Surprise

Beverly's nightgown barely covered her hips. Since she was sleeping on her side, one breathtakingly fair thigh lay pressed outside the blanket, while half of one fragrant shoulder and a small portion of ** showed above the loose nightgown. Everything was half-hidden, half-revealed, brimming with temptation.

After a year apart, eighteen-year-old Beverly had grown even more mature.

Her golden hair spilled across the pillow, and she breathed steadily and evenly. Her beautiful, delicate face looked especially peaceful in sleep.

Deep asleep, Beverly had no idea that there was now another person in her room.

Several stuffed toys lay on Beverly's bed. Even while sleeping, she was hugging an enormous stuffed dog.

Zhang Tie's gaze fell on the ring finger of the right hand wrapped around that toy dog. There was the ruby ring he had given her, and Beverly was still wearing it.

Zhang Tie slowly approached Beverly's bedside. Just as he was about to bend down and kiss her face, he spotted something tucked beneath her pillow. He paused, then quietly reached out and took it from beside her pillow.

It was an incredibly crude little pouch made of white linen. There were things inside it. Zhang Tie gave it a squeeze and immediately knew they were the black mulberries he had found in the wild during his last trial in Wild Wolf Valley. The little pouch itself had been sewn from his own torn shirt.

He had never expected that Beverly had not used those black mulberries, and had even kept this crude little pouch. She treasured it so dearly that she kept it by her pillow, letting it accompany her to sleep every night.

The crude little pouch had changed somewhat since then, for three embroidered words had been added to it—I love you!

These were words