Nine
Ten
anhao@dianzhong.com
www.baidu.com
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Stunned, Jiang Sese choked on her saliva and started coughing her lungs out. She wondered if her ears had failed her. She said in disbelief, "W… what did you say?" Jin Fengchen sat upright and still, with an unchanging expression. He repeated his words. "I said, marry me." She was utterly befuddled. Why was he saying such frightening words out of the blue? Besides, what was he getting at with this spontaneous proposal? "Mr. Jin… please don't joke around. It's not funny at all, hahaha." Jiang Sese laughed dryly. She stared fixedly at him, hoping to see from his expression any hint of evidence that he was teasing her. Unfortunately, there wasn't anything of that sort at all! "I'm deadly serious," Jin Fengchen said earnestly. Grief filled up Jiang Sese's heart. Why was he being so serious out of the blue? Why was he bringing up such a major life milestone now? They had only known each other for a few days! She forced herself to be calm. "Um… Mr. Jin, what gave you this idea?" A major life event like a marriage required a deep, thorough reflection. Why was he bringing it up like he was talking about the weather? Her question seemed to have silenced Jin Fengchen for once. It was true that he didn't have the time for consideration before popping the question. He was just acting on impulse. Now that he had the time to process
everything, he too couldn't understand why he would have such an idea. Moreover, he had never had any experience proposing in the past. Once his impulse faded, he realized just how inappropriate it was. After all, he had proposed too casually! The air became still around them. Jiang Sese was no longer as frantic as she had been earlier. She sat on the bed, quietly waiting for his reply. Yet, after waiting for quite a while, Jin Fengchen was still not saying anything. She looked at him doubtfully. "Mr. Jin… you didn't just propose to me because of Xiaobao, did you?" Jin Fengchen was bewildered, but soon replied, "Looks like… that's the case." It was only because he saw how gentle and soft she was when embracing Xiaobao that he couldn't suppress the impulse that freshly sprouted in his heart. She didn't know if she should laugh or cry at his response. "Mr. Jin, you don't have to do this. I'm taking care of Xiaobao because I sincerely adore him. I can't bear seeing him hurt or upset, which is why I'm doing all of this. I never thought of any compensation, or for you to… use yourself as repayment!" Jin Fengchen's eyes dimmed. "Do you think that I'm not good enough?" His question befuddled Jiang Sese. She hastily replied, "No, of course not. How could I? I bet countless women in Jin City want to marry someone like you. What right do I have to disdain you?" "Then why did you reject me?" Jin Fengchen questioned her with a frown. He looked unhappy. Jiang Sese was secretly terrified of his expression. She couldn't help gulping. "Um… Do I have to say it? Of course, it's because it's too sudden! Never mind the rest, a major event like a marriage involves so many details. It's not as easy as you make it sound." Jin Fengchen's frown deepened. "For example?" "For example, the partners in question should at least get to know each other and build a foundation for their relationship before examining the will of the two families!" she said. "I think that you have no idea how many couples in this society are forced to break up before entering the wedding hall simply because of their parents' disapproval? Even more so, a rich and powerful family like yours prioritizes a well-matched pair in status. So… ahem, it seems that… it's not very likely." Jiang Sese gave him a heartfelt and emotional explanation. Toward the end, her voice even tapered off until it was inaudible. It wasn't that she was giving in to her cowardice, but Jin Fengchen's expression was simply too dreadful to look at. He looked as gloomy as the weather before a rainstorm, making her feel panic-stricken. But she had no choice either. Like it or not, the words had left her mouth. Was she supposed to take them back? Just as her heart was trembling with fear, he suddenly said, "I won't let something like parents' disapproval happen. The woman I have my eye on can only be mine. It doesn't matter who disapproves!" His tyrannical president's ways shocked Jiang Sese. "Yeah, yeah, you're the greatest," she thought. "But… there are other reasons too," she said weakly. "With me, other reasons are no reasons," he said. "What matters is whether you're willing or not." Jiang Sese was beginning to freak out. How did they return to square one all over again?! The truth was, she wasn't the inflexible kind. If she truly liked someone, never mind not being a suitable match, she would even bravely survive hell or high water for him. But… after what happened five years ago, she was beginning to lose hope in love for herself. If even Lan Sichen, her childhood playmate who grew up with her, showed such
Masuk
