Sweet slice-of-life love story: Wife, Let's love again
Chapter 312 - 305: A Thousand Days Are But a Blink of an Eye

Chapter 312: Chapter 305: A Thousand Days Are But a Blink of an Eye

In three days, Qin Guanglin had drawn two more issues, both of which involved multiple characters and complex compositions.

The manga’s productivity mainly depended on the material available. With a script and its simplistic art style, as long as he worked full steam, updating every two days wasn’t a problem.

However, updating this type of manga too quickly could lead to aesthetic fatigue. Updating weekly was just right—it didn’t tire out the readers and kept them looking forward to more while giving them time to savor the details.

"Next is this. I’ll have to take a few days off next week."

Qin Guanglin handed over the drafts to Chen Rui, giving him a heads-up so that in his excitement he wouldn’t promise the readers extra releases, use up all the stockpiled drafts, and then have to rush production back in He City.

Chen Rui asked, "How many days?"

"I’m not sure. Including the weekend, maybe just two or three more days, or perhaps four or five."

"You look like you’re going to do something big?"

Upon hearing this, Qin Guanglin smiled broadly, nodding eagerly. "A very big thing—going to my father-in-law’s to discuss marriage matters. Big enough?"

Originally, after the proposal, he and He Fang had agreed to go to He City to discuss their marriage once they moved into their new place, tentatively set for next year, but definitely before getting married, they still needed to touch base with her father.

The sooner such matters were settled, the better prepared they could be, otherwise, it would be absurd to start discussing marriage just a month or two before the actual event.

Chen Rui looked at Qin Guanglin for a moment, then came over and patted him on the shoulder. "Bless you."

"And here I thought you’d say, ’Poor man, about to step into the grave of marriage.’" Qin Guanglin joked with a laugh. "Didn’t expect you to give blessings?"

"Love is beautiful. Of course, I’ll give blessings." Chen Rui also smiled. "People are different, and just by looking at you, I can tell you’re very happy."

"It’s after seeing my manga that you think I’m happy, right?"

Qin Guanglin shook his head then suddenly sat upright. "What about you? After reading my manga, don’t you feel the urge to find a girlfriend?" He gestured towards the computer, "A lot of comments say they want a girlfriend after reading it. I feel like I’ve accumulated infinite merit...if I could convert you, I’d become a Buddha."

Chen Rui lowered his gaze, the smile on his lips slowly fading as if reminded of something. After a moment, he smiled again at Qin Guanglin. "Give it up. No one in this world can convert me."

He pointed a finger in front of Qin Guanglin’s face, raising his eyebrows as he continued, "No one. Not even Jesus, I say."

"Single by choice?"

Qin Guanglin suddenly remembered He Fang mentioning Gu Xiaoqing. Thinking it over, they seemed quite compatible.

It’s a pity Gu Xiaoqing might be a demon...otherwise, he would introduce them.

Chen Rui shook his head, stood from his chair, and walked to the French window. The fierce sunlight streamed through the glass, causing his eyes to squint slightly as he gazed into the distance. After a moment, he turned back and laughed, "I’ve already dedicated everything to the career I’m fighting for."

The sunlight cast a golden glow on him, with his monocle refracting dazzling light spots. Qin Guanglin couldn’t help but shield his eyes, saying, "Stop showing off; it’s too glaring!"

"Alright, enough banter. Add two more panels at the end of the manga, and say... hmm... ’The author is off to the father-in-law’s to discuss marriage matters. If things go smoothly, the next issue will come as scheduled. If not... he’ll stay at the father-in-law’s to keep discussing.’"

Chen Rui, hands in his pockets, looked out at the traffic silently for a moment before turning back to Qin Guanglin.

"Okay, I’ll add a few more lines... What smooth or not smooth? I’ve already seen my father-in-law secretly commenting on the public account, hey, success is guaranteed."

"Give the readers some anticipation outside of the manga, and also update them on your wedding progress; after all, so many people are worrying about you."

Chen Rui pushed his glasses up, smiling at Qin Guanglin.

Every time he thought about it, he was amazed by the comments under Qin Guanglin’s manga. He had never seen such a powerful manga, not a single troll, all five-star rave reviews, nearly half of them urging the couple to get married.

Qin Guanglin considered this and felt it made sense. From the initial batch of fans who followed, they were indeed quite concerned about his marriage. If he announced that they had broken up, who knows how many would be heartbroken, then form groups proclaiming ’never to believe in love again.’

"The latest issue ends with a proposal, a bit of a climax, might go viral. I’ll check the data when I get back."

He nodded at Chen Rui and picked up his brush to add to the end of the manga.

...

He Fang was on summer vacation on Friday. Qin Guanglin took her back to the Qin family’s home, and after cooking a big meal with Qin’s Mom and finishing it, they talked about going to He City.

"What does your dad like? I haven’t even finished the cured meat they sent over last time. I need to send something back, a gesture of goodwill."

Qin’s Mom racked her brain, trying to think of something nice she could offer.

During the New Year, Qin Guanglin had sent a pig’s rear leg, and the He family father and son turned it into cured meat, sending half of it back to Qin Guanglin and He Fang. He Fang then brought half of that over to Qin’s Mom, and some of it was still left.

Qin Guanglin answered for He Fang, "Her dad likes playing chess, playing cards, and drinking. We’ll just stroll around Shengtian Square tomorrow, you don’t need to worry."

He took charge directly, otherwise letting He Fang mention what her own father liked would seem like soliciting gifts indirectly...although the two of them were close enough, it still wasn’t appropriate to say it out loud.

"Yeah, just the two of us will buy it," He Fang agreed. This trip was just for a discussion to sort out the general affairs, with specific details to be discussed at the end of the year or next year, just to prepare Qin Guanglin... and to prepare the He Family too, since such a big event shouldn’t be rushed, many details had to be considered slowly.

"We need to make it perfect."

Qin’s Mom thought about it and felt she must show some gesture—after all, eating so much cured meat as if nothing happened didn’t look good.

Reciprocity in gifts was necessary.

"Hold on a second." She got up and went to her treasure chest, fumbled around with glasses for a moment, thought for a bit then went back to the bedroom, and when she came out she had two walnuts in her hand.

"These are good, their ridges can massage the acupoints on the hands, just like a massage, they activate circulation and prevent strokes... It’s good for elderly people. I’ll find a box to put them in and bring them to your father."

Qin’s Mom muttered and went to search for a box, Qin Guanglin stopped He Fang from beginning to politely refuse. The item was exquisite but not very expensive, and Qin’s Mom had had them made not long before; giving them away was just appropriate.

Moreover, it could be played with for a long time... Even if after a long while, the walnuts gained a smooth patina, her father-in-law would inevitably remember they were gifts from them, beneficial for the relationship between the two families; this gift was fantastic, much more meaningful than just bringing a chunk of pork for feasting which left nothing behind.

As night deepened, after Qin’s Mom had packed the ornamental walnuts, Qin Guanglin and He Fang stayed a little longer to watch TV with her before saying goodbye and leaving.

The moon on the fourteenth was exceptionally round, its bright light showering the earth, reflecting the stars in the sky, clear enough to see the path without any streetlights.

Qin Guanglin, holding He Fang’s hand and carrying the box, headed towards where they parked the car, and sighed, "How did I not think of these things before?"

"What did you not think of?"

"Look." He lifted the box in his hand, "The first time I went to your house, I brought a big grass carp. Last year when I went to your place, I carried such a big pig’s hindquarters... I drew it, do you know what netizens commented?"

He Fang couldn’t help but laugh, "I’ve been following along, of course, I know."

"Sigh... It’s still more stylish and meaningful to give these small trinkets."

Qin Guanglin pondered whether to make a set of luxurious, handmade, upscale, foreign-style chess for his father-in-law.

Absolutely perfect.

When relatives and friends come over to visit during the New Year, the old man taking out the chessboard...

Wow!

That would give him prestige!

Gift from his son-in-law!

Thinking of such a scene, a silly smile appeared on his face as he quickened his pace, holding He Fang’s hand.

"Do all you artistic types have a quirk?" He Fang caught his silly grin in the moonlight, and couldn’t help but wrinkle her nose.

"No, I just thought of something, come on, let’s head back fast."

Qin Guanglin knew that giving luxurious chess was unrealistic, but he could draw!

Perfect for adding as a whimsical afterthought in his comics.

Hmm—If his father-in-law gets itchy and asks for one later, then he could think of a way to make a set for him, being asked for it and giving it proactively are completely different—quite like having Zhuge Liang alive, adding one more to the Thirty-Six Stratagems and still fitting seamlessly.

"You have a scheme." He Fang looked at Qin Guanglin’s sly grin and arched an eyebrow.

"No, how could I possibly have a scheme... Let’s quickly think about what to buy for tomorrow. This trip is to discuss the marriage, we need to be serious. Should I get a haircut or something?"

Qin Guanglin settled into the car, looking into the rearview mirror and running a hand through his hair, feeling a bit of excitement stirring inside.

"You’re going to my house to discuss our marriage, and you want me to think about what gifts to bring?"

He Fang rolled her eyes, "That’s not sincere at all."

"You’re smarter than I am... and you know your family better, so I’ll leave this noble and grand task to you, ensuring that everything goes smoothly and nothing impedes our matter."

Qin Guanglin started the car, driving towards Tonglin Road in the moonlight, a joyful noise escaping through the crack in the car window, dispersing along the streets of Luo City with the evening breeze.

Three years of acquaintance, over a thousand days and nights together, nearly eight hundred days, they finally reached a crucial point.

As long as they got past this hurdle, life was not far from complete.