A month passed and Yue still had not moved in with Didi. She was fearful that staying with him would affect his full recovery. She was afraid that she would distract him.
While all these seemed petty, Yue only thought what would be the best for them. She would think about moving in much later.
The Didi she knew in the beginning was back. He showered her with flowers and gifts. They spent time going for long and slow walks, sometimes by the lake. They talked about what happened when he was unconscious.
Yue told him about Kandytown's visit and he seemed pleased that they apologized to her. He asked her about her new song. "Can you sing for me please?"
As she sang, she felt him gazing at her, the way he did the first time they sang together at the club. Her skin tingled and her heart skipped a beat.
When she finished, his eyes were glistening. He rose and took her into his arms. "That was beautiful. I'm so blessed to have you. I love, Yue." Then, he kissed her gently on her lips.
Didi kept his promise. He never asked her about moving back with him. That was what she loved about him. He respected her.
The gang decided to throw a celebration party for Didi at the music club. Once again, there was a lot of loud music, chatter and laughter. Marco and his fiancée were also present, together with Dee Hsu, Okaasan, Mama Wang and Nai Nai.
"This looks like a wedding party," commented Zi Wei casually. "Without the wedding dress, cake and rings. Speaking about rings, Yue, isn't it time that you told us about your marriage with Didi?"
"What marriage?" Yue replied nonchalantly.
"Kuan told me."
"Can't he keep a secret?" She knew her face was red.
"Don't blame him. I had him cornered. He was drunk."
"Kuan, drunk?" She asked. "Hard to believe. He can hold his alcohol."
"He was drunk that night. We were elated when Didi woke up but when you collapsed, he was sick worried. I always think Kuan has a crush on you."
"I'm like a sister to him. Was he upset I fainted?"
"Yes. He blamed himself for not being there as promised. But he's okay now. So, when are you going to spill the beans to us?" Zi Wei grinned cheekily.
Yue smiled. "I haven't spoken to Didi yet. It has to be mutual."
Zi Wei nodded. "One more thing, Yue. In case you haven't heard, Dudu-jie resigned. She is no longer our manager. And all contracts are going to be reviewed by the new management."
Yue gasped. She had left music industry for so long and did not even think about updating Dudu until now.
"But why didn't she say anything to me personally? I'm supposed to report to work next week."
Zi Wei shrugged. "I think there was a finance mismanagement so she was forced to resign. Can you imagine? It's her dad's company. I wonder if the company is running at loss."
"No way. I would have known." On a second thought, would she know? She had not been paying attention to her career ever since Japan. It seemed a long time ago.
She looked around the room to find Didi. He was chatting with Xi Ze, Kuan and Justin. He looked dashing tonight in his blue shirt and jeans. Dr. Jerry kept saying this his recovery was phenomenal.
As she stared at him, she realized how much she loved him. How much she missed their times together. Why did it feel different now? Will they ever go back like before?
She was so afraid of losing him again that she felt like threading on egg shells around him sometimes. Avoid arguments. Avoid confrontations. That should keep him safe. Who knows when his heart will act up again?
Everyday, he told her he loved her. She found her cup, overflowing. She was torn, between her fears and her love for him. But love, she knew, overcomes it all. It was time for her to do what she should have done long ago.
Just then Kang was onstage, booming over the microphone, "Welcome everyone to September Music Club! And tonight we celebrate our buddy's recovery, let's have Wang He Di to say a few words."
She watched as he stood up, looked over her way and winked. She smiled and waved. Her heart pounded. Her body grew warm.
Damn Yue, stop it.
Didi grinned as he took the stage. "Thank you for organizing this party for me. You know I am bad at speeches, better at rap."
"Rap for us, Didi!" Kang shouted.
He laughed. "My girlfriend will kill me." Everyone booed and looked over to Yue. She smiled as she waved him off.
"I really want to thank everyone tonight for being with us. My family. For going through this hardship. I know I caused a lot of worry and heartaches to you. I'm sorry, Okaasan."
Okaasan waved her hanky. Mama Wang smiled and touched her hand.
"Thank you Marco for taking care of the business. Thank you, all my friends, my buddies. Kuan, for watching out for Yue." Kuan and Didi did an air fist bump.
"Last but not least and most importantly, I want to thank Yue. She doesn't know this yet, she might be angry at me for doing this. But Yue—-" he got down the stage and headed to her.
"I know you went through a lot of pain when I was in coma. I cannot share that load with you. But from today onwards—" he stopped in front of her.
Everyone turned towards them, eagerly waiting what would happen next.
"I will prove my love to you everyday. I will be with you. I will never leave you. Just like what I promised when I marry you. Do you remember?"
The girls in the room gasped and there were excited chattering. Kuan and Zi Wei smiled at each other, knowingly. Jia Qi grabbed Xi Ze's sleeves and squealed. Dee Hsu clapped her hands. Mama Wang gasped. The other boys were equally shocked.
But Didi held his steady gaze on Yue. And hers on him. "Do you remember our pledge to each other?" She could not answer so she nodded. "Yue, will you allow me to tell everyone here that I will take care of you forever. Please?"
Her throat felt thick. Tears were blurring her vision of him as she meekly nodded. Didi smiled. "Marco, please play the video."
Everyone turned towards the screen. It was a recording of their pledges by the lake. They heard their promises to each other, like it was the first time.
Yue gazed at Didi, her heart filled with love. She no longer felt fearful. She wanted to face the future with love and hope. Not fear.
When the video stopped, all eyes turned to them again. Zi Wei and Jia Qi were sniffing. Everyone seemed teary eyed.
"Yue, I love you. Let's start over." Didi said softly. He closed the gap and took her in his arms.
She knew he had waited for her. Cupping his face in her palm, she said "I love you, Wang He Di. I love you."
He smiled and palmed her face, "May I kiss you?"
"Not here!"
"Why not? We are married."
Everyone cheered. "Mr and Mrs Wang He Di!!! KISS, KISS, KISS!!"
Yue blushed as he neared his face to her. They kissed tenderly, lingering for a few seconds, before he pulled away and asked her, looking a bit shy. "Can you sleep with me tonight, Yue?"
"Didi, I meant to tell you this.
"Are you pregnant?"
"No silly! I'm moving in with you."
"What took you so long?" He teased. "I will wait for you even if it's forever."
He leaned towards her and met her lips again. Yue wrapped her arms around his neck, deepening their kiss.
"Get a room!" Someone hollered.
They laughed and pulled away. He squeezed her hand. "Mrs Wang He Di. You can pick the side of bed to sleep on but I get to use the bathroom first."
She made a face. "As long as I don't have to wash up after you!"
"And don't squeeze the toothpaste in the middle, Yue. I told you many times."
"Didi, you never put the toilet seat down."
"Why do I need to when we will use it again?"
Okaasan and Mama Wang glanced at each other as they heard them bickering. "Some things never change. I miss the young life."
They laughed and clinked their glasses together for a toast. A new chapter for Didi and Yue had just begun.
Yue walked into her music studio in anticipation. After Dudu-jie resigned, she seemed to have disappeared into thin air. When she called her assistant, Xiong, she could not get him as well.
Liang Liang was apparently fired by Dudu after concert. Yue felt bad and wanted to apologize to her. The last she heard, Liang had moved away and was working in Hunan broadcasting station.
There were a few other musicians with her in the studio. Zi Wei and Kang were already at the studio and they beckoned her their way when she arrived.
"So, who is our new boss?"
"Apparently, it's someone from the logistic and trading industry who bought over this company. They are also in the food industry. It's a multimillionaire business. I hope they won't treat this as secondary business."
They stopped talking when the door opened. She saw the person coming in and her face registered shock. "Marco Chen!"
Marco smiled and nodded. "Hello everyone, my name is Marco and I'm the acting managing director of KIO. I assure you that the company's direction and vision will not change. We will still be pursuing excellence in alternative music and arts. You will be assign to a new manger soon but for now, I will be overseeing the activities with my assistant."
After all the formal introductions had been made, Yue went over to see Marco. "When did Didi buy over KIO?"
Marco smiled. "He didn't tell you but he had been looking into it since he met you. We didn't expect the management to fall out this soon though."
"So did Dudu leave because Didi asked her to?"
"No, he did not have direct liaison with her. She left on her personal circumstances. Actually—" he said looking at his watch. "Didi wanted you to meet him in ten minutes."
"Oh."
"You know I never asked him if he doesn't wanna tell. I assume it's important."
Yue nodded. That sounded like Didi. "So do I get a longer break?" She joked.
"No, Yue. No special treatment for you either." Marco chuckled. "Didi told me he did not want to get involved in the daily operations of the company."
"That sounds right. I'm going to wait for Didi in the front."
They were supposed to meet later for dinner unless he wanted to give her a surprise now. She smiled.
Ever since she moved in with him, it was what she imagined it to be. Breakfast, lunch and dinner together. They spent time exploring local sights in Suzhou, catching up for the time they were apart from each other.
Yue did not even mind that they had not been physically intimate. Their soul connection was more important.
When his car arrived, she got in excitedly.
"Where are we going? Are you giving me a surprise?" Yue beamed, as she buckled her seat belt. Didi looked solemn today.
"Yue..remember Jackson's case? Xi Ze said he told you about the possible suspect they held when I was in coma."
"Yes, he did. But I wasn't paying attention. Isn't the case closed by now?"
He shook his head. "No. That person was not the right guy. He was protecting the criminal. But—" he stole a glance at her sideways. "Yue, you need to prepare yourself."
"Who was it? He said it's someone we know." Her heart was beating fast.
"Yes." He stopped his car when they arrived at the police station. "Yue, I wanted this as a wedding gift for you. So you can have a closure. But I never expected it to be like this. I'm sorry."
"Didi! What are you talking about? You are freaking me out."
"Xi Ze said he manage to get you some time to meet before they take her away."
"It's a 'she'? But who?"
They stopped talking as Xi Ze escorted them in silence to the interrogation room. Yue's heart was pounding.
She searched Xi Ze's face to look for answers but he kept a straight face. "Yue, you have to go in alone. Didi will wait here with me."
Didi squeezed her hand and smiled. " I will be here." She nodded quietly.
The door opened and Yue gasped.
"Dudu!"
Cheng Du Ling looked up with her misted eyes. She gave a wan smile. "Shen Yue."
Yue turned to Xi Ze. "It must be a mistake. It cannot be Dudu."
Xi Ze shook his head. "We have proof that she was the driver that night. I found the street camera recordings. A corrupted cop hid it but I got the evidence. And she had confessed. It was Xiong's car but Dudu drove that night."
He paused. "Yue, do you still want to talk to her?"
Yue stared at Dudu's face for a second before she nodded. No one spoke. The air was thick.
All these years of chasing down the murderer and she was just right under her nose. Her own benefactor. She needed to know the truth.
"Dudu, why did you do it?" She finally took the courage to ask.
Dudu kept her head low.
Xi Ze responded, "She was texting when she hit the red light and Jackson."
"Shit."
"Sit down, Yue. I will leave you to speak to her. You got five minutes."
The door closed as Yue slumped down on the chair in front of Dudu.
"I'm sorry Yue. I'm sorry you had to find out this way."
"Dammit Dudu. Is that why you recruited me? Let me have the say in my album and songs? So you can make up for your mistake." Yue sneered.
She wanted to scream but she could not. She felt confused, hurt and angry.
"You are gifted, Yue. But yeah, maybe."
"Does it help you sleep better?"
Dudu shook her head. "I haven't slept a wink for the past four years."
"So did I. I carried the guilt of killing Jia Er. I thought what if I went home with him that day and he did not have to cross that bloody road."
Dudu pursed her lips.
Suddenly, Yue emitted a shaky laugh. "Now I get it. You refuse to use your phone in car, didn't want to drive, you prefer us to call you, you have your assistant handle your messages."
Dudu nodded. "I'm scarred for life."
"Why didn't you stop to help? Jia Er may have a chance."
"I was scared. It was dark. And I...."
"You have a reputation. So did he."
"I didn't know it was him."
"Does it even matter?!! It's still a human being, isn't it? You only thought of yourself!!!" Yue slammed her hands on the table.
"I.....I'm sorry. It was an accident."
"I can't believe Jia Er died because you couldn't keep your hands off your freaking phone!!"
"Yue, he gave life to Wang He Di."
"That is not my point. You're a murderer!"
"Yes, I did. And I'm paying for it now. I don't want to carry this burden around anymore."
Tears started rolling down the once cool Dudu. Suddenly, she did not look strong anymore. She looked remorse.
Yue kept quiet, seething in mixture of anger and sadness.
"Yue, stay with the company. Someone will replace me. You are talented, you will go far. And you have Wang He Di. He is a good man."
"Wang He Di is none of your business."
"Isn't he? Jackson died and he lived."
Yue grimaced. "That does not justify a life being taken."
Dudu smiled. "You should be thankful. It's ironic. And weird how the universe worked. But that is the truth. Someone had to die so the other lives."
"If Wang He Di was meant for me, he would be mine regardless."
There was a longer silence this time. Yue could not bear being in this confined cell any longer. She felt sick in her stomach.
As she was standing up, there was a knock on the door. Xi Ze peeped in.
"Yue, it's time."
She nodded and stared at Dudu for the longest time before she turned away. This was not what she expected. She no longer felt the anger. Sadness overwhelmed her.
"Yue?" Dudu called out.
Yue stopped, her back facing her.
"Will you forgive me?"
Seconds passed. Yue turned. "Jia Er would want me to forgive you. But I cannot. Not now."
She did not want to lie. She was a mere mortal. Her heart was torn to pieces. But the truth set her free.
The moment she saw Didi, she ran to his arms and collapsed in them, tears furiously streamed down her face.
"It's okay, Yue. I'm here, I'm here." He held her.
"Don't ever leave me, Didi. I cannot lose you. Please," she sobbed.
Didi caressed her hair and smiled softly. "I won't. Not without your permission."
"I love you."
"Love can't even describe how I feel about you, Yue."
He pulled away and cupped her face. "You are my life. We are soulmates."
Yue nodded, her eyes brimming with tears. "Thank you. For doing this. No one had done so much for me. I love you, Wang He Di. More than myself."
He pulled himself close and placed his lips on her warm ones. Yue clung to him.
That night, they made love passionately for the first time since he recovered. As the two bodies joint, Yue thought she heard trumpets roaring and heavens rejoicing. Her heart was brimming with fullness and contentment. She had found her peace.
"We are finally here!"
"Yue, you have to slow down!"
"Why are you so slow when your legs are so long?" Yue teased, turning back to pull his hand. Didi grinned, letting her take the lead. He had not seen her this excited for a long time.
When he presented her the ticket to Tokyo, six months ago, the next day she found out about Dudu, Yue literally broke down and cried. He thought he had done something wrong, but it turned out she was overwhelmed with emotions.
"You said you wanted to go to Tokyo Disneyland in April. Sorry I'm late but I guess we can still make it. Yue? Don't cry. Do you—-do you still want to go?"
"Of course!" She screamed in excitement as her arms went around him.
"Yue, how did you get this Donald Duck suit? It looks perfect on you," he eyed her fluffy tail from the back.
Every step she took just made his heart pound. She looked too cute in this suit and it made him want to— He needed to stop any naughty thoughts in Disneyland. "Why didn't you get me one so we could pair up?"
"They don't have your size. You are too tall. Let's go on this ride!"
"Yue, this is the Pirates of the Carribean. Are you sure?" He swallowed his saliva.
Yue turned to look at him. "Didi, this is just a boat ride. Don't worry, I will take care of you." She encircled her arm around his and led him in.
It was not as scary as he anticipated, and he found himself relaxing. As they got on more rides, he found his courage growing. There was only one way to test his heart strength - getting onto the Splash Mountain.
It was Yue's turn to be worried. "Are you sure, Didi? It's not recommended for people with heart condition. What if you have a heart attack midway?"
"Baobei, my heart is as good as new." He assured her, messing her fluffy tail, as she smacked him. "Ouch!"
"Still, shouldn't we be careful?"
"Yue, I don't want to spend the rest of my life being afraid of doing the things I want. Or doing things like this with you. Look—"
He turned her shoulders to him. He wanted to kiss her hard for looking so cute but.... "Yue, if I feel uncomfortable, I will tell you and we will stop all the rides, okay?"
She searched his eyes and nodded. Then, she smiled. "Ready to get wet?"
"Wear the raincoat, Yue. You don't want your cute tail to get wet, do you?" He reached out and touched her tail again.
"Can you stop that already?" She hissed.
"I try to, Yue but your tail is too irresistible." He laughed. "All right, here we go!"
The ride started slow along the river, passing the artificial animals and scenery. They knew they would be splashing down at the end of the ride.
As the train took a turn and kept climbing the slope, Didi called out to Yue "Let's scream our lungs out!"
"What do you want to say—-"
WHOOSH! SPLASH!
"ARGGHHHH SHEN YUE, WO AI NI!!!"
"DIDIIIIIIIIIII!!!!!!"
They both laughed so hard when they reached the end of the ride that caused heads turned towards them.
"WE DID IT!" Yue screamed and hugged him. "You were so brave, Didi! Do you feel okay? Are you okay?"
He kissed her on her nose and then captured her mouth in his. Her arms automatically went around his neck. When they broke apart for air, they were grinning from ear to ear.
"I have been wanting to do this all morning. Oh, yes, I feel good."
Yue found herself blushing as he pulled her close again. Happiness was sitting Splash Mountain together.
The day passed by quickly and soon it was time for Disneyland's famous parade and fireworks. They stood overlooking the brightly lit castle.
"Didi, who did you want to propose to? Remember you shared that at Tantou Island?"
"You, of course!"
"How sure are you that I'm the one for you? We just met."
Didi turned to gaze at her, softly. The sides of his mouth quirked up. Yue felt her knees buckling beneath her. That soft smile always left her wanting more.
"I just knew."
"But how sure are you that I will say yes?"
"You can't resist me, Yue."
"I just hate your over confidence sometimes. It bugs me." She pouted.
"Yue, if you said no, I will ask you again and again."
"So, you will never give up on me?"
"Uh-huh. Never." He shook his head, profusely.
She could feel her heartbeat on every inch of her skin. Is it possible to feel such fullness in her heart over and over again? She felt his arm around his shoulder as they both watched the parade.
"I will never give up you either, Didi."
"That makes us a perfect couple."
He pulled her close sideways. As they watched the fireworks filled the sky, they knew without a doubt that loving each other was their destiny.
— THE END —
Author's notes:
What do you think??!!!! Were you surprised that I was Dudu? I didn't want to write a story about hate plots that lead to murder. Why can't it be an accident, I ask? But texting and driving have proven to be dangerous.
In 2018 alone, in US, 2,841 people were killed in motor vehicle crashes involving distracted drivers. Texting is the most alarming distraction. Sending or reading a text takes your eyes off the road for 5 seconds. At 55 mph, that's like driving the length of an entire football field with your eyes closed.
I have one more epilogue coming up. Please be patient with me. Don't cry.
💜💛 Hsien
Final edit: 6.9.2020
Published: 6.9.2020