The pair savored every bite, talking about their morning's adventures at the home center. They even bantered about which baubles they should put first on the Christmas tree.

"I think our school will put the decorations up after the exam. At least the students have something better to do before the results are out."

Lariette reached for her drink, wanting to wash off the creamy taste in her mouth. She couldn't help but think of the final exam. This coming Tuesday marked its first day.

Even though the end-of-term examination wasn't as important as the college entrance one, the students were still tense. The parents and the teachers were just the same.

Ruediger drew his lips into a grin. Putting down his cutlery, he said, "Your winter break will start soon. We'll go and have fun this holiday. Don't stress yourself too much."

"Certainly! I've been waiting for this break!"

Giggling, Lariette pushed her glass toward Ruediger's, purposely clicking them together before downing the rest of her cider. He cast her an indulgent gaze and then did the same.

The pair remained seated for a moment longer before deciding to leave. The clock would shift to three in the afternoon soon.

Renato was busy attending to the other patrons, going from one table to the next. The middle-aged man loved getting feedback or simply having a chat with his customers.

"Come again," Renato patted Ruediger's back and shot Lariette a soft smile, "We will be open on the third day after New Year."

Renato often closed the restaurant starting from Christmas, giving himself and the staff quite a long break. The reservations for Christmas Eve were already full.

"I'll go back to my wife's hometown this Christmas," said Ruediger, "Then, I'll bring her to Norvonna. Maybe we'll come after the New Year. Have a good break, man."

After exchanging a few more words, Ruediger and Lariette walked out of the restaurant. The chilly air welcomed them again. Hand-in-hand, they took a stroll along the cobblestone pathways.

The sun hid behind the clouds, turning the surroundings dimmer than usual. The wind blew past the bare branches and hedges, lowering the temperature further.

Aside from couples and families taking walks, they also saw people jogging and riding bicycles. Despite the cold, everyone was having fun.

Ruediger spotted something from the corner of his eye. Squeezing Lariette's hand in his, he asked, "Lettie, wanna ride a bike? Or go home already?"

Blinking, Lariette noticed the rental kiosk for bicycles not far from them. She grinned, revealing two rows of her white teeth, "Riding a bike! But I'll just sit in the back, okay?"

"Lazy."

Ruediger chuckled, his other hand pinching Lariette's cheek. The affection in his eyes cast a layer of warmth on her heart.

The pair headed to the rental kiosk. The staff welcomed them before showing the variety of bicycles. They could be rented for as short as fifteen minutes.

"Honey~ Let's ride this one."

Ruediger laughed in helplessness when Lariette chose a pink bicycle with a lovely basket in the front. Then, he joked, saying they should have brought the pouty angel and put it in the basket.

Ruediger swung onto the front, and Lariette hopped onto the back seat. He quickly steadied the bike while she made sure the hem of her skirt wouldn't get in the way.

Glancing behind his shoulder, he smiled at his lady sitting at the back. She had already hugged his waist, fingers clutching his jacket.

"Don't fall," he arched one brow.

"I'll drag you along if I fall," she huffed.

Ruediger laughed softly. Then, he began to pedal away from the rental kiosk. His smile deepened as he caught a glimpse of Lariette's joyful countenance through the side mirror.

Their ride was relaxing. He slowly and steadily pedaled, weaving between trees and laughing at each other.

When Lariette started playing with his hair and traced circles on his back, Ruediger deliberately released one hand from the handle and reached for her naughty hand behind.

"Let go," she complained.

"Won't."

He brought her hand forward and pressed it to the front side of his waist. She pouted, but surrendered by hugging him again and laying her forehead on his back.

The breeze felt nice, although it was quite cold. Lariette enjoyed the feeling of riding the same bike with Ruediger. She couldn't help but hope to do the same once they returned to Moonville at the end of this month.

Ruediger cycled the entire park once, even dropping by the maze garden where he had confessed to Lariette before. They took this chance to venture inside. They met a few couples along the way.

Like before, Ruediger smoothly led Lariette to the heart of the maze. They stopped to sit at the pavilion, the very place he professed his feelings for her.

"Mm... Back then, no one but us was here," Lariette narrowed her eyes, looking at Ruediger with a meaningful smile, "Did Mr. Billionaire arrange that?"

A chuckle slipped past Ruediger's lips. Raising one brow, mirth glinting in his eyes, "Yes. I didn't want anyone to bother us. I was so nervous, you know?"

Lariette hummed, quietly racking her brain to recall anything that now seemed too good to be a coincidence. Her eyes lit up in the next second. She lifted both hands, squeezing Ruediger's face.

"Hey, that time on the Ferris wheel, you planned that too, right?"

The man's smile widened. He leaned down and kissed her briefly, feeling the chill that lingered on her lips.

"Yes. I did that."

Blinking, Lariette's mind wandered to their trip to the amusement park a few months ago. That day was one of the most joyful days she experienced.

Lariette still remembered how the Ferris wheel suddenly stopped when their cabin reached the peak, and beautiful fireworks exploded outside[01].

At that time, she thought it was just a beautiful coincidence. Turned out, this silly man had silently prepared the surprise for her.

Ruediger had already revealed his identity as Mr. R, yet he had never brought up what he had done for her in secret before. Lariette couldn't help but feel upset, thinking this man was so silly.

Sourness pricked into her heart. She pinched his cheeks, and complained, "Then... what if I rejected you? What if I accepted you but couldn't connect the dots later? You'd just keep quiet, huh?"

The man's eyes glimmered with joy. He simply leaned in and whispered into her ear, "If you rejected me, I'd just watch over you in secret again. And even if you didn't bring up what I did secretly, I'd just let them stay buried."

None mattered to him except for her.

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Reference:

1 - Chapter 241