Chapter 174: I'll Slow Down

Finding himself entranced in her eyes, Shui Xian's mind went blank. He had no idea what he was supposed to say. What could he do? His wife's eyes had a bewitching sparkle that he couldn't seem to avoid at all.

She said he was using a love spell on strangers? Clearly, she was the one ensnaring his heart. Who would have time to look at a third person when one's own wife is a combination of innocence, intelligence, lethal, and beauty!

Raelle extended her hand to poke his cheek as she repeated herself, "Why don't you make me understand?"

Shui Xian was abruptly pulled out of his daze and put a fist against his mouth to fake a cough before saying, "What if I can't understand it myself?"

"What do you mean?"

"It's simple actually," began Shui Xian in a lazy tone. "I just can't seem to understand what you're up to."

"I'm not up to anything though," replied Raelle without missing a beat.

Shui Xian chuckled softly at her, "I know. My wife is all-knowing but equally clueless when it comes to the matter of hearts. However, after meeting you, I've come to realize that I also don't have that much control over my feelings as I thought I did. Right now, all my moods are swaying around you. And I'm incapable of understanding what I am going through right now." He took a brief pause as he glanced at her with a solemn gaze, "I've been in love once. It clearly didn't feel like this. So, I really wonder what feelings you're trying to evoke in me."

"Are you scared?" she questioned.

Shui Xian nodded his head without trying to conceal anything from her, "I am scared. I'm scared of how much control you're getting over my emotions. And yet, I'm equally intrigued."

"Intrigued?" echoed Raelle.

"Yes, intrigued. I'm intrigued to know where my feelings for you would take me. The path seems treacherous but it's irresistible." He touched her earlobe as he continued, "You're irresistible. It's like no matter how complicated the maze leading to my heart is, you'd be able to find the way."

"Perhaps, you have these feelings because I'm particularly fond of solving puzzles. A maze is not difficult. All you have to do is follow the wall follower algorithm and you'll be able to find your way out of the maze. There is also shortest path algorithm and maze routing algorithms. Pretty efficient I'd say. There is more..."

Shui Xian had to lean over to cover her lips with his own to stop her from continuing. He knew if she continued on this track, she'd soon make him learn all the algorithms there were to learn! As he eased into the kiss, he couldn't help smiling against her lips. In a way, he found her words accurate. Maybe she really did manage to find the way to his heart because she was a good problem solver.

With such a genius wife, it'd be pretty impossible for him to hide anything from her. Even if the thing he was hiding was his own heart.

Shui Xian pulled away and rubbed her lips that still held the traces of their kiss as he continued, "Raelle Xiang, I'm scared of falling in love again but if the person is you, I'm willing to take this risk. So..." His voice turned deeper and huskier, "Can you allow me to fall in love with you?"

Raelle's lips were still slightly parted as she looked into his eyes and found herself at a loss for words. This was rare for her. She always had something to say in reply. But currently, she didn't know what she was supposed to say.

"Does everyone asks for permission to fall in love?" she finally managed to form some words.

Shui Xian shook his head lightly, "No, but if it's you, I believe I should ask properly. My dear wife, let me love you. Hm?"

"You just said you can't figure out your feelings," replied Raelle. "What if it's not love, what you're going through? Perhaps, you're just confused. Or you're just taking some illusionary feelings too seriously."

Shui Xian pulled his chair closer to hers and held her hand before bringing their hands up to his mouth to press a kiss at the back of her hand and while doing so, his eyes didn't move even for a second away from her eyes.

"Then let's do it this way..." His eyes held some anticipation and anxiousness as he went on, "Let's figure out my feelings together."

"Together?"

"Didn't you say that husband and wife are supposed to walk together in this journey of life?" Raelle nodded in response. "Then why can't we figure out our life and feelings together? If it takes both of us to make this relationship work then you should help me in figuring out my feelings. And you never know, you might end up finding your own emotions on this road of discovery?"

"Why do I think that you're trying to trap me in the web of words?"

Shui Xian smiled at her as he rubbed the back of her hand against his cheek, "With your intelligence, I definitely can't trap you just with my words."

"But I'm very slow when it comes to understanding the talk of feelings and emotions."

Shui Xian shrugged his shoulders, "It's alright. I'll slow down my pace to match yours. If you're not going anywhere, neither am I. Then we have all our life to figure out everything."

"What if I'm still unable to understand and might even hold you back with myself?"

"That's also fine. As long as I'm able to understand that's enough. My feelings alone would be enough for the both of us."

Shui Xian didn't know what was going through her mind. In all honesty, even Raelle might not be able to tell what she was thinking about. However, she just knew she couldn't peel her eyes away from his. And in those orbs, she found something so intense and passionate that her own eyes wavered a little.

He watched how slowly, the corner of her lips tilted upward in an almost inconceivable manner. It looked like a lop-sided grin that seemed to look so beautiful and enchanting on her face. Her soft lips parted as she called him, "Xian..." Shui Xian felt his heart tremble at the way she called his name. "Thank you!"