The gentle spring morning sunshine streamed through the window, bathing the two men sitting side by side on the living room sofa in a halo of light.
Ning Chunchi held Jiang Yumiao in the crook of one arm, his eyes lowered to the photo album spread across their laps.
Starting from the first page, Jiang Yumiao showed Ning Chunchi each picture in turn and told him the story behind it.
"I was being naughty in this one. I insisted on riding on my dad's shoulders because I didn't want to walk. They gave me anything I asked for, so that's how this picture came about."
"This was the birthday cake my mom made me. It tasted amazing. I still remember the flavor even now. Look, I got it all over my face!"
"This one... I don't really remember. Mostly because I was too little back then."
Ning Chunchi was a very good listener, quiet and gentle, never reacting to Jiang Yumiao's past with overwhelming grief or heartache.
Naturally, Jiang Yumiao didn't want his listener to react that way either.
He simply felt that, now that he and Ning Chunchi had reached the point of registering their marriage, it was only right to introduce him to his parents.
Of course, Ning Chunchi's heart was nowhere near as calm and gentle as his expression.
With every picture, as he looked at the tiny child in the photographs, waves of aching sorrow crashed over him, so fierce they made it hard to breathe, mingled with the helplessness of never having been part of Little Grape's past.
All he could do was tighten his arm around Jiang Yumiao and gently stroke his shoulder, offering strength through that touch and drawing strength from it as well.
After going through the pictures, Jiang Yumiao turned back