That night, Yuyan lingered before the mirror longer than usual. It wasn't only the cream dress she had chosen, nor the soft lipstick the color of ripe peach. It was her heart, beating on a different frequency ever since she had said "yes" to Wen.
In the living room, Lin Meilan calmly set the dinner table. When she saw her daughter appear, she paused for a moment, noticing the different brightness in her eyes.
"You look… radiant today," she remarked with a restrained smile. "Did something happen?"
Yuyan drew a deep breath, smoothing the hem of her dress between her fingers."Mother… I need to tell you something." She paused, and a flush rose immediately to her cheeks. "The professor Wen and I… we're dating."
The silence that followed was brief but full of meaning. Meilan studied her for a long moment, as if searching for something beyond words. Then a smile softened the lines time had carved on her face.
"I suspected as much," she said gently. "He looks at you in a way that doesn't need translation."
Yuyan lowered her eyes, blushing even more. Her mother stepped closer and held her hands with affection."I just want you to be happy, my daughter. If he gives you peace… then he's won me over as well."
The embrace that followed was light, yet full of promise.
Two days later, the invitation arrived: a small celebration at the university in honor of the professors who had completed research projects that semester. Nothing grand—just a simple reception with discreet flowers and tables of tea and snacks.
Even so, for Yuyan it would be the first time she appeared at Wen's side as something more than the nurse everyone knew.
When they arrived, side by side, heads turned. Wen, calm as always, merely adjusted his glasses and offered her his hand—not to lead her, but so they could remain together. Yuyan hesitated for a second, then laced her fingers with his. The discreet warmth of that gesture gave her courage.
"Finally!" Xiaoqing appeared out of nowhere, eyes sparkling with satisfaction. "I knew this would happen. I just didn't know it would be so fast."
Li Cheng came up right behind her, laughing loudly."So the monk broke his vow of silence after all!" he joked, giving Wen's shoulder a light tap. "And by the looks of it, he came out ahead."
Yuyan blushed, but their laughter broke the tension. Wen answered only with a half-smile—typical of him—but the pressure of his hand made it clear he had no regrets about showing the world.
Throughout the evening, some colleagues approached, offered congratulations, and made subtle comments. Yuyan felt the weight of their eyes, but also the lightness of not having to hide. It was like walking through a corridor of voices that, rather than judging, simply confirmed what she already knew: they were together.
At the end of the event, as they stepped out into a courtyard lit by soft lanterns, Wen leaned in discreetly and asked, almost in a whisper:"Was it too much for you?"
She smiled, squeezing his hand in return."It was light. Because it was with you."
Wen nodded, and in the silence that followed, both understood: from then on, they were no longer just stories kept in secret. They were presence. They were us.
A few days later, an important date for them both arrived.
Yuyan's birthday began like any other. Hot tea on the table, her mother straightening small details around the house. But there was something in the air—a longing that mingled with expectancy.
"One more year, my daughter," said Lin Meilan, pulling her into a tight hug. "And I still feel your grandmother here, whispering a silent 'happy birthday.'"
From the shelf, she brought down an old portrait in a slightly worn frame. Yuyan ran her fingers over the glass, eyes shimmering."I wanted so much for her to see this moment."
Her mother smiled tenderly."Perhaps she does. Perhaps the happiness you have now is her way of smiling, too."
At the hospital, the day went by as usual. Quick congratulations from colleagues, a playful tease from Xiaoqing during the shift—but underneath it all, Yuyan felt a prick of doubt: would Wen remember? He hadn't sent any message.
That night, when she left the hospital, she found him waiting by the car. In his hands, a small bouquet of pink plum blossoms among white chrysanthemums.
"May I take you somewhere?" he asked simply.
Her heart leapt. She didn't ask questions. She simply nodded.
The apartment was different. As she entered, Yuyan stopped, surprised: the room was lit by gentle candles, and at the set table sat her mother, Xiaoqing, and Li, all smiling.
"Surprise!" Xiaoqing cried, nearly bouncing.
Yuyan brought a hand to her mouth, tears already filling her eyes."You…"
At the center of the table, one detail made her choke up: her grandmother's portrait, restored in a new frame, gleaming in the warm light.
Wen stepped close, his voice low but steady:"I thought she deserved to be here too. I asked Li for help. I wanted this day to be whole—with those you love, and those who loved you before."
Yuyan wept, unable to hold back. She hugged her mother, hugged Xiaoqing, and laughed nervously in front of Li, who pretended to be overly moved."Don't look at me like that, Yuyan," he teased. "If I cry, my reputation is ruined."
Laughter softened the emotion. Dinner unfolded with many voices, plates passed from hand to hand, stories remembered and shared. It felt as if each detail were a piece of home.
After the cake, Wen asked for silence. He stood, eyes fixed on Yuyan."There's still one thing missing."
From his blazer pocket, he took out a small blue box. When he opened it, a delicate necklace appeared, with a moon-shaped pendant.
"So that you never forget you were the light in my winter," he said simply.
The tears returned to her eyes, but this time they came with a wide smile, full of certainty. She let him fasten the necklace around her neck, and when the cool metal touched her skin, she felt a warmth that rose from someplace far deeper.
Her grandmother's portrait seemed to watch, silent. Her mother, beside her, discreetly wiped her eyes. Xiaoqing was already crying without restraint. Li murmured under his breath:"Now yes, monk, you've learned how to live."
Yuyan drew a deep breath, looking at everyone around her. For the first time, she felt that her birthday was not just a memory of longing—it was a promise. A promise of new homes, new memories, and of a love that, in silence, had already become a universe.