You're dumping me, huh? Fine, then I'll just pick up the school beauty and make her my wif

Su Qinghe released his hand and sat down next to Jiang Zhenshan.

Jiang Zhenshan didn't mention the Ye family or ask about the things in Gangcheng; he just pushed the fruit plate towards her.

"How is your recovery going? Are you still taking the medication the doctor prescribed?"

"I've already finished eating. I had a follow-up check-up after returning to Beijing, and all the indicators were normal."

"Are you sleeping?"

"I've been able to sleep seven or eight hours lately. Jiang Che keeps an eye on me every day and closes my computer before 11 o'clock."

Jiang Zhenshan turned his face away. "You did a decent job on this."

Jiang Che pulled out the chair next to him. "Grandpa, I do a lot of good things, you can't just praise me with one sentence."

"If you want to hear praise, take good care of Qinghe first."

After the old man finished speaking, he asked about the Challenge Cup project.

Su Qinghe talked about the progress of the anonymous book donation section, and also mentioned that the team has regained its eligibility to participate in the competition. The platform can currently complete more than 30 textbook matchings every day.

Jiang Zhenshan listened for a while, then only asked one question: "Is the money enough?"

"That's enough. The initial costs weren't much, and the volunteers also helped us with a lot of the work."

"You'll only have confidence when you present something you've made yourself. If you're really lacking something, just say so. Your family can offer suggestions, but ultimately, you have to walk your own path."

Su Qinghe agreed earnestly, and her previously tense shoulders and back relaxed a bit.

After the housekeeper came over to remind them that dinner was ready, the family moved to the dining room. Jiang Che pulled out a chair for Su Qinghe and sat down next to her.

The dishes on the table were still steaming, but Jiang Zhenshan didn't let anyone touch them.

"Let me get down to business first."

"The whole family has witnessed how well A-Che and Qing-He have gotten to where they are today. They've been through a lot together, and their relationship has stood the test of time."

Jiang Zhenshan paused for a moment, then handed the rest of the conversation directly to Su Qinghe.

"Qinghe, Grandpa wants to ask you first if you're willing to put the engagement on the agenda. The family will only be responsible for the arrangements; the date and format will be decided by you two."

Su Qinghe paused on the edge of the table, holding her teacup. She turned her head and looked at Jiang Che for a moment.

Jiang Che didn't answer for her. He simply spread his palm under the table and waited for her to put her hand in before gently stroking the back of her hand with his thumb.

"Grandpa, I do."

"Thank you, Grandpa, and thank you everyone for accepting me. I will make a good life with A-Che."

"This child, we don't need to say these polite things as family."

Song Huilan patted the chair next to her and took off a warm jade bracelet from her wrist.

"Qinghe, give your hand to Grandma."

Su Qinghe hesitated for a moment, but still extended her hand as instructed.

Song Huilan held her hand and slowly pushed the jade bracelet across her wrist; the size was just right.

"This bracelet has been with me for decades. It was given to me by your great-grandmother when I married into the Jiang family. I wore it on my engagement day as a token of my grandmother's blessing."

"Grandma, this is too precious, I can't accept it."

"Do I need a permit to send gifts to my granddaughter-in-law?"

Song Huilan pressed her hand, which was trying to take off the bracelet, back under the table and straightened her cuffs.

"Wear it first, don't always think about whether it's expensive or not. Things that are in the family should be passed down to the family members; it's no fun just leaving them lying around."

Su Qinghe did not refuse again, but touched the jade bracelet with her fingertips. After a moment, she softly said, "Thank you, Grandma."

Jiang Dahai waited for her to sit down before continuing the conversation.

"Let's choose the manor in the east of the city as the venue. It's quiet and security is convenient. Yu Ning is meticulous, so let her help oversee the process."

Bai Qing couldn't help but laugh and said, "You're making it sound like a project meeting when you're organizing your child's engagement banquet, mentioning the venue, security, and the person in charge—you haven't missed a single detail."

"Someone has to get things done."

"Okay, you take care of the venue, and Yu Ning and I will handle the rest. Qing He can choose whatever flowers she likes, what clothes she wants to wear, and which friends she wants to invite."

Jiang Zhenshan nodded and settled the rules for the engagement banquet.

"Don't invite too many people, the ceremony should be proper, and the decorations should be warm. Don't make it look like a venue full of business people."

The old man's tone became more serious as he said this: "Qinghe is Xiaoche's lawfully wedded wife, so there must be no lack of proper etiquette or respect."

Jiang Che held Su Qinghe's hand and noticed her fingertips tightening, so he closed his palm, enveloping her entire hand.

The date was finally set for Saturday three weeks from now.

As the school year draws to a close, classes are gradually decreasing, and the Challenge Cup competition is also entering a phase of steady progress.

This is a perfect opportunity to hold an engagement banquet.

After dinner, Jiang Che accompanied Su Qinghe for a walk along the old house's corridor.

Moonlight fell between the blue bricks and wooden railings. The osmanthus tree in the courtyard had already passed its flowering season, leaving only its leaves swaying gently in the evening breeze.

Su Qinghe stopped under the eaves and raised her wrist to touch the jade bracelet.

"Ah Che, I used to feel like I was just staying somewhere else."

Jiang Che stood behind her, pulled her into his arms, and gently rested his chin on the top of her head.

"Today, all the elders have approved of me, so from now on I will be your wife."

"I... finally have a home."

She spoke calmly, but Jiang Che heard a sob in the last syllable.

"This is just the beginning. I will be by your side for every important moment from now on."

Su Qinghe rested the back of her head on his shoulder, then raised her hand and placed her wrist, adorned with a jade bracelet, in front of them.

"I remember everything you said."

"Keep it in, I never intended to renege on it anyway."

……

Three weeks have passed in the blink of an eye.

On the morning of the engagement, the manor in the east of the city was already bustling with activity.

Bai Yuning arrived at the scene at five o'clock in the morning. She had already revised the original banquet plan twice.

The magnificent crystal flower wall has been replaced with a low wooden frame, and white camellias, lisianthus and baby's breath are spread along the lawn path, with a row of warm lights placed next to the guest seating area.

Behind the main stage, there was no huge nameplate, only a light-colored wooden screen with four characters that Jiang Che and Su Qinghe had jointly chosen on it.

We return together every year.

As Jiang Che was adjusting his cufflinks in the main building's lobby, Bai Yuning walked over in high heels and removed his tie.

"It's crooked, tie it again."

"Where is it crooked? I checked it so many times when I looked in the mirror."

"Are you doubting me? Let me tell you, you're going to keep these photos for the rest of your lives. If anything goes wrong, be careful, Qinghe might hold you accountable twenty years from now."

Bai Yuning helped him push the tie knot back to the collar of his shirt, and then took two steps back to check it again.

"Did you bring the marriage contract?"

"I brought it."

"Where's the ring?"

"I brought it too."

Have you had breakfast?

Jiang Che scratched his head awkwardly and didn't say anything.

Bai Yuning turned around, took a sandwich from the table, and stuffed it directly into his hand.

"I knew it. You two always forget to eat on important days. Hurry up and eat. Qinghe has already had some porridge."

"Wow, sis, you've thought of everything!"

"Of course, I have multiple roles today: the groom's sister, the bride's relative, and the process manager. I'm so busy I barely have time to breathe."

……

Around 8 o'clock, Xu Wenbin, Song Mingxuan, and Lu Ziang arrived at the manor together.

The three of them were all dressed in formal attire, which was unusual for them. Before they could exchange more than a few words, another car drove in from outside the manor.

Wang Kai called out Jiang Che's name from a distance, got out of the car, quickly walked into the lobby, and punched Jiang Che on the shoulder.

"You're something else, kid. You've settled things so quickly."

Liu Mengyao followed behind, carrying the gift box, and greeted them with a polite smile upon meeting.

Seeing that Su Qinghe hadn't come out yet, Wang Kai handed the gift box to Jiang Che first.

The box contained a handmade blessing book with the color scheme of the Lincheng No. 1 Middle School emblem on the cover. Inside were photos from high school, and each page contained handwritten blessings from the students.

Jiang Che touched the pages, not closing the booklet immediately.

Wang Kai stopped his earlier playful antics and patted him on the back.

"Mengyao and I contacted many people and wrote a few words to everyone we could reach. My sister-in-law has had a tough journey, so let's leave her with more things that will make her happy in the future."

Thanks.

"No need for thanks between brothers. Just remember to arrange the head table for me when you get married."

"Absolutely, what's our relationship?"

At 9:30 a.m., Bai Qing helped Song Huilan walk out from the other side of the main building.

Su Qinghe followed behind the two, wearing a pearl white long dress with the hem just past her ankles, and a short cloak of the same color over it. Her hair was tied up low and only adorned with a white camellia hair clip.

Song Huilan gave her a jade bracelet, which she wore on her left wrist, while she held a handwritten marriage contract in her right hand.

Jiang Che was still buttoning up his dress cuffs, his fingers hovering near the buttonholes as he stared at her for several seconds.

Su Qinghe walked up to him, raised her hand to touch her hair clip, and asked, "Doesn't it suit me?"

"No, I was just wondering if the content of the marriage contract was a bit too short."

"Didn't you say you said too much last night? Deleting it down to one page is just right, isn't it?"

"Now that I've seen you, I feel like I should add three more pages," Jiang Che said jokingly.

Su Qinghe smiled, her lips pursed, and her cheeks flushed slightly.

A short while later, Jiang Zhenshan appeared at the door, leaning on his cane.

"Is everything ready?"

Jiang Che took Su Qinghe's hand and led her to the front of the lawn.

"Ready."