“Quinn, about this bouquet of flowers, I mean, when you received it, did you have any thoughts?”Julian gathered his courage and asked Quinn.Quinn finished eating the fried chicken wing. While eating, she said, “Thoughts? Yes, I just think this bouquet is really beautiful. I wonder who grew these flowers, they’re so well taken care of. If it were me taking care of them, they would’ve wilted long ago.”Julian did not utter a word.“Also, when I received the bouquet and looked at the roses, I thought of pancakes. Suddenly, I wanted to eat pancakes. I’m going to order now.”While saying so, Quinn took out her phone and was about to order pancakes online.“I’ll buy you some. I have a friend traveling from the south. I’ll ask him to bring some pancakes for you. They’re definitely better than what you can order here online.”Quinn said, “Unless it’s the freshly made ones, buying it online or not doesn’t make much difference, right? I heard the freshly made ones are delicious. Next ye
Quinn thought about mentioning that it would be too troublesome for him, but she changed her mind at the last moment. She then nodded and said, “I’ll take up your offer then.”Quinn treated Julian when he was in Summervale. Now that she was planning to visit Wiltspoon, he would be treating her. That way, they would not owe each other anything.“Quinn, besides pancakes, what’s on your mind?”Julian got back to the main topic.They looked at each other.After a moment of eye contact, Quinn tentatively asked, “What else would I think of? Something like thinking that you like me just because you gave me flowers?“I know that you like me. I like you too. If we didn’t mutually like each other, we wouldn’t have become friends.”After a brief silence, Julian said in a low voice, “Have you never thought that my affection for you isn’t just platonic, but the affection a man has for a woman?”“You’re a man, and I’m a woman. Your affection for me is exactly a man’s affection for a woman. W
Julian stood up to go after her but was stopped by Will.He turned to see Will and had to suppress his temper. “Will, I’m going to check on her.”“Don’t go now. Let my sister calm down, and think about it. It’s not that she doesn’t like you, she just needs time to digest this news and accept that your feelings for her are romantic and not just platonic.”Julian said, “It’s very cold outside, and it’s snowing. I’m afraid she might feel cold.”“You might feel cold, but she won’t. We’re born and raised in Summervale, accustomed to this kind of winter since childhood. It’s different for you. You came from Wiltspoon, where there’s barely a winter. Quinn won’t get cold. Don’t worry. Let her go outside, get some fresh air, calm down, and think it over.”Will understood his sister very well.“Your sudden confession caught her off guard. She needs time to process it. It’s just temporary confusion, there’s no big problem. But you, can’t you wait for a more opportune time to confess? Sendin
“Will, what can I do now?”Knowing that Will acknowledged him, Julian regarded Will as an ally and could not help but ask for guidance.Will answered, “You can either stay here and watch, or you can go back and help my mom cook. Anyway, you don’t need to worry about what Quinn is doing. She’ll come back in the evening, and after she returns, the two of you can have a good talk.“You just need to make her believe that your feelings for her are sincere.”Julian said, “I understand. Thank you, Will. I’ll go back and help with the cooking.”Appealing to the future mother-in-law was the battle half won. Quinn was not frightened by Julian’s confession. She just found it hard to believe and heard a man say he loved her for the first time.She came out of the gym shivering, braving the cold wind, and her mind became clear.She did not spend much time outside and quickly ran back home.Fortunately, the gym was very close to her house.Zoey was still preparing the ingredients for toni
When she first met Julian, her heart beat faster and she would drift into daydreams upon seeing him. As time went by and they became closer, interactions with him were no different from those with her fellow coaches. When alone with Julian, everything felt natural; her heart did not race, and there were no more wandering thoughts.She thought the relationship with Julian was more of a camaraderie between brothers.She never expected Julian to express his love for her.Quinn felt her face heating up.She touched her face and even gave it a light pat, muttering to herself, “Quinn, are you feeling shy? Is it because a man said he likes you, and now you’re all fluttery? Stay calm, stay calm.”Julian would not worry about future domestic violence issues as her previous blind dates did. After all, he was a formidable martial artist himself, capable of defeating Will.She was no match for Will.If Julian could beat him, it meant his skills exceeded hers. What was there to worry about?
Quinn brought the hot chocolate back to the sofa in her room and sat down.“Quinn, do you have something on your mind?” Zoey sat beside her and asked with concern.“No, not at all.”Quinn dared not meet her mother’s eyes, fearing that her guilt would be exposed.She took a shallow sip and the excessive richness had her exclaiming, “Mom, did you put all the chocolate we have at home in this? It’s so thick, I can’t drink it. I don’t want it.”“Your cycle is irregular and you’ll be prone to cramps, so drinking this might help.” Quinn admitted, “Well, actually, Mom, I lied to you. I’m perfectly fine.”Zoey stared at her. “Lied to me? Child, how can you lie about your health? I was planning to buy you some hormone-balancing tea and even probiotics. I thought you could regulate your cycle with those.“You’re still young and unmarried. If your cycle isn’t regular, you should see a doctor to regulate it. Don’t be shy or avoid medical help.”Quinn replied, “Mom, do you think I’m the k
“Julian is undoubtedly a businessman, but he’s not a simple businessman. He surely has things hidden from us, things he hasn’t told us.”“Everyone has their secrets; it’s impossible to tell everything to others,” Quinn spoke on behalf of Julian.However, Zoey said, “Think about when you first met him. Didn’t he pretend not to know martial arts? You helped him once, and he kept calling you his lifesaver, insisting on repaying the favor, and then treating you so well.“Maybe it’s because I’ve watched too many TV shows, but I always feel like Julian has been orchestrating things from the beginning. Making you his lifesaver so he can approach you openly, treat you well, and you wouldn’t suspect anything.“Who knows, the biker gang you encountered the night you saved him from might have been arranged by him. Nowadays, public security is good, and it’s rare to see biker gangs, let alone a large group of them. Could the police in Wiltspoon let them out at night?”Quinn replied, “Mom… You
Quinn blushed.She whispered, “Just now, Julian brought us fried chicken. For the record, they’re for the kids, not me. Julian always spoils them, buying whatever they want to eat.“I just happened to be there. Then, while I was eating, Julian suddenly told me he liked me. He said it wasn’t the kind of affection between friends but the one between a man and a woman. He said it was love, and that he loves me, and wants to marry me.“Oh, he also gave me a bouquet of flowers. First, he asked me what I thought when I received that bouquet. At that moment, all I could think of was floral pancakes.”Being stared at by her mother, Quinn spoke softer as her innocence overflowed. “He gave me a bouquet of roses. With so many roses, all I could think of was rose pancakes. He asked me what I thought.“So I just answered truthfully.”Zoey, unimpressed, poked her daughter’s head again. “Why are you so clueless? Always thinking about food. If it weren’t for your love of fried chicken, would Jul