"Look at her, getting all bashful," Christal Russell teased.
Cecilia Adler grew even more flustered and ran back to the kitchen to hide.
Once the rice was steamed, she mixed in some eggs and stir-fried a large portion of egg-fried rice.
Just as she finished dishing it out, she heard a loud SLAM. Then she saw Mrs. Quincy storm out of Ian Quincy's room, her face full of resentment.
'Did she get into an argument with Ian and get thrown out?'
'Did Ian just slam the door?'
'If I go in there now, will he take his anger out on me?'
'But it would be rude to just leave, wouldn't it?'
After a moment of indecision, she picked up the bowl of rice, walked over, and gently pushed the door.
The wooden door swung open at once.
Ian Quincy was sitting on the edge of the bed, his head bowed. He turned his face toward her. His tan complexion looked somewhat pale, and the corners of his eyes were red, hiding a murderous glint. After a second, he said coldly, "You can leave now."
Afraid she'd become his punching bag, Cecilia held her breath and carefully set down the bowl and chopsticks. She replied timidly, "Oh, your food's here. Remember to eat, okay?"
As she turned, her nervousness caused her to trip over his foot.
She lost her balance and tumbled against him, her lips brushing against his cheek.
Their eyes met.
The oppressive tension was instantly replaced by a charged, intimate atmosphere.
Cecilia lowered her gaze, her ears flushing crimson. "I... I didn't do it on purpose."
Her voice was soft and gentle, tinged with a hint of panic.
Her slender, fair hands rested on his shoulders. The warmth of her breath ghosted across his face, a ticklish sensation that made his heart stir.
The anger and hatred that had been choking Ian seemed to vanish in an instant.
In its place came a violent thumping in his chest.
He stared at her, his hand rising instinctively toward her waist.
Cecilia moved first, scrambling to her feet. Flustered, she stammered, "The food... you should eat it while it's hot."
Ian froze for a second before sitting back down at the table. Suddenly, there was a soft clink on the tabletop.
A steaming cup of water had appeared.
He looked at her, then back at the cup.
A warmth spread through his chest, leaving him feeling unusually calm.
His tone softened. "Mother said our wedding is set for the fifteenth of the first month. Things will be hectic preparing for it after the New Year, and there isn't much time left before then. I'm planning to go to the local registry office this afternoon to get my identification papers. Then tomorrow, I'll have someone arrange for us to get our marriage license. What do you think?"
Alarm bells went off in Cecilia's mind.
'Get the license?'
'Is he asking for my opinion, or just telling me what's going to happen?'
The other educated youth had said that in the city, once you have the marriage license, you're considered a proper husband and wife.
'I don't even know him that well yet.'
'Can I really marry him?'
'But it seems I have no reason to refuse.'
"Let me go home and get ready," Cecilia said, intending to leave immediately.
'Because I'd already agreed to warm his bed when we first met, and I just accidentally provoked him again, the way he's looking at me has changed.'
'Like a wolf staring at its prey.'
'If I stay any longer, he'll definitely try something.'
'Even if we get the license tomorrow, we're still just engaged today.'
'Getting too intimate would be improper.'
Before he could speak, she was already heading to the main room to say her goodbyes to the other three members of the family.
Just as she reached the doorway, she could faintly hear Christal Russell's anxious voice from inside: "Mom, it's not that I'm worried about the money. I just think it's livelier with all of us living together. We can look out for each other."
"If we live separately, everyone will be busy with their own lives, and we probably won't see each other more than once a week. Ian was away from home for ten years—don't you want to see more of him? Qin Jin, don't you agree?"
Qin Jin was Ian's older brother. He chimed in, "And if we live apart, the neighbors will definitely gossip."
"Sigh... He said if we don't buy a new house, he's calling off the wedding."
"Do you believe that? Because I don't. Everyone agrees Cecilia is a great beauty—what man wouldn't want her? And Ian's in his prime; you think he's not feeling the itch? For all we know, the two of them have already sealed the deal while we weren't around. He's just gotten her, so of course he's eager. Let's make a bet. I bet Ian won't even make it to the New Year before he's begging you to hurry up and arrange the wedding..."