Chapter 297 How about I accompany you to class?

After hearing Song Ni's words, Ian's expression grew even more grim. He hailed from a noble family and had always had whatever he desired. From a young age, he was instilled with the belief that he could obtain anything he wanted. He eventually inherited his family's legacy and made a name for himself in the fashion industry. He had only seen "Iris" once by chance and was instantly captivated by the artwork. Upon learning that the designer was Song Ni, he sought opportunities to meet her. Indeed, she was unlike the myriad of beauties he had encountered before; Song Ni possessed a unique charm of an oriental beauty. More importantly, she was the first he had met who did not seem eager to become acquainted with him. Perhaps it is human nature to be curious about the unfamiliar. Undoubtedly, Song Ni was special to him, but there was simply no opportunity. From their very first meeting, she was already someone else's wife. But so what? What he wanted, he could have. Yet, no matter what he did, it only seemed to detract from Song Ni's favor. He was accustomed to people trying to appease and flatter him, believing that Song Ni should feel honored by his condescension. This time was no different; he had approached her again, only to hear such words. He couldn't understand it. Whether it was in terms of appearance, career, or family background, he believed he was superior to Tan Zheng. Being with him would make Song Ni a member of the aristocracy. With wealth and power, why would she forgo such an option? "Krist," he wanted to salvage the situation but didn't know what to say. Cheng Ling had already arrived, and Song Ni stood up directly, ignoring him. As they reached the entrance of the coffee shop, Ian called out to her. "What if, from the beginning, I just wanted to be your friend?" Song Ni turned to look at Ian, and seeing his obvious embarrassment at uttering those words, she merely found it amusing. She didn't lack friends, and she couldn't be good friends with him. Perhaps they wouldn't have reached the point where seeing him now filled her with disgust, but their relationship was destined to be anything but close. "But there are no 'what ifs.' From the start, your intentions were misguided." Moreover, this was when he already had a fiancée. She found it sickening. After saying this, Song Ni paid him no further mind, thus overlooking the darkness in Ian's eyes. ... Tan Zheng had begun his moves. Individuals connected to the events of that year began to face scandals—infidelity, embezzlement, clandestine dealings, and more. Some even exposed dark secrets within competitions, prompting the association to initiate a rectification. Song Ni paid little attention to these developments. After buying the diamond ring, she had been looking for an opportune moment. However, during this period, she was busy with her studies, and Tan Zheng was occupied with training, leaving them with little time together. Qin Yang suggested sending it to him when Tan Zheng announced his comeback. But a comeback only meant registering for a competition; there would be no press conference, and thus no suitable occasion. If she waited until the day of the competition... that would be too long. After much deliberation, Song Ni opted for the most straightforward approach. After another day of training, Tan Zheng returned and headed straight for the gym to continue his workout. Normally, Song Ni would be in her study drawing design sketches at this hour. Today, however, she changed her clothes and joined Tan Zheng for his exercise. Due to certain reasons, "Jun Qi" was delayed for several months and only began airing now. Song Ni played it while working on her core strength. After completing his own training, Tan Zheng accompanied Song Ni. The wedding scene, which was filmed near the end of the production, was featured in the earlier episodes. Tan Zheng seemed distracted, clearly affected by the drama. Song Ni remembered the rather cliché act she employed, using a tactic suggested by Chi Xia to get Tan Zheng's attention back then. She had worn a wedding dress just like this. "Do you remember? Back then, you were jealous and stubbornly told me that I didn't look good like this." Having trained for a while, Song Ni was now sweating, her cheeks flushed a rosy pink, her complexion bearing a resemblance to her character in the drama after applying wedding makeup. Tan Zheng certainly remembered. At that time, it was more than just simple jealousy. Thinking back to his feelings then, Tan Zheng's heart stirred. "Do you prefer Chinese or Western wedding attire?" "I like both. Why do you ask?" Tan Zheng didn't answer. He was contemplating whether proposing with the championship gold medal would be appropriate and which wedding style would best suit Song Ni's wishes. Song Ni, with her own thoughts weighing on her, didn't notice Tan Zheng's unusual demeanor. After their workout, they both washed up and then headed downstairs for dinner. Song Ni had specifically requested steak for tonight. So, when they went down, all the main lights were off, with only a chandelier above the dining table and candles on the table. Observing the scene, Tan Zheng lowered his head and asked, "What day is it today?" Song Ni pursed her lips and smiled. "Guess?" Since being with Song Ni, another change in Tan Zheng was that he had also started learning to remember their anniversaries. But they hadn't even been officially together for a full year; where would an anniversary come from? Tan Zheng couldn't think of anything, even guessing it might be his birthday, but his birthday was still over a month away. "I can't figure it out, baby." "It's no special day. You've been so busy with training lately, it must have been a bit monotonous. We need to add a little ritual to life." Tan Zheng had never cared about such things, but his indifference didn't mean Song Ni was indifferent. The man reached out and embraced Song Ni, holding her from behind. "I've neglected it. I'll take you out in a couple of days." Song Ni laughed and grabbed his hand. "That's not what I mean. Just focus on your training. Besides, I'm also very busy with my studies, so I don't have that many thoughts about going out." But Tan Zheng had already decided in his heart to take Song Ni out. Sitting face to face, Song Ni was the first to raise her glass. Having just washed up, her eyes were remarkably clear and moist, and under the light, she appeared exceptionally gentle. They didn't need many words; just their gazes were enough to understand each other's feelings. Without a single word spoken, the atmosphere was already sweet enough. Tan Zheng, clearly not yet out of the lingering heat from his workout, finished his drink in one gulp, then cut the beef on his plate and swapped it with Song Ni's. "I have a couple of days off soon. Can I come to school to accompany you in class?" With bodyguards following him, Tan Zheng was aware of Song Ni's continued popularity at school. "Really? Attending classes might be a bit boring for you. Can you do it?" Song Ni had never experienced her partner attending class with her. Back in college, she couldn't understand why couples in school liked attending classes together so much. Now, she seemed to understand. Song Ni's eyes lit up. Tan Zheng playfully raised a hand and flicked her nose. "Yes, I wouldn't lie to you, would I?"