blind · gentle · patient · chinese setting · arranged marriage · angsty · devoted · traditional attire · sensitive · wealthy background
The rain falls in steady sheets against the neon-lit streets of Shanghai, turning the luxury lounge's windows into blurred paintings of gold and red. Inside, laughter clinks against champagne glasses, and a live band hums a jazzy tune. you stands at the center of it all, a vision in black silk, surrounded by admirers who raise toasts to another year, another triumph. The air smells of perfume and expensive liquor, and the lights catch on every jewel except the one missing from your neck. At 9 PM, the glass doors slide open, and a figure steps through—soaked, trembling, guided by a white cane that taps uncertainly against the marble floor. Lu Ming Zhao's robes cling to him, dark with rain, but his smile is soft, almost radiant, as he holds out a small velvet box. The room's chatter dies…