Finally, she calmed down. There was no anger on her face now, only coldness. “Now that you’ve come back, we need to put the marriage of you and Tzuyu on the agenda quickly. I’ve chosen a good date for you. The 30th of next month is a good day and the Chou Family has also agreed to it. The wedding company will prepare, so all you have to do is show up.”
“Mom.” Lisa remained in the same upright sitting position. He turned only his head toward Son Ye-Jin. “I forgot to tell you, I am already married,” he said.
Son Ye-Jin’s expression changed again. She glared at Lisa while trying to hold back her rage.
“If you are talking about the illegitimate daughter of unknown origin from Lin City, forget it. I deny it. I will only recognize Tzuyu as my daughter-in-law.”
“Mom, you seem to be mistaken about something. Jennie and I have already registered our marriage; we are a lawful couple. If you want me to marry Tzuyu, you are asking me to commit bigamy, aren’t you?”
“You can still get divorced.” Son Ye-Jin sounded very decisive. “She is an ignorant woman, so all she wants is nmoney. Just send her away with money.”
Lisa’s face changed. He wanted to speak, but Son Ye-Jin didn’t give him a chance to.
“I’ll give you half a month to break up with that woman. Whatever she wants, the Manoban Family will give her. After half a month, you will return to Rong City and prepare for your wedding with Tzuyu,” She said decisively. Hong-Pa and Hyun-Bin only acted as her audience.
Lisa nodded and looked at Son Ye-Jin with a light smile. “What if I say no?”
“Lisa, are you deliberately opposing me?”
“How could I deliberately oppose you?” Lisa shrugged. “It’s just that I’m married and I don’t want to get a divorce. I’m not really opposing you.”
“Lisa, please understand one thing: everything you have now is from the Manoban Family.” Son Ye-Jin stood up. “If you don’t break up with that woman, don't blame me if you are not shown any mercy.”
Lisa’s face changed. He put aside his cynical attitude and stood up to look at Son Ye-Jin face-to-face.
“Then what do you want to do to me, Mom?”
“What do you think?” Son Ye-Jin sneered. “You disobeyed your elders and married without parental consent. What do you think I can do with an unfilial son like you?”
“Whatever you do, I will not divorce Jennie, let alone marry Tzuyu. If you want to unite the two families through marriage, Jackson or Han can stand in for me. There’s even Wei Sihai or my other cousins. I don’t understand why it has to be me?”
“Do you think I wanted to choose you? If it were not for, not for—”
Son Ye-Jin suddenly stopped for a moment, trying to restrain her emotions.
Hong-Pa’s and Hyun-Bin’s expressions were somber. Apparently, they knew what Son Ye-Jin was going to say next.
Lisa did as well. Still, he did not shy away from her and stood as solid as a pine tree..
“If it were not for—” Son Ye-Jin held herself up by using the table as support. The words were about to come out from her when Lisa’s mobile phone suddenly rang.
It was Jennie.
All the emotions on Lisa’s face disappeared. He picked up his phone and walked out of the dining room to answer it.
“Hello.”
Jennie’s voice came from the other end of the phone. She sounded a bit tired.
“What’s the matter?”
Lisa sensed the emotion in her voice.
“Nothing.” Jennie yawned. “There was a long road under construction on the way here. It took us four hours to get here, when it should have been only two and a half. Before we could settle down, there was a car accident and a lot of injured people were brought into the hospital where we are stationed. We all helped and, finally, I have some time now.”
“Sweetheart, you’ve worked too hard.” Lisa’s voice was as unserious as usual. “It’s a pity that I am not with you. I could give you a massage.”
“I don’t want a massage.” Every time he gave her a massage, it turned into something else halfway.
“You don’t want a massage? What should I do then?” He seemed to be worried. “I’m not with you now. I can’t help you when you’re tired.”
“You don’t need to do anything. I just wanted to tell you.” She was not really that tired. She had experienced more tiring things in her life. Strangely, however, she couldn’t help but want to talk to him when he was around. She wanted to listen to him comfort her and call her sweetheart in the voice she had become familiar with.
“Well, sweetheart,” Lisa said, coming up with an idea. “Let me give you a kiss and you will certainly feel more relaxed.”
“Lisa. You—”
Lisa kissed the phone with a smack. He felt it was not enough, so he gave it another two or three kisses after that.
“Sweetheart, do you feel my kisses of love?”
Jennie blushed. Although she knew that Lisa could not see her through the phone, she could not help it. “Stop it now,” she said.
“You didn’t feel it? I’ll do it again.”
“Lalisa.” Jennie could not bear it any longer. “That’s enough. I’m going to have dinner.”
“At this time?” The Manoban Family had dinner late because Hyun-Bin and Son Ye-Jin had come back late. Why was Jennie eating so late?
“Well, we can’t help it. We have been busy until now.” Before going to dinner, she thought of Lisa’s words. He had asked her to give him a call when she arrived. She had been so busy working with the other doctors that she hadn’t had the time to call him until now.
“Go quickly then, sweetheart. If you don’t eat well, I will be worried.”
“Flattery.”
“Why would I need to flatter you?” Lisa retorted with a serious voice, “Whatever, I will check in when you are back. If you don’t take good care of yourself and end up thinner or lighter, I’ll punish you.”
“How do you want to punish me?” Jennie did not believe he would dare do anything to her.
“How do you think I will punish you? Lisa smiled in a strange way and spit out two words.
Jennie’s face became redder. “I don’t want to talk with you now. I’m gonna hang up.”
“Sweetheart.” Lisa called to her and said, “You seem to have forgotten something?”
“What?”
“What do you think?” Lisa did not mind reminding her. “I have sent you so many kisses of love. You would just hang up on me?”
Jennie was defeated and kissed the phone.
Lisa was satisfied and let her go at last. He hung up the phone and turned around, only to find Hyun-Bin was standing behind him.
Being overheard by him did not embarrass Lisa at all. He headed directly for the dining room. Hyun-Bin blocked his way and stared at him with a serious expression.
“Are you serious about this woman?”
Hearing this, Lisa could not help but laugh. “Dad, what are you talking about? Jennie and I have already registered our marriage,” he said.
“You can still get divorced.” Hyun-Bin’s eyebrows were furrowed. “I believe the Chou Family won’t mind.”
“But I will,” Lisa interrupted. “I mind getting divorced. I also care whom I marry.”
“Lisa, don’t be so headstrong. Don’t forget, your family name is Manoban.”
“Yes, my family name is Manoban.” Lisa nodded and did not deny it. “So, you want to coerce me into this?”
“It’s not coercion. I just want to remind you of your responsibilities and obligations as a descendant of the Manoban Family.”
Hyun-Bin’s eyes were sharp and imposing.
“I refuse.” Lisa looked at him. The father and son were alike in height and appearance. They had the same aura.
“Lisa, you—”
“Don’t say anything else.” There was a flash of gloom in Lisa’s eyes. “I know what you are trying to say, but I won’t listen. I refuse.”
Lisa turned around to go outside. “It seems that I’m not welcome here. I’d better get out your way,” he said.
Before Hyun-Bin could stop him, Lisa strode out of the house.
...
Irene’s wedding dress design studio had been open for two years. She designed fancy dresses and wedding dresses. She had a bit of a reputation in the industry. People who knew her said she was a talented designer. Even if she had not become one of the top-tier domestic designers, there were many people who asked her to design wedding dresses. The wedding dress Jennie had worn had been designed by her.
She did not expect that one day Hye-Jun would come to her studio and ask her to design a wedding dress.
Looking at Qiu Yanbo and Hye-Jun in front of her, Irene really did not want to take this order.
“Miss Kim, Mr. Qiu, do you have any special requirements?”
Hye-Jun wore a cold face and looked very unhappy. In her opinion, they should be asking a top-tier designer in Milan or Paris to design the wedding dress, to match her class. Why did Qiu Yanbo take her to Irene?
“Can I order the wedding dresses of the masters in Milan and Paris here?”
Looking at Hye-Jun’s proud face, Irene fought back the urge to roll her eyes. She said, “Sorry to disappoint you. We only sell wedding dresses designed by myself here.”
Hye-Jun didn’t even want to sit down. She turned around and looked at Qiu Yanbo. “Yanbo, let’s go,” she said.
“Take it easy.” Qiu Yanbo glanced at Irene and put his hands on Hye-Jun’s shoulders. “Let her try. If you are satisfied, we can use it. If you are not, we can order another one from Paris or Milan, okay?”
Hye-Jun did not look like she was very pleased, but she did not object.
Irene had to take out a pen and paper. She began to listen to Hye-Jun’s requirements.
After getting down everything very “carefully,” Irene sent the two people away with a false smile on her face. She couldn’t help but give Jennie a call when she got back.
Jennie was busy, very busy. Although Qingyuan County was a small county, there were many towns. Their free clinic was supposed to cover each and every town.
They were going to nine towns in twenty days. That meant they were in each town an average of two days. They didn’t have much time to rest at all before they had to go to the next town.
Because she was so busy, she kept forgetting about Lisa.
Generally, when she finished her work every night she was so tired that she wanted to lie in bed right away. Even during the video chat with Lisa, she said only a few words hurriedly and ended it quickly.
She had just finished examining a patient when she received a phone call from Irene.
“What’s the matter?”
It was already afternoon, and less people came to see the doctors in the afternoon. Jennie told the doctor next to her she was taking a break and answered the phone outside.
“Jennie.” Irene told Jennie what had happened that day.
“What, exactly, do you think your eldest sister wants to do?”
Hye-Jun ordered a wedding dress from Irene? Why did it sound so fantastical to Jennie?
“I don’t know.” Jennie didn’t really know much about Hye-Jun. “I think you might have thought too much about it. Maybe she simply likes your design.”
“How could that be? You did not see her face when she came in the door. She looked so arrogant, like I owed her money. I really wanted to ask her to leave and say that I would not take this order.”
“Why not?” Jennie laughed. “Why not take the order? Take it and do it well. You will make a lot of money from her. That is your style.”
“Well, yes.” Irene nodded. “I thought it was unusual for Hye-Jun to come to me. I kept wondering what she could want from me?”
“You think too much, don’t you? How could she even use you against me? That is not something that Kim Hye-Jun would do.
“Right.” Irene smiled and felt that she had been too sensitive. “Well, you are still in the countryside, so I’ll stop here for now. Take care of yourself and don’t get too tired.”
“I know. You too.”
Irene said a few more words, hung up the phone, and turned around, only to find that Qiu Yanbo was actually standing behind her.
She was so taken aback that she almost dropped her phone. “You—”
“Sorry.” Qiu Yanbo smiled calmly and said, “I dropped something in here.” As he spoke, he picked up a wallet from the seat where he had been sitting. Irene had not noticed him until just now.
“Oh, you said Jennie had gone to the countryside?”
“Yes, to Qingyuan—” Irene stopped halfway and suddenly looked at Qiu Yanbo, defensively. “Mr. Qiu, why do you care?”
“Nothing. Just asking.” Qiu Yanbo looked indifferent. “I have cooperated with Lisa recently, so I asked. You don’t need to be so nervous.”
Irene heard his words. Although she felt strange about them, she did not think too much. She sent him away with a smile but didn’t see the strange flash of light in his eyes.
...
Jennie hung up the phone, found it was raining outside. The number of patients was lessening.
That day was her ninth day in the countryside. She had gone to four towns and, tomorrow, they were going to the fifth. Everybody packed up and planned to leave for another town tomorrow morning.
In the middle of the night, it rained harder and harder. The next morning, when the medical team was about to leave, it was still raining. Everyone looked at Director Li and waited for his instructions. Director Li took out his mobile phone to look at the time and checked the weather forecast.
“It will probably rain all morning. It’s only a two-hour drive to Gaoye Town. Let’s start off at once.”
Since Director Li had said so, everyone put their things in the car and got in.
Jennie sat in the car and watched the rain, feeling a bit uneasy.
She took out the phone and found the signal was very weak because of the rain.
“It’s raining. We are leaving for Gaoye Town now. My eyelid keeps twitching, so I think something bad might happen.”
Jennie deleted the message after she edited it. What was wrong with her? Why would she want to send such a message to Lisa?
Even if he had been there with her, she would still have to go to the town. It didn’t matter what he had to say about it.
“We are going to Gaoye Town now and it will be some time before we settle down. I’ll contact you when I get there.”
A few minutes later she received Lisa’s reply: “My wife works so hard. I’m sending you a kiss. Take care of yourself and don’t get too tired.”
Looking at the kissing emoji that Lisa sent, Jennie’s uneasiness dissipated.
“I know. You too.” She texted back four words. She knew the tone was not that intimate, but it was the best she could do.
“Thank you for caring about me, sweetheart. Miss me.”
Looking at last words, Jennie could almost imagine Lisa’s expression. She laughed lightly. Looking out the window, she could not restrain a smile.
Did she miss him? Yeah, she did. Still, she wouldn’t tell him.
The road to Gaoye Town was basically a mountain road. As the rain got heavier and heavier, all the people in the car looked out at the rain. They were in no mood to chat.
They just hoped they got smoothly to theit destination. The driver suddenly braked sharply in the middle of the road. Luckily, Jennie had fastened her seat belt. If she hadn’t, she might have flown out.
“Gosh, there seems to be a landslide ahead.” The driver, with a grave expression, looked out the front glass, which had been being washed by the rain.
They had two cars. From the second, Director Li poked out his head and asked, “Can we get past there?”
“I’ll try.” The driver quickly stepped on the accelerator with a grave face.
Jennie wanted to stop him but it was too late. The landslide was severe and big rocks were constantly rolling down.
Before the driver could rush past, several large rocks rolled down. Their car stopped dead in the middle of the road.
The car following them also stopped. There were still rocks rolling down. The driver steered the car to a large tree on the side of the road to hold it steady and keep it from sliding down the hill.
Boulders and mud were still falling. Ye Shengge took out her phone and tried to call the police. Before she could dial the number, however, a large rock fell on the car and it crashed into a tree, sliding a long way down the slope.
Jennie’s mobile phone flew out and the car slid down a lot again before she could pick her phone up.
“Ah!”
Several nurses in the car had already started screaming.
“Calm down. Calm down.” Director Li had never experienced such a thing before either. He just wanted them to calm down.
The car began to slide down again. Jennie held the handle of the front seat tightly. Watching the car continue to slide, her heart sank.
Another big rock fell and the car following theirs slid down even deeper. There were even signs that they might flip over.
Now Jennie could not stay calm, either. Looking at her mobile phone that had been thrown out of her reach, she tried to pick it up.
At that moment, the car crashed down the hill.
Tianyu Corporation, Rong City.
Sitting in the conference room, Lisa glanced at Jackson and Han sitting across from him. He picked up the documents from the table in front of him.
“Jackson, the contract to work with Lin’s Enterprise has been ready to be signed since last month. I want to know why the contract has not been signed yet.”