“Don’t you want to ask me why I chose Tiancheng?” After everyone had left, and only she and Lu Linshen remained in the large office, she curved her lips and asked him.

Lu Linshen poured her a glass of water and calmly said four words, “You must have your reasons, I trust you.”

It wasn’t the first time he had said this, but each time he did, it still made her heart flutter. But along with the fluttering, she felt hesitant and afraid. She was afraid that what he trusted in wasn’t her, but something else—like believing she had some kind of foresight or that she could always make the right judgment. If that was the case, could it really be called trust?

Seeing that she was still staring at him without speaking, seemingly lost in thought, Lu Linshen didn’t interrupt her but quietly waited, giving her enough time and space to sort out her thoughts and emotions.

“Lu Linshen, if I wasn’t from another world, if I didn’t have the ability to foresee the future, if I were just an ordinary person with nothing special about me, would you still trust me like you do now?”

His gaze was gentle yet firm, carrying a soothing effect. He didn’t hesitate, “I would, Suisui, because I trust you, only you. No matter the environment or the conditions, my trust in you will never change.”

“If—”

“There are no ‘ifs,’ Suisui. I’ll prove everything with time. Trust me, okay?”

The uncertainty in her heart was dispelled, and her face regained its radiance. Slightly embarrassed, she said, “Was I being unreasonable just now?” She didn’t even know why she acted that way, but she couldn’t control it.

“I’m glad you’re willing to tell me all these things, Suisui. You’ve shared your worries and insecurities with me without holding anything back. I’m happy about that.” He liked her trust, liked her honesty, and teased her lightly. “If you hadn’t told me, I might’ve had trouble sleeping tonight.”

After all, he would have had to guess her thoughts, reflect on his actions, and think about how to solve things. It would’ve been quite a tough battle.

The last bit of emotion inside Meng Suihuan disappeared under his teasing. “Lu Linshen, what’s going on with you? I feel like you’ve got a whole set of tricks to comfort people. Tell me, where did you learn all these methods?”

Cough cough… Lu Linshen chuckled, “I learned it from books.”

Who are you trying to fool?

It was obvious that Qin Yu, that troublemaker, had come up with the idea. Meng Suihuan didn’t argue further and instead explained the details about Tiancheng.

“Tiancheng’s game concepts and ideas are innovative. They eventually brought their ideas to life and became a sensation for a decade.”

Even someone like her, an outsider to the industry, had heard about their story and philosophy. So when she heard their presentation, she was immediately intrigued.

“But if I remember correctly, that game company wasn’t called Tiancheng. It had another name, though I don’t recall the specifics.”

Lu Linshen’s eyes narrowed slightly. “Hmm, I’ll take some time to look into it.”

“If there’s nothing else, I’ll head out now.”

At that moment, Lu Linshen suddenly stopped her and asked, “Suisui, it’s two days until the New Year. When do you plan to head home?”

Ah, that’s right—New Year’s was approaching. Shops around them had already begun selling spring couplets and fireworks, and the festive atmosphere was in full swing.

She’d been so busy with the Changning Airport project and archaeology work lately that she’d nearly forgotten about it. His reminder jolted her into realizing that New Year’s Eve was just days away.

“Probably the weekend,” she replied. She had a few more tasks to wrap up over the next couple of days.

New Year’s gifts were an essential tradition, and she needed to prepare something for her relatives and friends. It was going to be a massive undertaking.

She went straight to the largest mall in Ning City, an eight-story building filled with various shops.

“Which floor are you on now, Suisui?” Lu Linshen asked while fiddling with a tea set.

“The second floor, at the far-left ceramics shop,” she replied casually.

Not long after, she heard girls around her start squealing quietly. She knew right away that Lu Linshen had arrived.

It couldn’t be helped. Every time she went out with him, she would encounter scenes like this.

When he reached her side, she was playing with a cup in her hands and teasing him. “Lu Linshen, you’re so popular. I’m going to have to stay on high alert whenever we go out together.”

Lu Linshen smiled helplessly. “Compared to you, Suisui, I’m nothing.”

“Me?!” she exclaimed, her tone playful. “Don’t you dare frame me like that!”

“I’m just speaking the truth,” he said. “Whenever you stand on stage, so many people watch you, applaud you, and cheer for you. You’re like a dazzling star in the sky—everyone can see your brilliance. And every time, I just want to hide you away…”

“Lu Linshen, how could you have such thoughts? That’s my work!” she retorted with mock indignation.

He chuckled softly. “I can’t help it. My Suisui is too outstanding, too captivating. How could I not feel this way?”

She let out a small humph, his compliment making her grin ear to ear. “Then you’ll just have to treat me even better in the future. Otherwise, I might get snatched away—I’m very popular, you know.”

“Deal,” he said with a low chuckle. “Have you finished picking out gifts?”

“I’ve picked out gifts for everyone else. Now I’m choosing something for Dad, Mom, Xiao Jie, and Jiejie, but I’m not sure about their preferences. Can you help me take a look?”

She picked up a set of porcelain and twirled it in her hand. “What do you think about this set? Do you think Dad will like it?”

The porcelain in her hand was luxurious and exquisite, adorned with lifelike patterns—clearly a high-end piece.

“Suisui, this gift is too fancy. Dad won’t have the heart to use it.”

His parents were simple, down-to-earth people who had spent their lives working in the fields. If they received such elegant and high-end gifts, they might not even use them, choosing instead to store them away.

“Then what do you think we should give them?” Meng Suihuan looked troubled. She really had no experience in picking out gifts.

“How about a tea set, like this one?” He pointed to a simple, patternless tea set nearby. “And maybe add some tea leaves and cigarettes.”

“Isn’t that a bit too plain?” Meng Suihuan hesitated. The tea set looked so ordinary without any patterns.

“No, it’s just right.”

After selecting a tea set and tea leaves for Lu Linshen’s father, they went next door to buy nutritional supplements and jewelry. Meng Suihuan carefully examined the gold pieces, scrutinizing each design and pattern to decide which one would suit Lu Linshen’s mother best.

While she was absorbed in her selection, Lu Linshen’s attention was drawn to a couple nearby. The pair was sweetly picking out rings and necklaces, while a store clerk patiently explained the latest designs, emphasizing their popularity for weddings.

His gaze shifted to the rings, lingering on them for a moment, before moving to Suisui’s pristine, bare hands.

Meng Suihuan had chosen two necklaces with simple yet elegant designs. She called out to Lu Linshen for his opinion but didn’t receive a response after two tries.

Curious, she walked over to him and asked, “What are you looking at so intently?”

Looking down, she realized he was staring at rings.

“Suisui, let’s buy a pair of rings,” Lu Linshen suddenly said. Seeing her surprised expression, he chuckled. “We’re married, and we still don’t have rings.”

With that, he took her hand, measured her finger size, and asked the salesperson to take out a ring. Gently, he slid it onto her finger. His movements were light yet focused. After putting it on, he lifted her hand and asked, “What do you think? Does it look good?”

Meng Suihuan glanced down. The golden ring sparkled against her pristine white finger, adorned with intricate hollow carvings and a “double happiness” character at the center… It was a little tacky.

Seeing her lack of reaction, he picked another one. The salesperson added that it was this year’s trendiest amethyst diamond ring.

Meng Suihuan thought: Still… tacky.

In the end, she decided to choose for herself. She picked a simple design with the option to engrave inside.

When she was about to try it on, Lu Linshen took the ring. “Let me do it.”

The ring fit perfectly.

As they walked out of the jewelry store, both had a shiny new ring on their fingers. She glanced at him. His face was lit with a smile, the corners of his lips perpetually curved upward.

Was he really this happy? Over a ring?

—

In just one short year, Shuangyang County had undergone tremendous changes. The roads were now wide and straight, many families in the town had built new houses, and smiles adorned everyone’s faces.

When they returned to the village, enthusiastic villagers quickly recognized them and surrounded them in several tight circles.

Of course, most of the enthusiasm was directed at Meng Suihuan. After all, Shuangyang County’s current development owed much to her contributions. Her vegetable processing plant and supermarket had created more jobs and opportunities for the locals, boosting the economy and improving their quality of life.

The villagers expressed their gratitude not just verbally but also by offering their finest goods—free-range chickens, ducks, eggs, and freshly butchered pork.

She repeatedly said, “That’s enough, that’s enough.”

But the villagers were too warm-hearted, insisting on loading everything directly into their car.

In the end, they returned fully loaded, with the trunk and backseat packed to the brim.

As soon as the car stopped, Lu Miaomiao came running out, calling affectionately, “Sister-in-law!”

The moment Meng Suihuan stepped out of the car, Miaomiao threw her arms around her, pouting playfully. “Sister-in-law, you’re finally back! I missed you so much!”

Meng Suihuan ruffled her hair. “Alright, alright, I missed you too. I even brought you a gift—it’s in the trunk. Go get it yourself.”

Miaomiao beamed with joy. “I knew you were the best, Sister-in-law!”

Hearing the commotion, Lu’s parents also came out one after the other. Lu’s mother, in particular, looked at Meng Suihuan with a loving gaze before glancing at her son beside her. Smiling, she said, “This year, you two finally came back together.”

This marked her third New Year in this world.

The first year, Lu Linshen stayed in Ning City while she spent New Year’s alone with Lu’s parents.

The second year, Lu Linshen returned, but she was too busy with her career. A tight construction schedule and an unexpected emergency at the site kept her from coming back.

Now it was the third year.

She turned to look at Lu Linshen, a smile tugging at her lips.

This year, they came back together.