Slow to mature after marriage

She barely slept during the more than ten-hour flight. When the plane landed, it was evening in Los Angeles, and the setting sun turned the airport's glass facade a deep orange-red. She turned on her phone as soon as she got off the plane; Wang Jin's address had already been sent to her.

By the time I arrived at the hospital, the surgery was already over.

The corridor lights were blindingly white, and the smell of disinfectant filled the air. Wang Jin stood at the door of the ward, saw her, and hurried over to greet her.

"Madam, the surgery was a success, and she's awake. The doctor said she can be discharged after two days of observation."

Zhou Yu'an nodded and pushed the door open to go inside.

The ward was large, a private VIP room, so quiet that only the regular beeping of the electrocardiogram monitor could be heard. Bo Yan was leaning against the hospital bed, wearing a blue and white striped hospital gown, with an IV in the back of his hand. His face was much paler than usual, and his lips were almost bloodless.

He's asleep now, thanks to the anesthesia.

Zhou Yu'an first discussed the precautions with the attending physician, confirmed the follow-up examination time and post-discharge dietary arrangements, and asked all the necessary questions before entering the ward. Wang Jin followed behind and cautiously said, "Madam, would you like to go and rest for a while? You look terrible after flying for more than ten hours."

"No need." Zhou Yu'an shook his head. "Assistant Wang, you should go back to the company first. Bo Yan suddenly fell ill, and you probably have a lot of things to deal with at the company. I can take care of Bo Yan."

Wang Jin nodded and did not insist further.

After all, the company has quite a few things that require his attention right now.

Zhou Yu'an sat down on the edge of the bed, quietly staring at him. After a long while, she reached out and gently touched his eyelashes with her fingertips. His eyelashes trembled beneath her fingertips, like a startled butterfly.

She didn't stop, touched him again, and then her fingers slowly slid down his brow bone, stopping on his cheek.

She was so tired. She didn't know when she collapsed, only that her forehead was pressed against his arm, and his body temperature, warm and pulsating, seeped through her hospital gown.

She closed her eyes and this time fell asleep quickly.

-

When Bo Yan woke up, he felt a little numb in his arm.

He turned his head, and the woman's sleeping face was inches away. Her eyelashes drooped quietly, her nose cast a small shadow, her lips were slightly pursed, and the light mole between her eyebrows looked faint in the morning light.

Wife?

Has he returned to northern Beijing?

Or am I dreaming?

Bo Yan blinked but didn't move. He stared at her face for a long time, so long that he felt his eyes sting.

"Bo Yan, you're hopeless," he thought to himself. The company in North America nearly went bankrupt, years of hard work were destroyed, and a project worth hundreds of millions went down the drain. And now, lying in a hospital bed, all you can think about is Zhou Yu'an?

Oh, she's my wife.

That's fine.

Bo Yan leaned down, intending only to give her a light kiss on the lips. But they hadn't kissed in so long, so one kiss after another.

Bo Yan seemed to be addicted.

The lips were soft and warm.

Was it really a dream?

He tentatively stuck out the tip of his tongue and gently licked her lower lip, tasting her natural flavor—he couldn't tell if it tasted like toothpaste or something else, but he was certain it was the real touch.

Zhou Yu'an slowly opened his eyes.

Their eyes met. His eyelashes almost brushed against hers.

Zhou Yu'an didn't flinch. She raised her hand, cupped the back of his neck, and gently responded.

Bo Yan paused for a moment. Then he kissed him back forcefully.

The kiss was too forceful. The wound on his abdomen was pulled, and he groaned, his brows furrowing sharply as he forced out a very soft "hiss" from his throat.

Zhou Yu'an finally let go of him, and the daze in his eyes instantly disappeared.

"Are you alright? Did you aggravate your wound?" She stood up, her hand already reaching for the call button by the bedside. "You suddenly kissed me, and I didn't even realize it."

Bo Yan reached out, grabbed her wrist with his large hand, pulled her hand off the call bell, and pressed it against the bedside.

"Don't press it yet." He looked at her, his voice still hoarse from just waking up. "I remember the doctor told me this surgery has a 99.9% success rate. I probably can't be that unlucky one, just encountering that 0.1% chance, and end up in heaven with just pancreatitis?"

Zhou Yu'an frowned at him and raised her hand to cover his mouth: "Bo Yan, don't talk nonsense."

The man chuckled softly, the bloodshot eyes contrasting with his pale face, making the smile seem faint and thin.

"Where is this place?"

"Los Angeles, USA"

Why are you here?

like a dream.

His beloved girl appeared in faraway Los Angeles.

Zhou Yu'an got angry again when he asked this. "How dare you ask? I haven't even asked you why you kept such an important thing as your surgery from me. Aren't I your lawfully wedded wife?"

"You think it's noble and touching to have surgery alone in a foreign country without telling me? Don't you think I'm worried? Do you know that this will...?"

Zhou Yu'an met the man's increasingly composed and amused gaze, her voice softening, but she still insisted on continuing, "That would only make people more worried."

"Do you care about me a lot?" Bo Yan asked her to confirm.

"Of course I care," Zhou Yu'an replied irritably. "If I don't care, who do you care about?"

"Who knows?" the man's voice was light and airy. "Maybe it's someone's eighteen-year-old Bai Yue—"

"Bo Yan!" Zhou Yu'an was so angry that his chest heaved. If it weren't for the fact that he had just finished surgery, he would have dissected him on the spot.

Bo Yan smiled and raised his hand, pulling her into his arms and holding her tightly. His arms encircled her waist, his face buried in the crook of her neck, and the tip of his nose pressed against the thin skin above her collarbone.

Afraid of touching his wound, Zhou Yu'an supported part of his weight with his elbows and carefully rested his head on his chest.

"It's nice to see you here," the man sighed softly. "I'm glad you care about me, Zhou Yu'an."

Bo Yan knew that he was shameless and greedy.

But thankfully, he was finally able to confirm it.

She loved him too.