Bringing the Nation's Husband Home II

XXIII | s.h.m.i.l.y.

Friends... At first, when they were young, he could only silently be her friend because he was too poor and had low self-esteem. But back then, in his heart, he never wanted to be her friend.

Later, when he found out about her and James's arranged marriage, he thought that they'd never cross paths, or he'd just forget about her. However, when they really drew further and further apart, he realized just how dark those days were for him.

Back then, he had hoped so hard to find a reason to get close to her. Even if they couldn't speak, he was satisfied to be able to see her from afar. But his humble desires never came true, and in the end, they became strangers.

If James hadn't gotten in a car accident, then perhaps the two of them would of continued to live in two straight paths that would never cross the other again.

But now that James woke up, it'll be the end of them...

If in the end she and James got together, he was willing to turn his love into a secret, never to be mentioned. He would be by her side forever, and a friend who never bothered her. When she was sad, he would comfort her. When she had troubles, he would help her. When she was happy, he would sorrowfully wish her well...

With that thought, Alexander blinked and said in a very clear voice to Isabelle on his back, "Weren't we always friends?"

Weren't we always friends?

Those words whirled in Isabelle's mind before she completely understood his meaning. Her cautious heart suddenly fell far back, as though she had taken a chill pill. She then went along with Alexander and gave him an affirmative "mm". Moments later, she added, "Yeah, we were always friends."

They tried their utmost to be with one another in the past... Two people who clearly deeply loved each other... But times change and years go by... Because they had once lost, they didn't dare act rashly. Because they had loved far too deeply, they were even more timid. Even if they could only be friends, that was a gift from the heavens.

Alexander didn't speak. He just piggybacked Isabelle through the pale green lights. As they drew closer to York Garden, they saw that the osmanthus tree in the courtyard had just bloomed.

Isabelle, who was on Alexander's back, could smell the sweet scene of it and her lips couldn't help but slightly curve upwards.

Alexander purposefully slowed his footsteps, as though to immortalize this beautiful moment in time.

When they passed another billboard, Isabelle saw two words "seven years" on a poster. Then she remembered the question she'd wanted to ask Alexander before she received the hospital's call. She then pushed her head out and broke the silence between them.

"Alexander, when you were in the car just now, you told me that you gave me seven birthday presents. Do you still remember what those seven gifts were?"

Every gift he gave her was carefully prepared, how could he not know?

Alexander pretended that he couldn't remember and asked, "What were they?"

Isabelle tilted her head and thought for a moment, then she recounted each and every one of them. "The first year of high school it was a music box."

That music box wasn't expensive. Just a hundred something yuan. It was the first time Alexander had attended her birthday party. When he saw James and Sophia gifting her all sorts of expensive luxury goods, his heart had felt notably defeated.

"The second year of high school was a pretty notebook."

"The third year of high school was a porcelain cup."