Chapter 61

Marriage Proposal

***

In the crowded lobby of City A International Airport, Xu Lian was standing alone by the gate. Her expression was calm and still; out of place compared to the crowd’s harried energy.

Before long, the person Xu Lian had been waiting for appeared, and her expression finally changed.

Dragging his suitcase behind him, Xiang ChangKong walked out of the gate wearing jeans and a white long-sleeved shirt, the cuffs rolled slightly up. Xu Lian had initially wanted to call out to him, but then she noticed a blonde woman walking beside Xiang ChangKong, smiling and chatting with him.

Xu Lian raised a brow and didn’t move.

She didn’t try to get Xiang ChangKong’s attention, but it didn’t matter. Because as soon as he walked past the gates, Xiang ChangKong had been looking around, trying to spot her. Xu Lian was a beautiful woman who had a striking aura, so it didn’t take long for Xiang ChangKong to find her amongst the vast crowd.

“Xu Lian.” Xiang ChangKong’s steps visibly quickened as he walked towards her. Xu Liang smiled in response, acting as if she had just spotted him.

The blonde woman with him followed behind, but Xiang ChangKong didn’t seem to notice her. Instead, Xiang ChangKong’s gaze was locked to Xu Lian. He asked: “Have you been waiting long?”

Xu Lian was wearing high-heeled shoes, but she was still shorter compared to Xiang ChangKong. She went up to her tiptoes, wrapped her arms around Xiang ChangKong’s neck, then kissed him on the lips. “No, I just arrived.”

Xiang ChangKong ears reddened and he felt an electric current run up his back as Xu Lian kissed him. He felt a little uneasy due to the other people around them, but Xiang ChangKong didn’t stop Xu Lian’s actions.

The blond next to them let out an excited cry.

The blond beauty and Xiang ChangKong had a brief conversation, then waved goodbye. Before she left though, the blonde woman gave Xu Lian a sly wink and a smile.

Xu Lian waited until the woman was out of sight before turning towards Xiang ChangKong. “Let’s go, my car is in the parking lot.”

“Nn.” Xiang ChangKong smiled and the couple walked together to the car.

Xu Lian got into the car first and after Xiang ChangKong stowed his luggage in the trunk, followed her inside. Xu Lian put her hands on the steering wheel and watched Xiang ChangKong fasten his seatbelt before opening her mouth. “Things are pretty good for you nowadays, having such a gorgeous blonde woman next to you.”

Xiang ChangKong knew that Xu Lian would mention this, and found the situation both funny and baffling at the same time. “She’s my classmate.”

“Oh. How does it feel to have such a pretty woman as a classmate?”

Xiang ChangKong didn’t answer her and instead asked a question of his own. “You think she’s gorgeous?”

“Isn’t she?” With the blonde’s pristine features and curvaceous body, even as a woman Xu Lian could appreciate her beauty.

“I think you’re more beautiful than her.” Xiang ChangKong replied.

Xu Lian stared at him for a moment, then started the car with a smile. “I guess studying abroad was worth it. You’ve developed quite the flirtatious tongue.”

“No, those words were my true feelings.” Xiang ChangKong told her with a straight face.

Xu Lian smiled and drove the car out of the airport. Looking at the gradually widening scenery in front of him, Xiang ChangKong asked Xu Lian: “Xiang Nuan didn’t come today?”

“She wanted to, but she decided to not come when she remembered that you got your doctoral degree two months before her undergraduate graduation.”

Xiang ChangKong chuckled. “If I had known, I would’ve told my academic advisor to put me on the July graduation ceremony instead.”

He smiled at Xu Lian and asked: “During my last video call with her, she said that she’s begun her practical. How’s it been?”

“Not bad. But primary school students are often naughty, so she’s been having a hard time properly managing them.”

Xiang ChangKong laughed. “She’s was often naughty during her childhood. Now as a primary school teacher, it’s time for her to repent.”

“What an older brother-like thing to say.”

Xiang ChangKong asked: “How about you? How are you doing?”

Xu Lian glanced at him and replied: “How can you not know? We video call almost every day. In fact, I think we’ve broken the Guinness world record for most long-distance calls in a set period of time.”

“We don’t video call every day, ah. We only do it four times a week and even then, because of my tight schedule, each call isn’t as long as it should be.”

“Yes, I know that you have a good memory.”

Xiang ChangKong turned towards her and persisted: “How have you been recently?”

“Very good.” Xu Lian replied.

“But I wasn’t, ah. I’ve missed you so much.”

“…” Xu Lian drove in silence for a few minutes, then said: “I’m beginning to think that you didn’t go abroad to study airplanes, but to study romance techniques.”

Xiang ChangKong let out a low laugh, his chest slightly shaking. “You know, men abroad really do say a lot more romantic words compared to the men in our country. Especially my Italian roommate. I think living with him taught me a lot.”

Xu Lian hummed. “Oh? Then I’ll wait and experience it for myself.”

Eventually, they reached their community and the car was parked in the underground garage. Xiang ChangKong picked up his luggage and the two went directly to Xu Lian’s home. A month before Xiang ChangKong’s return home, Xiang Nuan resolutely moved her things from Xu Lian’s home to her mother’s house. She straightforwardly told her brother that when he returned, he would be moving in with Xu Lian.

The reason Xiang Nuan hadn’t moved in with her mother all these years was while Xiang ChangKong rarely came back, his things were still in his room. Besides, Xu Lian didn’t mind, so Xiang Nuan never had the urgency to move.

But now, Xiang Nuan calculated her brother’s age and realized that he would be 29 years old this year. He’s already an adult, ah. Let him live with Big Sister Xu! Anyway, she knew that he was planning on proposing as soon as he came back!

Xu Lian helped Xiang ChangKong carry his luggage into her house before closing the door behind her. She looked at Xiang ChangKong as he stood in her living room and asked: “Which room do you want to sleep in? The master bedroom, or the guest bedroom?”

“Cough.” Ever the gentleman, Xiang ChangKong hid his mouth behind his hand. “I want to sleep next to you.”

“Oh.” Xu Lian opened the guest room door, then said: “Xiang Nuan brought some of your things over. Sort it yourself.”

“Alright.”

“By the way, Auntie Weng said that she wants us to have dinner with her tonight. It’s almost time for dinner so refresh yourself, then we can head out.”

“Nn.” Xiang ChangKong took out the gifts he had brought for them, resolving to properly unpack later.

Xu Lian noticed Xiang ChangKong bring out a package for her and couldn’t help but reach for it. Xiang ChangKong sat next to her as Xu Lian tore open the gift. After a while, Xiang ChangKong coughed and started: “Say…”

“Hm?”

“Wel…I need to report to my workplace tomorrow, but after that, I have a week’s worth of vacation. Do you want…would you like to…well, go out and play together?”

“Go out and play?” Xu Lian’s hands paused and she turned to look at him. “Where will we go?”

“Just somewhere around the country.”

Xu Lian thought for a moment, then replied: “I’m fine with that, but don’t you want to rest for a bit?”

“No need. I only have one week of vacation, I shouldn’t waste it. I think…shall we go skydiving?”

“Cough, cough.” Xu Lian sharply inhaled at his suggestion and swallowed her saliva wrong. “You want to go skydiving?” Something so exciting?

Xiang ChangKong nodded his head. “I got the qualifications for parachuting while I was abroad…”

Xu Lian interrupted: “A parachuting certification? Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I deliberately kept it from you because I wanted to surprise you.”

Xu Lian frowned. “But I don’t have one.”

“It doesn’t matter. You can have a coach jump with you. You only need to go through some simple training.”

(T/N: I think you’re strapped together with the coach. Like physically, so you both jump together.)

“Oh…” Xu Lian nodded. “Well, if that’s the case, then why did you still do the certification?”

“Because I wanted to perform some air stunts for you.”

Xu Lian: “…”

Thank you, I guess?

“Well, how about it? Shall we go skydiving?”

Xu Lian found the idea pretty exciting, so she agreed. “Sure. What do we need to prepare?”

Xiang ChangKong involuntarily raised the corner of his mouth and lifted a hand to rub Xu Lian’s head. “Just leave it to me.”

Xiang ChangKong chose the best skydiving club in China and took Xu Lian to the venue the very next day. Xiang ChangKong’s diving certification enabled him to parachute independently all over the world, so there was no obstacle for him.

This was Xu Lian’s first experience in skydiving however, so she couldn’t jump alone and must be carried by the instructor. Those who become skydiving instructors are well-versed in the area and have plenty of experience, so both Xu Lian and Xiang ChangKong felt confident in their professional coach.

Of course, Xu Lian still needed to go through some simple training, and they both had to sign an agreement.

From her childhood, Xu Lian had always been a non-conformist type of person, and had never been afraid of anything. So when she first agreed to go skydiving with Xiang ChangKong, she was quite calm about it. But now that they were on the special plane, she couldn’t help but feel a little nervous.

Xiang ChangKong was sitting next to her. Seeing her nervousness, he took her hand and comforted her in a warm tone. “It’s alright. I’ve gone skydiving plenty of times. Once you’re in the air, you won’t be afraid anymore. Just enjoy the experience.”

Xu Lian nodded. “Nn.”

The female coach responsible for Xu Lian was sitting on her other side. She had seen plenty of customers feel nervous at first, so she more or less knew how to calm them down. The female instructor told Xu Lian: “Relax. I’ve been in this business for many years. Trust me, you’ll have an unforgettable moment.”

When they were at the right altitude, the red lights in the cabin lit up, indicating that they could jump off. The female coach checked everyone’s equipment again, then walked with Xu Lian to the airplane door.

At a hight of 4000 meters, they could see a boundless blue sky and a sea of clouds. This magnificent scenery could make any person feel excited.

The photographer strapped his GoPro on and jumped down first. Then, the female coach behind Xu Lian patted her shoulder three times, indicating that she can jump forward. With a nod, Xu Lian threw herself into the arms of the blue sky and white clouds.

The oncoming wind was a great impact on both her body and mind. It was a totally new and fresh kind of stimulation. It was very exciting.

Xiang ChangKong jumped soon after. The photographer positioned himself and the camera so he could capture the whole process.

Because the video recording was an extra, quite expensive charge, Xu Lian tried her best to get the most out of it by seizing every minute to pose for the camera. Xiang ChangKong wasn’t far away from Xu Lian, and she watched as he really did his so-called ‘air stunts’ for her.

He raised his hands and legs as if doing children’s gymnastics. Xu Lian had to use her associative connection skills to understand what Xiang ChangKong was doing.

Xiang ChangKong was making English letters with his body.

M, A, R, R, Y, M, E.

Marry me.

Xu Lian’s brain became blank. For a moment, she ever forgot that she was freefalling 120 miles per hour in the air.

Eventually, Xu Lian’s mind stuttered back to life. Xiang ChangKong was nearby, looking at her. As if afraid that she didn’t understand his performance, he mouthed the words several times.

Xu Lian watched Xiang ChangKong ask her to marry him again and again. Finally, she couldn’t help but laugh and give him a heart.

(T/N: Those finger hearts Koreans do? Maybe the old-school heart with both hands? Either way, something like that. Also, it’s like she’s giving him her heart. Not like he doesn’t already have it tho.)

The author has something to say:

Last time, I wrote a proposal on the seafloor. This time, I wrote a proposal in the sky. Next time, I can only write a proposal in outer space!