Chapter 70 (2/2): It was her favorite blue windmill

Her parents’ villa in Beicheng was just a place to live, no feelings attached.

Unlike here, where she’d spent an innocent and carefree childhood.

Chén Chén said, “It’s home to me, too.”

Zhōng Yì and Zhōu Shíyì were amused by her serious expression.

They stayed at the old house for two hours.

As dinner time approached, they took Chén Chén back to Yu Lǎoshī’s place.

“Isn’t this our prettiest little flower girl?” Shīmǔ had already bought some crisp watermelon.

It wasn’t hot, so no need to soak it in well water—just sliced thinly and given to Chén Chén first.

Chén Chén took the watermelon with both hands. “Thank you, Ayi.”

Shīmǔ laughed heartily, “You should call me Grandma. We can’t mix up generations.”

Yu Lǎoshī recalled carefully—when they’d just arrived, Chén Chén had called him Grandpa.

That was right—it was grandpa.

The group sat around the pavilion table; last year Zhōu Shíyì wasn’t in the mood to eat watermelon, but this year he made up for it.

Zhōng Yì took a bite, crisper and sweeter than last year.

She regretted not bringing Chén Chén last time.

Shīmǔ: “Xiǎo Yì, come try on qipao dresses with me later. I ordered a few to wear for the July wedding. You help me pick which one fits best.”

“Okay.”

Zhōng Yì suddenly remembered she hadn’t prepared a proper dress herself.

They only stayed one night in town; the next afternoon they sent Chén Chén home and returned to Beicheng.

At home, Zhōng Yì searched her wardrobe but found no suitable dress.

“Zhōng Jiě’s wedding… I don’t have a proper dress to wear.”

Zhōu Shíyì calmly said, “I’ll order one for you.”

Zhōng Yì: “Nothing too complicated, just simple tailoring.”

Zhōu Shíyì agreed.

Closing the wardrobe door, Zhōng Yì went to the study.

With only three months until the wedding, she started planning the decorations.

The venue she’d chosen was arranged entirely by her, according to her tastes—Zhōu Shíyì hadn’t been involved at all.

The actual wedding venue was designed solely by him.

Busy days led into the scorching heat of July.

Zhōu Shíyì had been frequently traveling abroad on business in the past two weeks.

Kuncheng Motors was pushing the construction of an overseas supercharging network.

Every time he used this as an excuse to travel, Zhōng Yì never doubted him.

July brought Yán Tínglín a three-week vacation.

The algorithm team didn’t get such a long break; Níng Quē took her annual leave.

Zhōng Yì went back and forth between the office and the lab every day.

When urgent issues arose, she had to video conference with them at night.

Thus, Yán Tínglín held video meetings at night to fix model problems and helped arrange the wedding venue during the day.

Yawning, he asked Níng Quē, “Is there anyone worse off than me? Planning a wedding for someone who rejected me.”

Níng Quē laughed loudly.

Zhōu Shíyì, arranging things on the other side, heard their laughter and asked what they were laughing about.

Yán Tínglín: “Laughing because I’m happy.”

Níng Quē laughed even more.

The wedding venue was decorated until the night of the 18th, when all the details were completed.

At this time, Zhōng Yì was at another “wedding venue,” throwing a pre-wedding party for Zhōng Zhuóhuá, arranging everything from food to drinks herself.

Night fell, tourists left, and the surroundings grew quiet.

At 8:30 PM, guests arrived one after another, and the party livened up.

Only Zhōng Yì herself didn’t know—the bride tomorrow was her.

“Zhōng Jiě, congratulations on your wedding!”

Zhōng Yì asked the waiter for a glass of fruit wine and toasted with her mother.

Zhōng Zhuóhuá smiled, “Thanks, darling, cheers.”

“Mom, are you drunk? How can you celebrate my wedding like it’s a party?”

“You’ve been married a year and two months, so it counts as a celebration.”

Shí Fànyīn joined, “I’ll celebrate too,” and toasted with the two of them.

Jì Fánxīng stood and came over, “Count me in.”

Yáng Xī: “Me too! Me too!”

Zhōng Yì took a sip. Many of her mother’s circle of friends had arrived in Windmill Village these past days. Director Yu was also there.

So she never doubted this party was for Zhōng Zhuóhuá.

Yáng Xī took a photo with them and sighed, “I never thought I’d get to see so many stars.”

She toasted Zhōng Yì again, “Thanks.”

Zhōng Yì lowered her glass, “I should be the one thanking you for taking such a long leave to attend Zhōng Jiě’s wedding.”

Yu Lǎoshī’s art exhibition had felt like yesterday but had already been a year and a half ago.

As they talked, a commotion arose nearby, laughter ringing out.

Zhōng Yì turned to see several of Zhōu Shíyì’s cousins and their spouses, along with seven or eight children, coming over.

Until now, she hadn’t been suspicious.

On her wedding day, her cousins and their husbands had been chatting with Zhōng Jiě, completely forgetting their role in the wedding procession.

Later, Zhōng Jiě and Shí Fànyīn were also invited to have afternoon tea on Hong Kong Island.

Zhōng Jiě’s wedding, their attendance made sense.

Neither her father nor Zhōu Shíyì came to this pre-wedding party.

Her father’s absence was normal—no seeing the couple before the wedding—but she didn’t know what Zhōu Shíyì was busy with.

Zhōng Yì messaged Zhōu Shíyì: [“Not done yet?”]

Zhōu Shíyì, as the groom, didn’t plan to meet her tonight.

[“No. You all have fun. I’m throwing a pre-wedding party for Dad.”]

Zhōng Yì: [“Most people are here. Aren’t you guys lonely?”]

Zhōu Shíyì: [“Not lonely. Uncle Jì, Yu Lǎoshī, and my dad are here. Can’t be lonely.”]

Zhōu Shíyì: [“My dad’s still upset, asking why his son-in-law kept the marriage secret and the daughter hidden, only telling Yu Lǎoshī. He even asked why he’s disliked and doesn’t want to be in-laws.”]

Zhōng Yì chuckled.

Zhōu Shíyì: [“There are more than ten people here; no worries about loneliness. Have fun.”]

Then he added: [“My dad’s in a good mood tonight. Look, didn’t Mom change her scarf?”]

Zhōng Yì got up and, while picking up a cake, glanced over at her mother-in-law.

[“Not the usual classic scarf; this new one’s brighter in color, but the knot looks unfamiliar, not very neat.”]

Zhōu Shíyì: [“Probably my dad changed it himself.”]

In the past six months, his parents’ relationship had improved noticeably each time he went home.

After that open airing of grievances, they’d coldly ignored each other for a while, neither backing down.

Eventually, his father likely gave in first, perhaps influenced by the lesson from “past mistakes.”

Zhōng Yì: [“Stay and drink with them, come back early after.”]

Zhōu Shíyì: [“Not staying at your hotel tonight. You stay and chat with Mom.”]

Zhōng Yì thought it over. It made sense.

[“Then come pick me up early tomorrow for the wedding.”]

Zhōu Shíyì wanted to see her soon too. They’d both been busy setting up the wedding, going out early and coming back late, hardly exchanging words.

He promised her: [“I’ll come get you at dawn.”]

Zhōng Yì: [“After Zhōng Jiě’s wedding, let’s go to Boston for a while. I miss it there.”]

Zhōu Shíyì: [“Okay.”]

This season was the peak bloom for hydrangeas.

He had told Jiang Bo earlier to restore their Boston home’s garden to its former state.

Both parties’ celebrations lasted until past midnight.

Zhōu Shíyì returned to the hotel and prepared the suit he would wear tomorrow for the wedding.

On the bedside table lay the two hair clips Chén Chén had given Zhōng Yì.

He bent down, picked them up, and slipped them into the suit’s inner pocket.

Zhōu Jiāyè called him: “Are you sure you don’t want us to come with you to pick up the bride?”

Zhōu Shíyì: “What’s there to be unsure about? None of you are reliable. Why waste food and drinks?”

Zhōu Jiāyè could only laugh silently.

He was tolerable compared to several other cousins-in-law, who were truly unreliable.

***

The next day.

Before dawn, Zhōu Shíyì was already up.

This was the second wedding; logically, he shouldn’t be so nervous, but he still hadn’t slept well through the night.

“Uncle!” Outside the door, Chén Chén’s excited voice rang out.

Zhōu Shíyì strode to open the door.

He was picking up the bride today, only bringing Chén Chén along.

Upon hearing they were going to pick up Auntie, she had woken early.

Her mother dressed her in a pretty princess dress, tied her hair in a neat bun, and pinned on the new hair clip her aunt had just given her.

“Uncle, let’s go pick up Auntie now!”

“It’s not dawn yet. Wait a little longer.”

“When we get to Auntie’s house, it will be dawn!”

Zhōu Shíyì smiled, unable to argue.

Meanwhile, the bride was just waking up.

***

Zhōng Yì, unaware that today was her wedding day, had slept soundly all night until Zhōng Zhuóhuá pulled her from under the covers.

“Get up and put on makeup.”

“Mom, I only need light makeup. I’ll be done in twenty minutes and then sleep a bit more!”

Zhōng Zhuóhuá refused. “If you sleep any longer, it’ll be too late.”

Her mother always valued ceremony, so Zhōng Yì reluctantly got up.

After washing and coming out of the bathroom, she saw a house full of people holding wedding dresses waiting for her, and only then did she wake up fully.

Zhōng Zhuóhuá embraced her stunned daughter. “This is the wedding Zhōu Shíyì gave you. You love windmills so much; how could the wedding not have them?”

“I was so busy with the project, I didn’t notice even the slightest clue.”

Zhōu Shíyì hadn’t come back last night to accompany her—she should have realized something was off.

But she hadn’t.

“How come you invited all your friends to my wedding? Their schedules must be tight.”

Zhōng Zhuóhuá wiped away her daughter’s tears. “It’s okay. Going to a friend’s daughter’s wedding is normal. It’s because you look like you belong to that circle.”

Zhōng Yì’s eyes were still wet but she suddenly laughed.

She put on the intricately crafted wedding dress and wore the custom-made jewelry.

She finished her makeup.

What Zhōu Shíyì regretted not giving her before, today was fully made up for.

Zhōng Yì messaged him: [“Miss you.”]

Zhōu Shíyì: [“I’m coming soon.”]

In less than two minutes, the joyful voice of Chén Chén came from outside: “Auntie, Uncle and I are here to pick you up!”

Chén Chén ran fast, entering the room before Zhōu Shíyì.

“Auntie!”

Zhōng Yì bent down and hugged the little one.

Tears suddenly fell.

Chén Chén had brought her so much joy since she could barely speak.

She had witnessed every happy moment.

At the last wedding, Chén Chén scattered flower petals while running back holding her hand—clear as yesterday.

Zhōu Shíyì came in and gently wiped away her tears.

“Don’t cry, or your makeup will be ruined.”

Zhōng Yì let go of the little one and hugged him instead.

In his arms, she choked up. “Thank you. Today is my happiest day—happier than the day we got together eight years ago.”

Zhōu Shíyì kissed away her tears. “Did you feel happy being with me that day?”

Zhōng Yì nodded. Back then, she couldn’t fully express how much she liked him, but holding his hand felt real and happy.

“After we got together, didn’t I sing you an OST from Zhōng Jiě’s movie? It’s the song the heroine sings to confess to the hero—a classic scene.”

Zhōu Shíyì held her tighter.

Chén Chén tugged on his suit, “Uncle, why aren’t you holding me yet? Didn’t you promise to hold me before Auntie?”

Everyone in the room burst into laughter.

Zhōu Shíyì had no choice but to let go of the bride so Chén Chén could hug her.

There was no formal wedding procession today.

They took some photos, then got into the convertible wedding car.

Zhōng Yì didn’t say a formal goodbye to her parents—she couldn’t bear to see their tears again.

She waved: “See you at the wedding.”

Chén Chén waved too. “See you at the wedding.”

Everyone laughed.

Zhōng Zhuóhuá and Jiang Jingyuan tidied up simply and got into the car heading to the wedding venue.

Having stayed here over two months before, Zhōng Yì still recognized the scenery along the way.

That vacation, they hadn’t stayed in a hotel but rented a local house and brought their daughter to experience a different life.

Next to the house was a farm with endless grassland.

Their daughter watched the calves happily, sometimes forgetting to look at the camera despite repeated reminders, “Sweetheart, look at the lens.”

Her daughter twisted in her arms following the running calves, and photos were always blurry.

Later, Jiang Jingyuan stopped taking pictures and put down the camera to play with his daughter.

Zhōng Yì had no memory of this.

The wedding car had already driven far from the hotel but hadn’t turned onto the road to the venue she had chosen.

She turned to the person beside her. “Is this a different route?”

Zhōu Shíyì: “Sort of.”

The further they went, the more Zhōng Yì felt something was wrong.

She was sure she hadn’t turned—the venue was west, but they were heading east, facing the sun.

“The direction seems wrong,” she reminded him.

Zhōu Shíyì squeezed her hand. “No mistake.”

Zhōng Yì suddenly realized: “The wedding isn’t being held there, is it?”

Zhōu Shíyì nodded. “That’s where you held your pre-wedding party. I chose another venue for the wedding. You’ll like it.”

Zhōng Yì held his hand tight. “Thank you.”

Not “should” like it—but definitely would.

Sometimes he knew her better than she knew herself.

For some reason, her heart involuntarily pounded.

The wedding lasted all day.

At this moment, the early party at the venue had begun.

Yán Tínglín had just taken a sip of red tea when Níng Quē signaled him: “They’re here.”

Everyone looked toward the sound and saw the convertible wedding car slowly approaching.

The car stopped as planned.

There were many flower children.

Large flower petals fluttered down, landing on Zhōng Yì’s headpiece and wedding dress.

She stared blankly at the scene before her—the windmill image she had always wanted to paint as a child but never managed.

Zhōu Shíyì had recreated it perfectly.

Today, the sky was vast and clear.

Not far off, a few calves frolicked.

Nearby, a river wound around wooden houses.

A watermill’s windmill reflected in the lush grass and water was the blue windmill she loved.