Bonus Chapter: Accompanying Each Other Through Dawn and Dusk
The morning light from the Haojiang River filters through the half-drawn gauze curtains, casting dappled shadows on the expensive walnut wood flooring of the bedroom.
The sea breeze, carrying a salty, damp scent, gently rustled the corner of the curtain.
Cheng Yin woke up first.
The first feeling upon regaining consciousness was the heavy weight around my waist.
Lai Yiu-tung's arm was there, holding her tightly even in her sleep.
His body temperature was slightly elevated, like a human heater, making her back slightly sweaty.
She shifted slightly, trying to adjust her posture, when she immediately heard a disgruntled snort behind her. Her arms tightened around him, and a fluffy head nuzzled against the back of her neck. Her breathing became even and long again.
Cheng Yin stopped moving.
She lay quietly, listening to the steady, powerful heartbeat in her ear and feeling the warmth coming from behind her.
After an unknown amount of time, the alarm clock gently rang.
Almost simultaneously, the tension in my waist loosened.
With his eyes closed, Li Yaodong stretched out his long arm and precisely turned off the alarm clock, his movements as fluid as if he had rehearsed it a thousand times.
"Sleep for another ten minutes." His voice, heavy with sleepiness, scraped against Cheng Yin's eardrums in a hoarse tone.
It wasn't a discussion, it was a statement.
After he finished speaking, he habitually pulled her closer to him, resting his chin on the top of her head, as if to make sure everything was in place.
Cheng Yin let him have his way.
She opened her eyes and watched the sunlight slowly move across the floor.
Before, when I lived at my aunt's house, waking up meant a cold attic and endless chores; later, when I lived alone in Parrot Island, waking up meant an empty apartment and a work schedule accurate to the minute.
She never knew that the morning could be spent so lazily, held in someone's arms.
Ten minutes later, Li Yaodong finally regained full consciousness.
He opened his eyes first and looked down at the person in his arms.
Cheng Yin closed her eyes, her eyelashes casting a faint shadow beneath them, and her breathing was steady.
He didn't move, just looked at her for a while, before very carefully withdrawing his arm and getting out of bed quietly, afraid of disturbing her.
The bathroom door closed gently, and the faint sound of water could be heard.
Cheng Yin then opened her eyes and listened to the sound of water, feeling a strange sense of peace.
When Li Yaodong finished washing up and came out wrapped in a bathrobe, smelling fresh water vapor and aftershave, Cheng Yin was already sitting in front of the dressing table, combing her waist-length black hair.
The sunlight outlined her slender neck and soft profile.
He walked over and naturally took the comb from her hand.
Cheng Yin looked at him in the mirror. His movements were a little clumsy, but he was unusually patient, combing her hair from root to tip, carefully avoiding pulling or hurting her.
Once he had combed her hair, he put down the comb, placed his hands on her shoulders, leaned down, and kissed the top of her head.
"What's the schedule for today?" he asked, looking at her in the mirror.
"I went to the foundation this morning to check the quarterly reports, and this afternoon I met with the designer to discuss the interior design of the new children's library," Cheng Yin reported calmly.
Lai Yiu-tung transformed some of his businesses and established a charitable foundation in her name, focusing on education and medical assistance. She was no longer his accountant, but the head of the Cheng Yin Foundation.
"Mm," Li Yaodong responded, his fingers unconsciously twirling a strand of her hair. "Don't overwork yourself. I'll have Sister Lan bring some soup over at noon."
"good."
Breakfast is usually served at a seaside restaurant.
Exquisite Cantonese breakfast dishes were laid out on the long dining table.
Li Yaodong eats quickly, but he will stay with Cheng Yin until she finishes her meal.
While looking at financial news on his tablet, he habitually placed the best parts of the shrimp dumplings and siu mai onto her plate.
Cheng Yin was a woman of few words, eating quietly, and occasionally she would look up and meet his gaze.
It didn't have any special meaning; I just wanted to see her.
Then he'll continue watching the news, or suddenly blurt out, "Your hair's gotten a bit longer," or "Your lipstick color looks nice today."
These trivial, meaningless conversations constitute their daily routine in the morning.
After dinner, before going to the company, Li Yaodong would stand in the entrance hall and have Cheng Yin help him adjust his tie.
This is one of the few small, ritualistic things she insists on doing.
Her fingers deftly tied a Windsor knot, then gently smoothed the collar of his suit.
Li Yaodong looked down at her focused expression, and occasionally, when she finished tidying up, he would quickly lean down and steal a kiss, his eyes filled with a playful light after succeeding.
"Let's go." He squeezed her fingers.
"Okay, be careful on the road."
During the day, they were all busy with their own things.
Li Yaodong navigates the treacherous business world with strategic brilliance, while Cheng Yin meticulously handles every donation at the foundation and communicates with the recipients.
The spaces are separate, but the connections are constant.
Li Yaodong would have his secretary bring her a cup of her favorite fruit tea while she was in a meeting; Cheng Yin would also send him information about a plot of land suitable for a rehabilitation center as soon as she saw it.
In the evening, Lai Yiu-tung would try his best to decline social engagements and go home.
Sometimes when Cheng Yin was working in the study, he would bring in a glass of water, place it beside her, and stand behind her without saying a word, or casually tidy up the scattered documents on her desk.
Sometimes she would paint on the terrace while he dealt with emails on the deck chair next to her. They didn't disturb each other, with only the sea breeze as their companion.
Dinner is a time for the two of them to truly connect.
Lai Yiu-tung would ask her about the foundation, listen to her talk about the progress a child made after receiving help, or the difficulties encountered by a medical project.
He rarely offers direct solutions; instead, he listens and then asks, "What do you think?"
He respects her field and judgment.
Cheng Yin would also ask him about his business. Although she didn't understand the complicated capital operations, she would listen to him talk about the challenges and interesting things he encountered.
She was the only person he could let his guard down and talk nonsense with.
At night, Cheng Yin still occasionally has nightmares.
I dreamt of a cold attic, of endless debt, of the iron cage in a factory in Siam.
Every time she woke up in a cold sweat, Li Yaodong would wake up at almost the same time.
He didn't ask what she dreamed about, but simply held her tightly in his arms, patting her back steadily, like soothing a frightened little animal.
His body temperature and heartbeat are the best tranquilizers.
As she calmed down and drifted off to sleep, she would hear his low, husky promise from above: "I'm here. It's alright now."
These five words reassured her more than any sweet words.
This is their married life.
There was nothing thrilling or dramatic.
Some embrace in the morning light, some show silent care at the dinner table, some offer quiet support at work, and some snuggle together under the night sky.
Li Yaodong concealed all his sharpness and tyranny, creating an absolutely safe world for her.
Cheng Yin, with her quietness and resilience, soothed all his past anxieties and loneliness.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
