Ning Yuxuan locked eyes with Xie Zhiyan.
The confession felt sudden, yet somehow expected.
From the very beginning when he had enlisted Ning Shiyue’s help to test the waters, to this morning when he suddenly appeared outside her hotel.
She had already told him she wanted a proper confession, and today, Xie Zhiyan had gone to great lengths to make her happy—perhaps all leading up to this moment.
Even with some mental preparation, hearing the man speak those words in his usual magnetic, pleasing voice made Ning Yuxuan feel as though—
The world around her fell silent, leaving only the sound of her own heartbeat and breathing.
Her fingers trembled slightly before Xie Zhiyan’s long, well-defined fingers closed around them.
Their hands intertwined, the diamond ring on her middle finger gleaming brilliantly under the restaurant’s lights.
Ning Yuxuan lowered her gaze to the ring for a moment, then curved her lips.
“This feels a bit like a proposal,” she murmured.
She looked up at Xie Zhiyan again.
His eyes never left hers.
But suddenly, Ning Yuxuan found it hard to hold his gaze, averting hers after just a second.
She withdrew her left hand from his grasp, clasping it with her right as if that could steady her nerves.
Xie Zhiyan didn’t stop her.
Ning Yuxuan turned to look out the window, where one of the city’s most modern tech towers stood opposite them, its glass facade shimmering under the night lights.
“I thought…” she said, “you’d do something like a giant screen projection—my photo with words like ‘Miss Ning, be mine’ or something.”
Xie Zhiyan remained expressionless. “I did consider something like that.”
Ning Yuxuan glanced at him in surprise.
Xie Zhiyan continued, “I had someone contact the building’s management, but Shiyue and I both thought you might not like that approach, so we scrapped the idea.”
Ning Yuxuan laughed. “You actually had Ning Shiyue help you brainstorm?”
She’d assumed Ning Shiyue was just probing her preferences, not that Xie Zhiyan had discussed detailed plans with him.
Xie Zhiyan: “I’ve never done anything like this before. I was at a loss.”
Ning Yuxuan: “You said you scrapped that idea—so there were others?”
Xie Zhiyan’s tone was calm. “Yes. Want to hear them?”
Ning Yuxuan blinked. “Yes.”
She could hardly imagine this man meticulously planning a confession, which only made her more curious about what other schemes he’d concocted.
“I’ll tell you all of them another time,” Xie Zhiyan said. “But before that…”
He held her gaze, his voice slow and soft. “Xuanxuan, you haven’t answered me yet.”
His voice was already deep and pleasant, but now it carried a hint of something lower, gentler—almost coaxing.
Ning Yuxuan’s barely settled heart fluttered again at his words.
Xie Zhiyan watched her intently, as if he wouldn’t let her go without an answer today.
She picked up her champagne glass, taking a sip to steady herself.
After a quiet breath, she whispered, “Okay.”
A flicker of amusement crossed Xie Zhiyan’s eyes. “What?”
Ning Yuxuan bit her lip. “You heard me.”
Xie Zhiyan: “I didn’t catch that.”
Ning Yuxuan: “…”
“I said,” she replied, her face tightening, “I accept.”
Xie Zhiyan: “Accept what?”
Her cheeks burned as she glared at him. “If you keep pretending not to understand, I’m leaving.”
Xie Zhiyan finally stopped teasing, chuckling quietly.
Her reaction seemed to genuinely delight him—his eyes crinkled with laughter, his chest vibrating faintly.
Ning Yuxuan scowled. “Why are you laughing? If you keep this up, I’m taking back what I said.”
After a moment, Xie Zhiyan composed himself. “Not laughing at you.”
Ning Yuxuan: “Then what’s so funny?”
Xie Zhiyan: “I’m happy.”
His voice, still laced with lingering warmth, softened further. “Happy that you finally agreed.”
Ning Yuxuan: “…”
She took another silent sip of champagne.
Though she’d more or less acknowledged their relationship before, making it official now felt strangely unfamiliar.
She didn’t know how to act around him anymore.
Especially right after accepting his confession.
She didn’t know what to say, how to meet his eyes—everything felt awkward.
A notification chimed on her phone.
Ning Yuxuan seized the lifeline, quickly unlocking it.
Ning Fei: [Xuanxuan, are you coming home tonight?]
Ning Yuxuan: “…”
She’d hoped the message would ease her flustered state, but reading it only made her face heat up again.
She wasn’t sure if her mother was being considerate or just overly progressive.
Ning Yuxuan typed through gritted teeth: [Of course I am! Right after dinner, before 10!]
Ning Fei: [Got it.]
She locked her phone, meeting Xie Zhiyan’s gaze.
“…My mom,” she explained. “She asked when I’m coming home. I said before 10.”
Xie Zhiyan nodded. “I’ll take you back by then.”
Dinner had reached its final course—dessert.
Ning Yuxuan scooped a bite of lemon mousse tart, searching for conversation. “That jewelry store clerk who recognized me this morning… that wasn’t you, was it?”
If not for the clerk’s enthusiastic pitch, she probably wouldn’t have bought the ring.
Xie Zhiyan smiled. “Of course not.”
Ning Yuxuan: “What if I hadn’t gone to the store? What if I didn’t buy the ring?”
Xie Zhiyan: “I had another gift prepared.”
Her spoon paused mid-air. “What was it?”
Xie Zhiyan: “I’ll show you after we finish.”
Ning Yuxuan: “…Playing mysterious now.”
Still, a flicker of anticipation stirred.
She’d thought the surprises were over, but apparently not.
After the last bite of dessert, she drained her champagne.
They took the elevator down but didn’t head straight to the parking garage.
The restaurant was in the city’s busiest district, bustling on a Friday night.
For now, Ning Yuxuan and Xie Zhiyan were just two among the crowd—no one recognized Xie Zhiyan’s prominence in the dim light, and no one disturbed them.
In the gentle summer breeze, Ning Yuxuan spoke. “You brought me down here for a reason. Time to reveal this mystery gift?”
Xie Zhiyan: “Wait a little longer.”
She glanced at him, wondering what he had up his sleeve.
Since it was meant to be a surprise for her, Ning Yuxuan found herself a little more patient than usual.
The two walked forward for another two minutes before stopping in front of a shopping mall.
Ning Yuxuan looked up. At the top of the building was a large holographic screen.
A faint premonition stirred in her heart.
Sure enough, the static image on the screen suddenly changed in the next second—revealing a blue butterfly.
The butterfly was lifelike, its translucent blue wings adorned with black patterns, exuding an air of elegance and fragility.
Then, the butterfly flapped its wings. Combined with the 3D holographic effect, it seemed as though it might truly fly out of the screen.
The crowd in the square gasped in unison.
Ning Yuxuan was mesmerized. Only when she snapped out of it did she notice a cool sensation against her neck.
She reached up to touch her collarbone—and felt the smooth, cool texture of a gemstone.
Lowering her gaze, she realized a blue gemstone necklace had somehow appeared around her neck.
In the dim evening light, the details were hard to make out, but she could tell the pendant was shaped like a butterfly.
No wonder the holographic video had also featured a blue butterfly.
Xie Zhiyan had appeared behind her without her noticing.
His warm breath brushed against her ear as he murmured, "This was the gift I originally prepared for you."
The heat of his exhale made Ning Yuxuan’s earlobe tingle. She instinctively touched her ear, only to hear his deep chuckle.
The sensation intensified, sending a shiver down her spine. Her breath hitched, and she took half a step back.
Before she could say anything, warmth suddenly pressed against the side of her ear.
The strange sensation left her frozen, her breath catching for a moment.
It took her two seconds to realize—Xie Zhiyan had just kissed the skin behind her ear.
Ning Yuxuan stood rooted in place, her entire face burning.
Her cheeks and ears had never felt so hot before.
How could he just ambush her like that?!
Her voice came out almost like a whimper as she scolded him, "Xie Zhiyan! What are you doing?!"
His voice, usually cool and composed, was now rough with restraint. "Sorry. I couldn’t help myself."
After a pause, he added, "Haven’t I kissed you there before?"
That was why he hadn’t asked for permission this time.
If anything, his words only made her face burn hotter.
She muttered, "Even if you’ve done it before, you can’t just kiss me out of nowhere!"
"Then…" Xie Zhiyan’s voice was husky. "Can I?"
Ning Yuxuan: "..."
Her heart pounded so hard it felt like it might leap out of her chest.
To make matters worse, they had initially been standing far from the center of the square, where few people passed by.
But the holographic projection on the screen had drawn more and more spectators, many of whom were now jogging over with their phones raised to record the display.
Their spot happened to be the best vantage point for viewing the projection, so the area around them quickly filled with people.
At one point, a child even dashed past Ning Yuxuan, brushing against her long skirt and nearly bumping into her leg.
She lowered her voice. "No! From now on, no touching—and no kissing either!"
Xie Zhiyan probably guessed why she was being so strict.
The crowd was here for the holographic show, which was still looping on the screen.
Though no one was paying attention to them, the sudden proximity of so many people made any intimate gesture impossible.
Amid the noise, Xie Zhiyan let out an almost imperceptible sigh.
When it came to planning surprises, he really was lacking in experience.
He took Ning Yuxuan’s hand.
She instinctively followed as he led her away from the crowd, stopping under a streetlamp in a quieter corner of the square.
This spot offered no view of the screen, so hardly anyone passed by.
The heat in Ning Yuxuan’s face faded slightly, but her heartbeat still raced wildly.
She wasn’t sure if it was the lingering effect of that kiss or the brisk walk over.
Meeting Xie Zhiyan’s gaze, she warned him, "Even if there are fewer people here… you still can’t do anything!"
Xie Zhiyan chuckled softly.
Ning Yuxuan glared at him, her eyes full of reproach.
He reached out, lightly touching the pendant at her chest.
Her body trembled slightly at the contact.
Xie Zhiyan: "It’s brighter here. Do you want to take a closer look at your gift?"
Ning Yuxuan: "..."
After everything that had just happened, she had almost forgotten about the necklace.
She looked down. The butterfly-shaped pendant was made of four blue gemstones, each framed by delicate silver borders.
The cut of the stones was flawless, crystal-clear, and breathtakingly beautiful even in the uneven lighting.
It was a serene, tranquil kind of beauty.
Ning Yuxuan couldn’t help but say, "It’s beautiful. I love it."
Xie Zhiyan: "Originally, I planned to ask you that question after giving you the necklace… but it seems the impromptu moment at the restaurant worked better."
Ning Yuxuan smiled.
He was right.
If he had confessed right after presenting the necklace, some running, shouting child would have probably interrupted him halfway.
A thought occurred to her, and her lips curved. "So you did use a big screen—just a holographic one."
Xie Zhiyan sighed. "Yes. I didn’t plan thoroughly enough."
But Ning Yuxuan actually loved this approach.
Having been publicly confessed to more than once growing up, she had never been fond of the whole "proclaim your love to the world" spectacle.
That was why, when Ning Shiyue had sent her that video of a shopping mall proposal, she had said she’d rather be a spectator than the protagonist.
If the screen had displayed her photo or name, she wouldn’t have hated it—but compared to such an overt declaration, she much preferred this subtle, "secret" surprise.
To everyone else, it was just a video of a butterfly taking flight. Only she knew the meaning behind it.
Ning Yuxuan asked, "Did you have the necklace and video custom-made?"
Xie Zhiyan: "The necklace is an exhibit for an upcoming jewelry show in China. I asked your mother what kind of accessories you liked and ended up choosing this one."
After a brief pause, he added, "It was supposed to be airlifted from the UK next week, but since I was there for business, I brought it back myself."
What he didn’t say was that, throughout the flight from London, the box containing the necklace had never left his side.
"As for the video," Xie Zhiyan said calmly, "it was custom-made after confirming the gift. The timeline was tight, so it’s not very long. For the next month, the holographic screen over there will loop this video every night at this time. You can go watch it again if you like."
Ning Yuxuan’s heart fluttered.
If the video had featured her photos or name, playing on loop every night for a month, she would have died of embarrassment.
But like this, she found it incredibly romantic.
It was as if every time the butterfly appeared, it carried a secret confession from him to her.
Something only the two of them understood.
Ning Yuxuan curved her lips and couldn’t help saying, "Xie Zhiyan, I’ve realized… you’re actually quite good at preparing surprises."
Xie Zhiyan chuckled lightly. "I owe thanks to Ning Shiyue and Aunt Ning Fei for their help."
Ning Yuxuan: "True. Speaking of which, I only knew Ning Shiyue had turned into your spy—he grilled me for ages about what I liked. But I never expected my mom to be in on it too. What exactly did you say to her to convince her to keep it from me?"
Xie Zhiyan: "Only Ning Shiyue knew I was rushing back to confess to you. Aunt Ning Fei only found out last night that I was coming to Jiangcheng. Before that, she just knew I was preparing a gift for you."
Ning Yuxuan: "No wonder."
"And one more thing," Ning Yuxuan added, recalling another detail. "How are you so good at putting on necklaces?"
Xie Zhiyan seemed surprised by the question, his brow lifting slightly.
Ning Yuxuan touched the clasp at the back of her neck. "These kinds of clasps are tricky. Whenever I helped friends with them, it always took me a few tries to get it right. And just now, in the dark, how did you manage to fasten it without me even noticing?"
Earlier, she had been too caught up in the surprise and the dizzying thrill of his "ambush" to think about anything else.
Now that she’d calmed down a little, other questions were starting to surface.
Ning Yuxuan fixed her gaze on Xie Zhiyan. "Don’t tell me you’ve put necklaces on other girls before?"
Xie Zhiyan sounded exasperated. "You’ve barely just accepted my confession, and you’re already interrogating me?"
Ning Yuxuan defended herself matter-of-factly. "It’s a perfectly normal question. It just means I’m observant."
Xie Zhiyan: "I’ve only ever put a necklace on you."
She hadn’t actually meant to grill him.
But hearing his answer still sent a ripple of pleasure through her.
Her instincts told her he wasn’t lying, but Ning Yuxuan pressed on anyway. "Really? Then how are you so skilled at it?"
Xie Zhiyan looked at her and replied evenly, "Before today, I practiced a few times by myself."
Ning Yuxuan’s eyes widened at Xie Zhiyan, completely unprepared for that response.
It was both unbelievable and oddly endearing.
"Seriously?" Ning Yuxuan stared at him in amazement. "You actually practiced in advance?"
Xie Zhiyan gave a quiet "Mm."
Ning Yuxuan: "Xie Zhiyan, you… went to that much trouble?"
Xie Zhiyan appeared perfectly composed. "If something’s uncertain, it’s only natural to prepare beforehand."
But beneath his calm exterior, Ning Yuxuan detected the faintest trace of discomfort—so subtle that anyone else would have missed it.
Yet she was watching him closely, and that was how she caught it.
A deep sense of satisfaction filled her.
All she’d done was speak a few words, but Xie Zhiyan had gone to such lengths to prepare an entire day of surprises—not only flying back overnight to see her but even practicing how to fasten a necklace just for her.
Ning Yuxuan blinked.
Then, on impulse, she leaned in and pressed a quick, feather-light kiss to the corner of his lips.
It was over almost as soon as it began.
Maybe it was the few glasses of white wine and champagne from dinner giving her courage.
But this was the first time she’d ever taken the initiative to do something like this with him.
Afterward, her heart pounded wildly.
Xie Zhiyan froze at her sudden move.
Under the streetlight, his gaze darkened.
Just as he started to lean in, Ning Yuxuan pressed a hand against his chest to stop him.
"No!" she protested, her pulse racing. "Didn’t we agree? No touching!"
Yes, she was being completely hypocritical.
She could ambush him, but he wasn’t allowed to reciprocate.
Xie Zhiyan: "…"
His voice dropped low. "There’s hardly anyone here."
Most of the crowd on the pedestrian street had gathered near the holographic screen, drawn by the video playing on loop. Their spot was relatively secluded.
But they were still in a public place.
Ning Yuxuan bit her lip. "Still not allowed. People could walk by any second—look."
She tilted her chin toward a pair of passersby chatting as they strolled past, about five meters away.
Xie Zhiyan fell silent.
After a long pause, he sighed and took the hand she’d pressed against his chest.
Ning Yuxuan let her fingers move with his as he interlaced them with his own.
They’d held hands before, but this was the first time their fingers had been laced together like this.
"If nothing else," Xie Zhiyan said, "this should be acceptable, right?"
Ning Yuxuan laughed.
Did she just hear a hint of grievance in his tone?
Logically, that wasn’t a word anyone would associate with Xie Zhiyan.
Silently, she tightened her fingers around his in answer.
Hand in hand, they walked a little farther in the cool evening breeze.
When they returned to the center of the square, Ning Yuxuan lifted her head to watch the holographic video again, this time with full attention.
The butterfly’s wings quivered slightly before taking flight.
Already beautiful on its own, the 3D effects made the sight even more breathtaking.
No wonder such a short clip—barely ten seconds—had drawn so many people to stop and watch it multiple times.
After studying it a few more times, Ning Yuxuan finally left with Xie Zhiyan.
Their driver had already pulled up to the nearest lane, waiting for them.
Ning Yuxuan and Xie Zhiyan slid into the back seat together.
Though neither spoke, the driver could still sense… something different in the atmosphere between Mr. Xie and Miss Ning.
He wasn’t privy to all the details, but he knew enough—Mr. Xie had been planning a surprise for his girlfriend.
Seemed like today’s date had been a resounding success, the driver mused.
On the way back, Ning Yuxuan’s hand remained clasped with Xie Zhiyan’s.
A few times, she tried to pull away to use her phone, only for him to tighten his grip, refusing to let go.
Ning Yuxuan mentally rolled her eyes at his childishness—but the smile tugging at her lips betrayed her true feelings.
Lovers in the throes of passion often indulge in behaviors that might seem childish to outsiders.
Even a man like Xie Zhiyan is no exception.
As the car entered the gated villa community, the driver tactfully stopped at the turn of the road instead of pulling up right to Ning Yuxuan's doorstep.
Under the moonlight, Ning Yuxuan and Xie Zhiyan walked side by side, neither breaking the silence first.
Whether it was her imagination or not, Ning Yuxuan felt their steps had unconsciously slowed compared to before.
Yet, no matter how leisurely their pace, the hundred-meter distance was soon covered, bringing them near her home.
Ning Yuxuan looked at Xie Zhiyan, waiting for him to speak first.
Instead, he raised his wrist and glanced at his watch.
Before she could puzzle out why he’d suddenly checked the time, the dim streetlight was eclipsed by his tall, imposing figure.
Then, Xie Zhiyan kissed her.
