CHAPTER 178: SO COME AND PROPOSE TO ME SOON.

Hearing her words, Song Chengfeng immediately frowned, his expression tightening with urgency.

"What do you mean by I moved on and forgot about you?" His voice was low yet steady, though it carried a trembling sincerity.

"Jianyi, there’s no woman out there worth my attention except you. I was prepared to live alone and wait for you, no matter how long it took." His gaze was unwavering, eyes filled with deep affection and a determination that spoke louder than words.

In this lifetime, he would only love her.

Yet neither of them fully understood just how close Song Chengfeng had come to losing himself. If Qi Jianyi had chosen never to return, or had come back only years later, perhaps he wouldn’t have been here to witness it.

Not that he would ever take his own life—but in truth, without her, he found little reason to keep going. Each passing day after she left had hollowed him out bit by bit, draining warmth and meaning from everything around him.

Thankfully, Qi Jianyi realized her feelings sooner. In coming back, she unknowingly saved him, becoming the very reason he still had strength to face each day.

Qi Jianyi didn’t yet see just how vital she was to him, far beyond even his family. Her return brightened what had become a colorless existence. She was the person he had longed for through sleepless nights, the presence he wished to share countless days yet to come.

This love arrived suddenly, shifting his world entirely. It grew deeper with each memory and every longing moment, until it became part of his very being.

It wasn’t mere obsession, nor a desire to own her. It was a sincere, consuming love that reshaped everything he believed about himself.

The once cold, aloof Young Master Song had surrendered his pride and reserve the moment she entered his life. Now, a single word from Qi Jianyi could overturn every certainty he once held.

For her, he would do anything. Even if she asked him to bring down the stars, he would try, without hesitation.

And seven years ago, when what she wanted most was to return to her world and be with her family, he let her go. He never pleaded or argued, despite how it tore at his heart.

Because for Song Chengfeng, true love meant respecting her choices, even at his own expense.

He loved Qi Jianyi—and because of that love, he accepted her wishes without regret.

"I am here now. And since you are willing to be with me, I will be by your side until we both breathe our last breath. Chengfeng, let’s put everything behind us and live our life to the fullest!" Qi Jianyi grinned, her arms wrapping around his neck as if sealing her promise.

It was undeniable how satisfied she felt hearing his words. The man she loved had been willing to wait, regardless of whether she could return to this world at all. And he had waited, faithfully, for seven long years. That alone spoke volumes of his sincerity and unwavering devotion.

Alas, she truly hadn’t chosen wrong. A proud, almost mischievous glint appeared in Qi Jianyi’s eyes as she rose on tiptoe and planted a soft kiss on Song Chengfeng’s lips.

His expression instantly softened, his smile brightening as though the world itself had grown lighter.

"Just you wait, Young Master Song. I’ll have my parents visit your house to propose later. And after that, you won’t be able to regret your decision," she declared with a playful arrogance, her eyes shining with determination.

"In this life, you can only be my, Qi Jianyi’s, husband."

It was a bold declaration, as if she had cast a net to trap him. But instead of resisting, the supposed big bad wolf stepped right into her trap willingly—almost eagerly.

"Mm, not only in this life," Song Chengfeng replied, his voice low yet tender, eyes fixed on hers with quiet intensity.

"In every life, in every world, I’ll only ever be your husband. And you can only have me. I won’t share with anyone else so you’ll have to keep spoiling me forever," he teased, a faintly wicked grin tugging at the corners of his lips.

Their words weren’t merely teasing; each vow felt as if it etched itself into their hearts, promising a lifetime of devotion.

Taken aback by his words, Qi Jianyi burst into laughter. Her laughter, crisp and melodious like a bell, quickly filled the quiet backyard. Anyone who heard it would know in an instant that she was truly happy.

"Haha, pamper you? Like what? Like a little wife?" she teased, wiping away the tears that gathered at the corners of her eyes.

She really couldn’t fathom how this man—who always carried himself with such imposing arrogance—was, in truth, nothing but a coquettish man craving affection and spoiling.

Frowning slightly, Song Chengfeng seemed to fall into deep thought. Qi Jianyi tilted her head in confusion, but before she could voice her curiosity, his expression changed completely.

With a deadly serious look, he met her eyes and nodded solemnly. "Yes. I want you to pamper me like a little wife. Like how an emperor would favor his beloved concubine but there will be no other concubines, only me. So you must spoil me alone."

The sheer seriousness on Song Chengfeng’s face made it almost impossible to believe the shameless words spilling from his mouth.

Qi Jianyi’s mouth twitched. She was truly at a loss for words. Did this man even know what shame was?

The answer: absolutely not! He probably didn’t even know how to spell the word ’reserve.’ Maybe it didn’t even exist anywhere in his vocabulary.

"So, wife," Song Chengfeng continued, completely ignoring her speechless stare and shifting the topic without hesitation, "when are you going to propose to me?"

Qi Jianyi opened her mouth to answer, but when her thoughts turned to the Qi and He families, she abruptly closed it again. Her moment of hesitation did not escape Song Chengfeng’s sharp gaze.

His eyes darkened immediately. His wife had just promised to marry him. Why was she hesitating now?

"You can’t take back your words," he said at once, his voice tinged with urgency and a faint trace of grievance.

"You must come to my house to propose, and I’ll marry into your family. If you don’t want to, then I’ll go back and ask my parents to come and propose to you instead." With his resentful tone and aggrieved expression, he looked uncannily like a wronged wife dissatisfied with her stubborn husband.

Yet there was something neither of them seemed to realise. Wasn’t it usually the man who proposed to the woman? How had the roles ended up reversed in their case?

In truth, Song Chengfeng didn’t need to wait for Qi Jianyi to propose. He could just as well do it himself. If anyone else could hear their conversation, they’d probably shake their heads and scold him. Telling him outright that it should be the man, not the woman, who makes the proposal!

Unfortunately, no one was around to hear. And these two, so deeply wrapped up in their love for each other, were far too absorbed to notice how strange it seemed from the outside.

"It’s not that I don’t want to," Qi Jianyi finally spoke, her voice softening as her brows furrowed.

"I’m just thinking about my family here. I know they would accept me. But I still want to be sure that they’re truly okay with my existence first. Especially, mom..." Her voice trailed off, the last word spoken barely above a whisper.

Though she had said before that she wouldn’t care whether Miss Qi’s family accepted her or not, now that she knew they had all welcomed her except for Mrs. Qi—of course, she only felt hesitant.

Qi Jianyi wouldn’t force Mrs. Qi to accept her. After all, she had taken the place of her daughter. Yet at the same time, she couldn’t help but fear that quiet rejection.

How painful it would be if someone who looked exactly like your mother turned her eyes on you, not with love, but with cold contempt.

"Aunt He will accept you. Just give her some time, and just act cute around her. Didn’t you like to do that before?" Song Chengfeng coaxed gently, trying to ease her worries by teasing her with an old memory.

Laughing, Qi Jianyi rolled her eyes. "You don’t have to worry about this. I’ll handle it myself. Mom always said I’m someone destined to be loved by anyone who sees me. So I really doubt Mom—no, Aunt He—would truly dislike me."

Her voice carried a faint note of pride, as if declaring that her existence itself was naturally worthy of affection.

"Mm, only an idiot would dislike you." Song Chengfeng didn’t deny it—instead, he readily supported her words, as if it were the most reasonable thing in the world that everyone should love her.

"You only know how to flatter me," Qi Jianyi huffed, rolling her eyes again and giving his chest a playful slap.

Song Chengfeng quickly caught her mischievous hand and grinned. With a shameless glint in his eyes, he lowered his head and brushed his lips against hers, stealing a kiss that lingered a little too long.

"Don’t make me wait too long, Jianyi. I want to marry you, so come and propose to me soon," he murmured softly against her lips, voice low and coaxing. Qi Jianyi nodded her head in a daze, momentarily swept away by the kiss.

Only a few seconds later did something in the back of her mind feel slightly off—why was she the one proposing? Shouldn’t it be him?

But she couldn’t quite put her finger on it, and with a helpless shake of her head, the thought quickly slipped away.

With a teasing smile, she hooked her arms tighter around his neck, tugging him closer and once again, the two of them lost themselves in another deep kiss, completely forgetting the world around them.