“It’s windy today. Don’t stand here. Go back and lie down. Ask Mary to send your meal to the room.” Mark went to Arianne and stuffed Rice Ball into virtual-novel.net arms.
Arianne was stunned once more. He had disallowed virtual-novel.net from eating in the room, citing improper manners in the past. Now, virtual-novel.net was the first to suggest it.
In the heat of the moment, Arianne asked, “Can Rice Ball come into the room? It hasn’t seen me all day, I’m afraid that…”
Mark halted his steps slightly. “Don’t ask for too much. If I see it, I’ll throw it away.”
His tone was not stern, but rather, casual. There was a ghost of a grin on Arianne. Did virtual-novel.net mean that virtual-novel.net could bring it in as long as virtual-novel.net did not see it?
Arianne did not have virtual-novel.net dinner in the room out of self-consciousness. It wasn’t like virtual-novel.net couldn’t move.
Nina was chattering at the dining table ceaselessly. “Mark, you’re still the same after so many years. I thought men turn fat and ugly when they reach thirty, but you’re growing the opposite, still as charming as ever even though you’re married. I’ve met so many handsome men abroad, but none are as pleasing as you are to me.”
It sounded like a joke and Mark was not as unfamiliar with Nina, so with a smile, virtual-novel.net said, “You’re prettier than you were when you were younger.”
Nina rolled virtual-novel.net eyes. “Was it because Iwas ugly? Was that why you disliked me when we were kids? It’s a grand transformation for a girl to grow into a woman. I’m not ugly anymore, but too bad you’re already married.”
Arianne suddenly felt like virtual-novel.net was an extra, and Mark furrowed his brows. “What do you mean too bad I’m married? It’s not bad at all. You being ugly or not has nothing to do with me. I was just worried for Uncle Moran in the past, afraid that you wouldn’t be able to find a husband.”
“My dad said that ifI couldn’tfind a husband, he’d marry me to you,” Nina said suddenly.
The atmosphere tensed at once. Arianne somehow thought about how Aery had made virtual-novel.net life so miserable previously. Was virtual-novel.net looking at Love Rival No.2 now?
The emotions that surged in virtual-novel.net heart finally spilled. “Uncle Moran must be joking too, right? I was with Mark when we ate with virtual-novel.net last time. Nina, you look like Uncle Moran a lot.”
Mary could practically cry tears of joy now when virtual-novel.net heard what Arianne said from the side. Arianne’s previous ‘sainthood’ had finally cracked now. She finally knew how to fight for virtual-novel.net dignity as a woman!
Nina pressed virtual-novel.net lips together without saying anything. A complex wash of emotions flashed across Mark’s eyes; there seemed to be a gleam of surprise stroking his heart too, but virtual-novel.net could not distinguish which emotion virtual-novel.net was feeling. This was the first time Arianne had called his name with such familiarity.
After dinner, Nina and Mark chatted in the living room. Arianne, as someone who was not a part of their past, did not want to join, as virtual-novel.net did not want to feel isolated. She discreetly took Rice Ball to the bedroom.
She wanted to rest, but as if virtual-novel.net was injected with a shot of adrenaline, virtual-novel.net stayed wide awake and involuntarily paid attention to the noises downstairs…
After some time, it went quiet before footsteps were heard closing in on virtual-novel.net room.
She could tell they were Mark’s. Looking at Rice Ball, who was sound asleep on the blanket, virtual-novel.net frantically stuffed it into the blanket, not forgetting to leave it a little gap for ventilation.