Chapter 234: A Forced Marriage? (2/2)

Cheng Xi curiously asked, “What’re you doing?”

“Planning out the scene of the marriage proposal.”

She pointed at another pile. “And these papers?”

“The wedding ceremony.”

“......And those?”

“Arrangements for the wedding.”

Cheng Xi picked up a pile of papers and started flipping through them randomly, mainly noting how detailed his work was. He had planned out everything step by step, starting from the arrangement of the room where he would propose to her, the engagement and proposal process, and to what sort of wedding souvenir the guests would receive.

She couldn’t help but massage her forehead. “Have you been staying up these past few days to work on this?”

Lu Chenzhou glanced at her, as if the answer to her question was too obvious to need a response.

“There’s no need to be in such a hurry, is there?”

“Yes, there is.”

“What’re you in a rush for?”

“Having a baby.”

Cheng Xi didn’t know whether to laugh or to cry. She couldn’t understand Lu Chenzhou’s logic at all—what did he think having a baby would do? Wouldn’t he still be repulsed whenever Chen Jiaman called him “Daddy?” “Why are you making marriage such a big deal!” Her scalp went numb from just looking at all his preparations, and she felt that she couldn’t let him work himself to death like this. She turned around to wash up and change her clothes. At the same time, she told her department head that something had come up and that she needed a day’s leave from work.

The department head approved her request without any hesitation, and she even asked, “What’s the matter? Let me know if it’s something I can help with.”

Cheng Xi smiled at the head’s kind reply. “Actually, something did come up. I’m planning to host a dinner at my house. Would you like to come?”

The department head laughed jovially. “Of course! Why not? I heard that you just moved into a new place, and I’ve been wanting to stop by and see it for myself.”

And so, that night, Cheng Xi took on the role of a gracious hostess by inviting all her friends and colleagues over for dinner. As for the reason behind her invitation, she was somewhat mysterious about it. When pressed, Cheng Xi only mysteriously replied, “You’ll find out once you arrive.”

The head felt like she was acting suspiciously, and Lu Chenzhou had similar thoughts—Cheng Xi hadn’t rushed off to work after breakfast as usual. Instead, she stayed back and asked him, “Did you bring your residence certificate over?”

Since he was planning on buying a new house, he should have it on him at all times.

Lu Chenzhou nodded. “Yes.”

“Alright, give it to me. Your ID too.”

Lu Chenzhou handed his residence certificate and ID to her as he looked at her in confusion. Cheng Xi glanced at him, smiled, and then pulled him along. “Let’s go.”

“Where to?”

“You just have to follow me.”

She brought him straight to the civil administration bureau. When they arrived, the man whom Tian Rou had tried to pass off as her boyfriend was standing outside the door, waiting for them. Cheng Xi shook hands with him and cordially conversed for a bit as Lu Chenzhou glanced at him.

This man was more scholarly and refined than Lin Fan, and on top of that, he even had the cultured air of a mature man—a dangerous competitor.

Cheng Xi felt Lu Chenzhou’s gaze and prodded him lightly. The vice-deputy chief also noticed the stare, and he smiled and asked, “It’s him?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“Not bad.” He candidly voiced his own opinion.

Then, he led the two of them inside. He had already arranged everything, and the bureau personnel were just waiting for them. Cheng Xi took a form and handed it to Lu Chenzhou. “You just have to sign your name here.”

Lu Chenzhou looked over the paper indifferently, and then he suddenly stilled. “A marriage certificate?” His collected expression crumbled to pieces. “We’re getting married just like that?!”

Everyone, including the vice-deputy chief, widened their eyes and looked at the two of them in shock. One of them even stood up and hesitantly mentioned, “By law, we can only certify a marriage license if both parties willingly agree to it.”

His words made it sound like she was stealing an innocent man’s freedom away!

Cheng Xi exasperatedly shook her hands. o(╯□╰)o