To my dearest Xiao Li(小璃),
Unknowingly, we’ve already spent 100 days in the Western world. In fact, the day I arrived in Canada marked our 900th day together. And now, our anniversary letter has grown from three digits to four. Looking back from day 900 to 1000, our story not only includes the symbolic milestone of 999 days, but also a shared reflection on the most fundamental question. That’s why I call these 100 days a period of “transformation.”
The sweetest moment of all has to be the night of our 999th day. Truly, the Chinese language is profound — it can give a simple real number such beautiful and sweet meaning. The character “九” (nine), symbolizing “longevity,” represents the lasting love we both strive for. Honestly, when I think of how we journeyed together from that very first tender night, through 999 days from China to North America, only one word comes to mind: “legendary.” Yes, at this moment, let’s celebrate this love of ours — we are our own legend. The sweetness we’ve experienced is now captured on your warm photo wall; the hardships we’ve faced have become catalysts deepening our bond. My dear, please accept my congratulations — we’ve made it through 999 lasting days; and please accept my gratitude — thank you for standing by me through every disagreement and challenge. That night, as I posted on social media, how I wished we could have stood side by side, facing the sea, beneath the stars, listening to the waves — because sometimes, love is best expressed in silence.
And then came the reflection on that most fundamental question: “Do I really like you?” Honestly, my first reaction was pain and shock. I couldn’t imagine why, after being together so long, such a question would arise. But as I calmed down, I realized this was a question worth contemplating together. Philosophically speaking, it’s the dialectic of “negation of the negation.” That night, when you asked me, I was truly afraid — afraid you wouldn’t find your answer. Thankfully, in the end, we reached the same conclusion: we admire each other, we’re drawn to each other, we like each other. Thank you, my love — it was a brave question, one that risked a painful answer, but transformation often comes through pain. After several days of emotional turmoil, we both found our answers.
Yes, in that moment, we both underwent a transformation. I fully agree with what you said: marriage isn’t about age, but about timing. When the time is right, we’ll make our vows and complete that solemn chapter of life. Planning the future with you is one of the happiest things for me. Someday, we’ll curl up together, reading the same book, watching the same movie. Let me add — that book will be about our story, and that movie will capture our memories.
You and I — together in the bustling Times Square of New York, walking quietly by Lake Ontario in Kingston, reminiscing our youth in Wudaokou, Beijing, and finding comfort in our own little haven. Thank you, my love, for these 1000 days of sweetness, bitterness, joy, and sorrow — they’ve all become part of how much I miss you. Please promise me we’ll continue to fight for our future. I believe that when the time is right, I will make that solemn promise — for us, for the future, for love.
Happy 1000 days.