Chapter 142: The Art of Dating

Jonathan paused, then dialed a number. He went straight to the point. "What do you do when you're in a relationship?"

The other person was completely taken aback. "What? Dating? You're asking about dating? Wait, hold on, you're actually in a relationship?"

A barrage of questions followed, leaving Jonathan impatiently frowning. "Just answer my question."

The other person, still reeling from the shock, stammered, "You're actually dating!"

"Say one more word of nonsense and I'll block you," Jonathan warned.

The man's survival instincts kicked in. "Alright, alright. Dating, huh? Well, it's pretty simple—go on dates, buy gifts, and, you know, spend quality time together, if you get what I mean…"

Before he could finish, the call ended abruptly. When Jonathan tried calling back, he found the man had been blocked.

Instead of being upset, the man immediately opened a group chat and excitedly typed, "Jonathan is in a relationship!"

That single message was like an atomic bomb. The responses flooded in:

"If even he can date, then hell must have frozen over."

"Same."

The sender, thoroughly enjoying himself, added, "It's real. He just called me asking how to date."

"Are you sure he hasn't lost his mind? He actually asked you for dating advice?"

"Wait, who are you calling a…!"

The group chat erupted into chaos. Finally, they reached a unanimous decision: they had to go to Maviston to see this with their own eyes.

Meanwhile, Jonathan remained blissfully unaware of the storm he'd created. He sat in his living room, studying his tablet with an unusually serious expression. The screen displayed dating advice compiled by netizens. To an outsider, he looked as if he were conducting an important academic study.

The next morning, Sierra opened her door to an unexpected sight: Jonathan, holding a bouquet of flowers. For the first time, she truly felt like she was in a relationship with him. Last night had felt surreal, like a dream she hadn't yet awakened from.

Jonathan, on the other hand, looked completely at ease. He extended the bouquet. "The moment I first saw you, I thought you suited this flower."

Sierra took the bouquet and examined it, asking hesitantly, "Cotton tree flowers!"

"That's right," Jonathan nodded. The very first time he had seen Sierra, he'd thought she resembled a cotton tree flower: pure, bright, and unwaveringly resilient.

11:00 AM

Chapter 142: The Art of Dating (continued)

Sierra lightly brushed the petals, feeling her heartbeat quicken. Neither spoke, but the atmosphere was filled with unspoken warmth.

Then, "Wait, you, you two…"

Dickson stood frozen, staring at them in shock. The realization hit him instantly. "Sierra, Mr. Yeager, you two…"

Sierra was about to explain, but Jonathan was a step ahead. "Yes, as you can see, we're together now. Sierra is your sister, so you can start calling me brother-in-law!"

Sierra and Dickson were momentarily speechless. Sierra looked at Jonathan incredulously. Ever since he'd ditched his glasses, his personality had taken a drastic turn. He'd completely abandoned any pretense of subtlety.

Dickson, too, was at a loss for words. He could feel the underlying smugness in Jonathan's tone. It was hard to describe, but it was there. Still, he'd sensed something unusual between them, so this wasn't entirely shocking. He swallowed his thoughts and muttered, "Congratulations."

"Thanks!" Jonathan seemed pleased.

Sierra, on the other hand, turned away, unable to look directly at him. She'd never realized Jonathan could be so showy.

Meanwhile, Dickson watched them with a complicated look. Both Sierra and Jonathan had morning classes, so he drove her to the university. Originally, Sierra had planned to have him drop her off at the school gates so she could walk in alone.

But Jonathan had other plans. He drove straight onto campus, and as soon as he stepped out of the car, he naturally reached for her hand. Instantly, she felt countless eyes on them.

She immediately tensed. "Jonathan…"

Jonathan turned to look at her. "Hm?"

She had originally wanted to tell him to let go; there was no need to be so high-profile. But then she saw the way his lips curled upward, the way his entire expression softened just from holding her hand.

In the end, she decided, it didn't really matter after all.