Earlston, Scotland, 15:40;

This wasn't the first time Rong Xinghe had come across Huang Biu. She knew how well-acknowledged this woman was in the world of business, and that in the past, almost every business family in Country X had presumed for her to tie the marital knot with Xi Yuan one day. She was this perfect woman; sharp-witted and gracefully delicate, who had every quality to be the eldest daughter-in-law of the Xi family.

At times, Rong Xinghe did wonder if her darling deserved better. Someone much more worthy than her, to stand beside him. Maybe he did. Maybe there really was a woman a cut above her. But if there was one thing her Six tigers had taught her ever since she was a kid was to know what was hers, and to put up a fight to hold onto it then. No matter what it took.

People who loved them, and worshipped them, were of the opinion that Xinguan were meant to be. That they were soulmates. That no one else could complete them the way they did. But Rong Xinghe didn't believe in soulmates. She seemed to like the idea, though. Prince charming and his one true love. The 'movie' love, was what it was, in the end, but.

Real love was not that. To Rong Xinghe, Love was knowing that there'd always be someone better out there, and still choosing to be with that one person. For everything he was, and everything he had. Regardless of every temptation, luxury, and comfort; Love was choosing that person, over and over and over again.

She'd do that for Xi Yuan. And she knew he'd do that for her too.

"Croque monsieur will do, Yuan.", the girl pinched the space between her brows as she looked at the man running around in the kitchen anxiously.

"It's not sufficient, Baby.", Xi Yuan shook his head, his tone agitated, "I was supposed to be done with the afternoon meals by now, had it not been for that woman!"

"Wha-", Rong Xinghe smacked the man's right forearm, silencing him at once, "Hush! She is a guest. Behave, will you?

"Besides, she is much weaker than me right now. I don't mind her eating my portion of food."

"The food I prepared for you, keeping your nutritional requirement in mind, Miss Rong.", the man corrected her, "That was my fiancée's meal."

"Okay, okay.", the girl sighed, placing her left palm upon his mouth, "Please stop shouting. I am begging you. I get it, and it's completely reasonable for you to get offended. But forgive her this time. Just once?

"I'll finish all the fruits, instead. How's that for compensation?"

Xi Yuan stared at the girl for a few seconds before he smiled against her cold skin, giving away his acceptance of the offer. Warily then, the girl pulled her hand back, waiting for him to say something.

"Go ahead and continue reading your book.", the man clapped his hands twice, elated, "I shall join you in about five minutes with your fruit salad, okay?"

::::::::::::::::::::::::

15:46;

Huang Biu strolled through the still house, her phone in her right hand. How dare she threaten her? Who did she think she was?! But she had to admit. Rong Xinghe had an immensely intimidating personality. Her tone, her gaze, her smile. Everything about her was so intense, so overbearing.

But she was immune to people like her. Her brother radiated the same aura, after all. No matter how calm and composed a demeanor he carried, one could always sense the danger in the voidness of his tone. All the soldiers were like that, probably, she concluded then, conciliating herself.

It wasn't until she'd reached the living room's entrance that she noticed them, sitting in silence. In front of the hearth, their legs cocooned within the Navy Blue fur blanket, the couple were occupied in themselves. As she read the book in her hands to him, he listened to her with undivided attention, feeding her finely chopped fruit pieces every once in a while.

"You become. It takes a long time.", the girl recited, her fingers supporting the sides of the novel, "That's why it doesn't happen often to people who break easily or have sharp edges, or who have to be carefully kept. Generally, by the time you are real, most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes drop out, and you get loose in the joints and very shabby. But these things don't matter at all, because once you are real, you can't be ugly, except to people who don't understand."

"Touché.", Xi Yuan smiled, catering the girl with yet another chunk of Apple.

"Insightful.", Rong Xinghe nodded, satisfied by the written art, "And profound."

So this was how she'd won him over, Huang Biu thought, stunned. With such insignificant efforts? Xi Yuan was a man of excuisite taste. The entire business world was aware of that. This man had never, in his life, set his eyes on anything even remotely ordinary. He had always been surrounded by people who stood out in the crowd, and amongst those intellectuals, he had the tendency to stand out himself. That was the degree of his excellence. Then why on earth, had he chosen someone like her? Someone so... unexceptional? Or was he barely toying with her? How she wished for the latter to be the case...

"Come in, Miss Huang.", Rong Xinghe announced after a while, not even bothering to confirm if it was her at the door. Taken aback, Huang Biu crossed her arms, stepping into their room, "How did you know?"

"Your perfume is... one of a kind.", the girl chuckled, adjusting the bookmark in her book. She could literally feel the man beside her scowl silently. God! He really wasn't fond of her, was he? He could put on a pretense, at least. But nope. It was as if he wanted to chase her away from there, as soon as possible. How childish!

"I wished to greet President Xi.", Huang Biu smiled bitterly, nodding faintly at the quiet man, "How have you been, Yu-, I mean... Mr. Xi?"

Listening to the woman's sudden improv, Xi Yuan's lips curled up in an amused smile, and subconsciously, he squizzed the she-devil next to him. Adorably enough, the girl refused to look back at him then. Instead, she fixed her eyes upon the ferociously burning wood inside the fireplace, heat crawling up to her cheeks and ears slowly. Of course, she did that. His sly little wolf.