Rosie Sullivan stared for a mont and instinctively turned her head to look. As expected, she saw a figure that could ignite her anger just by appearing—
Benjamin Durant.
An unforgettable scoundrel even if turned to dust and ashes.
Besides him was another man, a few years older, starkly different from Benjamin’s frivolous and flashy deanor. His attire was casual, yet he appeared mature and steady.
Rosie’s eyes flared with fire as they landed on the two of them, watching them step by step make their way over.
The man keenly noticed her gaze and glanced at her twice. However, Benjamin was solely focused on the barbecue, oblivious.
Until the two of them stood in front of Rosie—
"Ben-ja-min."
Rosie spat out each syllable of his na with fiery anger.
The originally enthusiastic Benjamin froze abruptly upon hearing her voice. Turning around, he saw Rosie standing outside the door, and a chill surged from his back to his head.
"Oh shit—"
He instinctively tried to hide behind Humphrey Jennings.
He hurriedly said, "Humphrey, shield ."
Humphrey looked at him briefly, then stepped aside with an umbrella.
"Miss, do as you please."
With a cigarette in his mouth, Humphrey said to Rosie as he took out a lighter and lit it.
Benjamin: ???
Bro, are you even human?
Rosie, who was genuinely about to lose her temper, was montarily taken aback by Humphrey’s reaction, biting her lip and managing to suppress much of her inner fury.
Adjusting the umbrella backward, Rosie frowned at Benjamin, "Why haven’t you left yet?"
"Ah, I..."
Benjamin, who was ready to run at the slightest sign, froze at her words, making up a random excuse, "It’s rare to co to the big city; we’re just taking a look around. Yes, just looking around."
Unable to resist adding, "What? Not gonna hit today?"
"Hmph."
Rosie snorted softly, staring coldly at him, "No need for to make a move, all the rich kids in Fenton City want to annihilate you."
"... If you’re hoping for them to help, that’s a bit tricky."
Benjamin sneered, his tone rather disdainful.
"You—"
Rosie’s anger flared up, taking a step forward.
Benjamin quickly took half a step back.
Seeing this, Rosie’s brows knitted tightly.
Was she that terrifying?
Lightly biting her lip, Rosie glared at Benjamin, agitated, and turned away with her umbrella.
With a sullen rub of his nose, Benjamin glanced at the barbecue shop’s sign and suddenly seed to figure sothing out.
"Hey—"
He called out to Rosie, raising his voice slightly, "Are you out of money again? Let treat you."
Rosie’s body jolted.
Then, three words laced with anger ca through the rain—
"Not needed!"
She didn’t look back, striding forward.
The transparent umbrella opened above her head, like a thin layer of wings, as the storm suddenly beca denser, pounding down, and the rain obscured the view.
The girl’s back appeared frail and slender, the splashing water droplets striking her skirt, making her seem as if she could be swept away by the stirring storm at any mont.
Benjamin watched for a few more monts, scratching the back of his neck, his brows slightly furrowed.
"What’s going on?"
Finishing half a cigarette, Humphrey raised an eyebrow, eyeing Benjamin from the side.
He realized that the delicate and gentle-looking girl was the one who had chased Benjamin for a beating last ti.
He initially thought she’d be a wild and fierce tigress, but unexpectedly, she was a petite and delicate little girl, quite endearing.
—The more so, the more it highlighted how scummy Benjamin was.
"I haven’t even asked you yet, what kind of brotherly behavior was that just now?" Benjamin recalled Humphrey’s outrageous behavior and accused him, "Wouldn’t you be worried if I got beaten to a pulp?"
"Not worried." Humphrey replied coldly, then added, "I don’t hit won."
"Bull!" Benjamin rolled up his sleeves, "Haven’t you hit won before?"
Frowning slightly, Humphrey righteously declared, "Those were enemies."
"Tch."
Benjamin expressed disdain.
"Just to remind you," taking a drag from his cigarette, Humphrey glanced again in Rosie’s departing direction and said lightly, "that girl is sick."
Benjamin skeptically examined her, "How do you know?"
"Sothing’s off about her complexion; anyone can see it..." Before finishing his sentence, Humphrey’s gaze swept over Benjamin like a blade, plainly stating, "Besides, if she were in good spirits, with your recent provoking behavior, you wouldn’t have gotten away today."
Benjamin was stunned, "How do you know so well?"
Giving him an indifferent glance, Humphrey answered coldly, "Because I also kind of want to beat you."
"..."
Benjamin was utterly shocked by his good brother’s heartless words.
He looked at the barbecue shop’s entrance, paused, then looked back and asked Humphrey hesitantly, "Maybe we should co back later to eat?"
*
Rosie walked out of the supermarket.
It seed fine when she stepped out; perhaps getting caught in a bit of rain and wind gave her a chill. Holding the shopping bags as she left, her head felt a bit dizzy, and her limbs weak.
Once she exited the shopping mall, raindrops the size of beans, carried by the wind, hit her body head-on, the coldness seeping through her skin to her bones, making her shiver uncontrollably.
She took a breath and quickly opened her umbrella, barely shielding herself from the rain and gusting wind.
However, the rain poured down even harder. She had only taken a few steps when the opened umbrella swayed in the fierce wind, and even tightly holding it couldn’t prevent it from flipping in the wrong direction.
Clutching a shopping bag in one hand and holding the umbrella in the other, her scalp tightened. The chilly wind lifted her skirt, and rainwater, relentless, slapped against her skin, icy cold. Her loose hair fluttered ssily, making her feel both cold and embarrassed.
Rosie felt anxious and annoyed.
If she had known, she should have just paid for delivery instead of trying to save those delivery costs!
"Hey."
Out of nowhere, a voice reached her ears.
Then, in her rain-obscured vision, a figure walked in.
In her peripheral vision, the edge of a coat being caught in the wind looked sowhat familiar.
The wind blowing in her face was blocked by the figure, and the sense of losing control, swaying in a precarious balance, finally eased a bit.
Rosie secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
But—
As she slightly moved the umbrella back, seeing the man walking toward her caused her expression to freeze instantly.
?
Why was he here?
At that mont, Benjamin stretched out his hand, pinching the edge of her umbrella, pushing it up slightly, and before she could react, his hand released and gently pressed against her forehead.
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