Chapter 12 Boyfriend
The hardest debt to settle in relationships was gratitude.
Today's meal was thoughtfully planned by Leopold to subtly guide Caroline to see the blueprints in his study.
Clearly, she took the bait.
Leopold walked into the study carrying a glass of water. Caroline was thoughtfully examining the map when he handed her the glass. She sniffed it and asked, "Why does this water have a lemony scent?"
"The blue crab was a bit rich," Leopold explained. "So I made you some lemon water to cut through it."
How considerate, she thought, thanking him.
Leopold looked at the blueprints, a fleeting expression of resignation crossing his face. Caroline asked, "Still haven't found a suitable location?"
"That's right," Leopold nodded, crossing his arms with a troubled expression. "After our conversation that night, I consulted with an engineer from the local design institute. He rejected all my proposals, just like you did."
"I really wasn't trying to make things difficult for you," Caroline said.
"I never said you were," Leopold replied, recalling their first meeting when he had attempted to bribe her. He quickly expressed his regret, "I'm sorry about that time. I shouldn't have done that."
Caroline felt it didn't matter anymore—it was all in the past.
"It was just a misunderstanding. I'm glad we cleared it up."
Leopold teased, "You were probably cursing me in your head at the time."
Caroline smiled without answering.
"You really were?" Leopold leaned back against the desk edge, turning to look at Caroline with an amused smile. She seemed caught off guard and brushed her hair aside, averting her gaze as she denied it, "I wasn't."
"Then why are you avoiding my eyes?" Leopold's almond-shaped eyes narrowed. Caroline took a breath and turned to face him, "I was pretty contemptuous of your behavior."
Leopold said, "How is that any different from cursing me?"
Caroline explained, "Of course, it's different. I was objecting to that type of behavior, not targeting you specifically. I was just mentally expressing my disapproval of your actions, not you as a person."
Leopold's expression froze for a few seconds. "You make a good point, actually."
Caroline smiled, "After all, everyone makes mistakes, which is why pencils come with erasers on the other end."
"Not bad," Leopold raised an eyebrow. "You're quite the life coach."
"Hardly a coach. Misunderstandings are normal when people don't know each other well." Caroline turned her attention back to the blueprints. "To thank you for inviting me to help with the blue crab, let me take another look at your site selection?"
Leopold hesitated. "Are you sure?"
"Of course," Caroline replied.
After an afternoon of discussion, they finally selected a location where electrical facilities could be installed.
Leopold looked at the red magnet on the blueprint gratefully. "Thank you, you've been a huge help."
"Don't mention it." Caroline glanced at the clock. "Is it that late already?"
Leopold noticed her anxious expression. "Do you have somewhere to be?"
Caroline hurried toward the door. "My aunt asked me to pick up her child. We've only got ten minutes left."
Leopold grabbed his car keys. "I'll drive you."
"No need, I'll take a taxi." Caroline slipped on her shoes and jogged toward the elevator, but she heard the door closing behind her. Leopold had already followed and was standing beside her.
"Thank you," Caroline said appreciatively.
"No need for thanks. If anyone caused the delay, it was me with my site selection problem. I feel bad about it." Leopold gestured as the elevator arrived. "Let's go."
As they drove out of the complex, Caroline became a human GPS. Following her directions, they arrived at the school just in time.
Leopold parked by the roadside to wait. Caroline soon emerged with a seven or eight-year-old girl whose outfit suggested she was a dance student.
Once in the car, Caroline prompted her to say hello, "Remy, this is Leopold."
Remy greeted him cheerfully, "Hello, Leopold!"
"Leopold, this is my aunt's daughter, Remy Wright."
"Remy, you're adorable," Leopold complimented her, then asked Caroline in the back seat, "Where to?"
Caroline said, "Back to my place."
Leopold drove comfortably to Caroline's complex. As they were getting out, Remy turned back to ask Leopold, "Leopold, are you Caroline's boyfriend?"
Leopold froze. Caroline, outside the car, overheard and quickly pulled Remy out. "What are you saying?"
She awkwardly said goodbye to Leopold, closed the car door, and hurried Remy toward the complex.
Quick-witted little Remy asked, "If he's not your boyfriend, how does he know where you live?"
Caroline, afraid Leopold might overhear, whispered, "Keep your voice down. I told you he's not, so he's not."
"Then how does he know where you live?" Remy persisted.
Caroline said, "Why are you so fixated on this, digging for answers?"
Remy replied, "Mom said to tell her when you find a boyfriend."
Caroline pulled her along as Remy dragged her feet. "Why would I need to tell your mom about my boyfriend?"
Remy said, "Mom wants to check him out so you don't get fooled again."
Caroline looked back and saw that Leopold's car was still there. Through the lowered window, she could clearly see Leopold watching her with an amused expression. She felt so embarrassed that she wanted the ground to swallow her up.
When Remy shouted again, Caroline grabbed her hand and hurried away.
Leopold smiled, raised his window, and leisurely drove off.
The next day.
Leopold arrived at the power company with the installation approval documents, but when he knocked on Caroline's office door, he found she wasn't there. A passing colleague informed him that Caroline had gone to a meeting in the city.
Standing in the hallway, he took out his phone and, not wanting to disturb her meeting, sent her a WhatsApp message.
North: [Came to deliver the approval documents. Your colleague said you're in a meeting. When will you be back?]
Caroline replied: [Leave them on my desk. I'll be back at work at 1:30 PM. You can come collect them then.]
North: [OK.]
Leopold returned to Caroline's office, placed the documents on her desk, and sent her a photo.
North: [Left them on your desk.]
Caroline: [Got it.]
Leopold was about to leave when he noticed a family photo on her desk. It must have been taken during her student days—her face still carried the freshness and innocence of youth.
Looking at her parents, Leopold thought they seemed familiar. After some reflection, he recalled having briefly seen them at some public event.
Leaving the power company, Leopold notified the construction team to prepare for work in the next day or two.
When he returned in the afternoon to collect the documents, Caroline was again absent. Her colleague said she had gone to the countryside.
Sitting in his car, Leopold placed the signed approval documents on the console and called Caroline.
The phone rang seven or eight times before she answered. Leopold heard a harsh roaring noise and asked, "Where are you?"
Caroline covered the mouthpiece and shouted, "I'm in Silver Creek Town. I left the documents on my desk—you can take them yourself."
"What?" Leopold couldn't hear clearly.
Caroline shouted again, and Leopold barely made out her words. "I've got the documents. Thank you."
Caroline covered her other ear and walked a bit farther away. "Can't hear you clearly. I'll hang up now."
Before Leopold could respond, she had ended the call.
Listening to the dial tone, Leopold muttered to himself, "Where has she gone? Is she safe?"
People could be strange sometimes—seeing through others while remaining blind to themselves. Emotions crept in quietly, unnoticed even by oneself.
His current concern was more like a persistent worry born of growing attachment.