Chapter 16 "My wife will always be number one"
The girls didn't lower their voices, and Qu He felt her ears and neck burning for no reason, but Zhuang Bieyan next to her seemed completely unaffected and remained calm.
She was about to tell Zhuang Xi that she wanted to wait outside, but Zhuang Xi had already dragged her to the display case. "Sister Qu, this and that are all delicious!"
Xiao Zhuangxi was clearly a pro at taking orders. She tilted her head back and said with a sweet expression, "Hello, I'd like a canelé, a strawberry mille-feuille, and a macaron."
After a moment, she twisted the corner of her clothes. "Two macarons, please. And pack the other one for me."
Xiao Zhuangxi was a little embarrassed and whispered, "Mom likes to eat it too."
Qu He couldn't help but smile. No matter how much the little girl threw a tantrum, she still missed her mother.
After ordering for himself, Zhuang Xi looked up at Qu He, waved his hand, and struck a pose befitting a financial tycoon.
"Sister Qu, order whatever you'd like! I'll have Uncle pay the bill!"
Qu He was filled with fear and trepidation.
Zhuang Bieyan was standing right behind her. She actually wanted to refuse, but Zhuang Bieyan's words, "Thank you very much, Miss Qu," dispelled her thoughts.
If she refuses, wouldn't that be making the bookmaker owe her a favor? They might even think she has ulterior motives today.
She could only nod and look at the display case.
The dazzling array of desserts made her feel a little dazed.
She hadn't had dessert in a long time.
Initially, because Qian Zhaoye had a bad stomach, she intentionally reduced the number of times she ate desserts. Later, when she was eating a Basque dessert given to her by a colleague, Qian Zhaoye saw her and said it was childish, so she never ate it again.
In Qian Zhaoye's memory, however, it became that she didn't like sweets.
Memories always bring a bittersweet feeling.
Seeing her staring at the display case hesitantly, the saleswoman began enthusiastically recommending new products.
"This one will do," Qu He said, selecting a Basque dish.
After she finished ordering, Zhuang Xi urged Zhuang Bieyan, "Uncle, hurry up and pay the bill!"
A faint scent of cedar wafted from behind her. Zhuang Bieyan leaned forward slightly, almost encircling her in his arms.
He took out his phone and asked the shop assistant to scan the code.
Qu He froze instantly, holding her breath.
She could clearly feel the breath hitting the back of her neck, and even through the air, she could feel Zhuang Bieyan's chest rising and falling with each breath.
"Okay." He put his phone away.
"Sister Qu, let's find a seat first and have Uncle bring it over." Zhuang Xi took her hand and walked towards the customer area.
As I turned around, the back of my hand inadvertently brushed against the sleeve of the person behind me.
A gentle touch, like a feather skimming across the lake.
Ripples spread where no one can see.
Zhuang Xi led her upstairs to the second floor, found a seat by the window, and swung her legs while playing with a tissue, muttering, "Uncle is the slowest."
The dessert was served quickly.
The caramel coating on the canelé gave off a sweet aroma. Zhuang Xi couldn't wait to pick it up and take a bite. Then she scooped out a big spoonful of strawberry mille-feuille, her face full of satisfaction, her happy eyes narrowing into crescent moons.
When she finally got to eat the dessert she had been dreaming of, she even started humming a song, completely unaware that there was a cream stain on the tip of her nose.
Qu He chuckled and took a tissue to wipe away the cream stains. "Xiao Xi, are you so happy? Don't you get to eat this every Friday?"
Xiao Zhuangxi puffed out her cheeks, her voice muffled, "No, Sister Qu. Mom said that if Xi'er makes a mistake, she can't eat it. Last Friday, Xi'er accidentally broke Mom's lipstick, and I thought I wouldn't be able to eat it today either..."
The rest is self-evident.
Being able to eat the dessert she had lost and then regained made her happier than anyone else.
As Zhuang Xi spoke, she scooped out another large spoonful of strawberry mille-feuille and stuffed it into her mouth, as if she wanted to make up for what she missed last week.
Qu He chuckled as she looked at the little squirrel with its cheeks puffed out beside her.
He looked up again at Zhuang Bieyan, who was typing on his phone screen across from him.
Surprisingly, he dotes on his niece quite a bit.
For some reason, the phrase "doting father" suddenly popped into my head.
She found it hard to believe that Zhuang Bieyan would one day be associated with these three people.
Qu He was lost in thought and didn't notice that the man opposite her had already put down his phone and his gaze was fixed precisely on the curve of her lips.
"What are you laughing at, Miss Qu?"
Qu He snapped out of her daze, just as she came into his view.
Zhuang Xi, who was standing to the side, stopped talking after hearing what he said and looked at him curiously with her big eyes.
Stared at by four large eyes, Qu He's mind went blank for a moment, and she blurted out what was on her mind: "I didn't expect President Zhuang to dote on his niece so much... He'll definitely be very happy when he has a daughter in the future..."
The mouth speaks first, the brain follows behind.
As soon as she finished speaking, Qu He regretted it.
As expected, upon hearing her words, Zhuang Bieyan's brow twitched slightly, and he gave her a look that was neither a smile nor a frown.
The roots of the rhizome of Quhe are burning hot.
Could it be that the Zhuang family is a rigid, patriarchal one? After all, they have 321 family rules.
In her panic, she added, "My son...my son too..."
The more you try to explain, the worse it gets.
Qu He wished she could bury her face in the cake plate in front of her.
Zhuang Bieyan took in her reaction; under the reflected light, her amber pupils looked like a melting honey candy.
“I respect my wife’s opinion.” He stared straight at Qu He, his voice as soft as a breeze.
“I like both girls and boys, but…” He sat up slightly, his body shifting subtly, a faint light reflecting off his watch, “but she will always be my first choice.”
Even though those words weren't meant for her, Qu He inexplicably felt her face burning up.
She hurriedly straightened her tissues, then picked up a spoon and scooped out a bite of Basque cake.
The moment she took a bite, she heard a soft laugh from above, so hot that Qu He almost dropped the spoon she was holding.
The music playing in the store happened to be "Try".
The melodious piano music accompanies a languid male voice singing, "...If I say you're the one, would you believe me? If I ask you to stay, would you show me the way? Tell me what to say so you don't leave me..."
Zhuang Xi buried her head in eating the cake again.
Qu He caught a glimpse of Zhuang Bieyan's hand resting on the edge of the table.
Those hands, which had almost wrapped around her shoulders just moments before, were now tapping lightly on the table.
The rhythm gradually synchronized with the music.
Xiao Zhuangxi quickly finished both desserts. She put down her spoon, leaned back, patted her round little belly, and licked her lips, clearly still wanting more.
"Hello, here is the bayberry and lychee cake and black coffee you just ordered."
The shop assistant came over carrying a tray.
Xiao Zhuangxi's eyes lit up instantly, and he almost pounced on her.
But she still asked very politely, "Sister, we didn't order this."
The shop assistant smiled and said, "This gentleman placed his order after you came upstairs. The bayberry and lychee cake is a new product we just launched today."
Zhuang Xi was so excited he almost jumped up on the spot.
"Uncle, uncle, did you order this cake for me?"
Zhuang Bieyan picked up his coffee cup, took a small sip, and asked, "Who had a toothache that kept them awake last week?"
Xiao Zhuangxi immediately wilted.
Zhuang Bieyan raised an eyebrow and pushed the plate over, "You can only have one bite."
It has come back to life.
As Qu He watched the interaction between the uncle and nephew, the corners of her mouth unconsciously turned up.
"Delicious!" Zhuang Xi suddenly came over and pushed the bayberry cake in front of her. "Sister Qu, you should try some too."
Qu He: "Huh?"
Her first instinct was to refuse.
Xiao Zhuangxi clutched her chest, looking heartbroken. "Uncle doesn't like sweets, so Xi'er can only have one bite. It would be such a waste if Sister Qu doesn't eat any either."
Qu He was amused and picked up a fork to cut off a piece of cake.
The long-lost sweetness exploded on the tip of my tongue, bringing back a bittersweet memory of my youth.
Waxberry.
When I was a child, there was a bayberry tree next to my maternal grandmother's yard.
"Not to your liking?"
Zhuang Bieyan suddenly asked.
Qu He shook her head. "It's delicious, but... I haven't had dessert in a long time."
Today, she finally tasted the flavor of "liking" again.
Zhuang Bieyan's gaze lingered on her face for a few seconds before he casually remarked, "I thought Miss Qu didn't like bayberries."
Qu He looked up and met his gaze.
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