Chapter 401 - 381: Things Are Developing in the Wrong Direction

"You’re sick. You can’t eat this junk food," Dylan Heston said, his tone like he was reprimanding a junior as he threw all the instant noodles she had just bought into the trash.

Nancy Hughes rushed over. "Hey! Why’d you throw out my instant noodles?"

’Instant noodles are expensive these days. That was over a hundred yuan.’

"I’ll pay you back for the noodles. Now, come with me!"

Dylan Heston grabbed her hand and led her out of the apartment.

"Where are we going?"

Returning to the supermarket for the second time, Nancy Hughes looked at the man beside her, exasperated. "Mr. Heston, what are you doing?"

"Where’s the fresh produce section?"

"Over there!" She pointed, and Dylan Heston pushed the shopping cart straight in that direction.

Dylan Heston bought a lot of groceries. ’He’s the one buying them, so he’ll be the one paying.’

’But once he buys all these ingredients, who’s going to cook?’

She was no master chef. If Dylan Heston hadn’t been there, Nancy Hughes would have definitely eaten the instant noodles she’d just bought, filled her stomach, and gone to sleep.

Dylan Heston bought a huge pile of things. While they were in line to pay, many women around them started looking over.

The women around them started discussing them. "That guy is so handsome!"

"Yeah, but it’s a shame the person next to him is probably his wife!"

She let out a dry laugh and glanced up at the man beside her, who happened to turn his gaze on her at the same time.

The moment their eyes met, her heart skipped a beat. She quickly lowered her head, pretending to be intently studying the logo on a shopping bag.

’What are these people talking about? Me and Dylan Heston? How could we possibly be in that kind of relationship?’

Nancy Hughes practically wanted to put her hands on her hips and laugh out loud. ’Are these people blind?’

’Besides, there’s no way Dylan Heston would ever be interested in me!’

’Awkward. Awkward with a capital A.’

Nancy Hughes’s scalp tingled with embarrassment. The two women next to them were still talking about them, and she had no idea what kind of expression Dylan Heston was making.

’I want to look, but I don’t dare!’

’He probably doesn’t care. A man like him must be used to it.’

She sighed inwardly, gripping the shopping cart. ’Will these people ever stop?’

’When is their discussion going to end?’

Her brow furrowed. Suddenly, a scorching hot palm covered the back of her hand, and the heat made her snatch her hand away in a flash.

Startled, she stumbled back and stared up at Dylan Heston in shock. He looked back at her with an innocent expression. "What’s wrong?"

Nancy Hughes instinctively shook her head. "It’s nothing."

’Maybe he touched me by accident. It must have been an accident.’

Nancy Hughes was panting lightly. She unconsciously shifted to the side, putting some distance between herself and the man.

She remained flustered the entire time. From that moment until they got back to her apartment, she didn’t say a single word to Dylan Heston.

They walked one after the other, looking exactly like strangers heading in the same direction.

Dylan Heston, walking behind her, took long strides and caught up to Nancy Hughes in just a few steps.

She glanced at him, then deliberately slowed her pace to fall behind him again.

It was obvious that Nancy Hughes was intentionally avoiding him.

No matter if he walked faster or slower, he couldn’t manage to walk beside her.

Dylan Heston’s brow furrowed. ’Does she dislike me this much?’

Nancy Hughes didn’t understand why Dylan Heston was cooking in her kitchen. She was even more surprised that this man actually had such a domestic side to him.

She stood there, dumbfounded, like a wooden post.

She wanted to go in and help, but Dylan Heston stopped her. "I can handle things in here."

The more Nancy Hughes thought about it, the more awkward she felt. ’How did things suddenly develop this way?’

’This seems to have strayed a bit from what I’d imagined.’

As Nancy Hughes stood dazedly in the doorway, she heard her phone, which was on the dining table, start to ring.

"Hello, Liam... Uh-huh, I’m feeling much better... Sorry I couldn’t make it to your party today..."

Nancy Hughes stood in the doorway taking the call, her back to Dylan Heston.

Dylan Heston stopped what he was doing and called out to Nancy Hughes in the doorway, "Get in here!"

"Ah, coming!" For some reason, Nancy Hughes was extremely sensitive to Dylan Heston’s voice; even while talking on the phone with someone else, her attention was instantly drawn to his call.

After answering Dylan Heston, she quickly said to Liam, "Uh, you don’t have to come over. I’m fine now!"

"Hey, Nancy, who was that...?"

Before Liam could finish speaking, Nancy Hughes had already hung up and stuffed the phone into her pocket.

"Um, did you need something?"

"Who was coming over?" Dylan Heston asked, turning his head to look down at her.

"It was Liam Sheffield. He knows I’m sick." Nancy Hughes kept her head down, as if answering a teacher’s question. "I was originally supposed to go to his party today, but who knew there would be a sudden downpour on my way home last night."

"You worked overtime last night?"

"No!" Nancy Hughes denied.

The kitchen fell silent. It seemed like they always ended up in silence, with nothing to talk about.

"Come here and help me with something."

"Oh, okay. What do you need me to do?" Nancy Hughes rolled up her sleeves. She wasn’t good at cooking, but she could handle helping out.

"Do you have an apron? Help me put one on."

"Er..."

’She had one, but how was she supposed to put it on him?’

Nancy Hughes clutched the apron, looking at Dylan Heston with a troubled expression. "Here, you should tie it yourself."

’Tying an apron for him... it just feels weird.’

Dylan Heston was still holding a kitchen knife. He motioned with his eyes. "What do you think?"

Nancy Hughes was speechless.

Nancy Hughes hadn’t had much contact with men. The only one she’d ever wanted to get close to, Zane Lennox, had despised her.

Dylan Heston was very tall, seemingly even a bit taller than Zane Lennox.

Whenever she looked at Dylan Heston, she always had to tilt her head way up.

"Could you lower your head a little? I can’t quite reach!" Nancy Hughes stood half an arm’s length from Dylan Heston, but even on her tiptoes, she couldn’t reach.

’This couldn’t be blamed on her being short; it was all his fault for being too tall.’

Dylan Heston obligingly lowered his head. Nancy Hughes slipped the apron over him. "Turn around for a second; I’ll tie it for you."

Looking up, she realized she was too close to Dylan Heston and quickly lowered her head again.

The ears hidden beneath her hair began to burn. She moved behind Dylan Heston and, with trembling fingers, tied a knot.

"Um... I’m going to go get a glass of water."

After tying the apron for Dylan Heston, Nancy Hughes immediately found an excuse to leave.

’Being around Dylan Heston... this feeling was definitely unsettling.’

Nancy Hughes sat out on the balcony. Gusts of cold wind blew against her, but she didn’t feel cold at all.

’Why do I feel hotter and hotter?’ Nancy Hughes lowered her head, hugging the cat in her arms. "You’re not allowed to go inside. Stay out here with me."

Dylan Heston was a fast cook. By the time Nancy Hughes had calmed down a bit outside, he was already finished.

She took a bite and found it was even better than she had imagined.

Dylan Heston’s cooking skills were truly impeccable. Nancy Hughes had a decent appetite and finished a small bowl of rice.

"Um, thank you so much for tonight!" Nancy Hughes said with satisfaction, rubbing her full stomach.

It had been a long time since she’d had a proper dinner.

It was getting late. Nancy Hughes glanced at the clock on the wall; it was already ten.

Dylan Heston stood up, grabbed his suit jacket from the back of the chair, and headed for the door. "Get to bed early tonight."

Nancy Hughes followed him and said, "Okay. Be careful on your way."

After seeing Dylan Heston off, Nancy Hughes collapsed onto the sofa, her mind in a total mess.

’What was all that about tonight? A man she’d only met a few times actually cooked for her.’

’It’s completely illogical!’

Perhaps she had slept too long during the day, because now she wasn’t the least bit sleepy.

She mulled it over for a long time but couldn’t come to any conclusion.

Fortunately, the next day was the weekend, so she didn’t have to get up early.

After resting for two days, her fever was gone, but her cold seemed to have gotten worse.

Her voice was so hoarse she could barely speak.

"Good morning, Mr. Gunn."

Gwen Gunn had just arrived at the company when she heard Nancy Hughes’s incredibly hoarse voice. "What’s wrong? Did you catch a cold?"

Nancy Hughes nodded. She took a sip of hot water, which made her feel much more comfortable.

For the entire morning, she tried her best not to speak unless absolutely necessary.

At noon, just as she was about to go to lunch with a friend, she got a call from Liam Sheffield.

"Nancy, have you eaten yet?"

"I was just about to go. What’s up?"

"Perfect! Let me treat you to lunch!" Nancy Hughes was about to refuse, but he spoke again before she could. "Nancy, I’m right downstairs from your office. Come on down!"

"..."

Liam Sheffield had been grounded at home by Mr. Sheffield for two days; otherwise, he would have come to find Nancy Hughes long ago.

Nancy Hughes said goodbye to her colleagues and went downstairs.

The weather was gradually getting warmer. Liam Sheffield was standing by the entrance, wearing an extremely thin leather jacket.

The young, handsome man attracted a lot of attention.

The women passing by were all guessing who he was waiting for.

Just as Nancy Hughes stepped out of the company’s entrance, she looked left and right and saw Liam Sheffield waving at her, shouting, "Nancy, I’m over here!"

His shout immediately drew the gazes of numerous people around them, all focusing on her.

Feeling immense pressure, Nancy Hughes quickly pulled Liam Sheffield away.

She didn’t let go of his sleeve until they reached a deserted spot. "Why did you come all the way over here?"

"Nancy, I came especially to see you, and to treat you to a meal!" Liam Sheffield pulled a box of cold medicine from his pocket, grinning at her. "Nancy, your cold is really bad! How did your voice get so awful?"

Nancy Hughes coughed a couple of times. "Isn’t that what colds are like?"

"Nancy, what do you want to eat? My treat today!" Liam Sheffield said, patting his chest, which earned him a glare from Nancy Hughes.

"I couldn’t possibly let my junior treat me to a meal. Let me treat you instead!"

"That works too!" Liam Sheffield’s mind worked fast. "Then you can treat this time, and I’ll get the next one!"

"..."

Nancy Hughes led Liam Sheffield to a small restaurant nearby. It was peak lunch hour, and a long line had formed at the entrance.

Having worked at the Sheridan Group for so long, she had always eaten lunch in the company cafeteria and never went out.

"Maybe we should find another place? This one is so crowded!" Nancy Hughes was afraid he would get hungry. She glanced at the line in front of them and estimated they’d have to wait at least half an hour.

"No need to switch, let’s just stay here!" He didn’t mind how long the wait was. Liam Sheffield said considerately, "At this hour, every restaurant is going to be packed. If we go somewhere else, we’ll just have to get in another line, so we might as well wait here."