Chapter Five: Let's Get Married

Chapter Five: Let’s Get Married

At last, I made this decision,
I don’t care what others say,
As long as you believe the same,
I’m willing to follow you to the ends of the earth.
I know nothing is easy,
My heart keeps convincing itself,
But what I fear most is you suddenly saying you want to give up.
Love truly needs courage to face all the gossip,
As long as you give me a look of certainty,
My love has meaning.
We both need courage,
To trust that we’ll end up together,
In a crowd I can feel you,
Your true heart resting in my palm…

“Courage,” the song that made Fish Leong famous. Here, Zhang Le wrote it down, but gave Yang Xin’er the courage to make a decision.

Love really does require courage! Looking back now, Yang Xin’er realized that all her previous hesitation was nothing but a lack of courage to love.

And the line, “What I fear most is you suddenly saying you want to give up,” struck her right in the heart.

Yang Xin’er had never needed admirers to prove her charm. Once her heart was moved, she cared. And when you care, you naturally fear losing.

Love needs courage, but it also needs a heart that cherishes it.

Yang Xin’er left the office and headed straight for Zhang Le’s apartment. As she stood at his door, Zhang Le suddenly stopped in his tracks, for inside the room came a voice howling like a banshee.

“Love, even if I die, I must love,
Unless it’s passionate, it’s not satisfying,
Only feelings this deep are enough to show my love,
Even if I die, I must love,
Not happy until I cry and then smile,
Even if the universe is destroyed, my heart will remain,
Let’s treat every day as if it were our last to love,
Every second is so beautiful it brings tears to my eyes,
No matter how others judge us,
As long as you bravely come with me…”

Love doesn’t need arrangements,
Follow your feelings—a kiss, an embrace, and joy comes easily,
Enjoy the present—don’t let happiness be shadowed by fear of hurt,
Many miracles exist only because we believe…

Standing outside, Yang Xin’er listened, savoring every lyric. Her resolve grew stronger. Why care about others’ opinions, whether good or bad? If you’re afraid of being hurt, why love at all? Only by embracing the present can you find happiness.

Only feelings this deep are enough to show my love. Using a song as a confession—how deep must those feelings be?

“Upstairs, are you trying to die? What’s with all the howling?”

Zhang Le, in the middle of his impassioned singing, was startled by the neighbor’s angry shout from below, and he smiled sheepishly.

Knock, knock, knock!

A sudden knock at the door. Zhang Le was puzzled, but without hesitation, he opened it, only to be stunned at the sight of Yang Xin’er.

In that instant, as Zhang Le stood frozen, Yang Xin’er threw herself into his arms, hugging him tightly.

Zhang Le froze again. Was this a dream?

Inhaling the scent of the beauty in his embrace, happiness flooded him. This was not a dream. He had succeeded.

He’d won the heart of his goddess, and now she was in his arms.

He’d achieved this—how far could marriage be?

Zhang Le was a child from a poor family, with no background and no connections. The apartment was rented, his vehicle was his own two feet, and he had no savings. In this day and age, marrying a wife was as difficult as a toad eating swan meat—a near impossibility.

But the rice was cooked, and what’s done is done. Everything suddenly seemed possible!

Holding Yang Xin’er tightly, Zhang Le felt as if he was holding the entire world.

Keep the child, and he would keep the woman.

“Is it selfish to think this way?”

A sudden doubt crept into Zhang Le’s mind. For a twenty-two-year-old rising star, to suddenly get married and have a child would be catastrophic for her career.

Abort the child? Keep things secret and wait for the future?

“Let’s get married!”

While Zhang Le was still struggling, Yang Xin’er suddenly spoke.

Stunned, Zhang Le was speechless once again. In just a short while, he’d been stunned three times.

Seeing Yang Xin’er was a surprise. Being hugged by her was unexpected, bringing joy and astonishment. But now, hearing her say this, it was beyond belief—his mind went completely blank.

“Don’t you want to?” Yang Xin’er’s nerves showed in her voice as she asked, seeing his expression.

“No! I do! Marrying you is what I want most. But right now, I have nothing—how can I give you a proper wedding?” Zhang Le replied.

He wanted to marry her with pride and dignity, letting her bask in everyone’s blessings.

“All I need is your heart,” Yang Xin’er said softly, but her eyes were resolute.

Zhang Le felt as if his heart had been struck.

Looking at Yang Xin’er, he couldn’t help but kiss her.

It was a long kiss, from the doorway to inside the room, onto the bed, and with growing passion… But at the crucial moment, Zhang Le suddenly stopped.

“What’s wrong?” Yang Xin’er, swept up in the moment, asked.

“It’s not good for the baby,” Zhang Le restrained himself with some frustration.

“Oh!” Yang Xin’er exclaimed, instantly sobering. The first three months and last three months of pregnancy—such things were forbidden, no matter how deep their love.

It wasn’t a psychological issue, but a physiological one.

The two of them lay on the bed, exchanging embarrassed but happy smiles.

The golden light of sunset poured through the window.

“Are you hungry?” Zhang Le finally broke the silence.

“Yes,” Yang Xin’er nodded.

“I’ll make dinner,” Zhang Le stood up.

A poor boy grows up quickly—Zhang Le’s cooking was impressive, especially home-style dishes, which had a unique charm compared to so-called professional chefs.

“Want me to help?” Yang Xin’er asked at the kitchen door.

“It’s fine, I’ve got it. There’s a computer and plenty of books on the desk—make yourself at home,” Zhang Le smiled.

“Okay,” Yang Xin’er answered. In truth, she was still a bit nervous; her offer was only a matter of politeness. She had never cooked a meal in her life. The kitchen in her apartment was just for show.

A glance at the handwritten lyrics for “Love, Even If I Die” led her to notice a stack of documents on the desk.

“Winning Over the Future In-Laws!” The words on the first page made Yang Xin’er’s mind go blank, a wave of unprecedented anxiety crashing over her.

How would she break the news to her family?

Keep it secret? Was that even possible? And if she could, what about the future? She couldn’t keep it from them forever.

Hiding from her family would be harder than hiding from the most relentless paparazzi!

What should she do? Would her family ever accept him? Certainly not! They would never approve of her being with him.

Yang Xin’er grew restless, but then, remembering something, she touched her belly and smiled. Her worries faded, replaced by newfound confidence.

They already had a child—what could her family do? Like it or not, they’d have to accept it!

Time—what they needed was time. Zhang Le needed time to prove himself.

The more he could display his talent, the greater the chance her family might accept him.

Whether they agreed or not, they would be together.

Yang Xin’er’s eyes grew increasingly determined. That resolve gradually pushed aside her earlier unease.

She believed Zhang Le could win them over!