The engagement date couldn’t be moved up in the end because both families had invited business partners. These prominent figures are usually very busy and couldn’t change their schedules on short notice. Some of their relatives and friends were also out of town.

Although the engagement wasn’t advanced, Su Qingran hadn’t seen Jiang Chenlin for the past ten days.

Jiang Chenlin had volunteered to help his mother’s company with matters in another city, and he had been gone for more than a week.

By the time he returned, it was already the day before the engagement.

When Su Qingran received his call, she was in her studio working on her competition piece.

She had already completed the design for the Loulan tricolored jade piece and was in the rough shaping stage.

“Chenlin, how’s Auntie’s company doing?” Su Qingran asked.

“It’s pretty much settled.” After ten days of not seeing him, Jiang Chenlin seemed more composed, with a heavy, somber aura that felt like the absence of daylight.

“Our engagement is tomorrow. Auntie said she’d take full charge of the arrangements, and I haven’t checked on the venue. Now that you’re back, should we go see the banquet hall?” Su Qingran suggested.

Jiang Chenlin nodded, then added, “Before we go to the banquet hall, let’s visit my aunt’s grave first.”

Su Qingran knew that Jiang Chenlin had actually lived with his Aunt Wen Lin when he was very young. After Pei Jingyan’s father passed away, Jiang Ruo had been very busy with work for a few years and didn’t have much time to care for him. So Wen Lin had taken on most of the responsibility for raising him during his early years.

It wasn’t until Jiang Ruo’s company was stable that Jiang Chenlin returned home, but his bond with his aunt had never faded.

Back then, Su Qingran was Jiang Chenlin’s childhood friend and often accompanied him to visit Wen Lin. From her memory, Wen Lin was a smart and generous woman, highly successful in her own career.

However, Wen Lin had passed away later due to some incident, though Su Qingran wasn’t too clear on the details.

An hour later, the two of them arrived at the cemetery.

Jiang Chenlin placed a bouquet of sunflowers in front of Wen Lin’s grave. “Sunflowers were always Auntie’s favorite. I always thought she would watch me grow up, see me marry, have children, and then I’d take care of her in her old age.”

At this, he let out a low laugh. “But unfortunately, I ended up causing her the greatest harm.”

Su Qingran turned to him, puzzled, wanting to ask more, but Jiang Chenlin had already knelt in front of the grave.

He carefully wiped the tombstone, his hand tense with visible veins bulging.

“Ranran, did you know that Auntie really liked you?” Jiang Chenlin suddenly asked.

Su Qingran snapped out of her thoughts. Although she found his tone slightly strange, she figured it was probably due to his sadness.

“I thought Auntie was really good to me. She even took me to buy my favorite pine nut candy.”

Jiang Chenlin smiled faintly. “Yeah, so now she’s gone.”

Su Qingran didn’t catch that last part. “What?”

But Jiang Chenlin didn’t say anything more.

Su Qingran knew how deep his feelings for his aunt were. Every time something important happened, Jiang Chenlin would visit Wen Lin’s grave.

In the past, he wouldn’t let her come along, saying he didn’t want his aunt to feel sad seeing her.

This time, though, he had brought her with him for the first time.

After placing her chrysanthemums down, Su Qingran took a step forward.

But just as she did, Jiang Chenlin stood up and blocked her path.

“Chenlin, you—” Su Qingran finally sensed that something was off. It was a strange feeling, as if Jiang Chenlin had deliberately brought her to see Wen Lin but didn’t want her to get too close.

The next moment, Jiang Chenlin took her hand, and facing the tombstone, he said clearly, “Auntie, I’m getting engaged tomorrow. Will you bless me?”

The cemetery was silent, with only the wind rustling through the nearly bare trees, making a soft, whispering sound.

Jiang Chenlin’s eyes welled with tears, which he forced back, his red-rimmed eyes showing a few extra creases in his double eyelids.

“Auntie, I’ll come visit you again tomorrow.”

He said, holding Su Qingran’s hand. “Ranran, let’s go back.”

That strange feeling she had earlier seemed to suddenly vanish. Su Qingran glanced at Jiang Chenlin beside her and comforted him, “Don’t be sad. Auntie would want you to be happy.”

Jiang Chenlin stared into the distance without responding.

As they left the cemetery, the somber mood lingered, and neither of them mentioned checking the engagement venue.

Jiang Chenlin dropped Su Qingran off at her home. Before leaving, he hugged her. “Ranran, see you tomorrow.”

Su Qingran patted his back. “See you tomorrow. Drive safe.”

“Okay,” Jiang Chenlin replied, watching her walk into the villa and unlock the door without turning around.

It wasn’t until much later, when the cold wind had numbed him, that he finally moved his stiff legs and returned to the car.