Chapter 146

Juniper felt no discomfort at all.
Tsk. His technique was really good. He must have done this for someone else before, right? Definitely!
Juniper pouted, feeling a strange sense of unease. She decided to just close her eyes and not look at him.
Ten minutes later, once he was sure every single strand of her hair was dry, Shanley turned off the hairdryer. He then picked up a comb and carefully smoothed out her slightly messy hair, instructing her in a soft, gentle voice, “From now on, if you’re going to be late, you need to tell me or Dana beforehand. Otherwise, we’ll worry, understand?”
Juniper was still stewing over his skillful technique and didn’t want to respond.
“What’s wrong?” When he didn’t get an answer, Shanley stopped what he was doing and crouched down in front of her, meeting her gaze. “Hmm?”
Juniper’s eyes fell on his face. After a few seconds of hesitation, she looked away irritably and muttered a single, unhappy word, “Nothing.”
“Are you hungry?” Shanley didn’t press the issue. He patted her head affectionately. “Come on, let’s eat. Dana made your favorite roast chicken.”
Juniper went to the dining room and sat down, noticing two place settings on the table. He hadn’t eaten either?
“Mr. Schwartz came home late, and then he went to pick you up, so he didn’t have a chance to eat,” Dana explained with a smile as she brought out the dishes, having noticed Juniper’s questioning look.
Juniper glanced at the man washing his hands, and the furrow in her brow relaxed.
“Drink some ginger soup before you eat,” Dana said lovingly, placing a cup down. “Mr. Schwartz specifically asked me to make it for you, he was worried you might catch a cold. Why don’t you try it?”
Juniper sniffed it. The ginger smell was overpowering. She hated ginger.
“I Just as she was about to refuse, Dana’s voice rang out again, full of pleasant surprise. “I never would have guessed, but for Mr.
Schwartz’s first time drying a girl’s hair, he did a really good job.”
“First time?” Juniper looked at Dana in confusion, her pupils widening slightly.
“That’s right,” Dana said with a radiant smile as she arranged the cutlery. “Besides you, there have been no other girls around Mr. Schwartz.”
In many ways, she thought to herself, it was his first time.
“Oh Juniper blinked, a barely perceptible smile touching her lips. Her mood had clearly improved.
“Ms. Payne, drink up before it gets cold,” Dana urged again.
“Thank you.” Juniper picked up the cup and took a small sip. It was a bit unpleasant. But in the end, she forced herself to drink the whole thing.
At the dinner table, Shanley diligently served the girl food with the shared utensils Juniper now in a goog
had a good appetite and ate
thing he put on her plate.
“Juniper,” Shanley said, putting down a peeled shrimp and wiping his hands, a meaningful smile playing on his lips, “can you draw?”
Juniper paused mid-shrimp, slowly lifting her chin to look at him with suspicion.
“Just asking,” Shanley said, a smile tugging at his lips as he noticed the flicker of panic on her delicate face. His low voice was tinged with “I saw a few drawings
amusement. looked like you
in your room.
drew them yourself.”
“Oh.” Juniper guiltily averted her gaze and went back to eating, her voice muffled. “A little.”
The drawings in her room were indeed hers-portraits of her grandfather. But she remembered not signing them. Shanley couldn’t possibly know… that she was J- Five, could he?
“Is that so?” Shanley chuckled, his deep eyes fixed on her, growing even more profound. He was certain it was more than just ‘a little’.