A match made in heaven, I only need to learn how to love you, and happiness is within reach

Whether confession or proposal, both were first-time experiences for Sheng Sui.

“I’m not the most ideal marriage partner. My housework and money-making abilities aren’t very strong, and my experience is equally limited, but I have a good personality and am easy to get along with. Even if I’m sometimes slow and stubborn, I’ll quickly correct myself once I understand.”

The confession was entirely spontaneous, and she hadn’t rehearsed the whole speech at all, yet Sheng Sui spoke with unusual fluency, her hurried tone as if afraid someone would steal her words: “Yesterday when I said I was working overtime, that was a lie. I actually went to a jewelry store to pick out matching rings.”

Remembering her completely confused expression at the time, Sheng Sui smiled: “It wasn’t until I entered the store that I learned buying wedding rings requires measuring finger sizes in advance, and custom designs need half a year of preparation – it’s not something you can just buy with money.”

Zhou Shiyu lowered his eyes, looking at the woman’s red-rimmed eyes as her emotions remained unsettled, suddenly remembering her unusual initiative last night, his dark eyes behind the glasses infinitely gentle.

He used his index finger to wipe away the moisture at the corner of Sheng Sui’s eyes, saying softly: “…Thank you, I’m very touched.”

Sheng Sui sniffled and looked up, showing the man a smile that might have looked worse than crying, her tone somewhat domineering: “Custom designs take too long, I couldn’t wait, so I bought ready-made ones. You’re not allowed to dislike them.”

She pushed the opened ring box forward, where two Cartier diamond-set matching rings lay quietly, with the so-called “screw” design around the band – circles with a horizontal bar.

“The salesgirl told me the ‘screw’ design represents ‘locking in love,'” Sheng Sui softly explained to Zhou Shiyu, then added:

“But I hope it can represent ‘subtraction’ instead.”

Zhou Shiyu’s face showed rare confusion: “‘Subtraction’?”

“Before, I was always asking you for reasons to marry. Even when you gave the answer of ‘suitability,’ I continued searching for specific aspects that matched it.”

“So subtraction is good,” Sheng Sui finally composed and organized her emotions, taking a deep breath: “Because when I subtract other factors, the reason for choosing marriage is simply out of liking.”

“Zhou Shiyu, I like you, and thus have the desire to marry you.”

Sheng Sui gently nuzzled against Zhou Shiyu’s warm, dry palm, repeating her earlier question:

“So based purely on such a shallow reason, would you consider marrying me?”

This was a question whose answer was beyond doubt before it was even asked.

People lacking security are best at giving others security. More than hearing Zhou Shiyu’s affirmative reply, Sheng Sui hoped the man would know her attitude.

At least she didn’t want him to waste energy guessing anymore.

“Choices made out of liking are never shallow.”

Zhou Shiyu’s hand paused at her face then lifted, using his finger like a brush to trace her features, from her eyes full of starlight, to her pert nose, finally stopping at those moist, soft lips: “Giving your heart to another person is the most frightening, most dangerous, most confusing thing in this world* – it means you’re handing over all decision-making power to the other person.”

“What about you,” Sheng Sui gazed steadily at Zhou Shiyu, her thin lips brushing against the man’s fingertips several times: “Would someone as rational as you knowingly take such risks?”

“Of course.”

Zhou Shiyu lowered his eyes and smiled softly, taking the smaller women’s ring from the ring box: “Being moved by you has never been something I could control.”

“I’m just willing and immersed in it.”

The man’s expression was solemn and devout as he held Sheng Sui’s right hand in his palm and put the ring on her finger.

Finally, Zhou Shiyu kissed the back of Sheng Sui’s hand, his voice still gentle: “Sheng Sui, I love you very much.”

“……”

The ring size was even more fitting than imagined. Even when Sheng Sui looked at the two gold circles on their ring fingers, her heart again felt grateful for her perseverance and determination last night.

To achieve the best visual effect, the hall contained nothing except the fog machines, humidifiers, and lighting that created the clouds.

Wanting to look at the swirling clouds a bit longer, Sheng Sui was reluctant to leave the room. After standing all day, her legs were sore and tired. When she wanted to lean against the wall to rest, Zhou Shiyu scooped her up and carried her to the wall.

Indeed much more casual in his own home, the man sat against the wall on the floor. Not wanting Sheng Sui to catch cold, he let her sit pillowed on his legs, chest against back, completely encircling the slender, tall woman in his embrace.

The fog machine continued running, clouds of various shapes forming and dissipating. Sheng Sui watched the entire process intently and repeatedly, leaning against Zhou Shiyu’s chest and marveling at the wonder:

“Even now I can’t believe how this was accomplished?”

“The principle is very basic physics knowledge,” Zhou Shiyu rested his head on her shoulder, focusing on playing with Sheng Sui’s right hand, his fingers stroking the new ring at the base of her ring finger, caressing it carefully: “As long as you calculate the room temperature, humidity, and lighting properly, and ensure the room isn’t ventilated, you can achieve the desired effect.”

The man took out his phone from his pocket, holding it in his left hand, pointing the camera at their interlocked fingers, and pressed the shutter.

Sheng Sui’s attention was drawn by the photo-taking sound. Looking down at Zhou Shiyu’s white phone placed before her eyes, his well-defined fingers opened WeChat Moments, selecting from several photos just taken, but hesitating to press the green send button in the upper right corner.

“I’m going to post on Moments.”

When she was confused, she heard the man speak softly by her ear, his ambiguous warm breath against her earlobe, an obvious hint: “This is also my first Moments post.”

Sheng Sui was first stunned, then suddenly understood a few seconds later and took out her phone, opening Moments and making an OK gesture to indicate she was ready to like the post.

The moment Zhou Shiyu’s Moments appeared, she unsurprisingly became the first person to like it. After high-fiving the man like winning a battle, Sheng Sui belatedly realized how boring two adults with a combined age of over fifty could be.

“Can I tell the truth?” Sheng Sui laughed softly, obediently letting the man hold her hand, turning to look at him:

“Zhou Shiyu, sometimes I think you’re really childish.”

Last time when she posted on Moments, she discovered that someone who seemed incredibly steady and reliable was absolutely meticulous about some meaningless small matters, exactly like kindergarten children competing to have the most little red flowers.

“The wise don’t fall in love,” Zhou Shiyu pressed his knuckles against Sheng Sui’s jawbone, forcing her to lift her neck, and leaned down to kiss her:

“Being childish in front of someone you like is a commendable virtue, I believe.”

The man accepted the exposure of his secret crush well, even quickly learning to use it to his advantage: “Mrs. Zhou should praise me more.”

Seeing Zhou Shiyu’s relaxed tone and expression that didn’t seem to mind, Sheng Sui could finally ask the question she was most curious about:

“Can I ask when exactly you started liking me? Was it in high school?”

“I did have ill intentions in high school,” Zhou Shiyu lowered his eyes to avoid her gaze: “As for when I started liking you, I’m not clear either.”

“If you must ask,” the man pondered for a moment, suddenly curving his lips in a smile:

“Probably longer than you think.”

Sheng Sui wanted to ask again why he never came to find her if he liked her, but then thought about how throughout high school she was busy studying and worrying about her diabetes not being discovered. The few times boys confessed to her, she had unhesitatingly and tactfully refused them all.

Her appearance and personal conditions never lacked suitors; remaining single until now was ultimately because Sheng Sui refused to open her heart to others.

Undoubtedly, even if Zhou Shiyu had revealed his feelings to Sheng Sui during their school years, the result would have been the same defeat.

Sheng Sui suddenly remembered a distant conversation, her pupils slightly contracting: “So when you said last time that you chose Magic City University as your first choice because you wanted to be classmates with someone—”

“I didn’t want to interfere with your high school studies. At the time, I thought going to scout the school first wasn’t bad either.”

When talking about the past, Zhou Shiyu was always characteristically light and casual, his tone gentle: “It’s just that after finishing the first year, my family helped me withdraw and forcibly sent me abroad.”

“A person’s life must experience some regrets,” seeing Sheng Sui’s self-blaming expression, Zhou Shiyu raised his hand to pinch her soft cheeks, comforting: “And you should be happy for me.”

Sheng Sui didn’t understand, her speech muffled when her face was being pulled: “Why?”

“Most people in the world struggle their entire lives without finding their love,” Zhou Shiyu lowered his eyes to trace her current appearance, leaning down to kiss Sheng Sui’s brow: “But I am heaven’s favored child.”

“A match made in heaven, I only need to learn how to love you, and happiness is within reach.”

In the end, they gave up the idea of moving to the new house.

Although the villa on the west side was indeed close to school and had the cloud-making machine that Sheng Sui couldn’t forget, unfortunately the villa was simply too large. Sheng Sui felt that for quite some time, she would treat this place as a tourist attraction rather than a daily living space.

More importantly, the house she and Zhou Shiyu currently lived in held many memories of the two of them. Deep down, she was someone who cherished the past. Once she had decided on people or things, she was reluctant to change unless absolutely necessary.

Fortunately, moving was just Zhou Shiyu’s excuse to coax her over. The man had no attachment to this villa, and seeing that Sheng Sui was unwilling, he naturally respected her opinion.

They say a small separation is better than a new marriage. A few hours apart during the day naturally counted as a “small separation.” The two were already newlyweds, and having just shared their feelings, while they looked no different on the surface during the drive home, they each had their own thoughts.

Sheng Sui sometimes felt amazed.

Things that had never interested her in her past twenty-seven years, dry as wasteland, became flowing streams upon meeting Zhou Shiyu. She didn’t know where it started, only that it was endless.

Zhou Shiyu was a traveler seeking water, lingering by the creek unwilling to leave. His well-defined hands sought the clear spring, his fingers completely soaked, and he frequently lowered his head to taste the water again and again.

Sheng Sui was greatly alarmed and tried to stop him, but was repeatedly told by the man how sweet it was, until she was almost convinced by his coaxing.

She could only refuse his kisses. When her right hand was held by Zhou Shiyu, she heard Zhou Shiyu suddenly smile: “The ring should be worn on the left hand.”

Fine beads of sweat appeared on her forehead. Sheng Sui looked confusedly at their right hands wearing rings, then heard the man continue in a deep voice: “It’s really very inconvenient right now.”

“……”

Sheng Sui dimly understood the man’s meaning. After hesitating for a moment, she said softly: “…Actually there’s another way, we don’t have to switch the ring to the other hand.”

Seeing her expression was seriously thoughtful, Zhou Shiyu slightly raised his eyebrows. Just as he was about to ask what method, Sheng Sui tucked her falling hair behind her ear, lowered her head, her movements slow and inexperienced, but showing no disgust on her face.

“Good baby, don’t do this anymore,” Zhou Shiyu’s temple throbbed hard twice, immediately pulling her back into his embrace:

“I never taught you these things. Where did you learn them?”

“…How can you really treat me like a child who doesn’t understand anything,” the man used force with his hands, and Sheng Sui was momentarily confused: “I thought… you would like it.”

In Sheng Sui’s limited knowledge base, she thought any man would like these things.

For the first time, Zhou Shiyu couldn’t answer Sheng Sui’s question.

He couldn’t even tell for a moment whether Sheng Sui understood the meaning behind it.

Someone who blushed and felt hot even when kissing could ask such questions so righteously, her pure, clear watery eyes reflecting bright confusion.

The person he had protected at his heart for over ten years made Zhou Shiyu accustomed to placing himself in a lower position, so serving his beloved was natural, but the reverse was absolutely unacceptable.

This was like believers being born to prostrate at the feet of deities – devout worship was their life’s mission, and even seeking the slightest equality would be blasphemy against divine faith.

But how could Sheng Sui understand these things?

A few kisses would make her forget all of this. Finally, when she was carried to the bathroom and back, from the corner of her eye she saw Zhou Shiyu bending down to get the white phone from the bedside table.

Sheng Sui lazily leaned against the headboard, her gaze following the man’s broad shoulders and narrow waist disappearing behind the bathroom door.

Taking the white phone at this time – what was he going to record again?

Her brain wasn’t very clear after intense exercise. Sheng Sui slowly blinked a few seconds later, lowering her gaze to the ring on her right ring finger, and took out her phone from under the pillow.

Both she and Zhou Shiyu used iPhones, making it very convenient to send photos or messages between users.

Opening the memo app, Sheng Sui pressed her lips together and typed quickly. After confirming it was correct, she sent it via Airdrop, then locked her phone, looking at her pressed-down then raised lip corners on the screen.

Her palm vibrated indicating successful sending. Sheng Sui lit up the screen again, softly reading out the memo content:

[Marriage Day 37: Today’s Sheng Sui decided to propose, because tomorrow’s her will like Zhou Shiyu even more.]

Author’s Note:

I’ll find a way to continue revising yesterday’s chapter, wives who didn’t see it don’t worry QAQ

And still daily asking for comments and nutrient solution w mwah mwah mwah

1: Translated from the movie “The Cha Cha” dialogue

Thank you very much for everyone’s support, I will continue working hard!