He Ju chuckled, bent down, and scooped Si Hua into his arms. “Everything’s almost packed. The flight’s in the afternoon, so there’s no rush.”

After speaking, He Ju carried Si Hua back without allowing her any chance to resist.

This time, to fulfill Si Hua’s childlike request, He Ju obediently forwent using a condom.

The moon hid behind the clouds, its light shyly clinging to the ancient trees, casting a warm halo.

A night of turbulent dreams, and when the first light of dawn entered the bedroom, Si Hua opened her eyes to see He Ju, fresh from the shower and wrapped in a towel.

The previous night had been too intense, leaving scratch marks on He Ju’s chest. Seeing them, Si Hua’s cheeks flushed with memories of the night before.

Seeing her awake, He Ju couldn’t help but smile slightly. “Stop lazing around, get up and take a shower, then we can head out.”

Si Hua burrowed under the covers, only her sparkling eyes visible. He Ju always found it amusing—how could the same person who was so wild at night turn into a pure and innocent bunny by day?

He Ju, toweling his hair, approached her. “What’s wrong? Does my wife need me to carry her to the shower?”

Si Hua immediately hid her head under the covers, her voice muffled, “No need, get out! I’ll go by myself in a bit!”

He Ju dashed over in three strides, fished Si Hua out from under the covers, showered her with kisses, and left with a satisfied smile under her annoyed yet bashful gaze.

He Ju called out, “Hurry up and come down for breakfast.”

After saying that, he left, thoughtfully closing the door behind him. Si Hua quickly got up and headed to the bathroom.

Looking in the mirror, Si Hua’s face turned beet red at the sight of the marks on her body—they were a bit too exaggerated.

But it was her own anger that had made her so… ferocious.

Even though He Ju hadn’t done anything with Bai Shang, she was still upset—they had shared the same bed, after all!

But the price of her anger was indeed a bit steep.

Si Hua sighed helplessly and hurried to freshen up.

After He Ju prepared breakfast, Si Hua came downstairs. She wore a high-necked sweater dress with a belt cinching her waist, outlining her perfect figure, and black boots that added a touch of charm and nobility, giving her a mature woman’s allure.

He Ju couldn’t take his eyes off her, and he approached, wrapping his arms around her slender waist, beaming, “My wife is so beautiful, I can’t take my eyes off her.”

Si Hua gave He Ju a coquettish glance and slipped out of his embrace, “Stop with the sweet talk, let’s eat and get going.”

He Ju smiled and pulled out a chair for her, “Please—”

Si Hua’s eyes softened with affection. Though she was tough in words, her gaze towards He Ju grew more tender.

After breakfast, He Ju took Si Hua away from the old house.

Since He Ju had already notified Bai Yao and Si Mei, they left directly this morning.

However, Si Hua noticed that they weren’t heading towards the airport.

Looking at He Ju beside her, she voiced her confusion, “Little Ju, aren’t we going to the airport?”

He Ju smiled, “I plan to take you on a world tour, to see the beauty of our country. We’ll take the train, from north to south, then head home. How’s that?”

Si Hua’s excitement was palpable as she grabbed his hand, “Really? Are you really going to show me the world?”

He Ju glanced at the calendar, “It’s just over two months until the New Year. We probably won’t see the whole world in that time, but whatever we miss, we’ll visit next time.”

The light in Si Hua’s eyes intensified. She had traveled to many cities for work but never truly appreciated each city’s landscape or the rivers and mountains.

A long time ago, she had thought that if she could be with He Ju, she would like to see the country’s great landscapes with him, not alone.

Unexpectedly…

He Ju had the same idea?

Was this what they call a couple’s harmony?

Si Hua, thrilled, asked He Ju to show her the itinerary. Since marrying He Ju, she had trusted him completely with directions and had thought they were only going to Yunnan, which they had visited before, so she hadn’t bothered with the itinerary. Only now did she realize it included more than just Yunnan.

He Ju watched Si Hua’s joy and couldn’t help but feel happy.

He had originally planned a trip to Yunnan, but he happened upon a sentence Si Hua had written in her diary long ago: If He Ju is by my side, I would be delighted to linger in each city, leaving behind our most beautiful memories.

How could he not fulfill such a beautiful wish for Si Hua?

He Ju looked out the window at the swiftly passing trees and streets, realizing he hadn’t dwelled on the past for a long time. There was no more bitterness, no more inferiority. Now, he was very happy.

Every action he took was to protect Si Hua and their home.

If life could continue to be this peaceful and beautiful, he wouldn’t mind working a bit harder in the future.

Soon, they arrived at the train station.

The train had private compartments, and He Ju had bought the best one. If he were alone, he wouldn’t choose such a luxurious compartment, but today he wasn’t alone—he had his coquettish wife with him, so of course, he prioritized her comfort.

After the driver returned, He Ju led Si Hua through security and found their compartment, settled their belongings, and changed the bedding together. Then they lay down to watch the scenery outside the window.

Si Hua tucked her cold hands into He Ju’s embrace, her eyes reddening, “A year ago, I never dared to hope for a day like this with you.”

He Ju kissed her forehead, “Silly girl, we’ll have many more tomorrows together.”

The weather was cold, and they slept in each other’s arms.

Meanwhile, in a distant foreign land, Liu Jia had just finished school. She had been accepted to a prestigious university abroad and today marked her first month there. She had cut her hair short, now just reaching her shoulders, and stopped wearing bangs. She learned to wear contact lenses, and everyone said she had the air of a young lady from the Republic of China era.

Hearing these comments, Liu Jia just smiled symbolically.

What did style matter? She was simply unhappy.

Walking under the plane trees, watching the snow on the treetops, Liu Jia suddenly wondered what He Ju was doing. Had he eaten? Were people still troubling him? Had he achieved what he wanted? Was his marriage happy?

Or perhaps…

Was he about to become a father?

Did he occasionally think of her?

Lost in thought, a blond, blue-eyed classmate approached her, asking in broken Chinese, “Classmate, you’re so beautiful. Will you be my girlfriend?”

Liu Jia pulled out a photo she always carried with her—a handsome Chinese man with her in a wedding dress. She said, “Sorry, I’m already in love.”

The foreigner walked away, and Liu Jia treasured the photo back into her bag.

When she left, she told Su Ran she would pursue her own life, but no one knew…

What she sought… was a life without He Ju.

She could never love anyone else again.