Chapter 84 Sincere Warmth
With her view blocked by Leopold, Caroline lowered her eyes and was about to reach for it when he fed her a spoonful.
Caroline froze, her mouth filled with a spoonful of hazelnut-flavored ice cream.
She quickly took the spoon from Leopold's hand, swallowed with a smile, and said while eating, "We're not like those young couples. I can eat by myself."
Leopold's left hand rested lightly on the edge of the table. "We just started dating too. What's wrong with feeding you?"
"It's not that I'm scared, just a bit embarrassed." Caroline's eyes swept around briefly. Only after seeing no one was looking their way did she eat more freely.
"Do what you like, don't worry about what others think. Everyone's the same—why should we have to consider their feelings?" Leopold took a bite of his ice cream.
He'd bought Caroline's in a bowl, while his was in a cone.
"What flavor is yours?" Caroline asked.
Leopold held it right up to her. "Try it."
Caroline still couldn't let go. Just as she was about to check their surroundings, Leopold teased, "I don't mind sharing with you."
"Who said you minded?" Caroline took a bite. "I haven't said I mind you yet."
Leopold laughed. "You say you mind me but still eat my ice cream. That's saying one thing and meaning another."
For once, Caroline didn't win the verbal sparring. In her rush, she spoke without thinking, "You mind me now—what'll you do when I'm old and have lost all my teeth and can't eat ice cream anymore?"
Leopold burst out laughing.
"What are you laughing at?"
Leopold said, "Have you thought about this—I'm older than you. If you're so old you've lost all your teeth, do you think I'll be young? Fine, as long as you don't mind, I'll chew it up with my dentures and feed it to you."
Caroline was both embarrassed and annoyed. "Stop grossing me out. Who wants to eat something you've chewed up with dentures?"
Leopold's laughter gradually faded. Many scenes appeared in his mind, like fragments of a whole lifetime passing by. Finally, he said, "We'll have to wait until we're both old to find out."
Until we're both old.
Caroline suddenly couldn't smile. She looked at Leopold. "That's so far away, too far. Who knows—let's just take it one step at a time."
She lowered her eyes, just smiling gently.
Leopold licked his ice cream—cream flavor, as sweet as the feeling she gave him.
For the rest of his life, if they really could grow old together, what a lucky thing that would be—so lucky that she would be the only one who still made his heart race after experiencing everything the world had to offer.
Leopold glanced at his watch. Dinner was set for 5 PM, and he needed to brief Quinlan beforehand.
Using the excuse of going to the restroom, he called Quinlan again.
She answered slowly as usual, her voice flat. "What is it now?"
Leopold said, "At dinner tonight, tone it down. Don't take out your resentment toward my dad on Caroline. She hasn't done anything wrong."
Quinlan held her cigarette, her red lips exhaling thin wisps of smoke that blurred her features, her expression unclear. "What your dad did to me is just 'a bit of resentment' in your mind? You really are your father's good son. I worked so hard to raise you, and in the end, he gets a well-behaved, excellent son for free. Just how much has your dad given you to make you look down on even me, your own mother?"
Here we go again. Every time they talked about anything related to Preston, she'd say whatever came to mind.
Leopold took a deep breath, suppressing his anger. "Mom, whatever he did wrong, settle it with him. I'll have him send you more money next month."
Anger flashed in Quinlan's eyes. She pulled at the corner of her mouth as if venting, saying, "I lost two hundred thousand dollars yesterday."
Leopold's brow furrowed. "Got it."
He understood her psychology. She deliberately squandered Preston's money, so that even if Preston didn't feel bad about losing her as a person, he'd at least feel bad about the money she wasted.
Quinlan smiled coldly. "I think your girlfriend looks okay. Don't worry, I won't make things hard for her."
Leopold reminded her, "Don't mention other people in front of her, and don't make comparisons. She is who she is."
"I know, stop nagging."
She saw another call notification pop up on her phone. "Okay, anything else? My friend's looking for me."
"Be on time."
"I know."
Quinlan hung up.
When Leopold turned around, his expression had already returned to normal.
Dinner was at Serenity Dining. Caroline brought four return gifts, one of which was small in packaging but valuable.
The Tudor family's rule was to reciprocate gifts, matching value for value. They'd rather have others owe them than owe anyone else even a penny.
She was carrying a box with a gemstone bracelet and a skincare set. Seeing how Quinlan dressed today had given her a sense of what to expect—people who like wearing long dresses usually also prefer jewelry, and if they prefer it, they naturally know their stuff.
Leopold and Caroline arrived half an hour early, which also showed respect for elders.
Caroline entered the private room and placed the gifts on the side table. Leopold had her sit down first, then pulled out the chair next to her and sat down beside her.
From how two people sit, you can tell who cares more or who's more proactive. Caroline faced the table, while Leopold's chair was angled toward Caroline.
Seeing her hair was messy, he reached up to smooth it for her. "Don't feel too much pressure. When people first meet my mom, they all think she's difficult and domineering, but once you get to know her..."
Shouldn't the next part of this sentence be "gentle and kind" or "tough on the outside but soft inside"?
But Leopold said instead, "Even more unreasonable."
Caroline couldn't help but laugh. She cleared her throat before saying, "Does your mom know you talk bad about her behind her back?"
Leopold laughed carelessly. "She's used to it, and so am I."
She didn't understand what Leopold meant by "used to it." The "used to it" she was thinking of and the "used to it" he meant were completely different concepts.
Caroline said, "It's just dinner. You're acting more nervous than me."
Of course Leopold was nervous. Quinlan was completely uncontrollable. If things ended badly between Quinlan and Caroline, he'd never forgive himself for the rest of his life, and wouldn't know how to face this dysfunctional family.
To put Leopold at ease, Caroline threaded her fingers through his and held tight. "I'll definitely keep a smile on my face this whole meal. Whatever she says, I'll say it's fine. That way she can't be unhappy."
Leopold believed Caroline could do it, but he didn't trust Quinlan.
"We won't have to see her very often."
"Look at you, worrying again." Caroline bumped Leopold with her shoulder. "Are you hoping your mom and I will have a fight today?"
Leopold smiled slightly. "No. But I'm afraid you'll be hurt."
Caroline said, "I'm not afraid of being hurt. My first year at work was really hard—I faced different problems every day, but I didn't back down. I solved them all one by one, didn't I? And now I'm still happy." To cheer him up, Caroline said, "If we really do get into a fight with your mom, remember—when you run into problems, don't panic. Just take out your phone and post on social media."
After seeing so much mass-produced fake sentiment, genuine warmth was especially moving and touching.
Leopold hugged her tight from the heart, his voice low, "Caroline, I want to kiss you right now."
When a story begins, we happily pay for the excitement; when a story ends, paying becomes the last generous act.
Caroline believed Leopold's impulse at this moment was genuine, but who would pay for the consequences of that impulse?