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Half reclining on the couch, one atop the other, in their marital chamber, they lay beneath the moonlight that bathed it in a soft glow.
“It was... very difficult! I hated it...” Maomao whispered softly, tightening her arms around Jinshi’s back.
Two weeks. Only two weeks; Maomao could not comprehend how Jinshi could have left such a void in so short a time...
And now, as she sank deeper and deeper into his embrace, his body enveloping her in its warmth, his familiar, comforting scent filling her senses, everything became perfectly clear to her...
Jinshi had always been there...
Whenever she returned from work utterly exhausted, he would rush to her and tend to all her needs: water? Food? A bath? Changing her clothes? Massaging her weary body? He would gladly do everything for her, with unparalleled happiness...
Whenever she was upset or in a gloomy mood, wanting to do nothing and unable to stop feeling guilty about it, he would stay by her side, reassuring her that none of it mattered as long as she could do whatever she wished, holding her with all his gentleness and showering her face with soft kisses, stroking her hair tenderly as he whispered words of encouragement to her, but only if she felt she wanted that from him. Then, at the next opportunity, he would gift her things she treasured above all else...
On the days when she was so busy with her duties that she barely had a moment to spare, he would make sure she got enough rest and never missed her meals, even going so far as to intervene despite her stubbornness and resistance until she finished what was before her. And as soon as things settled down for her, he would sit her before her dressing table, remove all the bothersome accessories from her hair and comb it with the utmost care, lean down to place the gentlest of kisses on her head or neck, and begin massaging her tense shoulders... Then he would accompany her to the bath and bathe her himself, either by sweetly pleading with her or, when she needed it and merely hinted at it, even though she could not bring herself to ask him directly. He would bring her a glass of her favorite wine, then tuck her into bed...
During her pregnancies, after childbirth, whenever she fell ill, he would postpone and put everything else on hold simply to support her and care for her himself. He would do for her anything she wished to do but could not because of her condition. He would learn anything and everything that might be useful to her, so he could tend to her needs as perfectly as possible, whether it was learning how to care for the sick or exhausted, effective massage techniques, how to prepare a relaxing bath for her, how to help her dress, comb her hair, and arrange herself with ease, or how to cook for her. And he never once stopped bringing her whatever she craved, no matter what it was...
Whenever she went through moods in which she felt irritable, unwilling to deal with anything in her life, or wished to have some time entirely to herself, he would indulge her and grant her wish, even if it meant having to stay away from work to tend to everything for her, take care of their children’s needs, and make sure no one disturbed her, even himself.
Yet so often, she did not count Jinshi among those she wanted to spend time away from, for reasons she herself had absolutely no idea of...
“Maomao, What are you talking about?” Jinshi asked in his soft voice, pulling her from the depths of her reflections as he stroked her hair and gently wrapped his strong arm around her waist.
Jinshi had always been, and would always be, her safest place...
This kind, gentle, genuine, and devoted man, as a friend, a lover, a husband, and a father of their children...
He deserved to know, and she desperately wanted to tell him what she had carried inside her for so long...
Maomao clutched the folds of his robe tightly, drew a deep breath, and replied, “T-to spend my days with you... not being there with me...” She ended by pressing a small kiss to his chest.
Jinshi’s sweet whisper came above her hair. “Me too, my love... Every second I spent away from you was suffocating!”
She drew back slightly from his chest to look at him. The despair, sincerity, and love in his gaze pierced through her, settling deep within and breathing warmth back into her chest. Slowly, Maomao brought her face closer to his and closed her eyes, resting her forehead against his. “Jinshi, I missed you terribly...”
Jinshi raised his hands to cradle her cheeks, peppering tender kisses over her cheeks and lips.
At the sight of the vulnerability in his eyes, Maomao placed her hands over his and gave them a light squeeze before pulling them toward herself, holding them against her chest.
Clearing her throat as a painful lump began to settle there, she said, voice barely above a whisper, “I-I... love you... more than anything else!...”
Then Maomao pressed her lips softly against his hands, without haste.