We both get out of the car, and I stand right in the middle of this house's gate. I ask Yuan, "Yuan, why are you making me late? I need to go to my dorm. I have to wake up early in the morning, then I need to come for the shoot, and straight from there I need to go to the bakery as well with Yang Lulu. I have so much work, and you are wasting my time."
"I am not wasting your time, I am consuming it for you," he says while crossing his arms.
"Consuming it for me?" I repeat.
"Hm," he says.
"How can you explain that?" I ask him.
"Yes, of course," he says.
Then he holds my hand and starts heading towards the main entrance of the house.
"Yuan, doing a gate crash at this hour at someone else's house, don't you think it's a bit unsuitable and inconvenient?" I ask him.
He stops at the door, turns towards me, and says, "Entering my own house at any hour, I don't think it's inconvenient or unsuitable in any way."
"Your house? Just wait a second. Why did you bring me here, Yuan?" I ask him.
He taps my forehead with his knuckles and says, "Stop imagining things, you silly girl. I brought you here because your dorm is closed."
"I know, it's not new for me. I can still enter inside the dorm in my own way," I say while pouting.
He smiles and says, "I know that you can. That's why I brought you here."
"Explain briefly, Mr. Yuan," I say.
"Means I know you can enter your dorm in your monkey way again, that's why I brought you here," he says.
"Why? I am used to it," I say.
"I know, but I don't want you to do this. What if you fall from there? Do you even have any idea how badly you could hurt yourself?" he says.
"What if?" I repeat. "What if you delete this 'if' from your life, Yuan? Then things will get much easier for you," I say.
He exhales sharply and says, "If this 'if' is caring for you, then it will never get deleted from my life. Understand?"
"Then why didn't you stop me on those two days when you were the one who dropped me and saw me climbing? Why today only? Is anything different today and those two days?" I ask.
"On those two days also, I really didn't want you to do such a dangerous task, but I couldn't do anything because I had no right over you at that time. So what could I say to you? But now…"
He bends down a little to meet my eye level and says, "Now I have the right. You are my girl, and mine to take care of and look after."
My eyes go wide. My heart starts beating faster and faster. His words go straight into my heart.
"Where are you lost, silly girl?" he says while opening the door. "Do you want to talk the whole night standing outside only?"
I hesitate and say, "No… no."
He smiles, and the door opens. We both enter inside together.
The house is so beautiful from inside. It feels like we are walking straight into a wonderland of imagination. The interiors are top-notch. Everything is designed keeping circulation and anthropometric details in mind. The design follows all principles properly. The color psychology is amazing. After all, it's China's biggest superstar's home—it can't be just random.
"What are you thinking?" he asks.
"Nothing. Just… your house is very pretty," I say.
"Tell me, did you find any flaws? Think like a designer," he asks.
"I already saw everything, Yuan. Everything is perfect and designed beautifully by following all the rules and principles," I say.
"Oh, finally getting approval from the future interior designer of Shanghai," he says.
"Yuan, I'm still studying in university. I'm in my final year. You're talking as if I'm already some top interior designer," I say.
"First of all, you are already a very good designer, so stop doubting yourself. And even if you're not that big right now, sooner or later you definitely will be," he says while holding my hand.
"You are really a very optimistic guy," I say.
He smiles and goes somewhere. I sit on the sofa in the living room, waiting for him.
After a few minutes, he comes back with a glass of water and hands it to me. "It's warm water. Drink it."
I nod, drink it quickly, and give it back to him.
He puts the glass in the kitchen, comes back, and says, "Now it's time to sleep, silly girl. It's already 3:15 a.m. You won't get proper sleep, and it will affect your health."
"Oh, how cute. Such a caring boyfriend," I say with a smile.
"Tell me, where is your guest room?" I ask while standing up.
He takes a deep sigh and says, "Not the guest room. My room. You'll stay there only."
I get shocked. My mouth opens halfway. "Wait… I can't process this."
"Then don't process it. No one asked you to," he says.
"Your room? I mean… now I get it. You are going to stay in the guest room, right?" I ask.
He looks away for a second, then back at me. "No. Why should I stay in the guest room? I'll stay in my room only."
"Yuan, you are really something. You and I in the same room… isn't it inappropriate?" I ask.
His expression changes. He steps closer to me, and my heart starts pounding.
"Do you trust me?" he asks.
I don't take a second.
"Yuan, trust means Yuan, and Yuan means trust to me. You are the definition of trust. Even when you were far away from me, I trusted you more than myself. Don't ask me this question again."
Tears roll down my eyes.
He wipes them with his thumb. "How dare you steal my title?"
"Which title?" I ask.
"My title of cry baby. Look who is crying now."
I smile through my tears. "The cry baby himself made me one."
"Hm… just like me?" he asks, hugging me.
"Yes, just like you," I say, closing my eyes.
Together we say, "It's not you and I. It's us. Only us."
We laugh, lost in each other. Shanghai is silent outside, but this house is filled with laughter. When the world is quiet, home feels alive.
I don't know what the future holds. But right now, we are together. Safe.
And for this moment… that is enough more than enough for me...