At 20, she would just be starting her sophomore year.

After graduating college, she’d only be 23.

Marry at 23? She still had her career, and might want to continue studying, perhaps even study abroad – these were all undecided matters. Having gotten a second chance at life, shouldn’t she enjoy her youth freely? With her previous life experience, she wanted to try reaching higher heights. Marrying early and getting entangled in family matters and relationships?

Xia Xiaolan shuddered involuntarily – this wasn’t the life she wanted.

Zhou Cheng was particularly confused: “Don’t you want to marry me? Marriage makes our relationship legal – you’d be my wife, you could stay overnight at my workplace! It wouldn’t change anything else. I’d still treat you well, maybe even better… If you’re worried about my family’s opposition, I’ll handle that. You won’t need to worry about anything, and I won’t let you suffer any grievances!”

Wasn’t dating meant to lead to marriage?

After marriage, he could openly embrace his wife, kiss and hug her, share a bed, take care of her, help her dress and do her hair, and give her all his money. Zhou Cheng truly looked forward to marrying Xia Xiaolan, wanting to be with her every moment, their names written on the marriage certificate, eventually buried in the same grave with both their names on the tombstone, inseparable even in death!

Xia Xiaolan studied him carefully.

His face was so young and handsome.

Regarding male-female relationships, Zhou Cheng’s heart was pure and untainted.

His eyes and heart were filled only with Xia Xiaolan.

Did Xia Xiaolan like Zhou Cheng?

Yes!

But she hadn’t put romance first – she found the world too fascinating and wanted to explore and see more while she was young! Her understanding of dating wasn’t wrong, just out of sync with Zhou Cheng’s. Xia Xiaolan hadn’t thought about entering marriage so quickly, especially becoming Zhou Cheng’s wife – she wasn’t prepared to be a family member.

On this issue, Zhou Cheng was somewhat difficult to communicate with.

Neither was wrong – their concepts were just different. This was an individual difference; Xia Xiaolan couldn’t brutally dismiss Zhou Cheng’s thoughts as wrong.

After some thought, she decided to explain carefully:

“Zhou Cheng, I might apply for the architecture department. If I study in Shanghai, I could choose Tongji University. But you’re in Beijing, so I want to choose a Beijing university – the best would be Huaqing University’s architecture department. Huaqing is harder to get into than Tongji, and I’m not completely confident.

But because you’re here, I’m willing to try…

However, this doesn’t mean we need to marry quickly. Dating is dating, marriage is marriage – they can’t be mixed together. Right now, I want to finish college first, let our relationship develop naturally, and when the time is right, then consider whether to move from lovers to spouses.”

Xia Xiaolan took marriage very seriously. Marriage wasn’t just about love – it was more like a contract, no, a covenant between a man and woman after careful consideration. Once signed, regret would hurt both parties deeply.

This might be the difference between her and Zhou Cheng.

Birth and upbringing influenced a person more profoundly than she’d thought. Having lost her parents early and living dependent on others, Xia Xiaolan hadn’t experienced a healthy, harmonious family atmosphere. She longed for family but feared forming one hastily.

Zhou Cheng was different – with his good family background, he’d grown up with exceptional confidence.

Marrying someone you liked was easy for Zhou Cheng – this was his confidence… He wasn’t afraid of their relationship changing or marriage possibly failing because he was confident and could afford to lose!

This thinking might seem unfair to Zhou Cheng, but Xia Xiaolan still decided to express her true thoughts.

Zhou Cheng hadn’t expected this.

He felt Xia Xiaolan was overthinking – why complicate such a simple matter?

Others could marry after one meeting. They hadn’t met through matchmaking – they liked each other, he had enough money to support a wife, they had feelings and weren’t lacking materially, so why couldn’t they marry?

Zhou Cheng knew he couldn’t change Xia Xiaolan’s thinking immediately – they disagreed.

He was certainly unhappy.

But they couldn’t argue – that would make things worse. Zhou Cheng wasn’t completely without temper, but he felt a man shouldn’t quarrel with women. Xia Xiaolan’s thoughts hadn’t convinced him – he still wanted to marry her as soon as possible.

Today’s timing was terrible – Zhou Yi bringing Tong Lili had ruined this beautiful evening.

Zhou Cheng hugged Xia Xiaolan, “I’ll consider what you said. It’s different from what I thought – you have to give me time to process it, right? Be good, let’s not argue. Soon I’ll have Kang Wei drive me back to work, and we might not meet until after your college entrance exam. Then I’ll take you out to eat again, okay?”

Zhou Cheng’s emotional intelligence wasn’t low – didn’t he know what to say in different situations?

He knew too well!

Previously, he hadn’t maliciously spent energy on other pursuers until meeting Xia Xiaolan. She was the woman he liked – coaxing and spoiling her was his pleasure!

Kang Wei and Shao Guangrong stood at a distance, watching what seemed like an impending argument suddenly defuse.

Kang Wei found it eye-searing.

Though Xia Xiaolan spoke gently, it was all a facade. Kang Wei instinctively knew Zhou Cheng must have been the one to yield – his Brother Cheng had been so impressive for twenty years, blessed with good birth and personal excellence, but upon meeting Xia Xiaolan, all his cool composure vanished.

Dating was terrifying – it could make someone completely change their principles.

As Kang Wei was thinking, he heard their dispute end as Zhou Cheng raised his voice:

“Kang Zi, bring your car around!”

Those annoying people were still at the Beijing Hotel, so Zhou Cheng decided to take Xia Xiaolan elsewhere for a late snack. What they ate wasn’t important – he mainly wanted to spend more time with her.

Shao Guangrong saw the atmosphere and didn’t dare mention his plans.

They ate fried liver and tripe, and though Zhou Cheng kept serving food to Xia Xiaolan and she wasn’t frowning, the atmosphere remained slightly strange.

Their differing views had created a knot – even unmentioned, it was there.

After eating, Kang Wei drove Zhou Cheng back to work. Xia Xiaolan had decided to return to Shangdu tomorrow. At the workplace entrance, Zhou Cheng hugged her:

“Xiaolan, I like you, that’s why I want to marry you. We can discuss this slowly, but you can’t grow distant from me because of this, can’t stop liking me – that would be too unfair to me.”

Xia Xiaolan’s heart softened.

Indeed, it was unfair to Zhou Cheng – he simply liked her wholeheartedly and wanted to marry her. Even if it differed from her thoughts, his thinking couldn’t be called wrong.

“I’m not angry, my feelings for you haven’t changed. You work hard, I’ll study hard, and we’ll both become better! Keep going, Zhou Cheng!”