Noah's eyes darkened again.
Madam, I'm not here to chat with you. I'm here to win back my wife, he thought scornfully.
Despite his internal complaints, Noah still walked over and sat opposite the old lady.
Just a mont ago, the old lady had seed drowsy, but upon seeing Noah, she beca quite spirited. Though her eyes were still slightly narrowed, the look they conveyed was... how should one describe it? Gentle at first glance, but sharp upon closer inspection.
Glancing at Noah's hands, the old lady casually remarked, "Well now, why are you empty-handed? No flowers? Not even a single blade of grass? Young man, are you having financial difficulties? This old woman still has so personal savings. How about I lend you so to get a bouquet?"
Noah, whose handso face had been expressionless, almost flinched at the old lady's words.
This old lady's way of speaking...
It was true, however, that he had co empty-handed; no flowers, not even a blade of grass.
But he was definitely not in financial difficulty; he had more money than the entire Horne Family.
"Madam, I don't think Mr. Black is in financial difficulty. He's probably just stingy," Auntie i chid in, glancing at Noah. "Alas, so tall and imposing, like Mount Tai, yet so stingy. What a sha."
Uncle Ying rushed in, flustered. Seeing Noah already seated before the old lady, he tactfully withdrew from the main hall.
Gio Coleman was still standing outside the door, talking on his phone.
Uncle Ying went to open the door for him, but Gio indicated he should wait a little longer.
Inside, Noah struggled to restrain himself. His handso face, no longer expressionless, adopted a cool, distant deanor.
"Young man, you're not mute, are you?" the old lady asked with another chuckle when he remained silent. She then turned her head and instructed Auntie i, "Go, fetch a pen and so paper. If he can't speak, he can write."
"Madam, I am not mute!" Noah retorted.
The first ti he entered the Horne residence, he had spoken. The Madam herself had been there and heard him. And now she's implying I'm mute!
"Well then, Auntie i, make him a cup of tea. Rember, strong tea," the Madam instructed with a benevolent smile.
Looking at the Madam, one would think she was an extrely kind old lady. But listening to her words, Noah knew she was as crafty as an old fox.
"Madam, I don't like tea," Noah quickly stated.
It had a bitter taste he disliked.
"Madam, how strong?" Auntie i asked.
"As strong as it can possibly be," the old lady replied.
The Madam and Auntie i continued their exchange as if they hadn't heard Noah at all.
Noah's eye twitched.
Dealing with this old fox, seeing Adele is going to be tough, he thought.
At that mont, he had an epiphany: The most formidable person in the Horne Family isn't Glades Horne; it's the Madam.
"Very well."
Auntie i imdiately went to brew the tea.
The Madam had said to make it as strong as possible.
Auntie i cleaned a large teapot, one the Horne Family had never used. Few guests liked tea, so they rarely served it, usually offering beverages based on guest preference. Auntie i poured an entire pound of tea leaves into the large teapot—truly a full pound—of an extrely bitter mountain tea she'd fetched from the servants' quarters.
With a pound of tea leaves poured in, the large teapot was almost stuffed full, aning not much water could be added.
One could only imagine how bitter the tea served to Noah would be.
The old lady and Auntie i were clearly colluding to give Noah a hard ti.
"Auntie i, see what we have to eat in the refrigerator. Bring everything out. Mr. Black has been here since early morning; he must be hungry," the old lady called out.
Noah quickly started, "Madam—" but he stopped, as the old lady acted as if she couldn't hear him.
The intense feeling of being ssed with welled up in his heart. But for Adele's sake, the master of the mighty Fiery Gate could only endure it.
Fortunately, he had co alone. If his n from the base saw him being treated like this, they would vehently oppose his marrying Adele.
Gio called the Flower Shop and asked them to send another bouquet, roses this ti. He decided that today, he would confess his love to Adele.
He would openly challenge that brute.
Holding the roses, Gio straightened his clothes, ensuring he looked presentable before following Uncle Ying into the room.
The coffee table was laden with all sorts of snacks: pastries, candies, cookies, fruit—indeed, all kinds of treats. The old lady was treating Noah like a child.
Seeing the coffee table covered in snacks, Noah's face almost turned green.
He never ate such things.
When he was young, he had wanted them, but during his training at the Training Base, such things were forbidden. The elders had said eating them would lead to cravings, and cravings were a weakness. One couldn't afford to develop weaknesses.
"Madam, this is Mr. Gio Coleman, Miss Adele's classmate. He's here to see Miss Adele," Uncle Ying announced respectfully as he led Gio in.
Noah's expression darkened.
The old lady turned, beaming. "Wonderful! So lively. Co, everyone, sit down. Auntie i, tea, two cups."
"Greetings, Madam."
Gio greeted the old lady politely.
"Mm, good. Sit down," the old lady gestured for Gio to sit next to Noah.
Noah spread his legs, pointedly taking up most of the sofa, leaving no room for Gio.
Gio ignored his domineering display and sat down beside him on the long sofa anyway.
Two cups of tea, so strong they looked undrinkable, were placed before the two imposing n.
This ti, Auntie i spoke politely, "Mr. Black, Mr. Gio, please have so tea." Then she stepped back to stand beside the old lady. Both won watched with amusent the two excellent n, whose striking appearances made them seem equally matched.
Both n stared at the tea, which was so dark it was almost black, and exchanged uneasy glances.
Movent ca from upstairs.
Adele Horne rubbed her forehead, walking downstairs in extre discomfort. She hadn't yet seen the two n and was complaining, "Auntie i, Auntie i! Help make so hangover soup. My head is killing ! I'm never drinking again. Hangovers are the worst!"
When she saw Noah and Gio, however, she froze, then spun around to head back upstairs.
"Adele."
The old lady called out to her.
"These two gentlen are here to see you. They're your guests, so you must entertain them properly."
Adele turned back, exclaiming in a low voice, "Grandma!"
With Noah here, and this rage bubbling inside , how can I possibly entertain anyone properly? she fud internally.
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