Translator: Exodus Tales Editor: Exodus Tales
“I didn’t want to let you know so early, actually. You’re still too young,” Yun Xiangxiang didn’t know when Song Mian came out. He pulled out a chair and sat across Yun Xiangxiang. “I am also worried that you might misunderstand me.”
“Misunderstand?” Yun Xiangxiang questioned.
His shimmering eyes fixated on Yun Xiangxiang. “You’re still a minor,” said Song Mian.
“Pfft,” Yun Xiangxiang giggled. She didn’t imagine Song Mian to be still uptight about this. Countless students were already dating since junior high. She was already seventeen and attending university.
“I am very serious,” Song Mian explained.
How many of those dating in junior high or even university knew about responsibility or the weight of love? How many then, knew what it meant to truly love someone?
How could they have known that it wasn’t an illusion borne by their hormones? Or that they weren’t seduced by a charming appearance? How could they know it wasn’t just because of a flash of moving moment brought by the other party? How could they know that they started not because of all of the above reasons?
“I know,” Yun Xiangxiang started paying some importance to it. Her fingertip was twirling around the side of the cup she was holding. Yun Xiangxiang mused on it before she spoke, “Song Mian, I have to say this seriously. I still don’t feel any romance toward you. It’s not that you’re not good. It’s also not because you’re not who I want. It is because I have already decided to be alone for the rest of my life from the start. You entering my life has upset my life’s plans.”
“Let me finish,” Song Mian started to speak, but was abruptly cut off by Yun Xiangxiang before he could continue, “Do you know, Song Mian? Just because the one who loves me is you, now I don’t even have the right to reject you.”
“I trust that you will not force me. I also know that you’ll do your very best to prevent anyone else from disrupting my life. However, it’s very hard to hide it when you like or care about someone. A lot of people around you have already noticed.”
People like Song Qian. People like Song Yao.
“Unless you get married and have kids, I may not know peace for the rest of my life. Too many people want to please you. They will do that at any cost. Even if their lives are on the line. Life is a gamble after all. Winning means getting everything; losing just means you’ll end up with nothing.”
Song Mian brooded. His brows furrowed slightly.
Even someone as mighty as him couldn’t shoot his mouth off and guarantee that this situation wouldn’t happen. He wasn’t an omnipotent god. And any plan would have its flaws.
“I’m sorry to have troubled you,” Song Mian drew his hand back. He seemed to have reached a resolution. “If there is no other choice, then I will.”
Yun Xiangxiang’s mind went blank.
Was he saying that if his love for her were tormenting her, he would marry someone else out of responsibility for the sake of giving her a peaceful life and not bother her anymore?
Yun Xiangxiang felt tears welling up in her eyes. She promptly tilted her head up in an effort to force them back into her eyes.
Song Mian strode to her side and handed a piece of tissue to her. He pursed his lips, “I’m sorry. I wasn’t trying to make you sad…”
Yun Xiangxiang suddenly wrapped her arms around his slim waist before he finished. She hugged him tightly and buried her face in his abs. Rivulets of tears ran down her face uncontrollably.
Nobody was this nice to her before. She grew up as a tramp in her previous life. She never felt someone being this sincere to her ever.
Ruo Feiqun couldn’t sacrifice this much for her. Not even her parents in this life could. Because they had two other children to care for.
Only Song Mian could sacrifice everything to give her everything she wanted.
“You don’t have to feel touched. It is just right for me to take care of things if my feelings for you troubled you. Not to mention I also have my own responsibility. I can choose not to marry, but I cannot have no children of my own, just like how I came to this world,” Song Mian’s modulated voice eased her. He probably knew why Yun Xiangxiang cried.
“Song Mian, you’re a perfect man that can’t be surpassed.”
Yun Xiangxiang didn’t feel relieved saying that. It instead made her feel that Song Mian was even more commendable.
Yun Xiangxiang disliked those who shirked their responsibility, parents, and family just to pursue those who they fancied but could not get. They thought that the world abandoned them and owed them something. They thought that everyone shouldn’t feel any regret or sorrow about their love.
“Song Mian,” She pushed him softly. Yun Xiangxiang raised her head. Her brown eyes glimmered from the moisture of her tears. “I thought about a lot of things by myself just now. I could feel the candor in your feelings. It is exactly because of that that I told myself that no matter how much I yearn for your affection, I can’t have myself giving in to it. That would be an insult to your sincerity. It’s not fair to you.”
She didn’t want a repeat of her previous life’s tragedy. It was because she craved Ruo Feiqun’s neatness that they entwined themselves until they were burned out. Now that she thought of it, what was between her and Ruo Feiqun might have not been true love. Neither of them could compromise and take a step back for each other.
Song Mian bent down and stared at her calmly without speaking.
“But I will tell you now that I understand clearly that I haven’t fallen for you yet. At least not to the point that I can willingly give everything up for you. But I feel safe when I am with you. I yearn for the way you treat me.”
“I hand the right to choose to you. We can try to be a couple if you can accept me the way I am right now. If you can’t, then we can wait.”
Yun Xiangxiang thought that she couldn’t decide what was unfair to Song Mian all by herself. Song Mian was a mature and rational person. He had his right to choose.
Song Mian peered at Yun Xiangxiang quietly for a while. He held her delicate hands in his lean, sturdy ones, “Putting feeling safe aside, do you feel any bit unbearable or strained when you are with me?”
Yun Xiangxiang shook her head. She felt relaxed and unfettered when she was with Song Mian.
But she didn’t have the feeling of her heart leaping.
“If you don’t bump into the love you want for your whole life and you have to choose someone to marry, will you choose me first?” Song Mian continued.
Yun Xiangxiang gave it a genuine deliberation before nodding solemnly.
Song Mian’s lips curved. The shimmering trace of a smile travelled to his eyes. His glimmering purplish-black eyes radiated a mesmerizing brilliance. He slowly closed the distance between him and Yun Xiangxiang. It was a dawdling close that felt like it was testing the waters.
Yun Xiangxiang stared at him dumbly. She felt that his breath was getting closer. She wanted to run on impulse, but Song Mian’s hand caught the back of her head.
The gentle sensation arrived as promised. Song Mian touched her lightly at first. He gradually started tasting her lips. His movements were always gentle and deeply entwining.
Her mind shut down instantly. Song Mian loosened his embrace sometime when the kiss went deeper. Yun Xiangxiang, however, did not notice. She actually couldn’t help but start to react clumsily.
Song Mian parted from her lips at this moment. He chortled at her scarlet face, “Is it uncomfortable kissing me?”
Even though she was flushed, Yun Xiangxiang still shook her head. She didn’t feel uncomfortable. It even felt like she was about to be bewitched.
“Let’s be together.”
