When Zhou Yi woke up, he was surprised to find not only that he was lying on the bed, but that he had been changed into pajamas. It was clear to him who had taken care of him—Liang Xianzhang.

Sitting up, he looked around but didn’t see Liang Xianzhang anywhere in the room. As he smoothed his messy hair, preparing to get out of bed and look for him, he felt something strange on his finger. Raising his hand, he noticed a beautiful ring—a sapphire set in the center, surrounded by diamonds. The sight of it made Zhou Yi freeze in shock. The gemstone was large and dazzling, catching the light in a way that made it impossible to ignore.

Zhou Yi inhaled sharply. He couldn’t even imagine buying such a lavish piece of jewelry, and yet here he was, wearing it.

Lost in his thoughts, Zhou Yi didn’t notice the door open. Liang Xianzhang entered and walked up to him. It wasn’t until he was close that Zhou Yi snapped out of his daze. Looking up at him, he carefully raised his hand, showing the ring. “This… is this for me?”

Liang Xianzhang reached out, gently touching his slightly flushed face, unsure if the color was from just waking up or from the alcohol. “Yes, it suits you very well.”

Zhou Yi swallowed, a bit uncertain. “This shouldn’t be cheap…”

“It’s only valuable if you like it. Otherwise, it’s just a piece of stone,” Liang Xianzhang replied, smiling softly. “But, compared to the price, I think there’s something else you should consider more carefully.”

Zhou Yi blinked, catching on. “Is this… a proposal?”

Liang Xianzhang’s eyes softened, his lashes lowering as he nodded. “Do you accept?”

Zhou Yi looked at the ring on his finger, then slowly raised his gaze to meet Liang Xianzhang’s eyes. The sapphire, with its deep, rich color, seemed to mirror the warmth in Liang Xianzhang’s eyes, now glimmering with tenderness. Zhou Yi stared at him for a long moment before replying, “I accept.”

Hearing his answer, Liang Xianzhang, who had been watching him closely, leaned forward. As their noses touched, Zhou Yi closed his eyes slowly.

Liang Xianzhang’s hand moved to the back of Zhou Yi’s head, pulling him into a kiss. The soft pressure of their lips against each other was as sweet as ever, the pheromones mixing between them intoxicating.

The kiss lingered, lasting longer than usual. When they finally pulled apart, both of their chests were heaving, breaths shallow from the intensity.

Liang Xianzhang, still holding him tightly, whispered, his voice laced with a hint of nervousness, “Before I put the ring on you, I was worried you’d reject me.”

Zhou Yi’s hand moved to his face, soothing him gently. “I won’t. I love you just as much as you love me, so I won’t reject you.”

Zhou Yi’s honest words, along with the trust shining in his eyes, made Liang Xianzhang’s heart soften. He kissed him again, his lips pressing repeatedly against Zhou Yi’s.

After the kiss, Zhou Yi’s gaze drifted to Liang Xianzhang’s left hand, where the absence of a ring caught his attention. “Where’s your ring?”

“This isn’t a couple ring…” Liang Xianzhang responded, smiling.

He had bought the sapphire at an auction a while ago, captivated by its rarity and beauty. Afterward, it had sat untouched in his cabinet until he met Zhou Yi. Liang Xianzhang had even secretly taken note of Zhou Yi’s ring size, preparing in advance for this moment.

Zhou Yi thought for a moment, then asked, “So, you don’t have a ring?”

Liang Xianzhang was about to explain that he’d planned to ask the jeweler to send over a selection of rings for him to choose from, when Zhou Yi took his hand gently and kissed the back of it.

Zhou Yi’s lips trailed slowly down the back of Liang Xianzhang’s hand, his warm breath sending a thrill through him. The kiss was soft at first, but soon grew more intense. When Zhou Yi reached his ring finger, he bit down lightly, as if to “mark” it.

Despite the slight pain, Liang Xianzhang didn’t move, allowing Zhou Yi to do as he wished.

Zhou Yi looked up at him, his gaze steady and sincere. “Since you don’t have a ring, this is the one I’m giving you…”

Under the light, Zhou Yi’s eyes glistened like crystal, reflecting the brilliance of the moment. Liang Xianzhang couldn’t help but feel a profound sense of happiness that pierced through him more deeply than ever before.

With a smile, Liang Xianzhang leaned forward again, his pheromones mingling with Zhou Yi’s. He cupped his face gently and whispered, “I’ll wear it all the time.”

---

Elsewhere, in a heated moment, Shang Yichen and Meng Rongze were wrestling in a box. The others had to intervene to separate them.

Meng Rongze, still furious after being pulled away, snapped, “You said you were looking for him because you were lonely, but I think you actually like him! You deserve to be fooled by him and cuckolded by him!” He pointed at Shang Yichen, his anger unabated. “Shang Yichen, you’re such an idiot!”

Shang Yichen, bruised and wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth, clenched his fists and tried to stay calm. “It has nothing to do with you.”

His defeated expression only fueled Meng Rongze’s rage, but the others held him back, trying to calm the situation.

Ignoring the ongoing insults, Shang Yichen shoved off the person holding him and left the box without looking back.

The pain from the fight made his mind clearer. If Liang Xianzhang had taken Zhou Yi away, then returning to the apartment might give him a chance to see him. After all, Liang Xianzhang lived just across from him.

Though he didn’t want to provoke Liang Xianzhang, his desire to see Zhou Yi overpowered his fear. After drinking heavily, Shang Yichen hurried back to the apartment.

As the elevator ascended, he remembered the person Liang Xianzhang had been holding the other day. The familiarity from that moment now clicked in his mind. It was Zhou Yi.

Shang Yichen’s heart ached with anger and regret. Why hadn’t he recognized him sooner? If he had, would things have turned out differently?

The elevator doors opened, and without further thought, Shang Yichen rushed to Liang Xianzhang’s door, pressing the doorbell without hesitation.