Pampered Wife of Xavier

Spring was approaching, so it was inevitably a little chilly. Perhaps because the new year was arriving, the entire New York City was immersed in just adding excitement. Despite the cold wind attacking this flourishing city, it did not dampen everyone’s spirits. The evening sky was hazy as it started to drizzle. The lively city seemed to suddenly have a hint of indistinct tranquillity to it too. A black Volkswagen Passat slowly drove out from the underground parking lot of a tall building in New York City's northern district. It passed along the long and wide road and made it's way straight to the city center. The streets seemed very bleak at night. Accentuated by the fall of the hazy drizzle, it made the streetlights on both sides seem a little dimmer. In the driver’s seat, Arya Johns was steadily maneuvering the steering wheel with one hand while her other hand was propped up beside the opened car window. Frigid wind continuously streamed in through the window, ruffing her shoulder-length hair into a mess. She wore a black blouse and black trousers on the inside. Outside, she wore a bright pink windbreaker with black high heels. This was how Arya usually dressed, as she did not have many clothes. Apart from the dull, all-year-round, black professional suit, she did not have many other apparels. New York City's downtown restaurant is currently filled with guests. Arya walked in with graceful strides, her cold gaze briefly examining the entire restaurant. Then, finally, her sharp eyes settled on a certain corner of a table. Arya picked up her pace and walked over. The man who had been sitting there, waiting for quite a while, put his phone away. He looked up at Arya and when he had a closer look at Arya, an intense light shone in his eyes quickly. “Mr. Nick Thomas?” Her hostile and slightly raspy voice rang out, and Arya’s unwavering gaze indifferently swept across the man before her. The man looked about 30-odd years old. He wore a suit and had an ordinary appearance. One could not call him handsome. When he saw Arya, there was a small smile on his face, but Arya thought it looked a little garish. The man nodded and quickly stood up. “Yes, I’m Nick Thomas. Are you Miss Arya?” Arya acknowledged, then she pulled the chair opposite him out of him and sat down. “Apologies for making you wait.” Nick sat down too. His voice sounded a little pompous. “It’s nothing. It’s only right and proper for men to wait on women, but it’s fine as long as there isn’t a next time. I’m sure you know about my situation, Arya. I’m not too sure about your story though. It’s best if you could introduce yourself first.” Arya nodded indifferently. “Let’s order first.” Then, she gestured for the waiter to take their orders. “I’m Arya. I work at Glory World Corporation and I’m 26.” Arya pulled the black gloves in her hand off and tossed them aside as she spoke nonchalantly. “Mmm, I recall that Aunty Lisa introduced you to me before. I heard that you attended the military academy and graduated from military business school.” Nick suddenly remembered something. He paused there, then he looked profoundly towards Arya again, and continued after a while, “To be honest, I’m in the military myself, but I don’t want to find someone who shares the same identity as me, but I’m quite happy with your current occupation. I think that women should run a household well and be good wives, don’t you think?” When she heard this, Arya’s beautiful, twinkling eyes suddenly revealed a stern coldness. While her expression did not change as she looked heartlessly at this arrogant man before her, she remained silent. “How many times have you been in a relationship before this? Are you still a virgin?” The man asked once again, not finding it awkward at all. When Arya heard him, she instantly frowned and could not help but start disliking him. “By the looks of it, you should be. I don’t date innocent girls. They have too few life experiences and usually don’t know what they want. In fact, they are usually very easily tempted and find it hard to be loyal. Rather than being cheated on after marriage, I’d prefer to find an experienced woman,” Nick spoke without hesitation, appearing as if he had experienced a lot. “I’m a man who prioritizes being practical. I’ve been through too much. You could say that I’ve done everything a man can, and have gone through everything a man can experience. I want to find an experienced woman to spend the rest of my life with me. I won’t be thoroughly in touch with innocent women like you. It’s not that I don’t dare to; it’s that we won’t be suitable, the reason being that simple women are unstable,” continued Nick when he saw Arya keeping quiet. “How can one be so sure that an imperfect woman would definitely have plenty of experience? And where did you get this theory that innocent women don’t have experience, and won’t be able to resist temptation?” After a long while, Arya finally smiled coldly and said with hostility, “Aren’t your views a little too extreme?” “Then let me tell you, I’ve had one-night stands, and I still have a lover now. Can you accept a man like me as your husband?” Nick looked arrogantly at Arya, as if such a thing was to be proud of. “What is marriage to you?” Arya asked in reply. “Responsibility, loyalty, and trust.” “Then, what are you trying to imply right now? Are you trying to boast to me that you’re in huge demand? Does your so-called ‘loyalty’ and ‘trust’ allow you to go on a bad date with another woman while having one-night stands and having a lover? Mr. Nick, I can only say that you’re really the military’s best quality. 1 Later on, I should get your commanding officer to award you with a medal and record these praises.” Arya spoke without much emotion, but her hostile tone was akin to losing ice on the surface of a lake at the beginning of spring. It was piercing cold. “I’m not looking for simple women. This is my pre-requisite for marriage. They are pure on the surface when, in reality, they aren’t stable at all, so they find it hard to be loyal.” Nick seemed to be determined. His eyes seemed to be filled with resolve as he looked at Arya, yet Arya caught a flash of hidden light in his eyes. “Then, you can continue slowly finding your socially experienced woman.” Arya nonchalantly smiled. At this moment, the waiter had already served the dishes. Arya was not reserved at all. She picked up her chopsticks as if the man beside her did not exist. “Are you angry, Arya? I can’t deny that the things you said earlier make some sense too, but this is just the universal pattern. My life experiences tell me that many simple women are just no good.” “Mr. Nick, I think that you don’t have to explain these things to me right now. From the second I sat down, I’ve already noticed that you aren’t someone I’m looking for. The husband I want should be at least 1.8 meters tall. If he was a serviceman, his military post must be above regiment level and his rank should be at least Lieutenant Colonel. He must be the classic Mr. Perfect. I’m very sorry that you didn’t match up to any of my standards. That means you, Mr. Nick, your qualifications cannot match up with mine, Arya. Eating with people like you, I can always save on my meals. I’m done here. Enjoy your meal!” Arya ignored the man’s darkened expression as she spoke coldly, “You’re definitely an exotic one in your regiment. It’s best if you resign when you get back. Don’t dishonor the uniform!” Arya frowned begrudgingly as she took out a few hundred-dollar notes and put it on the table. Then, she picked her gloves up from the chair and swiftly stood up before leaving. Such a high-quality man of really exceptional quality. She had had enough! In this past year, she had gone on tens of bad dates practically every day. Sometimes, she even had to rush for a few dates in a day. It was the kind of rhythm that could make one break down! Arya dragged her fatigued body back to her apartment. Her apartment was located by the riverside. Arya had only bought it last year. The unit was not big, at just 90 square meters with two rooms and two living rooms. It looked a little narrow, but she lived alone, so it sufficed. The entire house used light gold as its main color scheme. With nuances of Roman design and modernity combined, it was decorated slightly lavishly and stylishly, yet it did not spill with extravagance and luxury. Instead, one could feel that there was an added warmth. Arya poured herself a glass of water and then slowly sat down on the sofa before her tensed heart started to ease a little. She looked around to examine the empty house, and suddenly in her twinkling eyes, there were some hints of melancholy. She sipped her water, switched on the television, and was about to pass the time for a little when, at that moment, her phone buzzed from the table. Arya subconsciously stopped what she was doing as she picked her phone up. When she saw who it was, the melancholy in her clear eyes became more intense. “Hello? Grandfather, it’s me.” Her cold voice was infected with a mild warmth. On the other end, there was first some coughing before the familiar aged yet concerned voice was heard. “Arya, have you had dinner?” “Mmm, I did. I have just returned to my apartment. It’s already quite late, Grandfather. Why aren’t you resting yet?” Arya turned down the television volume as she asked. “Haha, I don’t have the habit of sleeping early. I just drank a few cups of tea, so I can’t sleep anyway. There’s something I need to tell you. You must execute it for me,” the worn voice continued, but this time, his resounding tone brought with it a firmness. “My health isn’t getting better by the year. Your mother is so focused on her work, and I’m most worried about you. I’ve told you that I’ll definitely find you the best. I don’t frequently admire anyone much, so I haven’t been willing to recommend anyone for you because I keep feeling like they don’t suit you.” When he said this, the aged voice suddenly paused, then he continued, “But today, I want to recommend someone to you. He’s a pretty decent and responsible person. He’s just returned from New York. Since there’s a chance of you getting along, you two should meet. I’ve already arranged the venue for you this Saturday at 3:30 in the afternoon. It’s in the First Suite of the Bamboo Maple Forest Tavern. Remember, don’t be late. Regardless of how he is, you can get to know him yourself. I think that both of you might be very suitable for each other.” When he finished, he immediately hung up. Arya did not even get to respond before the phone’s busy signal was heard. Arya stared blankly at the screen that had already dimmed before she started to laugh bitterly and helplessly. Now, even her grandfather was starting to worry about her marriage. What could she say to him? Arya, you’re already 26, not 16… … It was Saturday morning. Weekends were hard to come by when Arya did not need to go to work, but she still woke up very early, tidied up her room, and had a simple breakfast before leaving the house. The weather was chilly outside. When she headed out, the sky was grey and hazy. It was still drizzling and the cold winds kept attacking, brushing everyone’s faces till it hurt. Arya was a very low-profile person. Apart from the usual interactions at work, she did not have contact with anyone else. Usually, when she was free, she would read or have some tea and listen to some music. She was a huge tea lover, so in a certain secluded location in the northern area of this bustling city, she opened a tea house called the Bamboo Teahouse. She usually retreated to behind-the-scenes as well. The boss that acted as her proxy was an extremely cultured and refined middle-aged man named Adam. She heard that he used to be a university professor, and at the same time, he was a researcher of China’s ancient civilization. He was very well-versed in the country’s art of tea and musical instruments. When Arya first opened the tea house, he would come almost every day to have tea and play some chess. Later on, the two chatted pleasantly, and Arya let him manage the tea house. Of course, at the same time, it was a conducive place for him to write. The entire tea house was almost concealed in the huge bamboo forest. It was not huge. The place was 400 square feet with two floors and the whole decor bore a charm of antiquity, that of a poetic ink painting. When Arya entered the Bamboo Teahouse with the huge pile of books she had just bought from the bookstore, there were already faint but clear sounds of the guqin. Business here was brisk on the weekends. “Arya, you’re here!” All of the tea house waiters were very familiar with Arya because she would go over almost every weekend, but very few people knew that the real owner of this tea house was actually this lady who seemed very young and beautiful. They had always thought she was just Professor Adam’s student and was just very close friends with Professor Adam. Arya nodded before she arranged the books neatly on the bookshelf that was already filled with books while the waiters swiftly served the Maojian tea she always drank. Arya sighed a breath of relief and sat down. She picked up her tea to take a sip, then at that moment, her phone buzzed. Arya picked up the phone and flipped it open, not seeing who it was, before picking up the call. Quickly, from the other end of the phone came her best friend, Mia’s sweet voice. “Arya, it’s me! I’ve already reached Germany. I’m travelling, so in less than eight hours, you’ll be able to see Lady Mia that you’ve been thinking of day and night!” Arya lowered her head and took a sip of the tea. A smile spread across her beautiful and fair face. She said softly, “Lady Mia, we only haven’t seen each other for a few days, yet your narcissism has grown.” From the other end immediately came Mia’s candid laughter, yet after that laugh, Mia suddenly fell silent for quite a while and Arya did not say anything either. A long while later, suddenly came Mia’s hesitant voice, “Arya…” Mia’s tone sounded a little serious. It came with a bit of bitterness that she seemed to have endured. “Hmm?” Arya put down the teacup in her hand, then she took a book introducing the art of flower arranging and started to casually browse through it. She could hear that Mia’s tone was a little off, so she continued to ask, “What is it?” From the other end, Mia took a deep breath as if she was setting her mind on something. She said in a lowered voice, “I just saw Ethan Martinez… with Victoria Johns… Both of them are on the same flight as me…” “They’re back, Arya…” The instant Mia’s voice fell, Arya’s face instantly turned blank. Both her hands suddenly turned stiff and her hand that held the phone had unconsciously tightened too. That lowered and stifled. The voice kept echoing in her ear. I just saw Ethan Martinez… with Victoria Johns… Both of them are on the same flight as me… Both ends of the phone suddenly fell into an eerie silence. Even Mia, who was far away in Germany, could vaguely feel the suffocating repress of emotions and gloom through the silence of the phone, making it hard to breathe. She suddenly regretted telling her this news, but there were some things that she still needed to face. “Arya… are you okay?” From the other end came Mia’s worried voice that conveyed how sorry she felt for her. “I’m sorry… Maybe I shouldn’t have told you this, but if you wait till they appear in front of you all smiling, that’d be even more painful for you and you’ll be sadder. I’d rather you find out about it now.” After being silent for a while, Arya suddenly slowly closed the book in her hand and gently shut her eyes. Then, she opened them. A dim glow shone in her twinkling eyes indifferently and distantly. Her exceptionally calm voice came through. “Mmm, got it. Thank you, Mia.” Mia took a deep breath. Her voice had a hint of sympathy as she suffered silently with her. “Arya, are you okay? Don’t be upset… That kind of person really isn’t worth it…” Arya lowered her head and stared at the teacup between her fingers. She said with much difficulty and hoarseness in her tone, “I’m fine. Why don’t you rest first? I’ll pick you up in the evening.” Then, before Mia could respond, she abruptly hung up. Three years, it had been three years! Arya felt the temperature of her fingertips gradually fades away until, at last, they turned cold amidst the cool breeze. A sneer suddenly appeared on her elegant and beautiful face as she mocked herself. It turned out that a relationship, which she thought was steady after going through the ups and downs in the sea of time, would still fade in the end. It still turned cool just like this cup of tea. All of the warmth would slowly turn cold in the midst of this cool breeze. She sat there in silence for an unknown amount of time. It was so long that she felt like she had lived a whole decade to the next. Before she returned to her senses, she bitterly lifted her head and drank the cup of cold tea. As the tea swirled into her mouth, the bitter and cold taste reached her chest very quickly. It was so cold that it made her feel rigid all over, and there was a sting in her chest. What pulled her out from that suffocating whirlpool of despair was her grandfather’s unexpected call. “Arya, it’s Grandfather. Where are you now? Have you left? It’s cold outside. Remember to put on more clothes, and remember, don’t be late!” Her grandfather’s loving and concerned voice reminded her, “It’s the First Suite in the Bamboo Maple Forest Tavern. Don’t go the wrong way!” At that moment, Arya remembered what she had talked to her grandfather about, then she felt a headache starting. Arya breathed in, slowly got up, and then put the book back onto the shelf as she answered softly, “Got it. I’m hanging about outside. I’ll reach there on time. Don’t worry, Grandfather.” “Mmm, make a trip home tonight. Your mother’s coincidentally on a break. I’ll get her to cook some delicious dishes for you! I heard that you’ve been working quite hard recently,” sighed Mr. Robert Johns. “I’ve to go and pick a friend up from the airport in the evening. At night, I’ll also be welcoming her back. I’ll go see you and Mother in a few more days. At the same time, I’ll bring you some quality Pu’er,” Arya explained gently. From the other end of the phone came Robert Johns’s unhappy and jealous voice. “Are your grandfather and your mother not as important as your friends?” Arya could not help but laugh. After a while, she said softly, “I’ll accompany both of you for a whole day tomorrow. How about that?” “That’s much better!” … When she put her phone away, Arya took a look at the time and realized that it was still quite early, so she decided to get her grandfather, Robert Johns, and her mother, Arianna Johns, some gifts first. She had not gone back for quite some time now and she did miss them quite a bit. … Arya had a strong sense of time; she was always very punctual and would rarely be late. When she reached the appointed venue, the Bamboo Maple Forest Tavern, it was 3:30 p.m. on the dot. Although it was time for tea, because this place was remote, and it was a very high-class venue, there were not many people at this hour. Arya soon found the meeting place, the First Suite of the Bamboo Maple Forest Tavern. She politely knocked on the door before pushing it to enter. A whiff of light and refined tea fragrance reached her nostrils. She looked up and what entered her came of sight was the silhouette of a man. He wore an all-white tailored suit. In his seat, he steeped the tea with a relaxed composure as he was on the phone. From afar, one would unexpectedly pick up hints of hostility from his back. Arya inhaled slightly, then finally broke her stare and picked up her pace as she walked over. She sat down on the soft cushion opposite the man. She pushed the things aside and was about to look up when, unexpectedly, the man beside her glanced up at that instant too… He was extremely handsome with profound eyes that were like the ocean, carrying immense depth and wisdom in them. He also had a pointed nose, thin lips, and an extraordinarily noble aura around him, yet it was quite low-profile and not displayed ostentatiously. He seemed reserved and he bore hints of gentleness and apathy. For a heartbeat, they shared a moment of absent-mindedness… Arya very quickly returned to her senses. Her beautiful and slightly blushing face was stunned for a moment as pure admiration flashed in her clear eyes. This man was rather charismatic. Xavier Knight took one look at Arya, and something also flashed briefly in his unfathomable eyes. He nodded slightly at Arya as he said plainly to the person on the phone. “As for how to solve it, do as you see fit.” That low voice of his was like a cello; it was distant, extremely charming, and very soothing to the ears. With that one sentence, he ended his call. Actually, after he had just finished lunch earlier, Xavier Knight’s grandmother kept nagging him at home. Every three to five minutes, she would remind him about this meeting. Initially, he wanted to get out for a breather, but the phone beside him had not stopped ringing. Helplessly, he could only attend this appointment to stop his grandmother, Bella Knight, from pestering him further. He looked up and calmly looked at Arya who sat before him. She wore a light cream mid-length coat and had a delicate and elegant appearance. Her beautiful, long hair was already done up, while a few thin strands fell across her forehead in an unruly manner. She had clear eyes and seemed quite charming. “Hello, I’m Arya.” Only when she saw him keeping his phone away did Arya speak up calmly. A hint of dry rapine tinted her refreshing voice. Her grandfather had only simply said that the person he arranged for her to meet was the grandson of his old comrade-in-arms. He informed her that he looked pretty decent and had a good temperament too. In fact, he had previously mingled in the armed forces, and just like her, had gone to the military academy. Sadly, she did not finish her studies there. Instead, she had transferred to study abroad while the man before her seemed to have stayed in the force for quite a few years before retiring and moving abroad for quite a few years. Xavier Knight politely served Arya a cup of tea. His handsome face was at ease as he replied, “Hello, Arya.” Arya smiled. She picked up her cup, took a sip, and then asked, “Did you wait for long?” “I just reached as well,” Xavier Knight answered simply. Then, his long fingers pointed at the menu beside them. “Want to order something to eat? The desserts here are popular.” Arya took a glance at the dessert menu that was flipped open and displayed all sorts of desserts. She lightly shook her head and said softly, “No need. I’m not hungry.” “You don’t like to eat sweet stuff?” Xavier Knight looked at her curiously. Even though his low voice held a questioning tone, his eyes were filled with confidence.