°•Blooming Hearts•°
°•Quiet Love¹•°
°•Chapter 1: Silence Between the Lines•°
Zoey had always believed that love would come wrapped in grand gestures and stolen glances—like in the romance novels tucked beneath her pillow or the films she watched under the comfort of soft blankets and rainy nights. But real life had other plans.
Marriage, for her, had not begun with love. It began with a signature on an agreement between two families, a shy smile exchanged across a crowded living room, and the silent nod of acceptance to a man named Li Yunrui.
Yunrui—tall, quietly poised, and reserved. He wasn’t cold, no, but he wasn’t warm either. He lived in the in-between. He was polite, responsible, and gentle in his own withdrawn way. He didn’t speak much, and when he did, his words were measured and practical, like he weighed each syllable before offering it.
The first few weeks were formal. Zoey often spoke into the quietness, trying to fill their home with stories about her childhood, her love for baking, and her passion for painting.
Yunrui listened, occasionally offering a comment that was so precise and observant that it startled her. It wasn’t that he didn’t pay attention. He did. He just didn’t know how to show it.
By the end of the first month, something changed.
She noticed it in small things—the way he always filled her water bottle and placed it by the bed without a word. How he made sure her favourite snacks never ran out in the kitchen, even if he never asked. When she worked late into the night on her online art commissions, he'd quietly place a warm cup of tea beside her. No questions, no comments, just... there.
Those gestures, quiet and unnoticed by most, slowly became loud to Zoey.
He never said he cared. But she saw it in the way he unplugged the iron she always forgot. The way he closed the window when it got too cold in the evenings. The way he made sure the hallway lights were on when she got up for water at night.
And just like that, she fell.
It wasn’t sudden. It was like slowly waking up to the sun after a night of dreams. It crept into her heart gently and made a home there.
Six months passed. And she was in love with her husband.
The problem? He didn’t know.
She tried to bridge the gap with words, touches, and smiles. Sometimes, he returned them with a small nod, sometimes with silence, and once or twice, with a look that made her breath hitch—but that was it. No declarations. No confessions.
It wasn’t enough. Not for someone like Zoey, who longed to be relied upon. Who wanted to be someone Yunrui could lean on, not just share a roof with.
But she waited, hopeful, patient because that was what love was—believing, even in silence.
The rain hit the windows that evening with a gentle rhythm. The apartment was unusually still.
Yunrui stepped into the living room, hanging his coat by the door. The lights were dim, and there was no smell of dinner, no soft music playing from Zoey's little speaker, no movement from the kitchen.
Li Yunrui
“Zoey?” (he called softly, walking in, getting no answer.)
A small frown creased his brow. He removed his shoes, setting them neatly by the door, and walked toward the bedroom.
He paused at the door.
There, bundled under the blanket, was Zoey—curled into herself, hair spread over the pillow in a messy halo, one arm draped over her stomach.
Her face was pale, lips slightly parted as she breathed through her mouth, damp strands of hair clinging to her forehead.
Li Yunrui
“Zoey,” (he murmured, crouching beside her.)
She stirred, blinking at him slowly. Her voice was barely a whisper.
Li Yunrui
“I’m here,” (he said softly)
Li Yunrui
“What happened?”
Li Ziyi (Zoey)
“I dont know, maybe a fever,” (she whispered)
Li Ziyi (Zoey)
“And... my stomach hurts a lot because of this... um, period.” (says a little bashfully)
Yunrui straightened immediately, eyes scanning her like she was made of glass. Fever. Cramps. No dinner. No energy.
Without a word, he moved to the kitchen, filled a glass of water, returned, and helped her sit up. Zoey winced at the effort but leaned against him.
Li Yunrui
“You didn’t call,” (he said, voice quiet)
Li Ziyi (Zoey)
“You were working,” (she murmured, head resting on his shoulder).
“Didn’t want to disturb you…”
His jaw clenched. He hated that. That she thought she couldn’t ask. That she was hurting and didn’t feel she could rely on him.
He helped her lie down gently and disappeared again. When he returned, he had a wet cloth and medicine. He placed the cloth on her forehead, hands gentle, then handed her the pills.
Li Ziyi (Zoey)
(Smiles faintly) “You’re good at this.”
Li Yunrui
“I googled it,” (he said simply)
Despite everything, a soft laugh escaped her.
Li Ziyi (Zoey)
“Of course you did.”
Yunrui stood awkwardly beside the bed, unsure what to do next. Zoey noticed the hesitation.
Li Ziyi (Zoey)
“You can sit,” (she offered, patting the edge of the bed.)
They sat in silence for a moment. Then, she spoke, her voice fragile.
Li Ziyi (Zoey)
“Yun… sometimes I feel like I don’t know what’s in your heart.”
Li Yunrui
(He looked at her, startled) “What do you mean?”
Li Ziyi (Zoey)
“I mean… you care. I see it. I feel it. But you never say it. And I don’t want to be the only one falling.”
Yunrui was quiet, as he didn't know what to say at the moment, feeling conflicted.
Li Ziyi (Zoey)
(She sighed)
“I know this was an arranged marriage. I know we’re learning each other. But sometimes, I just… wish you’d let me in.”
Li Yunrui
(He stared at the floor, jaw clenching)
“It’s not easy for me.”
Li Ziyi (Zoey)
“I know,” (she said gently)
Li Ziyi (Zoey)
“But I want to be someone you can talk to. Someone you trust.”
Li Yunrui
(Then, softly, barely audible, he said,)
“I do trust you.”
Zoey’s eyes widened, hearing him let out his emotions for the first time.
Li Yunrui
“I’ve just… always kept things in. Feelings. Thoughts. I never knew how to say them. But I notice you, Zoey. Every day. Your laugh. The way you hum when you’re painting. How you always burn toast but try again anyway. I notice everything.”
Zoey's heart beat fastened as she heard him speak.
Li Yunrui
“I never said anything because I thought maybe you deserved someone more... open. Someone who can tell you everything you want to hear. But I’m trying. I’ve been trying.”
Zoey reached for his hand, and to her surprise, he didn’t pull away.
Li Ziyi (Zoey)
“I don’t need grand speeches,” (speaks softly)
Li Ziyi (Zoey)
“Just... moments like this.”
Yunrui looked at their hands, then at her, feeling the moments in himself.
Li Yunrui
“I’ll get better at this.” (says while gently rubbing his thumb over her knuckles)
Li Ziyi (Zoey)
“I know,” (she whispered)
Outside, the rain softened. And in that small, quiet bedroom, something shifted—like a door cracked open between two hearts.
Author
It might be boring, but that's what I am writing for the start😗 Ignore the mistakes, if any😅
Author
Again, the characters I use have nothing to do with real-life people's, so yeah, don't jinx it up
Author
ThankYou for reading😄
°•Quiet Love²•°
°•Chapter 2: What the Silence Holds•°
Zoey stirred from sleep with the slow haze that comes after fever and exhaustion, her limbs still heavy under the blanket, not knowing how long has she been sleeping in. She blinked up at the ceiling, momentarily disoriented by the dimness of the room and the faint scent of something—was that… ginger?
She sat up slightly and winced. Her stomach ached in waves, dull and stubborn. But something was different. The cloth that had been cooling her forehead was now folded neatly on the side table, and the medicine packet had been moved.
Then she heard it.
The soft clink of porcelain.
The sound was coming from the kitchen.
Zoey blinked again, confusion narrowing her brows until it dawned on her—Yunrui was still home.
She glanced at the clock. 9:27 p.m. He’d been home for over an hour. And from the smell wafting into the bedroom, he was making… soup?
Before she could overthink it—before her shyness made her hesitate—she quietly slipped out of bed, dragging her blanket around her shoulders like a shawl. She padded out into the living room.
There he was.
Yunrui stood in the kitchen, back facing her, sleeves rolled up, his broad frame moving carefully between the stove and the counter. A pot simmered gently on the stove, and he stirred it, testing the taste with a small spoon. Zoey watched as he frowned slightly, reached for a pinch of salt, and added it.
It was the most unexpected image—and the most beautiful.
She bit her lip and stepped forward.
Li Ziyi (Zoey)
“Yun?” (calls out softly)
Li Yunrui
(He turned, a little startled, he frowned)
“You should be in bed.”
Li Ziyi (Zoey)
“I... smelled ginger,” (she said, shyly, her voice quiet.)
Li Ziyi (Zoey)
“Is that for me?”
Yunrui's expression softened, and he nodded once.
Li Yunrui
“Ginger and rice soup. It helps with nausea. I looked it up.”
Li Ziyi (Zoey)
(A blush crept to her cheeks.)
“You... looked up more?”
Li Yunrui
(He shrugged, turning back to the stove)
“Had to learn something useful.”
There it was again—that odd, fluttery warmth in her chest. Yunrui didn’t say the sweet things. But he did the sweet things. And this? This was more than words.
Li Ziyi (Zoey)
(She stepped into the kitchen, watching him)
“Do you need help?”
Li Yunrui
“You should sit.”
Li Ziyi (Zoey)
“I want to stand. Just for a bit.” (clutches on the blanket bashfully)
Yunrui didn’t argue, but she noticed the glance he gave her—brief, assessing. Protective.
Yunrui poured the soup into a bowl and gestured toward the couch. She hesitated for a moment, her fingers tightening around the blanket.
Li Yunrui
(Noticing, he asked softly)
“Want me to bring it to the bed instead?”
Li Ziyi (Zoey)
(She bit her lip)
“No. I like being near you right now.”
The words slipped out before she could stop them, and once they hung in the air, she immediately looked away, her cheeks flushing.
Yunrui paused.
Then he nodded, quietly, and walked with her towards the couch, setting the bowl on the table and adjusting the cushions without a word. Once she was settled, he handed her the soup and sat beside her—closer than usual.
Li Ziyi (Zoey)
“I’m sorry,” (she said softly, spooning a bit of the warm broth.)
Li Ziyi (Zoey)
“For not telling you earlier. About the fever. I didn’t want to bother you.”
Li Yunrui
“You’re never a bother,” (he replied without hesitation).
She looked up at him. Feeling a little overwhelmed with the way his care and affection have been giving out how he means what he is saying.
Li Yunrui
“I know I’m not good at saying things,” (he continued)
“But if something’s wrong—if you’re not okay—I want to know. I want to be there.”
Li Ziyi (Zoey)
(Her chest tightened)
“That means a lot.”
Yunrui shifted a little, resting one arm on the back of the couch, his hand just behind her head. She could feel the warmth of his skin through the blanket. And somehow, just that was enough to make her heart skip.
They sat in silence as she ate, but it wasn’t empty. It was the kind of quiet that wrapped around them like a soft sweater.
Halfway through the bowl, Zoey set it down.
Li Ziyi (Zoey)
“I meant what I said last night. I want to be someone you can rely on. Not just the girl you married because our parents wanted it.”
He didn’t answer right away.
Then, after a long pause, he said softly-
Li Yunrui
“You’re not just that.”
She turned to look at him.
He was staring at the floor again, voice low, contemplating his words.
Li Yunrui
“I didn’t know what to expect from this marriage. I’ve never been good at... people. But you made it easy. Even when I didn’t say anything. You kept showing up. Talking. Smiling. Being kind.”
Her throat tightened at this as she looked at him softly with love as he continued to speak.
Li Yunrui
“I thought maybe if I stayed quiet, you’d give up on trying. But you didn’t. And somewhere along the way, it stopped feeling like an arrangement.”
Li Ziyi (Zoey)
(She swallowed hard. Her voice was small.)
“What does it feel like now?”
Yunrui looked at her then—really looked—and for the first time, she saw it. The storm of emotions behind those calm eyes. Fear. Hope. Something tender and unfinished.
Li Yunrui
“Like home,” (he said softly.)
Li Ziyi (Zoey)
(The blanket slipped off her shoulder, but she barely noticed. Her hands were trembling a little.)
“You really mean that?”
Yunrui nodded.
It wasn’t grand. It wasn’t loud. But for Zoey, it was enough to steal the breath from her lungs. She looked down, hiding the smile growing on her lips.
Li Ziyi (Zoey)
“I don’t know what to do when you say things like that.”
Li Yunrui
“You don’t have to do anything,”
She nodded, still unable to look up. Her fingers reached out—just a little—and brushed his hand. And to her surprise, he took it.
Not tightly. Not dramatically. Just his fingers, folding over hers like it had always been meant to be that way.
Li Ziyi (Zoey)
“I wanted to ask you something,” (she said after a while, still holding on).
Li Ziyi (Zoey)
“When did it start for you? The feelings, I mean?” (says shyly looking down at her lap)
Yunrui's lips quirked slightly, barely a smile, but it reached his eyes.
Li Yunrui
“There was this one night,” (he began)
“About a month after the wedding. You were baking cookies and burned the first two batches. You were frustrated, but you still smiled. You scraped off the burnt parts and tried again. And I remember thinking... she doesn’t give up easily.”
Li Ziyi (Zoey)
(She blinked, then laughed.)
“That was such a mess. I was so embarrassed.”
Li Yunrui
“I thought it was the most endearing thing I’d ever seen,” (he admitted, and her cheeks flushed all over again.)
Li Ziyi (Zoey)
“Why didn’t you tell me back then?”
(she asked, her voice barely a whisper)
Li Yunrui
“I was scared,” (he said simply, eyes cast down)
Li Yunrui
“Of ruining it. Of not being enough.”
Li Ziyi (Zoey)
(Her thumb gently brushed over his knuckles.)
“You’re more than enough.”
Silence fell again. But this time, it was filled with the kind of quiet that spoke louder than anything else.
Eventually, Yunrui helped her back to bed, placing a heating pad at her side and making sure the room was warm enough. Zoey watched him move with a soft smile. As he turned to leave, she reached for his sleeve.
Li Ziyi (Zoey)
“Will you stay? Just for a bit?” (asks with her cheeks flushed)
He hesitated only a second. Then, without a word, he slipped under the blanket beside her.
They lay there, not touching at first. Then Zoey, a little shy but brave, rested her head gently against his shoulder.
He didn’t flinch. Instead, he shifted slightly to make her more comfortable.
The light from the bedside lamp cast a warm glow around the room, and Zoey closed her eyes, her hand curled lightly against his chest. She felt him breathe in. Felt his arm slowly wrap around her waist. Felt her entire body relax into his.
And then, in the hush between seconds, she heard him whisper softly.
She froze.
Not because she didn’t want to hear it. But because it had come so softly, so unexpectedly, she wasn’t sure she hadn’t imagined it.
She looked up at him, eyes wide.
His gaze met hers, open and vulnerable for the first time.
Li Yunrui
“You don’t have to say it back,” (he said, almost too quickly)
Li Ziyi (Zoey)
“I love you too,” (she blurted out, cheeks flaming, voice almost panicked)
Li Ziyi (Zoey)
“I was waiting. I mean— I didn’t know if you ever would— I thought maybe—”
He kissed her.
It was gentle, hesitant, and a question more than a statement. But it melted every ounce of uncertainty in her.
When he pulled back, her smile was shy and radiant.
Li Ziyi (Zoey)
“Took you long enough.”
Li Yunrui
(His thumb brushed her cheek.)
“You’re worth the wait.” (pecks her lips)
That night, sleep came easily. Tucked into each other’s warmth, words unspoken now resting between them like promises.
And though their love story had begun quietly, in the silence of arrangements and gestures too small to name—what came after was loud in all the right ways.
Author
Ignore the mistakes🫣
The way I am writing this at work is just out of my mind, because it's not allowed to use much phone but you see, I couldn't help it, so yeah, it's not proofread too🥲
Author
ThankYou for reading😄
°•Quiet Love³•°
°•Bonus Chapter: In the Quiet of Everyday•°
Morning sunlight filtered through the sheer curtains in lazy golden slants, touching the corners of the apartment with a gentle glow. Zoey stood by the kitchen counter, hair twisted into a loose bun, wearing one of Yunrui’s oversized button-up shirts and humming softly to herself as she stirred milk into her coffee.
The apartment had fallen into a rhythm over the last two months—a soft, unspoken cadence that belonged solely to the two of them. Since the night Yunrui had told her he loved her, something had shifted, like gravity had slightly realigned, pulling them closer in a thousand tiny ways.
There were still few words between them—but now there were touches. Looks. Smiles that lingered a bit too long. And kisses—shy, clumsy, heart-stealing kisses that made Zoey’s stomach flutter and Yunrui go adorably still, like his entire world had been momentarily paused.
She took a sip of her coffee, still warm, and padded softly to the living room. Yunrui sat on the couch in his weekend sweats, reading glasses perched on his nose—an image that, in Zoey’s mind, deserved to be framed. His brow furrowed slightly as he scrolled through something on his tablet. He was always like this in the mornings: quiet, focused, cozy in his stillness.
She leaned against the doorframe and just watched him for a moment.
Then, quietly, she walked over and sat beside him, tucking her legs under herself. He glanced up and gave her a soft nod, lips quirking.
Li Ziyi (Zoey)
“Morning,” (she echoed, sipping again.)
Then, without much thought, she leaned forward and kissed his cheek.
Yunrui blinked.
His ears turned pink immediately.
Zoey tried—really tried—not to smile too hard, but the way he froze for a fraction of a second, the way his hand subtly moved to where she’d kissed him, like he was saving the feeling, made her heart bloom.
Li Ziyi (Zoey)
“You always do that,”
(she teased gently, her voice quiet.)
Li Ziyi (Zoey)
“Blush like a schoolboy.”
Li Yunrui
“I don’t blush,”
(he murmured, adjusting his glasses to hide behind them.)
Li Ziyi (Zoey)
“You do,”
(she said, turning slightly and poking his side).
Li Ziyi (Zoey)
“And it’s very cute.”
(she grinned mischievously)
He gave her a long-suffering look but couldn’t hide the upward curve of his lips.
Li Yunrui
“If I’m cute, then what does that make you?”
Zoey hesitated. Then she blinked, caught off-guard by the question—and her own sudden bashfulness.
Li Ziyi (Zoey)
“Uh… still cute?” (she offered, playing with her coffee mug.)
Yunrui leaned closer, his voice low. As he brushed his finger slightly on her cheeks, giving a feathery feeling, making her heart race as she blinked at him innocently.
Her face immediately turned red, not expecting such comebacks.
Li Yunrui
“There it is,”
(he said, amused, brushing his knuckles under her chin).
Li Yunrui
“Shy Zoey.” (smirks)
Li Ziyi (Zoey)
(Burying her face in his arm, feeling shy, she murmured)
“You don’t get to use that against me.”
Li Yunrui
“I’m just saying,”
(he said, pretending to examine the tablet again).
Li Yunrui
“It’s good to know I’m not the only one who turns red over compliments.” (smiles cheekily at her)
She narrowed her eyes playfully and set her coffee down. Then, with sudden determination, she shifted forward, cupped his face in both hands, and kissed him on the lips.
It was quick. A soft, unexpected press of affection. She pulled back with a grin, expecting his usual stunned silence. But this time, Yunrui’s hand reached up to gently cup the back of her head, guiding her back in.
The second kiss was slower. More certain. When they parted, both breathless, Zoey blinked.
Li Ziyi (Zoey)
“I… didn’t expect that,” (she whispered)
Li Yunrui
(He looked down at her with the gentlest smile.)
“Neither did I.”
Yunrui wasn’t a man of many words, but over the following days, Zoey began to notice that he was trying in his own way. Little gestures had become more obvious, more intentional.
One morning, she opened the closet to find a new cardigan in her favourite colour draped neatly over a hanger with a small sticky note:
••“You said you liked this shade when we passed that boutique. I remembered.” — Y••
She clutched it to her chest like it was made of gold, her heart pulsating more as she blushed hard.
Later that day, when Yunrui returned from work and set his keys on the table, she flew into the hallway to hug him before he could even take his shoes off.
Li Ziyi (Zoey)
“Thank you for the cardigan,”
(she mumbled into his chest).
Li Ziyi (Zoey)
“You remembered.”
Li Yunrui
(His arms wrapped around her slowly, almost bashfully)
“You looked cold last week. I thought… maybe you’d like it."”
She pulled back, stood on her toes, and kissed him on the cheek again.
He blushed. Again.
It became a sort of game.
Zoey, shy but bold in the sweetest ways, would kiss him when he least expected it—while he was brushing his teeth, reading the paper, folding laundry. And each time, Yunrui would freeze for a second like his brain short-circuited, then shake his head, muttering,
Li Yunrui
“You’re dangerous.”
She wore the title like a badge of honor. But there were moments too, quiet ones, where Zoey’s own shyness peeked through.
One evening, they were lying on the couch, her head on Yunrui’s chest, his hand idly stroking her arm. A rom-com played softly on the TV, but neither of them was really watching.
Li Ziyi (Zoey)
“Yun?” (she whispered)
Li Ziyi (Zoey)
“If I… if I ever say too much, or if I get too clingy—just tell me, okay? I know I’m a lot sometimes.”
Li Yunrui
(He blinked down at her)
“Zoey.”
She peeked up at him, eyes wide and uncertain. He took her hand and brought it to his lips, pressing a soft kiss against her knuckles.
Li Yunrui
“You’re not too much,”
(said softly)
Li Yunrui
“I like the way you love. It’s just new to me.”
Li Ziyi (Zoey)
(She flushed and turned her face into his chest)
“You’re going to make me cry.”
Li Yunrui
“Then I’m doing it right.”
There were other moments too—ones that made Zoey’s heart ache with affection.
Like the time she caught Yunrui quietly rearranging the spice shelf because she always struggled to find the cinnamon. Or the way he started keeping a notebook tucked into his drawer.
She peeked once and saw it filled with notes:
📝“Zoey likes lavender tea,”
📝“Always cold after 9 p.m.,”
📝“Watches the moon when she’s stressed.”
She cried in the shower that night. Happy tears. That's weird?! But that's how Zoey had her heart filled tears come out.
One rainy afternoon, she was painting in the sunroom, brush strokes slow and thoughtful. Yunrui came in holding a steaming mug of chamomile.
Li Yunrui
“For the artist,” (he said simply)
Li Ziyi (Zoey)
(She took it, smiling)
“You always know.”
Li Yunrui
(He lingered around and watched her paint, and then, shyly, he asked,)
“Will you paint something for me?”
Li Ziyi (Zoey)
(She turned, surprised)
“Of course. What do you want?”
Li Yunrui
(He looked at her for a long moment. Then said softly)
“You. Just... you.”
Li Ziyi (Zoey)
(Her cheeks turned crimson, brush slipping from her fingers and onto the floor.)
“Wh-what?”
Li Yunrui
(He smiled, picking it up for her)
“Only if you want.”
Li Ziyi (Zoey)
(She cleared her throat)
“I do. I just... wasn’t expecting it.”
Li Yunrui
“You always paint flowers,” (he said softly)
Li Yunrui
“But you’re the most beautiful being in my world”
It was the most forward thing he’d ever said. And it absolutely wrecked her composure. That night, she painted a portrait—not just of herself, but of the version of her that lived in Yunrui's eyes. Strong. Warm. Softly radiant.
She left it by his bedside the next morning, unsigned. But he knew. And when he kissed her hand before leaving for work, she knew he loved it.
One night, as they sat by the window watching the rain, Zoey leaned into him, sighing.
Li Ziyi (Zoey)
“I used to think I needed someone loud to love me. Someone who'd never stop saying it.”
Yunrui ran his fingers through her hair, listening quietly as he hummed on her speak, to acknowledge his attention on her.
Li Ziyi (Zoey)
“But now,” (she continued, voice small,)
“I think maybe I just needed someone who meant it. Quietly. Every day.”
Li Yunrui
(He kissed the crown of her head)
“I’m still learning,” (he said)
Li Ziyi (Zoey)
(She tilted her head to meet his gaze)
“You’re doing beautifully.”
He flushed, as always. But he smiled. And Zoey? Zoey tucked herself into his arms, heart full.
Because sometimes, LOVE didn’t shout. Sometimes, it brewed soup at midnight. Remembered your favorite color. Let its ears burn red when kissed on the cheek. And sometimes, it held you through the quiet, saying everything without a single word.
Author
Ok, it's done(?!), I don't know…. maybe 2 more chapters I'll give, and then maybe I'll try another story if I have time.. I mean, I am currently at work and did the messy edit up there in just 10 mins, as I was in a hurry cause one of the supervisors came in, and I had to hurry back in 🥲
Author
So please don't mind the mistakes and...
ThankYou for reading😄
Author
(ps; this author is one clumsy one even at work😗)
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