Chapter 88
Lin Xiaoyu's ecstatic screams still faintly echoed in the living room, and the lingering echo of Shi's father's words, "It's good that you know what's going on," filled the air with an atmosphere mixed with shock, joy, confusion, and a subtle awkwardness. Shi Ye stood there, the bandage on her left wrist like an incongruous medal, her right hand unconsciously clutching the overly long cuff of her shirt, feeling like a time traveler who had accidentally wandered onto the set of a family drama—oh, she really was.
Qi Jin seemed to accept this "lively" scene quite well, or rather, she didn't care at all. After Lin Xiaoyu calmed down a bit (although she was still covering her mouth, her eyes were frighteningly bright), and Shi's father had also composed himself, Qi Jin took half a step forward, her gaze first falling on Shi Ye—her eyes were deep, carrying an unspoken confirmation—then turning to Shi's father, her tone more solemn than ever before, even carrying a rare hint of earnestness befitting a junior:
"Uncle Shi, there's something else."
Shi's father's heart skipped a beat, and he vaguely guessed what was going on. His expression turned serious: "Tell me."
Qi Jin stood ramrod straight, his voice clear and distinct, each word resonating in the quiet living room: "I want to get engaged to Shi Ye. Officially. I hope you will agree."
Although she had a premonition, Shi Ye's heart still skipped a beat when she heard Qi Jin say it so directly, even with a touch of ceremony. She subconsciously looked at Qi Jin's profile; his jawline was taut, and his hands hanging at his sides were slightly curled, revealing a hint of barely perceptible tension.
Shi's father fell silent. He looked at the young woman before him, thinking of her silent protection of his daughter over the years (the covert safeguards, the investigation after the explosion, the careful arrangements for Shi Ye's "resurrection"), the unspoken sacrifices Qi Jin might have made behind her "recovery," and the fact that his daughter had just "returned," her wrist still bearing the injury… As a father, his feelings were complex. On one hand, Qi Jin was undoubtedly a reliable choice, especially after experiencing Qin Ming's threat; Qi Jin's abilities and determination were a guarantee of Shi Ye's safety. On the other hand, his daughter had only just "recovered"—was it too hasty to arrange a marriage so quickly? Did his daughter truly want it?
He looked at Shi Ye with a questioning look in his eyes: "Xiao Ye, what do you think?" He needed to confirm his daughter's true wishes.
Shi Ye was called out and instantly became the center of attention. Lin Xiaoyu held her breath, her eyes wide open. Although Qi Jin didn't turn his head, Shi Ye could feel the tension in her body.
Shi Ye sighed inwardly. Well, what's meant to happen will happen. She glanced at Qi Jin's tense profile, recalling the fierce yet fragile kiss in the clinic, the weight of five years of unrequited love, and her own impulsive "I agree"... Although the process was bizarre and full of flaws, her feelings seemed... genuine.
Meeting her father's concerned gaze, she nodded, her voice soft but clear: "Dad, I'm willing." She paused, then added a thought that only she and Qi Jin could understand, "Anyway... the more debts, the less to worry about."
The father didn't understand the second half of the sentence, but he received the affirmation in the first half. Looking at his daughter's eyes, which showed some helplessness but no resistance, his worries subsided considerably. His daughter was lucid, and that was enough.
He let out a long sigh, a relieved yet slightly wistful smile on his face, and nodded to Qi Jin: "Alright. I agree with what you young people have decided. As long as Xiao Ye is happy and safe." He paused, looked at Qi Jin, and said in a more serious tone, "Qi Jin, I'm entrusting Xiao Ye to you. You must treat her well."
Qi Jin's shoulder relaxed almost imperceptibly, and she nodded solemnly: "I will use all my strength to protect her and make her happy." This was not sweet talk, but a solemn promise, like signing an important contract.
"Wow—!!!" Lin Xiaoyu finally couldn't hold back anymore and burst out again, this time with pure, unconfused ecstasy, "They agreed! Engagement! Long live Uncle Shi! Senior is awesome! Sister Shi is so lucky! Ahhh, I want to be a bridesmaid! No, I want to be the number one guest at the engagement banquet! I want to sit at the head table!" She was already fast forward to the banquet seating arrangements.
Shi Ye's head was throbbing from her nagging, and he couldn't help but complain, "Xiao Yu, calm down, you're spitting on my hand..." even though it was through the bandage.
Lin Xiaoyu then noticed that Shi Ye was still being "left out" on the side, wearing ill-fitting old clothes and with an injured wrist. She immediately switched to her distress mode: "Ah! Shi Ye, you haven't changed your clothes yet! Does your hand still hurt? I'll go get you a coat! No, let's go upstairs and rest first!" She was flustered, wanting to find clothes and help Shi Ye at the same time, completely forgetting the excitement of shipping the couple earlier.
Qi Jin naturally took Shi Ye's uninjured right hand (the movement was so smooth as if he had rehearsed it a thousand times) and said to Shi's father, "Uncle Shi, I'll take Shi Ye to my place to settle in first. She needs to rest, and her wrist needs to be dressed regularly. I'll take care of everything else."
Seeing Qi Jin take his daughter's hand, Shi's father felt a little uncomfortable but didn't pull away, and his last bit of hesitation dissipated. He nodded, "Okay, go ahead. Just tell me if you need anything." He then instructed Shi Ye, "Xiao Ye, get some rest and follow Qi Jin's instructions."
Shi Ye responded and was led outside by Qi Jin, her mind still racing with thoughts: "That's it... he's won over the parents? Isn't that a bit too easy? My dad's already 'handed me over'? Qi Jin's efficiency... no wonder he's the CEO. But what does 'settling in with her' mean? Cohabitation? So fast? Should I be a little reserved? But with my wrist like this, I can't really live alone... Oh well, I guess I'll just have to accept it. The creditor has the final say."
As he reached the door, Qi Jin suddenly stopped and turned back to Shi's father, adding, "I will discuss the specific arrangements for the engagement with you in detail. Also, I will inform my parents to return to China as soon as possible. At that time, the two families will formally meet and hold a family banquet."
Shi's father was taken aback for a moment, then realized that this was Qi Jin's respect and courtesy, and quickly said, "Okay, okay! It's only right! You make the arrangements, and we'll cooperate."
Lin Xiaoyu, with her sharp ears, immediately caught the key words: "Family dinner! Two families meeting! Ahhh, this is so formal! Senior, Sister Shi Ye, you must invite me! I want to witness history!"
As Shi Ye was pulled out the door by Qi Jin, he could still hear Lin Xiaoyu excitedly spinning around inside, and his father scolding her with a smile: "Xiaoyu, you child... be more mature!"
Once inside the car, the outside noise was shut out. Qi Jin didn't start the car immediately, but instead turned to the side and carefully fastened Shi Ye's seatbelt, his movements gentle, avoiding her injured wrist. They were very close; Shi She could smell her crisp scent and see her lowered, focused eyelashes.
After fastening his seatbelt, Qi Jin didn't immediately back away. Instead, he looked up at Shi Ye with a deep gaze: "Does your hand still hurt?"
Shi Ye nodded honestly: "A little." It mainly hurts when I move.
Qi Jin's brows furrowed almost imperceptibly. He reached out and lightly touched the edge of the bandage before quickly withdrawing his hand. His voice was lower: "Go home and change the dressing. I'll have Uncle Chen come over."
Shi Ye hummed in agreement, thinking to himself, "Home? You've changed your tune so quickly? Mr. Qi, aren't you adapting to this role a little too fast...?"
The car drove smoothly away from the Shi family home. After a few minutes, Shi Ye belatedly remembered something and asked, "Your parents... are they away most of the time? Would they agree to this?" She remembered Qi Jin mentioning that her parents didn't handle things, and her grandfather made the decisions. But now that they were getting engaged, her parents had to be involved.
Qi Jin looked ahead, his tone calm yet resolute: "They will agree. Grandpa already knew." He paused, then added, "They're just not good at expressing themselves, but they know it in their hearts."
Thinking of the cheerful and open-minded Grandpa Qi, Shi Ye felt a little more at ease. At least the elders didn't seem too difficult to deal with.
"So... when is the family banquet?" She was a little curious, and also a little... inexplicably nervous. The two families formally meeting and finalizing the engagement felt different from the verbal agreement they had just made in their own living room.
“One week from now,” Qi Jin gave a specific timeframe. “There’s enough time to prepare. You just need to rest and let your hand heal.” She glanced at Shi Ye, her eyes filled with undeniable control. “Leave everything else to me.”
Shi Ye looked at her profile, that familiar calm and strength that belonged to Qi Jin, yet at this moment it gave her a strange sense of security. Although the process was unbelievable and the future was still uncertain (the system was still pretending to be dead), the person beside her seemed to be able to shoulder everything.
She leaned back in her chair, watching the street scene flash by outside the window. Her injured wrist throbbed with pain, and a burning sensation seemed to linger on her lips.
The initial grumbling gradually subsided, replaced by a strange calm, a sense of peace that carried a hint of settledness, and a faint... expectation for the so-called "family dinner."
Okay.
If you're going to get engaged, then get engaged.
It's a family dinner, so be it.
Anyway, I've experienced the most bizarre storms.
Next, we'll deal with whatever comes our way, like soldiers coming and water coming up.
And the creditor (who is also his fiancée) seems very reliable.
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