By the time Si Yiyan returned home, the living room was basked in a warm and romantic yellow glow. Flickering candles and exquisite cuisine was spread sumptuously across the long dining table.
With just one glance, Si Yiyan could see that all that food had been personally prepared by Xinya.
He knew Xinya had great culinary skills. Since they started being together, she had carefully nurtured his taste buds. However, he didn’t know that apart from tonic foods and Chinese cuisine, she was also well-versed in the Western fare.
Si Yiyan felt like his heart had been instantly surrounded by the candles’ warm glow.
No wonder she had tried all sorts of means to get him out of the house that afternoon. She had even lied to him saying she had to visit Lanxin Company and so couldn’t accompany him. He had thought she was truly troubled by this morning’s incident and was angry at him and didn’t want to celebrate his birthday anymore. Although he didn’t regard birthdays with high importance, he still felt rather disappointed. He never realized that she was actually preparing such a lovely surprise for him.
Wen Xinya came out at this moment bearing a plate of foie gras, which she had personally cooked. “You are back!”
It was a simple greeting, but it held the natural warmth and sense of stability of a long-time couple who had already experienced a lifetime together.
Si Yiyan looked at Wen Xinya’s soft, beige apron edged with flowers. She was also wearing a matching scarf on her head. Although she had not made any special attempt to doll herself up, she was still so lovely that he couldn’t tear his eyes away from her.
Wen Xinya noticed him just standing there and staring at her solemnly. “Why are you in a daze? Hurry up and go wash your hands. Dinner will be ready soon!”
With that, Wen Xinya turned around and went back to the kitchen.
Si Yiyan instinctively followed her into the kitchen. There were steaks cooking in the oven, the sizzling noises sounded extremely tantalizing.
Wen Xinya turned to look at him. “Why are you standing there so woodenly? Didn’t I ask you to wash your hands?”
Si Yiyan didn’t speak but slowly walked over and hugged her from behind. His chilly and aloof aura vanished without a trace like snow melting.
Wen Xinya instinctively wriggled. “Don’t, I reek of oil and smoke.”
To give Si Yiyan this surprise, she had slaved away in the kitchen for an entire afternoon and smelled strongly of oil and smoke from all the cooking. Si Yiyan would definitely be unused to this smell.
Si Yiyan buried his head into her neck and inhaled deeply. He whispered by her ear in a low voice, “It’s the smell of a real home. I like it very much.”
To someone like him, who wandered along the fringes of the law and navigated the gray area between black and white, the word home was a luxurious concept. It was something he had never dared to think about before meeting Wen Xinya.
His mother’s death. His father’s suicide. These two events were constant reminders that people like him did not deserve happiness. Since a young age, he had purposely rejected the advances of all girls. He had previously considered that, after avenging his parents’ death, he would make use of artificial insemination and surrogacy to continue the great Si family name.
But he had now met Wen Xinya!
After meeting his destined other half, all his pursuits, hopes and resolutions were shattered. At that moment, he suddenly realized that he had scorned and rejected all those women only because they were not her!
Si Yiyan was an extremely prideful person.
As a result, he had never been willing to just settle for anyone or anything. Especially when it came to the woman whom he was going to spend the rest of his life with—it would be her or no one else!
Wen Xinya gave a low laugh. “You know just how to make me happy.”
The happiest thing in life was when someone whom you loved and who loved you back, understood all the hard work you put in for him and never took your efforts for granted.
In love, we must show gratitude.
That was because only with gratitude would we become more forgiving and magnanimous. Only with gratitude would life become more harmonious and wonderful.
Still holding onto her, Si Yiyan made her turn around, but his actions were not rough at all. He was gentle and did not hurt her. “Xinya, I have achieved the two things that men pursue all their lives—a successful career and marriage to the woman I love, spending a careful and blissful life with my beloved. Do you think I am blessed?”
After knowing Wen Xinya, his days passed as though he was in heaven. As a result, he had willingly set aside his ambitions to live quietly in Capital city, passing on all his estates and authority to Gu Yuexi and the rest to manage.
“Why don’t you tell me yourself, do you feel blessed?” Wen Xinya grinned. Her sweet smile was like a rainbow spanning the evening sky, bringing with it a dazzling radiance that moved the soul.
To have a man telling you that he was very blessed to be with you, was more touching than him saying he loved you.
Bliss was a feeling that was more rich and infinite than love. It was a feeling that came from the cultivation of love over a long time, eventually emitting a fragrance that was extremely stirring and poignant. It was like fine wine—the longer it was aged, the more potent and rousing it was.
“My dear, the only good thing that came out of my life was to meet you.” His voice was hoarse with emotions, with a depth that stirred her heart.
Alone in desolation, fated to a lonely life.
This was his fate. But because of Xinya’s existence, he could finally change his destiny!
He remembered Xinya had told him before: If Buddha doesn’t let you cross to Nirvana, I will help you achieve enlightenment.
She was the one who would help him achieve enlightenment.
“Sizzle…” Sputtering noises could be clearly heard and sounded very near, yet at the same time, the noises felt faraway and distant. Wen Xinya continued gazing at him, her heart brimming with an equal amount of bliss.
All until a stinging smell wafted into their noses.
“Ah! My steak!” Wen Xinya finally snapped out of her trance and hurriedly turned to look at the thick smoke billowing out of the oven. A charred smell permeated the kitchen.
Si Yiyan sighed!
The atmosphere had been just right and thick with romance—but was now ruined by a pot of burnt steak!
Wen Xinya pinched her nose as she hastily turned off the fire. Looking at the blackened steak, she couldn’t help grumbling. “It’s all your fault that my steaks are ruined.”
She had wanted to give Si Yiyan an unforgettable and perfect birthday. But it was now all spoiled by those burnt steaks. She could imagine that Si Yiyan would always remember this pot of charred steaks whenever he thought back to this day.
Si Yiyan rolled up his sleeves and walked over. “Since I caused you to ruin the steaks, I will compensate you with another steak!”
With that, Si Yiyan pulled her to the side.
Wen Xinya’s eyes lit up. Her mind involuntarily drifted back to the time when she and Si Yiyan had gone to the auction on the Nantong cruise. At that time, Si Yiyan had made steak for her. To this day, the delicious steaks and unique sauce remained fresh in her memory.
Si Yiyan kissed her gently on the lips. “Weren’t you complaining that you reek of smoke and oil? Quickly go take a shower and change your clothes. The steaks will be ready in a while.”
Wen Xinya took off her apron and put it over Si Yiyan. The beige, flowered apron was way too small and looked like a baby’s belly-band on him.
Wen Xinya was tickled and left the kitchen guffawing loudly.
