Chapter 12: Butterfly Out of the Coil: Marriage First, Love Later

The cake is light pink in color, and the surface is made of buttercream into the shape of rose petals, like a rose blooming in his palm.

"So beautiful, thank you Mr. Shang." Girls are always irresistible to this kind of sweet food.

Pei Yuning took it, put it on the table, opened the outer packaging, and took a bite with a fork.

The cream was smooth and sweet, and the lychee pulp and rose petals blended together in her mouth. It was better than any lychee rose cream cake she had ever eaten before.

Shang Yanci sat upright and elegantly, but his eyes were always looking towards Pei Yuning: "How does it taste?"

"It's delicious." Pei Yuning asked, "Where did Mr. Shang buy it?"

Shang Yanci: "I made this last night because the lychees at home were fresh. If you like it, I'll make it for you next time."

Pei Yuning was a little surprised: "You can also make cupcakes?"

Shang Yanci: "My grandmother liked to eat it, so my grandfather learned to make it for her. Later, as time went by, I learned how to make it too."

"Your grandparents have a really good relationship." Pei Yuning has been a master of keeping things balanced since he was young, and he did not hesitate to praise him. "Mr. Shang is very talented in baking. The cake is delicious. I like it very much."

Shang Yanci looked at her frowning eyebrows, and the corners of his mouth curled up unconsciously: "They really have a good relationship."

Pei Yuning was eating a small cake, and she realized belatedly that Shang Yanci treated her a little differently today, but if she really wanted to know what was different, she couldn't tell exactly.

After finishing the cake, Pei Yuning covered it with the outer packaging and threw it away when she got off the car.

Leaning back in the seat, Pei Yuning remembered what Shang Yanci had said, that he had been abroad before, and that he came back this time to attend his younger brother's wedding. After the wedding, he might go abroad again.

She turned to look at Shang Yanci and asked, "How long do you plan to stay in Jingbei, Mr. Shang?"

Shang Yanci's eyes fell on the cream at the corner of her mouth, his amber eyes gradually deepened. He took out a handkerchief from his pocket and handed it to her, saying concisely: "Left, cream."

He lowered his long eyelashes and looked at the embroidered butterflies on her skirt.

The pattern on the butterfly wings was vivid, and the moment Pei Yuning took the handkerchief away——

The butterfly broke free from its cocoon and flew out from the hem of her skirt. Following the movements of her fingertips, it first landed in Shang Yanci's palm and finally flew into Shang Yanci's chest.

The butterfly's wings flutter gently, and the heart dances noisily.

Pei Yuning's ears turned slightly red as she wiped the cream off the screen of her phone. She was eating very carefully but still managed to get some cream on it.

This time it was a swallowtail green handkerchief, and Shang Yanci's name was embroidered on one corner of the handkerchief as usual. It seemed that he was a person with a strong possessiveness for the things that belonged to him.

She remembered that the sky-blue handkerchief Shang Yanci gave her on the night they first met was still in her handbag in her cloakroom, and she had forgotten to return it to him.

Pei Yuning: "Next time we meet, I will return both handkerchiefs to you."

"Okay." After hearing her words, Shang Yanci raised his eyes, looked at her again, and answered her question just now, "I have no plans to leave Jingbei for the time being."

"Hmm." Pei Yuning pinched the handkerchief, and her soft fingertips gently stroked the place where Shang Yanci's name was embroidered.

Shang Yanci watched the movements of her fingers, and tacitly stopped talking.

When they arrived at the restaurant, the two ordered the dishes in advance while in the car.

While waiting for the food, Pei Yuning said something to Shang Yanci, walked out of the box and called Pei Yanzhi.

The call was quickly connected, and a cold male voice came from the other end: "What's wrong? Ningning."

Pei Yuning: "Brother, go home and rest tonight. Grandma misses you. Let's have dinner with her. You've been very busy lately."

The special assistant quietly handed the tablet to the president.

Pei Yunzhi lowered his eyes to look at the to-do items on his tablet, pushed an online meeting and an invitation to a dinner, and promised her: "Well, I'll be back for dinner."

Pei Yuning: "Okay, it's already noon, brother, don't forget to eat."

Pei Yunzhi: "Yeah, I know."

The two chatted for a few more sentences, and before hanging up the phone, Pei Yunzhi said, "Ningning, you did a great job negotiating with the supplier in City Z."

Although my brother has always taught me to keep my emotions to myself at work and not let others know my true thoughts.

But at this moment, Pei Yuning could hardly conceal the smile on his face, because Pei Yunzhi rarely boasted at work.

Back in the private room, since the restaurant does not serve pre-prepared dishes, all ingredients are fresh and freshly made, so we have to wait a little longer.

Seeing Pei Yuning coming in, Shang Yanci turned off his cell phone and added some hot water to the cup in front of her that had already turned cold.

"Thank you." Pei Yuning noticed that he had just turned off his phone and said, "Mr. Shang, please do whatever you want. The food will take a while."

"Nothing." Shang Yanci asked, "This restaurant looks good. Does Miss Pei come here often?"

Pei Yuning: "I've been here a few times with my girlfriends. Their signature dishes are the golden pepper pine leaf crab and wasabi egg yolk shrimp. They taste very good. Mr. Shang, please try them later."

Shang Yanci: "Okay."

Pei Yuning also recommended some delicious restaurants that he had visited before. The two chatted for a while while the waiters brought the dishes to the table one by one.

"Eat some vegetables first to fill your stomach." Shang Yanci instructed, then opened the pear wine and poured a cup for Pei Yuning.

"Okay." Pei Yuning was impressed by his thoughtfulness and attentiveness, and his favorability towards Shang Yanci increased again.

However, she still has to wait until tomorrow at noon to completely break off the engagement with Shang Heng before she can formally pursue Shang Yanci.

Shang Yanci first tried the two dishes she recommended: "They are fresh and tender, really good."

After dinner, both of them were busy with their own things and separated naturally.

The driver first sent Pei Yuning to the downstairs of Pei Group, and then sent Shang Yanci back to Tan Jing Mansion.

Fu Siqi learned from her cousin that Shang Yanci had bought three sets of brocade silk with dragon, phoenix and lotus patterns, scrolls, gold ink, inkstone, ink pad, brocade box and heart knots in her studio that morning. These were the items needed for the "engagement letter, gift letter and welcoming letter" of the three books and six ceremonies at the time of marriage.

This friend of his is simply amazing! He didn't even chat with Miss Pei on WeChat last night in the lounge, but he started preparing wedding-related items this morning. This is the rhythm of getting married first and falling in love later!

Fu Siqi excitedly made a video call to inquire about the progress, but Shang Yanci hung up the call mercilessly and sent a message to inform him that he had something important to do and could not answer the call.

Fu Siqi wisely stopped disturbing her and waited for another two hours. After coaxing his daughter to sleep, he video-called Shang Yanci again. He was curious about what it would be like for such a serious, dignified and old-fashioned president to fall in love with someone.

The cell phone vibrated slightly. Shang Yanci was sorting out gift books in his study at the moment, carefully writing the items of betrothal gifts with gold ink and registering them in the book.

Putting down the brush in his hand for the moment, Shang Yanci answered Fu Siqi's video call and placed the phone screen upside down on the table: "What's the matter?"

Fu Siqi caught the flash of golden red just now and laughed, "Okay, Mr. Shang, the three letters have been written, have you asked someone to calculate the date? I have to prepare the gift for the meeting."

Shang Yanci looked at the dragon, phoenix and lotus pattern on the etiquette book and said calmly, "I just enjoy the process and don't force her to agree."

Fu Siqi stopped smiling. Shang Yanci meant that he had not proposed to Pei Yuning yet. He was just making these preparations to avoid the possibility that Pei Yuning would agree. When the time came, he would not rush to go through the formalities of marriage. After all, Pei Yuning was the girl he had secretly loved for five years.

Fu Siqi didn't know what to say to his friend. Didn't he worry about being disappointed?

"Everything depends on human efforts. The Lingyin Temple in H City is the most effective place for praying for a marriage. I've prayed there before with Shuying." Fu Siqi wanted to give him some psychological comfort.

After saying this, I remembered that Shang Yanci was a materialist who did not believe in gods or Buddhas but only believed in self-salvation.

Shang Yanci looked at the employment letter that had been dried by Jin Mo. Pei Yuning's name was written to the left of his name, and on the table next to him were three heart-shaped knots waiting to be tied.