At night, Arthur brought a fine bottle of wine and sat with Tang Mi on the rooftop of a restaurant.

The Mediterranean under the night sky displayed a completely different charm from its daytime appearance. The water, originally a pure, azure blue, now shimmered under the moonlight in a kaleidoscope of hues, transitioning from deep black to smoky purple, then deep blue, and finally silvery white near the shore—each layer intertwining and stretching into the distance.

Arthur draped a thin blanket over Tang Mi’s shoulders, holding her close so she could lean comfortably against his chest. “Do you like it here?” he asked, resting his chin gently on the crown of her head.

“I do. It’s beautiful, just like the sea behind Black Truffle Manor,” Tang Mi said, clasping his hand with her fingers entwined in his. The soft sea breeze tousled her hair, and her heart felt as serene as the moonlight, a still and beautiful tranquility, as if she had returned to her carefree childhood days at Black Truffle Manor.

“If you like it, then stay here and be the lady of the house,” Arthur murmured, kissing her hair with a tender and captivating voice, much like the gentle lapping of the waves below.

“Arthur,” she said, lightly wriggling free of his embrace to turn and face him directly.

“Marry me, darling,” Arthur said, cupping her face gently.

Moonlight fell on his thick, arched brows, reflecting fragments of golden light. His deep green eyes sparkled with an enchanting brilliance beneath his thick lashes, like a whirlpool of magic that irresistibly drew her in.

“Why did you choose me?” Tang Mi asked, taking a deep breath and averting her gaze, trying to pull herself out of his spell.

“There are many reasons, but right now, I can’t articulate a single one. I just know that the first time I saw you standing in the sunlight, looking coldly at me and the gun in my hand, I fell in love with the look in your eyes.

You were clearly afraid, but still so proud and dazzling, as if not even a bullet could make you bow your beautiful head. At that moment, I told myself, ‘I want this woman,'” he said, gently turning her face back toward him, refusing to let her avoid his gaze.

“To be honest, I was really scared at the time. But I knew being scared wouldn’t help,” Tang Mi admitted with a slight smile.

Thinking back to the circumstances of their first meeting, she no longer felt resentment. Instead, recalling those scenes seemed distant yet vivid, like watching a movie of her own memories on a screen.

“I knew. You’re the kind of person who laughs louder the more pain you endure. In that way, you’re a lot like me, but not completely. I hide my hatred, then return the pain tenfold or more to those who hurt me. But you, you face your anger openly, then escape, forever cutting off your enemies and hatred so they can’t disturb your peaceful soul.

You’ve always lived in the sunlight. Authenticity and simplicity are your essence. My life has always lacked such brightness and purity, and you’ve become a spell that irresistibly draws me in,” Arthur said, his eyes glowing with intensity as he leaned in to kiss her lips—passionate and domineering, teasing her, igniting sparks on her tongue.

It took all of Tang Mi’s strength to break away from his kiss. She pressed her hands against his firm, heated chest, catching her breath. “But don’t you think this is too impulsive? You’re an MI6 intelligence officer, and I’m an unpredictable photographer. We’d be apart more than together. A marriage like this would be hard to sustain.

We’re not fresh graduates who just left school. We need to be more rational about some things.”

Clearly, he was igniting flames—both in her mind and her body—and she needed to douse those flames with a dose of cold reality before her reason was consumed by love’s fire.

“Impulse is the devil,” she reminded herself—a timeless and simple truth that never failed.

“So, that’s what you’re worried about.” Arthur loosened his arms, his face softening into a relaxed smile.

He poured a glass of wine for Tang Mi, then another for himself. Taking a sip, he suddenly locked eyes with her, his gaze sharp and urgent, as if they were back at the moment they first met. “You have two choices now.

First, quit photography and stay here as the lady of this port. Second, marry me and fire that male assistant of yours.”

“Why should I fire Richie?” Tang Mi asked, wide-eyed in shock. She also realized that regardless of the choice, the prerequisite was marrying him.

“Because you need to prepare for having an unemployed husband,” he replied, amused by her startled expression, gently pinching her chin.

“Unemployed? Are you saying you’re leaving MI6?” Tang Mi looked at him in disbelief.

“Yes. Actually, a long time ago, I was already tired of this job that hides in the darkness all day long and deals with blood and conspiracies, but I just couldn’t find the motivation to change careers.
But now, I finally have found it.” Arthur chuckled, resting his forehead against her hairline.

Tang Mi never expected Arthur to make such a decision, to give up the high position he had already achieved and his unlimited career prospects to be with her.
As he had said on the hotel balcony that night, he had indeed put the whole world in front of her, and all she had to do was open her heart and accept everything he had given her.
But MI6 wasn’t just any ordinary company on the street, where you could quit with a resignation letter and leave in style. It was an organization that held a country’s top secrets, could he really walk away unscathed?

She shook her head and said, “Will they let you leave so easily?”
“It won’t be easy, but I’m sure I can do it for my future wife and family. I’ll carry a tripod and travel the whole world with you.” He caressed her cheeks with both hands, as if he were stroking the most precious treasure, his eyes filled with tenderness and depth, like the vast and surging ocean beneath their feet, sweeping her away with an unstoppable tide.

This time, she willingly drowned in it, swaying to his powerful yet tender rhythm, no longer wanting to escape.

Tang Mi looked into his eyes and slowly smiled, then kissed his lips.

Arthur held her tightly, responding to her with even greater passion, his soft tongue licking her delicate earlobe, then moving down her graceful, long neck, his fingers clasping her waist and slipping smoothly into her shirt, caressing her smooth skin, not too hard, yet allowing her to clearly feel that wild tension.

Tang Mi felt a fire ignite wherever his lips and tongue touched. His body was hard and powerful, his sexy, husky breath tickled her ear, sending shivers down her spine. When he nibbled gently on her collarbone, she couldn’t help but gasp, letting out a soft moan.

The night wind was a bit chilly, but the heat he brought made her feel like she was melting, wanting to become one with him, letting her blood boil and dry up in this scorching heat.

Arthur suddenly scooped her up in his arms, passionately kissing her face, his voice urgent and filled with longing, “I love you, Tang.”

Tang Mi ran her fingers through his soft, smooth golden hair, tracing his perfectly sculpted features with her tongue, whispering in his ear, “I love you too.”

The next moment, Tang Mi felt the scene above her head suddenly spin, the air rushing past her ears like Arthur’s breath, and the light suddenly dimmed. When the light shone into her eyes again, she was already in the large double bed in the bedroom.

He propped himself up on either side of her, his forehead against hers, his pupils, burned bright by desire, reflected her alluring, flushed face, as vibrant as a dahlia about to bloom.

“God, you’re beautiful!” Arthur bit her lip, his fingers nimble and quick as he stripped off her clothes and his own, his hot lips tracing a path from her neck to her full, soft chest, then nibbling and licking bit by bit, his hand sliding down her waist to her stomach, and then he parted her tightly closed legs.

Tang Mi hugged his broad, strong back, a little helpless, a hot, uncontrollable fire rising from her lower abdomen, and his tongue was going down from her navel, circling gently, this gentle attack made her mind go blank, her body suddenly arched, a muffled moan escaping her throat.

“Baby, I want you!” Arthur’s hoarse voice was no better than hers, beads of sweat on his nose dripped onto her lower abdomen, his soft hair brushed against her thighs, his tense muscles were like a volcano about to erupt, surging to drag her into the fiery lava.

When he fully took control, Tang Mi couldn’t help but choke back a sob. She restrained her strength and rhythm, continuously kissing her face, softly saying, ‘Hold me tight.’

Tang Mi instinctively embraced Arthur’s strong, firm waist, letting him lead her into a dizzying and radiant weightlessness.

In a daze, she heard the sound of waves crashing against the shore outside the window, one wave after another, intense and passionate, rising and falling with the guidance of the moonlight.

Author’s note: Alright, the thing everyone’s been shouting about finally appears! I originally planned to post it tomorrow, but since tomorrow’s a holiday and everyone will likely be busy eating mooncakes and singing at KTV, I’ll post it today as a small holiday gift.

If you want to criticize me, go eat mooncakes.

The small town in July resembled a spilled blood-red Bloody Mary, the vibrant colors spread all over the ground, and the rich, enticing scent of liquor flowed everywhere under the scorching sun. Even hotter than the sunlight was the various summer carnivals and the exuberant enthusiasm of the people.

The square was always crowded, and on the streets, except for taverns and restaurants, all the shops were closed for a break. Young girls in splendid attire passed by in carriages, teasing the passersby with their voluptuous figures and passionate dances.

In the past few days, Arthur had taken Tang Mi to explore the entire town.

In the morning, they sat in their room…