Yancy Shaw looked at her seriously. “Miss Li, please don’t feel pressured. What I mean is, if you don’t want to, we’ll still be friends.”
“Who said I don’t want to?” Lauren Shaw’s eyes glimmered with a subtle smile. Her radiant face, though untouched by makeup, was still strikingly beautiful.
Yancy Shaw stared at her in astonishment. “Miss Li, I wasn’t joking when I said what I just did. I meant every word.”
It was as if he wasn’t quite sure, and wanted her to repeat her answer back to him.
“You don’t need to answer me right away. Marriage is something I hope you can think about carefully.”
After saying this, Yancy Shaw turned and left the hospital room. He hoped to hear Lauren Shaw say “yes” herself, yet was afraid her next words wouldn’t be what he wanted.
Always steady and composed, always in control of every situation, this time, facing matters of love, he seemed almost inexperienced, almost childlike.
Lauren Shaw came back to herself, realizing he had already left the room. It looked like he needed some time to cool down too. Maybe what he just said was only a moment’s impulse.
She sighed softly and couldn’t help but recall the three years she’d known Yvonne Sung.
Yvonne Sung had never openly admitted she was his girlfriend. They’d never even shared any intimate gestures, but every year for his birthday, she’d prepare a thoughtful gift for him—even though he might just turn around and toss it in the trash.
She remembered one time, he suddenly came to her asking for a favor: apparently his family had a project related to the Shaw family. Without hesitation, she’d called her uncle to help.
From then on, Yvonne Sung’s attitude toward her softened a little. Of course, all the kindness she gave him, he accepted as only natural.
She’d thought Yvonne Sung simply didn’t know how to love, so he didn’t treat his girlfriend the way other guys would. But it didn’t matter—she believed he’d become better with her, until Yana Quinn appeared.
It turned out he wasn’t incapable of being gentle, he just felt she wasn’t worth it. Any tiny bit of warmth from him only surfaced when he needed something from her.
After recalling all these fragments about Yvonne Sung, she let go of it all. Whatever Yvonne Sung did now, she would never go back to him.
That night, the hospital room was quiet. The breeze gently rustled the curtains. Turning over, she closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep.
Some people slept soundly, while others tossed and turned, unable to rest.
Yancy Shaw lay on his bed, Lauren Shaw's image filling his mind. Every smile, every frown tugged at his heart.
Actually, their first meeting hadn’t been that night. Long before then, they'd already crossed paths.
Five years ago, he’d been dining with friends when a child nearby started choking. He rushed over to help, but a girl had beaten him to it, darting to the child’s side.
She used the Heimlich maneuver*, patting the candy loose from the child’s throat, earning praise from everyone around.
She had left a deep impression on him that day. For some reason, that girl's figure was etched into his mind. He later learned she was still in college, and even snuck to her campus just to catch a glimpse of her.
Later, he found out she had someone she liked when she graduated.
All this time, Lauren Shaw had no idea how closely he’d been watching her from afar.
Last time she’d bumped into him, flustered with panic and tears threatening to spill from her eyes, his heart ached for her.
Seeing her cry again—her spirit shattered, yet still forcing herself to be strong, hiding her vulnerability—moved him profoundly.
They’d only met a handful of times, but somehow, he developed a desire to protect her, to shield her from harm.
That wish surfaced the very first time he saw her in tears.
Today, he finally got the chance to confess his feelings, but the moment the words left his mouth, he regretted it, scared that his eagerness might seem too sudden.
The more he thought about it, the more restless he became—annoyed at himself for being impatient and for losing his usual confidence. He’d already spoken his heart, yet felt so unsure.
Once that idea took root, Lauren Shaw’s image filled his mind. Wanting to put an end to this sleepless torment, he decided to act decisively.
The next morning.
Yancy Shaw took half a day off from the hospital, brought along his household registration booklet*, put on a formal suit, and even wore the tie Lauren Shaw had gifted him.
Looking at the ring in his drawer, he smiled softly and slipped it into his pocket.
The doctor told her she’d be discharged today. After a good night’s rest, Lauren Shaw felt much better.
She was about to call Claire Xu to pick her up when Yancy Shaw walked in, and she couldn’t help but stare, momentarily dazed.
Perhaps she’d never seen him dressed so formally before—today, she truly appreciated how striking he looked.
“Miss Li.”
His voice was low and resonant. Lauren Shaw took a deep breath and quickly looked away, a bit flustered.
“Dr. Shen, are you off to a blind date today?” She grinned, feeling that Yancy Shaw seemed quite different from usual.
“There’s something I want to say to you, Miss Li.”
Seeing how formal he looked, Lauren Shaw sensed he surely had something important to discuss and quickly wiped the smile from her face, meeting his gaze seriously.
“Go ahead, Dr. Shen.”
“Did you think it over last night?”
Huh? Lauren Shaw blinked in confusion, then finally caught on.
“Oh, that… You don’t need to worry. I didn’t take it to heart, and you shouldn’t stress either. I know you were just trying to help me out—actually, I forgot to thank you yesterday. Thank you, Dr. Shen.”
As soon as she said it, she sensed the air around Yancy Shaw chill a little. Maybe it was just her imagination, but he seemed almost upset.
His gaze lingered on her lovely face, but his tone stayed gentle. “I don’t mean that, Miss Li. Will you marry me?”
Lauren Shaw’s phone slipped from her hand and clattered to the floor. She stared at Yancy Shaw in shock.
She’d imagined countless reasons for his visit, but never guessed he’d come for this.
She was… completely unprepared.
Lauren Shaw steadied herself and looked him in the eye. “Dr. Shen, I know you only said what you did yesterday to help me out. There’s no need to get yourself involved.”
She was being rational: Dr. Shen was an exceptionally good man. He shouldn’t have to pay for her troubles.
Yancy Shaw let out a breath. “I know you probably think I’m being reckless, but after thinking about it all night, I have to be honest. Even though you may think we’ve only met a few times, strangely enough, I just can’t stand seeing you hurt.”
“People make wrong turns and fall for the wrong people—but this one time, I want to let myself be impulsive.”
His words rang with sincerity, his eyes shining, hopeful—yet clearly afraid she might refuse.