The sun began to set, casting a stunning combination of orange and purple glow in the sky. It reflected on the lake, creating an illusion of two parallel worlds about to meet and merge.
Iris stared at the breathtaking view from the large window of the bedroom. She wished she could paint like Ashandra and immortalize the picture on canvas.
Behind her, Jin Liwei admired her breathtaking beauty. She wore a long, white dress that was both flowy and airy. She looked like a fairy…who was about to become a bride. He already stamped this sight of her in his heart and mind, preserving the picture for as long as he lived.
Then she turned around and looked at him. Their eyes met, feeling the connection between them. It felt like there was an invisible rope drawing them closer to each other.
He stretched out a hand in silence. There was no need for words. Her feet started walking towards him, and she accepted his hand.
Maintaining eye contact, Jin Liwei raised and kissed the back of her hand. "My lady."
"Mmm…" Her other hand grabbed the collar of his shirt, pulling him down to her level. She caught his lower lip and sucked hard on it. "My man," she countered after releasing his lip.
The tip of his tongue slowly licked his moist lower lip, faintly tasting her. A slow, sexy smile lifted the corner of his lips. He wanted to dive into her sweet mouth for more but held himself back.
He had an important mission tonight. Remembering it, anxiety flashed in his eyes but he quickly controlled it.
"Shall we?" he asked.
They headed to the farthest wing at the end of the mansion. It was the side that was situated at the edge of a cliff with the most direct view of the great lake. The entire wing was a huge solarium. The roof and the walls were all made of glass pieced together by artful beams. It was a great place to enjoy nature without actually being outside.
They passed through a walkway on a mezzanine over the grand greenhouse where an impressive collection of trees, plants and flowers were planted in a stylish indoor garden.
When they reached the end of the walkway, Iris' breath caught in her throat. Her eyes widened as she looked around the place. It was originally a lounge area but was now transformed into a flower wonderland.
Thousands of white and pink roses on green vines attached from the high ceiling swayed like curtains. Between the curtains was a pathway framed by rows of lavenders and forget-me-nots. In the middle was a red carpet of rose petals lit by candles.
"Liwei…what…"
She didn't know what to say. Did he do all of these for her? What for? Aren't these thousands of flowers too much? It wasn't her birthday yet, nor was it his birthday. She wracked her brain for a special occasion to warrant such an extravagant surprise but came out blank. Her hands tightened on his hand, silently asking him what was going on.
He leaned closer to her and tucked a lock of her hair behind her ear. "Congratulations on your amazing performances at the concert and also on your upcoming companies and album…and all of your other achievements so far. I'm sure you'll achieve more success in the future. I'm so proud of you, baby."
"Oh." So that was the reason for all of these. She smiled. "Thank you, Liwei." Then she looked around again. "This is so beautiful. So this is why you've been so secretive since we were in Munich?"
He didn't reply, only giving her another mysterious smile.
A romantic candlelit dinner table for two was set up in the middle of a heart-shaped formation of more red petals. The glass wall behind showed the beautiful view of the shimmering lake under the evening sky.
Iris' smile widened. Her heart fluttered seeing all the effort Jin Liwei made for her just to congratulate her on her achievements. When she turned to him, he was looking at her, as if memorizing every nuance of her reactions.
"You like it?" His voice was low and sensuous.
"Yes, very much."
"Good."
He led her to the table and pulled a chair for her before taking a seat on the opposite chair. His hand reached over the table and continued to hold her hand, never taking his eyes off of her.
At that moment, a group of people carrying instruments walked to them. It was a four-piece band consisting of guitar, organetto, tambourine and harmonica. They began serenading the couple with Italian love songs.
Iris' eyes lit up, enjoying the folk-style melody and the saccharine lyrics. Although she was just starting to understand and appreciate romance, she now knew why many people would say that Italian was a romantic language.
When the first song ended, she wanted to clap but Jin Liwei was holding one of her hands. She raised an eyebrow at him but his gaze on her never wavered. It made her heart skip a beat. Clearing her throat, she looked at the musicians again.
They bowed in thanks and started playing another song. A waiter in crisp black tuxedo appeared carrying a pitcher of non-alcoholic sangria. Jin Liwei took into account that his baby girl didn't drink alcohol.
The couple enjoyed a full-course Italian dinner. All of the dishes were delicious and artfully presented. They weren't only a feast for the taste buds but also for the eyes. They were all cooked and prepared by a famous Italian chef who flew all the way from Venice.
Iris didn't know but Jin Liwei spent a big amount of time, effort and of course money to persuade the chef. Despite this, the chef was still hesitant. It was only when he used his connection with Maestro De Luca that the chef finally accepted his offer.
After the delightful dinner, the couple chatted for a bit. Jin Liwei kept his tone light, but inside he was barely keeping everything together. His heart was racing and he was sweating under his clothes.
"Are you alright?" Iris asked, noticing his discomfort.
"En." Then he stood up and held up his hand to her. "Come, baby. There's something I want to show you."
She tilted her head to the side. There was more?
"Okay," she said and accepted his hand. "Hm?" She raised an eyebrow when she felt his damp hand. She opened her mouth, about to ask what was wrong with him but stopped when she saw his serious expression.
So she allowed him to lead her to the other end of the hall. Amazement struck her when she discovered that the entire mezzanine was decorated with the seemingly endless roses and other flowers.
Iris became confused. When she looked at Jin Liwei again, she grew concerned because huge drops of sweat were now flowing down his face.
"Liwei, are you ok—"
"Baby," he interrupted her. "I'm going to show you something."
She hesitated before nodding.
He led her to the railing. "Look down."
She did.
What she saw down there shocked her, making her gasp. Her eyes widened and her mouth opened. Then she felt Jin Liwei move beside her.
She turned, becoming even more shocked. Her heart almost jumped out of her throat because of his next actions.
Jin Liwei fell down on one knee in front of her.