A wave of tumultuous emotions washed over Liling as she finally realized that Little Bun was, in fact, Li Hao's son.
Her heart swelled with joy at the thought of seeing him every day. She could already imagine his sweet smile and infectious laughter.
How on earth had she not known this from the beginning? The familiar aura she had recognized was Li Hao's. She felt slow and almost couldn't process the information.
Li Hao held back his amusement seeing her in disbelief. He hadn't realized that they had already met each other.
"So are you coming with us ?"
She shook her head to collect her thoughts. "Yes, I'll be done in five minutes"
"We'll wait"
She let them in for Little Bun's sake and continued packing up with Shen Ru.
******************************
Liling stared listlessly out of the car's backseat window, and out to the panoramic view of rolling trees, rocks, and the cloudless pale blue sky,
The three sat silently in the backseat of Li Hao's car as his assistant drove them home,
She stared down at Little Bun's gentle sleeping face, he had refused to be separated from her and had fallen asleep sitting and hugging her.
She turned her attention to her left where Li Hao sat with his laptop on his lap concentrating as he clicked away.
He had a stoic expression, but she couldn't help but notice the graceful movements of his long fingers.
His knuckles were slightly protruding, giving his hands a delicate appearance. Veins snaked over his pale skin, adding to their elegance.
His nails were perfectly trimmed. The only words she could think to describe them was 'beautiful'. She could easily picture them dancing over piano keys, moving with fluidity and precision.
Her gaze traversed his face, admiring the deep furrows of concentration etched into his brow.
The elegant contours of his features were chiselled and defined, and she couldn't help but marvel at the complexity and beauty of his face.
"Like what you see?", he spoke up abruptly surprising her,
A small, mischievous smirk played across his lips as he turned to face her. He had caught her staring at him long ago, but the intensity of her gaze still surprised him.
His eyes twinkled with amusement and he couldn't resist teasing her, maybe he could get a more involved reaction from her.
She sent a sharp glare his way before turning away and facing the window again.
He chuckled at her reaction, knowing he had successfully rattled her. He couldn't deny the surge of satisfaction he felt being able to provoke such a strong response from Liling.
It was exhilarating to see her fiery spirit beneath that composed facade.
As the car continued, she tried to ignore his gaze on her, focusing instead on the rhythmic hum of the engine and the passing scenery outside.
Little Bun stirred in his sleep, cuddling closer to Liling as if sensing her inner turmoil. She gently stroked his hair, finding solace in his innocent presence. Despite the tumult of emotions swirling within her, one thing was certain - she cared deeply for this little boy who had unknowingly captured her heart.
The car finally stopped in front of a grand villa, and Li Hao stepped out, his laptop tucked securely under his arm. Liling followed suit, Little Bun in hand.
The villa stood like a proud beast, its modern and imposing facade commanding attention and admiration. It stood tall with ornate columns and intricate stonework that highlighted its grandeur. The windows were large with a modern take allowing sunlight to pour in offering a glimpse of the lavish interior that awaited inside.
The gardens surrounding the villa were meticulously manicured, with vibrant flowers and lush greenery adding to the overall opulence of the villa. It was a sight to behold, a masterpiece of architecture and design.
A middle-aged lady soon approached them with a joyful look and apologized to her about the inconvenience of having to carry the little master, but Liling just waved it off with a small smile " It's okay, it's not an issue".
The woman introduced herself as Mrs Cho, the housekeeper, and Liling gave a small bow of the head as a greeting before introducing herself.
Mrs Cho smiled seeing this, she had taken a liking to her.
Li Hao walked over to them a few minutes later after finalizing a few matters with his assistant. The four went in and Li Hao suggested giving her the tour.
Liling had no qualms and followed silently, mentally taking notes of the rooms in the house.
They got to her room last, up the winding staircase and through the walls of a wide hall.
Her room was large, in shades of beige and white, and a king-sized bed was set against a beige-coloured full-length wall also serving as the headboard. Just opposite it was an ensuite similarly designed, classy with grey marble.
There was a door leading to the fully rugged walk-in closet with a white elegant and modern-designed dressing table and a dramatic circular mirror. The cupboards were white and of different sizes, and her luggage had already been left there.
She stood at the door, taking it all in.
So this was her life for the next 4 years.