Yun Shishi brought her brother to a dessert stall that she used to frequent.
This small and classy store was unlike the busy dessert shops found in a city. With its elegant furnishings, it attracted long-time customers.
She chose one cozy table seating and ordered a few signature desserts.
With his hands propping his chin, Gong Jie quietly watched her in action.
To him, it was fun watching her move and smile.
After she ordered the desserts, she turned around and could not help breaking into a smile when she saw him watching her with a dazed look.
"Why are you staring at me?"
He gave a wayward answer. "I like it."
"…Um!" She hooked her lips into a resigned smile.
He added, "It's because I can't get enough of you!"
"Huh?"
"We were apart for so long. It's been a decade and a half. I want to recoup all that I've lost in those past fifteen years," he replied matter-of-factly.
Her heart stirred, making her eyes turn soft and moist.
"Xiao Jie, I'm very happy and moved. I didn't dare hope to meet you again in this lifetime."
A flash of loneliness could be seen in his eyes.
Somehow, he felt that he had missed so many good things in her life that, no matter how he hard he tried to make up for those, he could not completely cover the loss.
The person he loved the most did not have him in her memory in the last decade and a half.
He had no place in her youth, nor was he involved in her wonderful years, and he even missed out the most important events in her life.
He was absent from her life; likewise, she was missing from his.
They had lost too much in this decade and a half.
As the desserts were served on their table accordingly, she pushed the slice of tiramisu before her brother, smiling. "Come and try this! This store serves excellent desserts!"
"Mhm." He nodded and scooped that piece with a spoon.
"How is it?" she asked with anticipation.
He slowly nodded as he held the spoon in his mouth. He beamed slightly. "Not bad; it's very sweet."
Actually, he did not like desserts.
Back at the Gong residence, he would not bother with the afternoon tea which was served every day.
He was sick and tired of them.
However, that was different from the ones ordered by his sister.
He liked these.
He enjoyed every moment he spent with her, even when they were not doing anything in particular. He felt content just by watching her.
The blinking screen on his mobile phone caught her attention.
It was a model unique and one she had not seen before; hence, she had no clue of its brand even.
She picked it up out of curiosity.
"What hand phone brand is this? Why is it that I've never seen one like it before?"
For business reasons, the communication devices he used were all satellite-powered and developed in-house by Hurricane Group.
Many phones in the market posed security concerns.
Hence, he had to use the phones with a system developed by his corporation, which could ensure that all data was well-encrypted.
She touched the screen and was astounded to see that he had used her picture as his wallpaper.
Blushing, she looked up and said petulantly, "You… your wallpaper… when did you change it?"
"It's been awhile." He smiled slightly. "I like this particular shot; you look beautiful in it."
From when he found out her identity that day, he searched for pictures and fashion shots of her like a lovelorn fan once he returned home.
He especially liked this picture. Finding it beautiful, he then replaced his wallpaper for the lock screen with this picture so that he could see it every time he activated his phone.