Like a sudden flash, Poppy's face popped into her mind-beautiful, undeniably so, but with a charm that was impossible to like.
She remembered how that woman had always boasted about knowing the truth behind Gaius' death.
Serena had never been sure how much of it was true and how much was just empty bluff-but Poppy hadn't seemed like she was making it all up.
If Xavier's people had already hit a wall in their investigation... maybe she could try approaching Poppy herself?
"Serena?" the man beside her leaned closer. "What are you thinking about?"
Serena blinked, snapping out of it. "Nothing."
She lit up her phone screen and checked the time. "Are you hungry?"
Xavier patted his stomach-which had been audibly protesting its emptiness for a while now. "Nope. Not at all. I don't feel like going out to eat. I'd rather stay here with you a little longer."
Serena gave him an amused look. "Your stomach's been growling like a wild animal. You sure you're not just being stubborn?"
"I..." His lips twitched in embarrassment. "That was just... indigestion. Not hunger..."
Without wasting time arguing, Serena got up from the sofa.
Xavier's eyes followed her nervously. He reached out and gently tugged at her wrist. "Serena, really-I'm not hungry. As long as I'm with you, I could go a whole day without eating."
"Oh, Xavier," Serena sighed, half-laughing. "If you want to cultivate yourself into an immortal, be my guest. As for me, I'm perfectly fine being a regular mortal. You might not be hungry, but I am. Someone's got to eat."
Xavier scratched the back of his head sheepishly. "I... well..." He grimaced awkwardly. "I've been sneaking away from the clinic for quite a while now. They've probably already noticed I'm gone. If I go out, there's a good chance someone my dad sent will spot me... and I'm just not ready to be separated from you yet."
Her heart skipped a beat, a rhythm out of sync. She suppressed the ripple of emotion and replied calmly, "Who said anything about going out? I just said I was hungry. Didn't mention what I wanted to eat."
"We're not going out?" He blinked. "Wait... you can cook?"
"What else?" She rolled up her sleeves, walking toward the kitchen. "Don't tell me you expect you, the young master, to roll up your sleeves and make soup for me?"
"I may not know how now," Xavier quickly followed her, "but for you? I'd learn anything."
Serena's hand trembled slightly. The beat in her chest grew even more frantic. She pressed a hand to her heart discreetly, trying to calm the storm.
Not wanting him to notice, she quickly turned and opened the fridge. After scanning the shelves, she sighed. "All I've got left is some plain pasta. Will that work?"
"That'll do! If you made it, even poison would taste delicious!"
"Don't be ridiculous. Why would I poison you? I have no interest in becoming a murderer."
"Heh, it's just a figure of speech," he said, grinning like a fool. "To show how much I love and trust you."
She ignored him, pulling out the pasta, two eggs, and a lone sausage.
As she moved around the kitchen, Xavier stood nearby, eyes glued to her every move, more anxious than helpful.
As she dropped the pasta into the pot, she glanced over at him with a laugh. "What's going on with you?"
"I'm worried you might get hurt!"
"It's just pasta. How could I possibly get hurt?"
"Serena." His tone shifted-serious now, full of concern. "Don't take your safety lightly. Look at that boiling water. If it splashes, I... I'd be heartbroken."
"Uh..." Her hands were fine, but her face suddenly felt warm. She looked down. "I'll be careful."
Ten minutes later, two steaming bowls of pasta sat on the table.
Xavier stared into his bowl like it was a treasure.
Serena had already eaten a few bites. Noticing his hesitation, she spoke gently, "I know it's not the fancy food you're used to. But it's all I have for now. You should eat, alright? You've just recovered from pneumonia-don't skip meals."
He smiled, amused. "You think I don't want to eat this?"
"A young master like you, used to fine dining-it's okay if this simple food doesn't excite you."
"Wrong." Xavier cradled his bowl like it was precious. "I'm just reluctant to eat it. You cooked it yourself! I was wondering... is there any way to preserve it forever so it never goes bad?"
Serena kept her head down, quietly finishing her noodles. Her hand trembled slightly, betraying her calm exterior.
"Noodles don't last forever," she said softly. "You should eat while it's hot. And if you really like it... maybe I'll cook again sometime."
"Really?!" His eyes lit up. "You mean it, Serena? You'd cook for me again?"
"It's just a bowl of pasta, not some gourmet dish."
"It's a gourmet dish to me!" He held the bowl close to his chest. "To me, it's worth more than anything."
"You..." Serena finally looked up, her cheeks tinged with pink. "If you keep stalling, it'll go cold. Are you really going to waste something so 'precious'?"
"Never!" He suddenly became serious.
Then, he carefully picked up a noodle, like it was the most delicate thing, and slowly brought it to his mouth.
The way he ate, so cautiously-it was almost comical.
Serena had already finished her portion. Leaning her cheek on one hand, she watched him like it was a funny scene.
After swallowing the first noodle, he looked up as if he'd discovered gold. "Serena! When did you learn to cook like this?! A simple bowl of pasta and it tastes like five-star restaurant food! You're amazing!"
"Stop exaggerating," she rolled her eyes. "If a hotel chef cooked like this, they'd be out of business."
"I'm not lying! It's seriously delicious!" He leaned over his bowl, devouring it with unrestrained delight.
In less than three minutes, not a single drop of soup remained.
Afterward, he insisted on washing the dishes. Serena couldn't resist and let him.
Still concerned, she followed him into the kitchen.
Watching him struggle with soap and dishes, she finally sighed. "Let me do it. If I leave it to you, my poor dishes might not survive the night."
Xavier raised his arm to wipe his face, only to smear foam across his nose.
Without thinking, Serena reached out and gently wiped it off.
The moment her fingers touched the bridge of his nose, both of them froze.
***