The Ring

Aria:"I changed it. What was that nonsense you wrote before?"

"What do you mean if he brings a woman home, you give up the place?"

"Once you have the certificate, you're the rightful wife. If he really brings a woman home, you need a knife, not generosity."

Lily:"But you can't change it like that. I didn't plan to sleep with him. This change makes me look desperate and shameless."

Aria:"With a man like Edmond, you don't sleep with him after getting the certificate? Are you dumb?"

Lily:"You're the dumb one!"

Aria:"You know why you have a bad temper? Because you're 24 and haven't slept with a man yet!"

"Trust me, harmonious sex life benefits your physical and mental health. Once you let off some steam, you won't be so irritable."

Lily:"Have you slept with a man? Have you slept with Alistair?"

Aria:"... You're stabbing my heart!"

Aria:"Friendship ends here!"

Aria:"We're done!"

... At ten-thirty, Lily walked into the registration hall of the Civil Affairs Bureau with Edmond.

At eleven, she walked out of the Civil Affairs Bureau with Edmond, now legally married.

The cool breeze caressed her face, the sunlight was warm. Lily stared at the marriage certificate in her hand, feeling indescribable emotions.

Regretfully, after more than twenty years, she ultimately parted ways with the boy who had held her in his palm when she was young.

She married someone else. From now on, there was no turning back.

After the regret came excitement.

She found herself a big backer. From now on, when Royce saw her, he had to respectfully call her "Auntie." She stole the man Zoya wanted to marry.

How cool was that? She actually married Edmond.

Legally, with a marriage certificate.

From now on, in Jiangyu City, she could walk with her head held high.

The driver brought the car over, and Edmond asked Lily, "Are you free now?"

"Yes."

Lily was currently in the start-up phase, running a photography studio.

In recent months, she had been restless because of Royce, losing her inspiration. She had been adjusting her state, unable to produce an ideal photo, so she gave herself a break and had no work for now, quite free.

Edmond's tall figure stood by the car door, dignified and noble.

"I have no appointments this morning. Let's go buy wedding rings."

Since they had registered, they needed rings.

At the jewelry store, Lily initially wanted to choose a blindingly flashy diamond ring, but then she was captivated by a pair of simple matching rings.

Simple design, fine diamond patterns in the slender shape, pure lines.

What attracted Lily was the simplicity.

The sales clerk said, "The purer the love, the longer it lasts. This design emphasizes purity and uniqueness."

"The diamonds on the male ring match the female ring's design, fitting together perfectly, like an embracing couple."

"The meaning is:holding you is holding the entire world."

Holding you is holding the entire world.

Unique purity.

Lily and Edmond's marriage wasn't pure, nor that romantic.

But she really liked this design.

In a moment of hesitation, Edmond already had her left hand in his, slipping the engagement ring onto her ring finger.

The cold touch of the ring snapped Lily back to her senses. The next second, her mind went blank again.

 His palm pressed against the back of her hand.

It was just warm, yet it felt so hot that Lily slightly curled her fingers. She blinked her eyelashes and looked up, meeting Edmond's deep, ink-black eyes.

In Edmond's eyes, she saw her own reflection.

 "I like this one. What do you think?" Edmond said.

 Lily, startled by Edmond's sudden words, was momentarily dazed. "Huh? What?"

 "I like this one," Edmond repeated, glancing at her smooth, slender fingers. "It looks good on you."

 His voice was clear and gentle, and Lily could hear a hint of tenderness. A blush crept up her fair face.

Just as she was about to withdraw her hand, Edmond had already let go and turned to put on the men's ring.

 "How does it look?" he asked, holding up his hand for her to see.

 Lily followed his gesture. His fingers were long and exuded a sense of restraint. With the ring on, they looked even more alluring.

 "It looks good," she said.

 After choosing the pair of rings, Edmond paid the bill.

Lily tried to insist on paying but failed. Edmond offered to drive her home, and Lily didn't refuse.

 On the way back, she turned the ring on her finger, feeling she shouldn't take such an expensive gift.

The last time, she had taken a set of Hetian jade tea sets from Leopold, which was more expensive than this ring. She decided to give it to Edmond later.

 "Lily," Edmond suddenly called her name as she was thinking about what else from Leopold's collection would suit Edmond.

 "Huh?" She looked up at him.

 Edmond asked her what kind of wedding she liked. Lily was stunned. A wedding?

Of course, it should be as grand as possible, bigger than Royce and Nadia's wedding to spite them. But... "Let's not have a wedding for now."

 They couldn't have one because her identity as a bride was awkward. She was almost his niece-in-law, and a wedding would bring him ridicule instead of blessings.

It was better to keep a low profile. Besides, she had already thickened her skin to ask for a marriage certificate in exchange for saving his life.

She didn't deserve such a sacred moment as a wedding. The wedding should be left for when Edmond meets someone he truly likes.