My Jealous and Beautiful Villainous Wife (ABO) - Chapter 48

They were at Si An’s favorite Chinese restaurant, and the meal proceeded as quietly as usual. Perhaps because both were preoccupied with their own thoughts, neither felt much inclination to talk.

Long Xiao glanced at Si An several times, hesitating to speak, but ultimately said nothing. Si An noticed this, and a flicker of irritation sparked within him.

Those icy blue eyes met his, lifting their lids. If you have something to say, just say it.

Long Xiao met Si An’s gaze. They sat across from each other, the distance between them slightly too far, the overhead lights too bright, illuminating every detail of the Omega’s features.

Long Xiao blinked. I want your photo. I want to hold you.

After all this time together, they had only held hands once, and even then, Si An had been wearing gloves.

Long Xiao’s eyes darkened slightly as he looked at Si An, his expression seeming both empty and overflowing with affection.

Si An felt a burning sensation from Long Xiao’s gaze and averted his eyes. The Alpha’s restraint truly exceeded his expectations. Throughout their interactions, Long Xiao had always been the epitome of a gentleman, never once overstepping boundaries.

Omega didn’t hesitate for long. It was true, though somewhat embarrassing.

But thinking about it, the Alpha would definitely need his photo during his Heat.

Long Xiao would miss him terribly, to the point of unbearable longing.

With this thought, Si An lowered his gaze, picked up his phone from the table, and sent Long Xiao a photo.

It was a casual snapshot taken in summer. The Omega wore a simple white V-neck T-shirt, its loose fit allowing him to casually roll up the sleeves.

He was sitting at an easel in the garden, as if someone had called his name. His icy blue eyes, tinged with curiosity, turned to meet the camera.

This was one of Si An’s recent photos. He rarely took selfies, usually appearing only in business publications, impeccably dressed in suits.

The afternoon sunlight in the photo was perfect, casting a radiant glow on the Omega’s hair, making it seem to shimmer. Even his eyes seemed to hold the light within them.

Being with his family had relaxed his expression, softening the lines of his face.

Si An watched Long Xiao across the table, his head bent over his phone. With a slight lowering of his gaze, he added casually, My mother took it a few months ago.

This is the only one. The others are from much earlier.

It was a rare explanation. Long Xiao’s gaze softened as he looked at his phone, and he smiled.

This is perfect.

It’s enough.

His deep voice carried a hint of contentment, his words soft and low.

Si An pressed his lips together, studying Long Xiao. He wouldn’t see the Alpha for the next seven days, and truth be told, he would miss him.

Not to the point of constant longing, but the sudden absence of someone so ever-present would naturally feel strange to anyone.

He had already given the photo. As for the hug…

Si An lifted his water glass and took a small sip, delaying his answer.

But Long Xiao didn’t mind. Whatever happened, he was already satisfied.

He long-pressed the photo to save it, already planning to print it out later.

The brief yet seemingly endless seven days loomed ahead, filling his heart with a heavy, bittersweet ache.

A strand of silver-white hair slipped across his cheek, the downward tilt of his head and lowered gaze adding a touch of melancholy to his features.

The usually proud and fiercely assertive Alpha suddenly revealed a seemingly vulnerable side, leaving one to stare in wide-eyed surprise.

Si An was no different. He watched Long Xiao, utterly convinced that if he weren’t present, the Alpha might have even teared up in sorrow.

Though he knew his thoughts were bordering on madness, he found it impossible to suppress them.

Si An’s jaw clenched slightly. He set down his water glass, his slender, bony fingers picking up chopsticks to take a bite of the spiciest dish.

He lowered his head to eat, concealing the momentary loss of composure in his eyes.

Long Xiao put away his phone. The living, breathing Si An before him was far more captivating than any photo.

Yet the thought of not seeing Si An for an entire week shattered Long Xiao’s heart into pieces.

He wasn’t the sentimental, tearful type of dragon, but as the saying goes, A man doesn’t shed tears easily, unless his heart is truly broken.

Long Xiao looked up at Si An, who was gulping water to soothe the burning sensation. Regaining his composure, he pressed the service bell to summon a waiter.

Hello, please bring two glasses of iced milk.

Si An set down his drained water glass and elegantly wiped his mouth with a napkin.

Seeing the Alpha had returned to his usual composure, he couldn’t help but breathe a sigh of relief.

Si An didn’t comment on Long Xiao’s actions, tacitly accepting them as he brought the glass of iced milk to his lips.

He had been distracted while picking up food earlier and accidentally grabbed a chili pepper, which turned out to be far too spicy.

Long Xiao’s gaze lingered for a moment on the slight redness at the corners of Si An’s eyes before he deliberately looked away.

Are you alright?

The Omega set down his glass and nodded briefly. I’m fine, he replied tersely.

After finishing their meal, the two barely exchanged a word, silently getting into the car.

Si An felt a bit lightheaded and drowsy after eating. Wrapped in a soft blanket and seated on a plush cushion, he found himself drifting off despite the discomfort compared to his bed at home.

Yet his mind remained preoccupied with what had just happened, preventing him from fully relaxing into sleep.

Long Xiao acted as usual, maintaining his characteristic calm and taciturn demeanor. He would never disturb Si An if he was resting.

The drive was slow even at 9 PM, it was still rush hour in this area. However, the car’s soundproofing was decent, keeping the noise to a minimum and creating a quiet, peaceful atmosphere.

How long do dragons live?

It was Si An, his clear, gentle voice tinged with drowsiness, as if asking casually.

Long Xiao lowered his voice to match, his deep, warm tone softening. Several hundred to several thousand years, depending on individual differences.

As for me, I’d estimate my lifespan to be several thousand years.

Si An blinked slowly, his cold eyes half-hidden. That’s an excessively long life.

Sometimes living too long isn’t a blessing. So many partings, so much sorrow.

Long Xiao hummed in agreement. Mm, which is why I want to share half of it with you.

Si An fell silent, his mouth closing soundlessly.

Seeing Si An had no further words, Long Xiao didn’t speak again either.

The ice-blue sports car glided to a stop, its sleek body gleaming under the light.

Long Xiao stepped out and walked around to Si An’s side, opening the door for the Omega. He acted like a considerate and doting husband, attentive to his wife’s needs.

Thank you, Si An murmured, stepping out of the car in his pristine white leather shoes. He didn’t linger, heading straight for the elevator.

He pressed the elevator button first, then turned to watch the Alpha approach, carrying a massive bouquet of 199 roses.

The roses were enormous, but Long Xiao held them effortlessly. His left hand had partially transformed into a dragon’s claw, retaining the shape of five fingers but now encased in scales and nearly twice its original size. He gripped the bouquet with a single hand.

The sleeve of his left arm was rolled up twice, revealing his wrist and a portion of his forearm. The scales vanished beneath the fabric, their material indescribable, like a perpetual meteor shower cascading across their surface.

Compared to the roses, the constantly shimmering scales were far more dazzling.

Si An glanced at them briefly before calmly averting his gaze. He’d seen them so often that he’d grown accustomed to the sight.

Just as the Alpha reached him, the elevator arrived. They stepped inside together, and Si An pressed the button for their floor.

What’s today’s gift?

A lumbar pillow. I made it myself.

Si An nodded. …It’s better than the last one.

I think so too.