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Novel Catalog
Chapter 95
“Oh, you have them? Okay, wait for me here then. I’ll go brush my teeth now. Do not eat before I’m done, you hear me?” Veronica instructed, heading back into the tent.
Inside, she quickly found the toothpaste, toothbrush, and a bottle of water. She had similar items herself, but her water supply was running low—she’d used the last of it the day before. Who could have guessed they’d end up stuck on a mountain due to the torrential rain?
She brushed her teeth as quickly as she could and returned to sit next to Matthew. As she reached for the pot of porridge, she noticed something: there were two spoons, but only one pot.
“How about you eat first? You have mysophobia, so you might not want to eat after I’m done,” she offered with a little smile.
Veronica, ever self-aware, knew that Matthew had worked hard to bring the porridge up from the mountain base. She didn’t want to seem unfair, eating before him.
Matthew gave her a faint, approving smile. “Seems like you still have some conscience left in you.”
The wind blew gently against his bangs, which only seemed to make him look more charming. He took a few mouthfuls of porridge and then pushed the pot toward her.
“It doesn’t taste that good, so you should have all of it,” he said, a bit nonchalant.
Veronica raised an eyebrow. She scooped some porridge, giving it a taste before looking at him, slightly confused. “Is it really that bad?”
She chewed for a moment and then smiled. “It tastes pretty good to me. Actually, it tastes just like the porridge I’ve been having at home these past few days.”
Then, a thought struck her. She turned to Matthew with wide eyes. “Wait… does this mean you cooked all of this yourself?”
Despite knowing how to cook, Veronica had never imagined that Matthew—who usually ate his breakfast with a side of American options—was actually the one cooking. She’d always assumed the food was prepared by someone else.
“Why are you treating me so nicely?” she asked, studying him with a playful yet judgmental gaze. “Is it because you have impure thoughts about me?”
Her words were teasing, but beneath the banter was a truth: Veronica didn’t believe people did things for others without expecting something in return.
Matthew didn’t say anything at first. His gaze was cold as he turned and entered the tent. His silence made Veronica feel a little guilty.
Is he mad at me?
She sighed, deciding to finish the rest of the breakfast he had worked hard to make. Afterward, she used the remaining water to wash the pot and packed it in a plastic bag, placing it in Matthew’s backpack.
When she saw him lying there, his back to her, she cautiously approached and tapped him on the shoulder.
“Hey, don’t be so petty. I was just joking with you,” she said, hoping to make him laugh.
Matthew didn’t respond, still pretending to sleep.
“You can continue sleeping. I’m going to get up and leave you here, alone in this tent,” Veronica teased.
He barely acknowledged her, so she sighed and tried another tactic.
“Hey, Matthew Kings, if you don’t wake up right now, I’ll bite you!” she threatened.
But Matthew didn’t budge.
Growing frustrated, Veronica had an idea. She pressed her fingers to his nostrils, pinching them together, ready to see if she could get a reaction out of him.
Let’s see how long you can keep pretending to sleep, huh?
But Matthew, ever the quick thinker, used his mouth to breathe, evading her tactics. Veronica, now determined to make him react, reached up to cover his mouth with her hand.
Seconds passed, and still, there was no sign of him waking up. Finally, with a swift motion, he turned toward her, bumping his shoulder into hers.
Veronica, caught off guard and not bracing herself, tumbled forward and landed directly on top of him, instinctively wrapping her arms around him as she tried to catch her balance.
The sudden shift left them in an incredibly suggestive position, both staring at each other in surprise.
The atmosphere in the tent became thick with awkward tension as they locked eyes.
Matthew’s expression, though still calm, held an almost amused glint. He had been enjoying the little prank, and now, as she lay on him, he found the entire situation oddly relaxing.
She was different from the women who often surrounded him, women who behaved in ways that felt false and performative. Veronica, though playful and unpredictable, was genuine—and that was what made him enjoy their time together.
He raised an eyebrow, holding her by the waist. “What exactly are you doing, huh? Serving yourself up with such eagerness?”
His deep voice, mixed with that playful hmm at the end, made his words almost unbearable to ignore.
Veronica, flustered but still sarcastic, shot back, “How about I serve you a nice plate of as-kicking? I was talking to you for ages! Were you deaf or what?”
She was already losing her patience. After trying so hard to get him to wake up, she was now ready to snap.
Slapping his shoulder, she growled, “Get up! Get up! I don’t want to camp on this mountain again tonight.”
Matthew, finally feeling a bit better, agreed with a lazy stretch. He started packing up, and soon, they were both ready to continue their journey.
By noon, they arrived at Almeida County. Although it was technically a county, the area was far from bustling. The few residents lived in humble homes made of wood, stone, or concrete, with rooftops that seemed barely put together.
They were in Essen Village now—an isolated place with no shops or markets. The villagers dressed in patched-up clothes, giving them an almost scrappy look, though they all seemed to make do with what they had.
Curious children gathered around them, their faces covered in mud but their eyes sparkling with energy. They chattered excitedly in a dialect Veronica couldn’t understand, though their enthusiasm was contagious.
“Matthew, didn’t you bring some snacks?” Veronica asked, noticing their eager expressions. “Why don’t you share some with them?”
She took Matthew’s bag, pulling out the snacks he’d packed for the journey. “Hey, little cuties, look what I have for you.”
The children immediately swarmed around her, their faces lighting up. The moment she handed out the snacks, their eyes sparkled with joy.
Matthew stood off to the side, watching Veronica give the food away. He couldn’t help but feel an odd, indescribable warmth as he watched her interact with the children.
It was a strange feeling, seeing her—so playful, so genuine—bring a moment of happiness to these children, and in doing so, to him as well.
