Nana pushed Jinhai and raised her hand to slap him, but he grabbed it in his hand. Her hand was trembling in his. Jinhai tenderly kissed the back of her hand and smiled.
“What happened? Did I step on your tail?”
Nana said indignantly, “You are crossing the line!”
“So, don’t make one,” Jinhai said. “Either I will cross the line and come to your side, or I will pull you to make you come to mine. Either way, I won’t let any line separate us.”
This man!
“You are only angry because I revealed what is in your heart, the feelings that you want to hide forever. From yourself and from me.”
She looked away and said nothing.
Jinhai sighed. “I love you so much. I will get jealous if I see you smiling and laughing with some other guy who clearly has a crush on you.”
Nana’s heart skipped a beat when he openly admitted that he was jealous, but then her mouth twitched, hearing the second part.
When did I laugh? I was just talking normally.
Jinhai frowned, making deep creases on his forehead. “And I didn’t like that so many guys hit on you. That right is only mine. Just like it is only your right to love me.”
“That happened in the past when we hadn’t even met each other.” She looked at him dryly.
Jinhai shrugged. “So, what? I still don’t like it, and I still consider it as wrong.”
Nana couldn’t take it anymore. The bitterness inside her vehemently erupted like lava from a volcano.
“Oh, really!? If you consider it as wrong, then perhaps I should consider your marriage as a crime. I also feel hurt knowing that you are someone else’s husband, but did I keep harping on it when it was not in anybody’s control? At least my acquaintances were limited to being only acquaintances. They didn’t even culminate in dating. But you? You crossed the finish line with the prize as the marriage certificate in your hand! Oh, and please mind that this is only Mrs. Liu Huian I’m talking about. I have still not mentioned those countless girls who may have confessed to you since when? The moment you were born? Kindergarten, elementary, middle, and high school, university abroad, how many have tried to hit on or seduce you? How many love letters have you got? How many Valentine’s chocolates? In Liu Corps, how many women are there who blush seeing you pass through their way? How many women are there who imagine themselves in your embrace at least once every day? How many women are there who have lost their footing just as an excuse to land in your arms? Have you bothered thinking about it? No, right? So going by your logic, by now, I should have drowned in the sea of jealousy, realizing that practically every woman in China is after the man I love. I should have killed myself with this much overdose of jealousy. DID I?”
Nana finally stopped talking. Her chest was heaving up and down in breathlessness. Her mouth went dry. She was feeling thirsty. After taking a few deep breaths, she looked at him.
But, the view before her stunned her.
Jinhai was grinning widely, ear to ear. His eyes were shining in tears of pure bliss. It felt as if the brilliance of all stars put together in the whole universe could not match before the radiance reflecting in his eyes.
Nana’s heart melted at this sight. Just a few minutes ago she was furious with him, but now she couldn’t bear to be mad at him anymore.
“You…Why are you crying?” she softly asked.
Jinhai cupped her face in his palms and asked, his fingers slightly trembling, “What did you say just now? You feel hurt knowing that I’m married? You are jealous that so many women are after me…” He looked at her hopefully, “after the man you love?”
Nana stiffened.
She blankly stared at him, realizing what she just said. She lost control over her mind and tongue and let out everything that was in her heart. That night she was drunk, but tonight in full consciousness, she confessed her love for Jinhai.
Jinhai had already understood long ago that their love was mutual. But there was a whole world’s difference between the time she confessed when she was drunk and now.
She completely bared her heart open before him.
“You are unfair! You tried to egg me on purpose!”
He chuckled. “But, it worked beautifully, right?” He brought her palm to his lips and kissed it softly. The feather kiss tickled her a little.
She looked at him solemnly. She was meaning to say something, but couldn’t get the right words for it.
Jinhai pressed his forehead against hers. “I know. I know what you want to say. I understand our helplessness. I’m not asking you to be in a relationship with me. That is disrespecting you. But I want you to answer me one question.”
She silently looked at him.
“Do you want to deny what you said just now? I know our situation is complicated. That’s why you were running away. Even now, you confessed only because I deliberately provoked you. But now I’m asking again. Nana, do you love me?”
Nana slowly closed her eyes and softly nodded her head.
“Yes, I do.”
Jinhai cheekily smiled and leaned forward. He gingerly pressed his lips on hers. This time the kiss was nowhere sensual like the previous ferocious one. It was soft and sweet and filled with nothing but immense love for each other.
