In the cozy two-bedroom apartment, Grey sat on the tile floor, sharpening a cow's bone with a knife. In the past, he always focused intently, but today, he seemed distracted, occasionally glancing toward Eulalia's room.
Ever since they returned from the amusement park, this woman had calmed down for a week, but now she was getting dressed up again.
She was going on another blind date.
After all, she wanted a man.
Grey pressed his lips together, feeling his mood slump, but he couldn't quite put into words what he was feeling.
It was her freedom to look for a mate. He shouldn't feel possessive toward her, couldn't say anything to stop her. After all, he didn't like her.
Suddenly, the door to the room was pulled open, and Eulalia stepped out, wearing a pink, waist-hugging gown. She had a shapely figure, with curves that were unmistakable—full chest, rounded hips. Her long hair, curled by her own hand, gave her an unexpectedly sultry allure.
Grey stared at her, his breath catching, and then awkwardly lowered his head to continue sharpening the bone.
"Grey, what do you think of this outfit? Is it too pink?"
Eulalia asked uncertainly, standing before him.
Grey knew she was wearing this to meet a man, and the genuine praise that almost slipped from his lips stopped short.
He kept his head down and muttered in a dull tone, "It's not that great."
"Ah, I knew it was too pink. It feels a little childish," Eulalia said, preparing to go back and change. But when she looked at the time, she was startled. "Ah! I'm going to be late! Never mind, I'll just go like this."
She hurriedly grabbed her bag and bent down to put on her shoes. Grey turned his gaze toward her, watching as she slid her feet into the high heels. Her feet were pale and delicate, so cute that his face flushed. He quickly averted his eyes.
At the same time, he felt even more uncomfortable inside.
As he waited for Eulalia to return, he was in inner turmoil, and he stopped sharpening the bone altogether.
When Eulalia returned, she wailed in frustration, "Failed again, aahhh!!!"
For Grey, that was the most delightful thing he had heard all day.
They hadn't exchanged more than a few words when, suddenly, Grey strode to the balcony, his expression serious, listening intently to something.
"What's wrong?" Eulalia followed him to the balcony, watching him curiously.
Grey stared at her for a moment, then fell silent before saying, "I have something to attend to. I'll be gone for a few days. During this time, it's best if you don't go out."
With that, he cast a long, meaningful glance at her before striding toward the entrance to put on his shoes.
Eulalia hurried to follow. "Where are you going? Is something wrong?"
Grey paused, then said nothing as he left.
He left, and ten days passed without a word.
The phone calls went unanswered.
On the fourth day, after finishing her work, Eulalia walked into the living room and paused, looking at the empty house. She was uncharacteristically stunned.
She hadn't been alone like this in a long time.
That particular tile was where Grey often sat.
Now the house was eerily quiet, as if Grey had never been there.
Where had he gone?
Was he not coming back?
Actually, this was normal, right? He was a werewolf, not even human. He didn't talk much and rarely spoke of himself. It was at this moment that Eulalia realized how little she knew about Grey.
It was possible he had things to do, maybe going back to his home in the Snowy Mountain, or perhaps he wouldn't return at all.
It didn't really matter. Separation was inevitable.
Once she thought it through, she went to the balcony to water the plants.
Day six.
Eulalia squatted on the balcony, gently touching a flower.
She couldn't understand what had happened. Why had he been gone for a week, and she still hadn't been able to contact him?
She had no idea whether he was safe.
Then, Eulalia realized that maybe she had gotten too tired and forgotten to ask Catriona!
On the eighth day, Eulalia felt a surge of anger. Honestly, she had been fair to him. But he didn't even bother to tell her anything. Was she not worthy of knowing?
And he was her little bodyguard, though—she would fire him!
In the past few days, she had even postponed her blind dates and didn't attend any.
On the tenth day.
Grey returned.
Eulalia crossed her arms and said sternly, "Sit down! I need to ask you something."
"We've known each other for months now. Do I still feel like a stranger to you?"
"I told you, I treat you like a little brother. How have I treated you? Search your heart!" "I may not be your real sister, but I'm at least half of a half-sister, right?" Eulalia continues, her temper flaring again. "Or do I not even count as that?"
Grey stared at her for a moment, silent, then spoke, "No."
Eulalia voiced all the dissatisfaction she had been holding in.
Grey looks startled, then explains, "I went to capture fallen lone werewolves. If I'd told you, you would've been scared."
Eulalia's anger subsided, but then she noticed the injury on Grey's neck. She grew both anxious and angry. "Doesn't it hurt? Why didn't you say anything from the start?!"
This fool! He let her scold him for so long!
After bandaging his wound and eating dinner,
there was a knock on the door.
Draven was coming.
Eulalia went to the kitchen to get water.
Draven glanced in Eulalia's direction as she left, then looked at Grey. "So, kid, are you not planning to leave here?"
Draven handed him a card and said, "There's three million human currency in here."
"You can use this money to buy a house built by humans. Even if you use it for food, it'll last you for a while."
"I can take care of myself," Grey replied. He didn't want the card. He wasn't hunting rogue werewolves for money.
But then, Draven's words left him silent.
"Then you'll just keep living here? In less than two years, this girl will get married. Are you going to stay with her? Is that appropriate?"
Grey knew Draven was right. This woman was already looking for a man.
He had known he would leave eventually. He never imagined he would stay here so long, living with a human woman.
But hearing Draven say it like that, he felt the pain of the truth.
Why was Eulalia so kind to him? Was it because she pitied him for being homeless? Was that the reason? He hid the card, not wanting her to see it.
If she saw it, she'd want him to leave.
That night, he couldn't sleep.
He would leave this woman and live on his own.
She would bring another man home.
Grey thought about it all night, feeling miserable.
The next day, he acted as if nothing had happened, though his gaze was always on Eulalia.
After Grey returned, Eulalia felt relieved and resumed her blind dates.
The blind dates didn't go well. It was her own fault for being so naive. Even at this point, she still expected love.
For others, a blind date was just a step toward settling down together, but not for Eulalia. She viewed it merely as a platform to meet someone new. Maybe... just maybe, she'd find someone special.
She clung to that hope.
Of course, she kept failing.
She had encountered all sorts of odd men, and it had left her numb.
She sighed on the sofa, but Grey's mood only seemed to improve, and the cowbone necklace was finally finished.
"Here, this is for you."
The cowbone had been ground into round beads, coated with something that made it smooth and delicate, with a slight shine, forming a circle like a pearl necklace.
He handed it to her, but was too shy to look at her, his gaze drifting elsewhere.
"For me?" Eulalia froze, surprised.
Grey would often sit on the tile floor and grind this thing, but she never expected it to be made for her.
It must have taken at least two months.
Such a thoughtful gift... is it really for her?
She had failed in all her recent blind dates, but Grey's necklace cheered her up a little.
At least someone had spent so much time and effort to make her something.
She felt warm inside.
She took it and put it on. "Thank you, I really like it."
She didn't notice that after she immediately put it on, Grey seemed pleased, his lips curving up slightly.
An earthquake struck Capital.
Eulalia's blind dates were put on hold, while Grey became a volunteer, and she went to deliver meals every day.
After the earthquake passed,
Through a university classmate's introduction, Eulalia went on a blind date with her classmate's cousin, a department head at a large company, aged thirty.
Eulalia decided to go and see.
"I'm going on a blind date tomorrow, you stay at home," she said, pulling out a photo to show Grey. "Look, he's a department head at a big company, and he's not bad-looking, right?"
Grey looked at the man in the suit on the phone and pursed his lips. "He's ugly."
"I think he's fine," Eulalia replied.
Grey smirked. "You've got bad taste."
Eulalia clicked her tongue. "I can't compare to you, Mr. Handsome, we're both just ordinary people, living ordinary lives."
The next day.
She finished getting ready, grabbed her bag, and said, "I'm leaving now."
Grey watched her leave, unsurprised.
She had failed so many times at blind dates, so this one would probably fail too.
After witnessing Eulalia's numerous failed blind dates, he had come to believe that human blind dating was completely unreliable.
He had gone from being on edge at first to now feeling relaxed.
Anyway, she wouldn't succeed, so there was no need for him to worry.
Anyway, she'd come back and they'd continue living together in this little home.
Grey glanced at the fridge—it was empty. He went to the market, bought Eulalia's favorite vegetables, and put them in the fridge one by one.
He mopped the floor and cleaned up.
"I'm back!" Eulalia opened the door and walked in.
She had a rosy glow on her face and a smile in her voice. "Grey, I succeeded in my blind date!!"
Grey froze, thinking he must have heard wrong.
His face paled. "What... did you say?"
"Well! You can't believe it either, right? I still feel like I'm dreaming," Eulalia laughed as she changed into slippers, holding a bouquet of roses, carefully placing them on the table. "I think he's okay."
Grey looked as though he had been struck by lightning.
He stood there in a daze, his face going ashen.
