Nuptial Chamber Next Door

“ Even when you know the patient has an incurable disease, why do you still make an effort to save him? Why will you not give up on him till his last dying breath?”

“ I hope that he can see the world and say one more word.”

“ I am the same…” Under the moonlight, his eyes were misty, “ I hope that I will be able to say one more word.”

I thought of the pain, but I also remembered what he said at the airport. I love you. Just give me three minutes…

I had not looked back.

Earlier, I had waited for him to appear in front of me and tell me that his marriage was all a sham. But he hadn’t. Because all of this was part of an elaborate plan – a heavy burden that he carried at that time.

I had thought that was the limit, that there would be never a tragedy greater than this.

As a consequence, I had placed less confidence in him than he deserved.

Now I was stuck in this even more tragic situation. I had a man who loved me so much, but he wasn’t my fiancé!

Ye Zhengchen said, “ Give me a month. If after a month, you still insist on marrying Zhong Tim, I won’t appear in front of you ever again.”

He really overestimated me.

Leave alone a month, I did’nt have the confidence to stick to my choice even for a day !

Without waiting for an answer, he patted my shoulder, “ It’s late , go to sleep. You need to go meet your fiancé tomorrow morning.”

Whenever Ye Zhengchen uttered the word ‘ sleep’, he was definitely not referring to a static situation.

Although I was mentally prepared, and he had made no request yet, I still felt a bit breathless and my legs turned numb.

I leaned against the window sill and mumbled, “ I’ll take a bath first.”

He took his hand off my shoulder and repeated one word in a whisper, “..first.”

There was something happening after this..

Without wasting another moment, I rushed into the bathroom.

I bathed for a long time, using the shower gel over and over again. Finally, I stood in front of the mirror, my fingers running over my wet hair. The mirror was misted with the water vapours and my image was hazy… a lone figure with black hair and a blushing body, shaking…

The last time we had done this, I had hated him to the bone and I was convinced that I would not lose my heart again to him.

As I bent down under the faucet, cold water ran over my face. The intense feeling calmed my nerves somewhat. There was no way I could escape this time.

I pulled off the ring in my finger and placed it on the glass table in front of the mirror. Then I looked at my own image and said, “ This is the last time. You can do it.”

I used the towel to blot the moisture from my hair, then wrapped it around my body . Taking a deep breath, I walked out of the bathroom.

Ye Zhengchen was reclining on the bed and reading the newspaper. When he heard the sound of the door opening, he looked up and then continued reading.

I knew I hadn’t bought a newspaper for a long time. I took a closer look. The newspaper in his hands was something I had brought home a few days ago. It was mostly full of ads, not really serious news.

I walked over. With my heart beating rapidly and my breathing quickened, I sat on his bed, no, my bed.

The quilt had been pulled to one side , revealing the emerald green and blue sheets underneath. I lay my head on the pillow, waiting motionlessly.

Ye Zhengchen put down the newspaper and looked at me. My breathing became even more laboured.

I wanted to fold myself under the sheets. Even though I was breathing rapidly, I felt as if I was getting no oxygen.

He reached out.

My body unconsciously tightened…

He pulled the quilt and covered my body with it.

“ I’ll sleep on the couch.”

I looked at the ceiling. No!

Before leaving, he finally said, “ I want you, but I would never do this for the last time.”

A drop of hot water fell on the pillow.

…… …

I had always seen Zhong Tim in a suit and tie, his hair neatly combed and his shoes shining.

When I first caught a glimpse of him, my heart stilled.

He had lost weight. His jaw bone was protruding; his hair was uncombed and messy. He looked like he hadn’t had a bath for a few days.

He wasn’t wearing a coat. The white shirt he was wearing had lost a few buttons. In the chilly autumn winds, I am sure he was feeling cold.

He stood beside Ye Zhengchen who looking dapper in a uniform I had washed and ironed this morning.

What a sharp contrast!

“Zhong Tim!” I shouted out his name and waved at him across the street.

“ Xiao Bing!” He was excited to see me and ran over, ignoring the traffic lights.

Within the blink of an eye, he was standing in front of me. Then he hugged me.

I had a lot to say to him , but at that moment, I was dumbfounded.

Because my lips were blocked by his lips and all I could think was that his lips were really cold.

Ye Zhengchen stood at the other side of the road.  A car passed in front, blocking him from view.

But even then, the image of him was seared in my memory. He was standing across the street, his whole body stiff and his fists clenched at his sides, looking bleakly at us.

I closed my eyes.