When I Meet the Moon - Chapter 81

Chapter 81

"Do you want to meet my parents first?" Yun Li repeated blankly.

Recalling Yun Yongchang's personality, Yun Li always felt that he would find fault with Fu Shize in every possible way.

Regardless of whether it stemmed from a desire to look out for her or some other motivation, it was a method that made Yun Li extremely uncomfortable.

In her eyes, Fu Shize was beyond anyone's criticism.

Hesitatingly, Yun Li said, "You can meet them later. My parents have rather conservative ideas, and they might start pushing for marriage right from the start." She pressed her lower lips together: "Besides, they'll feel that a girl loses out if she stays in a relationship for too long."

Fu Shize gave a noncommittal response, merely nodding obediently.

Just like that, the progress of their relationship ground to a halt right in front of the obstacle of parents, and a sudden sense of loss washed over Yun Li.

Catching a glimpse of her expression, Fu Shize said offhandedly, "My mindset is quite conservative too."

"..."

"I might also want to push for marriage right from the beginning." He was still typing on his document, his gaze not even shifting over, his tone carrying a trace of playful banter: "I hope you don't mind."

Hearing this, Yun Li laughed as well: "Then go ahead and try pushing for it."

Fu Shize curved his lips and turned the question back on her: "Would you agree?"

Seeing that his attention still hadn't shifted away from his thesis, Yun Li stared at him for a few seconds and deliberately put on a reserved expression: "I wouldn't agree."

It was the expected answer, but Fu Shize still stopped his work because of it. Their eyes locked for a couple of seconds, and he said thoughtfully, "Your mindset should be quite conservative as well, right?"

"Mn," Yun Li replied.

"Then you push for marriage." Fu Shize leaned back slightly against his ergonomic chair, his gaze falling directly on her face. He smiled: "I'll agree."

That evening, after Fu Shize dropped Yun Li off downstairs, she lingered for a while, refusing to head upstairs. Fu Shize indulged her wishes, holding her hand as they strolled leisurely around the residential compound.

Remembering something in connection with Chen Jinping's birthday, he lowered his gaze and told Yun Li, "I'll make it up to you with two birthdays."

He had missed Yun Li's birthdays for the past two years.

"Make two wishes," Fu Shize prompted.

Yun Li was startled for a moment, then obediently closed her eyes. Crossing her hands and clasping them near her chin, she said earnestly, "Then I hope Ah Ze can continue celebrating my birthday with me next year."

"..." Fu Shize chuckled. "You wasted a wish. I would have been here anyway."

"Then I want to change my wish. I hope Ah Ze can celebrate my birthday with me every single year." She looked at him with hopeful anticipation. Fu Shize returned her gaze and said softly, "I would have stayed by your side forever anyway."

"What about the second one?"

Continuing her previous posture, Yun Li answered honestly, "I hope Ah Ze can celebrate my birthday with me every single year."

"..." Fu Shize let out a low chuckle. "Even the wording for both wishes is identical."

Yun Li opened her eyes and wrapped her arms around his waist: "Because I want it to come true so badly."

So even if every single wish was the exact same, it didn't matter at all.

As long as that one came true, all other wishes ceased to matter.

Before Fu Shize could say anything, a thunderous voice suddenly rang out.

"Yun Li."

Yun Li froze in place, completely at a loss for how to react.

Normally, Yun Yongchang would never step outside at this hour, which was why she had dared to wander around the neighborhood with Fu Shize.

Yun Yongchang walked out from the shadows. Upon clearly seeing Fu Shize's face, a cold expression settled over his features. Denying Fu Shize any further glance, he turned straight to Yun Li: "You lied to me when you said you broke up, right? And you even teamed up with Yunye to lie to me that he was his teaching assistant?"

During their second meeting, Yun Yongchang's attitude toward Fu Shize remained just as harsh. Yun Li jerked her head up, a burning fury rising within her as she prepared to snap right back.

Yet her shoulder was gently pressed down by Fu Shize. In a natural tone, he said, "Hello, Uncle. After returning to school, I took on teaching assistant duties for several courses."

Hearing his reply, Yun Yongchang understood the underlying meaning. His attitude softened slightly, and remembering that the young man had taken a leave of absence from his studies, he asked, "You've gone back to school?"

Fu Shize nodded.

"When do you graduate?"

"Next year, along with Lili."

"Have you found a job yet?"

"Not settled yet, but I'll probably choose to stay at Xikeda as a teacher."

"Oh, how did you suddenly end up back in school?" Yun Yongchang didn't let down his guard simply because the young man had made academic progress; he still wanted to get to the bottom of Fu Shize's situation.

Fu Shize glanced sideways at Yun Li: "I want to be responsible for Lili and give her a better life."

He confessed candidly: "I left a poor impression on you last time, and my original plan this time was to invite you to attend my graduation ceremony once I obtained my doctorate."

Facing his words, the man before him was neither overbearing nor servile, remaining sincere, composed, gentle, and clear-headed. Yun Yongchang didn't have much of a temper left, but he still put on an elder's demeanor and said, "Well, my daughter is wonderful, so all of this is what you ought to do. As a man, you should take responsibility for your family." He paused: "Though there's no need to wait until the graduation ceremony."

"..." Yun Li.

Fu Shize: "If you don't mind, I'd like to pay a visit in a couple of days."

Yun Yongchang: "Oh, you're still living at the school, right? Come on Friday. Have Lili pick you up then, and bring Yun Ye back home so we can all have a meal together."

"..." Yun Li.

Without saying much more to Fu Shize, Yun Yongchang brought Yun Li back inside. Once they stepped indoors, Yun Li couldn't hold back her frustration any longer: "Dad, can't you just have a better attitude toward people?"

Seeing her bracing for an argument, Yun Yongchang raised his voice slightly: "Where was my attitude bad?"

Completely intimidated by him, Yun Li retorted: "Your attitude toward Yin Yucheng was great last time! Do you seriously expect me to spend my whole life with someone I don't like?"

Yun Yongchang said nothing.

Kicking off her shoes, Yun Li marched straight into the kitchen, poured herself a cup of cold water, and gulped it down in an attempt to calm herself.

Hearing the father and daughter starting to bicker again, Yang Fang hurried over to the kitchen doorway. This time, however, Yun Yongchang had no intention of arguing with Yun Li. With a rigid expression, he walked into the kitchen and said, "Pour me a glass of water."

"I won't," Yun Li stubbornly refused.

Seeing her as stubborn as an ox, Yun Yongchang figured he was getting old, so he quietly poured a glass of water himself and asked Yun Li, "Why did he take a leave of absence?"

Not really wanting to bring up that painful chapter, Yun Li kept quiet. Yun Yongchang glared at him—her: "Are you waiting for him to show up so I can ask him in person?"

"..."

Speaking at a rapid-fire pace, Yun Li blurted out: "He had a close childhood friend who fell ill. He used to make sure that friend took his medicine every day, but the friend secretly spat it out. Later, when the illness flared up, that person jumped from a building. He blamed himself for a long time because he hadn't carefully checked whether the medicine was actually swallowed. That friend jumped off a building at Xikeda, which is why going back to school gave him a psychological shadow at the time."

After she finished speaking, both Yun Yongchang and Yang Fang fell silent for a moment. Yang Fang let out a soft sigh: "What a pair of pitiful children."

It seemed her parents were capable of understanding Fu Shize.

Yun Li's mood instantly improved. She stared at Yun Yongchang, whose icy exterior had melted slightly, and asked, "How did he end up going back then? Was what he said tonight true?"

"Yeah. He thought you were against us being together, and he also wanted to give your daughter a better life." Over the past two years, Yun Li had picked up a trick or two about conversational phrasing, and she adopted a somewhat guiding tone: "Dad, you're a reasonable person. You can tell that none of this was his fault, right?"

"Just think about it, if Yunye were because of my—" Seeing Yun Yongchang glare at her, Yun Li snapped her mouth shut. "Well, if I only have this one younger brother, I'd probably stay depressed for ten or eight years myself."

"He sounds like a person who values affection and loyalty." Without making any further comments, Yun Yongchang walked out of the kitchen.

Over the next two days, Yun Yongchang didn't ask a single thing about Fu Shize. On the contrary, Yang Fang asked several times about what foods Fu Shize liked, and early Friday morning, she went to the farmer's market to buy a wealth of fresh ingredients.

Both parents returned home by noon that day and meticulously scrubbed the house until it was spotless.

When picking up Fu Shize at Xikeda, Yun Li was momentarily taken aback. He was dressed very formally in a well-fitted white shirt, suit trousers, and leather shoes, carrying matching gift bags of liquor, tea, and tobacco.

Yun Li had originally thought they were just coming over for a simple meal.

She asked dryly, "Why did you prepare so many things today?"

"I gave the gifts to my mother, and she asked me to convey her thanks on her behalf," Fu Shize explained. Habitually leaning close, he planted a quick kiss on Yun Li's cheek: "You put in so much thought, I couldn't afford to fall behind."

Yunye felt like he had just suffered another ten thousand points of critical damage.

Yun Li quickly warned him: "Don't do that, Yunye is right behind us."

"..." Yunye.

Only then did Fu Shize notice Yunye's presence. With an undisturbed expression, he handed a package to him: "Little brother, hold onto this."

Yunye took it and casually tossed it into the back seat. Fu Shize glanced at it: "The blue bag is yours."

The previously deflated Yunye instantly perked up, his eyes shining brightly: "Can I unwrap it now?"

"Yunye, can you show a little composure?" Yun Li scolded.

"I'm a grown man, what do I need composure for?"

With that, he nimbly tore open the gift box and let out a cheer upon seeing what was inside.

Stopping at a red light, Yun Li's gaze met Fu Shize's, and she asked with a smile, "Do I not get a gift?"

Fu Shize hummed a reply, gently pushing away the palm Yun Li had extended: "Not giving it to you right now."

"..."

Wondering what kind of mysterious gift he had prepared to be so secretive about it, Yun Li smiled and asked, "Then when will you give it to me?"

Fu Shize didn't answer directly.

"When the time is right."

Part of the gifts Fu Shize brought were sent by his parents specifically for Yun Yongchang and Yang Fang.

Inside was also a letter explaining that they were away on a business trip and couldn't visit in person this time, hoping Yun Yongchang and Yang Fang would understand.

With the other party displaying such flawless etiquette, Yun Yongchang didn't utter a single harsh word the entire time.

Yet, just as Yun Li had feared, Yun Yongchang poured cup after cup of liquor for Fu Shize.

She tried to stop them, but Yun Yongchang was already buzzing and completely ignored her. Beside them, Yunye tugged at her hem, signaling her to sit down and eat quietly.

Yunye covertly sent her a text message: [You've gotta let Dad and the brother-in-law drink like this once. Dad's just built that way.]

Yun Li: [Your brother-in-law's stomach isn't good.]

Yunye: [Fine then... I'll go step in and block a couple of cups for my brother-in-law.]

The entire meal went much smoother than Yun Li had anticipated. Patting Fu Shize on the shoulder, Yun Yongchang repeatedly praised Yun Li's excellence and made him promise to treat Yun Li well.

Yun Li sat across from them feeling like she was sitting on pins and needles the whole time. Yunye's alcohol tolerance was poor; after blocking a few rounds for Fu Shize, he had to excuse himself to go sleep it off.

As the dinner drew to a close, Yun Yongchang sat before the coffee table and said earnestly, "Our Lili isn't so young anymore, and you're graduating soon. What are your plans for the future?"

To Yun Li's ears, this was practically shouting the six words 'You guys should get married' right out loud.

She glanced at Fu Shize beside her, who was already looking slightly unsteady, though he was still forcing himself to sit up straight, a flush creeping up his neck.

Yun Yongchang enunciated each word clearly: "The mindset of our generation is different from yours. Romance isn't child's play. As parents, we probably take our children's marriages much more seriously than you do."

"Dad," Yun Li called out, her tone tinged with complaint.

Ignoring her words, Yun Yongchang addressed Fu Shize exclusively: "Shize, this daughter of mine is extremely stubborn, and I can never win an argument with her. But as a man, you need to seriously consider and plan for your future together."

Yun Li detested this exact trait in Yun Yongchang—his habit of wanting to make decisions for her regarding everything.

She also hated Yun Yongchang's assumption that she would always rely on others and that all burdens should be borne solely by the man.

Just as she was about to snap back, Fu Shize suddenly reached out and took her hand. As if reading her thoughts, he soothingly rubbed the back of her hand.

Having consumed too much alcohol, he spoke slower than usual, yet every single word came through with crystal clarity.

"Lili and I will consider and take responsibility for our future together."

A romantic relationship between two people was never something meant to be decided by a third party, nor should it ever be unilaterally dictated by any single intermediary.

This was a romance that belonged exclusively to the two of them.

Once they headed downstairs, Yun Li was still dwelling on what Fu Shize had just said. In this household, she loathed from the bottom of her heart her father's habit of looking down on her capabilities and his all-encompassing desire for control.

Before coming over, she had actually worried that Fu Shize, in an attempt to win favor with Yun Yongchang, might simply go along with everything her father wanted—conforming to Yun Yongchang's view that as the man, he should be the one to plan their future and make all the decisions.

She loathed that kind of mindset.

She had always been fiercely independent. Regardless of how much Yun Yongchang criticized her for being introverted and lacking social skills, Yun Li had accomplished numerous things relying entirely on her own strength. From refusing to take living expenses or tuition money starting the summer of her freshman year, traveling alone to study in Nanwu and the UK, to ultimately securing a decent job and finding a boyfriend she deeply loved.

She refused to let anyone else make decisions about her life.

What Fu Shize said just now hadn't treated her like some dependent appendage; instead, he viewed her as the irreplaceable equal half in their relationship.

Yun Li hugged his arm. His steps were less steady than usual, and she stood on tiptoe to press a light kiss against his cheek.

Fu Shize curved his lips: "What is it?"

"Just wanted to kiss you." Yun Li skipped ahead to stand right in front of him, looking up into his eyes while a crescent moon just poked its head out from behind his shoulder.

"What are your thoughts?" Fu Shize's warm breath brushed against her neck. "Regarding our future—when should we make it official?"

"You go first, let me use your opinion as a reference." Tickled by his warm breath, Yun Li chuckled and pushed his chin away.

Using a fair bit of strength, Fu Shize touched the spot she had pushed and let out a low chuckle: "Graduation?"

Graduation was right around the corner.

For Fu Shize to bring this up now inevitably made Yun Li suspect it was pressure from Yun Yongchang's words tonight.

Frowning, she said, "You don't need to pay attention to what my father said today. My parents always say you should date for two or three years. I think that timeline suits us pretty well."

Unshaken, Fu Shize repeated his earlier thought: "We can settle down once we graduate."

A hazy veil of alcohol lingered in the corners of his eyes, yet his dark pupils remained clear and serious.

Looking into his face, Yun Li suddenly felt a flutter of nervousness. Come to think of it, there was less than half a year left until graduation.

She probed tentatively, "What do you mean by 'settle down'?"

Fu Shize: "If you feel it's too fast, we can get engaged first."

With an expressionless face, Yun Li asked, "Then how much time usually passes between an engagement and a marriage?"

The man beside her tilted his head to ponder for a moment. To Yun Li, it looked entirely like he was fabricating an answer right on the spot: "I don't know, maybe a month or two?"

"..."

At this rate, what difference was this from getting married directly?!

"I'm also afraid that if we date too long, you'll worry I won't take responsibility." Remembering the excuse she had used on him last time, Fu Shize reached out, hooked his arm around her neck, and pulled her back into his embrace.

Yun Li felt as though all the air had been squeezed out of her lungs. She could hear his heartbeat thumping rapidly, keeping pace with her own.

The time they had truly spent together as a couple was far too short, so she still put up a stubborn front: "No way, I need to think about it."

Fu Shize smiled: "Take your time thinking."

With that, he nuzzled her left earlobe with his chin.

Yun Li could distinctly feel his deep, low voice dispersing all around them, melting into the night air.

Yet his voice was so faint, and because he was pressed against her left ear, she couldn't hear a word of it.

She didn't catch a single syllable.

He kept talking, as if trying to persuade her further.

Sensing that he was thoroughly plastered, Yun Li said patiently, "I can't hear what you're saying."

The alcohol finally fully hitting him, Fu Shize stared down at her left ear—which he had just been rubbing against—for a few seconds before realizing belatedly: "Wrong ear.”