With the permission of her father, Xue Liena managed to get one of the dresses her mother left behind from one of her old collections. It was a wedding gown that needed to be re-st.i.tched and mended.
Xue Liena had woven milk-white threads of lace, with beads in the shape of roses with vines and thorns. She collected all the materials beforehand, envisioning what it may look like worn down the aisle.
With calloused fingers and beads of sweat treading down her face, Xue Liena managed to finish the piece. She rose the dress up in the air, gazing at it in awe, astonished by the detail. She did not take much out of what her mother had created before; she only added onto it.
She gently placed it in a vinyl garment bag, zipping it slowly, trying to avoid any of the threads catching onto the zipper. Then quickly, she ran out of her bedroom, from the house Long Huojin gave her father. In the home, only she and Xue Gao lived in it.
Xue Teegan had moved out with Yin Shou, but they were to live alone temporarily, wanting to have Xue Gao move in with them after a few months of settling it.
It was Xue Teegan who wanted to look after him. After all, she was attached to her parents the most. She was the eldest, and there was nothing more important to her than family, even when she had faced the rockiness that plagued their sisterhood, at some point, years ago.
Xue Liena"s relations.h.i.+p with Long Bolin had improved, taking steps forward. She wanted him, just as badly as he wanted her. But they were not at the point to decide whether they were going to be long-term or not, or whether he saw her as a potential wife, and whether she saw him as a potential husband. She wanted to take things slow and steady, but something inside her felt insecure.
She wasn"t particularly outstanding; she hid as the young woman who liked to garden.
Xue Liena spent an hour driving to Xue Teegan"s house, where she found her sister playing the piano, vibrant and brilliant. Xue Guangli arrived shortly after entering the house.
"Why did you want to see us, Liena?" Xue Guangli asked, entering through the front door. Xue Liena didn"t give her a reason, but all she told her was to go to Xue Teegan"s house.
"I wanted to show you guys something," Xue Liena said to them. Both her sisters surrounded her as she unzipped the dress, revealing a beautifully woven gown; their eyes widened.
Xue Guangli had already known what the dress looked like before, in a photo, but she didn"t realize Xue Liena had obtained it and improved its quality. It was their mother"s wedding gown.
Xue Teegan could recognize the pattern of the dress anywhere. "Where did you get it?" she asked Xue Liena.
Her younger sister smiled. "It was one of the unboxed dresses father had in storage."
"It"s magnificent," Xue Teegan said, astonished.
"It"s for you," Xue Liena said.
Xue Teegan was momentarily stunned. "Me?" she asked, her mouth hung open, unbelieving.
"Yes," Xue Liena began. "After 30 years in a box, I managed to st.i.tch the holes, entwining new material with the old, and adding some of my signature touches," she winked.
Xue Teegan approached her swift, embracing her tightly. "Thank you," she said. "It means everything to me."
Xue Liena smiled against her older sister"s shoulder.
Xue Teegan had never looked more graceful and angelic as she did on her wedding day. Half of her long red hair was clipped into a braid while the rest had fallen loosely over her shoulders. The gown shaped her body, snug as if it was meant for her.
Xue Liena stood next to Xue Guangli on the platform, as they watched Xue Teegan walk down the aisle with Xue Hao. Their father kissed her on the cheek, over the veil, in front of the platform.
Yin Shou stood tall, next to Long Huojin and Long Bolin, who all wore their grins, expressing how happy they were for Yin Shou.
When Yin Shou faced Xue Teegan, finally, he lifted the veil and took her hands. "I thought you wouldn"t come," he said sarcastically.
Xue Teegan smiled slyly. "Hm, yes. I suppose I only came for the food afterward," she teased.
Yin Shou held her hands tight as the ceremony went on.
Xue Liena occasionally glanced at Long Bolin, even though he was already hers, she couldn"t help but stare at him. There was something about wanting to look at him because she couldn"t quite get enough. And yet, she was afraid it wouldn"t last. Maybe the past year was full of fleeting moments of courts.h.i.+p for the two, nothing more.
Guangli and Teegan were fortunate to find their partners, Xue Liena thought. She never doubted a moment that they wouldn"t find it. They were both beautiful and bold, fearless. She only felt like Long Bolin settled for her, and she was happy for a while, but now she wasn"t so sure. There was no a.s.surance that their relations.h.i.+p was gearing towards a serious commitment.
In the dance hall, she watched as the married Yin Shou and Xue Teegan danced away, capturing all the attention of the guests. She gazed over the crowd, finding her sister in the arms of Long Huojin. Xue Guangli held their sleeping child, who wore earplugs to avoid any loud sounds.
As she watched everyone, Xue Liena smiled to herself. Her sisters got what they deserved, and she was glad for them.
Long Bolin had stepped to her side; he leaned in close, not quite touching her. "Let"s go somewhere," he said, causing Xue Liena to shudder at the playfulness of his tone.
They barely made it to an empty room, when Long Bolin pinned her against a wall, lifting a leg over his waist, as he kissed her fervidly. He cupped her face, tasting her mouth, exchanging sharp exhales in between rushed, lingering touches.
Xue Liena traced his hollow cheekbones, admiring his beautifully carved face, breathing heavy as his mouth stayed close to hers, nearly touching, wanting to chase her lips, but he was breathing hard, too.
"We should get back," she whispered.
Long Bolin nodded, backing away. He lifted a finger to his lips, at the place she bit him. He appeared to be smug, "It seems you have learned to take the lead," he teased.
He was right.
Long Bolin often conquered during their intimate moments, and though he guided her to the room, she was the one that ran her fingers through his dark curls, pulling him close.
Soon after, they rejoined their families, celebrating until their feet hurt.
Long Bolin drove Xue Liena home with her father, and she invited him indoors.
Long Bolin changed and washed up, joining Xue Liena under the covers. She didn"t want him to drive home late; it only made sense to let him stay overnight. So, on the bed, Xue Liena nestled onto him.
"Today made me realize some things," Long Bolin mentioned quietly, out of the blue.
Xue Liena lifted her head to face him, waiting for him to finish.
"I realized that you couldn"t stop staring at me," he said while capturing her nose playfully. Xue Liena pouted, and her cheeks flushed from embarra.s.sment.
He lowered his mouth to her ear, "If you want me, just shout it out. I will tend to you as soon as possible."
Xue Liena blushed red, burying her face into his chest. She pounded her fist at him. "Stop saying embarra.s.sing things," she said.
Long Bolin chuckled. "I can"t help it," he said.
Xue Liena slumped against his body, listening to his pounding heart, and it was unsteady, the same way her chest fluttered whenever she was around him. "What else did you realize?" she asked him.
Long Bolin pulled her closer. "Just that I found more reasons as to why I think you"re amazing."
Xue Liena"s eyes gaped. "What do you mean? Long Bolin shrugged, "Just that you put everyone before yourself," he said. "An admirable quality."
Xue Liena grinned broadly.
"Can I be selfish?" she asked him.
"Yes," he answered.
At that, Xue Liena took the initiative. She seized up, straddling his body. She bent down to kiss his enticing hips. Long Bolin responded by cupping her face, running his fingers through her long dark hair.
She kissed him gently, but she deepened it by closing the s.p.a.ce between their bodies, pressing tight. Long Bolin let out a groan against her mouth. She used her tongue, causing him to s.h.i.+ver, and Xue Liena could feel his excitement roused in between her aching thighs.
Long Bolin paused, pulling away, "I think I love you," he breathed.
"You think?" Xue Liena responded.
Long Bolin shook his head, flus.h.i.+ng. He knew it came out wrong, but he was embarra.s.sed. "No...I mean. I do love you. You know that, but I want to promise you something."
"Oh?" Xue Liena commented. "What is it?"
"I want to promise that we"ll stay together. You are mine," Long Bolin breathed.
Xue Liena smiled, "And you are mine," she replied. Afterwards, she returned to his mouth. It didn"t take long for Long Bolin to remove her clothing. He knew all her angles, all the places where a clasped bralette would be or where underwear shouldn"t be because he wanted to remove them.
Xue Liena joined him by being on top. She adapted to the position. The first time hurt like h.e.l.l. The times after became easier. She sat on him, feeling him full. She circled her arms around him, gripping his shoulders. She nipped at his collarbones as she rode him slow, lazy. Long Bolin grunted, roaming his hands on her body, appreciatively.
She then quickened her pace, as did he, meeting her speed, gritting his teeth as she rode him fiercely, preventing him from the chance to hold back. He couldn"t, not as she moved the way she did, as to how she took the initiative unlike the other way around.
Once they finished. Xue Liena fell asleep on his bare chest, feeling content in knowing that Long Bolin felt the same way as her.