Chapter 15: There's no need to be the same as everyone else.

She tidied herself up simply, and when she returned to the kitchen, she still saw Kong Chengyi leaning against the balcony, silently smoking.

The kitchen was filled with steam, and the sweet aroma of seafood porridge wafted through the air. Hua Lianxi stirred the thickening porridge occasionally, leaning against the refrigerator while scrolling through her phone, looking at the screen with a conflicted expression.

His long legs slightly bent, Kong Chengyi leaned against the balcony wall, his eyes half-closed. He took a deep drag of his cigarette and then exhaled heavily, the wisps of white smoke slowly drifting into the air, his agitated thoughts gradually settling.

The rice had bloomed, and the sweet seafood porridge was cooked, its aroma even richer. Hua Lianxi put away her phone, having made a decision in her mind.

Carrying the steaming bowl of porridge to the dining table, Hua Lianxi approached the balcony. She saw him still looking up at the sky, his face in the night light seemingly veiled in a mist, exuding a faint sense of sorrow.

"The porridge is ready. If there are no other 'custom services,' I'll head back to my room!" Having signed a contract, losing some freedom, and having to mold herself into the woman he wanted, Hua Lianxi lifted her lips in a slight, self-mocking smile, trying hard to play the obedient and virtuous wife he desired.

Her stomach was empty, but she no longer felt the desire to drink the porridge. Locking her door, she directly dialed Cheng Yi's number. "It's me..."

Opening her eyes, the hazy sunlight filtered through the curtains, casting patterns on the fabric. Silently gazing at the mottled curtains, she couldn't see clearly but could vaguely guess the time. Reaching up, she rubbed her slightly swollen eyes and closed them again, the sound of her and Cheng Yi sobbing on the phone last night still echoing in her ears.

A "click" of the door closing reached her ears, and she guessed it was Kong Chengyi leaving for work. The empty house fell into a deathly silence once more, but she actually cherished this pleasant and quiet space.

The simply decorated house, just like Kong Chengyi's cool demeanor, seemed to have taken on the characteristics and temperament of its owner. The seafood porridge on the dining table was still there, the congealed rice grains and finely chopped ingredients stuck together, untouched by him. However, the wine bottle on the bar counter was completely empty, and the ashtray overflowed with burnt-out cigarette butts.

Casually pouring the porridge in her bowl into the trash, Hua Lianxi opened the pot. Unsurprisingly, the rest was still there. Her delicate eyebrows rose, and a smile appeared on her face. She decided to heat up the porridge and have it for her own breakfast.

A proud person with a strong sense of cleanliness would detest strangers touching their things, and even more so, would not allow strangers to enter their private space. Kong Chengyi didn't hire any maids. Before Hua Lianxi, it was always Aunt Yang who came regularly to clean, but after she moved in, she did it herself. Kong Chengyi had even given Aunt Yang strict instructions, demanding that the two of them have a completely private space.

Her long hair casually tied back with a rubber band, revealing the graceful curve of her neck and her clear forehead, Hua Lianxi looked around the house, carefully observing the areas she had neglected due to the constant socializing in the past few days. She decided to take advantage of the free time to clean it thoroughly.

After nearly three hours of sweeping and scrubbing, cleaning the house until it was spotless, Hua Lianxi was drenched in sweat. Her once tied-up hair had come loose, more than half of it damp. She gulped down a large glass of warm water, then opened the refrigerator, finding only some vegetables and fruits, barely enough for a single person's lunch. While planning the dishes she would make later, she went into the bathroom for a shower.

The most basic standard of a virtuous wife and loving mother was, of course, to win the hearts of her husband and children with superb culinary skills. Simple dishes were no challenge for Hua Lianxi. After showering and changing, it only took her half an hour to simply cook crucian carp soup, stir-fried black fungus and shredded carrots, and vinegared cabbage.

After a simple lunch, Hua Lianxi sat down in the rattan chair on the balcony, holding a cup of rose tea. The image of Kong Chengyi leaning here came to her mind, a faint sadness spreading through her. She copied his action, looking up, and unexpectedly discovered a milky white teru teru bozu (a Japanese handmade doll believed to prevent rain) hanging from the eaves of the balcony. If she hadn't looked up, she would never have noticed it. Even when the breeze stirred, it only swayed silently, not dancing and jingling like a wind chime.

The milky white ceramic doll was not a luxurious item, nor did it seem like something a cool and aloof person like Kong Chengyi would use to decorate his house.

Hua Lianxi stared at it quietly, unable to see anything particularly special about it. She wondered if Kong Chengyi had been looking at the doll or just the desolate night sky.

The sky was a clear blue, the midday sun still warm, and a gentle cool breeze kept blowing. Holding the warm rose tea in her hands, Hua Lianxi soon felt drowsy, but she couldn't bear to break the tranquility of the moment, the phrase "peace in this life, quiet years" coming to mind.

After thinking for a moment, she went back to her room, picked up a pencil and a piece of unfolded rice paper, and began to draw meticulously. Being able to do what she loved most in the most beautiful moments was the happiest time, and the time that should be enjoyed the most.

At the same afternoon, the president's office in Ascend Group lacked that sense of ease. The constant busyness continued even during lunchtime.

Quickly flipping through the pages of documents, Kong Chengyi made sharp and swift evaluations. His strong and forceful handwriting quickly filled the thin paper, decisions worth billions being made in mere seconds.

Ke Jie stood aside, also quickly swiping through his iPad, checking Kong Chengyi's schedule.

"President, Mr. Simon and his wife will be attending our reception tonight. Should we pick up Madam to accompany you?"

Stopping his review, Kong Chengyi looked up at Ke Jie, casually tossed his pen aside, and swiveled his chair to face the floor-to-ceiling window. He gazed at the pedestrians on the street, who looked as small as ants, his fingers lightly tapping the armrest of his chair, the faint "tap tap tap" sound gradually spreading. "You can go out now."

With a "creak," the office door closed behind Ke Jie, but the "tap tap tap" sound continued. Kong Chengyi gazed at the vast blue sky for a long while before finally reaching for the phone on his desk.

Lost in the construction of her drawing, Hua Lianxi unknowingly spent over two hours sketching on the balcony. Her hands were covered in dark ink. Blinking her eyes, which now felt sore, she looked up at the string of teru teru bozu dolls, still peaceful, as if time had stood still.

Suddenly, a rapid ringing sound startled her. After a moment of confusion, Hua Lianxi recognized it as her own phone's ringtone. Her heart jumped, and she dropped her drawing, running barefoot towards the living room.

Ignoring the ink all over her hands and slightly out of breath, she saw Kong Chengyi's private number displayed on the screen.

"Hello..." Holding her breath, she tried to steady her panting, and quickly answered the phone.

"Hello?"

There was no sound from the other end of the line. Hua Lianxi took the phone away to check the number again, then suspiciously put it back to her ear, asking hesitantly, "Did you, did you dial the wrong number?"

Holding the thin gold phone, the quiet office was filled only with the faint sound of breathing from the other end, slightly rapid. Carefully listening to her hurried breaths, he had intended to ask what she was doing at home, but in the end, it was still a formal command: "It's me. Ke Jie will pick you up at 6. There's a client attending dinner with his wife tonight, you come too."

Hanging up the phone, she glanced at the time. Hua Lianxi went back to the balcony to gather her drawings and take them back to her room, regretting that the pleasant day had finally come to an end.

Wearing a long blue dress and simply throwing on a black leather jacket, Hua Lianxi let her long hair fall loose, making her look even more slender, exuding a quiet yet determined air.

His warm, large hand slipped through her small jacket, directly resting on her thin long dress, his thumb slowly stroking. Kong Chengyi's sensual lips curved upward, pleased with Hua Lianxi's casual yet stylish attire.

Her shoulder gently brushed against his chest, and Hua Lianxi offered a sweet smile, walking lightly in step with him.

Elegant piano music flowed, the lights were dim and yellow, and the guests dining in the romantic Western restaurant were all dressed in proper suits and beautiful formal dresses, appearing refined and distinguished.

"Will my outfit tonight make your clients feel disrespected?" Pulling at her long dress, Hua Lianxi whispered softly in Kong Chengyi's ear.

Applying a little more pressure, pulling her closer to his chest, Kong Chengyi leaned down and breathed into her earlobe, "Unique enough, no need to be the same as everyone else!"

The sudden increase in intimacy instantly made Hua Lianxi's face flush crimson. She bit her lip lightly, pretending to maintain her usual composure.

"Mr. Simon, hello, this is my wife, Hua Lianxi!" Ignoring the gazes of other guests, Kong Chengyi calmly brought Hua Lianxi to the client's table.

"Hello, Mr. Kong!" Simon's bright blue eyes fixed on Hua Lianxi. "Your wife is truly beautiful, Mr. Kong is a lucky man!" He was about to lean in for a cheek kiss with Hua Lianxi, but unexpectedly, Kong Chengyi preemptively placed an affectionate kiss on Hua Lianxi's cheek. "Mr. Simon's wife also has remarkable气质!"

Gently pulling Hua Lianxi back to his side, Kong Chengyi gallantly pulled out a chair for her, letting her sit next to Simon's wife, and nodded coldly to his wife.

Bellowing with hearty laughter, Simon said frankly, "Mr. Kong loves his wife very much, he won't allow anyone to touch even a single finger of hers!"

"Men and women shouldn't touch casually. Besides, we're not in France now. There's no need for my woman to exchange cheek kisses with strange men!" Not concealing his possessiveness, and not afraid to offend his client, Kong Chengyi raised his wine glass in a toasting gesture.

"Hope we have a pleasant cooperation!" Shrugging, Simon picked up his wine glass and lightly clinked it against Kong Chengyi's.

Simon and Kong Chengyi talked steadily about business, while Simon's wife chatted enthusiastically with Hua Lianxi in a low voice. Occasionally, Simon would lean over and passionately kiss his wife, and Hua Lianxi would watch with a smile, not feeling anything was inappropriate. Her years of living abroad had long accustomed her to seeing others openly display their affection.

Chewing on his steak, Kong Chengyi noticed that Hua Lianxi wasn't as shy as he had imagined, but rather curious. "Watching others being affectionate is very interesting?"