"You think I don't respect you?" Lu Zihao scowled.
Long Jinjing sighed. "That's not what I meant."
"Then what do you mean?"
"That whatever happens between us after all this, you'll respect me and my decision and not…and not…." She took a moment to get a hold of her emotions. "And not hurt me too much," she said this last part in a soft, tiny voice.
He sat both of them up face to face. His big, rough, scarred hand touched her soft face. "Jinjing...I…."
Silence.
"It's okay, Nikolai. Like I said, nobody can force love. I just hope that you can give me a chance to make you fall in love with me. If…my attempts disgust you, tell it to me straight. I may cry a lot but…I can handle it…probably."
Another minute passed before Lu Zihao spoke again. "You won't disgust me, Jinjing."
"Hopefully." She smiled and blinked her watery eyes at him. "So will you give me a chance to woo you?"
"This situation doesn't sit right with me—"
