Living on a Mountain with my Husband

Chapter 20: Sleeping Together

Zimo waited in bed for LongWei to return.

"Is this okay? We've slept together many times before, but he was in a coma. He couldn't refuse or push me away. No, it's okay. If it wasn't he would have said something when Mrs Li prepared only the one room for us. And we I'll be living together on the mountain as well. It's only natural that we sleep together. Unless, maybe there are two bedrooms? No, he said the house was small. Small means at best one living room, a kitchen and a bedroom..."

While Zimo's mind was running a mile a minute thinking about the sleeping arrangements, the same thing was happening to LongWei.

"How is my sleeping before? I don't think it is bad. No one mentioned that I was a dishonest sleeper in the barracks. I also wake up with the quilt over me in the same way it was when I fell asleep. There shouldn't be any problems..."

When LongWei returned to the room he saw zimo standing by the bed holding the two pillows in his arms.

?

"What are you doing?" LongWei asked curiously.

"Oh, I was thinking about which way we should face when sleeping. When you were in a coma naturally I slept on the outside corner. My head faced this way, so I could hear anyone coming in wether I was on my side or back. But now your awake, so I was thinking maybe you might want to sleep on the outside edge. But if you sleep on the outside and I turn to face you my right ear will be against the bed so I can't hear anything. Then, I thought maybe you don't want me facing you when we sleep, but I don't often sleep on my back. That's why I thought maybe we should sleep in this direction..."

"Zimo, let's sleep like this. I will be on the outside, you can sleep on the inside. I don't mind if you sleep facing me." LongWei stopped Zimo's rambling and quickly decided for him placing the pillows on the bed and lifting the covers for Zimo to crawl in.

Zimo, looked at LongWei as he lay next to him. A little tired, but also a bit excited. They had slept together many times before, but this would be the first time LongWei wasn't in a coma.

"LongWei?"

"Um."

"I...um.. Goodnight." Zimo wanted to ask LongWei about his feelings. Was he angry about the marriage? Did he not like sleeping with him? Why did he promise to protect him? Why was he so good to him? All these questions floated through his mind. However he could ask a single one. He was afraid to hear how he might answer.

"Um. Goodnight."

...

It's late at night and LongWei is still unable to sleep. He looked at Zimo who had fallen asleep some time ago and thought about what there life will be like together.

LongWei had never thought about having a wife. He hated his family, and didn't want to bring someone else into it. But now he was happy to have Zimo. It was warm and comforting to have someone depend on you and care about you.

However, running up the mountain to escape the family wasn't a solution. In this place, filial piety was important. As a member of the Yuan family he was responsible for providing for the family and helping his parents.

It wasn't something he wanted to do, but he had to bare with it. The only other way was to remove himself from the household, but this would not be easy. There was no way his father would allow him to leave. LongWei was the only one in the family who worked hard and made money.

Now, LongWei needed to find a way to convince his father to separate the family. He would use these next two months to think of a plan his father could not refuse. He needed to separate from them before winter. Living on the mountain was fine during the summer, spring, and autumn, but not winter. They would need to find a place to live in the village during the winter. It was too dangerous and cold in the mountains.

Over the summer and fall he could hunt and save money to buy or maybe even build a small home in the village. Once it became to cold in the mountains Zimo and him could move there to spend the winter comfortably.

Looking at Zimo next to him he saw Zimo curl up and hug his pillow. Unsure why, LongWei had a little sour as he stared at the pillow in Zimo's arms. He gently pulled it away and replaced it with is arm. Zimo was still asleep and feeling the warmth he hugged LongWei's arm tightly rubbing he face against the shoulder.Feeling satisfied, LongWei closed his eyes and slept.

...

The next morning, LongWei had woken up first but didn't get up immediately. He lay next to Zimo, watching him as he slept. Zimo was still holding LongWei's arm, looking comfortable, when he started to move around.

LongWei quickly shut his eyes again pretending to sleep.

"Hmm... it's so warm." Zimo thought as he hugged the arm tighter before opening his eyes. When he finally opened his eyes he was shocked.

"Oh, no! Why am I holding LongWei's arm. What if he noticed? Will he be angry?" Zimo's ears turned red as he sat up and moved away from LongWei.

"He doesn't seem to have woken up yet. Or maybe..." Zimo stared at LongWei, but suddenly a sense of panic struck him. "Wait, he didn't fall back into a coma, did he?" Zimo started to panic.

LongWei lay next to Zimo, sensing something wasn't right he opened his eyes and noticed Zimo's pale face.

"Zimo, what's wrong?" LongWei asked, but Zimo did not hear him. Zimo had closed his eyes trying to calm his breathing.

Noticing Zimo hadn't heard him, LongWei sat up and placed his palm on Zimo's head. When he did Zimo's eyes shot open and he looked at LongWei with moisture clinging to the ends of his eyes, threatening to fall at any moment.

"What's wrong?" LongWei asked again, a little more loudly, but still trying to sound gentle. He did not want to scare Zimo.

"Sniffle... I thought you were in a coma again. I was worried you wouldn't wake up." Zimo said trying not to cry.

Suddenly LongWei regretted pretending to still be asleep. He vowed in his mind that from now he he would always wake up before Zimo.