Chapter 085 Finally Made This Decision

"Young people, would you like to draw a fortune stick?"
By the roadside, an elderly man wearing blind glasses called out to the two of them.
Jiang Yao stopped and pulled He Yunqing along, glancing at the old man. "I didn't expect to find a fortune-telling stall here."
"Our compatriots have already expanded their business to this place?" Jiang Yao joked. "Alright, let’s have a reading."
She didn’t believe in such things, but seeing that he was one of her own people, she thought the old man must find it hard to make a living and decided to support his business.
The old man handed Jiang Yao a bamboo tube of fortune sticks.
Jiang Yao casually drew one, only to find nothing written on it.
She looked at He Yunqing, puzzled. "Why is there nothing on it? Let me draw another."
The old man shook his head and reached out, indicating she should hand him the stick.
Taking it, he gently ran his rough fingers over it and sighed softly.
"Miss, could you give me your hand?"
"Oh." Jiang Yao obediently extended her hand.
He Yunqing, standing beside her, frowned slightly and cleared his throat. "Are you really blind?"
Jiang Yao quietly nudged He Yunqing with her other hand.
The old man took Jiang Yao's hand and slowly traced the lines of her palm with his cold fingertips. After a long silence, he sighed deeply. "You are a woman of misfortune, truly a bitter fate."
Jiang Yao pressed her lips together. "It’s alright, all my hardships are behind me."
The old man shook his head gently. "Everything is destined."
"What destiny? Do you mean my life will still be full of trials?" Jiang Yao tilted her head, half convinced.
The old man pondered, then took a triangle-shaped yellow paper talisman and pressed it into her hand. "The secrets of heaven cannot be revealed. Take this charm, miss. May it protect you from misfortune."
"If the secrets of heaven cannot be revealed, why do you sit here every day revealing them?" He Yunqing retorted coolly.
The old man looked a bit embarrassed. "Well, ah, haha..."
He gave an awkward laugh, then added, "Miss, you and the gentleman beside you are destined to meet. But fate is not always enough; remember, nothing should be forced."
"Are you finished?" He Yunqing frowned, unable to listen any longer, and firmly took Jiang Yao’s wrist, pulling her hand back. "How much do I owe you?"
The old man shook his head again. "This reading is free."
Leaving the fortune-teller, Jiang Yao looked down at the "charm" in her hand and then at her palm lines.
"Don’t take the charlatan’s words to heart," He Yunqing said.
Jiang Yao nodded, but still gazed at her palm. "Can my fate really be seen in these lines? Is my life really so bitter?"
He Yunqing stopped, "A Yao, everything is over now. From this day forward, I won’t let you suffer any harm."
Jiang Yao smiled, pocketed the "charm," then looked up at the fireworks in the sky. "He Yunqing, look at the fireworks above. Though their lives are brief, at least they’ve been brilliant. Most importantly, when they bloom, they’re close to the stars, almost like stars themselves. Right now, I’m not afraid of anything, because at least, like those fireworks, I’ve lived fiercely."
"A Yao, you don’t need to be close to the stars. There are shooting stars in this world," He Yunqing replied, standing beside her and watching the fireworks.
Jiang Yao turned her head. "But I don’t want to see the stars fall."
He Yunqing smiled slightly, took a ring from his pocket, opened his palm, and handed it to Jiang Yao.
"This is..."
"Weren’t you desperately trying to get this from me before?" He Yunqing smiled at her.
Jiang Yao remembered—it was the wedding ring left behind by Teacher Chen, the ring he wanted to place back onto his wife’s finger.
She happily grabbed it, but something felt wrong. This didn’t seem to be Teacher Chen’s ring...
"This isn’t it!" Jiang Yao frowned. "Did you pick up the wrong one?"
"So, do you want it or not?" He Yunqing turned, looking at her with a deep gaze, then casually waved his large hand before her eyes.
On his middle finger, he wore a matching ring.
"This..." Jiang Yao was stunned.
"If you don’t want it, never mind," He Yunqing raised his eyebrow.
Jiang Yao lowered her head, cleared her throat, and silently slipped the ring onto her finger. "Though... the design is a bit old-fashioned, it’s still good enough to wear."
He Yunqing stifled a laugh.
The finest designer at Tianya Jewelry had personally crafted these rings, coveted by countless admirers, and this was the first time someone had called the style old-fashioned.
If he repeated Jiang Yao’s words to the designer, he would surely be furious.
"A Yao, I need a girlfriend. Now, I want to ask you formally," He Yunqing said solemnly, "Will you be my girlfriend?"
Jiang Yao bit her lip and waved her hand with the ring in front of He Yunqing. "I’m already wearing the ring—what do you think?"
Under the cascade of fireworks, He Yunqing pulled Jiang Yao into his arms and shouted, "A Yao said yes!"
"Hey!" Jiang Yao looked around and tried to cover He Yunqing’s mouth.
But the man caught her hand easily and pressed a gentle kiss to her palm.
Jiang Yao blushed fiercely, her cheeks burning all the way to her ears.
"A Yao, from now on, I’ll protect you with my life. Even if fate wants you to be a woman of sorrow, I’ll change your destiny, no matter what."
Jiang Yao believed him; in fact, He Yunqing had already done so when they were on the boat.
"I don’t want you to protect me with your life, nor do I want you to change my fate," Jiang Yao said. "I just want, no matter where we are, no matter how things are, for you to give me a look—a single look is enough."
By the roadside, a street singer was performing.
He Yunqing smiled, walked over, and spoke to the singer, though Jiang Yao couldn’t hear what he said.
The singer handed him the microphone with a grin and stepped aside.
Holding the microphone, He Yunqing gave Jiang Yao a gentle, loving look and began to sing.
"I finally made this decision, I don’t care what others say, as long as you feel the same..."
"Love truly needs courage, to face all the gossip, as long as you affirm me with one look, my love has meaning..."
"We all need courage, to believe we’ll be together, in the crowded world I can sense you, your true heart in my palm..."
Singing, He Yunqing looked gentle and serene, like a figure straight out of a fairy tale.
His magnetic, heartfelt voice drew rounds of applause, and more and more people gathered to listen.
Jiang Yao stood quietly among the crowd, gazing at He Yunqing.
She knew, this song was for her.
Unconsciously, tears streamed down her face...