Free Web NovelChapter 95: Chapter 95: Returning to Her Maiden Home
Damien Vaughn went to the garden to tell his grandfather that he and Cecelia Archer were going to her brother’s place. His grandfather immediately came back inside with Candy.
"It’s good you’re going to his home. You should. And you must bring some things for your brother. I have two top-quality ginseng roots, some white truffles, and some Maotai. Does he smoke? My health hasn’t been great this year, so the children won’t let me smoke anymore. I still have a few cartons of Zhonghua cigarettes. Take all of it to him."
Just buying her brother some supplements would have been enough; there was no need for so many things. Cecelia Archer felt embarrassed.
"No, no, Grandpa. We can buy things ourselves."
"We’re all family, so why the formality? He’s your only living relative. You must take something nice back with you. Go on, go on! King, quickly pack these things for them."
Ms. King packed up a huge pile of gifts from the old master’s house. The old master personally walked them to the car, and Cecelia Archer was so embarrassed she didn’t know where to look.
’I received such an expensive gift from him this morning, and now I’m taking even more...’
Damien Vaughn, however, reacted calmly. "If he tells you to take them, just take them. It’s my first time visiting, so I can’t show up looking cheap, can I?"
Damien Vaughn drove himself, and the three of them headed to her brother’s home.
Cecelia Archer had sent a message ahead of time, so her brother was waiting at the community entrance.
He was stunned when he saw a Maybach pull up. Then, when Cecelia Archer got out with Candy, he was truly shocked.
"This is your car?"
Before Cecelia Archer could say anything, Damien Vaughn got out as well.
’Tall and long-legged, elegantly dressed, with an extraordinary air about him...’ Compared to a lame, world-weary guy like himself, the brother instantly felt inadequate.
"Hello, brother," Damien said. "I’m Damien Vaughn. My apologies for only coming to visit you now."
Damien Vaughn extended a hand toward him.
The hand was broad and clean, with well-defined knuckles. The brother thought Damien looked vaguely familiar and started to shake his hand, but he stopped halfway. Seeing how rough, dry, and sallow his own hand was, he sheepishly pulled it back.
"Hello, hello! My name is June Archer. Welcome to our home. Please, come on in."
Damien Vaughn understood his awkwardness and insecurity. He didn’t take offense and simply withdrew his hand.
"Alright. You head up first, we just need to grab a few things."
With that, he went to open the trunk.
’They brought gifts?’
The brother couldn’t just let him carry everything alone, so he hurried over to help.
But when he saw the gifts in the trunk, he felt even more awkward.
Maotai, Zhonghua cigarettes, and other expensive-looking packages with names he didn’t recognize... This was...
With Damien Vaughn right there, he couldn’t very well ask Cecelia where she had met such a wealthy man. One after another, the group headed upstairs.
When they reached the apartment door, the brother, embarrassed, spoke to Damien Vaughn first.
"We’re renovating right now. We figured since we own the place, we wouldn’t bother renting somewhere else to stay. It’s a real mess inside, so please don’t mind."
Damien Vaughn was mentally prepared and didn’t seem to mind at all.
The door opened to reveal his sister-in-law already preparing food. Hearing voices, she rushed out of the kitchen.
Her face bloomed into a wide smile when she saw them carrying so many gifts.
"Cecelia, you’re back! And brother-in-law, you’re here too! You should have just come, why bring all these things? Quick, have a seat. I’ll make you some tea."
"You must be tired. You all hurry and rest, I’ll go make you something delicious. I knew you were coming, so I went out and bought a ton of groceries. I even got beef and lamb. Today, our family is going to have a proper feast!"
The plumbing and electrical work in the house had just been finished. Tiles and paint cans were delivered and now sat in a messy pile in the corner. In the living room, a dining table and a few plastic stools were set up right on top of the exposed pipes and wiring.
’He had assumed Cecelia found an ordinary working-class guy. He’d thought that way, neither of them would be in a position to judge the other, and a messy house would be fine. But it turned out her brother-in-law was this rich.’
Looking at the mess all over his home, the brother’s voice was barely a whisper.
"Look at this mess. There’s not even a place to stand without getting your shoes dirty. You know, maybe we shouldn’t eat here. Let’s go out. It’s not often Cecelia and the others get to visit."
But the groceries were already bought; his wife had no intention of spending that kind of unnecessary money.
"They’re already here, and they’ve seen how messy it is. We’re all family, so what’s the big deal? The renovations will be finished by the time brother-in-law visits next, won’t they? This is just a transition period. He won’t mind."
The sister-in-law deftly made them tea and added smoothly,
"Right, brother-in-law? You’re not the type of person who looks down on the poor and fawns over the rich, or you wouldn’t have fallen for our Cecelia in the first place."
’To be honest, her brother was so introverted and insecure, he really did need a wife like her to manage social situations.’
Damien Vaughn played along perfectly. "Sister-in-law is right. We’re all family. Brother, you don’t need to be so formal."
’If she had known her brother’s home was this much of a mess, Cecelia Archer would have insisted on taking everyone out to a restaurant.’
’Damien Vaughn was a serious germaphobe; she wasn’t sure if he’d even be able to stomach this meal.’
But since it had come to this, she pulled out two tissues and wiped down a stool for him with all her might.
"I’m going to help my sister-in-law wash the vegetables. You sit down."
Her brother and Damien Vaughn were left to chat outside while Cecelia Archer went into the kitchen.
’As long as she brought gifts, her sister-in-law was always very welcoming.’
Seeing her roll up her sleeves to help, her sister-in-law quickly pushed her away.
"No, no, you go rest. I can handle it myself. You’re a married woman now, how could I possibly let you do this?"
’In the past, Cecelia had done all the kitchen work, but she’d never seen her sister-in-law be this considerate.’
"It’s alright, sister-in-law, I can do it."
"When I say you don’t have to, you don’t have to. Now, get out of here. Your brother is hopeless with conversation. You go keep an eye on him, make sure he doesn’t say the wrong thing."
So, Cecelia Archer had no choice but to return to the living room.
Candy and Rocky were squatting on the floor, playing with sand from the construction mess. She pulled them both into the bathroom to wash their hands, gave them some snacks, and came back out to find her brother and Damien Vaughn staring awkwardly at each other. They clearly had nothing in common and were just sipping their tea, one mouthful after another.
Seeing her brother was so tense that his leg was starting to tremble, Cecelia Archer went and sat down beside them.
"Brother, are you buying the materials and doing the renovation yourself, or did you hire a contractor? What kind of style are you going for?"
Her brother had been struggling for something to say. Now that Cecelia had started a topic, he answered hurriedly.
"We’re buying the materials ourselves. Your sister-in-law said it would be cheaper. Since she’s at home with nothing to do anyway, she can just hire some day laborers and supervise them. She says the result will be the same. I don’t really know what it’s going to look like. Whatever she wants, I guess."
"So you’re living here while you renovate? Won’t the formaldehyde levels be off the charts? That’s not good for Rocky."
"It should be fine. Your sister-in-law says since it’s warm out, as long as we keep the doors and windows open, it’ll air out quickly. It shouldn’t be a problem." ƒгeewebnovёl.com
Cecelia Archer still felt it wasn’t right. "You should still find a place to move out to temporarily. Wait until it’s finished and the formaldehyde has aired out for a while before you move back in. If you’re worried about the rent being too expensive, I can help pay for a few months."
"No, no. You just got married, and you have plenty of your own expenses to worry about. It’s fine. I’ll see how it goes. If it gets really bad, we’ll find a place. It’s only a few months’ rent. We have the money. If we tighten our belts a little, we’ll manage."
Her brother was a very honest and down-to-earth man. He didn’t hide anything from Cecelia, and every word he spoke was sincere.
Since he said there was no need, Cecelia Archer didn’t press the issue.
Who would have thought that the moment the food was on the table and his wife sat down, she would say the exact opposite of what her brother had just said.
