I Got Rich in Period Fiction
Chapter 236 You’ve Finally Grown Up

Chapter 236: Chapter 236 You’ve Finally Grown Up

The iron pot tofu stew with big fish was ready.

The fragrance filled the yard.

The family of three sat at the dining table and began to eat, Qiao Qingyu glanced at He Xiuyu, feeling that he was somehow different from usual, but couldn’t pinpoint how.

Could it be that he had prepared another gift for her? A necklace was already enough, what else could there be?

...

At the entrance of Shen Fen’s house, Mr. Zhao’s wife, Huang Ling, placed her hand on the door panel and then slowly withdrew it.

Her eyes were full of anger and sorrow.

She hadn’t expected her educated husband to agree with his mother’s suggestion.

The thought alone disgusted her.

So she would no longer stay with him. Over these days, she had seen through the true colors of his family.

She accepted that she couldn’t have children, so she wouldn’t burden him. She was planning to divorce him.

A neighbor had advised her to seek help from He Xiuyu, since Mr. Zhao’s superior was Chief Engineer He, and with just a word from Chief Engineer He, Mr. Zhao would surely comply.

But she couldn’t, especially since she had been thrown out by her mother-in-law and husband following a quarrel a few days ago. Crouching by the door in the shadows, she saw He Xiuyu and Qiao Qingyu walking hand in hand.

She looked wretched that day, with a slap mark from her mother-in-law on her face and her clothes torn by that woman.

She didn’t blame them for walking away. She was grateful they didn’t see her in such a state.

She was also an educated person who could support herself, even if she was just a worker.

But she could no longer stand being in that house, especially after her mother-in-law’s repulsive suggestion and the fleeting look of joy in her husband’s eyes, she had given up completely.

Her heart ached, but she knew what she had to do.

With that thought, Huang Ling gathered her courage and knocked on Shen Fen’s door.

...

It was getting late, Chu Ying, who was reviewing documents in the office, rubbed her eyes and tidied up the documents on the desk, preparing to return to her dorm, when she unexpectedly saw Su Yunyao.

They had known each other before, but she had just found out that Su Yunyao lived in the same complex with He Xiuyu and Shen Haoze, which meant that Su Yunyao also knew He Xiuwen.

She smiled and spoke directly, "Mr. Su, may I have a word with you?"

Su Yunyao frowned, as she didn’t remember this person at all, indicating her memories from her past life were becoming increasingly vague.

The only constant was the progress of scientific research.

It wasn’t that there were no changes. At the very least, the project she was working on had started a decade earlier because of her.

She smiled, "Sure, let’s find a quiet place. Ask me anything you want."

Chu Ying breathed a sigh of relief, worried that Su Yunyao might ignore her.

At He Xiuyu’s house, Rongrong was asleep.

After washing up, Qiao Qingyu couldn’t help but stand at the door of He Xiuyu’s bedroom.

There was something oddly peculiar about He Xiuyu today.

She had intended to knock on the door but, changing her mind, Qiao Qingyu pushed open He Xiuyu’s bedroom door and then stood at the doorway, freezing in the next second.

The bedroom door was directly facing the bed.

The room was bathed in red.

Red bedsheets, red pillowcases, red quilt, and two red "double happiness" characters were pasted on the windows.

There were even two red candles on the table next to him, though they weren’t lit.

He Xiuyu sat upright on the edge of the bed.

His hands rested on his knees, and he was momentarily stunned as Qiao Qingyu suddenly burst in. Their gazes intertwined in the air, and Qiao Qingyu saw surprise and nervousness in his eyes.

Obviously, He Xiuyu hadn’t expected Qiao Qingyu to burst in like that since she rarely visited his bedroom and would usually knock when she did.

Qiao Qingyu also stared blankly at He Xiuyu.

His skin was naturally pale, made even more delicately exquisite by the yellowish light.

He wore a coffee-colored turtleneck sweater, resembling a distinguished young nobleman.

And also... also... he seemed like...

A bride sitting on the wedding bed!

This realization made Qiao Qingyu pause for a moment before she couldn’t help but burst into laughter.

He Xiuyu finally regained his composure, stood up from the bed, took a few steps toward Qiao Qingyu, pulled her toward him, and, as he did, he shut the door. Then he pushed her against the wall, leaned in close, and asked, with a hint of embarrassment in his voice, "What are you laughing at?"

"I’m laughing because you look like a bride waiting for her husband to lift the red veil."

Hearing this, He Xiuyu’s ears turned a bit red, but there was a smile in his brows. He reached out and pinched Qiao Qingyu’s cheek, his gaze focused and voice soft and low, "King Qiao, you’ve turned eighteen."

Qiao Qingyu was somewhat dumbstruck and murmured instinctively, "Yes, it’s my birthday today."

He Xiuyu pulled out a handkerchief from his pocket, and when he unfolded it, there were two engraved gold rings inside, one larger than the other.

He said, "Our wedding was so rushed, I didn’t buy you anything. I was supposed to give you both a necklace and a ring, but this is just as good."

Then, without further ado, he took Qiao Qingyu’s hand and slid the smaller ring onto her ring finger.

Holding the larger ring, he handed it to Qiao Qingyu, extended his own hand, his gaze tender and bright.

Qiao Qingyu found it difficult to breathe, recognizing the gesture and the look in his eyes, but it all felt too sudden.

However, under He Xiuyu’s captivating gaze, she impulsively took the ring and placed it on his ring finger, their fingers interlocking tightly the next moment.

He Xiuyu was a man of action.

In a low voice, he earnestly whispered in Qiao Qingyu’s ear, "I’ve prepared for a long time, all for today so we can consummate our marriage."

Though He Xiuyu uttered these words in the most graceful manner, Qiao Qingyu’s face flushed immediately.

She stammered, "But... but I’m not ready yet."

"You don’t need to prepare, I’ve prepared enough."

"You... what exactly have you prepared?" Qiao Qingyu asked naively.

"You still have to take the college entrance exam next year, and you’re not that old; we can wait until you graduate before having children."

Despite He Xiuyu’s confident demeanor, a careful listener could detect a tremor in his voice, a nuance completely missed by the utterly nervous Qiao Qingyu.

She really wasn’t ready for this.

Qiao Qingyu extricated herself from his embrace, put her hands on him, and pushed with embarrassment, "Even if you’re prepared, I’m not."

"You don’t need to do anything, I’ll be very careful," He Xiuyu insisted earnestly.

"Stop talking!" Qiao Qingyu found that the old rogue in him was back; she had just been reminiscing about the sweet, wife-like He Xiuyu.

He Xiuyu wasn’t just posturing; he was truly surprised, thinking Qiao Qingyu would be looking forward too.

But why wasn’t it like he imagined?

Nevertheless, his eyes flickered with amusement, and he pulled Qiao Qingyu back into his arms, his left hand encircling her waist. He leaned down and stopped just an inch from her lips, his voice gentle, "King Qiao, you’ve finally grown up..."