Chapter 24: The Ring

Shen Yan stood up from the table.

The chair scraped on the floor, and everyone looked at him.

"I'm sorry," he said. "I know this isn't the time. But I won't have it be a secret. Not from anyone here."

He took the small box out of his pocket and set it on the white cloth between the soup bowls.

He opened it.

The ring inside was plain silver, a narrow band with no stone.

It had cost a year of night shifts.

"Xiao Chen," he said. "I don't care what the will says to the board."

His hands were shaking.

"I bought this before I knew about the clause. I want you to marry me."

The room did not breathe.

Mr. Shen's hand had gone still on the tablecloth.

The old secretary had stopped with a bowl in each hand.

Xiao Chen looked at the ring.

He could hear his own heart.

He could also hear the sentence that would be printed on every front page in the city.

The lawyer took the company.

He put both palms flat on the table and rose to his feet.

"No," he said.

Shen Yan's face did not change.

It took a moment to understand, and the understanding crossed it slowly.

"No?"

"I can't." His own voice sounded flat and very far away.

"I helped you through your heat. That's what I did. Anybody would have done it for a boy in that state."

"Xiao Chen."

"I don't want your money. I never wanted it."

He made himself keep going.

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