Chapter 27: Chapter 27

Two days later, Arya received a call from Jack.  He had found Director Jon to issue the note and asked her to go over to his office to collect it.

Arya felt very happy to be able to see Jack again, so she rearranged her work schedule and deliberately went home earlier to change her clothes.  After changing into several sets of clothes, she stood in front of the mirror to look left and right until she eventually felt satisfied her beige squared neck full sleeves ribbed top and blue jeans . When she walked out the door, she looked at her flats and felt that they did not go well with her jeans.  Then she opened the shoe cabinet and changed into pair of white shoes.  Finally, she was satisfied and left the house.

When she reached the bus stop, she saw a couple and suddenly she felt she was really sick. She adjusted her glasses. Why did she have to feel so nervous?  Although she had not seen him for quite some time, he was still the same Mr. Poisonous Tongue and she was certain he had not changed.  She actually need not have to change so strangely either.

When the bus arrived, Arya got on the bus and carefully protected the large lunch box in her hands.

This time, for this meeting, she had carefully prepared her gift.  She felt that her gift was very appropriate which could express her apology and gratitude to him.  It was not too grand and also suited her straightforward style of dealing with him.  Arya tried to imagine Jack's expression when he receives this gift.  Well, she admitted that she did actually have a slightly mischievous heart.  She really wanted Mr. poisonous Tongue to forget about the matter of her biting his hand.

When the bus was about to reach the hospital, Arya received a call from Jack.  He said he had to attend an emergency meeting and told her to sit in his office to wait for a while.  Arya did not want to go to his office since she still had unspoken misunderstandings with his nurses, so she told him that she would wait for him in the hospital garden.

"That garden restaurant?"  The garden with birds chirping and fragrance of blooming flowers.

She could not control her laughter.  It seems there is a secret coded game between them which made her very happy and she replied.  "In order to thank you, I brought you some food."

"Another sweet dinner?"  That tone of his immediately brought up an image of his frowning expression to Arya's mind.

"Not sweet.  Anyway, you don’t like to eat sweet food."

"Oh, you actually know about it.  So did you purposely do it the last time just to spite me?"

"You were the one who requested for it and I was forced."  Good, today she is articulate and shameless.  Arya feels very satisfied with herself.

"Well, I won't talk to you any longer.  I've to go to the meeting.  Just sit on that bench and wait for me."

"Okay."

It seems today Dr Jack is very amicable.  Arya felt very happy and waited for Jack to hang up the call first.

But he did not hang up but suddenly asked.  "What did you bring me this time?"

"Wait until you see then you'll know."  She was really afraid that if he knew, he would not come down.

"Surprise?"

"Yes."  She felt it could be considered a surprise.

"I'm afraid it will only be something I detest and not like."

"That's because you're not broadminded.  You can't see any delight in it."

"I've to go to the meeting."

"Okay.  I'm almost at the bus station."

"Um…."  He paused on the other end and said.  "Maybe it will take a little longer.  Our Director is very long-winded."

"Dr. Jack, you are also very long-winded.  Don’t only blame your Director."

"I'm hanging up."  The man who was criticized for being long-winded simply cut the call in a crude manner.

Arya was in a happy mood.  She put her phone back into her bag and waited for the bus to stop.  This whiskey doctor sure has a bad temper.  With just a few words, he did not feel happy.

Because Jack was not able to come down immediately, so she was not in a hurry.  She slowly strolled through the Atrium garden to see whether there were any new blooming flowers.  She glanced here and took a look there and also teased a cat hiding among the flowers then looked at her watch.  Only twenty minutes had passed.  She sat down on the bench that she occupied the last time and stared blankly at the little tree in front of her.

"Arya?"  Her mind was wandering when she heard someone call her.  She turned her head around to look and was surprised.  The person turned out to be Jack's mother.

"Auntie.!!!!"  Oh God, she is having an Elder phobia attack again!

Arya stood up and answered, then found herself stammering again.

Jack Mother walked over with a smile.  "my memory is really good, I'm not mistaken.  Are you here to see a doctor?"

"No.  No."  At this time of the day, the OPD was already closed.  Anyone would know she was not here to see a doctor.

"Is any of your relative or friend hospitalized?"

"No.  No."

Jack Mother continued to smile.  "Then are you here to look for my son Jack?"

"Emm……yes….."  Suddenly she was overcome with a guilty conscience without any reason.  After thinking about it, she explained.  "I've asked for a favor from Dr. Jack."

"Oh, is that it?"  It seems Jack Mother was not interested in whatever favor she was asking for.  She was also not curious as to why Jack did not come and why Arya was here in the garden alone.  She only said.  "I'm waiting for his father to get off work.  It's so boring.  Do you mind if I sit here with you?"

How can she say she minds?  Hurriedly she smiled and nodded.  Her heart began to twist into a mess.

Jack Mother sat down beside Arya and asked.  "After that last blind date, did you go for any other blind dates again?"

"Oh……that was a normal friend."

"What type of a partner is dear Arya looking for?"

"Well, a good man.  A man who treats me well."  Arya did not know why she blushed in front of his mother.

"What do you mean by a man who treats you well?"  Jack Mother smiled and continued to ask.  "Would you like someone who is gentle and considerate?"

"No…..no.  Just as long as we can get along well."  Arya felt her face become hotter again.  Even she and her mother had never ever discussed this issue before.  But actually, after serious thinking, her request was really not high.

"Um….."  Jack Mother nodded. "A request without demand is really an optimum request."

Arya's face was a bit stiff.  She gave a small laugh and nodded her head.

Oh God, can this Auntie hear what others say in their hearts?!  She really cannot cope with such an unpredictable woman.

She looked at the flowers, then at the trees and hoped that Jack will come quickly.

"A few days ago, Jack went on a blind date."  Suddenly Jack Mother said.  Instantly Arya's ears perked up.

"But I don’t like the girl very much."  Jack Mother's expression had a trace of sadness and worry.

"Then, has it been settled?"  Arya's heart tightened and her curiosity was aroused.

"Not yet.  His father likes her but I don’t.  So it is not settled yet."

Arya did not know what to make out of this answer.  Could it be that in this doctor's family, his marriage is decided by his parents?

She could not help but speak up for Jack.  "Why don’t you allow Dr. Jack to decide on his own marriage?  Isn't it more important that he must like her?"

Jack Mother smiled again.  "Yes, it is important that he must like her but he did not show any response.  So I'll have to talk to his dad first."

After all, it was only because he did not give any response to his blind-date.  Is it necessary for the elderly couple to fight this out between themselves?

Arya actually thought that Jack was quite pitiful.  What if he really likes the girl and his parents do not like her?  What should he do?

"What is it about the girl that Auntie doesn’t like?"  She decided to help Jack by asking for his mother's views.

"She is too delicate and soft.  At one glance, it can be seen that she will not be able to suffer any hardships."

Arya's face was full of black lines.  Is their Jack family a nest of lions and tigers?   After marrying into the family, does the girl need to suffer hardships?

This Jack Mother herself looks like a delicate woman and cannot suffer any hardships either and now she disdains another girl for the same qualities.

"Auntie, now in this modern age it is different.  Many household chores can be done with the help of high-tech tools.  Even if the girl doesn't know, it doesn’t matter.  You can hire a house-maid or someone to work part-time.  In fact, the most important thing is not whether the girl is able to suffer any hardship but how the two people lead their lives.  The most important thing is Dr. Jack must like her and when the two people live together, they will naturally be able to overcome any hardships together."

Jack Mother did not show any anger and continued to smile.  "I don’t mean suffering as in working hard but the suffering of being the wife of a doctor.  Jack is very much like his father so I am very clear about the suffering.  If the two people are happy together naturally one will not feel bitterness while enduring hardship.  If one is unable to endure hardship then the days will pass in difficulties and the two people will be under pressure.  So how can they be able to live in happiness?"

Arya opened her mouth but was speechless.  Well, she was unable to hold a discussion with her on such an in-depth topic as she could not imagine how hard it would be as the wife of a doctor.  At the most, she could only imagine Jack's poisonous mouth speaking unpleasant words the whole day long but if he really likes the girl then he would not behave as such.  If he does not utter poisonous words or lose his temper, he is a cheerful and humorous man.  And as a man who is caring and considerate of his patients, then his treatment towards his wife will also not be poor.

At first, she had thought him to be a terrible man, so women disliked him and even if he was dumped, it was nothing new.  However, she felt he is quite good, helpful towards others, responsible and hardworking.  All his patients like him very much.  So now when his mother said that living with him would bring suffering, she stood up for the injustice to him.

"In fact, the most important thing is to see whether Dr. Jack likes her or not.  If two people love each other, she will definitely become stronger.  Auntie, don’t be anxious to draw conclusions.  Give them more chances."  As an outsider, she could only say so much.

Jack Mother smiled again.  "Arya, are you worried that I will become a wicked mother-in-law who will bully my daughter-in-law?"

"No, no."  Arya fiercely waved her hand.  "What I meant is that they should be given a chance to prove that they can endure such suffering together."

Jack Mother smiled and nodded her head.  "You're right.  As elders, our point of thinking is indeed different from young people and I don’t need to be a wicked person.  When she is with Jack for a period of time, naturally she will get to experience it."

Correct.  This time Arya nodded in agreement.  This was what she had thought.  When Sophia said that she wanted to pursue Jack, she also had the same thoughts.

Talking about Sophia, she felt a bit awkward and she did not know what Sop was thinking.  Recently she did not seem to mention anything about Jack.  In the past, she would always talk about Dr. Jack and let her know a lot of gossips but now, suddenly she did not say anything at all.  She wondered whether Jack had said anything to her.

Jack now was going on blind-dates.  Does she need to let her know?  How does Sophia  actually feel about Jack?  Will she also be disdained by Jack Mother for being unable to suffer hardships?  Well, in fact, Soph really does not do anything at all.  Although they live together, all the cooking, cleaning up, household chores, etc., were only done by her.

As Arya's thoughts wandered away, suddenly she heard Jack Mother said to her.  "I'm hungry."

Arya turned her head to look and saw Jack Mother took out a small bag of biscuits from her bag.  She opened the bag and took a look inside, then said with disdain.  "Look, obviously he was the one to ask me out for a dinner and as a result, he made me wait until I'm hungry.  Luckily I had brought something to eat or else if I wait until my old man thinks of me, I would have starved to death waiting for him.

Arya did not know what reply she should give and only nodded her head without speaking.  Jack Mother turned her eyes towards Arya and noticed the lunch box beside her.  "Arya, what did you bring?"

"Ah, this…….Dr. Jack had helped me, so I brought something for him to eat."

"Did you cooked this yourself?"  With this type of packaging, the food was definitely not bought from outside.

Arya blushed and felt a little ill at ease.  At this time, if she were to hide the lunch box behind her back, it would be inappropriate, right?  So she could only nod her head and said.  "Yes."

"Let me have a look."

This is terrible!  If she gave it to her, it did not seem right but if she did not give it to her, it also did not seem right.  Arya gritted her teeth and opened the lunch box.

Jack Mother lowered her head to take a look and was stunned.

A lunch box full of braised ribbs.

Arya was simply embarrassed and did not know where to hide her face.  Jack did not want her to treat him to a meal and she had thought of this trick of cooking some food for him to take home and eat it by himself.  The food she prepared was a braised ribbs to let him gnaw on the food as a way to dispel any animosity he held for the bite she had taken out on him.  In short, she felt satisfied that in this way, she was able to dispel whatever hard feelings he had towards her.

But her 'special surprise' thank-you gift had not even been sent out and it was discovered by his mother.  Arya felt very embarrassed.

"It looks very delicious.  Can I eat this?  I'm hungry."  Jack Mother did not display any courtesy and took out a paper towel to clean her hands.

"Uh……"  Can she refuse?  "Don't you think it is inappropriate to eat here?"

The Deputy Dean's wife was eating in the middle of the hospital  Garden, isn't this unacceptable behavior?

But Jack Mother had already started to eat.  She picked up a piece, then praised Arya for her cooking.

Arya, who was sitting beside her, watched as she ate.  In her heart, she hoped Jack's meeting would carry on for a little longer so that he would not witness this scene.

"How did you cook this?"  It seems Jack Mother did not have enough of it and asked how it was prepared.

Arya began to tell her about the recipe and Jack Mother also told Arya some of her cooking experiences.  Arya who was interested in this topic eventually relaxed and began to chat comfortably with Jack Mother.

After talking about ten recipes, Jack Mother felt very happy.  "Arya, you must also eat some.  It is uncertain how long they will take before they come down."

Arya thought for a moment.  Anyway, since the food had been partly eaten, so it should not matter and she was indeed hungry.  So she did not show any courtesy and picked up a piece to start eating.

One old and one young, both enjoyed their food happily.

Suddenly a voice called out.  "Martha!"

Arya turned her head around and looked.  Oh no!  The Deputy Dean Dr, Daniel is here!

Finding his wife eating braised ribbs together with her in a public area in his territory with a great loss of image, is this considered as a big sin for her?  Although this bench was somewhat hidden, although there was no one around, she could explain that it was her who took the lead but then she only ate two pieces…….

Jack Mother did not mind at all.  She gracefully put down the bones in her hand, took out a paper towel to wipe her mouth, clean her hands and smiled.  "Are you done?  Come and taste the food Arya cooked.  It's delicious."

Taste?  He is not actually going to try, is he?

Arya was in despair and then Jack appeared.

He looked surprised and apparently he did not expect to find his parent here as well.   Arya followed his gaze and looked down at the lunch box between herself and Jack Mother and also the bones in the plastic bag beside the lunch box.

Arya's feelings of despair had changed to feelings of death.  She and the people surnamed Daniel must be fated to have clashes.  Regardless of men or women, young or old, every time something awkward would happen.

She watched as both the young and old Mr. Daniels walked over and looked into her lunch box.  Arya knew that in the box, there were only two pieces left.

Jack Mother's food consumption-ability was extremely strong.

Arya raised her eyes and met Jack's eyes.  He looked at her with a wide smile and said.  "Is this the surprise you brought me?"