Lenny and Scarlett

Scarlet had no choice but to take Lenny to her rental apartment.

It was located in an old community. The surveillance cameras were not working, and there were no security guards at the gates.

There was also no elevator. Scarlet lived on the fifth floor and had to climb the stairs.

Whenever she did, she always ended up out of breath.

There happened to be a set of men's clothes in her room. She handed it to Lenny and said, "These aren't as good as your normal clothes, but you can make do with them for now."

Looking at the men's boxers, Lenny squinted slightly. Sᴇaʀch Thᴇ (ꜰind)ɴʘvel.nᴇt website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

As a woman, how could Scarlet own a pair of men's underwear?

Scarlet felt his intense gaze and blushed. She knew what he was thinking, so she quickly explained, "When a girl lives on her own, she should be on guard. I own a set of men's clothes and usually hang them outside to make people think that there's a man living with me. I feel safer that way."

"Why don't you just live in the dorms at school?"

"I lived in your villa before. I'm worried that I won't get along with my roommates if I live in a dorm," Scarlet said casually.

Then, she went to the bathroom and changed her clothes. When she came out, Lenny had already changed into the clothes that she let him borrow.

Outside, the wind was picking up, and the rain was getting heavier. If Lenny were to go home, he'd have to go on foot again.

It was just six o'clock in the evening, but it was already dark outside. Lightning flashed and thunder clapped. It was terrifying.

According to the weather forecast, the typhoon would be in its fiercest tonight, so it was dangerous to roam outside.

Many trees had fallen down because of the storm's impact.

Lenny couldn't go home and had to stay in Scarlet's apartment for the night.

It was a small studio apartment. There was no wall between the bed and the sofa, and the only relatively private and closed space was the bathroom.

Scarlet was short and petite, so she could sleep on the sofa while Lenny took the bed.

"Well, how will you explain your absence tonight to Miss Marshall when you get home?"

"I will take care of it. Don't worry."

"I don't have much of anything here. I have some instant noodles. I can make you some if you're hungry."

"All right." He wasn't a picky eater.

Scarlet cooked two bowls of instant noodles and wolfed hers down. She was really hungry.

On the other hand, Lenny ate slowly and elegantly, as if he was munching on a bunch of fancy food instead of some cheap instant noodles.

"Have you eaten instant noodles before?"

"No."

"Do you think it tastes bad?"

"It's not delicious, but it's edible. You're a girl. Don't eat these things. They're nothing but empty calories."

She was thin, and she ate poorly. How could she gain weight?

"I will give you money every month. You can do whatever you want with it."

"You don't have to do that. We're not married anymore."

"Even though we are divorced, the Foster family still owes you a favor. You don't want Grandma to find out that you're living a hard life now, do you?"

"Fine."

She had no choice but to compromise.

After dinner, Scarlet made the bed for Lenny and changed the sheets. Then, she took the thin quilt and went to the sofa.

"I'll sleep on the sofa tonight. You take the bed." As a man, it was only right for Lenny to be polite and considerate to women, so he tried to insist on taking the sofa for tonight.

"You're not going to fit in the sofa. It's fine. Take the bed. It's just for one night. You're going home tomorrow when the weather gets better anyway."

She didn't give him a chance. She lay down on the sofa and closed her eyes.

He didn't say anything more. He turned off the lights and lay on the bed.

The faint fragrance that the sheets gave off felt like a warm embrace to Lenny. It was comforting. But at the moment, he didn't feel sleepy. He just lay there with his hands on the back of his head.

As Lenny stared into the darkness, he thought about what happened earlier when he carried Scarlet on his back all the way home.

Even though she weighed practically nothing, he still had been so careful. He carried her ever so mindfully like she was a rare treasure that would break when not handled well.

She was as light as a feather, but his heart was heavy.

Every step he took was strong and steady, and he grasped her legs tightly, making sure that she didn't fall off.

She held onto the umbrella with her small hands, afraid that his clothes would get wet. She tried her best to shelter him from the wind and rain.

He could feel her breath in his ear. Her breath was sweet.

While Lenny was lost in thought, a dull thud suddenly broke the silence. He whipped his head to the direction of the sound.