The thumb tapped on the jewelry box, and with a "click," the lid flipped open, revealing two dazzling diamond rings, emitting a radiant glow.

Chu Ge's movements were crisp, natural, and fluid.

Picking up the larger one, Chu Ge smiled at Qin Ruojing and slowly slipped it onto his own left ring finger under her seemingly calm gaze.

The size was just right, as if custom-made.

"I really like your birthday gift, thank you."

Seeing the smile blooming on Chu Ge's face and hearing his words, Qin Ruojing felt a sense of relief.

It seemed her first attempt to truly accept a man and let him into her life didn't end in failure.

However, before a smile could spread across Qin Ruojing's face, Chu Ge's right hand tapped the box again, and with another "click," the lid closed.

Inside this jewelry box, there was still another diamond ring, meant to be taken out by Chu Ge and placed on her right ring finger.

The budding smile slowly froze on Qin Ruojing's face, and she pressed her lips tightly together, her eyes filled with complexity.

She didn't know what this behavior from Chu Ge meant at this moment.

She needed an explanation, yet Chu Ge seemed unwilling to speak, maintaining his trademark playful smile, locking eyes with her.

Honestly, seeing Qin Ruojing's expression, Chu Ge felt quite distressed. Although he couldn't exactly put himself in her shoes, he had no doubt that facing this scene, Qin Ruojing must feel very upset inside.

She was a pure young woman who inexplicably lost her first time and even took the initiative to propose to a man, and this was the man's reaction—it would be strange if she didn't feel hurt.

Still, Chu Ge steeled his heart and temporarily withheld the truth, just smiling mischievously at Qin Ruojing.

The element of surprise is called so because of its "surprise" factor. How dull would it be if he just took out the ring he prepared?

"Chu Ge, what do you mean by this? Are you not planning to give me an explanation?" After a long while, it was still Qin Ruojing who broke the silence first.

Chu Ge put on an innocent face, feigning ignorance: "Explain what?"

"Is this your choice? Fine, I understand."

Qin Ruojing took a deep breath and nodded, trying to appear calm, but her face was indescribably pale.

"What do you understand?" Chu Ge's heart was laughing even harder, though his face was full of confusion, as he stood up from the bed and walked over to Qin Ruojing.

"Hey, why does your face look so terrible? Could it be that you're having a fever again?" Saying this, Chu Ge extended his hand and placed his palm on Qin Ruojing's forehead.

He thought Qin Ruojing would swat away his hand and coldly question him, as she had done before, but surprisingly, Qin Ruojing had no reaction whatsoever, not even meeting his teasing gaze.

In fact, it wasn't that Qin Ruojing didn't want to react, but she just couldn't summon the energy. The emotional gap was too enormous for her.

"Hey, are you alright? I accepted your gift and thanked you for it; at least you should have some reaction, right?"

"Mr. Chu, could you please remove your hand?" Qin Ruojing finally spoke again, but her tone was as cold as ice.

Chu Ge grinned and removed his hand from Qin Ruojing's forehead, gently smoothing her hair, knowingly asking, "What's wrong? Who made you angry?"

"Mr. Chu, don't you think your current behavior is rather excessive for a lady?"

Qin Ruojing tried her best to maintain her composure, staring directly into Chu Ge's eyes, even though such stubbornness brought a sense of humiliation and heartache.

Chu Ge's lips curled upward with his signature smile, leaning in to whisper in her ear.

"Perhaps it might be excessive for others, but... for you, it's not."

As he finished speaking and before Qin Ruojing could react, Chu Ge's previously empty right hand suddenly magically produced a jewelry box.

Qin Ruojing had intended to muster all her strength to stand up from the chair, make this bastard disappear from her sight, or disappear herself.

But when she saw the jewelry box, she was suddenly stunned, the coldness in her eyes turning into astonishment.

Chu Ge loved Qin Ruojing's current expression, and then he slowly opened the box with his left hand, revealing the diamond ring he bought for her, gradually appearing in Qin Ruojing's sight.

As the box lid was slowly opened by Chu Ge, Qin Ruojing's once hollow eyes gradually opened wider and wider.

When the diamond ring was fully revealed, Chu Ge noticed that Qin Ruojing's eyes could actually open so wide, and they were also so beautiful.

Chu Ge waited for ages but didn't hear Qin Ruojing say anything; she just stared, bewildered, at the ring, not even blinking, as if she were dumbfounded.

As Qin Ruojing didn't react, Chu Ge couldn't help but feel a bit speechless, so he cleared his throat. When Qin Ruojing's body trembled slightly, he asked again, "Do you like it?"

Qin Ruojing shifted her gaze from the diamond ring to Chu Ge, her eyes still full of incredulity, raising her hands to cover her mouth.

Chu Ge rolled his eyes, thinking to himself, I'm asking you a question, why are you covering your mouth?

Also, Qin Ruojing's eyes are so wide open for so long, don't her eyes get sore?

"You... giving it to me?" After a while, Qin Ruojing finally put her hands down.

Chu Ge was speechless. Isn't this obvious? I already put the ring in front of your eyes, if not for you, then who?

Speechless as he was, Chu Ge still smiled slightly and nodded.

"Why?" Qin Ruojing asked out of the blue.

"Since you prepared mine, shouldn't I buy yours?" Chu Ge naturally understood what Qin Ruojing meant and shrugged, "It's a man's responsibility to prepare a ring for his woman."

In Chu Ge's sight, Qin Ruojing's eyes turned red, her lips trembled a bit, and sparkling tears overflowed from her eyes and ran down her cheeks.

"Alright, why are you crying? If being with me makes you feel so aggrieved, then let's just pretend I never said anything, and I'll take the ring back, okay?"

Qin Ruojing said nothing, her eyes turned even redder, biting her lower lip while still staring at the ring.

"I'm really taking it back then?"

"You dare?"

Chu Ge said again, pretending to cover the box, but before his fingers could touch the lid, Qin Ruojing gave him a teary glare and snatched the jewelry box away.

Seeing Qin Ruojing clutching the jewelry box tightly as if afraid it would suddenly vanish, Chu Ge felt a softness in his heart, mixed with a bit of helpless amusement.

Qin Ruojing's reaction was completely different from what he had imagined.

"Hey! Are you provoking me? Why wouldn't I dare?"

Chu Ge retorted with a laugh, trying to snatch the jewelry box, but Qin Ruojing clutched it even tighter with both hands.

"Give it to me?"

"No!"

"Hurry and give it to me; didn't you say I wouldn't dare?"

"Bastard! Once you give something, there's no reason to take it back."

"Can't I just regret it?"

"No way!"

After several attempts, Chu Ge failed to snatch it back, so he resignedly touched his nose and said softly, "Alright, I'm done teasing you. Just give me the ring for a moment, let me put it on for you myself to see if the size fits and if it looks good."

Qin Ruojing looked at Chu Ge suspiciously, "Really?"

"Of course it's true. Do I seem that unreliable?"

Qin Ruojing seriously nodded, "Yes!"

Chu Ge was even more amused, spreading his hands, "Alright, alright, whatever you say, but even if I'm unreliable, do you think I'd joke about something like this? Okay, give it to me."

Qin Ruojing hesitated for a long time, finally handing the jewelry box to Chu Ge, albeit very cautiously, as if ready to retract it at any sudden move from Chu Ge.

Under Qin Ruojing's tense gaze, Chu Ge finally took back the jewelry box, took out the diamond ring inside, then held Qin Ruojing's left hand and slid the ring onto her ring finger.

As the ring was gradually placed on her finger, it fit perfectly. It wasn't too tight to pinch her finger, nor was it loose enough to fall off. Qin Ruojing felt the cool touch of the metal against her skin yet a wave of warmth in her heart, an unprecedented feeling of sweet happiness.

It wasn't until Chu Ge had finished putting the ring on her and looked at it with satisfaction that she suddenly realized there was a problem.

Why did Chu Ge put the ring on her left hand? Also... the finger seemed a bit off?

In most parts of Hua Country, wearing rings follows the rule of "male left, female right," with the ring finger representing marriage and the middle finger representing engagement. Could it be that after staying abroad for too long, he doesn't even know this custom?

"Chu Ge, you... seem to have put the ring on the wrong hand, and the wrong finger too."

After a moment of hesitation, Qin Ruojing decided to correct Chu Ge, not caring much herself but not wanting others to laugh at him.

Chu Ge shook his head with a smile, "No, it's meant for the left ring finger. How can it be wrong?"

Qin Ruojing had to explain to Chu Ge about the way to wear rings and their meanings. Chu Ge smiled as he listened, and after Qin Ruojing finished, he gave his explanation.

"As long as you are willing, we can go get the marriage certificate right now. Once we have it, we'll be a couple, which naturally makes the ring finger right, and as for why I put it on your left hand..."

Chu Ge grinned, leaving a bit of mystery, and countered, "Do you know why in Hua Country, rings are usually worn 'male left, female right'?"

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