The sky was already dark, and Lu Xinyi was doing some finishing touches on her pasta dish. Her husband should come anytime soon. She took one last taste test and smacked her lips as she let the flavor roll and tickle her taste buds.
Deciding that it was enough, she turned off the stove and went to the fridge to check her desserts.
As she was setting her dining table, she heard the front door opened. Lu Xinyi quickly undid the knot of her apron to welcomed her husband. Smoothening her dress, she gave a quick glance at her reflection in the large mirror at her living area before greeting Shen Yi.
“Wow, that was fast. How was your meeting?” Lu Xinyi grinned.
Shen Yi removed his shoes and lifted up his head before he took in his wife’s light blue dress, with her hair tied up in a messy bun. So much different from her usual home clothes when she was still living with him.
Before, he would always come home with her wearing his shirt and short shorts, with her hair loosely braided.
“Fine. Xue will oversee the preparations. I brought something.” His right hand lifted up a bag.
Lu Xinyi took it from him with thanks. She leaned up to raise herself so she could kiss him, but Shen Yi leaned away.
“Kiss me properly,” he demanded. “I’ve been too long without your kisses.”
Lu Xinyi’s grin widened as she pulled the lapel of his coat so he leaned down on her. Shen Yi chuckled on her actions as he let her do as she pleased.
“Poor you. Here let me give you one of many kisses I owe you,” she whispered before she quickly placed a peck on his lips.
Not wasting an opportunity, Shen Yi leaned over her and wrapped an arm in her waist, trapping her against him.
“You know I don’t do kisses like that,” he chided her.
Before Lu Xinyi could react, his lips had descended into hers.
—
“So what kind of drink is this?”
Shen Yi’s eyes darted to the bag he brought and given to her. “Just wine given to me today.”
“I don’t think we should drink tonight,” Lu Xinyi said as she pulled out a bottle from the bag. She softly whistled when she saw what kind of wine it was, and she wasn’t disappointed to see an expensive one.
Shen Yi raised a brow.
“I don’t need alcohol’s help to romance you,” he whispered in her ear.
His wife’s cheeks burned red and pushed him away from her.
“Pervert.”
—
“What? Xue was a chubby kid before?” Lu Xinyi laughed as Shen Yi told her one of his brother’s mischiefs when they were younger.
He nodded in reply as he waited for his wife to serve him the tea she made tonight. Leaving the meeting to his brother, Shen Yi quickly left his duties to see his wife. He could talk to them later, but he couldn’t wait to see Lu Xinyi.
Now that he had eaten his dinner, the discomfort he felt earlier had lessened. Lu Xinyi could sense that something was wrong with him, but she decided that if he didn’t want her to know what it was, she just needed to wait.
It was calm and relaxing to sit on a couch with her husband beside her.
He was aware of the heavy atmosphere he brought wherever he goes, but with Lu Xinyi—strangely, it would dissipate. Shen Yi didn’t want her to be intimidated by him. Anyone else but her. He didn’t think he could stand it if she was afraid of him.
“So what did you do?”
“What else but to smack his head. If he wasn’t singing that silly tune, we wouldn’t fall into the waterways.”
Lu Xinyi shook her head. ρꪖꪕᦔꪖꪕꪫꪣꫀꪶ
“Blaming Xue when you are the one who should pay attention to driving.”
Shen Yi reclined himself on the couch while Lu Xinyi smiled that she was able to spend some time with him.
“Make yourself at home,” she stated, “I need to clean up the mess in the kitchen.”
Shen Yi nodded and laid his head on the armrest. For some reason, he felt exhausted tonight. His last project with the Shen Group wasn’t difficult; he just needed to iron out some details to make sure there wouldn’t any delay with the construction.
His eyes closed, but his ear could pick up the sounds Lu Xinyi was making in the kitchen.
When Lu Xinyi came back, Shen Yi’s face was turned away from her. She assumed he had fallen asleep. She sat at the little space beside him and touched the side of his face.
“You’re burning up!” she exclaimed in panic.
This was the first time she saw him sick and dead tired.
His tired eyes opened and lazily watched as she stumbled to her feet and find some medicine for him.
After making sure he took the medicine, Lu Xinyi placed the empty cup of water onto the coffee table.
“Get up, help me move you to the bedroom.” She helped him stand up.
Shen Yi didn’t answer. His body began leaning against her, and he continued to breathe heavily. Lu Xinyi was grateful he wasn’t putting his whole weight on her, or else she would never be able to hold him up.
When he began to stir, she realized that he was losing strength; and she forced herself to move faster. Her mind raced, but she didn’t really know what to do.
Wrapping an arm around her husband to help him grow steady, she pushed the door of her room open. She huffed as she pushed Shen Yi onto her bed and was glad that his tall form fit comfortably on her massive bed.
She pulled off his socks and pulled a blanket over his form. Moving upwards, Lu Xinyi helped him remove his coat and unbutton his dress shirt.
“No tie again?” she asked. Shen Yi had been wearing ties whenever she calls her in the middle of his meetings. Perhaps he’d removed it as soon as he stepped outside the meeting.
“I can’t stay here.” He grumbled, his throat aching and dry.
“I don’t care. I’m sure they would understand. You can’t go home tonight so stay here.”
Glancing at her bedside clock that read nine o’clock, Lu Xinyi pulled out her phone and dialed the headmistress’ number. She calmly explained Shen Yi’s condition, and Han Zhiling understood and gave Shen Yi permission to stay for the night.
“See? I told you they would understand.”
“Lovely. They can’t say no to Young Madam Shen.”
Lu Xinyi sighed and left him on her bed. She came back with a small basin with water and a towel. She placed the wet towel on his forehead with a worried expression.
“Xinxin, it’s just a fever. It will go away.” Shen Yi reassured her, his hand reaching hers and gave it a slight grip.
“I didn’t think I’d live to see the day President Shen got sick,” she teased, trying to ease the tension between them.
“You’ve wondered how I’d be when I’m sick? Miss Lu, why can’t you think like any other woman? They’ve been wondering what to see beneath these clothes of mine.” He opened his eyes to stare at her blushing face.
“You’re already sick, and you’re still saying such indecent things?!”
Shen Yi chuckled and took off the blanket because of how hot he felt. He cursed his luck. He should be spending time with her, and yet here he was on her bed and could do nothing and breathe heavily.
The only comfort he could get was the fact that her scent was stronger on her bed, surrounding him. He closed his eyes in the satisfaction that Lu Xinyi was now with him. Only days had passed, and yet he felt like two years was too long to wait.
His hand reached out and snaked around her waist, pulling her onto the bed and against his chest. He tucked her closer, tucking her head under his chin as one of his legs draped across hers while the other arm held her possessively.
“Wait, what are you—?” Lu Xinyi gasped but stilled her movements when she saw he was drifting off to sleep.
Her face turned a deep shade of red because of their intimate position. She ignored how her heartbeat sped up from their close proximity, and she gently pushed on her husband’s chest, hoping to loosen his grip.
Realizing that any attempts to escape were futile, Lu Xinyi sighed in defeat and buried her face in his chest. At least, she was with him now. She relaxed as much as she could, hoping she wouldn’t catch his cold.
