"Shall we go back? You can tell your mom and brother, give them a heads-up so it won’t be too sudden. Or should we go for a stroll?" After getting in the car, Li Yan sought Huang Ying’s opinion. He wasn’t sure if she’d be interested in going out with her mom back home, but since the New Year, she’s been busy taking care of her mother and could probably use a break.

"Is it because you feel I’m good to you, and you have nothing to repay me with but your body, otherwise the pressure is too much?" Li Yan asked again.

Huang Ying shook her head again.

"Then why?" Li Yan pondered their relationship, thinking it had naturally reached this point. But starting in a different setting was fine; he couldn’t help but feel there was an element of gratitude involved when she abruptly suggested going to a hotel after they just hired a nanny.

Huang Ying was silent for a moment, then softly said, "I know you’re good to me, not because you’re looking for something in return. I also know that because you can’t give me marriage, you feel somewhat guilty, so you try to take care of me, to be good to me. You’re right, I do feel pressure, and isn’t that pressure for you as well? But I’m not acting on a sudden impulse now, nor is it out of gratitude; it’s because I truly want to be with you completely."

Li Yan accepted her words because he indeed felt some guilt-driven pressure since he couldn’t marry her.

"Now I consider myself as yours, and I’m willing to be with you, but until I truly become your woman, I feel uneasy, like everything now is too unreal. Your kindness to me could suddenly disappear one day."

Li Yan instantly understood!

She truly wanted a commitment rather than simply reciprocating.

For most people, a commitment usually comes in two forms: verbal and formal.

Verbal commitments remain just words; nobody can ensure today’s vows of eternal love won’t fade away tomorrow. Luo Dayou sang a long time ago, "You once told me you would love me forever, I understand what love is, but what is forever?" Naturally, young and pure-hearted girls believe in verbal promises, or else smooth-talking men wouldn’t win girls over so easily.

Formal commitments include officially acknowledging a girlfriend status and the advanced stage - legal marriage.

Li Yan has not hidden anything, has assured her, and has done well. But ultimately, he cannot give her the formal status of a girlfriend, nor can he marry her. For someone like Huang Ying, who is not a strong-willed little girl, there is a lack of security from such commitment.

But she doesn’t demand much; she doesn’t insist on marriage, just wants to feel a more definite sense of commitment through their relationship. In fact, for many women, even marriage doesn’t provide security until they have a child, which reassures them a man won’t abandon them.

After understanding this, Li Yan knew what to do. For her to say this out loud, she had to muster considerable courage, possibly using today’s emotional momentum to speak up.

"Look at me!"

Hearing Li Yan say this suddenly, Huang Ying found it odd, but she looked up at him.

Huang Ying felt a roar in her head, both nervous and happy. Nervous about being seen, as this was somewhat... indecent, but happy that he dared to kiss her publicly, which showed his regard for their relationship.

After a while, Li Yan let go of the flustered Huang Ying, watching her adjust her clothes nervously glancing around. He then smiled and said, "How about that? Were you scared?"

Huang Ying glared at him with her beautiful eyes, seemingly complaining that he didn’t give any warning before acting out like this on the streets. But she still said, "Not scared!"

"Haha, you may not be scared, but I am. Your mom graciously let us go out on a date, and if I take you straight to a hotel and ruin you, wouldn’t that leave a bad impression? She might think I’m a lecher, and if she forbids us from seeing each other, that wouldn’t be good."

Huang Ying was slightly taken aback. Although she knew her mother wouldn’t forbid them, she understood that due to her upbringing, her mother didn’t approve of being with someone too easily. Her experienced mother would definitely notice. She regretted a bit, "If I knew earlier, I’d have taken care of it before..."

Li Yan felt a bit awkward and could only say, "Don’t worry, you sweet little pig."

"You’re the pig... Okay, okay, let’s go back!" With that, she anxiously looked in the mirror, "I won’t be found out like this, right?"

"..." (To be continued, for more stories, please visit www.qidian.com, support the author, support genuine reading!)