If there were conditions, Fátima would definitely fly back as soon as possible to properly educate Nora, then have her punish herself with the one hundred and eight house rules ten tis over to rember the preciousness of life.
Unfortunately, after Fátima learned the details of the situation, she was still so busy that she barely had ti to bother with Nora.
A little more than half a month later, when she finally got so free ti, she received an accurate reply on the matter of retracting Nora’s wanted notice, and only then did she rember Nora.
"What’s Crystal’s situation?"
Leaning against the balcony railing, Nora lifted her gaze, passed over the living room, and fell in the direction of the study.
"Not badly injured, she can be discharged by the end of the month," Fátima said plainly, "but her experience might lead her to suffer from PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder), her ntal state isn’t good, she’ll need psychological therapy for a period after discharge."
"Oh."
"Is she in Fenton City?"
"Yes."
Nora answered honestly.
Fátima didn’t mince words, she straightforwardly instructed, "When you have the ti, help take care of her."
Stunned, Nora suddenly asked, "From what you’re saying, you two have quite a deep friendship?"
"Not acquainted," Fátima said briefly before adding, "but there’s sowhat of a connection."
"Alright."
Nora didn’t ask further, agreeing readily.
"Your issue is pretty much solved," Fátima said, "but don’t relax too soon, things aren’t over on my end, wait until I get back and handle you."
"..."
Nora seed to see a hundred and eight house rules waving at her.
Soone in the call was calling for "Captain Morton," Fátima must have had sothing to attend to, without much ti to chat with Nora, she hung up after a few lines.
Once the call ended, Nora lowered her gaze and stared at her phone, feeling a bit dazed.
Unexpectedly, the impulsive decision years ago...
Nora rubbed her nose, letting out a light sigh.
Might as well sleep.
Tomorrow she had to get up early to practice the bamboo flute.
Moreover, the senior sister’s vacation was pitifully short, and her only holiday was tightly scheduled, not having a mont to spare, who knows how many years later she could co find her next ti.
*
In the study room.
Andrew Hughes finished his assigned howork, having nothing to do, cradled his cheeks with both hands, swung his short legs, and stared at Marcus Shaw.
"Marcus Shaw."
After a long while, Andrew Hughes called him.
"What’s up?"
Marcus Shaw pulled away a piece of draft paper filled with writing and put it aside.
A math problem, he spent an hour on it, wrote several pages of draft paper, yet still couldn’t solve it.
A bit frustrated.
"Grandfather said my mom can co back next month."
Andrew Hughes feigned a calm deanor, telling Marcus Shaw in a crisp voice. However, the joy in his eyes couldn’t be completely concealed, easily captured at a glance.
"Oh."
Turning his head to look at him, Marcus Shaw couldn’t help but feel relieved.
Finally, there was a definite date.
This ti Crystal Hughes went away longer than usual. While she could usually be seen on the central TV channel, this ti it seed that a different host replaced her, and she hadn’t been seen.
Had she not regularly assured the family of her safety, the family would truly worry she’d gotten into trouble outside.
"I want to go buy a gift."
"I’ll accompany you next week."
"Can you pick one?" Andrew Hughes hid a bit of doubt in his eyes, "I think asking Nora is more fitting."
"..."
Marcus Shaw knitted his brows, silently guessing his intentions, he then said directly, "Tell her yourself."
Andrew Hughes blinked, "Will she agree?"
Marcus Shaw, conceding to the math problem, took a picture and sent it to Oliver Scott seeking the key steps to solving it.
Then, he answered Andrew Hughes, "I don’t know."
Andrew Hughes uttered a disappointed "Oh," contemplated for a mont, then jumped off the chair and crossed his short legs out of the study.
A minute later, Andrew Hughes was at the door of Nora’s room, rubbing his little hands, looking troubled, pacing back and forth.
His steps were small, he passed by the door, paused, glanced at the tightly closed door.
Hesitated for a mont, turned his body, passed by the door again, paused, continued to stare at the tightly closed door.
So adorable, yet so conflicted.
He went back and forth several tis.
Finally—
Without waiting for Andrew Hughes to make up his mind, he heard the sound of the door being opened.
Andrew Hughes imdiately stood upright, his back straight, looking at the door, lifting his little head, his eyes reflecting Nora, dressed in a bathrobe, with wet hair draped over her shoulders, leaning at the doorway.
Blinked his eyes, Andrew Hughes genuinely felt Marcus Shaw’s sister was too beautiful.
Just like soone from a painting.
"Nora," Andrew Hughes called obediently.
"You have sothing for ?"
Slightly tilting her head, Nora smiled, sizing up the small figure half her height.
"...Hmm."
Andrew Hughes lightly nodded.
Nora chuckled, "Go ahead."
Andrew Hughes was about to state his purpose, but suddenly, his gaze fell on a ring hanging around Nora’s neck.
It was a black ring, of unknown material, extrely simple in design, yet not at all ugly.
Nora usually kept the ring inside, only taking it off when she showered, and she had just put it back on when she opened the door, so it was revealed.
With a shift in thoughts, Andrew Hughes, curious, asked, "Do you need a ring for marriage?"
"More or less."
Noticing Andrew Hughes’s gaze, Nora lowered her head and pinched the ring that Pedro Langley had given her.
Andrew Hughes calculated his little savings and asked, "Then, is it expensive?"
Raising her eyebrows slightly, Nora stared at him for two seconds, then crouched down.
"Co here."
She beckoned Andrew Hughes over with her finger.
Andrew Hughes obediently took a few steps closer.
"Who is it for?"
With her elbow resting on her knee, Nora supported her chin with one hand, her expression showing an unusual hint of patience.
Usually, Andrew Hughes thought of Nora as quite aloof, with a sense of distance. Despite her being quite tolerant towards others, she didn’t get overly close to anyone.
At this mont, she kept herself at the sa level as him. Perhaps because she had just showered, her usual aggressiveness and assertiveness were less pronounced, with her eyes clear and pure, and her brows carrying a touch of gentleness.
Suddenly, Andrew Hughes felt she was quite easy to get along with.
"My mom."
Andrew Hughes answered truthfully.
"When is she coming back?"
"Next month."
"Alright," Nora raised an eyebrow, "I’m not free tomorrow. How about I take you to buy a ring next week?"
"Okay." Andrew Hughes nodded imdiately, then hesitated as he continued to stare at the ring Nora was wearing, asking, "So, is it expensive?"
Idly fiddling with the ring on her finger, Nora said lightly, "Not expensive. We won’t buy anything too pricey; live within your ans."
"Alright."
With Nora’s assurance, Andrew Hughes’s worried expression relaxed, and he was instantly relieved.
"Thank you, Nora."
Andrew Hughes politely thanked her.
Nora looked at him with smiling eyes and suddenly said, "Lean your head over."
"Huh?"
Andrew Hughes blinked in curiosity.
The next mont, two hands reached over, grabbed his little head, and tousled it, making his smooth, soft short hair a complete ss, sticking out in all directions.
"Didn’t Oliver Scott say not to touch it..." Nora’s smile brightened. After ssing up his hair, she extended a forefinger, gently tapped his forehead, and said with satisfaction, "Feels nice. Let’s go."
Andrew Hughes: "..."
For so reason, seeing Nora smile so happily, Andrew Hughes not only didn’t feel annoyed or dissatisfied, but was also a bit shy, with his ears turning red.
"Nora, good night!"
After saying goodbye to Nora, Andrew Hughes quickly ran back to the study.
Nora chuckled softly and stood up.
—If the kids at ho were as worry-free as Andrew Hughes, having one might not be a bad idea.
However, obedient children are always soone else’s kids.
*
The next day, morning.
At six o’clock sharp, intermittent noise ca through from a certain bedroom.
After just a few days, Marcus Shaw’s body clock had been conditioned. The mont he heard the sound, he would wake up and get up promptly.
His pajamas were thrown onto the chair, and Marcus Shaw opened the wardrobe door, pulling out a short-sleeve shirt to change into.
As soon as he changed, he heard the sound of Andrew Hughes getting up. Turning his head, he saw Andrew Hughes groggily sit up, clearly not fully awake, rubbing his eyes with the back of his hand.
After a couple of seconds, he covered his ears with his hands, tilted his head upward, and looked in Marcus Shaw’s direction.
"Marcus Shaw, am I dreaming?"
"No."
Marcus Shaw answered indifferently.
Andrew Hughes sighed, with his head drooping. A mont later, he asked again, "Is the one playing the flute Nora?"
"Yes."
"Oh."
Upon hearing this answer, Andrew Hughes imdiately relaxed.
He yawned and crawled around on the bed, wriggling out from under the covers. Then, squinting his eyes, he searched for his clothes, intending to get up.
Marcus Shaw walked over, pulled over the clothes in his hand, and advised, "Don’t put them on. Go sleep in the next room."
The soundproofing of the buildings at Cloudwater Haven was quite good. Although the noise was still audible within the sa house, going to the neighbor’s place next door muffled it to a great extent, only faintly audible there.
Nora had already instructed last night, setting aside a guest room for Andrew Hughes next door. In case he was woken up by the noise in the morning, he could go sleep there.
It was just that Andrew Hughes had stayed up too late doing howork with him last night, which is why he wasn’t sent next door.
Andrew Hughes looked at Marcus Shaw with open eyes and asked, "Are you going?"
"No."
"Why not?"
Marcus Shaw’s expression changed slightly, "Morning run."
Ever since Nora discovered that her flute practice noise disrupted Marcus Shaw’s ability to study peacefully...
She had beco even more enthusiastic about playing it.
Every day at six o’clock, without fail.
Her reason was: Can’t study? That’s great, combine work with leisure. In the early morning, the sunshine and track are waiting for you. If you don’t go exercise, what’s the point of staying at ho?
In short, she forced him to go for a run.
—If she were to raise kids, she’d probably turn soone like Oliver Scott into an athletic star.
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