As the 60th anniversary celebration for the founding of the People's Republic of China approaches, the modern metropolis of Beijing is getting prettier each day. Many high-rises, fancy restaurants, office buildings and five-star hotels can be seen along the Chang'an Avenue between Guomao, the location of the China World Trade Centre, and CBD, the Central Business District.
Li Xiyu and Shi Xia's home is located in the vicinity of the CBD, the largest and most densely populated urban district in Beijing.
Li Xiyu is a young man from Xi'an in Shannxi Province who works for a bank. He married Shi Xia, a native of Sichuan Province who was his first sweetheart, on the National Day holiday in 2007, four years after they fell in love.
Li: "My name is Li Xiyu, and I am 29 years old. I came a long way from Xi'an to Beijing for my higher education. I met my wife at Renmin University in 2003. we were introduced to each other by a friend, and fortunately we fell in love almost at first sight."
Li happily recalls their love story, and the day he told Shi that he loved her.
Li: "My friends are my think tank. They encouraged me and gave me many ideas. One day I asked her to go out for a walk. I led her by a big stone as I had previously arranged."
Shi: "All of a sudden, he stopped and took out of a big bunch of red roses from behind the rock. It was a big surprise, and I didn't know what to do at first, but after a while I felt so happy that I kissed him."
Li: "The kiss made me dizzy. It gave me such great joy."
Shi: "Just like this."
The couple had a very special wedding in Li's hometown on the National Day holiday. "Liu shui xi," a typical rural wedding banquet, was prepared to treat the relatives and guests who came to celebrate their marriage.
Since they got married, they have both been busy with their work and have progressed in their careers. Li is now a department manager at a state-owned bank, and Shi works as a systems analyst at Fortune 500 company.
The couple lives in a nice and comfortable apartment equipped with all the necessary household appliances. Last year, they bought a car.
But before this, they had a difficult time together.
Li: "We lived in a half-basement house for about three years before moving to this new apartment. It was a hard time for us, but we got over it through our efforts. We plan to move to a bigger place in three years to further improve our living standards."
The couple has got along very well with each other since they got married, although Shi sometimes complains about her husband's inability to accompany her because of his busy work schedule.
Shi is a very good cook, and Li does some housework in his spare time.
Caption: "I do the cooking. I wash the dishes!"
"We also have many travel plans, but at present, work is our top priority. We have to delay these plans, but we both look forward to them very much."
The couple also expresses their sincere wishes for the 60th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China.
Li:"Compared to the older generation, we are more lucky and happier to live and work in present-day China, enjoying a better social environment and a more colorful and comfortable life. We are confidence that China will keep growing and developing rapidly."
Shi: "I believe that there will be many foreigners immigrating to China in the future. Our country is pretty attractive and dynamic after all."
Li:"We met each other during the National Day holiday, and we got married during the National Day holiday. 2009 is the 60th anniversary of our country and also our two-year marriage anniversary. We feel very happy."
Shi: "We also want to have a baby next year, and we would be more than happy if our baby came during the National Day holiday."
A rosy expectation for the future can be clearly seen in the couple's eyes. Let's wish them the best.
