Chapter 7 "Let's get married".

After returning home, Jin Huan sent Zhong Yan a friend request.

Around 7 p.m., he accepted the friend request.

Fang Jinhuan cautiously said, "Mr. Zhong, this is Fang Jinhuan."

Zhong Yan quickly replied, "Yes, I know."

Now is probably a good time to chat. Jin Huan is trying to think of topics. She and Zhong Yan are not very familiar with each other. They have only met a few times and talked a few times. It seems that there is no need to chat about anything in their spare time.

But Jin Huan felt that talking more was definitely a good thing.

So she sent a message: "I received the materials you gave me today, and I will study them carefully."

Zhong Yan: "I'm not your teacher, you don't need to report these things to me."

Jin Huan sighed on her end of the screen. She stared at the message he had sent and replied honestly, "If I don't talk about these things, I won't have anything to say to you."

Jin Huan understood what he meant by telling her to think it over. As a responsible adult, it was perfectly normal for him to have concerns about this, but she also wanted him to know as much as possible about her thoughts.

She actually really enjoys being with him and talking to him. Since meeting Mr. Zhong, she feels that her original pressure has been greatly reduced. Although it may just be her imagination, she is certain that she likes him.

The person on the other end of the screen was so honest that Zhong Yan felt a little helpless.

He was actually quite tolerant of people her age, especially those who were simple and innocent. She was completely transparent about what she was thinking in front of him, and she would even say it herself.

Jin Huan sat at her desk staring at her phone, leaving the documents aside. She blinked more slowly, afraid of missing any messages.

Her phone vibrated, and she immediately picked it up to look at it.

Zhong Yan actually sent her a voice message.

"You really want to chat with me?" His voice was slightly deep, but not distant; using voice seemed more approachable than simply typing.

Jin Huan then replied to him with a voice message: "Yes, I'd like to chat with you more."

Because we don't know each other well, we need to talk more. There's a saying: "The first time you meet someone, you're strangers; the second time you become familiar." How can you become familiar with someone if you don't interact with them?

That's exactly what Jin Huan thought.

Zhong Yan replied: "You can talk about anything you want, I'll reply when I have time."

He is sometimes quite busy, and the hours of his busyness are unpredictable. For him, there are more work-related messages than messages about his daily life, but he will reply to any messages he sees.

Despite saying that, Jin Huan was still troubled. She could only send him boring messages like "Have you eaten?" or "Have you slept?" Considering that these questions were meaningless and would only bother him, she probably wouldn't send them at all.

Jin Huan happily replied with an "okay" emoji.

That concludes the conversation.

Zhong Yan had just finished his workout. The intensity of the day wasn't high, and he was still breathing steadily after the run. He stood by the island platform drinking water, glancing down at a cheerful emoji that had appeared on his phone. His gaze then drifted downwards.

After returning home today, he reconsidered his decision to marry her. He always thought things through carefully and confirmed things repeatedly, but this was the only time he changed his mind in an instant.

There are many beautiful women and many well-behaved children. Just now, I realized that I was only impressed by her when I first met her at the Fang family's house.

She was quiet and well-behaved, yet her quietness was undeniable.

Zhong Yan will slowly reflect on these events, and if he confirms that he will not act impulsively, his decision will remain the same.

He fully accepted her as his wife, provided she was completely aware of herself.

But at her age, everything else can wait... He has to take responsibility for her.

He has to take responsibility for this.

.

The temperature dropped so quickly.

Last week, Jin Huan could occasionally wear just a sweater, but now she has to wrap herself in a long coat or even a down jacket.

She still spends most of her time in the lab. Whenever she has a question, she can find an excuse to message Zhong Yan. Every time she asks, he answers very seriously and carefully.

He was very serious about this, and occasionally asked Jin Huan a question or two that left her speechless and unable to answer.

Even if she can't answer, Zhong Yan won't criticize her.

He simply offered suggestions or recommended a few books for her to read.

During graduate school, some people are interested in academics, while others are simply doing it for the sake of writing papers. Regardless of the reason, it is important to remember that building a solid foundation is the most important thing.

From childhood to adulthood, all your teachers will tell you that what you learn is truly yours, and it's the only thing no one can take away from you.

The only time Jin Huan saw Zhong Yan during this period was on that Sunday when she invited him to dinner. She carefully selected a classic and elegant Suzhou-style restaurant. She had been there once before with her aunt and uncle, and the food was delicious, novel, and tasteful, and most importantly, the ambiance was pleasant.

If the environment is nice... it will feel like a date.

Jin Huan finished the meal with him, harboring these thoughts in her heart.

Zhong Yan didn't seem to have any particular preferences. He ate everything, but he didn't eat much of anything. His eating habits reminded Jin Huan of her maternal grandfather, a handsome old man who was very particular and old-fashioned.

Apart from this time, we haven't met in person again; we've only chatted on WeChat.

Winters in the southern part of the city are damp and cold. The cold wind blowing in the air is like a chemical attack. No matter how many layers you wear, you still feel cold to the bone. Jin Huan is afraid of the cold and always wraps herself up tightly when she goes out.

The colder the weather, the clearer my mind becomes.

Jin Huan's experiment made progress, and Professor Tan was very satisfied with it at the group meeting. After the meeting, Du Qingxu invited her to dinner that evening.

She initially thought he meant to go to the cafeteria, but it turned out that Du Qingxu meant to invite her to eat hot pot.

"Just the two of us?" Jin Huan asked uncertainly again, "You're treating me to hot pot?"

They're going to overthrow the Heavenly Gang.

This time, Du Qingxu helped her a lot. She encountered some problems with the data, and he actively helped her solve them. When he had free time, he would also help her organize and calculate, as well as some related materials, and he would also search and organize them for her after class.

Du Qingxu is such a kind person.

These seemingly simple tasks actually require a lot of time and patience to complete.

Jin Huan thought for a moment and emphasized, "No need, I should treat you to a meal."

Du Qingxu had absolutely no experience when it came to inviting people to dinner. When she said she wanted to treat him, he didn't know how to explain why he wanted to invite her to dinner...

Jin Huan was already opening her phone to make a reservation. She knew a really good hot pot restaurant, but it was crowded and you had to book in advance. In this weather, a hot pot meal would be perfect.

I just clicked into the booking page when a message popped up on WeChat.

Zhong Yan: "Are you free this afternoon? I'll pick you up."

Jin Huan's gaze lingered on the message for half a second before she immediately clicked to reply: "I'm free!"

She didn't even ask what they were going to do with her; she was practically bursting with anticipation.

Zhong Yan: "Okay, wait for me at the school gate at five o'clock."

It's almost four o'clock, so she only has one hour left. That means she has one hour to prepare. Thinking of this, Jin Huan suddenly became anxious.

She put her phone back in her pocket and hurriedly said to Du Qingxu, "I'm sorry, I have something to do today. I'll treat you to dinner next time."

Fang Jinhuan looked like she'd been burned; she ran out as soon as she finished speaking.

Du Qingxu was left standing there, and by the time she realized what was happening, only a wisp of wind remained beside her.

He looked down at his hands.

Just now, as she ran away, the edge of her coat swept past his palm. Du Qingxu clenched his fist, but she was no longer in his sight. Only then did he slowly nod to himself, his voice so low that only he could hear it.

"Okay, I'll eat it next time."

Jin Huan arrived at the school gate ten minutes early at five o'clock, and to her surprise, Zhong Yan was already waiting for her.

He was standing by the car talking on the phone when he saw Jin Huan. He whispered a few words to the person on the other end of the line and then hung up.

Jin Huan waited until he put away his phone before speaking: "Mr. Zhong."

She tilted her chin up to look at him, her eyes filled with surprise and delight.

It's been almost two months since we last met. From the chilly late autumn to the arrival of winter, he looks exactly the same.

But it's only been two months, not two years, so how could there be any changes?

Zhong Yan was dressed very formally, with a shirt, vest, suit, tie, and tie clip all on top, and even his hair was carefully styled.

He looked down at me, then gave a soft "hmm".

Zhong Yan glanced at the time.

They arrived early as expected.

Zhong Yan asked, "Did I disturb you by sending you this message at the last minute?"

Jin Huan shook her head repeatedly: "I won't disturb you!"

"I had a group meeting to report today, and it just ended. Thanks to you, I made pretty good progress, so I can take a break for the next two days." Jin Huan was very happy, reporting her achievements to Zhong Yan, her lips curled into a smile of pride.

I don't know what I owe him for.

Zhong Yan's expression was gentle as he explained, "My grandfather wants to see you."

Jin Huan was stunned for a moment.

His grandfather wants to see her?

Jin Huan knew that he was in a hurry to get married because of his grandfather, so why did he suddenly want to meet her now? Was it because she needed to get past his parents?

What will happen if she fails?

Jin Huan's smile froze. She opened her mouth, but the words stuck in her throat. Before she could ask, Zhong Yan spoke up first.

“Don’t be nervous, it’s just a meeting,” he said. “My grandfather doesn’t interfere with my affairs in this regard.”

He only hoped that he would get married. As for the rest, he respected Zhong Yan's choice. He was a prudent person and never needed his family to worry about him.

The only thing the old man has worried about all these years is that his son doesn't get married.

Now that things have started to look promising, he has to see them.

And New Year's Day is just around the corner.

Jin Huan breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing this.

In that case, it should be equivalent to meeting the parents. He said before that he would wait for the right time. She has also been thinking about when the right time will come.

She went home last month and confessed the matter to her aunt. That night, they slept together and talked a lot. Since leaving home to go to university, Jin Huan had not had such an intimate conversation with her aunt for a whole night in a long time.

She first shared her thoughts, and then asked her aunt what it was like when she and her uncle were dating, and whether they had any dating tips.

Their relationship is more like best friends than aunt and niece. From a very young age, Jin Huan would confide a lot in her aunt, who completely respected all her decisions. However, she didn't quite understand love, since it was her uncle who pursued her back then.

But do what you like, and never limit yourself in life. Her aunt patted her hand and told her that as long as she felt it was right, that was fine.

As Zhong Yan said, it was indeed just a simple meal with the old man. His grandfather seemed much kinder and more approachable than he was. As people get older, they have a deep-seated love for younger children. Jin Huanguang was very likable just sitting there.

She is a very lovable child.

Zhong Yan's grandfather's old house is a typical Su-style garden. There is a courtyard outside the restaurant with a square pond in the middle. A stone table is placed by the water, and water drips from the rockery. Jin Huan sits at the stone table and looks around curiously.

Even in winter, the trees here are still lush and green, but the green of the leaves is very deep, as if they have been heavily painted.

As Jin Huan stared blankly at the leaves, she belatedly noticed that Zhong Yan was standing at the door watching her. When he wasn't smiling, his expression was as cold as ever, and his eyes were scrutinizing her from a superior position. The silver clip on his tie reflected the light, making him seem to blend into the cold background as he stood there.

After a two-second eye contact, Zhong Yan's deep gaze gradually darkened, and Jin Huan was almost completely drawn to his gaze. She tilted her head back, her eyes filled with tears, looking at the sky as if snowflakes were falling.

Things will fall into place naturally.

These words floated into her mind. Jin Huan looked at him, and the snowflakes had already fallen to her side. She reached out and held them, watching him stand in the snow blown by the wind, feeling his breath quicken.

So she spoke softly.

"Mr. Zhong, let's get married."