From half-past five to half-past night, Patriarch Way's eightieth birthday was finally over. The revelry
lasted for four hours and every guest was having fun.
Patriarch Way was carried into the living room of the mansion.
He was in the mood tonight and therefore drank too much.
"Grandpa, should I take you back to your room and let you have a rest?" Hazel handed a cup of warm
water to him.
"No, it's too early to go to bed. Besides, I'm so happy today," he took a sip and said.
Seeing him as joyful as a young kid, Hazel smiled wildly. Then she looked at Oca, who just came into
the living room, and said, "Take a seat. I will drive you to the hotel later."
"Thanks. But I can do it myself," Oca said.
"You can't drive after drink and it's not safe for you to go back alone," Hazel approached him, "Now I'm
the hostess and you are the guest. The guest should listen to the hostess, and you should listen to
me."
Before he could say something, Alan proposed, "I will pass through Four Seasons Hotel when I drive
home from here. Maybe I can pick him up. Besides, you also have drunk at the party, you know."
"Don't bother yourself with this since you have been so tired. We have a driver working for us. He can
do the drive," Hazel wanted to slam her brother with a pan for being so untactful.
Alan seemed to realize this and said, "That's true. So I leave Oca to you. Don't let him feel alone. He is
our guest."
Then he took Nora, who hadn't said anything, and told Patriarch Way, "Grandpa, mom, and dad, Nora
and I shall leave now."
"Why do you still trying to go back in late night? Can't you just stay here?" Patriarch Way pointed at the
rooms upstairs and said, "Don't you have a room in this house? None of you can leave the house
tonight. Just stay here with me. Or do you just want to get rid of a boring old man like me?"
"I have never thought of you like that, grandpa," Alan was worried and glanced at Nora, "Since you
want us to stay with you, we will be here tonight."
Nora followed, "We will take breakfast with you tomorrow."
"Now you're talking," Patriarch Way nodded in satisfaction and turned to look at Hazel, "You guys
should do the same. We have so many rooms here. I can ask a servant to clean up a room for Oca."
"But I'm afraid that I will incommode you if I stay. It should be better for me to stay in the hotel, as I
have already booked a room."
"Staying here is much more comfortable than in the hotel," Patriarch Way frowned.
"Grandpa, he has work to do. He may need to stay up late if there is an international teleconference.
So…" Hazel was trying to help him.
"I can't force you to stay, if you say so," Patriarch Way understood, "We always welcome you to come,
Oca. Hazel, maybe you should see him off."
Oca nodded and expressed his gratitude and walked out with Hazel.
The driver was ready to go and waiting for them. Oca stoped by the car and said to Hazel, "You don't
need to do so much for me. It's your grandpa's birthday, and you should spend more time with him."
"Don't you want me to spend more time with you?" Hazel reached out and pulled his finger in a shy
way.
"You spent enough time with me when I was abroad. Besides, we have plenty of time to stay together
later," Oca pull his hand back and patted her shoulder, "Get in."
Hazel held his arm and raised herself on tiptoe, kissing him on his handsome face.
"Don't work too late," she said.
"Sure," Oca nodded.
He got in the car, rolled down the window, and waved to her. Then, the car left.
She stood in there watching the car approaching the gate and felt a sense of loss.
After standing in the dark for a moment, she went back to the house.
In the living room, there were six people, includingPalmer and Alan with their wives, Patriarch Way and
her.
The other family members had gone back to their own homes.
"Grandpa, dad, and mom, I will go to work after a break for two days, sharing some responsibilities for
dad," Hazel said.
"Now that you are back, just take a few more days for rest. You don't need to hurry to work," Patriarch
Way was unhappy, "A girl like you don't need to work so hard, since you got something more important
than the job to do."
"What's the thing more important than the job?" Hazel smiled. She was more curious than thrilled.
"Your marriage," Palmer reminded her, "You are 27 now. Your sisters got married when they were 20 or
22. You should hurry it up."
"Dad, I'm still young. I don't need to be worried," Hazel argued.
"But we are worried," her parents said, "When I was at your age, I had given birth to several children!"
"Time has changed, mom. Females are not a tool for giving birth now," Hazel murmured.
"What do you say?" Anika, Palmer's wife, frowned.
"I said nothing," Hazel disavowed.
"Even though you are not worried to find a husband, you should find some friends now," Patriarch Way
said, "There are lots of young men from some decent families in City H. Just tell me which one you like
most, and I can contact him for you."
"Don't arrange such marriage again, grandpa," Hazel pouted.
"Don't be shy," Patriarch Way looked at her, "Don't tell me none of these men can intrigue you."
"I just don't want to make my marriage like an exchange of interests," Hazel said.
"Stop worrying about her," Alan smiled, "She isn't interested in these men because she has already
found one."
"Oh…" Patriarch Way was delighted, "Who is he? Just tell me."
"Grandpa, I…" Hazel wanted to say something but was interrupted by Alan.
"She was so unwilling to leave Oca just now," Alan teased her.
Hearing his words, Nora took a cup of water to dissimulate her emotion.
But she still couldn't let him go.
"How dare you mock at you sister," Hazel glanced at him but also felt joy from his words.
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