Brandy Quinn's injury wasn't serious, just a mild concussion. She strongly insisted on staying in the hospital for a couple of days for observation.
Serena Sutton left the hospital, intending to return to her dorm, only to receive a text from Ethan Sutton.
"Hey princess, mom wants you to come home for dinner tonight. Be prepared; she knows about you skipping classes last week."
Ethan Sutton was Serena Sutton's second elder brother.
Seeing the words "come home for dinner," Serena Sutton felt a bit intimidated.
Feeling a bit restless, she ruffled her hair and replied, "Got it."
The Sutton Family's financial situation was quite good.
Her father, Zane Sutton, was a university professor, and her mother, Nina Hayes, was a psychologist. They met in college.
Serena Sutton had two brothers. Her eldest brother, Nathan Sutton, was a Ph.D. in biochemistry, currently working at a national biochemical research institute, spending every day in the lab. He was cold in nature and rarely came home.
Her second brother, Ethan Sutton, was a game programmer with a ton of flaws, usually laid-back with a hint of roguishness.
When Serena Sutton got home, only Mr. Sutton was there, sitting on the sofa reading a book.
She quietly glanced around and whispered, "Old Sutton, where's mom?"
Mr. Sutton adjusted his glasses, glancing towards the kitchen, "Cooking."
Serena Sutton sighed in relief and quickly ran to Mr. Sutton's side, sternly asking, "Did you tell mom about me skipping classes?"
Although Serena studied English and Mr. Sutton taught advanced mathematics, she knew he knew many teachers in the foreign language department, so there was a high chance he might have snitched.
Mr. Sutton waved his hand, lowering his voice, "Daughter, it wasn't me."
"Hey, our little Ria is back."
A lazy male voice interrupted their conversation.
Ethan Sutton, wearing a T-shirt and casual pants, shuffled in slippers, yawning, with a hint of drowsiness in his voice. His eyes, filled with a charming smile, appeared casual and nonchalant.
Despite being handsome, his roguish aura couldn't be concealed.
Serena Sutton glared at him, but Ethan Sutton merely scratched his hair, lazily sitting next to her.
From the kitchen, Nina Hayes heard Ethan's voice and hurried out, staring at Serena on the sofa. "Decided to come back now?"
Facing her mother's stern face, Serena Sutton forced a smile.
"This is my home; how could I not come back?"
Nina Hayes snorted softly, "You're so close to home, yet you only come back once a month."
As they spoke, Nathan Sutton came out of a room.
He wore a white shirt, black trousers, and gold-rimmed glasses, with a handsome and refined demeanor. Yet, his expression was indifferent as he walked straight to a single sofa and sat down, engrossed in the book in his hand.
Nina Hayes lightly coughed, "Since everyone's here, let's have a small family meeting before dinner."
Though she called it a family meeting, everyone knew it was specifically to "criticize" Serena Sutton.
"Serena Sutton."
Startled at being called out, Serena immediately put on a smile, "Yes."
"You've got some nerve, skipping the current affairs and policies class twice. Your tutor even called home."
Despite not appearing fierce, Nina Hayes was particularly formidable when scolding someone, with logical arguments and psychological analysis, which Serena had feared since childhood.
"I-I skipped because I was volunteering with seniors. You didn't know..."
"You have a reason for skipping now?" Nina Hayes interrupted, "Your dad is also a teacher at your university. How do you expect him to keep face like this?"
At this point, Mr. Sutton, who had been silent and sitting upright, adjusted his glasses. His gaze was a bit evasive, and he quietly said, "Ahem, well, actually, losing a bit of face is no big deal. Kids make mistakes, which is normal."
"Zane Sutton, shut up," Nina Hayes glared at him, "Always defending the kids."
Mr. Sutton immediately went silent, placing his hands awkwardly on his knees, bowing his head, saying nothing.
At this moment, silence was golden for him.
Seeing Old Sutton concede, Serena Sutton pouted, signaled to Ethan Sutton with her eyes, and quietly tugged at his clothes.
Ethan Sutton lazily looked up, "Dear mother, don't be mad. She's just a clueless little kid. After dinner, I'll teach her a lesson."
Hearing this, Nina crossed her arms, "You said the same thing last time. Look at you now, lazy and laid-back. Can't you be as mature and stable as your eldest brother?"
Hearing Ms. Hayes scold Ethan, Serena secretly smiled, trying to suppress her laughter.
Ethan Sutton, a bit exasperated, held his forehead. Somehow, the attention shifted to him.
Yet this ungrateful little thing laughed at him?
Seeing Serena smile, Ms. Hayes frowned, "You're still laughing?"
Serena: "..."
"Mom, Ria's still young," a low voice resonated among the family.
Ms. Hayes paused, looking towards Nathan on the single sofa.
By now, Nathan had closed his book, his amber eyes staring straight at Nina.
As a psychologist, Nina felt there was a hurdle in her career she could never overcome.
That was her eldest son.
From childhood, he hardly spoke. His most frequent words were monosyllables like "hmm" or "oh."
Nina believed her eldest son might have personality defects or psychological issues, but she never found a way to deal with him.
At 29, he hadn't even been in a relationship, a thought that gave Nina headaches.
As they say, there's always someone who can counter you. Ms. Hayes might be at the top of the Sutton Family's chain, but her weak spot was Nathan. Of course, Serena was an unpredictable factor.
"Ahem, your tutor said skipping classes must be punished. You need to write a reflection and attend those two missed classes with another class," Nina unconsciously turned away, feeling a bit apprehensive under Nathan's gaze.
"Wash up and prepare for dinner." She tossed this out as she turned towards the kitchen.
Serena grinned widely.
She motioned a heart with her fingers towards Nathan, "Big brother, love ya!"
Nathan's usually impassive and handsome face revealed a faint smile.
Ethan knocked on Serena's head, "Ungrateful, you only care about big brother, huh?"
Serena hugged Ethan's arm, smiling flatteringly, revealing her dimples.
"If second brother helps me write my reflection, I'll love you too."
Ethan: "..." Damn!
-
After dinner, Serena returned to her room.
Her room was filled with antique decorations, exuding a classical charm.
There were fans, sachets, vases, and paintings. In one corner, there was a guqin.
These were all gifts from her brothers. Serena used to love everything with an ancient style, though her enthusiasm had waned, except for the guqin.
Previously, she would bring the guqin to volunteer activities and large performances.
Although not professionally trained, she had some skill.
That night, Serena had a strange dream.
She dreamt of the doctor she met that afternoon.
He was still wearing a white coat, elegant and handsome, but...
Beside him was a girl, whose face Serena couldn't clearly see.
She only heard the man speak with a clear, pleasant voice, yet his words were heartless.
"Give up, I'm already married."