Blossom through the Cloud - Chapter 77

Chapter 77 - The Ending (Part 2)

"Attention passengers traveling from Jiangcheng to Yuanhu Island: the boarding process for your flight HS5286 has now begun. Please gather your carry-on items, have your boarding passes ready, and proceed through Gate 11 to board Aircraft 17. We wish you a pleasant journey. Thank you!"

The broadcast echoed through the terminal of the Jiangcheng International Airport, where a long queue was slowly forming in front of Gate 11.

Meanwhile, inside the boarding bridge, first-class passengers had already been cleared for early boarding.

Standing at the very front of the flight crew, Ruan Suxian smoothed down her collar, lifted her chin, and gazed into the distance down the jet bridge.

Early morning sunlight lazily washed across the floor of the jet bridge through the glass, and the sound of approaching footsteps grew clear and familiar.

Fu Mingyu strolled over dressed in a simple white T-shirt and black trousers, light and shadow dancing lightly across his shoulders.

The moment Fu Mingyu came to a stop in front of Ruan Suxian, their gazes met, and the flowing play of light and shadow seemed to slow down entirely.

Ruan Suxian cleared her throat, lifted her chin with lowered eyes, and spoke up: "President Fu, Captain Ruan Suxian of this flight is at your service."

"Mm," Fu Mingyu replied calmly. "Hard work, Captain Ruan."

Ruan Suxian: "Just doing my job."

As Fu Mingyu walked toward the cabin, the crew members behind him kept their eyes fixed straight ahead, maintaining a profound silence and looking as though they were completely in the know.

Though, in reality, they had no clue what kind of playful banter these two were engaging in.

"Let's go." Ruan Suxian turned to follow Fu Mingyu's figure, giving a wave to the co-pilot. "Let's head inside."

A few minutes later, the remaining first-class passengers settled into their seats one after another.

The cabin air conditioning was set rather low, and a young girl wrapped herself in a blanket, pulled out an eye mask, and prepared to drift straight off to sleep when her companion gave her shoulder a poke.

"Look over there."

The girl turned her head to look. The man's profile was half-shrouded in light and shadow, possessing an unreality in his striking looks.

Her companion murmured softly in her ear: "Total eye candy."

The girl pressed her lips together without a word.

A dozen minutes later, boarding was complete, the cabin door was sealed, and the flight attendants began strolling down the aisle to inspect safety measures.

The young girl cast several furtive glances in that direction before finally losing her restraint, unbuckling her seatbelt, and walking over.

"Sir..."

Hearing the voice, Fu Mingyu raised his eyes. "Yes?"

"Um..." Sensing the teasing gaze of her companion behind her, a blush instantly crept up the girl's face, and the phone in her hand suddenly felt scorching hot. "Could I add you on WeChat?"

The purser, who happened to be walking past, let out a sharp, sudden cough. "Ma'am, our flight is about to take off. Please return to your seat and fasten your seatbelt."

"Ah, right away!"

Oblivious to anything unusual about the flight attendant, the girl looked at Fu Mingyu with a mixture of nervousness and growing urgency.

Leaning back lazily against his seat, Fu Mingyu slowly raised a hand, his fingers slightly curved to prop up his chin, making the ring on his ring finger strikingly prominent.

"I'm married."

"...Oh."

The girl choked on her breath, the sheer awkwardness making her scalp tingle.

"S-Sorry."

Returning to her seat, the girl clutched her blanket tightly, too mortified to let even the corner of her eye glance back in that direction.

"What happened?"

Her companion whispered.

"Stop talking, I want to die of embarrassment!"

The girl's neck flushed bright red from humiliation. "Didn't you see the ring on his hand?"

Her companion remained entirely unintimidated, boldly peering over toward the front.

"I feel like he looks kind of familiar, though. Have I seen him somewhere before? He looks so young, yet he's already married. Sigh... What a waste, tying the knot so early in life."

"Why does he look familiar to me, too..."

Fu Mingyu turned his head to gaze out the window. The airport stretched out in vast expanses beneath a cloudless, brilliant blue sky, occasionally rippled by a passing breeze.

His phone had been buzzing non-stop since morning, driving him to the verge of irritation.

[Zhu Dong]: Since we're both actually free for once, let's go play cards tonight.

[Fu Mingyu]: Not going.

[Ji Yan]: Cards? Let's do something wholesome. There's a car exhibition at the convention center this afternoon, want to go check it out?

[Fu Mingyu]: Not going.

[Yan An]: Are you trying to isolate yourself or what? Doesn't your wife have a flight today? It's the weekend, and you're not going anywhere, just sitting at home guarding an empty house by yourself?

[Zhu Dong]: ?

[Zhu Dong]: Yan An, that's a bit uncalled for.

[Ji Yan]: How do you even know his wife's schedule?

[Ji Yan]: Or are you treating little An'an like air?

[Yan An]: Are you out of your mind?

[Yan An]: Did you guys not check his wife's Moments? It's her very first flight as captain, she posted photos bright and early this morning.

Both Zhu Dong and Ji Yan tapped into WeChat Moments to check, only to find that the very first post at the top came from none other than their good friend.

"Wife took me on a road trip."

Attached was a photo featuring an unmistakable ACJ30 wing characteristic.

"......"

The group chat fell dead silent for several seconds.

[Zhu Dong]: ......?

[Ji Yan]: Wait, is "road trip" really used that way, President Fu?

[Yan An]: Awesome move, President Fu. Flying out in the morning and back in the evening, and you have the nerve to call it a road trip? Is that an airport half-day tour?

[Fu Mingyu]: Got a problem with that?

[Zhu Dong]: No problem at all. Too bad my wife doesn't know how to fly a plane.

[Ji Yan]: No problem. Too bad I don't have a plane or a wife.

[Yan An]: Eating soft rice and acting so proud about it.

The aircraft began to push back, a slight shudder reverberating through the cabin.

Fu Mingyu powered off his phone, ignoring the group entirely.

Though he couldn't see what was happening inside the cockpit, years of experience allowed him to picture every single procedure with absolute clarity, hearing the familiar cadence echoing in his mind.

—80 knots, checked.

—V1, checked.

—V2, checked.

—Vr, checked.

—Rotate.

—Takeoff.

—Flight HS5286 is airborne. Thank you to control, goodbye.

The instant the aircraft soared into the air, Fu Mingyu glanced toward the cockpit door, visualizing the sight of Ruan Suxian speaking into her headset while communicating with air traffic control.

Overlapping with the image in his memory, the sight of her lifting her chin with a clear, resolute gaze was something he would never forget.

As he spun the ring on his ring finger, a bright glint flashed in his eyes.

To Ruan Suxian, this ring signified a home; to him, it meant that every single day of the future would be spent holding the banner high, guarding her flight through every storm.

Half an hour later, the cabin signs illuminated, and the flight attendants left their seats to begin bustling about.

Passengers in the cabin busied themselves with iPads, continued dozing off, or unbuckled their seatbelts to head toward the restrooms if nature called.

Suddenly, a voice rang out over the PA system.

"Ladies and gentlemen, good morning. I am Ruan Suxian, the captain of this flight. On behalf of the entire crew, welcome aboard Hengshi Airlines Flight 5286 bound for Yuanhu Island. Our estimated flight time is three hours and forty minutes. En route weather is partly cloudy, and minor turbulence is expected during the flight—please do not be alarmed and keep your seatbelts fastened."

For the vast majority of passengers, hearing a woman's voice over the aircraft's public address system for the first time—clear, crisp, and resonant like chimes of jade—came as a refreshing surprise.

They instinctively lifted their heads, their attention effortlessly captured by the broadcast.

"Today marks my inaugural flight operating as a captain, and it is a tremendous honor to share this journey with all of you."

"I am also deeply grateful to everyone on board, particularly Mr. Fu in seat A01, for accompanying me to witness this significant milestone in my life."

Once the broadcast ended, passengers in the cabin belatedly began whispering among themselves.

"Ruan Suxian? Could that be the Ruan Suxian?"

"Duh, how many Ruan Suxians could there possibly be at Shanhang?"

"Holy crap, are we actually on Ruan Suxian's flight today?"

"I always thought she was the captain. Turns out today is her first day?"

"What were you looking at? Last year's news articles clearly stated she was the first officer!"

"Oh my god, what kind of god-tier luck is this?! I'm posting this on Weibo the moment we land!"

The young girl who had tried to ask Fu Mingyu for his WeChat earlier belatedly pieced together why he looked so familiar amid the surrounding chatter.

Wasn't he that Shanhang director who had previously trended on hot searches because of Li Zhihuai?

Weren't he and the female pilot who made the emergency landing an item?!

The girl cast a terrified glance toward the cockpit, her heart nearly stopping in her chest.

His wife was literally right up there, and she had actually gone over to ask him for his contact info—what an exquisitely agonizing twist of fate.

Three hours and ten minutes later, the aircraft touched down precisely on schedule at Yuanhu Island Airport.

Several passengers lingered near the crew transport vehicles instead of leaving immediately, rushing forward to request photos the moment Ruan Suxian stepped out.

Surrounded by the crowd, Ruan Suxian turned back and gave Fu Mingyu a triumphant lift of her chin.

Her expression was peak arrogance.

Fu Mingyu stood off to the side all alone, waiting and waiting while nobody paid him the slightest heed, save for a flight attendant who handed him a bottle of mineral water fetched from the plane.

Cooled by the rising temperature, ground crew workers finally stepped in to disperse the crowds, allowing Ruan Suxian to break away.

Fu Mingyu walked over and pulled her into his arms.

"Captain Ruan has landed safely."

"Sigh, everyone wanted a photo. If I'd known, I would've put on some foundation today."

Inside the restaurant, Ruan Suxian fussed over her hair while looking at her phone. "I wonder if I looked photogenic—I didn't even dare check the pictures."

Fu Mingyu glanced at her, scooped a bowl of soup, and slid it toward her. "Could you please eat your meal first?"

"Oh, in a second."

Though she acknowledged him, Ruan Suxian acted as if she hadn't heard a word, continuing to fiddle with her phone.

"They even posted this one even though it's completely blurry!"

Searching her own name brought up a flood of real-time Weibo posts, leaving her thoroughly exasperated. "Couldn't they take a few more shots and pick a good one? I don't charge a fee for taking pictures!"

"Captain Ruan." Fu Mingyu pushed the bowl closer and reiterated, "Eat."

"Got it."

Slowly setting her phone aside, Ruan Suxian picked up her chopsticks, took a bite of food, and immediately started glancing around the surroundings again.

Yuanhu Island wasn't actually an island anymore, having long since been filled in by nature through the shifting changes of time and tide.

Situated in the heart of Yuanhu Island, the restaurant was built in an open-air style that offered a sweeping view of the boundless wetlands.

Noticing her distracted gaze while her food remained practically untouched, Fu Mingyu set down his chopsticks and crossed his arms, watching her.

"Are you trying to hint at something?"

"Huh? What?"

"Is eating a meal this difficult for you? Do you need me to spoon-feed you?"

"......"

Ruan Suxian picked her chopsticks back up. "Why won't that narcissism of yours ever go away? I'm just feeling a little excited, that's all."

After lunch, the two of them took a walk out onto the sprawling grassy plains of Yuanhu Island.

"You certainly know your way around," Ruan Suxian remarked as she followed Fu Mingyu, noting he hadn't even needed a navigation app. "Have you been here before?"

"Mm," Fu Mingyu said, finding a bench to sit on. "Came to watch a meteor shower a few years back. This place is an exceptional spot for stargazing."

Ruan Suxian had been sitting comfortably on the bench, but upon hearing that, she tilted her torso, looked him up and down, and suddenly threw her head back into a prolonged grin.

Uncertain of this new captain's mental circuitry, Fu Mingyu asked, "What are you laughing at?"

"Just imagining you lying here on the grass looking all starry-eyed and maidenly makes me want to laugh."

Young Maiden Fu frowned with a helpless expression. "I really don't think the sight of hundreds of thousands of shooting stars is all that maidenly."

"Hundreds of thousands..."

Ruan Suxian's amusement faded into a soft curve of her lips as she looked up at the daytime sky. "Turns out you're quite the romantic, aren't you? You know how to leap off waterfalls, and you even travel this far just to look at cosmic dust."

Resting his arm over Ruan Suxian's shoulder, Fu Mingyu suddenly paused and turned to look at her. "Have you ever seen a meteor shower?"

Toggling with her fingers, Ruan Suxian replied nonchalantly, "Only thunderstorms."

"On October 22nd this year, the Orionid meteor shower aligns with Halley's Comet orbit, and it'll be visible from here. Want to come?"

"J-Just October?" Though she kept her expression composed, her eyes seemed already filled with falling stars. "Well, if there's time, I suppose."

Fu Mingyu agreed.

How could there possibly not be time? It was entirely up to a single word from him.

With their return flight scheduled for seven in the evening, Ruan Suxian and Fu Mingyu set off for the airport at four-thirty.

As they prepared to leave, Ruan Suxian glanced back at the open skies and suddenly suggested, "Why don't we come back here to shoot our wedding photos on that day?"

Little did he know, ever since he mentioned "hundreds of thousands of meteors," that exact scene had occupied Ruan Suxian's mind, lingering in her thoughts to this very moment.

"Hm?" Fu Mingyu was amused by her sudden inspiration.

The two of them had spent months debating locations for their wedding photos—Ruan Suxian kept changing her mind every few days, swinging from Greece to North Africa, then over to Switzerland, leaving the matter permanently undecided.

"Don't want to go somewhere further?"

"Let's just do it here," Ruan Suxian said, gazing out the car window with starry-eyed anticipation. "If we can have a meteor shower as our backdrop, that's the kind of thing you can only encounter by pure fortune."

Fu Mingyu nodded. "Alright."

Once the decision was made to shoot their wedding photos domestically, the entire planning process became much simpler.

The only tight constraint was the timeline for the wedding gown.

Originally scheduled for completion in November, production was rushed forward to align with the impending meteor shower.

On October 20th, Helan Xiang personally escorted the gown back from Paris.

The wedding dress lacked an excessively voluminous train meant to be trailed by attendants.

Its true brilliance lay in its exquisite tailoring that complemented the wearer's natural silhouette, while its most ingenious touch was that while it appeared pristine white at first glance, the specialized silk threads wove in subtle, low-saturation golden highlights that shimmered and glowed brilliantly even amidst the dark of night.

Upon seeing the finished piece, Ruan Suxian felt nothing but boundless awe.

This one-of-a-kind wedding gown belonging solely to her—if paired with a sky full of shooting stars as a backdrop, everything would be absolute perfection.

On October 21st, Ruan Suxian applied for four days of leave, but she wasn't about to spend them resting.

She had originally planned to accompany Fu Mingyu to Yuanhu Island ahead of time to settle in, but Helan Xiang insisted that Fu Mingyu travel alone while she dragged Ruan Suxian on a relentless tour of beauty salons—treating everything from her face to her toes and even individual strands of hair in pursuit of absolute perfection before the camera lens.

Thinking about it, Ruan Suxian figured it made sense.

After all, since Zheng You'an had proactively volunteered to act as their photographer this time around, Ruan Suxian would never forget the sheer terror of being under Zheng You'an's control and was determined to leave zero flaws for Zheng You'an to exploit.

Naturally, Fu Mingyu couldn't tag along for beauty treatments, and as luck would have it, he had business to attend to in a city neighboring Yuanhu Island that day.

Splitting up to handle their respective tasks, they worked until the afternoon of the 21st when everything was finally in order, leaving them to await nature's gift of a meteor shower the following day.

Yet that very afternoon, Ruan Suxian received a phone call from Fu Mingyu delivering news that could barely be classified as good.

This year's Orionid meteor shower was arriving ahead of schedule—it was going to hit tonight!

Ruan Suxian nearly leaped off the sofa.

This was even more unreasonable than a period cycle; it arrived whenever it pleased!

This was precisely when the perks of having connections came into play: with a single phone call from Fu Mingyu, the marketing department immediately arranged the earliest available flight for Ruan Suxian, Zheng You'an, and her assistant.

However, due to the extreme urgency, no premium cabin seats were available—only economy class.

Unbothered by the detail, Ruan Suxian packed up her precious wedding dress and hurried to the airport alongside Zheng You'an.

"Ugh, how is anyone supposed to sit comfortably in seats this cramped?"

Squeezed into the narrow seating, Zheng You'an found fault with everything. "I can't even stretch my legs out, and the seatback won't recline for sleep. How are we supposed to survive over three hours of this? Forget it, I'm going to be completely wrecked by the time we land."

An elderly gentleman sitting nearby overheard her grumbling, let out a cold snort, and chimed in sarcastically, "If you like it, sit; if you don't, get off. With so many demands, do you think this plane belongs to your family?"

Ruan Suxian: "......"

Zheng You'an: "......"

The two airline bosses' wives instantly turned quiet as mice.

However, the flight, originally scheduled to depart at six, showed no signs of moving past a quarter past seven.

Tethered delays were hardly a novelty; Ruan Suxian had encountered them plenty of times due to various potential causes, but she had never felt this anxious in her life.

A long-awaited meteor shower was a once-in-a-lifetime stroke of fortune; missing it meant nobody knew when it would ever happen again.

She checked her watch repeatedly as time ticked away second by second, yet no clearance for takeoff was issued.

Zheng You'an let out a yawn beside her, stirring up restlessness among the rest of the cabin passengers.

"Let's just forget it," she suggested lazily. "We can change the date or pick another location and fly over comfortably in first class."

Her enthusiasm building up, she urged, "Come on, let's just go home right now."

"No way!"

Ruan Suxian pinned her down in her seat. "You're not going anywhere!"

Right at that moment, Ni Tong passed by the economy aisle, bringing cups of water for the two of them.

"You guys might want to wait a bit longer," she bent down to whisper in Ruan Suxian's ear. "There are thunderstorms along the flight path. Departures toward Shilan are currently running at one every 20 minutes, so we're looking at a delay of at least four hours today."

Hearing this, Zheng You'an immediately stood up.

"Let's go home, there's no way we'll make it in time today."

Ruan Suxian sighed, sat in silence for a few seconds, and slowly stood up.

When it came to thunderstorms, she held zero expectations of miracles occurring, and since no other flights were heading to Yuanhu Island at this hour, even mobilizing a private jet would be too late now—today was completely a lost cause.

As Ni Tong went off to check with the flight crew regarding clearance requests, Fu Mingyu called at that exact moment.

"Still haven't taken off?"

"No," Ruan Suxian answered despondently. "Thunderstorms on the route mean at least a four-hour delay. We're going to miss tonight's meteor shower."

"Mm, it's alright."

From the other end of the line, Fu Mingyu's voice came through. "If you want to watch a meteor shower, there will be plenty of other chances. Wherever one appears anywhere in the world, I can take you there."

Ruan Suxian paused for a moment, finding no comfort in his words.

She had waited three months for this meteor shower, harboring anticipation every single day, and the sensation of it suddenly crashing through the floorboards felt awful.

Had it been in the past, she might have shrugged it off, accustomed as she was to hopes falling through.

Yet somewhere along the way, by Fu Mingyu's side, everything she desired always found a way to materialize. Grown used to it over time, she found herself incapable of accepting such a setback now.

"We agreed to shoot our wedding photos today."

Her tone dipped in disappointment. "I've waited three months. I wanted to see the meteor shower."

I wanted to watch the meteor shower with you.

Fu Mingyu pondered for a moment before abruptly saying, "Hold on a second."

"Hm?"

Without another word, Fu Mingyu hung up. Staring at her phone screen, Ruan Suxian had no idea what to do.

"Let's go."

Rubbing her stomach, Zheng You'an began pondering where to grab dinner. "I'm starving. Let's get some food on the way home."

A few minutes later, Ni Tong returned as well, speaking in a low voice: "You girls can get off now."

Satisfied, Zheng You'an stood up, stretched her arms, and lowered her head. "Let's move."

Right then, Fu Mingyu called back.

His message was concise and straight to the point: "The coastal route is operating normally, no traffic flow restrictions."

Ruan Suxian didn't register it immediately. "Huh?"

Fu Mingyu added, "The captain of the flight you're currently on is a foreign pilot."

Ruan Suxian: "Huh?"

Huh??

Huh???

She blinked rapidly, a sudden realization dawning on her.

Through the phone speaker, Fu Mingyu chuckled softly. "Captain Ruan, the observation base for Yuanhu Island's meteor shower has been prepared for you. Are you coming?"

Ruan Suxian's gaze drifted inadvertently past the cabin interior directly toward the cockpit door.

Two seconds later.

"Wait for me!"

Hanging up the phone, she unbuckled her seatbelt, stood up, and looked at Ni Tong.

"Who's flying as first officer today?"

Ni Tong: "Chen Ming, why?"

Ruan Suxian: "Is the captain in the cockpit?"

Ni Tong: "C-Captain Anderson? He's over at the dispatch office right now."

Ruan Suxian: "Confirmed that thunderstorms and flow control are blocking departures?"

Ni Tong: "Yeah."

Ruan Suxian rolled her eyes in thought, her mind lining up perfectly with Fu Mingyu's deduction.

Flight routes were divided into domestic and international paths. Flights with foreign pilots could only operate international routes, while flights without foreign pilots were cleared for all routes.

The route experiencing thunderstorms today was an international one, making departures impossible.

Meanwhile, the alternative route was completely clear. Although the foreign captain wasn't cleared to fly it, she certainly was.

As it happened, both her flight hours and rest period requirements met the operational conditions today.

Drawing a long breath, Ruan Suxian strode down the aisle, pulled a hair tie from her bag to secure her hair into a ponytail, and instructed Ni Tong on the move: "Call the flight department to deliver a flight task sheet, and have someone from the director's office bring over my license and credentials."

Ni Tong & Zheng You'an: "Huh?"

With her long hair tied back into a ponytail, Ruan Suxian adjusted her hair and walked toward the cockpit.

"I'm taking over this aircraft right now."

Stunned into speechlessness, Ni Tong and Zheng You'an watched as realization dawned upon the passengers, instantly sending a wave of electric excitement surging through the cabin—

A few phone calls later, within less than fifteen minutes, the flight task sheet, license, and credentials were all delivered directly into Ruan Suxian's hands.

Before takeoff, Ruan Suxian placed a call to Fu Mingyu.

Fu Mingyu: "Taken off yet?"

"Almost." Watching the instrument panel, a smile curved her lips. "Husband, wait for me."

"Mm." Fu Mingyu looked toward the sinking horizon of the setting sun. "I'll wait for you at the airport."

Ending the call, the co-pilot beside her remained somewhat dazed, still struggling to comprehend how their captain had swapped out mid-way.

"C-Captain Ruan..."

"Let's prepare for pushback." Ruan Suxian activated her headset. "We're short on time."

Ten minutes later, the aircraft disconnected from ground power and pushed back.

Ruan Suxian: "80 knots."

Co-pilot: "80 knots checked."

Ruan Suxian: "V1."

Co-pilot: "V1 checked."

Ruan Suxian: "V2."

Co-pilot: "V2 checked."

Ruan Suxian: "Vr."

Co-pilot: "Vr reached."

Ruan Suxian: "Rotate, takeoff."

Co-pilot: "Landing gear retracting."

The aircraft surged upward into the air. Ruan Suxian tapped her headset, "Flight HS5536 is airborne. Thank you to control, goodbye."

A brief pause sounded from the air traffic controller's headset before they finally processed the reality that the flight had genuinely departed.

"G-Goodbye."

Ruan Suxian tilted her head up to watch the clouds lining the horizon.

In the limited span of her life ahead, she refused to leave behind a single regret—

Meanwhile, Captain Anderson, who had hurried frantically to the apron, found himself staring at an empty parking bay.

Huh?

Huhh??

Huhhh???

Where's my plane??

What happened to the massive aircraft that was parked right over there?!—

Rending through the layers of clouds, the plane caught the final rays of the setting sun and sped toward Yuanhu Island.

Through the expansive cockpit windshield, Ruan Suxian watched the sun slowly submerge itself beneath the clouds as the remaining light faded at the edge of the world.

Night fell completely, and the moon poked its head out, brushing past her side.

The navigation lights of Yuanhu Island Airport came faintly into view ahead.

Fixing her eyes on the approaching airport, Ruan Suxian tapped her fingers lightly against the instrument panel.

Though thousands of meters still separated her from the ground, she felt as though she could already see Fu Mingyu waiting there for her.

The numbers on the altimeter ticked down successively.

With a held breath in her chest, she felt an overwhelming sense of eager anticipation for this landing.

Ever since he entered her life, expectations seemed to constantly bloom and longings were perpetually realized.

Every single hope found an anchor, and every aspiration turned into reality, no matter how big or small.

Half an hour later, the plane came to a smooth halt on the apron at Yuanhu Island Airport.

Passengers disembarked one after another, while Ruan Suxian lingered in the cockpit, gazing out at the night sky ahead.

The nocturnal shadows were thick and dark like a curtain, as if eager to welcome the arrival of tonight's meteor shower.

And right now, she couldn't wait to slip into her wedding gown for him to see.

Once the cabin quieted down entirely, Ruan Suxian took a deep breath, stood up, and exited the cockpit.

Standing beside the wing, Fu Mingyu glanced up repeatedly; the cockpit was already empty, yet she had not appeared at the passenger exit either.

As the very last passenger stepped onto the shuttle bus and the doors closed before it drove slowly away, Fu Mingyu strode toward the airstair.

The moment his foot landed on the first step, the group of crew members gathered near the cabin door suddenly erupted in cheers.

Pausing his steps, Fu Mingyu looked up.

Lifting the hem of her gown, Ruan Suxian appeared at the cabin threshold.

She ran toward him, her wedding dress fluttering and shimmering brilliantly beneath the glow of the runway lights.

The light in Fu Mingyu's eyes concentrated, his stunned expression gradually melting into a smile of profound understanding.

Opening his arms wide, enveloped in a familiar fragrance, Ruan Suxian threw herself straight into his embrace.

Just like every previous landing, Fu Mingyu caught her, wrapping his arms around her and rubbing her back.

Yet today, he didn't call her Captain.

"Mrs. Fu," he murmured softly, "you've landed safely."

"Mm."

Nodding firmly, Ruan Suxian raised her gaze to find that the long-awaited meteor shower seemed to have arrived—vast, majestic, blanketing the night sky in breathtaking brilliance.

Holding Fu Mingyu tight, her heart landed securely in its permanent home.

My whole life.

I lost my mother in childhood, my father in my youth.

Stumbling my way through the spring of my years, I felt my way forward to grow up all alone.

The vault of heaven offered no safe harbor, the clouds hid the lighthouse, and flying ten thousand meters high, I once believed that fighting against the wind was the only direction forward.

How fortunate. How terribly fortunate.

Right into your heart, I have made a safe landing—

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