The Fifth Surprise

After Adrian transferred to an ordinary ward, I returned his phone.

From then on, he messaged me every day.

Zhaozhao, morning.

Zhaozhao, have you eaten?

Zhaozhao, I’m hungry.

Zhaozhao, when will you visit me?

But he never sent:

Zhaozhao, I like you.

I knew I had fallen for him without noticing.

But our worlds were too different.

We had not known each other long.

And he was no longer the doll I had built day and night.

He had no reason to love me.

Maybe friendship would last longer.

I finished repairing Adrian 2.0 and reminded myself to be practical.

If I could not cling to Adrian Ji the billionaire, I should at least collect the balance from Julian the client.

On Adrian’s discharge day, everyone came.

In normal clothes, Adrian seemed distant again.

Like the words “I’ll take responsibility” had only been part of a strange dream.

He suggested we go to his house that evening.

Howard immediately brightened and demanded old wine.

Julian bounced around Adrian like an overexcited puppy.

I remained quiet.

At Adrian’s house, Howard said he forgot something in the car.

Julian said he needed a walk.

Suddenly, only Adrian and I remained.

He held several gift boxes, so I went to open the door.

Then I paused before the fingerprint lock.

“Should I help hold things? This lock needs your fingerprint.”

Adrian smiled.

“Try yours.”

Uncertain, I placed my index finger on the scanner.

Beep.

The door opened.

I stared.

“First surprise,” Adrian said.

He entered first.

In the living room, I saw documents on the table.

Insurance policies.

Beneficiary:

Me.

A dozen of them.

“Second surprise,” Adrian said beside me.

Before I could speak, he brought out a huge bouquet of roses.

“Third surprise.”

My brain stopped working.

No way.

Was the dream coming true?

“And the fourth surprise.”

He looked at me.

“Zhaozhao, I like you.”

“Be my girlfriend.”

Three months later, Adrian sent his uncle to prison for instigating harm.

The driver and his son were sentenced for illegal possession of firearms and related crimes.

When we left court, Adrian covered my eyes.

He drove through several turns and stopped somewhere outdoors.

“Open.”

I opened my eyes.

The place was decorated warmly.

Lights.

Flowers.

Soft wind.

Adrian knelt before me.

“Fifth surprise.”

This time, he was not a cold doll.

His hand was warm.

His eyes were alive.

His heartbeat was real.

“Zhaozhao,” he said, “marry me.”

I looked at him.

I remembered the surveillance footage of my doll opening the door and leaving.

The marble eye.

The instant noodles.

The pendant.

The temple fire.

The hospital room.

I had created one version of him with my hands.

Then I had fallen in love with the real one.

For once, I no longer worried about the unpaid balance.

This time, I was getting the whole person.