When she said this, Ji Zitong's eyes begin to contain some warmth as she sighed and lamented, "At first, I thought that I joined the amry for him too, but afterwards I realized that I had done it for myself. So, I never felt any heartache or suffocation because of this unfortunate relationship. I only felt a little regretful. After all, I did invest in it too."

This was the first time that Ji Zitong had talked about her relationship with Dong Wentao in front of someone else.

"He and I never had the kind of love that went all in to sacrifice for the other. Both of us held back, and my bottom line was just right there. I kept reminding myself that I could only give so much and had nothing more to give. A relationship should go both ways. There aren't many people who can go through the suffering of one-sided sacrifices, and not receive the same in return. At least, I'm not that kind of person."

Ji Zitong's tone was calm, yet you could hear some bitterness in her words. "Not everyone woman who foolishly loves will be able to get happiness in the end. When the damage is done, leave some energy to love yourself. Instructor Su, I have to admit that what you'd said back then was right, love is a petty thing. That's why it's easier to lose it. He and I also didn't love each other as deeply as we thought we did."

"You need to be more clever about meeting those kinds of people. The reason I didn't let you out back then was that I'd previously seen him and that woman appear together at my grandfather's birthday banquet. While you know back then, it was a critical time in the training. A cadet's emotional state was very important," Su Chen explained for the first time about the unhappy incident too.

Ji Zitong nodded before she said a little desolately, "No matter what, I actually have to thank you, whether for what it was back then or just earlier, and I'd like to apologize for my attitude from before."

"How rare of you to have such self-awareness, but I permit you to not apologize to me as long as you see the truth for what it is," Su Chen said rather magnanimously. However, he had always been like that. He would never really be calculative with a woman, what more need a woman to apologize to him. If Ji Zitong had not gone way too overboard back then, he would not have fussed with her.

Ji Zitong turned to look at him, yet she realized that he was focused on the dark road ahead. He held the steering wheel steadily and did not continue talking.

After a while, the car passed through the dark alley and drove towards the flat and wide main road ahead. After they made a huge turn, they finally reached a rather new and clean building.

"We're here. That's it right in front. You can just park here," Ji Zitong said calmly as she looked into Su Chen's eyes that had calmed down too.

Su Chen was quite frank. He quickly braked and the car slowly stopped. His tall figure leaned to a side and his arms stretched out. Quickly, he opened her side of the car door. "Go home. Have a good sleep, and all will be well when you wake up. Ah Chen will take down those negative news, so don't worry. Next time, if you meet them again, you can call me if you can't evade them."

Ji Zitong nodded gently. "Thank you, Instructor Su."

"No worries, consider it even for my grandfather's thing," Su Chen said simply.

Ji Zitong then got down from the car. Just as she was about to close the car door, a questioning tone suddenly came from in front.

"Zitong? Why are you so late!"

Ji Zitong turned to look at the source of the voice. She saw that her mother, Chen Ling, was standing not too far away and was looking puzzledly at her, and the car beside her.

"Mother! It's late. Why aren't you asleep yet?" Ji Zitong frowned and asked.

Chen Ling slowly walked up and stopped beside Ji Zitong as she looked at the car. "Your father drank too much, and he was puking all over the house. I was cleaning up, so I came out to throw rubbish, then I saw you weren't home yet even though it's late, so I waited for you. The mister in the car is..."

Su Chen clearly did not expect this either. He looked at the lady's shrewd eyes that stared at him in the car. After a while, he understood it and swiftly got down from the car.

"Hello, Aunty, I'm Su Chen." Su Chen bowed steadily and calmly, while he briefly introduced himself.

When Su Chen said that, Chen Ling's eyes immediately flashed with surprise. Her gaze came with a sharp light immediately, and she sized Su Chen up and down a few times. With that gaze of hers. she seemed like she was about to look Su Chen inside out. After a long while, her face that was weathered with hardships flashed with a smile. The light in her eyes seemed satisfied as she smiled and said, "Not bad! So, you're Su Chen? How old are you this year? Where do you work?"

Stunned, Su Chen subconsciously looked to Ji Zitong who was frowning as she held Chen Ling back. He thought about then responded, "I'm 33, and I work at the city's Traffic Management Bureau."

"Are you the only son?" Chen Ling continued to ask.

"Mother, stop asking. It's cold outside. Let's go home. Instructor Su, please go home too, it's really late!"

Ji Zitong frowned hard as she dragged Chen Ling home, yet Chen Ling wriggled herself free and softly reprimanded Ji Zitong, "Stop talking. Don't interfere. Stand right there!"

Then, she turned and smiled cordially at Su Chen again.

Su Chen then realized what was going on, so he raised his handsome brows in amusement, then smiled faintly at Ji Zitong who looked all awkward. He answered humbly, "Aunty, I also have an older sister, Su Yu, who's married. My father's in politics too. Mother has a small business, and I have a grandfather."

"Haha, good! Good! This one's not bad. Your grandfather has told us all about it. It looks like that pretty looking lady was your sister. She's quite sweet. Yesterday, she even brought me several sets of the latest fashion outfits. How nice of her to be spending much money. She's really quite thoughtful. Why haven't you come to our place to visit with Tong Tong when it's been so long? It's cold outside. How about you come in to sit?" Chen Ling said as she pointed to her house ahead.

Su Chen looked at Ji Zitong's whose eyes had darkened even more. Ji Zitong wanted to dig a hole for her to hide in. She quickly explained, "Mother, Su Chen and I are just..."

"Thank you, Aunty. Today's a little late. Next time, I'll come visit again. My grandfather's brought trouble to you all, and I'm very sorry about that. It's cold outside. You and Zitong should go in soon."

"Oh, okay, Mother, he has other things to attend to later. Let's go in first! You drive safely!"

Upon hearing Su Chen, Ji Zitong allowed no explanation and immediately pulled Chen Ling ahead, ignoring her protests.

Su Chen smirked as he watched the two of them walk into their house. He took out a cigarette from his pocket and started smoking.

He closed the door to his car and smoked half the stick as he leaned against the door. Then, he extinguished it and threw it into a nearby trash can when he saw the lights turned on inside the room on the second floor. He got back into his car.

Ji Zitong peeked outside her window when she heard the sound of a car leaving. Her expression softened when she saw the car leave under the dim street lamps.

"Su Chen looks great, and he's got a good family background. Both his grandfather and his sister are very pleasant as well. You should really consider him. He's handsome and just several years older than you. Men like him usually make good husbands. Trust me."

The voice of Ji Zitong's mother, Chen Ling, reached her as she drew the curtains. Ji Zitong frowned and looked at Chen Ling who had a cheeky smile on her face.

"Mother, I've told you that Su Chen and I aren't together. He was my instructor during my time in the army. I don't understand what happened, but you guys have misunderstood my relationship with him!" Ji Zitong had forgotten how many times she had to explain this to them.

"Not related? You guys are just fighting, aren't you? There's no way he'd send you back home if what you said is true. Look at what's over your shoulder. Moreover, his grandfather and sister are already in contact with us!"

Chen Ling did not believe her at all.

Ji Zitong glanced over her shoulder to see Su Chen's coat. It was pretty chilly when they were next to the river just now. As a gentleman, he had given her his coat, but she totally forgot about it.

Ji Zitong's expression froze as she quickly shrugged the coat off. "I said there's nothing between us. It's the truth!"

"Tongtong, you're not a child anymore. Grab your chance when there's someone eligible near you. You're 27 this year, and you'll be 30 in a few years' time. A woman's youth is precious. You're past the prime when you can afford to choose. Think about it. How many blind dates have you been on? At least thirty? I'm tired of going to the matchmaking office!"

Chen Ling looked at Ji Zitong and started nagging her again, "Your father and I only have one daughter. How can I not be worried? You've met so many men, yet you don't like any of them! I think the Ph.D. student looks pretty good. He's humble and gentle, so why aren't you interested? You're always known to be picky. Can you stop being a perfectionist? Just settle for someone suitable!"

"You said I was unstable before. I opened a flower shop and start getting stable, and now you're bugging me with this issue again? Why are you so eager for me to get married? I don't see any issues with being alone. Why do I have to get married? Do you really think my life will be better after marriage?" Ji Zitong sat down on her bed, annoyed.

"Do you think women can afford to not get married? Tongtong! Are you still thinking about that man? He's already married and probably has a child already. Just forget about him. You can't just stay single for him forever, can you?" Chen Ling said quietly.

"It's not about him! I told you. I just don't want to get married. It's that simple! Don't always assume that's the reason. I've long forgotten what that man looks like. Don't always mention him in front of me please!" Ji Zitong was getting agitated.

"Fine! If it's not about him, then what's happening now? Aren't you just staying single for his sake? If that's not the case, I've arranged another blind date for you. Go and take a look. Get married to someone that's suitable and stop being so picky. This person is a university lecturer who's 32 this year. At 1.75 meters tall, he looks gentle and both his parents are high school teachers. He's quite alright..."

"That's enough! I'll find someone and get married in a few days, alright? Please stop bothering me. It's late now, so you should go to sleep. It's going to be a busy day at the store. Don't worry about this anymore. If you really think our household can't keep me any longer, I'll find a man and get married. Then, I won't be an eyesore to you. You can go out now."

"Tongtong, I don't mean that... Tongtong, listen to me..." Chen Ling was about to say something else, but Ji Zitong started pushing her out of the room and then locking the door.

Ji Zitong was getting sick of days like this. They had not been particularly worried before. Since she had been staying with her grandmother when she was a child, she was not really close to her parents, and only came back to them when her grandmother passed away several years ago.

She understood that Chen Ling was concerned about her, but she was not taking her concerns very well. She felt a little depressed as she remembered what Wang Yanran said earlier. Her information at the matchmaking center was probably...

It was not that she did not want to get married. She just did not want to compromise. Why should she settle for less in marriage?

Why should she compromise for the sake of her feelings?

How many women could accept staying beside a man they did not love their whole life?

She had no idea, but she was sure that she could not accept it because she always had a prideful soul. It might not mean anything to others, but she felt like there was nothing wrong with staying true to her principles.

...

She jumped onto her bed and stared at the ceiling. Her eyes did not blink at all as she felt helpless. Finally, she closed her eyes a while later and took a deep breath as she grabbed her pillow. However, she grabbed soft fabric instead. It was Su Chen's coat.

Stunned, her eyes darkened as she hesitated. Then, she slowly pulled her phone out.

The man was still cruising in his Land Rover through the night while playing some uplifting music in the car. The traffic had become much smoother now. He glanced at his phone and noticed it was almost midnight.

Su Chen sped up the car. Instead of going home, he headed to his office. He had a meeting tomorrow morning at the headquarters but had left some documents in his office.

"The empty night sky with stars all over the sky; we're not afraid of the hardships ahead..." he sang along to the music playing in the car. Suddenly, his phone started ringing and the screen lit up.

He slowed down and unlocked his phone. It was a message from an unknown number.

It was a very short text: If I'll marry you, would you marry me?

Su Chen was stunned. He floored the brakes and stopped his car by the roadside. Then, he stared at his phone screen.

Ji Zitong?

Had she thought it through already?

Su Chen stared at the line of text for a very long while. After some hesitation, he finally called Ji Zitong.

Ji Zitong was feeling uneasy right after she sent the message, she had no idea why she sent that, and she was not sure why she felt uneasy, she gripped her phone tightly, the amount of force she was using could almost crush her phone.

She was shocked when her phone rang. She took a deep breath after she saw the caller's name. After that, she picked up the call and Su Chen's deep voice reached her ears, sounding so distant. "It's me. I just want to confirm if you sent the message."

Ji Zitong was quiet for a while. After that, she nodded and said, "I sent that. Does your promise still stand? If yes, I have one condition to add."

Su Chen raised his eyebrows when he heard her reply. He considered it for a moment and then said, "Of course, but do tell me your condition."

Ji Zitong took a deep breath as her grip on her blanket tightened. She had to muster all her courage in order to be able to speak right now. "I don't want a contracted marriage. I want a real marriage."

She did not want bigger issues coming for her in the future. Besides that, she also wanted to be responsible for her own marriage as it was not meant to be used as a tool for trade.

Su Chen's eyes darkened as he gave her suggestion some thought. "Do you know what you're saying?"

"I know. This is just what I thought. Are you daring enough to do so? It's your decision to make now." Ji Zitong sounded calm all of a sudden. "I'm tired of getting bugged about this already, so I might as well find someone that I know. If you don't mind me being from a lower social class, I'm willing to marry you, but are you willing to marry me?"

Su Chen chuckled. "Social class? I don't care about that. There's no reason for me to decline, is there?"

"So, do you mean you agree?" Ji Zitong asked quietly.

"At 10.30 a.m. tomorrow, meet me at the entrance of the Civil Affairs Bureau. Bring your identification card. I have a meeting at the city town hall tomorrow, and it'll end by 10 a.m. so I'll be there by 10.30 a.m." Su Chen was very decisive.

"Tomorrow morning?" Ji Zitong was stunned to hear his reply. Though she knew Su Chen was always very decisive, she did not expect it to be this soon. Was it not too quick?

"Mmm, any issue with tomorrow morning?" Su Chen asked.

"Not really, but don't you think it's too fast?" Ji Zitong replied.

Su Chen grinned as he leaned against the car window. He looked out at the dim streetlamps as he said, "Ji Zitong, you were once a soldier. We need to make decisions quickly at key moments. I remember that you had this quality in you back then. Are you hesitating now? Do what you need to and don't let your problems hold you back. That's what I think about it. If you're willing to, then I'm giving you a chance tomorrow. The promise will be void if I don't see you."

"I..."

"Alright, go to sleep. You have one whole night to think about it. I'll leave if I don't see you by 11 a.m. tomorrow."

Su Chen then hung up on the call. He stared at his phone as the screen darkened, sucking in a deep breath as his gaze turned complicated. He could not help but smoke another cigarette.

He was addicted to smoking. Among the three of them, Mu Yuchen would smoke occasionally, but he stopped smoking ever since he married Xi Xiaye and would only take a drag or two when they gathered while Zhou Zimo never touched cigarettes at all.

He started the engine again after finishing two cigarettes. The car rumbled onto the road in the middle of the night.

...

The next morning, Mu Yuchen had already gone to work when Xi Xiaye woke up.

Her son had woken up several times in the middle of the night, and Mu Yuchen was the one that went and calm him down. He had been sleeping in the living room or the study room for the past few nights, and Xi Xiaye knew very well why.

While she felt sorry for him, it was funny to her.

She woke up when she heard their son's cry, but he already rushed into the room and picked the baby up.

"Missus, it's going to soon be a month since you gave birth. Since we're not having a full moon celebration for Little Master, are we expecting a hundred-day celebration? Just asking so we can prepare for it," Sis Wang asked as they were having breakfast.

Xi Xiaye stopped and thought about it. "Let's leave this aside for now. I'll talk to your Master first before deciding. I'll be going to the hospital with the baby later, and Xiao Rui will be following me. He'll only be going back to school next week. Give Xiao Rui's teacher a call and inform her."

"Noted, Missus. I've called them just now. Missus, Little Master has been very obedient and rarely cries. Aunt Lin mentioned he is one of the easiest children she has ever taken care of." Sis Wang chuckled.

"He's alright, but he gave his father quite a bit of trouble last time. His meeting documents are still in the study room. I'll send them to him later."

While she could finally go out after a month of staying at home, she still had to go to the hospital for a check-up.