Chapter 74: Blind Date?
The God Jumps Over the Wall is late, but it has arrived!
Cecilia Sterling flipped her camera around, showing her sister the God Jumps Over the Wall their mother had spent two days and two nights stewing.
A beautiful golden color, a rich and thick consistency, and a lavish selection of ingredients. It was a true feast for the senses.
"Oh my god, I want some too!" Lily Sterling drooled with envy. She couldn’t help but recall, "I think the last time I had Mom’s God Jumps Over the Wall was back in elementary school."
Ethan Sterling squeezed into the frame, looking at Lily. "See, Lily? It’s all thanks to Cecilia. Mom wouldn’t make this for me even if I screamed my lungs out."
Cecilia Sterling swatted her brother’s head away. "Go on, get. Mom only has time because she was laid off. Besides, it’s not like you ever go hungry around here."
Cecilia then smiled at her sister. "Ethan’s got the nose of a bloodhound. He usually goes to an internet cafe after school, but today he came home right on time, just as the God Jumps Over the Wall was coming off the heat."
Ethan Sterling snorted smugly. "You didn’t think you could eat this without me, did you?"
Lily Sterling pursed her lips into a smile at his words. Then she picked up a document from beside her and waved it at her sister on the screen. "Sis, this is the contract from Iris Underwood’s company. I found some time over the past few days to read it carefully."
Now that they were on to business, Cecilia Sterling’s expression turned serious. "And? Did you find any problems?"
Lily Sterling shook her head. "It doesn’t look like there are any problems, but I’ve never dealt with a contract before, and I didn’t study law, so I can only understand the gist of it. Ms. Iris Underwood said she’s coming to the set the day after tomorrow. She wants to discuss the details with me and hopes for an answer that same day."
"Doesn’t she manage another actor on your set?" Cecilia Sterling asked.
"Yes, his name is Andrew Sutton. Ms. Iris Underwood said the contract he signed is the same as the one she gave me."
"Have you gotten to know him well? If the contracts are the same, you should ask Andrew Sutton about it first. See if there are any hidden traps or unreasonable clauses."
Lily Sterling shook her head, a troubled look on her face. "Even though I’ve been on set for a few days, we haven’t filmed any scenes together yet. He’s usually very well-protected by his team, so newcomers like us don’t get much of a chance to interact with him."
"Besides, he’s definitely closer to Ms. Iris Underwood, so he might not necessarily help me."
’My sister has a good head on her shoulders about this,’ Cecilia Sterling thought. After a moment’s consideration, she said, "The day after tomorrow, right? I’ll take an early flight over. I’ll bring a professional lawyer with me to help you look it over."
"Huh?" Lily Sterling was startled and quickly said, "You don’t have to, Sis. You only just got home a few days ago."
But Cecilia Sterling insisted with a serious expression, "This is business, and it’s important. I’ll be there with you!"
Lily Sterling was moved all over again. With her sister there, she would indeed feel more at ease.
After hanging up the video call, Ethan Sterling poked his head closer and said in a low voice, "Sis, you’re leaving?"
"Yeah."
Ethan Sterling put down his spoon, glanced at their mother’s bedroom door, and sighed. "Then you’d better tell Mom yourself. She definitely thinks you’re staying until the end of the National Day holiday."
"In the few days you’ve been back, Mom’s been visibly happy. Her complexion is much better, and she looks several years younger."
Cecilia Sterling nodded in understanding. "That was my plan, but this business with Lily is really important. Mom will understand."
As she said this, Cecilia Sterling stood up and walked to her mother’s door. Just as she was about to knock, she heard her mother’s voice from inside.
Inside, Jasmine Sterling stood by the window, phone in hand, her voice laced with exasperation. "Mom, can you please stop meddling in my business? I’m almost fifty, why on earth would I get married!"
Matriarch Sterling’s voice came from the other end of the line. "What do you mean, fifty? You’re only forty-five, aren’t you? You’re not old yet. If you don’t hurry and find someone now, what will you do when you actually are old?"
"My three children are all grown and successful, why would I be afraid of having no one to look after me when I’m old? I really don’t want to find someone. Please don’t let Miss Warner bring anyone over. Last time, you didn’t even give me a heads-up; Miss Warner just showed up at the door with someone and caught me completely off guard. Aren’t you just trying to make my life difficult?"
Hearing this, Matriarch Sterling said stubbornly, "But won’t your children have to work? Won’t they start their own families someday? If you have a man, you’ll have some security. And then won’t there be someone to pay for Ethan’s bride price when he gets married?"
"I don’t need anyone’s help with that. I am responsible for my own children. I didn’t find a man to help me raise them when they were little, and now that they’re grown, I’m certainly not going to start looking!" Jasmine Sterling said firmly.
In truth, she had lost count of how many times she’d said this to the matriarch. For years, the matriarch had lived with Jasmine’s eldest brother in Fornan, but her reach was long. She insisted on meddling in her daughter’s private affairs, pushing her to find a man and remarry.