Chapter 396: Keeping Busy

Soon, Zeke Walton saw his mother.

When the butler opened the car door to welcome him inside, he was startled to see Zeke pale-faced and weak-limbed.

"Young Master, what’s wrong? Are you not feeling well? We should get you to a hospital right away."

His limbs feeling like jelly, Zeke scrambled into the car and threw himself into his mother’s arms.

"I don’t want to go to the hospital. I want to go home. Mom, I want to go home."

Considering where he was and the state he was in, Mrs. Walton had a pretty good idea of what had happened.

Her silly boy was so innocent, so well-behaved. She couldn’t believe he could be this upset over a delivery woman. Her heart ached for him.

She held her son tightly, patting his back.

"Alright, alright, no hospital. If you don’t want to go, we won’t go. Mommy will never force you to do anything you don’t want to do. Let’s go home. We’re going home."

Held in his mother’s arms, listening to her soft, comforting words, Zeke finally regained some of his strength.

But his heart still ached. The tightness in his chest made it hard to breathe, and he didn’t feel like saying a single extra word.

Back home, the sight of a table laden with delicacies did nothing to stir his appetite.

Mrs. Walton didn’t force him, letting him lie down on the sofa. She sat thoughtfully in front of him, helping him calm his breathing.

"I know you’re in a bad mood and don’t want to talk, so I won’t ask. Just rest if you want to rest. Mommy’s here with you. Nothing bad will ever happen, okay?"

Zeke closed his eyes, and tears streamed down his face against his will.

’There are so many people in this world who love me, who understand me, who know my worth. Why don’t I ever see them?’

’Instead, I fixated all my attention on that Amina.’

’She’s not worth it! Not worth it at all!’

Realizing that he hadn’t been home in a long time and had returned in a half-dead state, which must have scared his mother half to death, Zeke shed a few tears before forcing himself to calm down and open his eyes.

"Mom, I was wrong. I shouldn’t have ignored what you said... I want to get married. Please, set me up with someone."

Hearing this, Mrs. Walton was so excited she nearly jumped to her feet.

’The butler’s idea really worked! It’s only been a few days, and my son’s attitude has completely turned around!’

"Good boy. You’ve always been your father’s and my pride and joy. I knew you were the most sensible. It’s wonderful that you want to get married. I’ll go arrange some dates for you right away. This time, I’ll listen to your opinion. What kind of girl do you like? Or, are there any of your old classmates or anyone you think might be a good match? I can go talk to them for you."

None.

Zeke used to hate those chattering girls and never paid them any attention.

He shook his head. "Anyone is fine. As long as Dad and you think she’s suitable, anyone is fine."

A famous person once said: The best way to get over a breakup is with time, or with a new love.

The pain was too much. He didn’t have time to wait for the heartache to fade away slowly. He needed a new love. He needed to forget Amina as quickly as possible.

He was in a huge rush, and Mrs. Walton, fearing he might change his mind after recovering a bit, decided to act immediately. Right there at the dinner table, she pulled out her phone and started looking for matches for him.

When a few of her close friends heard Zeke was looking for a partner, they eagerly recommended people they knew.

In just a few short minutes, Mrs. Walton had a whole list of names.

"How about we set one up for tonight? Who do you want to meet first?"

’Let’s not wait for tonight. Let’s start now. One by one, just line them all up.’

Zeke ate a few bites of food, washed up, and changed his clothes. After Mrs. Walton helped him get ready, a little over an hour passed. The driver dropped him off at a coffee shop, where he met the first candidate someone had introduced.

She was very pretty, but in a conventional, by-the-book way. One look and you could tell she was a good girl who had been raised in a sheltered, rule-bound environment. Every gesture, every movement was meticulously cultivated, like a robot, utterly devoid of fun.

However, Zeke enjoyed the feeling of having someone sitting across from him, talking to him, trying so hard to please him.

Naturally, he wasn’t interested. He politely saw the woman off, gave her a small, pre-prepared gift, and agreed to be friends. Then, Zeke met the second, the third, and the fourth.

By dinnertime, he had met six women in one go.

The intense pain Amina had caused him that morning had dissipated by about eighty percent. The adoring gazes and subtle attempts to please him from these women helped Zeke regain his confidence.

’I’m still the brilliant Zeke Walton. As long as I want, countless women will flock to me, waiting to be chosen. What’s one measly Amina in comparison?’

He was coming back to life.

"You didn’t like a single one?"

His mother couldn’t help but chide him when he got home.

"You said you wanted to find someone, yet you’re being so picky. These were all people your Aunt White and Aunt Miller personally recommended. This makes it awkward for me to explain things to them."

Zeke said, "If I liked someone so easily, it would make me seem like I’m not selective at all. That would be even harder for you to explain. Invite Aunt White and Aunt Miller over for dinner. I’ll play a couple rounds of mahjong with them and let them win a little money. I guarantee no one will say a word to you. I know how to make them happy, Mom. Don’t worry."

Mrs. Walton invited a few friends over for dinner, and Zeke stayed by their side. At the table, he was a witty and engaging conversationalist, his humor charming the aunts until they were beaming.

After dinner, he played mahjong with them, deliberately feeding them winning tiles so they won hand after hand. The aunts were absolutely smitten with him.

"You and Walton are so blessed to have such a wonderful son. He’s handsome, a sweet talker, and has such high emotional intelligence. I’m so envious. I wonder which lucky girl will have the good fortune to marry into your family."

Mrs. Walton said with a smile, "Well, we’ll have to rely on all of you to worry about that for us. This boy has high standards and is very picky. You’ll all have to help keep an eye out for him."

"If my son were that handsome, capable, and good at charming people, I’d let him be picky too. It’s perfectly normal for him not to be easily impressed."

Instead of blaming him for being picky that day, the aunts actually spoke up in his defense.

The gathering ended amidst a flurry of polite and pleasant compliments.

After everyone left, Zeke asked the housekeeper to pack his bags. He was going on a trip tomorrow, and Mrs. Walton was quite supportive.

"Several months of the year have already passed, and you haven’t gone on a trip yet. It’s a good idea to go out with your friends. Son, from now on, if anything is bothering you, call me right away. No matter what, I will always support you."

Zeke promised his mother, but he couldn’t stay home tonight.

People are at their most vulnerable when the night grows quiet, most prone to letting their minds wander.

He had gone more than ten hours without really thinking about Amina. He couldn’t let the longing come rushing back. He had to press on and forget her as fast as he could.

He called Wyatt Wynn to ask him to go drinking again, and just as he expected, Wyatt agreed in a heartbeat.

"You’re the only one who’s with me now. Fuck it, let’s go. See you at the club. We’re not going home until we’re drunk again tonight!"