Ch. 721..730
Chapter 721: Just Two More People
If only Zoe Silverstone hadn’t ruined her career and been banned.
Even if she was eliminated, it would still be a breeze for her to return to the scene with her popularity.
Although she wouldn’t be able to participate in future promotions.
But the ratings for the Spring Festival Special Program have always been very high.
In order to be in line with the theme of the family reunion and happiness during the Spring Festival, the special program would naturally be free of conflicts.
The atmosphere should be harmonious and full of laughter.
There would also be some games to play.
For this purpose, besides inviting Grace Green as the host, Pingla also invited the famous host Leo Xenos from the top of the domestic entertainment industry.
Leo Xenos is known for his humor, resourcefulness, strong adaptability on the spot, and high emotional intelligence.
Being around him always makes people feel comfortable.
Always like a breath of fresh air.
Entertainment shows with Leo Xenos always have exceptionally high ratings.
So, Leo Xenos is always the guarantee of ratings for these entertainment programs.
Pingla paid a high price to invite him to host the show, aiming at securing the ratings during the Spring Festival holiday broadcast.
Pingla even bought prime time.
It didn’t matter if they made money or not, they’re putting up an attitude as if they have money to invest anyway.
People want to watch light-hearted and happy shows during the New Year, and the program being broadcast during prime time.
The result of the high ratings is that the contestants’ fame could also be boosted.
Although there are some returning contestants, there aren’t many.
So everyone would have plenty of opportunities to show their faces and speak.
Even if Zoe Silverstone was eliminated, if she had the chance to appear on the show, she could still attract a wave of fans.
The benefits it would bring wouldn’t be small.
Unfortunately, there are no ifs.
Zoe Silverstone didn’t know that Pingla would host such a special program until it was too late to regret it.
Cindy Clarke smiled and said, “We can each prepare a simple home-cooked dish, something easy to make and learn, with detailed instructions. After the show is broadcast, the official Facebook page of the production team will release the detailed method of each dish, so the audience can learn it easily and bring it to their own table.”
Adrian Zhekova nodded and explained, “The main purpose of this special program is to let the contestants teach some simple, easy-to-make, and delicious home-cooked dishes to the audience. Usually, the top 10 contestants in cooking competitions create dishes that are quite complex and difficult to imitate.”
“Moreover, there aren’t enough resources in ordinary households, and they lack various ingredients and food materials for replicating dishes, resulting in a gap between the dishes and the audience’s expectations.”
“When eating at restaurants, the recipes of the dishes are naturally not disclosed. Some cooking shows are not practical, and they seem to make simple dishes, but the chefs use a lot of oil, which is unsuitable for home-cooked meals.”
“So this special program aims to teach the audience simple, easy-to-learn, and delicious dishes in a family-friendly theme, making it convenient for them to serve on their dining tables.”
“Very good, very good!” Old Madam nodded with a smile.
As Victoria Wheeler listened to their conversation, she took a piece of lobster meat.
The lobster meat was stir-fried by Cindy Clarke and then put back on the lobster shell. It was shaped like shrimp balls, with a sweet, sour, and slightly spicy taste.
There were noodles under the lobster.
Unlike the common practice in restaurants where pasta is placed under a lobster, the noodles Cindy Clarke used were not pasta, nor did they resemble ordinary traditional noodles.
They tasted chewy, similar to rice noodles, and a bit like sweet potato noodles – smooth and chewy, with a crystal-clear white color. They didn’t taste like potato noodles, but had the texture of flour-based noodles.
Victoria Wheeler was surprised and asked, “What are these noodles made of?”
“These are gluten noodles, usually used to make cold noodles. I love their texture, so I often use them to make stir-fried noodles. This time, I used them as the bed for the lobster,” Cindy explained.
Upon hearing this, Maverick Zhekova also took a chopstick full of noodles and mixed it with some stir-fried lobster sauce, taking a bite, and found it indeed smooth and chewy.
“When will the show be broadcast? Has it been scheduled?” The Old Master asked while scooping up a spoonful of shrimp and tofu steamed egg.
He blew on it a few times to disperse the hot steam on top of the steamed egg.
This shrimp and tofu steamed egg looked like an ordinary steamed egg custard.
After scooping a spoonful, the Old Master didn’t see any trace of tofu in the steamed egg.
He couldn’t help but ask Cindy Clarke, “Where’s the tofu in this shrimp and tofu steamed egg? I can’t see it, but I can taste the tofu flavor.”
Cindy Clarke explained with a smile, “I boiled soy milk, and since steamed eggs require water to achieve a finer texture, I usually control the egg-to-water ratio at 1:1 so that the steamed egg will taste like pudding. This time I replaced the water with soy milk, resulting in tofu aroma blended with the egg flavor.”
“Actually, I could also cut silken tofu into chunks and put them in, but if I did that, I feel like the tofu and egg would be separate entities rather than a cohesive dish.”
“This is better, this is better,” the Old Master nodded, “Every tofu steamed egg dish I’ve eaten is like what you described – the egg and tofu are distinct from each other. It tastes good but the flavors do not merge together. When eating steamed eggs, it tastes like eggs, and when eating the tofu underneath, it tastes like tofu.”
“Moreover, the texture of tofu and steamed eggs is somewhat different. Whenever I eat both tofu and steamed eggs at the same time, I always feel like the tofu is ruining the texture of the eggs,” the Old Master commented, “Unlike now, it feels like I’m eating steamed egg while also eating soft tofu.”
As they were talking, festive and auspicious songs started playing on the television.
It was the Spring Festival Gala.
Although the Gala has been criticized for years, people were still accustomed to having it on in the background.
Morgan Zhekova, who doesn’t eat much, finished his meal early and sat on the couch, playing mobile games while occasionally watching the Gala.
Cindy Clarke went to cut some fruit for Morgan to eat first.
“There are only two more people in the house this year, but it feels so much livelier,” the Old Madam said.
The warm atmosphere at home had also increased significantly.
Chapter 722: Chapter 722: This is called Single, Alone, Dog!
By the time everyone finished their New Year’s Eve Dinner, it was already past 9 o’clock at night.
Aunt Evans was not at home, and the other employees had also gone on leave for the New Year.
Only family members were in the family mansion, but they couldn’t just leave the many leftover plates and bowls on the dining table without cleaning up.
Some dishes with a lot of leftovers could be kept overnight.
Some dishes with fewer leftovers that couldn’t be kept overnight had to be thrown away.
Fortunately, the family mansion had a dishwasher and sterilizer, so even when Aunt Evans was at home, she didn’t need to wash dishes herself.
So, after tidying up, Cindy Clarke put the empty plates and pots into the dishwasher, and there was nothing left to do.
Everyone gathered in the living room.
The elderly, being more traditional, were watching the Spring Festival Gala intently.
Adrian Zhekova opened his Whatsapp and saw that the Eighty-Eight Sixty-Four group had become lively.
Unexpectedly, the chat was not about blessings but complaints about the Spring Festival Gala.
Adrian Zhekova: “Have you all entered middle age now? Even seriously watching the Spring Festival Gala.”
Bertrand York: “Now that fireworks and firecrackers are banned, there’s nothing to do with the family gathering at night. As for playing games, the elderly can’t participate, so it’s better to watch the Spring Festival Gala.”
Clifford Wells: “You all can watch the Spring Festival Gala, but what about the children? Aren’t they bored?”
Zane Hamilton: “Apart from Adrian, our families have multiple children. The kids have gone to play by themselves and don’t need our company. But what about you going home for the New Year, will your family let you in without a partner?”
Clifford Wells: “…”
Clifford Wells: “What are you talking about? I’m not like you, being barred from entering the house without a partner. Old Madam Wells is not so cold-hearted towards me.”
Zane Hamilton: “Heh heh!”
He just didn’t believe it.
Clifford Wells wouldn’t tell him that his New Year’s Eve Dinner tonight was quite eventful.
He was curious about how Old Madam Wells came up with those dish names.
For the fish roe salad, Old Madam Wells called it “Many Children, Many Grandchildren.”
For the peony shrimp sashimi, she actually called it “Phoenix Coronet and Scarlet Robe.”
What the hell! How did she even come up with that?
And for the ‘Buddha Jumps over the Wall’ dish from Quire, it had a proper name already.
But Old Madam Wells insisted on calling it “House Full of Descendants.”
What on earth was all this about!
Clifford Wells wondered where Old Madam Wells got the imagination to come up with these names!
However, he didn’t plan on sharing this misery with his buddies.
It wasn’t a good idea to build their happiness on his own suffering during the holiday.
As Clifford was chatting in the group, Mrs. Wells brought over a fruit plate and nuts.
Upon closer inspection, there was also a pug-shaped cake on the coffee table.
Old Madam Wells chuckled and asked Clifford, “Sonny, do you know what this cake is called?”
Clifford’s mouth twitched, and he tentatively said, “Congratulations on making a fortune, entering the ranks of the wealthy every day?”
He had tried his best, saying something very auspicious.
Moreover, he was quite clever, incorporating both “Fa” (the cake) and “Dou” (ranks) characters in it.
Although it was a different way of “Fa,” having the same pronunciation as “Fa” still counted.
Old Madam Wells sneered, pointing at the cake: “It’s called ‘Single’ ‘Dog’!”
Clifford Wells: “…”
“Grandmother, come on! Let’s not talk about these sad things during the New Year? I promise I’ll work hard this year!” Clifford hugged Old Madam Wells’s hand.
Old Madam Wells snorted, not believing his nonsense.
He had tried for 30 years, and she hadn’t seen him successfully finding a partner yet!
“Look at Adrian Zhekova, he’s so fulfilled this year, even having a wife and child to accompany him during the New Year! Look at you! Lonely and alone, don’t you feel lonely?” Old Madam Wells waved her spoon, “If you don’t find a partner this year, don’t blame me for being rude!”
Clifford Wells shuddered: “How … how rude?”
“Just like this single dog!” Old Madam Wells spoke, and with a wave, the spoon chopped off the dog cake’s head.
Clifford Wells: “…”
***
Because they were staying up late for the New Year, everyone couldn’t sleep.
However, the little one couldn’t stay up that long, so he took a nap first.
When it was past 12 o’clock and time for eating dumplings, they woke him up. As the bell rang on the Spring Festival Gala, Cindy Clarke went to cook dumplings. Old Mrs. Zhekova shook the little one and held him in her arms: “Darling, wake up, it’s time to eat dumplings!”
Rubbing his eyes, the little one was sleepy and didn’t want to wake up for a while.
Victoria Wheeler said, “There are 8 coins wrapped in the dumplings tonight. Let’s see who eats the most. Whoever eats the most coins will have an especially good luck next year.”
Morgan Zhekova immediately woke up. Even without the idea of eating more to get more good luck, it was fun to eat something with so few coins.
So the little one eagerly waited for Cindy Clarke to cook all the dumplings.
The squid, mackerel, and regular meat-filled dumplings were cooked separately and placed in different-shaped plates to distinguish them so that people could choose whatever flavor of dumpling they wanted.
The chestnut-filled dumplings were fried, just like fried dumplings.
Adrian Zhekova helped and brought the dumplings out.
If the little one didn’t know about the coins, it would be alright. But now that he knew, he had a hesitation about where to start.
He didn’t know which one had a coin.
Seeing his eager gaze, Adrian Zhekova reminded, “Eat as you wish, you can’t poke every dumpling that you pick up to see if there’s a coin inside.”
The small one-yuan coin was wrapped in the dumpling, and it was invisible.
The little one nodded and said, “I know.”
He scooped two of each type of dumpling into the empty bowl in front of himself.
Cindy Clarke reminded, “The chestnut-flavored dumplings don’t have coins, just eat them as desserts. There may be coins in the rest of the dumplings with different flavors.”
The little one thought for a moment, feeling that he should save his appetite for the dumplings with coins and just taste the chestnut flavor.
So, he only ate one of the chestnut-flavored dumplings.
The soft and dense texture of the chestnut filling was subtly sweet, and the dumpling skin was fried golden and crispy on three sides, making it taste like a chestnut pastry, especially fragrant and sweet.
The little one wanted to eat a second one but resisted it. He had to concentrate on eating his coins.
Once he had eaten all the coins, he would go back to eat the chestnut-filled dumplings.
Though the little one’s plan was good, he didn’t find any coins in the dumplings he put in his bowl.
At this moment, they heard a “Ouch.”
The little one immediately looked at the Old Master.
He saw the Old Master holding a half-bitten dumpling in his chopsticks.
Chapter 723: Chapter 723: You Are at Least a Wealthy Nth Generation
The other half of the dumpling held between the chopsticks had a thin one-cent coin wedged within the filling.
The coin was thin and inconspicuous in the dumpling filling, and it wasn’t fully exposed.
Only the silver edge of the coin was revealed, hidden in the dumpling filling, and one wouldn’t notice it unless they looked closely.
Old Master exclaimed, “Ouch!” and said to Morgan Zhekova, “I just got poked by the coin. Morgan, you have to be careful when eating, bite gently, you might accidentally bite the coin. If it breaks your little teeth, that would be bad.”
Morgan nodded earnestly: “I’ll be careful.”
Then, his eyes unwaveringly stared at Old Master.
He watched as Old Master carefully removed the coin from inside the dumpling.
There was still some meat filling on the coin.
Old Master then rinsed the coin in a water-filled bowl before taking it out.
Morgan quickly focused on eating his own dumplings.
Every bite was taken cautiously, fearing the coin would poke his little teeth.
Every first bite was filled with anticipation.
Yet every time he bit down, he was disappointed to find that there was no coin inside.
“Ouch!” This time, it was Victoria Wheeler’s turn to exclaim.
Morgan hurriedly looked over.
It seemed that Victoria Wheeler elegantly removed a coin: “The second one is mine now.”
The little guy: “…”
That’s okay, there are still six left!
“Ouch!” Maverick Zhekova also exclaimed.
The little guy was now scared of hearing their “Ouch!”
It was just so terrifying.
What kind of luck did the adults have!
Why could they eat the coins so quickly!
The little guy dreaded that they would eat too much, consuming all the hidden coins.
So, he hurriedly scooped several more dumplings onto his own plate.
Cindy Clarke saw the little guy’s behavior but didn’t try to dissuade him.
Because even if she did, he wouldn’t stop.
Then, a “plop” sound was heard.
Adrian Zhekova placed a coin onto his plate.
The little guy: “…”
Following that, Cindy Clarke also unapologetically picked out a coin.
Seeing that, the little guy was on the verge of crying.
In a blink of an eye, five coins were gone.
The little guy had already eaten 20 dumplings but hadn’t found a single coin.
“We can’t finish all these dumplings. Let’s have them for breakfast tomorrow. The rest of the coins must be inside those dumplings,” Cindy Clarke couldn’t help but advise, seeing that the little guy intended to stuff himself until he found a coin.
“No, I can still eat!” The little guy stretched out his hand, earnestly stopping Cindy Clarke.
Cindy Clarke: “…”
“Know your own limits,” Adrian Zhekova advised as well.
The little guy was small and didn’t have a huge appetite.
Twenty was already a lot.
“I can eat 10 more!” Morgan insisted.
Adrian Zhekova: “…”
Struggling, the little guy scooped another 10 dumplings onto his plate.
By now, he couldn’t even distinguish which plate had which flavor.
Just finish eating them.
When eating the 29th dumpling, the little guy felt as if the dumpling was pushing against the top of his throat.
Old Madam advised as well, “If you can’t eat anymore, then don’t.”
The little guy was almost in tears from frustration.
He had already eaten so many, yet he hadn’t found a single coin.
What kind of luck was this!
It was so terrible!
“I’ll eat just one more!” The little guy gritted his teeth.
He didn’t believe that his luck was so bad that after eating so many, he wouldn’t find a single one.
By now, his stomach felt so full that the slightest movement made him feel uncomfortable.
He laboriously scooped up one more dumpling with his spoon, bringing it to his mouth, almost throwing up in the process.
“Just one last one!” Morgan declared determinedly.
Cindy Clarke, unable to do anything, said, “That really must be the last one! If you eat any more, you’re going to end up in the hospital.”
Imagine if something happened like going to the hospital during the New Year just because he ate too much?
“Just one last one!” The little guy gritted his teeth and insisted.
“Dumpling!” The little guy spoke to the dumpling near his mouth, “My luck depends on you!”
Everyone: “…”
Scrutinizing carefully, the little guy gently bit into the dumpling.
This time, it wasn’t out of trepidation and excitement, fearing that a coin might poke his teeth.
It was because he was so full that he barely had any strength left, could you imagine?
There were people starving to the point of no energy, but never had it been heard of someone so full that they had no energy.
Actually, having eaten this many, the little guy didn’t really have any hope left.
However, unexpectedly, when he bit down this time, his little teeth were poked by something.
The little guy froze, utterly stunned.
He didn’t expect that good luck would come at the very last moment.
He cautiously ate half of the dumpling and saw the exposed silver edge of the coin hidden in the dumpling filling.
He found the dumpling filling so beautiful!
The little guy’s head swayed in a trance.
He directly used his teeth to pick out the coin, then took it out with his hand.
He quickly rinsed the coin in the bowl of water and pulled it out.
However, just like this, the rinse wouldn’t clean it thoroughly, as the grease was still attached to the coin.
It would take boiling in hot water to sterilize them once all the coins were eaten.
Because he found the coin, even eating the remaining half of the dumpling wasn’t so difficult.
After stuffing it into his mouth, Morgan got down from the chair, holding his belly as he ran to the sofa and sprawled on it.
“How are you going to sleep, stuffed like this?” Adrian Zhekova asked with a twitch of his mouth.
This child, so lacking in ambition.
“Adrian, take Morgan back to his room,” Old Madam said.
“However, Morgan, don’t rush to sleep when you go back. First, move around to digest the food, then sleep when you feel better. Otherwise, you’ll suffer in the morning,” Old Madam instructed.
It was really late now, and they couldn’t let the little guy stay here on his own.
The little guy had his own separate yard.
They didn’t feel at ease letting him walk back on his own in the middle of the night after digesting the food.
So, they asked Adrian Zhekova to carry him back, allowing the little guy to digest in the comfort of his own room or yard, so he didn’t have to run back late at night.
“No, don’t move me,” Morgan immediately raised his hand, “I don’t want to move now.”
Adrian Zhekova: “…”
“Hurry up, muster the strength to stand up. This way, you can use the walk back to digest a bit,” Adrian Zhekova said.
“Look at your lack of ambition,” Adrian Zhekova commented disdainfully, “you’re a wealthy nth-generation heir after all. Your family won’t be in short supply of money just because of you. Is it really worth trying so hard for a coin?”
The little guy shook his head and righteously refuted Adrian Zhekova, “Dad, you can’t say that. Even if I’m a wealthy nth-generation heir and not lacking money, I still have to work hard!”
“The idleness of youth leads to a life of regret in old age. I won’t be an incompetent, freeloading wealthy heir!” Morgan declared.
“It’s wrong to be a burden!” The little guy didn’t know how many idioms he had learned recently, speaking in such a structured manner.
Chapter 724: Chapter 724: Double Standards Are Too Much
“If I don’t work hard, I won’t be able to accomplish anything in the future. What if I squander all the wealth you’ve accumulated? That would be terrible,” Morgan Zhekova shook his head solemnly. “Then I wouldn’t be able to support you in your old age.”
“In the future, even getting a wife would be difficult. I couldn’t possibly ask her to suffer with me!” Morgan clenched his little fists, feeling like a responsible and morally upright rich Nth-generation heir.
Everyone else: “…”
You’re still young, but you’re already thinking so much.
As for getting married, that’s at least 20 years away for you.
Adrian Zhekova really wished the little guy knew that with the Zhekova family’s wealth,
even if Morgan were a good-for-nothing who only knew how to spend,
they wouldn’t run out.
No matter how much he spent, the Zhekova family wealth is enough for him to spend for several generations.
However, as long as the little one was so aware of the potential crisis, Adrian Zhekova decided not to tell him the truth.
The little fellow struggled to turn over and got off the sofa.
He didn’t dare to sit up straight.
Because sitting would squeeze his stomach and his stomach can’t handle that.
He would end up vomiting for sure.
His stomach and stomach really can’t be touched right now.
Just touching it lightly would make him sick.
“Oh right, we have digestive tablets at home,” Old Madam said. “You wait here; I’ll go get them.”
Not long after, the Old Madam returned with the digestive tablets.
“Take a couple when you go back,” Old Madam handed them to Morgan.
Morgan put the digestive tablets into his small backpack, but he couldn’t put it on.
Because his belly was too full, and his stomach was pushing against it.
If he were to carry his backpack, he’d have to twist his body.
And twisting his body would inevitably result in his stomach getting squeezed, causing him to vomit again.
So after trying a few times, the little guy didn’t dare to move around.
Cindy Clarke helplessly took the little guy’s backpack: “I’ll carry it for you.”
As soon as Cindy took the backpack, the situation changed for the little guy.
When Morgan was carrying it himself, Adrian Zhekova didn’t think of helping him at all.
The backpack wasn’t heavy, and Morgan could carry it himself.
But once Cindy took it, the situation changed, and Adrian immediately took it from her: “I’ll carry it.”
“It’s not heavy,” Cindy laughed.
“Who says it isn’t?” Adrian took the bag. “There’s some weight to it.”
With that, Adrian turned to complain to Morgan: “What did you pack in here? So much stuff!”
All his toys and games were provided at the family mansion, prepared by the Old Master.
It’s unbelievable that he could bring so much stuff.
Morgan was astonished: “I didn’t pack much! Just an iPad and two pairs of headphones.”
“Why do you need two pairs of headphones?” Adrian opened the backpack to look.
One of the headphones was a large over-ear noise-cancelling model from Bose’s new line.
The other, smaller one was also from the same brand, a pair of sleep noise-cancelling earbuds.
Adrian: “…”
You’re just a kid; how light a sleeper are you that you need sleep noise-cancelling earbuds?
Adrian closed the zipper, feeling that the little guy was too extravagant.
He even needed so many headphones.
He remembered that Morgan also had a pair of AirPods at home.
At the time, Adrian asked why he needed AirPods if he already had noise-cancelling headphones.
The little guy said they made it more convenient for him to play PUBG.
That’s right, he bought the AirPods after Derek Smith and his friends taught him how to play PUBG.
Adrian realized, although the little guy was still young, he already had the consciousness of a rich Nth-generation heir.
“Dad, I didn’t know you were going to carry it for me. You could’ve just taken it instead of passing it through Cindy. What a hassle!”
“It’s not heavy; you can carry it yourself,” Adrian said without mercy.
Little guy: “…”
Didn’t he just say it wasn’t heavy?
That’s such a double standard!
Morgan stood up straight: “Okay, I can walk now.”
He hoped that on the way back, he could digest the dumplings.
Adrian: “…”
So everyone went back to their own yards to rest.
Adrian and Cindy’s bedroom was very close to Morgan’s.
Originally, they could have been arranged in the same yard.
However, Adrian found the arrangement in the little guy’s yard distasteful.
The two of them first escorted the little guy back to his room.
Morgan’s room was actually a suite.
Inside was the bedroom, outside was a small living room.
The bedroom connected to the bathroom, making it very convenient.
The room next to the bedroom was his game room.
To get to the game room, though, he had to leave his bedroom and pass through the outside hallway.
Given the time, there was no way he could go play now.
There was a water dispenser in the living room.
Cindy poured a little warm water for Morgan.
She didn’t pour too much since, considering how full he was, he wouldn’t be able to drink it all.
So she only gave him enough to take his medicine.
Upon seeing the water, Morgan was already full: “I really can’t drink any more.”
“At least take a sip, enough to swallow the medicine,” Cindy advised.
It was both funny and sad, but who asked this little guy to eat so much?
She didn’t want to dwell on it too much since he was already in this state.
Next year, she would just have to advise him to eat less.
“Once you take the digestive tablets, you’ll feel better,” Cindy said.
So Morgan hurriedly drank some water and swallowed the tablets.
“Do you want me to stay with you for a while?” Cindy was worried that, if he was uncomfortable from being too full, it wouldn’t be good for him to be alone.
Morgan immediately hugged Cindy’s arm: “If you could stay with me, that would be great!”
They had eaten dumplings after midnight, and when they finished, it was already past 1:00am, almost 1:30am.
Now it was already 1:40am.
Tomorrow, they’ll be visiting relatives for Spring Festival.
Especially since this was Cindy’s first Spring Festival with the Zhekova family, Adrian planned to take her to visit each household.
There’s another dinner party tomorrow night.
The day would be full of activities.
So it was essential to rest as soon as possible.
Adrian said: “There’s a lot to do tomorrow, so stop bothering Cindy. Everyone should go to bed early, or else you’ll be tired tomorrow.”
Morgan blinked, then pulled Cindy into his bedroom.
He patted his bed and said, “Don’t worry! My bed is big enough. Cindy can sleep with me.”
After saying that, he heartlessly waved to Adrian and gestured for him to leave: “Dad, you go back to your room first. Don’t worry about us.”
“Since it’s so late, it wouldn’t be good for Cindy to go back alone later. She can stay over and sleep with me tonight,” the little guy was particularly happy.
Come to think of it, it’s been a long time since he’s slept with Cindy.
Back before he was recognized by Adrian, he used to sleep with Cindy often.
Especially in the beginning, when he and Cindy didn’t live in such a big house.
When Cindy didn’t own a house, the two of them lived in a small one.
There was only one bedroom.
Chapter 725: Chapter 725: Such Solicitude, There Must Be a Problem
At that time, there wasn’t even a living room.
Only a long table was placed against the wall in a short corridor, serving as a dining table.
The reason the little guy remembered it so clearly was that they hadn’t moved long before meeting Adrian Zhekova.
For such a long time, as far as his memories started, they had lived in that small house.
Because he was still young, it didn’t matter if he slept with Cindy Clarke.
So, to save space, he slept with Cindy Clarke at that time.
Not until they moved into a new house did he have his own bedroom.
He then decided to be a big boy and avoid causing troubles for Cindy.
Therefore, he went to his own bedroom and slept by himself.
However, suddenly sleeping without Cindy did feel different.
At night, he would miss Cindy, longing for her to hold him.
But Morgan Zhekova did not speak out his feelings and endured it.
The next day, when Cindy asked him if he had gotten used to it, he had to put on a brave face and say he was.
After a while, he did grow accustomed to it.
But right now, the little fellow had not yet turned five years old.
He was still missing Cindy’s embrace.
He thought he might take advantage of the night and try to send Adrian Zhekova away.
“Heh!” Adrian Zhekova sneered.
Over the holidays, he would never allow being separated from Cindy!
Spending New Year’s night apart from Cindy? That was not a good omen!
It’s bad luck!
Adrian Zhekova said, “Then I’ll stay as well.”
Morgan Zhekova: “…”
“After all, this bed is big enough,” Adrian Zhekova continued, “I can sleep with Cindy.”
It was too late now, and they had to wake up early the next day.
So even if he and Cindy were alone, they wouldn’t do anything.
Even if he wanted to, he always considered Cindy’s stamina and sanity, and he did not want to wear her out.
“Coincidentally, you have only slept with Cindy before, not with both of us,” Adrian Zhekova smirked, “Tonight will be an experience for you.”
Morgan Zhekova: “…”
He had no desire to sleep with Adrian Zhekova.
Cindy was soft and smelled lovely. Just being around her scent could lull him to sleep.
On the other hand, Adrian was rigid, not comfortable at all.
“It’s settled then,” said Adrian Zhekova, “I’ll go get two sets of pajamas.”
Having said that, he left first.
Their rooms were right next door, separated only by a thin wall.
The wall in between was not sealed off.
There was a Crescant Gate in the middle where they could go straight through to their room.
Adrian Zhekova, with his long legs and brisk strides, quickly returned to his and Cindy’s room.
He took out their pajamas and came back.
Even though they didn’t often stay at the family mansion.
They kept essential items here so that they could stay anytime without having to carry luggage back and forth.
Things like toiletries, everyday clothes, and so on.
The mansion had everything.
That included Morgan’s belongings.
When Adrian Zhekova returned with the pyjamas and was knocking on the door, Morgan wanted to lock the door for a few seconds, not letting Adrian Zhekova in.
By doing so, Adrian would not be able to sleep in the room.
But, alas, Cindy wouldn’t allow that.
And Morgan also had to think about his own butt.
He didn’t want to wake up the next day being spanked.
With that in mind, Morgan quickly covered his own butt with both hands.
Cindy looked at Morgan suspiciously, not knowing what the little guy was planning that triggered a reaction.
Morgan rushed to the door, opened it enthusiastically, and said, “Dad! Why is it only now that you’re back? I missed you!”
Adrian Zhekova: “…”
Why was this kid suddenly so enthusiastic towards him!
“Dad, I’ve been looking forward to sleeping with you!” Morgan added.
Adrian Zhekova: “…”
“Dad, why don’t you take a shower first?” Morgan became more enthusiastic.
“Behave!” Adrian Zhekova said sternly.
There must be an ulterior motive behind this kid’s sudden eagerness!
Little guy covered his face, and aggrievedly said, “Dad, isn’t what I said good? Then what sort of attitude should I have, and how should I speak?”
Adrian Zhekova: “…”
Cindy quickly pushed the little guy and said, “You go and take a bath first. After that, walk around a bit more to help your digestion. If not, we won’t know when we’ll be able to sleep.”
So, the little guy had no choice but to take his pajamas to bathe.
He bathed quickly, whether at home or at the mansion, the heating was always sufficient.
So he bathed every day, and he wasn’t dirty.
After his bath, Adrian Zhekova let Cindy go and take hers.
Cindy’s hair was long, and it was a hassle to blow dry it. So the earlier she finished washing, the earlier it could dry.
Adrian Zhekova was the last to bathe.
While Adrian Zhekova was taking his bath, he heard a knock from the bathroom door leading to the restroom.
He heard the little guy shouting from outside the door: “Dad, I need to poop!”
Adrian Zhekova: “…”
The little guy had taken the digestive tablets, and this was the effect.
Chapter 726: Chapter 726: Intentional
“The door’s unlocked, come in.” Adrian Zhekova called out.
“Okay!” The little guy responded and hurriedly pushed the door open.
The bathroom and restroom were connected, actually just slightly larger than a standard restroom.
It wasn’t an excessively large space.
The convenient part was that there was a sliding door in the middle, separating the bathroom and the restroom.
Inside the bathroom, the shower area and the bathtub were separate.
However, because the little guy was too short, if he sat in the normal-sized bathtub, he would be submerged in water.
So there was a stool placed in the bathtub, making it convenient for the little guy to sit in.
Since it was already late, Adrian naturally had no intention to soak in the tub.
He quickly washed himself in the shower.
As he was the only one, he didn’t close the sliding door between the bathroom and the restroom.
Upon hearing Adrian’s shout, the little guy quickly came in.
The sliding door wasn’t closed.
The two areas were connected.
And the distance was quite short; only a little over a meter separated the toilet and Adrian’s shower.
As soon as the little guy entered, he hurriedly sat on the toilet.
Since it was his own restroom, it was naturally adapted to his height.
The toilet was standard size.
With the little guy’s height, when he sat on the toilet, both his feet touched the ground.
But like this, he couldn’t gather enough strength to squat and poop.
So there was another small plastic stool set in front of his toilet.
Not only did it make it easier for him to get on and off the toilet, but when he sat on the toilet, both of his feet could be firmly placed on the stool.
So even when taking a dump, he could exert enough force.
As soon as he sat down, Adrian heard a pitter-patter sound.
Even through the sound of the shower, it was still audible; how loud it must have been!
Adrian Zhekova: “…”
Is this kid setting off fireworks?
Adrian happened to hear the sound and glanced over at the little guy.
Since the little guy was pooping and had nothing else to do, he also turned his head to look at Adrian.
Father and son locked eyes.
Adrian Zhekova: “…”
Morgan Zhekova: “…”
The little guy’s gaze slowly moved downward, wide-eyed and surprised.
He could hardly believe it.
He glanced down at himself, then looked back to Adrian.
He genuinely felt the huge gap between the two of them.
Adrian was quite proud, directly facing Morgan, letting the little guy see clearly.
Letting him fully understand how big the gap between them was.
But Adrian had to pretend like it was unintentional, while washing the conditioner out of his hair.
Morgan pursed his lips, wanting to ask something but not asking.
After holding it in for a while, he couldn’t help it and finally asked, “Dad, when you were my age, you were actually the same size as me, right?”
Adrian actually understood what the little guy meant.
Adrian Zhekova: “…”
He would never admit it; he wasn’t that small at that time.
Adrian Zhekova pursed his lips, saying, “I’ve long forgotten what I looked like as a child.”
Morgan pouted, his lips almost hooking some hanger, and said, “When I grow up, I’ll definitely be the same size as you. No, even bigger than you.”
Adrian raised his eyebrows and snorted.
The kid had big ambitions, daring to think he could be the same size as him.
Adrian Zhekova arched an eyebrow: “Well, you work hard then. Do you want me to measure it and tell you the size? When you grow up, you can measure yourself and see if you’ve caught up with me.”
Morgan thought about it and agreed.
So he nodded and said, “Great idea! Otherwise, when I grow up, you’ll be old. What if it shrinks when you get old?”
Adrian Zhekova: “…”
Just as Adrian was about to respond, he heard another burst of crackling from the little guy, like firecrackers going off.
Immediately afterward, a strong stench overwhelmed Adrian.
Even the fragrances of shampoo and shower gel couldn’t mask it.
Adrian quickly pinched his nose.
How much did this kid eat today to produce such a stinky poop?!
While Adrian was struggling with the smell, the little guy was much more relaxed on the other side.
Breathing out like an old man, he said, “That feels good!”
His stomach didn’t feel as full anymore.
When he had been really full, even breathing felt like it would cause his stomach to burst.
He had to breathe very carefully.
Now it was much looser, and it felt as if some space had opened up in his stomach. Suddenly, it felt much more comfortable.
“…” Adrian was suffering from the stench, thinking to himself, how can a small body like this boy produce so much?!
“Are you done yet?” Adrian asked, covering his nose.
Morgan, feeling quite bored on the toilet, was kicking his legs which were resting on the stool, and said, “I think I can try a little harder.”
“I feel like there’s still some inventory left,” Morgan said.
He thought if he could pass it all out, his stomach might feel even better.
Adrian Zhekova: “…”
“Since you’re just taking a shower and are quite bored, I’ll keep you company and chat!” The little guy propped his cheek on his hand, looking at Adrian through the transparent glass of the shower, and said.
Adrian pinched his nose and replied, “No need, just hurry up and get out!”
“I’m not done yet,” said Morgan.
Adrian Zhekova: “…”
“Dad, isn’t it boring to shower alone?” The little guy asked again.
“Not at all,” Adrian said.
As he spoke, he didn’t stop moving his hands.
He quickly washed his hair and body clean, and then slid out of the shower area.
He quickly dried himself off.
If the little guy refused to leave, he would hurry out.
The smell attack in there was just too fierce.
But as soon as Adrian finished drying himself and was putting on his pajamas, the little guy also pressed the washing button next to the toilet and cleaned himself off.
“Didn’t you say you could try a little harder?” Adrian asked with a twitch at the corner of his mouth, his face dark.
The little guy turned on the drying function, drying himself: “Hey, it’s not fun trying all by myself! I think I’ve tried enough.”
Adrian Zhekova: “…”
He suspected that this kid had come in just to stink him up on purpose!
Adrian Zhekova didn’t look happy as he put on his clothes.
Just as the little guy finished drying himself and stepped off the stool, he said cheerfully, “I’m done!”
Adrian Zhekova: “…”
He was now quite certain that this kid had come in just to stink him up on purpose.
He had clearly finished, but he refused to flush it away, insisting on stinking him up the whole time.
As Adrian was about to leave, he saw the little guy twisting his still round, unshrunken belly, laughing, “Dad, do you want us to go out hand in hand?”
Adrian gave a look that fully conveyed his disdain for the suggestion and left the room first.
It was just too smelly.
After getting out, Adrian quickly switched on the vent.
Chapter 727: Chapter 727: Eyes Full of Disdain
“How do you feel? Are you more comfortable now?” Cindy Clarke asked when she saw the little guy coming out, his face looking much better.
He had been making a grimace when he was feeling uncomfortable earlier.
“I’m comfortable now!” Morgan Zhekova rubbed his stomach, “I can even rub my belly now!”
“Alright, alright, stop rubbing.” Cindy grabbed his hand, “You’re finally feeling better.”
“Why don’t you play another Switch game? Choose something with less physical activity to help with digestion.” Cindy suggested.
Although it was getting late.
She really didn’t feel at ease letting the little guy sleep with such a full stomach.
The little guy was struggling to stay awake, covering his mouth as he yawned, “Can I just sleep now? I’m so sleepy.”
Cindy sighed and said, “Alright, then go to sleep.”
The little guy was like a prisoner who had received an amnesty, he rushed into the bedroom and climbed onto the bed.
He obediently lay at the edge of the bed and patted the middle spot, “Cindy, come on.”
See, he was really nice to Adrian Zhekova.
He let Cindy lie in the middle so both of them could lean on her.
How nice!
Cindy was just about to go over when Adrian Zhekova surprisingly beat her to it.
Under the gaze of the little guy’s astonished eyes, Adrian Zhekova lay down in the middle, right in the spot originally left for Cindy.
Adrian Zhekova turned to the little guy and said, “Speaking of which, I’ve never held you while sleeping. Today is a perfect opportunity, sleep leaning on me.”
The little guy: “…”
He doesn’t want to lean on Adrian Zhekova while sleeping.
Adrian Zhekova’s chest is hard, not at all comfortable, and doesn’t smell as good as Cindy’s.
“Dad, you go to the side! One on each side, no need to fight!” The little guy suggested.
“No way!” Adrian Zhekova mercilessly rejected the little guy’s suggestion, “You’re so old and still want to sleep holding on to Cindy, it’s laughable.”
The little guy: “…”
“We just won’t tell anyone!” The little guy immediately responded.
Adrian Zhekova raised an eyebrow and asked, “Don’t you want to sleep with me?”
The little guy looked at Adrian Zhekova’s face and chest with disdain, then looked back at him.
His eyes were filled with disgust.
Adrian Zhekova: “…”
“Fine, let’s just make do with each other then.” Adrian Zhekova said.
The little guy: “…”
He doesn’t want to make do with Adrian Zhekova at all.
Cindy had to console him, “Dad hasn’t slept with you before, you know. He’s always regretted missing out on those four years.”
“He’s even said before that he’s never attended your birthday parties, and he’s felt really bad about it,” Cindy continued, “Just indulge him this time.”
The little guy looked suspiciously at Adrian Zhekova.
Really?
Would Dad even say something so sincere to him?
“Really.” Cindy poked her head out from behind Adrian Zhekova, nodding vigorously.
In a spot the little guy couldn’t see, Cindy also secretly jabbed a few times at Adrian Zhekova’s waist.
Compared to being usurped by the little guy for Cindy’s embrace, Adrian Zhekova could only nod at this moment, “Really.”
The little guy thought about it for a while before agreeing, “Fine then. Dad, you can hold me while I sleep.”
With that, he even took the initiative to snuggle into Adrian Zhekova’s arms.
He also grabbed Adrian Zhekova’s arm and wrapped it around his own back.
Adrian Zhekova: “…”
“Okay, go to sleep.” Cindy reached out for the bedside master control switch.
The room was equipped with a control switch similar to those found in hotel rooms.
You can control the lights in the room directly from the head of the bed.
“Goodnight,” Cindy said.
“Goodnight, Cindy.” The little guy said softly in Adrian Zhekova’s arms, “Goodnight, Dad.”
After a while, Adrian Zhekova guessed that Morgan should be asleep.
He quietly tried to move Morgan out of his arms so he could turn over and hold Cindy.
Holding Morgan was not as comfortable as holding Cindy.
Although Morgan had a milky scent on him, which was quite pleasant.
But still, it was nothing compared to Cindy.
Who knew, as soon as Adrian Zhekova moved, Morgan twisted around in his arms, “Dad, cuddle.”
Adrian Zhekova: “…”
“You’re not asleep?” Adrian Zhekova whispered to Morgan, afraid that a loud voice would wake Cindy.
Morgan looked up, and in the darkness, his eyes shimmered with a faint light.
The little guy said, “Didn’t you say you were going to hold me all night? You shouldn’t turn over!”
Adrian Zhekova: “…”
This kid, he couldn’t have been waiting for this moment and deliberately stayed awake, could he?!
“You’re doing this on purpose,” Adrian Zhekova squinted at him.
Morgan yawned, “Ah, I’m so sleepy.”
“You two, aren’t you going to sleep?” Cindy also asked.
“You’re not asleep too?” Adrian Zhekova turned back to inquire.
“I was asleep, but you two woke me up,” Cindy said.
Even though Adrian Zhekova and the little guy spoke softly.
But with the three of them crammed into one bed, how could they not be heard?
Cindy’s remark rendered the father and son speechless.
The father and son looked at each other silently and closed their eyes in unison.
However, Morgan still clung firmly to Adrian Zhekova, not only holding his arm.
He even draped one of his little legs over Adrian Zhekova’s waist.
He was absolutely determined not to let Adrian Zhekova turn over.
Adrian Zhekova: “…”
He gave up.
Cindy heard Adrian Zhekova’s sigh and secretly held back her laughter, then moved closer to him from behind.
She pressed her cheek against Adrian Zhekova’s back, “Goodnight.”
Adrian Zhekova finally felt somewhat comforted.
His lips curled into a slight smile as he whispered, “Goodnight.”
***
The next day, when Cindy woke up, she found that Morgan had somehow switched to the middle of her and Adrian Zhekova.
And Adrian Zhekova had turned over to face her.
The two faced each other with Morgan sandwiched in between.
The space left for Morgan was quite small.
But looking at it, it was especially warm and cozy.
Cindy wondered how the little guy had managed to switch to the middle.
When she looked again, she realized that even while asleep, Morgan was still clinging tightly to Adrian Zhekova.
Cindy couldn’t help but have a bold guess.
Could it be that Morgan had been clinging to Adrian Zhekova all along?
And when Adrian Zhekova fell asleep, he naturally turned over, bringing Morgan to the middle.
Cindy laughed, gently kissing Morgan’s cheek.
And then, across Morgan, she kissed Adrian Zhekova’s cheek as well.
It was only 7 o’clock in the morning now.
But Cindy thought she should get up early.
Aunt Evans and Butler Howard might not come so soon.
She wanted to get up early, fry the leftover dumplings from midnight, and have them for breakfast.
She didn’t want to wait for the elders to get up and find out there was no breakfast.
Morgan smacked his lips, unaware of what dream he was having, but he didn’t wake up even when Cindy kissed him.
But Adrian Zhekova was instantly alert.
As soon as he opened his eyes, he saw Cindy’s surprised expression.
Chapter 728: Chapter 728: Surprise
“Why are you awake?” Cindy Clarke whispered.
Adrian Zhekova did not answer, instead he asked, “Why are you up so early too?”
He was carrying a little one on him so he couldn’t turn around.
He could only struggle to turn his head and finally see the time on the wall clock.
“It’s only 7 o’clock.” Adrian Zhekova said.
His voice was still hoarse.
It didn’t sound like he woke up naturally, but rather like he could fall back asleep at any moment.
“I got up to prepare breakfast.” Cindy Clarke said, “It’s too early now, Aunt Evans and Butler Howard might not be able to make it back.”
“Then let’s order some takeout, and you sleep a little bit more.” Adrian Zhekova suggested.
They had only gone to bed at 2:30 in the middle of the night, and in total they’d only slept for a little more than four hours.
“Which takeout place would be open this early on the first day of the New Year?” Cindy Clarke laughed.
Even if a shop was open for business on the first day, it would start its service later than usual due to the holidays.
Very few stores would be open this early.
And even if there were, they’d have to check the delivery distances for the takeout and whether it would exceed the delivery range.
Even if they found someone to run an errand for them to buy something, the dishes might become cold and even unappetizing by the time they were delivered if it was too far away.
“Anyway, I’m already awake.” Cindy Clarke said with a smile.
At this time, Morgan Zhekova was also awakened by their whispering.
The little one rubbed his eyes, realizing that he had somehow ended up leaning against Cindy at some point.
He was ecstatic about this wonderful surprise.
“Cindy!” The little one immediately let go of Adrian Zhekova and jumped into Cindy Clarke’s embrace.
He hugged her tightly.
Cindy then lowered her head and kissed him on the face, “Go back to sleep, I’ll call you when breakfast is ready.”
Morgan pouted and also kissed Cindy on the cheek before releasing her.
Cindy then got up and changed her clothes.
The new clothes for the New Year were all in her room with Adrian.
So, Cindy went next door to their room first, put on the new clothes she had bought before the New Year – from head to toe, inside and out – and then took all of Adrian’s clothes to Morgan’s side.
After that, she went to the Main Hall.
“Aunt Evans, Butler Howard!” What a coincidence.
As soon as she arrived at the entrance of the Main Hall, she ran into Aunt Evans and Butler Howard.
The two were still wearing their thick coats, which looked like new clothes for the New Year.
Their appearance was festive, full of renewed energy.
It added more festivity to the Spring Festival.
Seeing Aunt Evans and Butler Howard in this attire, it was clear they had just returned.
Cindy was surprised, “Why are you both back so early?”
“We didn’t have much to do, so we thought we’d come back early.” Aunt Evans said with a smile as she entered the door, “Besides, all the workers at the family mansion are on vacation, and there is no one here. So, if we come back early, we can help out.”
“We’re also preparing breakfast for the family mansion.”
Aunt Evans and Butler Howard had been working at the family mansion for decades.
Ever since Adrian Zhekova could remember, Aunt Evans and Butler Howard had been at the family mansion.
Their attachment to the place was naturally incomparable to that of other ordinary workers there.
“I was going to prepare breakfast anyway, it would’ve been better if you both had rested a bit more at home.” Cindy said.
“We usually get up early anyway, and as we get older, we sleep less. As soon as we wake up, we can’t fall asleep anymore, and we also worry about the family mansion.” Aunt Evans explained.
And there were some things she couldn’t say.
Her son had his own family now, and their little family had become the priority.
It was enough to reunite for holidays like the Spring Festival.
Staying too long could cause annoyance.
Over time, various conflicts could arise due to differences in living habits.
So, Aunt Evans and Butler Howard had come back early.
Leaving a little longing for each other was better than staying until they became unwelcome.
“Don’t rush now that you just got here.” Cindy said, “Take a rest first.”
“Breakfast is very simple, just fried dumplings, I can do it on my own.” Cindy said.
“No way.” Aunt Evans immediately said.
“This is actually my job. It’s not good for you to do it while I’m standing around idling.” Aunt Evans shook her head vigorously.
“You both just came in from the cold outside, and haven’t even warmed up yet.” Cindy said as she went to get two cups of warm water for both of them, “At least warm up a bit first.”
Aunt Evans and Butler Howard felt a little embarrassed, but followed Cindy’s advice, sat down, and warmed up.
Their hands holding the cups of warm water, they warmed themselves for a while.
Cindy then went to the kitchen.
Not long after, the Old Madam also arrived.
Upon seeing Aunt Evans and Butler Howard, she was surprised, “Why are you both back so early again?”
It had been the same in previous years, with the two always coming back this early.
Every time before they left, the Old Madam would advise them to rest at home for a few days.
Even if they had to return on the first day of the New Year, there was no need to hurry so much.
Whether it was morning or afternoon, it didn’t matter, and there was no need to rush for an early start.
Why not spend more time with their children, daughter-in-law, and little grandson during the rare holiday season?
“Isn’t there not much to do at home? We just came back early. Otherwise, we’d be idle at home, having nothing to do, which is uncomfortable.” Aunt Evans explained.
As it turned out, they felt more comfortable being at the family mansion.
Aunt Evans warmed up enough and hurried to help in the kitchen.
Butler Howard also tidied himself up and resumed his position as the butler.
Old Madam also went to the kitchen.
Cindy and Aunt Evans naturally wouldn’t let Old Madam do any work.
Old Madam was just there for a chat.
“How’s your son and daughter-in-law doing?” Old Madam grabbed a handful of melon seeds, sat down, and asked while cracking them.
“They’re doing great.” Aunt Evans said with a smile, “My little grandson is now one and a half years old, with a chubby and lively face. I’ll show you a video later.”
“Why don’t you spend more time with your grandson? It’s rare to have such a fun little guy around.” Old Madam said.
Aunt Evans sighed and said, “I won’t hide it from you, my son has been living in the family mansion since he was a child too.”
Because Aunt Evans and Butler Howard had been working at the family mansion, they had even had a separate courtyard there.
Their son, Theodore Hughes, naturally lived with them and grew up in the family mansion.
Until he went to university, lived at school, and then graduated and rented a place after graduation.
Aunt Evans and Butler Howard had relatively high incomes at the family mansion.
Moreover, their food, clothing, and housing expenses were all taken care of, and they had very low daily expenses, allowing them to save quite a bit of money.
So, they directly bought their son a house.
He lived there on his own, and it could also be used as a wedding house when he got married later.
“But children grow up, start families, and have their own small families – things are not the same anymore. There are differences in our lifestyle habits.” Aunt Evans said.
“And we are not familiar with our daughter-in-law. If we stay for too long, she will have opinions. Anyway, it’s not like we don’t have a place to go.” Aunt Evans said with a smile.
Chapter 729: Chapter 729: Such Good Luck
“The grandchildren at home, they’ve hired a nanny to take care of them, and our in-laws have also come to Belfard, living with them, helping to take care of the children, so the two of them can go to work with peace of mind,”
It’s true there was a bit of discomfort deep down.
Aunt Evans didn’t mention that the in-laws seemed to have monopolized their grandson.
Always with them, taking care of him, hardly even wanting them to touch him.
When she wanted to hold her grandson, she was stared at by the mother-in-law as if she would somehow break the child.
During dinner, she just happened to prepare the rice noodles that her grandson always ate and wanted to feed him.
Who knew the mother-in-law would say she was feeding him wrong?
She practically snatched the bowl away.
At that moment, Aunt Evans only pursed her lips and said nothing.
At home, she couldn’t help with anything, and instead, felt like an outsider.
She didn’t find it annoying that her grandson was closer to the in-laws.
Because she and Butler Howard were usually at the family mansion and didn’t see their grandson often.
It’s not reasonable to ask the grandson to be closer to them.
That would be too difficult.
So in this regard, Aunt Evans didn’t feel uncomfortable.
What made her uncomfortable was that they were treated like outsiders, stared at disapprovingly.
The in-laws were living in the house they bought for their son, treating them as outsiders.
After their son got married, they never interfered.
They didn’t meddle in their son’s family affairs.
The house was bought for their son so he could live well.
Aunt Evans always warned herself not to interfere in her children’s affairs and not to feel that her son belonged to another family after getting married.
She could never act that way.
And she couldn’t regard her daughter-in-law as their own family member who should serve them.
But the attitude of that family made her uncomfortable indeed.
Out of sight, out of mind, she and Butler Howard came back early.
In previous years, before their grandson was born,
they would return early because their in-laws would come to Belfard for the New Year to reunite with their daughter.
Aunt Evans could understand their feelings.
A daughter is always precious to her family.
When she gets married and moves away, it’s inevitable that she will miss her family during New Year’s Eve.
It’s just that the house they bought for Theodore Hughes was not very big.
It had only two bedrooms and one living room.
But because of its excellent location, it was chosen to make Theodore’s commute to work more convenient.
It was located on the 3rd Ring Rd.
Although it was only two bedrooms and one living room, the price would have been enough to buy a luxury house elsewhere.
With six people there, it felt a bit cramped.
Aunt Evans and Butler Howard had nothing to do when they went back to their own house.
They just stared at each other.
So, they decided to return to the family mansion.
Aunt Evans didn’t want to gossip about her in-laws.
So she didn’t say anything.
But Old Madam and Cindy were both perceptive.
Even though Aunt Evans didn’t say anything,
even though they couldn’t guess the details from the few words Aunt Evans said, they could tell that Aunt Evans and Butler Howard would rather return to their own place where they felt more at ease.
So they didn’t try to persuade her anymore.
“Sigh, during the New Year’s celebration, don’t let the cooking smoke bother you. I’ll fry the dumplings,” Aunt Evans hurriedly said.
Cindy went to make the porridge.
Little Morgan didn’t like tasteless porridge.
Every time he ate, it seemed very difficult.
So, Cindy would always make some tasty dishes for him.
This time, she cooked porridge with pork bones, using a special gauze bag to hold ingredients like scallions, ginger, and Sichuan peppercorns for dispelling the smell.
After it was cooked, she fried peanuts until crispy, crushed them, and sprinkled them in the middle of the bowl.
While cooking the porridge, Cindy also prepared a dish made with bean curd skin and blanched mung bean sprouts. She rinsed them with cold water and mixed them with chili powder, soy sauce, vinegar, and olive oil.
In addition, she prepared dishes with cucumber shreds and bamboo shoot shreds.
In a short while, she made six small plates of cold dishes.
Maverick Zhekova and Victoria Wheeler came as well.
After a while, Morgan Zhekova rushed over.
Not long after he entered, Adrian Zhekova strode in too.
Right then, Aunt Evans served breakfast on the table.
The little guy eagerly watched.
He found 6 coins in the middle of the night.
Now there were only 2 left, and they were all in these dumplings.
“Cindy, are all the dumplings fried?” Morgan asked as he leaned against the dining table.
“Mm, the rest are all here,” Cindy replied, understanding what the little guy meant.
However, she didn’t expect that he would still be up for a challenge after he had been stuffed to the point of immobility the night before.
Cindy quickly reminded him, “You mustn’t force yourself this morning. You have a bowl of porridge, but you need to limit the number of dumplings you eat to…”
She calculated and decided on 10 dumplings, based on his usual appetite.
But she knew he would not be satisfied with that.
So, she added five more for Morgan: “You must limit yourself to 15 dumplings. You can’t eat any more if you go over that.”
“Didn’t you feel terrible last night?” she reminded the little guy. “Do you want to continue feeling like that this morning?”
“Fine,” he muttered, pouting and reluctantly agreeing.
Old Madam laughed and said, “If you can’t finish them all in the morning, feel free to continue at noon.”
If the dumplings were eaten by others, the little guy wouldn’t have to worry about it anymore.
That was what the Old Madam had in mind.
At the same time, she thought of adding more coins to the dumplings next year.
So the little guy would have a higher chance of finding them and wouldn’t have to stuff himself so miserably.
The little guy started by drinking a sip of porridge to moisten his stomach.
This was a habit that Cindy had cultivated for him.
The rice in the porridge was soft, thick, and savory.
Having just come in from the outside, being blown by the cold winter wind, drinking mouthfuls of hot porridge felt incredibly comforting.
After that, the little guy picked up a fried dumpling with his chopsticks.
The dumpling wrappers were golden and crispy on three sides, but it also hid any trace of color that the wrapper might have revealed.
He took a bite, and since he didn’t have any expectations, not finding a coin in the first dumpling didn’t disappoint him.
The crispy and oily dumpling wrapper, combined with a bite that released the flavorful soup locked inside, was incredibly delicious.
Because the dumplings were fried, they were very hot. However, the heat actually made them even more fragrant.
His rosy cheeks and enjoyment of the food eventually made the little guy forget about his quest for the coins.
He had a bite of a dumpling, a sip of porridge, and some refreshing cold dishes.
What a satisfying breakfast.
Forgetting about finding the coins, he suddenly bit into one, and his little teeth clacked on the metal.
Caught off guard, it was a huge surprise for the little guy.
“A coin! I found one! I found one!” the little guy was over the moon.
Last night, it had been incredibly difficult for him to eat even a single coin, and he hadn’t expected his luck to improve so much this morning.
Chapter 730: Chapter 730: Fate’s Destiny
He’s only eaten two, and he’s already bitten into a coin.
There are only two coins left in total today.
The Old Master chuckled, “Our little Morgan is going to have a lot of luck this year!”
“That makes two coins you’ve gotten this year. There were only eight in total.” Maverick Zhekova said.
This reminded the little guy, and on reflection, it was indeed the case.
His luck is really fantastic!
So, the little guy rubbed his hands together: “Given my luck, I might just find the remaining coin in my dumpling as well.”
With that, the little guy reached out for another dumpling.
Of course, he wasn’t able to find it.
“That’s three dumplings now,” Cindy Clarke said, “I’m keeping count.”
Little guy: “…”
Oh boy!
It’s really hard!
“Alright, you can stop trying,” Adrian Zhekova said, slowly extracting the last coin from a dumpling.
Little guy: “…”
Adrian Zhekova had a slight smirk: “Looks like I’m going to have quite the lucky year, too.”
Since there was no longer any chance, the little guy was in no hurry either.
No longer needing to stuff dumplings into his stomach, he could savor them leisurely.
So, he shook his head and said, “Dad, what you said is not right.”
“Hmm?” Adrian Zhekova raised an eyebrow.
The little guy said, “Your luck was already great last year!”
“How do you figure?” The Old Madam asked curiously.
“Last year, Dad and Cindy Clarke reunited. How lucky was that! He would not have known when he could marry a wife if he hadn’t met Cindy Clarke and me!”
“Moreover, if he had missed out on Cindy Clarke and married someone else, he would not have had such a smart and lovely child like me.” The little guy earnestly added.
The key point was that he could not have had such a smart and lovely child.
After all, if Adrian Zhekova had married someone else, that person would definitely not be as good as Cindy Clarke.
Not as pretty as Cindy Clarke, not as smart as Cindy Clarke.
If he didn’t have Cindy Clarke’s good genes, how could he possibly have such a smart and cute child!
Surprisingly, Adrian Zhekova agreed with the little guy’s words.
Adrian Zhekova nodded, “You make a good point. My luck has been good since last year.”
“But…you have made a mistake in what you said later.” Adrian Zhekova added.
“Where did I go wrong?” Little Morgan was immediately unconvinced.
What was wrong with saying that he couldn’t have had such a smart and cute child?
“If I hadn’t reunited with Cindy Clarke, I wouldn’t have married someone else,” Adrian Zhekova said, “If I were to marry, Cindy Clarke would be the only one.”
Little Morgan didn’t buy it at all.
That’s the slick talk of a scumbag!
As a man himself, he absolutely knows it!
Little Morgan said, “How can you be so sure? What if you had never bumped into Cindy Clarke?”
Was he planning to not marry for the rest of his life?
Impossible.
“How do you know I wouldn’t have met her?” Adrian Zhekova cocked an eyebrow, saying, “after all, Cindy Clarke was going to participate in the Cooking Competition.”
“Even if I couldn’t meet her before, I would have met her at the Cooking Competition.” Adrian Zhekova said.
“But, if you didn’t know Cindy Clarke, would you have attended every match?” Little Morgan retaliated immediately.
That was a quick come-back indeed.
“You’re really clueless,” Adrian Zhekova said, “Don’t you have confidence in Cindy Clarke’s abilities?”
“No way! Cindy Clarke is the best!” Little Morgan immediately asserted.
His dad was surprisingly not even letting this tiny chance slip by, wanting to use it to drive a wedge between his and Cindy Clarke’s relationship!
Too crafty!
“If that’s the case, you should know, Cindy Clarke would surely make it to the finals.” Adrian Zhekova said.
“Even if I don’t watch ordinary matches, I’ll definitely be there for the final round.”
“The major competition is held by Pingla, as the CEO of Pingla, I would certainly be present at the final match and award the contestants. At that time, I would meet Cindy Clarke.”
“Even if the way we meet is different, as long as we’ve met, we would definitely cross paths.”
“In this light, Cindy Clarke and I share a destined connection.” Adrian Zhekova held his chin up, bragging away.
Little Morgan: “…”
This father sure is a smooth talker!
He can actually relate all this together.