CHAPTER 31: CHAPTER 31: SKILLFUL TECHNIQUE

Yesterday was still a snowy day, but today the sun has taken the stage.

The road is wet and muddy, and Sophia Lowell’s snow-white boots are speckled with dirt.

"Are you very familiar with my mom?" From their conversation, Sophia could guess that the two seemed to have more contact than she did.

"Three years ago, I stayed here for a few months." His eyes turned dim.

Autumn Lowell would never let outsiders stay overnight here, especially not men.

Three years ago...

Sophia remembered that summer, Zoe Walsh had brought someone here to stay.

He sat in a wheelchair, stayed inside all day without going out, or speaking, with the windows closed even during the day.

She hadn’t seen him when he came, nor when he left.

Could it be him...

Sophia looked at his legs, but saw nothing unusual.

She wanted to ask something, but suddenly felt her arm tighten, her whole body feeling weightless, feet off the ground, crashing into his hard chest.

Zane Sterling held her arm.

"Careful."

"Sorry!"

Almost getting hit by some candied hawthorn sticks, the two youngsters awkwardly pulled them back.

"Good thing I’m not wearing a shirt, or else these buttons might not hold." He looked down with a smile.

Sophia realized her hands were grabbing the fabric in front of his chest.

"I’m sorry..."

She quickly let go, carefully smoothing out his clothes.

But later, when their hearts were in sync, most times he couldn’t control himself, taking off his shirt as soon as he entered, not even bothering to unbutton, just tearing it off, first his then hers.

After the frenzy, he would pick up the buttons and sew them back himself.

Sophia felt both love and shame at his mania.

During the day, he was extremely gentlemanly, courteous, wearing a suit, with an ethereal, otherworldly face.

At night, he was a ravenous beast, a wolf howling at the moon in the depths of night...

They visited many places, saw many rare works.

Just as they were about to leave, Zane suggested they visit a temple.

Sophia was puzzled, such a big boss, visiting a temple? Did he do something guilty?

There was only one temple here, the God Temple, on one side of the mountain, with few people knowing about it.

Legend has it, if you make a wish under the Bodhi Tree and throw a wish ball into the wish urn, your wish will come true.

Sophia hesitated; she didn’t want to go.

That year, when she brought Henry Quinn, she came, and her wish ball missed the urn every time, so she gave up. Later, she sneaked back alone, and it still wouldn’t go in.

Thinking about it, it seemed even the heavens were preventing them from being together.

Her eyes turned red, she laughed lightly, but still agreed.

She wanted to see if she had a fate with this man she had flash-married for less than a week.

Under the Bodhi Tree, he was earnestly writing his wish, back facing her, not letting her see.

Sophia didn’t want to see either, writing both their names on her slip, handing it to the monk on the side.

The monk glanced at it, smiled, then closed his eyes, muttering words Sophia couldn’t understand, before finally tucking the slip into the wish ball.

The wish ball had to be thrown into an urn three meters high in front of the Bodhi Tree.

Sophia glanced at Zane, who had his arms crossed beside her, his ball already thrown in, waiting for her.

Feeling a wave of sourness, she suddenly felt guilty toward this man because she didn’t love him. They were just two strangers together.

"So? Did you make such a big wish that you can’t throw it?"

He stood beside her, his upright posture looking like that of a warrior guarding her.

For some reason, she felt Zane was the type to tell cold jokes.

Sophia didn’t say anything, weighed the ball in her hand, and threw it toward the urn with the posture she thought most likely to succeed.

She threw it with more force than usual.

As expected, the ball still didn’t go in.

However, unlike before, it didn’t bounce elsewhere out of reach or knock down a passerby.

Instead, it bounced right in front of Zane, who caught it tightly, just centimeters from his glasses!

"Ms. Lowell’s skill isn’t bad, if not for my quick hands, this life might’ve ended here," he spoke astonishingly when he finally opened his mouth.

"..."

"Heh heh..." Passersby laughed.

Zane disdainfully glanced at her and, in the blink of an eye, casually tossed her ball in!

"Hey! That was my wish!" Sophia hurried to snatch it back but was too late.

"It’s mine too."

Having said that, he turned and left.

I have to say, he’s an excellent dunker, able to get the ball in even with eyes closed.

Sophia looked at the wish urn, then at the departing Zane, a surge of anger rising, chasing after him.

Finally catching up, she unexpectedly slipped, nearly falling.

Zane reached out, pulling her into his arms.

Sophia hurried to push him away, but just then, she heard familiar laughter from the mountain below, grabbing Zane’s hand to hide behind a nearby rockery.

"Shhh!"

The rockery wasn’t big, only enough to hide one person, Zane facing away with Sophia tucked in front.

"Sophia, we’re husband and wife, openly, not sneaking an affair." His serious tone made her want to roll her eyes.

"Shut up!" Sophia looked up at him, surprisingly cursing him for the first time, reminiscent of the time she had called him by his full name in the hospital.

However, his eyes were full of doting, a smile at the corners of his mouth.

"I heard Ms. Lowell lived in The S Republic for a while, originally hoping she’d show us around, but she said she’s busy." Wyatt Nash’s voice.

"Ms. Lowell always prefers to keep her distance from everyone." Bianca White answered briefly.

"She’s back on her own turf, surely meeting with old acquaintances." Ethan Sinclair chuckled.

"With Ms. Lowell being so pretty and capable, do you think she has a boyfriend?" Wyatt asked probing.

Bianca and Ethan stayed silent.

"Ethan, you’re Ms. Lowell’s classmate, what do you think of me?" Wyatt unexpectedly asked.

"I don’t like guys." Ethan responded.

...

Spending time with Zane, Ethan had also acquired a bit of a cold humor.

Few people knew about Sophia and Henry Quinn.

After all, they only met occasionally, had a meal, often more like emotional listeners rather than a typical couple.

Hearing Wyatt’s inquiry, Sophia, hiding in front of Zane, couldn’t help but tighten her grip on his clothes.

"Hey! Look, doesn’t that person look like Mr. Sterling?" Wyatt’s sharp eyes noticed.

With so few people at the God Temple, they naturally scrutinized everyone they saw.

Sophia shrank back toward Zane in fear.

Zane wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her into his coat, gently lifting her chin with one hand.

"Mmm..." Sophia’s eyes widened!

Zane bent down, enveloping her in his coat, warm lips covering her cherry lips, completely concealing her.