1979: My fiancée is a goddess

"Can't I accept it? Why can't I accept it? This is my heartfelt gift, and I have it for tomorrow and the day after..."

"What are you trying to say? What do you mean by this?!"

"Literally, it's just roses, nothing valuable. Speaking of which..."

"What are you talking about?"

"From childhood to adulthood, I don't think I've ever given you anything as a gift?"

……

Five o'clock in the evening.

The sun, as red as a persimmon, was half-buried in Mount Fuji, and the sunlight and the snow-capped mountain together were particularly dazzling.

Even though Zhao Ruixue was far away in Tokyo, she could see the snowflakes shimmering with a beautiful luster.

On the desk by the window, a few red roses are arranged in a glass vase, bringing a touch of life and fun to the somewhat monotonous room.

However, most of the petals were somewhat wilted, and the red petals had a dark gray hue.

The thorny flower stems remained green in the glass bottle, not withering away along with the petals.

"It's a pity about these flowers. I was thinking of buying them to decorate this place, but I've been so busy with this and that lately, and they've all withered..."

Zhao Ruixue stood in front of her desk, recalling the scene from yesterday while holding a bottle of mineral water and trying to soak the flower petals in it to revive them, but unfortunately, it was all in vain.

Roses are like that; if left unattended and deprived of nutrients, they will quickly wither and die.

She's as delicate as a woman.

Late care and love, like belated water, serve almost no purpose other than providing a little psychological comfort.

No matter what, a withered heart will never bloom again.

"If they're withered, just throw them away and buy new ones later."

The girl in the pink dress, who was arranging books next to the bookshelf, glanced at Zhao Ruixue, who was gazing at roses with a melancholic air, and said indifferently.

"That's true..."

Zhao Ruixue nodded silently, stopped pouring water into the vase, clasped her hands together, took the flowers out of the vase, and tossed them into the trash can next to the table with a plop.

Then, I don't know where I found a fresh rose, carefully placed it in the vase, and sprinkled some water on the petals.

Sunlight shines through the glistening dewdrops on the petals, making the vibrant red roses below appear even more lively.

Zhao Ruixue watched for a while, then leaned closer. A strand of dark hair fell between the full, upright snow-capped peaks, and a refreshing floral fragrance wafted out, lingering in her nose, making her somewhat lost in thought.

"Where did these fresh roses come from? Did you buy them yourself, Ruixue?"

A moment later, Ayana Uesugi's voice rang out from behind.

As far as she knew, her friend was frugal and thrifty, and roses were always quite expensive in flower shops, so she probably wouldn't have bought them herself.

Upon hearing this, Zhao Ruixue gently shook her head, thought for a moment, and then said nothing.

"Could it be that Yamamoto gave it to you?"

Seeing her shake her head, Uesugi Ayana pondered for a moment before realizing what was happening, her tone unusually ambiguous.

Yamamoto, also known as Yamamoto Ritsuto, is the second young master of the Yamamoto family.

The Yamamoto family is a newly emerging family that rose to prominence after the defeat in World War II. The head of the family, Takehito Yamamoto, started with a bookstore and, in just ten years, squeezed into the top twenty national chain bookstores.

After Japan's economic boom, it vigorously expanded into multiple industries such as publishing, newspapers, and film and television.

Its business empire is well-established, making it a highly promising player in the cultural field.

They even invested in Kodansha, now Japan's largest publishing house, although their stake has gradually diluted to 1% over time.

Even a 1% stake in such a large publishing house, valued at 68 billion, wields considerable power and is worth 680 million!
Although the Yamamoto family is far from being a prominent family in Tokyo, and their wealth is far less than that of families with rich heritage.

However, the family's assets are currently valued at over 2 billion yuan, which is already an unattainable figure for ordinary people.

"It has nothing to do with him; it was given by Cheng Kaiyan."

Zhao Ruixue stroked the petals with her slender, snow-white fingertips and spoke naturally.

"he?"

Uesugi Ayana was stunned for a moment, then couldn't help but laugh in exasperation, saying speechlessly, "This guy only gave me one flower? If it were Yamamoto, ninety-nine or even nine hundred and ninety-nine would be nothing."

He said there would be more later.

Zhao Ruixue calmly raised her head, as if to defend him.

"Okay, okay... but what does it mean that he gave you roses? I remember you said he already has a girlfriend, right? Does he want to have his cake and eat it too?"

"What a scumbag and bastard, but it's comforting that he had the courage to do this, at least he still cares about you."

Uesugi Ayana sighed. During this time, under her relentless questioning, Zhao Ruixue had told her some fragments of information, but she also understood that the matter between the two could not be explained by a simple unrequited love.

"Childhood sweethearts are entangled in complicated love and hate relationships. If you like someone, you should be together; if you don't, you should separate. Why make it so complicated?"

Seeing her friend looking so troubled and distressed, Zhao Ruixue couldn't help but chuckle, "Perhaps, you'll understand in the future."

"Don't scold me like a child!"

Ayana Uesugi, hands on her hips, said with dissatisfaction.

"Yes, yes, it's lunchtime, time to cook."

Zhao Ruixue smiled and put her arm around Uesugi Ayana's shoulder as they walked towards the kitchen.

However, he was not without his own worries and contemplations.

"Cheng Kaiyan... what are you thinking? What are you planning to do?"

……

Nothing happened that night. The next day, April 12th, passed without incident.

There wasn't much time left before the two-week deadline given by Teacher Shuihua, but Cheng Kaiyan didn't take it to heart, or rather, he had long forgotten about it.

Only one thought remained in my mind—to make up for the regret.

This is impossible for many people; regret is called regret precisely because it cannot be made up for.

Unless it is a reincarnated person who has lived a second life.

Fortunately, Cheng Kaiyan was one of them. He continued to get up early to go to Waseda University to accompany Zhao Ruixue to classes, meals, reading, and homework in the library...

Of course, the roses he promised didn't fall short; one yesterday, and today...

"Ten white roses?"

It's 7:40 in the morning, and class hasn't started yet.

Cheng Kaiyan, abandoning her usual low-key nature, handed the bouquet of roses to Zhao Ruixue in front of the many young people coming and going below the teaching building.

Such displays of affection are nothing new to these young people who are accustomed to Western cultural trends, but the scene before them still attracted a lot of onlookers.

The reason is simply because the female lead is Zhao Ruixue, a famous talented woman in the School of Literature.

Zhao Ruixue's cool gaze fell on the pure white roses, and she said softly.

She'd seen plenty of red roses, but this was the first time she'd ever seen a white rose.

Do you know what a white rose means?

Cheng Kaiyan asked in a gentle voice.

"What do you mean?"

"White roses represent the purest and most innocent love."

Cheng Kaiyan explained with a smile, his gaze never leaving Zhao Ruixue, looking tenderly at the grown-up girl in front of him.

In those faded memories, she was clearly still a little girl with pigtails who only knew how to cry.

But now she has grown up and become the aloof and exceptionally talented woman she is today.

But her feelings for him never changed.

"Hmm...pure love?"

He actually admitted it?

Overwhelmed with joy and fear, Zhao Ruixue trembled. Her heart clenched suddenly, and a wave of bitterness welled up, making her eyes redden and almost bringing tears to her eyes.

The long-cherished wish of so many years, the sleepless nights, the scenes I've dreamt of so many times, are now right before my eyes...

How to prevent her from feeling conflicted?

"Ah."

Cheng Kaiyan nodded earnestly.

"I……"

Zhao Ruixue bit her lip and stared intently at Cheng Kaiyan.

She longed to rush into his arms, to hold him tightly around the waist, to bury herself in his embrace and breathe in his scent, to tell him all the sorrows and pains, joys and loves she had endured over the years…

But... she was ultimately rational. "Huff, huff..."

Zhao Ruixue suppressed those impulsive thoughts, took a deep breath, and her full, firm chest rose and fell trembling, making her look exceptionally excited.

But she eventually managed to calm herself down, hugged the white rose to her chest, and said in a trembling voice, "I like it very much, thank you."

"nice! You love it."

Cheng Kaiyan breathed a sigh of relief, glancing at the surrounding crowd of onlookers and the lively discussion around her. She apologized, "I'm sorry, I was too high-profile. I didn't expect so many people to be here."

"fine."

Zhao Ruixue then noticed that there were so many people watching. She, who was usually aloof and quiet, did not like such crowds.

Previously, Yamamoto Ritsuto had also made a similar public and high-profile confession, but she found it extremely offensive and turned away immediately.

But when the same thing happened to Cheng Kaiyan today, she was exceptionally happy, even feeling a touch of indescribable sweetness.

"That's good. Actually, I did it on purpose. I just wanted everyone else to know..."

After receiving his reply, Cheng Kaiyan abandoned her usual low-key and reserved demeanor, revealing a frank and even somewhat flamboyant smile on her face.

"Pah! What a disgrace!"

Zhao Ruixue's heart, which had just calmed down, started pounding wildly like a deer's, making her burst into laughter through her tears and give him a rare, disdainful look.

Her willow-leaf-shaped eyes, though cool and clear, possessed a unique charm, while her rosy cheeks held a hint of reproach and shyness.

One glance was enough to make Cheng Kaiyan's body go numb.

"You know what? I can't stand seeing you cry. You look beautiful when you smile, so smile more often."

Cheng Kaiyan extended her hand, her tone leaving no room for refusal.

"...Let's go, class is about to start."

Zhao Ruixue looked at his outstretched hand, but said nothing, nor did she reach out her delicate, fair hand to grasp his.

"Ok."

Cheng Kaiyan nodded with some regret. He could tell that although Zhao Ruixue was somewhat moved, reason ultimately prevailed.

However, he was not in a hurry. He thought that with their childhood friendship and shared experiences, Ruixue would understand his thoughts.

He believed in the understanding between them.

Even after the two left, the crowd continued to discuss the matter.

"I never expected Zhao Ruixue to actually accept that bouquet. It seems the rumor is true. Our literary beauties and talented women are really going to fall for her."

"Is this the professor from Beijing Normal University in China? He's been pestering Zhao Ruixue lately."

"Isn't there any guy who should teach him a lesson? How could someone else steal our school's talented girl? The guys in the Literature Department are a disgrace!"

"She just accepted the flowers, it doesn't mean she agreed to the confession."

"Yes."

……

Among the crowd, Sun Shiyun and several boys stood under a tree, watching Cheng Kaiyan and Zhao Ruixue's departing figures with gloomy expressions.

"Yamamoto, it seems that the harsh words you uttered yesterday were not taken to heart at all."

Sun Shiyun could barely contain his anger and jealousy, and subconsciously began to speak sarcastically to the young masters.

I never expected Cheng Kaiyan to be so bold.
"Sun Shiyun, who do you think you are? How dare you speak to me like that?"

Yamamoto, who was in charge, didn't say anything, but the others couldn't help but speak up.

"Since he's refusing to listen to reason and is now going to have to suffer the consequences, then don't blame us for being impolite. Yamamoto, shall we give this kid a good beating in a bit?"

The gray-haired young master sneered.

"Fighting? What's the difference between that and street thugs? Don't get your hands dirty."

I have my own ways of showing him the difference in status. There are some people he can't afford to mess with, and some people he can't touch..."

"Physical destruction is meaningless."

He's so young to be a professor and a budding writer; I imagine he has no shortage of pride and arrogance.

"hehe."

Yamamoto Ritsuto raised his hand, revealing an expensive diamond watch on his wrist, pushed up his gold-rimmed glasses, and said with a smile.

The cold contempt in his eyes, along with a hint of anger, sent a chill down one's spine.

"The boss is really amazing!"

A group of young men quickly began to flatter him. Although they were all from wealthy families, they were still far inferior to Yamamoto, who came from a prominent family.

Moreover, Yamamoto started his own business while only a junior in college; it wouldn't be an exaggeration to call him an outstanding individual.

However, Yamamoto's lack of agreement did not mean he rejected the suggestion.

So the young men exchanged glances and decided to give Cheng Kaiyan, who dared to disobey them, a good beating, at least breaking one of his legs.

Let him walk with a limp.

They simply couldn't believe that a cripple could win Zhao Ruixue's heart.

"Humph!"

……

Zhao Ruixue was in a good mood all morning.

I just wasn't very focused in class, so a teacher I knew called on me to answer several questions.

Fortunately, her academic performance and knowledge base were still intact, so she wasn't punished by being made to stand.

Otherwise, Ayana would laugh at him mercilessly, and more importantly, Cheng Kaiyan was still behind him.

He presented her with flowers in front of so many classmates today. In all the time Zhao Ruixue had known him, she had rarely seen such a bold and flamboyant gesture.

It could even be said that it was a gift of the purest and most innocent love to her.

Zhao Ruixue knew he was referring to their childhood sweetheart relationship and the pure, innocent love of their first love.

But even after thinking about it all morning, she still couldn't understand why Cheng Kaiyan did this.

It should be noted that the two of them could only vaguely sense something deep in their hearts and in the little things they did together in their daily lives.

They had never expressed their feelings to each other before, let alone expressed them so obviously, so openly, so boldly.

She received my heartfelt gift today and was very satisfied. The anger she felt a while ago has also subsided considerably.

However, it's ultimately unlikely that there will be a relationship between the two of them...

At 11:40 a.m., the bell rang to signal the end of get out of class.

"Let's skip the cafeteria and eat out instead."

Zhao Ruixue suggested, holding the book in her arms.

“Okay, okay, let’s go eat at that French restaurant in Ginza. Cheng Kaiyan can treat us.”

Uesugi Ayana glanced at Cheng Kaiyan, her previous indifference vanished, and she said with a grin.

His tone was sarcastic and provocative.

Hmph, that French restaurant costs 30,000 yen per person.

It's important to know that the starting salary for college graduates these days is only 130,000 to 140,000 yuan per month. It would take up more than half a month's salary for three people to eat a meal together.

Can Cheng Kaiyan afford it?

"Aina!"

Zhao Ruixue glared at her, a warning glint in her eyes, then said to Cheng Kaiyan, "Let's just eat something outside. Udon noodles are pretty good."

She knew that Cheng Kaiyan had come with the Beijing Film Studio on official business and shouldn't have much money on her.

“Since Ayana wants to eat it, let’s go and try it. I’ll also give it a try. Speaking of which, we’ve been staying at the Agency for Cultural Affairs in Shinjuku recently. All the food and lodging are free and at a five-star standard. We haven’t even touched the living allowance from the Beijing Film Studio.”

Cheng Kaiyan shook her head, not caring about the money.

But this little round-faced guy was indeed scheming and precocious; he just wanted to see him make a fool of himself.
But in just a few days, Matsutake and Chiai would transfer the money to his account, at which point he would be a multi-millionaire.

Although he is a multimillionaire in Japan, his wealth is not particularly impressive.

However, the value of currency now is much higher than it will be decades from now, so when you calculate it, the purchasing power is not much different.

Seeing that Cheng Kaiyan insisted, Zhao Ruixue did not refuse again.

After all, she had to maintain Cheng Kaiyan's dignity in front of Cai Nai, and she could make up for it elsewhere after dinner.

One hundred thousand yen is not a lot for Zhao Ruixue, a near-bestselling author whose books have sold over 50,000 copies.

After all, the royalties settled last month amounted to more than 400,000 yuan.

The three left the school together. (End of Chapter)