Page 91 of He Is My Bride
“Promise me to smile at least once every day. I want to know that you still find reasons to smile even if we are apart. I can’t stand thinking of you unhappy.”
“You wanna make me cry again?” Li Ying sniffled and wiped his eyes.
Hanjun waited until Li Ying could meet his gaze.
Li Ying thought Hanjun’s eyes seemed to say:‘promise me,’and Li Ying forced himself to smile, to show Hanjun he could do it. Hanjun had always been so strong for him, Li Ying thought; maybe it was his turn to be strong for Hanjun too, show him he could be a big boy while they were apart.
“I promise I will smile for you every day.”
“Good.” Hanjun wiped a tear off Li Ying’s cheek. He had to use every bit of his willpower to step back and let go of Li Ying again. The knowledge that he couldn’t touch his beloved again for over a month crushed him like a mountain settling on his heart, but Hanjun stood steadfast. It would pass, he told himself, ignoring the doubts hounding him from the corners of his mind.
Anne stepped forth. “Thank you for everything, Sir Hanjun. Perhaps we can meet when you come to New York.”
“Thank you, Lü Anne. Until next time.” Hanjun bowed to her.
Baffled by the gesture, Anne returned the bow. She came to take Li Ying’s hand and began leading him away.
“Alright, it’s time to go.”
Li Ying let Anne pull him away, looking back at Hanjun who held his gaze until Li Ying and Anne had entered the terminal building and the doors closed, separatingthem.
For now.
Chapter 18: Distance
“Some champagne for you, miss?” The flight attendant approached Li Ying with a glass and a bottle of bubbly.
Li Ying lowered his large sunglasses, behind which he had been hiding his cried out, tired eyes. “No thank you, miss. Actually, I’m feeling like a ginger beer and a bag of pretzels, if you catch my drift?” Hungover and sad as he still was, Li Ying even managed to pull a grin at this point.
The attendant understood the assignment and returned with the soft drinks, two bags of pretzels, and extra amenities.
After Li Ying’s and Hanjun’s painful goodbyes, all the airport proceedings had gone in a blur for Li Ying, though the process had been smooth because they were traveling in first class, courtesy of Hanjun’s bottomless wallet. It was a long flight and nowhere nearly as comfortable as a private jet though. Li Ying figured he had already become spoiled rotten.
Li Ying browsed through the film selection on the entertainment unit and decidedly avoided anything romantic, or he just might bawl again. He managed to distract himself with a thriller and the free-flowing snacks until he tilted down his seat and fell into uneasy sleep.
Li Ying arrived at John F. Kennedy International Airport early the next morning on the solar New Year’s Eve. He was so tired he didn’t know if he was still hungover or just jet-lagged. Li Ying returned to his and Hanjun’s old home, completely numb mentally and emotionally. Standing in the dim hallway, he put aside his luggage and kicked off his shoes.
“I’m home.” His lonely voice echoed in the empty house.‘Welcome home.’Li Ying imagined Hanjun responding.
Hanjun had messaged Li Ying, telling him to call him when he got home, so Li Ying dialed his number. Hanjun picked up immediately.
“Hey, baby.” Li Ying found himself smiling just knowing Hanjun could hear his voice again.
“Hi, love.” Hanjun’s soft voice spoke over the line.
“It feels so good to hear your voice, though it’s been, what, less than twenty-four hours?”
“Mm. How was your flight?”
They talked, Li Ying wandering around the house looking for something, not knowing what, until he realized he was looking for his cigarettes out of habit. He stopped walking around and instead opened his laptop because he and Hanjun had begun talking about Li Ying’s living arrangements.
“I mean, I don’t need all this space,” Li Ying said, “and I feel bad living in a house your uncle has paid for, you know?”
“I called the brokerage and asked for options,” Hanjun said.
“What, when? Junjun has been busy.” Li Ying scrolled through advertisements for rental apartments that would actually be in his price range, and nothing was anywhere near ideal: too small or way too far, public health hazards, shared apartments… Li Ying had begun looking at the university dormitories as the most viable option when Hanjun said:
“They said it might interest a buyer looking for investment properties if a current resident stayed as a tenant. You might be able to stay, and I could help you pay the rent.”
