Chapter 1571 - 1562: Wherever My Gaze Falls, There Is Eternity

"Daxton! Remember to make dumplings for Victoria too!" Eva Hayes turned around to instruct, then snorted disdainfully, "It’s just dumplings, who do you think can’t afford to eat them?"

"If you can afford them, eat them, stop staring at others all day!" Joseph Lancaster retorted, then grabbed his chopsticks and started shoveling rice into his mouth.

It was clear that Joseph Lancaster was in a bad mood, though it was unclear who had upset him.

Eva Hayes often picked faults, and everyone was used to it. The old man couldn’t be bothered to intervene, and the main family didn’t care, so Daxton Lancaster picked up a bottle of vinegar, poured a little white vinegar for Violet Zimmerman, added some sesame oil, and stirred it with chopsticks before placing the small saucer in front of her.

"Eat while it’s hot. Joseph went several miles to buy this pork, don’t waste his effort."

Violet Zimmerman...

Was she being paranoid, or did Daxton Lancaster’s words have a deeper meaning?

The family all picked up their chopsticks to start breakfast, and seeing Violet Zimmerman staring blankly at her, Daxton put a dumpling in her small saucer, said nothing more, then picked up his bowl and lowered his head to eat his breakfast.

Looking at the plump dumpling in front of her, Violet hesitated for a moment, picked it up, and took a bite. The pork-filled dumpling only had some chives, with the filling packed tightly together.

The rich aroma of the meat filled her taste buds, yet Violet found it hard to describe her current mood.

There was unease and there was touched emotion, but most of all, there was a flutter in her heart.

After a few dumplings, Violet could eat no more, pushing the plate forward, "Too much meat, can’t eat anymore." After a few bites, she felt nauseated.

"Come on, if you can’t eat, let Victoria have them."

Eva Hayes reached across the table, but before she could touch the edge of the plate, it was pulled back.

It was Joseph Lancaster. In his haste, the chair scraped and fell to the floor.

With a clang, he placed the plate back in front of Violet Zimmerman, his expression not pleasant as he glanced at Eva, "You can afford it, if you like it, buy your own meat to make!"

He then grabbed the vinegar bottle, unscrewed it, and poured a lot of white vinegar into Violet’s saucer, "Eat with vinegar, to cut the grease!"

Joseph’s series of actions were childish, the two branches were always at odds, so his actions were somewhat understandable.

But only Violet Zimmerman and Daxton Lancaster knew the real reason why.

Daxton paused in his eating, gazing at the small saucer of vinegar in front of Violet, his eyes slightly misty.

"Mind your own business!" Eva snorted unhappily, a little disappointed at not getting the half plate of dumplings.

After retrieving the dumplings, Joseph returned to another dining table, under the odd gazes of his siblings, he set the chair upright again and sat down to continue eating.

Daxton took a deep breath, feeling a pressure in his chest, pushed the small saucer in front of Violet, "Eat more, now that you’ve just conceived, you need the nutrition."

Violet gritted her teeth and took another dumpling, but as soon as she bit into it, it no longer had the rich, delicious taste from before, instead, it felt like a burden.

Her uncle’s behavior frightened her; she feared that one day their relationship would be discovered by the Lancaster family.

After breakfast, Joseph went back to school without saying goodbye to anyone, riding his bicycle so fast that he even overtook Daxton’s Red Flag sedan.

Daxton calmly drove, watching through the windshield as his brother Joseph quickly rode his bike through the family’s gate, heading in the opposite direction of the company.

In the driver’s seat, Daxton’s lips were pressed into a straight line, his phoenix eyes narrowing slowly.

On January 2nd, with less than half a month until winter break, school wasn’t as intense.

In the student dormitory, Joseph leaned on his bed, engrossed in a book.

A male roommate opened the door and came in. Seeing how absorbed he was, he climbed the ladder and curiously approached.

"Joseph, what story has got you so hooked, is it a Jin Yong novel?"

"No." Joseph replied with impatience in his expression, turning with the book toward the inside wall.

In an era without electronic gadgets, everyone’s eyesight was unusually good, and the man leaning on the bed railing, chin raised, could see the words printed on the page from afar.

The roommate, still hanging on the railing, asked curiously, "Who’s pregnant in your family?" Seeing as you’re reading a pregnancy care handbook.

"Is it any of your business?" The usually good-natured, gentle youth with rare irritation.

"Oh wow, reluctant to tell, did your family secretly marry you off and your wife is pregnant?"

The roommate chuckled teasingly, winking, "I guessed it, your family is so well-off but insisted you live at school; turns out your wife is pregnant and you’re afraid of losing control, so you moved out."

"Don’t talk nonsense!"

With a snap, Joseph slammed the book beside him, fists clenched tightly, glaring at the roommate as if ready to hit him.

The roommate’s smile froze on his face, "Joseph, did I hit the nail on the head?"

With a shout, Joseph punched the roommate to the ground, accompanied by a female shriek.

"You guys..."

Emily Zimmerman stood at the dormitory entrance, hands covering her mouth, horror-struck by the roommate Joseph punched to the ground. It took a while for her to react and she looked up at Joseph on the upper bed.

"Joseph, you..."

"Is there something you need?"

Joseph asked with a blank expression.

Emily remembered why she’d come, her hands hiding behind her, her gaze evasive as she spoke.

"Actually... well... nothing much... it’s just..."

Emily stammered, while in the dormitory, the roommate who had fallen to the floor rubbed his mouth and got up, returning to his bed beneath Joseph’s, where he leaned against the covers rubbing his punched mouth.

"What is it? If there’s nothing, I want to rest!" Looking at the shy-faced girl, Joseph’s face was indifferent.

Emily was still lost in her shy thoughts, biting her lip and kicking at the floor in front, "Uh... I have movie tickets, wanted to ask you to see a movie together tonight."

"Tsk! His wife is already pregnant, yet you’re still foolishly chasing him!" The roommate remarked sarcastically while rubbing his mouth.

"Huh?"

Emily froze, lifting her gaze to look at the roommate in surprise, but before he could say more, from the upper bed, Joseph had already spoken.

"Sorry, I don’t have the time!"

Emily...

She bit her lower lip hard, the movie tickets in her hidden hand got crumpled from her grip, and she looked at the boy engrossed in the book beside her.

"Joseph, do you... really have a wife?"

"No, but I don’t want to see a movie." Joseph turned to the page he was reading earlier and continued.

"Then... is it because there’s someone you like?"

Emily forced herself to ask, and the boy lying on the upper bed flipped to another page in his book, responding faintly with a single word, "Yes."