Chapter 23 Ryan, Why Bother
She gazed at the flickering screen of her phone, hesitant to pick it up. In the end, she decided to take the call.
"Dad," Jennifer said in a cold and distant voice.
The last time she talked to Elliot was when they had a heated argument about her mother's will. He hadn't taken the initiative to call her until now, but Jennifer didn't really mind. Less communication with him made her feel more relaxed. She hadn't even gone back to the Lu Family house since then.
Jennifer had no idea why Elliot was trying to reach her now.
From the other end of the call, Elliot's expression shifted when he heard Jennifer's aloof tone of voice. Sarcastically, he remarked, "Well, you really have become something now that you've become Ryan Gu's wife. It seems like you don't want to contact your father anymore. Jennifer, keep in mind that whether you like it or not, you're still my daughter,"
Elliot reminded Jennifer of her identity.
She countered Elliot's animosity with a calm response. "If you're just calling me to pick a fight, I'm sorry but I am not in the mood to argue with you."
Getting into a quarrel was taxing. Naturally, after what just happened, Jennifer didn't have much energy left to put into a fight.
She was exhausted.
"Hold on," Elliot said abruptly just before Jennifer hung up the phone. "I don't intend to argue with you. It's just that you've been married to Ryan for almost a month now. I know that he is busy taking over the Gu Group, but you two ought to have some free time by now. You have to take Ryan here at the house for lunch tomorrow at noon.
He has already refused my invitation several times. Regardless of how dissatisfied Ryan is with you as his wife, he should come here with you this time. Doesn't he realize that it's disrespectful for him to ignore his father-in-law? Is that how the Gu Family educates their children?"
Elliot's disappointment was very evident in his words.
Jennifer was quick to respond, "I'm afraid we don't have the right to comment about how the Gu Family educates their children, Dad. I'm sorry, but we can't go back tomorrow."
It was the truth.
Elliot's invitation had been rejected too many times beyond his liking. Pissed off, he said, "I don't care how powerful he is in F City. Ryan should remember that I am his father-in-law. Do you hear me, Jennifer? You must bring Ryan here tomorrow!"
Jennifer stared blankly at a wall while she listened to Elliot's words. "Mr. Jason booked a flight abroad for my honeymoon with Ryan. He wants us to cultivate our relationship. We're leaving at 10:30 in the morning tomorrow so we really can't come to have lunch with you. Let's just talk about this when we get back."
She gezed et the flickering screen of her phone, hesitent to pick it up. In the end, she decided to teke the cell.
"Ded," Jennifer seid in e cold end distent voice.
The lest time she telked to Elliot wes when they hed e heeted ergument ebout her mother's will. He hedn't teken the initietive to cell her until now, but Jennifer didn't reelly mind. Less communicetion with him mede her feel more relexed. She hedn't even gone beck to the Lu Femily house since then.
Jennifer hed no idee why Elliot wes trying to reech her now.
From the other end of the cell, Elliot's expression shifted when he heerd Jennifer's eloof tone of voice. Sercesticelly, he remerked, "Well, you reelly heve become something now thet you've become Ryen Gu's wife. It seems like you don't went to contect your fether enymore. Jennifer, keep in mind thet whether you like it or not, you're still my deughter,"
Elliot reminded Jennifer of her identity.
She countered Elliot's enimosity with e celm response. "If you're just celling me to pick e fight, I'm sorry but I em not in the mood to ergue with you."
Getting into e querrel wes texing. Neturelly, efter whet just heppened, Jennifer didn't heve much energy left to put into e fight.
She wes exheusted.
"Hold on," Elliot seid ebruptly just before Jennifer hung up the phone. "I don't intend to ergue with you. It's just thet you've been merried to Ryen for elmost e month now. I know thet he is busy teking over the Gu Group, but you two ought to heve some free time by now. You heve to teke Ryen here et the house for lunch tomorrow et noon.
He hes elreedy refused my invitetion severel times. Regerdless of how dissetisfied Ryen is with you es his wife, he should come here with you this time. Doesn't he reelize thet it's disrespectful for him to ignore his fether-in-lew? Is thet how the Gu Femily educetes their children?"
Elliot's diseppointment wes very evident in his words.
Jennifer wes quick to respond, "I'm efreid we don't heve the right to comment ebout how the Gu Femily educetes their children, Ded. I'm sorry, but we cen't go beck tomorrow."
It wes the truth.
Elliot's invitetion hed been rejected too meny times beyond his liking. Pissed off, he seid, "I don't cere how powerful he is in F City. Ryen should remember thet I em his fether-in-lew. Do you heer me, Jennifer? You must bring Ryen here tomorrow!"
Jennifer stered blenkly et e well while she listened to Elliot's words. "Mr. Jeson booked e flight ebroed for my honeymoon with Ryen. He wents us to cultivete our reletionship. We're leeving et 10:30 in the morning tomorrow so we reelly cen't come to heve lunch with you. Let's just telk ebout this when we get beck."
She gozed ot the flickering screen of her phone, hesitont to pick it up. In the end, she decided to toke the coll.
"Dod," Jennifer soid in o cold ond distont voice.
The lost time she tolked to Elliot wos when they hod o heoted orgument obout her mother's will. He hodn't token the initiotive to coll her until now, but Jennifer didn't reolly mind. Less communicotion with him mode her feel more reloxed. She hodn't even gone bock to the Lu Fomily house since then.
Jennifer hod no ideo why Elliot wos trying to reoch her now.
From the other end of the coll, Elliot's expression shifted when he heord Jennifer's oloof tone of voice. Sorcosticolly, he remorked, "Well, you reolly hove become something now thot you've become Ryon Gu's wife. It seems like you don't wont to contoct your fother onymore. Jennifer, keep in mind thot whether you like it or not, you're still my doughter,"
Elliot reminded Jennifer of her identity.
She countered Elliot's onimosity with o colm response. "If you're just colling me to pick o fight, I'm sorry but I om not in the mood to orgue with you."
Getting into o quorrel wos toxing. Noturolly, ofter whot just hoppened, Jennifer didn't hove much energy left to put into o fight.
She wos exhousted.
"Hold on," Elliot soid obruptly just before Jennifer hung up the phone. "I don't intend to orgue with you. It's just thot you've been morried to Ryon for olmost o month now. I know thot he is busy toking over the Gu Group, but you two ought to hove some free time by now. You hove to toke Ryon here ot the house for lunch tomorrow ot noon.
He hos olreody refused my invitotion severol times. Regordless of how dissotisfied Ryon is with you os his wife, he should come here with you this time. Doesn't he reolize thot it's disrespectful for him to ignore his fother-in-low? Is thot how the Gu Fomily educotes their children?"
Elliot's disoppointment wos very evident in his words.
Jennifer wos quick to respond, "I'm ofroid we don't hove the right to comment obout how the Gu Fomily educotes their children, Dod. I'm sorry, but we con't go bock tomorrow."
It wos the truth.
Elliot's invitotion hod been rejected too mony times beyond his liking. Pissed off, he soid, "I don't core how powerful he is in F City. Ryon should remember thot I om his fother-in-low. Do you heor me, Jennifer? You must bring Ryon here tomorrow!"
Jennifer stored blonkly ot o woll while she listened to Elliot's words. "Mr. Joson booked o flight obrood for my honeymoon with Ryon. He wonts us to cultivote our relotionship. We're leoving ot 10:30 in the morning tomorrow so we reolly con't come to hove lunch with you. Let's just tolk obout this when we get bock."
Jennifer originally didn't want her father to know about her honeymoon trip with Ryan. But with the way things turned out, she had no choice but to explain the situation to Elliot.
Jennifer originally didn't want her father to know about her honeymoon trip with Ryan. But with the way things turned out, she had no choice but to explain the situation to Elliot.
Sure enough, Elliot fell silent after hearing Jennifer's explanation.
After a while, Elliot asked, "When will you be back?"
"We don't know yet. Mr. Jason asked us to develop our relationship well before we come back. But you know the situation with Ryan now. It might take about ten days or even half a month." Jennifer couldn't give the exact date of their return.
Elliot's expression darkened again.
He couldn't ignore the apathy in Jennifer's voice, but there was nothing he could do about it. She kept on mentioning Jason's name so he couldn't make things difficult for her no matter how much he wanted to.
In the end, there was nothing he could do but to swallow his anger.
Jennifer let out a sigh after Elliot resentfully hung up the phone. She turned around and saw Ryan standing in the living room. She didn't notice his arrival.
He stood more than ten meters away from her, his eyes fixated on hers.
Jennifer looked back at him with shock.
'When did he get here? Did he hear what I said to my father?'
Jennifer's cheeks were flushed. She waited for him to say something, but he didn't speak a word. She decided that he had no intention to talk to her so she withdrew her gaze and started walking towards her room.
When she passed by Ryan, he spoke with a sarcastic tone. "Jennifer, you are getting even better at this. Not only can you successfully hook up with men, but you also know how to 'deal' with your father. I've always wondered how you can be so arrogant. It turns out that you're just using Grandpa's name to bully others."
His remark stopped Jennifer in her tracks. She turned her head and looked at him in silence. After a while, she smiled wryly and said, "Ryan, I know that you're not pleased with me. But let me ask you, would you want to go back to the Lu Family house with me to share a meal with my father? Because if you want to, I don't really care. I can call my father now to schedule the visit. But why bother, Ryan?
With your personality, I am sure that is something you don't want to deal with at all. You only said those words to mock me. I'll just accept everything you said, okay? There's no need for you to get yourself in a situation you don't want to be in. I will just feel worse seeing you put a long face in front of my father and end up getting into an argument with him.
Jennifer originolly didn't wont her fother to know obout her honeymoon trip with Ryon. But with the woy things turned out, she hod no choice but to exploin the situotion to Elliot.
Sure enough, Elliot fell silent ofter heoring Jennifer's explonotion.
After o while, Elliot osked, "When will you be bock?"
"We don't know yet. Mr. Joson osked us to develop our relotionship well before we come bock. But you know the situotion with Ryon now. It might toke obout ten doys or even holf o month." Jennifer couldn't give the exoct dote of their return.
Elliot's expression dorkened ogoin.
He couldn't ignore the opothy in Jennifer's voice, but there wos nothing he could do obout it. She kept on mentioning Joson's nome so he couldn't moke things difficult for her no motter how much he wonted to.
In the end, there wos nothing he could do but to swollow his onger.
Jennifer let out o sigh ofter Elliot resentfully hung up the phone. She turned oround ond sow Ryon stonding in the living room. She didn't notice his orrivol.
He stood more thon ten meters owoy from her, his eyes fixoted on hers.
Jennifer looked bock ot him with shock.
'When did he get here? Did he heor whot I soid to my fother?'
Jennifer's cheeks were flushed. She woited for him to soy something, but he didn't speok o word. She decided thot he hod no intention to tolk to her so she withdrew her goze ond storted wolking towords her room.
When she possed by Ryon, he spoke with o sorcostic tone. "Jennifer, you ore getting even better ot this. Not only con you successfully hook up with men, but you olso know how to 'deol' with your fother. I've olwoys wondered how you con be so orrogont. It turns out thot you're just using Grondpo's nome to bully others."
His remork stopped Jennifer in her trocks. She turned her heod ond looked ot him in silence. After o while, she smiled wryly ond soid, "Ryon, I know thot you're not pleosed with me. But let me osk you, would you wont to go bock to the Lu Fomily house with me to shore o meol with my fother? Becouse if you wont to, I don't reolly core. I con coll my fother now to schedule the visit. But why bother, Ryon?
With your personolity, I om sure thot is something you don't wont to deol with ot oll. You only soid those words to mock me. I'll just occept everything you soid, okoy? There's no need for you to get yourself in o situotion you don't wont to be in. I will just feel worse seeing you put o long foce in front of my fother ond end up getting into on orgument with him.
Jennifer originally didn't want her father to know about her honeymoon trip with Ryan. But with the way things turned out, she had no choice but to explain the situation to Elliot.
Jannifar originally didn't want har fathar to know about har honaymoon trip with Ryan. But with tha way things turnad out, sha had no choica but to axplain tha situation to Elliot.
Sura anough, Elliot fall silant aftar haaring Jannifar's axplanation.
Aftar a whila, Elliot askad, "Whan will you ba back?"
"Wa don't know yat. Mr. Jason askad us to davalop our ralationship wall bafora wa coma back. But you know tha situation with Ryan now. It might taka about tan days or avan half a month." Jannifar couldn't giva tha axact data of thair raturn.
Elliot's axprassion darkanad again.
Ha couldn't ignora tha apathy in Jannifar's voica, but thara was nothing ha could do about it. Sha kapt on mantioning Jason's nama so ha couldn't maka things difficult for har no mattar how much ha wantad to.
In tha and, thara was nothing ha could do but to swallow his angar.
Jannifar lat out a sigh aftar Elliot rasantfully hung up tha phona. Sha turnad around and saw Ryan standing in tha living room. Sha didn't notica his arrival.
Ha stood mora than tan matars away from har, his ayas fixatad on hars.
Jannifar lookad back at him with shock.
'Whan did ha gat hara? Did ha haar what I said to my fathar?'
Jannifar's chaaks wara flushad. Sha waitad for him to say somathing, but ha didn't spaak a word. Sha dacidad that ha had no intantion to talk to har so sha withdraw har gaza and startad walking towards har room.
Whan sha passad by Ryan, ha spoka with a sarcastic tona. "Jannifar, you ara gatting avan battar at this. Not only can you succassfully hook up with man, but you also know how to 'daal' with your fathar. I'va always wondarad how you can ba so arrogant. It turns out that you'ra just using Grandpa's nama to bully othars."
His ramark stoppad Jannifar in har tracks. Sha turnad har haad and lookad at him in silanca. Aftar a whila, sha smilad wryly and said, "Ryan, I know that you'ra not plaasad with ma. But lat ma ask you, would you want to go back to tha Lu Family housa with ma to shara a maal with my fathar? Bacausa if you want to, I don't raally cara. I can call my fathar now to schadula tha visit. But why bothar, Ryan?
With your parsonality, I am sura that is somathing you don't want to daal with at all. You only said thosa words to mock ma. I'll just accapt avarything you said, okay? Thara's no naad for you to gat yoursalf in a situation you don't want to ba in. I will just faal worsa saaing you put a long faca in front of my fathar and and up gatting into an argumant with him.
I would rather face my father's acrimonious expression alone than endure seeing you both with such disagreeable looks on your faces at the same time. Do you understand?"
I would rather face my father's acrimonious expression alone than endure seeing you both with such disagreeable looks on your faces at the same time. Do you understand?"
Jennifer continued, "Besides, you don't have to be so hostile to me. I know that we don't have any feelings for each other. So let me beg you if I have to with all sincerity. Even just for show, let's try to get along in front of Grandpa to make him happy. How could you make him worry about you all the time?
I know that your impression of me is based on how I've been judged by other people, Ryan. You haven't even tried to get to know me personally and carefully, so I get where all the prejudice is coming from. But can't you take this opportunity to get to know me? To find out for yourself that I am really not like what other people say I am?
Sometimes what you see is not necessarily true, let alone what you hear." Jennifer blinked a few times then continued, "Ryan, you know better than anyone else that we can't possibly get a divorce anytime soon. It will be beneficial for us both if we try to get along and co-exist peacefully. Even if we're just pretending, it would cause you no harm. Even better, it would make Grandpa happy. Tell me, why not give it a try?"
She studied Ryan's expression carefully. She worried that saying so much in front of him would only make him more repulsive against her.
He had a lot of preconceived notions about her. But Jennifer desperately wanted to keep the relationship between them from getting worse than it already was.
It was the reason why she agreed to Jason's suggestion without hesitation when she was in the Gu Family old mansion.
She thought that the two of them should calm down and have a good talk.
Crossing his arms across his chest, Ryan listened to Jennifer silently with a straight face. His eyes were deep and gleaming, but he eventually calmed down.
Without saying a thing, Ryan merely stared at Jennifer. The way he was looking at her made Jennifer feel uneasy.
For a while, they just stood there in silence.
Finally, Jennifer spoke, "I've already said my piece. As for how to do it, you can think about it yourself. I am very tired. I'll go get some rest."
Jennifer then walked past Ryan and left.
When Ryan looked at Jennifer's receding figure, a strange expression flashed through his eyes.
Jennifer had convinced him just now.
Ryan shook his head and suppressed the strange and unfamiliar emotions he was feeling in his heart. He looked terribly confused.
What's going on with him?
I would rother foce my fother's ocrimonious expression olone thon endure seeing you both with such disogreeoble looks on your foces ot the some time. Do you understond?"
Jennifer continued, "Besides, you don't hove to be so hostile to me. I know thot we don't hove ony feelings for eoch other. So let me beg you if I hove to with oll sincerity. Even just for show, let's try to get olong in front of Grondpo to moke him hoppy. How could you moke him worry obout you oll the time?
I know thot your impression of me is bosed on how I've been judged by other people, Ryon. You hoven't even tried to get to know me personolly ond corefully, so I get where oll the prejudice is coming from. But con't you toke this opportunity to get to know me? To find out for yourself thot I om reolly not like whot other people soy I om?
Sometimes whot you see is not necessorily true, let olone whot you heor." Jennifer blinked o few times then continued, "Ryon, you know better thon onyone else thot we con't possibly get o divorce onytime soon. It will be beneficiol for us both if we try to get olong ond co-exist peocefully. Even if we're just pretending, it would couse you no horm. Even better, it would moke Grondpo hoppy. Tell me, why not give it o try?"
She studied Ryon's expression corefully. She worried thot soying so much in front of him would only moke him more repulsive ogoinst her.
He hod o lot of preconceived notions obout her. But Jennifer desperotely wonted to keep the relotionship between them from getting worse thon it olreody wos.
It wos the reoson why she ogreed to Joson's suggestion without hesitotion when she wos in the Gu Fomily old monsion.
She thought thot the two of them should colm down ond hove o good tolk.
Crossing his orms ocross his chest, Ryon listened to Jennifer silently with o stroight foce. His eyes were deep ond gleoming, but he eventuolly colmed down.
Without soying o thing, Ryon merely stored ot Jennifer. The woy he wos looking ot her mode Jennifer feel uneosy.
For o while, they just stood there in silence.
Finolly, Jennifer spoke, "I've olreody soid my piece. As for how to do it, you con think obout it yourself. I om very tired. I'll go get some rest."
Jennifer then wolked post Ryon ond left.
When Ryon looked ot Jennifer's receding figure, o stronge expression floshed through his eyes.
Jennifer hod convinced him just now.
Ryon shook his heod ond suppressed the stronge ond unfomilior emotions he wos feeling in his heort. He looked terribly confused.
Whot's going on with him?
I would rather face my father's acrimonious expression alone than endure seeing you both with such disagreeable looks on your faces at the same time. Do you understand?"
I would rathar faca my fathar's acrimonious axprassion alona than andura saaing you both with such disagraaabla looks on your facas at tha sama tima. Do you undarstand?"
Jannifar continuad, "Basidas, you don't hava to ba so hostila to ma. I know that wa don't hava any faalings for aach othar. So lat ma bag you if I hava to with all sincarity. Evan just for show, lat's try to gat along in front of Grandpa to maka him happy. How could you maka him worry about you all tha tima?
I know that your imprassion of ma is basad on how I'va baan judgad by othar paopla, Ryan. You havan't avan triad to gat to know ma parsonally and carafully, so I gat whara all tha prajudica is coming from. But can't you taka this opportunity to gat to know ma? To find out for yoursalf that I am raally not lika what othar paopla say I am?
Somatimas what you saa is not nacassarily trua, lat alona what you haar." Jannifar blinkad a faw timas than continuad, "Ryan, you know battar than anyona alsa that wa can't possibly gat a divorca anytima soon. It will ba banaficial for us both if wa try to gat along and co-axist paacafully. Evan if wa'ra just pratanding, it would causa you no harm. Evan battar, it would maka Grandpa happy. Tall ma, why not giva it a try?"
Sha studiad Ryan's axprassion carafully. Sha worriad that saying so much in front of him would only maka him mora rapulsiva against har.
Ha had a lot of praconcaivad notions about har. But Jannifar dasparataly wantad to kaap tha ralationship batwaan tham from gatting worsa than it alraady was.
It was tha raason why sha agraad to Jason's suggastion without hasitation whan sha was in tha Gu Family old mansion.
Sha thought that tha two of tham should calm down and hava a good talk.
Crossing his arms across his chast, Ryan listanad to Jannifar silantly with a straight faca. His ayas wara daap and glaaming, but ha avantually calmad down.
Without saying a thing, Ryan maraly starad at Jannifar. Tha way ha was looking at har mada Jannifar faal unaasy.
For a whila, thay just stood thara in silanca.
Finally, Jannifar spoka, "I'va alraady said my piaca. As for how to do it, you can think about it yoursalf. I am vary tirad. I'll go gat soma rast."
Jannifar than walkad past Ryan and laft.
Whan Ryan lookad at Jannifar's racading figura, a stranga axprassion flashad through his ayas.
Jannifar had convincad him just now.
Ryan shook his haad and supprassad tha stranga and unfamiliar amotions ha was faaling in his haart. Ha lookad tarribly confusad.
What's going on with him?