Three days after Wang Fang accepted Jinyong, she called her best friend Zhang Min to let her know of her decision to date Jinyong.
"Hello Min, Are you less busy?"
"Not really, but is there a problem?"
"Nah! I just need us to see. I have something very important to discuss with you."
"Ooh! Does that imply me coming to your house?"
"Yes. It's not something we can talk about over the phone."
"Alright then. See you soon."
In less than 30 minutes, Zhang Min was already at Wang Fang's house.
"Hey, I wanted to talk to you about something important."
"Oh, sure, what's up?"
"Well, I've decided to give it a shot with Jinyong. We've started dating."
"Fang, are you sure about this? You know how things ended with your ex, and I am worried Jinyong might treat you the same way."
"I understand your concern, and I appreciate that you are looking out for me. But I don't see him as being like Li Wei."
"You can't tell for real until you give it a try. What is he saying about you traveling for two months?"
"He said he's going to make sure he supports me in every way he can. Min, there is something about this Jinyong guy that makes him so different from Li Wei. He's so genuine."
"I'm just worried about you. That's all!"
"I know you are not cool with my decision to date Jinyong, but there are reasons behind it."
"I'm listening. What made you divide to give it a chance?"
"Well, first, I've spent a lot of time trying to know him as a friend, and we have a strong connection. He's shown genuine interest in me, not just romantically, but as a person. He's been caring."
"That sounds positive, but I can't help but worry, given your past."
"I understand your concern. But another reason is that Jinyong and I have had some deep conversations about us with him, and he's committed to building a healthy and respectful relationship."
"I guess that's a good sign, but it's hard not to be cautious."
"I appreciate your caution, and I promised to be cautious too. I'm taking things step by step and prioritizing my well-being. Jinyong has been understanding and patient, and that's given me the confidence to give this a chance."
"Well, I hope it works out for you, Fang. Just remember to prioritize yourself and your happiness."
"Thank you. I will. Your support means a lot to me, and I will keep you updated on how things progress between us."
"Alright then. I wish you well. I'm all a call away from you."
Just while they were still talking, Fang's phone started ringing. Zhang Min asked her friend to pick up the call.
Seeing Chang's call "Oh, it's change calling. Should I take this call?"
"Go ahead; maybe he just wants to check on you."
Fang answered the call. "Hello, Chang."
"Hey, Fang. How have you been? I wanted to see how you were doing."
"I'm good. Thanks for asking. Everything is fine."
Hesitant. "Look, fang. I've been thinking since the last time we talked, and I know I didn't sound proper to you. Do you think we could give it a shot, you and me? You know I have been patient enough, and I understand that Jinyong is interested in you as well."
"Chang, you remember what you told me just a few days ago about being on our own and focusing on better things than considering being together?" She sounded gentle and firm.
"Yeah, I do, but..."
Interrupting "Chang, I appreciate your feelings, but I've made a decision. I've accepted to be with Jinyong. We have decided to give our relationship a chance."
Disappointed "I see. I guess I missed my chance."
"I'm sorry, Chang. But I hope you understand. It's not easy for me either. It's never in my intention to make you feel bad either. But I believe it's the right choice for me at this moment."
"Yeah, I understand. Well, I wish you all the best with Jinyong, Fang."
"Thank you, Chang. I hope we can still be friends and support each other in our journeys."
"Of course, Fang. Take care, and I hope you find happiness with Jinyong."
"You too, Chang, thanks for understanding. Goodbye."
"So, what did Fang want? Everything okay?" She asked curiously.
Sighs "Chang was calling to express his feelings for me once more and to let me know that he's still interested in me. I had to remind him of his words about focusing on more important things in life than being in a relationship."
"That must have been tough. What did you tell him?"
"I told him that I'd already accepted to date Jinyong. It was difficult, but I believe it's the right choice for me."
"Well, I must say that I'm proud of you for making the decision that feels right for you, Fang. It's not easy to handle situations like this."
"Thanks. I appreciate your support. It's important to me that we're on the same page about my choices."
"I'm here for you, no matter what. Just don't forget to prioritize your happiness and well-being in all of this."
"I will, and having you by myself means a lot to me. Thanks for being such a great friend."
"Anytime, Fang. Let's hope everything works out for the best with Jinyong."
"Yeah. Thanks."
"So, tell me, what's up with your plans of traveling to Country C? To see your mom."
"Plans are fully intact for that purpose. Jinyong has promised to assist me with it."
"Really? That's thoughtful of him. But are you planning to spend the complete two months at your mom's?"
"Not really. I intend to spend just one month with Mom, and I've always wanted to explore new places nearby that I haven't had the chance to visit. Maybe take a short road trip or two. And of course, spend quality time with Jinyong."
"That sounds like a well-rounded plan. How about those hobbies you've been interested in doing while growing up?"
"Oh, I've been neglecting my painting and photography for a while now, so I plan to indulge in those. Maybe I should even take a class or workshop if I can find one. And I want to catch up on my reading list too."
"Do you intend to do all of that in Country C?"
"Nah. I'll be doing those here."
"So are you visiting Country C on your first month's leave, or are you spending the first month here and doing the second one at Country C?"
"I'm thinking of visiting my mom first. What do you think?"
"I feel since you just accepted Jinyong, you should spend more time with him and get to know him better before you leave for country C. That's to say that your first month should be spent here and the last one at country C."
"You think so? Well, that sounds like a good idea. But you know that I'm visiting my mom to help her out with her business, and you know how strenuous and hectic her business can be.
So I wouldn't want to look bad by the time I resume work."
"What you are saying in essence is that you want to go through the strain of work for the first month and use the second month to recover from the stress, right?"
"Exactly my point! Just in case I lose weight, I'll be able to recover from that using the second month."
"That all sounds so fulfilling, Fang. It's a great way to make the most of your time off and recharge. You still have to discuss all these plans with Jinyong and see what he has to say about them."
"Of course, Min. I have plans to let him know my plans. Since he wants to be involved in my travel process,
"I'm going to miss you, and I'm sure Jinyong would do too. But what to do? I can only wish you a wonderful and amazing two months!"
"Thanks! I'm looking forward to it, and having your support makes it even better."
"That's alright. So when are you leaving?"
"I'm thinking of leaving this weekend. I already told my mom that I'd be coming this weekend."
"That's nice. Today is just the second day of the week. That means you still have some days to put your things together and have some time with Jinyong."
"Sure. We're having plans to be together within the week."
"That's a good one. So are you two planning to take your relationship to the next level by getting intimate with each other during the day you'll be together?"
Paused and thoughtful "That's a personal question, but I appreciate your concern. It's a topic, Jinyong, and I have to discuss it first before anything such happens. But I believe in taking things at our own pace and ensuring we are both comfortable and ready for any such step. It's essential to prioritize our emotional connection and communication."
"I understand, Fang. And I didn't mean to pry. It's just that I care about your well-being, and I want to make sure you're making informed choices."
"I truly appreciate your concern. Rest assured, Jinyong and I will make decisions about intimacy that feel right for both of us and consider our emotional connection and safety.".
"That's good to hear, Fang. Your happiness and comfort should always come first, and it's great that you are approaching this with care and consideration."
"Yeah. Min. I'm glad I have your support in navigating this aspect of my relationship with Jinyong."
"Well, Fang, it's been great spending time with you and having chats. And I'm glad I was able to help out with some words of advice."
"Your presence and advice mean a lot to me. I'm grateful for your support and understanding."
"Remember what we talked about, Fang. Prioritize your happiness and well-being in your relationship with Jinyong."
"I will, and I will keep you updated on how things are going. Thank you for being such a good friend."
"Anytime, Fang. I have to get going now. Do not hesitate to reach out if you ever need to talk or if there's anything else you want to discuss."
"I won't forget that. You know how I always like to disturb you with my issues, especially when I can't seem to handle them alone."
"I know, right? I'm always at your beck and call. I mean, what are friends for if not to help each other sort out issues?"
"I know. Just call me when you get home. We might likely get to meet again before I travel."
"That sounds like a plan. Goodbye, Fang; take care of yourself."
Zhang Min leaves, and Wang Fang watches her with a beaming smile on her face, feeling grateful for the support and friendship Min has given her so far.
Zhang Min had been helpful to Fang in every area a good friend could be.
In terms of advice and words of encouragement, you can count on her.
Even for material needs, you can count on Zhang Min.
Wang Fang had been so excited since she accepted Jinyong days ago to be his girlfriend.
She had no regrets about doing that. She felt fulfilled doing that. She started contemplating having to spend a day with Jinyong after thinking of the question Min had asked her if she intended to get more intimate with Jinyong.
What if Jinyong had that in mind? She needed to make sure they met again before they finally spent a day together.
Come to think of it, where does Jinyong have in mind to pass the night with her?
It then dawned on her that she needed to call him to ask all these questions.
Fang dials Jinyong and waits for him to answer.
"Hey, Fang. What's up?"
"Hi Jinyong, I was wondering if we could meet up today. There's something I'd like to talk to you about."
"Of course, I'd love to see you. Is everything okay?"
Assuring. "Yeah, everything's fine. I just think it is important that we have a face-to-face conversation. How about meeting at our favorite cafe` in an hour?"
"Sure. That works for me; I'll see you there in an hour."
"Great, looking forward to it. See you soon, Jinyong."
They both hang up, and Fang prepares to meet Jinyong to discuss what's on her mind.