Chapter 1404: The Second Story

Chapter 1404: The Second Story

Mr. Grant sat on the sofa, smiling amiably as he listened to the chatter of the women beside him. He would occasionally nod as if paying serious attention to their conversation. In reality, their voices ebbed and flowed like the wind, brushing past his ears without leaving any lasting impression.
He had little patience for these chatty tea gatherings, especially in the house of the eccentric Elizabeth, enduring her constant babbling. But he had no choice—Jessica was there, after all.
Even with the guidance and assistance of the role-playing manual, he still found it hard to get used to Jessica's appearance. He could gaze at her lovingly and admiringly for two minutes, but any longer and he had to shift his focus to someone else—like Pink—to give himself a break. When Jessica and Leah went to the restroom together, it felt like a weight had been lifted off his shoulders.
Do something meaningful for Jessica, something that truly makes her happy.
That was Mr. Grant's game objective, which meant he would always revolve around Jessica.
Fortunately, while Jessica's appearance might not be conducive to immersion, her character was easygoing and amiable. Whenever Mr. Grant made small talk with her, she was always patient. If one didn't focus on her face, interacting with her felt refreshing.
"You're back," he said, perking up as soon as Jessica's stout shadow appeared in the living room. He quickly moved some cushions to make room for Jessica and Leah. "Would you ladies like something to drink? I can get it for you." Elizabeth had set up a small table in the corner of the living room filled with beverages.
Jessica immediately turned to Leah. "What would you like?"
With a smirk, Leah maintained her attitude as if no one was worthy of speaking to her. Right from the start of the game, Mr. Grant had disliked this girl. If he had to choose between Leah and Jessica to secretly admire, he would undoubtedly pick Jessica. He couldn't understand how someone as kind-hearted as Jessica became friends with Leah, let alone inseparable. Moreover, the better outsiders treated Jessica, the worse Leah's attitude became, clearly showing her envy.
"I don't want anything," Leah curtly replied. "She's too stingy to even use tea leaves. She dilutes the juice with water... There isn't even a biscuit. After drinking so much water, I'd have to run to the restroom constantly."
Jessica gave Mr. Grant an apologetic smile. "I'm not thirsty either, but thank you."
Well, he wouldn't bother then, as he wasn't interested in Elizabeth's watered-down juice either.
Back to the topic, Elizabeth's game objective was as conspicuous as a black fly on a white wall. From the moment everyone sat down, she tried to share stories of her encounters with spirits, always emphasizing her own psychic abilities. If these tales weren't fabrications, Mr. Grant would willingly decapitate himself in disbelief.
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Unfortunately, despite Elizabeth's best efforts, everyone was disinterested and merely entertained her out of politeness. A few even stood up to inspect the dolls she mentioned. It wasn't that they were trying to embarrass her; they simply didn't believe her tales. Pretending to believe wouldn't help her achieve her objective, would it?
Interestingly, the mentally unstable Marigold hastily pulled Elizabeth into the kitchen upon her arrival, shutting the door behind them. Mr. Grant noticed this because Jessica was intently watching Marigold head to the kitchen.
"Do you think she heard?" Jessica whispered to Leah once the door was closed.
Mr. Grant leaned in, unwilling to miss a word from Jessica.
"If she heard, she heard," Leah said, shifting further on the sofa and leaning against the armrest as if to distance herself from Jessica. "Her husband talks plenty. She probably knew already."
Jessica, apparently unaware of her best friend's distaste, edged closer to Leah, reducing the gap. "I hope we didn't upset her. She looked quite pale when she came out."
"What happened?" Mr. Grant quickly asked. "Do you need any help?"
Leah rolled her eyes, thinking no one noticed.
"When we were chatting outside the restroom, we didn't realize Goldie was inside. She might have overheard us," Jessica explained, a little embarrassed. "I wasn't gossiping or anything, we were just concerned about her."
"You're so kind; of course you'd be worried," Mr. Grant said reassuringly. To him, Goldie and her mental issues were as remote as dust storms on another planet. If Jessica hadn't mentioned it, he probably wouldn't have remembered who Goldie was even by the end of the game. "She will understand, don't worry."
"Thank you," Jessica said with a sigh. "I hope she gets better."
The hostess seemed to have disappeared, and with her drab stories and underwhelming hospitality, people grew restless. One by one, guests started to leave. Jessica, finding no reason to stay, discussed briefly with Leah and decided to leave as well, making Mr. Grant slightly anxious.
'Do something meaningful and make her happy.' Other than helping her achieve her game objective, what other choice did he have? But players couldn't disclose their objectives to each other. He initially thought he could gather clues during the tea party and attempt to deduce Jessica's game objective. But before anything substantial occurred, they decided to leave, returning to their private world exclusive to the two college girls.
Wouldn't he be left out in the cold again, at a complete loss?
"Oh, by the way," he said, recalling Leah's earlier words. "Didn't you both mention wanting some snacks? Why not come over to my place next? I can offer you some cake and cookies I baked. I promise the best tea and drinks."
The two girls exchanged glances.
Jessica smiled. "Mr. Grant, you know how to bake cakes?"
This was his chance to earn brownie points with Jessica. He grinned and responded, "I often bring baked treats for students who live too far to make it for breakfast. Now that it's the holidays, if you don't come over, I might lose my touch by the time school reopens. Come, consider it a favor to me."
The good news was that Jessica accepted the invitation; the downside was that Leah was inevitably coming along.
As everyone stood up to bid farewell to Elizabeth, Mr. Grant's eyes lingered on the couch cushion where Jessica had sat. The fabric was wrinkled, bearing the impression of her form. Even without touching, he knew the dent in the cushion would still retain Jessica's warmth.
When the trio was about to leave, Elizabeth and Goldie had already retreated to the kitchen, with Goldie not saying her goodbyes. Jessica, the last to exit, was about to close the door when she suddenly paused.
She smiled at the two outside. "Sorry, can you both wait for me? I think I left my hairpin behind."
Without waiting for a reply, she turned back inside, gently closing the door behind her. Mr. Grant and Leah exchanged uncomfortable glances, each finding the other's presence a bit irksome. Rather than awkwardly waiting, he thought it would be better to go in, help Jessica find her hairpin, and perhaps snatch a few moments alone with her.
Being a guest in someone's home, it wasn't polite to repeatedly open and close the main door. Mr. Grant gently turned the doorknob, trying to be as quiet as possible. However, before setting foot inside, his gaze slipped through the slightly ajar door.
Elizabeth and Goldie were still in the kitchen; Jessica was on her knees in the living room.
She buried her face deeply in the cushion where Leah had previously sat and took in a deep breath.
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