The venue for the debate was filled with noisy chatter, and amidst the constant stream of people passing by, Jiang Muping’s voice became muffled and indistinct.
Upon later reflection, Cheng Yan wondered if he had misheard or if his memory had somehow become distorted.
They did not continue their conversation as Jiang Muping was called away by his assistant.
“Let’s stay in touch,” Jiang Muping said to Cheng Yan.
Cheng Yan nodded, feeling perplexed.
However, Jiang Muping did not contact Cheng Yan afterwards as promised, leaving Cheng Yan unsure of when exactly this “later” would be.
The proposal of marriage by Jiang Muping had such a significant impact on Cheng Yan that he was completely distracted throughout the entire day. Eventually, he decided to cancel all his plans and returned home early.
Cheng Yan, rarely going to bed early, found it difficult to sleep soundly. He woke up in the middle of the night and poured himself a small glass of red wine. Glancing at his phone, it was already 11:30 PM, and Jiang Muping had neither called nor messaged him.
Cheng Yan sat down on the sofa, holding the glass of wine, feeling inexplicably restless.
If Cheng Yan didn’t receive a message from Jiang Muping today, he feared he wouldn’t be able to sleep all night.
Unable to contain his impatience, Cheng Yan finally decided to make a phone call to Jiang Muping.
The phone rang for two seconds before Cheng Yan hung up. He finished the remaining contents of his glass and thought for a moment. Ultimately, he decided to contact Jiang Muping tomorrow, not wanting to disturb his rest.
As Cheng Yan got up to wash the wine glass in the kitchen, his phone suddenly began to ring. He glanced down and saw that it was an incoming call from Jiang Muping.
Cheng Yan placed the wine glass on the coffee table and answered the call.
Jiang Muping’s voice sounded low and somewhat tired. “Cheng Yan, what’s wrong?”
“Did I wake you up?”
“No, I haven’t slept yet,” Jiang Muping replied, closing his laptop and rubbing his temples after taking off his glasses.
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
“I thought you were asleep…”
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“Professor Jiang, I want to confirm something with you.”
“Go ahead,” came the response.
“Did you mention marriage today?” Cheng Yan asked.
A soft laughter could be heard over the phone. “Yes. Didn’t you agree? Are you having second thoughts?”
“I’m worried that you might regret it.”
Cheng Yan didn’t understand the sudden reason behind Jiang Muping’s proposal of marriage, nor did he comprehend why he had instinctively agreed without hesitation.
“Professor Jiang, you don’t understand me,” Cheng Yan said.
Jiang Muping replied, “We can get to know each other now.”
Cheng Yan thought about suggesting that they have a detailed discussion in person another day, but then he realized that his background and personal history were as unremarkable as a blank sheet of paper. Therefore, he decided to bring himself a little closer to Jiang Muping on this sleepless night.
“My parents passed away early, and I have a younger brother who doesn’t share my surname. I didn’t graduate from high school, never attended university, and have little education,” Cheng Yan paused and mentioned what he considered an important point, “And… I smoke.”
Cheng Yan concluded that Jiang Muping definitely didn’t smoke. He knew smoking was not good, but quitting was too difficult for him.
There were a few seconds of silence from Jiang Muping, and Cheng Yan guessed that his rationality had returned.
“For the matter of marriage,” Cheng Yan said, “you can reconsider.”
“I have already considered it today at the debate venue,” Jiang Muping replied, putting his glasses back on and stepping out of his study. “Smoking–”
“I can’t quit,” Cheng Yan admitted. “I’ve tried quitting many times, but I haven’t succeeded.”
Jiang Muping’s tone was firm. “That’s because you haven’t set strict enough standards for yourself.”
Cheng Yan now had serious doubts that Jiang Muping might give up on the engagement because of the smoking issue.
However, Jiang Muping was very understanding. “I know you smoke, and after we get married, I will support and encourage you to gradually change this habit.”
Cheng Yan didn’t expect that Jiang Muping was already considering plans for after their marriage. His mood seemed less anxious, and a sense of peaceful tranquility gradually filled his heart.
Cheng Yan finished the last sip of his wine and cleared his throat. “Professor Jiang, I have little education, and we might lack common ground in the future, leading to various conflicts.”
Jiang Muping replied, “By then, I hope you will be willing to accommodate me.”
Cheng Yan was taken aback, and his throat felt dry.
“…Why do you want to marry me?” Cheng Yan finally asked this question, although he had a rough idea of the answer.
Jiang Muping was the typical type of person who appeared cold on the outside but had a warm interior. He carried himself with a sense of aloofness, had high standards for himself, yet was easily moved by others, emanating a compassionate aura. Cheng Yan didn’t dislike this compassionate quality in Jiang Muping; in fact, he found it rather enchanting. Jiang Muping wouldn’t sacrifice his own marriage out of pity for Cheng Yan. His compassion was principled, and he pursued shared joy in their relationship.
“And what about you? Why did you agree to marry me?” Jiang Muping was skilled at taking control of the conversation, effortlessly turning the tables.
“I don’t know,” Cheng Yan answered truthfully.
Jiang Muping replied, “You’ll come to know gradually.”
Jiang Muping also shared some information about himself. He told Cheng Yan that his mother was an architect, his father was a hospital dean who would retire in three years.
They also discussed their respective financial situations. Overall, Cheng Yan was slightly wealthier than Jiang Muping. Jiang Muping had a decent income as he worked within the system, but it wasn’t a high-earning profession.
There were some trivial matters that both of them decided to discuss later on. But for now, the most important thing was to decide that they wanted to get married and hadn’t yet discussed it with Jiang Muping’s parents.
“Shouldn’t we talk to your parents about this?” Cheng Yan asked.
“I will talk to them,” Jiang Muping replied, taking off his wristwatch and realizing that it was already late. He said, “It’s very late. Shouldn’t you be going to sleep?”
Cheng Yan responded with a vague “Mm” sound.
Jiang Muping had already noticed Cheng Yan’s sluggish tone and slower speech, so he asked, “Have you been drinking?”
“I had a little,” Cheng Yan replied, rubbing his slightly tired eyes. “I can’t sleep.”
“Why can’t you sleep?” Jiang Muping inquired.
“Because you said you want to marry me,” Cheng Yan confessed.
Cheng Yan’s sleepiness began to take over, and his voice sounded lazy. “Professor Jiang, I’m feeling a bit sleepy.”
“Go ahead and sleep.”
Cheng Yan wasn’t drunk, but the alcohol seemed to prompt him to say things without thinking, “After you wake up, will you still marry me?”
“Yes, I will,” Jiang Muping’s voice held a subtle hint of laughter.
Cheng Yan washed the wine glass clean and placed it upside down in the cupboard. He walked towards the bedroom, muttering to himself, “What if your parents don’t agree…”
Cheng Yan realized that his fondness for Jiang Muping might extend beyond what he initially considered “appropriate.” Otherwise, why would he unconsciously display such a strong desire to marry Jiang Muping?
When Jiang Muping said, “I will talk to them,” Cheng Yan lay on the bed, holding his phone, and reminisced about Jiang Muping’s face.
He traced Jiang Muping’s facial features in his mind, piece by piece, while lying down. He couldn’t help but admire how handsome Jiang Muping was.
As Cheng Yan held his phone, he couldn’t help but think of Jiang Muping’s face. Jiang Muping had a youthful face even in high school, and now he was wreaking havoc on someone like Cheng Yan, who was older…
This chapter is sweeter than my morning coffee with 3 spoonful of brown sugar. What a wonderful way to start my day.
Thank you for the chapter. Have an amazing day 💕
Ahhh this was so cute and thanks for the chapter!!
They’re so cute!! Thanks for the chapter! <3
Oh, it’s so adorable!!!
Thank you for your translation 🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍
Thank You for the new chapter( ˘͈ ᵕ ˘͈♡)˚๐*˟ ♡
😚 thank you for the update!
Aww~🤭 XD
SOO CUUUTEEE!!!