In the middle of the lake, the glowing paper lanterns that took the shape of a lotus flower floated around the wooden boat.
Yue Ling sat in the seat she had first sat when she got on the boat. However, Lu Tian remained positioned on one knee in front of her.
She stares at him with trembling eyes and didn't know how to make out the situation. She had been so focused on the many glowing lanterns that had suddenly appeared that she didn't even hear him move. Even the boat didn't rock at his movements.
Her eyes glisten more as she was barely able to hold back her tears.
"Tian, what are you doing?
Knowing he had surprised her, Lu Tian reaches to take her left hand without moving his eyes away from her.
"Yue Ling, I cannot promise you heaven and earth, but I am willing to go against heaven and earth for you."
He gently caresses the back of her hand with his thumb and he sighs a faint smile.
"They say our past makes us who we are, but the moment I met you, I've come to realize that it is you who makes me who I am."
He trembles a deep breath to calm his trembling heart and he tries to widen his smile.
"When I first asked you to spend the rest of your life with me, you said yes."
His eyes search into her bluish green eyes like he was trying to find an answer.
"However, after everything that we have gone through, I want… no, I need to ask you again."
He inhales another deep breath and swallows a hard gulp before he could continue his words.
"Will you look forward to the coming day with me as we grow old together?"
His words fell and he reaches inside his coat pocket with his right hand. Taking a small box out, he opens it and faces it towards her.
Yue Ling's mind was filled with endless streams of emotions. She didn't understand why he was proposing to her a second time. However, the more she listened, she came to understand his reason.
Without doubt with everything that has happened, a part of him must have felt insecure that she may not want to be him anymore. After all, he is known to be a powerful man, but despite his fearsome figure, he wasn't able to prevent the incident that led to their loss.
However, no matter how many days have passed, she never once blames him, nor did she deem him for his inability of protecting her and their child.
Because in life, you have to let things be and never try to fight what will be.
It's true that their loss was despairing, but it was something neither of them could have prevented from happening.
As her thoughts drifted further, a tear slid down her cheeks, then another quickly follows. Her chest felt like it was being suffocated and she presses her lips together tightly to keep it from trembling anymore.
How can she not want to be with him? Even after knowing that she cannot get pregnant anymore, he still told her that he will never let his love drift away from her.
Lu Tian's heart dropped to his stomach when he saw her first tear broke free. He wanted to pull her into his arms, but before just as he moved, he was stopped by her hand lightly squeezing on his hand.
"Yue Ling…"
He could only stay where he is and stare at her teary face. Each time he saw a tear fall from her eyes, he swore, it felt like his heart had been ripped out from his chest and thrown into the cold lake as it sinks deeper into the depts of the grounds.
Is she crying out of happiness like the first time proposed? Or could it be that she is crying because she doesn't know how to reject him?
He subconsciously lowers his head and he stares at her soft hand that was within his. He glances at L'amour de ma vie then slightly turns to the right and he stares at the ring he had personally designed for her.
Or could it be that no matter how much time passes, her heart will always be elsewhere?
"Tian…"
Yue Ling finally calms herself and looks at Lu Tian. Even in the dark, with the little light from behind him, she could see how dejected he looked.
"Why do you look like you've given up all hope?"
Her right-hand reaches to touch his cheek and she makes him look up at her. Seeing his expression clearly, she sighs a smile and knew exactly what was going on in his mind.
"Fate brought us together. Do you really need to ask me a second time?"
Seeing her smile that fills the empty hole in his chest, Lu Tian didn't know what to think anymore. He averts his gaze from her and pouts his lip like a sad child.
"T-Then why are you crying?"
Hearing his mumbled words, Yue Ling chuckles and moves her hand holding his cheek. She flicks his forehead with little strength and maintains a smile.
"Silly. My tears are tears of joy."
Lu Tian abruptly looks at her and he felt his heart that had sunk into the lake shot back inside him. His eyes tremble and he hesitantly asks.
"You're… You're willing to continue life with me?"
Yue Ling nods her head and her hand place against his cheek again. She looks straight into his eyes and her smile widens softly.
"I yearn not for wealth nor for riches but to grow old with you for eternity."
Lu Tian's eyes tremble at her words. His heart shot up to the sky and danced on the full moon before coming back down to its original place.
He takes the ring he had designed for her out of the box and didn't hesitate to put it on her ring finger.
However, he stops when he sees that his ring and Shin's ring collided together like two generals having a standoff in the middle of a battlefield.
Yue Ling notices this and chuckles at the look on his face. She moves her hand away from his grasp and removes his ring. She then removes L'amour de ma vie and place it inside his coat pocket.
She isn't keeping the ring but has another plan in store for it.
Once her fingers were free of anything, she held it back out to him.
"Shall we try again?"
Lu Tian was confused as to why she would toss the ring in his pocket, but he chuckles with her and takes her hand.
"Third time is always a charm."
He puts the ring on her and pulls into his embrace. Right now, he just wants to kiss her and take her home.
"Wah! Tian!"
Just as he eagerly moved, Yue Ling lets out a sudden yelp when the wooden boat rocks with gravitational force.
Both their arms stretch out apart and quickly grabs hold of the boat's side frame. Neither dared to breathe or move and could only try to balance the weight of the boat.
"…"
The romantic air that once wrapped itself around them disappears into thin air. Yue Ling glares at Lu Tian with murderous eyes.
"If the boat tips over, I know who to blame."
Lu Tians quickly close his mouth and his face flush red out of embarrassment. His shoulders move up and his neck shrunk in. Even the thought of looking at her eyes was out of the question.
He purses his lower lip and puts on a sad puppy expression. All he wanted to do was hug her and kiss her.
"I should have bought a yacht instead of this tiny boat."
Met with this adorable side to him, Yue Ling was baffled and in amusement. However, despite her murderous eyes, in the next second, she burst into laughter when she thought about how they could have fallen into the cold water.
Lu Tian heard her laugh and he looks at her. Seeing her laughing like this was the funniest thing ever, the corners of his lip arcs up and he couldn't help but join her in laughter.
