Chapter 0036 Ice Resolved

Ruyi returned home, restless and anxious. She was afraid that Chen Yan would be kicked out, and even more afraid that He Caiyu would be beaten by Chen Yan. She couldn't put her mind at ease, so she grabbed her keys and was about to leave. Before she could even close the door, she heard the two of them laughing and talking in the hallway. He Caiyu was walking in front, reminding Chen Yan to watch his step from time to time. Chen Yan followed behind and saw that Ruyi was indeed as he expected. She showed a cute expression of shock and winked at her with a smile.

He Caiyu asked curiously, "Are you going out? This is Xiao Chen's first time visiting. Don't leave yet, sit and chat with him."

As she spoke, He Caiyu poured Chen Yan a cup of tea, and then, ignoring Chen Yan's refusals, went to the kitchen to make dumplings for him.

The cramped living room was crammed full of a dining table and sofa chairs. Chen Yan was familiar with Ruyi's bedroom, but sitting in this small space of less than ten square meters waiting to eat dumplings was a first for him.

Chen Yan and Ruyi sat or stood, not wanting He Caiyu to hear. Ruyi mouthed to him: What's going on?

Chen Yan chuckled and pulled Ruyi close by the waist. Ruyi was caught off guard and a head pressed tightly against her chest and abdomen.

She was terrified and tried to pry his hand away. He Caiyu was in the kitchen, just inches away. She could hear everything, from lighting a fire to boiling water to even her footsteps. She could come out at any moment and witness their intimate moment.

Chen Yan paid no attention to her little tricks, enjoying the soft fragrance on his face while listening intently to the sounds coming from the kitchen. He released Ruyi just in time to reach the door.

He Caiyu held a spoon and asked him if he had any dietary restrictions. He sat up straight and replied, "Auntie, I eat everything except celery and leeks."

He Caiyu responded with a smile and turned to hurry away. To avoid further torment and to prevent her aunt from seeing anything indecent, Ruyi quickly ran back to her bedroom and locked the door.

She overheard He Caiyu outside scolding her for not knowing how to treat guests, leaving a guest alone in the living room. She didn't care. What kind of guest was Chen Yan? He was acting shy now, but who knew how many times he had come over behind her back, and he already considered himself one of her own.

He Caiyu made 15 dumplings for Chen Yan, mixing three flavors: water chestnut and pork, beef, and cabbage and egg. Chen Yan praised her cooking skills and, although not hungry, ate them all, leaving hardly any soup.

He Caiyu was very satisfied. Chen Yan chatted with her for a while longer before getting up to leave. He Caiyu politely tried to persuade him to stay a few more times, and then asked Ruyi to see him downstairs.

Once on the street, Ruyi finally couldn't hold back and asked, "What did your aunt say to you after sending me away? And what did you say to her?" How could her attitude have changed so drastically? Could it be that her aunt was deceived by him? Chen Yan is very good at convincing people if he wants to.

Chen Yan opened his arms and hugged her tightly. She was eagerly awaiting an answer and did not refuse.

With a smug smile, he said, "Never mind what you say. Anyway, my aunt has a discerning eye and has taken a liking to me. She wants me to be her nephew-in-law, and I agree."

At home, he respectfully calls her "Auntie," but in front of Ruyi, he directly calls her "Auntie-in-law." Ruyi spat out, "You're shameless! Who's your auntie-in-law? Who wants you as their son-in-law?"

Chen Yan reached out and gently stroked her back, saying seriously, "I'm serious. I'll try my best to arrange a formal meeting between the two families within two months, and my aunt has agreed."

Realizing Chen Yan's seriousness, Ruyi's eyes reflected the boundless moonlight, her cheeks flushed slightly, and she nestled obediently in Chen Yan's arms, shyly confirming, "Are you sincere?"

Seeing this, Chen Yan's heart softened completely. He gently kissed the smooth forehead of the person in his arms and said reproachfully, "It's one thing for my aunt to doubt me, but why don't you believe me at all?"

Distant memories flashed through Ruyi's mind like a movie. The voiceover was of his conversation with Zhao Nanyue on the cruise ship. She usually didn't think about it intentionally, but undeniably, this conversation had always been like a thorn stuck in her heart, impossible to remove or forget.

On such a beautiful night, with a loving partner by her side, showering her with boundless tenderness, the perfect timing, location, and circumstances prompted Ruyi to recount the hurtful conversation from the past.

The person who is loved with unwavering devotion has an infinitely broad mind, but sometimes their heart is smaller than a pinhead. Ruyi admits that she is petty and has a fragile heart when it comes to this old story. Just recalling it makes her tears well up in her eyes.

Chen Yan had almost forgotten about the cruise ship party, so how could he remember such trivial details as a conversation he had with someone at a certain time and place? After listening to Ruyi's aggrieved account, he found it unbelievable. How could he say such things as "break up when you're tired of playing around" or "dump her"? He immediately denied it.

"You must have misunderstood. I would never say such a thing."

Ruyi blinked in disbelief, her tears of grievance vanishing in anger. She clenched her fist and punched him hard: "You said it! How can you go back on your word? You bastard, if you hadn't said those things, would I have gone back on my word and gone to Peking University?" Ruyi's change of heart still bothered him, but now, hearing her confession, Chen Yan began to believe her. He held Ruyi and racked his brains to recall, but to no avail. He only remembered feeling annoyed whenever he saw Zhao Nanyue. He had just come of age then, and his temper wasn't as temper-controlled as it is now. When he was very annoyed, it was possible that he would say things without thinking.

He felt remorseful and wronged. After explaining himself, he couldn't help but feel heartbroken for the four years they had lost. He blamed Ruyi somewhat: "How could you not say a word? You didn't even give me a chance to explain. You wasted four years!"

After hearing the explanation, Ruyi felt relieved. When he blamed her, she couldn't help but roll her eyes: "Serves you right, who told you to talk nonsense?"

Chen Yan pointed his finger at her nose, as if to poke it, "You, this... oh well, just consider yourself unlucky!"

Chen Yan sighed helplessly, rested his chin on Ruyi's head, thought for a moment, still felt uneasy, and secretly used force to press down on Ruyi's head.

Ruyi ignored his childish revenge, toying with his dark blue patterned tie in her hand, her heart filled with joy and elation.

When a woman is in love, her world becomes very small, so small that it can only hold her and her lover. As for the complaints she once had about him being unscrupulous, extremely self-centered, or that they were from two different worlds, they seem to be negligible under the weight of his precious promises.

Chen Yan kept his word. Seven weeks later, he formally arranged a meal for the two families at Zhenyuan, the best restaurant in Lancheng.

On the day of the meal, Ruyi and her aunt were brought by Uncle Zhang, the driver of the Chen family. After thanking Uncle Zhang, she took He Caiyu's hand and entered Zhenyuan.

The lobby was lavishly decorated yet elegant, with a central artificial hill and a tiered fishpond where flowing water continuously flowed from underground, teeming with dozens of large, colorful fish of unknown species swimming freely. The hostesses, dressed in uniform, were tall and beautiful, like television stars.

He Caiyu bought a suit in advance to impress everyone, applied light makeup, combed her hair neatly, and wore the gold necklace that Ruyi had given her. The pendant was a white jade gourd, making her look ten years younger.

A specially dressed waiter led them through a garden-like courtyard, where every step revealed a new and breathtaking view. He Caiyu was amazed and couldn't help but whisper to Ruyi, "I didn't expect Xiao Chen to choose such a high-class place. Am I dressed well today? Will I be impolite?" Her tone was a little nervous.

Ruyi was also nervous, but she didn't show it. She comforted He Caiyu, saying, "It's okay, it's just a meal. If they don't like us, we can just part ways."

He Caiyu patted her on the shoulder: "What nonsense are you talking about?"

The two followed the waiter through a maze of twists and turns, finally arriving at a three-story classical-style building. This was Ruijin Pavilion, the most expensive building in Zhenyuan, where many high-ranking officials, wealthy businessmen, and celebrities of the city held their banquets.

The waiter led them to the third floor by elevator, where Chen Yan and his family had already arrived and were waiting in a private room.