The two returned to the hotel, had a quick lunch, and rested for the afternoon.

Dinner was at a renowned three-star Michelin restaurant nearby. The ambiance was elegant, with small, vibrant rose bouquets on each table, adorned with dewy droplets.

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The warm yellow lighting, paired with the soothing melodies of a violinist, made the atmosphere very comfortable and relaxing.

As dusk fell, a bright city nightscape was visible through the panoramic windows.

Before long, waitstaff wheeled out a trolley, presenting dishes with impeccable plating; each dish was a masterpiece.

"Hmm, tastes good." The tangy, velvety texture of the tomato meat sauce spaghetti was quite appetizing.

Yu Antong sliced into a black pepper steak. The medium-rare beef was tender and juicy. The classic pepper flavor was not overwhelming, complemented perfectly with broccoli and cherry tomatoes.

Even if he wasn't particularly fond of Western cuisine, he had to admit, this restaurant's dishes were top-notch. The only downside was that, being pregnant, he couldn't drink wine. Steak without wine felt incomplete.

Yu Antong gazed longingly at Xing Lixuan's red wine, "I want some too."

Xing Lixuan motioned for the waiter.

"How can I assist you, sir?"

"Please remove the red wine and bring us two desserts," Xing Lixuan said, pointing to two items on the menu.

"Certainly, sir."

Handing the menu back, Xing Lixuan said to Yu Antong, "I won't drink either."

Yu Antong retorted, "There was no need to send it back. You drink yours; I was just saying."

Xing Lixuan looked at him, "I know your temperament well."

If he casually sipped his wine with Yu Antong watching, given Yu Antong's nature, he would surely create a fuss.

"What kind of temperament do I have!" Realizing the insinuation in Xing Lixuan's words, Yu Antong sneakily kicked Xing Lixuan under the table in a huff.

Xing Lixuan stretched out his long leg, pinning Yu Antong's legs, and whispered soothingly, "Baby, you have such a good temperament, understanding and gentle."

Xing Lixuan shouldn't have brought it up. The moment he did, Yu Antong suddenly remembered a past incident at the hotel. He had accidentally overheard Shen Yunqing discussing with a friend that Qi Jingyao once mentioned Xing Lixuan's ideal type was someone understanding, generous, and gentle when he was drunk in his school days.

Yu Antong's jealousy flared instantly. Could it be that Xing still yearns for his ideal type? Hoping there isn't some unspoken dream girl in his heart!

This is infuriating!

The more Yu Antong thought about it, the angrier he got. He pulled out his leg and gave Xing Lixuan a kick. "Stop talking to me!"

Xing Lixuan: "..."

Xing Lixuan couldn't understand why Yu Antong suddenly got angry. Just moments before, Yu Antong was just being playfully sulky, clearly not genuinely upset. How did his attempts to pacify him make matters worse?

Just then, the waiter brought over desserts. Yu Antong ignored Xing Lixuan and started indulging in the dessert.

The petite cheesecake had a rich and creamy texture. After finishing the cake, he tasted the cherry garnish. Biting into it, the sweet and tart juices burst in his mouth, slightly elevating Yu Antong's mood.

Xing Lixuan cautiously called out to him, "Baby..."

After finishing the cheesecake, Yu Antong reached for another strawberry cake in a heart-shaped cup. He plucked the tiny strawberry from the cream and popped it into his mouth, glaring at Xing Lixuan and biting down as if he was biting into Xing's flesh.

Xing Lixuan was baffled. How had his compliment offended this little tyrant? He was merely teasing Yu Antong with a playful remark, but surely that didn’t warrant such anger.

The cream atop the strawberry cake was sweet without being cloying, and the cake underneath was soft and delectable. The delicious dessert lifted Yu Antong's spirits. After finishing, he wiped the corners of his mouth and said to Xing Lixuan, "Let's go."

As they left the restaurant, Xing Lixuan grasped his hand, pulling him into an embrace, "Little tyrant, what's gotten into you? What did I do to upset you?"

The night wind began to blow. As Yu Antong stepped out from the warm restaurant, he shivered slightly.

"Cold?" Xing Lixuan shifted to block the wind for Yu Antong, then unbuttoned his coat, wrapping Yu Antong inside it.

The warmth from Xing Lixuan's coat enveloped Yu Antong, making him shyly mutter, "Didn't you say your ideal type is someone understanding and gentle? Then why did you fall for me?"

Xing Lixuan frowned, wondering who had been feeding Yu Antong nonsense. "Who told you that my ideal type is someone understanding and gentle..."

As he spoke, he suddenly recalled that he did have such a notion in his younger days, imagining his future partner would be of a homely and understanding nature.

But that was just an immature thought from his younger years. How did Yu Antong come to know about it?

Hearing Xing Lixuan's words, Yu Antong looked up, wondering what type Xing Lixuan really preferred now. If he were to soothe him properly, maybe he would let it slide.

When Yu Antong looked up, he saw Xing Lixuan in a daze, an expression that seemed to confirm his earlier suspicions.

Yu Antong pushed Xing Lixuan away and stormed off.

Ahhh! He's going to explode with rage! Men are all the same!

Realizing his mistake, Xing Lixuan hurried after him, "Baby, hear me out."

Yu Antong moved forward with the determination of a young calf, head down.

All the jerks can get lost! Once he's back home, he's getting a divorce!

Xing Lixuan quickly closed the distance, stepping in front of Yu Antong. Unable to stop in time, Yu Antong crashed into him. The impact made his nose sting, and tears welled up immediately.

Covering his nose with one hand and pushing Xing Lixuan with the other, he cried out, "Get off me!"

Xing Lixuan tightened his hold around Yu's waist, pulling him close. "I'm sorry, baby. Did I hurt you?"

Eyes glistening with unshed tears, Yu Antong snapped, "None of your business!"

Under the bright streetlights, Xing Lixuan gazed at Yu Antong's reddened nose, gently wiping away his tears, "You're my wife. If I don't care, who will?"

"Listen, whatever you've heard about my past thoughts, they're in the past. Now, there's only you. From the beginning till now, you've been the only one I've ever loved," Xing Lixuan said earnestly. "You can't condemn me for immature ideas I had before I met you. Everyone has some 'ideal type' at some point, but ever since I fell for you, I've forgotten all about that. When you mentioned it, the only face that came to my mind was yours. So, I was quick to refute it, wondering who misled you."

"Do you understand?"

It was rare for Xing Lixuan, usually a man of few words, to explain so much.

Yu Antong sniffled. The bitterness in his heart was slowly replaced by the sweetness of Xing Lixuan's words. Blinking away the tears, he asked, "Did you lie to me?"

"Little rascal, you're breaking my heart," Xing Lixuan murmured as he kissed away a tear, "When have I ever lied to you?"

"But I'm so different from your initial type. In fact, I'm the opposite," Yu Antong listed his faults on his fingers, "I'm capricious, I throw tantrums, and I don't allow any logical reasoning from you."

Xing Lixuan chuckled affectionately, "Oh, so you do know you're unreasonable, you little devil."

Yu Antong glared at him. It was okay for him to say that about himself, but Xing Lixuan had no right!

Hitting him playfully, he said, "You're the real devil, making me upset!"

Xing Lixuan caught his hand and kissed it, "But I love your whims, your tantrums, and especially when you act spoilt and unreasonable with me."

Yu Antong looked up at him.

With deep affection in his eyes, Xing Lixuan whispered, "Baby, I love you."

Touched, Yu Antong hugged him, calling out softly, "Husband~"

"Hmm?"

Yu Antong tilted his head, "Kiss me."

Xing Lixuan smiled and leaned in.

On this foreign night, they kissed on a sparsely populated sidewalk, with the distant buzz of traffic and lights approaching and then receding.

After a while, Xing Lixuan took Yu Antong's slightly cold hand, "It's chilly outside, let's go back to the hotel."

"No, I want to visit a casino." After resting the entire afternoon, Yu Antong felt energized.

According to the travel guide, this city is best known for its numerous hotels and casinos. Even though he wanted to check them out, Xing Lixuan was against it. But now, taking advantage of Xing Lixuan's accommodating mood, Yu Antong seizes the opportunity to make his request.

Xing Lixuan: "You really want to go?"

Yu Antong nods in affirmation: "Mhmm, just for a quick look, and then we can leave."

"Alright, but once we’re there, you can't wander around. Stay close to me."

Yu Antong lifted their interlocked hands, "With you holding my hand, where could I possibly run off to?"

Xing Lixuan was left without an argument and eventually took him to the largest casino in the area.

While in the car, Yu Antong gazed at the night scenery through the window. They drove past a casino, and since gambling is legal here, the signboard at the entrance was particularly eye-catching. Yu Antong remarked, "There's one right there. We don’t necessarily have to go to the largest one."

Xing Lixuan replied, "The bigger establishments usually have better security and are more regulated."

Compared to the small, mixed crowd casinos, bigger venues offer more safety for the average player. When out with Yu Antong, safety was always Xing Lixuan's top priority.

Yu Antong asked, "Have you been here before?"

"Once, during my university days."

Yu Antong huffed, "You've been here yourself, yet you didn’t want me to come."

Upon arrival, they were ushered in by the doorman, and Yu Antong stepped onto the lavish red carpet of this opulent world.

The grand hall on the ground floor was adorned in an extravagant style, complete with a sprawling red carpet walkway and a dazzling chandelier with golden tassels creating a surreal, dreamy atmosphere.

Not just a place for entertainment, there was also a hotel for accommodation. Some guests wheeled out their luggage, while others, like Yu Antong, entered with wide-eyed wonder.

They took the elevator to the second floor where, right out of the lift, there were rows of slot machines to their right. Further in, rows of card tables filled the space. Despite the number of patrons, the casino retained an orderly vibe.

Although Yu Antong insisted on coming, he was unfamiliar with the games and dared not join any tables.

Pointing at the user-friendly slot machines, he declared, "I want to try this."

Xing Lixuan guided him to exchange cash for coins, giving all the coins to Yu Antong for his entertainment.

The machine was straightforward—insert a coin, pull the lever, and watch as the screen spins. If three identical symbols line up, a prize is won.

Yu Antong, lacking the anticipation of a typical gambler, found the game dull after a few tries, even suggesting that claw machines at malls were more entertaining.

Concerned that Yu Antong might become disgruntled if he didn’t enjoy himself, Xing Lixuan led him to the card tables for a few rounds. Xing Lixuan played while Yu Antong watched.

Distracted by his concern for Yu Antong, Xing Lixuan played his hands carelessly, resulting in more losses than wins.

As Yu Antong's interest waned, he tugged at Xing Lixuan, jesting, "Let’s go home, or you'll lose all the money saved for our son's milk formula."

Xing Lixuan replied, "Just one more round."

Yu Antong frowned, "Has he become addicted?"

Seeing Xing Lixuan lose yet another game without any intention of leaving, Yu Antong gently tugged at him and said, "Honey, I'm tired. Let's head back."

In reality, Xing Lixuan lost on purpose, hoping Yu Antong would suggest leaving earlier, ensuring he'd lose interest in such places. It was best not to frequent them after all.

Xing Lixuan chuckled under his breath, feigning disappointment as he glanced at the few remaining chips in his hand, "Tired? Alright, let's go then."

Yu Antong was oblivious to Xing Lixuan's scheming, vowing internally that he'd keep a closer eye on him to avoid visiting such places again.

The local area didn't have many attractions, with most of the famous tourist sites being iconic buildings. Yu Antong wasn't interested in such "check-in spots." He couldn't understand why people visited these trendy places just to show off superficially glamorized photos.

The next day, Yu Antong and Xing Lixuan took a walk in a fountain park near their hotel. The park was vast, with a fountain set on a small island in the middle of a lake. Named "Swan Lake," it was frequently visited by groups of playful swans.

Some people rowed boats in the lake. The elegant and beautiful swans weren't scared of humans, reflecting the harmonious relationship between the locals and the swans.

As Yu Antong stood by the lake, a white swan swam toward him. This swan was different, noticeably chubbier than the others.

"Ah ah!" The chubby swan quacked at Yu Antong.

Yu Antong playfully responded, "Hello there! Are you greeting me? Little chubby one."

The swan glanced at Yu Antong's empty hands, quacked again, and swam away.

For some reason, Yu Antong felt that the swan's tiny black eyes held a hint of disdain for him.

Just then, a little girl, around four or five years old, ran over with a bucket, her mother trailing behind her.

The girl approached Yu Antong and began calling out names to the swans in the lake. He guessed that these were names she'd given them.

The girl set her bucket on the ground, took a handful of feed, and tossed it into the lake.

Yu Antong watched as the very same chubby swan he'd interacted with hurriedly flapped its wings and raced over to grab the feed.

There was a reason for its chubbiness after all!

Yu Antong glanced at the little girl, who looked back at him and then, in a soft, milky voice asked in English, "Big brother, do you want to feed the swans with me?"

Taking the offered feed, Yu Antong replied, "Sure, thank you, little cutie."

Flattered, the little girl giggled and shyly nestled into her mother's embrace, peeking at Yu Antong with twinkling eyes.

Yu Antong, charmed by the little girl, suddenly voiced a desire to Xing Lixuan, "Honey, I want a daughter as adorable as her."

And they hadn’t even had their first child yet!

Xing Lixuan would never allow Yu Antong to bear the risks of pregnancy and childbirth for a second child, let alone the first.

He calmly said, "Have you forgotten about Judi?"

The mention of the name "Judy" immediately reminded Yu Antong of the terror of being dominated by the little demon during the Lunar New Year.

Never mind, never mind! No more babies for me!

If a son misbehaves, one can sternly discipline him, but if it's a dainty and adorable daughter, who might possibly be a mischievous little devil instead of an angel, how can you possibly scold or spank her?

Better to have sons. Yu Antong patted his belly in relief.

Author's note:

Tongtong: Thinking about how to discipline the son.

Boss Xing: Thinking about how to discipline the wife.

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