Chapter 20

The morning sunlight quietly lifted the heavy curtain, slanting in through the floor-to-ceiling windows of the master bedroom of the Nanye residence, casting a pale gold hue on the velvet carpet beside the bed.

The master bedroom remained quiet, but the person on the bed stirred first.

Sakura slowly opened her eyes, her eyelashes fluttering slightly, her sea-blue eyes still tinged with sleep. She turned her head and saw a familiar and handsome face still nestled quietly against her neck.

A smile unconsciously crept onto her lips as she reached out and gently patted his strong shoulder.

"Honey, good morning... Time to get up and go to work." Her voice was soft, like the wind blowing through flower petals.

“Hmm…” Nan Ye Xiuyi responded softly, without opening his eyes. Instead, he hugged her tighter and muttered, “Five more minutes.”

"You said there would be a meeting," Sakura said with a smile, lightly tapping his chin with her finger. "If you don't get up, I'll kiss you."

"...Then I don't want to get up."

She was taken aback for a moment, then burst out laughing.

"You—" Sakura blushed and buried her face in his chest, laughing for a while. In the end, she softened, reached out and brushed his long hair behind his ear, and gently blew a breath into his ear, "If you really want to stay in bed, I'll go eat the strawberry sandwich I had for breakfast~"

This finally worked!

Shuichi Minamino finally opened his eyes and gently tapped her forehead: "You threaten me with food every morning."

"Who told you to love eating but be afraid I'd take it from you?"

Ten minutes later, the two walked into the master bathroom together.

Sakura leaned against the sink, brushing her teeth while looking at him in the mirror—

He was only wearing a bathrobe, his long red hair was slightly messy, his green eyes were half-closed, and he brushed his teeth slowly and methodically, like a fox that had just come out of its den.

She chuckled softly, her voice bubbly: "The way you wash your face... it's like a little fox rinsing itself off."

He glanced at her sideways, a smirk playing on his lips: "Then you're the little golden fox in my den."

She blushed deeply at his words: "...Who is 'I'..."

After washing up, the maid had already prepared breakfast in the dining room on the first floor.

Today's menu is still a nutritionally balanced pregnancy meal: egg and milk oatmeal porridge, nut bread rolls, and her favorite—sugar-free strawberry cheesecake cups.

As soon as Sakura sat down, Minamino Shuichi skillfully pulled out a chair for her and placed a plush cushion behind her back.

"It's more comfortable to lean against."

"Mmm." She nodded with a smile.

During breakfast, the two ate quietly, occasionally glancing at each other, their eyes conveying the same two words: contentment.

After dinner, as soon as Sakura wiped her mouth, Minamino Shuichi picked her up and carried her back to the master bedroom.

"Hey... I can walk now," she protested softly.

“You are the queen now, how can you walk on your own?”

"Is she a queen or a porcelain doll?"

"...is all my treasures."

In front of the master bedroom wardrobe, Minamino Shuichi opened the leftmost custom-made clothing wardrobe and took out the navy blue suit he was going to wear today.

He skillfully put on his shirt and adjusted his cufflinks. At that moment, Sakura stood up, walked barefoot to him, picked up his tie, and stood on tiptoe to tie it for him.

Her movements were consistently skillful, her fingertips delicate, soft, and composed.

Shuichi Minamino quietly looked down at her, his green eyes as calm and deep as a lake on a spring night.

"What's wrong?" She looked up at him.

"I never imagined my wife would look so beautiful even when she's wearing a tie." His voice was deep, and his eyes were filled with tenderness.

“…You’re here again.” She lowered her head and continued tying her tie, her ear tips slightly red.

He suddenly bent down and planted a kiss on her lips.

He gently grasped her tie, which she had just finished tying: "You did a great job, I want to reward you."

"If you're late again, I won't be responsible," she said with a huff, arms crossed.

"All I'm responsible for is... thinking of you."

In the sunlight, the man was wearing a sharp suit, and the girl stood in front of him, wearing a soft, warm loungewear dress, her slightly protruding belly protruding.

She tiptoed and gently straightened his bow tie, and he lowered his head to kiss her forehead.

This is the most ordinary yet most heartwarming morning since we got married.

In front of the Minamino residence, the sunlight gently falls on the stone path, and the branches and leaves of the olive tree sway softly in the breeze.

Minamino Shuichi stood in front of the door, dressed in a sharp suit, holding a briefcase in one hand, while his other hand lingered on Sakura's fingertips with reluctance.

"You really don't want me to take a day off?" He lowered his head slightly, his green eyes smiling, yet revealing a restrained affection.

"Stop acting all cute." Sakura tilted her head back, laughed, and patted his chest. "You're the company president, you know. If you stay on duty like this, the employees will laugh at you."

“I don’t care what the employees think,” he said earnestly. “I only care about you.”

"Shall I post a notice for you saying you're staying home with your wife today?" Sakura asked, pretending to be serious.

"...The board will be nagging me all night." He finally sighed. "Fine, I surrender."

"Sweetheart." She tiptoed and gently adjusted the lapel of his suit jacket. "Remember to eat lunch on time, and—"

Before she could finish speaking, he gently cupped her face and pressed his lips to hers.

A reluctant kiss, carrying the unique scent of fresh morning grass and a touch of heart-fluttering sweetness, gently lingered between their lips.

"I'll be back soon," he whispered, pressing his forehead against hers.

"I'll wait for you." She nodded with a smile, her eyes shining brightly.

Watching him get into the car and leave, Sakura crossed her arms and sighed slightly.

"We just got married, and we're already starting to feel reluctant to part in the morning..."

She murmured to herself, then turned and went back to the master bedroom.

The master bedroom remained clean and comfortable, with sunlight filtering through the curtains and dappling the floor.

Sakura changed into a soft loungewear dress, sat back on the soft bed, leaned the pillows against her back, snuggled into the familiar blankets, and held the black tablet that Minamino Shuichi usually used in her hands.

She tapped the screen; the unlock password he had set was her birthday. She couldn't help but chuckle and blinked, "Shuichi's too easy to guess."

She flipped through her tablet, opened a light comedy, and soon became engrossed in it, her eyes fixed on the plot's twists and turns. She would even eat sliced ​​apples while slowly savoring her snacks with a small fork.

The sunlight slanted in from outside. Sakura sat on the bed, her long hair cascading over her shoulders, her skin fair and translucent. She looked like an angel nestled in a soft down comforter.

At that moment, there was a knock on the master bedroom door.

"Madam, I apologize for disturbing you." It was the housekeeper's gentle voice.

"Today is a purchasing day. I was wondering if there's anything you'd particularly like to eat for lunch?"

Sakura looked up from the screen and replied with a smile, "I'm fine with anything, I'm not picky~ I'll be happy as long as it's prepared by you."

"You are so kind and considerate." The maids all had genuine smiles on their faces.

"Then I'll go downstairs and tell the kitchen to prepare steamed sea bass, pumpkin porridge, and your favorite cauliflower soup today."

"Okay~ Thank you for your hard work." Sakura nodded gently, continuing to hold her tablet, watching the show and occasionally laughing out loud.

Sunlight streamed through the curtains and fell beside her. The dialogue between the characters in the drama, the birdsong in the garden outside, and the faint scent left by Minamino Shuichi all contributed to her peaceful and happy morning after her marriage.

Meanwhile, back in his office, after finishing a meeting, Minamino Shuichi glanced at Sakura's picture on his phone's home screen, a smile unconsciously curving his lips as he murmured:

"...She's probably still watching the show right now."

As he signed the documents, he began planning to leave work early that evening and go home, and incidentally—bring her some of the limited-edition strawberry cream puffs that she loved but was "not allowed to eat too much of."