Do I Have Any Other Choice?

When Chen Fan suddenly pulled her into his arms, Su Ruochu's mind went blank for a moment.

Her pretty face burned red, and her heart pounded.

"Y-you, let go of me."

She gently pushed at Chen Fan's arm.

Instead, he held her even tighter.

"Let me hold you a little longer."

Chen Fan's voice sounded beside her ear.

"Ruochu, I've missed you so much."

Yes, in his previous life, nearly twenty years had passed since death had separated them.

Throughout those years, Chen Fan had missed Su Ruochu every waking moment.

"I've missed you so much... every minute, every second."

"All these years without you, I lived like a walking corpse. Without you, my life had no meaning..."

Curled up in Chen Fan's arms, Su Ruochu felt a huge question mark appear in her mind.

What on earth is he talking about?

Why don't I understand any of it?

"Chen Fan, y-you... let go of me first."

"No!"

Su Ruochu spoke softly, her face flushed.

"Y-you... let go of me first, or I really will get angry."

"Then you have to promise you won't leave once I let go."

"All right, I won't leave!"

Only then did Chen Fan release her and take a step back, his gaze burning.

Being stared at by Chen Fan made her feel a little self-conscious.

Blushing and avoiding his eyes, Su Ruochu hesitated before handing him the umbrella.

"Take the umbrella first. You're soaked."

Chen Fan didn't care in the slightest.

He took the umbrella and held it over Su Ruochu's head, shielding her from the rain.

Seeing this, Su Ruochu could only gently tug Chen Fan farther under the eaves.

The rain continued to pour, pattering loudly all around them.

There wasn't a single car nearby, and it felt as though they were the only two people left in the world.

Su Ruochu fell silent for two seconds, then finally took a deep breath.

"I... I told you, before the college entrance exams..."

Chen Fan suddenly interrupted her. "You came here specifically to bring me an umbrella, didn't you?"

Su Ruochu looked up at Chen Fan.

"Yes, but don't get the wrong idea..."

"So you don't actually dislike me, right?"

"I..."

Su Ruochu opened her mouth, at a loss for what to say.

Chen Fan suddenly gathered his courage and reached out to clasp her delicate hand.

Startled, Su Ruochu instinctively tried to pull it back.

But Chen Fan refused to let go.

Su Ruochu frowned and glared at him indignantly.

Chen Fan put on a pitiful expression.

"Just let me hold it for a little while. I'm afraid you'll suddenly run off."

Su Ruochu sighed, seemingly defeated by him.

She didn't pull her hand away, letting Chen Fan hold it.

The rain grew heavier and heavier.

The two drew closer and closer. Even with Chen Fan holding the umbrella for her, much of Su Ruochu's dress was wet.

As for Chen Fan, he had long since been soaked through.

After a moment of silence, Su Ruochu finally spoke.

"Maybe I'm not as wonderful as you think."

"Once you're in college, you'll meet someone better. When that happens..."

"I won't."

Chen Fan's tone was resolute.

"Trust me. I know you even better than you know yourself."

"You've already proven how wonderful you are."

"In my past life, this life, and even my next life, I'll never love anyone else."

"You're the only one I see."

Despite how embarrassingly sweet those words were, Su Ruochu felt no aversion to them. Instead, something seemed to stir deep in her heart.

Faced with Chen Fan's advances, Su Ruochu became flustered, unsure how to respond.

Then Chen Fan suddenly took off his school uniform jacket, gently slipped it onto Su Ruochu, and zipped it up.

But when the zipper reached her chest, his hand suddenly stopped.

Soaked by the rain, the fabric over Su Ruochu's chest clung to her skin.

And she was wearing only a thin white dress.

Her pink underwear was clearly visible through the wet fabric.

Su Ruochu's pretty face immediately reddened. When she looked up, she found Chen Fan staring at her with burning eyes.

"Y-you... mmph!"

Before she could finish, his lips sealed hers.

Su Ruochu was startled, her whole body tingling as though an electric current had passed through her.

She reached out to push Chen Fan away.

But her entire body felt weak and numb.

Chen Fan didn't push his luck.

After a single kiss, he pulled Su Ruochu into his arms and used his body to shelter her from the wind and rain.

"Let me hold you a little longer. Just a little longer."

"I'm so tired, so tired..."

Chen Fan murmured.

Resting against his shoulder, Su Ruochu didn't struggle for the first time.

Listening to his strong heartbeat, she felt as though she could sense his exhaustion.

She nestled gently into his arms.

Around them, there was only the sound of falling rain.

At last, after a long while.

Chen Fan spoke.

"Ruochu."

"Hmm?"

"Will you be my girlfriend?"

Leaning against Chen Fan's shoulder, Su Ruochu spoke softly.

"I... said I wouldn't date before the college entrance exams..."

"But I can't wait."

"I'm afraid that if I wait too long, you'll disappear from my life again."

Why did he say "again"?

Su Ruochu blinked, puzzled.

"If I don't agree, will you let go?"

"No!"

Chen Fan answered without hesitation.

"Then if I turn you down, will you let me find someone else to be my boyfriend in the future?"

"No!"

"No matter where you go, I'll find you."

Su Ruochu suddenly sighed.

"In that case..."

"What else can I do?"

Chen Fan suddenly released her and stared at her in disbelief.

"Y-you... you agreed?"

Blushing, Su Ruochu turned her head to look away.

"Do I have any other choice?"

Chen Fan suddenly smiled.

"No."

"You can only be my wife in this lifetime."

Su Ruochu pursed her lips.

"Well, there you go."

"It's my own fault for being softhearted. You looked so pitiful, so let's just call it doing a good deed."

"Ha ha..."

Chen Fan suddenly burst into delighted laughter.

"This is wonderful! Ruochu said yes!"

"She agreed to be my girlfriend!"

Su Ruochu blushed and stamped her foot.

"Keep your voice down. Aren't you afraid someone will hear you?"

Chen Fan suddenly wrapped an arm around Su Ruochu's slender waist, lifted her up, and spun her around several times.

"I want the whole world to hear!"

"Tonight, I, Chen Fan, am the happiest man alive!"

Seeing him shouting like a child, Su Ruochu helplessly let him hold her in his arms.

At the same time, she sighed inwardly.

Ah, I ended up giving in after all. I'm just too softhearted.

She gently patted Chen Fan's shoulder.

"Y-you, put me down first."

Chen Fan obediently set Su Ruochu back on the ground.

Looking into her eyes, he raised a hand and brushed aside a lock of her wet hair.

"You look so beautiful tonight."

Su Ruochu's pretty face reddened, and she spoke softly.

"Even though I said yes... I have conditions."

"You have to agree to my three conditions before what I just said counts."

Chen Fan smiled and nodded.

"Forget three conditions. I'd agree to a hundred."

Su Ruochu glared at him. "No sweet-talking. Listen to me first."

"Yes, yes, yes. Go ahead, wifey."

Chen Fan stood obediently, looking ready to listen attentively.

Seeing him like this, Su Ruochu couldn't help finding it amusing.

She almost laughed.

"First, my first condition..."