The white rose I picked up cried and said she liked me.

Perhaps guessing that Xu Xi was planning to sneak a bite to eat, Xu Nian didn't take her to the bustling commercial street, but instead headed towards Dingxiang Lake Park.

After all, pregnant women need to pay extra attention to their diet during pregnancy and cannot eat unhealthy foods.

Street-side open-air stalls have unpredictable hygiene conditions and are definitely not a risk that pregnant women should take.

Xu Xi's plan to steal food failed, and she pouted, clearly disappointed.

But she was soon captivated by the scenery of Dingxiang Lake in the winter month, constantly sticking her little head out to look around, like a curious child.

In winter, the entire lake is shrouded in a light gray haze, not from industrial pollution, but from water vapor condensing in the air, adding a mysterious and hazy feel to the shimmering lake.

On a bench by the shore, sat an old man playing the erhu.

"In my arms."

"In your eyes."

"The spring breeze there is intoxicating."

"The grass there is lush and green..."

It's Li Jian's "By the Lake Baikal".

Several boats moved slowly across the lake, their oars creating splashes that were quickly covered by the clear water, leaving only ripples.

Through the glass porthole, Xu Xi saw the young men and women laughing and joking on the cruise ship. Her beautiful eyes sparkled with a hint of envy.

"Brother, I want to ride in a small boat too."

She gently patted the edge of the cat carrier and called out to the outside.

"Okay." Xu Nian nodded and quickly found the boat rental shop, where she rented a small boat that could seat two people.

As the boat glided into the water, Xu Nian, with the help of the staff, jumped aboard.

After the staff left, Xu Xi poked her little head out, crawled out of the cat carrier, and sat on the other side of the cruise ship.

Xu Nian volunteered to pick up the oars, leaned back slightly, and slowly pushed off with both hands, gliding little by little toward the center of the lake.

The misty fog instantly obscured the figures of the two.

Xu Xi turned to the side and dipped her little hand into the clear lake water.

Before long, several lively little fish swam to the vicinity of the boat, wagging their tails, and circled around Xu Xi's little hand, gently touching her fingers.

"Brother, brother, look!" Xu Xi waved excitedly at Xu Nian, "These little fish are kissing my fingers! Hahaha, it tickles!"

"Do you think they might know we're about to get married, and that's why they crossed the entire lake to come and bless us?"

Xu Nian glanced sideways and couldn't help but smile: "In my opinion, they probably smelled the crumbs you left under your fingernails when you were sneaking snacks at home."

Xu Xi withdrew her hand, looked at the spicy snack oil stains on her fingernails, and her cheeks flushed red.

"Haha, it turns out it's two little foodies meeting. The little fish thought a delicious buffet had arrived."

"Oh, brother, what a lovely atmosphere, and you've ruined it for me."

Xu Xi pouted and said in a wronged tone.

Xu Nian smiled and brushed a stray hair behind her ear: "Of course, not just any fragrance can attract the little fish."

"Look at those anglers, they throw bucket after bucket of bait into the fishing spot, but they still can't catch a single fish."

"If you wave your hand, you can attract the little fish, which means they like you and will send their blessings to you and our baby. In the words of our ancestors, this is called 'May you have abundance every year'."

These words dispelled the grievances on Xu Xi's face, and she immediately brightened up, beaming with joy.

"Hehe, brother, you're so naughty." The girl covered her mouth and smiled sweetly, "I never thought that brother would turn out like this one day."

"Oh, so what kind of person should I be in your impression?" Xu Nian teased.

Xu Xi tilted her head and thought for a moment: "That depends on when."

"If I were to say that when my brother first brought me home ten years ago, he was a blockhead, clumsy, dull, and silly, but sometimes... hehe, he was quite cute."

"Wait, where am I stupid or dull? Don't make things up."

"Hmph, brother, still trying to deny it. She was so proactive back then, and you didn't even react at all! You're such a clueless straight man, a total loser!"

Xu Nian scratched her head, gave an awkward laugh, and tried to cover it up, saying, "Well... weren't you still young back then? Even if I knew... I wouldn't have dared to..."

Xu Xi saw through the man's sophistry at a glance, and pretended to be angry, putting her hands on her hips: "Hmph, if my brother had realized it sooner, we would have celebrated our tenth anniversary long ago."

After saying that, she held her head in her hands and smiled foolishly: "But, well, there are advantages to having a brother like that, he believes whatever people say."

"If she hadn't been in such a hurry back then, and had given him a little more brainwashing, maybe he would have willingly been with her, hehehe~"

Xu Nian couldn't help but recall the time when a stream tricked her into giving him her first kiss on the beach under the guise of feeding him water, and she couldn't help but chuckle.

I was so stupid back then, actually believing Xiaoxi's nonsense.

What he didn't know was that he lost his first kiss much earlier than he imagined.

"So, do you prefer the old me or the current me?"

"I like them both!"

Xu Xi blinked her big eyes and said shyly.

"As long as he's my brother, I'll love him no matter what he becomes."

Even when we're both old and my brother is so confused he can't recognize me anymore, I'll still hold his hand and tell him our story over and over again, telling him how I fell in love with him.

The girl clasped her hands in front of her chest, making a praying gesture, imagining their future together, and the corners of her lips unconsciously turned up slightly.

A gentle breeze swept across the lake, softly lifting her long silver hair. The scent of white roses and her warm, sincere breath brushed against the man's cheeks, causing them to flush red.

Just then, the cruise ship arrived in the center of the lake, and the surrounding mist blocked out any extraneous scenery.

In the vast world, only the two people who loved each other and the lonely boat that carried them remained.

Xu Nian knew that now was the time.

He put down the oars and took a small, dark box out of his pocket.

"Little Creek, there's something I want to tell you."

"Brother, there's something I want to tell you."

The two said in unison.

After he finished speaking, they both paused in surprise.

Xu Nian was astonished to discover that the girl on the opposite side of the boat also had an identical small box in her hand.

"Why don't we say it together?"

Xu Xi smiled and nodded: "Okay."

They stood up, moved closer to each other, and stopped in the middle of the cruise ship.

The next second, the two of them bent over at the same time, touched the ground with one knee, and knelt down in front of each other.

The small boxes in their hands were opened simultaneously, and the rings inside shimmered with the same luster.

"Little Creek, will you marry me?"

"Brother, will you marry me?"

The answers to the questions were hidden in the questions we asked each other.

They looked at each other, smiled happily, and knowingly put the rings on each other's fingers.

"Why did you think of proposing to me?" Xu Nian pinched Xu Xi's cheek and smiled gently.

"Because our love is mutual. Since my brother confessed his feelings to me and even planned our wedding, it's only right that I propose to him."

Xu Xi tilted her head and asked in return.

"Then why did you propose to me again? You already proposed once before, on the mountaintop."

"That one doesn't count." Xu Nian shook her head. "How can a proposal without a ring be considered a proposal? So I have to propose again. I can't skip any of the necessary steps."

The two looked at each other, smiled slightly, and hugged each other.

"Brother, I love you."

"Me too."

The sound of the erhu from the shore, penetrating through the misty water, lingered around the two of them.

I long for that day.

"The past has returned."

"We lingered there, reluctant to leave."

"On the shores of Lake Baikal."

"On a certain day."

"You suddenly appeared."

"You are both clear and mysterious."

"On the shores of Lake Baikal..."

......