"Didn't you say he would come back soon?" Grandfather Green sneered, "And why is he not returning? Isn't it because of you? All thanks to your brilliant deeds!"
Grandmother Green, knowing she was in the wrong, said, "That was such a long time ago. Can't we just drop it?"
As the eldest grandson of the Green Family, John Green was always held to high expectations since childhood.
He indeed lived up to them, excelling in studies and consistently ranking among the top students.
No one expected that during senior high school, he fell in love. At such a critical time for university entrance exams, John Green's grades slipped. The Green Family noticed something was off and upon investigation, discovered he was in a relationship with a girl in junior middle school, three years younger than him.
At that time, Grandmother Green was furiously angry and forcibly broke up the young couple.
In retaliation, John Green did not apply to the business school but instead applied to a foreign medical university, choosing medicine over business.
From age 18 to 26, eight years passed without him ever returning, always striving to make a name for himself abroad.
This was why the Green Family shifted the focus of the successor onto the third child, Jacob Green.
The Green Family was very secretive about this matter. Except for Grandfather Green occasionally mentioning it, no one usually talked about it intentionally.
"Grandpa, did my brother say when exactly he would return?" Lily Green inquired.
"He didn't specify, just said it's soon. His work has been transferred back, and he'll be developing his career here now."
Lily Green laughed brightly, "If Stellan Quinn knew my brother was coming back, what would he do? It surely leaves one eagerly anticipating."
"You seem to enjoy the excitement," Jacob Green stood up, "I'm heading back to the office."
Lily Green probed further, "Are you planning to rush things with Stellan Quinn before big brother returns?"
"I'm not as threatened as you might think."
"..."
— —
In the evening, Lucy planned to have hotpot with James, so she called Nathaniel Green in advance, telling him he didn't need to pick her up.
After work, she walked to the hair salon where James worked, opened the door, and went in. James was busy, so she silently sat on a sofa waiting for him to finish.
After waiting for over ten minutes, James switched duties with a colleague.
"Aren't you heading over there today?"
"I am, but I have something to discuss with you first."
"What's up?"
"I'll treat you to hotpot, and we can talk while eating."
James raised an eyebrow, "This must be something big."
Lucy neither confirmed nor denied it.
They together took a bus downtown.
They chose a newly opened hotpot restaurant.
After ordering, she rested her interlaced fingers under her chin, "The Clan Green built a new community in the suburbs. I'm planning to buy two units there, live in one, and sell the other. Buying the property requires transferring the household registration from our village to the city, which requires the village cadre's certification. I don't want anyone to know about this or go back myself, so..."
Lucy took an envelope from her bag and handed it to James, "There's 20,000 yuan inside. Give this to the village cadre, ensure their confidentiality, and let me know. I will speak to the village cadre when the time comes."
James understood her intention and nodded right away, "Alright, leave it to me."
Lucy opened a beer, and they both filled their glasses, "Cheers."
James raised his glass, "Bottoms up."
Lucy liked spicy food; without spice, she found no joy, making this hotpot especially delightful.
When they left, it was already dark outside.
James took a taxi directly to his place, while Lucy strolled along the sidewalk to digest.
As she passed a high-end restaurant, she inadvertently glanced inside and saw Jacob Green sitting by the window with Stellan Quinn.
Stellan Quinn was wearing an off-shoulder dress, eating with exquisite grace and smiling charmingly.
Jacob Green across from her watched with full attention, as if he saw no one else.
He truly loved Stellan Quinn.
This fact was etched in her heart.
So, living another life, she had no expectations from him because her heart was completely dead in the last life.
Returning home, she washed up and lay on the bed intending to read, when a news notification popped up on her phone screen.
[Clan Green's CEO Jacob Green dines with a youthful lady, suspected girlfriend revealed.]
She closed the news without reading it.
Acting oblivious, she started reading.
Jacob Green returned at ten o'clock.
She was already asleep in bed.
But when he lifted the quilt, all he saw was her entirely bare body.
Jacob Green leaned down, kissed her chest, and playfully teased a shade of red with his tongue.
Lucy moved slightly, giggling, opening her eyes, "I was already asleep, and you woke me up again, naughty thing."
"Do you like it?"
Her gaze was alluring as she placed a hand in his hair, "I like it, makes me want to..."
Jacob Green silenced her with a kiss, his hand moving to her waist and gradually going down.
Lucy's sleepiness vanished, and her spirits rose, cooperating eagerly with him.
At the height of passion, she boldly asked, "How many women have you slept with?"
"What do you think?"
"I'm your only one."
Jacob Green asked in return, "Are you happy?"
"What do you think?"
"Imitating me, you should be punished." His movements quickened, making her scream repeatedly.
Only at times like this did she delude herself that he was hers.
This delusion was destined to be short-lived.
After a moment of daze, she maintained clarity more than anyone else.
They slept naked together for the night, with him holding her, having a good dream.
In the morning, Jacob Green was awakened by the phone ringing.
He picked up the phone, glanced at the caller ID, it was Nathaniel Green.
It must be something urgent.
Sliding his finger over the answer key, Jacob held it to his ear and asked, "What's up?"
"Miss Quinn is here, almost at the living room door."
Unexpectedly, Jacob Green calmly replied that he knew, and then hung up the phone.
While Jacob Green was washing up, the bedroom doorbell rang, and Stellan Quinn's voice came from outside, "Jacob, are you up?"
He was about to respond when he heard a thud outside. At the door, Lucy lay wrapped in a quilt, having fallen onto the carpet, looking utterly awkward.
Jacob Green felt like laughing and said to the door, "I'll be right there. Wait in the living room, please."
"Okay."
Lucy got up, ran nude into the closet to get dressed.
By the time she came out dressed, Jacob Green was already downstairs.
"Why are you here so early?"
Stellan Quinn stood up from the sofa, "I wanted to have breakfast with you. From now on, I want to have all three meals with you."
"You love sleeping in. Getting up so early every day will be tiring."
"It's okay." She walked over, reached for his arm, "I'm willing."