You Must Marry Me! - Chapter 45
Chapter 45
Qi Zhen couldn’t help but laugh when she heard Yan Yiyun stammering.
How could Yan Yiyun be so adorable? She was the one who asked if she could put her hand into Qi Zhen’s pocket—so why was she the one getting all flustered when she actually did it?
It wasn’t like this was the first time they’d held hands.
Every time she was happy, she’d naturally wrap her hand around Qi Zhen’s.
Qi Zhen pressed her lips together, trying to stifle her laughter, but Yan Yiyun noticed and instantly blushed.
“What are you laughing at?!”
Inside the pocket, Yan Yiyun squeezed Qi Zhen’s hand and said in mock anger, “Are you laughing at me?!”
“No,” Qi Zhen said, suddenly feeling mischievous. She turned her head and whispered by Yan Yiyun’s ear, “What would I be laughing at you for?”
Yan Yiyun shivered all over and didn’t say a word.
Qi Zhen’s hand obediently rested inside her palm. Just now, when she squeezed Qi Zhen’s fingers, those soft, boneless fingers gently curled around hers, slid through her own fingers, and locked them tightly. It felt like Qi Zhen was both playfully scolding her for squeezing her hand and intentionally intertwining their fingers, holding on like she didn’t want to let go.
And Qi Zhen never let go.
Yan Yiyun was so nervous she broke into a sweat, and when she suddenly heard Qi Zhen hum softly through her nose, her whole body froze.
Qi Zhen let out another soft hum. “Hmm?”
Why’d she stop moving?
She looked at Yan Yiyun in confusion. Yan Yiyun forced herself to stay calm, sweat pooling in her palm, and said, “Let’s go.”
She looked straight ahead, telling herself not to think about Qi Zhen, but her sweaty hand made her a little anxious—Qi Zhen was still holding her hand. Would she notice how nervous she was?
Of course, Qi Zhen noticed.
The moment she held Yan Yiyun’s hand, the girl had tensed up like a little quail—stammering, stiff, even walking awkwardly. Her palm quickly grew damp, soaking the inside of Qi Zhen’s pocket. And somehow, that made Qi Zhen feel warm inside too.
The autumn breeze no longer felt so cold.
Qi Zhen felt her sweater clinging warmly to her skin, her heart beating fast. She could feel Yan Yiyun’s heartbeat too—faster than her own.
With their fingers tightly interlocked, a sudden thought popped into Qi Zhen’s mind—Yan Yiyun must like her too.
The thought startled her, but the warmth at her fingertips told her this wasn’t just wishful thinking.
She and Yan Yiyun were different.
Yan Yiyun was innocent and naïve, spending her youth chasing after illusions, with no interest in other people—especially not in romance. Even her best friend, Yi Jingyu, who was basically a love guru, barely brought up those topics with her.
That’s why, now that she’d fallen for someone, even dreaming about it left her completely flustered.
Qi Zhen, on the other hand, was always mature for her age. Even though she had no dating experience, she’d given relationship advice to more than one friend—and somehow, that advice actually worked.
So when she developed feelings for Yan Yiyun, she immediately understood what they were.
And similarly, she could tell that Yan Yiyun had feelings for her too. She just didn’t know when Yan Yiyun would really fall for her.
She only hoped that when that day came, she would already be strong enough to stand by her side.
Qi Zhen held back her feelings—not because she was unsure, but because the time wasn’t right. She was waiting for the right moment.
But now, she couldn’t stop herself from smiling. She felt that maybe… that moment was almost here.
With Yan Yiyun’s hand in hers, Qi Zhen suddenly felt a burst of joy.
Just a little more time—Yan Yiyun would realize their relationship wasn’t just friendship. And when that time came, Qi Zhen could finally confess her feelings.
Yan Yiyun had rarely seen Qi Zhen smile like this—like spring melting away the last of winter, like a soft breeze blowing all troubles away.
Her heart skipped a beat. She couldn’t help but soften her voice and ask, “What are you thinking about?”
Qi Zhen didn’t hide anything—her face was glowing with joy.
“Something good,” she replied.
Yan Yiyun didn’t ask what the “good thing” was.
She had a feeling—it really was something good. But… it just wasn’t time to say it yet.
Her heart softened too. Qi Zhen’s mood seemed to rub off on her, making her feel a warmth she’d never felt before.
Something was taking root in her chest—a warm, growing feeling that soothed her restless heart. She vaguely felt like she had grasped something, yet at the same time, nothing at all. It felt like love, and yet… maybe a little different.
Under the autumn night breeze, Yan Yiyun looked at Qi Zhen and unconsciously leaned in, her shoulder touching Qi Zhen’s.
She felt that warm emotion swell until it nearly overflowed.
Qi Zhen noticed the movement and asked softly, “Cold?”
Yan Yiyun shook her head. “Not cold.”
She just felt safe next to Qi Zhen.
They walked and chatted all the way back to the parking lot.
It was getting late, and both of them were starving. Uncle Li heard the address and drove like the wind, taking them to a clear broth hotpot restaurant.
The restaurant was right behind the mall they’d visited before. Neon signs screamed 1980s vibes, advertising “hotpot,” “seafood porridge,” and “grilled oysters.” It looked chaotic but charming.
Yan Yiyun’s appetite was instantly triggered. She jumped out of the car, tugged at Qi Zhen’s sleeve, and whined, “I’m so hungry.”
Qi Zhen patted the back of her hand. “We’re eating now, aren’t we?”
Yan Yiyun smiled, her eyes curving like crescent moons, revealing rows of neat, pearly teeth—absolutely adorable.
She loved how Qi Zhen spoke to her—it felt so gentle.
Qi Zhen didn’t know what she was thinking, only assumed she was really hungry. She led her quickly into the restaurant and got a table by the window on the second floor.
Even though it was late, the hotpot place was still buzzing with people.
Unlike most hotpot restaurants with overpowering spicy aromas, this place had a subtle, savory scent. Yan Yiyun kept looking around, excited.
After they sat down, Yan Yiyun flipped through the menu several times but only checked off two dishes before handing it to Qi Zhen.
Qi Zhen glanced down—she’d only picked pumpkin cakes and smashed cucumbers.
Qi Zhen looked up. “That’s all?”
Yan Yiyun nodded confidently. “You order. I can’t read the rest.”
A slight smile tugged at Qi Zhen’s lips. The menu was full of various beef cuts—it really would be confusing for someone unfamiliar.
She picked out a few of her usual favorites, added two house specials, and ordered a pot of milk tea before calling the waiter.
After the order, Yan Yiyun asked curiously, “What are all those dishes?”
“Hm?” Qi Zhen propped her chin on her hand, “Which ones?”
Qi Zhen was smiling at her—not on purpose, it was just that she couldn’t help it. Whenever she looked at Yan Yiyun, that warmth bubbled up and overflowed, from the corners of her eyes to her soft gaze, and all of it washed over Yan Yiyun.
Yan Yiyun originally just wanted to ask about the dishes, out of pure curiosity—but under that smile, her face flushed red.
She turned her head away, wanting to say “Stop looking at me,” but realized how unreasonable that would sound.
They were sitting face to face—was she supposed to have Qi Zhen stare at the back of someone else’s head?
Ears burning, Yan Yiyun mumbled, “The ones on the menu… I don’t understand some of them.”
She knew some were obviously beef parts, like marbled cuts, but things like “San Hua Zhi” were completely foreign.
Qi Zhen nodded knowingly. “What would you like to know?”
Looking at the densely packed menu names made her head spin. If she asked about every single item, they’d spend the whole night in beef class.
So she just asked, “What do you like to eat?”
Qi Zhen’s eyes lit up—Yan Yiyun really did like her. Why else would she ask that?
They had just walked here holding hands. Yan Yiyun had to be catching on by now.
Asking what she liked to eat? That’s a confession in disguise!
Qi Zhen felt a rush of heat through her chest, her fingertips trembling. She used to think it would take a long time before Yan Yiyun could like her back—or maybe that her feelings were just a fleeting crush, not real.
But when she looked into Yan Yiyun’s eyes, all doubt vanished.
Qi Zhen pointed to a plate of food just brought over and said, “This one. My favorite—‘San Hua Zhi.’ It’s beef shank from the front leg, with tendons. Really flavorful.”
She placed a special slotted spoon into the pot—it fit perfectly in the center of the hotpot. She poured the meat into the ladle, and the broth immediately bubbled around it. She counted the seconds, then fished it out.
Qi Zhen split the meat, putting half into Yan Yiyun’s bowl. Her smile widened. “This one’s really good.”
Once food hit the table, Yan Yiyun always obeyed instructions.
She dipped the beef into Qi Zhen’s custom sauce—a blend of soy sauce, scallions, and garlic. The glossy sheen glistened under the light. She took a bite—and the rich flavor of beef exploded on her tongue. The soft meat and chewy tendon created a perfect texture.
Yan Yiyun squinted in delight. “Delicious!”
Qi Zhen accepted the praise, nodding proudly. “Right?!”
Her whole face read, “Hurry up and praise me more for having good taste.” It left Yan Yiyun stunned for a second.
What was going on with Qi Zhen?
Didn’t she used to stay all cool and unfazed no matter how much she raved about food?
But now, just one compliment had her acting like a preschooler waiting for a gold star.
A thousand she’s so cute, so cute, so freaking cute thoughts flashed through Yan Yiyun’s mind. She stayed calm on the outside, set down her chopsticks, and looked her in the eyes, formally praising:
“You really do have amazing taste.”
A gleam of satisfaction sparkled in Qi Zhen’s eyes. She had been right all along—
Yan Yiyun really had fallen for her.
And nothing in the world felt better than realizing the hope you thought was far away… was actually just around the corner.
Her once calm heart stirred again with waves of joy.