Chapter 115: Do You Like It?

After dinner, Su Yang tactfully took his leave. There was no prime spot available, but there were other backup options; in any case, he had no intention of asking Hong Zhou to work overtime.

As night fell, Lu Yan glanced at his watch and said to Shen Qingyi, “Let me take you and An’an to watch the meteor shower.”

Before Shen Qingyi could respond, An’an jumped up excitedly, “Yay!”

He had never seen a meteor shower in his life.

Watching her son’s joyful expression, Shen Qingyi smiled and replied to Lu Yan, “I’ll go change into a different pair of shoes.”

She pulled a pair of army-green sneakers from the trunk and slipped them on.

Once ready, the three of them locked the door and set off.

Shen Qingyi and Lu Yan walked slowly on either side of An’an.

Tonight, the stars were numerous and bright, like dazzling gems embedded in the vast celestial canopy. The moon, surrounded by countless stars, cast a pale, silvery glow.

A faint chill stirred in the night breeze. Shen Qingyi reached up to smooth the hair blown across her face and couldn’t help but glance sideways at the man beside her.

Tall and erect, bathed in moonlight that seemed to cloak him in a silver sheen, he appeared both gentle and aloof.

“Qingyi, how about I apply for a week’s leave from the organization when we return to the capital?” Lu Yan suddenly said.

“If you can get it, a break would be good—more time with An’an.”

“I also want to spend more time with you,” Lu Yan added.

Shen Qingyi’s long lashes fluttered twice before she lifted her head to meet Lu Yan’s gaze, which shone brighter than the starlight. For a moment, she was at a loss for words.

Lu Yan’s meaning was clear, and she did not want to spoil the mood.

She lowered her eyes in silence, then changed the subject. “Lu Yan, when I make my wish later, could you and An’an be quiet, okay?”

Lu Yan nodded.

An’an finally spoke, “I won’t say anything, or else the stars won’t hear what’s in my heart.”

Shen Qingyi laughed. “Haven’t we started yet?”

An’an shook her hand twice, “Mom, do you want to know my wish in advance?”

“You’d better not say it; if you do, it won’t come true,” Shen Qingyi gently coaxed her son, whose face was full of innocence.

The three walked at an unhurried pace until they reached the observation meadow.

An’an stood on the grass, looking up in awe. “Wow, the stars here are so beautiful! It’s the first time I’ve seen such a magnificent sky. Mom, Dad, did you see a meteor shower when you were kids?”

“No,” Lu Yan answered, for no one had ever told him when a meteor shower would come during his childhood.

Gazing at the vast starry sky, Shen Qingyi’s thoughts drifted. “I did. I even made a wish.”

“Did it come true?”

Her tone darkened slightly, “It did.”

“But you’re not happy?”

“It was the only chance I had, and I made the wrong wish.”

An’an looked at Shen Qingyi with wide eyes. “You can’t get it wrong this time.”

“All right! This time, I definitely won’t.”

As mother and son spoke, a long, brilliant streak of light suddenly tore across the sky like fireworks.

“The meteor’s here!” Lu Yan reminded them.

Mother and son moved in unison, crossing their arms in front of their chins, eyes tightly closed, their demeanor reverent.

Lu Yan had once thought such customs were superstitious, but at this moment, they felt wonderfully beautiful.

He awkwardly imitated them.

After a while, he heard his wife say, “Done!”

An’an exhaled in relief, and Lu Yan released his hands and sat down beside them.

“What did you wish for this time?” An’an asked his mother.

Shen Qingyi smiled. “I told you already—if I say it, it won’t come true.”

An’an pouted. “Then can you tell me about the wish that came true?”

Shen Qingyi thought for a moment. “Okay, it was that when I grew up, I could fulfill my own dreams.”

An’an blinked, not looking very pleased. Shen Qingyi asked, “What’s wrong?”

“I… I wished for the same thing as you. Doesn’t that mean I might have made a mistake too?”

Shen Qingyi laughed. “You won’t, because Mom and Dad have made up for other, more important wishes.”

“Can you tell me what those important wishes were?”

Shen Qingyi sighed. “If I tell you, it won’t come true.”

“Then am I already out of luck?”

Lu Yan pulled his son’s hand. “Mom said she made up for the important wishes you didn’t make. As long as you don’t ask, it will come true.”

Truthfully, he also wanted to know what his wife had wished for.

Sure enough, An’an fell silent.

The meteor shower ended, leaving only the quiet starry sky. Shen Qingyi glanced at her watch. “Let’s go home; we still need to take baths.”

The family of three returned home. Lu Yan bathed An’an first.

Shen Qingyi went to the eaves to bring in their clothes, separating An’an’s and Lu Yan’s to their respective rooms.

When she returned to tidy her own clothes again, one piece of underwear was missing. Shen Qingyi frowned in displeasure.

After finishing the bath, Lu Yan found An’an asleep. Entering the room, he saw Shen Qingyi sitting on the sofa, holding clothes and lost in thought. He quietly approached and sat opposite her. “What’s wrong?”

Shen Qingyi hesitated, sensing something was amiss. “I’ll take a shower first and tell you later.”

She then fetched another piece of underwear from the trunk and went into the bathroom.

When Lu Yan heard the bathroom door close, he placed the gift he had been hiding on the table, closed all the doors to the living room, turned on the lights, and sat quietly on the sofa, waiting for his wife to come out.

He felt a little nervous, unsure whether she would like the gift.

Shen Qingyi, careful not to wake their son, tiptoed out of the bathroom after bathing. The room lights were off, but when she turned off the bathroom light, she noticed faint, colorful specks of light streaming in from the doorway.

Lu Yan was nowhere to be seen inside.

Curious, she walked into the living room and was utterly stunned.

The entire space was filled with delicate, shimmering light. The stars sparkled on the walls, sofa, and tables in a kaleidoscope of colors, transforming the living room into an underwater starry sky.

Lu Yan sat motionless on the sofa, his clothes and face seemingly adorned with starlight, both real and ethereal.

He beckoned to Shen Qingyi, “Come here!”

Still dazed, she mechanically walked over and sat before him. “Lu Yan, what is this called? Where did you get it?”

Lu Yan smiled. “There’s nothing like this for sale anywhere in the world right now. As for the name, you can choose whatever you like.”

Shen Qingyi was taken aback. “I get to name it?”

He nodded. “Do you like it?”

“I do. It’s beautiful.” Thinking that it wasn’t something bought, she boldly guessed, “Did you make this?”

“Yes. It’s a gift for you!”

As a woman, Shen Qingyi was naturally sentimental. Though it wasn’t anything precious, the thought he put into it was touching beyond words.

“Lu Yan… mm!” Shen Qingyi looked into his burning gaze and whispered softly. Before she could say more, her lips were sealed by his.