Chapter 444

"That's right. I'll miss you," Lily said, not shyly. She boldly put both arms around his neck and asked, "What if you miss me?"

He chuckled lightly, bending to peck her lips. "No matter what, there's always a solution. Look in your room."

It was her usual room at the Lodge family residence. Lily opened the door and was instantly touched. Her room was exactly as she'd left it. Everything was untouched, though clearly the room was regularly cleaned.

The only difference was the new bedding, which looked sun-dried and incredibly comfortable.

However, Alexander noticed there was no heater or air conditioning; the room felt stuffy.

"There's no air conditioning?" He circled the room, confirming the absence of any cooling system. Lily then remembered, "Oh, I forgot to tell you. The Lodge home has neither air conditioning nor heating. You'll have to endure it tonight."

"No air conditioning?" He found this hard to believe. Even ordinary households had it in this technological age, let alone a family like the Lodges. Of course, their lack of air conditioning wasn't due to expense, but to their lifestyle.

"There's a rumor that the Lodge family is an old kickboxing family—everyone participates," Lily said, settling onto the comfortable bed.

Alexander nodded. "I've heard that rumor."

"It's true," she said softly, turning to him. "Since childhood, I was forced to practice kickboxing. For a Lodge child, it's as essential as eating or sleeping—whether you like it or not. Grandpa believes suffering, hunger, and enduring the cold are tied to training. To meet his expectations, the Lodge family home has no air conditioning or heating."

"Freezing winters and scorching summers are natural. Grandpa says we must acclimatize to the weather and not be spoiled." Her expression was innocent. "So"

"That's why there's no air conditioning, and the interior design is so basic?" He'd thought the house was remarkably austere upon entering. The furniture and electronics were functional, but the space lacked any luxurious touches. It was far from minimalist; it was spartan. "Now you understand how I felt when I first saw your house?" Lily said, half-joking.

Although the Lodge family was large, their culture was markedly different. They were incredibly frugal. Therefore, she found Alexander's mansion overly luxurious. The Lodge residence covered a large area, but contained little; Alexander's mansion, on the other hand, was lavishly renovated and filled with the latest technology. Despite being his only residence, it was utterly lacking in any down-to-earth quality.

"Correction," he said, placing a finger on her lips. "It's our house."

"Right," Lily smiled, stretching and lying down. "At least now I don't have to wake up early every day to run, or risk being attacked at night."

In the past, she'd had to wake at dawn for runs and faced the possibility of nighttime ambushes. According to her grandfather, practicing martial arts meant constant vigilance. Even sleeping at home was no respite!

Alexander was speechless. It was ridiculous! He lay beside Lily, gazing at the ceiling. "I have a bad feeling about something, though."