Fierce Love: Bringing Wife Home
Chapter 423 - 43 Yun Xiao VS Ai Xiang

Chapter 423: Chapter 43 Yun Xiao VS Ai Xiang

On the other side, at Yearn Residence where the lights shone brightly, many villas were connected by a long corridor, forming the Tai Chi Bagua Formation.

At night, seen from above, the warm yellow lights shining over the beautiful gardens made this Christmas look dazzling and colorful.

Ai Xiang had long instructed the servants to hang festive lanterns along the corridor.

The house had many rooms, and though there were few people and some coldness, it was still extraordinarily lively.

Because of its high geographic location, it was much colder here than in the city.

Ai Xiang, as usual, was dressed in a white suit, spotless.

He sat by the window with a piece of muslin draped over his knees, a beautiful white cat lying on it. At his feet, a golden retriever lay on the floor, dozing off.

The servants bustled about preparing dinner, setting the table, having earlier cleaned every corner of the room meticulously.

"Young Master, it’s getting dark and the wind is strong. Don’t sit by the window for too long; it can harm your health," the elderly butler reminded him from behind.

Ai Xiang nodded, "Then please close the window for me."

He showed no intention of getting up.

In Yearn Residence, there was an endless loneliness. Would sitting somewhere else make any difference?

"Thump thump thump!" Just then, a hurried knock came from outside.

The butler immediately went to the door and upon opening it, saw Yun Xiao with her bag on her back, wearing a thin coat, looking travel-worn standing at the doorstep.

"I’m back. Merry Christmas!" Yun Xiao squinted her eyes, smiling sweetly. Even her voice, when it fell on the ears, seemed particularly lively.

The butler immediately broke into a smile, "Miss Yun. Why didn’t you call so I could pick you up? You’re wearing so little, you must be frozen." As he spoke, he immediately opened the door wider for Yun Xiao to enter, then took the backpack from her hands.

Yun Xiao stood at the doorway, it was indeed very cold outside, much colder than she had expected. Not only was the terrain high, but the wind was also very strong.

The moment she entered, the cat dozing on Ai Xiang’s lap suddenly opened its eyes, leaped to the ground, and threw itself at Yun Xiao’s feet.

She crouched down to pick up the cat, unable to help laughing, "Little K, long time no see. Missed me, huh!"

She thought if she had to rank the welcomes she received at home, Little K would undoubtedly come first, then the butler and the servants, and Ai Xiang would only be third.

Ai Xiang looked back at Yun Xiao.

"Didn’t you say you’d be back by noon? Why so late?" he suddenly asked.

Yun Xiao was taken aback.

She had thought he wouldn’t care when she returned.

Therefore, she didn’t contact him when a last-minute task delayed her.

After completing the task, she didn’t receive any messages from him. She thought there was no need for much explanation.

Now that he asked, it took her by surprise.

"There was a last-minute task, just as I was about to leave the military to come home. I was sent to the front line," Yun Xiao said, walking forward with Little K in her arms.

Ai Xiang didn’t continue the conversation, but merely looked at Yun Xiao dressed in a thin T-shirt and a light hoodie, and frowned, "Don’t you have any clothes to wear? Just wearing this little?"

Seeing him frown, Yun Xiao felt uneasy, wondering if he was displeased with her modest attire.

So she said with an awkward laugh, "I bought these on my way back, at a small store nearby. I thought they would be enough, but I didn’t expect it to be so cold."

After all, Gu Xiaoxi had only worn a shirt when she left. One should know that the Imperial Capital was several times colder than City A.

But she had not expected Ai Xiang’s place to be several times colder than the city center.

She even wondered if it would snow here in the winter.

"Go warm yourself by the stove, don’t catch a cold," Ai Xiang said nonchalantly. His tone lacked any superfluous emotion.

Yun Xiao pursed her lips and strode over to the stove, instantly feeling much warmer.

"The mission you mentioned, was it the railway criminal incident reported at noon?" Ai Xiang finally stood up from the chair and moved away from the window. He sat down on an antique sofa.

At that moment, a beautiful maid came forward, using a high-quality purple clay teapot to brew tea.

Yun Xiao patted the cold off her clothes and looked up at Ai Xiang.

Suddenly, she met his cool gaze head-on.

Yun Xiao felt her heartbeat skip in that instant, she turned her head away, withdrew her gaze, and said with a flicker, "Yes!"

"First mission and you executed it well, successfully completed. Did you get hurt?" Ai Xiang asked.

He voiced what sounded like concern, but it came out completely devoid of any emotion.

Yun Xiao looked at the fire in the fireplace and said stiffly, "Zhao Zilong was injured. But it’s nothing serious. The mission was indeed a complete success. It’s worth celebrating."

...

After a brief silence, the butler walked up with a smile, "Young Master, Miss Yun, dinner is ready."

"Great! Let’s start eating! Everyone should join in, Christmas is meant to be merry and lively." Ai Xiang took a sip of tea, put down her cup, and strode towards the dining table.

Yun Xiao washed her hands, and by then, all the servants had gathered around the dining table. Their liveliness was certainly no less than that of Young Master Quan’s household.

The servants’ favorite time was Christmas because there was no distinction between masters and maids. Everyone could sit together and feast.

After dinner, there would be fireworks.

In Yun Xiao’s memory, the liveliest Christmas was the one spent with her comrades in the military.

There wasn’t such a sumptuous dinner, nor such a warm fireplace.

All they had was a bonfire lit in the open, everyone singing heartily, listening to their military friends sing patriotic songs.

That was also the most festive holiday she had experienced.

She thought that was the happiest time of her life, yet unexpectedly, tonight would also be a time she would never forget.

There were many people who cared for her, and with him by her side, she wanted for nothing else.

"Miss Yun, eat more. I know being in the military is tough. You’ve lost weight again in the short time since I saw you."

"Girls look prettier with a bit of meat on their bones."

"This roast goose, I spent several months perfecting it. Try some, Sister Yun Xiao."

Yun Xiao nodded with a smile, everyone was very kind to her. Except for the always aloof Ai Xiang, everyone else was warm and exuberant.

At that moment, she felt completely content.

Even though he was still distant to her, having a place in this home was enough for her.

As long as he still recognized her as family,

Then they could be relatives for life.

After dinner, the most enjoyable activity at Yearn Residence was setting off fireworks.

It was also the most joyous moment of Christmas night.

Even if the cold winds were harsh, even if going outside made them shiver,

The servants were still happily setting up fireworks along the garden path, starting from one end and lighting more than a dozen firework tubes.

"Bang! Bang! Bang! Pop! Pop!"

In an instant, the fireworks burst into the sky, covering it with myriad colors. The colorful flowers bloomed magnificently, then withered and fell. They left their fleeting beauty imprinted in people’s memories.

Ai Xiang stood at the window, hands in his pockets.

He slightly tilted his head back, gazing up into the sky, his neck line smooth and graceful. He resembled a beautiful Greek statue, so brilliant and eye-catching.

Yun Xiao stood behind him, watching him, so absorbed that she forgot to admire the rare spectacle of fireworks. She even thought the man before her was more beautiful and more captivating than the fireworks.

"Bang! Bang! Bang! ..."

The noisy and fiery sounds continued, and the dark Christmas sky became bright and dazzling because of the fireworks.

"It’s getting late. Everyone should rest early. Uncle Liu, please get my coat," Ai Xiang said, glancing at Yun Xiao before walking towards the door.

"Where are you going this late? It’s so cold outside!" Yun Xiao asked anxiously.

Ai Xiang replied indifferently, "I’ll be back in a little while."

Yun Xiao saw that he was carrying a bag as he left.

And in that bag, she had seen the butler pack white liquor, roast chicken, and cigarettes.

Even after Ai Xiang’s figure had disappeared, Yun Xiao remained standing there.

Seeing her frown, the butler came forward and immediately explained, "Miss Yun. Every year after the Christmas dinner and fireworks, the young master goes to pay tribute to his parents. Rain or shine, it has become an old ritual."

Yun Xiao nodded in understanding and then cheerfully said to the butler, "Then, I’ll go rest first."

Saying so, she strode out of the room, headed towards her villa.

However, she didn’t return to her room. Instead, she quickly followed after Ai Xiang and walked with him towards the nearby mountaintop.

At that moment, the cold wind was icy and bone-chilling, yet she was still clad in her thin hoodie. However, her curiosity outweighed the cold at that moment.