Edwin's voice, pitched low, inquired, "Disappointed? My muscles aren't as firm as Dylan's."

His tone held a hint of bitterness, and Laura chose not to reply.

Edwin encircled her waist and asked softly, “What about Dylan?"

Laura didn't attempt to mask the truth.

"He returned to Duefron. His parents have just come back from abroad."

Edwin lapsed into silence for a few moments and then pressed, "You understand what I'm asking about! Is there any emotional connection between the two of you?"

Laura hesitated, reluctant to respond.

She gently pushed his hand away and proceeded ahead, with Edwin trailing behind.

As they meandered, Laura occasionally perused the wares displayed in the roadside shops.

Having encountered numerous exquisite items, she was not easily impressed. However, her attention was soon captivated by a wooden comb, its texture and design catching her eye.

She picked it up and inquired, “How much does this cost?"

The owner, noting the imposing demeanor of her companion, quoted a rather steep price and spun a melodramatic tale of lost love to embellish the comb's value.

"Wouldn't you agree, this comb is easily worth two thousand dollars?"

The tale spun by the owner was nothing short of comical.

Laura couldn't stifle her laughter as she ran her fingers over the comb's teeth.

"That's way too steep!"

However, the man beside her had already handed over two thousand dollars to the shopkeeper.

Despite her initial reluctance to engage with him, Laura couldn't help but comment, “It's not worth that much!"

Edwin turned to her and responded, "You haven't laughed in a long while. That story managed to bring a smile to your face; that alone makes it worth two thousand dollars."

His words were laced with emotion, bordering on the sentimental, causing Laura's cheeks to flush faintly.