Ice and Fire

Chapter 47 Love Through Phone Calls

Before lunch, Harrison took his chance to talk to Cherry while Andrew was not around.

"Cherry, why are you giving me this attitude?" Harrison asked.

"So tell me what attitude should I have towards you?" Cherry retorted.

"I am your father, " Harrison was a bit agitated. He finally realized how it felt to be treated

disrespectfully. He cursed silently, 'Cherry, how dare you ignore me like this after your marriage to

Jackson!'

"Have you ever acted like a father to me? Do not tell me that, in the past twenty years, you had no idea

what I have been through." Cherry was not afraid of Harrison at all. Now that she was married to

Jackson, she was backup by the Chu household. If Harrison and Jade ever wanted to mess with her

again, they had lost their chance.

Harrison was speechless. Of course he knew how Jean and Jade had treated Cherry all those years.

He also remembered how he had turned a blind eye to that.

He also realized that Cherry was behaving nothing like she used to in the past. Back then she was

such a obedient girl. He said, angrily, "Cherry, do you think you've become strong and tough now with

Chu clan's support? Is that why you are so arrogant?"

"Yeah, I feel like reborn, " said Cherry. Feeling like venting her emotions, she continued, "I have been

mistreated by all of you for so long. Am I not allowed to feel good about myself now? You remember

how Jade bullied me, how Jean beat me and stole John away from me. And you, my so-called father,

you never cared about me. Thanks to all of you, I have become who I am right now. I should give the

credit to all of you, that I finally picked myself up and married into such a powerful family."

"I should have never married you into that family, I should have sold you off in a remote place!"

Harrison exclaimed, angrily.

Cherry chuckled, "It is a shame that you wanted to sell me for a good price. But you seem to have

actually mistaken me for Jade. Did you end up gaining even a penny?" Cherry was actually amused as

she thought through the whole thing again. Back then, Jade was clearly intimidated by Jackson's

temperament. Jade had failed to make anything out of her wedding.

"Cherry, you..." Harrison was completely infuriated. He wanted to give Cherry a piece of his mind. But

before he could even begin, Cherry had given him a lecture!

Glancing at the door, Cherry pretended she was looking at something. She then said to Harrison, "This

is the Chu residence where we are standing right now. Do you really want my grandpa to find out how I

have been treated?"

Not until then did it occur to Harrison that he was still at the Chu residence, not his own house.

He fell silent after that.

During lunch, Cherry had given Andrew her full attention and kept serving him food. And Andrew

praised Cherry to Harrison heartily. After lunch, Cherry and Grandpa Andrew both felt joyful. Except

Harrison, who had a forced smile on his face. He tried hard to come up with compliments. Cherry knew

that Harrison must be feeling very uncomfortable.

After lunch, Harrison excused himself early and then left.

Andrew was in a great mood. He asked Cherry to take a walk with him in the park.

Cherry, knowing that she had nothing to do after getting back home, was glad to take a walk with her

grandpa.

While they were walking in the park, Andrew asked, "Cherry, can grandpa ask you a few questions?"

"Of course, grandpa, please go ahead, " Cherry replied, politely.

"How have you and Jackson been recently? Has Sally He meddled in again?" Andrew asked.

Cherry felt uncomfortable at the mention of Sally's name. She immediately remembered what had

happened last time. Cherry fought back her sad feelings and replied, "No, she didn't, grandpa. Jackson

and I are good. We do not know where Sally is since the last time she showed up."

"Well, " said Andrew, "Have you ever heard Jackson bring her up?"

Cherry answered, "He has not, grandpa. Jackson has not mentioned anything about Sally."

Andrew nodded. He knew his grandson was just trying to protect Cherry. Jackson indeed loved this

woman.

Seeing no respond from Andrew, Cherry asked, "Grandpa, why you asked? Do you have anything you

want to tell me about Sally He?"

Cherry asked, although she was merely guessing.

Andrew did not answer her question, but instead asked, "Cherry, please answer this sincerely: Do you

love Jackson?"

Cherry met Andrew's eyes. There was nothing but seriousness in his eyes. Cherry knew she could not

lie about this.

Cherry nodded her head, firmly.

Andrew added, "Then stay by his side forever and take good care of him."

What Andrew had just said, struck Cherry completely out of the blue. She had no idea what was going

on, and so Cherry replied with a nod of her head.

Walking a bit further, Andrew said, "No matter what happens, you two need to keep it going. Now that

you are married, you should support and help each other. Whatever happened between Jackson and

Sally, well, let it stay in the past. Believe Grandpa when he says that nobody can tear you two apart."

Cherry was deeply touched by what grandpa had said, especially the last sentence. Grandpa was the

one who called all the shots in his family. If he said nobody can tear Jackson and her apart, then

nobody could. Not even Sally.

Cherry nodded and said sweetly, "Grandpa, I understand."

Watching the variety of plants in the garden, Andrew said, sadly, "Jackson was alone growing up. His

parents left this world long ago. He is cold to everyone, even to me. But I can see that Jackson is soft,

only around you. You are special to him."

Cherry felt warm inward, hearing those words. It was true though, that others could only see Jackson's

cold face. But she could always see his soft side, although he could also be cold to her sometimes.

Andrew knew Cherry had heard his words. Before Cherry said anything in reply, Andrew added, "So,

Cherry, since you are his wife, you should take care of him. Jackson is the only one I love and I do not

want anything bad to happen to him."

"Grandpa, please do not worry a bit about this, I will take good care of him. And from now on, I will

come to visit you as often as I can. If I get the chance, I will always stay here for couple of days and Belonging © NôvelDram/a.Org.

give you company, " Cherry said, gently. She knew grandpa's worry very well. Family was most

important to him.

"I know, Cherry, you are such a good kid."

After getting back home, Cherry lay on her bed, staring at the ceiling. She could not fall asleep. All

Cherry could think about was Jackson. She missed him so much.

Suddenly, the phone on the nightstand rang. Cherry picked it up. Surprisingly, it was Jackson.

"Hi, " Cherry answered it.

"Sleeping yet?" Jackson's voice sounded so soft.

"Not yet, I can't fall asleep, " Cherry replied, honestly. She did not add that she missed him.

"How come? Did you sleep too much during the day?" Jackson asked, concerned.

"No, I visited Grandpa Andrew today, " Cherry said. Thinking about what grandpa had said this

afternoon, Cherry was even more certain about her love for Jackson.

"Is grandpa all right?" Jackson hurriedly asked.

"Yeah, he is very well. We went to the park this afternoon and chatted for a while. He was in a good

mood, " Cherry answered, in details.

"Thank you, honey, " Jackson said, rather unexpectedly.

"Why thank me?" Cherry was puzzled by what Jackson had said.

"Thank you for visiting grandpa for me. As his grandson, I myself have not fulfilled my duty to give him

company." Jackson's voice was incomparably light. His feelings towards Cherry had deepened.

Cherry did not know what to say. After thinking for a while, she replied, "Next time you come back, let's

visit grandpa together."

"Okay, " Jackson replied.

"How come you have called me this late? Why are you still up?" Cherry asked. She remembered

Jackson had told her they go to bed by ten at the barracks. Now it was already past twelve, so why was

he still up?

After a long pause, Jackson's voice came from the other end, "I miss you, honey." His voice was soft

and gentle. But still, Cherry clearly heard each words he just said.

With her heart beating rapidly, Cherry was stunned by his words. She felt so warm and excited. Cherry

had been expecting these sweet words for a long time!

"Me too, " Cherry finally faced her true feelings.

Cherry was waiting for his reply to come again over the phone.

After a while, Jackson said, "Sleep tight and do not catch a cold."

Was he showing his care for her? Cherry panicked, not knowing how to respond to his sudden caring.

She merely said, "Okay."

After hanging up the phone, Cherry held it in her arms for a long time before finally putting it down.

It was another sleepless night for Cherry. Not because she missed Jackson, but because she was

mulling over his simple words and gentle caring. Her heart brimmed with warmth and happiness.