Ch. 1261..1270
Chapter 1261: Guarding_1 “So, I really can’t leave.” Cindy Clarke apologized with a smile to the little guy, telling him a white lie right in front of him.
The little guy shook his head and walked away with his bag of chips.
He signaled that he didn’t hear, and that Cindy could exaggerate as much as she wanted.
“This…
this is that serious?” Joshua Clarke knew that Wendy Clarke was trying to hinder Cindy.
Because Cindy said in the morning that she was going to the hospital to visit him, but she didn’t.
Wendy kept a watchful eye on Cindy and found that Cindy’s car did not change direction, and still seemed to be heading to Pingla.
...
She could have coordinated with Ethan Zhekova and set up two options.
She had people setup in advance where Cindy would be stopped.
If Cindy didn’t go there, and instead went to the hospital, she would naturally not encounter those people.
But if Cindy chose to go to the competition, and when the car got to that location, those people would immediately appear to stop Cindy.
What would happen would all depend on Cindy’s choice.
Wendy did all this right in front of Joshua.
Joshua indeed knew Wendy’s intentions.
But Joshua had never imagined it would be that serious.
He thought it was just some obstacles to block the road.
Joshua didn’t want to ruin Cindy’s future.
But according to Wendy, this was just a defensive match, not that important.
Just a show.
The offensive teams from various countries were all strong, and all of them were stronger than the defensive team.
The defensive team was, in fact, just a decoration.
It was more of a formality.
It wouldn’t look good just giving away the badges; they should be earned through effort.
In any case, Joshua thought that since the defensive team was weaker than the offensive team, they were surely going to give away the badge.
Even if Cindy didn’t participate, she still had her teammates.
Missing one match would be a slight loss to Cindy, but it wouldn’t be a critical loss.
Joshua thought this way, so he agreed with Wendy’s method.
Even if he disagreed, it didn’t matter since Wendy wouldn’t listen to him anyway.
However, his disagreement and Wendy’s disregard, are two separate issues, and could not be confused.
But, Joshua never expected the situation to be as serious as Cindy portrayed.
He couldn’t help but question.
Would Cindy have exaggerated and deliberately misled him?
Cindy has done such things before.
Cindy uttered: “I will send you the video footage from the dashcam later.
You will realize that the actual situation was even scarier than what you see in the video.”
“I really can’t leave right now.
Ethan Zhekova has also called and asked, and the doctor said you are in good condition and asked us not to worry.
So I postponed visiting you.
Since you are doing well now, and you can talk fluently over the phone, you wouldn’t mind if I accompany Morgan first, right?
The kid got quite scared.”
“This…” Joshua was at a loss for words.
“Right, let me quickly send you the video.” Added Cindy.
After saying that, she took the opportunity to hang up the phone.
Cindy had long ago asked Cleave Roland to send a backup video to her mobile phone.
She anticipated that Joshua would inevitably ask her, it was just a matter of time.
Even if he didn’t ask, keeping the video was a good precaution.
However, Joshua really did not surprise her, and as expected, he had called to ask about it.
Despite confirming her anticipations and the video not being wasted, Cindy couldn’t feel happy about it.
Cindy took a deep breath, decided not to overthink it, sent the video to Joshua, and then continued with preparing the meals.
Joshua opened the video sent by Cindy and was really shocked.
It looked just like those doomsday movies where everyone was fighting to survive.
It also looked like being surrounded by zombies.
Anyway, it was scary just watching it.
Watching the video alone was quite terrifying, he could hardly imagine how horrifying it must have been for Cindy and Morgan to be trapped in the situation.
It’s no wonder Morgan was so frightened that he couldn’t leave Cindy.
Even he was shocked watching the video, not to mention Morgan, who was just a child.
Joshua hurriedly called Cindy again.
As soon as Cindy picked up the phone, she heard Joshua say, “Cindy, I really didn’t expect the situation to be so serious.
How’s Morgan doing?
Has he gotten any better?”
“Not yet,” Cindy replied, “I’m sticking to him closely right now.”
“Well, that’s fine, you should focus on the child first.” Joshua hurriedly said, “There’s nothing wrong over here, you don’t have to worry.”
“Okay,” Cindy nodded.
“Are you okay?” Joshua asked again.
“I’m fine.
Although I was also frightened, because I have to take care of Morgan, I don’t have the time to think too much about it, so I’m a little better now.” Cindy replied.
Upon hearing this, Joshua felt even worse.
Cindy was also scared, but she had to take care of Morgan, so she couldn’t afford to be scared.
Morgan has Cindy to take care of him, but who will take care of Cindy?
Joshua said with concern, “You should also take good rest.”
“Or…” Joshua wanted to suggest Christy Xenos to accompany Cindy, “Forget it.”
Joshua himself felt that his idea was bit too whimsical.
Christy Xenos would be willing to find Cindy, but certainly not to comfort Cindy.
And Cindy would not want Christy Xenos to accompany her.
If Christy Xenos really went, Cindy would probably be even more furious.
Cindy couldn’t guess Joshua’s thoughts.
No matter what, Cindy couldn’t have imagined that Joshua could have such fanciful thoughts.
However, when Joshua said “Forget it,” Cindy wasn’t curious about what he was thinking before.
“By the way, what about these people…
What happened to them in the end?” Joshua asked again.
“They were reported to the police, and the police arrested them.
But these scam artists can’t be dealt with too strictly, at most they will be detained for a few days.” Cindy said, leaving out Wendy to avoid alarming her.
Joshua was also afraid that Wendy would be exposed.
Although he thought Wendy had gone too far, he had never thought of exposing her.
If Cindy really found out about Wendy, it would be best to settle it privately.
As much as possible, they should avoid trouble.
“That’s letting them off too easily!” Joshua said indignantly.
“Who says not?
But what can you do.” Cindy said, “Such things have always happened often.
Now I can only admit my bad luck.”
Joshua heard Cindy say this and sighed in relief.
It seems that Cindy didn’t think that someone was instigating this, she just thought it was a simple scam.
“Morgan is calling for me again.” Cindy said hurriedly, “I need to hang up.”
“Oh, alright.” Joshua nodded.
After hanging up the phone, Joshua called Wendy.
Wendy was not in the hospital now.
It was Wendy who suggested he should call, but Joshua also wanted to call.
Despite knowing that he was hospitalized with serious injuries, which was a lie to deceive Cindy, but Cindy didn’t know that.
In this situation, Cindy hadn’t come to see him till now.
Joshua couldn’t help feeling upset.
So when Wendy suggested he should call Cindy, Joshua readily agreed.
Chapter 1262: What’s the Fuss About_1 “Dad, how are you?
Has Cindy visited you?” Wendy Clarke asked.
“No.” Joshua Clarke said solemnly.
Wendy immediately expressed indignation.
“She’s absolutely awful!
You treat her the best, and she ignores you on regular days.
Now that she’s been told you are hospitalized because of an injury, she doesn’t even bother to visit you.”
“Dad, do you see her true colors now?” Wendy immediately continued, “Even though you’re okay now, Cindy doesn’t know that.
...
In her eyes, you’re in great trouble, but she still won’t visit you.”
“That’s not true,” Joshua defended, “She and Morgan were both scared, and they specifically asked me about my condition.
Knowing that I am fine, she decided not to come for the time being.
She wanted to stay home to take care of Morgan.
The kid was terrified and couldn’t be left alone.”
“Speaking of which, I thought you just sent someone to stop Cindy.
How could you be so excessive!” Joshua questioned.
“Dad, what are you talking about?”
“Don’t play the fool!
Cindy showed me the video taken by her dashcam!
I found it incredibly horrifying just by watching the video.
Those people surrounded the car.
If the police hadn’t arrived, they could have lifted the car away!”
“Just watching the video made me scared, let alone Cindy and Morgan who actually experienced that terror,” Joshua said, “I thought you were just stopping her from going to the competition, I didn’t expect you made things worse by hurting them in person!”
“What have I harmed?” Wendy defended, “Do you think it’s easy to stop her?
Just stand in front of her and tell her not to compete?”
“I didn’t ask anyone to hurt her.
I just had her car surrounded so that she couldn’t leave.
Have you seen her injured?
Is her son injured?
If we didn’t do that, how could we stop her?”
“No matter what I do, I’m always wrong.
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Even if she gets a little fright, you feel bad for her,” Wendy said coldly.
“I didn’t…” Joshua denied.
“You were the one who didn’t want her to come and visit you,” Wendy said.
Joshua remained silent.
“Forget it.
I didn’t hope that you would succeed anyway.
Plus, the competition is over, and it’s pointless to trick her here,” Wendy said.
“Why did you ask me to call her then?” Joshua asked.
“I just wanted you to see that you mean nothing to Cindy.
She simply doesn’t care about you.” Wendy sneered, “But who knew, you are so easily fooled by her.
She pacified you with a few words.”
“You believe her just because she said she got scared.” Wendy mocked, “Every time she disappoints you, you still forgive her.”
“She was truly terrified,” Joshua insisted, “I felt afraid just by watching the video, let alone her and Morgan.
Especially Morgan, such a small kid.
Wendy, you were really being thoughtless about this.
Even if you wanted to stop Cindy, Morgan was innocent.”
“Alright,” Wendy said impatiently, “Anyway, nothing was successful.
What’s the point of talking about it now?”
Wendy suddenly remembered something: “Since Cindy called the police, did she suspect that those people were instructed by someone?”
“Don’t worry, I have tested her.
Cindy didn’t overthink.
She thought those were just ordinary scammers who hit upon her misfortune,” Joshua said.
“Really?” Wendy was still somewhat unsure.
Could Cindy, who is very careful, not have thought about it?
Joshua, with a tone of wisdom and stability, said: “Really, you just relax.
You always say that I favor Cindy, but to me, both of you are equally important, and I don’t favor anyone.
I don’t want her to know what you did, so I have kept it from her and tested it.”
Wendy sighed in relief.
***
Cindy doesn’t care what Wendy is thinking about.
Now, Wendy’s impression on her was probably the same as Ethan’s impression on Adrian.
Because of the extra time in the afternoon, Cindy had more time to simmer the soup base slowly.
She could extract more essence from the soup, and the taste was certainly better than the one she made during the competition in the morning.
While the soup was simmering on low heat, Cindy continued to prepare other dishes.
At this moment, she received a call from Peggy Lewis.
“Cindy!
We’ve heard the news, you won the competition.” Right after picking the phone, she heard Peggy’s joyful voice.
“It was us.” Cindy said, “We retained a badge, hoping to reduce some pressure for our Offensive Team in the final.”
“Great, such good news, don’t we need to celebrate?” Peggy immediately said.
“Celebrate?” Cindy laughed, “How do you want to celebrate for me?”
“We will go to your place tonight.” Peggy said.
“You guys?” Cindy asked while chopping vegetables, “Are you coming with Fourth Uncle?”
“Of course, I can’t leave him alone.” Peggy said.
Cindy thought that Peggy and Lyke have really become inseparable.
“It looks like you have adapted quite well to your married life.” Cindy giggled.
“Mmm…
very easy to adapt to.” Peggy satisfied.
“Fortunately, I intend to celebrate tonight.
When will you guys be here?” Cindy asked.
“We will come after work, probably around 7 pm if we’re fast.” Peggy calculated the time.
“Sure, Adrian would be back home around the same time, so I’ll wait for you.”
Cindy got the call from Peggy.
Adrian wasn’t aware of this, he looked forward to getting off work, and hurriedly drove home.
Surprisingly, Peggy and Lyke arrived a bit earlier than Adrian.
As soon as Adrian walked in the door, he saw a pair of men’s and women’s shoes in the entrance hall.
Who visited at this time?
Are they planning to stay for dinner?
What guest has such a thick skin that they’re not leaving when it’s time for dinner.
Adrian was complaining while taking off his shoes.
Cindy was busy in the kitchen and didn’t hear Adrian’s arrival earlier.
Now when she heard him, she hurried out of the kitchen to the entrance.
“Are there guests in our house?” Adrian asked Cindy.
“Fourth Uncle and Peggy are here,” Cindy smiled.
“Why are they here at this time?” Adrian found it odd.
They should be enjoying their two-person world, why come here to join the fun.
“Didn’t they hear that I’ve won the competition?
So, they specially came to see me,” Cindy said.
Adrian: “…”
“It must be a special occasion for them to taste the winning dish from the competition.” Adrian was too familiar.
“Anyway, I was planning to prepare a full table of dishes.” Cindy said, “There are only three people in our house, it would be wasteful if I cooked too much.
But if I cook less, I’d feel unsatisfied.
Now that Peggy and Fourth Uncle are here, they have helped me a lot.”
In the face of Adrian’s reluctance, Cindy prompted, “Hurry up and greet our guests.”
Chapter 1263: Hey, They’re So Envious_1 “What guests are they?” Adrian Zhekova grumbled.
He wanted to celebrate alone with Cindy Clarke.
Adding Morgan Zhekova was already pushing his limits.
After all, it’s his own son, and he had to put up with it, right?
But when Lyke Zhekova and Peggy Lewis were added to the mix, Adrian Zhekova felt it was totally unnecessary.
These two, though Adrian Zhekova hadn’t met them at the doorstep yet.
But Adrian Zhekova could already imagine, Peggy Lewis and Lyke Zhekova were likely here to join the celebration.
...
More importantly, they wanted to taste the winning cuisine made by Clarke.
Adrian Zhekova sighed, ever since Peggy Lewis married Lyke Zhekova, a good young man was influenced by Lyke Zhekova to the dark side, becoming totally shameless.
At this time, Lyke Zhekova and Peggy Lewis heard Adrian Zhekova coming back and came out.
The little fellow was busily building his own little island and still working in the living room.
He just took a moment to call out: “Daddy!”
Adrian Zhekova: “…”
He felt his own status was gradually declining.
“How long have you been here?” Adrian Zhekova asked as he walked.
They’re all family, so there was no need to be so polite.
“We just got here not too long ago.” Lyke Zhekova answered.
The housekeeper was helping out in the kitchen.
Clarke had already prepared everything in the afternoon.
So, Peggy Lewis wasn’t needed there.
Peggy Lewis was just playing with Morgan in the living room.
While Morgan was creating his little island, Peggy Lewis was giving him some suggestions.
The two of them discussing the construction of the little island was quite a lively conversation.
Adrian Zhekova went to change into comfortable home clothes.
As he was changing, he couldn’t help thinking how comfortable his own home was, where he could change clothes as he wished.
Unlike Lyke Zhekova and Peggy Lewis who couldn’t do that.
Heh, they must be so envious!
By the time Adrian Zhekova came out and was ready to meet them in the living room, he found out that Lyke Zhekova and Peggy Lewis were also dressed casually.
When he first saw them, he wasn’t paying much attention.
Only now did he notice.
“Is this what you wore to work?” That was too casual.
It was maybe okay for Peggy Lewis.
The workplace wasn’t really like what’s shown in dramas, where you had to dress so formally.
Men in suits and leather shoes.
Women dressed in suits, heels, meticulously applied makeup, and elegant hairstyles.
All kinds of wavy and messy buns.
But in reality, everyone’s busy catching buses and subways in the morning.
They can’t be late and want to sleep a little bit longer, there’s just no time to make themselves look that good, right?
Peggy Lewis, previously, didn’t even have time to eat breakfast at home.
She simply stopped by the convenience store to grab a sandwich or some rice balls for her meal.
She didn’t have time to put much effort into her appearance at all.
Her clothes were mainly about comfort, and no one would say anything even if she wore sneakers to work.
On other hand, Lyke Zhekova, as the CEO, really had to care about his image.
He still needed to dress more formally.
So it wasn’t surprising to see Peggy Lewis dressed casually.
But did Lyke Zhekova go to work dressed like this today?
“No way, we specifically went home first to change before coming here.” Lyke Zhekova said, “Otherwise, coming for dinner dressed so formally would be uncomfortable.
It would also ruin the feeling of a casual family gathering, wouldn’t it?”
Adrian Zhekova: “…”
You two sure know how to enjoy yourselves.
“You even made a detour home and got here before me.” Adrian Zhekova twitched his mouth, “What time did you guys really get off work?”
“Ahem!” Lyke Zhekova cleared his throat nervously, “Just slightly earlier.”
“You’re the boss, it doesn’t matter for you.” Adrian Zhekova said, “But what about Peg…”
Adrian Zhekova was interrupted by Lyke Zhekova’s gaze and he quickly corrected himself: “But what about Fourth Aunt?
Did she take the day off too?”
Peggy Lewis was a bit embarrassed being called “Fourth Aunt” by Adrian Zhekova.
Especially since Adrian Zhekova was older than her.
She always felt like she was taking advantage of Adrian Zhekova.
“Once or twice is no big deal.” Lyke Zhekova said, “Celebrating Clarke is more important.”
Adrian Zhekova: “…”
I think you guys just wanted to get here earlier for dinner.
At this moment, Clarke called out: “Adrian, dinner is ready.
Call Fourth Uncle and Peggy to the dining room.”
So, Adrian Zhekova called Lyke Zhekova and Peggy Lewis to the dining room.
And reminded Morgan: “Go wash your hands; it’s time for dinner.
Weren’t you always asking for chicken meatball soup?”
The little guy put down the game after chopping down a tree and obediently went to wash his hands and sat down at his place.
Adrian Zhekova asked him: “What would you like to drink?”
The little guy thought for a moment, and said: “I want grapefruit juice.”
So, Adrian Zhekova retrieved the grapefruit juice, opened it and poured little guy a glass.
Then he asked Lyke Zhekova and Peggy Lewis: “Shall we have some sake?”
“Let’s have some sake.” Cindy came out just in time to hear, “To go with the soup, I made more Japanese-style dishes for dinner, which pairs well with sake.”
“We have some decent sake at home.” Zhekova said.
Even though Lyke Zhekova drove here, they could easily call a driver or hire a replacement driver to bring them home.
“Sounds good.” Lyke Zhekova agreed and asked Peggy, “Can you drink?”
“I don’t mind.” Peggy laughed.
She used to often go to Clarke’s house, and they would have a small drink together.
They would have a few small dishes to accompany the alcohol, and they weren’t trying to get drunk, just leisurely eating and sipping their drinks.
They could even chat all night if it wasn’t getting too late.
Sharing a pot of alcohol with a close friend, perhaps, was what it was all about.
“How about you, will you have some?” Adrian Zhekova asked Clarke.
“Of course.” Clarke said, “Since this is a celebration for me, how can I not drink?”
Adrian Zhekova smiled and brought out a bottle of sake.
The bottle of sake was a large 750ml one, and it contained edible gold flakes inside.
Ɲονɢᴑ.сο
Adrian Zhekova specifically brought out the sake cups.
He poured everyone a glass.
Handmade ripple-pattern glass cups, are quite different from mass-produced ones.
The rim of the glass is not flat, there are soft uneven waves.
The pattern on the glass looks like ripples on water surface caused by wind, or a tranquil lake surface disturbed by a stone, or the sparkling sunset reflection on water surface.
Because the cup was quite thick, it didn’t have a high degree of transparency like normal glass cups.
It looked more like a cup carved out of ice, becoming semi-transparent.
When the sake was poured into the cup, you could still see the clear transparent beverage through the cup.
And the thin gold flakes were accentuated by the glass.
Peggy Lewis lifted the cup to her nose and sniffed it a few times.
The faint rice fragrance carried a unique gentle note, slowly flowing into her nostrils
Chapter 1264: Hot!
Hot!
_1 “Here’s to celebrating our defense of a badge today!” Cindy Clarke proposed a toast.
Everyone lifted their glasses and took a small sip.
...
With a faint yet robust flavor of rice, it smoothly slid down their throats.
Although the amount of gold flakes in the glass had decreased, they hadn’t caught a hint of its taste.
Peggy Lewis particularly enjoyed a few drinks.
Having such a delicious sake, she closed her eyes in satisfaction.
Even the little one joined in on the fun, holding his glass of grapefruit juice, pretending it was also wine.
After taking a sip, he contentedly swayed his head.
Cindy again served everyone a bowl of soup.
Each bowl contained a chunk of white radish, two chicken meatballs, a couple of matsutake, and a small cluster of beech mushrooms.
Although the little one was small, he could now use chopsticks skillfully, no longer needing training chopsticks.
But for him, the chopsticks for adults were just too long.
So even though he didn’t need assistance anymore, he still used children’s chopsticks.
However, he was already very proficient with them.
He picked up his chopsticks and lightly pinched about one-fifth of the radish in the soup.
Without much effort, the soft radish was easily picked up.
The radish was stewed to a translucent state, with a faint brown color.
At first glance, it even resembled a well-cooked tendons.
The little one gulped down the radish with a big “gulp”.
“Hot!
Hot!” The little one started puffing from the heat.
Cindy hurriedly reached out to his mouth: “Quick, spit it out.”
“Mmm…” The little one closed his mouth tight—he was willing to endure the heat rather than spit the radish out.
When his mouth adjusted to the heat, the little one could finally savor the taste.
No need to chew, just a slight press with the tongue, and the radish just dissolved.
Even after swallowing, the little one was still relishing the taste.
He closed his eyes, and with satisfaction, kicked his legs.
His hands propped up his face and he kept making approving “mm-hmm” noises.
“So delicious, so savory,” the little one quivered with joy all over.
Adrian Zhekova was amused by the little one’s reaction.
He knew about Cindy’s excellent culinary skills.
But was it necessary to be this exaggerated?
He also picked up a piece of radish.
Learning from the little one’s experience, Adrian blew on it several times, estimating the temperature he could cope with, and then put it in his mouth.
To his surprise, upon putting it in his mouth, Adrian was taken aback.
This radish was stewed as if it were bone marrow.
It was nothing like the roasted marrow one usually sees at barbeques.
Instead, it was like an entire stick of marrow cut flat, roasted together with the bone.
The thick marrow in the middle seemed more like animal fat.
It sounded quite greasy, but when eaten, it was smooth, tender, and melted instantly in the mouth.
It was similar to the fatty part of pork belly, cooked until it couldn’t be any softer, breaking effortlessly under the chopsticks, completely melting in the mouth once consumed.
But, it wasn’t as greasy as these fats.
Even if well-cooked animal fats are impressive in the first few bites, consuming more eventually becomes cloying.
But this was different, it was radish, stewed until its texture resembled those greasy things, but the taste was never cloying, no matter how much you ate.
It gives off a faint oily fragrance.
But Adrian Zhekova guessed that the oiliness was probably coming from the chicken meatballs, which carried a subtle sweetness.
The white radish fully absorbed the flavor of the soup.
It melded with the umami taste of the chicken, matsutake, and beech mushrooms, as well as the light smokey flavor imparted by the dried skipjack tuna.
Such a simple white radish was filled with such a complex taste.
No wonder the little one made such a big fuss earlier.
Adrian Zhekova closed his eyes; even he couldn’t resist the urge to shake his head around.
Both Lyke Zhekova and Peggy Lewis had the same reaction as Adrian Zhekova.
Both of them were surprised and delighted, their faces reflecting pure joy and satisfaction after just one bite.
“So yummy!” The little one’s voice chimed in again.
Looking over, the little one had already taken the first step and was tasting the chicken meatballs.
Half of a chicken meatball was skewered on his chopstick’s end.
The other half seemed to have already reached his mouth.
Adrian Zhekova chuckled.
This kid was always a step ahead of them.
Peggy Lewis, fearing it might be hot, tentatively bit into half of it first.
“How come this chicken meatball isn’t tough at all?” asked Peggy Lewis to Cindy Clarke, “And it’s even juicy.”
“It’s made from chicken thigh, and an egg was added.
You see, the most exercised parts of a chicken are the wings and legs.
Therefore, the meat from these parts is the firmest and most elastic, and also the freshest and juiciest.”
“So, there’s no particular cooking method involved.
It’s just that the meat itself is already excellent,” Cindy Clarke explained with a smile.
“How come it’s so springy?” Adrian Zhekova queried, amazed.
He initially thought that the highlight of this soup was the white radish.
Cindy Clarke’s decision to use white radish in this soup, though seemingly simple, is actually quite representative in Japanese cuisine.
Like oden, a commonly seen and highly representative street snack where the white radish is the main attraction.
There is also a simple yet sophisticated method used even in kaiseki cuisine.
Cooking until tender in an exclusive broth, then pouring a specially prepared sauce over it.
A very simple piece of white radish can support an entire dish.
This was also why Cindy Clarke chose to use white radish in her soup; it fitted the theme perfectly.
He originally thought that the crux of this soup was all in the white radish.
He didn’t expect that the chicken meatballs would bring such a pleasant surprise.
Adrian Zhekova observed the half-eaten chicken meatball and noticed some thin particles in the middle, although he couldn’t tell what they were.
He then heard Cindy Clarke explain, “Those are chicken skin.
After boiling the chicken skin and washing it with cold water several times to remove the gelatin, it becomes quite elastic.
When mixed into the chicken meatballs, it adds a distinctive layer of texture, occasionally giving a chewy mouthfeel.”
“You’re so good,” Peggy Lewis admired.
As for matsutake and beech mushrooms, it goes without saying.
Their inherent mushroom umami, compounded by absorbing the savory sweetness of chicken and dried skipjack tuna, made them absolutely delicious.
“Have you wowed the judges today?” Peggy Lewis asked expectantly.
Cindy Clarke thought of Luke Shaw’s expression and giggled, “Maybe…
I wowed them in a different sense.”
“How so?” Lyke Zhekova asked with a laugh.
“I actually knew that the Indian Triad don’t eat chicken skin.
Apart from those who follow certain religious practices, some people don’t even eat chicken at all.
But ordinary people do eat chicken, they just don’t eat the skin,” said Cindy Clarke.
“It’s not about cultural or religious reasons, it’s more a matter of habit.
Just like westerners don’t eat offal, pig’s trotters, chicken feet, and so forth.”
It’s partly because the sight of these foods is off-putting for them, and also because they don’t know how to cook them.
But if these foods are presented to them to eat, it’s not going to offend them.
“So I thought, since the chicken skin is finely chopped and mixed into the meatballs, he wouldn’t know,” Cindy Clarke said with a smile.
“It’s like those short social media videos featuring foreigners tasting unusual foods that they usually wouldn’t eat.”
Chapter 1265: I Don’t Want to Grow Up_1 Unaware of the situation, they still enjoyed the meal a great deal.
“However, after the evaluation, one of the judges, Luke Shaw, did ask me what ingredients were used.” Cindy shrugged, “I told him the truth.
His expression was really…
pretty bad.”
“So in that respect, I suppose I really did stun him.” Cindy said with a laugh.
She didn’t purposely include an ingredient she knew the person wouldn’t eat, she simply chose it to enhance the taste.
Everyone took another few mouthfuls of the soup, then followed it up with a sip of sake.
The taste paired so well.
...
Too bad, the little guy couldn’t enjoy it.
Watching the adults sip their drinks in satisfaction, especially how smug Peggy looked, made the little guy even more eager.
Looking up at Adrian with his baby face, he innocently asked, “Dad, can I try it?
Just a sip, a tiny sip.”
The little guy even extended his tiny chubby hand, stretching out his index finger in comparison, indicating “1”.
Adrian turned to Cindy, asking, “Should we give him a taste?”
Just this one action was enough for Peggy to figure out who had the final say in this household. The taste of sake on Cindy’s palette was gentle, devoid of any spice or harsh notes and the alcohol content wasn’t high at all.
She said, “He can just have a tiny sip.”
She emphasized again, “Remember, this is a one time thing, no repeats.”
The little guy quickly nodded his head, agreeing to “just one small sip.”
As Cindy gave the nod, Adrian handed his own cup to Morgan, “Take a taste.”
In a glass cup, it would be immediately obvious how much has been drunk.
The little guy didn’t dare to play tricks, he just obediently and carefully took a tiny sip.
He then haughtily let out a long sigh, “That tastes really good!”
The little guy, ever so dutiful, returned the sake cup to Adrian and said, “I really can’t wait to grow up.
That way I get to protect Cindy, and also get to drink sake.”
The helplessness he felt in Cindy’s arms in the morning, the little guy had firmly etched it in his heart.
But Cindy really didn’t want him to grow up too quickly.
Not physically, but mentally.
All children who mature too fast all have reasons forcing them to grow up too early.
And more often than not, these reasons aren’t very pleasant.
If Morgan was forced to mature prematurely, then that would mean they failed as parents.
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Cindy didn’t voice this directly, but she said with a touch of sadness: “However, if you grow up, it means we’re getting old.
For every year you grow, we age a year.
By the time you’re all grown up and able to protect me…”
Cindy pretended to count: “For instance, say when you’re 20.
You’re 5 now, so when you’re 20, I will be 42.
You’re dad will be even more unfortunate, he’d be nearly 50.
In just a few years, we’d be due for retirement.”
“Then gradually, we’ll get too old to walk, even our teeth will start to fall out one by one.” Cindy continued, “When people get old, their height reduces and they can’t keep their backs straight.”
“We’ll have white hair all over, needing a walking stick to walk, our vision will become blurry, and won’t even have the energy to cook for you.” Imagining the scenes of the future, Cindy tilted her head while speaking.
Although she was only imagining this, it did create a very vivid image in her mind.
“At that time, I’ll still need you to protect me.” Cindy added.
Much to everyone’s surprise, the little guy’s eyes started to turn red.
“I…
I don’t want to grow up anymore!” He tightly hugged Cindy’s arm, “I don’t want to grow up, I don’t want you guys to get old, I still want to eat the food you make for me.”
The little guy was having a difficult time choosing between protecting Cindy, and eating the food Cindy made for him.
It was such a difficult choice.
He wanted to be capable of protecting Cindy, but he didn’t want his parents to get old.
Cindy gently rubbed the back of the little guy’s head and said, “So you see, there’s no need for you to be in such a hurry to grow up.
In fact, I wish time could pass by a little slower, even slower than that.
That way, we’d have more time to spend together.”
“You don’t need to rush to grow up, just grow at your normal pace.
We can also grow old at an unhurried pace, that way we all get more time.”
“Besides, your dad is here to protect me now.” Cindy said softly, “He protects both of us.
Look, he’s not old at all right now, he alone is enough to protect both of us.
So, don’t rush, there’s no need.”
The little guy turned to look at Adrian.
He was finding it difficult to imagine Adrian getting old.
In his mind, Adrian seemed to be someone who would never grow old, remaining the same forever.
Of course, the same went for Cindy too.
Cindy gave the little guy’s head a rub, and handed him a skewer of grilled small tomatoes, “You’ve always wanted to have skewers right?
Start by eating this, then have the meat, it comes with a different taste.”
The little guy immediately brightened up, accepting the skewered small tomatoes handed to him by Cindy.
There were three tomatoes skewered together.
This time he learned his lesson.
Holding the skewer carefully, he first tested the temperature of the skewered tomatoes with his lips.
Vegetables and fruits take longer to cool down, feeling the heat, the little guy carefully blew on it for a while, repeatedly testing.
Only when he was sure that the temperature was bearable, he bit into one.
Yet, the heat from the center of the small tomato still stung a little.
Opening his mouth wide, he huffed and puffed to get rid of the scorching sensation.
The tomatoes were sprinkled with a bit of perilla.
The small tomato, although a bit wrinkled from being grilled, was still a vibrant red, decorated with small dark bits of perilla.
It looked particularly tempting.
The sour and sweet taste of the small tomatoes intensified after being grilled, the sourness slightly overpowering the sweetness, and further accentuated by the aroma of perilla leaves.
It was very appetizing.
After eating the skewer, the little guy’s appetite was sparked.
Having the soup for a base, and with his stomach having been warmed up, he was good to go for more.
Immediately, he grabbed a skewer of chicken liver.
Lyke also took a skewer.
Both Lyke and Adrian were a little picky when it came to food.
However, because of their job, they had to test new dishes made by chefs, so they had to taste everything.
This was work-related, and it couldn’t be sidestepped just because they were picky.
They had to treat it as part of their job.
But in reality, Lyke didn’t really like chicken liver.
He felt that chicken liver had a certain gamy smell, which he didn’t really enjoy.
But tonight, Lyke’s curiosity about Cindy’s cooking skills got the better of him.
He wondered if she could make the chicken liver, which he disliked, taste delicious.
Lyke brought the chicken liver closer to his nose, and smelling it, he didn’t detect any trace of the liver’s gamy odor, just the scent of charcoal.
Could it be the strong smell of charcoal covering the odor of the chicken liver?
“You also charcoal-grilled these?” Peggy asked Cindy with surprise.
Cindy always went the extra mile when it came to cooking.
She nodded, “I bought a domestic charcoal stove, the round kind.
I set the extractor hood to the max to get rid of all the smoke.”
Peggy knew Lyke didn’t really enjoy eating chicken liver, so seeing him take the initiative, she didn’t consider her own meal, opting to first observe Lyke’s reaction.
Looking at the chicken liver, Lyke thought it seemed a lot more tender than any he had seen before.
He gently flicked the skewer, and could see a soft, springy texture in the chicken liver.
Chapter 1266: At Least This Way He Doesn’t Seem Lonely_1 Lyke Zhekova was finally ready to move on to the next piece.
The chicken liver was as tender as it looked, without a hint of gaminess.
It was so tender that it didn’t seem like chicken liver at all.
It lacked the fibrous texture of chicken liver and instead felt like half-cooked chicken hearts.
No, even more tender than that.
“It’s so good.” Lyke Zhekova commented.
“That’s quite rare.” Peggy Lewis explained to Cindy Clarke, “He doesn’t usually like chicken liver.
...
It’s a rare achievement to make it taste good for him.”
“You should try some.” Cindy Clarke suggested.
Peggy Lewis also took a bite.
The chicken liver was so tender it seemed to burst with juices.
Peggy Lewis clasped her hand over her mouth in surprise.
Adrian Zhekova had already tasted Cindy Clarke’s grilled chicken liver before.
So this time he didn’t reach for the chicken liver first but took a skewer of Lantern skewers instead.
“It’s a pity the theme this time isn’t kebabs, otherwise, you would definitely win with these Lantern skewers alone.” Adrian Zhekova laughed.
The “Lantern skewers” were a combination of skewered chicken thighs and chicken eggs.
First, they skewered two pieces of chicken thigh.
Then they took immature chicken eggs.
cavity and yolk from within the chicken, placing it at the top of the bamboo skewer.
When the skewers were lifted, they looked like they were holding two lanterns.
The egg yolk was semi-cooked, and when bitten into, immediately burst.
Before swallowing the egg yolk, they bit into a piece of chicken thigh.
The combined taste was smooth, tender, and silky.
“Oh my gosh!” Peggy Lewis exclaimed, “Never did I imagine that one day we could have this at home.
It’s something you can only get in specific Izakayas (Japanese drinking establishments that serve food).”
Even in Japan, it’s not every Izakaya that serves Lantern skewers.
Only a few do.
It’s a dish that requires meticulous preparation and tests one’s skills.
Even fewer are found in Hearth Nation.
In places like the Capitol and Mesolin City, which attract a variety of international cuisines and famous restaurants, there are a few places where you can actually get this dish.
Peggy Lewis believed that what they were eating now is as authentic as it gets and rivals eating it in Japan.
Peggy Lewis couldn’t help but take a small sip of her drink.
“By the way, I heard from Teacher Gordon that Samson Zhekova may also have absolute taste?” Cindy Clarke asked.
“I forgot all about it.” Adrian Zhekova said, “We’re only assuming that Samson Zhekova has absolute taste, we haven’t confirmed it.
Because this ability can’t be validated.
There are way too many seasoning and flavouring ingredients in the world for us to verify one by one.”
Cindy Clarke nodded: “I’m the same way.
So even though it’s called absolute taste, I haven’t really determined all the flavors.”
Adrian Zhekova nodded as well: “But at least for now, it seems like Samson must be pretty similar to you.”
This made Cindy Clarke very happy.
She used to feel lonely because she thought she was the only one.
But knowing now that Samson Zhekova, in a way, is just like her.
It made her feel the joy of having a companion.
She wasn’t lonely anymore.
“I’m getting jealous.” Adrian Zhekova suddenly told Cindy Clarke.
“Huh?” Cindy Clarke hesitated.
Why was Adrian Zhekova getting jealous out of nowhere?
“It’s as if there’s some special common ground between you and Samson,” Adrian Zhekova leaned toward Cindy Clarke’s ear and whispered, “It makes me jealous.”
Cindy Clarke:”…”
What was he talking about?
This was making him jealous?
“Seeing how happy you looked just now, it seemed like you and Samson are the only ones who are a perfect match.” Adrian Zhekova added.
Cindy Clarke:”…”
So this was not something Adrian Zhekova forgot to tell her about, but something he was apparently deliberate in not mentioning.
“You’re even jealous of this!” Cindy Clarke said, somewhat annoyed, “Even if we do share the same ability, we’re never going to be together.
In private, he’s my brother-in-law.
Professionally, he’s my colleague.”
There was no reason for him to be jealous.
“I know.” A somewhat pitiful Adrian Zhekova replied, “But I’m still jealous.
It feels like the two of you have something in common, something to talk about.”
“All right.” Cindy Clarke capitulated, “I won’t bring it up anymore.”
Adrian Zhekova exhaled: “Never mind, let’s wait until Samson comes back from leading the team.
Then you two can communicate.”
“Won’t you get jealous?” Cindy Clarke chuckled.
“No, my brain must be messed up.” Adrian Zhekova admitted after thinking it over.
He realized he was being somewhat silly.
Talking about being jealous was fine, but talking about his brain being messed up was out of bounds.
After all, she was a chef.
Cindy Clarke immediately said: “This entire meal was made by me.
Did it really mess up your brain?”
Adrian Zhekova:”…”
“I was wrong.” Adrian Zhekova immediately conceded.
Peggy Lewis and Lyke Zhekova, watching from the sidelines, cringed so hard their teeth ached.
Lyke Zhekova stopped eating altogether.
There was still one piece of chicken liver left on his skewer, but he left it uneaten and placed it in front of him, saying: “I can’t eat another bite, my teeth are aching from all the cringing.”
Peggy Lewis burst into laughter and fell into Lyke Zhekova’s arms.
“Those two are too much.
They’re already an old married couple but they’re flirting in front of us,” Peggy Lewis told Lyke Zhekova.
Not bothering to lower her voice, she wanted Adrian Zhekova and Cindy Clarke to hear.
Really, they were just trying to enjoy their food when out of nowhere these two started playing lovey-dovey, it made them cringe so hard they couldn’t eat anymore.
Was that appropriate?
“That’s right.” Lyke Zhekova agreed, placing an arm around Peggy Lewis’s shoulders.
Because they were guests at Adrian Zhekova and Cindy Clarke’s house, and with little kids around, Lyke Zhekova was always too mindful to make any intimate moves with Peggy Lewis.
He had been wanting to hold her like this for a while.
But since Adrian Zhekova didn’t seem to care, then he shouldn’t be concerned either.
Looking at Adrian Zhekova’s behaviour and Morgan Zhekova’s reaction, it seemed like Adrian often displayed his affection in front of his son, unconcerned and unembarrassed.
In that case, he wouldn’t hold back either.
Who else doesn’t know how to flirt?
“Fortunately, we’re married now.” Lyke Zhekova said thankfully, “Their antics can’t hurt us anymore.”
“Indeed.” Peggy agreed, “I used to hate coming over because I felt like a third wheel here.
It was too uncomfortable.”
Before, Peggy Lewis didn’t dare say so.
She was afraid that Adrian Zhekova would be annoyed with her.
But now that she had Lyke Zhekova’s support, she wasn’t afraid anymore.
She finally spoke her mind.
“Don’t worry about it.
From now on we won’t be scared.
We can come over every day.
We won’t get hurt by them anymore.” Lyke Zhekova assured her.
Adrian Zhekova:”…”
Coming over every day was a bit much!
If that were the case, they would have to move.
Morgan Zhekova looked at Adrian Zhekova and Cindy Clarke, then at Peggy Lewis and Lyke Zhekova.
He thought they were all being really mean.
Did he say anything wrong?
Usually at home, he was often on the receiving end of his Dad’s antics.
And now he had to endure his Fourth Grandfather and Godmother’s antics as well?
Why did he have to bear all this himself?
He was still a little boy!
The little guy blurted out: “Next time I’ll also invite Penelope Carter for dinner!”
Even though Penelope Carter was not his girlfriend, at least it would appear he wasn’t alone.
Everyone:”…”
“Let’s eat, let’s eat.” Cindy Clarke hastily said.
She wasn’t intentionally flirting, it was all because of Adrian Zhekova.
Lyke Zhekova takes a sip of his drink.
Chapter 1267: Stupid and Bad_1 Lyke Zhekova calmed himself and took another skewer of grilled small tomatoes to restore his appetite before resuming his meal.
Both Lyke Zhekova and Peggy Lewis were family, trusted by Cindy Clarke.
There was nothing she couldn’t say in front of them.
Cindy told Adrian Zhekova, “Do you remember what I said to you this morning?
Morgan noticed something was off first.
Just like last time, he felt uneasy, as if something bad was about to happen.”
“Morgan has awakened?” Lyke immediately reacted.
Adrian nodded, “That’s what we assumed.
...
Morgan did have a feeling of unease before, but nothing happened after that, so we couldn’t ascertain what made him unsettled, and how long it would take for something to happen after he sensed it, or what it is he’s sensing.”
Lyke nodded, “So what about this time?”
As Cindy was on the scene, she told Lyke everything that had happened.
“It seems to be confirmed now.” Lyke stated.
“It’s just hard to decide whether this sensing is directed at Morgan, or if it includes the people around him too.
This time, it involved both Morgan and me.” Cindy said, “However, I don’t want any more dangers to come.
Even if it’s not confirmed for a lifetime.”
That was better than Morgan being in danger.
“Regardless of the specific targets, we can confirm that Morgan’s ability is to sense danger.” Lyke stated, “We don’t need to worry about whether he senses danger related to himself or includes those around him.
Either way, it’s beneficial.
We have plenty of time to validate this in the future.”
“I understand that you don’t want Morgan to be in danger.
Actually, it doesn’t have to be him who’s in danger.
This time, it was Wendy Clarke who was planning against Cindy.
Wendy is definitely not going to stop.
Whether it’s Wendy or Ethan Zhekova, they will probably make the next move.” Lyke stated.
“They might continue to do something to Cindy.
By then, if we look at whether Morgan has any feelings, we will know whether his sensing is for himself, or for the people around him.” Lyke stated.
Adrian nodded, “Fourth Uncle is right.”
Cindy lightly tapped her forehead, “It’s me who didn’t get it.”
“You are confused because you care.” Lyke stated.
As they were talking, Cindy saw Peggy Lewis looking adoringly at Lyke.
Cindy: “…”
What’s going on?
“You’re so brilliant.” Peggy stared at Lyke, stars in her eyes.
“I’m alright.” Lyke said, trying to downplay it, but his face was grinning from ear to ear, and his back was straighter than ever.
Cindy: “…”
Adrian: “…”
What happened to the people who were just complaining about them showing off their relationship?
Where did they go?
As they were eating and talking, Adrian called the family mansion and told their grandparents about the day’s events, so they would be informed.
Morgan’s ability had been confirmed.
In fact, since the last time, the grandparents had been quite sure of it, so when they heard from Adrian, they were neither surprised nor jubilant.
They took it in quite calmly.
Moreover, their attention was not on this.
The Old Master said solemnly, “I think the target this time is Cindy.”
Adrian nodded, “That’s what I thought too.”
It was just because Morgan was also involved—although the target was Cindy, Morgan could also be in danger because of it.
Therefore, it was difficult to judge.
“You have a suspect, don’t you?” the Old Master asked.
Adrian was silent for a while, then said, “The people involved in the attack haven’t been released yet.
I plan to investigate them once they’re released.”
“Don’t tell me that.” The Old Master knew Adrian all too well, “Of course you have to investigate, but surely you have a suspect.”
“Cindy’s sister would be one.” the Old Master suggested.
The Old Master’s first suspect was Wendy.
“If you don’t answer me directly, then it certainly isn’t just Wendy.” the Old Master stated, “Is the other one related to our family?”
That was too easy to guess.
Without Adrian saying anything, the Old Master scoffed, “You suspect Ethan, don’t you?”
“Grandfather…” Adrian’s hesitation in not stating it outright was because he was afraid that his grandfather would think he was stirring up trouble.
“It’s okay.” the Old Master stated, “You think we, two old bones, don’t trust you?
Even if you suspect him and say it out loud, can we still doubt you?”
“He poses no threat to you at all.
You are the future Family Head.
No matter what he does, it’s useless.” the Old Master stated, “So, why would you frame him?”
“In essence, framing him would only waste your energy and time.
There’s no benefit to you.
Are you this kind of fool who harms others without benefiting yourself?” the Old Master gave a sarcastic roll of his eyes.
Adrian had to laugh.
Although the Old Master was right.
But being trusted like this by the Old Master, Adrian felt deeply moved.
His grandparents understood him.
“Of course I’m not.” Adrian said with a smile.
“So, your suspicion towards Ethan isn’t due to any personal reason.
It’s because he is indeed worthy of suspicion.” the Old Master strongly affirmed.
However, this was also because Ethan had too many failures in his past.
That’s why when Adrian suspected Ethan, his grandparents chose to believe him without hesitation.
If it were Samson Zhekova, not to mention that Adrian wouldn’t suspect him at all,
even if he did, his grandparents would still speak up for Samson.
“However, why would you suspect Ethan?” the Old Master asked.
“Actually, he’s been close to Wendy since she showed up.
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They…
couldn’t exactly be called boyfriend and girlfriend, but they had an intimate relationship.
They still maintain it sporadically, but in public, they claim it’s a partnership.
Wendy has always been wanting to make a move on Cindy, and Ethan wants to make a move on me.”
“They’ve joined forces to target us.
There’s no doubt about it.” Both of them were sure about this.
His grandparents were taken aback.
They had never seen such a stupid person.
Stupid and evil.
They didn’t even need Adrian to explain any further, they understood everything.
They thought: ‘No wonder Ethan hasn’t made any progress over the years.’
Initially they thought it might have been because Gabriel Zhekova was suppressing him.
But now it seems that it was because Ethan himself was stupid.
They couldn’t blame Gabriel for it at all.
Gabriel had been blamed for his stupid son for all those years for nothing.
Not to mention Ethan’s sneaky motives that couldn’t stand the light of day.
Even if he really wanted to use underhanded tactics against Adrian, he shouldn’t have cooperated with Wendy.
Chapter 1268: Completely Stunned_1 He is hanging out with Wendy Clarke, even a fool would know his intentions.
“Since there is a suspect, start the investigation.
Don’t wait until those people are released.” Old Master said, “With your abilities, you’d likely have investigated everything before they are released.” Old Master promised Adrian Zhekova, “If it’s proved to be him, anyone who dares to harm their own family, no one can plead for him.
Even if we can’t expel him from the Zhekova Family, we can expel him from all the companies under the Zhekova Family.” Expelling him would be equivalent to kicking Ethan Zhekova out of the core circle.
Ethan Zhekova was dreaming of replacing Adrian Zhekova.
Now, he was kicked out of all the companies directly, if he can’t work in any of the Zhekova’s companies, what hope does he have?
Not to mention Ethan Zhekova, even Gabriel Zhekova has no hope.
...
Gabriel Zhekova was relying on Ethan Zhekova.
If Ethan Zhekova couldn’t make it, given Gabriel Zhekova’s age, even if he was still vigorous in old age, it would be too late for him to have another child.
Having received the guarantee from Old Master, Adrian Zhekova didn’t hesitate and immediately started the investigation, not even caring that they were still eating.
Only after he had finished all his work did he come back to keep company during the meal.
***
Adrian Zhekova started his investigation on Wendy Clarke and Ethan Zhekova. Meanwhile, Cindy Clarke’s competition also progressed orderly.
The representatives from each country going for a challenge couldn’t just select any team at will.
Otherwise, everyone would target the weaker teams for challenge, and by the time the major competition was over, the challenge games for the weaker teams would probably still be queuing.
So, the major competition had its restrictions.
A defensive team could only accept a maximum of 10 challenges.
And the order of offensive teams choosing, was in accordance with the ranking of the last International Culinary Competition, in descending order.
Getting the first place as priority choice.
In this way, if a defensive team has filled its 10 spots.
Then the teams behind can’t choose this team anymore and can only choose other teams.
However, weaker teams were not vied by everyone.
Strong teams wouldn’t stoop to challenge weak teams.
Even if they earned the badges, it seemed like victory without merit, and damaged the reputation of their own strong teams.
Take Indian Triad for example, although the character of the instructors to the team members was questionable, as a famous food country, Indian Triad’s cuisine level was strong.
Their challenge towards Hearth Nation was not only due to being historical rivals, but also because of their confidence and pride.
Therefore, strong teams mostly chose teams they were somewhat confident about, but not too weak.
But like Hearth Nation, its power was too strong, so the number of strong teams daring to challenge was not that much.
Just a few in total.
The rest, with average levels, first targeted weaker teams, making sure the number of badges was enough to qualify for the final competition.
As a result, weaker teams were chosen early, like the strong teams in Hearth Nation.
Except for the teams with great confidence or historical grudges.
Medium strength teams dared not challenge, they all went to challenge weaker teams.
And weaker teams didn’t have the priority to choose, by the time their turn came, weaker teams had all been chosen.
Only the powerhouse-like Hearth Nation was left.
Hence, the following games for Cindy Clarke and their team, several of the challenge difficulties were not high, could even be described as relaxing.
Even Wesley Gordon, just randomly selected three people to compete.
All ten contestants were alternately participating in the competition, almost everyone had their turns twice or thrice, and even won beautifully.
But even the weaker teams could feel that the strength of Hearth Nation’s defensive team has greatly increased this year.
Weaker teams couldn’t be like the strong teams, having that many contestant resources.
Everyone has to compete for quotas every year, so the contestants are different every year.
Yet with the weaker teams, there was a situation where some contestants would participate for several terms as long as they were within the valid age range.
From team instructors to contestants, everyone was familiar with the standard of Hearth Nation’s past teams.
So, they had a clearer experience of how strong even the defensive team of the Hearth Nation was this year.
The strength of the offensive team, they dared not even imagine!
And Adrian Zhekova found out about Wendy Clarke before the group who previously attacked Cindy Clarke and Morgan Zhekova were released.
Unfortunately, even though Ethan Zhekova was naive, he was careful in this matter.
He didn’t get his hands dirty, or perhaps the point where he would get involved in hasn’t been reached yet.
So after all the investigation, only Wendy Clarke could be implicated.
There was no sign of Ethan Zhekova at all.
Without evidence of Ethan Zhekova’s involvement in this matter, they could do nothing to him.
This caused Adrian Zhekova’s frustration.
Although as long as Ethan Zhekova doesn’t give up, his wrongdoings would eventually be discovered.
However, this made Cindy Clarke and Morgan Zhekova more vulnerable.
Since for the time being they couldn’t do anything to Ethan Zhekova, Adrian Zhekova vented all his anger on Wendy Clarke.
Wendy Clarke’s restaurant was shut down.
Wendy Clarke herself was in a daze, because it was discovered that the kitchen of her restaurant was unclean.
ƝοѵǤᴑ.сᴑ
Not only were there rats and roaches, the silverware had an over-standard level of Salmonella, the restaurant’s fire safety wasn’t up to standard, and so on.
Every possible problem there could be, occurred.
Wendy Clarke was completely dazed.
When she was preparing the restaurant, she hadn’t thoroughly detailed everything, there were omissions.
Because Ethan Zhekova had helped.
All the documents and permits were issued smoothly.
But Wendy Clarke had also confirmed the restaurant’s facilities.
Even if these permits were issued smoothly, she didn’t want to cause unnecessary trouble.
So the facilities in her restaurant were all up to standard.
The restaurant wanted to walk the high-end route, and the most basic requirements were cleanliness and elegance.
Customers absolutely couldn’t feel discomfort.
Therefore, Wendy Clarke had some confidence in the hygiene of the restaurant.
But in this situation where she had no warning, these non-compliant issues suddenly stormed her.
Without any warning, even the time between each incident did not give her calm.
One incident occurred after another.
She didn’t have any time or psychological preparation.
The inspection occurred for two consecutive days, then on the third day, her restaurant was suddenly closed down.
Wendy Clarke’s mind was a total mess.
She immediately found Ethan Zhekova.
But Ethan Zhekova couldn’t do anything.
“I’ve asked, they will all follow the rules and refuse to bend.” Ethan Zhekova said.
“How could it be?” Wendy Clarke couldn’t understand, “When the permits were issued at that time, they didn’t follow the rules.” They just went through the motions.
“Now suddenly they want to follow the rules?” Wendy Clarke’s eyes seemed to say, was it because Ethan Zhekova was incompetent?
Was his prestige not sufficient?
Why did these people not even give him face?
“I’ve already helped you a lot.” Ethan Zhekova said in anger and embarrassment.
Chapter 1269: Before the Wedding_1 What did Wendy Clarke mean by that?
Was she despising him?
“Do you really expect me to work tirelessly for you?” Ethan Zhekova said impatiently, “Don’t forget that we are collaborators now.”
“Collaboration means that both parties should be able to get the job done.
Otherwise, if only one party is successful, and the other is failing and dragging its feet, it’s not collaboration, it’s patronage.” Ethan Zhekova sneered.
“You couldn’t even handle such a simple task, and now you have the nerve to ask for my help?” Ethan Zhekova said coldly, “To ask for my help, you need to have something valuable to offer.”
“But right now, I see no value in you that would make me want to lend a hand.
You have done nothing but exploit my contacts, waste my resources and time, and you have had no positive effect.” Ethan Zhekova scoffed.
“If you want my help, show some worth,” Ethan Zhekova tapped his fingers on the desk a few times, “Demonstrate to me through your actions.
...
If you can help me, then I can help you.”
Ethan Zhekova twirled his pen: “When you’ve accomplished that, I’ll help you sort out the restaurant issue.”
“I didn’t need to look into it to know that my older brother meddled.
You sent people to intercept Cindy, my older brother must have investigated them.
When he discovered that you sent those people, of course, he would come after you.” Ethan Zhekova laughed coldly.
Wendy Clarke argued indignantly, “You were the one who asked me to do this in the first place!”
“We’re collaborating, do you know what that means?” Ethan Zhekova retorted, “You were given this part to deal with, leaving the rest to me.
But because you’re so incompetent, you even can’t handle this minor task, which resulted in me not being able to proceed with the subsequent matters.
All my preparations were in vain!”
“I haven’t even asked you to make up for these losses yet, and you dare complain to me?” Ethan Zhekova added.
“Yes, it was me who asked you to do it, but who made you leave trails everywhere!
If you were a bit smarter and handled things more neatly, thus making it impossible for Adrian Zhekova to trace it back to you, even if he suspected you, he would have no evidence and wouldn’t be able to do anything to you.”
“Then you would not have had to rush to me seeking a solution, right?” Ethan Zhekova tossed his pen casually aside, “If you had handled matters correctly, I would be able to immediately follow up.
I wouldn’t have to sit here and listen to you complain!”
“Since my older brother interfered, you should know that this issue won’t be easily resolved.
Even if you sort out all the demands of the restaurant, even if you do everything to perfection, problems could still be found in what you’ve done.
They’ll make you revise it over and over again.”
“Once you’ve sorted this side out, they’ll find issues elsewhere.
When you’ve addressed those, something wrong would pop up here again.
Unless you can keep every corner, every moment of the restaurant in good shape,” Ethan Zhekova said, “If not, just wait for the restaurant to continue its shutdown.”
Wendy Clarke stayed quiet, her heart was a mess.
She had most certainly taken Ethan Zhekova’s words to heart.
Although she usually found Ethan Zhekova stupid, there was one thing he was very good at: understanding Adrian Zhekova.
Therefore, Wendy took Ethan’s claims about Adrian seriously, excluding his criticisms and jealousy.
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Ethan Zhekova stood up: “So, you should find a way to make up for this failure.
I can give you another chance.”
“If you can handle that, I’ll help you sort out the restaurant issue.
If you can’t, then you can figure out what to do with the restaurant yourself,” Ethan Zhekova said.
“So you won’t care about the time in between?” Finally, Wendy understood.
“That’s right,” Ethan Zhekova replied, “Do you want to leave on your own, or should I have someone drag you out?”
Wendy took a deep breath and spun around, leaving.
Ethan Zhekova was fully capable of having someone take her out by force.
Once Wendy left, Ethan Zhekova sat back down, frowning.
He picked up the pen on the table and threw it angrily against the wall.
***
Wendy felt, since Adrian Zhekova had already caught her.
She didn’t dare act rashly for now.
At least she didn’t dare provoke Cindy in the meantime.
During this period, rather than figuring out a way to give Cindy a hard time, it would be better to think about how to reopen the restaurant.
While Wendy tried to figure out a solution, Cindy and Adrian Zhekova’s wedding finally took place as planned.
On the eve of the wedding, Cindy was nervous and couldn’t sleep.
Adrian Zhekova had already arranged for Mia Sullivan to come over with her team to do Cindy’s makeup.
Weddings in the North are all held at noon.
Following tradition, the groom must pick up the bride early in the morning.
If everything goes smoothly, it should be around 7 o’clock.
The bride needs to change into her wedding gown, get her makeup done, all preparations need to be made early.
She should get up at least three to four hours before the event.
Which means, she should be awake by three in the morning.
The bride has to leave from her parents’ home, so naturally, Cindy, being the goddaughter of Mr.
and Mrs.
Lewis, went to their place.
Mr.
and Mrs.
Lewis never anticipated that they would one day have two daughters to get married, and moreover within the same month, with just half a month apart.
Before Cindy came into their lives, they only had Peggy Lewis as their daughter.
They never imagined having this kind of fate.
With the help of Lyke Zhekova, Mr.
and Mrs.
Lewis’ house had already been renovated.
Since both Cindy and Peggy Lewis were leaving from their house for their weddings.
The renovation smell needed to be cleaned out before then.
Lyke Zhekova specifically hired a professional team for this.
They managed to remove the smell from the house before the wedding.
Cindy arrived at the Lewis’ home the night before the wedding, along with Peggy Lewis.
Peggy Lewis, who had already registered for marriage with Lyke Zhekova, wasn’t suitable to be a bridesmaid.
Even so, as a family member, she came with Cindy.
She would be needed to block the door the next morning.
The bridal party consisted of Cynthia Florine, Gladys Joy, Jasmine Hudson, and Ava Brown.
The groomsmen were Adrian Zhekova’s single friends, including Clifford Wells.
Morgan Zhekova really wanted to come with Cindy.
However, the next day, when the bride would be picked up, it would be chaotic here.
The adults wouldn’t have the time to look after Morgan.
It would problematic if anything happened to Morgan.
So after much persuasion, the little one agreed not to come along.
Consequently, Morgan couldn’t join the party to pick up the bride.
For the same reasons.
That left the little one fairly heartbroken.
He really wanted to see how his dad would pick up Cindy.
Samson Zhekova promised to livestream the event for Morgan, finally persuading the little one to stay behind.
Samson Zhekova had already completed leading his team’s competition and had made it back before the wedding day.
Even if he hadn’t finished, Samson Zhekova would have returned to attend the wedding.
This occasion was too important for him to miss.
Hence, Adrian Zhekova sent Morgan over to the family mansion on the eve of the wedding.
Chapter 1270: It’s too realistic to say_1 As a result, Cindy Clarke went to the Lewis Family, and the little one stayed at the family mansion.
Adrian Zhekova was home alone, feeling a sudden sense of loneliness.
Previously, he lived alone and never felt a sense of emptiness or loneliness.
Nor did he feel uncomfortable with the quietness at home.
Adrian Zhekova enjoyed tranquillity and always disliked people constantly chatter in his ear.
He liked his solitary space, and the quietness at home made him feel comfortable.
But since Cindy Clarke and Morgan Zhekova moved in, Adrian Zhekova lost his peaceful life.
...
However, he never felt uncomfortable or annoyed.
Even on the day the two of them moved in, Adrian Zhekova adapted and enjoyed it, as if he had always preferred this kind of liveliness.
From then on, his home was always bustling and never quiet again.
Especially the little one, who was a little chatterbox.
Even when no one paid attention to him, sometimes Adrian Zhekova would talk to him and Adrian Zhekova would be the first to get tired.
But the little one was still full of energy and kept talking.
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Even so, Adrian Zhekova didn’t find it annoying.
Hearing the little one’s voice could eliminate the fatigue from a day’s work.
But now, he was the only one left at home.
The quietness made Adrian Zhekova no longer able to stay at home.
After getting used to the hustle and bustle, he couldn’t return to peace.
Sitting at home alone now, he found it extremely boring.
So being alone turned out to be such a miserable thing.
Adrian Zhekova suddenly got up, changed his outdoor clothes, picked up his car keys, and left the house.
The old couple was at home playing with the little one.
In fact, playing with the little one was a simple task.
All they needed to do was accompany him, no matter what they did, as long as they were present, nothing else mattered.
The rest, the little one could play on his own.
Like now, the old couple was sitting on the sofa drinking tea, and Old Madam was munching on chips.
And the little one was sitting on the carpet in front of the coffee table, fiddling with his little train.
At this point, they heard Butler Howard exclaim in surprise, “Old Madam, Mrs., Master Adrian is back.”
“Ah?” Old Madam put down her chips, “He’s going to get married tomorrow, why would he come back at this hour?”
“Is it pre-wedding jitters?” The Old Master casually said.
“Go away.” Old Madam retorted impatiently, “What pre-wedding jitters?
Stop talking nonsense!”
“The two of them have been legally married for so long, and you’re still talking about pre-wedding jitters?” Old Madam said.
“Oh, I misspoke,” said the Old Master, “It’s pre-wedding ceremony jitters.”
As they were talking, Adrian Zhekova entered the door.
Old Madam directly asked Adrian Zhekova, “Why did you come over at this hour?”
“Daddy?” The little one took a moment to divert his attention from his little train to Adrian Zhekova.
He was also surprised.
Why did Adrian Zhekova come over?
“I thought about it and felt that it would be a pity for you not to see me picking up Cindy in the morning.” Adrian Zhekova said.
The little one stood up hastily, looked at Adrian Zhekova expectantly, his eyes gleaming, “Daddy, are you going to take me to pick up Cindy?”
“Not exactly, there will be too many people tomorrow morning, and I won’t be able to take care of you.” He couldn’t be picking up the bride while worrying about the little one.
The little one: “…”
So what’s your point?
“I mean, we can leave from here to pick up Cindy tomorrow.
Although you won’t be able to see the whole process, you can at least see us leave.” Adrian Zhekova said.
The little one didn’t expect that Adrian Zhova could show such a considerate side!
He was so touched that Adrian Zhekova would change the place of departure for him.
The little one was overjoyed: “That’s okay!
Even though I can’t see you picking up Cindy, watching you leave is good enough!”
Adrian Zhekova nodded: “That’s settled then, I’ve already informed them, we’ll change the departure spot to here tomorrow.”
Because of the sudden change, the family mansion had to be decorated.
Although the elderly couple grumbled about Adrian Zhekova’s sudden change, they were very happy that he could depart from here.
They immediately mobilized everyone working at the family mansion to start decorating the house.
Seeing the house bustling and somewhat chaotic.
Adrian Zhekova finally felt satisfied.
He sat on the sofa, watching the little one play on the side.
It turns out, what he liked all along was the bustle.
Old Madam and Old Master looked at each other.
His reaction didn’t seem like a change made for Morgan.
It seemed like he quite liked it this way.
But, they didn’t tell Morgan about this brutal reality.
Morgan was still immersed in the sensation of having a great dad.
***
At the Lewis Family, because their house only had two bedrooms.
The master bedroom was for Mr.
Lewis and Mrs.
Lewis.
The other room was for Peggy Lewis.
Now that Cindy Clarke had arrived, she stayed in Peggy Lewis’s bedroom.
Peggy Lewis also came back with her, so the two of them simply shared Peggy Lewis’s bedroom.
Although they had been married for a while, it was just that the wedding was to be held the next day.
But Cindy Clarke was so nervous that she couldn’t fall asleep.
Thinking that she had to get up at three o’clock, Cindy Clarke said: “Or else, I just won’t sleep.”
“I’m not sleepy right now, by the time I can fall asleep, who knows what time it’ll be, I guess I won’t be able to sleep for one or two hours before having to get up.” Said Cindy Clarke, “It’s so uncomfortable to be woken up just after falling asleep, it’s better to pull an all-nighter.”
“What are you thinking?” Peggy Lewis immediately persuaded her to give up the idea, “You have a wedding tomorrow, and you’ll be busy all day.
From getting up and putting on makeup, you won’t be able to rest.
In the morning, you still have to have photos taken and film outdoor scenes, you have to change so many sets of clothes at the luncheon, you have to toast constantly, you probably won’t even have time to eat much.
At night, there’s still the appreciation dinner.”
“With your schedule, it’s almost 24 hours non-stop.
If you don’t get some sleep, are you going to be okay tomorrow?” said Peggy Lewis, “Tomorrow is your big wedding day, the bride should look beautiful, even if dark circles will appear because of lack of sleep, at least they should be the lightest possible.
You can’t have such dark circles that not even a thick layer of foundation can cover up.”
Cindy Clarke: “…”
Peggy Lewis was really straightforward with her words.
Anyone else would have advised to rest well so you can look your best tomorrow and face everyone in the most beautiful manner.
But who was to think, even if you normally go bed early, you would only sleep for so few hours.
Of course, you could go to sleep at eight in the evening, but the question was whether you could fall asleep?
It was already past nine now.
Anyway, you can’t possibly be in the best condition for the wedding.
Peggy Lewis was being realistic.
There would definitely be dark circles.
The only difference was whether they were heavy or light.
Peggy Lewis’s words made Cindy Clarke speechless.
“I know you can’t sleep.” Peggy Lewis said.
It was not just because of nervousness, but also because of her lifestyle habits.
Nowadays, how many young people could manage to go to bed early?