Under His Rule ✔

Chapter 29 POV Vincent

After work, I drive to Elsie's house to pick her up. Elsie has a package from overseas with her apartment address on it, and she needs to go there to pick it up. After picking up the package at the delivery point, she also goes upstairs to get some ceramic craft books she needs.

In the past month, Elsie hasn't slept a day in her own apartment, and there's a thin layer of dust accumulating in the room. It's my first time entering her second bedroom, which she claims to use as a study, but looking at the stacked corrugated paper boxes, it looks more like a warehouse.

Elsie flips through the boxes, and dust fills the air. I open the window for ventilation. "What are you looking for? I can help you."

"No need, I know where my things are placed."

She asks me to look around while she waits. The room has a desk and bookshelves, originally intended to be a proper study, but it's clear that Miss Elsie now lives, works, and entertains herself at the dining table.

I glance around and my eyes fall on the shelf against the wall. There's a white gift bag on it that looks familiar. I walk over and take it down. Indeed.

"Can I take this?" I ask.

Elsie looks up, "No. This is the gift I wanted to give you on the first snowy day last year, but you weren't worth it."

"It was originally meant for me. Should it just sit here and gather dust?"

"Even if it gathers dust, I won't give it to you."

"How can I get it then?"

"Make me happy." Elsie continues searching through the paper boxes with a determined tone.

I walk up to her. "Can I sincerely apologize to you? Back then, I was a jerk, and I should have clarified my feelings for you sooner."

"...Not sincere enough."

I lower my head and reach for her hand. "...I was wrong. You're the most beautiful and kind goddess in the universe. Don't hold it against me."

Elsie softly mentions that her hands are dusty.

I remain silent, only pulling her into my arms.

She whispers, seemingly unable to let go, "I even made a cake for you that day, with my own hands."

"I was wrong, truly wrong."

I bow my head to kiss her.

In the end, I leave Elsie's apartment with a stack of books and the gift bag. Back home, we have dinner, and then Elsie goes to take a shower. Amidst the sound of water in the bathroom, I lean against the sofa arm, opening the confession gift that was lost and found.

Elsie's slippers approach, and she sits beside me, drying her hair with a towel.

"Is this a bottle from the Hongwu period?"

Elsie hums in agreement.

"Hongwu-era bottles are relatively heavy, thinner than similar products from the Yuan Dynasty, and come in earthy yellow or gray-white colors, with a smooth texture."

I try to please her, "Since I'm a ceramic artist's boyfriend, I'm half a ceramic expert, right?"

Elsie is still upset; she leans over and bites my left cheek hard.

I turn to look at her.

After a few seconds.

"It doesn't hurt."

I adjust my position, offering my right cheek to her.

She falls to the ground, unable to control her laughter. "Vincent, you weren't like this before."