Long-Lasting and Eternal

In the blink of an eye, midnight arrived, bringing with it the absolute stillness of a quiet world.

Clutching the heavy duvet, Lin Wanzhao rested her head on the pillow right next to Yu Qingkong. Her wide, bright eyes flickered over her partner’s face for a long, silent moment before she suddenly pulled the blanket all the way up, completely burying her face.

“What’s wrong?” Yu Qingkong asked softy. As she spoke, she reached out and gently yanked the top edge of the duvet down to expose Lin Wanzhao’s face.

“Nothing…” Lin Wanzhao murmured the second her face was uncovered. She shot Yu Qingkong a quick look, then blew softly to scatter a stray lock of hair that had drifted across the bridge of her nose.

“Then why did you suddenly become so incredibly shy?” Yu Qingkong let out a low chuckle.

“What, I’m not allowed to be?” Lin Wanzhao’s voice instantly shot up an octave in mock defiance.

“No, it’s just… I was thinking, it’s not like I haven’t seen you like this before…” Yu Qingkong laughed, her eyes dancing with amusement.

“But you weren’t nearly this shameless back then!” Lin Wanzhao huffed, letting out a sharp cough right after.

“Oh?” Yu Qingkong arched an eyebrow, a deeply amused smile playing on her lips. “Even if I’m shameless, don’t you actually quite enjoy it?”

Lin Wanzhao shot her another look, coughing twice as she tried her absolute best to project an aura of noble, icy detachment: “Nonsense.”

“So you don’t like it?” The corner of Yu Qingkong’s mouth twitched upward. “If you truly don’t like it, I’ll make sure never to act like this in the future…”

Before she could even finish her sentence, Lin Wanzhao softly cut her off, her voice barely a whisper: “I do like it…”

“Haha,” Yu Qingkong burst into a brilliant, triumphant laugh.

“See? Totally shameless,” Lin Wanzhao grumbled, swiftly pulling the duvet back up to hide her blushing face once more.

Yu Qingkong’s shoulders shook with quiet laughter: “In that case, I’ll happily continue being completely shameless.”

Lin Wanzhao pulled the blanket down yet again, revealing her exquisite small face as she threw her a sharp glare: “And you cheated earlier, too!”

“Did I?” Yu Qingkong tilted her head innocently.

“Just you wait. One day, the exact scene that played out at Keke’s house… will play out all over again,” Lin Wanzhao threatened, a beautiful, knowing smile gracing her lips.

“Alright,” Yu Qingkong pondered her words for a beat, nodding solemnly. “Good luck with that.”

“You…” Lin Wanzhao let out a defeated sigh. “I’m completely wasting my breath talking to you.”

Yu Qingkong merely smiled, shaking her head affectionately.

Suddenly, Lin Wanzhao remembered something. She shifted over to the edge of the mattress, reaching out to pull open the top drawer of the nightstand. She retrieved a sleek metal key, rolled back over, and pressed it directly into Yu Qingkong’s palm: “Here.”

“This is…” Yu Qingkong glanced down at the key in her hand, then looked up at her in confusion.

“The spare key to my apartment,” Lin Wanzhao smiled warmly.

Yu Qingkong froze for a fraction of a second, stunned: “You’re just giving this to me like that?”

“Of course. Why, do you not want it?” Lin Wanzhao’s brows knitted in mock offense.

“No, it’s not that,” Yu Qingkong cleared her throat, a little flustered. “It’s just… we’ve only just started dating officially, and you’re already handing me your house key. Are you really not afraid that I might be conning you?”

“What on earth would I be afraid of? What are you going to do, steal my furniture or my appliances?” Lin Wanzhao laughed heartily. “You brought in a massive amount of revenue last year; do you really look like you’re hurting for cash? Besides, you’re my woman now. What’s wrong with you having my house key?”

Yu Qingkong let out a tender laugh, repeating the words softly: “Your woman…”

“What, are you trying to deny it? Your heart, your body—which part of you doesn’t belong strictly to me right now?” Lin Wanzhao countered fiercely.

“Alright, I accept it,” Yu Qingkong smiled warmly, carefully placing the key down onto the mattress beside her.

“This is so wonderful,” Lin Wanzhao let out a deeply content sigh.

“Hmm?”

“Having this key… it makes me feel like we’ve truly become a real family,” Lin Wanzhao murmured, wrapping her arms around her pillow as a radiant smile bloomed across her face.

A real family. Hearing those three words, Yu Qingkong’s smile softened infinitely. Yes, a real family.

The two continued to chatter softly beneath the covers, but before long, Lin Wanzhao’s eyelids began to feel incredibly heavy. Her responses grew increasingly drowsy until she finally drifted off to sleep mid-sentence.

She was clearly exhausted; between her hectic business trip and running around all week, she hadn’t given herself a single moment to breathe. Yu Qingkong watched her silent sleeping face for a long moment before reaching out to gently brush a few stray hairs away from her forehead. Lin Wanzhao shifted slightly at the touch, turning her body before settling back into a deep slumber. The corner of Yu Qingkong’s mouth curved into a gentle arc as she carefully pulled the duvet up, tucking it securely around her girlfriend’s shoulders.

Turning around, Yu Qingkong reached out to switch off the bedside lamp, plunging the bedroom into darkness. But the very second she settled back down onto her pillow, Lin Wanzhao instinctively shifted across the mattress, burrowing herself directly into Yu Qingkong’s side and resting her head against her arm as she continued to sleep soundly.

Yu Qingkong paused, a massive wave of tenderness washing over her. She extended her arm completely, allowing Lin Wanzhao to use it as a pillow, and whispered into the darkness: “Good night.”

That night, Yu Qingkong slept exceptionally well. For the old version of her, achieving this level of profound, undisturbed sleep was an absolute luxury. She was no longer plagued by chaotic, fragmented nightmares. Her internal world felt exactly like the pristine landscape after a heavy rain storm—all the lingering dust and emotional debris had been thoroughly washed away, leaving everything beautifully clear and bright. When your heart is completely full and content, your brain simply doesn’t have the spare capacity to wander into dark places.

The next morning, before the sun had even broken over the horizon, Yu Qingkong woke up naturally.

Checking her phone, she saw it was exactly 7:00 AM, so she quietly slid out of bed and changed into her clothes. Seeing that Lin Wanzhao was still dead to the world, Yu Qingkong leaned down to press a soft kiss against her forehead before slipping out of the bedroom without making a sound.

Though the master bedroom featured an attached en-suite bathroom, she bypassed it entirely and walked down the hall to use the guest bathroom, terrified that the sound of running water might wake her sleeping girlfriend. Once she finished washing up, she crossed the living room and stepped into the kitchen to prepare breakfast. However, opening the refrigerator door, she was greeted by shelves completely packed with nothing but instant noodles. With a defeated sigh, she clicked the fridge shut and decided to head out.

Stepping outside, she found the city streets relatively quiet. Although the morning air was still intensely bitter and freezing, the sky was completely clear, promising a beautiful, sunny day.

Arriving in the garage, she slid into the driver’s seat of her car, pulled out her phone to open her navigation app, typed in the keyword ‘wet market,’ and followed the GPS route out into the streets.

The drive was brief, and she arrived at her destination within twenty minutes. Despite the incredibly early hour, the market was already absolutely packed with people. The facility was massive, boasting an extensive variety of fresh vegetables, bustling butcher counters, and a vibrant seafood section. The entire space was filled with the loud, chaotic clamor of vendors and early-morning shoppers—a dense, comforting slice of everyday life.

After exploring the aisles for a turn, Yu Qingkong stopped in front of a poultry vendor. She inspected the options for a moment before pointing out a plump, fresh chicken and asking the owner to prepare it for her.

Meanwhile, back at the apartment, Lin Wanzhao gradually began to wake up. Without even opening her eyes, she instinctively reached her arm out to cuddle the space beside her. Her hand swept across the mattress from top to bottom, but meeting nothing but the smooth, cold fabric of the bedsheets, her eyes snapped open instantly.

The space beside her was completely vacant. Thoroughly disoriented, Lin Wanzhao bolted upright, threw off the covers, slipped into her shoes, and dashed over to the closed bathroom door: “Qingkong…?”

Meeting absolute silence, she froze. She pushed the bedroom door open and hurried out, circling the living room, checking the kitchen, and finally running over to the entryway. Opening the shoe cabinet, she noticed Yu Qingkong’s outdoor shoes were entirely gone. In that split second, an overwhelming, irrational wave of panic completely paralyzed her. Her mind spun out of control, instantly filling with the absolute worst-case scenarios. After standing frozen in the hallway for a frantic beat, she dashed back into the bedroom, scooped her phone off the nightstand, and dialed Yu Qingkong’s number with trembling fingers.

The first call rang out until it went to voicemail, causing Lin Wanzhao’s heart to drop violently into her stomach. She immediately hit redial. This time, the call connected.

“Where on earth are you?!” Lin Wanzhao demanded frantically, collapsing onto the edge of the mattress.

“I’m at the local wet market. What’s wrong? You’re awake already?” Yu Qingkong’s voice filtered through the line, heavily blanketed by a massive amount of background noise and shouting vendors.

Hearing the chaotic market sounds, Lin Wanzhao finally let out a massive breath of relief, pressing a hand against her forehead: “I…”

“Hmm?” On the other end of the line, Yu Qingkong accepted a bag of fresh produce from a vendor, offering a polite “thank you” as she paid.

“I genuinely thought you had vanished…” Lin Wanzhao murmured, her voice sounding incredibly small and vulnerable.

Yu Qingkong froze in her tracks: “How could I ever vanish? What kind of crazy things are you cooking up in that head of yours?”

“Because… I don’t know. I just suddenly felt this terrifying fear that you might just wake up one day and decide you don’t want me anymore,” Lin Wanzhao confessed, her tone remaining incredibly low.

“That is completely impossible,” Yu Qingkong said firmly, adjusting the heavy bags in her hands as she walked toward the exit. “My phone was still set to silent from last night, so I didn’t hear your first call. Because you were sleeping so deeply and it was still so early, I figured I’d be back before you even opened your eyes, so I didn’t leave a note. I promise I’ll always tell you from now on. But really… do you seriously have that little faith in me?”

“It’s not that. It’s just… I’m so happy that I’m terrified this entire reality is nothing more than a beautiful dream…”

“How could this be a dream? Rest assured, I’ll be back in a few minutes to cook an incredible breakfast for you,” Yu Qingkong chuckled softly, looking down at the heavy, fresh ingredients filling her bags.

“Okay. What did you buy?”

“A chicken…”

“Oh wow, Yu Qingkong! You actually dare to buy a chick behind my back—”

“No, no! Not that kind of chick!” Yu Qingkong was thoroughly caught between tears and laughter at her girlfriend’s deliberate, playful distortion of her words.

“Then what kind is it?”

“The kind you use to simmer a deeply nutritious soup,” Yu Qingkong clarified.

“Haha, I love that. What else did you get?”

“Some fresh beef, potatoes, tomatoes, eggs…” Yu Qingkong listed off every single item in her bags as she stepped out of the market into the crisp morning air.

“Wait, those are literally all of my absolute favorite things!”

“I know,” Yu Qingkong looked ahead toward the parking lot, her smile incredibly tender. “I’m preparing an absolute feast for you today.”

“Yay! I’ll be waiting for you!”

After ending the call, Yu Qingkong stared down at her glowing phone screen with a soft smile. She walked over to her car, loaded the groceries into the back, and drove straight back to Lin Wanzhao’s complex.

The moment Yu Qingkong unlocked the apartment door and stepped inside, she found Lin Wanzhao curled up on the sofa, locked in a phone conversation. Her face was twisted into an expression of utter annoyance, and her tone was incredibly icy:

“Then when exactly do you plan on coming over?”

“Next Saturday? I’m completely booked.”

“Sunday doesn’t work either. I am exceptionally busy with work; what kind of bizarre misunderstanding do you have about my schedule? Let’s just talk about this later when I actually have a free moment. That’s it, I’m hanging up now.”

The second she finished speaking, Lin Wanzhao cut the call with an expressionless face. She ran a hand through her hair to compose herself, and in the span of a single second, her features completely transformed. Tossing her throw pillow aside, she abandoned her phone on the sofa and hurried over to stand in front of Yu Qingkong: “You’re back?”

“Yes,” Yu Qingkong nodded, offering a warm smile. “I’ll head straight into the kitchen to prepare our food.”

“Awesome, let me come with you to help out with the prep work,” Lin Wanzhao beamed, eagerly trailing right behind her into the kitchen.

“Who was that on the phone just now?” Yu Qingkong asked casually, transferring a portion of the vegetables into the crisper drawer before turning around. “You looked incredibly irritated.”

Hearing the question, the bright smile instantly vanished from Lin Wanzhao’s face. She quietly tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear.

“What’s wrong?” Yu Qingkong pressed gently.

“My mother,” Lin Wanzhao finally admitted.

“She’s planning to come visit you?” Yu Qingkong closed the refrigerator door.

“Yeah,” Lin Wanzhao nodded heavily. “She claims she’s coming to visit me, but historically speaking, she only ever shows up to find flaws and cause problems.”

Yu Qingkong nodded understandingly, keeping her tone gentle: “Did she mention what specifically she’s coming here to do?”

“No idea,” Lin Wanzhao shook her head. “But knowing her, it’s definitely nothing good.”

Yu Qingkong furrowed her brows slightly but chose not to pry any further. After all, every family had its own complicated, painful secrets.

“So, what are we having for breakfast?” Lin Wanzhao asked, deliberately pivoting to a brighter topic.

“I’m making a specific style of savory vegetable pancake that my mother used to whip up constantly back at our house. I was absolutely obsessed with them during middle school; I literally demanded to eat them every single morning,” Yu Qingkong smiled fondly.

“Wow, sounds amazing!” Lin Wanzhao’s eyes lit up instantly. She propped her hands up on the kitchen counter, tilting her head as she watched her partner work.

Because she had rushed straight in from the outside, Yu Qingkong was still wearing her long, structured black trench coat. The outfit gave her a slightly sharp, formal appearance, which Lin Wanzhao found incredibly attractive. She tracked the precise movements of those slender, pale hands as they retrieved a vibrant carrot from the bag, her eyes eventually drifting up to trace the sharp, elegant contour of Yu Qingkong’s jawline. Her head tilted slightly, her eyes brimming with pure affection.

“Oh, by the way, do you want to take your coat off first?” Lin Wanzhao asked.

“Right, I almost forgot.” Yu Qingkong unbuttoned the front closure, preparing to shrug the heavy fabric off her shoulders.

“Let me do it!” Lin Wanzhao instantly darted around to stand directly behind her.

Yu Qingkong laughed softly, nodding: “Alright, go ahead.”

Lin Wanzhao reached up, her delicate hands grasping the collar at the back of Yu Qingkong’s neck, gently gliding the heavy coat down her shoulders. As Yu Qingkong slipped her arms free from the sleeves, she turned around to find Lin Wanzhao meticulously smoothing out the fabric, a beautiful smile gracing her lips.

“There. Hold on a second, let me grab an apron for you,” Lin Wanzhao said, carrying the trench coat out to drape it over the living room sofa. She returned a moment later, pulling open a kitchen drawer to retrieve a crisp apron. “Here, lower your head.”

With a soft smile, Yu Qingkong obediently ducked her head.

Lin Wanzhao slipped the strap over her neck, instructing softly: “Now turn around.”

Yu Qingkong complied without a word, turning her back toward her. Feeling Lin Wanzhao’s delicate hands pulling the side strings around her waist to tie them behind her back, Yu Qingkong stared ahead at the kitchen wall, suddenly speaking up: “Wanzhao.”

“Hmm?” Lin Wanzhao finished tying a hopelessly messy knot behind her back, lifting her gaze to admire the smooth expanse of Yu Qingkong’s dark hair.

“It’s nothing,” Yu Qingkong shook her head with a soft chuckle, turning on the tap to thoroughly rinse the carrot. “I just suddenly felt like calling your name.”

Lin Wanzhao burst into a bright laugh: “What kind of random romantic nonsense is that?”

Yu Qingkong merely smiled, retrieving the cutting board from the rack, washing it down, and placing it on the counter. She pulled a chef’s knife from the holder, expertly slicing the carrot into uniform rounds, then into thin planks, before rapidly transforming them into perfectly even, delicate julienned strips. Once the trio of vegetables was meticulously prepped, she retrieved a block of firm silken tofu, placing it into a ceramic bowl and mashing it down into a smooth paste.

Lin Wanzhao realized she was utterly mesmerized by the sight of her cooking; Yu Qingkong’s knife skills and fluid movements were as precise as a professional chef’s. In reality, it wasn’t just the cooking she loved watching. No matter what they were doing, as long as she was standing right beside Yu Qingkong, she felt an absolute, profound sense of comfort. Or rather, even if they did absolutely nothing at all, simply existing in the same space was more than enough.

The vegetable pancakes were a beautiful, rustic dish—you simply mixed a colorful assortment of finely chopped, complementary vegetables into a light flour batter, added a precise blend of seasonings, and used a ladle to spread portions onto a hot skillet to pan-fry. While the recipe sounded incredibly straightforward, achieving the absolute perfect balance of texture and flavor required an immense amount of skill.

Before long, the pancakes in the skillet transformed into a gorgeous, deep golden-brown hue, the edges crisped to an absolute perfection that released a mouth-watering, savory aroma. Watching the tiny beads of oil sizzling merrily on the surface of the pancake, Lin Wanzhao couldn’t help but swallow hard. So this is the comfort food Yu Qingkong loved so much growing up, she thought. In that moment, she felt the invisible distance between their pasts shrink just a little bit more.

Once the pancakes were plated, Yu Qingkong poured a measured amount of water into a clean pot.

“What’s that for?” Lin Wanzhao asked curiously.

“I’m whipping up a savory tofu drop soup,” Yu Qingkong explained, clicking the burner on before turning her head to look at her. “Back during my school days, I always insisted on pairing the pancakes with this specific soup.”

“That sounds absolutely incredible. Growing up, I rarely got to eat comfort food like this at home. My parents strictly insisted on western-style meals. It’s not that western cuisine is bad, it’s just that they were incredibly… how should I put it? They were utterly obsessed with pursuing what they considered an ‘exotic, sophisticated’ lifestyle. Now that I live alone, my mornings are always a chaotic rush, so I just grab whatever’s fast on my commute. I am completely sick of soup dumplings, Chinese crullers make me feel greasy, and I don’t dare risk eating chive turnovers before work,” Lin Wanzhao sighed, shaking her head. It was true—for as long as she could remember, her parents’ entire identity had been built on a relentless foundation of social climbing and comparison. When they were strapped for cash, they competed with others over ‘artistic taste’; once they acquired wealth, they competed over global experiences, intellectual exposure, and luxury brand names. Deep down, it was likely driven by an intense, deep-seated insecurity, forcing a desperate struggle to cement their status in high society. Though from a purely material standpoint, they had arguably succeeded.

“Don’t worry about it. From now on, I’ll make sure to cook all kinds of traditional dishes for you to try,” Yu Qingkong promised softly, placing the lid onto the simmering pot.

“Mm!” Lin Wanzhao nodded, her eyes curling into beautiful crescent moons.

Stepping closer, Lin Wanzhao slipped her arms around Yu Qingkong’s waist from behind, burying her face comfortably against her back.

“What’s this about?” Feeling the soft weight pressing against her shoulder blades, Yu Qingkong’s eyebrows arched in amusement.

“I just wanted to hold my little princess for a second,” Lin Wanzhao murmured, closing her eyes contentedly.

“Little princess?” The utterly unexpected title sent a literal wave of goosebumps down Yu Qingkong’s arms.

“Of course. Why, are you unwilling to be my little princess?” Lin Wanzhao snapped her eyes open, challenging her playfully.

“No, it’s just, I…” Yu Qingkong nearly bit her own tongue trying to process the term.

“Then whose little princess do you want to be? Tell me, which little vixen out there are you planning to be a princess for? Just watch me completely destroy them!” Lin Wanzhao teased relentlessly.

Yu Qingkong burst into a helpless laugh. She turned around within the embrace to face her, gently cupping Lin Wanzhao’s face as she tilted her head with a brilliant smile: “Of course I’m strictly the little princess for you—you gorgeous little vixen.”

Staring into the profound tenderness of her dark eyes, Lin Wanzhao’s ears instantly turned a blazing, fiery red: “Shut up!”

“Then I’ll happily shut up,” Yu Qingkong murmured, instantly pulling her flush against her chest.

Listening to the steady, rhythmic thumping of Yu Qingkong’s heartbeat, Lin Wanzhao felt as though she was completely prepared to sink into this woman’s world forever, completely unbothered by the passage of time…

Before they knew it, afternoon arrived.

The weather remained exceptionally kind, with the winter sun shining brightly overhead. After finishing a leisurely lunch, Yu Qingkong and Lin Wanzhao headed out together, aiming to select a spectacular birthday present for Lu Keke’s upcoming celebration.

Gift shopping, however, proved to be an exhausting endeavor. The pair navigated through several high-end shopping districts and boutiques, yet they couldn’t seem to find anything that felt entirely right. After circling back and forth through the stores for nearly two hours, they finally managed to secure a perfect gift, leaving both of them feeling completely drained of physical energy.

With Lu Keke’s gift safely purchased, Yu Qingkong and Lin Wanzhao turned to exit the boutique, preparing to make their way back to the car. However, as they passed the display window of a luxury jewelry boutique, Lin Wanzhao’s footsteps naturally slowed, her eyes completely locked onto the showcase.

“Do you want to step inside?” Yu Qingkong asked immediately.

“The designs in this particular shop look incredibly elegant,” Lin Wanzhao murmured, stepping up to the promotional display stand outside the entrance. After studying the imagery for a moment, her gaze anchored onto a stunning bracelet. “Especially this specific bracelet over here; the craftsmanship looks exceptionally intricate and beautiful.”

Yu Qingkong followed her line of sight. The item in question was a delicate gold chain bracelet, adorned with a singular, masterfully sculpted golden blossom. The structure featured an innovative hybrid design—half rigid bangle, half fluid chain.

“Shall we head inside and take a closer look?” Yu Qingkong offered.

“Sure,” Lin Wanzhao smiled.

The two stepped through the glass doors, approaching the illuminated glass display cases to inspect the collections row by row. Ultimately, Yu Qingkong’s eyes anchored directly onto the exact blossom bracelet that Lin Wanzhao had admired on the promotional poster outside.

Signaling the sales associate who was already approaching them with a professional smile, Yu Qingkong requested smoothly: “Could you retrieve this specific piece for us to inspect? Thank you.”

“Of course! This particular bracelet happens to be one of the flagship designs from our latest couples’ collection,” the sales associate explained warmly as she unlocked the case with a gloved hand. “Alongside this elegant feminine version, we feature a striking masculine counterpart. Together, the set is titled ‘The Eternal Bond.’ It signifies a beautiful, prosperous future and an unbreakable commitment for couples to remain together forever.” Placing the velvet tray onto the counter before Yu Qingkong, the associate continued with an encouraging grin: “If you like the design, miss, you should absolutely try it on. If it suits you, you could purchase the matching set—one for you, and one for your boyfriend.”

Hearing the word ‘boyfriend,’ Lin Wanzhao’s enthusiasm instantly evaporated, and she felt a sudden urge to leave the store.

“I don’t have a boyfriend,” Yu Qingkong stated flatly, her eyes remaining fixed on the intricate golden details of the bracelet.

Hearing her response, Lin Wanzhao tilted her head in surprise, staring at her partner’s profile.

“Ah, I see! Well, that’s completely fine! An exceptional boyfriend is something that will naturally come along in the future!” The sales associate recovered from her slight embarrassment with practiced ease, offering a smooth compliment. “A woman as breathtakingly beautiful as you will absolutely never have to worry about finding suitors!”

A flash of genuine annoyance flared within Lin Wanzhao, her brows knitting together tightly. Even though she knew the sales associate was merely executing standard customer service banter without any malicious intent, she couldn’t help but feel possessive. What on earth is she babbling about? A future boyfriend…? As if.

But right as Lin Wanzhao opened her mouth to intervene, Yu Qingkong delivered a calm, definitive counter to the associate: “There won’t be one in the future, either.”

“Oh… I see…” The sales associate stammered, entirely thrown off script. She nervously scratched her head before trying a different angle. “Well, that’s completely fine as well! You can absolutely purchase this singular piece as a beautiful treat for yourself—”

“The collection is called ‘The Eternal Bond,’ correct?” Yu Qingkong interrupted smoothly.

“Yes, that’s correct,” the associate nodded quickly, her eyes curling into an eager smile.

“I don’t have a boyfriend, but I do happen to have a girlfriend,” Yu Qingkong stated clearly. As she spoke, she reached out to gently wrap her fingers around Lin Wanzhao’s wrist, lifting her hand and meticulously clasping the golden blossom bracelet around her delicate skin. She looked deep into Lin Wanzhao’s stunned, wide eyes, her expression melting into pure, unadulterated tenderness. “And furthermore… she is the person I fully intend to share an eternal bond with.”