Cheng Huan didn't know much about the luxurious items in this world but she could tell that it was probably a very expensive item just from the blinding gems on it and the person it was from.

It was pretty parvenu riche-like but also quite pretty.

Cheng Huan always liked fuzzy stuff and she liked the purse the minute that she had laid eyes on it. Nevertheless, the thought of its cost made her hesitation.

It was too expensive and she wouldn't be able to repay him.

Cheng Huan merely glanced over at it before she looked away. Looking straight at Jiang MingYuan, she said helplessly, "Why are you gifting me things again?"

Jiang MingYuan, "..." Because his assistant said that all girls liked purses, of course.

Of course he couldn't say that out loud. Observing Cheng Huan's look, he asked carefully, "You don't want it?"

"No."

"Is it because you don't like it?" Jiang MingYuan looked to be a little troubled. "What do you like? I will buy for you."

"It's fine," sighed Cheng Huan. "You don't need to always be buying me things."

To which Jiang MingYuan replied very matter-of-factly, "I am pursuing you. Of course I need to show that."

Cheng Huan, "..."

Meeting his eyes, Cheng Huan looked away blushing. "Oh." Cheng Huan said dryly. "But this is too expensive."

"It's not that expensive." The man walked closer to her and put the bag in her chest. He looked down on the tip of the woman's ears which were now pink and said in a very domineering way, "I can afford it. I can buy you anything that you like."

The man was standing too close to her and he could smell a very nice scent as he talked. Cheng Huan's face turned hotter and she was distracted from the purse that was shoved into her arms. All she could think of was the man standing next to her. The temperature around them seemed to have risen and, staring at the face that was now very close to her, she had all sorts of thoughts.

Seeing that she did not reject the purse that he had put into her arm, Jiang MingYuan let out a sigh of relief. He also looked to be smiling. Looking at the woman standing in front of him, there was tenderness in his eyes. He lowered his head a little and stood even closer to her.

Seeing his face that was becoming bigger and bigger in front of her, she took a step back nervously. Her heart was beating faster and faster and she reached out her hand and placed it on the countertop behind her. Her body was tensed and her eyelashes vibrated some. She looked like she was both rejecting and welcoming his advances at the same time.

"Don't move," said the man.

Cheng Huan was so nervous that her veins were popping up on his neck. Biting her lower lip, she said, "Um, I..."

"Mmm," said Jiang MingYuan as he scooted even closer to her. He was very tall and his breath was hitting Cheng Huan on her forehead making that spot felt like it was burning up.

"You have a strand of white hair." Jiang MingYuan's voice came from above her.

All of the kissing scenes from idol dramas that Cheng Huan had conjured up in her head dissipated, much like balloon that had been poked. The redness on her cheeks began to fade and she was even somewhat disappointed. "Oh, okay. Why don't you pick it for me?"

"Okay." Jiang MingYuan reached out his hand and ran his fingers through her hair. The hair under his hand was cool and smooth, making it difficult for one to want to stop touching it. Where Cheng Huan couldn't see, the man's look deepened and his act of pulling her hair was slow. By the time he put his hand down, he turned a little and his lips brushed up against the woman's forehead.

As though she had felt something, Cheng Huan lifted her head up a little. The look on the man was still nonchalant. Placing the strand of white hair into her hand, he said, "All done."

"Mmm, oh." Cheng Huan tightened up her hand and wrapped her strand of hair on her figure. "Em, it's time for me to start making breakfast."

"Okay." The man didn't stall this time. He nodded and walked out. After he was gone, Cheng Huan lifted her hand and touched her forehead. The redness on her cheeks that were gone returned with certain speculations.

Cheng Huan pursed her lips. Taking another look at the purse in her arms, she was a bit perturbed. Stroking the logo that was made out of gemstones, Cheng Huan placed the purse to one said and pondered about using some of her savings to get the man a gift.

She'd chalk it up to a New Year's gift.

***

XiaoXiao, too, had noticed the purse when they were having breakfast. He could finally let out the secret that he had been keeping for days and he couldn't wait to take the credits.

With a look full of pride, he said as he sipped on the porridge, "I picked this one out myself, Mommy. It's so sparkly and pretty, right?"

Cheng Huan, "... it's alright, I guess."

Although the part she disliked the most was the logo. It was too ostentatious.

XingXing did not notice the hint of resentment in her voice and was still very proud of his own taste. He stuck out his chest and hrumphed. "This one is from Daddy. I will get you another one just like it, Mommy!"

Cheng Huan felt that she was getting a headache. She glanced over at Jiang MingYuan who was sitting there like he wasn't involved in this conversation at all. The heater was plenty sufficient indoor and the man did not have a jacket on. His sleeves were unbuttoned and rolled up a couple of times. The smooth outlines of his lower arms could be seen and he looked very masculine that way. His lips curving upward a little and his smile at Cheng Huan deepened. Turning to his son, he said, "I don't think you will be able to do that."

XingXing asked in disbelief, "Why not?"

"This is a limited-edition purse and they were sold out."

"But you didn't tell me that before!" The little kiddo felt that it was unfair.

"Is that so?" Jiang MingYuan put down his chopsticks, wiped his mouth, and said in a somewhat deceitful way, "Daddy had only just found that out too."

"You lied to me, Daddy!"

XingXing stared at his father with a wronged and angry look. The one being started at, on the other hand, was unaffected by that at all. After he was done eating, he put down his bowl, walked over to pat XingXing on his head and gave him a kiss on his cheek. "Alright, Daddy is going to work now. You be a good boy at home with Mommy."

He then stood back up, faced Cheng Huan, and said goodbye to her.

Cheng Huan, "... Bye."

Owing to the incident in the morning, nobody saw him to the door when he left. That didn't bother him, however. In fact, he was in such a good mood that he gave Qi Shan an additional bonus.

His good mood maintained for quite a few days, all the way until the 25th.

As New Year was getting closer, there was a lot of stirring around the office. Some employees whose families were further away had already taken time off and headed home. The remaining ones were looking forward to the annual party, the year-end bonus, and also making plans for the New Year.

Jiang MingYuan, too, had some plans of his own. He needed to go visit his ancestor's graves on the 30th and would normally return on the 2nd. Between the 3rd and returning to work on the 8th, he had 4 days of free time and that was enough for a short trip. He has already had a place in mind and all the planning had been done. He wanted to make sure that everybody would thoroughly enjoy the trip.

That was when he received the call from Gu MingLi, telling him that she would not be home for the New Year.

The transition of the ownership of the shipping company in Country M had not yet been done but Jiang Yudong had already left for Country M to familiarize himself with the environment.

Jiang MingYuan knew that once Jiang Yudong had taken off, Gu MingLi wouldn't be staying in China for much longer. He hadn't expected her to be rushing it so much that she wouldn't even wait until after the New Year! His lips tightening into a straight line, all of his good mood was gone. He asked coldly, "Don't you want to at least wait until after you have visited Dad on New Year eve before you take off?"

Per their customs, they would worship their ancestors first before they have their New Year Eve meal.

Gu MingLi, on the other hand, was reluctant to waste another minute after waiting 30 years for the opportunity to be with her lover in the open. And, truth be told, she did have a little bit of a guilty conscience for cheating on her late husband and was not really keen on going to visit him.

"I have already visited your dad already." She didn't, but that didn't stop Gu MingLi from saying it. Her voice sounded weak from the other end of the phone and, coughing a little, she said to her son, "It's not that I want to take off during this time. I really wish the two of us can spend New Year Eve together but you know how bad the air will be around New Year time. The doctor said it will be bad for my health and that I should leave as soon as possible. Staying behind for longer will be detrimental to my health."

Jiang MingYuan looked colder and colder as she talked. With a sarcastic smile on him, he said in his ice-cold voice, "Ok, I get it. I am going to be busy around New Year time so I wish you a quick recovery."

"It's fine. Just take care of yourself is all I am asking for." Naturally Gu MingLi didn't want him to go with and what he said had pleased her greatly. She quickly said a bunch of sweet words to show her love for him.

Jiang MingYuan let her talked with no expressions whatsoever on him. He took a sip of water and finally stopped her when she was done talking and was about to hang up, "Mom, I hope you won't regret about it."

Gu MingLi noticed a hint of danger in his voice and asked dubiously, "What do you mean by that?"

"Not much. I have something else to attend to. I'll let you go now."

And he hung up the phone after that.

Over on the other end, Gu MingLi, who was hung up on, was a little bit worried. With her phone in her hand, she paced in her living room back and forth. It was sunny outside but the wind coming in was cold and it made Gu MingLi shuddered. She took a few steps forward and quickly closed the door. She touched her own cheek and, though her skin was still smooth, the muscles bellowed it were already beginning to sag. She was no longer young.

This was what she had wanted for herself for the last 30 years. How could she back out when it was finally about to happen? Her son only said one thing. Was it really necessary for her to be so worried?

Gu MingLi tried to ease herself and was finally able to convince herself. She called out to her maid loudly to have her pack for her.

The next day, Jiang MingYuan was informed that Gu MingLi had left the country. She had taken most of her stuff with her and also converted all of her savings into Country M's currency. Obviously, she was not planning on returning.

"Okay, I get it," said Jiang MingYuan nonchalantly. Not a trace of his anger from the other day could be seen. After ending that conversation, he contacted another person. "He's there now. Proceed as we have planned."

"Okay."

***

The Jiang's annual party was scheduled for the 28th and they had reserved the biggest conference room at a 5-star hotel in City S. The annual party would start around 6 PM, dinner then raffle, and would end around 11 PM.

One could bring their significant other with them to this party and Jiang MingYuan had been turned down by Cheng Huan when he asked her a few days ago.

"I don't think so?" Cheng Huan shook her head with hesitation. "Who am I to you to attend this event?"

"Well, that's an easy problem to solve," said Jiang MingYuan as he leaned into her and, with one hand on the back of the couch, said with a very serious look on his attractive face, "The Civil Affairs Bureau is still open right now. We can still make it."

"No! No!" Cheng Huan was stunned by that first then, after she had processed what he had said, waved her hands awkwardly.

They haven't even dated yet. It would be mortifying to jump straight to the marriage part!

Looking at how quickly she had turned him down, a hint of disappointment flashed past Jiang MingYuan's eyes. Sitting back up, he stroked her hair and ease the situation by saying, "I'm just kidding."