Side Story 5: The Proposal

Because Yan Wenhua and Song Chunxiang had already learned about their children’s relationship before the long-delayed parents’ meeting, the weekend gathering went remarkably smoothly.

Time had passed since their earlier attempts at matchmaking, and both had moved on to other relationships afterward, only to find themselves single again. With no complicated entanglements between them, their interactions were free of awkwardness and carried the ease of old friends. While they weren’t suited as a couple, friendship clearly worked better for them.

Given this unique dynamic, the atmosphere at the meeting was exceptionally relaxed and harmonious. Yan Wenhua was utterly delighted with Yu Tian, and Song Chunxiang, like any proud mother-in-law-to-be, found Yan Ming increasingly impressive. Though Yan Ming and Yu Tian hadn’t yet made concrete plans regarding marriage or its subsequent steps, their parents eagerly took the lead—going so far as to brainstorm names for their future grandchildren.

Yu Tian, having lost her father, attended the meeting alone with her mother, Song Chunxiang. Yan Ming, though his parents were divorced, still had a mother. However, she wasn’t present at this gathering.

“My mother has been living in France this past year,” Yan Ming explained apologetically. “She’ll only return to the country in about a month. I’ve already contacted her, but unfortunately, she couldn’t rearrange her schedule to attend this meeting. Please forgive us, and rest assured that my mother is very eager to meet my girlfriend. As soon as she returns, we’ll arrange another meeting without delay.”

Yan Wenhua repeatedly apologized, but Yu Tian wasn’t bothered. She’d heard from Yan Ming beforehand about his mother’s absence and didn’t mind. Besides, she felt a mix of anticipation and nervousness about meeting her future mother-in-law. From Yan Ming’s occasional remarks, his mother seemed fiercely independent, unconventional, and highly accomplished. But with such excellence often came high standards, leaving Yu Tian anxious about whether Yan Ming’s mother would approve of her.

Yan Ming, however, remained calm. After the historic parental meeting concluded, he walked with Yu Tian through the bustling night market, pulling her close with an arm around her shoulders. “My taste in women comes from my mother, but I’ve surpassed her. I think my girlfriend is absolutely perfect, so much so that I’m eager to secure our relationship. Naturally, my mother will be just as satisfied when she meets you.”

Yu Tian chuckled. Over time, she’d discovered that Yan Ming wasn’t as stoic as he seemed—he actually enjoyed teasing her. His reassurance eased her nerves somewhat.

A week later, however, Yan Ming brought news that reignited Yu Tian’s anxiety.

“My mother’s flight lands next week,” he said, his tone tinged with anticipation. “I haven’t seen her in a while and wonder how she’s been doing.”

Amid her nervousness, Yu Tian suddenly remembered a crucial question. “By the way, what does your mother do for work? I’d like to cram some research into her field so I won’t seem clueless or disrespectful during our meeting.”

To her surprise, Yan Ming—who never faltered even during complex eye surgeries—looked momentarily flustered. “To be honest, it’s hard to define my mother’s profession because she’s dabbled in so many fields. She’s worked as an independent photographer, a diving instructor in Thailand, an oil painter who held small exhibitions, a certified barista, a child psychologist, a designer, a lyricist for her friend’s songs, a published poet, and a translator. This time in France, she’s pursuing a pastry chef certification because, over a year ago, she decided she wanted to become a patisserie expert.”

“She’s tried a bit of everything but hasn’t committed to any one career for life. Her life is about exploring new roles and experiences.”

This description was both romantic and adventurous, albeit tinged with a hint of unpredictability.

Yan Ming shrugged nonchalantly. “In short, my mother isn’t the most reliable person. For instance, I suspect she still doesn’t remember my favorite color or what I dislike. But she has many strengths—she knows a little about a lot of things, though not deeply in any one area. If I had to define her lifelong career, I’d say it’s being a vibrant, well-traveled, wealthy woman.”

That certainly sounded enviable!

Yan Ming smiled warmly at Yu Tian. “So don’t worry about running out of topics to discuss with her. There’s probably no one in the world she can’t strike up a conversation with. She even studied pig farming once, so she could chat with livestock farmers if needed.”

Pig farming… That was certainly a novel hobby.

Yan Ming sighed, looking faintly exasperated. “It started because she wanted to eat organic pork. She ended up raising a pig, playing symphonies for it daily. When it was finally ready for slaughter, she grew attached and couldn’t bear to eat it. Instead, she sent it to live with a farmer. Every time she returns from her travels, the first thing she does is visit the pig—only afterward does she come see me.”

“...”

“So truly, you needn’t worry about my mother criticizing you. Besides, you’re already outstanding, and my mother isn’t nearly as concerned about my choice of partner as my father might imagine.”

Though slightly tragic, Yan Ming’s words comforted Yu Tian. She felt lighter, her worries easing considerably.

Soon, academic responsibilities consumed Yu Tian’s attention. Buried in preparations for her school’s public health awareness campaign, she temporarily forgot her apprehensions about meeting Yan Ming’s mother. The campaign aimed to educate children in rural schools and migrant worker communities about basic healthcare knowledge—how to protect their eyes, prevent cavities, and handle minor injuries or emergencies.

While Rong City’s urban center thrived, its outskirts housed numerous underfunded schools where children, often left behind by parents working in the city, were raised by elderly grandparents. These seniors, struggling with their own health issues, lacked proper hygiene and medical knowledge. Even with annual check-ups provided through compulsory education, many ignored flagged concerns, delaying critical interventions.

Thus, teaching these primary and middle school students fundamental medical knowledge—like CPR, the Heimlich maneuver, first aid for poisoning, and emergency contact information—could prove invaluable. While everyone hoped these skills would remain unused, in emergencies, they could save lives.

The only regret Yu Tian harbored was insufficient funding. Despite donating a significant portion of her social media earnings and contributions from classmates and the college, purchasing first aid kits and medicine boxes for every classroom—and gifting small presents to each child—proved challenging.

Just then, Class Monitor Chen Gang delivered uplifting news: “We’ve secured a last-minute sponsorship!”

Beaming, he explained, “The donor is covering the shortfall for our medical kits and preparing individual care packages for the children—stationery, band-aids, hand sanitizers, disinfectant wipes, masks—all thoughtfully assembled. Each child will receive one!”

Each child?! Such generosity astonished Yu Tian. “Is it a company?”

Corporate donations typically included branding, serving as indirect advertising. Moreover, companies often engaged in charitable acts to enhance their image and benefit from tax deductions—a win-win situation. Yan Wenhua’s enterprise, for instance, had established a charity fund and recently donated significantly to Yu Tian and Yan Ming’s alma mater, supporting scholarships for impoverished medical students and funding hospital research projects. Hence, Yu Tian hadn’t mentioned this initiative to Yan Ming or Yan Wenhua, fearing they’d feel obligated to contribute again.

But now, unexpectedly, another generous donor had emerged. Fantastic!

Chen Gang scratched his head, dispelling Yu Tian’s assumption. “No, it’s not a company—it’s an individual. A very elegant auntie whose child graduated from our school and also found their life partner here. Feeling grateful for her child’s upcoming happiness, she wished to express thanks by supporting our cause.”

Ah, that explained it!

Chen Gang’s explanation sparked envy among classmates. “I wonder which senior managed to settle down within the school?”

“Yeah, what’s wrong with our batch? Already imbalanced with more boys than girls, and the few female classmates are mostly taken. No internal settling for us!”

“You can still try! Haven’t you heard? At first, you might lower your standards—any living female will do. After three or four years of failing to find someone, your roommate starts looking pretty good!”

“...Lin Yang, what are you implying? Our graduate dorms only house two people—I’m your only roommate! You’re dangerously thinking, and it’s useless since I’m looking for a girlfriend!”

...

Amidst the banter, Yu Tian couldn’t help but laugh.

Before departing, Chen Gang called her back. “Oh, and this donating auntie heard about your medical education social media account. She’s interested in collaborating. Didn’t you mention finding patients in need through your livestreams, connecting them with specialists, and covering treatment costs? She seems intrigued and wants to discuss potential partnerships.”

Recently, Yu Tian had indeed begun such collaborations. Reliant solely on ad revenue, her efforts to assist impoverished patients were limited. After discussions with Ren Yali, they decided to open channels for donation-based partnerships. No advertisements or product promotions—just acknowledgments in her videos for companies or individuals contributing to her cause.

With several of her educational videos gaining widespread popularity online, her platform attracted businesses seeking to build goodwill among younger audiences. Given her modest donation requests, partnering with her proved cost-effective.

Consequently, Yu Tian had recently coordinated with several companies and individual donors. Adding this auntie introduced by Chen Gang, she planned to arrange meetings accordingly.

To streamline negotiations, Yu Tian spent several consecutive weekends meeting potential donors at the café downstairs from her studio. Each session involved clarifying partnership details, finalizing agreements, and signing contracts. However, as this was her first foray into such collaborations—and given her refusal to promote products—the number of successful deals remained modest.

This Saturday, she scheduled meetings with two prospects: a particularly enthusiastic male entrepreneur and the auntie introduced by Chen Gang.

The businessman had been consistently generous and proactive in prior communications. Yu Tian researched his manufacturing company, noting substantial profit margins. He sought no advertising in return, appearing genuinely philanthropic. Meanwhile, the auntie had already contributed to Yu Tian’s school outreach program, confirming her sincere commitment to charitable causes.

The two Yú Tián considered the chances of success to be quite high, so today could be described as a day full of energy and enthusiasm.

The male boss had arranged to meet during the first time slot. At their first offline meeting, the man wore an expensive suit, with a flashy Hermès men’s belt around his waist, a Rolex watch on his wrist, and casually placed the keys to his Ferrari on the table. His entire appearance exuded wealth, and he was just as enthusiastic toward Yú Tián as he had been during their online chats.

However...

“Little Yú, I’ve actually been following you for a long time. Ever since your first live-streamed event on the platform, I’ve often been in your live room.”

The man stared at Yú Tián, as if somewhat reproachful: “It’s a pity that later on, you didn’t want to show your face much during live streams anymore. It’s really unfortunate. If you had shown your face, your live-streaming stats would definitely have skyrocketed.”

Yú Tián was no stranger to this kind of flattery. She smiled to express her gratitude and then tried to steer the conversation toward business: “Mr. Wang, today I’m here to discuss the donation collaboration. Whether you donate under the name of your company or as an individual, we can include special thanks in the opening or closing credits of several upcoming educational episodes.”

“Additionally, if you have any other special requests, feel free to mention them now,” Yú Tián said in a very professional tone. “As for the amount, we currently offer options of 2,000 yuan, 5,000 yuan, 10,000 yuan, and 30,000 yuan, corresponding to different levels of promotion and acknowledgment...”

Before Yú Tián could continue explaining the promotional slots, the man across from her interrupted: “I’ll donate one million directly.”

Yú Tián was momentarily stunned. This was great news, but her first reaction was to decline: “This amount is too large. We’d need to establish a formal charitable foundation to handle such a donation. Our self-media studio, though it has a small team, doesn’t have dedicated personnel to manage accounting for such a large sum. We’re also concerned about potential controversies or misunderstandings if we mishandle it. Besides, we’re just starting to explore this type of collaboration, and we don’t want to rush into anything too quickly. We prefer to take things step by step...”

“It’s fine. I don’t care about being acknowledged in the video either. This is just my first payment to you. I can continue giving more later.” The man smiled and looked at Yú Tián’s face. “I just wanted to ask—do you still have any interest in earning some extra pocket money?”

Yú Tián’s eyebrows furrowed.

The man, however, interpreted her silence as tacit consent and continued: “I can give you some pocket money from time to time, and all you need to do is occasionally accompany me for meals. Whether you use the money for charity or something else is entirely up to you. I don’t care how you spend it.”

“As for me, I’m not short on money, and I have plenty of time. Sometimes I get lonely, and I think you and I would get along well.”

By this point, Yú Tián had finally caught the subtext.

She pursed her lips, her expression cooling immediately: “Sorry, Mr. Wang, but I’m not single. You might not have watched that platform livestream fully—I was there with my boyfriend.”

“I know,” Mr. Wang replied calmly, even after Yú Tián’s statement. “What I mean is, you can have some pocket money without your boyfriend knowing. I don’t care about that. Let’s just be friends—you know, the kind of relaxed friendship.”

At this point, he scrutinized Yú Tián: “I’ve noticed that the clothes you wear aren’t designer brands, and neither is the necklace you wear—it all looks quite affordable. I know people online say your boyfriend’s family is wealthy, but having a wealthy family and personally managing money are two different things. And whether someone is generous to their girlfriend is another matter entirely. From your simple lifestyle, I suspect he doesn’t spend much on you, does he?”

The man chuckled and shifted the topic: “But I’m different. I’ve already taken over the management of my father’s company, and I’m very generous toward excellent women like you...”

Running a self-media account means encountering all kinds of netizens. Yú Tián wasn’t unfamiliar with flirtatious or provocative comments, but this was the first time she had encountered someone who used “charitable donations” as a cover for discussing a sugar-daddy arrangement.

Her immediate feeling wasn’t anger but disbelief.

Why, in modern society, were there still men with such inflated egos, thinking they could win someone over with money? Why did such individuals exist—men who objectified women and had no concept of respect?

She had initially assumed this man was genuinely interested in charity, but now that his true intentions were revealed, Yú Tián finally understood that his interest lay elsewhere.

Her expression hardened as she prepared to deliver a clear and logical rebuttal. Just then, she heard the sound of a chair being pushed back, followed by the clacking of high heels approaching her.

“If you ever dare speak to a young girl like this again, just try it.”

Before Yú Tián could react, the owner of the high heels—an elegant middle-aged woman with a tall, poised presence—poured the entire contents of her drink onto the man sitting across from Yú Tián.

Caught off guard, the man instinctively jumped up, but it was too late—his coat was already stained with the beverage.

Enraged, he shouted: “Are you out of your mind?!”

But the elegantly dressed middle-aged woman remained calm: “I was recording a video just now. Sorry, but the camera happened to be pointed in your direction. Everything you just said was captured on my phone. Though it might be a bit far away and there’s some background noise, with professional software, it’s easy to enhance the audio and clearly hear what you and this young lady were discussing.”

“Do you want me to post it online so everyone can appreciate your generosity?”

This impeccably dressed auntie was sharp-tongued and aggressive but also had evidence to back her claims.

The man, realizing he was in the wrong and unsure of her background given her extravagant appearance, dared not offend her. He glared at Yú Tián and the auntie a couple of times before leaving in frustration.

Once he was gone, Yú Tián finally exhaled in relief, grateful that such an auntie had stepped forward to help her.

Yú Tián immediately thanked the woman, but the latter simply smiled: “I couldn’t stand seeing someone using the guise of a donation to act disgracefully.”

Without giving Yú Tián a chance to interrupt, she continued: “By the way, I forgot to mention—I’m the other donor you were supposed to meet next. But I don’t do empty gestures. I’m willing to donate the maximum amount of 30,000 yuan, though I don’t need you to thank me publicly. Instead, I’d like...”

She paused before continuing: “I’d like to give this opportunity to my son.”

So this was the donor who had generously funded the public welfare project for schools without hesitation—and had even stepped in to rescue her!

Yú Tián immediately felt a sense of admiration for her.

What a coincidence!

And she seemed to have such a decisive and admirable personality.

“So, do you want me to acknowledge your son?”

But the woman shook her head: “No, I just want you to go on a date with my son today.”

Yú Tián could hardly believe her ears: “What?”

The woman spoke as if it were perfectly reasonable: “If this donation collaboration doesn’t work out with me, you’ll have to meet other donors, right? That will waste a lot of your free time meeting all sorts of people, and the success rate isn’t guaranteed. So you’d have to meet multiple people, wasting several weekends.”

“But if I donate directly and collaborate with you, you won’t need to spend time finding others. Then the freed-up time can be spent dating my son, right?”

Yú Tián was utterly dumbfounded: “Auntie, you’ve misunderstood. My rejection earlier wasn’t fake—I really do have a boyfriend, and our relationship is strong. We’re planning to get married soon...”

Unexpectedly, upon hearing this, the woman smiled: “Oh, in that case, Yán Míng will surely be reassured when he hears this.”

She looked up at Yú Tián: “I forgot to formally introduce myself. Since you’re about to marry your boyfriend, allow me to say hello—I’m your future mother-in-law.”

Yú Tián was completely stunned.

Only then did she carefully examine the woman and notice the resemblance between this elegant auntie and Yán Míng.

So she was...

“Are you Yán Míng’s mother?”

The woman nodded: “Sorry, according to the original flight plan, I should still be abroad. But since I finished my course in France early, I flew back two days ahead of schedule. I forgot to inform Yán Míng and his father, though.”

You didn’t forget…

You did it on purpose…

Yán Míng’s mother brushed her hair back with a hint of melancholy: “I always thought Yán Míng didn’t pursue relationships because he was clueless, assuming he’d remain single his whole life while devoted to medicine. But it turns out he surprised me so much. He used to say things like ‘a man blooms at forty’ and that getting married at forty isn’t too late. Yet now he’s rushing to get married.”

“At first, I didn’t believe it when his father told me, but after meeting you, I do. If I were a man, I might’ve done what that guy just did—tried to intervene even knowing you had a boyfriend. I just wouldn’t have used such a foolish method as that man did.”

Yán Míng’s mother reflected: “I would’ve hired an actor to play a passerby with ulterior motives toward you, and then I’d step in to save the day as your hero...”

“...”

She sighed: “Thankfully, Yán Míng hasn’t encountered any formidable rivals yet.”

“So, aside from buying your time to ensure you have spare moments to date him, I also want to purchase a few acknowledgments in your program. If you’re willing, could you write ‘Special Thanks to Future Mother-in-Law Ms. Qín’?”

Ms. Qín sighed: “You see, even my own son needs his mother to protect him. What’s the point of remembering his favorite color? It’s enough for me to remember the girl he likes. In critical moments, isn’t it me who steps in to prevent others from poaching or bullying his girlfriend?”

“...”

As she spoke, Ms. Qín seemed to recall something important and pulled a thick envelope from her bag: “Donations aside, this is a gift for meeting you. But I rushed back to the country and didn’t have time to exchange currency. These euros will require you to handle the conversion yourself.”

So this was a thick envelope of euros...

Ms. Qín looked at Yú Tián’s astonished expression and smiled: “I’ve already messaged Yán Míng—he’s on his way. I bought movie tickets online for a nearby theater half an hour from now and sent him the ticket code. Enjoy your leisure time and have a nice date.”

Yú Tián, still dazed, asked: “Auntie, are you leaving? Won’t you join us for dinner?”

“No,” Ms. Qín pursed her lips. “I actually have a lot to do now that I’m back. Aside from coordinating with your class monitor to donate to your school’s public welfare activities and meeting you today, I haven’t even seen Yán Míng or his father. In fact, my return was only known because I just messaged Yán Míng.”

“Yán Míng can be seen every day anyway. Now that I’m back, I won’t leave the country for a while. There will be plenty of opportunities in the future. Right now, I need to go check on Zhū Zhū.”

As she spoke, she complimented Yú Tián a few more times, expressing her heartfelt wish for Yú Tián and Yán Míng to reach a happy conclusion. With that, she informed Yú Tián that she needed to catch her ride and bid farewell.

Shortly after, Yán Míng arrived, panting heavily—

“Where’s my mom?”

Yú Tián thought for a moment: “Auntie said she was going to see Zhū Zhū. Is that a friend or a relative’s child? She sounded very urgent, saying she had to catch a ride.”

“Mm, that’s normal. I’ve always said my mom cares more about pigs than me.”

“?”

Yán Míng said indifferently: “Zhū Zhū is the pig my mom raises.”

“...”

“But she helped drive away someone who wanted to bully you and even bought movie tickets for us. I think it’s okay if she spends more time with the pig.”

Yán Míng leaned closer to Yú Tián and kissed her: “Next time you discuss collaborations, you can bring me along.” He paused, as if making a decision, and said solemnly: “Also, there’s something I feel I must tell you right now.”

Before Yú Tián could ask what it was, Yán Míng, ignoring the surroundings, knelt down in front of her on one knee. From somewhere, he produced a velvet box, opened it, and revealed a large-carat diamond ring—

“I know proposals should be meticulously planned, with a fancy, expensive restaurant booked, the atmosphere set, friends and family invited, and maybe even electronic screens displaying the proposal message. The grander, the better. It shouldn’t be as casual and spontaneous as this.”

Yán Míng gazed into Yú Tián’s eyes: “I wanted everything to be perfect, and recently I’ve been secretly scouting potential proposal venues. But Yú Tián, I realized I couldn’t wait any longer. It seems there’s never a perfect time or place. I’m afraid that by the time I find them, more men will be circling around you.”

“My mom briefly informed me about what happened to you at the restaurant today, and I realized I couldn’t delay. I ran here thinking of nothing else, wanting to see you as soon as possible, propose, and solidify our relationship. I even wished the civil affairs office was still open so I could take you straight to get our marriage certificate.”

“When I got here, I realized I hadn’t even bought a bouquet of roses for the proposal.”

“I know this makes everything seem rushed and impulsive, but my rationality seems to have failed me. I have only one thought in mind—I want to marry you, hear you call me husband, and let everyone know that we belong to each other. No matter what challenges you face, I can rightfully step forward to protect you.”

Yán Míng spoke rapidly, his chest still heaving from running, his voice slightly unstable, betraying his nervousness. But he looked at Yú Tián earnestly and intently, waiting for her response.

As if trying to strengthen his appeal, he pursed his lips and attempted to highlight his strengths:

“I know I don’t have much free time as a doctor, and I can’t take care of you in every aspect. But please give me a chance—I’ll strive to be a good husband. Will you marry me?”

Yú Tián was caught completely off guard by everything. But after the initial surprise came joy and an indescribable sense of being moved.

They say that accepting a proposal requires mental preparation and time. Yú Tián had recently sensed that Yán Míng was likely planning one. But now that the moment had arrived, she realized no preparation was necessary. Deep down, she had already been ready. Anytime, anywhere—as long as it was Yán Míng, she would say yes.

Thus, without hesitation, Yú Tián accepted the ring box from Yán Míng: “As a medical student pursuing an academic path, I won’t have much free time either, and I can’t take care of you in every aspect. But I’m willing to accept this challenge and strive to be a good wife.”

She declared solemnly: “I will.”

There was no better or more suitable setting or timing because this moment was perfect.

The most beautiful proposal doesn’t need flowers, lights, cheering crowds, banners, or candles. It only needs two people who love each other.