Page 171 of He Is My Bride
Li Ying looked at him and figured he could drop his voice act, giving the taxi driver quite a surprise. “Did you know?”
“No. I once suspected you might have changed your sex, but it was none of my business.”
Hanjun’s phone was going off, but he ignored it and called various jet companies to ask whether they had planes available last minute.
“There’s a jet that can take us to Tokyo, ready to fly in three hours,” Hanjun said, putting away his phone as they all exited the taxi in front of his apartment building. “We’ll take that, and from Tokyo we can take another aircraft that can take us as far as Hawai?i, and from there we’ll havemore options.”
“Nice, early honeymoon,” Li Ying said. “Anne, you didn’t pack me a bikini, did you?” He had the faculties to joke around, so suppose he was… fine?
As long as Hanjun was with him, Li Ying thought he would be able to live minute to minute for now. It wasn’t panic that made him act so calm, considering the situation, just the knowledge that this was happening and they had to roll with it. There was no going back from this; all they could affect now was the future.
They entered Hanjun’s apartment. Anne wasted no time, throwing Li Ying’s and her luggage open on the floor and began tossing everythingin by approximate value, including things they had brought over on Li Ying’s previous visits, packing the most expensive things first. She threw her own clothes out of her luggage and filled that too with the couture, the Miu Miu and the Alexander McQueen. They would take everything they could carry, just in case this was all the insurance her and Li Ying would have for the future.
It had been too good to be true, Anne supposed. Her career was only the second thing on her mind right now, but she didn’t doubt Hanjun wouldn’t leave Li Ying in trouble. As for herself, Anne had to trust she would make it somehow. Perhaps she could spin this to her advantage:
‘Anne, the con stylist that pulled off the forbidden elite marriage of the century, transforming a simple Brooklyn boy into a society lady in the name of love.’
She could see the editorial. Yeah, she would turn this into profit yet, if she were smart. And however she could still help Li Ying and Hanjun, she would do it.
“Help me with this.” Li Ying showed his back to Anne, and she undid the zipper at the back of the wedding dress.
Li Ying went to the bathroom and changed out of the dress and untucked. He threw on some black faux leather leggings, took off his breast tape, and donned a simple white blouse, tying it at the front. Anne had seen so much effort for the makeup though, and Li Yingdecided to keep it on. He took off the jewelry and the flowers from his hair, pulled out what felt like a million bobby pins and a hair donut, shook his now curled locks down, and pulled his hair to a simple mid-height tail that didn’t pull at his scalp so much. Still perfectly passable as a flat-as-a-board chick.
Li Ying exited the bathroom and heard Hanrong talking on the phone:
“No, uncle, what they need right now is a moment, some privacy—No, I won’t disclose where they are. …Handle the press however you deem best. …Isn’t that a bit of an exaggeration?” Hanrong looked at Li Ying as he entered the living room, his eyes worried while he listened to Wu Yiheng say something on the phone that Li Ying couldn’t hear.
Hanjun came out of his room carrying half-packed luggage and put it down on the couch.
“Hanjun,” Li Ying asked, “am I in danger?”
“…Criminal investigation?” Hanrong asked on the phone.
Hanjun wrapped his hand around Li Ying’s shoulder and pulled him into a light hug. Hanjun rubbed Li Ying’s neck, soothing him while they both looked at Hanrong, who was still on the phone with Wu Yiheng.
“Uncle, that is ridiculous.”
“I didn’t fake my identity or any documents!” Li Ying said. “If the local officials failed to identify me as ineligible for marriage by their standards, that’s on them!” Li Ying said, and while it was true, a judge might agree or disagree on whether a crime had taken place. And Hanjun bribing the hospital was another thing. They really should get out of the country.
“How is there a crime? Obviously their marriage will be null, but Li Ying has told me they hadn’t faked any documents, so how could it be a con? …Li Ying doesn’t have to answer to anything if they are not in the country, they are still a citizen of the States. …Yes, I’d say it’s likely Li Ying will be leaving Shanghai very soon, and maybe that’s for the best right now, don’t you think?”
“Li Ying, go help Anne pack, we will handle the legal,” Hanjun said.
With a core family member directly involved, the Wus’ reputation was now on the line. Li Ying knew the family lawyer would do everything to manage this scandal, but not whether it would be enough to save his hide in the worst case scenario. It was wiser to leave the country than stay and find out.
He went to see if Anne still needed help packing.
Two hours later, Hanrong was parking Hanjun’s Bentley in front of the airport.
“Well, Li Ying, it was lovely getting to know you. I hope this won’t be the last we meet,” Hanrong said as he turned to look at Li Ying, who was in the backseat with Anne.
Li Ying answered his smile. “Thank you for everything, Wu Hanrong.”
Li Ying didn’t dare hope for anything concerning the future right now, but he wished this wasn’t the last he would see him.
“Miss Lü,” Hanrong said to Anne, “friends like you don’t come by every day. It was nice to get to know you too.”
“Thank you, Wu Hanrong.”
