Playing Dumb

More than twenty years ago, at the Happy Photo Studio,

After the owner finished taking their picture, Chen Ziyi picked up the little girl from the wooden rocking horse. Someone casually remarked, “Ziyi, how about you marry Yinyin when she grows up?”

“Sure!”

After decades of marriage, their affection had only grown stronger, though they still had their share of arguments, big and small.

When it came to their childhood, Zhao Yinyin said Chen Ziyi had been quite mean and that for a while she didn’t even want to talk to him.

About their school days, Zhao Yinyin put it this way: “We did cross paths, but not often. I thought you were pretty vain back then, though you really did have a handsome face.”

As for dating and marriage, Mr. Chen took his wife’s hand and said, “It was like we hit fast-forward. Even on our wedding day, I still felt like I was dreaming.”

Miss Zhao said, “I know. Your hands were shaking when you carried me out of my family home on our wedding day. I was actually afraid you’d drop me halfway. Then all the time I’d spent getting ready that morning, and my wedding dress, would have gone to waste.”

In their third year of marriage, Mr. and Mrs. Chen had their first child. As new parents, they both doted on Shen Shen beyond measure.

In their seventh year of marriage, they had more children, twins this time.

Time flew by. Before long, all three of their children were old enough to marry.

As parents, they rarely interfered in their children’s marriages.

Some found happiness, while others faced regret and hardship.