Xia Wan's face turned pale, and she subconsciously avoided Cui Ziqi's sharp gaze.

She didn't say anything.

Xia Zhizhi spoke up for her.

"Whether it's true or false, Young Master Cui doesn't need to distinguish anymore, does he?"

"I didn't ask you."

Cui Ziqi didn't even glance at Xia Zhizhi, only coldly refuting her words.

Xia Zhizhi knew that Cui Ziqi wasn't stupid. Now that things had come to this, no matter how Xia Wan explained, it would all seem weak.

There's no need for her to add fuel to the fire.

She smiled sweetly and said, "Then you two chat."

She went into the coffee shop.

Xia Wan lowered her head, her fingertips unconsciously twisting into a tangled mess.

Cui Ziqi's gaze was like a deadly dagger above her head. She didn't know how to explain. She was already in the wrong, and the more she explained, the more suspicious she became.

What should she do?

My fingertips were suddenly grasped by a warm, large hand.

Lost your phone?

The voice above my head suddenly softened.

Xia Wan looked up in disbelief, only to see that Cui Ziqi's eyes were not hostile, but full of concern.

"Let's go home, we'll get you a new one."

After saying that, Cui Ziqi took her hand and walked towards the car next to them.

The car is driven by Zuo Cheng.

Cui Ziqi and Xia Wan sat in the back seat.

From the moment they got into the car, Cui Ziqi held Xia Wan's hand tightly without letting go.

Xia Wan was filled with anxiety the whole way.

She didn't realize it until she got back to her apartment.

Cui Ziqi was neither angry nor went crazy, perhaps because he already knew everything.

He had known all along that she wasn't the one who saved him fifteen years ago.

The apartment's smart lighting system sensed someone entering and turned on all the lights.

The painting in the corner of the living room remained untouched, sitting there silently.

Xia Wan felt uneasy; she owed Cui Ziqi an apology.

"sorry."

The two stood in the entryway, and Cui Ziqi paused in the act of changing her shoes.

He didn't say anything, but took the lady's slippers from the side with his slender hand and squatted down to change Xia Wan's shoes.

When he grasped Xia Wan's ankle, Xia Wan instinctively flinched.

She blushed slightly.

"I...I can do it myself."

Cui Ziqi increased his force, rendering Xia Wan unable to move.

He took off her high heels, and her fair little feet seemed to have been tinged with pink, her toes slightly curled up.

After slipping on the pink slippers, Cui Ziqi finally spoke.

"Since you've apologized, you should at least show some sincerity."

The heat from her ankles spread throughout her body along her meridians, and Xia Wan gripped the hem of her clothes tightly with her fingers.

"What sincerity?"

After changing her shoes, Cui Ziqi stood up.

His tall figure instantly enveloped her petite frame.

Xia Wan leaned against the cabinet door, nervously awaiting the trial.

"I want you to marry me and make it up to me for the rest of your life."

Xia Wan was prepared to be thrown out by him.

But he was stunned by his words and stood there rooted to the spot.

With a 99% approval rating, would he tolerate her to this extent?

Didn't Cui Ziqi say that she hates deception more than anything in her life?

Her lips trembled slightly as she said, "Could we try a different approach?"

Cui Ziqi's aura changed drastically, and a chilling aura instantly spread throughout the room.

"You don't want to?"

The gentle voice suddenly turned cold, and Xia Wan shuddered, quickly offering an explanation.

"What I mean is, marriage is a big deal, you need to think about it carefully..."

"Ha!" Cui Ziqi sneered, cutting her off with a retort, "You used to chase after me every day, claiming to everyone that I was your fiancé, and now you're telling me you need to think it over carefully?"

"I'm telling you to think it over carefully," Xia Wan said earnestly. "Marriage is a lifelong commitment. I may be thick-skinned, but you can't be like me! Married life is different from dating; you have to be very, very careful! Besides, dating doesn't necessarily lead to marriage. Human civilization has continued for so long; it's time to change the system of marriage..."

Xia Wan's sophistry became increasingly incoherent.

In the past, she would have definitely laughed it off without hesitation and pretended to agree to the marriage.

But she couldn't ignore the bitterness rising in her heart.

When she was pursuing Cui Ziqi, she treated it as a mission, and casually talking about marriage was not something she cared about at the time.

But now, she can no longer take Cui Ziqi's marriage proposal as a joke.

She felt guilty and heartbroken.

She didn't even want to continue this one-sided emotional abuse.

But she was about to go home, and between her parents and Cui Ziqi, she unconditionally chose her parents.

"Be cautious? Don't get married?"

Cui Ziqi scoffed coldly. He suddenly grabbed Xia Wan's wrist, forcing her to look up at him.

"Xia Wan, are you kidding me?"

His voice was fierce, and his gaze was as sharp as a blade.

Xia Wan was startled, "No...no."

The explanation was weak, but Cui Ziqi's expression softened considerably.

"Okay, let's get our marriage certificate tomorrow, and I'll take you to our new house in a few days."

"Getting a marriage certificate? A new house?" Xia Wan exclaimed in surprise, "This... isn't this too hasty?"

Cui Ziqi leaned down and kissed her lips.

His warm breath brushed against her ear.

"I think it's too slow."

Back in her room, Xia Wan quickly called out to the system.

'System! Has Cui Ziqi's favorability towards me reached 100 yet? Can I go back?'

The system remained unresponsive for a long time.

Has the contact been lost again?

Xia Wan thought of the meteorite Yu Jia had mentioned, and Cui Ziqi had spent money to buy that meteorite.

Could it be that the meteorite is currently in the apartment, which is why it has blocked her connection with the system?

Cui Ziqi is currently working in his study.

Xia Wan searched the room for a long time but couldn't find the meteorite.

She decided to go out and contact the system first.

She casually threw on a coat and quietly moved toward the door.

My dear reader, there's more to this chapter! Please click the next page to continue reading—even more exciting content awaits!