Love Burned, She Rose Unscathed

Leda said happily, "How about a celebratory dinner for passing the preliminary round? My treat."

Roseanne couldn't suppress a laugh. "Shouldn't I be the one treating you?"

Leda raised an eyebrow. "Come off it. We're best friends. That's settled. Get ready. I'll swing by to pick you up."

After hanging up, Roseanne returned to her room and opened her closet. She chose a V-neck floral sundress. Two months passed, and her hair had grown down to her collarbones. Given the sweltering weather, she opted for a headband that matched her dress to tie her hair up.

Half an hour later, Leda messaged that she was downstairs. After changing her shoes, Roseanne grabbed her purse and headed down.

Leda's car was at the end of the street. While waiting, Leda pulled out her phone. Glancing up, she saw Owen walking toward her.

A student accompanied him, backpack slung over his shoulder, sporting a buzz cut and radiating a sunny charm.

They were deep in conversation, Owen looking calm and nodding in agreement from time to time. When they finished, the boy turned to leave.

Spotting Owen, Leda quickly waved him over, "Hey, Owen!"

Owen glanced up, his gaze calm behind his glasses. "What brings you here?"

"I'm here to grab Anne for dinner. That guy just now is your student?"

The boy wasn't the typical heartthrob of the moment, but his clean, handsome face carried a unique gentleness, especially when he smiled, revealing two small dimples. He had certainly made an impression on Leda!

Not one to miss the hints, Owen said, "He's a grad student from another school. He just had a question."

Before Leda could inquire further, she heard footsteps echoing from the stairwell. Roseanne was coming down.

Owen pushed up his glasses. "Aren't you two heading out? I'll leave you to it."

Leda interjected, "Come on, join us for dinner."

"I can't. Got to head back to the lab." His return was merely to pick up some things.

Roseanne hadn't reached the ground floor when she heard Owen's voice. It had been over a month since their last encounter, with Owen buried in his lab work.

In the stairwell, Owen stood on the

third step, sunlight filtering through the diamond-shaped grilles, casting mottled shadows on him. His usually indifferent gaze warmed under the light.

Their eyes met, and Roseanne broke the ice, "I haven't had the chance to return your jacket from last time."

She had washed it long ago but

hadn't found the right moment. Her

voice was soft, her floral dress accentuating her straight, slender legs, complemented by her nude high heels, giving her an aura of freshness and purity.

Owen momentarily lost his train of thought, then remembered the

jacket, his voice slightly le

been busy, staying at the

returned to grab some stuff."

Roseanne could see his exhaustion and nodded, "Then you should get back to it. Take care of yourself."

Owen murmured, "Will do."

As they passed each other, unaccustomed to her heels, Roseanne stumbled. Owen reacted instantly, steadying her with his body and a hand on her waist, preventing a fall. Catching her breath, she patted her chest and then noticed the scent of pine, Owen's distinctive smell.