Fight, Flight, or Freeze: The Healer's Story
Chapter 54: Yes!

Chapter 54: Yes!

"Honey! We’re home!"

I placed my dish back in the sink and wiped my hands on the dishtowel beside me. "Welcome home!" I called out as I watched Bai Long Qiang strolling into the house, a bunch of men behind him.

They all looked freshly showered, but I could see the bags under their eyes.

My hands dried, I headed toward Bai Long Qiang.

He opened his arms, and I fell into them, finally feeling like I was home. "Any injuries?" I asked, leaning back and examining him from top to bottom. He seemed fine, but I knew he could hide it well.

"We’re all in one piece," replied Bai Long Qiang as he stroked the side of my face with his hand. I leaned into his warmth and closed my eyes.

"I’m glad," I said softly. It wasn’t exactly what I wanted to say. I wanted to demand that he show me everything so that I could see for myself that he was okay. I wanted to ask about Cheng Bo Jing. I needed to know that he was okay, too, but I just kept my mouth closed.

I didn’t want to upset Bai Long Qiang by asking about Cheng Bo Jing. So I bit my tongue.

"I thought today would be the perfect time to introduce you to everyone," laughed Bai Long Qiang as more and more people streamed into our house. "We even brought food, so you can just relax."

Ah yes, because in addition to being a full-time doctor at the General Hospital, I still made sure that the house was clean, everything was taken care of, and I made three meals a day.

Bai Long Qiang called me his superwoman; he was so pleased that I could handle everything.

I didn’t have the heart to tell him that I couldn’t.

"It’s about time!" I replied in an excited voice. These men had been coming in and out of the house since I moved in a month ago, and I didn’t know a single name. Besides Cheng Bo Jing. "Please, come in and make yourself at home!"

That was what a proper hostess said... right?

Bai Long Qiang let me go, and I walked back to the kitchen and got as many bottles of beer as I could hold. I had an early shift tomorrow, so I wouldn’t be drinking, but I could at least offer it to the others.

"Honey, you remember Ye Yao Zu, right? He came to the cabin for winter break a few years ago," started Bai Long Qiang, pointing toward a man with a beer in his hand already. He lifted it as if giving me a cheers and I smiled as I nodded my head.

I had no recollection of him at all.

"And this is Xeng Xian Liang and Fan Teng Fei." The two men held up their beers, too, so I nodded my head again. Bai Long Qiang continued introducing me to the rest of his team, all fourteen of them. Cheng Bo Jing had to stay behind at the base to fill out a report or something, and of course, I already knew Bai Long Qiang.

There was no way I was going to remember everyone’s name.

And maybe if I wasn’t so tired, I would be able to appreciate the eye candy in front of me more. But as it stood, I was too tired from back-to-back doubles. Today was my first day off in longer than I care to think about... and I had to be back at work in ten hours.

That’s fine. Nothing a Red Bull or two wouldn’t fix.

The guys spread out around the living room and dining room, congregating in smaller groups as they dug into the pizza that they brought with them.

I was perched on Bai Long Qiang’s knee since every other seat had been taken. My arm was wrapped around his neck as I breathed in his smell. I was so happy that he was home from this latest exercise. I refused to dwell on the fact that every time he left the house, it might be the last time that I ever saw him, so I treasured every time he came back.

"Here, eat something," said Bai Long Qiang as he nuzzled my neck, his right, and clenched my hip like he was scared I would disappear. He handed me a plate with a slice of meat lovers on it, but my stomach churned. I had just eaten dinner before they arrived, and I was much too full to eat more.

"I’m good," I whispered back with a smile. "I had dinner."

"There is always room for pizza. Please? For me? You seem to have lost a lot of weight and I need to know that you are eating properly," pressed Bai Long Qiang. He was always so worried about me that I felt bad that I wasn’t as... appreciative... as I could be.

The smell of the pizza in front of me was getting to me. When I ate too much, the smell of food would make my stomach rebel.

"Thank you," I said instead, picking up the pizza. I took a bite of the melted goodness and smiled.

It took me a bit, but I finally managed to eat the whole thing.

"Wang Tian Mu." Startled, I looked at Bai Long Qiang. I can’t remember the last time he had called me by my full name. The conversations around us all died down as everyone’s attention turned to us.

"You know I have loved you since the moment I saw you sitting by yourself in that classroom. You call to every aspect of me. My mind only thinks about you when I can’t see you. My heart screams out your name with every beat. I am yours, in this life and the next until time ceases to exist. Will you marry me?"

I froze as I felt the tears gathering in my eyes. He pulled me closer as he took a small black box out of his pocket and opened it.

"It isn’t as big as what I wanted to give you, but I thought this would be better for when you were at the hospital," he explained as he showed me a beautiful diamond ring. In the center of the ring was an emerald-cut diamond with six smaller diamonds set inside the band itself.

It was stunning.

"Yes, I will marry you!" I whispered as he put the ring on my finger. This was what I wanted. This was everything that I dreamed about. So why was I feeling so empty?