Chapter 46

The door to the study was slightly ajar. When Leon walked in with a glass of milk, he saw Kelly asleep and slumped over her desk. It was clear what had happened that night. After she came home and showered, she went straight back to her studies. She was clearly a hardworking student. But in the end, she still couldn't fight off the sleepiness and dozed off.

The soft light cast a gentle glow on her face. She looked delicate, and her long lashes cast faint shadows. Leon stood beside her for a moment, then gently placed the milk on the desk. He leaned down and carefully lifted her into his arms. She was extremely light. It was effortless for Leon to carry her to her room.

Leon looked down at her, her long lashes drooping sleepily. He asked gently, “Did I wake you?” Kelly didn’t respond. She just blinked, nestled into a more comfortable position in his arms, and fell back asleep. She trusted him wholeheartedly. She hadn’t really woken up at all. She curled in his arms, her cheek resting against his neck, and her soft breaths brushed over his skin. A faint, delicate fragrance wafted through his nose. Leon’s body tensed slightly, a warmth rising within him beyond his control.

The journey back to her room felt long. When he finally stood beside her bed, he suddenly couldn’t bring himself to let her go. Then, Kelly shifted slightly, snapping him back to reality. He gently lowered her onto the bed. She murmured something and curled her body into a ball on the bed—the posture of a fetus sleeping in its mother’s womb, so vulnerable. “Sweet dreams,” Leon whispered.

The door clicked shut softly, and Leon vanished from the room. A tranquil silence enveloped the space as Kelly effortlessly slipped into her dreams.

The next morning, Leon heard sounds coming from the kitchen. When he walked in, he saw Kelly standing there in an apron, cooking eggs in the pan. “I’ll do it. The kitchen gets smoky,” Leon said, quickly reaching for the spatula in her hand.

Kelly dodged him with a swift move. “It’s just an egg. I’ll be fine.” She looked at him earnestly. “You’ve always taken care of my meals. It’s the weekend. I want to make breakfast for you today.”

Leon looked at her for a while, then sighed and retracted his hand reluctantly. Kelly immediately pushed him toward the door. “Wait outside for a bit. Breakfast will be ready soon.”

Deon had barely taken a step when he heard a sudden shout from inside. “My eggs!”

Moments later, two sandwiches, with slightly charred eggs inside, were placed in front of them. Kelly looked slightly embarrassed and muttered in her own defense, “This isn’t my usual standard. It just happened to get a little…burnt.”

Leon chuckled and reached for the darker sandwiches. His tone was reassuring, “It’s fine. It won’t kill me.” With that, he took a bite. The taste was indescribable. A distinct, earthy taste spread across his tongue, followed by a hint of bitterness that lingered. He was usually picky with food. Back when he studied abroad, he couldn’t get used to the local cuisine, so he often cooked for himself.

“How is it?” Kelly looked at him hopefully. Meeting her gaze, Leon forced himself to swallow the bite and remained composed. “Not bad.”

Kelly thought her cooking skills had improved, especially since even a burnt egg tasted okay. With that optimistic thought, she picked up the other sandwich and eagerly took a bite.