Jiang Fuyue turned around, eyes filled with doubt.
Zhong Ziang hardened his resolve and thrust the bouquet of pink roses forward. “This is for you.”
“China Roses? They came free with the dessert?”
“These are roses! Roses! Why does everyone keep calling them Chinese roses?” Zhong Ziang was so frustrated he almost stomped his foot.
Jiang Fuyue finally processed what was happening and raised an eyebrow.
“You’re giving me roses?”
“Uh-huh.”
She crossed her arms and leaned against the doorframe. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Well… when a boy gives a girl roses, what do you think it means?”
Jiang Fuyue straightened up, her smile fading, eyes suddenly sharp. “Zhong Ziang, you—”
“That’s right! I’m confessing. I-I-I… I like you!”
He finally said it. Turns out, it wasn’t that hard after all.
Not far away, Xie Dingyuan had just arrived and caught that sentence in full. He froze mid-step, staring at the two teenagers standing face to face in the golden sunlight, as if the moment had been filtered into something dreamlike.
Suddenly, he didn’t have the courage to walk forward.
What was he going to do anyway? Drag Zhong Ziang away under the excuse of being his guardian? Or righteously warn them against puppy love?
So noble on the surface. But what was he really feeling, what was his true intention—only Xie Dingyuan knew.
…Would she accept him?
Zhong Ziang stared intently at Jiang Fuyue, watching for any reaction.
Jiang Fuyue studied him in return, trying to determine if he was joking.
The silence between them suddenly felt stifling.
Face to face, eyes locked—neither speaking.
Who knows how long passed before Jiang Fuyue asked, “You’re serious?”
“More real than real gold.”
“But I don’t like you.” No hesitation whatsoever.
Blunt. Direct. Leaving no room for misinterpretation or fantasy.
Zhong Ziang didn’t look surprised. He almost looked… prepared.
He asked, “But do you hate me?”
Jiang Fuyue thought for a moment and shook her head. “No.”
“Then… do you like someone else? I mean romantically, not like family or siblings.”
“Not at the moment.”
“Yes!” Zhong Ziang snapped his fingers. “Jiang Fuyue, I now officially declare—I’m going to chase you!”
His voice rang out bright and clear, full of youthful confidence and unrestrained boldness.
Jiang Fuyue blinked. “Did you hit your head?”
“I’m serious!”
“Why?” she asked, curious.
“Why what?”
“Why are you chasing me?”
“Because I like you!”
“Why do you like me?”
“Because—”
“Hm?”
“Because I just do! Why so many questions? Haven’t you heard that love has no reason~?”
Jiang Fuyue: “…” Goosebumps.
“Anyway, you have to give me a chance.”
“What if I don’t?”
Zhong Ziang widened his eyes. “You have to!”
“Why?” she tilted her head, curious again. Her gaze steady, her face calm—not one bit like a girl who’d just been confessed to.
Zhong Ziang felt oddly disappointed.
But then again… it made sense.
After all, Jiang Fuyue wasn’t an ordinary girl. The one he liked was different from all the rest.
Which meant his approach had to be different too—
Zhong Ziang cleared his throat. “Hear me out. First of all, you said you don’t have someone you like, right?”
Jiang Fuyue added, “For now.”
“Fine, for now. You don’t like anyone right now, right?”
“Mm.”
“And I didn’t force you to like me, did I?”
She nodded again.
“So, not liking me is your right. But liking you is my right. There’s this saying, you know—‘I like you, and it has nothing to do with the world.’”
Jiang Fuyue raised an eyebrow.
Zhong Ziang continued, “Since you don’t like anyone yet, letting me pursue you for a while doesn’t hurt, right? Maybe this one-sided crush might turn into something mutual. Worst case, even if it doesn’t, you’re single, I’m single—it’s not like it’s illegal!”
Finally, he delivered the ultimate question: “Tell me—doesn’t that make sense?”
Uh…
Jiang Fuyue: “Kinda… makes some sense.”
“See? I’m a genius!”
“…”
“Here, take the flowers.”
Jiang Fuyue: “You have the right to give, and I have the right not to take. Don’t bring me things again—I won’t accept them.”
“Come on… these flowers came free with the desserts. You don’t seriously think they’re roses, do you? My arms are killing me. Just take them already…”
Before she could respond, he shoved the bouquet into her arms.
Jiang Fuyue: “?”
She examined them closely. No fuzz on the stems, thorns hooked forward, large blossoms with curling petals—definitely Chinese roses.
“Oh right, and these super sweet mille crepes and mousse cakes—I got every flavor. Try them out. Let me know your favorite, and I’ll bring more next time.”
Jiang Fuyue was about to refuse again—if she wasn’t accepting the flowers, the desserts were a no-go too.
But Zhong Ziang didn’t give her a chance to speak. “Don’t think I’m giving you stuff just because I’m chasing you!”
“?” Isn’t that exactly why?
“Of course not! The desserts are a thank-you gift for saving my life. The flowers came free, so I figured—why not. If it weren’t for you pulling me back yesterday at the race club, I’d have fallen for those jerks’ trap. These are my thanks. Not fancy, but sincere. You have to accept them!”
Jiang Fuyue: “…” Now it was awkward to say no.
Zhong Ziang sealed the deal by not waiting for her answer. He turned and ran.
Once he was far enough away, he shouted back, “Don’t forget to eat them—guaranteed to sweeten your heart!”
Jiang Fuyue stood frozen for a moment, then suddenly smiled.
She called out, “Thanks!”
In the sunlight, the boy smiled like a fool.
Back inside, Jiang Fuyue walked in with one hand holding the flowers, the other holding the bag.
Her younger brother peeked around the hallway. “Sis, did someone just confess to you?”
Jiang Fuyue set down the flowers and reached out to ruffle his hair. “Little kid, and you know what a confession is?”
“I’m in middle school now!” he huffed, hands on his hips. A tuft of messy hair from his nap bobbed up and down on his head—unintentionally adorable. “I’m not a little kid!”
“Oh? Then what are you?”
“I’m a big kid now!”
“Alright, big kid—come have some dessert.” Jiang Fuyue sat cross-legged at the coffee table, unpacking the desserts.
Gulp—
Her little brother’s eyes went wide, and he quietly swallowed.
“Can I… have some?” he asked shyly.
“Of course.”
“But isn’t this, like, the symbol of a confession? Like… a token of love?”
“Where did you hear such nonsense?”
He nervously pointed to the TV. “…On that.”
Jiang Fuyue: “…Are you eating it or not?”
“I’m eating!”
Because true foodies never hesitate.
On this side, the siblings happily dug into the desserts.
Over at the villa, Zhong Ziang whistled as he bounced back in.
As soon as he walked in the living room—“Yo, Uncle! You’re down already? Dinner time?”
Xie Dingyuan was seated on the sofa, a cup of tea in front of him, a document open in his lap. He wore gold-rimmed glasses and was reading with his head down.
At Zhong Ziang’s voice, he looked up slowly. His deep gaze fell on him. “Dressed like that—where’d you go?”
“Heh heh… I had big business to handle.”
Xie Dingyuan gave a soft “Mm,” not planning to probe.
But Zhong Ziang couldn’t hold it in—he needed someone to share with.
“Uncle, let me tell you, just now I… heh heh…” He grinned like an idiot.
Xie Dingyuan’s eyelid twitched.
“I confessed to Jiang Fuyue! The flowers, the desserts—huge bonus points! Of course, maybe it was my outfit that stunned her.”
“So… she said yes?”
“Kind of.”
Xie Dingyuan’s jaw tightened. “What do you mean kind of?”
“I told her—she has the right not to like me, and I have the freedom to like her. She can’t stop me from chasing her. And in the end, she agreed to that logic. So that basically means she’s allowing me to pursue her, right?”
“So she doesn’t like you?” His tone turned strange.
Unfortunately, the clueless Zhong Ziang missed it. He just waved it off. “That’s not the point.”
Xie Dingyuan let out a cold chuckle. “Sounds like she clearly said she doesn’t like you.”
Zhong Ziang: “But she said she doesn’t like anyone else either.”
Xie Dingyuan’s smile froze.
“So,” Zhong Ziang beamed, “I still have a chance!”
Zhong Ziang finally confessed. Dog Uncle is burning with jealousy.
