Silhouette.
So tiring!
They kept on lying on the grass for a long time, watching the colour of the sky turn from sky blue to a mixture of light orange and pink. The zephyr created a peaceful atmosphere leading all of them to immerse in their own thoughts.
After a long while, Jiang Ying Yue was the first one to come out of her thoughts about her husband. Sighing in defeat, she turned to look at Zhou Jingyi who was already fast asleep whereas Qin Zihao was busy staring at the two kids playing along with their parents in the evening sunshine.
It was a very sweet sight to look at. Jiang Ying Yue's gaze followed the silhouettes of the four people behind the actual form of the family; two big and two short.
Even their silhouettes are harmonising with each other. Her eyes lost focus as a very familiar image from her childhood appeared in front of her.
"Daddy! Let's go to that park!!" an 8 years old girl exclaimed while pointing to a park.
A man in his early thirty's who was walking holding the small hands of a young girl froze at his place, stunned and befuddled.
The woman walking behind the pair also paused in her steps. The tenderness and affection displayed on her face looking at her unusually jovial daughter were replaced by ecstatic expression as tears of joy pooled in her eyes.
That was the first time she had addressed her stepfather as daddy!
The man instantly sat down on his knees and brought the little girl to his warm embrace who was still gazing at the swings excitedly.
It was then that she realised how she had addressed him and immediately turned into the shy girl she was. She had turned to look at her mother who was watching them with happiness evident on her face.
That evening was the first time they had played together as a family of three when the evening sunshine was falling onto them the same way.
At that time her parents were not yet married and his stepfather was still courting her mother.
How could she not know? Her mother had always felt bad that she had to raise her without a father but was always against getting remarried in fear that the person wouldn't treat her daughter right.
Even if that person was someone whom she had loved for years, she was still against it.
When she had turned much older, in her teens, she had once asked her mother why was she so reluctant back than to get married again?
Was it because she did not love him anymore or if she was afraid he wouldn't treat her daughter right?
Her mother who was busy designing dresses had smiled at her question but continued to work. After a while when her work was completed, she had turned to look at her daughter with nothing but a shining smile on her face and had simply replied, "You would know it yourself when you will become a mother."
When she would become a mother...tears gathered in Jiang Ying Yue's eyes as she blinked her eyes and leaned back on the ground to look at the clouds moving in the orange sky.
"Even clouds have their destination, what is my destination?" She whispered lightly.
Zhou Jingyi opened her eyes and stared intently at the sky with sentiments apparent in her eyes, she had heard the silent whisper beside her.
Really, what was even her destination? Even clouds moving in the sky had a purpose, a destination they need to reach but what about her?
She had a despaired look on her face as she turned to look at Jiang Ying Yue. The intensity in her eyes was screaming nothing but forgiveness.
Qin Zihao who had pulled away his gaze from the kids was confused at the emotion which was being displayed in Zhou Jingyi's eyes. The severity of her emotions was so high that he was taken aback.
It felt as if she wanted to express something from her eyes...probably apology? But for what??
This Miss Zhou was quite a mystery!
But he decided against probing it further as today was quite tiring already and he did not want to wallow in the intricated thoughts. All he wanted to do right now was to go and eat.
Jiang Ying Yue was having the same thoughts too, her life used to be so simple a couple of years back but now all she was surrounded by was complexity which had really tired her out.
Turning to Zhou Jingyi who was also staring at the sky, her eyes grew gentle, "Hey Zhou Jingyi! Let's go and eat!"
Zhou Jingyi's eyes filled with mischief, "The same place?"
"Uh-huh, the same place." Jiang Ying Yue smirked.
Qin Zihao got a little scared watching the exchange happening between the two ladies. One thing he understood by now was that nothing of what they do was normal.
Jiang Ying Yue got up before stretching her hand towards Zhou Jingyi with a blooming smile on her face. That smile was reflected in Zhou Jingyi's eyes, making her smile too.
They had come so far since they first met. Whatever happens in the future, it would be fine as long as they understood each other.
That was the only thought going through Zhou Jingyi's mind.
"So, Let's go, ladies, hopefully it would be a place where normal people go!" Qin Zihao did what he had been doing since the start of the day; sigh.
"Qin Zihao, you need not worry regarding this case. It is the best restaurant in the city. You would definitely love it!" Jiang Ying Yue was assertive about it. She and Zhou Jingyi had mistakenly come across this restaurant and later that turned out to be something which they were grateful for.
"Yep litt-, I mean young bodyguard, you would be kowtowing us later on!"
Qin Zihao was still uncertain about the way they were persuading him. Nevertheless, did he have any other option besides following them?
____
"It was this way, right?"
"As far as I remember, it should be."
"Umm, why do I feel we have taken a wrong path?"
"I don't think so, it should be somewhere right here..."
'I KNEW IT!!!'
Qin Zihao was screaming inside his head while following the two ladies in the street where let alone a restaurant, even the people were not around.
He should have gotten used to their way till now. It was the first time he got to know the other side of Miss Jiang.
She had a kind of nature that only took the next step when she was completely sure of it and had even made sure of it beforehand, he had experienced it several times in the past year.
But now...he wasn't sure anymore.
Was his boss even aware that Miss Jiang had a best friend with whom she turns into another woman!?
"Miss Jiang, what I was saying that why don't we go to some other resta-" He was cut off by the shrilling voice of Zhou Jingyi, "I FOUND IT!!!"
As a reflex, he covered his ears due to the highest pitch he ever heard in his life. Only when he heard the excited voice of Jiang Ying Yue, he uncovered his ears and looked in the direction they were pointing at.
What the fu**?
Was this the place they were so excited about? He was at a loss for words and could feel the headache coming up.
"Miss Jiang, are you sure it is even a restaurant?" He asked doubtedly dumbstruck at the supposed restaurant which looked like nothing but a haunted house.
"Yep, the best one in town!" Jiang Ying Yue was really happy at the thought that she would be getting to eat the delicious food again here.
Qin Zihao twitched his lips disconcertingly at her happy expression.
What...has happened to Miss Jiang? She was not like this...
After travelling for almost an hour, instead of entering some lavish dine-in area, they had come out of the city only to meet with an uninhabited area. Just when he was about to ask the driver if they had come to the wrong place, he saw Jiang Ying Yue and Zhou Jingyi happily springing out of the car and the outcome of following them was this... a haunted house.
"Yahhh! Young bodyguard, don't tell me you are scared?" He was pulled out of his thoughts by Zhou Jingyi's teasing voice and met her twinkling eyes.
His lips turned half into a scowl and half into a smile hearing what she said. That was the only thing left to be scared of!
Jiang Ying Yue ignored both of them and went ahead giving terror to Qin Zihao, "Miss Jiang! Wait for a second, let me be the first one to enter!!!"
Jiang Ying Yue paused in her steps and turned to look at the worried expression of Qin Zihao and blinked, "Honesty, I think it would be safer for me to enter first."