After the Breakup, the Possessive Heiress Regretted It - Chapter 16

Chapter 16: She Will Always Stay Clear-headed.

“Pick… pick rings?” Ji Wanmian stammered, so surprised she could barely speak clearly.

Pei Jinyue responded with a calm “Mm.”

Ji Wanmian still couldn’t quite believe it, but seeing Pei Jinyue’s firm expression, she suppressed her doubts and nodded repeatedly like a pecking chick.

Though she had fantasized about every little moment of being with Pei Jinyue, buying rings? That felt too far-fetched even for her imagination.

So fast?!

Ji Wanmian suddenly felt a bit uneasy. Meeting the parents quickly, then immediately going ring shopping… Was Pei Jinyue in a rush to let Pei Yan know their relationship was set in stone and couldn’t be stopped?

She glanced up at Pei Jinyue and found the other woman perfectly calm and composed—making her own panic seem over-the-top.

Ji Wanmian hesitated before asking gently, “Should I let my mom and dad know first?”

What if Pei Jinyue suddenly suggested getting married right after ring shopping? She needed time to prepare.

Even after asking, Ji Wanmian was still nervous—she hadn’t figured out how to even talk to her family about this. Though she’d had a vague conversation with Ji Lan before about marriage, where her parents didn’t express strong opinions, coming out as gay and saying she loved a woman might still be hard for them to accept.

Originally, Pei Jinyue didn’t care whether Ji Wanmian told her family or not, but the “do as you like” that was already on her lips never made it out. Thinking about how she and Ji Wanmian were destined to part ways eventually, it was better not to involve too many people.

So she shook her head and said, “No need for now.”

Hearing this, Ji Wanmian secretly let out a breath of relief. So Pei Jinyue wasn’t rushing things—just genuinely wanted to pick a ring that symbolized their commitment.

Realizing this, Ji Wanmian couldn’t stop smiling. She had always assumed she’d be the proactive one in the relationship, being the first to fall for Pei Jinyue, but unexpectedly, it was Pei the heiress who was taking the lead.

“Tomorrow morning then?” Ji Wanmian asked, unable to hide her joy. Her smile widened and bloomed like a flower.

Pei Jinyue nodded. “Okay.”

“Then I’ll keep drawing for a bit longer and try to finish tomorrow’s tasks in advance,” Ji Wanmian suddenly felt extra motivated—full of energy, even work didn’t feel exhausting anymore.

After some time, Ji Wanmian’s stomach growled, and she finally realized they hadn’t had dinner yet.

Normally, she could bear the hunger. But not today. She didn’t want Pei Jinyue to suffer even the slightest discomfort at her place.

Putting her work aside, Ji Wanmian walked into the living room and asked, “Are you hungry?”

Pei Jinyue nodded at first, then paused and said, “I’m okay.”

Standing before her, Ji Wanmian watched this and couldn’t help thinking over and over how adorable Pei Jinyue was.

To outsiders, this heiress was always polite and well-mannered, but also gave off a sense of distance.

But Ji Wanmian didn’t see it that way. To her, Pei Jinyue could be cute, childish, and deeply caring. She was too complex to be described with just a couple of words.

“Then shall we eat later?” Ji Wanmian teased, hoping to draw out more of Pei Jinyue’s cuteness.

But the moment she saw the slight disappointment in Pei Jinyue’s eyes, Ji Wanmian’s heart melted, and before the other woman could speak, she quickly said, “Let’s go find food now.”

“Okay.” Pei Jinyue replied almost immediately, standing up and walking to her side.

Ahhh—

Ji Wanmian’s heart practically melted.

But to save face for Pei Jinyue, Ji Wanmian covered her own rumbling stomach and said, “Actually, I’m the one who’s super hungry. So instead of ordering takeout, let’s just go downstairs and buy food.”

Pei Jinyue nodded. “Okay.”

For some reason, Ji Wanmian thought Pei Jinyue was especially sweet today. Maybe it was because she was staying at her place for a while—that’s why she seemed more “docile.”

While they walked, Ji Wanmian couldn’t help but blurt out, “Pei Jinyue, you’re really cute today.”

Pei Jinyue stopped, slightly surprised. “Just like this is cute?”

Even cuter now.

Ji Wanmian almost didn’t dare look at her, afraid that if she did, she wouldn’t be able to stop herself from stealing a kiss.

“Really cute,” Ji Wanmian replied with a laugh and quickened her pace. “So let’s hurry—it’s cold outside. We’ll eat and go back home.”

And maybe once home… she could steal a kiss.

Pei Jinyue followed quietly, no longer nodding.

Where Ji Wanmian couldn’t see, she returned to her usual calm expression.

Watching Ji Wanmian’s back, she thought: Since she was already by Ji Wanmian’s side, she should take this opportunity to practice expressing emotions.

All the way, Ji Wanmian kept marveling in her heart—how someone as cool and aloof as Pei Jinyue could also be this adorable.

Meanwhile, behind her, Pei Jinyue quietly took mental notes of her own behavior.

Turns out being seen as cute didn’t require much effort.

After dinner, the two of them strolled back home. The streets were mostly empty by now.

Enjoying the romantic evening breeze, Ji Wanmian heard some music from afar and asked instinctively, “Pei Jinyue, can you sing me a song?”

There was no response for a long while, but Ji Wanmian didn’t regret asking. She’d wanted to ask this for a long time.

She had once accidentally overheard Pei Jinyue singing—a casual, unintentional melody that had lingered in her heart for years.

All this time, she’d longed to hear it again. Now that they were together, surely she’d get another chance.

As the distant music faded away, Pei Jinyue still hadn’t replied, and the quiet night made Ji Wanmian’s sighs of disappointment all the more audible.

But she knew she couldn’t force it, so she consoled herself. Then, she waved her hand and said, “Forget it—”

Suddenly, Pei Jinyue, who had been silent, spoke: “I’ll sing when we get home.”

Ji Wanmian’s disappointment vanished instantly, replaced by pure joy.

She bounced around Pei Jinyue, spinning in circles and laughing, “That’s great! After all these years, I finally get to hear you sing again.”

“Singing makes you that happy?” Pei Jinyue asked.

“Of course! Because it’s you singing to me,” Ji Wanmian replied without hesitation.

Pei Jinyue looked at Ji Wanmian’s unconcealed smile. Comparing it to her reaction earlier during the ring discussion, they looked similarly joyful. Did the two mean the same to her? But clearly, they weren’t of equal weight.

So she asked curiously, “Are you happier about the ring or the singing?”

“Both make me happy,” Ji Wanmian said. Though she was a little puzzled by how talkative Pei Jinyue was today, it was definitely a good sign. So she answered seriously, “It’s not about what the thing is. It’s that all these beautiful things are connected to you. That’s why they make me so happy.”

Pei Jinyue was momentarily stunned.

Just then, a breeze drifted by, and for a fleeting moment, it felt like it had blown her usual rigid thinking off course.

How strange.

She couldn’t quite describe the feeling—only that it was complicated.

But when the wind stopped, so did that strange feeling.

She would stay clear-headed, always remember what it was she truly wanted.