The shopping was scheduled for the last two days.
After that, for a week, Zhuang Qiting accompanied Li Yaru to Kyoto to see Jinguan Temple, strolled down Qingshuizaka, went to Osaka for Okonomiyaki and the Bear Paw Feast.
Li Yaru loved shopping, and whenever she saw little trinkets, she just couldn’t move her feet. All sorts of postcards piled up in the hotel.
On the way from Osaka to Tokyo, Li Yaru insisted on taking the Shinkansen.
Zhuang Qiting had no choice but to give up the comfortable, luxurious Rolls-Royce and squeeze into public rail transport with her.
She was a pregnant woman, yet no one knew where she found so much energy.
Li Yaru was a native of Hong Kong Island, used to walking, trams, and the subway whenever she went out.
This was her first time on such high-speed ground transportation, and it felt so new.
She leaned against the window, watching the bustling buildings, verdant rice fields, and crisscrossed power lines—all flashing by like frames from an anime world.
The sunset was falling, streaks of crimson brushing across the sky.
Zhuang Qiting lounged idly against the seat, his broad palm gently stroking the back of Li Yaru’s head.
“Did you have fun these days?”
“It was so much fun!” Li Yaru’s smile bloomed like a flower.
“Not tired?”
“Not at all!”
“If you’re not tired, the baby will be. When we get to Tokyo, sleep first.”
Mentioning sleep, Li Yaru yawned lazily, her eyes misting over with a watery sheen. “Then I’ll sleep a bit. When I wake up, I want to go shopping in Ginza.”
Zhuang Qiting chuckled, “You only say that if you can actually get up. Come here, take a nap first.”
He wrapped his arm around her waist, holding her in his embrace, not letting her poke her head around like a meerkat anymore.
Li Yaru took the opportunity to rub her tears into his five-thousand-dollar shirt, thinking to herself, her tears were surely worth something.
When they arrived in Tokyo, they still checked into the Okura Hotel, where the tranquil, elegant Japanese aesthetic was displayed to perfection.
Perhaps it was the comfort of the man’s arms or the limited stamina of a pregnant woman, but Li Yaru soon fell asleep in the car.
She didn’t even know Zhuang Qiting carried her into the room.
Zhuang Qiting was content, holding Li Yaru, moving slowly and carefully as he gently placed her on the bed.
Her ink-black curls fanned out over the snow-white sheets, framing her face, which was bathed in the last light of sunset.
He leaned down, pressing his lips to hers, lingering for a moment, feeling the steady, sweet breaths she exhaled as she slept.
Zhuang Qiting liked Li Yaru best when she was quiet, allowing him to look at her, touch her, and kiss her to his heart’s content.
But just a few moments of kissing, the body beneath his suit began to heat up, like a slumbering beast slowly awakened by a delicious scent.
His Adam’s apple rolled as he loosened his tie and undid the top button of his shirt.
It was useless. Zhuang Qiting only felt hotter, as if a fire had been lit deep inside him. He knew why this sudden change occurred: he hadn’t touched her in far too long.
Over five months.
Since she became pregnant, she’d grown so spoiled, and when he’d asked for her help, she’d pout and refuse, saying that ugly thing would scare the baby.
He had no choice and didn’t know how to punish her, either.
The woman sleeping on the bed had no idea of his torment and slept soundly, smacking her lips as she rolled over and hugged her candy pillow.
“……………”
Zhuang Qiting let out a slow breath.
Once the thought arose, it wouldn’t fade easily. If she was unwilling, he could only find his own solution.
“Be good, take off your jacket. Sleeping in it isn’t comfortable.”
His voice was soft and coaxing as his fingers pinched the round pearl button, undoing it without allowing any resistance.
Soon, the Chanel little jacket was completely opened.
Then came the shirt underneath. The buttons were even smaller. He lowered his eyes, unbuttoning them with full concentration until her fair skin was exposed in his deep gaze.
Because she was sleeping on her side, the red lace pressed her softness into a deep ravine, like cream floating atop red wine.
The sun soon set, city lights came on, and the night wind stirred the gauzy curtains.
Zhuang Qiting turned on a standing lamp. The dim light fell on his wife’s face, collarbone, and the faint lines of her waist.
He stared at Li Yaru without looking away, then quickly pulled off his tie and vest. Compared to before, his movements were now swift and decisive.
He fetched a clear bottle filled with something like gel from the suitcase. His long, muscular legs knelt beside Li Yaru, the shadows outlining the deep contours of his muscles.
He leaned down, kissing her cheek, her temples, and her slender neck, holding back his strength as much as possible, trying not to wake her.
His rough palms, shining with gel, began slow, then bold movements, a stark contrast to his gentle kisses.
His back muscles tightened, his waist and abdomen too, looking especially narrow and strong.
He stared at her, his palm never stopping, feeling the blood surging within him. Night had fallen, and the city was lost in a frenzy of neon.
The room was very quiet, save for the man’s heavy breathing and the faint sound of gel friction.
Occasionally, he brushed the red lace, maintaining a force that wouldn’t wake or hurt her, rubbing a few times.
Li Yaru slept sweetly, having a lovely dream, smacking her lips, until a faint moan by her ear woke her with a start.
She opened her eyes in confusion, meeting that tall, dark shadow.
His eyes, from overexcitement, had turned deep purple, opening and closing right in front of her face, just a few centimeters away.
“……………???”
She froze.
Zhuang Qiting hadn’t expected her to wake suddenly and his movements halted.
Their eyes met. Li Yaru found herself being stared at by a pair of long, pitch-black eyes full of desire, blinking in a daze.
She finally snapped out of it and let out a scream, swinging her hand to hit him.
Zhuang Qiting’s back tightened as he hoarsely called, “Ah Rou,” swiftly covering her mouth with his palm before her slap could land on his face.
“Zhuang Qiting! Zhuang Qiting! Zhuang Qiting!” Li Yaru sat up, glaring fiercely at him, the thick scent in the air lingering in her breath.
“………………”
Zhuang Qiting was a complete mess, caught red-handed by his wife, far beyond anything in his life experience, leaving him momentarily awkward.
“Ah Rou, I’ll go wash up.” He tried to remain calm.
“No!” Li Yaru grabbed his arm. “Sit right there! Leave the evidence of your crime!”
“………………”
“Don’t be like that, darling.” He forced a wry smile.
Zhuang Qiting’s palm was sticky, an uncomfortable feeling. It dripped between his fingers, landing on Li Yaru’s calf.
She loved beauty and had worn black nylon stockings to match Chanel’s latest jacket. Now the stockings were soaked and in a pitiful state.
“Ah—these stockings are expensive!” Li Yaru squealed softly, impatiently pulling them off and tossing them aside.
“You never wear your stockings a second time anyway.” Zhuang Qiting frowned, hiding his embarrassment. He really couldn’t move now, or else even more would drip.
“So what? I don’t want your filth polluting them.” Li Yaru was determined to make him suffer. She wouldn’t let him go, nor give him any tissues.
In the end, he seized the chance to pick up the discarded black nylon stockings and calmly wiped his hand.
The fine, stretchy nylon material held her scent, the sheer black winding around his large, veined hand, gradually stained by an unknown substance.
Li Yaru’s face flushed, and she turned her head away from the sight.
Zhuang Qiting wiped each finger clean and, shamelessly, said, “Ah Rou, I have to have a way to deal with normal needs.”
“Heh, your normal is other people’s abnormal! Tell me honestly, just how many times have you done this behind my back?” Li Yaru didn’t believe this was his first time.
Zhuang Qiting raised his brows, saying nothing, his gaze deep as he looked at her. His wife was really sharp.
“Old pervert.” Li Yaru lunged and bit his shoulder hard.
Zhuang Qiting chuckled, letting her bite him. “A couple of words and you’re biting again. Are you a dog or what?”
“I’m your ancestor! Next time you do this behind my back and I catch you, I’m sleeping in a separate bed.” Li Yaru jabbed his chest with her fingertip.
There was still a strong scent on Zhuang Qiting’s hand as he pinched her face and shook it lightly, retorting, “Trying to act like my ancestor now? Where’s all this disrespect coming from?”
“Yeah, I’m little and you’re big, the biggest of all.” Li Yaru glanced down, eyeing that still-imposing, ugly thing.
So ugly—even after one release, it was still stubbornly standing.
Li Yaru quickly looked away, face burning.
Zhuang Qiting shot her an amused glance. After venting once, he was in a fine mood.
Even though things had gotten messy at the end, it had been satisfying.
He didn’t play these bickering games with his wife, letting her have the last word.
He knew very well, her mouth only listened when it was being kissed or blocked by something else.
“Get up, darling, take a shower, then I’ll get something to eat.”
After eight o’clock, Ginza’s streets were packed with cars, the shops and malls brilliantly lit, and the nightlife bustling with gold and glamour, throngs of people everywhere.
After her nap and a good meal, Li Yaru’s cheeks glowed with health.
She’d originally come to pick out high heels for herself, but the moment she stepped into the baby section, she couldn’t walk away.
Those pink and cream dresses and little shoes, adorned with pearls and lace, were simply too adorable.
Her eyes sparkled with excitement.
The sales followed behind her, gently asking if she was expecting a baby, and emphasizing that these were the newest season’s styles, limited edition in the city.