CHAPTER 37: CHAPTER 37: RECITING POEMS IN TEARS

Renee Winslow regretted it as soon as she finished speaking. Jack Yates was the kind of person who could ignite himself without a spark, and now she’d lit the fire; tonight wouldn’t be easy for her.

Licking her lips, she quickly wrapped her arms tightly around Jack Yates’s neck, softly pleading, "We have to get up early to catch a flight tomorrow, so we can’t sleep too late tonight. Otherwise, I’ll get dizzy, and that could lead to airsickness."

Jack Yates said in a steady voice, "I won’t delay your sleep."

Renee Winslow breathed a sigh of relief, thinking that Jack Yates saying he wouldn’t delay her sleep meant he wouldn’t do anything with her, but she didn’t expect that he would directly on the mountain...

Halfway up Mount Verdian there was a pavilion called The Twilight Pavilion, named after the line "Stopping to love the maple trees at dusk" from Damian Doyle’s "Mountain Walk."

The Twilight Pavilion was built on the tree-lined road leading to Matthew Shaw’s villa. On both sides of the path were maple trees, which turned fiery red in autumn, creating a unique landscape on Mount Verdian.

Jack Yates carried Renee Winslow halfway up the mountain, deliberately glancing at The Twilight Pavilion nestled among the maple trees.

Following his gaze, Renee Winslow saw the octagonal pavilion hidden by the maple leaves and asked, "Want to take a break?"

Jack Yates: "Not for now."

After saying that, he continued carrying Renee Winslow up the mountain, walking faster and faster.

Reaching the summit, he spent some time with Renee Winslow enjoying the mountain scenery, then took her to a restaurant with an elegant setting for dinner. After dinner, as it was getting dark, he carried her back down the mountain.

Halfway down, instead of continuing, he turned into The Twilight Pavilion, placed her on a bench, and walked to the pavilion entrance to make a phone call.

Renee Winslow didn’t approach to eavesdrop; she didn’t have a habit of listening in on others’ calls, especially since it was Jack Yates; she was even more careful, never overstepping her bounds.

Jack Yates called Matthew Shaw, saying in a low voice, "Block the road through the maple forest on Mount Verdian."

Without asking for the reason, Matthew Shaw hurriedly agreed, "Alright, I’ll have someone block it now." and asked, "Do you need the whole mountain blocked?"

Jack Yates: "No, just block the road from your villa to Mount Verdian."

After the call, Jack Yates walked over to Renee Winslow, supported himself on a pillar with one hand, leaned down slowly, and kissed her lips.

Without a backrest on the bench, Renee Winslow leaned back at the kiss, afraid of falling; she quickly raised her hands to wrap around Jack Yates’s neck.

Jack Yates kissed lightly for a moment, then pulled back with calm eyes, sat down, and held Renee Winslow on his lap.

Facing Jack Yates, Renee Winslow looked into his abyss-like eyes, her heart racing rapidly.

She lowered her eyes and softly asked, "Aren’t we going down the mountain?"

Jack Yates’s gaze darkened slightly, and in a low, hoarse voice, he said, "Not for now."

Renee Winslow suddenly felt a sense of unease, "Then let’s go somewhere else."

Jack Yates: "There are more people elsewhere."

Renee Winslow understood what he intended, yet still said, "It’s so late already; there aren’t many people on the mountain."

Jack Yates’s large hand gripped her neck, pressing her face to his shoulder, as he whispered by her ear, "For what I want to do, there can’t be anyone within a hundred meters."

Renee Winslow’s heart skipped a beat, but she feigned ignorance and asked, "...Murder and arson?"

Jack Yates chuckled, taking in her soft earlobe and saying with heavy breath, "Third Brother is a soldier. No killing, only helping, saving, and making people."

Renee Winslow was left speechless, "..."

Jack Yates adjusted her face, gazing deeply into her eyes, his rough thumb rubbing her lips, "Right here, on the mountain, is that okay?"

Renee Winslow understood his meaning, nervously swallowed, and replied softly, "But we don’t have that, it’s not safe..."

Jack Yates guided her hand into his trouser pocket, "Brought them."

Renee Winslow was entirely at a loss for words, "..."

Jack Yates took out two from his trouser pocket, asking in a very respectful tone, "Using two, is that alright?"

Renee Winslow wanted to say it wasn’t, but just as she opened her mouth, Jack Yates kissed her again, silencing her.

Jack Yates stepped back, placing the two largest foil packages in her hand.

The pavilion’s pillars and adjoining benches became the best auxiliary tools.

Jack Yates embraced her from behind, his incisive lips close to her ear, forcing her to recite Damian Doyle’s "Mountain Walk."

Renee Winslow recited the poem while crying for two hours until she was utterly exhausted.

Jack Yates held her in his arms, gently stroking her trembling back, breathing heavily as he whispered by her ear, "Good girl, praise me."