Chapter 193: Chapter 193: “Hardship Fee.

Mrs. Morgan’s class reunion was held at Angler’s Mountain Lodge in the suburbs, a rural-style resort.

You could fish, cook your own meals, and enjoy the lovely environment. There was a small park on the mountaintop, perfect for a leisurely hike.

These were all activities that the middle-aged and elderly tended to enjoy.

Jessie Sterling arrived at Angler’s Mountain Lodge just before Mrs. Morgan, who showed up a few minutes later.

“Jessie,” Mrs. Morgan said as soon as she saw her. “I had to take care of something at the tax bureau before coming over, so I’m a little late. Have you been waiting long?”

Jessie Sterling shook her head. “Not at all, I just got here myself!”

“Oh, goodness, you brought back far too much last time! You silly girl, when you go on a trip, you should just enjoy yourself. Why buy so many things for me?” Though her words were a gentle scolding, her expression was one of pure delight.

’How could she not love them?’

The gifts Jessie Sterling gave her weren’t health supplements for the elderly, but clothes, handbags, and perfume. What woman doesn’t love beautiful things? Even after a certain age, one still has an eye for beauty.

In fact, Mrs. Morgan was wearing a peacock-green long dress that Jessie had brought back for her from abroad.

The hem was adorned with colorful gems. The style was simple, but the tailoring was exquisite. It looked understated yet elegant and opulent—a perfect fit for a woman of Mrs. Morgan’s stature.

“I love the dress you chose and the perfume you picked,” Mrs. Morgan added, smiling as she whispered in Jessie’s ear.

Using a gift and wearing it for the giver to see is the best way to show appreciation.

Jessie could sense her mother-in-law’s delight. When the recipient approves of your aesthetic, it’s a happy moment for the gift-giver as well.

“That’s wonderful!” Jessie said with a grin. “I can’t guarantee I’m skilled at much else, but both Lynn and Victor have said I’m an amazing shopper!”

’Of course, my reputation as a human money shredder is absolutely well-deserved, no exaggeration whatsoever!’

Mrs. Morgan couldn’t help but laugh. ’I always wanted a daughter, but I ended up with only one son. A son is fine too, I thought. But who would have known Victor would have such a quiet temperament? Even as a child, he showed a level of calm and self-control far beyond his peers.’

’Getting a child like that to be clingy or dote on you was practically impossible.’

’It wasn’t that their mother-son relationship was bad or not close, but his formal and self-possessed nature made me a little envious of mothers whose daughters would cling to their arms and act affectionately.’

’But things were different now.’ Mrs. Morgan thought with a touch of smugness as they walked. ’It doesn’t matter if my son is a bit of an old stick-in-the-mud. I can just treat my daughter-in-law like my own daughter, right? And such a beautiful, charming one at that! A daughter who insists on buying me lovely things whenever she sees them. Isn’t that so much better than a son?’

“I’ll give you a big red envelope later!” Mrs. Morgan said.

Jessie Sterling said, “Hmm?”

’Why the sudden talk of a red envelope?’

“For all your hard work. Going to all those fashion shows must be exhausting.”

Jessie Sterling was speechless. “…”

’Is that a valid reason?’

But when an elder offers a red envelope, you don’t refuse. After a moment of surprise, Jessie joyfully accepted.

Seeing this, Mrs. Morgan felt even more satisfied.

’Now *that’s* a proper daughter-in-law for the Morgan family! Not shy or hesitant at all, just graciously accepting my affection.’

“By the way, Mom, who are the most important people I should be meeting today?” Jessie asked.

’I should at least be mentally prepared.’

Mrs. Morgan replied, “We’re just here to casually meet a few people and have a meal. You don’t need to go out of your way to talk to anyone. I’ll handle everything.”

In truth, Mrs. Morgan didn’t need to bring Jessie out to dinner today to resolve the issue.

Her real purpose in bringing Jessie was to help her meet more people in Aethelburg. That way, if she ran into trouble in the future, she could call on them for help, even if Mrs. Morgan wasn’t around. The second reason was simply that Mrs. Morgan thought the clear-broth fish at the lodge was delicious.

The fish at Angler’s Mountain Lodge weren’t like the ones raised in fishponds elsewhere.

The resort was located on a mountain, and the entire mountain was part of the Angler’s Mountain Lodge property. Several streams flowed from the summit to the base, and you could pick any spot along them to fish.

The owner even stocked the streams with new fry every year.

It took Jessie two seconds to understand her mother-in-law’s meaning, and her eyes crinkled into a smile.

Mrs. Morgan and her university classmates gathered like this once or twice a year. Those who were closer privately probably got together even more often.

So when they met, everyone was already familiar with one another, just like regular friends. There was none of the awkwardness or nostalgic sighs you might expect from a ten-year reunion.

When Mrs. Morgan appeared before her old classmates with Jessie in tow, a number of them naturally came over to inquire.

Mrs. Morgan held Jessie’s hand. “This is the Jessie I told you all about. She’s my own dear daughter now, hahaha.”

After that introduction, everyone understood perfectly.

Mrs. Morgan continued, “Jessie used to be in Southaven, but now she’s here in Aethelburg. She’s still quite young, but she’s managing her own company. I thought I’d bring her along to meet all of you. If she ever needs a helping hand in the future, you all better not pretend you don’t know my girl.”

“Hahaha, Morgan, you’re making us sound like strangers!”

“Exactly! Her name’s Jessie, right? What kind of company do you manage? The government just issued a new directive to promote industrial development, and it comes with some favorable policies.”

Jessie answered politely, “Apex Films. It’s an entertainment company.”

Few people hadn’t heard of the long-standing film and entertainment company.

So, when Jessie said this, nearly everyone present was taken aback.

“Oh my, I heard Apex got a new owner this year. So it was you, Jessie!”

“Haven’t you at Apex been going up against Thorne Pictures recently? It’s been all over the internet. That Ronan Yates is really going too far. Him and his son-in-law, what’s-his-name… Leo Goodman. Neither of them are good people.”

“What’s going on? I’ve been traveling for work, so I’m out of the loop. What has that scoundrel Ronan Yates done now?”

Jessie knew who Ronan Yates was—he was Leo Goodman’s father-in-law and his biggest backer.

She just hadn’t realized he was so well-known.

Seeing the turn in conversation, Mrs. Morgan leaned over and explained to Jessie, “Ronan Yates is actually an alumnus of our university, but we don’t exactly travel in the same circles. He was admitted under the old ’Worker-Peasant-Soldier’ program, so he’s a few years ahead of our class. We’ve seen him at alumni events before.”

“He has two daughters. One settled abroad, and the other is married to that man you’re currently up against, Leo Goodman.”

Jessie nodded. She was only just realizing what a small circle it was; everyone seemed to know each other. It was a strange thought.

“I heard from one of the young women at my bureau a while back that she saw his second daughter, and the poor woman was a complete wreck.”

The people nearby had already launched into a discussion about Ronan Yates, and Jessie couldn’t help but prick up her ears.

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