Chapter 169 - Take Over The World

"This is crazy," Qing Chen said at the cling-wrapped patch of skin on his chest. He was standing in front of the whole wall of mirror.

Feng Xuan clutched on his arm. "Do you like it?"

The zigzag road which he guessed was the coiled body of the dragon around the stem. The curve of the clouds were the petals of the flowers. The dragon was in black and the rose was inked in red. "It looks great."

Feng Xuan giggled. "I told you you'd like it."

"Can I see yours?" He spun her around. They had given her a temporary backless shirt that was tied on the nape of her neck and her waist.

Feng Xuan looked over her shoulder and looked at the finished product. She couldn't help but grin. It turned out better than she thought. The tattoo covered her spine, the scales of the dragon were like her own. In the middle, the red rose bloomed. "It's pretty."

"It suits you." Qing Chen trailed his finger on her side and made her shiver. "Owning up to being a Qing."

She put her arms around his neck and they swayed to a non-existent song. "I'll be Mrs. Qing for a long time. Might as well, right?"

"What do you mean a long time?" he kissed her cheek. "It should be FOR THE REST OF TIME."

"For the rest of time, then," she echoed.

"How are you liking it?" asked one of the artist who was cleaning their equipment. 

"It looks perfect," she answered and took her phone. "Let's take a picture," she said to Qing Chen.

"This shall not be leaked to the press." He was shirtless and his wife was on the possibly thinnest piece of clothing he had ever seen her worn.

They snapped a few pictures together before finally deciding they had enough. Qing Chen wrote a check and they happily bounded to the waiting limousine outside. 

"What are we eating tonight?" she asked him.

"What is it that you want?"

"Do you ever crave for something?" Feng Xuan asked. "It's always me who thinks about this stuff. Are you ashamed with the food you like?"

Qing Chen scratched at his head. "Uhmm, it's a bit cliche."

"Oh really? So what is it that you want?"

He scrunched his face. "Fried rice, some pork dumplings, and… lemon chicken."

Feng Xuan laughed out loud. "For a man of your level, I was not expecting a mundane answer."

"What? You thought I would like a lobster wrapped in 24k film of gold?"

"Something along those lines and caviar."

He shook his head. "It's the simple things I often don't have."

"Let's have takeouts then." She leaned forward on the window to the front of the car. "You heard the boss, Mr. Driver. Let's be on our way."

**

Around forty-five minutes later, the couple was back in their fluffy bed, surrounded by heaven-like comforter and sheets. 

"How come it's so clean?" Feng Xuan said as she skillfully used chopsticks with her container.

"Ms. Shao sent some people to clean here while I was staying at Father's."

"I thought you stayed here."

"And be alone in this big empty house? I don't think so." Qing Chen easily get lonely. He had a penthouse in the hotel but he hardly slept there either and spent most of his nights in their family home.

"You should have dreamt of me and you wouldn't feel so alone," she teased.

"Believe me, I've done my fair share of daydreaming of you being back while you were still in the mountains."

She smiled at him, satisfied.

"I hardly slept," he added. "I was already so used to you sleeping on my arm."

"And cutting off your blood supply from the shoulder down?"

"And that too," he beamed. Qing Chen chewed on the last of his chicken. "What about you, did you think about me?"

Feng Xuan rolled on the bed with a cackle. "Are you seriously asking me that?!"

"Yes," he said, looking defensive. "Can't I know?"

"You're so cute, Chen," she chortled. "I didn't think we could get cheesy."

"It would only get cheesy and awkward if you would keep on stalling instead of answering the question."

"Okay," she said. "Of course, I thought of you. But you know how it is when you're so filled with physical activities that your mind just goes blank. I didn't really daydream. I mostly just think of you in the short minutes after the day before I fall asleep." Feng Xuan bit on a dumpling. "How does it feel that you're more invested in me than I you?"

It was Qing Chen's turn to laugh. "In case you've forgotten, we are actually married and that we're equally invested here. But in terms of feelings, are you boasting that you have less and I have more? I don't really see that as a downside."

Feng Xuan took the last bite. "I missed talking to you too, Chen."

Qing Chen started cleaning up their mess. "You should head in the bathroom. Don't take out the bandage."

"Good reminder, I was not really listening earlier."

**

Finally they were in bed and Feng Xuan was on her stomach while perched against the right side of Qing Chen to avoid laying on his still red tattoo.

"You did really great tonight," said Qing Chen, his fingers tracing patterns on her side. On certain spots, his fingertips would make her shiver but she didn't stop him anyway. "You have a high pain tolerance."

"Did you cry when you got yours?"

"No," he answered. "Just bit really hard on my lip to keep myself from screaming."

Feng Xuan laughed and stroked his cheek. "I can't wait to get things done here in the city. There's a lot I want to do."

"Your mind's finally clear?"

"Yes," she answered.

"What's your plan then?"

Feng Xuan lifted herself upwards and pressed a kiss on Qing Chen's lips. "We're going to take over the world."