Chapter 5

As soon as the car came to a stop, Calista rushed over: “Flora, are you feeling better?” She took Flora's hand with concern, “That day really scared me to death.” Flora was about to speak when Carlton took off his coat and draped it over Calista’s shoulders. “The doctor said you shouldn’t be exposed to the wind. Why did you come out?” “I thought you’d be here soon,” Calista smiled, adjusting the coat, then looked at him helplessly. “Carlton, you have a girlfriend now. You should be giving the coat to Flora.” Carlton paused, then turned to look at Flora. “I'm not cold,” Flora spoke up first, forcing a smile. “Calista, can you take me to see the epiphyllum?” Calista affectionately linked arms with Flora and walked toward the garden, asking along the way, “How did you and Carlton end up together? Is he good to you?” “It's just... a very ordinary relationship.” Flora replied softly, her gaze unconsciously falling on the villa's interior decoration, which was almost identical to Carlton's home. “Did you notice?” Calista followed her gaze and explained with a smile, “When I bought this house, I was too busy, so I asked Carlton to help with the decoration. The house he bought later was probably just for convenience, using the same design.” Flora's fingertips trembled slightly. The young master of the Davis family was always arrogant and disliked using the same items as others; everything had to be unique. So this wasn’t about convenience—it was clearly a subtle attempt to have a couple’s room with Calista. When they reached the garden, the epiphyllum was in full bloom. The white petals unfolded under the moonlight, breathtakingly beautiful. “Make a wish!” Calista exclaimed excitedly. “They say wishes made when the epiphyllum blooms are the most powerful!” Flora instinctively looked at Carlton, but saw him staring deeply at Calista, his eyes filled with love. Only when he noticed her gaze did he casually look away and close his eyes to make a wish. She forced a bitter smile and silently made her only wish: May my blind date go smoothly when I return. “This flower is truly beautiful, but it still can’t compare to the variety on the snow-capped mountains,” Calista said softly, gently caressing the petals of the epiphyllum, her voice tinged with regret. “They say the epiphyllums there are the most beautiful, but unfortunately, the terrain is too high, and no one can pick them.” Flora stood beside her, her gaze unconsciously drifting toward Carlton. Sure enough, his eyes darkened slightly, and his fingers unconsciously rubbed the car keys. “It’s almost dinnertime. I’ll go cook for you guys.” Calista smiled and stood up. “Your hand isn’t healed yet. Let me do it.” Carlton stopped her. “It’s already healed.” Calista shook her head helplessly. “Besides, can you even cook, young master? Last time you tried to make soup, you burned it dry.” " Carlton rarely showed a trace of embarrassment, and his ears turned red: "I learned a little during this period, just wait and eat." Calista couldn't persuade him, so she smiled and let him into the kitchen. Flora sat in the living room, but her gaze couldn't help but drift toward the kitchen. Carlton tied on an apron and skillfully chopped vegetables and stir-fried them, completely unlike a young master who had never done any housework. She stared blankly, a pang of bitterness rising in her heart. In three years together, she had never seen him cook. She knew he had been pampered since childhood, so she had always taken care of him personally. When he had a fever, she stayed awake all night by his bedside; when he got drunk from socializing, she prepared a hangover soup in advance; when he casually mentioned wanting something to eat, she would have it ready on the table the next day. But it turned out that opposites attract—even someone as pampered as him would roll up his sleeves and cook for the one he loved. Soon, Carlton emerged with a table full of dishes. Calista’s eyes widened in surprise. “I thought you were kidding, Carlton. When did you learn how to cook?” “You said you wanted home-cooked food last time, didn’t you?” ” Carlton spoke casually, but his eyes betrayed his tenderness, “I just picked it up along the way.” “Being your girlfriend must be so lucky,” Calista teased with a smile, “such high execution.” Flora sat quietly beside them, watching Carlton continuously serve Calista food. When he noticed she hadn’t touched her fork, he suddenly remembered something and casually served her a shrimp: “You should eat too.” She stared at the shrimp in her bowl, her throat tightening, unable to take a bite. He knew Calista’s preferencest, but had forgotten she was allergic to seafood. The car ride back was eerily quiet. Carlton held the steering wheel with one hand while the other kept swiping on his phone. Flora caught a glimpse of the search page showing “Snow Mountain Epiphyllum blooming period” and “Best hiking routes,” and her heart felt like it had been pricked by a needle. The car pulled up in front of the villa, and Carlton finally spoke: “You don’t need to wait for me tonight.” “Hmm.” Flora unbuckled her seatbelt, her voice so soft it was barely audible, “Stay safe.” Carlton’s fingers paused, and he turned to look at her: “What?” “Nothing.” She opened the car door. “See you tomorrow.” In the bedroom, the suitcase was already half-packed. Flora continued to pack silently until she folded the last piece of clothing and placed it inside, only to suddenly discover a photo pressed at the bottom of the suitcase. It was the only photo of her and Carlton, taken at an amusement park. He stood beside her with a smile, but despite the smile, she couldn't sense any joy. She smiled, tore the photo into pieces, and threw it into the trash can. At 2 a.m., she had just fallen asleep when her phone suddenly started vibrating wildly. Calls from Carlton's friends came one after another. “Flora! It's bad!” The voice on the other end was trembling. “Carlton insisted on going to the snowy mountains to pick some ephemeral flowers, but then he encountered an avalanche... Now we can't contact him!”