“You want to meet my parents first?” Yun Li repeated hesitantly.
Thinking of Yun Yongchang’s personality, Yun Li felt he would find fault with Fu Shize in every way possible. Regardless of whether it was out of good intentions or other motives, this approach made Yun Li extremely uncomfortable. In her eyes, Fu Shize was beyond reproach.
Yun Li hesitated, “You could meet them later. My parents are quite conservative and might start pushing for marriage right away.” She bit her lip and added, “Besides, they think it’s disadvantageous for a girl to be in a long relationship.”
Fu Shize nodded compliantly without comment.
Feeling as if their relationship’s progress had come to an abrupt halt due to the parent issue, Yun Li felt a sudden sense of loss.
Noticing her expression, Fu Shize casually remarked, “I’m quite conservative too.”
“…”
“I might also want to push for marriage right away,” he continued writing his document, not even shifting his gaze. His tone was slightly teasing, “I hope you don’t mind.”
Hearing this, Yun Li also smiled, “Well, go ahead and try.”
Fu Shize smirked and asked, “Would you agree?”
Seeing that his attention was still on his thesis, Yun Li stared at him for a few seconds, deliberately putting on a reserved demeanor, “No, I wouldn’t.”
It was the expected answer, but Fu Shize still paused his work because of it. Their eyes met for two seconds before he thoughtfully said, “Your thinking should be quite conservative too, right?”
Yun Li: “Mm-hmm.”
“Then you push for marriage,” Fu Shize leaned back in his ergonomic chair, his gaze falling directly on her face. He smiled, “I would agree.”
That evening, after Fu Shize dropped Yun Li off downstairs, she lingered, reluctant to go up. Fu Shize indulged her, holding her hand as they wandered around the community.
Chen Jinping’s birthday reminded him of something. He looked down at Yun Li and said, “Let me make up for your two missed birthdays.”
He had missed Yun Li’s birthdays for the past two years.
Fu Shize said, “Make two wishes.”
Yun Li was stunned for a moment, then obediently closed her eyes, crossing her hands under her chin. She said earnestly, “Then I wish that A’ze will continue to celebrate my birthday with me next year.”
“…” Fu Shize chuckled, “You’ve wasted a wish. I was going to be there anyway.”
“Then I want to change my wish. I hope A’ze will celebrate my birthday with me every year.” She looked at him expectantly. Fu Shize gazed back, saying softly, “I was always going to be there.”
“What about the second one?”
Yun Li repeated her previous gesture, honestly saying, “I hope A’ze will celebrate my birthday with me every year.”
“…” Fu Shize laughed softly, “These two wishes are the same, word for word.”
Yun Li opened her eyes and hugged his waist, “Because I want it to come true so badly.”
So even if all her wishes were the same, it didn’t matter. As long as it came true, no other wish was important.
Before Fu Shize could respond, a thunderous voice suddenly rang out.
“Yun Li.”
Yun Li froze in place, unsure how to react.
Normally, Yun Yongchang wouldn’t be out at this hour, which was why she had dared to stroll around the community with Fu Shize.
Yun Yongchang emerged from the darkness. Upon seeing Fu Shize’s face clearly, his expression turned cold. He didn’t spare Fu Shize another glance, turning directly to Yun Li, “So you lied about breaking up, didn’t you? And you even conspired with Yun Ye to lie that he was his teaching assistant?”
This second encounter showed Yun Yongchang’s attitude toward Fu Shize was still so hostile. Yun Li suddenly looked up, burning with anger and ready to retort.
But Fu Shize gently pressed her shoulder, speaking naturally, “Hello, Uncle. After returning to school, I became a teaching assistant for several courses.”
Hearing his answer, Yun Yongchang understood the implication. His attitude softened slightly, but he didn’t forget about the suspension issue, asking, “So you’ve returned to school?”
Fu Shize nodded.
“When will you graduate?”
“Next year, together with Li Li.”
“Have you found a job?”
“It’s not confirmed yet, but I’ll probably stay at Xi Ke University as a teacher.”
“Oh, why did you suddenly return to school?” Yun Yongchang didn’t relax despite the other’s academic achievements, still wanting to understand Fu Shize’s situation.
Fu Shize glanced at Yun Li, “I want to be responsible for Li Li, to give her a better life.”
He candidly said, “I left a bad impression last time. Originally, I planned to invite you to attend the graduation ceremony when I receive my doctoral degree.”
The man before him responded to his words with neither servility nor arrogance but with sincerity and composure. He appeared refined and clear-headed. Yun Yongchang’s anger had mostly dissipated, but he still maintained the attitude of an elder, saying, “Well, my daughter is very good. You should do all these things. As a man, you should be responsible for your family.” He paused, “But there’s no need to wait until the graduation ceremony, is there?”
Yun Li: “…”
Fu Shize: “If you don’t mind, I’d like to pay a visit in a couple of days.”
Yun Yongchang: “Oh, you’re still living on campus, right? Come on Friday. Have Li Li pick you up then, and bring Yun Ye home too. We’ll have a meal together.”
Yun Li: “…”
Without saying much more to Fu Shize, Yun Yongchang took Yun Li home. Once inside, Yun Li couldn’t hold back any more: “Dad, can’t you be a bit nicer to others?”
Seeing her ready to argue, Yun Yongchang raised his voice slightly, “How was I not nice?”
Completely intimidated by him, Yun Li retorted, “Last time you were very nice to that Yin Yucheng. Do you want me to spend my life with someone I don’t like?”
Yun Yongchang said nothing.
Yun Li kicked off her shoes and went straight to the kitchen to gulp down a glass of cold water, trying to calm herself.
Hearing the father and daughter start bickering again, Yang Fang hurried to the kitchen door. This time, however, Yun Yongchang had no intention of arguing with Yun Li. He walked into the kitchen with a stern face and said, “Pour me a glass of water.”
Yun Li stubbornly replied, “I won’t.”
Seeing her as stubborn as an ox, Yun Yongchang felt his age catching up with him. He silently poured himself a glass of water and asked Yun Li, “Why did he suspend his studies?”
Yun Li didn’t want to bring up this matter and remained silent. Yun Yongchang glared at her, “Do you want me to ask him in person when he comes?”
“…”
Yun Li spoke rapidly, “He had a childhood friend who fell ill. He was supposed to watch his friend take medication every day, but the friend secretly spit it out. Later, when the illness worsened, that person jumped off a building. He felt guilty for not checking carefully whether his friend had swallowed the medicine, and blamed himself for a long time. That friend jumped from Xi Ke University, so he had trauma about returning to school at that time.”
After she finished, both Yun Yongchang and Yang Fang were silent for a moment. Yang Fang sighed softly, “Poor children.”
It seemed her parents could understand Fu Shize’s situation.
Yun Li’s mood instantly improved. She stared at Yun Yongchang, whose icy face had thawed a bit. He asked, “So why did he go back later? Was what he said tonight true?”
“Yes, he thought you were against us being together, and he wanted to give your daughter a better life.” Yun Li has learned some conversational skills over the past two years. She spoke with a hint of persuasion, “Dad, you’re a reasonable person. You should see that this situation wasn’t his fault, right?”
“Think about it, if it were Yun Ye because of me…” Seeing Yun Yongchang glare at her, Yun Li closed her mouth again, “Well, I only have one brother in this life. I might be depressed for ten or eight years.”
“I suppose he’s a loyal and righteous child.” Yun Yongchang didn’t comment further and left the kitchen.
Over the next two days, Yun Yongchang didn’t ask about Fu Shize. Instead, Yang Fang inquired several times about Fu Shize’s food preferences and went to the market early Friday morning to buy plenty of fresh ingredients.
Both of them returned home at noon that day and meticulously cleaned the house until it was spotless.
When picking up Fu Shize at Xi Ke University, Yun Li was taken aback. He was dressed very formally in a proper white shirt, trousers, and leather shoes, carrying matching gifts of cigarettes, alcohol, and tea.
Yun Li had originally thought it would just be a simple dinner.
She said dryly, “Why did you prepare so many things today?”
“The gifts are from my mother. She asked me to convey her thanks,” Fu Shize said. He habitually leaned in to kiss Yun Li, “You’re so thoughtful, I can’t fall behind.”
Yun Ye felt like he had taken another 10,000 points of damage.
Yun Li reminded him, “Don’t kiss, Yun Ye is in the back.”
Yun Ye: “…”
Fu Shize only then noticed Yun Ye’s presence. He calmly handed the gifts to him, “Brother, could you put these away?”
Yun Ye took them and casually placed them on the back seat. Fu Shize glanced over, “The blue bag is for you.”
The previously deflated Yun Ye immediately perked up, his eyes shining, “Can I open it now?”
Yun Li: “Yun Ye, can’t you be a bit more reserved?”
Yun Ye: “I’m a grown man, why do I need to be reserved?”
With that, he swiftly unwrapped the gift box and cheered when he saw what was inside.
It happened to be a red light, and Yun Li’s gaze met Fu Shize’s. She smiled and asked, “Do I have a gift?”
Fu Shize nodded, pushing away Yun Li’s outstretched hand, “But I’m not giving it to you now.”
“…”
Yun Li didn’t know what gift he had prepared that was so mysterious. She asked with a smile, “Then when will you give it to me?”
Fu Shize didn’t answer directly.
“When the time is right.”
Among the gifts Fu Shize brought, some were from his parents for Yun Yongchang and Yang Fang.
There was also a letter explaining that they were on a business trip, so they couldn’t visit this time, and hoped Yun Yongchang and Yang Fang would understand.
The other party’s etiquette was impeccable, and Yun Yongchang didn’t say a harsh word throughout.
But as Yun Li had anticipated, Yun Yongchang kept urging Fu Shize to drink one glass after another.
She wanted to stop it, but Yun Yongchang was already tipsy and completely ignored her. Beside her, Yun Ye tugged at her clothes, telling her to sit down and eat quietly.
Yun Ye secretly sent her a message: [You have to let Dad and brother-in-law drink like this once. It’s just Dad’s personality.]
Yun Li: [Your brother-in-law has a weak stomach.]
Yun Ye: [Alright then… I’ll help brother-in-law with a couple of drinks.]
The whole process went more smoothly than Yun Li had imagined. Yun Yongchang patted Fu Shize’s shoulder, repeatedly telling him about Yun Li’s excellence and insisting that he must treat Yun Li well.
Yun Li sat across from them, enduring the entire process. Yun Ye couldn’t hold his liquor and went to sleep after helping Fu Shize with a few drinks.
As the dinner was ending, Yun Yongchang sat at the tea table and said earnestly, “Our Li Li isn’t that young anymore, and you’re about to graduate. What are your plans for the future?”
In Yun Li’s view, this was just short of directly saying ‘You should get married’.
She looked at Fu Shize beside her, who was already a bit unsteady but still trying to sit up straight, his neck flushed red.
Yun Yongchang spoke slowly and deliberately, “Our generation’s thinking is different from yours. Dating isn’t child’s play. As parents, we might take our children’s marriages more seriously than you do.”
“Dad,” Yun Li called out, her tone slightly reproachful.
Yun Yongchang ignored her words and spoke only to Fu Shize, “Shize, this daughter of mine is very stubborn. I can’t persuade her, but as a man, you need to seriously consider your future together.”
Yun Li disliked Yun Yongchang’s attitude of always wanting to make decisions for her.
She also disliked Yun Yongchang’s belief that she should always rely on others and that everything should be shouldered by men.
Just as she was about to criticize, Fu Shize suddenly took her hand. As if understanding her thoughts, he reassuringly squeezed the back of her hand.
Having drunk too much, his speech was slower than usual, but each word was clear.
“Li Li and I will consider and be responsible for our future together.”
The love between two people should not be decided by a third party, nor should it be decided solely by either person in the relationship.
This love belongs to both of them.
After going downstairs, Yun Li was still thinking about what Fu Shize had said earlier. In this family, she deeply resented her father’s underestimation of her abilities and his desire to control her in every aspect.
Before coming, she had worried that Fu Shize, to please Yun Yongchang, would agree with everything Yun Yongchang said—that as a man, he should consider their future and make decisions for both of them.
She hated this notion.
She had always been independent. No matter how much Yun Yongchang criticized her for being introverted and unsociable, Yun Li still accomplished many things on her own. From not taking living expenses and tuition fees during her first summer in college to studying alone in Nanwu and England, to finally finding a decent job and a boyfriend she deeply loved.
She didn’t want anyone else to make decisions about her life.
What Fu Shize had said earlier didn’t treat her as an appendage, but viewed her as an irreplaceable half of their relationship.
Yun Li hugged his arm. His steps were less steady than usual. She stood on tiptoe and kissed his cheek.
Fu Shize smiled, “What’s that for?”
“Just felt like it,” Yun Li quickly stepped in front of him, looking up. Behind him, a crescent moon had just appeared.
“What do you think?” Fu Shize’s warm breath fell on her neck, “About our future, when should we settle it?”
“You go first, I’ll consider your opinion,” Yun Li laughed, pushing away his chin as his breath tickled her.
She used quite some force. Fu Shize rubbed the part she had pushed, chuckling, “After graduation?”
Graduation wasn’t far off.
Fu Shize saying these things now inevitably made Yun Li feel it was due to the pressure Yun Yongchang had put on him tonight.
She frowned and said, “You don’t need to mind what my dad said today. My parents say we should date for two or three years. I think that timeframe is more suitable.”
Fu Shize didn’t waver, repeating his earlier thought, “We can settle things after graduation.”
His eyes were hazy with alcohol, but his dark pupils were clear and serious.
Yun Li looked at his face, suddenly feeling nervous. Thinking carefully, there was less than half a year left until graduation.
She tentatively asked, “What do you mean by ‘settle things’?”
Fu Shize: “If you think it’s too fast, we can get engaged first.”
Yun Li asked with a straight face, “Then how long is the interval between engagement and marriage usually?”
The person beside her tilted his head and thought for a while. To Yun Li, it seemed like he was making up an answer right in front of her: “I’m not sure, maybe one or two months?”
“…”
He even dared to continue, “If you think that’s too long, it could also be one or two days.”
What’s the difference between that and getting married directly?!
“I’m also afraid that if we date for too long, you’ll worry that I’m not being responsible,” Fu Shize recalled her previous evasive words, and reached out to hook her neck, pulling her back into his arms.
Yun Li felt like she could hardly breathe. She could hear his heart beating rapidly, matching her own.
The time they had been together was too short. She still stubbornly said, “No, I need to think about it.”
Fu Shize smiled, “Then think about it.”
After saying this, he nuzzled her left ear with his chin.
Yun Li could hear his low voice dispersing in the air around them.
But the sound was faint, and he was speaking into her deaf left ear.
She couldn’t make out a single word.
He was still talking as if trying to persuade her.
Yun Li thought he was completely drunk and patiently said, “I can’t hear what you’re saying.”
Fu Shize’s drunkenness had fully set in. A few seconds later, he lowered his gaze to stare at the left ear he had been nuzzling, and suddenly realized, “I spoke into the wrong ear.”