36 No Time and Energy for Romance

John was not really hungry and He felt enough just by eating a little. So he put down his fork to watch her. Alice ate in small bites, seemingly focused on the food - making those around her feel happy to eat as well. The portions were really generous, it was a lot.

Alice put down her fork, took a sip of orange juice and smiled, "When I was in school, I could eat more in one meal, and the portion was even more generous than here." She would angrily walk to a small restaurant nearby after a little argument with Mike. She called it treating herself well.

Alice was absent-minded and John guessed she was thinking about the past. He considered himself patient, but he couldn't help the slight sting in his heart. He just went along with what she said, "Are you full, would you like to have more?"

She was quite full, Alice remembered saying to Mike that day, "I'm old, I can't eat too much."

When she said that, her expression was extremely cute, just like seriously arguing with the other, John pulled away his gaze, feeling the joy was truly real and not an illusion.

Paying the bill and stepping outside, John gave her coat, "Do you want to stroll on the street?"

With such a good atmosphere, Alice didn't want to go home quickly. Just as they merged into the crowd, a little boy was selling roses, persistently, making Alice exasperated, helplessly turning to look at John. He looked at the flowers in the boy's hand, reached into his wallet, and said to the boy, "I'd like to purchase all of these roses?"

"All of these?" Alice couldn't believe it, looking at John and then glaring at the boy's ugly roses - with red petals mixed with black and dying -20 dollars each, why not he robbed lovers' money directly!

"I don't want roses." Alice smiled, pointing at the little red horn hanging on the boy's necks, "I want this." Then she put on the red, shiny little horn, jumping ahead with a lively bounce as if two little flames were jumping on her soft, golden ponytail. John followed behind her, a smile on his face and a gaze filled with indulgence that he had never before.

In the city center, people went around the colorful musical fountain. Most of them seemed to be students. They found a chair to sit on, and the night of the city was unusually clear. The stars were visible.

John felt he had said a lot, and even talked about the past, which he rarely mentioned. He mentioned he started a company with his college friends and worked on programming for three days and nights, which was not smooth on the way to success. Yet, when he told the story today, Alice admired him more for his tenacity, wisdom, and maturity.

"Do you know? When I sent Shaw Jin off, he mentioned you especially, saying you're a very serious female scholar." The smile on his face implied more than he said.

Alice blushed, she never expected to leave the Chinese customer with such an impression. "I actually argued with him – it's a big no-no in the hotel industry. I am so sorry for that" she said in a tongue of embarrassment.

John didn't mind, "You have to stand your ground when dealing with foreigners, with reason and grace."

"Alice couldn't help but change the topic, "So, have you never felt attracted to someone?"

After asking, she felt herself nosy and pretentious. But it was just a natural curiosity, and besides, she had seen this person through his ups and downs, so she didn't mind asking.

John just smiled faintly, "If you're sleeping less than 6 hours a day, do you think you'd still have the time and energy for romance?"

Alice pouted slightly, clearly not satisfied with this answer, and then joked, "But you are not an ordinary one. You're rich and handsome, and you sleep very little ." She had seen him wake up early and be energetic with three hour's sleep.

He continued, "Really, I've been too busy."

"But people always say, 'Love and work can go hand in hand.'" Alice said playfully, trying to make him more relaxed.

"Maybe." He shrugged, "There have also been ladies I admire who make a move on me."

Alice looked at him curiously, her gaze making him continue.

"I appreciate their courage, but feelings are more than just admiration." His voice gradually lowered, and he turned to look at her, "I have better understood them and their feelings recently."

At that moment, Alice felt a subtle sense of melancholy in his eyes.

Nearly midnight, they walked towards the parking lot. John drove the car over, and Alice stood alone waiting. Suddenly, she felt cold, a chill that laughter could not dispel.

Her thin smile slowly bloomed in John's heart, and he suddenly felt scared. Her smile carried an expression he couldn't understand. He got out of the car, slammed the door shut, and walked quickly to Alice, embracing her, leaving his coat on the car. The warmth and scent of a man transferred through his Per Se to Alice.

Alice was at a loss for a moment, stiff in his Per Se, hearing his soft voice, "Just stay still, let me walk over slowly to you… You have to be more patient than me…" His voice sounded so low and carried an unexplainable loss in the darkness.

He slightly backed away, and she stood still and looking astonished under the moonlight, with only two red little horns glowing. He reached out to touch her hair, and his handsome face slowly approached her. Alice looked at his familiar beautiful nose and lips, and subconsciously turned slightly. The kiss should have landed on her forehead, gently landed on her shut eyes.