The Xiu Mei

"But people know I'm from the Xiu family. Yet they still dared to kidnap me. No offense but how does being tied to you protect me?"

Xiu Mei visibly froze for a second the moment her words escaped from her mouth. She quickly returned to her previous expression but inside, she was already feeling a bit guilty. 

She realized that those sentences she had just blurted out in anger are a bit hurtful if it was spoken to other people. And for Xiu Mei who had grown up with manners since birth, her mom would've been surely disappointed with her. 

If those words were told by her to others, they will definitely label her as an arrogant person just because she is the only daughter of the Xiu family. 

"Sorry, that sounded way out of the line." She immediately spoke the moment she realized how insensitive she was. 

Lu Chen watched Xiu Mei's mood change so quickly. He saw her go from being too angry to feeling guilty at him. He even observed that her hands had been clutching her blanket so tightly that creases could be visibly seen. Xiu Mei looked away from him after she apologized to him and turned her head down. 

Lu Chen couldn't help but feel something sting inside his heart. This woman he had been chasing for marriage had changed. 

The first time they met, he felt very suspicious as to why he applied to his company. Eventually, he realized that he was just a person who wanted to stand up on her own. Later, both of them worked very well together and Lu Chen can confidently depend on Xiu Mei even if he wasn't present in the company. Their relationship was just purely professional.

But now, Lu Chen could see the change in Xui Mei and himself. 

When did everything start to change between them? When Xiu Mei found out about Lu Qiang? Or when he started seeing her different sides?

The Xiu Mei who always bites her lips when she's too focused on work. 

The diligent Xiu Mei who would take down notes from time to time during their meetings.

The confident Xiu Mei who would never back down in front of other people, may it be other business partners or people from her social circle. 

The flustered Xiu Mei he saw the first time he went to her house.

The foolish Xiu Mei who got trapped in his son's charms.

The motherly look Xiu Mei would have whenever he talks with Lu Qiang. 

The angry Xiu Mei who would have eyes as sharp as a knife when she's mad. 

The sick Xiu Mei who looked so pale when sick.

The gentle Xiu Mei who would always hug Lu Qiang no matter what. 

The sincere Xiu Mei who still ate his craft despite having eggshells in it. 

The scaredy-cat side of Xiu Mei when they went to visit Lu Qiang's pet. 

Her sincerity. Her smiles. Her tears. 

When… did he start to look at her so closely and notice all these sides of her? 

And now, he's seeing a different side of Xiu Mei again.

The guilty Xiu Mei who is very worried that her careless words might have hurt him. 

Lu Chen felt like he was being fed by honey as he thought of these. Then something clicked inside his head as he put everything together.

He finally moved forward and stretched out his arms, circling around Xiu Mei's shoulders. He buried her head in his chest as he hugged her gently, careful not to hurt her wound on her head.

Her sweet honey scent filled his nose. Ah, so he must've been really fed with honey huh? 

"Lu Chen?" She heard him utter. Confusion could be sensed from her tone and he quickly stopped himself from chuckling. 

Somehow, his body moved on his own as he pressed his lips on Xiu Mei's hair, lightly placing a kissing on it.

Lu Chen could feel how the woman in his arms froze after he did that. He smiled as he lowered his head near Xiu Mei's ears. 

"Xiu Mei." He gently whispered with a coaxing tone on his voice. 

Xiu Mei instinctively moved away from Lu Chen but with her trapped in his arms, she couldn't even budge at all. With all the things Lu Chen are doing to her right now, her mind went into complete haywire and even coherent speaking might be impossible for her. 

She might be imagining things when she kept hearing how loud her heartbeat in her ears. 

...Or maybe it was Lu Chen's?

"Give me a chance." 

Lu Chen moved back a little bit to look at Xiu Mei's now-blushing face. He was very tempted to tease her right now but he stopped himself as he had to what needs to be done.

He caressed her cheeks as he gazed at her eyes. 

"I… I'm still not too sure if what I feel for you right now is love. But this is what I'm sure of right now." Lu Chen grabbed one of Xiu Mei's hands and made her hand cup his cheek. He covered her hand on his cheeks with his own as his other hand continued to caress hers. 

"All I know is that I couldn't bear to see you hurt. A future where you're not there… I think I can't imagine that at all. Xiu Mei, I…. I can't lose you. I can't afford to lose you at all." 

He pressed his forehead onto hers as he shut his eyes and spoke, "I'm scared. I'm very scared of that happening." 

His voice almost sounded like he was begging. Begging Xiu Mei to accept him, to listen to him. 

And Xiu Mei felt like all her walls are slowly crumbling.

All her reservations with marriage are slowly being thrown away and replaced with the overwhelming feelings she was feeling right now. 

Lu Chen's pleading, it all went through Xiu Mei. His sincerity and his heart. It all reached her heart.

"1 year. A year is what I beg of you. Let me show you that I can be the best husband you could ever wish for, a man that would love you with all his heart. A man whose desire is to protect you and shelter you from all the pain you have right now."