"You are my sun, my moon, and all of my stars." - E. E. Cummings
~~~
"He Di Lao Shi, this arrived for you."
A few light knocks on the door and a second later, the staff repeated herself.
"He Di Lao Shi?"
"Hmm?"
Dylan turned his head around to see one of his staff peeking from the door and apologized. He had a tendency of being absolutely oblivious to the world around him when he got in the zone and deep in thought on his director's chair.
"Thank you, Jai. Could you get me another cup of iced Americano if you're passing this way again, please?" he asked politely as he received the package she handed him.
When he was alone again, Dylan studied the rectangular package covered in plain brown manila paper. It had a sticker labelled "WANG HE DI" placed on the packaging fold, but no name from the sender or address.
He wondered what this could be. He hadn't ordered anything from Taobao recently. And if ever he did, he wouldn't have had it shipped to the set location.
He gently ripped open the wrapper and found a white rectangular box inside. Lifting the cover, a cute hand sized doll resembling Shen Yue greeted him. It had big brown almond eyes, flushed cheeks and jet black hair up to its shoulders and had on bright yellow dress.
He chuckled. A spitting doll image of his cute wife. There was even a purple embroidered heart on her chest with Dylan's initials.
Beside the doll, there was room for one more doll but in its place was yellow envelope instead. A smile immediately appeared on his face when he saw it. He didn't even need to check the handwriting to know who it was from.
My dearest老公 (lao gong),
Somebody gifted us with these adorable knit dolls of the two of us. Sent you mini me to keep you company at the set. Isn't mini me pretty?? I have mini you here with me, don't worry. Hugging him first while I wait for the real one to come home.
I know you're working hard but please don't starve yourself, okay? Bribed Jai to send you food and coffee once in a while. Jia you, my love! I'm excited to see you shine again. This new film will definitely be a hit!
By the way, Mama also sent over some fresh Sichuan peppers! I was wondering if you wanted to try my version of our Fu Qi Fei Pian (ala Chef Didi). I wanted to brag to my personal chef about my improved cooking skills. Date on the rooftop when you get home?
I love you always!
Your老婆 (lao po)
"Your wife."
He could hear her voice in his head saying it in that adorable manner she can only do.
After almost a year of being married to each other, Shen Yue still felt giddy about being called a wife now. And to Dylan's surprise, she wasn't at all shy about admitting this.
Everyone had told them that they had been together for such a long time and had already started living together before their wedding, so saying their "I do's" would just really just be formalizing everything.
But it really wasn't the case for both of them. To them it felt like the beginning of the most beautiful chapter of their lives together.
Dylan could clearly remember how fast his heart raced just before the doors opened. XiZe had to practically hold in him place from the excitement.
He never thought it was possible to fall any further in love with Yue, but boy was he wrong. He was floored once again the moment he saw her walking to towards him looking so ethereal in that off-shoulder white dress.
He couldn't stop his tears. There was no way that heaven had sent him a fallen angel.
His 'crying groom face' was still the talk of the town. Brides-to-be around the country had his reaction as a standard now for how grooms should be when seeing their brides.
He was also glad he made it through his vows, though his voice broke many many times.
"...Shen Yue, I promise to love you more and more everyday. I will love you on our best days, more so on our worst days. And I promise to always choose you, adore you and to help you reach your dreams as they are also mine..."
He had meant every word of it and he was proud that despite all the challenges they have had so far, his determination to keep his promises still felt the same— maybe even stronger.
He could remember the way Yue had squeezed his fingers while saying hers, the tenderness in her eyes as she promised to love him more.
"My Wang He Di, heaven knows that there is nothing I want more than to grow old with you, learn with you, to get to know and love you more. I promise to always listen to you, cheer for you, be your best friend and the best wife you deserve. I vow today to take every single moment given to us as a chance to make you feel the love that you have shown me all these years and more..."
Yue had always been an amazing girlfriend. Her patience for him despite everything that they had been through alone spoke a lot about her. But he learned that being married to her was a familiar and different, more exciting discovery altogether. He has enjoyed these past few months of being her husband and it was an absolute joy falling in love with her all over again everyday. Because just as she had promised him, she really was serious about claiming that best wife title.
And he was beyond the stars lucky that she was his wife.
There was never a day that went by that we wasn't humbled and grateful that she had chosen to love him in this life.
He picked up the Shen Yue doll, placed it on his make shift desk and whipped out his phone to type a quick response to Yue.
'Hi my love, got the adorable mini Yue. Thank you for the much needed inspiration. I want to hug the real one though. Don't worry, I am eating well. I promise. Hell yes, that Fu Qi Fei Pian ala Wang Yue sounds FANTASTIC. I will definitely be home tonight. I can't wait to see you, my lao po. I love you always!'
After pressing send, he kept his phone in his pocket and cleaned up his area to get ready. He didn't even need that tall glass of coffee to keep him energized anymore. He was full recharged and ready to take on the day ahead, very much looking forward to coming home to Yue.
__________________________________________________
The elevator doors slid open and Dylan headed to their corner unit at the end of the hall. He fished for his keys with one hand while checking to make sure the bouquet of fresh yellow dahlias on his other hand was still intact.
Before he could even insert the keys though, the door suddenly swung open.
"You're home!" a smiling Yue greeted him warmly.
"Hello, my lao po."
She leaned forward for a hug and Dylan pressed a long kiss on her head. It always felt good to come home to her.
"These are for you." he said after a while, showing her the dahlias.
"Aww, love! Thank you. They're wonderful!" she said looking up at him still glued to his chest in a hug. She tiptoed up to kiss him.
"Sorry I took longer than expected. I hope you're not that hungry."
"You're just in time actually. I was just about to plate the meals." the excitement was dancing in her eyes.
He couldn't help but compliment her cooking right away as he entered the door just because of the heavenly smell that wafted from the kitchen.
"You have to taste it first before saying that!"
But he wasn't even able to see the mess she had made. She was almost prancing towards him with a large tray of food that she handed him
"We can fix that later! Time for our date!" she squealed, pushed him out the door seconds later.
To Dylan's surprise, Yue asked him to close his eyes before alighting the elevator to the rooftop entrance.
"Waaah, Shen Yue. What are you going to do to me this time?" he teased but followed anyway, as she guided him from behind.
"You always do the surprising, let me do it sometimes! And let me remind you that it's Wang Yue, Mr. Wang He Di." she replied.
A very obedient Dylan kept his eyes closed and stayed perfectly still as he heard his wife titter tottering around the floor. Footsteps here, taking the tray from him, light screeching of metal against cement, tugging of linen, puffing of pillows—he appreciated even more how much she was enjoying this.
"Okay, are you ready?"
He felt her fingers wrapping around his.
He nodded eagerly.
"Alright. Open your eyes on the count of three." she instructed.
"One..."
"THREE!" Dylan shouted and opened his eyes, earning a playful slap from Yue.
"Didi!" she laughed as he hugged her in apology.
He was so focused on her that he really did get surprised with how the rooftop was set up. There were candles scattered on the floor. Fairy lights were loosely draped on the ledges. Two puffy pillows were on a picnic blanket with a small candlelit table on top of it that held their meals.
"Yue, what is all this for?? It isn't our anniversary yet, right? Did I miss it?" he asked, panicking as he let her go.
She giggled and shook her head. "It's not. Don't worry, you didn't miss it. You better not miss it!"
"I just... felt like surprising you with date night, that's all." she continued. Yue pulled him to the blanket where she sat both of them down and offered to feed him the Fu Qi Fei Pian she had prepared.
"Mmmmmm. Delicious! I knew it would be the moment I smelled it downstairs." Dylan said in between bites. "Hats off to that personal chef of yours. He's a great teacher."
She laughed. "He will be sooooo proud of me."
"Oh he is. Definitely. It's settled. You cook it better than me now." he said in between mouthfuls.
"Really, I do?"
"Much better! This is now my most favorite dish ever!" he said with both arms stretched out wide after taking another bite.
"Liar!"
"Why, don't you know by now that Wang He Di does not lie about his food?" he said solemnly, making Yue laugh.
***
"C'mon tell me, what is all this for, really?" Dylan asked Yue again when they finished their meal.
Yue straightened her sitting position, pursed her lips and took a deep breath, looking intently at him like she was thinking about her next move.
It only made Dylan more curious that there really was something behind this night.
"Wait, is this because you got that role you auditioned for in the U.S.?" he asked excitedly. "Did they call back? Did you get it?" He knew how long and hard she prepared for that.
But Yue shook her head. "No. They won't be announcing that until next month." she answered.
"Oh. Right. But seriously love, I'm 200% sure you'll bag that role." he said confidently.
Yue reached out for his hand and held it between both of hers.
"It actually doesn't matter if I do because I have decided to take a few months off work." she told him straight.
"What? Why? Is something wrong?"
Now this was a surprise to him.
"Don't worry. I'm fine." she assured him when she saw his expression change. "I'm taking an indefinite break so I can be with you during your filming. You're flying out to Xinjiang for 6 months for your movie, right? I want to be there with you."
"Shen Yue, I know being apart for a while will be tough again. But you don't have to sacrifice your work for me. I will always make a way to come home to you. You know that. I made sure it was part of my contract." he tried to reason with her.
"I know, Didi. And I love you for that."
"And it's not that I don't want you to be with me. Of course, I do! But you've worked so hard these past months. You turned down other projects to study and train. This is the role you've been waiting for. Why do this now?"
Yue only looked up at him with brighter eyes and a wider smile.
She sensed the confusion starting to brew in Dylan's mind with the decision she had made and the excitement she had for this evening bubbled inside her all the more.
"Because this is more important than any role I could ever dream of." she said softly.
His determination to figure out what she could mean was clear on his face; she knew he was going through every little possibility in his mind on why she was doing this. Him confidently thinking he knew her like the back of his hand was something she has always found so endearing.
This time though, she was positive that he wasn't going to crack it.
"But Yue..."
"I've already made up my mind."
Yue raised her hand to lightly comb the messy bangs from his eyes, to smooth out the crease on his brow, as she gently cupped his handsome face with her palms and looked straight at him.
"Didi..."
"I'm pregnant." she proudly declared.
She watched in delight as his expression quickly turned from shock to elation, words failing him as his cold hands shot up to hold both of hers for support.
"What? Yue...you...we're...?"
Tears brimmed his eyes as she nodded in confirmation.
"We're going to be parents!" she declared with tears running down her own cheeks.
Yue hoped she could record this moment in her mind, especially that beautiful tearful smile the father of the child growing in her had on.
"Yue..."
Dylan was sure his heart was going to burst. They had lovingly imagined their future with children before. They talked about being such good parents because of how much they love kids.
But now that it was going to be a reality, it hit quite differently.
"Didi..."
He was over the moon as the love of his life and now the mother of his child looked into his eyes.
"I love you." was all he could say, repeating it in between kisses as he embraced her tightly.
***
"Didi, that's just my food belly. I'm only a few weeks in." she whined as Dylan hugged her tighter from behind. Yue's heart was tickled with joy because he had been refusing to let go of her stomach for a while now.
He continued rubbing her still non existent baby bump, already talking to his child like there would be replies.
"See? Can you imagine just how crazy you are going to be if we'll be apart for 6 months?" she giggled.
"Gianna." Dylan said suddenly.
"What? Who's Gianna?"
"If it's a girl, let's call her Gianna. If it's a boy..."
"Hmm...Kento?" Yue said as she looked up to him with a playful grin.
Dylan's jaw dropped.
"The audacity of this woman?! Are you seriously asking me to name my child after the only man who has an actual real share of my wife's heart??"
Yue laughed. "I am just teasing you, Didi! He does not have a share!" Her admiration for Kento Yamazaki really was the only thing that ever made Dylan feel jealous.
He only continued to pout.
"I know it's too early for names. But, how about... 宇宙 (Yu Zhou)?" she asked.
"Yu Zhou? Universe?"
"Yeah...Universe" Yue entwined her fingers with his as they rubbed her tummy together slowly. "Whether it's a girl or a boy, I think that would fit. What do you think?"
"I love it!! I'm planning to give our kid the whole universe anyway. It's perfect." he said proudly.
"And this child will be our whole universe from now on." Yue said thoughtfully. She was glad her husband loved her early choice of name.
"Thank you, my Yue." he kissed her cheek again. "I mean it. I'm excited. There is nothing I want more than to be by your side as we go through this."
"Hmm, no need to thank me. I'm just looking forward to the A++ treatment I'll be getting for 9 months."
"A+++ with lots of TLC way past the 9 months, Mrs. Wang. Nothing less will do for the mother of my child." he said.
Yue sighed. She has known about her pregnancy for a few days now and and she couldn't wait to raise a child with Dylan. But she would be lying if she said that motherhood didn't frighten her. Bringing a child into this world wasn't just your everyday regular responsibility.
"Hey, you're going to be a wonderful mother." Dylan read her mind again. "Our baby is going to have your spirit, your kindness and he or she will love you as much as I do." he continued, holding her just a little bit tighter.
"And you're going to be the coolest dad." Yue looked back at him and smiled knowing that heart was ready and eager to love the father that he was going to become.
"I can't wait to buy all the matching Air Jordans." he said excitedly.
"Wang He Di!!!"
"You can't stop me from spoiling my child, Mrs. Wang. Yu Zhou will be the coolest kid on the block."
"Here I was worrying about being a responsible enough mother..." Yue said in between giggles.
"But if we do mess up and Yu Zhou grows up to be a brat, we can always say it was Uncle XiZe and Auntie JiaQi's fault for spoiling him." Dylan joked.
Yue laughed and slapped his arm. Dylan already calling their baby Yu Zhou made her heart do tiny flips in her chest.
"I don't think we'll be that bad. Yu Zhou will have your heart and will love everything about us." Yue said, relaxing and leaning back comfortably on his chest as he kissed her temple.
They gazed up at the night sky that seemingly celebrated with them with shower of stars; the fears and doubts they had about the new roles they needed to learn soon washing away.
Because they both knew in their hearts how ready they were to pour out all the love they had for this gift of life the universe had given them.
And like always, the most important thing was that they were going to face this exciting new milestone together.
~~~
A/N:
Hi guys,
This is long overdue and has been sitting in my drafts for so long. I finally found the time and imagination to write it. I hope this short epilogue brings a smile to everyone who misses these two just as much as I do.
Their story may be over, but their love will last forever.💜💛
I'd like to thank everyone again for all the love you have shown Stellar. Was supposed to post this for our weekly DiYue Fridays but let's just call it an early birthday gift for myself and my gift for all of you instead!
Praying that wherever you are in the world, you are staying healthy and safe at home with your loved ones!🙏
As always,
*DiYue Forever*