Chapter 79 Proposal

In the crowd, she spotted Xie Shiyan, the man who always shone brightly. His perfectly tailored dark suit stood out starkly against the youthful academic gowns around him, yet he himself was a breathtaking sight.

He held a large, very special bouquet. The main body consisted of vibrant champagne roses and baby's breath, but the most eye-catching element was the many glistening, golden lemon candies cleverly interspersed and adorned in the center of the bouquet. Under the sunlight, the candies resembled solidified sunlight, exuding a fresh, sweet fragrance.

As the ceremony ended, Jiang Yining walked out of the auditorium surrounded by her classmates and offering their blessings. Xie Shiyan walked towards her with a smile, each step punctuating her racing heartbeat.

He walked up to her and handed her the unique "lemon candy bouquet." The familiar lemon scent instantly enveloped her; it was her mark, and also his silent promise.

"Happy graduation, my girl." His voice was deep and gentle. Jiang Yining hugged the bouquet, her smile brighter than the July sun. Just as she lowered her head to gently smell the fragrance of the flowers, Xie Shiyan suddenly knelt down on one knee.

The surrounding noise seemed to have been muted. Jiang Yining covered her mouth in surprise, her heart pounding like a drum.

Xie Shiyan took out a dark blue velvet box from the inside pocket of his suit. He slowly opened it, and inside lay a dazzling ring. The main stone was an extremely rare, top-grade yellow diamond, its pure yellow color like concentrated sunlight, radiating unparalleled nobility and warmth.

“Ningning,” he gazed into her eyes, his deep gaze filled with unwavering love and determination, “thank you for coming back, thank you for coming back into my life. Will you marry me? Let me spend the rest of my life loving you, protecting you, and making up for all the time we’ve missed?”

As soon as he finished speaking, cheers and jeers erupted from several directions in the crowd at the same time.

"Marry him...marry him..."

"Ningning, say yes quickly."

"General Manager Xie is awesome!"

Jiang Yining looked in the direction of the sound and saw Xiao Xiao holding her adorable baby boy who was a few months old, her face flushed with excitement; Nian An and Zhou Yanzhe were holding hands and jumping excitedly.

Even the usually composed Lu Jingshen smiled and applauded, his eyes full of blessings. Her entire entourage of family and friends was there for the most important moment of her life.

A mix of happiness and sorrow welled up inside her, and tears blurred her vision. Looking at the man before her, who had endured life and death yet still loved her as deeply as ever, and at the eager gazes of her close friends and family around her, she nodded forcefully, her voice choked with emotion yet crystal clear: "I do, Xie Shiyan, I do want to marry you."

A deafening roar of cheers and applause instantly engulfed her. Xie Shiyan stood up and solemnly and gently placed the yellow diamond ring, as if frozen sunlight, on Jiang Yining's left ring finger. The size was perfect. He then pulled her tightly into his arms and planted a devout kiss on her forehead.

That afternoon, the two went straight to the Civil Affairs Bureau. Holding their bright red marriage certificate, the photo showed them nestled together, their smiles radiant with happiness. This time, their marriage was legitimate, for all eternity.

When the news reached the Xie family, Xie's mother's joy practically overflowed through the phone line. "That's wonderful, wonderful, Ningning, my good daughter-in-law."

She immediately dialed Jiang's mother's number, and the two mothers began to discuss the details of the wedding over the phone, from the venue style to the banquet menu, from the wedding dress design to the guest list.

The wedding was set for December. Xie Shiyan arranged two weddings for Jiang Yining: one in H City, a traditional Chinese wedding attended by family elders, colleagues, and friends.

On her wedding day, when the alarm clock rang at three in the morning, Jiang Yining thought she was still dreaming.

"Mom," she struggled to peek out from under the covers, her eyes still heavy with sleep as she looked out at the dark night, "it's only three o'clock."

Jiang's mother abruptly pulled back her covers, a bowl of steaming glutinous rice balls in her hand: "Get up! What bride has the privilege of sleeping in late?"

The cold floor instantly woke Jiang Yining. Xiao Xiao and Shen Nian'an were already waiting in the living room, one carrying a makeup case and the other holding a freshly ironed morning robe. Xiao Xiao was also holding a baby who was fast asleep.

"Why are you all here so early too?" Jiang Yining asked, rubbing her eyes.

"The bride is the most important one, right?" Shen Nian'an said with a smile, pushing her into the bathroom. "Hurry up and wash up; Xiao Xiao left her own husband and children to do your makeup."

The warm water washed away the last trace of sleepiness. Jiang Yining gazed at herself in the mirror, water droplets sliding down her collarbone. After today, she would be Mrs. Xie. This realization made her heart race.

"Stop spacing out," Xiao Xiao's voice came through the door. "If you don't come out, I'll have Nian An come in and arrest you."

In front of the makeup mirror, Xiao Xiao's hands seemed to work magic. A foundation brush gently swept across her cheeks, eyeshadow blended into a gradient of starlight, and lip gloss was a perfect rose color. Jiang Yining watched herself transform little by little in the mirror, like a butterfly emerging from its cocoon.

"Close your eyes," Xiao Xiao said softly, placing a teardrop diamond at the corner of her eye.

Jiang Yining sat in front of the dressing table, her head nodding sleepily, when Madam Quanfu gently lifted her chin. "The bride mustn't doze off."

The elderly woman used a golden nanmu comb dipped in rose petal dew to gently comb her hair from the top to the ends. "This combing brings longevity and good fortune," she said.