Claire noticed Richard’s awkwardness and deliberately said, “Actually, it is still quite serious.
I heard from Damien that the nerves in Alexander’s legs are damaged, and it’s estimated that he won’t be able to stand up ever again.”
Margaret exclaimed, “Oh my, doesn’t that make him a cripple?
Richard, what will happen to the engagement between Evelyn and Alexander now?
Evelyn is so beautiful; she can’t spend her whole life looking after a cripple!”
Evelyn sneered inwardly but didn’t say a word, watching these people put on their show.
Claire chimed in, “I’m worried about this too, so I tried to persuade Evelyn a few words during the day, but it only made her unhappy.”
Evelyn glanced at her, her cold, icy gaze making Claire swallow the rest of her words.
She was truly afraid that Evelyn would have another sudden breakdown.
Richard smiled and said, “Claire is mainly worried about your happiness, Evelyn.
If it were anyone else, who would say such unpleasant things?”
“That’s right.
In Claire’s heart, she values Evelyn even more than William.
She often says that since her own health isn’t good, she just wants to see Evelyn live happily.”
Margaret sang along, and her words made Evelyn want to throw the sweet-and-sour pork rib in her mouth at this shameless mother and daughter.
“Who said Alexander is a cripple?
His legs just suffered a minor injury; he’ll be able to stand up once treated.
What are your intentions, Claire?
You cursed Alexander as a cripple at the Blackwood family’s house, and now you’re cursing him again at home.
You’re hoping he never stands up again, aren’t you?”
Evelyn spat out the bone, speaking in one breath without pausing.
How could Claire’s eloquence compare to Evelyn’s?
She tried to interject several times but never found the chance.
“The things you said at the Blackwood family’s house today already made Grandpa Blackwood and Aunt Eleanor very unhappy, and now you’re saying it again at home.
Claire, just because you won’t live long doesn’t mean you should wish bad luck on others.
How can your heart be so venomous?”
“It’s not…
I didn’t mean that…
It was Damien who said…”
Claire anxiously explained, tears streaming down her face.
“Damien this, Damien that.
You call him so affectionately.
You claim to have no relationship with Damien, yet you’re carrying on with him behind everyone’s back.
Hmph…
Claire, I’ve finally seen through you today.
Stay out of my sight from now on!”
Evelyn said these things on purpose.
Her wings were not yet fully formed, and it was not yet suitable to have a falling-out with Richard.
Let Richard think she was simply making a scene out of jealousy.
She would slowly find a way to earn money.
Most importantly, she had to get her hands on her Household Register.
Her household registration was with Victoria.
After Victoria passed away, Evelyn became the head of this household, and her name was the only one on the Household Register.
Richard and Margaret’s household registrations were at the Qianjin Machinery Factory.
Claire and her siblings, along with Ethan, were all under Richard’s name.
Nowadays, you needed the Household Register for everything; without it, you couldn’t get anything done.
She had to get it.
Richard’s serious expression softened quite a bit.
He knew Evelyn was just jealous.
This girl was straightforward, couldn’t hide anything in her heart, and wouldn’t let things linger overnight—she had to vent it the same day.
“Evelyn, don’t be angry.
Your sister explained it to me.
You were sleeping at noon, and she didn’t want to wake you, which is why she answered Damien’s call.
Come…
eat a piece of pork rib.
Don’t be angry.”
Richard smiled kindly and placed a piece of pork rib into Evelyn’s bowl.
Evelyn snorted and muttered, “She’s not my sister.
I am the eldest in the family.
Why should I be the second one?”
“Alright, alright…
you are the eldest, and you are our family’s princess!”
Richard acted like a father who doted on his daughter completely, granting every request Evelyn made.
In the eyes of the mother-daughter duo, Margaret and Claire, this was as painful as a knife stabbing into them.
After dinner, more than half a plate of Sweet and Sour Ribs remained.
In the family, only Ethan and Evelyn liked them; Richard and the others did not, so the other dishes were mostly finished.
“I want to eat ribs!” Pipi’s voice rang out.
Only then did Evelyn remember her companion.
She looked up and saw Pipi standing on the windowsill.
Before Margaret could clear the plates, she moved the ribs in front of herself.
“I’m taking these back to my room to eat.”
Richard didn’t care; they were just ribs.
He was doing quite well at the factory.
Besides his salary and bonuses, there were plenty of other perks.
Moreover, since Margaret worked in the canteen, they didn’t have to spend a penny on the family’s food expenses.
As long as he could get his hands on the property, he would definitely be the most well-off person in Pingjiang City.
“Remember to brush your teeth after eating.
Don’t stay up too late reading novels tonight; watch out for nearsightedness!” Richard instructed carefully.
To anyone watching, he would seem like a good father who doted on his daughter.
A chill rose in Evelyn’s heart.
She really couldn’t see through Richard anymore.
In her past life, Richard had been so affectionate toward her, yet when she was suffering in prison, he had remained indifferent.
He had only visited her once when she first entered prison and said nothing.
After that, there was no word from him at all.
If Richard’s affection and concern for her all these years were just an act, then this man’s mind was truly terrifying!
Evelyn couldn’t help but shudder.
She hoped her guess was wrong, but her intuition told her that such a possibility was minuscule.
She should investigate clearly first!
If Richard really was acting, she would no longer care for their father-daughter relationship!
“Dad, I want to keep a pet.”
Pipi would definitely be coming and going from the house frequently in the future, so it was better to mention it now to prevent William from secretly roasting and eating it.
It was just a two-legged cub; it could kill him with one claw.
The Mistress really underestimated it!
Richard asked with a smile, “What does Evelyn want to raise?
A puppy or a kitten?”
“I want to keep a bird.
Look…
this one!”
Pipi flapped its wings and flew onto Evelyn’s shoulder.
Richard looked at Pipi suspiciously.
“Is this a raven?”
Margaret shook her head and said, “It’s pitch black; it must be a crow.
It’s unlucky.
Evelyn, you’d better not keep it.”
“Idiot!”
Pipi opened its beak, its sharp voice startling everyone.
Richard immediately became interested.
“It should be an raven.
No, it’s a Myna Bird.
Raven have entirely black feathers, while Myna Birds have white feathers on their necks and are a bit larger.
It’s a Myna Bird.”
“Smart!”
Pipi spoke again.
What it loved most in life was talking.
Not being allowed to speak was as uncomfortable as going hungry.
It couldn’t say long sentences, but short phrases were fine!
In truth, it wasn’t a Myna Bird at all.
It was transformed from a piece of Black Jade from the Vale Family.
Its spirit had possessed the body of a Myna Bird raised by the Head of the Vale Family at the time.
If it wanted to, it could be a cat, a dog, a tiger, or a leopard.
However, after being a bird for several hundred years, flying around was quite free and easy.
Most importantly, a Myna Bird could talk.
This was what satisfied Pipi the most.
Having received praise from a bird, Richard was in a great mood.
“This Myna Bird has clearly been trained.
Evelyn, where did you get it?”
“I fed it some ice cream on my way back, and then it followed me home.
Dad, I want to keep Pipi.”
Evelyn acted spoiled.
Richard also liked Pipi very much, but he was worried it had escaped from someone else’s home.
It would be troublesome if the owner came looking for it.
“I just want to keep it.
We’ll deal with it if they show up.
I’ll give Pipi delicious food; it definitely won’t want to leave.”
“Delicious food…
delicious food…”
Hearing “delicious food,” Pipi’s eyes lit up.
It flapped its wings, preparing to peck at the ribs on the plate.