CHAPTER 154: CHAPTER 154: "THE ARRANGED MARRIAGE CANDIDATE FROM THE FAMILY.

Renee was so scared she covered her ears with both hands and shook her head repeatedly: "No, no, no, I don’t want it!"

As she shook her head in resistance, she shrunk backward.

Seeing that she was about to fall to the ground, Jack Yates grabbed her shoulders and pulled her into his embrace.

"Weren’t you quite bold when you bit me yesterday?" Jack raised an eyebrow and asked, "Afraid now?"

Renee retorted softly, "I didn’t do it on purpose, you’re the one who insisted on it."

"Insisted on what?" Jack lowered his head, whispering into her ear, "Was it my insistence? Or were you too greedy, Renee? Hmm?"

Renee’s cheeks turned crimson instantly. She raised her hand to hit and pinch him.

Jack chuckled and grabbed her flailing hand: "Sit properly."

Renee glared at him with a flushed face: "Then you can’t, you can’t from behind."

Jack was merely teasing her and had no intention of actually doing that. He wasn’t really interested in "taking the backdoor" anyway.

However, he didn’t agree immediately, just smirked nonchalantly and said, "That will depend on your performance."

"Performance of what?" Renee raised her head to look at him, "Do you want me to show you how to crack a boulder on my chest?"

Jack laughed, pressing his finger against her chest with a little force: "No need to crack a boulder, but you could perform a..."

He leaned in close to her ear and whispered four words— "hot dog sandwich."

Renee was momentarily stunned, but then an image of two toasted buns sandwiching a red hot dog appeared in her mind.

Ahhh!!!

She roared internally!

A perfectly good type of food suddenly seemed mischievous when Jack mentioned it like that.

From then on, Renee never ate hot dog sandwiches again, nor did she even want to look at them.

After breakfast, Renee changed into a new outfit— the latest autumn dress from Coco House, paired with a coffee-colored trench coat and ankle boots.

She wasn’t wearing leggings underneath the skirt, not even skin-colored stockings, just her bare legs.

Jack glanced at her exposed fair calves, frowning slightly as he spoke in a serious tone: "Change, put on long pants."

Renee looked at him in surprise: "Why?" She tugged at her dress hem, "This isn’t a short skirt, it goes below the knees, it’s just showing a bit of calf."

Jack said: "It’s cold, don’t show your legs."

Renee blinked her big eyes: "...But I don’t feel cold."

Jack’s frown deepened: "Then wear thermal underwear underneath."

Renee: "???"

Wear thermal underwear?

Under a skirt?

Did she hear him correctly?

Besides, it’s not even the season for thermal underwear yet!

It’s not even winter, why wear thermal underwear?

Jack glanced at his watch: "Hurry, don’t dawdle."

Renee: "...Wearing thermal underwear under a skirt, do you think it looks good?"

Jack squinted: "You look best without wearing it."

Annoyed, Renee gritted her teeth and could only change out of her dress into a pair of wide-legged jeans and a white high-waisted knit top.

When Jack saw her slightly visible pale tummy and the sexy navel, his brow furrowed deeply.

Renee adjusted her trench coat: "Is this okay now?"

Jack: "Button up the trench coat completely."

Renee: "..."

A trench coat is meant to be open for style; buttoning it up makes it stiff and unattractive.

"I won’t go. You go by yourself." Renee crossed her arms and sat on the sofa pouting in anger.

Jack: "Fine, then just stay home and sleep."

He reached out to undress her.

Renee panicked and quickly pushed him away: "Okay, okay, I’ll change the top underneath, okay?"

Finally, Renee replaced the high-waisted knit top with a long-sleeved T-shirt. The hem covering her hips was tucked into her jeans, and her trench coat was left open.

"How about this?" She stood in front of Jack, helplessly and hopelessly asking, "Is this okay to wear?"

Jack patted her head: "Yes, it’s warm and looks pretty."

Renee: "..."

Once in the car, Renee couldn’t hold it any longer and spoke up: "Third Brother, I think you should recognize your position."

Jack paused while fastening his seatbelt and looked up at her: "Recognize my position?"

Renee quickly explained: "What I meant was, you’re my boyfriend, not my dad. You need to understand your role."

After speaking, she flashed a sweet smile, her big watery eyes blinking at Jack.

Jack smirked and pinched her cheek: "You’re in your menstrual period and shouldn’t catch a cold, so you can’t wear a skirt with bare legs. As for exposing your belly button, I don’t approve."

Renee leaned back, resting her head on the seat, and sighed deeply: "Fine, suit yourself."

Jack leaned towards her, pecked her on the corner of her lips, and said: "Show it to me when we get home tonight. You can show whatever you want then."

Renee: "..."

-

The Fifth Master’s full name is Howard Sheridan, in his fifties, over twenty years older than Jack Yates, yet they’re close friends despite the age difference.

Jack met him when he was twenty-two, during an assignment at The Gilded Crescent. Howard was doing business over there, inadvertently offended the local drug lord, and got captured by the drug dealers. Jack rescued him.

Howard is well connected in both the underworld and legitimate businesses in China and is someone who values loyalty highly.

At the time, Howard didn’t know Jack’s family background and assumed he was just an ordinary special forces officer. He then recognized Jack as a brother, boasting that in The Quadrangle, no matter how big the trouble, just mentioning "Fifth Master Sheridan" would suffice.

Jack didn’t reveal his true identity, simply expressing his gratitude with a smile.

Later, when Howard discovered Jack’s background, he still treated him as a genuine brother, without trying to curry favor or flatter him.

However, when Jack needed help with business, Howard unhesitatingly provided assistance.

Jack and Howard didn’t have a lot of private interactions, unlike with Simon Forrester and others, where they’d often meet, drink, and hang out together likely due to the vast age difference between them.

But during festive seasons, Jack would always visit Howard, and Howard would send gifts to Jack.

Thatcher Manor holds many real antiques: Ancient Blue Porcelain, Skyjade Porcelain, etc., all gifts from Howard.

The car stopped outside a deep courtyard surrounded by gray brick walls and black tile roofs.

Security lines were erected outside the yard, with security personnel holding electric batons standing by.

Renee stepped out of the car and saw the lineup of luxury cars parked outside the courtyard.

Among all the luxury cars, Jack’s car was still the most eye-catching and grand.

After parking, Jack extended his hand, intending to hold Renee’s.

Renee dodged, preventing him from holding her hand.

She didn’t like holding Jack’s hand in public because she hadn’t matured yet and looked clearly younger compared to the nearly thirty-year-old Jack. Moreover, the height difference between them was considerable.

Every time Jack held her hand, it was more like leading a child than the romantic vibe a couple should have, making them seem all the more unconventional.

Jack, unaware of her thoughts, raised an eyebrow when she dodged: "Don’t want to be held?"

"No," Renee hurriedly explained, "I just think..."

Before she could finish, an elegant girl stepped out of another car.

"Third Brother," the girl called out with a smile, "Long time no see."

Following the voice, Renee looked over, her eyes brightened, and she was instantly captivated, feeling that the girl was stunning and graceful!

The girl was quite tall, at least five feet seven, with a great figure, particularly long legs that were both lengthy and slender, cascading waves of hair draping elegantly down her back, poised yet voluptuous.

Jack nodded lightly in response.

The girl said with a smile, "After you, Third Brother."

Jack grabbed Renee’s hand and strode inside.

Crossing the high threshold and entering the spacious and elegant courtyard, Renee asked quietly, "Is that beauty your friend?"

Jack: "No."

Renee: "Oh."

Jack: "She’s a marriage candidate arranged by the family."

Renee: "..."