Toph no longer needed crutches. The doctors had said it was due to his good physical foundation and his optimistic
attitude.
Toph finally had something to boast about. He often patted his chest before his parents, Zuko, and Lina, saying,
“You used to think I was just foolishly cheerful! How about now? A smile can make you ten years younger! A good
mood is the magical cure for everything!”
In spite of it, Renee lost her smile after Kaitlyn’s death, and Toph’s laughter also diminished.
–
Renee arrived at the Hamerton’s residence. Even though Toph had his place, Cordelia insisted he should not be
alone due to his recent injury. He had to stay with them for the convenience of taking care of him.
Toph was sitting by the sofa with a litter of kittens on the coffee table, mewing cutely and melting everyone’s
hearts.
Worried that the kittens were too small to drink milk, Toph had prepared several small bottles and was carefully
feeding them with the bottles. This delicate work was not exactly his forte. He was sweating profusely after just a
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtshort while.
When he noticed Renee standing there, he grinned and said, “Renee, come over here!”
Toph grinned as he used a soft cotton cloth to gently wipe the milk from around a kitten’s mouth. “Look how
adorable they are!”
Renee could not help but praise, “You’re taking care of them so attentively.”
“It’s nothing.” Toph chuckled. “They’re still so small they need gentle treatment. By the way, which one do you like?
If you like all of them, we can keep them all. My friend is quite generous!”
“Which friend?”
“You’ve probably met her. It’s Uncle Josiah’s daughter!”
Renee pondered for a moment. She seemed to remember meeting her at a gathering.
Josiah was close to Zephyr and Nicholas.
It was said that Josiah’s wife had been in poor health, but their daughter was energetic. She was graceful at social
events and well-liked by the elders.
“You…” Renee hesitated momentarily and asked, “Are you quite close to her?”
“Hmm?” Toph blinked in confusion. “Well, we get along okay. We’ve known each other since we were kids… Heh!
What wild ideas are you coming up with now?”
Renee looked down and fell silent. She cradled a little kitten in her arms, gently stroking its fur. The soft and fuzzy
sensation gradually dissipated the darkness in her heart.
“Don’t worry.” Toph wrapped his arm around her shoulder. “We Hamerton men have a discerning eye. We can
distinguish between the good and the bad! You don’t have to feel so insecure. Since I’ve chosen you, I won’t
change.”
“Mm.”
Toph’s eyes were so clear that Renee felt as if she could not meet it for a moment.
He was pure, while she could only follow Melvin into hell.
Renee shivered, and she heard Toph calling out to her, “Renee, let go!”
Startled, she realized she had been clutching the kitten’s neck too tightly. The little creature was struggling, and she
had almost accidentally killed it.
“Renee, you…”
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏm“I’m sorry.” Renee felt guilty. “Is it okay?”
Toph did not have time to answer as he hurriedly checked on the kitten. After a while, the kitten seemed to recover
from the scare, but it was trembling.
“I’m sorry, Toph,” Renee said softly. “I… It’s my first time holding a kitten. I don’t have experience, and I used too
much strength.”
Toph glanced at her.
That was not just using a bit too much strength—she had nearly taken the kitten’s life.
He looked at her. “Are you… still in a bad mood? I want to make you happy, but it seems my methods aren’t quite
effective…
“What can I do to make you happy?”
Renee stared at him, filled with mixed emotions.
After a brief silence, she suddenly asked, “Toph, will we get married?”
“Hmm?”
“Didn’t you say you wanted to make me happy?” She gently held his hand as if grasping onto a lifeline. “If we could
get married smoothly, I’d be really happy.”