Chapter 68 Steven is Always Inappropriate
"What do you mean delicate?" Nora responded, still quite unhappy. "This is the first time I'm wearing this dress today. I really liked it."
Steven heard her say she really liked the dress he gave her, and his expression softened a bit. "I'll buy you another one next time."
Later, he thought it was actually quite good to buy Nora these small brand dresses. Designer brands basically required dry cleaning, and given Nora's stingy nature, if he gave her designer clothes, she'd probably treasure them so much she wouldn't wear them.
Nora still wouldn't come out of the bathroom, trying to salvage the dress. She muttered, "I wonder if I can learn that sweater mending method online, you know, sewing little flowers on it to cover the damaged part."
Steven walked straight into the bathroom, fished out her dress, and threw it in the trash.
Then he pulled her into the guest bedroom and pushed her onto the bed.
Nora froze for a moment, immediately getting scared. She hugged the blanket. "Steven, what are you doing? I'm on my period!"
She looked like she was trying to protect her virtue.
Steven raised an eyebrow and deliberately stepped forward. "I've decided to brave the red sea."
Nora's whole body went stiff, completely scared. She turned around and tried to run off the bed.
Steven grabbed her ankle and laughed mischievously. "Alright, I'm just kidding. I'm going to put medicine on your knee."
Nora was stunned and looked at his face. He was extremely handsome, but there was no desire in his expression, only concern.
Nora suddenly felt extremely embarrassed.
So he was going to put medicine on her. She had just thought Steven was such a jerk that he'd force himself on her even in this situation.
Steven brought over the iodine and ointment from her desk. Seeing her face flushed with embarrassment, he couldn't help but curl his lips. "What? Were you actually looking forward to me braving the Red Sea?"
"...How could that be!" Her face stiffened, and she couldn't help but argue back. "I was scared, okay?"
"Why do you always think about that kind of thing?" Steven looked at her searchingly. "Mind full of dirty thoughts?"
Nora felt even more embarrassed by his words. "I don't! It's only because you pressed me against... last night..."
"Pressed you against where?" he asked deliberately, his eyes dark.
Nora's face turned red, and she couldn't continue. "Nothing, anyway, it's your fault. Give me the medicine, I can do it myself."
She tried to take the medicine from his hand.
Steven dodged and commanded domineeringly, "Pull up your dress and sit still."
She was wearing a nightgown tonight.
Nora pulled up her nightgown, revealing her two long legs.
Steven stared at her long legs.
Nora felt a bit uncomfortable and bit her lip. "Are you going to put the medicine on or not? If not, give it to me. I'll do it myself."
Steven glanced at her and couldn't help but laugh. "That sounds like you're urging me to get on you."
This man! Why was he always so improper?
He used to be quite aloof, but now he kept saying flirty things that made her so embarrassed!
Steven opened the iodine and used a cotton swab to apply it to her knee.
Nora gasped at the coolness. "It's cold."
"The medicine will hurt a bit later, bear with it." Steven glanced at her.
Nora nodded. Steven applied the medicine to her knee with gentle movements. Nora watched in a bit of a daze.
Steven could be quite gentle when he wanted to be.
She leaned against the pillow, quietly gazing at Steven's exceptionally handsome profile.
The next day was Sunday.
No work.
Nora sat on the sofa reading, her stomach a bit uncomfortable. She pressed a cushion against it.
Every time on the second day of her period, there would be some dull pain.
Steven woke up and came out. "Morning!"
He actually initiated a greeting?
Had the sun risen from the west?
Nora was a bit surprised and smiled at him. "Morning! Breakfast is ready, it's on the dining table. Today it's sandwiches."
Sandwiches were easy to make, her favorite thing to prepare.
"Okay." Steven walked over, took a sandwich, and ate it, in a pretty good mood.
Nora kept rubbing her waist and pressing her stomach.
Steven frowned, watching her. "What's wrong with you?"
"Just a bit of stomach pain." Nora glanced at him, still rubbing her waist.
Steven laughed. "If people didn't know better, they'd think I did something to you last night."
Why the sudden flirtiness?
Nora's face turned red, and she said softly, "No, it's just that I always have some pain when I get my period."
I see.
Steven stuffed the last bite of the sandwich in his mouth. "Does every girl get stomach pain during this?"
"Not necessarily, some people don't have pain."
Steven nodded and walked into the kitchen looking for something.
Nora leaned over to see what he was doing. "What are you looking for?"
"Hot cocoa, isn't that supposed to make you feel better during your period?" He faced away from her, looking at the cabinet, as if thinking. "Where's the cocoa powder?"
His casual comment warmed her heart.
Nora smiled. "We don't have cocoa powder at home. Hot water is fine for me; it can help too."
Steven had to come out of the kitchen, holding a clean cup. He poured Nora a glass of warm water and placed it in front of her.
Nora glanced at it and smiled. "Thank you."
Steven casually sat down next to her.
Nora's breathing tightened a bit. She didn't know why, but when he came over, the air seemed to change. His presence was somehow very strong.
He randomly picked a book from her small bookshelf.
Nora glanced over. He had taken the investment book she was reading yesterday. Nora's heart inexplicably fluttered.
The two of them sat lazily together, wearing matching loungewear, each holding a book. It really did feel like peaceful, quiet times.
After reading for over an hour, Steven put down his book. "Not bad, pretty beginner-level."
Being praised, Nora felt a bit happy. She held up the book and looked at him, her eyes bright. "I bought it based on online recommendations. I basically never buy the wrong books."
"What are you reading?" Steven looked over at her.
The atmosphere felt inexplicably intimate. Nora held up her book, saying somewhat shyly, "Marriage studies."
"You need to study that too?"
"Marriage needs to be nurtured." Nora told him softly, "Marriage is like starting a company together. If one person does nothing and the other does everything, it'll quickly become unbalanced. So both people need to work hard for this little family. Communication is very important."
"Also, we need to lower our expectations, because the higher the expectations, the greater the disappointment. Finally, home is a warm place. We shouldn't take out our bad temper on the people closest to us. We shouldn't attack the people we love most with hurtful words."
"The people you love most?" Steven raised an eyebrow and asked deliberately, "Who's that?"
Nora felt awkward. "There's no one. This is what it says in the marriage book. I'm just studying."
"Why are you studying this?"
Nora's face flushed, and her heart raced. "Just... reading casually."