“Yay, Mommy! I’m about to have a wife!” The little boy’s joyous proclamation was quickly interrupted by a flick to his head from the man standing beside him.
Aurora still hesitated. “This jade pendant is exquisitely crafted-it’s no ordinary trinket. I can’t accept it. Little Orion, you should bring it yourself when the time comes.”
“If you don’t take it, it’ll prove you were lying to me earlier. Adults who lie to kids wet the bed at night,” Little Orion retorted with a startling maturity.
Truth be told, Aurora found him quite endearing. The boy was smart and charming, but the pendant was far too valuable. Though Aurora wasn’t short on money, she never casually accepted such extravagant gifts.
Seeing how determined Little Orion was to give her the pendant, Aurora realized that refusing might lead to an unnecessary commotion. She glanced at the diamond ring on her finger, a gift from Julian, and then looked up at him. “Julian, is this okay?”
Julian understood her well. He knew she would never accept something so precious without giving something in return. Rings, however, could always be replaced. He nodded. “It’s fine.”
Aurora removed the diamond ring from her finger. Judging by the family’s attire and demeanor, they were clearly not ordinary people. She wasn’t worried about what they might do with the ring.
“Well then, consider this a gift from the little one in advance. Remember to wear this ring when you come to find her in the future, alright?”
The man’s voice was cold as he interjected, “Orion, you can’t accept this.”
“Daddy, this is our token of love,” Orion protested earnestly. Then he turned to Aurora and said, “Miss, don’t worry. I will take good care of it and come find you when I grow up.”
“Miss, isn’t this your engagement ring with your fiance?” the woman beside them asked. “It’s not appropriate to give it away. Please take it back.”
Aurora smiled faintly. “Your jade pendant is clearly not an ordinary item either. Let’s not overthink this. As you said, perhaps the two children truly share a special fate.”
Orion’s face lit up. “Miss, that’s great! Please make sure to tell the baby my name-I’m Orion, Orion Vale.”
“Alright, I’ll be sure to tell her,” Aurora promised with a gentle laugh.
Though the two families had no prior connection, they exchanged contact information and asked about Aurora’s due date. It seemed that Orion’s parents were serious-after all, they had handed over a family heirloom like it was nothing.
After finishing the cotton candy in Aurora’s hand, Little Orion finally left. “Goodbye, Miss! Once the baby is born, I’ll call you.”
“Goodbye,” Aurora replied with a wave.
As the little rascal departed, Aurora felt a surprising sense of lightness. “That Orion is quite adorable.”
“Our child will be even more adorable,” Julian said with a smile.
“I believe it,” she agreed. Her gaze fell to the jade pendant in her hand. “This style of jade is so rare now. It might really be a family heirloom, and yet they just gave it to us. It feels…”
“You saw how clever that little rascal is. Imagine the tantrum he’d have thrown if you didn’t accept it. Besides, didn’t his parents say he doesn’t get along with other kids at home? Our baby isn’t even born yet, and he’s already attached to her. Maybe it’s fate.”
“Julian, do you really believe he’ll grow up and marry our daughter? He’ll probably forget all about this in a few days.”
“Have you forgotten how we met? Didn’t I wait more than ten years for you? Whether these two kids end up together or not depends on their own destiny. It’s not up to us.”
“You’re right.” Aurora handed the jade pendant to Julian. “You take care of this for me.”
“Orion gave it to you. Wouldn’t it be better for you to keep it?”
“I’m afraid I’ll forget about it.”
“Forget?” Julian gave her a puzzled look.
“Isn’t there a saying that pregnancy makes women forgetful for three years? I don’t want to risk forgetting, so it’s better for you to hold onto such an important item.”
“That’s an exaggeration. But if you’re worried, I’ll take care of it,” Julian said, pocketing the pendant. He muttered to himself, “If that boy wants to be my son-in-law, we’ll see if he’s up to the task.”
“Julian, let’s head over there,” Aurora suggested.
“I remember you used to love riding carousels. It’s something you can still do while pregnant,” Julian said.
“I’m a grown woman now. Isn’t it childish?” Aurora hesitated, thinking carousels were meant for kids.
“There’s no rule saying adults can’t ride. If you want to, let’s go.” Without waiting for her response, Julian grabbed her hands and led her inside.
The carousel wasn’t just filled with children-there were teenagers, couples, and even older adults. Sitting among them, Aurora and Julian didn’t feel out of place.
As the carousel began to spin to the tune of cheerful music, Aurora felt as though she’d been transported back to her carefree childhood.
Julian snapped several photos of her smiling, determined to capture every moment of her happiness. He thought about how fun it would be to look back at these memories when they grew old together.
If Aurora knew what he was thinking, she’d probably tease him. They were so young, and he was already imagining their later years.
But Julian couldn’t help it. His greatest joy was spending every moment with her, cherishing their time together. Time always seemed to slip away faster than it came, and he wanted to hold onto every detail of Aurora-her eyes, her smile, her very essence.
After the carousel ride, Aurora was reluctant to leave. Julian ruffled her hair. “Did you have fun?”
“Yes, very much,” she said with a radiant smile.
“When the baby is born, let’s bring her here to the amusement park, okay?”
Aurora hesitated before nodding. “Of course. Our family will always stay together.”
“Always,” Julian agreed. He wiped the sweat from her forehead.
“Julian, let’s go camping by the beach and watch the sunrise tomorrow morning, okay?”
“Sure, but it might get cold at night. I’ll make the arrangements.”
“Alright.”
After leaving the amusement park, Julian took Aurora to the movies and then shopping, just like an ordinary couple.
By the time they arrived at the beach, the campsite had already been set up. The tent was warm and cozy, ensuring they wouldn’t feel the chill of the night.
Around the tent, tiny twinkling lights illuminated the sand, casting a soft glow.
When Aurora stepped out of the car, she was stunned by the sight. The entire beach was dotted with little lights, creating a scene straight out of a romance movie.
“Julian, I just wanted to watch the sunrise. Did you really have to go all out?”
“There’s no light here at night, so I had the lights set up so you wouldn’t feel scared in the dark,” Julian explained matter-of-factly.