My Husband Married the Girl He Saved from the Fire

Vera trotted over with a bright smile, holding out a cup to Elias. "Elias, this is yours—three parts sugar, regular ice, double coconut."

She then handed another cup to Mira. "Mira, I wasn't sure what you like, so I just picked one randomly. I hope it’s to your taste."

"Thank you," Mira said, accepting the cup, while Elias took both cups with a small nod. He noticed Vera poking the straw into her drink and asked seriously, "Why are you drinking it iced?"

He gently took the milk tea from her hand, his expression concerned. "Don’t you remember what happened last time? You’ll get a stomachache again."

Vera pouted, clearly unsatisfied. "It’s just a small sip..."

Mira handed her the room-temperature drink she was holding. "Drink this one. I don’t like milk tea," she said, stepping toward the car.

The three of them made their way to a lamb rib shop near the school gate. The owner instantly recognized them.

"Ah, you two! I remember when you were students here. You used to come to the restaurant all the time. Your class president even caught you feeding her a piece of meat while trying to hide a premature love affair..." The boss chuckled as nostalgia filled the air.

The good old days seemed to resurface in an instant.

The boss’ eyes landed on Vera. "Who’s this?"

"My sister," Elias replied smoothly, exchanging a few more pleasantries with the boss before finding a table.

Soon, the ordered dishes arrived, with the steaming lamb ribs bubbling temptingly on the table. The boss had also sent a couple of extra dishes on the house.

"These aren’t spicy, so you can eat more. You’re looking too thin," Elias said, scalding the tableware with boiling water before handing it to Vera.

Mira watched the table filled with dishes, her gaze silent. She and Elias both loved spicy food, and it felt strange that every dish was so mild.

Vera picked up her chopsticks, but her movements were stiff. She tried to grab a piece of meat but struggled to pick it up.

Elias' eyes softened, a hint of pity flickering in them. "Let me help you," he offered, his voice gentle.

Elias carefully removed all the meat from the lamb ribs and placed it on Vera’s plate. "Eat," he said, his tone gentle.

"Thank you," Vera smiled sweetly.

Mira stared at the hot lamb rib pot in front of her, the steam rising in thick swirls. Her eyes stung, and she fought the urge to cry. Every action Elias took was so familiar, so reminiscent of the way he once cared for her in high school. But now, those small acts of kindness were being given to someone else, and it hurt more than she had expected.

Halfway through the meal, a boy in school uniform approached their table. He wore glasses and hesitated before pulling out his phone.

"Hello... Can we add each other on Facebook?" he asked, shyly.

The atmosphere around the table immediately turned icy. Elias' face darkened, and the air seemed to thicken with the dangerous emotion brewing in his eyes.

Vera paused for a brief moment, then pulled out her phone and said, "Okay."

She was about to accept the request when Elias' hand shot out, stopping her. He snatched the phone from her hands, his voice low and cold. "Which class are you from? What’s the name of your class teacher? What was your midterm exam ranking? You don’t focus on your studies and all you do is flirt with girls, huh?"

The boy’s face turned beet red, and in a flash, he turned and ran off.

Elias' expression remained sour, and after watching the boy flee, he handed the phone back to Vera. His voice was sharp. "Do you really want to add him?"

"No," Vera shook her head quickly. "I just didn’t want to embarrass him by refusing. If he adds me, I’ll delete him."

Elias' mood lightened a little upon hearing her explanation. "Alright, let’s eat then."

Mira, standing off to the side, felt like a stranger in the moment. She observed the interaction silently, her heart sinking.

After the meal, Vera excused herself to go to the bathroom.

Elias turned to Mira, his fingers brushing a lock of hair behind her ear. "Mira, are you upset?" he asked softly. "You didn’t say much during the meal."

Mira’s voice was blunt, her words cutting through the air. "You treat Vera very differently."