Chapter 30
In the narrow changing room, the atmosphere was very awkward. Vanessa could say nothing.
It wasn't that she could say nothing. It was because that Finley came over.
There were only eight changing rooms. They were not closed. Only less than 5.6-feet of curtains were hung.
Finley stood outside and looked casually. He could see Shawn's head, but he could not see Vanessa covered by the door curtain.
"Have you done?"
Finley was standing just outside, separated by a curtain.
Vanessa was inexplicably slow in breathing and did not dare to gasp.
Her brain didn't have time to analyze the situation. Subconsciously, she frowned with fixed attention. She dare not make a sound, in order not to be noticed by the people outside.
It seemed that they were having an affair.
"Not yet." Shawn looked back at Finley and said, "Why the hurry?"
Vanessa was in his arms. As soon as he spoke, she could feel the slight tremor in his chest.
Vanessa had butterflies in her stomach.
Finley still wanted to say something. He was walking this way.
At the other end, Emily came out wearing protective clothing.
She padded her feet, looked around, and immediately said, "Finley, what's wrong with this belt? I can't wear it."
As she fiddled with her belt, she walked to this end. Without much thought, Finley immediately went to teach her to fasten her belt.
In half a minute, Finley helped Emily to fasten it. However, after interrupting, he forgot what he had just done. He only looked up at Shawn and said, "Hurry up."
After saying that, he wanted to leave. He remembered and looked around, "Where is Vanessa?"
"Leave her alone." Emily's voice rang out. "She's a slow worker. Let's go out and wait."
Finley nodded without thinking.
As she passed the changing room, Emily brushed her fingers across the curtain of the door and looked over casually. She happened to meet Shawn's eyes.
Inexplicably guilty, she turned her head and stepped out.
When the sound of Emily's and Finley's footsteps gradually disappeared in the changing room, Vanessa stood still in her position.
Shawn bowed his head, his chin close to her cheek, and looked at her with drooping eyes.
"Talk."
Vanessa was motionless, staring at the board in front of her, her fingers clutching the corners of her clothes.
Their necks were so close that their breathing was almost intertwined.
Vanessa could feel his breath, so he must also feel her breathing rate.
In this case, Vanessa didn't want to stand off with him.
She looked slightly to the left, avoiding Shawn's eyes.
"Will you sleep with me?"
After a pause, she said, "Are you responsible for sleeping?"
The two seconds after Vanessa finished speaking were almost the longest two seconds in her life. When she could say such words, she was forced by Shawn to completely break her psychological defense line. But he looked at her calmly, looking at her side face slightly.
After a while, he still didn't answer. Instead, he raised his left hand and pinched her cheek.
Then he completely released the shackles on her, turned, and walked out.
Vanessa was confused by his action and stood stunned in the changing room for a long time.
What did this mean?
...
Vanessa slowly wore the protective clothing. When she walked out of the changing room, Emily had happily rode on a small brown horse, laughing like a child, as if she had completely forgotten that she had a friend who was just in deep trouble.
Vanessa looked to the side again. Two strange men were sitting in the distance and had no intention of coming over.
Instead, Shawn was standing next to a horse.
The winter sun was warm. The green was boundless. Shawn was taller than the horse. It should be a very eye-catching picture.
But when Vanessa thought of the pain she had suffered just now, she silently looked away and looked at Finley.
Finley had been accompanying Emily. When he saw Vanessa coming out, he waved to a man at the stable and loosened the rein. Then he was about to walk towards Vanessa.
When Emily saw it, she said something to Finley and kept him there.
Then she raised her chin to Vanessa and conveyed the message with eyes that only they could understand.
Vanessa shook her head silently.
She didn't understand. She didn't want to understand anything.
As Vanessa was thinking, Shawn already led the horse and walked slowly to her side.
"Mount the horse."
Vanessa, "...."
She glanced at Shawn, had a stiff smile, and took a step back.
"No. I'm here to relax. I don't want to get on the horse."
Shawn nodded, "Will you go up by yourself or will I help you?"
"..."
Suddenly, Vanessa's thigh began to ache faintly.
Vanessa smiled and asked dryly, "Is there another positive choice?"
Shawn may not understand her words for a while.
But Vanessa regretted the moment she said it, and immediately said, "Then you hold me. Carry me in your arms."
Under the scorching sun, the lens on the bridge of Shawn's nose reflected light. Vanessa could not see his eyes clearly.
But she saw clearly that he suddenly smiled.
The bright light shone on the eyeglass frame, which made his smile a little dazzling.
Shawn didn't like to laugh.
They had known each other for a long time, and Vanessa could count the time when he smiled.
Thus, seeing him suddenly smiling, Vanessa felt a little scared.
Seeing that he was about to come over, Vanessa suddenly made a detour and rode on the back of the horse in stirrups.
When she just pulled the reins, someone sat behind her. She could feel Shawn's breath again.
Vanessa was not surprised at all that Shawn would ride the same horse as hers. Judging from his expression just now, he seemed to be someone who would stand on the ground and help her lead the reins.
But he seemed to be normal today. He drove the horse unhurriedly and wandered leisurely at the edge of the fence, 328 feet away from Finley and Emily.
Occasionally, a gust of wind blew, bringing the smell of grass, curling up Vanessa's hair, which was blown on Shawn's face from time to time.
It seemed that she was really taking a walk, and even her breath became relaxed.
After a long time, when Vanessa thought time would go on like this, his voice suddenly rang in her ears.
"Don't say that again."
Vanessa said, "What?"
"I'm not an upright gentleman."
"..."
...
At nightfall, Vanessa sent Emily to the security checkpoint.
Before leaving, Emily didn't forget to give Vanessa earnest exhortations.
"Don't forget my words. Be reserved. Be more reserved, okay? Adopt a long-term plan."
Vanessa replied, "Got it. Got it." Then she hurriedly made Emily go to the security checkpoint.
It was dark outside and the evening glow was surging in the sky. People were coming and going in a hurry at the airport.
The holiday passed quickly. Vanessa went home alone, took a shower, and cleaned up the room. It would be a new working day on the next morning.
The people who had just finished their holidays were as listless as ever, as if they hadn't come back to their senses from their holidays.
After lunch, Vanessa was about to sleep on her stomach for a while. When Lily passed by Vanessa's seat, she suddenly asked, "Vanessa, will you go back to Ariana during the Spring Festival?"
Raising her head, Vanessa said with some vigilance and confusion, "No."
"What?" Lily asked, "Why?"
Vanessa said, "Because I'm not from Ariana."
"..."
Lily smiled awkwardly and said calmly, "It turns out that I was wrong. Isn't it that many women in Ariana are beautiful? I always thought you are from Ariana."
Then Lily slowly left with the cup in her hand.
Tracy was shocked by Lily's move.
"She said so much just to praise you?"
No one could understand what had happened to Lily recently, but her words reminded Vanessa and Tracy of one thing.
The Spring Festival was coming in more than 20 days.
Vanessa immediately took out her phone, checked the ticket, and placed an order.
But when she paid, she sighed helplessly.
At this moment, Tracy next to her was also sighing.
Vanessa turned her head and looked at Tracy.
"Your parents also urge you to get married?"
Tracy asked.
With a glance, the two of them sighed again.
At her age, Vanessa had never thought that she would be urged to get married. However, she had a cousin who was two years younger than her. The year before last, she fell in love with someone and couldn't extricate herself from it. The marriage and childbirth were completed in nine months.
This year, the baby was learning to speak. Vanessa's parents became more and more fond of playing with children and became interested in having a grandson. The two of them seemed to have changed into different people. Even on the phone, they couldn't get rid of the topic of marriage.
What Vanessa was afraid of happened. As soon as Vanessa finished booking the air ticket, her parents called her.
With a bad feeling, Vanessa went to the tea room and answered the phone, "Hello, mom, what's wrong?"
"Vanessa. When will you go home this year?"
Vanessa's mother was a Chinese teacher in high school. She always said gently and softly, making people feel that she never lost her temper. Only close people could perceive the attitude in her tone.
For example, Vanessa felt that her mother meant something else now.
"I'm quite busy this year. I might be a little late."
"Well, that's good. It doesn't matter if you go home later. The son of the president of my school. Do you know him? You met each other when you were children. He just returned from studying abroad this summer. I heard that he also works in Lantrie yesterday. I think you two children are living in a strange place lonely. Why don't you meet another day to catch up on the old days and be friends?"
Vanessa instantly got sad.
"Mom, is this a blind date?"
"Why do you say that? Just make friends."
"Mom, first, I'm not lonely. I'm very busy. Second, I have a boyfriend. He will be angry if I meet another man."
"Well, I don't know you yet?" Her mother smiled at the other end of the phone, "You're always saying that you have a boyfriend, but you never bring him back. Is he too ugly? That's impossible. You have the same taste as mine. I know."
"I really have a boyfriend, mom."
"Then take him home during the Spring Festival."
"He's busy."
"Really? How old is he?"
Vanessa answered almost subconsciously, "Twenty-seven."
"What are his parents?"
"Run banks."
"Then send some photos to me."
Vanessa paused. Because she realized whom she was talking about. She was stunned.
As Vanessa was silent, her mother said, "You don't have any photos? You're lying, aren't you?"
Vanessa hurriedly said, "I'll send it to you later. I'm busy now. Bye."
After returning to her seat, Vanessa forgot what her mother had said. She pulled the pillow and lay down.
When she was at school, her parents were always on guard. They wished Vanessa could have pimples, fearing that she would be attractive to bad boys.
After going to college, she was also told to study hard. It was not the time to fall in love.
But soon after her graduation, her parents were counting on her to have a baby.
When she was about to fall asleep, her phone vibrated because her mother sent several messages in a row.
Vanessa's mother: Where are the photos?
Vanessa's mother: Let me have a look.
Vanessa's mother: Let me see if he is as handsome as the son of my school principal.
Looking at the phone screen, Vanessa suddenly thought of something.
She logged on to the Internet and directly found the information of the last press conference of Mondred Bank. She downloaded two photos of Shawn without any watermark.
Shawn was shot with a high-definition camera. Although he looked serious, he had a noble temperament. He was eye-catching, making others in the photos inferior.
Unconsciously, Vanessa looked over the two photos several times.
She suddenly felt that even if she didn't want anything else, it was not a bad thing to be his wife with his handsome appearance.
She smiled unconsciously and sent the photos to her mother.
Vanessa: Have a look.
Vanessa: This is your son-in-law.
After Vanessa sent the photos, her mother did not respond for a few minutes.
When Vanessa thought her mother was shocked, she finally received a reply.
Her mother sent a photo of a famous male celebrity.
Vanessa's mother: Do you know who he is?
Vanessa:?
Vanessa's mother: This is your stepfather.