Lu Shi’an had come to the mixer only because Xiao Yanming’s mother had begged him to supervise her son’s blind date. But he never expected that before Xiao Yanming’s romantic prospects had even begun, he himself would meet a girl who captured his heart at first sight!
He stared fixedly at Wen Ranran in the auditorium, like a thirsty fish finally finding water. Just seeing her smile lightly was enough to make his heart pound uncontrollably.
Her hair was thick and lustrous, her figure graceful and slender. Even the most beautiful flowers blooming in spring could not compare to even a fraction of her beauty.
Lu Shi’an had a sudden intuition: if he missed this girl, he would never again meet someone who made his heart move this way.
He immediately understood—it was love at first sight.
A man’s instinct told Lu Shi’an that if he wanted to win a young woman’s heart, he could not simply stand far away and silently admire her. He had to act immediately.
So he completely ignored Xiao Yanming, who was still leaning on crutches, and strode directly toward Wen Ranran.
Behind him, Xiao Yanming rubbed his aching nose. After waiting a long time without getting an answer from Lu Shi’an, he finally looked up and discovered that his good brother had somehow already gone to stand in front of a young woman.
That young woman was even prettier than Hu Rong, the beauty of the performance troupe. Standing beside Lu Shi’an, the two looked like a perfectly matched golden couple made by heaven itself!
Meanwhile, Wen Ranran had already rejected one potential candidate after another. Just as she was listlessly preparing to continue her search, she suddenly found a human wall standing in front of her.
The “human wall” apologized and stepped back two paces. His voice sounded like spring water flowing down a mountain stream. Wen Ranran’s ears felt pleasantly soothed, and when she looked up, her eyes immediately brightened slightly.
The man before her had sharp brows and starry eyes, broad shoulders and a narrow waist, carrying an upright and commanding aura. Even the bloody scratch on his face—which ordinarily might have ruined his looks—only added more masculine charm to him. Not to mention his height was exceptional. Wen Ranran was already 168 centimeters tall, yet she only barely reached his chin!
Since he was at the mixer, he was obviously here for matchmaking too.
Wen Ranran secretly approved of his appearance. He fit her standards quite well. The only question was what his personality and character were like. If he were the sort of man with no backbone who failed to cherish his wife, then she definitely wouldn’t want him!
Wen Ranran pressed her lips together. Just as she opened her mouth to ask some questions, Lu Shi’an seized the opportunity and spoke first.
“Hello. My name is Lu Shi’an. I’m twenty-three years old, from Beijing, and currently serve as a deputy battalion commander in the military. I can cook and have no bad habits. There are four people in my family. Both my parents have jobs, and I have an older unmarried sister who works as a doctor. May I ask if you’re satisfied with me?”
Lu Shi’an’s introduction was brief, but it revealed a great deal.
Becoming a deputy battalion commander at such a young age showed he was capable and ambitious.
Not smoking or drinking and knowing how to cook showed self-discipline and the ability to care for others. At the very least, he wasn’t the type to act like a tyrant at home.
Having an older unmarried sister also suggested his family was open-minded rather than conservative and difficult.
Whether in terms of personal qualifications or family background, he was easily the best man Wen Ranran had encountered all day.
Since she had come here specifically to find a marriage partner, and Lu Shi’an was being so honest, there was no point in her hiding things either.
She looked up at him and introduced herself.
“My name is Wen Ranran. I’m nineteen years old, an educated youth sent down from Shanghai. My mother passed away very early, and after my stepmother entered the family with her daughter, she later gave birth to a younger brother eight years younger than me.”
Wen Ranran spoke lightly, but Lu Shi’an’s heart suddenly clenched painfully.
The fact that Wen Ranran was willing to introduce herself meant she didn’t dislike him, and that made Lu Shi’an extremely happy. But hearing that she had grown up in such a family environment and had then been sent to the countryside as an educated youth, he immediately knew she must have suffered greatly.
Such a beautiful, radiant girl should have been treasured and cherished in the palm of someone’s hand!
Unable to stop himself, he made a solemn promise.
“My monthly salary is eighty-nine yuan, and with subsidies it exceeds one hundred. I hardly spend money myself, so all of it can be handed over to you. You can buy whatever you want.
As long as I’m around, you’ll never need to cook or wash clothes yourself. And if I’m away on missions, the military has a family cafeteria where you can eat.
My parents are busy with work and are very open-minded. There won’t be any conflict between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law. But even if there is, I promise I’ll always stand on your side.”
Wen Ranran knew that a man’s promises should only be listened to lightly. In this world, the only person truly reliable was oneself. If a woman took a man’s vows too seriously, she would only end up hurt in the end.
But Lu Shi’an’s expression was simply too sincere. It gave Wen Ranran an inexplicable sense of security and made her want to believe him.
Most importantly, she knew how history would unfold in the future, and she also possessed a bit of cleverness herself. If one day Lu Shi’an treated her badly and failed to live up to his promises, then once the opportunity came, she could simply kick him aside!
Wen Ranran blinked her long eyelashes and gently nodded.
That was her way of agreeing to date him!
Instantly, Lu Shi’an felt as if eight hundred horses were galloping wildly through his heart. He was so excited he nearly bit the inside of his own cheek!
Xiao Yanming, who had secretly wandered over and witnessed the entire exchange, was also overwhelmed with excitement. He even let out an involuntary howl before being fiercely glared at by Lu Shi’an.
Noticing the commotion, Wen Ranran turned her head and saw Xiao Yanming awkwardly hobbling on crutches.
Realizing he was probably Lu Shi’an’s friend, a fleeting smile appeared on her lips.
“Hello.”
Xiao Yanming was practically dazzled by her smile. But remembering he was Lu Shi’an’s best brother, he immediately waved enthusiastically.
“Hello, sister-in-law! My name’s Xiao Yanming!”
He addressed her boldly on purpose, helping Lu Shi’an secure his status. He absolutely had to make Lu Shi’an’s relationship with Educated Youth Wen official!
Wen Ranran’s cheeks flushed red. She turned her head away shyly, though she did not object to the title.
Having his status as her partner basically confirmed, Lu Shi’an’s eyes shone frighteningly bright. His heart pounded even harder than the first time he had ever stood on a shooting range.
“Ranran, it’s too noisy here. Why don’t we go for a walk outside?”
The two walked side by side out of the auditorium. Xiao Yanming wisely chose not to follow and become a third wheel. Instead, he found a seat and sat down so he could later answer his mother’s questions.
The largest area in the pharmaceutical factory was naturally the workshops, so there weren’t many places to stroll. Wen Ranran and Lu Shi’an walked along a quiet path with no one around. The two stayed very close, their arms occasionally brushing against each other.
Finally, with his ears red to the roots, Lu Shi’an seized an opportunity and cautiously took Wen Ranran’s hand.
Startled, Wen Ranran looked up and glared at him.
But the glare carried no real force. Her eyes shimmered with charm and playful sweetness, moist and tender like she was acting coquettishly. Lu Shi’an felt half his body go numb from that single look!
Yet that still wasn’t the most fatal part.
The truly fatal part was that after they had walked hand in hand for a while, Wen Ranran’s soft, cloud-like fingers gently squeezed his hand.
Then she suddenly asked:
“Lu Shi’an, do you want to marry me?”