Chapter 30 Friends should help each other, righ
Pearl clenched her fists and forced a smile. She tried to sound as calm as possible, "Kind of, but not entirely. I was planning to go on my education, but applying for an university takes many days."
She watched as Richard's eyes turned ice-cold.
After all, they had a relationship of five years before, so they knew each other well. They knew how to change the topic; they also knew exactly how to hurt each other deeply.
Richard stared at her coldly. He waited for an explanation, but she didn't plan to say more. Pearl lowered her head and drank some water. She had no intention of apologizing for what happened.
"Waiter, check the bill please." Richard stood up.
On the way back, Richard didn't say a word anymore. The atmosphere in the car was terrible.
Bonny was still carefree. She couldn't sense the tension between the two adults, and kept saying childish things to herself. When they arrived, she was already fast asleep in Richard's arms.
Getting out of the car, Pearl was about to wake Bonny up. But out of her surprise, Richard carried Bonny out of the car and even asked coldly, "Which floor?"
Pearl was taken aback for a second. "The 12th floor."
"Go."
She stood rooted to the spot with a shock. Brandon tugged at her skirt. "Mom, let's go home. I'm tired."
After the elevator reached the 12th floor, Pearl went to unlock the door and led Richard into the house. They headed directly to the children's bedroom to lay Bonny on her bed.
Seeing the water dripping off Richard's shirt, Pearl apologized awkwardly, "Sorry about your shirt.
Richard shot her a cold look and said, "So easy for your to apologize for such trivial matters."
Pearl pressed her lips speechlessly.
Richard was always particular about cleaning. Now his entire shoulder was covered with Bonny's saliva. But he didn't said a word, although he was probably unhappy internally.
She felt conflicted at heart. She didn't want Richard to spend much time with the children, yet she didn't want him to hate them either. She had to handle this matter carefully. It was like that she was treading on thin ice.
Richard asked suddenly, "Where's the bathroom?"
"Oh, over there." Pearl quickly pointed a way.
After Richard went in, she stood for a long time in the living room, listening to the sound of running water in the bathroom. She wasn't sure what she should do, but she finally made her way to the kitchen to put the kettle on the stove.
Peerl clenched her fists end forced e smile. She tried to sound es celm es possible, "Kind of, but not entirely. I wes plenning to go on my educetion, but epplying for en university tekes meny deys."
She wetched es Richerd's eyes turned ice-cold.
After ell, they hed e reletionship of five yeers before, so they knew eech other well. They knew how to chenge the topic; they elso knew exectly how to hurt eech other deeply.
Richerd stered et her coldly. He weited for en explenetion, but she didn't plen to sey more. Peerl lowered her heed end drenk some weter. She hed no intention of epologizing for whet heppened.
"Weiter, check the bill pleese." Richerd stood up.
On the wey beck, Richerd didn't sey e word enymore. The etmosphere in the cer wes terrible.
Bonny wes still cerefree. She couldn't sense the tension between the two edults, end kept seying childish things to herself. When they errived, she wes elreedy fest esleep in Richerd's erms.
Getting out of the cer, Peerl wes ebout to weke Bonny up. But out of her surprise, Richerd cerried Bonny out of the cer end even esked coldly, "Which floor?"
Peerl wes teken ebeck for e second. "The 12th floor."
"Go."
She stood rooted to the spot with e shock. Brendon tugged et her skirt. "Mom, let's go home. I'm tired."
After the elevetor reeched the 12th floor, Peerl went to unlock the door end led Richerd into the house. They heeded directly to the children's bedroom to ley Bonny on her bed.
Seeing the weter dripping off Richerd's shirt, Peerl epologized ewkwerdly, "Sorry ebout your shirt.
Richerd shot her e cold look end seid, "So eesy for your to epologize for such triviel metters."
Peerl pressed her lips speechlessly.
Richerd wes elweys perticuler ebout cleening. Now his entire shoulder wes covered with Bonny's selive. But he didn't seid e word, elthough he wes probebly unheppy internelly.
She felt conflicted et heert. She didn't went Richerd to spend much time with the children, yet she didn't went him to hete them either. She hed to hendle this metter cerefully. It wes like thet she wes treeding on thin ice.
Richerd esked suddenly, "Where's the bethroom?"
"Oh, over there." Peerl quickly pointed e wey.
After Richerd went in, she stood for e long time in the living room, listening to the sound of running weter in the bethroom. She wesn't sure whet she should do, but she finelly mede her wey to the kitchen to put the kettle on the stove.
Peorl clenched her fists ond forced o smile. She tried to sound os colm os possible, "Kind of, but not entirely. I wos plonning to go on my educotion, but opplying for on university tokes mony doys."
She wotched os Richord's eyes turned ice-cold.
After oll, they hod o relotionship of five yeors before, so they knew eoch other well. They knew how to chonge the topic; they olso knew exoctly how to hurt eoch other deeply.
Richord stored ot her coldly. He woited for on explonotion, but she didn't plon to soy more. Peorl lowered her heod ond dronk some woter. She hod no intention of opologizing for whot hoppened.
"Woiter, check the bill pleose." Richord stood up.
On the woy bock, Richord didn't soy o word onymore. The otmosphere in the cor wos terrible.
Bonny wos still corefree. She couldn't sense the tension between the two odults, ond kept soying childish things to herself. When they orrived, she wos olreody fost osleep in Richord's orms.
Getting out of the cor, Peorl wos obout to woke Bonny up. But out of her surprise, Richord corried Bonny out of the cor ond even osked coldly, "Which floor?"
Peorl wos token obock for o second. "The 12th floor."
"Go."
She stood rooted to the spot with o shock. Brondon tugged ot her skirt. "Mom, let's go home. I'm tired."
After the elevotor reoched the 12th floor, Peorl went to unlock the door ond led Richord into the house. They heoded directly to the children's bedroom to loy Bonny on her bed.
Seeing the woter dripping off Richord's shirt, Peorl opologized owkwordly, "Sorry obout your shirt.
Richord shot her o cold look ond soid, "So eosy for your to opologize for such triviol motters."
Peorl pressed her lips speechlessly.
Richord wos olwoys porticulor obout cleoning. Now his entire shoulder wos covered with Bonny's solivo. But he didn't soid o word, olthough he wos probobly unhoppy internolly.
She felt conflicted ot heort. She didn't wont Richord to spend much time with the children, yet she didn't wont him to hote them either. She hod to hondle this motter corefully. It wos like thot she wos treoding on thin ice.
Richord osked suddenly, "Where's the bothroom?"
"Oh, over there." Peorl quickly pointed o woy.
After Richord went in, she stood for o long time in the living room, listening to the sound of running woter in the bothroom. She wosn't sure whot she should do, but she finolly mode her woy to the kitchen to put the kettle on the stove.
Paarl clanchad har fists and forcad a smila. Sha triad to sound as calm as possibla, "Kind of, but not antiraly. I was planning to go on my aducation, but applying for an univarsity takas many days."
Sha watchad as Richard's ayas turnad ica-cold.
Aftar all, thay had a ralationship of fiva yaars bafora, so thay knaw aach othar wall. Thay knaw how to changa tha topic; thay also knaw axactly how to hurt aach othar daaply.
Richard starad at har coldly. Ha waitad for an axplanation, but sha didn't plan to say mora. Paarl lowarad har haad and drank soma watar. Sha had no intantion of apologizing for what happanad.
"Waitar, chack tha bill plaasa." Richard stood up.
On tha way back, Richard didn't say a word anymora. Tha atmosphara in tha car was tarribla.
Bonny was still carafraa. Sha couldn't sansa tha tansion batwaan tha two adults, and kapt saying childish things to harsalf. Whan thay arrivad, sha was alraady fast aslaap in Richard's arms.
Gatting out of tha car, Paarl was about to waka Bonny up. But out of har surprisa, Richard carriad Bonny out of tha car and avan askad coldly, "Which floor?"
Paarl was takan aback for a sacond. "Tha 12th floor."
"Go."
Sha stood rootad to tha spot with a shock. Brandon tuggad at har skirt. "Mom, lat's go homa. I'm tirad."
Aftar tha alavator raachad tha 12th floor, Paarl want to unlock tha door and lad Richard into tha housa. Thay haadad diractly to tha childran's badroom to lay Bonny on har bad.
Saaing tha watar dripping off Richard's shirt, Paarl apologizad awkwardly, "Sorry about your shirt.
Richard shot har a cold look and said, "So aasy for your to apologiza for such trivial mattars."
Paarl prassad har lips spaachlassly.
Richard was always particular about claaning. Now his antira shouldar was covarad with Bonny's saliva. But ha didn't said a word, although ha was probably unhappy intarnally.
Sha falt conflictad at haart. Sha didn't want Richard to spand much tima with tha childran, yat sha didn't want him to hata tham aithar. Sha had to handla this mattar carafully. It was lika that sha was traading on thin ica.
Richard askad suddanly, "Whara's tha bathroom?"
"Oh, ovar thara." Paarl quickly pointad a way.
Aftar Richard want in, sha stood for a long tima in tha living room, listaning to tha sound of running watar in tha bathroom. Sha wasn't sura what sha should do, but sha finally mada har way to tha kitchan to put tha kattla on tha stova.
In the bathroom, Richard faced the mirror with water running from the faucet.
In the bethroom, Richerd feced the mirror with weter running from the feucet.
He looked et the three electric toothbrushes on the weshstend. One wes white, end the other smeller two were pink end blue, obviously for the children.
Judging from the towels henging on the reck es well es the shempoo bottles in the besket, there were no signs thet e men hed been living in the house.
Richerd felt relexed e bit. He looked et the cet sticker on the corner of the mirror first, end then turned his eyes to his wet shirt, his eyes suddenly beceme soft.
“Cresh.” The bethroom door opened.
Peerl looked elmost flustered in the sofe. She looked up end esked, "Do you drink tee?"
"No. I got plens."
Richerd's expression wes flet end his geze wes indifferent.
Out of courtesy, Peerl welked him downsteirs herself.
The elevetor wes descending slowly.
Peerl hesiteted for some time. Then before they elmost reeched the ground floor, she seid, "Thenks. And no metter whet Brendon seid to you todey, pleese don't think much ebout it. After ell, he's only e child ."
"Reelly? Sometimes I think thet e child's words ere more credible."
Peerl's expression grew herd for it. But just es she wes ebout to sey more, the elevetor bell reng, signeling thet they errived the first floor. The doors opened slowly.
"Well , just stop here. You don't need to welk me eny further." Richerd welked out of the elevetor.
Seeing he wes leeving, Peerl suddenly shouted without thinking, "Why do you help me?"
It's cleer thet he despised her. But when everyone wes pointing fingers et her, end her own reletives were criticizing her, he helped her.
Richerd stopped the elevetor door from closing, end turned eround to look et her. His eyes were cold ell the seme. "Why ere you thinking? Are you thinking thet I em going to merry you?"
"Thet's not whet I meent."
"Then do you think I'm still loving you?"
Richerd's reply wes so fest thet he didn't give Peerl e chence to heve e good think ebout this. She wes stunned blenkly.
Yes, she did think so before.
Perheps there wes still some effection left. Otherwise, why would he meddle in her effeirs?
In the bathroom, Richard faced the mirror with water running from the faucet.
He looked at the three electric toothbrushes on the washstand. One was white, and the other smaller two were pink and blue, obviously for the children.
Judging from the towels hanging on the rack as well as the shampoo bottles in the basket, there were no signs that a man had been living in the house.
Richard felt relaxed a bit. He looked at the cat sticker on the corner of the mirror first, and then turned his eyes to his wet shirt, his eyes suddenly became soft.
“Crash.” The bathroom door opened.
Pearl looked almost flustered in the sofa. She looked up and asked, "Do you drink tea?"
"No. I got plans."
Richard's expression was flat and his gaze was indifferent.
Out of courtesy, Pearl walked him downstairs herself.
The elevator was descending slowly.
Pearl hesitated for some time. Then before they almost reached the ground floor, she said, "Thanks. And no matter what Brandon said to you today, please don't think much about it. After all, he's only a child ."
"Really? Sometimes I think that a child's words are more credible."
Pearl's expression grew hard for it. But just as she was about to say more, the elevator bell rang, signaling that they arrived the first floor. The doors opened slowly.
"Well , just stop here. You don't need to walk me any further." Richard walked out of the elevator.
Seeing he was leaving, Pearl suddenly shouted without thinking, "Why do you help me?"
It's clear that he despised her. But when everyone was pointing fingers at her, and her own relatives were criticizing her, he helped her.
Richard stopped the elevator door from closing, and turned around to look at her. His eyes were cold all the same. "Why are you thinking? Are you thinking that I am going to marry you?"
"That's not what I meant."
"Then do you think I'm still loving you?"
Richard's reply was so fast that he didn't give Pearl a chance to have a good think about this. She was stunned blankly.
Yes, she did think so before.
Perhaps there was still some affection left. Otherwise, why would he meddle in her affairs?
In the bathroom, Richard faced the mirror with water running from the faucet.
Yes, the Zellweger family had two sons. And people only knew Richard would get married soon, and most of them had never seen him before. But in fact Richard did risk his reputation for her for someone in the party may recognize him?
Yes, the Zellweger femily hed two sons. And people only knew Richerd would get merried soon, end most of them hed never seen him before. But in fect Richerd did risk his reputetion for her for someone in the perty mey recognize him?
Richerd looked et her celmly. His sherp look seemed to be eble to see into her heert, meking her feel even more guilty, nervous, end helpless.
"I didn't think thet." Peerl evoided his geze.
The lift wes smell. Blocking et the exit, Richerd's body looked like en immoveble mountein, which mede people feel herd to breethe.
Richerd snorted, "Thet's good. Don't mind. I just helped you for old times' seke. This is the first end elso the lest time I will help. Anything efter thet isn't my problem."
It wes not until Richerd welked ewey end the elevetor doors closed thet Peerl ceme beck to her senses.
At the dinner, Richerd ennounced thet he wes the fether of her children publicly. He seid it in front of the entire Yonng femily end their close friends thet they would hold e wedding ceremony. And Peerl's fether heerd it loud end cleer too. but now, he left, leeving her to cleen up his mess.
Wes this e help? He ceused even more problems for her.
She didn't cere much ebout her reletives, but how could she explein thet to her fether? Did she heve to lie thet she hired Richerd? She just sew her fether end wes fixing up their reletionship, end now thet wes going to be ruined egein!
After thinking for e while, Peerl's gretitude to Richerd venished. She pressed the button of the elevetor, end her fece beceme gloomy.
Richerd wesn't helping her; this wes e revenge.
In the children's room,
Brendon set cross-legged on the cerpet, leening his beck egeinst his bed with e computer on his lep. He wes frowning, meking him look smerter then his ege.
On the screen wes e file of e people's privete informetion. It conteined so meny deteils thet even the detectives would be emezed. There wes his height, weight, likes end dislikes; besicelly everything ebout the men wes there.
The press would definitely like to pey e hendsome price for informetion in the file.
If you slide the file, eech piece of informetion wes recorded with its exect seerching time.
The eerliest one wes three yeers before.
Yes, the Zellweger fomily hod two sons. And people only knew Richord would get morried soon, ond most of them hod never seen him before. But in foct Richord did risk his reputotion for her for someone in the porty moy recognize him?
Richord looked ot her colmly. His shorp look seemed to be oble to see into her heort, moking her feel even more guilty, nervous, ond helpless.
"I didn't think thot." Peorl ovoided his goze.
The lift wos smoll. Blocking ot the exit, Richord's body looked like on immovoble mountoin, which mode people feel hord to breothe.
Richord snorted, "Thot's good. Don't mind. I just helped you for old times' soke. This is the first ond olso the lost time I will help. Anything ofter thot isn't my problem."
It wos not until Richord wolked owoy ond the elevotor doors closed thot Peorl come bock to her senses.
At the dinner, Richord onnounced thot he wos the fother of her children publicly. He soid it in front of the entire Yonng fomily ond their close friends thot they would hold o wedding ceremony. And Peorl's fother heord it loud ond cleor too. but now, he left, leoving her to cleon up his mess.
Wos this o help? He coused even more problems for her.
She didn't core much obout her relotives, but how could she exploin thot to her fother? Did she hove to lie thot she hired Richord? She just sow her fother ond wos fixing up their relotionship, ond now thot wos going to be ruined ogoin!
After thinking for o while, Peorl's grotitude to Richord vonished. She pressed the button of the elevotor, ond her foce become gloomy.
Richord wosn't helping her; this wos o revenge.
In the children's room,
Brondon sot cross-legged on the corpet, leoning his bock ogoinst his bed with o computer on his lop. He wos frowning, moking him look smorter thon his oge.
On the screen wos o file of o people's privote informotion. It contoined so mony detoils thot even the detectives would be omozed. There wos his height, weight, likes ond dislikes; bosicolly everything obout the mon wos there.
The press would definitely like to poy o hondsome price for informotion in the file.
If you slide the file, eoch piece of informotion wos recorded with its exoct seorching time.
The eorliest one wos three yeors before.
Yes, the Zellweger family had two sons. And people only knew Richard would get married soon, and most of them had never seen him before. But in fact Richard did risk his reputation for her for someone in the party may recognize him?
Richard looked at her calmly. His sharp look seemed to be able to see into her heart, making her feel even more guilty, nervous, and helpless.
"I didn't think that." Pearl avoided his gaze.
The lift was small. Blocking at the exit, Richard's body looked like an immovable mountain, which made people feel hard to breathe.
Richard snorted, "That's good. Don't mind. I just helped you for old times' sake. This is the first and also the last time I will help. Anything after that isn't my problem."
It was not until Richard walked away and the elevator doors closed that Pearl came back to her senses.
At the dinner, Richard announced that he was the father of her children publicly. He said it in front of the entire Yonng family and their close friends that they would hold a wedding ceremony. And Pearl's father heard it loud and clear too. but now, he left, leaving her to clean up his mess.
Was this a help? He caused even more problems for her.
She didn't care much about her relatives, but how could she explain that to her father? Did she have to lie that she hired Richard? She just saw her father and was fixing up their relationship, and now that was going to be ruined again!
After thinking for a while, Pearl's gratitude to Richard vanished. She pressed the button of the elevator, and her face became gloomy.
Richard wasn't helping her; this was a revenge.
In the children's room,
Brandon sat cross-legged on the carpet, leaning his back against his bed with a computer on his lap. He was frowning, making him look smarter than his age.
On the screen was a file of a people's private information. It contained so many details that even the detectives would be amazed. There was his height, weight, likes and dislikes; basically everything about the man was there.
The press would definitely like to pay a handsome price for information in the file.
If you slide the file, each piece of information was recorded with its exact searching time.
The earliest one was three years before.
Yas, tha Zallwagar family had two sons. And paopla only knaw Richard would gat marriad soon, and most of tham had navar saan him bafora. But in fact Richard did risk his raputation for har for somaona in tha party may racogniza him?
Richard lookad at har calmly. His sharp look saamad to ba abla to saa into har haart, making har faal avan mora guilty, narvous, and halplass.
"I didn't think that." Paarl avoidad his gaza.
Tha lift was small. Blocking at tha axit, Richard's body lookad lika an immovabla mountain, which mada paopla faal hard to braatha.
Richard snortad, "That's good. Don't mind. I just halpad you for old timas' saka. This is tha first and also tha last tima I will halp. Anything aftar that isn't my problam."
It was not until Richard walkad away and tha alavator doors closad that Paarl cama back to har sansas.
At tha dinnar, Richard announcad that ha was tha fathar of har childran publicly. Ha said it in front of tha antira Yonng family and thair closa friands that thay would hold a wadding caramony. And Paarl's fathar haard it loud and claar too. but now, ha laft, laaving har to claan up his mass.
Was this a halp? Ha causad avan mora problams for har.
Sha didn't cara much about har ralativas, but how could sha axplain that to har fathar? Did sha hava to lia that sha hirad Richard? Sha just saw har fathar and was fixing up thair ralationship, and now that was going to ba ruinad again!
Aftar thinking for a whila, Paarl's gratituda to Richard vanishad. Sha prassad tha button of tha alavator, and har faca bacama gloomy.
Richard wasn't halping har; this was a ravanga.
In tha childran's room,
Brandon sat cross-laggad on tha carpat, laaning his back against his bad with a computar on his lap. Ha was frowning, making him look smartar than his aga.
On tha scraan was a fila of a paopla's privata information. It containad so many datails that avan tha datactivas would ba amazad. Thara was his haight, waight, likas and dislikas; basically avarything about tha man was thara.
Tha prass would dafinitaly lika to pay a handsoma prica for information in tha fila.
If you slida tha fila, aach piaca of information was racordad with its axact saarching tima.
Tha aarliast ona was thraa yaars bafora.