The heavy rain outside was still falling, the raindrops hitting the glass with a somewhat hypnotic sound.
Leah sat in the hot water, finally feeling like she had come back to life. The bathroom was pristine. In the cabinet next to the bathtub sat a selection of premium toiletries, all brands Leah had never seen before. Running over to a near-stranger’s house to take a shower was a bizarre thing to do. She should have felt uneasy, but the atmosphere in this house had a power that calmed her down.
Leah finished her shower at her own pace. She cleaned up her stray hairs in the bathroom, threw them in the trash, and finally opened the door to head downstairs.
Downstairs in the living room, Josh hadn’t changed out of his wet clothes yet. He was peering under the sofa, calling out in a low voice, "Nemo, come out."
"Josh, are you looking for your dog?" Leah walked up to him.
Josh was sitting on the carpet, which put him exactly at eye level with her chest. He casually looked away.
"He was terrified by the thunder and is hiding under the sofa, refusing to come out."
Leah walked over, knelt down in front of the sofa, and peered underneath. A golden retriever was huddled in the gap, looking at her with pitiful eyes, trembling all over.
"His name is Nemo? Is he a boy or a girl?"
"A boy."
"Do you have any dog food? Or a toy he likes?"
"I’ll go get something."
He got up to fetch the items and returned shortly with dog biscuits and a chew toy. Leah took them and reached into the gap to coax the dog.
"Nemo, come out. I’ve got a treat for you."
After cycling through seven or eight different items and spending over ten minutes coaxing him with soft words, the dog finally crawled out from under the sofa. He was still shivering, his whole body trembling.
Leah pulled him into her arms and gently stroked his back. One stroke, two strokes, three. His breathing gradually steadied.
Josh looked at her hand. It was small, the knuckles slightly red, the nails trimmed very short. Her movements were gentle, as if soothing a child.
"Did you study veterinary medicine?" he asked.
"A little bit." Leah looked up and smiled. "I love cats and dogs and always wanted a pet. But someone is allergic to their fur."
A few seconds of silence passed.
Josh raised his hand and scratched the dog’s head. "His previous owner passed away." He paused. "I made a promise to him."
"You brought him back from Country A?"
"Yeah."
Leah measured Nemo’s chest and waist with her hands and frowned. "He’s too skinny."
"The vet said he has depression. He always just lies around by himself." Josh paused. "I’m too busy with work. Honestly, I’m not really suited to have a dog."
Leah didn’t reply. She lowered her head, burying her fingers in the dog’s fur, gently combing through it.
The rain had stopped without them noticing.
The wet clothes on Josh were half-dry, the fabric clinging to his body and faintly revealing his silhouette. Leah averted her gaze.
"Your clothes should be done drying; go change. I’ll go upstairs to change too, and then we’ll see what we can make to eat." He asked, "You must be hungry, right?"
"No thanks, Josh. I’ve intruded for long enough. I’ll just call a car to go back."
Josh opened a ride-hailing app and showed it to her. There were over two hundred people calling for rides nearby, and the road network was a deep red.
Leah said nothing.
"Let’s eat out," he said. "Once we’re done and the floodwaters recede, the traffic won’t be as bad."
She still didn’t say anything.
"Nemo is hungry too. Let’s all go together."
Leah looked down at the large dog in her arms. He was looking up at her, his tongue lolling out. She smiled.
"Okay."
Josh went upstairs and changed into a dark blue utility shirt and khaki slacks. With his lean waist and impossibly long legs, he had the physique of a supermodel. Leah changed back into her own clothes as well.
While changing shoes at the door, she asked curiously, "This is the old town area. There must be a lot of good food around here, right?"
Josh smiled. "There’s a Michelin-starred restaurant out back. My treat."
"Josh, don’t spend too much. Let’s just grab something simple."
"Just follow me."
The two of them walked side-by-side down the tree-lined street while Josh held the dog’s leash. After walking a few hundred meters, they turned left into a small alley lined with little eateries on both sides.
He stopped in front of one. "We’re here."
The storefront was small, with an old wooden signboard: Manji Chicken Pot.
Leah glanced to the side. A handwritten notice was pasted by the door:
[Though undeservedly awarded three Michelin stars, this restaurant truly offers nothing special. Welcome, but we kindly ask that you lower your expectations. In the event of a queue, please visit next door; the fare from all eateries on this street is excellent.]
What a quirky restaurant.
Because of the rain, there weren’t many customers inside. Josh walked in with the dog, and the owner greeted him. "Boss, thanks for supporting my business again."
"You’re the one supporting me," Josh smiled faintly.
"Your usual spot is kept open for you every day."
"Good." He looked back at Leah. "Leah, let’s head upstairs."
Leah froze for a moment. He just called her "Leah"? On second thought, he was probably just following her brother’s example and treating her like a little sister.
There was a private room on the second floor. The decor was completely different from downstairs, featuring exquisite carved windows, mahogany furniture, and a marble screen. Old money aesthetics.
The owner followed them in. "Boss, should I bring up the wine you have stored here?"
"No need, I have to drive later."
"I’ll go downstairs and prepare an absolutely peerless chicken for you myself."
"Thank you."
The food arrived quickly. As Josh was serving Leah a bowl of soup, the owner personally brought in a basin of chicken breast and placed it in front of Nemo. Then, it was just the two of them left in the room.
Leah lowered her head and took a sip of the soup. It was fig and chicken soup, light and sweet. After one bowl, her body felt warm and cozy.
She suddenly remembered something. "Josh, were your ancestors businessmen?"
"Yes. My great-grandfather’s generation started venturing out and doing business." Josh paused. "Later, my grandfather lost the family fortune. Fortunately, he still left that old house to me."
Leah didn’t reply. Old money was simply different. Even if the family had fallen on hard times, he still carried an air of effortless grace.
After a while, he spoke up. "Why were you out there today? Can you tell me?"
Leah stayed silent for a long moment. "If I tell you, you can’t tell my brother."
"Deal."
"My husband got an emergency call on the way and had to rush over to handle it." She paused. "So he made me get out of the car."
Josh said nothing. After a brief silence, he slowly spoke, his voice completely flat. "Do you know why he dumped you on the side of the road today?"
Leah shook her head, feeling a little flutter of panic in her chest.
"Eat." Josh placed a scallop into her bowl. He put down his chopsticks, his tone measured and unhurried. "Everyone in the financial industry knows that Selene Shaw started a P2P project, and Kian Hawthorne backed it with an investment. Today, someone reported the project for suspected illegal fundraising, and the authorities showed up. Selene couldn’t handle it herself, so she called him over to clean up the mess."
So that was it.
Leah’s expression remained placid. "I know Miss Shaw, too."
"You aren’t angry?" Josh asked.
She looked at him with an innocent expression. "No, I’m not. My husband and Miss Shaw are just business partners."
He cast a glance at her and suddenly smiled faintly. "You love him a lot."
"Mhm." Leah lowered her head. "He saved my life once."
In her peripheral vision, she saw Josh’s fingers tighten. The veins on the back of his hand bulged slightly before he quickly relaxed his grip.