Chapter 222 - 220: Uninvited Guest

"Mom, how old even was I back then?!" Ronald exclaimed, his face a mask of embarrassment. "You’re always bringing that up to make fun of me. Ethan’s pants fell off during a sprint at his elementary school sports day. Isn’t that more embarrassing?"

Hearing this, Ethan flushed bright red. "Ronald Harris! You’re not making it to the new year!"

With that, he pounced, pinning Ronald down.

Everyone in the car erupted in laughter, the atmosphere full of joy.

The family had an early reunion dinner at home that evening, as the next day, their aunt’s family would be accompanying her husband to his rural hometown in Starfall, near Veridia, for the New Year.

People in Veridia were very particular about these customs: a daughter must go to her husband’s home for the New Year, and a son must return to his own.

Cecilia gave most of the gifts she had brought back to her aunt, prompting Yvonne to quickly refuse. "Oh, Cecilia, I can’t take this much. There’s still some left from what your mom brought last time."

"Take them!" Cecilia insisted. She wanted to help bolster her aunt’s standing. "Take these back with Uncle Brendan for the New Year. This is all good stuff. Don’t let people look down on you anymore."

Her uncle-in-law was very loving and protective of her aunt, but Cecilia also knew that Yvonne wasn’t well-liked by his family’s elders. It’s human nature to make comparisons. Her uncle’s family was large and prosperous, while only he and her aunt led a relatively modest life. Sarah hadn’t been accepted into a university, and it looked like Ronald might not even make it into a vocational college. Every time they went back home, they were made to feel inferior because of these things.

Her aunt wasn’t a pushover by nature, but she always had to consider her husband’s pride. Besides, they were only ever there for a few days, so she figured she could just endure it and it would be over.

Over time, she had simply gotten used to it.

Of course, Yvonne understood her niece’s intentions. Touched, her eyes welled with tears, which in turn made Brendan feel uneasy.

After seeing Yvonne’s family off, Jasmine sat on the sofa and sighed deeply. "You know, for your aunt, going back with your uncle for the New Year is like a form of torture. They know she makes a living with her cooking skills, so that family has latched onto it as an excuse. Every time your aunt goes back, she’s the one who has to cook all the meals, from New Year’s Eve all the way to the fifth or sixth day."

Lily held her mother’s hand and sighed along with her. Cecilia walked over and sat down, looking at her mother. "Mom, did Grandma not ask you to come back for the New Year this year?"

Jasmine shook her head, her tone full of resignation. "What’s the point of going back? It’s much more comfortable for us as a family here."

She might have said that, but Cecilia knew her mother was definitely hurting inside.

Her grandmother had her two sons’ families keeping her company—the older uncle had three sons, the younger had two. Fornan was one of the regions in the country with the strongest patriarchal preference for sons. All year round, Cecilia and her sister never received a single message or phone call from their maternal grandparents.

They had probably forgotten they even had these two granddaughters.

Years ago, using the excuse that Cecilia’s senior year of high school was too busy and her vacation was too short, Jasmine had proactively stopped taking the children back for the New Year. The round trip was not only mentally and physically draining, but also quite expensive.

Moreover, every time she went back and saw the elders treat her children unfairly, it left a bad taste in her mouth. She and her sister Yvonne had been neglected themselves growing up, and she couldn’t bear to let her own children suffer the same treatment.

So, the excuse continued with Lily, and then Ethan, all supposedly busy preparing for major exams. In the blink of an eye, three or four years had gone by without a single trip back to Fornan.

Eventually, the grandparents stopped even asking.

The rare times they did contact their daughter, it was always to set her up on blind dates. The candidates were chosen solely based on their wealth, with no regard for anything else. It was clear to everyone what they were after.

"It’s better that we don’t go back," Ethan said. "Isn’t it more fun with all of us here together?"

Jasmine smiled at his words. "That’s right. Mom has prepared so much food for the New Year. That lobster in the kitchen is still alive in the sink, and we have Emperor Crab, too. We’ve got it all."

Cecilia looked at her mother, her brother, and her sister, her heart feeling full to bursting. This was the first New Year since she’d returned to her twenty-year-old self, with her family all by her side. Nothing could make her feel happier than this.

But then, the very next day, someone showed up at their door, threatening to shatter that happiness.

The person who knocked on the door was none other than Cecilia’s paternal uncle, Connor Fulton.

Jasmine was very surprised by Connor’s sudden arrival, but she politely let him in nonetheless.

Cecilia, her brother, and her sister also came out to greet him, each calling out, "Uncle."

Connor smiled when he saw Cecilia, his tone quite warm. "Cecilia, you’re a sophomore now, right? You’re all grown up, getting prettier and prettier."

Cecilia just nodded with a polite smile.

Connor then turned to Lily, an unnatural distance creeping into his expression as his smile faltered.

And Lily, who was naturally reserved, had always felt a distinct distance from the Fultons. So, despite sitting nearby, she subconsciously lowered her head, avoiding her uncle’s gaze.

Without a word to her, he looked directly at Ethan, his face breaking into a wide, genuine smile. "Ah, Ethan! I haven’t seen you in two years."

Ethan smiled and nodded. "That’s right, Uncle. I’ve been pretty busy with my studies these last two years."

"You’re about to take the college entrance exams, right? Which university are you planning to apply to?"

Ethan glanced at his mother and sister and said truthfully, "Lorcain University."

"Oh, Lorcain University is great! You’ve been smart since you were a kid, just like your dad. You’ll definitely get in."

Connor’s affection for Ethan was plain to see. It was no wonder. After all, Ethan was his younger brother’s biological son. Although he had taken his mother’s surname, Sterling, he still had Fulton blood running through his veins.

Jasmine knew Connor wouldn’t come for no reason. Growing antsy, she finally broke the silence. "Brother, is there a reason for your sudden visit?"

Connor nodded, his smile receding. He looked at Jasmine seriously. "Jasmine, the grandparents miss Ethan. They asked me to come and pick him up to spend the New Year with them."

His words instantly changed the expressions on the faces of Cecilia and her siblings. Even Lily lifted her head.

"Don’t worry," Connor quickly added. "It’s just for the New Year celebration. I’ll bring Ethan right back on the second day."

Jasmine blinked, her expression turning incredibly awkward. But before she could speak, Ethan had already interjected, "Uncle, I want to spend the New Year with my mom. I’m not going anywhere."

"Ethan, your grandpa and grandma miss you. Don’t you miss them?"

Cecilia’s expression darkened. She looked at her uncle and asked, "Uncle, Ethan is a grandson, but aren’t Lily and I granddaughters? How come Grandpa and Grandma didn’t say to bring us back, too?"

"Well, we can’t take all of you, can we? Then wouldn’t your mother be spending the New Year alone?"

Cecilia sneered. "How considerate of you to think of my mom."

"Anyway, I’m not going anywhere," Ethan said, not mincing words. "I’m staying here to spend the New Year with my mom and my sisters."

Seeing the standoff, Jasmine sighed. "Brother, if the grandparents miss their grandson, I can have Ethan go and pay them a New Year’s visit after the holidays are over."