Diamond Ring

Lin Yang had a nagging feeling that something was off.

It was one thing for Xu Zhitong’s mothers to quickly accept her “relationship” with Xu Zhitong.

But the red envelope in Lin Yang’s hand felt like it was burning her.

Just what had Xu Zhitong told her mothers?

Lin Yang couldn’t quite make sense of it.

She didn’t think Xu Zhitong’s mothers would hand out such generous red envelopes just because their daughter was casually dating someone.

Frowning, Lin Yang lowered her gaze and, all at once, noticed Lu Zhiwei’s hand.

The fingers were bare and clean, with no jewelry on them.

Lin Yang paused.

Xu Zhitong was probably still caught up in the joy of bringing Lin Yang home to meet her parents.

She clung to her, reluctant to leave, and asked Xu Ran whether she and Lin Yang could be invited to dinner next time.

She had just seen Mommy slip a red envelope to Lin Yang; shouldn’t there be a meal afterward too, to show how much they valued her?

It seemed they hadn’t even brought a meeting gift. She had clearly told Mommy which brand Lin Yang usually bought.

Lin Yang listened to her chatter for a while, then pulled her aside and helped smooth things over. “I’ll treat the aunts to a meal next time. There’s a private restaurant nearby that’s really hard to book; Zhitong and I ate there last time, and the food was excellent.”

Xu Zhitong’s eyes lit up. “Oh! Yes, that place is really good; the braised beef there is amazing.”

Xu Ran said, “That works. We were just thinking we shouldn’t disturb you two.”

Xu Zhitong said proudly, “Then you missed out on a lot. Lin Yang is really good at picking places to eat.”

Lin Yang smiled and naturally took the cue. “Auntie, do you have any dietary restrictions? Zhitong said your wedding anniversary is coming up soon; if you want, I can also recommend some restaurants in the city.”

Xu Ran blinked. “Ah, our wedding anniversary..."

Xu Zhitong quickly gave her mother a meaningful look.

So the question that had just reached Xu Ran’s lips changed instantly.

She gave two awkward laughs. “Wouldn’t that be too much trouble for you? Your mother and I are getting on in years; we don’t really fuss over these things. If you’re free, just recommend a few casually.”

After a little more small talk, they finally left.

Lin Yang’s heart sank slightly.

Setting aside whether the upcoming wedding anniversary was even real, the aunts didn’t seem like the type who would buy a new diamond ring for it.

Thinking that, Lin Yang forcibly pushed down the doubt in her heart and felt that maybe she was simply being suspicious.

She didn’t know Xu Zhitong’s parents well enough; she shouldn’t be making wild guesses.

Just as she had always thought before, Xu Zhitong’s family situation wasn’t much better than hers.

But now, seeing Xu Ran and the others with her own eyes, Lin Yang realized that Xu Zhitong was living in a very happy family.

Maybe so many years had passed that Xu Zhitong’s relationship with her parents had improved.

Those lies she had told the amnesiac Xu Zhitong; the lies colored by her own selfishness, the ones in which she had believed she was doing right by Xu Zhitong...

They were not the plank of wood that saved a drowning person.

They were pulling Xu Zhitong away from the steady boat that had always belonged to her.

Without her “help,” once Xu Zhitong got in touch with her parents, they would quickly return to the country and take care of her.

However things turned out, Xu Zhitong would have lived very happily.

“..."

O.o

Xu Zhitong was also sneaking careful glances at Lin Yang.

She had almost let it slip just now!

Fortunately, her mother and she were mother and daughter; they were connected on a spiritual level and managed to pull it back.

Xu Zhitong had spent the past few days watching proposal vlogs from other people.

A proposal like this still had to be kept as a surprise, after all, because that was what made it meaningful.

If Lin Yang found out in advance, some of that excitement would be lost.

Lin Yang was so smart; it really wasn’t easy to keep her from noticing.

Xu Zhitong wondered whether she should hurry up and plan this properly.

She couldn’t travel too far with Lin Yang, to propose in some scenic destination.

But in a beautiful restaurant in the city, using Mommy’s wedding anniversary as an excuse to make a grand arrangement and propose to Lin Yang—that was definitely doable.

Xu Zhitong licked her lips, suddenly feeling a little impatient.

She had to get the diamond ring ordered as soon as possible.

The next day, she asked Lu Zhiwei to cover for her, saying she was going shopping with Mommy and would head out alone for a bit.

Lin Yang didn’t suspect anything.

She saw Xu Zhitong to the door and kissed her.

She didn’t say much, which left Xu Zhitong a little dissatisfied.

Xu Zhitong’s hand was still on the doorknob when she turned back to stare at her. “Will you miss me?”

Lin Yang said, “I will.”

“Okay,” Xu Zhitong said after thinking for a moment. “But Mommy’s with me, so I probably can’t keep messaging you all the time. What will you do if you miss me?”

In truth, Lu Zhiwei and the others were only responsible for driving her there.

Then the two of them would go watch a movie, while Xu Zhitong went off on her own to pick a ring for Lin Yang.

But she was worried that if she made up a whole itinerary to report back, it would be easy to slip up; better to send fewer messages and make fewer mistakes.

Lin Yang gave a faint smile. “Then what should I do? Are you saying I shouldn’t go?”

Oh, that wouldn’t do.

She still had to buy the big diamond ring.

Xu Zhitong touched the ring she had secretly taken from Lin Yang’s pocket and steeled herself. “Then I’ll come back early. If you miss me, you can send me a message, and I’ll secretly reply!”

Lin Yang smiled. “All right. Go on.”

Xu Zhitong waved. “Bye-bye.”

The door closed behind Lin Yang.

Xu Zhitong stared for a while at the dark gray door and felt a small pang of disappointment.

Lin Yang didn’t seem reluctant at all.

Xu Zhitong thought Lin Yang probably wouldn’t even miss her much.

What would Lin Yang do by herself at home?

She stood there for a while when her phone suddenly buzzed.

Y: [image]

It was a photo taken with the phone pressed against the peephole, showing Xu Zhitong still standing at the door through the distorted lens.

Her head was huge and her body tiny, looking especially silly.

Y: What are you doing?

ZZZ: [puppy acting cute.jpg]

Xu Zhitong’s mood immediately improved. She leaned against the door and knocked lightly.

On the other side, as if in response, there were two knocks too.

Y: All right, hurry up and go. Don’t keep the aunts waiting.

-

After parting with Lu Zhiwei and the others in the underground parking garage, Xu Zhitong went off alone to choose the ring.

She had already picked out a few brands she liked and browsed the styles on their official websites in advance.

But she still had to look in person.

Xu Zhitong’s budget was high, but she was picky about the ring design.

The requirements were simple: big, sparkly, and beautiful.

Some styles were too plain; some made a large diamond look top-heavy and awkward.

But if it had no design at all, just a pure giant stone, that didn’t fit the romantic setup for a proposal either.

Xu Zhitong had her own aesthetic.

She leaned over the counter and looked at one after another, trying them on and imagining whether Lin Yang would look good wearing them.

Ah, her wife’s hands were so beautiful; anything would look good on them.

In the end, she tried one at a shop where the diamond glittered with such clear brilliance it seemed almost translucent, as if you could see the fire inside it.

It was a four-carat diamond ring with an aquamarine stone, the teardrop-shaped gem set like a crown.

The size was perfect too. Lin Yang’s fingers were slender and pale; with a light blue stone of this carat weight on her hand, she would surely look like something out of a dream.

Just looking at this ring, Xu Zhitong could already imagine the whole proposal backdrop.

She almost fell in love at first sight and, without a moment’s hesitation, immediately wanted to pay and place the order.

Unfortunately, the ring in stock at the counter didn’t fit Lin Yang’s size.

It would have to be shipped in from overseas, and the salesperson said it would take one to two months.

“..."

Xu Zhitong looked at the ring and still couldn’t bear to let it go. She said she could pay the full deposit and asked them to rush it.

The salesperson was very kind and immediately helped her send an email to headquarters on the spot to arrange an expedited shipment.

Xu Zhitong paid the money; only after she saw the salesperson send the email, and after the two of them added each other on Weixin, did she finally relax a little.

It would be great if she could get the ring tomorrow.

Xu Zhitong was inexplicably anxious.

She wanted to bind Lin Yang firmly to her own boat.

After confirming several times that the shipment would be expedited, she left.

After dropping a seven-digit sum in one breath, the salesperson gave her two silk scarves, some scented candles, and the shop’s delicious chocolates.

Xu Zhitong shook the little branded bag in her hand and felt a little more at ease.

There was still some time before Mommy and the others’ movie ended, so Xu Zhitong went to a coffee shop and bought a cup of matcha latte to wait for them.

Before she saw Mommy, she first spotted an unwelcome guest: Lin Zhao.

Xu Zhitong was utterly speechless.

Wasn’t Lin Zhao supposed to be studying abroad? Why was she coming back to the country all the time? Was she even still studying?

With that attitude toward school, her grades definitely couldn’t compare to Lin Yang’s.

When she saw Lin Zhao, she didn’t want to greet her. But thinking that she still had to propose to her sister, and couldn’t make too much of an enemy out of her, she lowered her head and studied the pale green liquid in her cup.

Unfortunately, Lin Zhao had sharp eyes and spotted her.

Lin Zhao didn’t hold back either. After ordering, she greeted the few girls shopping with her, then sat down across from Xu Zhitong on her own.

She still carried the same disdainful attitude toward Xu Zhitong, and after glancing her up and down with a smile, she asked, “Alone? Did my sister dump you?”

Xu Zhitong raised her eyes and glared at her unhappily. “What does that have to do with you?”

Lin Zhao looked intrigued. “So you really broke up?”

Xu Zhitong couldn’t be bothered to answer her. “Thanks for your concern. My relationship with your sister is very good.”

Lin Zhao got her answer and looked somewhat disappointed. She let out an “oh,” then noticed the gift bag beside Xu Zhitong. The small logo was easy enough for Lin Zhao to recognize.

“You’ve already bought stuff from H? How much money did my sister give you?”

“...” Xu Zhitong moved the bag behind her and ignored her.

Lin Zhao was rarely ignored like this. She gave a cold snort.

“The money she’s making is all my mother’s. I can’t believe how rude you are; I think you...”

Xu Zhitong picked up her coffee, grabbed the bag, and turned to walk away.

Lin Zhao hadn’t even finished speaking before she stared blankly at Xu Zhitong’s back, dumbfounded.

This was the first time anyone had ever slapped her in the face like that!

With such a huge bag, and H’s jewelry all being diamonds and fine pieces, it definitely wouldn’t be a small amount.

The thought that her sister might be spending money on this little streamer from her Mommy’s inheritance and trust fund made Lin Zhao grind her teeth with hatred.

She didn’t even want to drink her coffee anymore. Standing up at once, she headed straight for H’s boutique.

Her mother might indeed spoil her sister when it came to money, but Lin Zhao believed her mother would never want to see her sister dating someone like that, let alone spending so much on her.

She had an account tied to Madam Lin’s funds and was already familiar with the luxury jewelry stores in Jiangshi. At first, the salesperson refused to say anything, but after a few phone calls from Lin Zhao, they quickly found out exactly what Xu Zhitong had bought.

What had she bought?

The moment she saw the order, Lin Zhao was stunned.

She even fell silent for a moment.

A beautiful pale-blue diamond ring, with a setting paved all around in tiny diamonds; it was luxurious and dreamlike beyond words.

It was indeed not a small sum, but...

But...

Lin Zhao fell silent.

The salesperson carefully watched her expression, thinking that as a mere worker, she had somehow been dragged into some deep secret of a wealthy family.

“Is there anything else you need?”

After a while, Lin Zhao asked, “Did she say what the ring was for?”

The salesperson was inwardly miserable and said, “That lady said it was for a proposal.”

Ha. A proposal.

And it was a surprise, hidden from her sister.

No wonder her sister wasn’t here today; otherwise Xu Zhitong could have used her sister to pressure her instead of leaving in such a hurry.

This little streamer had gotten so much money out of her sister, and now on the other side, she was spending a fortune on a diamond ring to secretly propose to her sister?

How dare she?

Was it for money, or for...

The moment Lin Zhao thought of that word, she went dizzy.

She only felt hatred driving her nearly mad.

Did her sister buy true love with money?

As the culprit behind the collapse of the family and Mommy’s death, shouldn’t her sister spend her whole life in pain, atoning for it?

She ought to remain guilty toward herself forever, to give up everything willingly, including something like love.

In the end, she was the only one who had been left behind; she was the only one who had gotten nothing.

So why should her sister be allowed to have true love, or marriage?

Lin Zhao took a deep breath and said, “Give me her number.”

The salesperson was alarmed. “Oh, okay.”

She handed over the phone number Xu Zhitong had left behind, silently mourning her professional ethics for a few seconds before quickly dumping that moral stain onto the superior who had assigned her to serve this young lady.

Lin Zhao didn’t plan to say anything to her sister. Her sister clearly already had mutual feelings with that low-tier little streamer, and she even had leverage over her.

Arguing with her sister would be thankless and exhausting.

Clutching her phone tightly, after a moment she vented her anger by sending a message to Xu Zhitong’s number.

I know what you’re trying to do. People like you will never be allowed into our family.

My sister will never marry you. Don’t delude yourself.

[Sending failed]

She had been blocked instantly.

Lin Zhao nearly smashed her phone on the floor.

So rude!

She glared furiously at that unknown number, as if she could bore a hole through the screen and into the blue-haired, foul-faced streamer on the other side.

Forget it. Why was she wasting effort on someone like that?

Lin Zhao gritted her teeth, took a few deep breaths, and called her mother instead.

“Hello? Mom, I’m back in the country!”

The call was answered quickly, the woman’s voice carrying a hint of indulgence.

“Weren’t you already back? I charged the hotel to the secondary card; I thought you’d run out of money, so yesterday I had my assistant transfer you another sum. Is that enough?”

Lin Zhao’s sweet, obedient voice turned especially soft as she acted spoiled with her mother. “It’s enough, Mommy, hehe. I’m home for midterm break for a few days, and I didn’t want to disturb you. But today I happened to run into Sister An while I was out shopping. Mommy, you said before that you’d chatted with her mother at a banquet; could I bring her home for dinner?”

“An? Oh, the one in supermarket business.”

Madam Lin said indifferently, “Sure. If you want to eat something, have the butler arrange it. The cook at home is still the one you’re used to.”

“Mommy is the best!” Lin Zhao kissed the phone receiver twice.

“Oh right, hasn’t sister not come home in a long time? Should we ask her to come back and eat with us too?”

Madam Lin paused, then laughed. “So that was your idea.”

Lin Zhao said, “It was clearly you who first told me you were thinking about finding someone for Sister! She’s already this old; I’m just helping out.”

There was a brief silence on Madam Lin’s end, followed by the click of a lighter. She lit a cigarette.

After a while, Madam Lin said, “I see you’ve got some little scheme in mind.”

Lin Zhao cooed, “Mommy~~ Haven’t you not seen sister in a long time too? Don’t you miss her?”

Madam Lin seemed helpless. After listening to Lin Zhao act cute for a while, she still didn’t refute it. “I’ll have the secretary tell her.”

Lin Zhao cheered.

“Thanks, Mom! You’re the best to me!”

Madam Lin took a drag from her cigarette and stood high up in her office building, looking out through the floor-to-ceiling windows at the bustling afternoon streets below.

“Baby, behave tonight. Don’t keep targeting your sister.”

“Okay...” Lin Zhao said, trying to sound aggrieved. “I’ve always been very good.”

Madam Lin gave no clear reply. “Mm. See you tonight.”

“See you tonight~”

TL Note:

big diamond ring (鸽子蛋) = literally “pigeon egg,” translated into the meaning here, slang for an oversized diamond