Chapter 197 The Ring of Life
The woodcarving exhibition was held in an art gallery in the city center. Soft light shone across the diverse sculptures, and the air was filled with the faint aroma of wood. Si Zhui examined them intently, pointing to a figurine depicting two cuddling deer. His eyes sparkled as he said to Lin Yan, "Brother Lin, this is so cute!"
Lin Yan followed his gaze, a faint smile on his lips: "Like it?"
"Yeah!" Si Zhui nodded vigorously. "They leaned against each other, looking very at ease."
Lin Yan said nothing, quietly noting down the name of the figurine's creator. He stared at Si Zhui's focused profile, the sunlight falling on his long eyelashes, casting a faint shadow. The anticipation and nervousness in his heart surged up again.
After leaving the art gallery, Lin Yan held Si Zhui's hand and walked slowly along the street. The autumn wind blew up fallen leaves, swirling them to the ground, as if paving the way for the upcoming confession.
"Brother Lin, where are we going?" Si Zhui felt sweet in his heart as he held his hand, but also a little curious.
"You'll know when you get there." Lin Yan smiled and rubbed his hair, his fingertips inadvertently brushing across his earlobe with a barely perceptible tremor.
They finally stopped at the door of a jewelry store that looked a bit old. The store was small, and there was a wind chime hanging at the door, which made a crisp sound when the wind blew through it. Si Zhui was stunned for a moment: "What are you doing here?"
"You'll know if you go in and take a look." Lin Yan pulled him in.
The shop owner was a kind old lady. When she saw them come in, she smiled and said hello: "Young men, what would you like to see?"
Lin Yan didn't look at anything else and said directly to the old lady: "Please take out the things I ordered before."
The old lady's eyes lit up, and she quickly turned to get something from the inner room. Sizhui stood there, his heart pounding like a little rabbit. He had a vague guess, but he wasn't sure, and his cheeks were slightly hot.
Soon, the old lady came out with an exquisite velvet box and handed it to Lin Yan. Lin Yan took a deep breath, turned around, faced Si Zhui, and slowly opened the box.
Inside the box lay two rings, simple and elegant in design, their platinum bands gleaming softly under the light. Sizhui's gaze fell on the inside of one of the rings, where two small characters were engraved: "Sizhui."
His heart skipped a beat and his breath stopped instantly. He looked at Lin Yan in disbelief and his lips moved, but no sound came out.
"Si Zhui," Lin Yan's voice was slightly nervous, yet extremely serious. "I know you're only eighteen and not yet of legal marriage age. But I want to get engaged to you first."
Si Zhui's tears fell without warning, like beads that had broken off the string.
"I know you sometimes feel uneasy and afraid that I will leave." Lin Yan reached out and gently wiped away the tears on his face, his fingertips were hot. "This ring is my promise. It may not solve all problems, but I want you to know that I am not saying this on a whim or casually."
"I want you to be at ease. I want you to know that you are in every future I have planned." He picked up the ring engraved with "Si Zhui" and carefully took Si Zhui's left hand. "When you are old enough, we will get the marriage certificate, okay?"
Si Zhui looked into his serious eyes, saw the tenderness and determination in them, listened to his words that touched her heart, and her tears fell even harder. However, she nodded desperately, choking and unable to utter a complete sentence: "Okay... Brother Lin... I do..."
Lin Yan smiled, the tension in his eyes instantly dissipating, leaving only an inextricable tenderness. He gently slipped the ring onto Si Zhui's ring finger, the size being just right. Then, he picked up another ring engraved with "Lin Yan" and handed it to Si Zhui: "Put it on me, okay?"
Si Zhui sniffed, and with trembling hands, he picked up the ring and carefully placed it on Lin Yan's ring finger. The cold metal pressed against his skin, yet it felt as if a warm current flowed through his blood vessels to his heart, burning his eyes red.
The old lady watched from the side, smiled and clapped her hands: "Great, great, they look like a perfect match."
Lin Yan took Si Zhui's hand. The two rings shone in the light, like two hearts nestled together. He lowered his head and gently kissed Si Zhui's forehead. His voice was so gentle that it could drip water: "From now on, you don't have to be afraid anymore."
Si Zhui leaned in his arms, feeling his steady heartbeat, holding the ring tightly in his hand. Tears were still falling, but a big smile appeared on the corner of his mouth.
It turns out that a sense of security is not a voice recorder, nor is it constant companionship. It is the person who is willing to commit his or her whole life to you, the ring on your ring finger, and the words "You are in all the future I plan for."
The autumn wind blew in from the store door, carrying the fragrance of osmanthus, and the wind chimes made crisp sounds, as if blessing them.
Si Zhui said quietly in his heart: Brother Lin, thank you.
Thank you for making me the person you want to spend your life with.
No matter how many storms there are on the road ahead, I will hold your hand and keep walking with you.
Forever.
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