Leslie didn’t stay in her lancholy mood for long.
Enveloped in the soft and peaceful ambiance of the moonlit river, boating beneath canopies of peach blossom petals helped to lift the heaviness tugging at her heart.
Calix also noticed the change in her expression. He could tell that Leslie was not faking her feelings, much to his relief.
"Should I see what’s in this river?" asked Leslie, looking intently at the rippling water’s surface. Pink petals floated near the slow-moving boat.
"What if you find..." Calix deliberately widened his eyes, grinning lop-sidedly, "So kind of river monster?"
"Geez..." Leslie frowned, looking up from the river to Calix, "Do you think we have a Loch Ness monster here? Or river demon, clam monster?"
"Who knows?" Calix shrugged, "You can try swimming in there and tell once you get up here."
Leslie pursed her lips, slightly pouting, "Don’t taint this peaceful river with your monster stories. Want to curse you haunted by scary ghosts tonight?"
"Oh, so scary. Do you think I’m a five year old? Ghosts don’t scare ah. I’m a mature thirty-two gentleman."
Calix pretended to shudder in fright. He exaggerated his facial expression, already forgetting that he needed to act like talking to the earbuds instead of to the air.
Leslie was irked. She imdiately retorted, "Says the person who fainted seeing for the first ti. Who was it, huh? I think it’s soone nad Calix Xu."
"..."
Leslie’s remarks pricked his conscience. Calix shrank his neck, lowering his head to look at the wooden floor of the boat.
"Hahaha!"
Giggles bubbled up Leslie’s mouth as she watched Calix’s expression change. He glared at her, only to louder her laughter.
Eventually, Calix guffawed, sharing laughter with Leslie. The water only reflected his laughing figure, alone on the boat.
The newlyweds went on boating until eight. More couples filled the area, infusing the fragrant air with their pink bubbles. So brought food along, having little picnics under the flower canopies.
When they got near to the car park, Calix stopped, prompting Leslie to do the sa.
"You wait in the car," Calix gestured in a direction, "I’ll get so drinks for us. How about hot chocolate?"
Leslie traced where Calix was pointing at. She saw a stall selling drinks, standing on the opposite side of the walkway. Three to four people lined up, waiting to place their orders.
"With marshmallows," Leslie’s eyes glinted.
Calix chuckled, shaking his head in helplessness, "As you wish, ma’am."
Spinning on his heels, Calix headed to the drink stalls. Instead of going to the car as she was told to, Leslie simply stood under the peach blossom tree by the roadside.
Her mood was initially ruined by Sarah and the return of the unpleasant mory. Never did Leslie foresee spending her ti boating with Calix would elevate her mood back.
Watching Calix lined up together with the other custors, Leslie’s expression softened further. The spring breeze gently tousled her luscious locks, fluttering the hem of her skirt.
’CEO Xu is... kind of sweet.’
Smiling by herself, a thought struck Leslie’s mind.
Like the other transmigrators in the stories she had read before, would she eventually fall for her husband in this book world?
Despite knowing Calix for only a week, Leslie was amazed by the good qualities presented by him. He tended to take her feelings into account as well.
And...
Leslie couldn’t deny that sohow, Calix reminded her of him.
’Nah. I shouldn’t fall in love because of that. It’ll be unfair... for Calix.’
Pursing her lips, Leslie slightly frowned. She didn’t want to view Calix as the replacent for her deceased lover.
’Stop thinking about it. First, I need to find Calliope. As for the rest...’
Lifting her chin, Leslie’s eyes fell on Calix again. He already reached the front row of the line, placing orders to the cashier.
’...I will think about it later.’
Chasing the negativity from tugging at her feelings, Leslie returned the peace to her mind. She waited there until she saw Calix holding two cups of drinks. He turned to head to the car park.
"Calix!"
Leslie’s voice traveled in the air, reaching Calix. He imdiately paused from walking, shifting his gaze to where he parted ways with her earlier.
"Ha? Why didn’t you wait in the car?" asked Calix confusedly as Leslie approached him.
To others, he seed to gaze and talk to the air. But, they second-guessed after realizing the strapped earbuds.
Still, the handso gentleman’s behavior seed a bit off to so people who noticed him.
"I wanna feel the air longer," Leslie’s glimring eyes wandered from Calix’s gaze to the paper cups, "Hot chocolate with marshmallows?"
Calix smiled, "Of course. Let’s go now."
A happy Leslie followed Calix to the car. Once they were comfortable in their respective seats, the spouses started drinking the delicious and creamy hot chocolate.
"Oh! I forgot to tell you," Calix moved his eyes from the cup to Leslie, "I have a business trip to Ro after Qingming. For seven days. You better follow , you know?"
Calix intended to inform Leslie when they were boating. Unfortunately, the thought completely slipped out of his mind until now.
Leslie inadvertently enlarged her eyes, glee glimring in them, "Ro? Want! I’ll follow you!"
Ro! The Eternal City! Sites of ancient history! Rich food culture!
Calix made a face. Sensing the motivations behind Leslie’s brightened countenance.
"Huff! You must think of the food there, isn’t it?" Calix scoffed, pretending to eye Leslie suspiciously, "When your husband’s busy with work, you only focus on eating."
"CEO Xu, you said you’re not stingy," Leslie grinned, directing Calix’s previous boasts to himself, "I’ve never been abroad before. Shouldn’t I make full use of this chance?"
Even though Charlene was a neglected young miss, she still had experiences of vacationing abroad before. But, she was not.
The furthest Leslie had gone was to the neighboring province. She went camping with Axel a few tis. Despite not being extravagant, the mories were dear to her.
Leslie’s cheeky remarks led Calix to chuckle. Sighing in helplessness, he responded, "Yes, yes. You’ll get to enjoy this vacation. I’ll mostly be busy in the first few days. I’ll show you around the place later."
Calix had visited Ro a few tis before. He was enchanted by its rich culture, spanning more than a thousand years. Being Leslie’s tour guide wouldn’t be a problem at all.
"Yes! Thank you, CEO Xu!"
Calix shrugged, trying to act nonchalantly about it, "I’m a generous man. You’ll only get more amazed by in the future, Mrs. Xu."
"Yes, yes, I’ll keep that in mind."
Unable to hold herself back, once again Leslie laughed happily. Calix always pretended to sound so conceited but, it was hard to find fault in that.
"Before our trip," Calix lowered his voice. His tone had a hint of firmness, "I’ll make sure to finish that woman. You should have a vacation free of stress."
Leslie blinked, didn’t expect Calix to bring up Sarah again in their conversation.
Still...
"I agree," responded Leslie without hesitating.
His plan sounded very good. She refused to let go of it.
Sarah’s days were numbered.
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