"What's wrong, is it not suitable? Uncle and Auntie can tell me, I can change it." Xing Yuan became anxious instantly. If they didn't accept the gifts, how could she stay here?
"No, it's just that we are afraid we are not worthy of your expensive gifts," Mother Yan said tactfully.
Father and Mother Yan knew very well that even one of these items would be more than enough as a betrothal gift. Now, with so many things sent over, they could honestly say that the dowry their daughter might receive when she got married might not even be as valuable as these items.
"How could that be?" Xing Yuan said anxiously.
Then, she coughed lightly as if to cover up her nervousness, put on a dejected look, and said in a low voice, "Uncle and Auntie, please accept them! I didn't have many friends growing up because of my personality, and Xi Yue didn't charge me for tutoring before. These are just small gifts, how can they compare to her help?"
"This... it's not very appropriate. How about this! We'll just take a bottle of wine!" Father Yan pushed back for a while, but he couldn't resist the temptation of good wine.
Xing Yuan's expression became even more dejected. "My elders are not here, and I've already thrown away the receipts for these items, so I'm afraid I can't return them. If Uncle and Auntie really mind, why don't you let me freeload a couple more meals here?"
Xing Yuan's tone was melancholic, and a hint of sadness seemed to emanate from her eyes. "I haven't eaten a meal cooked by elders for many years."
Father Yan looked at Xing Yuan, who stood there seemingly at a loss and heartbroken. His heart softened uncontrollably.
"What's there to worry about? Sit down quickly, dinner is already prepared by Uncle, and it will be served soon." With that, Father Yan rolled up his sleeves and turned towards the kitchen. He would make a few more dishes.
Since Father Yan had said so, Mother Yan naturally wouldn't refuse him. After putting the gifts aside, she also chatted enthusiastically with Xing Yuan, even leaving Yan Xi Yue aside.
A daughter is a daughter, but a guest is a guest. When someone comes to their home as a guest, their own daughter naturally has to stand aside.
While Mother Yan wasn't paying attention, Xing Yuan secretly winked triumphantly at Yan Xi Yue, her eyes showing no trace of sadness.
Yan Xi Yue smiled, but she was happy to see this. The more her parents liked Xing Yuan now, the less resistance they would have when they knew the truth later, which was what she hoped for.
When Xing Yuan genuinely tried to win someone over, she was naturally very capable.
In the eyes of Father and Mother Yan, she was humorous and knowledgeable. No matter what topic they discussed, she could chime in with a sentence or two. Moreover, she was observant and meticulous. Whenever they felt uncomfortable, she was the first to notice, being more attentive than their own daughter.
Yan Xi Yue had also put in effort to make her parents accept Xing Yuan, even going so far as to act as a negative example, deliberately putting on an act every day.
Thus, by the time they returned to school, Xing Yuan had successfully infiltrated the enemy camp and gained their affection, which was no less than that of Yan Xi Yue.
Xing Yuan grinned and secretly boasted to Yan Xi Yue, "Am I amazing?"
"Amazing!" Yan Xi Yue praised, a little awkwardly. "But be mindful of your boundaries! After all, these are my parents, and my status must be higher than yours."
"Of course, Sister, you've always been the head of the family!" Xing Yuan leaned in to kiss her. She had been so busy trying to please her future in-laws that she hadn't had much time to date her.
"Mmm, don't mess around, what if they see us?"
"Don't worry, they've already accepted part of my betrothal gifts. At worst, I'll marry you right now." Xing Yuan's eyes, filled with desire, were solely focused on Yan Xi Yue, devoid of any rational thought.
"We're not of legal age yet!" Yan Xi Yue's muffled words were drowned out by the overwhelming kiss.
When the holiday ended and they returned to school, Xing Yuan immediately took a photo with Yan Xi Yue, their fingers intertwined, to make their relationship public.
She wanted everyone to know that she was already taken and should not be approached anymore, no matter who they tried to approach.
The two resumed their busy daily lives. Xing Yuan began to participate frequently in various racing competitions. She had competed in city, provincial, and even national races within three years. In the fourth year, she finally got the opportunity to participate in a world-class competition.
During these four years, Yan Xi Yue had also completed the task assigned by her mentor. Coupled with her excellent performance at school, she was recommended for postgraduate studies ahead of schedule.
For Xing Yuan's biggest race, she took leave to attend. On her girlfriend's most important life moment, she naturally had to be by her side.
Xing Yuan was also very excited, finally reaching this day. When she used to treat racing as a hobby, she didn't feel anything wrong. But now, practicing from morning to night, even the most passionate hobby became tiresome.
She just wanted to finish the race quickly, fulfill the lingering obsession of that wisp of remnant soul, and then cuddle with her wife.
Xing Yuan was ready to showcase her skills. Not getting first place would be a disservice to her years of practice. She dared to say that she had never practiced cultivation with such dedication.
The race lasted for over an hour. Xing Yuan drove at the maximum speed the car could withstand throughout. However, maintaining such intense concentration for such a long time was taxing, even for her. After crossing the finish line, a slight pallor naturally appeared on her face.
She, as expected, won first place. While giving her official acceptance speech on stage, Coach CX quickly slipped her a note and told her to read it.
In Coach CX's opinion, although his team member had extraordinary talent, she was a person of few words. Therefore, before the race, he had already prepared speeches for different rankings. Although he had anticipated her performance to exceed expectations, he had made preparations for both scenarios.
Xing Yuan smiled helplessly but still graciously delivered some perfunctory remarks to the global audience. Then, she changed her tone, a smile on her face, and leaned closer to the microphone.
"Please bear with me for a few minutes. I want to say something personal."
"I'm taking this opportunity today to announce to everyone that I will be retiring from this industry."
"Initially, I just treated it as a hobby. Later, I wanted to stand on the world stage and prove to everyone that amateurs could also achieve something. Today, I stand here, which means I have fulfilled my wish."
Xing Yuan curved her lips slightly. "So, I might have a different life in the future."
"Also, perhaps this is not the most suitable place, but I still want to ask the person I love, we are now of legal age, will you marry me?"
After Xing Yuan finished speaking and left the stage, the audience erupted in a commotion. In just a day, the topic of the newly crowned racing god proposing in public exploded.
[Shocking! The newly crowned racing god's public proposal is actually because...]
"Wow! Is this a proposal? It is, right? How romantic!"