Jiang Nuan looked at his confused gaze, feeling a complex mix of emotions. It was hard to say she wasn't sad.
After all, for the past seven years, she had been working with her life on the line.
Every day she feared she wouldn't return, and her worry for the three children was constant.
Yet now, she felt light as a feather!
Perhaps it was the release from responsibility.
"Husband, I'm leaving the Dark Emperor. From now on, I'll focus on being a wife and mother," Jiang Nuan said, her smiling eyes locking onto him.
Mu Jiuchen was stunned for a moment. When he finally reacted, he was still shocked.
Just as he was trying to get closer to her, she was announcing her departure.
"Nuannuan…" Mu Jiuchen was afraid she would be upset. After all, it was a career she loved, and one that could cost her life at any moment.
But because he loved her, and didn't want her to lose the work she considered her life, he had said nothing and supported her unconditionally.
Mu Jiuchen's gaze, filled with a palpable intensity, fixed deeply on her. "Nuannuan, tell me the truth. This is real, you're not lying to me."
Jiang Nuan's smiling eyes sparkled with candor. "Husband, you don't like me leaving the Dark Emperor to focus on cooking at home?"
Jiang Nuan lowered her gaze and gave a bittersweet smile, continuing, "I did such dangerous work before because it paid well. I was short on money then. The children's milk powder money, paid daily – I really needed it."
"Actually, I prefer a peaceful life, doing what I want every day. My favorite thing to do is cook. Making different foods every day comforts me; it seems to heal many wounds and calms my heart…"
Before she could finish, Mu Jiuchen quickly reached out his long arms and hugged her tightly.
He whispered in her ear, "Nuannuan, I'm here for everything." His deep and gentle voice brought Jiang Nuan peace.
Mu Jiuchen slowly released her, gazing at her affectionately. "Nuannuan, from now on, you can do whatever you want. If you like cooking, keep cooking. If you want to be a doctor, be a doctor. My wife, Mu Jiuchen, will support you in whatever you do."
Mu Jiuchen couldn't help but reach out and tap her pretty nose. "Wife, from now on, I'll be responsible for earning money, and you'll be responsible for spending it."
Jiang Nuan looked at him with amusement. "The most beautiful words in this world are what you just said: you'll earn the money, and I'll spend yours."
As a husband, Mu Jiuchen had always done an excellent job!
As a man, he stood tall and upright!
"Husband," Jiang Nuan said, acting coy in his embrace.
She, who had never been one to act spoiled, would unintentionally act that way in front of Mu Jiuchen, and would unintentionally want to cling to him.
Mu Jiuchen was completely healed by her calling him "Husband." He lowered his head and kissed the top of her head.
"So, where are we going next?" Now that his wife didn't have to undertake missions, he had time to take their children to many places.
Jiang Nuan looked up at him, a glimmer of anticipation in her eyes. She was looking forward to relaxing: "Don't just go to places I want to go; go to places you want to go too. As a child, you studied solely for the sake of studying. As an adult, you worked solely for the sake of earning money. You probably haven't had a good time out relaxing, have you? Let's take this opportunity to go out and play together, and make up for the romance we missed."
Mu Jiuchen's handsome face broke into a wide smile, his heart filled with a feeling called happiness.
"Wife, let's go to the beach tonight then." Mu Jiuchen imagined a romantic evening by the sea.
Jiang Nuan slowly moved out of his embrace. "How can we go by ourselves? Let's go home and take the children, Mom and Dad. We'll all go together."
She also wanted to go out with her parents, but because she was too busy, she hadn't been able to spend enough time with them or her grandfather.
They aged one day at a time. A person's life was only a few decades; they really should live it well.
They came into the world with nothing and left with illness.
After her grandmother's death, she had come to understand and realize many things.
Mu Jiuchen rubbed her head with a helpless smile. "Silly girl, just tonight, we'll have our time alone. We'll have chances to take them out together another day."
He understood these things too.
He was even planning to take everyone out for a few days once his parents arrived.
He had researched many romantic ideas online and hadn't had a chance to share them with her yet.
Jiang Nuan understood and smiled. "Then let's go."
Mu Jiuchen put her file bag away.
As they drove, they stopped at a red light. He sent a message to Chen Feng, asking him to arrange a hotel.
Meanwhile, Jiang Nuan took out her phone and looked up information on seaside hotels.
For some reason, she felt truly relaxed at that moment.
Jiang Nuan searched for ten things to do by the sea, as recommended online.
The internet said there was no place more suitable for couples than the seaside. On a bright sunny afternoon, holding hands, strolling on the beach, leaving two sets of footprints, or lying on a lounge chair watching the waves and listening to the seagulls.
These were unique romantic experiences exclusively for couples.
And they were timeless.
In the afternoon, they would sit on the beach and watch the sunset.
In the morning, they would watch the sunrise, leaning against each other as they waited for the first ray of light, watching the sun break through the horizon, witnessing each other's true feelings.
Jiang Nuan thought it was indeed very romantic.
Jiang Nuan suddenly asked Mu Jiuchen, "Chen Gege, which beach are we going to?"
That one utterance of "Chen Gege" almost made Mu Jiuchen stop the car.
"Wife, when you call me Chen Gege, I want to kiss you," Mu Jiuchen said, his voice suggestive as he quickly glanced at her.
Jiang Nuan: "..."
"Is that all you men think about?"
Mu Jiuchen shook his head quickly. "Wife, when I see you, I think of these things."
Other women held no sexual allure for him.
Jiang Nuan didn't want to discuss this with him, feeling it was a bottomless pit that could be discussed for a lifetime.
She had asked the earlier question out of excitement for today's date.
"Answer me quickly. Which seaside hotel do you want to go to? Mingyao or Beihai?"
Mu Jiuchen, not knowing why she asked, replied, "Beihai."
Jiang Nuan had also been planning to go there. "Great, then let's go to Beihai."
Mu Jiuchen smiled when he saw her happiness.
As for the fate of Jiang Yuxin and Mu Yichen, he no longer cared. Even if Mu Yichen wasn't the true mastermind, Unit One would handle these matters.
...
An hour and a half later, the two arrived at the seaside.
The residential buildings along the Beihai coast were all neatly planned. The small red houses, set against the azure sea and verdant mountains, were as beautiful as a painting.
As soon as Jiang Nuan arrived in the small town, she pulled Mu Jiuchen to find the Postcard Inn.
Seeing her happy and longing expression, Mu Jiuchen asked nothing and followed her as she searched.
Suddenly, the navigation announced they had reached their destination.
Jiang Nuan glanced at the shop sign and saw the Postcard Inn.
"Mu Jiuchen, we're here! It's this place," Jiang Nuan said, happily pulling Mu Jiuchen inside.