The air between them felt thick, charged with everything they had just said. Meiying sat there, her hand still in Yuhan's, her heart beating so fast she could hear it in her ears.
She had said it. She had finally said the words out loud. I care about you. I think about you all the time. I can't pretend anymore.
It was like a huge weight had been lifted off her chest, but at the same time, it felt like the ground beneath her feet had disappeared. Because now that she had admitted the truth, there was no going back. She couldn't un-say it. She couldn't un-feel it.
Yuhan was looking at her with such intensity, his eyes dark and full of emotion. "Meiying," he whispered, her name sounding like a prayer on his lips.
She looked up at him, her vision blurred by tears, but she didn't look away. She couldn't.
"Tell me to stop," he said softly, his voice rough with emotion. "Tell me to let you go, and I will. I'll drive you home right now, I'll sell the land, and I'll disappear from your life forever. But if you don't tell me to stop… then I'm going to kiss you. And this time, I'm not going to hold back."
Meiying's breath caught in her throat. Her mind was screaming a thousand things at once. Weiliang. Your fiancé. This is wrong. This is cheating.
But her heart… her heart was saying something else entirely. It was saying I want this. I want him. I don't want to be alone anymore.
She opened her mouth, but no words came out. She just looked at him, her eyes wide and wet, and she slowly, almost imperceptibly, shook her head.
Don't stop.
That was all the permission Yuhan needed.
He leaned in, and this time there was nothing gentle or hesitant about it. His arm wrapped around her waist, pulling her close against him, and his lips crashed down on hers.
It was different from the first time in the office. That time had been sudden, surprising, full of confusion. This time… this time was hungry. It was all the pent-up feelings, all the longing, all the "what ifs" from the past weeks exploding into one moment.
Meiying melted into him instantly. Her hands came up to grip his shirt, holding onto him for dear life, as she kissed him back with everything she had. She knew she was crossing a line. She knew there was no turning back now. This wasn't just a mistake anymore. This was a choice.
She was choosing to feel. She was choosing him, in this moment, regardless of everything else.
Yuhan's hands roamed up her back, tangling in her hair, holding her face like she was something precious and fragile. He kissed her until she was breathless, until her knees felt weak, until she forgot about everything in the world except the man holding her.
When he finally pulled away slightly, they were both breathing hard. Their foreheads rested against each other, their eyes closed, just trying to catch their breath.
"I want you, Meiying," Yuhan murmured against her lips. "I want all of you. Not just secret meetings and stolen moments. I want to be the one you come home to. I want to be the one who makes you smile. I know it's complicated. I know you have things to sort out. But I'm willing to wait. I'm willing to fight for you."
Meiying opened her eyes, looking at him. Her mind was still spinning, still trying to process what just happened. She had just cheated on Weiliang. She had just broken the promise she made years ago. And yet, she didn't feel the crushing guilt she thought she would. She felt… alive. She felt real.
"I'm scared, Yuhan," she whispered honestly. "I'm scared of hurting him. I'm scared of what people will say. I'm scared that this is just… a moment. That it won't last."
"Then let's find out," Yuhan said firmly, looking deep into her eyes. "Let's see if it lasts. But you can't do this halfway, Meiying. You can't be with me and still be holding onto him. You have to choose. Not today, not right this second, but soon. You have to decide who you want to be with."
He was right. She knew he was right. She couldn't string both of them along. It wasn't fair to Weiliang, and it wasn't fair to Yuhan either.
"I know," she said softly. "I know I have to tell him. I have to be honest."
"Are you ready?" Yuhan asked gently.
Meiying took a deep breath, feeling a strange sense of calm wash over her. She had admitted the truth to herself. She had admitted it to Yuhan. Now, the only thing left to do was face the music.
"Yes," she said, her voice steady now. "I'm ready. I'm going to go home, and I'm going to call Weiliang. I'm going to tell him everything."
Yuhan looked at her, pride and something else softening his features. He squeezed her hand one last time. "I'll be waiting for your call. Whatever happens, Meiying… I'm here."
They sat there for a little while longer, holding hands, watching the river flow. It was a moment of peace before the storm. Meiying knew that when she went home, her life was going to change completely. There would be tears, there would be anger, there would be pain.
But she also knew that for the first time in a long time, she was being true to herself. She had crossed the line, and there was no going back home to the way things were.