Darcy processed the information, her initial surprise fading into a quiet understanding. "I see." Even someone as accomplished as Prof. Reed faced a lack of parental understanding. She set the photo frame back down, intending to look at something else, but the man behind her held her tight, refusing to let go, acting like an oversized, clingy koala. "Someone might come in. Let go," Darcy whispered, her face flushing as she tried to pry his fingers loose. Instead, Jethro turned her around, trapping her gently between his body and the desk. Then, in a move so swift it took her breath away, he bent his head. His soft lips met hers. Darcy's eyes flew open wide, shocked by his audacity. Her hands came up to push against his chest.But he only closed his eyes, seeming to sink into the moment, and captured her struggling hands with his own. Soon, resistance was futile. Darcy found herself melting into the kiss, swept away with him. The heat in the study was rising steadily when a sudden noise from the doorway made them freeze. "Hey! I told you to hurry back! You took forever, got home just as I did!" "You bought so much! You must be exhausted. You should have waited for me; we could have gone together." "Waited for you? By the time you got back, it would have been dinner time tomorrow!" Alistair wisely stopped arguing and, with a keen eye, took the heavy bags from his wife and pushed open the front door. In the center of the living room stood Jethro and Darcy, both wearing perfectly polite smiles. They were standing so far apart, you could have driven a truck between them—like two opposing magnetic poles. Alistair paused, squinting at them. "Why are you two standing all the way over there?" A flicker of guilt crossed Darcy's eyes. She scratched her head awkwardly. "Are we? Must be because your living room is so spacious." Alistair glanced around his modest, less-than-400-square-foot living room. He gave his nephew and his star student a suspicious look. Something felt off about these two. Before he could probe further, a firm pat landed on his back from Seren. "Stop dawdling! Come help me in the kitchen." Darcy hurried forward. "Let me help, Mrs. Reed. I can cook." Seren waved her off. "Nonsense, you're our guest." The living room was once again left to Jethro and Darcy. They took up opposite ends of the sofa.Darcy scrolled through her phone, only to receive a message from Jethro, "Don't overdo it." What's that supposed to mean? Jethro added, "Move closer." Darcy thought about it and decided he had a point. She put her phone away and scooted over to the middle of the couch. To her surprise, Jethro immediately shifted toward the center as well. And his right hand came to rest on her waist. Darcy shot him a fierce glare, mouthing a silent warning. Are you insane?! Jethro merely rubbed his nose with his free hand, a lazy smile playing on his lips. He picked up a magazine from the coffee table with his left hand, using it as a shield to hide his "misbehaving" right hand. "Ms. Gale," he asked, pointing at the magazine with exaggerated innocence, "could you explain how this model is constructed? I'd love to learn."Darcy was speechless. In the kitchen, Alistair caught a glimpse of the living room in the reflective surface of the microwave. Seeing the two engaged in what looked like a serious academic discussion, he let out a relieved sigh. ... Soon, dinner was served. The four of them sat around the table, and the conversation flowed from cutting-edge industry trends to more casual topics. Then, out of the blue, Alistair fixed a disapproving stare on Jethro. "You're pushing thirty. When are you going to settle down and start a family?" Jethro smiled easily, "You're one to talk. You never had kids of your own, and now you're lecturing me?" Alistair put on a stern face. "If you don't have kids, who's going to take care of me in my old age?" Jethro was speechless. "Old man, what nonsense are you spouting?" Seren swatted her husband's back lightly. "Eat!" However, she too was curious about her nephew's love life. "No need to rush into marriage and babies, but if you meet a nice girl, don't let the opportunity slip by. Dating is fine." "Alright," Jethro agreed readily. Seren was taken aback. Usually, any mention of this topic was met with stubborn silence. Why was he so agreeable today? Could he actually have met someone? At the same moment, under the table, a large, warm hand found Darcy's wrist where it rested on her lap. Darcy jumped, nearly sending her fork clattering to the floor. "Darcy? Is something wrong with the food?" Seren asked, concerned. Darcy's face turned scarlet. "N-no, it's fine!" she stammered, quickly dropping her gaze to focus intently on her plate. Beside her, Jethro's lips curved into a mischievous, satisfied smirk. Alistair glanced between them, his expression turning serious as he addressed Darcy. "You shouldn't rush. You have your studies to focus on. No dating for now." He was still haunted by Darcy giving up her admission offer for a man five years ago. He was genuinely afraid the "boy-crazy" bug might bite her again. A pang of guilt shot through Darcy. She couldn't meet his eyes, mumbling a vague "Mhm" of agreement into her rice. Seren, however, rolled her eyes at her husband. She turned a warm, encouraging smile on Darcy. "Don't listen to him. You're not a child anymore. If you meet the right person, there's nothing wrong with dating. I have full confidence you can balance your studies, your career, and a relationship." Alistair huffed, "Look at her schedule! Graduate school, a demanding job, taking care of her mother... add a boyfriend to that mix, and where will she find the time and energy? She needs to listen to me. Eliminate non-essential distractions for now. She can date after she graduates."