One sentence from Lin Yang almost made Mother Lin jump with excitement.
"You should have told me sooner!"
"I haven't even prepared the renaming fee for Yaoyao yet."
"Alright, you two hurry up and go. Your dad and I will figure something out, and when you get back, we'll have a big meal to celebrate!"
Mother Lin already liked Shu Mengyao a lot.
She was sweet and lovely, a type of girl that made an aunt like her even more.
Plus, with grandchildren, she couldn't have been more pleased.
Previously, she'd been urging Lin Yang to get married to the girl so they could handle the baby's household registration.
She had worried that Lin Yang might be slow to understand, but to her surprise, he was quick to act.
The next day, they were already going to get the marriage certificate.
"Okay, then I'll trouble you both," Lin Yang said with a smile.
He gently nudged Shu Mengyao, who seemed a bit distracted.
"Let's go."
Lin Yang's voice snapped Shu Mengyao out of her thoughts.
She unconsciously nodded and followed Lin Yang downstairs.
They got into the car, and only when sitting in the passenger seat did Shu Mengyao realize what was happening.
"Lin Yang, are we getting married?"
She tilted her head, looking at Lin Yang.
"Don't you want to?"
He had already told her about this earlier, and she had agreed.
Besides, it would make things easier for the baby's registration.
It was better to get the certificate sooner rather than later.
"No, it's not that…"
"I just think… it's a bit sudden," Shu Mengyao quickly shook her head, afraid Lin Yang might misunderstand.
"The baby's registration hasn't been handled yet."
"It'll be easier to get our certificate now, and then handle the baby's registration afterward," Lin Yang paused, looking at Shu Mengyao seriously.
"Don't worry, I'll arrange a much bigger wedding for you later."
"It won't be so rushed."
His expression was unusually serious.
Shu Mengyao nodded shyly.
"Actually, I don't really care about the wedding…"
"I just want it to be you."
Her voice grew softer, almost to a whisper.
In fact, she had been paying attention to Lin Yang since their school days.
He was handsome, the kind of bright, sunny guy who always had friends.
Though she always stood out wherever she went, she never learned to socialize as easily as Lin Yang.
Sometimes, she even found herself following him with her eyes without realizing it.
Later, she realized it must have been because she liked him.
When she found out she was pregnant with his child, she was unsure whether she was more nervous or happy, but she was certain she didn't want to terminate it.
She had never told Lin Yang her true feelings before.
This was the first time she expressed something like this, almost like a confession.
Fortunately, they were close enough for Lin Yang to hear her clearly.
"I feel the same."
"You're just perfect for me."
Lin Yang's smile was as bright as ever, just like the first day Shu Mengyao saw him.
She was slightly distracted for a moment but soon smiled back.
They arrived at the nearest Civil Affairs Bureau.
It wasn't a special day, so there was no line, and they were able to go through the process smoothly.
"Are you two here to get married?"
"Please fill out the marriage application form."
The front desk worker couldn't help but glance at them a few times.
A handsome man and a beautiful woman—imagine how beautiful their children would be.
Lin Yang took the forms, quickly scanning them.
It only contained basic information, so he handed one to Shu Mengyao and took two pens from his pocket.
Once they filled out the forms, they returned them to the worker.
"Did you bring photos with you?"
The worker checked the forms again and then looked up.
"We didn't bring any."
"Is there a photo studio nearby? We can go take some photos now."
Lin Yang, as the leader of the duo, held Shu Mengyao's hand and squeezed it when he noticed she was a bit nervous.
"There's a photo area upstairs, first room on the left."
"Just take the photos there, and then bring the pictures down when you're done."
The worker kindly gave directions.
"Alright," Lin Yang nodded, leading Shu Mengyao upstairs.
Sure enough, the first room on the left was for taking photos.
He knocked on the door, and after hearing a response, he pushed it open.
The room wasn't large. It had a desk with a computer and a red backdrop for photos.
"Are you two here to take wedding photos?"
The photographer, a woman in her thirties, had been working at her desk but immediately perked up when she saw Lin Yang and Shu Mengyao.
She had never seen such a beautiful couple in all her years as a photographer.
"Yes, we're taking photos for the marriage certificate," Lin Yang said.
"Please sit down, the photo session is fifty yuan, and you'll get the digital versions. You can even change the background if you need to use them elsewhere."
The photographer became much more enthusiastic.
Lin Yang and Shu Mengyao sat in front of the red backdrop.
They were both a bit tense, so their posture was stiff.
"Move a bit closer. This is just a marriage photo; it's not that formal."
"Smile, it's okay to relax a bit," the photographer instructed as she snapped the pictures.
For some reason, Lin Yang felt like they had done so many poses, yet the photos still weren't finished.
Was this photographer that dedicated to her work?
Shu Mengyao cooperated, posing with Lin Yang for several minutes.
Finally, the photographer was satisfied with the photos she had taken.
"Could I ask a favor?"
"This session is free, and I'll send you all the digital versions."
"But could I print a few copies to hang on the wall? You two look so perfect together, and these photos are the best I've taken. I'd love to show them as examples."
Lin Yang and Shu Mengyao were so stunning that even in a simple photo studio, their pictures looked like something from a high-end photography studio.
The photographer was eager to show off her best work.
"Is that alright, Yaoyao?"
Lin Yang didn't mind.
After all, it was just a few photos, and they wouldn't lose anything.
Plus, it saved fifty yuan.
"Sure."
Shu Mengyao nodded gently, a happy glint in her eyes.
The photographer handed the camera to Lin Yang.
There were over ten versions to choose from!
"Yaoyao, which one do you like?"