While the shameless couple was having too much fun, a certain someone was sitting in his armchair without moving an inch. He didn't notice the time. He was deep in thought. He was sure that he saw that snake somewhere before but he couldn't remember where.
The sky was beginning to become just a little brighter as if the light was trying to push the envelope of the dark open. The whole world seemed to be bathed in a soft blue ethereal light and it made everything look so innocent. The trees seemed still asleep. The birds however were wide awake and chirping merrily. It was a piece of heaven.
Someone knocked on the door and pulled Ge Chen back to reality. Before he could reply, the door was opened and Xue Lin popped up. "Good morning, my husband. Did you wake up early or you were here all night?" She came inside and she was fully dressed. She was wearing a sky blue shirt and a white plain skirt covering her knees. Her hair was tied up in a ponytail. She looked radiant and fresh. "Are you sick? Did something happen? Your complexion doesn't look good." She was right to be worried. She never saw him looking so gloomy and serious. His face was pale too.
Ge Chen gave her a soft smile. Seeing her face really made him relaxed. "Good morning, my wife. I'm fine. There is nothing to worry about." He looked tired but his aura was still majestic and the sunlight made him look radiant. However, it still wasn't enough to hide from Xue Lin that something was eating away at her husband. She looked at his eyes carefully. There was that glint in his eyes which seemed like a mix between apprehension and anticipation. It confused her. She felt an uncontrollable urge to get to the bottom of it.
Xue Lin didn't believe his words and touched his forehead. "My husband, I think your temperature is lower than usual. You have low pressure."
Ge Chen chuckled and took her hands in his. "I can never have low pressure. I eat properly and exercise every day. It's you I'm worried about. Did you know that you have malnutrition?"
"Yes, I know. It happened before I left for Paris. And this is my body. How can I not know what's going on in my body?" Xue Lin asked him the obvious. "Wait a minute, are you acting like this because you were worried about my health? It's nothing to worry about. I won't die from it."
Since Ge Chen was able to divert her attention, he stuck to it. "How can I not worry? What if you faint on the road someday from not eating enough food?"
"That's true." Xue Lin agreed. His words were very logical and she had no argument to refute that. "But now I'm eating properly every day. I don't think I'll faint like before." She tried to assure Ge Chen. "But nack to the original topic. I think you will faint at any minute now. Don't you have duty today?"
Ge Chen replied, "Yes, I have. I haven't forgotten about it. Do you want to go together?"
Xue Lin truthfully said, "Yes, I want to give you a ride. I will bring you back home too if you don't mind. I don't feel like letting you walk on the street today." She was still concerned about him.
"Alright, I'll freshen up. But before that, can you let me hug you please?" Ge Chen looked at her with the most pitiful expression in the world.
'W-what's wrong with him all of a sudden? I didn't think he was this kind of person.' Xue Lin froze and hesitated.
"Can't I?" Ge Chen really looked like he needed a hug.
"Fine." Xue Lin robotically nodded and her answer was also short. Ge Chen's expression changed. He looked slightly stunned. He didn't expect her to agree so easily. He was just thanking his luck. She asked while frowning, "What's with your expression? Didn't you tell me that you need a hug?"
"Yes, I did." Ge Chen was still holding her hands. He slowly and carefully pulled her closer, not trying to startle her. When her legs touched the chair, her position was in between his legs. He let go of her hands. He gently moved and let his head rest on her stomach, right under her breasts.
Out of nervousness, Xue Lin held her breath subconsciously. She felt that there was something bugging him and that wasn't her health only. She didn't know what's going on in his mind and she couldn't force him to tell her. There are things that she couldn't tell him no matter how many times she was forced to open her mouth; she could understand that he was going through the same problem. She felt sad that as a wife and as a psychiatrist, she couldn't help her husband and share his burden every time. She sighed softly at her own helplessness.
Feeling dejected, she raised her right hand and stroked his head gently. She noticed that he froze. 'He must be surprised. After all, he wasn't loved after his mother died.' She softened her voice and said, "I know there are things you cannot share with me and I understand that. But if that's eating your body and soul, then I have to know about it. As your wife and as a professional psychiatrist, I cannot let something eat you alive. Mental health is very important. If you can't take it anymore, you can share it with me. If it's your past I don't mind because it had nothing to do with me. If it's your present and the future, then I need to know so that I can be prepared too, and no matter how bad the news is, it's better than hearing it from some outsider. Do you understand?" She felt a lot better after expressing her true feelings to him.