New Year's Eve, the 30th day of the Lunar Calendar.
On the second floor of the vacation mansion, the bright sunlight filtered through the white sheer curtains, casting a dazzling glow. The broad leaves of the potted plants swayed gently. As Ming Si squinted her eyes and turned over, Liang Xian extended his arm to pull her into his embrace.
The motion was incredibly natural as if they had done it countless times before.
She buried her head against his shoulder and dozed off for a moment before slowly registering, "Today is the 30th."
In previous years, regardless of whether she was in China or not, the Lunar New Year was typically during winter. Snowflakes would flutter down like goose feathers, creating a warm and illuminated atmosphere indoors.
Thinking about it now, this year's celebration felt unreal.
"Yeah," Liang Xian's arm rested around her waist, his voice languid, "Where would you like to go?"
"Anywhere," Ming Si nuzzled against him, finding a sense of peace. Her heart, which had been floating, gradually settled back into place.
Suddenly, she said, "It would be nice to sleep a bit longer."
Although she said she wanted to sleep a bit longer, Ming Si had no intention of actually sleeping. While lying under the covers, she chatted with him, acted cute, and mischievously pinched his face like a playful cat.
Liang Xian indulged her antics, allowing her to play around. However, whenever her hands got too unruly, he would press her down and roll on top of her.
Ming Si realized that perhaps the change in seasons also had some effect on certain aspects of men. When she was in Pingcheng before, she had often teased him in the morning, but Liang Xian usually just briefly returned the favor before leaving.
That's why she dared to tease him repeatedly.
Unexpectedly, this morning, the situation was completely different. No matter how much she resisted, Liang Xian still persisted, even though they had stayed up late last night. She didn't know where he got such energy from.
After they finished, Liang Xian carried her to take a shower, looking rather nonchalant.
Sunlight filtered through the glass windows, casting a bright light on the pristine floor. She lowered her head and took a glance, sensing a certain daytime indulgence aroma in the air.
She suddenly felt embarrassed and tugged at the only remaining piece of clothing on her body, "You men, are you especially intense in that aspect during the summer?"
She looked somewhat serious when she asked this question.
Liang Xian tilted his head slightly, "What do you mean?"
"Just..."
Talking about this made Ming Si blush a little.
She quickly compared his behavior in the mornings in Pingcheng with his behavior here.
"I usually didn't do it in the morning because we both have to go to work," Liang Xian glanced at her, a mischievous smile playing on his lips, "But I didn't realize you would be so disappointed?"
"Get lost, who's disappointed!" Ming Si retorted, her embarrassment turning into anger. If she wasn't being held by him, she would definitely have kicked him.
Her mind must have short-circuited to ask him such a question.
When they were done showering, it was almost noon. The dining table was set in the western-style dining room of the vacation mansion, adorned with a tablecloth and a unique bouquet of orange Juliet roses.
From here, the panoramic view revealed a curving coastline, with waves chasing and surging onto the shore, gradually receding only to return again.
At this moment, their friends in Pingcheng were just waking up, sending New Year's greetings one after another.
Ming Si replied to each message one by one, while having her meals fed to her by Liang Xian.
After lunch, they played a bit of pool in the mansion's billiard room. When the sun's intensity waned a bit, they got ready to go out.
The island was picturesque, and even at this time of day, the sunlight was intense.
Ming Si meticulously applied sunscreen to herself, then applied it to Liang Xian as well. He acted uncooperative, frustrating her before coaxing her with a soft chuckle.
After some playful banter for over ten minutes, they were set to leave. Ming Si wore her sunhat and sunglasses as she confidently directed Liang Xian to hold an umbrella for her.
The private island, owned by one of Liang Xian's friends, covered over a hundred hectares. With 360-degree coastal access, it had been developed into a beautiful holiday destination.
The area they were staying in wasn't accessible to the public. It was a significant distance from the main tourist spots and was monitored by security personnel.
Ming Si wore oversized black sunglasses, her lips tinted red and subtly shimmering with gold. Standing beside Liang Xian, they both looked striking — him handsome and her beautiful. Not to mention that they had specially coordinated their outfits today, wearing matching patterned shirts and skirts like a couple.
During their tour around the green island to observe the tropical rainforest, a few people even took pictures of them.
Liang Xian signaled for Shi Tai to step forward and handle the situation.
With all the subtlety of a sledgehammer, Shi Tai sternly issued the command to immediately delete the photos. His tall and imposing figure, combined with his stern expression, nearly made the young girls turn pale and burst into tears from fear.
Ming Si looked at Liang Xian with a speechless expression. The implication in her gaze was clearly asking him if his bodyguard was missing a few screws. Liang Xian understood her silent question and lightly chuckled in response.
There were many tourist activities on the island: swimming, helicopter sightseeing, snorkeling, boating, fishing, and the like. However, Ming Si wasn't interested in most water-based activities. In the end, the two of them returned to the vacation mansion together.
"You could go snorkeling, you know. I'll watch from the sidelines," Ming Si swung Liang Xian's hand, "Why don't you go in the water if I'm not going?"
She could tell that Liang Xian actually enjoyed activities like swimming and snorkeling.
"How about swimming now?" Liang Xian gestured towards the nearby beach.
This part of the island was seldom visited, maintained periodically by dedicated staff. The beach featured soft and pure sand, and the sea was exceptionally clear.
"Sure, I'll watch you swim," Ming Si expressed her position clearly, emphasizing, "After all, I won't be going in."
She still had a bit of fear of water, an instinctive aversion. Her decision was almost instinctual.
Liang Xian ruffled her hair, "Alright."
Back at the mansion, Liang Xian changed into swim trunks and brought two towels. Ming Si reapplied sunscreen and also brought a swimming tube.
When he saw her, he raised an eyebrow lightly, "Changed your mind?"
Ming Si snorted, "As if."
She wasn't planning to swim, but what if Liang Xian wasn't that great at swimming and felt embarrassed to tell her? So, the swimming ring was actually for him.
Of course, she sneakily chose one with a small yellow duck design.
But it turned out that Ming Si's concerns were somewhat unnecessary. Liang Xian was actually a good swimmer. After some warm-up exercises, he entered the water, not needing the little yellow duck swim ring at all.
There were umbrellas and lounge chairs by the beach. Ming Si took off her sunglasses and enjoyed the view.
She used to enjoy swimming when she was young. While she didn't exactly dislike it now, she simply couldn't overcome that mental barrier.
Liang Xian didn't swim for long; he came back to shore quickly. She handed him a towel and water, and curiously asked, "Why did you stop swimming?"
Ignoring her question, Liang Xian simply bent down and picked her up.
Ming Si had been sitting for a while; her body was warmed by the sun. Suddenly, she was pressed against Liang Xian's chilly, water-damp skin. An odd sensation like an electric current surged through her, causing her to shiver.
"What are you doing?" Ming Si barely had time to toss her towel onto the lounger before her hands gripped his shoulders. She cleared her throat and said, "You're already missing me so soon?"
"I do," Liang Xian chuckled softly, giving her nose a kiss, "Isn't it boring sitting here alone?"
"It's alright, I have a handsome guy to look at," she reached out and pinched his cheek, then suddenly sounded a bit annoyed, "If it weren't for you, I wouldn't have been afraid of water in the first place!"
Liang Xian wasn't sure where her words were coming from, so he raised her a bit, "What do you mean?"
"That time when I visited the island where your mother was recuperating, Dr. Chen joked that I would have to marry you, only then your mother would also be my mother," Ming Si paused for a moment, seeming a bit embarrassed and annoyed, "I was so startled by that. I wasn't paying attention while playing with you guys, and I nearly drowned. So, who do you think bears the primary responsibility for that?"
The more she spoke, the more aggrieved she felt. She originally only wanted to go in the water a little, but it was exaggerated into a significant ordeal, "I really wanted to swim, but now I'm too scared."
Liang Xian pondered for a moment; it did seem to have some connection to him, "Shall I carry you around?"
"You won't drop me, will you?" she wrapped her arms around his shoulders, tilting her head with a doubtful expression.
"You underestimate me," Liang Xian playfully bumped his forehead against hers and took a step forward.
Ming Si chuckled softly.
With him holding her, there wasn't really anything to fear about going into the sea.
She first touched the surface of the sea with her toes, feeling the waves surging against them, the sensation both strange and pleasantly cool. Ming Si curled her toes, taking some time to adjust, and then she started kicking the water playfully with her toes.
The sun was about to set, casting a golden hue over the sea. Amidst the waves, it appeared as if there were fragments of gold dancing around. Ming Si watched as the golden water she kicked swirled and then restored itself.
Sensing her relaxed state of mind, Liang Xian asked, "Do you want to try going in?"
With him by her side, and sensing that the water was shallow, Ming Si's courage grew. She nodded and added, "But if anything happens, make sure to pull me out quickly."
Liang Xian smiled, slowly releasing her and holding onto her arm instead, "Of course."
The water here only reached Ming Si's waist. If she wasn't careful, the waves could easily knock her off balance. She held onto his arm, stood in place for a while, and then jumped with eagerness to try swimming.
Naturally, Liang Xian assumed the role of a coach.
In fact, Ming Si had learned to swim at a young age. However, after so many years of avoiding water, coupled with her fear of water, her progress in learning took time.
But neither of them were in a hurry.
And at some point, this proper coaching session took a playful turn and became more like teasing and bantering.
"Even after you learn how to swim, you can't just go in on your own," Liang Xian lightly pinched her fair cheek, a playful glint in his eyes, "I'll make you a little card."
"What kind of card?"
"Like an amusement park pass. If you want to swim, come to me for a stamp," Liang Xian continued with a serious face, "Or let's make a necklace. Wear it around your neck while swimming. I'll keep it safe for you. If you don't have the card, it means you haven't received my approval."
"Hmph," Ming Si snorted, "I'm not a dog! You're so childish."
"Say that again?" He squinted his eyes, his tone containing a hint of threat.
"Childish, childish, childish," she said it three times in quick succession.
Liang Xian looked at her, their gazes locking for a moment before they both burst into laughter.
"I won't argue with you," he said after a pause, extending his arm towards her generously, "Come, give me a hug. I have a gift for you."
"What is it?" Ming Si was determined not to admit she was being lured in with a gift, but she couldn't resist her curiosity.
She walked over and hugged his waist. After a moment's thought, she added a bit of a coquettish tone, "Husband, what kind of gift?"
After last night's experiment, it was clear that Liang Xian was rather pleased with that term of address.
Sensing Liang Xian's movement, Ming Si stepped away from his embrace.
Liang Xian had a black cord hanging from his wrist; the pendant looked like a small heart-shaped box. Ming Si had casually asked about it this morning and he had simply mentioned that he bought it on a whim.
However, now he opened the small box and took out a necklace.
It was a delicate collarbone necklace, with a small pale pink pearl as the pendant.
The pearl wasn't perfectly round; its color and shape couldn't even be called ideal. It had been ingeniously designed to appear beautiful.
"This is..." A vague thought crossed Ming Si's mind.
She had met Liang Xian for the first time on a holiday trip to island.
The beach there was specially designed for kids like them. Someone had buried shells in the sand, aiming to give them the joy of a treasure hunt.
However, at that time, Ming Si didn't know. She thought she was incredibly lucky to have found a shell that could produce pearls.
Although she eventually gave the pearl to Liang Xian.
"It's the same pearl," Liang Xian said as he put it on her, his slender fingers touching her skin, "Originally, I wanted to let you to design it yourself, but that wouldn't have been a surprise."
"Why are you suddenly giving me this?" Ming Si's heart was racing; she couldn't help but admit that she had been charmed by this unexpected surprise.
"I just realized I haven't properly proposed to you," Liang Xian's hand dropped, and he pulled her into an embrace, a mischievous smile playing at the corner of his lips, "Is it too late to make up for it now?"
"You're trying to buy me off with a small pearl? And it was something that was snatched away from me," the corner of Ming Si's lips curved upward slowly, but she still playfully poked his shoulder, "And besides, it's already quite late."
Liang Xian went along with her words, chuckling softly, "So, what should we do then?"
"Let me think," Ming Si pulled back her hand and wrapped her arms around him instead, tilting her face upwards, "If you give me a kiss, I won't hold it against you anymore. Hurry up."
Her eyes sparkled with a small sense of accomplishment; she couldn't suppress the smile at the corner of her lips.
Water droplets slid down her beautiful nose, illuminated by the setting sun, shimmering brilliantly.
Liang Xian lowered his head and kissed her.
Just then, many fragments flashed through his mind.
Memories seemed to have been soaked in golden honey, tasting sweet upon reflection.
For instance, meeting that beautiful and proud little girl for the first time. He had never imagined he would come to like her in this way, nor had he thought that amidst their verbal sparring and thorny interactions, roses could actually bloom.
Now he knows—
He loved her.
They had a lifetime ahead of them.
T/N: That's the end of main story. There's still 13 extra chapters to go.