She walked over to the sofa and sat down, placing Jesse on her lap, looking into her clear, innocent eyes, her voice gentle yet earnest.
"Jesse, call her Granny Kingston, not Grandma, rember?"
Jesse tilted her little head, sowhat puzzled.
Jean Ellison felt a pang in her heart and stroked her daughter’s hair.
"Is it that you only know how to say Grandma and not Granny? Then take your ti to learn, call her Granny Kingston, okay?"
Justin Holden, who was changing shoes at the entryway, paused for a mont, and looked over at the mother and daughter on the sofa.
Jean’s heart tightened slightly, but she maintained a calm exterior.
Justin’s gaze stayed on Jean’s face for a short second, not revealing any emotion in his deep eyes.
He seed to think that the child’s naming issue was insignificant and didn’t think deeply about it, speaking lightly.
"The child is still young, let’s go with the flow."
After saying this, he walked straight to the open kitchen, undoing the cuff buttons on his shirt as he walked, rolling the sleeves up ticulously to his elbows, revealing his smoothly toned forearms.
"I’ll make dinner."
He opened the fridge door, speaking in a tone as casual as if he were discussing the most ordinary of matters.
"You all get ready, wash up for dinner."
Jean watched his back, breathing a sigh of relief, yet an indescribable complexity rose within her.
He didn’t get suspicious after all.
Soon, the sound of running water and rhythmic chopping sounded from the kitchen.
Justin stood by the cooking station, his figure upright, his movents swift.
He first broke the broccoli into small florets and sliced the carrots into even thin slices, quickly blanching them in boiling water, draining them after, their bright green and orange colors standing out.
Then, he took out the marinated beef from the fridge, heated the pan, poured in a thin layer of oil, and once it was hot, added the beef for a quick stir-fry.
The beef changed color when heated, releasing an enticing aroma of at and the spiciness of black pepper.
His wrist flicked with fluid movents, controlling the heat perfectly, with the beef slightly charred on the outside but tender inside.
Then he poured the blanched vegetables into the pan, stirring them evenly with the beef, drizzling in a bit of prepared sauce, and simring over high heat, the sauce richly coating each piece of food.
anwhile, on the other stove, a small pot of rice just finished steaming, emitting a rising mist.
He placed the stir-fried black pepper beef and broccoli on a white porcelain plate, with colors strikingly contrasted and scents wafting.
He took out two small bowls and filled them with rice.
"Dinner’s ready." Justin brought the dishes to the dining table, his voice still calm.
Jean led Jesse over after they washed their hands.
On the dining table, the al was simple yet vibrant and aromatic, exuding a warm holy atmosphere.
Jesse happily climbed onto a chair, "Uncle Holden’s cooking slls great!"
Justin handed her a small spoon and took a seat at the head of the table.
The three sat around the table and quietly began eating.
Justin ate gracefully, chewing silently. Jean ate little, her thoughts wandering afar.
Only Jesse occasionally babbled a few words, with the bowl and spoon clinking softly in response.
After the al, Justin naturally started to clear the dishes.
Jean stood up, "I’ll do it."
"No need." Justin’s voice was steady, already stacking the dishes and heading toward the kitchen sink, "You watch Jesse."
Jean did not insist further.
She took Jesse to the living room to play with blocks, but her ears involuntarily listened to the sounds from the kitchen.
The sound of water flowing, the light clattering of dishes, and his steady footsteps when he occasionally walked around.
These everyday noises, heard at this mont, strangely gave her a sense of security.
Jesse grew tired of playing and started rubbing her eyes.
Jean picked her up, "Sweetheart, it’s ti for a bath and bed."
"I want Uncle to tell a bedti story."
Jesse mumbled.
Jean paused for a mont.
Justin happened to co out of the kitchen, drying his hands with a clean towel, having heard Jesse’s words.
He looked at Jean, questioning with his eyes.
"She wants to hear you tell a story."
Jean said softly.
Justin didn’t say a word, just nodded, put down the towel, and naturally took the slightly drowsy Jesse from Jean’s arms.
His movents were sowhat stiff, but his arms were steady.
Jesse leaned against his broad shoulder, clutching his shirt with her little hand.
Jean watched the father and daughter walk into the children’s room, her heart feeling both full and as if a piece had been hollowed out.
These monts of ordinary family warmth felt to her like they were borrowed.
She took a deep breath, turned around, and headed to the bathroom to clean up after Jesse’s bath.
Justin gently laid Jesse on the small bed prepared for her.
Jesse half-closed her eyes, mumbling, "Story... a dinosaur story..."
Justin sat on the carpet beside the bed, leaning against the edge of the bed.
He wasn’t very good at telling stories, his tone flat, even a bit dry.
"Once upon a ti, there was a Tyrannosaurus Rex. It was very big, with very sharp teeth."
Jesse, half-asleep, chid in, "Does it... does it eat grass?"
"...No, it doesn’t eat grass. It eats at."
Justin answered, pausing for a mont, seemingly struggling to construct the plot.
"It... t a Triceratops."
"Did they fight?"
"...No, they didn’t."
Justin looked at his daughter’s sleepy little face, his voice unconsciously softening.
"They... went to find food together."
This improbable plot didn’t arouse Jesse’s doubts; she just murmurously uttered "oh," her eyelids fully closing, her breathing becoming slow and even.
Justin’s voice ca to a stop.
He watched his daughter’s sleeping profile, her long eyelashes casting gentle shadows under her eyelids, her small nose slightly moving with her breath.
This little face bore Jean’s delicate outline, and it seed he could vaguely see a bit of his own shadow.
This thought flashed by too quickly for him to grasp it.
He slightly furrowed his brow and quickly cast aside that absurd idea.
Adjusting Jesse’s blanket’s edges, he turned off the main light, leaving only a dim nightlight, then gently closed the door and stepped out.
Jean had just finished tidying up the bathroom, wiping her hands as she ca out, seeing Justin standing in the living room as if waiting for her.
"Is she asleep?" Jean asked.
"Yeah," Justin replied.
The usual silence settled between them once more.
The residual scents of dinner lingered in the air.
"Tonight..." Justin suddenly spoke, his voice strikingly clear in the quiet living room.
He paused, seemingly choosing his words, "You sleep in the master bedroom."
Jean was montarily stunned, looking up at him. His face didn’t show much expression, but his eyes were firm, leaving no room for refusal.
"No need, I’ll sleep in the second bedroom."
Jean instinctively refused. After that night, she felt even more that they should maintain their distance.
"Jesse might wake up at night."
Justin’s reasoning sounded plausible, his tone unruffled.
"The master bedroom is closer to the children’s room. Besides," he added, his gaze sweeping over her bag on the sofa, "I’ve already moved your stuff to the master bedroom."
Jean couldn’t figure out what he ant.
Justin gave her no more chance to refuse, turning and heading toward the study.
"I’m working on docunts tonight, I’ll sleep in the study."
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