Qian Meng gave her a stiffened smile.
"And he has always treated his daughter like a princess."
Qian Meng knew better than to comment on their relationship. As long as her father-in-law wasn't physically abusive, Qian Meng would keep her mouth shut.
"My point is, Qian Meng, the way you love your spouse translates. When Qingchen was born, neither of us knew how to be parents. When I first looked at my little boy…" she shook her head with a dreamy sigh. "It is a special thing to create a life with the man you love. And when I saw Zichen hold Qingchen for the first time, I just knew everything would be okay. I knew we would figure it out together. Qingchen wasn't just a person we were suddenly responsible for. He was a literal part of us… together."
Qian Meng gaped at her mother-in-law. Despite the odd image of the elderly couple, Qian Meng's mind swirled with images of a little boy who looked like the one licking the ice cream cone. Only, he had her hair.
She imagined Mo Qingchen holding a baby. But just as quickly as the thought came, she shook her head to try to clear it away. What the hell was she doing? Qingchen and she needed to have a healthy relationship first before they brought a kid in the middle of that.
"Perhaps I am being a little selfish," Li Li Hua spoke up. "I do love the thought of grandchildren to spoil rotten. And besides, the two of you would make such beautiful babies!"
Qian Meng laughed nervously before swallowing.
The open beeped and it wasn't until Li Li Hua got up to check on the food that Qian Meng felt like she could breathe again.
- - - - -
Mo Qingchen loved everything and that thrilled Qian Meng. In fact, he made so many hums and moans that she wondered if he really loved it that much or he just wanted her to feel good.
Either way, her husband was sweet.
While they ate, Qingchen told her about his meeting. It had gone well and she was all smiles as she listened to every detail.
During his second plate, he asked what she wanted to do with him. He was delighted to find out that she wanted to be lazy and watch television with him while they sipped on wine.
After dinner, they took their bottle up to their room to watch a movie in bed. It was early, but Qian Meng was looking forward to a cozy night with her man. She waited on the bed, scrolling through the options while Qingchen changed out of his work clothes and used the restroom.
He appeared in his grey boxer briefs and t-shirt. Qian Meng scooted over to make room for him on his side of the bed.
"Thank you for dinner," he said quietly as he reached over to coax her to look at him.
"Don't thank me," she laughed, rolling her eyes.
"I want you to know it means a lot to me. The fact that you are trying to make presentable food because I am a snob is cute."
She turned to squint at him. "Yeah?"
"Okay. Cute is not the right word. Sexy."
"Sexy?" she asked, quirking an eyebrow.
"Yeah," he said proudly.
Qian Meng laughed, shaking her head as she went back to scrolling through the movie options.
"What do you feel like watching?"
"Whatever you want," he responded as he leaned over to the nightstand to fill their glasses of wine.
Mo Qingchen gave her a glass and after taking a sip, she put it over on her own nightstand. He settled back against the pillows and she scooted closer so that she could cuddle him. Her foot touched his leg and he hissed.
"Shit, baby. Your foot feels like a block of ice."
She pouted. "I am cold. It's cold in here."
He looked worried for a second. "Why didn't you tell me that, silly girl?"
She watched as he hopped off the bed and disappeared through the door. He came back with a grey sweatshirt.
"Sit up," he ordered. She obeyed and watched him as he slid back onto the bed. "Hands up."
He dropped an item that turned out to be a long pair of socks onto the bed. Then, he unfolded the sweatshirt and starting to pull it down over her raised arm and her head.
Qian Meng smiled as he yanked it down the rest of the way onto her. It was his, which was way too big for her. She nestled into it as she lay back against the pillow.
"Thank you!" She smiled up at him.
"Give me those ice blocks you are trying to pass off as feet," he chuckled.
She giggled as she lifted her leg up and held her foot out to him. He gave her playful looks as he slipped one of the socks on and repeated the process on the other. When he was finished, he pulled the blanket back and then tugged it until he was nestled beside her.
"You like to take care of me, don't you?" she said accusingly.
"It's not a secret, Qian Meng."
He was right. It was no secret. From the way he refused to sleep until she was breathing evenly to the way he made her drink perfectly, he was always taking care of her.
Suddenly, Li Li Hua's words from earlier rang in her mind. One can tell what kind of a father a man will be by the way he treats his wife. She tensed in Mo Qingchen's arms.
"What's wrong?" he asked, his fingers in her hair.
"Nothing," she answered too quickly.
"Did you make any progress with teaching your dad a lesson?" he asked as their eyes remained fixed on the television.
"Yeah. I got all the information and started executing the plan. I will be busy eating dinner with shareholders under different pretexts for the next couple of weeks. You'll be able to fend for yourself, won't you?" she asked teasingly.