Chapter 56 The Mysterious Delivery
For Su Nian, York used all his free time to rush the work, and the lights in the studio were on until the early morning for several weeks in a row.
He repeatedly polished every detail, even redesigning the mold three times to make the rose lines of the ring face smoother. Finally, just before the Spring Festival, an international express delivery with an airmail label arrived at the bookstore across the ocean.
Su Nian was wiping glasses at the bar, steam swirling under the warm light. When Li Li approached, shaking the box with the golden logo, his fingertips suddenly tightened around the glass, and drops of water slid down the wall and fell onto his palm.
In his haste, the cup clanged against the stainless steel sink with a resounding clatter. He practically stumbled forward, his knuckles white from exertion, and snatched the box from Li Li's hand. His eagerness was as if he were grasping not a package but a dream that could vanish at any moment.
Li Li was dragged back half a step, raising her eyebrows in amazement: "Such a treasure?" The only response she got was Su Nian's panicked back - the man was holding the box, rushing up the wooden stairs in two steps, and each step shook the chandelier on the ceiling slightly.
"Hey? What's wrong, boss?" Lin Xiaoyu came out from the children's reading area with a lollipop in her mouth, the candy wrapper making a rustling sound between her teeth.
She stood on tiptoe, looking at the corner of the stairs, her pink ponytail swaying gently with her movements. Tang Tang poked her head out from behind the bookshelf, her hair still stained with gold powder from the bookmark. She took Li Li's arm and said coquettishly, "Li Li, what is that package? Could it be..."
Li Li pulled her arm free and tapped the tips of their noses one by one. "Little Greedy Cat and Little Gossip, what time is it? If you don't go home soon, dinner will become a midnight snack."
Before she could finish her words, Lin Xiaoyu's phone suddenly vibrated. She stared at the "Mother" flashing on the screen, her candy crunching between her teeth, her face turning pale.
"It's over, it's over!" She jumped on the spot, turning the phone over and over in her palm, "My mom asked me to hang up my down jacket and defrost the lamb chops, but I forgot everything!" The moment the screen lit up, Li Li and Tang Tang both burst out laughing.
The lion's roar from the receiver shocked Lin Xiaoyu so much that she bent down and shrank her neck. She responded with "hmm" while secretly rolling her eyes at her friends.
"Hahahaha" Li Li and Tang Tang finally couldn't hold back their laughter anymore after hanging up the phone. Lin Xiaoyu looked at the two people in front of her with some resentment, and suddenly her eyes lit up.
"Tang Tang, help!" Lin Xiaoyu suddenly grabbed her bestie's wrist, like a drowning person grabbing a piece of driftwood, "Since there's no one at your house, come sleep at my house tonight! Cover for me!" Without waiting for Tang Tang to resist, she dragged her towards the store door.
The glass doorbell rang, and Tang Tang's cry for help mixed with the cold wind rushed in: "Li! Li! Help me—"
Li Li waved sympathetically at Tang Tang, turned around and went to tidy up the bar, not taking the matter to heart at all.
The noise downstairs seemed a world away. Su Nian locked the door and knelt on the light gray carpeted floor. The sound of scissors cutting through the tape was especially clear in the silence. As she peeled back the layers of shock-absorbing bubble wrap, the red velvet box revealed a uniquely cold, exotic fragrance.
The moment the box's lid was opened, two rings lay quietly in the velvet grooves under the warm yellow light. "LS" was engraved on the inside of the larger ring, and "SN" on the smaller. When the two rings were placed together, the letters transformed into intertwined rose vines, and even the diamonds were placed in the perfect position to form the pistil.
His trembling fingertips brushed the ring face, his fingertips clearly feeling the matte texture of the metal surface. His heart was beating violently in his chest, as if it was about to break through the restraints of his ribs.
It wasn't until a familiar male voice came from downstairs: "Li Li, is Su Nian upstairs?" The voice suddenly brought him back to his senses. In a panic, he stuffed the box into his pocket and kicked it under the bed. After adjusting his shirt collar, he took a deep breath and pretended to walk downstairs calmly.
Ling Shen, wearing a black cashmere coat, was standing at the bar and talking to Li Li who had just finished tidying up. When he saw Su Nian coming down, he took a few steps forward and held Su Nian's hand.
Ling Shen stood by the French window, his tall figure outlined by his black cashmere coat. When he turned, his gaze was as gentle as melted caramel. As Su Nian reached the last step, she was enveloped by an embrace wrapped in the scent of cedar.
He gently stroked the back of Su Nian's hand with his thumb and asked in a low voice, "What are you busy with? Why did you take so long to come down?"
Su Nian looked up into those eyes filled with smiles, his Adam's apple rolling as he swallowed back his nervousness. "Nothing... nothing, it's just..." He subconsciously pressed his pocket, feeling the warmth of the box's edges seeping into his skin through the fabric. "You can go now."
Ling Shen had a gentle smile on his lips as he gently put on the dark grey coat for Su Nian. His fingertips paused slightly at the collar before he carefully buttoned it.
Then she picked up the navy blue scarf and slowly wrapped it around Su Nian's neck, circle after circle, with gentle and focused movements, as if she was weaving a warm love.
The two ends of the scarf fell on Su Nian's chest. Ling Shen reached out and tidied them neatly. Then he took Su Nian's hand with satisfaction and prepared to walk out the door.
At this moment, Su Nian suddenly stopped, turned around, and his eyes fell on Li Li who was taking off her apron.
There was a gentle smile in his eyes, and his tone was light and sincere: "There is a New Year gift for you in the utility room. We will be on holiday starting tomorrow. Have a good New Year, and see you next year." His voice was not loud, but it was like the warm sun in winter, warming people's hearts.
Li Li paused as she untied her apron, then looked up in surprise as the two walked away together. A flicker of surprise flashed across her eyes, then slowly turned into a touch of emotion.
In that small utility room, several beautifully packaged boxes were neatly stacked against the wall.
In the top gift box is a set of expensive skin care products. The bottles reflect a soft luster, and you can tell at a glance that they are carefully selected; in the boxes next to it are various nutritional products prepared for her family, from calcium supplements to tonics, with a full range of types; in the corner, there is also a full box of canned cat food, printed with cute cartoon patterns, which is a gift for the naughty kitten in her family.
"Really? It's New Year's Day and it makes me cry." Li Li complained in a low voice, but her eyes gradually turned red, and the corners of her mouth rose uncontrollably, blooming into an extremely happy smile.
She gently wiped the corners of her eyes with the back of her hand, and couldn't help but look at the pile of gifts, her heart filled with emotion and warmth.
Ling Shen sat in the driver's seat, started the car and slowly drove out. Along the way, his eyes would occasionally glance at Su Nian in the passenger seat.
He had walked this familiar road countless times, leaving his mark at every bend and every traffic light. But this time, Ling Shen felt it was of extraordinary significance.
The atmosphere inside the car is warm and quiet, with only a slight engine sound and occasional wind noise.
Ling Shen tightened and loosened his grip on the steering wheel, his inner anticipation surging like the rising tide.
He knew that this time, he would bring the one he loved to meet his family. They would become a new family and create beautiful memories together in that place full of love.
Meanwhile, Su Nian sat quietly in the passenger seat, his hands unconsciously touching the box in his pocket from time to time. The box was small, but it felt like it weighed a thousand pounds, weighing down his heart as well.
His fingertips gently stroked the edge of the box through the cloth. The tension and anticipation in his heart were like intertwined silk threads, becoming tighter and tighter, slowly reaching the peak.
He took a deep breath and exhaled slowly, looking at the scenery rapidly receding outside the car window, and the corners of his mouth unconsciously rose slightly.
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