Proposal

"Okay," Shen Yanlang replied, subconsciously starting to estimate the time.

[It should be ready in about ten more minutes.]

"What do you mean, almost done?" Duan Xu turned his head, his eyes full of doubt.

Shen Yanlang: "..."

"It's nothing." Shen Yanlang appeared calm, but sometimes he couldn't control his thoughts, especially when things were about to end.

[I mustn't overthink it, I mustn't overthink it...]

[If only I could pause this mind-reading ability.]

Duan Xu: "???"

What the hell is that?

Duan Xu felt that Shen Yanlang was hiding something from him, so he stopped watching the movie and stared at Shen Yanlang, asking, "What are you hiding from me?"

Shen Yanlang silent for a moment.

[We're almost there, we can't afford to fail now.]

Duan Xu was puzzled and was about to ask again when Shen Yanlang covered his eyes with his large hand. "Xuxu, don't look, just for a moment."

Duan Xu blinked, his eyelashes brushing against Shen Yanlang's palm, then stopped abruptly. He took a breath. "I know! You're going to give me a surprise, right?"

Shen Yanlang: "..."

[Next time, you should blindfold Xuxu before preparing a surprise, otherwise she'll find out before you even start.]

[No, Xuxu could guess it even if she were Xuxu.]

[Sigh, this mind-reading ability is indeed inconvenient sometimes.]

Duan Xu: "... Yan-ge, three minutes haven't passed yet."

Shen Yanlang: "..."

After a moment of silence, Duan Xu curled the corners of his lips. "I thought they really didn't want to play, but it turns out they had a surprise for me!"

Duan Xu's mood immediately improved. "But what surprise is it? I'm so excited!"

Shen Yanlang sighed helplessly, "If I tell you about a surprise, it won't be a surprise anymore."

"That's true." Duan Xu stopped asking and grasped Shen Yanlang's wrist. "Don't cover my eyes, I'll close them."

Shen Yanlang felt Duan Xu's eyelashes brush against his palm again. Duan Xu had closed his eyes, so he lowered his hand and glanced at his phone again. "Almost done."

"Mmm." Duan Xu nodded with his eyes closed, a slight smile playing on his lips, eagerly anticipating the surprise they had prepared.

Shen Yanlang intently at Duan Xu. Three minutes passed, but he had no time to think about the surprise he had prepared; instead, he was captivated by Duan Xu.

Her smooth forehead was partially obscured by a few strands of hair, which led down to her delicate eyebrows and eyes. Long, thick eyelashes draped like fans beneath her eyelids, and her small, rounded nose was perfectly proportioned. Her pink lips, neither too thick nor too thin, were slightly upturned, making one unconsciously smile along with her.

Shen Yanlang unconsciously leaned closer, his warm breath brushing against Duan Xu's cheek. Duan Xu felt a burning sensation on the back of his ear. "What, what are you doing?"

"What do you think?" Shen Yanlang said softly.

The voice was right next to him, their breaths were right next to each other; it was obvious that Shen Yanlang was very close to him.

"Do you want to kiss me?" Duan Xu asked directly.

Shen Yanlang chuckled softly, answering him not with words, but with a warm, familiar touch.

Shen Yanlang showed him through his actions that he was kissing him.

Duan Xu pursed his lips, not letting go, Shen Yanlang lingered on his lips, kissing them repeatedly, which was particularly tantalizing.

In the end, Duan Xu failed to hold his territory, opening a small gap that gave Shen Yanlang the opportunity to enter, and then his army was routed.

Then, Duan Xu was pinned to the bed, and Shen Yanlang's kiss became more and more intense, as if things were about to escalate. He couldn't help but open his eyes, but Shen Yanlang covered them first.

Duan Xu: "..."

"Shen Rascal!" Duan Xu pushed him away, "No, don't kiss me anymore..."

Shen Yanlang sat up, slightly out of breath, staring at Duan Xu's submissive appearance. He took a deep breath, then took out his phone and checked the message in the seven-person group chat, saying that everything was ready.

"Xuxu, close your eyes," Shen Yanlang voice.

Duan Xu obediently gave an "oh" and closed his eyes.

Shen Yanlang out of bed, helped Duan Xu to his feet, put his shoes on, and softly instructed him, "Don't be afraid, follow me, and open your eyes only when I tell you to."

"Mmm." Duan Xu gripped Shen Yanlang's hand tightly, his anticipation for their surprise growing stronger.

Shen Yanlang pulled Duan Xu by step out of the bedroom, then down the stairs, and finally into the courtyard.

The courtyard was quiet; with my eyes closed, I could only feel the slightly warm night breeze and the chirping of insects in the distance.

Duan Xu was a little confused. Why couldn't he hear Zhouzhou and the others' voices?

At this moment, Shen Yanlang brought Duan Xu to a stop and said, "You can open your eyes now."

Duan Xu eagerly opened his eyes, then was stunned by the brightly lit courtyard before him. Only then did he look around and see the layout of the courtyard.

A circle of small colored lights hung on the outermost wall of the courtyard, while on the ground, small red lights were arranged to form hearts in a circle.

The central pattern, also made of colored lights, is a large tree with a trunk that forms a passageway, and the leaves simplified into large, curved shapes, like a child's simple drawing.

At the center of the leaves is a jasmine flower pattern made of white lights, and they are standing in the middle of the jasmine flower.

"This is..." Duan Xu was stunned, sensing something was off. This didn't seem like a birthday surprise, it was more like...

Before Duan Xu could finish speaking, Shen Yanlang knelt down on one knee in front of Duan Xu, took out his hand from behind his back, and there was a ring box on it.

"Xuxu." Shen Yanlang looked at Duan Xu, his smile captivating in the lamplight, "Will you marry me?"

Duan Xu looked at Shen Yanlang, his heart skipped a beat for a moment, then began to pound violently and rapidly like a drumbeat. "No, aren't they... aren't they engaged?"

The proposal came so suddenly that Duan Xu was stunned. Not only was he speechless, but he also said something quite jarring.

Shen Yanlang didn't find it a spoilsport; instead, he thought it was adorable. He smiled and said, "I don't want us to have any regrets. We should have all the necessary experiences."

"Oh..." Duan Xu stared blankly at Shen Yanlang without making a move.

Shen Yanlang couldn't help but chuckle, then pushed the ring forward again and asked, "Xuxu, will you marry me?"

Duan Xu suddenly realized how dense he had been and quickly nodded, saying, "I do! I do!"

Shen Yanlang smiled and put the engagement ring on his finger. Since he was already wearing the engagement ring on his middle finger, he put it on his ring finger instead.

Then Shen Yanlang stood up, hugged Duan Xu, and gently kissed him on the ear, saying, "I love you."

Duan Xu felt a tingling, electric sensation run through the spot where he was kissed, and a long-lost sense of shyness washed over him. He replied bashfully, "I love you too."

Then I heard Shen Yanlang's deep, sexy laughter.

Before Duan Xu could say anything, Zhou Zhou and the others suddenly jumped out of a room on the first floor, each holding a small firework tube.

"Bang bang bang--"

Congratulations on your successful proposal!

Small firework tubes sprayed towards the two of them, and large golden fragments fell on their heads and bodies, covering them completely.

Duan Xu was startled at first, then realized that they must have been hiding in the room and secretly watching them. Thinking about his dazed appearance just now, he felt a little embarrassed.

Shen Yanlang put his arm around him, a smile on his face, "Thanks to them, otherwise this surprise wouldn't have been possible."

Shen Yanlang usually sticks close to Duan Xu when he has nothing to do. If he were to leave Duan Xu to prepare these things, Duan Xu would definitely notice. In addition, since Duan Xu can read Shen Yanlang's mind, it would be even more difficult for him to prepare.

Heaven knows how hard Shen Yanlang endured in front of Duan Xu, forcing himself not to think about proposing, which is why Duan Xu didn't find out beforehand.

Duan Xu looked at him, knowing how hard he had been holding back, and how deeply moved he was by the proposal that evening. Amidst the cheers and excitement, he whispered, "Yan-gege, you've worked so hard. Let's go line up first thing Monday morning."

Shen Yanlang lowered his eyes and stared at him, his gaze deep, and replied in a low voice, "No need to queue, I've already had someone make an appointment, just go straight there."

"...Okay." Duan Xu thought to himself, it seems that Yan-ge is very eager to marry him.

"Stop whispering, you two!" Du Shen called out to them, then added, "Yan-ge, where are the fireworks? Hurry, it's almost nine o'clock!"

Shen Yanlang nodded and made a phone call. "You can order now."

Duan Xu asked in surprise, "You even prepared fireworks?"

"That's right!" Zhou Zhou patted Duan Xu on the shoulder. "Although it's a proposal, today is also your birthday. How can a birthday be without fireworks?"

Ye Xinyu in, "Yeah, my cousin said these fireworks were custom-made!"

"It's started," Xue Jingshu said calmly upon hearing the voice.

All eight people looked up at the sky at the same time.