“You’re so beautiful, darling.”
She was tightly embraced by his arms, her small hands brushing against his lips, gazing into his blue eyes, somewhat entranced. Just then, she remembered seeing him on television today. She was about to tell him about it when she heard him gently say, “Close your eyes; I want to give you a gift.”
So she obediently closed her eyes, and he produced a small booklet-like item as if performing magic.
“What is this?” She took it in both hands and opened the booklet.
“This is a few villas in the suburbs; which one do you like?”
“Villas?” Her eyes lit up. “Wow, they’re so beautiful.”
He pointed to a picture in the booklet. “Dear, if we live there, we won’t need a flower shop anymore; we can plant fresh flowers and various trees all around the house.”
“Swan Castle is also very beautiful, but it feels lifeless, like something out of a fairy tale.”
“Look at this location; it’s quite nice and quiet. I’ll take you to see this house this weekend.” He wrapped his arms around her. “If you like it, we’ll buy it.”
“Be good now…” She stroked his soft, curly golden hair, as if petting a Teddy. His hair had grown a bit long, likely exceeding the military’s requirements for soldiers’ hair length. She gently said, “It’s time for a haircut.”
“Mm…” He hummed softly with his eyes closed.
Suddenly, she remembered that during the day, she had only worn a silk nightgown without any underwear when those men barged into the room and interrogated her for nearly a quarter of an hour. Before discovering his trench coat, their stern faces clearly bore a hint of deliberate humiliation and mockery. These unpleasant experiences reminded her of the encounters she had when she first arrived in this country, in the concentration camp.
He had already fallen asleep, breathing evenly, his head resting on her chest. His head felt heavy, so she gently moved it to the pillow. He continued to snore lightly, and she found it increasingly difficult to sleep. She got up and went to the bathroom, quickly rinsed her face, and grabbed a small booklet from the bedside. Tomorrow was the weekend, and he would take her to see those beautiful houses. Khanyi flipped through the booklet, growing more and more excited, until she finally fell asleep from exhaustion late into the night.
When she woke up, he was already up, wearing the hotel’s white bathrobe, standing in front of the long, narrow window, holding a cup of coffee and looking out at the scenery in the square. He didn’t look at her but knew she was awake, softly asking, “Baby, did you sleep well last night?”
She nodded, letting out a soft sound, shielding her eyes with the back of her hand; the morning sun was a bit blinding. He had opened the window, and the noise of cars drifted into her ears.
“The weather outside is nice today; it’s rare to have such good sunshine,” he turned to look at her, “Would you like a cup of coffee?” She had just gotten up, her mind still sluggish, and she shook her head somewhat clumsily. He smiled and went to the kitchen, bringing back a cup of warm milk and two fried sweet donuts, placing them in front of her.
“Madam, please have breakfast.” His vibrant lips curved into a charming arc, and beneath the white cotton robe, his firm chest muscles were faintly visible.
“I want to get up first before eating.” She declined his kindness, shaking her head. He had no choice but to place the food on the table and continued to drink his coffee by the window.
She got out of bed barefoot, casually grabbed a donut, brought it to her lips, and took a bite. The donut was soft and fragrant, with a rich taste of butter and eggs, though the icing on top was a bit too sweet. She walked to the window, and he instinctively wrapped his arm around her waist as they both looked outside.
“What building is that? It’s beautiful,” she pointed to a tall building and asked.
“Empire State Building.”
“Oh, and that one?”
“That should be… the Capital Museum. I’ve never been inside.”
“This is the capital, the heart of this country.” He paused slightly, took a deep breath, and said, “Before long, it will also be the center of the world. It will be renamed Germania, becoming a more glorious world capital than Paris, London, or Rome.”
She looked at him, sensing the pride and confidence sparkling in his eyes. She turned her gaze to the blue sky, feeling an indescribable emotion; although the square was bathed in bright sunlight, it seemed to be shrouded in a haze of gloom.
