永恒的羁绊：与吸血鬼的烹饪之约

第2章

"Thank you..." Xiaoyu murmured, his voice barely above a whisper while his eyelashes hid roving eyes that watched the blond man's adept, yet tender movements.

"Call me Karen. It's just part of a doctor's duty," the man, now known as Karen, responded with a modest tilt of his head.

The stark contrast between those capable hands wrapping a bandage and the same hands that had swung a bat in defense was striking. With his almost unfairly handsome features, Karen left Xiaoyu momentarily lost for words, his usual poise evaporated, leaving a shy gratitude in its wake. "Dr. Karen, thank you."

Xiaoyu noted that Karen possessed not just an otherworldly visage but also perfection in his hands. They were nimble and slender, masculine without being overly thick-jointed, each nail impeccably shaped with just a hint of white at the rim, like pearls under the car's dome light.

Dr. Karen wore his tailored white shirt buttoned to the collar, pristine except for the patches of red that bore witness to the night's ordeal. His collar pins and black cufflinks were precisely in place, every detail betraying his refinement.

Lifting his gaze, Xiaoyu caught a brief, surreptitious look at the man's face. Despite encountering many fair-skinned individuals, Xiaoyu couldn't help but notice Dr. Karen's pallor was somewhat... exceedingly... pale.

Dr. Karen's whiteness wasn't the translucent type that showed a flush of blood underneath; rather, it reminded Xiaoyu of polished alabaster. It didn't suggest any ill-health, but the dark circles under his eyes hinted at a tirelessness that came from long, demanding hours-though his speech remained as calm and unruffled as when he had intervened in the street.

Karen seemed aware of Xiaoyu's studying glance. He raised an eyebrow momentarily, corners of his mouth briefly curving into a smile before resetting to neutrality, shaking his head gently. "You were very brave."

"A high school girl, I assume... It seemed only right," Xiaoyu replied offhandedly, playing down his bravery, "Is she with the police now? I hope she's alright."

Karen's eyes became pensive for a moment before he shook his head dismissively. "I only got a quick look, but she didn't seem to have any physical injuries. Don't worry on her account."

Nodding silently, Xiaoyu focused on the wrapping of his arm, a simple gauze becoming a testament to the evening's unexpected turn.

Who would have thought he'd end up sitting in the passenger seat of Dr. Karen's private car, candidly observing him as the doctor retrieved a first aid kit from his trunk to tend to his injuries on the curbside?

At first sight of Karen's visage, Xiaoyu mistook him for a celebrity, it was only when the man deftly used the kit to disinfect his own scraped hand and Xiaoyu's arm that he found himself reconciling with the reality of Karen's profession.

Xiaoyu stared at the top of Karen's golden head, lost in half a minute's daze before uncomfortable awareness prompted him to let his eyes wander. They eventually settled on a deep-blue invitation placed in the dashboard.

Perking up with curiosity, Xiaoyu shifted awkwardly, craning his neck without moving his newly bandaged arm to get a better view.

"...Er, Dr. Karen?" he ventured, an unspoken question hanging in his intonation as he eyed the invitation with a mixture of interest and tactful restraint.

"What is it?" Karen looked up, the patience in his demeanor as tangible as the expert knot he had just tied at the end of the bandage, securing it neatly around the wound.

"The invitation... You were at the Netflix gala tonight?" Xiaoyu's eyes were locked on the card, his brain rifling through memories to place this enigmatic gentleman's face.