CHAPTER 159: CHAPTER 159: HEAVY SNOW ON NEW YEAR’S EVE

Having spoken, he had no choice but to signal to his assistant, David, who immediately went to get clean bowls and chopsticks.

Diana Sawyer placed the lunch box on the coffee table in the lounge, opened the lid, and steam mingled with the aroma of the food wafted out.

He awkwardly handed a pair of chopsticks to Justin Holden.

Justin Holden took the chopsticks, moving gracefully, with a composed expression, as if he were just attending an ordinary business meal.

His gaze fell on those plump, white dumplings, and his tone was emotionless, "I didn’t expect Miss Ellison to know how to make dumplings."

Jean Ellison stood beside Diana Sawyer, her head lowered, without responding.

Justin Holden picked up a pork and corn dumpling, placed it in his mouth, and chewed slowly.

His brow suddenly furrowed.

This taste...

He picked up another, this time a chive and egg dumpling.

As the familiar taste spread on his tongue, his actions paused for a moment.

No mistake.

This taste overlapped with a memory deep in his mind.

It was a New Year’s Eve a few years ago. The snow was heavy in Kingswell City, and the sound of firecrackers was incessant.

Claire Caldwell called him, her voice excited and a bit mysterious, asking him to come downstairs.

When he went down, he saw her standing in the snow, wearing a thick down jacket, her nose red from the cold, brimming with a precious thermal box in her hands.

"Justin, try this."

Her eyes were shining, as she opened the box like she was showcasing a treasure. Inside were dumplings, not neatly arranged, a bit ugly, but still steaming hot.

"I learned it for a long time, you know, I know you like chive and egg fillings, and these are all that."

He remembered at that time he only tasted one, and the flavor was unexpectedly good, the filling was well-seasoned.

But seeing her fingers stiff from the cold, he frowned, pushed the box back to her, his tone a bit stiff: "The taste is fine, take it back, it’s cold outside."

He saw the light in her eyes dim slightly, her long eyelashes drooping, and she whispered, "Oh... then I’ll learn more, make them prettier next time."

What he was thinking was, she didn’t need to learn these at all.

The Caldwell family had plenty of servants, and in the future, when they were together, there would be people handling these trivial tasks at home, or he could learn to do it himself. He didn’t want her fingers to be tainted by grease and cold.

He was just not good at expressing himself.

Yet his "no need to learn," in her ears, likely became rejection and disdain.

In fact, the dumplings she made then, although poorly presented, tasted really good.

Almost identical to what he was tasting now.

Justin Holden slowly put down his chopsticks, the chewing motion stopping.

He raised his eyes, looking with a complex and unreadable gaze at Jean Ellison, who kept her head down.

Was this familiar taste a coincidence? Or...

Diana Sawyer watched as Justin Holden suddenly stopped his chopsticks, and with that unusually focused look he directed at Jean Ellison, suspicions arose again in his mind.

He moved half a step forward unobtrusively, breaking Justin Holden’s line of sight, his tone still gentle.

"Lawyer Holden, does the taste suit your palate?"

Justin Holden withdrew his gaze, picked up a napkin to wipe his mouth, his voice returning to its usual blandness.

"Not bad. Thank you for the treat."

But he didn’t touch the chopsticks again, merely looking at that box of dumplings, as if through them, he saw a snowy New Year’s Eve, and a bright-smiling girl holding a thermal box in the snow.

Justin Holden put down his chopsticks, his gaze still lingering on the dumplings, his tone seemed casual, yet carried an imperceptible probing.

"The dumpling filling tastes somewhat familiar."

Jean Ellison’s heart sank abruptly, clenching her fingers.

She remembered it.

The snowy night from years ago, she indeed gave Justin Holden chive and egg dumplings she made herself, albeit poorly presented.

Could he still remember?

She must not admit it.

She immediately raised her head, forcing a slightly stiff smile, quickly speaking up: "Really? Maybe all dumpling fillings are similar. I only learned this after coming to the United States, with Aunt Mason... that is, Mr. Sawyer’s mother. I’ve never made them before, this is the first time."

She was eager to clarify, repeatedly emphasizing.

"Really the first time making them, my skills aren’t great, I hope Lawyer Holden doesn’t mind."

Although Diana Sawyer didn’t understand why Jean Ellison explained so nervously, he still went along with her words, smiling mildly and naturally picking up the conversation.

"You’re too modest, being able to achieve this on your first attempt, the taste is indeed excellent."

These words were directed at Jean Ellison, but his eyes courteously glanced at Justin Holden.

Justin Holden’s gaze lingered on Jean Ellison’s forcibly calm face for a moment, then slowly shifted to Diana Sawyer, his deep eyes seemingly capable of seeing through people.

He didn’t continue to question Jean Ellison, but rather steered the topic in another direction:

"Does President Sawyer’s mother have some connection with the Caldwell family in Kingswell?"

His question was direct, his gaze sharp.

Diana Sawyer’s action of picking up a dumpling paused slightly.

He put down his chopsticks, picked up a napkin to wipe his mouth, his expression calm, his tone even.

"My mother indeed worked for the Caldwell family for many years, thanks to the care of Mr. and Mrs. Caldwell."

He paused, then asked back, "Lawyer Holden seems very familiar with the Caldwell family? Could it be you know them too?"

Justin Holden’s expression didn’t change, meeting Diana Sawyer’s probing gaze, and he explained in a flat tone.

"I know them, we were neighbors once."

His fingers lightly tapped the tabletop before returning to the dumplings.

"So the taste left a strong impression, this is indeed the Caldwell family’s customary seasoning style."

It seemed he finally reached a conclusion, nodding slightly.

"So, President Sawyer’s mother used to work at the Caldwell’s, no wonder."

He shifted the conversation, his tone sounding quite sincere.

"If I get the chance, I’d love to visit the family, and taste the authentic homemade dishes."

Upon hearing this, Jean Ellison’s face changed slightly, and she instinctively wanted to refuse.

Let Justin Holden visit Aunt Mason’s home?

That’s too risky.

However, before she could speak, Dylan Sawyer had already smiled and agreed, his tone natural and smooth.

"Lawyer Holden, you are too kind. You are an important partner of our company, you’re welcome anytime, we will definitely invite you to our home by then to try my mother’s cooking."

His response was appropriate and generous, completely blocking any possibility of Jean’s refusal.

Jean could only swallow back the words that were on the tip of her tongue, feeling unease in her heart as her fingers twisted nervously under the table.

Jean never expected that Dylan’s polite invitation would come true that very night.

The doorbell rang as Aunt Mason was coming out from the kitchen carrying soup.

Jean walked over to open the door, and when she saw the tall figure standing outside, she froze.

Justin Holden had changed into a dark gray casual suit, missing some of the sharpness of the day, but his innate cool temperament was still imposing.

He was holding a box of exquisite desserts.

"Lawyer Holden?" Dylan Sawyer came over upon hearing the noise, saw Justin, and a trace of surprise flashed in his eyes, but he quickly returned to normal, stepping aside, "Come in, I didn’t expect you’d come over so soon."

"I live next door."

Justin Holden stepped inside, his gaze casually scanning the living room.

His gaze momentarily paused when he saw Aunt Mason poking her head out from the kitchen.

He now knew where the wonton aroma he smelled a few days ago came from, it wasn’t his imagination, it really existed.

It was also the handiwork of the Caldwell family.

Aunt Mason was initially stunned upon seeing Justin Holden, then she broke into a genuine smile, wiping her hands with her apron as she walked forward.

"Oh my, it’s Young Master Holden, it’s been so long, you haven’t changed much since a few years ago, still as spirited."

Justin nodded slightly at Aunt Mason, his tone fairly gentle.

"Aunt Mason, long time no see."

He actually still remembered her.

At this moment, Jesse, upon hearing the commotion, ran out of the room, his eyes brightening upon seeing Justin Holden, and he happily called out, "Uncle Holden."

The little girl seemed to have an inherent affection for him.

Jean’s heart jumped to her throat in an instant.

Aunt Mason quickly invited everyone to sit down. The table was filled with homemade dishes, and although the atmosphere seemed warm, undercurrents were flowing beneath the surface.

During the meal, Dylan Sawyer naturally placed a piece of rib in Jesse’s bowl, saying softly, "Jesse, eat more, grow tall."

Jesse looked up, sweetly responding, "Thank you, Uncle Sawyer."

The words "Uncle Sawyer" landed clearly, and the atmosphere at the dining table seemed to freeze instantly.

Justin Holden’s hand paused briefly in the act of picking up food. He raised his eyes, his gaze sharp, first directed at Jesse, then slowly shifting to Jean, whose face had turned ashen white.

Jean’s heart almost leapt out of her chest. She immediately set down her chopsticks, pulled Jesse over, and with an unnaturally stern tone, spoke.

"Jesse, how many times has Mommy told you, why did you call out wrong again, you need to call him Dad, forgot?"

Her voice trembled a bit due to nervousness.

Jesse, frightened by her mother’s sudden sternness, pouted, her big eyes instantly welling up with tears, looking aggrievedly at Dylan, then at her mother, and dared not speak again.

Dylan immediately put down his chopsticks, reached out, gently patted Jesse’s hair, and in a soothing tone, he met Justin Holden’s scrutinizing gaze squarely.

"It’s okay, she’s still a child, she doesn’t understand. It’s my fault, I’ve been abroad all these years and haven’t been there for her. It’s hard for her to adjust at once and get used to calling it, it’s normal. Just take time to get used to it."

His reasonable explanation painted a natural yet bittersweet picture of a father trying hard to make up for his time away.

Watching Dylan’s natural actions and Jean’s seemingly frustrated expression over the child’s mistake, the doubts in Justin Holden’s eyes gradually dissipated, replaced by a complex emotion.

He said nothing, picked up his chopsticks again, and continued eating in silence.

Aunt Mason watched the scene unfold, her heart pounding, breaking out in a cold sweat.

She saw Jesse had eaten enough, and quickly set down her bowl and chopsticks, making an excuse.

"Jesse, are you full? Grandma will take you downstairs for a walk, to help with digestion, okay?"

She almost carried the still slightly clueless Jesse away from the dining table, hurrying out the door.

Now only Jean, Justin, and Dylan remained at the table.

The atmosphere became subtly awkward and tense.

To break the suffocating silence and to continue the act, Dylan naturally picked up some simply stir-fried vegetables Jean liked and placed them in her bowl, his voice gentle.

"Don’t just talk, eat some more vegetables."

Jean froze for a moment, then quickly caught on.

She looked up, giving Dylan a slightly shy yet reliant smile and softly acknowledged, "Mm."

Then, she also picked up the public chopsticks, carefully placing a piece of red-braised pork Dylan liked onto the plate in front of him, and whispered, "You eat some more too."

Dylan looked at her, eyes filled with just the right amount of gentle affection, nodding slightly.

This seemingly natural interaction between them was piercing to Justin Holden.

His fingers slightly tightened around his chopsticks, knuckles turning white, but he maintained his expressionless face, quietly continuing to eat his meal.