It was a very pleasant meal, and Luo Qi basked in the reflected honor of sitting beside He Wancheng. Tonight, relatives of the groom’s family toasted her several glasses of wine, and even the groom’s parents came over specially to toast her.

Because of her, none of her relatives dared to bother her parents by saying something inappropriate.

It was almost nine o’clock before the wedding banquet broke up.

It was Luo Zhiqiu who drove the car back. He didn’t drink at all tonight. He was not in good health and was recently hospitalized. No one tried to persuade him to drink.

Jiang Yifang was confused all night. One moment she felt that her daughter really had a boyfriend, and the next moment she would talk herself out of it. He Wancheng would not lie for her daughter. He didn’t have that much time, and her daughter didn’t have that much status.

“Tell mom the truth, do you have a boyfriend? Even if you do, mom won’t push you to get married. I just want you to be happy.”

Some things couldn’t be kept hidden forever, so Luo Qi decided to reveal a little bit first, “It’s true.”

“… What do you mean it’s true? Is he still chasing you?”

“We only just got together, and there is still a bit of a trial period. When the trial period is over, I will take him home to meet you.”

Jiang Yifang rubbed her daughter’s head and said, “You even lied to me that the ring is fake. I really believed it.”

No wonder her daughter was in such a good condition. Jiang Yifang was very pleased. “Don’t rush to bring him home to meet us. Get along well with him first. Can I ask how old he is this year?”

“Two years older than me, from Beijing. You and dad will definitely like him, he is very good to me.”

Luo Zhiqiu’s eyes curved with happiness, and he didn’t ask any more questions.

Luo Qi’s cell phone vibrated with Jiang Sheng’s message, asking her: [“Is the wedding banquet finished?”]

[We’ve left, on the way home.]

Jiang Shenghe: [I’m at the car repair shop. You can find a convenient place to get off the car and I’ll pick you up.]

[Have you arrived in Suzhou City?]

[Yeah, I got in this afternoon.]

[Is Professor Liang with you?]

[No, my mother has something else to do so she will come over tomorrow. I came one day early.]

Jiang Shenghe asked again: [“Where can you easily get off the car?”]

Luo Qi: [Let’s meet at the car repair shop. We will pass that way on the way home.]

Luo Qi told her father to take the road in front of the school to go home. She said she wanted to find Teacher Lu and so had tell them in detail who Teacher Lu was.

Jiang Yifang remembered the owner of the car repair shop in front of the school. She used to feel sorry for his daughter because she couldn’t speak.

Luo Qi said, “Teacher Lu is a friend of our President Jiang. It seems he has something to talk to me about, I will have late snacks with him and his wife.”

She just made up the plan to eat late-night snacks, but maybe she might actually have to eat late-night snacks later.

… … advance chapters available @ whitemoonlighttranslations.com

Arriving at the school gate ten minutes later, Luo Qi got out of the car and called Jiang Shenghe, “Chief Jiang, I’m here.”

Jiang Shenghe said, “Can you see my car?”

Luo Qi turned and looked around. A familiar off-road vehicle was driving over.

Jiang Shenghe was the only one in the car. Luo Qi sat in the passenger seat and asked, “Where is Teacher Lu?”

“He went home to put his child to sleep.” Jiang Shenghe asked her, “Do you want to have a late-night snack?”

“I’m too full.” She told him about meeting He Wancheng at the wedding banquet and sitting at the same table with him. “He knew that you asked Teacher Yu to paint that oil painting.”

Jiang Shenghe wasn’t bothered. “I didn’t ask Teacher Yu to hide it. It’s normal for people to find out.”

“Chief Jiang, where do you want to go? I’ll navigate.”

“No need. I’d rather stay near the hotel. I’m familiar with the roads here.”

He didn’t need to go anywhere; driving around was fine.

He just wanted to see her, and her parents would be worried if she stayed out too late.

When they arrived near Luo Qi’s house, the car couldn’t get in the narrow roads, so they walked together down to the door of the convenience store.

She had met Jiang Shenghe here once.

He came to Suzhou City for a business trip in June last year; she was not yet his assistant then. Early that morning, she bought breakfast and a bunch of sunflowers for her mother. It was at the door of this convenience store that she met Jiang Shenghe—he had been on his morning run, and he stopped to buy water from this store.

She had plans to try on a wedding dress that morning. He also asked her about the wedding date.

She didn’t know how he must have felt when he told her ‘congratulations’.

Next door to the convenience store was a flower shop. It was still open.

Jiang Shenghe asked her, “Do you like sunflowers or is it Aunt Jiang?”

Luo Qi was pulled back from her memories and said, “My mother likes it. It brightens the house that is otherwise too monotonous.”

“Then I’ll buy a bunch, and you can bring it to Aunt Jiang.”

“Don’t buy too much. My mother will feel bad if you spend too much.”

Jiang Shenghe asked the owner of the flower shop to wrap six of them: a small bunch of exquisite flowers for a few tens of yuan.

Luo Qi held them in her arms and slowly walked home side by side with Jiang Shenghe.

“Chief Jiang.”

They weren’t hugging or holding hands, so it wasn’t a foul for her to call him that.

Jiang Shenghe looked sideways at her, “What is it?”

Luo Qi looked at him and back at the road ahead, “What are your plans for your stay here?”

“There are no social activities planned and no other arrangements. My time is yours to arrange as you wish.”

In this case, Luo Qi didn’t bother to answer and simply kept quiet.

Seeing her silence, Jiang Shenghe said, “I do want to show you another house. It will be our wedding house here in Suzhou, and we will live there on the wedding day. If you don’t like the original decoration style, ask Aunt Jiang to design a new one.”

“… How many houses did you buy in Suzhou City?”

“Not many.”

Actually, a lot.

While chatting idly this way, they reached the stone bridge without knowing it.

Just as Luo Qi was about to step onto the stone bridge, Jiang Shenghe stopped her.

Luo Qi almost lost her balance and had to take a step back towards him. “What’s wrong?” she asked.

Jiang Shenghe unbuttoned his suit with one hand, bent a little, tightened his waist, and picked her up in his arms.

Luo Qi was caught off guard and felt her heart jump into her throat.

He looked down at her and said, “I didn’t carry you across the stone bridge on the day we received the wedding certificate. I will make up for it today.”

On the night of the Mid-Autumn Festival, she said that when people walked across the stone bridge on their wedding day, they would be happy for a lifetime. She just said it casually, but she didn’t expect that he would remember it in his heart.

Luo Qi pretended to be calm but she couldn’t help but hold him by the shoulders.

When they reached the middle of the bridge, Jiang Shenghe asked her, “Where did you stand to watch the moon on the night of the Mid-Autumn Festival?”

Luo Qi still remembered, “By the third stone pillar.”

Jiang Shenghe calmly walked further down a few more steps. He stopped in front of the third stone pillar.

“I will carry you and walk across the stone bridge again on the wedding day.”

Luo Qi didn’t know what he was going to do. She looked up at him—because of the light, she couldn’t see his face clearly, only an outline. He bent his head, his breath falling on her lips, and he kissed her.

Powerful yet gentle.

Strong and masculine.

Everything about him fascinated her.

On the night of the proposal, she owed him a kiss.

Jiang Shenghe didn’t kiss her deeply. When he was about to retreat after kissing her, she followed and pressed her lips against his.

Their warm breaths intertwined again.

She gave him a last peck on his lips, hurriedly pulled back, and turned her head away to look at the street lights next to the bridge.

Jiang Shenghe struggled to look calm, but his Adam’s apple rolled up and down several times. He walked to the end of the bridge and put her down.

Luo Qi stood up straight, wondering for a moment how she could break this ambiguous silence.

Jiang Shenghe said nothing. The sunflowers in her arms had been squished, and the bouquet was now a little deformed. He arranged it.

Luo Qi still didn’t look at him, at a loss what to do.

Finally, she handed him the flowers, and Jiang Shenghe accepted it without asking why. Luo Qi lifted her arms, wrapped it around his waist outside his suit, and gently hugged him.

“Chief Jiang, see you tomorrow.”

“Okay. I’ll pick you up early.” Jiang Shenghe took advantage of the situation and took her into his arms again, holding her for a while longer.

Seventh Year of My Secret Love for You translated by Maela @ whitemoonlighttranslations.com

---

T/N: They are so sweet 😭

If you’re enjoying my translations, do consider buying me ko-fi. Thanks for your support! ❤️

A list of all advance chapters is HERE.
Chapter 42.1 — Stay in the Villa on Weekends (3/3)
Chapter 42.2 — Stay in the Villa on Weekends (3/8)
Chapter 42.3 — Stay in the Villa on Weekends (3/9)
Chapter 42.4 — Stay in the Villa on Weekends (3/10)

Chapter 43.1 — Everything Got Out of Control (3/15)
Chapter 43.2 — Everything Got Out of Control (3/16)