Eric Bennett broke out in a cold sweat on the spot. “Y-yes, thank you for the reminder, Aunt Lily.” Only then did he remember that he was barely sixteen, and his parents still didn’t allow him to drink.

Aunt Lily’s home wasn’t as big as his own, only about eight or nine meters across. A few simple potted plants sat on the windowsill. The place was plainly furnished, but exceptionally clean.

Olivia Scott helped Eric Bennett lie down on the wooden bed. The spotless white sheets were instantly dirtied by Eric Bennett’s shoes. She sighed helplessly, went out to the yard to fetch a basin of clean water, soaked a towel, and gently wiped Eric Bennett’s drunken face, all the while grumbling, “You, really, learning to drink at such a young age, and downing half a jin at once—are you trying to get yourself killed?”

A soft fragrance escaped her lips. Eric Bennett squinted his eyes in enjoyment and obediently said, “Aunt Lily, I won’t dare do it again.”

Gently brushing aside the messy hair on his forehead, Olivia Scott reminded him, “Hurry and call your big sister, or she’ll start to worry.”

Eric Bennett acted all high and mighty, hiccupping as he waved his arm. “Phone.”

Olivia Scott gave a wry smile, reached into her shoulder bag, and handed him her phone.

Eric Bennett blinked his eyes, pouting and pushing his luck. “Dial it for me.” Olivia Scott couldn’t help but laugh and cry at the same time as she pressed the number and handed the phone back to him. Eric Bennett cocked his head, signaling for Aunt Lily to hold the phone to his ear. “Mom, I’m at Jiang Wei’s place. I’m not coming home tonight.”

On the other end, Julia Warren muttered, “Don’t trouble others, don’t play on the computer all the time, and remember to go to bed early.”

“Got it, Mom.”

“Hmph, call earlier next time. I thought something happened to you.”

When the beeping sounded, Eric Bennett finally twisted his neck, letting Aunt Lily take the phone away, then shifted into a more comfortable position, lying across the bed.

“This kid.” Olivia Scott shook her head with a wry smile.

Her impression of Eric Bennett had always been that he was timid and reserved, even nervous when talking to her. Who would have thought that after a few drinks, he’d become a different person? Seeing his dazed look, Olivia Scott couldn’t help but smile, then slowly bent down to take off his shoes and socks. “Hao, be good and go to sleep. When you wake up tomorrow, everything will be fine.”

Alcohol really does give cowards courage—how true that is.

Fueled by the liquor, Eric Bennett suddenly sat up, staring straight at her. “Aunt Lily, you… you’re really beautiful.”

A faint blush crept over Olivia Scott’s mature, pretty face. She shot him a playful, reproachful look with a smile. “If I were really beautiful, I wouldn’t still be unmarried at my age.”

Olivia Scott shook out her usual light-colored blanket, intending to cover him up.

Eric Bennett’s throat was dry, and on impulse he blurted out, “How about… I marry you.”

Chapter 10 Olivia Scott

“How about… I marry you.”

The reason he said this wasn’t entirely because of the alcohol. In the nine years he’d secretly loved Gu Yueyan, Eric Bennett had considered others as well. After all, reality was harsh—he had to get married and have a child for his parents’ sake. So, Eric Bennett had once set his sights on Olivia Scott.

He still clearly remembered telling his mother about this idea. The always doting Julia Warren flew into a rage, nearly coming to blows with him. His father was so angry his face turned white and he was left speechless.

There were two reasons for their strong reaction.

First, his grandfather and Olivia Scott’s father were close—almost like real brothers. Olivia Scott was a generation older than him, so naturally, they couldn’t be together.

Second, it was Olivia Scott’s age. She was more than ten years older than him, which was simply unacceptable to his parents.

And so, Eric Bennett’s “shifting affections” plan was nipped in the bud.

“Marry me?” Olivia Scott was clearly stunned, and slowly her face darkened. She stared into Eric Bennett’s eyes, exhaled, then put on a gentle smile again. Lifting her slender arm, she affectionately stroked Eric Bennett’s cheek. “You’ve been drinking tonight, so Aunt Lily will pretend she didn’t hear that. But remember, you can’t say things like that again. If your big brother or sister hears, it’ll be a big problem.”

Great! Two confessions in one day, both ignored!

Eric Bennett lay down in a huff, refusing to say another word to her.

Thinking it over, he realized his current state was a bit like a starving man not being picky about food—confessing to every mature woman he saw. Sigh, his mindset was really off.

But who could understand him?

A man who’d been single for twenty-five years—his longing for love was beyond what ordinary people could imagine!

“My, such a temper.” Olivia Scott looked at his sulky face and couldn’t help but cover her mouth and giggle. “Alcohol really is trouble—turns a normally well-behaved kid into this. Hehe, tell Aunt Lily, what happened today? Why did you drink so much?”

Eric Bennett grumbled, “I don’t know.”

Seeing that he might really be upset, Olivia Scott forced a baffled smile, pulled the blanket up to cover him snugly, then patted his head as if soothing a child. “Be good and sleep, Aunt Lily has to get back to work.”

She turned off the main light, moved over to the small writing desk, adjusted the desk lamp so it wouldn’t disturb Eric Bennett’s sleep, and then, with full concentration, picked up a dark green Parker pen and began writing in her notebook.