Suddenly, he lifted her up and pressed her against the cabinet, his voice hoarse as he shouted, "Hua Lianxi!"
Pressed against the cabinet, feeling suffocated, Hua Lianxi closed her eyes, dizzy, her lips slightly parted, breathing rapidly. She let out a low "Mmm," feeling the anger emanating from his tense chest.
"Are you happy with the money I gave you? Where are your spoils from today?" Imagining her beaming face as she received the check and her extravagant shopping spree in high-end stores, Kong Chengyi's suppressed anger surged up his throat, his eyes cold and piercing.
As the dizziness subsided, Hua Lianxi let out a low laugh, responding in a relaxed tone, "Of course, isn't it a happy thing to have what you like? Besides, you gave me quite a lot. It's not that I couldn't afford it, right? I just didn't find anything I wanted today!"
Having what you like and desire is indeed a happy thing. However, the things she truly liked and desired were too precious, so much so that she couldn't afford them, so much so that she only wanted to hide away in her own world.
"It's great to have money, my wife, Hua Lianxi!" His face tense, Kong Chengyi slightly loosened his grip, his warm lips landing on her smooth forehead, suddenly tender and affectionate, with a hint of indescribable reluctance.
She was merely a wife he had arranged, merely a role he had asked her to play. Yet, in moments of losing control, he had taken possession of her. Someone who prided himself on his self-control didn't like his own restlessness and loss of control.
Feeling his relaxation, Hua Lianxi stiffly turned her head, her lips brushing against his ear, murmuring lazily like a cat, momentarily enjoying his rare warmth and affection.
Releasing his grip, he turned her around, their foreheads touching. Kong Chengyi's dark eyes stared at her, trying hard to control his heavy breathing.
Naturally, her arms wrapped around his lean waist, her long eyelashes fluttering, her cheeks flushed, breathing lightly, trembling uncontrollably.
The sudden roughness and sudden gentleness were both hard for her to handle, easily consuming her, turning her into a stranger in an instant.
Is it destined that there will be someone who becomes another person's weakness?
In the most realistic world, she was indulging in the most impossible fantasy, unconsciously letting him reside in her heart, making him her most unspeakable pain.
"I'm hungry, cook something!" His fingers pinched the softness at her waist, and Kong Chengyi suddenly stood up straight, hands in his pockets, turning away neatly and leaving the kitchen.
Her legs trembling, Hua Lianxi opened her mouth wide, taking deep breaths, her hands on the cabinet, trying hard to keep herself from sliding down. She looked up at his retreating figure, unable to guess his emotions.
Sitting in silence, Hua Lianxi slowly chewed her food, her phoenix eyes occasionally glancing at Kong Chengyi, who remained elegant as if he were the only one at the table.
After the silent meal, Kong Chengyi went straight into the study, not reappearing until midnight. The vast living room was only filled with the light she had left on and the now lonely, flamboyant flowers.
Glancing at the solid wooden door upstairs, unable to see inside, unable to imagine her current state, he rubbed his temples, picked a bottle of red wine from the bar, and with a pack of unopened cigarettes, went to sit on the balcony.
In the faint moonlight, he noticed a lonely potted plant on the otherwise empty balcony. Upon closer inspection, it was a white flower ball.
Taking a sip of the fragrant wine, Kong Chengyi leaned down, squinting to identify the flower ball, his mind racing to match it with a name, but finding no relevant information.
Casually picking it up, he examined the flower ball's tenacious upward cluster in the moonlight, feeling a hint of anticipation for its full bloom, thinking he would identify it then.
The next day, Hua Lianxi woke up to find a note with strong, bold handwriting on the bedside table: "Business trip for a week."
Staring at the note, she sat up in shock, the blanket slipping off to reveal her delicate skin. Last night, in her depressed state, she had chosen a very revealing nightgown and had fallen asleep without covering herself. The note on the bedside table meant Kong Chengyi had been in her room last night, possibly seeing her in such a state.
Imagining being seen like that, Hua Lianxi's face turned red with embarrassment. She pulled the blanket over herself, let out a low groan, and fell back onto the bed, wishing the ground would swallow her up to avoid the shame.
After a while, she peeked out from under the blanket, reading the note again. Though it was just a few words, it brightened her mood. At least she knew he was on a business trip, even if she didn't know where. She was satisfied.
For the next week, Hua Lianxi spent her days with Hua Zhenzhen, reminiscing about their past together. At night, she stayed in her room, meticulously revising the design draft for Cheng Shaobai's house, planning to submit the initial draft in a couple of days.
The seven days became a period of waiting for Hua Lianxi. Each day she woke up with anticipation and went to sleep with hope, even unconsciously smiling while with Hua Zhenzhen at the nursing home, unable to hide her joy.
On the seventh night, Hua Lianxi returned to Xiaoyue Residence early, preparing dinner for two, full of anticipation. But by midnight, there was still no news from Kong Chengyi. She kept checking her phone but ultimately didn't call him, falling asleep in disappointment.
At dawn, the room still dim, Hua Lianxi woke up abruptly, hurriedly standing barefoot at Kong Chengyi's door. Summoning her courage, she turned the doorknob, only to find the room still empty, the air devoid of life. He hadn't returned as expected.
Staring at the empty room, she slowly composed herself, putting on an indifferent expression, as if distancing herself from the hopeful self of the past week. She spent the entire day at the nursing home, even deliberately having dinner with Hua Zhenzhen.
"Mom, can you make my favorite braised shrimp for me sometime?" After feeding Hua Zhenzhen the last bite, Hua Lianxi playfully asked, longing for her mother's cooking and the return of their warm, happy days.
Nearly a month of care and Hua Lianxi's daily companionship and storytelling had gradually brought Hua Zhenzhen back from her tangled world. She no longer needed to be bound and could move freely around the room, her life slowly returning to normal. Hua Lianxi believed she would soon fully recover.
Sitting on the bed with a blank expression, Hua Zhenzhen, who had been staring at the white wall, slowly turned her head, looking at her for a while, then gradually smiled, her withered hand touching Hua Lianxi's thin cheek. "Xixi loves braised shrimp, Mom will make it for you. When we go home, I'll make it for you!"
Tears welled up in Hua Lianxi's bright eyes. She bit her lip and smiled softly, gently kissing her mother's forehead. "Mom, remember that! I'm waiting to eat your cooking!"
All her efforts and sacrifices hadn't been in vain. Soon, she would have her loving mother back, and they would return to their happy life.
"Yes, Mom will make it for Xixi. Xixi should bring her friends home to eat too!" Hua Zhenzhen's mind drifted to a memory of Hua Lianxi bringing a boy and a girl home. She slowly continued, "Xixi, is that boy your classmate? He doesn't seem like it."
"Mom, that's Cheng Yi's brother, remember? My best friend, Cheng Yi!" Hua Lianxi understood her mother's memory was confused again, stuck on the time she first brought Cheng Yi and Cheng Shaobai home for dinner during her freshman year. She emphasized Cheng Shaobai's identity again.
Holding Hua Zhenzhen's hand, Hua Lianxi slowly recounted the happy times with Cheng Yi during college, hoping to help her remember more from that period, feeling that she was close to recalling everything.
As she talked, time flew by, and it was nearly nine o'clock by the time Hua Zhenzhen fell asleep. Hua Lianxi left the nursing home.
Standing at the door of Xiaoyue Residence, Hua Lianxi looked down at the light seeping through the crack, took a deep breath, and turned the doorknob.
Hearing the door open, Kong Chengyi, lounging on the sofa, looked up at the slender figure, his dark eyes finally resting on her long legs under the black shorts, following up to her pink tank top, her collarbone perfectly displayed, making her look young and vibrant.
Her short black hair casually draped, holding a glass of red wine, wearing a gray robe loosely, revealing his bronze chest, Hua Lianxi quickly smiled, her voice clear and loud, "Mr. Kong!"
Just over a week apart, seeing him refreshed, Hua Lianxi felt a pang of loneliness.
Her restless night seemed laughable and unnecessary compared to his refreshed appearance. Her longing was just her own one-man show.
Swirling the wine in his hand, Kong Chengyi lowered his head, sniffed it, then bent down to place it on the coffee table. "Where have you been?"
The person who should have been at home was nowhere to be seen. Kong Chengyi's cold, hoarse voice didn't hide his current displeasure.
The unmistakable coldness made Hua Lianxi smile slightly, pretending to be relaxed as she tried to pass the sofa. "Why should I play the role of your wife at home when you're not here? Besides, the outside world is so vibrant. Shouldn't I take this opportunity to experience more?"
He had his refreshed state, and she couldn't be the one quietly waiting at home. In the world of emotions, it should be equal, on the same balance. Even if it was just a pretense, she had to play it out to the end.