You Must Marry Me! - Chapter 47

Chapter 47

She looked at Yan Yiyun in front of her and suppressed the impulse in her heart. Just a moment ago, she had really wanted to confess her feelings to Yan Yiyun, but she didn’t want to do it so hastily.

In Qi Zhen’s imagination, when she confessed to Yan Yiyun, even if it wasn’t grand, there should at least be a candlelit dinner and roses—that would make it official.

Even if she knew she could probably win Yan Yiyun’s heart soon, that wasn’t a reason to treat Yan Yiyun’s feelings lightly.

If they were going to be together, it should start off solemnly—with mutual cherishing and love.

She wasn’t about to confess in a hot pot restaurant, especially when she had just been explaining how beef was butchered!

Of course, Yan Yiyun had no idea what she was thinking. Even though she’d said she wanted to marry Qi Zhen, the truth was she didn’t even know how to confess or pursue someone. She just relied on sheer passion and kept hanging around Qi Zhen, trying to increase her presence, convinced that if she stayed long enough, something magical would happen.

She blinked her sparkling big eyes and looked at Qi Zhen. “Did you order all the things you like?”

Qi Zhen touched her nose, a little embarrassed, and nodded. Yan Yiyun didn’t know what to order and had told her to do it, so naturally she picked all her favorite dishes. After all, she’d been busy with work lately and hadn’t had a good meal in a while.

Qi Zhen pointed at two plates of meat on the cart. “These two are the restaurant’s signature dishes. I think you’ll like them.”

One was the restaurant-recommended hand-beaten beef meatballs. Yan Yiyun had ordered meatballs last time they had hot pot, so she probably liked them. These meatballs were firm and springy, filled with rich beef broth—likely something Yan Yiyun would enjoy.

The other was tender beef slices, made from pure lean meat with almost no fat. The texture was excellent, and most people loved it. Qi Zhen hoped Yan Yiyun would try it—maybe she’d like it too.

There weren’t many dishes, but each was chosen with care.

Yan Yiyun felt something stir in her chest. For once, she actually caught on and asked, “How did you know?”

Qi Zhen stared into her eyes, her mind racing. What did she mean by that? Had she guessed something?

“I guessed,” she said, watching Yan Yiyun’s expression. “You ordered something similar last time, so I figured you’d probably like it.”

Yan Yiyun’s face lit up with sudden understanding. “Oh, I thought maybe you had a surveillance camera in my heart.”

Qi Zhen, seeing her like that, could tell she hadn’t even considered the possibility that Qi Zhen might like her. So she just smiled and said, “How do you know I’m not in your heart?”

Yan Yiyun was at a loss for words.

What was Qi Zhen even saying???

Didn’t she realize how strange that sounded?!

“What do you mean I’m in your heart?”

That kind of talk was seriously misleading!

Yan Yiyun stared at Qi Zhen’s face, trying to read something from her expression. A bold thought crossed her mind—did Qi Zhen already know she liked her? After all, she’d been so obvious. Qi Zhen was smart; it wouldn’t be surprising if she figured it out.

But looking at Qi Zhen’s calm and collected face, it didn’t seem like she had.

If Qi Zhen knew Yan Yiyun liked her and still looked this composed, then what did that mean?

It meant Qi Zhen didn’t feel the same.

If she had any romantic feelings, how could she say something like that so casually, without blushing or showing any nervousness?

Yan Yiyun bit her lip. Outside the hot pot restaurant earlier, Qi Zhen had even held her hand. Wasn’t that a hint?

Or was it just something she’d imagined?

Yan Yiyun was getting increasingly confused by Qi Zhen’s behavior. She stared at her, desperate to find any sign of affection on her face, but Qi Zhen just smiled gently, letting her look without showing even a hint of anxiety.

Yan Yiyun remembered how nervous she’d been all day since seeing Qi Zhen and became even more certain that Qi Zhen didn’t like her.

Then why did she hold my hand?!

Frustrated, she suddenly lost her appetite for the meat in front of her.

Qi Zhen had already finished cooking the second round of meat—this time it was even more tender and springy five-flower tendon. She placed it on Yan Yiyun’s plate, and when there was no reaction, she simply picked up a piece, dipped it in sauce, and held it up to Yan Yiyun’s mouth.

The juicy meat, coated in fragrant sauce with minced garlic and chili, sent its aroma right to Yan Yiyun’s nose, finally bringing her back to her senses.

She instinctively bit the meat, chewed a few times, and her thoughts gradually returned. Eating meat fed to her by Qi Zhen, her stomach warm and full, she began doubting her earlier thoughts. Surely Qi Zhen liked her, right?

Why else would she treat her so well?

Yan Yiyun couldn’t make sense of it and decided not to think about it anymore.

She looked up at Qi Zhen and asked out of nowhere, “Why are you feeding me?”

She’d wanted to ask why Qi Zhen was being so nice to her but thought that sounded presumptuous—what if Qi Zhen was just being casually considerate?

Qi Zhen might be cold at work, but that didn’t mean she was cold to friends. Yan Yiyun hadn’t even met her other friends—what if Qi Zhen treated all her friends like this? That would be so embarrassing.

Qi Zhen was eating at the moment. She’d timed the tendon meat perfectly—it was tender with a springy bite, the beef soft while the tendons stayed chewy. Combined with a sauce of green onions, garlic, and chili, it was mouthwateringly good.

She hadn’t expected such a question and looked up, confused.

Why not feed her?

Otherwise, the meat would get cold.

Honestly, she hadn’t thought much about it when feeding Yan Yiyun.

She just couldn’t stand the meat cooling off, so she fed it to her.

Besides, it wasn’t the first time she’d done it—why was Yan Yiyun reacting so strongly now?

Did she think it was too intimate?

Qi Zhen immediately got nervous. The more she liked Yan Yiyun, the more she wanted to do everything right. If her small gestures came off as overstepping, it might make Yan Yiyun angry.

She softened her tone and asked, “Is it not okay?”

She was still chewing, so her voice was muffled and sounded like it was wrapped in mist.

Qi Zhen froze. How could she be so silly?

Yan Yiyun was stunned too. Qi Zhen’s cheeks puffed out slightly as she spoke with her mouth full, making her look like a dumpling-faced girl—adorably soft.

Her anger instantly vanished, her mind looping: So cute, so cute, how is Qi Zhen this cute? But she still kept up a stern front and coolly said, “It’s not that it’s not okay. I just wanted to know why.”

Qi Zhen blinked, quickly swallowed her food, straightened up, and clearly explained, “I was afraid it would get cold if you didn’t eat it soon.”

Yan Yiyun: “?”

That’s it?!

That’s it???

Now she was really pissed off. After all that overthinking, it was just because the meat might get cold?!

Her face fell, and she put down her chopsticks, saying, “I see.”

Qi Zhen nodded, but when she saw Yan Yiyun’s suddenly sour expression, she realized she might’ve said the wrong thing.

Was it that Yan Yiyun didn’t like being fed? Or did she just not like that reason?

Qi Zhen didn’t speak—she quietly watched Yan Yiyun, then cooked another plate of meat and gave her half.

Yan Yiyun ate fast this time, like something was chasing her—bite after bite, without savoring the taste.

Qi Zhen watched her puffed-up cheeks and obviously angry movements and helplessly shook her head.

She put down her chopsticks and gently asked, “Is it not okay for me to feed you?”

If Yan Yiyun simply didn’t like that behavior, then Qi Zhen would stop doing it.

Yan Yiyun flared up. She raised an eyebrow, face stern in her sharp suit, exuding a strong presence.

“It’s not that!”

Qi Zhen’s heart skipped a beat. Yan Yiyun had never been this assertive in front of her—even during her interview, she’d looked at Qi Zhen with admiration and no airs at all.

This “It’s not that!” just now—that was more like the “demon boss” people described in the company rumors.

Of course, no demon boss would argue over being fed.

Qi Zhen thought about that and found it kind of adorable.

Clearly, what Yan Yiyun meant was that she didn’t like the reason Qi Zhen gave.

You fed me because the meat would get cold?

What answer did she want, then?

Qi Zhen didn’t even have to think—she knew.

Yan Yiyun probably wanted the answer to be: Because I wanted to feed you.

Qi Zhen suddenly smiled. This little tsundere—obviously craving closeness and affection, yet too shy to admit it, sitting there being awkward on her own.

She was so cute. Innocent like a clear lake.

Qi Zhen smiled sweetly at her and said, “I get it now.”

Yan Yiyun: “?”

What do you mean ‘you get it’?!

So annoying!

While she was still fuming, Qi Zhen had already picked up another piece of meat, dipped it in sauce, and brought it to her mouth.

Yan Yiyun leaned back to avoid the chopsticks. “I don’t want it!”

“Hmm?”

Qi Zhen didn’t pull back. Instead, she raised an eyebrow and asked calmly:

“Really don’t want it?”

Yan Yiyun stiffened, locked in a standoff with her. “I really don’t!”

Let the meat get cold then—she had hands, didn’t she? Why should Qi Zhen feed her?!

Miss Yan, who had zero romantic experience, didn’t realize she was pouting—she thought Qi Zhen was being ridiculous. If she didn’t want to feed her, why do it now just because she got angry?

Besides, who said she was mad because of that reason?!

The more she thought about it, the more she felt she was right. She grabbed her chopsticks and picked up a piece of meat to eat on her own—only to find her chopsticks gently pressed down by Qi Zhen.

She tried to move, but Qi Zhen followed, stopping her from lifting them.

Yan Yiyun was furious. “What are you doing! I said I didn’t want it!”

“Didn’t want it?”

Qi Zhen looked at her, finding her more and more amusing—and adorable. With a smile that wasn’t quite a smile, she said:

“Didn’t you want me to feed you?”