Chapter 3: The Proposal

“What did you hear?”

It took a few seconds for Wen Shuyu to process what Jiang Huaiyu had just said. “Did something happen?”

She didn’t think there was anything wrong with what she had said.

Under the moonlight, his tall and graceful figure stood upright. Jiang Huaiyu lowered his gaze, his expression quickly returning to its usual calm. “Nothing.”

But really, what right did he have to say anything?

Jiang Huaiyu had been coming to the hospital every day, showing more concern than she, his own daughter. Guilt tugged at Wen Shuyu’s heart. “My father is doing much better now. He’s even able to get out of bed and move around. The caregivers are here, so you don’t have to…”

As if he already knew what she was going to say, Jiang Huaiyu slowly turned around, fixing his gaze on her bare face. “Yuyu, do you really want nothing to do with me?”

Half of his face was hidden in the dim corridor, but his cold tone pierced through the air. His unwavering stare was intense, almost suffocating.

Misunderstood by him, Wen Shuyu decided to lay everything out in the open.

With a soft chuckle, she crossed her arms, unwilling to back down. “First, I don’t want to interfere with your work. Second, I really don’t want us getting involved in a way that gives our parents false hope. And third, you already have a girl you like. If you keep coming to visit my dad, people will get the wrong idea.”

Upon hearing this, Jiang Huaiyu straightened up, his voice still as emotionless as ever. “I’m going in to see Uncle Wen. What you’re worried about won’t happen.”

The conversation ended on a sour note, neither of them sure how it had all gone wrong so quickly.

Their relationship, which had just started to improve, froze over again in an instant.

Wen’s mother, sharp as ever, noticed the shift between them. “What’s going on between you and Huaiyu?”

Wen Shuyu scratched her head and snapped, “Nothing! I have no idea what’s gotten into him.”

She truly didn’t. Every word she said made perfect sense, so why was he upset?

Her mother sighed.

Despite Wen Shuyu’s words, Jiang Huaiyu continued to visit the hospital every day, even on the day of her father’s discharge.

Her father had spent a week in the hospital, and Jiang Huaiyu hadn’t missed a single day. His dedication didn’t go unnoticed by Wen’s parents, who saw him as the ideal match for their precious daughter. If Wen Shuyu married Jiang, they’d finally feel at ease.

But Wen Shuyu remained unmoved. Jiang Huaiyu had his heart set on someone else, so their story seemed destined to remain unfinished.

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Wen’s father was discharged, gradually recovering, and Wen Shuyu returned to work. She rarely ran into Jiang Huaiyu anymore.

The prospect of blind dates had completely slipped Wen Shuyu’s mind, but her mother hadn’t forgotten. She called in favors from friends and packed Wen’s weekends with arranged meetings.

At a quiet café in an alley, sunlight streamed through the glass windows, casting a warm glow on the walnut wood tables. Wen Shuyu, dressed in a blue T-shirt and a matching skirt, with her wavy, honey-colored hair cascading down her back, sat waiting for her date.

It was her first blind date, and her mother had meticulously supervised her “good-girl” look.

The matchmaker had sung the man’s praises—tall, handsome, successful, standing at 6’1″. Apparently, he was perfect.

Her mother was eager.

Wen Shuyu kept her head down, texting her friend Shen Ruoying when suddenly, a man plopped down across from her. “Miss Wen, nice to meet you.”

Wen Shuyu blinked, momentarily forgetting how to control her expression as she stared at him in disbelief.

Tall and handsome? Where exactly?

6’1″? Maybe if he measured himself wearing platform shoes?

As for his build… Well, while it wasn’t polite to judge appearances, she swore his height and weight were about the same number.

“Miss Wen?” The man’s voice snapped her out of her shock. He was holding a bouquet of pale pink roses.

The difference between the matchmaker’s description and reality was staggering.

Still, Wen Shuyu remained polite. She didn’t want to storm out. “Mr. Cheng, nice to meet you.”

“You’re even prettier than the matchmaker said, but don’t you think your makeup is a bit too much?” His grin stretched his already small eyes into slits.

Too much? She was only wearing red lipstick! Wen Shuyu smiled tightly. “You’re not quite what the matchmaker described either, Mr. Cheng.”

He didn’t catch her sarcasm.

Under the table, Wen Shuyu furiously typed a message to Shen Ruoying. “Never trust a matchmaker. They can spin a tale better than anyone.”

Shen Ruoying responded: “Oh, my poor friend.”

Wen Shuyu had mentally written him off the moment she saw him, and now she just wanted to get it over with. She responded to everything he said with half-hearted nods and murmurs of “Mhm” and “Oh.”

She endured his lengthy self-introduction, his constant boasting, and even his expectation that his future wife would quit her job and stay home to raise kids.

But when he finally commented, “That outfit must have cost a lot, huh? Once you’re married, you’ll have to cut back on the spending. High heels and makeup? Best avoid them,” she snapped.

Wen Shuyu closed her eyes briefly, then opened them, her voice sharp. “Are you looking for a wife or a maid? You’ve got a lot of nerve. Take a good look at yourself in the mirror—there’s one just down the hall.”

Her words left him speechless.

She grabbed her bag, ready to leave, but collided head-on with Jiang Huaiyu, who caught her gaze with his deep, dark eyes. He smiled, a hint of amusement in his expression. “Wen Shuyu, what a coincidence.”

Flustered and embarrassed that Jiang Huaiyu had witnessed the whole scene, Wen Shuyu tried to leave even faster.

Behind her, the man called out, “Wait! You’re not Wen Xinyi?”

Wen Shuyu turned, exasperated. “No.”

“And this isn’t Mancat Café?”

Wen Shuyu barely suppressed the urge to roll her eyes. “This is Meowcat Café. Meow as in a cat meowing.”

“Oh, I knew it couldn’t be right, no way they’d set me up with someone this pretty,” he muttered, grabbing his roses and walking out.

So that was the issue. Wen Shuyu sighed in relief. At least her dating prospects weren’t as bad as she’d feared.

The sun dipped behind the clouds, and the sky grew heavy with the promise of rain.

Wen Shuyu glanced at her phone. The matchmaker had sent a message earlier saying the time had been changed, but she’d missed it while listening to the guy’s endless chatter.

With nothing better to do, Wen Shuyu sat back down. “Why are you here?” she asked Jiang Huaiyu, annoyed that her nemesis had seen her blind date fiasco.

Jiang Huaiyu sat at the neighboring table. “Coincidence. I’m meeting some investors here.”

What a coincidence indeed. Wen Shuyu kept her face expressionless. “Oh, you’d better get to it. My next blind date is about to arrive, courtesy of Aunt Hui.”

Not that she had any hope left after her earlier experience. She dreaded meeting another disaster and becoming the subject of Jiang Huaiyu’s amusement.

Jiang Huaiyu absentmindedly fiddled with his watch before locking eyes with her. “Yuyu, I think we could work.”

His gaze was deep and unreadable, like a bottomless pit. Wen Shuyu frowned. “What? Work at what?”

A flash of lightning tore across the sky, and rain came pouring down like a waterfall, hammering against the windows and stone pavement, cutting off their conversation.

At that moment, a man entered the café, closing his black umbrella as he stepped inside. He carried a bouquet of pink roses and walked toward Wen Shuyu.

The man smiled warmly, extending his hand. “Miss Wen, I’m Cheng Xianzhi. I apologize for being late due to an unexpected situation.”

The real date had arrived.

Dressed in a snow-white coat and with sleek black hair, Cheng Xianzhi exuded warmth and politeness, a little like Jiang Huaiyu, but not exactly the same.

Wen Shuyu hadn’t realized that she was subconsciously comparing Cheng Xianzhi to Jiang Huaiyu.

The last-minute change of plans didn’t leave Wen Shuyu with a great impression of Cheng Xianzhi, but the man in front of her—elegant and calm—extended his pale hand with a friendly smile. “Hello, Wen Shuyu.”

After her earlier experience, Cheng Xianzhi’s score doubled in her mind.

Once they sat down, Cheng Xianzhi asked, “Miss Wen, what would you like to drink?”

“Matcha latte, please. Thank you.” Wen Shuyu had a preference for the slight bitterness of matcha, which was neither too astringent nor overly sweet.

As they waited for their drinks, Wen Shuyu cut to the chase, “I hope you don’t mind me asking, but why are you here on a blind date, Mr. Cheng?”

Cheng Xianzhi smiled, “Not at all. First, because I’m ready to settle down—I’m not getting any younger. And second, to fulfill my parents’ wishes. What about you, Miss Wen?”

Wen Shuyu took a sip of her matcha. “For my parents.”

She couldn’t shake the feeling of being watched. Glancing sideways, she noticed Jiang Huaiyu deeply focused on a business discussion nearby.

Maybe she was overthinking it.

Here they were, two strangers sitting together with a common goal.

Cheng Xianzhi continued, “This is my first blind date, so I’m not sure how these things usually go. Let me start by introducing myself. I’m a lawyer, originally from Nancheng. After working in Beicheng for a while, I moved back here earlier this year. I have an older sister who’s already married. I own a house, a car, have savings, and no debts.”

Wen Shuyu absentmindedly played with the roses in front of her, rain droplets slipping from the petals onto her fingers. “What a coincidence. I’m a lawyer too, also from Nancheng. Only child. Like you, I own a house, a car, have savings, and no debts. What about you, Mr. Cheng—do you have any specific requirements for a partner? Height, weight, or past relationships?”

Adults didn’t need to beat around the bush.

Cheng Xianzhi smiled faintly. “I only care if I like them.”

The conversation flowed smoothly. Cheng Xianzhi wasn’t the type of man to belittle women or flaunt male privilege. His respect was refreshing, especially in the world of blind dating.

Outside, the rain had quietly stopped, with droplets gently sliding off the roof. Cheng Xianzhi glanced at his watch. “As an apology for being late, may I treat you to dinner, Miss Wen?”

Wen Shuyu smiled. “That’s very kind of you, Mr. Cheng. Let’s go.”

As they passed Jiang Huaiyu’s table, Wen Shuyu didn’t acknowledge him, pretending they didn’t know each other.

Nearby, Shen Beishu was presenting some documents. “President Jiang, President Jiang? What’s wrong?”

Jiang Huaiyu’s mind had wandered to the café door. “I didn’t sleep well last night, sorry.”

Following his gaze, Shen Beishu noticed the pair leaving the café together, their silhouettes side by side. Anyone who didn’t know better might mistake them for a couple.

So, that’s what the sudden change of meeting location was about, Shen Beishu thought but kept it to himself.

Under the fading drizzle, Wen Shuyu and Cheng Xianzhi shared a black umbrella, their laughter and conversation disappearing around the corner as they walked toward the parking lot.

“See you next time,” Wen Shuyu said with a smile as she climbed into her car.

Cheng Xianzhi smiled as he headed to his own car next to hers, recalling how the matchmaker had described Wen Shuyu as “well-behaved.”

Not quite. Her T-shirt looked plain enough from the front, but it was cleverly designed to reveal just a hint of her waist at the back.

Wen Shuyu didn’t rush to start her car. She texted her friend Shen Ruoying, “Yingying, tell me, why would a man who’s tall, good-looking, and successful still be single?”

The car wasn’t some limited edition, but his Patek Philippe watch was.

A clear sign of wealth.

Shen Ruoying replied, “He either has a white moonlight (an unattainable love), doesn’t like women, or can’t… function.”

Wen Shuyu chuckled and typed back, “Couldn’t he just be normal?”

Shen Ruoying: “Possible, but rare. Send me a photo!”

Wen Shuyu had snapped a quick picture earlier, which now came in handy. It was better to meet in person anyway—no filters or photo tricks.

After seeing the photo, Shen Ruoying sent a voice message: “Damn, Wen Shuyu, you nailed it! Take him down tonight, get the marriage license tomorrow, and hold the wedding the day after!”

Laughing at her friend’s dramatic response, Wen Shuyu simply replied with two words: “No thanks.”

She tossed her phone onto the passenger seat.

As the deep pink of the evening sky blended into the darkening blue, stars slowly began to twinkle in the vast night sky.

A beam of light from a car cut through the dim garage, stopping beside Jiang Huaiyu.

Wen Shuyu stepped out. “Jiang Huaiyu, what are you doing here?”

He didn’t answer her question. Instead, he quickly walked up to her. “What did you think of Cheng Xianzhi this afternoon?”

Wen Shuyu casually replied, “He’s nice.”

Jiang Huaiyu’s brow arched. “Are you planning to see him again?”

“Not telling you,” Wen Shuyu teased with a playful smile, twirling her car keys between her fingers.

The garage was only a few steps from the elevator, and before they knew it, they were at the door. Jiang Huaiyu grabbed her arm. “Yuyu, don’t consider him.”

His jawline was tense, his gaze sharp and piercing. Beneath the soft glow of the overhead light, a flash of pain crossed his eyes.

What was Jiang Huaiyu doing? Why was he meddling in her affairs?

Wen Shuyu peeled his hand off her arm, her tone cold. “And what business is it of yours?”

As the automatic door slid open, they stood in a tense standoff until Wen Shuyu slipped inside, leaving Jiang Huaiyu standing there as the elevator doors closed.

Later that night, lying in bed, Wen Shuyu couldn’t figure out why Jiang Huaiyu had acted the way he did. What was his deal?

She tossed and turned, the blanket either too hot or too cold, unable to find a comfortable temperature. Finally, she concluded: He just couldn’t stand to see me happy.

By Monday, the usual rush-hour traffic crawled along the roads as Wen Shuyu stifled a yawn, stepping into her law firm.

Meng Man greeted her with a coffee in hand, one arm slung around Wen Shuyu’s shoulders. “Yuyu, come on. Let me introduce you to the new lawyer I was telling you about. It took me forever to poach him, and let me tell you, he’s super handsome.”

Meng Man, Wen Shuyu’s senior from graduate school, was her mentor, and after graduation, the two had co-founded Ruishan Law Firm.

Taking the matcha latte from Meng Man, Wen Shuyu gulped it down, instantly shaking off her drowsiness. “Senior, are we hiring based on looks now at our firm?”

Meng Man raised an eyebrow, grinning. “Of course! Just look at you—you’re the face of our firm.”

Wen Shuyu laughed. “So you only brought me on because of my face, huh?”

“You’re just figuring that out?” They continued to chat casually as they walked toward the office at the far end of the corridor.

Without even seeing him, Wen Shuyu already believed Meng Man’s words—it must be a handsome lawyer. The usually chatty law firm was suddenly quiet and brimming with anticipation.

Though Wen Shuyu didn’t care about looks, in the workplace, competence always spoke louder.

Meng Man pushed open the door, revealing a man standing by the floor-to-ceiling window. His posture was straight, like a towering pine tree. Sunlight filtered through the blinds, casting shadows across his shoulder, giving him an air of quiet solitude, like a lone peak standing against the elements.

Looking at his back, Wen Shuyu felt a strange sense of familiarity.

The man turned around at the sound of the door, and Wen Shuyu froze in surprise. “Well, isn’t this a coincidence, Mr. Cheng?”

Cheng Xianzhi smiled calmly. “A coincidence indeed—turns out it’s not just a shared name.”

When he had met Meng Man earlier, he’d heard the other partner’s name but assumed it was just a case of coincidence.

Meng Man looked at them both, puzzled. Wen Shuyu tilted her head, whispering to her about their blind date over the weekend.

Meng Man let out a long, knowing “Oh” before bursting into laughter. “They say life writes the best stories! And just to clarify, our firm doesn’t have a no-office-romance policy.”

Her teasing words made the room fall into an awkward silence.

Cheng Xianzhi’s voice, gentle as jade, broke through with a playful tone, “Then I’ll do my best.”

His lighthearted response skillfully defused the tension.

Wen Shuyu followed suit, smiling. “That’s just how my senior is—no filter. Don’t take it to heart, Lawyer Cheng.”

Cheng Xianzhi chuckled. “Not at all. A relaxed atmosphere is good for work.”

As Meng Man watched their easy banter, she realized her presence was unnecessary—she was clearly the third wheel here.

But work had to go on, so she shifted gears. “Lawyer Cheng, Yuyu specializes in civil and administrative cases, while I handle more criminal cases, though we aren’t rigid about it.”

Cheng Xianzhi nodded. “Got it. I look forward to working together.”

Meng Man beamed. “Don’t mention it—let’s earn money and seek justice together.”

To welcome Cheng Xianzhi to the team, Wen Shuyu hosted a dinner for the entire firm at Yishijian, a famous private restaurant in Nancheng that typically required a reservation months in advance. Luckily, Wen Shuyu had connections—Yishijian was owned by Shen Ruoying’s family.

Ruishan Law Firm wasn’t large, with only sixteen employees, but it was tight-knit.

Su Nian, Wen Shuyu’s intern who hadn’t graduated yet, was a bit naive but sweet. “Yuyu, Lawyer Cheng is really handsome! Do you know if he’s seeing anyone?”

Wen Shuyu casually answered, “He’s single.”

Su Nian giggled mischievously. “Wow, you’re really in the know, Yuyu! I think you two would make a cute couple.”

Wen Shuyu placed a piece of chicken on her plate. “Eat your food, be good, and talk less.”

Why was everyone so eager to set her up?

The law firm had more women than men, and since there were no forced social obligations or fake drinking games, the women could relax and enjoy themselves.

Wen Shuyu had a strong appetite for food, while Meng Man was an expert at drinking. Before leaving, Meng Man made sure to remind Cheng Xianzhi, “My boyfriend’s picking me up. Cheng, you’re in charge of Yuyu—make sure she gets home safely.”

On the one hand, Meng Man knew no one else was reliable enough, and on the other, she wanted to create an opportunity for them to be alone.

Cheng Xianzhi’s voice was warm as he replied, “Don’t worry.”

Wen Shuyu, feeling light-headed but still somewhat aware, muttered, “Sorry to trouble you, Lawyer Cheng.”

Meanwhile, in the underground parking lot of Qinheyuan, Jiang Huaiyu stared at a photo on his phone, zooming in and out, looking at it over and over again. His gaze was fixed on the entrance of the garage.

A familiar white Porsche pulled in, stopping right in front of him.

As the car door opened, Jiang Huaiyu let out a small sigh of relief. It was Wen Shuyu, accompanied by a security guard.

Still feeling tipsy, Wen Shuyu only had one thought—she needed to sleep.

As she climbed a couple of steps, someone suddenly grabbed her wrist. Startled, she turned and locked eyes with Jiang Huaiyu, his dark pupils deep as the ocean, staring intently at her. His warm palm enveloped her wrist, his thin lips parting softly.

“Yuyu, marry me.”

The sake was still fogging her mind, so Wen Shuyu was slow to react. She froze for a few seconds, and in that brief moment, Jiang Huaiyu took two steps up, standing on the same level as her.

Once again, he said firmly, “Yuyu, let’s get married.”