Chapter 1134: Chapter 1134: Chanting Buddhist Scriptures, Suppressing Inner Desires

Richard Shaw noticed her attempt to keep him from leaving, so he wisely relented and didn’t mention leaving again.

The man, meticulous in his thoughts, naturally picked up on Leah’s unease about having a big man living in her home. By proposing to leave and having her ask him to stay, he effectively blocked off any chance of departure.

Habits are a terrifying thing. After a while, when she’s grown accustomed to his presence, everything will fall into place. Richard Shaw had patience in abundance.

Richard Shaw took canned beer and marinated snacks out of the fridge and asked in a deep and enticing voice, "Can’t sleep? Care for a can?"

Leah had no resistance against spicy marinated snacks, and feeling a bit hungry, her almond-shaped eyes lit up as she nodded.

The man turned on the wall lamp in the small garden outside, and the two sat on the open-air wooden bench, looking at the night sky, drinking beer, eating spicy snacks, and chatting like long-lost friends who’d just reunited.

Richard Shaw preferred mild flavors and didn’t eat meat, mostly drinking beer and watching Leah eat, with a pampering smile in his tea-colored eyes. Had he known she could be swayed so easily, he would have simply opted for the extra-spicy snacks and not bothered trying to garner sympathy.

"You know, those years I spent in the Golden Triangle, what I missed most were these spicy flavors. But Griffith Squire wouldn’t allow me to eat them. Each time Uncle Hao went out, he would secretly bring me some." Leah’s eyes watered from the spiciness, and she took a big gulp of beer.

"Why wouldn’t they let you eat them?" Richard Shaw watched her reddened lips from the spiciness and asked faintly.

"The doctor restricted my diet to avoid hindering wound healing. But life without spicy flavors is utterly hopeless." As Leah happily ate, she unconsciously opened up, smiling with narrowed eyes, lacking the regal coldness she usually exuded, resembling an innocent, carefree girl.

Richard Shaw’s gaze darkened slightly, able to imagine her heavily injured appearance back then. Griffith Squire would rather hide her away in such a remote place than allow her to receive proper treatment domestically, fearful that Richard Shaw would discover Leah was still alive.

"On another note, it’s rare for men to be vegetarian. Are you sure you’re going to stay vegetarian for life, without touching any meat?" Leah blinked her almond-shaped eyes, watching him under the wall lamp, feeling this man was shrouded in mysteries, yet not quite the rustic type, since where would you find such a cold and handsome rustic?

"Yes." Richard Shaw replied indifferently, his tea-colored eyes focused on her, speaking in a low voice, "Living a vegetarian life is worth it."

His wish had long been fulfilled. As long as she was well, he would rather give up everything.

"What a peculiar man." Leah pouted, cheerfully continuing to eat the spicy snacks, seeing Richard Shaw being silent as if a closed book, she naturally searched for topics and asked, "Earlier I mentioned adopting Thomas Shaw, have you thought it over? I’m probably not going to marry or have children, and want a child."

Her unwillingness to marry and have children was deeply ingrained in her mind. Leah accepted this notion naturally, which is why upon meeting Casimir Shaw, she instantly wanted this child.

Thomas Shaw? Richard Shaw didn’t comment on this reference. Casimir Shaw had been used to charmingly teasing people over the years, making him someone people loved to see and flowers loved to bloom. In reality, Richard Shaw could largely guess the child lacked a sense of security, living between the small cabin and Shaw Mansion without a mother. He rarely communicated with Casimir Shaw; the child being this cheerful and bright despite it all no doubt owed to his personality following Leah’s.

He had been physically alive, yet spiritually half-dead for years, neglecting much. From now on, he must guide well. Already seven years old and still teasingly charming, he ought to be sent to the Military District for training.

"I don’t plan to separate from the child." Richard Shaw hinted.

"Well, that’s easy. I’ll adopt Thomas Shaw and take care of you too, won’t that solve it?" Leah drank another can of beer, still sensing the spiciness, took the beer Richard Shaw handed over, continued drinking, and propped her chin, looking at him with a slightly soft tone.

The man coughed lightly, drank another mouthful of beer, his voice somewhat hoarse, "Though I’m poor, I can still afford to raise the child."

"Alright, alright." Leah saw his face turn somber, fearing he’d take Casimir Shaw and leave, hurriedly dared not mention it again. She picked up the beer, laughing, "Let’s focus on drinking."

By the time Leah had drunk more, she got somewhat muddled. Her health had actually been poor these past years, and Griffith Squire was strict, forbidding her from touching spicy stimuli. Her alcohol tolerance was weak, so after two cans she was dizzy, leaning on the small wooden table, reluctant to move, and muttered unclearly, "I’ll just nap a bit, call me later."

Seeing how easily she got drunk, Richard Shaw’s gaze deepened, and without a word, he picked her up, entered the house, placed her on his bed, then fetched a warm towel to clean her hands.

The man braced his hand on the edge of the bed, fingers pressing in until white beneath, let out a low gasp, then released her, closing his eyes to silently recite Buddhist scriptures, suppressing inner desires, only reopening his eyes after a while.

"Old Shaw?" Casimir Shaw, half-asleep and disoriented, crawled up, snuggled further under the covers, then reached out to clasp Leah’s neck, akin to a little pig snuggling into the embrace.

Casimir Shaw vaguely felt something was off—Old Shaw seemed strangely fragrant and soft—but was too sleepy, pursed his lips, and continued sleeping.

The man looked at the wife and child sleeping in the blanket, clenched the Buddha Beads on his wrist, unmoving as he watched them until dawn.

Leah slept soundly through the night and was awakened in the morning by the sound of birds. She opened her eyes to see the little bun snuggled in her arms, slightly stunned. She then kissed the little bun’s rosy cheeks, but her body stiffened slightly; this seemed not to be her room, and the pillow she slept on also seemed unfamiliar.

The bedding and pillow carried the unique masculine scent of the man, along with a faint sandalwood fragrance, likely imparted from the Buddha Beads on his wrist.

Leah suddenly clapped her forehead, recalling she’d drunk too much last night, and so the man carried her inside? Despite his paralyzed legs, how did he manage to carry her? Was she too heavy? No, here she was sleeping, where did the man sleep?

One question after another crowded her mind, Leah’s heart raced. She got up, noticing no one in the bedroom, and fled in haste without further thought. Upon reaching her own room, she belatedly realized she’d forgotten her shoes, and this was her home, so why was she escaping?

Leah felt something was amiss, things were unraveling.