Yun Li hesitated before speaking. "The collaboration is quite complicated. Mr. Shen probably won't be back for a while." "..." "If you're feeling bored, I could take you out for a stroll." "No need." An Ruo recalled the man's instructions before he left. Though she wanted to go out, she feared his anger.
Her refusal reminded Yun Li of what happened that day. He had indeed been reckless, blurting out those words without thinking. Between any married couple, wouldn't anyone get angry if someone spoke ill of their spouse right in front of them?
"Are you mad at me?" Yun Li feared she might hold a grudge. Guilt surged in his eyes, his thick brows furrowing tightly. "It was my fault. I shouldn't have said those things to you."
An Ruo gave him an odd look, her eyes shifting casually. "I'm not mad at you."
If she were truly angry, she would have left with a cold face the moment he appeared. Why wait until now to let him finish speaking?
"Then why..." "Shen Xiaoxing said before he left that it's unsafe outside and told me not to wander around." "..." Yun Li's expression froze for a moment, then he let out a light laugh. "So you listen to him that much."
She seemed so independent, so why was she so obedient to this... flawed man? He didn't understand.
"I still have some influence in New Zealand. Don't worry, I can take you out and bring you back safely."
An Ruo glanced at him, then quickly lowered her head. Yun Li noticed her hesitation and tried to tempt her. "Today is Valentine's Day. There are lots of fun performances on the streets, and they've set up a food fair."
At the word "food," An Ruo could no longer suppress her craving. She cast another uneasy look at him.
"Can we get back before Shen Xiaoxing finishes work?"
Yun Li raised four fingers at her and said firmly, "I promise."
...
Yun Li hadn't lied to her. The streets were packed with people today, lively and bustling. The square had song and dance performances, and an entire street was lined with food stalls, the aroma wafting for miles!
February's Valentine's Day was a big deal abroad, with laughter and excitement everywhere.
An Ruo's mind was entirely on the food. Yun Li understood her well; whenever she stared at a stall for a few seconds, he would immediately step up and buy it for her.
Gradually, An Ruo let her guard down completely. They walked down the street chatting and laughing. When they came across a sugar figurine maker, Yun Li had the vendor craft a rabbit for her.
An Ruo was enjoying a street performance when a sugar figurine suddenly appeared in her line of sight. Her eyes widened in surprise. "This is..."
"A sugar figurine." Yun Li pointed to the stall, where a few people were gathered. He had queued up to buy it for her.
"You're born in the Year of the Rabbit, so I had them make a little white rabbit for you."
The girl's eyes sparkled with astonishment. "How did you know I'm a Rabbit?"
He smiled. "I know your age. Figuring out your Chinese zodiac sign isn't hard, is it?"
An Ruo let out a soft laugh. She had forgotten she'd told him her age during their introduction. Deducing the zodiac from that was indeed simple.
"It's lively over there. Want to go check it out?" "Sure."
The man signed his name on the contract, his handwriting bold and forceful, just like him.
Han Chong pressed the Bluetooth earpiece, listening to the message from the other end. He walked over and said quietly, "Young Master..."
The man handed over the contract. After confirming it was correct, he shook hands with Mr. Ende, exchanging pleasantries about their cooperation.
Once Mr. Ende had left, he turned to glance at Han Chong. Without the suit, he looked much more approachable.
"Get the car ready. Back to the hotel."
"Uh, Young Master..." Han Chong lowered his head and reported truthfully, "Ye Feng said the young mistress isn't at the hotel."
The man's handsome face instantly darkened. "Where did she go?"
"Master Bryce came by, said a few words to the young mistress, and then they left together."
Shen Xiaoxing closed his eyes tightly. When he opened them again, a cold sharpness flickered in his gaze. "I'm asking where she is now!"
"They went to Saka Square..." "Get the car!"
Han Chong didn't dare delay. He pushed him out of the meeting room quickly.
Meanwhile, An Ruo was doing crafts. They were at a pottery shop, experiencing the joy of making ceramic pieces. The owner taught her step by step, and she quickly got the hang of it.
Yun Li made a ceramic vase, using a carving knife to etch patterns onto it.
An Ruo, on the other hand, made a cup, also leaving a memento on it. She carved a few English letters: 【SXZ ♥ AR】.
Their rapport had loosened up, and Yun Li wanted to see what she had carved. But An Ruo seemed to anticipate this and covered it with her hand just in time.
He chuckled lightly. "So secretive?"
"No peeking."
This was meant for Shen Xiaoxing. She couldn't let him see it.
Their ceramic pieces were placed in the kiln for firing. While waiting, An Ruo spotted a Ragdoll cat curled up in a rocking chair, lazily basking in the sun.
She reached out to pet it. Finding that the cat didn't shy away from her, she grew bolder and slowly picked it up, starting to stroke it freely.
This was the owner's pet cat. She had noticed it the moment she entered the shop.
But the cat was a bit chubby, making it quite a handful to hold.
An Ruo sat down, letting the cat nestle on her lap.
Yun Li watched her, the smile on her lips deepening the dimples on her cheeks. For a moment, he stood frozen, lost in the sight.
He walked over. "You like cats?"
"Yeah." An Ruo smiled softly. "I used to have a stray cat..."
At the memory of that cat, the smile on An Ruo's lips slowly froze.
Back in middle school, she had found an injured orange cat on her way home. She took it to the vet, then secretly kept it in her room.
But one day, An Qing discovered it and beat the orange cat to death right in front of her.
She was so terrified she froze on the spot.
An Qing was only fifteen then, yet her heart was so cruel. She tortured a living creature until it breathed its last, without even blinking.
That was when An Ruo realized that An Qing had violent tendencies. Though she wasn't always sharp, she was truly ruthless!
Seeing the change in her expression, Yun Li asked cautiously, "What happened then?"
She said flatly, "It died."
An Ruo acted as if nothing had happened, continuing to stroke the cat in her arms. But the tenderness in her eyes had turned to coldness, her earlier good mood gone.
Yun Li thought she was grieving and wanted to comfort her, but then the wind chime at the door jingled, followed by the shop assistant's voice.
"Welcome."
He glanced over casually and saw Han Chong pushing a man with a cold, handsome face and an aura like a king, slowly approaching.
An Ruo, her long lashes lowered, was still lost in the sadness of that memory and didn't notice the man's sudden appearance.
Shen Xiaoxing stopped two meters away from them, his eyes fixed on the girl sitting in the chair petting the cat, with Yun Li standing calmly beside her. They looked like a couple.
His face darkened further. His voice low and cold, he said, "An Ruo."
He rarely called her by name, except when they first met.
Hearing his voice, An Ruo snapped out of it, looking up in a daze. Seeing him appear silently, she was momentarily stunned.
She put down the cat and walked over with a light smile. "Why are you here?"
The man's voice suddenly dropped, carrying immense chill. "Does Mrs. Shen mean that I'm interrupting your good time?"
[Want to see Mr. Shen get jealous?]