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He tipped up my chin, forcing my gaze to meet his.“Why are you crying?

“It’s nothing important.” I didn’t want to burden him with my issues.

“People usually cry for a reason. Tell me.”

His eyes bore into mine, and the sage green shifted, searching for the reason for my emotional distress. He looked like a green-eyed God who had absorbed the color, power, and beauty of the surrounding vegetation. Not only did he possess their essence, he also possessed their mysteries.

“I’m just worried about my mom.”

“Don’t worry.” He cupped my face. “I’ll look at her records as soon as you have them. Do you trust me?” His eyes searched mine, and I couldn’t think of trusting any other man.

“Yes,” I muttered.

He tapped my nose. “I’m good at what I do. I’ll do my best to help her.”

“Thanks.” Emotion clogged my throat as I took him in with the background of trees, pebbles, and moss. A question popped into my head. “What’s the significance of your name?”

“Let me show you around first.” He grabbed my hand and took me through the indoor forest with a super high, glass ceiling. It connected to an outdoor setting filled with all kinds of plant life. Massive walls secured the space, keeping it private from the public view.

He led me through a bamboo section where the tall stalks and leaves painted a peaceful scenery like the one I’d visited in Hong Kong years ago during a work trip.

“That bamboo section over there is reserved for Arrow.” He gestured to an area separated from the rest of the forest.

“What’s he doing with them?” I asked.

“He’s working on a new product.”

I admired Forrest and his friends for having so much vision and ambition.

“What are you doing with all the bamboos?”

“Lots of things. They can be eaten, or used to build furniture, homes, and materials for clothes.”

I remembered the soft Ba7M5Bu88T-shirt I’d purchased was made from bamboos.

We came to a large gazebo with a table with outlets for computers. A modern house made from a combination of stone and bamboo sat nearby. It was one story with wide windows and a wraparound deck that was like houses on the farm but a lot more contemporary. The area felt like an innovative living space that used the natural world and modern amenities.

“You should stop surprising me.”

CHAPTERTWENTY-FIVE

FORREST

Seeing the gleam in her eyes at the sight of this place did something to me. I’d never brought a woman here before. Grandma and Yolanda had visited the gardens when the farm first opened, but they hadn’t been to this extension of the indoor and the outdoor forest. The gazebo and the research center hadn’t been visited by anyone but me. Once in a while, Hieu would stop by to ensure it was dust-free for me. But he was a trusted employee, and I needed someone here to monitor my property.

Kiera walked around the ground area, and I followed her a like a puppy. “It’s beautiful.”

“I’m happy you approve. It’s my research center,” I said. This was where I’d discovered the connection between plants and the human body, especially the immune system. Their communication with each other was like an alien language that they both understood.

She angled her head, studying me acutely. The honeyed irises churned a different color as she searched my face. I was a lucky man to be examined by her.

“Do you have a life?” Her mouth gave a sardonic twist. “Do you know how to have fun? Do you ever take a break to enjoy life?”

I have no trouble taking breaks to enjoy you.

“Your statements are about seventy-five percent flattery and twenty-five percent dislike. Am I right?”

“It’s more like the other way around.” Her eyes narrowed with a spark of amusement. “Men like you forget the meaning of life if you’re immersed in work all the time.”