Sienna Thornton was startled and quickly separated her body from Simon Forrester. One of them pretended to be inspecting a children’s wardrobe, knocking here and there, while the other quickly ran to the window, pretending to look at the scenery.
Quentin Thorne and linda Linton walked in, looked around, seed quite satisfied, nodded, and then went elsewhere.
Sienna was just about to follow them out when Simon suddenly grabbed her hand and whispered, "Let’s go check out another place."
"Where to?"
"The third floor..."
"..." Sienna wasn’t interested, "I’m not very keen on the third floor." Saying this, she was about to go out to find her parents.
Simon held her again, lowering his voice, "Co up with ."
Sienna couldn’t refuse him and reluctantly followed him upstairs. The mont they went up, she was as excited as if she’d discovered a new continent.
The third floor space was mostly undivided. Looking around, on the left was a gym area filled with exercise mats and various equipnt Sienna couldn’t na; on the right, there was a 20-ter by 50-ter long swimming pool.
Seeing the clean, blue pool, Sienna ran over: "Wow, is this pool heated?"
"Yes."
"Then when you swim, can I buy a big duck float to play in it?"
Simon: "..."
Sienna squatted by the pool, playing with the water, while Simon squatted next to her, whispering sothing in her ear which made her blush. She glared at him, saying, "Shaless," and quickly stood up, walking forward in a fluster.
Simon chased after her, grabbing her hand.
She refused to let him hold it, and as they tussled, they reached a small cabin at the end of the pool.
"What’s this?" Sienna stepped forward and opened the cabin door wide, exclaiming in surprise, "You even made a sauna room?"
Simon followed her in, closing the door behind him.
She looked around inside, quite satisfied: "I like it here! I’ll need to co up often to steam and detox."
"Together."
She laughed and pushed him: "No, your intentions aren’t as innocent as they seem."
He ca closer, showing a full set of neat white teeth: "You know so well?"
She also laughed, moving slightly: "If others don’t know you, do you think I wouldn’t?"
"As long as you know, I haven’t doted on you for nothing..."
...
After leaving the sauna room, Simon took Sienna to tour the gym area, including the outdoor yoga platform overlooking the entire forest park.
When they went downstairs, Quentin Thorne and linda Linton returned to the first-floor yard to admire the flowers and plants.
The group strolled around the entire villa area, and when they descended the hill, it was already evening.
Quentin was quite satisfied with the villa, with his only concern being security.
Simon explained that the villa area’s outer walls were equipped with infrared surveillance. If anyone climbed over the walls, the security system would imdiately transfer the alarm to property managent, which would dispatch security personnel as quickly as possible.
Reassured by this, Quentin felt much more at ease.
-
Ti flew by, and Mid-Autumn Festival was approaching.
A few days before the festival, Old Master Forrester had already called Simon Forrester, instructing him to make sure to co ho for the family reunion during Mid-Autumn, warning that staying with his fiancée’s family during such an important holiday would make him like a son-in-law living with his wife’s family.
Not wanting to argue with the elder, Simon lied, saying he was in the apartnt. Old Master Forrester didn’t expose his lie but ordered him to co ho for the Mid-Autumn Festival.
Simon then asked Sienna whether she wanted to co with him to the old residence for the festival, but Sienna had to stay with linda, so she couldn’t go.
The holiday started on the Sunday two days before Mid-Autumn, and Simon was still staying with Sienna at linda’s place, planning to return to the old residence on the festival day.
Sienna, relieved to have the holiday, was planning to visit The Fenmore Villa to see if there was anything else she needed to add when Quentin suddenly called to say that Old Mrs. Thorne wanted to visit linda.
Old Mrs. Thorne, nearing eighty, was still vigorous, an academician at the Physics Institute of the Celestian Academy of Sciences and a professor in the Physics Departnt at Braden University. Perhaps due to her extensive ntal work, she remained sharp and composed, not showing any signs of aging.
When Sienna asked linda for her opinion on the matter, the usually calm linda imdiately felt nervous, reminiscent of the tension thirty years ago when Quentin said he would take her to the city to et his parents.
Though anxious, she didn’t think it held any more significance to et the Thorne family parents now. However, linda, having been kind all her life, naturally couldn’t refuse when the elder expressed a desire to visit her.
That afternoon, just after lunch, Quentin brought Mrs. Thorne over.
As soon as Mrs. Thorne entered, Sienna greeted her warmly with a "Grandma." Mrs. Thorne adored her granddaughter imnsely and, after changing into indoor slippers, took Sienna’s hand, unwilling to let go.
linda also ca out from the living room, tentatively greeting, "Professor Langley."
Mrs. Thorne looked at her, filled with guilt.
The elder took linda’s hand, holding the hand of a granddaughter in one and the hand of a rural woman, who her son abandoned, yet bore him a daughter, in the other.
The three won sat on the sofa, Auntie King brought juice, and Quentin made tea.
Seeing linda’s reasonably rosy complexion and the serene, cozy house, Old Mrs. Thorne nodded constantly, her eyes glistening with tears: "Annie is truly accomplished, not only bringing her mother to the city but also preparing such a lovely ho."
Her son didn’t keep his promise to bring linda to the city, but her granddaughter went on to accomplish it, moving her mother out of the countryside.
This granddaughter, she thought, was more capable than her own father.
While she didn’t voice it aloud, Old Mrs. Thorne knew in her heart.
The elder gently patted the back of linda’s hand, exclaiming, "linda, you must take care of your health! Annie will be getting married soon, and you need to help with the grandchildren. You have to live long and healthy!"
linda, still slightly nervous, nodded with a smile. Being naturally reserved, she didn’t know what else to say.
Though Old Mrs. Thorne was a scholar, her city dwelling and old age gave her a sharp tongue that skillfully softened past grievances, coaxing the simple-hearted linda into submission with a few words.
Sienna didn’t particularly care to hear about past events and was looking for a chance to leave when Simon Forrester happened to co out of the room.
Upon seeing him, Old Mrs. Thorne smiled and beckoned: "Ford, co over and sit."
Simon had initially co out to ask Sienna to take a nap, but surprised to find the living room full of people, he hesitated and stepped back a bit.
Old Mrs. Thorne saw this and teased: "I’m not a tiger, what are you afraid of?"
Simon laughed awkwardly and greeted, "Hello, Grandma Langley, you’ve co over."
Old Mrs. Thorne’s maiden na was Langley.
Simon sat on the side of the recliner, and Sienna moved over to sit with him, their hands twined together.
Old Mrs. Thorne watched the two for a mont, then gathered her thoughts and smiled, "I’ve heard about your wedding from Annie’s Dad. I have a suggestion, would you like to hear it?"
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