The camping spot was located at the city's observatory, the best place to stargaze, chosen by Gu Junxing.
On Saturday, after lunch, the family set off with all the necessary camping gear.
During the drive, Gu Zhijing sat alone in the back seat, unusually quiet the entire way, not uttering a single word. Nian Suian found this a bit odd and glanced back at him several times.
Gu Zhijing was actually struggling to keep his composure, but his silence had a reason. He was afraid that if he opened his mouth, he might accidentally spill the secret. This matter was unlike anything before—if he dared to reveal it prematurely, his father would surely kick him out of the house.
He now deeply regretted it. Why did his father have to let him in on this secret? It would have been better to keep him in the dark. Knowing a secret but being unable to say anything was torture!
Once they arrived, they started setting up the tent themselves. Nian Suian asked Gu Junxing curiously, "What's wrong with Zhijing? I feel like he's been avoiding me all day and hasn't said a word."
Gu Junxing knew exactly what was going on with Gu Zhijing, but he simply told Nian Suian, "He's acting up. Just ignore him."
After some thought, Nian Suian could only attribute it to Gu Zhijing's teenage rebellious phase.
They had brought their own grill and ingredients, so dinner was a barbecue.
The May evening was pleasantly cool on the mountain. Outside the tent, Gu Junxing and Nian Suian sat side by side, leaning against each other, gazing at the stars, while Gu Zhijing was left alone to grill the meat.
This task was assigned by Gu Junxing. Since Gu Zhijing couldn't keep his mouth shut, he might as well keep him busy. If he was occupied, he wouldn't have time to talk.
For the first time, Gu Zhijing worked without complaint, diligently grilling the meat and bringing plates of perfectly cooked food to his parents.
"Thank you, Zhijing."
Nian Suian enjoyed the grilled meat, sipped on her cola, and admired the stars, thinking that camping was indeed a great idea.
What she didn't know was that three cars had arrived at the foot of the mountain. Jiang Yun drove with Sheng Xia, Liu Jian brought Zhao Yue and Yu Chun, while Chen Shu shared a car with Qin Wei and his wife, Xu Jiasong. They quietly gathered at the base of the mountain, preparing for a grand surprise.
Liu Jian said to the group, "I never thought old Gu would still be so romantic at his age."
Xu Jiasong glanced at her husband and remarked, "I didn't expect that out of all of you, Gu Junxing would be the most romantic."
"My dear, am I not romantic enough?" Qin Wei, who considered himself quite romantic back in the day, thought he was even more so than Gu Junxing.
"Ugh," Liu Jian, the single one in the group, couldn't handle the lovey-dovey talk.
Meanwhile, Chen Shu, seeing Sheng Xia, took the opportunity to ask about Jiaojiao.
"Jiaojiao is at home with the nanny."
The last time they met was when Chen Shu returned from Switzerland and brought gifts for Jiaojiao.
Since then, Chen Shu had realized that meeting Sheng Xia and her daughter too often might not be appropriate. While he had no plans to marry, he didn't want to cause any misunderstandings for them.
"I bought some more gifts for Jiaojiao. I'll send them over later."
"Chen... you're too generous. You don't have to keep buying gifts for Jiaojiao. She tends to focus on one toy at a time, and the doll you sent last time will keep her occupied for a while."
Hearing her mention Jiaojiao, Chen Shu smiled and shared that he was about to go abroad.
"I'll be leaving soon to accompany my parents to New Zealand. This time, it'll be a long stay. I don't know when I'll see Jiaojiao again, and by then, she might not even remember me." The climate and environment there were beneficial for his mother's health, and he wanted to stay with them to ease their worries.
Sheng Xia smiled and said, "A child's memory isn't that bad. I wish you and your parents a safe journey."
Liu Jian clapped his hands and announced, "I think it's about time. Let's get ready."
Up on the mountain, while stargazing, Nian Suian suddenly saw fireworks—massive, breathtaking fireworks that lit up half the sky.
"What's the occasion? Why are there fireworks?"
Nian Suian was completely captivated by the fireworks and didn't notice Gu Zhijing sneaking over like a thief, placing a bouquet of flowers behind his father and then darting away.
At this moment, Nian Suian still thought she had coincidentally witnessed a beautiful fireworks display—until Gu Junxing knelt on one knee in front of her, holding a bouquet that seemed to have appeared out of nowhere.
"You..."
"Suian, will you marry me?" Gu Junxing looked up at her, pulling a ring out of his pocket.
"Didn't I already marry you?"
"No, I mean you, Nian Suian. Will you marry me? Will you spend your future with me?"
Nian Suian understood. The person who had married Gu Junxing before wasn't truly her.
Gu Zhijing was crouched not far behind, holding his phone and live-streaming the scene to the group at the foot of the mountain.
Gu Junxing had told his friends that they could come up after he successfully proposed. He didn't want Nian Suian to feel any pressure, so the proposal scene was just for the two of them.
"I do."
Nian Suian smiled as Gu Junxing slipped the ring onto her finger. Their time together over the past days had made it impossible for her to say anything but "yes."
As the two went from sweet gazes to a passionate kiss, Gu Zhijing silently covered the camera with his hand, eliciting protests from the group on the other side of the screen.
Protecting his parents' privacy during their kiss—Gu Zhijing took the lead!
When a group of people suddenly appeared, Nian Suian was utterly shocked.
"Why are you all here?"
"You'll have to ask old Gu. Even after all these years of marriage, he still pulled this stunt and got us all involved."
Gu Zhijing jumped out and said, "Uncle Liu, when you propose, I'll help you too."
"Hey, kid, why bring that up?" Liu Jian retorted. After all, he would need someone to propose to first.
Jiang Yun hugged Nian Suian and said, "I'm so envious. I wasn't even this excited at my own wedding."
"Suian, congratulations!"
"Suian, congrats! Wishing you and your husband a lifetime of happiness."
"May you two stay sweet and together till your hair turns white!"
Amidst the warm wishes, the couple smiled and accepted them all.
Especially Nian Suian. Everyone who came today was a dear friend she had made in this world. Just as Gu Junxing had said, she had found love, family, and friendship in this world. She didn't need to question whether this world was real or not, because she knew these emotions were genuine.
Gu Junxing had reserved the entire area in advance. That night, everyone sang, danced, and had fun together. When it was over, they didn't leave. They had brought tents with them and set them up nearby to rest for the night.
Before sleeping, Gu Zhijing crawled into Gu Junxing and Nian Suian's tent.
"Dad, Mom. I wish you eternal happiness! I can even be the flower boy at your wedding!"
...
The End.