Heiress' Househusband is a Secret Billionaire-Chapter 318: You Mean, Tomorrow is Fine?

After dinner, Lariette and Ruediger stepped out of the makeshift restaurant. The crisp air of late autumn welcomed them back, carrying along the scent of smoke and spice.

Staying close to each other, Lariette’s cheeks were rosy from the cold. She admired the lights. The lanterns swung gently from the trees, casting golden light across the festival grounds.

"The bonfire is in five minutes, I think," said Lariette, beaming as she looked at Ruediger, "Hehe, finally~"

"Finally. It’s a pity we missed it before, but we can do it tonight."

Humming, Ruediger eyed Lariette fondly. He put a hand across her back, pulling her closer. They smiled at each other as they walked to the bonfire, wanting to make up for the missed opportunity[01].

The other visitors, clad in coats and jackets, also rushed to the massive bonfire at the center. Its flames crackled, rising high into the night.

"Round the fire, hand in hand! Come dance with joy across the land!"

A fiddler among the musicians shouted, calling the crowd to dance. An energetic drumbeat followed the rhythm of chanting.

"Ah! It begins!" Lariette squealed. She quickened her pace, pulling Ruediger along.

"Hahaha! Lettie, don’t run!"

After the opening chant, the fiddler struck up a merry tune. The catchy rhythm was contagious, easily sweeping through the crowd and then luring them to follow the beat.

Couples linked hands as they danced around the fire, their shadows moving along on the ground.

Lariette and Ruediger quickly joined them, their feet crunching over fallen leaves. Laughter, music and warmth spun around the world as the bonfire crackled as if it was laughing along.

The pair was breathless as they slowed at the final music notes. Lariette and Ruediger looked at each other, cheeks flushed and eyes shining.

"Did you get ash in your lashes?" Ruediger said, gently brushing over Lariette’s eye, "Trying a smokey look, are you?"

Lariette grinned, the wind tousling her hair, "Eddy, I expected you to trip once."

"Nonsense," Ruediger huffed, "I’m a master dancer."

"Hehe, let’s sit for a sec."

Around them, couples huddled close, also breathless but relishing the joy of bonfire dance. Some slipped away toward stalls selling hot drinks while the others went to the benches to rest.

Energetic children chased each other, their laughter rising in the air. A few older villagers settled on wooden crates as they shared flasks and hummed the lingering notes of the song.

As Lariette and Ruediger sat on one of the hay bales, the musicians shifted tunes into something slower. The night breeze blew by, spreading the scent of roasted chestnuts, mulled wine and burning pine.

"I’m tired," Lariette yawned as she leaned against Ruediger’s shoulder, "We spent hours here. Worth the long trip."

"We should go back. It has been a long day."

"Yeah, we should."

As Lariette and Ruediger left the festival grounds on a motorbike, the stars blinked awake in the sky. The merriment gradually faded behind them.

While Lariette took a hot shower, Ruediger was busy in the kitchen. All the activities left him still hungry despite already having dinner. He whipped up a quick supper using the ingredients he had prepared today.

"Eddy~ What are you doing?"

Lariette appeared at the kitchen doorway in a set of pink autumn pajamas. Wrinkling her nose, she sniffed the tangy scent drifting in the air, coming from the pot on the stove.

"I made tomato and spinach soup," Ruediger glanced behind his shoulder, chuckling seeing the sleepy-eyed Lariette, "I’m still hungry. Do you want some?"

"My tummy wants some," said Lariette while patting her stomach.

"As expected," Ruediger arched his brows.

Once the soup was done, he insisted she eat first because he planned to shower. Staying outside for hours and doing all those activities made him sweaty despite the cold autumn weather.

"No, we can eat together," Lariette huffed. She pushed the naggy Ruediger toward the bedroom, "Go shower now. I’ll wait. You stink."

Halting on his tracks, Ruediger eyed Lariette mischievously, "Should I hug you and make you stink again? Then we can shower together."

Blinking, Lariette’s cheeks blushed. She quickly smacked Ruediger’s back, "Not tonight!"

"You mean, tomorrow is fine?"

"Eddy!"

"Hahaha!"

Lariette glared at Ruediger as he rushed into the bedroom. Shaking her head, she couldn’t help but recall how last night went between them.

Ahem.

While waiting for Ruediger, Lariette sat on the couch in the living room, legs curling up to her chest. She scrolled her phone, smiling as she looked at the photos they had taken at the festival.

’I’ll send some to Grandpa and Maddie.’

Chairman Delaney and Madeline were aware of Lariette and Ruediger’s trip to the north. She selected a few photos, omitting the more intimate ones, before sending them.

The clock had just hit a quarter past nine. Madeline most likely hadn’t gone to bed, but Chairman Delaney might.

As expected, Lariette received replies from her best friend but not her grandfather.

[Maddie: Get me some tasty treats!]

[Maddie: Also, why did my cousin look so silly in these pictures?]

[Maddie: What a fool in love]

Covering her mouth, Lariette laughed, amused by Madeline’s messages. Her cheeks pinkened as she tried not to gush about Ruediger to his own cousin. She could imagine her friend pretending to vomit.

After exchanging more messages, Lariette put her phone down. Ruediger hadn’t emerged from the bedroom, but she guessed he would do so soon.

’I should serve the soup.’

Lariette brought out the steaming pot of tomato and spinach soup. Its tangy and aromatic scent wafted in the air, almost making her drool. She placed it on the coffee table, alongside two bowls and hot drinks.

’It’s a shame we’ll go back tomorrow.’

Lariette couldn’t help but think like that. She enjoyed the tranquility of this northern countryside, something hard to find in the city. She also knew Ruediger liked how slow-paced life was here.

"...Eddy!"

Lariette laughed when suddenly Ruediger hugged her from behind. The floral scent of the shower wash she used earlier permeated the air, coming from him.

"Let’s eat," Ruediger kissed Lariette’s temple before pulling away, "Hehe, didn’t you say your tummy wants some soup?"

Lariette smiled. She quickly pulled Ruediger to the couch.

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