Chapter 116: Thorns Guarding the Rose

The next morning.

Butler Wang led the staff in setting up for the birthday dinner. Blue roses had been air-shipped from places like the Netherlands since the previous day.

Qin Mohuai drove Xia Yuan to a tattoo shop.

Outside, there were many colorful LED signs, and the walls were covered with large graffiti, giving the place a rebellious vibe.

Xia Yuan realized what he was planning and looked at him gently, silently asking for confirmation.

Qin Mohuai responded, “It’s exactly what you’re thinking.”

Once he had the idea of getting a tattoo, he had already designed the drawing.

The tattoo artist, wearing a white T-shirt, took the design with enthusiasm and respect. “Third Brother, please have a seat. This thorn-wrapped blue rose design isn’t too complicated. It’ll take about an hour. I’ll get everything ready.”

He turned to Xia Yuan, “Sister-in-law, would you like some Wong Lo Kat milk?”

Realizing how casually he said it, Zhou Su slapped his own mouth, feeling like he was flirting with a sweet girl.

Xia Yuan smiled, “Sure, if it’s chilled, that’d be even better.”

At home, she usually didn’t get to enjoy these little treats because Qin Mohuai was strict, afraid she’d get sick from cold drinks. Though she was weak, it wasn’t to that extreme.

Zhou Su fetched a cold Wong Lo Kat from the fridge, sneaking a glance at Qin Mohuai’s face. He couldn’t tell what Qin was thinking, making him a little nervous. Dealing with big shots like this was exhausting.

Xia Yuan sat beside Qin Mohuai, sipping the cold drink, enjoying it so much that she lightly tapped her shoes on the floor.

Qin Mohuai’s deep, phoenix-like eyes couldn’t tear themselves away from her.

Xia Yuan: sip, sip, enjoying her drink.

Qin Mohuai: My wife is teasing me.

Xia Yuan: This drink is so good, I’m tapping my feet.

Qin Mohuai: She’s teasing me again!

He slightly regretted dressing her up so beautifully before going out.

Xia Yuan’s slender, straight legs were wrapped in shimmering black stockings, her soft skin visible through the sheer material. Her black high heels clung delicately to her feet, their thin stiletto heels tapping the ground, occasionally revealing a hint of red sole, looking so alluring that he felt like bending down just to take a closer look.

Qin Mohuai’s Adam’s apple bobbed twice. When Zhou Su asked if the tattoo hurt, Qin replied calmly, “It doesn’t hurt, keep going.”

“Wow! Third Brother’s pain tolerance is incredible, just like a former special forces soldier!”

Zhou Su, the younger brother of Zhou Xuan, didn’t do business or run in the same circles as Qin Mohuai, but Qin was his idol.

Xia Yuan glanced curiously at Qin Mohuai, intrigued by the comment. Financial magazines exaggeratedly praised him as the ‘King of Commerce,’ yet people close to him still admired his past accomplishments.

It seemed Qin Mohuai really had been an impressive special forces soldier, at least once upon a time.

After an hour, the tattoo was done, and Zhou Su gave some aftercare advice.

“If it fades, you can come back in a month to touch it up. I’m confident in my skills, though, so you probably won’t need it.”

“Thank you.”

While they chatted, Xia Yuan finished her milk and tossed the empty bottle into the trash. As they got into the car, she let out a small burp.

Then another one.

It seemed like she was hiccuping.

Qin Mohuai sighed softly, extending his clean, slender right hand to gently pat her back.

“What’s the rush? I let you drink it. I’m not going to take it back.”

“Just in case,” Xia Yuan murmured.

“You’re being a bit unreasonable, babe.”

“You’re the one who’s unreasonable!”

Qin Mohuai pressed his thin lips against her soft, pale ear, his voice low and sultry, “If I were truly unreasonable, I’d clear out the tattoo shop and take care of you right here.”

“Pervert!” Xia Yuan’s cheeks flushed slightly, and she softly scolded him.

He was a hypocrite, pretending to be noble and once telling her, ‘I want you to wear the crown and be my princess.’ But which princess has it this rough?

She’d give orders, and he’d pretend to listen but do whatever he wanted. When she kicked at him, he’d scoop her legs right into his arms.

Where was the respect? The care? All devoured by this sly wolf!

Xia Yuan reached into Qin Mohuai’s suit pocket and, as expected, found a small clay figurine. The palm-sized doll had a blue Sanskrit tattoo behind its ear.

It was something she had once given Qin Mohuai to increase his affection for her.

“This figurine… has bad meaning. Let me give you a new one.”

“Why is it bad?” Qin Mohuai asked. For the past three years, he’d often taken it out to look at it and had never thought it was bad.

“When I gave it to you, it was with the intention of making you love me more. It was a little manipulative.”

“Babe, even if you were calculating, it was full of love. Isn’t that a bit romantic?”

Xia Yuan was starting to get swept up in his words, and the more she thought about it, the more romantic it seemed.

“Looks like I’ve loved you for a long time!”

After tricking another confession out of her, Qin Mohuai kissed her forehead and tucked the clay figurine back into his pocket. “This is a romantic experience that neither of us could ever recreate. It’s one of a kind.”

Xia Yuan nodded, completely forgetting what she was supposed to be mad about.

The driver: “…” He couldn’t help but feel like the old fox was tricking the little bunny.

When they returned to Shenghai Mansion, Butler Wang had already finished setting up for the birthday dinner. They were just waiting for the guests to arrive.

“Woof!”

A large, enthusiastic golden retriever ran up, eagerly circling Qin Mohuai before curiously sniffing around Xia Yuan. It seemed to recognize her and kept rubbing against her.

Xia Yuan patted the dog’s head. “You still remember me, good dog.”

Zhenbao and Xia Yuze walked over, followed by Liang Min and Xia Yi.

After three years, her parents seemed a bit older.

Xia Yuan’s nose tingled with emotion, and she hugged them. Her throat felt choked up, and she could only manage to make whimpering sounds.

Liang Min clung to her long-lost daughter, crying uncontrollably, while Xia Yi remained calm, gently wiping their tears.

Xia Yi’s eyes reddened. “It’s good that you’re back.”

Qin Mohuai watched the scene unfold, his thin lips curling into a sharp smile. Beneath his polished, refined exterior, a sense of possessiveness surfaced—his beloved truly belonged in this world.

Once Liang Min calmed down, she still held Xia Yuan’s hand tightly. “We moved to a new place and kept the biggest, most spacious room for you. You can come stay anytime you want.”

“Liang Bo’s toy factory went bankrupt. He used his house and car to pay off debts, and now he has nowhere to live. If it was just him, I wouldn’t care, but I’m worried about your grandma.”

“I didn’t sell the apartment in Jinqiu District. I let your grandma and Liang Bo live there, and every three months, he pays me rent based on the market rate.”

“I’ve done all I can for them. If they try to contact you, just ignore them or let me know.”

Xia Yuan obediently nodded. Her mother bringing this up right away meant the family must’ve been bothering her a lot.

“Mom, I can ask Qin Mohuai to get rid of Liang Bo. You don’t owe him anything, and you shouldn’t have to be bothered by him anymore.”

Liang Min thought for a moment. “Liang Bo is a broke, pride-less dog right now. If we throw him out, he’ll just crawl back. Instead of letting him cause trouble behind the scenes, it’s better to keep an eye on him.”

Xia Yuan nodded, respecting her mother’s decision.

Her mom couldn’t let go of her grandma, and her grandma couldn’t let go of Liang Bo. Every family has its difficult issues.

Qin Mohuai interjected, “Mom, I need to take Yuan to change for the party now.”