Chapter 134

Chapter 134

“Little New Year’s Eve is just over a week away. Your grandmother and I have talked it over. Since your grandfather can’t make it here, we’ll fly to Beicheng then. The two families can have a meal together for Little New Year’s Eve and settle your marriage while we’re at it.”

Everyone in the family knew Xia Wanzhi had proposed to him. Rose had even helped customize the rings. She understood her daughter’s impatience and supported her decision.

That morning, the whole family had had a good talk with Xie Qiyan. The moment Qiao Shu and Richard saw the post on Weibo, they had already accepted him in their hearts as their granddaughter’s husband.

Although Xia Yongqing still felt unhappy about it, in the end, the person who truly agreed to the marriage was Xia Yongqing.

Xie Qiyan had come with a betrothal letter not to formally present betrothal gifts, but to obtain the recognition and approval of the four elders. Only after gaining their consent could he do what he wanted to do.

What he had planned for today had been decided long ago, even before Xia Wanzhi proposed to him.

Once he had reported in and received their approval, he could propose to Xia Wanzhi.

But Xia Wanzhi had beaten him to it.

And precisely because of that, everything had gone so smoothly today.

On this road toward their future, he wasn’t the only one working hard. Xia Wanzhi was working hard too.

Xie Qiyan’s eyes reddened slightly. He nodded and thanked Rose.

Rose laughed. “Why are you thanking me? If you want to thank someone, thank yourself and Xiao Wanzi. Thank you for loving her, and thank her for loving you.”

If there was anyone to thank, it was the two of them for sharing the same heart, for loving each other, and for everything they had done for each other.

They had been together for less than half a year. If either one of them had put in even a little less effort, this marriage never would have been settled today.

“Now that it’s done, hurry back tomorrow. That girl messaged me and told me to return you to her as soon as possible. It’s cold out, so go inside early. Don’t catch a chill.” Rose patted his shoulder, handed him the hot water, and left.

Xie Qiyan only smiled. He lifted his head and looked up at the dark night sky, smiling and smiling until his eyes gradually grew warm and damp.

He hadn’t only gained Xia Wanzhi.

He had also gained family, and a home.

–

On the day Xie Qiyan returned to the country, Xia Wanzhi came to pick him up in person. Yu Fei was the one driving, and the expressions on both their faces held the same anticipation and excitement.

Xia Wanzhi was happy because she was about to see her boyfriend.

Yu Fei was happy because he was looking forward to his bonus. Although he had no idea why Huo Yang had predicted there would be one, his attitude was simple: better to believe it than not.

The airport was packed with people. As soon as Xia Wanzhi got out of the car, she headed straight for the arrivals gate, looking left and right for Xie Qiyan.

Her breathing rose and fell, and her heart was beating a little fast.

Ever since she learned that he had gone to her family with a betrothal letter to ask for her hand, ever since she learned that her family had unanimously supported her marriage to Xie Qiyan, ever since she learned that Ms. Ross and the others would return to the country on Little New Year’s Eve to discuss the marriage with Grandpa Xie, her heart had been floating among the clouds.

She was about to take off. About to drift away.

But more than all of that, she missed Xie Qiyan. She wanted to see her boyfriend as soon as possible.

Her fiancé.

They had clearly only been apart for three days, yet it felt to her as if it had been a very, very long time.

People came and went around her. Xia Wanzhi had a poor sense of direction, and her radar wasn’t much better. She took out her phone and checked the time, confirming that Xie Qiyan’s plane should have landed by now. Afraid that Xie Qiyan might not be able to find her either, she gave up searching and found an obvious spot. She took a photo and sent it to Xie Qiyan.

Xia Wanzhi: [President Xie, your girlfriend is here.]
After sending the message, Xia Wanzhi tucked her phone away and looked around-up, down, left, and right. Everywhere except behind her.

“Girlfriend, turn around-”

A laughing voice sounded from behind her. Xia Wanzhi heard it and spun around in a rush.

She should have been happy. But the moment she saw Xie Qiyan, she froze where she stood. Before a smile could appear on her face, her lips turned down, and for no reason at all, tears-tears that stood for how much she had missed him-dripped from her eyes.

The noise around her seemed to pause in that instant. Xia Wanzhi could see no one else and hear nothing else.

Her whole heart and all her eyes were filled with Xie Qiyan.

This Xie Qiyan, who had returned victorious and was ready to marry her.

Xie Qiyan let go of his suitcase handle, smiled, and opened his arms to her, lowering his chin slightly. “Come here. Hug.”

The moment the last note fell, Xia Wanzhi broke into a run toward him.

Wherever she passed, the wind lifted strands of her hair.

As Xia Wanzhi ran to him, Xie Qiyan ran toward her too. In only seven steps, his outstretched arms wrapped tightly around Xia Wanzhi as she threw herself into him.

Xia Wanzhi buried herself deep in his embrace.

“Xie Qiyan…” Xia Wanzhi’s voice was choked with tears.

Xie Qiyan only laughed, rubbing her head and then her back. “Missed me that much, huh? You slammed into me with so much force I had to take three whole steps back.”

Xie Qiyan was praising her.

Xia Wanzhi, fists clenched, immediately punched him twice in the lower back. Only after she had hugged him enough did she grumble in complaint, “You lied and said you were going on a three-day business trip. And what happened? You went to the front lines all by yourself. Do you know how dangerous that was? What if Old Xia took his anger out on you? What if they hadn’t agreed? When that happened, you wouldn’t even have anyone to hug you while you cried!”

The whole Muxia Wanzi thing had gone viral beyond their usual circle. Xia Wanzhi didn’t even need to guess to know that Ms. Ross and the others already knew.

That was a good thing. It could raise Xie Qiyan’s score in their eyes.

But she was also uneasy, afraid that Xia Yongqing would be angry because she had proposed without asking first.

She had never intended for Xie Qiyan to face her family alone, but Xie Qiyan had chosen to fight that battle by himself.

Xie Qiyan cupped her face in his palm and smiled with a roguish edge. “I wasn’t alone. I had my future mother-in-law backing me up.”

Some things needed to be done by him, and him alone.

Xia Wanzhi protecting him made him happy.

But when Xia Yongqing saw his precious daughter taking Xie Qiyan’s side, Xia Yongqing would not be happy.

That was the precious daughter they had raised. Now Xie Qiyan was getting her for himself, practically for free. It was only right that Xia Yongqing be unhappy.

Xie Qiyan thought that if he had a daughter in the future, his attitude might be exactly the same as Xia Yongqing’s-maybe even more unreasonable.

So in this matter, he needed to show responsibility and sincerity, not rely on Xia Wanzhi defending him in order to win his future father-in-law’s approval.

He needed to prove for himself that he was someone worthy of being entrusted with her.

If he couldn’t even manage that, then he didn’t deserve to become Xia Wanzhi’s husband.

People came and went around them, but the two of them standing together were especially eye-catching. Xie Qiyan took her hand and laced their fingers together, then used his other hand to pull along the suitcase that had almost been forgotten.

Once they got into the car, Xie Qiyan’s gaze swept over Yu Fei in the driver’s seat.

Yu Fei had learned from experience. For the sake of the bonus he might possibly receive, he would rather die than make a single sound.

The next second, the partition inside the car rose.

Xia Wanzhi’s heart skipped. Before she could react, Xie Qiyan gripped her waist and lifted her over to sit on his lap.

The car started moving.