Chapter 129: The Proposal

“Here.”

Wu Chao handed him a set of keys. “It’s starting to snow lightly again, and the weather’s bitterly cold. Boss, sister-in-law, drive carefully on your way back.”

Yan Rushan nodded faintly, opened the car door, and placed the items in his hand on the back seat.

Zhong Yuxiu smiled warmly and nodded. “Alright, finish up quickly and come home early.”

“Let’s go.” Yan Rushan circled around the front of the car and opened the passenger door, glancing toward Zhong Yuxiu as he spoke.

“Coming, Wu Chao. We’ll head off now. See you the day after tomorrow.”

Zhong Yuxiu got into the passenger seat. Yan Rushan closed the door, took the driver’s seat, and drove off.

Wu Chao watched the car disappear into the distance, then turned and got into another vehicle; with one less car to watch over, things felt lighter, and he could even catch a nap in the car.

The car moved at a steady, moderate pace. Zhong Yuxiu looked at Yan Rushan with curiosity. “Brother Yan.”

“Not calling me Rushan anymore?” Yan Rushan’s lips curled into a slight smile. He glanced at her once more before turning back to focus on driving.

Zhong Yuxiu was momentarily speechless—it was a bit sudden.

“If you want, I can keep calling you that.” He teased without fear of awkwardness.

The smile on Yan Rushan’s lips faltered; he found himself the one being teased. Yet, the word “Rushan” spoken by her seemed etched onto his heart, sending a delicious shiver through his chest.

“From now on, let’s call each other that.”

“Alright then, Rushan.” She wasn’t going to lose in this playful battle.

Her voice was lazy and soft, making his heart warm. “Xiuer.”

No response.

Zhong Yuxiu secretly rubbed her arm; that tone was so intimate and aggressive. His hoarse, low voice seemed to come from deep within his chest, carrying a unique charm—gentle and soothing, as if whispering softly in a lover’s ear.

“Xiuer.” Yan Rushan called again.

Zhong Yuxiu cleared her throat lightly and rolled down the car window just a crack, letting the cold wind brush her face. It helped calm her racing heart, and the flush on her cheeks gradually faded.

“Brother Yan, please don’t call me that outside anymore. I won’t be able to resist.”

“Resist?”

Yan Rushan’s eyes showed confusion. “Why?”

Still asking, still asking.

Zhong Yuxiu bit her lip, staring at him fiercely. “Because I’d pounce on you!”

Silent temptation is the most alluring.

“Pounce on…” Yan Rushan realized the meaning belatedly, his face burning as he tightened his grip on the steering wheel. The cold wind on his face helped him regain composure. Clearing his throat, he said, “Yuxiu, can we discuss something?”

“Go ahead.”

Yan Rushan glanced at her anxiously. “After the New Year, shall we register our marriage?”

“After we’re married, you can pounce on me all you want.”

“Proper and legitimate.”

Not now.

Zhong Yuxiu was speechless—could he say that? She felt like a lamb entering a tiger’s den.

“Once we’re married, we can live together, whether at your place or at grandpa’s. I’ll learn to cook from Gou Dan and make meals for you every day. No matter how late, I’ll come home. Grandpa often washed grandma’s feet and hair when she was alive; I want to do the same for you. We’ll form a family, and I’ll be a good husband.” Yan Rushan blushed as he recalled the tender moments his grandfather shared with his grandmother.

Yuxiu fell silent; she was not mentally prepared to be a good wife.

After a long silence, Yan Rushan’s palms began to sweat. “I know you’re young and might not be thinking about marriage. Your work leaves little time for family life even after marriage, but that’s not a problem. With me around, you can live peacefully and freely. I may not help with your career, but I will support and respect you completely.”

“Yuxiu, I earnestly ask you to seriously consider my proposal.”

After a long pause...

Her heart sank deeper, her eyes shifting from anxious to somber. Just as he thought the matter was over, a voice he always loved sounded in his ear.

“Have you decided?” Yuxiu slowly turned her head, glancing sideways at his profile. “I’ve never been married or dated seriously. I don’t know how to be a good wife, daughter-in-law, or even a good mother. I’m used to being lazy and carefree, and I can’t stand restrictions. I just want to live comfortably.”

“For the rest of my life, can you accept that? Or rather, can you endure me as I am?” Perhaps at first, she could.

But she understood that marriage has an expiration date. Many couples who were inseparable during courtship end up divorced, separated, or estranged due to incompatibility or family issues.

From the start of their relationship, she took a “go with the flow” approach—neither initiating nor rejecting, simply following her heart. She had considered the possibility of marrying Yan Rushan, even comparing and reasoning their personalities over and over.

In the end, she still couldn’t make up her mind.

Today, his proposal came too suddenly, catching her off guard.

His proposal wasn’t perfect, but it was the most sincere. He never broke a promise once made; since he spoke those words, he would surely fulfill them.

“Screech!”

Yan Rushan slammed on the brakes; the tires screamed sharply. His hands trembled and grew weak, as if suffocating, yet breathing in the fresh air felt like waking from a dream, unbelievable.

“Rushan!” Zhong Yuxiu’s body involuntarily jolted forward, but her hands gripped the sides to steady herself, instantly annoyed.

“Yuxiu.” Yan Rushan unbuckled his seatbelt and leaned over to embrace her. “Yuxiu, I’m sorry, I…”

Her yielding was so sudden. One moment, her heart was trapped in an ice cave; the next, she was pulled back.

His body trembled slightly, especially his hands holding her—tight and shaking violently.

Zhong Yuxiu sighed inwardly, feeling like a heartless woman. She gently pushed him away. “You don’t need to explain. I know why you stopped so suddenly. The question I raised is something you need to think about carefully. I don’t want us to end up on an irreparable path.”

“No need to worry. I accept everything about you.” Yan Rushan bent his head to touch his forehead to hers. “Even if I’m still shallow in your heart, I believe I’ll leave a deep mark there for the rest of our lives. Trust me. Trust us—we can make it to the end.”

Gazing at his handsome face so close, his expression was so earnest, so solemn, so sincere.

She believed him.

It wasn’t easy to find someone willing to accept her completely, someone she cared about deeply. Why not give it a try?

In this life, all her firsts in love were given by him.

“Alright.”

That simple word sounded like a celestial melody. Yan Rushan tilted his head and kissed her lips softly, barely touching them. “Thank you.”

I won’t let you regret this.

They embraced for a long while, until the passion in their hearts settled, then slowly parted. Zhong Yuxiu lifted her eyelids to look at him, their eyes meeting, and she smiled shyly.

“Drive me home. I’m feeling a bit cold.”

Yan Rushan glanced at the slightly open window and closed it. “Alright, we’ll head home now.”

After that, neither spoke again; yet in each occasional glance, they saw sweetness and affection reflected in the other’s eyes.