Seeing his troubled expression, Ling Chuxia’s heart suddenly tightened, and she stammered out an explanation, "I, I just, brewed some tea for you, so..."
As Ling Chuxia spoke, she lifted the tray she was holding, yet her nervousness was evident, her fingers trembling slightly, causing the tea on the tray to sway gently.
Shi Che’s dark eyes glanced carelessly at the tea, but his attention was not there. He was more concerned about whether Ling Chuxia had heard his earlier words, but now, asking about it was something he found himself unable to voice. His hand clenched the box unconsciously.
Shi Che didn’t speak, his dark gaze intensively focused on her. Ling Chuxia, feeling somewhat afraid, lowered her eyes, not daring to look at Shi Che’s expression. In an instant, the entire bedroom quieted down, the atmosphere tinged with a hint of awkwardness and strangeness.
Ling Chuxia’s downward gaze landed precisely on the box that Shi Che was clutching. The thoughts that had vanished in her panic slowly began to coalesce again.
For whom was Shi Che’s gift intended? Could it be for her?
She was only thinking this in her mind, yet unknowingly, she blurted out, "Is this gift for me?"
As soon as Ling Chuxia uttered these words, before she could even react, it was Shi Che who was taken aback, his dark eyes flashing incredulously, "What did you say?"
Only then did Ling Chuxia realize that the words she had been thinking had slipped out. Her cheeks flushed rapidly, she blinked her eyes, and she began to feel somewhat at a loss.
How could she ask Shi Che such a question? What if it wasn’t for her? How utterly shameless would that make her appear? How presumptuous?
Ling Chuxia felt excruciatingly embarrassed, her eyes downcast, a flicker of light in them as she thought about whether to say something to remedy the situation.
After the initial shock, a gleam slowly appeared in Shi Che’s dark eyes. In their three years of marriage, Ling Chuxia had never asked him for anything, nor did she act like other wives who would coquettishly insist their husbands buy them things. He used to bring back gifts from trips, and although she had noticed them many times, she never asked about them because she had never cared about him, let alone whether he bought her gifts.
Yet, unexpectedly, today she had asked...
Shi Che’s gaze lifted, looking at Ling Chuxia, his eyes as tender as water. He pinched the box in his hand, then slowly raised his hand, offering it toward Ling Chuxia, his lips parting slightly, his voice low but filled with utmost gentleness, "Yes, it’s for you."
Just these few words caused Ling Chuxia’s eyes to widen dramatically, instinctively lifting her gaze.
Shi Che had struggled to practice making his speech sound natural earlier, yet now, looking at Ling Chuxia, he couldn’t speak naturally, "Bought it while I was on a business trip. Thought it would suit you well, so I brought it back. See if you like it."
Was it actually for her? And... Shi Che was speaking to her so tenderly... Ling Chuxia felt stunned, her mind unable to function, and she merely nodded instinctively.
A smile curved the corners of Shi Che’s lips, a hint of joy tinging his handsome face, "Then let me put it on for you!"
With those words, he opened the box directly, took out the necklace, then moved behind Ling Chuxia. He gently lifted her long hair, opened the clasp, and put the necklace on Ling Chuxia.