Another Dragon Boat Festival has co.
This is the second Dragon Boat Festival that Renee Winslow spent with Jack Yates.
According to the initial agreent of a two-year period, they should part ways at the end of this sester.
But now, it’s evident that separation is impossible; at least until she graduates, she can’t leave Jack Yates.
On the day of the Dragon Boat Festival, Jack Yates returned to the Yates Family.
Renee Winslow spent the holiday with Aunty Warren and Shay.
Chloe Bell invited Sydney Thorne’s family over, clearly treating her as a prospective daughter-in-law, and during the al, not only did Chloe Bell let Sydney sit next to her, but she also eagerly served food to Sydney.
Sydney was sweet-tongued, calling her "Auntie" at every turn, making Chloe Bell increasingly pleased, smiling and praising Sydney for her good manners.
Jack Yates didn’t say a word, exuding a cold and aloof deanor.
Chloe Bell glanced at him once: "Felix, after lunch, accompany Sydney to a movie."
Jack Yates put down his chopsticks and wiped his mouth: "I have sothing this afternoon; I need to et a business partner from Vestralia."
Chloe Bell imdiately frowned, but before she could speak, Jack Yates interrupted her: "Australians don’t celebrate the Dragon Boat Festival."
After speaking, Jack Yates stood up and looked at Sydney’s parents: "Uncle, Auntie, please enjoy your al. Excuse ."
His manners were impeccable, but there was an innate coldness and distance.
Chloe Bell was about to reprimand him, but Sydney quickly smoothed things over: "Auntie, don’t be angry. He works so hard to earn more to show filial respect to you."
Though she knew Sydney was just being polite, Chloe Bell was still delighted and smiled, saying: "It’s good enough that he doesn’t upset ."
Chloe Bell took Sydney’s hand, smiling at Terrence Thorne and his wife with envy: "You’re so fortunate; Sydney is so thoughtful."
lody Locke laughed: "She was mischievous when she was young, but she has cald down after growing up."
Sydney playfully called out: "Mom."
Chloe Bell laughed back: "Sydney looks so gentle, unlike my mischievous son; he’s the naughtiest in the entire courtyard."
Frederick Yates interjected: "Auntie is right, I can vouch for that; there isn’t anyone in the entire Quadrangle as mischievous as him."
Wendy Heston playfully hit Frederick on the arm: "You aren’t any better than he is, you two are evenly matched."
Frederick seized the chance to put down his chopsticks, grinning mischievously: "Alright, I’m excusing myself too." He laughed and looked at Terrence Thorne and his wife, "Uncle, Auntie, please enjoy your al."
Walking out of the house, Frederick headed toward The West Wing, only to see Jack Yates smoking under a ginkgo tree.
Frederick quickly walked up to him, joking: "Not staying with your future father-in-law for another drink, ca here for so peace and quiet?"
Jack Yates shot him a fierce look, took a deep drag, tossed the cigarette butt on the ground, and crushed it hard underfoot.
Frederick laughed: "In the end, you’re just too outstanding. Grandpa and Uncle have high hopes for you. Look at our other brother; no one bothers him as long as he doesn’t break the law while fooling around outside."
Jack Yates lowered his head and let out a cold laugh.
Frederick glanced around and, seeing no one, lowered his voice: "Grandpa is already eighty-nine, and you’re only thirty, he can’t outlast you. Once he’s gone, you’ll have freedom in relationships. Uncle himself went against Grandma’s wishes to marry the young maid; he can’t force you to marry Sydney. As for Auntie, you’re her only son; would she really sever ties with you over soone else?"
He continued, "Back then, the Bell Family faced hardships, and Auntie herself suffered, she doesn’t have the strong thods of Grandma. Besides, if it really cos to a head-to-head, would Auntie really be tougher than you?"
Jack Yates patted Frederick on the shoulder: "Don’t say such rebellious things in the future; you should pray for Grandpa’s longevity, he’s the family’s pride."
Frederick was speechless.
After Jack Yates walked a good distance away, Frederick yelled: "Jack Yates, you and your self-righteousness!"
Jack Yates had a bit to drink at lunch, making it impossible to drive, so the family driver from the old house gave him a ride.
Before lunch, Sydney discreetly snapped a side-profile photo of Jack Yates when he wasn’t paying attention and shared it in a social dia update.
The caption read: [Wishing you peace on Dragon Boat Festival.]
re minutes after she posted it, Lulu Milner took a screenshot and sent it to Kyle Sheffield, asking: [Mr. Sheffield, should I forward this post from Mr. Thorne to Wren?]
Kyle Sheffield replied: [Send it.]
Kyle Sheffield: [But don’t make it too obvious, be subtle.]
Lulu Milner: [Got it, don’t worry, I’ll show you a screenshot after I send it.]
With Kyle Sheffield’s approval, Lucy Milner sent the screenshot to a group that included Wren Hawthorne.
[Congratulations, Sydney, on the great news with Mr. Yates drawing near.]
A minute and a half later, Lucy seized the chance to retract the ssage and imdiately sent another text in the chat.
[Ahh, sorry, sent it to the wrong chat.]
Subsequently, she withdrew the screenshot, but many had already seen it.
One of Wren’s friends quickly saved the screenshot and sent it privately to Wren.
[Wren, Sydney spent the Dragon Boat Festival with the Yates Family, could they be getting engaged?]
Wren had actually already seen the ssage from Lucy in the group and was furious at first glance. Now, with the ssage from her fair-weather friend, she was even angrier.
Wren: [What does their engagent have to do with you?]
Friend: [Wren, why are you angry? I’m standing up for you, feeling sorry that a double-faced ugly duckling like Sydney isn’t worthy of Jack. In the whole Quadrangle, only you are suitable for him.]
At the Hawthorne Family.
Wren, in a rage, had already smashed two vases.
Initially, she wasn’t too upset about Jack Yates being with Renee Winslow.
She never made things difficult for Renee either.
Renee being in a car accident had nothing to do with her, she even persuaded her father not to harm innocent people.
But her father didn’t listen, and there was nothing she could do.
Now seeing Jack Yates with Sydney, possibly getting married, Wren was so furious she could kill Sydney.
Jack being with anyone else didn’t make her this angry; only Sydney was unacceptable.
Wren called Michael Shaw: "Do a favor."
-
The Dragon Boat Festival’s rice dumplings were handmade by Aunty Warren. She had soaked the glutinous rice a day in advance and prepared all the necessary ingredients. Early on the festival day, she started making various flavors of rice dumplings, including fresh at, crab roe, shrimp, honey date, red bean paste, and plain ones.
Renee Winslow liked savory rice dumplings, eating both a crab roe and shrimp one, along with most of a bowl of chicken soup.
Having eaten too much at lunch, she felt a bit stuffed, so she pulled Shay along with her for a walk in the garden to aid digestion.
The two walked to the rose garden and sat to rest on a bench.
Shay fanned herself with her hand by her ear, looked up at the blue sky, then looked down at the lush green grass.
Renee Winslow asked with a smile: "What are you looking up and down at?"
Shay earnestly said: "I want to take a good look at the scenery here."
Renee Winslow: "Are you leaving?"
Shay didn’t answer Renee’s question, instead asked: "Renee, does it make you sad when Mr. Yates can’t spend holidays like Mid-Autumn, Dragon Boat, and New Year with you?"
Renee’s face still bore a smile, but her eyes seed to hold tears, glistening with a sheen of moisture.
She smiled and nodded: "Yeah, a little bit." Then she pinched the knuckle of her index finger with her thumb, smiling as she gestured, "But it’s really just a tiny bit."
But was it really just a little?
There was actually a lot of sadness.
But what can sadness do?
Shay frowned and asked with concern: "Then what will you do?"
Renee Winslow chuckled: "What would I do?"
Shay’s frown deepened: "Every holiday Mr. Yates will want to go back to be with his family, what will you do then?"
Renee Winslow rested her arms on the bench and looked up at the sky, smiling: "What can I do? Just live through it. Everyone has their own way of living. Even if grass wants to beco a tree, it can’t change its nature. Should it just not live then?"
Shay pursed her lips: "Renee, to be honest, you’re so beautiful and have a university education, if you hadn’t t Mr. Yates, you might’ve found a better boyfriend who truly loves you, and his parents probably wouldn’t look down on you either."
Renee Winslow tugged her lips downwards, lowering her head: "Sadly, there’s no ’if’."
Unbeknownst to her, Jack Yates was standing behind the rosebushes, overhearing their conversation clearly.
Jack Yates had his head down, holding an unlit cigarette between two fingers, which he eventually snapped harshly, scattering the tobacco on the ground.
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