A Very, Very Beloved Dream

Shen Nian, why don't you have a drink too? How can a grown man not know how to drink! Shen Shi handed a bottle of beer to Shen Nian.

To the older generation, boys were supposed to know how to drink.

During the New Year's Eve dinner, several relatives had also urged Shen Nian to drink. Just as Uncle Xia had said, basically all men of their generation had to drink.

Shen Nian didn't avoid alcohol because he was afraid of getting drunk; he purely felt it tasted bad. It was just bitter and astringent. Alcohol was something that needed a good story to go with it to feel right.

But since his own dad had spoken, what else could he say?

Shen Nian pulled the tab. With a hiss, a little white mist carrying a faint beer scent wafted out.

Beer was different from baijiu; its alcohol content wasn't high, and the elders wouldn't possibly give the younger generation strong liquor right off the bat.

Shen Nian took a sip and sighed.

Sure enough, it was still awful.

Don't drink too much, just have this one bottle, Shen Shi reminded him.

Got it. Shen Nian gave an OK gesture, then turned his head. Chunbao, let me pour you a little.

Just one cup, I'm afraid I won't be able to finish it.

Alright.

So Xia Yanchun also got a full cup. She picked it up and took a small sip. As the bitterness spread in her mouth, her expression changed.

Pfft, so nasty. I'm not drinking anymore. I'll reward you with this cup.

Come on, who'd want that. Shen Nian took another sip.

He didn't know how much he could drink. Rather than his alcohol tolerance, he was more interested in whether his Miraculous Cure had any effect on drunkenness.

Sip after sip, Shen Nian quickly finished the bottle of beer.

His face wasn't red, and his heart wasn't racing. It was just okay.

On the other hand, Xia Yanchun reluctantly struggled to swallow one cup of beer, feeling terrible afterward.

Her mouth was bitter, her stomach burned, and she looked thoroughly disgusted.

Chunbao, um, I want to see your alcohol tolerance... Shen Nian looked expectant.

You get drunk first and show me where your tolerance lies, then I'll show you mine.

Forget it then.

Hmph.

The joint family dinner didn't last long. After eating, Shen Yue went outside to sit and watch dramas. Chen Minyue and Wen Zhining were chatting. The only ones still eating were Xia Herui and Shen Shi, loudly arguing while drinking, occasionally picking up some food. Their faces and necks were red; both were a bit tipsy.

It was rare to see them drunk. They were probably in a good mood today and had a bit too much.

Shen Nian was really afraid they would suddenly pass out on the table, making it impossible to bring up the engagement. He quickly tapped the table.

Stop drinking, stop drinking, you're both drunk.

Not drunk! Shen Shi waved his big hand.

How could I get drunk on this little bit of alcohol? Back in the day, I...

Stop talking about back in the day. You just brag all day long. If I weren't your childhood friend, you might have actually pulled it off.

Seeing the two old rascals about to start bickering again, Shen Nian interrupted.

Stop, stop, stop. I have an announcement to make!

Instantly, the old rascals quieted down.

Shen Nian ran outside to call Shen Yue back. Everyone sat back around the table, confused.

Xia Yanchun, who had been playing on her phone nearby, suddenly grew tense.

Is... is it happening?!

Super incredibly nervous!

Shen Nian pulled Chunbao over, and the two sat together.

Seeing their posture, Shen Shi and Xia Herui instantly quieted down, sobering up a bit.

It was supposed to be a lively night of the first day of the New Year, but now it was dead silent. Even the sound of firecrackers outside had coincidentally faded away.

Shen Nian took a deep breath.

Being the center of everyone's attention was not a comfortable feeling. Even though he had prepared his words in advance, his mind went blank under such gazes.

Ahem... um... Shen Nian grimaced, instinctively scratching his cheek and glancing at a corner of the ceiling.

If you have something to say, say it, Wen Zhining said, easing the atmosphere.

It's just that I...

Suddenly, Xia Yanchun grabbed Shen Nian's hand.

Xia Yanchun was a little girl who had to hide their relationship for half a year before daring to tell her family. When it came to a major event like a public engagement, she had no idea what to say. Her slightly lowered face had turned flushed at some point.

She didn't dare make a sound, so she could only reach out and hold Shen Nian's hand, hoping to share a trace of the pressure through this gesture.

And it was exactly this small gesture that quietly calmed Shen Nian's chaotic heart.

I... Shen Nian said seriously, I want to get engaged to Chunbao... uh, I want to get engaged to Xia Yanchun.

...

Terrifyingly quiet.

It wasn't until the fireworks went off again that Shen Yue was the first to react, exclaiming in surprise: What, engaged!

The sky was falling.

Getting engaged at such a young age? Have you even entered society yet and you're getting engaged? Stop, Shen Nian, acting so hastily will get you scammed out of everything by bad women out there!

Wait, the bad woman is Little Chun? Oh, then it's fine.

Engaged? Have you guys... discussed this? Chen Minyue and Wen Zhining looked at each other and asked.

We discussed it, just this morning.

Well, well. While we were playing cards, you two were on the third floor committing to each other for life.

Wen Zhining also spoke up, Then... does Little Chun have anything she wants to say?

Um, I... I... Xia Yanchun nervously twirled her hair and tightened her grip on Shen Nian's fingers. Shen Nian wants to get engaged to me, and I agreed...

Sigh, the kids have reached this age. It's perfectly normal to want to talk about marriage. Since you've already decided, let's have a proper talk about it. Xia Herui took another sip of his drink.

He had sobered up, but hearing that his nineteen-year-old daughter wanted to get engaged to the brat next door made the alcohol rush to his head again.

Let's talk then. Shen Shi slapped his thigh.

Uh, do you guys have nothing else to say? Shen Nian squinted, scanning the room.

You've already discussed it, what else can we say? We just didn't expect you to do it this early. Wen Zhining covered her mouth and smiled.

The biggest hurdle to an engagement was never the man or the woman, but the families on both sides.

But for them, the biggest problem wasn't a problem at all.

Shen Nian and Xia Yanchun exchanged a glance.

Was announcing their engagement really this easy...?

Shen Nian smiled in relief. It turned out he had been too nervous. And to think he had spent the daytime preparing romantic lines like 'I want to be with Chunbao forever' and 'Loving one person for a lifetime, never separating until our hair turns white'.

Completely useless...

So Shen Nian and Xia Yanchun sat there like little quails, listening to them discuss the engagement details, accompanied by an almost twenty-six-year-old older quail beside them.

An engagement inevitably involved discussing the betrothal gift and the five pieces of gold jewelry.

Perhaps because of the alcohol, Xia Herui's face and neck were red, and his voice was extremely loud. What betrothal gift? Forget it! With our long-standing friendship...

How can we not give one? Just name your price!

Sigh, just give eight thousand eight hundred and be done with it.

No, no, that's way too little!

Shen Nian was ready to kneel and kowtow to Uncle Xia in gratitude, but his own dad actually wanted to give more. How ridiculous was that?

In the end, Shen Yue couldn't stand it anymore and quietly chimed in.

The betrothal gift around here is usually seventy or eighty thousand, or over a hundred thousand at most. Why not just make it one hundred and eighty-eight thousand? Not too little, not too much...

Hiss, then one hundred and eighty-eight thousand it is! Xia Herui said seriously.

Shen Nian facepalmed. How about... we talk about this later? We just wanted to inform you. We're all still studying, so it's a bit too early to talk about these things.

"Why didn't you think it was too early when you guys were discussing the engagement?" Shen Shi asked.

"This, this, this..."

"Oh, alright, Shen Nian is right. There's no rush for this." Wen Zhining clapped her hands. "Okay, okay, once they actually have thoughts of getting married, we can sit down and talk about it again. Shen Nian is only nineteen right now; he'll have to wait at least three years before he can even get a marriage certificate. You two are both drunk, so just go to bed early today!"

"I'm not drunk!" Shen Shi shook his head.

Drunk people never think they are drunk.

Chen Minyue ended up dragging Shen Shi back anyway.

Nothing concrete was negotiated tonight, but the engagement was indeed set in stone, fully acknowledged by both families.

Shen Nian's goal had already been achieved. As for things like the bride price or the traditional gold jewelry, he could easily afford them.

Not to mention, Uncle Xia and Aunt Wen would never make things difficult for him, so he wasn't the least bit worried.

Night fell.

It was past midnight when Shen Nian finally finished his shower. After confirming that the lights on the second floor were off and he wouldn't be ambushed by his parents, he climbed over the balcony to Xia Yanchun's room.

Xia Yanchun was already lying softly on her bed.

Since she hadn't sweated at all today, she hadn't taken a shower, opting instead for a simple wipe-down with a damp towel.

"Chunbao, I'm here." Shen Nian slipped quickly into the warm covers.

"Shen Nian..." Xia Yanchun nuzzled into his embrace. Her small face was hot, and her voice was soft and sweet. "You're stinky."

"What are you mumbling about? Let me smell you."

"No smelling... mmm." Xia Yanchun shrank her neck and let out a yawn.

The already sleepy girl, now armed with the most comfortable body pillow, was overwhelmed by a surging wave of drowsiness. She couldn't stay awake even if she tried.

Shen Nian was also very well-behaved tonight.

Pressing a gentle peck against the girl's forehead, Shen Nian held her close as they drifted off to sleep.

The evening breeze brushed by gently, and the tender moonlight spilled across the window. The lights of countless homes gradually went out, leaving the surroundings in complete, tranquil silence.

His mind was free of distractions, feeling only the steadiness of the years and the slow, gentle flow of time, brimming with peace and warmth.

Xia Yanchun had a dream.

A dream she liked very, very much.