Chapter 278: Promise
Nana was taken aback by this sudden action.
Jinhai held the back of her head. His kiss was as ferocious as a storm, which only intensified with every moment. He pressed his body on hers, tightening his grip on his cheeks. And with that, he pressed harder on her lips as if she would disappear at any moment.
The alarm and the panic that came surging in his heart with her disappearance, he was letting it out to reassure himself that Nana was still there with him. He tilted his head and melded his lips on hers, even fiercer than before. That moment of physicality was the only thing to prove to Jinhai about her presence.
Nana didn’t know what was going on with Jinhai, but she only knew that she was getting swept off her feet. No doubt, she felt an urgency in his kiss. It was fast. It was rough. It was as if he wanted to suck the very soul out of her. First, he was crying and then with this sudden kiss…She could only give in. She knew something must be bothering him.
Jinhai bit her lower lip and grazed his teeth on it. The tip of his tongue brushed against them, insisting on delving inside. Amidst his kisses raging like a tornado, Nana managed to open her mouth, a little breathless. Jinhai thrusted his tongue inside, mingling and merging it with hers. He could faintly taste the curry she had.
Their wet tongues slurping against each other sent jolt of current racing through her body. The outside world seemed fuzzy to her. She could only cling onto his shoulders as she felt her knees go weak.
After a few minutes, Nana was finally starting to feel breathless, but Jinhai went on as if there was no tomorrow. She tugged his shirt. “Mmnpf…Mmnn…”
Jinhai snapped out of his stupor. He slowed down until he finally separated. Nana gasped as she took a mouthful of air. Her lips were wet, red, and swollen. His warm breath was still fanning her cheeks.
Jinhai felt a little guilty. He hung his head low. “Sorry…” He softly bumped his forehead on hers.
“No…it’s alright.” Nana blinked her eyes in confusion. She stared at him for a few seconds and held his head in between her hands.
“What’s wrong? Is something bothering you?” She spoke in a soft, low voice. She did find something odd the way he kissed her. It felt like he was afraid of something. She understood the urgency as well as the need of reassurance through his kiss.
But why he needed that reassurance? She didn’t know.
Jinhai wrapped her waist around his arms. “I didn’t find you sleeping beside me. I searched for you everywhere, but I didn’t find you.” Nana felt his tone was like that of a little child who was scared of staying alone.
“I thought you left me…” His tone and gaze was downcast.
“Hm?” Nana was startled with his conclusion.
“Left you? Where did you think I go?” She furrowed her brows.
Jinhai pursed his lips. “I thought you left me forever. I had a bad dream. In it, I was trying to stop you from leaving me, but you didn’t listen to me and went farther and farther away. I was standing alone in the end. Then I woke up and didn’t see you beside me, so I…”
Nana felt her heartache. Now she understood why he was in the garden and why he looked so panicked.
She sighed. Nana gently flicked his forehead. “Silly, why will I ever leave you? I love you so, so, so much!”
Her lips were curved into a bright smile. Her gaze was clear and confident. A pang of guilt pricked his heart. Somehow, he couldn’t look straight at her.
‘If you know the truth…then will you still say that?’
“What if I did something wrong?”
Nana giggled. “Then I will squeeze your ears until they go red to punish you. Maybe I will not talk to you, and then you will have to work really hard to appease me. I will puff up my cheeks and not even look at you.”
“But you won’t leave me?” Jinhai’s gaze held an unspeakable emotion.
“No, silly. I won’t. It was just a dream. Nothing like that will happen.” She patted him.
“You promise that you won’t leave me?” Jinhai tightened his grip on her hands.
“I promise.” Nana rested her head on his chest.
“Even if you may be really, really angry at me one day…even then, you won’t leave me?” He knew Nana didn’t know the context of the question, but his heart still drummed like crazy.
“Mmnnn…If you really made me that angry, then how about I take all your credit cards and fortune? How about I make you poor just like that woman in the mall thought about you?” Nana said sheepishly.
Jinhai buried his face in her neck. “Take whatever you want. Take everything. The house, the money, the fortune, everything is yours. But just don’t leave me.”
Nana felt a kick in her belly and then again. Her eyes brightened. “Look! Even the baby is kicking.” She held his hand and brought it on her tummy.
It kicked again.
Jinhai softly chuckled.
“See? The baby is also saying that Mommy and he or she won’t leave Daddy.”
Jinhai bent down and kissed her belly. “Thank you. I can’t wait for our baby.”
“Me too,” Nana said a little guiltily, “Jinhai, I’m sorry. I should have told you that I’m going to the kitchen. But you were sleeping, and I didn’t want to wake you.”
She had to agree that not finding her beside him in the middle of the night in her condition was a reason valid enough to be worried and panicked.
Jinhai sighed. It was not her fault, yet she was apologizing.
“No, it’s my fault. Sorry, I shouldn’t have lashed out on you like that. But for the safe side, tell me if you need something from next time. I cannot even imagine how you got up by yourself in that state. What if something had happened?”
“Ah…” She scratched her head. “It was a little difficult, but I managed it.”
“En. So, you just rest, and I will bring everything you want, okay?”
Nana smiled. “Okay.”
“Do you still have some curry left? Now, I’m hungry.”
Nana laughed. “Yes. There is lots.”
Jinhai and Nana then went inside and sat on the dining table. He served Nana with a plate of curry and fed her himself. The spicy curry gave him a tingling sensation in the mouth.
He sighed. “You shouldn’t eat something so spicy. I told you many times.”
Nana pouted. “But I was really craving for something spicy, and the baby wanted it too.”
Jinhai raised his eyebrow. “Is it now? Or are you taking him as your shield?”
Nana coughed and avoided his gaze. “You shouldn’t argue with a pregnant woman. I am carrying our child for eight months now. And it is already so difficult to walk. Do you know how much a woman has to go through in pregnancy?”
Jinhai’s mouth twitched as she took the conversation into an emotional turn.
After their midnight snack, in the bedroom, he laid Nana on the bed in a comfortable position. He took her in embrace and kissed her cheek. She slowly closed her eyes, and tired, soon fell asleep.
Jinhai rested his head on his palm and gazed at her. He had decided that he won’t sleep. He would simply watch Nana sleep for the rest of the night. With the back of his finger, he softly brushed it against her cheek. He felt contented to see her in his arms like this.
Jinhai bent to her ear. “Nana…remember your promise,” he whispered, “You won’t ever leave my side.”
—
The next day, Liang Shin visited the City X hospital. Xiang Wei and Xiang Qingge welcomed him.
“Liang Shin.” Xiang Wei smiled. “We really thank you for coming on such short notice. I hope the trip went well.”
“The trip was all good.” Liang Shin said, “And it’s my job as a doctor to help my patients wherever they are. Anyway, I had to come here when you told me about Zhou Bingwen. Even though he specializes in traditional medicine, I have great respect for him.
Xiang Qingge nodded.
“So, can I meet Miss Huian?”
They went inside her ward. Huian slowly opened her eyes as she heard someone coming in. There were her parents and an unknown man.
“Huian,” Xiang Wei held her hand, “He is the doctor I told you about, Liang Shin.”
“Hello, Miss Huian.” He came forward. “I’m Liang Shin, and you will be under my care from now on. I promise I will make you recover in no time. You will soon be standing on your feet.” He smiled. “And I need your cooperation. I hope we can work together.”
Huian lifted her gaze to look at him carefully. She had to admit; he was good-looking and tall. In fact, she felt that his beauty somehow seemed very familiar.
Nana’s face just flashed past her mind.
‘Strange. Why did I think of Nana when I saw him?’