317 Everything is Perfect!

Jia Li nodded and said, "yes. Both Xie Tang and Zheng He are keen on walking that path. The government is also extremely supportive of the idea. If we manage to do this, maybe we could have more companies back home to follow in our footsteps. That would bring us one step closer to your dream as well, Hui."

She was referring to the original thought process of Ying Hui upon which Earthly Matters had been formed upon.

"Sure, sounds good. Let's do it. We will develop a comprehensive plan and send it across. I will probably come down for a few factory visits prior to that, to understand the need and lacuna that currently exists," Hui told her.

"Great. I shall work out the itinerary with Camilla and do the needful," she said, automatically.

Hui laughed softly and replied, "you are forgetting. You don't work for Earthly Matters anymore. I will freeze upon the plan and inform you."

Jia Li slapped her head and looked at him ruefully.

"I am going to take your leave now. Will text you the address where we are eating tonight. Hui, you will join us, right?" she asked Eric and Hui.

Hui said, "I am afraid that I'll have to take a rain check tonight. Got another client visit after this and have to dine with them. But you guys carry on."

Eric gave a confused look to Hui but didn't say anything in front of Jia Li.

She bid warm farewells to both of them and left the office.

"Why did you lie to her? I thought you would have liked to spend the evening with her," Eric said the minute the office door shut.

"After an unbiased internal analysis, I have realised that by prolonged or frequent interaction with her, my ability to overcome this heartache diminishes. So, I want to cure myself completely before I face her again," he replied in all seriousness.

Jia Li stepped out of the office and started walking towards Hyde Park. She entered the luscious garden and brought out her phone. Before she could dial though, a hand came and encircled her waist from behind.

"Oh! You are here. I was just going to call you. Did you just arrive? What did the doctor say? You should have let me come with you. Also, if you had reached this place in time, you should have come in for the meeting," she was going on chattering.

"The doctor says that I am making excellent recovery and can hope to participate in the Olympics next year. Since I finished with the appointment early, I decided to get some exercise. The long flight this morning, wasn't so good for my recovering limbs," he said, leaning against the heavy cane which he held in his hand.

With dedication and sheer grit, he had managed to shed the wheelchair finally. The doctors were hopeful that he would be able to walk and use his hand to their full extent real soon. They had planned a trip to London with a dual purpose of seeking another opinion on Tang's recovery and have a meeting with Hui.

"So, do you want to go for a stroll or should we find a bench to sit, now?" she asked him with a smile.

She was relieved to hear the doctor's prognosis though she would call him later to reconfirm. She didn't trust Tang to give her an accurate version.

"Let's go sit by the pond for a while. Walking till there should take care of my daily dose of steps," he said, referring to the lake situated on the other side of the vast garden.

She agreed and happily took off her shoes. There was a nip in the autumn air, balancing out the sun overhead.

They found a nice bench right in front of the lake. A lot of young kids were buzzing around, excited about the ducks quacking in the water. Everything was perfect!

Tang turned towards Jia Li who was gazing at the kids with a fond smile on her lips.

Bringing out a blue velvet box, he said, "Jia Li, I have been waiting impatiently for the day that I can go down on my knees and propose to you. But now, I simply can't wait any longer. So I hope you won't hold it against me, as I offer you my love via this ring, sitting next to you on a bench. I remember my heart going flip-flop the first time I saw these bewitching green eyes. You were busy snatching the ball from my hand but I had ended up surrendering everything to you, alongwith it. I am sorry for pushing you away, running away… well the list is endless. In the same breath, I want to say thank you for loving me selflessly. I simply can't imagine a world and my life without you in it. Lin Jia Li, will you marry me? I want you to bring my children to this world, help me become a tolerable human, decent husband and a perfect father."

Jia Li was stunned. She hadn't expected this today.

But she recovered enough to extend her hand as he brought out the sparkling ring with trembling fingers.

A huge heart shaped emerald rested on a diamond studded band with two large diamonds holding it up on each side. Pushing the ring on her slender finger, Tang raised the hand to his lips. Turning it inwards, he brought his warm lips to place a moist kiss on it.

"I love you, now and forever," he said.