He stood tall and straight, dressed in a suit but without a tie. He looked a bit tired.
The next second, Alexander Sterling lifted his head and stared at her for a long moment. He curved his lips into a soothing smile.
Evelyn Vance smiled back. The stone that had been weighing on her heart finally dropped.
She watched him quietly as he approached, walked down the stairs, and came to her.
"I knew you wouldn't listen and go to bed early," Alexander said, looking down at her.
"I wasn't waiting for you specifically. I just couldn't sleep," Evelyn replied stubbornly.
Alexander smiled and didn't argue. He just asked, "Hungry? Have a late-night snack with me."
"Okay. What do you want to eat?" Evelyn nodded.
"How about some sliced pork porridge?"
"Don't you prefer ramen?"
"I suddenly think sliced pork porridge sounds good too," Alexander replied with a smile.
"Take a shower first. I'll cook it."
"Let Lily Thompson do it. You wait for me," Alexander insisted.
"I already told Lily to rest."
"Then wait for me to finish my shower. We'll do it together," Alexander insisted.
"I know. Hurry up, or if you keep dawdling, who knows how late it'll be," Evelyn urged.
Alexander smiled and rubbed her head, then went back to the bedroom to shower.
Evelyn wanted to say that his bedroom was right there. But when the words reached her lips, she didn't say them.
Even though they slept in separate beds, she couldn't very well bar him from the master bedroom.
Evelyn followed him into the master bedroom's dressing room anyway. She helped him get his loungewear ready. Then she went downstairs to cook the meat porridge.
If she waited until he finished his shower to start cooking, it would be way too late. She would start cooking now. By the time Alexander finished his shower, it would be almost done.
Being pregnant didn't mean she was disabled. She could still do things.
Evelyn took out the pork and celery from the refrigerator. She was ready to cook the porridge.
It had been a while since she last cooked, so her movements were a bit rusty. But that didn't stop her from continuing.
Alexander came downstairs after his shower. He saw Evelyn in her apron, chopping celery. The porridge on the gas stove was bubbling.
His heart warmed. He walked up behind her, wrapped his arms around her waist, and pulled her into his embrace.
Evelyn instinctively struggled and resisted.
"Evelyn, let me hold you for a while," Alexander's low voice came from above her head, tinged with fatigue.
In the end, Evelyn's heart softened. She compromised. But her mouth still said lightly, "I can't chop vegetables like this."
"I'll chop them. You can supervise," Alexander replied with a smile.
"It's just chopping celery. What's there to supervise?" Evelyn couldn't help but laugh.
"Otherwise, I'll chop all the ingredients for Lily's breakfast tomorrow. I'll show you my knife skills."
"What knife skills do you have?" Evelyn couldn't help laughing.
"Do you have any carrots? I'll carve a rose for you."
"Alright, alright. I know you're good with a knife. Just chop the rest of the celery, put it in, and add some pepper," Evelyn had to let Alexander finish chopping the celery.
After the meat porridge was cooked, the two of them sat at the table and ate.
"What did Third Sister want with you tonight?" Evelyn took a few spoonfuls of porridge, looked up at Alexander, and asked.
"She treated me to coffee and told me a soul-stirring love story," Alexander said.
"What kind of soul-stirring love story?" Evelyn was stunned. She stared at Alexander blankly.
"Do you want to hear it?" Alexander raised his eyes to look at Evelyn and asked.
"Sure," Evelyn nodded.
"A few years ago, there were three excellent students. Two boys and one girl. Both boys liked this girl, but the girl preferred one of them—" Alexander told Evelyn the love story that Scarlett Sterling had told him.
Evelyn listened, stunned. Finally, she blurted out, "Fake!"
"Why is it fake?" Alexander asked with a smile.
"If that were true, the girl would have dropped out of school long ago. College students weren't allowed to get married back then! How could the school let the girl continue studying after having a child? But there is also a possibility," Evelyn continued.
"What kind of possibility?"
"That it's a romance novel. Only in romance novels can love be so thrilling and tear-jerking, and so unconstrained."
"So you think it's impossible?" Alexander looked at Evelyn with a smile and asked.
"It's not impossible, but I think it's a story. Didn't you just say it was a love story? By the way, why would Third Sister share this love story with you?" Evelyn looked at Alexander curiously and asked.
"She really likes this story," Alexander replied calmly.
"Oh. Third Sister's taste is quite... special," Evelyn answered.
No matter how she listened to it, she felt this love story was a tragedy. Even if she felt moved watching it, she really couldn't say she liked it.
It was like the love story of the butterfly lovers. It sounded beautiful, but if it happened in real life, it would be truly unacceptable.
"Yes. Her preferences have always been different since she was a child."
"Oh," Evelyn answered after a long pause. "She went out to find you just to tell you this love story?"
"Pretty much," Alexander nodded.
"Nothing else? That's a bit strange," Evelyn asked.
"She thinks I'm the child in the story."
"Ah?" Evelyn suddenly looked at Alexander in amazement, thinking she had misheard.
"Do you think that's the case?" Alexander asked Evelyn with a smile.
"How could it be? This isn't a novel!" Evelyn blurted out.
"Third Sister thinks it's true. And she has the relevant proof materials."
"Could it actually be true?" Evelyn asked hesitantly.
"There is only one truth. And I don't know what the truth is."
"You think you're Conan or something? And you still have the leisure to tease me at a time like this?" Evelyn couldn't help rolling her eyes.
"Don't you believe what I said?"
"I believe what you said. But I don't believe the story you made up. Oh, wrong. It's the story Third Sister made up," Evelyn retorted.
"It's not made up. What Third Sister said is not a story. It's something that happened. As for whether I am that child or not, I have a different opinion," Alexander replied calmly.
Evelyn looked at Alexander. Her expression was even more confused.
Well, her IQ seemed to be running out of comprehension.
"Evelyn, from now on, I won't hide anything from you. I will let you bear and feel things with me. Because we are husband and wife. And you are very smart. I believe you can handle it well. Before, I was worried it would cause you psychological burden. I was also worried that if you knew too much, there would be danger. So I tried to avoid some things. Now I realize that sometimes, not only can I not protect you, but it also makes you think too much and causes misunderstandings," Alexander looked directly at Evelyn and replied.