No matter how cultivated and patient he was, he was still a young man in his twenties, just graduated from college, full of youthful vigor. With Grace Carter being so cold, he couldn’t keep trying to warm up to someone who was giving him the cold shoulder.

“Xiaoying, go see Kevin Bolton off! Hurry!” Paul Carter said in a deep voice.

Grace Carter let out a long breath. She couldn’t go against her father’s wishes too much, so she went to see Kevin Bolton out the door. However, the farewell was rather dull—Grace Carter walked in front, Kevin Bolton followed closely behind, and from Grace Carter’s building to the entrance of the residential area, not a word was spoken along the way.

Grace Carter stopped at the entrance of the residential area, saying nothing, clearly meaning that Kevin Bolton could leave now.

At that moment, Brian Perry and his mother approached from the opposite direction.

Brian Perry had dinner with his mother, then went out for a walk together, circling the street and returning, just in time to run into Grace Carter and Kevin Bolton.

Brian Perry glanced at Kevin Bolton, his expression calm, at least not showing the slightest change of emotion on his face. But it was precisely this calmness that, in Grace Carter’s eyes, made her heart ache for no reason.

“Aunt Meng! Brian Perry, you two went out for a walk?” Grace Carter forced a smile and greeted Evan Morris.

Evan Morris smiled and took Grace Carter’s hand, saying, “Yes, Xiaoying, the two of us came out for a stroll—are you seeing a friend off?”

Before Grace Carter could say anything, Kevin Bolton had already smiled politely at Evan Morris and took the initiative to extend his hand to Brian Perry, “Kevin Bolton, Grace Carter’s college classmate. Nice to meet you.”

Brian Perry smiled calmly and shook hands with Kevin Bolton, “Nice to meet you.”

Chapter 007: High Gates of the Capital

Kevin Bolton was a proud young man, and he seemed to have some reason to be proud. He came from an official family, but was by no means a spoiled rich kid.

Although he was very modest in front of the Carter family, that didn’t mean he would be equally modest in front of others.

Judging by the clothes and appearance of Brian Perry and his mother, he immediately concluded they were just ordinary workers, and that string of arrogance in his heart unconsciously tightened.

So, he only shook hands with Brian Perry briefly, then immediately withdrew his hand, turned back to smile gracefully at Grace Carter, waved, and a black Santana parked across the street drove over.

“Xiaoying, I’m heading back. See you tomorrow!”

Kevin Bolton stylishly opened the car door and got in. The Santana sputtered twice and drove away.

After Kevin Bolton left, Grace Carter stood there awkwardly. Although she didn’t like Kevin Bolton in her heart, in this situation, anyone could see that Kevin Bolton was her suitor, maybe even her boyfriend. And in the eyes of the world, Kevin Bolton was more suitable for her than Brian Perry.

Evan Morris sighed softly and took the initiative to enter the compound.

Grace Carter slowly walked over to Brian Perry and said softly, “Brian Perry, can I talk to you?”

Brian Perry’s mouth twitched, and he nodded silently.

The two of them walked out of the compound side by side, heading south along the road, their shadows stretching long and short under the dim streetlights.

……

……

In the end, Grace Carter still didn’t have the courage to break the last layer of the window paper. The two of them walked in silence for a while, then returned the way they came, each going home without another word.

As far as Brian Perry was concerned, before the turning point of fate arrived, everything was illusory.

In fact, even if he took the initiative to clarify his relationship with Grace Carter, what difference would it make? Given his current situation, the Carter family would never accept him, and it would only make Grace Carter suffer even more, caught in the middle.

The next morning, Brian Perry boarded the train back to the capital.

The train sped along the tracks like the wind, and Brian Perry’s worries and thoughts drifted away with the train’s rush.

This time, he entered the capital with a do-or-die determination. If he couldn’t find his family and change his fate, then he would resolutely take his mother far from Xin’an City, to a quiet, unfamiliar small town to spend the rest of their lives in peace.

Ten hours later, the train slowly pulled into the capital’s train station.

Amid the crowded flow of people, Brian Perry walked toward the exit with his backpack. He immediately spotted his college classmate and dorm mate, Matthew King, standing among the greeters, a cigarette dangling from his lips and a lewd grin on his face.

“Hey, buddy, over here!” Matthew King also saw Brian Perry and waved his arm.

Brian Perry walked over with a smile, hugged Matthew King, and then asked urgently, “Matthew King, how did the two things I asked you to do go?”

At these words, Matthew King’s expression immediately became a bit odd and colorful: “I found the eighth issue of ‘Huaxia Spring and Autumn’ from 1990 for you—my dad had a copy in his study; and yes, there really is a beauty in the history department named Samantha Ford, she’s about to start her senior year…”

“Bro, you really have good taste. This Ford beauty is the flower of the history department, but…”

Matthew King lowered his voice, “But this beauty comes from a very high background. Her grandfather lives inside Dahongmen, and he’s a founding father of the country. If you want to chase the precious granddaughter of a founding father, I’m afraid it’s going to be very difficult.”

Brian Perry smiled, “Aren’t your parents high-ranking officials in the central ministries? Help your bro out, I want to meet this Samantha Ford, can you do it?”