The clicking and rattling sound of the chess pieces irritated Jordan, who was already hesitant. "Hey, stop making noise!" he snapped.
Jay chuckled and remarked, "You're just finding subjective reasons instead of real objective ones."
Jordan scratched his hair in frustration, unintentionally turning it into a messy tangle.
Jordan gazed at Joseph with a pleading expression, seeking his assistance.
Joseph pressed his lips together, hiding a smile.
Just as Jordan was about to speak up, Jay swiftly intervened, putting a halt to his words. "Hey, a gentleman watches the chess game in silence," Jay advised.
Jordan furrowed his brow, unable to fully comprehend the meaning behind Jay's words. Joseph, however, understood the underlying truth and couldn't help but laugh, deciding not to interfere and remaining silent.
Joseph's decision made Jordan grasp Jay's intention to some extent. He furrowed his brows even tighter and exclaimed, "There's outside help in this game!"
"You can surrender," Jay taunted him provocatively.
This tactic significantly affected Jordan, who scratched his head vigorously, hastily making a move with the chess piece in his hand. Jay burst into laughter as Jordan's king was suddenly exposed.
"I made a mistake! No, no!" Jordan quickly retracted his move, scrambling to correct his error.
Jay swiftly snatched the chess piece back from Jordan's hand and exclaimed loudly, "No cheating! In chess, there's no room for regret. Once you lose, you lose! You can't change that fact."
"I didn't lose!" Jordan retorted, snatching the chess piece back once more.
"You're the one who lost. Why are you so sore about it?" Jay raised his voice as well.
The chess game led to a scuffle between the two grown men.
Joseph watched the scene unfold, speechless.
Irish couldn't help but find amusement in the situation, laughing joyfully.
Even Lilith, who had been quietly observing Jay's chess game, couldn't help but smile. She had a natural beauty, with no makeup on her face and her complexion still a bit pale. She wore a white bubble-sleeved coat paired with a floral skirt, resembling a pristine crystal doll. Despite her good mental state, there were visible bruises on her neck and wrists, likely remnants of the drug addiction.
Mary entered the living room, her voice booming and nearly lifting the roof. "What's going on? Get back to work! The fish isn't ready yet!"
Jay and Jordan halted their scuffle, and Jay chuckled at Jordan, saying, "The loser of the game scales the fish."
Before Jordan could utter a word, he heard Mary's thunderous roar, "Jay, are you pretending to be a guest here? Get to work now!"
Jay had no choice but to reluctantly stand up.
Seeing Jordan's smug expression, Jay grabbed his shoulder tightly, causing Jordan to cry out, "Help! The police officer is attacking me!"
"Come here and work with me!" Jay pulled Jordan along as they both stood up.
"You little jerk! I told you to work. What are you doing with Jordan?" Mary scolded Jay.
Joseph smiled faintly and interjected, "Auntie, let Jordan do his work."
Jordan burst into tears.
Initially, Joseph had also intended to assist in the kitchen, but he was stopped by Steven, who said, "Leave the kitchen tasks to them, Joseph. Come and play chess with me."
"Uncle, Joseph bought you a new chess set," Irish added.
Steven's face lit up with joy. "That's fantastic! I'll give the new set a try right away."
Joseph chuckled and replied, "No problem."
Steven and Joseph enjoyed their chess game, giving Irish an opportunity to pull Lilith aside and inquire about the situation.
"I believe that even if I can't be with Jay in the future, having this time as a cherished memory is enough," Lilith softly confided as she nestled on the sofa.
Curious, Irish asked why Lilith felt that way.
Lilith spoke honestly, "Considering my current situation, I am not worthy of him at all. How could he face his colleagues if this were to become known?"
Irish questioned what Jay's thoughts were, hoping for insight.
Lilith lowered her head gently and bit her lip. "He said he wants to start over," she revealed.
This confirmed Irish's previous speculation. The two seemed to have reached a point where their relationship could be improved.
"Lilith, you need to consider everything more positively," Irish advised.
"But for now, I..." Lilith trailed off, uncertain.
"How long has the drug addiction episode lasted now?" Irish inquired.
Lilith pondered momentarily before responding, "It's better than before. I couldn't even recognize people during the worst times, and my mind was clouded."
"You see, you're making progress. People need to maintain hope for the future to see the possibility of improvement," Irish encouraged.
Lilith lowered her head, twisting her fingers anxiously.
"I'll just ask you directly. Do you want to be with Jay?" Irish asked.
Lilith's eyes quivered, and she softly replied, "Yes."
"Well, then, for now, don't worry about anything else. Focus on overcoming the addiction first," Irish advised.
She believed that since Jay had brought Lilith out with him, it indicated that he had already realized something, which was a positive development.
Lilith closed her lips, and as she raised her eyes, she happened to catch sight of Jay approaching. Her face flushed, causing her usually pale complexion to appear more vibrant. She immediately lowered her head in embarrassment.
Jay noticed the situation, a smile playing on his lips as he approached them. He had been concerned about Lilith's well-being, which is why he entered the living room to check on her. Unexpectedly, he saw her blushing, and his heart was gently stirred.
Sitting beside her, Jay reached out and naturally embraced her, asking, "What were you two talking about?"
"Nothing important," Irish quickly responded, noticing Lilith's embarrassment in front of Jay, causing her to move to the side.
Jay raised an eyebrow as he looked at her, sensing the underlying message.
Irish understood and swiftly stood up, saying, "Alright, I'll leave you two some space."
"Sister!" Lilith's embarrassment deepened.
Meanwhile, Joseph and Steven were engrossed in their chess game, appearing as if two masters were competing. Irish didn't want to disturb them, as she had no knowledge of how to play chess. In the kitchen, Jordan sat obediently, picking vegetables, while Mary provided him with guidance on how to do it.
Observing everything happening behind the scenes, Irish felt a deep sense of gratitude.
When Joseph transferred his shares to Roy, Irish suspected that he might be leaving Runestone. Today, as she saw the seriousness on his face before leaving for work, she was almost certain that it would happen today.
Not wanting Joseph to feel lonely, she suggested gathering at her uncle's house to have a meal together. They all knew about Joseph's current situation and made an effort to avoid discussing Runestone-related topics.
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