In the ancestral hall, except for the empty seat next to Stella, others had all arrived and sat down.
Evelyn said, “Alas... What happened to Alex? Is there traffic?” Then she looked at Stella, “Stella, I
forgot to bring my cell phone. Would you mind calling Alex, please? Ask him where he is now.”
As she spoke, she also winked at the neighbors sitting next to her complacently.
Stella was speechless.
Evelyn’s intention was way too obvious, wasn’t it?
Dolores heaved a sigh in silence, “I’ll call him.”
Evelyn pushed her slightly, “Dolores, what’s wrong with you? By the way, I suddenly recall that we still
have two dishes in the kitchen. Come on, help me take them out.”
As she spoke, Evelyn dragged Dolores away.
Other neighbors at the table seemed to be in Evelyn’s plan, “Stella, could you please call Alex?
Otherwise, the dishes are turning cold.”
“Yeah. Ask him where he is now.”
Stella exhaled. When she was about to pull out her cell phone, Alexander’s voice suddenly was heard,
“Not necessary. I’m sorry for keeping you wait.”
“Alex, you...”
The mid-aged woman who spoke suddenly paused, because another man was standing next to him.
In a hurry, Alexander made the introduction, “This is Mr. Conrad. I’m sure you met him yesterday.”
“Oops, Mr. Conrad is more handsome than the actors on TV. How can we forget him?”
“Exactly. Nice to meet you, Mr. Conrad. I stood quite far away from you yesterday so I didn’t greet you.
Mr. Conrad, you are so young. Do you have a girlfriend? Have you got married? My daughter is
working in City N. She...”
“Cut the crap. Come on. Mr. Conrad is our honored guest. Please have a seat.”
There was an uproar in the ancestral hall. Besides Stella’s table, all the neighbors knew that Clarence
had attended their gathering. They came over to greet him.
Alexander’s heart jumped into his throat directly, afraid that such an uproar would annoy Clarence. He
secretly studied Clarence’s expression and found it was not bad. Although Clarence was always
expressionless, he wasn’t running out of patience yet.
However, as a superior tycoon, he should be always moody. Alexander was still worried that probably
he would run out of patience soon, so he dared not to let him stand for a long time. He squeezed
through the crowds and asked them to go back to their seats.
Finally, it quieted down. Someone came over and said, “Mr. Conrad, there’s no extra seat at this table.
There’s an empty seat at my table. Please come to sit with us.”
Clarence answered flatly, “I came over with Mr. Hans. I can sit at his table.”
At this table, although Dolores and Evelyn hadn’t returned, their coats were left at their seats.
Obviously, all seats were taken except for one.
Alexander didn’t have time to think. Immediately, he gave his seat to Clarence, “Mr. Conrad, please sit
here.”
Stella, who kept silent all the time, stood up suddenly, “Mr. Hans, please take my seat. I can change to
another...”
Before she could finish her words, she felt an aggressive gaze on her.
Stella was choked up.
Alexander immediately said, “Oh, no, thanks, Stella. Just sit there. I...”
Right then, a mid-aged woman sitting on the left seat of Alexander’s stood up, “Alex, come sit here. I
will sit with Jessica. Take good care of Mr. Conrad, will you?”
After a long time, the seats were decided finally.
When Clarence sat down, Stella felt quite uneasy. In silence, she moved towards her right, distancing
herself from him.
Right then, Evelyn and Dolores came back with two dishes in their hands.
Seeing Clarence sitting there, Dolores couldn’t help but pause a bit. Evelyn was stunned for a moment,
and then she greeted Clarence warmly.
Stella secretly took a glance at Dolores, only to find that she put the dish on the round table and sat on
her seat, looking as usual.
Things had become this far, and Stella felt lucky that Evelyn was sitting on her right. However, she
could feel the stressful atmosphere between the mother and the son. She felt more uncomfortable than
she was torn apart.
In the beginning, other neighbors at the table dared not to talk to Clarence because of his identity and
aura. However, Evelyn was different. She was an extremely enthusiastic and warm-hearted woman,
well-known in the community. After greeting Clarence, she started chitchatting with him.
“Mr. Conrad, gee...” Evelyn patted her thigh, “I feel quite strange when calling you Mr. Conrad all the
time. You should be the same age as my son. I’ll call you Clarence instead. Would you mind?”
Clarence said after a silence, “Never mind.”
Evelyn said, “Well, that’s better. Clarence, let me ask you secretly. Have you got married?”
Stella, who was drinking water, paused. She wondered why Evelyn was so straightforward. Her first
question to Clarence was so private.
Stella felt her temples popping.
At the same time, she heard an expressionless voice, “Yes, I have.”
Right after the last syllable fell off his tongue, another mid-aged woman chimed in, “Clarence, you are
so good-looking. Your wife should be quite pretty, right?”
Clarence cast Stella a glance and answered casually, “Just so-so.”
Stella was speechless.
Evelyn asked again, “Do you have children yet? Clarence, please don’t mind me being nosy. At your
age, it’s better to have children now. Your parents can also take care of your children. If you delayed it,
your parents will be too old...”
Stella couldn’t help but cough to interrupt her words.
Evelyn looked over and poured some water into Stella’s glass, “Stella, you as well. Take some hot
water. Don’t get cold.”
“Thank you, Ms. Beckham.”
Taking the chance, Alexander chimed in, “Ms. Beckham, in Mr. Conrad’s family, he probably doesn’t
need his parents to take care of his children...”
“That’s right. I’ve forgotten,” said Evelyn, “But, Clarence, it’s safer and more worry-free to let your
parents take care of your children than let the outsiders do it. My son insisted on hiring a nanny, not
letting me take care of his child. Now, my grandchild even doesn’t know I’m his grandma. Believe me.
Nobody except your parents would truly care about your children.”
Stella rubbed her forehead. She didn’t think she could make Evelyn stop by herself.
After a few seconds, Clarence answered, “Okay, Ma’am. I remember all your words.”
“Ehn. Good!”
Evelyn chatted a few works with him again. She liked Clarence more and more, which could be seen
easily on her face.
“By the way, Stella. Alex said that you went to see a movie a few days ago. How did you like the
movie?”
Stella was agape.
How come suddenly Evelyn cued her? Why didn’t she stop for a moment?
Stella answered, “It’s not bad. Ms. Beckham, if you are interested, we can go see a movie together
next time.”
Evelyn didn’t expect that she would answer her in this way. In a daze for a moment, she said, “Silly girl,
I’m too old to watch a movie. That’s what you youngsters like. Not suits me.”
As she spoke, Evelyn pulled her hand over and said solemnly, “Stella, you moved to cover all the way
from City N, such a faraway city. We became neighbors. It’s our fate to get to know each other. I want
to speak something from the bottom of my heart. Please don’t mind.”
As she spoke, Evelyn pulled her hand over and said solemnly, “Stella, you moved to cover all the way
from City N, such a faraway city. We became neighbors. It’s our fate to get to Know each other. | want
to speak something from the bottom of my heart. Please don't mind.”
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