"No!" Tang Qiaoqiao's head snapped up, her eyes shimmering with tears. "There has to be another way! We can... we can get my mother to approve our marriage! Then... then we wouldn't need to..." She was too embarrassed to finish.
Xie Xingwen shook his head with a bitter smile. "Don't you think I want to formally ask your mother for your hand? But... your mother... she doesn't like me! You know it was already hard enough to get her to tacitly approve of us meeting. Proposing marriage... it's a pipe dream!"
Tang Qiaoqiao fell silent.
She knew in her heart that her mother's prejudice against Xie Xingwen ran deep. Getting her to agree to the marriage was next to impossible.
Xie Xingwen's eyes dimmed, his tone resolute. "Let's just leave it at that, Qiaoqiao. Forget me... It's better for everyone."
Seeing his pained expression, a great surge of courage and compassion washed over Tang Qiaoqiao.
