Chapter 213: Following Her Like a Dog
The barbecue restaurant was bustling with people.
It was Ronald's first time at this kind of restaurant, and he was unfamiliar with the ordering.
Juniper said,"Ronald, what do you want to eat and add it to the cart by clicking the plus sign."
Ronald glanced at the dishes on his phone and pointed out seriously, "The quality of M9 Wagyu beef doesn't look like this in the pictures, and it can't be this cheap. Is this even edible?"
Juniper laughed as soon as she heard this.
Seeing her trying to hold back her laughter, Ronald was slightly taken aback and explained, "I didn't mean it that way. I'm just worried the restaurant might be using low-quality beef. Are you sure you want to eat here? It might upset our stomachs."
Juniper smiled, "I often eat this fake Wagyu, and it doesn't upset my stomach. It's actually quite tasty."
Ronald added,"If you think it's good, I'll probably like it too. I used to not like trying new things. If I found a restaurant with good quality, I'd stick to it. But if you like trying new things, I can join you."
"Ronald, you don't have to change your habits to accommodate me. We're different."
Ronald looked at her, his voice slightly anxious."I can try. What if I end up liking what you like?"
Juniper paused for a few seconds and then subtly changed the topic. "Then you can try the barbecue here later."
The charcoal fire was brought to the table.
Ronald took off his suit jacket, rolled up his shirt sleeves, and started grilling the meat for Juniper.
But it was his first time doing this, so he seemed clumsy.
Juniper didn't laugh at him. She just took the tongs from his hand and joked, "Let me do it. If you grill, who knows when we'll get to eat."
Ronald had no choice but to give up.
He watched Juniper's skillful movements and felt a bit embarrassed. "It's all because I lack experience. This should be something a man does."
Juniper didn't think much of it and used the tongs to give him a piece of cooked meat. "Go ahead and eat."
Ronald was about to eat the piece of grilled meat directly.
Juniper reminded him, "You can dip it in some sauce. It tastes bland if you eat it plain."
Ronald did as she suggested and dipped it in some sauce.
"How does it taste?"Juniper asked.
Ronald's brow furrowed slightly, and he said, "It's pretty good."
In truth, it was too salty for him. Accustomed to milder flavors, he had never experienced anything quite this intense before.
Juniper didn't expose him, just simply said, "It's hard to change tastes, just like it's hard to change the people you like."
"Quinn…"Ronald wanted to say something.
But Juniper interrupted him, "Ronald, you'll definitely find someone who shares your tastes in the future."
It was clear that she wasn't that person.
Ronald's expression turned serious.
He said,"This is a small matter. I like French cuisine, but that doesn't mean I can't eat Mexican food. Quinn, I hope you can give me some time, or rather, I hope you're willing to let me get to know you."
Juniper replied earnestly, "I loved someone for seven years, pouring all my emotions and affection into him. Ronald, when my heart remains uncertain, accepting you now would be cruel."
"What if I say I don't mind? I can wait until you figure things out."Ronald said.
"What if I never figure it out in this lifetime?"Juniper replied.
Ronald was stunned.
They were silent for several seconds before he asked, "What's so special about Magnus that you'd remember him forever?"
Juniper answered,"I'm just not confident in myself. I'm not sure if I can truly forget him. Until then, I won't consider a new relationship. Ronald, I can't do that to you."
"Quinn, I'm willing to wait. I can wait until you forget Magnus…"
"I don't want to." She paused and then deliberately continued, "I mean, I don't want to forget Magnus."
Ronald stood there, forcing a helpless smile. "Quinn, are you really going to reject me so decisively? you said there was no way you and Magnus could be together."
"Ronald, do you know that feelings can be exclusive?"Juniper continued,"Even though we've been separated for so many years, I still can't start a new relationship. Either I owe Magnus from a past life, or there's something wrong with me. So, I don't want to drag anyone else down."
After Juniper finished speaking, Ronald fell silent.
He suddenly laughed, "I haven't even competed with Magnus directly, yet I've already lost. I didn't lose to Magnus,I lost to you. Quinn, you won't give me any chance, not even to consider me temporarily."
"Sorry."Juniper said.Ronald was ultimately unwilling to give up, "Is it that I'm too inadequate to catch your eye, or is Magnus too good that you can't forget him? Quinn, I want to know the truth."
"Neither."Ronald pressed on, "Then what is it?"
Juniper smiled faintly and said calmly, "Because I love him, I can't love anyone else. Loving Magnus has become my instinct. It is like a disease, a terminal illness that no one can cure, and I don't want to be saved by anyone else."
Ronald was moved, a hint of pain flashing in his eyes. "Then why did you leave him? Did he drive you away?"
Juniper lowered her face and gently shook her head. "There's a blood feud between us. I might not be able to stop loving him, but I won't take another step towards him."
"Quinn, you will be exhausting."Ronald was painful.
What else could she do?
Fate had driven her to this juncture, leaving her with no option but to persevere.
Juniper's eyes reddened from the smoke of the charcoal fire.
She blinked hard and continued grilling. "Hurry up. It's already past seven. If we don't hurry, we'll miss the concert."
Ronald wanted to say something, he opened his mouth but didn't know what to say.
The only thing he could do now was to accompany her through this.
After finishing the barbecue, Ronald felt a bit thirsty.
Juniper went to the supermarket to buy water with him.
Juniper and Ronald seemed like an ordinary couple, picking out drinks from the shelves and then heading to the checkout.
From the shelves, a tall figure took the bottle of water Juniper had just touched and followed them to the checkout.
Magnus followed Juniper from a distance, through the crowd.
He wondered how far Juniper and Ronald had taken things, but grocery shopping together suggested they were quite close.
To Magnus, shopping at a supermarket was an intimate activity.
After breaking up with Juniper, he never went to a supermarket again. He had Paul handle all the household supplies.
He had intended to go to Aria for MECT treatment, but when he was actually lying in the hospital bed, he fled.
He was still unwilling to give up and wanted to come to Southern City to see how far Juniper and Ronald had progressed, and if Ronald loved her more than he did.
He feared Ronald might be like Michael, only interested in Juniper for her looks.
Juniper was beautiful, universally acknowledged as beautiful by men.
It wasn't surprising that Michael had liked her back then.
Magnus had always known that Michael was interested in Juniper, but he never saw it as a threat because he was certain of how much he loved Juniper.
His gaze always followed Juniper.
Perhaps the emotional connection between them was so deep that they had a psychic link. After following for a while, Juniper kept looking back.
But each time, Magnus managed to avoid her gaze.
Today, his outfit was a completely different style from usual.
He had never dressed like this in front of Juniper. With a baseball cap and a mask, even if he didn't hide, Juniper might not recognize him.
As they approached the car, Ronald noticed her looking back frequently. "Quinn, what are you looking at?"
"Ronald, do you feel like someone has been following us?"Juniper asked.
Ronald didn't sense anything. "No, maybe you haven't been out in a while and are feeling a bit anxious around crowds?"
Juniper also thought she might be paranoid. "Maybe, I might just be sensitive."
"Get in the car, it's getting late."
A black Bentley merged into traffic, heading toward the theater.
Two cars behind, a black Volkswagen tailed it closely. It was the car Magnus had rented after arriving in Southern City.
She opened the window and glanced in the rearview mirror. The cars following them were a small Mercedes, a Santana, and further back, was a black Volkswagen.
The cheapest car in Magnus's garage was worth over a million dollars.
What was she thinking? Why did she think Magnus was following her. Ronald asked, "Do you still feel like someone is following us?"
Juniper nodded. "Yes, but it seems unlikely."
Magnus had always been true to his word. If he says he's letting go, he wouldn't get involved with her again.
Moreover, the cars behind them didn't match Magnus's status at all.
It couldn't be him.
Until they reached the theater entrance, she walked ahead and looked up, seeing a black reflection in the glass door.
Juniper found it somewhat familiar and paused.
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