Lei Zhao spread the Nuttela over the toast, sliced some strawberries, and put it on top of the toast as if it were cake decorations.

There was joy in how he did it. As if for a moment, he was happily absorbed by a feeling of love that played in his subtle smile and soft gaze.

”Do you want anything else?” Lei Zhao asked, Yan Mei, nodding as she said her answer.

”Coffee.”

”Of course.”

Before giving the toast, he had already gotten the coffee from the coffee maker and served both of them a mug each. Then he brought it over, his and Yan Mei’s.

It is a breakfast that became a part of the rhythm of their lives together. Yan Mei thought at this moment that she would want more moments with Lei Zhao like this, but then her fear suddenly aroused.

”Lei Zhao,” she called out to him, a worried look plastered on her face. “I’m still worried. I’m sorry. What if someday, I’ll continue to ruin your image?”

Lei Zhao sighed, shaking his head in disapproval as he bit his toast, chewing before continuing to speak.

”Yan Mei, how many times must I tell you that my image doesn’t matter?”

Yan Mei looked down on her breakfast platter of toast, “I know you say that, but… I’m worried. You saw the video days ago, right? How could you trust me so much?”

Lei Zhao’s lips turned into a tight line. Lei Zhao felt like no matter what he said, he could not convince Yan Mei to believe him even though he wanted to assure her of his feelings.

Still, Lei Zhao would want to assure her a lot of times–in actions and in words that he meant it because he loves her.

”Yan Mei.” How he said her name was serious. “I saw the video before we even came for the therapy.”

Hearing this, Yan Mei furrowed her brows. If he claims that he watched the video days ago, even before they went to Disneyland, how could he believe in her?

If it were other men, they would continue to doubt her. If she would be in the same situation, would she do the same and not have doubts?

It’s like Lei Zhao’s a saint!

”If you watched it long ago, then why?”

Lei Zhao gave Yan Mei a small smile, “How many times must I tell you, hmm? You struggled so much.”

Yan Mei creased her brows in consternation, “Do you think my past struggles are enough for you to believe that it was not me?”

Hearing this question, Lei Zhao could not help but nod. He believed her in the end even though he had doubts.

”I just believe you,” Lei Zhao said, his words firm. “But what we have to do now is to look for this guy,” he added, Yan Mei, staring straight into his eyes.

”It’s the psycho,” she mumbled, her hands on the table turning into tight fists. “I know that he’s doing this on purpose, but for what?”

Lei Zhao and Yan Mei suddenly turned serious. It was quiet for a while, even leaving their breakfast unattended for a few minutes as they were pulled in their own thoughts.

Yan Mei could not help but feel bad even though Lei Zhao kept comforting her through his words and actions. To her, it was like she did not deserve it.

At the same time, she wanted to get to the bottom of this, too. Knowing that this happened, a lot may happen. People involved in the video, Leng Shao and her, even though they knew that it wasn’t them, would have their images tarnished.

How could they prove their innocence when the video was done so well? How did they pull this off?

Yan Mei sighed, “I’m sorry, Lei Zhao,” she apologized once more, getting his attention. “It makes me feel like you have been forced–falling in love with a monster like me.”

”Yan Mei, stop it,” Lei Zhao retorted, pulling her in an embrace. “How can you call yourself a monster when you claim that you didn’t even do it? You keep apologizing.”

Lei Zhao has a point. With Yan Mei saying that she felt like a monster, it was like she was guilty of doing something that she knew she didn’t even do.

Yan Mei sighed, “I can’t help it. How could I prove my innocence?”

”I already asked my secretary to do an investigation since I saw the video. We have to wait by then. Okay? Also, my mother is doing things on her end, too. She knows more connections than I do. So I hope we’d be hearing from her, too.”

Without saying a word, Yan Mei got her cup of coffee at the side and sipped it. With Lei Zhao’s reassuring words and with his constant reminder that they would get to the bottom of it, she felt slightly at ease.

”Su Bei,” Yan Mei then wondered, “She saw the video, too. She’s my close friend. How did she take it? With her also liking Leng Shao, his image might have…”

Lei Zhao could already understand what Yan Mei meant without her even finishing her sentence. Yan Mei took a deep breath as she rested her head on Lei Zhao’s shoulder, her worries piling up one thing over the other.

”We’ll get to the bottom of this, alright? Don’t worry.” Lei Zhao wrapped his arm around Yan Mei’s shoulder, “I will protect you no matter what. No one can harm my wife.”

Yan Mei gave Lei Zhao a sweet smile. Some tears escaped her eyes as she felt that her husband had been slowly carrying the weight of her heart.

”Then I guess we need to listen to your mother’s advice. We go out of the city for safety, huh,” she said, Lei Zhao, nodding as he continued eating his toast.

”Not only that. It’s also to avoid the toxicity happening. If we stay here longer, people would be more interested. If things go worse, then maybe they’ll look for this residential house, too,” he said, Yan Mei, heaving another sigh.

”I’m so sorry for dragging you into this,” Yan Mei said, Lei Zhao, looking at her with serious eyes.

”Yan Mei, would it be too much if I ask you to be more honest with me?”

When Yan Mei heard this, she saw the glint of worry, sadness, and at the same time, eagerness in Lei Zhao’s eyes.

He felt that to help Yan Mei, he would have to understand her past. At the same time, he also felt that he was pressuring her to open up when he knew that Yan Mei started struggling because of her past that kept haunting her.

Snapping himself from his thoughts, Lei Zhao shook his head, speaking at the same time.

”You know what, never mind. I would not want to force you to–“

”I’ll try my best, Lei Zhao,” Yan Mei interrupted, her words tugging his heartstrings.

It meant a lot for his wife to open up to him. Now that Yan Mei said that she will try her best, he was now more determined than ever to protect her.

Knowing more about his wife and about her past experiences, it was like they’re getting closer with their marriage.

Yan Mei held Lei Zhao’s hand with both of her hands. She smiled at him as she nodded, her words traveling through his ear on its way to his mind and heart.

”With you staying by my side regardless of everything, I would want to tell you about my past. It may be difficult, yes… but I know that you have to because I want you to stay.”

Yan Mei’s eyes turned glassy as tears started forming in her eyes. She tried her best to keep her tears at bay, but some escaped from the corner of her eyes.

”I’m scared that once I tell you my past, you would leave me…”

”Yan Mei.”

Lei Zhao’s heart ached to see her this way. He pulled her in a tight embrace, Yan Mei feeling vulnerable as she allowed herself to sob silently against his chest.

”You think I would leave you? After what we’ve been through? If I was an ass, I would have left you the moment I saw the video in the office. I’m not stupid enough to decide anything out of whim without doing a proper investigation.”

”Lei Zhao…”

What he said comforted her heart. Yan Mai raised her head from his chest, Lei Zhao, wiping her tears away with his thumb.

”Like I said, we’re going to get through this. No one can harm my wife. I will protect you at all costs. Just stay by me and believe in me–and we’ll do it. Together.”

Yan Mei’s lips curled into a smile. She felt happy as Lei Zhao and her decided to fight this issue together.

With that, the two continued eating breakfast as they planned where to go for their abrupt honeymoon.

The two thought that they indeed need the time alone out of this city–away from the temporary hellhole.