Chapter Sixteen: The Seal

Chen Liang listened to Teacher Xiaoyu’s words with an earnest expression, fixing her with a steady gaze until she lowered her head again under his scrutiny. Only then did he say, “Comrade Xiaoyu, do you believe in love at first sight?”

Hah! You shallow fool, why bother with all this talk about feelings? Just be honest and admit you’re hopelessly smitten with her looks. Making your lecherous intentions sound so heartfelt—aren’t you afraid such shamelessness will bring retribution one day?

“Ah!” Teacher Xiaoyu suddenly looked up, finding Chen Liang gazing at her with tender affection. She was utterly stunned. Despite her breathtaking beauty, Teacher Xiaoyu had never been in a relationship due to all sorts of unavoidable circumstances, single from birth until now.

Someone like her, who’d never even had a suitor, simply couldn’t withstand the passionate gaze of a worldly man like Chen Liang, the ultimate scoundrel.

“But… my appearance… you truly don’t mind?” Teacher Xiaoyu’s heart quivered as she stammered out the pain she’d always carried.

If you didn’t look this way, would I even be interested in you?

“Of course not. How could I care about your looks? In my heart, you are like a fairy descended from the heavens.”

“Ah?” Overwhelmed by Chen Liang’s gentle words, Teacher Xiaoyu’s cheeks flushed as red as if they might bleed.

Suddenly, Chen Liang seized her hand. Startled like a frightened fawn, her large, dewy eyes brimmed with mist. “Comrade Xiaoyu, if you’re willing, let’s register for our marriage certificate tomorrow!”

Though Chen Liang spoke with grand conviction, his words were nothing more than sweet talk designed to coax a young woman into marriage.

Teacher Xiaoyu, her mind already a blur ever since he took her hand, barely registered his words. She could only utter a soft “Mm!” by instinct.

“Alright, it’s settled—tomorrow we’ll get our marriage certificate and then hold a wedding!” Standing up abruptly, Chen Liang leaned down and pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead.

“There’s your seal; now you’re mine!”

Feeling dizzy, Teacher Xiaoyu’s nerves were in complete disarray. Did he really kiss me? He actually kissed me!

“Alright, tomorrow I’ll have my mother ask a matchmaker to arrange the betrothal gifts. We’ll try to get everything done within three days.”

“And I’ll come pick you up for the marriage registration tomorrow, so don’t forget to bring your household registration book!”

Without waiting to see what state Teacher Xiaoyu was in, Chen Liang, having finished his bold flirtation, opened the door and left.

After chatting a bit more with the Zhao family, and amid their earnest attempts to make them stay, Mother Chen finally took Chen Liang and Chen Hong, who had climbed into her special seat, and left together.

On the way home, after hearing Chen Liang’s plans, Mother Chen fell silent for a while before sighing deeply. Well, the child is grown now—best to let him handle things himself.

Back at the Zhao house, the family gathered around Teacher Xiaoyu. Seeing her dazed expression, Mother Zhao was in no hurry. This is a clear sign—things are looking good!

“Say something, my silly girl. Do you like him or not?” Mother Zhao, having waited so long without a word from Teacher Xiaoyu, could no longer contain her curiosity.

“Just say it—there are no outsiders here,” Zhao’s eldest sister-in-law added, eager to join in the gossip.

My goodness, it was the first time she’d seen a man with both a slender waist and a prominent nose. If not for basic feminine restraint, Zhao’s eldest sister-in-law would have been drooling at the sight.

As someone with experience, the thought of such a rare combination left her dizzy. Casting a disdainful glance at her own husband standing nearby, she sighed. Every time it comes to intimacy, he drags his feet. It’s not like I’m unattractive—how did I end up with such a mediocre man?

The more she thought, the angrier she became, and the more she fumed, the more her thoughts wandered. Hah! Useless man—tonight, I’ll need an extra round just to soothe my wounded spirit.

Feeling a sudden chill in his back, Zhao’s eldest brother glanced at his wife’s predatory gaze and broke out in a cold sweat. What’s gotten into her tonight? I didn’t do anything! The thought of having to perform his marital duties made him want to work overtime at the factory.

“He… he’s quite nice,” Teacher Xiaoyu finally murmured, her thoughts interrupted by Mother Zhao and her sister-in-law’s persistent questioning.

He’s just a bit too assertive, she thought, recalling the moment he “sealed” her as his own. Her mind began to wander again—in other words, she was daydreaming.

Seeing her daughter drifting off, Mother Zhao gave her a nudge. “What do you think that Chen family’s second son means by all this? Do you understand?”

He’d already “sealed” your daughter; what other meaning could there be? If not for current societal norms, he’d have taken her straight home that very day!

“He… he seems quite satisfied with me. He even said I should bring my household registration book tomorrow to go register our marriage with him!” The moment she said this, others in the Zhao family might have been calm, but her sister-in-law was stunned.

As the old saying goes, what young maiden doesn’t harbor springtime dreams? Even after marrying and having children, deep down, she was still an eighteen-year-old girl at heart.

“Oh my! Did he really say that? Husband, quick—where’s our household registration book?” The Zhao family was used to such dramatics from Mother Zhao; it was a regular occurrence.

The ruckus at the Zhao house didn’t stop Chen Hong from insisting, after dinner, that she wanted to go to the school with her second uncle to find her aunt.

Everything proceeded as usual. After Old Zhang got off work, Chen Liang appeared to borrow his bicycle again. This time, instead of giving a pricey bag of fried pine nuts, he handed over nearly a pound of shelled five-spice peanuts.

Cuddling into her second uncle’s arms, Chen Hong caught a whiff of a flowery scent from his body and asked in amazement, “Uncle, what did you put on? Why do you smell so nice?”

Poor child—she’d never even seen shower gel before. No wonder! If she had, that would truly be a miracle in these times.

“Uncle has a fragrant soap. I’ll give it to you when we get back!” Maybe it’ll come in handy for appeasing his sister-in-law later—perhaps tonight he could avoid another “trial.”

Moved once more by his own generosity, Chen Liang pedaled furiously, finally arriving at the school just after dinner to deliver two lunchboxes into Chen Rong’s hands.

Anxious as she waited, Chen Rong relaxed at the sight of her second brother. Then she scolded him for being so unreliable—how could he show up so late?