Chapter 104　(the last chapter) Li Chengshi, will you be my boyfriend?

  *

  Near noon, Su Xian and Honda met at Suitengu Station and headed to Zhao Nanfeng’s residence.

  Honda pressed the doorbell and announced loudly, "宅配便です。（Delivery!）"

  Zhao Nanfeng opened the door, completely off guard. Seeing them, he was pleasantly surprised and invited them into the living room.

  Taking advantage of his surprise, Su Xian immediately put him in a chokehold, threw him to the floor, and began a barrage of strikes to his midsection without a word.

  By instinct, Zhao Nanfeng blocked a few times, but he quickly guessed the reason and stopped resisting.

  Su Xian’s eyes blazed with fire. "You despicable coward! I despise you!" She slapped him hard across the face.

  Honda felt it was enough and stepped in to stop her. "蘇さん、もういいでしょう。（Su-san, that’s enough, right?）"

  Su Xian looked down. Zhao Nanfeng was staring at her, tears glinting in his eyes. She frowned, let go of him, and stepped aside, saying hatefully, "You have the nerve to cry!"

  Honda asked with concern, "President, are you okay? Are you hurt?"

  Zhao Nanfeng covered his face with both hands, rubbing them up and down several times. He took a deep breath, sat up while clutching his stomach, and said, "You almost broke my ribs."

  "I wanted to kill you! Who breaks up a couple like that?!"

  "I just added a sentence to Li Chengshi’s own suspicions. You two broke up yourselves; don't blame it all on me."

  "You still think you're right!" Su Xian gave him another punch.

  "I'm not right. I just love you."

  "Cut it out! Zhao Nanfeng, in my heart you were a scumbag, but you were always an honest scumbag who never used underhanded tricks. Heh, I guess I thought too highly of you."

  With the punches delivered and her anger vented, Su Xian stood up to leave. Zhao Nanfeng grabbed the hem of her trousers. "Don't go!"

  *

  Su Xian commanded, "Let go!"

  "Give me one minute to talk, please."

  "Speak."

  "I know Minister Kawamoto from Yobara International. He says there's no room for you to excel there—at best, you’ll just be second-in-command in Ninomiya's team. Su Xian, come back. I’m still holding the partner position for you. I have great projects in the second half of the year; I’ll let you lead them yourself, and only your name will be on them."

  "No," she replied without hesitation.

  "Then tell Li Chengshi to come back. I know he’s taking his subject exam today. If he passes, he’ll need to go all-out for the drafting exam over the next three months. The dispatch agency won't let him keep taking leave. Let him come to me—he only needs to work two days a week, full salary, and I’ll reimburse his drafting course fees."

  "No."

  "These are huge benefits. You can't reject them on his behalf."

  "I can, because he’ll soon be my husband."

  "What did you say?!" He was so shocked that he unconsciously let go.

  "Zhao Nanfeng, sayonara." Su Xian turned and walked away.

  "Su Xian, don't be impulsive!" He shouted at her back, but she had already drifted away, never to return in this lifetime.

  *

  Honda wanted to follow, but Zhao Nanfeng shouted, "お前はここにいろ！（You stay here! )"

  Honda pouted and walked back. "社長、最低です。（Boss, you're the worst. )"

  Zhao Nanfeng slumped back onto the floor in a daze, his eyes hollow.

  "社長、もう本当にあれこれ考えないでよ。幸せ結婚、奥さん今妊娠中、すぐにパパになるでしょう。満足してください。（Boss, really, stop thinking about this and that. You have a happy marriage, your wife is pregnant, and you’ll be a father soon. Be content. )"

  "結婚は無理やりされた、子供はたぶん、私の子じゃない。（The marriage was forced. And the child... is probably not mine. )"

  "え？！(What?!)" Honda was utterly shocked.

  **

  Receiving the news from Honda, Su Xian felt a secret thrill: Zhao Nanfeng had finally met his match. No, Kuroda Mei was clearly a level above him, playing him like a dog.

  But whether he faced misfortune or glory in the future was none of her business now. Even people who have loved each other deeply can reach a point where they are less than strangers.

  She told Honda there was no need to pass on any more news about Zhao Nanfeng.

  **

  When he walked out of the exam hall at 5:30 PM, he felt physically drained. The heatwave hit him, making him even dizzier. Li Chengshi flowed out of the school gates like water among the bustling crowd of examinees. Staff from various cram schools stood outside handing out flyers, promoting their upcoming exam reviews. He took two or three and stood by the roadside to look at them when someone suddenly shoved a flyer right into his face. Startled, he took a step back, thinking: Which school has such rude staff?!

  He looked up to see Su Xian.

  He asked in surprise, "What are you doing here?"

  "Picking you up. Come on, there's a medicinal cuisine place nearby. Let's go get you some nourishment." Su Xian led him onto a side road and into an elegant, quiet Japanese restaurant.

  *

  After a light and nourishing meal, the rush hour had passed, and they could take the train home comfortably.

  Around 8:00 PM, the answer keys from various cram schools began to appear online. Although Li Chengshi felt he had done well, he was still terrified and didn't dare check his answers.

  Su Xian said, "Go take a shower then. I’ll do it."

  *

  When he finished washing up and stepped out of the room refreshed in his loungewear, Su Xian was already waiting. With a pop, she set off a confetti cannon and cheered happily, "Congratulations, Li Chengshi, on passing the subject exam!"

  "I really passed?! What was the score?"

  "The estimated passing grade across schools is between 87 and 89. Your score is 95—a solid pass!"

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  He jumped for joy. "Since I met you, I’ve gotten smarter! Team Leader, thank you."

  "I am a good teacher, in every aspect. By the way, didn't you have a request for me today? Go ahead."

  "No... no rush." He hesitated again. Lately, they had been in "pure friendship" mode, and he couldn't see any signs of romantic interest from her.

  "If you don't ask today, it expires."

  He panicked. "That's cheating! You never said there was a time limit."

  "Ten, nine, eight, seven..."

  "Wait! Okay, I’ll say it."

  "Ok, say it. I’ll agree to anything." She looked at him tenderly.

  He didn't dare meet her eyes and scratched his head. "My request is... please let me keep living with you, unless you find a new boyfriend."

  Oh, this little fool still didn't dare say it! Su Xian shook her head slightly. But she couldn't blame him; it was her fault for laughing last time and making him lose all confidence.

  "But I’ve already found a new boyfriend and I'm about to confess to him."

  He froze, his heart turning to ice.

  "Li Chengshi, will you be my boyfriend?"

  *

  "Li Chengshi, will you be my boyfriend?"

  He was stunned. "What did you say?"

  She turned and pulled a Tiffany box from under the sofa cushion.

  "Is that our ring?" He lunged forward in surprise. "I thought you threw it away."

  "Don't you know I love money as much as my life? How could I throw it away?" She opened the box, took out the ring, and asked, "Li Chengshi, will you be my boyfriend? I’ve asked three times now."

  "Yes!" Even though he hadn't fully grasped the situation, it didn't stop him from agreeing joyfully.

  Su Xian helped him put on his ring, handed hers to him, and reached out her hand.

  Li Chengshi put the ring on her finger, looking up at her, still a bit dazed.

  "Now you can go and get that new pair of rings you bought."

  "How did you know I bought new rings? Ah, did you sneak a look at my diary?!"

  "I did."

  "That’s too much! You have no respect for people's privacy at all."

  "I respect 'people's' privacy, but for your privacy, I need full control."

  He fidgeted. "Fine."

  *

  He went back to his room and brought out the new rings. "Do we have to wear these too?"

  "Yes. In the future, every time we break up and get back together, we'll buy another pair. I want to see how many times we can break up in this lifetime."

  "Never again, unless you..." He trailed off.

  "Unless I cheat again?" She shook her head. "I won't. But speaking of which, you being able to forgive me for 'cheating with Zhao Nanfeng, bearing his child, and having an abortion'... you’re quite broad-minded. I really appreciate that."

  He pinched her cheek and scolded, "Why do you sound so unashamed saying that?! I'm beyond help for forgiving you, but you should at least know it's embarrassing, okay? If it happens again, I will never forgive you!"

  " I will never do that again."

  "I'll reluctantly believe you one more time."

  She smiled and held out her hand.

  Li Chengshi put the new ring on her. "Su Xian, from now on, you're my girlfriend again."

  Su Xian put the new ring on him. "Li Chengshi, once you pass the drafting exam, let's get married."

  *

  "What did you say?" He doubted his own ears. "Did you just say 'get married'?"

  "Yes."

  He was ecstatic. "You're really willing to marry me?!"

  "I am. But you should know, I'm 36 now. I'm still resistant to the idea of having children. If we hesitate for a few more years, I won't be able to even if I want to. So, if you can accept a marriage without children..."

  He lunged forward and hugged her tightly. "Don't worry about that. I like you; my goal is just to be with you. That's enough."

  Su Xian’s eyes filled with tears. She had once misunderstood that he cared more about marriage and children than her—she had truly judged a noble heart with a petty mind!

  "Baby, I didn't mess around with Zhao Nanfeng. That child I took away... was yours. I was afraid that if I told you, you'd want the baby and wouldn't agree to the abortion, so I asked Zhao Nanfeng for help..."

  "What did you say?!" He let go and straightened up, his mind exploding. "Then why did Zhao Nanfeng say the child was his?" He suddenly realized how easily he had been played. "That bastard Zhao Nanfeng!"

  *

  Su Xian told him what had happened that afternoon. "I’ve already had my revenge. Let's just stay far away from him from now on."

  Li Chengshi’s mood gradually settled. Actually, the responsibility lay more with him. How could he believe Zhao Nanfeng so easily while lacking trust in Su Xian? He truly had been too immature. "Su Xian, I’m sorry. No matter what happens in the future, I will trust you firmly."

  "I will firmly trust you too, and I’ll never give up that easily again."

  "Mm."

  "So, can I kiss you now? I promise not to laugh this time." Su Xian puckered her lips and leaned in.

  *

  But he blocked her with his arm. "The cheating was a misunderstanding, but seeing you two kiss with my own eyes wasn't fake, was it? Be honest—was it only that once?"

  "...And that time at the Kuromatsu Minshuku, interrupted by your knocking..."

  "Oh right! I heard that clack-clack sound stop and felt something was wrong, so I rushed in. Otherwise, you two would have...!"

  "No, no! I was just planning to have a kiss and then discuss life and ideals together."

  "Is it you or Zhao Nanfeng who loves discussing 'life and ideals'? Only a ghost would believe that! Su Xian, I’m going to punish you."

  "How?"

  "I'm not sleeping with you tonight."

  "What did you say?" She jumped up and dragged him toward the stairs. "I haven't had 'that' for ten months, and you're playing hard to get with me now?"

  "No way, Su Xian, don't tell me it's all for the sex?"

  "Look at you, bringing up old scores again at a time like this!" Dragging him upstairs was unrealistic, so she changed tactics and pushed him down onto the sofa.

  "Su Xian, no violence!"

  She smirked. "Hey, baby. The police aren't here right now."

  ***