Chapter 261
Sophia Sullivan wasn't sure how many he usually ate.
Alexander Laurent had suddenly stopped replying.
She finished steaming all the buns and selected ten, placing them into a fresh bag.
She decided to bring them to him.
She knocked for half a minute, but no one answered.
She took out her phone to text.
[Are you home, Professor?]
Alexander replied quickly.
[At the lab.]
Sophia: [I made Crab Roe Buns. Saved ten for you. Want to get them tonight?]
Alexander initially meant to refuse.
He typed halfway, then deleted it.
It felt rude to coldly reject something a girl made by hand.
And it would seem suspicious.
[Okay.]
Sophia put her phone away and went home.
She had just finished cleaning the kitchen and sat down.
Olivia Lopez called.
"Sweetie! Are my Crab Roe Buns ready?"
"Ready. Made dozens. Enough for you."
Olivia rushed out of the company elevator in her heels.
A full week of overtime was finally over.
She didn't want to stay a second longer.
"Ugh! You're the馋 one! Wait for me, I'm coming~" Olivia's voice was sugary sweet.
She hung up and put her phone away.
Her steps suddenly halted.
"Julian Winston?"
The man stood not far away, hands in his pockets, expression dark.
"What are you doing here?" Olivia walked up to him.
Up close, his face was even darker than she imagined.
"Am I interrupting your flirting?" Julian snorted. "Ugh~"
Olivia's mouth twitched. "Are you on something?"
"On what? I'm not the馋 one here, big girl~"
Olivia was speechless.
"In a hurry to meet someone? I'll get out of your way. Take off those heels, you'll run faster barefoot."
Olivia resisted the urge to pull a knife.
Julian: "I drove. I'll give you a ride for free."
"Julian, if you're sick, move. Don't waste my time!"
The buns were getting cold.
"Not moving—" He leaned in, face close.
Olivia shoved him aside.
"Try that again?"
"And what?"
"I'll kick your third leg off!"
Julian clamped his legs together, eyes wide.
"Are you even a woman? How can you say that!"
"What does being a woman have to do with it? Do words have genders?"
He was left speechless.
Olivia was impatient. "Move. I have things to do!"
"In a hurry to see your little boytoy?"
"Julian, what's wrong with you today? You won't stop!"
"You're yelling at me? You don't reply to my messages! Don't answer my calls! What kind of business partner are you?"
Olivia was even more exasperated.
"Those are messages? 'What are you doing?' 'Eaten yet?' 'Asleep?' And you send nose-picking emojis. How am I supposed to reply?"
"..."
"I'm busy. Worked overtime all week. No time for nonsense. I need to eat and rest!"
Julian immediately said, "Let me treat you to dinner!"
"No need. Someone else is. You can take a number."
She started to leave.
Julian chased after her. "Then let me drive you?"
Olivia paused. "Seriously?"
"Yeah!"
"Fine. Drive fast."
She hadn't driven this week. This was convenient.
Julian eagerly opened the passenger door.
Olivia: "I'll sit in the back. Easier to lie down."
"...Fine."
In the car, Julian sighed inwardly as he steered.
Was there a better boyfriend in the world than him?
Waited an hour to pick her up from work, only to drive her to see someone else.
If he didn't drive her, she'd be long gone.
He had to see what kind of dog had her so bewitched!
Olivia lay down in the back seat.
"Why the big sigh?"
Julian: "I sighed?"
"Just now."
"You said you worked overtime all week?"
"Yeah." Olivia adjusted her pillow.
Much more comfortable.
"Busy like that, but still had time for tennis?" His tone turned sarcastic again.
Olivia raised an eyebrow. "Charlie told you?"
"Hmph!"
"You guys hang out. Are Charlie and Ethan Roscente both insane?"
Julian: "??"
"I hired a coach to correct my form. He charged over and started a fight. Almost broke his nose. Cost me twenty grand. Is he off his meds?"
"...A coach?"
Olivia: "What else?"
"Heh... nothing... heh heh..."
Olivia: "?"
Sighing turned to giggling? Definitely off his meds!
Julian: "The address? Where am I driving?"
Olivia: "To Sophia's place. You know the way, right?"
"Sophia Sullivan? You're going to see her?!"
"What else? So many questions."
"Heh heh... I'll talk less," he grinned ear to ear. "Vivi, you must be tired from overtime..."
Vivi?
"How about a oil SPA? I'll use my mom's card. They do house calls."
Olivia stared at the back of his head, eyes narrowed.
She asked cautiously.
"You didn't... just get out of a mental hospital, did you?"
Julian: "..."
At the apartment building, Olivia rushed upstairs.
The door opened, the aroma of crab roe wafting out.
"Hurry, hurry! I want to eat ten!"
...
After eating, she lay on the sofa, fruit platter in hand, watching a variety show.
Perfectly content.
At ten p.m., Olivia reluctantly prepared to leave.
Sophia: "Really not staying the night?"
Olivia: "Date tomorrow. No time to go back and change."
"...Okay." Sophia saw her to the door.
Olivia walked out of the alley, about to hail a cab.
A familiar car was parked by the roadside.
She walked over and knocked on the window.
Julian jolted awake—
Shit, fell asleep waiting?!
Olivia crossed her arms, studying him. "What's wrong with you?"