Take My Breath Away

"Bro, I saw this bomb-ass watch, but it's way out of my price range. Buy it for me?" Niles asked Wesley. He hadn't started working yet, and when he wanted to buy something that he could not afford, he would ask Wesley for money instead of his parents.

Wesley started to agree, but when he looked around the apartment, he decided otherwise.

In the past, he didn't have much use for the money he made. But now he needed to buy things for Blair. He sat on the sofa and said casually, "Sorry, I don't have it. Why don't you hit up Dad?"

"I did that the other day. It's too soon. Wesley, please! It's just 300k," Niles pleaded.

"I told you—what part of 'I don't have it' don't you understand?"

'What's wrong with him? He used to buy me stuff all the time. Why turn me down now?' Niles was puzzled. "If you don't have it, what did you spend it on?" he asked.

"I need to get an apartment." Wesley was telling the truth.

"What? You sold your room in the Hillside Apartments? You want to buy another one?"

"Yeah, I did. I'm planning on a longer stay, and the Hillside Apartments aren't as close as I like."

"I heard you also sold one of your apartments in A Country. You still don't have enough?" Niles was getting more confused by the minute. 'He's unloaded two apartments, and he still comes up short? Just how much is the new one he's looking at?' he thought.

"Nope."

"But you have a savings account!"

The last slender thread of Wesley's patience snapped. "No money! Get lost!" he spat. Then he hung up on his brother, not wanting to hear a reply.

'What did I do wrong? Why's he so mad at me?' Niles was shocked.

His hope of buying the watch crumbled to dust. 'I really want it. How can I afford it? Maybe sell my apartment? No! The housing prices aren't that good right now. It's a buyer's market, and I want my money's worth.'

It was the end of the year, and luckily, Wesley was able to take a few days off. He could go back to A Country.

Blair didn't think it was a problem. Even when Wesley was here in Y City, she couldn't see him very often. Not even once a week.

But a few days before the Lunar New Year, she got a call from Keith. It sounded like Wesley's grandpa really wanted her to celebrate New Year with them in A Country.

Blair was stunned for a bit, but she recovered quickly and said she needed to check with her own grandpa first.

She did, and Gilbert didn't like the idea. He told Keith that it just wasn't polite. He promised she'd visit after the New Year.

So the two old men decided Blair's plans just like that. She would fly overseas on the third day of the New Year to visit the Li family elders.

Wesley flew back to his hometown two days before the New Year. He was so busy every day that he didn't know what was going on until New Year's celebrations were already under way.

As soon as he knew that Blair was coming the day after tomorrow, he gave her a ring. She happened to be holding her phone at that exact moment, pondering whether she should text him. She didn't expect him to call her.

"Hi, Wesley." Although they had been living together for a while, he almost never called her.

"Hi, Blair. When are you flying out?" he asked. Blair's heart began to race.

"In two days."

"Booked your flight yet?"

"No. I was going to." Actually, she hadn't had time to make arrangements. She just got the news herself.

"Let me book it for you," Wesley offered.

"No, I'll do it. I'm pretty bored hanging out here." She was on holiday too. Since she was off work, she couldn't help missing Wesley.

Wesley didn't push the issue. "All right. Once you book it, send me your flight info."

"Why? Going to pick me up?" Blair smiled.

"Mmm hmm," he answered with a laugh.

"Great!"

For a moment, neither of them spoke. Blair looked out the window and said, "Happy New Year, Wesley!"

"Thanks. Right back at you."

It was not easy to book a flight for the holidays. The next day, Blair got the first available flight. The moment she booked it, she was about to send Wesley a message.

On second thoughts, she decided to call him via video chat. He might not see the message in time otherwise.

She waited for a while, but no one answered. She was pretty confused. Normally, he picked up as soon as possible.

'Maybe it's because of the bad Wi-Fi. I'll send him a video chat request again. If he still doesn't answer, then I'll call him, ' she thought.

This time, the video chat went through. But to Blair's intense surprise, a girl appeared on the other end.

She was wearing a similar uniform to Wesley's. She was pretty with tanned skin.

Blair was at a loss for words, wondering who she was and why she was answering Wesley's video call.

The girl glowered at Blair. "Looking for Wesley? He's not here!" Her voice was rude.

Finally shaking off her surprise, Blair asked, "Where is he?"

"You have something to tell him? Just tell me!" she ordered in a harsh voice. Blair was taken aback.

"Nothing serious..." she murmured.

"Fine, then don't bug him again. You're just like everyone else. Let me guess. You have feelings for him? Newsflash: so does everyone else. But you don't like Wesley; you just like his power and his uniform. What if he retires from the military? Will you still like him?"

Blair went quiet. Whoever this girl was, she was completely wrong. She was acting like his girlfriend, which made Blair rather sad.

She bit her lip and asked, "Who are you?"

"Me? I'm his fiancee."

Blair smirked. "Ha! There's no way. A secret admirer, I take it? Please ask him to call me back. Thank you."

The woman flushed at Blair's words, and adopted an angry tone to cover up her embarrassment. "Wow! You're a piece of work! Wesley doesn't like you. Can't you see that? Don't bother him again. He's busy. He doesn't have time for girls like you."

Of course, Blair knew Wesley didn't love her. But it hadn't come up in so long, she'd forgotten.

But now this woman clearly told her Wesley didn't love her. She had to wake up from her sweetest dreams.

"Are you implying that you are the love of his life?" Blair asked in a low voice.

"I'm not implying anything. I'm telling you. Wesley and I grew up together, went to military school together and graduated together. We are going to be engaged soon. Romantic, huh?"

This hurt Blair worse than she had first thought, her face pale as a ghost. "Then who does he really want, you or Megan?" she pried.

"Huh? You know Megan? He wants me. Megan went to New York to celebrate the New Year. She doesn't stand a chance. You don't either. Time to go. Wesley and I have a date. Don't call him again. Otherwise, I'll put a bullet in your head! I'm a crack shot, bitch!" Then the video call disconnected.

Blair's heart broke as well.

In A Country

Wesley was helping his grandpa plant a flower, hands covered with mud. Garnet Jiang came over and said cheerfully, "Hey, let's grab a bite to eat. I've been drooling just thinking about that restaurant."