Page 3 of He Is My Bride

“I guess there aren’t many open positions for a criminal pathologist in a small town,” Li Ying said, “but maybe I could think of something else at some point. But wouldn’t you like to move out of the city sometime in the future?”

Hanjun regarded Li Ying, who looked at him with those adorable brown eyes and a coy smile. Hanjun suspected he knew what Li Ying had meant when he’d spoken of ‘the future.’ Right now, Hanjun wasn’t sure what ‘future’ meant for himself, but he wished it could be that.

“And what would I do in a small town?”

“You can be my househusband!” Li Ying grinned.

Li Ying noticed something tugged at the corner of Hanjun’s mouth again, something he found amusing.

Househusband? Hanjun couldn’t imagine, but he knew Li Ying was, at most, only half-serious.

Li Ying sighed. “But no, my husband has to hustle.” He kissed Hanjun’s collarbone. “I understand work is important to you, and I’m not asking you to move if you’re not ready to change that picture. But we have been together for almost two years now…”

Li Ying shifted nervously, but finally came out with it, “When will it be ‘Mr. and Mr. Wu?’”

Hanjun said nothing at first. He kissed Li Ying’s forehead.

“Let’s think about it.”Hanjun settled his head back on the pillow and closed his eyes.

“Hey!” Li Ying was not done. “I’ve already taken you to meet my family, too! Foster family as they might be, the Qians are still my only family. When will I meet your uncle and your cousins, and the rest?” Li Ying rolled over Hanjun, pawing at his toned chest.

“It would take some planning to go to Shanghai. Also, you introduced us to the Qians as ‘roommates.’”

Hanjun understood the need for keeping secrets more than well, but it still had hurt to hear Li Ying call him a ‘friend.’ Hanjun had wondered whether Li Ying held hesitations about their relationship, but now there was no doubt he was serious about them.

“I didn’t think they were ready for the real news yet,” Li Ying admitted. “But! You’ve met them!” He gently poked Hanjun’s chest. “Why don’t we plan a trip to Shanghai over Christmas break?”

“Let’s see.”

“Don’t you want to introduce me to your family?”

Hanjun frowned. Li Ying had noticed how quiet his boyfriend always got when discussing family. Something troubled him, Li Ying knew, something he wasn’t ready to share.

Hanjun sighed. “It’s not that I don’t want to.”

“Then what is it with you hesitating? We can’t hide our relationship from our families forever, Hanjun!”

Hanjun stared at the ceiling. “Why not?” he asked quietly.

Li Ying looked at Hanjun like he had just been hit. He rolled off him and huddled with his blanket to the far edge of the bed.

“Li Ying.” Hanjun put his hand on the soft, angry blanket roll.

The roll tensed and spoke, “I want a wedding and I want a life together, Hanjun!”

Hanjun’s heart ached. Me too, Li Ying, me too.

“We could have all that,” Li Ying said. “And we shouldn’t be ashamed of our relationship!”

“I’m not ashamed!” Hanjun took the blanket off Li Ying and pulled him back to his arms. “I love you. I am not ashamed of that.”

“Then let’s do it!” Li Ying turned back to face him. “Let’s ask for our families’ blessings and get married!”

But then Li Ying saw it again: that hesitation in Hanjun’s eyes.

“There is… more to consider.” Hanjun weighed his words carefully, “Your family is immigrant; they might accept us, but my family in Shanghai is very traditional concerning certain things, and I’m afraid of you getting hurt.”

“You can’t know for sure they will reject me just because I’m a man. But if they do, then let them. As long as you’re there for me, we’ll be happy. Unless,” Li Ying hesitated, “you wouldn’t…?”

“I will always be there for you!” Hanjun said and kissed Li Ying, not letting him finish that thought. “But there are… other circumstances.”

“What? What is it, Hanjun? Please explain it to me?”

Hanjun looked at Li Ying, took his face into his hands, and held him close. “I will explain everything at a better time. Just know,” he brought him into a kiss, “that I love you more than I can ever say.”

Words often eluded Hanjun, but he hoped his actions would show Li Ying how much he cared about him.

Yes, he ought to take more action.

Li Ying couldn’t help but smile at such an earnest confession, his pearly teeth flashing, biting down on his lip.

“Noted.” Li Ying kissed Hanjun back, and with his arms and legs wrapped around him, they settled to sleep.

Hanjun was about to doze off when he stirred to his personal phone buzzing.

Hanjun grabbed the phone to pick up before the buzz would wake up Li Ying. He saw who was calling and his heart froze in his chest:

It was his uncle, Wu Yiheng.

“Hello, uncle,” Hanjun murmured into the phone, sneaking out of bed.

“I was expecting your call.” Wu Yiheng’s voice was stern.

“I apologize, I… forgot.” Hanjun wished he had. He moved to the living room and quietly closed the door behind him. “About my return to Shanghai?”

“Mm.” Wu Yiheng confirmed, “It’s time you came back.” There was a silence on the line before Wu Yiheng spoke again, “Wang Guosheng’s grandson has started an internship at management.”

Hanjun saw himself frown in his reflection in the window, a ghost over the glittering cityscape.

“Who greenlit this?” Hanjun asked. “We only had one position open and that was reserved for Cousin Yiyi.”

“It was approved by the chief business officer behind everyone’s backs. Wang Guosheng has bought him, he’s no longer loyal. I need you to come back to HQ and start taking over his position, or Wang Guosheng will keep getting his own people hired through this loophole.”

“I understand. How soon?”

“I have already contacted the Measumed CEO and told him to sever your contract by December.”

In just four months?

Hanjun’s hand squeezed into a fist. “I see.”

“Wang Guosheng will keep pushing his influence over the company if you don’t step up. He obviously has plans for his grandson, and so long as you don’t have an heir, the company threatens to fall into Wang hands. I’m in a difficult position here, Hanjun.”

“I understand.”

“If you don’t marry, and soon, I am faced with choices I would rather not make: sell the company, or let the Wangs take over. Either way, grandfather’s legacy would be over.”

“There is still Cousin Hanrong and Cousin Yiyi. They are Wu, too.”

“They are the weaker stock. Besides, Hanrong is still unmarried as well, and Yiyi is too young. I would rather not rely on leaving the company to them, it’s as good as handing it over to the Wangs.”

“If you gave Cousin Hanrong a chance—”

“If you gave me an heir! I have been in talks with families with eligible daughters. Once you return, you should meet them, see if anyone pleases you.”

Hanjun knew he would never be pleased with any woman.

Unless that woman was Li Ying.

Hanjun was gay, but he thought he would have loved Li Ying in any shape or form, in any lifetime.

If only Li Ying were a woman!

“Is that all, Uncle?” Hanjun asked, keeping his tone polite.

There was a quiet sigh on the line. “That is all for now. Hanging up.”

“Bye, Uncle.” Hanjun waited for Wu Yiheng to hang up first.

Hanjun returned to the bedroom. He watched Li Ying’s sleeping face and felt his heart being torn in two.