Page 26 of He Is My Bride

“Mercy, mercy, Mister Wu…” Soon Li Ying was too tired to even beg, but Hanjun kept going until he felt like passing out from exhaustion and the bliss both .

When they finally settled down to spoon, Li Ying’s last coherent thought was that he should remove his makeup before he fell asleep.

—

Li Ying woke up and felt Hanjun, warm and solid, behind his back, still spooning him.

Li Ying turned around carefully to not wake him up, but found his man was peacefully asleep.

Hanjun seemed so content. His thin but beautifully shaped lips were the faintest pink of a peony, laying ajar, perfectly kissable.

His charcoal black, silken hair was over his face, and it hurt Li Ying how gorgeous he was.

Mine. Li Ying brushed his finger across Hanjun’s cheek.

Li Ying noticed Hanjun must have removed his choker during the night, as it rested on the night table. Li Ying felt his neck, but there was nothing, no painful marks. Hanjun’s frisky little experiment had been very gentle. Li Ying still checked himself out, using his phone screen as a mirror.

…Yikes ! His makeup was smudged, making him look scruffy, and with his ponytail having come undone, his hair was no better. And, even if Li Ying couldn’t feel any pain, around his neck was a wreath of dark, red and blue hickeys like plum flowers.

Damn, Hanjun! How am I supposed to go anywhere like this! Li Ying tried to get up from the bed, but his arm was seized.

“Stay in bed,” Hanjun said.

“Hanjun!” Li Ying said sternly. “Look at what you did! How can I go anywhere! I look terrible. I have to go wash my face.”

Hanjun seemed discontent, but let go. Li Ying went to wash and moisturize his face and fretted over the obvious hickeys. He would have to ask Anne what to do. He gave up on his hair for now. He would have to sort it out later, so he just put it in a messy top bun and went back to the bedroom.

“What came over you last night?” Li Ying asked. “You are insatiable.”

“Come to bed. ”

“Don’t tell me you’re going to do me again like that! My body can’t take another round of you.” Regardless, Li Ying came right next to Hanjun, clinging to him like a burdock. They were quiet until something dawned on Li Ying:

“What time is it?” Li Ying grabbed his phone and checked: almost nine in the morning. “Aren’t you supposed to be at work?!” Li Ying also realized it was the 25th of December. Hanjun said nothing while Li Ying stared at him. “Hanjun?”

“Later.”

“Later, right. Oh, merry Christmas!” Li Ying smooched Hanjun next to his lips. “Is it my turn to give a gift to you?”

Li Ying bounced off the bed and went to the closet where he had hidden what he’d bought the other day. He hopped back on the bed and handed the bag to Hanjun. Hanjun pulled out a medium-sized, hard package, subtly wrapped with red silk paper. Hanjun felt it was somewhat heavy.

“I can open it now?” Hanjun asked.

“Mm-m! Go ahead.” Li Ying sat on his knees on the bed, clasping his hands together in excitement while Hanjun carefully removed the wrapping to reveal a red box.

Hanjun lifted the lid of the box. Inside was a full tea set in red porcelain, with the double happiness symbols painted in gold: a wedding tea set. Hanjun stared at it, unmoving except for the bob of his Adam’s apple.

“I don’t think your bride’s family would buy this for us, so he bought it himself,” Li Ying said.

Hanjun looked at Li Ying, and he looked at Hanjun.

“It’s good you have bought this,” Hanjun said.

“Oh yeah?” Li Ying grinned.

Hanjun reached down to where his clothes lay discarded on the floor from last night.

He took something small from the pocket of his jacket, and it was Li Ying’s turn to freeze.

He almost didn’t believe it, even when Hanjun opened the tiny black velvet box and presented it to him: a two-carat diamond on a gold band.

It was gorgeous, not too flashy, but unignorable.

Hanjun wasted no time taking Li Ying’s right hand into his.

He was about to just put the ring on, but Li Ying halted.

“Hanjun, the other hand. And you should ask me the question first.”

“No.”

“What?” Li Ying stared, confused. What was happening?

“Traditionally, the bride wears the ring on the right hand.”

“Oh, okay. And the question?” Li Ying couldn’t believe he had to walk Hanjun through this.

But Hanjun seemed to be struggling. He held Li Ying’s wrist tightly and looked from the ring to the finger, then up to Li Ying’s eyes. He seemed almost… scared?

“Hanjun.” Li Ying spoke softly and put his left hand on Hanjun’s. “Will you marry me?”

Looking at Li Ying’s warm smile and twinkling eyes, Hanjun almost forgot to breathe. “…Yes. Will you… marry me?” Hanjun didn’t think he would have been this nervous, but as always, Li Ying had helped him break through his ice by taking the first step.

“ Yes! ” Li Ying said. “Yes, yes Hanjun, yes!” He threw himself on Hanjun and haphazardly kissed him, his joy overflowing.

Hanjun returned the kiss but soon tore his gaze back to their hands and decisively slid the ring on Li Ying’s right middle finger—the traditional finger for an engagement ring.

They looked at it for a second before falling back onto the bed, kissing.

Li Ying barely figured to rescue the tea set and put it aside before Hanjun claimed his full attention.

They tangled up with each other, kissing and touching as if they would never get enough of each another.

Hanjun’s phone rang, but he turned it off.

“Will you go to work?”

“Not today.”

They hardly left the bed that day.

—

Anne received a call from a strange number.

“Hello?”

“Hello, is this Lü Anne?”

“Yes, and who is this?”

The woman on the phone introduced herself as a reporter from a local daily paper.

Anne had to think fast.

“Well, you see, I’m not from here, actually, and I have never heard of such a publication. What’s your name again?” Anne spoke slowly, hoping to stall the reporter while she made a search on the name of the person and the paper she represented: yellow press. Celebrity news. Trash.

“You work as a personal stylist, is that correct?” the reporter asked.

Anne tried to think where the reporter could have possibly gotten her name, her number, and her occupation. Then Anne remembered: she’d given her card to that stuck-up sales representative. She’d seen Hanjun enter the store and likely figured out who Anne’s client was.

That sneaky bitch, how unprofessional!

“—I would like to ask you a few questions. Who—”

“I’m under a non-disclosure agreement, I can’t answer your questions.” Anne lied on the spot. There was no agreement, but her obligations were stronger than paper.

“We will offer a generous recompense if you would just tell—”

“The answer is no, goodbye.”

”-the sum of money your client used yesterday—”

Anne closed the phone and blocked the number.

—

Li Ying was happy to keep Hanjun in bed all day. The rest of the world disappeared as the newly betrothed began dreaming of their wedding day .

Only late in the evening Li Ying finally re-remembered what day it was. Besides his betrothal day, of course!

“It should be early morning in the States, I should call home.”

Li Ying was lounging on the couch in nothing but a bathrobe. Hanjun was the same way, coming from the kitchen with a cup of tea.

“I can’t wait to tell them—” Then Li Ying realized: he couldn’t tell the Qians the first thing about his engagement. “Tell them merry Christmas, I guess.”

Hanjun felt a sting of conscience when he saw Li Ying’s face drop.

“I got too excited for a second, I almost forgot.” Li Ying smiled apologetically at Hanjun.

“You should still call them.” Hanjun sat down next to him.

Li Ying took his phone out and dialed Uncle Qian. His foster father replied:

“Hi, Li Ying!”

“Merry Christmas, uncle!”

“Merry Christmas! How have you been?”

“Well, Christmas is not that big of a deal here, but I did some gift-shopping yesterday. Today, uh, I’ve just been chilling. Have you opened presents yet?” Li Ying held out his hand and turned it, letting the diamond catch the light and glimmer beautifully.

Li Ying and his foster father chatted about how the holidays had been going over at the Qians. Although Li Ying’s tone remained cheerful, he began to look rather forlorn.

“Yeah, yeah, Hanjun is doing fine, although he’s had to work a lot,” Li Ying said when Uncle Qian asked how his friend had been doing.

“No Christmas celebrations at all, then?” Uncle Qian asked.

“Not really. I…” Li Ying looked at Hanjun, who could read the sadness in his eyes.

“I mean, I’m so, so happy I came here. It has really been…

” Li Ying looked again at the engagement ring on his finger, “…amazing. But I miss you all and kinda wish I could be there with you as well, you know, having a family holiday. ”

“We miss you too, Li Ying. It’s less lively without you here, but I’m happy you’re having fun. Enjoy the trip! We’ll see each other soon, then you can tell us all about Shanghai.”

“Yeah, can’t wait to tell you…” Li Ying had to draw breath as his throat got tight, “all about it…”

“Li Ying? Is everything okay?” Uncle Qian asked gently.

Li Ying couldn’t take it and broke into sobs, through which he still carried on:

“I’m just a little homesick, that’s all. I really miss you guys.”

Hanjun looked at Li Ying with sympathy. He put a hand on his shoulder, and Li Ying placed his hand over his.

“Li Ying,” Uncle Qian spoke, “if you need anything, just ask, okay?”

“Yeah.” Li Ying sniffled. “Thanks. Gee, I didn’t know I’m this sentimental, heh.”

“It’s okay. Call if you want to talk, alright?”

“Okay, thanks. Ugh, sorry about that…”

“It’s okay.”

Li Ying wiped his eyes, swallowing his tears and trying to be a big boy.

“Amy wants to talk to you,” Uncle Qian said over the line, “I’ll hand over the phone.”

Next Li Ying heard his sister’s worried voice on the line:

“Hi, Li Ying, is everything okay?”

“Hi, Amy! Yeah, I don’t know, I just got super homesick and cried like a stupid baby, haha!” Li Ying exchanged a few words with Amy, and that cheered him up.

“Kai said hi too,” Amy said.

“Tell him I said hi back,” Li Ying and Amy then hung up after some more ‘merry Christmases.

Li Ying put the phone down and looked at Hanjun. “I just wish…” Li Ying had to fight the lump in his throat again to keep ta lking, “that I could tell them that I just got engaged to the love of my life.”

Hanjun pulled him into a hug, staying silent.

“But I don’t think we can ever tell them,” Li Ying said, sobbing again. “Not because they would know I’m gay, what’s that to them? It doesn’t matter as much because I’m not a Qian. But—”

“You matter,” Hanjun said firmly.

“But I’m someone else’s kid who’s not affiliated with the family name. And, you know, that could have been a boon; I don’t face the same expectations as a son as Kai does. Or you.”

Hanjun remained quiet, just holding him. Aside from feeling sorry for Li Ying, he felt conflicted. Guilty.

“But if they knew who you are, they could figure out, you know, who you are, and if they got in touch with your family, it would be over for us,” Li Ying said.

“Not over.”

“Well, you would be screwed. I don’t want you to get disowned.”

Hanjun remained quiet, his own thoughts and feelings just out of his reach: why was he feeling like Li Ying’s tears were somehow his fault?

Li Ying thought out loud:

“I wonder if I could tell the Qians I have found someone and just not tell them who it is? I don’t want them to think that it’s someone weird, like, I don’t know, a mafia guy.

Or to make them feel like I don’t trust them enough to tell them about my life, like I don’t think they deserve to know.

But maybe I could make them understand it’s a secret I must keep? ”

“I trust you to do what’s for the best, but we should not risk the plan,” Hanjun said. But what would have been for the best in Li Ying’s situation, Hanjun asked himself, but feared the answer.

“Oh, Hanjun, they would like you, I think! Well, they did like you, Amy thought you’re nice and handsome, and Uncle Qian said you’re a ‘very polite young man.’” Li Ying cuddled against Hanjun, smiling faintly as he recalled the time he had invited his ‘friend’ over for dinner.

“Your family are good people.”

“Mm. You are my family now.”

“Yes.” Hanjun kissed his forehead. “And the Qians are too. Uncle Qian and your foster sister and brother care about you. Don’t write yourself out.”

Li Ying was quiet, but Hanjun’s words comforted him. He wanted the Qians to be his family, but not being able to share a major milestone and a large part of his life with them didn’t help Li Ying bring them closer, and that saddened him.