Chapter 42

Youyi and Fu Cheng did really well.

That’s how Fu Cheng praised her.

She listened to him.

Youyi recalled the night she first moved in, when she didn’t know him well at all. To her, he was just “Fu Cheng.”

A beast lurking in the bathroom.

That’s how Youyi thought of him.

When she buried her face in the pillow, he would turn her face towards him and use an almost commanding tone.

“Ding Youyi, get up yourself.”

Get up yourself.

Come yourself.

That was also their first argument.

Youyi thought that someone as dominant as him was extreme in everything—extreme in force, extreme in arrogance, and even completely disregarding anything she had to say.

That night, when she woke up, he had just come out of the bathroom. Youyi sat up and looked at him, but at that moment, she was too scared to meet his eyes.

His eyes had a fierce look.

It was the ferocious look of a wild beast when hunting, with a hint of fierceness at the end of his eyes. In the silent and dark night, his fierceness was the biggest threat to Youyi.

So why on earth did she agree to him at that moment a few hours ago?

He is so scary.

It was less than half a year since that day, and Youyi still found him scary at times, but she actually came to like this kind of scariness.

She recalled Huang Youyi mentioning that in the complex emotions between people, there were many hidden forms of affection. Every kind of affection deserves respect and has its own reason for existing.

Each of these affections will eventually reach its unique end.

Previously, it was Fu Cheng who repeatedly asked her whether she liked him and what exactly she liked about him.

If you like something, you should express it.

Now, Youyi was taking the initiative to tell him that she really liked him.

She even liked him when he was fierce.

She even wished he could be a bit fiercer—perhaps that would be different too.

Youyi thought this way, her most secret thoughts briefly illuminated like a flash of lightning.

Her ankle was once again reddened from his grip.

Fu Cheng had a particular fondness for her ankles, and when he grasped them, he didn’t hold back any force. The pain was unbearable for Youyi, but she didn’t pull away. Her blood was filled with tenderness, slowly flowing out and spilling all over him.

At this time she just spoke softly and coquettishly, saying it hurts and asking for another kiss.

If you hurt someone, you must be responsible. Since you hurt me, how can you not comfort me?

After a moment, he took her fingers in his hand, and she felt a chill on her finger bones, as if something was being put on them.

Youyi didn’t react immediately. She looked up to see, but her fingers were already held by Fu Cheng.

He kissed her fingers, his lips a bit dry and rough, and then he slightly parted his lips and whispered, “I love you.”

What do those three words, “I love you,” represent?

The simplest three words, made up of you, me, and love. Throughout our lives, we have said these words many times. We tell our family we love them, we tell our friends, and later, we tell our partners.

When we have strong emotional investment, when I am willing to embrace you, to tolerate you, to love you deeply to the point of death, I will also be willing to tell you again and again… that I love you so much.

And what does he love about her?

He loves her simply because she is Ding Youyi, so only she, and no one else, can be her.

There are clearly many reasons, but because it’s her, those reasons don’t need to exist in such a way.

Youyi finally saw what was on her finger.

It was a delicate ring, shining with a beautiful silver light, like the reflection of moonlight. In the center, there was a diamond that seemed quite large.

Saying it was large was Youyi’s way of expressing her lack of concept of size.

But accurately speaking, it was a ring.

A ring.

Youyi’s mind felt like it had been struck by a falling moon, and she was instantly stunned.

As for their marriage, aside from getting a certificate, all other procedures were missing. Before, when there was no love, she didn’t see any issue with that.

But later, she wondered if her marriage process was too simple.

She had neither a wedding, nor the so-called three golds, dowry, or even the most basic ring.

Last time, someone said Fu Cheng surely wasn’t married because he didn’t wear a ring on his left ring finger.

In reality, that was a symbol.

It was a mark proving our relationship to others.

It didn’t need to be expensive, but it had to exist.

And now, it appeared on her finger.

Youyi was still in a daze.

She hadn’t understood these things before, and she had no concept of diamond rings. She could only see that the ring was beautiful, with a hexagonal diamond sparkling and many facets on its edge, a delicate piece of craftsmanship.

Fu Cheng pressed his lips against the back of her finger, gently rubbing it, and then calmly looked at her.

Even on such a simple morning, Youyi’s eyes felt sour, and she really wanted to cry.

The slight grievance she had felt in her heart disappeared at that moment. She held back her tears and reached out her hand to him.

“Husband, hug me.”

Fu Cheng lifted her by the waist, bringing her close to himself. Seeing her reddened eyes, he wiped them with his fingertip and asked, “Are you feeling wronged?”

He could now discern what she was thinking from her subtle emotions.

“I actually bought it a long time ago. I didn’t know what you would like, so I bought several pairs.”

Fu Cheng had observed her preferences and chose within her preferences. Afraid she might be upset, he decided to buy several pairs.

He bought it as soon as she expressed her feelings for him.

He hadn’t given it directly because he wondered what else Ding Youyi needed besides this.

If he gave it to her, would it be inconsequential to her or even a burden?

So, on this ordinary yet extraordinary morning, he sent the ring along with his love.

Fu Cheng said again, “I love you.”

Youyi hugged his neck tightly.

She felt her heart was filled to the brim, almost exploding, overflowing with so many things.

She loved Fu Cheng so much.

It wasn’t just a liking for something specific, but for him as a whole, from his essence to his soul. She dedicated her love and affection sincerely and profoundly.

“Do you not have one?” Youyi asked him.

Rings are always in pairs. Since she had one, he should have one too. Otherwise, it wouldn’t be a marriage ring.

Fu Cheng reached for another small box from the head of the bed.

It was a ring of the same style as hers, with a gemstone in the center.

He placed the box in her hand.

Youyi picked it up.

She understood what Fu Cheng meant—he wanted her to put the ring on his finger.

She slid the ring onto his finger and then leaned down to kiss him.

“I love you too.”

Before her words had even faded, Fu Cheng’s kiss was overwhelming and intense. If it weren’t for the fact that it was early in the morning, he might have even done something more daring.

He kissed her fiercely before finally letting her go.

“As for the wedding,” Fu Cheng said, “We’ll have it after you graduate. By then, we can invite many people—family and friends—to our wedding.”

The fact that they hadn’t been able to let everyone know about their marriage initially would be rectified in time.

So, don’t feel aggrieved anymore.

Whatever others have, they will have too.

Youyi nodded in his arms.

She had never thought about the wedding, but she would listen to him.

She would listen to everything her husband said.

“Husband, I don’t want to go out today.”

She didn’t want to go out all day.

*

That day, heavy snow fell.

In fact, winter in Shenglin City often saw snowfall. When the snow was heavy, it could cover the ground with a thick layer, so deep that you could sink to your ankles. From their vantage point on the ninth floor, the river across the street was the only thing free of the white blanket.

Fu Cheng had pinched and kissed her ankles many times.

She was standing barefoot on the carpet, though it was more accurate to say she was leaning rather than standing.

She furrowed her brow, looking for a pair of long, fuzzy socks she had bought a few days ago. They were a muted green, perfect for wearing at home in this weather.

She hadn’t worn them since buying them but couldn’t remember where she had put them.

As she was about to put her foot on the ground, she was lifted up by two strong hands.

“Your period is coming soon,” Fu Cheng said, noticing her bare feet.

In the past few months, her stomach had not hurt, but now with the cold weather and the chill from the floor, she was worried about cramps.

Last time, she had even ended up in the emergency room, and she hadn’t learned from it.

Hanging onto him, she felt him support her thighs as he carried her, and she kissed his face, saying, “I still need to study.”

So, she wanted to go to the study room.

Fu Cheng carried her into the study and set her down on a chair. He sat beside her, holding her delicate ankle so her feet rested comfortably on his lap.

He found those socks for her and helped her put them on.

Youyi opened the book she had been reading the night before.

Next to her was a notebook filled with dense notes.

Fu Cheng gently massaged her ankle, his palm covering it, and asked softly, “Why are you working so hard?”

What was she reading?

Youyi just nodded and said, “Mm!”

Of course, she wanted to study harder.

Since she needed to study—

“Then why not take a break?” He lowered his voice, the tone slightly husky, as he continued to hold her feet.

Youyi paused.

She looked at Fu Cheng and seriously replied, “Because I like it.”

Even when he pinched her feet, she liked it. She and Fu Cheng seemed to be naturally compatible.

They were meant to be together.

Never to be apart.

Fu Cheng’s brows furrowed, his heart pounding.

Words spoken subconsciously were the most touching, even if they were simple.