The next day, when Lu Jinnian woke up, Qiao Anhao was still asleep. He prepared quietly, making sure not to disturb her before leaving for work.
At the door, he turned and saw her still deep asleep, and he pondered for awhile before taking large strides towards the bed. Staring down at her, he lowered his head to kiss her temples before tugging the blanket around her. Satisfied, he walked out of the bedroom.
While he was searching for his car keys in his pockets, he felt the box that he had deliberately brought along in the morning. Sitting in the car, he paused momentarily before removing the tie clips from the box. Looking at the rear mirror, he attached the tie clips before driving off in satisfaction.