Couldn’t Hide the Feelings - Chapter 43

“…”

Ashley said nothing, withdrew her eyes, and nodded dully.

She bowed her head and pondered the meaning of his words.

She thought he had forgotten it, or didn’t take it seriously at all.

And Ashley did not see him mention talking about his girlfriend, nor did he show her.

‘Who was that at the airport before that?’

Ashley looked at him again and asked, “What about the one before?”

Jacob, “Which one.”

She didn’t know if it would seem strange for her to mention something so long ago. Ashley played with her fingers and pretended to inadvertently ask, “I came to Silver River when I was a freshman in high school, the sister who came to the airport with you.”

“When you were a freshman in high school?”

“…”

Ashley struggled for a few seconds and could only speak more accurately to strengthen his memory, “When I came to find my online lover.”

Jacob remembered, “My boss.”

Ashley pursed her lips, stiffened her head, and asked dryly, “Then why did she come with you?”

“At that time, I didn’t know how to drive,” Jacob recalled three years ago. “And I seemed to be working overtime all night that day. I felt a little uncomfortable.”

“…”

“when your brother called me, she happened to hear me, so she gave me a ride.”

Jacob looked sideways at her, seemingly unintentionally adding, “Her child is in primary school.”

Ashley’s mind was a little empty for a moment, and suddenly she thought of her extremely difficult time and all the memories she had hidden in the box.

She remembered her deliberate estrangement.

Thought of the secret love that she unilaterally started, and unilaterally ended.

Ashley nodded silently and asked absent-mindedly, “Then why haven’t you been dating someone?”

Jacob said casually, “Didn’t your brother date anyone either?”

“.”

Ashley remembered the words of her roommate and said with a complicated face, “Then you can’t be waiting for my brother all the time… ”

Jacob said with a laugh, “What are you talking about?”

Ashley whispered, “I just feel strange.”

“I didn’t have time when I graduated,” Jacob said carelessly. “I have been introduced to some girls by my boss in the past two years, but they are not my thing.”

Ashley nodded and did not ask any more questions.

The plane took off and the stewardess was handing out blankets.

Ashley asked her for one, put it over her head, and pretended to sleep.

Her head leaned to the side of the window, her eyes closed and opened and soon closed again.

She was like thinking about something.

For a while.

Ashley bowed her head slightly.

The places that used to be scarred were now inexplicably filled with honey.

She pursed her lips hard, and the corners of her mouth hidden in the blanket still bent uncontrollably.

Without a sound.

The plane arrived in Silver River City.

Before getting off the plane, Ashley heard the man named James ask for contact information with Jacob.

The two found a place to settle their lunch, and then Jacob sent Ashley back to school.

It was just 1 pm, and Sophie was the only one in the dormitory.

Ashley’s dormitory had no elevator and settle on the third floor.

Jacob helped her carry her suitcase to the dormitory, didn’t stay, politely said hello to Sophie, talked with Ashley, and soon left.

When he left, Sophie said curiously, “In what capacity did he send you here?”

Ashley crouched on the ground, opened her suitcase, and began to pack up, “Elders.”

“…”

Sophie said, “You gotta be kidding me.”

Ashley was silent for a few seconds, “Actually, I’m not sure.”

Hearing this, Sophie immediately leaned over and blinked, “What happened?”

“I’m a little confused now,” Ashley thought for a moment, in a hesitant tone, “because I feel like he used to talk the same way.”

“Ah?”

“But it doesn’t seem to be the same.”

“Did he say anything to you?”

Ashley stopped and whispered, “He just told me that he hasn’t had a girlfriend in the past few years. He said he couldn’t find a suitable one. ”

“Wait a minute, did he have a girlfriend when he was young?”

Sophie was surprised. “It doesn’t make any sense if he never dated anyone.”

“I don’t know.” Ashley said, “I can’t ask so many questions.”

“What do you mean you are confused?”

“He used to talk like this when I was a kid, for example, he would drive me home, and then he would say that I was laughing secretly, or that I blushed when I saw him.”

Ashley scratched her head. “He is quite shameless.”

“…”

“I feel he was too much lately.”

Ashley exhaled and dawdled. “I just can’t tell, you know. Maybe I’m being overreacted. ”

Sophie, “Do you think he might like you?”

“No.”

Ashley immediately denied, “No.”

“…”

Noticing Sophie’s expression, Ashley looked at her for several seconds and suddenly let out her breath, “Well, a little bit.”

Sophie, “Why don’t you even dare to tell? You are good, girl.”

“Because I don’t think it’s possible. Besides, I know about it myself. ”

Ashley whispered, “Because I like him, some of his actions that feel normal to him may be misinterpreted by me.”

“…”

Ashley smiled, “I am quite experienced.”

“Plus, our relationship is not easy to change.”

Ashley lowered her eyes and continued to pack her things. “If he were a stranger, I would probably chase him now. If I can’t succeed, I won’t get in touch with him, and there’s nothing to be afraid of. ”

Sophie did not quite understand her feelings, sighed, and asked, “How many years did you not see each other before you came here?”

“Since the second year of junior high school.”

Ashley added, “After the second semester of the second year of junior high school, he was very busy, and then he went back here.”

“How old were you when you met him?”

“The second semester of the first year of junior high school.”

“Do you think he watched you grow up and couldn’t have a crush on you?”

“Pretty much.”

Sophie said innocently, “You haven’t seen him much since the second year of junior high school, and you haven’t seen him until your freshman year. He can’t be counted as watching you grow up.”

“…”

‘It seems to make sense.’

Ashley didn’t know what to say for a moment, and hesitated, “I’ve seen him several times in between.”

“Look, ”

Sophie said, “in the summer vacation of my third year of high school, my father brought back a dog, and he really stuck to me that month. When I went back this winter vacation, he didn’t even recognize me. ”

“…”

“Even a loyal animal like a dog is like this. He can’t be regarded as a man that watched you grow up.”

Sophie said, “At most, he was just a brother to you.”

“But he gave me presents.”

Ashley said, “and usually asked me about my studies and so on.”

“Oh.”

Sophie said, “That can barely be regarded as a netizen.”

“…”

“I just say what I think, and you can just listen. My brother is now in junior high school. If he has a friend, I know him and treat him as a child. ”

Sophie said, “When he grows up, if he is handsome and he will pursue me.”

Ashley looked at her.

Sophie smiled and said, “Sorry, it’s really possible for me to … you know.”

Ashley said longingly, “What am I going to do now?”

“Let nature take its course.”

Sophie said, “Don’t always think he’s older than you, just get along normally. If he flirts you or something, why don’t you do it back? ”

Ashley was a little depressed and nodded.

“Right, what do you mean by saying that he was too much?”

Sophie said curiously, “Do you think the way you used to get along is better, or do you think it’s better now?”

Ashley thought carefully, “I think the latest… I don’t know how to describe it.”… ”

She could only vaguely say, “The original is fine.”

After getting home, Jacob took a look at his phone.

James, whom he had just met on the plane, sent him a friend adding verification. He glanced at it casually and locked the phone directly without consent.

Jacob took a change of clothes, took a quick bath in the toilet, then went back to his room and lay down on the bed to make up for sleep.

The cell phone rang at this moment.

Jacob looked at the caller ID and picked it up.

Mike, “Are you in SL?”

Jacob, “Mm-hmm.”

Mike was a little sad, “How long will it take for us to see each other again?”

Jacob laughed and said lazily, “If you hadn’t been married, I would have thought you had a crush on me.”

“What?”

Mike said, “I thought you’d hurry up. When I get married, you can bring the girl you like and let the brothers meet.”

Jacob, “It can’t be so fast.”

Mike complained, “Don’t you say you did a good job?”

“…”

At the mention of this, Jacob’s eyelids were raised and he sat up.

He coughed softly, somewhat indescribable. “Forget it.”

“Why”

“The little girl’s type is so strange?”

Jacob laughed. “I’ve never seen such a person before.”

“Ah?”

“Man.”

Thinking of Ashley’s reaction in the past few days, Jacob’s eyebrow jumped, “It’s interesting, but I really…”

“….”

“I think it’s ridiculous.”

“….”

Mike said, “Would you please don’t f*cking keep me in suspense?”

Jacob lost his sleepiness, got up, sat down in the living room, and took a pack of cigarettes from the coffee table.

Lighting the cigarette with a lighter, he thought for a moment and said with a smile, “It’s a little difficult.”

Mike was going crazy, “What’s going on?”

“The girl told me about her type.”

Jacob bit his cigarette and looked lazy. “I’ve learned a little bit during this period of time.”

Mike said miraculously, “Are you all right? What are you learning from others? ”

Jacob chuckled, “Isn’t this a shortcut?”

Mike, “Does it work?”

Jacob picked an eyebrow, “Not at all.”

Mike, “What’s your plan?”

Jacob, “Don’t know yet.”

“Aren’t you afraid that the girl will fall in love with someone else?”

“It’s not quite normal.”

Jacob said without any expression, “Only if she meets a better person.”

“Why do you live like a monk?”

“…”

Mike said painstakingly, “Why don’t you just act normally? You are acting like a substitute. Bro, you are in such good condition. You don’t have to do that. ”

Jacob sat up straight, tapped his fingertips, and knocked off the cigarette ash.

He didn’t say a word.

Mike, “So, what is the girl’s type?”

This time Jacob did not hide, “Male seductress.”

“…”

“I can get it,” Jacob paused for a few seconds, leisurely, “he is probably a coquettish, slutty, and shameless combination.”

Mke could not help saying, “Isn’t that you?”

“…”

Jacob choked on the smoke and coughed several times. “What are you talking about?”

“Let me ask you something.” Mike thought carefully and said sincerely. “After all, I haven’t seen the girl you’re talking about. Think for yourself. Is it possible that she’s talking about you?”

Jacob paused.

“Women are always duplicates.”

Mike looked like an experienced person. “You can’t believe what she says. You have to observe for yourself. She said there was such a man. Have you seen him? ”

Jacob pressed the cigarette butts out, looking thoughtful.

Mike, “It was the same with me as a backup when I was in college. Dude, do you remember? The one in the foreign languages department came to me as soon as she broke up with her boyfriend. When they got back together, she asked me if I liked anyone. She gave me some advice, and I made one up according to her character. ”

For a while.

Jacob said aloud, “It’s unlikely.”

“…”

After a few seconds, he murmured, “But it’s possible.”

“Forget it. My wife needs me.”

Mike said, “Right, you are already like that, and don’t do that on purpose.”

“…”

“Otherwise, it will be a little too much.”

“…”

Jacob said, “Wait a minute.”

“What?”

“Have you told anyone about this?”

Mike smiled, “No, it’s not too late.”

“Don’t.”

Jacob said slowly, “It’s rare to tell you something on my mind. If you tell others…”

“…”

“I will feel upset.”

“…”

After hanging up the phone, Jacob sat in the living room for a while.

Thinking about what Ashley said when she was drunk, he began to think about those things that happened before.

But it has been a while, and his memory has been diluted a lot.

He stayed up late last night and got up early today. Jacob didn’t feel quite well.

He stood up and stopped thinking about it.

Jacob went back to his room, heard the phone ring, and glanced at it again.

Found that there was another friend adding verification, the remark read: I am James.

He covered his phone, lay down on the bed, and closed his eyes.

What woke him up was a series of phone ringing.

Jacob sat up and saw that the sky outside had darkened, the room was dark, and only the mobile phone screen was shining.

Caller ID was a strange number in SL City.

Jacob stared at it for two seconds and picked it up.

Kathy’s cry sounded instantly in the receiver. She seemed to be drunk, sounding dazed, “Jacob, you finally answered my phone. I have to use someone else’s number to contact you. ”

“…”

“I heard James say that you were chasing a woman. Are you serious? ”

Jacob’s tone was unemotional, “Anything else?”

“How can you assume that nothing has happened when I live like this?”

Kathy said, “I…I forgive you, okay? We…we… ”

“Let me ask you something, James said that we are going to get married? Did you rumor it? ”

Jacob interrupted her and said, “Do you want me to marry you?”

Kathy whispered, “Yes. Why?”

Jacob hung up the phone directly.

He stood up, found a tool to pull out the phone card, broke it, and threw it into the dustbin.

There was a sudden pain in his temples, and so did his stomach.

Jacob went into the toilet.

As if he felt extremely nauseous, he bent down and spit out several mouthfuls of sour water for no reason.

Jacob turned on the faucet, rinsed his mouth, and washed his face with cold water.

After a long time.

Jacob raised his eyes and looked at himself in the mirror.

He suddenly smiled.

There were obviously a lot more classes in the freshman semester.

Ashley’s class schedule was full, and there was no free time at the end of the week except weekends.

Jacob seemed to be busy with his work, working overtime day and night.

The two people each have their own things, and the communication was basically through Whatsapp.

Although Sophie said so, Ashley didn’t change much with him when she got along with him.

Maybe it was across a screen, and he didn’t say anything as inexplicable as before.

In the twinkling of an eye, March reached the bottom.

The two made an appointment to have dinner together on Friday night.

After class, Ashley went back to the dormitory to put her things away. When she was about to go out, Jacob gave her a call.

Ashley picked it up and took out lipstick from her bag and put a thin layer on her lips.

“Where are you now?”

“My group suddenly said they were going to run a party,” Jacob said.

Ashley stopped and guessed, “Then I don’t have to go out?”

Jacob loosely said, “I’m here to ask your opinion. If you don’t want to eat with them, you won’t go. Let’s eat something else. ”

“It’s all right.”

Ashley didn’t mind, “Let’s go.”

“Then come out.”

Jacob said, “I’m at the door.”

Ashley hung up the phone.

She glanced at herself in the mirror and soon went out the door in the direction of the school gate.

Jacob’s car was parked outside the school.

Ashley got on it and said hello to him, “Brother Jacob.”

Jacob’s hair grew a little longer, slightly covering the eyebrows.

His face was cold and pale, and there was a layer of bluish-gray under his eyes. He seemed to have stayed up a lot of nights.

Jacob made a sound, glanced at her, and started the car.

Ashley, “Have you decided on a place for dinner?”

Jacob, “Just that hot pot restaurant.”

Ashley nodded.

She didn’t know what to say, so she simply bowed her head and played with her cell phone.

After a while, Jacob took the initiative to say, “There have been a lot of lessons recently?”

“Yes.”

Ashley said, “The class schedule from Monday to Friday is full.”

“Pay attention to your health.”

“Oh.”

After a while, Jacob asked slowly, “Are you still going to find that male seductress?”

“…”

Ashley didn’t know how to answer, “Why are you asking?”

Jacob smiled, “Casual chat.”

Ashley was silent and continued to play with her mobile phone.

Jacob, “The person you mentioned is from your school?”

Ashley said honestly, “No.”

“Who else can you know?”

“…”

Ashley was a little afraid of showing flaws, locked her phone, stumbled, and made up a lie, ” I met him outside the school.”

Jacob, “Cool.”

Ashley breathed a sigh of relief and looked out of the window.

Jacob asked again, “How did you meet?”

“…”

‘Where on earth did he have so many questions?’

Ashley braved her head and said properly, “I met him when I was out.”

Jacob, “Where did you meet?”

“Maybe,” Ashley hesitated, “at the bar, the bar near my school.”

Jacob looked ahead and thought that the last time when he met her, she was outside a KTV.

He slowly released a bait, “Really? You said you met him at KTV last time when you were drunk.”

“…”

Ashley was stunned.

‘Did she really say anything?’

Ashley was too frightened to speak.

She didn’t dare to look at him, licked her lips, and changed her words, “Oh, you are right. I remember wrong.”

There was silence for several seconds.

Then Jacob burst out laughing.

Ashley immediately looked at him, feeling guilty, “What’s the matter?”

Jacob was still smiling, with a shallow breath.

His mood seemed to be extremely good, “Nothing.”

“…”

“I suddenly feel that,” Jacob reluctantly reined in his smile and whispered, “Mike is quite smart.”

“…”