Chapter 284
They washed the dishes together.
They tidied the kitchen together.
Finally, they went out together to take out the trash.
Sophia pulled on her down jacket and picked up a trash bag.
Alexander brought out two bags from his apartment.
"Professor, how long has it been since you took out the trash?"
Alexander was silent for a moment. "Two weeks?"
Sophia raised an eyebrow.
She never imagined the professor had this side to him.
Fortunately, it was all packaging and plastic bags.
No perishable waste.
"Let's go."
They met an elderly couple from their building on the way down.
The couple had just taken out their trash and were holding hands on their way back.
"Alexander, Sophia, taking out the trash too?"
Alexander nodded.
The old woman looked at Sophia. "What delicious thing did you make today, Sophia? The smell drifted all the way downstairs!"
Sophia replied, "Wild mushroom hot pot."
"Was it that box of mushrooms Alexander got yesterday?"
Alexander had run into the old woman when he picked up his delivery yesterday.
He had casually asked her about mushroom storage methods.
Sophia nodded.
The old woman laughed even more cheerfully. "One provides the ingredients, the other provides the skill! Being neighbors is fate! You're so well-suited, you might as well get together!"
The older generation spoke directly.
Sophia froze.
Alexander cleared his throat softly.
She quickly waved her hands. "It's not what you think…"
The old woman cut her off. "No need to explain, as long as you're happy! Old man, let's go home!"
The old man smiled. "You're talking nonsense again, embarrassing the kids."
"What nonsense? Didn't we meet as upstairs-downstairs neighbors back in the day? Things were so conservative then. Now we should create opportunities for the young people…"
The couple's voices faded into the distance.
Sophia's cheeks felt warm.
Alexander's gaze drifted away.
They descended the stairs in silence.
They threw out the trash in silence.
"I—"
"You—"
They spoke at the same time.
Their eyes met.
They both laughed.
Sophia said, "That old couple is so loving. They've truly grown old together."
Alexander explained, "They are retired MIT professors from the astrophysics department. No children.