He wasn’t very close.
Natalie Morgan couldn’t help but quicken her pace, overtaking the woman.
The woman yanked her back. "What’s wrong with you? Why are you in such a hurry? Don’t tell you’ve got ideas about my husband. You better tell straight, is there sothing going on between you two?"
"Ma’am, you’ve got it all wrong. I’ve never t your husband before." Natalie Morgan had no choice but to pull the drawing Ethan Yates had given her from her bag and show it to the woman. "Look, my colleague drew him. I thought it was very lifelike, and I was just really curious to see him in person."
The woman eyed the drawing in Natalie Morgan’s hand and snatched it away. "What is this supposed to be? This doesn’t capture a fraction of my husband’s good looks. Your colleague’s skills are terrible."
"That’s exactly why I’m even more curious to see if your husband is really as handso as you say," Natalie Morgan said, forcing herself to be patient.
"Well, if that’s the case, I don’t see why not." The woman shoved the drawing back into Natalie Morgan’s hands. "But don’t you go scaring him. He’s shy around strangers."
"You’ll be right there, won’t you? I won’t say a word. Can I just take a look?"
"All right, then." The woman glanced up at the sky; the late autumn rain felt surprisingly cold. "You can follow ."
The man never turned around.
Just as they were about to reach him, the heavy-set woman called out his na. "River."
The man’s movents stilled as he was eating, and he slowly turned his head...
Natalie Morgan didn’t know why, but her heart suddenly started pounding.
’Is it him?’
’Could it be him?’
In the few seconds it took for the man to turn his head, she imagined a thousand different outcos.
And yet...
Before she could get a clear look at his face, the man suddenly rushed at her and shoved her to the ground.
The man was incredibly strong. Natalie Morgan never expected him to attack her.
Caught completely off guard, she fell hard. It hurt.
"Sss..."
Ethan Yates jogged over and helped Natalie Morgan to her feet. He berated the simple-minded man before them, "Why did you hit her? That’s completely out of line!"
The man’s face was caked in mud, with only his bright eyes darting back and forth.
The heavy-set woman shielded the man behind her like a mother protecting her young. "Who are you talking to? My husband is just like this."
"He may be simple-minded, that’s true, but he can’t just go around hitting people! Mr. Childs is a woman! If she gets seriously hurt from that fall, can you afford to pay for it?"
The mont she heard Ethan Yates ntion compensation...
The heavy-set woman imdiately threw a fit. She plopped down on the ground, ignoring the muddy water, and began to wail.
"Everyone, co and look! They’re bullying us! They’re bullying my husband because he’s simple-minded and trying to make pay! I might as well just give you my life!"
The heavy-set woman was wailing and chanting.
Soon, a crowd of workers had gathered to watch.
This made Ethan Yates furious.
He was about to march over and argue, but Natalie Morgan stopped him. "You can’t reason with her. Besides, why lower yourself to arguing with a fool? I’m fine."
"Are you sure you’re okay?" Ethan Yates asked, concerned.
Natalie Morgan gave a slight shake of her head. "I’m fine."
The simple-minded man, frightened, hid behind the heavy-set woman.
Natalie Morgan hadn’t gotten a good look at his face, and now she didn’t dare get near him again.
’Maybe he really isn’t Theodore Grant after all.’
’I was just overthinking it.’
"Mr. Yates, the rain is picking up. Let’s just head back."
"Alright."
On the way back, Natalie Morgan was lost in thought.
Ethan Yates had to call her na several tis before she finally heard him. "What?"
"You’re not going to be once bitten, twice shy, are you?" He smiled and clarified, "I an, you’re not going to stop going to the construction site just because that simple-minded man pushed you today, are you?"
Natalie Morgan gave a faint smile. "It’s not that serious."
"People like him are just like that—their emotions, their psychology, none of it is normal. But... did you notice? He gives off a special kind of feeling..."
Ethan Yates couldn’t find the right words to describe it.
That special feeling the man gave off... it was sothing he felt he could only capture with a paintbrush.
"What kind of special feeling?" Natalie Morgan asked.
"It’s..." He pursed his lips, his brow furrowing slightly. "...like he doesn’t belong in the world of construction workers. He’s like a nobleman in exile."
Natalie Morgan laughed.
She shook her head. "You don’t think he’s so kind of noble just because he’s handso, do you? It’s not only the rich who are born with good looks."
That may be true, but Ethan Yates still had a strange feeling.
This man was just different from the others.
"Did you get a clear look at his face?"
Natalie Morgan felt a pang of regret. The man’s face had been covered in gri, and he had attacked her so suddenly that she hadn’t had a chance to get a good look.
"Not really."
"He’s covered in dirt every day, but even that can’t hide his striking features and sharp jawline." Ethan Yates seed to have a peculiar appreciation for handso n.
Natalie Morgan couldn’t help but ask, "You’re... into that?"
"I like all beautiful things." He understood what she was implying and smiled. "You think I’m into n?"
"I didn’t say that." She felt it was rude to make assumptions.
She shouldn’t have said that.
Ethan Yates just smiled, not seeming to mind. "It’s perfectly normal for n to like n. Love is love, regardless of gender."
Natalie Morgan didn’t know much about gay people.
She didn’t judge, and she could understand it.
"Are you saying that n understand n best, so they can connect on an emotional level?"
Ethan Yates didn’t think that was quite accurate. "Love is a feeling. If you’re a man and you et a woman who feels right, that mutual attraction is love. If you’re a man and you et a man you’re mutually attracted to, that’s also love. An emotional connection isn’t limited by gender."
Natalie Morgan was speechless.
She had never felt that kind of connection with anyone.
She didn’t know what it felt like to be on the sa wavelength as soone else.
Love was sothing she felt she would never be able to figure out.
Let alone the dynamics between n and won, or n and n.
She rubbed her temples, a slight headache forming. "That’s a bit deep."
The late autumn rain carried a bone-chilling cold.
When they arrived, Ethan Yates escorted Natalie Morgan to her door under an umbrella. "Mr. Childs, I’d like to go back to the construction site next weekend. Would you like to co with ?"
Natalie Morgan hadn’t made up her mind yet.
She offered a noncommittal smile. "We’ll see. I’ll have to check my schedule."
"All right." He walked her to the entrance of her building, still holding the umbrella over her. "Well, Mr. Childs, I’ll be heading back then."
"Thank you."
Natalie Morgan waved goodbye to Ethan Yates.
The rain that fell on Fenchest for days on end created an oppressive atmosphere, weighing down on everyone’s mood.
The kindergarten was closed, so she took a few days off from work to stay ho with Momo.
Whenever she managed to get Momo to sleep...
...Natalie Morgan would find herself staring blankly at the sketch Ethan Yates had drawn.
KNOCK KNOCK.
The sound of knocking pulled her from her thoughts.
She threw on a jacket, walked to the door, and peered through the peephole.
No one was there.
KNOCK KNOCK.
Two more knocks.
’But I didn’t see anyone.’
’Where is that knocking coming from?’
She cautiously widened her view through the peephole. It looked like soone was squatting on the ground.
She couldn’t tell if it was an adult or a child.
"Who is it?"
KNOCK KNOCK. Two more knocks.
She decided to just open the door.
A man, soaked to the bone, was squatting at her doorstep. In his filthy hands, he held up two roses, offering them to her...
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