"Ace Moran!" exclaimed Joanna in surprise.
When Joanna saw the tall figure standing behind her Professor and Jane, she was so shocked that her eyes almost fell out.
Ace Moran was a businessman through and through. What did he have to talk about with her Professor, a famous scholar?
Was he also here for Jane?
"Big Sis Joanna, you're here!" Jane missed you so much!"
Jane, who was wearing a yellow skirt and had her hair tied into twin braids, fluttered like a butterfly to Joanna's side. She smiled sweetly at Joanna, her face as smooth and as fair as ceramic.
"I missed you too, Jane. It's only been a few days but you've grown even prettier. Let me kiss you!"
Joanna held Jane's face in her hands and gave her a few big kisses.
This warm sight pleased Anthony and his wife greatly.
"They get along so well. Makes me wonder if they were actually sisters in their past lives…"
Sophia said with a smile.
Anthony explained to Ace, "Sophia and I don't have children of our own. Before this, we treated Joanna as our daughter, and we later adopted Jane. They haven't known each other for long, but they're really close. They're like real sisters!"
Ace gave Joanna a glance and, as usual, said without any expression, "Sisters? The age gap is too big."
Joanna: "…"
Her fists hardened. She wanted to hit him!
Was this guy implying that she was old?
But he himself was a few years older than her. If she's old, then he's old too!
Joanna was about to get back at him when Jane said sweetly. "Uncle Ace, this is the Big Sis Joanna that I told you about. Isn't
she beautiful?"
Ace's face was cold. He did not respond, obviously very unhappy.
Anthony quickly said, "No, no, you can't call him uncle if you call Joanna big sis. Jane, you must remember, if you call Joanna big sis, you should call Ace big bro…"
"Why?"
"Because Big Sis Joanna and Uncle Ace used to be…"
Professor Wood was a little embarrassed. He did not know how to explain to Jane that Ace and Joanna used to be husband and wife.
Sophia chimed in. "The two of them used to be like mommy and daddy, so they should be in the same generation. Do you understand?"
Jane blinked. She looked at Joanna, then at Ace, and then said with a confused expression, "But Big Sis Joanna looks so much kinder than Uncle Ace. Uncle Ace looks really scary… Jane has never seen a big brother this scary!"
"Pfft hahahaha!"
Jane's words made Joanna burst out with laughter.
"You hear that, Ace Moran? Kids don't lie. She's saying that you look old. You'll be thirty soon. It's about time you start doing. some skin care. You're almost in Professor's age group now. Aren't you worried?"
Ace looked at the laughing Joanna like he was looking at an idiot, and then said to Anthony, " let's talk in the study."
Anthony nodded, his expression serious. "Okay, come with me."
When the two went into the study, Joanna was still laughing.
When she finally managed to stop laughing, she finally realized that something was wrong.
What did Ace have to talk about with her Professor ?
"Sophia, do you know why Ace Moran came to see Professor?"
Sophia shook her head. "I don't know these things. Ask Anthony yourself after this."
Joanna played with Jane for a while before she sneaked over to the study to try listening to what they were discussing.
Just as she was putting her ear to the door, it opened.
She instantly lost her balance and fell into a man's arms.
Ace's chest was really broad. Lying in it felt super safe.
"Don't you know that it's bad manners to eavesdrop?"
Ace asked coldly as his eyes lowered onto the woman who was lying in arms without moving.
Joanna awkwardly stood back up and said, "Yes, it's bad manners to eavesdrop, so I'm not gonna eavesdrop, I'm just gonna sit in and listen. Can I?"
Ace continued to look at Joanna like he was looking at an idiot. "What do you think?"
Joanna glared at him and said. "I wasn't asking you. I was asking Professor!"
"Professor, can I come in and listen to what you're discussing?"
She was like a daughter trying to charm her father.
Her Professor had always been fond of her. Surely he would agree, right?
Her Professor , however, did not go along with Joanna's wish this time. Instead, he said, "This is a secret between us two, so it's not that convenient. But we've finished talking now. I'm going to go cook something delicious for you. Why don't you two take Jane out for a walk?"
"Huh? But…"
Joanna was about to say that its "not that convenient".
But Ace was faster than her. He said expressionlessly, "I heard that there's a famous place called the Sophora Road in BC University. I don't mind going out for a walk."
"That's right. The Sophora Road is a famous landmark of BC University. The sophora flowers happen to be blossoming now too. When the wind blows, the white petals fall like snow. I remember there's a legend about the Sophora Road…"
Professor Wood looked at Ace, then at Joanna. "It's said that when a man and a woman walk along the Sophora Road holding hands, they'll grow old together. Sophia and I, as well as many of the lecturers living in the specialist residential area, are loving couples. Maybe it's because we walked along the Sophora Road every day."
Joanna said, "Wow, that's amazing. But that means you have to be careful who you walk down that road with. What if you have to grow old with a man you hate? That would be terrible…"
"How scary. I think I'll take Jane out to play!"
She deliberately glared at Ace with a disgusted face on the way out.
Ace: "…"
He pursed his thin lips, his eyes murderous!
That woman was clearly insinuating something about him just now. How dare she?
Professor could not help but laugh. He told Ace, "See? I told you. Joanna is a mischievous girl. All those years she was married to you, she had been suppressing her own nature a little…"
Ace kept quiet.
He thought "a little" was an understatement. She had become a completely different person after the divorce!
So much so that he sometimes wondered if she had multiple personality disorder.
"Jane, let's go out to play!"
The two girls went out happily like sisters.
BC University was still the same as Joanna remembered it. It was both artistic and scholarly.
When Joanna was studying here, she was a legend due to her outstanding appearance and genius–like learning ability.
But to everyone's surprise, the legendary figure chose to marry into a rich family when she was shining the brightest. And thus. a rising star in the physics world fell. It was such a pity…
The sophora petals fell on Joanna's face and hair. It was beautiful and romantic.
Joanna grabbed one and lowered her head to smell it as sunlight caressed her fair porcelain face. She looked so beautiful, like there was a filter on her.
She looked like the lead actress in a Korean drama. With a sweet smile on her face, she gently blew petal away.
"It's snowing! It's snowing!"
Jane danced and spun with her arms spread wide amidst the falling flower petals. She caught sight of Ace walking towards them.
"Uncle Ace, Uncle Ace! Over here! Let's play together!"
Jane dashed over to Ace, took the man's hand and pulled him towards Joanna.
"Why are you following us?"
Joanna suddenly felt a bit embarrassed.
Had he been quietly walking behind them the whole time?
Then he would have seen her acting like a Korean drama's lead actress just now. How embarrassing!
Ace's handsome face was emotionless. He coldly said, "Does this road belong to you? Why can't I come here?"
Ace's words rendered Joanna speechless.
This guy was so annoying!
Joanna crossed her arms and raised her chin somewhat proudly. "Actually, this road… was made for me!"
"?"
Ace's eyes were full of doubt.
"Don't believe me?"
Joanna casually grabbed a passing student and asked, "Hi! Do you know the history behind the Sophora Road?"
"Of course I do!"
That student was very enthusiastic and started to talk endlessly.
"Years ago, this road…"