Adrian Jennings stopped in his tracks, frowned as he glanced at her, and then his gaze fell on Ethan Grant behind Selina Hughes. He spoke leisurely, "Ethan, where’s your gentlemanly grace?" ʀᴇᴀᴅ ʟᴀᴛᴇsᴛ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs ᴀᴛ ɴovelfire.net
She looked at Adrian Jennings in disbelief.
Ethan Grant’s expression turned slightly grim as he lifted his eyes to meet Talia Rhodes’ calm gaze.
Perhaps Talia hadn’t entirely forgotten him; she was simply pretending. If he helped another girl across the river right in front of her, would Talia be jealous?
Thinking this way, Ethan Grant reached out to support Selina Hughes with a gentle tone, "Don’t be afraid, Selina, I’ll help you."
Selina Hughes lowered her eyes and gritted her teeth in a voice only they could hear, "What are you doing? I wanted Adrian to help me."
Ethan Grant replied, "If he doesn’t want to help you, are you just going to stand in the middle of the river and not move?"
"I don’t need you to help."
"Your words." Suddenly, Ethan Grant released Selina Hughes’ hand.
Selina Hughes suddenly screamed and nearly slipped into the river. She instinctively grabbed Ethan Grant’s hand tightly, "Help me across first."
Ethan Grant sneered, rolling his eyes silently.
Adrian Jennings saw Selina Hughes was fine, so he no longer paid attention to her and turned to continue walking forward.
Everyone walked and stopped intermittently, reaching the evening quickly.
The red sun sank westward, weary birds returned to their nests, the sky was filled with twilight colors scattered across thousands of miles, resplendent as a painting, the sunset infinitely beautiful.
There was a spot with great visibility where one could see the sunset and twilight, Ryan Quinn was the first to stop to take photos.
Others who came afterward also stopped to take pictures.
A breathless Yvonne Coleman trudged along with a hiking stick to this spot and got caught candidly by Ryan Quinn.
Ryan Quinn held a DSLR, smirking mischievously, "The expression pack of 4K ultra-clear imagery is born."
Yvonne Coleman gritted her teeth, "Ryan Quinn, delete it for me!"
"Not deleting it, such an amusing thing I must keep for slow enjoyment."
Yvonne Coleman found a large rock to sit on and looked up to appreciate the twilight sky.
"I’m tired now, too lazy to argue with you, I’ll deal with you slowly when I get back."
Talia and Adrian Jennings arrived at this spot, the sunset glow gently sprinkling on their faces and bodies, coating them with a thin layer of soft orange light, even Adrian Jennings’ stern contours softened by a few degrees.
"Tsk, what a perfect match indeed." Ryan Quinn aimed his lens at this extremely aesthetically pleasing couple in the sunset afterglow and pressed the shutter.
In the photo, Talia squinted slightly at the sunset while Adrian Jennings stood beside her, looking at her intently and enamoured.
Ryan Quinn brought the photo over to show Adrian Jennings, "Tsk, look at your expression, I’m almost moved—how does that poem go? You stand on the bridge appreciating the scenery, while the person watching the scenery is upstairs looking at you."
Andrew Donovan chuckled, "Oh, you can even recite poetry!"
Ryan Quinn glanced at him, "Such a famous verse even I know. Though I loved playing when studying, don’t think I haven’t read books."
Yvonne Coleman snickered, "People with no literary ink in their bellies love to flaunt the most."
"Tsk." Ryan Quinn said displeased, "What nonsense are you talking, little girl? Can’t you leave your brother some face while outside?"
Adrian Jennings held Ryan Quinn’s DSLR, admiring that group photo, his eyes filled with praise, "Photography lessons weren’t in vain, it’s beautifully shot, send it to me later."
Ryan Quinn held up two fingers, "This many."
Yvonne Coleman looked disdainful, "Is he really selling the photo? With your greedy businessman face, it’s embarrassing, don’t say you’re my brother."
Ryan Quinn, "Shut up, little girl, what do you know."
Adrian Jennings wasn’t upset, his eyes showed a playful smile, "Twenty thousand?"
Ryan Quinn shook his head, "This is your and Talia’s century group photo, just giving twenty thousand for such a result? Flat rate, two million! You can even show it on the big screen at your wedding later—look how well shot, the atmosphere, the light and shadow, absolutely perfect!"
Talia couldn’t listen any longer, laughingly said, "Ryan, you truly are a greedy businessman, selling one photo for two million, do you really raise prices on the spot?"
"Deal." Adrian Jennings didn’t hesitate, "Send it to my email, WeChat compresses the image quality."
Ryan Quinn beamed, giving Adrian Jennings a thumbs-up, "Straightforward! I like people like you, straightforward!"
Talia was dumbfounded, her mouth moved but in the end, she didn’t say anything.
Forget it, it’s not her money being spent anyway, let him do as he wishes.
Talia looked at the sunset scenery ahead, cheerful at heart, it seemed even her chest became broad, she squinted her eyes, spreading her arms to the wind and joyfully called out.
The fatigue from many days dissipated at this moment, Talia felt unprecedentedly relaxed.
Yvonne Coleman followed suit with a yell, the girls’ excited voices echoed in the valley, startling a few birds.
Selina Hughes was exhausted, panting as she approached, hearing Talia and Yvonne calling out loudly, frowning in displeasure, her expression quite disdainful.
Beside her Ivy Yates rolled her eyes and sneered, "That idiot Yvonne says I’m not presentable, she’s shouting like that and does it make her presentable? All that fuss, where’s the demeanor of a wealthy young lady."
Sylvia Kingsley said, "Ivy, don’t lower yourself to her level, what good could come of someone who hangs out with Talia Rhodes?"
Sylvia Kingsley’s remark stepped on both Talia Rhodes and Yvonne Coleman, making Selina Hughes and Ivy Yates laugh.
On this side, Winter Donovan suggested, "The scenery is so beautiful, why don’t we take a group photo?"
"Sure, sure." Yvonne Coleman got up from the rock, "Ryan, come take a picture of us."
Ryan Quinn wasn’t willing, "How could a group photo lack me?"
He glanced around and handed the DSLR to Selina Hughes, "Selina, why don’t you help us take a photo?"
Ryan Quinn, big-hearted, didn’t notice Selina Hughes’ feelings for Adrian Jennings, only assuming earlier she stuck to Adrian out of sibling affection.
Yvonne Coleman grabbed Ryan Quinn’s hand, took back the camera, "No."
After all, the camera still had the group photo of Talia and Adrian Jennings. Knowing Selina Hughes, who knows what tricks she’d pull, then the camera getting broken or lost, the group photo gone and the two million vanished too.
Ryan Quinn was puzzled, "Why?"
Yvonne Coleman cursed under her breath "Pig-headed" and said, "Just don’t let them take it, I brought a selfie stick, let’s use the phone instead."
"Can phone pixels compare to the camera?"
"No, but it’s not bad either." Yvonne Coleman took out the selfie stick and set the phone up, "Winter, Talia, come stand beside me."
Winter Donovan and Talia walked over to stand on either side of Yvonne Coleman.
Adrian Jennings stood beside Talia, Andrew Donovan stood next to Winter Donovan, Ryan Quinn shrugged and naturally stood beside Adrian Jennings.
Yvonne Coleman extended the selfie stick, raised it and smiled, "One, two, three, cheese!"
The three girls smiled brightly, all making "V" signs, while the three men only slightly raised the corners of their mouths, the scene was harmonious.
Yvonne Coleman took several photos, the girls changed their expressions and poses several rounds, but the three men kept the same expression and actions.
Selina Hughes watched nearby, jealousy rising in her eyes, why weren’t she called for the group photo?