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“Ah! That's more like it!” Joyce eventually put her hands down in satisfaction.
Caitlin poured two cups of tea and served one of them to Justin. “Justin, don't reject anything right away. Joyce
should return you the favor. Even if it's between husband and wife, no one should expect the other party to be
spending on the gifts at all times, isn't it?”
“Mom, I share the same sentiment with you.” Joyce nodded in agreement.
Justin took the cup of tea from Caitlin and threw a subtle glance at Joyce before replying, “Mrs. Rivers, I got it. I'm
sorry for my impulsiveness just now.”
Caitlin uttered joyfully, “It's all right. Take a seat first. Join us for lunch later, okay?”
Justin nodded, gasping admiringly, “Okay! Mrs. Rivers, it's been quite a while since I last tasted the dishes prepared
by you. I can still remember vividly quite a few delicious dishes that you used to prepare. Ah! Garlic butter grilled
fish is undoubtedly your signature dish!”
Flattered by him, Caitlin could not refrain from chuckling. “Ha! You're indeed good at flattering. Okay, I'll prepare
garlic butter grilled fish for you in a while. Joyce, give your dad a call now. Ask him to stop playing chess with his
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtfriends and go to the market now to buy me a fish.”
“Okay!” Joyce whipped out the phone and gave Jonathan a call.
Not long after that, the latter was back with a fish. His face lit up when he saw Justin.
He sat on the couch at once and started catching up with Justin. They chatted mainly about what happened over
the past twenty years.
Meanwhile, Caitlin asked Joyce to help with the preparation in the kitchen.
When the lunch was ready, all of them were seated at the dining table.
Caitlin kept scooping food for Justin despite a mountain of different dishes sitting on the latter's plate. Even though
he kept emphasizing that he could not even finish everything on his plate, she still insisted on serving him more
food.
Prevailed by jealousy, Joyce mocked, “Mom, stop feeding Justin again. He can't even finish the food on his plate!
Evidently, you only see him in your eyes now. Can you please spare Dad and me a glance too? Hmph! You've never
served us like how you're serving him now!”
Frederick nodded and echoed, “Joyce has got a point.”
Caitlin rolled her eyes at the father and daughter, refuting, “Justin is our guest. Of course, we need to treat him with
great hospitality. If I don't scoop the food for him, I don't think he'll help himself with anything. Hmph! Are both of
you my guests? Can't you take the food by yourselves? My goodness! Both of you are of the same kind. Do you
mean to say that you won't be able to have your meals without me serving you?”
Notwithstanding her mockery, she still scooped some food for them.
Jonathan was tickled pink and kept buttering her up mischievously.
At the sight of their interaction, Justin could not help uttering enviously, “Mr. and Mrs. Rivers, I'm impressed. The
two of you are so loving even after being married for many years, but my parents... Ah! Anyway, I should snap out
of it. Mr. and Mrs. Rivers, let's dig in.”
“Okay! Let's eat!” Jonathan rectified the situation with an echo. After the chat with Justin earlier, he roughly knew
what transpired between his parents and tried to avoid upsetting him further.
After the meal, Justin volunteered to do the dishes, but Caitlin turned him down. She assigned the task to Jonathan
instead. Thus, the latter had no choice but to do so as instructed.
In the meantime, Caitlin was back in the living room with Joyce and Justin. She suggested eagerly, “Joyce, take
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmJustin for a walk now. You can have a chat while strolling.”
Rubbing her stomach lightly, Joyce wailed, “Huh? But I don't feel like going. I'm so full now!”
Caitlin glared at her and stated solemnly, “You have no right to say no. We haven't met Justin for ages. Now that
he's finally here, how could you just let him be bored stiff sitting here? Hurry up and take him out for a stroll now.”
Joyce turned to look at Justin instinctively. At the sight of the sheer anticipation in his eyes, she could only nod
resignedly. “All right, I'll get changed. Justin, wait for me, okay?”
“Okay!” Justin flashed her a smile.
After Joyce was back in her room, Caitlin lowered her voice and buoyed Justin up. “Justin, go for it! I have
confidence in you!”
“Mrs. Rivers, thank you. I'll try my best.” Justin nodded.
“Justin, I sincerely wish that you'll be able to win Joyce's heart. If so, she'll stop falling head over heels for the other
man,” Caitlin added earnestly when something came to her mind.
“Mrs. Rivers, do you mean Stanley Quinn?” Justin cut to the chase with a glint of inexplicit emotion in his eyes.
Dumbstruck, Caitlin asked, “How do you know his name?”
“I came across his name while trying to find out about Joyce's current condition before coming to J City.
Furthermore, I know Joyce likes him. However, I have no idea about anything else other than that,” Justin explained
matter-of-factly.
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