Chapter 136

Yu Na was surprised and asked, "This is...?"

"My grandparents' home," Xiao Chen hugged her and said, "I mentioned to you before that I was dating. My grandmother kept asking me for photos, so I sent her our selfie. As a result, she printed out the photo and put it in a frame on the wall. She looks at it every day and asks about you every day. Since she found out I'm bringing you home for New Year, the old couple has been counting down the days with a calendar."

"Xiao Chen..." Yu Na leaned on his shoulder, "Your grandparents must be very nice to get along with, right?"

"Yes. My parents have always wanted to bring them to live closer, but they don't want to. They don't even want to move homes, saying they are not used to it. My dad wanted to renovate the house, but they didn't want him spending money on it, saying it wouldn't feel the same after renovation."

Xiao Chen pulled the quilt up to wrap Yu Na nice and cozy, as if listening to a story. "After I went abroad, I rarely went back, and now work keeps me busy, so I haven't been back either. To be honest, seeing this photo, I feel bad."

Yu Na laid on his arm, hands stroking his chest, "It's okay. We'll stay a few more days this time, alright?"

He left a kiss on her forehead, "Alright."

...

Because both families and the engaged couple were busy with work, the engagement date was set on a Saturday.

With no random people around and no extra procedures.

Yu Na with her parents, Xiao Chen with his parents, and Qiao Rui gathered together for a meal.

During the dinner, Xiao Chen went down on one knee to put a ring he had prepared beforehand on Yu Na's hand.

Then the couple served tea to their elders.

Both families were very satisfied with each other, so they gave the couple the engagement money.

But during the process, Xiao Chen was so nervous that he forgot to change how he addressed Yu Na's parents.

As a result, Yu Na's father jokingly asked, "So I'm not fit to be your father?"

This sentence drew hearty laughter from everyone.

Yu Na's mother helplessly patted her husband on the arm, "You've always intimidated the boy, yet you still say things like that."

Xiao Chen's face turned beet red, he yelled in a silly way, "Dad! Mom!"

This historically embarrassing moment was recorded by the ever-onlooking troublemaker Qiao Rui.

When Yu Na was serving tea to Xiao Chen's parents, she also felt awkward changing how she addressed them, and called softly with a tiny voice, "Dad, Mom."

Xiao Chen's parents happily responded, and his mother held Yu Na's hand, "If Xiao Chen ever bullies you, just tell mom and I'll teach him a lesson."

Xiao Chen: "......"

Yu Na's parents left in the afternoon.

Before leaving, the family of three talked alone. Yu Na's father took out a credit card and handed it to Yu Na, "Here, use this to shop."

"I don't need it, I have money now."

But Yu Na's father didn't let her refuse and shoved it into her hand directly, "Don't give me that."

The awkward father-daughter had started reconciling after that night.

"With your meager salary, what can you even afford? Keep this card in your wallet so you have more confidence when going out."

Yu Na was deeply moved, "Thanks, dad and mom."

Yu Na's mother stroked her hair, "Focus on work, contact us if you have any difficulties."

Yu Na nodded.

That day, after Xiao Chen and Yu Na's parents left Chang Wan, the young couple was left alone in the city. In the afternoon, Yu Na was tutoring Qiao Rui and Xu Yì at Yunwan Mansion.

The usually well-behaved Xu Yì completely lost her marbles upon seeing the dazzling diamond ring on Yu Na's finger. The girl's eyes went straight as she exclaimed, "Teacher Yu, your ring is so beautiful!"

She went over to Yu Na's side and grabbed her hand, examining left and right but not daring to touch.

Yu Na just laughed and let her hold her hand.

On the side Qiao Rui had no heart for studying either, and casually asked, "You like it?"

Xu Yì said in a low voice, "Who wouldn't?"

Xiao Chen stood next to them in a very good mood, he meaningfully patted Qiao Rui's shoulder twice.

Then said, "You two study hard, we'll go grab some groceries."

Xu Yì replied, "We will, brother."

After Xiao Chen left with Yu Na and closed the door, Qiao Rui moved closer to Xu Yì, "In the future I'll buy one for you too, alright?"

Xu Yì's face immediately blushed red, "Who wants you to buy!"

Hearing this, Qiao Rui reached out his hand and ruffled her hair into a mess, "Ungrateful thing!"

Xu Yì cried, "Qiao Rui!"

Qiao Rui leaned in jerkily, "How much do you think the ring cost?"

Xu Yì tidied her messy hair, also rather curious, "How much?"

"Specifically I don't know either," Qiao Rui deliberately acted mysterious, "but what Teacher Yu is wearing is definitely not just an ordinary diamond ring."

Xu Yì said earnestly, "It has Brother Xiao Chen's abundant love too?"

"......" Qiao Rui:???

His brows twisted, "How can such cheesy words come out of your mouth?"

Xu Yì: "......Then what is it?"

Qiao Rui: "What she has on her hand, conservatively also must be a whole luxury house in Chang Wan."

Xu Yì's eyes went big and round, and the pen in her hand dropped onto the table.

Qiao Rui leaned leisurely against the sofa backrest, the tone of his voice cocky, "Buying this kind of ring, don't I have higher possibility than others?"

Just waiting here for her.

Xu Yì lowered her head again, changing the topic, "Have you memorized the Classical Chinese text?"

Qiao Rui: "......"

...

When Yu Na got into the passenger seat and buckled up the seat belt, Xiao Chen also gave her a credit card.

"Hm?"

Xiao Chen said, "In the future if you want to buy anything, use this card."

Yu Na chuckled, "What's the occasion today?"

"It's the engagement date."

Xiao Chen didn't know Yu Na's father had also given her a credit card.

Yu Na took out another card from her pocket, holding one in each hand now.

"Dad also gave me a card today, and now you've given me another one too. You're making me look like I don't even earn money."

"Put your salary aside for savings. Put away what dad gave you too."

Yu Na shrugged, "Then what about my boyfriend's?" Xiao Chen made a "heh" sound and pinched her soft, fair little face, his tone unfriendly, "Say that again? Boy- friend?"

"......" Yu Na: "Oh, forgot again."

He interrogated, "You've changed how you address my parents, how come I don't see you changing it for me?"

Yu Na: "I just won't change it! It's because you bully me every day."

Xiao Chen: ?

"Search your conscience. Who bullied who?" Xiao Chen didn't start the car right away, and brought up old stories again, "Like kissing me but not allowing me to react, which hater was that?"

Yu Na felt a bit guilty, "Why do you keep bringing up old stories? Who was unprepared that time, I was just giving you some punishment, what's wrong with that?"

Xiao Chen had always greatly admired her shameless ability to argue forcefully and unreasonably. He asked in disbelief, "This is domestic violence!"

......

After getting engaged, Yu Na kept feeling embarrassed about changing how she addressed Xiao Chen.

At first Xiao Chen would always tease her about it, but later he stopped forcing her.

The busy learning and living of 12th grade carried on steadily, with all kinds of big and small exams one after another.

Except for Phys Ed, all other elective courses were changed to main courses.

The teaching buildings for 10th and 11th grade rang every day with chasing games and laughter and chatter.

The 12th grade teaching building sunk in bleakness every day, the only happiness coming from meal times before night self-study.

Some students' figures changed visibly, some gaining weight from excessive stress, some losing weight due to stress.

Some students broke out in pimples, some developed eye bags from burning the midnight oil.

Yu Na paid close attention to each student's changes. Whenever she sensed something off with a student's condition, she would take the initiative to have a heart-to-heart chat.

She even started doing home visits, actively communicating with parents about their children's conditions.

Under such high-strung circumstances, the first semester of 12th grade came to an end.

While 10th and 11th grade had a month long winter break, 12th grade only had 10 days' break, still loaded with homework.

In this kind of life, Yu Na also lost a sizeable amount of weight.

Xiao Chen tried everything to get her to eat delicious food every day, but she just wouldn't put on weight, worrying him sick.

But it wasn't a big problem, because this year, he was going to bring her home to celebrate New Year with his grandmother. With his grandma's cooking, she would definitely gain some weight.

The night before leaving on their trip, Xiao Chen opened his suitcase to pack.

Yu Na put all kinds of sample-sized skin care and make up products into a toiletry bag and handed it to him. Then she sat leisurely on the bed watching him pack.

His grandfather sent audio messages every now and then, but Xiao Chen didn't have time to listen to them.

After finishing packing, he opened each audio one by one, but the contents all just repeated the same— "Xiao Chen, what does Yu Na like to eat? Make a list, and tomorrow morning I and your grandma will go buy."

"Xiao Chen, remember to bring more clothes for Yu Na, it's cold over here!"

"Your grandma has cleaned out a room for you two, you'll still be staying in the room you used to live in before, everything has been replaced with new stuff, even got new quilts for you."

"Your grandma keeps looking at Yu Na's photos, she likes her to death, bragging to everyone about her grandson's wife."

"We've bought a lot of New Year goods, just waiting for you to bring Yu Na over, she's never been here before right?"

Xiao Chen: "......"

Yu Na felt sweetness pouring into her heart, she jumped from the bed into Xiao Chen's arms.

Xiao Chen hugged her, he was so happy he gritted his teeth and said: "So I was tidying up here for nothing?"

"Who said so—" Yu Na contentedly poked his face with her forefinger, "You're my husband."

Her sweet nothings always caught him unexpectedly, Xiao Chen's heart quivered.

He suddenly recalled something, putting her back onto the bed, a mysterious smile: "Forgot to bring something very important."