Arrogant Man VS Unyielding Woman

"Jean, Zed, I will forever be in your debt for all the things you did for me. To be able to meet you guys, and become dear friends with you has been the biggest joy of my life," said Moore, smiling warmly as he looked intently at Zed and Jean.

"I'll stop with the lovey-dovey talk now. We've been friends for long enough for you guys to know what I meant to say." After hearing this, Jean said with a wide smile, "I believe you have something to say to Avery? It is such an important occasion. She's your girlfriend!" Jean reminded Moore amidst her warm laugh.

Realizing this, Moore stood still as if he forgot something of great importance to him. He slowly turned around and saw Avery. She was standing there, looking at him intently with pure and crystal eyes. He felt the tides of complicated feelings for her rise and surge from the well of his heart. He walked towards her, and spoke softly and sincerely, "Thank you for staying with me tonight. I'm sorry for not being able to take good care of you."

"You're always welcome, and I would like you to know that I'm not dependent on your care. Always remember, Moore. Etch this onto your heart and mind - I will always be with you," Avery promised this to Moore, her tone sweet and genuine. Her emphasis on every word was filled with as much love as she could convey through her eyes.

"I will, Avery. I'll keep it in my heart forever," said Moore, his voice lightly cracking. He was deeply touched. His eyes affixed on Avery conveying the sort of tenderness only a man could give.

Becoming increasingly aware of the passion in the atmosphere around Moore and Avery, Zed and Jean looked at each other, clearly moved by their love. They beamed at each other like little children.

They were so happy for Moore and Avery, who were so in love judging from how they looked at each other.

To give the two lovers the privacy they no doubt needed, Zed gently held Jean's hands, and they silently walked out together.

Closing the door as quietly as possible, Jean let out a sigh of relief, her face joyful. She then said, "Finally, after all the twists and turns, Moore returned to the Bai family. But are they any different from the Bai family Moore left in the past? What do you think Zed? Why did Edna do what she did? Why did she block Moore from coming back after all her shady dealings?"

"Honestly, I can't make sense of her logic behind it. Gary has never interfered with the Bai family's business, but after all, he has power in politics. By that fact, this also opened a lot of doors for Edna, so she was able to keep a lot of things she did secret from Gary. Edna's true purpose may lie somewhere else. But I really don't know what it exactly is. Anyway, It's the Bai family's business. Stop letting it bother you too much."

"How can I not?" Jean sighed as Zed finished his answer. "Moore just returned to the family, but now he has to deal with their big problem? I just get so worried how this will all end."

Jean's face was clouded with worry. Her brows were furrowed with concern. Seeing this, Zed was about to say something to comfort her when he heard an old man say, "Are you Moo-moo's friends?" 'Moo-moo? Is that Moore's nickname in the Bai family?'

Hearing the nickname of their dear friend, Zed and Jean shot each other questioning looks, before turning around at the same time to find out who could call Moore such an intimate name.

Who greeted them was an old man with lines as deep as trenches on his face. He looked weary from all the years he was alive. He approached the couple slowly, and his back was hunched over. Without the old man introducing himslf, Zed and Jean immediately assumed that he must be Moore's grandpa.

Since Moo-moo, the lovely nickname, could only come from someone who was really close to Moore.

Then Jean remembered that this old man was the reason why Moore had to suffer all these years, why he had to carry all the burdens of life at such a young age. She became guarded, her face a mask of hostility. Just because Moore said that his grandpa was reaching the end of his life, didn't mean Jean had to get all friendly with him.

Olin, the old man, had reached the couple and was now standing in front of them. Having heard that how nice a person Zed was, Olin couldn't help but show appreciation for him. He asked them again with a smile, "Are you Moo-moo's friends, Mr. and Mrs. Qi?"

Zed was about to answer as he opened his mouth, but Jean cut him off and threw a cold reply at the old man, "So what if we're friends? Let me make this clear from the start. Even though Moore forgave you for all the shitty things you've done to him, as his friend, I will never, ever forgive you."

"Jean!" Zed suddenly said in a hushed voice, startled by her reply's disrespectful tone.

"Don't interrupt me. Moore had to step down because Olin is his grandpa. But he's not my grandpa. I don't have to show respect and hospitality towards him even if he's a member of the Bai family. That's how I've always been with friends. I will give back an ocean for a drop of water. But if anyone hurts me or my friends? I will stop at nothing to get my revenge, let alone forgive,"

Jean said with cold fury, her eyes piercing Olin.

"I know," Olin said while a bitter smile started to form on the corners of his mouth. He looked at Jean and said, "You are true friends of Moo-moo, being on his side no matter what and supporting him whole-heartedly. I heard from Gary that Moo-moo owed you folks a lot and had a lot of reasons to be thankful for you. I now see that you are also the reason why Moo-moo agreed to stay here."

When he said this, it was followed by a deep sigh accompanied with regret and remorse that was also evident in his weary eyes. "I had no choice back then. I had no other way but to send Moo-moo away. I have never stopped regretting it to this day. It was such a huge, sorrowful mistake. If only I could turn back time! I would have sacrificed myself to keep Moo-moo at home.

I'm not expecting your forgiveness after hearing my words. I know in my heart, that my sins can never be forgiven, nor should they be accepted. Please don't worry. I promise to take good care of Moo-moo from now on. I will protect him from any possible suffering or problems, so long as I'm still alive..."

"I don't buy it," Jean scoffed. "You know very well why Moore chose to stay. Everyone in the Bai family are blood sucking mosquitos and blood thirsty vampires making use of everyone around them. You forced Moore to stay. You took advantage of his kindness!"

"No. Listen to me, please," Olin fervently denied, and he shook is head slowly. His face was a mask of deep sorrow. "I come to you with hopes that you will bring Moo-moo away from the Bai family..."

"Wait, what are you talking about?" Jean was surprised by this. She looked at Olin suspiciously, trying to find a crack in his facade that might reveal his true purpose.

"Here's the story..." Olin sighed again, still feeling crushing sadness. "I have always been absent from home since my illness started. On an ordinary day like today, I should be in the hospital. But I heard Moore was returning home, hence I am here. Moo-moo is a good boy. After knowing the truth of his past, he never blamed me nor his father.

But then soon after Moo-moo's reunion with us, Gary somehow managed to separate me from them, and he talked long and hard with Moo-moo. I have more or less heard about the Bai family's affairs even when I was wasting away at the hospital. I know for a fact that Gary has been conducting an investigation on Edna in Secret for three months now. Although I don't exactly know why he had her investigated, Gary must have told Moo-moo the reason.

I heard you had come here too, so I saw my chance and now I come before you. Please stop Moo-moo from getting involved in this trouble. He should avoid it at all costs and never be involved in it. The question is not about my selfishness. It's just that we cannot afford to oppose Edna Huang's family. The fast thing I want to see is Moo-moo and Edna become rivals the moment he

returns home."

"I guess it's safe to assume that you know Moore has already been an enemy to Edna, and that she has done everything in her power to stop Moore from getting back home," Jean said to remind Olin of this fact.

"Yes, I know that." Olin was seized with incredible sadness. He then said, "You're welcome to blame me for all this. I'm too much of a useless coward. If I hadn't surrendered to other people's threat twenty years ago, I wouldn't have deprived my grandson of the chance to come back home..."

Olin finished speaking, a stream of tears already flowing down from his weary eyes against his weathered face, like torrents of a gentle waterfall. 00000