Free Web NovelChapter 55: Chapter 55: The Unexpected Gold Ring
"Mommy?" Little Tang Mo’s voice broke the awkward atmosphere.
Su Li lowered her hands and turned her head to look at Little Tang Mo. "Hm?"
Little Tang Mo was watching them with a curious and worried expression. Su Li forced a smile. "It’s nothing, go on and play."
After reassuring Little Tang Mo, Su Li glared daggers at Tang Yuanxiao.
If looks could kill, Tang Yuanxiao would have died a hundred times over.
Tang Yuanxiao coughed, took a step forward, and abruptly shoved the object in his hand into Su Li’s.
"For you." fгee𝑤ebɳoveɭ.cøm
Su Li almost slapped Tang Yuanxiao on reflex. When she came to her senses, she frowned at the object in her hand.
"What is this?"
It was a wooden box, about the size of a matchbox, simple yet very delicate.
"It’s for you. Take a look." After speaking, Tang Yuanxiao lowered his head and walked away, taking a few long strides as if pretending to be busy.
Su Li gritted her teeth as she watched his retreating back, then looked down at the wooden box in her hand, frowning as she examined it.
’He won’t talk about what’s important, just does these weird things...’ Su Li thought, exasperated, as she casually opened the little wooden box.
The rest of her thought died in her throat when she saw what was inside.
Because inside the little wooden box lay a... ring.
A gold one. A very plain gold ring with no pattern at all.
’Judging by its weight and appearance, it probably wasn’t too expensive...’
’No, that wasn’t the point. The point was: this was a ring.’ freewёbnoνel.com
’Tang Yuanxiao had given her a ring. What did that mean?’
Having lived more than a decade in a future where proposals, engagements, and weddings were inseparable from rings, Su Li’s mind immediately went astray at the sight of it. She was truly shocked.
"What... what is the meaning of this?" she asked his retreating back, her voice filled with deep-seated resentment.
"What else could it be? A gift," Tang Yuanxiao’s slightly stuffy voice drifted back.
"For me?" Su Li pointed at herself, her expression impossible to describe.
Last night after dinner, Tang Yuanxiao had already handed out the gifts he brought back.
He always brought gifts whenever he came home on leave, and this time was no exception. Little Tang Mo and Mrs. Tang both got something, and Su Li was included as an afterthought, which had made Mrs. Tang very happy.
Su Li had thought that was the end of the gift-giving, but she never expected to be hit with a gold ring.
The more she thought about it, the more bizarre it seemed. The more she thought about it, the more wrong it felt.
Hearing the ’what the hell’ tone in her voice, Tang Yuanxiao couldn’t help but turn back around.
The moment he did, his gaze grew even colder.
He had given her a gold ring, for crying out loud! What was with her expression? It was like he’d handed her a pile of shit.
Tang Yuanxiao... was pissed.
The awkwardness and blush on his face vanished, replaced by a murderous expression as he strode toward Su Li.
"No... I was just guessing. If it’s not for me, you just have to say so..."
Su Li pursed her lips at his expression and hastily pushed the ring out, as if it were a hot potato.
Tang Yuanxiao stood before her, silently took the box, removed the gold ring, tossed the wooden box aside, and looked up at Su Li.
"What’s wrong?" Su Li asked, just as she was about to back away. The next second, her hand was suddenly grabbed.
With the speed of lightning, Tang Yuanxiao seized Su Li’s hand and slid the ring onto her ring finger.
The entire motion was fluid and incredibly fast, completed before Su Li could even react.
"I bought it for you, so wear it!" Tang Yuanxiao said coldly before turning to leave.
Before he left, he couldn’t resist glancing at the ring he had put on her.
Su Li’s fingers were slender and fair; the ring looked very good on her.
After Tang Yuanxiao turned his back, Su Li finally processed what had happened.
Once she processed it, Su Li was dumbfounded.
She looked at the ring on her hand, then at Tang Yuanxiao’s back. "Tang Yuanxiao... you..."
She was at a loss for words. "You... Are you insane?! Why would you put a ring on me?"
Furious, her first instinct was to take the ring off, but after pulling at it twice, it wouldn’t come off.
Tang Yuanxiao turned back to see Su Li trying to remove the ring. His expression grew even colder, and just as he was about to speak, he noticed something unusual.
Su Li... couldn’t get the ring off.
"What the hell!" Su Li stared at the ring, wide-eyed.
Seeing her reaction, the corner of Tang Yuanxiao’s mouth twitched into a smile that vanished in an instant. He turned back around and continued with his work.
He was still silent, still stone-faced, but anyone could tell he was in a good mood. He was secretly gloating; you could even tell just by looking at his back.
’Hmph, serves you right for making that weird face!’
Feeling a surge of strength, Tang Yuanxiao threw himself into his work with renewed vigor.
Tang Yuanxiao had bought that ring during the New Year. After receiving the sweater, that guy Yu Le would bring it up from time to time, always trying to teach him sweet nothings and constantly giving him tips on how to capture Su Li’s heart.
Giving a return gift was one of those tips. Yu Le had said that since Su Li had worked so hard, stitch by stitch, to knit him a sweater, staying up who knows how many nights, he couldn’t let her feelings go to waste. He had to give her a romantic gift in return.
Leather shoes, a watch, flowers, a gold ring, a gold necklace... Yu Le had suggested a whole pile of things.
When Yu Le was saying all this, Tang Yuanxiao had pretended not to care. But in the end, on some strange impulse, he went to a jewelry store and bought this ring.
He didn’t know Su Li’s ring size; he just bought it based on a feeling. He’d been too embarrassed to give it to her yesterday, only managing to do it today.
He had imagined many possible reactions from Su Li, but never this one. Her expression had made him fume with rage.
The result... wasn’t half bad.
’The ring I bought on a whim was a surprisingly perfect fit. Once on, it can’t be taken off...’
’Good. This is very good. It’s secure on her finger, so there’s no fear of losing it.’
Tang Yuanxiao finally felt a sense of triumph.
As for Su Li... Su Li was about to die of frustration.
Because the ring really wouldn’t come off.
"I don’t believe this! This isn’t some cheesy drama where a ’fated ring’ gets stuck once you put it on. I refuse to believe it!"
Su Li pulled. She pulled with all her might.
She pulled so hard her hand started to ache, but the ring didn’t budge an inch.
"Mommy... what are you doing?" Little Tang Mo toddled over, concerned.
"It’s nothing." Su Li forced a smile and turned to the side to keep pulling.
Tang Yuanxiao glanced back at her. "Are you trying to make your hand swell up like a steamed bun?"
Su Li shot him a venomous glare, gritting her teeth.
"I will get this thing off!"
"Suit yourself," Tang Yuanxiao said, shooting her a meaningful glance. ’If she takes it off, I’ll just put it back on. We’ll see if I’m faster at putting it on or she’s faster at taking it off.’
Because of this sudden ring, Su Li spent the rest of the time completely focused on the struggle to remove it.
Tang Yuanxiao’s ears were finally free from the great curse of the word ’divorce.’ For a moment, even the air felt fresher.
Listening to the murmuring voices of Su Li and Little Tang Mo, Tang Yuanxiao felt another surge of strength.
"Don’t hurt your hand." With that, he even added a kind reminder for Su Li.
"I don’t need your fake concern," Su Li shot back without holding back. "I will get this thing off!"
Su Li really didn’t want to wear this darn ring, and she was a woman of her word.
Just as Qin Shanshan came running into the Tangs’ home, Su Li was trying all sorts of methods to get the ring off.
"Little Mo, let’s try using some oil... to lubricate it."
Su Li took the opportunity to teach Little Tang Mo some practical life knowledge. Just as she was about to grab some lard to use as a lubricant, Qin Shanshan arrived.
