"Um."

Shen Shuyi looked at the tall man in front of her with her eyes crinkling, "This is wonderful! From today onwards, I will have a great hero husband!"

She added, "I know you just want to fulfill the marriage agreement set by your seniors, and you don't have any feelings for me."

"But... I'm a pretty traditional person. I don't dislike you. If you don't dislike me either, I hope that we can develop feelings for each other in the future."

"Then we'll spend our whole lives together."

"If there are too many conflicts in the relationship, and our views clash, then... we can get a divorce!"

Yan Zheng was having trouble keeping up with her train of thought; they weren't even married yet and she was already talking about divorce.

He wasn't the kind of person who would start a relationship and then abandon it. As long as Shen Shuyi was willing to live with him, he would protect this marriage.

If she finds someone she likes and can't make it work, then it's best to part ways amicably.

"Don't overthink it. I only have a few days left on my leave to visit my family. Tomorrow, my parents and I will go to propose marriage."

Shen Shuyi tugged at his sleeve, signaling him to squat down.

She managed to climb onto Yan Zheng's back, looked at the road ahead, and whispered in his ear.

"Comrade Yan, I've suddenly thought of something very important."

Yan Zheng carried her on his back and strode towards the Shen family's house. "What is it?"

Shen Shuyi pursed her lips, "What if I...can't do laundry or cook?"

"It's okay, I can do it."

"But if we live in the staff quarters, won't people laugh at us?"

Yan Zheng paused, as if thinking, "Then I'll apply for a bungalow. It might be a bit out of the way, unlike a tenement building where all the neighbors live in one building. That way, fewer people will laugh at me."

Shen Shuyi snorted and punched his shoulder. "So, someone's actually laughing?"

Yan Zheng smiled.

"I won't let others laugh at you."

“That means someone laughed!” Shen Shuyi punched him again.

Yan Zheng chuckled, and the distance between the two seemed to shrink a little more.

...