Chapter 11: Harboring Unholy Intentions

Willow Avery turned to look at him. "Uncle Julian, what's wrong?"

Her eyes were filled with confusion.

Clearly, she wasn't on the same wavelength as him.

Julian Kingston’s thin lips pursed slightly as his gaze fell on the porridge in her hand. "The porridge."

Willow held it out to him. "Do you want to drink it, Uncle Julian?"

"Mm."

Julian gave a faint hum of acknowledgment, took the porridge, and headed toward the master bedroom.

Willow was baffled.

Uncle Julian seemed a bit off.

He felt quite hot when she was leaning against him earlier, but now he was radiating a cold aura, and even wanted to drink porridge...

Willow decided she should still show some concern for her elder. "Uncle Julian, you're twenty-seven now; you should pay more attention to your health."

Julian's footsteps paused for a moment before he silently returned to his room.

He took out his phone and sent a message to his friend, Adrian Cross.

[Am I very old?]

Adrian: [??? I'm a year older than you, and you're asking me this?]

Julian didn't reply, but Adrian on the other end seemed to realize something and began spamming messages:

[Did the 'iron tree' really bloom? Is the other person rejecting you because of your age?]

[Let me tell you, young girls like those who are sunny, talkative, and humorous. Someone as mature and stiff as you stands no chance.]

[Why don't you learn a thing or two from me? After all, I'm a veteran in the field of love. The people who like me could form a line from the hospital all the way to South Street!]

Julian's fingers rested on the screen as he typed a line:

[Oh, so that's why you're still single?]

Adrian: [...I'm a man of high character, so I won't hold it against you.]

Julian didn't reply again.

He stared at the few words Adrian had sent.

None of them were even remotely related to him.

...

After greeting Jace Miller on WeChat, Willow went to the bathroom to shower. When she came out and checked her phone, he had sent a dozen voice messages in a row.

There was also a photo.

Willow clicked on the image to enlarge it; it was a picture of her and Julian walking side by side.

In the voice messages, Jace’s voice was a heart-wrenching wail: "Willow! How can you already have a boyfriend!"

Willow hadn't expected someone to actually take a photo.

And that it would spread so quickly.

She usually didn't care about rumors, but when the subject was Julian, she couldn't remain calm.

She hurriedly typed an explanation: [He's my uncle.]

Jace: [You gave me a fright, Willow. Since he's your uncle, I can rest easy. Ah, your senior is a kind soul; I'll help you clear up those messy rumors at school while I'm at it.]

Willow replied: [It's too much trouble for you, Senior. I'll explain it myself.]

Jace: [It's a small matter. I've already replied to the posts on the school forum for you.]

Below was a screenshot.

Jace was doing his best to help her.

Willow could only express her gratitude: [Thank you, Senior. Don't be polite with me during our meal tomorrow.]

Perhaps because she had accidentally seen her uncle's body, Willow had a truly strange and bizarre dream.

It was different from the last one.

This time, she actually reached out and touched him.

Uncle Julian was very cooperative and stayed perfectly still.

His chest was hot, and his abs were firm.

She had a lot of fun touching him, acting quite bold.

From time to time, she turned into a squealing fan girl.

"The feel of the waist and abs is quite good, and the thighs are fine too..."

Just as she was wondering what to touch next, the man suddenly looked down and asked her, "Have you touched enough?"

"Uncle Julian, how are you alive?"

Willow was startled awake.

She opened her eyes and was suddenly met with Julian’s face.

"Willow?"

The man crouched down slightly, frowning as he asked her, "What were you dreaming about? You kept making noise."

Willow: "..."

She didn't dare think about it in detail.

Even less could she talk about it.

She made up a random excuse: "It's nothing. Uncle Julian, why did you come in?"

Julian took out his phone.

He brought up a video.

Through a door, various strange noises could be heard from time to time.

Screams mixed with loud laughter.

"This," Willow explained with a stiff upper lip, "I think I was having a nightmare."

Julian looked around the room. "The lighting in this room isn't good. Move to the master bedroom, and I'll move in here."

"No need, Uncle Julian," Willow shook her head; moving into the master bedroom would be too presumptuous. "I've just been under a lot of pressure lately. I'll be fine in a while."

Under a lot of pressure?

Julian pondered. "I see."

He stood up, took a few steps, and added, "I'm on duty today. I'll have the driver take you to school later. Also, send me the location of where you're eating later."

Willow’s fingers toyed with the blanket.

At this moment, even taking one more look at her uncle made her feel as if she were molesting him.

She lowered her head and gave a random response: "Okay, Uncle Julian."

Julian said nothing more and left the room.

A short while later, Willow heard the sound of the front door closing.

Julian had gone to work.

Only then did she take out her phone and send a message in her dormitory group.

[I'm telling you guys, I keep dreaming of a man, and he's not wearing any clothes...]

Roommate teased: [This is 'spring fever'; you're harboring unholy intentions toward someone!]

Willow wrapped herself in the blanket and rolled around on the bed.

She... just happened to take a few extra glances... right?

...

At eleven o'clock, Willow arrived at the school gate.

Jace Miller had been waiting there for a long time. Seeing her arrive, he teased, "I thought you'd arrive early for a meal with me, Willow."

"Sorry, Senior," Willow said with a bare face. "We agreed on eleven o'clock..."

She had arrived exactly on time.

Repaying a favor wasn't like a date; she hadn't considered arriving early.

"Small matter, small matter," Jace called a car on his phone and walked side by side with her toward the exit. "I know a place with great stir-fry; I'll take you to try it."

"Okay," Willow nodded.

Jace glanced at her.

She was obedient and gentle.

Completely his ideal type.

"Willow, can I call you by a nickname?"

Willow smiled, giving a roundabout refusal: "You can just call me Willow, Senior."

"That works too," Jace didn't push. "Willow."

The two got into the taxi and soon arrived at a Chinese restaurant.

Jace ordered a few light dishes and chatted with Willow with great animation.

"I heard from Luna that you're living off-campus? Isn't that inconvenient?"

Mentioning this, Willow remembered she still had to report to Julian.

She took out her phone to send the address, then gave Jace a polite, faint smile. "It's fine."

Just as they finished discussing their professional courses, the food arrived.

Jace served her a bowl of tofu soup. "The Pingqiao tofu here is very authentic. Try it."

Willow took it, but before she could eat, a shadow fell over her.

She looked up instinctively, and the spoon in her hand splashed into the soup bowl. she exclaimed in surprise:

"Uncle Julian??"