The reality of married life

When Primrose returned home with Joel, everything around them looked the same, but their emotions had changed somewhat. At the very least, when Primrose looked at Joel, her gaze was both gentle and bashful, like a young girl just beginning to fall in love, with a mixture of cuteness and innocence. Returning at a late hour, Joel waited for Primrose to finish removing her makeup. They both went out to the balcony and sat down, gazing at the stars. Primrose leaned her head on Joel's shoulder intimately, raising her head to look at the sparkling stars that covered a small patch of the night sky, then lowering her head to glance at the brightly lit city in the late night, feeling an unusual sense of tranquility. It was as if time had frozen in this moment, leaving only her and Joel in peaceful company, gazing at the beautiful stars against the backdrop of the dark sky. "Do you know that a while ago I was really afraid you would refuse? After all, this is the first time I've taken a relationship like this seriously." Joel suddenly looked distant and murmured softly, his tone sinking into contemplation. While he had loved a few people before, the relationships hadn't been too deep, usually lasting only a few months before parting ways. Primrose was the exception, and he knew that he wanted her so badly. "Well, I should have acted a bit hesitant, then." Primrose tilted her head to look at Joel, her tone turning mischievous. At that moment, everything happened so unexpectedly that even now she can't recall how long she hesitated before agreeing. Joel inclined his head, looking straight into Primrose's eyes for a long time. It wasn't until Primrose's gaze began to turn dreamy that she heard a low chuckle coming from the top of her head, accompanied by a warm breath brushing lightly against her cheek. "You wouldn't have done that." Joel stated this firmly and gently kissed the top of Primrose's head. Primrose wasn't the type to be so heartless; he was certain of that. "How long did you prepare those things?" Primrose tilted her head to look at Joel, finding a more comfortable position to lean against him as she inquired further. Joel chuckled mysteriously, clearly not directly answering the question, just gazing at Primrose with a focused expression. "I won't tell you exactly. Just know that I had to prepare for a long time." Primrose pursed her lips, choosing not to continue with this topic and instead continuing to gaze at the sparkling stars in the vast sky. Her gaze also carried a glimmer of light, gentle and captivating. The warmth of Primrose's body leaning against his and her soft form on his shoulder made Joel's heart melt. He felt like his heart was a lake filled with water, and even a small, intimate movement from Primrose was enough to cause ripples across its surface. As Primrose carefully leaned against his shoulder like that, Joel felt his heart constantly surging. The two of them sat quietly beside each other. Even though no words were spoken, their hearts felt incredibly peaceful. "It's late; let's go to sleep, sweetie." The night had fallen a while ago, and the cool night dew made the air feel fresher. Joel gently helped Primrose to her feet, guiding her to the bed and then leaning over her, a seductive smile on his lips. "Earlier, I mentioned that when we got back, we would do something, hmm?" With this "hmm," Joel intentionally lowered the tone of his voice, making it sound deep and incredibly alluring, like a bass note in a musical composition that left Primrose enchanted. Her gaze grew distant, and the rapid change in Joel's demeanor left her almost unable to keep up. Primrose subconsciously swallowed, tilting her head to the side to avoid his gaze. Joel chuckled, his hand gently supporting her chin, tilting it back so that their faces were close, just a hair's breadth away. Their gazes met in the air, carrying a sweetness that wasn't easily detectable, and Joel let out a soft laugh. "Are you ready to embrace the reality of married life, sweetie?" Primrose bit her lip as she looked at Joel for a while, her sparkling eyes causing Joel's heart to flutter. He lowered his head, gradually closing the distance and gently kissing her lips, a delicate press of lips accompanied by the faint sound of Primrose's contented murmur. This time, Joel's kiss was characterized by exceptional patience. His arm slowly slid around her back, preventing her from retreating and allowing her to passively accept the kiss. When their breaths became shallow, only then did Joel's kiss travel from Primrose's lips to her sensitive earlobe, then down to the soft nape of her neck. Primrose trembled slightly in Joel's embrace, and he tenderly stroked her back, soothing her, and continued. "The night is still so long, sweetie." Joel was always a man of action, so that night, despite Primrose's tearful pleas and her saying "stop" in his ear, he continued to capture Primrose's soft lips in a kiss, until her sobs replaced her whimpers. By the time it was over, Primrose's body had become limp and exhausted, unable to bear any more throbbing sensations. Her sparkling eyes were filled with tears, her lips were swollen and pitiful, and her disheveled hair fell messily beside her. Exhausted, she curled up in a corner of the bed, her eyes closed in weariness, looking listless. Joel gently carried Primrose and helped her clean up, changing her into a different set of sleepwear. When he placed Primrose back on the bed, she had already fallen asleep long ago, like an obedient doll, ready to let Joel do whatever he wanted. Joel carefully tucked her in and then lay down beside her, feeling that today was truly a wonderful day. "Sweetie, today I was so happy." Joel's whispered words were as light as a breeze, causing Primrose to furrow her brows slightly before continuing to sleep. After that, Joel didn't say anything else; he simply held Primrose, and both of them drifted off to sleep. The next morning, upon waking up, Joel turned off the alarm clock and looked at Primrose in his arms. She was still sleeping peacefully, her eyes closed, and her long eyelashes were casting shadows on her delicate face. Perhaps due to exhaustion, even when Joel gently touched her young face, there was no reaction from her. Joel chuckled softly, carefully sitting up and kissing Primrose's forehead before heading to the kitchen to prepare breakfast. He made a portion of hot spaghetti for both of them, as lately, it seemed that Primrose really enjoyed this dish. Every time he cooked it, she ate more than usual. When Primrose yawned and came downstairs, Joel had just finished cooking. He was busy arranging the food on plates. Primrose slowly approached from behind and hugged Joel, burying her face in his strong, steady shoulder. Her voice was still husky with sleep as she greeted him. "Good morning." Joel turned around and hugged Primrose back, placing his hand gently on her waist as he stroked it, whispering softly. "Still feeling uncomfortable? Do you want to take a day off and rest at home? I'll approve your leave request." Primrose knew exactly what Joel was referring to as soon as she heard his words. She blushed and bit her lip, lightly tapping Joel's hand in a mix of shyness and mock anger. Truly, no matter what Joel said, he had a way of making her face turn red like this. "Who would take a day off for this reason? If I don't go to work today, what will my colleagues think of me later?" Primrose lowered her head even more, pondering as she nibbled on her lip. Indeed, Joel's passionate actions yesterday had left her struggling to keep up, and her body still ached even now, but she couldn't take a day off because of that. It would be too embarrassing. Moreover, if Nancy found out about this, she would surely laugh and tease Primrose endlessly about it. "It's okay; I won't mention it. Do you want to take a break?" Joel gently asked, placing Primrose on a nearby dining chair. Primrose shook her head repeatedly, a hint of fear in her eyes. He didn't push the matter, continuing to soothe her waist with his gentle touch. When she lightly turned away and said she didn't need it anymore, he turned around and placed the breakfast in front of her. "So, have breakfast, and then we'll go to work. You can rest and catch up on sleep in my room if you want. I'll take care of everything at work." Joel reassured her in a soothing tone, and Primrose nodded her head, eating her breakfast earnestly. Joel's attitude today was especially good, and he was extremely caring towards her. After she finished eating, he even helped her wipe her mouth and handed her a glass of water. Primrose drank it all, then sat and waited while Joel cleaned up the dishes, and then they both headed to the company together. When they arrived at the company, Joel raised his hand, intending to hold Primrose's hand and walk in together. However, Primrose reacted quicker and evaded his attempt. Joel's gaze momentarily turned disappointed and somber as Primrose's gentle and soothing voice reached his side. "We made a promise, didn't we? No matter what, let's not rush to make it public, okay? After all, our current life is going quite well." Primrose explained seriously, and Joel had no choice but to agree. He had never been able to refuse any of Primrose's requests. Even though it might seem a bit submissive for him to be like a secret lover of Primrose and not be able to openly reveal their relationship, he simply nodded to show he understood. If Primrose didn't want to, he wouldn't push her.