Mrs. Fu, please be mindful of the appropriate boundaries.

The old lady laughed and said, "Do you think getting married is like buying a vegetable? You have to take your own life seriously."

"Can he take things seriously? If he could, he wouldn't have stood people up halfway through a meal. I've introduced him to so many people, and not one of them has caught his eye." Yu's mother had a terrible headache, and she turned her anger directly to Yu Shinan, "Tell me what you're thinking. You still want to get married next year? I don't think you'll be married by thirty if this keeps up."

Yu Shinan served wine to the old lady and then to all the aunts and uncles before slinking off to the men's table. Women are such a pain in the ass, like Tang Sanzang, they never stop nagging.

He received a call from Fu Sichen as soon as he stepped out the door. When he answered, the young girl called out cheerfully, "Brother Nan, I have some good news for you."

"..." Yu Shinan was silent for two seconds. "What do you want? Just say it."

"My second brother's wedding ceremony is on the sixth day of the third lunar month, and they've decided to hold it at the Silver Bay Hotel," Fu Sichen continued with a grin. "Brother Nan, when I went there last time, I heard that your area is fully booked for March, isn't that right?"

"..."

My second brother said you should figure out a way.

"Damn it! I've been sneezing all night," Yu Shinan cursed.

But despite the criticism, things still had to be handled properly, to the highest standards.

If Fu Jingting's wedding isn't held here, or if it's not held well, then he'll lose face.

Just as she was about to hang up, the sound of fireworks suddenly came from Fu Sichen's end. She covered her ears and shouted, "Brother Nan, Happy New Year! I hope you still can't find a girlfriend next year!"

Amidst the crackling of firecrackers, her voice, sweet and crisp, carried a malicious blessing. Yu Shinan chuckled, "You brat, you can't stand to see your brother do well, can you!"

Fu Sichen hung up the phone. She looked up at the fireworks filling the sky and heard the continuous sound of firecrackers, and clasped her hands together in a fist.

Xu Qingcheng came out and saw Fu Sichen praying silently. She stood next to Fu Sichen and looked up at the fireworks in the sky.

Fu Sichen was startled when he saw Xu Qingcheng. "Fairy sister, when did you get here? You scared me!"

"What did you wish for?"

"I want to grow up quickly." Fu Sichen's eyes were full of smiles. "I'll be eighteen on the seventeenth day of the first lunar month."

Xu Qingcheng laughed, "Then let's not look forward to growing up, let's just stay at eighteen." The best time.

"Huh? Why?" Fu Sichen asked, confused. "My parents are too strict with me. Everything has to wait until I'm eighteen. They forbid this and that. I still want to be able to make my own decisions when I'm older. Isn't that great? Like you now, married to someone you love, having a baby. Isn't that happiness?"

Xu Qingcheng smiled, reached out and patted her head, and after a while said, "Yes."

I used to look forward to growing up every day, feeling that my parents imposed too many restrictions on me. But after I grew up, I realized that growing up means taking responsibility and being accountable, and it doesn't mean doing whatever I want.

Whether one is happy or not, only they themselves probably know.

If she and Fu Jingting are truly in love, then their marriage can be considered a happy one.

As the two were talking, Xu Qingcheng's phone rang. She glanced at it and saw it was Song Chang calling. She then walked to a quiet corner in the yard before answering the call.

"Oh my, finally you have time to answer my call." As soon as the call connected, Ms. Song Chang's sarcastic voice came through, "Xu Qingcheng, you're something else. You hung up on me and didn't reply to my messages. You think you're so great just because you got married and got a certificate? Are you planning to throw me into outer space? I thought I wouldn't be able to call you this year and would have to wait until next year."

Anyway, the year isn't over until after midnight.

Hearing the familiar sarcastic tone, Xu Qingcheng laughed, "Look at your complaining tone, do you really miss me that much?"

"Miss you? I really want to slap you. You just said you wanted to get married, and you didn't even say a word beforehand. Didn't you swear to me that Fu Jingting wasn't good enough? But then you turned around and got on his household registration. Xu Qingcheng, you're really something, you even kept it from me. And what's with the pregnancy? I heard that your quick marriage is inseparable from the baby in your belly. You really kept it a secret." Song Chang blurted out all the questions she wanted to ask.

Xu Qingcheng looked left and right, muttering to herself, not daring to say anything. They say walls have ears, so she dared not talk nonsense.

"Let's talk about it when we meet."

"When are we going to meet? I'm free tomorrow." Song Chang couldn't wait. She didn't understand what was wrong with Xu Qingcheng and couldn't help but worry.

Xu Qingcheng thought for a moment, "Let me ask Fu Jingting first."

Song Chang felt a surge of anger rising to the top of her head. "Damn it, you need to ask your man's opinion before we can even go on a date?! Are you putting your husband first now, preparing to become a full-time housewife? Don't you care about Shengshi anymore?"

"What nonsense are you talking about? I've been so busy lately, I need to ask them what their customs are like here." Xu Qingcheng was truly exasperated with Song Chang's brain.

"Tsk tsk tsk, the new bride is so thoughtful."

"roll!"

Xu Qingcheng laughed and scolded, then turned around and bumped into him, letting out a cry.

Fu Jingting quickly helped her up, and seeing her smile so naturally and frankly, he couldn't help but ask, "Who were you talking to on the phone?"

"Song Chang," Xu Qingcheng asked him casually, "we were thinking of meeting up tomorrow. Do you have anything else to arrange here?"

"This afternoon is fine."

She nodded and replied to Song Chang, "This afternoon? You choose the place."

"I heard you." Song Chang didn't say anything more. "Let's have afternoon tea together tomorrow afternoon. I'll send you the seating information."

Xu Qingcheng responded and hung up the phone.

She glanced into the room behind him. "Are Grandpa and Grandma asleep?"

"Hmm. I'm getting old and can't keep up anymore. This is considered going to bed late." Fu Jingting pulled her closer to him, noticing a slight chill on her skin. "Aren't you afraid of getting cold running out like this?"

I didn't expect to stay long when I came out, so I didn't wear a coat.

Xu Qingcheng shook her head, "It's alright, it's not very cold."

The man pulled her closer, wrapping her in his coat, and his arms completely embraced her delicate figure.

Xu Qingcheng hesitated for a second, but still reached out and hugged his waist. She was a little cold, and her hands were cold.

But his body was warm.

Fu Jingting looked down at her, a hint of a smile in his eyes, and rested his chin on the top of her head.

For a moment, no one spoke, only the sounds of firecrackers rising and falling, near and far, as everyone bid farewell to the old year and celebrated the new.

Xu Qingcheng thought silently that she had finally made it through the year.

No matter how difficult it was, we made it through.

Keep up the good work next year.

She didn't know how others spent their days, months, seasons, and years—perhaps with joy and happiness, or sorrow and grief. But in the past year, she could only grit her teeth and run forward desperately, not daring to stop, not daring to laugh easily, and not daring to cry easily. With a knife hanging over her head and fire burning behind her, she stumbled and staggered to this day.

The woman in his arms suddenly pressed her face into his chest forcefully. The man looked down, as if he realized something, and suddenly pulled her away.

Xu Qingcheng made a sound of humming, but she didn't look up. Instead, she pressed her face tightly against his chest, tightening her grip on his arms. She didn't want him to see.

Overwhelmed by such intense emotions, standing at the starting point of the past, she truly never imagined that she would have a warm embrace by her side on this New Year's Day.

Even though it was stolen, she cherished this moment.