Model couple

She is married

"A rare beauty indeed. Who among us dares to approach her?"

"She seems distant, probably not fond of being approached."

"Don’t be intimidated. Some people just appear aloof but are actually quite approachable. Besides, you might never get another chance with someone like her. What if she takes a fancy to you? Seize the moment."

Encouraging each other, one of them finally succumbed to the temptation and stood up. However, before he could get close, someone else had already taken the initiative.

"Young couples are often like that, arguing on the street because they’re not mature enough."

Hearing the unfamiliar man's voice, Wen Hua turned around. A man in a vested suit sat across from her, his hair slicked back in a successful businessman’s style.

"I wasn’t watching them."

Of course, quarreling couples weren't something someone like her would find interesting.

"Oh, you were enjoying the view. It is indeed lovely from here, the best spot in the restaurant."

Wen Hua glanced at him, "I was watching a single dog."

The man paused, seemingly pondering if her words had a deeper meaning.

Wen Hua slightly curved her lips and turned her head, "That golden retriever looks so well-behaved."

Following her gaze, he saw a little golden retriever tied to a lamppost five meters away from the quarreling couple. The dog lay there obediently, its innocent and curious eyes fixed on the arguing pair, its expression both attentive and intrigued.

The little fellow was undoubtedly bewildered by the dramatic emotional exchange of the human couple.

The man was captivated by her slightly smiling expression. A woman with an air of aloofness softened up was truly enchanting.

Her serene and composed demeanor, along with her subtle expressions while speaking, made men forget her words and simply focus on her.

"One can tell you find beauty in everyday life. People must often tell you that you have an interesting soul, right?"

"My husband has said so."

The man was taken aback, "You’re married?"

"I have a child who’s old enough to run errands," Wen Hua said with a puzzled expression. "May I ask if there was something you needed?"

The man remained silent, and she continued politely, "I’m sorry, but this seat is reserved for someone."

She managed the situation gracefully, without making the man feel awkward. Their conversation, neither too loud nor too soft, was just enough for attentive listeners to hear. After he left, no one else attempted to approach her.

As she neared the end of her coffee, the person she was waiting for still hadn't arrived. She was about to send a message when one came through.

"Hua Hua, I can’t make it. I heard there’s a show at Happy Valley in Luzhou tonight. Going for some quality time with my husband."

As expected, Luo Qingyu had ditched her again for love. It didn’t matter if she came or not; Wen Hua mainly wanted to see her little nephew!

She texted: "Leave the child."

"Of course, can’t have a third wheel on a date. The kid is with Ting Yue. He’ll drop him off tonight."

"Have a lovely evening with my cousin-in-law."

Luo Qingyu sent a series of bashful emojis: "You don’t know the joy of having a husband~~"

"Keep neglecting your little one and he might start calling me mom."

"Aunt counts as mom too."

Wen Hua found that reasonable. When her nephew arrived, she’d make him call her mom a few times for fun. As she was thinking this, her beloved little nephew arrived, carried by Ting Yue.

The child nestled in Ting Yue’s arms, his big dark eyes immediately lighting up upon seeing her. He stretched out his little arms for a hug, and Wen Hua’s expression visibly softened.

"Sweetheart."

Holding the soft little boy on her lap, Wen Hua’s eyes filled with warmth.

"Did you miss me?"

The little one, having only recently learned to talk, could only manage simple words. Seeing his gentle aunt, his joy was written all over his face. His chubby little hands couldn’t stop touching her face, and in his slightly unclear baby voice, he said, "Miss~"

Wen Hua gazed at him indulgently, unable to resist kissing his pudding-soft cheek. "I missed you too."

"Would you like a little cake?"

The little one earnestly nodded his head.

From the other end of the table, Ting Yue spoke up, "He just ate a lot. He shouldn’t have any more."

Upon hearing this, Wen Hua patted the little one's belly, which was indeed as round as a little ball. She gently tapped his nose, "Since you've eaten so much, you can't have more now. You’ll feel uncomfortable if you overeat. How about we have some tomorrow? I'll get you a cake with lots of strawberries."

"Okay."

So well-behaved, not a hint of fuss. He wasn’t just a son; he was her little treasure.

After playing with her little treasure for a while, it was half-past nine, his bedtime. Wen Hua took him home to sleep.

At the cashier, she was told that someone had already paid for her table.

She turned to Ting Yue, "Was it you?"

"No."

"It was the gentleman at the table behind yours."

She glanced around the restaurant, but the seats around her previous spot were now empty. She hadn't noticed anyone at the table behind her.

When she arrived, the table was vacant. She had no idea when the person came or left.

The cashier added, "He was very tall."

She wanted to say he was also very handsome, but seeing Wen Hua's husband nearby, she thought better of it. It was a pity, though. That gentleman was indeed handsome. Who would have guessed the beautiful lady was not only married but had a child so grown.

The handsome man must have felt heartbroken upon discovering that the woman he fancied was already married. His previously icy expression was indeed intimidating, a cold and handsome man—such an alluring sight.

Yet, this beauty’s husband was equally remarkable, leaving nothing to regret.

In the spacious presidential suite, the office area was lined with floor-to-ceiling glass, offering a panoramic view of Luzhou’s most bustling district.

Despite the room's temperature-controlled system, a chilling coldness pervaded, like oppressive dark clouds, creating a stifling atmosphere.

Yu Jinnan stood by, his back stiff, hardly daring to breathe.

The man behind the desk was impeccably dressed in a suit, a lock of hair falling over his thick brows. He reviewed the documents with a focused gaze, his handsome face devoid of any extraneous expression, appearing as composed as ever.

Yu Jinnan knew his boss merely concealed his emotions. The sharp lines of his features clearly indicated that Mr. Xi was in an exceptionally foul mood.

He had no idea what had happened. Bringing up a report had landed him in this tense atmosphere, a stroke of bad luck indeed.

Mr. Xi was terrifying today, just like during the car chase this afternoon… Wait! He seemed to have figured something out.

They had followed the young lady here, and Mr. Xi’s mood had only worsened throughout the afternoon, indicating one thing: Mr. Xi had probably witnessed something particularly upsetting.

The longer Mr. Xi perused the documents, the more anxious Yu Jinnan became. Would he be asked to redo it? He had painstakingly worked on it for days and nights. As Mr. Xi’s assistant, he not only handled official matters but also managed various personal tasks, his time always stretched thin. The more silent Mr. Xi remained, the more uncertain he felt.

Finally, just when he thought his legs would go numb, Mr. Xi handed the document back to him without a word.

Yu Jinnan licked his dry lips and tentatively asked, "Is there anything that needs improvement?"

"Increase the font size next time."

"…Alright."

Was this really Mr. Xi? Was he hallucinating?

Seeing him standing there, Mr. Xi asked, "Is there anything else?"

"No."

"Then leave."

Relieved from the earlier tension, Yu Jinnan left the room feeling somewhat dazed. Despite the intense pressure he had just felt, Mr. Xi’s demeanor had carried an unfamiliar hint of sorrow, though his voice remained steady, as if everything was a mere figment of Yu Jinnan’s imagination.

An enigmatic man indeed.

After walking a few steps, he encountered Wen Hua. Seeing the baby in her arms, a realization struck him hard. So that's how it is.

The person Mr. Xi had kept in his heart for so many years not only was found but had a child now. He couldn't imagine how he would handle such a revelation, yet Mr. Xi managed to continue his work without any outward sign of distress.

In retrospect, he shuddered at the thought of having dared to approach Mr. Xi under such circumstances! That Mr. Xi hadn’t taken out his emotions on him was a testament to his professionalism and fairness as a superior.

By the floor-to-ceiling windows of the presidential suite, the man on the sofa had eyes as deep as icy pools, impenetrable and dark. The crimson glow at his fingertips flickered in the darkness, failing to dispel the pervasive coldness.

The crystal ashtray overflowed with cigarette butts. The man sat there, seemingly gazing into the void, or perhaps at nothing at all. The dim light behind him barely revealed his inscrutable, handsome face. On closer inspection, his profound eyes harbored a barely contained melancholy.

He sat like a statue for a long time, so long that the burning cigarette singed his hand, and the cold whites of his eyes became bloodshot.

Xi Mo took a drag, attempting to use the intense sensation to suppress the overwhelming ache in his chest. This feeling wasn’t new; for years, just the thought of her brought this sour, painful swell. But this time, the flood of emotions was so powerful it almost overwhelmed him.

He hadn't known emotions could swell to such a degree. In one day, his heart had been in turmoil, with his emotions swinging wildly. The joy of seeing her hadn’t even settled before he was hit with an unexpected, soap opera-like revelation.

With a self-mocking smile, his eyes darkened with indifference.

Wen Hua.

Murmuring her name brought an immediate, reflexive heartache, an unavoidable pang of regret and longing.

Married.

In his memories, she was the girl whose eyes held only thoughts of study, giving speeches under the flag every Monday, smiling gently as if always bathed in sunlight, forever a young girl.

In the blink of an eye, she was a mother.

That child resembled her so much.

So much that another look would crumble his carefully constructed facade.

It was too much.

Breathing was heavy, his head weighed down, the reality of this outcome crushing him like a boulder.

A voice echoed in his mind: You missed your chance. She is someone else’s Wen Hua now.

Must reality be this harsh? Had he taken her presence for granted, failing to cherish her, only to find there was no second chance?

For seven years, no one regretted more than he did. Regretting not recognizing his feelings sooner, regretting not being by her side during her hardships.

Even more regrettable, their last days together were marred by a cold war, leaving no beautiful memories behind.

If only time could be reversed...

Xi Mo closed his eyes painfully, recalling her innocent, bewitching eyes when they first met, her soft, fragrant kiss on his jaw, planting a seed that grew into a towering tree in his heart.

The more he had disliked her then, the more he felt lost now. He never would have thought that one day he would be so captivated by that little fox, that the once annoying kiss would become an unattainable dream...