The Journey Home
Aemeath was so eager to confirm his wife's status that their last night at the resort was naturally canceled ahead of schedule.
For Aemeath, what she now longs for more than continuing to enjoy romance on this beach is that little red book.
Two o'clock in the afternoon, inside the suite.
"A-Yan, did you clean the empty shell of that cat's eye snail for me? I need to wrap it in a tissue and take it home!"
Aemeath has changed into a long dress and is squatting in front of her open suitcase, stuffing it with all sorts of commemorative souvenirs.
"It's been washed clean and disinfected with alcohol; there's no fishy smell at all."
Lu Yan came out of the bathroom, holding several small items wrapped tightly in soft tissue paper, and handed them to Aemeath: "These are the few particularly beautiful scallop shells you found in the crevice of the rocks."
Aemeath treasure, carefully unwrapped one of them, and looked at the scallop with light pink patterns inside with sparkling eyes.
"A-Yan, look at the texture of this scallop. Doesn't it look just like the sunset on the horizon last night?" She held up the shell and waved it in front of Lu Yan's eyes.
Lu Yan sat cross-legged on the carpet next to the suitcase, his gaze shifting from the seashells to her face. He smiled and nodded, "Hmm, very similar. But they're just a few empty seashells. If you like them, I can take you to a seashell museum next time to see some more beautiful ones."
"How can that be the same!" Aemeath rolled her eyes at him cutely, carefully wrapped the seashells again, and placed them in the safest compartment of the suitcase. "No matter how beautiful the ones in the museum are, they belong to someone else. These are the ones we found one by one! This is called the embodiment of shared memories, understand, you big silly cat?"
Listening to her illogical yet incredibly cute argument, Lu Yan couldn't help but chuckle, "Alright, alright, I don't understand, our Little Aemeath understands best. It's just that your physical memories are almost bursting out of my suitcase."
"This is a souvenir of our first time going to the beach!" Aemeath dusted off her hands, her eyes filled with anticipation for the future. "When we get back to the courtyard, I'm going to buy a few pretty glass jars and put them, along with that paper airplane, in the display case with great ceremony."
"There's only one of my paper airplanes in the display case right now, it's so lonely. From now on, we'll fill the display case little by little with our things!"
"Okay, fill it up." Lu Yan felt a warmth in his heart as he looked at her excited expression.
He casually put his arm around her waist and kissed her forehead. "All ready?"
"Yes! We can go home anytime!" Aemeath nodded vigorously, her arms naturally encircling his neck. "Although it's a lot of fun here, I suddenly realize that I seem to want to go back to our little home even more."
At 3 p. m., the two pushed their suitcases to the main lobby of the resort.
Upon learning that the two distinguished guests, who had booked the entire beach, were returning early, the resort's manager Sister Yue, immediately led several staff members to wait for them at the lobby exit.
"Mr. Lu, Ms. Aemeath, although we regret that you have ended your trip early, it has been an honor for our resort to serve you." Manager Yue bowed slightly, her smile sincere and professional.
The staff behind her handed her two exquisite gift boxes, filled with sea salt, a specialty of the resort, and some delicate Japanese handmade pastries.
"Thank you for taking care of us these past few days. We are very satisfied with the environment and service. We will definitely come again if we have the chance." Lu Yan politely accepted the gift and nodded slightly in acknowledgment.
Aemeath stood beside Lu Yan, linking her arm with his, and waved to Manager Yue with a beaming smile, "Sister Yue! The fireworks you prepared last night were absolutely gorgeous, I loved them!"
Watched by Manager Yue and the others, Lu Yan put his suitcase in the trunk of the car and sat in the back seat with Aemeath.
With a deep roar from the engine, the vehicle slowly drove away from the Japanese-style hot spring resort, officially embarking on its journey back to the city.
The car drove smoothly along the winding coastal road. It was the most beautiful time of the summer afternoon.
Outside the car window stretched an endless expanse of azure sea, sunlight scattering countless tiny golden glimmers across its surface. The sea breeze, carrying a distinctive salty and refreshing scent, blew in through the half-lowered window, caressing Aemeath's long pink hair.
Aemeath lowered the chair back slightly and untied the ribbon from one of the gift boxes.
"A-Yan, open your mouth, ah--" She picked up a piece of Japanese sweet shaped like a cherry blossom and held it directly to Lu Yan's lips.
Lu Yan obediently opened his mouth and ate it.
"How is it? Is it delicious?" Aemeath asked expectantly, blinking her eyes.
"Not bad, it has a subtle sweetness of red bean paste and a floral fragrance." Lu Yan swallowed the pastry, glancing at the crumbs left on her fingertips out of the corner of his eye. "Try a piece yourself."
"Hmm... it's really delicious, but a bit dry." Aemeath ate a piece herself, then wiped her hands with a wet wipe, picked up her phone, and began to look through the photos she had taken over the past three days and two nights.
There's a profile shot of Lu Yan squinting from the smoke while grilling oysters on the beach; a close-up of the two holding hands in the bioluminescent blue sea; a candid shot of her laughing arrogantly in front of the ping-pong table; and a silhouette of the two embracing affectionately under the dazzling fireworks display last night.
"A-Yan, look at this." Aemeath suddenly shoved her phone screen in front of Lu Yan. It was a picture of him this morning at sea, when she had deliberately splashed Lu Yan with water, leaving him soaked. Lu Yan was wiping his face, looking utterly helpless.
"The look on your face back then made it seem like you were saying you'd spoil your wife even if you had to cry," Aemeath chuckled.
Lu Yan saw the photos on his phone and a slight smile appeared on his lips, "Isn't that right? Not only did someone splash water all over me, but they also took the opportunity to cling to me and bite my shoulder."
"Who told you to laugh at me for being afraid to go into the water! That was a strategic retreat!" Aemeath retorted confidently, then proudly raised her chin. "Besides, that's your stamp. With that mark, other girls will know that this young heartthrob of yours is already taken, and they're not allowed to have any designs on him!"
"So my wife is this possessive?" Lu Yan chuckled and teased. Just then, the light turned green, and the driver in the front stepped on the gas, and the car drove smoothly forward.
Upon hearing "my wife," Aemeath's heart skipped a beat. She abandoned her joking thoughts and carefully pressed her phone against her chest.
In the spacious back row, Aemeath quietly moved closer to Lu Yan and rested her head naturally on his shoulder.
"A-Yan," Aemeath whispered, as if sharing some incredible secret, "When you called me 'wife' just now, the driver in front of us glanced at us in the rearview mirror."
"Let her look. It's legal and compliant, what's there to be ashamed of?" Lu Yan reached out his left hand and pulled her into his arms, his chin gently resting on the top of her head, inhaling the faint scent of shampoo in her hair. "Besides, the first thing we'll do when we get back is go to the Civil Affairs Bureau to get our marriage certificate. Then you'll be my legally recognized wife, you'd better get used to that title as soon as possible."
Aemeath heard about getting a marriage certificate, her eyes lit up instantly in the dimly lit carriage.
She tilted her head back, her fingers restlessly tracing circles on Lu Yan's shirt buttons.
"After we get our marriage certificate, will we really be a family?" she asked expectantly.
"Of course." Lu Yan caught her mischievous little hand and played with it in his palm. "So, do you have any instructions for our married life?"
"Hmm... let me think." Aemeath pretended to ponder deeply for a moment, then began to count on her fingers:
"First, from now on, the kitchen will still be my exclusive territory! I, the beautiful chef, will be in charge of all three meals a day, making sure you're well-fed. But, A-Yan, you must praise my cooking for every single meal, absolutely no complaints allowed!"
Lu Yan was amused by her air of being the head of the household and nodded repeatedly in agreement. "No problem, it's my honor to eat Little Aemeath's cooking."
"You're smart to know what's good for you." Aemeath snorted arrogantly, her eyes and brows radiating smugness, then raised her second finger.
"Secondly..." Aemeath gazed into his eyes, her voice softening, "Secondly, after we get our marriage certificate, A-Yan must love me even more, even more, even more than before."
"This isn't an instruction; it's something I do every day." Lu Yan squeezed her hand, his thumb gently stroking the back of her hand. "Not only now, but I will love you more every day from now on."
Upon hearing this, and considering his behavior over the past few days, Aemeath's ears instantly flushed pink.
She pouted and buried her face in Lu Yan's arms, but couldn't help but smile, her heart feeling as comforted as if it were soaking in warm water.
We've had enough fun, and we've had enough sweetness.
Aemeath turned her head and looked out the window at the stunning seascape rushing past. The atmosphere in the carriage gradually shifted from cheerful to warm.
As time went by, the sun gradually set in the west.
At the end of the coastal highway, the enormous setting sun, resembling a perfectly ripe red duck egg, hangs on the horizon where the sea meets the sky.
The sky was painted with a magnificent gradient of colors by the setting sun, transitioning from orange-red at the horizon to a soft violet as it rose, finally merging into the dark blue overhead.
As the car drove completely off the coastline and onto the highway on the outskirts of the city, night had already fallen.
The distant city skyline gradually magnifies in the field of vision. It is no longer a natural symphony of waves and reefs, but a steel forest woven from countless neon lights, traffic, and skyscrapers.
At eight o'clock in the evening, the car finally drove into that quiet alley in the old town.
The camphor trees lining both sides of the alley rustled in the night breeze, and the glow of the streetlights filtered through the lush foliage, casting dappled shadows on the ground.
The car came to a smooth stop in front of that familiar courtyard gate.
Lu Yan opened the car door, Aemeath jumped out with her small bag, taking a deep breath of the fresh, lively air.
"The air in the old town smells so good, it has that familiar, lived-in feel!" Aemeath stretched out a big yawn.
"What do you want to eat tonight?" Lu Yan took their luggage out of the trunk, walked to the gate, and asked while taking out his keys, "Do you want me to make you a bowl of noodles, or should we order takeout?"
"Hmm... I want your noodles, the kind with two poached eggs and a couple of drops of sesame oil!" Aemeath made her choice without hesitation. "After we finish the noodles, let's unpack our treasures from our suitcases together!"
"Okay, whatever you say."
With the crisp sound of metal latches turning, the courtyard gate slowly opened to both sides.
The courtyard was quiet. Because no one had been home for several days, the air in the courtyard carried a unique tranquility.
The forget-me-nots and hydrangeas they planted with their own hands were still blooming in the night, and even without lights, their fragrance had already filled the entire courtyard.
The persimmon tree in the center of the courtyard stretched its branches and leaves under the moonlight, and several crickets chirped in the grass.
Lu Yan carried his luggage in one hand and held Aemeath's hand in the other, walking along the bluestone path in the courtyard to the front of the main room.
Pushing open the door, Lu Yan reached out and pressed the switch on the wall.
In an instant, warm and bright lights poured out, completely illuminating the cozy and elegantly decorated room.
The furnishings inside were exactly the same as when they left.
A fashion magazine that I had only half-read a few days ago was scattered on the sofa, and the glass of water on the coffee table was still quietly in its place. Even the air still carried that comforting, familiar scent of the two of them living together.
Aemeath looked at everything familiar before her, stood in the entryway, and suddenly stopped in her tracks.
Lu Yan pushed his suitcase aside, turned around, and looked at her with some confusion. "What's wrong? Are you tired from the car ride? Go sit on the sofa for a while, I'll go to the kitchen to boil water and cook noodles."
Aemeath shook her head.
She slowly took off her sandals and put on a pair of pink fluffy slippers.
Then, without even putting down her bag, she strode up to Lu Yan, stretched out her arms, and tightly hugged his waist.
She pressed her cheek tightly against Lu Yan's warm chest, listening to the strong and rhythmic heartbeat coming from within.
"A-Yan." Aemeath's voice sounded exceptionally gentle in the quiet room.
"Yes, I'm here." Lu Yan was slightly taken aback by her sudden hug, but his eyes softened and he hugged her back.
"The sea at the resort is beautiful, and the fireworks are gorgeous..."
Aemeath's eyes welled up slightly with tears. She sniffed, hugged Lu Yan tighter, and her voice became thick with emotion, "But when I pushed open this door and saw the lights come on, I realized... I like it here more."
A soft light flashed in Lu Yan's eyes.
He lowered his head, cupped Aemeath's beautiful face in his hands, and gently wiped away the tears that welled up in the corners of her eyes with his thumbs.
"Fool, no matter how beautiful the scenery outside is, it's still just scenery."
Lu Yan's gaze was deep and focused, reflecting the light in the room and her delicate face. "Since you like it here, then this will be our home forever. No matter how long it takes, I'll stay here with you."
He lowered his head and affectionately nuzzled the tip of her nose:
Welcome home, Little Aemeath.
"Yes! I'm home!"
Aemeath burst into laughter through her tears, her golden eyes curving into beautiful crescents under the lamplight.
She tiptoed slightly and took the initiative to meet Lu Yan's lips.
In their little courtyard, accompanied by the chirping of insects in the grass outside the window and the gentle breeze of early summer, the two exchanged a kiss that was both homely and more lingering and reassuring than ever before.