Chapter 293: Don't Go Too Far
It was early winter now, and the temperature had dropped several more degrees from the daytime. Far fewer people were out for evening walks in the park.
Caroline was surprised, "You went to my dad's office?"
"Yes." Leopold wrapped her small hand and tucked it into his coat pocket, saying, "He was pretty busy. He'd just finished a meeting before I arrived. His desk was piled with files and documents just like yours. Do all your government offices operate the same way?"
Caroline said, "I can't compare to him. He's responsible for the food, clothing, housing, and transportation of the people across the entire city."
Leopold said, "You both work hard."
Caroline asked again, "Just to deliver tea? You didn't talk about anything else?"
Leopold raised an eyebrow, "After causing such a big scene a few days ago, shouldn't I go apologize in person?"
Caroline said, "I believe you. I explained it to them too."
The wind suddenly picked up, and the trees along the roadside swayed back and forth.
Leopold suddenly stopped and turned around, sheltering her in his arms. After the wind died down a bit, he took her hand again and headed back. "Let's go back, the wind's picking up."
As they walked, he said, "You've done so much for me. I know it. I'll treat you twice as well from now on."
Caroline said, "You're being so sudden about this, I don't even know what to say."
The night road was dim, and the moonlight stretched their shadows long, until their clasped hands overlapped and merged.
Leopold said, "There's one more thing I didn't get a chance to mention to Dad. He was busy, so I left."
From his tone, she could tell it was something serious.
Caroline said, "Go ahead."
Leopold said solemnly, "The fake news from the smear campaign has already been taken down, but then a bunch of people started spreading rumors online. I found out who's behind it."
Caroline was curious, "Who? Do you know them?"
"More than just know them." Leopold thought of Bodhi's face at the time and felt sick to his stomach. "It's Bodhi, my useless brother-in-law."
Caroline was puzzled, "Him? Why would he do that?"
Leopold said, "You remember him?"
Caroline said, "I saw him taking good care of your sister at the wedding."
Leopold laughed dismissively, "If he doesn't wait on her, who's going to give him money to spend? He's just a complete waste. I have no idea what Xiomara saw in him back then."
Caroline was confused. After all, they were family. What could Bodhi possibly gain from scheming against Leopold? "Are you sure it was him?"
Leopold's expression was complicated, "I wish it wasn't him either. All these years, no matter how much trouble he caused at the company, I never made him a target. But he mistook my indifference for weakness. He wanted to use this opportunity to kick me out, but he overestimated himself and got kicked out of the company by me instead. I also beat him up."
"What?" Caroline thought she'd misheard. "You hit him?"
Leopold's expression was serious, "You and Mom and Dad are my bottom line. He deserved that beating."
Caroline quickly patted him down, worried, "Are you okay? Did you get hurt anywhere?"
Leopold looked down at Caroline fumbling over him in a panic, pulled her into his arms, and gently rubbed his chin against the top of her head. "I'm fine. With his build, how could he hurt me? I'm not injured."
His gaze was tender as he said, "My wife, besides you, I have no other desires in this world."
"Why are you suddenly saying all this?" Caroline hugged him tight too, feeling like he was a lonely whale at this moment, with few people who could understand him.
She patted Leopold's broad back repeatedly, "Don't get into fights because of us anymore. Dad, Mom, and I will worry about you. We don't want you to get hurt even more."
Leopold kissed the top of her head tenderly, "I know."
Hearing voices approaching from not far away, Caroline quickly pushed him, "Someone's coming, let go."
Leopold held her even tighter, his large hand protecting her head as he lowered his head and whispered in her ear, "I've hidden you well, Miss Ostrich."
They say ostriches bury their heads in the sand when they're scared.
The passersby stopped talking for a few seconds when they saw them embracing, then quickly walked away.
Leopold lowered his hand and looked at her with a smile. Caroline smoothed her short hair that had been messed up, saying, "Ostriches don't bury their heads in the sand because they're scared. I read an article once—when they're scared, they run away quickly. As for burying their heads in the sand, it might be related to their need to swallow small stones to help their stomachs grind up food."
Leopold gripped her shoulders and laughed heartily, his cheerful laughter clearing away all the day's frustrations. "Wife, are you allergic to romance? Here we are hugging on a beautiful evening with the perfect atmosphere, and instead of making out for a while, you're giving me a science lesson about why ostriches bury their heads in the sand?"
Caroline's cheeks heated up from his laughter. She covered Leopold's mouth with both hands, "Stop laughing, stop laughing."
All the way home, Leopold wanted to laugh whenever he thought of Caroline's serious explanation. After entering the residential complex, there was a quiet stretch of road. Leopold opened his phone, searched for the "Animal Planet" background music, and played it.
Accompanied by the peaceful music, Leopold cleared his throat and said, "Spring has arrived, and all things come back to life. Animals are getting busy too. The ostrich buries its head in the sand. Why does the ostrich bury its head in the sand?"
Caroline predicted his script and quickly picked up a branch from under a roadside tree, "Leopold! Stop right there!"
He ran, she chased.
Finally, she caught up with him at the building entrance. She held the branch to his neck, "Out of jokes now? Planning to laugh about the ostrich thing for a whole year? You even played music!"
Leopold put on a captured expression, holding up his phone, "Without the music, it feels like I'm not making sense."
The branch was thin. Caroline poked him in the stomach with it, and with a crisp snap, the branch broke.
Caroline fell silent.
Leopold raised both hands, "Can't blame me for that. Your weapon needs an upgrade—too fragile."
She puffed out her cheeks, "Don't push it."
Leopold chuckled, "Okay, my fault."
Caroline glanced at him with a smile, "You're really annoying."
She tossed the branch and went to open the building door. Leopold followed behind with a shameless expression, saying, "I'll show you my not-annoying side in a bit."
From his tone, she knew he was about to make another face-reddening joke. Caroline hurried into the elevator, saying, "I'm not looking."
Leopold wrapped his arm around her waist and tilted his head to ask, "You think you can just say you won't look?"
Caroline pointed above his head, "There's a camera. You're probably famous in this whole complex now—the clingiest guy here."
Leopold said nonchalantly, "I'm clingy with my wife. You don't know how many women envy you."
Caroline laughed coldly twice, "Well, thank you so much, Mr. Wipere."
Leopold kissed her on the cheek, "You're too polite, Ms. Tudor."
Late at night, the people in the bedroom had long since fallen asleep exhausted, but the study light was on. Leopold, wearing pajamas and holding a cup of coffee, sat at his desk, and opened his laptop, entered the password, and opened a confidential document.
[Project: Golden Ember Hotel.]