Chapter 61 The twilight is not yet late, the spring is still lingering—it's you, the one I've been wanting. ...

"So... um?" Zhu Qingzhi was truly at a loss when she saw the helicopter parked on the top floor of LR.

She didn't even bother to wrap herself in a coat; her hands gripped the expensive diamond earrings tightly, as if afraid the wind would blow them away. "What kind of shoot is this? Why all this fuss?"

Her voice rose a few decibels, trying to drown out the roar of the rotors, but Dani, feeling guilty, could only pretend not to hear and pushed her directly into the cabin.

Upon entering the cabin, Zhu Qingzhi persistently asked again, "What theme should we shoot? I'm starting to doubt myself."

Dani still didn't dare to look up at her, keeping her head down as she straightened her skirt.

"No, can I really take a picture like this?" Zhu Qingzhi's long curly hair was almost frizzy from the wind, with a few strands sticking unruly to her cheeks. She was really panicking now. "You're not going to make me pose like that...?"

Her mind was filled with the image of a person hanging halfway out of the cabin, a scene of extreme "freedom."

"Don't worry, Kiyoshi, safety is our top priority. We won't make things difficult for you." Ella's voice rang out at the right moment, as she effortlessly pushed a thin document over. "Take a look at this first, so you're prepared. It's a special project that was added at the last minute."

Zhu Qingzhi was worried. She was really worried, so she immediately grabbed the proposal and flipped through it. It was only a short page, not even full, and it was almost entirely filled with conceptual terms like "chasing light and shadow" and "wind and freedom".

"Linda, touch up Qingzhi's makeup, okay?" Ella showed no sign of panic as she smiled and spoke as naturally as if she were chatting about the nice weather. "It's a last-minute arrangement, and the proposal is rather simple and abstract. But we trust your abilities."

Dani stood up to make room for the makeup artist, adding, "Of course, Qingzhi is a professional."

"..." Zhu Qingzhi felt like she had been flattered to death.

The helicopter flew over the city, heading towards the Asahi Tower, the tallest building in Kyoto.

As dusk falls, the setting sun glows like molten gold, and the clouds on the horizon ripple and overlap, creating a beautiful interplay of orange and yellow hues.

The river surface shimmered like broken gold, its light surging and fading from afar, the flowing light breathing in and out.

Linda first gave Zhu Qingzhi a graceful low bun hairstyle, then changed her makeup, leaving the eye makeup for last.

Zhu Qingzhi had long since lost her initial unease. She closed her eyes and let herself be manipulated, her hearing becoming exceptionally sharp, sensing the roar of the engine, the sound of the wind, and her own gradually calming heartbeat.

She felt something was off, but couldn't quite put her finger on what it was.

Today's shoot for New Year's materials at Lightroom was arranged by the studio well in advance; it wasn't a last-minute decision. It's not surprising that the brand added a scene for the shoot at the last minute.

But she just felt something was off.

The helicopter hovered, its noisy roar mingling with the fragrance of roses.

Zhu Qingzhi frowned subconsciously. At the same time, an object was pinned to her hair. It was as thin as a cicada's wing, with delicate texture, and cascaded down, gently brushing against her neck and bare shoulders and back. The touch was like lace.

She suddenly opened her eyes.

The feeling of weightlessness returned, and the helicopter rotors stirred up a shower of spray.

Crimson and snow-white petals swirled together, their fragrance filling the air, and a gentle breeze swept over me. In that instant, the beating of my heart resonated with the clamor of the world.

The sunlight was like golden dust, and the fluttering petals resembled a sky full of fireflies, both intense and hazy. Against that misty backdrop of petals and halos of light, Wen Qi stood there.

Wearing a crisp black suit, his hair was meticulously combed back to reveal a smooth forehead. There was no weariness or joking in his eyes; rather, there was a quiet gentleness that bordered on reverence.

Her gaze was intense, as if she were the only person left in the entire world.

The lace veil was lifted by the wind, causing her neck to tilt back slightly.

When everything came to a standstill, she didn't dare to look up.

Like a dream, like a dream she had in her youth, which she carefully wrote into her diary, only to be lost in the long river of time.

So romantic that it's almost impossible to distinguish between reality and illusion, it's like a tiny dot on a dividing line, surging with the clouds, rolling with the pearls, a scene of splendor all over the ground.

As Wen Qi's scent invaded, mingling with the cool air and the sweet fragrance of roses, she gently clenched her fist.

"The sunset tonight is at 18:01. I wonder if I will have the honor of inviting the beautiful Miss Zhu to enjoy it with me."

Wen Qi's voice was deep and clear, but if you listened carefully, you could hear a very subtle tremor as if it were being torn apart by the wind.

The sound reached my ears, resonating with my heartbeat. It reached my eyes, and even his palms seemed to have overlapping, intertwined images.

Zhu Qingzhi blinked, suddenly realizing that Wen Qi, as the one in charge of this situation, was even more eager for her approval than she was.

The evening wind surged like a tidal wave, and the veil, like a fog, enveloped her body inch by inch, pulling her forward. Her heart followed suit.

"It would be my great honor."

Their palms met. The warmth of his skin, the damp sweat on his palms, the faint scent of amber on his body... she gradually accepted it, gradually got used to it, and gradually it became a part of her peace of mind.

Then enjoy it, enjoy this unexpected and grand romance that Wen Qi gave her.

Dani, usually a strong woman, was so moved she almost cried. Heaven knows how she got through those last half hour. She and Ella huddled together in a corner, their lips curved in a smile, but their eyes stinging with tears.

*

The Chaoxi Tower has 101 floors.

Beyond the panoramic glass curtain wall, a huge orange-yellow sunset is sinking, painting the entire sky magnificently.

The colorful floral arrangements are silent, yet their colors blend and collide to create a gentle and beautiful effect. They cascade down and spread in an almost overwhelming manner, cleverly outlining a frozen, grand moment of fireworks blooming, carefully laid out before your eyes.

The ice-blue neon sign of "Marry Me" is placed within, like an unquestionable truth, shimmering with a clear and eternal light.

The fragrance of the flowers is sweet, and it has shape and weight, pressing down heavily. The reflection on the smooth marble floor is like a spring flower garden, clear and pure.

The surroundings were quiet, with only the faint background sounds of the city at dusk.

As the sun sets, the western sky resembles an overturned palette, staging a grand, silent farewell of colors. The daylight fades, twilight descends, light and shadow fall silent, leaving only an icy blue vow.

Zhu Qingzhi suddenly spoke, her voice soft yet striking Wen Qi's heart clearly: "I like it very much."

Wen Qi's profile was exceptionally handsome, especially the curves of his brow bone and nose, a stroke of genius sculpted by God. In the dim light, his silhouette was clear, appearing somewhat cold and hard due to his tense expression.

His Adam's apple bobbed, the subtle movement conveying a sense of resolute determination, almost like burning one's bridges.

"For me, I want to give you everything I can. But I know you only want what you want."

His voice was lower than usual, and it had an alluring magnetism in the gradually descending darkness. "I also know that from the very beginning, I was not the one you wanted."

Zhu Qingzhi certainly knew what he was talking about.

He said that their marriage was his carefully planned scheme and her forced compromise, and that they were on unequal footing from the very beginning.

This is a fact, and there's no denying it. Besides, all of this is in the past.

“However…” Wen Qi turned to the side, his eyes clear and bright, with a tiny reflection of her in his pupils, “Now, I’ve become the one you wanted.”

Zhu Qingzhi nodded with feigned seriousness, but couldn't help but smile slightly: "Be humble and keep up the good work."

Then her gaze fell on their clasped hands, with an unconscious longing in her eyes. Her thumb rubbed against the ring on his ring finger, feeling his warm skin and steady pulse beneath the band.

She had longed for marriage, and this ring was the best proof of that. She also knew that having a marriage of choice wouldn't be difficult for her.

In a sense, Wen Qi was also her choice.

Zhu Qingzhi looked into his deep eyes and said softly, "Let me correct you. When it comes to the most important option—life partner—you are not only the one I want most, but also the first one."

Wen Qi's breath seemed to stop at this moment. He originally thought that in that period when he was not involved, when Zhu Qingzhi was seventeen and she was still naive and had been guided by others when she first entered the industry, he had more or less seen her vague figure or felt a moment of attraction.

He never dared to hope for this absolute "first" and "only".

He gripped her hand tighter, almost trembling, as if trying to confirm this unique existence and belonging through the closely intertwined finger bones.

“So…” Zhu Qingzhi raised her now-empty left hand and gently waved it in front of his eyes, a mischievous yet tender smile playing in her eyes, “Where is my ring?”

The "Eternal Bond" diamond ring was a gift from Wen Qi, but it won't be the focus today.

Wen Qi gazed deeply into her smiling eyes, which held his entire past and future. In her presence, he always seemed to have everything laid bare before him.

He took out a plain leather box without any logo from the inside pocket of his suit.

He took a step back and knelt on one knee.

When the leather case is opened, a simple silver ring lies quietly on a velvet lining. It has no inlays and its surface is covered with a unique texture left by fine hand-hammering.

It was as simple as the one she gave away, but the meaning it carried was heavier than any elaborate vow.

"Excuse me, beautiful lady," his voice was deep and clear, "would you marry me?"

"I do."

The silver ring was slowly slid into the ring finger of her left hand. The slightly resisting, realistic touch imbued the process with an irreplaceable sense of solemnity and ritual.

The silver ring gleams with a warm luster, just like the truest form of love. It doesn't need to be dazzling; just the right temperature is enough to hear the resonance of each other's heartbeats.

The next second, Zhu Qingzhi grabbed his wrist and tried to pull him closer. Wen Qi seemed to have already seen through her intentions. He stood up instantly with the force of her pull, and at the same time, he firmly placed one hand on her waist.

Her kiss landed right on his lips as he came to meet hers.

This was not a gentle kiss, but rather a domineering one, as if declaring sovereignty, even with a biting force. The piety and tenderness in Wen Qi's eyes had transformed into a surging yet restrained sea, and all restraint crumbled.

The kiss deepened suddenly, becoming more passionate and urgent, lingering and exploring.

Zhu Qingzhi was held tightly in his arms, surrounded by an endless sea of ​​flowers and icy blue vows, her ears filled with his increasingly heavy breathing and her own heart pounding like a drum.

The world collapsed, leaving only the burning, silent words of love exchanged between lips.

Just then, a beam of golden light suddenly pierced the sky, bursting into a dazzling display at the top. Thousands of streams of fire poured down like golden rain, turning the night sky and the glass curtain wall into daylight.

Zhu Qingzhi was slightly distracted and wanted to turn her head to look. However, Wen Qi did not let go of her, but only chuckled very softly between kisses, the sound of his laughter brushing against the corner of her lips.

He stepped back slightly, but his forehead remained intimately pressed against hers, their warm breaths mingling.

She stopped looking out the window and kissed him again.

Amidst the deafening noise and the dazzling spectacle of light and shadow, they seemed to be in the eye of the storm, enjoying a strange tranquility. Their breaths were clear, the warmth of their palms pressed together was real, and the lingering touch on their lips was burning hot.

Outside the window, a grand fireworks display illuminated the entire city of Beijing, a romantic spectacle that countless citizens looked up in awe.

Inside the window, lovers, their lips intertwined, exchange silent vows in the undisturbed summit, in a private and grand romantic setting.

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Author's note: Qingzhi [doge emoji]: To manipulate.

Wen Qi [shyly]: [shyly]

Onlookers & Ah Mei: [shy][shy][praise][praise][let me see][let me see][go for it][go for it]