Our Love Story: Hard to Guard Against the Sudden Love Strike

Chapter 647 - 618: Pleased to Meet You

Recognizing those two people as his grandchildren whom he hadn’t seen in thirty years, the old man covered his face and cried silently, while the old woman rushed over, clinging to her grandson’s sleeve, wanting to say something but too overwhelmed to utter a word.The two elderly folks were completely enamored with their grandson, having already forgotten about their daughter who was returning home for the first time in over thirty years.

A hint of loneliness flashed in Melinda Linton’s eyes as she stood inside the door, not knowing what to do.

Sienna Thornton quietly walked in and took her hand: "Let’s go sit inside."

Henry Linton and his wife also came in, and Henry patted Melinda’s shoulder: "Come, big sister, come in and have some hot tea. Lunch is ready and it’s all your favorites."

Upon hearing this, Melinda smiled through her tears: "After all these years, you still remember what your big sister likes to eat?"

Henry recited like a treasure trove: "Big sister, you like fried tofu, blanched cabbage, blanched mushrooms, and blanched corn! Little brother remembers them all! When I was in prison, I wondered if I would ever have the chance to have a meal with you in my lifetime..."

His voice became increasingly choked, and in the end, he covered his face and burst into tears.

"Big sister, I really didn’t rape that girl back then! I was wronged! Big sister, you must believe me!" The man, who looked even older than Melinda, cried like a child who had done something wrong.

Not just Melinda, even Sienna was in tears.

In her understanding, this uncle was an honest and kind person. Melinda had always told her that her brother had a good temperament, never scolding or hitting anyone, two years younger than her, always helping her with chores since childhood.

But such an honest person had spent more than twenty years in prison due to a wrongful conviction, wasting the most precious years of his life.

Thoughts surged in Sienna’s mind as she helped Melinda to sit on the sofa.

The uncle busied himself making tea and offering them candies, while the aunt was busy in the kitchen.

Before long, Quentin Thorne also came in, with a somber face, deep in thought.

Melinda’s brother shuddered upon seeing him, his head lowered, hands trembling, unable even to speak properly.

Sienna speculated that he must have suffered abuse while in prison, leading him to have instinctive fear responses toward potentially threatening people.

A pitiful man.

Sienna sat beside Quentin, whispering a few words into his ear, prompting him to put away his stern expression and become amiable as usual.

Melinda’s brother cautiously glanced at him and, seeing him smile, gradually eased his tension.

The three sat in the living room, drinking tea and eating preserved fruit. The old folks were outside the door, pouring their hearts out to their grandson.

The door was open. Occasionally, Sienna turned to look back and found both cousins showing uniform impatience, seemingly compelled to stand there and listen to the elderly’s sobbing.

She whispered to Quentin, "How did you find them?"

"After their mother remarried in the city, her personal information entered the database due to marriage registration, making it easy to find them."

Sienna nodded.

Melinda initially lost her chance to have her personal information recorded because she married into a poor and remote village; otherwise, Quentin would not have struggled to find her. If Melinda had followed her sisters-in-law to the city back then, Quentin would likely have found her quickly.

But what would it have been like after finding her? Would fate have altered? Sienna couldn’t know nor guess.

Melinda and her brother engaged in casual chat while Sienna and Quentin exchanged occasional words, spending most of the time silently listening to Melinda and her brother conversing.

After a while, Melinda’s sister-in-law set the table and, with a flushed face, called out, "Everyone, come in for lunch!"

The old couple hurriedly took their grandsons by the hand and headed straight for the dining room, not even glancing at their daughter and her family as they passed the living room.

Sienna frowned slightly, exchanging a glance with Quentin, who also wore a cold and stern expression.

"Annie, Quentin, let’s go have lunch," Melinda smiled and beckoned, pulling her brother’s hand, "Hurry and bring your brother-in-law along."

Henry lowered his head, cautiously approached Quentin, and in a soft voice said, "Brother-in-law, let’s go eat."

Quentin, who had been stern, suddenly smiled again, patting his back: "You used to love trailing behind your sister and me, didn’t you? Now, why do you look like you’ve seen a ghost seeing me?"

Those words made the previously terrified and tense man break into a smile.

On the round marble table, indeed there were several dishes that Melinda usually favored. Sienna knew then that the sibling bond between Melinda and Henry was genuine.

The hotpot bubbled with warm steam and fragrant bone broth. As the male host, Henry enthusiastically opened a bottle of red wine, pouring half a glass first for Quentin, politely asking, "Brother-in-law, you’re not driving today, right?"

Quentin smiled, "Annie drives, just don’t pour her any wine."

Henry switched to orange juice, pouring it into Sienna’s goblet: "Here, let your uncle pour some juice for you. No wine, let’s have more juice instead."

Sienna glanced at the "juice" filled with coloring and flavoring, smiled, and said, "Thanks, uncle."

Henry then poured red wine for his parents and wife, but had no intention of pouring any for his two nephews.

Seeing this, the old lady quickly picked up the orange juice to fill her grandsons’ glasses.

Sienna could tell Henry was reluctant to associate with his two nephews, likely resentful of their indifference toward their hometown for thirty years.

Intending to get closer to her cousins, Sienna proactively picked up her juice, stood up, and toasted, "Nice to meet you both, I toast to my cousins first."

One of the previously indifferent cousins was now seemingly flattered, even got up to return the gesture with Sienna.

Perhaps this toast breached the barrier of unfamiliarity; he surprisingly smiled and said, "Director-General Thorne! I know you!"

Sienna raised her eyebrows, feigning ignorance.

"I also graduated from Z City No. 1 High School and, like you, from the Braden University Law School." His intention to establish a connection was evident.

Sienna followed his lead, respectfully saying, "So my cousin is also my senior, nice to meet you."

Quentin drank red wine in silence, his lips curling into a sarcastic smile.

The meal was mostly filled with Sienna’s voice chatting with others.

The other said, "Three years ago, when you first succeeded in the negotiations in Valois, articles about your inspiring journey spread widely in the Z City and Braden University’s groups; I never thought you would be my cousin!"

Sienna humbly replied, "It was all just good luck."

"With your practice area, you must earn well as a consultant in a corporation, why not join a law firm, why go through all the trouble becoming a civil servant? I hear the salary is very low."