American Adventure: My Uncle is Don Quixote

"I’m willing to get this all out in the open with you today," Anya lifted her head from Elizabeth’s shoulder. Her eyes were swollen, but her gaze was dead serious. "I just don’t want us to keep hiding things from each other anymore."

She wiped her nose with the back of her hand and sniffled.

"I’m still really upset right now," she said. "Extremely upset. But I don’t want to pretend I don’t know anything."

"If, one day, you and he get together..." she paused, then said through clenched teeth, "I hope you’ll tell me, so I can be mentally prepared beforehand."

Elizabeth froze.

"But not now," Anya said earnestly. "Not now. I need some time to process this. I also need time to accept you again. Do you agree?"

Elizabeth finally spoke.

"Okay."

This wasn’t the outcome she had imagined, but it was far better.

Anya stared at her for two seconds, then nodded.

"Let’s go," Anya stood up slowly. "We shouldn’t let them think something’s wrong."

"We’re still best friends, right?"

"Right."

Elizabeth walked out of the restroom first and glanced back at the wall clock in the living room.

It felt like a long time had passed, but in reality, it had been less than ten minutes.

Elizabeth had told her driver to come pick her up in ten minutes.

Anya tidied her appearance, but she couldn’t hide her swollen eyes and the redness of her nose.

She glanced toward the balcony. Li Wei’s silhouette was visible on the sliding glass door. He was still leaning against the balcony railing, his phone pressed to his ear, seemingly in the middle of a conversation.

Anya slid the door open and leaned out halfway.

The February night wind of Manhattan rushed at her, so cold it made her shiver.

"Liz is leaving," she said. "I’m seeing her out."

"Thanks for the good wishes, Holmes—" Li Wei covered the mouthpiece of his phone and turned his head. "Okay, be care—"

He stopped mid-sentence, the light from the balcony illuminating Anya’s face.

But Anya didn’t give him a chance for a second look. With a soft "mhm," she slid the door shut.

At the entryway, Elizabeth had tied her scarf and changed into her shoes.

Anya leaned against the wall, watching her. No matter how she looked at Elizabeth, it felt awkward.

"Is the driver almost here?" Anya asked.

"Should be soon."

"Okay."

Anya stepped forward, opened her arms, and hugged Elizabeth. "Get home safe," she said.

"Good night, Anya," Elizabeth responded.

"Good night, Liz," Anya said.

After the door closed, Anya took two deep breaths and turned back toward the living room.

Li Wei had already hung up the phone and was walking in from the balcony.

"You were crying?" Li Wei asked. "What happened?"

"It’s nothing," Anya walked over, pressed a hand against Li Wei’s chest, and pushed him down onto the sofa. "I drank too much. I just went to throw up."

Just as Li Wei was about to speak, Anya straddled his lap, her legs parting to sit on top of him. Then she fell forward, wrapping her arms around his neck and holding him tight.

It wasn’t her usual playful kind of hug, but a desperate entanglement, using all her strength, as if she wanted to merge herself with Li Wei.

She buried her face in the crook of Li Wei’s neck, her nose pressed against his collarbone, feeling the slow, strong beat of his pulse.

Li Wei didn’t ask any questions, nor did he move. One hand supported her waist, while the other stroked her hair.

After a while, Anya’s breathing slowly steadied, and the tension in her shoulders gradually eased.

She lifted her head from his neck, cupped his face in her hands, and studied him intently for a long moment.

"You have to become the best man you can be," she said seriously. "So I can keep looking up to you forever."

Li Wei didn’t smile either, but looked at her with equal seriousness.

"Even though it’s your birthday," Anya hugged him again, "I want something."

"What do you want?"

"Promise me first."

"I’ll promise you anything you want," Li Wei said.

A glint appeared in Anya’s eyes.

"I want a Fabergé Egg."

"Okay."

"Do you even know what a Fabergé Egg is?"

"No."

Anya leaned back, looking at Li Wei’s face. For the first time that evening, a smile that was neither bitter nor self-deprecating touched her lips. Though because she had been crying, the smile looked a little strained.

"And you just agreed without knowing?"

"It doesn’t matter what it is," Li Wei said solemnly. "I’ll get it for you."

"You’re all talk." Anya laughed through her tears and hugged Li Wei tightly again.

A moment later, her fingers tightened on Li Wei’s collar.

"I want you to get me one. Just one," she said. "I need you to prove that you’re worth all the pain I’m going through for you."

Li Wei reached out and brushed a few stray strands of hair, stuck to her forehead with sweat, behind her ear, then placed a soft kiss beside her lips.

He really had been on the phone, but that didn’t mean his enhanced constitution couldn’t hear what had just happened.

Although Li Wei sometimes despised himself for it, he had to admit that his success and his system had made him greedier—and that greed included the luxury of having both women.

With that mindset, Li Wei hadn’t interfered in how Anya and Elizabeth handled things. The outcome had surprised him, and all he could feel was a deep sense of guilt toward Anya.

He felt that if Anya asked for the stars, he would pluck one from the sky for her.

"Okay," he said.

"You agreed so quickly..."

Anya grumbled with a hint of dissatisfaction. But just as she was about to say something else, Li Wei’s lips crushed against hers.

It was a passionate, lingering kiss, so intense that it left Anya breathless.

A silvery thread of saliva broke between their lips. Anya stared at Li Wei, feeling a fire ignite deep in her belly.

Her breathing grew heavier as she pushed Li Wei down, and they tumbled onto the spacious sofa.