After Nora joined them at the dinner table, Jessica, although still unhappy, had decided to tolerate it due to Leo’s earlier assertiveness.
Following dinner, Leo advanced Nora a month’s salary.
As Nora received the money, her eyes welled up with tears, and she continuously bowed to thank Leo.
Meanwhile, Jessica discreetly brought Sophia to the second floor.
Pushed into her room by her mother, Sophia asked reluctantly, “Mom, what are you up to?”
“Darling, be honest with Mom, is your name on the property deed of Villa No. 9 at Cloud Dream Mountain?” Jessica inquired.
Leo had secretly bought Villa No. 9 at Cloud Dream Mountain, and Sophia had no prior knowledge of it, nor was her name on the deed.
Sophia looked at her mother, puzzled, and replied, “No, why do you ask?”
“Sweetie, you’re either genuinely naïve or pretending to be. How can this villa not have your name on it? Find some time for Leo to add your name to the property deed, or better yet, transfer ownership to you.” Jessica advised.
Sophia wasn’t in the mood to speculate on her mother’s ulterior motives. She shook her head and said, “Mom, everything’s fine now. Why should I suddenly transfer the villa into my name? Besides, I’m really busy with work lately, and I don’t have time for all of this.”
Jessica looked at Sophia with exasperation. “Are you really that clueless or just pretending? Without your name on the property deed, what happens if Leo decides to divorce you in the future? As a woman, you need to ensure your own security. Remember what Leo did earlier? He even dared to ask me to leave, all because the property deed was in his name. But if it’s in yours, he wouldn’t dare treat me that way.”
Now Sophia understood. Jessica wanted to secure ownership of Villa No. 9 so she could have the upper hand in front of Leo.
Sophia had no intention of going along with it. She looked at her mother and said, “Mom, you were in the wrong in this situation from the start. Let’s not entertain these twisted thoughts.”
“What do you mean by twisted thoughts? I’m your real mother, and everything I do is for your own good, do you understand?” Jessica said in frustration.
Sophia waved her hand, signaling a stop. “Mom, let’s put an end to this. I won’t let Leo add my name to the property deed. This villa was bought by Leo, and the property deed should only have his name on it.”
Seeing Sophia about to leave, Jessica hastily reached out to stop her. “Sweetie, don’t be so naive. Who can guarantee that Leo will never leave you? You need to plan for the future.”
Sophia shook off Jessica’s hand and said coldly, “Mom, I think you want the villa to be transferred into my name so that I can divorce Leo, right? Regardless of whether Leo’s feelings for me change or not, I will never divorce him.”
After saying this, Sophia turned and left the room.
Jessica’s face soured. She felt unappreciated for all she had done for Sophia. This stubborn girl just didn’t know her own good.
“Sophia, since you blindly trust that waste of space Leo, let Mom handle this matter for you,” Jessica muttered under her breath, deep in thought.
In the bedroom, after freshening up, the two lay on the bed.
“Darling, you’ve been working so hard these days, and I heard that a massage can help relieve fatigue. Do you want me to give you a massage?” Leo softly suggested.
Sophia hesitated for a moment. Their most intimate physical contact thus far had been hugging and kissing.
Subconsciously, Sophia felt that a massage could bring them closer.
Her cheeks slightly reddened, and she softly responded, “Hmm.”
Leo sat up from the bed and then moved to the foot of Sophia’s bed, taking hold of her left foot.
Sophia had very pretty feet, not too big or too small, just the right size.
Holding her foot felt like holding a piece of creamy white jade, exceptionally soft.
Leo summoned a bit of energy and applied it to his right hand, then used traditional Chinese medicine techniques to massage her foot.
“How does that feel, comfortable?” Leo couldn’t help but ask.
“Mmm…” Sophia let out a soft hum and closed her eyes, enjoying the sensation.
That night, Sophia slept especially soundly and even had a beautiful dream. In her dream, she exuded a serene beauty.
It was in this serene beauty that Leo drifted off to sleep.
The next day, after getting ready and having breakfast, Leo, as usual, drove Sophia to work after their morning run.
Once Sophia got into the elevator, Leo drove away. He decided to see patients at the Nameless Traditional Chinese Medicine Clinic in the morning and practice at Cloud Dream Mountain’s Heaven’s Extreme Stone in the afternoon.
Not long after arriving at the clinic, Leo was surprised to find Noel paying him a visit.
As a prominent figure in the city, Noel wasn’t here for small talk. He had come to request medical assistance from Leo.
Leo didn’t refuse and, after leaving the clinic, followed Noel to his home.
On the way, Noel explained the specifics of the situation. It turned out that his brother-in-law was sick, initially suffering from pain in both feet, followed by muscle atrophy throughout his body.
The strangest thing was that his brother-in-law would inexplicably start sweating, and as soon as he sweated, his back would become excruciatingly painful. Additionally, his hands would stiffen, rendering him unable to move, almost as if an invisible rope tied them.
This condition would persist for over an hour, after which his hands would regain normal function.
Noel’s brother-in-law had seen several doctors and even Chinese medicine practitioners in their city, but none could cure his peculiar ailment.
Upon seeking Noel’s help, he had come to Langstel, where Dr. Lee had tried to treat him but ultimately recommended Noel to see Leo.
Noel had witnessed Leo’s miraculous treatment with medicinal dishes before and had no doubts about Leo’s abilities, which was why he had come to the Nameless Traditional Chinese Medicine Clinic.
Noel resided in a government housing complex that outwardly resembled an ordinary residential community but was inhabited by many municipal government officials.
Noel’s home was not spacious, modestly decorated, clean, and tidy. Inside, it exuded an inviting and cozy atmosphere.
Three people sat on the couch, two of whom were clearly a married couple, appearing slightly younger than Noel. The man’s hands were pressed against his waist and abdomen, unmoving, and his expression conveyed great pain.
The other person was a woman of similar age to Noel. She had a round face, fair skin, and a gentle countenance. It was easy to tell she was Noel’s spouse.