Please Confess to Me

Extra (8)

After the dream, life continues.

****

On a cool morning at the tail end of October, a man and a woman had their arms around each other as they lay asleep on a king-sized dark blue bed. Several strands of the woman’s black hair were on the man’s face.

Soon, the woman moved slightly, as if she was about to wake up, and her hair brushed against the man’s nose, unexpectedly waking him up.

The moment the man opened his eyes, a trace of loss flashed across his eyes, and a bitter smile graced his lips. He already knew that it was a dream from the very beginning, yet he still needed to take a moment to comfort himself.

As usual, Su Hang first gently released his hold on Shen Xi’s waist. He wanted to laugh at himself. He would always end up holding her so tightly when he slept, as if afraid of losing her, but then he would always silently release her before she woke up.

“You’ve already gathered all your courage to divorce; why can’t you use all that courage to take a step forward instead?”

“Why didn’t you tell me you liked me?”

“Are you afraid I’d reject you, or are you afraid I wouldn’t be able to say no?”

Every question Shen Xi asked in his dream had shaken his heart. Yes, he really had been planning on divorcing her. After thinking about it for half a year, he only just managed to gather his courage and ask Li QingYuan to write up the divorce agreement last week. The papers were now in his study. He had planned to present them to Shen Xi today after breakfast.

But that was before he had that wonderful dream. Now, he wondered if he could try once more. After all, he was already prepared to let Shen Xi go. He was already losing everything. What else was he afraid of happening?

Su Hang hesitated for a moment, then turned to Shen Xi. However, he found that the woman who should still be sleeping was already awake and staring at him.

“What should I say?”

“Tell me that you like me.”

Dream Shen Xi had asked this from him.

“I…” Su Hang summoned whatever courage he had left, straining against the dark, pessimistic thoughts that filled his mind.

Shen Xi furrowed her brow in doubt.

“Shen Xi, I like you.” Su Hang ended up blurting the words out in one breath. After saying this sentence, Su Hang felt very afraid, as if he was facing the death penalty and was just waiting for the judge to sentence him. He was so scared, but he didn’t dare turn away and close his eyes.

Shen Xi’s looked at him in total disbelief. After what seemed like an eternity, she came back to herself and moved, wanting to sit up. As she did so, the blanket shifted, exposing some scary looking blues and purples on her body. Once she was properly sitting, Shen Xi lifted up the quilt and wrapped it around herself.

“I’m sorry…” Su Hang knew that those terrible marks were because of his rude actions last night. His heart shriveled.

(T/N: Remember, when Su Hang divorced Shen Xi, he crazily made love to her, then delivered the divorce papers the next day.)

“Excuse me?” The glimmer of joy in her eyes instantly chilled. Sure enough, she shouldn’t have gotten her hopes up.

“I’m sorry, but I like you.” Su Hang replied, his voice full of guilt.

Shen Xi, whose face had just started to fall, lit up once more.

“You...why are you suddenly saying this?” Shen Xi didn’t know how to react. She felt like she was still dreaming. Just moments before, she had a dream where Su Hang had pursued her, had told her that he had always liked her. That he didn’t have a long-lost love and that from the very beginning, he had only ever liked her. It had been a glimmer of sunshine in the gloomy five years of her marriage.

“I…” Su Hang pondered for a moment, then got out of bed. “Let me get something first.”

Shen Xi watched him leave the room with equal parts hope and trepidation. Then, she reached out for her cellphone on the bedside table, turned on the screen, and saw that it was currently 6:10 a.m., October 31, 2022. Sure enough, it really had just been all a dream. But...if it had been just a dream, why was Su Hang acting so differently all of a sudden?

Meanwhile, on the other side, Su Hang hurriedly opened the door of his study and pulled out the divorce agreement he had stuffed in his drawer last night. When he saw the document, Su Hang confirmed things once again. The past two days had really just been a dream. But now that he had woken up from the dream, he had the opportunity to try and change reality.

Su Hang took the divorce papers and went back up to the bedroom. When he came back, Shen Xi had put on her pajamas and was sitting on the bed, waiting for him.

“I’ve been thinking about our relationship.” Su Hang looked at Shen Xi and decided to tell her all his thoughts and decisions. “We’ve been married for nearly five years, and during these five years, I’ve always felt inferior, unworthy of you. But I can’t help but like you all the same. I did the selfish thing and used marriage to firmly tie you to me, hoping that maybe, a miracle would happen and that you would somehow like me back. Ridiculous, isn’t it?”

Shen Xi looked at Su Hang with a complicated gaze but didn’t interrupt.

“A while ago, I suddenly had a thought. It seems that...I haven’t seen you smile in a long time.” Su Hang told her. “More than anything, I wanted you to be happy. So I thought about it for a long time. A really long time. A few moments ago, I thought of two plans.”

“What plans?” Shen Xi asked.

“My first plan is to officially pursue you as of today.” Su Hang replied.

“And the second?” Shen Xi asked again.

Su Hang handed her the divorce agreement. “This is a divorce agreement I’ve already signed.”

Shen Xi held the document with both hands. This divorce agreement was exactly the same as the one in her dream. Shen Xi felt confused once more. Was the dream from last night really just a dream? If it hadn’t been just a dream, then why was the Su Hang in front of her totally different from the Su Hang in her dream? If it really had been a dream, then why was there a completely identical divorce agreement in her hands right now?

“You…” Su Hang looked at Shen Xi with cautiously expectant eyes and asked: “Can we try the first plan?”

Shen Xi raised her head and looked at Su Hang’s hopeful gaze. If she agreed to this, then it would be like the continuation of her dream.

“You...do you like me?” Shen Xi asked. She looked at him, trying to determine his real feelings.

“I like you.” Su Hang firmly nodded.

“When...when did we first meet?” Shen Xi hesitantly asked him.

“Twenty years ago, when you were three-and-a-half years old. You got separated from your dad. You were chased by a stray dog in an alley near the hospital and ran straight into my arms.” Su Hang recalled the young Shen Xi, which then led him to remember his lovely little daughter in his dream. His expression couldn’t help but soften.

It was the same. The divorce agreement was exactly the same as the one in her dream, as was their first encounter. Shen Xi was so excited that she felt tears gather in her eyes.

“I...I’m keeping the second plan in reserve.” Shen Xi heard herself say.

“Alright.” For the first time Su Hang, whose facial features were perpetually paralyzed, showed a bright smile.

This morning was so bright and beautiful that it almost seemed unreal. Throughout breakfast, Su Hang couldn’t help but steal glances at Shen Xi, who was sitting opposite him. He was a little afraid that he was still somehow in a dream.

“Eat properly.” Shen Xi was feeling a little embarrassed by Su Hang’s stares.

“Nn.” Su Hang lowered his head and ate. But after only two bites, he sneakily glanced at her once more.

Shen Xi was starting to feel exasperated. She had always thought that Su Hang was a strong and capable man who was never affected by anything. How did he suddenly turn into a fool after confessing, ah? She asked him: “What’s wrong?”

“I...I’m scared that this is all a dream.” Su Hang honestly answered.

Shen Xi was taken aback. Then, she remembered that not too long ago, she felt the same way. When Su Hang had confessed to her in bed, she had wondered if she was still dreaming.

“Then...when will you be reassured that this isn’t a dream?” Shen Xi asked.

“Probably once I successfully pursue you.” Su Hang replied.

Shen Xi looked stunned. It was obvious that she hadn’t expected such charming words from him. Shen Xi didn’t know what to do and ended up awkwardly replying: “Don’t think I’ll just forget about the second plan.”

The second plan? As soon as Su Hang thought of the divorce papers, he became tense. Yes, this was his last-ditch fight. He was going to succeed, or die trying.

“Let me tell you a secret.”

Su Hang suddenly remembered what dream Shen Xi had told him before.

“Whenever you feel frustrated, just ask me this question. If my answer in the real world is the same as the answer I’m going to say, then that means that no matter what, I’m the same as the Shen Xi in the real world. That no matter what, I will eventually fall in love with you.”

At the thought of this, Su Hang couldn’t help but call out: “Shen Xi.”

Shen Xi gave him a doubtful glance.

“Can I ask you a question?” Su Hang asked.

“Go ahead.” Shen Xi put down her chopsticks and quietly waited for Su Hang to speak.

“How have you imagined your ideal man to look like?” Su Hang asked, nervously fiddling with his glass.

Shen Xi blinked. Her ideal man. She hadn’t thought about such a thing in years. The last time she imagined such a fantasy was during her high school days.

“Why are you asking? Trying to learn my type?” Shen Xi smiled, her heart becoming warm.

“I’m just curious. Who knows, maybe I match some aspects.” Su Hang looked towards her.

Shen Xi thought back. Hm, it seems that Su Hang really does fit her teenage fantasies. She told him: “The last time I had such flights of fancies was during my high school days. I was young and didn’t think much of it, ah. Honestly, the only thing I hoped for was that my future boyfriend would be taller than me. Tall enough that he’ll have to bend down to kiss me. And when I kiss him, I’ll have to stand on my tiptoes.”

“If my answer is the same, it means that I’ll fall in love with you, no matter what.”

These words overwhelmed his thoughts, and Su Hang slowly smiled. His nervousness gradually left him. With this newfound resolve, Su Hang quickly finished his breakfast. He intended to go to the company right after. He needed to save the Su company from total decline.

After eating, Su Hang put down his chopsticks and said with enthusiasm: “I’m going to work.”

“Alright. Drive carefully.” Shen Xi said the same phrase she always said for the past five years. But this time, these words brought out a different feeling.

Su Hang suddenly bent down and, under Shen Xi’s astonished gaze, gently kissed her from across the dining table.

“Whenever I want to kiss you, I’ll make sure to bend down.” Su Hang smiled, unable to suppress the absolute joy he was feeling.

After recovering from the initial shock, Shen Xi started to turn red. After being five years late, spring had finally come.

===================

(T/N: This part is the other, alternate Su Hang and Shen Xi. The one with twin boys and a daughter.)

Su Hang dipped some dumplings into the vinegar he had bought this morning. He bit into the dumpling, then turned towards his wife.

“I had a dream last night.” Su Hang told her.

“What dream?” Shen Xi asked.

“I dreamt that after we got married, I didn’t dare tell you about my feelings and made a mess of our life. I even wanted to divorce you, ah!” Su Hang still felt a bit upset whenever he thought about it.

Shen Xi’s chopsticks trembled, and her dumpling fell back onto her plate with a splat. She took a deep breath, then asked: “So, what did you do in your dream?”

“How could I divorce you! I immediately stopped it from happening, of course.” Su Hang said. “But you were so cold and indifferent in my dream, ah. I was so heartbroken.”

“You were heartbroken?” Shen Xi hesitated, then asked: “I was indifferent?”

“Nn. But I didn’t mind. Because I knew that no matter how cold you were in my dreams, you’ll still end up liking me in the end.” Su Hang proudly stated. “Besides, it gave me the opportunity to make up for some regrets that I have.”

“What regrets?”

“I always regretted not properly pursuing you. In my dream, I didn’t feel inferior, nor did I have any scruples. Instead, I had the confidence to properly pursue you.” Su Hang answered with a smile.

“You know, I had a dream too.” Shen Xi gave Su Hang a trembling smile in reply.

“What?”

“I dreamt that I was going to have the baby today…” Shen Xi was already feeling the contractions.

“What?!!!!”

In the end, the confident President Su, who had dreamt of dating the love of his life, became an absolute mess as he went with his wife to the hospital to have a baby.

The author has something to say:

I’ve been writing this chapter for quite a long time now. It’s because I’ve been hesitating on the exact timeline after Su Hang’s return. Finally, after much thought, I put everyone back to the first day, making it all a dream.

This was because I wanted previous life Su Hang to pursue the not-yet-reborn Shen Xi all on his own. I wanted their love to happen because of their own efforts and not because of a parallel Su Hang and Shen Xi. I also didn’t want them to know that there were other versions of them in parallel worlds. After all, they have different experiences, and I feel that the experiences you have in life make you what you are as a person.

Well, this is the end, thank you for accompanying me!

***

It’s finally done! Yay! Happy end!

I really liked this novel. It’s really fluffy, and there wasn’t any real angst. We really got to explore Shen Xi and Su Hang’s thoughts and feelings and man. I love them.

Shen Xi was truly a wonderful and strong woman. Su Hang was frustrating at times, but I really liked him anyway. His crippling inferiority complex towards Shen Xi and Shen Xi alone was interesting to me. And well, the confession scene was totally worth it! I don’t think I’ve read a confession scene quite as wonderful as theirs. All in all, they're not perfect, but totally perfect for each other. 💕

I'm kinda bummed we don't see Yun Shu's wedding, but oh well.

Anyway, from now on, the Su Hang and Shen Xi from both lives will be happy and well. And goddam if that doesn’t bring a tear to my eye.

I’d like to thank all the readers who read this on my website instead of aggregator sites, all the people who commented, and those who tipped me at ko-fi. You were the ones who kept me going!

I'll probably be taking a long break and just enjoy being a reader rather than a translator for a while. But I'll come back with another story eventually, haha. See you guys next time!