“You’re implying that I’m just good with sweet words, aren’t you?” He squinted his eyes dangerously.

She pressed her lips together, laughing silently.

“Tianyu!” He was annoyed, reaching up to her neck as if to pinch her.

She laughed, pulling her neck in and hunching her shoulders to avoid his “fearsome claws,” but her bright eyes suddenly spotted a marble staircase leading up to a church on the hill in the distance.

“That looks like the Spanish Steps! Shall we climb up?” Without waiting for his answer, she broke free from him and dashed ahead.

He watched her graceful figure and smiled, but still pretended to be angry. “Daphne! Don’t think you can escape; you need to explain yourself!”

He caught up to her, but she wouldn’t stop, powering up the steps. Just before reaching the top, she became tired, bending over to support her legs, panting.

He wrapped his arms around her from behind, laughing proudly. “Now I’ve caught you!”

She looked up and smiled, her cheeks flushed from the exercise, adding a touch of delicate beauty. He watched her, feeling a stir in his heart, and suddenly didn’t want to say anything more. He pulled her to sit down on a step.

They sat side by side like regular tourists, watching people come and go, observing an artist who was intently sketching in the sunset glow, and an old couple slowly putting on their reading glasses while criticizing the well-dressed young people around them. They looked at the pink house at the bottom of the steps where the poet Keats had once recuperated, the obelisk reaching toward the sky in the square, and the clock tower flanked symmetrically behind it.

After enjoying the view, they stood up, initially intending to enter the church for a visit, but since it was late, the church had already closed, so they had to leave and stroll down the street.

“Are you hungry? Should we go eat first?” Lu Bochun asked.

“Sure.”

Yin Tianyu agreed, waiting for Lu Bochun to unfold a tourist guide and find a good restaurant nearby. She looked around and noticed a small statue standing at the corner. Curiously, she walked over to take a look, and suddenly, a ragged old woman holding a baby approached her, followed by several little boys who surrounded her.

The old woman babbled, not making sense to her, while one of the boys holding a stack of newspapers gestured to her animatedly.

At first, she didn’t understand what the boy meant, but later realized he was asking her to buy a newspaper. She opened her bag, just about to pull out some money when a large hand suddenly reached over and grabbed her.

Startled, she turned around to find it was Lu Bochun.

“Bochun, wait, I want to buy a newspaper…”

“Buy what newspaper?” He frowned fiercely, using his presence to force the children aside, holding her away from the crowd. “Can you read Italian?”

“They’re selling English newspapers…”

“So what if it’s in English? What time is it? The day is almost over, and you still want to buy a newspaper?”

“Isn’t it okay? It won’t hurt to buy one,” she said.

“You fool!” He suddenly stopped, turned her shoulder around, and scolded her in frustration. “Do you think those gypsies really want to sell you newspapers? They’re trying to take the opportunity to snatch your wallet!”

“I know,” she replied, her clear eyes looking so innocent.

He gasped. “If you know, why are you pulling out money?”

“They need money; I’m not short of cash.” Meaning she wouldn’t mind getting robbed.

“You!” He felt defeated by her.

“Bochun, can we help them out a bit?” She suggested softly. “Just buying a few newspapers; maybe they’ll have something to eat tonight.”

“I’m not buying!” He angrily waved his sleeve.

“You’re so cold-hearted.”

“I am cold-hearted.”

“Come on, let’s buy some, okay?” She cradled his hand like a baby, shaking it playfully. 

His heart wavered.

Is she really naive or just overly kind? He simply had no way to deal with her.

“When a bunch of pickpockets surround you, don’t regret it,” he grumbled, yet still complied with her request, reluctantly walking toward the group of gypsy children.

He never refused her.

Yin Tianyu watched his back.

He always laughed at her for being too soft-hearted, too easily fooled, often saying she was foolish for not recognizing the darker sides of the world, claiming his coldness was the shrewd way to navigate life. Yet, he never turned down her requests that were “kind to the point of being foolish.”

She watched as he pulled out his wallet and took out a hundred-dollar bill, buying all the remaining newspapers.

The children were stunned by his generosity, momentarily forgetting to rob him, staring at him as he held the newspapers while leaving.

She smiled at him.

He raised his hand in exasperation, showing her a stack of newspapers that were impossible to read. “Are you satisfied now?”

She chuckled softly.

“What are you still standing there for? Let’s go!” He held the newspapers and walked ahead.

She followed him, linking her arm with his. “Bochun, am I being stupid for doing this?”

“You know it’s enough,” he replied.

“Then why did you agree to it?”

He shot her a glance, as if annoyed by her question.

Her heart warmed, feeling like a melted cream that became a puddle. She loved him so much!

She tilted her head, resting her cheek against the soft fabric of his sleeve. “Bochun, I really feel so happy.”

Meeting him and marrying him was the greatest happiness of her life.

No matter how many ingredients in this happiness were lies that deceive the senses…

“Why are you suddenly talking about these random things?” He seemed a bit embarrassed, his body stiffening slightly.

She smiled gently. “Let’s go.”

“Where to?”

“To eat! Aren’t you hungry?”

“I am a bit hungry.”

“Let’s go get something to eat,” she whispered softly, her eyes sparkling with imagination. “I want some creamy pasta, pizza, and that little tavern you promised me we’d go to after dinner.”

“But you’re not allowed to drink,” he firmly added.

She was taken aback. “How can we go to a tavern without drinking?”

“You’re not allowed to drink,” he insisted.

“Why not?”

“If you’re going to drink, we’ll drink at the hotel later.”

“Can’t I just have a little?” She didn’t understand why he was forbidding her. “I promise I won’t get drunk.”

“Not even a little.”

“Why not?”

“Because you get red-faced as soon as you drink.”

“So what?”

“It’ll attract flies.” His handsome face was stern.

“What?” She still didn’t understand.

But he kept his lips sealed, refusing to say a word.

“Bochun, what did you just say about flies? I didn’t hear.”

“Bochun, why aren’t you talking? Just now…”

Suddenly, his dominating lips captured the cherry blossom petals that were gently trembling in the breeze, crushing them and swallowing them along with her ambiguous protest.

As dusk deepened, the streetlights carefully sculpted the shadows of the two embracing figures, and a new crescent moon quietly shed its light from the horizon.