Zach said, “No… Why do you want to end the partnership just like that? We can talk things out!”

Winter sneered. “Didn’t you just imply that the partnership will end if I don’t agree? Look, I hate forcing people, and I despise people who change their minds all the time. We had an agreement, and now you’re trying to change the rules. Are you toying with me?"

“I’m very particular with who I work with. It’s better to cut ties early with partners who aren’t reliable, so we don’t waste each other’s time. Don’t you agree?”

Zach straightened up immediately. “How am I not reliable?”

Winter shot back, “So, are you going to renegotiate the terms or not?”

“No… There’s no need.” Zach slumped back down, feeling deflated. His pride wasn’t worth anything anyway.

“Hmph! That’s more like it.”

Zach mumbled under his breath, “I came all this way, and I haven’t eaten…”

“What did you say? Why are you mumbling like that? Speak up like a man, will you?” Winter retorted.

“I said I’m hungry!”

Winter was taken aback. She thought he was cursing her under his breath, but unexpectedly…

She asked, “A rich scion like you can’t afford a meal?”

Zach’s temper flared instantly. “I crouched outside your door for a whole hour. Where was I supposed to eat? What could I even eat?”

Winter pursed her lips. “It’s not like I asked you to wait outside. You’re the fool, and now you’re blaming me.”

Zach was at a loss for words. His stomach was aching from frustration!

In the end, Winter made him a cup of instant noodles.

Zach complained as he slurped the noodles, “Can’t you serve something better for me?”

Winter sat at the other end of the couch with her eyes glued to her phone. Without looking up, she replied, “Eat it or leave it.”

Zach sighed. Fine, he’d better eat those noodles. In the end, he even drained the last drop of soup and burped loudly.

Winter shot him a look of disdain. “Since you’ve eaten, when are you going to leave?”

Zach leaned back on the couch and patted his stomach with satisfaction. “Do you have anything to drink? Something cold would be nice.”

Winter raised an eyebrow. “You’re really treating me like a maid, aren’t you?”

“Don’t get mad. Why are you always ready to explode? Could you be more patient as a woman?”

“No,” she retorted.

Zach had no choice but to get up and open the fridge himself. Sure enough, there wasn’t any food. However, there were plenty of drinks. He opened a can of soda and took a few gulps before letting out a loud belch.

“Could you not make such disgusting noises?” Winter remarked.

Zach belched three times after only taking one gulp.

Winter was speechless. The look in her eyes showed that she was merely seconds away from stabbing Zach out of frustration.

It was a lazy afternoon in the heat of summer. At Winter’s home, the two lazed around and bantered back and forth, filling the house with chatter.

Clearly, Zach wasn’t planning on leaving anytime soon, much to Winter’s frustration. She silently vowed to block him from being able to see her social media posts in the future!

Miranda had woken up from her nap and read through another two theses. She got up to stretch after being still for so long.

She went to the kitchen, planning to prepare a fruit platter.

The downside of summer was that fruit peels attracted flies easily. After slicing the fruits, she tied up the trash bag and decided to leave it by the door until she could take it out with the other trash later in the evening.

When she opened the door, she noticed that the door of the neighboring apartment was wide open. Some workers were crowded in Paul’s living room, discussing something.

At that moment, Paul emerged from his bedroom. “I tried it. The air conditioner in the bedroom isn’t cooling either.”

One of the workers clapped his hands. “Ah, it must be an issue with the external unit.”

Miranda blinked and asked, “Dr. Jefferson, is there a problem with your air conditioning?”

Paul’s gaze shifted past the workers and landed on Miranda. “Oh, you’re home?”

“Yeah, it’s Saturday.”

Paul gave her a bitter smile and pointed at the air conditioner. “It broke this morning.”

His forehead was covered with beads of sweat, and his shirt was drenched as well. The cloth clung to his chest and back.

Miranda had just stepped out of her air-conditioned room. She couldn’t help but feel hot just by looking at him. “Since the workers are fixing it now, why don’t you come over to my place? My AC is working fine.”

Paul hesitated for a moment. “Would it be alright with you?”