Milady's Fine Gentleman 240 START OVER WITH YOU

For some reason, she felt warm at the mention of 'my girl'. Zhu Li Qiang had always been unfiltered. She smiled slightly.
"I just want to savor it one last time. Before… Before…" She looked him in the eye to communicate her sincerity. "Before I let go of it totally. I'm tired of getting trapped in the past. The past is no longer here. The person changed. I changed." She sighed. "I want to start over."
The lady fidgeted uncomfortably. She was vehemently shifting in her seat. Although there was a strong urge inside her to tear her gaze from him and bow down her head, she fought it and stared through those dark brown eyes of the man who sat before her, with such unfathomable abyss yet had the power to draw anyone in.
Collecting her guts, she resumed.
"Zhu Li Qiang, I made up my mind. I want to start over with you."
The man was dumbstruck. "Pardon?"
He was equally enticed by the beauty in front of him that he concentrated his senses on his eyes and not on his ears. He must have heard something out of place? It was utterly unexpected!
The lady's cheeks flushed in embarrassment. How could she repeat what she just said? This Zhu Li Qiang…
She tried to retrieve her hand from his grasp but he tightened his hold of it.
While keeping her head down, she explained. "The moment you appeared earlier, I just knew."
"I mean, what are the odds that I would meet you on that street? If that wasn't a clear sign I wouldn't know what would be…"
"How about Shi Fan Hai? Have you gotten over him?" It was quite normal to be dubious at this point.
'Fengyu is Shi Fan Hai.' She thought without voicing out loud. There were secrets better left unrevealed. Especially this one. It's not even her secret to tell.
Teng Man Rui did not respond. Lost in her own thoughts, her lashes flickered beautifully, yet nervously, while she kept her head bowed down.
Zhu Li Qiang thought he went overboard by mentioning the ex's name. "Sorry, I shouldn't have mentioned him… I don't intend to make you feel uncomfortable--"
"I'm simply tired, Zhu Li Qiang…"
"I want to be happy too."
"I'm taking a gamble with you…" She lifted her head and looked at him. Her fists clenched the hem of her dress.
"I'm not sure but I think I'll really give it a shot. It's not all emotions, you know…"
"Not all emotions…" Zhu Li Qiang repeated her words. His eyes dimmed as if at an instant it lost its luster. "You still don't love me, do you?"
The lady pursed her lips. "I don't know. What is love? What do you define as love? That fluttery feeling when two people close the distance? The agitation that a person feels for wanting acceptance and recognition from the one they deemed special? The sheer feeling of concern?"
"Feelings are fleeting."
"All I know is that I like you, Zhu Li Qiang. Because you're such a good, understanding, transparent, patient person. You're funny too." She laughed a little. "And I think I'm starting to care for you too."

"Is that love already?" She tried to put her loose fist near her chin – an action that she was getting abashed by the conversation.
"But there's this deep sense in me, a woman's instinct perhaps, that's telling me that I can be happy with you."
"I'm getting attached to you. You can make me laugh, make me smile. You can make my weary heart relax a little."
"I think you can even make me forget my reservations."
"You're a breath of fresh air."
"That's what's making me want to start over with you."
"Please bear with me, I am not too sure with technicalities like definitions, terms--" She wasn't able to end her statement as the man seated across him abruptly stood up and pressed his lips urgently onto hers. He was pressing his lips onto hers a little bit too hard, while he tried to gently bite her lower lip.
A table between them, he leaned towards her and tightened his grip onto her hand that was in his clasp, while his other hand cupped her blushing face. His thumb caressed her cheek.
While it was a strange sensation to the lady, surprisingly, it wasn't repulsive at all. She even welcomed it, and even warmed her heart, her face, her whole being, and ignited the awareness of wanting to treat Zhu Li Qiang better than how she had been treating him. 'He deserves it.' She kissed him back.
When the kiss ended, just like the last time, the man leaned his forehead onto hers lovingly while his thumb continually caressed her cheek.
He pressed her hand in his hold, too.
"Are we going official?"
She nodded coyly.
"Do you love me?"
Eyes narrowed, she gritted her teeth and was apparently fazed by the question. "Uhm, I think so? Maybe."
"Good enough." Zhu Li Qiang muttered. "That's a good enough answer. I'll make it certain. In the coming days, it will be certain."
"Is it possible to romantically love two people, Man Rui?" He asked with reservations. The lady understood what his question meant.
"I'm choosing you, Zhu Li Qiang. I told you, feelings are fleeting. I am consciously choosing you with my mind, and of course, my heart too."
"I just want to know if I can claim all of your heart. Or…" He trailed off but then he continued. "Well, the idea of sharing your heart and mind doesn't really sit well with me. I'm one jealous potato."
The lady's eyes faltered. "I'm loyal to the person I choose, and I'm choosing you."
"I want to be freed from him too. In fact, I want to be free from him sooo badly. I'm tired of him… So tired of him…" Her brows creased in despair. The fact that she's still affected by him bothered Zhu Li Qiang, but he would be more than glad to be a pillar of strength for her.
"In time, Man Rui… You can be totally free from him."
The lady stood up and went towards Zhu Li Qiang. Her next actions surprised the man. She threw both of her frail arms around her neck. "Thank you, Zhu Li Qiang. I didn't mean to hurt you last time." She sobbed.
She was crying for hurting him.
Again, the man was dumbfounded. He pulled her close and made her sit on his lap. Good thing they were seated at a corner booth, and there were dividers per booth.
The lady obliged and sat on his lap. "Don't cry, Man Rui, even for me. It breaks my heart to see you cry." He wiped the tears on her cheeks with a thumb.
She laughed a little while wiping her tears. "Okay."
"I feel so relieved. As if a thorn was plucked from my heart – the thorn that was hurting me all this time." She wrapped her arms more tightly around his neck.
"This feels good too." The man consequently landed his hands around the lady's waist. "It feels surreal."
He pinched her chin lightly, dotingly. The lady smiled in acknowledgment. "You're officially my girl now. My girlfriend. Milady. My angel. Mine."
"Yeah." She hugged him tightly, and rested her head against his own head and whispered, her eyes flickering with such conviction. "You're mine too, Zhu Li Qiang."
"M-Man Rui!" He cried in alarm. "…I… I can't breathe!"
The lady loosened her arms around his neck a bit and pulled away. "Oh, sorry! Sorry!"
What a blooper. Staring at each others' discerning eyes, they laughed tentatively at first, but certainly, contentedly as well."

Chapter end

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