And so, Rae Bennett was brought home by Miss Watson.
At the dinner table, Miss Watson introduced her family as follows:
"This is my eldest son, Wyatt Wright," Miss Watson said offhandedly, "single and unmarried."
The dining table was rectangular, with Khalil Wright alone at the head of the table, Miss Watson and Rae Bennett seated on the right side, opposite Wyatt and Levi Wright.
Wyatt didn't join in the conversation, ladling a bowl of soup and placing it across from him.
Miss Watson passed the soup to Rae Bennett and then introduced her second son, "This is my second son, Levi." Her follow-up comment was, "A young man addicted to the internet."
The internet addict didn't bother with a response, pushing his empty bowl toward Wyatt, signaling for him to help serve the soup.
Wyatt handed the soup ladle to him.
"This is my husband," Miss Watson finally introduced Khalil Wright, "the one selling octopus balls behind the school."
Khalil nodded in response, looking rather taciturn. If one had to describe his external appearance with an animal, it would be—a bear.
A primary school had been built behind Star Delight Mansion, and a kilometer away there was a university. During his free time, Khalil would ride his little cart to sell octopus balls, using the money he earned for his wife's manicures.
The host family hadn't started eating yet, but Rae Bennett sat properly, "I'm sorry for intruding so rudely."
"Not at all, not at all." Miss Watson was very enthusiastic, using the serving chopsticks to pick up a rib for her, "Come, eat, eat."
Rae picked up her chopsticks and began to eat delicately. Her gaze was restrained, only occasionally looking across the table.
Wyatt acted as if he didn't know her, avoiding eye contact and not speaking to her.
It was Levi though, who asked a seemingly innocent question, "Where did you buy your camera? It looks familiar."
Miss Watson chimed in, "Don't all cameras look like that?"
Being rather carefree and not detail-oriented, Miss Watson naturally didn't notice the details like the camera strap.
Rae sneaked a glance across the table, "I didn't buy it, it was a gift."
Levi glanced at his brother and didn't ask any further questions.
After a while, Miss Watson brought up another topic, "Rae."
"Yes?"
Rae put down her chopsticks.
"As a young girl living alone, your parents must be worried. Should I give them a call or something to reassure them?"
Rae accepted gratefully, thanked her and then said, "That would be a bother for you."
"Not a bother at all." Miss Watson naturally extended the conversation, "Does Rae's family also live in the Perring District?"
"In the Seremban District."
"The Seremban District, eh? That's a bit far away." Miss Watson continued to probe, "Do you have any siblings?"
"It's just me."
"An only child, huh?"
Being an only child is good, no family squabbles.
Miss Watson's smile deepened the crow's feet at the corners of her eyes, "So what do your parents do?"
Khalil interjected with a reminder, "Ahem."
Rae didn't mind the question, answering whatever was asked, not the slightest bit impatient, the quiet and obedient type that was most liked by elders, "My parents run a fruit shop outside the Residential Area."
Running a fruit shop is good, you get to eat the freshest produce.
Miss Watson's approval grew, "Rae, you must have not been out of school for long, right?"
"It's been three years."
"Twenty-five?"
"Yes."
Miss Watson grinned broadly, "Then you're a year younger than my Wyatt. Do you have a boyfriend?"
Rae shook her head with a smile, her earlobes faintly turning a shade of red.
Miss Watson was making her matchmaking intentions too obvious.
Under the table, Khalil tugged at her sleeve, "Ahem!"
That's when Miss Watson decided to drop the subject, picking up hot and sour shredded potatoes with the serving chopsticks for Rae, "Eat, eat."
Rae wasn't very good with spicy food and would break into a sweat whenever she ate it. She didn't say a word, eating whatever was served to her.
Wyatt put down his chopsticks and stood up.
Miss Watson asked, "Is that all you're eating?"
He walked to the back of the dining table, opened the fridge, and looked back to ask Levi Wright, "What would you like to drink?"
"Coke."
He looked towards Rae Bennett, "And you?"
He opened the fridge door a bit wider.
Rae could see inside the fridge: there were Cokes, sparkling water, and milk.
She said, "Milk."
Wyatt grabbed two cans of Coke and a carton of milk, placed them in the middle of the table, then continued eating.
About Wyatt, there were quite a few rumors in the photography circle: that he was unapproachable, difficult to get along with, that he was self-disciplined, not sociable, that he kept to himself, living like an isolated island.
A bunch of blind people.
He smoked the strongest cigarettes, drank the strongest liquor; he could play many instruments, he was good at the drums, he fought fights others didn't dare, touched people others avoided; he had visited many countries, seen countless mountains and rivers; he gambled on guns and stones, he was passionate and gentle.
They didn't understand him.
It was better that they didn't.
Rae bowed her head to eat, her lips curving up secretly.
As soon as lunch was over, Wyatt and Levi Wright left.
"Brother," as they came out, Levi Wright asked, "Your romantic relationship?"
Wyatt didn't rush upstairs but leaned against the wall saying, "No."
"Then why does she have your camera?"
Wyatt said nothing, just dismissed him, "You go upstairs."
Levi Wright wanted to ask, but he didn't know how; Charlotte Watson's son, who appeared out of nowhere, was too mysterious, covered in enigmas.
Forget it, Levi Wright stopped asking and went upstairs.
The apartment of Miss Watson was on the corner, with a south-facing corridor, the floor covered with a layer of sunshine.
Leaning against the wall, Wyatt's half face was bathed in a glint of golden sun.
He patted his pocket, no cigarettes with him.
The door was ajar; Charlotte Watson and her husband weren't in the living room. He knocked on the edge of the door, calling out, "Rae Bennett."
The girl sitting on the sofa immediately stood up.
"Come out."
She glanced at the kitchen; Miss Watson and her husband were still washing fruits. She tiptoed out quietly, closed the door behind her, and walked up to Wyatt.
He asked her, "Why are you here?"
His gaze was infused with the sun, intense and scorching, carrying an aggressiveness that warned strangers to keep away.
Rae was still intoxicated by the way he had just called her name, "So you know my name is Rae Bennett." She smiled radiantly. "Your mom didn't even call me by my last name, how did you know it?"
Wyatt didn't answer.
She smiled and moved closer to ask, "How do you know my name is Rae Bennett."
He took a step back, keeping a normal social distance between men and women, "There's an employee wall at the funeral home."
Rae was too obviously pleased, "So you remembered me from that?"
He brought the topic back from its deviation, "You haven't answered my question," he was born with lovely eyes, yet not affectionate, usually cold and lucid, "Why are you here?"
She really liked the tear troughs beneath his eyes.
She stared at him, "I came to rent a place."
"Just to rent a place?"
She blinked her innocent eyes, countering his question, "What else do you think I came for?"
He didn't follow her cue, instead turned away to go upstairs.
"Wyatt."
She called out his name, her voice small.
He stood midway up the stairs, turned to look at her, their gazes separated by several steps.
"Don't I need to return your camera?" she asked.
He said, "You've already traded it for a gem with me, the camera is now yours."