Extra Story XI (May Each Year be Like This Day... The End)

Yan Heyu had been sleepless for two consecutive nights, not feeling tired even though he wasn’t sleeping. He watched over Wen Di and little Ningmeng, tirelessly.

He personally did everything he could.

Ye Minqiong tried to persuade her son to rest. “There are so many of us taking care of her. What do you have to worry about? You can’t keep going without sleep.”

“I’m fine.” Yan Heyu was holding little Ningmeng. She had just woken up, opening her eyes for a moment before closing them again. Occasionally, she would let out a cry, dissatisfied about something.

Little Ningmeng had dark hair and a delicate nose. Her eyes were as beautiful as Wen Di’s.

In his eyes, his daughter was an angel.

He looked at his daughter, who was occasionally sucking on her mouth, and couldn’t help but kiss her forehead again.

Ye Minqiong couldn’t take it anymore. “If you don’t want to sleep, fine, but can you at least let the rest of us hold little Ningmeng?”

Yan Heyan protested as well. “We’ve been in line forever. Are you blind or something?”

Yan Heyu was reluctant to put his daughter down and held her for two more minutes before giving her to his mother.

He went to see Wen Di. Wen Di had just woken up and looked better than she had yesterday. The first thing she wanted to do was see her daughter.

“My mom and Heyan are rocking the baby. I’ll go get her now.”

He had just turned around when Wen Di grabbed his arm. “Wait. Let them hold her for a bit.”

Yan Heyu sat down by the bed, holding her hand.

Wen Di looked at him and couldn’t help but smile. Her little Ningmeng had finally found her. The arrival of their daughter felt like a painkiller; her incision didn’t hurt as much as it did last time.

It was probably a psychological effect.

Yan Heyu picked up her hand and kissed it. “Why aren’t you saying anything?”

Because she was suddenly at a loss for words, unsure of how or what to say. She was just so happy.

Wen Di took his hand and placed it on the side of her face, rubbing it. “Who do you think little Ningmeng looks like?”

Yan Heyu: “She looks like you, and she looks like me.”

He hoped his daughter would grow up to be more like Wen Di.

Wen Di was tired of lying in the same position and carefully turned over.

Yan Heyu moved to the other side of the bed and sat down. She would probably be bored for the next month. “Once your confinement is over and the weather is warmer, we’ll go to a resort.”

Wen Di asked, “Which resort?”

Yan Heyu let her decide. “Whichever one you want to go to, we’ll go.”

After all, he owned shares in both resorts.

After little Ningmeng’s one-month birthday, Wen Di was free. The weather was beautiful that day. She put on a new dress and some light makeup and took Big Treasure and Little Treasure to the lake plaza to play with their modified toy cars.

It was Saturday, and Yan Heyu had a negotiation that morning. He canceled his lunch plans afterward. As soon as he left the company, Guan Xiangmu’s call came in.

Guan Xiangmu asked if he was home. “Qizhen and I are on our way to your house. Let’s have a couple of drinks at noon.”

“You and Auntie Er can drink. I don’t drink on weekends.” It was a rule Yan Heyu had for himself. On family days, he wouldn’t touch a drop of alcohol. He had to drink when socializing, but he would never drink in his private time.

“Everyone says you’re obsessed with your daughter, and they’re not wrong.” Guan Xiangmu looked at the road signs outside the window. The car was about to turn into the villa complex. “Gotta go. We’ll be at your place soon.”

He ended the call.

Today, Wen Qizhen was coming to see little Ningmeng. He had picked her up at the airport and was coming with her.

In the past six months, she had been coming to Beijing more often, about once a month. She would come to see Big Treasure and Little Treasure, and now there was little Ningmeng too.

But every time, she would call him to tell him what time her flight was.

He just took it as a sign that she was coming specifically to see him.

Guan Xiangmu put away his phone and looked at Wen Qizhen, who was looking out the window.

This year marked their thirtieth year of knowing each other. Time had passed so quickly, aging them. Luckily, she was still by his side.

As the car passed by the lake, they saw Big Treasure and Little Treasure at the plaza.

Guan Xiangmu was familiar with the two boys. They waved at him from a distance, inviting him to play with them.

After they got out of the car, he went to play with the two kids. Wen Qizhen and Wen Di took a walk around the lake.

Wen Di held onto her aunt. She and Yan Heyu were planning to take Big Treasure and Little Treasure to the resort tomorrow and asked her aunt, “Do you and President Guan want to come?”

“Stay the night?”

“No, just for the day. We’ll go in the morning and come back at night.” Her mother was on vacation and had been helping her take care of little Ningmeng, but even with so many people helping, she and Yan Heyu were still worried. However, it had been a long time since they had taken Big Treasure and Little Treasure out, so a short trip was all they could manage.

She and Yan Heyu had discussed it. Once little Ningmeng was a little older, they would go to the resort for a few days as a family.

Wen Qizhen considered it for a moment and decided to go to the resort with her niece’s family. It had been a long time since she had properly relaxed.

Even for a short day trip, Wen Di had to pack a lot of things for the two kids. She packed a big bag of food, drinks, and toys and even bought two kites for them from the market.

She wasn’t free for the entire afternoon.

Yan Heyu was shaving. His daughter was probably about to wake up. The first thing he did before holding his daughter was to shave, afraid that his stubble would prick her.

Big Treasure and Little Treasure had once complained that their dad’s stubble hurt.

“Husband,” Wen Di suddenly remembered. “You don’t have to shave at night anymore. I sewed a chin cover for you.”

Yan Heyu couldn’t imagine what a chin cover was. “A mask?”

“No. It’s similar to a mask, with two straps that go around your ears, but it only covers your chin. Your mouth can still be exposed. Big Treasure and Little Treasure came up with the name.”

“Who sewed it?”

“Your capable Wen Di.”

Yan Heyu smiled. He turned on the faucet to rinse off the shaving cream, casually wiped his hands, put the razor back with his right hand, and extended his left hand to pull Wen Di into his arms. “Let me see how capable you are.”

Wen Di was in his arms. She looked up, and his kiss came down.

The water from his chin rubbed onto her face, mixing with the fresh scent of the shaving cream.

Yan Heyu pressed her against the vanity, parted her lips, and kissed her deeply.

Wen Di’s body hadn’t fully recovered, so he had been holding back. Sometimes, he would just kiss her lightly, afraid he wouldn’t be able to control himself.

“Daddy, Daddy, my little sister is awake.”

“Daddy, where are you?”

Big Treasure and Little Treasure rushed in.

Yan Heyu didn’t have time to close the bathroom door. He pulled away from Wen Di’s lips, grabbed the razor from the vanity, put it in her hand, and guided her wrist to his chin, pretending she was about to shave him.

Big Treasure stopped at the doorway. Little Treasure, who was running fast, didn’t stop in time and bumped into his brother. The two children stumbled forward a few steps. They innocently thought their mom was tired of their dad’s beard and was taking matters into her own hands to shave him.

Big Treasure looked up at the razor in his mom’s hand. “Mommy, when will you be done? My little sister is awake.”

Yan Heyu looked at the two kids in the mirror and answered for Wen Di. “Soon. I just shaved, and your mom said it wasn’t a clean shave.”

Wen Di stifled a laugh. Next time, she needed to remember to lock the bedroom door.

Yan Heyu pretended as if nothing had happened. He grabbed a towel to wipe his chin and followed the two kids to the princess room.

Ye Minqiong and Zhao Yueling were playing with little Ningmeng. After more than a month, little Ningmeng looked completely different from when she was born. Her facial features were more distinct and defined.

Ye Minqiong saw Yan Heyu come in. “Why did it take you so long to shave?”

Big Treasure interjected, “Mommy said Daddy didn’t shave well. Mommy shaved Daddy again.”

Yan Heyu didn’t say anything and gently picked his daughter up from the crib.

His daughter smelled faintly of milk and rested peacefully on his shoulder. He felt a sense of satisfaction he couldn’t put into words, as if he had the whole world.

He was now waiting for his daughter to call him Daddy. He used to envy how little Ningmeng would cling to Jiang Chengyu. Sometimes when Jiang Chengyu was playing cards at the club, little Ningmeng would call him on the phone to cheer him on, saying that Daddy would definitely win against everyone. Soon, he wouldn’t have to envy Jiang Chengyu anymore.

The next day, they got up early. As soon as it was light, they drove to the resort. Big Treasure and Little Treasure were so excited that they woke up at 5 a.m. They were full of energy the entire way. They each had their own car seats by the windows, looking at the morning scenery outside, and sang nursery rhymes they had learned in kindergarten to Wen Di.

Yan Heyu was driving today. Wen Di was in the passenger seat.

As she listened to her two sons sing, she flipped through the photos of her daughter’s growth over the past month. All the difficulties and setbacks in her work and life felt worth it at that moment.

Yan Heyu was focused on the road ahead and called out to her, “Screenwriter Wen.”

Wen Di knew what he wanted to say. His screenplay didn’t even have a framework yet. She promised again, “I’ll write it for you within two years.”

“No need. I’ll write it myself.”

Wen Di laughed. “Then I’ll look forward to your masterpiece, Screenwriter Yan.”

Big Treasure from the back chimed in, “Daddy, can I be the male lead?”

Little Treasure added, “I want to be a main character too.”

Yan Heyu: “...I’ll write a story about Big Treasure and Little Treasure being mischievous.”

This made the two kids laugh heartily.

Their laughter poured out of the car window and reached the car behind them.

Guan Xiangmu’s car was about ten meters behind them. The children’s laughter was almost magical. They could hear it very clearly.

He was also driving himself, with Wen Qizhen beside him.

The last time he had gone on a trip was with his parents. He had never gone on a trip by himself, not even a short one to the suburbs.

A while ago, his older brother and sister and their families went fishing and invited him to join them, but he found an excuse to decline.

His sister had said, “Then when Qizhen is free, the three families can go together.”

Yesterday, while playing with the toy cars at the plaza with Big Treasure and Little Treasure, they wanted to drift around the corners. But they didn’t have the skills and kept failing. He helped them achieve a perfect drift.

Big Treasure and Little Treasure were so happy they hugged his neck and wouldn’t let go, almost strangling him.

Big Treasure asked him what he wanted to do most and said they would help him achieve it.

He joked, “I want to go to your maternal grandparents’ house in Jiangcheng.”

Big Treasure and Little Treasure said seriously, “We’ll take you during Chinese New Year.”

“Qizhen.”

Wen Qizhen had been looking at the side of the road. She turned her head and looked at him. “What is it?”

Guan Xiangmu: “I don’t have anything planned for Chinese New Year’s Eve this year. I’ll go to Jiangcheng to be with you then.”

Wen Qizhen: “...It’s only April. Isn’t it a little early to be talking about Chinese New Year?”

Guan Xiangmu didn’t say anything, but in his mind, he felt it was late.

After more than two hours, they drove into the resort.

It was a bit windy today, but not too much, perfect for flying a kite.

Wen Qizhen was a kite-flying expert. They had a kite park in Jiangcheng where people flew kites all year round. Spring and summer were the busiest seasons.

When she was little, her father would often take her to the park to fly kites, sometimes for an entire day. The sky would be filled with kites, with the highest ones looking like they were floating in the clouds.

Later, when she had Wen Di, she and her parents would take Wen Di to fly kites.

Those memories were as clear as yesterday.

Wen Qizhen flew one kite for Big Treasure and Little Treasure to hold and then flew another one for herself. The kites flew higher and higher.

Guan Xiangmu recorded a video of her. It was rare to see her so happy.

While they were flying kites, Yan Heyu and Wen Di went to the private leisure area. Wen Di loved the stream there, which flowed down from the mountain.

She just found out that this private leisure area was not open to the public and was only for her.

He had even paid to have the stream diverted from the mountain, just to create a comfortable environment for her to write her screenplays.

Wen Di scooped up a handful of water and turned to him. “How much money did you make from investing in those two clubs?”

Yan Heyu: “I haven’t broken even yet.”

“...Then I’ll increase your allowance every month to subsidize the losses.”

Yan Heyu smiled faintly and said, “I have too much to spend already.”

“If you can’t spend it all, you can save it as a private fund.”

“If I really did, wouldn’t you come to me with a bill?”

He reached out his hand. “Come here.”

Wen Di shook the water off her hands and went to sit on his lap.

Yan Heyu opened a magazine. The club manager was very thoughtful and had placed a parenting magazine on the table.

Wen Di opened a bag of snacks and looked at the magazine with him.

At twenty, she would sit on his lap and read sappy romance novels. In her thirties, she was sitting on his lap reading about how to raise a baby. In another ten years, she wondered what books she would be reading.

They had read a third of the magazine when Guan Xiangmu and Wen Qizhen came to find them with Big Treasure and Little Treasure.

Big Treasure and Little Treasure rushed into Yan Heyu’s arms, begging, “Daddy, take us out on the lake in a boat.”

“Alright.” Yan Heyu closed the magazine and folded the corner of the page he was on. He would continue reading it the next time he came with little Ningmeng.

This was not Guan Xiangmu’s first time at the resort, but it was the first time he had been to this leisure area. He was impressed.

He asked Yan Heyu, “Does this path go all the way to the top of the mountain?”

“Yes, it goes to the reservoir at the top. I had it built because I wanted to go hiking with Wen Di, but we never had time. You two should go check out the view.”

The view on this path was more beautiful than the views on the other paths up the mountain.

Guan Xiangmu and Wen Qizhen were both wearing casual clothes and sneakers today, suitable for hiking. He took some water and snacks, and he and Wen Qizhen walked up the path along the stream.

Wen Qizhen walked behind him, occasionally scooping up some water from the stream.

When they got to the uphill part of the path, Guan Xiangmu turned back, reached out, and grabbed her wrist, pulling her up. Then he spread her fingers apart and intertwined his with hers.

The scenery was beautiful all along the way, but by the time they reached the top of the mountain, they couldn’t remember what they had seen.

________________________________________

The second year, little Ningmeng could speak. They went back to Jiangcheng for Chinese New Year again. At the end of that year, Yan Heyu received a screenplay from Wen Di, in the form of a diary.

It chronicled the little moments between him and her, and with their children.

To him, it was more precious than any screenplay. A single screenplay was not enough to tell their story.

Guan Xiangmu’s wish was also finally granted this year.

Jiang Chengyu and Shen Tang also brought their two children back with them. This was the most lively year for the Wen family. The children played and fought, and their laughter was endless.

Yan Heyu held little Ningmeng. “Say ‘Daddy’ again. One time isn’t enough.”

Little Ningmeng was mischievous. “Mommy.”

Yan Heyu laughed. “Say ‘Daddy’.”

Little Ningmeng copied him: “Say ‘Daddy’.”

Yan Heyu picked her up and held her high. “Are you going to say it?”

Little Ningmeng kicked her small legs in the air, giggling as she did so.

Yan Heyu’s arms were tired before he finally put her down and held her in his arms, kissing his daughter. “You’re not being good.”

Little Ningmeng kissed him back. “You’re not being good.”

Wen Di had finished making milk formula and came to get little Ningmeng.

“Mommy, Mommy.” Little Ningmeng struggled to get Wen Di to hold her.

Wen Di handed the bottle to Yan Heyu first and took her daughter into her arms.

Little Ningmeng was holding a big bottle of milk, a look of satisfaction on her face. Yan Heyu helped her hold the bottle.

Wen Di said to Yan Heyu, “My Auntie Er just called and asked the family to prepare dinner for one more person.”

Yan Heyu: “Is President Guan coming for New Year’s Eve dinner too?”

Wen Di nodded. “He should be arriving soon.”

Yan Heyu thought that was great. He and Jiang Chengyu had another helper to wash the dishes.

Little Ningmeng needed to lie down to drink her milk. Wen Di put her daughter on the sofa and placed a pillow behind her to make her comfortable.

Yan Heyu sat next to her, watching his daughter drink milk. Little Ningmeng was not well-behaved when she drank. She tried to lift her little feet to rest on her daddy’s shoulder, but her legs weren’t long enough.

Yan Heyu grabbed his daughter’s feet and pressed them onto the sofa, saying gently, “Be a good girl. Drink your milk properly, so you don’t choke.”

After little Ningmeng finished her milk, he pulled her up and held her in his arms. “Tell Daddy, what else do you want to eat?”

“Fish soup,” little Ningmeng said. “Daddy make it.”

Yan Heyu kissed his daughter. “Alright, Daddy will make you fish soup.”

Little Ningmeng stopped fussing and wrapped her arms around Yan Heyu’s neck. She leaned close to his ear and said in a sweet, childish voice, “Thank you, Daddy. Daddy, I love you.”

Yan Heyu kissed his daughter’s forehead. “Daddy loves you too.”

He picked up his daughter with one hand and took the bottle to the kitchen to wash it.

There were over a dozen people bustling in the kitchen, making it very lively.

Jiang Chengyu was making dumplings with little Ningmeng. Little Ningmeng was playful and smeared the flour from her hands onto Jiang Chengyu’s face, saying it was high-end foundation and that it would make him look even whiter than her mom.

Jiang Chengyu’s face was covered in flour. He let his daughter do as she pleased.

Yan Heyu passed by the kitchen island and said to little Ningmeng, “I think your dad isn’t white enough yet. Put some more on.”

“...Yan Heyu, what are you, a child?” He quickly changed it to “how old are you?” to avoid using uncivilized language in front of his daughter. What sin had he committed in his previous life? He used to fight with Yan Heyu every day as a child, and now that they were adults, they were still spending New Year’s Eve together.

Wen Di and Shen Tang were nowhere to be found in the house or the study upstairs. Yan Heyu guessed they had gone out. He took little Ningmeng to play the piano. Little Ningmeng didn’t know anything and just pressed the keys randomly. After her daddy praised her, she played with even more enthusiasm.

Wen Di and Shen Tang were outside the main gate, building a snowman. Jiangcheng had a rare heavy snowfall this year. The two of them used shovels to pile up the snow and built a large snowman, leaving them out of breath.

A layer of moisture had formed on their scarves from their breath.

This was their fifteenth year of knowing each other. They were still the same as they used to be.

“May each year be like this day.”

A car drove by, and the window rolled down.

Wen Di and Shen Tang saw Guan Xiangmu and Auntie Er in the car. They smiled and waved.

Wen Di greeted them, “Happy New Year, Auntie Er’s husband.”

Shen Tang said almost at the same time, “Hello, Auntie Er’s husband, long time no see.”

Guan Xiangmu’s smile grew wider. “Happy New Year. I hope you two will continue to take good care of me in the Wen family.”

The car drove into the courtyard.

Wen Changyun treated his sister’s partner the same way he treated Wen Di’s. Anyone who was willingly brought home would be sincerely welcomed.

This year, the fireworks in Jiangcheng were as usual.

After the New Year’s Eve dinner, their mom, Auntie Er, and Shen Tang took the five children to the old town to watch the 7:30 p.m. fireworks show. Wen Di stayed at home to chat with her father.

The living room was filled with the sound of mahjong tiles, just like every year.

“Dad, have you written your year-end summary yet?”

“Yes. I’d give myself a 95 for work and an 80 for life. I’ll continue to work hard next year.” Wen Changyun poured two half-glasses of red wine and drank with his daughter.

He asked his daughter, “What about you?”

Wen Di smiled. “I’m not going to be modest. I’d give myself a 90 for both work and life, leaving 10 points for improvement.”

Wen Changyun toasted with his daughter. “Then let’s see who’s improved and what needs to be worked on next year.”

“Absolutely.” Chatting with her dad during Chinese New Year had become her annual tradition. Even when she couldn’t go back to Jiangcheng for the holiday, she would still talk to her dad on the phone about her gains and insights from the year.

They stayed at her grandparents’ house until 10:30 p.m. Big Treasure and Little Treasure were tired, and little Ningmeng had already fallen asleep in Yan Heyu’s arms.

Wen Di and Yan Heyu took the kids home, while the others planned to play mahjong all night.

After putting little Ningmeng to sleep, they gave Big Treasure and Little Treasure a bath.

After their bath, they were too tired to listen to a story.

“Mommy and Daddy, Happy New Year. We’ll love you forever.”

The two children said the same blessing.

Once they were asleep, Wen Di and Yan Heyu went to the balcony to watch the 11:40 p.m. fireworks show.

The theme of the fireworks show was different every year. This year’s theme was “May Each Year be Like This Day.”

Wen Di looked at her watch. It was 11:58 p.m. She asked, “Husband, what’s your New Year’s wish this year?”

Yan Heyu looked at her. “All my wishes have come true.” In the new year, he would love her and their children even more. But he still had one wish for his next life. He wanted to meet her, Big Treasure, Little Treasure, and little Ningmeng again in his next life.

If he started making that wish with a devout heart right now and continued to do so for fifty years, it should come true, right?

The clock struck midnight. The fireworks were even grander and more magnificent than in previous years.

Inside the room, their three children were sleeping soundly.

On the balcony, Yan Heyu wrapped Wen Di in a coat in his arms, leaned down to kiss her, and kissed her passionately and unrestrainedly.

(The End)