Wang Fang's two-month leave application was granted within the month she applied for it.
She was very excited to get an email from her office on Friday of the week she applied for it.
She quickly placed a call with her friend, Zhang Min, about the positive outcome of her application.
"Hey there! I've got some good news to share." She sounded excited.
"Oh, Fang, you sound cheerful. What's going on?"
"My two months' leave got approved, and it happened within a week of applying!" She said this as she was grinning.
"That's fantastic, Fang. I know how important this break is for you. Aside from going to see your mom, what else would you be doing? I believe you won't be spending the complete two months in country C." She sounded excited.
. "I will be spending most of it with my mother, helping her out with her business, just catching up, and maybe even a short trip if things go well." She sounded enthusiastic.
"That sounds like a wonderful plan. I'm so happy for you, Fang. You deserve this break."
"Thanks, Min. We should catch up before I leave. How about a coffee this weekend?"
"Let's do that. I can't wait to hear about your plans. Cheers again, Fang!
"Thanks, dear!"
"Have you told Jinyong and Chang that you'll be out of town for some time?"
"It crossed my mind. I think I should just talk to Jinyong about it instead of both of them.
What do you think?"
"If you ask me, I'd rather you let both of them know when you are leaving. It doesn't make sense for you to let one know and sideline the other. Remember that both of them are your friends, and none should be treated better than the other just yet."
"I understand. I'm only trying to avoid both of them wanting to see me at the same time. If that should happen, who amongst them do you think I should honor regarding that?"
"Just do the needful first; when that time comes and such happens, then we'll know how to go about it.
Secondly, I can't tell you which one of them you should oblige to because you know where your heart belongs."
"I promised Chang that I would get through to him after speaking with Jinyong."
"Drop this call and call Jinyong; tell him you'll be out of town and see what his reaction will be like."
"Alright then. I'll give you feedback after discussing it with him."
**********
Wang Fang hung up the call and dialed Jinyong's number.
Nervously dialing Jinyong's number. "Hi, Jinyong. I hope you are doing well.
"Hey, Fang. I was hoping to hear from you; what's going on?" He responded cheerfully.
Taking a deep breath. "Well, there is something I wanted to talk to you about. It's about my work."
"Work? Is everything alright?"
"Yes, everything's fine. I just wanted to let you know that I have been granted two months of leave from work. It's a family matter, and I'll be away by that time." Fang Explained.
Understanding with a touch of disappointment. "That's admirable, Fang. I completely understand. Your family should always be your priority."
"I'm glad you are not upset; I value our friendship a lot, and I wanted to be honest with you about this." She said it with utmost relief.
"Well, since you will be leaving for a while, how about we catch up before you go? Maybe have a meal or spend some time together. He said it subtly.
"That sounds like a great idea, Jinyong. I'd love to see you before I leave."
Brightening up "Perfect, Fang. We will make some plans then. Take care of yourself and your family during your leave. We'll catch up soon."
"Thank you. Jinyong. I'll talk to you, Soon and we'll make those plans."
After dropping the call, she decided to call Chang to know his reaction to her two-month leave.
**********
Fang dialed Chang's number and felt a bit apprehensive. "Hello, Fang. I hope you are doing well.
"Hey, Fang. What's up?" He asked casually.
Fang, hesitating "Well, I wanted to talk to you about something. I've been granted a two-month leave from work, and I'll be out of town."
"Oh, okay. That's quite a break. Family stuff, I assume?"
She was relieved that he seemed uninterested. "Yes, it's for family reasons. I just thought I should let you know since we've been talking."
"Thanks for letting me know, Fang. I appreciate the heads-up, he said nonchalantly.
"I was thinking maybe we could catch up before I leave town. You know, have a meal or something."
"Nah, I'm good, Fang. I've got a lot on my plate lately; I think it's best if we both focus on our things for now." He said it bluntly.
Surprised and a bit hurt. "Oh, okay, I understand. Take care, Chang."
"Fang, there is something I wanted to ask you about," he uttered after a brief pause.
"Sure, what is it?" She asked curiously.
Hesitant. "You remember when I asked you to talk to Jinyong about us?"
She nods. Yes, I do. I spoke to him about it a while ago."
"You did? What did he say?" Curious and somewhat relieved.
Trying to be honest "Well, Jinyong seemed to be very understanding, but he also mentioned that he values our friendship a lot."
"I see. Did you reach any kind of decision or understanding?"
"Not really, Chang. It seemed like he wanted to keep things as they were for now."
"I see. Thanks for letting me know, Fang. I appreciate your honesty," he said calmly.
"Is everything alright, Chang?"
Sighs. "Yeah. I'm fine. I just needed to know where things stood. Thanks for talking to Jinyong about it, Fang."
"You're welcome, Chang. If you ever want to discuss it further or if there is anything else on your mind, feel free to reach out."
"I will, Fang. Take care, and have a good trip during your leave."
"You too, do take care of yourself."
*********
After letting Jinyong and Chang know about her intentions of traveling for her two-month leave, she decided to get through to her friend to let her know the outcome of her phone conversation with Chang and Jinyong.
"Hey, it's me again."
"Fang, is everything okay? You sound a bit off."
Sighs "Well, you won't believe how things went after I talked to you earlier."
"What happened?" Min asked curiously.
"So, after I shared the news about my leave with Jinyong, he was pretty understanding but suggested we catch up before I go."
"That sounds nice; what's the issue?"
Continuing, "But then, when I talked to Chang, who's been showing interest, he didn't seem interested in meeting up at all. He kind of brushed it off and said, We should focus on our things."
"That's unexpected. I thought he wanted to see you before you left." Min asked, all surprised.
Disappointed. "Yeah, I thought so too. It seems like he had a change of heart or something."
"I'm sorry to hear that, Fang. Sometimes people's feelings and priorities can be complicated.
reflective "You are right. It's just a bit confusing, to be honest. I never expected such reactions from Chang."
"I can imagine. But remember, your family is the priority right now, and you're making a selfless choice by being with them."
"Thanks for understanding and for being there for me to talk to about all this."
"Anytime, Fang. You can always count on me. And don't forget, we are still meeting up before you go. I won't let you leave without a proper farewell."
"That sounds like a plan. I appreciate your support, my friend." Fang said, smiling.
"Always, Fang. Take care, and let's catch up soon."
"You too. And I'll see you soon. Goodbye for now."
*********
Three days later, Jinyong arrives at Wang Fang's house without letting her know that he would be coming.
Fang was surprised to see him there because she was not expecting him to come.
She had someone ring the bell, and she quickly hurried out to see who was at the door.
"Jinyong, What are you doing here? Is everything okay?" She asked, and surprisingly, immediately she saw Jinyong.
"Hey, Fang. I thought I'd surprise you. Can I come in for a moment?"
"Of course come in; this is unexpected." She uttered this as she invited him inside.
They were both seated in the living room, a bit nervous.
Jinyong took a deep breath before uttering a word. "Fang, I've been doing some thinking since we last talked about us."
Curious and slightly anxious "What's on your mind, Jinyong?"
Confident "I realized I just want to be more than just friends with you, Fang. I know I have said this before. I know this isn't going to be the first time I say that I want to be with you. I want to be in a relationship with you."
Surprised. "Jinyong, like I said before, you are suddenly taking this thing seriously. I appreciate your feelings, but I need to be honest with you. I'm about to leave for two months to be with my family, and it's a crucial time for us."
Jinyong, being determined, said, "I know, Fang, but that's precisely why I've come here. I want to support you during this time. Be there for you and your family, and show you how serious I am about us."
Jinyong's words touched Fang and penetrated deeply into her bone marrow.
"That's incredibly thoughtful, Jinyong. But what about Chang? He's been showing interest too."
"Fang. Since I love you, I still respect your choices. If you decide to be with me, I'll handle the situation with Chang honestly and respectfully. I don't want to cause any confusion or hurt feelings." Jinyong responded respectfully.
"This is a lot to process, Jinyong. I value our friendship, and I don't want to lose that."
"I value it too. But I also believe that we could have something special together. I've known you for some time now, and I've come to care deeply about you."He said it gently.
"I care about you too, Jinyong. I just need some time to think about it, especially with everything going on in my family." She said it softly.
"That's fair, Fang. Don't forget you've asked me to give you enough time before, and you did. Please don't do this again."
"Jinyong, please, let's take it one step at a time. I know you've been so patient with me on this. I still need to be sure of what I want."
Jingong stood up from the couch, held Fang's hands, and lifted her swiftly. He dragged her close to himself.
"I'm going to prove to you that I mean every word that I have said to you." He gave Fang a passionate yet unexpected kiss.
Fang, taken aback and blushing, said, "Jinyong, I didn't see that coming."
"Fang, I need to show you how serious I am about us. I hope that didn't make you uncomfortable." He said this as he smiled warmly.
Blushing and smiling "Well, it was certainly unexpected, but it didn't make me uncomfortable at all. It made me realize how much you care."
Relieved: I'm glad to hear that, Fang. I just wanted to express my feelings in the most genuine way I could."
"You succeeded in that, Jinyong. It's a lot to process. But I appreciate your sincerity."
"Fang, I'll be patient and give you the time you need. But know that I'm here for you, and I'm looking forward to what the future holds for us." He said it softly.
"I'm looking forward to it too, Jinyong. Let's see where this journey takes us." Smiles more confidently.
Jinyong placed his hand around Fang's waist and drew her closer to himself as they both shared a warm, knowing smile, feeling the depth of their connection.
"Jinyong, you've surprised me today, but in a good way." She spoke softly.
"Sometimes we just have to follow our hearts and take a chance on something special."
"You're right, and I appreciate your patience and understanding."
Holding her closely, "Fang, I promise to be there for you during your leave, to support you and your family in any way I can."
"That means the world to me, Jinyong. And I promise to give us a chance to see where this leads."
"I can wait for your promise to be fulfilled."
"Jinyong, I accept to date you starting today. You can start seeing me as your girlfriend."
"Are you for real?" he asked, feeling so excited and showing how much he loved Fang as they both kissed each other more deeply.
At this point, they both realize that this moment marks the beginning of something new and meaningful in their lives.