When Han Wangwang was young, she had also fantasized about being proposed to when she grew up. She had imagined being proposed to in a romantic setting surrounded by roses and pink balloons, and she had also imagined being proposed to in a tall mountain by the river. But she didn’t expect that she would be formally proposed to on a boxing ring, on a boxing ring where Jiang Zhen had shed blood and tears.

  Such a proposal ceremony was even more touching than roses and flowers.

  It was said that love had a shelf life. During the shelf life, vows were all promises. After the shelf life, vows were all lies.

  But at this moment, Han Wangwang believed that Jiang Zhen’s words were 100% true.

  Han Wangwang was moved to tears. She reached out her left hand and said in a choked voice, “I do.”

  Hearing Han Wangwang’s affirmative answer, Jiang Zhen heaved a sigh of relief. He hugged Han Wangwang and waited for his heartbeat to gradually return to normal before putting the ring on Han Wangwang’s middle finger.

  After the proposal succeeded, the two of them took a shower, changed into clean clothes, and went on a date. After lunch, the two of them returned home. Lin Jiao’e saw the ring on Han Wangwang’s finger. She smiled and said, “You were proposed to?”

  Han Wangwang nodded with a red face and told her mother, “I said Yes.”

  Lin Jiao’e rolled her eyes. “You will definitely say Yes.” She held her daughter’s hand and sized up the ring carefully. She said, “This ring looks very expensive.”

  That diamond was a dazzling red diamond. It was two carats in size. As everyone knew, red diamonds were the rarest and most expensive diamond among all the colorful diamonds. It had been sold for 920,000 USD per carat in New York.

  The diamond ring on Han Wangwang’s hand was very valuable just in terms of diamonds. Moreover, Jiang Zhen had hired a world-renowned jewelry designer, Carlo, to design and make it. This made it even more meaningful.

  Han Wangwang guessed that this ring might be of extraordinary value. She suddenly felt that her hand was no longer her hand. She shivered even when she wore it. She said, “I better take it off. I often go out to collect evidence for my work. Don’t get into trouble because of a ring.”

  This was also what Lin Jiao’e cared about. When she saw this ring just now, she wanted to say this. But thinking that young girls liked to be beautiful and that Han Wangwang had just been proposed to, she planned to wait for Han Wangwang to calm down before reminding her.

  Seeing that Han Wangwang had also thought of this, Lin Jiao’e was relieved. “Take it off and wear it at home or out to play. Didn’t Jiang Zhen propose to you once in the past? Just wear that ring. It’s low-key.”

  Before Jiang Weimin’s accident, Jiang Zhen had gone to Nanxing City alone and left a ring for Han Wangwang. Han Wangwang had told Lin Jiao’e about this a few days ago.

  Hearing this, she nodded and said, “Alright.”

  Before lunch break, Han Wangwang told Jiang Zhen about this. “Jiang Zhen, from now on, I will wear the ring from before when I work. This ring must be very expensive. It’s not safe to wear it outside.”

  Jiang Zhen understood that Han Wangwang’s consideration was right and didn’t refuse. “It’s my fault for thinking otherwise. Let’s do as you say.”

  The two of them stayed in the Han Family for another night and returned the next morning.

  They boarded the flight back to Wangdong City before dawn. It was only 6.40am when the plane arrived at Wangdong Airport.

  Mai Yingge drove Jiang Zhen’s Maserati to fetch him. “Mr. Jiang! Lady Boss!” Mai Yingge stood beside the car and waved at Han Wangwang and the rest.

  Han Wangwang had already met Mai Yingge before and knew that this Miss Black Pearl was Jiang Zhen’s loyal subordinate. After observing her for a while and confirming that Mai Yingge had no feelings for Jiang Zhen, she was relieved.

  Han Wangwang was officially Jiang Zhen’s fiancée when she came back this time. She could also be called Lady Boss. After boarding the car, Han Wangwang gave Mai Yingge a box of sausages.

  The sausages were kept in a thermos container and could be eaten once opened.

  Mai Yingge ate a piece and bit a piece of pepper. She immediately stopped touching the second piece. Mai Yingge sent the two of them to the floor of Hongzheng Law Firm and went to the Blue Sea Law Firm opposite to look for Wei Xingxing.

  After Mai Yingge left, Jiang Zhen said to Han Wangwang, “You go to work first. I will send the things to Junjun. You can go to my house tonight. We will treat Junjun to a meal.”

  “Okay!”

  Lin Jiao’e and the rest prepared a lot of food for Han Junjun. Han Wangwang was a worker and had to work, so she could only let Jiang Zhen drive to send things to Han Junjun.

  Han Junjun knew that Jiang Zhen was coming and didn’t attend the second public lecture in the morning.

  He stood under the dormitory building for a while and saw Jiang Zhen’s car.

  Jiang Zhen parked the car below the dormitory building. The moment he alighted, Han Junjun hugged his neck. “Brother.” After knowing that his parents had agreed to Jiang Zhen and his sister, Han Junjun changed his greeting and called Jiang Zhen brother.

  Jiang Zhen acknowledged and took out a box full of delicious food from the car. He handed it to Han Junjun. “If you have nothing on tonight, come to my place for a meal. Your sister and I haven’t officially invited you to my house to be a guest.”

  Han Junjun said, “I have nothing on. I’ll go tonight then.”

  “Alright, send me through WeChat if you like anything. I’ll go buy it this afternoon.”

  “Okay.”

  Han Junjun carried the box of snacks and stared at Jiang Zhen as he bent over and tidied up his things behind the trunk. The cold image of Jiang Zhen cross-dressing as a man in the past flashed across his mind. He looked at the tall man in front of him and felt that something was off.

  But no matter how ridiculous it was, it was still true.

  “Brother Jiang.”

  Hearing Han Junjun call him, Jiang Zhen turned and glanced at him. “What’s the matter?”

  Han Junjun smiled at him frankly and said, “I’m sorry for always targeting you in the past. In the future, I hope you will treat my sister better.”

  Jiang Zhen smiled. “Don’t worry, I will treat her well.”

  “Father said in the group that you guys are getting married at the end of the year in December. Congratulations.”

  “Thanks.”

  Jiang Zhen still didn’t speak much, but Han Junjun was already used to his behavior and was used to it. He watched Jiang Zhen drive away before returning to the dormitory with his snacks.

  When he returned to the dormitory, everyone was there. He had just opened the luggage containing the snacks when the other three dormitory mates pounced over like hungry wolves. They grabbed a few boxes of food and quickly crawled onto their beds to eat.

  As he ate, he even went overboard. “Han Che, your mother’s chicken claws are too good. They are spicy, numb, soft, and boneless. What kind of god is this!”

  Han Junjun stared at the remaining three to four boxes of braised cooked food in the box, glared fiercely at these guys, and sighed. “I made bad friends!”

  –

  Summer in Rome was never too hot. At night, Song Ci was wearing a black polka-dot tea break dress as she walked through the courtyard of the Esilio Manor. The sound of her sandals clicking could be heard.

  She felt slightly cold and couldn’t help rubbing her arms.

  Suddenly, a shawl fell from her shoulders.

  Song Ci tightened her shawl and looked up to see Sicilio’s cold, arrogant, and handsome face. “Brother.”

  Sicilio nodded. There was a pit in front. He reached out his hand to Song Ci. “The ground is slippery. Be careful.” Song Ci didn’t stand on ceremony. She held Sicilio’s hand and crossed the pit.

  Sicilio’s manor was not in downtown Rome but by a lake called Braciano. In fact, almost all the rich people here didn’t live in the city. They all loved to build their own villas in small towns or in beautiful mountainous areas.

  Lake Braciano was one of the cleanest lakes in Italy and an important source of water for drinking. Standing in Sicilio’s manor, one could see the world-famous castle of Otis Cacci in the distance.

  This castle was the most expensive castle for a wedding in Italy. Sicilio and Su Huanyan’s wedding would be held in this castle. Apart from seeing Coco on her birthday, Song Ci and Han Zhan had come over to attend Sicilio’s wedding.

  As they walked, Song Ci asked Sicilio, “Didn’t you guys not want to prepare for the wedding? Why did you change your mind?”

  Sicilio told her, “One day, I passed by that castle and happened to see a couple holding a wedding there. I brought a present to their wedding. At the wedding, the groom saw the bride in a wedding dress and cried on the spot. At that moment, I suddenly had an idea. A thought.”

  Sicilio’s lips curled up into a faint smile that was filled with bliss. He said, “I’ve seen many of her looks, but I’ve never seen her in a wedding gown. I want to give us an unforgettable wedding while she’s still young. In the future, when she’s old and talking about her youth, she’ll feel complete.”

  Sicilio was usually a man of few words, but he was actually a very romantic person. His words and thoughts were very romantic.

  Hearing Sicilio’s words, Song Ci followed his explanation to create an illusion of what he had described. After fantasizing about being old, sitting in the courtyard with her wife reading the photo album of her life, while discussing the scene back then, Song Ci suddenly felt satisfied.

  “You’re right.”

  \r \r \r

  After walking for a while, Sicilio asked Song Ci if she wanted to rest.

  Song Ci saw that the camellias in the courtyard had all bloomed and sat down. Sicilio placed his hand on her abdomen and felt the movement of the child in her stomach. He said, “He’s kicking me.”

  Song Ci laughed. “He’s greeting Uncle.” Song Ci asked Sicilio, “Are you and Huanyan planning to have another child?”

  Sicilio shook his head. “I don’t intend to have a third child for the time being.”

  He said third child.

  It looked like he treated Program as his biological son.

  Song Ci was very happy for Su Huanyan. It looked like her elder brother was really good to Huanyan. “Not bad. You have both children.”

  “Yeah.”

  Sicilio wanted to smoke his cigar. He sat on another bench and smoked his cigar from a distance. The wind was blowing from Song Ci’s side to Sicilio’s side, so the smell of smoke would never reach Song Ci’s side.

  This brother was meticulous.

  Sicilio took a puff of his cigar and suddenly said, “Why isn’t Aaron here?”

  Song Ci smiled. “Perhaps he’s afraid that if he comes, you’ll tie him up in Italy and won’t let him go back?”

  Sicilio smiled, looking high and mighty. He shook his head and sighed. “He doesn’t want to stay. Even if I lock him, he can think of a way to open the lock.”

  “It’s like this. His renovation work for the orphanage is coming to an end these few days. He wants to renovate it earlier to ventilate it. Next year, he will officially build a garden to welcome the children home.”

  Song Ci told Sicilio, “He won’t be absent from your wedding.”

  Sicilio said, “He has yearned for a home since he was young. He grew up with me, but because of his father, he has never treated my place as a home.” Speaking of this, Sicilio couldn’t help feeling slightly melancholic. “That child has an obsession with home.” Because he didn’t have a home, he wanted to build a home for all the orphans in the world and be the father of all the orphans. This was Aaron’s dream.

  “Among the four of us, Aaron is the most merciful. During the childhood baptism, he was the only one who lost his leg to let go of that innocent sacrifice. So Father was utterly disappointed in him, so he tortured him double.” And the more Edward tortured Aaron, the deeper Aaron’s desire for home.

  After Edward passed away, Aaron was finally free. Now that he was free, how could he foolishly jump back into the cage that had originally imprisoned him?

  “Oh yes.” Sicilio seemed to have thought of something. He crossed his legs and glanced at Song Ci. “Coleman hasn’t been in good health recently.”

  To be able to make Sicilio use the words “not very good” to describe it, it was obvious that Coleman’s health was very bad. Song Ci’s heart ached at the thought of that poor Coleman. “What happened to him?”

  “His ears are deaf and his eyes are about to go blind.”

  Song Ci froze in her actions.

  As a pianist, his ears, eyes, and fingers were the most important things to Coleman. How could Coleman withstand being deaf and blind at the same time?

  “I heard that he committed suicide last week. His assistant discovered him and sent him to the hospital in time.” Sicilio broke the burning cigar in the middle. He walked over to Song Ci and sat down beside her. He raised his hand and patted her shoulder. “If not for our father, Coleman and our mother would have been a match made in heaven.”

  “Little Ci, Coleman is autistic. No one can enter his heart, but he might be able to listen to you. If you want, you can visit him.”

  Whether Coleman was alive or dead had no effect on Sicilio. They had never even met or spoken to each other.

  But Sicilio knew about the relationship between Song Ci and Coleman. Song Ci’s existence was discovered by Edward precisely because she acted in Coleman’s autobiography. For Song Ci to obtain Coleman’s approval meant that Coleman treated her differently.

  Sicilio had heard about this from Earl Ace. After he woke up, he had changed drastically. Although he was still the crazy Earl Ace, he had gained two beloved items.

  One: He fell in love with a woman.

  Two: He fell in love with the piano and idolized Coleman.

  Sicilio and Earl Ace would occasionally gather together to drink tea and chat. The last time they met, Earl Ace told Sicilio about his idol, Coleman, nearly dying. Sicilio remembered today and told Song Ci.

  Thinking of Coleman’s situation, Song Ci felt very upset. She asked, “Is Coleman still living in France?”

  “People with autism won’t move easily.” Coleman didn’t lack fame or money, but he always stayed in the small house he lived in with his mother.

  All these years, he had never moved house.

  Song Ci said, “I will visit him after the wedding.”

  “Who are you going to see?” Han Zhan’s voice sounded from the other side of the tea garden.

  Song Ci and Sicilio looked up at the other end of the garden and saw a tall, proud man standing under the street lamp. Sicilio shook his head and chuckled. “The man who nearly became your father-in-law is sick.”

  When Han Zhan heard this, he felt puzzled.

  Someone who nearly became my father-in-law?

  Who was that?

  Sicilio got up and left first. Han Zhan walked to Sicilio’s seat and sat down beside Song Ci. Seeing Song Ci’s lonely expression, he grabbed her hand and asked, “Who are you talking about?”

  “He’s talking about Coleman.”

  Han Zhan was enlightened.

  So they were talking about my mother-in-law’s first boyfriend. That was indeed the man who had nearly become my father-in-law.

  “What happened to Coleman?”

  Song Ci told Han Zhan about Coleman’s condition honestly. “He’s deaf and blind.”

  “He’s a pianist. This deafness and blindness……” Han Zhan thought about the consequences and felt like dying.

  “Coleman tried to commit suicide last week.” Song Ci leaned against Han Zhan’s shoulder and said, “Coleman is an autistic patient. He loves three things in his life. One is the piano, two is his biological mother, and three is my mother. After my mother passed away, he never took it and never fell for it again.”

  “Now that he is deaf and blind, he can no longer play the piano. He will naturally feel despair and torment. Coleman, who can no longer play the piano, has already lost his desire to live.”

  “Han Zhan.” Song Ci looked up at him and had already made a decision. She said, “I have to visit him.”

  Han Zhan rejected instinctively. “No.”

  “Why?” Song Ci didn’t expect Han Zhan to disagree.

  Han Zhan hugged her shoulders and said, “That old man is devoted to your mother. Do you think a person like him will treat you like his daughter, or……” Or his beloved woman?

  Han Zhan couldn’t tell what Coleman was thinking. He wouldn’t allow Song Ci to be by his side no matter what.

  Song Ci didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. “He doesn’t have that kind of feelings for me.”

  “But I won’t allow you to go to another man.” The 35-year-old Han Zhan had become an 18-year-old lad at this moment. It was unbearable to be jealous.

  Song Ci looked at Han Zhan deeply for a moment before saying, “In that case, accompany me. We will go to visit Coco tomorrow and then go to France. You will go with me to visit Coleman. You can be at ease if I move around with him under your watch, right?”

  Han Zhan was speechless.

  “You.” What else could he do? He could only agree. “I came here with you for a holiday, but you pulled me along to accompany an old man.” Although Han Zhan complained, he admired Song Ci even more in his heart.

  He loved Song Ci’s affectionate manner.

  “I want to go to bed.” Song Ci wanted to get up, but Han Zhan grabbed her wrist again.

  Song Ci lowered her head and asked Han Zhan, “Do you still want to sit for a while?”

  Han Zhan blinked at her and said, “It’s your birthday today. You’re 25 years old.”

  Hearing this, Song Ci hurriedly reached out her right hand to Han Zhan. “Where’s my birthday present?”

  Han Zhan smiled mysteriously and said, “Turn around.”

  Song Ci hurriedly turned around with anticipation.

  Han Zhan started counting to ten. He said, “You can turn around now.”

  Song Ci turned around and realized that the top four buttons of Han Zhan’s shirt were unbuttoned, revealing his left chest. On his left chest, there was a tattoo of a little girl playing the violin.

  The tattoo was obviously freshly tattooed and her skin was red. Song Ci looked at the photo with a complicated expression. She was slightly helpless and touched. “You didn’t show yourself after alighting from the plane just to tattoo this?”

  Han Zhan nodded. “Mmm, I tattooed your most beautiful face on my chest and made you become one with me. Do you like this gift?”

  Song Ci reached out to touch the photo and smiled. “Only teenagers would do such a thing.”

  Han Zhan frowned. “Are you despising me for being childish?”

  Song Ci chuckled. She hugged Han Zhan and said, “No, I don’t despise you for being childish. I love your impulsive passion for me.” How could she despise an old man who was 35 years old who would do something only teenagers would do for her?

  “I like it.” Song Ci lowered her head and kissed the tattoo, then reached out her right hand to Han Zhan. “Give me something I can see.”

  She was so realistic.

  Han Zhan was already prepared. He took out the present he had prepared long ago from his pants pocket. That present was small in a rectangular box. Song Ci suspected that there were gems inside.

  She opened the box and saw what was inside. She was slightly stunned, but her vision quickly blurred. Tears fell on the thing in the box. Song Ci looked up and asked Han Zhan, “How did you find this?”

  Inside the box was an ancient black wooden hairpin. This hairpin was a gift that Nangong Xian had personally carved for Dugu Jie more than 600 years ago. When the gift was given out, Dugu Jie was still only the Crown Prince and had yet to ascend to the throne.

  The last time Nangong Xian saw this hairpin was in the bedroom of the Taiping Emperor, Dugu Jie.

  That year, in the royal court, all the officials forced the Taiping Emperor to appoint a Empress. But the Taiping Emperor had a person in his heart. He refused to appoint a Empress no matter what. In his heart, only Nangong Xian could be the Empress!

  Nangong Xian saw that Dugu Jie was about to incur public anger. If he didn’t get married soon, he would definitely be criticized. If she caused chaos in the court, then both she and Dugu Jie would be sinners. After Nangong Xian entered the palace to persuade Dugu Jie to get married, Dugu Jie made a request that she accompany him to bed.

  That morning, Nangong Xian woke up and found the black wooden hairpin under Dugu Jie’s pillow.

  That was the last time Nangong Xian saw the hairpin.

  That night, she stayed up all night for him and didn’t get any rest. He bullied her crazily and left red marks on her body.

  She spent the night serving him in exchange for an imperial edict the next day.

  It had already been more than 600 years. Those things that belonged to Dugu Jie should have entered the cultural relics bureau whether they were well-preserved or damaged.

  Song Ci stroked the hairpin as Nangong Xian’s emotions filled her mind. She lowered her head and said with tears streaming down her face, “Your Majesty……” Only then did Song Ci realize that she had made a mistake. She shook her head and said,” It’s been 600 years, but this hairpin is still intact……”

  Hearing this, Han Zhan was in a daze.

  He grabbed Song Ci’s hand and told him, “That year, Sheng’er treated this hairpin with embalming and placed it in my cenotaph along with other burial items. This thing has been staying at the cultural relics bureau since it was unearthed. I only took back what belonged to me through Zhou Wu.”

  “Sheng’er is a good child.” If he really reincarnated, I hope Sheng’er will be a good family in his next life.

  Han Zhan took out the hairpin and said, “I don’t have long hair now, so I can only give this hairpin to you.” That hairpin was no different between a man and a woman. Han Zhan wanted to give Song Ci a hairpin, but realized that he didn’t know how.

  He held that hairpin and sighed. “I remember that at that time, a married woman’s hairpin had to be personally inserted by her husband.” He glanced at Song Ci with some resentment and regret. “But I never had the chance to insert a hairpin for you.”

  “At that time, I was especially regretful. I really hoped that I could be born into an ordinary family in my next life. I had freedom of marriage and didn’t have to shoulder the prosperity and decline of the entire country.” Although this life was slightly bitter when I was young, I was finally satisfied with the rest of my life.

  Song Ci felt very upset. She said, “Come, let me teach you.” Song Ci held Han Zhan’s left hand and taught him how to use a hairpin to bun his hair.

  Han Zhan silently memorized the tutorial and said, “In the future, coil your hair everyday. I want to give you a hairpin.”

  Song Ci pursed her lips and pouted. “No way. You don’t even feel tired of coiling your hair everyday. Nowadays, there are trends of big waves and shawls. How can someone like me, who is at the forefront of fashion, bun my hair everyday……” As she spoke, Song Ci saw Han Zhan’s eyes turn dangerous.

  She swallowed silently and said softly, “Then…… then let’s have it.” At most, she would change her hairstyle after Han Zhan went to work.

  “Let’s go back.”

  Han Zhan pulled Song Ci back into the house. On the way, Song Ci pouted and complained in a muffled voice, “You didn’t sing a birthday song with me. Happy birthday to me.”

  “No cake,” Han Zhan said.

  Song Ci said, “You still have to sing!”

  Han Zhan didn’t know what to do with her.

  Walking under another street lamp, Han Zhan stopped and conveniently broke a branch from the green forest in the garden. He squatted on the ground, drew a round cake shape in the soil by the side of the road, and drew a candle on the cake. On the candle was written 25 years old.

  Putting down the tree branch, Han Zhan stood up. As he clapped, he sang softly in his melodious voice. “Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday to Baby Ci……”

  Song Ci covered her mouth and laughed non-stop, causing Han Zhan’s face to turn red.

  “Alright, let’s go back to the house. I’ve also sung and received my present. I’m very happy on this birthday.” Song Ci and Han Zhan returned to the room and she went to take a shower.

  She put on her nightdress and sat on the sofa to video call Han Miao and Han Jun.

  It was still afternoon in Wangdong City.

  Han Jun and Han Miao had just eaten lunch and were learning from the morning teacher how to express their emotions. The video was picked up on television and Song Ci’s appearance appeared on the big television.

  At home, the sisters were both wearing homey suspenders and knee-length pants with a lantern. “Mother!” They called her mother together, and Han Miao told Song Ci, “We dance for you!”

  “Okay!”

  Han Jun and Han Miao knew that their mother’s birthday was coming and rehearsed their dance in advance. The sisters stood barefoot on the carpet and danced clumsily. As they danced, they even sang happy birthday songs in their childish voices.

  Song Ci smiled as she recorded the video.

  “Happy birthday, Mother!” Han Miao blew Song Ci a kiss. Han Jun stood in front of the television with a serious expression and said, “Mother, happy birthday.”

  Song Ci smiled with tears in her eyes. “Thank you, babies. I am very happy.”

  Only then did Han Miao ask, “Mother, when are you coming back?”

  “There’s still half a month.”

  Han Miao asked, “How many days is half a month.”

  Song Ci said, “15 days.”

  Han Miao counted to ten with her fingers, then realized that she didn’t have enough fingers, so she let Han Jun reach out another hand. She counted to 15 and instantly shouted, “No no, we still have to wait for three hands before Mother will come back!”

  It’s too long!

  “I want Mommy to come back now!” The children had grown up and were no longer ignorant babies when they were young. They were starting to throw tantrums at their mother.

  Han Jun stared at Song Ci with her sparkling eyes. “Mother, we also want to go to Uncle’s house.”

  Song Ci looked at her daughters and her heart softened. “Alright, I’ll get Dong Yang to send you over.”

  Han Zhan walked out of the bathroom wrapped in a towel and heard Song Ci say, “Han Zhan, I miss the children a little. I’ll get Yan Qingxiu to send them over tomorrow.”

  Han Zhan glanced at her meaningfully, his eyes filled with emotion.

  Han Zhan knew that Song Ci was young, playful, and hated trouble. She had yet to fully immerse herself in the identity of a mother. Meanwhile, the children were causing a ruckus and bringing them along would definitely affect Song Ci’s mood. Therefore, Han Zhan didn’t take the initiative to bring the children along this time in Italy.

  But now that Song Ci had taken the initiative to mention it, Han Zhan was naturally happy. Han Zhan raised his hand, rubbed Song Ci’s head, and sighed. “Our Baby Ci is becoming more and more like a qualified and outstanding mother.”

  Song Ci was speechless.

  She felt like he wasn’t praising her.