"Alistair, even if you don't love Aria, you should at least give her some respect. Running off without a word is really disrespectful. You're just taking advantage of her feelings for you."
"Alistair, from my perspective, it seems you do have some feelings for Aria. Think about it carefully."
What exactly are Alistair's feelings for Aria? The simple, thoughtless answer is: he doesn't like her and doesn't want to marry her. But to truly dissect it, Alistair can't say for sure.
When Aria first came to the Qin family, he liked her at first sight because she was so adorable, with her chubby cheeks that just begged to be pinched. Back then, his feelings for her were clear. She hung out with his niece all the time, and he treated her like a niece too. He liked to tease her and bought her lots of candy. When other kids bullied her, he would beat them up until they cried.
He started distancing himself from her during the summer of her sophomore year in high school because the way she looked at him had changed. Though subtle, he noticed. After all, who was he? Alistair, who had two girlfriends per semester since high school. He was very familiar with matters of love and relationships. The way she shyly avoided his gaze clearly showed she had feelings for him, but he didn't want to expose her secret. So, he began avoiding the family home, even during holidays. When he couldn't avoid it, he would keep his distance, hoping she would get the hint.
Later, when his family pressured him to go on blind dates and his grandfather pretended to be ill, he reluctantly agreed to a match. He never expected Aria would take the initiative to ask his grandfather for a meeting. His family liked her, so they were overjoyed. He felt like he was being led to the gallows without a chance to resist.
After their inexplicable engagement, he ignored and cold-shouldered her. He didn't want to hurt her, but he was a flawed person and could only push her away.
He could fall for two different women in one year, and everyone who knew him understood he was a carefree playboy, interested only in short-term relationships, not marriage. Many people said that a playboy only settles down when he meets someone who touches his heart.
That was somewhat true. He had liked many people, but none had ever deeply touched him. Compared to his previous girlfriends, Aria was an anomaly. She always put his needs first, showing him a hundred percent enthusiasm. Her devotion often left him restless, but never heartbroken. Since she only met one of the criteria, he concluded he didn't love her.
So, after much thought, he decided to take Edmond's advice and give her and himself a release. He came today to have dinner with her and Michelle, hoping to help her move on.
Aria walked into the yard and stopped a few steps from Alistair, gesturing behind her. "Do you want to come in and sit?"
Alistair shook his head. "No need. Do you have plans tonight? I'd like to take you out to dinner, with Michelle..."
"Aria!"
Lin Ye ran over with a large bouquet of roses, beaming. He handed the flowers to Aria. "A little girl was selling these, and I felt sorry for her, so I bought them all. These beautiful roses suit you perfectly. Please accept them, or it will disappoint the little girl."
Aria's mouth twitched. Since Alistair was present, she held back her irritation.
A receptionist who came out to throw away the trash witnessed this scene.
"Lin Ye, seriously? The first time you brought flowers, you said they were from an old man. The second time, it was an old lady. Now, it's a little girl? I've been here longer than you and have never seen anyone selling roses on this street. If you want to court Aria, just do it directly. You don't need a hundred different excuses for giving her flowers."
Lin Ye looked at Aria and earnestly asked, "Aria, should I stop making excuses and just give you flowers? Can I court you directly?"
Aria: "..."
Alistair's gaze swept over Lin Ye, assessing him thoroughly before giving his judgment.
"A strutting peacock. Annoying."
Aria didn't have the energy to argue with Lin Ye and pushed him aside, turning back to Alistair. "Are we having dinner with Michelle tonight?" She could guess his intention. "I'm free. What time?"
Alistair looked at her, then at Lin Ye, and finally at the striking roses. After a long pause, he spoke, "Not with Michelle, just you and me. After all, I'm your fiancé. It's been a long time since we had dinner together."
Aria: "..."
---
Lily arrived at the airport at 2:30 PM and waited for half an hour before Edmond appeared.
"I told you not to come."
Edmond handed his suitcase to the driver and pulled Lily into his arms, protecting her from the crowd. He was only wearing a thin black shirt. Lily pressed against him, feeling that the past few days had been long.
"I had nothing to do, so I came. I missed you."
Edmond's fingers brushed her pale cheek, and he leaned down. Lily wanted to ask if he missed her too, but he silenced her with a kiss.
Though brief, it conveyed more than a thousand words. Edmond released her and planted another kiss on her forehead.
"Good thing you have a conscience. It wasn't in vain that I went out in the storm to take those photos for you."
Lily was delighted. "You took them?"
"Of course. When have I ever said no to your requests?"
"True. Thank you."
"You're welcome. Thank me tonight."
"..."
They left, chatting happily. Behind them, a large advertisement screen displayed an interview.
Reporter: "The movie isn't finished yet. Why did you suddenly return to China? Is there an emergency?"
Selena: "Yes, someone's birthday is coming up, and I promised to spend it with him this year."
---
They planned to have dinner at the old house for the Mid-Autumn Festival, so Lily woke up late in the morning. Edmond had been very demanding the previous night, and she even wanted to send Lin Ye's "countercharge" phrase to him.
He had been especially clingy lately, blaming her for his minor and major issues. He said he got drenched while taking photos for her, so she had to melt into a puddle of water to thank him properly. He also claimed his car broke down, insisting she should experience the turbulence firsthand.
Lily felt wronged, so she tried to stop him even though she was exhausted. "Don't lie to me. You always have bodyguards with you. How could they let you get wet?"
Lily initially didn't know Edmond had bodyguards. After Nadia hit her, Edmond insisted on getting her a dedicated driver. He said the driver was experienced and vigilant, able to avoid any accidents. She suspected Edmond was hinting that her driving skills were poor and complained to Franklin.
Franklin said she was ungrateful. "You don't know how lucky you are. That's not just any driver; it's a driver-bodyguard combo. I haven't met yours, but Uncle Edmond's driver is an eight-time Muay Thai champion."
"Yours wouldn't be any less. He must be a champion too. Just listen to Uncle Edmond and try not to drive yourself."
She realized that the driver was indeed unusual—tall and muscular, with a sharp gaze and solid muscles. He exuded a sense of security.
Franklin mentioned that Edmond always had more than one bodyguard with him, usually in two cars following at a distance.
Since becoming a fan of Selena's dramas, Lily had watched numerous TV shows involving business wars and family feuds. So, she imagined a dramatic scenario.
"Is someone trying to harm him?"
Franklin replied, "It's rare now, but you can never be too careful, especially after that horrific car accident where he nearly died and saw his brother die in front of him. If I were him, I'd have at least ten bodyguards whenever I go out."
Lily had witnessed that tragic car accident herself. She regretted bringing up the bodyguards afterward, fearing it might remind him of painful memories. She became clingy, from passive to active, sticking to him closely.
Edmond didn't respond. She thought he hadn't heard her and was just glad he was lost in their shared happiness.