Chapter 14 Mr. Yan, Please Marry Me

Chu Zhiyi didn't rush out recklessly; instead, she poked her head out and surveyed her surroundings.

Good, no one was around.

Chu Zhiyi held her breath, ignored the pain in her rear, and rushed out from the Chu family residence in one go.

She found a safe spot to hide, took out her mobile phone from her close-fitting clothes, hurriedly turned it on, and without bothering to check her missed calls, she directly opened the ride-hailing app.

Perhaps luck was indeed on her side, for Chu Zhiyi's order was quickly accepted by a driver.

The car that arrived was a very low-key Santana.

Chu Zhiyi climbed into the car, too nervous to notice the driver's careful scrutiny of her, nor the sigh of relief he gave when he recognized her.

"To the Civil Affairs Bureau, right?"

"Yes, sir, can you drive a bit faster? I might miss the perfect day for getting married!"

Chu Zhiyi urged.

Getting married?

The driver glanced at his phone which was still in a call on the dashboard, did not speak, and drove off.

Chu Zhiyi watched as the Chu family home became more and more distant, and truly smiled from the heart.

She had escaped.

In a corner she couldn't see, a group of people who had neutralized the bodyguards patrolling outside to prevent Chu Zhiyi's escape, quietly watched her leave.

Yan Jingting, sitting in his wheelchair, quietly listened to Chu Zhiyi's words filled with urgency and excitement.

The driver and the assistant inside the car both inexplicably felt a cold, stifling atmosphere for a moment.

Yan Jingting's gaze slowly turned towards his assistant.

The assistant sweated, "This… President Yan, I also am not sure what's happening."

"Go to the Civil Affairs Bureau, bring her here."

"Yes."

The car fell silent once again.

Chu Zhiyi called Wu Yang.

"Yangyang, I've run out," Chu Zhiyi asked, "How is everything on your end? Has Brother Zhou come back?"

"He's currently in Capital City; the weather has been bad these past two days, causing flight delays. He has to travel by car to get here, and it's likely to take four more hours before he can arrive, Zhizhi..."

The rain, which had been suppressed in the sky for three hours, finally began to fall, and the sound of raindrops hitting the car resounded from outside.

Chu Zhiyi calmed down, "Due to the weather, an emergency landing for the plane is unavoidable..."

"Don't worry, my brother will definitely come back!"

Four hours; how many unforeseen events could occur in that time?

All along the way, Chu Zhiyi thought about other solutions, not even noticing when the car approached the Civil Affairs Bureau.

"Miss, we've arrived."

Chu Zhiyi came back to her senses and said, "Thank you."

After paying the fare and without an umbrella, Chu Zhiyi was drenched as soon as she got out of the car.

"Zhizhi?"

Suddenly, behind her came a familiar call.

Chu Zhiyi turned her head and saw not far away Mother Zhou and a very docile-looking woman standing in front of a car, seemingly about to get in.

She hadn't expected to run into Mother Zhou here.

Mother Zhou was also surprised.

But that didn't stop Mother Zhou from overthinking.

Standing under an umbrella, she looked at Chu Zhiyi with an appearance of pity.

"Zhizhi, everything that has happened in the Chu family is beyond our control."

"Your foster mother should have already told you, there's no possible outcome left for your marriage with Ah Hen," Mother Zhou said with regretful shake of her head, "Even if you chase us here, I can't possibly agree to your marriage with Ah Hen."

Chu Zhiyi: "?"

"Madam, I think you might have misunderstood," Chu Zhiyi, soaked to the skin, tried to find shelter from the rain but couldn't find any.

"Zhizhi, I always thought you were a good child!" Mother Zhou, who was most annoyed by those who refused to take no for an answer, was angry, "I didn't think that you too would leech off Ah Hen. You've already been rejected, don't cling to our Ah Hen anymore, got it?"

The downpour continued, and Chu Zhiyi grew a bit cold; she just wanted to quickly find a place to shelter from the rain.

"Chu Zhiyi, did you hear what I said?"

Mother Zhou did not allow Chu Zhiyi to ignore her words.

"Auntie, you should go and speak to Zhou Hen about this matter."

Mother Zhou looked down at her from her superior position, "Ah Hen will not pine for you."

Mother Zhou could not be bothered to say more to her and walked towards the car with the woman by her side.

The woman gazed at Chu Zhiyi, who looked like a defeated dog, and laughed smugly.

"Auntie, Chu Zhiyi is just a fake heiress, I'm afraid if Ah Hen rejects her, the entire Jiang City will look down on her too."

"Isn't that the truth? If I had known this would happen, I would never have agreed to their engagement years ago."

"Chu Zhiyi is not a suitable daughter-in-law either."

Mother Zhou and the woman exchanged these words.

Chu Zhiyi wanted to laugh as she listened.

It wasn't as if she wanted to be engaged to Zhou Hen. The two families had decided on the engagement, who ever cared about her opinion?

Not far away was a bookstore, Chu Zhiyi lifted her eyes, and through the curtain of rain saw a familiar figure.

Behind the huge glass, he sat in a wheelchair, his eyebrows slightly lowered as he read the book in his hands calmly.

He seemed to sense something, lifted his head, and cast his gaze out of the window, meeting Chu Zhiyi's eyes.

Chu Zhiyi felt as if her brain had been struck hard, suddenly recalling the words Yan Jingting had once said.

He too had plans to marry.

Undoubtedly, Yan Jingting was a more suitable candidate for Chu Zhiyi to marry than anyone else.

He was feared by Father Chu and coveted by Father Chu.

She had no extra energy to think about why Yan Jingting would be here.

She only wanted to seize this opportunity to make a deal with Yan Jingting.

No matter how many women he had tormented.

This was the only chance for Chu Zhiyi to take control of her own life.

"Zhizhi, why are you out here in the rain? Come quickly!"

Jinjin had been waiting for ages and hadn't seen Chu Zhiyi at the agreed spot; she only spotted Chu Zhiyi in the rain as she came out.

She walked over to her with an umbrella in her hand, shielding her from the rain.

Chu Zhiyi looked at Jinjin and said, "Jinjin, did you bring my cards and household registration book?"

"They're all here." Jinjin took a small packet out of her bag, which contained Chu Zhiyi's bank cards and household registration book.

"Thank you." Chu Zhiyi gave her a hug.

She then said to Wu Yang, "I'm sorry, Yangyang, I might not be able to marry Brother Zhou."

With these words, Chu Zhiyi suddenly dashed into the rain curtain.

"Wait, Zhizhi, where are you going? Zhizhi!" Wu Yang called after her.

Chu Zhiyi didn't listen; she was drenched like a drowned rat, with strands of hair sticking to her face and her clothes clinging to her body, outlining her beautiful cheeks and exquisite figure.

Many men unconsciously slowed their pace to look at her, taking in her graceful figure.

Inside the bookstore, Yan Jingting had put down his book, patiently waiting for Chu Zhiyi to appear before him from the entrance.

Water dripped from her body onto the floor, her fair skin against her black hair, her shoulders frail as if she was shivering.

Such a pitiful sight.

Like a beleaguered creature struggling alone, covered in wounds, and finally unable to hold on, seeking support.

The beleaguered creature walked step by step, leaving behind deep and shallow puddles with each step as if they were droplets of blood, arriving in front of him.

"Mr. Yan, may I borrow some of your time?"

Without answering her, Yan Jingting took a handkerchief out of his pocket and handed it to her.

"Wipe yourself."

Chu Zhiyi knew she must look wretched right now. She silently took the handkerchief and said softly, "Thank you."

The handkerchief also carried a faint scent of ink bamboo.

The assistant brought over a clean coat, and after Chu Zhiyi wiped the water off her face, he handed it to her.

Chu Zhiyi draped it over herself.

"Mr. Yan."

Chu Zhiyi looked at Yan Jingting again, earnest and composed, "Please marry me."