Some dream of marrying a rich man.
Some want a handsome one.
Some dream of love that feels like a fairytale.
But me?
I only ever wished to live peacefully with my mom and dad.
Love… marriage…
It never interested me.
Still, I knew that one day, I would have to marry—if only for my parents' sake.
So I left that most important decision in their hands.
Four years passed quietly.
I held a small silver ring in my hand that no one in the world knew I had.
It wasn't on my finger.
I never wore it.
I hid it carefully, like a secret fragment of my life I wasn't ready to share.
A memory. A part of me.
Some things are too precious… or too dangerous… to show to anyone else.
Knock… knock…
I blinked, startled, my thoughts scattering.
Zhai Zhai's voice filled the room, loud and energetic.
"Girl!! What are you thinking? You're still not ready to go? Your prince charming is waiting for you!"
I stared at the ring in my palm and sighed.
"Zhai Zhai, I told you many times… he is not my prince charming."
"Okay, okay, my princess," she said dramatically.
"I know your heart is made of stone. But he's been chasing you for almost four years. Why won't you give him a chance?"
"All the girls on campus want him. But you don't?"
"Yes," I said calmly.
"Even if he was the last boy left in this world, I'd rather die than be with him."
"Waner!!! Are you serious? He's a famous star! If you became his girl you know what would—"
"What? What would happen?" I asked.
"Girl, are you serious?
Yaa. i wouldn't even be able to breathe freely because of his fans. That's why I don't want trouble."
"Okay, okay, let's stop talking about it. Hurry and pack your things. After four years, you're going back to China. Aren't you excited?"
Going back…
Yes, I was finally returning to China.
Even though I didn't really want to, I had no choice.
Reality was waiting.
My name is Xiao Waner.
The only child of the Xiao family.
Even though the world still doesn't officially recognize me as the heir, I'm… strangely famous on social media. All thanks to Zhai Zhai.
One day, she uploaded a video of me during the competition on campus, and it went viral.
Since then, a lot of things changed—
…but I didn't.
I tucked the hidden ring safely into my bag.
It was my secret. My memory. My private part of who I was. No one would ever know.
Now, it was time to face reality, whether I liked it or not.
A few minutes later, I quickly got ready and headed downstairs, where the cab was waiting.
"Waner, here—coffee. I know you didn't eat again."
The familiar voice made me lift my head.
Standing beside the cab, holding a warm cup with one hand and my luggage with the other, was Ling Yichen
"Yichen?" I blinked in surprise. "Why are you here? I told you I'm leaving early."
He smiled softly, the way he always did when it came to me.
"You're going back after four years. How could I not come?"
I rolled my eyes but couldn't suppress the tiny warmth spreading in my chest.
This guy… always appearing when I least expect him.
Zhai Zhai elbowed me from behind and whispered, "See? If you don't want a prince charming, can you at least consider a warm-hearted knight like him?"
"Shut up," I muttered under my breath.
Yichen placed the luggage neatly, then looked at me with those gentle eyes that always made me feel strangely guilty.
"Waner… once you go back to China, things will be different," he said quietly. "If anything happens, call me. No matter where you are, I'll come."
I smiled lightly.
This was Yichen—always caring, always protecting, always putting me first.
Even though we were "just friends," he silently stayed by my side for years.
I stepped closer and took the coffee from his hand.
"Thank you, Yichen. For everything."
His fingers brushed mine—just a second, but he froze.
He looked away quickly, pretending to fix my suitcase, but I saw it.
That tiny red flush on his ears.
"Waner, I…" He hesitated, like he wanted to say something important. Something he had held in for a long time.
But then—
Ding!
A message notification cut the moment short.
Zhai Zhai grabbed my arm. "Waner, hurry! Your flight! Let's go!"
The cab driver opened the door impatiently.
Yichen swallowed his words and stepped back, forcing a smile.
"Go. Everyone is waiting."
I paused for a long second.
Then I got into the cab.
As the door closed, I saw him standing there…
Hands in his pockets, eyes lowered, pretending he was fine.
But I knew.
Yichen always hid his feelings well—but not from me.
He watched until the cab turned the corner and disappeared.