Lin Jingchu: "It has been a long time."
"Gu Jiang, we're leaving now, so long." Jiang Yuekai pulled Lin Jingchu away.
Lin Jingchu didn't resist, getting into the car with her, but he kept his lips pressed together and said nothing.
"Are you angry?" Jiang Yuekai tugged at his sleeve.
Lin Jingchu remained silent, his gaze fixed on her face.
Jiang Yuekai patiently explained, "Gu Jiang is also at Columbia. We ran into each other before, and we're old classmates, so we just had dinner together. Nothing more."
Lin Jingchu: "She's still your first love."
His expressionless jealousy was a little amusing. "That was so many years ago."
"Gu Jiang doesn't have any other intentions either; she even blessed us." Jiang Yuekai asked him, "Have you had dinner? Shall we go eat again?"
"No, I'll cook some noodles at home." Lin Jingchu started the car.
Lin Jingchu was very busy with work. Every time he came to see Jiang Yuekai, it was squeezed-out time, and he basically didn't eat or sleep well. Jiang Yuekai felt very sorry for him, so she said, "Then I'll cook noodles for you later."
Lin Jingchu: "Okay."
When they returned to the apartment, Jiang Yuekai went to the kitchen to cook noodles for Lin Jingchu. Lin Jingchu sat at the dining table, watching her busy figure, and finally revealed the first smile of the evening.
Actually, he knew very well that Jiang Yuekai wouldn't really have anything with Gu Jiang, but Gu Jiang was the first person she liked in her life, and they were first loves. He truly couldn't be that generous.
As he was thinking, Jiang Yuekai had already brought the noodles. She cooked sausage and egg noodles with scallions, which had a rich aroma. Lin Jingchu took a bite and didn't forget to praise her, "It's delicious."
This was his habit for many years; whenever Jiang Yuekai cooked for him, he would always praise her unprompted.
After finishing the noodles, they sat for a few minutes before Lin Jingchu went to take a shower.
Halfway through his shower, the door was suddenly pushed open. Lin Jingchu saw Jiang Yuekai's figure through the mist. She was only wearing a slip dress, with nothing underneath, and a pair of underwear below. Her legs were bare and exposed to the air.
Lin Jingchu gasped and turned off the shower. "What's wrong?"
Jiang Yuekai walked gracefully towards him. "I've come to join you."
Lin Jingchu: "..."
She embraced him from the side, her soft body pressing against him.
The slip dress was already soaked, making it even more alluring than being naked.
Lin Jingchu could no longer hold back. He pressed her against the tiled wall, lowered his head, and kissed her wildly, gasping, "I'll go fill the bathtub."
He said that, but he didn't let go of Jiang Yuekai. He kissed her while leading her to the bathtub, turning the water on to the highest setting.
The steam swirled, and the sound of ambiguous running water flowed endlessly.
Finally, they both got into the bathtub together, water splashing out and foam covering the floor.
Jiang Yuekai's hands gripped the edge of the bathtub, while Lin Jingchu's hands clasped her waist, kissing her neck from behind. "What were you talking about?"
Jiang Yuekai's voice was intermittent. "We just chatted about things over the past few years."
"I'm unhappy." He expressed his displeasure with both words and actions.
Jiang Yuekai wanted to appease him, but she couldn't even form a complete sentence, only letting out whimpers and sobs.
The shower lasted until early morning. Lin Jingchu carried Jiang Yuekai back to the bedroom and held her in his arms, unwilling to let go.
When Jiang Yuekai recovered, she asked him again, "Are you still jealous?"
Lin Jingchu: "A little."
Jiang Yuekai: "I don't like Gu Jiang anymore, and I don't think he has any intentions towards me."
Lin Jingchu: "Yes, it's my insecurity."
He had loved her for so many years, and because he had pursued her for so long before finally obtaining her, he felt even more insecure. Especially now, with them living apart, it intensified this feeling, and he didn't shy away from expressing it to Jiang Yuekai.
"Then what should I do to make you feel secure?" While asking him, Jiang Yuekai was also considering the question herself.
"You don't need to do anything." Lin Jingchu held her tighter. "Did I hurt you earlier?"
"No," Jiang Yuekai said with a smile, "it felt very good."
This time, it was Lin Jingchu's ears that turned red. He coughed, "Well, get some rest. You have class tomorrow, and I'll take you."
Jiang Yuekai only had two classes in the morning. Lin Jingchu sat downstairs waiting, processing some emails on his tablet.
Unexpectedly, he ran into Gu Jiang midway.
Gu Jiang approached him and said, "I asked Yuekai to dinner yesterday. Don't misunderstand her."
"I know," Lin Jingchu said calmly. "I never misunderstand her."
He didn't say much, and his tone was very peaceful, but it gave off an inexplicable sense of pressure. His aura was even more powerful than before.
"I have no other intentions towards her," Gu Jiang said. "It was just a meeting of old classmates, catching up."
Even if he had lingering feelings, he had let them go during their meeting yesterday.
Lin Jingchu: "Mm."
Looking at Lin Jingchu's calm reaction, Gu Jiang felt a moment of admiration and also understood why Jiang Yuekai had ultimately chosen to be with him.
As Lin Jingchu was processing his emails, Jiang Yuekai finished class without him realizing it.
Lin Jingchu saw Jiang Yuekai walk over mysteriously. "Come on, I'll take you somewhere."
She seemed quite urgent, and Lin Jingchu instinctively asked, "Where are we going? Is something wrong?"
"You'll know when we get there." Jiang Yuekai took the car keys from his hand. "I'll drive."
Lin Jingchu was a bit bewildered and got into the car with Jiang Yuekai.
After driving for more than an hour, the car finally stopped near a church in the suburbs. Lin Jingchu got out of the car with Jiang Yuekai and looked at the church, still not understanding what she intended to do.
Jiang Yuekai led Lin Jingchu to find the priest. As they spoke, Lin Jingchu finally understood Jiang Yuekai's purpose.
Just... marriage?
"Yuekai, you..."
"You don't want to?" Jiang Yuekai asked him back.
Lin Jingchu shook his head. How could he not want to?
The priest urged them, and Jiang Yuekai pulled Lin Jingchu to the designated spot.
The Catholic wedding ceremony was very sacred, and the people praying nearby became witnesses to the ceremony.
After the wedding ceremony, the priest offered them his blessings. Jiang Yuekai stood on her tiptoes and gently kissed Lin Jingchu's lips.
Lin Jingchu's head was spinning, and he didn't quite react until the ceremony was over.
After leaving the church, he finally remembered to ask Jiang Yuekai, "Why did you think of bringing me here?"
"To give you a sense of security," Jiang Yuekai said. "After going through the wedding ceremony, I am your wife."
Although they didn't have the official marriage certificate, in this country, it was no different from being married. Lin Jingchu also understood the significance of this.
He had imagined countless times what it would be like to marry Jiang Yuekai.
But he hadn't expected that they would have this ceremony first.
"When I graduate and go back, we'll get our license," Jiang Yuekai said, hugging his neck. "This way, you'll have a sense of security, right?"
Lin Jingchu picked her up, pressed her against the car, and kissed her. They were reluctant to part.
After the kiss ended, he whispered in her ear, "Wife."