Chapter Four: Marriage Is No Game
745 Words
“Marriage is not a game. I never treat my marriage as a joke,” Ye Lancheng said with a tone as casual as if he were commenting on the weather.
An Zhisu thought she might laugh if the situation weren’t so serious. Hearing Ye Lancheng say that “marriage is not a game” made An Zhisu feel it was particularly absurd.
They had met only a few times? An Zhisu counted on her fingers—two fingers were left. From their first meeting at seven years old until now, with this one, it had been eighteen years and only three encounters. Apart from each other’s names, they knew nothing about one another. You’re talking about marriage being no game while proposing to marry a stranger—are you serious?
“Ye Lancheng, did you take your medicine today?” An Zhisu blurted out without thinking.
Ye Lancheng: …
Ye Lancheng pressed his fingers to his temples, trying to remain patient. “You need support. Marrying me is more secure than a fake engagement. Once we’re married, you’ll be my wife. In S City, you’ll be able to walk proudly.”
“Why would I need to walk proudly? I’m not a turtle,” An Zhisu blurted again.
Ye Lancheng: …
Ye Lancheng didn’t hold back this time, his temples visibly pulsing.
Of course, An Zhisu regretted her words immediately. She bit her lip, wishing she could slap herself for being so reckless.
Seeing Ye Lancheng’s darkened expression, An Zhisu felt even more like punishing herself. Just as she was considering what to say to make amends, a knock sounded on the door.
*Knock, knock, knock!*
The three knocks, though not very loud, felt like they struck An Zhisu’s heart, startling her greatly.
Ye Lancheng’s face was stern as he said, “Come in.”
The assistant, sensing the tense atmosphere even before entering, glanced cautiously at Ye Lancheng’s darkened face and carefully reminded, “Mr. Ye, the car is ready. It’s time for you to head to the airport.”
Ye Lancheng nodded heavily and stood up, casually writing down a string of numbers on a sticky note, tearing it off, and handing it to An Zhisu.
As he approached, An Zhisu finally saw his full height—nearly 185 cm—imposing and adding to the pressure. The well-tailored suit accentuated his perfect figure, like a walking clothes hanger.
“Take this. I’ll be on a business trip for a week. Call me when you’ve made up your mind,” Ye Lancheng said, stopping beside her. As his wrist moved, the light from his diamond cufflinks reflected into An Zhisu’s eyes, causing her to squint slightly.
An Zhisu, almost on impulse, took the sticky note, gripping it tightly in her hand.
……
When Song Jiaran returned home from the law firm, exhausted, she found An Zhisu comfortably lounging on the sofa, holding a newly purchased wine glass with some red wine she had been saving for a long time. Half of the wine bottle on the table was already empty, which made Song Jiaran’s heart ache.
“An Zhisu, you’d better give me a good reason for drinking my wine. If it’s not something really worth celebrating, I’ll throw you off the balcony,” Song Jiaran said, stomping over and glaring with her hands on her hips.
An Zhisu looked up, her usually pale face flushed slightly from the wine, making her look more pleasant. Seeing her like this made Song Jiaran’s anger diminish by half. How could one stay mad at such a beautiful face?
Song Jiaran, feeling defeated, sat down and grabbed the remaining half bottle of wine, pouring herself a glass. “So, did Ye Lancheng agree to the fake engagement?”
An Zhisu shook her head vigorously.
Song Jiaran, not acting very ladylike, muttered, “I thought you were celebrating. Turns out you’re drinking away your sorrows. An Zhisu, where’s your ambition? Being rejected for marriage isn’t the end of the world. I never thought Ye Lancheng would agree.”
“Hmm, he said marriage is not a game and can’t be used as a bargaining chip. So, after careful consideration, he proposed we actually get married,” An Zhisu nodded seriously.
*Pfft...*
Song Jiaran spat out the wine she had just taken a sip of.
“Cough, cough...” Song Jiaran choked and coughed for a while before asking, “Zhisu, you’re not drunk, are you?”
- Writer
