Chapter 168
Chapter 168
Jack glanced at Andrew’s phone. It was indeed a message from Alice.
A wave of irritation washed over him.
Jack checked his own phone. His last conversation with Alice was when he was discharged from the hospital.
He sensed her desire for distance.
Jack noticed how much stronger Alice had become, so he respected her wishes and didn’t contact her.
It was the right thing to do, yet Jack knew something had changed.
Jack’s brow furrowed in weariness.“What do you think?”
“Of course, I’m going. Alice is my friend. What’s the big deal about dinner?”
Jack tapped the desk.“Go to Pear Orchard. Put the bill on my tab.”
Andrew stretched out the word.“Alice wants to treat me to dinner, and you are going to pay. Can’t I afford it?”
Jack said, “Just do it!”
“Are you not coming?” Andrew asked.
Jack was a little frustrated.“No. She invited you.”
Andrew stood up, grabbed his
and checked his reflection in the mirror.
Jack couldn’t take it anymore.“Are you going or not? Stop admiring yourself!”
He then picked up his files but couldn’t focus.
Andrew coughed.“Are you not going? We’re all friends. It’s no big deal to have dinner together. Just say you happen to be around!”
“Fine, just as you said.”
Jack immediately put down his files, grabbed his coat, and also stood in front of the mirror.
Pushed aside, Andrew rolled his eyes in disdain.“Seriously, that accident years ago was the driver’s fault, not yours. Just explain it to Alice.”
Andrew recently heard Jack’s account of the car accident.
It had nothing to do with Jack.
Jack straightened his clothes.“You guys think it doesn’t matter from your perspective. But what about Alice? She lost her parents!”
Andrew fell silent.“That’s true!”
Alice was the biggest victim of that accident.
***
At Pear Orchard, Alice got out of her car at the entrance, only to find it was a low–key courtyard, not what she expected from a restaurant.
A waiter approached.“Ms. Welch?”
“Yes,” Alice answered.
“Please follow me.”
15:38
37.4%
< Chapter 168
Alice followed him inside. The elegant and antique decor impressed her.
Alice arrived at a second–floor private room, where the waiter served fruit and pastries.
It was Alice who planned the meal, but she wasn’t familiar with here. Then Andrew recommended this place.
The atmosphere was lovely.
Alice took a picture from the window.
“Alice, what are you taking a picture of?”
Alice turned and saw Jack. He’d come along.
Alice paused.“The view is nice. We can have a team–building dinner here.”
Andrew replied, “Team building? Sure. Put it on my tab!”
He looked at Jack, who would pick up the tab eventually.
Pear Orchard wasn’t a place anyone could just walk into.
But with Jack there, Alice could do anything she wanted here.
Alice glanced at Jack, who was dressed casually, his handsome features slightly aloof.
She explained, “I thought you had gone back, so I didn’t invite you.”
“Don’t worry. Jack won’t mind. He happened to be here, so he joined us. You don’t mind, right?”
Alice shook her head.“We’re all friends. Of course not.”
The manager approached, standing respectfully beside Jack.“Mr. Wilson, the usual?”
Jack looked at Alice.“What would you like to eat?”
“Whatever you usually order should be good.”
Jack handed the menu back.“Do as she said.”
Menu
The manager gave Alice a look of surprise. He had never seen her before. So, he wondered what her relationship with Jack was.
He quickly looked away.“The usual drinks?”
Jack refused.“No alcohol. Juice and sodas.”
The manager nodded and left.
Jack looked at Alice.“Why did you ask Andrew out?”
He knew Alice. She wouldn’t ask Andrew for dinner without a reason!
Alice paused.“I’m the captain of the Harvard Team now.”
“Congratulations, Alice! That calls for a celebration.”
Alice nodded.“Right.”
Jack gazed at Alice.“That’s it? Nothing else?”
“No, just for dinner. You two are my only friends.”
Alice instinctively omitted the investment matter.
Midway through the meal, Andrew took a call and left.
Alice was eating when she secretly glanced at Jack, and he caught her.
15:38
37.4%
Menu
< Chapter 168
Jack looked at her calmly.“You have something else in mind for Andrew, don’t you?”
“You figured it out. I actually wanted to talk to Andrew about the AI project. Ethan might target the Maple Company, so I need to plan ahead.”
“Don’t worry. Andrew is not stupid.”
Alice felt uneasy and took a sip of water to hide her nervousness.
“Are you settling in at school?” Jack asked.
“It’s good. I have made new friends and have a new life. Just like you said, college life is indeed exciting and fulfilling!”
Alice’s face lit up when she talked about school.
Jack suddenly didn’t want to talk about this. He stood up.“You seem interested in the courtyard. Do you want to take a walk?”
“Sure.”
Alice was happy to have something to do.
They walked down to the courtyard, side–by–side.
But they kept a respectful distance.
Alice quickened her pace, subtly distancing herself.
She looked at the courtyard.“The environment is so beautiful. Any picture will be great.”
A few steps behind her, Jack slowly described the scenery.
Alice reached an arched bridge, noticing goldfish swimming in the pond below.
“There’s moss here. Watch your step,” Jack warned.
As soon as Alice nodded, she slipped.
A
Yo
Jack grabbed her wrist and steadied her. Her face flushed.“Thank you.”
Jack quickly released Alice.“You’re welcome. I didn’t want you to scare the goldfish.”
“Thanks for coming to personally traumatize me!”
Alice rubbed her wrist, thinking the sarcastic Jack was easier to be around.
They walked around the courtyard and returned to their starting point.
Someone approached from the covered walkway, heading straight for Jack.“Jack, what are you doing here?”
Alice looked up and recognized the young man.
She said instinctively, “Are you John Wilson, the captain of the Blitzkrieg Team?”
Alice wondered why he seemed so close to Jack.
Staring at Alice, John covered his mouth in surprise.“Are you the streamer Sweet Lemon?”
John thought, “Why is she having dinner with my brother at Pear Orchard? Are they on a date? Are they secretly getting married?”
Alice was surprised.“You know me?”
“Hard not to!” John answered as he thought, “You are my future sister–in–law!”
< Chapter 169
Jack glanced at Andrew’s phone. It was indeed a message from Alice.
A wave of irritation washed over him.
Jack checked his own phone. His last conversation with Alice was when he was discharged from the hospital.
He sensed her desire for distance.
Jack noticed how much stronger Alice had become, so he respected her wishes and didn’t contact her.
It was the right thing to do, yet Jack knew something had changed.
Jack’s brow furrowed in weariness.“What do you think?”
“Of course, I’m going. Alice is my friend. What’s the big deal about dinner?”
Jack tapped the desk.“Go to Pear Orchard. Put the bill on my tab.”
Andrew stretched out the word.“Alice wants to treat me to dinner, and you are going to pay. Can’t I afford it?”
Jack said, “Just do it!”
“Are you not coming?” Andrew asked.
Jack was a little frustrated.“No. She invited you.”
Andrew stood up, grabbed his
and checked his reflection in the mirror.
Jack couldn’t take it anymore.“Are you going or not? Stop admiring yourself!”
He then picked up his files but couldn’t focus.
Andrew coughed.“Are you not going? We’re all friends. It’s no big deal to have dinner together. Just say you happen to be around!”
“Fine, just as you said.”
Jack immediately put down his files, grabbed his coat, and also stood in front of the mirror.
Pushed aside, Andrew rolled his eyes in disdain.“Seriously, that accident years ago was the driver’s fault, not yours. Just explain it to Alice.”
Andrew recently heard Jack’s account of the car accident.
It had nothing to do with Jack.
Jack straightened his clothes.“You guys think it doesn’t matter from your perspective. But what about Alice? She lost her parents!”
Andrew fell silent.“That’s true!”
Alice was the biggest victim of that accident.
***
At Pear Orchard, Alice got out of her car at the entrance, only to find it was a low–key courtyard, not what she expected from a restaurant.
A waiter approached.“Ms. Welch?”
“Yes,” Alice answered.
“Please follow me.”
15:38
37.4%
< Chapter 168
Alice followed him inside. The elegant and antique decor impressed her.
Alice arrived at a second–floor private room, where the waiter served fruit and pastries.
It was Alice who planned the meal, but she wasn’t familiar with here. Then Andrew recommended this place.
The atmosphere was lovely.
Alice took a picture from the window.
“Alice, what are you taking a picture of?”
Alice turned and saw Jack. He’d come along.
Alice paused.“The view is nice. We can have a team–building dinner here.”
Andrew replied, “Team building? Sure. Put it on my tab!”
He looked at Jack, who would pick up the tab eventually.
Pear Orchard wasn’t a place anyone could just walk into.
But with Jack there, Alice could do anything she wanted here.
Alice glanced at Jack, who was dressed casually, his handsome features slightly aloof.
She explained, “I thought you had gone back, so I didn’t invite you.”
“Don’t worry. Jack won’t mind. He happened to be here, so he joined us. You don’t mind, right?”
Alice shook her head.“We’re all friends. Of course not.”
The manager approached, standing respectfully beside Jack.“Mr. Wilson, the usual?”
Jack looked at Alice.“What would you like to eat?”
“Whatever you usually order should be good.”
Jack handed the menu back.“Do as she said.”
Menu
The manager gave Alice a look of surprise. He had never seen her before. So, he wondered what her relationship with Jack was.
He quickly looked away.“The usual drinks?”
Jack refused.“No alcohol. Juice and sodas.”
The manager nodded and left.
Jack looked at Alice.“Why did you ask Andrew out?”
He knew Alice. She wouldn’t ask Andrew for dinner without a reason!
Alice paused.“I’m the captain of the Harvard Team now.”
“Congratulations, Alice! That calls for a celebration.”
Alice nodded.“Right.”
Jack gazed at Alice.“That’s it? Nothing else?”
“No, just for dinner. You two are my only friends.”
Alice instinctively omitted the investment matter.
Midway through the meal, Andrew took a call and left.
Alice was eating when she secretly glanced at Jack, and he caught her.
15:38
37.4%
Menu
< Chapter 168
Jack looked at her calmly.“You have something else in mind for Andrew, don’t you?”
“You figured it out. I actually wanted to talk to Andrew about the AI project. Ethan might target the Maple Company, so I need to plan ahead.”
“Don’t worry. Andrew is not stupid.”
Alice felt uneasy and took a sip of water to hide her nervousness.
“Are you settling in at school?” Jack asked.
“It’s good. I have made new friends and have a new life. Just like you said, college life is indeed exciting and fulfilling!”
Alice’s face lit up when she talked about school.
Jack suddenly didn’t want to talk about this. He stood up.“You seem interested in the courtyard. Do you want to take a walk?”
“Sure.”
Alice was happy to have something to do.
They walked down to the courtyard, side–by–side.
But they kept a respectful distance.
Alice quickened her pace, subtly distancing herself.
She looked at the courtyard.“The environment is so beautiful. Any picture will be great.”
A few steps behind her, Jack slowly described the scenery.
Alice reached an arched bridge, noticing goldfish swimming in the pond below.
“There’s moss here. Watch your step,” Jack warned.
As soon as Alice nodded, she slipped.
A
Yo
Jack grabbed her wrist and steadied her. Her face flushed.“Thank you.”
Jack quickly released Alice.“You’re welcome. I didn’t want you to scare the goldfish.”
“Thanks for coming to personally traumatize me!”
Alice rubbed her wrist, thinking the sarcastic Jack was easier to be around.
They walked around the courtyard and returned to their starting point.
Someone approached from the covered walkway, heading straight for Jack.“Jack, what are you doing here?”
Alice looked up and recognized the young man.
She said instinctively, “Are you John Wilson, the captain of the Blitzkrieg Team?”
Alice wondered why he seemed so close to Jack.
Staring at Alice, John covered his mouth in surprise.“Are you the streamer Sweet Lemon?”
John thought, “Why is she having dinner with my brother at Pear Orchard? Are they on a date? Are they secretly getting married?”
Alice was surprised.“You know me?”
“Hard not to!” John answered as he thought, “You are my future sister–in–law!”
< Chapter 169
