Page 111 of He Is My Bride
Hanjun sensed something was amiss, worry flashing in his eyes, but he played it cool in front of the others and simply nodded. He stood up and let Li Ying latch onto his arm, and they bid everyone an early farewell.
“I will see you tomorrow, Hanjun, Miss Li,” Hanrong said—they would be visiting the family elders on the first day of the new year, as was tradition.
“See you tomorrow.” Hanjun wrapped Li Ying in his fur and led him out, out of the restaurant and to the elevators, arm firmly around him the whole way down to the lobby, and Li Ying was thankful for his closeness.
“Would you get us a taxi, please?” Hanjun asked the receptionist.
“Can we wait outside?” Li Ying wanted air.
Hanjun led him out to the cool night. It was still snowing gently.
“I’m alright,” Li Ying assured Hanjun. “I just want to go home with you and tell you something.” Li Ying looked and saw that Hanjun was even more worried now. Li Ying managed a smile, although strained. “It’s alright, Hanjun.”
Hanjun seemed awkward. Should Li Ying be the one comforting him right now, he wondered.
Li Ying kept eyeing the hotel entrance, but to his relief, he didn’t see the Wangs before their ride arrived. Hanjun joined Li Ying in thebackseat and held him all the way home, and the way Li Ying was clinging to him told Hanjun it was needed.
Finally, in the privacy, comfort, and safety of home,Hanjun helped the fur off Li Ying’s back.
“Should we have tea?” Hanjun asked.
“Yeah, we could have some tea.”
Li Ying sat down in the dining area, watching Hanjun put the kettle on in the kitchen. Li Ying took the tea pets, the ceramic little bunny and the rooster, from the shelf, and played around with them until Hanjun set down the tea tray between them.
“So, do these guys go, like, around here somewhere?” Li Ying walked the rooster to Hanjun’s cup and made it peek into the cup, as if looking for tea in there.
“Top of the tray.”
Li Ying walked the pets in place and watched Hanjun pour some tea on them, the ceramic turning dark as it was made wet. Hanjun then filled their cups.
“Did something happen?” Hanjun asked after they had taken their first sips.
Li Ying drew breath, and came out with it, “Wang Guosheng molested me.”
Li Ying saw first disbelief, then a terrifying rage in Hanjun’s eyes, although the man said nothing and became unmoving, like he had turned into ice.
“I think he wanted to scare me for making his son look like a clown, although Wang Hao doesn’t need my help in that department. Or he wanted to get back at you by harassing me, for hitting the idiot, who knows.”
Hanjun’s knuckles were turning white around his cup, so Li Ying put his hand on his.
“Hanjun,” he spoke gently, and Hanjun’s hold loosened. “Either way, let’s not give him the satisfaction of stooping ourselves to his level.”
Hanjun was still quiet.
“Can you tell me what you’re thinking?”
“…I want to hurt him.”
“Me too, but we should let it be. He’s a swine, let him roll in his own filth. We don’t need to escalate things.”
Hanjun was quiet for another moment, staring ahead before he finally asked, “What did he do?”
“Does that matter?”
No response. Hanjun only stared at him, or through him, eyes still ablaze with anger.
“Hanjun…” Li Ying said timidly, shifting in discomfort. “Could you just comfort me?”
