Chapter 285 - Obvious 1

When Jaquan arrived at the Lotus Tea Manor, it was already dark.

He parked his car and took the bag of medicine from the back seat. Halfway, he realized that he forgot the fish. He turned around to get it. Then he stood at the door and thought for a while before knocking on it.

Sydnee was not here recently, but she hired two servants. One was responsible for cooking and the other cleaning up the house. As the former servant was sick, she hired younger ones. In their forties and having children, they were dexterous and diligent.

Just as the cooking servant brought the dishes to the room, she heard the bell and came to open the door.

Jaquan thought it was Emma. He almost blurted out the opening line that took him a long time to prepare. At sight of the middle-aged servant standing behind the door, he swallowed his words back.

"Hello, are you here to stay the night?" the servant asked with a smile.

Jaquan hesitated and didn't nod. The servant studied his expression and asked, "Are you looking for someone?"

Jaquan was stunned and then gave a stilted nod.

The servant smiled. She just thought that he was looking for his girlfriend. Feeling his embarrassment, she smiled kindly and said, "Come in."

Jaquan walked in.

Stony was practicing outside. Cross-legged and his eyes closed, he sat on a stone. When he smelled a familiar perfume, his eyes opened and he cried out in delight, "Mr. Jaquan!"

Jaquan's heart melted. He walked over and touched the boy's head. "It's getting dark. Why are you sitting here alone?"

When the cooking servant found they knew each other, she assumed that Jaquan came for Emma. However,... Emma said that her husband was probably abroad. The servant sized him up. He was wearing casual clothes and the watch on his wrist was expensive. And she could tell form his temperament that he was rich. Why would he come all the way to the countryside for Emma?

She scrutinized him again, suddenly alternated her gaze between Stony and him. After a while, she came to realize that they were family.

She smiled and left. Now that Jaquan wasn't a guest, there was no need for her to entertain him.

Stony replied with a smile, "I'm practicing." When he saw Jaquan holding something in his hand, he asked, "Mr. Jaquan, what's in your hand?"

When Jaquan was about to speak, he raised his head and saw Emma from the crescent-shaped door. She was wearing an apron and had a faint smile on her face. Seeing Jaquan standing outside, she paused and a trace of surprise crossed her face.

In the midnight, servants would hang a lantern at the entrance of the tea house and behind the door. The lantern by the door illuminated a tiny space. Under the dim yellow light, Emma's eyes softened.

Without waiting for Emma to speak, Jaquan coughed softly and said, "My mother has been worried about you. She asked me to check on you and bring you the fish."

He handed over the bucket in his hand. When he remembered the injury on her shoulder, he withdrew his hand. "I'll carry it into the kitchen."

Before Emma said something, he walked straight in.

Emma and Stony followed behind. The lights in the kitchen were still on. Emma just finished cooking. There were two small wooden barrels on the table. Inside were egg fried rice, mixed with corn, carrots, sausage and pickled vegetables. Above them was a heart-shaped fried egg.

Jaquan smelled the aroma, the moment he entered. As soon as he put down the fish, he saw Emma following behind him. Not knowing what to say, he pointed to a few sausages hanging on the side and asked, "What is this?"

"Last time, I had it at the lodgings and it tasted good, so I learned to make it." Emma put the fish under the sink and wanted to clean it up later.

To her surprise, Jaquan said, "I like it too."

Emma paused for a moment without turning her head or responding.

"My mother might also like it." Jaquan added. Seeing that cherry hairpin on Emma's hair, he felt a little satisfied and happy.

Emma checked the fish one by one and found that it was caught by the hook. She put it down and turned on the tap to wash her hands. With her back to him, she said, "There are sausages in the supermarkets over there."

Jaquan asked straightforwardly, "Can't you give me some?"

Emma wiped her hands with a towel, then turned to look at him and said, "I don't want to."

"Why?" Jaquan stared blankly at her face. He didn't know why this plain could arouse his emotions easily.

Emma pondered for a moment and said seriously, "Gifts carry the giver's love for the recipient. I don't want you feel that way. My life is pretty good now."

This was the longest conversation she had with him since they had known each other for so long, but what she meant was simple.

She was rejecting him.

Jaquan recalled Emma's words that day somehow.

She said, "Not everyone can marry me."

This shattered that tiny bit of satisfaction and happiness he had just now. The corner of his mouth twitched. "I just feel that it's not easy for a single mother to take care of a child, so you want to help you. Don't get me wrong."

Emma said indifferently, "Thank you for your concern."

"..."

"Mom, can we eat now? I'm hungry." Stony poked its head form the door.

"Sure." Emma's face softened. She picked up the two barrels on the table and walked out.

Stony came in and took two spoons. Before he left, he saw Jaquan standing there with a sullen face and asked, "Mr. Jaquan, do you want to join us?"

"No." Jaquan looked down and walked out. "I'm going back."

Stony followed Jaquan out and shouted to Emma inside, "Mom, Mr. Jaquan is leaving!"

When Emma just brought the meal in, she heard this, without blinking an eye. Then she turned around and looked over flatly, as if Jaquan's return was no surprise, and it was not worth making a fuss about.

Jaquan felt a surge of anger for some reason. He took a few steps and almost reached the crescent-shaped door. When he turned around, he saw only Stony chasing after him. Emma didn't follow.

He got furious, turned around and walked back in. In front of Emma, he took out the bag of medicine from his pocket and threw it on the table.

"Don't thank me!" With that, he turned around and left.

He strode out without looking back. His gait was resolute. When he got in the car and found no one after him, his head drooped in frustration. With his head on the steering wheel, he sighed.

Suddenly his phone rang. In a daze, he took a while to answer it.. It was Arabella.