The wedding had been small—just close friends, a few hospital colleagues, and a private blessing from Nian's grandmother. Jace was the ring bearer, looking like a prince in a tiny navy-blue tuxedo. Naya wore ivory lace, her dreadlocks cascading like a waterfall down her back, adorned with white orchids. Nian, in a tailored black suit with a subtle sapphire pin, couldn't take his eyes off her the entire ceremony.
They said "I do" under a canopy of lanterns, with Jace clapping wildly and shouting, "Baba and Mama are finally kissing!"
And then—they were gone.
No work calls. No expectations. No distractions.
Just them.
---
They flew to Bora Bora—a hidden villa on the edge of the sea. Their overwater bungalow opened directly to a turquoise ocean. The bedroom had a ceiling of stars and walls made of glass, offering views of water in every direction. At night, moonlight shimmered across their bed. During the day, they swam in nothing but laughter and skin.
---
Naya stood at the edge of the deck, her brown skin glowing in the orange hue of the sunset, wearing a sheer white robe that clung to her hips. Nian stepped behind her, his arms wrapping around her waist.
"I still can't believe you're mine," he whispered, lips brushing her ear.
"I've always been yours," she replied, leaning into him.
Their kisses began slow—teasing, tasting. She turned to face him, fingers tugging at the buttons of his shirt. He groaned softly when her lips traced along his collarbone.
He lifted her effortlessly, carrying her inside. The bed was covered in rose petals, a bottle of champagne sweating on the side table. But neither of them noticed anymore.
What mattered were the whispered moans, the way her fingers tangled in his hair as he kissed down her thighs, the shiver that ran through her when he entered her like a perfect melody sliding into harmony.
They moved together with unspoken rhythm—fast, slow, deep, teasing. His hands gripped her hips, her nails scratched down his back. There were gasps, soft cries of pleasure, words that fell apart in the heat.
Naya's voice was breathless. "Don't stop, Nian…"
He didn't.
He gave her everything—again, and again, and again—until her body trembled and her cries echoed off the windows. When she finally collapsed into him, lips swollen, skin glowing, she whispered, "This... is heaven."
He kissed her forehead, pulling her close.
"You're my heaven."
---
For the next week, they made love in every corner of that villa. On the couch, under the rain shower, even in the shallow ocean waves when no one was watching. They ate fruits off each other's fingers, played strip chess (Naya won every time), and woke each morning tangled in silk sheets and sweat.
They talked about the future.
About buying a family home in China. About Jace's first day at kindergarten. About traveling to South Sudan again someday—this time, together.
---
On their last night, Naya lay with her head on Nian's bare chest, listening to his heartbeat. His fingers lazily traced the curve of her hip.
"Do you think we'll always be like this?" she asked softly.
He tilted her chin up. "No."
Her eyes widened.
"I think we'll be more. More in love. More bonded. More unstoppable."
And
then he kissed her again, slow and deep, until her world melted.
_____
The plane touched down softly in Henan. The sky was a calm, pale blue—welcoming them back not as lovers on borrowed time, but as a family. As husband and wife.
Jace was already waiting at the airport with Grandma Xu, clutching a bouquet of pink lilies almost as tall as him.
"Mama! Baba!" he squealed, dashing into Naya's arms first, then into Nian's embrace.
Nian scooped both of them into a tight hug, burying his face in Naya's locs and Jace's curls, whispering, "This—this is everything."
---
Their new home was nestled just outside the bustle of the city. A high-rise luxury apartment overlooking the river, surrounded by cherry blossom trees and bathed in soft natural light. Modern, yet cozy. Spacious, yet warm.
The front door opened to a scent of fresh paint and cedarwood floors. Their belongings had already been moved in. Naya walked through each room slowly, trailing her fingers across surfaces, her heart fluttering.
The master bedroom had floor-to-ceiling windows, a view of the mountains in the distance, and a walk-in closet that took her breath away. The kitchen was sleek and open, just how Nian liked it. And the guest room?
It had already been transformed into Jace's dream world—complete with glow-in-the-dark stars, a tiny library, and a dragon-shaped lamp.
They spent the rest of the day unpacking slowly, playing soft jazz in the background, dancing barefoot between half-unopened boxes. Jace ran around yelling, "We rich rich now!" making them laugh until they collapsed onto the couch together in a messy pile of love.
---
That night, after tucking Jace in and reading him three bedtime stories (because "one is too lonely"), Nian and Naya stood on the balcony, sipping wine under the stars.
She leaned into him. "It feels unreal sometimes. Like I'm dreaming."
He kissed her forehead. "If you're dreaming, I never want you to wake up."
They stood there for a long while, wrapped in each other, the world finally silent around them.
---
The next day brought normalcy—a beautiful, ordinary kind.
Naya registered at the international hospital near their apartment to begin preparations for her license to practice in China. Nian returned to work at Xu Medical Holdings, part-time for now, easing back into CEO duties while still consulting for surgical cases.
And Jace? He got accepted into one of the top bilingual preschools in the city.
Life, as they knew it, had finally taken root.
---
But…
Late one evening, as Nian was closing up the office and preparing to head home, his assistant popped her head in.
"Dr. Xu, just wanted to let you know your new executive secretary has arrived. She starts next Monday. She's transferred from our Shanghai branch—her name is Luo Yanmei."
Nian looked up from his laptop, brows raising slightly at the name.
"Hmm. That's familiar…"
The assistant nodded. "Apparently, she studied at the same university as you. She specifically requested a transfer to this branch."
Nian leaned back in his chair, fingers steepled under his chin.
"Interesting."
He didn't think much of it then.
But somewhere in the background… a door creaked open.
And with it, the wind carried a scent he hadn't smelled in years—perfumed ambition, honeyed memories of a girl who once stared at him like he held the stars.
_____