Sweetly, Mingyu drifted into the abyss of sleep as he tightly clutched the strap of AnLing's dress.
She watched the boy breathe in and out lovingly and began to pat his head. The longer she did, the more the boy's expression softened until he looked calmer then she'd ever seen him. AnLing was glad but still, she felt the pit of her stomach burn.
She couldn't help but think of her own child, that she had never gotten to see or touch...
The happiness she had felt a couple of seconds ago began to become distorted.
Was she allowed to feel joy and to act so kindly towards this child when her own child hadn't received anything of the sort from her?
AnLing wasn't sure. She was conflicted because her child was gone but Mingyu was here and he seemed to be very attached to her.
A part of her worried that she was projecting the love she would have had for her own child on Mingyu. If so, that wouldn't have been right but she still couldn't deny him her love because she had already begun to care for him much more than she had ever expected to.
There was no way she could stop herself.
When Kang Jun finally arrived, the first thing he saw was the little bundle in AnLing's arms. He wanted to say something but when he opened his mouth, no words came out.
Quietly, Kang Jun turned on the car and drove to Rainbow Valley. He made sure to respect the speed limit for once, sometimes even going slightly under as to not wake the boy up. Plus, due to Mingyu being in AnLing's arms, she was unable to wear a seatbelt. He couldn't risk doing anything reckless.
The whole trip was more or less silent. Sometimes, AnLing had a violent urge to speak, but she felt as if something was holding her back.
The awkwardness grew and grew until, finally, Kang Jun spoke.
"I'm sorry."
AnLing's expression grew confused. "About what?"
"Making you wait."
AnLing smiled stiffly, "No, that's fine. I could have waited for much longer."
Kang Jun had a faraway look in his eyes. "If it was up to me, you wouldn't have to wait at all."
AnLing didn't know how to react to his statement but it made blood rush to her head. The words were ambiguous and full of meaning that she didn't understand. Though a part of her could understand that they weren't wholly directed at her.
When Kang Jun spoke, it was always clear but ambiguous all at the same time. It made AnLing uncomfortable and confused but the more she learned how to read between his line, and examine the meaning, the easier it became to understand him.
AnLing smiled slightly as she stared at him. She didn't truly feel like smiling but she didn't know what action would be best to show him, so she just smiled.
Kang Jun didn't want to turn to look at her. He had felt as if he had let Mingyu down and in comparison, he had also felt he had let the girl waiting for him down.
Seeing his expression darken slightly, AnLing's worries grew.
First Mingyu, and now Kang Jun?
"Is everything okay?"
Kang Jun didn't reply. He didn't want to lie to her but that didn't mean he was going to reveal the truth to her either.
Seeing that Kang Jun was reluctant to reply, meant that he had just answered AnLing's question. AnLing was curious about what had happened inside Kang Manor but she would not ask the question.
This was a problem for the Kang's to deal with an outsider shouldn't be involved.
But even if Kang Jun wanted to explain himself, how would he even start to tell her what was on his mind? Would he just begin by explaining his family situation, about Elder Kang, his parents, Qiao Lan? Or maybe, he should start with the fact that he had fallen in love with her?
In Kang Jun's mind, none of these things really needed explaining. The situation was what it was.
He had 3 months of complete freedom.
He was now free and able to court AnLing without any interference and take care of Mingyu for a while as he tried to fulfill the contract terms, but that freedom came with a cost. And it was that which he could lose that scared him...
His freedom to act.
His freedom to chose.
His freedom to love.
If he is unable to fulfill his end he would lose everything and become a doll of the Kang's. The thought would paralyze anyone but Kang Jun wasn't just anyone. Despite his fears, he planned to move forward and use the 3-months in full in order to prevail.
It was time to stop sleeping and act like the tiger he had been born as.
Kang Jun slightly gazed at AnLing.
"You don't need to worry about it." Kang Jun's voice was sincere, but the gloominess unconsciously continued to reside.
AnLing's reply came within a split second.
"Of course I worry!" Her tone shifted slightly and she began to hold Mingyu much tighter to her chest. Kang Jun couldn't help but compare her to a mother bear protecting her cub.
In a short amount of time, the boy had crawled his way into the woman's heart. Kang Jun felt his own heart warm. He was glad that someone could love Mingyu as AnLing unconsciously did, but a part of him wished she could feel that way for him.
Little did he know how much her heart would beat when he was close. How much his touch electrified her. And how, with one more push, she wouldn't be able to resist him.
Silence filled the car once more.
When they arrived outside Rainbow Valley, Kang Jun got out first to open the door for AnLing. Because of Mingyu clinging to her, she couldn't properly get out of the car so they were forced to wake him up.
The boy was unhappy that he was awoken from his sleep, and showed it with his pout but once AnLing saw that she immediately began patting his head. With slight tears of tiredness in his eyes, the boy opened his arms, begging to be held and carried.
Seeing this action, AnLing couldn't help but pick him up.
His cuteness pierced through the girl's heart.
Kang Jun raised an eyebrow as he began to watch the scene intensely.
Wrapped in the innocent looking girl's arms, Mingyu smiled. He placed himself so close to AnLing that his cheek was pressed up against AnLing's shoulder, close to her chest.
Kang Jun suddenly frowned.
"You shouldn't spoil him like that."
Seeing his uncles displeased look, the boy gripped tighter onto AnLing, burying himself in her chest. He turned his face slightly to look at Kang Jun in the eyes.
'This was payback for trying to monopolize his auntie'; Mingyu's expression conveyed his thoughts.
The boy was as shameless as his uncle but strangely, AnLing found it extremely cute. She couldn't help but giggle. "What's wrong with being spoiled sometimes. He's just a child."
Kang Jun had planned on retorting but when he saw her bright girlish smile, he could no longer find a word of complaint. Still, he looked at his nephew with disdain as he sighed, but a wry smile began to tug on his lips.
"Let's go."
Kang Jun led the way inside. Though, noticing AnLing's arms slightly shaky, he made sure to walk closer to her side, his arms ready to support her if she needed it.
Noticing the small gesture of kindness, AnLing couldn't help but give Kang Jun a bashful smile. He understood the meaning behind it instantaneously; she was glad that he was by her side. A gleam passed through both of their eyes as they stared at each other for a moment. Without the other knowing, their hearts began to beat in unison.
Between them, Mingyu looked at the pair as they shared a moment. A part of him was jealous, but since he was in his beloved auntie's arms, he couldn't complain.
To a normal bystander, they looked like a perfect family of three.
At the door, AnLing looked around. They were entering a building with large discolored doors and poorly maintained walls. As they walked through a small narrow hall, AnLing felt that the outside looked fairly shabby; like what a person would find in the poorest areas of T City, but once they entered, it was like they had traveled through a portal to another world.
In an instant, the walls became brighter and the mesmerizing sound of utensils on plates began to fill AnLing's ears. The interior was the complete opposite of the exterior. It was, without a doubt, a beautiful high-class restaurant but not any high-class restaurant, it was one she'd only ever seen pictures of in foodie magazines.
She gazed around the bright white room as if she'd just entered the kingdom of heaven.
In T City, there was a rumored restaurant that only certain rich people knew where to find. It was a place with the most delicious seafood a person would ever taste made by Michelin star chefs.
'It couldn't be?...' She couldn't believe where Kang Jun had brought her…
Was this really Rainbow Valley?
AnLing knew that if it was, she probably wouldn't have ever been able to afford to eat there even if she'd worked hard for a hundred lifetimes.
She froze in her tracks.
The delicious aroma emanating from the kitchen surrounded her, sending her senses into pure bliss.
"Welcome President Kang." A man greeted Kang Jun and then looked towards AnLing and Mingyu. A slight shocked passed through his eyes, but he immediately hid it behind a smile. "Welcome madame, and sir."
Only Kang Jun acknowledged his presence, while Mingyu and AnLing looked around in awe.
The man was fine with that though.
He had been contacted that day about the infamous Kang Jun coming to dinner and he was so shocked that he almost puked blood. The Kang's were a rich family. Some would even say richer than rich, so when he got the call from Mr. Long, there was no way he was going to pass up the opportunity.
Just so he could serve Kang Jun to the best of his abilities, he had even requested for a picture. Just in case. A part of him wanted to ask Kang Jun to sign it but it would have obviously been inappropriate...
The man looked at the three people. "President Kang, I didn't know you were married. You have such a beautiful young wife."
Beautiful young wife?
Kang Jun wanted to smile, but he didn't.
He didn't even utter a word of reply but by the way his gaze softened, it was obvious that he was pleased. The man noticed the shift and mentally patted himself on the back.
If AnLing had heard the man clearly, she would have probably blushed so hard that people would mistake her for a tomato and then corrected his assumption.
A part of Kang Jun wished she had heard it but it was a waste to wish for something that didn't happen.
"Please follow me, I'll lead you to your table."
As he led them, he would often look back at the three and smile. Noticing this, AnLing gave the man strange looks. What was his problem? She didn't understand.
She'd been in a daze a couple seconds ago so she didn't know what had happened and because of this, she began to feel strange and out of place.
Seeing her dumbfounded face, Kang Jun held back his laughter. He then walked up to her, put his hand behind her back and leaned into her. His lips stopping just a few inches shy of her ear.
"Come on."
His breath tickled her neck causing her to shiver slightly and then to blush.
The man in front of them couldn't help but blush himself. From his angle, it had looked like Kang Jun was kissing her neck so he had felt as if he was being served a hefty platter of dog food. Before Kang Jun, moved away from AnLing, the man turned back to look in front of him to calm himself.
With his hand on her hips, Kang Jun pushed AnLing slightly in the direction the man was bringing them.
Feeling a bit shy, AnLing allowed herself to be led.
Before, she had been feeling completely out of place, but with Kang Jun standing by her side, she began to feel considerably better. His presence was comfortable and it wasn't overwhelming at all.
In a split second all her nerves evaporated and the three took a seat at a table near the back where the smell of seafood was faint but just present enough to cause AnLing's stomach to slightly growl.
AnLing looked down in embarrassment and began to blush but both Kang Jun and Mingyu pretended as if they didn't hear a thing.
It wasn't nice to put a lady on the spot.
Noticing their lack of reaction, AnLing calmed down and smiled.
The two of them were very considerate of her.
"What do you want to eat?" Kang Jun asked no one in particular, prompting both AnLing and Mingyu to grab the menu. It didn't take long for the both of them to find something they liked. Kang Jun then signaled the waiter and they ordered what they wanted along with a few other hors d'oeuvres.
As Kang Jun spoke to the waiter, AnLing felt something vibrate in her jacket. She shuffled through it until she found her phone. On it, the call had just ended and she could see that she had three missed calls; all from the same number.
AnLing frowned.
Just when she was about to put the phone away, it rang once more.