What Chris saw on the screen was that the eldest Hamerton heir was currently wearing an apron and creating chaos in the kitchen. Just from the chopping sounds on the cutting board, Chris could imagine the disaster in the kitchen."Zuko, I think I should call Pammy first.""Hmm?""I need to warn her in advance." Chris chuckled. "No matter what your husband gives you, don't eat it. Watch out for food poisoning.""Get lost!""Hahaha!" Chris could not hold back anymore. "I mean, what kind of biochemical experiment are you conducting? Spare your kitchen! What do you want to do? Can't I help you?""It won't do." Zuko looked smug. "This is a special soup a husband has to prepare to ensure his wife will get pregnant. I can't let outsiders interfere.""Pregnancy soup?""Yes," Zuko said earnestly. "There used to be an old servant in our family. She's passed away, but the soup recipe she left behind has been benefiting future generations. I followed her recipe and doubled the ingredients.
Lena stood still in her place. Chris was equally stunned.The young woman felt someone looking at her and widened her eyes upon turning and seeing Chris."What are you doing here?"Lena's expression changed subtly. She felt like an unnecessary person caught in the middle."Hey, Chris!" The young woman patted him on the arm. "What are you doing here? You don't recognize me anymore? Hey, why are you shrinking away?"Chris was evasive and kept looking at Lena."What's the matter with you?" The young woman was exasperated. "I'm Arya Bayer. Pretending you don't know me?""I do recognize you!" Chris felt like he was about to die. How could he run into her here?"Is this beautiful young lady with you? Aren't you going to introduce us?"Lena paused and looked at her.Arya didn't fit the mold of a typical beauty. She lacked delicate features and had a pleasantly plump appearance. Her complexion was fair, and she sported bushy eyebrows along with large eyes. Her smile revealed two char
"Lena..." Chris confessed to her, "I-I do indeed know Arya. She's the youngest daughter of the Bayers. Her father is Josiah Bayer, and her mother is Kelly Tanner. The Bayers and the Hamertons have a long-standing friendship, so... Zuko, Toph, and I used to play with Arya when we were kids...""Oh…" Lena responded indifferently.He had not gotten to the point yet!"There's more!" Chris unraveled the story. "Once... I mean, it's in the past!! The Hamertons indeed wanted to ally with the Bayers, and the intended match was between Arya and me... But listen to me! But that was just the adults' idea, and it had nothing to do with me!""Mm."Although Lena had not looked up, a faint smile began to spread in the depths of her eyes."Lena, I didn't mention her before, not because I didn't want to, but because I..." Chris scratched his head, unsure how to proceed.Should he say it was to prevent her from misunderstanding? That did not seem appropriate. Then she would know he had been plott
Lina's heart thumped inexplicably as if she had done something wrong.She forced a chuckle. "Renee, why are you rummaging through my things?""Is this intended for Lena?" Renee emphasized.Lina paused, seeming unhappy. She gazed at Renee and nodded slightly. "It's meant for her. Lenny is working, and coworkers judge by looks. If she doesn't carry something good, they might think less—"Before she could finish, Renee spoke coldly. "Why didn't you think to get me something valuable to carry when I was working at the Thompson Group?""Renee!" Lina widened her eyes. "What are you talking about?""She caused my mother's death!" Renee snapped the box closed and tossed it onto the sofa, where it immediately rebounded. "Why is it that each and every one of you treats her like a savior and treats her so well?!""Renee?" Lina looked at her in disbelief.Was the gentle and kind girl she knew in the past gone with Kaitlyn's suicide?The present Renee was full of resentment, treating Lena
The corner of Lena's lips was slightly swollen, and there were clear fingerprints on her face. Lina's heart tightened. She hadn't anticipated Renee, who appeared delicate, acting so aggressively and quickly. Surprisingly, Lina didn't dodge at all, suggesting this wasn't an isolated incident.Lina brought ice and helped Lena apply it to her face. Lena looked at her and finally showed a faint smile."Does it still hurt?"Lena shook her head.Lina angrily exclaimed, "Does Renee usually treat you like this at home?""Nothing like that." Lena seemed indifferent. "She's actually quite nice to me. Besides, I might have spoken too harshly just now. It's my fault.""Lenny...""It's okay. Go check on her." Lena smiled sincerely. "I have thick skin and can take a hit. But she's the one who's wounded inside. She's the one who needs comfort the most."Lina could barely manage to say, "Lenny, you're always thinking about others...""It's not for her sake." Lena sighed lightly and said, "I
Lina nodded and replied [Got it] in the group chat.Not long after, her phone chimed again.Renee, who had not spoken in the group for a while, also replied with a [Got it].Lina and Zuko exchanged smiles.Zuko gently kissed her forehead and whispered, "Don't worry. Everything will be fine.""I hope so."Zuko continued. "By the way, about this... Let's not have Lena attend."Lina's gaze dimmed. She then realized that this was a family gathering among the four major families. Even Nicholas and Linda were not invited. Her attendance was as a member of the Hamertons, so it would not be appropriate for Lena to come along.As for Renee, she was engaged to Toph and could be considered half a Hamerton. She should meet these relatives to prepare for future occasions."Chris won't be there either." Zuko chuckled. "He's always with Lena. They might go on a trip together that day. Isn't that nice?""Yeah, you're right." Lina smiled. "After we return, you must show me the guest list. I m
"Jon Snow!"Hahaha, it's really Jon Snow! Long time no see! Hahaha!"Toph immediately gave the man a big hug. His hearty laughter filled the small room, making everyone laugh too.The man he hugged was left breathless and punched him a few times.Zuko separated the two and gave the man a normal hug. They patted each other's shoulders, giving off a feeling of mutual camaraderie."Hey, getting stronger, huh?" The man pinched Zuko's arm. "I thought you wouldn't be disciplined after getting married, but it seems you're still training.""Of course!" Zuko raised an eyebrow. "I'm still waiting for a match against you!""Let's do it!" The man turned to Toph. "You little brat! You've given me a new name again!"Toph laughed heartily. "Your sister is Arya, so naturally, you're Jon Snow! Hahaha!"Arya stood beside, giggling heartily too. Her skin was fair, and her cheeks turned rosy when she laughed, looking charming as her blush resembled blooming peach blossoms."Don't tease him." Zuk
Arya smiled gently. "I don't play games, but I'm the one who illustrated this story!""What?!" Toph exclaimed.The others were amazed too, staring at Arya with surprise, which made her feel a bit shy."Don't look at me like that!" Arya smiled, looking down. "I've loved drawing comics since I was a child, especially stories with a fine art style. The characters and plot of this game are adapted from a comic book I created."Everyone was even more astonished. Only then did they realize the renowned comic artist Ari was right before them!"Y-You're actually the author of this... game, 'Emerald Lake'!" Toph exclaimed, finding it unbelievable."Arya is low-key. It's not just you guys. Even I didn't know. She's actually sold the rights to several of her works." Graham smiled, his face filled with pride. "This silly girl isn't good at negotiating prices, so those rights were sold without much consideration."She spent several years on Emerald Lake, pouring her heart and soul into it. N