Chapter 20

Jerome looked at her.

He still liked her soft and gentle appearance, bright and white, very cute, which made him feel comfortable.

When she was angry, she was cold-hearted and determined, more so than him.

“Is your hand all better now?” Jerome asked with concern.

Angelia smiled apologetically, “Your medicine was very effective, so I didn’t want to return it to you. This is the one you gave me, so it’s mine now. It’s not stealing, right?”

Jerome smiled when he saw her smile and said, “It’s yours. Even if you return it to me, I’ll throw it in the trash can.”

Earlier, when they were at the coffee shop, he almost threw away the card she had returned to him.

Angelia poured the cherries into a bowl, soaked them in water, washed them one by one, and put them in a clean bowl.

Jerome ate one and felt it was really sweet, whether it was just a psychological effect or not.

“How is it? Is it delicious?” Angelia asked him.

Jerome nodded and said, “It’s delicious. No wonder your daughter said one cherry for one dollar, and she wants to pay me back in installments. She said I want a thousand dollars, and she’ll give me 1000 cherries a year. At her rate, it will take a thousand years to buy me, but I should be in the loess by then.”

Angelia didn’t expect Alyssa to tell him about this, and she smiled from the heart when she thought of Alyssa. “She talks nonsense all day, has wild ideas, you don’t have to pay attention to her.”

“I actually want to take it seriously,” he didn’t tell her that her daughter sold her ten dollars for buy one get one free.

“Huh?” Angelia didn’t understand the meaning of his words.

Jerome cleared his throat and changed the subject, “I called you the day before yesterday, and it was very late. You didn’t seem to be asleep yet. What were you busy with?””I am playing a game,” Angelia said as she washed cherries. “It’s called ‘Greedy Snake’, and there’s a bounty game that’s quite fun. The opponent is also a real person, and killing the snake earns gold coins.”

“Gold coins? Is it a game that requires real money to play?” Jerome asked.

“No, it’s fake, but the gold coins can be used to buy skins and other things. Actually, I think the biggest pleasure is killing the opponent’s snake and collecting gold coins. It’s a great stress-reliever when you’re feeling down or under pressure,” Angelia explained.

Jerome thought about it and said, “Then help me download it and let’s play together.”

He took out his phone, unlocked it, and handed it to Angelia.

Angelia wiped her hands and took Jerome’s phone. “Do you have QQ? I log in with QQ.”

“You have QQ?” Jerome was shocked. “The one from college?”

He remembered that they were both in the same class group and he had sent her a few messages, but she never replied. At the time, he was wondering how she could be so cold and had slept with him, but then ignored him.

Sometimes he would even think badly and wonder if she still wanted to sleep with him.

Anyway, he sent her a few text messages, which looked like group messages of blessings, but were actually copied and sent to her on purpose.

Angelia shook her head. “That QQ from college was hacked a long time ago because I didn’t use it. I didn’t bind my phone or anything, and I forgot the information I filled in. I can’t get the password back, so I changed to a new QQ. Can I add you later?”

Jerome understood, so he was careful and anxious at the time, full of expectations and disappointment, and it was all his own fault.

“Well, add me, or else how can we play the game together?” Jerome said strangely.

Angelia added him on QQ, helped him download the game, and added him as a game friend.”You are a new user, you need to play the single player mode until you reach 300 points.” Angelia handed him her phone.

“Okay.” Jerome turned around and sat on the couch, trying out the game.

After a while, Angelia finished washing the cherries.

He saw her from the corner of his eye and said, “Wait for me, I’m still in the beginner’s level. After this game, I should have enough coins to go to the intermediate level.”

“It’s okay, I’m still in the beginner’s level too. I keep going back and forth between the beginner’s level and the novice level,” Angelia said apologetically.

Jerome: “…”

He had a rough idea of her gaming level.

“Come in, beginner’s level.” Jerome said in a deep voice.

“Oh.” Angelia sat opposite him and entered the game together.

She found that Jerome played really well, agile, quick, with excellent direction and control.

In just over a minute, he had already earned over 30,000 coins, while she had a negative balance of 6,000. She couldn’t help but admire him, “Have you never played before?”

“No,” Jerome replied.

“Amazing.” This was the only game she had played for two years.

As they talked, Jerome earned over 50,000 coins.

Her little snake ran up to Jerome and opened the chat box, wanting to send a message saying “Well done”.

But several other snakes came over, distracting her, and she accidentally clicked on the “I love you” message above the “Well done” message.

Jerome saw it and his heart skipped a beat. He lost his focus, his hand stopped moving, and the snake died. All his coins were stolen by someone else.

“Ah, you died,” Angelia reminded him.

“What are you sending?” Jerome said in a deep voice, his face turning a strange shade of red, his heart beating faster.

It was only then that Angelia realized that she had sent “I love you”.

Suddenly, her face turned bright red.

“Um, that sentence is in the system, it’s in the lower left corner, in a square shape, like a message symbol. You can click on it to find it,” Angelia explained.”Um.” Jerome responded.

He killed several big and small snakes and earned 83,000 gold coins.

“Now eat a shield and follow me. When there are 2 seconds left until the end, I will hit the wall and you eat it then.” Jerome said.

Angelia was touched, “Jerome, you are really too good.”

She grabbed a shield and followed him.

“Ready.” Jerome said, intentionally hitting the wall.

Angelia immediately went to eat, too anxious, and also died on the wall, ending the game.

Jerome: “…”

Angelia: “…”

“You…” Jerome looked at Angelia.

She knew she had made a mistake and apologized, “You died too quickly, I was afraid I wouldn’t have time to eat.”

“So it’s my fault? You can even hit the wall like this?” He was speechless.

“It’s my fault, it’s my fault. I was too anxious. Shall we play another round?” She was not willing to lose and was honest. Seeing so many gold coins not eaten, she felt unhappy.

Jerome looked deeply at her, feeling helpless, “Give me your phone.”

Angelia knew he wanted to help her and immediately handed him her phone with a smile.

Jerome took her phone and handed her his own.

Angelia felt a strange warmth in her heart and warned him in advance, “I might lose.”

He felt that she would definitely lose, “Just play casually. I will win enough rounds for you to lose for a day.”

“I was actually okay when I was in the novice area. These junior players are too strong.” Angelia explained.

Junior players are too strong?

Jerome chuckled.

Angelia saw the game starting and quickly focused.

At first, no one had many points. He looked at the message icon in the lower left corner that Angelia mentioned and clicked on it.

There were indeed a few fixed lines inside.

The first sentence was “I love you.”

He clicked on “I love you” and inexplicably became nervous, looking for her small snake.She curled her little snake into a ball, looking pitifully at it.

He glanced at her, and she was rotating it attentively, watching carefully for other snakes to come and then running away.

He estimated that she didn’t see the words on his snake.

He clicked ‘I love you’ again, ran to her side, and curled up into a ball as well.

When Angelia saw him and the words on his snake, she deliberately ignored the strange feeling in her heart and said with a smile, ‘Where did you find it?’

Jerome responded with a deep ‘Hmm.’

She also clicked ‘You played well.’

Seeing that she didn’t seem to feel anything, Jerome felt a little disappointed and replied with a ‘Thank you.’

‘There are props, hurry up and grab them,’ Angelia reminded.

‘You find a safer place to curl up,’ Jerome said.

‘Don’t worry, I’m the best at this,’ she replied.

She curled up, ready to kill anyone who came near her.

He moved away from her, ate a lightning bolt, a shield, and a magnet, and in just two minutes, two other snakes died.

Three minutes later, it was over.

She looked at the statistics and saw that he had won over 118,000.

She exclaimed, ‘Wow, Jerome, you’re really, really, really good.’

He was very pleased with her praise and glanced at the time.

‘It’s getting late, let’s go eat.’

‘Eat?’ She hadn’t planned to eat with him.

‘I’m going to my grandmother’s house to eat later.’

Jerome said seriously, ‘It’s almost eleven o’clock now. You won’t get there until twelve-thirty. They’ve already eaten. Do you want them to reheat the food for you?’

Angelia thought about it and said, ‘Then let’s play a few more rounds. Three rounds will only take about ten minutes.’

Jerome looked at her expectantly, ‘Do you want to play or do you want me to earn coins for you?’Angelia smiled apologetically, “I always worry about losing all my coins when I play.”

“I’ll recharge your account later, how many coins do you need?”

“That wouldn’t be fun, and besides, coins can’t be recharged.”

“I understand. You watch me play, and I’ll earn extra coins for another snake.” Jerome said, and clicked on the “match” button.

If Whitfield knew that Jerome, who could earn billions in minutes, was helping Angelia play a boring game to earn virtual coins, he would probably pass out from anger.

Angelia tilted her head to watch Jerome play.

Watching him play gave her a satisfying feeling.

“I’m curious, how do you do it?” Angelia asked.

“I predict the opponent’s movement trajectory and habits, estimate their next move, calculate the required time, and use shields and lightning.” Jerome explained simply.

Angelina: “…”

If she could predict and anticipate, she wouldn’t have lost.

After three rounds, her coins accumulated to more than 520,000. She didn’t want to ask Jerome to play for her again and happily put her phone back in her bag.

“What do you want to eat later?” Jerome asked.

“Have you tried Indian food?” Angelia asked.

Jerome nodded, “I have two projects in India and stayed there for more than three months. Do you want to try Indian food?”

More than three months? Two projects, and he only used three months. How long would he stay in North Carolina?

Angelia’s mood sank, but she put on a smile and said, “There is a famous Indian restaurant on Yulong Street. I’ve been there before, and it’s not bad, but I don’t know if it’s authentic. I’d like to invite you to try it.”

“Save your meager salary to buy candy for your daughter. I’ll drive and show you the way.” Jerome said domineeringly.

“It was always you who paid before?” Angelia said apologetically.”If I feel guilty, I’ll come to your place and mooch off your food. Just don’t refuse to let me in,” Jerome said meaningfully as he walked towards the door.

Angelia laughed.

He would soon be leaving North Carolina, so even if he did mooch off her, how long could it last?

Yu Long Street is a food street in Detroit, with various snacks and specialty restaurants. It is usually crowded, and the underground parking lot is always full.

It was a little emptier on this Friday afternoon.

She parked the car and took the elevator with him.

Next to the elevator exit was a ten-Dollarstore.

Jerome glanced at it and saw a pile of jade for sale, with a sign that read “One fake, ten real.”

“Are those jades real?” Jerome asked in surprise.

Angelia smiled and pursed her lips. “Of course they’re fake. They’re made of jade powder, so they count as jade, right?”

“Do people not know that? Will anyone buy them?” Jerome was curious.

“No one buys them. Why sell them? They’re just for decoration, and they’re only ten dollars each, so they’re not expensive. Let’s go,” Angelia said as she walked ahead.

Jerome followed her slowly, with one hand in his pocket.

This is what the world is like, he thought.

He had never been to a place like this before.

A person wearing a white rabbit suit handed him a note and sweetly said, “I wish you and your girlfriend good health.”

Jerome didn’t know what it was and stood stiffly without taking it.

The girl stuffed the note into Jerome’s hand, perhaps because he looked handsome, and gave him a few more notes before shyly walking away.

Jerome looked at the notes in his hand. They were health promotion flyers, but each one had a small sealed bag attached, containing condoms…

Angelia looked back at Jerome, who was holding a pile of papers, and asked, “What is it?”Jerome stuffed all the paper into Angelia’s hands and said, “Take a look yourself.”

Angelia turned around and saw the family planning products on the paper, blushing and quickly stuffing it into her bag.

“You still want it?” Jerome raised his voice, disdainfully saying.

Angelia looked innocent and said, “Didn’t you give it to me?”

Her meaning was that he gave it to her, so she couldn’t just throw it away without his permission.

Maybe he needed it, so she put it in her bag and would deal with it later.

But saying this sounded like he gave it to her, so she had it with her, which was ambiguous.

She felt guilty and frustrated, and explained, “What I meant was, if you don’t want it, I’ll throw it away.”

Jerome looked strange and lowered his voice, “Do you want it?”

“Me…” How could she want it?

She didn’t even have anyone to use it with.

She felt embarrassed and uncomfortable, and flicked her hair in front of her forehead, “Well, you…”

She originally wanted to say that he and his girlfriend could use it, but then she thought that Jerome probably wouldn’t be interested in trial products found on the roadside, so she paused and didn’t ask further.

“What about me?” Jerome asked, looking at her intently.

“If you don’t want it, why did you take it?” Angelia walked ahead.

Jerome grabbed her hand and pulled her to his side, “It was given to me by that little bunny.”

Angelia smiled and pursed her lips, “That little bunny is a woman, isn’t it? Why didn’t she give it to me?”

Jerome frowned slightly, “Are you saying that if it was a man, he would give it to you, so you would want it?”

“The previous sentence was a joke. This is just an advertisement, like many advertisements made to look like fans and given out to people, it doesn’t mean anything.” Angelia explained.

“Then why are you blushing?” Angelia: “…”

“I…I’m hot. It’s June now, and it’s noon. Standing in the sun, I’m almost dried out. Let’s go eat.” Angelia walked ahead.He didn’t let go of her arm, didn’t want to let go, it’s nice to hold hands like this,” said the text in Chinese.

Angelia walked anxiously, not noticing that he was holding her hand.

The two passed by a shop with a large window, and their shadows were reflected on the window.

They looked like a couple deeply in love.

Jerome slowed down his pace, and Angelia was dragged along with him.

She turned around and asked, ‘What’s wrong? Are you tired?’

Jerome ignored her.

‘Are you really tired?’ Angelia asked in surprise.

‘Don’t you usually love exercising?’

‘I haven’t slept well for two nights, so naturally, I don’t have the energy to walk,’ Jerome said coldly.

‘Then let me carry you,’ she said sincerely, standing in front of him.

‘How can your small body carry me? Let’s go,’ he pulled her forward.

Five minutes later, they arrived at the entrance of an Indian restaurant.

Jerome glanced at the name of the restaurant, which had four large characters for “Indian Restaurant” and a translation of the meaning in Hindi and English below.

The name was simple and clear.

He chose a seat by the window and asked, ‘What are you going to name the supermarket?’

Angelia looked at him and hesitated.

She didn’t expect him to ask her to work at the game company on Monday and also open a supermarket for her.

‘What’s wrong?’ Jerome frowned.

‘Do you think I’m joking about opening a supermarket?’

Since he said it, it must not be a joke.

However, she thought that he wouldn’t open a supermarket for her after they had an argument.

It seemed that she had misjudged him.

‘I’ve been a bit lost these past few days, sorry. I’ll study the market and redo the business plan. Give me a week,’ Angelia said seriously.

‘Sign the contract first, I’m afraid you’ll be lazy again,’ Jerome said seriously too.

Angelia thought for a moment.

Jerome sneered, ‘Are you starting to be lazy now?'”No,” she just has a lot of worries and concerns, after all, she is competing with the Green family for business.

But since she has decided to do it, she doesn’t want to disappoint Jerome.

“Can we sign on Monday?”

“Hmm,” Jerome agreed.

The waiter came over with a water kettle and menu, and Angelia took the menu and flipped through it.

The waiter poured them barley tea.

“Um, I want bagi, milk tofu, rose milk ball, curry tomato stewed lamb, Indian smoked pomfret, curry chicken, and flying pancake. All of them are mildly spicy,” Angelia said to the waiter.

“Okay, what drinks would you like?” the waiter asked.

“I want ice sour lime, Jerome, what do you want?” Angelia handed the menu to Jerome.

Jerome didn’t take it.

“Same as you,” he said.

Angelia handed the menu back to the waiter and smiled, “Two glasses of ice sour lime.”

The waiter took the menu and left.

“The supermarket’s name is called My Home Supermarket, how about that?” Jerome asked.

“This supermarket’s name seems to already exist, it’s a small chain supermarket,” Angelia said.

“Then let’s call it Angelia’s Supermarket,” Jerome suggested.

Angelia laughed, “Why not call it Jerome’s Supermarket? You’re more famous than me. You’ve been on TV several times besides newspapers and magazines.”

“Then let’s call it Jerome and Angelia’s Supermarket,” Jerome said.

“Hahaha,” Angelia laughed out loud, “No one calls it that. We’re not a couple or siblings, it will make people think too much.”

Jerome’s gaze deepened. Could he say that this was the effect he wanted?

“Jerome Supermarket, or Angelia Supermarket,” he said.

Angelia shook her head, “I don’t think it’s good to use our names in the supermarket’s name.”

“Good fortune and harmony for a hundred years,” Jerome continued her sentence, smiling, “The meaning is good.” Could he and Angelia also have good fortune and harmony?

“I really like this name, let’s call it Jixiang. I’ll go register it with someone later,” Jerome said in a deep voice, picked up his glass, and took a sip of water.”If you want to register, you need to have a venue first,” Angelia reminded.

“I already bought one yesterday. After dinner, I’ll take you to see it,” Jerome said.

Angelia was really impressed by Jerome’s action-oriented and decisive personality, which were all top-notch.

The area around Street Road is considered a busy district with high prices. “How much did you buy per square meter?”

“There’s a new commercial building over there. I talked to the developer and they happened to be facing financial difficulties. I bought it all in my own name at an average price of 20,000 Dollar,” Jerome said.

“20,000 is not bad. The prices there are also around 20,000 Dollar. The new commercial building… you’re talking about Saks Fifth Avenue, right?” Angelia remembered that a large commercial street was going to open there, and rumors had been spreading since last year.

Jerome nodded.

Angelia: “…”

That place is supposedly the largest commercial center in Detroit, with over 60,000 square meters. Buying it all, not counting the small details, exceeds 1.2 billion Dollar!!

She knew Jerome was rich, but to casually come up with 1.2 billion Dollar, not many people had his courage.

She couldn’t help but worry. Actually, real estate isn’t doing very well this year, especially for shops. Many shops are still stuck in the hands of developers.

If Saks Fifth Avenue hadn’t been stuck, the developer wouldn’t have had trouble with funding.

“Other than the underground floor being used as a supermarket, are you planning to sell the other places?” Angelia asked.

Jerome smiled, somewhat incomprehensible to Angelia. “No, my team will come in next week. After all the luxury brands sign contracts with me, they will move in. The 15th and 16th floors will sell leftover takeout, excluding what I will use myself. There will also be 200 shops for rent, which my team is professional at handling.”

“I remember telling you that although there are many people on the street, they are all working class, so luxury brands may not sell as well as expected,” Angelia reminded.

“Do you know why many people in North Carolina go abroad to buy luxury goods? Or why some people go abroad just to buy luxury goods?”

“Because certain first-tier counters are not available domestically, and because prices are cheaper abroad,” Angelia said.

“If my luxury goods meet these two needs, not only will people from Detroit come to buy, but people from other provinces and cities will also come, because it is convenient to come and go without leaving the country,” Jerome said confidently.

Angelia thought about it and realized that Jerome had an advantage in obtaining exclusive rights that others could not get.

“Well, I hope your business flourishes. I’ll toast you with tea instead of wine,” Angelia raised her cup.

Jerome also raised his cup and clinked it with hers, “One-fifth of the supermarket is reserved for imported goods, and these goods are not more expensive than those abroad. Do you have confidence in running a supermarket now?”

Angelia really thought Jerome was amazing. His connections, his courage, his determination, and his business ability were unmatched.

Not to mention confidence, she was determined.

“Nowadays, many people buy imported food and utensils, and in the past, many people went to Japan to buy toilet seat covers. If we can get affordable goods, business will definitely be good. We don’t have to worry about foot traffic. I’ll think of more plans when I go back,” she said.

“Even if it’s domestically produced, we’ll sell at a low profit margin and aim to attract 80% of the surrounding ordinary people first. The space I gave you is twice as big as Green Family Supermarket, and there are three times as many cash registers,” Jerome said.

“Will selling below market price violate any regulations?” Angelia worried.”Who made you lower than market price? Some products can be sold at a discount, and the discounted items are constantly changing. Plus, there are discounts on recharge cards, which can attract a lot of traffic. After you go back, you can make a detailed plan for me,” Jerome suggested.

Angelia feels like she’s going to be very powerful. If she makes money, she can pay back the money she owes Jerome in advance and take Alyssa on a trip abroad. The little guy is envious of others who have been abroad.

“Yesterday, Alyssa told me that she has never been on a plane, and in the future, I will take her to France to visit you,” Angelia said with a smile.

In the future, visits will be occasional, and it is not known whether there will be one in a year. His existence is not planned in her life.

“Are you so eager for me to leave?” Jerome’s eyes darkened and he asked.

“That’s not what I mean. You said you were leaving in a month last time.” Saying this, Angelia had a strange feeling in her heart.

In fact, when Jerome left with the girl she didn’t know in the hotel last time, she understood it in her heart. Jerome will leave one day, return to his own kingdom, get married, and have children with his wife. She and him are originally worlds apart, even if he treats her well, it’s just a fleeting moment.

Last time, the feeling of being left behind when she watched him leave with another girl was too bad, like a needle deeply pierced into her heart. She was afraid and never wanted to experience it again. While her emotions were not deep, the time of pain would not be long, and she could still get away. She shouldn’t overthink, shouldn’t disturb herself, and can’t have different feelings for him anymore.

She was afraid that Jerome would see her true thoughts, “I’ll go to the bathroom first.”She went to the bathroom, turned on the faucet, washed her hands, and adjusted her mood.

Angelia’s father came out of the bathroom, saw Angelia, frowned, and sternly said, “You really came back. Ariel wasn’t wrong. Did you destroy the relationship between Neville and Lillian?”

Angelia turned around and looked at her father.

In the future, she will open a supermarket on the street, and they will meet eventually.

She calmly took a tissue and wiped her hands. “Did Ariel say that?”

“Is Ariel your name? Can’t you call someone? The older you get, the more impolite you become!” Anglia’s father said unhappily.

Angelia remained cold-faced.

Five years ago, her grandmother had a heart attack due to Lillian’s anger, and she needed emergency treatment. The situation was very bad, so she gave up her dignity and face and went back to borrow money from Angelia’s father.

He told her that her name had been removed from the household registration, and from then on, life and death were not related to him. He kicked her out of the Green family.

Later, Sammie wanted to marry her and needed a household registration. So, she was registered in a small village.

“As for politeness…” Angelia smiled bitterly, “it needs to be shown to people. Some things are not considered human in my eyes.” “What things?” Anglia’s father became angry, “In my eyes, you are not human. Five years ago, you caused your sister to miscarry, and now you are trying to seduce Neville. Can’t you find a man for yourself? You only have ideas for your sister.”

Compared to Anglia’s father’s anger, Angelia was still very calm.

Perhaps, the five years had already made her heart cold towards the people of the Green family. She said coldly, “Did Neville not tell you the truth? Was it me who caused her miscarriage, or did she deliberately fall down the stairs herself?”

“You shouldn’t be jealous of your sister. Even if you didn’t have a sister, Neville’s parents wouldn’t have agreed to you marrying into the Johnson family because of what you did. Don’t blame your sister for everything just because you can’t have what you want. You’re just like your mother, shameless!” Angelia’s father said with disgust.

“It’s because you cheated with Ariel outside,” Angelia reminded him.

“Your mother was…” Angelia’s father almost blurted out, but stopped himself.

“She was what?” Angelia narrowed her eyes suspiciously and asked.

“Your mother died because of her own ignorance. It’s normal for men to socialize outside and have affairs. She shouldn’t have caused such a fuss. Anyone would find her annoying,” Angelia’s father said irritably.

“You had a child with Ariel outside. Is that considered normal socializing?” Angelia was starting to lose her composure.

“Don’t be like your mother, always trying to argue. It’s annoying. You shouldn’t have come back to Detroit,” Angelia’s father said through gritted teeth.

“Detroit isn’t your home. Why can’t I come back?” Angeliareplied calmly.

“You came back for money, didn’t you? How much do you want to leave your sister alone and stop seducing Neville?” Angelia’s father questioned.

“Since Neville started dating Lillian, I haven’t been interested in him. I don’t have the intention of seducing him. As for Lillian, you tell her not to provoke me again, or I don’t know what I’ll do,” Angelia said with indifference.

“Do you really sound like a human being? What else do you want to do?” Angelia’s father frowned, his eyes widened with warning.Angelia is very angry, “What I said was not something that a person wouldn’t say, what part of it didn’t you understand!”

Angelia’s father slapped her in the face.

Angelia was unprepared and couldn’t dodge it, so the slap landed on her face.

The force was too strong and she couldn’t stand, leaning against the wall.

Angelia’s father was not satisfied and pointed at her and cursed, “I see you’re looking for trouble. If you dare to bother Lillian again and get involved with Neville again, I’ll hit you every time I see you.”

Angelia clenched her fist and sharply retorted, “This slap cancels out all the favors I owe you. If you dare to hit me again, I will definitely report you to the police. You hit me once, I’ll report you once.”

“What? You dare to report me?” Angelia’s father came at her again.

Angelia didn’t even try to dodge, staring at him without blinking.

Jerome grabbed Angelia’s father’s arm and looked at Angelia, “Are you stupid? You’re so fierce when you’re facing me, but you won’t even dodge when he hits you?”

Angelia’s heart was a little moist and rippling.

She did not want to dodge, but couldn’t dodge.

Since she couldn’t dodge, she didn’t want to.

Angelia’s father was even angrier when someone came to stop him, “Who are you! Where did this yellow-haired boy come from?”

“I’m Jerome, and she’s not someone you can hit,” Jerome said coldly.

“What do you mean, I can’t hit my own daughter?” Angelia’s father said righteously.

Jerome shook off his hand, “Since the day you deliberately framed her and kicked her out, you are no longer worthy of being her father.”

“I didn’t falsely accuse her! Did she tell you that? When have I ever falsely accused her? You ungrateful child!” Anglia’s father pointed at her, furious.

“When you were young, you seemed so well-behaved, but now you’ve become this kind of person. When have I ever falsely accused you? You even laid your hands on your own sister. Are you even human? And now you’re inciting people who don’t know the truth to come after me. You’re worse than your mother.”

Jerome pulled Anglia behind him, blocking her father’s view. “You’re accusing your daughter in front of outsiders like this. That’s not something a decent person would do.”

“Who are you? This is a matter for the Green family to handle. Get lost,” Anglia’s father cursed.

Anglia gritted her teeth and walked out from behind Jerome, standing next to him. “Mr. Green, if I remember correctly, you removed me from the family register a long time ago. Since I’m not your daughter anymore, your family matters should stay within your family. There are no Green family members here.”

“Fine. Remember what you said today, Anglia. Don’t come asking me for a single penny in the future. I won’t give you a single penny,” Anglia’s father stormed out of the Indian restaurant without even eating.

Jerome looked at her, turning her face to see the three red finger marks on her cheek. His eyes were filled with pity and reluctance as he lightly touched her face. “Don’t just stand there and let people hit you. If they had any mercy, they wouldn’t have hit you.”

Anglia nodded, looking at his hand on her face.

His hand was thick and solid, and it felt itchy and comfortable on her face.

She had decided to keep her emotions in check and not think too much about him.

She stepped back to the side.

Jerome looked at the waiter. “Do you have disposable ice towels here? If not, do you have ice?”I have some, I’ll bring it now,” Jerome pulled her to sit next to him on the couch.

Angelia felt uncomfortable being so close to him. “Um…”

“You make it hard for me to leave, if you want me to stay, I can stay,” Jerome interrupted her, looking at her intently.

Angelia’s heart was beating very fast, not just because she was moved, but also because of the emotional turmoil inside her.

She wanted him to stay, but what would happen after he left? Fish swim in water, birds fly in the sky, and Jerome will eventually return to his kingdom.

A brief stay gives temporary comfort, but afterwards, it will feel even colder without Jerome. What will she do then?

Angelia forced a smile and concealed her sadness, saying, “I won’t let them bully me anymore. I was actually very fierce just now, even my dad was angry with me, right?”

Jerome’s eyes gradually turned cold, even his emotions became distant and disappointed, even despairing.

She didn’t even want him to stay, and he didn’t expect her to have anything else for him.

“You do make people feel at ease,” Jerome said sarcastically.

It sounded like a compliment, but it made Angelia uncomfortable. She lowered her head and hid her true feelings.

The waiter brought a cold towel and Jerome gently pressed it against her face, creating a strong contrast between his gentleness and the coldness of the towel, producing more subtle and delicate emotional changes within her.She has not yet calmed down from the palpitations just now, there is something even stronger.

She felt anxious, took the towel from his hand, pressed it against her face, and changed the subject, asking, “The medicine you gave me last time, I brought it with me, can I apply it?”

“Hmm,” Jerome responded.

The waiter brought the food over.

She took the opportunity to stand up, sat opposite him, and said cheerfully, “I will definitely be fine later. Let’s eat. I’m hungry.”

Jerome noticed her little actions. Does she really reject him so much that she doesn’t even want to sit together?

Angelia felt uncomfortable under his gaze and said with a smile, “Try it, is it delicious and authentic?”

Jerome casually took a bite of the curry chicken and said indifferently, “Better than in India.”

Angelia laughed, “It seems that the most authentic is not the most delicious. The improved and adapted to local tastes is the most suitable.”

Jerome did not reply. The atmosphere was a bit strange, even more awkward than silence.

Angelia deliberately changed the subject and asked, “Besides India, which other countries have you been to?”

“Starting from childhood, I have been to more than 100 countries, invested in 32 countries, and involved in more than a dozen fields. What’s the point of asking these?” he said formulaically.

“Oh, just asking casually,” Angelia explained, and the atmosphere became even colder.

Jerome also stopped eating, put down his chopsticks, leaned back in his chair, and looked out the window with a cold face.

Angelia remembered the thing he said about not sleeping much for two days, “You can leave first, you don’t have to wait for me, it’s okay.”

“Eat your food, and after that, I’ll take you to see the house,” Jerome lazily said.

“It’s okay not to see it. I’ve been to Saks Fifth Avenue before. I know that area,” Angelia replied.

Jerome propped his forehead and looked at her with drooping eyes, “Then, after eating, I’ll take you back.”Angelia noticed that Jerome looked very tired and said, “It’s okay, you should go back and rest early. I’ll take the minibus back later, it’s very convenient. The minibus stops at the entrance of the village, and I don’t even need to walk for ten minutes to get back.”

Jerome got angry and frowned, “You keep saying no to everything, what do you want? I said I would take you back, is it more comfortable for me to take you back or for you to take the bus?”

Angelia realized that Jerome was angry and said, “Driving is tiring, and you’re already so tired. It’s not safe to drive when you’re fatigued.”

“I promise I can safely take you home. I will do what I say,” Jerome said firmly.

“I’m not worried about your driving skills, but you’ve been rushing around for three hours. You can rest well during those three hours,” explained Angelia.

Jerome looked at her intently, and his attitude softened a bit. “So, you care about me?”

“Forget it, I won’t go back. You eat some more, and I’ll pack the food. We can go back to the dormitory together, and I’ll make a few more dishes later. Can we do that?” Angelia asked kindly.

Jerome stared at her, his gaze as deep as the ocean. The one who knew his opponents well in the mall and judged his opponents accurately in the game couldn’t figure out Angelia’s thoughts at all. Does she have feelings for him, or is she just being casual?

“That’s fine,” he picked up his chopsticks again and ate some more.

After dinner, they went back together. Angelia drove the car and parked it in the garage, looking at Jerome. He seemed to have fallen asleep, and even when the car stopped, he didn’t wake up. He leaned against the chair, his body still straight, born with a diamond key and received the most formal upper-class education, his temperament and demeanor all exuded noble dignity. Even his sleeping posture was so…bewildering…

She gently pushed him, “Jerome, we’re here.”

He didn’t wake up.She pushed him again, “Jerome, it’s uncomfortable to sleep like this. Sleep when we get to the bed later.” Jerome took a deep breath, his eyes still closed, and grabbed Angelia’s impulsive hand, holding it in his palm. He whispered, “Angelia, don’t be silly, let me sleep a little longer.”

“Sleeping in the car is bad for your neck and can easily cause a cold. Hold on a little longer until we get home,” Angelia continued to persuade him.

He opened his eyes and looked at her, his eyes full of bloodshot veins. Angelia felt sorry for him and said, “Don’t stay up late in the future. Your body won’t be able to take it. Rest well, and you’ll have more energy.”

“You talk too much,” Jerome frowned.

Angelia pursed her lips and stopped talking.

He knew he had said too much. If he didn’t sleep well, he would have a headache, and even his mood would be very bad. He reached out, four fingers inserted into Angelia’s hair, grabbed the back of her head, pulled her to his side, lowered his head, and kissed her lips.

Angelia paused, not moving, her eyebrows slightly furrowed, her thoughts colliding in her mind. Before, Neville had touched her lips, but she was very repulsed and didn’t want to be touched by Neville at all. But him…

She could deceive others, but not herself. She didn’t reject his kiss, and rationality and emotions were in a fierce struggle.

She knew it was not right, but her body was so weak that she had no strength at all. She wanted to retreat, but her head was pressed by him, and she couldn’t move back.

She couldn’t bite him, and she didn’t want to. She felt hotter and hotter, and her nose was covered in dense sweat.

He slowly let go of her, his eyes blurred, and he murmured, “Coward.”

“What?””In my dreams, I dare to do things, but in reality, I don’t dare. Don’t you like me?” Jerome said intermittently, recalling her words after she got drunk that day.

Angelia found these words familiar, but her mind was unclear, perhaps due to lack of oxygen.

He closed his eyes again. “I’ll sleep a little longer.”

“You should go to your room to sleep. Sleeping in the car is not good for your health,” Angelia pushed him.

“I know.” Jerome reluctantly opened his eyes again and got out of the car.

Angelia also got out of the car, locked the door, and handed him the car key.

He held her hand directly and said in a low voice, “My head hurts a lot now. I don’t want to talk or explain. I will let go of you when we get on the elevator.”

Angelia knew he was afraid she would fall, with no clothes to change into and no struggle.

When they got on the elevator, he let go of her and went back to his room. He took off his coat and casually draped it on the sofa. “I’ll sleep for a while. When I wake up, I’ll take you back. You be good.”

“You should rest.” Angelia urged him.

Jerome went back to his room.

Angelia was about to go back to her dormitory across the hall when Jerome’s phone rang. She was worried it might be an important call, so she took the phone out of Jerome’s pocket.

It was a text message from someone named Adela. She could only see the first few words: “My dear, do you miss me? Come early tomorrow. Love you, remember to bring a change of clothes, I…”

Angelia’s heart trembled, and a heavy feeling rushed into her heart from all directions.

She didn’t want to sort it out, but she was also afraid of clarity. She immediately put the phone back in Jerome’s pocket. Since it wasn’t an emergency call, he should see it when he wakes up.

The sourness in her heart grew stronger, as did the feeling of chest tightness.

She took a deep breath and another deep breath, walked out of Jerome’s room, closed the door, took another deep breath, and the sourness in her heart did not ease.”Angelia, do you really like Jerome?” she muttered, frowning and tapping her head heavily. “Wake up, it’s not possible between you two!”

She didn’t want to wait for Jerome to send her off. He had a lot going on, so she sent him a text message on her phone, “I’m going back, see you on Monday.”

On the way, she received a strange phone call.

“Angelia, do you remember me? The last time you saved Mrs. Fisher senior in Taolin.”

Angelia remembered and politely said, “Hello, grandma.”

“Remember to come to The Oasis tomorrow. I’ll send the address and sign to your phone. You must come, otherwise I’ll lose my longevity,” Mrs. Fisher senior said with a smile.

Angelia had forgotten about this matter. Mrs. Fisher senior invited her, and she couldn’t refuse. “Okay, I’ll come. I wish you a long and healthy life, grandma.”

“No need to bring gifts, just come. Oh, bring a change of clothes. My birthday banquet is for two days. I’ve invited Huangmei opera and some celebrities to sing,” Mrs. Fisher senior said happily.

“Is it on Saturday and Sunday?” Angelia hesitated. She still had to work on her plan.

“Just eat, and the rest of the time is free. There’s singing and swimming in The Oasis. If you don’t want to go, you can rest in your room.” Mrs. Fisher senior said warmly.

“I understand.”

After all, it was Mrs. Fisher senior’s birthday, so Angelia bought a birthday peach as a gift.

The Oasis is located in the suburbs of Columbia, a large estate that looks quite elegant with its ancient architecture.

She took her things and registered her birthday gift at the front desk. They handed her a room card and respectfully and politely said, “This is your room card. The guest room is on the third floor of The Purple Plum. You’ll have dinner at table 6 in the Listening to Rain Building at 12:08. After entering The Purple Plum, someone will take you there.”

“Thank you,” Angelia said politely, thinking that Mrs. Fisher senior’s birthday was quite elaborate.

She had thought it was just an ordinary countryside, but apparently it was not.

She entered The Oasis and a beautiful receptionist escorted Angelia to a sightseeing car.

There were a man and a woman accompanying her whom Angelia did not know.

There was a small river, a bridge, and some lush greenery separating them.

Angelia got off the car, but the two people did not and looked at her strangely.

“Who is she? Why is she staying here?” the girl asked.

“Many of Mrs. Fisher senior’s relatives are powerful, so she could be the child of some powerful person,” the boy said.

“Her dressing taste doesn’t seem like it. Her clothes, bags, and even jewelry are not designer brands,” the girl replied. “Maybe she’s a staff member here.”

Angelia thought to herself, “It seems that Mrs. Fisher senior is indeed not an ordinary person.” She went to room 306 which was very nice.

In addition to a large TV, a round bed, a desk, a sofa, and a shower, there was also a large double bathtub on the steps.

She checked the time and saw that it was still early, so she brought her computer and continued to research and work on her proposal, and even chatted with some food-related micro-businesses.

Jerome sent his contact information without any text, just five angry emoticons in a row.

Angelia smiled and said, “You’re awake now?”

“Intentionally not informing me beforehand, do you think I’m easy to fool?” Jerome replied.

“Anyway, I had nothing to do, and the key is that I didn’t bring my computer, so it’s not convenient to work. I redid the proposal and will send it to you now.”

“No rush, I’m busy today. Show me on Monday.”

“Okay, I added a few micro-businesses and am inquiring about the source and prices. I’ll send you the price list on Monday.”

“No need, we’ll get the goods directly from the manufacturer. I’ll talk to you in detail on Monday after work. That’s it for now, I’m busy here.”

“Okay.”

Angelia sent a word over, but Jerome did not reply.Since we don’t need to work on the pricing for now, the supermarket planning proposal has come to a temporary end.

As for the gaming part, she is even less familiar with it.

She wrote down some rough ideas and organized them into a document, which she sent to Jerome’s QQ mailbox.

After finishing everything, she saw that it was already 11:30 and decided to go out for a walk.

The leisure center was quite large, and there were many people there, probably because of Mrs. Fisher senior’s birthday banquet.

She saw swans in the lake from afar and walked to the bridge to watch.

Two elderly people were sitting on chairs next to her, chatting.

“Mrs. Fisher senior’s grandson-in-law is so handsome, is he a movie star? I think I saw him on TV.”

“No, he seems to be Adela’s classmate, who grew up together since childhood. They are childhood sweethearts. I heard that both of them settled in France, and we will probably be drinking their wedding wine soon.”

“Maybe we can drink their baby’s full moon wine next year. They seemed to be inseparable in high school. Did they start dating back then?”

A fifteen or sixteen-year-old girl walked over, “Grandma, Jerome is not Adela’s sister’s classmate. He is a businessman, the world’s richest man, very powerful.”

When Angelia heard Jerome’s name, her heart skipped a beat, and her soul seemed to be hit by something, feeling a bit dazed.

She turned to look at the little girl.

The little girl noticed Angelia’s gaze and asked, “What’s wrong, sister?”

Angelia realized that she had been impolite and shook her head apologetically, retracting her gaze and looking at the lake, but she couldn’t concentrate.

Is Jerome going to marry Adela?

Adela…

She remembered, no wonder the name sounded familiar.

Yesterday, this girl sent a message to Jerome.

She has a child, and it was never possible between her and Jerome.

Jerome will eventually marry someone else…

However, there was a heavy, painful feeling in her heart, making her breath feel thin.She couldn’t help but smile bitterly, with a hint of self-mockery.

She was not sad about anything, she didn’t even have a position to be sad from.

No matter how outstanding Jerome was, he was still someone else’s.

“Let’s go, let’s go, it’s time for dinner,” the two old people left hand in hand.

Angelia stood firmly on the bridge, trying to calm the pain in her heart.

“Sister, aren’t you going to eat?” the little girl asked.

“Uh, I’m going,” Angelia replied and followed them to the Rain Tower.

The receptionist said she was sitting at table number six.

She searched for the table number and suddenly stopped.

She saw Jerome standing not far away, wearing a black suit, elegant and charming, holding a wine glass in his hand, shining brightly.

And that girl, the one Jerome took away from the hotel last time, was wearing a pink sequined mini skirt, intimately hugging Jerome’s arm, snuggling up to him.

With a charming smile, she coquettishly said to Jerome, “If you keep this up, you won’t be sleeping in the same room tonight. Grandma, make him sleep in the bushes.”

“You child, do you always bully your boyfriend like this? I think Jerome is great, you should put away your temper and live a good life,” Mrs. Fisher senior laughed uncontrollably.

“My temper is all indulged by Jerome, no matter how bad it is, he likes it, right?” Adela looked at Jerome.

Jerome concealed his emotions, looked at Adela’s pleading eyes, and casually said, “No matter how bad your temper is, it’s still Adela, you dug the hole yourself, and you have to fill it yourself.”

“Why are you so annoying, treating me like a hole,” Adela heard Jerome’s teasing and deliberately pouted and hit him.Mrs. Fisher senior looked happier and said, “Forget it, forget it. As the saying goes, there is a place for everyone in the world. You two go to France and live a good life. Don’t argue with each other. Be patient and work it out together.”

“I understand, grandma,” Adela said as she pulled Jerome to sit down. Angelia avoided eye contact, trying not to overthink things. She took a deep breath, looked around, and continued to look for table number six.

She noticed that table six seemed to be Jerome’s table. She frowned and didn’t want to sit with him.

Mrs. Fisher senior saw Angelia and waved happily, shouting, “Angelia, over here, over here.”

Jerome’s body stiffened as he turned around and saw Angelia frowning. He was worried.

Angelina deliberately avoided Jerome’s gaze and walked over to Mrs. Fisher senior, saying, “Grandma, happy birthday. I wish you a long life.”

“Good, you’re here. Sit down quickly,” Mrs. Fisher senior patted the seat next to her.

Adela looked at Angelia in surprise and asked Mrs. Fisher senior, “Grandma, do you know her?”

“Isn’t that obvious? Why else would I invite her? She is my lifesaver. If it weren’t for her, you wouldn’t be eating at my birthday banquet, but at a funeral,” Mrs. Fisher senior said.

“Mom, today is your birthday. Don’t talk about such unlucky things,” Adela’s mother immediately interrupted.

“Why hasn’t Walter come back yet?” Mrs. Fisher senior held Angelia’s hand and looked outside.

“Walter has something to do in the army. He said he’ll be back later,” Adela’s mother comforted her.

“He’s not a kid anymore. Doesn’t he know what’s important? Let him take a look at Angelia. I really like this girl,” Mrs. Fisher senior hinted, looking satisfied with Angelia.

Angelina realized that Mrs. Fisher senior called her over to introduce her grandson to her.

Jerome slumped his head and looked at Angelia, “Why didn’t you bring your child? It’s the weekend today, she shouldn’t be in school, right?”

“Child?” Mrs. Fisher senior was shocked and looked at Angelia, “Do you have a child?”

Angelina nodded, “I got married early. My child is four years old now.”