It was not a good idea to go for a trip in winter, especially when she didn't bring any luggage with her.
Leah only carried a backpack, which was a double strapped one that she bought from a convenience store along the way. She bought the coat last minute when she was shopping, but she was still feeling very cold.
She felt so tired after sitting in the car for a few hours.
The people who joined the trip were all in pairs or with family and friends. She was the only one alone, seeming particularly lonely.
The only advantage was that her mind was clear and she no longer felt like she was in a daze.
Perhaps it was easier for people to think over certain things in the cold weather.
When they arrived, it was already afternoon. Their first destination was to go to a famous ancient building with the tour guide.
It was said that the building had produced many top talents in the ancient times. It was a very famous scholar mansion that was built back then.
Walking through the carved corridors and painted towers, Leah's mind was not on the scenery.
On the first day, she did not turn on her phone.
It was not until noon the next day that she turned on her phone.
At that time, she received a lot of messages.
Ernest had sent a message almost every hour. He only sent one message at a time.
Leah looked at the messages and twitched her lips.
Both her mother and Norval had texted and called her as well.
She had left the group during the visit of the attractions and did not intend to continue the trip with the group. She wanted to take a stroll alone.
She sat down at a coffee shop and chose a window seat. Bathing in the warm winter sunshine, Leah picked up her phone and called Ernest.
When the phone was connected, Ernest had just reached the city that Leah was travelling in. He was still looking for the hotel where Leah stayed at.
He didn't expect to receive a call from Leah.
Ernest was very surprised and quickly picked it up. "Leah?"
Leah's voice came from the other end of the phone. "Ernest, I see that you sent me a lot of messages. I have just turned on my phone."
"Leah, I know that you are sad, I'm sorry." Ernest didn't know how to comfort Leah. He just regretted that he didn't meet Leah earlier.
"No, it has nothing to do with you." Leah shook her head. "Or rather, it doesn't have much to do with you. I admit that I'm a little narrow-minded. It's just that what makes me sad is not you, but my mother."
"Your mother?" Ernest was stunned. That was the first time he heard Leah talking about her mother.
Leah pondered for a moment, then said softly, "It's my mother. She suddenly appeared with her stepson."
Ernest was confused. "Do you not want to see them?"
"No." Leah felt that sometimes, meeting each other was not as good as just thinking about them. "I really don't want to."
"I understand." Ernest vaguely remembered how his mother and his aunt didn't want to see his grandmother as well. It was because when they were at the age when they needed his grandmother the most, his grandmother chose to become a deserter and only considered her own happiness. Neglecting his mother and aunt who were still young, she eloped with his grandfather and gave birth to his uncle, Lowell.
He wondered what happened to Leah's mother.
He once thought Leah's mother was dead.
Unexpectedly, she appeared again.
"You don't understand," Leah said with a wry smile. "My mom wants me to marry her stepson. She feels that I'll be closer to her in that way."
Hearing that, Ernest couldn't help but to step hard on the brake.
The car screeched, letting out a sharp noise.
Leah seemed to have heard it. She asked anxiously, "What's wrong?"
It was not until then that Ernest realized what had happened. He quickly turned to the phone and said, "I'm fine. Did you just say that your mom wants you to marry her stepson?"
Leah bitterly smiled and took a breath. "Isn't it funny?"
Ernest drove the car to the side of the road and took a deep breath. "Did you reject her?"
"Of course I rejected her," Leah said. "Should I agree to it if I don't reject her?" She didn't forget that she had a boyfriend. Of course, even if she didn't have a boyfriend, she wouldn't marry Norval.
Hearing that, only did Ernest feel a little better and he asked, "Where are you? I'll go and see you."
"I'm away in other city," Leah said. "Don't look for me. I'll contact you when I get back to Northern City."
"I'm in the city where you are now. Where are you? I'll drive there to see you," Ernest said in a low voice.
"Are you here?" Leah was shocked and unconsciously raised her voice.
"Yes," said Ernest. "I only found out that you're here this morning. You said before that you were going on a trip, so I asked my dad's subordinate to check and see where you are. My dad only told me where you were going after a day. Otherwise, I would have come yesterday."
He didn't hide anything and directly told Leah.
Ernest just wanted Leah to know that he would not hide anything from her anymore in the future.
After hearing that, Leah was really surprised.
She was in a daze for a long time, forgetting how to respond.
It was not until the waiter brought her a hot latte that she came to her senses and said to the waiter, "Thank you."
"You're welcome." The waiter put it down and left.
Leah came to her senses then and said, "What are you doing here, Ernest?"
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