Page 11 of He Is My Bride
“Honey, I wasted three years after high school, drinking and partying, I don’t care if I have to redo three years.”
“It would only be one more year until—”
“One and a half, actually.”
“One and a half years—”
“That’s as long as we have been dating, Hanjun!”
Hanjun took a deep breath. “I know. But you must think long-term: just one and a half years until you graduate from a top medical school. That would be viewed favorably if you started your career in Shanghai. I would visit you as often as I could while you finished your studies.”
Li Ying looked desperately for a fault in Hanjun’s logic, but the man was right: to throw away three years of studies when almost at the finish line would be folly.
It just might be the last straw, even for generous Uncle Qian, if his ward threw all those tuition fees down the drain.Li Ying couldn’t throw away the Qian’s kindness after everything they had done for him, he had tested their patience well enough. Even if Mrs. Qian could no longer threaten to kick him out of the house, Li Ying didn’t want to be ungrateful.
“Stop making so much sense, Hanjun.” Li Ying fell against him, holding back tears. “You’re right. I should just finish med school and then follow you to Shanghai.” But one and a half years felt like forever to Li Ying.
Hanjun kept caressing Li Ying’s hair and kissed his forehead. It’s not that the time and distance didn’t terrify him, having grown so used to Li Ying’s presence and dreading how dreary his days would be without him, but Hanjun was a patient man: as long as he knew they would be reunited eventually, he could bear the long-distance relationship. He was simply relieved Li Ying still wanted to be with him after putting him through all this.
“You have to visit me often,” Li Ying demanded. “At least… Every other weekend!” Yet it felt so inadequate. Now Li Ying appreciated all those little moments between them, even the ones spent in silence, so much more.
Li Ying sobbed. Hanjun held him until he had cried his tears.
“We can do it, right?” Li Ying wiped his eyes and sniffled, looking at Hanjun. “We have to, because Hanjun, I’ve never... You were my first true love,and I want you to be the last, hm?” He clung to Hanjun’s shirt.
“Li Ying,” Hanjun spoke his name weightily. He wrapped his hands around Li Ying’s face and pulled him closer, until their lips brushed upon his next words, “You are myonlylove.”
Hanjun brought their lips together in a gentle kiss that already tasted of longing. When they parted, Hanjun spoke:
“Maybe those weekends are nothing compared to a year… but what is a year compared to ‘forever?’” Hanjun’s other hand left Li Ying’s hair and dug something out of his pocket.
Li Ying’s heart jumped to his throat.Is he going to…?!
But Hanjun just took out his phone.
“Hanjun?” Li Ying looked at the man, confused.
Hanjun swiped his screen and was about to show him something on it, but as soon as Li Ying saw a glimpse, he rushed to cover the screen with his hand.
“No, don’t show that to me! That’s not romantic, Hanjun, that’s not how you propose to someone!”
“I just ordered it,” Hanjun explained. “I wanted to wait and surprise you, but…” He shifted nervously. Had he screwed this up, he wondered.
Li Ying pushed the phone down, now smiling ear to ear, “Then wait. Do it properly.”
Hanjun put the phone away, flustered. He was relieved Li Ying seemed to have forgiven his blunder right away. “I wanted you to know I won’t leave you behind.”
Li Ying pulled Hanjun into another kiss, more passionate this time, offering his tongue for his to play with.
Hanjun’s hands began pushing up Li Ying’s shirt, and soon they had left a trail of clothes leading to the bedroom.
“I’m so happy!” Li Ying sighed.
Then I’m happy, too.Hanjun pinned Li Ying down by his hands, weaving their fingers together, and kissed him down his chin, his neck.I want to make you happy every day.For the rest of their lives, Hanjun hoped. Yet he worried, but his worries could wait, now that Li Ying was running hot under him.
An hour later they lay in each other’s arms, their afterglow fading and leaving behind mundane thoughts, and for Hanjun, heavier ones as well.
“I’ll go take a shower. Join me?” Li Ying asked and was about to slip out of bed when Hanjun grabbed his arm.
