She had finally stopped staring at her feet and walked around OTS with her chin held high.
Tian stuck his head around the door, eliciting smug looks and smirky side-eyes between Suying and Ling, and hesitated before wandering in.
“You ladies okay? Are you ready to get moving? The removal guys are itching to go, and we need to let them in on the other side.” Tian was impeccably dressed, unwrinkled, and put together for someone who had been lugging boxes all day. He carried the boss aura wherever he went and smoothly walked in to take command of his wild woman. Sliding an arm around Ling, the automatic belly rub followed, causing her to roll her eyes and throw a frustrated look at her girls.
Ling’s face reddened as she wriggled to be free of him, but her movements lacked strength as she didn’t want to be freed.
“Miss me that much?” Qian’s smooth charm as he caught her stumble and embraced her in a hug, grinning widely before pecking her on the lips that had Ling ewwwing
“Yeah, he was giving the movers some instructions.” Qian rubbed Suying’s head in a weirdly paternal way. “Babe, we should get going. My alarm set off that it’s time for Shorty Yue’s pick-up time. Her last day is almost over.”
“It’s an excuse to take my sidekick to the movies and for pizza. What better way to spend my day instead of lugging boxes for my cousin?” Qian was beaming, loving they were kidnapping his honorary niece as he loved nothing more than spending time with her. Qian had become another favorite uncle and the best at piggybacks and impromptu pizza dates.
“I swear when Yue is with us, Qian forgets who I am.” Suying jested, lassoing his arm in hers, she tugged him towards the door to leave.
“Never!” He winked, waving a hand as he was hauled out of sight. Tian and Ling followed closely behind.
“See you on the other side.” Tian nodded with a genuine soft smile, latching to Ling’s hand with his. Making it obvious that everyone was rushing to get going and that their time here was done.
“You’re worse than Suying today. You know that.” Ling huffed, knowing this was what she said to Meilei many years ago when they found out she was pregnant.
“I bought handcuffs not too long ago, and I’m not afraid to use them.” Tian winked and chuckled at the instant mortified expression that crossed Ling’s face as she wide-eye slapped him in the shoulder.
“Shut up.. she doesn’t need to know any of that.” Her face turned crimson with embarrassment.
It was no secret that Tian and Ling had a very active and kinky sex life, given she had almost caught them twice at work in very compromising positions in dark, small rooms.
“There you are.” Kai swaggered in, catching her standing idly by the door as she gazed around the tiny entrance and tried not to get caught up in all the times they had brought Yuelin through these doors. “Beautiful as always.. why am I so lucky.” Kai swept down, surprising her before she could reply. He caught her mouth with his, his hands moving automatically to slide around her waist and tug her bodily closer. So confident in these past months that she was his. This was his usual greeting whenever they had been separated, and she surrendered to him like putty in his hands.
Sinking a kiss that had her submitting to his tease and sliding open method of pushing it into something passionate. They fitted together so fluidly, and he grazed her tongue with his as he deepened their connection.
Whenever he touched her, it was easy to forget her worries and slide into his control, as well as how safe he made her feel. Her anxiety eased, and her doubts washed away on a warm, euphoric breeze. In the moments of his tenderness, all the pain of the past eased away into forgottenness, and she could only feel the love between them growing stronger. All these months of slowly coming together until finally, they made it official a couple before still felt so new and fresh. They were riding the high of the honeymoon period, so Meilei had reservations about the jump to cohabiting.
He finally pulled back, leaving her slightly breathless and half limp in his arms, held up by his warm embrace. Tugging her in closer to rest his chin on top of her head, closing her into a snug cuddle with her cheek against his chest as he took a moment to look around them.
“I’ll miss this place.” He sighed, seeing only the shell of a home that, in recent months, had become somewhere he spent so many happy moments with his girls. He was eager to start a new life with them, but it didn’t take away the special memories they had here when growing closer together or him watching his daughter grow every day. All his reservations of the past about this place had been long forgotten when he was here so frequently.
“A new beginning, baby. A step into our life and future as a family. Maybe one day you will agree to make it official.” He teased, kissing her on the top of the head. He was eager to one day call her his wife, but he knew that was something that she needed time to want. He was building trust, repairing hurts, and giving her the time to truly let go of the past. He understood the scars that ran deep even though they had come so far.
“You and me against the world, baby.” He winked, sliding her arm into his, and turned, pulling the key out of his pocket to seal this place away forever. The bulldozers were set to take this building down in the next month.
“Always.” She smiled, leaning against his shoulder as she followed him, stepping out and breathing deeply to ready herself for the next adventure.
“Yuelin is right here with us, every step, every day. Wishing she could tell you how much she loves and misses you.” Kai caught her with a back-turned glance. “She would be happy for us.”
“I miss her.” Meilei’s dreams were no longer the night terrors of before; instead, she dreamt of the good times and the friend who had changed her entire life. Yuelin appeared to her as a smiling, loving memory now.
“Well, we will continue to make her proud. Give her some more nieces and nephews to watch over.” He angled, meeting Meilei’s serious deadpan.
Kai led the way, and Meilei followed with a slight spring in her step and hope rising in her heart. Every step away from the door brought more reassurance as she watched him walk ahead, a sense that there was nothing to fear and that their future would not have any hurdles like before.
He was all hers, and Yue and Yuelin had bonded them in a way that made them unbreakable this time. Life had a long road ahead, and she was sure she could fill those days with happiness now she no longer lived under the clouds of guilt, shame, and grief. She could breathe and let go of the ghosts of her past.