Meiying stood there on the sidewalk as the sun dipped below the horizon, the evening air growing cool. Weiliang had offered to wait with her, but she had told him she needed a moment alone to make the call. She wanted to be able to speak freely, without having to worry about hiding her emotions or the tone of her voice from him.
She walked a short distance away, finding a quiet spot near a park bench, and looked down at her phone. The screen was still lit up, showing the call log with Uncle Li. She took a deep breath, her fingers hovering over the screen as she searched for Li Yuhan's number. She hadn't deleted it, though part of her had wanted to, just to remove the temptation. But she knew she might need it one day. She just hadn't expected that day to come so soon.
She found the number saved simply as Li Yuhan. Her heart began to race, a familiar flutter of nervousness mixed with something else she didn't want to name. She pressed the call button and held the phone to her ear, listening to the ringing tone.
Ring… Ring… Ring…
Each second felt like an hour. She almost wanted him not to answer. She almost wanted to go to voicemail so she could just hang up and pretend she had tried. But just as she was about to lower the phone, the line connected.
"Hello?"
His voice was deep, smooth, and instantly recognizable. Even over the phone, it had an effect on her, making her stomach flip.
"Hello," Meiying said, her voice coming out softer than she intended. She cleared her throat and tried again. "Hello, Mr. Li. This is Lin Meiying."
There was a brief pause on the other end. "Meiying," he said, and just the way he said her name low and familiar, her breath caught. "I wasn't expecting to hear from you so soon. Is everything alright?"
"No, not really," Meiying said, forcing herself to be direct. She didn't want to beat around the bush. "I… I need to talk to you about something. It's about the land. And the payments."
"Go on," Yuhan said calmly. There was no impatience in his voice, just quiet attention.
Meiying took a deep breath and explained everything how she had tried to sell the land, how Uncle Li had helped her, how the potential buyers had fallen through one after another. She told him about the fair price she was asking, how good the land was, and how frustrating it was that nobody seemed interested. She told him that the first payment was coming up soon, and she didn't have the money yet because she hadn't been able to sell it.
"I know I said I would handle it on my own," she finished, her voice trembling slightly. "And I'm sorry to come to you like this. I really tried. But I don't have enough money right now. I was wondering… could I get an extension? Just for a month or two? Until I can find a buyer. I promise I'll pay as soon as I can."
She waited in silence, her heart pounding. She was afraid he would be angry. She was afraid he would say no, or worse, that he would say I told you so that she couldn't do it on her own.
But when he spoke, his voice was gentle. "Meiying, take a breath. I'm not angry. I understand that things don't always go according to plan."
Relief washed over her, so strong she almost felt weak. "Thank you," she whispered. "Thank you so much."
"But," Yuhan continued, and her heart jumped again, "an extension just delays the problem, doesn't it? If the land isn't selling now, what makes you think it will sell in a month or two? The market isn't going to change that quickly."
Meiying frowned. He had a point. She hadn't thought about that. She had just been hoping for more time, not really thinking about what would happen after that. "I… I don't know," she admitted. "I just have to keep trying. It's the only way I have to pay you back."
"Is it?" Yuhan asked. There was a thoughtful tone to his voice. "Meiying, listen to me. I have a proposal for you. Instead of waiting for a buyer who might not come, why don't I buy the land from you myself?"
Meiying blinked, stunned. "You? Do you want to buy it?"
"Yes," Yuhan said. "I've been thinking about expanding some of our agricultural investments. I could use the land. And I can give you the full price you're asking for right now. That way, you can pay off the debt completely, or at least make a large down payment, and you won't have to worry about it anymore. It solves both our problems."
Meiying stood there, stunned. It sounded like the perfect solution. It would solve all her money problems instantly. But there was a catch, wasn't there? There always was with Li Yuhan.
"Why would you do that?" she asked, her voice cautious. "Why would you buy land in a small town like this? You have plenty of other investments, don't you? This is just a small plot. It doesn't make sense for you."
Yuhan chuckled softly on the other end of the line, a low sound that sent a shiver down her spine. "Does there have to be a grand reason? Maybe I just want to help you. Or maybe, as I said, it's a good investment for me. Either way, it's a fair deal. You get the money you need, and I get the land. Everyone wins."
Meiying hesitated. Her mind was racing. It was a good offer. A very good offer. But it meant dealing with Yuhan again. It meant seeing him again. It meant tying herself to him even more than she already was.
"I don't know," she said slowly. "I need to think about it. It's a big decision."
"Of course," Yuhan said smoothly. "Take all the time you need. But Meiying… I think you know this is the best option for you right now. You don't have to struggle alone. Let me help you."
His words were persuasive, soft, and caring. But underneath it all, Meiying could feel that pull, that invisible thread that seemed to connect them, no matter how hard she tried to pull away.
"Okay," she said finally. "I'll think about it. I'll let you know soon."
"Good," Yuhan said. "I'll be waiting. And Meiying?"
"Yes?"
"Don't worry so much," he said, his voice dropping lower. "Everything is going to work out. I'll make sure of it."
Meiying didn't know what to say to that. She just murmured a goodbye and hung up the phone. She stood there for a long time, holding the phone in her hand, staring out at the darkening street.
He wanted to buy the land. He wanted to help her. It should have made her happy. It should have made her feel relieved. And it did, a little. But it also made her feel uneasy. Because she knew Li Yuhan didn't do things without a reason. And she had a feeling that this was about more than just a piece of land. It was about him. It was about her. And it was about something that was growing between them, whether she wanted it to or not.
She turned and walked back toward where Weiliang was waiting with the car. She knew she had to tell him about the offer. She knew she had to talk to him about it. But as she walked, she had a sinking feeling that this was just the beginning of something much more complicated than she had ever imagined.