Chapter 1

I proposed marriage fifty-two times, and Shen Ruyan rejected me fifty-two times.

We had been together for ten years, and for the first fifty-one proposals, she always turned me down with the excuse that her older brother still wasn’t married, so as her younger sister, she couldn’t get married before him.

This time, I looked at her and couldn’t help asking, “He’s not even your real brother. Does getting married really have to follow some order?”

Shen Ruyan’s face darkened, and she suddenly slammed the flowers and ring in my hand to the ground.

“Xu Ze, can you stop being so selfish? I promised my brother we’d get married together. You can’t sacrifice my brother’s happiness for your own, can you?”

“And besides, we’ve been together for ten years. Why do we have to get married? Isn’t it fine to just keep dating like this?”

I was still on one knee, staring blankly at Shen Ruyan. The roses I had just been holding were now scattered all over the floor, a messy pile.

It was clearly supposed to be a romantic proposal spot, with the sea, roses, and our friends as witnesses, but now I looked like a clown, kneeling in front of her and begging her to say yes.

It took me a while to come back to my senses and stand up. I curved my lips in mockery, unable to think of anyone else who could ruin a Valentine’s Day this romantic and turn it into a disaster besides me.

In fact, I had already seen a scene like this fifty-one times.

And each time was even more shocking than the last.

From a vibrant 20-year-old to a mature and steady 20-year-old, I had loved Shen Ruyan for ten years.

During those ten years, I had proposed fifty-one times, and I had planned to make it a perfect fifty-two this Valentine’s Day and finally succeed.

Shen Ruyan rejected me again.

Her reason was the same as the first fifty-one times: her childhood friend next door still hadn’t gotten married, so she couldn’t marry before him.

At first, I thought I was too young and nothing was stable yet, and Shen Ruyan had her own concerns, so she was just brushing me off with a random excuse. I could understand that.

I believed that as long as I gave her enough security, she would one day agree to marry me.

So I worked hard, bought a car and a house, saved up a decent amount of money, and gave her all my favoritism without holding back.

Even now, she still refused.

“Do you really not want to marry me?” I asked carefully. Even after being rejected so many times, I still hoped to hear the words “I do” from Shen Ruyan’s mouth.

“I said I don’t want to, so I don’t want to. Xu Ze, are you deaf?”

Seeing her impatience, my heart was completely dead, but I wasn’t willing to accept it! We had been together for ten years. Why wouldn’t she marry me? How many ten years does a girl have in her youth?

“Ruyan, I’m serious about wanting to build a life with you!”

Shen Ruyan suddenly shoved me hard. “Just because you want that doesn’t mean I have to marry you. I grew up with Xue Heng, and I can never go back on what I promised him.”

“Besides, I’ve only known you for a few years. What right do you have to ruin the promise between us?”

“And it’s already been ten years. Isn’t it fine to just keep dating? Why make it so complicated and get married?”

A moment ago, I was still trying to salvage our ten years together. After a few words from Shen Ruyan, I knew there was no possibility left between us.

“Xu Ze, please never scare me like this again.” After saying that, she turned and left without looking back.

Just like the previous fifty-one times, she left decisively, without the slightest hesitation, leaving only me standing there like a joke.

The friends around us started whispering again.

Actually, after my fifteenth failed proposal, not many friends were willing to come to my proposal events anymore.

Because they all knew how Shen Ruyan felt about me. Coming was just a waste of time.

This time was different. I said this would be the last proposal, and Shen Ruyan would definitely agree. I wanted all her friends to witness her happiness, and after persuading them for a long time, they finally nodded and agreed to come see.

I never expected that this final time would also become a joke.

I apologized skillfully and told everyone to leave, then cleaned up all the trash by the sea alone.

By the time I took a taxi home, it was already the middle of the night.

As soon as I opened my phone, I saw a post from Xue Heng on Moments: “One pot of wine, one cup of tea, one person—that’s enough!”

Below the text was a photo. Shen Ruyan was leaning in his arms, sleeping soundly.

When she was with Xue Heng, even while asleep, there was a sweet smile on her lips.

The Shen Ruyan in that photo and the Shen Ruyan from earlier that day were like two completely different people.

My fingers tightening around my phone.

Xue Heng’s existence was like a thorn between her and me. It couldn’t be pulled out, and it would jab me from time to time. It hurt, and I had always cared about it.

When I first got together with Shen Ruyan, I asked her whether she liked Xue Heng. If she did, I would definitely know my place and leave.

Every time Shen Ruyan heard me ask that, she got furious. She said I didn’t trust her, that I had a filthy mind, and that I was always tarnishing their pure friendship.

“Xu Ze, there’s really nothing between Xue Heng and me.”

“When I was little, my parents were always on business trips, and I grew up at Xue Heng’s house. He’s just like my real brother. Do you think I like my own brother? Are you out of your mind?”

“Before I even met you, I already promised him we’d get married one day. Do you want me to go back on my word?”

“As a man, can you stop being so petty?”