Qian Meng's eyes widened a little in surprise.

  "Excuse me, I should be telling you that, Mr. I-have-no-emotions," she accused.

  "I don't think so."

  "Yes. You started everything. You were the one who said that we shouldn't keep any secrets anymore. And you brought up how mushy you feel when you watch me sleep."

  "No, you're wrong," he said, shaking his head at her.

  "I am not." She moved from her position and settled sideways on his lap.

  "Yes, you are. I'm pretty sure you started it the moment you agreed to marry me."

  Qian Meng's heart fluttered again.

  "Are you about to go all mushy on me again? You are the one who fought to make the marriage enticing to me. I think you liked me for a long time before that!" she accused.

  "Okay, enough mushiness for now." He laughed.

  "For now." She smiled.

  "On a lighter note, I can't believe you got in the pool with all of your clothes on." He looked down at her now see-through top.

  "A little water never hurt anyone," she said dismissively.

  "You got in here because you wanted to comfort me. Thank you."

  "Jumping in some water to give you a hug is nothing compared to you pretty much keeping me from breaking down," she told him.

  "You would have done the same for me. You did," he said confidently.

  Now that she thought about it. She would. She had.

  "Yeah… But while we are on the subject, I want to promise you something."

  He looked confused. "Promise?"

  "I promise not to push you away when I am feeling confused or scared. I might take some time to open up to you, but I won't push you away." And that was a great step.

  Qian Meng was a woman of promise. She would do exactly what she said she would.

  "I won't let you forget that," he promised in return. "Now that you are back, I have to tell you… I did miss you."

  She tilted her head in confusion at first. And then she understood what he had meant. She had been distant and awkward for a while. She had not been herself. "It wasn't the same without the two of us constantly teasing each other. It's been a relatively short time since we married but I feel like we belong. It's not right when we are not together."

  A happy smile spread across his face. "Come on, Juliet, let's go inside." He grabbed her as he stood up and started to climb out of the hot tub.

  "Sorry. No tragic stories allowed," Qian Meng said immediately.

  After getting out of the water, her clothes felt like they weighed as much as an elephant. So, with no shame, she stripped down and squeezed the water out before draping it over one of the chairs.

  She could give them to laundry later and save herself the mess of carrying them inside sopping wet.

  Mo Qingchen laughed and shook his head at her as she walked into the room completely naked and then started frantically rubbing her arms as the chill set in.

  "You have a problem?" she asked with a pout.

  "None at all. In fact, you should walk around naked more often," he told her.

  "I am sure the people in the hotel would love that," she grumbled.

  She was feeling better, at least enough to think about other things.

  "I'll change into some clothes before my nipples turn into ice cubes," she called to him as she ran to her suitcase.

  She searched for a minute before quickly changing. She heard Mo Qingchen behind her moments later.

  "Did you manage to save your nipples?" he asked with amusement.

  "I think so."

  "Good. I am very fond of them."

  She admired as he stripped out of his swim shorts and draped them over the edge of the tub to dry.

  "You should have left them outside with my clothes. I hope you didn't get any water on the floor!" she teased.

  "I had a towel outside. Like a normal person."

  Qian Meng mock-glared. "I didn't plan on jumping into the pool with you, thank you." She slowly dried the tips of her hair.

  "When are you going to work?" Mo Qingchen asked suddenly.

  Qian Meng perked up and looked at the clock. "I have an hour to put my makeup and power suit on. The place we are meeting is not far from here," she said.

  Mo Qingchen nodded in understanding. "I will be close if you need my help. You are talking to the owner and manager of the factories first, right?"

  Qian Meng nodded. "The offer is up to be made. Li Min and the legal team already sorted everything out. It's just a matter of going through the process now," she admitted.

  "What happened to staying for a few weeks?" he questioned.

  "I might have been dramatic because I was overwhelmed. Thank you for wanting to accompany me for a few months away from your work," she said gratefully.

  Mo Qingchen sighed. "Was our relationship weighing heavy on your mind? So much so that once you spoke about it clearly… everything else just fell into place?" he asked.

  She thought about the answer for a bit. "It was part of it. I am also outside Shanghai, away from the people who want to harm me. I have a bodyguard and a husband to protect me. And I had time to think about things. Now that some parts of it are solved, I can think clearly again."

  "And you feel ashamed of that." It wasn't a question.

  "Yes. I need to toughen up. I broke down too easily. It's not like I have not had losses before." She looked at him. "You said you don't like damsels in distress. Do you like me less?" she asked.

  "I like you more," he shrugged. When he saw her arched brows, he couldn't help but laugh. "The definition of weak and strong… I don't trust them. As long as you solve your problem and find your way back, you are strong. In my eyes, you grow more charming when you overcome hardship and momentary lapse of… intelligence." The last bit was a joke. Which she took in stride.