Fang Yan was at a loss at this moment. He wondered why Yan Bai hadn't returned yet. He'd rather go back to mining than stay here. This place was simply too dangerous.
Shen Xizhou thought for a moment, as if recalling something. "Forget it, I'll have Yan Bai handle this matter."
Fang Yan breathed a sigh of relief.
In that case, could he just go back to mining?
"You go back to your post first. Yan Bai should be back any moment now."
Hearing this, Fang Yan was overjoyed.
Yan Bai, having finished his errands, returned and immediately heard Shen Xizhou assigning him the task. He even wondered if his ears were playing tricks on him. Why was he being tasked with proposing to Xu Ruowei?
Had something happened during his absence?
However, Shen Xizhou's expression was clearly troubled. No matter how much he didn't understand, he wouldn't voice it now.
Yan Bai arranged everything meticulously.
At the restaurant.
Xu Ruowei was restless because Shen Xizhou hadn't appeared for days. More importantly, Shen Xizhou's expression was very grim. She suspected if he had found out about her past actions, which had led to this situation.
With unease, she lowered her head and cautiously glanced at Shen Xizhou, not daring to look openly.
"Xu Ruowei, let's get married," Shen Xizhou said, his voice cold and devoid of warmth.
Married?
Hearing this, Xu Ruowei looked up, her eyes filled with confusion and bewilderment, which soon turned into a radiant smile.
She didn't know what had happened on Shen Xizhou's end, but as long as it meant Shen Xizhou would marry her, nothing else mattered.
However, over the years, she hadn't lacked opportunities to hint at marriage to Shen Xizhou.
But Shen Xizhou had never given any response.
This time, he had responded directly and with such certainty.
Her face was beaming.
"Xizhou..." Xu Ruowei exclaimed, tears streaming down her face, her voice filled with emotion. If there had been no one else present, she would have probably rushed forward and embraced him.
Xu Ruowei's face was full of smiles as she looked happily at Shen Xizhou. She had been waiting for Shen Xizhou to kneel and propose to her. However, she waited and waited, but he never did.
He had said, "Xu Ruowei, marry me." But shouldn't he have knelt to propose?
Xu Ruowei's face was etched with a deep smile. "Xizhou, you know what? I've always been waiting for your proposal."
"And I've finally received it."
"Xizhou, actually, sometimes I thought that just staying by your side would be enough."
"But your proposal has made me ecstatic!"
Xu Ruowei spoke excitedly. Seeing Shen Xizhou's continued inaction, she whispered, "Xizhou, don't you have a ring? Shouldn't you have a ring when you propose to me?"
A hint of tears glistened in Xu Ruowei's eyes as she looked at him pitifully.
She hadn't intended to say these words. But with Shen Xizhou's persistent inaction, she grit her teeth, hardened her heart, and blurted them out.
Shen Xizhou hadn't intended to at that moment, but since Xu Ruowei had brought it up, he eventually asked Yan Bai to prepare one quickly.
Although Yan Bai was surprised, he prepared a pair of matching rings and delivered them.
When Yan Bai presented the rings, Xu Ruowei was exceptionally excited, her face filled with a look of contentment.
Even though she had suggested it, having the matching rings was enough. This way, she could silence those who had mocked her.
Her only dissatisfaction was that the rings weren't personally chosen by Shen Xizhou, but by Yan Bai and delivered by him.
Xu Ruowei's gaze and thoughts were fixed on the rings, wondering when Shen Xizhou would take them out.
When would he kneel on one knee to propose?
Xu Ruowei said excitedly, "Xizhou, thank you. I will work hard to do well..."
Hearing Xu Ruowei's voice, Shen Xizhou finally snapped back to reality. What had he done?
Was he proposing to Xu Ruowei now?
She wasn't worthy at all.
He had made this decision because he saw An Nuan with Nangong Jin returning home, and his emotions had become unstable.
He stared at Xu Ruowei, thinking about her past actions, and felt utterly disgusted.
He was grateful for what Xu Ruowei had done for him. However, he would compensate her financially. As for anything else, he couldn't give her.
Upon learning that Xu Ruowei had been involved with many people in unclear relationships, he felt disgusted just looking at her.
An Nuan remained the one in his heart.
But Xu Ruowei was not.
Shen Xizhou finally asked Fang Yan to take the rings away.
Seeing this, Xu Ruowei's initially joyful mood plummeted to the bottom.
Weren't these rings meant for proposing to her?
But now that they were being taken away, what did it mean?
"Xizhou, what does this mean? Why are you taking the rings away?"
"Didn't you say you wanted to propose to me? But if you take them away, what does that signify?"
Xu Ruowei said, her face filled with grievance and tears.
Why had the proposal, which was just moments away from happening, suddenly changed its mind? She desperately tried to recall if she had done anything wrong just now. She tried hard to remember but couldn't recall anything.
She was sure she hadn't done anything that would make Shen Xizhou uncomfortable.
Anything that would make him regret this decision.
Facing Xu Ruowei's questioning, Shen Xizhou lowered his head, but refused to explain.
"Ruowei, I'm sorry."
Shen Xizhou looked at Xu Ruowei silently.
His expression was grim. He even thought that his absurd actions were all because of An Nuan. An Nuan's appearance did affect him.
Xu Ruowei clenched her fists tightly, biting her lip, wishing she could directly question Shen Xizhou why he treated her this way. She had never done anything to betray him, yet he had repeatedly humiliated her.
Shen Xizhou, one day, I will make you pay for what you've done today.
At this moment, Shen Xizhou's mind was filled with thoughts of An Nuan.
If the person in front of him now were An Nuan, would he behave like this?
An Nuan? She was probably already with Nangong Jin by now. When would she ever think of him?
He was simply being self-indulgent now.
Shen Xizhou's gaze fell not far away, his brow furrowed, as if deep in thought.
"Xizhou, have you regretted it? Actually, the person you wanted to propose to wasn't me. It was An Nuan, wasn't it?"
"Yes, this is all my own fault. Knowing that you don't have me in your heart, I still harbored feelings for you."
"Xizhou, actually, I should have expected you to treat me this way."
Shen Xizhou knew that what he had done today was indeed excessive.
However, he could not continue to act against his conscience.