You are my wife, don't doubt it!

"I'll try my best." The girl said stiffly.

"Hiss..." Xiao Yao was determined to burst the bubble today and ask for clarification: "By the way, I always feel that you have been different since you came back from KTV that day. What happened?"

"Is there?" The girl's tone was a little warmer, and she seemed to laugh softly: "No..."

"If there's anything, tell me."

"It's nothing. It's really nothing."

"Don't your friends like me? Did I ruin your fun that day and embarrass you?"

"What are you thinking about?" Shen Jie said, "Nothing."

"So, is it because of Yu Luying's matter?" Xiao Yao continued to ask.

"Huh? What does it have to do with her..." On the other end of the phone, Shen Jie seemed to have changed her ears: "I'm downstairs now. I'll go upstairs first and talk to you later."

"Don't hang up yet!" Xiao Yao spoke quickly, fearing that the other party would hang up again if he spoke too slowly: "When are we going to hang out next time?"

"Hmm..." The girl seemed to be thinking: "Let's talk about it after the final exam?"

"Okay then, let's both work hard." Xiao Yao decided to accept this blank check.

"Yeah. So, hang up?"

Xiao Yao knew that he should just go with the flow, but somehow, he added, "How about the beach? Or are you interested in the Tropical Storm Water Park?"

"...Ouch." Shen Jie suddenly cried out in an irritable tone.

"What's wrong?!"

"It's okay. There are a lot of mosquitoes downstairs. I'm circling around the wall to feed them."

"...Haha," Xiao Yao laughed dryly twice: "Then go up quickly and tell me via text message."

Shen Jie didn't hang up the phone, nor did she speak.

Just as Xiao Yao was about to hang up the phone, the girl called out softly, "Xiao Yao."

"Well, what's wrong?" Xiao Yao shuddered.

"I have to take IELTS classes during the summer vacation, so I will be very busy." Shen Jie chose her words carefully.

"Well... everyone is working very hard." Wait, that guy walking past, is he... Ouyang Qianqian?

"I will be a senior in high school after school starts. Although I won't be taking the college entrance exam, I will still be very busy preparing for studying abroad."

"I know." Knee-length white stockings, white sneakers, pigtails on the head, and a "healthy" complexion, who else could it be but Ouyang Qianqian?

"I'll try to reply to your message when I'm free. I'll also make time to visit your house to see Tianyun."

"Okay." Xiao Yao agreed while looking at the boy that Ouyang Qianqian was holding... Well, he really has a bit of the flavor of a South Korean Oppa.

"But we may not have the time to go out and play together." Shen Jie finally got to the point.

"..." Ouyang Qianqian saw Xiao Yao and waved at him, but the latter lowered his head.

"Hello?" Shen Jie's voice returned to its usual clarity.

"No, I'm here." Xiao Yao touched the upper part of his face with his palm tiredly: "I just don't know what to say for a moment."

"It's okay, we'll have a chance to go out again in the future." Shen Jie said in a casual tone: "Friends, get together when you have time, and let nature take its course when you're busy..."

"Friends." Xiao Yao repeated the two words.

"What else?" Shen Jie asked back in a matter-of-fact tone.

"I thought you were my future wife—"

“Maybe.” The girl placed emphasis on “maybe”: “But even if it is, that is a matter of the future. We’ll talk about the future later. Since you believe in destiny, just let it be.”

"I don't understand." There was a hint of anger in Xiao Yao's tone.

"What don't you understand?"

"Since junior high school, I have often wondered who my future wife will be and where she is now." Xiao Yao stood up and walked to the lawn: "I would imagine whether she has long or short hair, whether she is tall or short, and where she is at this moment, whether she is sitting, standing, or lying down."

Xiao Yao glanced at the two people lying on the grass, heads touching each other: "Maybe she is thousands of miles away, flirting with another boy. Maybe ten minutes later..."

He glanced at the girl squatting down to tie her shoelaces again: "I will meet her at the next corner, half squatting on the ground to tie her shoelaces... and then pass by her."

The sky darkened and only a few stars seemed to be visible.

"You are really a poet." Shen Jie said.

"Are you mocking me?"

“I am stating this objectively.”

"Have you never had such a vision?" Xiao Yao held the phone tightly.

"Let me think..." Three seconds later, the girl gave her answer: "No."

"Okay." This answer was really a little unexpected for him, but Xiao Yao continued speaking according to the prepared speech: "So I want to tell you, I'm very happy that Tianyun can tell me who you are. I'm also very happy to meet you. From the first time I saw you, I was very happy-"

"So?" Shen Jie interrupted him impatiently, "What do you want me to do? Am I worthy of being your husband and wife?"

What kind of tone is this?!

"I have no objection," he replied stiffly.

"Husband." The girl called out crisply.

"Pfft—cough, cough, cough, cough."

"Honey, do you like me?"

"I like it." Xiao Yao stopped coughing and answered without any hesitation.

"What do you like about me?" There was a hint of disbelief in the girl's tone.

"Does love need a reason?" Xiao Yao used the tone of Patriarch Bodhi in "A Chinese Odyssey".

"Yes." Shen Jie replied affirmatively.

"Is it necessary?" Patriarch Bodhi continued to ask.

“…I’m going up.”

Xiao Yao raised his hands in surrender: "I like your beauty and good temperament, I like your generosity and thoughtfulness, I like your versatility, I like you——"

While he was still racking his brains to think, Shen Jie took over the conversation: "I'm curious, if the mirror told you that your future wife was a short, fat girl with dark skin and a round face, would you still be so happy? I'm afraid you would be hopeless about the rest of your life, right?" The girl's tone sounded a little sad: "Because, you have been deprived of even the small right to look forward to and envision the future in ignorance."

"What do you mean?" Xiao Yao was stunned. "I am a short and fat man with dark skin and a round face? I have deprived you of the hope you expected and longed for?"

"I didn't mean that."

"What do you mean?! I may not be handsome, but I am also--"

"You don't like me," Shen Jie said word by word, "You just want to find someone to fall in love with. You didn't fall in love with Shen Jie, but fell in love with love."

Did Xiao Xiong say something similar? Xiao Yao wondered.

"You're wrong, I like you. I don't deny that I want to fall in love, but——"

"This school year is very important for me. I really don't have time to play love games with you," Shen Jie said in a tired tone. "Besides, I will be going to study abroad in the United States, so I can't accompany you."

"I can study hard--" Xiao Yao protested weakly.

"If the predetermined fate cannot be changed, then let's wait until I return to China." Shen Jie made the final decision.

"I don't agree." Xiao Yao immediately appealed: "We can overcome these realistic problems. I really like you. I want us to be together now."

The ten seconds of silence seemed like an hour.

Then, Shen Jie spoke quietly: "Have you ever asked me if I like you?"

"Oh! Let me guess!" Xiao Yao slapped his forehead and replied in a casual and humorous tone: "In such a short time, I guess you haven't fallen in love with me yet, but you definitely don't hate me."

"Xiao Yao," the girl said gently, "Actually, you are a very good boy. But..."

Here it comes! It’s coming! It’s finally coming out! Ding! Good guy card! Familiar taste!

"But since you are the one destined for me, we will definitely create sparks," Xiao Yao continued.

The person on the other end of the phone chuckled: "Little brother, you are really confident. Have you forgotten that I said I don't like men younger than me?"

"Really? Did you say that?" Xiao Yao reminded, "I'm only one year younger than you, and we get along very well."

"Even if you are only one year younger, you are still very immature. Besides, have you ever thought about a possibility? Is it possible? I mean possible? You are the only one who is happy, and I have been playing the role of a little...little...to please you?"

"Impossible, why would you want to please me?" Xiao Yao's tone was not very confident.

"Maybe, I'm used to it?"

"Uh... huh?"

"Since I was born, I have had a life plan in front of me. In it, I want to become a qualified heir to the family," the girl's voice was like a dream, "to realize my parents' expectations, to win the recognition of my teachers, to maintain the friendship of my relatives and friends. And now, thanks to you, this plan is much thicker than I, my parents and friends thought. It is as thick as a lifetime... Can you imagine, the feeling of seeing the end at a glance? Career, love, husband, daughter, wrinkles around the mouth and white hair at the temples, everything, everything is planned and written in it..."

"...Shen Jie," Xiao Yao was a little flustered: "Are you crying?"

"No. I'm sorry." The girl's voice was obviously choked: "I..."

"...It's okay." Xiao Yao replied gently: "Shen Jie..."

"..."

"Shen Jie?"

"Ah."

"I... I'm sorry, I was too selfish and barged into your life without permission," Xiao Yao decided to retreat: "I, if you don't want to see me, I won't bother you anymore. You, just pretend I never showed up, date the boy you like, and live the life you want. Later, we'll talk about the future later..."

He held his breath.

Listening to Shen Jie's breathing, Xiao Yao continued to organize his words.

He was afraid that the word "OK" would come from the other end of the receiver.

"I don't hate you, just like you said." Fortunately, this is what the girl said.

Xiao Yao breathed a sigh of relief.

"I don't know what it feels like to like someone. I've never liked any boy before, and it's not written in the plan. What does it feel like to like someone?"

"I like it. I like it..."

"Okay, I really have to go up," Shen Jie asked the question like the Roman governor Pilate, but she didn't seem interested in knowing the answer: "My legs are already covered with lumps."

"Okay, then you can go up quickly." Xiao Yao said, "We can chat later through text messages."

"No." Shen Jie said, "Let's not contact each other recently. Let's think about it calmly."

"Alright." Xiao Yao cursed in his heart, but tried to maintain a warm tone: "Then, after the final exam, we will contact each other again?"

"..."

Xiao Yao took a deep breath.

"...Yes." Shen Jie agreed reluctantly: "Goodbye."

Xiao Yao kicked the phone back into his pocket, cursed in a nonchalant manner, and stretched lazily pretending to be calm.

Being rejected by a girl for the fourth time...is this only natural, right?

After all, it’s my character to be rejected 100% of the time when confessing something to someone.

At least this time, Shen Jie still left some room for improvement in her words... right?

Right?

It's okay, give her some time.

The little mandarin ducks on the green field gradually dispersed, and the stars also closed their eyes. Only half of the moon was still hanging on the treetops, casting a cold light together with the white street lights.

Xiao Yao fell down on the lawn.

He was in a daze for ten minutes, thinking about the phone call just now, and he didn't feel too much negative emotions such as sadness, despair, loss, frustration, etc.

On the contrary, he was very calm.

There is even a kind of unreasonable secret joy and satisfaction.

In fact, those two words of "husband" can even taste a bit of the sweetness of sugarcane.

To put an end to the ups and downs of the past two weeks, to lay out all my emotions and feel them, to say all I have to say, this feeling of relief is like... after three days of fear after an exam, I finally saw a failing result, and then my heart was finally at ease.

Xiao Yao stood up, not even bothering to pat his butt and back, and walked straight towards the school.