‘SEE YOU MORNING’ 009 Love's Cottage

Li Haojun knelt on one knee before her, his arms wrapped around her hips, his face pressed against her abdomen, kissing her gently as he buried his head in the ocean of life.
Morning light had filtered through the curtains onto the bed. Qin Wenjing replayed last night's intimacy in her mind, reluctant to get up. She loved Li Haojun's adoration for women, loved being cherished as his woman. Lazy and languid, she lay on the bed still unwilling to rise, lingering over the faint scent of last night that seemed to cling to the sheets.
Yet he had not come to her this morning. All she heard was the faint rustling of sounds from the yard. Qin Wenjing lazed around for a good while longer, and when he still did not appear, she stretched and got up, wrapping a blanket tightly around herself to accentuate her graceful figure, and walked barefoot to the living room.
It turned out the sounds were coming from Li Haojun. He was lifting the paving stones in the yard outside the living room's floor-to-ceiling windows, exposing the soil beneath, then laying bricks around the edges to form a long narrow flower bed right in front of the glass, which would surely add a touch of color and charm.
Qin Wenjing stepped outside and squatted beside him to watch for a while. He was working away with hammer and trowel, his hands covered in dirt, talking as he worked,
"I'll plant tulips in this flower bed in front of the living room. We can add other flowers later, but only low-growing ones, so they don't block the light coming into the house."
"Then I'll plant all the rose bushes we bought in the shadier spots along the wall, and put a bench there too. What do you think? When they grow lush and full, we can enjoy the flowers and the moonlight together. Do you like that?"
"Sure, that sounds great," Qin Wenjing replied casually. Watching Li Haojun's earnest expression and his dirt-streaked hands, she knew there would be no morning affection today. She couldn't help but grumble inwardly: Is this stinking man just a creature of desire? Satisfied last night, and now he's ignoring me like this.
"Then you keep working. I'll go make breakfast." With that, Qin Wenjing stood up, slung the blanket casually over her shoulder, and went back inside to change and head to the kitchen. She did not look back, unaware that Li Haojun was watching her through the window—admiring her waist, her thighs, the way she walked.
At the breakfast table, Qin Wenjing was already sitting waiting. Li Haojun was still washing his hands; cleaning the dirt from under his nails was a tedious task. There was no fresh food this morning, just last night's chicken soup, along with some bread, sausages and jam. Li Haojun was not picky about food—after all, he didn't even have to cook it himself. Qin Wenjing had not bothered to dress up either, her long hair swept over her left shoulder, still wearing her pajamas.
Li Haojun was already starving and finished his meal in no time. Seeing that Qin Wenjing was still eating, he did not want to leave her alone, so he sat opposite her and talked about his plans for renovating their home.
Qin Wenjing said nothing, just ate slowly with her head down. When Li Haojun had finished speaking, she looked up gently and asked, "What made you want to do all this?"
Li Haojun thought for a moment and said, "I don't know, just a sudden impulse. I don't really know why, I just felt like our little nest could be made a bit better."
Qin Wenjing let out a small laugh and asked, "Better in what way exactly?"
Without hesitation, Li Haojun said, "Energy independence. Even though this isn't the coast of Los Angeles, with no risk of earthquakes or tsunamis, I still don't want us to be affected if the national power grid fails due to other natural disasters or social unrest. I want to buy the few acres of land adjacent to our house and turn it into a solar farm, and install a large capacitor underground. That way, on reasonably sunny days, we'll have enough electricity for the whole year."
Qin Wenjing listened quietly with her head down, a faint smile crossing her face before it faded again. She asked,
"That's quite a big project. Do you have time to finish it?" As soon as the words left her mouth, Qin Wenjing realized they sounded wrong and quickly added,
"I'll reward you handsomely when you're done." With that, she finished her meal and stood up to clear the table.
Li Haojun noticed the fluctuation in her mood but said nothing, helping her carry the dishes to the kitchen. He followed her in, and while she washed the dishes, he stood behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist and kissing her cheek and earlobe. Qin Wenjing slowed her movements, savoring this shared moment of warmth.
After breakfast, it was time for work. As usual, Qin Wenjing checked the factory production records, supply chain arrangements, and any other work schedules. The company had an extremely flat management structure, and with the help of artificial intelligence, the executive managers directly assigned tasks to each position.
As the morning wore on, the sun climbed higher above the treetops, losing the golden glow of dawn. In the sunlight, the flower bed Li Haojun had been working on by the living room window showed the newly turned damp soil slowly drying. The figure of the man who had just been digging was still vivid in her mind, but now the bright sun shone down on an empty yard. Qin Wenjing stood up and walked to the window. The warm sunlight could not warm her empty heart, and the memory of Li Haojun's presence brought no comfort of companionship.
Qin Wenjing turned to face the deep, dark emptiness of the living room. The walls blocked her view of her beloved. She hurried down the corridor, pushed open the back door, and scanned the yard anxiously for his figure.
"Haojun!" Qin Wenjing called his name, her hand on the doorframe. Her voice was not loud, but it was tinged with almost desolate sadness.
Li Haojun was measuring the land. Hearing Qin Wenjing's voice, he turned around quickly and saw her standing there, hand on the doorframe, looking at him. He froze for a moment, then hurried over to her. Qin Wenjing took a step forward, her legs giving way, and threw herself into his arms. Li Haojun quickly wrapped his arms around her waist to support her, and asked softly,
"What's wrong?" He knew something had made her unusually emotional today, and he also knew he needed to do something to make their time together more long-lasting and stable. As he spoke, he held her waist with his left hand and brushed her hair back with his right.
Qin Wenjing slowly lifted her head, glanced at Li Haojun, and said, "Stay with me." Then she buried her face in his chest again.
They stood embracing on the path in the backyard. The sun rose higher, its warm rays spilling over the roof onto them. Bathed in sunlight, the flowers and plants in the garden exuded a joyful, thriving fragrance.
Li Haojun cupped Qin Wenjing's face in his hands again and said to her, "You don't have to worry about anything. I'll always be with you. Tell me what's making you...?"
"Maybe it's the contrast between the dim light inside and the bright outside. It made me feel lonely being alone in the house," Qin Wenjing said softly, still pressed against his chest.
"Are you afraid I'll lose my memory again by accident?" Li Haojun asked gently, looking down into her eyes and watching her expression.
Qin Wenjing looked into his eyes and nodded, murmuring an agreement.
"I won't. I'll be careful," Li Haojun said, gazing deeply into her eyes. He gripped her shoulders firmly and shook her gently, trying to give her confidence.
"Trust me. Even if I really do forget you again, will you take care of me once more? I'll fall in love with you all over again." As he finished speaking, Qin Wenjing looked up at him, her eyes shining as she searched for something in his gaze. Li Haojun did not make her wait long. He tightened his arms around her waist, cradled her head, and kissed her lips.
After their tender moment, Li Haojun thought for a moment and asked, "Maybe you should interact more with the outside world?"
Taking Qin Wenjing's hand, he led her back inside. "Do you have any close friends?"
Walking beside him, Qin Wenjing looked at him and replied, "No. I learned from you—I don't have friends."
"Oh, so I'm that kind of person?" Li Haojun laughed awkwardly, trying to lighten the mood.
"Actually, I used to have friends. But as we grew up, over time, we drifted apart. I just haven't learned to be as strong as you are. Maybe you've spoiled me too much."
"Have I?" Li Haojun replied, continuing to listen as she poured out her heart.
"Mm. You watched me grow up, taught me so much, and were always there for me. You also reminded me that I need to face life independently and have the ability to grow on my own."
"Mm," Li Haojun nodded as they talked, leading her to sit down inside.
"But..." Qin Wenjing looked up at him and said, "But then I lost you. I tried to walk my own path alone, but I still wanted you by my side. Maybe it was fate that brought you back to me."
Li Haojun understood in his heart that it was probably the experience of losing and regaining him that made her cherish their time together more, and fear losing him again. From their time together these past days, he could feel how deeply Qin Wenjing relied on him. She was a woman who needed companionship; even though she owned this house, she could never feel the warmth of home without the man she loved in it.