Overprotected By My Tsundere CEO-Chapter 560 - 343: Marcus Shaw: Good, Where’s My Cactus? (2)
"..."
Nora Scott silently bites into the fruit.
Continuing to peel the apple, Pedro Langley says earnestly, "Go ahead, speak."
Nora: "..."
Ugh, she doesn’t even know where to start to curse him out.
Nora no longer touches him and says coolly, "His initial research focus was military drones."
"Hmm." Pedro nods, "He earned the title ’Number One Drone Expert in the Country’ because of his technology for environmental resistance and precise strikes."
"The drones made using his technology, for various reasons, have actually been used several times in small areas."
"I’ve heard a bit about it."
"He said," Nora’s eyes flicker, her voice lowers, "many people died."
Pedro’s peeling motion pauses.
"It’s unrelated to him, yet somewhat related. Hard to determine."
Nora speaks softly, suddenly extends her arms, wraps them around his neck, and rests her chin on his shoulder.
"Technology empowers the nation, that’s true. Being backward invites attack, also true. Wanting to become stronger is not wrong." Nora’s voice is a bit light, "Someone has to do these things, but it doesn’t have to be him. He can choose not to personally push this forward."
Nora’s words stop just short of that.
She lifts her eyes to look at Pedro closely and calls out, "Pedro Langley."
"Hmm."
"I’ve seen him at his lowest." Nora stares at him, speaking each word deliberately, "You’re not someone who cares only about profit, with a heart of stone, are you ready mentally?"
Gently moving aside her messy strands, Pedro looks back at her quietly and asks, "Worried about me?"
"Hmm."
"You said, someone has to do it." Pedro slightly curls his lips, but only for a moment; the lifted corners smooth out as he says, "If someone has to suffer, I don’t want it to be family."
"The task is heavy and long."
Piquing her hand, Pedro’s expression is tender and gentle, smiling lightly, "Adding more burden to you, my lady."
Nora raises her brow with a light smile, fearless, "You can let it collapse, I can carry it."
Pedro lowers his head against her, "Isn’t it the other way around?"
"What?"
"It should be," Pedro pauses, his voice low and steady, "You can do whatever, I’ve got your back."
"..."
Nora’s breath hitches.
Only five years.
Five years ago, their world was filled with love, dreams, quarrels, life goals.
They had the courage to face the unknown world, but lacked the foundation to face everything.
Five years later, what should be there still is, but that foundation is now complete.
Your sky can collapse, you still have me, anyway.
*
Two days later, at Fenton City Airport.
Joseph Sutton stands at the arrival gate, not wearing glasses, dressed in casual wear. The scholarly heaviness is gone, and his stature is tall and elegant. Among the crowd holding signs, he remains conspicuous.
Visible at a glance.
Crystal Hughes comes out with the crowd.
Her hair tied back, wearing a cap, dressed in casual wear and carrying a bag, holding nothing else but a phone in her hand.
Clearly twenty-six or twenty-seven, often surrounded by gunfire and warfare, yet she hasn’t aged a bit, resembling a girl in her early twenties.
Just the travel fatigue makes her slightly tired.
Scanning through the people waiting, she spots Joseph Sutton and her face lights up with joy, striding over to him.
"The plane was delayed, have you waited long?"
Joseph Sutton responds with a "Hmm," "Half an hour." 𝕗𝐫𝐞𝕖𝕨𝐞𝗯𝚗𝕠𝘃𝐞𝚕.𝐜𝗼𝚖
"..."
Crystal looks up, wordlessly staring at the ceiling.
Joseph extends his hand to her, "Bag."
"No—"
Just as Crystal is about to refuse, Joseph reaches around her and grabs the strap of the backpack, pulling it off her by force.
He slings the backpack over one shoulder, looks Crystal up and down, "Let’s go."
"Okay."
Following behind without contention, Crystal simply doesn’t argue with him.
Then, Crystal asks, "Graduating soon?"
"Hmm."
"Finished your thesis?"
"Hmm."
"Planning to stay in school or work?"
"Work."
"Which company?"
"First Affiliated High School, physics teacher."
"..."
The chatty Crystal suddenly stops talking.
She looks at the tall and long-legged Joseph like he’s some kind of creature, dazed for a moment before realizing, "Because of that thing?"
"More or less."
"...Oh."
Crystal lightly presses her lips, not asking more.
After a brief pause, Joseph asks her, "Going again in the future?"
"Not going." Crystal furrows her brows, "My dad said if I died out there, he’d send my son to an orphanage."
"..."
Joseph and Crystal were high school classmates.
Both enrolled early with good grades, isolated in school, so they naturally became friends.
They’ve stayed in touch over the years.
However, Joseph has never been to Crystal’s home, nor has he met her dad or son.
