"I'm not trying to stop you from eating junk food," Bruce said, looking at Selina. "But most of these products are so recklessly adventurous with the ingredients they put into food that I wouldn't even put that many elements in poison."
"I'm sorry that your digestive and immune systems have been up against this for over twenty years, but without a doubt, they're tough. They've protected you, so they deserve better treatment, really."
Selina noticed that Bruce's eyes would appear bluer under dim light. She let out a pained scream and said, "Don't talk to me with that rich man's tone! The newspapers were right. You're even better at manipulating people than the devils, you emotional abuser!"
"I thought I would get a better review for these cookies."
"There you go again," Selina denounced, raising her voice. Seeing the grievance in Bruce's eyes, she said, "Even though I've said it many times, I'll say it one last time, this trick won't work on me. I would never pick up a stray dog on a rainy day!"
Selina grabbed another cookie and stuffed it into her mouth, as though she was trying to shut herself up. As she chewed the food in her mouth determinedly, she found it crumblier than she had expected.
The butter cookies were somewhat dry, but once these ones made by Bruce entered her mouth, they instantly crumbled into minuscule particles. The moment they landed in the river of saliva, the wonderful taste of butter, flour, and extreme sweetness mixed and surged straight through her nostrils and into her brain, delivering a punch to her dopamine secretion organ.
Covering her eyes with her hand and not caring about her current state of eating anymore, Selina knew she must have dropped a lot of cookie crumbs. But God! She is already dating a devil, so what does breaking a vow matter?
The battle just now had exhausted Selina quite a bit, and the hunger from her stomach reminded her to replenish carbohydrates and sugar. Thus, she shoved food into her mouth like an excavator, one piece after another, until half the plate of cookies were gone.
Just as Selina was feeling her saliva was running low, a cup of slightly warm milk was placed in front of her. The smell of the cookies colliding with the milk once again rushed to her brain. She guzzled down the whole cup of milk with a gulp.
Just as Bruce was about to speak, Selina raised a hand and said, "Let me speak first, Bruce, then you can give your thoughts, okay?"
"Firstly, the common problem with you rich folks is that you just can't believe that poor people could also find happiness in suffering at times because you, or at least some of you, find happiness in imagining that the poor are suffering."
"Moreover, you firmly believe that once poor people become rich, they will surely feel ashamed of their past poverty, and any mentioning of their humble beginnings would hurt their delicate pride."
"Also, the habits brought from the slums can be forgiven, but should be erased and replaced with better ones."
"Therefore, the news frequently reports that a rich man expresses his love for his partner by being entirely unaffected by her humble background and tolerating her habits which are different from his."
"In each Cinderella-type romance, most of a prince's charm lies in the fact that he is rich but doesn't discriminate against the poor, and is willing to generously change some of their habits."
"However, this kind of tolerance and modesty is very amusing to me."
"The mark poverty leaves on someone is indelible. I love very sweet desserts because when I was a child, I didn't have many opportunities to have sweet food, and most of the sweets I could get were very sweet. These experiences have shaped my tastes."
"But I don't need anybody telling me 'It's okay', 'It's understandable', 'I don't mind'. What exactly are you forgiving?"
Selina spread her hands and said, "More nauseating than blaming for non-existent faults is forgiving them in advance, because it's like saying, 'You do have a fault, but not only am I flawless, I'm more tolerant than you'."
"But poverty is not my fault; it's just my background and experience. It's a part of me, and no part of me needs anyone's forgiveness."
"If you mind it, then get lost. If you have to be with me, then this is your damn cross to bear. When you're displeased, blame your own blindness—don't bother me!"
Bruce listened carefully, but didn't give his opinion. Instead, he picked up a cooled-down cookie and put it in his mouth, his eyebrows furrowing in an instant.
"This is too sweet... I'm sorry."
Bruce paused.
Selina propped her elbow on the table and said, "See, I would never apologize for our differing taste in food, because I never assume anyone understands me. Since no one is entitled to forgive me, then I can naturally not forgive others."
Bruce went to the faucet, got a big cup of water and gulped it down to wash away the horrible sweetness. Then he said, quite annoyed, "I am not forgiving you, I admire you, dear. I knew there was something wrong with that 500g of sugar."
Selina laughed and stuffed a cookie into her mouth, saying as she chewed, "You didn't even add sugar to the chocolate chips. I dare say that's the only flaw in this batch."
Bruce savored the intense bitterness from the two chocolate chips in the bite he took and said, "I am quite certain that's the only advantage. And I am now highly concerned about your taste buds being alright. This is the sweetest thing I've ever eaten."
"Alright, we know you prefer bland organic food, but I'm glad I made the right decision to give you a taste of my delicious cooking."
"You actually didn't have to..."
"Oh, don't go on about how you do this because I'm worth it, and expressing your affection in this way has nothing to do with me. You'll definitely want to hear this good news."
Bruce looked at her while wiping his mouth, the itchiness from the sugar hadn't entirely disappeared from his throat so he couldn't spout any more sweet nothings for the moment.
Then Selina spoke with a triumphant look on her face.
"In a fit of extreme anger, I clawed the eyes of the woman named Talya. I'm quite experienced in this area, so I'm certain that if she doesn't seek treatment, she'll be blind within ten hours."
"It's three in the morning now, and she has a hearing involving the Federal Bureau of Investigation at six tomorrow. If she fails to show up, it will turn into the biggest scandal of the century. Not only will she be unable to press charges against you, but she'll also be targeted by an enraged Federal Bureau of Investigation and disappointed reporters."
Bruce turned his head to see Selina flipping over the island platform to sit on the edge, pulling him in for a kiss on the neck. Bruce kissed her forehead and asked, "But I still have to ask, what book were you looking for in my study?"
"Um... something about the origins of human history."
"What do you want that book for?"
"Because I really want to know what the hell kind of historical mystery there is to that medieval white plastic bag you insist I wear..."
"So, can we talk about that unresolved matter now?"
"Of course, but plastic bags are off the table."
"Then how about a mermaid tail wedding dress. It's perfect for you..."
"Not really... Oh, let me repeat, I don't adopt stray dogs. Bruce!"