The Alchemists

They ate dinner in silence, but the atmosphere felt warm. London knew that L was not a talkative girl. In the past, for some reason, he thought cheerful and talkative girls looked attractive, but now he was very happy to enjoy dinner in silence with L.

The girl would not speak unless it was necessary, so every word that came out of her lips became precious, and nothing was in vain. If she was happy, she would show it, just like when she was angry or sad.

As far as London knew, he never heard L gossiping about her fellow artists or complaining about things. It sometimes made him curious because he wanted to know what was really going on in her mind.

Ugh ... unfortunately, no matter how much wealth he had, London must still resign to the fact that all men in this world were fated to never understand women. No device or machine could translate the contents of women's hearts that men could buy.

His younger brother, Rune, had emphasized that inventors and scientists had been trying to create machines or systems for translating women's language or thoughts for decades or even centuries, to no avail. So, they consciously did not continue the silly effort and accepted the fact that women were indeed difficult to understand.

When they had their dinner lit by candlelight, London repeatedly stole glances to see L's face and tried to guess what was on her mind. Unfortunately, he still couldn't tell.

"I wonder ... why it hasn't rained for a long time ..." L said suddenly. "I miss smelling the scent of the ground when it was touched by rain."

"Eh ...? You mean, petrichor?" asked London. "The scent you smell when the rain touches the ground doesn't come from the ground, but it is a reaction of the petrichor bacteria with rainwater."

"I know," L replied. "I just miss the rain. It's been a long time. I also hope the rain will come soon so that the flowers in our new home garden can grow well."

London just remembered that he had ordered Jan to control the weather so that there would be no rain wherever L was in. He still remembered how L was frightened when she heard the sound of thunder at that time ...

He involuntarily coughed because he almost choked on his food. At this rate, L could get suspicious, he thought. If she didn't experience rain for a year at all, the girl would be confused.

"I'm sure it will be raining tomorrow," London said, sipping his orange juice.

"How can you be so sure?" asked L. "I just checked the weather forecast, and it will be dry the whole next week."

'I'm sure because I can control the rain', London said to himself inwardly.

"Uhm .. I'm just making a lucky guess," London answered casually. "Why? Do you want to bet? If it really rains tomorrow, I will win and deserve a prize. If tomorrow, it doesn't rain, then you win."

L only snorted to see how London look very confident. She believed more in technology and weather forecasts from experts. It's been accurate for decades.

"Okay, we can bet. If I win, what will I get?" asked L.

"Hmm ... if you win, I am willing to be at your service for the rest of my life ..." answered London, grinning.

"Ish ..." L rolled her eyes but didn't protest. "If you win?"

"Uhm ... if I win, will you be my wife?" London hurriedly corrected his words and cleared his throat when he saw L glared at him. He remembered that L already gave him three years. He must not force his luck and risk L to change her mind. "Uhm ... if I win, I will get a kiss."

It seemed like a kiss was a reasonable gift to L, because she only snorted, but didn't say no.

Inwardly, London cheered happily. If L wasn't sitting beside him, he would have been dancing happily. He was so happy to imagine that tomorrow he would be able to kiss the temperamental girl. She had made him fall head over heels.

He took his cellphone and hurriedly typed a message for Jan.

[Tomorrow, please send rain to Grunewald. Just a short drizzle is enough to water the flowers in our garden. No thunder, please.]

He hurriedly kept his cellphone in his pocket when L turned to him and tried to see what he was doing.

"Who are you texting?" L asked, frowning. "Is the message so important that you have to take out your cellphone while having dinner with me?"

London knew his actions just now could be considered rude. He wasn't supposed to use his cellphone while eating, let alone having dinner with other people. But he also knew that if he didn't rush to send the message to Jan, tomorrow he could forget something that important.

He did not want to risk losing the bet and losing the opportunity to kiss L. Now, his eyes fell on L's pink lips. She was now frowning, and her eyes were staring sharply at London.

Ahhh ... tomorrow he would enjoy that s.e.xy pout...

"Uhm... I'm sorry, it was urgent. I'm afraid that I would forget about it if I didn't immediately send Jan the text," said London. For some reason, L's eyes seemed to penetrate into his brain and read his mind. He was terrified that L would find out that he was lying.

Gosh ... what should I do? He already knew that L really hated being lied to, but from day to day, London actually piled lies over lies to the girl.

He had lied about his identity, his family, the facilities L received at the hospital, that magnificent new home, expensive items at home which he said were obtained from secondhand shops, such as her rare Steinway piano and Swarovski crystal chandelier in the living room ... and now he was also lying about the rain.

He really hoped he would not have to lie again once they lived together in that new home. Slowly he would find the right time and ways to start being honest to her and tell everything that happened.

Or ... maybe... he could just wait to come clean and disclose all his lies in front of L when Lily was old enough to defend him from Mommy L.

Yes ... he could even imagine the scene in his head.

He would apologize to L and confess his sins. When L went berserk and wanted to scold him, London would take cover behind Lily's body. Their three-year-old daughter would protect him from Mommy's wrath. And Lily would persuade her mommy not to scold Daddy.

L wouldn't have the heart to say no to Lily. Their cute and adorable daughter would make her heart melt, and inevitably she would be forced to forgive London.

Then, London would propose to L with flowers, a massive diamond ring, accompanied by a cool orc.h.e.s.tra. Then L would accept his proposal because London had proven that he had more income than L.

Then they will get married, and finally live happily ever after.

Ha ha ha...

The wonderful fantasy was destroyed when L hit his shoulder. "Hey ... I was asking, are you done eating or not? I want to do the dishes."

"Eh ... Yes, I have." London had only just realized that L had been waving at him to try to attract his attention, but he was too busy imagining their future that he didn't pay attention. Finally, the girl was forced to hit him. He hurriedly lifted their dinner plates and brought them to the sink. "I'll do the dishes. You get some rest ..."

L squinted at London suspiciously. She wondered what exactly London was thinking, to make his face look so happy. She remembered the man smiling after sending a text to someone.

Was he sending a text message to another woman? Was their conversation so pleasant that London became dreamy and smiled to himself? L's heart began to feel uncomfortable.