Chapter 10: You Are Dissatisfied with Me

The two of them returned to the Kingston Penthouse.

As soon as they stepped inside, Willow spotted the herbal medicine package resting at the entryway.

It looked exactly the same as when she had sent it over; even the folded angles of the wrapping paper hadn't changed.

Did Uncle Julian... not even spare a single glance at it?

Could it be that she had sent the wrong thing? Did he not like herbal medicine?

Julian noticed the girl’s gaze linger on the medicine before she pulled it back, and a flash of amusement crossed his eyes.

"Have something to say?"

Willow hesitated for a moment, then shook her head gently.

"These herbs," Julian picked up the package, his eyes landing on her face without a trace of emotion, "Did you choose them yourself?"

"Mm," Willow nodded.

Although they were prepared by the pharmacy, she was the one who made the request.

She had said it very clearly at the time: to supplement the body.

Meeting the man's increasingly deep gaze, she couldn't help but feel anxious.

Was she wrong? Had Uncle Julian actually looked at them?

The plastic bag containing her porridge cup crinkled as her grip tightened. She asked cautiously, "Does Uncle Julian not like it?"

Julian took a step toward her.

His voice was deep and laced with a hint of hoarseness. "Should I like it?"

Willow parted her lips.

The man’s aura felt more oppressive than usual, and she was starting to feel a bit afraid.

"If Uncle Julian is unhappy," her long eyelashes trembled, "I’ll go throw it away."

As she spoke, she reached out to take the package, but her wrist was caught first.

Julian’s eyes were fixed on her. "Willow, you are dissatisfied with me."

"How could that be?"

Willow immediately denied it.

That was quite a serious accusation to pin on her.

He had been working hard to look after her; how could she possibly have any complaints?

"Is that so," Julian uttered two words indifferently. He pulled the herbal package toward him and opened it right in front of Willow. "Do you recognize what these are?"

Naturally, Willow didn't recognize any of them.

She shook her head earnestly. "I only know they are for nourishing the body."

"They are for nourishing," Julian lowered his head slightly, emphasizing each word, "but is it for the body, or for the kidneys?"

Willow turned the words over in her mind, and her cheeks suddenly caught fire.

This medicine... was actually for that aspect of a man’s health.

In the time it took to answer a phone call, how did the pharmacy give her this?

Where did he even need "supplementing"?

That night, she felt like she was nearly dying...

Stealing a glance at the herbs in the man’s hand, she felt increasingly mortified.

Her lips turned white from biting them as she looked at him timidly with a trembling voice: "Uncle Julian..."

Julian’s gaze darkened.

The young girl before him was incredibly ill at ease, exactly like she had been on the morning after their encounter.

Yet she seemed unaware of how alluring she was, still speaking in that soft, gentle voice: "You don't need to supplement this—no, what I mean is, I’m not dissatisfied with you..."

He watched the fine beads of sweat break out on her smooth forehead, her skin turning pink with anxiety.

His Adam’s apple bobbed involuntarily.

The top button of his shirt felt exceptionally tight at this moment.

He raised his free hand and slowly, methodically unfastened it.

Then he called her name in a low voice: "Willow."

"Huh?" Willow, who was still racking her brain for an explanation, lifted her chin and was caught off guard by the man's open collar.

He had a standard lean-muscled physique; his sturdy collarbones were exposed, and further down, one could vaguely glimpse his honey-colored chest.

Willow remembered it being quite firm.

When things became intense that night, she couldn't help but bite him several times, which had made her own mouth sore.

"Uncle Julian," she hurriedly averted her gaze, "should I send something else instead? What do you like? If you want a surprise, I can ask my senior. He’s a guy, so he probably understands better than I do."

Julian frowned. "You have a good impression of him?"

"He’s quite a nice person," Willow thought about how he had fought for her to have the center position. "I still owe him a favor."

The man continued to ask, "Does it need to be repaid?"

Willow wanted to nod, but Uncle Julian was standing a bit too close to her.

The fresh scent of herbs on him drifted into her nose in wisps, making her reactions feel sluggish.

She also felt a bit unable to breathe.

At this moment, her heart was beating exceptionally fast.

She felt as if she was being slightly mesmerized by Uncle Julian’s appearance...

Suddenly, the phone in her bag rang.

Willow snapped out of it like waking from a dream and hurriedly pulled the backpack over to take out her phone.

It was an unknown number.

"Hello? Who is this, please?"

"It’s me," Jace Miller’s cheerful voice came through. "I thought about today and felt I was in the wrong. I should have asked for your opinion first. Willow, as an apology, can I treat you to a meal?"

"Senior, you're making too much of it," Willow declined. "I’m the one who should be thanking you."

"That works too," Jace followed her lead. "Then you treat me to a meal."

Willow: "..."

Could it even work like that?

Before she could speak again, Jace had already made the decision: "It’s settled then. Tomorrow is Saturday; be there or be square at the school gate. By the way, I just sent a friend request. Please accept it."

With that, he hung up.

He didn't give her a single chance to refuse.

Willow switched her phone to the WeChat interface, and sure enough, there was a friend request.

She clicked accept and set the nickname as "Senior Jace."

Julian, who had witnessed the entire exchange, looked somewhat displeased.

She showed him nothing but "respect," yet she was so intimate with her senior.

"Willow," he spoke up with concern, "are you going?"

Willow spoke the truth: "I don't want to owe anyone a favor."

If it could be settled with a meal, she was more than happy to do it.

Otherwise, it would keep weighing on her mind, which made her uncomfortable.

Besides, thanks to Senior Jace’s call, she didn't end up like she had that night when she was drunk.

Developing a lapse of judgment toward Uncle Julian...

She absolutely, definitely had to control herself.

No in-cest!

Just then, Jace sent a message. She walked toward her room while replying, "Uncle Julian, I’m going to wash up now."

Julian watched as the girl focused on her phone, replying seriously. He took two steps forward and reached out to grab her wrist.

"Wait."