Chapter 164 For Example… Getting Engaged Early?

By the time Song Jingmo returned home, it was nearly midnight.

The house still carried the lingering atmosphere of the previous night.

On the dining table lay the uneaten cake, and on the sofa was the shirt that Lu Er had worn back home.

Song Jingmo bent down to pick up the shirt, and a faint trace of Lu Er’s usual perfume still clung to it.

He held the shirt to his chest and sat on the sofa for a while before getting up to tidy things up.

After cleaning the living room, he picked up his phone and opened the WeChat group from the birthday dinner that evening.

Hundreds of messages had already been posted, mostly photos and videos shared by everyone.

Song Jingmo tapped through them one by one.

Some showed everyone raising their glasses together, some showed the cake-cutting, and some were candid shots of him and Lu Er amid teasing from others.

His fingers glided gently across the screen, and a smile involuntarily curved his lips.

He selected a few of the most satisfying ones and saved them to his phone’s gallery. Then he opened Moments to post the photos.

The first photo showed him holding Lu Er’s hand while cutting the cake together.

It was taken from the side, clearly showing their fingers intertwined.

His fingers were long, Lu Er’s hand pale, and the overlap looked unexpectedly harmonious.

Candlelight illuminated their faces; Lu Er turned his head slightly to look at him, eyes crescent-shaped with a smile.

The second photo was a candid shot of everyone raising their glasses in celebration.

Doctor Liu had his mouth wide open saying something, the head nurse laughed so hard she leaned back, and Tang Lan held up her phone recording the scene.

The focus of the photo was him and Lu Er standing side by side.

He raised his glass in greeting, while Lu Er stood by his side, his smile radiant.

The third photo was taken as he made a wish with his head bowed.

In the photo, his eyes were closed, the candlelight casting soft shadows across his face, his expression devout and serious.

The fourth photo was at the very end of the event, with Lu Er leaning against his shoulder, laughing.

At that moment, everyone was teasing them to drink another cup together. Lu Er buried his face in the crook of his shoulder, ears flushed red.

He looked down at him in his arms, his gaze so gentle it seemed it could drip with warmth.

Song Jingmo stared at these four photos for a long time, then finally typed two lines as a caption:

*”Two wishes.

You by my side, and me by yours.”*

After posting on Moments, Song Jingmo stared at the screen for a few seconds before heading to the bathroom to shower.

Warm water washed over him; eyes closed, his mind involuntarily replayed the details of tonight.

Lu Er’s ears flushed red while cutting the cake, Liao Xubai’s calm and relieved expression as he gave his blessing.

Colleagues’ playful teasing, and finally, at the airport, Lu Er’s kiss still tinged with the taste of cream.

He wiped water from his face and turned off the shower.

Dried off, changed into home clothes, Song Jingmo dried his hair while stepping out of the bathroom.

No sooner had he sat on the sofa than his phone vibrated.

WeChat notifications came one after another, like a rapid barrage.

Song Jingmo unlocked the phone. A long string of Moments notifications popped up.

The likes and comments were increasing at a visibly rapid pace.

Opening his recently posted Moment, the comments section had completely exploded.

Doctor Liu was first: “Whoa! These photos… if you didn’t know better, you’d think this was a wedding shoot!”

The head nurse followed: “Way too sweet, Director Song, but I love it. Post more!”

Tang Lan: “The fourth one is perfect! Director Song, your eyes are way too doting!”

Someone even asked directly: “When’s the wedding banquet, Director Song? I’ve got the gift money ready.”

Scrolling down, there was a comment from his mother, Qu Suiwan.

“My dear son, you’re amazing. So sweet and happy, it makes Mom so glad.”

Followed by a string of hearts and confetti emojis.

Then came a comment from his grandfather: “Good grandson, when are you bringing your granddaughter-in-law back home to see Grandpa? Grandpa will give you both a big red envelope!”

He even added neatly aligned system roses at the end.

Even Song’s father unusually commented: “Chasing the light, walking in its glow.”

Just eight words, yet they made Song Jingmo’s heart tremble.

Chasing the light, walking in its glow.

Lu Er was the light of his life, and he was walking bathed in it.

Song Jingmo stared at that comment for a long time, until his phone vibrated again.

He answered the call: “Mom, still awake so late?”

“Just about to sleep. I was scrolling through Moments before bed and saw the photos you posted.”

Qu Suiwan’s voice couldn’t hide her happiness. “Lu Er hurried back to celebrate your birthday with you. That child really cares.”

“Yes, he flew back on purpose yesterday,” Song Jingmo’s voice softened involuntarily. “And he rushed back tonight too.”

“I knew it. Last night when I called, your voice sounded off… must be Lu Er was with you,” Qu Suiwan laughed. “No wonder you hung up in a rush.”

Song Jingmo felt a little embarrassed: “Mom…”

He had been busy eating cake last night and really had no time to chat.

“Alright, alright, enough said,” she said, then changed tone. “But honestly, seeing you and Lu Er doing so well now, Mom is really happy. You missed six years, and now that you’re back together, it’s not easy at all.”

Song Jingmo said softly: “Sometimes it still feels like a dream, afraid I’ll wake up and find it’s all false.”

There was a pause on the other end.

“Mo Mo,” Qu Suiwan’s voice grew serious, “do you… feel a lack of security?”

Song Jingmo froze.

He hadn’t expected his mother to be so perceptive.

“I saw the photos you posted, and the two lines of text with them.”

They sounded sweet, but upon reflection, also carried a trace of fear of loss.

Song Jingmo gripped the phone, silent.

The living room had only a floor lamp on, casting lonely shadows across the walls.

“Mom…”

Finally, Song Jingmo spoke, his voice a little hoarse: “It’s not that I don’t trust Lu Er. I just… six years is a long time, so long that sometimes it scares me.”

“Everything now is too beautiful, too perfect to feel real.”

Qu Suiwan sighed: “Mom understands. Loving someone can make you feel insecure, afraid you’re not enough. But Lu Er openly shows his feelings during a rising career, flies back for your birthday… that shows how much he loves you.”

“I know,” Song Jingmo said. “It’s just because it’s too perfect, that’s why…”

“…you feel anxious about losing it?”

Qu Suiwan continued, “Silly child, feeling a little insecure in love is normal. But you can’t stay like this forever. If you feel insecure, find a way to make this love more solid.”

Song Jingmo didn’t understand: “What do you mean?”

“For example… getting engaged early?”