At that moment, Jason's words hung in the air, and she sniffed playfully, "Let me smell, why do I detect a hint of sourness?"
She hadn't expected Jason to be jealous over something like this.
But as soon as she finished speaking, Jason leaned closer, his fingertips gently pinching her earlobe, soft and tender.
The movement was so gentle it made Emma itch and she couldn't help but tuck her chin in.
Jason's cheek brushed lightly against hers, so close that when Emma lifted her eyes, her quivering eyelashes seemed to brush against his face.
His palm cupped the side of her waist, the thin layer of her shirt doing little to block the warmth of his hand.
At such a close distance, Emma's breathing nearly stopped.
Until Jason looked down at her, and in the next second, his lips pressed against hers, Emma's hands still in the basin, clenching the dough tightly.
As his tongue gently parted her lips, Emma instinctively opened her mouth.
The kiss was so tender, as he traced the shape of her lips, but then abruptly turned forceful, pushing her lips open and hooking her tongue.
In the quiet night, in the enclosed kitchen, it felt as if something was rising in the air.
The intensity was almost suffocating.
Until he lightly released her, moving his lips to her earlobe, she thought he would bite her ear next, but the warm breath invaded, making her shrink back again.
But Jason just chuckled softly, his lips curving as he whispered, "Taste it out yet? Is it sour or sweet?"
Emma panted, her mind feeling like it had exploded.
Why could this man always describe a kiss so...
Her mind was a bit dazed, and after a few seconds, her brain seemed to return to a normal blood flow state.
His words just now had almost drained all the blood from her brain.
She didn't know how he could be so charming.
Emma felt she wasn't inexperienced, but every time he flirted with her, she seemed to only have the ability to fend off, with no power to fight back.
She felt she wasn't improving.
So she quickly gathered her emotions, put on a nonchalant expression, and said casually, "I need to make the noodles quickly, or we'll both be hungry."
Jason simply leaned against the side, the kitchen was really too small, with his 1.85-meter tall figure standing in it, it seemed like the entire kitchen was enveloped in his aura.
Jason nodded lightly, "Carry on."
Emma let out a sigh of relief, her hands ready again, continuing to knead the dough, but the next second, the man's lips curled slightly, with a meaningful tone, "But you haven't answered me yet?"
Emma felt like exploding for a moment.
This time she completely gave up.
She stared at the basin in front of her angrily, her eyes almost shooting out flames, she said resentfully, "Sweet, sweet, sweet."
It should have been a sweet statement, but it came out with a huffy momentum.
This time Jason couldn't help it anymore and laughed out loud.
Emma turned her head to look at the culprit, but when he turned his head back, Emma didn't want to look at him anymore, what was there to be angry about.
After all, she still couldn't beat him in the end.
But this time Jason didn't tease her anymore, but watched her knead the dough quietly.
After a long wait, the noodles were finally cooked, watching the pot bubble, when Emma lifted the lid, the steam quickly filled the entire kitchen.
The two carried the pot to the rooftop, bringing chopsticks and bowls with them.
This was probably the simplest meal Jason had ever experienced, Emma picked up the communal chopsticks and divided the noodles into two bowls, since they couldn't find a spoon, in the end, he lifted the pot and poured the soup into the bowl.
At this time, the rooftop still had no lights, and the two couldn't even see each other's faces clearly.
But when the first mouthful of hot noodle soup was eaten, although Emma was a little burned by the heat, the warmth really rushed through her body.
The feeling of that hot thing flowing into the stomach, she never knew happiness could be so simple.
Emma held the bowl contentedly and looked at Jason, "Actually, there are such benefits to a place like this, right? Now even eating a bowl of noodles can make people feel happy."
Jason looked at the expression on her face.
After a while, he said softly, "Jing Xi, are you happy now?"
Emma was still holding the bowl in her hand and said softly, "I'm happy."
Because it's with you, even on this simple rooftop, eating a bowl of plain noodles without even any green vegetables, she is still so happy.
The next day, when Emma woke up, her WeChat was about to explode.
It was then that she found out that her photo, LIVE, had gone viral overnight. Not only was it retweeted hundreds of thousands of times on domestic Weibo, but it also surpassed 500,000 shares on Instagram and Twitter.
Such explosive dissemination made the world pay attention to the terrorist attack in Lebanon.
Just the day before, Paris had also suffered a terrorist attack, and everyone was praying for Paris, mourning for the victims of the Paris terror attack.
The terrorist attack in Lebanon seemed a bit insignificant in comparison.
Although this statement is cruel, it is very realistic.
Paris is a world-famous city, while many people may not have heard of the capital of Lebanon, Beirut.
But a photo made everyone start to pay attention to what happened in this city.
It's not a military stronghold, nor is it a confrontation between two armies, but a terrorist attack, a ruthless terrorist attack against civilians.
The impact of this photo is too huge, and the name Emma has once again caused a sensation in China after a year.
Her Weibo hasn't been updated since her marriage to Jason was exposed.
This time is her first update after marriage, but no one expected it to be such a photo.
"My God, when did Emma become a war correspondent?"
"Wuwuwu, goddess, you must be safe, please come back safely."
"I've seen many shocking reports from foreign journalists before, and this time it's finally a shock from our Chinese journalist."
"Goddess, I don't like your husband anymore, I decided to like you."
Many people are amazed that she is willing to give up the superior life in China and go to such a dangerous place. Perhaps many people cannot understand her choice.
But when they see it now, they can't help but admire.
Because sometimes giving up is harder than choosing.
However, compared to the admiration for her on the Internet, her friends are more worried about her safety.
Hua Zheng sent her several voice messages early in the morning, and her voice was a bit sad.
"Emma, you must be safe. Although I think your photo is very good, I still hope you can return to the country safely."
Tang Mi is the same as Hua Zheng, full of concern for her situation.
"Emma boss, our studio has started to make a profit, so we don't need to work hard in such a dangerous place. Come back to the country early, and wait for me to share my labor achievements with you."
Fortunately, Emma is abroad at the moment and cannot feel this explosion.
But when she got up in the morning and went to the newspaper office, as soon as she entered the door, the colleagues in the office actually stood up and clapped.
Lao Bai gave her a thumbs-up and said, "Jing Xi, I always think your photos are much better than mine."
"Don't say that, or the boss will let you pack up and go back to the country later." Xiao Song, who is young and used to joking with Lao Bai, said with a smile.
After a while, Qiao Muheng came over. He called Emma over and after listening to Emma talk about the story behind the photo, he pushed his glasses on the bridge of his nose and felt a bit uncomfortable.
Even though journalists are used to seeing these things, their hearts have never become hard because of it.
On the contrary, they still have compassion.
Qiao Muheng told her that several domestic media want to do a special report on her and interview her about the life and work of a war correspondent.
Emma frowned slightly, but did not refuse.
Until finally, Qiao Muheng looked at her expression and asked, "Jing Xi, do you have something to tell me?"
"Qiao team leader, I have been here for a year, can I rotate back to the country?"
This time, Qiao Muheng was completely stunned.
According to the convention, she could indeed return to the country, but Emma had not mentioned it before, so he did not expect her to say such a thing.
He said, "May I ask why?"
Emma thought about it and said truthfully, "It's because of my husband."
Qiao Muheng's face showed a bit of surprise. Although they all knew who Emma's husband was, this was the first time she mentioned her very famous husband.
Emma looked at him and said, "We had some misunderstandings before, so I wanted to go further and try to see my heart clearly. But I don't care about myself being in danger here, I'm afraid it will put him in danger again and again because of me."
As long as she stays in Israel, Jason will come to find her again and again. This time she is in Lebanon, and maybe next time she will be on another front line.
She knows that with his character, he will still come to find her without hesitation.
Yes, she didn't ask him to come, but he came because he loves her.
So she can't continue.
She can't selfishly leave everything for him to bear.
Qiao Muheng looked at her calmly and finally nodded, "I understand your choice, Jing Xi, don't think of yourself as a deserter. Leaving here is not cowardice. On the contrary, you are very brave. Being able to make a clear choice is also an enviable kind of courage."
Emma looked at the man she had always admired in front of her and finally bowed deeply.
She said, "Thank you, senior."
Half an hour later, Emma's old car drove all the way to the most prosperous hotel in the city, where Jason was staying. He did not stay at her house last night but stayed in this hotel.
He told her his room number, and although he didn't make it clear, Emma knew he was waiting for her choice.
If she chooses to stay here, he will come again and again next time.
Emma knocked on the door, and the door was opened from the inside.
She reached out and hugged Jason, her cheek tightly pressed against his neck, "Shen Yan, I know I was very cowardly before, and I chose to escape when I encountered things, and you always tolerated me again and again."
"Do you still want to love such an imperfect me?"
She hugged his neck so tightly that she finally heard his voice ring out.
"I love you, it has never changed."
Shanghai, Pudong Airport.
When Emma stepped off the plane, Shanghai was experiencing a beautiful spring day, with the overhead sunlight casting a warm glow on everyone.
The place where she was born.
She had left Shanghai for college, but the feeling was different. This time, returning from the Middle East felt like she had walked along the edge of life and death, witnessing scenes she had only seen on TV news in person.
The Israel-Palestine conflict, which she had only heard about on the evening news growing up, was now something she had reported on firsthand.
Standing at the border of Gaza, witnessing the hatred between Palestinians and Israelis, the wars had deepened the animosity between the two sides.
But at this moment, as she stood on the tarmac, she took a deep breath of air.
The air here was peaceful.
Jason turned to look at her serious and solemn expression and couldn't help but chuckle, "What's up?"
"The air in Shanghai is sweet," Emma said, tilting her head back with an expression of enjoyment.
Until Jason reached out and pinched her nose, teasingly saying, "Don't breathe too much, the air quality index in Shanghai today has broken a hundred."
Emma turned to glare at him.
But the man stood beside her, backlit by the light, with a golden halo around him.
His black hair was neatly and strikingly handsome.
Emma gasped, suddenly feeling attracted to him again.
So she linked her arm with his; she rarely took the initiative to get close to him in public. Before, it was to avoid exposing their relationship, and later it seemed to become a habit.
At that moment, Jason turned his head, looking at her hand on his arm.
Her soft, white fingertips were particularly conspicuous on the navy blue shirt.
As they exited through the VIP channel, Emma spotted Tang Mian waiting outside.
When they approached Tang Mian, Emma's face lit up with a big smile, and she greeted him warmly, "Tang Mian, long time no see."
Tang Mian also smiled, not too surprised about Emma's return, but genuinely happy for his boss.
After all, being apart from one's wife is not easy.
Tang Mian said with a smile, "Madam, welcome back."
"Didn't expect Ni Han San to be back, did you?" Emma tilted her head, her tone teasing.
Hearing this, Tang Mian was stunned, but Jason, who was beside her, coughed lightly at her self-deprecating joke, "No teasing."
After they got in the car, Emma also greeted the driver, Old Xu. Although it had been a year, the people around Jason hadn't changed.
He was actually very nostalgic.
As the car drove on the Shanghai elevated road, Emma looked at the scenery on both sides. Although she hadn't been back for a year, Shanghai hadn't changed much.
The biggest change was in her state of mind.
Emma leaned on the window and watched for a long time. Jason glanced over and chuckled, "Is it nice to look at?"
"Shanghai is such a big city," Ni Han San sincerely sighed.
It's not that she was being sentimental; think about it, what big cities in the Middle East could compare to Shanghai? Dubai is not bad, but the place where she stayed was far from Dubai.
After a year of being used to seeing nothing but yellowish buildings as far as the eye could see.
Now, looking at the high-rise buildings on both sides of the elevated road, there was an inexplicable sense of freshness.
The person next to her listened to her sigh and nodded, then subtly moved closer, pinching her earlobe with his fingertips. He had recently taken a liking to touching her ears, which were soft and would turn rosy red at the slightest touch.
"Will you leave again?" he asked.
His question was not an accusation but a murmured inquiry that made Emma feel a surge of guilt. Moreover, at that moment, Jason looked at her with his eyes slightly lowered, filled with tender affection, which made Emma's heart tremble.
She immediately shook her head.
But Jason just smiled without saying a word.
The car journeyed from the airport to their home, and when they arrived, Emma stepped out and looked at the blooming flowers surrounding their front door, blinking in surprise.
Even the entrance was adorned with two very conspicuous red lanterns.
Not only was she shocked, but Jason, who followed her out, was also left speechless by the exuberant decorations.
After a moment, their housekeeper, Aunt Qian, came out wearing an apron and rushed to the door, beaming at Emma: "Madam, you're home."
Tang Mian had known they were coming back and had hurriedly asked Aunt Qian to clean the house. He even arranged for a cleaning team, ensuring that even the garden was well-tended.
Emma saw familiar faces from the moment she got off the plane, "Aunt Qian."
Her voice brought a touch of emotion to Aunt Qian's face. Although she didn't know what had happened, Emma's year-long absence made it clear that something was amiss.
Now that Emma was back, she was happy too.
Old Xu, their driver, began to unload their luggage as Emma and Jason entered the house. In the living room, Emma gazed at the painting on the wall.
Jason stood with her for a while.
Finally, with an indescribable emotion in her eyes, Emma murmured, "This painting has always been here."
"Of course," Jason thought she was feeling emotional and wrapped his arms around her from behind, softly saying, "It has always been here."
Emma exhaled, "It's so expensive."
The man who was about to speak stiffened, his tender feelings dissipated in an instant, leaving him a little helplessly shaking his head.
When they returned home, Aunt Qian had already prepared dinner.
Emma hadn't had such authentic and delicious Chinese food in a long time. It was no exaggeration to say she was almost moved to tears by the meal. She remembered a colleague mentioning someone who had been in Africa for two years and, upon returning, cried after eating a bowl of braised beef noodles at the airport.
Emma thought it was an exaggeration, but as she looked at the sumptuous feast in front of her, she genuinely felt her eyes moistening.
After dinner, Emma got up to clear the table.
Jason, however, held her wrist and whispered, "Aunt Qian will take care of it later."
"What should we do now?" Emma asked, glancing around.
It wasn't awkwardness; she just felt unsure of what to do next. They had just gotten off the plane and should probably catch up on sleep to adjust their jet lag.
But the thought of being with Jason made her feel a deep-seated nervousness.
She felt particularly shy.
This wasn't good.
Indeed, Jason asked, "Are you tired?"
Emma hesitated for a few seconds, then looked at him, her long eyelashes fluttering, and softly asked, "How about you?"
Jason lowered his head, his eyes somewhat deep: "I'm fine."
The flight hadn't been short, even if they had returned on a private jet, it wasn't as comfortable as sleeping in their own bed.
But men, how could they easily admit to being tired?
After he spoke, Emma awkwardly said, "I'm fine too."
Now Jason could really tell something was off with her. It was hard to describe, not quite distant, not entirely shy, but a complex mix of emotions.
When they went upstairs and entered the bedroom, they were greeted by a pleasant scent.
It was light yet soothing.
Emma yawned, and Jason patted her shoulder, "Get some rest. I have to deal with a few things."
Emma nodded.
When she came out in a set of silk pajamas, Jason had also changed into casual clothes, a cotton short-sleeved T-shirt and loose trousers, looking quite comfortable.
His homely side was something only Emma had seen.
After all, no matter the occasion, Jason was always impeccably dressed.
Before their marriage was public, a photo of him at an economic forum went viral, tailored in a three-piece suit, so well-pressed there wasn't a single wrinkle, exuding an aura of: abstinence.
However, the marketing account that posted the photo tweeted: I really want to see him unbutton the top two buttons of his shirt.
That tweet was retweeted tens of thousands of times, with countless people clamoring to see.
Emma had not only seen it but had also undressed him herself.
"Shall you rest first?" Emma was genuinely tired. Their bed was specially custom-made, so comfortable it felt like sleeping on a fluffy cloud.
She pulled back the thin quilt and got into bed, but Jason shook his head.
He came over, watched her lie down, and draped the blanket over her lower abdomen, "You sleep first."
Emma instinctively grabbed his fingers. Lying down, looking up at him with a pleading gaze, her voice soft and gentle, she asked, "Aren't you joining me?"
Her voice was naturally pleasant, and at this moment, it carried a unique softness of an afternoon in spring, making one feel a tiny electric current running through the body.
Damn it...
If not for his immense self-control, Jason felt like he might lose control next second.
Emma woke up to a late evening sky. She dialed Tang Mi's number; after all, she hadn't told anyone she was back.
Tang Mi picked up quickly, her voice brimming with surprise. "Emma."
"Where are you?" Emma asked with a chuckle.
"Shanghai," Tang Mi replied.
Emma nodded. "That's a coincidence. I'm in Shanghai too."
There was a brief silence on the other end, then Tang Mi squealed, "You're in Shanghai? You're actually in Shanghai? When did you get back? Why didn't you tell me?"
That was so Tang Mi.
Emma laughed at her barrage of questions, nestled in the living room sofa, just catching sight of a tall figure emerging from the stairway corner. She quickly said, "Just got back. Are you free these days? Let's meet up."
"Of course, I'm free right now," Tang Mi responded.
Emma watched as Jason, wearing light grey slippers, strolled towards her. When he sat down, the sofa dipped noticeably beneath her.
"In a couple of days, I have something to take care of tomorrow," Emma said before hanging up.
Jason looked at her and asked, "Tang Mi?"
"Yep, the company gave me a two-week vacation. I can rest up and then go back to work," Emma leaned back on the sofa.
She had always pushed herself to the limit, working hard to be seen by everyone. This time, she was ready to take a complete break.
Jason asked, "Want to go anywhere?"
Emma shook her head without hesitation. "Nowhere. I just want to lie quietly at home."
That wasn't like her, but Jason nodded. "Then rest."
Still, Emma looked at him and said, "Tomorrow, I want to visit grandma and mom."
She hadn't visited them abroad in a year.
Grandma and grandpa had only one child, her mom, and her mom had only her. If she didn't visit, it seemed no one in the world would remember them.
Isn't it said that the true death is not the death of the body, but the moment the world forgets you completely?
Jason reached out, ruffled her long hair, and gently pulled her to lean on his shoulder, whispering, "I'll go with you."
The next morning, the sun that had shone brightly the day before was now hidden behind a blanket of clouds.
Jason didn't have the driver take them but drove himself with Emma.
Before heading there, Jason made a special detour to a flower shop, buying fresh flowers to bring along.
By the time they arrived, a light rain had begun to fall. They walked up with a single umbrella. When Emma saw the three graves huddled together.
Grandpa and grandma on either side, and mom in the middle, as if the parents were gently embracing their child.
Emma stepped forward, placing the flowers in front of the tombstones, quietly looking at each photo on the stones.
Until she turned to Jason and said, "Suddenly, I feel a bit regretful."
Jason looked at her calmly.
Emma's face was smiling, but her eyes were shiny, and she whispered, "You're the son-in-law all mothers dream of, but you never got to hear my mom's praise for you."
It was a real regret.
Emma could even imagine the scene; if her mom was still around, the moment their wedding news broke, everyone would call her mom, congratulating her on such a son-in-law.
But all of this was just a picture in her mind.
Jason reached out and held her, finally unable to resist placing a gentle kiss on her forehead.
After a long while, Emma turned from his embrace to look at the photo on the tombstone, her mom's picture from before she got sick, radiating youth and charm.
She blinked and whispered, "Mom, I'm sorry, I still couldn't bring dad back."
In the past year, she had asked almost every journalist in the Middle East, but there was no news.
She also understood that in such a place, it was all too easy for someone to disappear without a trace.
"Before I came back this time, I thought a lot. For so many years, I've been bound," Emma finally said, looking at her mother's tombstone.
Jason turned to look at her, unable to help but hold her hand.
They both knew what bound Emma: the idea of finding her father had taken root in her mind like a seed since his disappearance.
Until it grew into vines that covered the sky, completely binding her.
So much so that she had even been unwilling to leave the old house, fearing her father would not find her, would not find his way home.
And instead of fading with time, it had wrapped around her tighter and tighter.
Especially when she found out Jason was involved in Ni PingSen's disappearance, she knew it had nothing to do with him, it wasn't a result he had caused, but she still couldn't help blaming him.