Chapter 119 – Extra 1

 

On National Day in 2010, Caini and Dezi tied the knot, with their auspicious date set for October 5th at 5:30 PM.

The wedding venue was set at Yicheng’s most established high-end hotel—Bomei Hotel.

No matter how busy she was, Ming Xi would make time to return to Yicheng for Caini and Dezi’s wedding, and Liang Jiancheng was no exception.

Coinciding with the National Day holiday, Liang Jiancheng not only accompanied Ming Xi back to her hometown, but also brought along their little Ming Lang.

This October, little Ming Lang would be one year and three months old. He could walk steadily and babble “Mommy” and “Daddy” in his soft, babyish voice—right at that irresistibly adorable stage of early childhood.

If he had already been a beautiful baby at birth, his chubby, lively toddler appearance now made him even more impossible to put down. With his plump fair cheeks, bright black eyes, and long lashes, he was a little “eyelash monster.” Though his temperament was more composed than most babies, he still had plenty of expressive little reactions when facing his parents.

He often displayed the full range of a baby’s tiny scheming mind to perfection.

After more than a year together, Ming Xi had come to understand Little Ming Lang quite well—he really was just like her. Though in terms of “reincarnation luck,” Ming Lang had clearly done far better than she had.

Among the family, the one who doted on this little treasure the most was neither his parents, Ming Xi and Liang Jiancheng, nor Gu Shuangyang and Old Liang—but Yang Minwen.

Upon hearing about Dezi’s wedding and receiving the invitation, Yang Minwen, as a relative, naturally planned to return to Yicheng to celebrate. Although he hadn’t attended Dezi’s older brother’s wedding years ago, he had watched Dezi build his own business in Haigang over the years and felt genuinely proud of the young man. Besides, he had once helped arrange Caini’s job long ago, which made their bond even deeper than ordinary acquaintances.

Ming Xi and Liang Jiancheng plan to depart on the 4th and return on the 6th, staying in Yicheng for two days.

As a native of Yicheng, Yang Minwen took his parents back to his hometown a couple of days ago to tidy up the old house.

In 2010, housing prices were skyrocketing, and gatherings among friends and relatives inevitably revolved around real estate. Yet Yang Minwen had never bought a commercial apartment in Yicheng. Instead, he had carefully renovated the three-story countryside house.

Across from the old house lay a vast lotus pond. In summer, pink and white lotus blossoms either budded or bloomed freely, complementing the lush greenery of the hills behind.

With water in front and mountains behind, it was, by any standard, excellent feng shui.

During renovations earlier that year, Yang Minwen had even photographed the smallest details—down to the corners of the walls—and sent them to his wife, Gu Shuangyang.

In the photos, a gentle breeze rippled across lotus leaves, creating waves of green—so beautiful it was intoxicating.

“Truly, good feng shui nurtures immortals,” Gu Shuangyang responded. As for who the “immortal” referred to, it went without saying.

When it came to household matters, Gu Shuangyang always gave Yang Minwen full authority. Even if he had decorated the place in a rough “post-war Syrian style,” she would still have praised it as “returning to simplicity.” Fortunately, Yang Minwen’s ability and aesthetic sense did not disappoint. The old house had been transformed into something elegantly traditional—plain on the outside, yet refined within, with harmonious colors and furnishings.

Although they had a comfortable two-bedroom apartment in Haigang, Yang Minwen’s parents still preferred this place. They spent most of the year living in the countryside, returning to Yicheng, and every late autumn, they would send home-dried lotus seeds to their “wealthy relatives” in Haigang.

Yang Minwen’s early return this time was not only to tidy the house, but also to carefully prepare a guest room.

“Ming Xi, Jiancheng: If it’s convenient, come stay at my parents’ place for a couple of days during your visit to Yicheng.” He sent the message to both of them.

Ming Xi certainly wouldn’t refuse Xiao Ge, nor did she want to.

So Liang Jiancheng agreed immediately. Actually, last year, Liang Jiancheng had already bought the house that his father, Old Liang, had rented in Yicheng, thinking that he and Ming Xi would have a place to stay when they returned to Yicheng in the future. But given Yang Minwen’s warm invitation and thoughtful preparations, it was only right for them to stay at his family home.

Caini had originally wanted Ming Xi to stay at her house, but Ming Xi politely declined—now traveling with husband and child, it wasn’t as simple as before. Dezi had offered to arrange a hotel suite, but Liang Jiancheng also declined.

On one hand, they didn’t want to disappoint Yang Minwen; more importantly, they needed help taking care of the child.

Little Ming Lang was especially attached to Yang Minwen. Every time he saw him, he would stretch out his arms asking to be held.

Xiao Ge doted on Little Ming Lang, and Little Ming Lang also loved Xiao Ge. Even without any blood relation, for someone as gentle and deeply affectionate as Yang Minwen, it was only natural that he would love the child.

Learning that Ming Xi and Liang Jiancheng wouldn’t be staying in a city hotel, Dezi felt a bit regretful but didn’t insist. To him, having both Yang Minwen and Liang Jiancheng attend his wedding was already a great honor. If it weren’t for the fear of misunderstandings, he would have seated them at the main table.

So, deciding which table Ming Xi and Liang Jiancheng should sit at suddenly became a headache for Caini!

Wedding seating was a delicate matter of social relationships—one misstep could easily lead to misunderstandings. As a carefree second-generation factory owner, this was the first time Caini found herself carefully weighing interpersonal dynamics among friends and relatives. Over the years, she had become somewhat more perceptive, learning by observing those around her.

Still, she hesitated—should she seat the couple with Yang Minwen’s relatives, or at Han Junjun’s friends’ table?

After much deliberation, unable to make up my mind, she had no choice but to call Ming Xi and ask her for advice.

“Liang Jiancheng and I will sit at the friends’ table, and Little Ming Lang will be seated at Yang Minwen’s family table.” Ming Xi replied decisively, instantly solving the problem that had troubled Caini for so long.

The solution was both clever and considerate—it balanced all relationships while entrusting her lively son to someone who truly adored him.

Caini accepted the arrangement and couldn’t help but nod in admiration. As expected of Boss Ming!

Before hanging up, Auntie Caini couldn’t resist acting a little spoiled: “I haven’t seen photos of Little Ming Lang in so long—send me a few!”

Powerful CEOs tend to have multiple phones, and Miss Ming was no exception.

Ming Xi took out her personal phone from her bag, unlocked it with a swipe, opened her photo album, and picked a few of her favorites. Through her messaging app, she sent them to Auntie Caini. There was one of the little guy grinning foolishly while holding a half-eaten apple; one of him wobbling along while holding onto a child’s playpen; and another of him dozing off on the sofa, hugging a stuffed teddy bear. Each photo was vivid and adorable.

All these photos had been taken by Aunt Tang, who took care of Little Ming Lang.

“Minglang” was originally a nickname given by Ming Xi. She had intended to let Liang Jiancheng decide the formal name, but he said without hesitation, “Let’s just call him Ming Lang—make it his official name too.”

Ming Xi was surprised and frowned slightly. Liang Jiancheng’s smile faded as he explained seriously, “It’s not about giving him Ming Decheng’s surname—it’s about giving him his mother’s surname. In this world, he is the person most closely tied to you by blood and kinship. In a sense, he is also your only true family. Your bond should naturally be closer.”

“If he takes my surname, will the professor agree?” Ming Xi didn’t want that—nor did she want to hurt the professor over it.

“This isn’t just my idea—it’s Old Liang’s as well.”

“Did the professor really say that?”

Liang Jiancheng joked, “He could even accept me taking the surname Yang.”

Ming Xi pressed her lips together. That did sound like something the professor would say. Tilting her head, she probed, “Liang Jiancheng, are you planning for the second child to take your surname?”

They were in the study at the time, the desk lamp casting a warm yellow glow.

Liang Jiancheng smiled charmingly and said firmly, “I swear on my conscience, I absolutely have no ulterior motives.”

Ming Xi leaned closer, her eyes sparkling: “They say daughters resembles their fathers more. Daddy, aren’t you tempted?”

Liang Jiancheng firmly shook his head, unmoved in the slightest.

“Really not tempted?”

Ming Xi blinked, coaxing playfully, “Our daughter would definitely be beautiful and adorable.”

Still, he shook his head. He had no such desire. The reason was simple—childbirth was hardest on Ming Xi. He had witnessed her pain during labor and didn’t want her to go through it again.

Ming Xi found it strange—he truly wasn’t tempted at all.

“What a pity for Mr. Liang’s good genes,” she sighed regretfully when she failed to persuade him.

“What good genes do I have? Luckily Ming Lang takes after you. Old Liang has said many times that I had a sensitive stomach as a child—I was very hard to raise,” Liang Jiancheng said honestly, smiling.

Oh, really?

Ming Xi clicked her tongue. Before marriage, he had spoken endlessly about “excellent genes,” and now after marriage, those “excellent genes” had changed?

Sure enough, a man’s words couldn’t be trusted—before and after marriage were completely different. No wonder Mr. Kevin Liao liked to joke, “Before marriage, Mr. Liang belonged to Xinghai; after marriage, he directly became a man of Mingzhou!”

On the morning of October 3, a business vehicle set off from Haigang.

During the National Day holiday in 2010, the highways were not as congested as they are now, and there were not as many people traveling by car. Instead, there were many container trucks shuttling back and forth—perhaps some carrying Mingzhou’s goods.

Liang Jiancheng drove. In the back seat, Ming Xi listened to a full-English speech with earphones on, while Little Ming Lang slept soundly in his car seat. Aunt Tang sat in the last row, occasionally leaning forward to tuck the slipping blanket back over him.

After exiting the highway, the car passed through Yicheng’s urban area, crossed the riverside bridge, and turned onto a rural road.

Twenty minutes later, a small building with gray bricks and dark tiles came into view.

Yang Minwen stood at the courtyard gate with his parents. As soon as the car stopped, he skillfully took Little Ming Lang from Aunt Tang’s arms. The little one drowsily opened his eyes, and upon recognizing him, immediately broke into a wide grin. His chubby little hands cupped Yang Minwen’s face as he planted a loud kiss: “Ge… ge!” (“Brother!”)

Aunt Tang turned her face away, unable to help smiling wryly. Even after more than a year, the confusing generational order always made her both amused and exasperated.

In fact, Ming Xi herself had once been troubled over how Little Ming Lang should address Yang Minwen.

After marriage, she followed Liang Jiancheng in calling him “Xiao Ge,” so what should her child call him?

“Xiao Ge Grandpa” sounded awkward, and “Little Grandpa” sounded strange. In the end, it proved that children have their own ways. Since Gu Shuangyang habitually called Yang Minwen “Xiao Ge” at home, the term was picked up not only by Liang Jiancheng, but also by the babbling Ming Lang. Unable to pronounce it properly, it turned into the reduplicated “Gege” (“Brother”).

At that call of “Gege,” Yang Minwen beamed with joy, rubbing his cheek against the child’s soft face. “Did you miss me?” he asked gently.

Little Ming Lang nodded.

In October, all the lotus flowers in the most beautiful pond in Yang Minwen’s old house had withered. The once lush and beautiful pond in the photo was now a desolate scene with lotus leaves and flowers falling into the pond.

It was a pity they couldn’t witness the pond in full bloom this year.

The group entered the house. Ming Xi and Liang Jiancheng’s bedroom was on the third floor. When they opened the door, they saw a celadon vase on the bedside table, holding a bundle of dried lotus pods.

The gray-brown pods, weathered by sun and time, still carried a certain proud elegance. A small note from Yang Minwen was attached to the vase: Each year has its own scenery, each journey its own splendor. While the lotus pond outside the window had withered, this cluster of lotus pods preserved the vibrant life of summer. Even in its withered form, it retained a noble and artistic beauty.

All the splendor must eventually fade, but the proud spirit would endure through the ages.

Ming Xi liked that phrase—and she liked what it meant.

As night fell, Caini and Dezi, having heard that Ming Xi had arrived in Yicheng, immediately organized a late-night gathering.

Considering Ming Lang’s strict 9 p.m. bedtime, Ming Xi could only leave the child in Aunt Tang’s care.

Liang Jiancheng drove Yang Minwen’s sedan, taking Ming Xi to Jinxin Winery—

This old tavern, carrying memories of the millennium, remained unchanged in layout and décor. What once seemed grand and magnificent now amounted to just a few round tables in the main hall, with only a handful of private rooms. Boss Jin, ever smiling, now had streaks of gray at his temples, yet still greeted them warmly: “Ming Xi’er, long time no see!”

Pushing open the private room door, familiar noise rushed toward them. Ming Xi and Liang Jiancheng took their seats—present, but not drinking.

After years of running a factory, Han Junjun had become much more outgoing. Especially after a couple of beers, his cheeks flushed as he said to Caini and Dezi, “You two really took your time! My twins are already in school, and you’re only just getting together!”

Every time they gathered, Han Junjun never missed a chance to brag about his twins.

Caini and Dezi exchanged mock looks of disdain—who would have thought finding a partner could be so hard that they ended up settling for each other?

Resting her chin on her hand, Caini turned to Ming Xi and sighed, “If I’d known things would turn out like this with Dezi, I would’ve rushed to get married before you back then—so you could be my bridesmaid!”

Dezi laughed brightly. He put his arm around Caini’s shoulder and said smugly, “Good things are worth the wait. So what if it takes a little longer? It just proves that my feelings for Nizi are as good as gold that can withstand the test of fire!”

Then he raised his glass to Liang Jiancheng. “Brother Liang, don’t you agree?”

Liang Jiancheng responded with tea instead of alcohol. His expression was clear and composed, his demeanor little changed from his younger days. Facing these old friends, there was warmth in the corners of his eyes as he followed Dezi’s words: “My situation with Miss Ming is similar. We took so long because Ming Xi was testing me.”

Before Liang Jiancheng could finish speaking, Caini had already moved closer to Ming Xi, her eyes sparkling with gossip: “How did you test him?”

Ming Xi waved her hand helplessly, a faint blush coloring her cheeks. “I didn’t! Back then, rejecting him wasn’t meant as a test…” Before she could finish, Liang Jiancheng had already peeled a shrimp and gently placed it into her bowl, his tone lightly teasing: “Then perhaps I was the one adding extra drama.”

Amid the laughter, Ming Xi looked at the bright red shrimp in her bowl and suddenly recalled a conversation from years ago. It was the Spring Festival of 2005. She had just returned to Yicheng overnight from Gu Shuangyang’s villa. During the holiday, Caini was being relentlessly pressured by her parents to marry. The two of them lay side by side on the bed, Caini hugging a pillow and muttering, “Dezi and I are like twins from the same mother—when we’re together, all we want to do is wrestle. There’s not a shred of romance!”

“Isn’t that kind of exciting?” Ming Xi had replied without even looking up, busy answering emails. Caini had thrown a pillow at her in exasperation. “I can’t believe you’re that kind of person!” After a while, Caini deflated: “Dezi said if I can’t get married, he could settle… settle? I don’t want that!”

After all these twists and turns, childhood sweethearts had finally come together. Just as Liang Jiancheng had told her years ago—love has no fixed trajectory. But it does take time to prove it. Testing jade takes three full days of burning; judging timber requires seven years.

As night deepened outside the window and the streets and alleys gradually quieted down, the laughter and chatter in the private room mingled with the clinking of glasses, accompanied by enthusiastic smiles, making it feel as if they were still those spirited young people from back then.

When the gathering ended, Liang Jiancheng started the car and drove away from Jinxin Winery.

The October night breeze carried a hint of autumn chill through the window. Ming Xi leaned against the passenger seat, her closed lashes casting delicate shadows across her cheeks. After a moment of silence, she suddenly spoke: “Liang Jiancheng, I don’t regret rejecting you the first time.”

After saying this, she turned her head slightly, her gaze falling on his hand gripping the steering wheel. His defined fingers loosened slightly.

“But I’m curious—if I had agreed to you back then, would we still be together now?” By “back then,” she meant when Liang Jiancheng first confessed in 2000.

The corner of Liang Jiancheng’s lips lifted. Streetlights flickered past, casting shifting light and shadow across his face. He answered with certainty: “We would.”

It was a hypothetical question. Back then, she was just a foreign trade sales representative at Haiou, barely in her early twenties. If she had gotten together with Liang Jiancheng then, could they really have made it this far together?

Liang Jiancheng’s answer was a definite yes, they would still be together. Whether they got together sooner or later, he and Ming Xi would be together as they are now.

But Liang Jiancheng was also a rational man. He could guarantee that he would always stay with Ming Xi, and that his feelings would not change—but he could not guarantee whether Ming Xi would still become the same Miss Ming she was now.

“Probably not.” Ming Xi answered firmly, because people naturally tend toward comfort—and she was no exception.

If it hadn’t been for a touch of youthful pride, a bit of ill-timed arrogance, and a certain clarity of mind that led her to reject him back then, she would have quickly fallen deeply into his love.

She might still have managed their marriage well. Even without a career, she would have found ways to make Liang Jiancheng unable to leave her. But she might not have had Mingzhou. Nor Bright.

Nor become the person she was now.

She liked the person she had become now.

Just like that heavy snowfall in 2008—her love for Liang Jiancheng remained unchanged, but it had gained an added layer of vast, steady strength to support it.

In the life ahead, it would no longer be only Boss Liang who could support her—she, too, could support him.

But what about Liang Jiancheng? If she were just a housewife, would he still love her as much?

That question tested human nature too deeply.

Ming Xi didn’t ask.

Perhaps he would still love her—but not with a love that exceeded expectations.

The car was nearing the countryside. In the distance, they could see the pond by Yang Minwen’s home blending into the night. Above hung a faint crescent moon, like a touch of pond water brushed across the edge of the sky.

The moon waxes and wanes.

The car was parked near the pond. In the night, the outlines of the fields blurred into dark silhouettes. Moonlight scattered across the withered lotus stems, rippling in silvery reflections.

Liang Jiancheng turned to look at Ming Xi. His gaze was calm, but his tone was serious. “Ming Xi, do you think people stop loving the moon because it waxes and wanes? Would they deny its beauty just because a crescent is less bright than a full moon?”

He used the metaphor to ask his wife.

He had been thinking about her earlier question all along—whether his feelings would change—and as he drove back to Yang Minwen’s old house under the moonlight, he found his answer.

Over the years, no matter which country or city he was in on business trips, or even just on his daily commute, whenever he longed to return home, he would look up at the moon. The tides rise and fall with the moon’s movement; perhaps everything in the world follows certain laws—but love does not.

When he looked at the moon, he thought of the person in his heart.

So whether Ming Xi was a full, radiant moon or just a slender crescent, she was still the light in his heart.

His love for her—just by quietly gazing at her—would stir the same first moment of falling in love.

That was also why Yang Minwen had always loved his mother.

Each year has its own scenery, each journey its own splendor.

Miss Ming doesn’t need to be boundless brilliance—she would always be the Miss Ming Liang Jiancheng loved most.

At this moment, the crescent moon was not very bright. The night sky above resembled a vast sheet of black silk. In the distance was deep darkness; nearby, the occasional chirping of insects and croaking of frogs, along with the swaying of withered leaves and reeds, created a kind of desolate yet magnificent natural beauty.

For Ming Xi, love undoubtedly required equality.

But for Liang Jiancheng, even if she were only a crescent moon, he would still be willing to cherish that radiance forever.

…

They arrived on the 4th, attended Caini and Dezi’s traditional Chinese wedding on the 5th, and would set off back to Haigang on the 6th.

Before leaving, Liang Jiancheng specifically arranged to meet the head of a renovation company recommended by Dezi, to visit the house that Old Liang had once rented—now owned by him and Ming Xi.

Since they had bought the house, they wanted to see if it could be renovated. Before returning to Haigang, they planned to discuss the details with the contractor.

Ming Xi was delayed chatting with Caini’s parents. When she went upstairs, she carried a heavy cloth bag filled with local specialties from Yicheng—air-dried cured meat, preserved mustard greens, and two pieces of glutinous rice cake.

As she climbed the old spiral staircase, memories from the deep winter of 1999 suddenly surged back.

Back then, holding two cartons of cigarettes, she had gathered all her courage to knock on the door. The one who opened it was a young man with vivid features. Warm air from inside wrapped around her, carrying a strange yet heart-stirring presence. To leave a good impression, she had shamelessly called him “brother”.

The security door still had the old-fashioned key lock. Without a key, Ming Xi pressed the doorbell. The “ding-dong” sound overlapped perfectly with her memory.

Through the door, she faintly heard steady footsteps, followed by that voice that had stirred her heart countless times: “Coming.”

The door slowly opened. Liang Jiancheng leaned lightly against the frame, his shirt collar slightly open, his face familiar—handsome and mature.

Before he could speak, Ming Xi swiftly stuffed the heavy bag into his arms, then stepped lightly over the threshold. The curve of her lips mirrored that of years ago—only more unrestrained now. Smiling brightly, she asked: “Brother, may I come in and sit for a while?”

A low chuckle escaped Liang Jiancheng’s throat. His lashes trembled slightly, filled with enduring affection. He stepped aside, making room for her, his hand gently guiding her elbow as he said softly: “Welcome home, wife.”

Warm light flowed through the room, overlapping with the memory of that first winter meeting, like two silhouettes merging into one.

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