Share
32: How Easily Can One Repay a Debt of Gratitude?
Related chapters
Bump and Run: The Ex's Pursuit 33: No Desire to See Him Again
Mentioning Oliver triggered Lillian to recall the scene from the bar last night. Where was he? Clearly, Serena had taken him home. Considering what might have transpired and his absence from Mrs. Qin's side until now, Lillian felt the situation was painfully clear.She was perturbed deep inside but couldn't display her frustration in front of Mrs. Qin. So, she softly fabricated a plausible excuse for Oliver, "He stayed up late last night and couldn't wake up on time."As she spoke, Lillian realized she was stating the truth – Oliver indeed had stayed up late, but what he did, no one else knew.Mrs. Qin immediately showed a look of exasperation, "At his age, still staying up late."Lillian just smiled, not wanting to continue the dialogue.Mrs. Qin sighed at Lillian's good temper, "Only you can put up with his ways.""Not really," Lillian said quietly.Desiring to change the subject, Lillian suggested they take Mrs. Qin out in her wheelchair for a stroll in the garden, and she agreed.
Bump and Run: The Ex's Pursuit 34: Did You Come Looking for Me?
Upon seeing the message, Lillian instinctively lifted her gaze to Oliver, meeting his deep, dark eyes. He was staring intently at her. After a brief eye contact, Lillian pursed her lips and turned her head away, ignoring him.Oliver: "…"The phone vibrated again, and upon checking, Lillian saw another message from him. "Come here."No, she didn't want to."After Grandma's surgery, you can do as you please, but for now, behave and work with me. Didn't you say we're in a transactional relationship?"Reading his words, Lillian snapped back to reality. Indeed, theirs was a transaction. This whole time, theirs was a willing deal. Why was she being so sentimental about it?Taking a deep breath, Lillian slowly walked over to him. Despite mentally preparing herself, each step towards Oliver felt incredibly heavy.By the time she finally reached his side, Oliver's expression was as dark as the bottom of a pot. He gazed at the girl in front of him, utterly speechless.Suddenly, Oliver reached o
Bump and Run: The Ex's Pursuit 35: Pretending to be in Love
Lillian denied it subconsciously. "No." Then she counter-questioned, "Who told you that?"At her words, Oliver narrowed his eyes, "If it's nothing, why does it matter who told me?""Oh," Lillian spoke nonchalantly, "I just want to know who has such strong rumor-spreading skills. Gu Yanxi? Ji Qingbei? That's right, Ji Qingbei did call me, saying you were drunk and asked me to come over. I didn't get a chance to refuse before he hung up."Oliver's brows furrowed as he watched her speak without emotion."I was going to have the butler pick you up, but it was late, and I didn’t want to wake him given his age. Considering Ji Qingbei and Gu Yanxi were there, I thought they would take care of you. So, even if you were drunk, you'd be fine.""So what happened?"Her story was seamless, apparently without issues."So, after I thought it through, I went to sleep."Lillian finished, fixing him with a stare, "So, who told you I went to look for you? Thank him for me, for setting up such a positive
Bump and Run: The Ex's Pursuit 36: Your Feelings Are Not Wrong
Mrs. Qin paused for a moment, then asked, "Surgery earlier?""Yes."After that, Mrs. Qin fell silent.Lillian watched and thought for a moment before speaking up, "Grandma, surgery might sound scary, but the process isn't as dreadful as it seems. You just have to take a nap, and when you wake up, you'll find yourself all better."Her tone was light and playful when she said this.Even Oliver couldn't help but glance at her. It had been a long time since she'd looked so spirited.Perhaps her mood infected Mrs. Qin, as the older woman chuckled, "You just know how to cheer me up.""Not at all, Grandma. I'm telling the truth. If you don’t believe me, you can ask the doctor tomorrow.""Alright, alright, I know you're worried about me, but I'm not scared."When they left the convalescent home, it was already 8 p.m. Lillian had wanted to stay with her longer, but Mrs. Qin needed to rest, so they had no choice but to leave.The two, seeming inseparable, clung to each other until they were a d
Bump and Run: The Ex's Pursuit 37: Let's Call a Truce
She was right; the data she held did indeed show changes, indirectly proving that her instincts hadn't misled her.Lillian hummed in affirmation, then fell silent, neatly folding the papers and putting them away. Once she was done, something occurred to her, and she said to Oliver, "Actually, I think Grandma is afraid of the surgery. This afternoon, you shouldn't have told her about moving up the date."Oliver was taken aback at her words. "Is that so?""Yes."He looked over at her and saw the seriousness etched on her face, suddenly realizing that her words at the nursing home weren't just empty talk. She genuinely cared for his grandmother, not just for his sake. This revelation wasn't just a spur-of-the-moment outburst. She truly saw his grandmother as her own.With this thought, Oliver's lips curled slightly, "Alright, I understand. I'll reassure her later."Because they were discussing his grandmother, an unusual calmness settled between them. But once the topic of Grandma ended,
Bump and Run: The Ex's Pursuit 38: It Doesn't Matter At All
"Yes, a truce," Lillian nodded gently, "Can we go back to the way things were before?"The way things were before? Oliver felt his heart leap at her words, not even realizing his own stuttering response. "You mean..."Lillian glanced at him then lowered her gaze, speaking earnestly, "I've given it some thought on the way back. Grandma seems stable now, and those minor changes don't seem to pose a problem. But with the surgery only half a month away, we don't need to be fighting. It would only upset Grandma if she senses something is off."As Oliver digested her words, he felt he grasped her intent. "You mean...""Don't you understand yet? It's a critical time, so we need to cooperate. After this half a month, you can do as you please. No one, and nothing, will hold you back."Lillian thought she had made herself crystal clear. "You're a smart man, you should get what I'm saying."Oliver tugged at the corner of his lips; how could he not understand? Essentially, she didn't want to reco
Bump and Run: The Ex's Pursuit 39: Serena's True Colors
That day, Oliver breakfasted with a face so dark it could have eclipsed the morning sun. The servants, unable to see his expression from their angle, mistook the couple’s proximity for intimacy, assuming they had reconciled.Meanwhile, Lillian, with her annual leave to spare, avoided the company, choosing instead to visit Grandma Qin at the sanatorium daily. The old lady’s spirits had visibly soared, and Lillian herself felt a rare tranquility.Events seemed to be unfolding exactly as she had anticipated. The half-month interim was quickly dwindling, already three or four days in. Sometimes, in her quiet moments, Lillian found herself gently caressing her belly, her feelings evolving. Initially uncertain about the baby, she now felt a profound connection with the small life within her, a growing affection with each passing day. She even found herself confiding in her unborn child the words she couldn’t share with others.This secret communion only deepened Lillian's bond with her baby
Bump and Run: The Ex's Pursuit 40: No Fondness for Raising Someone Else's Child
Lillian needn't put herself in Serena's shoes to know the impossibility of acceptance. But Lillian was just that—Lillian, not Serena. And she could only view the unfolding events from her own perspective."Pity, I'm not as magnanimous nor do I possess such a spirit of self-sacrifice. The child is in my body; to birth or to abort lies within my liberty. Aside from myself, no one can decide the life or death of my child.""You...""If you wish for me to repay a favor, that's possible. Should you need help with anything else, command and I shall obey, but this matter is non-negotiable."Her baby was her kin. She herself couldn't bear the thought of termination, so how could she let an outsider dictate the fate of her child?"I command, and you'll obey?""Yes, as long as it's reasonable."Debts of gratitude must be repaid, but if Serena's demands were excessive, they were out of the question.Serena fell into thought. She had anticipated Lillian's refusal even before coming here. Who was
Latest chapter
Bump and Run: The Ex's Pursuit 114: Just Hold Back for Now
Bump and Run: The Ex's Pursuit 113: Willing to Do Anything for Her
Bump and Run: The Ex's Pursuit 112: The Kiss Was Not Passionate Enough
Bump and Run: The Ex's Pursuit 111: Can Also Get Hurt
Bump and Run: The Ex's Pursuit 110: Of Course We Give Her the Best
Bump and Run: The Ex's Pursuit 109: Can You Bear to See Her with Someone Else?
Bump and Run: The Ex's Pursuit 108: I Don't Really Like You
Bump and Run: The Ex's Pursuit 107: It's Been a Long Time Since I Kissed Her
Bump and Run: The Ex's Pursuit 106: You're Not Enchanted by Her, Are You?
