Chapter 35: Cherry Blossom

Chapter 35: Cherry Blossom Bianca’s eyes widened. Her breath caught for a second, and a rush of color spread across her cheeks. "Adrian!" she gasped, clearly flustered. Adrian chuckled under his breath, looking away briefly as he rubbed the back of his neck. "Sorry. That was a bad joke." Her shocked expression made Adrian realize that maybe he had gone too far. The truth was, he wasn’t good at flirting or teasing women. Usually, he didn’t have to try. They came to him on their own. But ever since marrying Bianca, that teasing side of him had slowly started to surface. Somehow, teasing this woman gave him a strange sense of satisfaction and joy. Bianca’s face still slightly flushed. "Don’t joke like that, Adrian," she said. "That’s not funny." Adrian’s expression softened. "I’m sorry, I was just kidding," he said, his face showing genuine regret. Bianca let out a small sigh. "I forgive you," she said softly. Then she added, "I’m going to sleep in the bed. You should get some rest too." Bianca quietly walked toward the bed. Without even changing her clothes, she lay down and closed her eyes. Sleep. Adrian fell asleep too, on the sofa in the living room. By the time they opened their eyes again, the sun had already set. After a much-needed shower, Adrian stepped out of the bathroom, already dressed and running a towel through his damp hair. Bianca was sitting on the edge of the bed, gently patting moisturizer onto her cheeks, her toiletry bag still open beside her. She had just finished her own shower and was halfway through her usual skincare routine. Adrian looked over at her. "You hungry? Want to go find something to eat?" Bianca paused, then gave him a small shake of her head. "Honestly... I’m still a little too tired to go out. My body’s sore from sitting too long on the plane." Adrian nodded thoughtfully. "Alright. How about we eat at the hotel instead?" She looked up at him. "That sounds perfect." "There’s a Chinese restaurant on the second floor," he offered. "Star Hill, I think it’s called." Bianca smiled. "Chinese food actually sounds really good right now." Adrian grabbed his watch from the nightstand and clipped it on. "Then let’s go before it gets too late." "Give me ten minutes to finish getting ready," Bianca said, rising to her feet. "Okay, I’ll wait on the sofa," he said with a nod, heading toward the living room. After Bianca finished getting ready, the two of them left the room together. They took the elevator down to the second floor in silence, standing side by side. Neither of them said much, but the air between them felt oddly comfortable. When the elevator doors opened, Adrian stepped out first, glancing around. "This way," he said, gently gesturing toward the restaurant. Bianca followed him, her steps light. Just ahead, they saw a clean, elegant sign: Star Hill. They entered the elegant dining room, filled with warm lighting. "Good evening. Table for two?" A waiter standing at the entrance greeted them with a polite smile and a slight bow. Adrian nodded. "Yes, please." They were led to a cozy table by the window. Once seated, Bianca opened the menu and scanned it. "Oh wow... everything looks good," she murmured. Adrian smirked slightly. "Order whatever you want." Bianca looked at him, raising an eyebrow. "Are you serious? If I order a lot... you’re going to pay for all of it, right?" Adrian let out a soft laugh. "Of course. I’m your husband, it’s my job to pay for our meals." Suddenly, Bianca felt a strange flutter in her stomach at Adrian’s words. She looked at him and said with a playful grin, "Okay. You said it yourself. So I won’t disappoint you, I’m going to order everything I want." They placed their orders. Bianca leaned more toward desserts. Chilled Mango Sago with Pomelo, Egg Tart, and a small plate of sesame balls with lotus paste, while Adrian took care of the mains like dim sum, fried rice, Sichuan beef, and Peking duck. While waiting for their food, Bianca rested her chin on her hand, her eyes drifting toward the window before turning back to Adrian. "What’s our schedule for tomorrow?" she asked softly. "Where are we going, and what will we do? Two weeks feels like a long time for a honeymoon." "Is there any place you’d like to visit?" Adrian asked, watching her with quiet curiosity. "Or something you’ve always wanted to do while we’re here?" Bianca’s brows knitting in thought. "Hmm..." She let out a thoughtful hum, then glanced up at him. "I want to see cherry blossoms in full bloom," she said with a hopeful smile, "but... is it the right season for that?" Adrian didn’t answer right away. Instead, he pulled his phone out of his pocket and typed something in, his brows slightly raised in focus as he read the screen. A moment later, he looked up at Bianca with a small smile. "We’re in luck," he said. "It is cherry blossom season next week. And there’s even a festival going on." His gaze softened. "Would you like to see it?" Bianca nodded excitedly, a bright smile spreading across her face at the good news. Adrian found himself smiling too, infected by Bianca’s cheerful energy. "I guess it’s a good thing our honeymoon is two weeks long," he said casually. "If it were just a few days, you’d miss the cherry blossoms." "You’re right," Bianca replied. Adrian looked at her and asked, "Anything else you want?" Bianca paused, then turned to him with a small smile. "What about you? I already said one thing I want. Now it’s your turn." "I’m not sure," Adrian said casually. "That’s why I asked you first." Bianca let out a short laugh. "That’s weak." Adrian laughed too. "Alright, once we finish here, let’s go back to our room and make a little plan. Maybe check out some places and things to do while we’re here?" Bianca nodded. "Good idea." Not long after, their food arrived. Both Bianca and Adrian started eating with enthusiasm, quietly enjoying the meal without saying a word. ***