After quickly finishing a bowl, she was about to grab a second when he quietly pushed a small dessert towards her. "Try this."

It was an exquisitely shaped fresh dessert, topped with a heart-shaped chocolate and adorned with a purple-red cherry, still warm.

She wasn’t usually a huge fan of sweet desserts, but this one was so adorable that she couldn’t resist. She took a bite and found it extraordinarily delicious.

With her mouth full, she mumbled, "Donglin, did you really make this? Can you actually cook all these things?"

He responded leisurely, "Are you amazed? You haven’t even seen my best dishes yet."

She couldn’t be bothered to argue with him and just focused on eating. She bit into something hard, frowned, and pulled it from her mouth. She froze. Wiping away the chocolate that coated it, she saw a diamond ring. The diamond in the center was stunningly beautiful. Even someone who knew nothing about gemstones would be captivated by its brilliant color.

Such a cliché, but somehow, it makes my heart ache. I knew it! This guy’s strange behavior lately, his secretive outings... So, this was what he had been planning all along. 𝕗𝐫𝐞𝕖𝕨𝐞𝗯𝚗𝕠𝘃𝐞𝚕.𝐜𝗼𝚖

He gazed at her. "Silly girl, what is that?"

She held the ring up, her heart suddenly pounding with a frantic, nervous energy.

Of course, he didn’t know what was going through her mind. He magically pulled a rose from behind his back—not a bouquet, but a single rose. This rose was extraordinary: it was carved from a single piece of red jade, the craftsmanship exquisite and lifelike, its color vibrant. Beneath the bloom were two leaves carved from emerald green jade. Most astonishingly, on a central petal, there was a dewdrop. Upon closer inspection, it was a special kind of gemstone. The inlay, the combination—everything was seamless, perfect.

This rose, it seemed, was even more valuable than the diamond ring.

Yan Xixi had never seen such beautiful gemstones in her life; her eyes widened in awe.

His expression was utterly serious. "The diamond ring was chosen long ago, but I had to wait quite a while for this rose. It was handcrafted by an elderly artisan. I heard he’s the only one left in the world capable of such craftsmanship. He actually retired ten years ago due to poor eyesight, but I had a slight acquaintance with him and managed to persuade him to make this one rose for me..."

The finest jade, peerless craftsmanship—it was, in itself, a priceless work of art.

Even to the touch, it felt warm and smooth, as if it still held the lingering warmth of being freshly plucked.

Wan Donglin gazed at her rosy face, which made the rose in his hand seem even more dazzling by comparison.

His voice was gentle. "Xixi, will you marry me?"

This was his most formal marriage proposal.

Joy flooded her heart, and the word "Yes" was on the tip of her tongue, but she forced herself to swallow it back down.

"The Empress Dowager warned me yesterday that we must get married soon, so the child isn’t born illegitimate and doesn’t become a subject of ridicule. We should at least get our marriage certificate first. From what I can tell, she may not seem anxious on the surface, but in reality, she’s more eager than anyone and can’t wait to have a grandchild. By the way, she’s already let it be known that as long as you get pregnant, it’ll be considered a great achievement on your part, and your Harvard opportunity will be kept for you. It won’t jeopardize your future. It’s just a matter of priorities. You can set your mind completely at ease about that..."

Suddenly, I feel so depressed. Child, child. These days, the very word sends shivers down my spine. Empress Dowager Liu only made an exception and approved because she’s eager for a grandson. His hasty proposal is also because of the child. Don’t let the child become illegitimate— But what if I can’t have children? Or what if I can’t get pregnant quickly? The more I think about it, the more terrified I become. What would he do if he found out the truth? Would this proposal still be valid?