Chapter 168 Clash of Ideas
Jiang Ruzhen suddenly felt uneasy; she had never considered marrying Lu Mingzheng.
"What are you saying? Your mother doesn't even approve of us being together, so why are we getting married?"
"I'll convince my mom, you don't need to worry," Lu Mingzheng said confidently.
"We're both so old, what difference does it make whether we get married or not? Isn't it better for us to just stay together and enjoy our freedom?"
Jiang Ruzhen frowned, her eyes full of resistance.
"Ah Zhen, you don't want to marry me? Why?"
Lu Mingzheng's passionate heart gradually cooled down as he noticed Jiang Ruzhen's evasive words and hesitant attitude.
Why?
Hasn't she already revealed her biggest secret to him?
Why is she still so resistant to marriage?
Does she really not care about a formal title?
But he does care!
"Ah Zhen, what exactly are you worried about?"
Jiang Ruzhen couldn't say it. Should she say that she was an old monster reborn from the future, who had seen so many beautiful loves eventually head towards the grave?
Even the most passionate love will eventually transform into familial affection.
It's good if it turns into family affection; the most tragic thing is if it ends in discord or even enmity.
Their worlds are different, and problems are bound to arise in the future.
Even if the two of them can work things out well, Lu Mingzheng's family has clearly refused her entry into the family. Why should she compromise herself for a man?
She's a businesswoman, and she disdains anything where the input and output are clearly disproportionate.
Moreover, she is currently in a very good life, with money, children, and no husband. Isn't this the best state that women in later generations would pursue?
She doesn't plan to have any more children now. Although she looks young, she is considered an older mother.
At that point, anything could happen on the operating table.
She wouldn't gamble her life on a man.
Even if we take a step back and assume that they really get married, and Lu Mingzheng doesn't care that she doesn't want to have children, and he doesn't force her to have his own child, wouldn't his family care?
At the very least, it hasn't passed muster with Boss Bai yet.
The best option is simply not to get married.
The two are in a good relationship now, but they might have a falling out one day. If they don't get married then, they can just break up without any ties.
“I really haven’t thought about getting married, Lu Mingzheng. If you think there’s something wrong with my thinking, then you can consider whether you still want to be with me.”
Jiang Ruzhen turned and left, her back view showing great determination.
Lu Mingzheng stood there stunned for a long time without moving. He slowly squatted down and dug his ten fingers into his hair, pinching his scalp hard.
He couldn't understand why Jiang Ruzhen trusted him so much and liked him so much, yet didn't want to get married.
He has already assured her that her family is not a problem, so what exactly is she resisting?
Does that mean she doesn't like him at all?
Lu Mingzheng found it hard to accept this fact.
After an unknown amount of time, Lu Mingzheng got up in a daze and wandered around the beautiful campus like a lost soul.
Like a homeless vagrant.
He walked for an unknown amount of time, and when he got tired, he found a spot by an artificial lake and sat down, gazing at the shimmering surface of the lake in a daze, lost in thought.
Suddenly, two familiar arguing voices entered his ears.
"Xin Xin, what are you angry about? I don't understand."
"You don't even know what's making me angry, yet you keep saying you like me?"
"No, be reasonable. Is there a conflict between liking you and not being able to figure out what you're thinking?"
"Xie Hui, then I'll explain to you today why I'm angry."
"Okay, go ahead, I'm all ears."
From beginning to end, did I ever force you to like me?
"No. It was my own choice."
"So, am I a person with independent thinking?"
"Yes, I respect what you said!"
"Tch~ Respect me? Respecting someone isn't something you can just say. You think you like me by constantly stalking me and cutting off all my potential suitors."
Then they would appear around me all the time, making our classmates mistakenly think that we were a couple?
You've used all your scheming on me, even in front of my family, constantly creating the illusion that we like each other. Have you ever given me the freedom to choose?
"I..." Xie Hui opened his mouth, but suddenly felt he had no way to defend himself.
"Also, Xie Hui, do you think that just because I've fallen for you, everything has to revolve around you and everything has to be done according to your wishes?"
Including my career, my future?
"No, I didn't," Xie Hui said anxiously. "Xin Xin, I just wanted to give you some advice from your boyfriend's perspective. I think we've been dating for over a year, so we should get engaged first, to prevent others from trying to sabotage our relationship."
"Our relationship is so good, of course we should get married after graduation. I have a plan for our future, isn't that good?"
Shen Shuxin gave a wry smile and tried to speak calmly.
"Xie Hui, I am very grateful for your feelings for me, and I am also grateful for your care for me from the beginning. But whether it is marriage or engagement, it is a major event between two people, and even two families, and it is not something you can decide on your own."
Last year, when I told you I was going to Liu Province to do an interview with a teacher, you stopped me, claiming you were my boyfriend.
If my mom hadn't supported my decision, I might have been persuaded by you and missed that excellent training opportunity.
And now, you're proposing to get engaged to me under the pretext of being afraid of others hurting me, but have you even asked for my opinion?
Do you know my dream of becoming a host? I want to carve out my own niche in the world. I don't want to get married and have children early, confined to that square house, wasting my life as a wife and mother.
Do you understand my thoughts?
Xie Hui seemed to have been hit hard, and involuntarily took a few steps back, clutching his heart and muttering in pain.
"Xin Xin, you've changed. You've changed so much I don't even recognize you. You used to be so well-behaved and obedient... That time you were kidnapped, your vulnerable and pitiful eyes still make me feel so guilty..."
Shen Shuxin's eyes glistened with tears, but she looked at Xie Hui with unwavering determination.
"Xie Hui, it's not that I've changed, it's that you don't understand me at all."
My former obedience and sensibility were forced out of me by the burdens of life, but I know deep down I've always been resentful.
I want to make something of myself, I want to achieve my life's dreams, I don't want to get engaged or married early. Are my restless thoughts, which are not in your well-planned scheme, unforgivable?
Why should men be allowed to go out and work hard, while women are expected to stay at home, have children, do housework, slowly turn into haggard old women, and then be disliked and abandoned by you?
I'm sorry, Xie Hui, I'm not that kind of woman. We're probably not right for each other.
After saying these words, Shen Shuxin turned and walked away with firm and resolute steps.
Xie Hui was left standing there, bewildered and helpless.
"Xie Hui, come here!"
Lu Mingzheng raised his hand and called out to Xie Hui. Xie Hui was stunned for a moment before walking over dejectedly and sitting down next to Lu Mingzheng by the lake in a daze.
"What did you do to offend Xin Xin? I'm warning you, although you are my godson, Xin Xin is my own daughter. I won't allow you to bully her."
Xie Hui shook his head with a wry smile, "How could I dare to bully her? I like her too much to even think about it..."
"Why is Xin Xin so angry?"
Lu Mingzheng didn't believe that Shen Shuxin would throw a tantrum for no reason. Xie Hui turned to look at Lu Mingzheng in confusion.
"Godfather, I heard today that someone is attacking Xin Xin in my name. I was very angry, so I called my mother and told her that I want to get engaged to Xin Xin."
My mom said she would set off immediately with gifts to propose to my godmother, and I happily ran to share this good news with Xin Xin.
I also told her that we would get married after graduation, and she wouldn't have to work and could stay at home and enjoy life. I would work hard to support the family.
I was only thinking of Xin Xin. She's so delicate and fragile; I wanted to protect her. Is that wrong of me?
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