Chapter 654: A Good Man Doesn’t Fight a Tigress

Phoebe Huxley and Felix Thorne were overjoyed and expressed their gratitude profusely. Professor Jacobs smiled faintly. "I have high hopes for your son. If he studies hard and gets into a good university, he can serve the country one day."

"May your words prove true!"

Phoebe Huxley was so excited she was nearly incoherent. For a cultured man like Professor Jacobs to say their second son could get into a university, it was practically set in stone.

After the meal, Phoebe Huxley insisted on paying. Patrick Thorne went to help Professor Jacobs with his luggage, which was really just a single leather suitcase. Felix Thorne used his bicycle to take it to the train station. Phoebe also bought a couple of pounds of apples and a bag of oranges from a fruit stand near the station, along with some tea-leaf eggs for the professor to eat on the train.

"Thank you."

Professor Jacobs was quite moved. He had planned to leave Vessaria alone and likely never return. He hadn’t expected to receive such warm hospitality from the Thorne family before his departure or to be shown such kindness.

"Don’t mention it," Phoebe Huxley said with a hearty laugh. "Have a safe trip, and come back to visit when you have the time."

Professor Jacobs smiled, said his goodbyes to the Thorne family, and went into the waiting room. ’Maybe I really will come back someday. Who knows what the future holds!’

After seeing Professor Jacobs off, it was still early. Phoebe Huxley announced enthusiastically, "Let’s go take care of the household registration."

’I’m going to be a city dweller too!’

Tang Xiaonan’s heart skipped a beat. ’Right now, an urban household registration is more desirable than a rural one, but in a few decades, it’ll be the other way around. A rural registration will be much more valuable, and once you transfer out, you can never transfer back.’

Felix Thorne was also hesitant. He didn’t want to leave Millstone Peak. Besides, what could he do in the city?

’They certainly don’t need a pig butcher in the city.’

"If you want to transfer, you go ahead. I’m not doing it," Felix Thorne refused. He still preferred living in the countryside; the city felt awkward.

"I’m not transferring either! You can’t catch loaches and eels in the city, and you can’t go up the mountain to get birds’ eggs," Jim Thorne objected even more strongly. He loved it back home; it was so much fun. Visiting the city once in a while was interesting, but living there long-term would be suffocating.

"Me neither!"

Tang Xiaonan chimed in. She also thought the countryside was better. Vessaria had nothing to offer right now; it wasn’t nearly as fun as Millstone Peak.

Phoebe Huxley’s enthusiasm was instantly deflated. She snapped, "If none of you are coming, there’s no point in me coming alone. Forget it, we won’t transfer."

Felix Thorne then reminded her, "When we get back, don’t you go telling people about buying the house. Your job pedaling a rickshaw for the Hawthorne family is already enough to make people jealous. If they find out we bought a house, the envy will be even worse. There’s no telling what kind of trouble it could stir up."

"Do you take me for a fool? Of course I won’t say anything. You hear that, Jim? Don’t you go running your mouth!"

Phoebe Huxley gave Jim Thorne a swat on the head. Rubbing the back of his head, Jim said indignantly, "I’m not a gossip, I won’t say anything! Mom, why are you always hitting me? How come you don’t say anything to my second brother!"

"Your second brother is the one who bought the house! If you bought a house too, then we’ll see if I hit you or not!"

Phoebe Huxley shot him a glare, and her single sentence shut Jim Thorne down completely.

Jim Thorne sullenly turned his head away. He couldn’t afford to provoke the tigress. Besides, a gentleman doesn’t quarrel with a woman. He would endure.

’Hmph. Someday, I’ll find an even fiercer tigress to deal with my old lady for me.’

After wandering around the city for a while, they bought some daily necessities, snacks, and candy, and then the family headed for home.

That evening, Phoebe Huxley showed the house deed to Byron Thorne and Raina. The old couple were so happy they drank two liang of spirits and got drunk immediately. Felix Thorne and Phoebe Huxley each supported one of them and helped them to bed.

A week later, Goldie Thorne came running home. He didn’t mention Beatrice again, nor did he plan on going to any more matchmaking sessions. Raina, afraid he might run away from home again, took the opportunity to back down. They would look for matches again after some time had passed. As long as he didn’t marry that little vixen, she would thank her lucky stars.