Chapter 360: Warning
Chapter 360: Chapter 360: Warning
Andrew Shaw wasn’t the type to sit still. Knowing his life was safe for the time being, he finally relaxed and started paying attention to other things.
He looked at Stella Sterling and asked curiously, "So, what did you ask that kid?"
He had no idea what they talked about, but the boy looked thrilled as he left.
He didn’t even come back to claim the half-a-bun Andrew had promised him.
’That’s a little strange!’
’Don’t tell me Stella Sterling promised him something... Gave him some kind of reward.’
He was very curious. ’What could Stella possibly need him for?’
Stella Sterling glanced over at him, her tone chilly. "Don’t forget, he’s older than you. It’s not very polite to call him a ’little guy.’"
It was one thing for Andrew Shaw, in his five-year-old body, to be calling a boy in his teens a "little guy." The whole picture was just bizarre.
Even by the standards of his past life, Andrew had only been twenty-five in the eighteenth year of the apocalypse. By that point in time, the boy who’d just left would be in his thirties, still making him Andrew’s senior.
Andrew, however, was unfazed. "So what? He’s only a teen now, and he thinks like a teen. But I’m in my twenties."
He retorted instinctively. Only after the words left his mouth did he remember he was talking to Stella Sterling, whom he had just recently displeased.
’Why am I arguing so much? I should just agree with whatever she says.’
’If I push back too much, what if she gets annoyed, regrets her decision, and decides to take it out on me?’
At this thought, he cautiously peeked at Stella Sterling’s expression. When he saw she wasn’t angry, he breathed a huge sigh of relief inwardly.
In response to his words, Stella Sterling merely shot him a nonchalant glance.
She wasn’t angry, nor did she deign to argue with him about who was older. She simply said, "If you want people to discover there’s something strange about you, get captured, and become a research subject, then by all means, keep talking so recklessly."
’He needs to think about his own apparent age. Calling a teenager a ’little guy’... If certain people were to overhear that...’
’Anyone with half a brain would quickly put two and two together and realize he’s hiding something.’
’I’m afraid the trouble that would follow would be endless.’
’After all, a person from the future who knows what’s going to happen... that would hold an irresistible attraction for many people and many settlements.’
’The allure might be even greater than the initial scramble for Professor Lawrence.’
’It wouldn’t affect her much, but what about Andrew Shaw?’
As this crossed her mind, Stella Sterling sized him up. If his secret were discovered and he was captured, his fate would be grim.
When he heard Stella Sterling’s words, the same thought occurred to Andrew Shaw, and he instinctively clapped a hand over his mouth.
For the past few days, because Stella knew his secret, he had been speaking freely in her presence, saying whatever was on his mind without any filter.
He was no longer carefully hiding his secret like he used to.
It had almost made him forget that his secret—what happened to him—absolutely could not be revealed to others.
If someone were to accidentally overhear him and connect the dots, his secret would be exposed very quickly.
And his fate then would be...
The mere possibility made him shudder.
His voice became much quieter. "Sorry, I couldn’t control my mouth. But I was only thinking... since I’m with you. I wouldn’t talk like this in front of other people."
But even as he said it, his own conviction faltered.
After all, when he’d blurted out that sentence just now, he hadn’t shown an ounce of caution.
He hadn’t even checked to see if anyone else was around; he had just let the words fly.
Thinking about it now, he felt a surge of regret and anxiety.
Stella Sterling regarded him with a faint, unreadable smile.
’He was probably the only one who believed the words coming out of his mouth.’
’Under normal circumstances, he naturally wouldn’t just go around telling people his secret.’
’But secrets often slip out in unguarded moments. Sometimes a single, thoughtless remark is enough for an intelligent person to deduce a great deal.’
"Sorry. I was wrong!"
Andrew Shaw apologized again, his tone much more sincere this time and his expression turning serious.
It was a good thing she had reminded him. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have even realized how much he had lowered his guard.
Before, he had always put on the act of a child in front of everyone, causing them to let their guard down.
But over the last few days, he had truly become too complacent, getting into the habit of saying whatever he pleased.
At least he’d realized his mistake early, and only Stella was here to witness it.
If he had continued to speak so unguardedly and accidentally let something slip in front of others, it would have led to a true disaster.
’Thank goodness, thank goodness!’
He looked at Stella Sterling. Though he knew he was wrong, he began to suck up again. "But then again, you’re so incredible. I believe that even if something really did happen, with you here, you’d definitely be able to help me solve it. Right?"
It was flattery, but he was also desperate for some peace of mind.
He was hoping that if something did happen, if one day he really did let the secret slip by accident...
...this woman would help him out.
It seemed she was the only one he could rely on now.
Stella Sterling didn’t answer him directly. Instead, she said, "I don’t like trouble. So, you’d best not create any for me."
’Protecting him was possible, of course, but it would also bring a lot of extra trouble.’
As soon as Andrew Shaw heard this, any trace of wishful thinking in his heart immediately vanished.
’She’s telling me that if I make trouble for her, she won’t necessarily protect me.’
’So I have to guard this secret carefully. I absolutely cannot let it get out.’
He nodded. "I get it. I understand what you mean. I’ll definitely be more careful with what I say from now on!"
But it was just so difficult sometimes. He had the mind of an adult, after all. How could he possibly act like a child all the time?
Sometimes, his ways of speaking and thinking were just completely different.