Final Chapter
“Okay.” Shi Yu’s smile was full of affection, gently gazing into her light-colored pupils.
After Shi Yu’s hearing and speech were completely restored, and after ensuring there were no issues and observing him for a long period, Jiang Shangwan finally felt at ease enough to take over the work at the Jiang family business again.
Before this, she hadn’t even dared to leave Shi Yu’s side. His emotions were like a tightly strung bowstring, and Jiang Shangwan feared that any small mistake could break it again.
She no longer had the psychological strength to go through it a second time.
Jiang Mu received her call and sighed in relief. “It’s good that you’re back, good that you’re back. Your second uncle was still worried that the words from that night might have hurt you, so we even suspended work. I didn’t dare to contact you again.”
Since his divorce, Jiang Mu’s relationship with Jiang Yuting had always been strained. He couldn’t even handle his own biological daughter well, let alone his more distant niece. His experience was that the closer he got, the farther away they became, so he had learned to maintain a proper distance, waiting for the right moment to ease things.
“It’s nothing, second uncle, you’re overthinking.” She paused and said, “I had an illness last year, so my health wasn’t very good. I was a bit tired, so I rested for a while. Now that I’m recovered, it’s time to get back to work.”
“How did you suddenly get sick?” Jiang Mu’s tone rose. “Wasn’t it serious? Why did it take so long to get better? Should we go to my friend’s hospital for a thorough check-up?”
“No need,” she replied. “I’ve recovered. It was just a small issue, and I took the opportunity to rest for a while. Thank you for handling things on my behalf during this time.”
After hanging up, Jiang Shangwan saw a message from Shen Luo pop up: 【I can’t take it anymore, my sick brother assigned me five projects at once, I don’t know if I’m alive or dead at this point…】.
She casually replied to the message and then called over Shi Yu. “It’s been so long since I’ve focused on work. I wonder how things are going with ‘Stop Late.’ Is everything okay?”
Shi Yu had been handling some work online before, but it was only for a short time, and most of it had been left to his subordinates. During the year or so that he had been ill, the company had stagnated, with no new projects bringing fresh energy. It felt as though the company was lacking vitality.
But it hadn’t reached the point of bankruptcy or layoffs. The profits from Deep Blue Love and Wish Come True were still considerable, enough to sustain him for quite some time. Nearly two years had passed, and his position as a tech mogul remained secure.
He briefly explained the current situation. Jiang Shangwan nodded. “As long as there are no major issues, that’s good. The most important thing is that you take care of your health. And when you get back to work, don’t overexert yourself, okay? I don’t want to catch you staying up late coding.”
“Okay.” Shi Yu put on a casual short-sleeve shirt, his forearms smooth and toned. After returning to the country, he focused on fitness to regain his physique, and now his body was even more firm and resilient than before.
The simplest outfit, yet it somehow ignited a spark in Jiang Shangwan.
She thought about the pile of documents she still hadn’t looked at and pushed him away a little. “Go away, go away, beauty ruins people. I need to work.”
Shen Luo’s call came through. “Ah, I really can’t do it anymore. I’m done. Why don’t you outsource it to that kid of yours? Ask him if he wants to take it.”
“Shen Luo’s brother gave him some projects, but he can’t handle it. Do you want to take over?”
Shi Yu lifted his head when he heard her voice. “Do you want me to take it, Wanwan?”
“I definitely don’t want to. With all the time and energy, you could focus on your own projects. Outsourcing doesn’t mean much to you.”
Shi Yu nodded.
Jiang Shangwan tilted her head and pressed the voice message button to send a reply: “Don’t think about it. Focus on your own work. If you don’t improve your business skills, your brother won’t let you off the hook.”
“Help me!” Shen Luo cried out dramatically. “I swear, I’ll do it! I’ll do it! How about we go out for dinner tonight and relax a bit? Is that okay?”
“Fine.”
…
Late at night, when they came out of the restaurant, the evening breeze was gentle. Shen Luo still wanted them to go somewhere else to sing, but Jiang Shangwan ruthlessly refused.
She deliberately slowed her pace, falling behind, walking slowly in the shadow of Shi Yu. In the deep night, her thoughts wandered endlessly. Everything seemed peaceful and ordinary at this moment, but inside, she felt unusually fulfilled and warm.
Ever since Shi Yu had fallen ill, her nerves had been tightly wound. Now, everything had simply returned to its original course. Shi Yu’s health was gradually recovering, they were back to work together, and she felt how precious this seemingly simple life truly was.
She suddenly stopped and called his name: “Shi Yu.”
“Hmm?” Shi Yu knew she wanted to slow down, so he blocked the wind in front of her, holding her hand firmly the whole time.
“Let’s get married.”
Shi Yu turned around in shock.
His pupils contracted, disbelief written all over his face, as if these few simple words had shaken him to his core: “What? Wanwan…?”
“I said, let’s get married.”
Jiang Shangwan stepped forward, walking next to him, pressing her arm against his and resting her head on his shoulder. “Let’s go register. The civil affairs office opens on Monday. We’ll go then.”
The words caught in his throat, and for a moment, he couldn’t speak, his voice hoarse. “Is this for real, Wanwan? Why are you suddenly saying this?”
“Aren’t you of legal marriage age now?”
Jiang Shangwan quietly looked into his deep eyes. Her calm expression made it clear that she wasn’t acting on impulse or a fleeting whim, this was a serious decision she was presenting.
Like every decision she had made before, she arrived at it in a short time, but she had spent a long time experiencing things with him. They had gone through physical decline, ups and downs in their careers, shared a kiss at the foot of Mount Fuji, lived together, and wasted so much time in the gaps between countless moments.
There was no catalyst, it was simply in these ordinary, everyday moments that she wanted to keep him forever.
“I want you to stay with me for the rest of your life,” she said softly. “Is that okay?”
“Okay.” Shi Yu tightened his grip on her hand, his fingers gradually growing firmer. “Wanwan, you’re serious, right?”
Jiang Shangwan kissed his chin. “I haven’t been drinking. I’m serious.”
On Monday morning, they went to register, and the small, red booklet was tightly grasped in her palm. Jiang Shangwan was momentarily stunned.
In the long thirty-some years of her life before this, she had never considered binding herself to someone for a lifetime. Marriage meant responsibility and restraint, it meant that her partner not only had to walk through life with her, but also that they would be tied together, sharing risks and burdens.
They got into the car together, and Shi Yu kissed her cheek, taking out a document to show her.
“What’s this?” Jiang Shangwan opened it in confusion, only to see that it was a marital property agreement, clearly stating: All of Jiang Shangwan’s property would belong solely to her, while all of Shi Yu’s property would belong to her as well.
A black signature pen was handed over, and there was an unmistakable smile in Shi Yu’s eyes. “From now on, we’ll truly be husband and wife. Wanwan, once you sign, we’ll go for notarization.”
Her eyes suddenly stung with tears, and Jiang Shangwan looked at him in a daze. “How did you prepare this…”
“To have you, Wanwan, is already the greatest luck of my life. I can’t leave even the slightest bit of risk for you. Even if one day you tire of me, want to leave, and abandon me, I won’t let you lose even the smallest bit,” Shi Yu said seriously. “I love you.”
The sound of her heart pounding filled her ears, and Jiang Shangwan held his warm hand.
Life is vast, and to meet each other is a stroke of fortune.
In the long years that followed, they shared their lives and wealth, hand in hand, walking together into the rest of their days.
— The End —
Translated By JustMeow18