“You’ve gotten it wrong…”
Roxanne looked away from Lucian and tried to explain to the owner. The owner flatly rejected her explanation, saying, “It’s impossible. I saw the two of you holding hands when you walked in. To be honest, you both are quite attractive. I’ve noticed the two of you since you arrived on our street!” To prove himself, the owner tapped Roxanne’s suitcase. “This belongs to you, right? I saw this man taking it from you! He acted as though he had done this so many times.”
He then proceeded to reveal their interaction along the way. The customers in the restaurant couldn’t help but sneak glances at Roxanne and Lucian as they entered.
The owner’s words only added to their curiosity, causing them to stare at the couple openly. Some got curious and asked, “Are you guys. celebrities here to film something?”
Knowing she couldn’t persuade the owner to think otherwise, Roxanne explained in exasperation, “We’re not celebrities. We were passing by, and our car broke down.”
The owner finally stopped talking. Relieved, Roxanne quickly ordered, “I’ll have squid ink pasta and a salad, please.” She then glanced at Lucian, afraid he couldn’t accept these dishes.
Lucian turned to the owner. “I’ll have the same.” The owner nodded and left to prepare their food. Lucian swept his gaze across the crowd, and they looked away guiltily.
“They don’t have any ill intentions. Don’t behave like this,” Roxanne advised helplessly. Lucian turned back to her and regarded her darkly. “Have you been here previously?”
He had a feeling that Roxanne was familiar with this place. Roxanne was taken aback. Knowing what he meant, she chuckled and explained, “No. I haven’t been here exactly, but I have experienced something similar. When I first went overseas, I had the opportunity to accompany Professor Lambert on various. medical consultations. We often had to trek up mountains to gather herbs for our treatments, which was quite an adventure!”
That was why Roxanne didn’t show any disgust for the town and felt at ease there. Lucian’s eyes darkened when he heard her answer. He thought that this area was bad enough and did not expect her to tell him she had been to worse places.
She had been through a lot over the past six years. If I hadn’t acted that way, would she still be with me? Would she have been spared from all the difficulties and struggles she had gone through?
Knowing he felt guilty, Roxanne said solemnly. “I wanted to do these things because they were meaningful to me. I didn’t feel the least bit tired doing it, so don’t take it the wrong way.”
Back then, Professor Lambert gave me a choice: remain in the lab or venture out and experience new things. I chose to take the leap of faith and explore the unknown, and I would not trade that decision for anything in the world. The trips I went on not only provided me with a wealth of knowledge but also irreplaceable memories that I will cherish for the rest of my life. Had I stayed in the lab, I would have missed out on the invaluable lessons and experiences that I gained from the trips.
However, Lucian’s face was still dark. Roxanne helped him with the utensils. “I know you’re used to dining at expensive restaurants, but I’m sure you’ve never experienced a taste quite like this before,” she said encouragingly. “It’s really quite delicious.”
She then began eating. A wave of guilt washed over Lucian’s heart when he noticed how natural she looked. It wasn’t that he couldn’t get used to the environment. He just felt that she deserved to eat at a better restaurant. He was completely unaware of the many hardships and struggles that she had experienced over the last six years.
