Chapter 36 Holiday
Fino hesitated in the flower shop, unable to make up her mind.
This was Fino's first visit to Inzaghi's home, and as is customary, she wanted to bring a small gift. Inzaghi's diet was very strict, and he abstained from alcohol, so Fino could only think of sending flowers.
He gazed at the buckets of vibrant red roses, pondered for a moment, and then gently shook his head.
In Fino's eyes, Inzaghi and red roses are a perfect match, or rather, Inzaghi himself is like the personification of a red rose—bright, passionate, charming, and fragrant—but dangerous.
It lured people closer, making them intoxicated by its enchanting fragrance, only to have them pricked by the sharp thorns beneath its leaves, drawing blood.
Fino couldn't choose red roses. The meaning of red roses was too ambiguous and too suggestive. Even someone like him, who had no knowledge of flower language, knew what it meant.
He and Inzaghi are not in that kind of relationship yet. Before a formal relationship is established, there should be no such hints or metaphors that could influence their choices.
On the surface, Inzaghi adopted a humble posture, actively pursuing Fino's affections. However, Fino knew very well that between them, Inzaghi was the one holding the kite string.
He lacked the confidence to make Inzaghi settle down.
That promise to meet during the summer break wasn't a test for Inzaghi; he was simply waiting for Inzaghi's initial excitement to fade. If Inzaghi then chose to let go of the kite string, he would fly away, and he would give up completely.
Love is a projection of one's own desires, and one cannot force others to comply.
After much deliberation, Fino finally chose the white tulip, just like Inzaghi did.
Fino unexpectedly felt relaxed and at ease during the day he spent at Inzaghi's house.
Inzaghi did nothing more to provoke him and make his heart race—to be honest, no matter how rational one is in one's mind, one's 19-year-old body is honest, and Fino really found it hard to resist Inzaghi's deliberate flirting.
Inzaghi seemed to possess some kind of succubus system; his eyes, expressions, and movements were all captivating. Even without any physical contact, Fino could feel a strong sexual attraction, which was far beyond what Fino could handle.
But this wasn't what Fino wanted. He wasn't that sexually driven.
If there is only sexual attraction between partners, it is meaningless; passion will diminish, and eventually only stagnant water will remain.
Fino longs for a long-lasting companionship and a resonance of souls.
That day, they didn't do anything special; they just chatted, cooked, and watched movies together like friends—a simple but comfortable day.
When the afternoon sun was shining brightly, they sat on the carpet in front of the French windows and chatted. Gradually, Fino became sleepy from the warm sunshine. He rested his head on Inzaghi's lap and took a nice nap.
Like Nesta, Inzaghi reached out and covered Fino's eyes to prevent the light from disturbing his sweet dreams.
When Fino woke up after a good night's sleep, it was already sunset. He found himself lying in Inzaghi's arms, with one of Inzaghi's arms as a pillow and the other draped over his waist.
Fino looked up slightly, and Inzaghi's face was not far from his line of sight; he was sleeping peacefully.
When those captivating eyes closed, Inzaghi's demeanor became calm and composed. Wrinkles appeared on his forehead and around his eyes, a mature and sensual quality etched by time.
Because they were so close, the scar on Inzaghi's lip became even more clearly visible. Fino wanted to touch it, but didn't want to disturb Inzaghi's peaceful sleep.
So he stared blankly at Inzaghi's face.
Injuries never left Inzaghi, yet this man still dragged his weak and frail body across the green field, becoming a renowned striker.
He was a giant in spirit and will.
Just then, the sunset peeked in and climbed onto Inzaghi's face, casting a golden glow on his angular features.
Inzaghi frowned, raised his hand to shield his eyes, and reluctantly opened them a few seconds later.
After seeing Inzaghi wake up, Fino sat up cross-legged, put his hands behind his back, shrugged his shoulders slightly, and turned to look at Inzaghi.
"Pippo, good afternoon."
Inzaghi turned to the side, propped his head up with one hand, and smiled at Fino.
Good afternoon, baby.
...
On the second day of the holiday, Fino visited Kaka's house. This time, he didn't have to worry about gifts at all; wine or cake were both things Kaka liked.
Fino thought for a moment and bought another bouquet of flowers for Caroline. He didn't have to worry about the selection at all. He just had to tell the florist that he was going to visit a friend and wanted flowers for the hostess, something beautiful and expensive. The florist could take care of it for him.
Caroline has the typical Latin mixed-race beauty, with a high nose, deep eyes, and a bright and generous appearance. She and Kaka are a perfect match in appearance, and Fino even thinks that the two look somewhat like a married couple.
Kaka immediately introduced Fino and Caroline.
“Hello, Caroline, it’s nice to meet you. I’m Fino Cabrini, you can call me Fino. I’m Richie’s friend and teammate.”
Fino handed the flowers to Caroline and then politely extended her right hand.
Seeing Fino's serious expression, Caroline almost laughed, but she held it back. She put her left arm around the flowers and used her right hand to shake hands with Fino.
"Hello, Fino, it's a pleasure to meet you. I'm Richie's wife, Caroline."
Kaka burst out laughing: "What's going on? Are you having business negotiations?"
Fino felt a little awkward. He hadn't spent much time with girls his own age. Shouldn't he shake hands on their first meeting? He couldn't very well hug her, could he?
Caroline patted Kaka on the shoulder, signaling him to stop laughing, and then said to Fino in a generous manner, "Welcome to our home. Richie often mentions you to me. Please sit on the sofa, I'll go wash some fruit."
"I'll do it, I'll do it, you guys go and sit down first." Kaka immediately turned and went into the kitchen.
After being led to the sofa by Caroline, Fino cursed Kaka inwardly for being an idiot, leaving his friend and wife alone in the living room.
Fino had visited Kaka's house several times, and now that there was finally a lady of the house, things immediately changed.
The overall layout of the house hasn't changed much, but there are many more small, oddly shaped items, making it feel more homey and cozy. Even the green plants look more vibrant.
Just as Fino was about to find a topic—like praising the green plants—Kaka returned with fruit.
Fino breathed a sigh of relief; for him, awkward small talk wasn't easy either.
"Finnie, I'm going to be a dad!" Kaka grinned, showing his teeth.
Fino immediately turned to look at Caroline, whose lower abdomen was slightly protruding, making her posture a little more noticeable.
It turns out that a little life was being conceived there.
"The due date is in June, and to avoid being disturbed by the media, we plan to announce the news after the baby is born," Caroline explained with a smile.
“I will keep it a secret,” Fino solemnly promised. “Congratulations on embarking on a new stage in your lives.”
Skipping over the initial awkwardness, Fino quickly became acquainted with Caroline.
Caroline is a very well-mannered girl; she is polite, generous, and makes people feel comfortable and at ease when talking to her.
She is confident and opinionated, and can speak fluently and eloquently on topics she is good at, and her arguments are well-founded, making her seem very intelligent.
Fino felt that she and Kaka were a match made in heaven. Such a wonderful girl deserved a man as wonderful as Kaka. Moreover, their personalities were compatible; an independent, confident, and intelligent person combined with a sunny, cheerful, and slightly silly guy like Kaka meant they would hardly ever argue.
Caroline made a huge decision to come to Milan from Brazil, as she knew no one there except Kaká and his family.
As her pregnancy became more apparent, she even suspended her plans to study fashion industry courses in order to keep the news a secret. She stayed at home every day, with only Kaka and the nanny to talk to.
Despite Kaka's thoughtfulness, she still felt lonely, spending her days at home watching the clock and waiting for him to get off work. She wanted to go back to Brazil, but didn't know how to tell Kaka.
Kaka noticed Caroline's loneliness, which is why he introduced her to Fino. He encouraged Caroline to expand her social circle in Milan and gradually integrate into Milanese life. Fino was a good friend, and Kaka believed Caroline would like him too.
Caroline did indeed have a very good impression of Fino.
Fino didn't treat her as Kaka's appendage; he treated her as a new friend, listening to her quietly, politely and respectfully. The conversation didn't have to revolve around Kaka; Caroline could talk about anything she wanted, which made her feel wonderful.
More importantly, like Kaka, Fino has no interest in sensual pleasures, which makes her like him all the more. She wishes Kaka were surrounded by friends like Fino.
Around noon, Kaka pleaded with Fino, "Fino, we gave the nanny the day off today, can you cook Chinese food instead? Carol hasn't tried your cooking yet!"
He wouldn't stand on ceremony with Fino, who had cooked for him at his house more than once or twice.
Fino had no problem with that. He first found out about Caroline's allergens and the dietary restrictions for pregnant women, and then went out shopping with Kaka.
“Carol doesn’t like life in Milan. She has no friends there and feels lonely. She misses Brazil.” Kaka said to Fino as he drove.
“I long for a complete family life, instead of living apart from my family all the time, but Carol is unhappy in Milan, and I can’t selfishly keep her by my side.” Kaka’s voice was filled with frustration and sadness.
This was Kaka's family matter, and Fino couldn't offer any advice. Besides, he had no experience with family life and couldn't offer any even if he wanted to. So he could only listen to Kaka continue in silence.
Kaka hesitated for a moment before speaking: "Brazil and Italy are too far apart. I can only go back a few times a year. I'm only 26 years old, and I'll be in Europe for at least another seven or eight years. I'm worried that a long-term separation will affect our relationship."
Fino gently patted his shoulder, comforting him, "Caroline is an independent and confident girl. She needs you in her life, but she can't have only you. Besides being your wife, she also has her own independent role in society. There's an old Chinese poem that says, 'If love between two people lasts forever, why should they be together day and night?' As long as you love each other enough, time and distance are not a problem. Besides, didn't Caroline want to take fashion-related courses? Perhaps after the baby is born, she can go to classes and have her own social circle, then she'll come to like Milan. Richie, go and have a good talk with Caroline. She's pregnant and needs the care, understanding, and support of her family right now."
Kaka nodded; he did indeed need to have a serious talk with Caroline.
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