After their lovemaking, Ziyan turned away from him, pulling the duvet over her, concealing the shameful marks on her body.
She thought he would leave as he had done before, but unexpectedly, he drew close, embraced her from behind, clasping her hand in the dark, feeling for her ring finger and sliding on a cold object.
Ziyan was startled and turned her head, looking at him perplexedly.
Tang Shaosheng had prepared a lot to say, but now it all seemed too cheesy. He simply pulled her closer into his arms without saying a word.
After all, it had been a year, and despite an unpleasant, even terrible relationship, they were still husband and wife.
While indulging in outward excesses, the one he missed the most was still a fixed haven.
When he was hungry, she would cook a bowl of noodles for him; when he was tired, she would lie quietly in his arms.
But he could never see her again in her wedding gown, smiling as she introduced herself, "I’m Song Ziyan, the Purple Smoke Rises from the Incense Burner."
Her innocence had long been eroded by him; her singing voice became a memory just for him, enchanting, yet never to be heard again.
Ziyan clenched her fist, feeling the texture of the ring pressing into her palm.
She didn’t understand his intentions. He never treated her as a wife, so why give her a ring on their anniversary? A slap followed by a candy?
Ziyan decided not to think too much into it, already used to his hot-and-cold demeanor.
The next day, when she opened her eyes, his figure was gone from beside her.
Ziyan stretched her hand out from underneath the duvet, looking at the ring, which appeared to be quite valuable from its design.
Perhaps it was just one of his tricks to please women, maybe he had given out many such rings already.
Song Ziyan, don’t be foolish.
She took the ring off and placed it in the bottom drawer of her bedside table.
After getting ready, life went on as usual, as if he had never appeared.
Tang Shaosheng didn’t return to Mai City until the third day after finishing his busy work.
After swiftly dealing with his business affairs, he headed straight to Ziyan’s flower shop.
There she stood by the window, trimming flower stems, with an employee beside her speaking about something, and she smiled lightly, basking in the sunlight, everything quietly beautiful just so.
Tang Shaosheng stepped into the shop but overheard this conversation: "Boss lady, that handsome guy comes to buy flowers every day; he must have taken a shine to you."
"Think about it, who buys flowers every day? Asking a bunch of questions every time, and in the end, just buying roses, if that’s not a clear intention to see you, what is?"
Another employee watering the plants also said, "Right! I even saw him with a camera outside taking pictures the other day! He was certainly aiming at you!"
Ziyan glared at them and gestured with a free hand: "He’s a photographer, it’s normal for him to take photos."
The employee teased, "Oh! Boss lady even knows his job~"
"Sir, can I help you with something?" asked an employee at the door suddenly.
Ziyan, with her cheeks tinged with red, turned her head, hesitated for a moment, then put down the scissors and walked over.
Tang Shaosheng kept a stern face, averted his gaze from hers, and spoke to the employee who had just asked, "Attending a dinner party, what sort of flowers should I get for a lady companion?"
The employee enthusiastically replied, "What kind of flowers does the gentleman’s companion like?"
Tang Shaosheng replied with annoyance, "If I knew, why would I ask you?"
"What kind of girl is the gentleman’s companion?"
Tang Shaosheng thought about it, stealing a glance at Ziyan, then said quite loudly on purpose, "Sexy, with a good figure, the cheerful type, one who loves to smiled."
He deliberately spoke in the opposite direction to Ziyan, who also pretended not to know him, turning back to continue trimming the stems.
The employee chuckled and asked, "Does the gentleman intend to pursue her? If so, a red rose with significant meaning would be best, as no girl can resist fresh flowers."
Tang Shaosheng glared at her back: "Fine, roses it is!"
Despite herself, Ziyan couldn’t help but listen to his conversation; he ordered 999 roses. Indeed, this was how he charmed girls, she thought, grateful she hadn’t let that one ring change her opinion of him.
"The handsome guy is here again!" the employee pointed out excitedly.
Both Ziyan and Tang Shaosheng turned to see a boy wearing a camera around his neck, dressed in a white T-shirt and light-colored jeans, looking very sunny.
He walked straight toward Ziyan with a smile, "Boss lady..."
The employee beside Ziyan eagerly asked, "Handsome guy, buying flowers again today?"
The boy smiled, gazed at Ziyan, and said, "I’m not buying flowers today, I’m hoping the boss lady can do me a favor."