A beautiful summer night

"Maruko, marry me."

"I want to be your husband, to be your life partner and grow old together."

"Xia Wanzhi, would you be willing to give me a proper status?"

I want to have a home with you.

He wanted to have a home with her.

I want to be with her forever, through all four seasons, year after year, for all eternity.

Xia Wanzhi's eyes were slightly red, and she had recovered from her surprise after he finished speaking.

He held her finger, the ring touching her fingertip, as if it couldn't wait to slip it onto her finger.

The wind was cold, but both of their bodies were burning hot.

Tears welled up in her eyes, warm and wet, and slowly streamed down her face.

Xia Wanzhi wiped herself haphazardly, nodded, and spread her five fingers: "I do."

Xie Qiyan chuckled, put the ring on her finger, and as he lowered his eyes, he kissed her fingertip reverently.

He knew, of course, that she was willing.

"Get up and give me the ring I prepared." Xia Wanzhi pulled him up, reached into the box herself, took out the men's ring, and put it on his finger without saying a word.

Xie Qiyan looked at her and smiled indulgently.

"You're still laughing? I was the one who started it." Xia Wanzhi's voice was nasal as she touched Xie Qiyan's plain ring with the diamond ring on her ring finger.

"The ring was custom-made, and it took a long time to arrive. I just received it today." Xie Qiyan's voice was slightly deep as he gently wiped away Xia Wanzhi's tears with his fingertips. "I'm sorry to have kept you waiting."

He had been thinking about proposing for a long time.

Xia Wanzhi stared at him blankly.

He laughed out loud: "I didn't expect my teacher Maruko to be so impatient."

Xia Wanzhi sniffed, raised her chin, and looked away: "So what? Nobody says that the man has to propose."

She looked at Xie Qiyan again, her eyes filled with endless tenderness: "Xie Qiyan, I'm sure I love you. I want to be with you, I want to build a family with you. It's not an impulse, not a rash decision, and certainly not a reckless act. I know very well what I want."

"Xie Qiyan, I want you."

He wanted to dedicate himself entirely to her.

And she, too, wanted all of him.

She didn't understand love before, but every day she spent with Xie Qiyan was an interpretation of love. Xie Qiyan showed her what it's like to love someone.

She loves Xie Qiyan.

I want to dispel all the suffering for Xie Qiyan.

I want to face all the unknowns of the future with him.

Love ties tightly enveloped Xie Qiyan, intertwining him with Xia Wanzhi.

The ripples in my heart lingered for a long time.

Xie Qiyan will always remember this moment tonight.

His girl invited him to join her in the future.

Xia Wanzhi is actually a bit slow to warm up. Before meeting Xie Qiyan, she rarely took the initiative to do things that required a lot of courage, let alone express her love and desire so directly.

She is both reserved and passionate.

He loved her reserved nature, and he also loved her passion.

Her hair was ruffled by the wind. Xie Qiyan gently tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear with his ringed hand, cupped her cheek in his palm, and rubbed his fingertips against her soft skin: "Then it's settled."

"Xia Wanzhi, take me. I won't give you a chance to back out. No matter what happens in the future, I will not let you go." Xie Qiyan's gaze was burning, as if he was giving her one last chance to confirm.

Xia Wanzhi pretended to think, then laughed out loud at Xie Qiyan's nervous gaze. She pulled his hand down, interlocked her fingers with his, and yanked him forward, drawing Xie Qiyan closer to her. Her chin rested against his chest, and Xia Wanzhi earnestly declared her determination to him: "It's you, Xie Qiyan."

Xie Qiyan closed his eyes and hugged her tightly. Where Xia Wanzhi couldn't see, wet tears slowly slid down his cheeks.

After years of wandering, he is finally going to have a home.

His beloved proposed to him.

It turns out that there are still people in this world who genuinely and passionately love him.

There are still people who love him.

Xia Wanzhi knew Xie Qiyan was crying, so she obediently buried herself in his arms and waited for him to calm down on his own.

After hugging her enough, Xie Qiyan let go of her, and Xia Wanzhi wiped his eyes while suppressing a laugh.

"Touched, aren't you?" Xia Wanzhi teased. "What kind of boyfriend is so lucky to have his girlfriend propose to him before he can?"

Xie Qiyan, holding her hand, smiled and said, "It's yours."

He is very lucky.

Meeting her, falling in love with her, being with her—everything about Xia Wanzhi was the result of his accumulated good fortune.

"Tell me, what a coincidence! I was going to propose to you, and your ring just happened to arrive today, and of all times, I was carrying it with me." Xia Wanzhi wrinkled her nose, still finding it a bit unbelievable.

It doesn't matter who proposes to whom, what matters is the outcome.

But this coincidence made her very happy.

Xie Qiyan stroked her cool hand and exhaled a breath of warm air: "It's as if we sense each other, we're kindred spirits, we're a match made in heaven."

Xia Wanzhi's smile reached her eyes.

She knew that Xie Qiyan had already started to show off.

"I painted a picture." Xia Wanzhi raised her chin. "It's a proposal gift. Open it and see for yourself."

Xie Qiyan was moved and held his breath slightly as he lifted the cloth.

He held the cloth in his hand, and a dreamy cartoon picture came into view.

“This is a dream of mine. In the dream, I was wearing a wedding dress and walking down the aisle with you. Behind us were my parents, my grandparents, our mutual relatives and friends, and your… mother.”

This is a dream, and also a wish.

Xie Qiyan's fingers trembled slightly as he stroked the dreamlike painting.

No, this is not a dream.

One day, this will become a reality.

"Why is Changsheng wearing a flower wreath and a bow tie?" Xie Qiyan pointed to Changsheng being held by Xia Wanzhi in the painting.

Xia Wanzhi pouted: "Chang Sheng is my dowry."

Xie Qiyan, who had been raised for fourteen years in vain: "???"

Xia Wanzhi said matter-of-factly, "You stole immortality from me in the first place."

Xie Qiyan was both amused and exasperated. He patted Xia Wanzhi's head and said seriously, "That's your son. What kind of dowry is he? He should be our flower boy. Back then, I ran away with the baby, and Changsheng was the baby. After many years, I returned to the country, and we reconciled. I gave Changsheng a happy and fulfilling family."

Xia Wanzhi: "…………"

Seeing Xia Wanzhi's speechless expression, Xie Qiyan coughed lightly: "I confiscated Xie Tan's comic books and flipped through a few pages when I had nothing to do."

Xia Wanzhi tried her best to hold back her laughter, but she couldn't help it anymore and her shoulders trembled with laughter. She stood on tiptoe, cupped Xie Qiyan's face, and gave him a big kiss: "Xie Qiyan, how can you be so cute?"

"Go back and love her again, don't catch a cold." Xie Qiyan took the painting off the easel with one hand and led Xia Wanzhi out with the other.

As he turned off the lights and left, he glanced longingly at the proposal scene that Xia Wanzhi had arranged for him.

That's enough to make his heart flutter for a lifetime.

Press the button, and the lights in the garden go out.

But the light in my heart never dies.

Xia Wanzhi had indeed made a meticulous arrangement; she had put a lot of thought into just the simulated electronic candles.

Ordinary candles require you to flip switches one by one, but she wanted the candles to light up together with the rose lamp, so she simply commissioned someone to design a unique one.

Both the rose lamps and rose candles are unique.

It was the only love she gave Xie Qiyan.

Unable to sleep tonight, Xie Qiyan held Xia Wanzhi in his arms, gently rubbing her hand, which was adorned with a ring, against his lips.

Xie Qiyan, who had almost slept with her, took a cold shower and was now enveloped in a chill. Xia Wanzhi felt the rise and fall of his chest and suddenly pressed her hand against his shoulder, sitting on his waist and abdomen—

"Xie Qiyan, let's get our marriage certificate tomorrow."