Picking the Golden Romance

Singapore

When Rachel woke up the morning after the Epiphyllum party, Nick was talking softly on the phone in the living room of their suite.

She lay quietly on the bed, her eyes slowly focusing, looking at Nick's back, trying to accept everything that had happened in the past 24 hours.Last night was unbelievable, a feeling of uneasiness emerged spontaneously—as if she suddenly fell into a secret room, and she suddenly discovered that her boyfriend had been performing a completely different double-sided life: before that, the two of them were in New York as young A college professor who has always lived an ordinary life; now Nick leads her to greatness and wealth.Rachel didn't know how to balance the two.

Rachel was by no means the innocent girl who grew up surrounded by wealth.After surviving a rough early life, her mother, Kari, finally had her luck: She was able to get a real estate broker's license just as Silicon Valley was just entering the dot-com boom.And Rachel, who has a childhood experience like a character in Dickens's writing, has transformed into a young girl living in the rich bay area.She later attended two top universities—Stanford and Northwestern—and met Palin and other trusted friends.Now she lives in the most expensive city in the United States and associates with the academic elite.

However, none of this history helped Rachel's experience in her first three days in Asia.Here she sees an astonishing display of wealth unlike anything she's seen before, and she's never seen through her boyfriend as part of "this world."

Nick's quality of life in New York is mediocre, if not very frugal.He rents a comfortable L-shaped apartment on Morton Street, and saves his laptop, bicycle, and stacks of books with no other valuables.He dresses casually with style, and Rachel (with no study of British bespoke menswear) would never know how expensive those crimped blazers labeled Huntsman or Anderson & Sheppard are.The only acts of extravagance she knew of were buying expensive produce at the Union Square farmers' market and getting the best seats when top-notch bands came to town.

But now a lot of things make sense.There was always something about Nick—even Rachel couldn't explain it herself—that set him apart from everyone else she knew: the way he talked to people, the way he leaned against the wall...he was always There are ways to step back into the background nicely.But also because of this, makes him more eye-catching.In the past, she attributed the reason to his outstanding appearance and strong intelligence. People like Nick who are blessed by God do not need to emphasize their charm; but now she knows that there are other reasons-this man has been in Taser since he was a child. Growing up in a place like Mill Manor, everything else in the world pales in comparison.Rachel is eager to learn more about Nick's childhood, his intimidating grandma, and the people at last night's party, but she doesn't want to bombard him with questions early in the morning, especially since she now has a whole summer to spend Explore this "New World".

"Hey, Sleeping Beauty." After Nick finished the call, he found that Rachel had woken up.He liked the way she looked just waking up—the messy hair was charming, and the way she opened her eyes with a happy, slightly tired smile.

"What time is it?" Rachel asked, stretching against the padded headboard.

"It's 09:30 soon." He walked over and got into the quilt, hugged her from behind, and pulled her into his arms. "Cuddling time!" he joked, kissing the back of her neck lightly.

Rachel turned to face him and began tracing the line from forehead to chin with her hand. "Someone told you..." she began.

"...I have a pretty face?" Nick finished for her with a smile. "I only hear my girlfriend say that every day, and she's obviously a little fool—did you sleep well?"

"Very well. I'm tired out last night."

"I'm so proud of you. I know it must be exhausting getting to know so many people, but you've got everyone swooning."

"Oops, that's what you said, I don't think your aunt in the Chanel suit thinks the same, and your uncle Harry. I think I should spend a year studying Singapore history, politics, and art— —”

"Please, no one wants you to be a scholar of Southeast Asia. It's nice to know you."

"Is your grandma too?"

"Yes! And she invited us to come and live next week."

"Really?" Rachel couldn't believe it. "We're going to live in Tethyr Manor?"

"Of course. She likes you and wants to know you better."

Rachel shook her head. "I can't believe I made a good impression on her."

Nick gently hung a lock of hair stuck to her forehead behind her ear and said: "First of all, you have to know that my grandma is shy and sometimes thought of as a cold person, but she is actually very good at observing people. People. And you don't need to try to please her, just be yourself."

Based on what she's heard from others, Rachel isn't quite sure if Nick's words are true, but she decides not to worry for now.The two of them lay glued together on the bed, listening to the screams of the children and the splash of water as they jumped into the pool.Nick sat up suddenly and said, "You know what we haven't done yet? We haven't ordered room service yet, which is one of the reasons I love this hotel! Come on, let's try their breakfast How on time!"

"You really know me! By the way, do the Colins really own the restaurant?" Rachel asked, picking up the leather-bound menu by the bed.

"Yeah, did Colin tell you that?"

"What Pei Lin said, I mentioned yesterday that we were going to attend Colin's wedding, and her whole family was almost scared to death."

"Why?" Nick wondered.

"They're just excited. You didn't tell me Colin's wedding was going to be that big."

"I didn't expect this to happen."

"It was clearly on the headlines and magazine covers of every newspaper in Asia."

"Newspapers have more things to report, such as major events happening in every corner of the world."

"Come on, there's no hotter news than an ultra-luxurious wedding."

Sighing, Nick rolled over on his bed and stared at the ceiling supported by wooden beams. "Colin is stressed and I'm really worried about him. He doesn't want a fancy wedding, but I think it's inevitable." Yes. Araminta and her mom are in charge of the wedding and from what I've heard, it's going to be a fantastic wedding."

"Fortunately, I just need to sit quietly in the audience." Rachel said with an unnatural smile.

"Yeah, I'm going to be in the middle of this 'circus stage'. It reminds me of Bernard Day's farewell bachelor party, he seems to have planned a huge show. We meet at the airport Meet and go to some secret place together—do you mind if I leave you behind for a few days?" Nick asked, stroking her arm lightly.

"Don't worry about me, just go about your business. I can walk around by myself, and both Astrid and Pei Lin said they can take me around on weekends."

"There's actually another option—Araminta called this morning and said she really wanted you to come to her bachelorette party this afternoon."

She pursed her lips slightly: "Don't you think she's just saying polite things? I mean, wouldn't it be weird to go to her and her best friend's party when I just met her?"

"Don't think so. Colin is my best friend, and Araminta is very social. I think there will be a lot of girls at the party, and you should have a good time. Why don't you call her and ask her?"

"Okay. But before that, let's order some Belgian muffins and butter syrup."