“I’m back.” Yu Heng said, entering the house.
Every time he returned to their home these were the words he would say, it became his most favorite phrase.
Yu Heng tossed the briefcase on the sofa, loosened his tie, and followed the aroma to the kitchen. Spotting Qiao Xuan, he embraced her from behind.
“What’s cooking today? What a delicious aroma.” Yu Heng rested his chin on her shoulder.
The first thing he would do after coming home was to go to the kitchen to hold Qiao Xuan, and disturb her cooking. This was the greatest pleasure in his life.
Usually Qiao Xuan would shoo him away while coquettishly ask him to stop bothering her, however today she ignored him and didn’t say anything, just quietly letting him embrace.
“Why? Mood is not good? I came back tired today, you can’t even say a word to me?” Yu Heng didn’t like being ignored, complaining like a child.
“No, just a little tired today. Wash your hands first, dinner is ready.” Qiao Xuan looked tiredly at him with one eye, then pushed away his hands from her waist.
Yu Heng felt something was wrong.
“Not feeling well? If you’re not comfortable, just tell me.” Yu Heng worriedly touched her forehead.
“Really okay, you go wash up for dinner.” In order not to let Yu Heng continue to worry about her, she squeezed out a weak smile.
“Oh, good.” Yu Heng hesitantly glanced at her, but in the end still listen to her.
After he walked into the bathroom, Qiao Xuan’s smile suddenly collapsed.
She had decided not to greet him at the restaurant, but chose to leave quietly instead.
On the road home, she was like a lifeless doll. Dumping the groceries on the dining table, she sat in the living room thinking for a long time.
She had been thinking, between her and Ji Yu Heng, what was their relationship?
Because of the debt and because she loved him, she didn’t think and stupidly agreed to his conditions. Following him to Taipei and moved in with him.
Now in retrospect, was she too naive?
She had always believed that as long as she didn’t disturb the status quo, sooner or later, she would become his wife in every way, in name and in standing.
But today she found that idea was simply ridiculous!
With his status? Fu Hua’s General Manager?! In what way had she ever thought that she could be a match for him? It was all her imagination. Why did he give her all of this anyway?
If he really loved her, he should just say so, instead of stringing her along!
She was not a maid, was not a small wife, she was just a plaything he used to kill the time while he found someone suitable.
Coming to this realization, Qiao Xuan suddenly felt really tired, but she couldn’t let him see her like this.
She’d accepted his help, so it was necessary to play this role. If she accidentally revealed her feelings, he’d no doubt be unhappy.
She will do her part, if only for him to be happy.
As for herself, at the end of this, she will go home to her B & B.
“I’m finished.” Yu Heng turned off the lights in the bathroom to return to the kitchen.
The table was already set for dinner.
“We can eat after the rice is done.” Qiao Xuan handed him the utensils.
“Alright, I’ll tell you when it’s done and we’ll eat together.”
“Okay.” Since Yu Heng spoke, she will rely on him.
Not long after, the rice was done, the braised lion head was set in the middle of the table and the utensils were in place. The two sat down to eat.
“You worked hard, eat a little more.” Seeing him not reaching for his chopsticks, Qiao Xuan took the initiative to help put some food in his bowl.
She’d made the special trip to buy him the braised lion head, so she still wanted him to eat a little.
Yu Heng usually could eat two, three lion heads, it was his favorite after all, but today he suddenly had a change in appet.i.te. The more Qiao Xuan placed a piece in his bowl, the more he wanted to put it back.
“Well, no, I don’t want to eat any today. The lion head, put it away for tomorrow night.”
That afternoon, he and his blind date had braised lion head. To continuously have it two meals in a row was really a bit greasy.
“Oh.” Yu Heng’s words stopped her in midair.
Yes, she’d forgotten, he might have eaten it this afternoon, how could he have it again?
The special trip she’d made to buy him the braised lion head suddenly had no value.
Qiao Xuan bowed her head, quietly eating. Two tears suddenly fell without warning.
“You, what wrong?” Seeing her tears, Yu Heng was surprised and immediately put down the chopsticks. Coming around the table, he crouched down next to her.
“Everything’s alright.” Qiao Xuan said nothing more, but more tears poured out.
She rushed to get away before he saw her out of control.
Really, didn’t she agree not to cry in front of him? Why she couldn’t help…
“Qiao Xuan, tell me what happened!” Yu Heng stopped her.
“I’m fine, don’t worry. If the day comes when you meet your destiny and decided to marry her, as long as you tell me, I’ll absolutely not pester you.” Qiao Xuan wiped away tears, sobbing.
“What are you talking about?”
“Were you not a blind date today? When I went to buy the braised lion head, I accidentally saw you. I know I’m not in the position to say anything, but…” She couldn’t finish her words, because Yu Heng suddenly mercilessly hugged her.
“Fool.”
So she saw him this afternoon!
Ah, he was really careless. He should have known something was wrong when he came home. Between the braised lion head tonight for dinner and her aloofness today, how did he miss the connection?
“Why didn’t you come say anything? Why sneak away? Why be secretly sad?”
The thought of her alone bearing these emotions, Yu Heng felt wretched.
“I am not qualified to interfere ah.”
“Who says you’re not!” Yu Heng looked at her firmly. “You can be mad, yell or scream, you can also tell me to ignore the woman and immediately go home with you.”
“But, how do I do that?”
“You’re my woman, if you can’t do that, then who can!” Yu Heng yelled in frustration.
“Huh? You, what did you say?” Qiao Xuan couldn’t believe her ears, did she hear wrong?
“Yu Qiao Xuan, you listen me. You are Ji Yu Heng’s woman, and I’m your man. No one can intervene between the two of us, including the woman you saw this afternoon. She’s not my destiny. She’s someone I agreed to have lunch a meal with to placate my Mom!” Yu Heng said seriously.
“I…” His statement made her scared.
What did he say? She was his woman?
So his declaration means he’s serious?
“Are you serious? You’re not fooling me?” Qiao Xuan couldn’t believe it.
“Of course I am, fool.” Yu Heng touched her cheeks. “After coming back from Yilan, I haven’t been on any dates. Today’s meal was promised a long time ago. My Mom pushed for the meal so I reluctantly agreed. This is the last time, in the future I won’t do such a thing!”
Since they came back from Yilan, he’d been treating her as his fiancée, making plans for their future. Besides purchasing a home together, he was considering taking her to meet his Mom.
He was in the habit of making all the decisions, forgetting that there are two people in this relationship. If he’d told her earlier, maybe it wouldn’t have provoked her.
“But, why me?” Qiao Xuan felt a bit better, but was still very practical. “I’m not a rich princess, not ladylike, I’m just a country girl from Yilan…”
“Qiao Xuan.” Yu Heng helplessly sighed, “Why do you think I wanted to help your family with the debt? Do you think your family owed a small amount? Even if I needed that much cash, it wouldn’t be that easy.”
“I…” Qiao Xuan was rendered speechless.
“When I took the helm of Fu Hua I haven’t been home once. Because I met you, I decided I didn’t want to live a nomadic life anymore. I bought the house so we could build a nest together. Do you think this kind of thing is easy to do if I wasn’t serious?”
Yu Heng shocked Qiao Xuan so much she couldn’t move. She was filled with too many emotions, she couldn’t say a word.
“But… Why do you love me? Why do you want to do all this for me?” Not that she didn’t believe him, but this happiness was too great, she became inevitably more cautious.
“Oh, it seems you really have forgotten me.” Yu Heng rubbed her head, smiling.
“Huh?!” What is he talking about? What had she forgotten?
“Do you remember the toy on my desk? Actually it belonged to a little girl a long time ago. The little girl ah, grew up much like a boy. Out of a sense of obligation, she saw me in a bad mood, and one day pulled me out to play. When I had to leave their home I was very reluctant, so her Dad gave me the toy as a souvenir.”
“Oh.” Qiao Xuan stared at him with big eyes, remembering. “…It’s you who stole my toy!”
“Oh, I stole? It was your Dad who gave it tome.”
“Anyway, when I returned home from school it was gone!” Qiao Xuan protested.
After so many years, she finally found the thief.
“Well, to be fair you also stole something from me, so we are considered even.”
“What did I steal?” Qiao Xuan was dumbfounded.
“This.” Yu Heng took her hand and placed it on his chest, “you stole my heart.”
“Yu Heng…” Qiao Xuan felt his heart beating through her palm to her body.
“When I first met you, I was attracted to you. When you acted out of protocol as an employee, I didn’t punish you, but gave you special treatment. When I discovered you’d left without saying good-bye, I was aware that I’d fallen in love with you. That’s why I especially went to Yilan to bring you back. Is that just playing with you?”
Qiao Xuan was really moved by his confession.
Holding tightly to his waist, she buried her face in his solid chest.
“Why didn’t say anything before?”
“Who taught you to lie to me before, I was settling a score.”
“Hateful!” Qiao Xuan punched him as show of punishment.
“Well, I admit that this is my fault, I didn’t tell you earlier and caused you to misunderstand.”
“I know.” Qiao Xuan mumbled.
Qiao Xuan suddenly thought of another important thing.
“You just said you went on the blind date to placate your Mom. Does that mean your Mom won’t accept me as a daughter-in-law?” In her memories, Yu Heng’s Mom was an elegant woman. Although polite and amiable, but not as easy to be close with.
“Well, could be.” Yu Heng nodded.
“What should we do?” Qiao Xuan sounded like a deflated ball.
“Don’t worry, I have a way.”
“Really? What way?”
“Come here.” Yu Heng suddenly pulled her in front of the windows.
“Why?” Qiao Xuan looked him in a confused manner.
“Turn around.”
From behind her he suddenly put his arms around her, kissing her neck, his hands reaching in to caress her b.r.e.a.s.t.s.
“Ah! Yu Heng, what are you doing…? Ah…” Qiao Xuan was taken by surprise, but she was also excited.
They were in the kitchen. What if neighbors saw what they were doing?
“You asked what if my Mom doesn’t accept you? I’m going to do my best for you ah.” Yu Heng said, while removing her underwear.
“Tell me seriously, what you are thinking… Ah… Don’t…” She really hated when he deliberately teased her like this.
“My Mom doesn’t actually ask too much of a daughter-in-law. If we hurry to give her a baby, she will certainly love you to death.”
“Ah… Ah…” Yu Heng was such a tease.
For their bright future, they now had to start the “hard” work ah.