Chapter 343: Proposal - Pretending to Cultivate in Kindergarten

Chapter 343: Proposal Lin Zhengran nodded without denying it. This left the eldest daughter of the Jiang family, Jiang Jingshi, flustered. "Why... why would Zhengzheng want to make a ring for me?" Lin Zhengran reached out to take the ring he had made. "The day before yesterday, when I found the ring you lost in the sewer, I accidentally discovered the four characters engraved on the back that you had requested." Jiang Jingshi pursed her lips. Those four characters were "love at first sight." "And then?" she asked. Lin Zhengran said, "Then, I remembered I once asked you why you wore this ring. You said it was to celebrate meeting me, right? You did say that." "Mm-hmm, I did," she admitted, feeling shy. "But as far as I recall, the first time we met was at the gate of the high school. That time, you were there because of Jian Qian, and we hardly interacted. Your gaze back then wasn't the same as it is now. If you're claiming love at first sight from that meeting..." He paused meaningfully. "I find it a bit unrealistic. You weren't the kind to develop feelings for a guy immediately upon first meeting. You're very cautious. So, I thought back and remembered that when I was a child, I encountered a little girl who looked somewhat similar to you." Jiang Jingshi's eyes widened. Instead of continuing, Lin Zhengran asked, "That should have been you, right? You were lost in the neighborhood, and when I accidentally saw you, I helped you out." Jiang Jingshi was stunned, staring blankly at Lin Zhengran. Her face lost some of its blush, replaced by excitement. She shyly lowered her head, covering her mouth with the back of her hand like a mosquito's hum: "Yes, it was me..." He finally remembered. "No wonder that night at your rented apartment, you said I was fierce, and I had no recollection. Yet, when I asked you, that's how you answered me." Jiang Jingshi bit her lip. "You have changed a bit since you were a kid. You're not always that fierce anymore." Her mind flickered to the time he checked her feet and murmured: "But you can still be quite fierce sometimes." She turned to Lin Zhengran, unexpectedly puffing up in indignation: "Zhengzheng remembered too late! The first time I saw you, I already felt you were familiar, so I immediately had someone investigate if it was you. It turns out you didn't remember me at all from back then." Curiously, she asked, "Was I that unmemorable as a kid, not leaving any impression on you?" Lin Zhengran paused, then smiled honestly. "Well, kids are often troublesome. Back then, I wasn't interested in little girls, so I didn't pay much attention." Jiang Jingshi was speechless. Lin Zhengran continued, "To make up for forgetting that event, I thought of handcrafting a ring as a gift for you." Jiang Jingshi looked back at the shimmering diamond ring in the box, her earlobes red with embarrassment. "I see. I thought... But since we're boyfriend and girlfriend, even if it's to make up, a ring usually carries other meanings, doesn't it?" "I'm fully aware of that." Surprised, she glanced at Lin Zhengran. He picked up the diamond ring from inside, gazing intently at Jiang Jingshi, and then straightforwardly spoke, "Jingshi, marry me after graduation. Before that, I'll go to your parents to propose." Jiang Jingshi covered her mouth with her hands, genuinely astonished at each step Lin Zhengran took. Who would have thought that on this ordinary day, Zhengzheng would propose to her... There was no prior indication at all. But... She locked eyes with him for a long time before slowly extending her hand, "Put it on me... Sister is willing." Lin Zhengran carefully placed the ring on her ring finger. She gazed at the diamond ring on her finger, ignoring the fact that they were at school, and hugged Lin Zhengran straightforwardly. Very gently, she said, "Zhengzheng~" They had barely embraced for three seconds when a few students passed by, startling them into quickly separating. One of the students even recognized Jiang Jingshi. "Hello, Ms. Jiang!" At school, attractive teachers often gain recognition quickly. Jiang Jingshi composed herself, her cheeks still flushed as she greeted them, "Hello." One of the girls commented absentmindedly, "Ms. Jiang, your face is so red." On usual days at school, Jiang Jingshi rarely showed such clear emotions, but today was different... such a surprising proposal. She wanted to revert to her usual demeanor, but found it completely impossible to do so. "Just a bit of a cold..." She pushed her glasses up to hide her embarrassment. Fortunately, the girls didn't dwell too much on it, as they were drawn to the handsome Lin Zhengran nearby, causing one of them to blush and nervously say, "Lin Zhengran is here too. Well, Ms. Jiang, we're leaving now." They then left together, shyly. Lin Zhengran laughed and let out a long breath. Turning to face Jiang Jingshi, who was looking at him tenderly, their hands slowly came together, and they exchanged a smile. At noon, with the sun shining bright, Jiang Qian strolled under the campus willows, carrying a stack of unknown documents. She happened to run into her inexplicably cheerful sister once again. This was the second time already. Hearing the sound of those high heels irritated Jiang Qian, and she wanted to brush past her sister, pretending to be a stranger. Moreover, Jiang Jingshi seemed different from last time, even more cheerful and joyful. It was obvious to Jiang Qian that her sister had acted out again. Approaching her, Jiang Jingshi greeted, "Jiang Qian, what have you been up to?" Jiang Qian gritted her teeth, unwilling to speak. Yet, her sister grabbed her, teasingly saying, "Why not greet your teacher? Isn't it a bit disrespectful, little Jiang?" What do you mean by 'little'? Jiang Qian had no choice but to stop, her silver teeth clenched. "What does it have to do with you? I'm just doing my usual activities; do you need to meddle in that too?" Jiang Jingshi, full of happiness, seemed unshakeable. She said warmly, "Why are you so harsh to the teacher? I'm just concerned about my students' wellbeing." The younger miss clenched her fists. "What on earth do you want..." Jiang Jingshi stepped in front of Jiang Qian, inspecting her closely. "I'm not up to anything, just noticed a leaf caught in your hair." She deliberately used her ring-wearing hand to remove the small leaf from Jiang Qian's hair. "Jiang Qian, you look lovely today." To make sure her sister noticed the ring, she purposefully tidied her hair with that hand. Jiang Qian, looking as if she's seen a ghost, grumbled, "Are you crazy? Don't touch me, okay?" But she did indeed notice the new ring on her sister's finger. "Who's crazy?" Coming to her senses, Jiang Qian replied, "You are." "And who am I? Use the proper title at work." Jiang Qian, exasperated, said, "Still crazy. I'm leaving." She tried to walk away again. Her sister once more pulled her back, flashing her ring. "Jiang Qian, didn't you see? Your brother-in-law gave it to me." Jiang Qian's fists tightened as she half-turned, a hint of jealousy on her face. "I saw it. So what? Giving you a ring, so what? Doesn't matter to me. It's just a ring. He'll give me one someday too." With a snort, she quickly walked away. Despite her academic achievements, Jiang Qian had no idea about the symbolic meanings of rings on each finger. She’d never paid attention to such things before. Her jealousy only stemmed from her sister receiving a gift. Only after Jiang Qian left did Jiang Jingshi realize, "Seriously? Qianqian knows so little about romantic customs? Not even what a ring on the ring finger signifies? How did she grow up like this... a true cave dweller." (End of Chapter)