Chloe didnât give a hoot if Karan wanted to grab a bite or not. She only cared about the person who was willing to donate money to the monastery, and thus she cheerfully dragged Ellinor away, âLetâs go, Ellinor! Iâll take you to get some grub. Karan will get her own when her stomach starts to growl!â
Ellinor didnât want to disturb Karanâs spiritual practice, so she gave a respectful bow to Karan who had nurtured her and then trailed behind Chloe.
As they stepped out of the main hall, they saw Bartlett under a big tree outside, plucking leaves.
He was looking up, so his side profile was under the glow of the sunset through the leaves, making him look even more handsome.
Such a charming dude didnât belong in a monastery, he could blow his cover.
Bartlett seemed to feel the gaze on him. He tumed to look at Ellinor, and said, âDone talking to Karan?â
Ellinor replied with an indifferent tone.
2 2 5 6 5 6 2 Chloe glanced at Bartlett, then at Ellinor. She was sensing something, so she grinned, âEllinor, is this hunky guy your friend?â
Ellinor frowned a bit, âSort of.â
Chibe looked at Bartlettâs neat attire and couldnât help but give him a thumbs up, âWhy donât you invite him to lunch then?â
Bartlett responded enthusiastically, âReally? Iâd love to!â
Ellinor gave him a sideways glance, âYou were just turning up your nose at the simple food at the inn;
the food here is even more basic, so are you sure you want to eat it?â
Bartlett shrugged it off with a smile, âWhy not? Iâll give it a shot! If you never try, youâll never know, right? Besides, this isnât just any vegetarian food; itâs from a monastery! I heard eating monastery food can cleanse the soul.â
Chloe laughed along, âRight on! This gentlemanâs got it. Veggie meals can really calm the soul; itâs good for you.â
Bartlett replied with a smile, âWell, thank you then.â
Ellinor scoffed, âYouâre not afraid eating this meal will blow your cover?â
Bartlett was taken aback, âWhat?â
Ellinor mocked impatiently, âI mean, a handsome guy like you shouldnât be hanging around a monastery, let alone eating vegetarian food. You might reveal your true colors!â
Bartlett paused before breaking into a laugh, âEllinor, should I take that as a compliment on my good looks?â
Ellinor ignored him. She picked up her pace and followed Chloe.
Truth be told, she wasnât hungry at all, but coming back here made her miss the taste of her childhood, so she at least wanted to try some.
But when it was time to eat, Ellinor couldnât stomach it.
The taste was familiar, but she was full. Pregnancy had altered her taste buds, making it hard for her to swallow the veggies that were mixed with carrots. She held a fork and took a few bites.
Surprisingly, Bartlett, who was picky about the food at the inn, found the monasteryâs vegetarian food to his liking. Not only did he finish his portion, he even polished off the bit Ellinor couldnât finish.