Chapter 15: A Perfect Match!

Jiang Yining understood that Lin Teacher was thinking of her best interest.

If Zhao Hong found out she registered the marriage without informing her family, there was no telling what negative things she’d start saying about her in public.

One way or another, the two families had to sit down and have a meal together. Jiang Yining frowned slightly, a touch of defiance in her tone. “I don’t want Zhao Hong involved in my marriage matters.”

Teacher Lin didn’t press her. “She already made a scene trying to arrange blind dates for you before. Not inviting her won’t raise eyebrows among relatives or neighbors.”

“I remember you said you have an aunt who treats you fairly well?”

Jiang Yining nodded. “Yes.”

That aunt hadn’t brought up blind dates in the past couple of days. Jiang Yining figured she might as well call her dad tonight and ask him to talk to the aunt.

After all, it was her dad who agreed to let the aunt arrange those dates—he could be the one to deal with it now.

Teacher Lin suggested, “Yining, you can invite your aunt.”

Jiang Yining responded with a quiet “Mm, I’ll talk to them tonight.”

She had originally considered inviting her uncle’s family, but her uncle wasn’t in good health, her aunt was busy taking care of him, and her cousin had just started working at the hospital—he was swamped.

On the way back, while they were waiting at a red light, He Chi asked, “What did Mom say to you earlier?”

“She told me not to mention that we’ve already registered our marriage for now, and also brought up the idea of having both families meet for a meal.”

He Chi noticed that ever since leaving his parents’ place, Jiang Yining’s mood seemed slightly down.

His mother was someone who cared a lot about proper etiquette. He wasn’t sure if he was guessing right, so he offered, “If you don’t want your stepmother to come for the meal, then we won’t invite her. I’ll talk to Mom.”

“I already said that.”

But that wasn’t the reason.

He Chi directly asked, “Then why do you look like you’re not too happy?”

Jiang Yining’s almond-shaped eyes held a hint of surprise.

As expected of someone who had been a police officer for two years, He Chi was so observant that he could notice even the slightest change in her mood.

She quickly denied, “I’m not unhappy.”

After thinking for a moment, Jiang Yining softly said, “I was just thinking about my mom.”

If her mother were still alive, she wouldn’t be forced into an arranged marriage, and knowing that she was marrying the person she loved, her mom would surely be happy for her.

He Chi didn’t know how to comfort her, so he simply said, “Once we get through all these things, we’ll find time to visit and pay respects to your mother, and tell her about our marriage.”

Jiang Yining’s eyes, clear and bright, turned to He Chi, and she asked, seeking reassurance, “Are you really saying that?”

The green light turned on, and He Chi turned the steering wheel to make a turn. “Of course, no matter what, I should go and pay respects.”

Jiang Yining glanced at He Chi, feeling deeply grateful.

The fact that he had thought about visiting her mother meant more than a thousand comforting words.

In the past few years, her relationship with Zhao Hong had grown increasingly strained. On her mother’s memorial day, if her father went with her to pay respects, Zhao Hong would always find a reason to argue with him. Gradually, starting from two years ago, her father stopped going, and now he only reminded her of the day.

The only ones who still remembered were the people from her uncle’s side.

Jiang Wenta had remarried shortly after his wife’s death, which caused Jiang Yining to question and even fear marriage for a time. But every time she visited Teacher Lin’s family, she saw their loving and harmonious relationship, which made her feel envious.

Jiang Yining’s expression softened at the mention of He Chi’s dog, “He Xiao Hui.” She had always been fond of the dog, and the thought that it might miss her made her heart warm.

She nodded, “Alright, I’ll move in with you this weekend then. I don’t want to make He Xiao Hui wait too long.”

He Chi raised an eyebrow, a small smile tugging at the corners of his lips. “Good, we’ll make sure he’s happy when you’re back.”

Jiang Yining smiled gently, feeling a little more at ease. Despite all the uncertainties and the complications of their relationship, she could sense the care He Chi had for both her and his dog. It made the transition a bit less daunting.

As they walked toward the entrance of her apartment complex, the weight of the decisions they had made began to settle in. Moving in together, having their families meet—it felt like a big step, but with He Chi by her side, it didn’t feel quite as overwhelming.

Jiang Yining couldn’t help but feel a flutter in her chest as she looked at He Chi. He stood there, effortlessly exuding a quiet confidence and strength. The way his white shirt fit him perfectly, outlining his broad shoulders and toned physique, made it hard for her to ignore how handsome he was.

It was true, she had initially been drawn to him by his looks. But over time, as they spent more time together, she realized there was so much more to him—his intelligence, the way he cared about things even when he didn’t show it outwardly, his persistence.

Still, in that moment, with him standing there in front of her, looking so composed and mature, she couldn’t help but feel a little nervous. She had spent so many years living independently, guarding her heart, but now it seemed like she was letting someone in, and she wasn’t sure what to expect.

Jiang Yining took a deep breath, trying to shake the rush of emotions inside her. She had to focus on the practical things first. “Alright, I’ll go ahead and pack,” she said with a small smile. “Thanks for being patient with me.”

He Chi, as usual, remained calm and collected. “No need to thank me,” he replied with a slight grin. “I’m just looking forward to having you around.”

His words were simple but sincere, and they carried more weight than she expected. It was moments like these that made her realize that, despite everything, she felt strangely comfortable around him.

She nodded and headed inside to pack. As she gathered her things, she couldn’t help but wonder what the future would hold—living together, the challenges, and the unexpected joys. But for now, it felt like she was taking a step forward, and that was enough.

Jiang Yining looked up and smiled at her best friend, sensing the warmth in her voice. “You’d survive,” she teased, although she could tell from the way Zhang Qiao’s eyes softened that she was deeply grateful.

“Not without you, I wouldn’t,” Zhang Qiao sighed dramatically, making her way over to the counter. “Who else would make my favorite meals or listen to my rants? Honestly, if you ever left me, I’d be lost.”

Jiang Yining laughed softly, turning back to the stove to finish cooking. “You say that now, but you’ll find someone else to annoy,” she teased lightly, though there was a genuine affection in her tone.

Zhang Qiao rolled her eyes, but the smile on her face told another story. “That’s true, but you’re irreplaceable, you know?” She picked up a plate and began to help set the table, eager to dig into the food that had her stomach growling.

As they ate, Zhang Qiao couldn’t help but notice the small shifts in her friend’s mood. “So,” she began casually, “How’s the whole ‘married life’ thing going?       Now that you and He Chi will be living together now.”

Jiang Yining hesitated for a moment before answering, her mind briefly drifting back to He Chi. “It’s… different. But not bad. I thought it would be more complicated, but so far, it’s been surprisingly smooth.”

Zhang Qiao raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued. “Smooth, huh? I thought you’d need a little more time to adjust.”

Jiang Yining shrugged, trying to hide the warmth that spread through her chest at the mention of He Chi. “Well, it’s only been a short while, but we’ve managed. It’s just… we’re still figuring things out.”

Zhang Qiao studied her friend’s expression, clearly sensing there was more to the story, but she didn’t press further. Instead, she gave her a teasing smile. “Well, as long as you’re happy. Just don’t go getting swept up in the ‘married life’ too fast. We still have a lot of adventures to go on, right?”

Jiang Yining smiled at that, feeling a wave of gratitude for the bond they shared. “Right. There’s still a lot of life to live.”

“Stop joking around, wash your hands and let’s eat.”

“Alright,” Zhang Qiao replied, heading to the kitchen to help bring the dishes.

During the meal, Zhang Qiao couldn’t care less about dieting, eating two bowls of rice in a row.

Jiang Yining stared at her in astonishment. “Didn’t you eat lunch?”

“Stupid manager,” Zhang Qiao muttered. “Not only did he shorten our break time for a meeting, but damn it, he actually scheduled another meeting just before the end of the workday.”

She took a bite of the garlic shrimp, and the rich aroma spread in her mouth. She quickly gave a thumbs up. “Ningning, these shrimp are so delicious. If you didn’t become a teacher, you could totally be a chef.”

The cooking skills she had were all learned after Jiang Yining moved in, and the dishes she made were nothing compared to Jiang Yining’s.

Jiang Yining smiled softly.

After saying that, Zhang Qiao added, “That idiot, fine, he called a meeting, but didn’t even talk about anything important. Half the time, he just went off on random topics, doesn’t have any skills at all.”

Jiang Yining asked, confused, “If he has no skills, how did he manage to get to a managerial position?”

Zhang Qiao continued eating, annoyed. “How else? He’s a relative of the boss.”

Then she remembered to ask Jiang Yining, “Was everything smooth with the marriage registration today?”

“It went smoothly, and both Teacher Lin and Teacher He know that He Chi and I got our marriage certificate.”

Seeing the way Jiang Yining’s eyes sparkled with a smile as she talked about it, it was clear that she had successfully handled the situation with He Chi’s parents.

After dinner, Zhang Qiao asked to see Jiang Yining’s marriage certificate.

Holding the marriage certificate, Zhang Qiao looked at the couple, who were a perfect match, and clicked her tongue in admiration. “You two really look good together. I can’t even imagine how beautiful your children would be.”

A tough guy paired with a gentle beauty—perfect match!

Zhang Qiao was more practical. Now that Jiang Yining and He Chi had already registered their marriage and He Chi’s parents knew about it, she asked, “Ningning, did his parents say anything?”

Jiang Yining nodded. “I’ll go get it to show you.”

She brought a sandalwood box to the living room. “Teacher Lin also gave me a bank card. Qiao Qiao, to be honest, I feel uneasy keeping these things.”

“What’s there to be uneasy about…”