Zhao Qingyun smiled at her eager expression and took out the items one by one and placed them on the table for her.
He bought taro rolls and soufflés. He didn't know much about these desserts and didn't know which ones were good, so he asked the clerk to bring him the most popular ones.
Xu Lai's eyes lit up when she saw the taro paste. She loved taro products. Her family would dig up a lot of taro every year, and she could steam three or four at a time.
Although Xu Lai was happy inside, she still maintained a nonchalant expression. Since it was almost time to eat, and her mother had always taught her not to eat snacks before meals, she said, "Put them away first. We're about to eat, I'll eat them later."
Zhao Qingyun hadn't washed her hands, so it wasn't appropriate to feed her directly. Instead, she took a pair of chopsticks, opened the box, picked up a taro roll, and held it to her mouth.
"Eat if you want. Do you need to restrain yourself in front of me?" He pushed the food forward.
Xu Lai opened her mouth, took a bite, covered her mouth, and said, "You can eat the rest."
Zhao Qingyun swallowed it in one gulp and rinsed the chopsticks clean.
Xu Lai noticed a crumb of cake on the corner of her mouth and tried to lick it off, but Zhao Qingyun suddenly reached out and removed the crumb.
She thought he would wipe it off with a tissue, but to her surprise, he put it directly to her mouth. Xu Lai's eyes widened, seemingly bewildered by his actions.
Zhao Qingyun bent her index finger and gently stroked her cheek. "Why are you making that face? I don't mind."
Xu Lai: Is this a matter of whether you're disgusted or not? The point is that he actually ate the food left on the corner of her mouth.
She looked away. "Hurry up and take the food to the table outside. We'll reduce the sauce on the pig's trotters a bit, then we can eat."
Zhao Qingyun is a typical person who is observant and attentive. After putting the things away, she came over to get bowls and chopsticks and set them out.
Xu Lai brought the dishes to the table. The pig's trotters were shiny with oil and fell apart easily with a chopstick. Grandpa and Grandma wouldn't have to worry about not being able to chew them because of their bad teeth.
...
Today is the winter solstice, which is also Xu Lai's birthday. Zhao Qingyun took a day off and went to the market with her to buy groceries.
It was almost lunchtime, and she hadn't seen Zhao Qingyun make any gesture. There were no flowers or cake, so Xu Lai couldn't help but wonder if he even knew what day it was.
Xia Ning gave her the gift early in the morning. When Xu Lai opened it, she found a castle inside, with a little princess figure wearing a necklace.
She took out a gold necklace; Xia Ning had really spent a lot of money. Xia Ning put her hand on her shoulder and said, "Xiao Lai, I hope you are happy, safe, and well. Happy birthday!"
Xu Lai's eyes welled up with tears. "Help me put it on."
Xia Ning fastened the buckle on her clothes. "Okay, it looks really good. I have great taste."
The two stayed in the room for a while, and Xia Ning asked secretly, "What did your CEO Zhao give me? Let me see."
Xu Lai sighed, "We still don't know, he hasn't made a move."
Xia Ning comforted her, "It's okay, there's always a surprise in the future."
She didn't see Zhao Qingyun take any action until after lunch.
In the afternoon, everyone was playing mahjong at home. Zhao Qingyun went out to the county to pick up a cake and flowers. The cake was custom-made by someone arranged by Zhao Qingxi, who said, "Only girls can understand girls' hearts. Your taste is no good."
He selected each flower individually and paired them with a bunch of champagne-colored roses, Xu Lai's favorite.
When he got home, he left the cake and flowers at his own place, planning to pick them up after dinner.
After dinner, everyone sat chatting. He gestured for Xu Shen to turn off the lights, then came out carrying a cake and flowers.
Xu Lai was startled when the lights went out. She thought there was a power outage at home because she had already cut the cake at noon, so she hadn't thought about the birthday cake at all that evening.
It wasn't until she saw Zhao Qingyun come out that she realized what was happening. She covered her face and watched him approach step by step.
To be honest, the atmosphere was just like a marriage proposal scene. Xu Lai was even worried that he would pull out a ring box at any moment.
Xu Lai heard him say, "Happy 28th birthday, Xu Lai. I hope I can spend every birthday with you from now on."
The people inside were cheering and jeering. Grandpa and Grandma were laughing so hard their teeth were showing. Xia Ning practically screamed; she had become the first person in the room to cheer.
Xu Lai suppressed her emotions and said, "I hope you can keep your word."
The candles were almost burned out when Xu Lai blew them out, turned on the lights, and shared the cake with everyone. She took a piece for herself and ate it with Zhao Qingyun.
When evening came and everyone had left, she returned to her room to remove her makeup and rest.
Zhao Qingyun grabbed her arm. "I have something to tell you."
Xu Lai looked puzzled and guessed, "There's another gift?"
Zhao Qingyun suddenly knelt down on one knee. "Xu Lai, I have thought about this for a long time and have decided to propose to you. You don't need to answer me right away, but let me finish what I have to say."
"Since I met you, got to know you, and made a promise to you, I've realized that being in love can be a kind of happiness. I was prepared to be alone for the rest of my life, but fate brought me to Shangxi Village and where I met you. I want to walk with you forever. Will you marry me?"
Xu Lai was completely bewildered by him. She stood there stunned for a full two minutes before realizing that he had been kneeling. She then reached out and took his hand, saying, "Stand up first."
Zhao Qingyun wasn't the type to stay up until he agreed. He stood up, took her hand, and said, "I originally wanted to propose to you while we were cutting the cake, but I didn't want you to accept my proposal because of pressure from your family and friends, and I didn't want to burden you."
“In a space where it’s just the two of us, you can refuse me without feeling awkward. After all, marriage is something that needs careful consideration. I’ve already thought it through, but you may not have had time yet, so I’m willing to give you time until the day you’re ready to accept it.”
Xu Lai opened her mouth, unsure of what to say. To be honest, she hadn't thought it through, so she wouldn't rashly accept the proposal, given the many issues involved between them.
The most obvious difference is in their residence and the city they live in after they get married.
Admittedly, she didn't want to go to City B. If she were someone who longed for the city, she wouldn't have chosen to resign and return to Shangxi Village in the first place.
But she couldn't selfishly keep Zhao Qingyun with her, so it became a thorn in her side.
She told him her concerns, and Zhao Qingyun chuckled, "You don't need to worry about that. I'll stay here, and of course, not just because of you."
“As the company’s business expands, I plan to focus on developing industries in Heng County, so I will be here for the next ten years,” Zhao Qingyun said truthfully.
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