Early in the morning.
Meng Huaijin's biological clock woke him up early. Looking at Fu Wenying resting in his arms, it felt like a dream. He pulled her a little closer against his chest and kissed her forehead.
With a feeling of complete contentment, he closed his eyes and fell back asleep.
"Ring, ring..." Meng Huaijin reached out, grabbed his phone to silence it, put on his glasses, and saw who was calling.
Noticing that Fu Wenying stirred slightly in his arms at the sound before settling back to sleep, he carefully withdrew his arm and got out of bed with the utmost caution.
He walked out to the balcony and returned the call.
"Hello, Dad."
"Huaijin, remember to bring Wenying back to the Meng Family Estate today. Don't forget."
"I know, Dad. We'll be back shortly."
"..."
Back in the bedroom, Fu Wenying was already awake. She reached out to touch the spot beside her where Meng Huaijin had been sleeping, only to find the sheets still warm and the bed empty.
Slowly propping herself up, she felt a slight soreness in her waist. Remembering how infinitely gentle Meng Huaijin had been the night before, a wave of sweetness washed over her heart.
Looking up, she saw Meng Huaijin leaning against the balcony railing, wearing a red bathrobe. His firm, well-defined chest and abdominal muscles were fully visible—he had the classic build of someone who looked slim in clothes yet muscular underneath.
Having finished his call, Meng Huaijin walked back into the room.
"You're awake. Did you sleep well? I just spoke with Dad on the phone, and he wants us to head back to the Meng Family Estate shortly."
"I know."
Feeling a bit self-conscious, Fu Wenying practically fled to the bathroom to wash up.
Meng Huaijin watched her from behind with a soft, tender smile. "Slow down, take your time."
After that, Meng Huaijin called Meng Jie to arrange some work matters.
Once both of them had finished washing up, they walked into the walk-in closet. Fu Wenying looked at Meng Huaijin's neat row of solid dark suits and unconsciously shook her head.
She picked out a navy blue double-breasted suit for him, paired with a black shirt.
For herself, she chose a brand-new haute couture outfit—also in navy blue. Once changed, she checked her reflection in the mirror and saw that Meng Huaijin had already put on his impeccably tailored high-end suit, his back straight and posture upright.
He leaned against the doorway, watching Fu Wenying admire her own outfit.
The high-end navy blue short skirt was understated yet perfectly complemented Fu Wenying's unique, aloof elegance, with a touch of poise that made it ideal for meeting elders.
"My wife has a really great eye."
He walked over, took Fu Wenying's hand, and led her downstairs to the dining room.
Meng Huaijin pulled out a dining chair for Fu Wenying, then took his seat at the head of the table and served her a bowl of seafood congee.
"Eat a bit more, you don't have much meat on you."
Fu Wenying gave him an annoyed little glare.
Aunt Xu, standing nearby, chuckled to herself. Seeing the young master she had watched grow up now married made her realize how much she had aged.
Aunt Xu was delighted to see how they interacted; compared to before, Meng Huaijin seemed much more relaxed.
Seeing that they had finished their meal, Aunt Xu walked over and said, "Young Master, Young Madam, the car is ready. You can head out to the Meng Family Estate whenever you're ready."
"Aunt Xu, pack up that bottle of Romanée-Conti I opened yesterday. I need to take it back to the estate, or I'm not going to hear the end of it today."
Fu Wenying looked at Meng Huaijin, puzzled. "You'll see once we get to the estate. It's a secret for now?"
Aunt Xu packed the wine and handed it to Meng Huaijin.
Meng Huaijin looked at Fu Wenying. "Let's go."
"Alright, let's go."
Holding Fu Wenying's hand and carrying the wine, Meng Huaijin walked out the front door.
The two of them set off on the road to the Meng Family Estate.
"Wenying, come lean on me and catch a little sleep. It's still going to be a while before we reach the estate."
Without declining, Fu Wenying leaned against his shoulder and dozed off.
Sensing that Fu Wenying's breathing had grown steady and even, Meng Huaijin signaled the driver to slow down.
Then, using his free hand, he pulled out his phone to review some documents.