Chapter 65

After changing shoes, Winnie's energy felt less sharp than before. She became more relaxed and composed, as if enveloped in a sense of comfort. Van curved his lips into a gentle smile. "Are you feeling comfortable now?" She responded with a firm "Yes." "Follow me." Van stepped aside, allowing Winnie to walk alongside him. He didn't lead her into the house just yet. Instead, they took a walk around the outside as he gave her a tour. "This place used to be a zoo, but most of the exhibits have been demolished. Now, only the animal protection center and the breeding facility remain. People come here to work every day, but you don't have to worry. They usually don't come here." "This entire area is on a cliffside, with a trail leading down to the bottom where you can see the ocean and a small beach. However, swimming isn't allowed there. If you like swimming, there's an infinity pool on the second floor. You'll also see another one in the back garden later." They walked across the front yard's green grass for a while. Upon reaching the side of the house, Van pointed to a white, square, angular building. "That used to be the whale shark exhibit at the zoo. I kept it. You can walk through the building, and downstairs is a sea-view restaurant." Winnie gasped in astonishment, her voice filled with awe. "What's wrong?" Van asked, his tone neutral. "Nothing." Winnie swallowed her surprise and then asked, "Why did you choose this place as your home?" "It's still in use." "In use?" "You like animals so much, you'd buy a zoo instead of just the animals," Winnie joked, following Van into the venue. Van smiled, looking in a good mood. He gave a soft "yeah" and said, "You're right." Once inside the building, the heat was shut out. Beautiful afternoon light streamed through the glass ceiling, and the air was thick with moisture from the plants' photosynthesis, making the whole place feel particularly fresh. "I want to introduce you to a friend." "Here?" Winnie was surprised at first, but quickly realized it must be one of his pets, perhaps a colorful little tree frog. Winnie was curious. What kind of pets did a man like Van keep? He was so enigmatic, sometimes resembling a sleek, elegant snake with its tongue flicking out; or maybe a chameleon, much like his ever-changing moods. As she thought about it, she couldn't help but laugh, amused by her own imagination. Her curiosity about Van's pet grew even more. Van nodded. "Wait," before taking off his suit jacket and draping it over Winnie's shoulders. "It's cold in here." Winnie wrapped her arms around the jacket's collar and saw him pull a white porcelain cigarette case from his trouser pocket. He asked in his usual routine, "Mind if I smoke?" Winnie shook her head. She actually liked the scent of the tobacco on his fingertips—it was a soft, lingering fragrance of incense, different from what others smelled like. It reminded her of the kiss in the car. The scent of tobacco lingered on his lips and tongue too—subtle but powerfully filling her breath. Van bit the cigarette, tilted his head slightly to light it, and the flame in his palm illuminated his brows and eyes. After taking a puff, he remembered to ask, "Do you have a fear of big things? My friend, it's a little... big." Winnie had just been thinking about his kiss, and now he was talking about "friends" and "big things." Her thoughts quickly spiraled downward, and a flood of filthy ideas came to a halt. OMG! What was she, a pure young woman, thinking? With the outdoor light behind him, Van's gaze was probing and intriguing. "Does this question really require you to make such an intense, frustrated expression?" Winnie lowered her head to avoid his gaze, feeling inexplicably guilty, and said, "I don't have a fear of big things. It's fine if it's a little bigger." Van didn't speak, instead watching Winnie, who was still looking down, with a knowing look. Why did she seem even stranger? Winnie quickly raised her head and, in a rush, added, though every word only made it worse, "What I mean is, it's fine if your friend is a little bigger." Van exhaled a puff of smoke, smiling lightly. "Stop talking, if you keep going, I'm going to start thinking the wrong way." She was embarrassed and angry, biting her lip as if she had been insulted. Van, seeing her reaction, was at a loss. He raised both hands halfway, smiling with a hint of amusement. "Okay, it's my fault." He looked like he had been defeated by her, but his fingers, still holding the cigarette with an effortless, carefree air, and the smile lingering on his face, showed that he was still amused by her. Winnie snorted coldly, her expression full of life, "You're just like other men." "Go ahead, insult me," Van said, his voice deep, half amused, half smirking. "You've gotten bold today—slamming my car door and now insulting me. Aren't you afraid I'll get back at you?" Winnie couldn't come up with a response, so she stood there staring at him for a while. Suddenly, she took a step forward, put her hands on his waist, and hugged him. Van froze, both his expression and body stiffening. He raised his hand, unsure whether to place it on her body. Looking down, he saw that she was embracing him with all her attention. He couldn't help but lower his voice and ask, "What's this about?" "Revenge," Winnie said with exaggerated formality. "Wasting your money. 10 million for 30 minutes, 5,555 per second. It's already been 10 seconds."