Renee looked at Xavier's phone, puzzled. "What am I supposed to be looking at?" "Well..." Xavier was about to speak, but Leia grabbed his phone before he could explain. "It's just his new girlfriend. Ignore him!"Leia didn't know what Stefan's response was, but Renee was probably better off not reading it. She easily unlocked his phone since his password hadn't changed since they dated. She opened his Facebook messages, and clicked on Stefan's profile picture. To her surprise, there was no reply from Stefan—only Xavier's message was there. After leaving Stefan's chat, she saw a message from Shirley which Xavier hadn't read yet. Leia bit her lip nervously, and at last, her curiosity got the better of her as she clicked on Xavier's chat with Shirley. The chat was filled with Shirley's messages, with only a few perfunctory replies from Xavier. Leia read Shirley's newest message: [Are you free? I'm drunk at Rosy Bar. Can you come pick me up?] Leia felt uneasy wondering what Xavier wou
"Okay, I'll stop joking about you. It's rare for him to give in. Just go with it..." Renee hugged Leia and whispered, "Trust me—when a player wants to get rid of all his other women for you, it means that he's sincere. Just give him a chance!" Then, Renee said to Xavier, "And you should be loyal to her. Stop being a ladies' man. Don't you know being in a relationship means being exclusive?" "I know." Xavier nodded. "I'll be careful from now on." After all, he didn't want him and Leia to go through as much trouble as Stefan and Renee. He wanted a calm and smooth life. "Okay, you both talk. I'll go." Renee didn't want to be a third wheel, so she left.The atmosphere grew awkward after Renee left. Leia smoothed her hair and said casually, "I know you were just lying so Ren wouldn't notice Stefan didn't text you back. I won't take it seriously." Leia pretended to be indifferent, but she actually cared."I'm not as considerate as you think," Xavier said in amusement. "I meant what I s
When Renee went back at tha party, she drank wine and chatted with the others. She looked happy, as if she was no longer traumatized by her failed marriage. At night, the guests eventually left, and Margaret helped put the children to sleep. Renee exhaled deeply, exhausted."Do you want to get a drink? Just the two of us?" Justin held up a bottle of wine and grinned. "I stole this plum wine from my house's old wine cellar. It's my grandpa's favorite, and this is the last bottle. I didn't want to drink it during the party just now." Renee was sitting on the stairs in front of the living room, looking up at the starry sky. When she heard Justin, she just said calmly, "Sure, I didn't have much to drink earlier." Renee had to pretend to be happy and cheerful in front of everyone during the party, but now that everyone had left, she could go back to being depressed. "Come on then! Let's go to the back garden." Justin's eyes gleamed with delight, and he excitedly invited her to the back
Justin immediately met Quinton to make that happen, and the two soon became close friends. Eventually, Quinton hoped to see Justin become his brother-in-law. "I don't think so!" Margaret frowned solemnly. "Yes, Mr. Baldwin is a good guy, but his family isn't, especially Old Master Baldwin. He's very autocratic and eccentric. If Ms. Ren gets with Mr. Baldiwn, she'll have to live with Old Master Baldwin, which is very dangerous. Ms. Ren wouldn't know when he'll lose his temper." "You're overthinking." Quinton admired Austin, and protested, "Old Master Baldwin was a soldier who killed many enemies. He's a righteous and brave man. Why would he mess with his daughter-in-law? If my sister marries Justin, I'm sure Old Master Baldwin will dote on her. He'll cherish her and adore her." "If you think that, you don't know their generation well!" After all, Margaret was older, and she knew the grudges and history of the three families well. "When it comes to that, it's Old Mr. Hunt who is th
Meanwhile, Renee and Justin had reached the back garden."I like your house's back garden. It's spacious, bright, and quiet. I can lay on the flowerbed and look at the stars. It's wonderful!" Justin held the wine bottle and got into the flowerbed, sitting on the ground cross-legged."The garden at your house isn't small either. I remember I nearly got lost there once." Renee sat beside Justin, feeling surprisingly relaxed as she enjoyed the night breeze. "The garden at my house is too orderly. It's boring; I hate going there." Justin shifted awkwardly, scanning his surroundings. He was surprised at the blue forget-me-nots all over the ground. "This place used to be full of sunflowers. Why did you start planting these small flowers instead?" He picked one and sniffed it, then shook his head. "Sunflowers look better. They're golden and large, and look enthusiastic and generous. This small flower does look elegant, but it doesn't match your style!" Renee caressed the forget-me-nots
"Don't hesitate—just go for it. Hurry up and buy me. The sale is only for today—you might lose this chance if you're not fast enough!" Justin urged eagerly. Renee thought for a while, then looked up at the stars. "Look at the stars—each one is beautiful and unique."Disappointed, Justin pouted and complained, "Why are you talking about the stars now? You can refuse me, you know." He knew Renee—although she was talking about cost-effectiveness, she still wanted perfection. Justin might not even have the option to be her Plan B. He knew his position well, so he always stayed with her as a best friend who shared her interests. He rarely tried to win her favor and pursue her romantically, because he knew he would fail."No, I'm not trying to change the subject." Renee glared at him. "Didn't I just say that each star is unique? I don't have to keep looking at just one." "What do you mean?" Justin's breath caught, and he didn't dare move. He was afraid that even the slightest noise wou
For the next few days, Renee tried dating Justin. They kept things casual, but both of them intended to develop their relationship as lovers.Renee received a text from Justin the moment she woke up: [How would you like to enjoy yourself today?] She rubbed her eyes, a sense of warmth and peace blooming in her heart. After a brief thought, she texted him back. [We've watched movies and operas, and even tried a candlelight dinner… but they all seem kind of boring!][What do you mean?] Justin read Renee's reply, feeling alarmed. [Are you trying to ask for a refund before the probation is over?][Haha! No, I just think we should try something special today.][Like what?][Like an... escape room?][Sounds interesting. Let's go!] Excited, Justin immediately changed into casual clothes and styled his hair with gel. He looked like a handsome college student. [Wait for me. I'll pick you up.][Okay!] After texting him, Renee went to wash up and get ready."Ren, let's go shopping later!"
"I used to think the same way. I wanted a pure and passionate love… but my thoughts have changed now. I think the most important thing in love isn't the so-called sparks or the butterflies in our stomach but...""But what?" Leia asked eagerly."Comfort!" Renee smiled. "A couple needs to spend the rest of their lives together, which is a long time. It isn't enough just being attracted to each other—being comfortable is the most important thing. If it's a very intense and passionate love, it'll end up hurting them both. It'll only bloom for a while and won't last long. In the end, the two people holding hands as they watch the sunset will keep each other company, take care of each other, and listen to each other's woes."Leia listened to Renee's explanation and nodded thoughtfully. "You sound so logical. Attraction won't last forever, so the most important thing is compatibility!""Yeah, I think you and Xavier are pretty compatible. You're very relaxed when you're with him, so you b