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Growing up, she possessed a vast collection of jewelry, simply because her parents doted on her and gifted her new pieces every year. Then there was Lu Yichen, who would often "incidentally" force various birthday or holiday presents upon her.

Her favorite was a rose bracelet her father had custom-made for her eighth birthday. Two delicate platinum chains, each adorned with a single ruby-encrusted rose. Though small and simple, it represented the deepest love her parents held for her.

"Weiwei, I wish for you to be as beautiful as a rose—and preferably with thorns, too!" her mother would say playfully, kissing her soft, little cheek.

Xia Yuwei would never forget how she followed her father to every corner of that city since she was a child.

She would never forget the days she sat on the back of his bicycle as he pedaled through the streets. With the wind brushing against her face, her silvery laughter would infect Xia Changxi, weary from his work, washing away his fatigue. He had vowed to build the best bakery in the city to provide his beloved daughter with the most blissful life possible.

Her mother was always there to share her innermost secrets. The two would lie in bed, talking as if there were no end to their words, much to her father’s mock jealousy.

...

But all of this vanished in the winter when she turned twenty.

They must have left with regrets, right? They must still be worrying about her. She had been so willful back then—the first time she disobeyed them, marrying impulsively only to be cast aside. She had even become pregnant while still in college, forced to return home under the weight of immense pressure, leaving her parents heartbroken and speechless.

For a long time, Xia Yuwei could not believe they were gone forever. She kept feeling that they were just somewhere else, waiting to return, and that one day the family would be happy and simple again, just as it once was. Because of this, she couldn't even bring herself to cry.

She picked up the rose bracelet—a piece she hadn't touched since she was twenty—and gently put it on. Now that she had Yufan, she understood the hardships of parenthood even more.

Daddy, Mommy, I was not a good daughter, but you were the best parents...

At the very bottom of the jewelry box, resting on black velvet, lay a single item: a dark green jade ring.

Xia Yuwei took the jade ring out and held it alongside the diamond ring on her finger.

Both were incredibly precious. And both were things she felt she shouldn't possess. A ring—whether jade or diamond—represented a weight of promise too heavy to bear. And the one who gives the ring may not truly be able to fulfill it, could they?

She tossed both rings into the middle tray of the jewelry box. This tray was filled with pieces Lu Yichen had given her over the years. Many were various new arrivals, out-of-print editions, or limited releases from the Baili Group at the time. She simply hadn't realized it back then. Sometimes, she would only return the gesture with a cake—nothing that could be kept.

Lu Yichen had been dissatisfied, complaining that cakes couldn't be stored. He asked her for something that would last, but Xia Yuwei refused. She said, "I like giving gifts that aren't meant to be kept. If I give something permanent and the person doesn't want it anymore, they'd want to throw it away but would feel too embarrassed to do so. Wouldn't that make things awkward for both of us?"

He told her that he would never throw away anything she gave him.

Yet, she still refused.

He asked, "Then one day, will you not want these gifts and want to throw them away?"

She replied, "Not necessarily."

He became angry upon hearing this, forcing her to promise that she would never want to throw them away. Only when she finally said she wouldn't did he relent...

...

Perhaps she should just return all of this to him in a few days? She would keep her promise not to throw them away. But looking at them now, they felt so uncomfortable to behold. Why make things difficult for herself?

*******************************************************************************

Night. A bar. It was quiet. Under the dim lights, one could vaguely hear a singer humming a soft melody.

Lu Yichen and Shao Minghan were once again drinking at their "usual spot."

The atmosphere here was pleasant, and guests were allowed to bring their own fine spirits for the bartender to mix into various flavors.

"Yichen, you’re still as prominent as ever! I must say, I’m quite 'envious.' Is the acquisition of the Four Seas Company going smoothly?" Shao Minghan held his glass in one hand, the other resting on the bar counter.

"Trade secret. Why should I tell you?" Lu Yichen downed a drink in one go, speaking bluntly. He didn't even want to touch upon the subject of work.

"Fine, fine, trade secrets... I won't risk being suspected as a corporate spy by asking about your business. Let's not talk about work; I’m not interested in it anyway. I just thought a workaholic like you would be, but it seems I’ve missed the mark," Shao Minghan said with feigned disappointment. In reality, he was thick-skinned and didn't care what Lu Yichen said.

"Minghan. Since returning to the country, I’ve been suffering from worse insomnia because I keep thinking about a certain person and certain events from the past. Hard to believe, isn't it?" Lu Yichen laughed at himself.

"It is hard to believe," Shao Minghan nodded thoughtfully. He knew more about Lu Yichen’s affairs than anyone else.

"I gave her a custom-made ring, one of a kind in the world. Tell me, why hasn't she come to find me? It’s been a week. She hasn't come. This woman is truly heartless," Lu Yichen muttered, having had too much to drink.

"Mm, she is quite heartless," Shao Minghan replied with a wry smile. He was a playboy who drifted through countless affairs without ever letting a leaf touch his coat. He didn't understand Lu Yichen's heart. Before he learned the story of Lu Yichen and Xia Yuwei, he had even suspected that Lu Yichen might be gay. At an age when men needed women most, he didn't have a single one around—not even a strand of a woman's hair. He had tried to get Lu Yichen to find women with him many times, but for some reason, Lu Yichen just couldn't muster any interest. Perhaps he was simply born immune to women. Maybe the term "unmoved even when sitting with a beauty" was coined specifically for him.

"So, what do you plan to do?" Shao Minghan asked.

"Wait for her. She will come," Lu Yichen said, pouring himself another drink.