HLM – Chapter 961 Engagement

The catfish banquet was a great success. In the end, the leftover beef, lamb, roast chicken, and roast duck were all packed up by the people at the table to take home.

Song Zijun, drunk and cheerful, finally left, patting Wang Bo on the shoulder: “That meal was awesome, the atmosphere was perfect. Damn, when I eat elsewhere, there’s always someone toasting me every minute, someone else flattering me—I can’t even enjoy the food properly!”

“Of course, the main reason is that the food was amazing. Especially your beef and lamb—absolutely incredible!”

Wang Bo carried two insulated boxes into Song Zijun’s car and said, “One box of beef, one box of lamb. Give me your address later, I’ll get more from New Zealand for you if you want.”

Song Zijun laughed heartily: “Alright, alright, Brother Wang, you really know how to handle things. I won’t refuse, thanks!”

Zhong Dabao also brought two boxes for Su Taotao, and finally, he mysteriously pulled out a lunchbox. “Taotao, this is some beef sauce.”

Su Taotao smiled softly, pursing her lips. “Thank you, Dabao.”

Zhong Dabao said, “No need to thank me, hehe. This beef sauce isn’t really for you. I just wanted to show off how clever I am—I was the first to grab a box.”

Su Taotao was flustered.

Zhong Dabao laughed heartily. “Haha, just kidding! Of course, it’s for you. I’ve had enough of this stuff myself. Eat it all year, it gets tiresome—I don’t want it anymore!”

Su Taotao was a little confused, unsure whether to thank him or ask if he was joking.

From morning until night, they had been busy. After the feast, it was time to prepare for the Spring Festival.

On New Year’s Eve, Wang Bo took Dale outside to play with fireworks, while Zhuang Ding sprawled at the door, happily licking his… well, very happily.

“Looks like next year, all the female dogs in our village will have puppies,” Father Bo said.

“They’re all from our stock—Zhuang Ding is really capable!” Wang Bo chuckled.

Father Bo glanced at him. “Yeah… when are you going to leave some offspring?”

“Well… let’s get married first,” Wang Bo replied awkwardly with a smile.

During the New Year’s Eve dinner, Wang Bo’s parents turned to Eva: “Eva, if you were to get engaged, who on your side would handle it?”

Eva, showing her independent spirit, shrugged: “I can decide for myself. Engagement? I think any time works.”

“Then let’s do it now!” Father Bo pounded the table.

Wang Bo almost spat out his sea cucumber soup in surprise. “Dad, isn’t this too hasty? And what about the engagement rings? I didn’t prepare any!”

Mother Bo promptly went to the storage room, opened an old wardrobe, and pulled out a pencil case he’d discarded in elementary school. Inside were a pair of silver rings. She wiped them and placed them on the table. “No need to prepare engagement rings. These were given to me by your grandmother. Now I pass them to Eva. In the future, when you have children, you can pass them on to your daughter-in-law.”

Eva exclaimed, “These are too precious!”

Wang Bo knew the rings themselves weren’t valuable—silver isn’t expensive—but they were old, at least a hundred years.

One ring featured a dragon coiled into a circle, mouth and tail meeting to form the band. The other was even more exquisite—a phoenix with wings spread forming the circle, its body and delicate head forming the face of the ring.

Father Bo drank a sip of wine. “Nowadays, TV shows say every family has a family heirloom. This is ours.”

“Don’t underestimate these silver rings. They’re from the late Qing Dynasty. Your great-grandfather rescued a ship that had been hit and overturned by foreigners. Onboard were wealthy people who gifted him these rings.”

“A few years ago, when you were living in the capital, your dad and I wanted to buy you a house but didn’t have enough money. We took these rings to an antique shop. They said they were masterworks and could sell for two or three hundred thousand. We thought about selling them as your down payment—but thankfully we didn’t,” Mother Bo added.

His father looked proud. “I said not to sell them. I knew my son would make something of himself!”

His mother, annoyed, said, “Don’t take credit! It was you wanting fifty thousand, and the shop said you were crazy poor, so you walked away. That’s why we didn’t sell!”

His father blushed and defended himself. “No, I just thought, these were our wedding rings. I wanted to keep them as a memento!”

Seeing his parents arguing, Wang Bo interjected: “Isn’t this about our engagement? Why are we talking about your wedding?”

“Yes, yes—engagement,” Mother Bo quickly brought the topic back.

His father sighed, taking another sip of wine. “Time flies. Our wedding feels like yesterday. In the blink of an eye, our son is getting married!”

Wang Bo, not wanting them to get too sentimental, asked playfully: “Did you have a wedding banquet? Dad, how much was the bride price?”

His father chuckled but didn’t answer. Mother Bo gave him a look. “What wedding banquet! We didn’t have money back then. Your father rode a bicycle to bring me home. Your grandmother gave me these rings—that was our wedding!”

“And it was a borrowed bicycle,” his father added.

“You sound proud of that,” his mother said, pouting. “You almost crashed me on the way.”

“You remember that?” his father asked in surprise.

“If I hadn’t worried about people gossiping, I’d have turned back. The matchmaker described what kind of man you were—a guy who can’t even ride a bike.”

“But I’m great at rowing!” his father laughed.

Eva found their lively discussion amusing. Meanwhile, Dale, eager to know what was happening, asked impatiently: “Are you getting engaged or not?”

Wang Bo promptly knelt on one knee, holding out the ring. “Irina Sharapova, I, Wang Bo, wish to marry you. I hereby propose. Will you honor me with your acceptance?”

His father laughed. “That’s how foreigners propose?”

Having spent a long time in New Zealand, Wang Bo was no longer shy or overly concerned about appearances. Romance or drama—sometimes you just had to do it.

Eva stood, lowering her gaze slightly, smiling warmly. “I am willing to accept your proposal, Mr. Wang Bo.”

Seeing Wang Bo place the ring on her finger, Dale began to sob.

Mother Bo quickly picked her up. “Little Dale, why are you crying? Are they happy tears?”

Dale wriggled free. “I’m over eight years old—stop holding me like that! I’m not a child anymore!”

“Why are you crying?”

“On TV, when a girl accepts a proposal, her family cries. I’m her only family, of course I’ll cry.” She sobbed a few more times.

Eva laughed softly. “I’m touched by my dear little sister.”

“Will you give me a red envelope?” Dale asked expectantly.

Wang Bo: “……”