When Xin Zhiyao came out of the Civil Affairs Bureau holding the red booklet, her previously floating body seemed to land on solid ground.
She had gotten married just like that? And to her university professor.
She turned her head to look at Zhou Ji and found him taking a photo with the marriage certificate.
Of course, she wouldn't naively think he was taking a photo to post on Moments. The day they added each other on WeChat, she had secretly browsed his Moments, and it was completely empty.
Zhou Ji sensed her gaze and said, "I need to inform my parents."
Xin Zhiyao's gaze paused. "Should I meet Uncle, Aunt..."
Zhou Ji raised an eyebrow at her.
Xin Zhiyao's face instantly turned red, and she awkwardly corrected herself, "Should I meet Dad, Mom."
Oh my god, this felt so unnatural; she got goosebumps just saying it.
"No rush," Zhou Ji put away the marriage certificate. "They are on vacation abroad right now and won't be back anytime soon."
"What if they don't like me?" Xin Zhiyao worried.
Zhou Ji was so excellent, and she was nothing. Would his parents feel like their prize cabbage had been snatched by a pig like her?
"No, they said you're very cute."
"Huh?" Xin Zhiyao looked up at him, her eyes shining slightly.
Zhou Ji explained to her, "They saw our marriage certificate and said you look very cute, and told me not to bully you."
Xin Zhiyao's face instantly grew hot.
Zhou Ji looked at her slightly red ear tips and curved his lips. "Do you have any plans next? I want to take you somewhere."
"Where?"
"You'll know when we get there."
When Xin Zhiyao followed Zhou Ji into a residential complex, she was completely stunned.
The agent walked ahead, introducing, "This house faces southwest, and the balcony offers a view of the sunset and evening glow. The most convenient part is that it's fully furnished and ready to move in. You only need to add some furniture you like. I'll take you to see the rooms."
Xin Zhiyao followed closely behind Zhou Ji. Unexpectedly, Zhou Ji suddenly stopped, and she almost bumped into him.
"Slow down," Zhou Ji's voice was gentle as he reached out to steady her. "What do you think?"
"Ah?" Xin Zhiyao looked bewildered, appearing blank.
"Do you like this house?"
She mumbled, "I... I don't know."
Zhou Ji looked at her seriously. "You must know, because this will be our home in the future."
"Didn't you say you wanted a home?"
Xin Zhiyao's heart was struck hard.
He had remembered her words.
The casual remark she made in a moment of emotion had been taken to heart by him.
Seeing her staring blankly at him, Zhou Ji took her hand and walked towards the rooms.
"This is the master bedroom; it's quite spacious, and the wardrobe is large enough. It's just missing a dressing table. You can look for one online later."
"We can convert the second bedroom into a nursery later, for when the child is a bit older."
"The smallest room can be turned into a study. You can read in there, and I can work there too. If we have a second child in the future, we can either get a four-bedroom apartment or convert this back into a bedroom."
Zhou Ji's steady voice entered Xin Zhiyao's ears word for word. As she listened, she began to imagine their married life: reading together in the study, playing with the children, watching the sunset on the balcony. Just thinking about it made her feel wonderful.
Finally, Zhou Ji decided on the apartment. It took less than two hours from viewing to purchasing. After lunch, Zhou Ji drove Xin Zhiyao back to school.
"For the small items you want to buy these few days, I'll handle the big ones. I'll ask for your opinion before buying. We'll likely be living there for the next few years, so tell me directly if you don't like something."
Xin Zhiyao sat in the passenger seat and obediently nodded.
"We should be able to move in within half a month. Get your off-campus housing application sorted out in advance."
"Ah?" Xin Zhiyao looked at him in astonishment.
Was she going to live together with Professor Zhou so soon?
Zhou Ji seemed to understand her thoughts and said, "You're pregnant now, and it's inconvenient to stay in the dormitory. It would also be difficult for me to take care of you."
"I can take care of myself," Xin Zhiyao said softly.
"I've inquired; your dormitory has a loft bed with a desk underneath. It's not safe for you to be climbing up and down."
Xin Zhiyao remained silent.
Zhou Ji glanced at her. "Do you have any concerns?"
"I'm afraid of everyone knowing we're married."
Zhou Ji raised an eyebrow. "Are we ashamed of our marriage?"
Xin Zhiyao knew he had misunderstood and quickly shook her head. "No, it's just... I feel a bit overwhelmed."
Zhou Ji had such a big reputation at the university. If the students found out she was married to him, her school life would likely be anything but peaceful.
Zhou Ji frowned as he looked at her, finally sighing. "Our marriage will be easily discovered once your pregnancy starts showing. But if you feel overwhelmed, we can take our time, but you must move out of the dormitory."
As he said, it was indeed unsafe for her to be climbing up and down while pregnant.
Xin Zhiyao nodded. "Okay."
The car arrived at the school intersection, and Xin Zhiyao prepared to open the door to get out.
"Wait a moment," Zhou Ji called out to her.
She turned back to see him handing her a card. Xin Zhiyao was startled and quickly waved her hands. "I don't want it."
"Take it," Zhou Ji insisted, pressing it into her hand. "I am your husband now; this is my responsibility."
The card in her hand felt like a hot potato.
Zhou Ji noticed Xin Zhiyao's unease and reassured her, "There's only fifty thousand yuan in it. You can use it for things you like to eat or wear. You're still young; I'll give you my salary card when you're older."
The thought of Xin Zhiyao keeping his salary card was something she dared not even imagine.
"The password is the last six digits. Take it out when you have time and transfer it to your card. I also heard about 'intimate payment' options now; I'll research them another day."
Zhou Ji's series of actions made Xin Zhiyao's heart flutter.
"Go on, take care of yourself."
And so, Xin Zhiyao got out of the car blankly, watching Zhou Ji's car speed away.
Today, she thought, had been more eventful than her entire past twenty-one years.
She pinched her arm again.
Ouch, it hurt.
It wasn't a dream.
Once she reacted, she saw the card in her hand, glanced vigilantly around, and quickly put it into her bag.
As she walked into the school, her steps involuntarily became lighter.
"Yaoyao, what are you looking at the dressing table for?"
Xin Zhiyao was sitting at her spot in the dormitory when Song Yujia leaned over. Seeing her browsing Taobao for dressing tables, she asked curiously.
"I... I want to buy one for home," Xin Zhiyao said vaguely.
"Your little room can barely fit a desk, and you want to put a dressing table? That beautiful dressing table would be wasted in there," Song Yujia said, looking at the type of items she was browsing.
Xin Zhiyao ignored her words and leaned closer. "Which one do you think looks good?"
Song Yujia picked one that looked cozy. "This one, but it's a bit expensive. It's not necessary for your room."
Xin Zhiyao liked this one too. She took a screenshot and thought to herself that the price didn't matter; such a beautiful home deserved something this expensive. Her part-time job money was enough to buy something she liked; it wasn't excessive.
"Yaoyao, where did you go yesterday when you asked for leave?" Song Yujia suddenly asked.
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