Your eyes

It was late at night. In the master bedroom, only a bedside lamp shone with soft light, casting a hazy and warm glow over the room.

On the messy sheets, Tan Huaiyu nestled in Qi Shuo's arms, her whole body weak and sore, lacking even the strength to lift a finger.

Qi Shuo's arm went under his neck, holding him firmly in his arms, while his other hand gently and unconsciously stroked his back.

The room was quiet, with only the sound of each other's breathing gradually settling down and the occasional distant sound of the night wind passing by outside the window.

Amber—the little white cat that was picked up in the evening—is now curled up in a cardboard box lined with a makeshift cushion by the door, sleeping soundly and purring softly with contentment.

It had been carefully washed and its fur dried. Although it was still small and thin, its snow-white fur was fluffy and soft, like a small cloud in the dim light. Its amber eyes were closed, with thin eyeliner, making it look exceptionally docile.

Tan Huaiyu's gaze slowly moved from Qi Shuo's well-defined jawline to his muscular chest.

He suddenly recalled the focused and gentle expression on Qi Shuo's face when he named the kitten in the park that evening.

He shifted slightly, finding a more comfortable position in Qi Shuo's arms, then raised his eyes to look at Qi Shuo.

The light from the bedside lamp fell perfectly into his eyes, which were still misty and had a trace of redness at the corners, making the natural amber color appear exceptionally clear and bright, like two gentle pools of water illuminated by moonlight.

"Qi Shuo." He spoke softly, his voice still slightly hoarse from the past, making it sound exceptionally gentle.

"Hmm?" Qi Shuo responded, looking down at him with deep and gentle eyes.

Tan Huaiyu's fingertips unconsciously traced circles on his chest, her voice soft, filled with unguarded dependence and curiosity: "In the evening... why did you name it Amber?"

He remembered that when Qi Shuo looked into the kitten's eyes, he said the name almost without hesitation.

Qi Shuo paused, his hand stroking Tan Huaiyu's back. He looked at Tan Huaiyu's face so close to his, at his long, damp eyelashes, and at those amber eyes that looked particularly moist and focused on him in the dim light.

He didn't answer immediately, but stared intently into those eyes.

He stared at him for a long time, so long that Tan Huaiyu thought he wouldn't answer, or that he was just saying it casually.

Then, Qi Shuo lowered his head and gently, tenderly, kissed Tan Huaiyu's eyelids. The kiss was filled with tenderness and an indescribable sense of cherishing, brushing against her sensitive skin like a feather.

Tan Huaiyu subconsciously closed his eyes, feeling the soft touch, and his heart skipped a beat for no reason.

After the kiss, Qi Shuo's lips didn't leave. Instead, they lingered on his eyelids, and in a low, slow voice, tinged with post-coital languor and an almost reverent tone, he slowly spoke:

"Because amber is beautiful."

His voice was low, like the gentlest notes of a cello, flowing in the quiet night.

Like honey, warm and translucent, frozen in time under the setting sun.

“Like…” He paused, raised his head, and met Tan Huaiyu’s eyes again, which had slowly opened because of his words, filled with a hint of confusion and expectation. Then, he said, word by word, clearly and firmly:

"Like your eyes."

Tan Huaiyu's eyelashes trembled almost imperceptibly.

Qi Shuo's fingertips gently touched the corner of his eye, the movement incredibly gentle, as if he were touching some rare treasure.

“Your eyes are amber in color,” he continued, his gaze seeming to penetrate the depths of Tan Huaiyu’s soul. “They are so clean and bright, and when you look at someone, it’s as if they can draw you in.”

"When she's happy, it's like light is flowing inside her. When she's sad, it's like a layer of mist is covering her face, making people feel sorry for her. When she's serious, she's as calm as a bottomless lake."

"Today in the park, I saw that kitten's eyes, and they were the same color. Clean, bright, and with a shy glint in them."

“So,” Qi Shuo concluded, his tone gentle and matter-of-fact, “we’ll call it Amber.”

His words were simple and plain, without any fancy words, yet like the finest spring rain, they silently nourished Tan Huaiyu's heart. A surge of heat spread rapidly from his heart to every part of his body, even making his fingertips slightly numb.

So that's why...

Not because the kitten's eyes are like jewels or honey, but because... they're like his eyes.

This realization made Tan Huaiyu's heart flutter more than any straightforward words of love. He had never imagined that the color of his eyes would be such a thing in Qi Shuo's heart, something that could be described and associated with such a beautiful and cherished word as "amber."

An indescribable mix of shyness and overwhelming sweetness welled up inside him. Tan Huaiyu's face was even redder than when he was aroused earlier. He subconsciously tried to lower his eyelashes to avoid Qi Shuo's overly focused, overly gentle, and overly... heart-pounding gaze.

But Qi Shuo gently supported his chin with his fingers, preventing him from dodging.

"Look at me, Huaiyu." Qi Shuo's voice was even lower, carrying a hint of coaxing and an unyielding tone.

Tan Huaiyu was forced to raise his eyes and meet his gaze again. In those deep eyes, which at this moment only reflected his own image, he saw undisguised affection, admiration, and an almost greedy possessiveness.

"Your amber eyes are beautiful." Qi Shuo repeated it again, this time, each word like a branding iron, burning Tan Huaiyu's heart, "They are the most beautiful color I have ever seen."

As soon as he finished speaking, he lowered his head again and kissed Tan Huaiyu's slightly parted lips, which were filled with surprise and shyness. This kiss was filled with endless tenderness, cherishment, and a deep, ingrained love.

Tan Huaiyu closed her eyes, obediently and wholeheartedly responding to the kiss.

My body was still exhausted, but my heart was filled to overflowing with this sudden, straightforward, and tender confession.

It turns out that when you love someone, you even feel that the color of their eyes is uniquely beautiful and worthy of being named with a gentle name for that tiny being who has entered your life.

When the kiss ended, their foreheads touched, their breaths mingling.

Tan Huaiyu buried her face deeply in Qi Shuo's neck, her arms tightly wrapped around his waist, her voice muffled, thick with nasal tone and barely concealed joy:

"...Isn't that stupid?"

Qi Shuo chuckled softly, the vibrations from his chest clearly audible. He tightened his arms, holding the person in his embrace even closer.

"Yeah, silly." He admitted frankly, his chin brushing against Tan Huaiyu's soft hair. "I'm only silly to you."

The night was gentle, and the lights were dim.

Inside the cardboard box by the door, a kitten named "Amber" let out a soft "meow" in its sleep, rolled over, and continued to drift off into a sweet dream.

The two people embracing in bed slowly closed their eyes, their lips curved in the same satisfied and peaceful smile, amidst the warmth of each other's bodies and the sound of each other's heartbeats.

Some love needs no words; it's hidden in every glance that looks at you, in the tenderness that names you, and in... every quiet night when you sleep in each other's arms.

For example, a pair of amber eyes.

For example, a kitten named "Amber".

For example, a silly man who feels the whole world has become gentler because he loves you.

After Qi Shuo was promoted to team leader, his work content was adjusted. He shifted from heavy physical labor on the front line to more technical guidance, shift management, and handling of difficult problems.

Although the responsibilities are heavier and there are more things to coordinate and communicate, the good thing is that he no longer has to spend long hours on the assembly line or next to the machines as before, and his time is actually more flexible than before. This gives Qi Shuo relatively more time to better take care of his family.

Qingran's daily rehabilitation training and psychological counseling are arranged by Sister Jin and other professionals, while Qi Shuo is mainly responsible for transportation and companionship. Meanwhile, Tan Huaiyu's law firm, after getting on track, saw a steady increase in business volume, with overtime becoming the norm.

As a result, the following situations often occurred: when Qi Shuo had free time, he would take Qing Ran to the park, go shopping at the supermarket, or play games and read picture books with her at home; when Tan Huaiyu was too busy to leave, Qing Ran would occasionally be taken to the law firm, where she would quietly play with toys and doodle in a corner of Tan Huaiyu's office, without making a fuss, only needing someone to check on her from time to time.

Today is such a day.

Qi Shuo took Amber to the vet this morning for her vaccinations and a full check-up. The little guy is healthy, but a bit malnourished and needs careful feeding.

Qi Shuo went to the pet store again and made a big purchase—a soft cat bed, a spacious litter box, a small cat tree, various cat toys, yarn balls, and kitten-specific cat food, canned food, and nutritional paste.

Back home, he patiently placed the cat bed in a sunny corner of the living room, the litter box in a well-ventilated area on the balcony, and the cat tree next to the sofa.

Amber seemed to know she had a real home, obediently letting Qi Shuo do as he pleased. In the end, she even affectionately rubbed against his palm, purring contentedly, before crawling into her softly padded cat bed, curling up in a ball, and quickly falling asleep.

After settling the new member in, Qi Shuo washed his hands, tied on his apron, and began preparing dinner.

He knew that Tan Huaiyu would be working overtime again tonight, and Qingran was also at the law firm. So, he specially prepared a few extra dishes and carefully packed them into insulated lunch boxes. One was a nutritious children's meal for Qingran, and the other was a meal that Tan Huaiyu liked to eat. He also packed an extra small pot of his own stewed pear soup that was good for clearing heat and moisturizing the lungs.

Carrying a heavy lunchbox, Qi Shuo drove to Tan Huaiyu's law firm.

He knew this place well, parked his car, walked into the office building with practiced ease, and pressed the elevator button.

"Brother Qi is here!" The sharp-eyed young woman at the front desk spotted him first and immediately greeted him with a smile.

"Good evening, Mr. Qi. Are you bringing dinner to Attorney Tan?" The passing assistant lawyer nodded with a smile.

"Hello, boss!" A young intern who had just come out of the break room greeted him directly, with a friendly smirk on his face.

Qi Shuo paused slightly, his face expressionless, only nodding slightly in response, before walking straight toward Tan Huaiyu's office without looking to the side.

He has long since gone from feeling uncomfortable and embarrassed by the title of "boss" to being able to remain calm and composed without any inner turmoil.

This is all thanks to Tan Huaiyu.

From the very first time he came to the law firm to pick someone up, Tan Huaiyu intentionally or unintentionally used a seemingly casual but actually firm attitude to declare the relationship between them and Qi Shuo's important position in the family in front of his colleagues.

Over time, everyone in the law firm knew that their young, promising, calm, and composed lawyer, Tan, had a boyfriend with whom she had a very good relationship. He seemed a bit intimidating, but actually had a good temper and could even cook.

The boss's boyfriend came frequently, bringing food and picking people up, sometimes with a pretty and cute little girl. Someone started jokingly calling her "boss," and everyone felt this title showed both respect and a touch of friendly banter, so it gradually became a common way to address her.

Qi Shuo felt rather helpless about this. As a factory worker, being called "boss" by a group of highly educated lawyers sounded incredibly awkward.

But Tan Huaiyu seemed to enjoy it. Once, when Tan complained about him, Tan Huaiyu retorted, "You are my 'boss'. You control my eating, sleeping, and even my heart. How can you not be my boss?"

One sentence shut Qi Shuo up, leaving him speechless. He could only let them yell, since... it was all thanks to his wife, so there was nothing shameful about it.