I'll Tell You Every Day

For the next coming years, the children continued to grow. The twins started crawling, then walking, and now they were running. They loved Daiyu to bits and would always fight for her attention.

"Daiyu-jiejie!" Meili called with her arms stretched, asking to be picked up.

"Daiyu-jiejie!" Mingli too stretched out his arms, not wanting to lose to his sister.

Daiyu giggled and carried both twins.

"You're both so heavy now!" She commented.

Behind her, Liu Jin pouted. Lately, he felt like the twins were stealing his Daiyu away.

While he was sulking, he didn't notice that Daiyu had approached him. She sat on his lap, the twins still in her arms.

"Jin-gege!" She called.

Liu Jin look at her before smiling.

"Hehe." He nuzzled his face onto the nook of her neck while he wrapped his arms around her waist.

"What's so funny?" Daiyu asked.

"Nothing." He replied as he continued resting his head on her shoulder.

"Daiyu is mine!" He proudly claimed.

"No she's not!" The twins retorted in unison.

"She's mine. She already agreed to marry me even before you two were born." He huffed.

The twins were shocked.

"Daiyu-jiejie! Don't marry Jin-gege!" Mingli looked at her with worry.

Daiyu giggled and kissed his forehead.

"Daiyu-jiejie me too!" Meili pouted.

Daiyu indulged her and kissed her forehead too.

"Me too!" Liu Jin sulked.

Daiyu laughed and peppered his face with kisses. What a big baby!

Just like that, they continued their days together. Before long, Daiyu had turned eleven and the school year had ended.

---

For summer that year, Liu Jin, Daiyu, and Zhihao returned to the Liu summer house. There, Liu Jin brought Daiyu to their tree. They carved their names onto its bark along with the date like they always did every year. After that, they sat under its shade, their backs resting on its trunk.

A peaceful silence enveloped them as they listened to the summer cicadas singing. A gentle breeze would blow from time to time and they quietly observed the fields where the flowers danced in the wind.

Liu Jin faced Daiyu and held her hand. After taking a moment to steel his heart, he finally brought up the painful topic.

"Xiao Yu I'll be leaving for military school soon."

He felt her tense up and he bit his lip.

Daiyu nodded and looked down. She knew. Her Jin-gege had told her before. Still, no amount of time could prepare her heart for his departure.

She sighed, a single tear rolling down her chubby cheek.

Liu Jin stretched his arm and gently wiped it away.

"Can you promise me a few things?" He asked.

Daiyu turned her head to face him.

"Can you come to this tree every year and carve our names for me?"

Daiyu's eyes immediately widened, her face painted with worry as she tightened her grip around his hand.

"You're not coming home?"

"No"

"Why?!"

"I can't. Xiao Yu if I see you, I'd never want to go back."

Daiyu quickly let go of his hand and buried her face onto her knees. Liu Jin hugged her, listening to her soft crying.

"You're so unfair, Jin-gege" She sobbed.

"I'm sorry"

"I won't wait for you! I'll look for another man while you're away!" She threatened angrily as she cried.

Liu Jin felt his heart clench but he hugged her tightly in return.

"Okay. That's okay. I'll win you back when I return. I'll steal your heart and you won't be able to look at another man again." He replied, his brows furrowed.

Daiyu stared at him before continuing to cry.

Unfair. It was so unfair. He had already stolen her heart. What more was there to give to another man? She knew that the moment he leaves, he would be taking her heart along with him.

"I hate you!" She blurted out in anger.

Liu Jin's heart broke but he continued hugging her tightly.

"I love you Xiao Yu, I love you."

She cried even harder upon hearing his words. He really was unfair. He won't even allow her to hate him for a second.

Daiyu returned his hug and buried her head onto his chest as she sobbed.

"I love you I love you" He repeated into her ear again and again.

He wanted her to remember. He won't allow her to forget.

Daiyu's grip around his waist tightened. She continued crying, trying to empty her heart that was swollen with grief.

Why did he have to leave? It felt so unfair to be left behind, to wait all alone.

"Three years it's only three years. I'll be back before you know it." He tried to coax her but she shook her head.

"You don't understand!"

Every day, Daiyu looked forward to seeing him. Three years won't 'only' be three years. Every day of those three years would feel like three years in itself.

Liu Jin hugged her even tighter and kissed her forehead.

"Xiao Yu I I need to go. I want to change. I want to become a better man. For you and for myself."

Daiyu tightened her grip around him. She knew. She understood that. But no amount of explanation could calm a heart that was longing for its lover's warmth.

Still, she didn't want to be the person holding back his dreams. She wanted to be the person supporting him the most and she knew she had to let him go. She sniffed, trying to stop her tears before speaking.

"You better hurry up and return." She ordered.

He nodded.

"Return home even more handsome than before."

He chuckled and nodded again.

"No cheating on me."

He agreed.

"Write to me every day."

He nodded quickly. He too planned on that.

" Work hard and come back home with lots of muscles like Uncle Tang."

Liu Jin nodded solemnly.

"Mmm. I'll be so handsome, you'll be very proud of me."

" Really?" She looked up to him, her chubby cheeks still stained by tears.

Liu Jin smiled and kissed them away.

"Mmm. For my baby Daiyu, Jin-gege will work hard."

Daiyu paused before nodding. She then rested her cheek onto his chest.

"Daiyu too I'll work hard for you. So go and do what you must. When you come home, I won't allow you to leave again."

He chuckled and kissed her forehead.

"I don't plan on leaving again."

He then took out a small box from his pocket. He opened it and a small ring was revealed. He took it from the box and gently slid it onto her finger.

"It's nothing fancy. I'll get you a better one when I return." He promised.

Daiyu shook her head.

"I like this one." She replied as she held her hand close to her chest.

Liu Jin's heart felt warm as he observed Daiyu. He hugged her tightly again before gently kissing her lips.

"I love you, Xiao Yu. Please don't forget me." He smiled bitterly.

A single tear rolled down her cheek. She cupped his face with her hand and kissed him back.

"I can't forget you even if I tried."

---

Liu Jin stood in front of his luggage and sighed. Today, he was finally going to move into his new dorm at the military school.

He looked down and clutched the bag that Daiyu had given him. Inside were several hand sewn handkerchiefs, socks, a photograph, and a letter.

He smiled. He then tugged at his luggage and left his room.

Outside, the twins immediately tackled his legs. While they often played pranks on their big brother, they loved him dearly and was saddened by his departure.

"J-Jin-gege!" Mingli cried as he hugged Liu Jin's leg tightly.

Liu Jin bent down and patted his head.

"Take care of Meili for me, okay? And mom too."

Mingli wiped his tears away but they continued to fall.

"Mingli will be a good boy. So Jin-gege come come home soon." He cried.

Liu Jin smiled bitterly and hugged him back.

"Mmm. Good boy." He gently kissed his forehead before standing back up.

"Jin-gege!" Meili looked up to him, her arms stretched.

Liu Jin picked her up and kissed her forehead.

"Take care of your Daiyu-jiejie for me, okay?"

Meili nodded obediently. He smiled and gently put her down before bidding his parents goodbye.

"Mom Dad"

Nana cried and hugged him tightly while Shuren ruffled his hair.

"Go. She's waiting outside."

Liu Jin nodded and exited their house.

Outside, Daiyu stood waiting for him.

"Xiao Yu." He called.

Daiyu faced him, her eyes already teary. His heart clenched but he smiled and approached her.

"Xiao Yu"

"Jin" She buried her face onto his chest and hugged him tightly.

Liu Jin's grip around her tightened. After a short while, Daiyu looked up to him. While her cheeks were still stained by tears, she smiled at him brightly.

"Come home to me soon. I'll be waiting."

Liu Jin bent down and kissed her lips softly.

"Mmm." He nodded.

He then hugged her one last time before turning his back and entering the car. Inside, Zhihao was waiting for him.

"Ready?" He asked.

for visiting.

"Yeah." Liu Jin nodded.

Zhihao gave the signal and the car began moving.

Daiyu stood still, her legs wanting to run after him but her heart heavily pinning her down in place. She watched as the car drove further and further away.

Inside the car, Liu Jin looked back and saw her there, still standing. He broke down and sobbed.

Zhihao gently rubbed his back.

"I'll take care of her. Don't worry."

"But you make me worry." He retorted.

"Do you really have to ruin our touching moment like this?!" Zhihao complained.

Liu Jin continued to sob onto his hands before he faced Zhihao.

"You too. When I come back, you better have things fixed with Ying Yue."

Zhihao sweated nervously but nodded.

"Gotcha."

" Take care of Xiao Yu Please."

"Mmm."