“Of course, I won’t marry her. In this lifetime, I won’t marry anyone except Xiaolan,” Zhou Cheng quickly corrected Liu Fen’s misunderstanding.

Liu Fen breathed a sigh of relief. “Then you mean…”

Zhou Cheng felt embarrassed, as he appeared to be taking advantage of an elder’s guarantee.

“I just wanted to let you know that I never said I would marry Jiang Yan. If you hear any rumors, they must be false news spread by the Jiang family. If you don’t believe me, Jiang Yan is being discharged today – you can come with me to the hospital.”

Go to the hospital together?

Liu Fen still trusted Zhou Cheng. From the beginning when Zhou Cheng started dating Xiaolan, he was heading toward marriage. People of Liu Fen’s age didn’t care about romance – a partner who could live a proper life was marriage material. Zhou Cheng won over many competitors with just this quality.

“I won’t go. You should make things clear with that young lady. If Xiaolan finds out about this, I can testify for you.”

Zhou Cheng nodded, “Aunt Liu, you’re always the best to me!”

Grandmother Yu had just returned from outside and caught a few sentences.

This flattery was unbearable to hear – it completely dismissed the Zhou family. Liu Fen treated Zhou Cheng the best? Was Zhou Cheng an adopted son of the Zhou family?

They say a married daughter belongs to others.

Here was Zhou Cheng, forgetting his mother before even getting married.

He was thick-skinned, acting as if he were Liu Fen’s son.

Grandmother Yu had to admit Zhou Cheng was clever. China was influenced by old traditions – some men thought that after marriage, their wives should serve their parents like oxen and horses. Wives must treat their in-laws like their own parents and handle relationships with the whole extended family.

As for men, they treated their parents-in-law like distant relatives they’d visit a few times a year. In some places, women called their in-laws Mom and Dad, while men still called their parents-in-law Uncle and Aunt… Was marriage equivalent to selling oneself? Why the different treatment?

Zhou Cheng was different from those foolish men. Instead of asking his mother to intervene, he came to seek Ah Fen’s advice, showing such dependency and closeness to his future mother-in-law.

Grandmother Yu coughed twice: “That’s enough, don’t get cocky just because you’ve gained an advantage. You’re just sweet-talking Ah Fen here.”

Let’s see if you can sweet-talk that clever devil Xiaolan!

Let’s see if this matter will pass so easily!

Zhou Cheng spoke seriously: “Grandmother Yu, please don’t worry. I will explain this to Xiaolan personally. That’s why I came today with another matter – I plan to go to America next month, and I wanted to ask if you and Aunt Liu have anything you’d like me to bring to Xiaolan.”

Going to America?

Grandmother Yu nodded silently. It wasn’t easy for someone from a classified institution to travel abroad – this showed Zhou Cheng’s true sincerity.

Grandmother Yu wanted to ask about Xia Xiaolan’s progress in finding someone over there, but she knew Xiaolan still had her studies and pushing too hard would only pressure her.

Liu Fen was truly happy now: “What things should we send? Bring her some food – I’m worried she’s not used to American food. And take a good look at how she’s doing over there!”

A mother worries about her child a thousand miles away. Liu Fen feared Xiaolan only shared the good news and not the bad.

With Zhou Cheng going personally, she wouldn’t have to worry so much at home.

Zhou Cheng agreed very readily.

Having obtained the “imperial sword” from his future mother-in-law, Zhou Cheng cared even less about Jiang Yan’s parents’ meddling.

Today was Jiang Yan’s discharge day, and Zhou Cheng wanted to talk with her. After being delayed at Shichahai, when he arrived at the hospital, Jiang Yan had already completed the discharge procedures. She seemed to want to carry her luggage herself, but the healed skin on her back made it difficult for her to move her arms, and even turning her neck was somewhat difficult.

“Jiang Yan, congratulations on being discharged.”

After such an accident, everyone was still alive – that was most important.

Jiang Yan also appeared to be in good spirits.

But Jiang’s mother was extremely displeased: “Zhou Cheng, you finally showed up. I thought you would hide away and avoid responsibility!”

Zhou Cheng couldn’t be bothered to argue with this woman.

She thought that because he was young and shy, he would have no choice but to “take responsibility” under public pressure and choose to be with Jiang Yan, to be someone who showed gratitude.

After a month of public pressure, Zhou Cheng remained completely unmoved:

“I have nothing to avoid responsibility for. I said early on, that if there are concerns about Jiang Yan being retaliated against by the Jiang family, the Zhou family’s doors are always open to her. She can accept the Zhou family’s protection!

But not as my wife – that position I’ve already reserved for another woman. Apart from her, I won’t marry anyone else in this lifetime.”

Jiang’s mother trembled with anger, “…I’ll go to your workplace and find your superiors. There must be somewhere in this world that upholds justice unless you don’t care about your future anymore!”

Zhou Cheng laughed loudly: “Please, go ahead! You must do this, I can’t stop you – it’s not like I can have people guard you day and night, right?”

Go to his workplace?

He’d only heard of having to take responsibility for harassing women or having improper relationships, but he’d never heard of having to use marriage to repay kindness.

If Jiang Yan’s parents could ruin his career, it would save Zhou Cheng from having to choose between his career and love. He could just quit his job and go find Xiaolan – couldn’t he earn a comfortable living for Xiaolan with his own hands?

Zhou Cheng’s carefree and indifferent attitude left Jiang Yan’s mother speechless.

Jiang Yan, who had been silent all along, finally couldn’t hold back:

“Mom, enough, stop talking! You’re not just making things difficult for Zhou Cheng, you’re insulting me!”

She knew Zhou Cheng’s personality.

No one could force Zhou Cheng to do something he didn’t want to do, no one could force him to accept someone he didn’t like.

But gaining Zhou Cheng’s affection was truly too difficult.

The only chance had been wasted by her parents when she wasn’t conscious of making her own decisions.

The more they pressured Zhou Cheng, the further they would push him away.

Jiang Yan threw aside her suitcase, “I tried to stop my parents’ childish behavior. I’m sorry I wasn’t successful and caused you so much trouble!”

Zhou Cheng’s expression softened slightly: “You did get burned while saving me—”

Jiang Yan laughed instead, “Zhou Cheng, when I saved you then, it wasn’t because I liked you. I was saving my colleague! Do you think if it had been Brother Pan San beside me at that time, I wouldn’t have jumped in?”

Colleague.

Zhou Cheng savored this word in his heart.

“Except for agreeing to marry you or doing things that might make Xiaolan misunderstand, I’ll do anything else for you… because we are colleagues, and also friends.”

This was the promise Zhou Cheng could make.

A promise a man must make.

Jiang Yan thought carefully, “I still want to stay at work, so I need to continue treatment.”

Continue treatment?

Zhou Cheng could pay for the treatment costs.

But in Jiang Yan’s situation, if she was willing to continue treatment, the work unit would cover the expenses.

“I can help you contact hospitals abroad. Xiaolan is studying in America now – what do you think about American hospitals?”

Jiang Yan nodded cheerfully.

“That works!”

Jiang’s mother continued to complain nearby that Jiang Yan had gone crazy, but Jiang Yan paid no attention.

Gone crazy?

In that instant when she jumped to push Zhou Cheng away, she finally faced her feelings honestly.

She did like Zhou Cheng, and once she put Zhou Cheng on the opposite side of the scale from her family, when she gave the evidence to Zhou Cheng, the weight started shifting toward Zhou Cheng’s side. The scale tipped, and her life gradually evolved into love – when you love someone, the thought that they might despise you makes you unwilling to become ugly.

Ugliness wasn’t about the scars, wasn’t about her not matching Zhou Cheng’s appearance.

Ugliness was about the soul – she feared Zhou Cheng would look down on her!