12 – Since I’m Getting Married, Why Can’t It Be With You?
The air fell silent for a few seconds, the atmosphere somewhat awkward.
Qin Zhiluo pouted, completely unmoved.
When it came to being passive-aggressive, she was a professional!
A light chuckle came from the man. “When did I ever say I was choosing a concubine?”
Qin Zhiluo pointed at the photos. “The evidence is right here!” Trying to deny it?
Sensing her unhappiness and grievance, Zhuang Hezhi gently reached out and pulled her into his arms, brushing his lips against hers.
When she felt wronged, her eyes would mist over with a layer of moisture, and the tip of her nose would turn red, making her look like she’d been thoroughly bullied.
He did want to bully her, to push her until tears seeped from the corners of her eyes, tilting her head back to softly call his name.
But now was clearly not the right time to continue.
With patient tenderness, he cupped her small face and kissed away the faint dampness at the corners of her eyes.
“That was the Old Master’s idea. Did I ever say I wanted to?”
Qin Zhiluo blinked. Actually… he really hadn’t said he wanted to just now.
“But can you go against your father’s wishes?”
Could he?
She’d read the reports—Elder Zhuang was a man of swift, decisive action who never went back on his word.
His discipline of his children was strict to the point of being almost harsh.
From the way the Old Master had spoken just now, his tone carried the authority of one in power, leaving no room for refusal…
Even in an ordinary family, wouldn’t it be hard for a child to resist their parents’ pressure to marry?
Qin Zhiluo didn’t want to bring trouble on herself.
She quickly suppressed the faint ripple in her heart and said calmly, “If you ever get engaged, you must tell me, and we’ll end this relationship.”
She could steal Alison’s backing, but she couldn’t bully the innocent woman who would one day be Zhuang Hezhi’s fiancée.
“Why can’t it be you?”
“What?”
What did he mean?
Zhuang Hezhi smiled, looking at her meaningfully. “I’m saying, there’s already a ready-made woman right in front of me—why would I go looking for someone else?”
He wasn’t a man of strong desires; otherwise, he wouldn’t have gone all these years without a woman by his side.
Looking at the dazed young girl before him, Zhuang Hezhi dotingly tapped the tip of her nose. “Qin Zhiluo.”
“Hm?”
This was the first time he’d called her by her full name—it sounded rather serious.
Qin Zhiluo instantly tensed up, meeting his gaze.
He pressed his forehead against hers and said word by word, “How about you come with me and get the marriage certificate? You don’t dislike me, right? The status of a spouse is far more stable than this shallow relationship we have now, no matter how you look at it. And you won’t have to go out and show your face to earn money anymore.”
After all, he’d have to marry someone and have a child with her eventually.
He didn’t want to waste too much energy getting to know other women, nor did he want to spend time adapting to a new partner.
Choosing the most efficient path was best for everyone.
At least she wouldn’t have to be jealous over nothing—she could do whatever she wanted as Mrs. Zhuang, and she could act recklessly under his name.
He would have her back.
Besides, he genuinely liked her right now—liked everything about her.
His voice was low and sincere, every word familiar on its own, yet strung together they left her dazed.
Qin Zhiluo was stunned.
Was he trying to… use her to fend off the Old Master’s marriage pressure?
That wouldn’t do.
She did crave Zhuang Hezhi, and the time she spent with him was wonderful.
But she absolutely could not become a pawn in the schemes of a wealthy family.
Yet how could she refuse the seductive, alluring Zhuang Hezhi?
“I refuse!”
“Why?”
Qin Zhiluo thought for a moment, then said awkwardly, “Brother, I haven’t even had my twentieth birthday yet.”
Zhuang Hezhi almost forgot—he’d had someone look into her background before. Rounding up, she was twenty, but technically still over a month shy of it.
He really was a piece of work.
Here he was, twenty-seven, picking on a young girl like her.
No matter how he looked at it, it wasn’t something a decent person would do.
That was why he’d handed her the fifty million back then—as compensation.
Zhuang Hezhi let out a self-deprecating laugh, a hint of helplessness in his voice.
Still, he didn’t press the matter further.
Qin Zhiluo seemed to want to say something but held back—probably startled by his sudden mention of getting the marriage certificate.
She hadn’t been through much in life. She didn’t even have the courage to meet his parents—how could she possibly agree to get a certificate with him just like that?
He couldn’t rush things. He needed to interact with her in a way a girl would find acceptable.
That was fine. He had all the time in the world to take it slow with her.
As long as she didn’t reject him and was willing to be herself around him, that was enough.
Zhuang Hezhi had the maid bring out a new dress he’d bought for her to change into, took her to breakfast, and only then drove her back to Jinxiu Garden.
With them was his Earl.
The big dog with glossy black fur looked mighty and imposing, its blue-black eyes sharp and fierce like a wolf’s—aloof and handsome. But in reality, its temperament was quite friendly.
Zhuang Hezhi had brought her to feed it once. Earl stared at her for a while, seeming to sense she meant no harm, and allowed her to pet him.
What a spineless thing.
Like owner, like pet?
Zhuang Hezhi explained awkwardly, “He’s not usually like this.”
“It’s fine, I really like him~”
Qin Zhiluo wanted to take a set of photos with the dog, and Zhuang Hezhi agreed without a second thought.
After getting out of the car, Qin Zhiluo suddenly remembered she hadn’t gotten her necklace back!
She watched the car turn the corner at the end of the street and quickly disappear.
She’d have to wait until next time to ask him for it.
As she turned around, Qin Zhiluo once again caught sight of the nauseating Zhang Xuanyu.
Why couldn’t that bastard just leave her alone?
“Luoluo, why are you with that man again?”
When he was still five or six meters away, Qin Zhiluo, holding her bag in one hand and the dog’s leash in the other, glared at him.
“None of your damn business?”
Zhang Xuanyu urgently tried to come over and grab her, and Qin Zhiluo snapped instantly, “If you dare take one more step, I’ll set the dog on you!”
Earl cooperatively barked twice.
The intimidation was quite terrifying.
“Fine, fine, I won’t come over.” Zhang Xuanyu froze in place, a pained expression on his face. “I don’t want to watch you throw yourself away like this. Just wait for me a little longer—once Alison and I get married, I’ll have money to take care of you. Don’t go looking for anyone else, just wait for me…”
Absolutely hilarious.
Did he actually think money could buy her back?
Qin Zhiluo whipped out her phone and opened the camera.
“Say one more word, and I swear I’ll send it to Alison as is!”
Zhang Xuanyu quickly waved his hands. “No! Luoluo, I—”
Not listening, not listening. A turtle’s chanting is just nonsense.
One more word out of him, and she’d have Earl take a dump and stuff it right in Zhang Xuanyu’s mouth.
Back at her own place, she hugged Earl and gave him a good rub: “Good boy, you did great just now. Sister’s going to give you some jerky.”
“Whose dog is this?” Lin Yue caught a whiff of gossip.
“Sister Qiao was about to lose her mind last night—said you were taken away by President Zhuang and she was worried something happened to you. I lied and told her you’d already come home and passed out from drinking too much, and only then did she stop pressing. Babe, you spent the night with President Zhuang, didn’t you?”
Qin Zhiluo pouted, suddenly looking coy: “If you already know, why ask?”