Chapter 343: Childhood Ties and Surprises

Lin Zheng Ran nodded, not denying it.

This made the Jiang Family’s eldest miss flustered and confused: “Why… why would Zheng think of making a ring for me?”

Lin Zheng Ran reached out and picked up the ring he’d made: “The other day, when I found Jingshi’s lost ring in the sewer, I accidentally spotted the four words you had engraved on it.”

Jiang Jingshi pursed her lips; those four words were love at first sight.

“And then?” she asked.

Lin Zheng Ran said: “Then I remembered that long ago, I’d asked you why you wore that ring, and you said it was to celebrate meeting me. You did say that, right?”

“Yes, I did.” It was embarrassing to admit.

“But from what I recall, we first met at the high school gate, and that time, Jingshi only came to see me because of Jiang Qian. We barely exchanged words, and the way you looked at me back then was different from now. If it was love at first sight from that meeting…”

He paused meaningfully: “That just doesn’t seem realistic. Jingshi isn’t the type to fall for a guy right away on first sight—you’re too cautious. So, I thought back and realized that when I was little, I might have met a little girl who looked a bit like you.”

Jiang Jingshi’s eyes widened.

Lin Zheng Ran didn’t go on; instead, he asked: “That was you, right? You were lost in the residential area, and I happened to see you and led you out.”

Jiang Jingshi stared at him, stunned.

The flush on her face faded a little, but excitement took over. She lowered her head shyly, covering her mouth with the back of her hand.

She murmured like a mosquito: “Yes, it was me…”

He finally remembered.

“No wonder that night at your rental house, when you said I was grumpy, I didn’t recall it, and when I asked, you answered that way.”

Jiang Jingshi bit her lip: “You do look a bit different from when you were little—you’re not always so grumpy now.” She thought of that time he checked her foot, and added softly: “But sometimes you still can be.”

Then she turned to Lin Zheng Ran, suddenly annoyed, and asked:

“Zheng, you took way too long to remember! The first time I saw you, I thought you looked familiar and had someone check if it was you right away. But you only just figured it out now—it seems you really didn’t remember me from back then at all.”

She asked curiously: “Was I that unappealing as a kid? Didn’t I leave any impression?”

Lin Zheng Ran paused, then smiled and said truthfully: “Kids are just a hassle, and back then, I wasn’t interested in little girls, so I didn’t think much of it.”

Jiang Jingshi was speechless.

Lin Zheng Ran continued: “So, to make up for forgetting, I thought I’d make you a ring as a gift.”

Jiang Jingshi looked down again at the sparkling diamond ring in the box, her earlobes turning bright red:

“Oh, so that’s it. I thought… but even if we’re a couple, sending a ring as compensation doesn’t seem right—things like this have other meanings.”

“Of course I know that.”

She glanced at Lin Zheng Ran in surprise.

Lin Zheng Ran picked up the diamond ring from the box and stared straight at Jiang Jingshi, saying without hesitation: “Jingshi, after we graduate, will you marry me? Before graduation, I’ll go to your uncle and aunt to propose.”

Jiang Jingshi covered her mouth with both hands—she never imagined Lin Zheng Ran would plan every step like this.

Who could have thought that on this ordinary day, Zheng would propose to her…

There was no warning at all.

But…

She locked eyes with him for a long moment, then slowly extended her slender hand: “Put it on for me… I will, sister agrees.”

Lin Zheng Ran carefully slipped the ring onto her ring finger.

She gazed at the diamond ring on her ring finger, not caring that they were at school, and hugged Lin Zheng Ran tightly.

So gently: “Zheng~”

But before three seconds passed, a few students walked by, startling them into pulling apart quickly.

And those students even knew Jiang Jingshi: “Hello, Teacher Jiang!”

The beautiful teacher was quite well-known at school.

Jiang Jingshi sat up straight, her face slightly flushed, and greeted them: “Hello.”

One of the girls said casually: “Teacher Jiang, your face is so red.”

Normally at school, Jiang Jingshi never showed her emotions so openly, but today, with this unexpected proposal…

She couldn’t snap back to her usual self no matter how hard she tried.

“Just a bit of a cold…” She pushed her glasses up to hide her embarrassment.

Luckily, the girls didn’t dwell on it, as they were all drawn to the handsome Lin Zheng Ran standing nearby, making one of them blush and stammer: “Lin Zheng Ran is here too? Well, we’ll be going now, Teacher.” They hurried off shyly together.

Lin Zheng Ran smiled and let out a breath.

He turned to meet the gentle gaze of Jiang Jingshi.

Their hands slowly clasped, and they shared a smile.

At noon, under the bright sun, Jiang Qian walked by with a stack of files for some unknown purpose, her long black hair flowing.

She passed under the campus willow trees and ran into her sister, who looked inexplicably happy for no clear reason.

This was the second time.

Jiang Qian heard the click of high heels and felt annoyed. She kept a cold face and tried to walk past her sister like a stranger.

But Jiang Jingshi seemed different from last time—happier, more excited.

Jiang Qian could tell her sister was acting up again.

Jiang Jingshi greeted her first: “Jiang Qian, where are you off to?”

Jiang Qian gritted her teeth, not wanting to talk.

Yet her sister grabbed her arm and said deliberately: “Why not speak to your teacher? Ignoring your elders isn’t very proper for a Jiang Family member, is it, little Jiang Qian?”

“Little student? What?” Jiang Qian stopped reluctantly, grinding her teeth: “What’s it to you? I’m just going about my business—do you have to control that?”

Jiang Jingshi was beaming with joy, nothing could dampen her mood. She said gently: “Why so fierce to your teacher, Jiang Qian? I’m just checking on a student in my class.”

The second miss clenched her fists: “What are you really after…”

Jiang Jingshi stepped closer and glanced at her sister: “Nothing much, just noticed a leaf in your hair.”

She deliberately used the hand with the ring to pluck the leaf from Jiang Qian’s hair.

“You’re looking great today, Jiang Qian.” To make sure her sister saw, she even adjusted her hair.

Jiang Qian looked stunned: “Are you sick or something? Don’t touch me, okay?” Then she spotted the new ring on her sister’s hand.

“Who’s sick?”

She snapped back: “You are.”

“And who am I? At work, use my title.”

Jiang Qian: “… You’re seriously ill. I’m leaving.”

She tried to go again, but Jiang Jingshi pulled her back and wiggled the ring: “Jiang Qian, haven’t you noticed? It’s from my fiancé.”

Jiang Qian’s fists tightened as she glanced back, a hint of jealousy on her face: “I saw it. So what? Just a ring—big deal?”

Jiang Jingshi hinted: “The ring finger.”

“What about the ring finger? Does it matter which one—middle or ring? Wear it wherever you want; it’s got nothing to do with me. A ring? Who cares? He’ll give me one too someday.” She huffed and stormed off.

Well-read as she was, Jiang Qian didn’t know the meanings behind rings on different fingers— she’d never cared about such things before.

So her jealousy was just about her sister getting a gift.

After Jiang Qian left, Jiang Jingshi realized:

“Wait, does Qian Qian really not know about couples and rings? Or what a ring on the ring finger means? How did she grow up like that—practically a cave dweller?”