Hello, Mr Li: The Christmas Trip - Chapter 157

“This is my daughter. She has been studying abroad and just recently graduated…..”

Joreen’s eyes didn’t leave the family as they tried to set up the young girl with Hoy.

“That’s the fourth family in less than an hour. It’s crazy.” Reen hissed.

“It’s fine.” Joreen shrugged.

“No, it’s not! You have been dating for quite a while, yet it’s still a secret and you keep watching stupid things like this happen! I won’t take this.” Reen shook her head as she stood up but Joreen held her back.

“It’s fine. Really. He isn’t even interested in any of them.”

The two watched how Hoy excused himself from the family just like he had done to the ones before this one.

Reen sighed. “This is so frustrating. He continues to get jealous when guys approach you and you also look very uncomfortable when ladies approach him, but there is nothing either of you can do about it. Why don’t you just tell the world about it? It’s been a while since… what’s those names again?” Reen asked Joreen. “Isn’t it Aishu and something?”

“Just let it be. When we are ready, we would.”

“You have been ready since you realized you liked him!”

“Can we just stop talking about me and talk about you instead?”

“What about me?” Reen asked as she picked up her glass of wine to sip from it.

“You… haven’t spoken fondly about any guy lately.”

“Because there is nothing to talk about?” Reen shrugged again.

“You know, I used to think you liked Mr Ping.”

“Wait! What?” Reen asked in horror as she looked in the direction Joreen was looking at.

Mr Ping was smiling happily while dancing with his girlfriend of nearly 2 years.

“Why would you think that?!”

Joreen laughed. “I don’t know. Maybe because you two were always talking on the phone and got close….”

“Eww!” Reen faked a gag. “He is a cool guy and he is sweet, that’s it. He just needed a girl’s perspective on how to handle his girlfriend sometimes. No big deal there.”

“They do look good together actually,” Joreen said, still looking at the dancing couple.

“Yea. I’m happy for them.”

“We want to be happy for you too.”

Reen laughed. “I don’t need a man to be happy. Right now, I just need to do well in my final exams, leave school and focus on my career. I would deal with men later.”

“Whatever suits you.” Joreen raised her glass.

“Whatever suits me.” Reen clinked glasses with her.

“What is he doing?” Reen suddenly sat up and pointed at Hoy who had taken the mic from the podium.

“Hello everybody. Thank you for coming to my cousin’s wedding…” Hoy started, getting all of their attentions.

“I just wanted to clarify something to everyone, so I am sorry for interrupting this lovely wedding—”

“He is being too polite. What do you think he is going to say?” Joreen asked Reen nervously.

“— I would appreciate it if you all stopped trying to pair me up with anyone. I have someone already.” Hoy confessed.

Reen’s excited squeal almost shut up the murmurs of everyone present there.

“This is happening! This is happening!!” Reen held Joreen’s hands and tried to control her own excitement.

Hoy dropped the mic and began to approach Joreen while smiling at her. Joreen could hear her heart beating rapidly. Did he just do it? She couldn’t look at anyone’s face except the man that was approaching her.

Hoy stood in front of her and offered her his hand. Despite all the murmurs, the two only looked at each other.

A smile slowly began to form on Joreen’s face as she took his hand and followed his lead to the dance floor.

The two said nothing as they began to dance slowly with a big smile on each of their faces.

“So… are we official?”

“Always been. But we should have done this a long time ago.” He stopped to look at her face. “You aren’t mad, are you?”

She shook her head. “Just a little nervous. But I think I’m good.”

“Good.” He smiled back at her and began to slowly dance again while looking into each other’s eyes.

“We are definitely going to make the headlines.” Joreen chuckled.

“What do you think…”

“About the headlines?”

“About… marrying me when you are done with college?”

Joreen’s eyes widened and she stopped moving. “Really?”

He nodded.

She suppressed her smile as she said, “Ask me that when I am done with college. And in a less old fashioned way.”

The two laughed and continued dancing, ignoring everything else.

*******

“Queen!” A little teenage boy wearing a simple shirt and pants waved excitedly when he saw Li Queen.

When she recognized him, she grinned and walked closer to him, the two met halfway.

“What are you doing here?”

“Your father invited us.”

“How do you like your house?” She inquired happily.

He nodded his head while smiling. “It has a pool!” He giggled. “But my mum doesn’t let me go near it. She says it is dangerous.”

“You are 13. How can a pool be dangerous?” She scoffed.

“Who is he?” Another voice interrupted the two, causing them to look at the preteen.

“Vik, you shouldn’t be glaring at every friend of mine you meet.” Queen glared at him.

“But they need to know you are for me Vik pouted and turned to glare at the other boy.

“Don’t be silly. You are like my younger brother.”

“Your only brother is King!” He retorted.

“And he is your best friend. I would be turning 13 soon and you are just 10 years old.” She scolded him.

“So you like him because he is already a teenager?” Vik asked in disbelief, pointing at the other boy who was simply staring at the two.

“I don’t like anyone.”

“Then, can you wait for me until I am 13?” Vik asked with puppy eyes.

“No!” The other boy interjected. “I like Queen.”

Queen looked at the two boys who were busy glaring daggers at each other. “Boys!” She shook her head. “You are both going to wait a long time because daddy says I won’t have a boyfriend until I am 30 and I agree with him.” She turned around and walked away, leaving the two stunned boys.

“Mr Li is mean.” Vik said with tears in his eyes as the two boys embraced to comfort each other’s broken hearts.

*******

“I guess this is it. We are finally married.” Heya said with a contented smile on her face.

“Finally.” Liang agreed.

“This ceremony is taking longer than expected.” Heya sighed as she looked around.

“You want to run away?” Liang asked with a mischievous glint in his eyes.

“Shouldn’t we like… thank them for sticking with us until the end at least? And also thank our families and friends for staying beside us and seeing through our love story?”

“I think it would be more fun if we just ran away.”

“Haha! You are crazy!” Heya giggled.

“And you love me.”

“And I love you.”

“And I love you too.”

AND I LOVE YOU ALL….

THANK YOU FOR STICKING WITH ALL OF US…