Before Blair could answer Cecelia's question, Wesley popped in without warning.
The two women were both surprised.
Cecelia rolled her eyes at him. "Are you spying on us? Women only!"
Wesley glanced at the door. "You didn't close your door. I was just passing by."
"Humph! Just get out," the angry mother snorted and glared at him.
He didn't move. Instead, he looked at the two women standing hand-in-hand, and told his mother, "You don't need to be so nice to her. She won't be your daughter-in-law."
His words pained Blair's heart.
Cecelia was shocked. She didn't expect her son to speak so bluntly in front of Blair, not worrying about sparing her feelings. Irked by her stupid son, the mother ranted, "Who said anything about that? Niles likes Blair. I like Blair. I can spoil anyone I like. Why do I need your permission, huh?"
"Whatever." With that, he turned and went downstairs.
Cecelia knew how Blair felt about Wesley, so she tried to comfort the heartbroken girl. "He's an idiot when it comes to love. He doesn't understand his heart yet. Trust me. I know he has feelings for you. Just give him time."
Blair flashed a self-mocking smile. "Time? How long do I need to wait? Aunt Cecelia, I've been into him since I was a university student. He's had a few years."
"And maybe he needs a little more time. Don't be sad, Blair. I have your back."
Blair nodded, "I know. Thank you, Aunt Cecelia." After a pause, she added, "But you don't know Wesley. He never liked me. I know you want him to, but it wasn't meant to be. Know what? He told me that he was nice to me because you liked me. He wanted to make you happy."
She had almost believed that Wesley was a mama's boy who would do anything his mom told him to.
Unconvinced, Cecelia pursed her lips. "Make me happy? He always pisses me off. He couldn't admit his true feelings for you and found a bullshit excuse."
Blair smiled bitterly without uttering a word. The kind mother's comforting words couldn't chase away the sadness in her heart.
Hearing no response from the girl, Cecelia advised worriedly, "Trust me. It's not to make me happy. Don't believe me? Try this: Say he liked a girl, and I didn't. If he liked her, and I wouldn't allow them to marry, ask him what he'd do. If he says he wouldn't marry her, or he'd listen to me, or he'd think it over, then you know it's bull. He'll do whatever he wants to do. He always has."
Blair was lost for words after hearing her advice.
At lunchtime, she thought so much about what Cecelia said that she just nibbled at her lunch. Garnet was seated right next to Wesley. It was Lauren who made the seating arrangements. And Blair sat beside Niles.
Blair wasn't happy with it. But she could say nothing since Wesley didn't seem to care who sat next to him. So she just lowered her head and focused on her food.
There was a lot of laughter, affection, and teasing. The usual. Everyone seemed fairly happy. After lunch, the Jiang family took off.
When they saw off the Jiang family at the gate, Blair happened to make eye contact with Garnet. Both of them looked away at once. Blair noticed the thoughtful look in Garnet's eyes.
Nonetheless, her mind was still occupied by Cecelia's advice. When she and Wesley were finally alone, she sprang the question on him. "Let me ask you something." She caught up to the man who was headed upstairs.
Wesley stopped in his tracks. "What?"
"What if…and I mean IF…you like a girl and want to marry her, but your mom doesn't agree, what would you do?"
He replied curtly, "There are no such 'ifs.'"
"Hypothetically. Just answer me!" she said impatiently.
Wesley never had any interest in answering questions like that. But she seemed anxious for an answer. So, casting a sidelong glance at her, he answered coolly, "I'll marry who I want. Mom doesn't get a say." 'Cecelia likes Blair, so there's no problem, ' he thought to himself instinctively.
Finally, his answer chased her sadness away. She stood rooted to the spot and smiled goofily.
'So he just used his mom as an excuse. He lied about his true feelings. I'll have to read between the lines from now on, ' she thought.
Wesley continued climbing the staircase. Hearing no footsteps behind him, he turned around and found the woman with a goofy smile, still standing where he left her.
The night before Blair and Wesley went back home, Cecelia gave Blair a red envelope, according to the custom of Spring Festival. It was a thick one. You could imagine how much money was in it. Blair refused, "Aunt Cecelia, I'm a grown-up. I have a job. I don't need this."
"Be a good girl. Take it." Ignoring her refusal, Cecelia stuffed it in the girl's pocket.
Blair didn't know what to do. They were alone in the room, so she couldn't ask for help. Left with no choice, she accepted it. "Okay then. I'll take it. Thanks, Aunt Cecelia. And thank Grandpa Keith and Uncle Baldwin, for me too."
She was thinking that maybe she could give the red envelope to Wesley or find a chance to buy a gift for the elders one day.
"Great. Hey, by the way, you hung out with Wesley yesterday. Where did you go?"
Blair told her honestly where they went and what they did the previous night.
"Okay, I see. Again, don't listen to him. He never says what he means. When he says he doesn't love you, he probably means the opposite. Never give up on him. Give him some more time. I can't wait till you call me 'Mom.'"
Her last sentence made Blair cry. Tears streamed down her cheeks. "Aunt… That's beautiful. Thank you."
She felt blessed. She was lucky to meet an elder who was so nice to her. Besides her uncle, Cecelia was her biggest fan. And she felt Blair and Wesley belonged together.
"Don't cry. I should be the one thanking you. You've been taking care of my son." Cecelia gave Blair a warm hug to comfort her.
"No. It's the other way round. He's been taking care of me…" Cecelia was excited to hear that. "See? I knew it! Wesley never knew much about women. He loves you too much so he knows what to do on instinct."
Blair nodded with a sob. "Yeah. Thank you for your support, Aunt."
"Okay. Stop crying now. If Wesley sees you, he might think I'm being mean to you." Deep inside, Cecelia sympathized with this orphaned girl.
"He won't. He knows you like me. He even took care of me to make you happy," she joked, a complicated feeling in her heart.
"Whatever. As long as he's good to you. Okay, good night. Sleep tight."
"Good night, Aunt Cecelia."
After returning to her bedroom, Cecelia told Baldwin in a chirpy voice, "Honey, you'll never guess what Blair and Wesley were up to. Turns out your older son took her out for snacks and drinks yesterday!"
Baldwin pushed his spectacles up the bridge of his nose while saying, "I guess he's not that clueless after all. It's just that he hadn't met the right girl yet. See how he treats Blair? He went out and bought her lipstick and perfume, went to an amusement park with her, took her out for snacks, and he even drove her here. That's not a short drive! He took care of her while she was here. Did you raise him like that? No. He did all that because he wanted to."
"I agree. But he's still saying hurtful things. I get so angry every time I think about it. I try to help him out, but he always disobeys me! Huh!" Cecelia remarked angrily.
