"Sorry to have kept you waiting."
An hour later, Mam, who entered the room through the hidden door, opened the main door and spoke to Aerith and Tifa, who were sitting at the entrance drinking tea and waiting.
Then she stepped aside and left with her people. After that, Aiden and Scarlet walked out.
"You stayed inside for so long, was the massage really that comfortable?" Aerith walked up to Aiden and asked curiously.
"Yeah, it's a pity you didn't try it yourself." Aiden gave a light cough and said.
"I don't like strangers touching me. Even if it's a woman, it's still a no." Aerith shook her head forcefully. Since childhood, she had only had close physical contact with her biological mother and adoptive mother. Of course, now she had to add Aiden to that list.
Then her eyes lit up. Looking at Aiden, she said, "How about, after we get home, you give me a massage too? You experienced it for so long tonight, you must've learned a lot of massage techniques, right?"
Hearing this, Aiden choked on his own saliva and started coughing violently. Tonight… he didn't learn any massage techniques at all…
"Don't want to, huh?" Aerith pouted unhappily.
"No." Aiden quickly shook his head. "As long as you don't mind, I'm at your service."
"That's more like it." Aerith proudly lifted her head toward Scarlet, but only saw a faint smile on the other's face. She didn't seem to show any signs of envy or jealousy.
Aerith suddenly felt a bit deflated. She had wanted to strike a blow…
However, Tifa, who had been silent all along, noticed something was off. The lingering redness on Scarlet's face and the seductive charm still present in her eyes, it looked familiar, as if it were herself in the mirror last night after her bath?
But she could only speculate. After all, Mam had exited the room with them. Surely they wouldn't dare go that far, right?
Tifa gently shook her head and thought, "I'm probably overthinking it.'
"Come again next time."
With Mam's charming farewell, Aiden's group left the massage shop.
It was already late at night, but the walled shopping street was even more bustling. On the crowded streets, there were not only Shinra employees but also people from other slums who came here seeking entertainment.
Even the Shinra security soldiers stationed at the entrance to protect Scarlet were immersed in the drunken, glamorous atmosphere, shaking their legs to the music coming from the distant song-and-dance hall.
When they saw Aiden's group come out, those security soldiers finally snapped back to attention and quickly stood properly.
"Minister, are we going anywhere else?" one security soldier asked. "I've already notified several nearby factions, and they're ready to receive us."
Scarlet didn't speak. She just looked toward Aiden. Now, she could say she was only listening to him.
Feeling Scarlet's gaze, Aiden understood she was asking for his opinion and immediately fell into thought.
Come to think of it, there were still quite a few fun places in the walled shopping street, like the Honeybee Inn, the underground arena, and some places for wine and pleasure.
But it was already very late, and they had spent the whole day walking around and were pretty tired. Aiden honestly didn't feel like staying here any longer.
Still, Aiden decided to ask for their opinions.
"Aerith, Tifa, do you two still want to keep playing?"
Aerith replied straightforwardly, "I'll follow your lead."
Tifa also nodded. "Same here."
'Alright, guess that question was pointless.'
Aiden shook his head helplessly and directly said, "Today's activities end here. Let's go home!"
"I'll drive you." Scarlet took out her keys and said.
"No need." Aerith spoke before Aiden could. "I know a shortcut back to Sector 5. You just give Tifa a ride."
Scarlet immediately looked at Tifa. "Want a lift?"
Although Tifa hated Shinra people, she didn't hesitate at this moment and nodded in agreement. It wasn't that she had changed her opinion of Scarlet, she just had some things she wanted to ask.
"Then hop in." Scarlet opened the car door and said to Tifa.
Tifa nodded but didn't get in right away. Instead, she walked up to Aiden, hugged him tightly, and then turned to get in Scarlet's car.
"Be careful on the road," Aiden waved his hand and said.
"Got it." Scarlet threw a flirtatious glance at Aiden and said.
After watching Scarlet's car leave, Aiden followed Aerith through a shortcut back to the house in Sector 5.
It was already past midnight. Miss Elmyra was already asleep, so when Aerith opened the door, she raised a finger to her lips and "shushed" Aiden.
"Don't wake up my mom."
Aiden nodded and tiptoed upstairs to the attic. But halfway up, he noticed Aerith had followed him.
"You're not going back to your own room?" Aiden asked in a low voice.
"Of course I am, but not now." Aerith also lowered her voice. "Don't forget what you promised me earlier. You said you'd give me a massage."
'But I don't know how...' Aiden really wanted to say that, but remembering he had already agreed, he could only smile bitterly and nod.
Aerith was the one who always tidied up Aiden's room. Although there still wasn't much furniture, every cabinet was filled with flowers placed by Aerith. So as soon as you entered, the fragrance of flowers filled the air.
Once Aerith entered the room, she threw herself directly onto Aiden's bed. Then, with a slight shake of her legs, she slipped off her shoes.
"Come over here." Aerith lay on the bed and softly called to Aiden.
Aiden scratched his head, braced himself, and walked over. Then he sat on the edge of the bed, looking at Aerith.
"What are you waiting for?"
Seeing Aiden just staring without moving his hands, Aerith immediately looked dissatisfied.
"I'm recalling massage techniques." Aiden was trying to remember Mam's technique earlier, but it was too brief, there were barely any moves.
"Do you even need to recall it? However that woman massaged you, just do it the same way to me." Aerith said.
Aiden could only sigh. Then he reached out his hands, adjusted Aerith's posture, and gently kneaded her back.
"Not that great after all."
After a while, Aerith yawned in boredome, it was completely different from what she had imagined.
"Didn't you learn any other techniques?" Aerith asked again.
Aiden didn't know how to answer. He had used some special techniques on Tifa and Scarlet… but that was a totally different situation from now. So all he could do was apply more pressure.
After massaging for a while, Aiden suddenly heard the sound of steady breathing. He looked down and saw Aerith had already fallen asleep.
With a light sigh, Aiden was about to carry her back to her room. But just as he picked her up, Aerith wrapped herself around him.
"I'm so sleepy. Aiden, don't move me. I'll sleep in your room." Aerith mumbled.
Hearing Aerith's words, Aiden hesitated for a moment and then laid down on the bed while holding her.
"Good night, Aerith." Aiden kissed Aerith on the lips and said.
———
Since this morning, after Elmyra saw him and Aerith coming down from the attic together, she'd been looking at Aiden oddly.
There was scrutiny, admiration, seriousness, and even a hint of nostalgia.
Aiden found it hard to imagine that so many emotions could exist in a single pair of eyes.
"How did you sleep last night?" During breakfast, Elmyra looked at Aerith, who was eating with her head down.
"Alright…" Aerith didn't dare look her mother in the eye. The other wasn't blaming her, she was just shy.
"Oh." Elmyra nodded and turned to Aiden. "And you?"
"Same as her, Miss Elmyra," Aiden replied.
"In that case, you two can just share a room from now on," Elmyra said. "Running up and down is troublesome, isn't it?"
Hearing that, Aiden and Aerith looked at each other, then both showed expressions of surprise and joy.
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