Volume One, Chapter 33: The Gift

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Lin Chen had never intended to buy flowers.

But on his way home, he suddenly remembered a joke he had seen online: hide flowers in the trunk, trick your girlfriend into opening it, and then seize the opportunity to propose.

The idea had come so suddenly that there was no time to prepare a trunkful of flowers, so he asked the florist to put together a bouquet of roses instead.

Xu Mi stared blankly at the roses before her. Almost instantly, tears welled up in her eyes.

Lin Chen panicked. “Oh no, sweetheart, what’s wrong? Don’t cry! If you don’t like them, I won’t give you flowers again, all right?”

Then he realized something was wrong. “Wait, are you allergic to roses? Oh no, this is bad! Do you feel uncomfortable anywhere?”

“It’s all my fault. I should have asked first! I’m sorry—please don’t cry. Seeing you cry is breaking my heart!”

As he spoke, he hurried out of the car and rushed over.

He had just reached out to put his arms around Xu Mi when she suddenly threw herself at him and hugged him tightly.

Lin Chen froze completely.

This was the first time she had ever taken the initiative like this!

“You idiot… You big idiot!”

Clinging to him, Xu Mi pounded his chest with her delicate fists. “Why are you such an idiot? Why are you so good to me?”

She was nothing but a useless invalid who had been sick for so long.

She was nearly twenty years older than him.

He could easily find someone better…

So why was he still treating her so well?

Only then did Lin Chen understand why she had suddenly become so forward, and he could not help laughing.

He caught her fist and said gently, “Silly wife, you’re my wife. If I’m not good to you, then who should I be good to?”

“Besides, in my heart, you’re the most perfect woman in the world. Being able to marry you is a blessing earned over three lifetimes, so of course I have to treat you well!”

“What if you ran away otherwise?”

With that, he tenderly wiped away her tears and said heartbrokenly, “All right, all right, don’t cry. Anyone who didn’t know better would think I had bullied you!”

“You’re already this moved over a bouquet of flowers. What would happen if you saw the gift hidden inside?”

Xu Mi blinked. “There’s a gift too?”

“Of course!” Lin Chen laughed. “This is the first time I’ve ever given you a gift. How could a bouquet alone be enough?”

“Don’t cry anymore. Go see the gift I prepared and tell me whether you like it.”

A hint of anticipation rose in Xu Mi’s eyes as she took the bouquet.

Sure enough, at its very center sat a small red velvet box.

“Open it!” Lin Chen urged, even more excited than she was.

Xu Mi swallowed, picked up the box, and slowly opened it.

Inside was a palm-sized teddy bear.

And the crown atop the bear’s head was actually a ring!

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“Sweetheart, I’m sorry…”

Lin Chen scratched the back of his head. “I should have bought you a diamond ring. After all, we got married without a proper proposal, and I’ve made you feel deprived.”

“But I’ve only just started working, and I don’t have much money yet, so I could only afford this lab-grown diamond. You’ll have to make do with wearing it for now.”

“Once I get paid, I’ll take you to buy a bigger one!”

Then, feeling a little embarrassed himself, he added, “Actually, no—a salary of twelve thousand won’t be enough for a bigger one. We’ll buy a gold ring first, and when my year-end bonus comes in, we’ll go buy one as big as a pigeon’s egg!”

Lin Chen continued rambling, but Xu Mi had already slipped the ring onto her finger.

The ring had an adjustable opening, so with a slight adjustment, it fit perfectly.

“Does it look nice?”

Xu Mi spread out her hand and held it beside her face. Her eyes shone brilliantly.

The ring was somewhat rough. Its eighteen-karat gold band was set with several tiny, colorful lab-grown diamonds, and under ordinary circumstances, it would have been extremely inconspicuous.

But now, beneath the dim yellow streetlights, resting on Xu Mi’s slender finger and paired with the smile on her face, it became a breathtaking work of art.

Lin Chen stared at her, dazed, then nodded blankly. “It looks beautiful! Absolutely beautiful!”

Xu Mi’s smile grew even sweeter. “I think it’s beautiful too. You have such good taste!”

“I meant you look beautiful.” Lin Chen came back to himself and spoke from the heart. “The ring itself is actually quite ordinary, but once you wear it, it becomes a priceless treasure.”

Xu Mi’s face flushed again. Shy and bashful, she murmured, “You’re awful!”

As she spoke, her body swayed, and she nearly fell.

After all, she had been standing for quite a while, and the emotional upheaval had left her unable to hold out much longer.

Lin Chen hurriedly caught her. “Sweetheart, what’s wrong?”

“I’m fine. I’m just a little tired.”

Xu Mi sounded regretful. “It looks like we can’t go for a drive tonight.”

“Then we’ll go home. We can take a drive anytime.”

Lin Chen swept her into his arms. “We have our whole lives ahead of us!”

Xu Mi’s face reddened again. She wanted to get down, but she had no strength left, so all she could say was, “My flowers…”

Only after Lin Chen placed the large bouquet of roses in her arms was she satisfied.

They made their way home.

Lin Chen carried Xu Mi, while Xu Mi carried the enormous bouquet of roses. The sight was so eye-catching that passersby turned to stare.

Xu Mi blushed again. “Maybe… you should put me down and let me walk. Aren’t you tired?”

“Of course I’m not tired!” Lin Chen declared with complete conviction. “You’re so light, sweetheart. Carrying you takes no effort at all!”

“And besides, have you forgotten? I have an eight-pack.”

That might have been harmless enough had he not said it. But the moment he did, Xu Mi immediately remembered the things Lin Chen had said to her before.

Such as how he could go several times in one night…

Her face grew even hotter, and she quietly buried it against Lin Chen’s chest.

Then she discovered something.

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Whether he really had an eight-pack was still unknown.

But those pectoral muscles…

He had certainly trained them well!

Xu Mi had already fallen asleep before they reached home.

Lin Chen carefully laid her on the bed, then brought over some warm water to wash and massage her feet.

By the time he had finished everything, both his arms were so sore that he could barely lift them.

But when he looked at Xu Mi’s sweet sleeping face, he felt that every bit of it had been worthwhile.

For his beloved wife, he would give it everything he had!!!

…

That night, as usual, Xu Mi nestled in Lin Chen’s arms and slept exceptionally peacefully.

The next morning.

Lin Chen rose early and took apart the large bouquet of roses from the day before, arranging them in two separate vases.

One red and one white, they complemented each other beautifully.

When Xu Mi woke up and saw the roses in full bloom, her mood immediately brightened.

After breakfast, Lin Chen prepared to leave for work.

Xu Mi suddenly called out, “Wait!”

“Hm?” Lin Chen turned around in surprise. “Sweetheart, what is it?”

Xu Mi said nothing. Instead, she slowly rose from her wheelchair and walked step by step toward Lin Chen.

Then she went up on tiptoe and pressed a kiss to his cheek.

Lin Chen turned completely to stone.

This was the first time Xu Mi had ever taken the initiative like this!

“Sweetheart…”

Before Lin Chen could finish speaking, she pushed him out the front door.

Then, with a bang, the door shut in his face.

Xu Mi’s shy voice came from inside. “You should go to work now!”

Lin Chen panicked. “Wait, open the door first…”

“No!”

Xu Mi shook her head.

That single kiss had exhausted all her courage. At that moment, she simply did not dare face Lin Chen.

Lin Chen, however, began to howl in despair. “But, sweetheart, I’m still wearing my slippers! Open the door and let me change my shoes first!!!”

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