Chapter 241: Proposal 4
"Boo hoo... I’m so touched."
Even though He Hanshi was his rival for her affection, in an atmosphere like this, Jiang Xia couldn’t help but tear up.
Yan Huoshui shot him a glance. "You ugly thing. Keep crying and you’ll ruin your makeup."
At his words, Jiang Xia immediately tilted his head back, forcing back the tears that were about to fall. He had to look good for the marriage certificate photos; he couldn’t show up looking like a mess.
Yan Huoshui scoffed. "Heh. A grown man wearing makeup."
"So what? Mu Tangfeng is wearing cologne."
Jiang Xia paid him no mind. He only relaxed after making sure his eyes were dry.
’Too bad the mood I worked so hard to create was just ruined by Yan Huoshui.’
And why would he be? Yan Huoshui wasn’t a magnanimous person to begin with, especially not while watching his beloved female next to another male. From afar, the two of them looked so perfect together, which only made him feel like a clown looking up at their happiness.
He was grinding his teeth. And with Jiang Xia being the next to propose, he was naturally in no mood to be nice to him.
Meanwhile, the fountain platform finally landed smoothly.
Yan Huoshui had a reasonable suspicion that He Hanshi had deliberately separated them, afraid they would interrupt his proposal.
His expression darkened, but it immediately brightened again the moment he saw Shi Lan.
’Whatever. A wonderful day like this isn’t the time to be petty.’
Shi Lan carefully placed the Xia Donghua into her Space Chain. Xia Donghua flowers lasted a long time; the ones He Hanshi had given her previously were still fresh, stored beside a Blue Crystal.
Soon, the five of them were back in the Hovercar, heading to the next destination.
Perhaps because she had already experienced two proposals, Shi Lan wasn’t as nervous anymore. It felt more like checking off destinations on a trip, or opening a mystery box—full of excited anticipation. A faint, excited blush bloomed on her fair cheeks, complementing the simple lipstick she wore and making her look all the more captivating.
The four men in the Hovercar could not take their eyes off her.
Shi Lan, however, was lost in thought, replaying the recent proposals. She barely glanced at the men. The Hovercar was moving so quickly that even as she stared out the window, she failed to notice the news flashing across the digital billboards outside.
There were announcements for He Hanshi’s successful proposal, just like there had been for Ye Ming’s.
As a result, the Star Network exploded with one trending topic after another, all asking the same question: Who in the world was Shi Lan? Why had both Admiral He, a bachelor for many years, and the Eldest Prince, heir to the Imperial Family, chosen to propose to her on the very same day?
Someone from the Capital Star School leaked Shi Lan’s profile, revealing her S-class Spiritual Power. The mention of an S-class female instantly crashed the Star Network.
Meanwhile, the very person who had crashed the Star Network had already arrived with Jiang Xia at his chosen proposal spot.
Jiang Xia’s location wasn’t as remote. He had chosen his own home.
His house had a large lawn, perfect for setting up decorations. Besides, he wanted his entire family to be there to give them their blessing.
This was Shi Lan’s first time visiting the Jiang Family home. The nervousness she had just managed to suppress crept back as she thought about meeting his family.
Jiang Xia seemed even more nervous than she was. He was holding her hand so tightly he forgot to take out the flowers he’d stored away. He kept muttering, "Lanlan, don’t worry. I’m here."
"Even though this is my first time proposing, I’ve learned a lot from my dad. I promise I’ll make it a wonderful experience for you."
A red carpet was rolled out across the Jiang Family grounds. As the two walked along it, flanked by flowers and heart-shaped balloons, the scene looked more like a wedding than a proposal.
Suddenly, a balloon exploded with a POP!
Shi Lan barely had time to react before a frightened Jiang Xia threw his arms around her.
"Lanlan, it’s an ambush! Run!"
He immediately tried to pull Shi Lan into cover. She, however, just tilted her head to look at the remains of the burst balloon, a wide grin spreading across her face as she failed to stifle her laughter.
"Jiang Jiang, it’s not an ambush. A balloon just popped."
She was laughing so hard her stomach began to ache and the crown on her head trembled. When she felt Jiang Xia still trying to pull her away, she quickly told him the truth.
From not far behind, Mu Tangfeng’s mocking laughter echoed, clearly aimed at Jiang Xia’s cowardice.
Jiang Xia cautiously glanced in the direction of the sound. When his eyes landed on the scattered fragments of the balloon on the ground, the tips of his ears, hidden beneath his long hair, turned red.
He awkwardly smoothed out his clothes, which had gotten wrinkled when he’d hugged Shi Lan. Looking guilty, he cleared his throat. "Ahem, I knew that. Let’s keep going."
"Okay."
A smile played on Shi Lan’s lips. After the little incident, she realized Jiang Xia was far more nervous than she was, which in turn helped her relax.
Following the long red carpet, the two arrived at the heart of the proposal site.
Thankfully, no more balloons popped along the rest of the path.
Jiang Xia had no experience, having learned all this from his father. What neither of them realized was that, after several decades, this style of proposal had become a little dated.
But love never does.
They happened to be inside a bubble.
Jiang Xia was relieved. "Good thing I was holding Lanlan when we came down. We were almost separated."
His words made Shi Lan realize they were still holding each other. She quickly let go, her face flushing. Perhaps it was the excitement, but her heart was still pounding erratically, threatening to leap out of her throat.
Jiang Xia, too, was hit by a belated wave of embarrassment. Alone together in such a confined space, he could clearly smell the faint rose scent on her. It was the same scent as the shampoo she had given him.
’But even when he used that shampoo, it wasn’t as fragrant as Lanlan’s natural scent.’
And what’s more... when he had held her so tightly just now, he’d discovered that her entire body was soft, especially the part pressing against his chest, which was unbelievably so.
Jiang Xia didn’t dare to dwell on what it was. In their society, people were very open in their pursuit of partners; he wasn’t so naive as to not understand.
He suddenly found it hard to breathe. He greedily took a few breaths of the fragrance that filled the small space, his Adam’s apple bobbing. "Then... let’s head into the sea."
At that moment, their bubble was floating on the surface of the ocean, bobbing with the waves as curious seagulls circled nearby.
Shi Lan’s own heart was in turmoil, so she didn’t notice his odd behavior.
Other marine worlds she’d seen had traces of being man-made. They were beautiful, but they lacked the magnificent, natural feel of a real seabed. This place was different. Every reef, every piece of coral, even the patterns on the fish, was so lifelike it might as well have been real.
"It’s this realistic?"
Jiang Xia nodded. Even though he found Mu Tangfeng annoying, he had to admit his mother was brilliant. "Actually, the original concept for holographic games came from Mu Tangfeng’s mother. She and her other Beast Husband developed a true, fully autonomous AI, and that AI was a collaborator on most of their games."
"Then are the robots in the prison also from the Mu Family’s company?"