To Get Married - Chapter 58

Chapter 58

Manzhu had never imagined that one day Lu Yudong would say those words to her.

This wasn’t just Yudong’s wish; it was clearly the deepest longing of her own heart as well.

Yudong was the child she had watched grow up, the only being in this world whose soul was linked to hers, sharing life and death. She had seen Yudong in every state and loved every version of her.

Because of this, she couldn’t stand seeing Yudong get too close to others. Yet, she was afraid that expressing her possessiveness would place too much pressure on Yudong, making her hate the feeling of being restricted. She feared her own lack of magnanimity would cause Yudong to feel resentment—fearing Yudong would become like the children in TV dramas who, driven mad by overbearing parents, would hide far away, their eyes filled with impatience and superficiality whenever they met.

She didn’t want that, because she knew all too well: in this world, aside from Lu Yudong, no one could so easily sway her joys and sorrows.

A long time ago, she had thought: if this child grows up and falls for a human, I will provide companionship after that person passes; if she falls for a demon, as long as that demon treats her well, I will give my silent blessing and guard her from afar, never letting her come to harm.

If possible, she truly wanted to keep Yudong by her side forever, hoping Yudong would always rely on her alone. Just like when she was little—treating Manzhu as her entire world, those tiny hands only ever clutching Manzhu’s sleeve.

How she loved that sensible child from the past, who, no matter who they met, would stand obediently by her side, peeking a small head out from behind her sleeve, those clear eyes full of curiosity and timidity.

But even if Yudong was destined to run toward someone else, Manzhu couldn’t bear to—and could not—stifle her growth. She equally loved the girl Yudong had become: increasingly cheerful and confident, a girl who would suddenly hug her, act coquettishly, and be clingy.

She had often thought: If only Yudong could remember what she said as a child—never marrying, never dating, just staying by my side forever. But she only dared to think it; she didn’t dare to demand it. After all, how much weight could the words of a small child carry? How long could the “shelf life” of such a promise be?

She had assumed Yudong’s reliance was that of a child for a parent. She assumed Yudong couldn’t leave her simply because she wasn’t financially independent yet and hadn’t found the person she truly wanted to spend her life with.

Thankfully, those were all just her assumptions. As it turned out, the child had been serious all along.

At this moment, that grown-up child looked at her earnestly and asked with great expectation: “Manzhu, you like me too, the same way I like you, right?”

Manzhu reached out to touch Yudong’s cool cheek and gently rubbed her small ear, smiling happily. “I was always so afraid. Afraid that once you grew up, you’d run off with someone else, and I’d only be able to watch you from a distance like an old mother who married off her daughter, no longer able to be with you day and night…”

“But I couldn’t bear it. I wanted to keep you by my side, yet I feared you wouldn’t want to stay… I didn’t even know what was wrong with me.” Manzhu said, cupping Yudong’s face and leaning their foreheads together.

“Every time I saw you getting close to someone else, I couldn’t be happy. I made excuses for myself, thinking I was just afraid you’d meet the wrong person and get hurt…” Her voice was as tender as winter sunlight. “But after a long, long time, I finally realized… I just didn’t want you to be with anyone but me.”

“Really?” Yudong gazed at Manzhu, her eyes seemingly filled with stars.

Manzhu nodded and laughed. “I guarded against so many people like they were thieves—men, women, I even warned your Uncle and Little Master…”

Yudong’s eyes reddened. She wanted to cry and laugh at the same time; she held it in for a while, but eventually, her nose grew sore and her eyes grew wet.

Manzhu’s thumb brushed away the moisture from Yudong’s eyes. Noticing the candles on the cake, she said, “They’re almost burned to the bottom. If you don’t blow them out soon, the wish won’t come true.”

Yudong quickly turned and blew out the dying flames. She bit her lip and said, “Don’t scare me!”

Manzhu couldn’t help but laugh, her eyes curving beautifully. “How could it not come true? I said it before—whatever you want, I will give to you. Why bother asking the heavens? The gods are too busy for so many people. For the rest of your life, just leave every wish to me.”

Yudong rubbed her eyes and lunged forward to embrace Manzhu tightly. After a long while, her legs went numb from crouching. She let go, held her knees as she stood up, and frowned while massaging her calves.

Manzhu quickly helped Yudong sit on the sofa, pulled out the candles, and cut a piece of cake for her. Yudong took the cake, but after only two bites, her eyes grew wet again.

“Why are you crying again?” Manzhu sat beside her, gently patting her back.

Yudong shook her head. She didn’t know why; she was just so happy—so happy that she couldn’t control her surging emotions.

“It feels like a dream,” Yudong murmured through a mouthful of cake.

“For me too.” Manzhu smiled and cut a piece for herself. She looked at Yudong and asked, “The cake I ordered is coming tomorrow. Since you bought one today, what should we do with that one? Cancel it?”

Yudong shook her head. “The one you ordered has a different meaning. I want to eat it. We’ll take it to the bar and everyone can share it.”

Manzhu said, “It’s only six inches. Not enough for everyone.”

Yudong thought for a second. “Then let them watch us eat it.”

“You little rascal…” Manzhu crooked her finger and scraped Yudong’s nose, her eyes full of indulgence. “Who did you learn this from? You’re getting naughtier.”

“I learned from many people. They told me that honest people don’t get what they want.” Yudong tilted her head and asked, “In the future, can I just call you Manzhu?”

“What?” Manzhu pouted, knitting her brows. “You don’t want to call me ‘Sister’ anymore?”

“If I keep calling you that, I’ll feel so small.”

“But you are small.”

Yudong puffed out her cheeks and let out a small whine. “If you like hearing it, I can keep calling you that.”

Hearing her aggrieved tone, Manzhu laughed and relented. “You can call me whatever you like. As long as you’re happy, it’s up to you.”

Yudong’s heart sang. She beamed, her gaze fixed on Manzhu, unwilling to look away for even a second. Manzhu returned the gaze with deep affection. Now, she finally didn’t have to hide her feelings; she could finally be open.

After a moment of thought, Manzhu placed her cake plate back on the coffee table and took the cream-stained fork from Yudong’s hand. Yudong tilted her head in confusion as Manzhu suddenly took her right hand and placed it gently over her chest, right where her heart was.

There, a heart that cared deeply for her was beating rapidly, thud after thud.

“I can’t hide it anymore,” Manzhu said.

“So, you were lying when you said the movement was quiet because of the cold?” Yudong pouted, dissatisfied. “You were just afraid I’d find out?”

“I was terrified,” Manzhu said, her fingertips smoothing a stray hair by Yudong’s temple. “I was afraid of scaring you away.”

Yudong sniffled, caught between laughter and tears. She gave a little “hmpf,” picked up a small piece of cake with the fork, and held it to Manzhu’s lips. Manzhu smiled and ate it, but some cream got stuck on her lips. She reflexively licked them and turned to reach for a tissue on the table, only to see Yudong drop her plate and lunge toward her.

In that instant, Manzhu’s body leaned back instinctively, but the girl caught her perfectly.

“You—” Before she could speak, her words were blocked by a kiss.

In a flash, the sweetness of strawberries and cream slipped into Manzhu’s mouth. The girl’s soft lips were sweet, yet filled with a thick possessiveness that left no room for resistance.

With her worries gone, Yudong no longer restrained herself. She wanted to reclaim everything she had missed by holding back before. Her kiss was green, impulsive, and incredibly sincere.

Manzhu went from being at a loss to wrapping her arms around Yudong’s neck, trying to respond and give back. Every bit of compliance was based on instinct—and a hint of shyness.

When they finally broke apart, Yudong’s lips were curled slightly upward. Her satisfied gaze seemed to flaunt her victory over Manzhu. Manzhu had never thought that the girl she had raised since childhood would ever dare to be this bold with her.

“Is it sweet?” Yudong leaned against Manzhu, her eyes bright.

Manzhu pondered for a moment. Instead of a verbal reply, she leaned up and kissed her again, gently and deeply. This response instantly dismantled the little girl’s smugness at her successful “sneak attack,” leaving Yudong flushed red.

Eventually, Yudong lay across Manzhu, her fingers playing with the long hair scattered across Manzhu’s chest. She looked up and asked, “Manzhu, am I someone you love?”

“The first one.”

“And the last?”

Manzhu pressed her finger against Yudong’s lips, correcting her: “The only one.”

Yudong’s heart warmed. She buried her head in Manzhu’s chest and whispered, “You’ve lived for so long. Why did you choose me?”

Manzhu thought for a moment and said seriously, “Because you are my life.”

Yudong raised her head, her tone stubborn: “What if I wasn’t? What if our souls weren’t linked? What if we could be separated—would you still love me?”

The girl’s eyes were full of stubbornness, like a naive child. In truth, she didn’t know what answer she wanted to hear; she was even afraid Manzhu might say something she didn’t want to hear. But in that moment, she just had to ask.

Just like many years ago, she stubbornly wanted to know if Manzhu was good to her because of the accidental soul-binding, or simply because she was her. She watched Manzhu intently, waiting for an answer.

After a brief silence, Manzhu pulled her even tighter into her embrace.

“You are my life,” her tone was unshakably firm. “From the moment I fell in love with you, that fact had nothing to do with that strand of soul anymore.”