Cherry Blossoms

Led by a local driver, Ye Shuang and the others arrived at a park. It was crowded, but what caught their eyes was a sea of pink. Branches of cherry blossom trees reached out from the walls one after another, decorating even the paths with their pink hue.

A sudden spring breeze blew, scattering fallen cherry blossoms all over the ground.

"Wow..." they couldn't help but marvel. The expanse of pink before them evoked a tender affection in their hearts.

"So beautiful." Tang Keke held her Polaroid camera and snapped several pictures in a row, not sparing a thought for the film as she usually would.

Ye Shuang led everyone inside, only to find the area filled with locals having picnics. All the good spots had long been taken, seemingly leaving not a single gap.

"Ye, are we too late?" Chen Qin asked from beside him. "It looks like there's no place for us to settle down."

"True, but just standing around for a bit isn't a problem," Ye Shuang smiled.

Nearby, Tang Keke and Bai Yuyou were taking photos of each other.

"Wow." Suddenly, another gust of spring breeze swept by. The cherry blossoms fell like snow, dotting their hair.

Ye Shuang looked at Chen Qin next to him and reached out his hand—

His fingertips brushed against the top of her head, plucking a cherry blossom petal from her hair.

"There are so many," Chen Qin smiled sweetly, her eyes gazing at Ye Shuang as if rippling with autumn waters.

"Brother, over here!" Just then, Tang Keke suddenly raised her Polaroid and snapped a photo of Ye Shuang and Chen Qin.

"Here, for you."

She handed the photo paper over, but it was still dark.

"It's a bit slow," Ye Shuang muttered, then looked up at the slowly descending cherry blossom petals. "I heard that the speed at which cherry blossoms fall is five centimeters per second?"

"Yeah, that's what it said in a novel I read before," Chen Qin nodded gently and also looked up.

"I never understood before why, when meeting someone you like, you wouldn't be able to muster the courage to try..."

"Many things are only understood after growing up."

Ye Shuang turned to look at Chen Qin beside him. She took a deep breath, "I've never had confidence in myself. The more afraid I am, the more I run away."

Right then, Ye Shuang looked at the photo in his palm. The image was slowly starting to appear.

The two of them stood together, the cherry blossoms resting on their hair, making it look as though their hair had turned white all at once.

"Ye, you look like an old grandpa," Chen Qin couldn't help but laugh when she saw Ye Shuang in the photo.

"Is that so."

"Can I stay with you like this forever? Grow old and white-haired with you, just like how I've been by your side since we were little," Chen Qin asked softly.

"When we become an old grandpa and grandma... then I can proudly tell our children that we are childhood sweethearts who have been together since birth."

"Am I being a bit selfish?" Chen Qin pressed her palms together and playfully stuck out her tongue.

"How could you be," Ye Shuang shook his head. "We will always be together."

"And Yuyou too?" Chen Qin asked with a smile.

Ye Shuang stayed silent for half a second, as if he had figured something out. "Mhm."

"Okay." Chen Qin got the answer she wanted, simply smiling and nodding her chin lightly.

"Brother—" A voice called out from not far away. Ye Shuang and Chen Qin looked over to see Tang Keke and Bai Yuyou standing under a cherry blossom tree. Someone had just left, so the two girls quickly claimed the spot.

The two exchanged a glance and walked over.

"Look, aren't these photos super cute?" Tang Keke showed her Polaroid pictures to Ye Shuang.

Most of them were of Bai Yuyou and the scenery.

"Yuyou is really suited for this kind of setting. It would be even better if she could wear that shrine maiden outfit from last time," Tang Keke said with a grin.

"Yeah, very cute." Ye Shuang picked up one of the Polaroids. The film texture added a hazy beauty to Bai Yuyou's already perfect face, making the falling blossoms behind her look exceptionally dreamy.

Ye Shuang quietly slipped the photo into his pocket, then said to Bai Yuyou, "Should we set up a picnic here to eat?"

Bai Yuyou nodded rapidly like a chick pecking at rice.

"Leave it to me." Chen Qin took out her phone and made a call.

About ten minutes later, a sedan pulled up outside the park, followed by the appearance of several people in formal suits.

"President Chen, President Ye." The man leading them was the exact same one they had met yesterday.

"You guys... got here really fast," Ye Shuang was a bit surprised.

"The company is just nearby," the man smiled, then had the people beside him bring the items over. In just a few minutes, they had laid out a picnic blanket and some food. Their clean and efficient actions made Ye Shuang praise them once again in his mind.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome, at your service, President Chen and President Ye!"

After saying that, the group vanished as quickly as they came.

"Whoa, is this the superpower of money?" Tang Keke blinked a little upon seeing their very own picnic spot.

"Alright, let's sit down." Ye Shuang ushered everyone to take a seat. There wasn't a lot of food prepared, mostly things that could be easily bought at a convenience store. After all, it wasn't realistic to get a grand feast delivered in such a short amount of time.

"It's mostly snacks," Tang Keke noted with a glance.

"Delicious." Bai Yuyou sat on her knees on the picnic blanket, curiously peering into the bags.

Chen Qin slowly sat down as well and said, "I also ordered some gourmet food from a nearby hotel. It will be delivered in a bit."

"Gourmet food." Bai Yuyou's eyes lit up a little.

"That's right."

Ye Shuang and the others sat down and began to enjoy the cherry blossoms. Seeing the young girl constantly tilting her head back to look up, Ye Shuang spoke, "Is it pretty, Yuyou?"

"Pretty," Bai Yuyou nodded gently. "I like it a lot."

"The beauty of nature is always unique," Ye Shuang said. "Yuyou, do you know the speed at which cherry blossoms fall?"

"I don't know," Bai Yuyou shook her head.

"You'll definitely know in the future." Ye Shuang withdrew his gaze from the girl and simply looked up, speaking slowly.

Bai Yuyou didn't understand Ye Shuang's meaning. She just moved a little closer, trying to lean against him—feeling as secure as a baby swallow returning to its nest. But what was different from usual was her counter-question,

"Ye Shuang, do you know how far of a distance I have to walk to reach your side?"

"Hm?" Ye Shuang looked at Bai Yuyou's delicate, pretty face with some surprise. After a few seconds, he shook his head, "I don't know."

Bai Yuyou didn't say anything more; she just stayed quietly by Ye Shuang's side.

"And the answer?" Seeing that the girl wasn't speaking, Ye Shuang asked.

"I don't know."

"You don't know?"

"Mhm, just like the speed at which cherry blossoms fall, I don't know," Bai Yuyou said softly.

"But I will definitely find out the answer."

"And I will definitely come to your side." The young girl turned her head.

As the cherry blossoms fell, the girl's love blossomed with the sudden spring breeze.