"Breathe, silly girl." James Black lifted his hand and rubbed Jane Sampson’s head, "Where did your pride in your learning ability go?"

"The Great General has devoured it." Jane responded in a muffled voice, panting heavily, "If you didn’t kiss me, everything would have been fine. Otherwise, next time you want to kiss me, give me a heads-up to prepare myself."

After speaking, Jane shook her head and corrected herself, "No next time, I won’t let you kiss me anymore. The more you kiss, the more addicted you get, it’s endless."

"Wishful thinking." James chuckled, then said, "Since you’re not sleeping, then tidy up your stuff. After we eat breakfast the next day, we’ll go back."

Jane made a sound of protest, "Why do we have to go back? I don’t want to go home, I want to stay here."

James straightened his waist and began to unbutton his shirt. Hearing Jane’s words, he glanced down at her but didn’t engage in the conversation. Instead, he said, "Before we head back, let’s swing by the countryside to visit the grandparents. We’ll have lunch there, then go home."

As soon as Jane heard ’grandparents’, she agreed without a second thought, "Okay."

Then she fixed her unwavering gaze on James, who was taking off his clothes, with such intensity that even James noticed.

"Like what you see?" James teased her.

"So-so." Jane immediately put on a face full of disdain but got down from the bed, snatched up James’s shirt, and sniffed it, "I smelled disinfectant on you just now. Did you go to the hospital? Did you get injured on this mission and sneak off to the hospital for a dressing change behind my back?"

"Don’t you know whether I have injuries or not?" James countered her question.

"Ah~" Jane quickly backed up a couple of steps, then flopped straight back onto the bed.

Of course, she knew.

How could she not?

It’s not like they hadn’t bared it all before; there were still faint claw marks left by her on his back.

She had made those marks yesterday morning.

"A teammate was injured and hospitalized. On the way home, I received a message that she had woken up, so I visited the hospital again." James explained his whereabouts for the evening and the reason for the scent of disinfectant on him.

"I see~" Jane immediately pinched her nose, "Hurry up and go take a bath, you smell."

Her disdain couldn’t be faker.

James slightly curved the corners of his mouth and headed for the bathroom.

Early the next morning, after having meal, James and Jane said goodbye to Old Master Black. They left the Black Residence and headed to the countryside. Compared to the quietude of the Black Residence, where Elder Black lived, the life of Grandpa Sampton and Granny Sampton in the countryside was much livelier.

When the couple entered, Grandpa Sampton and Granny Sampton were chatting with the neighbor at the doorway. Upon seeing James’s car, both grandparents immediately became joyous. They didn’t even have time for a long chat with the neighbor and quickly made their way toward the car.

"Grandpa, Grandma, I’m here!" Jane got out of the car and ran straight to Granny Sampton, hugging her and acting coquettishly, "I missed you so much."

"It’s cold outside, come on in," Grandpa Sampton greeted Jane and turned to wave at James, "Are you on vacation? How come you have time to visit with Jane?"

James parked the car, nodded in affirmation, and followed Grandpa Sampton into the courtyard, then responded, "Yeah, I’m on vacation these days."

James waited for Grandpa Sampton to close the courtyard gate before continuing inside. As they reached the living room, he overheard Jane telling Granny Sampton about the Great General having a wife and child.

The elderly love to hear the young talk about such trivial matters of life. Jane spoke merrily, and Granny Sampton listened with a comfortable smile.