Milady's Fine Gentleman 241 START OVER WITH YOU 2

"Where are you staying?" Teng Man Rui asked her new official boyfriend, Zhu Li Qiang.
"I haven't booked yet. Since I'm your bodyguard, the idea is to stay close to you at all times."
"Come to think of it, you are my real bodyguard now. Before I had mistaken you for one. Sorry for that." The lady reminisced.
"It's quite funny, though, looking back. And I had mistaken you for a tennyo. You certainly look like one." Mesmerized, he commented while admiring his view.
The adulation was taking its toll on her. "You flatter me." Abashed, Teng Man Rui tugged at their intertwined hands. They were walking lethargically side-by-side along the streets of Hangzhou towards the lady's apartment.
"Do you want to stay over tonight? I have a spare room." She coyly offered.
"Aren't we going too fast?"
The lady's head tilted. "I'll take your comment as a joke."
Zhu Li Qiang laughed. He kissed the back of her hand, the one that was intertwined with his. "I will never disrespect you even if you tempt me." He was damn serious.
Teng Man Rui raised a brow. "Really?"
"Don't tell me you will tempt me? Is there a nine-tailed fox leaving inside you?"
Teng Man Rui shrugged her shoulders mystically. Of course, the answer was there was none, but teasing Zhu Li Qiang was fun enough, too.
"What are your plans tomorrow?" Zhu Li Qiang asked.
The lady scanned her head for her schedule. "Nothing in particular. Right, is this your first time to visit Hangzhou? Would you like to sightsee with me tomorrow?"
"Are you asking me out on a date?" The man humorously probed.
"Perhaps?"
Zhu Li Qiang grinned widely. His eyes glimmered with such anticipation. "Be my guide, then."
The two reached Teng Man Rui's apartment. "Where are your things?"
"With the men."
"Zhu Li Qiang." She warned. "Didn't I tell you to pull out your team from my side?" She was flustered. 'What's this? We're just starting but there's a misunderstanding right away?'
"I did. But I didn't pull out the ones assigned to me. I'm your official bodyguard but I have my own too. Technically, I'm still compliant, am I not?"
"You're outwitting me, huh?" She squinted her eyes.
"No, no!" He rubbed her back while chuckling inwardly.
"Well, technically, yes. It's unintentional!"
Teng Man Rui stomped her feet. "It's the first time I saw you throw a tantrum, milady." He was still inwardly chuckling. His gaze was ruled with such adoration for the little girlfriend.
"Hmph."
"You see, it's for our safety." There was mirth in Zhu Li Qiang's eyes. "Is this how you throw tantrums?"
His lips curved upwards. He cuddled her in a back hug. His hands found its way around her slim waist.
The lady gasped as she still wasn't used to getting physical with him. But then, she was acting up so she pretended not to get affected.
"Didn't mean to outwit you. It's for our safety, just taking necessary measures. Remember last time…" He whispered dotingly.

The lady froze in his arms. "Yeah. I guess you did the right thing." She turned around and hugged his waist. "I was in the wrong."
"It's a trivial matter. Let's shrug it off."
Zhu Li Qiang's security team eventually dropped his things off Teng Man Rui's apartment. They settled in for the night.
The next day, Zhu Li Qiang woke up from the waft of newly cooked breakfast. He saw Teng Man Rui in the kitchen, wearing an apron, and cooking some fluffy scrambled eggs.
"Oh, you're awake. Do you want your scrambled eggs bland or seasoned well?"
"Seasoned well." He approached her, with the intention of closing their gap. He enclosed her into his back hug.
The lady gasped, but then laughed it out. She put her weight onto his chest and leaned, but then complained. "Hehehe, Zhu Li Qiang, it's hard to move! Just sit in one of the chairs on the dining area, alright? I'm almost done here. Do you prefer coffee or tea?"
"En."
"Coffee."
"Do you prefer your coffee black or with cream or milk?" She inquired further.
"Black."
He sat on one of the chairs as per the lady's instructions. He gawked at her. An angel walked through the earth and decided to cook breakfast.
Zhu Li Qiang's irises danced in delight. "Am I already awake? Am I not dreaming, Man Rui? Is this really happening?"
"Can't believe it, Zhu Li Qiang? You want me to take it back?"
He abruptly stood up and waved his arms frantically. "No, no! Hehehe! You act up too fast… Don't change your mind!" He knew the lady was just joking but he was ready to ride on.
They ate breakfast happily.
"It's a preview of our future. How fascinating." The man thoughtlessly exclaimed while feeding himself a spoonful of the scrambled eggs.
The lady felt her cheeks heat up.
"It's so nice, isn't it?" The man listlessly continued. When he landed his eyes on the lady, he exclaimed even more. "You're blushing, Man Rui."
"Zhu Li Qiang, just eat." She commanded curtly.
The man displayed such obedience. They ate in silence, but the atmosphere was far from awkward. It was warm, and cozy like how a real home should be.
After breakfast, Zhu Li Qiang volunteered to wash the dishes.
Teng Man Rui started cleaning and dusting the place. Some of the furniture was still covered in white cloth. She removed it one by one. When Zhu Li Qiang finished washing the dishes, he helped her with the cleaning chores.
Such was how simple the two were. Disregarding their titles as a young miss and young master, they toiled and sweated all morning. But it wasn't only physical labor. Since the goofy Zhu Li Qiang was around, they joked once in a while and jested, too.
"Milady." He knelt in one knee, arms outstretched while holding the broom. "Will you do the honor to promote your humble servant to knighthood?"
"It would be my utmost pleasure." Teng Man Rui played along. She took the broom, and accordingly, tapped the two shoulders of the 'knight'.
"Rise, knight."
Laughter filled the air.
The chore became such a fun activity. At one point, the replacement mophead – still clean and taken straight from its package – was used pitiably as a wig. The man even made faces in front of the modest lady.
After cleaning, around lunchtime, they finally went out. They left the rest of the cleaning to the hired cleaner.
The lady toured Zhu Li Qiang into Hangzhou. They tried the delicacies of Hangzhou.
They visited the famous West Lake, a UNESCO heritage site. The lake had ten facades, of which in summer, it's best proud of its Lotus Pool. Zhu Li Qiang and Teng Man Rui went boating on the West Lake.
At the South of the lake, they visited Leifeng Pagoda. "Do you know, there's a sad romantic love story, folklore that happened around here in the pagoda thousands of years ago?" Said the lady in a dreamy state.
Zhu Li Qiang silently and attentively listened to his girl. He always loved it when Teng Man Rui shares something to him or whenever she initiates conversation.
"Thousands of years ago, there was a young scholar named Xuxian who lived near the West Lake. One day, when he was passing time alongside the lake, a white snake spirit called Bai Suzhen chanced upon him and saw him… And guess what? The female snake spirit fell in love with the male human. The human reciprocated the white snake's love. However, an evil monk went against their relationship as it was forbidden. The monk imprisoned the White Snake here in the Leifeng Pagoda…" Teng Man Rui's eyes reflected sadness.
Zhu Li Qiang saw her sad eyes. He squeezed her hands. "Is that the end of the story? How tragic."
"Not yet." The lady resumed. "The human and the spirit had a son. He also became a scholar just like his father. The son relentlessly prayed and prayed to the gods to release his mother. The gods were touched by his love and efforts over the years and eventually agreed to release his mother. The family of three reunited and lived harmoniously after that."
The lady was smiling now.
There was a moment of revered silence. "Such a wonderful story…" He breathed.
It was already sunset. They stopped at the edge of the lake to gaze and admire the majestic view of the mighty sun's retirement for the day. It drooped inch by inch into the depths of the earth. The feel-good remnants of the romantic folk legend still lingered in their bones.

Chapter end

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