The group fell into silence for a long moment before Gu Xingchen finally asked in a dazed tone, "Nan Sangning... proposed to you?"
He Siyu's voice was calm. "What about it?"
Silence descended again.
The Nan family's eldest daughter—traditional and conservative—proposing to He Siyu?!
Whether it was true or not, everyone played along enthusiastically. "Congratulations!"
He Siyu suppressed a faint smile, lifting his glass to take a sip of whiskey.
The club manager pushed the door open. "Young Master He, shall we begin the banquet now?"
This gathering had been arranged by He Siyu.
He glanced at Sangning, who was engrossed in a game of Chinese checkers, her face serious as she stared at the board without sparing him a single glance.
He withdrew his gaze. "Go ahead."
"Yes." The manager nodded and retreated to make arrangements.
He Siyu stood and crossed the lounge, taking a seat beside Sangning.
She didn’t look up, likely unaware that someone had joined her.
Focused on the game, she was still unfamiliar with the rules, her movements hesitant.
There were four players. Sangning used the blue marbles, while Ji Yan’s red marbles had already invaded most of her territory. The other two players were also gaining the upper hand, leaving Sangning lagging behind.
"Sangning, your turn," Ji Yan said smugly.
Sangning frowned, her hand hovering over the board, uncertain.
Then a slender hand reached out, decisively picking up a blue marble and moving it one space, effectively blocking the paths of the other two players.
"What the hell!" Ji Yan cursed.
Sangning turned her head and saw that familiar profile.
The other three players tensed, their moves now much more difficult.
When the turn came back to Sangning, before she could decide her next move, He Siyu picked up another blue marble, jumping four spaces in a sharp, calculated path straight into the opponent’s territory.
The tide of the game turned instantly. He Siyu’s attacks were swift and precise, leaving no room for counterplay. In less than five minutes, Sangning’s blue marbles had completely overtaken the opposing side.
Victory was hers.
He Siyu looked at Sangning and raised a brow.
She blinked, still processing. "It’s over?"
"Of course it is."
She had won.
Sangning withdrew as the winner, while the remaining three players continued their fierce battle for ranking.
She stared blankly at him. "If you played everything, then what was left for me?"
He Siyu paused.
He hadn’t given the opponents time to react—nor had he given Sangning a chance to touch the marbles!
She had just grasped the basics, only for him to snatch the game away.
He wrapped an arm around her waist. "I was just trying to help."
She narrowed her eyes. "You just wanted to play yourself."
He Siyu: ???
"And you stole my turn," she added, pouting.
He Siyu: "..."
Leaning closer, he lowered his voice. "How about I play with you at home?"
She huffed lightly, still pretending to be annoyed.
At the bar, Gu Xingchen and the others were still gathered.
"Did Nan Sangning really propose? I don’t buy it! Xingchen, you know more—is it true?"
Gu Xingchen leaned lazily against the bar, taking a sip of his drink. "It’s true."
Meng Lai and the others perked up immediately. "Really?!"
Gu Xingchen nearly rolled his eyes. True, his ass!
He Siyu had also claimed that Nan Sangning begged him tearfully to get back together—when everyone knew it was him who had been dumped, chain-smoking like a ghost ever since.
Gu Xingchen shot them a meaningful look. "If He Siyu says it’s true, then it’s true. Don’t ask too much."
They exchanged glances and nodded knowingly. "Fair enough."
The way he made it sound like he’d been forced into marriage—as if anyone could force He Siyu into anything with that temper of his.
Ah well, better not stir trouble.
The private room door opened as servers wheeled in carts of dishes.
He Siyu squeezed Sangning’s hand. "Time to eat."
Then he pulled her up and led her to the dining table.
The others quickly settled in as well, filling every seat.
"Wow, it’s rare to see everyone here today. Only Pei Songhan’s missing," Meng Lai remarked cheerfully as he took his seat.
Ji Yan also chimed in curiously. "Right, when is Pei Songhan coming back? He Siyu and Sangning are getting married next month—he can’t miss that, can he?"
Gu Xingchen yanked her down into her seat. "Why do you care so much? He’s busy with business in Australia—it’s not like he has that much free time!"
Ji Yan glared at him. "Since when is asking a question meddling? Pei Songhan only went to Australia to dodge his family’s matchmaking—it’s not like he’s drowning in work! Gu Xingchen, are you picking a fight with me on purpose?"
Gu Xingchen’s scalp prickled in alarm. He shot her a warning look, gritting his teeth. "I’m not picking a fight!"
The others, used to this, quickly intervened. "Alright, alright, it’s a happy occasion."
Ji Yan snorted and crossed her arms, sitting back down.
Gu Xingchen glanced first at the back of her head, then at He Siyu’s expression.
He Siyu’s gaze darkened slightly as he looked at Sangning.
Sangning picked up the glass of red wine the server had poured for her and took a sip. It was quite good—smooth and slightly sweet. She took another sip.
Noticing He Siyu’s stare, she turned to him. "What?"
He pressed his lips together. "Nothing. Is it good?"
"Not bad," she nodded. "Want to try?"
Without hesitation, he took her glass and brought it to his lips, his mouth covering the faint imprint of hers as he drank.
"Not bad indeed."
He set the glass back down casually.
Sangning blinked, then frowned. Why did he keep taking her things?
He Siyu poured her another glass before raising his own.
"Sangning and I are getting married next month. Don’t forget to come."
The table erupted in cheers, drowning out the earlier discussion about Pei Songhan.
"Of course! We’ll be there!"
He Siyu’s lips curved slightly.
By the time the dinner ended, it was already ten.
He Siyu and Sangning left first.
Gu Xingchen bid farewell to the others before leaving with Ji Yan.
Once in the car, Gu Xingchen couldn’t resist asking, "Hey, what’s the deal with He Siyu’s ring? Did Nan Sangning really buy it for him?"
Even if he didn’t believe the proposal story, the ring’s origin was still intriguing.
Ji Yan, scrolling through entertainment news on her phone, replied absently, "Oh, that? Last time Sangning and I went shopping, she saw it and thought it looked nice, so she bought it."
Gu Xingchen’s eyes widened. "So she really did buy it?!"
He had assumed He Siyu was making it up.
Ji Yan gave him a strange look. "What’s so surprising about that? They’re in a real relationship—buying a ring for her boyfriend is normal. It’s not like us!"
Gu Xingchen’s expression stiffened. His left hand curled slightly, fingers brushing against the ring on his fourth finger—the one exchanged during their wedding ceremony.
It had been prepared by their families. Ji Yan had slipped it onto his finger during the vows.
Ji Yan kept scrolling, about to text Sangning, when she suddenly felt a heavy gaze.
She turned and met Gu Xingchen’s silent, intense stare.
Her heart inexplicably skipped a beat. "What are you looking at me like that for?"
Gu Xingchen’s voice was low. "What do you mean, ‘not like us’?"
Ji Yan shrank her neck slightly, then immediately disliked how her sudden defensiveness made her seem weak. She forced herself to straighten her back and lifted her chin. "This is an arranged marriage, a business alliance—there’s no love between us. You know that!"
"How do you know there’s no love?"
Ji Yan froze for a moment.
The usual teasing glint in his eyes was now unfathomably deep. "We grew up together. Twenty years of knowing each other, and you claim there’s no love between us?"
Her fingers tightened around her phone, her gaze flickering with uncertainty. "That… that’s not the kind of love I meant."
He suddenly smirked, a hint of mockery in his expression. "Oh?"
She had forgotten—it was her who once said she’d marry him when they grew up.
The car fell into a stiff silence.
A minute later, Gu Xingchen spoke again, his tone unreadable. "Ji Yan, you really have no conscience."
Ji Yan stiffened once more.
He actually dared to call her heartless?!
---
Nan Sangning and He Siyu returned home a little past eleven.
"I’m going to shower first," Sangning said, exhaustion weighing on her. She had been swamped with work lately, barely catching a break between shifts.
He Siyu casually took her bag from her, hesitating briefly before replying, "Mm."
Sangning stepped into the bathroom, locking the door behind her. She stripped off her dress and rinsed herself quickly, eager to be done.
Twenty minutes later, she emerged in a soft nightgown, slipping under the covers and sinking into the mattress with a relieved sigh.
By the time He Siyu finished his shower, she was already half-asleep.
He climbed into bed quietly, turning off the lights before pulling her into his arms.
Instinctively, she nuzzled against his chest, finding her usual comfortable spot as she drifted further toward sleep.
His arm around her waist tightened slightly as he felt the warmth and softness of her body against his.
"Yangyang," he suddenly murmured.
"Hmm?" Her voice was thick with sleep, her lips barely parting, her eyelids too heavy to open.
His tone was casual. "Pei Songhan left for Australia two months ago."
"Mm." Her eyes remained shut, and it was unclear if she had even processed his words.
He pressed his lips together. "He’s at odds with the Pei family now—refusing the arranged marriage. At this rate, he probably won’t be back anytime soon. He likely won’t attend our wedding either."
There was another reason he didn’t mention.
Given that it was their wedding, Pei Songhan might not want to witness it at all.
"Mm." Still, she didn’t open her eyes.
He lowered his gaze, his dark eyes fixed on her. "What do you think?"
Finally disturbed enough, she blinked her drowsy eyes open, mumbling groggily, "Mm… that’s a shame."
