Page 74 of He Is My Bride
Li Ying fidgeted and looked at Hanjun. He knew Hanjun had topped his credit card for him just earlier this week, even if Li Ying hadn’t actually asked for most of the things they had bought. Hanjun had just pushed him to shop for some reason. It had been stupid of him to go along with it, as now, when Li Ying could think of something he really wanted, he felt bad asking for it. Any other jewelry would surely do? Li Ying thought back to the badass golden skulls and how well they would go with his outfit. No, he had a vision, and it demanded fulfillment. He would wear them forever and never ask for anything else again.
Hanjun had noticed Li Ying looking his way, but ignored him until the man could open his mouth and come out with it:
“Hanjun,” Li Ying crooned, “can Anne go buy me some more accessories for tomorrow?”
Hanjun was quiet, looking at Li Ying with an unreadable face.
“Or, never mind,” Li Ying hurried to say. “There’s no real need to. I mean, I got so many things from you already. I will find something suitable from what I have, I just… Well, there were a few things that would have gone so well together with my purse, but I was overwhelmed by choice when we were shopping, and I don’t know why I didn’t get them instead of…” Li Ying rambled on.
Hanjun saw Li Ying was panicking, perhaps fearing Hanjun thought him frivolous. Li Ying was many things, but frivolous was not one of them. He was more virtuous than any man or woman Hanjun had met. He would have given the clothes off his back even if they were his last ones. Hanjun thought he deserved everything, and more.
“Okay,” Hanjun said, smiling gently, and turned back to his laptop.
“And—Huh? ‘Okay?’”
“Mm.”
“I could return some things we bought before?”
“No need.”
“…Alright. Thank you, Hanjun.” Li Ying kissed his cheek, then messaged Anne:
Now Li Ying got the leather mini dress and matching accessories: the shoes with the buckled ankle strap and metal tip, and the bag that effectively doubled as knuckle dusters slash rings, so Li Ying felt armed and ready to slay. Anne had also gotten him a pair of dangling earrings with onyx and pearls in a gold setting, as well as a bracelet with pearls and golden skull charms. On his neck Li Ying opted to wear a black leather choker with a rhinestone buckle, looking like a bougie collar. His makeup was more dramatic tonight as well, Anne helping him wing his eyeliner, but for his lips, they just went with some shaded lip gloss to keep the look from getting too heavy. For perfume Li Ying wore a deliciously sweet and dark creation with a raspberry note that led to gourmand vanilla-caramel with a powdery muskiness to it—a paradoxically innocent yet sultry kind of scent that was like sweet, sweet poison.
“Anne,” Li Ying asked, posing before a mirror and loving it all, but wondering, “do I look unapproachable?”
“I can’t see you like that, but that’s because I know how goofy you are. You do look cool and sexy, but I think it’s the signal we want to send: you are not one to be pushed around. Because Li Ying,” Anne took his hands to hers, “there will be women your age, women who are part of the elite, women who think they would be a better match for someone like Sir Hanjun, and you are entering their territory. You have to rise above any petty slights, but still hold your ground.”
Li Ying smirked. “Hanjun is mine. I don’t have competition.”
“That’s right! You just have to let them know that too, preferably in a way that saves you face.”
Li Ying smiled confidently. “Bring them on, I guess. I just want to meet Hanjun’s friends and have some fun tonight.”
“Speaking of fun, I brought some booze! Do you want to drink a few cocktails with me before we leave? You really shouldn’t be seen hanging out with your assistant, so I’ll be on standby at a lounge near the club if you need me, but I wanted to party with you just a little, if you want?”
“You bet!”
They mixed Moscow Mules with generous pours of vodka and blasted some hits while dancing in the kitchen.
“You always danced better than the chicks at clubs, I don’t have to teach you any moves for tonight, do I?” Anne said while swinging her hips with a glass in hand.
“‘Teach,’ me? Hah! How aboutIteach you something?” Li Ying laughed, sipped his drink, and only bemoaned his heels and tight dress for how they limited his repertoire. Then again, being more grounded would ensure he didn’t bust into any freestyling, which wouldn’t be very ladylike. So he swung his hips all the more for it, to let loose his wild energy.
Twirling around, Li Ying saw Hanjun watching them from the hallway, leaning against the doorway. He was all dressed up and fixing a nice watch around his wrist. Li Ying’s belly dropped, excited to see his man so handsome.
