Seraphina Vaughn, while eating, continued playing Dou Dizhu on her phone.

Julian Bishop was somewhat disapproving of her not eating properly, but he knew it wasn’t the time to deal with Seraphina Vaughn.

The more he tried to manage her, the more she would oppose him.

So Julian Bishop kept silent, listening to the somewhat noisy game sounds as he finished dinner.

As the sun completely disappeared, the sky grew darker, the lights on the balcony came on, and the wind became stronger with a chill.

Looking at Seraphina Vaughn focused solely on her phone, the originally steaming dumplings in the box had completely cooled, and it seemed she hadn’t eaten many.

Julian Bishop opened his mouth but swallowed his words.

Seraphina Vaughn didn’t seem to care about the food getting cold; after finishing a game, she reached for a dumpling and stuffed it into her mouth, immediately starting the next game.

Julian Bishop frowned, wanting to say something but fearing he might make things worse.

Thinking it over, Julian Bishop asked, "Do you have any plans for tonight?"

Seraphina Vaughn played her cards, then looked up at Julian Bishop and nonchalantly replied, "Does it concern you?"

Julian Bishop stood up and said, "After dinner, I can go walk with you downstairs."

Seraphina Vaughn put down her chopsticks, looked up at Julian Bishop, her eyes darting, and smiled, "Sure, how about a movie?"

Julian Bishop looked at Seraphina Vaughn thoughtfully, suspecting she was up to something, but he nodded and agreed, "Okay."

Seraphina Vaughn chuckled mischievously, stood up and said, "Then wait for me, I’ll go change clothes."

Julian Bishop hesitantly nodded, glanced at the still half-full box of dumplings, and asked her, "Not eating anymore?"

Seraphina Vaughn shook her head, "You eat if you want, I don’t want to."

After saying that, she left the balcony wearing slippers.

Julian Bishop picked up his jacket from the chair back and followed, watching Seraphina Vaughn enter a room on the left side of the hallway, and waited outside.

Seraphina Vaughn, instead of changing clothes, lay on the bed chatting on her phone, deliberately stalling to make Julian Bishop wait.

Julian Bishop used this waiting time to update Faye Xavier on work matters through his phone.

After all, his trip was a sudden decision, and unfinished work could only be handed over to Faye Xavier and Morgan Quinn.

After delegating tomorrow’s work, Julian Bishop checked the time and realized half an hour had passed.

He glanced at Seraphina Vaughn’s room door, never seeing her come out.

Julian Bishop put away his phone and, feeling uneasy, went to knock on the door.

Inside came Seraphina Vaughn’s lazy voice asking, "Who is it?" 𝙛𝒓𝒆𝙚𝒘𝒆𝓫𝙣𝓸𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝒄𝒐𝓶

"Me. I noticed you hadn’t come out, so I was worried. Are you alright?"

Seraphina Vaughn opened the door, looking unsatisfied, and said to Julian Bishop, "Don’t girls need time to get ready before going out? It hasn’t been an hour; you don’t have the patience to wait? Seems like you’re not sincerely wanting to go out with me."

Julian Bishop softly explained, "I was just concerned about something happening to you."

Seraphina Vaughn rolled her eyes, deliberately misconstruing Julian Bishop’s words, saying, "I think you’re just hoping for something wrong, pretending to care about me."

Julian Bishop calmly said, "Wear something warm, I’ll wait here. Have you decided what movie to watch? I can book the tickets first."

"No need, I’ve already got them, for nine thirty. You wait, I’ll come out once I’m ready." With that, Seraphina Vaughn closed the door and returned inside.

Julian Bishop patiently waited until Seraphina Vaughn finally came out after more than half an hour.

Seeing her wearing long pants and wrapped in a coat, reasonably warm, Julian Bishop didn’t nag, "Ready? Let’s go."

Seraphina Vaughn walked ahead, engrossed in her phone, while Julian Bishop followed half a step behind.

Thinking of reminding Seraphina Vaughn to mind her steps, but knowing she wouldn’t listen, he monitored her path instead, maintaining a cautious distance behind her, ready to respond immediately to any situations to protect her.

They took a taxi downstairs; Seraphina Vaughn sat in the front passenger seat, Julian Bishop in the back.

In the car, hearing Seraphina Vaughn’s call, Julian Bishop realized she had invited other friends.

When Julian Bishop first heard Seraphina Vaughn suggest a movie, he had prepared himself mentally, anticipating Seraphina Vaughn’s scheming.

Upon arriving at the cinema, Julian Bishop understood her purpose in inviting him was to mess with his mental state.

Seraphina Vaughn ignored Julian Bishop throughout the trip, and at the cinema, while meeting her friends, Seraphina Vaughn excluded Julian Bishop, enthusiastically chatting up her friends, even leaning shoulder to shoulder with a guy.

Julian Bishop didn’t seek attention, calmly observing Seraphina Vaughn’s antics as a bystander.

After ticket checks, Seraphina Vaughn and her friends sat in the prime viewing zone, while Julian Bishop’s seat was in the last row, at the far corner.

Clearly, this seating arrangement was deliberate on Seraphina Vaughn’s part.

But this seat had benefits too; he could clearly see where Seraphina Vaughn was.

As Julian Bishop watched Seraphina Vaughn, she turned and gave him a triumphant, challenging smile.

Julian Bishop remained unfazed, feeling Seraphina Vaughn’s behavior was somewhat childish.

Seraphina Vaughn, thinking she had successfully annoyed Julian Bishop, couldn’t help but snicker, as her girlfriend suddenly asked, "Seraphina, who’s that handsome guy following us earlier?"

Seraphina Vaughn raised an eyebrow and said, "I don’t know him."

"I thought he was your friend; he followed you, never speaking, it seemed odd."

Seraphina Vaughn pointed at her head and said, "Probably something off in here, so he seemed eccentric, just ignore him."

"Really?" The friend turned surprised, looking Julian Bishop over, "He doesn’t look like a fool, dressed sharply, and so handsome..."

Seraphina Vaughn nodded seriously and said, "Yeah, good looking, but it’s a pity he’s just a fool."

Julian Bishop watched the two whispering, their glances occasionally shifting towards him, clearly discussing him.

He didn’t need to hear; anything from Seraphina Vaughn’s mouth wouldn’t be kind.

He thought Seraphina Vaughn seemed hard to handle, but with the right approach, she’d come around easily.

Simple minded, childish behavior, perhaps... not even a week.