Chapter 1770 Get Closer
In the end, Yasmin turned her bicycle around and left.
Zaylynn was over the moon at Yasmin’s retreat. She ran after the two boys with bouncy steps.
“Let’s not eat the cafeteria food. I’ve already asked the cook to prepare something for us separately. Wait here for me. I’ll run over there real quick to retrieve the food.”
She saw Ian had already sat down at an empty table with Jacques soon as she entered the cafeteria, so she quickly stopped them from buying anything.
Jacques flashed her a knowing smile. “How nice of you. I’m in luck then.”
As her senior, he was aware of her intentions from the start.
Soon, Zaylynn led the cook over with several dishes in her hands. There were pork knuckles, baked fish, and a pot of steaming chicken soup.
Those dishes were fantastic compared to the ordinary cafeteria food.
Jacques drooled a little at the feast in front of him.
After serving all the dishes on Ian’s table, she noticed the cold, handsome boy didn’t even spare the food a glance.
With his head lowered, he was focusing on his phone.
“Have some, Ian. Let’s eat first. You can use your phone later.”
“She got a point. Ian, let’s dig in. The food won’t taste nice once they’re cold,” Jacques urged.
However, Ian merely cast a disinterested glance at the dishes and said, “No thanks. My aunt will be coming over later.”
Both Jacques and Zaylynn were speechless at his cold response.
They fell into an awkward silence after Ian’s rejection. For a whole minute, they merely sat there in silent, thinking about how to continue or start a new conversation.
Ian’s excuse was unusual. At the very least, anyone other than Ian would’ve gladly dug into the dishes.
Even if they were to reject, they would’ve done it politely, then explained the reason.
Ian was an exception.
He rejected their offer directly and indifferently, then continued sitting there nonchalantly playing on his phone as he waited for his aunt.
Zaylynn was stiff as a board sitting there under everyone’s scrutiny.
Assuming Ian would gladly accept her invitation, she had publicized her lunch date with Ian on social media. All her friends and acquaintances knew she was having lunch with Ian.
What am I supposed to do? They’re all watching my every move. How am I going to face them after this?
Zaylynn was on the verge of crying.
Jacques noticed the crestfallen look on Zaylynn’s face.
Sparing her a glance sympathetically, he urged, “Ian, since Zaylynn went through the trouble of asking the cook to specially prepare the dishes, you should at least try it.”
“I don’t want to!” he rejected coldly again.
This time, even Jacques didn’t know what to do.
At that moment, Susan dashed to the cafeteria, halting right at the threshold. She was holding an umbrella in one hand and a thermal lunch box in the other.
It wasn’t every day one would see a woman running to the cafeteria, so Zaylynn noticed Susan immediately.
Before Zaylynn’s brain could even process that bit of information, Ian, who had been staring at his phone the entire time, suddenly snapped upright and looked over his shoulder toward the doors.
“I’m right here, Aunt Susan.”
The tall and lean boy, who was always cold and unfriendly, stood up and shouted at the woman standing at the door.
The second he yelled, everyone’s attention focused on the two.
Zaylynn was one of them.
It was her first time seeing Ian smile. His beautiful eyes sparkled as they curved into the shape of a crescent moon. He looked even more handsome than usual.
The whole cafeteria fell into a dead silence.
Susan noticed the extraordinary silence and was rooted in place from the awkwardness.
Yet, the boy rushing toward her was oblivious to everything else that was happening around him. He hobbled over to her with his injured leg.
Anticipation and delight filled his clear eyes as he looked at Susan.
Such was Ian. It was the flaw in his character that made him behave coldly toward strangers as though they didn’t exist at all.
However, around the people he knew, he would show his true, sincere self.
Susan felt guilty after looking into his innocent and expectant eyes. She realized she was acting selfish and had crossed a line.
“Have you eaten? I’m sorry. I was a little late because of the rain.”
“It’s fine.”
Ian’s gaze was trained on the thermal lunch box in her hand. He did not give a damn about Susan being late.
However, his intense gaze betrayed his hunger.
Susan smiled at his antiques and helped him back into the cafeteria.
“Aunt Susan, over here. We’re sitting over here.”
Ian and Susan were oblivious as to when Zaylynn had come over. When Zaylynn noticed they were looking for a seat, she immediately called for their attention and invited them over to her table enthusiastically.
Susan couldn’t reject the young girl’s passionate invitation.
In the end, Ian returned to his seat.
Zaylynn’s heart soared with joy at the sight. She quickly grabbed a pair of cutlery and an empty plate for Susan. “Aunt Susan, let’s eat together.”
Susan answered, “Sure.”
Susan opened the thermal lunch box, took out the dishes she prepared and placed them in front of Ian.
As expected, Ian had only touched the dishes she prepared for his lunch.
