The third day.
Meng Jin had timed it almost perfectly, finally clearing all the backlogged work at the very last moment.
Over these three days, that mysterious gift had taken root in his heart. Whether in meetings or negotiations, the faintly reddened tip of Jiaojiao’s ear when she handed him the bag would flash through his mind unexpectedly.
Was it a ring?
Once this thought surfaced, it became impossible to shake off.
Now, standing before the floor-to-ceiling window with the city lights flowing beneath his feet, his fingertips trembled slightly as they brushed against the bag preserved intact and kept close at hand.
Gently pulling open the drawstring, the black velvet box gleamed even more captivatingly under the light. It was indeed a ring box.
Meng Jin’s heartbeat suddenly grew heavy, each thud echoing in his chest. He took a deep breath and opened the lid with the utmost care. When he saw what was inside, his gaze froze.
Inside the velvet box was not a ring, but a single, plump red bean. The bean was firmly secured in the spot meant for a ring, motionless. He found it oddly endearing truly, he must be going mad.
Meng Jin picked up the red bean between his fingertips, examining it closely. Finally, as if remembering something, he let out a soft, muffled laugh.
Red bean longing.
Are you missing me?
He was nearly driven to madness by Chen Jiaojiao’s metaphor. Longing did that mean. she might like him a little too?
With a soft click, Meng Jin placed the red bean back into the ring box and booked the earliest flight available.
He needed to see his lover, his beloved, the one and only love of his life immediately.
When Meng Jin arrived at the school, Chen Jiaojiao’s class hadn’t ended yet. He stood beneath a tree, his knuckles white as he tightly clutched a black velvet box. Upon closer inspection, one might notice the box had become more refined than before, with delicate decorative details added to its edges.
Wherever he was, Chen Jiaojiao always stood out as the most dazzling presence in a crowd. Meng Jin hardly needed to search his gaze naturally settled on the young man surrounded by others.
However, when he saw Catherine standing beside Chen Jiaojiao, his eyes darkened instantly. Noticing the girl’s undisguised admiration, his knuckles turned white, and the air around him grew heavy and tense.
“Meng Jin!”
A familiar voice rang out, filled with delight. Chen Jiaojiao rushed into his arms, tilting her face up to look at him. Meeting his bright, sparkling eyes, the gloom around Meng Jin vanished in an instant.
Chen Jiaojiao introduced him generously to her new friends, actively pulling him into her social circle.
Vida and the others greeted him warmly, even arranging for an extra seat at the restaurant. What had originally been a gathering organized by Vida at Catherine’s request now felt like a welcome party for Meng Jin.
During the meal, Chen Jiaojiao kept an eye on Catherine’s mood, worried she might drink too much. To his surprise, Catherine raised her glass with grace, smiling at Meng Jin. “You’re really lucky.”
Meng Jin drained his glass in one go, not denying it. When it came to luck, he had never lost otherwise, how could he have saved the amnesiac Jiaojiao in that accident? How could he have gained everything he had ever dreamed of?
His luck had always been exceptional.
Considering classes the next day, the gathering ended early. Meng Jin thoughtfully arranged transportation for everyone before finally leaving with Chen Jiaojiao.
The evening breeze brushed through their hair as Chen Jiaojiao stood by the roadside, slightly tipsy, waiting for their ride. Two glasses of wine had left his head heavy, but he was far from drunk.
“Whose little friend is this?” Meng Jin approached, deliberately teasing him. Seeing Chen Jiaojiao turn his face away, Meng Jin chuckled softly and answered his own question, “Oh, it’s mine.”
Chen Jiaojiao’s ears flushed red as he pursed his lips and walked forward. As they passed each other, he caught a glimpse of the familiar square outline in Meng Jin’s pants pocket was that the ring box?
The realization made his heart skip a beat. Giving red beans to express longing was already embarrassing enough, but to do so after only a few days apart. He wondered what Meng Jin would think.
Yet Meng Jin seemed oblivious to his tangled thoughts, following him at a leisurely pace until they neared the doorstep, where he quickened his steps to catch up.
Under the streetlight, the two stood facing each other. Meng Jin took the velvet box from his pocket and slowly opened it in front of Chen Jiaojiao, revealing two silver rings inside.
Meng Jin took a slight step back, making it easier for them to look into each other’s eyes. Unlike his earlier teasing, his voice carried a steadiness tinged with nervousness. “Jiaojiao, when you gave me that red bean, did it mean you like me a little?”
Chen Jiaojiao hadn’t expected Meng Jin to ask so solemnly. Unconsciously straightening his back, he nodded shyly under Meng Jin’s expectant gaze. “Mm.”
“I’m glad you like me.” Meng Jin lowered his eyes, a smile spreading across his face, though his eyes grew slightly misty. He curled the corners of his lips. “I love you, Chen Jiaojiao.”
“Will you be my boyfriend?”
Thinking back, their relationship had been forced from the very beginning, with few peaceful moments between them, let alone a calm, heartfelt confession like this.
Chen Jiaojiao didn’t answer immediately. His gaze fell on the rings, which shimmered under the light, much like the way Meng Jin looked at him.
He took a step forward, closing the distance between them. Under Meng Jin’s gaze, he raised his hand to rest on Meng Jin’s shoulder, gently rose on his tiptoes, and pressed a light, fleeting kiss to Meng Jin’s lips. “That’s my answer.”
Meng Jin’s nose stung, and he nearly shed tears. His hand trembled several times before he managed to pick up the ring. Slowly, he slid it onto Chen Jiaojiao’s ring finger, then lowered his head to press his lips against the base of the finger.
From Chen Jiaojiao’s perspective, he could only see Meng Jin’s bowed head. Soon, he felt a warm sensation on his fingertip. As the saying goes, the fingers are connected to the heart. For some reason, sensing that Meng Jin might be silently crying, his own eyes grew hot, and his heart clenched.
“Jiaojiao, I’m so happy.”
Meng Jin pulled him into an embrace, burying his face in the crook of Chen Jiaojiao’s neck. What he had longed for was finally his. After striving for so long, all he had ever wanted was Chen Jiaojiao’s acknowledgment acknowledgment of his feelings.
“Meng Jin, I like you.” Chen Jiaojiao felt a bit flustered, not expecting such a strong reaction from Meng Jin just for agreeing. He stroked the back of Meng Jin’s head, soothing him gently, over and over, as if comforting a sticky rice cake. “Thank you for waiting for me all this time.”
They were already in a relationship, but Meng Jin had waited for him to adjust, to grow to like him again, without any force or manipulation. He truly appreciated Meng Jin and genuinely… liked him.
He had already made Meng Jin wait so long, how could he let him wait any longer? It was better to embrace this relationship calmly and let it unfold naturally.
Chen Jiaojiao slipped the other ring onto his finger, then cupped Meng Jin’s face in both hands. Seeing the joy in his eyes and the still-damp tear tracks on his cheeks, she gently wiped away the moisture with her thumb.
Their gazes tangled, lingering, before melting into a heated kiss.
“Meng Jin, you said all my family is gone.” His eyes were red, and he sniffled, his voice muffled. “From now on, we’ll build a home together. You’re not just my lover you’re also my family.”
“You’re all I have left.”
In this vast sea of people, he truly had only Meng Jin. No one knew how desperately he longed for a home. Now, he felt like a rootless duckweed, drifting without direction, especially abroad he had no past to return to and no clear path forward.
Meng Jin’s heart ached. Meeting Chen Jiaojiao’s sorrowful gaze, his throat felt stuffed with cotton, choked and unable to utter a single word.
Is this what you wanted?
This is exactly what I wanted. Meng Jin closed his eyes, repeating the thought to himself. Since he had taken this step, he would walk this dark path to the end. He knew there was no turning back now.
After accepting Meng Jin’s confession, daily life didn’t change much except that moments of intimacy now felt more natural and no longer needed a reason.
Chen Jiaojiao thrived at school, communicating with locals almost effortlessly. Besides keeping up with coursework, he often attended various exhibitions with Meng Jin to soak in more artistic atmosphere.
It had to be said, Switzerland was incredibly convenient. Traveling to neighboring countries was especially easy, and on weekends, Meng Jin would take him to explore nearby places.
Even when Meng Jin had unexpected work, he would book tickets for Chen Jiaojiao to go with friends. On such trips, Chen Jiaojiao would often sketch a quick drawing of the destination to bring back to his Mr. Meng.
Time flew by. As his life filled with broader experiences, the questions that once troubled him became insignificant. He would keep moving forward, and one day in the future, looking back, he would realize this was his past.
By December, light snow began to fall, though not enough yet to accumulate on the roads.
As soon as Chen Jiaojiao returned from school, he threw himself into decorating the house. While the staff handled the outside, he focused on directing and decorating his and Meng Jin’s room.
They placed a Christmas tree as tall as a person in the room, wrapped in warm string lights and adorned with various ornaments some brought home by Meng Jin after work, others bought by Chen Jiaojiao. As Christmas approached, the tree grew more and more crowded.
By mid-to-late December, Chen Jiaojiao finally had a two-week break.
Without him having to ask, Meng Jin proactively booked return tickets to their home country for the 20th and 21st.
Chen Jiaojiao stared at the tickets in his hand. It would be a lie to say he wasn’t excited, but the closer he got to home, the more nervous he felt. Gripping Meng Jin’s hand for reassurance, he asked, “We’re only going for two days won’t that be too rushed?”
“Should we stay a few more days?”
Meng Jin glanced sideways, seeing right through his hesitation. Two days was already his limit not a day more. He tapped Chen Jiaojiao’s forehead lightly with his passport. “These two days are a weekend. I have work on Monday. Don’t you want to spend Christmas here?”
Chen Jiaojiao was about to suggest he could stay in their home country alone, but Meng Jin cut him off before he could speak. “Besides, I wouldn’t feel at ease leaving you here by yourself.”
As soon as he said this, Chen Jiaojiao indeed fell silent.
After so many days together, Chen Jiaojiao had also noticed that Meng Jin suffered from separation anxiety even more than he did. He had quietly asked his own psychologist about it, and the doctor explained that it was likely due to the severe impact of his near-drowning incident on Meng Jin.
Alright, two days it is.
“Meng Jin, I’d like to meet your parents,” Chen Jiaojiao said, following Meng Jin for a few steps before suddenly remembering he hadn’t yet met his parents. “Is that okay?”
Meng Jin’s parents would, after all, become his parents in the future.
Then, he added, “I also want to meet my parents.”
“Together with you.”