You were going to propose today, weren’t you? She’s not dumb, she could pick up on the hints, why else would you treat her out like this? The salons, the elegant dress you bought her that perfectly fit her form.

Her fingers toy with the edge of her napkin, freshly manicured nails catching the light—a deep, glossy red. You’ve always liked red on her. It makes her feel powerful, seductive. Even the waitstaff's glances linger with a touch of admiration, or perhaps it's curiosity, tinged by the spectacle of her anticipation. She can't blame them. The effort you’ve put into tonight speaks louder than any casual date night.

Ruan Mei’s heart pounds a bit harder when the waiter brings over a bottle of champagne. She wonders if there's a ring waiting at the bottom of her glass, or perhaps tucked away in the folds of the dessert menu. Her mind races—could this be the moment?

"You're really doing the most tonight," she whispers across the table. There's a teasing tone to her usually monotonous words, but beneath that, a torrent of nerves. This isn’t just a simple gesture of love, is it? It’s a prelude to a promise, a lifetime. “What is the special occasion?”

She’s ready, has been ready to say 'yes' to a future entwined with yours. But a twinge of fear still courses through her veins.

A sigh breaks through her lips. If not a proposal, then what were your intentions for tonight. Your lives had been romantically intertwined for almost a decade now. Surely you weren’t going to waste any more of her time?