Chapter 3289 The Bride Visits Home
Chapter 3289 The Bride Visits Home
Before Louis and his wife could respond, Old Master Crawford said, "The child used to be frail, so it's normal for her to get sick sometimes. Look at her now. She's full of energy and much more cheerful than before. Was she ever like this when she was living with you?"
Louis nodded in agreement with the old master.
When Thea lived with Susan, she was timid and had poor mental health.
However, ever since they moved out, Louis noticed that Thea was getting happier by the day.
Originally, Louis thought it was because he and his wife were too busy and had neglected their child, which caused her emotional issues.
Now, he finally realized it was Susan who had been pressuring her all along.
Without that pressure, Thea was thriving.
Even her psychologist was amazed by the rapid progress she had made and praised them as good parents. However, Louis knew the truth.
The reason Thea was doing so well was that he had firmly insisted on taking her out of that environment. Even Susan had to admit Thea looked much better now and seemed happier. If it were not for the occasional cough, one would not even know she was sick.
Still, Susan did not think Louis and his wife deserved any credit. She stubbornly explained, "The psychologist said she was almost better anyway, Isn't it normal for her to be doing well now?"
Louis could not be bothered to argue with her. He knew why Thea had improved, and there was no need to air it out in front of everyone. It would only embarrass Susan, and he would end up being the one caught in the crossfire.
Old Master Crawford rolled his eyes, well aware of Susan's thoughts.
The child only improved after leaving her.
Was that not enough to prove that something was wrong with Susan's way of raising her?
Louis exchanged a glance with Luke, who gave him a slight nod.
Neither Luke nor Luca said a word. Luca checked her phone and said, "Mr. Mallory and Nina are almost here."
"They're almost here?" Old Master Crawford's face lit up with a smile.
"Yes, Old Master Crawford," replied Luca.
The old master stood up with the help of his cane and asked Mr. Griffin, "Mr. Griffin, have you opened the doors to the ancestral hall?"
Even though Nina was only his god-granddaughter and not a blood relative of the Crawford family, the custom in A City was that when the bride visited her home after the wedding, the family had to pay respects to the ancestors.
Old Master Crawford followed the traditions closely.
When Susan heard that the ancestral hall had been opened, she frowned.
The ancestral hall was something the old master treasured deeply.
No matter how mischievous the kids got, he never allowed them to play near it, insisting that they stay away to avoid disturbing the ancestors' peace.
Now, he had opened the hall for this so-called god-granddaughter?
"Well, well. She's not even a real member of the Crawford family, and she gets the ancestral hall opened for her. Looks like this god-granddaughter is really something special," Susan commented sarcastically, but no one paid her any attention.
The Crawford family all knew why Nina was being given such importance.
It was all because of the Mallory family.
There was no point in bringing it up.
Still, Susan, lacking tact as usual, just had to mention it.
If it were not for the sound of a car pulling up outside, Old Master Crawford would have said something to her. Percy walked in, holding Nina's hand. He first exchanged a look with Luke and Louis, greeting them silently. Then, he turned to Old Master Crawford and called out, "Grandpa."
He followed Nina's lead in calling the old master 'Grandpa'.
With the Mallory family's grandson-in-law joining the Crawford family, Old Master Crawford was practically glowing with pride. Even Percy, the pride of the Mallory family, was now calling him 'Grandpa'. It was a boost in reputation.
"Grandpa," Nina called sweetly.
"You're both such good kids. Come inside and sit," said Old Master Crawford, beaming with joy.
Mr. Griffin brought over two cups of tea, and Percy and Nina presented them to Old Master Crawford as a sign of respect. In return, the old master handed each of them a gift.
Then, the whole group made their way to the ancestral hall in the backyard.
Old Master Crawford was the first to offer candles to the ancestors, then he gestured for Percy and Nina to do the same. Once that was done, they reported the joyous occasion to the ancestors.
This was followed by a traditional ceremony.
It took over two hours to complete.
Nina was deeply moved. She thought Old Master Crawford's approval meant they would just have a place for her to return to and share a meal.
She did not expect him to go all out. It was a heartfelt blessing for the newlyweds.
When the ceremony was over, it was time to eat.Belonging © NôvelDram/a.Org.
Mr. Griffin approached and informed them that lunch was still being prepared and would take about another half an hour. Hence, everyone gathered in the living room, drinking tea, eating snacks, and chatting.
Nina turned to Luca and asked, "By the way, is there something you haven't told me?"
"Huh?" Luca paused for a moment, trying to recall if there was anything she had not mentioned. She suddenly remembered the incident at the wedding venue yesterday.
She smiled and replied, "You've already figured it out, no? It wouldn't have made a difference whether I told you or not."
"I guessed as much," said Nina. "Thanks for helping me out again."
"We're friends. That's what we do for each other. No need to thank me. By the way, when are you and Mr. Mallory going on your honeymoon?" asked Luca. Even though they had been together for a while, the usual post-wedding traditions still applied.
A honeymoon would be next, and no matter how busy Percy was, he would definitely take Nina somewhere. "We're leaving tomorrow, but he hasn't told me where we're going yet. He said it's a surprise," answered Nina. *A surprise sounds wonderful. Who knows, maybe after your honeymoon, there'll be another piece of good news?" said Luca. She smiled and glanced at Nina's stomach.
Nina's face turned red. She touched her belly and said, "Oh, stop teasing me."
"We're just going with the flow now. I don't feel that urgency to have a baby like I did before. Sometimes, the best surprises come when you're not expecting them," Nina said with a smile.
"It's great that you've found peace with it," replied Luca.
*Yeah, some things just can't be rushed," said Nina.
Meanwhile, Susan had been watching Luca the whole time.
She was puzzled by how close Luca and Nina seemed to be.
Was Nina not close friends with Bianca back then? Now, she was just sitting by while Bianca's husband was getting stolen? She was not even reacting?
Was that what a good friend did?
If Bianca knew her 'good friend' was acting like this, would she not be furious?
Susan watched as Luca and Nina conversed, wondering why everyone around Luke seemed to get along so well
with people in Percy's circle.
As the thought crossed her mind, she shot a glare at Yuri, who was sitting next to her.
Yuri was peeling fruit for Thea.
*All you ever do is eat. Don't you know how to work on your social connections?" Susan muttered under her
breath.
Yuri froze for a moment, realizing the comment was directed at her.
She followed Susan's gaze toward Nina.
Then, Yuri quickly looked away. Back when Nina was not as important, she had not bothered to be friendly with
her.
If she acted all warm and nice now, would that not be strange?
Yuri replied, "Mother, I'm peeling this for Thea. She's hungry."