She heard him continue, “This place will be transformed into a ‘Glorious Avenue’ over 100 meters wide, with opera houses, commercial centers, and government office buildings on both sides. In the center of the avenue, there will be a triumphal arch 100 meters high, twice the height of the one in Paris, along with a square that can accommodate over a million spectators. Of course, there will also be plans for the Führer’s palace…”
He squinted slightly, his golden eyelashes making his eyes shine with a dazzling light like the sun. “This will take ten years to build and cost a fortune. That group of fools in Speer is urging the Führer to do these superficial things. A truly powerful empire is not built for others to see.”
She fell silent, resting her head against his chest. He lowered his head slightly, staring at her small face, one hand holding the coffee cup, the other pinching her chin, lifting the cup to feed her a sip of the brown liquid. “Is it good?”
Khanyi nodded, frowning slightly as she swallowed the bitter coffee. Suddenly, he pulled her into his arms, his tongue licking the bit of chocolate stuck to her lips. She finally understood what it meant to be “the mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind.” While she was eating the donut, he wanted to eat her.
…
She had gained some experience in slipping away from his embrace and quickly escaped like a little cat. “No more.”
“Why not?” He caught her wrist.
“Just no,” she shook him off, putting the half-eaten donut back on the plate, then hid in the bathroom.
He waited outside for a while, knocking on the door and asking, “Baby, are you feeling unwell?”
“No.” She came out of the bathroom, and he supported her shoulders, pulling her aside, cupping her small face with both hands, smiling as he said, “Let me see your face. What’s wrong? Are you angry with me? Do you feel a bit lonely?”
She lowered her eyes and shook her head.
“I’ve been too busy lately, and I haven’t had time to accompany you. I’m very sorry…”
“You don’t need to apologize. I’m just not used to living here.”
“Alright, after lunch, I’ll take you to the suburbs to see the house. You’ll definitely like it there.”
He kept his word. After lunch, he took her to see the villa in the suburbs. This time, he didn’t use a driver but drove her himself. Leaving the capital’s hotel, they drove for a while through the countryside, then along winding mountain roads for nearly half an hour before arriving in a quiet valley. The villa was built against the mountain, in a very secluded location, with a dense forest behind it and a beautiful garden with a winding path leading to the entrance.
“Do you like it here?” He held her hand, gently stroking her back as she stepped up the long white marble steps at the entrance.
“Mm!” Khanyi nodded excitedly. It had been a long time since she had breathed in fresh outdoor air. The trees in the suburbs were lush, and the scenery around was beautiful. A short, plump salesman was waiting on the platform at the entrance for buyers. This man, dressed in a suit, politely greeted them and opened the villa’s large door. Khanyi stepped into the white house, gently covering her nose; perhaps it was because the windows hadn’t been opened for ventilation, the air inside had a musty smell. The furniture and decorations were all present, and some items were still new.
“This house’s previous owner emigrated, and after tidying it up, they never got to live here. So everything is new, just a bit dusty,” the short, plump salesman explained with a smile.
“Is that so?” He surveyed the interior structure of the hall, then looked down at the floor plan in his hand.
She was already impatient, like a little antelope, nimbly climbing up to the highest third floor. He followed closely behind her, reaching the top floor, where she exclaimed, “Wow, you can see the river from here!” She joyfully called out. The architect of this house had designed it very thoughtfully; from the small observation deck on the top floor, one could see the wide river, winding like a jade ribbon across the lush green land.
“Yes, that’s a tributary of the Heweir River.” He seemed indifferent to the view outside, leaning down to press on the milky white marble table, “Hmm, this table is nice and sturdy.”
The salesman, slightly out of breath, followed them up, “Yes, sir, just look at the beautiful scenery outside. It would be wonderful to have a cup of coffee here in the morning.”
He turned to look at her, “Yes, waking up in the morning…” His words trailed off, leaving an unfinished thought.
She understood his meaning, and her little face immediately flushed. “Ugh, I don’t want to talk to you anymore. I’m… going to check the second floor.”
“Baby, why are you blushing?” He followed closely behind, feigning ignorance as he probed her.
Khanyi didn’t respond, descending from the second floor into the hall, where there was a large white marble table with gray veins, topped with a classical bronze vase. She clearly liked this vase, touching it with both hands; it had some dust on it, so she took out a small handkerchief from her bag and wiped it down.
