Chapter 1568: Comforting

Working in the lab without any work-life balance was draining. The demand for deadlines and results was mind-numbing, and being known as the reliable researcher who always delivered had its own burdens.

However, it wasn’t all bad.

There were times Penny felt alive—when she finally solved something she had been working on for months. Moments of quiet satisfaction when she answered even one question among the millions in the world. Occasions when she was rewarded for a job well done.

Still, the sadness, the loneliness, the numbness she felt while working in this very lab were often too overwhelming for her to even want to set foot in it. But she still did—despite how sickening it felt—for one simple reason: to close that Chapter of her life.

Penny had never planned on returning to this lab as an adult. Not even for a visit. She could always ambush Professor Singh in his office if needed.

But for the sake of protection, she had to swallow whatever bitterness remained and spend hours in the same place that once suffocated her.

This time, though, it didn’t feel as lonely as it used to.

Not with Zoren there to help her heal.

And he might not even realize just how much that meant to her.

***

[PRESENT TIME]

"Aw..." Penny hissed as she got a small paper cut. She had somehow avoided any accidents while cleaning up the shards around the lab, only to get injured from casually grabbing a book.

"Hang on a little, my love," Zoren whispered as he seriously dabbed alcohol on the tiny wound. It was just a paper cut, yet he looked like a spine surgeon performing a delicate operation.

He was careful, wincing at her every little flinch. He gave the cut one final gentle dab with the tip of a cotton swab. Once done, he reached swiftly for a plaster strip and wrapped it around her finger.

Penny pressed her lips together, eyes never leaving him.

It’s just a paper cut. I’ve had worse.

Her lips curled up slightly, her gaze softening. She could’ve easily ignored it—her hands were still somehow numb to pain. Maybe it was psychological, but she’d always noticed that injuries to her hands didn’t bother her much.

But seeing him act like it hurt him more... was strangely comforting.

It was selfish, but moments like this made her want to be selfish.

"All done," he whispered, placing a gentle kiss on her hand before meeting her eyes. "Let me know if it hurts more."

Penny didn’t respond. She just stared at him. Her lips parted, but they trembled slightly. The corners of her eyes stung, a hint of redness forming.

Seeing the moisture gather in her eyes alarmed him. "Does it still hurt?" he asked, panicked, glancing at her finger to check if he had done something wrong.

"It’s not that," she chuckled, sniffing as she held back the tears. "You’re just... really cute, Renren. It’s just a paper cut."

"It’s not just to me," he replied, the concern still evident in his eyes. "If you won’t worry about the little cuts, how will you handle the big ones?"

She shrugged, offering a soft smile.

Maybe that’s exactly it, she thought. Small injuries often went unnoticed, just like the big ones. That was the habit she had picked up.

"No more for today," Zoren said firmly. "You’ve been here long enough. It’s time to go home and rest."

His brow lifted, a clear sign that he wasn’t going to bend. "You’ll figure out the antidote, eventually. We’re not running out of time, and no one’s going to get poisoned—not while I’m here."

"So let’s call it a day—" he paused as Penny gently leaned her head on his shoulder. His frown deepened. "You’re not going to sweet-talk your way out of this, Penelope."

"I’m not," she chuckled, wrapping her arms around him and resting her head more comfortably. "Just... thinking I’ll rest for a bit before we go. That’s all."

She slowly closed her eyes, letting his warmth, scent, and presence seep in.

"Let’s stay like this a while longer," she murmured. "Console me more. I like it."

He sighed in defeat, his arms coming up to embrace her as he rested his head on hers.

"Do you really need that antidote?"

"It depends," she whispered. "But it would give me peace of mind."

"Do you have to do it here? I can build you a new lab... something vibrant, something that doesn’t reek of the past."

She laughed softly, lifting her head until her chin rested on his shoulder. "I’m not planning to stay in any lab for long. I don’t need a new one."

"You don’t want to waste money," he said knowingly. "But I don’t mind. Once you’re done with it, I’ll just ask someone to tear it down."

"Must be nice to be rich."

"You married rich," he smirked, wiggling his eyebrows. "Use it to your heart’s content."

She chuckled again, watching how serious he was about it all.

"I will," she hummed. "But not this one."

"Why not?"

"Because... being here with you makes it feel different. Better."

She could’ve said so much more. About how his presence—his small, caring gestures—consoled her in a way words never could. Because even though she was back in the same place, it wasn’t the same anymore.

Back then, no one cared if she got hurt, as long as she delivered and reached a deadline. But now? Even if she didn’t achieve anything, she knew Zoren would do everything he could to make up for it.

For a moment, they simply gazed at each other.

Then he noticed a tear trailing down her cheek. He wiped it away gently with his thumb, his eyes soft with bitterness and regret.

"This place... was it that sad?" he asked softly.

"Very," she whispered with a bittersweet smile. "But not anymore."

It wasn’t isolating now. It wasn’t suffocating.

Even though she hadn’t succeeded in making the antidote yet, her heart felt full. And she felt consoled, something she never thought she needed.

"I... let’s be together forever, Renren," she murmured, her eyes meeting his.

Zoren lowered his head until their foreheads touched.

"Of course," he breathed. "Today, tomorrow, and for the next hundred — ten million lives. There won’t be a single lifetime where I won’t be with you."

When he pulled back slightly, his gaze locked on hers.

She didn’t know if that promise would ever come true.

But Zoren?

He meant every word.

He might not have been part of her first life—not in the way he wanted—but he was in this one. And in every next life she would have. Even if she came back as a toad, he’d come back as a toad too... just so he could love her again.