Chapter 6 — Promising You a Lifetime of Peace

Lately, the number of times I found myself visiting the hospital increased with each passing day. Large clumps of hair fell out whenever I brushed, the medications I had to swallow multiplied, and the hours I spent sleeping consumed more and more of my fading reality. Eventually, Ta Vong still managed to discover that something was deeply wrong. That day, he wrapped up his work much earlier than usual. When he walked through the front door, I was slumped over the porcelain rim of the toilet, vomiting violently. He shoved the door open and stepped inside. The plastic cup of milk tea in his hand slipped from his fingers, shattering against the tiles as liquid splattered everywhere. He dropped to his knees beside me, catching me in his arms.

Xiao Ning?

I wiped the corners of my mouth and forced a weak smile up at him.

I must have eaten something bad.

He said nothing, scooped me effortlessly into his arms, carried me to the bed, and immediately began rummaging through my bag. I struggled feebly to stop him, but my movements were too slow. When his fingers closed around the medicine bottle, his hand began to shake uncontrollably. He popped open the cap, peered inside, read over the instructions on the label, and froze completely, turning into a statue of pure disbelief. I lay against the mattress, staring at his unmoving back, and whispered softly.

Ta Vong.

He did not turn around.

Ta Vong, turn around and look at me.

Slowly, agonizingly, he pivoted to face me. The rims of his eyes were burning red. The small plastic bottle was gripped so tightly in the center of his palm that his knuckles turned ghostly white.

What is this?

Stomach medicine.

You are lying to me.

He strode over to the bed, grabbed my phone, and unlocked it. I watched as he opened the photo gallery and immediately located the digital snapshots of my medical diagnosis. His thumb hovered over the glowing screen, remaining entirely still for a long, torturous moment.

Xiao Ning... His voice fractured, trembling on the verge of breaking. Please, do not play a joke like this with me, okay?

I turned my face away from his searching gaze.

Ta Vong, I am so sorry.

Half a year ago, I had been diagnosed with terminal stomach cancer. There was nothing left to save. I had once asked the doctor how much time I had left to breathe. He told me that if things went exceptionally well, perhaps two years. Now, only a year and a half remained. Ta Vong laid the phone aside, reached out, and pulled me fiercely into his embrace. His broad shoulders shook uncontrollably.

When did this happen?

Before I saw you again.

Then that day you went to the hospital...

A routine checkup.

He pulled me tighter still, his voice fracturing into a continuous tremor.

Why did you never tell me?

Outside the window, the winter snow continued its relentless fall. The indoor heater hummed a dull, rhythmic tune, and his hot tears fell gently into my hair. I lowered my gaze to look at his hands, where the veins stood out in stark relief, and suddenly I found myself utterly unable to cry.

Ta Vong, I was afraid.

That evening, Ta Vong held me tightly in his arms for hours on end.

Tomorrow, I am canceling every single one of my filming schedules.

Where do you want to go play?

Shall we go watch the snow fall?

The beach would be nice too...

No, that is not it! Xiao Ning, first, we are going to register our marriage!

I tried every conceivable excuse to refuse him, but in the end, Ta Vong stubbornly dragged me down to the registry office anyway.

Xiao Ning, you have to give me an official status at least!

Seeing the fierce, unyielding stubbornness in his eyes, I finally relented. While we were taking our official identification photos, the photographer could not help teasing Ta Vong.

Young lady, your boyfriend is certainly overjoyed. Look at him, his eyes are completely red.

I gently wiped away the tear lingering at the corner of his eye and offered a soft, fond smile.

You are so grown up, yet you still act like a child.

He flipped the two small red booklets open and closed several times over before carefully tucking them into the inner pocket of his jacket, patting the spot reassuringly.

Xiao Ning, you belong to me now.

I nodded slowly.

Yes.

I also wanted to say: Ta Vong, you belong to me now as well. On the night we registered our marriage, he posted a short update on his social media containing only two words.

Paper secured.

The comment section instantly erupted into chaos, but this time, I did not bother reading a single word of it. I rested my head gently against his shoulder. Sharp waves of pain rolled through my stomach, but I bit my lip and forced myself to endure it in silence. He lowered his head and pressed a tender kiss against my forehead.

Are you tired? Shall we go home?

Let us go home.

It took Ta Vong an entire month to meticulously craft a travel itinerary. He discarded every professional obligation on his desk. His work team fell into absolute panic, and his manager called dozens of times, but he refused to answer a single one. I tried to persuade him.

You should go to work. We can always go traveling later when you have free time.

He did not even raise his head, continuing to stuff thick woolen coats into the suitcase.

I have been busy for five consecutive years. Right now, being by my wife's side is far more important.

Our first destination was a snow-capped mountain. For the latter half of the steep trail, Ta Vong insisted on carrying me on his back. That devoted gesture immediately caught the attention of the surrounding tourists.

Look at that woman's boyfriend! A young woman playfully slapped her own companion's arm in mock jealousy.

The young man scratched his head awkwardly.

How about I carry you on my back right now?

The girl shot him a withering glance.

Forget it! With a twig-thin body like yours, you would drop dead from exhaustion before we even walked a few steps.

Oh, wait! The girl suddenly struck her boyfriend much harder on the shoulder.

That man looks terribly familiar!

Voices immediately chimed in from the surrounding crowd.

He looks just like a celebrity...

That is Ta Vong! Oh my god!

Instantly, several cameras turned in our direction. I rested comfortably on Ta Vong's back, using a soft cloth to gently wipe the beads of sweat from his cheek.

Big superstar, you really are beloved wherever you go.

Ta Vong hoisted me a fraction higher on his back, the corners of his lips curling upward.

Esteemed author, are you considering writing this exact scene into your next novel?

Ta Vong climbed step by grueling step across five thousand stone stairs, carrying me all the way to the absolute summit of the mountain. We hiked for the better part of the night solely to catch the sunrise. The precise moment the first ray of morning sunlight pierced through the heavy layer of clouds, a sudden warmth pressed against my lips.

Click.

Ta Vong and I turned our heads in unison. It was the young girl from earlier. She flushed crimson and rubbed the back of her neck in embarrassment.

I am so sorry, the scene just now was simply too beautiful...

I offered a gentle smile.

It is quite all right. Would you mind letting us take a look at the photograph?

Of course!

The young girl's eyes lit up with delight as she handed the camera over. It was a candid shot captured at that exact fleeting second, framed by the golden halo of the rising dawn. Ta Vong was leaning down slightly. At the moment our lips met, his expression was filled with profound reverence and infinite tenderness. I had my eyes closed, and a few delicate snowflakes rested upon my long eyelashes. The corners of my mouth were curved upward in an involuntary smile. Right at that moment, the girl spoke up.

If you like it, I can print and frame this photo and mail it to you both.

But your equipment is all the way down at the foot of the mountain.