Lu Lingchuan received Shen Nian's location just as he was leaving the airport, so he immediately hailed a taxi to go there.
Although it was summer, the evening wind was cool. The car window was rolled down halfway, allowing the outside wind to blow onto Lu Lingchuan's face. It didn't sober him up; instead, the small flame in his heart was fanned, growing stronger and stronger.
Lu Lingchen's words kept repeating in his mind.
If the matter with Ling Rui was resolved and they had let go of their baggage, they could start over.
Start over...
The hand clenched lightly on his lap tightened its grip. With each repetition of those four words in his mind, his determination grew stronger.
Could they start over?
...Yes, they could!
It only took twenty minutes from the airport to reach the place.
Lu Lingchuan got out of the car and surveyed his surroundings. It seemed quiet and dim here.
He frowned slightly, taking out his phone to double-check the location. This was indeed the place.
Putting his phone back in his pocket, he walked forward.
This was a small but scenic park. Normally, many families would come here for a stroll after dinner. Previously, Lu Lingchuan would often bring Shen Nian here for a run.
Since Shen Nian's health wasn't great and she would get dizzy and have blurred vision without regular exercise, back then, no matter how busy he was with his studies, Lu Lingchuan would make time for two hours in the evening to accompany her for a walk or run. If he was too swamped, he would video call her to urge her to exercise with jump ropes.
Recalling those little moments from the past, Lu Lingchuan quickened his pace, the sound of his leather shoes tapping on the ground echoing around him.
There was only one path ahead, and Lu Lingchuan took long strides forward until he saw a dark silhouette blocking his way, forcing him to stop.
It was already dark out, and with no lighting in the area, he couldn't make out what it was, only sensing an exceptionally deep shadow ahead.
He took a few steps closer and realized it was a sign placed on the small path, propped up by an easel, with a large board on top.
It was too dark to see clearly, so Lu Lingchuan bent down for a closer look, barely making out the words written on it.
[Lu Lingchuan, I like you.]
Upon seeing those few words, Lu Lingchuan's heart sank abruptly, and his heartbeat immediately raced out of control, faster and faster...
His gaze slowly drifted downward, and at the very bottom were two letters.
c & h.
His pupils constricted sharply, his heart pounding as if it might burst out of his chest at any moment.
At that instant—
"Bang!"
All the lights around him suddenly turned on. Lu Lingchuan then realized that the flower beds surrounding him were filled with white roses, and the path he had walked on was lined with strings of lights.
A figure in white appeared in his peripheral vision, causing Lu Lingchuan to look up sharply.
Even to this day, Lu Lingchuan could never forget the white figure he first saw when he met Shen Nian.
She wore a white dress, her face bare and natural, her entire being bathed in gentle grace.
As it was her first time accompanying Ling Rui, Shen Nian was a bit reserved, her movements tentative and careful.
Upon seeing the sudden appearance of Lu Lingchuan, she was startled like a frightened little animal, immediately hiding behind Ling Rui.
Catching his gaze, she realized her reaction was impolite and curved her lips in an apologetic smile.
That smile went straight into Lu Lingchuan's heart.
It felt like he was transported back to six years ago, the first time he met Shen Nian.
His gaze slowly moved upward, from her legs to her waist, inch by inch...
When he saw Liang Jinghe's face, the heart that had been fluttering seemed to be submerged in icy water, freezing abruptly.
The smile that had begun to form on his lips froze as well.
Liang Jinghe wore a white dress, exquisitely made with a simplistic bridal gown feel. She held a small bouquet of fresh flowers and, filled with love for Lu Lingchuan, walked towards him step by step.
She was slightly shorter than Shen Nian, so when she stood before the taller Lu Lingchuan, she had to tilt her head back slightly.
Liang Jinghe curved her lips into a smile that held Shen Nian's warmth yet lacked none of Ling Rui's radiance.
Gazing at Lu Lingchuan's rigid expression, she spoke.
"I've heard people say that creating romance is the man's responsibility, while the woman only needs to enjoy it. I strongly disagree with that statement."
"..."
"Because I believe romance is something one creates for the person they love. Since I like you, I wanted to give you the romance I created with my own hands."
She looked at Lu Lingchuan, her smile deepening. "You said before that you didn't have any romantic intentions at the moment. Do you remember how I responded to you?"
"Hmm..." Liang Jinghe pondered seriously, then continued, "I said that I felt the same way. We had just met and didn't know each other well. If we got together after only one meeting, it would be too awkward. We could take our time to cultivate our feelings, and if we developed intentions later, we could get together then."
"Now, what I want to say is... I've thought about it seriously for a long time, and I'm certain that I like you."
"So—"
Liang Jinghe took a deep breath and extended the bouquet towards him, saying, "Mr. Lu Lingchuan, will you be my boyfriend?"
Simultaneously, a giant sign in the distance lit up, displaying only a simple few large words.
[Lu Lingchuan, will you be my boyfriend?]
"Bang bang bang!"
The sound of something exploding rang in his ears, followed by pink flower petals raining down on him and Liang Jinghe.
Employees who had been hiding emerged all at once. The male employees carried handheld confetti cannons to liven up the atmosphere, while the female employees held balloons that floated up into the night sky when released.
"Get together! Get together! Get together!"
Everyone rhythmically clapped and cheered excitedly.
Lu Lingchuan looked up and immediately spotted Shen Nian among the crowd. Unlike the others cheering and clapping in unison, she stood out, rigid and silent like a wooden doll.
Shen Nian had been pushed out to help set the mood, but she stood there silently, seeming out of place.
Sensing an intense gaze fixed on her, Shen Nian looked up and met Lu Lingchuan's eyes.
His narrow eyes, cold as icy pools, were shadowed by a darkness that seemed to darken his already stern features in the gentle breeze.
The lights illuminated the sign Lu Lingchuan had misread earlier due to the darkness.
The letter after the 'c' wasn't 'n'; it was 'h'.
Not 'chuan' and 'nian', but 'chuan' and 'he' – Liang Jinghe's 'he'.
Shen Nian, you've truly given me a big surprise!
Shen Nian only glanced at him before quickly turning her head away.
Lu Lingchuan's knuckles tightened harshly, his deep gaze like a ferocious beast trapped in the night.
In that moment, his heart was chilled.
Liang Jinghe gazed at Lu Lingchuan expectantly, yet Lu Lingchuan stared at Shen Nian with an icy cold expression, while Shen Nian... chose to avoid Lu Lingchuan's gaze.
The man's expression had long turned as cold as ice, his black eyes like a boundless night sky, devoid of any glimmer of light.
