69novels Chapter 1403 - 1397: He Must Have Accepted It
Chapter 1403 - 1397: He Must Have Accepted It
After dinner, Joseph Lancaster didn’t leave, and Robert Lancaster was also there. Although he doesn’t live with his mother, he comes over punctually at every mealtime.Even though the family doesn’t live together, fortunately, they all live in the same compound.
After dinner, the kids started making noise and were taken back to their place by their mother.
In the living room, the three of them sipped tea and chatted. Joseph Lancaster put down his teacup and asked.
"Robert, how’s that rascal’s injury?"
Robert Lancaster smiled and played with a small Rubik’s cube in his hand, "Not as serious as yours, after all, he’s younger than you."
Hearing this, Joseph Lancaster was clearly unconvinced. He slammed his teacup down heavily and sneered, "Younger? Hmph! If I hadn’t held back, he’d be too dazed to know his way home!"
"Oh, look at you!" Violet Zimmerman couldn’t help laughing, "What’s so glorious about fighting with a kid!"
"What? You don’t believe me?" Joseph rebutted, staring defiantly with his eyes, "Why don’t you call that brat back so I can fight him again!"
"No need, I understand. You’re still strong despite your age; if you got serious, even two Evanders wouldn’t be your match. You only lost because you held back."
Robert Lancaster chuckled, giving his father a graceful way out, which slightly appeased Joseph, who leaned back, saying, "Exactly, Robert is right. No matter how bratty that kid is, I can’t bear to go hard on him."
"You!" Violet sighed with a smile, then turned to her son, "Robert, about Evander..."
"Yeah, I think he’s accepted it." Before his mother could finish, Robert nodded, his Rubik’s cube constantly twisting. That’s how it is. What else can be done if not accepted?
He had also been the same, shocked to learn his biological father was his uncle. For a long time, he ignored his uncle, but when he saw Joseph’s consistent care, he gradually accepted it.
His father, Daxton Lancaster, treated him and his brother Evander truly well, loving but not spoiling them, balancing firmness and gentleness, being both a nurturing and a strict father.
If he hadn’t witnessed him mistreating his mother, he wouldn’t have such a significant emotional barrier.
"Should? Robert, has Evander really accepted it or not?" Violet asked anxiously, worried her stubborn son would break ties over this.
"Mom, it’s all too sudden, you have to give him some time to process," Robert paused his play with the Rubik’s cube and looked up, "You know how important Dad is to him. When he got the acceptance letter, he rushed to Dad’s grave to show him."
"Sigh, actually, I didn’t want to tarnish the image he has of your dad. If this hadn’t happened, I intended to keep it a secret forever."
Violet sighed to the front, just then Joseph in the sofa beside intentionally cleared his throat.
Realizing she misspoke, Violet didn’t admit fault but instead counterattacked, turning to Joseph feigning displeasure, "Didn’t you say it? Not wanting to ruin Daxton’s perfect image in Evander’s eyes, so you told me not to tell him!"
Faced with Violet’s questioning, Joseph coughed again, this time feeling guilty.
"Cough, cough, I didn’t say anything, what’s the point of yelling at me."
"Hmph, hypocrite!"
Violet scoffed, but her lips couldn’t help but curl up.
Seeing his parents’ awkward interaction, Robert shook his head helplessly, tossed the Rubik’s cube on the coffee table, and got up, "Alright, I’m heading back. Uncle, Mom’s been feeling down lately, please keep her company."
After Robert left, Joseph looked at Violet jokingly, "Feeling down? Sister-in-law, tell me, who upset you this time?"
"Get lost, you joker!" Violet scolded with a fierce look, but it lacked any real bite.
"Ha ha..." Joseph’s cheerful laugh rang through the living room, and from the helpers’ room, Mrs. Xu came out, smiled apologetically at Violet, "Madam, I’m going to the kitchen for a bit of water."
"Sure, go ahead." Violet nodded, and Joseph stopped laughing, glancing back at the somewhat sneaky woman, obviously frowning.
Turning back, he continued chatting earnestly with Violet.
"Sister-in-law, take Evander’s household register out later and I’ll deliver it tomorrow." He sighed deliberately, "Sigh, I know, Evander’s situation has worried you a lot. Let Robert book two tickets tomorrow, time for a break. You’ve been busy all year."
"But... what about the Quinn Family’s matter?"
"The kids are grown now, let them handle it themselves." Joseph replied, also standing up, "It’s getting late, you should rest early."
Watching Joseph leave, Violet pursed her lips a few times but ultimately didn’t call him back.
Mrs. Xu emerged from the kitchen with a glass of water, nodded at Violet, and briskly returned to her room.
Violet took a deep breath and headed up the stairs; they had been a couple for half a lifetime, and their children were grown and married, yet they still lived apart.
It’s said that old couples are companions, but for them, even a nightly heartfelt conversation was a luxury.
Holding her phone, Violet received a text before reaching the top of the stairs.
[Didn’t find Mrs. Xu a bit strange today?]
Violet...
Strange? Mrs. Xu was just getting a drink of water, what’s strange about that?
Quickening her pace back to her room, she leaned by the bed and replied to Joseph’s text.
[How’s she strange? Didn’t notice anything.]
[You, too kindhearted.]
Joseph’s message conveyed helplessness, and another one followed quickly.
[Let’s be mindful when we talk from now on, keep things low key.]
[You’re the one who needs to be mindful! I wasn’t even doing anything!]
While sending this message, Violet playfully scrunched her nose.
[Alright, alright, I understand.] Joseph quickly replied.
[Where are you planning to go to unwind?]
Seeing those words, Violet furrowed her brow in thought before replying with just three words.
[Your call.]
[Alright, I’ll decide then. I’ll have Robert book the tickets tomorrow.]
[Okay.] One word, brimming with the shy happiness of a little woman.
[It’s late, rest early, old hag.]
Another message popped up, and seeing the last three words, Violet feigned annoyance. "You’re the old hag!" she muttered to herself.
She typed a few words back.
[Goodnight, old man.]
After sending those three words, Violet deleted the chat history and lay down to rest.
But in a room two buildings apart, Joseph lay sleepless, looking at those three words.
Lying in bed, holding his phone at arm’s length, despite his good maintenance, he couldn’t escape presbyopia.
He kept muttering to himself, "Old man, old man..." with a smile shaping his lips in happiness.