Chapter 23: Chapter 23

"Save you?  What is the matter?"

"I'm on a blind date."

"You've met rogues?"

"No. No.  They are more powerful than rogues."  Arya looked around her.  Other than the lady who was washing her hands, there was no one.  She held the phone close and said in a whisper.  "He brought his mother."

The other end of the phone was very quiet. Then Dr. Jack's patient voice could be heard.  "So what if he brings his mother?  Do you need to be saved?  You are a bit over-exaggerating.  If he is not suitable for you, you can just leave."

"He is introduced by a friend.  I cannot be rude towards him."

"Even if he is introduced by a friend, there is no guarantee that both of you will marry and have children."

"He is not an ordinary friend.  This man is her business associate.  If I don’t handle this properly, it may affect my friend."

"Then you have to do the proper way.  Just chat with them and then you can leave. Later, just tell your friend to relay a message to him and say that he is not suitable.  That will settle everything, right?"

All this time, she had always known he has a poisonous tongue, does she need him to teach her this?

"No. No.  I have Elders phobia and I can't talk to them.  I was stuttering just now.  Then after sitting down for ten minutes, his mother had already started to talk about giving birth to a baby.  After five minutes, I guess her grandson will already be in kindergarten.  I felt I could not breathe, my face became numb and my hands and feet were cold."

The phone was quiet again.  "Drink something sweet."  He instructed.

"I had already drunk hot cocoa."

"Where are you?"

Arya told him the address and after listening to him, she gathered that whiskey doctor was willing to come and rescue her.  Suddenly she calmed down a lot and said.  "Wait a minute.  I know what I'm going to say.  Actually, I need someone to come and look for me, pretending to be very anxious and say that a friend of mine is very ill.  The situation is very urgent and tells me to go to the hospital immediately otherwise I won't be able to see her again."

Dr. Jack put his hand to his forehead.  "Arya, this kind of drama can just be played out on the phone."

"Yes?"  Arya suddenly realized.  "That's right.  You're right.  Then, in this case, I won't have to bother you."

She quickly hung up the phone, then dialed Sophia's number but it was turned off.  Then she dialed Cindy's number.  The first time, she did not pick up and the second time Arya called, it was a long time before she picked up the call.  But with the screams of the child and the dog's barking, all mixed together, obviously, Cindy could not possibly act out the play with her.  Arya told Cindy, she will call her later and then hung up the phone.

Well, now there was only Dr.Jack left.

Arya was in a panic.  After thinking for a while, she decided to go out and try to deal with the situation herself.

She braced herself, went back to her seat and found the lady who was in the toilet just now, actually sitting directly behind her.  When she passed by the lady's table, the lady saw her and the lady politely nodded and smiled at Arya.

Arya forced herself to return her smile, then took a deep breath and encouraged herself in her heart.

The moment she sat down, Dunphy Mother asked.  "Why were you away for so long?  Are you feeling unwell?"

"No. No.  Thank you for Auntie's concern."  Arya felt her stomach constrict.  She took a sip of the hot cocoa.  It was not too hot but it was terribly sweet.

"Arya, what other people do you have at home?  If you are really married to Jay, your family will not move in with us, will they?"

Arya tried to keep the smile on her face.  "Auntie, it is now still too early to talk about this.  I just met Mr. Dunphy."  As she said, she silently glanced at Jay Dunphy and he returned an apologetic look at her.

"It's not too early.  Jay is already nearly 30 and you're not young either, you're already 26, is that correct?  You have to hurry up.  I'm acceptable to anything.  I'm also acquainted with Daisy Brown and we have been working together for a long time.  She is a good person and I like her.  Since she had introduced you, I'm sure she did not do this indiscriminately.  You have good facial features, your forehead is wide enough, your eyebrows are well-formed, your earlobes are round and your eyes are clear.  You have a face of good fortune."

She is so terribly unlucky and this Auntie is saying she is blessed with good fortune.  Arya really cannot smile anymore.

But Dunphy Mother still continued to talk.  "Oh yes, how much is Daisy  paying you a month?"

"I……I don’t get a salary.  I'm just an agent under her and I get a commission for my sales."

"Then how much can you earn?"  Dunphy Mother wrinkled her eyebrows.

Arya lifted up her cup and took a sip of the sweet, heavy hot cocoa drink.  She really did not want to answer this question.

"Forget it.  This is not a big deal.  When the time comes, you can work with us in our company. It is our family business and it's more convenient.  You don’t have to work outside.  We don’t mind how much our daughter-in-law earns and it doesn't matter to us.  You are now 26 and you should have children early.  In fact, it is best to have children before the age of 25 and now it is already very late for you."

Then you should look for a daughter-in-law under 25 years of age.

Arya could not sit still any longer and felt her back ached and the pain in her butt.

"Auntie, it is really too early to discuss this.  It is better to drink some tea."

"Young people like you don’t understand the urgency, so that is why all of you only become mothers in old age.  Children born to middle-aged mothers are not smart.  Oh yes, talking about children……when I chose a name for Jay, I had also prepared several names.  They are very good, so when the time comes, you don’t have to worry about choosing names for your children.  I've prepared everything.  In addition, now that kindergartens are not easy to get admitted, the child's place has to be booked in advance.  There is a kindergarten near our district and I've visited that place.  Later, you can leave the responsibility of taking care of the child to me.  You don’t have to hire a babysitter and you don’t have to ask your family for help…….."

"Auntie, I'm sorry.  I've to go to the restroom again."  Arya could not stand it any longer and she quickly made an excuse to escape.

She hid in the restroom to make a call.  She was falling apart and her stomach felt painful.

"Dr.Jack, I really don’t know what to do.  Please help me."  Arya had long forgotten that just now she had impolitely hung up his call and had instead called Sopia and Cindy for help.

"How do you want me to help you?"  Dr. Jack was not in a good mood but he did not hang her call.  It seems that there is still hope and Arya was touched by him.

"It won't be too much of a trouble for Dr. Jack.  You just have to make a pretend call to me and act out this play together with me saying something like there is a terrible emergency that requires me to leave immediately."

Dr. Jack sighed.  "Arya, if you need to act out a play on the phone, you can do it on your own."

"No, no.  I can't do it alone.  I can't pretend to talk on the phone when a call is not through.  Anyway, it will look more real when the phone rings and I pick up the phone to answer.  You don’t know, his mother is extremely powerful and she can talk and talk non-stop, regardless of whether others want to listen to her or not.  She is now talking about kindergarten and following this she will talk about elementary school, then college and then eventually she will be carrying her great-grandson.  I really can't do anything.  When she speaks, my brain starts to swell and I can't think straight.  If there is no one to act this out with me, I will definitely expose my lies and by that time, it will be embarrassing."

"Arya, what should I say about you?'

"Say what you want but don’t say it now.  Today is already a bad day for me.  Dr. Jack just hold on and we can discuss this later but now, you have to help me."

The phone on the end was quiet for a few seconds.  "Okay, wait for me."

Arya heaved a sigh of relief and put away her phone.  She washed her face with cold water and she became more alert.  She mentally prepared herself again before returning to her seat.

Dunphy Mother once again was concerned about Arya's health.  This time, she directly asked whether there was any problem with her kidneys.  Then she talked about the difficulties the Dunpy Family faced when they started their business.  Although their company is small, their business is pretty good.  Then she also arranged a position in the company for Arya and then began to tell her about her duties in the company.  At the side, Jay tried to put an end to the conversation but was fiercely reprimanded by his mother.  When Arya saw this, she did not dare to say anything more.  Secretly she took out her cell phone and looked at it under the table.  Dr. Jack's call did not come in.

Dunphy Mother started to talk about meeting Arya's parents.  Arya stammered and said that it was too early since Dunphy Jay and she just met and there was no way it could be arranged.  This made Dunphy Mother unhappy.  Then the topic changed and she said that Dunphy Jay is an only child and hope that the both of them will stay with them after they get married, so they will not be buying a new house.  Since young people did not know anything about wedding banquet feasts, so she wanted to talk these matters over with Arya's parents.

Arya started to sweat.  Her cell phone had not rung even once and her heart sank. Dr. Jack had actually promised to help but he did not rescue her.  She could not tolerate any more and said to Dunphy Mother.  "Auntie, I'm sorry. Suddenly I remembered I have something to do.  I have to leave immediately.  Why don’t we meet again one of these days and I will invite you for tea again?"

"You have something to do?  How can you have something to do so suddenly?  Is it because Auntie is annoying?  That's why I say, elderly people like us like to nag a bit and it is also for the good of you young people.  If I did not come today, what will the both of you talk about?  Just meet each other and take it slowly?  How long will you drag before you start talking about getting married?  I am a straightforward person and if you have any conditions, just speak up.  At least in this way, both of you know what to expect, isn't this better?"

"No. No.  I really have something to do.  I…..I just forgot.  Suddenly I only just remembered."

"Then Miss Du Vin should hurry to settle whatever matter you have to do.  We will not hinder you."  Dunphy Jay tried to mediate in this situation and Arya nodded at him in gratitude.  When she was about to beckon for the bill, Dunphy Mother who did not believe her, continued to ask.  "What is so important?"

Arya was feeling desperate.  She made up her mind to ignore Dunphy Mother and leave straight away.  When she raised her head, she saw Dr. Jack's handsome figure walking in.

Her tears nearly flowed down.  Thank God…… thank Mr. Dr. Jack for his conscience…..no, no….. thank Mr. Dr. Jack for his compassion.

He did not call because he had come in person.  Just now she had accused him wrongly.

He must have felt she would not be able to play-act well and embarrass herself, so he had come to rescue her in person.

He is a hero!  He is a good and kind person!

Dr. Jack stood in the doorway of the café and saw Arya's gloomy face with her eyes gleaming with lights of gratitude.  He strode over in big strides and stood in front of Arya's table.

Arya looked up at him and hoped he would quickly say that someone had met with an accident or someone was slashed or someone had a cerebral hemorrhage or someone had jumped down from a building……..anything as long as it was imperative that she leave immediately to see that someone before she dies.

The result was……Dr. Jack said.  "Why didn't you go for the consultation today?  Director of the Psychiatric Department said that you had made an appointment but you did not turn up."