"Why haven't you come down yet?" Ji Nanfeng walked out of the kitchen with two plates in hand, one for him and the other Mo Lixin.
"Coming!"
She ran down the wooden staircase.
Eyes full of worries was seen in his face telling the world that it was no good if she tripped; so he did as any good and caring husband would do and muttered out loud, "Be careful!"
But as his words fell to deaf noise, Mo Lixin had long arrived next to his side.
His cheeks blushed, heart skipping a beat. She was so close to him and he swears he could smell her fragrant scent. It was too much to handle that he quickly turned around and ran back to the kitchen.
"Wait… wait here, I'll get the rest of the stuff!"
Ji Nanfeng flinched and let out a yelp when he picked up the casserole porridge.
"It's hot!"
Mo Lixin was quick to react. She picked up a towel-cloth and wrapped the porridge's handle, gracefully bringing it to the table.
Ji Nanfeng stood behind watching with a smile plastered on his face.
Mo Lixin beaconed him over with a wave of her hand and he followed suit.
***
The morning hours had been a ruckus but breakfast, it was silent. Both husband and wife ate in silence and Ji Nanfeng looked all the more sorrow.
"Lixin, you don't have to be so afraid of me. I don't know what it is that I've done, I've forgotten… yesterday I asked grandfather what was it that I did but he didn't tell me much. Told me to figure it out myself," he said softly.
Mo Lixin raised her head. Ji Nanfeng could tell she was afraid.
"Really?" she asked.
"Well, otherwise, I wouldn't have gone and made you porridge, isn't that right?" Ji Nanfeng chuckled and said helplessly.
He knew she loved him, but it was a sort of defensive love to the point she erected walls around her heart. She was afraid.
Mo Lixin did not answer. She shyly buried her head and drank the porridge as if nothing happened.
Ji Nanfeng could not hide his smile. He was in love with her and all the small little things she did. Right at this moment, he wanted to hold her hand, and maybe just a little too tight; and he wanted to kiss her, and probably a little too long… but… but that will have to wait.
"Oh, yesterday… did you pick me up?" Mo Lixin suddenly asked.
"I sent your friend to the hotel. Yesterday, you two were drunk and I didn't know where she lived," Ji Nanfeng answered.
"Alright," Mo Lixin sighed, relieved. "…when do you go to work?"
Ji Nanfeng was a young postdoctoral researcher with geology and history as his backup career. Many in the upper echelons knew him a successful man compared to his elder brother. But Ji Nanfeng was a private-type-of-guy and chose a simple job not in business. He was a professor in Jiangbei University.
"Soon," Ji Nanfeng smiled, "Should I ask the driver to take you to Gong Yue?"
"Gong Yue?"
Gong Yue was the face of a boutique company specializing in wedding dress design. It started sometime this year and the growth of its scale wasn't large by all means, but so long as Gong Yue exists, all is well. Any of his custom designs would sell like hotcakes if shown in the exhibition.
"Yes, Gong Yue."
Mo Lixin recalled the words he said –– that he'd let her go and work. Oh how happy she was! Still, she remained calm and composed or at least she thought he was, otherwise, he'd change his mind.
Ji Nanfeng was overjoyed, eyes twinkling with a spark. Oh, how he would brighten her sun. And if there exists the darkest of clouds? Well, he'll make her sun shine brighter and longer.
"Are you busy this afternoon? I'll accompany you out…" Ji Nanfeng said nervously. A slight rosy blush tinged his cheek.
Mo Lixin gulped the last porridge and was in a difficult position to reply…
Ji Nanfeng saw her placed in a dilemma. He sighed inwardly and said, "Oh… it suddenly occurred to me that I have a meeting to go to in the afternoon. I'm sorry, I won't be able to accompany you…!"
"I see…" Mo Lixin replied nervously, anxious to bury her head under the table.
Was she being obvious? He must have seen her thoughts. Oh, she really wished to scold herself a thousand times.
"You don't have to clean up after the mess we've made. A maid will be dropping by soon. And here's my credit card. Anything you want, buy it." Ji Nanfeng pulled out his credit card.
Mo Lixin was flattered. She felt his husband's gentleness and care, she really did but she was afraid –– afraid that it was all a dream and she'd find her heart breaking all over again when she awakes.
Ji Nanfeng: "..."
"I don't… if I want to buy… I… I have money too…" Mo Lixin replied weakly.
She had money in a sense. Her grandfather gave her money when she married and her grandfather-in-law and mother-in-law would give her pocket money regularly. And she's never spent it so she's sure she has many…