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Lin Xian stared at the gift box in her hand—its exterior was very pretty, though he wondered what kind of gift lay inside.

He glanced at Shen Chuwei and saw that she was reaching for a small sweet cake on the table.

The cake was no bigger than a finger and she popped it into her mouth right after taking it. ..

Ouyang Leyuan was extremely curious about what gift Lin Xian would give her. In front of Lin Xian, she couldn’t wait to open the gift box.

Inside the box was a pair of jade bracelets, each inlaid with a ruby, elaborately designed in a style slightly different from that of the Xingmiao Clan but nonetheless extremely elegant and attractive.

Lin Xian merely lifted his eyes to see the gift inside the box, instantly recognizing its considerable worth. No wonder on the way here, Shen Chuwei had told him not to worry, assuring him it would not be embarrassing.

He lowered his eyes to look at Shen Chuwei again, only to see her cheeks puffed out, clearly busy eating something in silence.

Shen Chuwei noticed him looking her way and curled her brows and eyes toward him.

Ouyang Leyuan lifted her head joyfully to Lin Xian, "Young Master Lin, I really like the gift you gave."

Lin Xian replied, "As long as you like it, that’s all that matters."

"Let me try it on." Ouyang Leyuan placed the gift box on the table, carefully removed the jade bracelet from its silk pouch, and gingerly slipped it onto her wrist as if afraid she might accidentally drop it.

Her wrist was slender, and the bracelet fit perfectly.

After putting on the bracelet, Ouyang Leyuan happily lifted it to show Lin Xian, "Young Master Lin, does it look nice?"

Lin Xian eyed the bracelet. Shen Chuwei had good taste—the bracelets were luxurious without being ostentatious.

He nodded, "Mhm."

Ouyang Leyuan was over the moon.

Just then, a maid came over, "Princess, the Clan Leader is asking for you."

"Alright." Ouyang Leyuan lifted her gaze to Lin Xian briefly before following the maid away.

Seeing his cherished daughter approach, the Clan Leader beckoned her to stand by his side, then announced in front of everyone, "Today is Princess Leyuan’s sixteenth birthday. She has reached the age suitable for marriage, and it is time to select a young and talented suitor to be her husband."

No sooner had the Clan Leader finished speaking than the crowd began to stir—many young men admired Princess Leyuan and had been waiting for this day, hoping to step up in status as her husband, a position even more distinguished than nobility.

The Clan Leader, smiling at his beloved daughter, asked, "Leyuan, among these young talents, is there anyone you fancy?"

Ouyang Leyuan merely glanced indifferently at the so-called young talents and said demurely, "Father, I have already made my choice."

The Clan Leader was curious about his daughter’s preferences, wondering whom she had taken a fancy to.

"Let us hear it then. Which family’s son is it?"

Ouyang Leyuan looked toward Lin Xian, who was standing in a corner. Even there, his innate dignity shone through, making him stand out from the crowd.

His handsome face was captivating, one could hardly take their eyes off him.

"The person I like is Young Master Lin Xian."

Upon hearing this, the young talents below all wore puzzled expressions, as they had never heard of this man before.

"Who is Young Master Lin? From which noble family does he come?"

"Never heard of him. Do we have a Lin family among the nobility?"

The named Lin Xian was also baffled. Who would just upfront declare their choice of a marriage partner in public?

Shen Chuwei was startled for a moment. Although she had guessed that Ouyang Leyuan held unrequited feelings for Xiao Jinyan, she hadn’t expected her to publicly nominate a suitor.

She looked up at Xiao Jinyan, whispering, "Are all princesses this confident?"

This was akin to a public confession. Without certainty regarding each other’s feelings, such a method of confession could only end in two ways,

Either the other party would accept, leading to joy all around,

Or be rejected, and face embarrassment on the spot...

Lin Xian responded, "I don’t know."

Ouyang Leyuan, delighted, descended from the stage. The crowd naturally parted to create a path for her, and with a smile on her face, she walked towards him through the middle of the crowd.

Lin Xian watched as Ouyang Leyuan approached, guessing what she might do next. He stood there erect, his hand suddenly gripped by a warm one, and he turned his head to see Shen Chuwei beside him.

Who would have thought that on his last day here, he would encounter such an event?

Ouyang Leyuan paced slowly towards Lin Xian. Today, she was dressed exceptionally vividly and beautifully.

All eyes at the event followed Ouyang Leyuan, and as they landed on Lin Xian beside her, they began to guess that he must be the Young Master Lin Xian whom Leyuan favored.

"This man looks so unfamiliar, doesn’t seem to be from the Xingmiao Clan."

"Just look at the clothes he’s wearing, you can tell he’s not from around here."

"How did Princess Leyuan come to fancy a foreigner?"

Ouyang Leyuan took out a personal item—it was a charm pouch she had carried since childhood, embroidered with beautiful patterns and tied with red tassels underneath.

"Young Master Lin, I want you to be my husband."