Yu Mo was tossed onto the bed, the mattress bouncing her up and down a few times. She felt weak, yet it was as if scalding stars were leaping within her body. She watched as Qi Lian briskly turned on the air conditioner and efficiently tossed his down jacket and sweatpants onto a chair.
She raised her limp arms to unbutton her own coat, but Qi Lian leaned over, kneeling on the bed. He pushed her hands aside, his one good hand working methodically to help her.
"I can do it myself. Your hand is injured," she said, her voice barely a whisper.
Qi Lian soothed her, "There’s no rush, Duo’er. We have a lifetime."
*A lifetime.* The word immediately made Yu Mo’s eyes well up. This was the first time they had ever used that word. Knowing they had a lifetime ahead changed everything; in the past, every encounter had been driven by a desperate urge to consume one another, as if they both knew there might not be a next time. Finally, they could afford to slow down.
The air conditioner was set to thirty degrees. As the room finally warmed, Yu Mo swayed like a tender green shoot in the spring.
The lights remained off. The thin curtains were half-drawn, allowing the evening light to steal in—just enough to see a silhouette, but not enough to see clearly.
The temperature in the room was comfortable, but the draft from the air conditioner sent a light layer of goosebumps across Yu Mo’s skin. She propped herself up with her hands behind her, neither hiding nor retreating. The curves, hollows, and shadows of her body were like a painting; the provocative look in her eyes made Qi Lian’s heart tremble.
Downstairs, the honking of electric scooters was incessant, and the clatter of spatulas against woks rose and fell. A long, drawn-out cry of "Sharpening scissors, honing kitchen knives!" drifted up, circling between the buildings like an ancient melody.
They exchanged breaths with utter tenderness—lingering, focused, occasionally staring into each other’s eyes for a long time. It was as if roots were growing into one another’s hearts, reaching down to see the souls hidden in the deepest depths, making silent, gentle vows.
When the storm finally arrived, Yu Mo couldn't control herself. Her emotions threatened to drown her, and she heard herself cry out through half-sobs, "I love you."
"I know, sweetheart. I know," he murmured, comforting her.
No one knew how much time passed after that. It had never been so gentle, so unreserved. It was enough to bring tears to one's eyes; everything felt different.
Much later, Qi Lian asked, "Are you cold?"
Yu Mo shook her head gently against his chest and asked, "Your hand..."
Qi Lian quietly moved his left hand, the gauze now stained red, slightly away. His voice was raspy and indifferent. "It’s fine."
Out of nowhere, Yu Mo asked, "Qi Lian, can you feel it?" Her tone was uncertain, like a child who had just discovered a secret of her own and was eager for confirmation.
"I can. That’s why I’d accept walking through fire or having ten thousand arrows pierce my heart. You asked if I’d still follow you home if we could do it all over again—I have never regretted it. Never."
"Thank you for waiting for me," Yu Mo said. "When I first came to Lianhua, I was panicked and miserable. I thought I’d stay for a moment and then leave; I never even looked at this place properly. I didn't expect to step right into my destiny. Only today did I realize that there are things in this world so clear and definite, things so honest they put the heart at ease. Qi Lian, you make me feel like a flower, nourished by so much love that I’ll live in spring forever, never withering. You make me feel like I deserve everything. I love you!"
Qi Lian gently stroked her hair. He wanted to say something, but there was a lump in his throat that made it hard to speak. He closed his eyes tightly, feeling the hardships and the cold winters drifting away. Heaven was fair after all.
After lying there for a while, once they had both calmed down, he said, "I haven't been great at making money lately, and I’ve actually spent quite a bit. Don't be mad. I'll make it up later."
Yu Mo said softly, "I’m not mad. We aren't short on money. But what did you do? Based on your old habits, how much could you possibly spend?"
"I bought a few things, gave Qi Shuai some cash, prepared a gift for Jiang Yuan’s daughter, and some other bits and pieces."
"That’s great," Yu Mo said immediately. "You’ve been wound too tight for the last ten-plus years, doing nothing but burying your head in work to make money. It’s wonderful to stop occasionally and make yourself happy. Don't think like that—your money is yours; it doesn't automatically belong to me. I want you to be happy, just as you want for me." Her tone lifted, sounding cheerful as if she were praising a child who had just done a good deed.
Qi Lian wasn't looking at her face, but he could accurately picture her serious yet slightly silly expression, perhaps with her little canine tooth peeking out.
He disdained her naivety yet adored it beyond measure. He hoped she would always remain refined and untainted by the world, leaving him to stand in the mud to hold her up and shield her from all of life's ugliness.
Even if she fell into a place like Lianhua, someone like Yu Mo would still possess a beautiful core—the ultimate blend of softness and strength. She was his fatal addiction.
He found Yu Mo’s hand and interlaced his fingers with hers.
Unaware of his thoughts, Yu Mo asked, "I noticed a faint scar on your forehead near your eyebrow. Is that new?"
Qi Lian kissed her forehead coaxingly. "From that fight last time."
"Why on earth did you get into a fight? Who did you fight to end up like that? You scared me to death looking that way." Her tone sharpened, losing the honeyed softness from before.
"Don't be afraid, it won't happen again. I was at my breaking point then, feeling half-dead, and I just wanted to feel something sharp. Actually, I’ve rarely raised my hand against anyone since I was a kid. I’m not brainless, so don't worry. Aside from you, there aren't many people who can kill me."
"You’d better keep your word. I’m scared. I couldn't stand it if my man ended up crippled or hurt one day."
"Fine, I’ll do as I say. But let’s get one thing straight—don't think I’m a pushover just because my face was a mess. I’m not saying I’ll keep fighting, but under normal circumstances, one or two people couldn't even get close to me."
Yu Mo leaned against his chest, listening to his disgruntled yet slightly boastful tone—like a proud black bear thumping its chest. She looked up from his arms in disbelief, but before she could speak, he pressed her head back down.
"I was wrong, I was wrong. No more fighting."
"You couldn't even beat Jiang Qingfeng! And you’re still acting proud. You couldn't even protect me right under your nose."
This accusation hit Qi Lian’s sore spot, making him feel both indignant and short of breath. He gritted his teeth. "I... I couldn't beat him because of you. The moment you showed up, I lost my footing. If it hadn't been Jiang Qingfeng that day—if it had been anyone else—I would have ended him. I know, this is a stain on my record for life. I’ll never hear the end of it."
"Have you been in touch with him since?"
"Yeah, we met up once. We said what needed to be said. We both want to patch things up, but it’ll take time to get over the awkwardness. Guess what he said? He said that time we all went to dinner, even though you and I didn't speak, he just felt there was something between us. When he came out of your building and saw me downstairs, before I even said a word, he said he understood everything. He said what pissed him off was that if he’d known I was involved, he wouldn't have even entertained the idea."
"I really do feel bad for him," Yu Mo admitted. "He helped me a lot, but feelings are just... inexplicable. Whenever he got close to me, I’d get goosebumps. You’re not even as good as him, yet for some reason, I just wanted to sleep with you."
"I’m not as good as him? Hmm?"
Qi Lian playfully nudged her twice, then said, "Without him, I never would have met you. I’ll remember that debt. However, that day at dinner, the two of you were sitting together, your heads practically glued to each other. What were you talking about that was so interesting you had to be that close?"
"Mind your business. Can't I have friends?"
"What kind of friend requires being glued together? If it’s that kind of friend, don't even think about it. It won't matter if you call me 'hubby' a hundred times or cry in front of me. Did you let him kiss you?"
"No! You have some nerve, what about you? That girl you went to the movies with? Were you chasing her?"
"Chasing her, my ass! If I were chasing her, our kids would be old enough to run errands by now. Why would I wait until now? She’s a friend’s younger sister. She’s always had a bit of a thing for me, and her brother brought it up, so I thought I’d give it a try. She’s a nice-looking girl."
"And then? What happened after the movie?" Yu Mo showed a rare flash of pettiness and prickliness.
Qi Lian suddenly burst out laughing, the sound rumbling from his chest right into Yu Mo’s ear.
"We didn't even finish the movie before I ran into you. You snatched my soul away first; I have no idea what the movie was even about. Do you know how much you deserved a beating back then? I was sitting in that theater with my head full of nothing but you. The girl isn't stupid, and she’s got good prospects. We had a hasty dinner afterward, and that was the end of it. If you hadn't existed, she wouldn't have been a bad match. Based on my old understanding of women, 'not a bad match' meant 'a good match.' Looking back, thank god you showed up when you did, or things would have been complicated."
As Qi Lian spoke, he unconsciously toyed with Yu Mo’s hand. When he finished, he squeezed her fingers, suddenly remembering something. "Tomorrow, let’s go buy a ring. Take that one off your hand."
"Okay."
"If you’re afraid your mom will notice, we’ll buy one that looks similar."
"Okay. But Qi Lian, you have to be prepared. You might have to wait a long time. Maybe a year or two, maybe three. I don't know."
Qi Lian tightened his grip on her hand. "I know. As long as you have me in your heart and let me see you every now and then, lying together like this... I’ll accept it."
Yu Mo suddenly leaned close to his ear and whispered, "I have my own household register, Qi Lian. We could go get registered."
Qi Lian’s body tensed instantly. He lifted her face with his large hand and looked at her in surprise. They stared at each other, both startled by the idea.
A moment later, his body relaxed, returning to his usual self. He pressed Yu Mo’s head back against his chest.
"We could go get registered first thing tomorrow morning, then get you pregnant immediately. Once the baby is born, we’d come clean to your parents. Maybe your mom would be angry, but once she sees our child, she’d probably forget it quickly, and our family could be together forever."
He sighed.
"If only we could just do as we please. Even at twenty, I knew I couldn't handle things that way, let alone now—especially when it concerns you. We can't do that, Duo’er. The more we know they’ll object, the more we can't do it that way. It’s the bare minimum of respect we owe them. I want you to be able to hold your head high and get what you deserve. I can't lead you into a rat hole; that would be truly dishonorable of me. As long as your heart is set, it doesn't matter if we have those papers yet. No amount of outside noise can affect us. We have a lifetime."
He thought for a moment and added, "So until then, you absolutely cannot get pregnant. We have to be extra careful. Thinking back, I’m terrified; we were reckless a few times. It’s a miracle you didn't get pregnant."
"Actually, there was one time I thought I was. My period was a week late. I thought it was Heaven making the decision for me."
"I also thought it would be fine if you were pregnant. Even if you didn't want us, I would have raised the child alone and never troubled you. If they wanted to find you when they grew up, I wouldn't have stopped them. What about you? If you really were carrying my child, what did you plan to do? Tell me or not?"
"I don't know, I never thought about it. But looking back now, maybe deep down I didn't want to break contact with you. At that time, I had no idea how deep my feelings for you really were."
Qi Lian hugged her tightly. "Sigh, I can't bring myself to say anything harsh to you. You’re just spoiled. I put you on a pedestal every day, and I’m always the one to bow my head. You couldn't even bring yourself to say one soft word, not even 'Qi Lian, I’m scared.' How did we end up like this? There are always more solutions than problems, but you just had to be proud. You just couldn't bow your head. Even if we were to be worlds apart and never see each other again until we died, you’d still be stubborn. Do you know why you can afford to be? Because you know in your heart that I won't run away. As long as you turn around, I’ll be right here waiting for you, won't I? If I hadn't been so determined today, this would be a different story. Was it worth it? You tell me."
The warm air was intoxicating. Those who are favored can afford to be fearless.
***
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Echoes of Lotus District | Chapter 71 | A Promise for a Lifetime | Novela.app | Novela.app
