Dinner was sumptuous, but there were not many formalities because the Fritz family was usually very easygoing and always considered themselves ordinary people. The dining atmosphere was quite pleasant, and even Agnes did not feel any pressure. Tom Fritz was particularly attentive to her feelings, asking her in front of his parents and grandmother if she liked this or that dish.
Lisa observed everything, feeling something was off. The intimacy seemed staged, deliberate. They had only been together for two months; how deep could their feelings be? Moreover, in Lisa’s eyes, this girl was not exceptional. Agnes was young, like a blank slate. Lisa couldn’t understand what could attract an outstanding chemistry professor like Tom Fritz to her. Her background seemed ordinary too.
During dinner, Lisa couldn’t help but take out her phone and send a message. It read: “Check the background of the girl named Agnes around Tom Fritz. I need her basic information.”
“Bubu, right?” Williams spoke up, his gaze falling on the girl opposite him.
The girl looked up.
“Yes, uncle.”
“What do you like about our Tom?” The middle-aged man rephrased his question.
“Or rather, what is it about Tom that attracts you the most?”
Agnes didn’t think for long. She remembered the little cat she had never met, feeling a slight pang in her heart. She blurted out, “Uncle, I can’t say exactly what it is about him that’s good, but no one can replace him.”
Her answer made Williams unwilling to ask any more questions. Perhaps there were genuine feelings between them? From their behavior today, there were no flaws to be seen; she didn’t seem like a woman his son had brought just to appease them.
During dinner, Grandma personally served Lisa a few spoonfuls of soup. Just as Lisa felt elated, thinking she was favored exclusively, Grandma also served Agnes a few spoonfuls of soup. This pleased Tom Fritz greatly; it meant Grandma would accept Agnes. Grandma’s purpose was simple: she wanted him to get engaged before returning to the lab.
“Try some; girls should drink more soup for beauty and health,” Grandma said.
“Thank you, Grandma,” Agnes replied.
Tonight’s dinner saw the Fritz family elders refraining from making things difficult for Agnes out of respect for Tom. So even though Agnes dressed modestly, she still became the focus because Tom Fritz protected her.
Both Lisa and Agnes were unsure of the Fritz family’s attitude towards Agnes; neither girl had figured it out yet. But Tom Fritz didn’t think too much about it; he had brought his girlfriend home and would never agree to an engagement with Lisa.
After dinner, Jane said to her son, “Mom wants to talk to you. Will you play a game of chess with me in the living room?”
“Just one game,” Tom replied with a gentle smile in front of everyone.
“It’s my first time bringing my girlfriend home; it’s not good to leave her alone.”
“Alright,” Jane agreed and then looked gracefully at Agnes.
“Bubu, may I borrow Tom for ten minutes?”
The word “borrow” said a lot.
Agnes smiled and nodded while Lisa felt a chill in her heart.
Tom followed Jane to the chess table. At that moment, Agnes’s phone rang. Seeing it was Ansel calling, she took her phone and walked out of the living room.
In the evening garden, the breeze carried a hint of floral fragrance, making it very pleasant.
“Hello,” she answered as she stepped into the garden.
Dressed in a red evening gown, Lisa stood dejectedly at the door, watching Agnes’s back before deciding to follow her into the garden.