Chapter 433: Christmas Gifts
After having a pleasant Christmas Eve dinner, Ruediger and Lariette carried plates of desserts and steaming hot tea into the living room. The scent of roasted chicken and herbs still lingered faintly in the air.
The snow was still falling from the dark sky, painting the image of a white Christmas. In contrast to the biting cold outside, the cottage glowed with warmth. The breeze brushed snow against the windowpanes.
"Careful, it’s hot."
Ruediger warned Lariette softly, his voice drifted from behind as she set two mugs of hot roiboos tea on the coffee table.
"I know~"
She glanced over her shoulder, smiling at him who was balancing a plate of sugar-dusted cookies and slices of Yule log cake. Then, she sat cross-legged on the rug while watching him put the plates beside their mugs.
Ruediger took a place beside Lariette, their arms brushing on each other. He tilted his head slightly, one brow raising, "Well, before we’re too full to move, how about we exchange gifts?"
Lariette’s eyes brightened. As she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, she said teasingly, "We’re doing that now? I thought you wanted to wait until midnight."
Yesterday, both Lariette and Ruediger put their gifts for each other under the shimmering Christmas tree. They promised not to sneakily unwrap the presents earlier. The boxed gifts in different sizes had been lying in the same position.
"I can’t wait that long," he pretended to sigh out of despair, "I wanna see what my sweetheart got for me. My patience runs thinner, you know?"
Enticed by his cheeky reason, she laughed heartily, "Alright, alright. I can’t let my honey wait any longer. But don’t be disappointed if I didn’t get you anything extravagant."
"Extravagant?" he drew his lips into a smirk, "Coming from you, sweetheart, that sounds suspicious."
"Oh, please," she rolled her eyes, "I’m not like a certain Mr. Billionaire who could buy me the most expensive pink diamond in the world without batting an eyelid."
Ruediger chuckled. He leaned down and brushed his nose on Lariette’s cheek. His playful voice rang beside her ear as his warm breath fanned her neck.
"Sounds like you want one. Should I get one with your name engraved on it? Wanna go to an auction next year? Pick whatever jewelry or antique you want. You can handle all the bidding."
Lariette shook her head, laughing as she nudged his arm, "Don’t make it sound like a casual shopping trip. You’re rubbing your wealth on my face."
Ruediger shrugged, but the teasing smile on his lips remained. Then, he turned around to reach for the boxes under the tree. The excitement in his eyes was evident as he placed the gifts on his lap.
"Shall we open them at the same time?" he suggested.
"Sounds great," she beamed.
Ruediger picked the box wrapped with a navy-colored paper, dotted with silver snowflakes, before handing it to Lariette. She gave him one that was encased in a white paper, tied with a gold ribbon.
"Ready?" he asked after they got each other’s gift.
"Ready."
"Okay, let’s do it."
The pair unwrapped their gifts together, the ribbons unfurling and paper crinkling.
"Wow! So pretty!"
Lariette exclaimed once she saw what was inside the box, a beautiful leather-bound book. The cover was engraved with her name in fine gold lettering.
Ruediger paused from lifting the lid of his box. With a wide grin on his face, he urged her to flip the first page, "I hope you’ll like it."
Instead of opening the sketchbook, she hugged him before kissing his cheek. Then, she opened it carefully. A soft gasp slipped from her lips.
Inside were sketches. Dozens of them. Each page captured moments of their life together, drawn in delicate pencil strokes. Each scene seemed to be alive by such deep emotions.
The first page was her alone, standing by a door. Tulip flowers formed a beautiful frame near the edges.
The fine script underneath mentioned this was during their meeting at the butler cafe to discuss their contract marriage.
"Eddy..." Lariette glanced at Ruediger, her eyes glazing with tears. Her heart thumped rapidly.
"You’ve only looked at the first page. Don’t cry yet," he replied teasingly while gently rubbing her cheek, "Look at them first. I’ll open my gift once you’re done."
Lariette chuckled before flipping to the next page, agreeing with Ruediger. With every turn, more warmth and comfort filled her heart. The great care he put into every single sketch was highly evident.
There was one of them at the lake park, on their second date. He also had drawn them in the jewelry store, looking for wedding rings.
The day they registered their marriage, of them swimming at the island last summer, the one of him walking her to school with autumn leaves drifting gently around.
The romantic ride on the Ferris wheel, a sketch of him confessing to her in the maze garden, and another of taking a stroll at the park near the apartment.
Everything captured both important and simple moments of their life together in the past few months. Then, she turned to the last page.
Lariette’s breath caught.
It was a sketch of a young boy and a much younger girl, perched on a tree. She seemed to be talking animatedly while he listened with much patience, a slight smile tugging on his lips.
This was them! Back before they knew how much further their fates had been aligned together.
"Eddy..." she whispered, her voice trembling slightly as it was caught between awe and affection, "This is so beautiful. You remembered every little moment we’ve shared."
Lariette couldn’t fathom when Ruediger started sketching these pages. Perhaps it began even before she accepted his feelings, or even earlier, before they got into this contractual marriage.
His feelings for her had existed quietly and deeply for a long time, like the distant twinkling stars. Always there.
Ruediger leaned forward, and then he brought Lariette into his arms. He brushed his warm lips on her teary eyes, feeling her eyelashes tremble.
"Lettie, I treasure every moment I spend with you. I want to keep putting them somewhere they can stay forever. Even if my memory fails one day, they’ll stay."
She laughed softly, relishing the warmth brought by him. "Hehe, you know, you’ve completely raised the bar. I can’t compete with your gift."
"Oh, I doubt that," he said with a grin as he pulled away, "Okay, now it’s my turn to see what you got me."
Under Lariette’s beaming and expectant gaze, Ruediger lifted the lid of the box. He unconsciously raised his brows once he saw a thick, square-shaped album inside.
"Lettie," he abruptly looked at her, laughter tingeing his voice, "This... something similar?"
"Almost," she grinned, "But can’t beat your beautiful sketches."
Unable to resist anymore, Ruediger opened the first page. He was met with an array of printed photographs, each framed with little stickers and handwritten notes.
A beautiful handwriting, hers, was inscribed on the first page. It read, ’Our Journey’.