The party lasted for a long time. Some guests had already begun to leave, while others remained, still chatting and eating under the lantern-lit trees.
It was already dark outside. While bringing more food over, Lin Xu caught sight of Su Feng standing alone near the small lake at the back. The reflection of the lanterns shimmered across the water’s surface, casting faint gold across his calm expression.
"Here, take this to the party," she said quietly, handing the tray of food in her hands to one of the maids. The maid nodded and left.
Pulling her shawl tighter around her shoulders, Lin Xu walked toward him.
"You’ve been quiet," she said softly as she stopped beside him. "Why stand out here alone?"
Su Feng turned his head slightly. His gaze lingered on her for a moment before he spoke. "It’s peaceful here. I needed a moment away from the noise."
Lin Xu nodded and followed his gaze to the water. For a while, neither of them said anything. The only sound was the faint ripple of the lake and the distant laughter of children.
Then, Su Feng broke the silence. His voice was steady, but there was a depth in it she hadn’t heard before. "Lin Xu... there’s something I’ve been meaning to say for a long time."
She turned to look at him. "What is it?"
He met her eyes. "Marry me, Lin Xu."
The words hit her harder than she expected. For a moment, she couldn’t speak. Her lips parted slightly, but no sound came out.
"...What?" she finally managed to say, barely above a whisper.
Su Feng stepped closer. "I’m serious. These past two years, I’ve watched you build something incredible out of nothing. You’re strong, determined, and kind. I’ve met many women before, but none like you. Something about you just... fits."
Lin Xu’s eyes softened, but confusion flickered across her face. "Su Feng... I’ve only ever seen you as a friend, and a business partner. I never thought of you that way."
"I know," he said quietly. "But I can’t ignore how I feel anymore."
Lin Xu took a slow breath, lowering her gaze. "I don’t know if I can do that again. My life is already complicated enough. My children... bringing another man into their lives, another father, it’s not something I can decide so easily. The first one they never met, and the second..." She trailed off, her voice steady but distant.
"I know about your first marriage... your husband had left before the marriage even began, but for the second one... trust me, I did my best to get as much info as I could about you, but I still don’t know what ended your last relationship."
Blinking slightly, Lin Xu muttered, "Our marriage wasn’t based on love, just benefits, and after we had both gotten what we wanted, we separated... it’s that simple."
Although her words sounded like she didn’t care much, Su Feng could tell from her eyes and how they wavered just talking about it.
Sighing, he placed his two hands behind him as he voiced out, "It’s alright if you don’t agree now, Lin Xu. I’m not rushing you. You can take your time and think. I’m not going anywhere... when you’ve made up your mind, you can send for me and I’ll be here."
Just then, his personal guard stepped in and he smiled. "Look at the time, I have to get going or my girls will miss me... the party was great, Lin Xu. Happy birthday to the kids once again."
Lin Xu nodded lightly, her expression calm despite the lingering heaviness in the air. "Thank you for coming, Su Feng," she said quietly. "And... for everything you’ve done. I’ll think about what you said."
He smiled faintly, his gaze warm but gentle. "That’s all I ask."
As he turned to leave, the sound of his footsteps blended with the soft rustle of the night breeze. Lin Xu watched his figure fade into the dim light until he disappeared. For a long while, she stood there, her thoughts scattered.
Marriage? In her past life, marriage was something she never thought about, but in this world, she has literally done it twice, and now a third time?
She has finally found a way to move on from him and let go. She’s finally feeling like herself after so long. She didn’t want any man to just come and take that away.
Only after a few moments of silence did a familiar voice echo near her ear.
[ Well, well, Host... what did I say? Didn’t I tell you that man had a crush on you? ]
Lin Xu let out a quiet sigh, her eyes still on the empty path. "Susu... now’s not the time."
[ Oh, come on! He literally just confessed! You have to admit, I was right. He’s totally into you. ]
She rolled her eyes and started walking back toward the pavilion. "You’re more excited about this than I am."
[ Of course I am! This is big, Host! A handsome, responsible, and rich man just proposed to you under the moonlight! That’s like perfect novel material! ]
Lin Xu shook her head, her shawl brushing softly against her arms. "You really do watch too many dramas, Susu. I’m still trying to process what just happened."
[ Processing or pretending not to feel anything? ]
That made her stop. Her brows drew together slightly. "What’s that supposed to mean?"
[ It means... maybe a small part of you does like him. You just don’t want to admit it yet. ]
Lin Xu was silent for a moment. Then she exhaled slowly. "I don’t know, Susu. Right now, I’m not even sure what I feel. It’s all too sudden."
[ Hmph... denial stage. Classic human reaction. ] Latest content publıshed on novel·fiɾe·net
"Susu." Her tone carried warning, but there was no real anger behind it.
[ Alright, alright, I’ll stop. ]
With a soft blink, Susu disappeared again, leaving Lin Xu alone under the fading glow of the lanterns.
She glanced once more toward the path Su Feng had taken, her thoughts still tangled. Then, turning away, she whispered to herself, almost unconsciously,
"Marry me, Lin Xu..."