infodatos Chapter 101 Dinner
Chapter 101 Dinner
"Could you please send one up to her?"
Upon hearing Aunt Sylvia speak, Green, Sura, and Mrs. Lefever all looked up at her.
Mrs. Lefevere quickly replied, "Yes, madam, I'll go prepare right away."
She turned and walked quickly toward the kitchen, her eyes slightly red.
Sylvia turned her gaze to Green, her tired eyes seeming to clear up a bit now.
"Green," she said slowly, "this has nothing to do with you, don't take it to heart. This... is my fault."
Green's heart tightened, and he immediately said, "Auntie, please don't say that—"
"When they arrived in the afternoon,"
Sylvia interrupted him, "I've figured it out. People may be gone, but life goes on. Life must go on, and we have to live."
She was stating a cold, hard fact, or perhaps trying to convince herself.
Sula quickly grabbed Sylvia's hand and said urgently, "Yes, Auntie, although we are all very sad, but... but if Uncle knew you were like this, he would be even sadder and more heartbroken!"
Green's heart skipped a beat, and he quickly glared at Sura.
"hiss--"
Why bring up something you shouldn't say!
However, unexpectedly, Sylvia looked at Sula and a smile slowly appeared on her face.
"You're right, Sura."
She gently stroked Sula's hair, her voice choked with emotion, "My Victor... he couldn't bear to see me sad. He always said that his Sylvia had the most beautiful smile..."
She took a deep breath and continued:
"Tomorrow... let Mrs. Lefever go back, don't come again. The family's savings... can't support such a facade anymore, and we don't need one. Tomorrow I'll go to the labor market and see if there's any... sewing, laundry, or kitchen help work. I'll be able to find something to do."
These words were like a knife, cutting deep into Green's heart.
Green could almost picture how his once elegant and sophisticated Aunt Sylvia, who managed the household and navigated social circles with ease, haggled over a few pennies for odd jobs in the noisy and chaotic labor market, enduring rude stares and picky demands.
"Auntie!" Green said calmly, "You don't need to worry about the money."
Green stood up, walked to Sylvia, knelt down, and took her hand. "Auntie, listen to me. As long as I'm here, this family doesn't need you to support it."
"Sura and I are also part of this family. Not only is Emily your child, but we are too."
"Before, it was my uncle and you who held up this family, took care of us, and gave us a stable life. Now that my uncle is gone, it's my turn."
"I'm not a child anymore. I have a job and I'm capable. Please trust me, and please... rely on me just this once, okay?"
Green's voice was calm, yet it carried a heavy promise and strength.
He wasn't just making empty promises; the port authority's salary, plus the night watchman's allowance, would be enough to cover the family's current and even future expenses, and maintain a far more comfortable standard of living than that of an average working-class family.
Sylvia stared blankly at him, at her nephew whom she had watched grow up and who she still considered a 'child' who needed to be taken care of.
She saw the responsibility and composure of a grown man in Green's eyes, and she seemed to see... the shadow of Victor again.
She opened her mouth, as if to say something, but found that she couldn't make a sound.
The sadness, helplessness, and fear of the future that had been building up all day, along with the complex emotions she felt at this moment, touched by this sudden and solid promise, burst forth like a flood, instantly shattering the calm she had been trying to maintain.
"Ugh..."
Sylvia could no longer hold back and burst into tears.
She suddenly covered her face with her hands, her thin shoulders trembling violently. She had found an outlet, and even her tears of sobbing had become warm.
"Victor... my Victor..."
Sylvia finally called out that name, "You're gone... what are we going to do...?"
Sula was startled by the sudden outburst of tears, and her eyes quickly welled up with tears as well. She hugged her aunt tightly and began to sob softly.
"Auntie... don't cry... my brother said we're still here for you..."
Mrs. Lefevere, holding a plate for Emily, stood in the kitchen doorway and watched this scene, unable to resist wiping her eyes with her apron.
Green knelt there quietly, holding Sylvia's hand, offering silent support. He knew that these suppressed tears had to be released for his aunt to react like a living person and be able to face life again.
After a while, Sylvia's crying gradually subsided, turning into intermittent sobs.
She lowered her hands from her face and looked at Green. "Green...you...you really can do this? Your job..."
"I can, Auntie," Green nodded vigorously. "My job is stable, and the salary is sufficient. I'll tell you the details later."
"Now, all you need to know is that from today onwards, I will be responsible for the household expenses. You don't need to go to the labor market anymore. What you need to do is rest well, take care of yourself, and... spend time with Emily and Sula."
He paused, then added, "Mrs. Lefever will also stay to help, and I'll pay for it."
"Thank you, Green," Sylvia said with relief.
Dinner ended in a somber yet hopeful atmosphere.
After the meal, Mrs. Lefever cleaned up the kitchen. "Could you please take a portion up to her?"
Upon hearing Aunt Sylvia speak, Green, Sura, and Mrs. Lefever all looked up at her.
Mrs. Lefevere quickly replied, "Yes, madam, I'll go prepare right away."
She turned and walked quickly toward the kitchen, her eyes slightly red.
Sylvia turned her gaze to Green, her tired eyes seeming to clear up a bit now.
"Green," she said slowly, "this has nothing to do with you, don't take it to heart. This... is my fault."
Green's heart tightened, and he immediately said, "Auntie, please don't say that—"
"When they arrived in the afternoon,"
Sylvia interrupted him, "I've figured it out. People may be gone, but life goes on. Life must go on, and we have to live."
She was stating a cold, hard fact, or perhaps trying to convince herself.
Sula quickly grabbed Sylvia's hand and said urgently, "Yes, Auntie, although we are all very sad, but... but if Uncle knew you were like this, he would be even sadder and more heartbroken!"
Green's heart skipped a beat, and he quickly glared at Sura.
"hiss--"
Why bring up something you shouldn't say!
However, unexpectedly, Sylvia looked at Sula and a smile slowly appeared on her face.
"You're right, Sura."
She gently stroked Sula's hair, her voice choked with emotion, "My Victor... he couldn't bear to see me sad. He always said that his Sylvia had the most beautiful smile..."
She took a deep breath and continued:
"Tomorrow... let Mrs. Lefever go back, don't come again. The family's savings... can't support such a facade anymore, and we don't need one. Tomorrow I'll go to the labor market and see if there's any... sewing, laundry, or kitchen help work. I'll be able to find something to do."
These words were like a knife, cutting deep into Green's heart.
Green could almost picture how his once elegant and sophisticated Aunt Sylvia, who managed the household and navigated social circles with ease, haggled over a few pennies for odd jobs in the noisy and chaotic labor market, enduring rude stares and picky demands.
"Auntie!" Green said calmly, "You don't need to worry about the money."
Green stood up, walked to Sylvia, knelt down, and took her hand. "Auntie, listen to me. As long as I'm here, this family doesn't need you to support it."
"Sura and I are also part of this family. Not only is Emily your child, but we are too."
"Before, it was my uncle and you who held up this family, took care of us, and gave us a stable life. Now that my uncle is gone, it's my turn."
"I'm not a child anymore. I have a job and I'm capable. Please trust me, and please... rely on me just this once, okay?"
Green's voice was calm, yet it carried a heavy promise and strength.
He wasn't just making empty promises; the port authority's salary, plus the night watchman's allowance, would be enough to cover the family's current and even future expenses, and maintain a far more comfortable standard of living than that of an average working-class family.
Sylvia stared blankly at him, at her nephew whom she had watched grow up and who she still considered a 'child' who needed to be taken care of.
She saw the responsibility and composure of a grown man in Green's eyes, and she seemed to see... the shadow of Victor again.
She opened her mouth, as if to say something, but found that she couldn't make a sound.
The sadness, helplessness, and fear of the future that had been building up all day, along with the complex emotions she felt at this moment, touched by this sudden and solid promise, burst forth like a flood, instantly shattering the calm she had been trying to maintain.
"Ugh..."
Sylvia could no longer hold back and burst into tears.
She suddenly covered her face with her hands, her thin shoulders trembling violently. She had found an outlet, and even her tears of sobbing had become warm.
"Victor... my Victor..."
Sylvia finally called out that name, "You're gone... what are we going to do...?"
Sula was startled by the sudden outburst of tears, and her eyes quickly welled up with tears as well. She hugged her aunt tightly and began to sob softly.
"Auntie... don't cry... my brother said we're still here for you..."
Mrs. Lefevere, holding a plate for Emily, stood in the kitchen doorway and watched this scene, unable to resist wiping her eyes with her apron.
Green knelt there quietly, holding Sylvia's hand, offering silent support. He knew that these suppressed tears had to be released for his aunt to react like a living person and be able to face life again.
After a while, Sylvia's crying gradually subsided, turning into intermittent sobs.
She lowered her hands from her face and looked at Green. "Green...you...you really can do this? Your job..."
"I can, Auntie," Green nodded vigorously. "My job is stable, and the salary is sufficient. I'll tell you the details later."
"Now, all you need to know is that from today onwards, I will be responsible for the household expenses. You don't need to go to the labor market anymore. What you need to do is rest well, take care of yourself, and... spend time with Emily and Sula."
He paused, then added, "Mrs. Lefever will also stay to help, and I'll pay for it."
"Thank you, Green," Sylvia said with relief.
Dinner ended in a somber yet hopeful atmosphere.
After dinner, Mrs. Lefever cleaned up the kitchen, while Green took the thick scripture and internal regulations and returned to his room on the third floor.
Green, carrying the thick "Church of the Night" and its internal regulations, prepared to return to his room on the third floor to study them.
As soon as I entered the room, Sula followed me in, lowering her voice, "Emily isn't eating... Won't she starve to death?"
Green stopped in his tracks and turned back, saying, "I don't think so... The longest a person can go without food is about 7 days, but they still need to drink water."
He said that, but he was worried inside.
I had originally thought that if Emily could master the 'assassin' ability, she might be a good help in some situations, or even help deal with some issues that I couldn't personally handle.
Now, her extreme personality and the pain of losing her father have driven her to a dead end, and she herself, as a survivor, has become the most direct outlet for her emotions and the target of her hostility.
This situation is truly thorny.
Sula watched as Green placed the thick book on the table and sighed, "Sigh, I usually dislike her, but now I feel quite sorry for her..."
"But she's better off than me; at least Uncle Victor was there for her as she grew up."
Suddenly, she remembered something and asked, "You said last time you wanted to find photos of Mom and Dad, did you find them?"
Green paused as he was about to open the Bible, his heart skipping a beat.
A photograph? Did I mention that...?
I think I vaguely remember it.
Green scratched his head, a hint of embarrassment on his face. "Um... I think..."
Sula immediately understood upon seeing his expression. Either he had forgotten, or he had been lying to her all along!
She immediately straightened her face, pouted, and her eyes were filled with "You're lying" and "I'm not happy."
Sis, couldn't you have chosen a different time...? I have an exam, and it's the kind where I absolutely have to fail.
"Don't worry, don't worry!" Green quickly reassured her. "I'll look for it right now! It's definitely in the room!"
To prove he wasn't just going through the motions, Green immediately took action.
He remembered seeing it when he cleaned the room last time.
He searched through the desk drawers, the top shelf of the wardrobe, the bedside table... recalling the past as he went.
"Ah! I remember now!" Green slapped his forehead and looked up at the top of the bookshelf.
He moved a chair over, stood on it, tiptoed, and carefully picked it up from the bookshelf.
"Found it!" He breathed a sigh of relief and turned to get off the chair.
Perhaps he moved a little too hastily, or perhaps the chair leg slipped on the old floor, but Green lost his footing, cried out in surprise, and fell down along with the picture frame in his hand!
"Brother!" Sula ran over with heartache.
Fortunately, the chair wasn't high, and Green was an Extraordinary, with better reaction time and physical abilities than before. He adjusted his posture the moment he landed, bracing himself with his hand. Apart from a slight pain in his elbow, he was fine.
But the picture frame wasn't so lucky; it fell directly to the floor, glass side down, and cracked into several pieces with a crisp "crack".