CHAPTER 219: CHAPTER 220 SHOUT TWICE (5) ADDITIONAL.

What are you thinking about, little rascal?

"Nonsense."

"If you sleep with me and give me money, aren’t you just treating me like a prostitute?"

Kris Cooper rubbed his forehead and held her wrist. "Let’s go."

"Where to?"

"The Civil Affairs Bureau."

"The Civil Affairs Bureau?" Vera Wave looked up, puzzled. "What are we going there for?"

"To get married!"

Mar... married?!

"COUGH!" Vera choked on her own saliva. "Are... are you out of your mind?!"

Kris Cooper turned his face and looked intently into her eyes.

"Once we’re married, my money will be your money. You won’t be my mistress, and I won’t be paying you for sex. Doesn’t that solve everything?"

"But we’ve only just started dating! How can we get married so soon?" Vera gripped his arm. "Darling, I’m begging you, please just let me do it. I promise it won’t affect my regular work. I’ll only act this one time; I don’t actually want to become a celebrity. You don’t want to see me completely broke, do you? What if something happens with Grandma? I can’t always use your money. If I do... I’ll feel so inferior around you! My boyfriend is so amazing, but I’m just a pauper. If word got out, you’d lose face too, wouldn’t you?"

She peeked at Kris Cooper, noticing his expression seemed to soften a little.

She immediately stepped closer and hugged his neck.

"Please, darling... See? I respect you so much, I’m asking for your opinion. Can’t you respect me this once too?" Biting her lip, she played her trump card. "If you don’t say anything, I’ll take that as a yes. My darling loves me the most!"

Seeing him about to open his mouth, she rose onto her tiptoes and kissed him directly.

HEH HEH HEH!

She didn’t give him an opportunity to speak. The moment her lips met his, she kissed him forcefully, her tongue darting playfully inside his mouth.

Kris Cooper was startled for a moment. Then, he raised his hands to her shoulders, tilting his chin back to avoid her kiss.

"Vera, stop messing around. I’m talking about something serious."

"I’m being serious too! You’re not short on money, so of course, you wouldn’t understand. I still haven’t figured out how to pay next month’s nursing fees." Vera frowned, her gaze fixed on his face. "You’ll probably just say you’ll pay for it, but that’s different. I want to be your equal, Kris Cooper. Do you understand? I want to be able to pay when we eat out. When I want to buy you a gift, I want to have the money to pay for it myself—and for that gift to be something presentable, something worthy of your status."

From the heights of Penduline to the depths of the mire, she had endured countless cold stares. Before, she hadn’t thought there was much difference between having money and not. But when she truly became poor, she realized just how vast that difference was. For her grandmother’s medical expenses, she had faced so many disdainful looks and endured so much hardship. Only she truly understood these struggles. Her grandmother was old; money could be needed unexpectedly at any time, and she genuinely needed it.

Gazing at her small face, Kris Cooper felt a pang of heartache.

He reached out, pulled her into his embrace, and gently stroked her hair.

"I understand. I understand it all. Alright... I agree to let you go."

He knew very well how fiercely independent she was at heart. Though his heart ached for her, he valued her feelings even more.

"Really?" Vera’s face lit up, and she looked up at him. "You really agree?"

Kris Cooper held up one finger. "Only this once!"

"Mm-hmm!" She nodded immediately. "Thank you, darling."

The words had barely left her lips when a knock sounded at the door. Vera glanced nervously towards it, then quickly scurried behind the desk.

Goodnight.