Chapter 1013

“Got it!” Lena responded cheerfully. She washed her hands before sitting back down, picking up the utensils Aaron had prepared for her, and diving into her dumpling-and-dipping sauce breakfast combo.

“Uncle, why aren’t you eating?” She had already eaten two dumplings before realizing he hadn’t touched any.

“I’m not hungry.”

Three words. Which meant he hadn’t eaten yet.

“There’s too much food. I can’t finish it all by myself. Eat some too,” Lena said casually as she picked up a dumpling with her chopsticks and held it up to his mouth.

She did it so naturally—until she realized what she had just done. Aaron froze for a second, surprised by her gesture. The moment of hesitation made her realize too—wasn’t this kind of inappropriate? She was just about to pull her hand back when—

He leaned in and took the dumpling straight into his mouth. Lena’s face flushed red in an instant. She hurriedly withdrew her hand, lowered her head, and focused on eating.

Meanwhile, Aaron chewed slowly, savoring the dumpling while his lips curved into a small, amused smile. Somehow, this dumpling tasted better than any he’d had before. Sensing her embarrassment, he decided to spare her from it—by simply picking up his chopsticks and eating along with her.

Though he didn’t eat much, the two of them ended up finishing all the dumplings, along with the side dishes.

“Have You Thought About Changing Jobs?”

“Are you going home to rest later?” Aaron asked.

“I’m on duty today. I won’t be going back. If I get too tired, I’ll nap for a bit at noon,” Lena replied.

He studied the exhaustion on her face. “Have you ever thought about changing jobs? Something with more regular hours—like moving to an administrative department,” he suggested.

Lena immediately understood what he was getting at. She chuckled. “Uncle, I studied obstetrics and gynecology for years. If I switch to administration, just handling leave requests and supply orders every day, wouldn’t that mean my studies were wasted?”

“My job is tiring, yes,” she admitted, “but I love it.”

Aaron nodded. “I see. Just make sure to take care of yourself. You’re not a machine. Do your best during work hours, but don’t push yourself beyond your limits.”

“Understood,” Lena smiled. “Thanks for today, Uncle. And you don’t have to worry about bringing me lunch later.”

He simply nodded, picking up the empty food container, about to leave. But just then, her phone rang.

It was only six in the morning—way too early for a casual call. His steps paused as she glanced at the screen. Recognizing the caller, Lena lifted the phone toward him and smirked.

“It’s my grandparents.” She answered.

“Yes, she’s born… A baby girl… Got it, I know, I know… You want me to hurry up and have twins, one for each of you? That’s a big request, Grandpa… Yeah, I ate, Uncle Aaron brought me food. He’s still here… Alright, alright… Grandpa, Grandma, Happy New Year! Wishing you health and long life.”

After hanging up, she looked at Aaron and raised an eyebrow. “Uncle, you better get married soon,” she teased. “Otherwise, Grandpa and Grandma are going to set their sights on me next.”

Aaron’s gaze deepened. “Mm. I’ll try to get married this year,” he said.

Hearing those words, Lena felt nothing close to excitement. Instead, a strange emptiness settled in her chest. She suddenly remembered the time she had overheard Xandra talking about moving in with him. With effort, she forced a smile. “Then I better start saving up for a big red envelope gift.”

Aaron’s sharp gaze flickered over her, taking in every tiny change in her expression. “Then work hard at it,” he said lightly.

Lena rolled her eyes at him. “As if! I’m your junior—I shouldn’t be the one giving red envelopes. I’m not saving anything.”

“Fine, no red envelope. But you have to show up at the wedding,” Aaron said, his tone carrying a deeper meaning. “Of course. I’ll be there—and I’ll eat and drink for three days straight,” Lena quipped.

She then deliberately glanced at her watch. “I should go check on my goddaughter,” she said. Then, with a purposefully dramatic wave of her hand, she added, “And you should hurry up and go see your future wife.”

“Mm. I’m leaving,” Aaron said simply, stepping out. The moment he closed the door behind him, Lena’s forced expression faded. Her smile stiffened. And her heart… felt like it had just lost something.