Chapter 240: Proposal 3
Jiang Xia, Mu Tangfeng, Yan Huoshui, and Ye Ming fell far behind.
The ancient manor before them seemed to be enveloped in flowers; as far as the eye could see, there were vibrant, dense blossoms.
Jiang Xia rubbed his nose at the rich floral scent and let out a loud sneeze.
Mu Tangfeng scoffed. Just as he was about to say something, his gaze was drawn forward.
He Hanshi and Shi Lan walked toward the fountain in the center of the estate—his private property. The fountain’s centerpiece was a stone lion sculpture.
As soon as they neared the fountain, the cylindrical platform beneath the pool began to rise.
Shi Lan grew a little frightened, but He Hanshi held her securely in his arms, reassuring her, "Don’t worry. It won’t go too high—only about seven or eight meters."
Sure enough, the platform rose to a certain height before slowly stopping. Below, the figures of Jiang Xia and the others grew small.
Shi Lan, however, barely noticed them. She was too busy wondering what He Hanshi had brought her up here to see. Only now did she realize that the roses in the estate gardens weren’t planted randomly. They were arranged to form words.
Her eyes traced them one by one.
"Lan... lan... my... be... lov... ed."
She whispered the words aloud, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears. "He Hanshi, I see it. Is this what you meant?"
He Hanshi nodded, his eyes smiling. He turned and pressed a button on the edge of the fountain, and jets of water erupted like scattered blossoms, sending arcs several meters long in every direction.
Yet the spot where they stood remained perfectly dry, untouched by the spray.
The water rained down upon the roses below—and upon the small group of people, who were not spared.
"Oh, come on!"
Jiang Xia yelped and frantically fumbled in his storage space for an umbrella. He’d dressed up specially for today; they hadn’t even registered their union yet, and he refused to let his look get ruined.
Mu Tangfeng had already, cleverly, sprouted his wings and flown above the spray. From there, he too instantly saw the words spelled out by the flowers in the estate.
’His own proposal suddenly seemed a bit shabby in comparison.’
’Weren’t Admiral He and the Eldest Prince bachelors for over thirty years? How are they so smooth?’
Ye Ming and Yan Huoshui had instantly dodged into a blind spot, their clothes and hair remaining fortunately dry. Jiang Xia was a fraction of a second too slow, but he was fine; only a few droplets landed on his long hair.
The jets of water, like a merciless sprinkler system, paid no mind to their plight, contentedly showering the garden’s roses with glistening, crystal-clear droplets.
As the water subsided, rainbows appeared in the mist where the jets had been.
The raised circular platform was the starting point for a series of brilliant, seven-colored rainbows that snaked down among the pink roses. Droplets on the petals glittered like pearls in the sunlight. From this vantage point, the scene wasn’t just beautiful and dreamlike; even the words of He Hanshi’s confession seemed to be glowing, growing more dazzling by the second.
Then, bubbles began to float up from an unseen source, weaving and dancing among the rainbows. It was all like magic—impossibly beautiful.
He Hanshi produced a crown and gently placed it on Shi Lan’s head, settling it perfectly atop her hair.
Shi Lan stared at him, transfixed. He knelt on one knee, a gentle smile gracing his features, his expression both reverent and earnest. "Lanlan, I am so happy that I can propose to you here."
"To be honest, I’ve been agonizing over how to do this. I have no experience with proposals. I’ve never loved another female, and I never even imagined that one day I would get married."
"And now, because of you, I have the chance to enter a new stage of my life. I have to admit, I’m inevitably a little terrified."
"I’m afraid I won’t be a good Beast Husband. I’m afraid you’ll come to hate me. I know I might not be a very qualified partner. I can’t always be by your side, and I can’t always be there to protect you. Until I retire, I still have duties to fulfill as an Admiral."
Shi Lan started to speak, but He Hanshi gave a small smile and continued first. "Lanlan, please forgive my selfishness. Even knowing all that, I’m still greedy enough to want to be by your side—to be your Guardian Knight, your steadfast shield, and your eternal support."
"So, my dear Princess Lanlan, would you give me that chance? Would you allow me to become your knight?"
He placed one hand over his heart and produced a ring with the other. For a moment, the light glinting off the ring outshone the sparkle of the dewdrops on the roses below.
’Now I understand why he gave me a crown.’
While she felt a little bashful, and thought the whole princess-and-knight thing was a bit corny, she didn’t act coy.
She took out the ring she had made for He Hanshi. The center stone was a sapphire the same color as his eyes. She put it on his finger first, playing along. "This princess permits it."
As she spoke, she removed the ring Ye Ming had previously placed on her hand and held her finger out for He Hanshi to put his on.
This was something she had already thought about. She couldn’t very well wear five rings on one hand, and even swapping them out daily would be a hassle. So, she’d designed and made rings herself. The inner band of each man’s ring was engraved with both her initials and his, set with a different colored diamond.
As for Shi Lan’s own ring, the inner band was engraved with: SL & HMYJY. The last five initials were arranged according to their Black Star rankings.
He Hanshi took the ring meant for Shi Lan and held it in his palm. The letters inside were clearly engraved.
He understood her intentions in an instant. He gently took her hand, slid the ring onto her finger, and then guided her hand to rest on his head. He continued to move it downward as he spoke. "Thank you, Princess Lanlan. From now on, my hair, my face, my body... all my wealth and glory belong to you..."
Finally, he brought her hand to his lips. With his eyes downcast, he placed a cherished kiss upon it.
Shi Lan’s hand burned where he’d kissed it. She wore a heavy crown on her head, and before her knelt the handsome, magnificent He Hanshi, looking for all the world like a true knight. His eyes were closed in reverence, his touch on her hand solemn as he remained on one knee. In a low, gentle, husky voice, he professed his devotion to her.
In this fairy-tale scene, at this very moment, Shi Lan felt she had truly become the princess she’d dreamed of being as a child.
She had always thought such things were only fairy tales. But now, it was her reality.
Shi Lan couldn’t stop herself from gripping his hand in return. Slowly and firmly, she said, "He Hanshi, you’re not just my knight, you’re my prince. I will never hate you. I love you. And I would never think you’re not a competent Beast Husband just because you work hard to protect the interstellar space."
"On the contrary, I will only ever be proud of you—proud of your bravery and your dedication."
He Hanshi looked up, staring at her in a daze. His sapphire eyes were filled with surprise and delight.
He unconsciously tightened his grip on her hand. The rings on their fingers caught the light, reflecting one another and casting a dazzling, colorful glow that was even more beautiful than the rainbows.
’He Hanshi is my prince.’
’Because in the end, the princess and the prince always get their happily ever after.’
’And so will we.’