The Dinner

Fresh from his bath, Lucius descended the grand staircase in his plush bathrobe. As was their routine, Uncle Chan, the family's long-serving butler, handed him a chilled glass of freshly squeezed juice. After taking a refreshing sip, Lucius asked casually, "All quiet upstairs?"

Uncle Chan, a man of few words, replied, "Yes, it's been rather peaceful."

Lucius, now lounging on the antique couch, asked with a hint of amusement, "No one fainted, I trust?"

Uncle Chan, standing nearby with a silver tray in hand, replied, "I doubt it. If anyone had, Jack would have sent for help."

Lucius fell into a thoughtful silence. Uncle Chan served him a delicate dessert, a traditional Chinese sweet, and then quietly retreated to attend to his other duties. As the minutes ticked by, Lucius occasionally glanced at his phone. Forty minutes had passed, and still, there was no sound from upstairs. He wasn't sure if this was expected or unexpected. Either way, it was a record.

Originally, he had some tasks to complete, but as he waited, he found himself increasingly curious about the outcome. Could she actually last a full hundred minutes upstairs?"

The door to Jack's private quarters creaked open, and out stepped Scarlett. From Uncle Chan to the housemaids, everyone observed her with a blend of polite curiosity and scrutiny. She was the first 'hero' in quite some time to have made a round trip without any incident. Appearances, it seemed, could be quite misleading.

Scarlett descended the grand staircase to find Lucius engrossed in his laptop, comfortably seated on the plush couch. She greeted him with a respectful nod, "Mr. Zhou."

Lucius looked up, his expression as inscrutable as ever. "Finished your lesson?"

Scarlett nodded, her smile just as enigmatic. "Yes."

Their faces were a study in contrasts, Lucius's unreadable and Scarlett's smile a mystery. One couldn't tell if she was genuinely pleased or merely putting on a brave front.

In a casual tone, Lucius suggested, "Let's have a meal together."

Scarlett replied, "Thank you, but I wouldn't want to impose. I have other work to attend to when I return."

Lucius waved away her concerns. "No need for formalities. I'd like to discuss Jack's academic progress. Besides, I heard that you've been here for a month and this is your only assignment so far. Apart from serving tea, I doubt there's much else for you to do."

His words were blunt, striking Scarlett like a well-aimed arrow. She quickly masked her true feelings with a smile and replied, "Then, I'll gladly accept your kind offer, Mr. Zhou."

Lucius instructed a housemaid to call Jack down for dinner. He then excused himself to change his clothes. A few minutes later, only the three of them were seated at the long, polished dining table. The maids brought in an array of dishes, a feast fit for a king. Uncle Chan turned to Scarlett, "Miss Li, I'm not sure about your preferences. If there's anything specific you want, I can have the kitchen prepare it anytime."

Scarlett replied with a polite smile, "Thank you, but I'm not picky. This is more than enough."

Uncle Chan gave a nod of acknowledgment and left the room. Scarlett and Jack found themselves sitting across from each other, subtly observing one another in the silence. It wasn't until Lucius, seated at the head of the table, picked up his chopsticks that the tension eased. "Please, make yourself at home, Miss Li. It's just a simple meal."

At Lucius's words, Jack moved, and Scarlett silently acknowledged that, regardless of how the Zhou children were raised, they certainly had manners.

Maintaining a constant smile, Scarlett said, "Thank you for your hospitality, Mr. Zhou."

The three of them ate quietly for a while until Lucius broke the silence. "How did today's lessons go?"

Jack sat up straight, eyes downcast, maintaining his manners while eating. Seeing this, Scarlett chimed in with a smile, "I think it went quite well, our friend Jack was very cooperative."

Lucius glanced at Jack, "And what about you? How was Miss Li?"

Swallowing his food, Jack responded with a poker face, "Apart from the superstitious stuff, everything else was fine."

Lucius didn't look at Scarlett, he just continued asking, "Superstitious about what?"

Jack replied, "Talking nonsense."

Scarlett was secretly annoyed. This kid held grudges. She hadn't even thought about complaining, but he was preemptively striking. Her mind was racing, thinking about how she would respond when Lucius asked her next. Unexpectedly, Lucius, unfazed, asked, "Did you believe it?"

Jack retorted, "I'm not a toddler."

Lucius replied, "That's good to know. Adults are bound to spout nonsense sometimes, it doesn't mean they're speaking in tongues, and it has nothing to do with superstition."

Jack grunted in acknowledgment, signaling his understanding.

Both of them seemed completely at ease, as if they were used to this 'educational' approach. Scarlett, on the other hand, felt like she had a fishbone stuck in her throat. What's this about spouting nonsense? She might as well be accused of being superstitious!

"Since both of you are fine with it, we'll continue with six lessons a week, every day except Sunday, at this time," Lucius declared, settling the matter.

Scarlett looked up and asked, "Six lessons a week?"

Lucius turned to her, "You're not available?"

Scarlett smiled and said, "No, I just worry that this intensity might be a bit much for our friend Jack."

Lucius replied, "Then he'll have to get used to this frequency quickly."

Scarlett didn't mind. In fact, she was thrilled. This was money after all.

Feeling delighted, Scarlett maintained her composure as a mentor and said, "Alright, I'll give it my all alongside Jack."

Jack didn't respond, and the three continued their silent lunch. Scarlett had lived in Night City for six years, Han City for ten years, and Winter City for her entire childhood. All three places were known for their robust flavors, either salty or spicy. However, Deep City, where she now resided, was known for its light flavors and seafood, which Scarlett wasn't particularly fond of. It wasn't surprising that she ate little, but what was strange was that both Lucius and Jack also seemed to have lost their appetites, barely touching their food.

After the meal, Scarlett had to return to the city center. Coincidentally, Lucius also had to leave. He offered her a ride, which she politely declined. She joked about her company's insurance not yet being in effect, and she didn't dare ride in his car again. He had earned his nickname 'Deadly' for a reason, and she had no choice but to take the risk.

Lucius seemed to understand her hesitation, so instead of insisting, he called for a driver to take her back. Scarlett made a few polite remarks before accepting the offer. After all, if she were to walk back from here, she'd probably have to order takeout halfway through.

The driver dropped Scarlett off in the city center. Instead of going straight home, she hailed another cab and said, "Sir, could you take me to the nearest hospital or disease control center? Somewhere I can get vaccinated."

The driver glanced at Scarlett through the rearview mirror, her tone was both resolute and urgent. He couldn't help but ask in concern, "Did you get bitten by a dog?"

Seeing the driver's worry, Scarlett quickly reassured him, "Don't worry, I wasn't bitten by a dog, and I'm not sick. I'm just going there as a precaution."

Twenty minutes later, Scarlett arrived at the hospital entrance, found the relevant department, and told the doctor, "Hello, I would like to get a rabies shot. We have a dog at home, and I'm afraid of getting bitten."

The doctor was busy with other things. Hearing that she hadn't been bitten, he didn't rush, until Scarlett asked, "Doctor, do we need any vaccines for keeping cold-blooded animals at home?"

The doctor replied, "Cold-blooded animals don't need vaccines."

Scarlett continued, "What about small animals like squirrels or chinchillas?"

The doctor couldn't help but turn around and look at Scarlett, "Are you running a zoo at home?"

Scarlett was at a loss for words. She remembered the moment when she and Jack were sitting face to face. He stared at her for a few seconds and then suddenly said, word by word, "Tea-cher, you're sitting on my squirrel!"

It was her first time seeing a squirrel outside of a cartoon, and its tail wasn't as big as she'd imagined.