Let Me Propose to You

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After Foxs company went bankrupt, I was relegated to being a copper sparrow with a monthly salary of just three hundred and eighty.

My friends all urged me to find a new patron quickly.

But I wouldnt listen.

No matter how tough or tiring things got, my main goal was unwavering loyalty.

Later, Fox finally made a comeback, his wealth multiplying several times over what it was before.

On the day we moved out, the tall man sat in my small apartment, his mood buoyant:

"Although our contract has expired, I can agree to any condition you propose."

I was both surprised and delighted:

"Then I want a three-hundred-square-meter luxury apartment in the city center."

"And what else?"

"That's all."

Foxs smile faltered.

He hid the small velvet box behind his back, his expression growing increasingly grim.

"...That's all?"

1.

"W-well, what else should there be?"

I felt Fox seemed very angry.

I pulled my neck in, subtly scooting further away.

"Or maybe add fifty years of property management fees?"

Fox took a deep breath, his dark eyebrows furrowing high on his forehead.

"Iris Young, are you insulting me?"

It was true.

He was so wealthy now that a mere three-hundred-square-meter luxury apartment in the city center did seem a bit insulting.

I had to be honest:

"I'm sorry, but since I don't plan on getting married, if I'm living alone in the future and want to get a dog, that size is more than enough."

Fox choked on his words.

The hand that had been behind his back suddenly slipped into his pocket, his Patek Philippe watch prominently displayed.

His voice turned cold:

"Coincidentally, I also have no plans to get married."

"I agree to your terms. Anyway, the contract is over. I'll transfer another two hundred and fifty thousand to your account, to thank you for your care during this time."

So generous!

I immediately beamed, not having fully caught whatever he mumbled in his first sentence.

"Thank you so much, Fox!"

He pressed his lips together, saying nothing.

As he slammed the door shut, the trash can outside emitted a resounding "thump."

2.

I happily shared what had just happened in our friends' chat.

Actually, I didn't have many friends in this city; my so-called "friends" were just the partners of Foxs circle of acquaintances.

BoldChloesLuxuryLife: Iris, such a perfect opportunity to climb the ladder, and that's all you asked for? Get out of here.

EthansStandInGirlfriend: Next time, don't send news about such a small request just to annoy us girls.

MayasBabyOnTheRun: Take this, patron gets rich, no side effects version.

Only LiamsMyBoy was carefully analyzing the situation:

The Vance family has always wanted to form an alliance with Fox. I heard they even had dinner together last week, so an engagement is probably on the agenda.

Also, Fox is a heartless man; he drove his own brother to suicide. Iris wouldn't dare demand too much. She'd be locked up in a minute.

Me: Exactly! He seemed so angry when he left, it was terrifying! T_T

They all knew Fox was famously difficult in their circles.

Though handsome and wealthy, he had a terrible temper and many rules.

His stamina was also extraordinary, often leaving me utterly exhausted.

But back then, I was a dutiful "gold sparrow." I could endure anything for money.

Later, news came that Fox had gone bankrupt.

"Iris, you should go. I have no money left."

He had been expelled by the Forrester family, his suit crumpled, his back so desolate, as if abandoned by the world.

I did want to leave.

But my mind quickly churned

Fox, a proud scion, had fallen to rock bottom. If I helped him now, he would surely remember my kindness when he made his comeback.

And with his intelligence, earning money again was only a matter of time.

It had to be better than me going out and working, right?

My foot, already stepping away, immediately retracted.

I tentatively asked:

"Actually, those bags and shoes you gave me before, I secretly sold a few and used the money to buy a small apartment."

"Fox, do you want to come home with me?"

He nodded slightly.

So, I took him back to that sixty-square-meter little apartment.

We made a few rules, adding them to the end of our original contract:

One, during bankruptcy, Fox couldn't freeload; he had to work to pay for rent.

Two, he wasn't allowed to lose his temper.

Three, he had to listen to me at my place; if he angered me, hed sleep in the spare room.

That night, sitting at the dining table, Fox ate every last bit of the tomato and egg noodles I cooked, leaving not even a drop of soup.

After eating, he uncharacteristically washed the dishes without being asked, silent the entire time, like a large dog caught in the rain.

Late at night, Fox pressed down on me, making the small pink bed creak.

I protested this abusive behavior of riding roughshod over my benefactor.

"Can you be gentler! The bed will break, and we can't afford a new one!"

I tried to kick him, but he caught my foot.

He kissed his way up my ankle, his breath hot, yet his words were meticulously careful:

"Iris Young, thank you for still being willing to love me."

"I swear, I won't let you live like this for too long."

Having my own place, no matter the size, that could shelter me from the wind and rain, and where I could eat hot meals every day, had always been my dream.

I honestly didn't think this life was hard at all.

But Fox seemed to have misunderstood something.

Never mind.

At least he looked full of fight, and his eyes sparkled again.

3.

The trash can by the door had been kicked in by Fox.

I moved the dented trash can downstairs.

There was an elderly man on the first floor, suffering from mild dementia, who often collected various discarded items from the complex.

His eyes showed a longing for this trash can.

I decided to be thoroughly kind and just gave it to him.

During this time, I also received a transfer from Fox.

He had fumbled the numbers and accidentally transferred 52,000 to me.

I remembered online legal advice that such large transfers with special meanings could easily be demanded back or even lead to extortion charges.

I kept the money and kindly transferred 2,700 back to him.

He never accepted the money.

So I sent a message reminding him:

Fox, you transferred too much; I've sent it back, okay?

A huge red exclamation mark appeared on the screen.

I froze.

Fox had actually blocked me.

He always got like this when he was angry. I didn't know how I'd upset him this time.

So I didn't try to contact him again.

In the following days, Fox didnt appear.

I enjoyed the peace.

First, I did a thorough cleaning of the apartment.

When I had downtime, I looked at new apartment design ideas online, envisioning my wonderful future.

But several more days passed, and Fox still made no move. His phone was still unreachable, and I remained blocked on social media.

This was very uncharacteristic of his usually lavish nature.

Where was my grand luxury apartment?

I couldn't sit still any longer.

I proactively contacted Foxs assistant.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Forrester has a private engagement today. May I ask who's calling?"

I stammered, unable to answer for a long time.

I almost forgot, Fox was no longer the man he used to be; his staff had all changed.

His current assistant didn't know me.

And my contract with Fox had ended.

We had no relationship.

I no longer had the privileges of a "gold sparrow."

"Just a friend, nothing special."

With that, I awkwardly hung up the phone.

4.

For the sake of the luxury apartment, I decided to go to his place.

I waited for a long time downstairs at Fox's building, finally seeing a black car approaching in the distance.

The low-key, luxurious Maybach pulled to a stop.

A car door opened and closed.

I saw Foxs stern, sharp features.

Another graceful figure followed, stepping out of the car.

The woman in a moon-white cheongsam had her back to me, her voice delicate:

"Fox, I'm very satisfied with you."

"Whether it's your looks or your family background, you perfectly meet my standards. I don't mind slowly cultivating feelings with you after marriage."

Well, that was direct!

Judging by her back, she was definitely a great beauty.

She was Foxs arranged marriage partner, Bethany Vance.

"I'm leaving for now. Three days from now, give me your answer."

At this moment, Foxs face was obscured, so I couldn't see his expression.

This kind of earth-shattering gossip, I had to let my friends know immediately!

I ducked further behind the wall.

Then I turned my phone screen brightness to the lowest setting, discreetly live-broadcasting the scene to my friends' chat.

Squeaky: @everyone Come quick! Miss Vance is proposing to Fox right now!

[Peeking from behind the tree.jpg]

The chat was instantly flooded with gossip emojis.

Someone asked:

Luna, in these three years, did you truly not feel anything for Fox at all?

"Don't you feel sad when you hear him say these things?"

My finger hovered above the screen, and for a moment, I didn't know how to reply.

A deep male voice suddenly boomed above my head, enunciating the chat name word by word:

"Diamond Cage Owners' Committee?"

Fox had appeared behind me at some point.

I braced myself, quickly locking my screen.

He had one hand in his pocket, the other impatiently tugging at his tie.

The corners of his eyes were flushed, and there was a faint scent of alcohol on him, his eyes swirling with emotions I couldn't decipher.

"Iris Young, when did you develop a habit of peeking?"

My heart pounded relentlessly.

I took a step back: "I came to find you."

Fox's eyes instantly lit up, his Adam's apple bobbing.

"Find me?"

"Yes, this is something you left at my place."

"You left in such a hurry that day, you forgot it. I brought it over for you."

Fox suddenly laughed.

"You really are impatient. Are my things such an eyesore?"

"They do take up a bit of space. The living room is much more spacious now that they're gone."

Foxs breathing noticeably deepened.

He turned away to compose himself, and when he spoke again, his voice had returned to its usual calm:

"You heard what Bethany Vance said just now?"

I nodded.

Fox's gaze burned into me:

"Then do you have anything to say?"

I buried my face lower, twisting my fingers, and whispered:

"Yes."

"Hm?"

Fox waited expectantly for my answer.

The night wind swept through the street, its rustling seeming to urge something on.

I gathered my courage and sincerely said:

"I wish you both happiness, many children, and a long, happy marriage."

"And then, you, you promised me that three-hundred-square-meter river-view apartment, when will you make that happen?"

5.

Foxs tone held no discernible emotion, betraying nothing.

"Is that blessing sincere?"

"Yes."

I nodded.

Fox's brow furrowed tighter.

"Then why did you take me in?"

I slightly embellished the reason:

"At a time like that, how could I bear to see you alone and homeless"

He abruptly bent down and picked up the cardboard box, even stumbling backward due to the force, as if he twisted his ankle.

I quickly reached out to help.

Fox waved me off, straightened up, his eyes cold as ice:

"Oh? So I should thank you for your pity."

"For your benevolence, I'll have my assistant send you the contract tomorrow."

Under the dim streetlamp.

His eyes were redder, and he gritted his teeth, forcing out a few words:

"Iris Young, if I ever come looking for you again, I'm a dog."

Fox strode away, long-legged and distant, never looking back.

Watching him walk away,

I finally exhaled.

I quietly spread my palm; it was already slick with nervous sweat.

Actually, Fox was a decent patron.

Even after going bankrupt, he stuck to our contract, working several jobs every day, transferring money to my account on time.

Not only that.

When disgruntled employees, whose wages were overdue, came knocking, Fox would diligently note down their names, sell whatever he could, and if that wasn't enough, hed use his earnings to pay them back little by little.

Hed deliver food until midnight, yet still remember to bring hot breakfast home for me.

Or, at our lowest point, when we were at the supermarket, fighting with an elderly couple for half-price vegetables until his shoe fell off, Fox still carried me back.

Those "copper sparrow" days were, in fact, happier than the "gold sparrow" ones.

Because the bankrupt Fox was much more endearing than the wealthy Fox.

Now he was back in his original world, about to have a wife from a suitable family.

I wouldn't abandon my own interests or violate moral boundaries to become a mistress for some vague, ephemeral emotion.

A sensible person knows when to quit while they're ahead.

So, ending it here was best for everyone.

6.

To welcome my grand new apartment, I woke up early and put on full makeup.

The friends' chat was already buzzing.

MayasBabyOnTheRun: I thought you were spineless, always looking meek, but it turns out you're the most clear-headed one in this group.

BoldChloesLuxuryLife: Someone who can share your hardships might not be able to share your joys. I support you.

LiamsMyDad (PatronForcedMeToRename): What are your plans next?

I thought for a moment and replied:

After the apartment title is transferred, I'll research renovations, then adopt a dog. And then live a normal life.

EthansStandInGirlfriend: Oh! Ethans cousin studied art abroad, and his familys funding suddenly dried up. He was forced to come back yesterday and rely on Ethan. How about I set you two up?

"You're best at dealing with these heartbroken, bankrupt gentlemen, anyway. If you can get an extra sum from Ethan, we'll split it sixty-forty? You get sixty, I get forty."

The corner of my mouth twitched.

I thought it was just a joke, but a few minutes later, a friend request popped up on WeChat.

The sender was very polite:

"Hello, are you the therapist recommended by Clara? I'm Adrian."

I sighed and accepted his request.

"Please don't say that, I'm not a professional but if you need to talk, I can be a listening ear."

Adrian sent a nodding cat emoji, looking very well-behaved and cute.

Then he asked: "Could we meet tonight?"

7.

What I didn't know was

At this moment, my WeChat had been unblocked by Fox.

He sat in his vast top-floor office, gazing intently at my chat window, yet not sending a single word.

His assistant handed him a contract.

"Mr. Forrester, everything is ready."

Fox snapped back to reality and opened the contract.

His pen hovered over the signature line for a long time.

"Do you have a girlfriend?"

The assistant was startled but respectfully replied: "...No, I'm too busy with work."

"I do."

The assistant thought he was hallucinating.

No, boss, yes, but what does this have to do with me?

No one asked if you had a girlfriend

"She and I started with a transaction. Initially, I didn't put much effort into the relationship, but gradually, I realized she was a very good person. She's the one who stayed with me from nothing until now."

The assistant stared at his shoelaces, wishing he could become deaf on the spot.

"But she seems to have never loved me."

"This apartment is her parting gift."

The floor-to-ceiling windows reflected Fox's furrowed brow.

He pondered, as if meticulously analyzing a difficult negotiation opponent, attempting to review his missteps in the relationship.

"Does she only like my money?"

Strangely, this realization didn't anger Fox.

On the contrary, what flashed in his mind was Iris Young cheering joyfully in her new apartment.

Fox had always eagerly anticipated Iris expressing such emotions because of him.

But now?

He had charged forward on the front lines for the person he cherished.

Only to turn around and find that person had vanished without a trace.

His heart felt empty, his feet lost their grounding, like he was floating in water, wishing he could just drown, deeply uncomfortable.

The assistant cleared his throat:

"Mr. Forrester, if I may be frank, being wealthy is one of your charms," he racked his brain to complete the sentence, "if the lady likes your money, then at least it indicates"

"It indicates she needs me."

Fox suddenly interjected, his dark eyes brightening abruptly

If Iris Young liked money, then he would give Iris Young a lot of money.

In short, all pride and dignity, could go far away.

Whatever Iris Young wanted, he could afford to give.

And he would absolutely not let go.

Having understood this, the knot in his chest dissipated.

Foxs brows relaxed.

"Tonight's engagement is canceled. I'll personally deliver this 'breakup gift'."

Oh, right, he had been drunk that night, and he thought he had said something like "if he came looking for her again, he was a dog"?

Heh.

His wife was about to run off; he'd be a dog if he had to.

8.

Despite my various rejections, Adrian still showed up downstairs at my apartment with a "surprise."

From a distance, I saw his slender figure standing under the streetlamp, carefully cradling something in his arms.

As I got closer, I gasped:

"Oh, is that a kitten?"

The kitten was a British Shorthair blue tabby, gazing at me with round, wide eyes.

Adrians eyelashes cast a small shadow beneath his eyes.

"I'm sorry to bother you so late."

"This is a stray cat I found while studying abroad, named Boots. But I just returned home, and there's a situation with my family, so I really can't help it. Could I please ask you to take care of her for me first?"

He had naturally smiling eyes, making it impossible to refuse him.

As he leaned slightly, the faint scent of tea mixed with paint wafted towards me.

"I heard you're moving to a new place? Boots is very well-behaved and won't bother you."

Boots purred softly, her fluffy pink paw pads resting on my wrist.

Who could refuse that?

It just meant my original plan to get a dog would be disrupted.

Cats and dogs can't live together, can they?

They'd fight.

I hesitated a little.

"Meow~"

Boots continued to exude charm.

Unable to resist the temptation, I picked her up.

"Oh, right, I also heard you're planning to study abroad? I'm an expert in that area, from refining essays to charming professors, I know it all."

I quickly waved my hand: "How can I trouble you with that"

"Consider it a thank you gift," Adrian's eyes curved into crescent moons, "Thank you for being my sounding board."

A sudden shout interrupted our conversation.

"You dog! Give me back my trash can!"

The elderly man with dementia from the first floor angrily waved his cane, roaring at the deep shadows of the trees.

In the deep shade opposite him, someone seemed to be standing, staring fixedly in my direction.

The night was too dark.

I rubbed my eyes, but couldn't make out who it was.