When he was in a bad mood, he would occasionally indulge in a cigarette.
Bao Yong felt an additional pang of worry—he hated hearing bad news when he was already upset.
“Mr. Wang?”
He turned to face her, holding a small velvet box in his hand. Bao Yong knew it contained the ring.
“Bao Yong, stay and talk with me,” he said.
He usually addressed her as “Miss Fang,” but the only other time he had called her by her first name was the day Xiao Jin passed away. She cautiously sat down, ready to listen.
But he didn’t speak for a long time. He remained seated, silent, and eventually picked up the cigarette box again. With his usual politeness, he asked, “May I?”
He was always this gentlemanly in front of women, yet Bao Yong felt an inexplicable flutter of unease.
He lit the cigarette, exhaling faint white smoke. After a long pause, he finally said, “The way you are… makes me lose my confidence.”
Bao Yong smiled, a little dazed, as he opened the box. “You chose it yourself. You must like it,” he said.
The 18-carat flawless diamond sparkled brilliantly under the light. She had personally accompanied him to collect it from the jeweler; the insurance fee alone had cost €40,000. A ring like this, placed in front of any woman, should make her the happiest woman in the world.
But Bao Yong didn’t move. After a long pause, she softly said, “Miss Zhou will probably like it.”
He was a smart man. For just a few seconds, his expression was complex, before shifting into one of forlorn disappointment. “Why?” he asked.
“There isn’t a woman in the world who doesn’t love diamonds. But the one I dream of isn’t an 18-carat flawless diamond. It’s too large; wearing it on my finger would make me feel uneasy.”
“Cinderella caught the prince’s eye not because she was a commoner, but because she was actually the daughter of an earl. In this world, marriage requires a tremendous amount of love to withstand all of its trials and tribulations.” Bao Yong smiled apologetically. “I don’t think I have that kind of strength or courage.”
It was a long time before Wang Li finally laughed. “Bao Yong, you’re the most courageous woman I’ve ever met.”
Bao Yong knew he had finally given up, so she smiled calmly and said, “It does take a lot of courage to refuse an 18-carat flawless diamond.”
But in truth, the greatest courage lay in waiting for true love. In this chaotic, materialistic world, it took strength to keep one’s heart steady, unswayed, and to wait patiently for the person who truly belonged to you.
Just like a diamond—its color, clarity, cut, and setting make each one unique. It isn’t necessarily the largest, the most dazzling, or the most perfectly cut diamond that captures your heart. It’s simply the one that, at first glance, you like the most.
Much like love, it is destined to be one of a kind.
[The End]
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