CEO Ex-Husband, Don't Bother Me-Chapter 151 - 135: How About Being Roommates? (Part 2)

Julian let go of her. "Alright, hurry up and finish packing. I’ll go check on the two kids."

Naomi stood where she was, watching his somewhat desolate figure retreat as a pang of sadness welled up in her heart. ’Julian, should I love you, or should I push you away?’

By the time Naomi finally finished packing, it was already noon. She was getting a little hungry herself, so she went out and asked the children, "Dylan, Joy, what do you want for lunch? Mommy will make it for you!"

She completely ignored a certain man who was also about to starve.

"Yay!"

Dylan clapped his hands happily, then tilted his little head and listed a whole bunch of tasty dishes. The little guy hadn’t had his mom’s cooking in a long time, so he wanted to eat almost everything. Joy only asked for cola chicken wings.

She smiled and said to the two children, "Okay, Mommy’s going to go downstairs to buy groceries. You two be good at home!"

A certain man protested unhappily from the side, "What about me? After I helped you out for so long, the least you could do is make me a meal!"

Seeing that deliberately ignoring him wasn’t working, Naomi had no choice but to look at him and say, "Then you can watch the kids at home."

She was just afraid he’d insist on staying for lunch. ’What would people think if he keeps sticking around like this? We’re not in a relationship anymore. This will just cause misunderstandings.’

Julian stood up. "I’ll go get them. You’ve been packing all morning, you must be tired..."

"It’s better if I go."

Naomi thought about it but still refused. She was worried he wouldn’t get everything she needed, and she was also worried he didn’t know how to shop for groceries. Although he knew how to cook, she really didn’t believe he was any good at buying ingredients.

As the two of them stood there at a stalemate, both insisting on going, Dylan couldn’t stand it anymore. "Dad, Mom, why don’t you just go grocery shopping together? I can look after Joy here at home!"

At Dylan’s suggestion, Julian’s lips curved into a smile, while Naomi shot Julian an awkward glance before finally relenting. "Fine, let’s go together then..."

With that, she grabbed her keys and wallet and headed for the entryway first. ’I don’t have any more time to waste dawdling with him. The kids are waiting to be fed.’ Julian, in a great mood, followed behind her, put on his coat, and they left together. 𝕗𝐫𝐞𝕖𝕨𝐞𝗯𝚗𝕠𝘃𝐞𝚕.𝐜𝗼𝚖

The polished walls of the elevator reflected the huge smile on his face. Naomi deliberately turned her head away, pretending she didn’t see a thing. ’Come to think of it, we’ve never gone grocery shopping together like this, just like an ordinary married couple. When we were together before, I handled all these chores myself. Doing this now just feels so awkward and uncomfortable.’

Although the snow was light, it had been falling since morning, so a thin layer had accumulated on the ground. Everything was covered in a beautiful blanket of white. Naomi had already unpacked her winter clothes. She bundled up in her sky-blue down jacket, hands tucked in her pockets, and walked cautiously.

Julian followed behind her with a steady gait. After a moment, he couldn’t resist any longer and strode forward, grabbing hold of her. She looked up at him, confused, and asked, "What’s wrong?"

"Take your hands out."

His expression was rather serious. Even more confused, Naomi kept her hands shoved tightly in her pockets. "What are you doing?"

"I have something for you!"

he said earnestly. The confusion in her eyes deepened. "What is it?"

"Just take them out and you’ll see!"

He was insistent and his expression was grave. Thinking he had something important to give her, she perplexedly held out her hands.

Who would have thought he would simply take one of her hands in his, tuck it into his own coat pocket, and then stride forward.

Naomi struggled. "Didn’t you say you had something for me?"

"This is what I wanted to give you!"

he said, glancing at her.

’Naomi, this is what I want to give you. My hand, my deepest warmth, my strongest support. To let you walk safely through the snow, to let you live a carefree, happy life from now on.’

A dull ache spread through Naomi’s chest. It wasn’t that she couldn’t understand the meaning behind his words. It was just that she... she didn’t have the courage to accept his love again.

By the time she snapped out of her tangled thoughts, she realized he had already led her quite a distance. She tried to pull her hand free, but the ground was too slippery from the fresh snow. She staggered and nearly fell, but he quickly reached out to steady her. Not only had she failed to break free, she had also stumbled right into his arms. Completely mortified, she found it impossible to pull away again and had no choice but to let him lead her by the hand.

She knew that even if she hadn’t stumbled, she wouldn’t have been able to get away from him. Hadn’t it been like this several times before? Once he set his mind on something, he wouldn’t rest until he got what he wanted.

There was a farmer’s market in the residential complex, and the two of them walked toward it, hand in hand. His palm was broad and thick, and its searing warmth flowed continuously into her, slowly melting the heart she had deliberately frozen over.

Julian was walking extremely slowly. Since he was holding her hand, Naomi couldn’t break free and walk ahead on her own, so she could only tilt her head and protest, "Come on, how can a grown man like you walk so slowly?"

"What’s the rush? It would be a shame not to properly appreciate such a beautiful snowy scene!"

he answered with righteous conviction.

’Such an atmospheric snowy landscape, such a romantic stroll. He had always longed for a day when he could walk quietly with her like this, hand in hand. Now that it was finally happening, how could he possibly miss this opportunity?’

But Naomi was frantic. "The kids are at home waiting for lunch!"

’Honestly, if he wants to be romantic, he should at least pick the right time! Right now, all I can think about is feeding the two little ones at home, not appreciating whatever romance he’s offering. Besides, I’m past the age of hoping for romance.’

Her words instantly extinguished Julian’s enthusiasm for enjoying the snowy scenery. Thinking of the two children at home, he too felt that perhaps he should pick up the pace and find them some food.

After walking for a little longer, he suddenly tilted his head and asked her, "Didn’t you say you wanted to pay me back for the rent?"

Naomi really couldn’t understand why he was always asking such strange questions. He smiled mischievously and suggested, "How about... we become roommates? There’s still a spare bedroom, after all. Dylan and I can stay in that one!"