"Roy, you're back," Laila said, only realizing Roy was standing next to her when a shadow blocked the sunlight. Roy was smiling, revealing a set of white teeth.
The time spent by the seaside had darkened his skin. He had returned from filming 'Cold Mountain' not too pale, and now, the time spent on Golden Island had given him enviable tan skin.
However, Laila wasn't one to envy such things. Orientals generally appreciate fair skin, and she preferred a fair complexion over a deep tan. It was a bit strange – those with yellow skin often yearned for fair skin, while those naturally fair-skinned preferred a healthy, tan complexion. People were never satisfied.
"You're back," Roy greeted her with a hug. However, he accidentally got pricked by the flowers in her hands. "What are you doing?" he asked, rubbing his stung arm.
"The weather is nice today, and I wanted to cut some flowers to put in the room." Laila raised the bouquet in her hand. "Do they look pretty?"
Roy, captivated by her smile, nodded without much thought. "Beautiful."
Little did he know, he couldn't care less about the type of flowers she held. All he could see was her. During these days apart, he missed her a lot. Even though they didn't spend much time together when he was here, they often had meals together. But on Golden Island, apart from filming and the sea, he only had a photo of her in his pocket to alleviate his longing.
Suddenly, he froze. Looking at the large bouquet in her hands, he realized he had never given her flowers!
Oh no! Was he such an unromantic guy?
Realizing this, he felt an urge to give himself a few slaps. What made it worse was that he seemed to have no idea what kind of flowers his girlfriend liked!
Unforgivable!
"What's wrong?" Laila looked at his face, which was turning green and then white. "Are you feeling unwell?"
"No, I just realized I have no idea what kind of flowers you're holding." Roy pretended to be curious about the flowers as he plucked one from her hand. "What is this? It looks nice."
"Roses." Laila was somewhat speechless. Not recognizing even this flower, he was quite impressive.
Roy also realized he had asked a stupid question and felt on the verge of crying. Of course, he knew what a rose was. He just randomly picked one and didn't pay attention to the variety. Without checking, he found that pretending not to recognize this flower seemed to be the only variety he could identify.
"Cough." He could only awkwardly clear his throat. "Aren't roses red and white? Why are there other colors on the petals?"
Laila thought he genuinely didn't recognize them, so she explained seriously, "It's because they are different varieties. These are multicolored flowers, but usually, flower shops sell single-colored ones. Although they look different, they belong to the same species."
In English, whether it's a red rose or a white rose, they are all referred to as "Roses." So, she saved herself from explaining that the roses sold in flower shops are usually not very attractive.
"I see." Roy nodded. "Do you like these flowers?"
"Of course, is there a woman who doesn't like them?" Looking at the bouquet in her hand, Laila's mood brightened like the beautiful flowers. Of course, it could also be because she was happy to see someone return. However, she would never say it out loud.
But Roy, seeing her smile, believed that she really liked roses.
"Wait a moment, I'll be right back." He kissed her on the cheek and ran towards the door.
The sudden move left Laila stunned, wondering what he was up to.
He left in a hurry and returned quickly. The difference was that when he left, he was empty-handed, but when he returned, he was holding a bouquet of red roses that almost overwhelmed him.
"Here you go." Roy, blocked by the roses, couldn't see Laila's expression. He awkwardly tried to hand her the flowers.
Putting down what she was holding, Laila took the bouquet with a slightly dazed expression. "What is this?"
"Red roses." Roy gave flowers for the first time. Although he felt he was finally a bit romantic, looking at her struggling to hold the flowers, he felt like he had been fooled by the shop assistants. "Let me help you take them inside."
Laila smiled and followed him into the house. She asked the servant to take the flowers and put them in a vase. Then, she handed him a tissue. "Wipe your sweat; why did you run so fast?"
"It's okay, mainly because the weather is a bit hot." Roy wiped his face casually.
Soon, the servant brought the flowers in a beautiful vase. The large bouquet was placed in the vase, and the fragrance of roses instantly filled the entire spacious living room, making it wonderful.
Laila gently touched a red, vibrant flower. "Why did you suddenly think of buying flowers? And how many did you buy?"
"The shop assistant said each type of flower has its meaning. I initially wanted to buy yellow ones, thinking you look beautiful in yellow. But they told me yellow roses aren't suitable for girlfriends, and red roses represent 'I love you.' They recommended I buy 99 red roses, symbolizing everlasting love." Roy scratched his head, feeling incredibly foolish. "Originally, they also recommended 999 roses, but I couldn't handle that many."
Imagining the scene at that time, Laila couldn't help but smile. "Thank you, I really like them." It was the first time in her two lifetimes that she received flowers, and she felt like she would remember today until the day she died.
Roy breathed a sigh of relief, also smiling. As long as she liked them, it didn't matter even if he acted a bit foolish.
Long time no see, and it seemed like there were endless things to say. However, for busy people like them, finding personal time was incredibly challenging.
Not long after Roy returned, the designers from Burberry arrived. They were there to fit Roy's clothes for the Oscars tomorrow.
Because he had been away for several months, today was the only chance for him to personally try on the clothes. Fortunately, his body hadn't changed much, and with good maintenance, the previous measurements were still accurate. Trying on the clothes wasn't just about size; it was also about figuring out the accessories to match the outfit.
The atmosphere at the Oscars was more formal and serious, a dignified venue. Celebrities usually dress more conservatively and formally than at other events like the Golden Globes, aiming for elegance rather than grabbing attention.