Brian Carter immediately looked up. "What's wrong? Do you need me to go with you?"

Alice Grant replied casually, "It's fine, you keep working. I'm just going to the neighborhood's fresh produce supermarket to buy some groceries. I'll cook today."

As soon as he heard this, Brian Carter stood up right away, still holding his pen. He said, "No need, I'll go buy them right now. You stay home and rest."

After thinking for a moment, he added, "Didn't you buy a game last time that you still haven't finished?"

Alice Grant originally thought it was no big deal, but seeing the nervousness hidden deep in his eyes, she paused. "...Seriously? Once bitten by a snake, you're afraid of ropes for ten years? I don't think I'm that unlucky—going out to buy groceries and getting transported again."

Brian Carter didn't say much more. He silently capped his pen and came out, looking like he was going to go out with her.

Alice Grant watched him change his shoes and, arms crossed, said from the side, "I've been back for so many days and haven't gone out to buy groceries yet. You can't possibly go shopping with me every day from now on, can you?"

Brian Carter was silent for a moment, sighing inwardly. He knew it wasn't necessary, but hearing her say she was going out alone to buy groceries still made his heart skip a beat instinctively.

"It's your first time going. I'll go with you to help you get familiar with it. Next time, I... won't go with you."

The two of them left the house. Today was a sunny day. Most of the people living in this neighborhood were elderly or children; there were few young people. Sunlight filtered through the tall plane trees, leaving patches of light on the ground. The road inside the neighborhood was very quiet, and Alice Grant walked forward, stepping on those patches of light.

She walked slowly, occasionally glancing at the yards on either side. After about ten minutes, Brian Carter said tactfully, "This is a short walk. I'm used to it, and usually it only takes ten minutes to get to the fresh produce supermarket."

Alice Grant: "..." Oh, I'm deliberately walking slowly to accommodate the old man, and you're complaining that I'm too slow.

She quickened her pace, walking briskly, and soon saw the neighborhood supermarket at the end of the road. Nowadays, almost every neighborhood has its own convenience supermarket, making daily shopping much faster and easier than before. Alice Grant had previously looked up all kinds of nearby stores and buildings and checked out real-life photos. Now, seeing it in person, she found the vegetables and fruits inside to be both plentiful and fresh—very tempting to buy.

She imitated a few chatting middle-aged women and pushed a small shopping cart, heading first to the meat section. Brian Carter said he was there to help her get familiar with the place, but Alice Grant didn't really need him to teach her anything. She was very natural in choosing what to buy, and even when she came across many new types of vegetables and fruits she hadn't seen before, she wasn't surprised.

Watching her chat so easily with the fishmonger, Brian Carter suddenly remembered that when they were younger, Alice Grant was always the more adaptable one between the two of them. Whenever they went somewhere new, while he was still memorizing the roads, she could already wander around several nearby streets, knew where to buy food, drinks, and daily necessities, and could even recognize the neighbors within three days.

Compared to her, Brian Carter just couldn't keep up. He'd always been this way since he was young—good at burying himself in academic work, but lacking the quick adaptability and life skills for new environments and people. Only now, with age and experience, did he seem a bit more competent than when he was young.

He still remembered that before they got married, they went on a trip together—not somewhere far, just a famous ancient town in the country, since neither of them had much time.

His senior classmates, upon hearing about it, told him that this was definitely his girlfriend's way of testing him, to see if he was suitable for marriage. So this trip was a kind of "assessment trip," determining whether he could win her over in the end. The young Brian Carter was so nervous, afraid that if he didn't perform well, he'd come back single, so he meticulously researched guides and planned routes.

But when they got there, he was dumbfounded to find that most of his research was useless. Compared to his caution, Alice Grant was much more relaxed. Even though it was her first time there too, she quickly found a bus that went straight to the hotel, and after dropping off their luggage, immediately took him out to find food. Brian Carter pulled out his itinerary and took her to a highly rated restaurant on his list, but the food was expensive and not tasty—they'd clearly been ripped off. Alice Grant didn't mind at all, patted her only half-full stomach, dragged him into a small shop she found, and told him she smelled something delicious inside and that the food must be good—and it really was.

For the rest of the trip, almost all the decisions were made by Alice Grant. Aside from carrying the luggage, Brian Carter didn't have to worry about a thing. Eventually, being led around by Alice Grant, he forgot all his pre-trip anxiety and had a great time. They visited all the famous and lesser-known historical sites, and even found a beautiful, secluded spot where they spent an afternoon enjoying the scenery.