Chapter 113 Proposal [VIP]
Chapter summary: "I want to marry you."
Fu Xianyin couldn't quite remember how she left the room.
Perhaps she would slowly and deliberately tidy herself up, then politely say goodbye to Gu Linzhao, and then walk out step by step.
Or perhaps they hurriedly dressed, hastily uttered a few words, and fled as if escaping.
Her hair was tied up casually, but her clothes were neatly arranged.
Standing in the elevator, Fu Xianyin brushed off her hair tie and re-tied her hair into a low ponytail.
My phone was long dead.
As if on Gu Linzhao's orders, a car had already been called for her downstairs at the hotel. Fu Xianyin gripped her phone and got into the car, looking out the window at the gradually calming snowstorm.
The driver was a talkative middle-aged man. After Fu Xianyin got into the car, he said cheerfully, "The snow was really heavy last night. It's already mid-February. Logically speaking, it shouldn't snow this much."
Fu Xianyin hummed in agreement and said, "It is indeed quite large."
The driver glanced at her in the rearview mirror, exclaimed "Oh!", and said, "Young lady, you're not from Beijing, are you? Your accent doesn't sound like it."
Fu Xianyin smiled and said, "No."
Driver: "But you sound like you're from the north. Are you here in Beijing for a weekend trip? Where are you from, young lady?"
Fu Xianyin said, "I'm not here for tourism, I'm here on a business trip."
She paused for a moment when she mentioned who she was from, and after about two or three seconds, she said, "I'm from Linlan."
Driver: "Hey, Linlan! Linlan is great, it has mountains and rivers, and the scenery is beautiful."
Fu Xianyin smiled slightly and said nothing more.
The driver chatted with her the whole way.
From Beijing's natural attractions to its current social and cultural aspects, Fu Xianyin only needed to respond with a few "uh-huhs" and the driver would be able to muster the energy to continue talking.
When they arrived at the hotel, the car stopped at the entrance, and Fu Xianyin thanked the driver, who was all smiles.
Back at the hotel, Fu Xianyin took a shower, changed into her pajamas, and then took the charging cable to charge her phone.
After the phone was turned on, messages started popping up one after another.
The first thing that came to mind was news about Gu Linzhao.
He asked her if she had arrived yet.
Fu Xianyin opened the chat box and replied with two words: [Arrived.]
The reply came almost instantly: [Just arrived?]
Fu Xianyin: [I've been here for a while, just plugged my phone in to charge.]
Two seconds later, she received a voice message.
Fu Xianyin answered the call, put the receiver to her ear, and heard a sarcastic remark tinged with amusement:
"Our role model! The first thing he did when he got back wasn't to charge his phone."
Fu Xianyin couldn't help but smile, her eyes crinkling into a smile.
The two chatted casually about other things. Gu Linzhao had other work to do, and after reminding her to eat lunch, he disappeared.
Fu Xianyin stared at the last message in the chat box until her phone automatically locked the screen, reflecting her somewhat absent-minded face.
Gu Linzhao didn't press her any further.
Perhaps what the hotel had said earlier was enough, or perhaps he had already sensed that Fu Xianyin's attitude was beginning to soften.
In short, the moment Fu Xianyin stepped out of the room, Gu Linzhao seemed to have completely forgotten what had happened inside.
Fu Xianyin sometimes even felt disoriented, wondering if those dozen or so hours in the room had actually happened.
Or was it all just her illusion?
They didn't kiss, they didn't make love, Gu Linzhao didn't stop her from leaving, and he didn't force her to say anything.
He didn't seriously tell her that he loved her.
She didn't sit on the edge of the bed and cry uncontrollably.
Fu Xianyin put down her phone, ran to the mirror, pulled open her collar, and looked at the ambiguous marks on her skin.
It's as if only in this way can they prove that everything actually happened.
The hotel suite had a small balcony, and the ground was covered with a layer of snow.
Fu Xianyin sat down on the balcony, staring at the snow outside the window that had not yet begun to melt.
The memory gradually became clearer.
Last night's, and...
Just now.
Fu Xianyin needs time—time to make a choice, and time to calm herself down.
Gu Linzhao understood this clearly; it seemed he had only pushed her to the crossroads.
But he didn't insist on which way to go.
Fu Xianyin originally thought he would insist that she stay.
But it didn't happen.
Gu Linzhao simply grabbed her wrist before she was about to leave and said to her:
"Don't leave without a word this time."
Fu Xianyin's eyes were still red. She turned her face, her eyes glistening with tears, and smiled, saying, "Is this the last chance you're giving me?"
Gu Linzhao's expression seemed to contain a hint of bitterness.
But it was fleeting.
He simply smiled and said, "It's mine."
"This is the last chance I've earned for myself."
Fu Xianyin stayed in the hotel for three days.
When I'm hungry, I just ask the waiter to bring me something; when I'm sleepy, I just collapse onto the bed and fall asleep.
She hadn't lived such a muddled life in a long time.
Without any routine, it can't even be considered "life".
They can only be considered to be surviving.
Her body was a mess, but Fu Xianyin felt that her mind had never been as clear as it was now.
On the fourth day, Fu Xianyin woke up very early.
The genius was just beginning to awaken; she opened her eyes at the crack of dawn.
She took a shower, put on makeup, went downstairs to eat, and even carefully considered which clothes to wear.
Then at 8:30, Fu Xianyin went out.
She first went to the mall, which had just opened, and she was practically the first customer.
The sales assistant greeted her warmly and asked if there was anything she wanted to see that day.
Fu Xianyin said, "I'd like to see the diamond ring."
Then she added, "It's a couple's set, for proposals."
The sales assistant paused for a moment, then asked, "Is it you...?"
Fu Xianyin nodded and said, "It was I who proposed."
It's a rather unusual request.
However, the sales assistant quickly realized what was going on. She led Fu Xianyin around to look at several men's rings and then asked, "What about the size? Do you have any requirements?"
Fu Xianyin was stunned for a moment.
size.
She had never even considered the issue of needing a ring size.
She said, "Are there any... one-size-fits-all or anything like that?"
The sales assistant said, "Yes, but..."
Before she could finish speaking, Fu Xianyin interrupted her: "Then let me take a look."
Fu Xianyin said, "I'm in a bit of a hurry; I need it today."
She ultimately chose a ring that leaned towards a simple design.
The ring face is wide and angular, with an overall understated and elegant design, featuring only a single, not-too-ostentatious diamond in the center.
In less than twenty minutes, Fu Xianyin swiped her card and paid for a pair of wedding rings.
After leaving the mall, Fu Xianyin went to the flower shop.
The same opening line is used every time someone enters:
"Hello, do you have bouquets for marriage proposals?"
The clerk paused for a moment, then said, "Yes, we do, but you need to make a reservation in advance."
Fu Xianyin asked, "What about extra money?"
She said, "Sorry, I'm in a bit of a hurry. I need it today. Price is not an issue."
The phrase "price is not a problem" seemed too casually uttered by her. The shop assistant glanced at her and said, "Please wait a moment, I'll go ask the boss."
In business, no one can resist the phrase "price is not a problem".
Making a bouquet is more time-consuming than buying a ring. Fu Xianyin doesn't know much about flowers. Her few previous experiences buying flowers were either when Zhao Wei saw some pretty flowers in the supermarket and gave them to her directly, or when she saw Lin Yujing and bought the flowers she liked.
The shop assistant asked her what type of flowers she wanted.
Seeing that Fu Xianyin had no idea what to do, the shop assistant offered some suggestions: "Are you proposing to your husband? Then I think red roses are a great choice. They symbolize passionate love, which suits you very well."
Fu Xianyin glanced at the bright red roses, smiled, and said, "It doesn't seem quite right."
Looking at the words and pictures posted on the wall, she suddenly said, "Could you wrap up a bunch of lilies of the valley for me?"
It seemed that not many people would choose to propose with lily of the valley. The shop assistant hesitated for a moment, then said, "That's fine."
The lily of the valley alone was a bit monotonous, so the shop assistant also packed some freesias and tulips for Fu Xianyin. Finally, fearing the colors would be too plain, they added a few champagne roses.
The bouquet wasn't very large; Fu Xianyin could just hold it in one hand.
It was already afternoon when I left the flower shop.
She went directly to Xingfan Technology.
The work card had already been returned to Lu Heyu, and Fu Xianyin couldn't get through the access control at the entrance, so she had to send Lu Heyu a message asking if he could come down and pick her up.
Lu Heyu was stunned when he saw Fu Xianyin.
He brought Fu Xianyin into the company, and his first words were: "Teacher Fu, is there any unresolved issue with the project?"
Fu Xianyin shook her head and said, "No."
She paused, then added, "I'm looking for Gu Linzhao. Is he at the company now?"
Lu Heyu said, "Yes, I'll take you there."
He led Fu Xianyin all the way to the door of Gu Linzhao's office.
A thick wooden door stood in front of Fu Xianyin. Lu Heyu, being extremely perceptive, led Fu Xianyin over and then left.
It was clearly the result of careful consideration.
But the moment she stood in front of the door, Fu Xianyin couldn't help but feel a little nervous.
My heart was pounding like a drum.
Fu Xianyin took a deep breath, then raised her hand and knocked on the door.
A brief voice came from inside the door: "Come in."
Fu Xianyin pressed the doorknob and went inside.
Unexpectedly, Hu Chengcheng and another unfamiliar face were standing in front of Gu Linzhao's desk.
It seems she wanted to report some work to him.
The moment the door was opened, all three people inside turned to look outside.
Upon seeing Fu Xianyin, all three of them simultaneously focused their gaze on the bouquet of flowers in her hand.
Fu Xianyin's mind went blank for a moment.
She never expected that there would be someone else in Gu Linzhao's office.
On her way to Xingfan Technology, she rehearsed what she should say when she saw Gu Linzhao, how she should confess to him, under what pretext she should give him the bouquet of flowers, and whether she should kneel down on one knee and put the ring on Gu Linzhao's finger when she tells him she plans to propose.
However, to everyone's surprise, there were other people in the office.
It's like a secret affair being discovered, or an office romance being exposed to the world.
She wasn't even a formal employee of Xingfan Technology.
But for some reason, an unspeakable, secret feeling began to spread in Fu Xianyin's heart.
Hu Chengcheng was the first to react.
Perhaps because she had reached this level and seen all sorts of storms, or perhaps she had suppressed her shock and doubts. In any case, she simply nodded slightly to Fu Xianyin and called out, "Teacher Fu."
Fu Xianyin smiled and said, "Manager Hu."
Another person seemed to only now realize who she was, and exclaimed in sudden realization, "This is Teacher Fu! I've heard so much about you!"
Fu Xianyin could barely maintain her smile.
For some reason, she seemed to see a hint of schadenfreude in Gu Linzhao's expression.
Fu Xianyin tightened her grip on the flowers slightly and glared at him.
Her subtle actions were noticed by both Hu Chengcheng and another manager.
Hu Chengcheng knew some of the inside story, so she wasn't too shocked by it.
The other one was no longer in pain.
His gaze lingered on the two of them for a long time before Hu Chengcheng gently tugged at his sleeve, bringing him back to his senses.
Hu Chengcheng said, "Thank you, Mr. Gu. I will pass on the notification."
The other person quickly came to their senses, said a few words, and was pulled out of the office by Hu Chengcheng.
Fu Xianyin caught a glimpse of the person outside the office asking Hu Chengcheng curiously.
Then Hu Chengcheng closed the office door.
All sound was shut out; the office was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.
The bouquet in her hand was still covered with fresh dew, which dripped down the petals and landed on the back of Fu Xianyin's hand. The cool touch brought her back to her senses.
She looked up and saw Gu Linzhao looking at her with a half-smile.
His voice held a teasing chuckle: "Why did you bring flowers?"
All the mental preparation I had made on the way here collapsed at this moment.
All the drafts and prepared words vanished from Fu Xianyin's mind in that instant.
She opened her mouth and said, "Aren't we leaving? I'm saying goodbye."
As soon as he finished speaking, the man's face visibly darkened.
The smile vanished completely, and even the glimmer of light in her eyes seemed to have been extinguished.
This is a joke.
Fu Xianyin should have found it funny.
But when she met Gu Linzhao's eyes, which were as still as a deep pool, she couldn't manage a smile.
She sighed and said, "Just kidding."
"I will definitely leave. I haven't graduated yet, so I need to finish my PhD first."
“But,” she said, taking two steps forward while holding the flowers, “the flowers weren’t bought for that.”
Gu Linzhao's voice was devoid of emotion: "What are flowers for?"
Fu Xianyin remained silent.
The word "proposal" lingered on her tongue, but somehow she just couldn't bring herself to say it.
Even though she had already bought the flowers and taken the ring, when facing the sales assistant, she rattled off "I'm going to propose to someone" more smoothly than anyone else.
Why did she lose all composure when it came to Gu Linzhao?
Suddenly, a soft, shallow sigh reached my ears.
Gu Linzhao's voice was very soft, as if it could be blown away by the wind.
But it clearly penetrated into Fu Xianyin's ears.
He said, "Fu Xianyin, stop playing tricks on me."
"What do you want to say? What do you want to do?"
"It will be all right."
My heart felt like it was being gripped by a giant hand.
Fu Xianyin's chest heaved violently a few times. She spoke, her voice tinged with panic: "Then...then will you agree?"
Gu Linzhao tilted his head, seemingly finding it somewhat absurd. He curved his lips into a smile and laughed.
His eyes were indeed filled with a gentle sorrow.
He said, "If I don't agree, will you not do it?"
Fu Xianyin was about to speak when he interrupted her.
He said, "I won't disagree."
"Fu Xianyin, I will not disagree with whatever you want to do."
"Then I'll take that as a yes."
Fu Xianyin walked up to him and shoved the bouquet of flowers into his arms without saying a word.
She frantically rummaged through the room and found the ring.
The diamonds on the ring sparkled under the light.
Gu Linzhao felt his breath catch for a moment.
He looked at Fu Xianyin in disbelief, only to find that her hand holding the ring was trembling, trembling continuously.
He was so shaky that he couldn't even give him the ring.
"I... I've thought about it for a long time." Fu Xianyin began, her voice not yet fully steady, before she impatiently said, "I really have thought about it for a long time. Including just now, I've been thinking about it."
"I haven't graduated yet, and I definitely need to go back to school, but after I graduate..."
She was almost incoherent.
Her hands were trembling so badly that it seemed she wouldn't be able to give the ring away anytime soon. Fu Xianyin clutched the ring in her palm, the sharp edges pressing against the flesh of her hand.
She said, "Gu Linzhao, I want to marry you."
It took her six years to realize that it's perfectly fine to live alone for the rest of her life.
It took her three days to discover that if Gu Linzhao could be with her...
It will be better.
"I don't know how to make you trust me. I'm thinking, maybe marriage, which would tie us together, would make you feel more at ease with me?"
"That's what I originally thought: flowers are for the proposal, and this ring is for the proposal too. But just now I suddenly started thinking, maybe..."
Her voice was a little hoarse, but she still finished speaking: "Could it be that you don't actually want to marry me? Dating and marriage are two different things, I know that."
“But I still told you, I’m not forcing you, I just want to tell you that I’m willing to marry you. I’m willing to spend my life with you, I’m willing to be with you. This is my wish, just my wish. I was afraid you wouldn’t believe me if I just said it, so I’m bringing up marriage.”
"Just like confessing your feelings is about expressing your emotions, not about seeking any outcome."
Fu Xianyin raised her head, looked into Gu Linzhao's eyes, and her voice was choked with sobs.
She said, "When I say marriage, it's the same."
The fist that had been thrust in was held back.
The ring fell out of her palm. Fu Xianyin tried to grab it, but she was too late and missed.
The ring was held in Gu Linzhao's hand.
He stared at the ring for a long time. Then he raised his hand and put the ring on his own finger.
"Don't you have one?" he suddenly said. "Wedding rings aren't something you only have one of each kind."
Fu Xianyin pulled out another ring. She stretched out her finger to put it on, but her fingertip slipped, and the ring fell into Gu Linzhao's hand.
He took her hand and gently slipped the other ring onto her ring finger.
The cool ring gradually warmed up with body heat at the base of my finger.
Fu Xianyin stared blankly at the ring on her finger, then suddenly smiled.
A soft voice came from Gu Linzhao's ear, sounding like a sigh, or perhaps a sigh of satisfaction.
"My wish has come true."
Whose wish will be fulfilled?
It's hard to say.
[Author's Note]
Yinyin had a very difficult few years after arriving in the United States. She had to try very hard to tell herself that she could actually survive without Gu Linzhao.
She spent a long time healing herself, telling herself that she could still live well on her own.
Later in her life in the United States, she was indeed single, going to school, studying, working, and living mostly on her own, and she did quite well.
However, this process took a long time, six years in total.
It only took me three days to convince myself that everything would be better if I could be with Gu Linzhao.
People express love in different ways.
This is perhaps how Yin Yin expresses her love.
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