Ninety-nine.

On Friday evening, at the Ye family’s villa overlooking both mountain and sea, they sat down to dinner.

“How have you been feeling lately, Lifeng?” Xue Xinlin, Ye’s mother, asked as she dabbed the sauce from the corner of her mouth with a napkin.

“How have I been feeling?” Ye Lifeng said carelessly, toying with the knife and fork before him. Though still very young, he had long since learned not to show his emotions on his face. Lately, however, he had been in excellent spirits.

“Your precious girlfriend, of course. Xia Yuwei—was that her name? How are things going between you two? Tell Mother a little, won’t you?”

“Mm, pretty well.”

Pretty well meant Xia Yuwei was no longer as resistant to being with him, and had begun to grow accustomed to his kindness.

“Oh, that’s good. Lifeng, your father won’t be home for dinner tonight, but he called to tell me something. Would you like to hear it?”

“Mother, you know how to keep me in suspense. What is it? Go on.”

“There’s a member of the board at Cesar Ritz in Switzerland who is an old friend of your father’s. He has invited you to Switzerland for advanced study in top-tier hotel management. And your father and I both feel that we should begin expanding our business in Europe as soon as possible. You’re still young, yes, but we both believe you can do more for our family. We’d like to let you take the lead and survey the European market first. What do you think?”

“Mother, I’m very interested in your suggestion.”

When it came to work, Ye Lifeng’s interest was keen indeed. One could already foresee that in the future he might become a man consumed by his career, and that both worried Xue Xinlin and filled her with comfort. He was their only son, yet he truly made her proud.

“But,” Ye Lifeng continued, changing tone as he set down his utensils, “if that’s the case, then this is the perfect opportunity. I’d like to use it to get engaged to Yuwei. I want her to go with me. Mother, what do you think?”

“Of course that’s fine. As long as you’re happy, Mother supports you.” Xue Xinlin had met Xia Yuwei twice, and she had accepted the obedient, intelligent girl in her heart.

“Then I’ll have to trouble Mother to help me prepare the engagement banquet. Mother, I know you’re especially gifted in that regard.” Ye Lifeng smiled at her.

“You’re not even sure whether the girl will agree to get engaged to you, and you’re already in such a hurry,” Xue Xinlin chided, though smiling.

“Don’t worry, Mother. I’m certain of it. I want to move quickly, very quickly. Everything must be done as fast as possible.” He was still smiling.

The thought that he could use this chance to get engaged to Xia Yuwei and leave the city made him feel wonderful. From then on, in a foreign land, aside from relying on him, who else would Xia Yuwei have to depend on? And once she was far away from Lu Yichen, he believed she would forget him and fall in love with him instead. Right now, he loved his mother’s and father’s arrangements and decisions more than ever.

The Imperial Hotel. The café on the second floor. Ye Lifeng was accustomed to waiting there for the Xia family.

“Uncle, Auntie, you must be tired after all these days. Why not rest today and take Yuwei to see the sea?” Ye Lifeng suggested considerately. Then he turned to Xia Yuwei. “Yuwei, what do you think?”

Xia Yuwei smiled and nodded, linking her arm through Wang Yanran’s. “That sounds lovely. Mom, Dad, the sea here is beautiful. You’ve been to the Maldives and Bali before, but I feel like this stretch of water is no worse. It would be a shame to miss it.”

“You little rascal, saying it as if you’ve been to the Maldives yourself...” Wang Yanran laughed and gently tapped Xia Yuwei’s cheek.

“Mom, how can you say that? You and Dad travel all over the world, and when have you ever thought to take me with you? Is it wrong if I just satisfy myself with pictures and videos online? Honestly...”

“Fine, fine, it’s our fault, all right? Then this time, we’ll bring you along to make it up to you. How about that?”

“Okay!” Xia Yuwei immediately raised her hand in agreement.

...

Xia Changxi and Wang Yanran strolled along the beach, while Ye Lifeng accompanied Xia Yuwei on a stretch of sand a little farther away, watching as she bent now and then to pick up seashells.

On the snowy-white shore, she walked barefoot in the soft sand, letting it slip through her fingers. In her light dress, Xia Yuwei ran to the water’s edge like a child to gather shells.

The sea breeze lifted the bright hem of her skirt and her flowing long hair. In the light of the blue sky, the sea, and the sun, she looked like a beautiful painting, touched with a hint of innocence and charm.

“This shell is huge, and it’s so colorful inside too. It’s beautiful.” Xia Yuwei picked up an enormous shell, cradling it in both hands, and said to Ye Lifeng with delight.

“Yes, it is very nice.” Ye Lifeng agreed, taking her hands in his. “Yuwei...”

“Lifeng...” Xia Yuwei instinctively tried to withdraw her hands, but he did not let go.

“Yuwei, after all this time, you should understand how I feel. Please don’t avoid this. Give me a clear answer, all right? In half a month, I’m leaving this city. I want to take you with me. Please give me a chance to take care of you for the rest of your life.”

“Lifeng...” Xia Yuwei looked at him, her face drained of color. For many people, this would be a dream come true.

Ye Lifeng was a perfect man, a rare and excellent one. So many elegant young ladies were chasing after him, clinging to him, and yet for more than two years he had shown kindness only to her, Xia Yuwei. She should not keep refusing him so stubbornly, should she?

And yet, why was it that when he confessed his feelings and asked her to make a choice, she felt no joy at all, only a piercing ache in her heart?

Holding her hands, Ye Lifeng said sincerely, “Yuwei, I know you once liked Lu Yichen. Is that right? I won’t say it aloud, but that doesn’t mean I know nothing. He hurt you, didn’t he? I know you’re still hesitating now, that you still can’t let him go.”

“But, Yuwei, look ahead. Let him go, and let yourself go too. Since everything is already in the past, try learning to accept me, all right?”

“I think I can make you happy. I’ll do everything in my power to make you happy. I won’t let you be hurt, and I won’t let you shed a single tear.”

“Yuwei, promise me. Get engaged to me and go to Europe with me, all right?”