Orgueil Banquet Hall, 17:10;

Li Jungah was the first one to stretch her arms wide open, pulling the girl in for a warm motherly hug, "Oh child...", she said, tears clouding her sight, "Thank you so much. This... this is just lovely."

Xi Chongkun joined in, patting his hand over her head, clearing his closed throat, "This, daughter, is the most precious gift to me, and for it, I couldn't be more thankful.", he smiled, "So tell me, where would you want me to hang it up?"

"The painting over the wall behind your office desk is pretty dull, don't you think?", the girl scratched the back of her head awkwardly as she shrugged, "Just a suggestion."

Letting out a peal of breezy laughter, just like his son, the old man nodded, "Understood. That painting goes down first thing in the morning tomorrow."

"By the way, Xiao Xinghe...", Li Jungah took the girl's hands into hers, her eyes moist, "You said Yuan helped you. How, exactly? Because as far as I can remember, this young man has never painted before."

The girl bit her lower lip as her eyes landed upon her darling, his gaze fixed over the painting she'd painted over a course of three months, to the extent of perfection. The man's expression was earnest, grave. He hadn't looked at her, nor had he uttered a word to her since the moment he'd seen it. And the girl realized just how difficult it was for him to express himself. He'd always been like that. So be it, she thought to herself. She wouldn't push him for anything anyway.

Reverting her gaze back to his parents, the girl rolled her eyes exhaustedly, "He hasn't. But he stayed awake through the nights, brewing me coffee and cooking midnight treats. So he did have a part in this creation.", she giggled, "He fed the artist!"

As both Li Jungah and Xi Chongkun burst out laughing, the people standing below, the girl's Sisters-in-law, the man's family, the people varying from a variety of fields, and the journalists, were shaken to their bottoms.

Who would've thought that the Military Chief of Country X would turn out to be such a skilled genius?! Had it been one of Zhi Bo's upscale and cliquish art exhibitions, there was no way that this piece of art would've gone even a cent down from the five hundred million USD bar. The vibrance to the borders, the accuracy to the smallest bit of features, the mindblowing blend of dark and light paint shades; it was just too professional! And this was something only the true art lovers could appreciate.

Even so, the two Xi family elders hadn't been as intrigued or amazed by any other present as they were by this one. Almost everyone in the crowd could tell that. The thought behind this gift was way too deep than any other so far, after all. And so, their reaction was totally natural.

But that wasn't something the media had its eyes on at the moment. Furiously, venturesomely, crazily, the cameramen and the camerawomen clicked the pictures of the painting, for they knew that Rong Xinghe had always been a woman of mystery to those who admired her.

She wasn't a singer as she was once before. Neither was she any celebrity. And yet, the number of her followers always seemed to outnumber the sum total fans of the top ten celebrities, globally.

The reason was simple. The second anyone would dare to assume that they'd figured her all out, she'd pull out another one of her quirks, akin to the feathers of the Devil, proving them wrong altogether. She had the personality to keep people glued to her, luring them to read the next chapter of her story, promising them that they'd definitely find something enigmatic and interesting.

Hence, nothing boosted up news channels' rating the way Rong Xinghe's littlest flakes of actions did. And that's why, even after quitting the music industry years ago, she'd never been able to step out of the spotlight.

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Orgueil Banquet Hall, 17:30;

Only when Xinguan reached down the stage did the girl grabbed her fiance's hand and hauled him into one of the silent corridors, away from the prying eyes. He needed the quiet. He always did, at times like this, and she knew that.

"Hey!", the girl glanced at the closed door behind them once they were at a considerable distance from the craziness, "You okay?"

In response, Xi Yuan simply nodded, swallowing, inhaling a shaky breath.

"What's going on, Baby?", Rong Xinghe questioned again, her tone filled with anxiety now. Had she hurt him in some way? Or was it too soon to mend the bridges between him and his parents? Was she intruding too much into his family? Maybe... she shouldn't have done it, to begin with.

As the man didn't answer this time too, the girl sighed, "Fine. Whenever you want to talk." And about ten seconds later, she turned, reaching for the handle of the suitably tall door.

But before she could step out, a pair of built familiar hands landed against her waist, pulling her against a firm broad chest, sending an electric sensation down every nerve in her body. The next second, he turned her around so she could face him, his lips inches apart from hers, an indescribable amount of heat building up between the two.

"Why?", he finally said.

"Huh?"

"Why are you such an angel, hmm? Why are you able to express every word I wish to speak? And why are you able to feel every emotion that I feel?", the man asked, his voice raspy and heavy, "That was my most favorite memory from childhood. The routine you painted. I wanted to remember it. I truly did. But that was all it was going to be; a wish, until you made it a reminder. Thank you so, so much, Love."

"You don't think it wasn't my place to do it?", the girl questioned, her body and her heart underneath, tensed.

"Why would I?", the man furrowed his brows, "You're trying to do something no one ever did for me. You're trying to heal my age-old wounds and fill the voids of my childhood. You were trying to get me closer to my father, and it's not a crime. That's probably the most considerate and meaningful thing anyone ever did for me.

"Moreover, I am no one to comment, you see. It's between you and Dad. It was his birthday and it was his gift. And his favorite one at that, I must say. He was truly pleased, Honey, trust me."

The girl nodded, relieved. Planting a quick peck against his lips, she smiled.

"Let me go.", she glared at him, unable to break free from the strong arms caging him. And for a second, she saw something dark flicker in his eyes; a desire, she believed.

He leaned into her, teasing the mole behind her right ear with his teeth, "We, sweetheart, are not going back to that party.", he whispered to her, revealing his intentions as his right hand traveled from the small of her back to a little above, pulling the chain of her dress halfway down.