Chapter 247 - 246: Can’t I Be Hot?
Xue Yue looked up at him. "Explain what? Didn’t you hear everything?"
He Lang smiled. "I did. I heard Mrs. He say she loves me. How come you’ve never said that to me before? I have to hear it under circumstances like these."
"Don’t you already know? Do I have to say it all the time?"
He Lang raised an eyebrow. "I don’t. You’ve never told me. How about... you say it to me again, right now?"
Xue Yue’s eyes darted playfully. "Say what?"
"Say ’I love you.’"
Xue Yue nodded. "Mm, I know you love me."
He Lang was speechless. He put his hands on his hips and looked at Xue Yue. "Are you going to say it or not?"
Xue Yue smiled and nodded. "I’ll say it, I’ll say it."
Then she took off running.
He Lang watched her run off, his eyes filled with amusement, and chased after her.
The celebration He Lang had mentioned was a date at a Western restaurant.
Red wine and music.
Listening to the music, Xue Yue recalled the first time they went to the provincial capital, when He Lang had taken her to a Western restaurant.
"I love this atmosphere. The last time was years ago. Time flies so fast."
"It does. The days with you always seem to go by especially quickly."
Xue Yue looked at him. "You’re full of sweet talk tonight, aren’t you?"
The corners of He Lang’s mouth lifted. "From now on, I’m going to say it often. My wife is so charming, there will surely be no shortage of admirers in the future. I need to stay on my toes. If I tell you I love you every day, you won’t be captivated by anyone else."
Xue Yue said with a smile, "Alright. You can say it every day. I’ll never get tired of hearing it."
With a soft chuckle, He Lang took a velvet box from his pocket and handed it to Xue Yue.
Xue Yue gave He Lang a surprised look.
She took it and opened it.
"Wow, this ring is so beautiful! Is this a diamond?"
He Lang nodded. "I went to several jewelry stores to find it. It’s a platinum diamond ring, to represent eternal love."
Gazing at the ring, her eyes brimming with happiness, Xue Yue picked it up and held it out to He Lang.
"Put it on for me."
He Lang got up from his chair, walked over to Xue Yue, and knelt down. He took the ring and slid it onto her ring finger.
"It’s beautiful."
He then placed a kiss on the back of Xue Yue’s hand.
Xue Yue’s face instantly flushed red. She glanced around, and only when she saw that no one was paying them any mind did she break into a smile.
He Lang stood up and returned to his seat across from her.
"Do you like it?"
Xue Yue nodded. "I love it."
He Lang said with a smile, "If you like it, I’ll buy them for you often in the future."
Xue Yue lifted her head and replied with a touch of playful arrogance, "Well, you don’t have to do that. One or two a year will be just fine."
He Lang smiled and nodded. "Alright. It would be my honor."
After leaving the restaurant, He Lang took Xue Yue to a movie.
It was a newly released romance, but it had a tragic ending. When Xue Yue came out of the theater, her eyes were red.
He Lang was a little annoyed with himself. "On such a wonderful day, we shouldn’t have watched that."
Xue Yue sniffled. "It was so moving. The main characters loved each other so much, but they missed their chance because of a cruel twist of fate. Why can’t people who love each other be together?"
He Lang wrapped an arm around her shoulder. "The movie only showed one part of their story. Their lives are long, so maybe they’ll meet again. People who are in love will definitely end up together."
Xue Yue looked at him. "Really?"
He Lang nodded. At that moment, Xue Yue seemed to have reverted to a young girl with a simple heart, believing whatever he said.
After they had walked for a while, Xue Yue realized this wasn’t the way home.
"Where are we going? Aren’t we going home?"
He Lang shook his head. "We’re not going back tonight. A new luxury hotel just opened nearby. Let’s go check it out."
Xue Yue froze for a second. A thought occurred to her, and she instantly flushed from her face down to her neck. She felt like even her toes were blushing.
He Lang looked at her, the corners of his mouth rising in an irrepressible grin.
"Mrs. He, what are you thinking about to be blushing like that?"
Xue Yue shot him a glare. "Nothing. I’m just hot."
He Lang chuckled softly. "In the middle of winter, you’re this hot?"
Xue Yue pouted. "What’s wrong with that? Can’t I be hot in the middle of winter?"
He Lang nodded. "You can. You’re probably just wearing too many layers. We should hurry to the hotel. Once we take our clothes off, you won’t be hot anymore."
At these words, Xue Yue grew even shyer. She lightly hit He Lang on the chest.
"We’re on a public street! What are you saying?"
He Lang laughed, took her hand, and after a few minutes’ walk, they arrived at the hotel he had mentioned.
From the outside, it did look quite upscale.
They got a room.
The moment they were inside and the door was shut, He Lang started taking off Xue Yue’s clothes.
Xue Yue looked at him and said softly, "We haven’t showered yet."
His eyes were dark, his desire unconcealed. "Didn’t you say you were hot? Let’s get these off first. We can shower together and save water."
Xue Yue blinked, biting her lip.
She let He Lang undress her.
Under her gaze, He Lang’s hands fumbled with her clothes. He grew more urgent, finally resorting to a mix of hasty pulling and tugging.
Xue Yue grabbed his hand. "Don’t rip anything. I have to wear this tomorrow."
The hotel bathroom was large and featured a big bathtub.
The temperature in the bathroom rose, and water from the tub sloshed all over the floor.
It had been a long time since she’d felt anything so intense. The bathroom, the window, the bed.
Xue Yue felt completely exhausted, as if she were floating on water with nothing to hold onto.
But a pair of strong hands would always pull her back from the brink.
***
"Yue’er, wake up and eat something before you go back to sleep."
Xue Yue felt exhausted and just wanted to sleep, but someone was persistently calling her name in her ear.
She rolled over. "I want to sleep."
He Lang tucked a strand of hair from Xue Yue’s face behind her ear and kissed her cheek.
"Baby, get up and have a little something. You can sleep after you eat."
Xue Yue was groggily helped up. When she felt a spoon touch her lips, she opened her mouth instinctively.
It was warm rice porridge.
Spoonful by spoonful, she ate until her eyes fluttered open.
She found herself leaning against He Lang’s chest as he fed her.
Xue Yue glanced outside. "Hasn’t the sun come up yet?"
Her voice was hoarse.
He Lang’s hand, holding the spoon, paused. "It’s already dark again."
Xue Yue was stunned for a moment, then turned to look at He Lang. "Have we been at the hotel for a whole day?"
"Once the sun comes up, it’ll be two days."
Xue Yue was dazed for a while, then suddenly remembered something.
"If we don’t go home for two days, won’t the kids throw a fit?"
"They won’t. I called home. Mom said they’re being good."
"You called home? Then... does Mom know we’re at a hotel?"
He Lang looked at her. "What’s wrong?"
Xue Yue covered her face. "What do you mean, ’what’s wrong’? The two of us don’t come home and instead spend two days in a hotel... Mom has definitely figured it out."
Hearing this, He Lang started to laugh and gave Xue Yue’s hand a gentle tug.
"So what if she knows?"
Xue Yue pressed her forehead against He Lang’s shoulder. "Mmph, it’s so embarrassing! How am I supposed to face anyone? I’m not as thick-skinned as you."