Chapter 17.2 (1/2)
Only after I rushed over to tell him of today's mishap did his expression soften. ”Then what happened to that person after that?”
I curled my lip. ”I don't know either, he probably left already. It's too bad he took that paper ball with him.”
Yin Li was surprisingly quite interested in this matter, and furthermore managed to grasp the key point. ”What did you write in there?”
”My response to you of course!” Then, feeling a bit shy, I changed the topic. ”Do you think that guy will come back?”
Yin Li's eyes lit up, dispersing the gloominess in them earlier. But then a moment later his complicated expression returned. ”Then he's seen its contents as well as your face.” From his tone of voice, he seemed to be pondering something.
Then he suppressed the contemplative look on his face and smiled, coming over to rub my head. ”This time I really was too careless. I won't let him have any opportunity to come close to you again. I'll retrieve the paper ball as well, but before that I have something to give you.”
Following these words Yin Li turned and went into the study. He came back with a box and opened it to reveal a green jade bangle. ”In the Yin family, this is supposed to belong to the new lady of the household. My parents left it behind. If they were still here, I'm sure that they would really like you.”
Lately I'd been drowning in Yin Li's gifts, and now I shuddered slightly as I let him slide the bangle onto my wrist. The size was perfect. The jade was a vibrant green color, and the contrast made my wrist appear even more slender. It gave off a very refined air, but unexpectedly when paired with this face of mine, the feeling grew more and more tacky. The result was that the original character of the bangle was warped until it seemed like an accessory worn by the nouveau riche.
But in the face of this incompatibility Yin Li could still come up with some sincere praise, saying, ”It suits you perfectly.” Then he kissed my eyelids. ”I'll also transfer this house over to you, so that it's under your name. All this time I still haven't been able to find your parents, so take it as them giving you this house as your dowry.”
Yin Li smiled. ”Didn't you like your men handsome, rich and stupid? Now, compared to Mo Xing Zhi, don't I surpa.s.s him in all three regards?
I couldn't help but laugh. Grabbing an ink brush, I commanded, ”Give me your hand.”
Yin Li obediently stretched his hand out to me and I grabbed his wrist. Flipping it over onto its back, I nimbly drew a watch. After I'd finished the watch face, I carefully drew a strap. Then with a flourish, I wrote three big characters all over the watch face and wrist strap.
Yin Li gave me a teasing glance, ”Rolex?”1
1 The Chinese name of of Rolex is 劳力士, Lao li s.h.i.+. Don't ask me how Rolex -> Lao Li s.h.i.+, idk either…
I nodded solemnly. ”Engagement gift.”
Yin Li squinted and looked at the ”Rolex.” written on his wrist. ”Give me your hand too.” As he spoke, he directly pulled my hand over.
”Don't curl up your fingers, relax your hand.”
I obediently complied with his orders. Stretching out a finger, Yin Li lightly traced the life line2 on my palm. Then he took up the brush, and around a fifth of the way along of my life line, he wrote something. His head was lowered and he moved the brush slowly and earnestly. Some of his hair fell forwards, blocking my view. I could only feel a ticklish sensation along my life line.
2 For the curious, this is what the life line is:
”Alright, this is also one of my gifts to you.”
I looked down. Turns out that starting from around 20% of the way down my life line, Yin Li had written something: his own name. His handwriting was very pretty, and he had meticulously wrote it so that the characters covered the entire remaining length of my life line.
”If we can live a hundred years, the time I met you can be counted as a fifth of the way through your life. From now on, my presence will occupy a spot next to you on this road and accompany you for the rest of your life. Along with everything else, I will give my life to you.”
As Yin Li spoke these words, he stared at me with his deep, dark eyes. When I withdrew my hand, my fingers closed around his name in the center of my palm. Men with beautiful eyes really have an unfair advantage. When they wholeheartedly stare at you, when the only thing appearing in their eyes is your reflection, they say the sweetest words of love. The destructive ability of this is simply incredible, its too moving for the heart to bear.
But my mouth blurted out another line. ”How come I never discovered that you can say such romantic and sentimental things. All the gossip about you says that you're cold and unfeeling.”
Hearing this, Yin Li laughed very happily. Then lowering his head, he said by my ear, ”This depends on who I'm with.” He paused. ”I'll admit, when you got amnesia, I felt a bit conflicted and was reluctant to forget the past you, so I behaved with some of my past coldness to you. But now, my love for you is far greater than before. I want to spend my life with you, and hope that our future only grows even longer and even more beautiful. So that it makes up for what's lost.” After saying this, his kiss landed on my ear.