THE REAL PROTEGE Chapter 199: WILL YOU MARRY ME?

Four Eyes’ heartbeat thundered in his chest, erratic and unrestrained, as if a war drum had taken residence inside him. ‘Thump-thump-thump-thump.’ His grip tightened around his sleeve, fingers trembling against the fabric.

At the center of the scene, Mushu and Pharsa whispered their final instructions to the attendants, their tones asured but laced with urgency.

Ling Li, adjusted to every shift in the atmosphere, narrowed her eyes. ‘Sothing is really off..’ A flicker of unease passed over her features before she scoffed, her resolve hardening.

“Hmph!”

Without a mont’s hesitation, she soared into the air, the air around her rippling from the force.

‘What is she doing?!’

Her soldiers had been eagerly awaiting the mont she would step into the aisle, but now they stood frozen, mouths slightly ajar.

“....”

Their anticipation turned into bewildernt as they watched Ling Li land lightly at the aisle’s end, her feet barely making a sound. But what greeted her was not the expected brilliance of the pavilion... it was still absolute darkness.

For a fraction of a second, silence reigned. Then, as if the universe itself had conspired for this exact mont, the music from the orchestra swelled into existence. The first haunting notes sliced through the air, raising goosebumps on the skin of every witness. One by one, holographic images shimred into life before Ling Li’s astonished gaze.

Her breath hitched.

The air felt heavier as she took a step forward, her movents almost instinctual. The mont she recognized the images, her chest tightened... her heart clenched with an unexplainable ache. The projections were no re decorations; they were fragnts of her past with Four Eyes. mories lay bare before her, as tangible as the emotions they stirred.

Ling Li stepped closer, eyes tracing the images with a reverence she hadn’t realized she possessed. The first flicker of nostalgia took form... the mory of her and Four Eyes sitting across from each other in the kitchen, both biting into sandwiches late at night. She had been so embarrassed then, their first real mont of closeness outside of battle and duty. She chuckled now, soft and barely audible, the warmth of the mory lting through her.

Another step. Another image. The emotion within Ling Li swelled as she saw herself lying in bed, pregnant, fragile, unmoving — in a coma. But beside her, Four Eyes sat vigil, his hand wrapped around hers, devotion written across his weary face. Her vision blurred as fresh tears welled up. She had always known he had stayed by her side... but seeing it like this, experiencing it through these projected monts... it struck her in a way she hadn’t been prepared for.

Ling Li paused.

Her fingers trembled as she wiped away her tears with the back of her hand, gathering her resolve. She forced herself to keep moving, knowing that the images wouldn’t stop—and neither could she.

One after another, snapshots of their life together unfolded before her. The arrival of the twins. Their laughter, their struggles, their victories. Their love.

Then, darkness.

Everything vanished. The music stopped. Silence rushed in, suffocating in its weight.

Ling Li stood frozen, trying to steady herself against the wave of emotions threatening to drown her. The quiet stretched impossibly long... until the grand pavilion suddenly erupted into brilliant light.

And before her, kneeling on one knee, was Four Eyes.

His face was a tapestry of emotions. His lips quivered, his hands clenched around a small, glimring box. Inside, a ring caught the light, glowing like a promise carved into eternity. His voice was unsteady, thick with raw emotion as he spoke words that held the weight of his entire heart.

“Ling, dear... will you marry ?”

His voice cracked, just barely, as he forced the words out. His breath felt shallow, and his body trembled despite his usual composure. He needed to hear Ling Li’s answer — he needed her to say it.

Ling Li was stunned. Her eyes, overflowing with tears, locked onto his desperate, love-stricken gaze. Her lips parted, but only a shaky breath escaped.

“You!...”

Ling Li let out a chuckling sob — a sound that was neither entirely joy nor completely sorrow. It was everything.

Four Eyes felt his heartbeat hamr violently in his chest, his lungs forgetting their function. He was hanging on the edge of a precipice, teetering between elation and sheer terror.

Then, Ling Li lifted her hand.

“Yes...” She inhaled deeply, steadying herself as she let the words fall, clear and undeniable. “Yes, I will marry you!

The mont Ling Li uttered her “yes,” the world erupted in celebration.

The pavilion exploded with cheers.

Four Eyes barely registered the noise; his entire world was now condensed into the woman before him... the woman who had just said yes.

Fireworks crackled and burst across the sky, illuminating the vast expanse with dazzling streaks of gold, crimson, and sapphire. The vibrant explosions mirrored the whirlwind of emotions coursing through Four Eyes’ veins—a mixture of disbelief, overwhelming joy, and sheer adoration for the woman who had just agreed to spend eternity with him.

Still reeling from her answer, he carefully slid the exquisite ring onto Ling Li’s slender finger, his hands trembling with emotion. The diamond glead under the pavilion lights, its facets catching the brilliance of the fireworks above.

Then, he stepped closer, his eyes locking onto hers. His heart pounded as he pressed a kiss to her forehead... a silent promise, an unspoken vow. But his restraint only lasted a mont. With a surge of passion, he tilted her chin slightly upward, capturing her lips in a tender yet fervent kiss.

The crowd erupted into cheers, their voices blending with the deafening fireworks.

For two full minutes, ti seed suspended, the couple lost in their own world. Around them, guests whistled and clapped, their joy tangible.

Murphy smirked, nudging Pharsa. "I think we can call this a success," he muttered, crossing his arms.

Pharsa scoffed, but a satisfied smile tugged at her lips. "Did you ever doubt my genius?"

anwhile, the single guests-the—the so-called ‘single dogs’ — let out exaggerated groans, shaking their heads as they watched the romantic display unfold before them. So grabbed their wine glasses, downing their drinks in mock sorrow. Others lanted their fate of being painfully single at such a spectacular event.