Du Qiang's words gave Qian Xue confidence. Qian Xue opened her mouth, hesitated, and then closed it again...

After a long while, he finally spoke slowly.

"I...I can date you, and I can live with you, but can we not get married?"

Qian Xue's words left Du Qiang speechless with astonishment.

"You...you..."

"It's exactly what you think! I can't deny that I like you, but... I don't want to get married."

"We can live like a married couple, but... is it okay if we don't get a marriage certificate?"

Qian Xue's words stunned Du Qiang.

"This...isn't this indecent? No, I don't agree."

Du Qiang stood up anxiously and looked at Qian Xue seriously.

"I can wait for you as long as you want, but I can't let you follow me without any status or identity!"

Du Qiang looked at Qian Xue, whose eyes were moist.

"But I'm afraid to get married. Just thinking about it makes me angry and scared..."

Qian Xue wiped away her tears and looked at Du Qiang.

"I can't get over this hurdle!"

"You're a man too, you want to get married. I can't give you a marriage certificate, but I'm willing to give you everything else!"

Qian Xue looked at Du Qiang and threw herself into his arms.

She had seen how good he was to her during this time, but after what happened with Cao Jiaguo, she was wary of any man.

Du Qiang was naturally within her vigilance range; he would always secretly watch her, and later he would even stare at her directly.

She understood his thoughts.

But because of her sister's situation, she couldn't get over that hurdle in her heart.

She liked Du Qiang and knew that he would definitely make her happy.

But my sister wasn't like that back then...

But her sister's fate was so tragic.

In her grief and anger, she chose to end her own life.

Qian Xue was scared.

Du Qiang held Qian Xue in his arms. Her serious and determined gaze showed how much courage she had mustered to say those words after all the mental preparation she had just done.

Du Qiang hugged her tightly.

"But your mom and dad..."

“I had already told my parents before I came to find you! They… understood, neither supporting nor rejecting it.”

Qian Xue had already told her parents before she came.

After hearing their daughter's words, Mr. and Mrs. Qian remained silent for a long time.

They couldn't bring themselves to refuse, but they also couldn't offer any words of support.

After all, Qian Xue's actions would be considered shocking and unacceptable by common sense today.

However, Qian Yao's fate caused the two elders great distress.

They dared not persuade them, nor could they persuade them.

Seeing that Qian Xue was determined to do this, Qian's father and mother could only silently watch their daughter leave home.

"Let's go see Mom and Dad!"

Du Qiang led Qian Xue home.

When they arrived at the Qian family home, Qian's mother was taken aback when she opened the door and saw Du Qiang leading Qian Xue back.

"Aunt Qian."

Du Qiang led Qian Xue through the door and saw a pack of cigarettes in front of Qian's father, who had already smoked half of it without saying a word.

Upon seeing Du Qiang, Qian's father was taken aback and quickly extinguished his cigarette.

Du Qiang released Qian Xue and knelt down in front of Qian's parents.

"Hey, what are you doing? You mustn't do that!"

The Qian family already knew that Du Qiang was the bureau chief; his qualifications were top-notch, and he was deeply in love with Qian Xue.

Even as parents, they could see that Du Qiang was a good person.

The fact that such a person was kneeling before them took the two men by surprise.

“Qian Xue told me that I will marry no one but Qian Xue in this life. If she is willing to be with me, then she is my wife. I, Du Qiang, have no parents, so you will be my parents from now on.”

Du Qiang kowtowed to the two men, and Qian's father and mother's eyes immediately reddened.

"I know Xuexue has a psychological scar. I won't force her to marry me, but that would subject her to a lot of public opinion and cause her harm!"

Du Qiang said to them.

"I'm ready to marry Qian Xue whenever she comes to her senses!"

“If anyone asks us while we’re together, can we just say we’ve had a banquet in the village before?”

"Or, we can skip the marriage certificate and just have a wedding banquet!"

Common-law marriage is also acceptable.

"Of course we'd like to..."

Mr. and Mrs. Qian were of course willing; the one who was unwilling... was Qian Xue.

"Brother Du Qiang, can't we just not have a wedding?"

Qian Xue pursed her lips.

Du Qiang and Qian Xue stared at each other for a long time, but in the end Du Qiang gave in.

"Okay, we'll do it your way!"

Du Qiang pursed his lips and agreed to Qian Xue's request.

They won't get a marriage certificate or hold a wedding banquet; they will always be just friends.

"Thank you."

Qian Yao threw herself into Du Qiang's arms, and tears welled up in her eyes at that moment.

When Xia Lan and Xiao Yuqin learned about this, Xia Lan remained silent for a long time.

Qian Xue has a serious psychological problem, but there are no psychologists available right now, so she has to get through it on her own.

Living like a normal married couple without getting married or obtaining a marriage certificate is just missing a piece of paper, isn't it?

In later generations, this was not considered particularly tragic.

But in the 1980s, if people found out, they would be drowned in spit.

They should definitely be accused of disrupting social order and being morally corrupt.

At worst, we can just date like couples used to.

Once Qian Xue has thought things through, they can get married.

It doesn't matter if it's just a piece of paper.

You'd better treat them well!

My dear reader, there's more to this chapter! Please click the next page to continue reading—even more exciting content awaits!