Inside the civil affairs bureau, the cool air conditioning washed over them. A staff member in a neat uniform was already waiting at the entrance, clearly informed ahead of time of Qian Jinxing's arrival.
"President Qian, Miss Xu, this way please," the young man said respectfully, his eyes betraying a flicker of surprise when they landed on Yunying. She wasn't the typical woman seen on Jinxing's arm, she was striking, confident, but still unfamiliar to the staff who knew most of his acquaintances.
He ushered them past the regular waiting lines, leading them directly toward a private office.
The bureau director himself stepped out, smiling a little too brightly. "President Qian, everything is prepared. We just need both of your IDs and passports to start the registration process."
Yunying reached into her bag, sliding the documents across the polished desk. Jinxing did the same with the effortless composure of someone used to having the world bend for him.
The staff began photocopying, typing into their system, and laying out the forms.
"Please fill in your personal details here.." the director instructed, sliding the paperwork toward them.
Yunying picked up the pen. For a moment, she stared at the empty boxes — Name, Birth Date, ID Number, her heart giving a little tremor. Each stroke she wrote felt like pressing her signature onto fate itself.
Beside her, Jinxing filled his side with neat, practiced strokes, like it was nothing more than signing another contract. When he glanced at her, his eyes softened by a fraction.
"You're trembling..." he murmured.
"I'm not.." she shot back, though her fingers betrayed her by tightening around the pen.
The director smiled politely, pretending not to notice their quiet exchange. "After filling the forms, you'll take photos together. Once that's done, your marriage certificate will be issued within the hour."
Yunying exhaled slowly, trying to steady her pulse. Marriage. A word that once felt impossible was now unfolding right in front of her.
The forms were signed, their information neatly recorded. The director gestured toward the small studio space at the side of the office.
"Now, we'll need the couple's joint photo for the certificate."
Couple. The word made Yunying's stomach flutter.
The photographer, a young woman with round glasses, adjusted her camera. "Please stand together. Closer, closer… that's right."
Yunying moved to Jinxing's side, her hands smoothing over her gown instinctively. She stood straight, her chin tilted just a little higher than usual. But the gap between them remained.
"Closer.." the photographer urged again.
Before she could even think, Jinxing's arm came around her waist, pulling her firmly against his side. Yunying stiffened, her eyes flickering up at him.
He looked completely at ease, as though this touch meant nothing. But the heat of his palm burned through the thin fabric of her gown.
"Relax.." he murmured under his breath, only loud enough for her to hear. "Or the photo will look awkward."
She bit her lip, trying to suppress the blush that threatened to creep across her cheeks.
The photographer lifted her camera. "Perfect. Look at me, please."
Yunying's lips curved into a smile not her usual sly smirk, but something softer, brighter.
A smile that carried the thrill of finally stepping into something she thought she'd never have.
Click!
Click!
The flash went off.
She glanced sideways just as the camera clicked again, only to find Jinxing's gaze on her instead of the lens. His expression was calm, almost unreadable, but there was something there, the faintest trace of intrigue, of acknowledgment.
"Done.." the photographer said cheerfully. "The certificates will be ready shortly."
Yunying exhaled, realizing only then that she'd been holding her breath. Her hand brushed unconsciously against the hem of her gown, trying to ground herself.
Married.
She was really about to be married.
The cool weight of the marriage certificate still lingered in Yunying's hands as they stepped out of the bureau. The midday light was sharp, yet everything around her felt faintly blurred, as though the moment was meant to exist only for her.
At the car, Jinxing paused, reaching into the inside pocket of his jacket. He pulled out a small velvet box, flicking it open with ease and revealing a sapphire ring.
The stone gleamed deep and rich, its color bold yet refined, mirroring the quiet fire in her eyes and her dazzling midnight hair.
"I wasn't sure if you wanted a ring.." Jinxing said evenly, his gaze steady on hers. "But I thought one would look good on your finger. Better than bare skin right?."
For the first time, Yunying's expression softened into something unguarded. Her lips parted, then curved upward into a genuine smile, one that even startled her.
Her fingers brushed the ring as though to confirm it was real. "It's beautiful… I love it."
Jinxing watched her for a long second, catching the warmth in her eyes, the faint shimmer of tears threatening to form before nodding slightly. He slipped the sapphire onto her finger himself, then slid a band onto his own without ceremony.
The sight of matching rings tugged something unexpected in her chest. She blinked rapidly, willing the tears back as she exhaled a shaky breath.
He led her into the car, shutting the door behind her before getting in himself.
His tone was light, but there was a trace of curiosity beneath it. "If I didn't know better, I'd think you're actually happy to be married."
Yunying arched a brow, lips twitching. "That's because I am. You don't know what this means to me." Her voice dropped, almost confessional. "I've always wanted this. To be married. To have it be real. For once in my life, it feels… possible."
She let the words hang, choosing not to explain more. He didn't need to know about her old body, her sickness or the hopelessness she had buried deep.
But her heart fluttered with an honesty she hadn't intended to show.
Then, almost mischievously, she added, "Though I admit… snatching you before Xiao Lian was part of the fun."
The corners of Jinxing's lips twitched not quite a smile, but the shadow of one.
Yunying glanced down at her hand, admiring the sapphire once again. And then her eyes lit up.
Opening her phone camera, she reached for his hand, sliding hers against his so the rings glimmered side by side. She adjusted until she had the perfect angle, the light hitting the sapphire just right.
Click!
Her lips curved into a wicked little grin as she lowered the phone.
"Perfect."