When Lin Ying finally stepped out of the registry office, she looked down at the documents and the small pile of shopping in her hands, a strange sense of finality settling over her.
They had already secured the major items—the watch and the bicycle—and the remaining small necessities were easy to gather. To her surprise, they had spent the entire morning shopping without a single disagreement or clipped word. Shao Mingyuan was practical to a fault; he didn’t care for flashy brands or aesthetics as long as an item was functional. Lin Ying, having survived the end of the world in her past life, had no patience for “decision anxiety.” If it worked and the price was fair, she bought it.
Soon, they were laden with so many packages that they truly would have been stranded if not for the sturdy frame of the new bicycle. Lin Ying was ready to head home, but as they passed a clothing stall, her feet slowed. You can’t walk into a new life in tattered threads, she thought.
Shao Mingyuan, noticing her gaze, spoke up readily. “Why don’t you go in and pick out a few outfits? You’ll need something fresh for the wedding also.”
“Okay,” she agreed, not putting up a fight. She had grown taller over the last two months, and her old trousers were beginning to pinch.
Lin Ying was tall and lithe, with the kind of elegant, small-boned frame that acted as a natural clothes hanger. Every piece of fabric she draped over herself seemed to transform. The saleswoman was beside herself with praise, gushing, “Oh, heavens! You make our entire inventory look like it came from a high-end boutique!”
When Lin Ying stepped out of the cramped fitting room to show Shao Mingyuan, his eyes widened behind his spectacles. He had known she was pretty, but seeing her properly dressed, he realized she was more than that. She was striking from every single angle.
She worked quickly, selecting a crisp white short-sleeved shirt, sensible black slacks, and a light green skirt. That skirt, however, was special. It featured a modest V-neck, a high waist that cinched her middle perfectly, and a swaying, paneled hem that danced around her knees.
When she finally emerged in that green dress, a small, genuine smile lighting up her face as she walked toward him, Shao Mingyuan froze. For two long seconds, the bustle of the market faded. He could actually hear the rhythmic thud of his own heart against his ribs. He snapped out of it quickly, turning to pay the bill with steps that were slightly too hurried, as if he were trying to outrun a feeling he didn’t quite understand.
Lin Ying had intended to pay for her own clothes, but she was surprised to find he had already settled the tab. She didn’t argue; instead, when they sat down for lunch, she slipped away and paid for the meal before he could reach for his wallet. They shared a table of sweet and sour fish, Ma Yi Shang Shu [Ants Climbing a Tree—a classic dish of spicy minced pork and glassy vermicelli], and hot and sour shredded potatoes.
As they left the restaurant, Lin Ying spotted a familiar pair. It seemed the world was small; Su Beibei and Zhong Xu were heading into a nearby photo studio.
“Want to take some pictures?” Shao Mingyuan asked, noticing her lingering look.
“Sure,” she replied. In her past life, she had been careless with photos. When the disasters came and her loved ones began to vanish, she had been left with nothing but fading memories. She wouldn’t make that mistake again. Every important milestone in her life now deserved a record.
Inside the studio, the air smelled of chemicals and old velvet. The proprietress, a woman with a keen eye for beauty, practically pounced on them. “A wedding pair? Oh, you two are marvelous! My shop is the best in the district—decades of experience. Look at that couple over there,” she whispered, nodding toward Su Beibei, “they’re here for the same thing.”
The proprietress leaned in closer, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial hum. “Listen, we have new technology now—color photography. It’s a bit more expensive, but for a couple as photogenic as you? It would be a crime to stay in black and white. Tell you what, I’ll even throw in a bit of simple makeup and let you use our studio clothes for free.”
Then came the catch. She looked at them hopefully. “I have one request. Could I display your finished portraits in my front window? I’ll give you a twenty percent discount for the honor.”
Lin Ying thought about the three-year contract. If they divorced and their “happily ever after” was still plastered in a shop window for all the neighbors to see, it would be incredibly awkward. “I’m so sorry,” she said decisively, “but we’d prefer to keep our photos private.”
The proprietress looked crushed. She had only offered the previous couple a ten percent discount, and even they had said no!
Shao Mingyuan left all the choices to Lin Ying, standing by with a quiet, supportive presence. She decided on a classic, formal portrait for their Jiehun Zheng [Marriage Certificate], and then several shots in her new green dress.
The most intimate pose she allowed was a full-body shot where Shao Mingyuan rested his arm firmly around her shoulder. As he pulled her slightly closer for the frame, Lin Ying felt the solid warmth of his body and the subtle scent of soap and medicinal herbs that always clung to him. For a moment, the “fake” nature of their arrangement felt very, very real.
As she came out of the back room after changing, she ran right into Su Beibei and Zhong Xu.
Su Beibei froze. She had heard rumors that Lin Ying had found someone, but she hadn’t expected… this. Shao Mingyuan was tall, dignified, and carried the unmistakable air of a “cultured man” [a term for an educated, refined gentleman]. Suddenly, her own Zhong Xu, whom she had been so proud of, seemed a little less bright in comparison.
Zhong Xu was even more stunned. He and Shao Mingyuan were neighbors in the same Siheyuan [courtyard house]. Though they were only casual acquaintances, he knew the doctor as a man married to his work, cold and uninterested in the whims of romance. To see him here, standing protectively beside a girl as beautiful as Lin Ying, felt like the world had tilted on its axis.
The silence in the small studio stretched thin until Su Beibei finally broke it, her eyes flitting between the two of them. “You two…?”
Lin Ying didn’t flicker. Since they had already crossed paths, there was no point in playing a game of shadows. “This is Shao Mingyuan,” she introduced simply. “My boyfriend. We’re getting married soon.”
To keep the conversation natural, Lin Ying tilted her head. “Are you two here for wedding photos as well?” She kept her tone light, acting as if she were oblivious to their whirlwind ten-day romance.
Su Beibei nodded, a flash of surprise crossing her face. “How did you know?”
“The proprietress mentioned another young couple was here for the same reason,” Lin Ying lied smoothly.
Su Beibei accepted the explanation, but Zhong Xu looked thoughtful. He turned to his fiancée. “You two know each other?”
“We’re neighbors and classmates,” Su Beibei explained.
Zhong Xu scratched his head, a sudden, wide grin breaking across his face. “What a coincidence! Your classmate’s boyfriend is actually my neighbor. We live in the same Siheyuan [courtyard house].”
Shao Mingyuan gave a curt, polite nod of confirmation. The four of them stood there for a moment, the air thick with the strange serendipity of it all. But since they weren’t exactly bosom friends, the pleasantries dried up quickly. Su Beibei offered a quick “Goodbye” and “Good luck,” and they went their separate ways.
As the photoshoot began, the atmosphere turned… awkward.
The photographer peered through his lens, then looked over the top of the camera at the couple sitting on the bench. They were perched at opposite ends, looking as if an invisible wall stood between them. He turned to his wife and hissed, “Are they really getting married? They look like they’re waiting for a bus in the rain! They’re like strangers!”
The proprietress didn’t hesitate. She marched over, her voice ringing out through the studio. “You two! Move closer! This is a wedding shoot, not a doctor’s appointment. If you stay that far apart, I can’t even fit both your heads in the frame!”
In this era, wedding photos were strictly upper-body shots, much like the formal ID photos of the future. If the distance wasn’t closed, the composition would be a disaster.
Lin Ying scooted inward, and Shao Mingyuan followed suit, moving with a stiff, silent grace. As the gap closed, he became acutely aware of her. A faint, refreshing fragrance—something herbal and clean—wafted from her. He stopped, thinking he was close enough.
The proprietress rolled her eyes and stepped in, physically nudging them together until their shoulders were firmly pressed against each other. “There! That’s a proper young couple.”
To Lin Ying, the proximity was just a bit stifling in the summer heat; Shao Mingyuan, however, felt like a furnace beside her. He was rigid, his entire body tensed like a pulled bowstring. He had never been this close to a woman so the cool touch of her arm against his felt like a jolt of electricity.
“Smile! Speak to each other! Look happy!” the photographer barked. Flash! The first shot was captured.
Then came the more artistic poses. The proprietress bustled about, changing the painted backdrops and bringing out props—stiff, artificial flowers that looked like they belonged in a funeral parlor. Lin Ying went to change into her everyday clothes while Shao Mingyuan took several ragged breaths, trying to settle his racing pulse. He couldn’t understand it; usually, her presence calmed him. Today, she was a spark in a powder keg.
When she returned, the proprietress had worked magic on her hair and face. With a few deft strokes of a brow pencil and a touch of red lipstick, Lin Ying’s aloof, camellia-like beauty had transformed into something more radiant—like a night-blooming cereus.
“How do you like it?” the woman asked proudly. “I’ve been trained. You look like a movie star now.”
The final shot was the “intimate” one: a full-body portrait. Shao Mingyuan hesitated, then tentatively placed his arm around her shoulder. He waited for the click, but the proprietress frowned. She walked over and took Lin Ying’s hand, placing it firmly around Shao Mingyuan’s waist.
“What’s with the shyness?” she teased. “Embrace him!”
Shao Mingyuan felt his breath hitch. He could feel the warmth of her hand through his shirt, the soft rhythm of her breathing so close to his ear that it made his skin tingle. He didn’t dare move. Flash! It was over.
Outside, the sun was dipping low. They had lost track of time. Shao Mingyuan had to rush back to the hospital, so they parted ways—him to the bus, and Lin Ying pedaling her brand-new bicycle home, the handlebars heavy with bags.
When she arrived, Su Yulan was waiting. Her eyes nearly popped out of her head. “What on earth…? Where did all this come from?”
She quickly realized that the bicycle and the gleaming watch on Lin Ying’s wrist were far beyond her daughter’s budget. A wide, satisfied smile spread across her face. “That Shao Mingyuan… he really treats you well.”
But the joy was quickly followed by a lecture. “You two are so young, spending money like water! He’s a doctor, and that money is earned with hard sweat. You have to learn to save, Yingzi. What if someone gets sick? What if you have children? You can’t live like this!”
Lin Ying sighed, the warmth of the day’s “romance” cooling under her mother’s pragmatism. “Mom, this is my Caili [betrothal gift]. It’s what he wanted to give.”
“I’m not stupid!” Su Yulan countered. “But managing a household isn’t a game. You even took photos today? And the certificate next week?” She nodded, her expression softening. “Well, the sooner the better, I suppose.”
To distract her, Lin Ying dropped the gossip. “Mom, guess who I saw? Su Beibei. She’s getting married too—to Shao Mingyuan’s neighbor!”
Su Yulan’s eyes widened. “Really? What a coincidence! Well, a close neighbor is better than a distant relative. You must make sure to get along with her.”
The evening ended with Lin Qiu being scolded by Su Yulan for touching the “precious” watch, which gave Lin Ying a much-needed reprieve.
The week blurred past until Saturday arrived. They met at the registry office, signed the papers, and stood under the red star. When Lin Ying stepped back into the sunlight, she looked at the red booklet in her hand. The ink was dry, the seal was official.
She was a married woman now .
The contract said three years. But as she looked at the man standing beside her, she realized her life had just turned a page into a book she hadn’t yet learned how to read.
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