Adele Horne was left speechless and could only glare hatefully at Julia Bluen, who responded with a smile that nearly turned Adele’s face green with anger.
Just wait until Big Brother isn’t home, and I’ll deal with you!
Adele Horne’s gaze was filled with hostility as she glared at Julia, wordlessly communicating her unfriendliness.
Come at me. You bring soldiers, I’ll bring generals. You bring water, I’ll counter with earth. Who’s afraid of whom?
Julia’s lips curved into a smile, her almond-shaped eyes twinkling. The confidence in her gaze infuriated Adele when their eyes met, making Adele want to jump up and down in anger.
The two sisters-in-law were exchanging looks in a battle of wills.
One was all smiles, the glint in her eyes sharp, completely composed—a picture of shy newlywed charm. The other was grinding her teeth, filled with resentment, on the verge of exploding, looking like she was staring down an enemy.
Adele was known for her fiery temper. Julia felt the best approach was to handle her with a gentle touch, thereby avoiding harm to herself while letting her adversary stew in her own rage.
All the Horne Family servants had gathered in the hall. Upon Julia’s appearance, they greeted her in unison, led by Uncle Ying.
Julia quickly returned their smiles, nodding and replying, "Hello, everyone."
As soon as Julia had spoken, Glades Horne glanced at Uncle Ying, who understood the cue and immediately led the others out of the Main House to attend to their duties.
"Grandma." Julia greeted the beaming elderly lady first, then Gian Horne and Mila Anderson, followed by the other uncles and aunts present.
Everyone responded kindly to Julia’s greetings.
Since they were newlyweds, Glades was not expected to return to the office for work. Likewise, everyone else was taking a break at home to celebrate the joyous occasion. The grandmother had decreed that until the young couple had left for their honeymoon, no one was allowed to go to work. The elderly woman loved it when everyone gathered together.
Though Glades and Julia’s wedding was a secretive affair, it was nonetheless a significant event for the Horne family members. Even his uncle, who held a central government position, specifically made time to attend his wedding. This uncle, a Chief of Staff in the Military District, couldn’t help but exclaim upon seeing Glades married, "When will Marcel ever get married?"
When Marcel was mentioned, the grandmother’s smile faltered slightly, and she said with distress, "That child only comes back once every few years, and when he does, it’s just for a day. He arrives in a rush and leaves in a rush. That day, I didn’t even get to see him. Now here we all are, just missing him."
"Mom, don’t worry. I’ve already found a way to get him transferred back here," said their military uncle, trying to comfort the grandmother.
"Enough, you’ve said that countless times. You say you’ll get him transferred back here, but if he doesn’t want to come, what’s the point of transferring him?" The grandmother unceremoniously shot back at her second son.
"Actually..." The grandmother suddenly squinted her shrewd old eyes, but after uttering those two words, she stopped and didn’t continue.
"Actually, what?" Henry Horne asked with a hint of curiosity.
"Actually, with the second child absent, it’s the third child’s turn. Henry, you’re the third son. The next wedding will be yours, so start getting ready. Don’t disappoint your grandmother," the grandmother swiftly changed the topic, redirecting everyone’s attention towards Henry.
Henry immediately surrendered, raising his hands and looking towards Julia and Glades, who were sitting across from him, laughing. He pleaded, "Grandma, spare me, please. I still have my older brother; I dare not overstep my bounds. Why don’t you get Second Uncle to quickly execute the plan and transfer my brother back from Tibet?"
Laughter erupted in the room.
"Mrs. Horne, lunch is ready," Uncle Ying reported respectfully to the grandmother as everyone was joking and laughing.
The grandmother immediately commanded, "Alright, everyone, let’s eat!"
"As you command, Dowager!" the crowd responded with playful laughter.
Glades and Julia each took an arm to help the grandmother up, and dozens of family members followed her to the dining room. The Horne family’s dining room was even larger than the Bluen family’s, accommodating the numerous members of the Horne household. This grand villa was the Hornes’ ancestral home; though refurbished, it had retained its original layout.
A long table was now filled with people.
The servants began to present the prepared dishes one after another, placing them all on the table.
Once all the dishes were set, Julia suddenly noticed that the food in front of her consisted of all her favorites. She initially looked towards the grandmother at the head of the table, thinking it was an act of consideration from her, but the grandmother glanced at Glades then winked at Julia, signaling that it was Glades who had instructed the servants to arrange it that way.
Given the length and size of the table, without special instructions, the servants would not have placed all of Julia’s favorite dishes so conveniently near her; otherwise, it would have been awkward for her to reach for food.
Julia turned her head to look at the man by her side.
Glades simply smiled indulgently at her.
Julia ate that meal with great relish. Glades’ subtle consideration helped her shake off the awkwardness of her first day as a new daughter-in-law.
After the meal, the grandmother ushered the couple out for a stroll in the Courtyard—ostensibly for a walk, but actually to encourage their bond to deepen.
Watching the intimate figures of the two walking away, the grandmother’s smile grew even wider.
Henry Horne sat down beside the grandmother, peering out in the same direction as her, and asked in a hushed, mysterious tone, "Are you keeping a secret, Grandma? A secret that only you and Big Brother know about? It must be hard to keep a secret to yourself. Why don’t you share it with me and let me help you carry the burden? Look how filial your grandson is."
The grandmother glanced at him, then continued to watch the receding figures—the man tall and upright, the woman also tall and slender, the two of them clearly a match made in heaven. Her smile deepened, and she said mysteriously, "Henry, my dear boy, it seems I don’t quite trust you, so I can’t tell you the secret."