"I should have come to visit long ago, but I just couldn't find the time."
Su Jianguo quickly grasped the calloused hand, and only then did he realize what was happening, so he quickly stepped aside to make way.
"Commander Xia, please come in! Have a seat inside!"
Hearing the commotion, Wang Xiulan ran out of the kitchen and was startled by the scene before her.
She hurriedly wiped her apron, then realized it wasn't right, so she simply ripped it off and stuffed it behind her back.
"Xiulan, this is Commander Xia and his wife!"
Su Jianguo explained.
"Quickly, quickly invite the guests inside!"
Mrs. Xia smiled and stepped forward, taking Wang Xiulan's hand in her own.
"Sister Wang, I'm sorry to bother you. Mengsheng talks about your Yuzhen every day at home; we should have come to visit long ago."
Su Jianguo was stunned; he hadn't expected the Xia family to be so direct.
Xia Mengsheng stood behind his father, somewhat embarrassed, but with a firm look in his eyes.
He whispered to Su Jianguo.
"Uncle Su, my father came this time to formally propose marriage."
These words exploded like a bomb in the Su family courtyard.
Su Jianguo and Wang Xiulan looked at each other, unsure how to react.
"Don't just stand there, come inside and talk!"
Finally, Su Jianguo came to his senses and quickly greeted the guests.
The small main room was suddenly packed with people.
Xia Weiguo and his wife sat in the main seats, two guards stood at the door, and Xia Mengsheng stood nervously behind his parents.
Su Jianguo told Wang Xiulan to quickly make tea.
"Mr. Su, there's no need to bother."
Xia Weiguo laughed heartily.
"We military families don't concern ourselves with these formalities."
Su Jianguo then stopped what he was doing and sat down opposite Xia Weiguo.
He secretly observed the military commander and found that although the man held a high position and wielded great power, his eyes were frank and direct, and he had no airs whatsoever.
Wang Xiulan brought in a teapot.
She poured a cup of tea for everyone.
"Sister Wang, don't be nervous."
Mrs. Xia said gently, taking the teapot and pouring the tea herself.
"We've come here to discuss the matter of our two children with you."
Upon hearing this, Su Jianguo finally spoke.
"Commander Xia, it's an honor for the Su family that you could come in person. However..."
He hesitated for a moment.
"Our family is just ordinary farmers, far inferior to the Xia family in terms of social standing..."
"What's with all this talk about social status!"
Xia Weiguo immediately waved his hand.
"I, Xia Weiguo, also come from a peasant background! Back when I was herding cattle in my hometown, who could have imagined I'd be where I am today?"
Mrs. Xia picked up the conversation.
"Boss Su, Sister Wang, what we value most about Yuzhen is her character. Meng Sheng said she's diligent, sensible, and very opinionated. Such a good girl is exactly what our Xia family needs."
Su Jianguo and Wang Xiulan exchanged a glance, both seeing surprise and trepidation in each other's eyes.
They knew their daughter was dating Xia Mengsheng, but they never expected it to develop to the point of discussing marriage, let alone that the Xia family would take it so seriously.
"Where is Yuzhen?"
Xia Mengsheng suddenly asked, his eyes constantly glancing towards the door.
"She's helping out at the tofu shop. I'll have someone go and call her."
Wang Xiulan was about to get up as she spoke.
"No need to call me, I'm back."
A crisp sound came from the doorway.
Everyone turned around and saw Su Yuzhen standing there, still wearing the apron she wore for making tofu, her hands covered in bean dregs.
She had clearly just run back from the workshop; her cheeks were flushed and there were fine beads of sweat on her forehead.
Seeing the room full of military officers and Xia Mengsheng's parents, Su Yuzhen was clearly stunned and stood at the door, at a loss for what to do.
Xia Mengsheng rushed over and grabbed her hand.
"Yuzhen, my parents have come to propose marriage!"
These words made Su Yuzhen's face turn bright red, all the way to her ears.
She tried to pull her hand away, but Xia Mengsheng held it tightly.
"Nonsense!"
Xia Weiguo suddenly shouted, startling Su Yuzhen.
But then, the commander strode over with a smile on his face.
"How can such a big deal as proposing marriage be done so casually?"
He stopped in front of Su Yuzhen, then suddenly took out a small box wrapped in red silk from his pocket and solemnly handed it over.
"Yuzhen, this is the Xia family's heirloom jade pendant, which I am formally handing over to you today. I, Xia Weiguo, on behalf of the Xia family, request your parents' consent to this marriage."
Su Yuzhen was completely stunned, her hand hovering in mid-air, too afraid to catch it.
Wang Xiulan quickly came over and gently pushed her daughter's back.
"Go on, silly girl."
Su Yuzhen then trembled as she took the red cloth bag and carefully opened it.
Inside is a piece of warm, white jade, carved with exquisite dragon and phoenix patterns.
"This...this is too valuable..."
She stammered.
Madam Xia came over and gently helped her tie the jade pendant around her neck.
"Child, this is a gift from our Xia family to our future daughter-in-law. Mengsheng has always been stubborn; once he's made up his mind, nothing can change it. He says he won't marry anyone but you, so as parents, we naturally support him."
Su Yuzhen's eyes reddened. She looked up at her parents, her eyes filled with both shyness and pleading.
Su Jianguo took a deep breath and walked up to Xia Weiguo.
"Commander Xia, since you think so highly of our Yuzhen, we, as her parents, have no reason to object..."
Seeing that Su Jianguo had agreed.
Xia Mengsheng suddenly knelt down on one knee and, to everyone's surprise, tightly grasped Su Yuzhen's hand.
"Yuzhen, I, Xia Mengsheng, swear before both our parents today that you are the one for me in this life! I will treat you well for the rest of my life and never let you suffer the slightest grievance!"
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