Chapter 54: Chapter 54
YuZhi was warmed by that fact. That she was glad to be starting and had found something like this to help her art. He approved completely and was only too happy to pay for whatever she wanted to do or needed. She was talented, but above all he wanted her enjoying life while stuck in this arrangement, so she no longer regretted it or felt upset about how they started out. He was dealing feeling bad about how he used to treat her.
“I wanted to talk to you about that actually. About, home. About the current arrangements.” He flashed a look her way to gauge a reaction and saw only confusion. This was something that he had wanted to broach the past few days but had never found the right time. It had sounded unplausible in his head and he didn’t know if she would take it the wrong way.
“What do you mean?”
“Where we live right now, it’s not actually where I lived. I moved home as part of the arrangement for this ….. marriage.” YuZhi hesitated at the title, which always felt like a dirty word between them. He glanced her way, uptight for no reason and way too interested in her reaction.
“Where did you live then?” She asked in genuine curiosity blinking at him and giving him her full attention, not really making the connection he was hinting at. Innocently intrigued.
“I have an apartment near Leng Group HQ. I was planning on moving back there once we got…… you know…” He stalled and TangShi bit on her lip, guessing the answer and blushing.
“Pregnant?” Her voice waivered and she looked away, prickling with embarrassment at the topic she never broached. It was the one thing neither of them ever brought up beyond clinic appointments.
“Yeah. Only now, with things like this, I know it’s going to sound weird but …… I want us to move to my apartment and carry on as planned there. I hate travelling so far to commute every day and you’ll have your own room, your own space, and own bed. We can exist with less eyes on us from my family and I know you’re not happy with how they are towards you. Aunt RuiZi especially. We’ll have more freedom to relax and you might find it less boring to be home without an atmosphere.” He swallowed hard, unsure why this was making him nervous and clammy, and his heart rate had upped. Hanging on her response by holding his breath. He had thought about it a lot this past week and it made sense to move them. Grandfather wouldn’t let him leave her alone at home and this way they didn’t have to explain outings to the clinic or have anyone keeping tabs on them. It would ease so much pressure and they could forge out a proper life for the duration of this.
“You want me to come and live with you in your apartment?” She repeated it slowly as if she wasn’t sure if it was a joke.
“Yeah. I figured now we are close, that it won’t be as weird. We can do our own thing, no diet restrictions, planned meals, standing to attention at the family dinner. We only have to go there for Sunday lunch once a week, like I used to.”
“If you’re sure you want to, then I have no complaints. It sounds like it would be closer to the art school too and easier for me to commute…. That is, if Rhea doesn’t hate it.” TangShi turned it over in her brain and didn’t see that it was much different to sharing his room at the big house, only she wouldn’t share a bed anymore. Her nerves hitched as the last sentence tumbled out and YuZhi automatically frowned, slight irritation that TangShi always considered Rhea’s feelings above her own.
He knew it should make him feel better that was she was this way, and considerate of his ex-girlfriend considering their circumstances, but this decision had nothing to do with Rhea and he didn’t really care if she liked it or not. He ignored her last words and carried on regardless.
“I can drop you and pick you up if we move there. It’s on my way to the company and we can figure out the times. It makes sense and will be easier on everyone.”
TangShi blushed and turned away with a shy smile, overjoyed and feeling gleeful at this unexpected arrangement. Assuming by everyone, he meant Rhea too and took it that she approved. If everyone was fine with it then so was she.
Never had she ever imagined YuZhi would want to move her out of that sterile environment into something that sounded a lot better for them both. More time together, away from prying eyes and judgmental stares. She would be able to relax and eat what she wanted to eat. Sleeping apart would be weird after so long but she always felt it wasn’t appropriate with Rhea in the picture. A sad thought passed over her though and her face crumbled as her feelings died painfully.
“Xiaosu? I won’t see her anymore?” It sobered her happiness and she turned back to him with genuine conflict written all over her face.
“Why not? She’s part of my family’s staff. I can have her come and work for us there. Commute back and forth when you want or need her. I mean, I tend to cook for myself or eat out so never had need for a housekeeper beyond the one who comes twice a week to clean. If you want XiaoSu to come instead, it can be done.” YuZhi just wanted to keep TangShi happy and if that did it, it wasn’t a hard compromise. She really didn’t ever ask for anything from him. She was low maintenance all the time, so he didn’t mind making allowances when she did ask.
“I’d like that. We can figure it out once I get used to my schedule and all of this.” TangShi beamed, a little ray of happiness bubbling inside and leaned back to enjoy the view once more. YuZhi watched her for a long second and smiled to himself, at that peaceful and content expression her face. She really wasn’t hard to make happy and he wished all these years Rhea had been this amicable and easy to please. His life would have been less stressful if she was as mellow as Tang.
They drove on, making small talk for the best part of a half hour before they finally pulled into park within walking distance of the bund. The waterfront mile long walk that passed by every historical and beautiful building in the city, while offering gorgeous views of Huangpu River.
While they moved and made their way to the attraction, they could tell a small music parade was in full swing, noise drifting on the air and heading this way. The scene was bright as there were temporary fairy lights strung from lamp post to lamppost for over a mile of the walkway, making it a magical and surreal view. There were food stalls and makeshift boutiques dotted along the railings, all visually pretty and they moved aside to join the watchers as the bright costume heavy parade moved on by.