"That might not be the case, you know. Aerith selling flowers is actually quite profitable."
Aiden clearly knew that Aerith's cost of selling flowers was basically negligible. Plus, her daily expenses weren't high. She definitely had her own little stash of money.
Of course, Aiden didn't expect anything from their little bit of money.
Still, he was quite touched, because Tifa's thought was to offer first. Thinking of this, Aiden lowered his head and kissed Tifa's smooth forehead, then said softly next to her ear, "It's still early, want to continue?"
Tifa's face, which had just returned to normal, turned red again. After lightly nodding, she proactively gave Aiden a fragrant kiss…
———
It wasn't until dawn that Aiden finally came out from Room 201. Of course, before coming out, he had taken a shower, after all, he had tangled with Tifa the whole night, and his body was filled with her fragrance.
Looking back at the deeply sleeping Tifa, still smiling in her sleep, Aiden closed the door and walked straight toward Room 203.
After entering, Aerith was still sleeping soundly.
Aiden let out a sigh of relief, brought over a chair, sat by the bedside, and quietly watched Aerith's face.
He didn't know why, maybe it was entering the so-called "sage mode," or maybe some other reason, but while looking at Aerith, there was no desire in Aiden's heart.
Of course, it wasn't that only Tifa could stir him up, or that he saw Tifa merely as someone to satisfy desires. It was because the two women had completely different personalities.
Compared to the lively and cute Tifa, Aerith's usual personality seemed more introverted and occasionally melancholy.
"Don't worry, Aerith, I will definitely save your fate." After saying this, Aiden gave a bitter smile.
He felt a little like a scumbag, just had a warm moment with Tifa, and now saying this to Aerith.
But soon he figured it out, how was he a scumbag? He was clearly broad in love, loving every woman who deserved to be loved.
With this thought, Aiden held Aerith's hand, then leaned by the bedside and fell asleep.
No matter what, after a whole night with Tifa, he was indeed a little tired.
———
This sleep lasted straight until morning.
The soundly sleeping Aiden didn't know that, just as the first ray of sunlight in the morning shone in through the window, Aerith opened her eyes.
And the first thing Aerith saw after opening her eyes, was Aiden sleeping by her bedside. Then, she noticed her hand was firmly held by Aiden.
"Aiden…" Aerith softly called Aiden's name, but she didn't want to wake him up, so her voice was very light.
Then, Aerith brought Aiden's hand to her face, gently rubbing it, muttering to herself, "Rest well… You must've protected me all night."
But this small movement ended up waking Aiden. He opened his eyes and saw Aerith looking at him with warm emotion in her eyes.
"Aiden, do you want to come up and rest?" Seeing him awake, Aerith said, then her face flushed red, this was the boldest she had ever been.
"No need, right?" Aiden replied with some guilt.
But the more he said that, the more Aerith insisted. Without giving him a chance to refuse, she lifted the blanket and tugged hard on Aiden's hand.
That tug brought back memories for Aiden. After freezing for a second, he abandoned all hesitation and climbed onto the bed.
Aerith tucked the blanket in, her body pressing tightly against Aiden's. Feeling the heat from his body, she too began to feel a burning sensation.
But after all, she was the quiet, reserved type. Enduring the discomfort in her body, she asked Aiden, "Are you tired?"
"A little." Aiden nodded.
"Then rest well." Aerith patted Aiden's hand, then placed it on her chest.
The completely different sensation compared to Tifa made Aiden dazed. Looking at Aerith's contented face, a sense of guilt welled up in his heart again.
"Aerith…" Aiden gently caressed her face with his other hand, then leaned in and kissed her cheek.
This sudden kiss made Aerith panic a little, her blushing face not returning to normal for a long time.
"You… how can you be like this?" Aerith said shyly, but her eyes were full of anticipation.
"Because I like you, Aerith." Aiden whispered in her ear.
Aerith froze for a moment, and tears immediately filled her eyes.
"Aiden… won't you regret this?" Aerith suddenly asked tearfully. "If… if I can't stay with you forever in the future, would you be sad?"
"Aerith, I will never let you leave me. Never. No matter who it is." Aiden stared into Aerith's eyes and said word by word:
"No one can separate us."
"Forever? You said it, Aiden. You must never leave me." Hearing Aiden's words, Aerith choked up slightly.
"Yes. I said it." Aiden hugged Aerith with heartache.
By now, he had figured out one thing, the current Aerith possessed partial memories of the future. She likely knew some things that would happen.
Because of this, Aiden felt even more pity for Aerith.
She was, in a way, enduring the pain of future memories all along.
'No matter what method I use, I'll save her from fate.' Aiden hugged Aerith tightly, thinking to himself.
Aerith, her face wet with tears, lay in Aiden's arms for a long time.
Maybe because the sorrow was too much, she quietly drifted back to sleep in Aiden's embrace.
He didn't know how much time had passed, but Tifa knocked on the door of Room 203.
"Aerith, are you awake?" Tifa called from outside.
But Aerith, sleeping deeply again, didn't hear her at all.
Seeing Tifa continuing to knock, Aiden had to respond for Aerith, "Tifa, Aerith is still sleeping."
Hearing Aiden's voice, Tifa wasn't surprised at all. After all, she had knocked on Room 202 earlier but got no response, so she guessed Aiden was probably in Aerith's room.
Though she had already guessed it, a hint of sadness still flashed through Tifa's eyes. Maybe she also understood that, at this point, Aerith's place in Aiden's heart was heavier than hers.
"Then I'll come wake you two later." Tifa paused for a moment and said, "I'll go make breakfast. If Aerith wakes up, you two come to 201."
"Thanks for the trouble, Tifa." Aiden could hear the sadness in her tone, and suddenly felt the urge to rush out and comfort her.
But since he was still holding Aerith, he really couldn't move.
"It's nothing." Thankfully, Tifa was an understanding woman. She shook her head and went down to the second floor to prepare breakfast for them.
Half an hour later, Aerith finally woke up. Then Aiden told her that Tifa asked them to go to Room 201 for breakfast.
Aerith had no objection, she was hungry anyway. After washing up, she followed Aiden into 201.
At this point, Tifa had changed back into her work uniform from the bar. Seeing them come in, she quickly greeted them, "Come quickly, the breakfast is getting cold."
Hearing that, Aerith felt a little embarrassed. She walked over and grabbed Tifa's hand, "Sorry to keep you waiting."
"Next time, I swear I won't drink again." Aerith added.
"No, it has nothing to do with that." Tifa shook her head.
She glanced at Aiden, muttering under her breath, "I actually wish you'd keep drinking."
Aerith didn't understand what Tifa meant by that mumble, but Aiden, to the side, clearly knew what she meant. His old face turned red, and he quietly sat at the table.
The breakfast in the slums was simple, fried eggs and bread, maybe some oatmeal porridge.
Though not exactly Aiden's taste, he was starving and needed to replenish energy badly.
While Aiden wolfed down the food, Tifa and Aerith chatted casually while eating.
"Aerith, when you usually sell flowers, how much can you earn in a night?" Tifa hadn't forgotten the conversation with Aiden about buying a house.
Aerith didn't know why she was asking. She thought for a moment and replied: "Usually it's one coin per flower. In one night, I can earn around twenty to thirty coins. Of course, if I meet rich people, I can earn more."
"Twenty or thirty, huh?" Tifa naturally ignored the second half of Aerith's sentence. She looked at Aiden, and a smug light flashed in her eyes. Compared to Aerith selling flowers, her bar clearly made more money.
"Why are you asking this?" Aerith drank a sip of porridge and asked Tifa.
There's no way Tifa would tell her the reason. She shook her head, smiled with her lips closed, and quickly hid her expression, saying, "No reason."
"I hate people who speak in riddles." Seeing Tifa shake her head, Aerith pouted and said.
Breakfast time quickly passed in the three's conversation.
Since there was nothing to do during the day, Aerith decided not to go back. So after eating, she borrowed Tifa's phone to call her foster mother.
"Aerith, are you with Aiden now?" After the call connected, Elmyra asked directly.
"We were together the whole night." Aerith replied with slight annoyance, her mother used to first ask about her, not Aiden.
"The whole night?" Elmyra clearly paused for a second, then happily asked, "You mean you two shared a room?"
Aerith didn't expect that this was what her mother cared about. She immediately answered, "Of course. Room prices outside are expensive."
"Then it's fine." Elmyra's tone sounded even more joyful.
Aerith wasn't a little girl, nor was she an idiot. How could she not understand what her mother really meant? Her face flushed red as she said, "We just stayed in the same room, nothing else happened."
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