Chapter 271

Chapter 271: The Proposal Chen Yuanyuan took Chu Tang's hand and led her around the main villa, heading toward the back. The night was thick, with stars dotting the sky. Strangely enough, along the way, there was no other source of light besides a few dim little ground lights. Chu Tang asked, "Yuanyuan, why are you being so weird?" "We're here." Chen Yuanyuan suddenly said this. "What?" Chu Tang was completely confused. Chen Yuanyuan gently pushed Chu Tang forward and said with a smile, "Shixu wants to watch the stars with you. Xueluo and I were tasked with bringing you here." Zhou Xueluo smiled with curved brows and said, "Mission accomplished. We're heading off now." With that, the two turned and left. Chu Tang grew even more puzzled. She turned to look at the man before her. Jiang Shixu was wearing a well-tailored black peaked-lapel suit today, paired with a white shirt underneath. The black bow tie added a touch of elegance to the usually stern man. "Watch the stars?" Chu Tang cast a doubtful look at the man. Jiang Shixu carried a hint of a smile in his brows, his gaze calm and gentle. "Mm, watch the stars." The man took Chu Tang's hand and walked forward a few steps. By the dim light of the small ground lights, Chu Tang could make out that this was a garden. "Tangtang, look up at the sky." Jiang Shixu's gentle voice came from beside her ear, and Chu Tang raised her head to look at the sky. She had only casually glanced up, but suddenly froze. In the sky, one brilliant meteor after another streaked across the heavens, weaving dreamlike trails. "A meteor shower!" Chu Tang exclaimed in surprise. "How can there be a meteor shower? I didn't see any news reports about it." Chu Tang looked at the meteor shower in the night sky, both astonished and delighted. Usually, when the meteorological observatory detects an approaching meteor shower, it's reported on the news. This time, Chu Tang hadn't seen any news, nor had she heard anyone mention it. Just as she was puzzled, the man's deep, sexy voice rang out in the night: "Because this meteor shower falls only for you alone." Chu Tang was slightly stunned and turned to look at Jiang Shixu. "You prepared this?" Jiang Shixu hummed in acknowledgment. "Make a wish, Tangtang." Chu Tang said, "Today is your birthday. You should be the one making a wish." Jiang Shixu's eyes were full of deep affection as he quietly gazed at Chu Tang from the side, his voice low and resonant: "My wish is to help you fulfill all of your wishes." Chu Tang's heart was stirred. She closed her eyes, pressed her palms together, and made a wish toward the meteor shower filling the sky. May family and friends be happy and healthy, and may she and Jiang Shixu be together forever, loving each other until their hair turns white. After silently reciting these words, Chu Tang opened her eyes and watched the meteor shower with sparkling, smiling eyes. The meteor shower filling the sky was her love with him blooming in the most dazzling way. Chu Tang murmured with a smile in her voice, "So when you said watch the stars, you meant watch meteors." Jiang Shixu said nothing, turning his head to gaze at her with infatuated, lingering eyes. She was watching the meteors, but in his eyes, there was only her. Meanwhile, in the front courtyard of the villa, the people who had come to attend the birthday party looked up at the night sky. Yu Jiaojiao shouted excitedly, "Whoa, a meteor shower! There's a meteor shower!" Xiao Xiao said, "That's strange. If there's a meteor shower tonight, why didn't I see it reported in the news? Usually, this kind of special astronomical phenomenon is announced in advance." Yu Jiaojiao said, "Right, now that you mention it, it really is strange." Chen Yuanyuan beside them said, "That's because this is an artificial meteor shower that Shixu specially prepared for Tangtang." "What? An artificial meteor shower?" Yu Jiaojiao's eyes widened like brass bells. "There's such a thing as an artificial meteor shower? This is the first time I've ever heard of it." Xiao Xiao was also shocked. "It's my first time hearing about it too. Not only did I hear about it today, but I was lucky enough to see it. I have to say, it's really beautiful." Someone said, "An artificial meteor shower costs tens of millions per second, you know. Jiang Shixu truly loves Ruan Chutang—he's willing to spend that kind of money." Yu Jiaojiao was stunned. "Damn, tens of millions per second? Geez, I wouldn't even spend that recklessly with Happy Beans! President Jiang is way too extravagant—so like him!" Xiao Xiao said, "Today really opened my eyes. Thanks to Sister Chutang, I got to see a meteor shower that costs tens of millions per second." A friend of Jiang Shixu's nearby started talking to the friend beside him: "So it's an artificial meteor shower. Why is Shixu making such a big production out of this?" "It's his birthday today, and he specially prepared a meteor shower for Chutang. Could the kid be planning to propose?" Qin Yan raised an eyebrow. "You're only figuring that out now? Didn't you notice Shixu specially wore a suit today? He even put on a bow tie and dressed up so formally. It's obviously for a proposal. How can you guys be so dense and not see that?" That person said, "Pfft, you're so close to him, of course you'd know the inside scoop." Yu Jiaojiao screamed with excitement: "Ahhhh, is President Jiang really going to propose to Sister Chutang? Damn, damn, that's amazing!" Just then, Xiao Xiao suddenly tugged at the sleeve of Yu Jiaojiao's chiffon shirt. "Look, the drone show!" Under the vast, boundless night sky, several drones glowing with soft light were embedded in the heavens like fine diamonds. The drones split into two groups—those on the left formed the shape of a large diamond ring, while those on the right formed a slender hand. The ring slowly moved toward the hand and finally slipped onto its middle finger. The next second, the image changed. Words appeared in the night sky: Marry me! Marry me. The crowd watching from the ground erupted in cheers and excitement. Yu Jiaojiao grabbed Xiao Xiao's arm beside her and shook it vigorously. "Ahhhh, it's real! President Jiang really proposed to Sister Chu Tang! This is way too romantic!" Xiao Xiao laughed. "Jiaojiao, you're about to shake me dizzy." Hearing this, Yu Jiaojiao immediately let go of Xiao Xiao and said with a grin, "Sorry, Sister Xiao Xiao, I'm just too excited." Unlike the noisy front yard, the back garden was silent. Only Chu Tang and Jiang Shixu were there. Chu Tang's heart pounded rapidly. She stared at the words "Marry me" in the night sky, unable to snap out of it for a long time. Until Jiang Shixu's voice sounded by her ear: "Tangtang, will you marry me?" The man knelt on one knee, holding a deep blue velvet box in his hand, inside which lay a uniquely beautiful diamond ring. Chu Tang looked down at Jiang Shixu. His expression seemed a little nervous. Was he afraid she would say no? Of course she was willing. At that moment, Chu Tang suddenly felt like crying. The road they had traveled together had been so difficult—they had nearly drifted apart. Chu Tang gazed into Jiang Shixu's eyes as crystal-clear tears slipped down unexpectedly. Tears of overwhelming joy, of uncontrollable emotion. "I do." Chu Tang replied softly. Jiang Shixu let out a sigh of relief and slipped the ring onto Chu Tang's middle finger. Suddenly. The surrounding lights flickered on, illuminating the entire back garden. At the same time, brilliant fireworks bloomed in the night sky. The people who had been in the front yard rushed to the back garden, cheering with wild excitement as if they were the ones being proposed to. Qin Yan smiled and lightly punched Jiang Shixu on the shoulder. "Congratulations, man. I'm waiting for the wedding feast." Chen Yuanyuan also smiled. "Tangtang, skip the engagement this time—you two should just get married directly." Zhou Xueluo laughed happily too. "I second that!"