"Who?" Song Yu questioned immediately. She was both curious and excited.

"We'll talk about it when it becomes a sure thing," Qi Chenglin replied. Having said that, he immediately shut his mouth, refusing to say another word.

Puzzled, Song Yu glanced at Qi Youxuan and saw that he was quite enthusiastic and joyful about it. Could it be Ruan Danchen? Before this, Qi Youxuan was crazy about Ruan Danchen - he could not have changed his mind so quickly, could he?

When they reached the old mansion, Qi Zhongliang, Qi Zhongxun and their wives had arrived. Qi Chengyue came with her parents instead of Cheng Dongge.

Grandmother Qi beckoned Qi Youxuan over. "Come here and let your great-grandmother see if you have lost any weight."

She made Qi Youxuan spin around once and noticed he did not lose a single ounce of weight. However, seeing the boy's expectant gaze, Grandmother Qi had no choice but to hide the truth and nod. "Hmm, it looks like you've gotten a little thinner."

Hearing that, the boy exuberantly grabbed a slice of watermelon from a plate and bit into it.

Not long after, Cheng Dongge arrived with his parents. It was their first visit, so they brought many gifts.

The Qi family was a distinguished family - Sun Shaoyun was surprised that Grandfather Qi and Grandmother Qi were living humbly in a courtyard house.

Nevertheless, nowadays, the prices of courtyard houses were sky-high. Many rich people bought them as an investment or to live in.

Even so, there were many ordinary people living around the old mansion. They refused to sell their houses with intentions of passing them down from generation to generation. There were also some that did not own the entire courtyard house. Instead, ownership was shared among a number of families. Although they lived together, the environment was not boisterous. Though, it was quite similar to the lives of ordinary people.

"Ah, your presence is enough, you didn't have to bring any gifts." Grandmother Qi stood up and welcomed them in.

Sun Shaoyun smiled awkwardly. She was afraid that the gifts they bought were nothing to the Qi family. Cheng Dongge had to reassure her constantly, pointing out that no matter how prestigious the Qi family was, they are still human; they still live, eat and breathe like ordinary people. It was the thought that counted. After all, Grandfather Qi and Grandmother Qi were not snobs.

"I didn't think we brought enough! We are forever in your debt for helping us with Lao Cheng's medical condition. It is impossible to express how grateful we are." Sun Shaoyun put the gifts down.

"There's no need to be so courteous. After all, aren't we all family?" Grandmother Qi said, "Besides, we didn't do much. All we did was say a few words."

Even though they merely had to say a few words, they still helped Cheng Zhaohui a lot. They are in their debt. Could such debts be repaid so easily nowadays?

Even if Sun Shaoyun disregarded the fact that the Qi family arranged Cheng Zhaohui's admission into the hospital, they still helped her arrange his surgery. Cheng Dongge and Sun Shaoyun did not have to move a muscle. They even sent a private plane to pick them up. She did not know much about things like the resources needed to send them back and forth, and the cumbersome procedures required, but she knew that airplane fuel was in no way a small expense.

Sun Shaoyun was deeply moved. After meeting Grandmother Qi and Qi Chengyue's aunt and mother, she knew that they were good people. With a family like this, Sun Shaoyun no longer worried about the disparity between them. Instead, she was relieved.

From Cheng Zhaohui's incident, she could tell that the Qi family was not unreasonable. As long as they did not do anything wrong, the Qi family would not make their lives difficult.

"Come, sit down," Grandmother Qi beckoned Cheng Zhaohui. Sun Shaoyun sat beside him while Qi Chengyue and Cheng Dongge sat together.

"How is Xiao Cheng's health? Are you recovering well? You look quite alert," Grandmother Qi queried. Qi Chengyue poured tea for everyone.

"I'm recovering wonderfully thanks to you. Yesterday, I had one last check-up before getting discharged. Even the doctor said that such a marvelous recovery was rare for people my age," Cheng Dongge replied cheerfully, "I must have tired out Chengyue during the days I was in the hospital. She came to the hospital every day to bring me food."

"That shouldn't be tiring at all. It's something she should do." Guan Liya smiled and glanced at Qi Chengyue. She was delighted that her girl had matured into a thoughtful lady. "In the whole Qi family, she's the only daughter, so expectedly, she was quite pampered. Sometimes, she would throw tantrums, so don't take her lightly."

"You shouldn't say that," Sun Shaoyun corrected sheepishly. "Truth be told, we were worried about Chengyue's background in the beginning. After all, there is a huge gap between both families. We don't normally interact with wealthy people either. Since the Qi family is a distinguished family, we were quite afraid that Chengyue would be short-tempered, making Dongge suffer in the future. However, after this incident, I see that Chengyue is a good girl and the Qi family is not what I imagined it to be. I formed a prejudice opinion. I misjudged Chengyue; I misjudged all of you. I apologize sincerely."

"It's all human nature," Grandmother Qi stated, "After all, we knew nothing about each other before. Xiao Sun, I heard that you and your husband are both bright people. Chengyue told me, Xiao Cheng is a university professor while you are the headteacher of a high school. You have both received higher education. I think it's fair to say you are a family of scholars, and because of this, I trust that you are good people. Dongge is a perfect showcase of this - only good parents can produce such a well-educated son. Therefore, we are relieved that Chengyue is together with Dongge."

"Madam Qi, rest assured. When Chengyue is in a relationship with Dongge, we will never let her suffer. We will make sure Dongge doesn't bully her," Sun Shaoyun guaranteed.

While staying with them, she subtly observed Qi Chengyue and Cheng Dongge's interactions. From her observations, she could tell that Cheng Dongge's words were true - Qi Chengyue indeed put Cheng Dongge before herself.

Like a little girl, she was obedient toward Cheng Dongge. Whenever he was around, her cheeks flared up easily. Moreover, she had seen the way Qi Chengyue looked at Cheng Dongge - her eyes were filled with warmth and sincerity. When she looked at him, she only saw him in front of her eyes, no one else. She loved him dearly.

That was why Sun Shaoyun did not protest any more.

Qi Chengyue knew that Cheng Dongge's parents will not oppose their relationship anymore. Content, she could not help but turn to Cheng Dongge. Her joy painted all over her flushed face.

Cheng Dongge looked at her tenderly. He silently placed his hand on hers.

"Since that's the case, why don't we discuss their marriage? I'm sure these two are aching to get married," Grandmother Qi suggested abruptly, leaving everyone dumbstruck.

"..." Qi Chengyue blushed. "Grandma, what are you saying? He hasn't even proposed yet. Are you so eager to throw me out?"

"We'll set the date first. The proposal can come later." Cheng Dongge squeezed her hands. He grinned as if he was teasing her.

Qi Chengyue slapped his thigh lightly. "Where's the romance in that?"

Cheng Dongge smiled warmly and whispered, "I came into this relationship with intentions of making you my bride. Didn't you know that?"

"..." Qi Chengyue's face glowed red. "How am I supposed to know if you never told me? Besides, a proposal is supposed to be a surprise. You're supposed to secretly prepare for it and then pop the question when least expected. How touching would that have been! Rather, you told me everything in advance. You told me you want to marry me, you want to propose to me. You took away the element of surprise, so do you think it will feel the same?"

Cheng Dongge smirked. With a wry smile, he pointed out, "Then were you surprised when Grandma suddenly suggested we set a date for our wedding?"

"..." Qi Chengyue was suddenly tongue-tied. Sun Shaoyun accepted her and Grandmother Qi suggested they set a date - so many things happened in one day, so naturally, she was astonished.

The elders smiled silently. That included Sun Shaoyun. They all could tell that Cheng Dongge had Qi Chengyue in his hands.

"Come, let's eat. We can talk while we eat." Grandmother Qi stood up, still grinning.

At the dining table, Grandmother Qi, Guan Liya, and Cheng Dongge's parents discussed the matter earnestly, as if they were serious. They even considered holding the feast in both B City and Li City.

Halfway through lunch, Grandmother Qi even returned to the house to fetch her Chinese calendar. Guan Liya, Xia Wenna and her discussed which date to pick.

Qi Youxuan was bored at the dining table. Once he finished his food, he left the table to play somewhere else.

Grandmother Qi studied the Chinese calendar detailedly. Suddenly, she looked up and glared at Qi Chenglin angrily. She sighed deeply and ranted, "Look at you. Even your youngest sibling is getting married, yet you're still single. How troubling."

"..." Qi Chenglin's hand stopped in the midst of picking up some food. Silently, he moved his chopsticks back. "Grandma, today is a joyous day. Why do you have to bring up my matters and ruin the mood?"

"If you know that, then why don't you hurry up and bring a lady home to me!" Grandmother Qi shrieked, infuriated. "Why do you have to make my blood boil? I don't even have the mood to go square dancing because of your situation!"

"..." Qi Chenglin was speechless.

"At first, there was still your big brother, so I wasn't so anxious, but now, even your big brother got married! Look how blissful his life is now! You told me you are not in a hurry, taking the fact that your big brother got married at 35 as an excuse - you still have two years. But now, Chengyue is getting married soon! She's ten years younger than you. Aren't you panicking?" Grandmother Qi was embarrassed to say it in front of Cheng Dongge's parents, but Qi Chengyue had got married and divorced, yet Qi Chenglin still had not found his match.

Qi Chengyue was anxious that Grandmother Qi's tongue might slip in the heat of the moment.

Grandmother Qi turned to Sun Shaoyun and asked, "Xiao Cheng, Xiao Sun, do you two know any suitable ladies you can introduce to Qi Chenglin? Her family background doesn't matter. What's important is that she's kind and honest. You are both teachers, right? There must be many single female ladies in your schools! Someone working in the education section definitely has good character."

"I'll keep an eye out," Sun Shaoyun said. Nevertheless, she guessed that Qi Chenglin would never fall for ladies from a small city.

…

…

Due to Cheng Zhaohui's condition, he and Sun Shaoyun did not stay for long. Although he was discharged, he still needed ample rest. After lunch, they stayed for fruits and tea and chatted for a while. Cheng Zhaohui appeared tired so they excused themselves. Cheng Dongge drove his parents home then came back to see Qi Chengyue.

The two of them strolled around the neighborhood. During the wedding ceremony at Lao Sun's house, firecrackers were lit, creating a rowdy atmosphere. Now, the floor was littered with shreds of red paper from the firecracker and confetti they popped. The word 'Xi1' was pasted all over the walls.

Those reminded Qi Chengyue of Grandmother Qi's mentions about her wedding. She could not help but felt she was pushed into getting married in a daze.

"Still mad?" Cheng Dongge stopped in his steps. Seeing Qi Chengyue's dispirited look, he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her into his embrace.

"It's not sincere." Qi Chengyue pressed her forehead against his chest, pouting.

The truth was, she had resolved to marry Cheng Dongge from the beginning. It had nothing to do with the duration of their relationship. She entered the relationship with the intention of marrying him.

Even though neither of them brought it up, they knew each other's intentions. They were merely waiting for the right moment, letting it come up naturally.

Nevertheless, she still hoped for a surprise proposal.

When she was with Jian Yi, she was too blind. With a few simple words, she mindlessly accepted his proposal. This time, she wanted it to be different.

She returned his embrace, sniffing the fragrance on his body, which calmed her down.

"I'm sorry. I didn't know this matter will be brought up today either. Because of that, I did not have the chance to propose to you first, giving you a pleasant surprise." Cheng Dongge's deep and unwavering voice sounded above her head.

Qi Chengyue felt his chin gently touching the top of her head, and then his lips.

She looked up, leaning her chin against his chest. "I hope you don't feel pressured because of Grandma's initiative for us getting married. If—"

Before she could finish, she felt his grip tightened around her waist. "It has nothing to do with Grandma. It's my will. Even if Grandma didn't say a word, I still plan to propose. It's just that I haven't thought of any good ideas."

Cheng Dongge smiled. His long fingers tucked away the hair that was pasted on her cheeks, revealing her adorable doll-like face. He looked down and kissed her passionately. Then, he pecked her lips and slowly loosen his grip on her waist. He took a step back.

Qi Chengyue watched astonishedly as he slowly bent down and got on one knee. He produced a small cubic box from his pocket and presented it to her. In the box, there was a ring.

When he got down on one knee, Qi Chengyue could guess what he was doing. However, the moment she saw the ring, her heart pounded, her throat stung and she could not utter a sound.

Cheng Dongge smiled at her. He swallowed nervously. "When I said I planned to propose, I wasn't lying. It was not a made-up excuse. This ring had been in my pocket for a long time, but I couldn't think of a unique way to bring it up. I was also afraid that you'd think I'm going too fast. I'm not an impatient person - I have always done things in an organized manner and according to plan. However, after we started going out, all that was thrown out the window. Only now did I realize that a marriage doesn't always have to happen only after years of relationship. Some people are meant to be together. The moment you see her, you know that you can't live without her. On the other hand, some who waited for years to get married may not have the same sincere enthusiasm."

Cheng Dongge took a deep breath and licked his dry lips. "Qi Chengyue, after being with you, I learned what heartache felt like. I learned what it's like to care for someone until my chest burnt; I learned what it feels like when someone truly enters your heart, when you love someone earnestly, giving your heart to them. Some say that all of us have a soulmate - a lover destined for you, but there is no guarantee that you will meet. Some people waited for eternity but never met theirs, so they could only settle for someone they like and let time slowly accumulate their mutual liking into love. Nonetheless, they will never have the kind of passion soulmates have. I am lucky. I was able to cross paths with you. You taught me what true love is. You showed me how deep one's love can run."

"If you wish for a special proposal, give me some time. I promise I will surprise you. For now, Qi Chengyue, will you marry me?" Cheng Dongge subconsciously held his breath as he stared at her sincerely.

Qi Chengyue did not know if she should be crying or smiling. She shook her head, making Cheng Dongge's heart drop. "You don't have to worry about giving me a surprise anymore. This is enough. I don't need a grand setting or an elaborated plan. Right now… I am already astonished. Cheng Dongge, I'm so glad I met you."

Qi Chengyue was touched. Her beautiful eyes welled up tears. She dived into Cheng Dongge's arms, clutching onto his neck. Although she was touched, she still vented, "Why didn't you appear in my life sooner? Why couldn't we have crossed paths earlier?"

Cheng Dongge was a little stunned. He could not help but laugh. Holding the ring in his hard, he hugged her back tightly.

"If you're satisfied with this, why don't you put the ring on? After that, you can rant about me not appearing sooner all you want," Cheng Dongge said softly.

With tears rolling down, Qi Chengyue smiled and took a step back. She extended her left hand and let Cheng Dongge slip the ring on.

"For the 25 years before today, I hadn't met you and I couldn't protect you from harm, but for the many decades after today, I'm able to pamper you, love you and protect you. Then, you will have all these decades to complain about me not appearing sooner," Cheng Dongge said warmly. His lips turned upward into a smirk.

Qi Chengyue smiled with tears on her cheeks. "Alright then, from now on, I will bend your ear about it."

Cheng Dongge cupped her face in his hands, tenderly wiping the tears off her face. Her face was still moist, so he pressed his lips against her face and sucked up the tears. His lips moved from the corner of her lips and slowly worked its way up to her eyelid. He stared at her long and curled eyelashes, which were fluttering gently.

For some reason, his lips started to tremble nervously. He kissed the corner of her eye slowly and stopped for a while. He then proceeded to grind his lips against hers and kissed her intensely yet tenderly.

"They're making out! Two shameless adults and making out right here!" They heard the shouts of a group of children.

Qi Chengyue froze. Cheng Dongge loosened his grip on here.

The two of them turned their heads and saw a group of five children appeared from nowhere. One of them was holding a balloon. It seemed to be a balloon from the wedding ceremony that afternoon. The children must have taken it from there.

"Shame, shame! They're kissing! They're kissing! Shame, shame!" The five children chanted loudly as they ran circles around them. They flicked their noses and stuck their tongues out at them.

"..." Cheng Dongge was at a loss for words.

Originally, his proposal was so successful. He had moved Qi Chengyue's heart beyond words. However, the atmosphere was ruined by these brats who appeared out of nowhere.

Cheng Dongge turned to Qi Chengyue anxiously. He noticed that her face was glowing red. She did not dare to look at the children. She kept retreating behind him little by little.

Cheng Dongge grinned. Not minding the little brats, he kissed Qi Chengyue's flushed cheeks in front of them. He helped her up and held her hand.

Qi Chengyue was getting frustrated by the brats' yells. With her face still red, she glared at them. Nevertheless, this only agitated them more. The brats started stomping and jumping as the shouted, "Shameless! Shameless!"

Cheng Dongge smiled helplessly and led Qi Chengyue away. Luckily, the children did not have the guts to follow them.

The couple did not return home immediately—they continued walking around nearby. They took a stroll by the road, stopped by the garden where Grandmother usually square-danced and sat silently on the bench. Neither of them said a word but they continued holding each other's hand—their hearts were filled with warmth and serenity. 1

Xi 囍 - double happiness; a Chinese character used in weddings to symbolize good luck