Chapter 74: Conclusion

Xie Qichen looked at the little boy holding his piggy bank, his expression soft and dazed, and at his simple, innocent words, feeling his heart melt.

The child, who was still in the junior kindergarten class, had no concept of what it meant for adults to work and earn money. He didn’t know that the deals Xie Qichen usually handled involved millions of yuan. To the little boy, the twenty-odd yuan in the piggy bank was already a huge sum that he had saved for a long time. He was willing to give it all to Xie Qichen for a simple reason: so Xie wouldn’t have to work so hard.

Touched by the gesture, Xie Qichen pulled the little boy onto his lap, wrapped his arms around him, and gently said, “Bubbles, come give Daddy a hug.”

Bubbles looked up at him and pushed the piggy bank into his arms: “Daddy, here you go…”

Xie looked down at him and softly asked, “But wasn’t this money that Bubbles worked hard to save for a long time? If you give it to me, you won’t have any money left.”

“It’s okay,” the little boy replied in his cute, soft voice. “Mommy gives me five yuan every week, so I’ll have more money to put into the penguin again.”

“But what if you don’t have your toy cars anymore?”

The little boy hesitated for a moment. “I don’t need the toy cars. I can buy them again later.”

Xie smiled. “So Daddy is more important than the toy cars?”

Bubbles snuggled into Xie’s arms and hugged him. “Bubbles loves Daddy. Daddy is the most important.”

Which father wouldn’t feel happy hearing that?

Xie hugged him tightly and ruffled his hair with a smile. “Mm, Daddy loves Bubbles the most too.”

The little boy insisted on giving him the money, seemingly believing that as long as he gave this money to Xie, he wouldn’t have to work so hard anymore. Finally, the man accepted it and promised to take him to the amusement park on the weekend.

“Bubbles gave Daddy this money, so now Daddy has enough money. How about from now on, Daddy spends more time with Bubbles, okay?”

“Okay…”

As he finished speaking, he turned his gaze and saw Tan Mo leaning against the doorway, not knowing how long she had been standing there, watching him with her eyes curved like crescent moons.

Meeting Xie Qichen’s gaze, Tan Mo smiled even more.

“Why do I feel like I’m just a little lamp shining in on you two now?”

Xie Qichen smirked and reached his hand out to her. Tan Mo walked in and sat beside him, immediately pulled into his embrace. “How long have you been standing there at the door without saying anything?”

“I originally came to tell Bubbles a story. When I heard your voice in the hallway, I guessed you had come back early.”

“I missed you and our son, so I finished up work and rushed home.”

Tan Mo looked at their son beside them and smiled as she gently stroked his head. “I heard what Bubbles said to you just now. Our little Bubbles is such a good boy. These past few days, he kept asking when he could see Daddy. He really missed you.”

Xie Qichen felt a pang of guilt. “Sorry, I’ve been too busy lately and haven’t spent much time with you two.”

Not only the little boy, Xie Qichen also knew that Tan Mo missed and cared for him deeply. But the young girl never complained, always urging him to focus on his career.

“It’s okay. You’re not busy all year round,” Tan Mo leaned on his shoulder. “And I know you work so hard for me and Bubbles. We can make it up during the winter vacation.”

“Good. Then let’s plan a trip somewhere for our family of three.”

“Great! I’ll start planning it carefully.”

Later, Tan Mo and Xie Qichen stayed in the room with their son for a while. Xie told him a story, and the little boy soon fell asleep.

Xie tucked the little boy into bed and kissed his forehead. Then he got up, took the twenty-five yuan he had just received, and quietly returned it into the penguin piggy bank, placing it back into the drawer.

Then the two of them quietly left the room and walked back to their bedroom. On the way, Tan Mo smiled and sighed, “No wonder Auntie Chen recently told me that Bubbles hasn’t been playing on the rocking horse machines anymore. I thought he was saving up to buy toys, but it turns out he was thinking of giving the money to you so you wouldn’t be so tired.”

Xie Qichen smiled slightly, realizing that his son was truly worth all the love. “Now that I’m not busy anymore, I’ll spend more time with him.”

Tan Mo nodded. “Mm.”

Back in their bedroom, Tan Mo closed the door. The man walking ahead turned around, grabbed her waist, pressed her against the wall, and looked deeply into her eyes with his dark gaze. His voice was low and husky.

“I also want to spend time with you.”

Tan Mo’s heart fluttered. She smiled and gently responded. Xie Qichen gazed at her, his voice thick with affection, stirring the thin air between them.

“Did you miss me?”

“You’re asking a silly question…”

Tan Mo’s eyes slightly welled up. “Of course I did.”

Before she could lower her head, the man leaned down. His warm, thin lips, accompanied by heavy breathing, engulfed hers. He kissed her passionately, stirring up waves of tender feelings, marking her as his own.

Tan Mo’s heart trembled like ripples on a lake stirred by the wind. She lifted her chin, slightly parted her lips, and instinctively responded to his kiss.

Like vines entwining, their passion deepened, and their clothes wrinkled.

Intense, overwhelming.

A few seconds later, Xie Qichen stopped and rested his forehead against hers, chuckling softly.

“I can feel it.”

Tan Mo, still as shy as ever when teased by him, blushed. As she shyly turned her eyes away, her body was suddenly swept into his arms.

She quickly wrapped her arms around Xie Qichen’s neck. With one arm, the man carried her toward the bedroom, his dominant lips once again capturing hers. His voice, thick with emotion, whispered against her lips.

“Same here.”

He missed her just as much.

Only one lamp was lit in the room. The night was long, and the warm, soft glow gradually raised the temperature…

–

The day after Xie Qichen returned from his business trip, when little Bubbles came home from kindergarten, he found that his room was filled with various new toys, including his favorite toy cars.

They were all bought by Xie Qichen.

The little boy was as excited as if he had discovered a big treasure, jumping around joyfully.

Tan Mo asked him, “Does Bubbles know where these toys came from?”

The little boy looked at her blankly. Tan Mo smiled. “They were all bought by Daddy. Daddy said that Bubbles has been very good lately, so he promised to buy you many little toys with the money he earned from work.”

That evening when Xie Qichen came home, as he entered the hallway, the little boy, hearing the sound from the living room, immediately ran toward him and jumped into his arms.

“I love Daddy so much.”

The little boy clung to Xie Qichen.

Hearing this, the man smiled. “Now that you have toys, your mouth has become so sweet?”

Beside them, Tan Mo pretended to be jealous and teased, “Has Bubbles forgotten about Mommy with all these toys?”

The little boy ran over again, snuggled into her arms, and buried his face, “I love Mommy too.”

Tan Mo and Xie Qichen exchanged smiles.

How could anyone resist such a little charmer?

After returning from this business trip, Xie Qichen also talked with Tan Mo, realizing that he shouldn’t focus solely on his career while neglecting the time with his son. Just like what he had said when Tan Mo was pregnant, he wanted his son to grow up healthy and happy.

Companionship and love are always more important than material possessions for a child.

Therefore, Xie Qichen reduced his workload, striving to come home for dinner every evening and spend more time with Tan Mo and his son.

As the days passed, the temperature gradually dropped, and finally, the end of the year arrived.

New Year’s Eve—the last day of the year.

In the large bed of the guest room in the villa, Tan Mo was still asleep, held in Xie Qichen’s arms from behind. The air was filled with a faint sweetness.

The room was warm with the heating on. Tan Mo wore only a white spaghetti strap top, her black hair soft and loose. Her fair shoulders and the back of her neck bore scattered pink marks, hinting at what had happened.

A strong arm was wrapped around her waist, holding her small frame like a kitten, her eyes still closed, breathing softly.

Around nine o’clock, the person beside her woke up first.

After a while, Tan Mo was awakened by a series of butterfly kisses on her shoulder blades. She let out a soft, sleepy sound from the ticklish sensation and instinctively turned around, only to be pulled into Xie Qichen’s arms, face to face.

“Awake?”

His deep, husky voice came.

Her drowsiness gradually faded. Tan Mo opened her sleepy eyes and met his dark gaze, which held a faint smile. Feeling sore from the previous night, she blushed and playfully scolded him.

“Pervert…”

Today was finally Xie Qichen’s day off. Last night, the little boy had been sent to his grandparents’ house for the night. Xie had come home early and quickly taken Tan Mo to the bedroom.

The girl, thinking that he had been working hard lately, wanted to cheer him up during their alone time, so she had bought a “special” nightgown. It excited Xie Qichen like a young boy, and he kept her up until one or two in the morning. Unable to sleep in the bed afterward, he ended up carrying her to the guest room.

Hearing her words, Xie Qichen chuckled softly, his breath warm against her ear.

“Am I a pervert? Then why do you like this pervert?”

“Hmph…”

The girl nestled on his shoulder, not wanting to open her eyes, looking drowsy. Xie kissed her nose lightly. “You were too full last night, weren’t you?”

Tan Mo blushed and murmured softly. “You always go on for so long…”

Xie Qichen was just too strong in certain aspects. Tan Mo felt that her small frame could barely handle him.

Hearing this, how could Xie Qichen not feel a sense of pride? He smiled, leaned in, pulled her into his arms, gently kissed her cheeks, and soothed her with affection.

They teased each other for a while before Xie Qichen finally let go of her and carried her to wash up.

Thankfully, the little boy wasn’t home, so they could indulge in sleeping in a bit.

Today was New Year’s Eve, and they had decided to spend it in Jiayu City, just the three of them, enjoying the freedom and happiness.

Early in the morning, the house chef started preparing ingredients for the New Year’s Eve dinner. Tan Mo didn’t have to do much, only preparing a few dishes she wanted to cook for her husband and son herself.

From her junior year in college until now, “Xiao Molli” had finally evolved from a kitchen disaster to a little kitchen expert.

At noon, the chef finished preparing the dishes and was given the day off. Before leaving, Tan Mo gave him a red envelope, as well as the housemaids, thanking them for their hard work and letting them go home happily for the New Year.

After the maids and the chef left, the villa was left only with Tan Mo and Xie Qichen. It felt a bit quiet at first, but soon enough, the lively little boy was sent back by Tan’s parents.

Tan’s mother had even sent over many New Year’s goods by the driver, including Tan Mo’s favorite braised beef and cheesecake, inviting them to come for dinner early on the first day of the Lunar New Year.

In the afternoon, Tan Mo prepared the New Year’s Eve dinner in the kitchen while in the living room, Xie Qichen and the little boy were pasting Spring Festival couplets and window decorations.

Tan Mo also started a live stream, chatting with her fans. Eventually, Xie Qichen and the little boy also appeared on camera, giving greetings to the fans.

The viewers of the live stream saw the warm scene of their family of three and the naturally sweet interactions between Tan Mo and Xie Qichen. They excitedly expressed how moved they were and wished the couple to always be together.

In response, Tan Mo, unusually not being modest, smiled and said:

“Maybe one day I won’t be a blogger anymore, but I will definitely stay with him forever.”

In the evening, the live stream ended, and Tan Mo finished cooking. She walked out of the kitchen and looked at the little boy playing with toy cars in the living room:

“Bubbles, where’s Daddy?”

The little boy turned his head and pointed outside the window: “Daddy is outside.”

Tan Mo walked over and saw Xie Qichen organizing the fireworks he had bought in the backyard.

Knowing how much she loved fireworks, every year since their marriage, he had accompanied her to set them off.

Tan Mo’s eyes softened. She pushed open the glass door and walked outside. Xie Qichen had just finished organizing the fireworks and stood up straight. When he turned and saw her, his eyebrows lifted, and he spoke:

“There’s enough here for you to play with tonight.”

Tan Mo peeked into the packaging bag and smiled happily. “Great, great! It’s time for me to show off my skills again.”

Xie Qichen’s tone was slightly teasing. “Show off your skills?”

“What do you mean by that?”

“Nothing in particular,” Xie Qichen smiled slightly. “Just thinking about someone who used to jump three feet high in fear from just a small firecracker.”

The mention of an embarrassing memory from the past made Tan Mo blush with indignation and she hit him playfully.

“I’ve evolved now. I’m not that bad anymore!”

Xie Qichen laughed and pulled her into his arms, ruffling her hair like a little kitten. “Yes, you’ve evolved. This year, your courage will definitely be huge.”

They stood under a tree, the cold wind blowing gently. Above them, the tree was adorned with fairy lights, illuminating their view.

Tan Mo leaned against his warm chest, the fireworks reminding her of the past, her lips curving into a smile.

“It feels like time passes so quickly. The first New Year’s Eve after our marriage, we were still in the early stages of our relationship, secretly loving each other but not yet expressing it. Back then, I even thought we were just a marriage of convenience. We never imagined that a few years later, we would have Bubbles on New Year’s Eve.”

Xie Qichen smiled, pulling her closer, his eyes filled with tenderness.

“Good thing we have more than just two years.”

Tan Mo looked up into his eyes, her own sparkling as she spoke sweetly. “Qichen, thank you. Thank you for protecting me and loving me every day since our marriage. Because of you, I’ve learned to love myself even more. Every day since marrying you has been so happy.”

From the moment Xie Qichen returned from abroad and firmly declared he wanted to marry her, Tan Mo felt as if she had begun a dream that would last a lifetime.

In this dream, she was healed and cherished. His presence had dispelled all the shadows and darkness from her past.

Hearing her words, Xie Qichen smiled warmly at her. “After marrying you, isn’t this exactly what I should do?”

Tan Mo smiled tenderly, held even closer by him. As they leaned into each other, she looked up at the gradually darkening sky. “The weather forecast says it might snow in Licheng tomorrow. If it really does, Bubbles will definitely love it.”

“It’s okay. If he wants to see snow, we can go to the north for a few days.”

Just as he was speaking, the sound of little footsteps running toward them came from behind.

“Daddy! Mommy!”

The little boy ran over, and the man laughed as he picked him up. His other arm still around Tan Mo, the sky in the distance lit up with dazzling fireworks. The little boy excitedly pointed.

“Fireworks…”

Tan Mo looked up and smiled. “The fireworks are so beautiful.”

She watched for a moment before Xie Qichen turned slightly and gently kissed her lips.

He gazed at her, his lips curving into a smile.

“Mrs. Xie, Happy New Year.”

Tan Mo blinked, her dimples appearing.

“Yes, Happy New Year.”

My beloved Mr. Xie.

Just as Xie Qichen had once hoped, Tan Mo believed that as seasons passed and time went by, every day from now on would be filled with happiness for their family of three.

And she and Xie Qichen would continue to love each other passionately.

Forever and ever.

(The End)