55. Unexpected Lunch

Ashley's scratches are indeed quite severe because they are quite numerous, spreading across her hands and legs on her right side. It is natural to make anyone who sees it cringe or even think it is disgusting. Plus imagining that after the wounds healed, the scars would probably be even more horrifying.

Meanwhile, Ashley's mother, who witnessed it all, felt the need to put an end to the unpleasant attitude that Josh's mother was showing towards her daughter.

"It doesn't matter. Go to our family dermatologist once your body feels better. She'll help your wounds dry properly and make them heal without any marks."

“Without a mark?” Josh's mother was surprised and quite curious about the statement she had just heard. How could such a large number of wounds heal without a mark? “Is that really possible?”

“Of course,” Ashley's mother answered flatly but firmly, "She is a renowned expert in her work. That's why she became our family's specialized doctor. I can recommend her to you if you are interested."

“Perhaps... I'd be happy to visit her whenever I have free time.”

“That's not what I meant,” Ashley’s mother corrected her words, "You can't visit her whenever you have free time. She’s the one who decides whether you can be her patient or not, and then you can visit her. Not just anyone can be touched by her hands. But for you, I might be able to ask her to take her time and give you special treatment."

"Really, really? Is she really that good? I can get special treatment too? Oh... I'd be very grateful if you'd do that for me. It makes me very curious," Josh's mother looked happy with a sparkle in her eyes.

The woman did not realize that Ashley's mother was silencing her while showing who had the highest hierarchy here.

After seeing such a cheap reaction, Ashley’s mother flashed her faint grin with satisfaction.

Just then, the bell rang from the front door.

Ashley turned to Josh, wondering who had come to visit. The two of them had just moved in a few days ago. She had no friends at all. While Josh—there was no way, that guy invited his friend to come over without telling her. Or maybe his girlfriend—

“Aunt Gong?” Josh asked casually, without expecting anything.

Josh himself, apparently, didn't know who might be coming. And from his calm gesture, it was most likely not his girlfriend. It seemed outrageous that the girl would suddenly dare to come to his house without Josh's knowledge. After all, Josh himself had said that the girl must be having fun right now.

Maybe it really was Aunt Gong as Josh had guessed. But, Ashley didn't understand why the woman bothered to press the bell?

“But why did she press the bell?” It was indeed lunchtime, and it was natural for the woman to come. But she should have been able to just walk right in as usual since Ashley had given her access.

“No,” Ashley’s mother replied, "I told her not to come here today. Maybe it's the lunch I ordered."

“Then I'll check first,” Josh said. Taking the initiative to quickly leave the living room that somehow felt stuffy to him. Even if it was only for a short while, at least he could breathe freely.

Sure enough, when Josh opened the door, there were waiters wearing uniforms from one of the famous restaurants carrying a lot of food.

Josh let them inside one by one.

Ashley's mother instructed the waiters to immediately arrange all the food on the dining table.

Once everything was arranged, Josh helped Ashley to stand up and move to sit in the dining room.

“Does it hurt so much that you have trouble walking on your own?” Josh's mother asked when she saw Ashley unable to hide her expression of pain several times. She actually had no malicious intent hidden behind her question. Instead, it was pure curiosity. It's just that, being used to speaking rather bluntly, most of her words sounded like poorly worded sentences.

"No, Mom. Just occasionally when I move around a lot," Ashley answered honestly.

“Of course it hurts,” Ashley's mother chimed in with the answer Josh's mother wanted, “Looking at the way her injuries look, it's strange that she doesn't feel anything.”

“That's right, that's right,” Josh's mother agreed with a crisp laugh, then turned to look at Ashley earnestly. "I'm sorry. I should have paid more attention to you."

There was no denying that the woman had charm. She doesn't look like she can be beaten by Ashley's mother. In fact, the more Ashley's mother wanted to take her down, the more Josh's mother showed her skill in doing innocent but dangerous maneuvers. The relationship between the two of them looked very interesting in Ashley's eyes at that moment.

“We'd better start eating,” Ashley's mother instructed.

“Good idea,” Josh's mother still happily chimed in.

“Actually, I just finished a bowl of porridge,” Ashley suddenly gave unexpected information. It wasn't her fault that she didn't know there was going to be such a complete lunch all of a sudden because her mother didn't tell her. “So I guess I'm not too hungry right now.”

"Well, I made some porridge earlier because Ashley skipped breakfast. I was worried about her stomach hurting from taking so much medicine."

“You can make porridge?” Josh's mother was surprised.

“You made that porridge?” Ashley was equally surprised. Because Josh didn't tell her and the porridge she ate tasted too good for ordinary home-made porridge.

"Hm-hm. Why are you surprised? Of course I can make it. And, because it's for Ashley, so I guess my hands automatically made it many times better," Josh praised himself as he cupped and rubbed the back of Ashley's hand.

Ashley who saw Josh's gesture snorted softly.

"Then you don't have to eat. It's okay, there's no need to force yourself," Josh's mother said to Ashley.

"You still have to eat. At least a bite. Think of your etiquette when you're at the table with the elders," Ashley’s mother had a different opinion. She spoke in a tone so stern that it silenced everyone.

Except Ashley, who had to respond to her mother's words, “Okay, Mom.”

Josh tried to take charge of the sudden awkwardness. “You can choose a light meal, instead,” Josh immediately took the initiative to help Ashley bring the dish that the girl wanted. “Which one do you want?”

Meanwhile, Ashley was forced to smile and pretend to be harmonious with Josh. Although it felt awkward and sickening, she still tried to hold it in. She pointed to the ravioli on one of the large plates, and said “That” in a cute tone. If Josh wanted to play, she would be happy to play along with him.

“You two are so cute,” Josh's mother was pleased to see her youngest son's interaction with her daughter-in-law.

“It sure feels good when it's new,” Ashley's mother gave her the honest, albeit bitter, facts.

Josh's mother, however, responded with a slight giggle. "I've been married to my husband for thirty years. But our household still feels as fun as newlyweds.“ she leered at Ashley, ”Don't worry, Josh will definitely make your days full of fun."

Ashley smiled. Not knowing how to react to such information.

"I guess we weren't wrong to get them married. They look very compatible, don't they, Unnie?"

Ashley's mother nodded. "That's what we all hope for, isn't it? I'm glad you guys seem to be getting along well."

While Josh's mother eagerly agreed and then made another wish that felt like a joke that made Josh and Ashley sick to their stomachs, "I hope you two stay together forever and give us adorable grandchildren very soon. Right, Unnie?"

Josh and Ashley didn't answer because neither of them had an answer that their mothers wanted to hear.

Again, Josh's mother continued her speech even though no one tried to respond or involve themselves, "Oh yeah, you know that we're both the same age, right? Even so, I feel more comfortable calling her Unnie. It's also more pleasing to the ear,“ Josh's mother explained excitedly, ”Isn't it, Unnie?" then asked Ashley’s mother for the umpteenth time for approval.

Meanwhile, Ashley's mother just smiled and continued to eat her food with manners.

Ashley felt that the situation at the dinner table was very awkward. Her mother probably didn't even bother to listen to all of Josh's mother’s babbling. But Josh's mother was still able to pretend to be nice and constantly praise her.

Let alone Josh's mother who was someone else, the people in her core family alone could not take Ashley's mother's heart easily.

Ashley secretly saw the two women as polar opposites.

Her mother's demeanor was calm and cold.

While Josh's mom, with her natural beauty, seemed much more cheerful. Perhaps that was what made her face even more pleasant to look at—even Ashley herself as a girl admitted that Josh's mother looked so beautiful and very young for her age. It also directly gives the reasonable reason of how Josh could have that kind of face.