Chapter 426 - Vanished

"I say, my dear wife, I'm neither nearsighted nor farsighted. Why am I getting specs?" asked Shui Xian to his wife who was trying on different specs on him.

"These glasses don't have the prescribed lenses," stated Raelle. "It's just a fashion statement." She made him wear round glasses and nodded her head.

"I'd look like a nerd," grumbled Shui Xian.

"Who said that?" asked Raelle. "These glasses are perfect. With a cream-colored sweater, white pants and... We'll let your hair down in a bit of a messy style. Definitely gives off a warm and homey vibe."

"Wow! You even learned how to use words like warm and homey. I'm amazed."

"Don't overreact," commented Raelle. "Let's get this pair."

Shui Xian shrugged his shoulders, "Whatever you say, m'lady!"

Raelle got it packed and passed it to her bodyguard to carry the shopping bag once again. By now, the four people walking behind her, all had small and big bags hanging from their arms. It was such a sight that even Shui Xian felt bad for them.

"Wife, is it okay for you to treat them like this?"

"How did I treat them?"

"Like your babysitters."

"But that's what they are," said Raelle straightforwardly catching Shui Xian off guard.

"Excuse me, what?"

Raelle nodded her head at him, "When the first time Yanyan brought them to me, she said they are my team of babysitters."

Shui Xian laughed helplessly, "Yanyan really knows what to say." He looked back at the four of them and said to Raelle, "By the way, that Hailey and Caleb don't look that old to me. Are you sure they are capable?"

"All of them are the top of the top that Yanyan hand-picked for me," told Raelle. "After my last kidnapping, she ended the contract with the bodyguard company and decided to take matters into her own hands. That's when she first picked a mercenary to become my bodyguard or aka babysitter. That was Anna. The very first one to join me when I was only 12." She took a brief pause and added, "Hailey is the youngest of them and she joined us the last as well. I was 14 and she was 19 at that time when we first met."

"That means she's around my age?" 

"Yes," answered Raelle. "But don't ever take her lightly. She is an orphan who grew up in a mercenary organization. She has seen more blood in her life than you ever will. She only looks like a normal person but she isn't. Then again, anyone who has stayed in that kind of a dark world, couldn't possibly be considered normal."

"Then how come Yanyan chose such dangerous people to be around you?"

"Because I don't fit in the definition of normal either," answered Raelle. "Also, these dangerous people can't really hurt me. I'm not that little helpless child anymore." She looked back at the people following her and said, "Hailey, why don't you guys drop off these bags in the car?"

Hailey looked at Raelle with a sweet smile on her face. There was actually nothing sweet about her or her smile and Raelle could tell that as well. "We can't leave you here on your own." She turned to the other two and stated, "The three of you take the bags. I'll stay around."

Raelle turned back to Shui Xian and asked, "What do you want to do now?"

"Let's get some ice cream?" suggested Shui Xian.

"Is that necessary?" she questioned. Hyson also wanted ice cream after shopping and here was her husband. Didn't the study say that men don't particularly like sweet things like ice cream? Why did she come across men who liked sweet things so much?

"Of course," said Shui Xian. "After walking so much, don't you feel tired? It's because the blood sugar level is getting low. We need to get recharged first."

"I don't feel tired though," Raelle pointed out.

Shui Xian's lips twitched and he pinched her cheeks saying, "Right, you don't feel anything." He pecked her lips and added, "But wife, have mercy on your husband. I am only human. I do feel tired and I am craving something sweet."

"Don't phrase it like that. Like I banned you from getting ice cream," said Raelle. "You can have it if you want."

Shui Xian chuckled at her reaction. Pulling her along, he said, "Then come and choose a flavor for me."

"Do I have to?" asked Raelle. "Can't you just eat the one you like most?"

"The thing is, I don't dislike any flavor at all."

"You even like mint chocolate flavor?"

"Yup!" answered Shui Xian. "Don't you?"

"Hyson doesn't like it," told Raelle. "He says it tastes like toothpaste."

"He has no taste," commented Shui Xian.

"I think he has pretty good taste," said Raelle.

"Oh?"

"He chose me as his best friend," stated Raelle. "Isn't it enough to prove his impeccable taste?"

Shui Xian pursed his lips but in the end, he burst out laughing at her words. He clutched his stomach and laughed out loud. It was amusing to see his wife boasting herself indirectly. But he couldn't even argue with her. There was nothing to disagree with there.

With his attractive looks and his beautiful laugh, Shui Xian was definitely getting some unnecessary attention from people around them. Adding on the fact that he stood beside an equally beautiful woman, the effect was far better.

And because of this unnecessary attention, he caught the eye of someone familiar in the crowd who was stupefied to see Shui Xian there. But even more so, because of his laughter that seemed to have come straight from his heart. This familiar person was so stunned that he didn't know how to react for a moment.

But taking a moment, he still stepped over and called out, "Xian, are you okay?"

Shui Xian paused and turned his head to follow this familiar voice.. As he looked at the owner of that familiar voice, his smiled immediately vanished.