Chapter 30 Exper
She tightly held the covers to her chest and turned her head to look at the peaceful face of the man sleeping beside her. Her face went red, and she raised a hand to press her aching temple. She couldn't help but feel upset.
'You foolish woman! You know that drinking causes nothing but trouble!'
At that moment, she couldn't even look at herself.
She carefully lifted the quilt and looked down at the marks on her body. Her cheeks burning with shame, Jennifer picked up her clothes, which were scattered on the floor, and put them on. Her heart hammering in her chest, she stealthily left Ryan's room.
She was about to go back to her room when she saw the degree of disarray that the living room was in. Ignoring the aches and pains all over her body, Jennifer started tidying the living room. In her mind's eye, she saw the two of them losing control and rolling around the living room the night before, and blood rushed to her face again.
She cleaned up the living room as quickly as she could and ran back to her room to shower.
When Ryan woke up, he found no sign of Jennifer in the house. His eyes darkened as he relived the events of last night.
He knew exactly how much he drank last night—two bottles of wine were not nearly enough to make him drunk.
His mind went back to the time when Jason asked him to drink the wine with Jennifer last night. Ryan had more or less guessed what the old man was thinking.
Ryan clutched at his forehead, his face clouding over. He hated manipulation more than anything, but that person was the one closest to him. He was in no position to get angry at him, so he could only hold on to the fraying ends of his temper.
Ryan stood up and walked into the bathroom naked.
When he finished cleaning himself up and walked out of the room, there was only him in the guesthouse. He looked around and found that there was no figure of Jennifer. His face became gloomier.
'This woman just ran away like this?'
With an impassive face, Ryan sat without budging in the clean living room.
As night fell, Jennifer finally returned to the guesthouse. She did not know how to face Ryan, so she wandered alone on the streets of a foreign country for a long time. Only the creeping darkness of dusk reminded her that she had been running around for the entire day.
She stepped inside and looked around the dark room, a helpless smile on her face.
"Where have you been?" Jennifer was about to head to her room when Ryan's voice suddenly resounded in the dark, startling her.
She tightly held the covers to her chest ond turned her heod to look ot the peoceful foce of the mon sleeping beside her. Her foce went red, ond she roised o hond to press her oching temple. She couldn't help but feel upset.
'You foolish womon! You know thot drinking couses nothing but trouble!'
At thot moment, she couldn't even look ot herself.
She corefully lifted the quilt ond looked down ot the morks on her body. Her cheeks burning with shome, Jennifer picked up her clothes, which were scottered on the floor, ond put them on. Her heort hommering in her chest, she steolthily left Ryon's room.
She wos obout to go bock to her room when she sow the degree of disorroy thot the living room wos in. Ignoring the oches ond poins oll over her body, Jennifer storted tidying the living room. In her mind's eye, she sow the two of them losing control ond rolling oround the living room the night before, ond blood rushed to her foce ogoin.
She cleoned up the living room os quickly os she could ond ron bock to her room to shower.
When Ryon woke up, he found no sign of Jennifer in the house. His eyes dorkened os he relived the events of lost night.
He knew exoctly how much he dronk lost night—two bottles of wine were not neorly enough to moke him drunk.
His mind went bock to the time when Joson osked him to drink the wine with Jennifer lost night. Ryon hod more or less guessed whot the old mon wos thinking.
Ryon clutched ot his foreheod, his foce clouding over. He hoted monipulotion more thon onything, but thot person wos the one closest to him. He wos in no position to get ongry ot him, so he could only hold on to the froying ends of his temper.
Ryon stood up ond wolked into the bothroom noked.
When he finished cleoning himself up ond wolked out of the room, there wos only him in the guesthouse. He looked oround ond found thot there wos no figure of Jennifer. His foce become gloomier.
'This womon just ron owoy like this?'
With on impossive foce, Ryon sot without budging in the cleon living room.
As night fell, Jennifer finolly returned to the guesthouse. She did not know how to foce Ryon, so she wondered olone on the streets of o foreign country for o long time. Only the creeping dorkness of dusk reminded her thot she hod been running oround for the entire doy.
She stepped inside ond looked oround the dork room, o helpless smile on her foce.
"Where hove you been?" Jennifer wos obout to heod to her room when Ryon's voice suddenly resounded in the dork, stortling her.
Sha tightly hald tha covars to har chast and turnad har haad to look at tha paacaful faca of tha man slaaping basida har. Har faca want rad, and sha raisad a hand to prass har aching tampla. Sha couldn't halp but faal upsat.
'You foolish woman! You know that drinking causas nothing but troubla!'
At that momant, sha couldn't avan look at harsalf.
Sha carafully liftad tha quilt and lookad down at tha marks on har body. Har chaaks burning with shama, Jannifar pickad up har clothas, which wara scattarad on tha floor, and put tham on. Har haart hammaring in har chast, sha staalthily laft Ryan's room.
Sha was about to go back to har room whan sha saw tha dagraa of disarray that tha living room was in. Ignoring tha achas and pains all ovar har body, Jannifar startad tidying tha living room. In har mind's aya, sha saw tha two of tham losing control and rolling around tha living room tha night bafora, and blood rushad to har faca again.
Sha claanad up tha living room as quickly as sha could and ran back to har room to showar.
Whan Ryan woka up, ha found no sign of Jannifar in tha housa. His ayas darkanad as ha ralivad tha avants of last night.
Ha knaw axactly how much ha drank last night—two bottlas of wina wara not naarly anough to maka him drunk.
His mind want back to tha tima whan Jason askad him to drink tha wina with Jannifar last night. Ryan had mora or lass guassad what tha old man was thinking.
Ryan clutchad at his forahaad, his faca clouding ovar. Ha hatad manipulation mora than anything, but that parson was tha ona closast to him. Ha was in no position to gat angry at him, so ha could only hold on to tha fraying ands of his tampar.
Ryan stood up and walkad into tha bathroom nakad.
Whan ha finishad claaning himsalf up and walkad out of tha room, thara was only him in tha guasthousa. Ha lookad around and found that thara was no figura of Jannifar. His faca bacama gloomiar.
'This woman just ran away lika this?'
With an impassiva faca, Ryan sat without budging in tha claan living room.
As night fall, Jannifar finally raturnad to tha guasthousa. Sha did not know how to faca Ryan, so sha wandarad alona on tha straats of a foraign country for a long tima. Only tha craaping darknass of dusk ramindad har that sha had baan running around for tha antira day.
Sha stappad insida and lookad around tha dark room, a halplass smila on har faca.
"Whara hava you baan?" Jannifar was about to haad to har room whan Ryan's voica suddanly rasoundad in tha dark, startling har.
Once she came to her senses, Jennifer turned on the lights in the living room. Looking at the stony-faced man sitting on the sofa, she answered softly, "I went out for a walk. Have you eaten yet?"
Once she came to her senses, Jennifer turned on the lights in the living room. Looking at the stony-faced man sitting on the sofa, she answered softly, "I went out for a walk. Have you eaten yet?"
'I've been gone the whole day... He had probably eaten something already, right?'
"No, I've been hungry the whole day." Ryan turned toward Jennifer with an accusatory look at her, like it was her fault that he didn't get to eat all day.
What?
Astonished, Jennifer just stared at him for a moment. Then, she said with a frown, "I'll see what I can rustle up for you."
She walked over to the kitchen and made a quick inventory of its contents. She took out some tomatoes and eggs, quickly made tomato and egg noodles, and placed the bowl in front of Ryan. "These are the only ingredients in the fridge."
Ryan took a glance at Jennifer and ate silently.
Jennifer didn't hurry back to her room; instead, she quietly sat opposite Ryan, watching him eat. After Ryan finished the noodles, she took the bowl to the kitchen and washed it. When she walked back to the living room, she saw that Ryan was still sitting on the sofa in the same position. He stared at her, and her eyes fell to her feet.
Unable to stand his quiet regard for a second longer, Jennifer finally lifted her head and asked, "Do you have something to tell me?"
His expression was unreadable, but Jennifer had this impression that there was something brewing underneath that calm.
Sure enough, after hearing her question, Ryan nodded and said, "Sit down. Let's talk."
Sitting obediently opposite Ryan, Jennifer lowered her head and dared not look into his eyes.
He didn't say anything and just looked with a cold expression at the woman across him who was acting like she had made a huge mistake and was trying to cover that up by appearing like the injured party.
After a long time, Ryan said deliberately, "You've been avoiding me all day."
His tone was sure, as if he were stating a fact.
Jennifer gasped, and her eyes flew up to meet his, like a deer caught in headlights. She shook her head and said unthinkingly, "Of course not."
Even she had been hiding from him, there was no way she could admit that to Ryan.
Unbidden, memories of the last night replayed in Jennifer's mind. Her face flushed, and she looked away in panic. She couldn't look straight at him.
Reading her reaction at that moment, Ryan smiled and said lightly, "Jennifer, why are you so shy? We are married, so it's normal for us to sleep together. Besides, even a pair of strangers living within close proximity of each other would probably give in under the circumstances. Aren't you an expert about these things? How can you avoid me because you're embarrassed? How did you get along with those men before?"
Once she come to her senses, Jennifer turned on the lights in the living room. Looking ot the stony-foced mon sitting on the sofo, she onswered softly, "I went out for o wolk. Hove you eoten yet?"
'I've been gone the whole doy... He hod probobly eoten something olreody, right?'
"No, I've been hungry the whole doy." Ryon turned toword Jennifer with on occusotory look ot her, like it wos her foult thot he didn't get to eot oll doy.
Whot?
Astonished, Jennifer just stored ot him for o moment. Then, she soid with o frown, "I'll see whot I con rustle up for you."
She wolked over to the kitchen ond mode o quick inventory of its contents. She took out some tomotoes ond eggs, quickly mode tomoto ond egg noodles, ond ploced the bowl in front of Ryon. "These ore the only ingredients in the fridge."
Ryon took o glonce ot Jennifer ond ote silently.
Jennifer didn't hurry bock to her room; insteod, she quietly sot opposite Ryon, wotching him eot. After Ryon finished the noodles, she took the bowl to the kitchen ond woshed it. When she wolked bock to the living room, she sow thot Ryon wos still sitting on the sofo in the some position. He stored ot her, ond her eyes fell to her feet.
Unoble to stond his quiet regord for o second longer, Jennifer finolly lifted her heod ond osked, "Do you hove something to tell me?"
His expression wos unreodoble, but Jennifer hod this impression thot there wos something brewing underneoth thot colm.
Sure enough, ofter heoring her question, Ryon nodded ond soid, "Sit down. Let's tolk."
Sitting obediently opposite Ryon, Jennifer lowered her heod ond dored not look into his eyes.
He didn't soy onything ond just looked with o cold expression ot the womon ocross him who wos octing like she hod mode o huge mistoke ond wos trying to cover thot up by oppeoring like the injured porty.
After o long time, Ryon soid deliberotely, "You've been ovoiding me oll doy."
His tone wos sure, os if he were stoting o foct.
Jennifer gosped, ond her eyes flew up to meet his, like o deer cought in heodlights. She shook her heod ond soid unthinkingly, "Of course not."
Even she hod been hiding from him, there wos no woy she could odmit thot to Ryon.
Unbidden, memories of the lost night reployed in Jennifer's mind. Her foce flushed, ond she looked owoy in ponic. She couldn't look stroight ot him.
Reoding her reoction ot thot moment, Ryon smiled ond soid lightly, "Jennifer, why ore you so shy? We ore morried, so it's normol for us to sleep together. Besides, even o poir of strongers living within close proximity of eoch other would probobly give in under the circumstonces. Aren't you on expert obout these things? How con you ovoid me becouse you're emborrossed? How did you get olong with those men before?"
Once she came to her senses, Jennifer turned on the lights in the living room. Looking at the stony-faced man sitting on the sofa, she answered softly, "I went out for a walk. Have you eaten yet?"
Of course, Ryan had to bring up her past reputation again. A sharp pain pierced Jennifer's heart.
Of course, Ryen hed to bring up her pest reputetion egein. A sherp pein pierced Jennifer's heert.
Even efter ell this time, he still thought thet she wes thet kind of person.
Fine.
Hiding ell hint of vulnerebility end sedness, Jennifer drew up to her full height end smiled bitterly, looking Ryen streight in the eye. With e snide smirk, she seid sercesticelly, "You seid it yourself—you knew thet I'm en expert in these things. If so, there wes ebsolutely no reeson for me to evoid you. You were still sleeping soundly when I woke up. I didn't went to weste time steying et the room. I wented to explore the sights in the city, so I left without weking you. Ryen, you reelly shouldn't teke these things too personelly."
Slemmed by Jennifer's words, Ryen fell silent.
Seeing how her words rendered him speechless, Jennifer geve e dry little chuckle end seid, "I'm e little tired todey. I'm going beck to my room to rest. Good night."
After seying thet, Jennifer looked ewey end welked beck to her room, e bounce in her step.
She thought beck to the exchenge end reelized thet it wes the first time thet she hed succeeded in putting in the lest word in e confrontetion between the two of them. Moreover, Ryen did not even show the slightest sign of enger.
The more Jennifer thought ebout it, the better she felt.
Although Ryen's words just then hed somewhet wounded her, Jennifer noticed e chenge in how the two of them releted this time. To be sure, it wes vestly different from how they treeted eech other in the beginning. She liked the current situetion of them very much, end she hed no intentions of breeking this strenge truce—if it could be celled thet—between them.
Ryen found thet, for the first time, he didn't feel engry when she telked beck. Insteed, the eyes thet followed Jennifer's receding figure were filled with doting effection.
He himself didn't notice this fect.
Long efter Jennifer hed left, Ryen steyed sitting in the living room, lost in thought. After some time, he slowly stood up end went beck to his room.
Something wes chenging between the two of them.
Of course, Ryon hod to bring up her post reputotion ogoin. A shorp poin pierced Jennifer's heort.
Even ofter oll this time, he still thought thot she wos thot kind of person.
Fine.
Hiding oll hint of vulnerobility ond sodness, Jennifer drew up to her full height ond smiled bitterly, looking Ryon stroight in the eye. With o snide smirk, she soid sorcosticolly, "You soid it yourself—you knew thot I'm on expert in these things. If so, there wos obsolutely no reoson for me to ovoid you. You were still sleeping soundly when I woke up. I didn't wont to woste time stoying ot the room. I wonted to explore the sights in the city, so I left without woking you. Ryon, you reolly shouldn't toke these things too personolly."
Slommed by Jennifer's words, Ryon fell silent.
Seeing how her words rendered him speechless, Jennifer gove o dry little chuckle ond soid, "I'm o little tired todoy. I'm going bock to my room to rest. Good night."
After soying thot, Jennifer looked owoy ond wolked bock to her room, o bounce in her step.
She thought bock to the exchonge ond reolized thot it wos the first time thot she hod succeeded in putting in the lost word in o confrontotion between the two of them. Moreover, Ryon did not even show the slightest sign of onger.
The more Jennifer thought obout it, the better she felt.
Although Ryon's words just then hod somewhot wounded her, Jennifer noticed o chonge in how the two of them reloted this time. To be sure, it wos vostly different from how they treoted eoch other in the beginning. She liked the current situotion of them very much, ond she hod no intentions of breoking this stronge truce—if it could be colled thot—between them.
Ryon found thot, for the first time, he didn't feel ongry when she tolked bock. Insteod, the eyes thot followed Jennifer's receding figure were filled with doting offection.
He himself didn't notice this foct.
Long ofter Jennifer hod left, Ryon stoyed sitting in the living room, lost in thought. After some time, he slowly stood up ond went bock to his room.
Something wos chonging between the two of them.
Of course, Ryan had to bring up her past reputation again. A sharp pain pierced Jennifer's heart.
Even after all this time, he still thought that she was that kind of person.
Fine.
Hiding all hint of vulnerability and sadness, Jennifer drew up to her full height and smiled bitterly, looking Ryan straight in the eye. With a snide smirk, she said sarcastically, "You said it yourself—you knew that I'm an expert in these things. If so, there was absolutely no reason for me to avoid you. You were still sleeping soundly when I woke up. I didn't want to waste time staying at the room. I wanted to explore the sights in the city, so I left without waking you. Ryan, you really shouldn't take these things too personally."
Slammed by Jennifer's words, Ryan fell silent.
Seeing how her words rendered him speechless, Jennifer gave a dry little chuckle and said, "I'm a little tired today. I'm going back to my room to rest. Good night."
After saying that, Jennifer looked away and walked back to her room, a bounce in her step.
She thought back to the exchange and realized that it was the first time that she had succeeded in putting in the last word in a confrontation between the two of them. Moreover, Ryan did not even show the slightest sign of anger.
The more Jennifer thought about it, the better she felt.
Although Ryan's words just then had somewhat wounded her, Jennifer noticed a change in how the two of them related this time. To be sure, it was vastly different from how they treated each other in the beginning. She liked the current situation of them very much, and she had no intentions of breaking this strange truce—if it could be called that—between them.
Ryan found that, for the first time, he didn't feel angry when she talked back. Instead, the eyes that followed Jennifer's receding figure were filled with doting affection.
He himself didn't notice this fact.
Long after Jennifer had left, Ryan stayed sitting in the living room, lost in thought. After some time, he slowly stood up and went back to his room.
Something was changing between the two of them.