The atmosphere in the living area remained tense. It was as if everyone was frozen while looking at each other.
Iris didn't say anything more. She already said what she needed to say. She couldn't control other people's thoughts and feelings. Yi Mei was her own person. She had the right to think and feel on her own. All Iris could do was explain to the housekeeper that Jin Liwei was someone important to her.
The silence just made the atmosphere heavier. Iris was calm. Jin Liwei followed her lead. Only Dom felt stifled. He almost cracked a joke just to lighten the mood but judged that this wasn't the right time to act like a clown.
Finally, it was Yi Mei who broke the tense silence. She glared at Jin Liwei and looked like she wanted nothing more in the world than to pummel the lusty brat into oblivion. "You." She pointed at him. "Do you love Young Miss?"
Iris stiffened, instinctively turning to look at Jin Liwei.
"Yes, I love Xiulan," Jin Liwei immediately answered. There was no hesitation. He was answering Yi Mei's question but his eyes were looking directly at Iris. His expression was grave, filled with determination to convey his sincerity. "She is the only woman that I'll ever love like this, the only woman that I want to be with for the rest of my life. Just weeks ago, we were strangers, but now I can't imagine my life without her. I dream about her every night. And I wake up every day only to realize that I'm falling in love with her more deeply than the day before."
Dom, the first ever to ship the couple and the number one fan of their relationship, immediately burst into tears upon hearing such romantic words coming out of his sir boss' lips. He was so overwhelmed by emotions that he let go of Yi Mei to clutch his chest and cover his mouth. He was doing his best not to cry loudly because he didn't want to ruin the moment.
Although Dom already released her, Yi Mei didn't attack Jin Liwei. She was also shocked by the lusty brat's words. She wanted to disregard it as mere lip service to escape the situation, but she couldn't deny feeling touched by his sincerity. Maybe the brat really loved the Young Miss. She wavered and her anger subsided a little. Yi Mei glanced at her Young Miss.
Iris had a complicated expression on her face. Her confusion was apparent to everyone. Her eyes would look directly at Jin Liwei but would quickly look away to avoid his passionate expression before looking at him again.
"I love you, Long Xiulan. So much."
"I know that you don't love me. Not yet," he continued. A trace of a sad smile appeared on his face before transforming into a determined expression. "But I will do my best to show my love for you and make you fall in love with me, too. I hope that one day, you'll also feel the same way as I do."
"Liwei, I don―"
He crossed the short distance between them in just a couple of steps and pressed his index finger to her lips, stopping whatever she was going to say.
"Please don't say anything now," he said in a voice so soft that it was almost a whisper. "Just allow me to love you."
Iris blinked. Then she slowly grabbed his hand to release her lips. She pulled his palm and pressed it onto her chest, so that he could feel her racing heartbeat.
They looked at each other's eyes, as if trying to dig underneath the other's soul.
"Baby, let me love you."
Ten seconds of silence.
Jin Liwei didn't dare breathe as he awaited her answer.
"Okay."
Joy filled him, as he released the breath he was holding. But he wanted to make sure. "Really?"
Iris nodded.
Jin Liwei pulled her into his arms, lifted her up and kissed her. He kissed her as if doing so would fuse them together as one for eternity.
Confessing his feelings for her felt very liberating. Before this, love felt like a formless gas. But now that he voiced it out aloud in front of her, it suddenly took shape and solidified, growing denser and more intense with every passing moment.
They were both gasping when the kiss ended.
"I love you," he said, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear.
She smiled. "Thank you."
A hint of sadness flashed in his eyes after hearing her reply, but it quickly disappeared. He smiled back at her.
They turned to her.
"Young Miss, please forgive this old housekeeper for acting above her station but I still think that this man is no good for you."
Jin Liwei's lips pressed into a thin line but he remained quiet.
"Grandma Yi Mei―"
"Dominic, let me finish." Yi Mei took a couple of deep breaths before speaking to Iris again. "I think that this man will only hurt you. Young Miss, I only want you to be happy, to meet a nice young man someday who will love and worship you, make you the number one person in his life, to build a wonderful and beautiful family together, and to spend your life in happiness without suffering disappointment, pain or betrayal. I don't think this man can give you that kind of happiness. Men of status like him can never treat just one woman their number one priority. They have too many responsibilities, duties…and temptations."
Iris sighed. "Yi Mei―"
"But I can see that you're happy with him. For now. As long as you're happy, this old woman is also happy. If Young Miss wants to stay with him, then it's your decision. Please forgive this old woman for interfering with Young Miss' life." Tears fell from Yi Mei's wrinkled eyes. "I just want you to live a good life. You went through so much. Nobody really guided you while growing up. You were basically on your own, a young girl left to her own devices. You had to experience such a scary event, almost dying, to grow up quickly and become such an amazing young woman. You deserve so much better, Young Miss. He doesn't deserve you. But if you think that he makes you happy, then this old woman has no choice but to support you."
Heat welled up from Iris' chest and rushed all over her entire body. Her vision suddenly blurred. Confused, she blinked and large drops of tears fell down her eyes. She touched her now wet face, surprised. She was confused especially since she couldn't seem to control her tears which kept on flowing.
Yi Mei staggered to Iris and clutched her hands. "Young Miss, no matter what happens, as long as I live, this old bones of mine will support you until the day my flesh turns to ashes."
"Wuwuwu…Boss! Sir boss! Grandma Yi Mei! I love you all so much! Wuwuwu…" Dom could no longer stop himself and began a full-force sobbing.
Yi Mei wiped the tears from Iris' cheeks with her shaking, wrinkled hands.
'So a family could feel like this,' Iris thought. 'So warm, so loving, so supportive. So…uplifting.'
She was really glad and thankful to have been given a second life.