Chapter 194
Daphne knew what he was going to say, so she quickly beat him to it. "Don't you think it's a little..."
Aidan retorted in a deep and cold voice, "A little what? Forget it. You should attend the dinner event
tomorrow."
"Oh, no. That won't do! It's a deal!"
Aidan put away his phone and threw it to Jonathan, ordering, "Schedule for someone else to attend the
dinner party."
"Sure."
After a pause, Aidan asked again, "Do I have any plans for tomorrow night?"
"There was..." Jonathan immediately changed his tune. "But there's none now."
Aidan hummed and continued walking.
In the car, Jonathan asked him again, "President Pearson, I have one more thing to tell you."
"What?"
"Miss Mckinney is quite close to a foreigner named Daniel recently."
"Leanna's neighbor?" inquired Aidan.
Jonathan nodded. "Yes."
"Have you done a background check on him?"
"He is of Chiojan and Warkin descent, is an orphan, and works as a cellist. He is quite reputable
internationally, and he was on a national tour a few months ago. Highside was his last stop."
"How did he and Georgina know each other?" inquired Aidan.
"On Miss Crossley's birthday party last week, he was invited to perform," Jonathan continued, "After
that, the two met in private several times. It seems like..."
"Okay." Aidan interrupted him, "I don't care about them. Just keep an eye on her so she doesn't look for
Leanna."
"OK."
On Thanksgiving, snow started falling in the morning, causing the temperature to plummet.
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtLeanna and Zoe went out early in the morning to buy barbecue ingredients. As soon as they came
home, they saw Louis waiting for them.
Opening the door, Leanna exclaimed, "Didn't I tell you to come over in the afternoon? Why are you
here so early?"
Louis took the grocery bags that she was carrying and replied, "My lecturer has something up, so our
class got canceled."
Hearing that, Zoe pouted enviously, "How great is that? I wished my boss would give me a day off too."
Leanna smiled and teased, "Aren't you the boss? What are you talking about?"
"You're right. What a pity."
Just as they were talking, their neighbor's door opened.
Daniel was standing on the porch, and after scanning the three of them, his gaze finally settled on
Louis.
"May I know who…" he asked.
"This is my brother," responded Leanna.
Daniel smiled. "I didn't know you had a younger brother."
While saying that, he nodded at Louis as a greeting.
Louis nodded slightly in response.
This time, Daniel asked, "Is it your family gathering today?"
"It's Thanksgiving today, so we invited some friends over for dinner."
Daniel raised his brows as if he didn't understand. "Thanksgiving?"
Zoe briefly explained to him, "It's a traditional festival in Chiojan. We celebrate the harvest and other
blessings of the past year."
Daniel looked like he just discovered something new. "I see. This is actually my first time hearing about
the festival. How embarrassing."
"I thought you knew a lot about Chiojan culture since you could speak fluent Chiojan!" exclaimed Zoe.
"I guess I'm just ignorant."
"If you don't know about Thanksgiving, you must not know what we eat during this festival, right?"
Daniel humbly asked, "What do you eat?"
Zoe answered solemnly, "Canned food."
The answer took Daniel aback, but Leanna could not stifle a laugh.
Daniel coughed in embarrassment, wanting to say something but not sure what to say.
"Elijah will come tonight too. Would you like to join us?" invited Leanna.
"It would be rude for me to refuse since you've invited me. I'll see you tonight."
Leanna nodded with a smile.
After shutting the door, Zoe pouted and questioned, "Nana, why did you invite him?"
Leanna said lately, "He looks quite eager to join."
"Really?"
Louis chimed in, "I felt it too."
Zoe touched her nose and wondered out loud, "Why didn't I feel it?"
"Daniel stays in Highside alone, so he must have been quite lonely. Didn't you say that neighbors
should look after each other? Anyway, since Elijah is coming, it won't be too awkward for him,"
explained Leanna.
"Did I say so?" Zoe muttered in a low voice again, "But I still think he likes to eat canned food alone."
"If you don't want him to come, should I go and tell him..."
"Forget it. Forget it!" Zoe held Leanna and uttered righteously, "Why would you cancel the invitation?
Just let him come."
Leanna smiled and took the groceries from her hands into the kitchen.
Zoe stood on the spot for a few seconds before rushing into the room for a change of clothes.
After a while, she ran out and called out to Louis, "Louis! How do I look?"
Louis, "...Not pretty."
"OK, then I'll change another set."
In the evening, Elijah arrived with a bouquet of flowers.
Hearing the noises outside, Louis looked back and asked Leanna in an almost whisper, "Is he the one
Zoe mentioned about who is trying to pursue you?"
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmLeanna slapped him lightly on the shoulder and washed the vegetables, "Don't talk nonsense. That
isn't true."
"He looks pretty fine to me. Why don't you consider him?"
"Then why do you not consider any of the girls who like you?"
Louis could not argue with his sister anymore, so he silently went to prepare the ingredients.
After a while, Elijah's voice sounded outside the kitchen. "Can I help?"
Leanna turned her head and smiled, rejecting his offer, "No. Just take a seat outside. It's gonna be
ready soon."
Elijah nodded and looked at Louis again. "You must be Louis. It's a pleasure to meet you."
Louis was a little surprised to hear that, so he inquired, "Do you know me?"
Elijah wanted to say that he had seen him and Leanna together in college, but when the words came to
his mouth, he decided against it. "Zoe has mentioned you before."
Louis muttered, "I thought you heard from... someone else."
Leanna coughed and handed him the vegetables in her hand. "Wash these, Louis."
When Elijah saw the situation, he took his leave. "I won't be disturbing you guys. Call me if you need
me."
Leanna smiled and nodded. "Okay."
Not long after Elijah arrived, Daniel came in with a bottle of red wine.
As the sky darkened, the snow outside became heavier.
Their guests were slowly gathering, making the house feel warm and cozy.
This was the first time Leanna hosted such a lively gathering with friends.
Seeing that scene, the corners of her lips curled upward. She could not help but feel delighted.
Just then, Zoe leaned on the door and asked, "Nana, when are we going to start? Daphne hasn't
arrived yet. Should I give her a call?"
"Just give me five more minutes. You can call her."
"OK."
Unexpectedly, as soon as Zoe finished speaking, the doorbell and her phone rang at the same time.
"You take the call. I'll go get the door," said Leanna.