Chapter 187: Giving Mindful Gift


    “Of course. Of course. No problem. Later my parents will be here.”


    Phoebe waved her hand, a rxing smile appearing on her pale face. “Hurry up and go. Now it’s half-


    past seven. Although you arete, it’s not thatte yet.”


    “Okay. I’m leaving now. Call me if you need anything,” Florence said, feeling a bit worried.


    “Sure. Don’t worry. I’m fine. Hurry up and leave. Don’t make him wait too long,” Phoebe urged


    Florence, nodding continuously.


    Florence didn’t stay any longer. Grabbing her handbag, she walked out.


    She hailed a cab at the hospital gate and headed to downtown first.


    Earlier, she didn’t know what was going on, but now she knew it was Ernest’s birthday today. Hence,


    she should bring him a birthday gift. Besides, she stood him up and waste for so long. She must


    choose a mindful gift to show her blessing.


    Also, if the gift could fully represent her blessing, Ernest would be happy instead of being angry with


    her.


    However, based on how much Florence had known about Ernest, he was extremely rich. He always


    used high-end products in his daily life, and he didn’tck anything.


    For collections or disyed antiques, those were too expansive, and she couldn’t afford any of them.


    Thinking about it for a long time, after racking her brains, Florence recalled that Ernest would have to


    sigh on a lot of documents daily. The most frequently used would be a pen.


    Even if he had extra pens, one more wouldn’t be bothering.


    Hence, she decided to give Ernest a pen as a gift. She would also ask the store to carve some


    characters on the pen. It would show her blessing as well as be unique.


    Since she had made up her mind, Florence went to the brand pen store to look for a pen.


    Although there were a lot of pens with high-quality, none of the stores could carve characters on them


    right away. She was asked to wait for one or two days.


    However, Florence needed it as soon as possible. It didn’t work for her.


    She had to look for the pen and ask about the character carving service one store after another. She


    walked too much that her legs felt hurt.


    When she almost had be desperate, she finally found a store that could carve the characters on


    the pen immediately.


    It was a mall store. Compared with other stores, it was a shabby one. However, there were all kinds of


    brand pens sold in the store.


    Florence chose a pen of high quality and a reasonable price.


    After looking it through carefully, she asked, “Is this an authentic one? I’m going to give it as a gift to


    someone else.”


    “It is an authentic pen. I never have copies or faked ones in my store,” the chubby store owner said


    affirmatively.


    Reaching out, he took the pen over from Florence’s hand.


    “You’ve chosen this one, right? What do you want me to carve on it? I can do it for you right away.”


    “Yes, it is. Well...”


    Florence thought for a while. For a moment, she didn’t know what to carve on it. If to put one the


    birthday wishes, it would be too in. If to put on some sweet words between lovers, it wouldn’t fit her


    current rtionship with Ernest.


    Hence, she said, “Just carve a smiling emoji.”


    She just hoped that he would be happy whenever seeing it.


    “All right.”


    The chubby store owner immediately pulled out the professional tools, ready to carve on the pen.


    Before he started, he reminded, “Miss, are you sure? After carving the emoji, you can’t return this pen


    in the future.”


    “Yeah. I’m sure.”


    “Okay. Please pay for it at the cashier’s counter. I’m carving it now.”


    Florence hadn’t expected that she had to pay for it before the pen was carved.


    She was surprised, but she didn’t overthink before agreeing.


    After receiving the payment receipt from her, the chubby store owner started to carve. Soon, a smiling


    emoji was done.


    It was a simple version -- a round head and the eyes and the mouth were all like bracket symbols.


    It looked a bit shabby but it was neat and simple.


    “Miss, do you like it?”


    The chubby store owner looked at Florence up and down, something shing through his eyes though.


    Florence nodded. “Not bad.”


    “Then I’ll pack it for you. I’ll use the delicate and high-end package.”


    The chubby store owner grabbed the pen from Florence’s hand and quickly packaged the pen.


    Florence still wanted to take a look at the pen, but only a packed rectangle gift box was handed over to


    her.


    She could only put the gift box in her handbag carefully.


    She wondered if Ernest would like the gift as soon as he saw it.


    After buying the gift, Florence went to thepany. She put on the dress, did simple makeup, and


    hailed a cab to Sadler Manor.


    Nine o’clock in the evening.


    The banquet had started quite long ago. In the hall, alldies in beautiful dresses wereing back


    and forth. There were also gentlemen, nobles, and sessful businessmen.


    Several of them were gathering together, talking, and discussing their privacy or business.


    A lot of people focused on the protagonist tonight -- Ernest. They all tried to find every possibility to


    propose a toast with Ernest, getting closer to him.


    Although it was Ernest’s birthday banquet tonight, he emanated coldness that distant himself from


    others since the very beginning.


    He looked elegant and aloof.


    A lot of guests greeted him out of politeness. Later they didn’t have the guts to socialize with him.


    At this moment, Ernest was holding a goblet of wine, standing straight. Taking a sip, he couldn’t help


    looking towards the door of the banquet hall from time to time.


    There was an expectation that others couldn’t see in his eyes.


    Time passed by, but the figure he was looking for still hadn’t shown up.


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    He looked more and more annoyed, and the atmosphere around him was too low that guests around


    him felt so stressed.


    Some timid ones even didn’t have the balls to propose the first round of toast with him.


    “Hey, Ernest.”


    At this moment, Gemma walked to Ernest gracefully, wearing a pair of high-heels.


    She was in a red backless dress that made her tall figure sexier. The swaying hemline of her dress


    looked like the burning mes. She looked so beautiful that others’ gazes were glued on her.


    She stood next to Ernest at an appropriate distance.


    She asked in a gentle tone, “You seem to have quite a bad mood. What’s wrong?”


    Looking at Gemma’s red dress, Ernest’s eyes were darkened again.


    Tonight, it was supposed to be Florence in a red dress standing next to him. But that woman even had


    the guts to run away...


    “Nothing,” Ernest answered coldly. He raised his hand and gulped down the wine in one breath.


    A touch of light shed through Gemma’s eyes. Later, she picked up another goblet of wine and


    passed it to Ernest.


    “There are so many guests here tonight. How about I stand by you for a moment? In that case, I can


    help you drink.”


    “Up to you,” Ernest answered carelessly. The banquet tonight had be a bore to him.


    It was just as the same as any other banquets he had attended before. Nothing was left but only


    socializing.


    Gemma curled up her lips happily. She walked closer to Ernest in high-heels. Then she stood next to


    Ernest, quite close to him.


    She acted as if she was his date tonight.


    At this moment, someone came to propose a toast.


    “Mr. Hawkins, it’s my great honor to attend your birthday banquet. Wish you a happy birthday.”


    A mid-aged man came with his date. With a bright smile, he reaching out his ss to Ernest.


    Ernest didn’t even look at him. He just reached out his goblet, and their sses clinked.


    Then Ernest gulped down the wine.