Chapter 552: The Sealed Basement_1
Purple Summers bought many fresh vegetables, fruits, meats, eggs, and various seasonings, enough to make a sumptuous hot pot dinner.
Aria Jackson helped her load everything into the back of the car and then drove her to a cake shop, where they bought a small birthday cake.
After that, Aria Jackson gave the car keys to Purple Summers, reminding her, “Be careful when you drive; you don’t have a driver’s license right now.”
“I know,” Purple Summers said with a smile and settled into the driver’s seat.
Her driving was steadier than Aria Jackson’s—she was careful not to drive recklessly. The only trouble was that she didn’t have a driver’s license. She had to attend classes every day and couldn’t find the time to take the driving test.
Purple Summers drove Aria Jackson’s battered jeep to the mountain villa.
Alexander Summers had many residences—the Summers Residence was where he stayed as the Fourth Summers Child; the Howard Family estate was where he lived as the family head; but the mountain villa was the only place that belonged just to the two of them.
Here, they didn’t have to mind their social status or consider their place in society; it was an isolated haven.
Purple Summers parked the car beside the gingko tree outside the house, got out, and used the key to unlock the front door—stepping inside, she felt a secure sense of being the lady of the house.
She curved the corners of her lips upward and started carrying the items from the back of the car inside, one by one. Then she opened the doors and windows to let the fresh mountain air pour in.
Purple Summers deliberately changed into a comfortable set of home clothes and tied an apron over them before she started cleaning the house.
The furniture in the mountain forest didn’t collect as much dust as in the city, and a light layer was easily wiped clean.
After cleaning, the next task was preparing dinner.
Fruits needed peeling, vegetables washing—the small and fragmented household chores could sometimes wear down one’s passion for life, but with a different frame of mind, even the most minute and mundane tasks could be enjoyable.
Purple Summers arranged the cut fruits into an attractive pattern and opened the cake, ready at any moment.
The sky gradually dimmed, and the sun smeared a layer of voluptuous, vibrant color across the horizon before it set.
She leaned against the door frame, silently watching the sunset.
In fact, she hadn’t told Alexander that she was coming. For some reason, she just had this certainty, a conviction that Alexander wouldn’t forget this special day.
Even if she didn’t say anything, he would surely come.
Later, the sun completely set, and nightfall enveloped everything. The stars scattered across the sky shone like spilled diamonds, twinkling brightly.
Purple Summers went back inside to continue preparing the dinner.
The soup bubbled in the pot, and the table was full with food. Purple Summers checked the ingredients one by one; everything seemed perfect.
…No, something seemed missing.
Purple Summers realized there was no wine.
She had forgotten to buy wine. It wasn’t essential, but wine added to the merriment and could improve the atmosphere.
Purple Summers remembered that the house had a basement—maybe there was a wine cellar down there?
She went to the basement full of hope, descending the stairs step by step. In front of her was a dark red wooden door. Purple Summers tried to open it but found it locked.
She paused for a moment.
In this house, every room was open to her. It could be said that Alexander had prepared this as a home for her, and now, there was a place in this home she couldn’t enter.
The feeling made Purple Summers somewhat uneasy.
She thought: Perhaps it’s just an unimportant storage room, so he forgot to give me the key.
The sound of a car engine reached her from outside.
Purple Summers felt a flutter in her heart and stopped worrying about these trivial matters. She turned and went upstairs, leaving the basement behind.
Her steps hastened on the stairwell, sounding a rapid tap-tap-tap. As she arrived at the front door, she saw Alexander just steadying his car outside and getting out.
She wanted to rush over and kiss him, but felt such an act might be too bold and enthusiastic. Hesitant, she ended up standing by the door, gazing at him.
“Surprised?” Alexander asked with a smile as he came up to her and pinched her nose. “You didn’t expect me to come, did you?”