Episode 7

Shea stared at the clothing in her hands, having never seen it before. Zayn called it a "daster," but to Shea, the outfit looked strange. Noticing Shea's silence, Zayn assumed she didn’t like it. So, he picked up another dress.

"Grandma only has this kind of dress, there aren’t any other clothes. I'm sorry, the dress might look ugly," Zayn said as he handed another dress to the woman.

Shea shook her head. "No, it’s nice! It’s unique; I’ve never seen anything like it. I’ll wear this one instead. Where’s the bathroom?" Shea decided.

"The bathroom is at the back. Come on," Zayn replied, leading Shea to follow him.

Eventually, they arrived at Zayn's bathroom. It was clear that the bathroom had no door, just a curtain for privacy, and the light was dim. Shea swallowed hard, glancing at Zayn with uncertainty.

"This... is the bathroom?" Shea asked.

"Yes, this is the bathroom. If you just want to change clothes, it’s better to do it in the room; I can close the curtain," Zayn explained.

Shea’s gaze caught sight of a cockroach on the bathroom curtain. She shivered in fear; she was afraid of such small creatures. "Y-yeah, maybe it’s better in the room," Shea concluded.

Zayn nodded and took Shea back to the room, helping her pull the curtain closed. Meanwhile, Zayn sat on a rattan chair in the living room, waiting for Shea. His head was spinning, so he leaned back and closed his eyes, planning to take a short nap, hoping his headache would subside soon.

"Zayn, is this how you wear it?" Shea’s voice asking him made Zayn open his eyes. He turned to see Shea walking toward him.

"Is this right?" Shea asked again, and Zayn was struck dumb by how she looked in the dress.

"Beautiful," Zayn thought.

"Zayn!" Shea exclaimed, annoyed.

"BEAUTIFUL! BEAUTIFUL!" Zayn shouted flustered.

Shea was taken aback, just like Zayn. He immediately covered his mouth and stared at the woman in front of him with flushed cheeks. "I-I meant the dress is beautiful, yes. You can sleep in grandma's room, or in my room. Just know that my room doesn’t have a bed, only a floor mattress. It’s better if you sleep in grandma's room." Zayn explained, his expression nervous.

Shea smiled to herself; her little husband was actually very cute. Look at the way his cheeks were flushed. Shea wanted to tease him, but she also felt shy. "You should sleep in grandma’s room; I’ll sleep in yours," Shea decided.

"No! I’d rather sleep in my room, ma’am. Otherwise, you’ll get sick sleeping in my room," Zayn insisted.

The bed in Grandma Dian’s room was only big enough for one person. Shea felt guilty; she had come to stay over and ended up with a nicer room than Zayn's. Unexpectedly, Shea placed the back of her hand against the nape of Zayn’s neck, then touched his forehead and arm to check his temperature.

"Wh-why?" Zayn asked, feeling nervous.

"Is your head still spinning? You feel warmer; you’re definitely going to have a fever tomorrow," Shea replied.

"It’s just a cold, no need to worry. Ma’am...,"

"Can you speak casually? Ma’am, Ma’am, I-you... am I your boss or what?!" Shea interjected, irritated.

Zayn scratched his neck, which wasn’t itchy, feeling restless at that moment. Seeing Zayn silent, Shea without warning pulled his hand and led him into Grandma Dian’s room. Zayn's eyes widened, and he tried to pull his hand away from Shea, but it was difficult.

"Sleep!" Shea commanded.

"I mean, I won’t let you sleep in my room! The mattress is too thin; you’ll feel sore later!" Zayn exclaimed.

"What’s the issue with us sleeping in the same bed?!" Shea expressed, making Zayn's eyes nearly pop out.

"Wh-what do you mean?!" Zayn stammered, feeling awkward. Especially seeing Shea in that dress, truly, her aura seemed different while wearing it.

"Do I really have to explain again? We’re husband and wife; even if you’re not wearing anything, what’s wrong with that?!" Shea said casually. But Zayn, on the other hand, felt increasingly awkward.

So, the two ended up sleeping in a narrow bed. Only a small bolster separated the married couple. They both lay on their backs, staring at the ceiling. Slowly, Shea turned to look at Zayn, who was beginning to close his eyes, intending to drift off to sleep.

"I have two sons, one is seven and the other is four. They’re good kids, and I hope you can get close to them in the future," Shea said softly, causing Zayn to reconsider his intention to close his eyes.

Zayn turned onto his side, resting his arm under his head for support. His eyes fixed on Shea's beautiful face. "Actually, why did you ask me to marry you? You're a CEO, beautiful, and wealthy. There must be many men lining up to have you. But why did you choose to marry me? A poor man who's now all alone," he asked in a hushed tone.

Shea shook her head. "You’ve met one of my sons, right? His name is Kai, and he’s very selective. In fact, he doesn’t like any man my mother has tried to match with me. But when he saw you... he immediately asked me to make you his daddy. Because my mom pressured me to marry again, and also... because you’re handsome," Shea admitted.

"What if I were ugly? Would you have declined?" Zayn asked, looking puzzled.

"Of course not; I have high standards. Be grateful you’re handsome," Shea replied with her eyes closed.

Noticing the silence returning, Shea opened her eyes again. She looked at Zayn, who had fallen asleep without her noticing. His innocent face while sleeping made her smile faintly. In her eyes, Zayn was not just handsome; he also had a funny side. Just look at him now, even sleeping like this, he resembled a baby.

His long eyelashes, prominent nose, and thin lips added to his handsomeness. Slowly, Shea lifted her hand. She brushed Zayn's cheek, which felt soft. His cheek was warm; perhaps he had a fever from crying all day. It must be devastating to lose the only precious person in his life.

"I don’t even know clearly why I chose you to be my husband without a second thought. I just feel, you’re a good man," Shea thought. Soon after, she too drifted off into her dreams.