March 29, 2009

329 is a special day.

Before we left to Beijing, a friend of ours, Jessica messaged me that her fiancé, Adrian - Ning's buddy that works at Four Points Haidian in Beijing was planning a surprise birthday party for Ning with the friends that came to Beijing together... and asked me if I could get both the parents to attend the dinner. But since the parents are staying in the same hotel together with us and will be having dinner with us anyways, I don't think the surprise will work out right.

The plan remained as to give Ning a surprise birthday celebration last night. We had a long shopping trip at the Silk Street, getting boots, coats, jackets, cashmere shawls and silk scarves, and we went back to the hotel at around 8pm.

Jessica had already get the reservation confirmed, and so, I told Ning that Jessica suggested to have dinner at a restaurant near the hotel, which Ning would have no suspicion. It turned out to be the Chinese restaurant in the hotel - 永颐.

we had a great dinner with so much good food. When the fruit platter was served, I knew that they were going to bring out the cake. The door opened and the light was switched off. I immediately had my camera ready. The waiters pushed in the cake with candle lighted. Everyone sang Happy Birthday song.

I started to take pictures, and I remembered glancing at the name on the cake and it was my name. My heart skipped a beat, "DID THEY PUT THE WRONG NAME?", I tried to look closer (pardon my bad eyesight) and turned around only to find Ning not seating... but he had his knee down, and he asked the QUESTION, "Ju Ling, will you marry me?"

It took him awhile to open the ring box... and then he was waiting for me to answer. Everyone was waiting. I was in SHOCK. I don't know how to respond... I said, "this is supposed to be a surprise birthday dinner!" hihihi... all I can say then was HMM... yes!

Ning's dad wanted me to tell my parents the news right away. I called my mom with the whole table of people hearing my conversation. When I told my mom, she said, "I knew about it already"... yes, Ning's mom has already told my whole family and even my aunt when she met them. :)

The weather in Beijing has been so cold that it was snowing, but I was sweating for the first time since I arrived in Beijing.

I know it was coming but I didn't expect him to propose in this trip at all. But I am glad that I can share this moment with our close friends - Westin family and (future) family that are in Beijing with us.

At the end of the dinner, Ning's mom asked, have you guys plan when to take the bridal photo? ......