Callis kept his head down whereas Raeleigh stood on the staircase, which made them appeared to be about the same height. After seeing Leander leave, Raeleigh asked Callis, "Would you like to have an apple?"
Callis did not answer while still lowering his head. Raeleigh handed him an applethat she bought.
"Take it."
Still looking down, Callis did not extend his hand.
Raeleigh took his hand and placed the apple on his palm.
"I can't finish all the apples I bought. Here's one for you. You can treat me in return next time." Raeleigh was uncomfortable with leaving Callis alone. Hence, she waited until Leander returned.
"Where do you live?" Raeleigh asked before she left. Leander replied, "Just in front."
Raeleigh looked in the direction Leander indicated. It turned out that it was in the same direction as her home. That surprised her. "Aren't you staying with the other workers?"
Leander walked on one side of Raeleigh while Callis walked on the other. Callis did not make a sound and kept his gaze fixed on the ground.
Raeleigh kept glancing at Callis but he didn't look back at her. On one occasion, he stopped then sidestepped her before he continued moving forward.
Raeleigh wondered why Leander said that Callus was used to smiling at beautiful girls. Was she not beautiful?
Raeleigh felt stupid at the thought and could not help chuckling.
As he strolled down the street, Leander told Raeleigh why they did not live with the other workers.
"We are outsiders. We're considered lucky to have the opportunity of living in the village. The houses over there are free exclusively for the villagers. My brother and I have to rent a house somewhere else."
"I see. Is the rental fee expensive here?"
"It's acceptable. We can make a few hundred dollars per day. In this way, I can get myself a wife in a few years," Leander said with a complacent smile. Raeleigh was staggered for a moment before asking, "If you're going to have your own family, what about Callis?"
"He can look after himself."
Raeleigh followed them to the place where they lived. Stopping and having a look, she said, "I'll prepare breakfast for you and send it over tomorrow morning. When does your shift start?"
Raeleigh just felt that it was not easy for them to cook and it was not troublesome to deliver some food to them.
Initially, Leander rejected her offer. After she insisted, he accepted it.
After going back, Raeleigh prepared the food ingredients required for the dishes that she would make the next morning. At first, she planned to cook some oatmeal. Later, she changed her mind and prepared to make waffles instead.
Those two men had a physically demanding job, which made Raeleigh think that two bowls of oatmeal would not be sufficient. Thus, she made preparations for that accordingly.
By the time Xanthus came back, Raeleigh had already made dinner. After dinner, she went to call Jacky, inquiring about his investigations into the prison and the search for Stella. Xanthus tidied up the dining table and saw that there were some fish and ribs in the kitchen. He turned to ask Raeleigh, only to find that she was still on the phone. Thus he didn't interrupt her. When Raeleigh came back after the call, Xanthus asked, "Did you want to eat fish?"
"No," Raeleigh replied quite straightforwardly.
"Then why did you prepare fish and ribs?"
Xanthus disapproved of having such a hearty meal in the morning, although they indeed should do it.
"It's for Callis, the worker we met. They're living nearby because they couldn't live in the free houses meant for the local villagers. They can only stay in a rented house. With their jobs, I bet they don't have time to bother with their meals. So, I'll bring a portion of our breakfast to them."
"Living nearby?" Again, Xanthus became alert. Raeleigh told him, "I met them in the supermarket. You can rest assured that they aren't bad guys. I have tested them."
In fact, Raeleigh had never tested them. But if she did not say so, Xanthus would not let it go.
Relaxing on the sofa, Raeleigh held a red apple in her hand. She wanted to nibble it, but due to the food she ate at dinner, she couldn't really do so.
Comments
The readers' comments on the novel: Cutie, Please Marry Me Again (Jenna and Hansen)