No More Mrs. Nice Wife (Eleanor) novel Chapter 1384

The crisp, decisive answer made Eleanor swallow the rest of her words. She looked at the man standing against the light.

He was wearing a casual blazer, which softened the sharp edge he had in business settings, giving him a more relaxed and easygoing air. But his composed presence remained.

"Well… I'll see you later then. I'm going back to the hotel to rest," Eleanor said.

"Let's get something to eat first," Ian said in a low voice. He had come to pick her up.

The conference was over, and Eleanor felt a wave of relief wash over her. She nodded. "Okay."

They walked along a tree-lined path on campus. The afternoon sun filtered through the leaves, casting dappled shadows on the ground. In the distance, groundskeepers were mowing the lawn, and the scent of fresh-cut grass drifted over.

Eleanor took a deep breath, watching the students hurry by with books in their arms.

She couldn't help but think of her own student days and smiled to herself.

"Thinking about your university days?" Ian glanced at her, guessing her thoughts.

Eleanor nodded. "Yeah. I used to be just like them, always in a rush."

"Do you miss it?" Ian asked.

Eleanor thought for a moment and nodded. "I do. Life was so carefree and full of energy back then."

Ian smiled too. Images of her as a student, vivid and clear, surfaced in his memory.

There was a nice steakhouse nearby, and they chose a table by the window.

They didn't talk much, but the atmosphere was peaceful and natural for both of them.

Ian brought up what she had gained from the program, and Eleanor chatted about it briefly, clearly not very interested. Just as she was about to drop the topic, Ian mentioned a surprisingly insightful point about neurology.

Eleanor didn't press the issue. They ate in comfortable silence. Compared to before, it felt like something between them was gradually changing.

After dinner, they walked back to the hotel. The dinner was at eight, and Eleanor needed to change into a dress.

Walking the streets of this unfamiliar city, a sense of ease washed over her. The setting sun stretched their shadows long, making them almost overlap.

"It starts at eight tonight, in the auditorium," Eleanor said, checking the time. "Let's get some rest."

"Okay. I'll meet you in the lobby at seven-thirty," Ian said.

Eleanor nodded.

Back in her room, Eleanor took a shower to wash away her fatigue. She opened her suitcase to choose a dress for the evening. She hadn't packed much—besides her daily suits, there was only one blue dress. It was knee-length, with a tasteful cut, a very proper and conventional choice.