Desperate Pretense At Being Poor

Chapter 85 – Proposal

Not long after Christmas, Fu Zhihuan and Wen Ruan returned to Tong City once again.

They were back to attend the birthday party of Old Master Fu’s 80th birthday.

Their first dinner after landing was at the Fu Family’s house.

It has always been said that the first three days after the children return from working outside, the parent’s attitude towards them would be unprecedentedly gentle.

After coming to Fu Zhihuan’s house, Wen Ruan realized the sentence indeed makes sense.

Perhaps it was because they had been away for about 4-5 months, so the meal changed the tense up atmosphere that was usually as tense as encountering a hail of bullets.

Even Father Fu, who usually likes to reprimand Fu Zhihuan for more than ten minutes before dinner, asked his precious second son with a gentle expression.

“Are the dishes to your liking?”

Fu Mingheng who was at the side immediately raised his head and said.  “I feel that the dishes are a little bland…….”

“Eat your food!”  Before Fu Mingheng could finish speaking, Father Fu lifted his head.  The gentle tone he had just now had changed and his voice suddenly rose.

“You’ll find fault with the food every day!  Such a grown-up man like you is still relying on your family for meals!  It’s already good enough to have meals waiting for you!”

The pitiful Fu Mingheng instantly lowered his head to stuff his mouth with the white rice in his bowl and choked.

In the future, he also wants to return home once every three months to feel the warmth of his father’s love!

Mother Fu seemed to be accustomed to this scenario.  Very naturally, she put a chicken thigh into Wen Ruan’s bowl and then said with a smile.

“Ruan Ruan, did Ah Lu bully you in Jiang City?  If so, you must tell Auntie.  I’ll get justice for you.”

……Bully?

Upon hearing this, Wen Ruan raised her head and looked at Fu Zhihuan in front of her.

Fu Zhihuan lifted his head and glanced over at her as if he could sense her gaze.  Then he put down his chopsticks and leaned back into the chair.  He rested his hand on the table and his fingertips tapped lightly on the tabletop.

There seemed to be a lazy smile in his eyes and as he lifted his chin towards Wen Ruan, he showed an expression that said – ‘let’s see what you’re going to tell her’.

Wen Ruan pondered for a while.

Actually, Fu Zhihuan was quite conscientious as a boyfriend.

Except for making her get up for a run early in the morning at 8 o’clock every day, his strict requirement for her to drink 8 glasses of water a day, forbidding her to pile up the carrots that she dislikes and secretly throwing them away, his strict control over her consumption of junk food limiting it to only one packet of potato chips per day…….. there is actually no other problem.

But Wen Ruan felt she was very sensible.

Although Fu Zhihuan was harsh on certain things and always nitpicking, she knew he did all those for her health.  Therefore, as a girlfriend, she should understand and be considerate and not throw tantrums.

With this thought, Wen Ruan nodded firmly and said in a crisp voice.

“Yes!”

Being understanding is impossible1

I want to eat junk food!  Junk food makes me happy!

“What?”  Mother Fu had always spoiled Wen Ruan and when she heard this, she did not even ask for the reason and was ready to roll up her sleeves to get justice for her precious daughter-in-law.

“Ah Lu, how can you…….”

Fu Zhihuan showed an expression that said he had long anticipated this outcome and interrupted lightly.

“Even if you complain to my mom, I still won’t agree with you eating processed food and drinking cold drinks without restraint.”

“……”

The surrounding turned a little quieter.

Fu Mingheng lowered his head and desperately tried to hold back his laughter.  From time to time, he would quietly lift his eyes to observe the changes in the situation.

When Mother Fu heard this, she calmed down a little then patted the back of Wen Ruan’s hand and advised.

“Ruan Ruan, it’s cold these days, so don’t ruin your health.”

……Nasty man!

He could actually see through her at a glance and even counterattacked with a single move.

But Wen Ruan was not timid.

She threw a glance at Fu Zhihuan angrily then turned to face Mother Fu while holding a bowl in her hand and raised her head to make a point.

“I’m not complaining.  I’m just interacting with Auntie.”

Fu Zhihuan laughed.  “Really?”

“Yes.”  Wen Ruan nodded and launched a sugar-coated attack.  “If it wasn’t because I like Uncle and Auntie so much, I wouldn’t have agreed to be engaged to you so quickly.”

Top-notch!

Textbook-like roundabout compliment!

Mother Fu and Father Fu were instantly carried away by this sweet compliment.  Instantly, they no longer had any opinion and sided with Wen Ruan.

“Son, when you were young, we didn’t forbid you from eating those types of food.  It’s alright as long as Ruan Ruan is happy, so why are you so strict with her?”

“That’s right.  You’re already an adult, why are you still so petty over that?”

Fu Zhihuan was silent for a while.  “……”

The two elders were indeed good at steering the rudder according to the wind’s direction.

Wen Ruan quietly made a victory sign and revealed a smug smile of a successful woman.

However, Father Fu and Mother Fu had not seen their younger son and daughter-in-law for such a long time, so they began to talk nonstop as though they had a stomachful of words to spill once the conversation started.

The conversation first touched on the day of their engagement and then after a big circle, it suddenly came to an old and minor matter.

Mr. Fu Changming patted his thigh and said with a smile.

“Ai, speaking of which it was all thanks to that TV program that we got to know about Wen Ruan and Ah Lu being together.  Who would have expected such a coincidence would happen?”

Upon hearing this, Wen Ruan immediately straightened up and her whole body stiffened.

Why is this matter brought up?

That video is something that I want to delete the most in my life!

She held her chopsticks tightly and tried her best not to interrupt hoping that his parents would quickly skip this matter and talk about other things.

“Oh, oh, that program called ‘Human Observation’, right?”

Mother Fu immediately lifted her head and called out loudly.  “Auntie Chen, bring me the video recording!”

After giving the order, she explained.  “That night I called up someone to record that episode and it’s just right that the children are all here now.  Why don’t we watch it again?  It’s something worth remembering.”

“…?…?…!…”

Wen Ruan was startled and almost could not hold on to the chopsticks.

If the video is played once again, it’s tantamount to public execution for her!

The situation became extremely critical.  While Wen Ruan watched Auntie Chen leave to get the video recording her mind started to churn very fast as she tried to think of suitable countermeasures.

Then her gaze turned sideways and fell on Fu Mingheng who was gloating at the side.

Just at this moment, Fu Mingheng lifted his head and met Wen Ruan’s gaze.

He slowly put away the smile on his face, showed a very alert expression, and then pushed his bowl aside.

…….Why does he suddenly have a particularly bad premonition?

In the next second, Wen Ruan smiled and said sweetly.

“Oh right, does Elder Brother have a girlfriend or have you met someone during this time?  I know some elder sisters with exceptionally good personalities.  I can introduce them to you.”

As soon as the words were said, the parents who were still talking endlessly about Wen Ruan and Fu Zhihuan suddenly became quiet.

The smiles on their faces disappeared simultaneously and they turned their deep gazes on Fu Mingheng.

Fu Mingheng inhaled deeply, put down his chopsticks, and made a move to leave.

“I’m done eating.”

“Sit down.”  Father Fu said coldly.

Fu Mingheng straightened his back.

It was still a step too late.

He turned around stiffly and slowly sat down resignedly.

“Look at you, you’re an elder brother and your younger brother is already engaged, but why is there still no news on your side?  You’re about to turn 30 years old and you’re still not serious about it.”

“Our family is not like other families that insist on a perfect daughter-in-law.  How come we don’t see you making any effort all these years?  And you also refused to go on blind dates, so do you want to become a fairy all alone?”

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Fu Mingheng, who had nothing to live for, came to a decision.

In the future, he will never share the same table with this young couple again!

***☆☆☆***

“No, the more I think about it, the angrier I get.  I have to ask Xie Yanchi to find me a way to stop this show.”

It was until she went upstairs after dinner that Wen Ruan was no longer overwhelmed with the fear of watching her extremely shameful video at the dinner table.

Fu Zhihuan unbuttoned the button on his collar and laughed as he rubbed her head.

“I advise you to save some effort.”

“Why?”

Fu Zhihuan thought for a while and then said softly.  “That overly idle couple downstairs had invested in that show shortly after we got engaged.”

It was to repay them for their help in matchmaking the children.

Wen Ruan was choked with anger.

Is this considered their matchmaking?

Because of that rotten incident, her luggage bag is still missing up till now!

At this moment, Fu Mingheng shouted from outside the door.

“Ah Lu, come out!  Dad says he wants to discuss the arrangement for Grandpa’s birthday banquet tomorrow!”

After acknowledging Fu Mingheng’s call, Fu Zhihuan smiled, scratched Wen Ruan’s chin, and stood up.

“I have to go.”

“Mm……”

Wen Ruan was still immersed in sadness.  When she heard this, she nodded without looking up and her whole body seemed to be shrouded in worry.

Upon seeing her like this, Fu Zhihuan laughed helplessly.  He lifted his hand to rub his brow bone and thought of a way to distract her.

“Ruan Ruan, can you help me to choose a suit for tomorrow’s party?”

Wen Ruan nodded obediently.  “Okay.”

It was until two minutes later after Fu Zhihuan had left the bedroom, that Wen Ruan came back to her senses and remembered her promise.  So she stood up from the bed and went over to the cupboard to open it.

Although Fu Zhihuan did not stay here often, the cupboard was full of clothes and they were stacked up neatly.

The suits were hung in a very conspicuous section but Wen Ruan’s attention was drawn to a pile of clothes that were folded and stacked together.

Wen Ruan squatted down to look through the clothes carefully for a while and then pulled out a piece of clothing.   It was a sweatshirt printed with a cartoon image of a big bear with a snot bubble with a pair of angel wings attached to the back.

She was quiet for a long time and finally could not help but burst into laughter.

It looked like the shirt was worn by Fu Zhihuan when he was in elementary school.  However, she could not imagine what his usually expressionless face looked like after putting on the shirt.  Looking through, she found that the clothes were stacked according to the different stages of Fu Zhihuan’s life.

Elementary school, junior high school, high school, university, and work.

Rounding it all up, it seemed to cover the entire life Fu Zhihuan had gone through.

Wen Ruan stretched out her finger to lightly rub the texture of the school uniform then propped up her chin and lowered her eyes.  The long eyelashes that were like feathers looked distinct under the light and her eyes seemed to glow with warmth.

Suddenly, she felt envious of the people Fu Zhihuan met in the early years.

At least a vivid shadow could be left behind in his past.

She sighed and was about to stand up to pick out a suit when her lowered eyes caught sight of a drawer at the bottom of the cupboard.

The drawer was very small and looked like it could hardly hold any clothes.

She felt a little curious and gently hooked her fingers on the handle to pull the drawer out halfway.

""

Surprisingly, there was only one set of clothes inside.

To be precise, it was a complete set of jerseys.

It looked like any ordinary jersey without any special memorable signature but why did Fu Zhihuan keep it in a separate drawer?

After Wen Ruan pulled the entire drawer out, she found not only the set of jerseys but also a small bag containing a strip of band-aids.

The strip of band-aids was still sealed and had not been opened but due to the passing of time, it had turned slightly yellow.

She was stunned for a moment and then straightened up as if she suddenly remembered something.  She took out the photo album that she had looked through before and turned to one of the pages.

It was the photo that someone took when Fu Zhihuan came to her high school to participate in a basketball game.

The jerseys in the photo and her hands were precisely the same.

Wen Ruan quieted down and looked at the strip of band-aids.  Instantly, the box of memories in her mind seemed to have become unlocked and the familiar yet somewhat unfamiliar scenes started to surge.

She recalled meeting a boy that day.

Although she did not get to see his face clearly, his outstanding temperament alone was enough to leave an impression on her.

“Ruan Ruan, what’s the matter?”

The door was pushed open and a familiar voice sounded behind her.  After the door was shut, Fu Zhihuan walked to Wen Ruan and lowered his head to look.  He took in the scene in front of him and immediately understood.

The corners of his lips relaxed then he squatted beside Wen Ruan and turned his head to look at her without saying a word.

She did not lift her eyes and just asked in a dull tone.

“This…….who gave you this?”

Fu Zhihuan looked at her very seriously and then replied.  “You.”

The sentence was like a confirmation.

It was indeed him.

She laughed, stretched out her hand, and closed the cupboard.  Then she turned around and without saying a word, she just lifted her arms to rest on his shoulders and leaned into his arms to hug him.

Fu Zhihuan raised his arms to wrap around Wen Ruan’s back and said in a low and soft voice.

“Are you not going to ask me why I kept it?’

“No.”

She closed her eyes and said with a chuckle.  “I just feel very happy.”

""

“Happy about what?”

What is she happy about?

Perhaps she is happy because it turned out that both of them appeared in each other’s life during their best years.

And in the end……the timing was just right…… they did not miss each other.

She did not reply to Fu Zhihuan’s question, instead, she took a deep breath and said.

“It is said that the concept of a marriage proposal and an engagement is different.  Although generally, a marriage proposal comes before the engagement…….but I think it needs to be amended.”

Fu Zhihuan laughed then played along with her and asked.  “Okay, so how shall it be amended?”

“It’s actually very simple.”  Wen Ruan raised her head and looked into his eyes for a while.  Her eyebrows curved up and her eyes were full of smiles.

“Anyway, we’re already engaged, so proposing doesn’t need to be done seriously.  For example, I’ll just ask you now……..”

“When are you going to get the marriage certificate with me?”

The unexpected words stunned Fu Zhihuan.

A while later, he came back to his senses and his lips lifted slightly.  He let out a few chuckles helplessly in a low and husky voice and even his chest was shaking slightly.

Then the next second, he hugged her.

Wen Ruan leaned on his shoulder and jabbed his back with her index finger.

“Look, where can you find a little lady like me who takes the initiative to propose to you?”

“I just went to Dad’s study and brought something out.”  Fu Zhihuan suddenly said.

“Huh?  What is it?”

“Household registration book.”

Wen Ruan was stunned by the words.

Fu Zhihuan straightened his waist and cupped Wen Ruan’s face in his hands.  Then he gently pressed his forehead to hers and said in a voice that sounded helpless and somewhat ambiguous and gentle.

“Why did you bring this up first?”