When I was young, I often heard the grandmother of our village tell her son that if his wife was angry with him, he could just drag her into the bedroom and give her some candy. I often went to my parents' room to find out what candy my dad hid from me and only secretly gave to my mom when she was angry, but I always came out empty-handed. I never understood what that meant, but now I think I kind of understand.
I looked at myself in the mirror and saw Xiao Lan holding me with his eyes closed. I didn't know when he and I became like this. He should be my service dog, not my mating partner. I said, "Xiao Lan, you asked me to trust you, but I don't know anything about you."
Xiao Lan asked, "What do you want to know?"
I asked, "How do you find me?"
Xiao Lan said, "Um… ask me another question."
So, I'd found the right topic. He refused to tell me how he found me, and the more he refused, the more I wanted to know. I said, "How can I trust you if you're hiding things from me?"
Xiao Lan said, "You won't be angry."
"Speak up, or I will be angry."
Xiao Lan hesitated and said, "Well, I've been cheated too many times, so I'm looking for a partner who is desperately willing to do anything to get what he or she wants. Black told me about you, and I thought you were the perfect candidate for me to use to help my parents get out of prison."
I was a little annoyed by the truth. I asked, "Then, who is this Blackie?"
Xiao Lan said, "He met you in the hospital."
I replied, "I've been to many hospitals." Then I remembered my nightmare with the man in the black suit and the evil nurse Fang. "His name is Blackie?"
Xiao Lan said, "No, it's Black."
I said, "The bastard refused to help me when the evil nurse tried to pierce me with a needle as big as her arm. I hate him."
Xiao Lan said, "He is right; you don't want him to touch you."
"Why not?"
Xiao Lan explained, "Black is the Angel of Death. In other words, he's a grim reaper. Anything that Black touches will die."
I was disappointed when I heard Xiao Lan's answer, so I figured everything else we did together was just fake too. There were no real feelings between the two of us; after all, we were just acquaintances with benefits.
I had mixed feelings in my heart. "Xiao Lan, since we're just acquaintances with benefits, there's no need to pay so much attention to me. Just call me when you need me to help you with a case." I got up and sat on the edge of the bed.
I don't know what happened to me, but I felt hurt—not the kind of hurt when Lisa decided to break up with me, but the kind of hurt I got when my mother died. The feeling of being lost, lonely, and no one to rely on. Then suddenly, I heard 'All by myself' playing inside my mind.
Xiao Lan got up and hugged me from behind. He kissed my right shoulder and said, "Jig, why do you think we are acquaintances with benefits?"
I said, "Are we?"
Xiao Lan kissed my right shoulder and said, "No, we are partners. You agreed, so I marked you."
I asked in confusion, "What? When? I don't remember you asking for my hand in marriage?"
Xiao Lan said, "I did. You said you would rather live with a werewolf or a vampire than a leech."
I said, "Yeah…"
Xiao Lan said, "Your exact words were, 'Never! If I live with a leech, I will regret it greatly!'" He kissed me on my neck. "You agreed to be my life partner."
I was taken aback. "You mean you proposed to me at that time? No… No…"
Xiao Lan held me in his arms and said, "Jig, wolves are very loyal to their spouses. Once they find and mark their spouse, they will stay with their spouse forever."
I didn't expect this from Xiao Lan. I asked, "So, you always thought you were my partner?"
Xiao Lan said, "Yes, if you weren't my partner, why would I do all those things with you?"
"In other words, we're a couple?"
"Yes."
I was still incredibly shocked. I never knew that I was a married man. My spouse admitted to me that he wasn't human. I mean, I always knew that he wasn't human, but I married him… I was still shocked. So, I guess after all, my oppa did show up on that beautiful day.
Xiao Lan said, "How about we go to the art gallery tomorrow?"
I asked, "Why there?"
Xiao Lan, "Yaya."
I quickly answered, "I am not going."
Xiao Lan asked desperately, "Why not?"
"I don't want to have anything to do with your Yaya."
Xiao Lan said, "I want you to face him and claim me like I claimed you."
I quickly turned around and swung my fist at Xiao Lan. "I am not your item to claim!"
Xiao Lan caught my hand, as always, and smiled. "I love your alpha attitude. That's why I chose you in the first place. I like a person who always challenges me and pushes me to bring the best out of me."
I growled at him, but he smiled and continued to kiss my neck and shoulders. To be honest, I don't hate the idea of marrying Xiao Lan, but I always thought I would find a girl to marry, settle down, and have kids. Like I said, Xiao Lan is my number one enemy, because he does very strange things, but hidden with secrets. So, the question is, when I face the most dangerous and unimaginable threats, such as facing a two-headed dragon or being hunted by the mafia, will I safely hand over my life to him? Hmm… I'll leave this question for another day, because now… Xiao Lan has removed those thoughts from my mind. His fingers stroked my nipple, and he kissed me on my back and neck. I secretly look forward to tomorrow's date, because it is another brand-new day for a brand-new start.