Ch. 1081..1090
Chapter 1081: What Should We Do About Benny Xenos Inside?_1 Originally, they were concerned about Peggy Lewis’ future.
But now, she didn’t even need to worry about her career, let alone about getting married.
Charles Bennett knew that nothing he could say at this point would be helpful.
If he spoke up for fairness, Sister Watson would accuse him of siding with outsiders.
If he sided with her, Charles Bennett still felt uncomfortable about speaking.
It was a testament to Peggy Lewis’ ability.
Didn’t their own daughter lack this kind of ability?
...
What was there to be envious about?
As Sister Watson was speaking, she suddenly thought of something and ran back to the balcony.
Looking down, they were already out of sight, Lyke Zhekova and Peggy Lewis must have gone indoors.
Sister Watson then came back, saying: “However, it’s not certain yet.
They’re just dating, not married yet.
We can see when they get married, and see if he is the one.”
Charles Bennett, as always, wisely kept silent and said nothing.
***
Peggy Lewis had the keycard to the family’s apartment, so she didn’t have to ring the doorbell like Lyke Zhekova and Adrian Zhekova did when they visited the family mansion.
This showed their status in the mansion.
Peggy Lewis unlocked the building door with her keycard and held it open for Lyke Zhekova to go in first.
The two of them then got into the Elevator together.
Lyke Zhekova was treating his visit today as if he was meeting his future in-laws, so he was extra nervous.
“Have you told your future…” he almost let slip, and quickly corrected himself, “Mr.
and Mrs…?”
“I didn’t dare,” Peggy Lewis replied.
A wave of sadness overcame Lyke Zhekova.
Was bringing him here a way of making a fool out of him or what?
Why didn’t she dare to say it?
“I didn’t even dare to say that Adrian Zhekova was coming,” Peggy Lewis added.
Lyke Zhekova immediately felt comforted.
Adrian Zhekova was officially Cindy Clarke’s husband.
And Peggy Lewis didn’t even dare to mention him.
“Why?” Lyke Zhekova asked again.
“I’m afraid my parents might feel too much pressure and become overly concerned.
We are just friends coming over for dinner.
If they act too nervous and overwhelmed, it might make things awkward for you all,” Peggy Lewis explained.
“So I didn’t say anything, whatever the usual way is, let it be the same today,” Peggy Lewis continued.
“If they knew beforehand that you and Adrian Zhekova were coming, they would definitely be so nervous that they wouldn’t know how to arrange our house.
A thorough cleanup would be the least of it,” Peggy Lewis said.
Now that Lyke Zhekova understood the reason, he felt reassured and began to laugh.
Not long after their conversation, the elevator arrived.
The two of them got out of the elevator, and Lyke Zhekova followed Peggy Lewis to the front of the house.
The house used a passcode lock, and Peggy Lewis’ passcode was stored in it.
Therefore, Peggy Lewis didn’t press the doorbell; she simply put her finger on the keypad.
The keypad emitted the sound of the lock being unlocked.
The sound could be heard inside the house.
Both Mr.
and Mrs.
Lewis heard it.
Mrs.
Lewis quickly got up, smiling and turning back to Benny Xenos, saying, “It should be Peggy returning.”
Hearing this, Benny Xenos also quickly stood up.
He didn’t think it was appropriate to go directly to the door, so he stood nervously in the living room.
Mrs.
Lewis just got to the door when Peggy Lewis opened it.
“Mom?” Peggy Lewis was a bit surprised to see her mother’s smiling face as soon as she opened the door.
Why was Mrs.
Lewis so enthusiastic today?
Because she came back every week, her parents were already used to it and wouldn’t warmly greet her every time she returned.
This sudden enthusiasm made Peggy Lewis a little unaccustomed.
Did Mrs.
Lewis have something important to tell her?
But then Mrs.
Lewis’s smile froze and she looked surprised at the tall and imposing Lyke Zhekova who appeared behind Peggy Lewis.
What was going on?
Cold sweat started to break out on Mrs.
Lewis’s forehead.
Why did Peggy Lewis bring a man home?
And he was tall and handsome.
“You…
have a boyfriend?” Mrs.
Lewis asked, her face turning pale with anxiety.
What about Benny Xenos inside?
This was becoming awkward!
Peggy Lewis: “…”
Although Lyke Zhekova was not her boyfriend.
But logically speaking, even if she really had a boyfriend, her mother would only be happy.
Why was she so frightened now?
“Mom, this is my friend.” In order to avoid any misunderstandings, Peggy Lewis quickly clarified.
He is not her boyfriend — a difference of just one word.
As for Mrs.
Lewis, Lyke Zhekova didn’t try to set the narrative and didn’t speak before Peggy Lewis.
The main purpose of his visit today was to make his presence known.
He just wanted Mr.
and Mrs.
Lewis to know that he existed.
Given that their daughter had such an outstanding character beside her.
Would they still introduce others?
They should be comparing them to him, right?
With his high standards, Mrs.
Lewis should not be able to see anyone else.
Peggy Lewis noticed that Mrs.
Lewis was frozen in place, which made her feel even more strange.
As she walked in, she reminded Mrs.
Lewis: “Mom, let my friend in first, please.”
Why would she keep him standing outside?
Mrs.
Lewis was so nervous that her lips started to twitch.
“Alright, alright,” Mrs.
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Lewis agreed, her mind seemed to be elsewhere.
Benny Xenos, who was still in the living room, had no idea what was going on.
He just stood there, glancing anxiously towards the door.
It wasn’t until Lyke Zhekova, carrying a bunch of packages, walked in that Benny Xenos finally understood what was going on.
What was happening?
Wasn’t he here for a blind date today?
Why did she bring a man home?
Bringing an age-appropriate man home was obviously not a casual friend.
Who would bring a casual friend of the opposite sex home?
Unless they were really good friends for many years, and her parents had known him for a long time.
Was it now such a situation?
“Oh my, why bring so many things?” As soon as Peggy Lewis moved aside, Mrs.
Lewis finally saw the packages that Lyke Zhekova carried.
Since the bags were in the way, Mrs.
Lewis did not know what Lyke Zhekova had brought.
“Good evening, Mrs.
Lewis,” Lyke Zhekova said.
“My name is Lyke Zhekova.”
“Hello, hello,” Mrs.
Lewis hurriedly replied.
When she heard that his surname was Zhekova, she was wondering if he had any ties to the Zhekova family.
However, Mrs.
Lewis felt that it couldn’t be such a coincidence.
Cindy Clarke married Adrian Zhekova and Peggy Lewis just happened to know someone from the Zhekova family?
Mrs.
Lewis had a keen eye.
Peggy Lewis said Lyke Zhekova was a friend, but Mrs.
Lewis could tell that wasn’t exactly the case.
In all these years, the friends that Peggy Lewis had brought home amounted to just Cindy Clarke, a girl.
She had never brought home a male friend.
Lyke Zhekova wasn’t a childhood friend, nor was he someone they had known for many years.
This was the first time Peggy Lewis had brought anyone other than Cindy Clarke home, and it was also the first time she had brought a man home.
Either one of these two points was enough to indicate that Lyke Zhekova and Peggy Lewis had an unusual relationship.
When Mrs.
Lewis thought about Benny Xenos inside, she felt stuck between a rock and a hard place.
“This…” Mrs.
Lewis, taking the gift, “Peggy, why did you let your friend bring so much stuff?”
“I couldn’t stop him,” Peggy Lewis said helplessly.
Chapter 1082: Your Brother?
_1 The Zhekova Family had all come; how could she stop them?
Having brought the gifts, Mrs.
Lewis naturally couldn’t ask them to take them back.
That would be impolite.
So, she had no choice but to accept them.
...
In Lyke Zhekova’s presence, it wouldn’t be appropriate to immediately check what he had brought.
Mrs.
Lewis could only move the gifts aside where they wouldn’t be in the way.
Mr.
Lewis also came over to help.
But there were so many gifts that when stacked together, a slight instability caused two of them to tumble down.
Some of the boxes inside the bags were revealed.
Although the bags didn’t have any special logos printed on them or match the contents inside,
The boxes within were in their original packaging.
Purchased by the family mansion, they were still stored in their original state, not unwrapped.
Especially for gifts brought by Lyke Zhekova, the packaging couldn’t look ugly.
Old Madam and Aunt Evans had specifically chosen the best-looking packaging for Lyke Zhekova to bring.
So, upon seeing the boxes, Mr.
and Mrs.
Lewis noticed the words written on them.
One box said Bird’s Nest, the other said Fish Maw.
The big brands come with a brand premium, hence they are more expensive.
Mr.
and Mrs.
Lewis didn’t usually consume these; they mainly consumed health supplements like Coenzyme Q10, Fish Oil, and Vigor Bone.
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Simple and convenient, the effects were quite perceptible.
Mrs.
Lewis felt her heart palpitations had gradually gone away.
Due to glucosamine, she could walk more, and her knee bones didn’t feel painful from rubbing anymore.
As for Bird’s Nest and Fish Maw, she was afraid she wouldn’t cook them well, so she never bought them.
But even if she didn’t buy them, she knew they were expensive—much more so than the health supplements they were used to.
They didn’t know these supplement brands.
However, micro-businesses were also selling them in IG stories.
Their prices weren’t cheap, let alone those with such formal packaging?
Could it be that the rest of them are also these expensive supplements?
The first thought that popped up in Mrs.
Lewis’s mind was this.
Mrs.
Lewis subconsciously looked at Mr.
Lewis.
Mr.
Lewis also took a sharp intake of breath.
He didn’t believe Lyke Zhekova was merely Peggy Lewis’s casual friend anymore.
Who treats a casual friend with such expensive gifts?
Even if he was wealthy, he wouldn’t go to such extremes.
These were just two boxes that they saw accidentally; they didn’t know if the other gifts were of this kind too.
As Mr.
and Mrs.
Lewis were busy arranging the gifts, they couldn’t block Lyke Zhekova and Peggy Lewis’s view.
So the direct view from the entrance to the living room was completely unobstructed.
In the living room, only Benny Xenos was standing.
This made him more obvious.
Lyke Zhekova looked at him, raised an eyebrow, and turned to look at Peggy Lewis.
Seeing her looking puzzled as if she didn’t know the other person,
Lyke Zhekova had some guesses in his mind but didn’t say them out loud.
Instead, he turned to Peggy Lewis and asked as if he didn’t know, “Your brother?”
He knew that Peggy Lewis was the only child in her family.
But it wasn’t strange for Lyke Zhekova to ask this.
Nowadays, even people without siblings had cousins.
Everyone just removed the cousin words and called each other brothers and sisters directly.
Just as Lyke Zhekova guessed, Peggy Lewis shook her head, also looking puzzled.
“I don’t know him.
He might be a younger member of some family my parents know.”
But if that’s the case, why aren’t the elders here?
Not only were Lyke Zhekova and Peggy Lewis puzzled, but Benny Xenos was also standing awkwardly.
At this moment, Mrs.
Lewis and Mr.
Lewis finally finished arranging the gifts and came back.
They saw Lyke Zhekova and Benny Xenos looking at each other in surprise.
Mrs.
Lewis exclaimed in her heart; she felt a headache, stomachache, dizziness, and felt unwell all over.
“Come in quickly,” Mrs.
Lewis said to Peggy Lewis, “You’re the hostess.
How can you not know to invite your friends in to sit?”
Peggy Lewis: “…”
Did she see a guilty look on her mom’s face?
Mrs Lewis courageously led Peggy Lewis and Lyke Zhekova into the living room.
A visitor at the door is a guest.
She definitely couldn’t let Lyke Zhekova leave, nor could she let Benny Xenos leave.
“Mom, who is this…” Peggy Lewis asked.
Benny Xenos had caught a glimpse of Peggy Lewis’s face earlier, but now he had a clearer look.
If Lyke Zhekova weren’t present, he would definitely be overjoyed and surprised that the matchmaker’s introduction arranged a date with such a beautiful girl.
Setting everything else aside, he was extremely attracted to her looks and felt that he had scored a win.
Men’s mate choice is quite straightforward.
If the other party is good-looking, everything else can be negotiated, and other criteria are not as important.
Benny Xenos thought in this way.
When he saw Peggy Lewis’s picture earlier, Benny Xenos didn’t have a vivid sense of her.
Nowadays, girls definitely use beauty-enhancing filters for their photos, and after using it, they certainly touch up the photos again.
So, the gap between the photos and reality can be more or less significant.
Either way, it definitely won’t be as good as the photo after retouching.
Therefore, Benny Xenos adopted a reserved attitude towards the photo sent by the matchmaker.
He would wait until he saw her in person.
The main reason was that the conditions of Peggy Lewis described by the matchmaker were quite good.
The income was high.
As the matchmaker wasn’t sure about the specific amount, she naturally couldn’t tell Benny Xenos.
Mrs.
Lewis had only given a rough idea.
Moreover, she had deliberately understated it a bit.
Mrs.
Lewis was shrewd; whether the potential date was Benny Xenos or someone else, Mrs.
Lewis always understated by two or three thousand dollars.
With Peggy Lewis’s income, even after deducting two or three thousand dollars, the remaining amount was considerable.
If she said a little less, Peggy Lewis could save some pin money after marriage.
Based solely on the conditions known from the matchmaker, Benny Xenos felt it was more than enough.
If her looks scored six out of ten, he would accept her and even consider it quite good.
But now that he saw Peggy Lewis in person, Benny Xenos realized that her photo hadn’t been retouched.
In fact, she looked even prettier than her photo.
Just based on this, he felt that the other conditions didn’t matter anymore.
Peggy Lewis’s family was local.
After the marriage, they could even provide mutual support.
Her parents had a retirement pension, so it wasn’t necessary for them to be supported.
The cost after marriage would only be their living expenses.
Of course, this was under the prerequisite that Lyke Zhekova was not present.
But now there was an extra Lyke Zhekova, and Benny Xenos was not very sure anymore.
What was the situation with Peggy Lewis?
Did she have a boyfriend?
If she had a boyfriend, why didn’t she tell her family?
And why did she invite him over?
Now, he was caught in such an awkward situation!
Benny Xenos was slightly unhappy in his heart.
This was like playing him for a fool!
When Lyke Zhekova and Peggy Lewis approached, Mrs.
Lewis had no choice but to awkwardly introduce them.
“Peggy, this is Benny, who…
came to visit our home, and will stay for dinner tonight.”
Mrs.
Lewis dared not say that he was introduced by a neighbor.
If she did, wouldn’t Peggy Lewis understand everything?
Mrs.
Lewis then spoke to Benny Xenos, “Benny, this is Peggy.”
Chapter 1083: This Table might not be Genuine_1 “Hello,” Peggy Lewis responded with a slight nod.
Even if her mother hadn’t stated it, Peggy had already guessed.
She regretted not telling her mother in advance that Lyke Zhekova and Adrian Zhekova would also be coming.
The situation wouldn’t have turned out to be so awkward.
She hadn’t expected her mother to make such a hasty decision.
It truly caught her off guard.
“This is Peggy’s friend,” Mrs.
...
Lewis reintroduced.
“Lyke Zhekova,” Lyke introduced himself, extending a hand towards Benny Xenos.
Since it was a casual meeting and not work-related, Lyke didn’t bring any business cards.
“Hello,” Benny said, “Mattew Xenos.”
Upon first glance, Mattew thought Lyke had an impressive aura.
He felt outshined just in terms of presence.
However, it was only when they shook hands, he noticed the watch on Lyke’s wrist.
Like most men, Mattew had a fondness for cars and watches.
Whether he could afford them or not, isn’t it always fine just to take a look?
Moreover, it gave him something to aspire for.
He could save up and eventually buy a watch that was within his means.
Isn’t it the same for women when they buy purses?
They look at them all the time and then save up to buy one, right?
Therefore, Mattew also owned a couple of mechanical watches worth tens of thousands, which could be considered beginner-level pieces.
As for first-tier brands, the cheapest ones cost around fifty to sixty thousand.
He didn’t have the financial capacity to afford those yet.
But because he often looked at them, much like how women notice other women’s purses on the streets.
He would instinctively notice a man’s wristwatch.
The handshake was brief, but Mattew’s attention was immediately drawn to the wristwatch on Lyke’s wrist.
And he quickly recognized it as a Jaeger-LeCoultre.
Moreover, he precisely identified it as the Duomètre Chronograph model.
Usually, since the watch isn’t big, it’s challenging to identify at a glance.
But this particular watch has a distinctive design and coincidentally, he has deeply studied Jaeger-LeCoultre’s watches.
Disregarding those watches with added gimmicks like inlaid gemstones and diamonds that inflate the price artificially,
This particular model could be considered as low-key and relatively expensive.
He recalled that this model’s domestic price was 365,000.
Matthew’s eyebrows twitched unconsciously.
Such an expensive watch.
Although inwardly, Matthew cynically assumed that the watch might not be genuine.
It could be a high-quality replica.
But Lyke’s refined aura certainly hinted at wealth and seemed to match the watch he was wearing.
Looking at Lyke, it was hard to imagine him wearing counterfeit products.
Because the observation period was short, and he didn’t have the chance to examine it properly, Mattew couldn’t confirm.
And he couldn’t ask directly either.
Matthew felt an uncomfortable sense of urgency building inside him.
“Sit down, sit down please!” Mrs.
Lewis quickly said, attempting to ease the awkwardness.
Logically, Mattew knew he should leave.
Peggy had brought a man home after all.
He knew his presence would be pointless.
But he wanted to stay and observe.
His curiosity was getting the better of him.
He wanted to know whether Lyke Zhekova was genuinely wealthy or just married into wealth.
He wanted to know if the watch Lyke was wearing was authentic.
That curiosity alone made Matthew want to stay.
So, going along with Mrs.
Lewis’s suggestion, Mattew sat back down.
As for Mrs.
Lewis and Mr.
Lewis, they didn’t find anything out of the ordinary.
Even if Matthew left, they could not make him leave.
He had come over as a guest, even if the match-making didn’t work out, they couldn’t just let him leave like this.
Also, judging from Matthew’s reaction, he seemed unwilling to give up, didn’t he?
Mrs.
Lewis felt that if only Peggy was more assertive in finding a partner, she would have had a lot of suitors.
Once Matthew sat down, he couldn’t help repeatedly steal glances at Lyke’s wrist.
But Lyke didn’t seem to mind, no intention of showing off his watch.
The thirty-something-thousand watch meant nothing to Lyke.
Even if it was occasionally covered by his sleeve, he didn’t feel the need to reveal it.
“I didn’t know Miss Lewis would be bringing some friends over today.
Unfortunate timing on my part,” Matthew remarked.
Peggy thought to herself, “Why don’t you just leave then?”
Having an unfamiliar person present made the situation still more awkward.
Seeing that Peggy didn’t offer any courtesies, Mrs.
Lewis spoke up: “There’s no problem at all.
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You’re our guest.
Please make yourself comfortable.”
“Wouldn’t it be inconvenient?” Matthew got up in a pretense, “Perhaps I should leave.”
Now, Mrs.
Lewis could not possibly agree to that.
She quickly said: “No, no, that’s not possible.
You’ve come all this way, you planned on having dinner here, we can’t just let you leave like this.”
Hearing this, Peggy wondered, Matthew was also planning on staying for dinner?
She was supposed to be in charge of dinner tonight, but hadn’t told her parents.
It was supposed to be a surprise.
And Cindy Clarke and Adrian Zhekova, including Lyke Zhekova, they were all her close ones.
She didn’t mind preparing a dinner for them.
But for Matthew, a total stranger, Peggy subconsciously didn’t want to cook for him.
If they were acquainted, she wouldn’t be so stingy.
But she didn’t know Matthew, and she was sure they would never meet again.
Why then, should she prepare a meal for Matthew?
If Matthew wasn’t there, Cindy would definitely offer to help.
But now, asking Cindy to cook for Matthew doesn’t seem right.
Even if Cindy didn’t mind, Adrian surely wouldn’t be pleased.
So, Peggy decided to keep her plan of preparing the dinner a secret.
“Stay seated, please,” Mrs.
Lewis quickly said, pressing her hand down, “I’ll cut some fruits, it’ll be quick.”
“Mom, let me help you,” Peggy chimed in.
Mrs.
Lewis also wished to talk to Peggy privately, so she didn’t stop her.
Peggy followed her into the kitchen and shut the door behind them, whispering, “Mom, what’s the deal with Matthew?”
Mrs.
Lewis was at a loss for words.
Peggy asked, “Is he the one you’re trying to set me up with?”
“You have someone already and you didn’t even tell us.
Look at the mess you’ve created,” Mrs.
Lewis stated, shifting the blame onto Peggy.
“What do you mean ‘have someone’?
Lyke is a friend.
Besides, even if I didn’t bring him, you can’t invite strangers to our home without telling me,” Peggy countered.
“I had planned to cook dinner tonight for everyone,” Peggy added.
“You cooking?” Mrs.
Lewis was surprised and then chuckled, “What do you know how to cook?”
“I’ve been too busy to make anything till now.
But I felt it’s not right to keep it that way.
So, I learned a few dishes from Cindy and planned to make them for dinner,” Peggy revealed.
That’s why Cindy and Adrian were planning to bring little Morgan here as well.
Chapter 1084: Actually…_1 “Cindy has never had a taste of my cooking.
She has always been the one cooking for me.
So, when she heard I was going to cook this time, she hurried over with Morgan.” Peggy Lewis said.
Though Mrs.
Lewis wasn’t sure if she had understood what Peggy had said.
She asked nervously, “Is Adrian Zhekova coming too?”
“Yes.
If Cindy is coming, he is definitely coming too.” Peggy replied.
...
“Oh, you!
You child!” Mrs.
Lewis grew anxious as she slapped Peggy’s arm lightly.
“Why didn’t you tell us ahead of time!
Now it has become such a mess!
If you had told us beforehand, I wouldn’t have invited Benny!”
“So if Adrian Zhekova and Lyke Zhekova weren’t coming, you would think it’s fine to invite Benny?” Peggy counter-questioned. Mrs.
Lewis: “…”
She originally thought it wouldn’t have been a problem.
But for some reason, when Peggy questioned her, she couldn’t help but feel guilty.
Peggy sighed, “Yeah, I know.
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I should have told you.
I thought you’d get nervous if you knew Adrian and Lyke were coming, and you’d make a big deal out of it.”
She wasn’t overthinking it; she knew her parents would actually behave that way.
They might even go as far as to refurbish the house.
While they wouldn’t remodel the entire place.
They could easily get wall repainting or thorough cleaning done both inside and outside the house.
And those were just conservative possibilities.
“So, I thought it would be better to keep it casual.
Treat Adrian and Lyke the same way you treat Cindy.
Otherwise, you will be nervous, and they won’t feel comfortable either.” Peggy explained.
“Who knew you’d go behind me and manage to do this on your own?” Peggy added with a hint of resignation.
Mrs.
Lewis thought to herself, if she had known that a great person like Lyke was around Peggy, she would never have invited Benny.
Moreover, since Peggy brought Lyke along, their relationship must be fairly good by now.
Even if Peggy didn’t admit it and claimed they were just friends, it was undeniable that she is quite close to Lyke.
She must meet Lyke regularly as well.
Having such an excellent man near her all the time, how could she possibly be interested in a regular man?
Mrs.
Lewis felt a sense of trouble brewing.
Initially, she was delighted.
But then the thought crossed her mind, what if Lyke didn’t end up dating Peggy, and yet she couldn’t find anyone else because her standards got uplifted by his excellence.
What then?
This distressing prospect soon made Mrs.
Lewis anxious, even though nothing had actually happened yet.
However, as she worried, she suddenly noticed something.
Peggy always brought up Adrian and Lyke together.
And what’s more, they both shared the Zhao surname.
So Mrs.
Lewis asked, “Are Adrian Zhekova and Lyke Zhekova from the same family?
Are they brothers?”
Without giving much thought, Peggy responded, “Lyke Zhekova is Adrian Zhekova’s Fourth Uncle.”
Fourth Uncle…
Mrs.
Lewis: “…”
She hadn’t thought her question would yield such an answer when she asked.
So, Lyke is Adrian’s uncle.
That means he is also, technically, Peggy’s elder.
Peggy had already claimed that she was just friends with Lyke, so Mrs.
Lewis didn’t dare to probe further openly.
After some thought, Mrs.
Lewis indirectly asked, “Then Cindy has to call him uncle, right?”
“Yes, that’s right.” Peggy nodded, confused.
Isn’t that all quite obvious?
“And you, do you have to call him uncle as well?” Mrs.
Lewis continued.
“Ah, actually, no, we don’t have to.” Peggy explained, “We made an agreement to just treat each other as individuals.”
“Cindy and I are friends, but we aren’t related, so I don’t have to go by Cindy’s familial ties to him.” Peggy clarified.
“Otherwise, wouldn’t he become your peer?” Peggy added with a laugh.
Mrs.
Lewis hadn’t initially thought about that.
However, now that Peggy had reminded her, she realized that was indeed the case.
That would mean she would have to consider Lyke her brother?
Unacceptable.
It would be better if Peggy and Lyke were of the same generation.
However, now, Mrs.
Lewis has already viewed Lyke as Peggy’s potential boyfriend.
Assuming that they did end up together, wouldn’t that make Peggy Cindy’s Fourth Aunt?
Mrs.
Lewis was baffled by this intricacy of familial hierarchy.
This was such a puzzling situation.
“Well…” Mrs.
Lewis asked again, “This agreement about not considering family generation, isn’t it just something you young people made up?
Are the elders in their families okay with this?”
“Wouldn’t the elders feel that it’s inappropriate?
Would they be prejudiced against you?”
Peggy paused, she hadn’t thought about this before.
Having heard what Mrs.
Lewis had said, she gave it some serious thought.
“I don’t think so.
Whenever I have been at the Zhekova Family Mansion, in front of the Old Madam and Old Master, oh, and in front of the Third Old Master Zhekova, who is Lyke’s father, I….
out of habit, directly called Lyke by his name.
They didn’t say anything about it.” Peggy explained.
Listening to this, Mrs.
Lewis was rather shocked.
“You went to their elder’s place?” Mrs.
Lewis exclaimed in surprise.
Mrs.
Lewis wasn’t aware of the Zhekova Family’s structure.
However, she did understand what Old Master Zhekova, Old Madam Zhekova and Zhekova Family Mansion implied.
All these were evidently the most respected figures and places in the Zhekova Family.
And that also included Lyke’s father.
These three elders certainly held immense power in their family.
And Peggy has been to their place?
“Thanks to Cindy, I went to watch her competition, and also got acquainted with the elders of the Zhekova Family.
Later on, as I became acquainted with Lyke as well, I visited them twice.” Peggy admitted.
Mrs.
Lewis gasped audibly, almost losing balance and had to lean on the countertop.
Peggy quickly reached out to support Mrs.
Lewis, “Mom, are you okay?
Do you feel sick?
Should we go to the hospital?”
“No, I’m fine.
There is nothing wrong with me.” Mrs.
Lewis quickly stopped Peggy.
She was simply startled.
She was embarrassed to admit it, as it made her seem weak.
Only after taking some time to process the information and regain her calm, she asked, “You’ve already been there twice?”
When did all this happen without her knowing!
Peggy nodded.
Peggy was unaware of the fact that she had been unknowingly “brainwashed” by Lyke and the rest of the Zhekova Family.
To her, all these developments seemed perfectly normal.
Because she had spent so much time with the Zhekova Family and had gotten to know them.
She knew that once stripped of their illustrious status and aura, they were all very approachable individuals.
Ignoring their titles and only interacting with them as individuals was actually quite relaxing.
Coupled with the efforts of Lyke and Cindy,
Peggy had gotten used to it.
Otherwise, she would have had the same reaction as her mother.
Peggy had gotten used to it to the point where she didn’t even feel it anymore.
“Actually…” Peggy thought for a moment and decided to tell her mother that the elders from the Zhekova Family were all very amicable.
Chapter 1085: Just to Show Off_1 She didn’t exactly have time to think thoroughly about why she wanted Mrs.
Lewis to know that the elders of the Zhekova family were good people.
In her subconscious mind, she just felt that she should do it.
So Peggy Lewis said: “The gifts we brought today were all prepared by Old Madam Zhekova.”
“You asked why I didn’t stop them earlier because I couldn’t stop them.
When we went to the family mansion for dinner yesterday, Old Madam Zhekova, after hearing that Lyke Zhekova was coming back with me, insisted that we couldn’t come empty-handed.”
“Of course, Lyke Zhekova wouldn’t come empty-handed either, he’s not that kind of person.
But the old lady said that the things he would buy now would definitely not be as good as the ones at the mansion.
So, she packed all the quality items from the mansion for us to bring,” said Peggy.
...
Hearing this, Mrs.
Lewis felt that there were too many subtle implications.
For instance, Peggy had just visited the family mansion yesterday.
When Peggy says “we”, it obviously indicates she considers Lyke as an inseparable part of her.
Of course, there is also the fact Old Madam Zhekova personally packed the gifts they brought.
Good heavens.
Mrs.
Lewis felt like her head was about to explode with all the information, and she needed some time to digest it all.
Then, she looked at Peggy with a sigh.
Her daughter was usually a very shrewd person.
Yet, when it came to matters of the heart, she could act like a fool.
Mrs.
Lewis guessed that her daughter was the only one who couldn’t see the situation clearly yet.
Mrs.
Lewis decided not to say anything.
Telling her daughter wouldn’t make a difference since she wouldn’t believe it anyway.
Plus, her constant attempts to matchmake Peggy had made her skeptical about her mother’s advice on this matter.
“Mom, weren’t you going to cut the fruit?” Peggy reminded her.
They had been in the kitchen for quite a while now, and Mrs.
Lewis hadn’t started yet.
“Oh, yes,” Mrs.
Lewis finally remembered.
She had indeed forgotten about it.
Mrs.
Lewis brought the cutting board and knife to cut the fruit, while Peggy squatted beside the trash can, peeling the fruits that needed to be peeled before handing them over to her mother to cut.
In no time at all, they were done.
Each of them walked out carrying four fruit plates.
Lyke Zhekova, Cindy Clarke, and Benny Xenos were to arrive shortly.
With so many people, four fruit plates may not be enough.
But then again, the fruits wouldn’t taste good if they were cut and left open for long.
So, Mrs.
Lewis decided to prepare some more fruit plates once they arrived.
When they both returned, the atmosphere in the living room felt a little unusual.
They couldn’t say exactly what was out of place, but there was a feeling that something wasn’t quite right.
Upon seeing Peggy and Mrs.
Lewis finally return, Mr.
Lewis heaved a sigh of relief.
They were unaware.
Just after they had gone to the kitchen, the atmosphere between Lyke Zhekova and Mattew Xenos became incredibly awkward.
At the time, Lyke Zhekova, seemingly trying to avoid the awkward silence, had asked, “Mr.
Xenos, what do you do for a living?”
Matthew Xenos said: “I’m in international trade.”
After a pause, Mattew Xenos asked Lyke, “What about you, Mr.
Zhekova?”
“I’m in the restaurant business,” Lyke Zhekova replied, downplaying his status.
“Restaurant, Mr.
Zhekova, do you own a restaurant?” Mattew Xenos asked further.
Lyke hesitated a bit before answering; stating he owned a restaurant wasn’t entirely wrong.
But it wasn’t entirely accurate either.
Lyke Zhekova didn’t want to explain much, so he simply said: “Yes.”
But with that slight hesitation from Lyke Zhekova, Mattew Xenos grew suspicious.
Was Lyke potentially exaggerating his status?
Was it not a restaurant, but a simple eatery?
However, judging by Lyke’s disposition, it didn’t seem plausible.
Perhaps he was an employee?
Given his stature, Mattew Xenos had to admit that Lyke seemed more suitable for an upscale restaurant or a hotel.
Quite possibly a person of managerial rank.
Ɲονǥᴑ.сᴑ
But being an employee, no matter at what rank, it didn’t sound very impressive.
Right when Mattew Xenos asked if Lyke owned a restaurant, Lyke hesitated a bit before eventually agreeing with his assumption.
However, Mattew Xenos was certain that Lyke had just told a lie.
It was Mattew Xenos’s fault for jumping to conclusions too quickly earlier on.
Lyke’s impressive demeanor had tricked him.
Instinctively he thought that Lyke must be something like a boss.
He forgot that managers existed too.
Matthew saw Lyke Zhekova with some disdain.
It wasn’t that he thought Lyke was incompetent or that there was anything wrong with being an employee.
After all, Lyke seemed like the kind of leader who probably held a high-paying position judging by his apparel alone.
But why did he have to lie?
There’s no dishonor in working for someone else.
Did he lie just to show off?
And he lied in front of Mr.
Lewis?
If that’s the case, had he also lied to Peggy?
Did this mean that Peggy had been deceived by Lyke?
After pondering for a bit, Mattew Xenos said, “The current situation with businesses isn’t exactly the best, is it?
While there are some thriving restaurants, there are also many that have closed down.
The restaurant industry is particularly tough.”
“That’s true,” Lyke agreed, noticing that Mr.
Lewis seemed interested, probably as a way to know more about the men around his daughter.
To assure Mr.
Lewis, Lyke said, “But my restaurants have been doing pretty well, business has been fairly good.”
“Restaurants?” Matthew Xenos had caught onto the plural form, “Mr.
Zhekova, you own quite a few restaurants?”
“There are some,” said Lyke Zhekova.
Some?
At this point, Mattew Xenos couldn’t help but laugh inwardly.
This individual seemed sophisticated and honest.
But he never imagined he would be so vain and boastful.
Not just content with saying he owned a restaurant, he claimed he had many.
‘Just some,’ sounded like a lot.
“How many did you open?” Mattew asked.
“They all belong to a chain,” Lyke Zhekova replied.
And this was without counting the restaurants under Majestic.
The restaurants under Majestic did belong to him in a way, as he held shares.
But strictly speaking, the restaurants belonged to the entire Zhekova family, not just the Majestic.
Including Pingla, Virtuoso, and so on.
The restaurants under them belonged to the entire family, not individuals.
The only difference was the proportion of shares they held.
What Lyke Zhekova was referring to now was the hotpot restaurant he owned.
It was indeed his personal chains of hotpot restaurants named “Belong to You.”
And the hotpot restaurant “Belong to You” certainly had spread across the country.
Even included several branches in Sichuan.
Matthew Xenos thought Lyke Zhekova was boasting too much now.
He couldn’t help but reveal some of his disdain.
How could Lyke Zhekova not notice?
He had realized it a while ago.
But Lyke hadn’t lied; he was genuinely sincere.
If the other party didn’t believe him, there was nothing he could do about it.
After all, it’s not like he would meet the guy again after this time so, whether he believed him or not, wasn’t of concern to him.
However, Mattew Xenos couldn’t help but glance at Lyke’s wrist.
Matthew wondered, given Lyke’s vanity; was the watch he was wearing fake as well?
Matthew then momentarily left the topic of the restaurant business aside.
Chapter 1086: Elder Inquires About the Younger’s Attitude_1 “Oh?” Matthew Xenos pretended to notice Lyke Zhekova’s watch for the first time, exclaiming in surprise.
However, everyone knew well who Lyke Zhekova was.
Not to mention the many individuals within the Company, the executives were all incredibly astute.
But when faced with Lyke Zhekova, they all treaded carefully.
This was not merely because Lyke Zhekova was their superior.
If the superior is dim-witted, occurrences where employees outsmart and deceive him are numerous.
The real reason was that they couldn’t ever fool Lyke Zhekova.
...
One small slip up could lead to their own downfall.
Therefore, dealing with Lyke Zhekova required honesty and careful management from all employees.
If even the old foxes knew this, then how was Matthew Xenos significant in comparison?
He wouldn’t even suffice to make a good stir-fry upon examination.
Even when they shook hands earlier and Matthew Xenos repeatedly glanced at his wrist, Lyke Zhekova was already aware.
Seeing Matthew Xenos’ expression now, Lyke Zhekova was able to guess most of what was on his mind.
“Your watch…” Matthew Xenos started to say.
“How so?” Lyke Zhekova casually inquired.
He felt like he was playing the role of Perry Gustav.
Having to play along, facilitating Matthew’s continued storytelling.
Matthew Xenos then laughed and said, “If I may speak honestly, I have quite the interest in watches.
Although I don’t own this one, it is certainly on my list of planned purchases.”
“Oh?
How coincidental.” Lyke Zhekova responded with a faint smile.
“I happen to know the price of this watch.” Matthew Xenos stated, “Not to talk about the cheaper pricing abroad by comparison, even though it is certainly less expensive than domestic pricing, it’s still quite expensive.
If I remember correctly, its domestic price should be 365,000.”
“Did you buy it domestically or abroad?” Matthew Xenos asked.
“Domestically.” Lyke Zhekova answered.
He certainly didn’t reserve so much time to specifically shop abroad.
Besides, he did not lack the small amount of money saved by purchasing overseas.
“You actually bought such an expensive watch domestically.” Matthew Xenos could no longer hold back his ridicule, “It seems Mr.
Zhekova is doing quite well in his business.”
“Not too bad,” Lyke Zhekova casually responded.
Upon hearing the price of the watch, Mr.
Lewis was filled with heart palpitations on the side.
What kind of man has Peggy brought home!
The watch was this expensive?
“May I… take a closer look?” Matthew Xenos inquired.
Even though he couldn’t afford it now and he’d never seen an original before.
All along, salespeople have been persuasive, indeed.
When he went to have a look before, though he knew he couldn’t afford it, he thought there would be no harm in just looking.
Although, it was clear that he was indeed nervous, he had never been to this kind of specialty shop before.
Both of the watches he had bought were less than 20,000, bought through a personal shopper.
With watch personal shoppers, there is a type who can directly send it to a third-party appraisal agency.
The money is temporarily frozen in the appraisal agency.
After the agency appraises it as a genuine product, the watch is then sent to the buyer, while the payment is unfrozen and sent to the seller.
The price of the watch is low, meaning the price difference is also rather small.
But that’s still a price difference of a few thousand.
Since it can be saved, why buy the expensive one?
Due to this mindset, Matthew Xenos never considered going to the specialty store.
The only time he went was when he wanted to see the watch he had always wanted to buy.
The saleswoman at the counter probably could decide that he wasn’t there to actually buy a watch, hence her cold attitude towards him.
Anyway, Matthew Xenos had always been hanging around the brand’s subreddit.
He’d become familiar with how to identify, and what to look for, in terms of authenticity.
What he wanted was to judge the authenticity of Lyke Zhekova’s watch.
Interestingly, the more expensive watches are, the easier they are to distinguish.
Even if the imitation is done extremely well, it will still fall short in terms of craftsmanship and details.
Lyke Zhekova simply said, “Of course.”
He then removed the watch and handed it over to Matthew Xenos.
Matthew Xenos dared not scrutinize it too closely at first, for fear that Lyke Zhekova would see that he was trying to authenticate it.
Matthew Xenos was just thinking, once certified as a fake, he would slap Lyke Zhekova hard in the face.
At first, he thought that, due to his extensive research, he should be able to confirm the authenticity of a fake with just a quick glance.
Unexpectedly, this watch looked real.
Matthew Xenos looked at some of the more conspicuous parts and found no issues.
This indicated that the one Lyke Zhekova bought was definitely a high-quality fake that was quite expensive.
Matthew Xenos didn’t bother concealing his actions anymore; he even had a sense of urgency as he looked the watch over and over again.
However, after examining it several times, every minor detail where the counterfeit might falter pointed to the watch being genuine.
It got to the point where Matthew Xenos wanted to ask Lyke Zhekova where he had purchased it.
If the price was reasonable, he too would like to buy one.
Seeing Matthew Xenos’ thoughts clearly, Lyke Zhekova finally lost his patience and asked, “Are you done?”
“Done, thank you.” As Matthew Xenos handed the watch over, he felt a little uneasy inside.
Could it possibly be real?
Lyke Zhekova calmly put the watch back on.
Since Matthew Xenos wanted to superficially find trouble, Lyke Zhekova wouldn’t be so polite.
“How old are you this year, Mr.
Xenos?” Lyke Zhekova asked bluntly.
There was an attitude of a senior inquiring about a junior, after all, Zhekova was Fourth Uncle.
He knew all too well how to put on the demeanor of a senior.
Ever since birth, as long as he can remember, this was how he conducted himself.
Matthew Xenos, “…”
Why does he feel something is off about Lyke Zhekova’s demeanor?
ƝονǤᴑ.ᴄ0
“28,” replied Matthew Xenos with a dry mouth, completely unaware why Lyke Zhekova would suddenly ask this.
“28?
Not young, why are you still single?” Lyke Zhekova asked again.
If Peggy were present, she would certainly recognize that Lyke Zhekova’s expression was a complete imitation of Old Madam’s.
When Old Madam nagged, she looked exactly like this!
Being her own family, they, of course, wouldn’t complain about Old Madam.
But if it was an outsider, they would feel annoyed by Old Madam’s behavior.
Matthew Xenos was displeased and said, “I was previously focused on my career and didn’t pay much attention to settling down.
Before I realized, I was already 28.
However, isn’t 28 still an okay age?”
At 28, his career was already on a great trajectory.
He was in the foreign trade business, so his income wasn’t fixed.
Beyond his basic monthly salary, everything else was commission-based.
But his commissions were based on contracts.
The contract would be signed, the client would make a payment, and then he would receive his commission based on that, not on a monthly basis.
However, when there was a payment, it usually amounted to a large sum.
Averaged out over a year, he could expect around 40,000 per month.
Even in Belford, this was considered to be a good income.
So, Matthew Xenos always held a lot of confidence.
“Have you been focusing on your career all along?” Lyke Zhekova gave Matthew Xenos a thumbs up, “Then how is your income now?”
Mr.
Lewis immediately pricked up his ears and concentrated on every word.
He was still uncertain about the relationship between Lyke Zhekova and Peggy.
However, Matthew Xenos was still Peggy’s date, and Mr.
Lewis was very interested in this.
If it works out, it would affect the quality of life for the potential couple down the line.
Chapter 1087: He Lost in Terms of Age_1 “That’s quite the question…” Matthew Xenos grimaced, finding it somewhat impolite.
Who would ask about somebody’s income to their face?
However, seeing Lyke Zhekova’s judgmental gaze, Matthew Xenos replied, “I have an annual income of around four to five hundred thousand.”
Mr.
Lewis nodded in approval, seemingly impressed.
But Mr.
Lewis’s nod infuriated Lyke Zhekova, and he decided not to let Matthew Xenos go unchallenged.
Could it be that Mr.
...
Lewis was actually quite satisfied with Matthew Xenos?
That’s unacceptable!
What’s so great about Matthew Xenos?!
Matthew Xenos was also not pleased with Lyke Zhekova’s attitude.
Since Lyke had dared ask him so directly, he felt he should respond in kind.
Matthew Xenos asked, “And Mr.
Zhekova, your age…?”
Lyke Zhekova: “…”
He did not want to answer.
Lyke Zhekova’s face abruptly turned cold.
What if Mr.
Lewis thinks he’s too old after he reveals his age?
With his cold stare, the atmosphere in the room turned awkwardly chilly.
Mr.
Lewis was anxious.
He’s never been smooth with words.
When he used to work, he had to deal with colleagues of all kinds and respond to all kinds of situations.
It was hard, but manageable because it was a professional setting.
However, after his retirement, he doesn’t have those pressures.
He has completely relaxed, and over the years, those skills have long faded away.
Luckily, at that moment, Mrs.
Lewis and Peggy Lewis finally came out with the fruit platter.
Mr.
Lewis breathed a sigh of relief.
He wondered why Mrs.
Lewis and Peggy Lewis had taken so long to prepare the fruit tray.
Peggy Lewis glanced at Mr.
Lewis and then at Lyke Zhekova.
Due to their recent interactions, which Lyke has made into a habit, she instinctively sat down next to Lyke.
She appeared quite natural sitting close to him, showing no signs of unfamiliarity.
Both Mrs.
Lewis and Mr.
Lewis were stunned.
It seemed Peggy Lewis and Lyke Zhekova had a very good relationship!
“What happened?” Peggy Lewis whispered to Lyke Zhekova ..
Lyke Zhekova turned his head and replied softly, “Mr.
Xenos was asking about my age and job.”
Lyke Zhekova kept his explanation brief.
However, without him spelling out the unspoken part, Peggy Lewis instinctively understood what he was implying.
She certainly would tell all this to Mrs.
Lewis and Mr.
Lewis.
As for Matthew Xenos, whom she neither knew nor understood, and was unlikely to see him in the future.
There was no need to go into such depth.
Peggy Lewis didn’t realize the situation, whereas Lyke Zhekova did it on purpose.
The two of them whispering together portrayed an unspeakable intimacy.
Seeing this, Mrs.
Lewis’ heart leaped.
This was all while being mindful of their elders.
If it was just the two of them, who knows how intimate they could be?
Yet Peggy insisted they were just friends?
Her daughter was still single, apparently lacking some sense.
She could blame no one else.
The way they interact with each other is so natural, it feels like no one else can interfere.
When Peggy Lewis leaned over to whisper something to Lyke, she happened to notice the look on Matthew Xenos’ face.
Seeing his slight frown, Peggy Lewis raised her eyebrows in impatience.
What kind of face was Matthew Xenos pulling in their home?
She was completely unaware that Lyke had just taken the opportunity to poke fun at Matthew Xenos.
Seeing the awkward atmosphere, Mrs.
Lewis quickly intervened, “Let’s enjoy the fruit, don’t be shy, let’s all have some.”
Mrs.
Lewis had prepared a large variety of fruit on the platter.
There were strawberries, melons, apples, peaches, watermelons, and apricots.
The apricots were specially purchased from Iran, which were extremely sweet.
However, because they were small, they weren’t portioned, so you just have them as is.
The rest of the fruit were cut into pieces, making it easier to eat with a fork.
By now, Lyke was well aware of Peggy’s taste.
He first forked a piece of strawberry for Peggy.
Mrs.
Lewis had cut off the white part along with the stem of the strawberry, then sliced it in half.
The center of the strawberry was exposed, resembling a heart shape.
The red and white contrast was especially pleasing to the eye.
Peggy Lewis naturally took it, and Lyke then forked a piece of melon for himself.
Watching the two, Mrs.
Lewis felt like they were acting like a couple.
Since Mrs.
Lewis had already known Lyke’s identity, his occupation, as well as the basic information about his age, she didn’t ask him any more questions.
Matthew Xenos, still without an answer from Lyke, saw the conversation drifting away from his question.
So he asked again, “Mr.
Zhekova, you haven’t answered my previous question.”
Lyke answered reluctantly, “37.”
He had lost on the age factor.
After Lyke Zhekova revealed his age, he observed the reaction of Mrs.
Lewis and Mr.
Lewis.
Mrs.
Lewis showed no reaction.
Because she had heard it from Peggy Lewis before.
Only Mr.
Lewis was taken aback after hearing his age.
He hadn’t expected Lyke Zhekova to be so old.
The age difference with Peggy Lewis was quite significant.
Normally, people of his age would have been married, have a kid, gotten a divorce, and would be getting ready for a second marriage.
Just now, after seeing how Peggy Lewis and Lyke Zhekova interacted, Mr.
Lewis had some guesses about the situation.
Seeing Mr.
Lewis’s reaction, Lyke Zhekova felt a sinking feeling inside.
On the other hand, Matthew Xenos seemed to be delighted to have found Lyke Zhekova’s weak point and exaggerated, “You’re already 37?
So, you must be married?”
Lyke Zhekova only smiled faintly and said, “I’m single.”
“How is it possible to be single at such an age?” Could it be that his conditions were too poor so that no one was willing to marry him?
Perhaps he was single because he’d grown accustomed to boasting excessively.
Or was it that he had boasted in the past, only to be caught and exposed?
“I have high standards.” Lyke Zhekova responded without hesitation.
To avoid any misunderstandings with Peggy Lewis, he gave her a smile after his statement.
His high standards are the reason he was attracted to Peggy Lewis.
That means Peggy Lewis is outstanding!
Whether Peggy Lewis understood Lyke Zhekova’s intention or not is unknown.
However, Mrs.
Lewis definitely understood.
Mrs.
Lewis was absolutely delighted!
She didn’t find the age difference of 37 unfavorable at all.
It wasn’t even a difference of fifteen or twenty years.
It’s just a difference of 10 years, what’s the big deal about it?
The key factor was that Lyke Zhekova was mature and steady!
Being a bit older, he knew how to accommodate others.
As a result, a comparison made it evident that Lyke Zhekova was much steadier than Matthew Xenos.
Seeing Matthew Xenos being somewhat aggressive, Mrs.
Lewis wasn’t very fond of him.
Poor Matthew Xenos was misunderstood.
Mrs.
Lewis hadn’t seen how Lyke Zhekova had just backed Matthew Xenos into a corner.
Mrs.
Lewis was now just focusing on Lyke’s little details.
She wanted to see if Lyke Zhekova liked Peggy Lewis or not.
Even though Mrs.
Lewis thought this way, she still needed to verify it, right?
She observed that when it was time to eat fruit, Lyke Zhekova was the first one to think of Peggy Lewis.
Ɲονցᴑ.сο
This certainly earned him extra points.
Mrs.
Lewis nodded in approval.
Matthew Xenos was about to ask about Lyke Zhekova’s income.
From Lyke Zhekova’s earlier reaction it seemed Lyke was looking down on his income.
He was curious to see how Lyke was going to boast again.
However, before he could ask, the ringtone of their house walkie-talkie went off.
Chapter 1088: Dad, it’s his Fourth Uncle!_1 “It must be Cindy arriving.” Peggy Lewis said, hastily getting up to the door.
She turned on the walkie-talkie, and sure enough, she saw Cindy Clarke and Adrian Zhekova on the screen.
There was also a chubby little hand, appearing and disappearing on the screen now and then.
Peggy guessed the little fellow was too short to appear on the screen, so he was waving his arm to make himself noticed.
Pity he was really too short, even when he raised his arm or jumped.
He could only show a tiny chubby hand on camera.
Peggy bitterly lauhged imagining the little guy jumping anxiously.
...
“We’ve been waiting for you, come on up.” Peggy happily said.
She then welcomed them in.
The unit door downstairs followed with a “beep”.
Adrian Zhekova then held the door open for Cindy and the little one.
After the two of them entered, he then walked in last.
The three of them entered the Elevator, and Cindy Clarke pressed the floor button.
In no time, the three of them arrived.
Peggy stayed waiting at the door, without going back to the living room.
Anyway, it was just a matter of a minute for the three of them to arrive.
Peggy turned on the peephole CCTV.
The camera could constantly aim towards the area near the Elevator.
So, she could immediately see the Clarke’s family the moment they exit the elevator.
At this moment, she just saw the little Mogan sprinting out from the elevator like a cannonball.
Peggy quickly opened the door.
At first, Peggy only dared to open the door just a bit in fear that Morgan would rush to the door and she might accidentally hit him while opening the door.
Indeed, when she peeked through the door gap, she saw Morgan standing in front of the door.
Smiling, Peggy said, “I’m going to open the door, step aside, don’t get hit.”
“Okay!” Little Morgan immediately obediently stepped aside.
Peggy finally opened the door.
Little Morgan had been here many times before, so he’s very familiar with the place.
Coming to the Lewis Family was like visiting his relatives.
He doesn’t need Cindy to guide him, he already entered the door.
Mr.
and Mrs.
Lewis also came to the entrance.
Lyke Zhekova of course had to follow them.
This time, Matthew Xenos was embarrassed again.
Because he didn’t recognize the visitors either.
But Matthew Xenos felt that he couldn’t remain passive like before.
So he also followed them to the entrance.
However, he stood at the back, very low-key.
Mrs.
Lewis had originally prepared a pair of adult and a pair of children’s slippers.
Of course, the children’s slippers were for Morgan.
The Lewis family always kept the right size for little Morgan.
Mrs.
Lewis had only just found out that Adrian Zhekova was coming too, and she didn’t have time to prepare his slippers.
Now she hurriedly went to the shoe cabinet and took out a pair of men’s slippers for guests.
“God…” Little Morgan saw Peggy Lewis at first glance.
He was about to call her “Godmother” when he saw Lyke standing next to her.
“Morgan is here!” Lyke Zhekova greeted delightfully with a smile on his face.
The full-faced smile, in essence, reminded the little one not to forget the agreement he once promised him.
He must only call one name when both are present: either “Godmother” or “Fourth Grandfather”.
Little Morgan was actually in a difficult position.
He had to address someone while talking, right?
It’s disrespectful to talk without addressing anyone.
But if he could only choose one to address, how would he address the other?
Little Morgan hadn’t initially thought of this.
After promising Lyke Zhekova, he put this matter behind him.
Today, he found himself here, receiving subtle hints from Lyke Zhekova.
The little guy instantly got a headache.
Peggy Lewis looked at the little fellow strangely.
Why did the little one suddenly stop calling halfway?
Then the little one thought of a good solution.
And instantly he relaxed again, lifted his head gently and said, “Godmother!”
Peggy Lewis bent down and pecked the little one on the face.
Since everyone was family, the little guy didn’t feel self-conscious.
“Grandma, Grandpa!” When the little one called Mr.
and Mrs.
Lewis, he omitted the word “honorary”.
The little guy had never called Joshua Clarke and Christy Xenos that way.
He truly regarded Mr.
and Mrs.
Lewis as his grandparents.
Although Peggy Lewis sometimes babysat the little one in the past when Cindy was alone.
But Peggy Lewis was in sales and was busier than Cindy when things got hectic.
It was often Mrs.
and Mr.
Lewis who were helping to look after the little one.
Mr.
and Mrs.
Lewis felt sorry for Cindy but were fond of the clever and cute little guy.
They watched him grow up.
They consider the little guy as their own grandchild.
Sometimes, even when Cindy was free, Mr.
and Mrs.
Lewis would eagerly call her to bring Morgan for a visit.
They hoped Morgan could stay with them for several days.
So, not only did the little guy treat them like his grandparents.
But in the little guy’s mind, Mr.
and Mrs.
Lewis acted like his real grandparents.
“Oh, Morgan, we’ve missed you!” Mrs.
Lewis was so moved that she hurriedly pulled the little guy over.
She didn’t expect that even though Morgan had become the golden child of the Zhekova Family, he hadn’t forgotten them.
And still warmly called them his grandparents.
What a good boy.
“Grandma, grandpa, kiss!
” The little one stretched out his arms, wanting to kiss them.
Mrs.
Lewis was ecstatic and hurriedly presented her face for the little guy to kiss.
Mr.
Lewis too rushed over, afraid of being too slow and missing his kiss.
The little guy also kissed Mr.
Lewis on the face.
After that, the little one had to confront Lyke Zhekova.
He still had to call him.
The little one looked at Lyke Zhekova, and Lyke Zhekova looked back at him.
The little one tentatively said, “Dad’s Fourth Uncle!”
Lyke Zhekova: “…”
Lyke Zhekova couldn’t maintain his smile anymore.
If it weren’t for Mr.
and Mrs.
Lewis being there, he would have liked to give this cheeky kid a beating.
Was this the agreed ‘fourth grandfather’?
Cindy: “…
”
Adrian Zhekova: “…
”
Peggy Lewis: “…
”
What the heck is ‘Dad’s Fourth Uncle’?
Cindy was extremely curious, why did the little fellow suddenly call Lyke Zhekova ‘Dad’s Fourth Uncle’?
Adrian Zhekova was quicker on the uptake.
He immediately recalled that yesterday in the family mansion, during lunch, the little guy went to the restroom, and Lyke Zhekova accompanied him.
Afterwards, they had returned together.
He didn’t know what they had discussed in the restroom.
But Adrian Zhekova guessed, it probably had to do with the relationship.
Following this line of thought, Adrian Zhekova understood everything.
Seeing Cindy’s bewildered expression, Adrian Zhekova whispered, “I guess Fourth Uncle is quite sensitive about his generational gap with Peggy.”
“Think about it, Morgan called Peggy ‘Godmother,’ while conversely calling Fourth uncle, ‘Fourth grandfather.’ When you put those together, the gap seems quite large,” explained Adrian.
“Considering how petty Fourth Uncle is, if he fusses even about a 10-year age gap with Peggy, not to mention the issue of titles.”
Chapter 1089: But He Knows Adrian Zhekova_1 “Morgan must have promised something to Fourth Uncle, like not calling godmother and Fourth Grandfather at the same time.” Adrian Zhekova’s guess was spot on.
“So, since Morgan just called her godmother, he can’t call him Fourth Grandfather again.
He simply went with…” dad’s Fourth Uncle.
Adrian Zhekova looked at the little one.
Quite impressive that the kid thought of that.
Meanwhile, Adrian Zhekova looked at Lyke Zhekova with sympathy.
Lyke Zhekova still didn’t understand the little one enough.
...
Could it ever be simple to negotiate with this kid?
He thought they were safe when the kid agreed readily.
Who knew they’d still step right into a pitfall.
Tsk, tsk.
He felt genuinely bad.
Lyke Zhekova: “…”
The sympathy in Adrian Zhekova’s eyes was really grating! He didn’t even consider who birthed this troublesome kid!
Wasn’t it Adrian Zhekova’s own biological child?
Morgan Zhekova, he truly takes after his dad!
Cindy Clarke nodded.
With Adrian Zhekova’s explanation, she immediately understood and found his logic sound.
But at the same time, she found it slightly vexing.
What mindset was Adrian in when he labelled Lyke as petty?
He should take a look at himself.
Having lived with Adrian for a while, Cindy now knew that Adrian was the petty one.
And not only the Pingla employees knew this.
With her confusion addressed.
Cindy got busy introducing them to Mr.
and Mrs.
Lewis.
“Uncle, Auntie.” “I’ve always wanted to bring Adrian over to meet you.” Cindy Clarke said, smiling, “This is my husband, Adrian Zhekova.” “Uncle, Auntie.” Adrian Zhekova chimed in following Cindy.
He was very sincere and sincerely respected Mr.
and Mrs.
Lewis.
Usually, Cindy and Morgan would tell him how Mr.
and Mrs.
Lewis took care of Morgan, treating him as their own grandson.
Just now, Morgan’s reaction to Mr.
and Mrs.
Lewis explained everything.
Although Morgan was sweet-talking, he was not like that to everyone.
He only sweet-talked to those he approved of.
Like the elders in the Zhekova family, or Mr.
and Mrs.
Lewis.
Even with Adrian, Morgan kept his defenses up until he approved of him.
Adrian knew that all too well.
Just seeing Cindy and Morgan’s attitude, he knew how Mr.
and Mrs.
Lewis must have treated Morgan back then.
Just for this, he deeply admired Mr.
and Mrs.
Lewis.
Mr.
Lewis hadn’t expected Adrian to come along.
He had been in the living room with Lyke Zhekova and Matthew Xenos, watching them arguing back and forth, and was exhausted.
Barely having time to relax when Peggy Lewis and Mrs.
Lewis returned to the living room, before they could say much to Mr.
Lewis.
Adrian and Cindy arrived.
Mr.
Lewis was caught entirely off guard.
Seeing Adrian left him utterly flabbergasted.
Mrs.
Lewis was a little better off.
She was nervous at first.
But seeing Adrian being so respectful and not putting on airs.
Also, knowing about Lyke, Mrs.
Lewis was a bit less nervous though she was still somewhat tense.
“Ah, please come in, please come in,” Mrs.
Lewis said with a smile.
Adrian also carried a bunch of bags, all of them gifts for Mr.
and Mrs.
Lewis.
Since Lyke Zhekova had already taken the bird’s nest and fish maw from the family mansion.
Adrian Zhekova did not gift the same items.
Since Cindy Clarke also understood Mr.
and Mrs.
Lewis.
So, based on what Cindy suggested, they bought some other gifts.
They weren’t particularly expensive, just a combination of seafood.
Like fresh abalone, a selection of high-priced fish and shrimp, and dried sea cucumber.
The fresh seafood was delivered packed in a foam box filled with ice to preserve freshness.
They also brought some free-range chicken eggs, beer, Chinese liquor, red wine, and foreign spirits.
Mr.
Lewis could keep the ones he enjoyed drinking, and the ones he didn’t like could be taken when visiting relatives.
The items that Adrian Zhekova and Cindy Clarke bought were very practical for day-to-day use.
But their value did not exceed what Lyke Zhekova had brought.
After all, today, Lyke was the protagonist.
They couldn’t upstage Lyke Zhekova.
Moreover, these gifts would bring joy to Mr.
and Mrs.
Lewis without creating any pressure.
Regrettably, this season was not the best for eating crab.
Despite the warm weather and low prices for crabs.
Yet, anyone who truly understood would know that crabs tasted better when the weather was cooler.
With cold weather and lower seawater temperatures, the crabs grow more slowly.
However, to adapt to the temperature, the flesh of the crabs becomes more firm and plentiful.
Especially female crabs, their crab roe is really fulfilling.
It becomes so fatty that it turns into a solid, creamy consistency.
Just grab a piece with chopsticks, dip it in rice vinegar mixed with shredded ginger, it’s extremely delicious.
According to Adrian Zhekova’s taste, crab is not really suitable to be served with vinegar or balsamic vinegar.
These two kinds of vinegar have strong, sweet flavors, which can easily overshadow the fresh taste of the crab.
Light-colored rice vinegar is more suitable.
Balsamic vinegar or vinegar is more suitable for hairy crabs, as it can get rid of the unpleasant smell and adds a sweet flavor.
But, it’s not the right season to eat hairy crabs yet.
Therefore, Adrian Zhekova and Cindy Clarke did not buy crabs.
They bought quite a lot of fish, shrimp, abalone, and oysters from Rushan, which are loved by Mr.
and Mrs.
Lewis.
Lyke Zhekova was also satisfied, Adrian Zhekova and Cindy Clarke were indeed thoughtful.
Much more thoughtful than Morgan Zhekova.
“Cindy, why did you buy so many things?
It’s not your first time coming here, can you keep buying this much each time?” Mrs.
Lewis asked, although she liked the gifts, she believed it was a little too much.
“We’ll deal with future visits when they come, today is Adrian’s first time here, we should take it seriously.” Cindy explained with a smile.
Then, Mrs.
Lewis said: “Let it be for this time, but don’t do the same for next time.” “Okay.” Cindy agreed.
What to buy next time, they will decide when that time comes.
For now, agreeing was the right thing to do.
It was only at this time that Cindy and Adrian noticed a new face in the house, Mattew Xenos.
Cindy hesitated for a moment and asked, “Who is this…?” As for the people in Lewis’ house, although Cindy was not acquaintenced with everyone, she knew quite a few.
Seeing Mattew was very unfamiliar.
Mrs.
Lewis felt even more embarrassed.
However, compared to her, Mattew Xenos was even more embarrassed, or perhaps it would be more accurate to say he was shocked.
Although Mattew did not know Lyke, he did know Adrian Zhekova!
Even though Adrian Zhekova keeps a low profile and rarely appears in front of the media.
Regardless of this, he is now an authoritative figure in the Pingla Group.
Whenever the group makes any major decisions or experiences any significant events or achievements.
Even if he does not make an appearance, the media still needs to mention him and publish his photographs along with the news.
Although each time, they used only a few of the same photographs.
There was no alternative.
Adrian Zhekova kept such a low profile, he neither took photos nor updated his existing ones.
The media wanted to follow him but had no clue where to start.
Chapter 1090: Can We Show Some Respect for the Elders?_1 While Adrian Zhekova took a daily trip to Pingla, he chose to navigate the city by car through the parking lot, avoiding public exposure.
Even if reporters would wait at the gate, they would be incapable of getting a snap of him.
Also, he wasn’t some celebrity that reporters would focus their energies on.
No matter which photo was displayed, the viewers would certainly notice.
If his name were not mentioned, perhaps Mattew Xenos wouldn’t recognize Adrian Zhekova at first glance.
After all, there’s a considerable difference between a two-dimensional image and a person in three dimensions.
Even the most attentive person would struggle to recognize him at first.
...
But now that Cindy Clarke mentioned his name.
By connecting his face to the name, how would Matthew Xenos not recognize him?
If it were Adrian Zhekova, then Lyke Zhekova was Adrian’s Fourth Uncle…
This meant, everything Lyke Zhekova said earlier was true, and he might have even downplayed some parts.
Matthew Xenos thought about how he had doubted Lyke Zhekova’s authenticity earlier.
How he had suspected Lyke Zhekova of bluffing, his face blushed with embarrassment.
Upon recalling what he had thought before, he felt mortified.
Moreover, had Lyke Zhekova noticed his misconceptions?
ƝονǤο.сᴑ
Matthew Xenos tried to recall Lyke Zhekova’s reactions from just now, trying to deduce if he had seen through him.
But then, his mind had been engulfed by a sour feeling, as if a lemon was squeezed into it, and he hadn’t been observant.
Even if he strained his memory now, he wouldn’t succeed.
Matthew Xenos could barely bring himself to look at Lyke Zhekova.
But still, he managed to sneak a quick glance at him.
He found Lyke Zhekova wholly engrossed in Adrian Zhekova and Cindy Clarke, not glancing at him even once.
Mathew couldn’t help but think, how could Lyke even bother looking at him?
This time, he had truly missed out on an opportunity to connect with Lyke Zhekova.
Although Matthew worked in foreign trade, it wasn’t directly related to Lyke Zhekova’s field.
Yet he didn’t necessarily have to stay in foreign trade for the rest of his life.
The more people he knew, the more contacts he would have and the more career paths would open up for him.
The foreign trade market wasn’t flourishing now, unlike some years ago.
His income too had dwindled compared to the past.
He had thought about exploring other career paths and pondered what else he could do.
And now, he had let such a fantastic opportunity slip through his fingers.
What’s the use of pleasing Lyke Zhekova, now that he knew of Lyke’s identity?
Wouldn’t Lyke see through his small schemes?
Now, Matthew deeply regretted it.
Moreover, he felt that he might have offended Lyke Zhekova.
Now that Adrian Zhekova and Cindy Clarke had arrived.
It was clear that a family gathering was taking place.
He felt out of place here.
He didn’t know any of them and had nothing in common to talk about.
So when Cindy Clarke looked at him and asked a question, Matthew prepared to beat a retreat.
Mrs.
Lewis awkwardly explained, “He’s a younger generation friend of our family who came to visit us.”
Mrs.
Lewis couldn’t bear to mention he was Peggy Lewis’s prospective suitor.
The situation was beyond awkward.
If Adrian Zhekova and Lyke Zhekova weren’t present, she would have spoken the truth.
But how could she do so now?
She had called Matthew Xenos without telling Peggy Lewis.
This turn of events was rather unseemly.
Mrs.
Lewis reprimanded herself silently.
Not only did it embarrass everyone, including the young Matthew, but now she was also left pondering how she would explain this to the matchmaker.
After this experience, Mrs.
Lewis swore never to act first and report later.
Matthew Xenos seized the moment and said, “I was just here to see Uncle and Aunt, it’s time for me to leave.”
Mrs.
Lewis made a polite protest, “Hey, why are you leaving in such a hurry?
Stay and join us for a meal.”
Matthew Xenos laughed and said, “I chose the wrong time to visit.
I didn’t know you had guests.
That’s my fault.
I will visit another day.”
“Oh, how can we just let you leave like this?” Mrs.
Lewis insisted politely.
“It’s alright, I will visit you and Uncle again,” said Matthew Xenos.
He was already near the door, bracing himself to put on his shoes.
Everyone was clustered around him, and it felt as if all their attention was fixated on him.
This made Matthew extremely stiff while putting on his shoes.
Something so simple turned into a task due to pressure, with his hands beginning to shake.
When he squatted to put on his shoes, he lost balance and stumbled.
Thankfully, Mr.
Lewis was attentive and steadied him promptly.
This made Matthew embarrass even more.
“Thank you,” Matthew Xenos thanked uncomfortably and hurriedly put on his shoes.
However, when he stood up, he stumbled again.
Fortunately, this time he quickly held onto the door and didn’t need anyone to steady him.
But Matthew still felt embarrassed and said hurriedly, “I should get going, sorry for disturbing you all today.”
“I should accompany you to the door,” Mrs.
Lewis said hurriedly.
“It’s unnecessary,” Matthew insisted, eager to make his exit, much like a man fleeing.
“Auntie, please don’t bother,” said Matthew Xenos.
Mrs.
Lewis then asked Mr.
Lewis, “Dear, could you please escort him to the door?”
Always a practical man, Mr.
Lewis only had to slip into his slippers and he was ready to go out.
No matter how much Matthew protested, Mr.
Lewis insisted on walking him to the door.
Unable to refuse, Matthew allowed Mr.
Lewis to escort him out.
After that, Mrs.
Lewis led Cindy Clarke and the others to the living room to sit.
Although many people had arrived, the sofa was long enough to accommodate everyone.
Peggy Lewis brought over a dining chair and placed it opposite the coffee table, letting the guests sit on the sofa while she took care of serving tea and the like.
Everyone sat around the coffee table, making it convenient for conversation.
Upon looking around, Lyke Zhekova realized he and Peggy Lewis were seated quite far apart.
The distance wasn’t insignificant; this wouldn’t do.
So, Lyke Zhekova decided to move to a location closer to Peggy Lewis but still not close enough.
Even though there wasn’t anyone between them, a significant gap still existed.
Lyke Zhekova aimed a meaningful look at Peggy Lewis, trying to convey his thoughts through his eyes.
Move closer to him.
However, Peggy Lewis was fully focused on playing the role of the host perfectly, ensuring everyone was comfortable.
Therefore, she didn’t notice Lyke Zhekova’s suggestive look.
This frustrated Lyke Zhekova no end.
On top of that, Adrian Zhekova was right there, clearly enjoying the show.
His lips held a ghost of a smile, and his eyes, devoid of any attempts at cover-up, kept moving from Lyke Zhekova to Peggy Lewis.
It was clear that he was finding amusement in Lyke Zhekova’s discomfort.
Lyke Zhekova was fuming at this point.
Couldn’t Adrian respect his elders a bit more?
Luckily, Mrs.
Lewis was much more perceptive than Peggy Lewis.
Seeing Peggy sitting quite far from Lyke, and observing Lyke’s obvious urgency, she became more confident about a certain matter.