Chapter 113
Chapter 113
When morning came, he woke up hungry. Rubbing the sleep away from his eyes, he groggily made his way downstairs and was greeted by the smell of his favorite food. He immediately followed it and found his brother in the kitchen, preparing breakfast.
"Morning." Liu Jin greeted with a smile.
Mingly shyly nodded and sat at the breakfast table.
Liu Jin then handed him a plate full of cheesy croquettes before returning back to the stove.
"I'm not as good as your Daiyu-jiejie in preparing those… but I got the recipe from her last night." He said as he continued to make a new batch.
Mingli bit his lip, his eyes growing teary.
He got down from the chair before running towards Liu Jin, tackling his leg in a tight hug.
Surprised, Liu Jin looked down and gently held Mingli's head.
"Jin-gege… teach me how to be cool…!" He said as he buried his face onto his brother's leg.
Liu Jin smiled.
"Mmm." He nodded and ruffled Mingli's hair.
---
When September came, Daiyu started her second year of senior high while Liu Jin, Zhihao, and Ying Yue, started their last.
Since Zhihao was not exactly the smartest kid around, Ying Yue started helping him review as early as now for the National College Entrance Examination in June.
Meanwhile, Liu Jin began preparing too. He started looking for a good university as well as places to live nearby. Aside from that, he also started learning how to drive. He was about to turn eighteen in December and he wanted to take Daiyu out for a ride.
Of course, Shuren was just as excited as he was. He started looking through cars, hoping to find a good one for Liu Jin. Nana wasn't happy though. She didn't like the idea that Liu Jin planned on moving away so early. However, Shuren understood the needs of a teenage boy and supported his decision wholeheartedly.
---
As the seniors went through their last year of high school together, the academy prepared several events to make their stay more memorable.
The first event was the final school play and their batch chose to perform 'The Phantom of the Opera.'
Not wanting to participate in the play, Liu Jin spent his time studying instead. He stayed at the library, quietly studying by a sunny window. Because of that, his fangirls gave him the nickname 'sunny angel.'
Zhihao and Ying Yue studied too. But because Zhihao would often have bursts of hysteria, they couldn't stay inside the library. As such, they studied in one of the gazebos in the gardens instead.
"Why don't I have a nickname like Jin does?!" He complained.
"You do have one." Ying Yue replied as she turned another page of her book.
"Really??? What is it?"
"Useless demon."
"WHAT?!"
She giggled.
It was a lie. They called him a golden retriever since he had blond hair and was loyal to Liu Jin. He was extremely friendly too.
---
On the day of the play, the academy held an open-school festival. Several booths were installed and the four teens had a fun time going through each one.
The primary school students were invited too. As such, the twins came over to visit them.
Upon seeing Daiyu, Mingli shyly greeted her.
"Daiyu-jiejie…" He smiled, his cheeks blushing in embarrassment. She giggled.
"Hello, Mingli. I missed you."
"Missed you too…" He smiled brightly and held her hand.
No matter what, he had already decided that he would always treasure her.
---
After the school play, the next event they had was the out-of-the-country field trip.
This year, the destination was set to Australia.
"Bring home lots of snacks for me." Daiyu said as she clung onto Liu Jin's arm.
He chuckled and nodded.
"And take lots of pictures. I want to see what it's like there."
"Alright." He smiled and kissed her forehead.
Daiyu pouted cutely. She didn't want to let him go.
"And snacks!"
He laughed.
"You said that already."
---
As Liu Jin spent a week abroad, Nana took her time to clean up their home. And as she was cleaning, she found several albums of the trio's childhood pictures.
"Oh! So this is where I kept them!"
She immediately took them all out and sat on the couch to look through them.
She found several pictures of Daiyu and Liu Jin taking a nap together, pictures of their trip to the amusement park, their plays, their sports fests, and their birthdays. There were several pictures of their trips during summer, their winter break vacations, and pictures of the boys training during weekends.
Just then, she heard the door open.
"Mom…"
"Mingli! Come here, look at this!"
Mingli walked over to Nana and she sat him on his lap.
"See. This is you when you were little." She said as she pointed towards a picture of the newborn twins.
"So small…" He said as he eyed the photo.
"Daiyu-jiejie?" He asked as he pointed towards a chubby girl holding him.
"Mmm! Your Daiyu-jiejie was really happy when you were born… she called you a bonus!"
"A bonus?"
"Mmm." She nodded.
"We didn't know you were inside mommy. We were only expecting Meili."
Mingli paused, taking in his mother's words.
"When you were born, you were very sickly and you always cried. Your Daiyu-jiejie would carry you in her arms and sing you to sleep…"
He smiled.
"Really?"
"Mmm! Xiao Yu dotted on you a lot. Your daddy always spoiled Meili but your Daiyu-jiejie spoiled you even more."
"Hehe." He giggled.
He then rested his head against his mother's chest.
"More!"
Nana giggled. She then told him more stories about Daiyu and how she prepared several story books for the twins when they were born.
Mingli listened carefully, his heart basking in her warmth. His Daiyu-jiejie's love may be different, but it was still a beautiful kind of love – a love that made him feel safe and warm, just like his mother did.
---
After a week abroad, Liu Jin returned back home. He brought several gifts for Daiyu and the twins, and some tea for General Shen too.
Ever since he started his last year of senior high, he went back to training with his grandfather every Saturday. Zhihao joined him too. This time, he did so voluntarily.
While it may not look like it, Zhihao was actually a sore loser. Ever since he lost the fight against Wen Duyi and his gang, he had been so bothered by it that he had been secretly hitting the gym every week.
But of course, while he thought it was a secret, everyone actually knew of it already. They were bound to find out anyway since he chose to go to the same gym that Butler Tang went to.
---
As the days passed by peacefully, December finally came and it was time for Liu Jin's birthday. Since he couldn't get his license just yet, he decided to drive Daiyu around on his bicycle instead.
They rode through the city on a cold night, wrapped in thick jackets while sharing one scarf. Daiyu held onto his waist tightly, her head resting on his back as she watched the blur of city lights pass by.
Soon, they stopped by a tall building. He parked the bicycle nearby and they both walked inside, hand in hand.
"Where are we?" She asked.
He smiled but didn't answer.
He led her up the elevators, to the thirty-fifth floor, unit number four. He punched in her birthday onto the door lock and it opened.
He turned on the lights and looked back at her with a smile. He then took her hand and pulled her in.
It was a loft type unit. It had white walls, floor to ceiling windows that had a clear view of the city, a balcony, and a small kitchen.
Daiyu scanned the room and Liu Jin gently hugged her from behind.
"Our first place together." He whispered and she smiled.
"Like it?"
She nodded and rested her weight against his chest.
"It's a bit small…" He said.
She shook her head.
"I like it this way. It'll be easier for us to clean. And wherever I go, you'll always be near me."
He smiled at her words and gently kissed her cheek.
"It's near my uni… but a bit far from the Wang Mansion."
Daiyu paused and took his hand. She intertwined their fingers before looking up to him.
"That's fine. You'll drive me home anyway."
He chuckled.
"Of course." He said as he kissed her forehead.
"This winter break, let's look for furniture together." He suggested and she excitedly nodded.
She turned around and hugged him tightly.
"Let's get a biiiiiiig soft bed."
He smiled and nodded.
---
As promised, that winter, they went to shop for their new home together. Liu Jin took care of the larger furniture while Daiyu focused on the smaller details such as matching cups and plates, pillows, slippers, rugs, and what not.
Soon, they started decorating their place together and they decided to paint the wolf and bunny onto their bedroom wall.
Daiyu smiled as she eyed their work and Liu Jin smiled as he watched her. Sensing his stare, she turned around to look at him.
He spread his arms and Daiyu walked into them, hugging him back.
"The first step to our forever." He whispered softly.
Daiyu closed her eyes and smiled.
"We already took that step a long time ago."