The weather was stuffy and sticky, but the breeze from the Lake brought a slight chill to the early autumn night, making people feel comfortable.
“Sophia, let’s each take a cab home separately.”
“Alright.” Sophia smiled, nodding at Nathan, who was supporting Calvin along with Anna, and said, “I’ll take a cab home, too.”
“There are a lot of people calling cabs here. You might want to walk a bit ahead.”
Sophia nodded and said goodbye to them.
Cars whizzed past on the roadside, and maybe due to restrictions on parking nearby, there were few taxis. Sophia walked for about ten minutes without spotting an empty cab. She opened an app to call for a ride, but the nearest available cab was still a few kilometers away. Since this was a one-way street with heavy traffic, it was very inconvenient. Thinking about it, Sophia decided to walk to the subway station to see if she could catch a train home.
She didn’t notice a black car following her.
“Mr. Scott, that’s Miss Sophia,” the driver remarked with a smile.
Scott Livinus’s eyes snapped open, and his dark gaze quietly shifted to the view outside the window.
Under the willow trees by the lake, Sophia was walking slowly.
She was wearing a black, off-the-shoulder, high-waisted jumpsuit, an outfit that had a designer look but was very selective about the wearer’s figure.
Even Scott Livinus knew that with such a form-fitting fabric, the hips and waistline would look disastrous from behind if the hips and waistline weren’t well-shaped.
But the outfit undoubtedly suited her perfectly, with its tailored fit and well-defined waist and hip lines, highlighting her long, slender legs.
The off-the-shoulder design fully exposed her collarbones, and even from this distance, Scott could sense an air of sensuality.
Some people have an innate sense of allure.
Even fully clothed, they could be more striking than someone unclothed.
A glint flashed in Scott Livinus’s eyes.
Sophia didn’t seem to have gotten a cab, but she looked entirely unhurried, strolling along and taking in the night view, appearing very relaxed.
“Stop the car!”
The car came to a sudden halt, the window rolled down, and the driver leaned out to shout, “Miss Sophia, hop in!”
Sophia was startled, then noticed Scott Livinus in the back seat and nodded as she got in.
The car smelled strongly of alcohol, and Scott Livinus, who may have been drunk, sat with his eyes closed, saying nothing.
In the enclosed space, one’s senses become heightened, and Sophia, listening to Livinus’s breathing, realized he wasn’t asleep.
“You handle your drinks well,” Scott Livinus suddenly said.
Sophia looked over, noticing he still had his eyes closed. This remark was obviously directed at her, and he must have seen her drinking contest with Calvin.
In truth, she rarely showed off in this way; it was just that she couldn’t avoid it and didn’t want to dampen the mood, so it was better to accept the challenge.
She had been confident in herself to take it on.
“I often drink medicinal wine, but not much else.”
Livinus abruptly opened his eyes. His long lashes framed his pitch-black eyes, which, when looking at someone, seemed to focus and not focus simultaneously.
“Sophia.” Scott’s thin lips curved slightly. “Women outside should avoid touching alcohol so casually.”
Sophia stared at him, just about to respond, when she suddenly felt a warm trickle from her nose.
She reached up to wipe it and saw blood on her hand.
She was having a nosebleed.
It was her first nosebleed and in such a situation. As she wiped, she explained, “I drank too much medicinal wine!”
“Of course.”
In Scott Livinus’s usually indifferent eyes, there was a hint of amusement. “I wouldn’t assume you were bleeding from looking at me.”
“…”
“After all, an old guy like me isn’t that irresistible.”
“…”
–
The two of them went upstairs one after another. It was late, so there was no one around, and they went unnoticed.
Sophia entered her room, and her nosebleed suddenly stopped.
The nosebleed had come on quickly and stopped just as fast. She checked her pulse and figured it was nothing serious. It was simply because she drank too much medicinal wine, and her original body couldn’t handle such strong tonics, resulting in a nosebleed.
She went to her storage room to grab some traditional medicine, making herself a cup of tea.
After drinking it, she felt much more comfortable and even a bit sleepy. Just as she was about to rest, something came to mind, and she brought another cup out to the balcony.
–
Scott Livinus impatiently loosened his tie and tossed it on the floor.
Today’s guests were all important, and none of the other bosses had their assistants or secretaries drink on their behalf, so naturally, Livinus didn’t either.
He drank more than a liter of liquor and mixed in some red wine, so his head was now a bit fuzzy.
Taking off his jacket, Scott grabbed a towel, planning to take a shower. Standing before the dressing mirror, he suddenly recalled something Sophia had once said.
At thirty-two, his face and physique were in good condition. He always believed that, in every respect, he was in excellent shape.
He hadn’t expected her words to catch him off guard.
Had his body really started to age?
Where? Was it his taut skin, or his firm, muscular physique?
Nothing seemed out of place.
Thinking of her age, Livinus’s lips curled slightly, a faint smile appearing.
Perhaps, in her eyes, he was truly an old man.
Still, thirty-two was an excellent age for a man.
No longer brash and impulsive like in his youth, he was now mature and stable, with a solid financial foundation.
Only she would think he was old.
Just then, there was a clatter.
Livinus frowned, opening the balcony door, only to see a small stone on the ground.
He looked up.
On the ledge of the wall connecting his balcony to Sophia’s room, a cup of brown drink sat.
Livinus lifted it, sniffing for a moment, and the rich scent of traditional herbs reached him.
Chrysanthemum, bitter ginseng, orange fruit… all ingredients for a hangover remedy.
Scott took a sip. It wasn’t unpleasant; in fact, there was a subtle fragrance that seemed to awaken his senses.
The cool breeze of the late night brought back memories of that enchanting evening.
Her body, like her carefully blended herbal remedies, was perfect in every way. Once tasted, it left a lasting impression.
A craving.
–
The next day, Sophia had the day off and contacted Nancy to visit her herbal clinic for treatment for her nasal inflammation.
Nancy had treated her several times, and her condition was now under control. Amazingly, she could smell a lot more than before. Her nasal passages had previously dulled her sense of smell, but now that her sensitivity had returned, she was suddenly aware of the multitude of scents mixed in the air.
