Edwin shifted his gaze toward Laura.

She remained engrossed in the antics of Tom and Jerry, leisurely savoring each potato chip.

Edwin mustered a smile.

"Your home cooking smells positively delightful. It's been quite some time since I enjoyed a meal of this caliber!"

Internally, Lina rolled her eyes.

The audacity of it all!

In the midst of it, Peter, enveloping Edwin in a hearty embrace, quipped, "Pay no heed to Lina's chatter! Today, it's you and me enjoying a good drink together. Don't disappoint me, alright?"

Edwin responded with a gentle smile, "Certainly!"

As he passed by Laura, his stride momentarily wavered, his voice carrying a faint huskiness.

“Laura?”

Lina's anxiety surged, dreading that their daughter might inadvertently reveal something.

If Peter caught wind of it, a heated confrontation could ensue. She didn't seek to sweep things under the rug, not because she opposed justice, but because preserving a young girl's reputation was clearly more important. She had no wish for their cohabitation to become public knowledge. Laura already bore the weight of being Cathy Wilson's daughter; if the world learned about her connection with Edwin, how could she live with it in the future?

Thankfully, Laura simply offered a subtle nod.

Peter chuckled.

"To think Laura's actually a year your senior! She's such a child, still watching Tom and Jerry."

Edwin's gaze appeared inscrutable.

In a soft murmur, he responded, “But she appears at least three or four years younger than me."

Peter harbored some dissatisfaction with that assessment.

"She's been stuck at 5.2 feet, no matter how many nutritious soups Lina whips up for her, But a girl's petite and dainty stature has its charm; lends her an air of youthfulness," he opined.

Edwin offered a slight, knowing smile.