Chapter 2 — Betrothed to the Song Heir

I sighed, then pushed open the door and stepped inside. The family drama unfolding within had just reached its climax:

"Father, do not force me! If you push any further, I will actually jump from the balcony!"

"No, no, do not jump!"

"Life is more precious than gold; safety comes first!"

I spoke up, maintaining a calm, measured tone:

"Regarding this marriage, we can simply call it off."

"You, you..."

"......"

Song Yang Ze turned around aggressively, ready to lash out at me. But the moment our eyes locked, his words were swallowed right back down his throat.

"Little Han, I am truly sorry, that was incredibly rude of me."

The elder Mr. and Mrs. Song hurriedly apologized to me.

"Wait, wait, wait, wait—hold on a second," Song Yang Ze stammered, his voice shifting through eighteen different octaves. "She... is... Shui Han?"

"??!!"

"That is correct," Mrs. Song said, her expression full of regret. "Since you swore you would rather die than comply, we could not force you. So, this marriage will be..."

She looked toward me. "Considered..."

"Oh! Oh! Oh!"

Song Yang Ze leaped onto the tea table. Without anyone noticing, he had pulled out a dark indigo cloth backpack and hoisted it onto his shoulders.

"Goodbye, dear Mother! Tonight, I shall leave this home behind!"

"Do not worry about me! I have my satchel filled with joy and wisdom!"

"Make sure to tell everyone! I am going to be the son-in-law of the Shui family!"

"Yes, yes, since you are so unwill—wait, what?"

Mrs. Song’s hand, which had been dabbing away fake tears, froze. She looked up in genuine surprise. What? I stood there, equally bewildered: What?

Song Yang Ze did not feel the slightest bit embarrassed. He hopped down from the tea table and began to pace around me as if he were showcasing his outfit for a fashion magazine.

"Ha ha ha! The weather is lovely today, is it not, Miss Shui?"

I glanced out the window in silence. The sky was blanketed in thick, dark storm clouds.

"Miss Shui must be hungry since you arrived so early! Would you like to have a meal with me?"

I checked my watch. It was four o’clock in the afternoon.

"Miss Shui, Miss Shui! Your name is Shui Han, right?"

...Well, what else would it be? Was I supposed to be named Song Han? I was rendered speechless.

"Sister Shui Han, your name is so beautiful! Ha ha ha!"

I desperately wanted to flee. Looking back, I saw the elder Mr. and Mrs. Song covering their faces with their hands. Their toes, peeking out from their slippers, must have been digging deep into the soles. If they were standing on sand, I have no doubt they would have dug out a miniature model of the Song family mansion by now.

I tossed my hair back. Song Yang Ze was quite tall—judging by sight, he had to be around one meter eighty-eight. I had to look up to see his face clearly.

"How tall are you?" I asked.

"I am one meter ninety!" he declared, standing tall with puffed-up pride.

"Hmm?" I let out a single, skeptical syllable.

Song Yang Ze immediately wilted. "Okay, fine. Actually, I am a tiny bit short of one-ninety. I am one meter eighty-eight point eight seven!" He emphasized the "point eight seven" with great precision.

...Fine, fine. Even if he was a bit of a fool, to be fair, he did have a handsome face. I studied him closely. His puppy-dog eyes gave him a lively, innocent look, though the small red mole beneath his eye added an unexpected dash of charm. However, his sense of style... I looked with utter disdain at the oversized, geriatric-style undershirt he was wearing, paired with swimming trunks that stretched to his knees in a chaotic clash of red, orange, yellow, green, and indigo, all finished off with SpongeBob flip-flops that looked like they had been scavenged from a roadside stall.

Song Yang Ze scratched his head, his ears turning so red they looked like they might start bleeding. Seeing his state, I suddenly recalled the argument he had been having with his parents before I arrived.

"Do you not already have someone you love? Why do you suddenly want to enter a marriage alliance with me?"

As soon as I asked, the young master’s face turned crimson.

"Um... well, about that..."

"Or is your love interest actually a virtual character? Like that top-tier princess who has been trending lately? To be honest, I like her too."

"No! That is not it!" Song Yang Ze shouted in denial. He pressed his two index fingers together and began to fidget. "It is because... you are my little fairy!"

Once he said it, he covered his face with his hands, squirming as if he were being swarmed by bees.

I: ...So, it turned out the "fairy" was actually me. I racked my brain, but I could not think of any history between me and this young master of the Song family that would make him remember me so vividly all these years. Thankfully, the young master began to reminisce on his own:

"That day, I was chased by a vicious dog for three whole blocks."

"It was you!"

"It was you who kicked me to safety! And then bravely stood your ground to block the beast!"

"You are my hero! My absolute savior!"