Chu Qing ground ink for him on one side, while Xia Xia helped him spread out the paper on the other side. He held the brush and wrote a couplet.
When they were putting up the couplets, Xiaxia kept asking to help, so Wei Yutang picked him up and put him on his shoulders so he could reach them.
After having their New Year's Eve dinner, they watched fireworks in the backyard.
The housekeeper bought some sparklers for the warehouse. These kinds of fireworks are usually not noticed when set off in the yard, which is a way to leave a child with a beautiful childhood memory.
Chu Qing used the excuse of needing to change into something warmer because of the cold to go upstairs and take out the ring she had recently retrieved from the drawer.
Wei Yutang was too good, and he did too much, leaving Chu Qing with only a few scattered things.
The ring wasn't optional for them; rather, it was more like the final ritual between them.
Chu Qing put the velvet box containing the ring in her pocket and went downstairs. As soon as she stepped into the courtyard, a sound rang out from both sides, followed by a shower of petals falling down.
Xiaxia, holding a sparkler in one hand and a bouquet of roses in the other, ran up to Chu Qing and tiptoed to hand them to him.
"Happy New Year, Dad! And your father wants to propose to you!"
The child who was successfully bribed by his father, unusually, didn't sabotage the effort today, but instead chose to be an accomplice.
Today, Wei Yutang was wearing a very formal suit under his coat, and he walked over with a box in his hand. He knelt down on one knee in front of Chu Qing.
Chu Qing stared at the open box. The ring inside looked familiar; it seemed to have sold for an eight-figure price at some auction.
"Promise me, will you be with me?"
Author's Note:
Goodnight, my darlings~ See you tomorrow, muah~
Chapter 35
When Chu Qing met Wei Yutang's loving eyes, she suddenly felt that the ring hidden in her clothes was burning hot.
After Xiaxia finished delivering the flowers to her father, she turned around and ran back. When her father bought flowers for his dad, she used her own pocket money to buy him a small bouquet as well.
"Qingqing, I don't know how to explain the past to you, but I can promise that I will always love you."
Wei Yutang was afraid that Chu Qing would not agree, and he lost his usual composure.
Reason told him to proceed gradually, and that revealing what he had little by little would make it easier for Chu Qing to accept it; this was also a common tactic in negotiations.
However, he is very impulsive emotionally, wishing he could lay everything out in front of Chu Qing and just wait for his approval.
Xiaxia ran incredibly fast with her short legs and finally managed to get the flowers she bought before her father agreed. She then tiptoed and handed them to her father.
Happy New Year's Eve, Dad!
Chu Qing took the flowers and nodded slightly to Wei Yutang. This subtle gesture made Wei Yutang eagerly grasp his hand and put the ring on his ring finger.
After putting it on, she intertwined her fingers with Chu Qing's and placed a light kiss on the ring on his ring finger.
Just then, fireworks went off outside. Xiaxia happily ran into the yard, playing with sparklers and jumping around, occasionally letting out a "Wow!" mixed with the sound of the fireworks exploding.
As Chu Qing stared at Xia Xia, Wei Yutang happened to hug him from behind, leaned down and whispered in his ear:
"Qingqing, where's the ring you prepared for me? Did you forget it? Or are you hiding it somewhere? I'll go get it myself."
Wei Yutang had already discovered Chu Qing's thoughts, and in a daze, he realized that he had actually forgotten such an important matter.
How did you know?
Chu Qing was stunned by what he said, and then realized that she had unknowingly admitted it.
Since there was nothing to deny about it, he simply took out the ring he had designed himself, opened the box, and put the ring on Wei Yutang's ring finger.
Wei Yutang used to sleep well when he slept alone, but ever since he discovered that Chu Qing would often unconsciously cover Xia Xia with a blanket at night, he took on the task himself.
He was a light sleeper and couldn't possibly realize that Chu Qing was holding his fingers in the middle of the night, measuring the circumference of his ring finger.
Chu Qing slept more and more soundly beside him. After he fell asleep, Wei Yutang measured his breathing using his own method, and it was found that Chu Qing's breathing was not disturbed at all.
After this matter was settled, Wei Yutang felt much more relaxed, as if he had firmly kept the father and son by his side.
Xiaxia was jumping around in the yard so happily that she tripped and fell. She cried out in pain, but quickly got up, dusted herself off, and was about to continue playing when she saw her father standing not far away.
Her big eyes quickly welled up with tears, and she ran towards her father with her short legs, crying as she ran.
"Waaah, Daddy, Xiaxia fell and hurt herself."
Chu Qing squatted down and hugged him, gently patting his back to comfort him. Wei Yutang then took out his phone and took a picture of them.
The background is a sky full of fireworks, Chu Qing is incredibly gentle when coaxing Xia Xia, and Xia Xia is crying loudly with her mouth wide open.
Wei Yutang set this photo as his phone's screen saver and then put the phone back.
For him, this was the best year ever.
Before the Lunar New Year, it was Chu Qing, Xia Xia, and him; after the Lunar New Year, it was the three of them.
Chu Qing wiped away Xia Xia's tears. Although there was no snow, it was still a bit cold outside, so she carried Xia Xia into the house.
Wei Yutang went to the kitchen and brought out the juice that the chef had squeezed, placing it in front of Xiaxia.
"She falls down and still needs her dad to hold and comfort her?"
Xiaxia gave a soft snort and buried her head in her father's arms, not wanting to explain such a childish topic to him.
"If you're envious, go ask Grandpa to coax you."
He didn't want his dad to coax him; he clearly wanted his dad to hug him.
Wei Yutang turned on the TV in the living room, which was playing the Spring Festival Gala. Xiaxia wasn't interested in it and just wanted to stay in her father's arms and act cute.
"Xiaxia".
Hearing her father call her name, Xiaxia reluctantly raised her head.
"hold head high?"
"What I mean is, your father can also comfort you."
Upon hearing this, Xiaxia hugged his father tightly, gave a soft hum, and reached out his hand, gesturing for his father to give him the candy on the table.
If his father were to comfort him, he wouldn't cry anymore.
Following Xia Xia's preferences, Wei Yutang picked out one of Xia Xia's favorite treats and handed it to him. He then picked up another candy, tore open the wrapper, and fed it to Chu Qing.
Xiaxia, who was just about to complain that her father didn't know how to take care of children at all, saw this scene and silently used all her strength to try to tear open the packaging paper herself.
He wants to be an independent child, the kind who helps his dad tear apart candy.
Wei Yutang has always found the Spring Festival Gala programs boring, and he often hears some friends say that it gets worse every year.
He didn't like to take such words to heart, and felt that everyone cherishes things that can never be regained.
This was the first time he had watched the Spring Festival Gala seriously, with his partner and children. Even the most boring programs became more interesting with his loved ones by his side.
Later, Xia Xia got sleepy and couldn't recognize who was holding him. Even when Wei Yutang took him and held him in his arms, he still slept soundly.
"Is this little devil just pretending all the time?"
Before, whenever Wei Yutang held him, he would act as if he had thorns growing on his body and would not stay in his arms for long. But now, he seems to be sleeping quite soundly.
After he fell asleep, Chu Qing unconsciously lowered her voice.
"No, it's probably because we've gotten to know each other better recently."
"Then I should thank him."
No one is born a qualified father. Since Wei Yutang did not participate in the period when Chu Qing clumsily learned to become a qualified father, he could only devote more effort to learning.
"You've had a tough time raising Xiaxia all these years on your own."
Wei Yutang held the sleeping Xia Xia with one arm and held Chu Qing's hand with the other, stroking the diamond ring on Chu Qing's ring finger.
The vague and ignorant dreams of his youth have come true at this moment. Warmth and satisfaction filled Wei Yutang's chest. He even felt that it would be nice if time could stand still.
"Fortunately, Xiaxia is very well-behaved and hasn't caused much trouble."
She even kept thinking about how to greet him in return, making Chu Qing often think about how she could give him more security.
"Even the most obedient person will find it tiring to take care of a child."
On New Year's Eve, Xia Xia was left in his own big room, hugging a limited edition doll, while Chu Qing and Wei Yutang were in the bedroom, enjoying their intimate time.
During the quiet months of January, Chu Qing enjoyed cooking by herself, with Wei Yutang assisting her. Xia Xia would often cause trouble, using the excuse of tasting the food to eat until she was half full.
When Wei Yutang's friends visited, they saw how the family of three got along and expressed their envy, seemingly genuinely.
Whether it was true or not, Wei Yutang accepted it all.
When others inquired about her wedding date, she casually picked the nearest one. After seeing the guests off, Xiaxia rushed over to ask:
"Huh? You're marrying Dad, why didn't you discuss it with me?"
Xiaxia had heard many children in kindergarten say that their parents didn't take them with them when they got married.
They don't treat the children as family members at all, and use their young age as an excuse to brush them off.
Now that his father is going to marry his father and take her with him, Xiaxia feels like the most amazing kid in kindergarten!
Wei Yutang picked him up and carried him to the courtyard outside to sit down.
The reason Wei Yutang was able to get Xiaxia to help him deliver flowers last time was because he had a good talk with Xiaxia. The child is quite smart, and in many things, you just need to explain the reasons to her.
Last time was like that, and this time is too.
"What are you going to tell me now?"
"I'm just telling the guests first; we haven't discussed it yet, and your father hasn't agreed to it."
Xia Xia turned her head to the side to prevent herself from laughing too loudly. Seeing Xia Xia's smug look, Wei Yutang's words were temporarily stuck in his throat.
"So in this situation, we need you to step in. I can't convince your father, but can Xiaxia do it?"
Whenever Wei Yutang mentions something he can't do, it stirs up Xia Xia's inexplicable competitive spirit.
If Xiaxia can do what her father can't, then it proves that Xiaxia is the more capable one.
He patted his chest and stared at Wei Yutang with his chin.
"Leave it to me, I'm sure I can do it!"