Brother Jia wouldn’t literally hoist Jessica up as Ethan had jested. Instead, he approached the door of Jessica’s bedroom, tapping gently, “Miss Jiang, Mr. Grant would like to see you.”
Jessica was not in the mood for an early rise, and upon hearing the knock, she just buried herself deeper under the covers without a word.
But Brother Jia was the epitome of patience, repeatedly knocking without a change in his calm demeanor, “Miss Jiang, Mr. Grant would like to see you.”
It was like a relentless chant, and Jessica’s irritation finally peaked, tossing the covers aside and opening the door in a huff.
Brother Jia, expecting this, stepped back with a smile, gesturing for her to follow, “Miss Jiang, if you’d please come downstairs.”
Jessica, glaring, said, “Aren’t you aware that waking someone from a dream is rather loathsome?”
“I am aware,” Brother Jia replied serenely. “But I must carry out the boss’s orders. Please bear with me, Miss Jiang.”
Jessica wasn’t truly irked with Brother Jia, her annoyance stemmed from being woken up. With an impassive face, she marched down to the dining room, sat heavily across from Ethan, and demanded, arms folded, “What’s so urgent that you had to disturb my sleep?”
“It’s New Year’s Eve; let’s start the day with a visit to the cemetery,” Ethan said.
Surprisingly, Jessica’s mood lightened as if a switch had been flipped, and she agreed with no further complaints, “Fine, fine, I’ll get ready quickly.”
Madison was internally taken aback at Jessica’s swift change of heart.
“Would you join us for the visit?” Ethan asked her.
Madison nodded earnestly, “Of course.”
An hour later, Jessica, now dressed and having had breakfast, carefully selected a beautiful bouquet of flowers before joining Ethan in the car.
Today, they were to pay respects to Ethan’s mother, whom Jessica held in the highest regard as if she were her own mother. The magnanimity and kindness it took for a woman to raise the child of her husband’s mistress were not lost on Jessica.
The Mukino Cemetery, known for its serene beauty in Slandon Harbor, was lush with greenery and tasteful decor, avoiding any overly grim atmosphere.
It was divided into two sections: one bustling with pets that roamed freely, while the other was more tranquil, catering to those who preferred either setting in life.
Ethan had chosen the livelier side for his mother’s final resting place. Ads by PubFuture
Upon arrival, Madison’s gaze was drawn to the gravestone, where the woman in the photo radiated kindness and grace.
Ethan introduced, “Mom, I’ve brought my fiancée to meet you. She’s a pilot, too. I know you’d like her.”
Advancing, Madison greeted with a nervous respect, “Hello, Auntie, I’m Madison.”
The solemnity of meeting one’s in-laws this way didn’t escape her, and after a pause, she placed her bouquet down, promising earnestly, “I’ll take good care of Ethan and our future together, you can rest assured.”
Ethan was touched, not expecting such a heartfelt vow.
He hadn’t wanted Madison to worry about taking care of him; he wanted to ease her burdens, not add to them. Holding her hand gently, he reassured, “My mom would be happy now.”
At that moment, Jessica joined, wiping the gravestone’s photo, “Mom, I’m here. You always worried about my reckless nature, but look, I’ve got my brother and a strong sister-in-law. I’m learning so much from her, and nobody dares to bully me. Rest easy, okay?”
Turning red at the mention of family, Madison heard Ethan whisper, “Do you want kids?”
She did, but hesitated, “Not right now, though.”
Pregnancy would mean giving up flying for a while.
Ethan smiled, “We’ll do it your way.”
As long as she was by his side, that was all that mattered.
Their moment was interrupted by the buzzing of a phone.
Stepping aside, Madison answered, “Manager Xiao?”
“The results of the selection are in,” came the voice from the other end.
Madison, puzzled, replied, “But the competition isn’t over, is it?”
With a sigh, Frank explained, “It’s finished. Deputy Director Ye told me the plan was a simulated rescue operation, but then the Yuanchuan earthquake happened.”
Madison waited in silence, heart racing, for what was to come. Ads by PubFuture
Frank’s voice was low, “The outcome is…”
Clutching her phone tightly, Madison braced herself for the news.
Meanwhile, the pilots from National Airlines were gradually returning although the areas they stayed in were not fully rebuilt, and the demand for helicopters and planes was dwindling.
Being with National Airlines meant they were stationed between Yuanchuan and another provincial capital, not mingling with the Mukino Aviation pilots in Nanlin City.
Initially pleased to be assigned to
hel.ne
provincial capital, the pilots felt valued by their superiors, as the reconstruction there would attract more attention than a smaller city.
However, the reality was the opposite.
Nanlin City had stolen the limelight, especially with Mukino International’s rapid rebuilding efforts, overshadowing them completely.
Zheng Congyu sat expressionless in the company office for twenty minutes, surrounded by other weary pilots who dared not leave without his permission.
After a while, with everyone visibly
exhausted, Kou Mei reached her limit, “Captain Zheng, did you call us
here just to sit around? We’re all
tired. If there’s nothing else, l leave.”
Her colleagues looked at her with a mix of shock and admiration.
Zheng finally turned his attention to Kou Mei, his gaze not particularly warm and tinged with annoyance.
“Is that the tone you use to speak to me?” he challenged.
Kou Mei instantly understood; Zheng was looking to vent his frustration, and speaking up now was like walking into the line of fire.Contents belong to NovelDrama.Org
A female pilot who often clashed with Kou Mei sneered, “Captain Kou, so now you don’t even respect Captain Zheng?”
Unfazed, Kou Mei shot back, “I certainly can’t stoop to being a sycophant like you.”
The other pilot flared up, “Who are you calling a sycophant?”
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