A Graduation Gift

Cassandra felt a dull pain stabbing at her back and waist. Sighing out loud, she could feel tight knots in her muscles. It was indeed not an easy job to manage a business.

"Cassandra?"

A familiar voice called out to her. She looked up and met a man's concerned gaze. He seemed very familiar, and it took Cassandra a moment to recognize him.

"Oh, Uncle… Uncle Jasper!"

She hesitated on using the honorific, unsure of how to address him. Calling him 'Uncle-In-Law' did not seem very appropriate as she hadn't married into Rufus's family yet. At the same time, 'Brother' would sound too intimate, and so she settled for 'Uncle'... The only problem was that Jasper looked too young to be addressed as such.

Sure enough, he gave her an awkward look upon her greeting. He signed inwardly, 'Am I that old?'

At this moment, a man in a suit strode to his direction and bowed before him respectfully.

"President Li, we didn't expect that you would be coming today. Is there anything I could do for you?"

Cassandra peeked at the name tag on his chest. It bore the title "Supervisor".

But her thoughts were elsewhere instantly. 'What? President Li?' Cassandra tried to hide her surprise upon hearing the man call Jasper 'President'.

"I have checked the reports. Good work,"

Jasper said to him, with calm and formal air. It was as if a different person was standing in front of her. She failed to find any trace of the laughter and playfulness he had on the night of New Year's Eve.

The man visibly brightened at the president's acknowledgement.

Then, Jasper turned to Cassandra and asked her softly, "Are you here to shop for anything?"

His voice pulled Cassandra from her thoughts and back to reality. "Oh, I'm here to pick up some supplies," she managed to reply.

Jasper waved a hand at the supervisor, and in an instant he was at his side, wearing a big smile.

"Give Miss Qin the cost price of all the products. Charge the remaining balance cost to my account,"

he instructed. The supervisor nodded repeatedly.

"Well, thank you so much for your help, President Li," Cassandra uttered with gratitude, stunned by his generosity.

Not once had it crossed Cassandra's mind that Jasper would be the president of this huge mall.

business which had engaged in industries of all aspects. If that was the case…she turned to Jasper with

she addressed him as 'Uncle' earlier, as if she was related to him. Somehow, she felt awkward when she thought about how it might have seemed to others.

him as 'President Li, ' this time, even as she stumbled over her words. Jasper felt even more uncomfortable at the

In reality, Cassandra already had a clear picture in her head of what she wanted, but she

were offered to her at an unbelievably low price. She silently thanked him for his graciousness. Now, she could get the things she needed without

bounced on her feet and wore a

decided to buy some chicken to stew with tea. It would be good to celebrate this day with Rufus.They could have tea together

Her calls were also unanswered. She felt his absence put a damper on her

was very unusual. There had never been a time before when Rufus didn't call or send her a message if he couldn't come

he would come to visit on the evening of Lantern Festival. What

had cooked in a pot to keep it warm. Then, she slumped back on the couch and waited. The sound of the clock seemed very loud in the

dreams, she was enveloped in the warmth of Rufus's

largest concert hall in G City, Amanda's performance was had paused into

room as the choir sang on the stage. They had an almost ethereal sound as

to his side, Horace said, "We must sponsor Miss Ke's next concert. It would be a good step to enhance our cultural influence and visibility. It would be good to show our involvement in

was evidently satisfied with his idea, and sank back

this concert at all. However, Horace asked his driver to wait for him right outside the office building and insisted on him coming

had received an invitation to this concert, but going was the last thing on his mind.

sent him two tickets for her previous show through her assistant, but he gave them to Victor and

she played— mesmerized, and in absolute adoration. It was all too familiar, as he too, had once been one

time. He could still remember how distraught he was when she broke up with him at her father's request. All at once, his world turned gloomy, as if she took all the light with her. It took

knowledge brought him no feelings at all. It was as if his past self was a stranger. He had no desire to be involved with her in any way, and he

drunk and in tears. A pang of

through his musings as he replied

for the scenic spot, and they have

hint of a smile was pulling on Horace's face as

call with the investor, he had been digging for any information he could find about

would be the perfect match for Rufus— young, beautiful, talented, and from a good

remained silent and unresponsive about this.

had promised Cassandra that he would go to the Garden Villa to have dinner with her on this holiday. He glanced at his watch for the hundredth time that evening. Given the time, it would be close to

be anxious, waiting for him; and of all things, he had even left his phone at his office, so he had no way of reaching her.

seat, trying to find a more comfortable position as his

interlude finished, Amanda emerged in a golden dress. There was a beat of silence as the crowd held their breath at the sight of her. Everyone's eyes were fixed on her as she crossed the stage and sat down on the chair, her

breath and started playing, her fingers leaping on the keys. The music echoed through the halls, playing