As he handed her the food, Manuel Ink sat down beside her on the balcony.
"Don’t mind Grandpa’s words. He’s just old and has nothing else to do."
Sumr Sutton turned her head to look at him and nodded.
"Hurry up and eat! Don’t let him make you starve," Manuel urged her.
Sumr Sutton was genuinely hungry at this point. She smiled at him and buried her face in the food on her plate.
Manuel stayed by her side for a while.
The Ink Family’s afternoon was filled with warm sunlight and the scent of roses on the breeze.
The two of them sat together on one side of the balcony chair, their silhouettes looking unusually harmonious.
At that mont, Old Master Ink happened to pass by outside the room. Seeing the scene inside, he stopped in his tracks.
He quietly watched the two on the balcony as if he was pondering sothing.
The two inside the room didn’t notice him at the doorway, with Sumr Sutton eating and Manuel quietly accompanying her.
As they ate, a closing door sound suddenly ca from the direction of the doorway.
Sumr Sutton and Manuel were both taken aback, their eyes suddenly sweeping towards the door. Before they could react, a locking sound suddenly rang out from outside.
The sudden situation left Sumr Sutton dumbfounded for a few seconds, her eyes rigidly turning to Manuel beside her.
Manuel rose, his face sullen, and slowly walked towards the room door, attempting to pull it open.
He tried several tis, but it wouldn’t budge.
"What’s Grandpa up to?" Sumr Sutton followed him over and also tried the door.
She hadn’t even seen who was outside, but when the door was locked, she imdiately guessed it was the Old Master’s handiwork.
Manuel stood by silently.
"Grandpa, you can’t do this! Open the door!" Sumr Sutton pounded the door, trying to call out to soone outside.
"Don’t bother knocking; it’s useless! I’m giving you two ti to get familiar with each other." The Old Master tossed her a sentence before cheerfully heading downstairs.
He’d gone to this extent; if Manuel wasn’t straightforward this ti, he wouldn’t be a man!
As he left, his footsteps were deliberately loud, seemingly wanting the people inside to know there was no one outside; they were stuck in the room together.
Sumr Sutton thought Old Master Ink was simply making a fuss!
At his age, he’d lost his mind!
She and Manuel had no feelings for each other. Stuck in a room, what else could they do but feel awkward?
"Grandpa! Grandpa!" Sumr Sutton shouted at the top of her lungs, calling out several tis, hoping to get soone to co back.
By this ti, Old Master Ink had already gone downstairs, and he couldn’t hear a word of her calling.
Even if he heard, he wouldn’t co back to unlock the door.
Sumr Sutton was calling until her throat felt dry, and her hand was sore from pounding the door, yet still, no one ca. She suddenly didn’t know what to do.
Turning her face, she looked over to Manuel beside her, hoping he could think of a solution.
On Manuel’s face, Emilia Sutton had never seen a look of panic; in any situation, he always appeared calm and indifferent, facing everything with tranquil composure.
"Don’t mind him, just do what you need to do. This door can’t stay shut forever, can it?" He wasn’t the least bit anxious, radiating a "let him do whatever he wants" attitude, even moving to the balcony and pulling out a chess set to start playing.
Sumr Sutton understood this logic too, but what she worried about was how long the Old Master planned to keep the door locked?
If he didn’t open the door by tonight, what then?
User Comments
0 comments from readers