A person who cherishes a mere name like a treasure probably held no malice toward the person who bore it.

“Oh, hurry up and tell me,” Mother Qi urged, nudging her husband, who was lost in thought. “Such a big thing, and you didn’t tell me a word!” Then she started complaining again—how father and daughter never took her seriously, and so on.

Father Qi laughed heartily.

“It might not be, it might not be, I’m just guessing…” He quickly soothed his wife. Just then, the doorbell rang.

“Dad, Mom, I’m back.”

Qi Yue’s voice sounded from outside the door.

Father Qi smiled.

“Well, she’s come in person. Go take a good look,” he chuckled.

Mother Qi had already jumped up from the sofa and rushed to open the door, but she couldn't help slowing down after two steps.

“They say the son-in-law is nervous meeting the mother-in-law,” she whispered to Father Qi, patting her own chest. “Why am I so incredibly nervous meeting my son-in-law…”

Father Qi waved her off with a smile. As he watched his wife reach for the doorknob, he secretly took a deep breath and looked toward the entryway.

“Mom.”

Qi Yue’s smiling face appeared first, followed by her reaching back to pull the person beside her. “This is Chang Yuncheng.”

Father Qi, still seated on the sofa, let out a soft breath. Yes, it was indeed this man. Chang Yuncheng. Chang Yuncheng… How ridiculous. It was like knowing the name of the man who would be brother-in-law tomorrow only today—no one would believe such a story.

Meanwhile, Qi Rui, seated on the sofa opposite, looked at the man across from him. His mother and Qi Yue were busy in the kitchen, and his father had just stepped out to take a call. Now, the two of them sat facing each other in the living room. The man displayed none of the awkwardness of a first-time visitor; instead, he calmly surveyed the surroundings with an air of relaxed familiarity, as if he already belonged here. This irked Qi Rui slightly. Although the man was indeed handsome, as the Qi family’s future sole male heir, he felt responsible for the women in the house. Women often lose their judgment when swayed by a good face; in such times, a rational, wise, and discerning male presence was needed to clear the fog and illuminate the right path for them.

“Who are you?” he asked.

Chang Yuncheng withdrew his gaze and looked at the young brat. He reached into his pocket and presented something.

Qi Yue emerged from the kitchen, holding a piece of beef, and rushed over, snatching the ID card from Qi Rui’s hand and handing it back to Chang Yuncheng. Qi Rui stood there, hand still extended, dazed. What had he just taken? An ID card? What was the meaning of this?

“I told you not to pull that out every time,” Qi Yue said, sitting down on the armrest of the sofa next to Chang Yuncheng and smiling as she offered the beef to his mouth. “No one suspects you’re not from around here, you don’t need to be so anxious to prove you’re not an alien…”

“You’re the alien. I’m not nervous,” Chang Yuncheng grunted.

“Sure you aren’t,” Qi Yue laughed playfully.

Qi Rui coughed loudly nearby.

“Hey, hey,” he said, crossing his legs and tilting his chin up, pointing a finger at himself. “Keep it down, there’s a pure, underage youth present here…”

Qi Yue just smiled and waved at him.

Mother Qi then emerged from the kitchen.

“Time to eat,” she announced, looking at Chang Yuncheng with a beaming smile. “Come, Yuncheng, sit over here. Yueyue said you love pig’s head; I made some specially for you. Tell me if it suits your taste?”

Chang Yuncheng stood up, bowed with a smile.

“Thank you, Mother,” he said.

Qi Rui choked, letting out a small snort.

“Hey, hey, you’re really… really…” he stammered, eyes wide.

“Really what? Call him brother-in-law,” Qi Yue said, reaching out to tap his head.

Mother Qi didn't seem uncomfortable at all; instead, she nodded happily. Qi Rui huffed and walked toward the dining table.

“Mom, where’s my favorite roast duck head? Why didn’t you make any for me…” he grumbled, looking over the table laden with food.

“There wasn’t time,” Mother Qi replied, handing him chopsticks. “Divide the chopsticks. You’re a grown man; don’t you have any sense of observation at home? Can’t you see the work that needs doing?”

Qi Rui shook his head.

“It’s true, seeing the new couple happy, but not mourning the old ones. Beauty fades quickly, and joy is fleeting…” he sighed while distributing the chopsticks.

This made the other three laugh. Father Qi walked in after finishing his call, and seeing everyone laughing, he smiled too.

“Let’s eat,” Mother Qi said, pausing slightly at Father Qi’s expression. “Old Qi, come and get me a bowl of soup.”

Father Qi understood his wife’s subtle signal and followed her inside.

“What is it?” Mother Qi asked, lowering her voice and glancing outside. Chang Yuncheng was already seated, with Qi Yue right beside him, pointing at dishes while talking; the man’s eyes were filled with loving affection as he looked at his daughter.

“He’s very good,” she said, withdrawing her gaze and looking at Father Qi. “I asked. His parents passed away. He was in the military, he’s handsome, and a good person. Though he doesn’t talk much, you can tell he’s reliable. Don’t put on a stern face and scare the children.”

Father Qi laughed.

“It’s easy when someone is good-looking. Just standing there, smiling at you, and calling you ‘Mother,’ and you immediately place him on your heart,” he teased.

“Yes, I’m just a woman with limited vision, only seeing faces,” Mother Qi chuckled, then pulled Father Qi’s arm to look out again. “Look, this boy treats Yueyue with a hundred percent sincerity; there’s no pretense. Are you looking down on him because he has no parents, or because he has no job? No education?”

Father Qi smiled.

“I’m laughing at you for spending half your life wrongly accusing me,” he replied.

Mother Qi paused, then smiled, completely reassured.

“Then what exactly is wrong?” she asked in a low voice.

“The Yan Jing Grand Hotel has no openings,” Father Qi frowned. “I just called; it’s impossible. They said the earliest they could manage is a date in March next year.”

“If there are no openings, forget it,” Qi Yue’s voice drifted in from the doorway, startling the elderly couple.

“Why are you eavesdropping?” Mother Qi chided.

“I was afraid you were saying bad things about Yuncheng,” Qi Yue said, leaning against the doorframe and smiling.

Mother Qi glared at her.

“A grown daughter can’t be held back!” she grumbled affectionately.

“Dad, seriously, we just wanted to get the marriage license and have a meal with your friends so everyone could meet. That’s enough,” Qi Yue said with a smile. “Don’t organize anything grand; those big spectacles are utterly unimportant to us.”

“But they are very important to us,” Father Qi shook his head. “Don’t worry about it. Getting the license is one thing; consider this wedding our way of showing gratitude for you taking care of us and organizing it. Yueyue, we raised you for so long; we truly want to send you off in splendor. Call us vain, but we parents just want to show off a little.”

Over by the table, Chang Yuncheng paused in eating and looked at Qi Rui, who was devouring his food.

“Is getting the license different from having a wedding?” he asked.

Qi Rui didn’t look up.

“Getting the license is legal; the wedding is for the world to witness. Of course, they are different,” he stated. To announce to the world in splendor that she is his wife, and he is her husband.

Chang Yuncheng nodded.

“You really didn’t go to university? How can you not even know this?” Qi Rui finally looked up and asked. “In the countryside, even without a license, if you hold a wedding feast and invite the neighbors and relatives, it’s considered ironclad proof of marriage. Even without a certificate, it’s protected by custom.”

Chang Yuncheng nodded.

“I know,” he replied.

Qi Rui glanced at him, then at the three people still talking in the kitchen. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a card, handing it over.

“What’s this?” Chang Yuncheng asked.

“This is my private savings,” Qi Rui said quietly. “My sister’s been having terrible luck these past few years—first dumped, then that incident. She barely clawed her way back to life, and now people whisper behind her back that she has mental issues because of some odd behavior—ahem, I’m not saying my sister is flawed, she’s not mentally ill…”

Chang Yuncheng smiled and nodded.

“I know,” he said.

Qi Rui pursed his lips.

“You… buy her a decent wedding ring,” he said, pushing the bank card over.

Chang Yuncheng looked at him without speaking.

“Consider it a loan. You have to pay me back later,” Qi Rui mumbled, feeling a bit embarrassed under the gaze, and added with a huff.

Chang Yuncheng smiled and took the bank card.

“Thank you,” he said.

Qi Rui rubbed his nose, grunting some unintelligible words before lowering his head and rapidly shoveling food.

A phone began to ring, interrupting the conversations on both sides.

The gap is widening step by step. I know you are all still trying hard to hold on. It’s fine, the gap is huge, but I will not give up until the final moment.

The grand finale chapter cannot be written in one go; let’s divide it into two chapters. The final conclusion will be tonight. I await you all for the last ending. Regardless of what happens, thank you for giving me such an exhilarating journey! RS