Her gift

"If you haven't eaten yet, I'll bring some snacks home tonight and cook for you."

Shen Jin soon received Yun Xiaoran's message.

That big jerk!

Shen Jin was furious. It was already seven thirty in the evening. How could they not have eaten dinner yet? Surely Yun Xiaoran had already had dinner with that woman and was on his way back.

Still far too inexperienced, Shen Jin had no way of knowing that if Yun Xiaoran really had arranged a date with another woman, he might only have arrived at the hotel at seven...

"Where are you? Why aren't you back yet?" Watching Shen Jin look so miserable, Sister Hua anxiously messaged Yun Xiaoran, then began comforting Shen Jin and encouraging her to try messaging him too:

"Jin'er, don't be angry. Maybe Yun Xiaoran is already on his way. You're so upset, and your eyes are red from crying. What will you do when he gets back? Maybe he'll come back with something you've been wanting..."

Sister Hua deliberately left her last sentence unfinished, lending a little suspense to Yun Xiaoran's return while she waited anxiously herself.

But Sister Hua had actually meant that Yun Xiaoran would bring Shen Jin some snacks. Shen Jin, however, misunderstood.

"I... who cares about him? I'm going to bed soon anyway." Overwhelmed by hurt and sadness, Shen Jin still clung to a sliver of hope.

"Open a bottle of that wine. I want a drink." Shen Jin suddenly decided to drown her sorrows. Her eyes were red, her long lashes wet with tears, and her smooth, beautiful face had lost its radiance:

"I'll just have a little." Perhaps worried that Sister Hua would object because it might affect tomorrow's competition, Shen Jin only asked for one glass.

"All right. A little drink lifts the spirits, but too much hurts the body. I'll let you have one glass..." Resigned, Sister Hua opened a bottle. It was only one glass. Perhaps Shen Jin could lie down and sleep afterward, or forget all this for a while. That wouldn't be so bad.

The scent of wine spread as the pale yellow liquid was poured into the glass in front of Shen Jin.

Shen Jin reached out with her delicate hand, picked up the glass in front of her, and slowly brought it to her lips. Her nostrils twitched slightly before she drank half the glass in one go.

Afraid Shen Jin would choke, Sister Hua gently rubbed her back to help her catch her breath.

Shen Jin seemed to find drinking like this unsatisfying, so she tipped the rest into her mouth. Quite pleased after finishing the glass, she clamored for another.

Yun Xiaoran froze when he received Sister Hua's message. Judging by her urgent tone, his aloof, icy wife seemed to be angry again...

What am I supposed to do?

Although theirs was a whirlwind marriage and they were merely sharing a life together, fortunately, he had bought this Gold Bracelet. At that thought, Yun Xiaoran stroked the exquisite square box with secret delight and breathed an inward sigh of relief.

"What's your home address? It's getting late. Why don't I drive you straight home?" Zhou Yanqi appeared perfectly casual, but in fact, she had already begun fishing for information.

"No need. Just drop me at the fast-food place up ahead. I'll get out there." Yun Xiaoran didn't dare imagine what would happen if this lively woman who sang "Calories" came face-to-face with his aloof, icy wife.

"I'll still be coming to you for help in the future. Thank you so much for helping me with the voice-over today."

Zhou Yanqi felt a little disappointed, but she knew when to stop. Even though her prize was almost within reach, she followed Yun Xiaoran's wishes for the sake of something lasting. "Come back to that restaurant when you have time. I'll treat you."

"Sure."

After that brief pleasantry, Yun Xiaoran parted ways with Zhou Yanqi and began jogging home. Summer nights were still quite cool. If he didn't hurry, the snacks he had bought might go cold.

By now, Shen Jin had begged Sister Hua for a second glass of wine. Although its alcohol content wasn't high, Shen Jin wanted to drink enough to feel woozy. But it was almost eight already.

Yun Xiaoran really isn't coming back. At that thought, Shen Jin sat up and took a breath, then stood and slowly started toward her room.

Just then, the door opened. Yun Xiaoran came through the entryway and saw a tipsy Shen Jin heading toward the second floor. Sister Hua sat bolt upright on the sofa, with a bottle of wine in front of her.

The beep of the key card startled Shen Jin sober. Still, she calmly turned her head and stared straight at Yun Xiaoran with her beautiful eyes, though her face was flushed from the wine.

Sulking, and emboldened by the alcohol, Shen Jin looked at Yun Xiaoran for a second before turning away and continuing straight toward her room.

"Wait." For a moment, Yun Xiaoran had no idea what to call her.

He only called Shen Jin his wife in front of other people. When they first began living together, he had called her Miss Shen.

But now the former was too intimate and the latter too distant, so Yun Xiaoran hurriedly stopped her first, leaving the rest for later.

Although she hadn't heard her name, Shen Jin knew Yun Xiaoran was calling to her. She instinctively turned, looked at him, and asked softly, "Who are you calling?"

Yun Xiaoran had still been wondering what to say, but then he saw Shen Jin's silky hair cascading down her back, swaying as she turned, and the reproachful eyes beneath her long lashes fixed on him.

If I back down now, am I even a man? Go for it!

Seeing Yun Xiaoran walk toward her, Shen Jin's mind simply shut down. She stood frozen, gazing into his eyes, and suddenly remembered the surprise Sister Hua had mentioned.

Could it be...

Sister Hua and Yun Xiaoran are working together so he can confess his feelings to me?

Once Shen Jin settled on that idea, she began to grow nervous. Staring at the box in Yun Xiaoran's hand, she was now one hundred percent certain there was a ring inside.

At that moment, Shen Jin had none of the composure or icy aloofness befitting the mainland's National Goddess and queen of pop. All that remained was a young woman's flustered nervousness.

That big jerk!

He just had to make such a big production of it when I can't even think straight.

Shen Jin began regretting it. She never should have drunk that glass of wine. Wouldn't it have been much better if she were sober?

Sister Hua, holding Fu Bao, also stared wide-eyed, her heart in her throat. She watched the box in Yun Xiaoran's hand, too shocked to speak!

Yun Xiaoran opened the box, revealing a weighty Gold Bracelet. Before Shen Jin could react, he took her left hand. She yielded like water, letting him draw her hand over with the gentlest touch.

With her smooth, soft, fair hand held in Yun Xiaoran's grasp, Shen Jin didn't resist. She watched blankly as he slid the heavy Gold Bracelet over her hand and onto her wrist.

Against her fair, tender skin, the Gold Bracelet gleamed even more brightly.

"That looks lovely." After putting the Gold Bracelet on Shen Jin's wrist, Yun Xiaoran nodded in satisfaction. Then he remembered what his mother had told him: when coaxing your wife, spare no effort with sweet words.

"The sales assistant said it would only look good on a beautiful woman. I thought she was just trying to fool me, but now I can see she was right. It really does look especially beautiful on you."