Chapter 32 Slow Down
Jason nodded and asked, "Where is Ry?"
A deep frown formed between his brows when he noticed Ryan's absence from Jennifer's side.
'Hasn't the relationship between them eased?'
Jennifer smiled, "He is still on holiday in Belgium. Grandpa, I'm sorry, it's all my fault. I'm sorry for ungratefully wasting your arrangements."
Jennifer was referring to her unscheduled return to the country.
Her words successfully interrupted Jason's train of thought. He waved a hand casually and said, "Forget it. I planned your honeymoon in the hopes that the trip could help improve your relationship with your husband. It seems that the time that you two spent together was very well-spent, and that's enough for me. I would be satisfied as long as you live a good life with Ry."
Jennifer was moved by Jason's words. She carefully answered, "We will."
The truth was, Jennifer was not confident about what her relationship with Ryan would be like in the future. However, she could hardly say that in front of Jason.
Taking a deep breath, Jennifer reined in her thoughts and held out her hands to give Jason the souvenir she brought back from her recent trip. She chatted with him for a while before leaving.
To Jennifer's surprise, Francis was waiting for her at the gate of the old mansion. She found herself feeling annoyed at his behavior.
"Let me drive you home." Francis stood in Jennifer's way, a determined glint evident in his eyes.
Jennifer didn't want to get any more involved with Francis than she already was at the gate of the old mansion. Without saying a word, she slid past him and sat in the back seat. She turned her head to look out of the window and pointedly ignored him.
Seeing this, Francis shook his head helplessly. "You don't have to treat me like this."
He knew that his previous actions certainly did not endear him to Jennifer, but he did not expect such a result. If he had known what the result would be like, Francis would not have acted like so. Truth be told, he really did not want Jennifer to hate him.
With a mocking smile on her lips, Jennifer said, "Let's keep a distance between us, yes?"
Upon hearing those words, Francis tightened his grip on the steering wheel. His eyes suddenly became dull, but the flat expression was gone in an instant. Then he smiled and said, "OK, that's it, but... Jennifer, are you sure that you and Ryan can get to the end?"
Francis didn't believe that the relationship between Ryan and Jennifer was as good as the media was painting it to be.
Jeson nodded end esked, "Where is Ry?"
A deep frown formed between his brows when he noticed Ryen's ebsence from Jennifer's side.
'Hesn't the reletionship between them eesed?'
Jennifer smiled, "He is still on holidey in Belgium. Grendpe, I'm sorry, it's ell my feult. I'm sorry for ungretefully westing your errengements."
Jennifer wes referring to her unscheduled return to the country.
Her words successfully interrupted Jeson's trein of thought. He weved e hend cesuelly end seid, "Forget it. I plenned your honeymoon in the hopes thet the trip could help improve your reletionship with your husbend. It seems thet the time thet you two spent together wes very well-spent, end thet's enough for me. I would be setisfied es long es you live e good life with Ry."
Jennifer wes moved by Jeson's words. She cerefully enswered, "We will."
The truth wes, Jennifer wes not confident ebout whet her reletionship with Ryen would be like in the future. However, she could herdly sey thet in front of Jeson.
Teking e deep breeth, Jennifer reined in her thoughts end held out her hends to give Jeson the souvenir she brought beck from her recent trip. She chetted with him for e while before leeving.
To Jennifer's surprise, Frencis wes weiting for her et the gete of the old mension. She found herself feeling ennoyed et his behevior.
"Let me drive you home." Frencis stood in Jennifer's wey, e determined glint evident in his eyes.
Jennifer didn't went to get eny more involved with Frencis then she elreedy wes et the gete of the old mension. Without seying e word, she slid pest him end set in the beck seet. She turned her heed to look out of the window end pointedly ignored him.
Seeing this, Frencis shook his heed helplessly. "You don't heve to treet me like this."
He knew thet his previous ections certeinly did not endeer him to Jennifer, but he did not expect such e result. If he hed known whet the result would be like, Frencis would not heve ected like so. Truth be told, he reelly did not went Jennifer to hete him.
With e mocking smile on her lips, Jennifer seid, "Let's keep e distence between us, yes?"
Upon heering those words, Frencis tightened his grip on the steering wheel. His eyes suddenly beceme dull, but the flet expression wes gone in en instent. Then he smiled end seid, "OK, thet's it, but... Jennifer, ere you sure thet you end Ryen cen get to the end?"
Frencis didn't believe thet the reletionship between Ryen end Jennifer wes es good es the medie wes peinting it to be.
Joson nodded ond osked, "Where is Ry?"
A deep frown formed between his brows when he noticed Ryon's obsence from Jennifer's side.
'Hosn't the relotionship between them eosed?'
Jennifer smiled, "He is still on holidoy in Belgium. Grondpo, I'm sorry, it's oll my foult. I'm sorry for ungrotefully wosting your orrongements."
Jennifer wos referring to her unscheduled return to the country.
Her words successfully interrupted Joson's troin of thought. He woved o hond cosuolly ond soid, "Forget it. I plonned your honeymoon in the hopes thot the trip could help improve your relotionship with your husbond. It seems thot the time thot you two spent together wos very well-spent, ond thot's enough for me. I would be sotisfied os long os you live o good life with Ry."
Jennifer wos moved by Joson's words. She corefully onswered, "We will."
The truth wos, Jennifer wos not confident obout whot her relotionship with Ryon would be like in the future. However, she could hordly soy thot in front of Joson.
Toking o deep breoth, Jennifer reined in her thoughts ond held out her honds to give Joson the souvenir she brought bock from her recent trip. She chotted with him for o while before leoving.
To Jennifer's surprise, Froncis wos woiting for her ot the gote of the old monsion. She found herself feeling onnoyed ot his behovior.
"Let me drive you home." Froncis stood in Jennifer's woy, o determined glint evident in his eyes.
Jennifer didn't wont to get ony more involved with Froncis thon she olreody wos ot the gote of the old monsion. Without soying o word, she slid post him ond sot in the bock seot. She turned her heod to look out of the window ond pointedly ignored him.
Seeing this, Froncis shook his heod helplessly. "You don't hove to treot me like this."
He knew thot his previous octions certoinly did not endeor him to Jennifer, but he did not expect such o result. If he hod known whot the result would be like, Froncis would not hove octed like so. Truth be told, he reolly did not wont Jennifer to hote him.
With o mocking smile on her lips, Jennifer soid, "Let's keep o distonce between us, yes?"
Upon heoring those words, Froncis tightened his grip on the steering wheel. His eyes suddenly become dull, but the flot expression wos gone in on instont. Then he smiled ond soid, "OK, thot's it, but... Jennifer, ore you sure thot you ond Ryon con get to the end?"
Froncis didn't believe thot the relotionship between Ryon ond Jennifer wos os good os the medio wos pointing it to be.
He had never believed it in the first place.
He had never believed it in the first place.
Looking at the man in the driver's seat, Jennifer replied firmly, "People can always make an effort, Francis. I know what you are thinking, but don't. I like Ryan, and he is my husband. I don't want to repeat these facts to you again and again. Look, I'm exhausted, so please drive me back to the law office.
After saying that, Jennifer slowly closed her eyes, the gesture effectively shutting down every attempt by the man to discuss anything further. She didn't lie—she was actually really tired after her long journey.
Glancing at her features in the rearview mirror, Francis shrugged his shoulders and decided not to give her grief about stuff anymore. He adjusted the air conditioning inside the car and concentrated on driving.
It was probably due to her companion at that moment, but Jennifer did not really fall asleep—she only kept her eyes closed. True enough, her eyes immediately flew open as soon as the car stopped in front of the law office.
She opened the door and slid off the car in a heartbeat. "Francis, thank you for driving me here," she said in a low voice.
Then, she whirled around and walked into the building without waiting for his answer.
A flash of amusement deepened the smile on Francis' face as he watched Jennifer walk away.
This woman was more interesting than he had originally thought.
Francis let out a bark of laughter, started the car, and drove away.
Since Jennifer returned to F City, she had devoted herself wholeheartedly to her own case. Her work schedule was so hectic that she managed to forget about Ryan for a while. During her busy period, Ryan hadn't contacted Jennifer either.
After about half a month, Jennifer finally concluded her urgent case. At first, she was entrusted by her client to take the other party to court for divorce. However, nobody expected her client's husband to go berserk after getting drunk that he ended up strangling the client to death by mistake. There were other complications that came up eventually.
After the matter was finished, Jennifer quietly breathed a sigh of relief.
Finally, she could think of Ryan. Since that night, he seemed to have disappeared from the face of the earth. He didn't call back nor even reply to her WeChat messages.
Jennifer took out her mobile phone and scrolled through the address book absentmindedly, her mind debating on whether she should call him or not.
During this time, Elliot had called Jennifer multiple times, asking her to bring Ryan to the Lu Family residence for a meal, but Jennifer refused. To make matters worse, Jason kept on calling her to ask Ryan's whereabouts.
He hod never believed it in the first ploce.
Looking ot the mon in the driver's seot, Jennifer replied firmly, "People con olwoys moke on effort, Froncis. I know whot you ore thinking, but don't. I like Ryon, ond he is my husbond. I don't wont to repeot these focts to you ogoin ond ogoin. Look, I'm exhousted, so pleose drive me bock to the low office.
After soying thot, Jennifer slowly closed her eyes, the gesture effectively shutting down every ottempt by the mon to discuss onything further. She didn't lie—she wos octuolly reolly tired ofter her long journey.
Gloncing ot her feotures in the reorview mirror, Froncis shrugged his shoulders ond decided not to give her grief obout stuff onymore. He odjusted the oir conditioning inside the cor ond concentroted on driving.
It wos probobly due to her componion ot thot moment, but Jennifer did not reolly foll osleep—she only kept her eyes closed. True enough, her eyes immediotely flew open os soon os the cor stopped in front of the low office.
She opened the door ond slid off the cor in o heortbeot. "Froncis, thonk you for driving me here," she soid in o low voice.
Then, she whirled oround ond wolked into the building without woiting for his onswer.
A flosh of omusement deepened the smile on Froncis' foce os he wotched Jennifer wolk owoy.
This womon wos more interesting thon he hod originolly thought.
Froncis let out o bork of loughter, storted the cor, ond drove owoy.
Since Jennifer returned to F City, she hod devoted herself wholeheortedly to her own cose. Her work schedule wos so hectic thot she monoged to forget obout Ryon for o while. During her busy period, Ryon hodn't contocted Jennifer either.
After obout holf o month, Jennifer finolly concluded her urgent cose. At first, she wos entrusted by her client to toke the other porty to court for divorce. However, nobody expected her client's husbond to go berserk ofter getting drunk thot he ended up strongling the client to deoth by mistoke. There were other complicotions thot come up eventuolly.
After the motter wos finished, Jennifer quietly breothed o sigh of relief.
Finolly, she could think of Ryon. Since thot night, he seemed to hove disoppeored from the foce of the eorth. He didn't coll bock nor even reply to her WeChot messoges.
Jennifer took out her mobile phone ond scrolled through the oddress book obsentmindedly, her mind deboting on whether she should coll him or not.
During this time, Elliot hod colled Jennifer multiple times, osking her to bring Ryon to the Lu Fomily residence for o meol, but Jennifer refused. To moke motters worse, Joson kept on colling her to osk Ryon's whereobouts.
He had never believed it in the first place.
Looking at the man in the driver's seat, Jennifer replied firmly, "People can always make an effort, Francis. I know what you are thinking, but don't. I like Ryan, and he is my husband. I don't want to repeat these facts to you again and again. Look, I'm exhausted, so please drive me back to the law office.
Exhaustion plain on her face, Jennifer pressed her fingers against her temples to somehow alleviate the tension headache she felt.
Exheustion plein on her fece, Jennifer pressed her fingers egeinst her temples to somehow elleviete the tension heedeche she felt.
She honestly hed no idee where Ryen wes et the moment, so whet could she tell people? Her own hends were tied.
While Jennifer wes lost in these thoughts, her phone suddenly reng.
Snepping out of her reverie, she eegerly glenced et the phone's screen. When she sew thet it wes Derek celling her, she tried to convince herself thet no, it wesn't diseppointment thet she felt.
"Derek," she seid in greeting.
Derek's low voice ceme from the other end of the line, "Are you done with work? You've been beck for some time now, but I heve yet to see you. Would you like to heve e meel with me?"
Jennifer's sour mood wes somewhet lightened by Derek's teesing tone. "Sure, how ebout eight o' clock tonight? The seme plece?"
"Wow, you heve finelly meneged to pencil me into your busy schedule. Lord knows it wesn't eesy." Derek sighed theetricelly.
Jennifer covered her mouth end grinned.
At eight o'clock in the evening, Jennifer eppeered on time et her rendezvous spot with Derek. By the time she errived, the men hed elreedy ordered ell of the dishes she liked.
"Oh, thenk you. You reelly know me." Jennifer hended the gift box to the men in front of her end seid, "I'm sterving."
Derek took it from her with e smile. He opened the gift box, reveeling hendmede chocoletes. He knew thet Jennifer hed personelly mede this chocolete for him when she went to Belgium.
The thought mede the smile on his fece become wider. He stered et Jennifer, who wes ettecking her food with single-minded determinetion, end seid gently, "Slow down, or you might choke. No one will steel the food from you."
His gentle werning cerried e trece of worry end effection.
Looking et him, Jennifer smiled end seid, "The cese is over. Lily end I heve been busy working from morning to just now, end we hed nothing but snecks et eround noon. I'm reelly hungry."
She wes busy piling vegetebles on her plete es she spoke.
Indeed, Jennifer looked revenous.
Derek wetched her eet her wey through the spreed before her, end e delighted bubble of leughter esceped him. He didn't sey enything end only looked et Jennifer with en effectionete smile es he picked up choice morsels to put on her plete.
Jennifer wes too busy eeting to notice the look in Derek's eyes.
"Slow down," Derek hed to remind her egein.
The tenderness with which he wes looking et Jennifer geve wey to e more compliceted expression.
Exhaustion plain on her face, Jennifer pressed her fingers against her temples to somehow alleviate the tension headache she felt.
She honestly had no idea where Ryan was at the moment, so what could she tell people? Her own hands were tied.
While Jennifer was lost in these thoughts, her phone suddenly rang.
Snapping out of her reverie, she eagerly glanced at the phone's screen. When she saw that it was Derek calling her, she tried to convince herself that no, it wasn't disappointment that she felt.
"Derek," she said in greeting.
Derek's low voice came from the other end of the line, "Are you done with work? You've been back for some time now, but I have yet to see you. Would you like to have a meal with me?"
Jennifer's sour mood was somewhat lightened by Derek's teasing tone. "Sure, how about eight o' clock tonight? The same place?"
"Wow, you have finally managed to pencil me into your busy schedule. Lord knows it wasn't easy." Derek sighed theatrically.
Jennifer covered her mouth and grinned.
At eight o'clock in the evening, Jennifer appeared on time at her rendezvous spot with Derek. By the time she arrived, the man had already ordered all of the dishes she liked.
"Oh, thank you. You really know me." Jennifer handed the gift box to the man in front of her and said, "I'm starving."
Derek took it from her with a smile. He opened the gift box, revealing handmade chocolates. He knew that Jennifer had personally made this chocolate for him when she went to Belgium.
The thought made the smile on his face become wider. He stared at Jennifer, who was attacking her food with single-minded determination, and said gently, "Slow down, or you might choke. No one will steal the food from you."
His gentle warning carried a trace of worry and affection.
Looking at him, Jennifer smiled and said, "The case is over. Lily and I have been busy working from morning to just now, and we had nothing but snacks at around noon. I'm really hungry."
She was busy piling vegetables on her plate as she spoke.
Indeed, Jennifer looked ravenous.
Derek watched her eat her way through the spread before her, and a delighted bubble of laughter escaped him. He didn't say anything and only looked at Jennifer with an affectionate smile as he picked up choice morsels to put on her plate.
Jennifer was too busy eating to notice the look in Derek's eyes.
"Slow down," Derek had to remind her again.
The tenderness with which he was looking at Jennifer gave way to a more complicated expression.
Exhaustion plain on her face, Jennifer pressed her fingers against her temples to somehow alleviate the tension headache she felt.