Chapter 31
Iris was in low spirits for a few days, and Zhuang Zhuoyuan couldn't concentrate on anything else. It wasn't until the weekend that he finally left home and went to PC Bar to have happy hour with his brothers.
His late arrival naturally drew teasing from the crowd, but no further words were needed; the flashing silver ring easily silenced them. Zhuang Zhuoyuan smiled, picked up the wine bottle, and walked over to Zhan Hantao, who was standing to the side. With a wink, he wished him a successful proposal!
This time, without seeking outside help, Inspector Zhan arranged the proposal venue himself, without even asking Zhuang Zhuoyuan and Iris for props, which made the two of them very curious. Ignoring the group of gossipy old women, Zhuang Zhuoyuan put his arm around Zhan Hantao's shoulder, led him aside, and quietly asked if he needed any more advice.
Seeing Zhan Sir's expression, Zhan Hantao was initially happy and wanted to agree, but then, as if remembering something, he finally shook his head. He asked about his brother's recent unusual behavior and was also worried about whether something had happened between Zhuang Zhuoyuan and Iris.
Zhuang Zhuoyuan naturally couldn't tell the truth, so he simply said that Iris had been emotionally unstable lately, probably due to too much academic pressure, thus glossing over the matter. However, the proprietress overheard a few words, and Pauline, after delivering snacks, stopped beside Zhuang Zhuoyuan, asking him to bring Iris home the following evening. After all, Zhan Hantao's successful proposal was something to celebrate, and having the young couple come along would make it even more lively.
Zhuang Zhuoyuan readily agreed, put his arm around Pauline's shoulder, and began to say sweet words: "Shishi loves your cooking the most, Pauline. She will be even happier to taste your cooking tomorrow night. So it's settled then, I'll take her to my friend Jason's dessert shop for afternoon tea tomorrow afternoon, and then we'll bring a cake to your house so we can all have a sweet time together."
Jason was an alumnus whom Zhuang Zhuoyuan had carefully selected to introduce to Zhuang Zhuohua. Initially, when Iris mentioned pairing Ben with his older sister, Zhuang Zhuoyuan felt that the two were not a good match. Now that some time has passed and Ben has not taken any action, he, as the younger brother, could not just stand by and do nothing. He had to put Plan B on the agenda.
Iris had no problem with the dessert shop owner, who was handsome, articulate, and skilled. Although she still preferred Ben, getting to know another high-quality man was a good thing for Madam Zhuang. More social invitations meant Madam Zhuang wouldn't have to confine herself to her tiny office all the time, which was much better.
"Happy now?" Zhuang Zhuoyuan snapped his fingers to draw his girlfriend's attention back, his tone tinged with a hint of jealousy: "I've spent so many days with you and I've never seen you smile as brightly as you do today. Is it because the desserts here are so delicious, or is it that a new person has surpassed the old?"
Iris rested her chin on her hand and tilted her head: "Can't I have both?"
“Fine—” Zhuang Zhuoyuan drawled, seemingly unconcerned, letting Iris use a coffee spoon to measure his facial proportions as if she were drawing. He knew her tricks all too well; in two minutes, his comparison report with Jason would be fresh off the press. While waiting for the next sweet talk, Mr. Zhuang Zhuoyuan took a sip of coffee, then lightly tapped the table, deliberately saying to Iris, “Just a reminder, future Mrs. Zhuang, your situation is quite dangerous right now. If you don’t organize your thoughts well later, we’ll switch roles starting tonight, and you’ll be the one to coax me.”
"I'm pretty good at coaxing people too," Iris said smugly, but as she spoke, the spoon fell back into the cup to stir, and she stopped trying. Seeing that she wasn't as enthusiastic about desserts as usual, Zhuang Zhuoyuan took a small bite of her chestnut cake to taste it himself. He couldn't taste anything wrong with it, and after a moment's thought, he put his hand over Iris's and asked, "What's wrong? Are you still in a bad mood? Or is the food not to your liking?"
“Nothing like that,” Iris shook her head, rubbing her stomach, still feeling bloated. “I don’t want to deal with my sister and the others today. The cakes here are delicious, but I just don’t have an appetite.”
If we take into account Iris's loss of appetite over the past few days, and go back further, Zhuang Zhuoyuan could easily connect Iris's physical discomfort with her previous field trip with Dr. Pun. Her stomach was already sensitive, and she was also keen on trying all sorts of new foods. If she wasn't careful, she would easily have digestive problems, just like last time and the time before that.
"I can't take you anymore. I think I should take you to see a doctor." Zhuang Zhuoyuan picked up his coat and tried to pull Iris away. Iris was terrified of being forced to take her medicine every day, so she shook her head and tried to find excuses for herself: "I think I've just been lacking exercise lately. I have some digestive tablets in my bag. I'll take one right away, and then we can go shopping later."
Zhuang Zhuoyuan put his hands on his hips and looked at her: "You don't have time to go shopping every day, you know."
She understood his unspoken meaning. Iris hesitated between taking medication and running, but reluctantly chose the latter: "I'll just run with you every day for now."
"Are you sure?"
"..."
Iris really didn't want to answer, but since Sir Zhuang had asked the question, it meant he would take her physical training seriously from now on, and he wouldn't give up until he got a satisfactory answer. Iris could only pout and reluctantly answer softly, "Sure."
After strolling around, it was almost five o'clock when they arrived at the Zhan family's house. An antique car was covered with a silk cloth in the yard, and a circle of heart-shaped candles surrounded it. Iris's eyes lit up, and she couldn't wait to find out what Zhan Sir was up to.
"Do you like this kind of proposal?" Zhuang Zhuoyuan leaned close to her ear, carrying the bags in one hand and using the other to hold her hand.
Iris smiled sweetly, but shook her head under Zhuang Zhuoyuan's gaze: "I was just curious about what little tricks Tao-ge had up his sleeve. I don't like this kind of thing myself." She paused, looked around to make sure no one was nearby, then tiptoed and whispered in her boyfriend's ear, "Maybe it's because I don't have a particular fondness for cars, so this kind of proposal scene in front of me makes me feel a little bit tacky and pressured. You can't say this to anyone else!"
His girlfriend had already given him tips, so Zhuang Zhuoyuan would simply accept them all; there was no reason for him to refute them. He took Iris's hand and led her into the house, wondering what kind of decor she would prefer. Zhan Hantao was getting married soon, and someone like him, who had changed how he addressed his future in-laws for so long, couldn't be too slow.
"Sister Pauline, Uncle Chao, we're here."
Knowing they were coming, Zhan's parents left the door open early in the morning. Hearing the shouts, Pauline peeked out from the kitchen and saw Zhuang Zhuoyuan carrying two large bags full of toys. She knew that the two big kids had gone to the toy store for a date again: "Other people go on dates to the movies or fancy restaurants. You and Tao are really two of a kind, Tao took Huihui fishing, and you just dragged Ashi along to shoot guns."
Zhuang Zhuoyuan was always proud of this. In the entire arcade, who didn't envy him for having a like-minded girlfriend? "Sister Pauline, you don't know this, but my Iris also has the blood of a sharpshooter flowing through her veins. She plays even more enthusiastically than I do in front of the arcade machine. Look at all these, they're all her spoils. Tiger said the other day that with this girlfriend, he doesn't need his daily partner anymore."
Iris patted his shoulder and scolded, "I wouldn't dare compare myself to Tiger, you're just putting me on the spot!"
"To be compared to his idol, it's clear how good your marksmanship is in A-Yuan's eyes, Ah Shi," Uncle Chao said, carrying a bottle of wine downstairs. Seeing his wife frowning, he quickly waved his hand. "It's not that I'm greedy for wine, but today is such a great day, and so many people are here. Our son will propose successfully later, shouldn't I celebrate with my treasured wine? Ah Shi and A-Yuan, you're in for a treat later, this bottle is really good. Ah Shi, next time you're shooting, get Uncle Chao a share too, I want to see our female marksman's prowess!"
Iris blushed with embarrassment at their compliments. A few words of praise from ordinary people would be fine, but these experts taking turns showering her with compliments made her feel truly unworthy. So she quickly changed the subject, bringing up the other two bags in Zhuang Zhuoyuan's hands: "Uncle Chao, Sister Pauline, we also brought some wine. One bottle of red wine and one bottle of white wine, both gifts from my dad's winery friends. You can try them when you have time, and if you like them, I'll bring a few more bottles. And also, and most importantly, this DV camera! Today is such a memorable day; when Tao proposes to Huihui later, A-Yuan will record the whole thing!"
Upon hearing about the wine, Pauline initially thought Iris was being too polite; she already considered the two children family, so why did they need to bring gifts every time they visited? However, when Iris mentioned the video recording, she realized that she and her husband had indeed overlooked this important matter after all their busy work. Pauline slapped her forehead as she walked out, beaming at the young couple: "It's a good thing you came, otherwise I would have completely forgotten about it. Come on, I'll take care of the kitchen. Yuan, you take Shi to find a good spot to film, make sure you capture the whole scene clearly, but don't film Tao directly, and it's best if he doesn't notice. You know, he's very shy, and he's already incredibly nervous about the proposal tonight. If he sees us with cameras, he probably won't even be able to say a word."
Zhuang Zhuoyuan understood Pauline's concerns perfectly well. He knew his brother perfectly well. As for setting up the camera position, that was no problem for this top-notch sniper! With a gesture and a wink, Zhuang Zhuoyuan took the equipment from Iris and immediately headed towards the best observation spot he had scouted upon entering. Iris, seeing that there was nothing else she could help with, took out a pair of heart-shaped piglets from her toy bag and showed them to Pauline and Uncle Chao. These were special presents that she and Zhuang Zhuoyuan had worked hard to win at the arcade; with a photo of Zhan Hantao and Ding Huihui, it would be absolutely perfect.
Pauline understands this kind of romance perfectly. No sooner had Iris finished speaking than she threw down the spatula and went upstairs to find the photo album. No girl dislikes romance, and everyone had prepared so thoroughly today; Ding Huihui was sure to have a sweet and unforgettable experience.
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