One month later, the temperature gradually dropped. It was the early winter in City N.
The fallen ginkgo leaves covered the whole street. With the wind and drizzling, it brought a chill.
The modeling of the new studio was ongoing. According to their original plan, they could move in by the
end of this month.
Probably it was because of the temperature drop. Stella had been feeling dizzy and sickened in the
past few days. She was pretty spiritless.
It didn’t feel so serious as having a cold. Hence, she didn’t want to take any medicine.
However, she had no appetite, feeling weakened.
Sherry was idle in one afternoon, so she went to Stella’s office, eating snacks while nestling on the
sofa. “Stella, have you noticed this winter isn’t cold?” she asked while munching.
Stella lowered her head to draw the draft. “It seems so, but this isn’t the coldest period of time.”
Sherry said, “Right. The doctor’s medicine works. I’ve stopped taking it for a while, but I still feel
spirited. My mother also said her legs didn't ache anymore... Gee... This plum is too sour.”
While she spoke, she spat a green plum with a frown.
Stella looked back at her and then look at the plums on her desk. “Is it sour? I think it’s just all right.”
Sherry immediately pressed some food into her mouth to get rid of the sourness. While shivering, she
said, “My teeth ache because of it. It’s too sour.”
Stella put her pen and walked over. Then she took out a plum from the bag in front of Sherry and put it
into her mouth.
She thought it was just OK, not sour at all.
Seeing that she looked so calm while having it, Sherry swallowed her saliva.
She took a piece of chocolate, but her teeth ached again because of the sweetness. Covering her
cheek, she said, “There must be something wrong with my teeth. I need to see a dentist recently.”
Stella also pulled out a piece of chocolate and took a bite. After a few seconds of silence, she said, “It’s
not your tooth problem. This chocolate is way too sweet.”
She couldn’t even swallow it. Being it over, she spat it into the trash can.
Sherry checked the chocolate brand and tossed it away. “I won’t buy this anymore. It’s getting sweeter
and sweeter.”
On the way back home in the evening, Stella passed by the convenience store downstairs. She
hesitated for a while but still bought a few bags of green plums.
She seemed to be addicted to this fruit recently.
Since she didn’t have much appetite and Clarence wouldn’t come home for dinner, Stella ate some fruit
and yogurt before continuing to work on the draft on the tea table.
Unconsciously, she finished the green plums.
When Clarence came home, she was sitting in front of the sofa with her legs crossed. Her chin was
pressed on the pen. She tilted her head, lost in thought.
He walked over, sat on the sofa, and glanced through the fruit plate on the tea table. “Did you have this
for dinner?” he asked.
Stella munching the green plums and muffled, “I was not hungry.”
“What did you have for lunch?”
“I went to have steamed rice in a clay pot with Sherry.” As she spoke, she turned to look at him. “Have
you had dinner? If not, I’ll cook for you.”
Clarence answered in a low voice, “I’ve had it.”
Stella turned to spat the plum kernel and opened another bag. She raised her head, only to find
Clarence was looking at her in silence.
She thought he also wanted to have one, so she generously passed the plum in front of him.
Clarence raised his eyebrows, lowered his head, and ate it.
Then he couldn’t speak at all.
Stella could tell how his expression changed dramatically. He frowned slightly, his Adam’s apple kept
bobbing, and blue veins popped on his neck.
She asked in a low voice, “Don’t you like it?”
Clarence spat the plum kernel. His tongue tip pressed his upper jaw in soreness. Looking at her
sincerely, he asked friendly, “Have I done anything to offend you?”
Stella was wordless.
She asked, “Is it too sour? But I feel it’s just all right. Sherry also said it was sour earlier. I thought she
just didn’t like sour food.”
Clarence said, “It was so sour that I thought you aimed to kill your husband.”
Stella was amused. She picked one for herself. “I don’t have many left. Now I don’t need to share them
with you.”
Clarence picked up the water glass from the tea table, raised his head, and gulped down to wash away
the sourness. He asked, “Aren’t you going to bed?”
Stella said, “Go ahead to take a shower. I still have a bit of work left. I’ll go to bed after modifying it.”
Seeing her pick up another plum, Clarence said, “Don’t overeat. Your teeth will ache.”
Stella answered, “I know. Go take a shower.”
Clarence approached her, pecked her on the lips, and stood up to go to the bathroom.
Her lips had a faint sourness but tasted sweet.
After Stella finished modifying the draft, she almost finished all the green plums on the table.
No wonder she had no appetite recently. She guessed probably she had eaten too many snacks.
In a trance, she felt toothache.
She hurried to brush her teeth.
When Stella entered the bathroom, Clarence happened to put on his pajamas.
Seeing her enter, Clarence raised his eyebrows. “If I had known you couldn’t wait, I wouldn’t put my
clothes on.”
Stella was wordless.
She pushed him out of the bathroom. “Go to bed. I’m brushing my teeth.”
Stella was afraid of toothache, so she brushed her teeth twice deliberately. After the sourness
disappeared from her mouth, she rinsed and washed her face.
When sleeping, Clarence wrapped his arms around her waist and pressed his chine on her forehead.
“You seemed to have lost weight recently,” he remarked.
Stella said, “I don’t notice it...”
However, she indeed had a worse appetite recently.
Clarence asked, “Are you still taking Archer’s medicine?”
Stella hummed gently.
“Stop it. All medicines are harmful.”
Stella didn’t speak. She had been taking medicine for several months, but she was still not pregnant.
Probably she could feel easier after stopping taking it.
She decided to continue to take it after a certain period of time.
After a long while, she answered, “I see.”
The following morning, when Stella passed by the convenience store. She looked at the plums in there
and wanted to buy some, but she gave up after a thought.
It would cause toothache if she had too much.
Besides, she might have a better appetite without taking snacks.
Winnie had the plan to shoot for photos of the new products. Shortly after Stella had arrived at the
studio, she came.
The last time Stella called Chan, the call was answered by Winnie. This was the first time Stella met
Winnie after that had happened more than a month ago.
Looking at her, Winnie looked a bit uneasy. She dared not to look into Stella’s eyes and stammered,
“When... when will the shooting start?”
Stella said, “Sherry has gone to the new studio to check the remodeling. She’ll be back in half an hour.”
Winnie nodded. “Okay. I’ll put on makeup first.”
Winnie had the plan to shoot for photos of the new products. Shortly after Stella had arrived at the
studio, she came.
The last time Stella called Chan, the call was answered by Winnie. This was the first time Stella met
Winnie after that had happened more than a month ago.
Looking at her, Winnie looked a bit uneasy. She dared not to look into Stella’s eyes and stammered,
“When... when will the shooting start?”
Stella said, “Sherry has gone to the new studio to check the remodeling. She'll be back in half an hour.”
Winnie nodded. “Okay. I'll put on makeup first.”
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