Chapter 12: You Alone Occupy My Heart

“I can’t bear to sell you. Just accept them without worry,” Shen Yanming said gently, his touch light as he slipped the red-jeweled gold bangle onto Bi Qiao’an’s wrist.

“What good is money if not to improve your life? Isn’t it just to buy what you want? What if one day you have the money but can’t find anything to buy? Wouldn’t that feel hollow?” 

His words sent a jolt through Bi Qiao’an. Did he know something? Yet, his expression remained calm, as if he spoke casually.

“Brother Yanming, these things are too precious. I only want this one, okay? Look, they’re all new. You can keep them for your future wife!” Even though she knew the money in her bank account would be a mere number in a year, she couldn’t bear accepting such expensive gifts.

He simply chuckled and said, “Didn’t I tell you last night you’re my fiancée? What’s wrong with a fiancé gifting his bride-to-be?”

“You were clearly joking around then!” Her anger flared. How could he say something like that? What if she took it seriously?

“It wasn’t a joke!” Shen Yanming’s grip tightened on her shoulders, his gaze meeting hers with utmost seriousness as he said each word.

Utterly speechless, Bi Qiao’an could only gape at him, her jaw slack and eyes wide as saucers. Surely, this was a dream?

His right hand gently encircled Bi Qiao’an’s slender neck as his index finger delicately hooked the chain of her necklace, revealing an exquisite, antique-style ring dangling at the end.

“This ring was entrusted to me by Auntie Su on her deathbed. She insisted I keep it close. It didn’t fit any of my fingers, so I looped it onto my chain for safekeeping,” Bi Qiao’an said slowly while looking at the ring.

“Mm. This platinum ring matches mine,” Shen Yanming continued, his voice warm and rich, “By accepting the heirloom ring, worn only by Shen family brides, you’ve publicly declared yourself my betrothed.” A genuine smile bloomed on his face as he reached under his shirt collar to reveal a matching ring.

“When Aunt Su gave it to me, she never said it was the bride’s heirloom!” Bi Qiao’an started to take off the ring, intending to return it.

Shen Yanming stopped her quickly and said, “Actually, when Mother gave you this ring years ago, I had already confessed to her my desire to have you as my wife. I said to her, I like you and wanted to take care of you for the rest of my life. It was me who begged her to keep it a secret, fearing it might overwhelm you at your younger age.”

He bitterly smiled, “I thought you were still young, so I waited for you to grow up. You were still naive, so I waited for you to learn to love. You were still in school, so I waited for you to graduate. And then one day, just as I was coming to you, I saw you and Xiao Fei embracing.”

Bi Qiao’an trembled uncontrollably as her heart pounded in her chest. She understood the weight of his words, yet still struggled to grasp the truth.

“You see what I’m conveying, Qiao’an. We both experienced inexplicable events.”

Bi Qiao’an bowed her head as tears streamed down her cheeks. 

Sensing her turmoil, Shen Yanming enveloped her in a silent embrace, his voice filled with tenderness as he whispered, “Do you know how overjoyed I felt interrupting that confession scene yesterday, my dear? Do you know the anguish I endured, knowing you faced such calamity alone?”

His fingers brushed her hair as he gently tilted her face upward. Gazing into her red-rimmed eyes, he pleaded his case, “Qiao’an, even before the apocalypse, you alone occupied my heart. Having endured those years afterwards, I can accept no other. Please give me a chance. Try taking me as yours too… alright?”

Bi Qiao’an looked into Shen Yanming’s eyes, brimming with unconcealed love. In a soft yet resolute voice, she answered, “Okay.”

Relief washed over him as he stood feeling as if he were floating. “My precious,” he declared, his smile radiating joy, “I vow to love, cherish, and support you throughout our lifetime.”

She met his gaze with a smile gracing her tear-stained cheeks. This outcome surpassed her wildest dreams. Without Shen Yanming, the scars of her past life might have condemned her to solitude. Now, standing before the man she trusted beyond measure across two lifetimes, she found solace and acceptance, allowing her heart to open fully to him.

“Qiao’an, help me wear mine too!” He proposed as he removed his ring from the necklace and placed it in her palm.

She playfully rolled her eyes but complied and gently slipped the ring onto his left ring finger. 

“There! It’s settled. You’re mine from now on!” He lifted his hand as he admired how the ring looked on him. Wearing a ring for the first time in two lifetimes felt strangely significant and thrilling.

“Let me put yours on too then.” He moved to unclasp her necklace, but she playfully swatted his hand away.

“Keep it on the chain for now. I still have one truth left to uncover.”  

His initial excitement dimmed a little at the reminder of her lingering doubts from her previous life. Still, he couldn’t help feeling a bit upset!

Picking up on his subtle shift in mood, Bi Qiao’an wrapped her arms around his waist, a playful glint in her eyes as she tiptoed up and planted a light kiss on his cheek.

The affectionate gesture instantly melted his momentary displeasure. He tightened his arms around her. “You kissed me. You better take responsibility for me now!”

“Okay!” she chirped, her voice tinged with laughter.

They held each other for a moment longer, the unspoken connection humming between them. Not until her feet ached that Bi Qiao’an finally pulled away with a faint blush coloring her cheeks. “I should head back to campus,” she announced playfully, “see what fun awaits.”

Shen Yanming grabbed the designer handbag he’d bought for her and started pacing around the house, lost in thought. “Okay, let’s sneak in some chocolate first. Then two apples—wait, better wash and pack those nicely so she can snack whenever she wants.” 

He continued muttering to himself, “A bag of chips, oh, and the coffee packs she likes. Tissues might be useful too.”

Before long, the handbag bulged significantly, prompting a sigh from him as he said, “This bag is too small. I can’t fit everything I want in here.”

Bi Qiao’an observed his efforts with a wry smile. She playfully yanked out the potato chips in the bag and expertly squeezed out the air to flatten them before stuffing them back in.

“At this rate, I might as well drag a whole suitcase back with me!” she teased.

“I can help you pack if you want! Oh, and do you want the cosmetics set too?” He said and peered into the now slightly deflated bag, gauging her needs.

Bi Qiao’an quickly shook her head. “Just the bag and bangle will cause enough of a stir already. The last thing I need is people gossiping that I snagged a rich patron the moment I stepped back onto campus!”

“What’s wrong with your fiancé showing his intended support?” Shen Yanming chuckled as he zipped up the handbag securely and slung it over her shoulder.

“Then they’ll say I’m stepping on two boats,” she countered, her voice laced with playful sarcasm which mirrored his smile.

She thought, ‘Let them chatter as they wish. The ones who truly mattered understood the truth. Who cared what anyone else thought?’

Shen Yanming drove his Audi, delivering Bi Qiao’an to Qinghai University within thirty minutes. They shared a brief wave goodbye as he pulled away.

Upon returning to her dorm room, Bi Qiao’an found her three roommates present, including a resplendent Chen Jin adorned in the white chiffon dress. 

“Wow, Ah Jin, that dress is stunning! It makes you look like a fairy. Where’d you get it?” Bi Qiao’an complimented her despite her dislike for Chen Jin.

Chen Jin preened internally as she basked in the expected praise. “This was a gift from Xiao Fei during his confession last night!” she replied with practiced modesty.

“The campus heartthrob confesses his love to the campus beauty! What a sight that must have been!” Bi Qiao’an exclaimed dramatically.

“Come on, tell me about it. Have you all seen it? Share it!” She asked Song Wennuan and Jiang Shanshan for a retelling.

A blush crept up Chen Jin’s cheeks, but she relished the opportunity to bask in the envy and jealousy of Song Wennuan and Jiang Shanshan as they recounted the details of Xiao Fei’s confession.  

While listening to the story, Bi Qiao’an placed the designer handbag on her desk and took off her coat, hanging it in the cabinet.

Across the room, Chen Jin’s eyes snagged the glint of gold on Bi Qiao’an’s wrist and on the familiar limited-edition Gucci brand she’d looked at countless times when she passed by the mall.