ReadNovel Chapter 196: Go Board
Chapter 196: Go Board
"Hey, what perfume are you wearing? It smells better the closer I get. It’s actually really nice."
She was a little shorter than Riley Perry, but while Riley was in sneakers, she was wearing eight-centimeter stilettos, making them about the same height. She even made a point of sniffing Riley’s hair, only to confirm the scent wasn’t from her shampoo.
"I’m not wearing anything. I don’t even have makeup on, just my basic skincare. I just slapped on some toner, lotion, and cream. Oh, speaking of which, I haven’t had a chance to try the cosmetics. Morgan Cosmetics hasn’t been rushing me, have they?"
Joanna smacked her playfully on the butt. ’Wow, so firm!’
"Are you dense?!
Doesn’t the name ’Morgan Group’ sound even a little bit familiar to you?"
Riley Perry straightened up. "It does sound pretty familiar. Don’t tell me Morgan Cosmetics is part of Martin Morgan’s Morgan Group?"
"What do you think? Morgan Cosmetics is a subsidiary of the Morgan Group. You saved the Morgans’ little princess. Do you really think they’d rush you over an endorsement deal?"
"I’ll try the cosmetics as soon as I get back. One way or another, I have to put together a product review. I need to give them a clear yes or no!"
Joanna was thrilled. If this endorsement went through, her Riley would finally have a high-profile commercial to her name.
The three of them went downstairs, where Joanna waved goodbye to Riley. "If you don’t have anything else going on, just stay home and focus on the script. I’ve got work to do."
Riley teased her, "Nana, are you still going to come with me to the show recording tomorrow?"
Joanna shot her a glare. "Get out of here. You guys record for three days straight, and the production team doesn’t even let you use your phones. What would I do if I went? Or do you not want that acting role anymore?"
Riley Perry: "I do, I do, I do! I want it!"
Joanna was finally satisfied. "That’s more like it. If I don’t go out there and hustle, do you think roles are just going to fall out of the sky?" With that, she sashayed away, her high heels clicking as she hurried off.
After she left, Rocco sidled up to Riley and whispered, "Ria, that guy with the ’Si’ surname... he’s got a lot of dirt on him. Should we use some of it?"
Riley Perry laughed. "His full surname is Sima."
Rocco: ...
Soon, the two were in the car. Seeing his sister’s relaxed expression, Warren Valentine finally asked about her audition.
Riley Perry answered honestly, "The director said to wait for news. I’m just going to stay home today. You can drop me off and go about your day, big brother."
"Mom wants you to come home for lunch," Warren Valentine said gently.
He hadn’t mentioned it earlier since he didn’t know when her audition would finish. It wasn’t even ten o’clock yet, so it was the perfect time to head home.
Rocco listened without saying a word. He couldn’t figure out where Ria had suddenly gotten a brother from. What’s more, this brother had an incredibly imposing presence when he was silent. Even his posture while driving was strange. Most people are relaxed when they drive; their bodies aren’t ramrod straight like his. Even just sitting, he was as stiff as a flagpole.
But the moment he spoke, his entire aura shifted. He became incredibly gentle, his voice soft and slow. Rocco felt that if Warren were speaking to him that way, he’d be completely unable to say no to anything, simply because of how gentle he was.
"In that case, big brother, you’ll have to take me to The Elysian Gardens first. I prepared some gifts for the family, and I need to go back and get them."
"Alright."
Rocco knew his place. Once they reached the underground garage, he got out of the car on his own. "Ria, is there anything else you need from me?"
"Nope, that’s all. You can head home. You don’t need to come with me tomorrow, either. I only have one suitcase, I can manage it myself. It’ll save you the trouble of flying all over the place with me."
Rocco: ’Wait, I’m your assistant! What do you mean ’trouble’?’
But you can’t argue with the boss. Since Riley Perry told him not to come, he had no choice but to happily accept an unexpected vacation!
Back home, Riley Perry meticulously applied "peach blossom" makeup. She was already beautiful, but the makeup made her features look more defined and gave her an even healthier glow.
She had actually used these products a few times before, but for one reason or another, she had always washed the makeup off after a short while. This time, she planned to wear it longer to see if it caused any skin irritation or allergic reactions.
Of course, the cosmetics were a joy to use. They felt light and breathable on the skin. The eyeliner, in particular, glided on for a very natural look; even someone with clumsy hands could draw a perfect line.
After finishing her makeup, she picked out three gifts from her storage space, then carried them downstairs.
Mr. Valentine and Dawn York were both busy and not at home, so only Iris Weldon was there. She was on the phone when the brother and sister arrived.
Warren Valentine motioned for his sister to sit down while he went into the kitchen. He washed several types of imported fruit he’d bought earlier, sliced them, and arranged them on a platter, which he then placed on the coffee table.
"Have some fruit."
"Thanks, big brother."
Warren Valentine sat down next to Riley Perry, his eyes repeatedly drifting to her face.
’I can’t believe it. My sister is already so beautiful, but she’s even more stunning with makeup on!’
Riley Perry didn’t feel the least bit uncomfortable being stared at. She pulled out her phone and started browsing the web. For two consecutive weeks, the ratings for *Go on an Adventure Together* had surpassed 2%. The first episode hit 2.09%, and the second climbed even higher to 2.56%, making it the undisputed number one variety show.
She was happily scrolling through the trending topics when a visitor arrived.
The newcomer started clamoring the moment they walked in. Their voice was not only loud but also had a fake, cutesy affectation. "Big brother! I came to see you! Quick, look at the wonderful thing I found for you. You’re going to love it!"
Riley Perry’s brows furrowed at the sound, and her hand, which had been swiping on her phone, froze.
Whitney Valentine hadn’t expected Riley Perry to be there. Pretending not to recognize her at all, she asked with a puzzled expression, "Big brother, is there a guest?" Then, feigning astonishment, she added, "She’s so beautiful! Don’t tell me she’s your girlfriend, big brother?"
This time, it wasn’t just Riley Perry who frowned; all three people in the living room were visibly displeased.
Iris Weldon ended her call abruptly. "Whitney, if you don’t know what you’re talking about, then don’t speak nonsense. This is my biological daughter, your cousin."
Whitney Valentine quickly apologized. "I’m so sorry, Aunt, big brother. I really had no idea! I just thought she looked like a little celebrity, so I assumed she was your girlfriend."
’I’d love to just rip that mouth of hers shut,’ Iris Weldon thought furiously. ’What does she mean, she "looked like a little celebrity" so she must be my son’s girlfriend? Is she trying to insult celebrities, or my son, or both of them at the same time? I told her my daughter’s name just yesterday. What’s with this act?’
"What did you come for?"
Whitney Valentine pretended not to notice the family’s displeasure. "I heard someone was selling an antique Go set, so I rushed over first thing this morning. It took a lot of haggling to finally get it. I wasn’t sure how long you’d be home this time, big brother, so I rushed to bring it over."
As she spoke, she placed the two bags she was carrying on the coffee table and gestured for Warren Valentine to open them.
Seeing that Warren Valentine remained unmoved, Riley Perry nudged him with her leg.
Warren’s doting-brother instincts kicked in. With a sigh of resignation, he opened the bag and took out a box. Inside was an antique Go board. The playing pieces were crafted from Hotan jade—black jade for the black stones and prized mutton-fat jade for the white ones. Every stone was smooth and round, polished to a fine patina that clearly spoke of its age.