The night air was cool, carrying the faint scent of jasmine from the garden. Meilin stepped outside, barefoot on the wooden deck, her silk robe brushing lightly against her legs. The day had been long — interviews, congratulations, messages from people she hadn't heard from in years — but her mind kept returning to one question: why had Rui been acting so mysterious all evening?
He had been smiling to himself, checking his phone, whispering to Yanyan as if they shared a secret. When she asked, he only said, "You'll see tonight."
Now, as she looked toward the garden, tiny lanterns flickered to life one by one, floating like stars that had fallen from the sky. The cherry tree they once stood under was glowing softly, wrapped in strings of golden light.
Meilin gasped. "Rui…?"
He appeared from behind the tree, dressed simply but elegantly, holding a bouquet of white lilies — her favorite. Beside him, Yanyan skipped forward, carrying a small box tied with red ribbon.
"Mama, close your eyes!" Yanyan squealed.
Meilin laughed and obeyed, feeling the soft night breeze on her face. When she opened her eyes again, Rui was kneeling before her — not in the way he once had, desperate and broken, but calm and full of love.
"Meilin," he said, his voice low but steady, "I can't erase what we went through. The mistakes, the pain, the silence… they made us who we are. But tonight, I want to make a new promise — one not born from guilt, but from love."
Her breath caught as he opened the box. Inside was a silver ring, delicate and simple, engraved with the words 'Our second beginning.'
Tears shimmered in her eyes. "Rui…"
He smiled softly. "This isn't to replace our old vows. It's to remind us — that love isn't perfect, but it's worth fighting for every single day."
Yanyan clapped her hands. "Say yes, Mama!"
Laughing through her tears, Meilin nodded. "Yes, Rui. A thousand times yes."
He slipped the ring onto her finger, and in that small motion, years of distance disappeared. The lanterns swayed in the wind as he stood and drew her close, his forehead resting against hers.
"I used to think I lost you," he whispered. "But maybe I just needed to find myself first."
Meilin's lips trembled into a smile. "And I needed to remember how to forgive."
Yanyan ran to them, hugging their legs, giggling as Rui lifted her high into the air. "Family hug!" she shouted.
They laughed together, the sound blending with the music of the night — crickets, rustling leaves, and the faint hum of city lights in the distance.
For the first time in years, Meilin felt truly at peace. No more ghosts. No more "what ifs." Only this moment — real, warm, alive.
As the family lay later on a blanket beneath the glowing sky, Yanyan pointed upward. "Mama, Daddy, look! A shooting star!"
Meilin smiled, whispering, "Make a wish."
Rui reached for her hand. "No need," he murmured. "I already have everything I wished for."
And beneath the endless stars, Meilin knew — this wasn't just an ending. It was the beginning of a love that had been reborn, stronger than before, destine
d to shine through every storm yet to come.