I Fell In Love With My Rival - Chapter 52.1 Extra 2.1

As Su Chunyin walked out of the airport, her phone rang. It was a call from a colleague at the flower shop:

“Boss Su, come have a drink with us?”

Over the past few years, under the guidance of her business partner, Su Chunyin’s flower shop had flourished. Not only had it weathered the market downturn without faltering, but it had also opened several branches. It was now well on its way to becoming the leading flower shop in Jiangcheng. To better manage the growing business, Su Chunyin had hired many new employees upon her partner’s recommendation.

The girl on the line was one of the newcomers—lively and cheerful. Despite being new, she’d already blended in well with the team and got along smoothly with Su Chunyin.

Su Chunyin chuckled and politely declined, “I just got off the plane.”

The girl wasn’t having it: “I know you just got back from scouting flower species abroad! That’s exactly why you need to relax—come on, drink a little, dance a little, go crazy and then go home for a good sleep!”

“I really can’t,” Su said, still holding the phone as she stepped out of the terminal, her eyes scanning the crowd. “I’ve got plans tonight—next time, okay?”

She didn’t wait for a response before hanging up. Her eyes flicked around—until she spotted a familiar figure in a red dress standing at the entrance.

“Qiuqiu-jiejie!” she called out with glee, her tone bright and youthful. The composed air of a businesswoman she’d had a moment ago vanished completely. Her excited voice startled a few passersby, who turned to look, but Su Chunyin paid them no mind. Like a teenage girl, she ran straight into Fu Erqiu’s arms, arms thrown wide as she asked, “Did you miss me?”

Fu Erqiu leaned down to kiss her cheek gently before replying, “Yes, very much.”

Su Chunyin burst into giggles, clearly in a great mood.

Fu Erqiu took her luggage and stowed it in the trunk. “Are you hungry? Want to eat something?”

“That place we talked about before my trip!” Su replied, humming a tune as she climbed into the passenger seat. Her eyes openly admired Fu Erqiu, full of obvious wonder. “Jiejie, you look way too pretty tonight.”

Fu Erqiu wore a red backless gown, her wavy hair styled perfectly, a brilliant ruby necklace resting around her neck—she looked every bit like a movie star heading to an awards ceremony.

With a faint smile, Fu Erqiu glanced at her while shifting gears. “You look beautiful too.”

Su Chunyin lifted her chin proudly. “Of course I do.”

She had specially dressed up before getting on the plane, donning a custom-made white gown from the States. Every step she took made the skirt ripple like water—elegant and alluring.

The sleek silver sports car slipped into traffic like a fish gliding through water. As she drove, Fu Erqiu casually asked, “What made you suddenly want to dress up tonight?”

Knowing Su’s usual work-focused attitude on business trips, it was already a miracle if she managed to look halfway presentable—usually she was knee-deep in soil, flowers, and logistics.

“I…” Su Chunyin fumbled, a little flustered. Her hand reached into her purse and felt around until it touched a small square box. Only then did she feel reassured. “Well, I made a reservation at a high-end restaurant before my trip. I was looking forward to it—I couldn’t show up looking like a mess, right?”

Fu Erqiu shot her a glance. It was unclear whether she bought the excuse, but she let it go.

Su Chunyin, however, leaned in playfully. “Then let me ask you the same question, jiejie—why did you suddenly dress up tonight?”

“Me?” A subtle smile tugged at Fu Erqiu’s lips. “For the same reason you did.”

“Oh.” Su Chunyin shrank back slightly. She found it odd—when she’d made the reservation before her trip, Fu Erqiu had said she’d never even heard of the place. Why was she suddenly so into it?

But the more she thought about it, the more she felt it didn’t matter. At least she didn’t have to come up with another excuse to get her to dress up.

The restaurant was quite a distance from the airport. Fu Erqiu drove steadily while Su Chunyin grew increasingly anxious, her hand repeatedly reaching for the little box in her bag.

“We’re here.” Fu Erqiu parked and yanked the handbrake. Snapped out of her thoughts, Su Chunyan coughed to cover her nerves and followed her out of the car.

The restaurant they’d booked was a trendy themed venue known for its immersive atmosphere—perfect for dates or romantic meetups.

Su looked around the grand interior. “Not bad…” she murmured. The glowing online reviews weren’t lying—the decor was lavish and dreamy, like something out of a girl’s romantic fantasy.

“Our table’s A-Hall, Seat 5,” Fu Erqiu smiled at her. “Shall we?”

Su nodded and followed the host to their table. Not only was the place gorgeous, the food was excellent. Paired with a live symphony and digital fireworks show, the entire experience was rich with romance.

The restaurant wasn’t their final stop. After the meal, Su Chunyin finally felt a bit less tense. She casually suggested, “Still early. Want to grab a drink at the bar?”

Fu Erqiu looked over. “The usual one?”

Their go-to bar was run by a friend, and it was where they always went—not just to support the business, but also because having someone familiar there made things feel safer.

That worked out perfectly for Su Chunyin. She stood up quickly. “Let’s go!”

Just as the words left her mouth, her phone rang again. She looked at the screen—it was the bar owner. Reflexively, she glanced at Fu Erqiu and hesitated.

Fu raised an eyebrow. “What’s wrong? Take it.”

Su laughed awkwardly and walked a few steps away before answering.

The call wasn’t long—just about three minutes. When she came back, Fu Erqiu looked over. “Done?”

“Yeah,” Su muttered, ruffling her hair.

Fu Erqiu didn’t ask further. She simply opened the car door and drove them to the bar.

It was located in Jiangcheng’s busiest district. When they arrived, the place was already buzzing. The crowd was thick with dancing couples, blocking the aisles completely.

Luckily, the bar owner had been informed in advance and was already waiting for them by the staff entrance. He escorted them through to a reserved table.

Their booth was semi-private, perfectly positioned with a clear view of the stage and easy access to the dance floor. It was the best spot in the house—one the owner would never offer anyone but them.

As they reached the booth, Su Chunyin patted the owner’s shoulder, about to thank him when—

“Bang! Bang!” A string of popping sounds went off next to her ears.

“Surprise!” Xu Chang and Yang Yuxia popped up from behind the booth, each firing off party poppers.

Song Rao didn’t rush up with confetti like the others. Instead, she held something even more festive—

A huge bouquet of blazing red roses, which she forcefully shoved into the hands of Su Chunyin and Fu Erqiu.

Su Chunyin was startled by the sudden bouquet of roses thrust into her arms. She nearly pulled out the small box hidden in her handbag, but thankfully her senses returned just in time, and she pressed it back into place.

She frowned and looked toward Xu Chang and Yang Yuxia. The two of them were smiling brightly, their expressions pure and clueless. Then she turned toward the bar owner, who gave her a dramatic wink—as if misinterpreting the situation completely.

Alright then… Su Chunyin didn’t know why the bar owner had invited Xu Chang, Yang Yuxia, and Song Rao without informing her. But, on second thought, proposing in front of her close friends might actually be a wonderful idea.

Yes—proposing. Su Chunyin had planned to propose tonight.

She had made up her mind before the business trip. Originally, she had a detailed plan mapped out, but as always, reality had other plans. The sudden work trip nearly derailed everything. Su Chunyin had considered postponing, but today marked the fifth anniversary of their reunion—a day far too meaningful to let slip away. So, she adjusted, readjusted, and squeezed everything into this evening.

Fortunately, the bar owner—her trusted friend—knew of her plan and had made all the arrangements ahead of time. Without his help, she feared tonight would’ve turned into complete chaos.

And sure enough, just as Su Chunyin and Fu Erqiu sat down, the music inside the bar shifted. The upbeat pop suddenly gave way to a mellow Spanish dance tune. The crowd in the dance area paused for a moment in confusion, then naturally began swaying into ballroom steps.

The bouquet from Song Rao was far too large, awkwardly wedged between them in the booth. Su Chunyin tossed it aside and stood up, holding out her hand.

“Qiuqiu-jie, shall we dance?”

Fu Erqiu glanced up at her, the lights from the dance floor casting kaleidoscopic reflections in her eyes, making her look dreamily captivating. She gazed at Su Chunyin with the lazy elegance of a pampered cat and placed her hand into hers. “What are we dancing?”

Su Chunyin gripped her hand and gently pulled her up, her left hand holding Fu Erqiu’s wrist, her right slipping around her waist. Their bodies were close, breaths mingling.

“Anything,” she whispered, her voice brushing against Fu Erqiu’s ear as they moved in rhythm to the music.

They began to dance. Though they hadn’t rehearsed, their chemistry was undeniable. Their movements flowed like a perfectly synchronized performance—graceful and natural.

As they twirled into the center of the dance floor, the crowd instinctively gave way, surrounding them like a school of fish around the lead pair, forming a circle with the couple at its heart.

“Let’s play a song for them!” The lights flared onstage, and the bar owner’s booming voice echoed through the venue. Spotlights focused on the pair, highlighting their fluid, elegant movements.

A violin began to play, and the gentle strains of “Confession Night” spilled from the speakers. The crowd fell into hushed reverence. Soft pink and white petals floated down from the ceiling, drifting lazily onto Su

Chunyin and Fu Erqiu, swirling through the air as they danced.

As the music ended, Su Chunyin held onto Fu Erqiu’s hand, her palm slick with nervous sweat. She wasn’t sure if it was her own anxiety—or if Fu Erqiu’s hand was just as warm and damp.

They returned to their booth, fingers still entwined. A waiter approached with a tray, smiling professionally.

“Ladies, congratulations! You are the 99th guests to arrive tonight. That makes you our lucky couple! Please enjoy this complimentary bottle from our boss.”

Both women instinctively glanced toward the bar. The owner was waving from afar, cupping his hands around his mouth to shout something. Su Chunyin lip-read his exaggerated mouthing: “Have a wonderful night—!”

On the tray were two glasses of wine. The waiter poured and handed one to each of them. Su Chunyin recognized the label—it was a rare vintage the bar owner had imported years ago, called “Wedding Night.” The choice of wine made his intentions clear.

They clinked glasses and downed the drinks together. Su Chunyin turned her head, silently mouthing “Thanks” toward the owner, then set her glass down, grabbed Fu Erqiu’s hand, and started toward the stage.

“Qiuqiu-jie, I—”

But before she could finish, Fu Erqiu turned to her with a soft smile. “It’s been ages since I sang. Mind if I sing something for you?”

Su Chunyin froze. Her carefully planned proposal script was instantly derailed, and before she could react, Fu Erqiu had already tugged her onto the stage.

Fu Erqiu let go of her hand, tested the mic, adjusted the lighting with the tech crew, and faced the crowd.

“Today marks five years since my girlfriend and I reunited. We’ve gone through a lot together—supporting each other, walking hand in hand to this very day. And on this special night, I want to sing a song just for her.”