"I hate it when you cry." Yan Xiuchen said, trying to wipe her tears dry. "I hope these are happy tears. I know you said you aren't planning to marry soon, but allow me to give you a ring."
Yan Xiuchen slid the diamond ring on her ring finger and Xiao Rufeng couldn't contain her happiness. Tears rolled down her cheek as she marveled at how beautiful the ring was. This was way better than receiving an award tonight. She couldn't stop her tears from flowing as she was overcome with inexplicable happiness she didn't know was possible.
He understood now why Lu Qingfeng would exert his effort and go to such an extent just to make sure that Su Xiaofei was content and happy. Yan Xiuchen knew he would do the same for Xiao Rufeng.
"It is." Xiao Rufeng's face broke into a wide smile before wrapping her arms around her fiancé, allowing her tears to fall freely this time.
Yan Xiuchen said nothing and held her closely. He was relieved to know that she didn't turn down his proposal. He feared that after letting her wait since their last talk, Xiao Rufeng would change her mind. His eyes lightened, his shoulders finally relaxing. He put his hands on her arms and he sighed at how right this all felt to him. He didn't want anyone else but her.
Then he kissed her. His lips were firm and sure. The warm feeling of joy bloomed within him as she responded to his kiss. It became something more, deeper, as though he wanted to devour her entirety.
Xiao Rufeng clung to him, her body heavy with ache for him, their kiss making her head light.
"Should we meet your father and inform him of our engagement?" He asked.
"Would it be alright if we host a dinner instead? I would like to invite our friends and share the good news." Xiao Rufeng replied. She couldn't wait to share the news with her father, though she hoped that he wouldn't force her and Yan Xiuchen to hasten their wedding ceremony. They might need to wait for a few years before they decide to officially settle down.
"Alright, I will leave the planning to you. If you need help, I know Elder Meng would be more than happy to assist you."
"Okay. Leave the rest to me, but you will have to share some input in the planning. I do not want you to feel uncomfortable at our own engagement dinner."
She knew very well how uncomfortable he could be in the presence of other people. Yan Xiuchen might be used to his brothers' company, but with a few of her friends attending, Xiao Rufeng knew that he would keep his distance from them somehow.
Xiao Rufeng looked into his eyes. They were so dark and beautiful, she thought she might sink into them and never come out. It hurt to breathe, imagining how her life would be without him. She took a moment to calm herself.
"If Mom was alive, I'm pretty sure she would approve of you." She said, suddenly missing her mother. She wouldn't have the courage to love Yan Xiuchen if it wasn't for her mother's teaching. In some way, Xiao Rufeng wanted to believe that it was what led her to be with him.
"I feel the same." Yan Xiuchen replied. "My mother would be happy to know that I found someone who loved me wholeheartedly like she did. Why don't we visit their graves on your day off? They wouldn't be able to join us at our wedding, but that doesn't mean we can't give our respects to them."
"That's a great idea. To be honest, it's been a while since I visited my mother's grave."
Weekend came and they drove to the cemetery where Xiao Rufeng's mother's remains were buried. Their drive to the cemetery was silent, save for her asking to stop by a florist to buy some flowers for them to leave later. Normally, silence wouldn't bother Yan Xiuchen, but as they slowly reached their destination, he didn't know what to expect on their visit.
Her mother had long been dead, but it was certain that Xiao Rufeng held her mother in high regard and Yan Xiuchen didn't want to leave an impression that he didn't care about her deceased mother.
When they arrived at the cemetery, Xiao Rufeng led him down the rows of graves until they stopped at a small mausoleum for the Xiao family. He helped his fiancée clean up the place first and allowed her to pay respect in silence.
"Hi, Mom. I'm sorry if it's been a while since I came by to visit you. I've been extremely busy these days." Xiao Rufeng said as she laid the flowers they bought earlier. Things have been pretty crazy lately, but I hope you haven't been too worried. I wanted to introduce the boyfriend I mentioned earlier to you - well, fiancé now since he recently proposed to me. We'll be sure to come back and visit you soon."
She then turned to Yan Xiuchen. "Is there something you want to say, love?"
Yan Xiuchen stared at the grave for a long moment, before uttering the first thing that came to his mind.
"I will strive every single day to be worthy of your daughter."
Xiao Rufeng laced her hand with his and he looked over to find her smiling at him. He marveled in it, and promised to uphold his word to make her happy to the best of his abilities.
"You are more than worthy of me, Xiuchen." She said and he shook his head.
"I still have a long way to go to prove myself, love. We will have to agree to disagree. I don't want to argue in front of your mother."
Xiao Rufeng laughed at that and rested her head against his strong arm. Though it was still winter, a sense of warmth embed in her heart as they stood in silence, each occupied with their own thoughts.
—
It's been a week since the commotion she and Lu Qingfeng witnessed in the scandalous affair between Ye Mingyu and Han Yize. Somehow, a video of it was leaked on the internet and many netizens criticized Ye Mingyu for being shameless. However, what bothered Su Xiaofei was the possibility of Ye Mingyu having a child.
"President Su, it's confirmed that Ye Mingyu is pregnant." Zhang Ling said, handing her the report she was able to gather from the hospital where Ye Mingyu was currently confined. "She didn't lose her baby and Miss Huo is currently forcing Han Yize to marry Ye Mingyu because of it."
"Do you think he will marry her?" She asked her assistant, catching Zhang Ling off guard.
Zhang Ling furrowed her brows as she contemplated what could happen next between Han Yize and Ye Mingyu.
"I don't think he would willingly marry her, now that Miss Huo is back." She said with all honesty.
"Correct. That's why we needed to leak the news to the media and reveal Ye Mingyu's pregnancy. It wouldn't only force Han Yize to marry her, but it will also force Ye Mingyu to step back from the limelight." Su Xiaofei replied.
"Would Ye Mingyu give up her career just to have her baby?" Zhang Ling curiously asked. From what they know about Ye Mingyu, she was a selfish person who put her needs above anyone else, Zhang Ling doubted if that woman was capable of love.
"She wouldn't have a choice but to keep her pregnancy." Su Xiaofei replied, as she looked at the copy of her nemesis's medical report. "It's a mistake for her to allow herself to be emotionally attached to Han Yize and there is no way she would allow Han Yize to discard her because of Huo Yuxin. She would use the child in her womb as a bargaining chip to keep him to herself."
The past Su Xiaofei was no different from the Ye Mingyu she was dealing with now. Su Xiaofei had done the same thing in the past, but ultimately failed in the end. She wondered how long it would take for Ye Mingyu to notice that she was taking the same path as Su Xiaofei did in her previous life.
"Han Yize would hate her more because of this. The moment Ye Mingyu laid a hand on Huo Yuxin, her value had already diminished in his eyes. However, with Ye Mingyu bearing his child, his parents wouldn't allow him to get rid of it and would force Ye Mingyu to deliver the child."
"His parents disapproved of Miss Huo, but do you think they would accept Ye Mingyu easily?" Zhang Ling asked.
"Of course not. They would tolerate Ye Mingyu because of the child in her womb, but once she gave birth, she would be deemed useless to them. I wouldn't be surprised if they forced her to give up her rights and raise the child themselves."
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