That night, Jorgen came to the Boar and Whistle Inn, the place he frequented the most. The owner was David Langston, who had borrowed money from Jorgen when he first opened the shop. However, only Mrs. Shelley Langston, the owner's wife, and her daughter Nicole Langston were in the shop today.
"Where did David go?" Jorgen asked Shelley, who was leisurely reading a little book in front of the counter.
"The moonlight wine we ordered was half a month late and hasn't arrived yet, so he went to urge them himself. What would you like today, Jorgen?" Shelley said. She was forty-five years old but still charming. Her daughter Nicole was renowned as a great beauty, but it was somewhat unusual for such a beauty to remain unmarried at the age of twenty-five.
When Nicole served Jorgen, he kept looking at her light green deep eyes from the side.
"Don't stare at my daughter like that. She's too young for you," Shelley said.
"I just think she looks almost exactly like you when you were young," Jorgen said, looking back at Nicole's back as she walked to another table, then picked up his fork.
"Um, really delicious." Jorgen suddenly came out with this sentence while chewing the fried pork chops.
"What's wrong with you today? Not only talkative but also praising the food in our little shop?" Shelley said.
"Shelley," Jorgen said, "it's your birthday the day after tomorrow, right?"
"..."
"David and Nicole must prepare a perfect birthday banquet for you. But I guess I could also prepare some things for you... What do you think?"
Shelley sighed. "Jorgen, you are really caring. Who provoked this wooden man?"
"I just asked if you would accept the birthday gift I prepared."
"If it were twenty-five or even fifteen years ago, I would say 'yes'. But now it's different. We are not young anymore, Jorgen. Some things are over and should not be called back. It's been over between us for a long time."
"Yes, David stole you from me."
"Enough, don't say that. My God, I've been married for twenty-five years, you..."
"Shelley, although I'm old, I'm not stupid. What you did to me was not fair!"
Jorgen did not expect his tone to be high enough to attract everyone in the inn. Shelley covered her mouth and turned away, pretending not to have spoken to him. And the suspicious look in Nicole's eyes made Jorgen feel very uncomfortable. He hurriedly left the inn. At this moment, a gust of cold wind rushed in from the narrow passage, and he shivered.
This is not the life you deserve. Elin Tias' words yesterday echoed in his mind.