Chapter 44 - Big Spoon, Little Spoon

Summer ended; the weather began to change, and the season got busier.

Song Luli felt the dynamics at home shift--and not in a dissatisfying way. Long Jie had been opening up to her more, had reverted to their old routine.

While he spoke to her of his company, Song Luli began to make more suggestions about exposing those who were after Long Group. He listened to all of her ideas and asked her, concerned, "Are you sure you want to be involved? And why now?"

Song Luli glanced at him. "I've been thinking about it for some time, and I want to take part in it. Besides, who do you take me for?" She asked him.

Long Jie stretched out his arm over the curved back of the couch, lazily. "Certainly someone that is not weak or shy of anything," he said and chuckled shortly. He realized that he was beginning to understand her better. Song Luli's expression always remained calm and relaxed and undaunted by any new information. He liked seeing that side of her.

Song Luli smiled, flipping a page of Lan Shufen's final revision. They were both in the inner courtyard of their home.

It was Song Luli's favourite spot in the house, but since she moved in, she hadn't had the time to stay there. She was always cooped up in her bedroom because she always enjoyed the privacy.

Even if she were to stay home, she realized it would be better to explore rooms other than her bedroom. So, she laid down on the couch, when Long Jie found and joined her.

There was an atrium in the inner courtyard that exposed the lower and upper levels, like a balcony. The small roof, one of many, was made of glass; therefore, they could see the stars at night, but it was still early morning. A small garden of fake plants stood in the middle and surrounding those plants were chairs and soft, plush couches.

"What are you doing?" Long Jie asked her.

Song Luli was propped with her elbows as she laid down, flat on her torso, next to him. Long Jie was sitting on the sofa, his back against the curve of the couch; his red-brown hair tousled to one side of his head.

"I'm memorizing the lines of this script," she told him.

Long Jie straightened, inching carefully to look at the script she held. "Oh? You're going to help with the set?" he asked.

Song Luli smiled briefly. "Yes, the producer asked me if I wanted to help with production. I thought it would only be fitting since It's my first official project that I've organized myself."

Long Jie's lips parted open, astonished. "You must be working hard; what's it about?"

"It's a crime drama," Song Luli answered, passing him the script.

Long Jie read the synopsis, intrigued by the summary of the plot. "Is this your favourite genre?" he asked her curiously, reading through the first pages.

"No. I would say I am open to everything," Song Luli said. "But If I had to pick a favourite, it'd be Romance."

Long Jie arched a brow. He didn't expect that.

Song Luli quickly explained herself. "I mean, it's thrilling in a way and refreshing."

"How so?" Long Jie asked quietly, his eyes meeting hers.

"In a way, there's always going to be that aching feeling of wanting two people to be together, cheering them on. But there's also wanting to understand the layers of a character--whether they are flat or round. It more the development that draws me in," she admitted.

Long Jie listened to her reasoning, though she didn't need to explain herself. He wanted to ask her what made her so indifferent to falling in love then. They only had met up twice before they married, and every day, he was learning more about her, just as she was learning about him. But he felt like their pasts didn't matter; it was about moving forward, together.

"Long Jie," Song Luli called out, breaking his thoughts.

He turned his head to say, "Mhm?"

"Can I ask you something?"

"Yes," he answered.

"Why are people afraid of you?" she asked him. Her expression revealed no sense of fear, but instead, more like genuine curiosity.

Long Jie choked a laugh. "I didn't do anything directly. But many companies fear Long Group, over my influence. I worked with my father since I was a teenager, and together, we sent other companies out of business because it was difficult to compete against us."

"I see," Song Luli responded.

"You sound disappointed," Long Jie said with a smile.

Song Luli pouted. "I'm not," she lied.

Long Jie's smiled broadened, knowing that she wasn't honest. "Well, if it interests you, any company that attempted to challenge Long Group, I bought them. All of them. People are afraid of getting replaced," he said.

It surprised her. Long Jie wasn't one to show off his affluence, so Song Luli didn't what he owned or how much he made. She had only seen their house, how much he had given to save her company, but still, to think that was only a tiny fraction of what he had. Song Luli felt small compared to him. It was no wonder she wasn't his first choice for a marriage meeting.

What Long Jie liked about Song Luli was how she had never asked more than what they agreed upon before getting married. Song Luli wrote her own checks; she didn't need anything from him, never requested anything, never bothered. But from now on, he'd rather have her depend on him more, just as he'll need her.

They had spent the rest of their day off together, working, eating, and at some point, he began to rake some leaves in the yard, and Song Luli joined him. She had made banks of leaves to fall on them. And after, she realized that moments like this with Long Jie would be the first of many.

When they went back inside, Long Jie had made her Oolong tea, and she drank it hot, letting it warm her throat. He left the kitchen to wash up, and Song Luli went to her room.

She prepared for bed, but when she dove under the covers, she realized she wasn't sleepy.

Song Luli went to see if Long Jie was still awake, hoping he would relieve her from boredom. When she entered his wing of the house, she made circles, hesitating whether she should go in or not.

After fighting an internal battle, and feeling ridiculous, she stepped further down the hall.

The door of his bedroom was left ajar. Song Luli approached it, noticing the lighting of his room. She crept inside, not seeing him. His bedroom was ampler than she expected; it had all the office space he needed, a television screen, a coffee table, a bed and more. He had everything he needed, and yet, he spent most of his time in the living room or their library with her.

She heard the doorknob of his bathroom turn; Song Luli didn't know why she felt like she needed to hide.

She quickly ducked to the floor on the side of the bed, away from the bathroom. She saw Long Jie walking to flick off the lights, shirtless. She caught a glimpse of his dragon tattoo that began from the shoulders down to his torso. He turned around, and Song Luli ducked back. She heard his steps approach the bed, slipping underneath the covers. She held her breath.

Song Luli felt that she could still escape without him noticing since he left the door ajar--the only issue was, it was dark.

Song Luli could not make out any of the shapes in the room because it was not familiar to her. She patted down the carpeted floor, trying to feel her way through. She kept going straight, feeling nothing except for the carpet. She reached out, touching the wood of the doorframe when she decided to rise.

Suddenly, she felt a hand grip her wrist, pinning her underneath something heavy, over the soft fabrics of the bed.

Shoot! She thought. It wasn't the doorframe; it was the bed frame she had blindly crawled to.

"What are you doing?" Long Jie said, near her neck.

Song Luli wriggled beneath him. "How did you know it was me?" she questioned

Long Jie: "...Who else could it be?" he asked her.

Song Luli flushed, though he couldn't see her face redden. "I could have been a criminal."

"I heard you," he said. "You're terrible at escaping."

Song Luli didn't know why, but she laughed. She also heard him release a breathy chuckle. He was right. She was terrible at sneaking in and trying to escape. Long Jie must have known that she was there before he even turned off the lights.

After a moment, they both composed themselves. It was dark and quiet, and the only thing Song Luli heard was his breathing.

"I'm sorry for intruding," she said.

"Don't be," he answered. "Is there anything you need?"

Song Luli didn't know how to answer. "I'm not tired," was all she said, quietly.

Since the anniversary party, they've exchanged a few kisses. But nothing as passionate as the times they've teased each other before.

Long Jie didn't say anything, and she couldn't see his expression, let alone read it.

She felt him kiss her neck gently, cupping her face, interweaving his fingers in her hair. He planted long, generous kisses at the curve of her collarbones, causing Song Luli to sigh when she tried hard to suppress her voice.

"I want to hear you," was what he said to her.

Song Luli nodded.

He continued.

Long Jie slid his tongue across the base of her throat, making his way up to her chin. Song Luli involuntarily shuddered. She didn't know that licking could be so sensual. She gripped his shoulders, feeling his smooth skin, letting out small gasps.

She needed this, wanted this. There was no shame in letting Long Jie know that she was ready to have him. Song Luli turned her chin to meet his mark, his lips. He kissed her hard, breathlessly.

Song Luli felt something leak between her thighs, and she suddenly sat up and jumped off the bed, leaving Long Jie stumped. "I'll be back!" she said before retreating.

Long Jie waited in his bed for ten minutes. When she returned, she slipped under the covers and said guiltily, "I got my period."

Long Jie hated himself. She roused him so quickly, but that was his fault for getting excited. "Come here," he said in the dark.

Song Luli inched closer, joining him. He held her, rubbing her arms. "Sleep," he demanded.

She listened. Her eyes grew heavy, and she began to drift into sleep as Long Jie spooned her.