Leonard had heard the news too and gave Aurora a call.
“Hey, Aurora?”
She answered with a smile, “What’s up, Leonard?”
“I didn’t want to bother you these past few days. I was worried all that stuff online might’ve affected you. How are you feeling? Everything okay?”
His concern came through dearly from the other end of the line.
Aurora shook her <b>head</b>. “Of course I’m line. That’s all in the past now.”
Η
“Don’t <b>worry </b>about me. I’m not someone who’s that easy to knockdown.”
Leonand reached over and ruffled Nora’s hair, his smile war. “That’s good. I’ve been worried about you, but hearing you sury that puts me at ease.”
“Treat whatever you see online <b>as </b>a joke,” Aurora reminded. “Don’t believe it too easily.”
“Don’t worry, I know what to believe.”
Leonard nced at Nora, who was watching him with hopeful eyes
“Uh… how about dinner tonight?” he asked. “Nora misses you. She’s been sitting at home staring at the toy you gave her.”
Leonard was a little surprised himself.
Nora usually wasn’t this attached to someone she hadn’t known to long-
Maybe Aurora <b>really </b>did have a way with kids.
“I miss <b>that </b>sweet girl too,” <b>Aurora </b>said with regret.
But I’ve got something on this afternoon, and I’m not sure when it’ll end. Let’s do dinner another time, <b>okay</b>?”
Leonard couldn’t deny the disappointment that hit him.
He lowered his <b>gaze</b>, trying to hide the <b>letdown </b>in <b>his </b>eyes.
“Alright then. Your workes first. I’ll let you go.”
After hanging up, Leonard <b>sat </b>quietly, staring at the phone screen
He didn’t know how long he stayed like that.
His parents, watching from nearby, grew visibly anxious.
Jasmine reached over and gave Richard a smack on the arm. “Look at your son. Where did he get this awkward personality from? <b>So </b>reserved it’s <b>painful</b>.”
mean seriously, he wants to ask a girl to dinner, <b>and </b>he’s using his little <b>sister </b>as an excuse?”
Richard rubbed his arm, clearly not agreeing. “Don’t look at me, I wasn’t like that. Back when I was chasing you, the whole school knew about it. If I hadn’t made such a fuss, how would the campus belle like you have agreed to be with me?”
Jasmine blushed. “If you hadn’t been handsome, you think I’d have said yes?”
Hearing that, Leonard finally reacted. “Dad… can you teach me?”
The two parents exchanged a confused nce.
“Teach you what?”
Especially Richard<b>, </b>he lookedpletely puzzled by the sudden request.
Leonard answered seriously, “Teach me how to win someone over.”
At that, the e two of them locked eyes <b>again</b>, this time with a spark of joy in their gaze.
This boy might just be worth teaching alter all!
“Alright then,” Richard said with a grin. “Let your old man <b>teach </b>you exactly how I won your mom over back in the day!”
One ready to teach, one eager to leam.
Jasmine
held Nora in her arms, feeling a mix of shock and relief.
She hadn’t expected that Leonard really had someone he liked.
Meanwhile, Aurora truly <b>was </b>busy that afternoon.
She was scheduled to visit Vanguard with the project lead.
The project had been put on hold earlier due to all the online runots, but now that the noise had finally died down, it was time to move forward again.