Mason Scott paused for a moment, shook her head, and said, “No, I don’t want to. I guess I’m pretty cowardly, Big Brother Brooks. In a foreign country, being all alone seems like the most natural thing—every foreigner is like that. But if I go back and I’m still all alone, that would be really sad, wouldn’t it?”

She lowered her head and didn’t continue the topic.

When they walked out of the airport, Mason Scott said, “Big Brother Brooks, I have something I want to discuss with you.”

Hugh Wilson of course knew what she wanted to talk about, so he replied, “Perfect, I also have something I’d like your help with.”

Hugh Wilson’s parents were coming to America to visit their son for a month, because not long ago, their son had accidentally let slip that he was already married.

Hugh Wilson asked Mason Scott to help him deal with his parents.

The timing was just right.

Mason Scott had finished her studies and could leave N City at any time. Hugh Wilson’s company was running smoothly, and he was starting to have more free time.

After arriving in California, Mason Scott first looked for a job, but unfortunately, being both Chinese and female caused her to face repeated setbacks.

Hugh Wilson wanted to use his connections to help her, but Mason Scott refused: “Big Brother Brooks, you’ve already helped me so much. I can’t keep relying on you.”

Hugh Wilson recalled that Mason Scott had never accepted financial help from him, and then remembered what his ex-girlfriend had said to him when they broke up, which made him feel a bit emotional.

Mason Scott noticed his thoughtful look. “Big Brother Brooks, what are you thinking about?”

Hugh Wilson smiled and said, “Nothing, I just re-understood the meaning of the word ‘pride.’”

Mason Scott didn’t get it, gave him a puzzled look, and didn’t ask further.

Before Hugh Wilson’s parents arrived, Valentine’s Day came first. But Hugh Wilson was not romantic by nature, and Mason Scott never even thought about it, so their Valentine’s Day passed without a hint of ambiguity.

On Valentine’s night, Hugh Wilson was upstairs in his study taking an international call. When he came downstairs, he saw Mason Scott sitting on the sofa, propping her head up with one hand, a laptop on her knees, completely unaware that he had come down.

From his angle, he happened to see a glint of light at the corner of Mason Scott’s eye.

Hugh Wilson thought she was watching some sad movie, but when he walked over, it was just an ordinary webpage—actually, it was the SOSO search page he knew so well.

The search keyword was a name he had never heard before—Ian Mitchell.

Only then did Mason Scott notice him. She quickly turned her head, not even having time to wipe away the tears on her cheeks.

She closed the laptop, stood up, and stared down at her toes, looking a bit embarrassed.

Hugh Wilson immediately understood: “He…”

He stopped after just one word, not knowing what else to say.

Mason Scott looked up at him, her eyes washed clear by tears, the sadness in them plain for Hugh Wilson to see.

“Big Brother Brooks, have you ever liked someone?” she asked.

“Yeah.” Hugh Wilson paused before answering, “I had a girlfriend back at C University. She was very smart, and very beautiful.”

“My ex-boyfriend was pretty amazing too,” Mason Scott said softly.

“Oh?” Hugh Wilson forced a smile. “Then your boyfriend wasn’t as lucky as I was.”

After all, he’s only your ‘ex’ now.

But Mason Scott completely misunderstood his words, probably thinking Hugh Wilson meant her boyfriend was unlucky for being with her. A bit indignant, she said, “I’m not that bad, am I…”

Hugh Wilson didn’t explain, hurried back upstairs to his study, but couldn’t focus on anything.

Once you’ve seen that name, it seems to pop up everywhere in your life.

From that day on—

Mason Scott would absentmindedly call out Ian Mitchell.

Mason Scott’s inexplicable smiles were for Ian Mitchell.

Mason Scott’s sudden loneliness was for Ian Mitchell.

……

Mason Scott started mentioning that name to him more and more, as if she had finally found someone she could talk to about that person.

That person was so, so smart.

That person was so, so capable.

……

Of course, Hugh Wilson would get impatient.

But when he saw the sadness and loneliness in her eyes and expression whenever she talked about that person, his impatience would turn into reluctance to hurt her.

And there was a strange kind of pain mixed in.

Even though he’d always known that Mason Scott mostly saw him as an older brother, Hugh Wilson had always felt confident—he believed no one better than him would appear by her side, so he could take his time. But now, that feeling was gone. Hugh Wilson could clearly sense the ice wall Mason Scott had built in her heart, a wall that kept out anything ambiguous.

Maybe he would always only be the older brother.

Hugh Wilson gradually grew anxious.

So that night came—whether it was due to long-suppressed emotions or a moment of losing control, he didn’t know.

That day, he’d been out socializing and came home drunk. Mason Scott scrambled to take care of him.

Hugh Wilson couldn’t tell if he was drunk or sober. If he was drunk, how could he remember every detail so clearly? If he was sober, how could he have lost control like that…

Half-awake, half-dreaming, it seemed he pressed Mason Scott beneath him…

He came to his senses at dawn.

The moment his mind cleared, he rushed downstairs.

The living room lights were off, and it was pitch dark.

He could just make out Mason Scott sitting on the sofa downstairs, hugging her knees tightly, her head bowed.

Hugh Wilson remembered reading somewhere that when people are deeply hurt, they instinctively curl up like a fetus in the womb, because they lack a sense of security.

His hand hovered over the light switch, then dropped.

Suddenly, Mason Scott spoke, her voice weak: “Big Brother Brooks, did you… mistake me for her?”

Hugh Wilson was stunned for a long time before he realized who “her” referred to.

His ex-girlfriend.

He seemed to have only mentioned his ex-girlfriend to her once, and he couldn’t even remember what he’d said. Did she think… he was still thinking about her?

Mason Scott, do you think everyone clings to the past like you do?

Hugh Wilson gave a bitter smile.

He realized Mason Scott had put him in an interesting dilemma: if he said “yes,” he couldn’t reveal his true feelings and might never get another chance; if he said “no,” he’d have to admit he was a rapist.

Even if it was only an attempt.

Facing Mason Scott’s trusting gaze, Hugh Wilson finally chose to close his eyes and not answer.

Let her find whatever answer would comfort her most.

In fact, after this, Mason Scott could no longer be at ease in the same room with him. When Mason Scott said she wanted to move out, Hugh Wilson said, “Mason Scott, go back home, go take a look.”

Mason Scott stood there in a daze.

“You can’t be an ostrich forever.”

Go back and see.

If the weather there is sunny, then stay.

If it’s cold and rainy, then come back quickly.

Forget that place, forget that person completely.

At the airport, as he saw off Mason Scott, who was no longer even his wife in name, Hugh Wilson looked up at the sky, watching the trail of the plane, loneliness spreading through every corner of his body.

Did she understand the last thing he said? She seemed incredibly slow about some things.

“If you don’t come back to America… then let’s not contact each other for now.” He said to her before she boarded.

Did he still have a chance?

Maybe.

Maybe that person called Ian Mitchell had already fallen in love with someone else.

How many people in the world are as foolish as Mason Morgan?

The fragrance of tea lingered in the air.

A long story, told in just a few hours.

“…So it turns out there really was more than one.” Hugh Wilson said at last.

“Sometimes, she’s unbelievably slow.” Hugh Wilson sighed, looking up. “Life is so strange. Who would have thought, of all people, you’d be the only one I could talk to about these things.”

Ian Mitchell didn’t say anything. After finishing his last cigarette, he picked up his clothes beside him. “It’s getting late, Mr. Brooks, I’ll be heading out.”

“What’s the rush?”

Ian Mitchell paused for a moment. “Mason Scott is drunk. I’m a bit worried about her.”

Hugh Wilson burst out laughing. “Mr. Mitchell, are you showing off your success to a loser?”

Ian Mitchell didn’t look back, quickly left the teahouse, pushed open the door, and the cool air outside rushed in.

Ian Mitchell took a deep breath.

His hand, veins bulging, slowly relaxed after a long while.

By the time he got home, it was already two in the morning.

When Mason Scott was drunk and asleep, she became obedient, curled up under the covers without moving, sleeping in exactly the same position as when he left. Ian Mitchell quietly took off his shoes, slipped into bed, and pulled her into his arms.

She shifted a little, adjusted to the new position, frowned, and only when Ian Mitchell relaxed his arm did her brow smooth out again.

Her hair’s fragrance filled his nose.

Ian Mitchell whispered, “No more letting you drink from now on.”

She didn’t protest, still sleeping soundly.

But Ian Mitchell couldn’t fall asleep. He lay there with his eyes open until after four, sighed, and got up to go to the study.

There was still a mountain of work left undone. In fact, tomorrow—no, it was already today—he had a court session in the morning, and the materials weren’t even fully prepared yet. For Ian Mitchell, this was a rare experience of last-minute cramming.

He worked until the first light of dawn.