That's weird, really weird!
"Forget it, someone has to propose first when it comes to marriage, so it can't be me who proposes!" Qiao Xinruo said.
She should be the one getting proposed to, no matter what.
"I didn't ask you to propose, but you could give him a hint, after all, you know Zhou Jinglan's personality, right?" Su Yueya advised.
Based on her understanding of Zhou Jinglan, her feelings for her younger sister are undoubtedly strong, but she is a bit too "obedient." Zhou Jinglan might not have the courage to take such a risky step as proposing marriage.
If he succeeds, he will get what he wants and marry the person he has always longed for; if he fails and is rejected, then Zhou Jinglan will lose everything.
Therefore, Zhou Jinglan might not really dare to take such a risk.
"I don't want to," Qiao Xinruo said haughtily.
In her view, she had already hinted at Zhou Jinglan's intentions, so what was the difference between that and her actively proposing to him?
No, this matter should be handled by Zhou Jinglan taking the initiative.
"Alright, it's your own business, you figure it out yourself!" Su Yueya said. She understood her sister's personality, knew when and what she could persuade her about, and also knew what she couldn't persuade.
As their relationship deepened, Qiao Xinruo also accompanied Zhou Jinglan to meet his friends a few times.
Everyone has high hopes for them and wishes them well.
Zhou Jinglan's brothers were also curious about when they would be able to drink his wedding wine.
"Jinglan, you've been with your beloved little goddess for so long, haven't you thought about marrying her soon?" your good friend asked.
They got along well, and although only Zhou Jinglan was sent out to study, they still often ate and chatted together.
"By the way, your exchange program is almost over. After you go back to your unit, will you still be able to see your partner so often?"
How could Zhou Jinglan not have considered these things?
Whether it was getting married or the end of their relationship, he always had a plan in mind. But having a plan wasn't enough; he also needed the courage to move things forward.
“I know the exchange is coming to an end soon, and we’ll have less time to meet then, but… going back to the military is inevitable, and I can’t control that,” Zhou Jinglan said. He couldn’t just transfer to another military region; it was no small matter.
"So, why don't you just marry her and the problem will be solved?"
“But…” Zhou Jinglan hesitated.
During his relationship with Qiao Xinruo and his interactions with her family, Zhou Jinglan gradually gained a deeper understanding of her and learned about her past "bold statements," such as not being interested in dating and only wanting to focus on her career. Therefore, he was truly unsure of how he was defined in Qiao Xinruo's heart.
Of course, he never doubted the little goddess's character. Since she agreed to date him, she must be serious. But... dating and marriage are two different things.
Just because Qiao Xin is willing to date him doesn't mean she's willing to marry him.
What will happen if he makes such an unreasonable request at an inopportune time? Maybe Qiao Xinruo will get annoyed and end the relationship?
“You don’t understand. Xinruo never planned to get married before, nor did she have any intention of dating anyone. So, I’m already very satisfied to be able to date her,” Zhou Jinglan said hesitantly.
"Brother, if she can change her mind once, maybe she can change it a second time?" his good friend advised.
"Yes, Jinglan, you need to be more confident. Comrade Qiao must really admire you to be dating you. So how do you know she still doesn't want to get married? Don't jump to conclusions without trying."
Zhou Jinglan is not someone who dares not try, nor is he someone who lacks self-confidence.
But there are always exceptions.
Qiao Xinruo was Zhou Jinglan's exception.
When he was with Qiao Xinruo, or when he encountered anything related to her, he did become insecure and dared not try anything easily, because he did not believe he could bear the consequences of trying.
What if this isn't the outcome he wants?
"I...I dare not..." Zhou Jinglan was quite honest with his brother.
It was precisely because of his honesty that his brothers couldn't bring themselves to make fun of him. After all, they had known Zhou Jinglan for a long time and knew very well that once he encountered the Little Goddess, this brother basically lost all rationality.
"So what are you planning to do? Just keep dating like this, and keep going like this? What if Ms. Qiao wants to get married? If you keep doing this, she might start to doubt your sincerity," his good friend reminded him.
Zhou Jinglan: "..."
He didn't say anything, but he did take his brother's words to heart.
Perhaps he could try setting a deadline for himself, and hold back until then. If he could continue dating Qiao Xinruo until then without being dumped by her, he would muster up the courage to give it a try.
But when would it be appropriate to set this timeframe?
"Sigh, forget it. We were having a great time together today, but you guys all kept making Jinglan feel down. Let's not talk about it anymore. Jinglan knows what's going on. Let's keep eating!"
"Yes, let's talk about something else..."
After returning home, Zhou Jinglan tossed and turned in bed, unable to fall asleep, and continued to ponder the matter.
Or should he give himself another year?
If he doesn't get dumped by Qiao Xinruo within a year, will he muster up the courage to propose to her? If he's rejected, will he shamelessly refuse to be dumped and continue their relationship?
A year should be enough, right?
In the days that followed, Qiao Xinruo and Zhou Jinglan continued to get along as usual, going on dates when they wanted to, and focusing on their respective careers when they wanted to. Occasionally, Zhou Jinglan would attend family gatherings at the Qiao family home, or Qiao Xinruo would accompany Zhou Jinglan to meet his friends.
As time went on, Zhou Jinglan still didn't make any moves, and Qiao Xinruo also noticed this, so she became somewhat restless.
Could it be that everything Zhou Jinglan did was an act, and he just wanted to play around with her? He just wanted to fulfill the childhood dream of the little goddess, and he didn't actually want a real future with her?
Qiao Xinruo was always confident, but at this moment she was shaken. Could it be that she had misjudged her?
"Xinruo, the exchange program will end in a week, and then I'll have to go back to my unit." After receiving the specific notification and confirming the time, Zhou Jinglan immediately went to the medical department to find Qiao Xinruo and told her about it.
"So, is there anything you want to say to me?" Qiao Xinru stared at him, as if trying to see through him.
If Zhou Jinglan is going to take any action or express anything, then this moment, just before their separation, is the best opportunity. If Qiao Xinruo takes the initiative to ask, it can be considered as giving Zhou Jinglan a starting point so that he can continue the conversation.
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