"Lin Xuan, we'll take Chu Ling home first."
"If you're free right now, why don't you come over to our place and sit for a bit?"
"You… you haven't been to your uncle's house in a long time, right! That brat Tang Chuan really misses you too! You cousins can take the chance to catch up a little!"
"...…."
Inside the ward.
After some small talk, Tang Guo'an stood up, ready to leave, and invited Lin Xuan before heading out.
Beside him, Xu Shuyun chimed in repeatedly, face full of expectation.
In order to eavesdrop on his inner voice, the couple were racking their brains, wanting to tie this nephew to their side.
o(￣ヘ￣o＃) Unfortunately, they were refused with a wave of Lin Xuan's hand.
"Tomorrow, Uncle! I happen to have something to deal with this afternoon."
...
[(ˉ▽￣～) Che~~~ Eldest Uncle really is lying through his teeth with his eyes wide open!]
[Who doesn't know how much my stupid "ou doudou"~~ hates me because of that fake rich girl?! He'd love for me to disappear; no way he actually misses me!]
[Speaking of which, that brat even broke my nose once before! (???) I'll have to get that back sooner or later…]
[But my stupid "ou doudou," his chrysanthemum is about to be in danger! Tsk tsk tsk, kinda pitiful if you think about it…]
...
(???(??? ;) What???
What the heck is this "O-doudou" (⊙⊙)???
Could it be referring to Tang Chuan?!
Looks like once I get home, I'll have to give that son of mine another serious warning, tell him to ease up on the hostility toward Lin Xuan, maybe even stay as far away from this dangerous cousin as possible…
Because this nephew is poisonous, and super vindictive. →→
But what's this about his chrysanthemum being in danger?!
Could it be Tang Chuan doesn't like women? Is his orientation a bit off???
Thinking back to how every time they mentioned setting up a blind date or introducing someone to him…
Tang Chuan would show extreme resistance, violently refusing to comply.
The same ominous thump sounded in both Xu Shuyun and her husband's hearts, giving them a bad feeling.
(òωó?)! No way, no way!!!
Could their son really be gay?!
...
[Weird! Weren't they saying they were going to take Chu Ling away? Why are these two still spacing out here?]
[Hurry up and leave already! Don't you know there's a happy event at my place?!]
[Qingge's going with me to get our marriage certificate this afternoon. Who's got time to keep you two old geezers company and waste time here.]
[Sigh, this is killing me with anxiety! Question: "How do you quietly shoo away clingy relatives without batting an eye?"]
[ε＝ε＝ε＝(#＞д＜)? Waiting online, urgent!!!!]
...
On the surface Lin Xuan was calm and unhurried, but in his heart, he kept chanting an expulsion spell:
"Hurry up and scram," "hurry up and scram," "hurry up and scram," "hurry up and scram already"...…
Right now, Lin Xuan was elated on the inside, feeling a sense of harvest and surprise.
He had never expected that not long ago…
Su Qingge would suddenly suggest going to register for a marriage certificate with him.
Of course, Lin Xuan had lifted the corners of his lips and agreed without hesitation.
On the other side.
Hearing his inner voice, the Tang couple realized they were actually this unwelcome and couldn't help feeling embarrassed.
At the same time, from the corner of their eyes they glanced at the girl in the wheelchair, a hint of amazement flashing in their pupils.
It had to be said…
Their nephew really did have quite the good fortune with women!
But a frigid, peerless beauty like that didn't look like someone their plain and ordinary nephew could handle at all…
Thinking of some rumors he'd heard before…
The corners of Tang Guo'an's mouth curved into a faintly gloating smile.
In his imagination, with this kind of strong-woman-weak-man pairing, Lin Xuan's everyday life had to be incredibly stifling.
After all, as a live-in son-in-law taken in to ward off bad luck, his status in the wife's family would basically be rock-bottom.
It was entirely possible that at home he wouldn't even dare breathe too loudly, and he'd have to be in charge of unclogging toilets, bringing foot-wash water, and doing all the cooking and housework…
Hmph! ╭(╯^╰)╮
This brat even wants to trick me into growing 'cauliflower'?!
(^▽^) Now he's finally getting what he deserves!!!
Just picturing his nephew squatting pitifully beside the toilet, scrubbing away as hard as he could…
That mental victory alone made the corners of Tang Guo'an's mouth stretch wide, his face blooming into a chrysanthemum-like grin, his mood instantly much lighter.
"Alright then! Lin Xuan, you go do your thing! We'll take Chu Ling home first; Eldest Uncle will be waiting for you at home tomorrow!"
Then, the couple led the somewhat nervous and uneasy Chu Ling out of the ward and hurried home…
...
Once the annoying uncle's family had finally disappeared from sight, only Su Qingge and Lin Xuan were left in the ward, and it became utterly quiet.
"Qingge, what you said this morning… were you serious?"
Lin Xuan rubbed his hands together, squatting by the wheelchair with a slightly nervous expression.
Hearing that.
The girl turned her head and silently gazed at the man's chiseled face.
Under Lin Xuan's surprised gaze, she suddenly reached out and gently stroked his features, answering his question with another question:
"Then are you willing? Are you willing to accept my proposal and marry me?"
Uh (⊙o⊙)…
Even though he'd always said he was "marrying into" the Su family as a good-luck son-in-law.
Now that there was really a woman actually standing in front of him saying she wanted him to 'marry her,' Lin Xuan just couldn't help an inexplicable… comedic feeling?!
Pfft—
In what should have been a sacred and solemn 'proposal' moment, Lin Xuan couldn't hold back and laughed.
Then he reached out to pinch the girl's smooth, tender little face and nodded with a smile:
"Marry? Why wouldn't I marry?! My stomach's always been weak, I've long wanted to live off the soft rice that is you, Qingge."
"Qingge… oh no, my wife, from now on I'm your little man."
"ヽ(￣ω￣(￣ω￣〃)ゝ We two can divide the work: you're in charge of making money to support the family, I'm in charge of being handsome and dashing, and together we'll build our perfect little home."
"????乛?乛????. Wife, I'm entrusting my happiness for the rest of my life to you. You have to protect this fragile man of yours~~~"
"And I'll do my duty as a husband, doing my utmost to continue the Su family line for you and give you children. I've already the Twelve Zodiac Plan, ready to implement anytime. (??????)??"
"...…."
Looking at Lin Xuan's cheap, asking-for-a-beating expression, Su Qingge raised a brow, her hand twitching as she almost couldn't hold back from giving him a big slap.
(〃＞皿＜) This guy is still as shameless as ever!!!
But considering that this little man would be hers from now on…
Su Qingge eventually swallowed down the urge for 'domestic violence,' shot Lin Xuan a glare, and signaled for him to hurry up and push her out of the ward.
...…
"Let's go! While we still have time, we'll head to the Civil Affairs Bureau and get it done right now."
"Huh? That's it? From what I've seen in movies, ?(°?‵?′??) don't the male and female leads always kiss after a successful proposal? I don't think we should skip that step!"
"→_→ What's that? Getting greedy, are we? Say that again, I dare you…"
"Ow ow ow! Wife, you're murdering your own husband! Forget it, hitting is affection and scolding is love!??? Go ahead and hit me! The pain is on my body but the hurt is in your heart!"
"...…."
Lin Xuan spread his arms wide, striking a tragic pose of "do with me as you will," which made Su Qingge burst out laughing.
Glancing at the tightly closed ward door, the girl pointed at her cherry-red lips, a blush creeping up her pretty face.
She urged him:
"Then hurry up! Kiss me and let's go, I don't want an audience."
"Uh… Qingge, y-you're serious? I was just joking, I thought you'd never agree to it…"
"You're my husband, I'm just… just doing what a wife ought to do…"
"Wife…"
Golden sunlight streamed in through the window into the pristine white ward, draping a layer of golden gauze over the man and woman gazing deeply at each other.
Lin Xuan stayed crouched in front of the wheelchair, gaze gentle.
He looked at the girl's flushed cheeks and her face full of expectation and happiness, and for a moment he was at a loss for words.
Qingge called herself my wife…
She personally acknowledged that I am her husband…
Lin Xuan knew very well how proud this girl was and how hard it was for her to say such 'corny' words of her own accord…
Once she said them, it meant that from the bottom of her heart… she truly, genuinely recognized him…
In that moment, Lin Xuan completely tuned out the constant honking of cars outside the window and the chatter of medical staff in the hallway…
His world seemed to come to a complete standstill!!!
In his mind, scenes flashed by like a lantern show—from their first meeting in that small room to now, when they were on the verge of registering their marriage certificate…
From strangers at the start to understanding each other later, and now to being in love, the two of them had spent countless unforgettable, happy moments together.
Marriage was nothing more than water flowing into its natural course…
Thinking back on every little bit of the past, the corners of Lin Xuan's lips slowly curved upward into a warm smile.
He took Su Qingge's little hand, feeling the warmth in her palm.
Then he rose slightly and pulled Su Qingge tightly into his arms, feeling the girl's pounding heartbeat and the heat of her body.
Lin Xuan spoke softly in her ear; his voice filled with resolve and tenderness.
"Qingge, I love you."
That short sentence hit Su Qingge like Cupid's arrow; her whole body went weak, tingling, and numb, and she instantly lost all strength to resist.
In that moment, all her surprise and shyness vanished, leaving only pure joy and expectations for the future…
"Mm, I… I love you too…"
Hearing Su Qingge's mosquito-soft reply, the tenderness in Lin Xuan's eyes grew even deeper.
They didn't know how long they stayed in that embrace before slowly pulling apart, smiling at each other, their eyes sparkling with happiness as the sunlight from outside bathed them, cloaking the little couple in a golden glow.
"Wife, you're so beautiful."
Lin Xuan's big hand stroked the perfect curve of the girl's cheek as he praised her from the bottom of his heart.
In his eyes, right now Su Qingge was stunning enough to topple cities and nations.
Those two bright eyes of hers were like the brightest stars in the night sky, shining with shy, blissful light…
"...…."
Su Qingge said nothing—or rather…
She was so shy she had no idea how to respond, her face so red it looked like blood might drip from it. She could only lift her head slightly and gaze at the handsome man in front of her, her eyes filled with trust and love…