will you marry me

Fu Huanian's estimate was very accurate.

Just as Chen Xiaojing, holding Zhang Renyin's hand and who was wearing sunglasses, rang their doorbell, the last dish was ready.

Zhou Chenjin brought the dishes to the table: "Look! There's delicious food today! Super strong rice tension!" She ran quickly and pulled Chen Xiaojing, who had already changed into her fluffy slippers, into the house. Zhang Renyin was forced to stay where she was, looking a little helpless.

"I didn't have time to prepare slippers for Professor Zhang because of the time crunch." Fu Huanian came out of the kitchen wearing an apron, took off a pair of disposable slippers and put them down. "Wear these for now, Sese and I will go buy some after we finish eating. Don't worry, Professor Zhang, Sese has long regarded Miss Chen as family since we grew up far away from the city."

The implication was that he shouldn't feel constrained.

He helped Zhang Renyin to the table and settled him in one of the chairs. Steaming dishes filled half the table, and a few meters away, a TV was playing an interesting variety show, with the cheerful laughter of male and female celebrities echoing in the living room.

Chen Xiaojing and Zhou Chenjin counted the bowls and chopsticks and brought them out. The two looked at each other and secretly placed the largest bowl of rice in front of Zhang Renyin.

Once everything was ready, the three of them sat down. Chen Xiaojing glanced at the dishes and remembered that Zhang Renyin hadn't been picky about food when they went out on dates before, so she put some food in his bowl according to her memory.

"What are you planning to do this afternoon?" Zhou Chenjin asked her first. "Huanian and I are going out to buy some things. We'll be back around 3 p.m.

Chen Xiaojing glanced at Zhang Renyin and said, "I'm sorting out the manuscript. There's one I've half-finished before going to Japan. I'll finish it and send it to the editor. It's a tribute to Japan's founding, so it can't be delayed."

"Yeah, perfect timing to take a break."

Fu Huanian's phone, which was sitting opposite Chen Xiaojing, suddenly lit up. She spotted the message box that popped up: "Has the engagement ceremony been decided, Mr. Fu? The best we can offer is what we discussed before, and the price is already very reasonable."

Chen Xiaojing knew what Fu Huanian was hesitating about. She thought for a moment, then took out her phone and pulled up a short video she had seen a few days ago: "Look, Ajin, this fan is so beautiful. I'll make one for you for your wedding!"

"Of course you have to make the round fan!"

Zhou Chenjin didn't think too much about it, taking it as Chen Xiaojing testing her status as the eldest daughter of the main wife, and gave her a 100% affirmation: "You'll be my bridesmaid at the wedding, and I'll take you to drink everyone under the table with Coke and Sprite!"

The four of them laughed so hard they were doubled over. Fu Huanian looked at Zhou Chenjin and said with a smile, "It's my turn to drink, since I'm the groom. It's not the bride's place to do it."

Chen Xiaojing egged them on: "Eek—"

The atmosphere was just right, so she cut her losses and changed the subject: "Ah Jin, if you see any new or interesting milk tea brands this afternoon, could you bring me a cup? I'm tired of all the ones near my house."

"Okay, okay." Zhou Chenjin saw that the four of them had almost finished eating, so she got up to clear the plates. Fu Huanian also put down his chopsticks and started clearing the plates with him. Chen Xiaojing immediately took Zhang Renyin, who was next to her, to the sofa a few steps away and pretended to be affectionate, leaning against him and playing on her phone.

Out of the corner of her eye, she caught Fu Huanian winking at her.

Those who know, know.

The kitchen glass door was half-closed, and the sound of water could be heard coming from the kitchen. Chen Xiaojing glanced at the daily necessities she had bought for Zhang Renyin on her phone, then turned to look at her boyfriend, who was still wearing sunglasses: "I picked out some daily necessities for you, and asked your colleague to help send your things from S City over."

He wrote "Okay" in her palm.

Chen Xiaojing helped wipe the table and tidied up the place. Zhou Chenjin and Fu Huanian changed their clothes, grabbed their bags, and prepared to leave. Chen Xiaojing then took Zhang Renyin back to her apartment next door.

The two went out the door and down to the garage. Fu Huanian got into the driver's seat, while Zhou Chenjin opened the vanity mirror in the passenger seat and touched up her lipstick. The car drove off, and Fu Huanian took Zhou Chenjin to the shopping mall he had arranged to meet beforehand.

The mall is huge, and the first floor sells luxury goods. Pure gold and silver jewelry is displayed everywhere, and the sales clerks, dressed in suits, are smart and friendly, serving every customer who asks for a price with a smile.

Fu Huanian subconsciously touched the ring he had secretly bought long ago in the inner pocket of his chest, afraid that the clerk here would reveal that he wanted to propose.

"Wow, the things here are so beautiful." Zhou Chenjin has seen hundreds of millions of dollars flow and has controlled the life and death of many banks. Fu Huanian originally thought she wouldn't care too much about these things. "Huanian, why don't you pick one? You can't wear a ring while doing experiments, so I'll buy you a necklace."

"Actually, you shouldn't wear necklaces either."

“Uh, it’s okay, necklaces aren’t easy to lose.” Zhou Chenjin’s logic was consistent, and she pulled him to what looked like the largest counter. “I need a necklace that suits him.”

The sales clerk skillfully made her sales pitches, leaving Zhou Chenjin dazzled by the choices: "Huan Nian, you choose first. I'll go pick something for Xiao Jing. I promised her that she would have the most special wedding favors as her bridesmaid."

Fu Huanian wasn't interested in jewelry. After Zhou Chenjin walked a few steps away, he casually picked out one that looked similar to the ring he had bought for her, waiting for her to choose a gift for Chen Xiaojing.

He only pretended to have just picked out a bag and pointed it out to her when she returned to his side carrying a wrapped bag.

"This one then." Zhou Chenjin took out her phone to pay, and Fu Huanian didn't stop her. He just glanced at his watch; the time he had set was getting closer and closer.

The shopping mall is located by the river, some distance from the city center. It is a common landmark in City B, where wealthy people often come to book fireworks and large screens for marriage proposals.

After buying some things, Fu Huanian led Zhou Chenjin out of the mall, just in time to witness the first fireworks display.

Fu Huanian and Zhou Chenjin stopped at the same time. She took out her phone to take pictures of the fireworks, and he took the opportunity to put down his shopping bag and take out the ring he had prepared for a long time from the inner pocket of his chest.

Then he turned to Zhou Chenjin and knelt on one knee.

Zhou Chenjin seemed completely unsurprised: "Actually, I noticed it during lunch today." She took out the necklace she had just bought for Fu Huanian, handing it over with her right hand while taking the ring he offered with her left. "Your intentions are quite obvious, Mr. Fu."

Fu Huanian stood up and put on the necklace: "Then would you like to marry me, dear Manager Zhou?"

"Of course, my fiancé."

They kissed under the fireworks.

"Wow, the proposal was successful. Not bad, not bad. Looks like I can finally put making a fan for Ajin on my agenda." Chen Xiaojing excitedly slapped the desk as she looked at the messages between the two on her phone. Zhang Renyin, who was half-lying on the bed resting, nodded in agreement, also expressing her congratulations.

While Zhang Renyin wasn't paying attention, she opened her phone's savings page and looked at the mere four digits left, feeling worried.

Zhang Renyin will probably not be able to earn money until she recovers, so she can only rely on writing. However, the writing process takes too long, and Chen Xiaojing is afraid that something might go wrong.

Seemingly sensing that something was wrong, Zhang Renyin reached out and touched her hand: "What's wrong?"

Chen Xiaojing tried to hide her feelings, but his next words exposed her: "I know you spent a lot of money to save me. Tell me how much you have left."

"Four...four-digit number."

He sighed and continued writing in her palm: "You don't earn money easily either. You spent millions to save me. If it all disappears without a trace, how will you live?" He paused for a moment, "My WeChat is with an SCI editor. The notebook will arrive tomorrow with a completed paper inside. Once it's published, I'll get 100,000 yuan."

"So, FrogFun had a paper saved on your computer before you left?" Chen Xiaojing was stunned. "Why didn't you send it before you left?"

“If I die, that will be my final gift to Country R. If I were alive, that paper should have been revised much better, but I don’t have that ability now.” He wrote quickly. “But it’s not useless.”