After You Wen returned to Zhongzhou, Fu Mingchuan opened a preschool for him, so he could spend all day surrounded by little kids, something he enjoyed immensely. Often, Fu Mingchuan would come to pick him up and end up waiting for quite a while.
One day, You Wen told him he was free, and Fu Mingchuan immediately dropped what he was doing to go pick him up. The marriage registration went smoothly, and during the photo session, Fu Mingchuan carefully tucked a stray lock of hair from You Wen’s face. The photographer accidentally captured the moment, and when You Wen saw the photo, he couldn’t stop smiling.
Maybe no one had told Fu Mingchuan this, but the way he looked at him was getting more and more gentle. This also made You Wen increasingly dependent on him, and he often made unreasonable demands. If Fu Mingchuan refused, he would pout and act stubborn, rarely failing to get his way.
After getting their certificate, You Wen booked a restaurant, tapping around on the GPS with his feet swinging slightly. Fu Mingchuan asked, “You’re that happy?”
You Wen nodded with a grin, “Yeah, I’m happy. It’s your birthday today.”
Fu Mingchuan paused for a moment. He had completely forgotten. When he was a child, Chen Jiyu would celebrate his birthdays, but after middle school, he had seriously told her to stop what he considered a pointless tradition. He only began celebrating his birthday again after he got together with You Wen.
On his first birthday after they started dating, You Wen wished him a happy birthday, but since their relationship wasn’t that close yet, and they hadn’t agreed to meet up, Fu Mingchuan politely declined You Wen’s offer to celebrate.
By his second birthday, the two were already living together at Shanshui Residence. You Wen called to say he wanted to celebrate it, and when Fu Mingchuan refused, he pouted and threw a little tantrum until Fu Mingchuan eventually went home to let him celebrate.
Since then, he hadn’t missed a single one of Fu Mingchuan’s birthdays.
At the restaurant, You Wen teased, “I already gave you your birthday gift. Are you happy?”
Fu Mingchuan’s expression softened a little. “When do you want to schedule the wedding?”
You Wen wasn’t too particular about it and brushed it off, “Let’s talk about it later. Tomorrow we could have a meal with Mom and Dad,” he added, then continued, “And find a time to have a meal with Aunt too.”
Fu Mingchuan agreed and, while they were eating, couldn’t help but ask, “Why don’t you want to meet with my friends?”
He had thought You Wen minded, as he’d mentioned taking him to a gathering or a party several times since his return to China, and each time, You Wen had declined. He worried that You Wen still felt uncomfortable with the idea, so he planned to take things slowly, but tonight he couldn’t help asking.
The word “my friends?” sounded a little strange coming from Fu Mingchuan’s mouth. After all, he didn’t really have friends. Even those he was closer to were, at most, classmates, and those he’d met after graduation were merely business associates.
You Wen didn’t want Fu Mingchuan to maintain unnecessary social ties for his sake.
But he didn’t want Fu Mingchuan to feel like he was somehow different because of it, so he took a bite of dessert and, in a playful tone, said, “I’m busy every day! And I’m not upset because you haven’t introduced me to people. I just…”
He thought he might be overthinking it, but if he didn’t explain, he was afraid Fu Mingchuan wouldn’t understand. “I’m just worried that you don’t really love me.” He was afraid Fu Mingchuan wouldn’t know how to love anyone.
That night, after they got home, they ended up in the bathroom together, and You Wen clung to him, unwilling to let go. He whined and pouted, “Today, I gave you a really good gift. I even waited until today to go get our marriage certificate.”
Fu Mingchuan thought that a pouting You Wen was like a cat—both spoiled and proud. Stroking his bare back, he asked in a gentle voice, “What do you want?”
You Wen mumbled against him, “You’ve never told me you love me.” After saying it, he shifted his head to lean on Fu Mingchuan’s other shoulder, waiting like a little kid for his answer.
Fu Mingchuan was silent for a moment, which made You Wen look up at him. Then he heard Fu Mingchuan say, “Is it still not enough?”
You Wen understood what he meant, but he continued to act coy. “But love is something you have to say out loud. I want to hear it.”
Fu Mingchuan, with complete seriousness, told him, “I’ve always loved you, Naonao.”
From that day on, every time they shared a tender moment, Fu Mingchuan would open his heart and say to You Wen, “I love you.”
It was genuine love—the kind he wouldn’t compromise on, the kind he never wanted to lose.
