Chapter 72 - You are only mine.

In the morning when Jing Lihua walked out of the bedroom, she was wearing an oversized shirt. She walked around the penthouse but couldn't find Li Zhiqiang. With a frown, she halted. Last night, they talked till late at night, cuddled to each other. They didn't do anything more than that. Li Zhiqiang was understanding. Even though he desperately wanted her, he didn't do anything and just provided her the comfort of his hug. Thinking about that, a warmth spread in Jing Lihua's chest and a smile appeared on her face.

"Li Zhiqiang?" Jing Lihua walked to the kitchen and wasn't surprised to find him there standing in front of the stove cooking very efficiently like he was some highly proficient chef. Last night Jing Lihua had told him that she missed his cooking. Had he appeared here for that?

"Why are you smiling like that?" Li Zhiqiang asked when Jing Lihua stared at him with a persistent smile. "Do I look that handsome?"

"Oh, please!" Jing Lihua laughed. "I just recalled I had planned to chase you away by feeding you something I cooked." Jing Lihua pulled a chair and sat.

"That would not have worked. Everything made by your hands tastes delicious to me."

"You haven't changed. Have you?" Jing Lihua still remembered that no matter how bad she cooked in the past, he would eat it all not only without any objection but with eagerness. And to topple it, he would even praise her later and ask for more. On the other hand, Li Xun would be acting like he was being fed poison. But being sent glares from his rother, he wouldn't object and eat obediently.

"How is Xiao Xun?" Jing Lihua was lost in the memories of the past. There was a lot missing in her life. Recalling the happy moments she had spent with Li brothers, she looked gleefull.

"He misses you a lot." Of course, he did. Since the day Jing Lihua left, his brother had completely changed into a tyrant. He would anything to bring back the brother who wouldn't glare at him every ten seconds. But neither Li Zhiqiang, not Jing Lihua knew that. And she was happy to know that he missed her.

"Here you are." Li Zhiqiang brought delicious-looking french toasts to the table and sat across Jing Lihua. Jing Lihua's mouth immediately watered as she glanced at them. Without any reserve, she picked up her knife, cut a piece and put it into her mouth. The sweetness and rich flavor filled her senses.

"Delicious." She didn't wait any longer and put pieces after pieces into her mouth. On the other hand, Li Zhiqiang didn't touch his food and stared at her eating. "What?" Jing Lihua asked with a mouth full of food. Her voice came out rather shrill and... adorable in Li Zhiqiang eyes.

"You have changed too." Li Zhiqiang smiled. "Still eat like a pig."

"Who are you calling pig?" Jing Lihua glared at him, picked up her plate and titled to a side so he wouldn't see her eating anymore. She ate grumpily.

"So childish." Li Zhiqiang laughed and picked up his fork to initiate eat. Unlike Jing Lihua, his table manners were impeccable. Like a son of noble birth. His movements were smooth and graceful.

In the peaceful silence, they both had breakfast together. Once they finished, Li Zhiqiang picked up the plates and took them to the sink.

"Such a gentleman." Jing Lihua propped her face over her hand and placed her elbow on the table.

"I should train myself for the future."

"For the future?" Jing Lihua heart thumped. She looked up at him expectantly. He didn't seem like he said that casually. Hs expressions told her that he was very serious about that.

"I told you I won't leave your side again." Li Zhiqiang walked back to her side after placing away the plates in the sink. He sat across her and looked into her eyes. It was one way to show his sincerity. "In fact. I wanted to talk to you about that matter last night. But I didn't want to scare you by rushing. But Jing Lihua ever since the day I met you, you were the one I knew I was going to spend the rest of life with. It is either you or no one."

"What are you trying to say. Please be clear." Jing Lihua knew it would eventually come to this. Her heart was thumping loudly for some reason. A strange feeling blossomed in her heart as he said those words.

"Jing Lihua. I want you to marry me." Li Zhiqiang grasped her hand as if scared she might say no if he let go. "Stay with me for the rest of my life. Let's spend the rest of our lives together happily. Build a family together. Do you remember my mother? She always wanted you her daughter-in-law. We'll always support you. Agree to marry me and make me the happiest man in the whole world."

Jing Lihua felt complicated. After some time, she took her hand out of his grasp. Li Zhiqiang felt like her heart was being pierced by something sharp when the warmth of her hands left his.

"If you are not ready now then it's okay. I can wait. I've waited for so long. I can wait more for you." He quickly said. "You don't need to feel pressured."

Jing Lihua's eyes softened when she heard the vulnerability in his voice. "I'm not going anywhere Li Zhiqiang. I just..." Jing Lihua looked away. "There are certain things I need to take care of. "

"Tell me about anything that worries you. I'll spare no effort to make the things way you want"

"I know you have the power to accomplish that easily. But these are the things I want to take care of myself. I don't want anyone else to interfere."

"I understand." He said quickly. "But promise me, you won't let any other man touch you until the day you are ready to marry me." As Li Zhiqiang said that his eyes darkened. Even the thought of a man approaching her angered him greatly. If anyone dared to even look at his Jing Lihua in an inappropriate way, he would rip him apart. Now that she had accepted him, there was no way he would tolerate anyone.

Jing Lihua knew he was thinking about Su Liwei as he said that. She laughed. "You don't need to ask that from me. Even if you didn't ask, I wouldn't go near any man."