Elder Zhou was happy to see the couple get along well but they seem to have forgotten that he was also there, sitting in the sofa right across them, feeling nauseous of their dog food bonanza.
"I'm still here you know", he reminded. "If your purpose in visiting me is this, then don't visit from now on. I don't want any more of your dog food."
Zhou Yuexi felt shy at her grandfather's words. Zhang Yixing on the other hand just acted as though nothing happened and still exuded his usual indifferent air.
Noticing Zhang Yixing's response, Elder Zhou just shook his head and smiled to his self. He was reminded of someone he used to know with Zhang Yixing's attitude... him. When he was younger it was his exact way of dealing with things, being arrogant and overpowering to everyone so that he won't get stepped on. But when it came to his wife, all his aloof and dogmatic demeanor just disappears on thin air, becoming an entirely different person.
"Sorry to tell you grandfather but we agreed to go here and visit you every Sunday, whether you like it or not.", Zhang Yixing said while chuckling lightly at the old man.
"Whatever.", Elder Zhou responded.
Zhou Yuexi tried to copy her husband's indifference and raised her head to face her grandfather. "Is there anything you want? I'll make it and give it to you next Sunday.", she asked.
Elder Zhou looked at Zhou Yuexi and answered. "I already to you, I don't want anything. You young ones being here to visit me is already enough. There's really no need to give me a gift. But if you insist on giving me one...", the old man trailed off then cheekily grinned at his granddaughter and grandson-in-law. "I'd prefer a great grandchild."
Zhou Yuexi's lips twitched when she heard her grandfather's request. "What great grandchild?! I just got married two days ago and now he's already asking for a great grandchild?!", Zhou Yuexi thought to her self exasperatedly.
Zhang Yixing was pretty shocked himself with the sudden idea of having children. He was never good children, and never in his life did he imagine taking care of one but with Zhou Yuexi now in his life, he finds himself imagining a cute little girl who looks exactly like his wife.
"What is it like to have a child? I hope if we ever have one, it takes after Yuexi. That child would surely be the cutest thing on earth next to Yuexi.", he concluded as he pictured what their future family would look like.
"We'll work on it grandfather.", Zhang Yixing answered the old man with all smiles.
When Zhang Yixing's words reached Zhou Yuexi's ears, she instantaneously looked at him with wide eyes. "What?!", she almost screamed but not loud enough for Elder Zhou to hear.
Elder Zhou was delighted with his answer and he couldn't help but smile from eye to eye. "Good... Good... I want one as soon as possible. You know, I'm not getting any younger and my health is not that good."
Zhou Yuexi wanted to refute but shut her mouth up when she heard her grandfather's words. She had to swallow her complaints she wanted to say because even though she was against the idea of having a child, she would always prioritize her grandfather and his requests.
"How many do you want darling?", Zhang Yixing said then pulled Zhou Yuexi by her waist and whispered in her ears. "Don't complain, just play along. This is what makes grandfather happy. Even if you are not happy with it, you have to act like you are."
"Hehe, I don't know darling. Maybe a son and a daughter.", Zhou Yuexi answered awkwardly.
"A son and daughter it is.", Zhang Yixing answered dotingly then whispered something on Zhou Yuexi's ears. "Or more."
Zhou Yuexi's face quickly reddened with the suggestive idea of Zhang Yixing and she instinctively smacked her husband's chest in reproach.
"You two! Go away!", the old man shooed. "I thought I just told you not to display your affection in front of me. Did I not?"
Zhang Yixing just laughed at the elder's remarks. "Nah, we're staying. We brought groceries so we can cook you lunch."
"Right!", Zhou Yuexi seconded. "Grandpa, you are going to regret it if you send us off without having a taste of darling's cooking! I swear, he's even better than Nana Esther."
Elder Zhou doesn't really want to send them away, he just kidding with them. However, what surprised him was the fact that his granddaughter praised someone's cooking and labeled it even better that Nana Esther's.
When Zhou Yuexi first came to the Zhou Family Villa, she was severely suffering from PTSD and it was a hard task to feed her. She would often just stare at her food, play with it for a few seconds then stare at it again until Elder Zhou finishes his food. After he's finished she would bow to him, stand up and leave then lock her self up in her room.
Nana Esther was Zhou Yuexi's personal maid and was the only person whose cooking passed Zhou Yuexi's taste. She is a Filipina but she is well versed in Chinese cuisine, reason for Zhou Yuexi to love her personally made dishes. However, Zhou Yuexi's weak appetite came back when Nana Esther left to go back home to her family in the Philippines because of old age. Ever since then, she ate as little as a bird and the first time she ever enjoyed eating again was when Zhang Yixing cooked for her.
...
Noon came and Zhang Yixing made lunch for the three of them
Elder Zhou was impressed with his cooking skills so agreed with Zhou Yuexi's praise for Zhang Yixing's skills in the kitchen, what he cooked really was good.
After lunch, Elder Zhou sent the couple off at the expense that he wanted to take a rest.
...
When the two arrived at Regal Palace, it was just two in the afternoon.
"Do you have work tomorrow?", Zhang Yixing asked as he placed their bags in the sofa in their bedroom.
Zhou Yuexi was sitting in front of her vanity table removing her make up. "Yes, I'll be at Empire for the whole week. Why?", she answered.
"I will drop you off then. I want to know how it feels like to send my wife off to work.", he kidded then he stood behind her, bent over a little to match with Zhou Yuexi's sitting height and looked at their reflection in the vanity mirror. "We look great together. Don't you think?"
Zhou Yuexi looked at the vanity mirror and agreed with Zhang Yixing's comment. "I think so, too. But I don't like standing next to you."
"Really? Why?", Zhang Yixing's brows knitted at his wife's remarks and stared into her eyes through the mirror.
"You are so good looking that I kinda look like a potato next to you. You are so stunning that you grab everybody's attention while I look like an ornament or some display hanging about.", Zhou Yuexi answered while staring right back at him.
Hearing Zhou Yuexi's compliment on his visual boosted Zhang Yixing's pride. It gave him satisfaction that his wife found him attractive. What he didn't like was how Zhou Yuexi looked down on her self.
Zhang Yixing flipped Zhou Yuexi's chair around to make her face him, which made Zhou Yuexi startled and gasp on the sudden movement. He then knelt down in front of her and held both her shoulders. "Listen darling. You are not a potato next to me or next to anybody, it's the other way around. You are beautiful, stunning, gorgeous, pretty, lovely, charming, and more attractive than you think you are.", he said sincerely.
He looked straight to Zhou Yuexi's eyes in all seriousness, trying to make her feel the sincerity in his words. However, Zhou Yuexi's low self esteem is rooted way too deep that she doesn't take compliments seriously and thinks that those are only lies made to make her feel better. "You're only saying that, I'm not reall..."
"I'm not just saying this, I meant what I just said.", Zhang Yixing cut her off. "You think too low of your self. I'm an extremely picky person and I never settle for anything if it's not the best that there is. There's a reason why I agreed to marry you on such short notice. Ever wondered why?"
Zhou Yuexi bowed her head and bit her lower lip then asked, "Why?".
Zhang Yixing removed his hands on his wife's shoulders to hold her chin and raise raise her head. Even so, Zhou Yuexi kept her eyes away from him with a reason she herself was not sure what is.
"Hey, look at me.", Zhang Yixing called out.
"Darling, look at me.", he repeated. "Don't make me repeat myself thrice, darling. It makes me want to kiss you till you can't take your eyes off of me."
When Zhou Yuexi heard her husband's threats, she immediately looked at him and was overwhelmed with the intensity his eyes were exuding.
"Good. Now remember everything that I will tell you. There are thousands or millions of beautiful women out there that are more than willing to marry me but I chose none of them. I chose you because you are way better than all other women that I know. I chose you because for me you are different from all the women I have met. I chose you because you are not just a pretty face, you are capable which makes more attractive to me. I don't settle for something less, I always want the best, and the reason I chose to marry is because you are the best one for me. Got that?", Zhang Yixing assured.
Zhou Yuexi just nodded absentmindedly, she was way too overwhelmed to answer. Knowing that Zhang Yixing was not just saying those to comfort her but was sincere with every word he said, she was really touched. Her eyes were slightly misty as she was really moved with how much her husband valued her.
Growing up, she faced difficult situations and met people that made her think lowly of her self and lose her self esteem. The only person that uses to reassure her of her worth was Elder Zhou and Zhang Qingyu but she always thought that they were just trying to comfort her, she never took their words to heart. So now, hearing such comments made her feel wanted.
Zhang Yixing noticed her reaction and it made him want to embrace her, so he did.
On the other hand, Zhou Yuexi regained her consciousness when Zhang Yixing hugged her. She was never a cuddle-person but whenever Zhang Yixing holds her in his arms she doesn't feel any kind of repulsion to the new sensation. Instead, she kind of enjoy the feeling so she hugged her husband back and whispered, "Thank you.".
"It's always my pleasure to make you feel that you are the best woman in the world and that you deserve that best things this world could ever offer.", Zhang Yixing answered then pulled the two of them to stand up.
"Let's go to my study. I want to talk to you about something.", he said.