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Moonlight spilled over the land, adorning their silhouettes as the long wildflower-laden path beneath the stars seemed straight out of an Immortal Realm in a painting.

The air atop the small hill was extremely fresh, and at night the chirping of cicadas could be heard from the forest.

Quan Shaoqing turned his head to glance at Gu Xiaoxi, and upon seeing her rosy cheeks, he said with a leisurely smile, "I’ll take you to see the roses!"

"Don’t lie to me, the roses would have withered a month ago. I was just joking with you at that time." Gu Xiaoxi grabbed his hand, taking buoyant steps, as she followed Quan Shaoqing to the upstairs room.

"I’m not lying to you!" Quan Shaoqing turned his head and smiled, his face under the light becoming even more bewitchingly charming.

Gu Xiaoxi blinked her eyelashes, her cheeks involuntarily flushing red.

As their figures vanished at the stairwell, Lin Shu finished tidying the kitchen and looking towards the stairs, she smiled contentedly.

The couple’s demeanor was very well-matched; whether it was Quan Shaoqing or Gu Xiaoxi, both possessed a constant aura of deterrence. Even though Gu Xiaoxi appeared gentle and casual, the cool demeanor between her brows was impossible to overlook.

At least, that’s how Lin Shu saw them. They were not simple people.

Xiao Xiao, left behind by its owner, squatted at the doorway giving out two whiny barks in grievance.

Lin Shu walked over, reached out to pet Xiao Xiao and smiled, "Let’s go! I’ll take you to play with the ball. Time to digest and slim down a bit, otherwise winning the competition won’t be so easy."

The garden wasn’t far from the kitchen, so the sharp-eared could hear the conversation between Gu Xiaoxi and Quan Shaoqing.

She had aged, stepped off the stage of history, and what she could do now was to silently support the next generation of young people from behind, hoping they would shoulder the burden and guard this land.

Xiao Xiao wagged its tail and stood up, eager to please its owner, the master chef of its food.

It liked Gu Xiaoxi, and not just for her food. Its keen animal senses told it she was someone worth following.

As if it had been born just to wait for her arrival.

"Woo woo~" Xiao Xiao raised its head, emitting a howl akin to that of a wolf. It turned and followed Lin Shu out the door to a grassy area where many balls lay scattered.

As Lin Shu threw a ball, Xiao Xiao, upon receiving the command, immediately went and fetched it. Although she was older now, she had once been the proud owner of a Champion Dog, a member of the Special Forces combating terrorism, and had earned many honors.

*

At the door on the second floor, Gu Xiaoxi pinched the doorknob and gently pushed the door open.

The interior decoration was refreshing and elegant, uniformly white, matching with the white furniture, and even the sofa was snow white.

The only highlight was a light pink bed and a pale yellow one-meter-tall stuffed doll—which probably every twenty-year-old woman would adore.

The moment the door opened, Gu Xiaoxi smelled a faint fragrance of roses that instantly made her feel as though she was in a rose garden.

This scent was very natural and comfortable to smell.

Yet, her eyes swept across the room, and she saw not a single rose.

"Where are the flowers? Why is there only the scent of roses!" Gu Xiaoxi turned to look at Quan Shaoqing, her eyes full of confusion.

"Keep walking!" Quan Shaoqing pushed on Gu Xiaoxi’s shoulders, moved forward, and came to a beautiful incense burner.

He pointed at the aromatherapy lamp inside and explained, "The petals are processed into essential oils for aromatherapy.

It not only retains the scent but also preserves the essence. "

Gu Xiaoxi looked at the bottle of rose essential oil on the table, inhaling the room’s floral scent, and felt touched by the effort Quan Shaoqing went through to create something a woman would like, a grand production indeed.

"Do you like my idea, my future wife?" Quan Shaoqing suddenly embraced Gu Xiaoxi from behind, resting his chin on her shoulder and laughing as he asked.

His hot breath sprayed on the side of her face, causing her cheeks to tickle and her heart to tighten abruptly, her midsection’s embracing hands unwittingly throwing her heart into turmoil.

The aromatherapy lamp issued a faint smoky mist, filling the room with a rose scent comparable to fresh flowers.

Warm light in the room cast upon their elongated shadows.

Gu Xiaoxi’s face was already flushed through. She nervously grabbed his hand, not sure what to do, merely blurting out with shy anxiety, "Shameless! Who’s your future wife, get out. I want to rest."

As she spoke, she grasped his wrist, attempting to push him out of the room.

Quan Shaoqing, however, caught her hand, twisted it behind her back so he held it with one hand, and with the other, he lifted her chin, compelling her to look at him.

"Are you sure you want me to leave?" Those elongated eyes shimmered, the light in them flaring and dimming, captivating like a demon, melting one’s heart.

"So what else do you want?" Gu Xiaoxi’s cheeks were so red they seemed ready to drip blood. Her heart in turmoil, she quickly gulped and inwardly raged: Is he thinking something inappropriate for children again?

"To keep you company..." Quan Shaoqing spoke nonchalantly, but he hadn’t finished his sentence.

Gu Xiaoxi quickly struggled free of his grip, covering his mouth with one hand, her expression a mix of shyness and anger as she protested, "Who needs you to keep me company while sleeping?"

Quan Shaoqing: "!"

He suddenly couldn’t help but laugh, removing Gu Xiaoxi’s hand with eyes shining like dazzling colored glaze. "I meant, to watch a movie with you for a while. Don’t you want to watch?"

"Ah!" Gu Xiaoxi felt as if thunderstruck, her cheeks burning red enough to catch fire. Could it be that her thoughts were not suitable for children.

It was all Yeh Bai’s fault, that textbook had influenced her worldview.

Gu Xiaoxi came to her senses, and hastily pushed Quan Shaoqing out of the door, her movements rough and filled with embarrassed anger. "Go away, I’m going to sleep now. Bye!"

With that, she pulled the door and slammed it shut with a bang, leaving Quan Shaoqing outside.

She leaned against the door, gasping for breath. Covering her chest, she felt her heart might leap out, making a "thump thump thump" sound.

Gu Xiaoxi, overwhelmed with shame, suddenly covered her face and crouched on the ground, feeling too embarrassed to live.

So embarrassing.

Thinking back, how could she have calmly slept next to him with a blanket wrapped around them?

Now, on the contrary, she couldn’t and didn’t dare to do so.

The feeling that even getting a little closer was unbearably embarrassing.

Could this be what being in love feels like?

"Thump thump thump!" Knocking sounds came from behind her.

Gu Xiaoxi jumped in fright, hastily standing up from the ground, suppressing the excitement in her heart and asked with feigned calmness, "What is it?"

"I haven’t said good night to you!" Quan Shaoqing’s voice floated in through the crack in the door.

Gu Xiaoxi stood by the door, her cheeks still flushed like cooked shrimp, red and puffy. She tried hard to calm herself, not to think too much.

After a long while, she opened the door reluctantly and sluggishly.

Peeking through the crack, she saw Quan Shaoqing standing there, hands tucked into his suit pockets, his face under the light as fine as jade, with a hint of blush nearly imperceptible.

"Come out!" Quan Shaoqing narrowed his eyes, raising a hand and beckoning Gu Xiaoxi.

"Speak quickly if you have something to say!" Gu Xiaoxi mustered her courage, stepped forward—after all, she was not afraid of him.

She stood in front of him, only as tall as his shoulders. Before she could react, he bent down and gently kissed her forehead, then smiled and said, "Good night!"

Afterwards, whether he was embarrassed or perhaps because he was afraid she would be... he turned quickly and walked to the adjacent room, opening the door and entering.

Gu Xiaoxi stood still for a moment, and by the time she came to her senses, she covered her forehead. The faint warmth was still there, but the person was long gone.

"..." Gu Xiaoxi stood there dumbfound, at a loss for words. Was this a goodnight kiss?

She turned and looked at the firmly closed door beside her, a glimmer in her eyes.

Silently, she turned around and went back to her room.

For a long time afterwards, she could still feel the gentle touch of his lips, the warmth he left behind.

This kiss, shared when both were sober, he initiated it gently, pure and unadulterated, and it also included his respect for her.

Gu Xiaoxi hugged Big Bear, threw herself on the carpet, and rolled around, her mood couldn’t get any better.

Love is very sweet, probably just like this feeling.

Future husband!

Gu Xiaoxi, holding a light yellow panda, poked its little nose and giggled foolishly.

She thought the term ’future husband’ described Quan Shaoqing quite well.

Future wife and future husband!

Perhaps, in the future, she could ascend to the position of the lady of the house.

Suddenly sitting up from the ground, Gu Xiaoxi felt it was a sacred and inviolable status.

For her sacred and inviolable position, she decided, she would marry Quan Shaoqing and become his superior.