Time flew by, and it was soon the day to depart for Taichuan City.
Early that morning, after Huo Rou had people load the guzheng, she did something unprecedented: she went into the kitchen.
"Why did you come in?" Qin Ningyi raised his eyebrows, holding a spatula. "If you're hungry, there's some congee over there you can have first."
These days, whenever Qin Ningyi had free time, he would make breakfast for them. Today, he didn't have to go to work, so after his morning run, he had immediately busied himself in the kitchen.
Huo Rou smiled and shook her head. "No."
She fiddled with the item in her hand, feeling a strange nervousness for some reason. After finally finding an opportunity to go out and have it polished, she found herself hesitating at this moment.
She blinked and casually glanced around. The inexplicable nervousness made her miss the sight of An An slowly shuffling into the kitchen from outside the door.
"Hmm?" Qin Ningyi adjusted the seasoning, put the lid on the pot, and walked over. "What's wrong?"
He could see Huo Rou's flickering, uncertain eyes, a rare sight.
Qin Ningyi placed his large hand behind her waist, gently encircling her, and gestured for An An to be quiet.
An An could no longer contain his smile. He covered his mouth and nodded vigorously.
From behind Huo Rou, he could see her tightly clenched fist, from which a section of a rope was visible.
This must be the surprise his mother had prepared for his father!
To think she was giving it to his father now. Their own birthday surprise plans weren't even ready yet.
An An felt both joy and worry.
Qin Ningyi gazed steadily into Huo Rou's eyes, not allowing her to look away, "What is it that's making you so hesitant?"
As he spoke, his Adam's apple bobbed, and the smile on his lips was just right.
She was about to meet his family, the light she had chased throughout her youth.
Huo Rou smiled, looking into his gentle eyes, and all her nervousness vanished. She felt enveloped in understanding and affection.
Just like when she had been so unusual in Ningzhong City, he had never demanded anything of her for it; instead, he had become even more attached to her.
"I want to..." She looked at Qin Ningyi's handsome phoenix eyes and extended her hand towards him. "Give you something."
Qin Ningyi looked at her palm. A pendant carved from white jade lay quietly in her hand.
It was a dragon, simply designed, yet with a long snout, sharp eyes, and a flowing mane. Its coiled body was like a hook, incredibly lifelike.
"A pendant?" Qin Ningyi looked up at her.
Huo Rou nodded.
Ancient times had a tradition of giving jade pendants as tokens of love. Her father had once given a jade pendant to her mother.
For most people, this might be an ordinary necklace, but for her, it carried the meaning of entrusting her lifelong happiness.
Qin Ningyi was about to reach out to take it when he noticed Huo Rou's unusually bright eyes.
His gaze flickered towards An An. To his surprise, An An made a gesture of putting on a ring.
A flicker of shock crossed Qin Ningyi's mind. So, his A Rou...
"You..." Huo Rou cleared her throat. "Will you wear it?"
She didn't imbue the action with any extra meaning. She knew what it meant.
To her surprise, Qin Ningyi directly bent down and brought his head closer to her. From his angle, he was looking up at Huo Rou slightly.
His gaze was so gentle and tender, overflowing with pure love.
"Of course." Qin Ningyi's voice was deep and very serious.
"I do."
These three words made Huo Rou's face instantly flush. She hadn't said anything, yet it felt as though he knew everything.
Huo Rou fumbled to hang the pendant around Qin Ningyi's neck. "What... you do? I'm just giving you a necklace..."
As she adjusted the length, Qin Ningyi suddenly pulled her into a tight embrace.
His A Rou! How could he not love her?
And Huo Rou was expressing her love for him in this way. Qin Ningyi couldn't control himself and kissed her lips.
In the kitchen filled with a sweet aroma.
He was also tasting his own dessert.
He swallowed Huo Rou's confusion. He didn't expose the fact that An An had already revealed everything.
The ring he had custom-ordered was almost finished. When they returned from Taichuan City, on Huo Rou's birthday...