The distant Crimson Mountain had already slipped quietly below the horizon.
At this moment, Roman, cradled in Lady Catherine’s arms like a child while she softly sang a Cradle Song, finally woke up.
He pulled his head out from where it had been buried in Lady Catherine’s ample bosom, and for a moment, Roman was too embarrassed to say a word.
He had discovered, back when he was doing those kinds of things with Luo Xiya, that he really liked burying his face in her chest.
In Luo Xiya’s eyes, it was just because of his height—being pressed beneath her naturally put him in that position, and since she was so comfortable herself, she hadn’t found it strange.
But the truth was, Roman was especially fond of that place.
Not just when they were doing those things—even when Luo Xiya held him to sleep, or when he leaned against her at other times, he would unconsciously nestle into her chest.
And now, being held in Lady Catherine’s arms, her snowy peaks were clearly even more towering than Luo Xiya’s.
As Roman drew near, he felt they were like luscious, ripe fruits, so full they were nearly overflowing.
It was only natural that he’d want to bury his face in them.
Lady Catherine held him close, humming a Cradle Song. Remembering what she had just said, Roman couldn’t help but slip into the role, closing his eyes and naturally snuggling against her.
He kept his head lowered, not realizing that Lady Catherine was not the least bit displeased—on the contrary, she was so delighted that even her eyebrows lifted with joy.
Considering the difference in their height, build, and even age, Roman resting against her chest truly felt like a child being nursed.
Humming a Cradle Song while nursing a child—just the thought of it made Lady Catherine’s legs involuntarily press together.
A fleeting notion even flashed through her mind: to pull down her robe and let him really suckle from her like a baby.
Fortunately, she was still rational enough not to act on such a wild impulse.
“Are you alright now?”
She pressed her chin gently to Roman’s forehead and asked softly.
“Ah?” Roman was a bit at a loss.
“Do you feel a little happier now?” Lady Catherine asked patiently.
Recalling the comfort and bliss he had just felt, as if lying in the original warm cradle, Roman nodded without the slightest hesitation.
“Then let go of those unhappy memories from the past. People should always look forward, shouldn’t they? You think you’ve become weak, but actually, the person you are now is your truest self—not the one you forced yourself to be before.”
Listening to Lady Catherine’s gentle whispers, Roman softly replied with an “Mm.”
Yet Lady Catherine felt a tinge of regret after saying this.
Thinking of Roman’s past, his mother’s illness was almost the root of all his misfortunes.
Asking him to forget those unhappy times—wasn’t that the same as asking him to forget his Mother?
But as she was thinking this, Roman himself wasn’t nearly as conflicted as she imagined.
He had ‘forgotten’ his Mother long ago. In such a harsh environment, remembering that he still had a Mother was nothing but a sad thing, only making him feel worse and weaker.
“Let me help you put on your Shoes.”
While Roman was lost in thought, Lady Catherine suddenly spoke.
“Ah, no need, I can do it myself.”
Roman smiled, just about to get up, only to realize Lady Catherine already had his Shoes in her hand.
“Be good.”
Lady Catherine brushed her lips lightly against Roman’s forehead, coaxing him.
The cool sensation on his forehead made Roman instantly obedient.
He rested his head on her shoulder, watching Lady Catherine’s movements.
She first picked up Roman’s right foot, holding it gently in her hands.
He had to admit, Roman’s feet were small and fair, the top of his foot soft and pale, the sole a rosy pink.
When his toes spread, the lively sight made Lady Catherine’s heart itch.
Roman’s body carried a natural fragrance; his feet were no exception. Rather than any unpleasant smell, there was a faint freshness.
Her left hand unconsciously stroked Roman’s sole, gently cupping and playing with his little foot.
As Lady Catherine focused, Roman couldn’t help but burst out laughing.
“That tickles…”
Roman laughed against her neck, his warm breath making Lady Catherine instinctively shrink her shoulders.
“Good boy.” Lady Catherine set Roman down, then, under his puzzled gaze, crouched down in front of him.
Crouching, Lady Catherine straightened Roman’s legs, holding his Shoe in one hand and his little foot in the other.
As Lady Catherine bent down, Roman found himself at a loss for where to look, his eyes darting over her graceful curves.
Lady Catherine’s attire was as conservative as ever: a single close-fitting Long Robe covering everything from her neck down to her calves.
Yet to Roman, the scene before him was strangely seductive.
As Lady Catherine bent forward, her hips unconsciously lifted, and the Long Robe did nothing to hide her exaggerated waist-to-hip ratio.
At a glance, her ample hips were the focal point, standing in stark contrast to her slender upper body.
The close-fitting robe, instead of concealing, now outlined Lady Catherine’s curves in full.
Roman’s gaze was drawn to the little hollow in the middle of her hips, and the plump, rounded lines surrounding it.
That once-conservative outfit only added a certain unspeakable sense of decadence to the sultry scene. Roman couldn’t help but look up, not daring to stare any longer.
Lady Catherine, meanwhile, focused earnestly on helping Roman put on his Shoes.
Luo Xiya hadn’t actually prepared women’s Shoes for Roman, but rather a pair of fairly neutral flat Shoes.
Around the ankles, a thin lace fixed the Shoes in place.
All Roman had to do was slip his feet in and tie the laces, and he could walk.
She slipped his right foot in first and tied it.
Then, holding Roman’s left foot and looking at his toes, Lady Catherine couldn’t help but ask, “How long has it been since you trimmed your toenails?”
Only then did Roman snap out of his earlier mood, rubbing his fingers sheepishly.
“I can’t really remember. I never paid much attention, just let them break off on their own when they got too long.”
“Break off on their own?”
Lady Catherine rarely showed such an incredulous expression.
“Mm.”
Roman replied matter-of-factly, “When I’m busy and they get too long, they just break off by themselves, so I never bothered.”
Lady Catherine, recalling her knowledge of the human body, couldn’t help but imagine it.
Seeing the slightly jagged nails on Roman’s toes, the image of nails breaking and bleeding immediately came to mind.
“Fool…”
Lady Catherine, rarely showing a temper, stood up and tapped Roman’s head, speaking earnestly.
“That really hurts, you know? And it’s bad for your health.”
Roman remained quietly seated, Lady Catherine’s words filling him with a warm sense of comfort, so he kept a faint, gentle smile on his lips.
“If we have some free time in the next couple of days, I’ll help you trim them.”