You Must Marry Me! - Chapter 23
Chapter 23
Qi Zhen picked up a piece of ginger duck. The duck had been stir-fried to perfection—crispy on the outside, tender on the inside. The skin was lightly browned, the excess oil fully rendered out, so it wasn’t greasy at all. The meat inside was juicy and flavorful, making it impossible to stop after just one bite.
Under Yan Yiyun’s expectant gaze, Qi Zhen nodded and said, “It’s delicious.”
Yan Yiyun instantly beamed with joy. Watching her smile, Qi Zhen’s heart filled with warmth. She realized that Yiyun truly cared about her every opinion—listened earnestly to every word she said. It was a feeling Qi Zhen had never experienced before. It felt both novel and sweet.
She was starting to fear this sweetness. Isn’t it said that when you secretly like someone, every little gesture they make feels like they’re flirting?
Qi Zhen was afraid she would want more and more—until what she truly wanted would no longer be something Yan Yiyun could give her as just a friend.
If that day ever came, she knew she’d be heartbroken.
Yan Yiyun smiled and said, “I knew you’d like it.”
She pushed her own dishes toward Qi Zhen and pulled Qi Zhen’s food in front of herself, saying, “Since you made this especially for me, I won’t hold back. Let’s swap today.”
Then she placed a bowl of soup in front of Qi Zhen and said, “This is chicken soup Auntie Li specially made. It’s good for your digestion—have some later.”
After eating, Qi Zhen drank the soup under Yan Yiyun’s watchful eye. As she sipped it, Yiyun started mumbling beside her, “From now on, don’t eat cold food, and don’t just eat whatever’s convenient. Otherwise, your stomach’s going to get worse…”
Yan Yiyun continued, “Now I don’t even dare to casually recommend food to you anymore. You really scared me last time…”
Her face was full of guilt.
“I didn’t know you had a sensitive stomach and still let you eat those super spicy peppers. Then you had to take the afternoon off and go to the hospital—I was so terrified.”
“I’m fine,” Qi Zhen said with a reassuring smile. “It wasn’t that serious. Some medicine and I was okay.”
But her words only made Yiyun feel more guilty. She shook her head and said, “You can’t say that! Stomach issues need long-term care. You can’t just ignore them…”
She rambled on, only stopping when she noticed Qi Zhen wasn’t saying anything. Suddenly, a hint of unease crept into her heart—what if Qi Zhen thought she was being too nosy?
Yiyun paused and asked, “Do you think I’m talking too much, like I’m your mom or something?”
“How could I?”
Qi Zhen smiled right away. Her mom never cared about things like this. In fact, she still didn’t even know Qi Zhen had stomach problems.
“My mom wouldn’t bother about this.”
“I know you’re just worried about me. That makes me really happy.”
When Yiyun heard her say that, her heart clenched a little.
Though she had spent years studying abroad alone, her parents never stopped calling or video chatting with her. They flew out to visit whenever they could. Truthfully, she had never lacked love. Her relationship with her parents was really close.
Auntie Li treated her like her own daughter, too—giving her even more affection.
But Qi Zhen’s mom didn’t even care about her health?
Yiyun knew that many families provided material comfort but lacked emotional warmth. She had always disliked that kind of environment. Thinking of Qi Zhen growing up in a home like that made Yiyun’s heart soften completely.
She looked into Qi Zhen’s eyes and said gently, “It’s okay. Then I’ll make sure to care for you more.”
I’ll give you all the love and concern that others didn’t.