ACMS 52

Chapter 52: Confession

That afternoon, Shen Hechuan was busy and didn’t notice Qiao Le’s new post on his Moments feed.

He opened Moments and scrolled down until he found Qiao Le’s post. The likes were all familiar IDs, his parents, grandfather, Su Qiao, Fang Jiaxu, Judy, Pei Wenjing, Liang Jiayu, and others.

It seemed everyone was giving him face.

He paused silently for a few seconds, then gave it a like.

No sooner had he tapped the button than Pei Wenjing sent him another message.

[Pei Wenjing: My boy.]

[Pei Wenjing: Fresh flowers are delicate, how old are you again this year?]

[Pei Wenjing: Sharing a song—“Old Boy”]

Shen Hechuan: “…”

Yeah, go ahead and be jealous.

He immediately muted Pei Wenjing.

Qiao Le had made a reservation at Swan Lake, the rooftop restaurant of the Radiance Tower. The essential elements of a date—flowers, wine, scented candles, music—were all present and accounted for.

They followed the server to a window-side table. Qiao Le quickly stepped forward and, ever the gentleman, pulled out Shen Hechuan’s chair for him.

Date Tip #2: Pull out the chair.

He had found this tip on Baidu earlier. Step one had been to give flowers—which he had already accomplished.

With both hands on the back of the chair, Qiao Le said to the unmoving Shen Hechuan, “Why are you just standing there? Sit down.”

Shen Hechuan: “??”

…Something felt off.

He walked over. “You’re acting a bit strange today.”

“No I’m not.” Qiao Le pulled him into the seat, then circled around and sat across from him. “Usually it’s you taking care of me. Today we’re switching roles.”

The server came by to ask if they’d like to start with the food. Qiao Le replied, “Go ahead.”

“Certainly.”

Once the server left, Qiao Le explained, “I was going to book a private room, but the view from the main hall is much better. It’s prettier here.”

The hall featured full-length glass walls with a panoramic view of the Liwan New District’s riverside cityscape.

What he was really saying was—tonight’s date had been carefully planned.

Shen Hechuan glanced out the window at his words.

Liwan New District, the most prosperous financial district in Yunjing City, looked even more alluring under the night sky.

The city lights shimmered and danced, reflecting beautifully across the river surface. The dazzling skyline and glimmering water created a picture-perfect harmony—showcasing the city’s glamour to its fullest. Every inch of it was breathtaking.

It wasn’t Shen Hechuan’s first time seeing this view. Whether from his riverside villa or his office, it was always there to admire.

But the view itself didn’t matter—what changed everything was the person beside him.

Only now did Shen Hechuan truly understand the meaning of that phrase:

“The night is beautiful tonight.”

Because it was you he shared it with.

He looked across the table at Qiao Le, who was currently snapping pictures of the night scene with his phone. Shen Hechuan picked up his own phone and opened the camera.

Qiao Le turned back after finishing his shot and found Shen Hechuan aiming the camera at him. He broke into a smile, his eyes sparkling under the light like a clear spring.

Shen Hechuan captured the moment and put his phone away.

Qiao Le had already pre-ordered the dishes. The food arrived quickly. Since he couldn’t drink, he’d ordered wine for Shen Hechuan and juice for himself.

The server placed the steaks on the table and politely asked if they needed help cutting them.

“We’ll do it ourselves,” Qiao Le replied. “Put them on my side.”

Shen Hechuan said, “I can do it.”

“No need. Just sit,” Qiao Le told the server, “Put them here.”

The server placed both steaks in front of Qiao Le. He picked up the knife and fork and began slicing.

He had worked part-time at a Western restaurant before and knew how to cut steak for the best texture. Once done, he drizzled black pepper sauce over the pieces and set a plate in front of Shen Hechuan.

With a smile, he said, “Try it.”

Shen Hechuan looked at the steak placed before him, then up at the smiling Qiao Le.

Yep, something was definitely off today.

Qiao Le’s enthusiasm today even outmatched when he first got paid for signing their contract.

Was today some kind of special occasion?

New Year’s had passed. Lunar New Year wasn’t here yet. It wasn’t his birthday, nor was it Qiao Le’s.

Shen Hechuan thought hard—he hadn’t even met Qiao Le this time last year, so there was no particular significance to the date.

Something must’ve happened that he didn’t know about.

But honestly, it didn’t matter—because the feeling was great.

He stopped overthinking and just enjoyed the moment. Picking up his knife and fork, he took a bite of steak and said, “Not bad. You try some too.”

He offered a piece to Qiao Le, who leaned in and ate it off his fork. “It is good.”

The rest of the dishes came shortly after. Qiao Le lifted his drink and said with slight regret, “It’s a shame I can’t have wine today. But it’s okay, the sentiment is the same.”

“Hm?” Shen Hechuan asked curiously, “What sentiment?”

Qiao Le clinked his glass against Shen Hechuan’s, smiling brightly. “That meeting you was a real stroke of luck. I’m happy. Cheers.”

“I feel the same.”

Shen Hechuan chuckled softly. “Cheers.”

Qiao Le was clearly in a great mood today. His appetite was also excellent—he ate over half the steak and quite a bit of the other dishes and desserts too.

Seeing him eat so well, Shen Hechuan felt reassured. He asked considerately, “Want to order anything else?”

“No, if I eat more, I’ll burst.” Qiao Le asked, “What about you? Are you full?”

“Yeah.”

Qiao Le picked up a warm towel to clean his hands. “I have something for you.”

Something else?

Shen Hechuan perked up. “What is it?”

Qiao Le pulled a deep blue velvet gift box from his coat pocket and set it in front of him. “Ta-da! A present for you.”

A present?

Shen Hechuan’s gaze fell on the box, a flicker of surprise in his eyes.

It wasn’t the first time Qiao Le had given him a gift.

But in this setting, under this atmosphere, this box seemed to carry a different weight—something symbolic.

He reached out, untied the silk ribbon, and opened the box.

Inside lay a pair of gemstone cufflinks.

Deep blue gemstones with a delicate sheen—understated yet unique—reminding him of the blue roses from earlier today.

He raised his head to look at Qiao Le, who asked eagerly, “How is it? Do you like it?”

The cufflinks were custom-made by him last month and arrived last week. However, he only found out about the pregnancy recently, and hadn’t found the right moment to give them until today—today felt just right.

The timing was perfect, the atmosphere was perfect, and he and Shen Hechuan were perfect too.

“Of course.” Shen Hechuan put the box down and began to remove the cufflinks on his sleeves to replace them.

Qiao Le stood up, wanting to help him: “Let me—”

Before he could finish his sentence, he accidentally bumped into someone passing by.

“Oops!”

“I’m sorry!”

Both of them spoke at the same time. When they saw each other, they both said in unison, “You?!”

It was a coincidence that he bumped into Cheng Jiarong.

At the moment they collided, Shen Hechuan had already stood up and walked over. He gently supported Qiao Le, asking with concern, “Are you okay? Where did you get hit?”

Qiao Le shook his head, “I’m fine.”

They had only lightly bumped into each other, so it was nothing serious.

Cheng Jiarong hadn’t expected to run into Qiao Le and Shen Hechuan here. Seeing Shen Hechuan’s worried expression, she was a little speechless: “Mr. Shen, you really don’t need to worry. Do I look like I could hurt your precious one?”

Qiao Le: “…”

That wasn’t exactly what Shen Hechuan meant, but he couldn’t really explain, so he only said, “Miss Cheng, what a coincidence.”

It had been the same last time when they were at the hotel. As soon as he and Qiao Le stepped out, they ran into Cheng Jiarong.

Cheng Jiarong nodded in agreement, “It really is quite a coincidence.”

She glanced at the candles and flowers on the table and, realizing what was going on, said, “You’re on a date? Quite romantic, huh?”

Shen Hechuan: “Hmm.”

“I heard from my mom that you two are engaged?” Cheng Jiarong said, glancing at Qiao Le with a knowing look. “Congratulations, seems like it’s finally come to fruition.”

“We’re not engaged,” Shen Hechuan said, “We’re married.”

Cheng Jiarong: “…”

Cheng Jiarong pondered the words and detected a hint of boasting. She glanced at Shen Hechuan: “How come I didn’t receive an invitation?”

Her family had a good relationship with the Shen family, and she was sure that Shen Hechuan’s wedding, such a big event, would warrant an invitation.

“We haven’t had the wedding yet,” Shen Hechuan said.

“Ah, I see.” Cheng Jiarong replied, “Well, I’ll wait for the good news then.”

She had plans with friends, so after a few polite words, she left.

Qiao Le watched her walking away, remembering their first meeting at the Westel Café, still feeling a faint sense of embarrassment.

After the brief interruption, Shen Hechuan didn’t continue with the cufflinks. He put the box in his coat pocket, and he and Qiao Le left the restaurant together.

When they reached the first floor, Qiao Le suggested a walk by the river.

He had eaten a bit too much and needed to digest. Xiao Man was at home with Aunt Yang, so there was no need to worry.

Shen Hechuan had no objections and, after fetching a scarf and hat from the car, helped Qiao Le put it on before they walked side by side towards Luwan Bridge.

Even in the cold winter, the riverside was bustling and lively.

There were many small stalls by the river, and a band was playing.

As they passed the band, Qiao Le heard a familiar song and stopped. Shen Hechuan also stopped.

The band had three members: a lead singer, a keyboardist, and a guitarist.

They were singing an old Cantonese song called “Wandering the Path of Life.” When Qiao Le was a child, he often heard the elderly man downstairs playing it loudly on a recorder. By elementary school, he was already singing along.

Hearing the song, Qiao Le felt a sense of returning home and couldn’t help but start humming along.

Shen Hechuan, hearing him hum quietly, asked, “Do you speak Cantonese?”

“Yes, my grandparents are from Shenzhen, and I learned it from them for several years,” Qiao Le said, reminiscing about his experiences learning Cantonese.

When he was just starting, his pronunciation was far from perfect, and he sounded like he was speaking a completely different language.

Shen Hechuan listened intently, eager to learn more about him.

The lead singer soon finished the song and interacted with the audience, asking if anyone wanted to go up and sing. Everyone pushed and pulled, but no one volunteered.

Qiao Le had an idea and turned to Shen Hechuan, “Do you speak Cantonese?”

“Yes,” Shen Hechuan nodded, explaining that he had stayed in Hong Kong for two years when the company set up a branch there.

Qiao Le smiled, “Then there’s no problem.”

“Uh?”

Before Shen Hechuan could react, Qiao Le squeezed through the crowd and approached the band.

He spoke to the lead singer for a few moments, and the singer handed him the microphone. Qiao Le took it, turned around, and waved at Shen Hechuan in the crowd.

Shen Hechuan turned to the people around him and said, “Excuse me, please make way,” before cutting through the crowd to the front.

Qiao Le smiled at him, then gave the band an “OK” gesture.

The music began to play, and Qiao Le started singing along with it: “Every minute, I long to meet him, quietly waiting, never complaining. Every minute, I yearn to meet him, happy just to bump into him on the road…”

It was a lively Cantonese song with an upbeat rhythm, perfect for lifting the atmosphere.

Qiao Le’s Cantonese was impeccable, and his voice, amplified through the microphone, was clear and captivating, with a faint smile on his lips.

Before long, some people in the audience began to hum along.

Shen Hechuan’s gaze was fixed on Qiao Le, and Qiao Le, likewise, kept meeting his eyes throughout the song.

“Love without experience, just discovered today, meeting him from afar, the joy is so fresh—”

As the last line of the song ended, Qiao Le gave a slight bow, and the audience burst into applause, some even calling for another song.

Qiao Le declined with a smile, handed the microphone back to the lead singer, and walked back through the crowd to Shen Hechuan.

After they left, the lead singer began another song, and the sound faded into the distance.

Hand in hand, they walked by the river. Shen Hechuan said, “You sing really well.”

“Do I?” Qiao Le replied cheerfully, “Did you understand it?”

Shen Hechuan thought he was asking if he understood Cantonese, so he nodded, “I understood.”

Qiao Le shook his head, “You didn’t.”

Shen Hechuan: “Hmm?”

“Where are the cufflinks?” Qiao Le suddenly asked.

The topic shifted quickly, but Shen Hechuan took the cufflinks box from his pocket. Qiao Le took it, retrieved the cufflinks, and casually stuffed the box back into his pocket.

“Your hand,” he said to Shen Hechuan.

Shen Hechuan understood he wanted to help him put them on, and extended his hand.

Qiao Le took off the old cufflinks, carefully putting on the new ones, explaining as he did so: “In Western tradition, cufflinks have a special meaning.”

“What meaning?”

Qiao Le pressed the clasp in place: “They symbolize a token of commitment.”

Shen Hechuan’s heart skipped a beat, as if he understood the reason for Qiao Le’s unusual behavior today but couldn’t be sure: “What does that mean?”

Qiao Le finished putting the cufflinks on, raised his head to look at him, eyes full of warmth, and spoke directly and passionately: “I’m pursuing you, Shen Hechuan.”

At that very moment, fireworks exploded on the opposite bank of the river, lighting up the dark sky with vibrant colors.

In that instant—

Shen Hechuan felt as if his mind exploded.

In his eyes, there was no one but Qiao Le.