Chapter 268 - 203: We’ve Grown Old

After some brainstorming among the grannies of Yayuan, a gift for Grandma Xu’s diamond wedding anniversary was finally chosen.

She planned to give Grandpa Xu a romantic, Chinese-style wedding.

"My husband and I were both born during a time of war, and when we got married, the country was in the midst of civil unrest. We couldn’t have a proper wedding, and I’ve regretted it ever since," Grandma Xu explained shyly once the plan was set. "Later, when things got better, we considered having one, but I always felt too embarrassed."

They don’t have children. If they held a wedding after decades of marriage, people would just assume they were making up an excuse to recoup all the gift money they’d given out over the years.

And it’s worth noting that in the decades since they’d returned to the country and settled down, the amount of gift money they’d given out was no small sum.

Grandma Xu was a sensitive soul and prone to worrying about such petty concerns, which the others couldn’t quite understand. They just assumed she was simply shy and thought that holding a wedding with great fanfare at her age would be embarrassing.

"What’s there to be embarrassed about? The most important thing is to live according to your heart’s desire. Otherwise, how stifling would that be?"

Granny Liao disagreed with Grandma Xu’s way of thinking and immediately retorted, and the others agreed with Granny Liao.

Grandma Xu couldn’t help but laugh. "You’re right. I’ve come around to it now. We’ve both lived to this age, and who knows how many years we have left? I can’t leave this world with regrets! I had the courage to marry him when I was young, and now that I’m old, I’m still willing to marry him. What’s so wrong with having another wedding?"

She no longer cared what other people might think.

Seeing how happy she was, everyone started to laugh.

Ni Bingyan wasn’t there at the time, having gone out to eat with Mrs. Sang. When she saw the video in the group chat later, she was incredibly envious!

’How many people in this world actually get to be with the one they truly love?’

’And how many, on the long journey of life, manage not to drift apart from their beloved, still able to reach out and take their hand when they are old and gray?’

’You have to admit, a love like that is truly something to aspire to!’

Ni Bingyan was a thoughtful person who was always looking to improve. Whenever she discovered a personal shortcoming, she would immediately try to address it.

When it came to romance, what you learned from personal experience was completely different from what you learned by watching others.

Previously, Ni Bingyan had prided herself on her worldly experience, having seen enough romance movies to make a mountain. But once she actually started dating, she discovered that all that "experience" was purely theoretical, with very little practical application.

’After all, how many real-life romances actually play out like they do in the movies?’

So lately, she had started to do some thinking.

A good relationship doesn’t just appear out of thin air.

Some couples start with deep feelings but don’t know how to maintain them. Worn down by the daily grind of trivial matters, they eventually become strangers.

Others treat their partners with care, and as time goes by, their feelings for each other deepen, even if they don’t have any children.

Grandma and Grandpa Xu were a prime example.

Once Ni Bingyan figured this out, she took action early the next morning, not even waiting for Sang Yuan to come find her.

Sang Jingwen was an early riser and was practicing Tai Chi in the pavilion by the pond when he saw her jogging lap after lap around their property.

He was tempted to call her over, but fearing she was too shy and would be mortified, he suppressed a laugh, went back inside, and woke Sang Yuan up.

Unless work required it, Ni Bingyan kept a very regular schedule, almost like someone from Sang Jingwen’s generation: in bed around ten at night and up just after five in the morning.

Sang Yuan, however, liked to work late into the night. He rarely went to bed before midnight and wouldn’t get up until after seven in the morning.

When his dad suddenly ripped the covers off him, Sang Yuan was completely bewildered.

As far as he could remember, this was the first time his dad had ever done such a thing. If not for the smile on his father’s face, Sang Yuan would have suspected he’d somehow offended him.

"What’s going on, Dad?"

"I’m not sure if Bingbing is trying to get your attention, but she’s been running countless laps around the house. You should hurry up and get ready. Go ’accidentally’ run into her!"

Suppressing a laugh, Sang Jingwen opened his son’s closet, pulled out a set of workout clothes, and gestured for him to hurry outside and go for a run.

’Ah, to be young again!’

Sang Jingwen chuckled and went to find his wife, leaving Sang Yuan, who shot out of bed, got dressed, and washed up in a flash.

He was so afraid of keeping Ni Bingyan waiting that he raced downstairs without even combing his hair.

Sang Yuan knew that his and Ni Bingyan’s daily routines were different.

Having lived together for so many years in their past life, they had long ago fallen into a comfortable dynamic that worked for them both: respecting each other’s habits and routines.