I Can Devour Everything

A melodious and persistent phone ring sliced through the air like a sorcerous charm, rousing Yan Xuan from a deep sleep. The ringtone was his girlfriend’s favorite song—once his as well. Now, its sound only made his nerves tense by reflex.

Groggy, Yan Xuan sat up, shaking his head in an attempt to clear it, and reached for his phone.

“Hello, Manman…”

“Yan Xuan, do you even remember what day it is?” A woman’s voice, thick with discontent, came from the other end. “What am I to you, really?”

His mind blanked for a moment. He hurriedly glanced at his phone—damn, it was already ten o’clock, and today was important! He had been working late for days, and only managed to swap shifts for this day off, all for this significant occasion.

March fourteenth, White Day, was also his girlfriend Zhou Man’s birthday. He had chosen this day to propose to the woman he’d been with for years.

He believed that any romance not aimed at marriage was just playing around, and Yan Xuan was no such rogue. He’d always regarded Zhou Man as his other half. A proposal didn’t mean they had to marry immediately, but it would reassure her heart—a promise for the future.

He would continue to work hard, save money for a home and a car, and build a better life for the two of them.

“Manman, please don’t be angry. It’s my fault, but I promise I have a surprise for you today!” Yan Xuan quickly tried to appease her.

“A surprise?” Zhou Man hesitated, suspicion in her voice.

“I promise, it’ll be a surprise!”

But from the background, voices could be