Shen Qinghe froze abruptly, slowly releasing his arms. "Don't let others know?" His voice tightened, the smile in his eyes fading, replaced by a hint of unease. "Who are these 'others'?"

Meng Zhao looked up to meet his gaze, hardened her heart, and said, "Everyone."

Shen Qing's Adam's apple bobbed, still unwilling to give up. "How long are we going to keep this a secret?" His voice held a hint of stubbornness. "When we return to the capital? Or after the New Year? Or when my official rank is higher, or when Qingze and Qingyu grow up?"

Meng Zhao was flustered by his barrage of questions. "Qinghe, don't you think things are great as they are? You like me, and I like you. Our families live so close together, so we can spend a lot of time together in the future..."

"You never thought about marrying me, did you?" Shen Qinghe interrupted Meng Zhao before she could finish speaking.

Seeing the hurt emotions surging in his eyes, Meng Zhao quickly reached out and cupped his face, then stood on tiptoe and kissed him. "I didn't want us to encounter those troublesome things. You know, our relationship is not suitable for others to know."

Seeing that Shen Qinghe was still standing still, Meng Zhao simply climbed onto his shoulder and planted light kisses on his cheeks, trying to soothe his emotions.

But for the first time, Shen Qinghe pushed her away. He grasped her wrist, slowly pulled her hand off his face, and stared intently at her: "What if I don't agree? What if I insist on marrying you?"

When Meng Zhao saw that even this trick didn't work, she immediately deflated. It was really strange. She could get tenderness and affection without having to take responsibility. Wasn't this a great thing? Why wouldn't they agree?