A Marriage Contract for the Flower Festival

Married first, love later | Complete strangers | A slow-blooming romance | He falls first

Gentle, cool-headed lawyer x steady, shrewd diplomat

1-

One year after graduating, Wen Qianyue found herself with a marriage arranged for her.

On the day they registered their marriage, she met her future husband, He Jingyao, the eldest son of the He family: a rising diplomat, elegant and refined, with a serene, graceful air.

He was worlds apart from her.

On the second day of their marriage, He Jingyao was sent overseas on a year-long assignment. When the day came for him to return, Wen Qianyue did not go to meet him.

His younger brother stammered, "Sister-in-law is at a bar."

It was He Jingyao's first time setting foot in a bar. Wen Qianyue sat in the middle of a sofa, pointing in his direction. "Not him. He's too old."

The man pressed the bridge of his nose and said calmly, "Wen Qianyue, come home."

Wen Qianyue squinted at him for a long moment. "Who are you? What gives you the right to boss me around? Even my 'dead' husband doesn't care what I do."

His younger brother: Sister-in-law, good luck.

After a wild night, Wen Qianyue woke up from her drunken stupor with aches all over. The refined, dignified man stood by the bed. "Do you know who I am now?"

2-

After getting married, the two were a good physical match, but otherwise barely knew each other. He Jingyao often worked late into the night, and their only conversations were before bed.

A marriage without love to build on could fall apart at any moment.

Even their friends thought so. He Jingyao cared only about affairs of state. Why would he bother with romance?

Later, at the birthday party of one of He Jingyao's friends, the man stayed by Wen Qianyue's side all evening. When the first snow fell in Beicheng, he thoughtfully draped his coat over her shoulders. "Careful, don't catch a chill."

Wen Qianyue's high heels were rubbing her feet raw, so he scooped her up in his arms. "Be good."

His friends were stunned. Was this really He Jingyao, the cold-hearted debater who could take on a whole room?

Later still, He Jingyao received a new assignment that would take him abroad for over a month.

On the day he returned, the steady, composed man searched the crowd waiting at the airport, but couldn't find Wen Qianyue.

He Jingyao, who was usually unflappable, stood still and made a call. "You're not coming to meet me again, wife?"

Bonus scene

After He Jingyao became the Foreign Ministry's new spokesperson, he wore a moon-shaped tie clip and cuff links at every press conference.

Everyone speculated about the reason.

At last, he revealed the truth: "I've long been in love with @Wen Qianyue," accompanied by a crescent moon.

"With you by my side, every flower-filled day and moonlit night is just right."

Theme: Make the most of every day!