Together Forever - Chapter 58
Volume 3, Chapter 58: Simple Happiness (1)
“Your sister said you used to have a bad temper. Why did you suddenly change?” Tong Yan asked, noticing she had used up all the laundry detergent. She retrieved a new bottle from under the sink, tearing off the plastic wrap.
She poured the blue liquid into the dispenser and started the washing machine.
“After my mother passed away, and after… experiencing something life-altering, my perspective changed. Since my life was already so… messed up, the least I could do was be kind to others,” he said, walking towards her.
After setting the timer, Tong Yan turned around and wrapped her arms around his neck. “While talking to your sister, I remembered a quote, from Mencius.” She looked at him teasingly. “Do you know who Mencius is?”
He hummed softly.
“Then you must have heard this quote.” She put on a serious expression, enunciating each word carefully. “‘When Heaven is about to confer a great responsibility on any man, it will exercise his mind with suffering, subject his sinews and bones to hard work, expose his body to hunger, put him to poverty, place obstacles in the paths of his deeds, so as to stimulate his mind, harden his nature, and improve wherever he is incompetent.’”
Gu Pingsheng watched her intently as she spoke.
When she finished, he chuckled, lifting her up and holding her against his chest. “That’s a good one. But when Pingfan told me, I think a few words were different.”
Tong Yan poked his dimple with her finger. “Just remember my version. It’s a family motto now.”
Because of the two projects Gu Pingsheng was working on, their romantic getaway had unexpectedly turned into a group trip with over a dozen people. His secretary kept saying how fortunate it was that their boss had chosen a visa-free destination; otherwise, with the Lunar New Year holiday, they wouldn’t have had time to apply for visas…
Tong Yan, glancing at Gu Pingsheng’s nonchalant expression, suspected it wasn’t foresight, but rather, bad luck, having been tricked by his boss.
The flight, though overnight, was as bustling as a market.
While Gu Pingsheng was in the restroom, the woman sitting next to Tong Yan, annoyed by the noise, took off her eye mask. “I hate flying with tour groups… especially on overnight flights.”
She was speaking to Tong Yan.
Tong Yan smiled politely, still adjusting to the pressure changes in the cabin. Her previous flights had all been short trips between Beijing and Shanghai with Gu Pingsheng, so she had no experience with tour groups.
His colleagues, all high achievers, were chatting animatedly, their conversations ranging from work to leisure, some topics intriguing, others completely incomprehensible.
When he returned, he was immediately drawn into a work-related discussion with the people in the rows ahead.
It was the first time she had seen him discuss work with others.
He leaned against the back of his seat, his hand resting on the armrest, occasionally pausing in thought, his words sharp and precise. Tong Yan, her seat reclined, watched him with a quiet sense of satisfaction. Sometimes, a person couldn’t help but feel a little… proud. At this moment, Tong Yan finally understood the appeal of owning a luxury item.
Her gaze drifted from his face to his arm, finally resting on the simple but elegant ring on his finger, and she remembered that afternoon in the bathroom.
Him holding the ring, waiting for her to put it on his finger.
Judging by their expressions, the discussion was getting heated, but their voices remained low, maintaining a certain decorum despite the noisy cabin.
Compared to the others, he listened more than he spoke.
Tong Yan, her English not proficient enough to follow the complex conversation, could only catch a few words, but she had no doubt his contributions were insightful… A few young women nearby kept glancing at them, giggling and whispering, even rating the men’s attractiveness.
Tong Yan, eavesdropping shamelessly, was pleased that Gu Pingsheng was the clear winner.
When he returned and sat beside her, she immediately took his hand, intertwining their fingers. Pride, vanity, whatever it was, this man was hers.
Their room, booked in advance, was on a different floor from the others.
The island was a popular honeymoon destination, and the hotel rooms, furnished with wicker furniture, were decorated romantically. As she opened the door, a breeze from the balcony billowed the light blue curtains.
After a five-hour flight, the room was a welcome sight.
This was her first trip abroad, her first time seeing the ocean, and she couldn't contain her excitement. While Gu Pingsheng was showering, she stood on the private balcony, gazing at the endless expanse of blue.
After a while, he emerged from the bathroom, and she turned to look at him. “Are you going out this afternoon? If you have work, go ahead. This room is beautiful; I’d be happy to stay here and sleep for five days.”
He was wearing swimming trunks, his upper body bare.
Thankfully, they were on a private balcony.
Tong Yan remembered the girls on the plane rating him highly, commenting on his attractiveness.
The word “handsome” seemed inadequate, a rather old-fashioned term, rarely used these days. It implied more than just good looks; it suggested grace, charm, even intelligence.
But he truly deserved the accolade.
“Nothing important today. I’ve already warned them to leave me alone, at least for today,” he said. “Even workaholics have limits. A man’s first day of his honeymoon should be dedicated to his wife.”
“Honeymoon?” she repeated, then chuckled. “This is certainly a unique honeymoon.”
His secretary had pointed to the assistants’ suitcases earlier, saying they were filled with printed documents. Tong Yan, remembering the thick stacks of English readings for her international law classes, shuddered.
“Just flipping through those three hundred pages of A4 readings in your class gave me a headache,” she complained, leaning against the railing. “Do you know how painful it is to read legal cases in English? It’s a nightmare.”
“Your grades weren’t bad.”
“Because it was your class! Sometimes, having an attractive teacher improves the learning experience.”
He chuckled. “While your reasoning is questionable, the results are undeniable.”
“Let me tell you a secret,” she said. “Among the things I brought from Shanghai, there’s a calendar, from that semester. Every date before December 24th is crossed out.”
December 24th, Christmas Eve.
He remembered the date, of course, but he didn’t understand the significance of the calendar.
“From the day I saw you again, I was counting down the days until you left,” she continued, reminiscing. “Every time I went to your class, I felt so stressed, like you were the only one who knew my secrets. You were like a ticking time bomb.”
“And then?”
“And then…” Tong Yan sighed. “And then I started liking you, which made me even more afraid. Mr. Gu, you were my teacher, and you were so… brilliant, so out of reach. Liking you, knowing I could never have you… it was painful.”
“So you were hoping I would leave?”
“Before December 24th, yes,” she took his hand, her fingers tracing the ring on his finger. “But not after.”
In an unfamiliar country, listening to the man she loved share his innermost thoughts, those distant memories, more intimate than any confession, touched her deeply.
He touched her forehead gently, a soft smile in his eyes. “You’re sweating. Want to take a shower?”
“Yes, I’ll be quick. Then we can go to the beach,” she said, then added, “It’s my first time seeing the ocean.”
She took out her most revealing sundress and a large sunhat from her suitcase, tossing them onto the bed with satisfaction, then entered the bathroom. The air was still warm and humid from his shower, the scent of his body wash lingering in the air. The glass was fogged with condensation.
She turned on the water, taking off her shirt and adjusting the temperature. As she raised her arms, her bra strap slipped, and she felt his hand on her shoulder, gently caressing her bare skin.
“It’s too early to go to the beach; you’ll get sunburned. We should wait until around five,” he said, his voice a low murmur against her skin, as he kissed her shoulder.
She turned around and wrapped her arms around his waist, her fingers tracing the smooth, warm skin of his back.
“Aren’t you tired after a five-hour flight?” she asked, stepping back as he leaned closer, the cold water from the shower a stark contrast to the heat between them.
“Not really.”
The water soaked her dress, clinging to her body, outlining her curves.
His swimming trunks were also drenched.
He took her wrist, his fingers feeling for her pulse.
“Your heart is racing,” he murmured, his voice a low, seductive rumble.
Her hand trembled as she reached for the faucet. “It’s cold; let me adjust the temperature,” she mumbled, unsure if he could read her lips.
As she spoke, his hand slid down her body, pulling her dress down her legs, and before she could react, he lifted her into his arms.
Surrounded by glass, with nowhere to steady herself, she clung to him, the warm water cascading over them, his movements a rhythmic counterpoint to the steady stream, her mind slowly emptying.
He finally lifted his head and looked at her.
She tilted her head back, offering him her lips, their mouths meeting in a passionate kiss, the water swirling around them, almost drowning her in sensation…
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