My daily life in love is too contrary to my character.

On the other end of the phone, Ichijin Nao didn't sound angry; instead, she seemed to be making a teasing laugh.

"Your train ticket is for the 28th, you're leaving quite early. How have you been these past two days, with your accommodations and food? Are you finding it difficult to adjust? How are Zexiu's parents treating you? Have you satisfied them?"

It seems that Nao Ichiryu has already obtained the specific information about Chiyo Ichiryu's departure and has started bombarding her with questions.

"Too many questions, too lazy to answer. Anyway, everything is fine." Chiyo sighed again, this time not at Shiraishi Sawa beside her.

"Shouldn't Mom come over for the New Year too, and we can arrange the marriage then? After all, we still need to explain to them that the first boy will have the surname Ichiru," Ichiru Nao said with a smile.

The problem is, if Nao were to arrive and see Soga Kirei and Takanashi Yuuko, it might turn into a scene of Shiraishi Sawa Hide's dismemberment.

Chiyo glared fiercely at Shiraishi Sawa, whose expression was unnatural, but Shiraishi Sawa did not make any gesture to refuse; he chose to remain silent.

"Mother, you can't even leave your home, and you still say that if you leave, Father will have to host tomorrow's banquet?"

"Sigh—, your mother is suffering here while you're enjoying yourself outside. Look at Yinglian, she's already getting involved in family affairs. When are you going to prove yourself?"

If you really don't want to be involved, then find a way to get the next generation born, and let the mother raise her! Start nurturing her early; if you had known earlier that it was hopeless, you could have had her replaced.

Shiraishi Sawa looked at Ichiryu Chiyo with surprise, 'This is the Ichiryu Nao you said likes children?'—he mouthed the question.

"Okay, okay," Chiyo said, ignoring him. Then, noticing the ambiguity in his answer, she changed her mind and said, "I'll try to get a little bit of that when I go back for the New Year, okay?"

"Oh, that's even better. Our phone calls are always recorded, so you can't back out now! See you after the New Year."

"I'm leaving my father in your care."

"If you want to know how to educate your husband, Chiyo, you can ask me later."

"It's not needed now."

"We'll need it sooner or later."

“We’ll talk about it sooner or later. I’m hanging up now. Happy New Year, Mom.”

"Good~"

The phone call ended, and Chiyo reached out her hand, tilting her head slightly, her long, shiny black hair swaying gently, her five fingers together and her palm facing upward.

"Can I have it now?"

"Hiss~ It seems there's really no reason to refuse, but I still want to emphasize that I still have the right to spank you." Having received confirmation that he wouldn't have to go back once he entered Chiyo, Shiraishi Sawa's lips couldn't help but curl upwards.

Since it's the New Year, he naturally doesn't want anyone to be missing.

"Okay, here you go, take it out."

Shiraishi Sawa reached into his pocket and took the item out again.

A small silver woven box with a flip-top lid, tied with a pretty butterfly-shaped ribbon.

"What is it?" Her voice trembled slightly, a tremor that even Chiyo herself didn't notice.

The shape is too much like a ring box.

She felt slightly suffocated, as if the box contained not a gift, but a magic potion that could melt her entire body.

She thought to herself, "If it's not a ring, I'll be unhappy."

The lid was opened, and inside lay a plain, even unremarkable, silver ring, waiting for its future owner.

Yet it so captivated the girl's gaze, as if it possessed boundless magic.

"It's so ordinary." Without touching it, Chiyo commented.

"I made it myself in the city yesterday. I wanted to make it look nice, like carving some patterns on it, but as you know, this is my limit."

Our names are engraved inside the ring and on the bottom of the ring; they were hand-carved.

Shiraishi Zexiu said this as if he wanted to take credit.

"Never mind, I don't mind, give it to me."

"Take it yourself," he said with a smile.

"Hmm?" Chiyo tilted her head, the dangerous look that had just disappeared from her eyes reappearing, and looked at Shiraishi Sawah who was pretending to be stupid with a half-smile.

"Would you like me to put it on you?"

"No need, I'll wear it myself." Feeling a little awkward being scrutinized, Chiyo stubbornly reached out her hand, but the ring was snatched away by Shiraishi Sawashu before she could react.

He casually tossed the ring box into his pocket, straightened his clothes, and nodded in agreement, saying, "A sense of ritual is still necessary."

"Don't stand in the middle of the road." Shiraishi Sawa pulled the girl to the edge of the road.

The girl stretched out her palm, back of her hand facing up, and hung in the air. Shiraishi Sawah held it up with his left hand.

To the girl's surprise, Shiraishi Sawa knelt down on one knee.

"If you're going to have a sense of ritual, you have to go all out." He tilted his head back, his smile pure and radiant, as if the world's spotlight was shining only on him.

The moonlight and starlight exerted their full power, casting a pale silver halo over the two of them, like a dream. They were the sole witnesses to this ritual.

The ring was slowly pushed onto my ring finger, and finally, it fit perfectly.

“Look, although it’s nothing special, it looks pretty good after I polished it carefully,” said Shiraishi Sawa.

"I do." The other person's subconscious answer had nothing to do with it.

Then, Chiyo, embarrassed and annoyed by her own behavior, turned her head away and refused to look at Shiraishi Sawa.

"Sorry, I forgot what I was going to say. So, Chiyo, will you marry me?" He smiled broadly, his clean and fresh appearance surpassing even the snow that had just fallen on the mountaintop.

Her head, which had turned away in embarrassment, irresistibly turned back. She met his gaze, and the starlight in their eyes formed a unique galaxy, connecting their burning hearts.

"The light seen through one person's eyes is enough to light up the night sky." This is a line from La La Land, and it also reflects their feelings at this moment.

“No way,” she said.

She changed her mind in just a few seconds; a young girl's thoughts are always so fickle.

If it were all of Shiraishi Sawa, I would definitely kiss him while shedding tears.

I should stay away from him—but when I have this thought, my heart aches, and an uncontrollable sadness spreads throughout my body.

My resolve had already wavered.

This is really a very annoying thing.

"Hey! You can't go this far with the ceremony," Shiraishi Sawa Hide said, sitting cross-legged on the snow. He grabbed Ichiyo Chiyo's hand and muttered shamelessly, "Change your address, change your address..."

"Still unwilling."

"Sigh, there's still a tiny little gift in my pocket, but it looks like I can't give it away now," Shiraishi Zexiu said, turning his back and feigning helplessness.

"I do," Chiyo said, finding it amusing.

“That’s more like it,” Shiraishi Sawah stood up quickly, as if nothing had happened, and took out a silver-decorated hair clip from his pocket and put it on Ichiyo.

Chiyo bowed her head without resistance and waited for him to finish.

“No,” Shiraishi Sawah examined it for a few moments, then took it off and placed it in Ichiyo’s hand. “It seems I still have to stick to my opinion. Fox, your hair looks best without any decorations. You can keep this hair clip as a collectible.”

Chiyo shrugs indifferently, looking at the hair clip in her hand. It has an animal that looks a lot like a fox on it—let's just assume it is. The maker's name is also written on the back.

She put it in the inside pocket of her clothes, and Chiyo stroked the ring on her ring finger.

"How did you know my fingers were the same size?" The fit was too perfect, as if it had been tailor-made for me.

"I measured it with a ribbon while you were sleeping yesterday, and it's a perfect replica."

"You're so thoughtful." In a good mood, the chilly evening breeze couldn't dispel the warmth in her heart, and Chiyo's steps were light as if she were dancing.

However, she then thought of the other two girls, and her good mood dissipated considerably.

"And theirs?" Chiyo asked, her joy gone, her voice flat. "Are you going to kneel down tomorrow to put them on them too?"

“I originally made something else for them, not rings. But since you’re here tomorrow, Chiyo, I’ll contact the shop owner later and ask him to open the shop tomorrow for a little more money so I can make two more rings.”

Shiraishi Sawa looked into Ichiyo's eyes and spoke sincerely but earnestly.

"Or, Chiyo, if you'd like not to wear this ring, I'll just give you the original gift."

Shiraishi Sawa's answer did not completely satisfy her—and she probably never would in this lifetime, Chiyo had a feeling about that.

But she felt special—this was a message she truly understood.

"I didn't plan to pick them," she replied.

“Then I will go to the city again tomorrow afternoon.” Shiraishi Zexiu chose to repeat.

"I know, what's there to say to me? Hurry up and buy some wine for your uncle, you've wasted so much time." Chiyo frowned slightly, quickened her pace, and walked ahead.

"it is good."

A gentle feeling welled up in his eyes as Shiraishi Zexiu gazed at the girl's back in front of him.

Chapter 283 Their Happy New Year

The pristine white snow reflected the bright sunlight, dazzling and blinding.

Shiraishi Zexiu narrowed his eyes, pressing hard on the chair while gently supporting the girl's waist with one hand, ready to catch her if Soga Kirei lost her balance.

The two people were putting up new New Year couplets at the door. One wrote the first line and the other wrote the second line. The horizontal scroll was written by one person with two characters.

The sky was a clear, blue sky, and a gentle breeze swayed the shimenawa rope hanging on the door.

December 31st, afternoon, just half a day before the new year.

After finishing, Shiraishi Sawah carried a chair and walked back to the room with Soga Kirei.

"I checked today's weather and the forecast. It shouldn't snow today or tomorrow," Shiraishi Sawa said to the three girls.

"What's wrong?" Takanashi Yuko asked as she sat on the sofa, holding Mimi and feeding her cat treats.

"No snow means we can see the sunrise. Do you want to come to the beach with me tonight to watch the sunrise? It's a local custom. The beach will be very crowded and lively then."

If you get sleepy, you can rent a deck chair and blankets there. If all else fails, you can just go home; it's not far.

Less than a kilometer to the east of Shiraishi Sawa's house lies the coastline, where the vast ocean lies serenely.

"Okay." They all had no objections.

The significance of New Year's Eve lies not in where you are or what you do, but in who you are with.

"In that case, everyone should go back to their rooms and get some rest this afternoon. If you can fall asleep, take another nap, otherwise you won't be able to handle it tonight."