"That’s good," Glades Horne responded calmly.
His deep gaze remained unfathomable, and Julia Bluen couldn’t see anything in it.
Unable to discern anything, Julia wasn’t in a hurry. She believed that one day, Glades would give her a satisfactory explanation for all these confusions.
"Do you want to eat out, or should we go ho for dinner?" Julia started walking towards the house.
Glades paused montarily, deeply fixing his gaze on her svelte and graceful departing figure. A touch of tenderness and a hint of relief flickered in his eyes before he followed Julia with firm steps.
"This is our ho. We are already ho."
Julia had reached the entrance to the Main House when she heard his words. She turned her head and glanced at him with a smile. "If you want to cook for you, just say so."
"Alright then, my dear wife, I want to eat the food you prepare for every day," he said.
Julia’s cheeks flushed when she heard him call her ’my dear wife.’ She replied with playful irritation, "I don’t know if you married just to fill your stomach."
Glades chuckled quietly, replying that if she didn’t feel like cooking, they could eat out instead. However, he confessed that no delicacies could compare to the warmth and flavor of a simple ho-cooked al prepared by her hands.
What he cherished was the bond growing between them.
"Help out."
Julia glanced at him coquettishly and uttered two words before heading voluntarily to the kitchen.
Glades, wearing an indulgent smile, quickly followed her into the kitchen as ordered.
This ti Julia tried a different recipe, yet it was still a holy dish.
Glades ate with relish, feeling that even plain vegetables tasted especially delicious when cooked by Julia; they even looked vibrantly green.
With love, even preserved vegetables beco a delicacy.
After the al, the two washed dishes together. Outside, Glades exuded a strong sense of masculinity, controlling everything and holding power. But at ho, in front of Julia, he let go of his princely status and machismo, content to be an ordinary man, an unremarkable husband.
Previously, wives handled all the household chores. Most n would co ho from work, drop their briefcases, take off their suits and shoes, and settle on the sofa to read the paper or watch TV. They waited for their wives to serve them als, including dishing up their rice, maintaining the illusion that they had the right to be served at ho after working hard to earn money. It was as if marrying a wife ant gaining an unpaid housekeeper.
So won expressed their frustration, stating that n were always taken care of: by their mothers when young, by their wives as they grew up, and by their children when old.
Now, tis have changed, and so have the attitudes of n and won.
Couples mostly work now. After returning ho, they prepare als together in unity and then cooperate in doing the dishes afterward. Neither spouse wants the other to be overworked in the quest for an equitable lifestyle. As a result, the bond between husband and wife flows gently, like a calm river, lasting and tender.
Glades Horne chose to be the man of today: an unremarkable husband.
The sky outside had gradually darkened, unbeknownst to them.
Nightfall drew closer, deepening the darkness.
It was ti to share a bed once again.
Julia Bluen lay in bed without a pillow, dressed in a white nightgown. She intended not to be afraid if Glades Horne decided to consummate their marriage that night.
In just a few short days, his actions had slowly influenced her, helping her overco her nervousness and embarrassnt. He encouraged her to let go of all reservations and accept the sudden shift in their relationship.
Glades lay down beside her.
He lay on his side first, propping his head with his hand as he gazed steadily at her. His deep, eagle-like eyes moved slowly from her short hair to her fair, uncovered feet. His gaze grew intense, smoldering.
Then, he slowly leaned over her, pinning her beneath him. He was careful not to make her uncomfortable with his weight, firmly bracing his hands on the bed.
Julia looked up at him steadily, and he gazed down at her intensely.
"Julia," Glades’s voice was extrely low as he bent down and gently kissed her. He felt Julia stiffen slightly. Though it was much less than the first ti they shared a bed, he still sighed deeply in his heart.
"Let’s sleep," he said as he lay on his side, forcefully suppressing his desire. "There’s no rush; a couple more days won’t matter."
Julia nestled in his arms, looking up at him with a complex expression, mostly touched by his consideration.
"Sleep," Glades’s voice was a bit hoarse as he gently patted her shoulder with the arm that held her.
Julia said nothing. Resting her head on his arm, she slowly closed her eyes.
Just being in his embrace made her feel incredibly safe, so much so that she longed to fall into a deep sleep.
This sensation left her astonished.
Even after knowing each other for twenty-six years, in her heart, he’d always been like an elder brother to her. She had always interpreted the special care he took of her as the kind of consideration a brother would have for his sister. She even thought his concern for her stemd from her being Ruby Bluen’s sister, assuming that his love for Ruby extended to her by association.
The night continued.
「Dawn followed the darkness.」
Night and day alternated in the blink of an eye.
People still hurried to and from work, snatching monts of joy from their busy lives.
Yet ti slipped through their fingers, always escaping when they were unguarded.
「Finally, the wedding of Glades Horne and Julia Bluen arrived.」
Though it had been just ten short days since setting the date, it felt like ten years to them. This period transford their relationship from brother-in-law and sister-in-law to husband and wife, taking them from initial discomfort to gradual adaptation. In ten days, they had co to know each other anew.
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