"Are you complimenting me?" Winston suddenly felt like he turned into a fool in front of Millie.He couldn't understand what she said anymore, whether it was good or bad things. All he knew was that Millie was in front of him, and simply seeing her made him feel content.Millie could tell that Winston didn't seem to be in his right mind today. She wouldn't tease him anymore, then.Soon, an attendant served the food.The sound of the cello gently filled the room, and it sounded quite pleasant. It was a rare quiet night, and Millie had been tired recently. It was quite nice to suddenly enjoy this gentle moment.Millie was about to slice into some foie gras when Winston handed over a small piece of steak. "Try it. It's delicious," he said.Millie looked at Winston. He didn't make a move and just stared at her as she started eating.Millie pressed her lips together, not feeling her spirits dampen at all.The steak he gave did taste quite good.Winston noticed she enjoyed it, so he
Winston could sense that Millie was helping him to look better in front of the elders.Millie's demeanor remained as gentle as ever.The more he pursued her, the more he felt unworthy of her. She was really too outstanding.It was true that with some people, the more one got to know them, the more one would fall in love with them.Meanwhile, some others became less noteworthy as more people got to know them.Winston sincerely expressed his gratitude, "Thank you, Millie."He felt grateful regardless of whether she was willing to give herself another chance or if she once loved him.Millie looked down and said, "No need to thank me. I'm giving you a chance, but it's also a chance for myself.""Winston, even if I'm not with you, I won't love anyone else again."One painful experience of love was more than enough for her.Winston chuckled softly and said with a deep voice, "That's my fault. Regardless of whether we end up together in the future or not, Millie, don't turn down som
Millie felt guilty, squeezing the orange in her hand so hard it was almost about to burst. She mumbled softly, "I mean, is it alright that Winston also came to the Spring Festival?"Layla placed the items on the table, then sat down on the couch and asked, "Why? Doesn't he have a home to go to?"Millie hesitated. That was a tricky question to answer."Got kicked out by the Greer family?" She eyed Millie with an intense gaze that was overwhelming and quite fierce.Millie didn't dare speak, but she still had to answer, "No."Layla gave a cold smile and immediately asked, "So why isn't he going back to his own home for New Year's Day and instead coming to ours? Is he crazy?""Grandma, he…" Millie wanted to explain."I don't agree," Layla stated flatly, dismissing any further explanations.Millie choked up and quietly looked over at Arthur.Arthur's expression grew more serious, as if he agreed with what Layla had said, and he turned his attention to the television."You're not e
The man was wearing a loose sweatshirt with black pants. On top of that, he wore a long padded coat. His tall stature made him stand out among the other students. He looked even more like a student because of his outfit.Millie was a bit surprised when the person happened to look up in her direction. The two of them stood gazing at each other from across a wide asphalt road.Millie walked over and asked, "What are you doing here?"Winston pressed his lips together and didn't answer her question. Instead, he asked her, "Why are you here so late?""I asked you first." Millie looked up at him, determined to get an answer."Just trying to revisit some memories," he said calmly. He ran a hand through his hair before putting both hands in his pockets.Millie hummed in acknowledgment."What about you? You're not from the University of Yerwick, are you?" he laughed.Millie looked at him with a calm expression, as if nothing could really stir her interest."I have quite a few memories
"Hey there, could you help me take a picture?" Millie was looking around when someone suddenly called out to her.Millie turned around to see a tall boy holding a camera. Behind him, there was a girl waiting.Millie nodded and was about to take the camera to help with taking a picture.Winston suddenly asked, "Can I help""Huh?" The boy paused. He looked at both of them and then said with a smile, "Alright then…"However, he was clearly hesitant.Millie chuckled and said, "Let me handle it. I might be a bit more skilled than Mr. Greer is."Winston shrugged and didn't say anything else.Millie stepped forward with a camera in her hand. The two students stood next to each other. They maintained an appropriate distance, suggesting they weren't close. The girl wore a dress layered with a coat, which made her look stylish.Millie observed the two individuals. She could tell that the boy had feelings for the girl, for he was being very cautious.The girl was smiling sweetly at the
Millie was the type of person who stood firm on what she wanted, regardless of who was around. No setbacks or hardships could affect her.Winston thought about this and felt even more heartache for Millie. He was the one who turned the brave and passionate girl, someone who never cared about what others thought, into the cold person she was now.He felt that loving someone was akin to taking care of a flower. He had watched as a beautiful tulip transformed into a rose covered in thorns."Winston?"He heard Millie's voice close by.Winston turned his head and saw Millie frowning. "What are you thinking about? Let's go?""Not going to watch for a bit longer?" he asked."I've seen this fountain so many times. What's so special about it?" Millie remarked with a clear voice, glancing at the fountain.Winston smiled but didn't say anything.In the past, every time she was there, she would always use excuses like "I haven't seen enough" or "Let's watch the fountain a little longer" t
"Hey, young lady, would you like to try some beef organs?" a vendor selling snacks asked Millie while preparing the food. "You're such a pretty girl, and your boyfriend is quite handsome too!"Millie and Winston exchanged a glance.Millie shook her head and was about to say she didn't want any.But Winston simply said, "I'll take two."Millie gave Winston a questioning look.Winston said to her, "I wasn't planning on buying it either, but she called me your boyfriend. With her having such good taste, shouldn't I buy two to show some support?"The vendor laughed heartily.Millie pressed her lips together and moved her mouth slightly. For a moment, she didn't know what to say.The vendor said, "It seems like I was right. If I had mentioned the word husband, then would you have bought out my whole car?"Winston nodded. "I'm considering it. However, I don't think she'd approve."The vendor laughed heartily and said, "You all look unfamiliar, so you probably aren't from the school
Even though Winston wasn't eating, he was really good at paying and carrying things.Millie felt a strong sense of nostalgia for her own college days as she watched the university students eating.She wished she could go back to high school or maybe even college.She had seen many novels where the main female character went back to high school, and in each of these stories, she no longer loved the male lead when she returned back in time.If she went back to high school…"What are you thinking about? You're about to walk into the wall." Winston interrupted Millie's thoughts and pulled her closer to him.Millie really had almost bumped into a wall."Nothing." She smiled at Winston.Winston raised an eyebrow but didn't say anything.The light from the food trucks shone on him and cast an indescribable sense of fate about him.He didn't belong here. Millie felt an increasingly strong urge to take him out of the scene immediately.Millie felt that if she went back to high school
Millie opened the car door and pushed Winston inside the car.Winston fastened his seatbelt in the dark by himself.Millie got into the car and saw him sitting there quietly, which made her smile and sigh.Millie drove at a moderate speed. The road was busy, with many people out to watch fireworks, while others were heading home.Winston looked to the driver's side, his gaze fixed on Millie.Millie could sense that he was watching her, but she kept avoiding eye contact. Her mind was preoccupied with the messages her dad had sent.Let him go… The question was, could she give up on him?Millie furrowed her brow and rested her hand on her forehead, deep in thought."Did I make you hate me…?" Winston's raspy voice suddenly sounded next to her ear.Millie looked over at him with confusion."Does my drinking make you hate me?" he asked again, just like a child afraid of upsetting Millie."No." Millie shook her head.Despite having drunk too much, he still made an effort to pay at
After the video call ended, Millie placed her phone on the table.Thomas said to Millie, "Hahaha! Mills, look, he can't handle his drink!"Having been the son-in-law of the Caldwell family for three years, I only just found out that he can't hold his liquor."Millie gave a wry smile. This statement seemed to be a double-edged sword. For three years, he hadn't visited the Caldwell family even once. Winston was truly ruthless at that time.Winston quickly explained to Millie, "Millie, I haven't had too much. I can still drink, honestly."His face was completely flushed, and it was clear that his speech was slurred.The two of them had already finished a bottle of vodka.Thomas was even ready to switch to a different type of alcohol.Thomas had spent many years away from home and was quite a heavy drinker. His drinking ability was different from that of Winston.Winston could ask Eli to drink on his behalf if he didn't want to, but if Thomas was trying to win resources for Rach
At the dining table, Thomas and Winston started drinking vodka.The TV was showing this year's New Year Gala while Millie was quietly eating pierogi.She hadn't had homemade pierogi for three years, and they tasted so good. It felt like being back in her childhood, celebrating the New Year with her family. That was what made the festival truly special.Millie looked at her grandparents with a constant smile on her face. She felt happier than she had ever been before.She wished her parents were here too. Oh, those two…Just as she was thinking about this, her phone rang. It was Terrence calling.Millie answered the call without saying a word and pointed the camera toward Thomas.This year, Thomas had no one to drink with, so he turned to Winston for company.Terrence was lounging in the sun when he caught sight of Winston. His eyes widened in surprise, and he immediately set down his juice."Who is that? Am I seeing this right?" Terrence sat up straight, his voice filled with
When it came to discussing the contract termination, Everly stood up immediately. She pointed at Thomas, her chest heaving with anger. She couldn't believe he actually brought up ending her contract!Millie and the others watching them were speechless.The father-and-daughter duo seemed really intense. They would just argue if they wanted to."Alright, alright, even bad publicity is still publicity." Millie quickly grabbed Everly and gestured for her to stop talking. It was New Year's, so why all the fuss?Work was never-ending, so they shouldn't let small issues cause arguments when enjoying quality time with family."Ugh, it's so noisy," Layla said while holding her forehead, then rubbed her temples with one hand.Millie smiled, but Arthur remained indifferent. It seemed this scene happened frequently."Hey, Evie, can't you at least improve how people perceive you?" Millie asked, intrigued.Everly was frustrated. "I'm fed up with trying to appease those bandwagon haters!"
"I'm not very familiar with them. Really not that familiar." Millie forced a smile, politely denying the claim.Everly gently shook Millie's arm, saying, "Mills, I really want to meet Butterfly. Plus, I want to thank them for lending me Snowdrop.""Well, you should thank me. After all, I'm the one who lent it to you," Millie remarked with a slight pout while continuing to make pierogi without stopping.Everly said definitely, "No."Millie gave Everly a stern look and tapped her lightly on the head, saying, "When someone doesn't want to meet, you need to respect their wishes."Everly sighed and thought for a moment, agreeing with Millie. Fine then, she would relent.Millie nodded.Thomas was curious and asked, "So Mills really talks to Butterfly?""It was just a brief encounter before. We aren't actually that close!" Millie said awkwardly, worried that these people would ask her to find Butterfly again.Winston listened quietly, maintaining his silence.Millie couldn't help bu
Millie noticed that Winston seemed restless and asked him, "Would you like to try some pierogi?""He's a big man, and you're telling him to wrap pierogis?" Layla interrupted Millie.Was Winston, a princely man, the type to be making pierogis?"Why don't you let him give it a try? Otherwise, what's he sitting around for?" Millie asked her grandmother.Layla said, "He can just sit there.""Woah, Grandma, then is it okay if I sit there too?" Millie asked.Layla immediately rejected her, saying, "No way.""Isn't that being hypocritical?" Millie grumbled."It looks like you picked the right gift. See how well Grandma speaks of you," Millie couldn't help but say to Winston.Winston nodded. "Thank you, Grandma.""There's no need for thanks… It just doesn't make sense to have an outsider making pierogi," Layla muttered.Winston was speechless. That almost felt worse than not being thanked at all. That comment was just too harsh."Mr. Greer, how well can you handle your alcohol?" Th
"Maybe, there's a little bit of liking." Millie tilted her head, "Do you believe in genuine friendship between men and women?""Maybe…" Winston answered, sounding a bit unsure of himself.Millie pouted and mimicked his words, "Maybe…?"Winston looked down and said, "Maybe not."Millie nodded, saying, "But the feelings of the older generation are very genuine. Let them be. Grandma and Grandpa have a stable relationship, and that's what matters."Winston really couldn't agree more."Grandpa treats Grandma really well. Didn't I go grocery shopping with them yesterday? Grandpa is constantly looking out for her, and Grandma does the same. When she saw Grandpa nearly fall, the worry was all over her face… This is what it truly means to grow old together."He couldn't help but add, "I hope we can also make it to the end, Millie."Millie and Winston gradually walked down the alley.The two of them rarely had the chance to talk in such a calm and peaceful setting, so they both cherishe
Thomas said, "Please, have a seat. No need to stand on ceremony."Thomas figured he couldn't be too unwelcoming, could he? He needed to act more charming.After all, this was Winston's first time spending the Spring Festival with the Caldwell family, and it was entirely his own decision to come."Uncle Thomas, is there anything I can help with?" Winston asked.Thomas shook his head and said, "Just take a seat. Not causing trouble would be the biggest help.""Dad, come on. We're adults now, not kids anymore. Stop messing around!" Everly scoffed.Thomas squinted and smiled without saying anything. He set down his beer bottle and went back to his tasks.Layla went to put away her calligraphy and paintings, and she even posted an update on Instagram.Millie saw an Instagram post and couldn't help but smile. Layla really knew how to show off.Layla: "Today, I received "Where Mountains Meet the Sea" by Quentin Scott. I really like it. Thank you."Winston didn't have access to Layla
Millie glanced at Winston with initial shock and disbelief in her eyes. Then a hint of amusement appeared, and soon she couldn't hold it in and broke into laughter."Haha!" Millie raised her hand and placed the back of it on Winston's forehead.He didn't have a fever, right? Why else would he go along with such an absurd request?"Winston, where's your self-respect?" Millie tapped Winston's head.Winston furrowed his brow, wondering what exactly self-respect was supposed to be. Was it something edible, or could he use it to pursue Millie?She wanted to hear him, so he just played along for her. After all, women only needed a little bit of coaxing."I have none. It's all gone. Maybe the dog ate it." Winston spread his hands with a helpless expression on his face.Millie laughed and said, "You're being silly. Go help Grandpa put up the Spring Festival couplets!"Winston nodded. "Alright, let's get to work."Millie watched Winston as he bustled about, and a wave of emotions began