Chapter 1380 - 1320: Just to See You Once

"So do you actually want to marry Dylan, or do you just want to live in the Imperial Palace?"

"If I marry Dylan, doesn’t that mean I can live in the Imperial Palace?" Curly’s face was full of mischief.

"What’s so great about the Imperial Palace? Look at your Aunt, she doesn’t even want to live there."

"That’s because Aunt’s mother‑in‑law is mean. If I marry Dylan and Aunt becomes my mother‑in‑law, Aunt loves me so much, of course I’d want to live there.

Mom, Dylan said the walls in the Imperial Palace are all covered in gold... Wow, sleeping in a golden house would be amazing..."

"You little money grubber!" Sienna Johnson tapped her little nose, teasing her.

Curly leaned against her mother’s arms and giggled. "Mom, I want to have lots and lots of money. When you and Dad get old, I’ll be able to take care of you."

"At least you’ve got a little bit of filial piety."

"Dad’s hard to support, he spends money like water. You’re easy to support, you don’t like brand names, you don’t like wearing jewelry, and you like eating vegetarian... If I were a man, I’d marry someone just like you... Such a bargain..."

Curly’s little mental abacus was clacking away, and Sienna didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

"I still worry that once you’re married, you’ll get bullied. With your temper, it’d already be good if you don’t bully other people."

Curly pouted and said, "I don’t bully anyone, but if someone bullies me, I’ll bully them back. And if I can’t beat them, Dad will help me."

"Curly!"

George had been searching for half an hour, nearly combing through the entire amusement park before he finally found her.

In the crowd, he spotted her at a glance.

She was wearing a red outfit, sitting there. In George’s eyes there was only Curly; everyone and everything else turned into background.

Hearing someone call her, Curly looked over and saw George. She said in surprise, "Mom, look, it’s George.

Huh? Didn’t he already go back to Abyanabad? How is he here?"

Sienna saw George standing not far away. She looked behind him and didn’t see any adults, so she was curious how George had managed to find them.

"Curly, I finally found you."

George ran over happily and stopped in front of Curly.

In the dead of winter, sweat had already seeped out on George’s forehead.

Looking at Curly’s face, George felt thoroughly wronged. He demanded, "I told you I was leaving this morning. Why didn’t you wait for me?"

"I don’t like farewell scenes. Mom said she’d bring me to the amusement park, so I came."

Back when Sienna was too busy with work, she hadn’t been able to take Curly to the playground; later, when her younger brother and sister were born, Sienna had to take care of them and still didn’t have time for Curly. This morning Sienna suddenly said she’d bring her to the amusement park, and Curly was of course thrilled.

And she really didn’t like farewell scenes. Anyway, she’d already said goodbye last night: wished him a safe trip.

"So that’s how it is..." George didn’t like parting scenes either. He’d thought Curly couldn’t bear to see him go; now the ache in his heart eased a little.

"Curly, I’m leaving. We won’t be able to see each other for a very, very long time."

Curly lowered her head and gave a light nod.

George stared at the top of Curly’s head, at her pretty curls, not knowing what to say.

"Curly, don’t you go liking anyone else. When I grow up, I’ll come back and marry you, okay?" After holding it in for ages, George finally blurted out what was in his heart.

He looked at Curly nervously, his palms slick with sweat, terrified she would turn him down.

Curly looked at him with a big grin and said, "Did you sneak out here all by yourself?"

"Yeah."

Curly said, "Do your mom and dad know you came to the amusement park?"

"No."

"Then your mom’s going to yell at me again."

George pressed his lips together and said softly, "I was the one who wanted to come find you. What’s it got to do with you?"

"But your mom thinks it’s all my fault."

"Curly, I like you. I don’t want to go."

George looked at Curly, his eyes red and on the verge of tears. Seeing him like that, Curly sighed and said,

"If we ever got married, we’d definitely have mother‑in‑law and daughter‑in‑law problems. Can’t you just pick someone else to like?"

"..."

"I’ve got tons of flaws. Look, I’ve got a bad temper, I’m greedy for money, I’m willful, I’m lazy, I can’t cook... and I’m way too career‑driven..."

Too career‑driven?

Sienna shot her daughter a look. If George weren’t here, she would really like to ask what exactly her "career" was supposed to be.

"I like that you’ve got a bad temper, that you’re greedy, willful, lazy, can’t cook, and way too career‑driven... You—I like all of it, from head to toe." George confessed.

"George, acting like this is putting a lot of pressure on me."

"You don’t need to feel pressured. I just want to be good to you." After he finished, George pressed his lips together again, his face even flushing red.

Thinking of George’s mom, who was full of hostility toward her, Curly frowned and said, "We’re a lost cause. You should just hurry up and go."

As the outsider listening to these two little brats talk, Sienna was covered in metaphorical black lines. If you ignored their faces, you’d think these two little ones were acting in an Idol Drama.

"George, you running off like this is going to worry your mom and dad. I’ll have Uncle Desmond tell your dad to come pick you up."

"Okay." George had just wanted to see Curly one more time. Now that he’d seen her, he naturally stopped making a fuss.

Sienna called Adrian Desmond and asked him to tell George’s parents that George was at Fantasia Playground and they should come pick him up.

"Owen Hunter just called me asking if I’d seen George. I was about to call you." Adrian Desmond said.

"I’ll take George to the gate of Fantasia Playground in a bit. Have them wait for him at the entrance."

"Got it."

Sienna hung up and said to George, "George, I’ve asked Uncle Desmond to tell your parents to pick you up at the park entrance. Come on, let’s go wait at the gate.

And from now on you can’t just run off like this.

There are lots of bad people who kidnap kids. If you get snatched by them, you’ll never see your mom and dad again."

Sienna lectured him, thinking George had been far too reckless.

"I just wanted to say goodbye to Curly."

Sienna said kindly, "Now that you’ve said your goodbye, it’s time for you to go home."

"Okay."

Sienna led the two children toward the amusement park entrance. George kept staring at Curly; once he even almost walked right into a pillar.

"Look ahead, don’t look at me!" Curly said.

"If I stop looking now, I won’t get to look at you anymore later."

Curly: ...

There were lots of people today, plus a float parade. It took them over ten minutes to reach the gate, and Owen Hunter and the others still hadn’t arrived.

Sienna bought candied haw for both kids. Curly also asked for cotton candy, so she held candied haw in one hand and cotton candy in the other. George held a lollipop, staring at Curly with sad eyes.

Curly stuck her tongue out at him. "What are you staring at me for? I’m not giving you any of my cotton candy anyway."