12
Lucas and Ryan were both on pins and needles for the latter half of the dinner.
Only Robert and I ate our fill.
After saying goodbye, Lucas drove me home, but he didn’t move for a long time after I fastened my seatbelt.
I asked curiously: “What’s wrong?”
“That ring, is it the one with ‘better than 60.186‘ engraved on it that you gave me after graduation?”
His voice was low and slightly suppressed.
I nodded, “Yes, the one on senior’s hand should be over 90 now.”
“Does that number have any special meaning?”
I was stunned, “You don’t know?”
He shook his head lightly, “You never said.”
I felt a bit oddly unhappy, “Did I need to say it?”
Lucas noticed and gently caressed my cheek, pleading, “I’m too stupid, will Aria tell me?”
Alright, I can’t resist him like this.
“It’s the sum of the impact factors of the top journals I’ve published.”
During my Ph.D., I had the highest number among my peers.
Near graduation, I personally crafted a pair of rings, engraving “better than 60.186” on the surface of the men’s ring.
My advisor looked at my final product with a complex expression, muttering: “You little rascal can be so romantic?”
He immediately engraved one for his wife, even boasting that he would change it every year because the number would keep increasing.
Everyone in our research group learned about this through our advisor’s words.
Hannah also thought it was very romantic and followed suit by engraving rings.
But my number won’t change anymore because I left the academic path.
All the hardships and achievements of the first twenty–plus years of my life were crystallized in this number.
But to me, Lucas was far more important.
Looking at Lucas’s surprised eyes, I asked, “So what did you think it was?”
He stammered: “I thought it was a score, saying that I barely passed as a marriage candidate with just over 60 points in those years…”
My mind went blank for a moment, “What?”
Lucas was too embarrassed to say it again, awkwardly turning his face away, “You clearly heard me…”
“So that’s why you were unwilling to wear it before?”
Lucas nodded sheepishly.
I had always only known that he didn’t like it.
Since it was a gift for him, his wishes should certainly take priority.
So I always wore our wedding rings with him.
But it turns out it was because he thought I was warning him to do better.
I didn’t know what to say for a moment.
When we reached the front door, Lucas hugged me reluctantly.
I quietly waited for him to calm down.
Lily was still at home, so it wasn’t convenient for them to be under the same roof, which meant Lucas still had to return to the apartment tonight.
Lucas lowered his head and chuckled softly in my ear: “What should I do? I really want to steal you away vichi
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Lucas lowered his head and chuckled softly in my ear: “What should I do? I really want to steal you away right now.”
Thinking of Lily who had been in low spirits recently, I refused, “Not allowed.”
“That’s such a pity.” Lucas dragged out his words, he gently kissed my neck, cheek, and finally cherished my lips.
“Looks like I need to remind Ethan to quickly take his wife home,” Lucas’s expression darkened, his thumb rubbing across my lips, “Now my wife doesn’t even have time for me.”
