Chapter 42 Jenny's Assist
In the hospital lobby, Reuben pulled his mother Jenny aside, frowning as he said, "I didn't tell you the truth yesterday. Actually, Matty and I broke up three months ago, and I even dated another girlfriend in between."
Jenny immediately asked, "What about your current girlfriend?"
"We broke up." Reuben answered.
"How did you break up again?"
"She's the director's daughter. She thought I wasn't good enough because I come from a farm background." Reuben smiled bitterly.
Jenny shook her head angrily. "You're so foolish! You had perfectly good Matty and didn't want her, then went after the director's daughter? Did you think someone like that would truly marry you? Even if you did marry her, you'd be her kept man. The slightest displeasure and she could make your life miserable. I wouldn't dare serve a daughter-in-law like that."
Reuben handed her his dorm key. "I'm not discussing this anymore. I have to work. Go rest in my dorm first, and I'll come find you for lunch at noon."
"Fine."
---
Though Reuben had bought a house, it wasn't furnished or decorated yet, so after breaking up with Adalyn, he could only continue living in the hospital staff dormitory.
Jenny carried the box of oranges to the dormitory building and encountered a janitor in the hallway. She enthusiastically offered some oranges, which the janitor accepted with a smile.
Because of Jenny's friendliness, the janitor quickly struck up a conversation with her.
In hospitals, the lower-level employees loved to gossip the most. Janitors especially often knew more news than doctors and nurses.
"You're Dr. Morris's mother? Your son is really confused, giving up Dr. Spencer to chase after the director's daughter. The director's daughter—that temper... tsk tsk, she's more catty than the strays outside. When they first got together, we all said he was penny-wise and pound-foolish, always chasing after things way out of his league."
Jenny was a bit annoyed by this assessment, but to get more information, she held back and asked, "What happened after?"
"Later the two of them bullied Dr. Spencer together. She was pretty pitiful then, but luckily she's blessed—recently got a boyfriend, tall and handsome. Your son and her? Probably no chance now."
"Huh?" Jenny was immediately disappointed.
She wasn't particularly fond of Matilda, just worried her son couldn't find a suitable partner. She hoped her son could marry a city girl, but not one too wealthy—that would be easier to get along with. Matilda was perfect—independent, no complicated family background, and after marriage there wouldn't be a bunch of relatives interfering.
Clinging to her last hope, Jenny said to the janitor, "Don't you think with my son's good qualities, many girls should like him? What if Dr. Spencer still has feelings for him? Maybe she's only dating someone to make my son jealous."
The janitor glanced at her. Though finding it ridiculous, having just accepted the oranges, she couldn't be too blunt. "I wouldn't know about that. Who can say for sure about matters of the heart?"
Jenny immediately felt encouraged and decided to win Matilda back for her son.
---
That day, Matilda was preparing to see her last patient in the clinic. She'd just called the number when the examination room door was suddenly pushed open.
In came Jenny with a beaming smile. "Matty, it's me!"
Matilda was startled.
Jenny carried large and small bags, all containing shoes and clothes from some athletic brand.
"What are you doing?" Matilda asked.
Jenny set the items on the ground, smiling proudly. "I just went downtown to buy you some clothes and shoes. These are expensive—one pair of shoes costs several hundred dollars. Wearing them gives you a completely different feeling."
She opened a pair of shoes. "You city girls like wearing white sneakers, right? Look, this pair is pure white."
Matilda immediately recognized these as clearance sale shoes from the mall. Yesterday she'd seen two nurses buy the same style for just $99 a pair.
Jenny pulled out a black athletic outfit. "Look, this set goes perfectly with the white shoes. Also several hundred dollars for the set."
"Mrs. Morris, Reuben and I broke up long ago," Matilda said bluntly.
"Broke up? No way. He told me he can't forget you, and said the thing with the director's daughter was just for fun, not serious. Matty, it's normal for men to play around before marriage—they become responsible after. He still has you in his heart. I think you should forgive him. If he makes mistakes in the future, tell me and I'll discipline him."
Matilda said directly, "Mrs. Morris, that won't be necessary. I already have a boyfriend and don't like your son. Take these things back—don't waste money and time, and don't take up patients' appointment slots."
Jenny still wouldn't give up. "Look how excellent my son is—graduate degree, handsome, promising future, already bought a house. Marrying him would be better than anyone else. You two could live in the new house while his father and I live in your old place. Don't you young people prefer not living with elders?"
Matilda said coldly, "Not only are you scheming for me, you're scheming for my old house too. If you don't leave now, I'm calling security."
"Okay, okay, I'm leaving. But you have to keep these things and consider what I said. If you marry into the Morris family, we won't treat you badly."
Jenny kept talking as she walked away, closing the door behind her.
Matilda chased after her, but Jenny ran faster than young people and disappeared quickly.
She returned to the examination room, looking at the bags on the floor with a headache.
---
Matilda carried the items to the surgery department.
Near closing time, Reuben sat alone in his office looking at his phone.
Matilda knocked and placed the items by the door.
Seeing her, Reuben couldn't help but be surprised. A flash of excitement crossed his face as he immediately stood up and walked toward her. "What brings you here?"