It was evening when Mei arrived in Beijing. When she stepped out of the airport hall, it was an odd feeling that welcomed her. She had just been in Kunming this morning and was with Ren just a few hours ago, but now that she had returned to her hometown, it felt like years had passed. Years that had been only hours, but for her, her whole world had changed. The moment she had boarded the plane was the moment she had boarded on a new life. There was no way to go back. It was a one-way ticket and she had never felt so confident about any act in her life before.

As Mei was sitting in the cab, she watched the cars, streets, buildings, people and trees passing by. It was the same things she saw every day, but people say that once you are in love, everything would seem so much brighter than it actually was. One was about to perceive the whole world in another light. And that was how it worked for Mei as well.

The trees and flowers were colored in much brighter shades, the sun was shining and let everything look way more colorful and pleasant, the people on the streets shared laughter and greetings, and Mei had the feeling that it was all transferred to her. She felt utterly happy.

“Can you drive a bit faster?” She asked the driver who threw a curious glance at her through the driving mirror.

“Someone is waiting for you?”

“Yes,” she answered with a blissful smile and shifted away her sight to turn it to her lap where her folded hand was adorned with a silver ring.

“My fiancé is waiting for me.”

But Mei didn’t go to Luhan instantly.

“Grandma!”

Mei stormed through the flower shop and made all the customers turn at her, and among them, there was her grandmother, sorting out flower arrangements in the middle of the room. She didn’t turn around immediately, but when she did, Mei had already reached her and stretched out her arms to pull her grandmother into an embrace.

The old woman’s eyes widened in surprise over this sudden gesture, but moreover because of the fact that her granddaughter had suddenly returned. Mei hadn’t told her or anyone else that she was about to come home so soon, in fact, her grandmother wasn't expecting her until next week, which was why she was relatively anxious right now since she sensed that something big had happened to make the girl return so soon.

Nonetheless she still wrapped her arms around Mei and shared a warm, familiar and welcoming hug, one that felt like home. And when they let go of each other, when the woman looked into her granddaughter’s eyes, she was assured that there was nothing she needed to be anxious about. Mei was absolutely happy.

“Mei!” She began, reaching for the girl’s hands, “I hadn't expected you! You didn’t tell me you’ll return so soon!”

“I didn’t know that I’d return so soon either. Not until last night,” Mei told her with a smile.

Now, anxiousness was replaced by curiousness, because what Mei told her didn’t make sense at all. Her grandmother was confused of what she was up to, but when she was about to ask, Mei just laughed and kissed the woman fondly on her cheek.

“I will explain everything to you and dad tomorrow, grandma. I just really need to see my fiancé now.” The girl proudly lifted up her hand and showed her grandmother the diamond ring that adorned her petite finger. “I’m engaged.”

And Mei’s smile that came along with the proclamation was so sincere and honest that the woman didn’t need to ask whom she got engaged to. And in the end, it didn’t really matter. She approached her granddaughter and took both of her hands in her own, infected by that smile that made her own happiness blossom as well.

Mei’s grandmother didn’t know what had happened during that summer and probably, she didn’t need to. She could see the sparkles in the girl’s eyes and the heart-warming aura she emanated; and although her appearance didn’t differ from before at all, it was the change of her personality that no one could miss.

Maybe Mei was a silly, shy and introverted girl when she walked into that mess that was called her vacation – and maybe, that what was she truly needed, because from that moment on, her grandmother didn’t see that girl anymore. She had turned into a mature, strong and cheerful young woman, and most likely, that was the best that could have been pulled out of her. Whoever was responsible for that kind of change, for bringing the best out of her, her grandmother couldn’t thank him enough.

“That’s awesome, Mei. Marry someone who knows that you’re not perfect, but treats you as you are, someone whose biggest fear is to lose you, someone who makes you want to be a better person; marry someone who makes you laugh, someone who says I love you and means it, and last but not least marry someone who you truly love. Marry your soul mate, your lover, your best friend.” And as long as Mei had found him, there was nothing her grandmother needed to worry about in the future.

Sincerely, Mei nodded. “Thank you so much, grandma.” She squeezed her hands and flashed a warm smile at her, though the woman was confused about what Mei needed to thank her about.

But actually, it was pretty simple and after a moment, it sank into the elderly woman. If her grandmother hadn't convinced her of going on the road trip, Mei probably would have never met Luhan and lastly, got the opportunity to fall in love with him. Realizing this, the woman smiled. For sure, there were still many questions that needed to be answered, but that still had time.

“Don’t you have a fiancé to go see now?” Her grandmother grinned. “Just go. I’ll tell your father you’ll be back by tomorrow when he returns from work. But then you really need to break down the news to us, I’m dying of curiosity already!”

“I will!” Mei was also excited to tell the news, especially of what she had decided for herself in the future, but her grandmother was right… it could wait for now.

An address and a phone number – neatly written down on a small sheet, pinned on her wall.

That was everything Mei used to have of Luhan two months ago. And even if their ways were separated for quite some time, that small sheet wasn’t what was left of him. She still had the soft husky voice of his in her memory that was always calling for her; his cheerful smile that she always needed to think of and his bright eyes that constantly stared at her and made her heart melt.

That was everything Mei could think of when she was standing in front of Luhan’s door, the small sheet with his address in her hand, praying to the gods that for once in her life, fate would be by her side. There were many things that went wrong between Luhan and her, things that made them question their morality and loyalty, but falling in love with each other was neither of them.

Mei remembered the last words she had prayed to Zhi-Nu: “Please, lead us both to long-lasting happiness.” And if there was the great possibility that, if gods exist, if legends were true, if Zhi-Nu had heard her, Mei was sure that there was no way that the goddess would keep them separated.

With a certain anticipation and eagerness, Mei reached out and pressed the door bell. The moment she did so, anticipation and eagerness was replaced with nothing but fear. And she couldn’t even define the fear that washed over her body. It was probably only the thought that she didn’t know what to say nor what to do. In fact, Mei hadn’t prepared what she wanted to tell him at all.

There she was standing, lost for words,  but with a heart filled with emotions and the hope that he would take her back with everything she was offering him.

And when the door opened, her heart hurt so much that she could barely breathe. There he was, his presence causing her heart to start pounding faster as always and she doubted that this would ever change. His blond hair was slightly messy as if he had taken a nap before, but the brown eyes that met hers for a mutual gaze were ever so soft and warm, giving off a feeling of confusion as he realized who was standing in front of him, his lips that were slightly open in surprise first slowly tilted up to form the bright smile she had memorized and missed so much.

And then Mei knew that, after two months, she had finally reached her destination, her home. Everything she had been seeking for during the road trip was standing right in front of her.

There he was. Her soul mate, her lover, her best friend. And someday in the future, her husband and the father of her child.

And it was like he had been waiting all that time, Luhan stretched out his arms, flashed a grin and said jokingly, “You’ve taken so long, silly.”

Mei brought her hand up to cover and let out a short laughter which merged into a sob right after. She was about to cry. She didn’t know why she was about to cry because there was nothing to be sad over, but maybe that was the problem. She was just too overwhelmed with throbbing happiness.

Luhan let out a light laugh as he witnessed the wetness in her eyes, stepped forwards and just pulled her into the hug she wasn’t able to get in by herself, right there, right now, between the doorstep and the corridor.

Mei inhaled the familiar sweet scent, felt the strong grip around her body and witnessed his soft skin on hers. She put up her arms and clutched on the fabric of his shirt, nestling up against his chest.

“I want to be your girlfriend. Your fiancée. Your future wife. I’m not scared of my future anymore as long as you’re in it,” she told him with a smile while her view was blurred by the tears of joy she desperately blinked away. “I want this. You. Us. I want it all.”

Luhan held her even firmer, his chin placed on the top of her head, his fingers running through her hair, twirling some strands while the other hand rested fondly on her back. And in that moment he realized that he was holding his whole world in his hands.

“I am so sorry for running away,” she muttered silently, “fro