Dare to Love Me

I'm so in love with you, I hope you know.

They ate dinner peacefully, WeiZhou explaining his travel as his parents listened carefully. Jingyu tried not to bring too much attention to himself, but answered questions when they were asked, which was frequently.

"Do you two live together?"

"Yes, we have an apartment in Beijing."

"How often do you eat at home?"

"At least 3 times a week."

"Do you two sleep together?"

"Yeah, unless one of us is away."

WeiZhou stood up from his chair, using Jingyu's shoulder as leverage. "I'm going to go to the bathroom." He squeezed the back of Jingyu's neck, smiling at his parents.

As soon as he was out of earshot, Zhou's dad leaned across the table. "How long have you two been together? Two years?" He said quietly, leaning back. "Isn't that enough time to know if you want to marry him or not?"

Jingyu cleared his throat, taking a sip of water. "Well, that's what I wanted to ask you." He looked from mother to father slowly. "I would like to marry WeiZhou, but, I felt like it would be more meaningful if I proposed to him with his family's ring."

He swallowed, his hand moving to rub the back of his neck. "I will do anything to get your approval."

WeiZhou's dad opened his mouth, wise eyes narrowed at the tall man across from him. "Jingyu, I've lived a long life. I've spent so long looking for the love of my life, and I found her. I've spent so long raising my son so he would know how he deserves to be treated." Jingyu kept looking right at him, his heart falling apart with every word. "WeiZhou is a gentle boy. We both know that he deserves to be loved." Jingyu nodded solemnly. "Saying that, besides his mother and I, I've never seen someone love him like you do."

Jingyu felt alive, those words liberating his ego and making him feel high on a cloud. "I will give you the ring I used to propose to WeiZhou's mother. Her mother was proposed to by that ring, as was her's, and so on for generations. The only promise you need to keep is to love my ZhouZhou more than anything else in this world." WeiZhou's father gave him a stern look. "Can you promise me that?"

WeiZhou's ear was pressed up against the bathroom door, listening to every word that was spoken. Jingyu wanted to propose to him? He could hardly believe it. Yes, they had been together for many years now, and they always talked about 'getting married', but WeiZhou figured Jingyu lacked the courage and planning to. He moved closer to try to make out Jingyu's words.

"I promise."

Zhou almost fell against the door, hearing those words spoken without a moment of hesitation, promising forever... with him? He could hardly believe it.

Pausing, he waited to hear more conversation, but there was no sounds except for that of chopsticks in bowls. He didn't want to believe it. Jingyu wanted to marry him?

He turned the knob, stumbling out of the bathroom and walking to the kitchen, trying to control himself.

Everyone looked at him when he came back, Jingyu's brows slightly creased. "You alright?" He asked, placing a hand on Zhou's lower back as he sat down.

"I'm good." He smiled, picking up his chopsticks. "Are you?"

"Yeah." He squeezed Jingyu's hand reassuringly hearing a slight panic in Jingyu's voice.

After tea and a long chat, everyone decided to go to bed. WeiZhou grinned as he opened the door to his old bedroom, letting Jingyu get a look into it.

Jingyu stared in awe, trying to find an empty place in the poster-covered walls. There was everything, English artists, TV show posters, study notes. Jingyu set the luggage down softly on the carpeted floor.

"Wow." Jingyu breathed out, feeling consumed by this trip into the past.

"They really didn't change anything since I was here last." He smiled at Jingyu, who's face was still scanning everything with a certain look.

WeiZhou moved close to him, wrapping his arms around Jingyu's lean waist and laying his head on his back. "You like it?"

Jingyu nodded, turning around to kiss the top of WeiZhou's head. "I love it." He muttered, his hands snaking around WeiZhou, comforting himself in the perfection only WeiZhou could demonstrate. Even all his little quirks, wether it was leaving his dirty dishes in the sink, or bothering him especially when he was in a bad mood. Jingyu found them perfect.

Jingyu found him perfect.

"I love you." He stroked WeiZhou's back carefully, moving his lips close to his lover's ear. "I love you so much. No one can ever change us." He sighed, kissing Zhou's temple. "You hear me? I'll be with you forever, as long as you'll stay with me for that long. Through every fight, through every argument, I'll still hold you at night. No matter what lies people make about us, I'll banish it. I want to protect you forever."

WeiZhou cuddled deeper into Jingyu's chest, awaiting his next words.

"I love you more than anything, Xu Weizhou." Jingyu kissed the top of his head. "And I'm tired. I love sleep, too. But I love you most." WeiZhou pulled away, standing up on his tip toes and kissing Jingyu's forehead.

"Let's go to sleep then." Jingyu nodded, feeling WeiZhou's warm hands leave his body.

They changed into comfy clothes, brushed their teeth, and crawled into bed, completely unaware they were being talked about in the room beside.

"You really think he's the one?" Ma said, helping Ba brush his hair. "He seems like a nice boy, but the one for WeiZhou?"

"I think so." Ba smiled in the mirror. "He seems very kind. Maybe quiet, but that's much better than that high-school girl he took to prom."

"I suppose." Ma stared at him in the mirror, her lips forming a smile. "Aiyoh, nearing eighty but still handsome as twenty." She patted his shoulder, making him smile gently. He moved his hand slowly to take hers, bringing it to his lips and kissing the back of it weakly. Ma leaned down to kiss his cheek. "We should go to bed now. You sleep in tomorrow, okay? I'll be up making food for those boys so they don't have to eat out on their way back to Beijing."

He nodded tiredly, his eyes closing as she began to wheel him out of the bedroom.