At that time, his father, who came to pick up Christine, would raise objections gently, saying Christine, who took after him, was slowwitted, so he should be taught gently.
Damn…!
He thought he could live like a real family.
But the happiness was too short.
Nevertheless, he must have missed the house where Adel lived for a long time.
Even though it is now a futile past.
“A portrait of the late Countess of Oswald.”
[Star Icon][Star Icon][Star Icon]It was right before attending the New Year’s party.
The emperor who summoned him handed over a small portrait.
A woman with green eyes and long black hair tied up.
The woman in the portrait was beautiful and elegant enough to attract attention, even though she was modestly dressed. But there was another reason why Christine stared at the portrait.
“Is this woman really the widow of the late Count?”
“Yes, do you know her?”
Christine had lived on the battlefield until recently. He was a nobleman in name only, with no connections or interests in the noble world.
Maybe he even went to lengths to avoid thinking about Adel.
“I don’t know her well. She was the daughter of the woman who took care of me when I was young.”
“That’s good. Then attend this party and get closer.”
“What’s the reason?”
“She might have the documents of the late Count.”
“Documents of the Count?”
“Just blank papers with my signature. It disappeared after the Count died, and I can’t find it no matter how much I look.”
Christine didn’t believe the emperor’s words.
Eight years have passed since the death of Count Oswald. But he’s still looking for just blank papers?
It was clearly a very important document for the emperor.
“I’ll try to find out.”
As he was about to leave after saluting, the emperor added significantly.
“It’s good to be close, but don’t make April upset.”
“…”
“Oh, is my command too complicated?”
“Depending on how you think.”
The emperor laughed heartily and then suddenly lowered his voice seriously.
“You’re no different from my family. You know?”
The emperor had long hinted that he thought of Christine as his son. He wanted to make him his own man using April as a bait.
Of course, it wasn’t an attractive bait for Christine.
“You’re my lord.”
He always escaped with ambiguous answers like he did now.
[Star Icon][Star Icon][Star Icon]Adel came out of the kitchen with an apron on.
“Dinner is ready, Chris.”
But he didn’t respond at all.
“Chris….”
Adel, who was approaching, sighed softly and stopped.
He was asleep.
Leaning his back diagonally on the sofa with his arms folded. His long legs were comfortably laid on the table as if he owned the place. He was sleeping very comfortably.
Adel sat down quietly under the sofa where he was sleeping and watched him.
‘He looks the same when he sleeps.’
He grew much taller, his physique became solid, and even his voice changed, but his sleeping face still had the look of the young boy from a long time ago.
A boy who hadn’t hit puberty even at the age of 17.
Most kids his age had grown almost like adults. But Christine was about the same height as Adel, who was a year older.
But no one could make fun of him.
Christine was prettier than any girl, but no one could win a fight against him.
He was quick and strong, despite his skinny frame. Watching him fight sometimes felt like watching a fierce beast.
And he eventually became a hero on the battlefield.
And he has transformed into such a splendid figure.
Not a boy, but a man….
Looking at him sleeping, Adel was caught in a strange mood and quickly turned her head.
She added more wood to the flickering fireplace. It was certain that Tanya would sulk, complaining that there was not enough firewood when she returned. She was frugal enough with firewood that she didn’t use the second floor at all during the winter.
But even if it was a bit chilly for a while, she wanted him to fall asleep in a warm place.
Crackle. Crackle…
The sound of the embers burning was serenely heard.
The snowflakes were gradually getting thicker, and it was getting dark.
[Star Icon][Star Icon][Star Icon]It snowed a lot that day.
Christine, who had turned seventeen, had started working in the mine not long ago.
Adel was in a hurry to bring him lunch. It was too late to help at mom’s bakery, as orders piled in.
So, she decided to cross Garden Lake, a shortcut. The ice was melting as winter was coming to an end, but she didn’t see it because of the accumulated snow.
It was about halfway across the lake. The moment she moved, the ground beneath her feet shattered like a biscuit, and her body sunk in. The winter lake sucked her in like a swamp.
“Adel!”
Christine, who had happened to meet her, saw this and jumped into the water.
That was the last scene she saw.
When she came to, she was out on the shore. Next to her was a soaked Christine lying down, thin and pale like a corpse.
And he wasn’t breathing.
“Chris! Chris! Open your eyes!”
Frightened, Adel shook him frantically. When he didn’t wake up, she began to give him artificial respiration like a madwoman.
Fortunately, he was barely breathing.
At that moment, Adel burst into tears. She sat down like a little child and cried out loud.
“Aaaaah!”
“Why are you crying?”
Christine looked at her as if it was absurd. Because she always acted mature like an older sister.
“Uhhuh! Uhhuh! I thought you were really dying! Uhhuh!”
“I’m fine. I’m perfectly fine……”
“Really? You’re okay?”
Adel, who was crying and shrugging her shoulders, had her nose covered with tears and snot.
Whether her appearance was funny or not, Christine’s eyes curved, and he wiped her face with his hand.
“Yeah, I’m fine.”
“What’s fine? Your lips are turning blue.”
“Adel, your lips are even bluer.”
“Uh… It’s really so cold I think I’m going to die.”
Adel shivered and held herself tightly.
“Me too.”
Christine embraced Adel who was doing that. Whether it was too cold, or it was relief, Adel also tightly held him.
Both of them were frozen stiff and shaking. However, the temperature of each other’s body that they felt was too hot.
Deep emotions that had sunk to the bottom were melting away.
It made her mind cloudy like floating matter.
She couldn’t think of anything properly.
And very naturally……
They held each other’s lips and licked the frozen skin.
A kiss that was more passionate because it was clumsy and more instinctive because it was pure.
Yes, it was definitely a kiss.
Turns Out He’s Been Secretly in Love with Me
One-line summary: He acts like he doesn’t like her but is actually playing hard to get.
Synopsis:
Xu Muzhou like her. He has liked her for a very long time, and through repeated schemes, he finally closed the distance with her.
But this is still far from enough.
He wants to be the one who stands out among her many suitors, to fight for her attention, and to make her take the initiative to pursue him.
_____
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