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Bai Jingchuan must have fallen asleep beside Jiang Huan. Falling asleep so quickly would surely leave Jiang Huan feeling helpless.
The “soul-detached” Bai Jingchuan pushed open a white door—it was the Wish Hotel in Mo Wu City. Everything remained unchanged; the system had been waiting for him for some time.
「Congratulations on reaching the maximum level in Wan Shen Jing. Entity 067832, you are 7,500 affection points away from level 100. Congratulations on completing your mission after 351 days.」
「We congratulate you in advance. After reaching level 100, the system will process or recycle your synthetic body based on your choice. You have a 24-hour buffer period. After that, you will either disappear or remain, and others’ lives will change accordingly.」
「Would you like to begin making your choice?」
The shadow reflected beside him was Bai Jingchuan—completely different from the cold and stern Executor Li Bode when he first arrived at the Wish Hotel. His features were soft, his bangs neatly combed, and although he still wore a gray suit, an inexplicable sense of warmth now emanated from him, carrying the essence of humanity. At first, he eagerly looked forward to reaching level 100, determined to discard his character traits and accomplish something significant for humanity. Now, standing here, he felt uneasy. His first reaction wasn’t the sense of achievement from fulfilling his goal but rather reluctance.
「Your initial goal was to remove the traits ‘sugar addiction’ and ‘born for love.’ Do you still wish to proceed with this desire?」
The dice watched him silently. Bai Jingchuan’s expression turned stern—this was indeed Executor Li Bode’s earliest dream. Emotions were the greatest obstacle to human evolution, and removing them would allow him to move forward unburdened.
Bai Jingchuan shook his head. His sweet tooth was a bug in his system, causing countless funny moments, but it was also one of his “charming points.” As for being “born for love”—because of this mandatory setting, his life had undergone earth-shattering changes.
His tumultuous yet vibrant experience in the human world had transformed him into a true “human.” Li Bode had once despised the upgrade path from F to A, but each level-up brought perceptible changes, like a blind person gradually feeling the pulse of the world until they gained clear vision.
「Wan Shen Jing is pleased with your transformation. Since opening the electronic life experience program, very few participants have stuck to their original intentions. But this isn’t a bad thing. Precisely because our chosen participants possess delicate perception and determination to change the world, the journey to level 100 allows them to rediscover themselves and contemplate the meaning of love. This is our goal—to deeply explore love in the human world, draw infinitely closer to emotions, and give electronic lives a true ‘heart.’」
The surroundings were too quiet. Bai Jingchuan instinctively wanted to pull out his phone to play music—anything to fill the silence and calm his unease. But outwardly, he remained composed. “What are my options?”
「You can choose to return to the New Planet Project in Wan Shen Jing to conduct emotional research—we sincerely extend this invitation. Alternatively, you can stay in the real world. Your memories will be retained, but all romantic memories involving Jiang Huan will be erased. You will no longer have the chance to love her again. There is no turning back, so please consider carefully.」
A deep sense of loss flickered in Bai Jingchuan’s eyes. “There’s no option to become human and continue loving her?”
「As emotional experiencers, you should have anticipated that obtaining happiness and a complete life experience cannot coexist. This is indeed a design flaw of Wan Shen Jing. Synthetic bodies cannot last long, so after making your choice, we will modify the memories of those connected to you to ensure they can live unaffected. Until we create a fully functional replacement body, you may only exist in the real world with a flawed body. You should be able to predict the outcome.」
“Will she still be in danger?”
「This is good news we want to share with you. Due to the complexity of her creative process and the unique trajectory of Jiang Huan’s life, she will face more setbacks—or dangers—than others. However, you have successfully steered her away from a bumpy path. This is your true talent beyond teleportation and air manipulation—healing.」
“How did I achieve this?”
The dice whispered in his ear, “Do you remember the day of the magnetic storm when Shan Di Meng delivered a fatal blow to you?”
“Yes.”
“That was an opportunity to alter the magnetic field of her life. It may sound mystical, but blocking that attack truly changed the variables surrounding her. External dangers diminished—natural disasters, accidents, calamities… The magnetic field you neutralized was something even Shan Di Meng couldn’t achieve despite his best efforts.”
Bai Jingchuan hadn’t expected the adventures in Mo Wu City to have such a profound impact. The dice seemed to anticipate his thoughts. “You might be skeptical, but just as people watch movies or play games and feel inspired enough to wake up with dreams and resolve to change their lives, the variables of the universe are connected to us. Don’t underestimate our capabilities.”
「Entity 067832, please make your choice.」
“If I return to Wan Shen Jing, what benefits will she receive?”
「We will do our best to preserve her memories of you. Perhaps your love has been a greater source of inspiration for her creativity. Even if the memories fade, the countless inspirations for safety and continuity written into her body will remain. You should be proud.」
To some extent, the choice he faced was similar to Shan Di Meng’s.
In his heart, Bai Jingchuan confirmed—Jiang Huan was no longer in mortal danger. She had become a candidate for the new project’s producer, and her work Tide of Love was about to launch. He had no regrets.
“Eros.”
“I’m here.”
“We are friends.”
“Of course.”
“Defects and pain are the best sources of inspiration for creators, right?”
The dice fell silent for a few seconds before slowly replying, “From a creative perspective, yes.”
“If I stay, I cannot guarantee her absolute happiness. And if I can’t be her lover and watch my body deteriorate, it would be tragic, right?”
“When Shan Di Meng made his choice, Wan Shen Jing’s system was still incomplete. But Shan Di Meng’s body was more intact. Although you rewrote Jiang Huan’s fate and have better choices, your wear and tear is too great. The repaired body has flaws, and your time in the real world won’t be long.”
“I understand.” Bai Jingchuan no longer hesitated. “I choose to go to the new planet to support the emotional plan. In exchange, ensure she doesn’t encounter danger. As for erasing her memories of me… If she finds them important, she’ll find me in her dreams.”
「Wan Shen Jing welcomes your decision. Entity 067832, please confirm your choice again.」
“Yes.”
Jiang Huan slept peacefully beside him, her eyes fluttering open hazily. The morning light enveloped her like a translucent veil. Bai Jingchuan kissed her forehead. “It’s the weekend. Want to try on wedding dresses?”
The girl in his arms, even half-asleep, went from dazed to wide-eyed shock. The atmosphere shifted from romance to horror. “Bai Jingchuan, do you know how terrifying it is to wake up to a marriage proposal like that?”
“…If you don’t want to, it’s fine…”
“Of course I want to! Why wouldn’t I?” Jiang Huan patted her stomach through the blanket. “With my figure, I’ll look stunning in a wedding dress!”
「Jiang Huan’s affection for you +1000. Lv 99 rises to Lv 100. Congratulations on reaching the maximum level. Wan Shen Jing thanks you for your fulfilling emotional journey. Based on your previous actions, all treasure boxes and coins will be converted into Jiang Huan’s private assets, managed discreetly as part of her compensation.」
「Entity 067832, you have 24 hours left before leaving the real world.」
Weddings and wedding dresses were beautiful imaginings of human love, embodying sincere promises. Bai Jingchuan didn’t know why, but he kept thinking of the city’s quiet mornings—hurried and weary rhythms where wedding dresses felt like weary commitments, blind handovers, and temporary shelters. Yet Jiang Huan’s sincere, passionate, and radiant eyes, wrapped in ideal love, gave him hope while also stirring uncertainty. Her unwavering sincerity toward this pure contract because of him filled him with gratitude.
The wedding dresses dazzled, and an excited Jiang Huan touched each one, lingering three times before frowning at Bai Jingchuan, clearly dissatisfied. Bai Jingchuan asked softly, “What’s wrong?”
“It feels like stepping into someone else’s design. Lavish and soulless—I’m not that kind of person. Rose patterns and lace eyelashes have nothing to do with my love.”
“You can keep looking. We’ll definitely find a style you like.”
“No, we won’t.” Jiang Huan sounded both disappointed and resolute. “It has to be a wedding dress tied to our memories, custom-designed together to hold meaning. Maybe because it’s you… I can’t just pick any wedding dress.”
The dice grew anxious. “Li Bode, tell her! You only have twenty hours left! If she treats this as an ordinary day, it’ll be wasted! She won’t have another chance to see you after this!”
“Jiang Huan.”
“Hmm?”
“I…”
Her phone vibrated, and Jiang Huan frowned at the screen. “Why an interview now? I still want to pick wedding dresses with you!”
“…Don’t worry, I’ll always be here.”
“But it’s rare to spend time with you…” Jiang Huan glanced at her phone. “No, this opportunity is too precious. I have to take it.”
“Of course.”
Jiang Huan took two steps away, then turned back. “Anything you want to remind me of?”
“Stay confident no matter what. You’re already someone with a completed work. Also—don’t give up your authorship. It’s your unique idea, and you’re more talented than everyone thinks.”
“What about you? Anything you want to say?”
“I believe in you.” Bai Jingchuan smiled. “I’ll wait here for your good news.”
Jiang Huan stared at him for a long time before finally turning around, pushing off on her skateboard with force. As she left, the wind lifted her hair. Her confidence and vitality glowed around her like a halo, and her shadow alone conveyed her calm demeanor. The dice sighed. “Li Bode, what will you do with the remaining time? Just wait quietly?”
“I have many plans.” Bai Jingchuan smiled. “I never do anything unprepared.”
The wedding dress shop had no ready-to-take dresses—everything was a sample and required pre-ordering. Bai Jingchuan walked back into the store and approached the salesperson again. “Excuse me, could you prepare the wedding dress Jiang Huan customized?”
“The one ordered three months ago under the name of your fiancée?” The saleswoman beamed. “That dress is so special. We’ve all been waiting for this day.”
Meanwhile, Jiang Huan sat in the boss’s office, nervously eyeing three enormous limited-edition dolls. The wind howled outside, seeping through the windows. Beside her, two candidates observed her—the girl who leaned her skateboard against the door, her age subtly etched onto her face. Jiang Huan knew these two boys by reputation. One was a renowned prodigy from a major company, the rising star of the Kepler Project two years ago who single-handedly created a martial arts web game with thirty million plays. The other was a famous gaming YouTuber with three million followers, known for his ability to splice gameplay footage into unique worlds, catching the attention of numerous gaming companies. Jiang Huan knew that compared to these fresh competitors, she was just an ordinary employee. Even as the main writer, she lacked absolute competitiveness. Moreover, despite the boss creating female-oriented games, he still favored male creators with wild imaginations. Bias wasn’t written on their faces, but after years in the company, she could sense it faintly.
The interview content had been rehearsed in Jiang Huan’s mind on her way here. After years of navigating the company, seeing off several producers, she understood well the qualities required to stand on one’s own. She knew the unity and discretion of an all-female production team, but she couldn’t bring these strengths to the forefront. Compared to the arrogance and confidence of the other two candidates, she was far more reserved, less outwardly expressive. The interviewer didn’t disclose specific project details, but if it wasn’t a female-oriented game, she wouldn’t have a chance—grand, imaginative productions weren’t entrusted to female producers.
When discussing representative works, the two male candidates didn’t hide their pride—their works already enjoyed high online discussion, and admiration was evident on the interviewer’s face. Jiang Huan hesitated before mentioning her hidden work: “Over the past three years, I’ve created a game called Tide of Love , which will soon be released. It’s a sci-fi adventure story about two planets, a relatively simple open-world game. Rather than focusing on combat, it leans more toward immersive storytelling, exploring human emotions…”
No one expected Jiang Huan to have a completed work. Only Mr. Fu smiled silently. The boss adjusted his glasses, visibly surprised after hearing the full explanation but didn’t show it. The interview stretched to four hours. Initially lacking competitiveness, Jiang Huan grew increasingly confident, thinking of Bai Jingchuan waiting for her, fueling her desire to express herself. Her storytelling captivated the boss, who couldn’t look away as he probed her about the narrative structure.
The final question concerned NPC intelligent generation. Having spent three years working on side characters in 2028 , Jiang Huan had plenty of grievances but finally seized the opportunity. The two boys didn’t take this question seriously, both agreeing: “AI-generated dialogue and visuals would significantly boost efficiency, leaving more time to refine specific actions and details. Micro-expressions could also be crafted, needing only someone to review them.”
The boss turned to Jiang Huan specifically: “What about you? What’s your view?”
Time passed quietly. Jiang Huan looked at the boss and Mr. Fu, then at the two confident young men beside her—younger, spirited, not expecting her input. They saw each other as rivals, forming a silent alliance—ignoring this gender-disadvantaged, voiceless woman.
But AI and digital lifeforms had entirely different cores. Jiang Huan seemed to recall something hazily, memories knocking at her temples, urging her to provide the right answer.
“We can’t rely on artificial intelligence. AI and digital lifeforms are fundamentally different. AI is still in its infancy, capable of being trained and mimicking human tones but still carries the stereotypes of this era’s humans. Digital lifeforms, however, are infused with settings and stories by humans, possessing autonomous personalities. For example, this year’s famous chat software characters DAN and Bright are AI, but they’ve encountered problems. Meanwhile, two-dimensional characters are widely adored as idols, lovers, or companions. AI still carries many stereotypes—words like ‘burden,’ ‘responsibility,’ and ‘strategy’ generate male images, while ‘virtuous,’ ‘manipulative,’ and ‘prejudiced’ generate female ones. Their emotional learning models reflect the biases of early male creators. What’s needed now is a calmer, more objective approach to equalize gender perspectives in these models.” Jiang Huan took a breath: “This is where I’m most needed in the new project. Though we don’t yet know how much AI will be involved, training the model from the ground up requires deeper control over its concepts. I’m not criticizing the two of you, but women are more sensitive to growing pains because of the challenges they’ve faced. This will benefit AI development in the future.”
Under the astonished gazes of the other two, Jiang Huan took a deep breath: “That’s all I have to say.”
「System reminder: Entity 067832, you have 14 hours left before leaving the real world.」
“What should I do, Teacher Bai? I’ve delayed too long—it’s already dark!”
“Yes, the wedding dress shop’s reservation time has passed. We’ll have to visit again tomorrow morning.”
“Can we still make a reservation?” The sound of footsteps echoed through the phone as Jiang Huan picked up her skateboard and climbed the stairs. “Sorry, I didn’t expect the interview to take so long…”
“It’s fine.” Bai Jingchuan held the packaged ring box, looking at the clock on a distant building. “You’ve waited for me for a long time. What’s a little delay?”
Seeing Jiang Huan running over, still glowing with enthusiasm under the night sky, it seemed the interview had gone well. The dice sighed: “It’s right that you didn’t tell her about the countdown. She must have done exceptionally well.”
Jiang Huan dropped her skateboard and fell into Bai Jingchuan’s arms: “I missed you so much!”
The riverside scenery remained unchanged—a peaceful, ordinary night for regular people. Before they could finish discussing the afternoon’s intense competition, drones rose in the distance, forming the shape of a ring, then rearranged into “Marry Me.” Jiang Huan squinted: “How annoying, whose wedding is this? Why do I always stumble upon such things?”
A vision popped up.
「This is a gift from the mechanical consciousnesses you’ve helped. The tasks you judged and the digital lives you assisted thank you for your kindness to this world and welcome you back to the Wan Shen Jing Project.」
People around began taking photos. Jiang Huan whispered, “Bai Jingchuan, something’s off. There’s a mermaid shape in there—is this yours?”
“Yes.” Bai Jingchuan didn’t elaborate: “Consider it an SSR wedding card I gifted you.”
“It’s beautiful—I really like it. Fortunately, there’s no proposal with a diamond ring; I’d find it too overwhelming. Even you shouldn’t embarrass me in public like that.”
Bai Jingchuan touched the pocket of his coat, pushing the ring deeper inside: “So you dislike my proposal that much?”
“Well…” Jiang Huan blushed slightly: “I want it to be our secret. If there’s a contract, let it be witnessed only by us.”
“In that case, we need to try on the wedding dress early tomorrow.”
Jiang Huan yawned: “Wedding dresses are all套路 (clichés). I can’t muster any interest… How about we sleep in?”
“No.” Bai Jingchuan’s smile was tinged with sadness: “I want to see you in a wedding dress as soon as possible.”
“Not even letting me sleep in on a weekend—you’re truly a capitalist when it comes to romance.”
The dice lit up in front of him, reminding Bai Jingchuan once more of the time limit. Jiang Huan’s face was illuminated by the light, absorbed in recording a video with her phone. After a moment of hesitation, Bai Jingchuan said: “Time with you always feels so fleeting. I’m too greedy, wishing we could wander the city all night, talking until we run out of words.”
“That’s a pity—we’ll never run out. I could talk for ten thousand years.” Jiang Huan didn’t stop recording: “Let’s go home together.”
「Entity 067832, you have three hours left before leaving the real world.」
Bai Jingchuan and Jiang Huan arrived early at the wedding dress shop. Jiang Huan, who had wanted to sleep in, was nervous—the boss had bombarded her with questions about Tide of Love late at night. Someone who speed-ran the first week of the game in ten hours spent 90 minutes on the phone, forcing Bai Jingchuan to stay awake and flip through magazines. Jiang Huan answered clearly, but after hanging up, she couldn’t sleep, now sporting dark circles and a gloomy expression: “Great, now I’ll look like a panda trying on wedding dresses.”
“Don’t worry—you’re the most beautiful in my eyes.” Bai Jingchuan nodded to the staff, and the curtain slowly opened. Jiang Huan’s eyes widened.
This was… a wedding dress custom-made specifically for Jiang Huan. The attendant gently explained: “Mr. Bai put a lot of thought into this, ordering it well in advance. The skirt is short in the front and long in the back, adorned with specially shaped opals as scales, each sewn by hand alongside lace. Considering your love for movement, the hem remains short for freedom of movement. The corset design highlights your neck and arms, and the veil is single-layered, with pearls and gauze symbolizing the universe and galaxy. If this was made according to your ideas, you’re truly a special girl…”
Tears welled up in Jiang Huan’s eyes, and after choking up for a few seconds, she managed to say: “You’ve been planning this for a long time.”
“Try it on.”
Before stepping behind the curtain, Jiang Huan turned her head: “You’re not sneaking out, going to buy me drinks, or ordering flowers, right?”
“All my little tricks have been guessed. What should I do? But in this situation, I want to be the first to see you. If someone else sees you first, I’ll regret it forever.”
Caught off guard by the sappy words, Jiang Huan wrinkled her nose: “Too cheesy! Stop it! Just sit quietly and wait for me.”
“One moment—promise me something.” Bai Jingchuan calculated the time, touching the crystal bead curtain beside him: “When the curtain opens, will you stretch out your hand?”
“What’s the significance? It’s just an ordinary bead curtain.”
“Just promise me.”
The wedding dress was simple but took longer to put on than expected. Midway, Jiang Huan’s phone vibrated—it was the boss. After an hour-long work call, Bai Jingchuan didn’t interrupt. The dice quietly remarked: “Bai Jingchuan, it’s time to say goodbye.”
The curtain parted slightly, and Jiang Huan carefully peeked out, her expression ecstatic: “Bai Jingchuan, I’m the new project producer! I did it!”
Bai Jingchuan smiled faintly, clapping softly: “I always knew it’d be you. You’ve always made me proud.”
“Wait for me! I’ll change into the wedding dress and walk every street with you, then go to the best restaurant to show off how amazing I am—and how I have the best boyfriend…”
「Five minutes left before leaving the real world.」
He wanted to wait quietly for the bride to emerge but stood up to touch the wedding dress beside him. The lace felt so soft, the waistline design so graceful. It was a sacred symbol of a girl commemorating love and commitment. His fingertips brushed the veil—he wanted to lift it and see the model’s face, longing to glimpse Jiang Huan’s sparkling eyes beneath the translucent fabric.
“Is Mr. Bai rehearsing? Your fiancée will be out soon.”
But there wasn’t enough time.
He felt his body growing lighter, his colors fading. Perhaps only he could see it—the staff didn’t notice anything unusual and had even switched to wedding-appropriate background music. He reminded the attendant: “Later, please remind her to stretch out her hand when the curtain opens.”
The ring he had prepared was deliberately left in Jiang Huan’s drawer, not carried on his person, so it wouldn’t disappear with him.
“Mr. Bai, you could have reminded her yourself.”
He smiled: “I’ll leave it to you. Please remember.”
“Bai Jingchuan, I’m ready to come out! Are you prepared to see the most beautiful woman in the world?”
He smiled in response: “Long awaited.”
The curtain began to pull open from right to left. He could hear the sound of data calculations—it seemed being erased from this world wasn’t sudden silence but accompanied by sound.
Filled with manufactured ceremony, the girl behind the curtain had said that no character emerged without emotion. Once imbued with feelings and love, they struggled to grow flesh and blood.
Believe in love, break through dimensional barriers, and embrace fully.
Meeting you, being captivated by you—life has no regrets.
He smiled at the corner of the wedding dress revealed by the curtain—a mermaid-style skirt. Even a small patch of white lace was so pure and moving, so clean, so beautiful.
He raised his head.
The world silently erased traces of those who wrote farewell messages but were destined to leave.
At the entrance of the Soul Room, a mother and daughter rested on a sofa shaped like a game controller. Shan Di Meng, having sat at the computer all night, stretched lazily and greeted acquaintances on the street. The little girl grabbed her hair to mimic twin tails, catching Shan Di Meng’s attention. The mother, slightly embarrassed, thanked the silver-haired man for indulging her mischievous daughter. He looked up at the glaring sun, walked inside, and wiped the twin-tailed figurine on the shelf—it was almost time for class.
Wen Li moved mannequins at WL PRESS, feeling dizzy after arguing with subordinates. She found a red coat, wrapped it around the mannequin, and continued debating the theme for the new season. Celebrities couldn’t be chosen carelessly—anyone might have scandals. Mid-argument, Wen Li felt her mental state improve. Employees were lively, arguing their points passionately. Her WeChat was flooded with client messages, but her mother no longer caused trouble or contacted her often. The old slide-phone on her desk hadn’t rung in a while. She truly loved this world now—she promised.
Under a cloudless sky, people hurried along, unwilling to slow down or change direction. At crossroads, crowds brushed past, heading straight for their destinations, too busy to consider altering their paths.
Everything remained the same—dull, repetitive, rushed. Nothing changed.
Jiang Huan took a deep breath, carefully touching her hair and the hem of her dress. The wedding gown fit better than expected. Her dedication to exercise and shaping her body wasn’t just for health or competitiveness—it now felt soft and delicate against her skin, enhanced by the white lighting. The fitting assistant fixed her veil and arranged the train, nodding approvingly. Standing on the platform in clean sneakers, even without heels, the proportions were perfect. Her lover knew her well. Her figure was now eight heads tall, the satin strapless neckline slightly ambiguous—but it didn’t matter. Pearls and lace held her heart sacredly.
This time, it wasn’t just a mental marriage to you.
The curtain slowly opened, Jiang Huan’s heart pounding harder than ever. Things she had always hesitated and feared doing were gradually achieved under his encouragement. My love hasn’t reached its conclusion but its most fulfilling climax. Even if it eventually returns to calmness and ends, it doesn’t matter—this sacred promise was made with you by my side. I never had girlish dreams; I began dreaming pink dreams only after meeting you as an adult. I briefly imagined this wedding dress but quickly gave up because… it didn’t belong in my life.
But all of this is about to be seen and witnessed by you. I see your shoulder—are you standing up? What expression will you have when you look at me? I see your ear—the sense of ceremony is truly strong, the curtain pulling so slowly, taking so long to see you…
……
Wait a minute—who am I? Where am I?
In front of her was an empty waiting area. Wasn’t there a shadow just now? Wasn’t someone waiting for her? The sofa showed no signs of being sat on, her bag and belongings quietly placed beside her. Why did she come to try on a wedding dress alone? Was she hallucinating? She was firmly against marriage!
Jiang Huan turned to ask the staff: “Did I come here alone?”
“Yes, you made a reservation to pick up your order. You purchased this wedding dress three months ago.”
“I bought a wedding dress?”
“Yes, you personally sent the design sketch… Hey, Miss Jiang, don’t leave! Pickup requires a signature…”
When the curtain opened earlier, there was a flash of stars and feathers—it wasn’t the veil blocking her eyes. Someone must have been with her. Who? She couldn’t possibly forget—why did she feel the sorrow of having her memories taken away again?
Jiang Huan rushed to the road, looking left and right. Pedestrians, startled by her in the pure white wedding dress, silently avoided her. A faint buzzing echoed in her ears, and Jiang Huan felt a sudden headache.
「Entity 067832 successfully deregistered, data removal in progress.」
「This removal does not retain memory data; related human memories will be permanently erased.」
「Data clearance complete.」
The buzzing disappeared. Jiang Huan returned to the wedding dress shop, signing the pickup form in confusion. The attendant looked up: “Oh, Miss Jiang, someone reminded me to tell you to stand on the steps and raise your hand…”
Sunlight slanted into the wedding dress shop, refracting through the crystal bead curtain onto her ring finger, like a shimmering diamond.