Chloe and Brandon met on a cruise boat with their business school classmates to cap off the Orientation Week and to celebrate the start of an exciting (and unpredictable) next two years! As fate would have it, Chloe and Brandon actually posed for a group photo next to each other moments before getting acquainted. Perched on the ship's observation deck, they mingled for a while about the usual b-school topics and then got swept away in the flurry of activity. Brandon left the night eager "to see that Chloe girl again" and Chloe left the night thinking "What fun classmates I have". 向向和Brandon相遇在商学院迎新周最后一天学校组织的游轮上。仿佛命运安排，他们还未相识，却恰巧在一张小集体合照时站到了彼此旁边。倚着游轮甲板扶栏，熙熙攘攘中他们寒暄了一会便分开了。当晚活动结束， Brandon脑中萦绕着“好希望再见到那个叫向向的女生”，而向向心里留下的是“我的同学们真友好呀”。 Luckily, they ended up sitting next to each other in the very first class on the very first day of business school, with ASSIGNED SEATS!!! What began as classmates, evolved into classmates periodically grabbing dinner, and then into close friendship, and finally into a beautiful love story. 巧的是，开学第一周的第一节课上， Brandon又坐到了向向旁边，然后教授宣布座次安排将固定不变整学期！于是被“绑”在一起的同桌，延伸成了好朋友，最终延展为一段爱情佳话。

Chloe and Brandon started dating just as the COVID pandemic hit in early March 2020. Living on opposite sides of Manhattan, they had a somewhat long-distance relationship from the start. They credit Citibike and Revel Scooters with assisting them in weaving their love story through the streets and neighborhoods of Manhattan. 向向和Brandon在2020年三月开始交往 - 正是新冠病毒开始在纽约市肆虐的时候。分别住在曼哈顿的两端，因此他们的恋情一开始就不得不进入了“隔城异地”的模式。感谢共享单车和小电驴，帮他们在曼哈顿的大街小巷中交织起了这份爱情。 After graduation, Chloe moved to Seattle while Brandon relocated to New Jersey and the coast-to-coast phase of their relationship began. Thankfully, with remote work options and Brandon's ability to work east coast hours while being on the west coast, Chloe and Brandon were able to see each other frequently, softening the challenges of long distance dating. 商学院毕业后，向向搬去了西雅图而Brandon搬到了新泽西，他们的恋情进入了“东海岸望西海岸”的远距离模式。幸好，能远程工作、尤其Brandon坚强的早起能力（让他到西岸看向向时仍能以东岸时区工作），让他们能经常相聚，以慰藉远距离恋爱的不易。 Add in a few road trips, some international travel, and visits to friends spread across the country - and by January 2022, they knew they wanted to spend the rest of their lives together. 再一起经历了长途自驾游、出国旅行，还有一些时不时到全美各地探亲访友 -- 在2022年的一月，他们坚定了彼此就是那个想共度一生的人。

In early April 2022, Chloe planned to visit Brandon and rather than sit thru a 6 hour flight, she recommended they meet somewhere in the middle for a weekend getaway trip - Brandon saw the perfect window of opportunity for a surprise proposal! 2022年四月初，向向计划去东岸看Brandon，但想到6个多小时的航程，她建议在中途找个城市相见，一起在当地度个周末还能减短单次飞行时间。 这建议在Brandon看来，简直是个再完美不过的惊喜求婚机会。 "How about Nashville?", Chloe said. As if hearing angelic music to his ears, Brandon quickly agreed! Brandon had been to Nashville a couple years earlier with a group of friends and distinctly remembered the elegant legislative plaza on capitol hill. With two ring options (yes, two rings!) ordered and on their way, Brandon just needed a photographer and music - because you can't propose in Nashville, TN without music! “纳什维尔怎么样？”向向提议。Brandon以前与朋友们曾去过纳什维尔，那儿典雅美丽的市政厅立法广场给他留下了深刻的印象，于是他立马答应了。定了两枚钻戒后（没错，两枚！）， Brandon开始找摄影师和音乐家 - 作为著名的音乐之乡，在纳什维尔的求婚怎么能没有音乐呢？ After a day of touring and eating in the city, Chloe and Brandon were headed off to a fancy steakhouse for dinner. But before that, Brandon wanted to show Chloe this "great view from the capitol hill". They arrived at the steps of the legislative plaza, the musician and photographer were in place and took their cues right on time. Billy Joel's "She's Got a Way" played through the first two verses, the musical intermission played, Brandon got down on one knee next to Chloe, and... Chloe just stood there... Fixated on the musician playing, busy trying to find the musician's Venmo QR code so she could donate for such a "lovely coincidence" that he's playing one of their favorite love songs. 在城里游玩一天后， 向向和Brandon前往一家预定好的高级牛排餐厅。快到餐厅前，Brandon想“带向向看市政厅的落日美景”，于是他们先来到了市政厅立法广场。音乐家和摄影师已按Brandon的安排早早埋伏在那儿。当比利.乔的音乐”She's Got a Way"前两节奏完，间奏响起，Brandon在向向侧后方缓缓单膝跪下...但，向向... 她毫无知觉，一心一意的在目寻二维码打算付小费，因为她觉得 “多棒的巧合呀，他表演的是我们最喜欢的一首歌耶！” Brandon quite literally had to reach out and turn Chloe around because the pause had gone on so long, the musician was starting to look awkwardly around, like "is anybody gonna tell her she is getting proposed to?" 毫不夸张， Brandon不得不自己伸手把向向转过来，她才看到发生了什么。乐师已经尴尬得手足无措不知如何继续 - “谁能告诉她一下她被求婚了吗？” Having recovered from her surprise, Chloe said yes! Brandon was relieved he hadn't blown his cover, and after a few photos and phone calls to family sharing the big news, they finally had that steak dinner :) 向向终于从震惊中醒了过来，说了“YES”， Brandon如释重负他的惊喜计划没有泄露。拍完合照、Brandon与家人分享了求婚成功的消息后，他俩当晚还是终于吃到了完美的牛排 :）