56 Epilogue Part 2 (1/2)
After they received their marriage certificate, the following day, Gu Sheng and Doctor Mo arrived in Sanya.
This time, it was for a medical conference and knowledge exchange, and as a result, it was completely different from the previous time in Southeast Asia, being truly a vacation for only the two of them. Oh wait, no, no. For work. Work!
When they stepped into their hotel room, she discovered their balcony was facing the ocean.
Unfortunately, though, it was not a very good time to vacation here. The temperature was only in the teens, and the ocean wind was blowing strong. From a distance, the view of the ocean was not very attractive.
She turned around. Mo Qingcheng was already sitting peacefully on one of the lounge chairs and was motioning to her.
She stepped over to him. ”So cold. When I was coming up just now, I saw the servers at the bar downstairs were even wearing fur…”
He casually answered, ”Indeed, not a good season to be here. Why don't we go to the spa downstairs? They have a private husband and wife room.”
”It should be 'private couples' room'…” she correctly him gently.
He gave an ”oh” and asked, ”Not 'husband and wife'?”
She squatted down in front of him, patting him on the jaw and teasing, ”Dada, I'm immune to you now, you know. It is 'couples' room.' I saw it very clearly.” After saying this, she even could not help letting out a little giggle.
He changed to a different sitting posture, with one hand propping his chin. ”Really?”
Oh no, she was done for. He had switched to his cold, dignified emperor's voice… He casually took her hand in his, and slid his own hand down to encircle the band on her ring finger, slowly turning it. ”It's really not 'husband and wife'?”
She suddenly clued in. He was talking about that.
On her finger, the ring slowly rotated. She was still in somewhat of a daze.
If she said he had duped her into their marriage registration, would his hundreds of thousands of fans take headshots at her? But it was true…
So neat, quick, and easy. And just like that, their marriage certificate was in hand.
And before she had gotten used to the idea that they were legally recognized as husband and wife now, they had flown here to Sanya?
The ocean wind was blowing in gusts into the balcony.
”What are you thinking about?” His finger twirled her long strands of hair.
She felt a little self-conscious about telling him that she was still thinking about the course of events for yesterday's marriage registration, especially that moment when they had taken their marriage photograph and the old grandpa had beamed at them while directing them on how to nestle closer together.
She gazed down at his fingers. Fingers where each contour was clearly defined. Hands that belonged to a doctor.
And a very nice-looking pair of doctor's hands at that.
For the first time, she took the lead, reaching out her arms and wrapping them around his neck. Softly, by his ear, she whispered, ”I'm thinking… we're actually married.”
He chuckled, ”Don't tell me you had other options.”
She was taken aback briefly, but very soon, her cheeks were blushing.
It seemed… this was the first time he had said that. Wait, no. He had said it before, very early on. Not long after they had met each other, he had said it, but at the time, it had been a joke.
”Mind's wandered again?” He seemed a little displeased.
'I was thinking about… the first time you hit on me,” she hurriedly explained.
”Hit on you?”
Um, that wasn't quite right. She discovered that, more and more, she really didn't let her brain filter her words for her first. ”I mean, that time we just met. Rehearsing script.” She felt a little shy about saying those three words and had to take a long, roundabout way before she could manage to explain what she meant.
For a moment, silence filled the air around them.
It was a little cold.
Worried that they would catch a cold since both of them were wearing only short sleeves and shorts, she wanted to climb off from on top of him and tow him back inside the room. But she had just moved to stand when, unexpectedly, he pulled her back into his arms.
”Sheng Sheng Man…” He nibbled on her little ear.
”Hmm?” The palms of her hands were somewhat numb and tingly.
”I love you.” His voice resonated slightly with a gentle warmth that seemed to cast a spell. ”Do you… love me?”
In that instant, it seemed like time had suddenly turned back.
They had returned to the very beginning… Two people, separated by the vast Internet, carrying out this dialogue.
As if, right now, they were not in Sanya but in front of their computers. He had not yet shown his face to her, and she did not know that, from the beginning, he had already known her name and had wanted her, one step at a time, to fall in love with him.
”Let's go back in the room,” he said softly.
Her heartbeat was getting louder and louder.
Her heart rate, though, was getting slower and slower…
His words had made her body grow somewhat weak.
”Don't want to go in? You want it to be out here?”
”... No.” She tried to wriggle out of his embrace.
Oh gawd, out on the balcony…
Even though it was completely enclosed and no one could see into it, still, that was just too…
Unfortunately, Toupai DaRen seemed to feel that this was a very good place. It would seem that this most significant of nights should also carry a slightly different ambience. He did not give her any opportunity to refuse, directly using action instead to convey his resolve.
Continuously, beside her ear, there was the sound of his voice, speaking to her softly. He called her Sheng Sheng, called her Sheng Sheng Man, called her Gu Sheng, called her baby. Whispering, doting, beguiling, and containing a sense of desire that he did not wish at all to hide…
Since they had been together, he had always halted himself at the final moment.
Regardless of how many times they had shared the same bed, he had always refused to cross that boundary by even a single step.
Until this evening.
The light inside the room passed through the glass balcony door and shone upon her. Gradually, everything grew still.
Feeling slightly puzzled, she nervously opened her eyes to see him, framed against the sunlight behind him, face to face with her. ”Sheng Sheng…” He was completely stirred by his desires and emotions now, and he did not conceal this at all as he gazed intently at her. ”Be good. Let me see.” She bit down on her lip and closed her eyes, listening as the sound of her breathing intermingled with his… Slowly, she at last loosened her two hands, which had been gripping his shirt tightly…
No longer resisting.
...
When he finally carried her into the room, her entire body felt as if it could fall apart, and she really did not even want to lift a single finger in the slightest. All she knew was that he was holding her in his embrace. And then, after a little while, it happened all over again. Not knowing whether to laugh or cry and unable even to lift her eyelids, she begged for mercy. ”I'm really sleepy…”
In a low and husky voice, he coaxed her.
She seemed to hear herself protest but at the same time, also seemed to feel that she had actually fallen asleep. In the end, she was uncertain whether she truly had been dreaming or that it had been real and he simply did not feel exhaustion. When she awoke again, the sky was already dark.
Where they were going to have dinner was the question.
Downstairs in the hotel restaurant, she glanced through the menu of dishes the server had recommended and could not resist sighing silently. Too expensive!
The man beside her did not seem to care too much about the prices. After all, in his mind, this was their true honeymoon vacation. Unfortunately, Gu Sheng, who was still a not-yet-graduated student, was already thoroughly conscious of her role as his wife and quickly put down the menu, grabbed his hand, and hightailed it out of there.
Really, it didn't matter at all what they ate.
Simply having his hand held by hers like this as they walked down a street where no one knew them – that was what was truly fulfilling.