137. What kind of wife do your parents want you to marry?

At the graduation party, Bai Jinyan had worn a rather strange expression when asked about his "first kiss." Chen Ruowen had taken note of this anomaly. While she believed his subsequent explanation that he had never been kissed before, whether there were other underlying circumstances was another matter entirely.

Right now, Bai Jinyan’s mind was completely filled with the kiss Chen Ruowen had just given him. He heard what she said, but he lacked the mental capacity to process any of it.

After they had spent some time being affectionate, Bai Jinyan finally gathered his wits and explained the reason for his visit.

"Wenwen, there is something I need to tell you in advance."

Chen Ruowen looked up at him lazily. "Do you have a mistress on the side?"

"…I do not!"

A hint of a smile appeared in Chen Ruowen’s eyes.

"Then what is it? What bad things have you been doing behind my back?"

"It’s about filling out my college applications…"

"Are you not applying to Nan University?"

"No, I am, but I…"

"You aren't planning to apply for the medical department?"

"That’s not it either, I…"

"Then what is it?" Chen Ruowen asked, puzzled. Aside from these two things, what else was there regarding college applications?

"I was just about to tell you, but you kept interrupting…"

Seeing Chen Ruowen’s claws and teeth bared like a little kitten, Bai Jinyan coughed, his survival instinct causing him to immediately change his tone.

"I am applying to the Nan University School of Medicine, but I might go a little late."

"Why?"

Bai Jinyan sighed.

"My family would never allow me to study medicine. Before the college entrance exam, I told my parents I would apply to the School of Management at Nan University. Once they see the admission letter, I’ll find a way to transfer departments."

Chen Ruowen did not doubt his obsession with studying medicine, but she found it strange.

"Can you transfer departments? Isn't the major decided before enrollment?"

"Yes, you can. A month after school starts, there is a transfer exam. As long as your entrance exam scores reach a certain threshold, you can participate. I will pass that exam to get back into the program I want."

Chen Ruowen felt a bit conflicted.

She did not understand why Bai Jinyan’s parents were so strictly controlling. It seemed his entire life path, every single step he took, had to be confined within a very narrow range.

They dictated that he memorize the Tao Te Ching daily, demanded high scores on exams, set his curfew, and scheduled every moment of his holidays…

Even if he had a dream, he could only pursue it in secret. Even studying medicine required such an elaborate detour.

Chen Ruowen knew that Bai Jinyan certainly hadn't told his family the truth about this summer’s volunteer teaching trip; otherwise, his parents would never have agreed to let him come.

Fortunately, Bai Jinyan was not a rebellious person; otherwise, how suffocating would such a life be?

In any case, if it were her, she would never be able to stand it. Whatever she wanted to do, she would do, and even if Chen Liwan and Yang Anxin were to join forces, they couldn't stop her.

"Bai Jinyan," Chen Ruowen suddenly thought of an important question. "Have your parents ever mentioned what kind of wife they want you to marry?"

If the elder Bais insisted on him finding someone docile, obedient, and a "virtuous wife and mother," what would happen to her?

Chen Ruowen seriously doubted whether Bai Jinyan would defy his parents over such a matter. Would she end up having to be with him in secret?

That was not her style at all.

Or perhaps she should just kidnap him and make him a live-in son-in-law?

The slight solemnity on Bai Jinyan’s face was completely shattered.

"Let’s not talk about that for now…" He looked at Chen Ruowen, who clearly had the attitude of "we must settle this, don't try to gloss over it," and the tips of his ears turned red again. "Someone from our social circle, I suppose…"

"And what else?"

"Cough, we haven't really discussed this much…" Bai Jinyan felt a bit guilty. Between him and Chen Ruowen, it was an unspoken understanding. His parents had jokingly brought it up once or twice in private, but they had no other intentions.

And he, himself, had even fewer.

Bai Jinyan surrendered and squeezed out a sentence: "They just said it would be best if our companies could help each other… there’s nothing else."

Chen Ruowen felt relieved. Shuangxing and Zhongyu were currently cooperating, and the partnership was quite close.

"Then I should be fine…"

"Cough, cough, cough, cough!" Bai Jinyan nearly coughed his lungs out.

"Is your throat uncomfortable?" Chen Ruowen arched an eyebrow, displeased.

"No…"

"Then why are you coughing?"

Bai Jinyan’s lips moved. Intense survival instinct forced him to keep his mouth shut, and he let out another light cough.

"A piece of grape skin got stuck in my throat…"

Chen Ruowen raised her eyebrows again.

"Keep making it up."

Since you already know I’m lying, what can I do…

Bai Jinyan poured a glass of water, pretended to soothe his throat, and then, under Chen Ruowen’s gaze, bit the bullet and nodded.

"Yes, it’s much better now."

Chen Ruowen couldn't be bothered to pay him any mind.

She just listened quietly as he earnestly tried to justify his story.

Bai Jinyan was not good at lying. After forcing out a few bits of nonsense, he couldn't keep it up and decided to retreat to save himself.

"It’s getting late, I should head back…"

"Absolutely not!" Chen Ruowen’s brows knit together immediately. "You are staying here with me. You are not going anywhere."

Bai Jinyan glanced at the bedroom inside, then at Chen Ruowen’s pajamas, his gaze suddenly flickering.

"Isn't it a bit too early…"

"What is too early?" Chen Ruowen asked, confused. "Didn't you just say it wasn't late?"

Bai Jinyan suddenly came to his senses and pinched himself in frustration.

It was all because that kiss had dizzied him earlier; what kind of things was he thinking about!

Chen Ruowen didn't dwell on his rambling. She sent him into the bathroom to take a shower, then pulled him straight into the bedroom. She buried her head in his chest, pulled his arm around her waist, and finally turned off the lights, satisfied.

Bai Jinyan smiled bitterly.

Why did she always like to torment him in this way—both painful and delightful at the same time?

"Good thing I have strong self-control…"

…

Nothing more was said that night.

The next day, the college application system officially opened. Under the gossiping gaze of Ma Yunan and Chen Ruowen’s lingering, willful mood, Bai Jinyan promised a stack of unequal treaties regarding his "good behavior" during the month before his department transfer, and formally applied to the Nan University School of Management.

Ma Yunan struggled for a long time when choosing his major, staring at the previous years’ admission cutoffs for a long while before finally biting the bullet and choosing the slightly risky Computer Science department.

"With this, our volunteer teaching squad will all be students at Nan University!" Ma Yunan announced excitedly.

"You might get rejected," Chen Ruowen cruelly added.

Ma Yunan’s face immediately fell.

"Sister Wen, please don't use your 'great prophecy' on me! My future is hanging on your words!"

Chen Ruowen gave a haughty hum.

Bai Jinyan smiled. "By the way, what majors did Wu Jie and Mo Xiaoxin choose? We’ll all be classmates soon."

"Mo Xiaoxin applied to Computer Science, and Wu Jie seems to have chosen Law," Chen Ruowen said, shaking her head in confusion.

When she was in the same squad as Wu Jie during the winter camp, she had seen his academic foundation. Wu Jie was excellent at physics, chemistry, geography, and even history. She didn't know why he chose a major that had nothing to do with the subjects he excelled in.

One could only say that everyone had their own little secrets.