Old Mrs Fuller’s Joke
‘I’m downstairs.’
After seeing this text message, Sonia began walking to the balcony from the living room. She stood on
the balcony and looked down from the railing, only to see a familiar Maybach parked on the roadside
by the building, looking all distinguished and conspicuous.
Toby wasn’t sitting in the car, but he was leaning against the door of the driver’s side and looking down
at his cell phone. As if he had sensed something, he suddenly lowered his phone and raised his head
to meet Sonia’s gaze. Toby was so surprised by her sight that he raised an eyebrow before lifting his
hand to wave at her.
Sonia was taken aback for a moment as she didn’t expect him to notice her presence, but after she
was stunned for a while, she raised her hand and waved back at him.
“Quickly come down!” Toby shouted.
Sonia nodded and replied, “I’ll be there right away!”
After saying that, she turned to leave the balcony.
Five minutes later, she walked to Toby in her high heels with her purse on her shoulder. However,
because she was walking extremely fast and coupled with the fact that the ground was slippery due to
the fresh snow, Sonia lost her footing and tripped before she stumbled forward. Coincidentally, Toby
was right in front of her.
Even though Toby saw that Sonia was about to fall, not only was his expression clear of any nerves or
worry, he instead laughed and spread his right arm unhurriedly, preparing to catch her. In the end, he
managed to do so.
Sonia crashed directly into Toby’s arms. He circled his right arm around her before firmly wrapping her
in his chest as he looked down at her to softly say, “Walk slower next time.”
She blushed and withdrew from his arms in embarrassment. “I know. Thank you for that.”
“Alright, get in the car.” As he said, he opened the car door and motioned for her to enter.
She didn’t act in a pretentious manner either. After throwing the things in her hand onto the back seat,
she bent over and entered the passenger’s seat.
Toby looked at what she had thrown onto the back seat and asked, “What are those?”
“Gifts for Grandma. They are things suitable for the elderly, like massagers and whatnot,” Sonia replied
as she fastened her seatbelt.
He nodded and closed the car door for her before walking to the driver’s seat.
While they were on their way, Sonia hesitated several times before she finally couldn’t help but pipe up,
“Toby.”
“Yup?” Toby glanced at her and asked gently, “What’s the matter?”
“Why did Grandma ask you to call me over for dinner?” Sonia queried as she propped her head up.
He shook his head slightly. “I don’t know the details, but Grandma sounded serious at that time, so she
probably has something to tell you. She made sure that I will bring you to her.”
“Is that so?” She raised her chin and didn’t probe any further.
A little over an hour later, they arrived at the Fuller Family’s old manor.
After Toby parked the car, Sonia unfastened her seat belt and turned to take the bags from the back
seat. Then, she opened the door to get out of the car.
He approached her and stretched his hand out while saying, “I’ll carry those for you.”
“It’s okay, they’re not heavy anyway,” Sonia rejected his offer with a shake of her head. “Anyway, you
only have one working arm. If I let you hold my things, wouldn’t that be considered bullying?”
“How does that count as bullying?” At this moment, an elderly but kind voice probed behind her.
Sonia’s eyes brightened and she quickly turned around. “Grandma!”
Rose, who was being supported by Mary, smiled at Sonia. “Sonia, I haven’t seen you in a while and
you’ve become more beautiful. Your makeup today is pleasant as well. Even though it’s different from
your usual style, this suits you more. Your makeup before was too dramatic and it made you look
unapproachable. This style is the best; you look so gentle and lovely.”
Sonia was both shy and a little guilty when she heard Rose compliment her makeup, as she had
deliberately chosen this style of makeup to appear more desirable to men. In the afternoon, when she
was in bed watching videos, she happened to come across the makeup tutorial for this look. When she
saw that it was supposedly a look that was irresistible to men, she impulsively tried to put the makeup
on herself.
“You’re right; it’s not bad.” Toby nodded in agreement after he glanced at Sonia.
When she came downstairs and walked toward him about an hour ago, he had already noticed that she
had a different makeup. She is more beautiful today!
Sonia’s ears reddened as she glared at him before saying to Rose, “My makeup is usually more
dramatic because I want to look more imposing at work and intimidate my staff. However, I don’t have
to do that today. I’m here to see you today, Grandma, so I opted for a softer look.”
“So, that’s how it is. This makeup is good. If I were younger, I would have asked you to apply this
makeup style on me as well,” Rose kindly responded as she held Sonia’s hand.
Toby looked at Rose and asked, “Grandma, why did you and Mary come out in this freezing weather?”
Sonia also nodded. “That’s right, Grandma.”
Mary replied while supporting Rose, “Old Mrs. Fuller learned from the guards at the bottom of the
mountain that you and Young Mis… both you and Miss Reed have arrived, so she specially asked me
to guide her as she wants to come and greet you. Old Mrs. Fuller wanted to see you as soon as
possible, I suppose.”
Toby frowned in disapproval. “Even if that’s the case, Grandma, you shouldn’t come out at all next time.
What if you fall?”
Now that Rose was in her old age, the consequences would be dire if she fell.
Sonia hurriedly seconded Toby’s words. “Toby is right; it’s freezing cold and it even snowed last night,
which is why the road is slippery. You could easily get hurt. Mary, don’t always let Grandma do as she
wishes.” She threw a look at Mary standing beside Rose.
Mary nodded profusely. “I understand, Miss Reed. I’ll try to persuade Old Mrs. Fuller in the future.”
“That’s good to hear then.” Sonia smiled.
Although two of Rose’s younger relatives were deterring Rose from leaving the house, not only was
Rose not angry, she even grinned and commented, “Mary, don’t you think that Toby and Sonia look like
a married couple when they’re singing the same tune like this?”
When Mary heard this, her lips curled upward as well. “Of course they do. How could they not be? It’s
not an exaggeration to say that the two of them resemble a young, married couple right now.”
As Toby listened to the cheerful conversation between the two elders, he only raised an eyebrow and
maintained his silence. If Grandma and Mary are saying that Sonia and I are like a married couple, why
should I speak up? Am I supposed to speak up and deny the fact? That will never happen!
On the other hand, Sonia had no idea what he thought as she looked at Rose and Mary in
embarrassment while saying, “Grandma, Mary, stop teasing me.”
Sonia and Toby were already divorced, so it was embarrassing for her to hear others forcibly
addressing them as a married couple.
Rose looked at Sonia’s flushed face and knew that Sonia was rather uncomfortable. Rose then waved
her hand while apologizing, “I’m sorry, Sonia. I was pulling your leg. Don’t be angry with me.”
“Of course I’m not.” Sonia shook her head.
Toby looked at his watch and interrupted, “All right, we should stop standing around. Let’s head in.”
“Oh, right, Toby just reminded me about it. Let’s go in. Sonia, you’re hungry too, aren’t you?” Rose
asked.
Sonia smiled and replied, “I’m alright. I’m not very hungry.”
“That still means that you’re hungry, so let’s go in and tell the chefs to start cooking. Sonia, why don’t
you give Toby the things in your hand and let him carry them? He’s a man; even though he only has
one good arm, it doesn’t mean that he can’t carry anything with that arm. So, you can just relax and
pass him your things. You can’t treat him like a baby, do you understand?” Rose reprimanded with a
stern expression.
The corners of Sonia’s mouth twitched as she looked at Toby beside her, not knowing whether she
should laugh or cry. “Grandma, you must be joking.”
“I’m being serious. You’ll know what I mean next time. Okay, let’s go.” Rose patted Mary on the back of
Mary’s hand and motioned to Mary to help her into the house.
However, Toby and Sonia were still standing in place and did not follow their lead.
“Now that you heard what Grandma said earlier, can you pass me the things now?” Toby asked as he
stretched his hand out.
“Here you go.” She gave him the bags in her hand.
Toby took the bags from her and added, “Let’s go. When we pass by the garden in a while, hold my
arm.”
A suspicious Sonia looked at him. “Why?”
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