I can't blame myself for having too many expectations. I can't find a reason to convince myself why someone who dislikes me so much and wants to get rid of me would suddenly change their mind. A few days ago, I was able to force myself to stay calm, just like Shannon said, that if I can't avoid or escape, then I can only face difficulties head-on. But when the moment before the door arrived, those unsettling factors deep inside me became uncontrollably restless. Actually, I really want to remain calm and face what is about to happen with composure. But as soon as I think about today's meeting being initiated by Dominic Hartnell's mother, I feel a sense of indescribable confusion and fear. Although my dad and mom are not as nervous as I am, they still attach great importance to today's meeting. When we got up in the morning, my mom told me that after eating breakfast risotto, she would go out to buy things. She said that since it's the first meeting and we're going to someone else's house, we can't leave any room for criticism in terms of etiquette. My dad, who is usually cold and indifferent, responded to my mom's statement like never before. Sigh, seeing them like this, I feel even more uncertain. I hope everything goes smoothly today. I don't want anything more. As long as I can peacefully finish a meal of risotto, I'll be content. Just as we finished getting ready and were about to leave, Dominic Hartnell called. He was already on his way, but because it's a holiday, he encountered heavy traffic. There were also two minor car accidents ahead, so he won't be able to make it for a while. I can't say for sure if I felt relieved, but it's fine if he's a little late. It gives me more time to calm down my restless and anxious heart. And these are all uncontrollable reasons caused by humans. I can't blame him, and my parents understood after knowing about it. They even told him to drive slowly and not rush. Traffic jams during long holidays are just too normal. Even if Dominic Hartnell is coming from Lightspring, it's expected to be congested. When my dad, mom, and I took a taxi to the mall in Dellmoor, we also got stuck in traffic. So originally, we planned to go there ourselves, but Dominic Hartnell disagreed. Given the current situation, it's not surprising. Therefore, after agreeing to contact each other once he arrives, we ended the call. Putting Dominic Hartnell aside for now, I shifted my attention back to our side. Finally, after being stuck for about ten minutes, the car started moving like a snail. The speed was unbelievable. Normally, it would only take about ten minutes to get there, but today it took over half an hour. We got off the car at the pedestrian street, and all I could see was people, people, and more people. "Oh my, I didn't expect there to be so many people just for a shopping trip. Lili, you better hold onto me later and let's walk slowly, avoiding the crowd," I said. In the past, I wouldn't have cared about this. It's normal for people to be crowded together. But now, it's a special situation. I held my belly with one hand and held onto my mom's arm with the other. "It's okay, Mom, let's go." At this moment, my dad stood on my other side and said in a serious tone, "Don't let your guard down. There are too many people. Let's go directly to that nutrition store over there. There should be fewer people there." My mom nodded repeatedly after hearing that and led me to a less crowded area. A nutrition store? Isn't that the place where they sell expensive supplements like ginseng and bird's nest? My dad can't be thinking of buying those, right?Oh my god, they are so expensive. "Mom, wait a moment." I pulled my mom and turned to my dad, saying, "Dad, let's just buy something random. Dominic Hartnell's family doesn't need those ginseng and bird's nest. There's no need to spend that money." "You don't understand. Don't speak nonsense. Let's just go quickly." My mouth twitched. I was being ignored. Finally, under my painful gaze, I watched my dad swipe his card with a big wave of his hand. After leaving the nutrition store, my parents still felt unsatisfied and turned to a tea shop. I couldn't bear to watch anymore. In just a short while, the money was flowing away. Damn it, if Dominic Hartnell's mother dares to cause trouble, I'll bring all these things back. I won't let her have them for free. "Dad, Mom, isn't that enough? We've been walking for so long, and I'm getting tired. Let's find a place to rest and have lunch. I'll also ask Dominic Hartnell where he is. He might be here by now." I truly felt heartbroken today. This money is their retirement savings, and they won't let me pay for it. Luckily, they care more about my situation. When they heard that I was tired, they immediately decided to stop shopping and find a risotto restaurant to have lunch. Coincidentally, just as we sat down at the risotto restaurant, before I could even call Dominic Hartnell, he called me first. I think he probably arrived. After answering the phone, it turned out to be true. I sent him a location, and soon after, he arrived. People say absence makes the heart grow fonder, and now that I see Dominic Hartnell, I feel a bit like that. However, he looks a bit tired, probably because he has been busy recently. If it weren't for my parents sitting in front of me, I might have kissed him passionately. Dominic Hartnell has always behaved properly in front of my parents and rarely does anything out of line. But it's strange, when our sparkling eyes met, I felt like I saw his longing for me. Subconsciously, I touched the ruby earring on my earlobe and smiled at him. After greeting my parents, Dominic Hartnell sat down next to me. Under the table, where no one could see, he tightly held my hand. After finishing the risotto at the risotto restaurant, we were ready to go back to Lightspring because my parents were worried that if we encountered traffic, it would delay our time. I wanted to rest a bit longer, considering that Dominic Hartnell had just arrived not long ago. Driving in a rush like this would make him tired, but he said it was okay. Since there were three votes in favor, I didn't say anything.Fortunately, the journey went smoothly, nothing happened, and we safely entered the territory of Lightspring. Upon arriving at Lightspring, Dominic Hartnell drove the car directly to his villa halfway up the mountain. We would meet and have dinner at the villa, as he had already told me before. After nearly six months, returning to this villa gives me a completely different feeling compared to before. Today, I can't fathom what lies ahead. "I've arrived earlier than expected. Xiao Lan, please prepare a pot of hot tea and bring me a cup of warm milk." Upon hearing this familiar voice, my fists clenched instinctively, and my palms became sweaty in an instant.