Second, For The First Time!

When she said it like that, he was stumped for words. "Oh, I suddenly feel special."

"Of course, you're special," she replied artlessly. He looked into her eyes and she promptly added, "After all, not just anyone can become Raelle Xiang's husband. So, don't ever think you're not special."

Shui Xian pressed his lips together and forgot to even maintain his expressions. How was he supposed to keep up the stony demeanor before her when she spoke like this with such a straight face?

"If you have something to ask, you can," continued Raelle. "I usually don't like answering but I'd do my best today."

"Someone with your status, you must have already done a thorough background check on me."

"You're someone I'm gonna marry, that doesn't mean I'd try to probe around with your privacy. Besides, I don't do stuff like background checks until and unless I want to get rid of someone." She took a pause briefly, "But that is also limited. I respect people's privacy very much. My grandfather had been a Major back in the days, he certainly has set some rules and engraved them deeply in my memory."

"So, you don't know I'm divorced?" he questioned straightforwardly. He didn't think she would want him to go around this topic. Besides, it seemed she might not even understand it if he didn't put it explicitly.

"That I heard from my Yanyan," answered Raelle with a faint smile.

"And you still agreed to this marriage?"

"Why not? Aren't you divorced?" He nodded. "That means you're single now. I'm not intruding into anything. I'm just gonna legally and rightfully take my place as your wife."

"Second wife," he corrected her on purpose.

Raelle's index finger tapped on the tabletop and she suddenly said, "I've never been second in my entire life! This is bound to be a new venture." Seeing him staring at her with slightly parted lips, she went on, "I don't mean to brag but I'd always been at the top. But you see, it's lonely at the top. Not that I care but change is good once in a while."

She muttered something to herself and he heard only a small part of it, she said something along the lines of... "This is so unexpected. Who knew I'd finally be second but that is also a first for me but that too when it's about my marriage. Woah!"

"Won't you ask why we got divorced?" he wanted to actually clear this up with her. As he said to his dad, that he was gonna take this relationship seriously then she needed to know about his past. He couldn't let her marry him, keeping her in the dark.

Raelle's one leg draped over the other as she straightened up to give him a look. "That's your past, why would I want to know about it?"

"Because you're gonna marry me," he replied.

"Yes, and we are gonna build a future together. What does your past have to do with our future?" He was stunned yet again as she continued, "If life is a book, I have never back read it. I only have the habit of going forward. My grandfather taught me that when one is in battle, he has to keep looking forward. How many comrades or enemies fell behind should not be your concern. Because once you turned your head and looked back, you'll also become the fallen one. In other words, if one keeps chafing at the walls of the past, eventually that past would suck you back."

Shui Xian contemplated her words and agreed in his heart. He had to say that she spoke some real truths. "My reason to mention that was simple... I just wanted to you know that I might not be able to give you a place in my heart."

Raelle's lips twitched and she took out a pen before scribbling something on the napkin. Shui Xian looked at her curiously and suddenly she pushed the napkin before him. She had actually drawn the diagram of the heart. As in the diagram, one would see in those science books. How amusing! Not!!!

Tapping at the drawing with her pen, she began, "I understand that heart has four chambers but why do people think that someone can actually live in those chambers? That's not what the chambers are for. The right atrium receives oxygen-poor blood from the body and pumps it to the right ventricle. The right ventricle pumps the oxygen-poor blood to the lungs. As for left atrium..."

Before she could continue her science lecture, he snatched the napkin and crumpled it before throwing it away.

"Are you trying to test me?" he questioned.

"No," she shook her head innocently. "I'm just letting you know that there is no such thing as giving a place to someone in your heart. That's scientifically not possible."

"Are you always like this or today is a special day?"

"Today is a special day, but I'm like this on normal days as well," she replied with a faint smile.

"What is special about today?" he asked and she pointed at him simply.

"Didn't I tell you, you're special? I met you today, that makes this day special as well."

At this point, Shui Xian wasn't certain about what to say or what not to say. Either his way of saying things were wrong or her way of interpreting was wrong. Either way, they were not getting anywhere.

Sighing internally, he continued, "So, you don't mind a loveless marriage?"

Raelle blinked at him repeatedly in silence and he thought she might have gotten his point now. But, boy, was he wrong again!

"I believe you have already gone through a love marriage, how did that work out for you?" She noticed how his jaw clenched and his pupils contracted. "And I think I said something I wasn't supposed to." She stood up and bowed slightly as she said, "I'm sorry! I think I said something wrong."

Even he wanted to get angry, he couldn't do so. First, what she said was right. He got nothing from that love marriage except for destruction. Second, she was so ready to apologize. How was he supposed to be mad at her?

He really wanted to question her, why she was like this?