"And what is that?"

"Love," Mo Qingchen answered for her, knowing exactly how Qian Meng felt.

​​

They turned to look at Mo Qingchen, who was staring at his hands, twisting his fingers together in a nervous gesture. When he finally did clear his throat, he looked up at her. The intensity in his eyes took her breath away. The look lasted for a brief second before he stood up.

"I am sorry… I don't want to talk in front of the doctor any longer."

She blinked at him, not understanding at first.

"I understand." The doctor interjected. "You must have a lot on your mind, Qingchen. And I won't force you to let me hear in on that conversation. You need some time to think and then speak to your wife in private…" they trailed off. "Let's end the session here."

"Uh… okay…" Qian Meng picked up her purse and shuffled to the door. She didn't understand what had just happened.

"Everything okay?" she asked as they stood in the elevator.

"Yes."

They didn't speak until they were in the parking lot.

"I wasn't ready for you," he whispered into her ears after pulling her into his arms. He kissed her head tenderly. "You know that?"

The man who had proposed… he hadn't been ready for her.

He put his forehead into her hair and she wrapped her arms around his waist, pulling him closer.

"Back to the office?" she asked.

He nodded.

"There is one thing I need to say to you."

He pulled back just enough to look at her expression.

"We spoke about you being unsure about what you want, about us being good parents, or how it will change our relationship. But we haven't talked about what happened if you are sure."

His cellphone rang. He didn't even look at it. "What do you mean?"

"If you are sure you don't want children, then none of this matters." Qian Meng looked straight into his eyes. "I don't want you backed into a corner thinking I am giving you an ultimatum." She reached up to take his face in her palms. "I can live without a child, but Mo Qingchen, I can't live without you."

He swallowed and nodded. "Once we are done with work and I have thought of everything I want to say, let's sit at home and talk about this."

Qian Meng nodded briefly. And then they got into their cars, driving side by side back to their office.

- - - - -

She didn't want to get off the bed that night, but Mo Qingchen had other plans. He held up a large bowl of ice cream and a plate of snacks as she worked on the bed.

"Hey," he said, coming straight over to her. She looked up from her laptop, tilting her head up for him to place a kiss on her lips. "Do you have a lot of work left?"

Qian Meng shook her head. "I should finish this, but I am feeling really lazy," she said, stroking his thigh.

"Great. Dinner is canceled."

"Are we watching a movie?" Qian Meng asked in confusion.

"No. I have other priorities to take care of," he explained with his signature smirk. "But we are going outside."

He leaned over to kiss her forehead again and before she could string two thoughts together, he was gone, skipping down the hall.

She slid her body out of the bed. "Hey!" Qian Meng called out as she followed Mo Qingchen. "Where are we going?"

"Outside."

"Out where?"

"Just outside."

She blinked in confusion. "What do I wear?"

"Just put on some shoes."

Qian Meng looked down at her shorts and shirt. "I don't even have a bra on."

He grinned. "I noticed." Qian Meng rolled her eyes. "Just grab a jacket. It's chilly outside."

Mo Qingchen guided her to the small landing between the garden full of wildflowers. She was feeling mildly unsettled. At least, she was glad that he seemed to be in a good mood.

Mo Qingchen was smiling next to her, crooning a love song to her softly along with the radio playing on his phone.

There was a bite in the air and she was thankful that she grabbed a jacket. Wrapped in fuzzy socks and a jacket, the night became enjoyable. She had to ward off advances from a handsy Mo Qingchen, knowing that the guards would see if they did anything.

They finally compromised to cuddle while they lay back to gaze at the stars.

She curled up tightly into Mo Qingchen's side and relaxed so much at him scratching her scalp that she almost fell asleep. The rumbling in his chest when he spoke roused her, though.

"Remember when you flew across the country to tell me you loved me?" he asked quietly into the heavy, love-filled air.

She smiled against him, hitching her leg over his hip to slide it between his.

"Of course, I remember."

She remembered every moment with him.

"Remember when I told you that all of this—everything I have worked for, everything I have built—was for you?"

"I remember it like yesterday," she answered. "You said your heart knew I was coming and that you had to have the best life you possibly could ready for me." She rubbed her hand down his stomach. "And then you fucked me so good I saw stars."

She twisted p to look at him, expecting to see him grinning, but his expression was serious and thoughtful. "What made you think of that?"

"I was thinking about therapy and when you said that everything changed for you. That all the nice things didn't matter as long as we were together."

"Qingchen… I didn't mean… I am grateful for our lives."

"No. That's not what I am getting at." He shook his head.

"Oh."

"I am just trying to say that I feel the same way. Before you, I gauged my self-worth in monetary value and my pride was uncannily similar to my father's." He held her tighter when she shivered.