ã€ŠA Lifetime With Youã€‹


 Chapter 1 - Funeral

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    L City¡­

    On one of the towering building in the golden triangle of L City was MH Group headquarters.

    In the large office on the highest floor of MH Group headquarters, a young man stood facing the french window. His sharp eyes were looking at the bustling city, but this view can''t seem to calm his nerves.

    The tension in the room was too strong that if one were to enter the room right now, they would feel the temperature drop even though it was hot outside.

    Knock! Knock!

    Neil Mo snapped out of his thought and turned around. He took a deep breath before he spoke. "Come in." He sat down on his swiveling leather chair and watched his assistant entered his room.

    "President Mo," his assistant bowed at the door and stepped inside. He shivered a little bit and glanced towards the air-conditioner in the room.

    Neil glanced at his table where various newspapers spread out. On the front cover, each and every one of them was reporting on his younger brother''s accident a few days ago that lead both him and his wife to death.

    Seeing the mess, Neil stacked the newspapers neatly on the side and turned to his assistant. "Speak."

    Assistant Shawn clenched on the folder to gather his courage. He felt the need to prepare himself before he faced the President''s wrath seconds later. He took a deep breath and handed the folder in his hand to his boss and spoke, "According to the investigation, the second young master received a tip regarding an embezzlement a month before his accident."

    Neil''s eyes darkened at the news. He browsed through the thin folder in his hand and frowned deeper. "Who was the whistle-blower?"

    "It''s Assistant Will Ye from Finance and Accounting Department."

    "Where is he now?" He tossed the folder on his table.

    "That¡­ President Mo," Assistant Shawn hesitated. "Assistant Will committed suicide two weeks ago. After that, we have no other lead to follow."

    A dangerous glint flashed through his eyes as he heard the report regarding Assistant Will''s situation. Neil tightened his fist and felt his nails dug into his skin. A loud sound could be heard as he slammed his fist on the table.

    Fortunately, the table was made of some high-quality wood, or else, it would have broken into two.

    Right now, he was supposed to be at his brother''s funeral but instead, he was stuck in the office to reassure the shareholders of the stability of the company.

    Various thoughts went into Neil Mo''s mind and his anger rose.

    On the same day that he received news of his brother''s accident, he received anonymous tips that his brother''s accident was no accident. It was a planned murder.

    Neil had his doubts when he received the tips but knew he could not just ignore it when it was related to his brother. That was why he had his assistant to look into his brother''s activities before his death.

    He then found out that his brother was investigating the embezzlement of funds for one of their project. What frustrated him was that his brother had not said a word to him when he began to look into the matter.

    Assistant Shawn pursed his lips and controlled his breathing. He was afraid to make a sound and irritate the president. He flinched when the President stood up abruptly. "President."

    "Continue the investigation." He said, after a while. "Try harder. I want to know about the anonymous informant as well as what happened to my brother.

    "Yes, President Mo."

    Neil headed towards the door and paused. "I will be busy with the funeral for a few days. Assistant Shawn, you will be responsible for everything during my absence. If there''s anything urgent, contact me."

    "Yes. Don''t worry, President Mo."

    "Contact Henry Wu for me. Tell him to meet come and meet me as soon as he can."

    Assistant Shawn nodded again.

    Neil headed towards the door and paused again as he put his hand on the doorknob. "About Assistant Will, does he have a family?"

    "A wife and two kids." Assistant Shawn said.

    "Look after them properly. Tell me if they need anything."

    "I will arrange everything. Don''t worry, President Mo."

    ...

    The mood in the room was somber. People dressed in black walked in and out as they pay their respect to the dead couple. Just inside the room were pictures of the husband and wife. Adam Mo and Claire Fan. White and yellow flowers surrounded the room.

    Neil Mo walked into the room and immediately, a few guards in black stopped the reporters from going forward. Only then a few friends and family members approached him to convey their condolences. Neil Mo replied to them with a quick nod and his gaze went towards the two elderly who were dressed in their mourning dress.

    His mother, Sophie Huang, wiped the corner of her eyes with a handkerchief and forced a smile. "You''re here."

    "I''m sorry I couldn''t be here sooner," Neil said.

    "It''s fine. You''re here now. I''m sorry that you have to go to the company to convince the shareholders instead of spending time with everyone here." His father, Lucas Mo let out a heavy sigh. "How''s everything?"

    "You don''t have to worry about the company, dad. I will handle everything." Neil said.

    "If you need anything¡ª"

    "I will tell you," Neil said before his father could finish his sentences. "Dad, you just have to look after yourself. The doctor said you can''t be too anxious." He patted her father on his shoulder and walked towards the altar to pay his respect to his brother.

    He turned around to join his parents when he was done and glimpsed at a small girl at the corner. The little girl was sitting quietly alone with both hands hugging her knees tightly.

    His gaze paused at her, then he glanced around the room.

    It seemed that the room was full of people, but it seemed that no one in the room paid any attention to the little girl. Everyone around them was too busy to notice the girl.

    After thinking for a while, Neil decided to approach his niece. No matter what, he didn''t think it''s right for them to leave the child alone.

    After all, this little girl had only lost both her parents.

    Neil walked over to the girl and sat down cross-legged beside her. The girl flinched slightly but did not make any further move.

    Soon, both uncle and niece sat quietly beside each other as they mind their own business.

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 2 - Hazel Mo

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    A few days have passed since the day they received news that his younger brother and sister-in-law got into an accident.

    It was at nighttime. The two of them were attending a company dinner. Adam Mo was driving back to their house when they met a group of youngsters racing on the highway. In the end, one of the racers hit his brother''s vehicle, causing his car to hid the divider before it to turn around a few times.

    When the authorities arrived at the site, the two vehicles were in bad shape.

    The youngsters died on the spot, and his friends escaped from the site.

    His brother and sister-in-law were brought to the hospital and was given treatment. But after two days of struggling in the ICU, his younger brother passed away, and his sister-in-law followed five minutes after, leaving their five years old daughter, Hazel Mo.

    Neil glanced at the girl with the corner of his eyes. As if sensing that he was staring at her, the little girl inched away and tightened her hand into a fist.

    It was then that Neil noticed the way her shoulders were shaking. It did not take him a long time to guess that the little girl was crying. Seeing the way she reacted, Neil lifted his hand to pat the girl on her head and paused.

    Suddenly, he realized that he didn''t know how to comfort the little girl. He¡­ was never close to his niece.

    Hazel Mo, or Hazel as how her parents would call her, was born prematurely. The first time that Neil saw him in the incubator, he could see how she appeared smaller than other babies. Because of her small size, Neil had never carried or played with her as he was afraid that he would hurt her.

    As she grew up, he noticed how the little girl would avoid him as if she was scared of him. He remembered how the little girl would always stick to her mother, hugging her thigh, and following her wherever she goes.

    Neil let out a soft sigh as the memories came into his mind. He tried to peek at the girl again and began to notice a few things. The rim of her eyes was red and there were stains of tears on her cheek. Even though he could see that the girl was crying, Neil could not help but think that the kid had hidden her emotion well in front of others.

    He suddenly realized that he had only seen the little girl bawled once. At that time, they had to explain to her that her parents have passed away and that she cannot see her parents again. That was the only time that she cried her heart out and threw a tantrum.

    Ever since that one time, Hazel had only cried silently, as she did now.

    Neil could guess how his niece was missing her parents tremendously.

    Even he missed his brother terribly. As siblings, they were close despite their difference in personality. When he heard the news of his death, Neil could feel that a part of him went missing.

    But he couldn''t show his sorrow. For his parents, he had to be strong. For the company, he had to show that this loss doesn''t, and will not affect his thought and emotion. Or else, their enemy will find a crack to attack them.

    Neil snapped out of his trance when he noticed the girl beside him swayed and almost fell on the floor. But once she noticed that her body had almost fallen on the floor, Hazel straightened up her body immediately and fought her drowsiness away.

    "If you''re sleepy, you can lean on me for a little while. I''ll wake you up later," Neil said, as he inched closer to his niece.

    To his surprise, Hazel glanced at him once before she obediently leaned on his side and closed her eyes.

    A small smile curved on his lips. He lifted his hand and patted her hair gently, coaxing her to fall deeper into sleep. "Adam," his lips moved into a whisper after a while. "Don''t worry. I''ll look after our parents and your daughter."

    ¡­

    The Mo family went back home as the funeral ended. When they arrived back at the residence, the maids were almost done cleaning up.

    Neil Mo walked into the house carrying the sleepy girl in his arms.

    Earlier today, just as the funeral ended, she had fallen asleep in the car just beside her grandma. Instead of letting the others carry her, Neil had volunteered to carry her inside. He headed towards the stairs, wanting to let her sleep in her room, but then he noticed the way her small fist tightened on his shirt and changed his mind.

    The corner of his lips lifted upwards a little bit. It seemed like the little girl has woken up from her slumber and was only pretending to be asleep.

    Neil laid the little girl on the sofa and covered her with his coat. He watched her turned around to find a comfortable position and sighed.

    Ever since he chose to sit beside her and coax her to sleep, Hazel had loosened up whenever she was around him. She would no longer shy away from him but will follow him closely, silently behind.

    Seeing the way she followed him around, Neil wondered if it was because he looked like her to her father.

    When Neil looked up, he noticed that his friend, Henry Wu, had shown up beside him.

    "Neil, I¡ª"

    Neil put his forefinger on his lips and signaled his friend not to say anything. His niece was pretending to be sleeping and he did not want her to listen to anything that she was not supposed to listen to. "Whatever it is, let''s discuss it next Monday at my office." He said to his friend and smiled. "Henry, thank you for coming."

    "Adam is my friend too. How can I not be here." Henry sighed.

    Previously, Neil had sent his assistant to inform him to come over and meet him.

    Henry knew that his friend has some doubts regarding his younger brother''s death. As the CEO of the Iron Hawk Security, he had heard a few things regarding Adam''s accident.. But since Neil had refused to speak anything about it at the moment, Henry could only choose to keep his mouth shut.

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 3 - Living Together

    Instead of discussing Adam and his wife''s death, both Neil and his friend chatted about other matters.

    Regarding the anonymous information that he had received about his brother''s death, Neil had decided to keep it a secret from his parents.

    His father was still recuperating from his last surgery. Neil did not want this information to reach his father''s ears and cause the old man to be distressed. If something were to happen to his father right now, Neil Mo did not know if he can forgive himself.

    Henry stayed at the residence for almost half an hour before he excused himself. Before he left, he made a promise to come over to visit Neil at his office to discuss the incident.

    Seeing that their guest had left, Sophie sat down at the living room just across from her son and granddaughter.

    "Your father and I will only stay for a few weeks before we return to the countryside," Sophie spoke after a while.

    "You should return sooner. Living in the countryside is good for dad. I can see that his health had improved since you two moved to live there," Neil said.

    "He is getting much better," Sophie smiled slightly at the thought of her husband''s health.

    "Mom, you don''t need to worry about me," Neil said. "I''m an adult. I can look after myself and the company."

    Sophie nodded. Her expression softened as her gaze moved towards her granddaughter who was sleeping on the sofa. "This poor child." her voice lowered as she was afraid that the little girl would wake up. "She lost both her parents in a day." She heaved a sigh and turned to her son.

    "Neil," Sophie glanced at the little girl and hesitated. "I''ve talked to Claire''s parents earlier today. Hazel''s maternal grandparents might still be around, but they have migrated to Country F. After discussing with them¡­ we agreed that it would be hard for Hazel to adjust herself if she moved over there."

    Neil sat up straight, knowing that his mother was about to discuss the matter regarding his niece. "Then, what are you planning to do?"

    "Your father and I are planning to take Hazel along with us and raise her in the countryside."

    Neil opened his mouth to speak, but before he could say anything, his niece who was pretending to be sleeping from earlier moved to sit up.

    Seeing her sudden movement, both Neil and his mother were surprised.

    Hazel Mo stared at her grandmother with firm eyes and spoke, "Grandma, I don''t want to go." The little girl''s voice sounded a bit hoarse because she has not spoken a word after her parents passed away.

    Sophie looked at her granddaughter with surprise. She didn''t expect that the little girl would be awake to hear their conversation, and would speak after a few days has passed.

    "Grandma, I don''t want to live away from my daddy and mommy," Hazel spoke again.

    "This child¡­" Sophie exchanged a look with her son as she lost the words she wanted to say. "Hazel." She stood up and sat down next to her granddaughter as she tried to coax her. "Your parents¡ª"

    "I know that I won''t get to see them again," Hazel lowered her eyes. She wiped her eyes with sleeves when she felt her eyes grew misty and gritted her teeth hard to stop her tears from falling.

    Neil had been watching the little girl for a few days and knew that she was trying hard to control her tears from falling. Seeing how hard the little girl suppressed her emotion like this, he felt something tugged on his heart.

    "Grandma, you live so far away. What if I miss them?" her words were a bit incoherent as she forced back her sobs.

    "Hazel. We can always return here. I''ll bring you to see them whenever you want to." Sophie pulled her granddaughter into her embrace and caressed her softly on her back.

    "No."

    "Didn''t you like staying with grandma and grandpa the last time?" Sophie spoke softly. "I remember you love going to the beach? If you live with grandma and grandpa, we can go to the beach and play every day, how''s that? Don''t you like it?"

    Neil frowned when he heard the girl started to sob in his mother''s embrace. He let out a helpless sigh and said, "Mom, maybe we shouldn''t decide anything soon."

    Sophie shot a look at her son. She raised her hand to wipe the tears that started to form in her eyes. Seeing how her granddaughter was crying in her arms, Sophie could not help but to shed her tears. "Then what else should we do? Hazel doesn''t have any other family besides us."

    His gaze stopped at the little girl. Neil felt something tugging at his heart as he watched his mother and niece crying together in each other''s embrace.

    For a few minutes, the living room was filled with nothing but the sound of Hazel''s sobs.

    "Hazel," Neil spoke after a while. "If you don''t want to live in the countryside with grandma, then would you like to live with me?"

    Hazel looked up at her uncle with her tears stained face. She tried to speak, but she could not stop her sobs.

    "Neil! What are you saying?" Sophie was enraged at her son''s impulse idea. "How can Hazel live with you?"

    "Why not?"

    "What do you know about looking after a child? Raising a child is not like playing house!"

    Neil thought about it for a while and said, "I can learn."

    Sophie stared at her son incredulously. "You have never been close to Hazel. Do you know how difficult it is to look after a child?"

    "If I can secure a billion-dollar deal, how hard will it be to look after a child? Besides, Adam had a nanny who looked after Hazel, didn''t he? I can continue to hire his nanny to help me to look after Hazel."

    Sophie opened her mouth to say something but stopped when she felt Hazel tugging on her cloth. She tilted her head down to look at the girl. When her eyes met the girl''s expectant gaze her anger towards her son dissipated.

    "Grandmother¡­ Can I live with my uncle in the city?"

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 4 - Grandmothers Worry

    A soft smile curved on her lips as Sophie watched her granddaughter stood on the small stool and brushed her teeth. The girl wore a pastel pink pajama with some bunny pattern all over it.

    These days, Sophie was training her son to look after Hazel before she and her husband went back to the countryside.

    At first, Sophie was skeptical about the idea of letting her son, Neil to look after Hazel.

    The uncle and niece''s relationship was not that close. Ever since Hazel was born, her son had never tried to bond with the little girl. Her son would always wear that serious expression on his face. Later, Hazel would always avoid her uncle.

    With how the relationship was, Sophie thought that it was not proper for Hazel to stay with her son. Her son had no knowledge of looking after a small child and Sophie did not want her granddaughter to suffer.

    However, no matter how much she tried to coax her granddaughter, the little girl was firm with her decision to stay in the city with her uncle. The reason was that Hazel wanted to be able to visit her parent''s grave whenever she missed them.

    As both Sophie and her husband live in the countryside to let her husband recuperate from his illness, it would be difficult to come back to L City whenever Hazel missed her parents.

    In the end, Sophie could only compromise. She decided to give it a try. The uncle and niece needed a chance.

    If her son could live together with Hazel and repair the bond between them, that would be great!

    After training her son and teach him how to look after Hazel, Sophie could see a massive improvement in their relationship. At least, Hazel would no longer hide away whenever she saw her uncle. Moreover, Hazel would take the initiative to get closer to her uncle.

    Seeing the little girl''s determination. Sophie could only reluctantly agree to their idea of living together.

    "Grandmother, I''m done!"

    Sophie snapped out of her trance to look at the little girl beside her. She bent down to reach her level and smiled. "Hazel is a good girl." She patted at the little girl''s hair and continued. "Then, it''s time for you to go to bed. Hazel, go and wish your grandfather and uncle good night."

    The little girl nodded once before she walked over to her grandfather and uncle to wish them good night. Then, she walked into the room, and obediently got under the quilt and closed her eyes.

    Seeing that the little girl had settled in her bed, Sophie turned off the light. The room turned dark, with only a small sleeping lamp lit up at the corner of the room. Sophie closed the door but left a small gap between the door. She walked over to her husband and sat down with a long sigh.

    "Mom, what is it?" Neil asked.

    Sophie looked at her son with a hint of anger. "It''s you. I''m worried about you and Hazel. Your father and I will be returning to the countryside in a few days and I cannot stop but worry."

    Although she was frustrated, Sophie tried her best to control her voice lest she disturbed Hazel''s sleep.

    Neil smiled to ease his mother''s anger. "Mom, you''ve seen me and Hazel these days. With Auntie Ann''s help, both of us will be alright. Don''t worry too much."

    "How can I not worry? These few days, your father and I were still around to help you look after Hazel. Once we returned to the countryside, there was nothing else we can do to help."

    Lucas Mo put his hand on his wife''s shoulder to ease her anxiety. "Since our son had decided to do it, we should let him try it. If the two of them live together for a while and found that they could not do it, our son will look for us. Then, we''ll come up with something new for Hazel."

    "Dad is right," Neil said. "Mom, I know my limit. If I think that it was hard for me to look after Hazel by myself, I will definitely give you a call or find someone to help me."

    Sophie knew that her son was a sensible person, but as a mother and grandmother, she just could not help but worry. Knowing the nature of her son''s work, Sophie was worried that he would start neglecting her granddaughter.

    Hazel had just lost her parents. It was important for them to be around her. Sophie did not know how she could answer to both her late son and daughter-in-law if they mistreated their daughter.

    "Fortunately, Hazel is not a difficult child to manage," Sophie commented. She glanced towards the slightly ajar door and heaved a sigh. Whenever she thought about what her granddaughter was facing, Sophie felt the urge to shed a few tears.

    "Mmm¡­" Lucas nodded slowly. "Hazel is well behaved for a child her age. She did not throw a tantrum or make things difficult for us. I look at her these few days and thought that she can mostly take care after herself." He paused and sigh. "Actually Adam and Claire had done a great job to bring up Hazel."

    As her husband mentioned the two names, Sophie felt her eyes and nose started to sting again. She sniffed once and suppressed her urge to cry. Hazel was brave enough to face the world without her parents. As an elder, Sophie thought that she had to try harder and be stronger for her family.

    Neil saw the look on his mother''s face and subconsciously glanced towards his niece''s room. He could not help but wonder if Hazel''s act could be explained by her parent''s upbringing or perhaps she was a bit too mature for her age.

    "Tomorrow, you should come with me to visit Hazel''s kindergarten," Sophie said. "She had left school for a while, it would be good if she could return to school and resume her daily life. Moreover, it would be good to explain Hazel''s situation to the school and ask the teachers there to look after her."

    Neil thought of his mother''s request for a while and nodded. "Alright, mom.. We''ll do as you plan."

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 5 - Sunflower Kindergarten

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    "Alex He! Your mother is here to pick you up." Edith Qian, one of the kindergarten teachers from Sunflower Kindergarten, called out towards the playground area with her singsong voice.

    Just as she finished saying that, the kids in the kindergarten started to join in and call, "Alex, pick up!"

    A few seconds later, a little boy appeared from the playground. His eyes perked up when he saw his mother stood beside his teacher.

    "Mummy!" he said excitedly and ran towards his mother and hug her thigh.

    Alex He''s mother, Lily Zhao staggered at the impact. "Did you have fun today?" seeing the bright smile on her son''s face, she bent down and kissed him on both cheeks.

    "En!" Alex He nodded excitedly and proceed to report on every single activity he did in the kindergarten. His hands moved along as he tried to explain everything to his mother.

    Edith Qian laughed at his animated movements. She bent down a bit and patted his dark hair. "Alex was a really good boy today. He helped me a lot in class."

    "Really?" Lily Zhao said, eyeing her son.

    "Yes," he nodded. "Mummy!" Alex He let out a loud gasp when his mother suddenly carried him in her arms. "Put me down. You''re embarrassing me."

    He could tolerate his mother kissing him on both cheeks, but now that he has turned five, he did not want his friends to witness this scene.

    "Alright, alright," Lily Zhao giggled at her son''s puffing cheek. She pressed her lips on his cheek for one last time and put the little boy down. "Go and get your things. I''m going to talk with Teacher Qian for a bit."

    "Oh!"

    The smile on her face widened as she watched her son entered the building to get his belonging in the classroom. "Isn''t he adorable?"

    Edith nodded. "He is."

    Lily let out a sigh. "He resembles his father more and more as he grew up, This isn''t fair."

    Edith chuckled. "Are you jealous?"

    "Of course. Everywhere I go, people would say that Alex looks more and more like his dad. His hair, his tall nose. He''s like a mini replica of Ethan. Sometimes it feels like I didn''t have any part in making him. His DNA is just too strong."

    Edith nearly choked at hearing this. They were at kindergarten! Was this an appropriate topic? "What are you saying? Clearly he came out of your womb. I was there. I know."

    "I want my son to look a bit like me too." Lily pouted her lips slightly.

    "Alex has your eyes." Edith offered. She thought about it for a few seconds and added, "Maybe you should consider having a daughter. I bet she will look exactly like you."

    Lily stared at her friend long before she spoke. "To be honest, now that Alex is almost six, I''m considering having another child. Ethan and I think it''s best to let fate decide."

    "That''s good. Don''t stress yourself. If it will happen, it will happen."

    "But Ethan has been busy with his workload lately. Saying that the company has an important project and whatnot," Lily let out another sigh. "He''s going on a business trip tomorrow."

    Edith smiled awkwardly. She knew where the conversation was leading, but she did not want to talk about her friend''s private life. "Where is he going this time?" she decided to steer their conversation away from babymaking.

    "Japan. His company is discussing a partnership. That''s right." Lily''s lips curved into a happy smile. "Since my husband won''t be around, you should come over and sleepover at our place."

    Edith''s mouth twitched at her best friend''s invitation.

    Although Lily was two years older and comes from a respectable family, the two of them become best friends.

    Edith had lost her parents when she was still a child and grew up with her grandpa in a small town near the sea. Ten years ago, when the small town had become a famous tourism spot, Lily visited the beach with her family.

    At that time, Lily was having a walk alone on the beach when she was harassed by a few local boys. Coincidentally, Edith was around to help her.

    Lily was amazed at how a small girl like Edith could defeat two boys bigger than her and pestered her to teach her self-defense. After spending time together, the two girls become best friends.

    "We''ll have a spicy hot pot. I''ll prepare a lot of seafood. I heard crab is in season now." Lily tempted.

    "Lily, why do you always make spicy hot pot whenever you invite me over?"

    Lily laughed. "Because my husband can''t eat spicy food, that''s why. You and I both enjoyed spicy food. So? What do you say? Alex will like it if you come over."

    "Now you''re even using your son to tempt me to come over."

    Lily smiled. "Tell me it''s working."

    Edith thought about it for a while before she said, "I have classes on Saturday."

    Lily''s face immediately fell.

    "But I guess I can come over once my classes are over."

    "That''s fine. We can have dinner together." Lily waved a hand.

    The two of them looked up when they heard footsteps running towards them.

    "Mummy," Alex He said as he reappeared wearing his jacket and bag. "I''m ready."

    "I''ll walk you to your car." Edith offered. She frowned when she noticed a luxury car she had never seen before parked not far away from the gate.

    As the kindergarten teacher, Edith had recognized and memorized the parents'' vehicle and plate number after a few months of working for the kindergarten.

    "What''s the matter?" Lily asked, noticing her friend''s strange expression. She followed Edith''s gaze and raised her brows.

    Edith shook her head. She told her friend not to worry and bid the mother and son goodbye. Just as she turned around, one of the teachers walked towards her in a hurry.

    "Teacher Qian, here you are. I''ve been looking all over for you."

    "What''s the matter, Teacher Guo?"

    "Headmistress Fu is looking for you."

    Read novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 6 - Hazel Mos Classroom Teacher

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Once she heard the news that the headmistress was looking for her, Edith Qian asked her fellow colleagues to look after the other kids before she went straight to the headmistress''s office.

    Edith held up her hand and was about to knock on the door when the door suddenly opened from the inside. Her knuckles paused at mid-air. She tilted up her head and her eyes met with a man''s piercing, deep gaze.

    "Sorry," Edith said as she moved aside to let the man walk past.

    The man''s gaze fell on her face for a few seconds longer before he looked away. He nodded without looking at her and closed the door behind him with his phone pressed against his ears. "Neil Mo speaking."

    Edith frowned as she watched the man walked past her and an inaudible sigh escaped her lips.

    After working at the kindergarten for the upper-class for a while, Edith was used to seeing all sorts of parents. Some of them would come over to kindergarten with full understanding and cooperation. Some of them would come with a nasty temper and would always try to find fault with her or her colleagues for their child.

    But, at least that man did not try to find fault with her despite his cold expression.

    Edith ''s gaze followed the man and she watched him disappeared behind the wall. She tilted her head sideways and a frown appeared on her face as a few thoughts crossed her mind.

    She had never seen him around kindergarten before and was sure that he was not one of the student''s parents, but why does she felt like she had seen his face before?

    Edith quickly snapped out of her thoughts, knowing that the headmistress was looking for her urgently.

    Ignoring her thoughts, Edith straightened her clothes before she knocked on the door and walked in once she heard the headmistress''s voice with permission her to come in.

    The headmistress greeted her politely when she walked in.

    Edith scanned her surroundings and saw an elderly woman sitting beside Headmistress Fu. The woman gave her a look over before she met her gaze with a kind smile on her face.

    It did not take her too long to guess that the headmistress had called her over to discuss something regarding this elderly woman.

    Edith gave the woman a polite nod and turned to the Headmistress. "Headmistress Fu. I heard that you were looking for me?"

    Headmistress Fu smiled as she waved her hand for her to come closer. "Teacher Qian, come in." she pointed at an empty seat next to her. "Come. Come. You sit here."

    Edith smiled at the elderly woman again before she sat down next to the headmistress. It was then that she saw the small silhouette that she has not seen for almost a month sitting next to the elderly woman.

    Seeing the color on the little girl''s face, Edith was relieved. She has been worried about the little girl after she heard the news that her parents both passed away from an accident.

    Back then, the headmistress had explained to her that Hazel Mo was going to take a few weeks of leaves to deal with the funeral process and such.

    Hazel nodded politely when she saw her classroom teacher. "Good evening, Teacher Qian."

    "Hazel! Good evening."

    "Teacher Qian," the headmistress called before she could continue to converse with Hazel. "Let me introduce you." Headmistress Fu turned to the elderly woman and continued, "This is Hazel Mo''s grandmother, Sophie Huang."

    "Hello Teacher Qian, you can call me Mrs. Mo." the elderly woman said with a smile.

    "Mrs. Mo. Hello. I''m Edith Qian, Hazel Mo''s classroom teacher." Edith glanced at Hazel as she spoke and noticed that the little girl was not like her old self.

    Although she might look healthy and there were colors on her cheek, Hazel''s body was thinner and she was not as talkative as she used to.

    Before this, Hazel would always run and greeted her cheerily whenever she saw her or anyone.

    Hazel Mo was a happy-go-lucky child.

    Seeing Hazel''s state right now, Edith knew that the little girl was coping with her grief after losing her parents.

    "Mrs. Mo came here to discuss Hazel return to the kindergarten," the headmistress said. "You know that Hazel has been absent for a month now."

    Edith nodded, then she turned to Sophie. "Mrs. Mo, you can tell me or ask me anything. I will try to help you in any way that I can."

    Hearing her answer, both Headmistress Fu and Sophie exchanged a glance.

    "Hazel," the headmistress called. She held out her hand and smiled at the little girl. "You haven''t been to school for a while. Would you like to walk around with me around the school?"

    Hazel turned to her grandmother as if asking for her opinion. When Sophie gave her a nod, Hazel slid off the chair and took the headmistress''s hand.

    Edith quickly understood that the headmistress was giving them space to discuss Hazel''s condition.

    A lot of different situation came to her mind as Edith wondered what Sophie was going to tell her during this private chat.

    "I''m sure you have heard about what happened to Hazel''s parents," Sophie said as the headmistress left with her granddaughter and closed the door behind them.

    "I have," Edith Qian put on a somber expression. "My condolences for your loss Mrs. Mo."

    Sophie replied with a light smile. She lifted the teacup on the side table and took a sip. "As you probably notice from that short interaction, Hazel hasn''t been her old self since her parents died."

    Edith thought of how the little girl and nodded.

    "The reason why I asked Hearmistress Fu to arrange this meeting was for me to explain Hazel''s situation to you. That little girl... although she has not been showing it, she is grieving for his parent''s sudden death."

    Edith hesitated before she asked, "How did Hazel take it if you don''t mind me asking?"

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 7 - Asking A Favor

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Sophie Huang was silent for a long time after she heard Teacher Qian''s question. A soft sigh escaped her as she thought of how her granddaughter had acted for the past few weeks.

    "I''m not sure if I should say that she''s taking it too well or not," Sophie said with hesitation. "Hazel has been a good girl. She understood that she couldn''t see her parents again but she didn''t throw any tantrum."

    "Hazel has always been someone sensible." Edith pointed out.

    "But I feel that she hasn''t been acting normal," Sophie continued. "I have gone and see a few doctors and discuss Hazel''s behavior... They said that Hazel''s behavior is normal. But I''m still worried."

    "People face their grief differently, Mrs. Mo. As long as you watch over her and show her support when she needs it, I''m sure she can get through this."

    "I hope so."

    Edith tried to smile when the elder gave her a hesitant look. After thinking about it for a while, Qian decided to speak, "I lost my father when I was still in my mother''s belly and my mother passed away when I was eight. I was a bit older than Hazel when I lost my mother, but I can slightly understand her grief."

    Sophie watched the kindergarten teacher curiously. "At that time, how did you¡­"

    Sophie did not finish her question, but Edith could guess what was trying to ask her.

    "I was a big child when my mother passed. Because I was raised by my mother... I was very reliant on her. When she passed away, I was lost and did not know what to do." At the memory of her childhood, Edith lowered her gaze and let out a short breath. "Back then, I almost shut myself from others. But I was lucky that I had my grandpa who looked after me and supported me."

    Sophie lowered her gaze to the teacup in her hand. "I''m sorry for your lost."

    She looked at Sophie again and mustered a smile. "I think, what Hazel needs is her family love and support. As long as you can patiently stay by her side and look after her, I''m sure that Hazel can overcome everything."

    Sophie thought over the kindergarten teacher''s words for a while. "I wanted to bring Hazel to live in the countryside with me and my husband, but she refused to come with us. She said if she lives with us, she won''t get to visit her parents as much as she wants. For Hazel''s sake, I would return to the city to live with my granddaughter, but with my husband''s health, It was not something that we can do."

    Seeing that the elderly woman had stopped talking, Edith then said, "Is there anything I can do to help, Mrs. Mo?"

    "It was decided that Hazel will live with her uncle," Sophie said. "Actually, Hazel''s uncle was supposed to be here to discuss this arrangement, but he had to leave due to an important matter."

    It was then that Edith recalled the man she met at the door. Everyone in MH city knew that Adam Mo''s brother is none other than Neil Mo, the man said to be ruthless in the business world.

    No wonder she had thought that the man looked familiar. Edith was sure that she had seen that man''s face in the newspaper and magazine a few times.

    "This living arrangement will be a month trial for both of them," Sophie continued. "My elder son might know a thing or two about running a company, but he is clueless about taking care of a child. To tell you the truth, Hazel''s uncle never had much interaction with her until a month ago, I hope you can understand my worry."

    Edith was surprised when she heard of Hazel''s living arrangement. She had thought that Hazel will surely live with her grandparents and that Sophie came over to the kindergarten to draw Hazel out from school and manage the transferring process.

    "There will be many things they will have to face together. But as long as your son is willing to give it a try, I''m sure he will be good as time passed by," Edith said after a while.

    Her thought went back to the moment she had live with her grandpa. Back then, her grandfather and her relationship were almost like a stranger. She was never closed to her grandfather but had no choice but to live with him as he was the only family she had.

    The first year for their new living arrangement was the hardest.

    Her grandfather was a policeman and due to his job, he rarely had time for her. But after a few shouting and yelling at each other for the whole years, they finally came together. They had to learn to compromise with each other. After that, things gradually worked out by themselves.

    Truthfully, Edith did not know how she would survive without her grandfather at her side. As these thoughts came to her mind, Edith was very grateful that her grandfather had chosen to be patient to raise her instead of sending her away to some orphanage or let her be raised by someone else.

    "Hearing your words make me feel less worried," Sophie said. "Teacher Qian, thank you for sharing your story."

    Edith replied to her with a smile. "Will Hazel''s nanny continue to look after her as well?"

    Sophie nodded. "She will."

    "Then, you should be more at ease. Auntie Ann has been by Hazel''s side for a long time. At least Hazel''s uncle will have someone to help him."

    "I heard from Auntie Ann that Hazel is quite close to you in this kindergarten."

    "I''m only Hazel''s classroom teacher, Mrs. Mo."

    "You don''t have to be so polite. Actually," Sophie paused hesitantly. "I have a favor to ask."

    "What is it? If it''s something that I can help with¡­"

    "It''s nothing much. I am still worried about Hazel''s new living arrangement. Therefore I would like to ask you to look after Hazel when you can. My son, Hazel''s uncle have zero knowledge about looking after a child.. If you see that he was making a mistake, I hope that you can patiently help him to look after Hazel."

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 8 - A Rumor

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Back in MH Group Headquarters¡­

    Neil Mo cursed as soon as he slammed the phone to the receiver, making his assistant jump.

    "President Mo," Assistant Shawn glanced towards the sofa area, where a little girl was seen sitting around the area. Colors of crayons and papers spread on the table. Hazel was holding a blue crayon in her hand and she seemed oblivious to her surroundings.

    As if sensing that the adults were staring at her, Hazel Mo raised her head and met Assistant Shawn''s gaze.

    The assistant quickly looked away to his boss and reminded, "Little Miss Hazel is here."

    Neil turned his head towards the little girl. Seeing that Hazel was watching him, Neil stood up straight and pressed his lips into a thin line. He then cursed inwardly as he reminded himself to be careful.

    His mother would murder him if she knew that he had said certain words that he should not be said around the little girl.

    It was weekend and he was supposed to stay at home with Hazel when he got an important call from his assistant about the new rumors surrounding his brother''s death.

    At first, Neil thought about leaving Hazel at his house with her nanny, but then he seemed to remember that Nanny Ann would have a day off every weekend. In the end, Neil had no other choice but to bring Hazel along to his office.

    Since his parent had returned to the countryside two days ago, Hazel was now under his care.

    Before they left, his mother, his mother had arranged everything so that living with Hazel wouldn''t be a problem for him.

    Because of that, Hazel wasn''t as scared of him as she used to. Hazel can now speak a few words to him even if her words were usually short.

    "Sorry," Neil cleared his throat as he turned to his niece. "Did I scare you?"

    Hazel nodded, then shook her head. "No."

    A thought crossed his mind and Neil asked, "Are you hungry? You want something to eat?"

    The little girl shook her head again. Then, she turned her head away to ignore her uncle and continue on her drawing.

    "Hazel, If you need anything, just tell Uncle Shawn, alright?"

    The little girl replied without lifting up her head, "Okay."

    Neil breathed in relief. Then he turned to his assistant before they continued to where they have left earlier. "Do we know this rumor start?" he lowered his voice as he was afraid that Hazel would listen to their conversation.

    "This rumor started from this blogger who called himself the Rainmaker." Assistant Shawn tapped his finger on a tablet. He launched a website and passed his phone to his boss.

    Neil took the tablet from his assistant, sat down on his chair, and started reading the original article on the blog.

    Assistant Shawn took his silence as his cue to continue and explained, "The original blog post was published almost two weeks ago and no one took notice of this unknown blogger. But someone found his article and shared it on social media. The post went viral and things went badly from there. We''ve already contacted the blogger and warned him to take down his post and our legal representative will be meeting the blogger tomorrow morning."

    Neil slid the tablet across the table and watched the assistant catch it before it slid down the floor. He tapped his fingers on the table as he was deep in his thought. Then, he reached for the phone on the table and dialed a number. Soon, his call was connected.

    "How was the investigation?" Neil asked without any pleasantries.

    There was a brief silence on the other line before a voice finally spoke out. "We are still investigating,"

    "It has been so long. We still got nothing?"

    On the other line, Henry Wu took a deep breath. "I''m sorry. We may have some leads, but I don''t want to come to any conclusion without definite information."

    Neil rubbed his forehead with his fingers. "Just tell me what you know. I just wanted to hear it."

    Henry hesitated before he spoke in a low voice, "All I know is that Adam moved secretly. Even his assistant was kept in the dark about his activities a few months before the accident. But according to our investigation, your brother suddenly paid attention to the hospital project on the west side of the city not long before the accident."

    Neil raised a brow.

    Of course, he knew about the hospital project.

    MH group had a joint collaboration with a few mega-companies to build a hospital in the city. It was scheduled to finish within late next year.

    "Have you look into Assistant Will? What was he working on before he died?"

    "We probe into everything we can, but we couldn''t find anything helpful. Every lead we found led to a dead end. It seemed that your enemy has moved to destroy every evidence there is against them." Henry said.

    "Since you can''t find anything, stop looking into this matter for a while."

    There was a brief silence before Henry spoke. "Neil, what are you trying to do?"

    Neil continued. "Didn''t you said the other side has destroyed any evidence that we can find against them? I want to observe the situation first. Let them lower their guard. Sooner or later, they will be careless and reveal their loophole."

    "I will do as you say. But I would advise you to find someone to look into your finance and account department and CY Accounting Firm. Maybe you can find something from there."

    Neil chatted with his friend for a minute and then put down the phone. When he looked up, his assistant stood straight before him.

    "President Mo, what about the meeting with the board of directors tomorrow?" Assistant Shawn asked.

    Neil raised a brow. "What about it? Of course, we have to hold the meeting as planned. This meeting with the board of directors is held once every quarter year. We can''t call it off." he waved his hand. "You can leave now."

    Assistant Shawn nodded and turned around, but stop when the president called him.

    Neil thought about Henry''s warning and said, "Call Jamie Xu.. Tell her she has six months to wrap up her job and return to the city."

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 9 - Visiting The Hes Family

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Edith Qian woke up early in the morning and went out after she took a quick shower, Then she took a bus and headed towards L City.

    Traveling to the city from her place would usually take about an hour because of the traffic. But since it was a weekend morning, it would only take her half an hour.

    If she was given a choice, of course, Edith would love to stay in L City especially since she had to travel from A City to L City back and forth to get to her workplace and college. But renting in L City would cost her a lot of money. Therefore, she had no other choice but to rent in the neighboring A City and commute every day via public transport.

    Edith snapped out of her trance once she realized that she had reached her destination. She walked towards the zebra crossing and waited until it was her turn to cross the road.

    She tilted her head up to see the big screen broadcasting the morning news. A month has passed, but everyone was still talking about the death of late Adam Mo, the Vice President of MH Group, and his wife, Claire Fan.

    Moreover, it was recently that a gossip MH Group was involved in embezzlement was released. This gossip quickly became a hot topic in the country. A portal has linked Adam Mo''s death to the embezzlement and the netizens were asking the authorities to quickly investigate the matter.

    There were rumors that the accident may have been premeditated. With these new rumors, it was predicted that MH''s Group stock would drop.

    Although the authorities have stepped up to deny the accusation, the netizens have not stopped discussing it.

    On the big screen, Neil Mo''s face suddenly appeared. He was surrounded by reporters with questions and cameras pointed towards him. Despite the questions thrown by the reporters, the President of MH Group only said a few words. He pleaded for others to trust the police''s investigation and stop spreading a groundless rumor or face the law, especially as his family is still grieving over the loss of their family members.

    Edith sighed, feeling sorry for that guy for everything he had to deal with.

    Not only did he have to look after his niece. He also has to manage the company and facing other people who had bad intentions towards him. A lot of people were coveting his status and wealth.

    As these thoughts crossed her mind, Edith began to worry that the scandals surrounding MH Group will implicate Hazel.

    ¡­

    After her class ended in the evening, Edith Qian showed up at the He''s family house with a box of egg tart in her hand. A few seconds after she pressed on the doorbell, Alex He appeared at the door and pulled her in excitedly into the house.

    "Alex," Lily Zhao''s voice came from the inside. "Did you greet Auntie Edith properly?"

    The little boy stood up straight with his eyes wide. He slowly turned to Edith and bowed. "Auntie Edith, good evening."

    Edith patted the boy on his hair. Then she looked at her friend who was in her apron. She greeted her friend and hand over the box of egg tart. "Lily, I brought something for you. It''s your favorite egg tart."

    Lily grabbed the bag and peered inside. She took a deep breath and felt her stomach rumbling at the sweet smell of egg tart. "You don''t have to bring anything."

    "It doesn''t feel right to come over without anything."

    Lily thanked her friend and ushered her in. "How was your class?"

    Edith gave her friend a weak smile. "It was alright. I have another test next in two weeks."

    Lily laughed at her expression and pat her on her shoulder. "Good luck! You''re halfway to finish this course. You will be graduating next year, right?"

    "En." Edith sighed. She peeked at the kitchen and asked, "Is there anything I can do to help?"

    "Nothing. But, you can accompany Alex to play for a while. Lily looked at her son and said, "Go bring Auntie Edith to the guest room. Then you can play with her for a while." she smiled at Edith. "You don''t mind looking after Alex while I prepare dinner, right?"

    Edith waved her hand. "Just go. I''ll play with Alex. He promised to show me a new toy his father bought for him. What was that again? A new robot?"

    Alex nodded excitedly as he held her hand tightly. "It''s Gundam model," he corrected. "Auntie Edith, you have to help me build this new model. My daddy was too busy with his works and Mummy said she knew nothing about it."

    Edith looked at the boy''s expectant gaze and turned to her friend. She knew that Lily knew how to build those model robot. But because she was too impatient to deal with it, she had lied to her son by saying that she didn''t know how to build them.

    Lily coughed dryly and winked when she met Edith''s gaze. "You go and help my son with those models. I''ll call you once dinner is ready."

    Edith heaved a sigh as she let Alex He led her to the guest room to put her belonging and the little boy dragged her into his playroom. Edith looked around the room which was slightly bigger than her apartment and sighed.

    A minute later, Alex appeared with a box of unopened Gundam model in his hand.

    Alex took the model to a low table in the center of the room. "Auntie Edith! Come! Help me build this model."

    "Won''t your daddy get sad when he knows that you build this model without him?" asked Edith.

    The little boy shook his head. "No way. I have another three unopened boxes. I can build them with my daddy when he returns later."

    Edith sat down on the carpeted floor and resigned to her fate.. A few minutes after reading the instruction, she was engrossed in building the Gundam model.

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 10 - The Mo Brothers

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    After staring at the Gundam model for a long time, Edith was soon engrossed at assembling the model.

    In the end, she didn''t even realize that her friend had come over and knocked on her son''s door for a while.

    It was Alex who broke her concentration by waving his small hand in front of her. "Auntie Edith!"

    Seeing that her eyesight was blocked by the little boy''s hand, Edith then looked up. "Huh? What''s up?"

    "Mummy said dinner is ready," Alex said as he stared back at her with his wide eyes.

    Edith lifted her head and saw her friend leaning on the door, watching her. She lifted her right hand, showing all five fingers and said, "Five more minutes. I''m trying to piece this thing together, and then we can have dinner together."

    Lily peeked at the small pieces scattered on the table, waiting to be assembled and clicked her tongue disapprovingly. She sauntered into the room and crouched down next to her friend. "Is it fun? Why do I have this feeling that you were secretly enjoying yourself helping my son to assemble this model?" She picked up a piece of unknown part and put it back.

    "I don''t know why you didn''t like doing this," Edith said without looking up. Her gaze focused on piecing up the small part in her hands together. "Building these models can be quite relaxing."

    "What relaxing? It''s obviously very frustrating."

    "That''s only because you''re not patient enough."

    Lily replied to her with a snort.

    Sometimes she wished that her husband has never introduced building these models to their son. The father and son clearly enjoyed spending their time together building a Gundam model. Now, Alex''s room was full of those models.

    But that was not the reason why she was complaining. Because she did not enjoy this kind of activity, Lily found that she was unable to join in the fun whenever the father and son spent their time building this Gundam model.

    Lily watched as her son glued a small part of the model with her friend''s help and felt a tinge of jealousy that she could never enjoy being a part of this activity.

    Just wait until she had a daughter later on. She will ensure that she and her daughter shared so many similarities and hobbies that the father and son will be jealous of them.

    Fifteen minutes later, the three of them walked into the dining room where varieties of food spread across the table. Edith winced when the aroma of spicy food filled the air. Just by smelling the air could make her sweat.

    "You really go all out for this, huh?" Edith said as she pulled her chair and sit down. She looked at the food on the table and noticed that there were two types of soup stock. One big pot with contained spicy broth and a small pot contained non-spicy broth.

    "It''s not like I get to eat spicy hot pot every day," Lily complained. "Every time Ethan wanted to have hot pot, I have to lower the spice level. I could not even taste the spice!"

    Edith peeked at the soup stock and frowned at the color. "Just how spicy did you make this? I still have to work tomorrow. I don''t want to end up with diarrhea."

    Lily Zhao rolled her eyes. "You''re thinking too much, It was not as spicy as they look."

    Soon the three of them started having their dinner. Despite the bright, red color of the soup, Edith was glad that the soup was not as spicy as she had expected.

    "That''s right. How''s your grandpa? Is he well?" Lily asked as they began to eat.

    "He''s fine." Edith blew at a piece of meat before she stuffed it into her mouth. "He''s enjoying his retirement quite well. He''s been going out with his friends every day, fishing."

    Lily laughed. "That''s good. At least he''s doing something with his free time."

    Edith shook her head. "It wasn''t long ago when he was admitted to the hospital for his back pain. What was he doing going out every day to fish? He didn''t even like eating them."

    "It was only a way for him to spend time with his buddies," Lily pointed out. "Your grandpa will be fine. He has built his body strong enough after years serving in the police force." She picked up a piece of broccoli and placed them in Alex''s bowl. "Alex said that Hazel went back to kindergarten."

    "En," Edith nodded slowly. "It has been a week since she started to come back to kindergarten."

    "How is that little girl?" Lily asked. As a mother, of course, she was worried about the little girl''s well being. Moreover, Hazel Mo was also her son''s classmates. She had met that little girl a few times and adored her cuteness.

    Edith paused as she thought of her little student. "She seemed okay. Although not as cheerful as she used to."

    "That''s good. Who''s looking after her now? I thought her grandparents had stayed in the countryside not too long ago for the sake of Chairman Mo''s health."

    "She''s staying with her uncle."

    Lily raised her brow. "Neil Mo?"

    "En," Edith nodded again. "What do you know about him?"

    "I probably have met him on a few occasions but I did not know him that well. Ethan and Neil Mo were not from the same field of business. Our circle of friends is also different. I heard that Neil kept a small social circle, and because of that, most people would say he''s not very approachable."

    "There''s nothing wrong with keeping a small social circle."

    Lily nodded. "True. But some people also said that Neil Mo is an emotionless robot because he barely smiled. The differences between Neil and Hazel''s father can be compared to an iceblock and warm ray of sunshine."

    "You''re exaggerating." Edith laughed. She had encountered the two men briefly and knew that there was probably some truth in it.

    When she met the late Adam Mo in the past, the man would always wear a smile on his face. His elder brother, on the contrary, was not someone who would spare anyone a smile.

    "Tsk. It was others'' words. Not mine.." Lily stuffed a piece of cooked meat into her mouth and sighed with satisfaction as the spice spread through her mouth.

    Read novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 11 - Sleepless Night

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    When Neil Mo finished reviewing the documents in his office, it was almost three in the morning. He had stayed up late to make some preparation for the emergency meeting with the board of directors early in the morning.

    As he was planning to return to his room to sleep, Neil suddenly felt his throat was a bit dry and decided to went downstairs to pour himself a glass of water and sighed when he no longer felt as thirsty.

    When he headed back upstairs, Neil stopped once he reached the guestroom¡ªHazel''s room. He hesitated for a few seconds before he walked in into the room silently and peered at the sleeping visage on the bed.

    Suddenly, the figure on the bed turned and Neil found a pair of wide eyes staring back at him. He frowned, worried that has disturbed the little girl''s sleep.

    "Why are you awake? Sorry. Did I wake you up?"

    Hazel tightened her grip on the pink bunny plushy that her mother had given her on her birthday last year and hesitated. "I can''t sleep."

    The frown on his face deepened. Neil suddenly recalled that his mother would accompany the little girl in her room when she was still around. It was only after Hazel had fallen deeply into a sleep that his mother would leave the room.

    The last time he checked the time, it was three in the morning. Then... the little girl was unable to fall asleep until this time?

    "You''re scared of sleeping alone?"

    The little girl hid her head under the quilt cover and bit her lips. When she saw the look on her uncle''s face, Hazel was suddenly worried that she might get scolded.

    Back then, didn''t her mother always scolded her whenever she didn''t want to go to bed early? She did not want to get scold. What if her uncle does not want to live with her anymore?

    When the little girl did not answer, Neil sat at the edge of the bed and looked at his niece who was wrapping herself like a small dumpling. "You can tell me, you know. I won''t get angry."

    He lifted his hand to caress her soft hair which was the only thing that popped out from the quilt cover with his stiff movements.

    After a few seconds, Hazel pulled the quilt away from her face and nodded.

    Neil''s expression softened when he stared back into her eyes. Although the little girl resembled her mother the most, it was not hard to see traces of his brother, Adam, in her face.

    "Close your eyes," Neil said as he patted at the little girl''s hair softly. "I''ll stay here until you fall asleep."

    Hazel turned in her bed and closed her eyes.

    Neil stayed beside the girl and continued to pat on her hair until he could see her breathing had changed.

    He stood up to return to his room and hesitated at the fear that she might wake up suddenly. After some thought, Neil decided to sit down on the sofa, and soon, he too fell asleep.

    ...

    Neil was jarred awake when he felt his body shook. He sat up quickly once he saw his niece, Hazel''s face in front of him. It was a few seconds later that he began to process his mind and recalled that he had fallen asleep in the little girl''s room.

    "Uncle!" Hazel stared at him with her bright eyes. "Wake up."

    "What''s wrong?" Neil tried to sit up straight and felt his body, mostly around his shoulder and neck area was starting to ache. He reached his hand to his shoulder and started to massage the area.

    The little girl pointed her fingers to the clock and soon, Neil stood up abruptly and let out a cursing word in front of her.

    He had an important meeting that morning and he cannot be late.

    Because he had slept in Hazel''s room, Neil had forgotten that his phone and alarm clock were both left in his bedroom.

    "Hazel, you should hurry and get ready before we will be late," Neil said as he walked over to the door. " I''ll let you have your breakfast in the car before I send you over to the school."

    "Oh."

    He paused at the door and turned to look at her. "Will you be alright if you get ready by yourself?" Neil heaved a sigh with relief when he saw her nodded.

    Almost half an hour later, Neil found his niece was already waiting for him in the dining room with her small backpack placed on the empty chair beside her.

    When Neil walked closer, he could see that Hazel was eating a bowl of cereal.

    It seemed that she was clever enough to find something to eat.

    A breath of relief escaped him. Neil was sure that his mother would nag him nonstop if she ever found out that he let Hazel go to school without her breakfast.

    But... last night, his niece had gone to bed late because she was unable to sleep. How did she wake up early than him?

    Hazel quickly devoured her breakfast when she saw her uncle. Once her bowl was empty, she quickly set the bowl into the sink and turned to her uncle. "I''m ready."

    His heart tightened as he watched his niece. He did not know if Hazel has always been a responsible kid, or did she only do these things because she was forced to grow up?

    Neil could remember that he has always been someone unruly when he was at her age.

    As he continued to watch his niece, the little girl had already reached to his side with her backpack.

    "Did you bring everything?" Neil bent down to caress her hair.

    "Un. I have put everything I need in my bag." She unzipped her backpack and showed the contents in her bag.

    After checking that she had put in everything she might need in school, Neil helped her to zip her back. "Come on.. Let''s go."

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 12 - Endless Meeting

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Fortunately, the two of them arrived at the kindergarten on time. Once the driver pulled over his car on the side of the road, Neil walked get off the vehicle and helped Hazel out.

    Because of her short legs, Hazel almost tripped as she slid down from her seat. However, Neil was quick enough to grab her hand before she would fall on the road.

    "Are you alright?"

    Hazel patted at her chest and felt her heartbeat increased. Earlier, she was so scared that she might fall and have been bracing for her fall. The thing she was afraid of was the pain from falling down.

    "I''m alright." Hazel tightened her grip on her uncle''s big hand to calm down.

    Neil crouched down to check on his niece. Seeing that the little girl was not harmed, Neil stood up and continued to hold her hand. Together the uncle and niece walked towards the kindergarten''s entrance.

    A few parents who happened to see the uncle and niece together could not help but be drawn to the two of them.

    One was cold and aloof and the other was cute and fluffy.

    It was such a rare sight for any of the parents to see the President of MH Group, Neil Mo, to appear at the kindergarten.

    Usually, they would not have the chance to run into them. After living together, Neil would send the little girl early, and Hazel would be the first person to arrive.

    "Good morning, Teacher Qian!" Hazel greeted her classroom teacher when she saw her in front of the entrance.

    "Hazel Mo," Edith crouched down to get on the little girl''s level and smiled. "Good morning. You made it on time."

    "Un," Hazel nodded before she glanced at her uncle.

    Edith followed her eyesight and stood up as her gaze met with Neil''s. "Good morning." she smiled.

    Neil replied with a nod before he turned to his niece. "I''m going now and I will come and pick you up later."

    The little girl''s eyes widened as she heard his words. "You promise?"

    Neil opened his mouth to reply and stopped himself once he saw the anticipation in her eyes. "Hmm." He nodded. "I promise." he patted Hazel on her hair before he turned around and left.

    ...

    Assistant Shawn and a few high-level managers were waiting for their president, Neil Mo to arrive at the entrance. When the luxury car pulled up, Assistant Shawn hurriedly opened the door and Neil stepped out of his car as he fastened up a button on his suit.

    "Good morning, President Mo." the managers greeted in unison.

    Neil replied with a nod and walked into the building with the others following closely behind him. He tilted his head slightly to his assistant and asked, "Have the other arrived?"

    Assistant Shawn quickened his pace to match up with the president. "They are waiting for you in the conference room, President Mo."

    Neil nodded. Then he turned his head to one of the managers beside him. "How is the stock market?"

    "It was just as we have expected," the manager said as he stepped up to walk by the president''s side and he passed a thin stack of paper to him. "The stock price went down once the market is open. It was no doubt that this was the result of that rumor. But Our PR team had controlled the situation, so the drop was not as bad as we had expected."

    "Continue to watch the trend and report back to me," Neil said. He entered his private elevator with his assistant, and soon, the others dispersed to go back to their task.

    Neil took a deep breath as the elevator stopped and walked into the conference room to face the board of directors.

    The meeting went on for the whole day. They only take a break for an hour during lunch. Even so, the members of directors stayed within the premises since President Mo had arranged for his assistant to order take away from a famous restaurant in the city.

    The hours passed by and soon the employees clocked out when it was time for them to go back, but the meeting with the directors continued. Not one of them left their place as they discussed to find the best way to save MH Group from their recent crisis.

    From the moment the meeting started, the directors have been giving out their opinions and debate on the issue for so long but after so long, they still could not agree on anything.

    The door swung open and Neil saw his assistant walked with a hesitant expression on his face.

    Noticing that it has been a long time that everyone has been cooped in the room, Neil glanced at his watch and noted that it was getting late. He turned to his assistant and beckoned him to come closer.

    Assistant Shawn inclined his body forward to speak. "President Mo."

    "This meeting should end in a couple of hours. Book a place for everyone to have dinner together," Neil said before his assistant could say anything.

    "Yes, President Mo." he nodded. He paused for a while before he spoke again.

    Neil raised a brow when his assistant stood still. "Is there anything else?"

    "President Mo. It is time for young miss to return from her kindergarten."

    Neil sat up straight as he remembered his niece. Then he glanced at his watch again. He lifted his head to look at the members of directors and hesitated.

    These past few days, Neil Mo has been the one to send and pick up his niece from kindergarten. Because he was trying to build a bond with his niece, his mother suggested spending any time that he can with Hazel.

    Up until today, Neil has never failed to do this task.

    However, the discussion with the board of directors may have reached its climax, but the directors were still arguing. Knowing that they might come to an agreement soon, Neil knew that he cannot end the meeting now.

    Neil tapped his fingers on his chair twice before he made a decision. "Assistant Shawn.. You go pick her up from the kindergarten and send her home to Nanny Ann."

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 13 - Paper Cranes

    In just an hour or so, the sky will turn dark. Most of the students and teacher of Sunflower Kindergarten has gone back to their home. In one of the classrooms, two girls were seen folding some animal-shaped origami in silence.

    "I''m done!" Megan Xiao said with excitement as she lifted up her frog origami. She stood up and peered at her friend''s paper. "Hazel, what are you folding?"

    "Paper cranes," Hazel answered. Her focus was on the paper.

    Megan tilted her head sideways. "Paper cranes? Isn''t that hard?"

    Hazel nodded. "En. But I heard that if I can fold thousand of paper cranes, God will grant my wish."

    Megan''s eyes went wide as she heard her friend''s word. "Really?" she grabbed a stack of paper and sat beside Hazel. "Hazel! Teach me!"

    Just as Hazel was about to teach her friend how to fold the paper cranes, the girls heard their teacher calling out Megan Xiao''s name.

    "Yes, Teacher Qian?" Megan put down the paper in her hand and turned around.

    "Your mother is here to pick you up," Edith announced. She watched the little girl picked up her bag and walked her to the entrance, where her mother was waiting for her.

    Edith bid the mother and daughter goodbye. She returned to the waiting room and found Hazel was sitting quietly folding some paper cranes. She approached the girl and sat beside her. She picked up a paper crane and inspected the folding. Although Hazel was still young, her work was very neat.

    Edith looked at the girl with a smile. "You''re folding paper cranes. Do you have a wish?"

    Hazel replied with a nod.

    "Can you tell me about your wish?"

    Hazel paused from her work for a couple of seconds. She continued her folding and answered with a small voice. "I wish that my parents will rest peacefully. I wish for them not to worry about me."

    Edith was stunned at the little girl''s answer. She forced a smile and patted the girl on her hair. "Do you need my help?"

    Hazel shook her head. "No. I want to do this by myself."

    "Then, I''ll be at my desk and finish up with my work. Tell me if you need anything, alright?"

    Hazel nodded. "Okay."

    Edith walked to her desk and started doing her preparation for tomorrow''s lessons and activities. Once in a while, she would glance towards the little girl who was busying herself with her origami.

    After a few days, she noticed all the changes in this student. The most obvious thing was that Hazel would no longer act as spoiled as she used to. She loved to sit alone to do her own thing, but she would not isolate herself whenever there''s a group activity. She still got along with her friends well.

    Sometimes, Edith would find Hazel would sit alone at the corner with her head tilted down whenever her friends weren''t looking.

    Soon, the other teachers started to leave the premises one by one. They stopped by the waiting room and bid her goodbye. The day has turned dark outside. Edith glanced at the clock and started to worry that Hazel''s uncle has not shown up to pick up his niece.

    The doorbell rang and Edith walked to the intercom and talked to the guard for a while. It looked like there was a problem.

    "Hazel," Edith called. "Wait here for a while okay?"

    "Okay."

    Edith walked out of the class and walked to the guard room. A young man dressed in a suit stood beside the elderly guard. Although the guard can be said an elder, his body was still fit and strong.

    Edith turned to the guard. "Guard Dan. Did you say someone come to pick up Hazel Mo?"

    The young man in a suit stepped forward. "You must be Hazel Mo''s teacher." He took out a business card from his suit and handed it to her. "Good evening. My surname is Zhong. But you can call me Assistant Shawn. I am Neil Mo''s assistant."

    Edith Qian took the business card and read the name. Shawn Zhong. As he had said earlier, he is an assistant slash secretary of President Neil Mo at MH Group. He was tall, thin, and wearing a black-rimmed spectacle.

    "Good evening, Mister Zhong. You can just call me Teacher Qian."

    "Teacher Qian, I''m here to pick Miss Hazel Mo," the assistant bowed and continued, "I''m sorry for my tardiness. There was traffic congestion due to a bad accident on my way here."

    Edith returned the business card and turned to the elder guard. "Guard Dan, Assistant Shawn''s name was really not in the list?"

    The elder man nodded politely. "His name is not on the list. I would not trouble you if his name is in the list, Teacher Qian."

    Edith glanced at the bespectacled man as she thought over the problem. "Is Headmistress Fu still around?"

    "Headmistress Fu had left the kindergarten almost ten minutes ago," Guard Dan reported.

    Edith Qian heaved a sigh and looked at the assistant. "Assistant Shawn, right?" she saw the man nodded and continued, "I''m sorry, but I really can''t let you leave with Hazel Mo."

    "Ah?" The assistant looked at her in surprise. "Why not? The president really sent me here to pick up the little miss. If you doubt my identity, you can ask Miss Hazel Mo to identify me."

    "Even if Hazel Mo recognized you, I still can''t let her leave with you. Your name was not registered as the authorized person to pick up the child. Unless if the child''s guardian gave us notice first."

    Assistant Shawn''s expression soured at her words. "Teacher Qian, please don''t make it hard for me."

    "I''m not trying to make things hard for you," Edith said apologetically. "But this is for the basic procedure to ensure the safety of the children here. I hope you can understand."

    Assistant Shawn frowned as he was deep in his thought.

    "How about this?" Edith said after a brief silence. "Why don''t you give your boss a call and tell him to contact the kindergarten?"

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 14 - Late Arrival

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    After listening to Teacher Qian''s suggestion, Assistant Shawn picked up his phone and dialed the President''s number. But after a few attempts to contact Neil Mo, Assistant Shawn started to look at both the guard and teacher anxiously. This is because the President did not pick up his phone.

    Assistant Shawn cursed under his breath as he paced back and forth in front of the kindergarten. Right now, he felt like he was about to cry.

    If he didn''t pick up the young miss, the president will definitely scold him. But when the president didn''t pick up his phone, how was he to explain his situation and difficulties?

    ¡­

    Meanwhile, in a fancy restaurant, Neil Mo was having dinner with the members of the board of directors. His phone was in his pocket. Because of the noisy surrounding, he had missed the calls from his assistant.

    It wasn''t until he went to a toilet break and check his phone did he noticed almost 50 missed calls from his assistant. Neil pressed a button on the phone screen and pressed the phone to his ear. "Neil Mo speaking."

    "President Mo!" Assistant Shawn said. His voice sounded happy now that the President finally returned the call. He had been trying to call the man for almost an hour, that his phone was about to die. He was lucky that the guard allowed him to use the charger to charge his phone.

    "Where are you?" Neil asked. Now that he heard the assistant''s voice, he realized that he had not seen the guy after he sent him to pick up his niece. "Did you pick up Hazel and send her back home?"

    "This is why I''m trying to reach you, President,"

    Neil listened to his assistant''s tone and noticed that something doesn''t feel right. "Is there a problem?"

    "The kindergarten would not allow me to pick up the young miss."

    Neil frowned. His grip on his phone tightened. "Why not?"

    "My name was not registered as the authorized person to pick up the young miss," Assistant Shawn explained. "The person in charged said, if you give a call to the kindergarten and verified that you send me, I can pick up the young miss."

    Neil glanced at his watch, then said. "No need. You stay there. I will come over soon."

    In the end, Neil returned to the dining area and bid goodbye to the others before he left the restaurant. Because he had sent his driver with his assistant to pick up his niece, Neil had to hail a cab and headed to the kindergarten.

    When he arrived, he saw his assistant and driver was leaning over the car. He paid for his ride and headed towards the two men.

    "President Mo," both men said in unison.

    Neil Mo nodded and turned to his assistant. "Why are you waiting here?" he looked at the kindergarten and said, "Come on."

    Soon, Assistant Shawn was speaking to Guard Dan again. He handed the guard the president''s identity card and the guard went in to find the young miss''s teacher.

    Not long after, Edith came out of the building again.

    Neil gave her a look over and frowned. The woman before him was dressed casually in black cotton pants, a pastel pink t-shirt, and a beige cardigan. Her hair was braided into a messy bun.

    Assistant Shawn quickly took the role to introduce the teacher to him, even though the two of them had met a few times.

    Neil give the teacher a nod as his standard greeting and looked around when he saw no sign of his niece.

    "Uh," Edith bit her lips. "Your niece fell asleep while waiting for you."

    Neil glanced at his watch. His expression darkened when he realized that it was almost nine. No wonder Hazel would be asleep. It was late and he remembered that the little girl didn''t get too much sleep last night. She must be exhausted.

    "Come with me."

    Neil followed the kindergarten teacher into the classroom and noticed that his niece was sleeping soundly on a mattress. A thick blanket was covering her small body. A helpless sigh escaped him as he inched towards the little girl and tucked her hair behind her ear.

    Looking at her sleeping visage, suddenly Neil felt something tugging on his heart.

    He made a promise to his brother and her parents that he will look after Hazel. It has been only a few days, but it seemed like he has been neglecting her.

    "Is Hazel doing alright in school?" he asked.

    Edith was surprised when she suddenly heard his voice. "She is."

    Neil''s gaze fell on Edith for a couple of seconds before he looked away again. He placed a hand behind the girl''s head, another hand behind her knee joint, and lifted the little girl. Once he adjusted Hazel''s position in his arms, Neil Mo turned to the kindergarten teacher again. "Thank you for looking after my niece, Teacher Qian."

    Edith shook her head and sent them to the door. Only when the last student has gone back, did she tidy up her stuff and prepared to go home.

    Her gaze paused at the origami paper cranes that Hazel had made. Earlier, the little girl had told her to keep those paper cranes in a safer place. Hazel was planning to fold a thousand of them to get her wishes to come true.

    Edith looked at the time. Because it would be too late for her to return to her apartment, she decided to give a call to her friend, Lily to crash at her place.

    ¡­

    Neil was holding his phone with one hand as he read his email while the other hands caressed Hazel''s soft hair as she slept on his thigh. His eyes narrowed a bit to adjust looking at the bright light from his phone, making him look a bit colder.

    He paused when he felt Hazel stirred in her sleep.

    Soon, the little girl rubbed her eyes with her hands. She looked around in panic as she tried to figure out where she was. Her expression only softened when she saw her uncle.

    Neil brushed his fingers on her eyes. "Sleep, I''ll wake you up when we home."

    Hazel caught his hand and adjusted her sleeping position. It was as if she was afraid that her uncle would disappear if she did not hold on to him.

    Just when Neil thought that she had gone back to dreamland, he heard her muttered in a small voice, "You came.. You promised and you came."

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 15 - A Talk With Hazel

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Neil Mo placed the sleeping girl carefully on her bed and stepped back. His gaze stayed at the little girl''s face as he thought back about the words she uttered before she had fallen deep in sleep in the car.

    He had not paid too much attention when he promised that he was going to come to her kindergarten to pick her up, but apparently, Hazel remembered. While he was having dinner and entertaining the boards of directors, Hazel was waiting for him.

    A frown appeared on his face when something crossed his mind. He had heard from Nanny Ann that Hazel had stayed awake to wait for her parents when they received news of her parents'' accident.

    While he was having his dinner, Hazel was waiting for him with worry.

    As these thoughts ran through his head, Neil was suddenly overcome with guilt.

    Suddenly, Neil wondered how the little girl would feel if her teacher had allowed for his assistant to pick her up. Would the little girl be disappointed?

    Would it mean that he had broken his promise to her if others had showed up instead of him?

    Hazel was just a little kid. She had recently lost her parents and had no one but him, her uncle, at her side. Neil had promised to give a try and look after Hazel. Now, the little girl was relying on him.

    Neil realized that once he had broken his promise with her, the little girl would be saddened and soon, it would be hard for her to trust him again. At this time, Neil was suddenly worried about how his action and decision would soon affect the way Hazel would grow up.

    For Neil, his work would always be his priority. Ever since his father was hospitalized due to his poor health, Neil has worked hard to look over the company that he has no time to think of other things. He would come to the office and work in the morning and go out to entertain his clients almost every night. He often returned to his apartment when it was really late.

    But it seemed that he has to change this habit. It seemed that now that Hazel was now staying with him, Neil had a lot to ponder about. He needed to change his lifestyle.

    ¡­

    When Hazel walked down the stairs, she was surprised upon seeing the breakfast item on the dining table. Hazel had thought that she would be having a bowl of cereal for breakfast that morning, but surprisingly, her uncle had prepared some toast and a sunny side up.

    "Come on," Neil waved his hand to the little girl. "Sit down and have your breakfast. Although I don''t know how to cook many things, I can at least do something as simple as these."

    Hazel walked around the dining table with her eyes wide. She put down her school bag beside her and pulled the chair to sit down. Smelling the aroma of the buttered toast, Hazel started to feel her stomach grumbling.

    Last night, she did not eat too much. She was waiting for her uncle to come over to pick her up from the kindergarten and because it was too late, her teacher had offered her to eat some bread for her dinner.

    Because she did not want to trouble her teacher, Hazel only had one piece of that strawberry-flavored bun and had not asked for more even though she was still hungry. By the time her uncle came to pick her up, she was already asleep.

    Hazel stood on her knees and picked up the fork and knife on the table.

    When Neil came back to her side with a mug of warm milk, he happened to see the way Hazel eat her breakfast and frowned. He then made a note to himself to get a suitable chair for his niece.

    Neil slid into an empty seat across the little girl and picked up his mug of coffee. Then, he looked up at the little girl. "Hazel, let''s talk."

    The little girl stared at her uncle for a few seconds and nodded.

    Neil rapped his fingers on the table as he wondered how he should start this conversation. He was used to striking a conversation to discuss a business deal. However, at this time, Neil suddenly realized that talking to a child can be more difficult.

    Hazel munched at her toast as she continued to stare at her uncle. She then drank the warm milk from her mug and wiped her mouth with a napkin. "Uncle, you can talk to me. I promise I won''t get angry."

    Neil paused when he heard her words. He suddenly realized that he had said the same thing to her last night when she was too scared to sleep alone.

    Suddenly, his lips curved into a soft smile. "Alright." He watched as the little girl continued to eat her breakfast and finally spoke, "Hazel, do you remember that I have promised to come over and pick you up from kindergarten yesterday?"

    "Un." she nodded.

    "If I did not come to pick you up yesterday, would you be angry?"

    Hazel did not answer, but Neil could see how her movement had slowed down.

    Seeing this, Neil let out a helpless sigh. "I''m sorry. Yesterday, I almost forgot that I have promised to come and pick you up."

    Hazel continued to eat her breakfast silently.

    "This is what I wanted to talk to you about. There are some days that I won''t be able to come over and pick you up from the kindergarten."

    The toast she was holding paused midair and her expression paled as she heard his words. "Are you going to leave me?"

    "No," Neil quickly shook his head. When he saw the look on her face, Neil was glad that he chose to explain his situation to the little girl lest she would misunderstand when he did not show up. "I am not going to leave you. But there are some days that I get too busy at work, that I cannot come over to pick you up. When that day comes, I will send over my assistant, Uncle Shawn to pick you up, and then, he will send you over to Nanny Ann''s place. You remember Uncle Shawn, right?"

    Hazel nodded slowly.

    "When I was done with my work, I will come over and pick you up from Nanny Ann''s place," Neil said. He continued to watch the little girl''s expression and wonder what was going through her mind when she did not answer. "Is that okay?"

    "Okay."

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 16 - Muffled Sounds

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    While she was on a break, Edith Qian took out her phone and checked her messages.

    It was after lunch hour and the kids were now taking their naps. This was the only time that she could relax and did a bit of her study in peace.

    It has become a habit of hers to turn her phone on silent mode while she was in class and would only check on it during a break. If someone was in an emergency to find her, they will need to call the school. These days, the people who would look for her for an emergency were not that many. Only her grandpa, Michael Qian, and her friend, Lily Zhou knew how to contact her.

    When she unlocked her phone, there was only one message notification and it was from her grandpa. He only sent her a message to tell her that she might not be able to contact him for a few days a he was going on another fishing trip with his friend.

    Just as she slid her phone back into her apron, there was a soft knock on the door.

    Edith stood up quietly when she saw Headmistress Fu through the glass window. She glanced at the sleeping kids to make sure that they were sleeping and headed out silently.

    "Headmistress Fu." Edith greeted as she closed the door behind her.

    The headmistress peeked inside the classroom. "Are the kids asleep?"

    Edith nodded. "Is something the matter?"

    Headmistress Fu smiled. "Nothing much. I received a phone call from Hazel Mo''s guardian just now. He had an important meeting today and will be picking his niece a bit later."

    "I understand." Edith nodded. She can only hope that Hazel''s uncle won''t be showing up as later than the first time he picked her up. She really did not want to crash over at her friend''s house again.

    Ever since that night where President Mo first showed up, he was never late again when he came to pick up Hazel. However, because of his timely presence, a few parents started to swarm around him in hoping to make a connection with him.

    After that day, he would send his driver, Uncle Tang to pick up Hazel while he waited for her in the car. Fortunately, both Uncle Tang and Assistant Shawn''s names were already registered with the kindergarten as the authorized person to pick up Hazel.

    "It has been a couple of months since Hazel Mo returned to the kindergarten. Is she doing well?" Headmistress Fu asked with concern.

    "She''s adjusting quite well," Edith answered. She thought about it for a few seconds and added, "I think she will be alright with President Mo looking after her."

    The last time Mrs. Mo came to look for her, Headmistress Fu was present and knew that the Mo family was asking her to keep her eyes on Hazel and her uncle in any way that she can.

    "I''m glad to hear that." Headmistress Fu heaved a sigh. "I was worried when I heard that Hazel will be living with her uncle from Madam Mo. If President Mo can look after Hazel well, then, that''s good."

    "You can stop worrying too much, Headmistress Fu. I will look after Hazel while she''s in school." Edith said. "If I noticed anything unusual, I will inform you right away."

    Edith continued to chat with the Headmistress about the kids for a while and then she went back into the classroom. She grabbed her backpack and pulled out a few study materials.

    The room was a bit dark as the children were asleep. Edith had to rely only on the dim light from the study lamp to read her books.

    She was focusing on her books when her ears suddenly picked up muffled sounds.

    Her ears perked up as she tried to find the source of that sound, but then, the sound stopped. She looked around only to see the students were sleeping soundly.

    At the thought that her mind was playing tricks on her, Edith turned back to her books. But seconds later, she could hear the sound again. Edith straightened up her body to focus on the sound. Her eyes darted to a corner where the sound came from: it was one of the girls!

    Edith stood up stealthily and walked towards the direction. Her eyes went wide with surprise when she saw Hazel hugging her knee closely to her chest. Her body shaking.

    Was she having a nightmare?

    Swiftly, Edith knelt beside her. It was then that the sobbing stop. From the look of it, it doesn''t look like Hazel was sleeping at all.

    Edith touched her shoulder lightly and whispered. "Hazel. What''s wrong?"

    Hazel stayed still. Only the sound of sniffing could be heard.

    "Do you want to come out?" she whispered to Hazel again.

    Hazel tightened her grip on her knees. After a minute has passed, she nodded.

    Edith held her hand to pull her up but changed her mind. She scooped up the girl and brought the girl out to the small resting room. Then, she poured a glass of water for the little girl.

    As Hazel drank her water quietly, Edith went over to the headmistress room and told her the situation. The headmistress then volunteered to watch over the other kids while Edith comforted the little girl.

    When Edith entered the room again, Hazel has stopped her hiccup. She took a seat beside Hazel and smiled gently. "Are you alright now?"

    Hazel replied with a nod.

    "Do you want to talk?" asked Edith again.

    Hazel tilted her head down and swung her feet slowly. Then she looked at her teacher and opened her mouth to speak, but it seemed like she didn''t know what she wanted to tell her.

    When Edith saw that the girl didn''t want to talk, she pulled the girl closer into her embrace. The little girl''s head was resting on her chest as she patted her soft hair. "It''s fine if you don''t want to talk about it. But if you ever need someone to talk to, you can find me, alright?"

    Then, Hazel began to sniffle again. "Teacher Qian," she called. Her voice trembled. Her small hand was curled into a fist.

    "Hmm?" Edith pulled away a little bit to look at her. "What is it?"

    "Teacher Qian," she called again.

    "Yes?" Edith rocked her body back and forth to comfort Hazel. "I''m right here."

    "I¡ªI miss my mom and dad."

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 17 - Distraction

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Back in MH Groups, Neil Mo was listening to his employee''s explanation. The board of directors has agreed to bid for the tender and acquire the land in the neighboring city. Because the city was famous for a few of its attractions, they were planning to develop the area into a shopping mall and a serviced hotel and apartment.

    Neil glanced at his wristwatch and back at Manager Feng, who was swaying her long hair now and then while presenting numbers and figures on the white screen. The corner of his lips twitched at the sight of the manager''s hair swiping back and forth as she moved her head.

    It wasn''t as if she was in a hair product commercial. Why does she have to move her hair around like that?

    It was too distracting.

    He tapped his fingers on the table impatiently and fought the urge to say something about it. A couple of seconds later, he raised a hand.

    Autumn Feng paused and smiled. "Yes, President Mo?"

    "Manager Feng, can you please stop that?"

    Autumn stared back at the President with a dazed look on her face. "Stop what?"

    "Swaying your hair around like that," Neil said. "Do you know what you reminded me of?"

    Autumn looked at President cautiously. "What?"

    "A cow, swinging its tail back and forth to drive away flies from its butt," Neil said with a disinterested look on his face.

    Hearing the President''s words, chuckling sounds could be heard, echoing in the room.

    "Stop moving around too much and just get over with your report," Neil said.

    "Yes, President Mo." Autumn glanced around the room in embarrassment before she continued her presentation. She was trying to attract the man''s attention, but he had called her a cow. What an embarrassment!

    After Manager Feng continued her presentation for a while, Neil lifted his hand again.

    "Yes, President Mo?" Autumn could feel her sweat wetting her back as she watched the President raised his hand again. She was sure that she had stopped moving around as per the President''s instruction.

    "How much longer do you need?"

    Manager Feng''s smile froze as she looked at the president with a stupefied expression. She gathered up herself and turned to look at the image on the white screen. Then, she turned to the president, "Not much longer, President Mo. Around ten more minutes?"

    Neil Mo waved his hand. "Continue. You have five minutes to conclude everything."

    Autumn opened her mouth to say something but managed to stop herself when she saw the warning glance from Assistant Shawn. "Yes, President Mo." She adjusted her blouse before she continued talking about figures and numbers again.

    Neil Mo leaned on his chair towards his assistant. "Tell Driver Tang to prepare the car within ten minutes to pick up Hazel."

    Assistant Shawn nodded and left the room quietly.

    When the presentation ended, Neil Mo quickly went downstairs after giving pointers on areas that can be fixed before they submit the tender. After giving his instruction to Assistant Shawn, he went into the car and left with his driver to pick up his niece.

    "Assistant Shawn¡­"

    Assistant Shawn turned around and saw Autumn approached him with a smile. "Manager Feng. What can I do for you?"

    Autumn Feng looked at the direction where the President''s car disappeared to and then, back at the Assistant. "Where is President Mo going? Why do I feel like he always went back early this few weeks?"

    Assistant Shawn frowned at her questions. "Didn''t you hear that President Mo is looking after his niece? Of course, he was going back early to look after the young miss."

    Autumn stared at Assistant Shawn with her eyes wide. "Isn''t that only a rumor?"

    Assistant Shawn ignored the manager''s question and walked inside. He still has a lot of work.

    What he didn''t tell Manager Feng was that President Mo would send his niece home to her nanny and then he would return to the office to deal with some unfinished work almost every day.

    ...

    Neil Mo glanced around the kindergarten when the car comes to a halt. When he saw that there were no other parents around to pick up their child, he stopped Driver Tang from going out and instead, went out himself.

    He walked to the front door and waited until the teacher came out with Hazel trailing behind her.

    "Uncle," Hazel greeted. Her eyes sparkled when she saw that it was her uncle who came to pick her up instead of his driver, Grandpa Tang.

    Neil smiled at the little girl and patted her soft hair. "I''m sorry I came later than I''m supposed to. I got stuck at work. Will you forgive me?"

    Hazel nodded. Her lips curved into a small smile. "Alright."

    "Come on. Let''s go home." Neil took Hazel''s backpack in one hand and held her hand with the other hand. Then he turned to Hazel''s teacher and gave her a nod.

    Edith Qian hesitated as she watched them walked to the exit. Seconds later, she called. "President Mo,"

    Neil Mo turned around. "Is there anything else?"

    "Can I talk to you for a minute?"

    Neil glanced at Hazel. Then he nodded at the teacher.

    Edith heaved with relief. She didn''t know why, but looking at the man''s expression made her a bit scared of him. It was no wonder why people would say that Neil Mo was like a block of ice.

    "I''ll walk you to your car." Edith Qian said quickly. She changed her shoes and followed them to the car.

    Neil Mo ushered Hazel into the backseat and helped her with her seat belt. He closed the door and looked at the teacher. "What is it?"

    "I found Hazel crying during nap time today," Edith Qian said.

    Neil turned to the teacher with a frown. His eyes narrowed a little bit, making him look a bit more unapproachable than he usually did. The air around them became suffocating. He won''t tolerate it if anything happened to Hazel.

    "Did something happen to her? She didn''t hurt herself, did she? Was she bullied?" Neil asked. A lot of other things went through his mind. Neil decided that he would do anything to punish the person who bullied his niece.

    "Don''t worry. It''s nothing like that," She gave him an assuring smile and hoped that this guy would stop making another assumption. "It''s just that¡­ Hazel cried because she was missing her parents."

    "Oh," Neil blinked. The suppressing air around him quickly vanished.

    He knew that Hazel has been missing her parents every day, but he never saw her cried again after the news of her parents passing. Most of the time, Hazel has been suppressing her grief. She won''t cry as she did not want to be a burden for him.

    But to hear that she had cried today, Neil was heavyhearted.

    His eyes flickered as he looked at the teacher before him before he glanced at the car. "I understand. Thank you for telling me this, Teacher Qian."

    Edith smiled.. "If there is anything I can do to help, please, do tell."

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 18 - Bonding

    "Are you sure you''re fine living with Hazel?"

    Neil Mo kept his eyes on the little girl who stood not far away from him. She was wearing her pastel-colored cotton dress and a white sandal. Her hair was tied into a messy ponytail and the ribbon was slightly crooked as he was the one who had helped her to tied her hair earlier.

    At this time, his niece, Hazel Mo stood in front of her parents'' tomb and there was a tall glass jar of paper cranes in front of it.

    Neil could still remember when his niece had brought home that glass jar from her kindergarten. He had asked about it, and she had only told him that the paper cranes was for her parents.

    It was then that he learned that previously, Hazel''s mother was the one who taught her how to fold the paper cranes, and Hazel had wanted to give the paper cranes to her parents and tell them that she was living fine.

    "We''re fine, " he spoke to his mother. "Mom, why are you asking the same question every week?"

    It has been a few weeks since the last time he took his niece to visit her parents. It was after Hazel''s teacher''s reminder that he finally told his assistant to clear up his schedule so that he will have time to accompany Hazel.

    The expression she showed him this morning when he told her that he''s taking her to the grave was adorable.

    Sophie sighed in the other line. "You''re a bachelor with no experience in looking after a child. How can I not worry?"

    "Isn''t Auntie Ann and the others are around to look after Hazel?" Neil Mo said. "Besides, Hazel is a good girl. She didn''t throw tantrums or cause any problem at all."

    "How about I come over next week?"

    "Mom, you don''t have to come. It''ll be tiring for dad and you to travel back and forth." Neil straightened up his posture when he saw Hazel walked towards him. "Mom, Hazel finished talking to her parents. Do you want to talk to her for a while?"

    "Pass me the phone to Hazel."

    Neil handed his phone to Hazel when she approached him. "Grandma wants to talk to you." He watched the little girl spoke to her grandma and occasionally replied with a few series of ''en''. After a while, she handed his phone back to him.

    He stared at the phone screen and saw that his mother was still on the line. Neil Mo pressed the phone to his left ear, and said, "Mom? Is there anything else?"

    "Since you''re out with Hazel, take her out for lunch and buy her a few things," Sophie said. "Living together with Hazel is not enough. You have to spend some time bonding with her. Don''t forget what the doctor said."

    "I know." After saying goodbye, Neil Mo hung up his phone and went back to his car with Hazel. He helped her to the passenger side before he went to the driver''s seat. He put the car in the ignition and drove away.

    After a few minutes of driving, Neil Mo glanced at his niece. "Did you tell your parents everything you wanted to say to them?"

    "En." Hazel nodded. Her eyes were looking at the scenery outside. "Uncle, are we going somewhere?"

    "Since Nanny Ann and the others are not at home, let''s have lunch somewhere," he said. "Is that okay?"

    "Okay."

    Neil Mo stopped his car at the shopping mall''s entrance and quickly, a valet approached him. He handed his keys to the valet and helped Hazel out. "What do you want to eat?"

    Hazel thought about it for a while and said, "Anything is fine."

    Neil Mo felt the corner of his lips twitched. He found the little girl''s answer to be troublesome. He didn''t know what the kid likes to eat. What if he just walked in into a random restaurant and Hazel find that she didn''t like anything?

    "Uncle," Hazel tugged the hem of her uncle''s shirt. "Let''s walk around first and decide later."

    He nodded and led the girl to pull him around. Occasionally, they would stop at a restaurant to study their menu before they walked away when Hazel didn''t find anything she likes.

    Neil frowned when Hazel inched closer to him. It was then that he realized a few people around them were staring at them. He may find it normal to have people staring at him wherever he went to, but not for Hazel.

    Noticing the little girl''s discomfort, Neil tightened his grip on her hand and said, "Come on. Let''s go to that cafe."

    He was immediately satisfied once they stepped into the cafe.

    It was a quiet place with a small crowd. The way it was designed gave the patrons their privacy. Neil was about to lead Hazel to an empty seat when he felt the little girl''s hand slipped away from his.

    He was alarmed when Hazel ran from his side to another table. He was about to say something to her when he noticed that Hazel was talking to the person at the table.

    "Teacher Qian!" Hazel said enthusiastically.

    Edith Qian was going through her study materials while drinking her coffee when she heard someone calling out her name. She looked up and saw that Hazel was heading towards her with a big smile on her face. The coffee in her mouth nearly spilled out.

    She put the coffee cup back on its saucer and stood up. "Hazel? What are you doing here? Why are you alone?"

    Hazel shook her head. "I''m not alone, Teacher Qian. I came here with my uncle." She turned around and smiled when she saw her uncle stood right behind her.

    "Hazel," Neil called as he approached. "You can''t run like that!"

    The little girl bit her lips and bowed her head down. "Sorry."

    Neil heaved a sigh. He wanted to scold the little girl for her abrupt action, but he realized that he could not get angry as he saw her adorable expression. Suddenly, he did not know what he should do. He patted her soft hair and said, "Don''t do that again next time."

    Hazel nodded. "En. I won''t do it again next time."

    Neil Mo lifted his head. It was then that he recognized Hazel''s kindergarten teacher. She would usually style her hair into a messy bun, but this time, she had let her hair down, causing him to almost unable to recognize her.

    "Teacher Qian?" Neil Mo said. He glanced at the books and notes on the table and frowned. "I''m sorry if Hazel has disturbed you."

    Edith waved her hands. "No. She''s not."

    In fact, Edith was not there to study. The only reason why she was at the cafe was killing some time before she was going to meet her friend, Lily, and her son. She had promised to accompany her friend to go shopping later.

    She looked at the two people before her. "Are you guys here to have lunch?"

    "Un." Neil Mo nodded. He held Hazel''s hand in his and spoke to the little girl, "Hazel, be good. Let''s not disturb Teacher Qian."

    Hazel nodded obediently. She then waved her teacher goodbye and followed her uncle and stopped after a few steps. "Uncle.. Wait for a second."

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 19 - Accompanying Hazel

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Neil Mo stopped as soon as he heard his niece''s voice. He turned to the little girl and asked, "What is it?"

    Hazel glanced around the cafe and gestured for her uncle to lower his body so that she can whisper the words to his ear.

    Neil raised a brow upon seeing his niece''s strange behavior. However, he went along with what she had asked and crouched down to be on her level.

    Soon, Hazel went towards her uncle and placed a hand beside his ear. Then, she went closer and whispered, "Uncle, I need to go to the bathroom."

    The frown on his face disappeared upon hearing her request. Neil had thought of various things that Hazel might tell him, but he was not expecting this. "Alright." He nodded.

    Neil tried to stand up, but his movement halted when Hazel tugged at his arm. He went back to his crouching position and waited for the little girl to speak again.

    Hazel placed her hand at her uncle''s ear again. "Uncle, can I ask Teacher Qian to go with me?"

    Neil frowned at his niece''s request. "If you need to go to the bathroom, I can take you. There''s no need to trouble your teacher."

    "But," Hazel looked at her teacher and then back at her uncle, "I''m a girl and you''re a boy. You cannot enter the girl''s restroom and I cannot go into the boy''s. Mommy said it''s not right. I am big enough to know the difference between a girl and a boy."

    It was then that he understood her concern. Neil stared at his niece with surprise on his expression. He did not think that at this age, Hazel was taught of the difference between a boy and a girl. It seemed that his sister-in-law had taught her daughter well.

    As someone who had never look after a child, Nei had never thought that this would be a troublesome issue.

    However, he cannot allow Hazel to go to the bathroom alone.

    If something happened to her when he was not around... Neil was not sure how he was going to face everyone, and especially his brother.

    Neil stood silently as he weighed his decision. His head turned to the woman behind the table before he stood up again, and head over the table with Hazel.

    Edith Qian looked up when she sensed someone stood next to her. She immediately stood up when she saw that it was Neil Mo and his niece, Hazel. "President Mo¡­ can I help you with anything?

    Neil stared at the woman in front of him for a while. From the way she was looking at him, Neil could sense that she was frightened of him.

    "Sorry," Neil said. "Did I startle you?"

    "No," Edith shook her head quickly. "It''s fine." She forced a smile.

    Neil glanced at Hazel when he felt his niece shook his hand impatiently. He looked at the kindergarten teacher again and spoke, "Teacher Qian, can I ask for a favor?"

    A confused look flashed through her eyes briefly as she wondered what kind of favor he was going to ask from her. "Sure. I will try to help you if it is within my ability. What is it?"

    Neil Mo glanced at his niece again. "Hazel needs to go to the restroom. Can you take her with you?"

    Edith looked at Hazel and saw that the little girl was staring back at her with a pitiful expression. Once she learned of Neil Mo''s difficulties, her expression softened and a smile curved on her lips.

    "Of course. Sure. I''ll be happy to help you." She grabbed her purse and glanced at the books and notes on the table.

    "I will look after your stuff," Neil Mo said.

    A look of relief flashed on her face. "Thank you." Edith then turned to the little girl and stretch out her hand. "Hazel, come on. I will accompany you to the bathroom, alright?"

    Hazel glanced at her uncle before she held on her teacher''s hand. Then, the two girls walked out of the cafe holding hands.

    Edith searched for the restroom in the mall and took Hazel in. She watched Hazel entered one of the cubicles and waited at the door.

    Seconds later, there was music coming from her purse. Edith took out her phone and slid her fingers on the screen. Then she pressed her phone to her left ear. "Hello?" her voice low.

    "Edith, this is Lily," the person on the other line spoke.

    "En, I know," Edith smiled. She saw Lily''s name on the caller ID and knew that it was her friend. "What is it? Are you here yet?"

    "No. Not yet," Lily said. "I called to say that I will be late for our appointment. My mother-in-law called earlier and said that she was going to drop by to send something. I have to wait for her before I can leave the house."

    "Oh," Edith glanced at her wristwatch to look at the time. "Alright. I will stay at the cafe and wait for you."

    "Is it alright?" Lily asked. "Sorry, Edith. I will make it up to you."

    "Don''t worry about it. Lily, I''m in the restroom. Just call me when you have arrived, alright?"

    Just as Edith hung up the phone, Hazel came out from the cubicle. Edith slid her phone back into her purse and turned to Hazel with a smile. "Have you finished?"

    "En." The little girl nodded.

    "Then go and wash your hands." Edith watched the little girl walked over to the low sink to watch her hand. She then helped the little girl to dry her hand and noticed the way Hazel pulled at her crooked ponytail.

    Looking at the way her hair was tied, Edith was sure that the little girl was feeling uncomfortable. It looked as if the pink hairband was going to slip off her hair anytime soon.

    "Hazel, would you like me to redo your ponytail?"

    Hazel looked at herself in the mirror and frowned. Then she turned to her teacher. "Can you help me, Teacher Qian?"

    Edith laughed. "Of course I can." she crouched down and said, "come here."

    Hazel obediently went to her side and turned around to let her teacher combed and restyled her hair. "Nanny Ann and the others are not around on Sundays. So my uncle helped to tie my hair this morning," Hazel said voluntarily.

    A smile curled on Edith''s lips as she got the explanation of Hazel''s crooked ponytail.

    "Are you getting along with your uncle well?"

    Hazel was quiet for a few before she spoke again. "It''s not the same as living with my parents, but uncle lets me do anything I want. But uncle has been treating Hazel well. Earlier today, we went to visit my parents."

    Edith paused briefly as she recalled the conversation with Neil Mo a few days ago where she had told him that Hazel has been missing her parents. After listening to her words, the man had taken his niece to visit her parents.

    She quickly recovered and smiled as the little girl''s hair was properly tied.

    "It''s done," Edith said.

    Hazel checked herself in the mirror again and a wide, satisfying smile curled on her lips. "Thank you, Teacher Qian."

    "Come on. Let''s go back before your uncle started to worry about you." Edith said.. She took Hazel''s hand and led her back to the cafe.

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 20 - Eating Together

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    When Edith returned to her table with Hazel, Edith was surprised upon finding that the President of MH Group was sitting at the chair that she had occupied earlier.

    Neil Mo does not seem to notice them approaching him as he was engrossed in reading the books she left on the table.

    "Uncle!" Hazel called once she saw the man from a distance. Though she had wanted to run over to his side, Hazel was reminded that she had promised him earlier that she will not run around.

    Neil Mo raised his head when he heard his niece''s sweet voice. He shut the book he was reading earlier and smiled.

    Seeing that the President had stood up, Edith picked up her pace again and headed over with Hazel.

    "Thank you," Neil said to the kindergarten teacher. He glanced at the books on the table and smiled. "Sorry. I had nothing to do so I browsed through your books while waiting."

    Edith glanced at her books. "That''s alright."

    Neil then shifted his gaze to his niece. "Are you done?" He watched the little girl nodded and saw that her ponytail was tied neatly. There were no longer some loose strands and Hazel looked much cuter and tidy.

    Hazel touched the tip of her ponytail and smiled. "Teacher Qian helped to tie my hair. Uncle, is it nice?"

    "It''s nice." Hearing his niece''s words, Neil raised his head to look at the kindergarten teacher again. "Thank you." He then reached his hand to Hazel and the little girl ran to his side. "Come on Hazel. Let''s not disturb your teacher. You must be hungry."

    "You can sit here if you don''t mind," Edith said as the uncle and niece turned around. "It''s lunch hour and the place is an almost full house."

    Neil looked around and saw that the table he had wanted to go to earlier was now occupied by a family. It was the weekend and most of the parents had taken this opportunity to take their children to the mall to eat and shop.

    At first, Neil had wanted to go to another restaurant but knowing that the other restaurant in the mall would be full as well, Neil then hesitated. He could not let his niece starve because he wanted to find another place to eat.

    Neil lowered his gaze to look at his niece and saw the way she was staring back at him in expectation. When he looked at Hazel''s teacher again, the woman had already tidied the books on the table to make space for both of them.

    "It''s alright," Edith Qian continued when she noticed his hesitance. "I sat here alone. I don''t mind some companies."

    "Uncle," Hazel shook his hand. "Let''s just sit here." She had heard her teacher''s invitation earlier and was excited to sit with her.

    Ever since Teacher Qian had consoled her the other day, Hazel found that she liked to stay around with her class teacher and the two had become closer. Previously, Hazel was very close to her mother. Now that her mother was no longer around, Edith had become the closest female figure to Hazel and she had looked up to her.

    Sensing the woman''s sincerity, Neil decided to accept her offer. "Thank you, Teacher Qian" He pulled a chair for Hazel, but the little girl had already run over to her teacher''s side. With no other choice, Neil then sat down across Edith. He then waved a hand to the waiter and ordered a meal for himself and his niece.

    Once the waiter walked away, Neil was suddenly at loss at what to do.

    Although he could always ignore Hazel''s teacher and do his thing, Neil was aware that he should not be rude especially since the woman had helped him earlier.

    He was someone who had never go out and have a meal with someone who was not his business client or partners. But right now, he was sharing a table with both his niece and Hazel''s teacher, he found himself in an awkward position.

    Fortunately, Hazel was around. The little girl looked at the books that her teacher was looking at and had asked some questions.

    At this time, Neil Mo suddenly found that his niece can be a talkative person. Whenever she was with him, Hazel did not talk much and would prefer to do her own thing. Looking at the two girls interacting, Neil was relieved to see that his niece was acting¡­ normal.

    A slight frown appeared on his face at the thought that his niece might be disturbing the teacher, however, Edith Qian had been answering her questions and explained things to Hazel patiently.

    With absolutely no idea how he should strike a conversation, Neil looked around and paused as his eyes caught the book he was reading earlier.

    "Teacher Qian, what are these books?" Hazel tilted her head as she stared at the book. Although she can read the letters, Hazel found that she did not understand the words. "These are not English?"

    "No. They''re French."

    Hazel''s eyes went wide as she continued to study the words even when she could not understand a thing.

    "You were studying French?" Neil took the initiative to ask.

    Edith paused as she heard his question. Though she was the one who invited the man to sit together, Edith soon found that sitting together with a man like Neil Mo can be stressful, especially because of who they were.

    A well respected President Mo of MH Group was sitting together with her on the same table! How can she not find it stressful? Although that man was good looking, he always wore that stiff expression on his face.

    At this time, Edith was suddenly reminded of how Lily had described Neil Mo¡ªan emotionless robot and an iceblock!

    Edith slowly looked up at the iceblock and mustered a smile. "Hmm¡­ just to pass time."

    When she was still a small kid, Edith had learned French with her mother and since then, this language was what makes her connected to her late mother. These days, with her knowledge, Edith had become a freelance translator to support her life living in the city.

    "It''s a good hobby," Neil commented.

    At this time, the waiter came back with Neil and Hazel''s lunch. Neil heaved a relieved sigh as he began to eat. Once in a while, he would glance at his niece to ensure that she was eating properly.

    "Teacher Qian, my uncle said that he was going to take me to buy some clothes. Do you want to come along?" Hazel whispered as she peeked at her uncle.

    "Thank you for your invitation, but I am going to meet with a friend later on."

    Hazel lowered her gaze. "Oh."

    Sensing the little girl''s disappointment, Edith patted the little on her back and smiled. "Maybe next time, alright?"

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 21 - Classmates

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    As the uncle and niece almost finished with their lunch, a notification tone chimed from her phone. Edith sent an apologetic smile to the man in front of her before she looked at the message.

    Seeing that it was a text from her friend, Lily Zhao, Edith quickly replied to her text and placed her phone back on the table.

    Neil Mo has been observing the girl for a while. Noticing the slight frown on her face, Neil lowered the cutlery in his hands as a thought crossed his mind. "Are you in a hurry?"

    Edith looked up in surprise. "Huh?" Her gaze met with President Mo''s sharp gaze and she was startled for a while. It took her a few seconds to register his question in her mind and answered, "No. I''m not."

    The thought that he had perhaps disturbed her on a date suddenly made him uneasy.

    Sensing his uneasiness, Edith then explained. "It''s alright. I was the one who invited you to sit here. It''s fine. You don''t have to worry, President Mo. I only hang out here to kill some times before my next appointment."

    Hearing her words, Neil Mo pursed his lips and did not say anything.

    Once he had finished his lunch, Neil Mo paid for everything on their bills and the three of them left the cafe together.

    Earlier Edith had received another message from her friend and she was planning to wait for her friend outside the cafe. There were still people who wanted to go in and dine. As both Neil and Hazel had finished eating, Edith did not feel right to hang around the cafe for too long.

    Neil turned around as they exited the cafe. "Thank you."

    "President Mo, you have said these words to me a few times. If you keep thanking me, I would be embarrassed," Edith said and smiled. "I did not do anything much but accompany Hazel. You don''t have to be too polite about it."

    Neil stared at her with a hint of surprise. Then his lips tilted into a small smile. "I understand."

    The smile, although it was quickly disappeared managed to stun Edith for a few seconds. She had heard about Neil Mo''s unsmiling personality from everyone around her that it was surprising this rare sight. For a second, Edith was wondering that perhaps she was imagining things.

    "Edith!"

    Suddenly, Edith heard someone called out her name. She turned around and saw that her friend, Lily was walking over to her with her son, Alex He beside him.

    Lily''s face changed the moment she saw Neil Mo and Hazel beside her friend. Her steps halted, but she quickly regained her composure when her son pulled her forward.

    "Yi? Hazel!" Alex He exclaimed when he saw his friend. He looked at Hazel and their teacher back and forth. "What are you doing here with Auntie Edith?"

    "Alex! Why are you here as well?" Hazel stared at Alex with her eyes wide. Then, she sifted her gaze to her teacher and frowned at the boy. "Auntie Edith? Why are you calling Teacher Qian as Auntie Edith?"

    Alex touched his nose as he thought for an answer. "We''re not at school. So, I''m allowed to call Teacher Qian as Auntie Edith. Mummy said so."

    Lily Zhao approached with a smile on her face. She poked at her friend''s waist and raised a brow as if asking for an explanation. However, Edith only blinked her eyes as if to tell that she will explain everything later.

    Bending slightly, Lily waved at Hazel. "Hello, Hazel."

    The little girl stand up straight and greeted, "Hello Mrs. He."

    "Teacher Qian and I are friends. That''s why Alex is allowed to call Teacher Qian as Auntie whenever we are not in school," Lily explained.

    "Oh! So that is why." Hazel looked at her teacher and her friends back and forth before she finally stopped at Alex. Her wide eyes showed that she was shocked at this new information.

    For a second, Hazel was jealous that Alex was closer to their teacher. Back at the kindergarten, although Alex had never fight to catch their teacher''s attention, Hazel could still tell that the two were close. After all, Teacher Qian would always ask Alex to help her with anything.

    Seeing the man beside them stood straight watching their exchange, Edith took the initiative to introduce him. "President Mo, this is Lily Zhao, Alex He''s mother." She patted at Alex''s shoulder and continued. "Alex and Hazel go to the same kindergarten and they are classmates."

    Neil''s expression changed upon hearing Edith''s introduction. At the thought that he will have another interaction with Lily at the kindergarten, Neil decided to greet her politely. "Hello."

    "Hello, President Mo," Lily replied, looking flustered. She had come to shop around with her friend and did not expect that she will run into Neil Mo.

    "Hazel and I better move," Neil Mo said. He then turned to his niece. "Hazel, say goodbye to your teacher and friends."

    "En." Hazel nodded before she turned to the others and waved her hand. "Teacher Qian, bye-bye. Alex, bye-bye. Auntie He, bye-bye."

    Edith smiled. "Hazel, bye-bye. I will see you at school tomorrow, alright?" She watched as the niece and uncle disappeared from their sight and was surprised when she turned to her friend.

    Lily''s eyes glittered with excitement. She shook at Edith''s hands and spoke, "Talk. Now. Why are you with President Mo?"

    Edith Qian rolled her eyes at her friend''s enthusiasm. She then raised both hands in defeat before explaining her encounter with the uncle and niece. Of course, she did not mention anything about sharing a table with both President Mo and Hazel or else, her friend would start bombarding her with more questions. Edith was not that crazy to dug her own grave.

    When she was done, Edith found that Lily''s interest in the encounter has faded when Lily found nothing worth gossiping about. Lily glanced towards the direction where the two had gone and sighed. "Looking at them, it looks like President Mo has been treating Hazel well."

    Edith Qian nodded absentmindedly. "He does."

    "I wonder why people would say that he''s an emotionless robot? He doesn''t look like one." Lily said. "He looks like the type of person who would only treat those around him warmly and ignored those who unrelated to him."

    "You can tell after one meeting with President Mo?"

    Lily gave her a sideways glance. "I can tell by the way he treats his niece. Didn''t you see it earlier? He was so gentle with Hazel."

    "Are we still going to shop after this?" Edith asked, trying to change the conversation.

    "Why? Do you have any other plan?"

    "I''m asking casually." Edith shrugged.

    "Then, let''s go.." Lily then dragged her friend to shop around.

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 22 - Addiction To Fishing

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Once she returned from shopping with her friend, Edith went home and immediately slumped on her bed. After going out for the whole day, she was dead tired. Although she went shopping with Lily, mostly, it was her friend who was buying a few clothes for her husband and son, while Edith spent her time accompanying Alex.

    Initially, Edith has no plan on shopping for clothes, but in the end, she bought a blouse and a cute dress after Lily convinced her that the clothes look good on her. Anyway, the prices were reasonable and Edith had thought that there might be a day when she needed to wear such clothes.

    Edith had lived in A City, a neighboring city from L City where she had worked. The apartment she had rented was small, but it was big enough for her to live alone. She was used to living alone in the apartment, however, at this night, Edith was suddenly feeling alone. She did not have any other family, but her grandfather who lives in Z Town.

    Her plan years ago was to continue living in a small town while looking after her grandfather, but later, her grandfather had objected to her idea. According to him, she would not have a bright future in a small town and thus, had encouraged her to find a job in a big city. With Lily Zhao''s help, she finally got a job as a kindergarten teacher.

    Because it was an elite school, naturally her salary was big enough for her to send to her grandfather monthly.

    Though she was happy that she could provide for her grandfather, Edith would sometimes hope that she can leave everything and stay in the small town. At least, when she came back home, there would still be voices of someone concerned about her.

    Edith heaved a sigh and closed her eyes to rest for a while. Just as she was about to fall asleep, her phone rang. Edith rummaged through her bag, took out her phone and slid her finger on the screen when she saw the name on the phone.

    "Hello. Grandpa?" she greeted. There was an unmistakable joy in her voice. Earlier, she was feeling a bit sleepy. But after receiving the phone call, Edith found that the sleepiness had gone.

    "Edith, how are you?" Edith''s grandfather, Mike Qian''s voice could be heard on the other line.

    Edith stretched her arms to get rid of her tiredness. "I''m fine, grandpa. How about you? When did you return from your fishing trip?"

    "I just come back this afternoon," Mike answered. "I saw your text as soon as I reached home, but I keep forgetting whether you would have class or not. I did not want to interrupt and waited to call back just now."

    "Oh," Edith said. "Did you catch a lot of fishes?"

    Hearing the question from his granddaughter, Mike began to talk about his fishing trip with his friends, while Edith would hum once in a while as she continued to listen to him.

    "Right," Mike cleared his throat and hesitated. "Edith, I need to tell you that I will be going on another fishing trip in two days."

    "You''re going again? Grandpa, you just returned from a fishing trip and you''re going again?"

    Edith was well aware of her grandfather''s addiction to fishing. This was a hobby that he had taken after he had retired from the police.

    Usually, her grandfather would go out on the sea for weeks with his best friend, Grandpa George, and sometimes, his junior, Uncle James would accompany them.

    Although her grandfather loved going to the sea, Edith had always known that the trio had not caught a lot of fish whenever they go out. Among the three of them, only Uncle James was quite good at fishing. Most of the time, Uncle James would give some of his catch to her grandfather so that she would not nag him whenever he came back empty-handed.

    How did Edith know all this?

    It was Uncle James''s son, Aaron Li, who had told her.

    "George asked me to come with him and I can''t say no," Mike said. "Don''t nag me too much. I was bored to stay home alone anyway and I like going fishing. It''s good that I''m enjoying life at my age."

    Edith Qian bit her lips. "How long are you going this time?"

    "Probably two weeks. We met a few people the other day and they told us about this good spot," Mike said before he continued to ramble about this new fishing spot.

    "Don''t go with Grandpa George this time," Edith said. "Grandpa, I''m planning to come home and visit you next weekend, okay."

    Mike paused upon hearing his granddaughter''s suggestion. "Why would you come home? Just stay in the city and study well to make a lot of money."

    "Why can''t I come home?" Edith asked. "Grandpa, you always forbid me to come back. What is it? What are you trying to hide from me?" A thought crossed her mind and Edith smiled. "Grandpa, did you get yourself a girlfriend?"

    "You!" He wanted to curse, but then he remembered that he was on the phone with his granddaughter. The words he wanted to say stuck in his throat. "What girlfriend? I''m already this old, why would I find myself a girlfriend?"

    "What''s wrong? My grandpa is still young and handsome? Why can''t you find a girlfriend?" Edith continued to tease. "Anyway, I heard that Auntie Mel who sold steamed bun at the station had fancied you for years."

    "Stop talking nonsense. I''m very loyal to your grandmother, alright." Mike took a deep breath and decided to change his tactic. "It''s not that you can''t come home. Aren''t you busy with your work? Didn''t you have classes every weekend? Since you''re busy, you don''t have to worry so much about me. Just live well and I''ll be happy."

    Edith giggled upon hearing her grandfather''s words. "Don''t worry about my classes. I will still come back next weekend."

    "Edith¡ª"

    "Grandpa, have you forgotten?" Edith spoke before her grandfather could come out with another excuse to stop her from coming back home. "It will be my mother''s death anniversary this weekend, of course, I have to come home." Her voice gradually turned soft as she spoke. "We promised that we will visit her every year, right?"

    Mike went silent for a while when he realized that his daughter''s death anniversary will be next month. As he turned towards the calendar on the wall and there was a trace of both anger and sadness in his eyes. Mike heaved a small sigh and speak again. "Then, I won''t make any plans when you come back. You come back. I''ll catch a few fish and cook for you later, is that alright?"

    Edith Qian felt the corner of her mouth twitched. "Grandpa! You''re still planning to go fishing!"

    Read novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 23 - Budding Friendship

    Sunflower Kindergarten.

    The school session ended and the students were let to play in the classroom as they waited for their parents to fetch them. Because it was raining outside, none of the students were allowed to go to the playground.

    Hazel Mo was sitting in the corner with a few girls with their drawing paper in front of them and crayons neatly arranged beside them. The girl had just finished drawing her favorite bunny plush going on an adventure when she saw Alex He at the side.

    Unlike the other kids, Alex often played alone with his robots. Other than his best friend, Tyler Lu, Alex was not close to anyone else.

    Thinking about their coincidental meeting last weekend, Hazel decided to walk over to Alex and talk to him. "Alex He."

    The little guy looked up. When he saw Hazel Mo, he tilted his head sideways. "Hazel, what''s wrong?"

    "You," Hazel paused when she noticed that the other kids gathered around to watch them. When the others saw that Hazel was looking at them, they turned around and went back to whatever they were doing before.

    Seeing that everyone had stopped staring at them, Hazel sat down next to Alex. Her gaze paused on the robot in his hand and wondered why does Alex love to play with them so much.

    "You have something to tell me?" Alex spoke when the girl beside him did not say anything.

    "It''s not that I have something to tell¡­ But, I''m just curious. Alex He¡­ Why do you always play alone?"

    Hearing the question, Alex paused before he looked at Hazel with a smile on his face. "What''s wrong with playing alone?"

    Hazel found that she could not find a way to answer to his response. However, she had seen Alex always playing by himself a few times, she thought that it was too lonely.

    "I think building robots is interesting, but the others did not share the same opinion. They liked to play with robots, but not the way I like them," Alex said. A bright smile appeared on his lips as he talked about them. He pulled a part of the robot and attached it to a different part. When he looked up again, Alex could not miss the way that Hazel was staring at the robot. Alex hesitated for a few seconds and asked, "Do you want to try building a robot?"

    Hazel was about to reply that she was not interested in building in the robot when she heard Alex''s next words.

    "Teacher Qian liked to build robots too."

    Her eyes went wide upon hearing this new information.

    "Sometimes, when Teacher Qian came to my house, she would help me to build the Gundam robot model with me," Alex said.

    Hearing that her favorite teacher was into building robots, Hazel was suddenly interested. "But, I don''t know how."

    "I can teach you," Alex said. His eyes sparkled at the thought that Hazel might be interested in building a robot. "I have a lot of Gundam model at home. Later, how about I give you one and teach you how to assemble them? Of course, if we encountered a difficult part, we can always ask Teacher Qian to help. Other than my father, Teacher Qian is very good at it."

    Hazel balled her hand into a fist and straightened up. "Alright." Although she was not very interested in them, Hazel thought that it would not be bad if she gave it a try.

    At this time, the classroom door swung open and Teacher Qian appeared at the door with a smile on her face.

    "Alex He, Hazel Mo, come. Someone is here to pick you up."

    Hazel Mo stood up and went to tidy up her things. Just as she was about to head to the door, her friend, Megan Xiao tugged her on her sleeves. Hazel turned to her friend and tilted her head sideways.

    "Hazel," the little girl whispered. "What did you say to Alex?"

    Hazel glanced at the boy who was talking to Teacher Qian at the door. "Nothing. I was asking why he was playing alone. What''s wrong?"

    Her friend smiled. "I have never seen you talk to Alex before."

    Hazel smiled.

    She knew that the girls didn''t talk to Alex that much. It was not because he was snobby or naughty, but Alex He was usually quiet.

    Hazel chatted with her friends a little bit and bid them goodbye.

    When she walked out with her teacher, the rain had stopped. Hazel found Grandfather Tang, her uncle''s driver, stood at the entrance waiting for her. Beside him was a tall, handsome, bespectacled man. Looking at the man reminded Hazel to someone. She lowered her gaze and saw Alex He attached to the man''s leg.

    "Daddy!" Alex shouted.

    When Alex He noticed that someone was looking at him, he immediately released his grip on his father''s leg and turned around. Suddenly, there was a shy look on his face. "Hazel. You''re going back too?"

    "Un." Hazel Mo nodded. She glanced at the tall man again. "This is your father?"

    Alex nodded. "Yes."

    This was Hazel''s first time seeing Alex He''s father. Usually, it was Alex''s mother who would pick him up.

    Hazel looked at the bespectacled man again and noticed that Alex looked very much like his father. Hazel straightened her body when her gaze met with Alex''s father. She nodded and said, "Hello, Alex''s father."

    Ethan He lowered his body and smiled at the little girl. "Hello. You must be Alex He''s classmate."

    "Yes. My name is Hazel Mo."

    Ethan''s eyes flickered upon hearing Hazel''s name. He exchanged a look with Edith, saw her smile, and guessed that Hazel was Neil Mo''s niece. Ethan turned around to look for that influential man, however, other than the old man beside him, he could not see anyone else.

    Hazel took Grandfather Tang''s hand and waved with the others. "Goodbye, Teacher Qian. Bye Alex." Then, she went along with the driver and walked over to her uncle''s vehicle.

    Grandpa Tang led Hazel to the back seat and opened the door for her.

    Once Hazel shuffled inside, she saw her uncle was speaking to someone on the phone in a language she did not understand. He turned to her with his phone sandwiched between his ears and shoulder as he helped her with her seat belt.

    As the driver began to drive, Hazel leaned on the seat and enjoyed the scenery outside the windows.

    She especially loved the street just before they entered her uncle''s place. There were shady trees lined up at both sides of the road and Hazel loved to look up at the sunlight peeking through the branches and leaves.

    "Hazel."

    The girl turned around when she heard her uncle called out her name.

    "Your grandma and grandpa missed you," Neil spoke. "Let''s go and visit your grandparents this weekend. What do you say?"

    Hazel thought about her grandparents that she had not seen for more than a month and nodded.. "Alright."

    Read novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 24 - Unpleasant News

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Assistant Shawn filtered through the documents on the table based on the level of importance. He placed the most important documents on the right side of the table and the less important on the left.

    Since the President planned to visit the Chairman along with his niece on the weekend, there were a lot of matters that would need his attention.

    When he heard that the President would be visiting his parents who were living in the countryside, Assistant Shawn was relieved. He heard that Chairman Li and his wife were staying at a villa in a small town near the sea. He only hoped that President Mo would use this opportunity to get some rest.

    Ever since the Vice President and his wife passed away in that accident, President Mo has been spending most of his time in the office, while looking after the young miss.

    President Mo''s daily routine would include picking up the young miss from the kindergarten and sending her back to his place with Nanny Ann looking after his niece. Then, returned to the office to deal with his never-ending works.

    Although Assistant Shawn could see that there was a slight improvement in the uncle and niece''s relationship, it was still worrying to see them both together. The two of them were not having any problem with the way they were living now, but sooner or later, once the young miss had grown up, it would be a problem for both of them.

    Assistant Shawn paused from whatever he was doing when his phone vibrated in his pocket. He took out his phone and frowned upon seeing the President''s driver, Old Tang''s name on the screen. Thinking that the old man had tried to reach him due to an urgent matter, Assistant Shawn slid his finger across the screen and pressed the phone to his ear. "Hello?"

    "Assistant Shawn, sorry for bothering. Is the President with you?" Old Tang spoke immediately when the call was connected. "I tried to contact him, but he did not pick up."

    "President Mo is having a meeting with the high-level managers. He must have turned his phone on silent mode. What''s wrong? If it''s urgent, I can reach the President for you."

    Old Tang took a deep breath. "Assistant Shawn. There is a problem."

    "What''s the matter?" He listened to the driver''s explanation and frowned at the urgency of the matter. "I got it. I will talk to the President soon. Not to worry. Old Tang, I will need to trouble you to check on Auntie Ann and help her with anything you can. Don''t forget to update me when you had any news."

    Shawn Ye stared at his phone as he thought over Old Tang''s news. After a few seconds, he fiddled with his phone and made a few phone calls. Then, he stood up and headed towards the meeting room. He peered through the glass and saw that the meeting was not yet over.

    Currently, President Mo sat on the big swiveling chair as he spoke something. Looking at the stern look on his face, Assistant Shawn was suddenly afraid that he would be disturbing him in an important meeting.

    However, the matter regarding Young Miss Hazel was important too.

    Should he knock on the door and tell the President the news now, or should he wait?

    Just as he was hesitating the door swung open from the inside and few managers walked out with their files in their hands.

    A sigh of relief escaped him at the thought that the meeting had ended. He walked inside and saw that a few managers were conversing with the President.

    He eavesdropped to their conversation and decided to wait as they were talking about their latest project in the neighboring city.

    When President Mo waved his hand to dismiss the manager, Assistant Shawn quickly stepped forward.

    Neil Mo raised a brow when he saw someone stepped closer to him. His expression relaxed upon seeing his assistant. "Assistant Shawn, what''s wrong?"

    "I received news from Old Tang that Auntie Ann met with an accident just now." Assistant Shawn said.

    A frown appeared on his face and his heart was beating loudly. It was not long ago that he received news that his brother and his wife were involved in an accident. Hearing that someone he knew was in an accident, Neil Mo became anxious. He was worried that he would hear another unpleasant news.

    "What happened? How did Auntie Ann get into an accident?"

    "She was crossing the road when a speeding car run through the red light and hit her."

    His expression darkened at the news. "And the driver?"

    "It was a hit and run. But I already talked to the police. They are searching for the driver. We should get an answer as soon as possible," Assistant Shawn said. "Auntie Ann was brought to People Hospital by ambulance. When Old Tang called me, the doctor was still checking on her. Therefore, we did not know anything about her injury. I have spoken to Old Tang to help with anything she needs in the hospital."

    Neil Mo thought over the news for a moment before he spoke again. "I''m going to the hospital to check on Auntie Ann. If there''s anything important, just give me a call."

    "What about the young miss?"

    Neil Mo looked at the time. He thought about fetching the girl and brought her to the hospital with him, but decided against it. Neil did not want the little girl to be upset by coming to the hospital. When her parents were hospitalized due to an accident, Hazel had accompanied them for a few days before her parents passed away.

    The little girl was close to her nanny. If she heard the news and saw that her nanny was in the hospital due to an accident, it might trigger a bad memory.

    It was until recently that his niece had started to smile a lot more and Neil did not want his niece to be unhappy once she heard about what had happened to her nanny.

    "Call the kindergarten and inform them that I might be late to pick up Hazel today," Neil Mo instructed. "I will visit Auntie Ann at the hospital first and come back to fetch her. Inform the school of what happened, but don''t let them tell Hazel about the accident."

    Assistant Shawn nodded.. "Understood."

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 25 - Surrounded

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    When Neil Mo arrived at the hospital, his driver Old Tang was waiting for him at the entrance. The elder man led him into the hospital towards one of the wards. Because of his visit, no one paid much attention to him. However for a few people who could recognize Neil. After all, his face was everywhere in the newspaper after his brother had passed away.

    Neil Mo lowered his head as he followed Old Tang to the wards. At this time, Auntie Ann''s treatment had finished and she had regained her consciousness.

    "P-President Mo," Auntie Ann tried to sit up straight when she saw President Mo walked in. He stopped the elder lady from sitting up when he saw the painful expression on her face.

    "Auntie, how are you?"

    "I''m alright," Auntie Ann answered as she pulled at the blanket on her chest. "President Mo, I''m sorry."

    "What are you apologizing for? It was not your fault." Neil frowned as he looked at her leg cast.

    "Hazel¡­ I won''t be able to look after her because of my injury," Auntie Ann said. "President Mo, I hope that you won''t tell Hazel about this."

    "Auntie Ann, you don''t have to worry about this. The most important thing is that you should get enough rest and recuperate well," Neil said. "Regarding the runaway driver, I have asked the police to find him."

    The elderly lady nodded.

    "I have arranged for a caretaker to look after you while you''re in the hospital," Neil said. "She should be here soon."

    "President Mo, you don''t have to worry. My son will come over to look after me. He should be here soon."

    "Auntie, you don''t have to be polite. You have to look after Hazel for years. Auntie Ann, please don''t reject this. Arranging someone to look after you was the only thing I can do."

    After hearing the man''s words, Auntie Ann finally accepted his kindness.

    Neil Mo had a brief chat with Nanny Ann and left the ward after five minutes to let the elderly woman rest. Anyway, he still needed to go over to the kindergarten to pick up his niece.

    He stepped into the corridor and turned to the Old Tang. "How is Nanny Ann''s condition?"

    "The doctor said Nanny Ann broke her left leg. It might take her about two months to heal, or later," Old Tang said. "She had a few bruises on her body, other than that, she seemed alright."

    "Old Tang, you look after Nanny Ann and have the doctor give her the best treatment. I will take care of the bills." Neil Mo said. "Find something for her to eat. After that, you may go home. I will take the car and drive myself today."

    "Yes. President Mo." Old Tang handed the car keys to Neil and watched him as he entered the elevator.

    Neil went to the basement to look for his car and soon drove over to the kindergarten.

    He arrived just in time just as the other parents were fetching their kids from the kindergarten. When he parked his car, the parents turned their heads towards the car and started to discuss among themselves.

    Although everyone was expecting to see the elder driver come over, they were still expecting that the President of MH Group will come over himself to pick up the young miss.

    When the driver''s side of the door swung open, the others began to sigh in disappointment, knowing that the driver will be the one to pick up Hazel as usual.

    Just as the parents turned around, Neil stepped out of the vehicle.

    One of the parents noticed him and immediately signaled the others. A lot of them were watching him, starstruck. Most of those who were presented were young mothers. Of course, they will not waste the chance to look at the handsome man. Some of them even took out their phone to snap a few pictures.

    As the President of MH Group, Neil Mo is famous in the city. When the chairman fell ill years ago, MH Group nearly fell along. Neil and his brother teamed up and take over the company. In a short span, he managed to convince everyone with his skills. The Mo brothers stabilized the company and helped it grew further.

    Everyone was amazed as the two brothers were still in their twenties as they do that.

    At that time, many had tried to approach the brothers through marriage. A few of those from the prestigious families would try to introduce their daughter to them. They failed as Neil Mo was difficult to approach, while his younger brother, Adam Mo had no one but his childhood sweetheart in his eyes. As their elders had long decided not to interfere in their sons'' marriage, the young ladies and their parents had no way to get close to the brothers.

    A lot of them gave up to pursue the brothers and a few were persistent to keep on trying. Among the young mothers, there were two of them who had once tried to pursue Neil Mo.

    As they watched Neil came over to pick up his niece, the two ladies began to regret that they have given up too soon.

    Neil Mo stepped towards the kindergarten as he ignored his surrounding. He gave his identification to the guard and waited with his head tilted down to avoid making eye contact with the others. It would be troublesome if some of them decided to initiate a conversation later.

    A couple of minutes of waiting, his niece, Hazel Mo appeared at the door. The little girl''s smile widened as she saw him. "Uncle!"

    His lips curled into a smile when he watched the little girl greeted him excitedly. He patted Hazel on her soft hair and asked, "Did you behave well today?"

    Hazel nodded enthusiastically. She glanced towards her teacher who stood behind her and spoke, "You can ask Teacher Qian!"

    Edith nodded along. "En. En. Hazel behaved well today."

    Hazel turned to her uncle with a smug smile on her face. She turned around and was surprised upon seeing the young mothers were staring at her. The way they were looking at her was making her... uncomfortable.

    Subconsciously, her hand tightened around her uncle''s.

    Noticing his niece''s discomfort, Neil looked up and noticed that his appearance had caused a commotion.

    Edith let out a sigh upon seeing the parents gaze on the uncle and niece. The mothers were checking up on Neil as it was a rare occasion to see him closely, while the fathers were seeking for a chance to talk to him and hope that they initiate a conversation and talk about business.

    If he was alone, he would not hesitate to ignore everyone. But right now, Hazel was with him and he was afraid she would get hurt.

    Moreover, his mother had reminded him to be nice to other parents or else, Hazel might suffer when the parents would ask their kids to ignore his niece.

    At this moment, Neil was hesitant at what he should do.

    Looking at the situation, it was as if they were surrounded by a pack of wolves.

    "President Mo," Edith let out a dry cough and hoped to catch his attention. A smile curled on her lips when he turned to look at her. "Didn''t you say you were going to see the headmistress? Why don''t you come in first?"

    Neil stared back at the young teacher. He then nodded once he realized her intention to help them.. "Alright."

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 26 - Taking Shelter

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Once the door behind them closed, Neil Mo felt his niece''s grip on his hand started to loosen. He glanced at her and saw that her expression was no longer as tense.

    The quiet surrounding snapped Hazel off her trance and she suddenly found that she was back inside the building. Now that she did not have to face the adult''s inquiring gaze, Hazel felt more at ease.

    Just now¡­ when the adults were surrounding her, watching her, Hazel felt as if she was back to the day after her parents had passed away.

    She was at the hospital with her grandmother when a group of adults suddenly surrounded them. The flash from cameras and their constant question frightened her to the point that she had frozen in place, unable to react. It was only when someone had helped her out of the situation that she was able to react again.

    Later, during her parents'' funeral, Hazel had chosen to sit in the corner away from the adults. Fortunately, none of those adults with flashing cameras and the large microphone was allowed to enter the hall and she was left alone.

    "Hazel?"

    The little girl turned around and blinked as she saw her uncle staring back at her with a worried expression. "Uncle, why are you here to pick me up instead of Grandpa Tang?"

    Neil raised a brow. "You don''t like it?"

    "No. It''s not that. I like it," Hazel spoke quickly. "But you always asked Grandpa Tang to pick me up. Didn''t you always wait in the car?"

    Neil Mo tightened his hand into a fist. Then he forced a smile as he looked at his niece. "Nanny Ann had a fever, so Grandpa Tang took her to back to her home to let her rest."

    Hazel seemed as if she was unable to respond and she continued to stare at her uncle in a daze.

    Nanny Ann was not feeling well?

    At this time, Edith Qian stepped up and spoke, "President Mo, I''ll take you to the waiting area and you can sit there for a while. Once the parents had left, I will let you know. Then, you can leave with Hazel."

    He nodded. "Thank you."

    A helpless smile appeared on her lips. Edith had always heard how President Mo of MH Group was someone with a cold demeanor. However, she had found that this man was not stingy with his gratitude words.

    She turned around and lead the uncle and niece to the waiting area. Then, she went over to the kitchen and came back with small bottles of drinking water.

    "Please, have a drink." Edith placed the bottle on the table and hesitated. "Or, would you like to have something else?"

    "No, this is fine," he took the bottle, unscrew the cap, and took a sip. Neil blew a sigh as he watched the kindergarten teacher left to check on the situation outside. He turned to his niece who was sitting beside him and saw that the girl was still staring at him. "What is it?"

    "Uncle, is Nanny Ann alright?" Hazel asked.

    Neil Mo turned around and met with the little girl''s gaze. Then he said, "Nanny Ann will be alright after some rest." He thought about Auntie Ann''s broken legs and knew that he should come up with an excuse. "Hazel, Nanny Ann won''t be around to look after you for a few months."

    Hazel''s expression changed. Her eyes widened as she looked at her uncle. "Why not?" Suddenly, she was worried that her Nanny''s illness was worst than just a fever.

    "Just now, Grandpa Tang took her back to her son''s place," Neil came up with an excuse. "It has been a while since Nanny Ann spend her time with her grandchild. She told me that she wanted to spend her time with her grandchild for a while."

    Hazel''s eyes softened upon hearing her uncle''s words. She bit on her lips and nodded. "I understand. But Uncle, can I call and talk to Nanny Ann later if I missed her?"

    Neil patted at the girl''s head. "Of course." Seeing the smile on her face, Neil was more at ease. "Do you like going to this school?"

    "En," Hazel nodded. "I like it here. Everyone here is very nice to me. And I learned a lot of stuff and played a lot of games."

    The corner of his lips tilted up as Neil continued to listen to his niece, chattering about what she liked about her kindergarten. He then realized that this was the first time that his niece had spoken a lot with him.

    Usually, Hazel would only answer back to him with a short answer. It seemed that she really liked attending kindergarten. At this time, Neil was relieved that he had not acted rashly and offended the other parents. Or else, he might have to let his niece transfer to another school.

    "The other day, Alex taught me how to build a robot!"

    "Alex?" To hear her classmate''s name from his niece made Neil think that this person might be a good friend of hers.

    "En," Hazel nodded again. "Uncle. Do you know about the Gundam model?"

    Neil stiffened as a thought crossed his mind.

    Gundam? Was that not something that a boy would enjoy?

    "Hazel, tell me, is Alex a boy?"

    "En," Hazel nodded again. She stared at her uncle and hesitated for a few seconds. "Uncle, can I get one of them? I wanted to try building them as well."

    Neil Mo felt the corner of his lips started to twitch. "Why do you want to play with them? Aren''t they¡­ something that a boy would play with?"

    "Of course not," Hazel frowned. "Teacher Qian is very good at building them as well. The other day, she had helped me and Alex to build one. But it was not yet completed. Teacher Qian said that anyone could build robots and it was not necessarily something that only a boy can play with."

    Neil noticed how the little girl''s face would brighten up whenever she was talking about her teacher. "You keep praising Teacher Qian. You must really like her a lot."

    A shy look appeared on the little girl''s face. "Of course. Teacher Qian treated me the best."

    The corner of his lips turned up and Neil stretched his hand to pat at his niece''s head.

    After waiting for almost ten minutes, Edith appeared and announced that the parents got too tired after waiting for too long and had left the kindergarten.

    Hearing the news, Neil stood up and led his niece outside. He thanked the kindergarten teacher for her help again and watched as his niece waved her hand to bid goodbye.

    Just as Neil slid into the driver''s seat, the phone in his pocket started to vibrate. He stared at the caller ID for a few seconds and answered the call.

    "Neil, I''m heading over to your place later, is that alright?" His friend, Henry Wu''s voice could be heard from the other line.

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 27 - Photographs

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Water dripped from the tip of his hair and streamed down on his torso as he stepped out of the shower. Neil Mo grabbed the towel from the rack on the rack and wrapped his lower half with the towel and stepped out of the bathroom.

    He went over to the wardrobe and picked up lazy pants and a t-shirt.

    Just in time, his phone on the bedside table started to ring.

    Neil walked over to the bed and glanced at the screen. A light flashed in his eyes as he saw the name on the caller ID. He combed his wet hair with a hand and reached to pick up the phone.

    "Neil Mo speaking."

    "Open up," Henry Wu''s voice could be heard from the other line. "I''m at your door."

    Neil pulled his phone away and stared at it for a few seconds before he pressed it back to his ear. "Are you drunk?"

    Henry Wu scoffed at the other line. "No. I''m very sober. Didn''t I tell you that I''m coming over?"

    "Then, why didn''t you press the doorbell?"

    He was very sure that his doorbell was fully functioning, but he had not heard any sound even after he had left the bathroom a few minutes ago.

    "You live with your niece now. It''s late and I did not want to accidentally wake her from sleep." Henry said. "My sister would have this murderous look on her face whenever the delivery guy showed up at her doorstep and pressed the doorbell when her kids are asleep."

    An image of Henry''s elder sister appeared on his mind and Neil tried not to shudder. He seemed to remember that Henry''s sister could turn into a lioness whenever she was angry.

    With a sigh, Neil walked over to the door. He pressed at a button and soon, an image of his friend dressed in his usual black pants and black shirt appeared on the small screen. Then, he pressed the other button and spoke through the intercom, "Come in. The door''s unlocked."

    Neil walked into the kitchen and poured himself a glass of water. When he turned around, his friend stood in front of him. His face was slightly haggard and there was an obvious black rim under his eyes.

    Henry Wu examined his surroundings and raised a brow to his friend. "You still haven''t employed any helpers?"

    "I don''t need too many people around when I''m here," Neil replied lazily.

    "Where''s that kid?"

    "Sleeping," Neil answered. "You want anything to drink?"

    Henry sat down on the kitchen bar stool and heaved a sigh. "Just water. I still need to head over to the office later."

    Neil turned around to pick up a clean glass and took out the bottle from the refrigerator. Once the glass was full, Neil slid it across the counter and the glass stopped right before his friend. "You''re more workaholic than I am."

    "This is what happened when you''re in this line of business. Non-fixed working hours." Henry took a sip and shrugged.

    Neil leaned on the walls behind him and crossed his arms on his chest. "Why are you here?"

    Henry drained the water from the glass and shrugged off the backpack from his shoulder. He unzipped the bag and took out a large brown envelope. Then, he slid it on the marbled table and stopped just at the edge of it. A sigh of relief escaped him upon seeing that the envelope did not drop to the floor.

    "What is that?" Neil raised a brow.

    "You should look at it yourself."

    Neil Mo groaned in dissatisfaction, but he stepped forward to pick up the envelope. Once he had scattered the contents on the marbled table, a deep frown appeared on his face and his heartbeat escalated.

    Reports and black and white photographs were displayed.

    Neil picked up one of the photographs and recognized the man on it. It was his brother, Adam Mo, and a woman in a restaurant.

    "I know you said to drop the investigation for a while," Henry spoke cautiously as he watched his friend''s expression. "But I found a few footages of your brother and this woman having a meal at a restaurant by coincidence."

    "Coincidence?" He looked up and met Henry''s gaze. "What do you mean?"

    "My company provided our service to Lobster Palace, a restaurant in the neighboring A City," Henry said. "Two days ago there was some trouble at the restaurant. They asked me to come and look at their system. Somehow, my guy clicked at some random past footage from three months ago and I saw this."

    Three months ago.

    Neil Mo repeated the words in his mind a few times as he continued to stare at the photograph. His gaze moved towards the woman in the photograph. A thought crossed his mind and Neil quickly dismissed it.

    His brother, Adam Mo, loved this wife dearly. They were a childhood sweetheart and his brother had never strayed once he was committed to his wife.

    But why was Adam having a meal with this woman?

    Neil picked up another photo, and another. There were a few of them. His gaze paused for a few seconds on each photo as he studied everything.

    In one of the photograph was a photo of his brother and his younger sister-in-law with that same woman. Looking at their expression in each photograph, he knew that the pictures were not evidence of brother acting stupid.

    But, judging from the way they were dressed differently in each photograph, Neil Mo could summarized that the woman frequently met with his brother.

    "You should know what kind of place is Lobster Palace," Henry continued. "It''s a high-end restaurant where they regards their customer''s privacy the most important. If my company was not in business with them, there''s no way we could find these footage. Once I saw that first photograph, I looked at whatever recording that they still kept in their archives and found the others. Those pictures were taken from three to six months ago."

    Neil went back to the first photograph. He took a closer look at the woman and felt his heart beat furiously.

    This woman¡­ Why did he felt like he had seen her before?

    "Who is she?" Neil Mo spoke after a long silence.

    "Jennifer Jiang. A prosecutor."

    Neil Mo narrowed his eyes at the introduction. "Why is my brother meeting with a prosecutor? What is this all about? Why haven''t he said anything to me?"

    Henry shook his head. "I don''t know why your brother met that prosecutor. But I can tell you that she usually involved in corporate crimes."

    Something flashed in Neil''s eyes as he recalled how his brother meeting with Manager Wang from accounting.

    A whistle blower... A prosecutor... Could they be related?

    "Do you know how long they have been meeting?"

    "The earliest footage we have was from six months ago." Henry said. "But they probably met earlier than that."

    Neil Mo shoved the photograph back into the brown envelop. "Can you find this prosecutor for me?"

    "Already made my move without your instruction." Henry stared at him with a serious expression. "But the prosecutor has been missing for weeks. According to co-workers, she stopped showing up to work without any notices and her family believe that she was on a holiday in Paris. But none of them had contacted her yet." Henry said. "I have sent my men to investigate.. I will tell you if there''s any news."

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 28 - Returning To Hometown

    As the weekend came, Edith Qian packed her belongings and took a bus back to her hometown.

    Because the bus had several stops on the way, the journey took her for almost two hours to arrive. Edith took a deep breath as she stepped off the bus.

    The town was not far away from the sea. When the wind blew, she could smell the familiar salty air. And the smell gave her a nostalgic feeling. It seemed that it has been a while since she returned home.

    She adjusted her backpack''s strap on her shoulder and walked towards the taxi stand. Just as she was about to hail a car, a vehicle not far away from her beeped its horn. Edith turned around and saw a man, waving his hands at her with a smile.

    Once he noticed that she was looking at his direction, the man beckoned her to come over.

    Edith picked up her steps upon seeing the familiar face. "Aaron! What are you doing here?" she asked as soon as she reached his side. Her lips tilted up into a bright smile.

    He gave her a lopsided smile as he leaned on the pale blue van behind him. "Your grandfather said that you''re coming back today. He let me come and pick you up."

    "Thank you." Edith Qian gave his friend a look over. There was not much change in him since the last time she saw him a year ago. Except that, his hair was getting longer and it had almost reached his shoulder.

    Aaron Li raised a brow teasingly when he noticed the way his friend was checking him out. "What is it? You think I''m getting handsome since you haven''t seen me for a while?"

    Edith punched him on his shoulder and rolled her eyes. "You''re still that same annoying brat."

    The man burst into a laugh upon hearing her words. He opened the passenger''s door side and ushered her in. Then, he slid into the driver seat and drove away from the bus station.

    Edith Qian watched the scenery outside. Judging from the scenery outside, she knew that he had deliberately used the beach route to drive her back. Although the journey might take ten minutes longer, the beach scenery was exceptional.

    "When did you come back to town?" Edith turned to her friend who was holding the steering wheel with a hand.

    He had rolled down the window and the sea breeze blew in.

    "Two months ago."

    "You''re taking over the family business?"

    Aaron chuckled. He placed one elbow on the window and drove. He glanced at her lazily and said, "Why? Do you need a job? If you ever need a job, you can always find me. I will hire you as the housekeeper."

    Edith Qian chuckled. "Can you even afford me? I''m very expensive to hire."

    He laughed before he spoke again. "That''s not it. I was transferred back here. I am now a detective for this town."

    "You can still be a detective with the way you look?" Edith gave him another lookover. "With that long hair?"

    "What''s wrong with the way I look?" He clicked his tongue at her. "I''m very good looking, alright?"

    Edith laughed at his words. She could still remember that Aaron had wanted to enter the police force just like his father. She did not think that he would really become a police officer.

    After a brief silence between them, he spoke again. "How long are you planning to stay this time"

    Edith threw her gaze out the window again and looked at the blue sea. "I''m just here for my mother''s death anniversary. I''ll head back to the city tomorrow after visiting my mom. I still have to work on Monday."

    A sigh escaped her as she thought about going back to the city. At this time, she wished that she was on a longer break so that she would be able to spend a longer time in the small town.

    However, Edith knew that she could not escape her job. Anyway, she loved her job as a kindergarten teacher. She had grown up looking after kids younger than her and had enjoyed interacting with children.

    It was one of the reasons why she did not mind staying in the city and work.

    "Come to my place before you head back," Aaron said. "My mom would love to see you."

    "Alright." Edith nodded.

    Even if he did not remind her to come over, she does have a plan to come over and visit Mrs. Li.

    Edith Qian and Aaron Li have been friends they were kids. They went to the same primary school to high school together. Because her grandfather and Aaron''s father were both in the police, they would often meet and spend time together.

    Whenever her grandfather was busy with a case, he would often send her to stay at the Li''s place. Aaron''s mother runs a small B&B near the beach. Whenever the B&B was not too busy, she would often babysit other kids as well. Because Edith and Aaron were the same age, the two were very close.

    She had spent most of her time with Li''s family as she grew up. Mrs. Li had treated her and every child she babysat like her own child. It would not feel right if she did not go over and visited her.

    The van cruised smoothly along the road beside the beach area.

    Edith''s expression grew bright as they moved passed the Li''s B&B. She could still remember the beautiful beach spot just beside the B&B. Back then, she used to play there with the other kids a lot.

    Aaron laughed when he glanced at her expression. "It''s too hot to go to the beach now. Let''s go later in the evening."

    The van stopped when they arrived in front of a small house. Edith got off the vehicle, grabbed her backpack, and stopped at the door. A frown appeared on her face when she saw that the door was locked.

    "Grandpa?" Edith knocked on the door a few times, but no one came to greet her.

    That was strange. She had remember that she had texted her grandfather last night that she would be arriving in the town before lunch hour.

    Her grandfather had replied a few minutes after. He wouldn''t be on high sea where there was no reception, right?

    Fortunately, Edith had remembered to bring the keys to the house, or else, she might have to stay out there until her grandfather came back.

    At this time, Aaron walked over to her with a small suitcase in his hand. Seeing that her friend had helped her to carry her belongings, Edith quickly thanked him.

    "Your grandfather should return in a while," Aaron said.

    "Huh?" Edith looked at him in puzzled.

    Aaron looked at her with his lopsided smile and continued, "He''s probably hanging out at Old Chen''s beef noodle stand with a few others. What do you think?"

    Her eyes grew wide when she figured out why was her grandfather not at home to welcome her. "My Grandpa went fishing again this morning?"

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 29 - Open Secret

    Hearing that her grandfather was hanging out at Old Chen''s noodle place after he went fishing with a few of his friends, Edith placed her luggage in her room before she went out again.

    She grabbed the keys hung on the wall and walked out the door.

    "Where are you going?" Aaron stopped her.

    "Of course I''m going to find my grandpa. Aaron, you should go back first. I''ll come over to find you later," Edith said. Without waiting for his answer, she then hopped on the scooter. Fortunately, her grandfather has been using the scooter once in a while and therefore, it did not take her too long to start the engine.

    Aaron Li crossed his arms on his chest and smiled as he watched the scooter disappeared from his eyesight.

    He could guess at what will happen at Old Chen''s noodle stall later and knew that it would be an exciting scene. He pondered whether he should go and join the fun. However, he then decided to head back to his mother''s place and help her.

    ¡­

    It did not take Edith a long time to arrive at the jetty area. It was the weekend. Usually, the area would be packed with the people from the city who came to enjoy Old Chen''s beef noodle. However, it was still too early and therefore, there were only a few people around.

    At this time, Old Chen was slicing some beef for the noodles as his two little assistants wiped the bowls and utensils at the side.

    Edith parked her scooter at the side and immediately saw her grandfather along with his best buddy, George Bei. Their fishing rods were at their side and they were joking around with Old Chen.

    George Bei was the first to notice her presence. He poked at his friend''s waist and soon, her grandfather looked up with surprise on his face.

    "Old Qian, you''re in trouble," George Bei whispered to his friend.

    Mike Qian''s face changed slightly as his granddaughter approached. "Edith." He forced a smile. "Why are you here? You should stay at home and wait for me."

    "Grandpa, you said you weren''t going out to the sea to fish!"

    "I said I was not going to stay longer on the sea to fish," Mike Qian explained. "I went out early in the morning and came back quickly. Didn''t I promise that I will catch some fish for you?"

    Edith Qian narrowed her eyes at her grandfather.

    "Did Aaron came and pick you up from the bus station?" Mike Qian let out a dry cough when his granddaughter did not answer. "Edith, come here and sit down for a while. Did you have your breakfast yet?" He turned to Old Chen who was still slicing the beef and waved his hand. "Old Chen, make one bowl for my granddaughter. Remember to add in a lot of meat."

    Old Chen nodded. He raised his head to look at Edith and smiled. "Edith. I haven''t seen you in a while. Your grandfather said you were working in the city."

    "Grandpa Chen," Edith turned to the old man and smiled amiably. When her gaze shifted to her grandfather again, the smile quickly disappeared.

    "Edith, extra chilies in your bowl of noodle, as usual, right?" Old Chen spoke as he grabbed the bowl behind him. He watched the girl nodded and smiled. "Hey, my memory is still good."

    Seeing that the old man had boiled a portion of noodle, Edith walked over to her grandfather and stared at him.

    "Alright, don''t get angry," Mike Qian tried to appease his granddaughter. "Didn''t I came back? I promised you that we will be visiting your mother the next morning, right? Of course, I will not break my promise." He touched the tip of his nose when his granddaughter continued to ignore him. "How about this? I''ll make lunch for you, alright? I caught some Sea bass. I''ll steam them for you later. Or would you like it deep-fried?"

    Edith did not reply to his grandfather and instead turned to his best buddy, George Bei. "Grandpa George, tell me, did my grandfather caught this fish?"

    George Bei laughed at her question. Meanwhile, Mike Qian''s face turned a few shades darker.

    "You don''t have to worry," George Bei said. "This time, your grandpa was the one who caught this fish."

    "Old Bei, what do you mean ''this time''," Mike Qian turned to his friend and frown. "Speak properly."

    It was an open secret that Mike Qian often went to the sea, but usually, he would not come back with any fish. Whenever his granddaughter was around, he would buy some fish from other fishermen and claimed it as his hard work. However, no one was supposed to mention this.

    George Bei smiled and decided not to say anything. He pulled out a stool and patted at it, signaling Edith to sit down.

    Seeing that his granddaughter had sat down, Mike Qian knew that his granddaughter was no longer angry at him. He took out the utensils and placed it in front of her.

    Soon, the Old Chen came over with a piping hot beef noodle soup. The broth was clear and there were a few more slices of beef on top as well as some chilies, just the way she liked it.

    Tempted by the look and smell of the noodle, Edith tasted the broth and eat the noodle.

    Old Chen''s noodle was always springy. The broth was tasty, refreshing and full of flavor. No matter how many beef noodle she had tried, Edith thought that Old Chen''s beef noodle was always the best she had ever tasted.

    Once his granddaughter started to eat, Mike Qian finally heaved with relief. Anyway, he always knew that his granddaughter wouldn''t really be angry at him. As long as he can coax her with food, everything should be fine, right?

    As Edith condinued to eat her noodle, a luxury car stopped at the side.

    By now, the local was familiar with this scene. During the weekend, Old Chen''s noodle stall would be packed with people from the city. But mostly, they would start to come over in the afternoon.

    Just as Edith was about to take another sip at the broth, a cheery voice greeted her.

    "Yi? Teacher Qian?"

    When she looked up, her student, Hazel Mo stood at the entrance with her uncle.

    The soup suddenly caught in her throat. The chili pepper then started to burn her throat and Edith was coughing. Fortunately, her grandfather brought a glass of water for her. She emptied the glass and looked at the uncle and niece in front of her.

    "Hazel," Edith patted at her chest to calm down. "Why are you here?"

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 30 - Invitation

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Mike Qian shifted his gaze between his granddaughter and the newcomers. Seeing how his granddaughter had such a big reaction upon seeing the little girl, he was suddenly curious about them.

    At this time, Edith Qian was staring at the two in a daze.

    Mike Qian nudged at his granddaughter''s side and raised a brow, silently asking her if she knew the two strangers before them.

    "We came here to buy some noodle," Hazel answered as she glanced at her uncle.

    A moment ago, her uncle had told her that he was going to stop by at the noodle stall and buy some for her grandparents. It was the first time for her to come over the noodle stall and was curious about the place.

    As she looked around, Hazel Mo was surprised when she saw that her teacher was eating noodles with a few grandfathers. She could not help but call out her teacher. But who would have thought that her teacher would be surprised and had almost choked on her noodle?

    Edith swallowed as she looked at the two people in front of her. Her gaze shifted to the tall man and suddenly, Edith did not know how to act before them.

    Since she was back in the countryside, Edith had long let go of herself and forgotten her gentle way when she was interacting with her kindergarten students.

    Just now... both President Mo and Hazel probably had seen the way she was eating her noodles. She had her right legs propped on her left and she knew that she was slurping loudly.

    Edith was worried if she had ruined her image. At this time, she was embarrassed that she wanted to bury herself in the ground.

    "Teacher Qian, you came here to eat noodles too?" Hazel asked when she saw that her teacher was staring back at her in a daze.

    "Teacher Qian?" George Bei repeated. He glanced at the grandfather and granddaughter pair beside him and smiled at the little girl. "Little girl, who did you call Teacher Qian?"

    "Grandpa George. This is my student," Edith said in a low voice.

    "Your student?" George Bei frowned. "You mean, from the city?"

    "Hmm," Edith nodded.

    "It turns out that you are my granddaughter''s student," Mike Qian had a bright smile on his face. "Hello. Little girl, what is your name?"

    "Hello grandpa," Hazel greeted. "My name is Hazel Mo."

    "Oh, she''s very well behaved," Mike Qian nodded. He lifted his gaze to the tall man beside the girl and smiled. "You must be the father." His smile froze when he suddenly felt his granddaughter tugging at his shirt. He gave a questioning look at her and saw that his granddaughter shook her head at him.

    "Grandpa, you''re wrong," Hazel spoke. "This is my uncle."

    "Hello," Neil took the initiative to greet the elderly. Then he turned to Edith and smiled. "It turns out that Teacher Qian is from Z Town. Hazel''s grandparents stayed in the west part of the town. We came to visit them."

    It was then that Edith seemed to remember that she had heard that Chairman Mo was staying in the countryside due to his health problem. If her guess was right, then, Chairman Mo and his wife should be staying in the west part of the town. There were a few luxury private residences in the area and during the weekend, some rich families would come over to stay there.

    In fact, her friend, Lily Zhao had a residence in the area as well. It was at this town that she had run into this friend and they became closer.

    "How is Chairman Mo''s condition?" Edith asked.

    "He''s recuperating well," Neil said. "It seemed that this town''s environment is good for him."

    Mike Qian frowned when he noticed that his granddaughter''s polite attitude. Earlier, when she came to find him, his granddaughter still had her gangster attitude. It still gave him a shiver whenever he recalled the way his granddaughter had appeared earlier. She was too fierce!

    "Young man, here''s your noodles," Old Chen spoke as he put the bag on the table. "Since you''re very familiar with Edith, I added in a few more slices of meat."

    Neil looked at the old man and smiled. "Thank you." He then turned to his niece and stretched his hand. "Hazel, let''s go. Grandma is waiting for you."

    The little girl nodded. She put her hand in her uncle''s and paused. "Teacher Qian, my grandma promised me to take me to the beach. Later, you can come over and play together with me."

    Edith bent down to look at her student. "Hazel, you like to play at the beach?"

    "En." Hazel nodded. The smile on her face widened.

    "The beach on the west side of this town isn''t as safe and beautiful as the one on the east side. Well, if you like it, I can take you to a good spot." Edith paused when he saw that the girl was looking at her uncle. She followed Hazel''s gaze and saw that Neil Mo was looking at her. Seeing the man''s gaze on her, Edith pushed a few strands of hair behind her ear and flashed him an awkward smile.

    She had momentarily forgotten that Hazel still need her guardian''s permission to come out and play!

    Neil was about to say something when he felt Hazel gripping at his hand. He turned to his niece and the words he wanted to say suddenly disappeared.

    He came to Z Town because his parents were missing their granddaughter. Other than staying at the mansion, Neil did not have any plan to go anywhere.

    However, seeing the expectant look on the little girl''s face, Neil did not have the heart to reject her teacher''s invitation. It was not every day that Hazel would have this look on her face.

    Neil was always worried that Hazel was forced to grow up too fast after she had lost her parents. But at this time, Hazel had that rare expression that made him remember that she was still a five years old kid.

    "Do you want to go?" Neil asked his niece.

    Hazel''s eyes sparkled. She nodded vigorously and stopped herself. "Can I?"

    Neil looked at Edith and spoke, "Well, if your teacher''s offer still stands, then sure."

    Edith looked at the uncle and niece back and forth before she finally stopped at Hazel. "If you want to go, then I will wait for you here later." She turned to Neil and continued. "How about around five? The weather isn''t too hot."

    "Alright.." Neil agreed.

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 31 - Ediths Worries

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Once the luxury car left the area, Edith slumped into her seat. Then, her brain replayed the situation just now and she started to think of how she might have looked like in front of student Hazel.

    Because she was teaching at an elite kindergarten, Edith Qian had learned her etiquette and had always done her best to act politely in front of the children. After a while, she was used to integrating this well-mannered attitude into her daily life.

    It was only when she returned to this small town and met the townspeople that her carefree attitude would come out.

    However, just now, Hazel might have seen the way she was eating her noodle without care. What if the little girl would copy her way and the school found out that she was giving a bad example to the kids? Will she get fired over this?

    What if President Mo thought that she was too unruly? Would he report it to the kindergarten and have her replaced? She did not want to lose this job!

    "What''s wrong with you?" Mike Qian asked when he saw the strange way his granddaughter was reacting.

    Edith turned to her grandfather with a complicated look on her face. In the end, she was unable to say anything.

    "That young girl was really your student?" Mike Qian inquired.

    "Hmm," Edith nodded.

    Mike Qian let out a long breath. "Looking at the little girl reminded me of you. Before your mother passed away, you used to be that cute."

    Edith narrowed her eyes as she looked at her grandfather. As the memory of her mother came to her mind, her gaze began to soften again. Though it has been years and those memories were starting to grow fuzzy, Edith found that she was missing her late mother.

    It was not long ago that Hazel lost both her parents at the same time. At this time, Edith was worried about the little girl.

    "Grandpa, did you heard about the accident in L City months ago? The Vice President of MH Group and his wife met in an accident and died."

    Mike Qian found that it was strange for his granddaughter to suddenly change the subject. "Un. I heard."

    The couple''s accident had become a hot topic. Especially after there were rumors that the couple''s accident might not be an accident. Whenever Mike met up with those guys from the police force, he would often hear them discussing this matter.

    "That student, Hazel is the daughter of the couple," Edith spoke. She lowered her gaze and stared absentmindedly at her unfinished bowl of noodles. "For five years old who suddenly lost both her parents like that¡­ I wonder how must that make her feel."

    Mike Qian was surprised. He shifted his gaze to where the luxurious vehicle was parked before. His mind reeled back towards how his granddaughter had acted after her mother passed away.

    His granddaughter grew up with only her mother and the were very close. When her mother passed away, Edith was at loss. She would not cry in front of him, but Edith would create a problem for him almost every day.

    She ran away from home a few times and was involved in a fight with other students. Back then, Mike Qian would receive a call from the headmaster, telling him to come over to the school to discuss his granddaughter''s problematic act almost every week.

    Raising Edith was hard, but he was glad that this girl turned out alright.

    "As long as she had someone to look after her, that little girl would be fine," Mike Qian whispered. He turned to his granddaughter and patted at her shoulder. "Just treat that student of yours gentler next time."

    ¡­

    The grandfather and granddaughter returned to their house after a while. Edith stared at the locked door and was suddenly reminded that she had left her friend, Aaron just like that.

    After making a mental note to thank him later, Edith went to her room to clean up. Knowing that she was going to return home that week, her grandfather had cleaned up the room a little bit and changed the sheets.

    The room was exactly like how she had left it.

    "What do you want to eat for dinner?" Mike Qian asked as he appeared behind his granddaughter. "Is steamed fish alright with you?"

    Edith let out a long sigh as she was suddenly reminded of her grandfather''s obsession with fishing after he was retired from the police force. Even Grandpa Bei was pulled along to join this new hobby.

    Although she was glad that her grandfather found something he liked to do, she was worried whenever she heard that her grandfather would leave for the sea for weeks.

    If something happened to her grandfather, then she would have no one else.

    Seeing that she did not reply, Mike thought that his granddaughter was not in the mood to eat steamed Sea Bass. "Alright. I''ll deep-fry it in sweet and sour sauce. You''re fine with that, right?"

    Another long sigh escaped her. "Fine. As long as you stay and have a meal together with me later instead of running around to go fishing."

    Mike clicked at his tongue. "What kind of person do you think I am? I still have common sense."

    His granddaughter had returned home and it was his daughter''s anniversary tomorrow. Of course, he was not going to head over to the sea with his friends.

    "Alright, you should go and take a rest," Mike said. "You just got back and you must be tired. Later, didn''t you promise to meet the little girl and take her to the beach?"

    Edith was suddenly reminded of her promise with Hazel and was nervous at meeting the cold president again.

    ...

    Back in the luxurious villa in the west part of the town¡­

    Hazel Mo has been sticking to her grandmother''s side as soon as they arrived at the villa. It has been a few months since Sophie Huang had spent time with her granddaughter and now that the little girl was at her side, Sophie had refused to be apart from her.

    It was only after Hazel was too tired and had to take her nap that Sophie left the little girl''s side.

    Neil watched as his mother closed the door softly and walked over to him.

    "Hazel told me that she was going to the beach with her teacher later on," Sophie said to her son.

    "Hmm," Neil nodded. "We ran into her kindergarten teacher at the noodle stall earlier and she invited her to play together."

    "Hazel''s kindergarten teacher?" A person appeared in her mind. "Teacher Qian?"

    "Mom, you know her?"

    Sophie nodded. "We met previously when I went over to Hazel''s kindergarten the last time. You have been with Hazel and had went to her kindergarten for a few times... What do you think about that teacher?"

    "It seemed like Hazel really liked her teacher," Neil said as he recalled his niece''s expression whenever she talked about this teacher.

    "That teacher had almost the same experience as Hazel," Sophie let out a sigh before she told her son about what the teacher had shared with her previously.. "I think it''s a good thing that Hazel was close to her."

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 32 - Dressing Up

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Grandpa Chen''s noodle stall had already closed when Edith arrived in the evening. The tables and chairs have been arranged neatly at the side, and everything was sparkly clean.

    Edith Qian saw the familiar Audi SUV parked at the side of the road and stared at the uncle and niece who stood under the tree with a dazed expression.

    At this time, the President of MH Group dressed in a khakis short and dark blue shirt, while Hazel was dressed in a bareback bohemian blue and white striped dress. The uncle and niece''s outfit matched and the two of them looked so good just standing there.

    Looking at how casual, yet fashionable they were, Edith thought that the two were going photo shooting by the beach.

    At this time, she was very tempted to pull out her phone and snapped a few pictures of them. If only she was not afraid of getting caught by this serious looking man.

    Edith checked on her wristwatch and saw that there were still five minutes before their appointment. She parked the scooter near the SUV and greeted both of them.

    "Hazel was excited knowing that you were going to take her to the beach and insisted to come earlier," Neil Mo explained.

    "Oh," Edith nodded absentmindedly. She shifted her gaze from the man and turned to the little girl who only reached around her waist area and bent down to Hazel''s height. "Hazel you look pretty."

    The little girl beamed at upon hearing her teacher''s praise. A smile curved on her lips and she thanked Edith timidly. "Grandma prepared this dress for me when she heard that I''m coming over to visit her."

    "Your grandmother had excellent eyes," Edith said as she patted at the girl''s hair. She looked at the clothes she was wearing and wonder if she should go home and change.

    She was only dressed in short denim and baby pink T-Shirt, and standing beside the uncle and niece gave her the feeling as if she was not dressed enough to play at the beach.

    "Let''s go," Neil spoke after a brief silence between them.

    Edith stared back at the handsome man and her mind had suddenly gone blank. It seemed as if her CPU was overload and it was going to take her some time to process his words.

    "You said you were going to take Hazel to a good spot to play," Neil reminded her. A thought crossed his mind and he narrowed his eyes slightly. "You didn''t think that I will leave Hazel to you just like that, right?"

    "No. Of course not." Edith shook her head quickly.

    The cold expression on his face disappeared at her answer. "I am not that irresponsible," he explained.

    "Of course," Edith nodded. "I know."

    Neil Mo has guessed rightly.

    Edith had thought that the man was going to leave little Hazel to her care for a few hours. She was planning to play around with Hazel and return the girl to her family just before the sky turned dark.

    It seemed that she was used to it. Her friend, Lily Zhao would leave her son, Alex He into her care, and subconsciously, Edith had thought that this man was going to do the same.

    Anyway, she did not think that the President of MH Group would want to spend his time playing around at the beach.

    Wasn''t he''s a busy man? Shouldn''t he be busy doing a lot of work? Why did he want to come along and play at the beach?

    She knew that as the President of MH Group Neil Mo was always busy. Or else, he would not come late to pick up Hazel at the kindergarten almost every day.

    Edith forced a smile and shifted her gaze back to Hazel. "Let''s go." She extended her hand to Hazel and the little girl put her hands in hers.

    Just as Edith was heading to her scooter, something came to her mind. She stopped abruptly and turned to the tall man behind her. "How about you drive and I rode my scooter and lead you into the location? Though it was not very far from here, Hazel would easily get tired if she walked over there."

    Hazel''s eyes brightened upon hearing her name. "Teacher Qian, I don''t mind walking."

    "I don''t want you to get too tired," Edith spoke to the little girl. "Or else, you wouldn''t have so much fun when you arrived."

    Neil was momentarily startled as the two girls turned their heads simultaneously to look at him to wait for his answer. "Teacher Qian, you should get in the car."

    "No," Edith waved her hand to decline. "That''s alright. It would be more convenient if I rode my scooter."

    Neil Mo stared at the woman in front of him for a few seconds longer and frowned. It was rare for anyone to decline his offer. "You should go with us," he spoke again. "Hazel seemed to like your company. She would be happy if you are with her."

    Edith shifted her gaze to Hazel and saw the way the little girl was staring back at her with a pleading gaze. Suddenly, Edith found herself that she was unable to say a word.

    "Don''t worry. I will send you back here afterward," Neil said. "You can get your scooter and head back home."

    "Oh," Edith nodded. Her hand subconsciously tightened at the hem of her T-Shirt. The thought of spending her time in the vehicle with this cold man was making her nervous.

    Edith followed the little girl to the Audi SUV and froze when Neil opened the back passenger door. She helped the little girl into the car and helped her into her car seat.

    Once everything was settled, Neil Mo shut the door and slid into the driver''s seat. He put on his seat belt and looked at the kindergarten teacher through the rear mirror. "Teacher Qian, I have to trouble you to show the way."

    "Oh," Edith nodded. She leaned forward and showed the way to the spot where most the locals would play go.

    After five minutes of driving, a frown appeared on Neil Mo''s face. He was sure that Hazel''s teacher had mentioned that it would be possible for them to reach the location on foot, but looking at the distance, Neil did not think that it was suitable for anyone to walk over to the location.

    "Is it farther?" Neil asked.

    "Almost there," Edith said. Her gaze met with Neil''s via the rear mirror and she quickly shifted her gaze to the road. "There were a few beautiful beach spots in this town. Since you choose to drive, of course, I have to show both you and Hazel to the prettiest spot." She lifted her gaze again and saw that he was no longer looking at her. "Don''t worry, President Mo.. I''m not going to take you and Hazel to some shady place."

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 33 - Playing By The Beach

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    After driving for a few more minutes, Neil Mo finally saw the beach in front of him and followed as per Edith''s instruction to park under a shady tree. The three of them get off the vehicle and the sea breeze blew gently.

    Neil started to scan the area and was momentarily stunned.

    The sands were white and the beach was clean. Upon closer look, Neil began to see that that they were at a small bay. The sunlight reflected against the water, creating a dazzling glare. The seawater was sparkling.

    Hazel Mo saw these scenes and was very excited that she could not help but to run forward. The little girl stopped just as she reached the water. The wave rolled to her feet and Hazel took a step back, with her eyes widened in surprise. Looking at her wet sandal, Hazel then turned around and ran to her teacher.

    "What''s the matter?" Edith raised a brow. "Are you scared of the seawater?"

    Hazel hesitated. She was a bit scared when the wave rolled to her feet, but she did not want to admit it. What if her teacher did not want to play with her when she found out?

    "You don''t have to worry, the beach in this area isn''t that deep. If you''re still afraid, then stay close to me," Edith said. "I will be with you and make sure that you are safe."

    Hazel''s eyes brightened with joy and she nodded excitedly. "Teacher Qian, do you know how to swim?"

    "Un," Edith nodded and laughed. She stretched her hand to touch Hazel''s hair and spoke, "I grew up around here. Every day, after school, my friends and I would come to the beach and we would play in the water just before the sky turns dark. After a long time of practicing, I''m quite good at swimming."

    Hazel shifted her gaze back at the seawater and wonder if she would be good at swimming after a lot of practice. Although her late mother had taken her to the swimming classes in the past, she was still not very good at it. The thought of being drowns scared her and Hazel was afraid of getting into water without a floater.

    "What do you want to do? If you don''t want to play in the water, we can just walk around or play with the sand," Edith suggested. She raised her head to look at the sky and a gentle sigh escaped. "The weather is so great. If we brought along some food and drinks, we can have a little picnic around."

    "Teacher Qian, let''s come here and have a picnic next time."

    Edith looked at the little girl beside her and laughed. Looking at Hazel''s big round eyes, she did not have the heart to say no to her. Although Edith was quite sure that there would not be another chance for her to come over to the beach with the little again, she did not hesitate to agree. "Alright. Sure. Let''s come over again the next time."

    Hazel Mo''s smile widened upon hearing her teacher''s words. The next time, when she comes again, she wanted to take her grandparents with her. She has to ask her grandmother to prepare some food so that they can have a picnic.

    Those thoughts made Hazel very happy. She held her teacher''s hand and pulled her towards the water. "Teacher Qian, let''s just play by the water."

    "Okay," Edith readily nodded before she led Hazel to the water again and the two of them were playing with waves. Soon, the hem of Hazel''s dress was wet with seawater, but the little girl had ignored her wet dress and keep playing around.

    Meanwhile, Neil Mo has been looking around the area ever since they arrived. Seeing that her niece had pulled her teacher to play, Neil took this chance to survey the area.

    His eyes flashed brightly at the thought of the potential of what this place can be. He could almost imagine building a few villas around the location where his SUV was parked. Then they would have wonderful views of the small bay every day. The sunset would be so pretty to look at.

    Neil Mo shifted his gaze towards the sun and paused as he saw the two girls playing by the water. Hazel was playing chase with waves and laughed happily as the waves crash to her feet.

    Looking at the smile on the little girl''s face, Neil was momentarily stunned. He could not remember when was the last time he had to see his niece laughing happily like this.

    It seemed as if she had not laughed like this ever since her parents had passed away. Neil turned his gaze to the woman who was accompanying her niece and the conversation between him and his mother earlier today resurfaced in his mind.

    His mother had told him that she wished for Hazel to spend more time with this teacher. Neil''s gaze softened as he thought of how the kindergarten teacher had almost the same experience with Hazel. They both had lost their parents at an early age.

    Neil and his parents often worry about how Hazel was going to grow up as she was very close to her parents. But as he continued to watch the kindergarten teacher, Neil had this thought that his niece, Hazel Mo was going to grow up just fine.

    He hoped that this girl will continue to have the smile on her face and would continue to laugh freely just like she did at this moment.

    Just as he was watching the two girls playing at the water, Neil saw that his niece had suddenly stopped and screamed.

    Panicked, Neil ran towards the little girl with worry on his face. Although the two were playing where the water had only reached to Hazel''s calf, there were a lot of other dangers.

    What if Hazel had accidentally stepped on some sharp object like glasses and bleed? What if she was stung by jellyfish? A lot of scenarios appeared in his mind and Neil''s face paled.

    Neil went over to Hazel and knelt beside her. The water splashed around them as he gave her a proper look to check whether his niece was with an injury. "What''s wrong? Are you injured?"

    Hazel stared back at her uncle with a dazed expression. Then, she shifted her gaze towards the water and suddenly, there was a disappointment on her expression.

    "Uncle! You scared those fishes away!"

    "Huh?"

    "There were a few small fishes around my legs just now. They were so tiny and cute!" Hazel spoke. "But once you come, they had swum away."

    Neil turned his gaze towards the water and from where he stood, he saw a few tiny fishes swimming around. The water around the area was clear and therefore, he was able to see them.

    "Did you scream because of the fishes?" Neil asked.

    Hazel nodded. She suddenly realized at what was happening, and her big eyes were staring back at her uncle pitifully. "Sorry, uncle. Did I scare you?"

    Neil put the girl back on the ground and let out a long sigh of relief. "It''s fine.. As long as you are alright."

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 34 - Family Of Three

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    When Neil Mo raised his head, he found that the kindergarten teacher was staring at him with an amused smile. He slowly shifted his gaze away and let out a dry cough.

    He wondered if she might think of him as silly with the way he had behaved just now.

    Actually, Edith was just relieved to see how the man was caring for his niece. Previously, when Madam Mo had looked for her in kindergarten, she had mentioned Neil''s relationship with Hazel. The two were not close at all.

    Knowing that Hazel will need a lot of support and care to go through her loss of her parents, Edith was certainly worried. She had seen the uncle and niece''s interaction whenever Neil came at the kindergarten and the last time they ran into each other at the mall. Edith was able to tell that what Madam Mo said was the truth. The two were not close. However, seeing that President Mo of MH Group would run towards his niece once he found that she might be in danger, Edith was a bit relieved.

    She was among the person who had watched the two''s interaction almost everyday and she could see that the two''s relationship was getting better.

    Her lips tilted up into a slight smile as she watched him turning away. A helpless sigh escaped her when he saw that his clothes were wet after trying to ''rescue'' her niece.

    Edith ran towards the duffle bag that she had thrown on the sand earlier, took out a towel, and walked over to Neil. "Here, you should dry yourself or wrap yourself with this before you get cold."

    Because she over to play by the beach often, Edith knew that bringing along towels and changes of clothes were necessary. When she was a lot younger, she would often go swimming at the beach with a few of her friends.

    Her grandfather caught her when she came home with her clothes wet and had scolded her. For the whole month, she was not allowed to go to the sea. Afterward, it has become a habit for her to bring along some change.

    Neil stared at the towel and hesitated for a few seconds before he took the towel and started drying his clothes. "Thank you."

    He had not planned to play in the water and therefore, did not bring along a change of clothes. The only thing he could do was to wrap himself with the towel to warm himself. He turned to look at his niece who was busy looking at the small fishes in the water and let out a sigh.

    The girl was playing happily and he did not have the heart to tell her that they need to return because his clothes were wet.

    A thought crossed his mind just as he draped the towel on his shoulder. "What about you?"

    "It''s fine. I have spares."

    Hearing her answer, Neil tightened the towel around his shoulder, and the smell of fresh linen filled in his nose. He glanced at the person beside him and spoke, "Teacher Qian, you are right. This place is very beautiful."

    Edith smiled at his words. "This spot was a bit farther from the town. Therefore not many would come to this place even the locals."

    Neil glanced at her. "No one tried to buy this piece of land?"

    "I hope not. It wouldn''t be good if someone decided to develop this area into a resort or something," Edith said. "Once the development started, it will disturb the nature and this place it will never look the same. This place is beautiful as it is and I hope that this place would remain the way it was."

    Neil shifted his gaze away as she continued to list out the bad side of developing the area.

    Suddenly, he was ashamed of his thought of developing this area and build a few villas just a few moments ago.

    MH Group was business was mainly in property and development. Whenever he saw a good spot, he would think of developing the site and make a profit from it.

    Edith sensed the silence from the man beside him and had suddenly recalled the business that MH Group was involved in.

    President Mo would not think that she was nagging him, right?

    Her mouth opened to apologize, but Edith could not utter a word. Anyway, if she chose to act like she did not realize his discomfort, he would probably not care about it, right?

    Just as she was not able to withstand the awkwardness, Edith heard the sound of a familiar vehicle. She turned around and saw that her friend, Aaron Li was waving his hand at her.

    Once he saw her, Aaron shut the door and ran over to her. His move was suddenly halted when Aaron began to notice the tall man beside his friend.

    "Why are you here?" Edith asked as he approached.

    Aaron scrutinized the man at the side and shifted his gaze back to Edith. "I thought that you were coming over to the beach. But your grandfather said that you have gone out. Since you did not come over to our beach, I thought you would come over here."

    At this time, Hazel Mo stopped playing by the water and walked over to the adults. She stared at the newcomer with her curious eyes as she hid behind her teacher. One of her hands stretched out to hold her uncle''s.

    They looked exactly like a family of three.

    Seeing this scene, Aaron inched closer to Edith and whispered, "Hey, we haven''t seen each other for a few years, and you suddenly came back with a husband and a kid?"

    Edith glanced at the tall man beside her and wondered if he overheard Aaron''s words. Suddenly, her face flushed red in embarrassment.

    What husband? What kid?

    Edith lifted her feet and stepped on Aaron''s. She gritted her teeth and hissed, "If you don''t stop spewing nonsense, I swear to god that I will beat you to death."

    Aaron Li let out a nervous laugh as he bore with the pain on his foot.

    It has been a long time since this rough woman had stomped on his feet like this. He had started to forget how painful it can be. Edith had a thin figure, how did her stomping would be hurting like this.

    Edith turned to Neil and flashed the smile that she had used whenever she was facing the kindergartners'' parents. "President Mo, this is my friend, Aaron Li. Aaron, this is President Neil Mo and my student from L City, Hazel Mo."

    "President Neil Mo?" Aaron stared at the man as he heard that familiar name. A few seconds later, he immediately figured out the identity of the man. "MH Group?"

    "Hello," Neil stretched his hand for a handshake. "You know me?"

    The two men shook their hand and Aaron smiled. "I often met with your parents. Chairman Mo and his wife live in the west part of the town. I often ran into them whenever I patrolled that area."

    "Patrolled?"

    Aaron let out a chuckle.. "I''m a police officer."

    Read novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 35 - Death Anniversary

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Upon hearing that the man in front of him was an officer who patrolled around his parents'' residence, Neil Mo began to thank him and the two were involved in small talk.

    Meanwhile, Hazel Mo looked at the new adult as she hid behind her teacher. Once her gaze met with the adult''s, Hazel stepped out from hiding and greeted him politely with her timid voice. "Hello."

    Aaron crouched beside the little girl and smiled. "Hello. You are Edith Qian''s student?"

    Hazel glanced at her teacher before she nodded. "Teacher Qian is my classroom teacher."

    "How is she as a teacher?" He glanced at Edith before he inched closer to the little girl and whispered, "Did she make a lot of problems at school?"

    Hazel looked at the man in front of her and then to her teacher with a confused look on her face. This was the first time for her to hear such questions. Usually, wouldn''t the adult be more concerned about whether children would create problems at school?

    "Aaron." Edith gave him a warning.

    Fearing that his foot would swell from her stomping, Aaron swiftly stood up and took a step back, away from his friend. His lips curled into a teasing smile as he turned to Edith again. "Anyway, since you were with a company, I don''t have to worry about you."

    Edith sent this man a death glare and a warning for him to stop talking. She had known Aaron for a long time, and this man was good at saying words that would make others misunderstand her.

    Aaron Li chuckled, knowing that Edith would not dare to harm him in public.

    "When will you head back to the city?" Aaron asked, in the hope to change the subject.

    Edith tilted her head down for a few seconds. "Probably after lunch."

    Aaron nodded. He knew that Edith and her grandfather was planning to head over to the cemetery in the morning but had expected that she was going to stay and return to the city on the last bus ride.

    "I still have to work on the day after," Edith said. "I need to make a few preparations."

    "Alright then," Aaron said with a sigh. "Come over to the B&B with your grandfather after you came back from the cemetery. My mom is going to prepare some extra breakfast for the guests. You should come and have your breakfast there."

    Edith thought over his invitation and agreed. Anyway, she haven''t seen Aaron''s mother for a long time and was planning to visit her before she went back to the city.

    Once Aaron''s vehicle had disappeared from their eyesight, Edith turned around to Neil Mo and saw the strange look in his eyes. Before she was able to figure out what was it, the man had already shifted his gaze away.

    Edith turned her head when Hazel tugged at her hand to ask her to accompany her to play.

    Neil Mo walked over to the dry area and sat down on the white sand as he continued to watch the two girls playing by the water.

    Earlier, he overheard the kindergarten teacher''s conversation with her friend and knew that she was planning to visit the cemetery with her grandfather in the morning.

    As the conversation with his mother appeared in his mind, Neil Mo furrowed his brow. His gaze was glued to Edith as he wondered if the person she was going to visit was her deceased mother.

    ¡­

    Neil Mo let his niece play around the beach and the two of them returned to his parents'' residence before the sunset.

    When the vehicle drove into the porch, Sophie Huang walked out of the residence to look at her granddaughter. The elder woman pulled Hazel into her embrace and kissed her a few times on her cheeks.

    "Hazel, did you have fun at the beach?"

    "Un," Hazel nodded enthusiastically. "Grandma, the place where Teacher Qian took us was very pretty. Next time, let''s go and have a picnic there together. Grandma, you can make a lot of sandwiches and we can play in the water and look at the tiny fishes."

    Sophie had a wide smile on her face as she continued to listen to her granddaughter''s chatter voice. It has been a while for her to see the little girl being so talkative and naturally, Sophie was more than happy to listen to her every word.

    After a while, Sophie asked the auntie to help Hazel change her clothes and the girl obediently listened to her grandmother to go to take a shower. When she turned to her son, Sophie could not help but thought that there was something wrong with his appearance.

    "Where did you get that towel?"

    Sophie seemed to remember that she had prepared for a few clothes and a few necessities for her granddaughter. But the towel was not something that she had prepared.

    Neil Mo looked up from his phone and glanced at the towel wrapped on his shoulder. His eyes widened upon recalling that the towel belonged to Hazel''s kindergarten teacher.

    ...

    The next morning, Edith Qian drove her grandfather''s car and the two of them head over to the cemetery. The drive took them for almost fifteen minutes. When they arrived, the grandfather and granddaughter stayed in the car for a few minutes in silence.

    Both of them seemed as if they had something preoccupying their mind, and no one of them would want to share their thoughts.

    "Let''s go." Mike Qian spoke to break the silence. He stepped out of the vehicle and her granddaughter followed him.

    Edith grabbed the bags in the backseat and the two of them walked up the slight slope until they reached the tomb. The two of them stood side by side as they watched the name and the faded photograph on the tomb. Then, as if she had snapped out of her thought, Edith put down the thing she had brought along with her beside her and started to clean up the area.

    However, because the tomb was clean, there were not many things for her to do. Edith had known that her grandfather would come over to visit her mother''s tomb almost every two weeks and he would clean the area.

    The frequency of his visit to her mother was more than his visit to Edith''s deceased grandmother.

    Edith always knew that her grandfather loved his daughter very much and was devastated when she was involved in an accident and passed away.

    Even though her grandfather was grieving, he had no choice but to toughen up and raise Edith until she was had graduated high school and university.

    Edith knew that her grandfather was saddened that he had to bury his only child just after a few years after he had lost his wife.

    Her mother''s death back then was too sudden that it took them a long time to recover.

    Growing up, Edith often heard the story about her mother through her grandfather. Her mother was a good and filial child to her parents.

    Though Mike Qian always had a nonchalant look on his face, Edith had a feeling that his grandfather was still grieving over her death. Perhaps even to this day, her grandfather was still unable to accept the sudden news of her mother''s passing.

    "Hello mom," Edith crouched before the tomb. Her gaze softened as she looked at the familiar face of her mother. She pulled out the stuff from her bags and arranged them on the tomb. "It has been seventeen years since you left us." A small smile curved on her lips. "I hope you won''t be angry at me for not coming over to visit you as often.. Grandfather was insistent to let me work in the big city and therefore, I could not come to visit you as often as I would like to."

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 36 - Mike Qians Grieve

    Edith Qian spent a long time updating her mother about her life in the city. She stared at the faded photograph, trying her best to imprint her mother''s face in her mind. Her head tilted down for a few seconds as the memories of her and her mother appeared in her mind.

    She never knew her father. It was her mother who had raised her. Before she died, Edith''s world revolved around her mother. They do a lot of things together and her mother would love and pamper her.

    That was why she was at a loss when her mother suddenly passed away. She was angry that her mother had left without taking her along. Not knowing what to do with her grief, she can only channel her anger and cause trouble for her grandfather and the adults around her.

    It seemed that as she grew older, her mother''s face in her memory has gone blurry. If she did not look at her picture every day, Edith was afraid that sooner or later, she might forget how her mother looked like.

    Suddenly, Edith felt a warm and soft pat on her shoulder. She turned around and saw that her grandfather was looking at her with a helpless look on his face.

    Mike Qian pulled out a handkerchief from his pocket and dabbed at his granddaughter''s cheek. "Don''t cry."

    Edith blinked and felt something wet streamed down her cheek. She rubbed at her eyes with her sleeve furiously and said, "I''m not crying."

    "Alright. You''re not. It''s just that some dust got into your eyes, right?"

    Edith shot her grandfather an angry look, causing the man to chuckle.

    The two of them stayed around for a while longer before Edith stood up and headed towards their car, leaving her grandfather behind. After a few steps, Edith turned her head in time to see her grandfather crouching beside her mother''s tomb. His head tilted down and his hand was touching the tomb.

    She did not know what her grandfather would tell her mother. But every time they visited the cemetery, her grandfather would always stay behind for at least ten minutes and he would never allow her to stay around.

    There was that one time when she had sneaked around to listen to his conversation, but once Edith saw her grandfather''s crying face, she found herself unable to step forward.

    His face was full of sorrow. It was an expression that she had never seen before. Tears streamed down his eyes and he let out a heart-wrenching cry. In the end, Edith chose not to go over and turn around to wait for her grandfather in the car.

    When he came back to her, his expression had turned normal and Edith was unable to detect the sadness from her grandfather. Later, he had taken her to grab some ice cream and she had forgotten about what she had seen at the cemetery.

    Edith was reminiscing her past when she noticed that her grandfather was walking over to her. She stood up straight and smiled. As she was expecting, although there were some traces of tears on his face, he had hidden it well with the smile on his face.

    "Let''s go." Mike Qian said.

    Edith nodded and shifted her gaze away as she went into the driver''s seat. "Aaron invited us to come over to their B&B for breakfast. They have some guests over and Mrs. Li will be cooking extra food."

    Mike Qian nodded. "Then, let''s go.

    Edith drove over to the B&B and once they arrived, Auntie Li greeted them at the door and ushered them in.

    "Edith," Auntie Li''s eyes sparkled with joy as she saw her walking in. "I haven''t seen you for a long time." She turned to Mike Qian and nodded. "Come in. Just make yourself at home. It''s not like this is your first time here."

    "Auntie Li," Edith looked around and could not find her friend around. "Where''s Aaron?"

    "He got a call from his teammate this morning and they went away somewhere for work," Auntie Li said with a soft sigh. "How long will you be staying this time?"

    "Auntie Li, I''m taking the bus to the City in the afternoon."

    "Why are you going back so soon?" Auntie Li looked at her with a surprised expression.

    "I still have to work tomorrow," Edith smiled. "Next time, I will definitely come back again during my next vacation."

    Auntie Li let out another sigh. "Alright. Aaron''s father had just come back from the jetty and brought along some seafood. Sit down and I''ll make some seafood fried noodles for you, alright?"

    "Auntie Li, I''ll help you," Edith offered.

    The old lady waved her hand. "You must be tired after waking up early in the morning. Just sit there for a while. I''ll be back in a few minutes."

    At this time, Aaron''s father, James Li walked out of a room. He froze upon seeing Mike Qian at the waiting area but seconds later, he quickly walked over to the elderly man.

    "Old Qian," James Li called. "We finally received new information. Someone from the city contacted me last night. That person was ready to¡ª"

    Mike Qian let out a loud, dry cough to stop his friend from talking.

    James Li stared at his old friend and finally noticed that there was something wrong with his expression. "What''s wrong with you? Why are you making that face?"

    Mike Qian cleared his throat before he glanced towards where his granddaughter was sitting.

    Soon, James followed his gaze and her body froze momentarily. A sharp gasp escaped him before he calmed down again. James Li forced a smile as he met Edith''s gaze.

    "Edith. Haha. I didn''t see you here."

    "Uncle Li," Edith greeted. She looked at the two old men alternately and asked, "What were you going to discuss with my grandfather? What are you two up to?"

    "Nothing. Nothing." James waved his hand. A frown appeared on his face when he suddenly felt a sharp pain on his waist. Turning around, Mike Qian was sending him a warning gaze.

    "What else can we discuss?" Mike Qian flashed an anxious smile as his granddaughter was giving him a suspicious gaze. "Of course, we are going to discuss our next fishing trip."

    Hearing the word fishing was making the corner of Edith''s lips twitched. "Grandpa!"

    "Alright, alright. Don''t be angry. Your Uncle Li was probably going to tell me about the fishing equipment in the city," Mike Qian said. He shifted his gaze away and pulled at James'' hand. "Edith you stay here. I''m going to discuss it with your Uncle Li for a while. You won''t be interested to listen. Just call us when the noodles are ready."

    Before she was able to say a word, the two old men had walked out through the side door and headed towards the beach. Edith narrowed her eyes as she sensed that her grandfather was anxious about something.. She had a feeling that her grandfather was hiding something from her and it was not something related to fishing.

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 37 - The Same Direction

    After accompanying her grandparents with lunch, Hazel Mo packed her backpack and walked over to her uncle.

    Sophie watched her granddaughter walking out with her backpack and her tears threatened to come out. As she grew up, Sophie began to notice that Hazel resembled her mother, Claire Fan, when she was her age.

    The Mo and Fan family live closer and Sophie had seen the kids grew up together. Claire would frequently visit their house to play with her sons in the backyard before her mother would come over to pick her up.

    Because the little girl would frequently come over, Sophie had thought of Claire as her daughter. Perhaps, she was the happiest when she heard that her son Adam was in a relationship with the girl.

    "Grandma, what''s wrong?"

    Sophie snapped out of her trance and smiled as she watched the little girl in front of her.

    "Don''t be sad," Hazel continued. She gave her grandmother a tight hug and spoke again, "Next time when the school is on break, I will come over with Uncle and accompany you for a few days, alright?"

    A soft laugh escaped her as she listened to Hazel''s cute voice. "Alright." Sophie nodded. "Next time, you definitely have to come over and play. I''ll make a lot of food and we can go picnic together."

    Hazel''s smile widened and she was looking forward to having a picnic together. She decided that when the time comes, she would have to ask Teacher Qian to come along.

    After saying her goodbyes to her grandparents, Hazel entered the SUV and let her uncle help her with her seat belt. With the window rolled down, she stuck out a hand and waved to her grandparents. Once she can no longer see her grandmother, Hazel sat down properly and the window rolled up.

    "It will take a few hours before we arrive in the city," Neil Mo spoke. "If you''re tired, just close your eyes and sleep. I''ll wake you up when we arrive."

    "I''m not sleepy," Hazel said. She grabbed her backpack on her side and pulled out a book that her grandpa had given her earlier. Her eyes shone brightly as she looked at the colorful pages and pictures of the beautiful princess.

    After browsing through those pictures, Hazel went back to the first page and start reading slowly. There were a few words that she did not know how to read, and Hazel decided that she should go and ask her uncle later.

    Outside, the weather was too hot and it was expected that it was going to rain heavily in a few hours.

    Neil Mo''s SUV cruised smoothly from Z Town for about thirty minutes until the traffic suddenly moved at a crawl.

    Neil frowned as he watched the road ahead. He glanced to check at the time and then to the navigation system. It seemed that a vehicle made a stop at the side. Because the road was a bit narrow, the car can only pass slowly. Once they passed through, the traffic will be moving again.

    "What''s wrong?" Hazel asked as she looked up from her book.

    "A car probably broke down ahead," Neil answered. "It should be fine after this."

    As they were approaching the scene, Neil saw a bus stopped at the side. White smoke came out of its hood.

    On the side of the road, a few passengers of the bus were seen lining up. When the bus suddenly broke down, the driver had asked everyone to go out and wait until the next bus pick them up before they can continue their journey.

    "Uncle!" Hazel Mo called out suddenly. "It''s Teacher Qian! I saw Teacher Qian at the side of the road."

    Neil looked from the rear mirror and saw that the kindergarten teacher was standing along with the other passenger with her head tilted down. After a quick judgment, Neil pulled his SUV to the side of the road and turned to his niece.

    "I''m going over there for a while to check on the situation," Neil said. "When I leave, you must remember to lock the door and only open them when you see me, alright?"

    "Oh," Hazel nodded. She took off her seat belt and watched as her uncle exited the car. Then, she took off her shoes and crawled over to the driver seat to lock the door.

    Once he was sure that Hazel had locked the door, Neil walked over to the bus and approached the driver. "What''s the matter?"

    The middle-aged man turned around and spoke, "Something''s wrong with the engine. Don''t worry about it. The tow truck will be coming shortly."

    "Then, what about the others?"

    "The company has sent another bus to pick them up," the driver said. "It shouldn''t take too long before they arrive."

    Neil nodded. He shifted his gaze towards the passengers and stopped at Edith. At this time, the kindergarten teacher was typing something on her phone. He pondered for a few seconds and walked over.

    The passengers looked up when they sensed that someone was approaching. The female passenger was suddenly excited upon seeing a handsome man walking over.

    Just when they thought that this handsome man would take the initiative to talk to them, the man suddenly stopped in front of another woman. The women sighed with disappointment before they looked at the lucky woman with slight envy.

    "Teacher Qian?"

    Edith Qian was busy typing on her phone to report to her grandfather about her situation when she heard a familiar voice. When she looked up, President Mo''s face suddenly appeared in front of her.

    "President Mo, what are you doing here?"

    "I saw you as I was passing by the road," Neil said. "The driver said that the next bus will be arriving soon, but since we''re heading in the same direction, why don''t you come with us? I will give you a lift to L City."

    Edith was about to reject his invitation until she suddenly recalled that she has not finished preparing her teaching materials for tomorrow''s class. When the bus suddenly broke down, Edith was worried that she might arrive in the city too late that she will have to stay up to prepare for her class.

    Her eyes brightened up as she looked at the man in front of her as if she was looking at her savior.

    Neil was momentarily stunned as he looked at her expression. He was only offering to give her a lift to the City, why does she have to look so happy?

    However, her expression toned down again when she remembered that she was not living in L City.

    "That." Edith paused. "My place is in A City."

    "It''s fine. We were going to pass through A City before we arrived in L City after all. It wouldn''t be a trouble." He saw her hesitation and continued. "Let''s go. Hazel is waiting in the car.. She will be happy to see you."

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 38 - Storytelling

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Hazel Mo wore a happy expression on her face as she watched her uncle helped her teacher to put her luggage in the trunk.

    "Teacher Qian, hello," Hazel greeted politely as the door to the back passenger seat swung open.

    "Hello, Hazel."

    "I saw you standing at the roadside."

    "Hmm, the bus broke down and I was waiting for another bus to come over to pick me up," Edith said and smiled. "Fortunately, you saw me. Or else, I did not know how long do I have to wait before I can go home."

    Hazel Mo had a shy smile on her face. It felt as if she had done a great thing and her favorite teacher was praising her. At the thought that this teacher will accompany her through the journey, Hazel felt happier.

    At this time, Neil Mo slid into the driver seat and looked at the two girls through the rear mirror. Once he was sure that they have put on their seat belt, Neil shifted the gear and started to drive.

    "President Mo, thank you for your help," Edith spoke as the vehicle entered the road. Their gaze met through the rear mirror and Edith flashed a smile.

    "It''s not a problem. We are an acquaintance."

    Edith paused upon hearing his answer.

    If her friend, Lily Zhao heard that President Mo had thought of her as his acquaintance, she was going to jump up and down with excitement. The aloof President Mo of MH Group had considered her, Edith Qian, a mere kindergarten teacher as his acquaintance! Was this not exciting news?

    Edith shifted away from his gaze and turned to Hazel to hide her awkwardness.

    With her teacher beside her, Hazel took out her book and used this opportunity to ask her a few words that she did not understand.

    After a few minutes, Hazel passed the book to her teacher and had asked her to read for her. Soon, the vehicle was filled with Edith''s voice who was reading the storybook with a lively voice and vivid expression. Her voice attracted both the niece and uncle to listen until the end.

    When Edith shut the book, the little girl beside her had her eyes closed and she was leaning on her arms.

    Edith helped to adjust Hazel into a comfortable sleeping position and took out a shawl from her backpack to cover the little girl''s body. When she looked up, her gaze met with Neil''s again through the rear mirror.

    "I hope I was not too loud," Edith let out an embarrassed cough.

    Earlier, she had read aloud the book to Hazel with too much enthusiasm. Now that Hazel was asleep and there was only Neil Mo, Edith was suddenly worried that he would think that her voice was too loud that it had disturbed his concentration in driving.

    "It''s fine."

    Edith heaved a sigh. She did not know how to interact with a man who spoke so little words like Neil Mo. If the other party was a small child, Edith could try to find a way to initiate a conversation. But other than Hazel, Edith did not think that the two of them have anything in common to talk about.

    "You have a nice voice and you''re a good storyteller," Neil continued after a few seconds has passed. "I find myself enjoying it."

    Edith looked up and smiled. "Thank you. It has become part of my job as a kindergarten teacher."

    There was a brief silence before Neil speak again, "You are pretty good with Hazel. She was not someone talkative whenever she was with me."

    Edith laughed. She had heard from Madam Mo that Hazel and her uncle were not familiar with each other before Hazel''s parents passed away. Although the two were staying together, it will take some time for them to get used to each other and for Hazel to trust in her uncle.

    "I babysit for the neighbors'' kids sometimes when I was young," Edith said. "After interacting with the children for a long time, I got used to it. I guess that experience helped with my job as a kindergarten teacher."

    "You¡­ babysit?"

    "Hmm," A faint smile appeared on her lips as she thought of her childhood. "I live with my grandfather when I was growing up. He often sent me over to a caretaker''s house, but this caretaker had to look after a few kids at once. So sometimes, I have to help her to look after children younger than me."

    Her expression softened as she remembered quarreling with her friend, Aaron Li while helping his mother to look after those kids. The two of them were the biggest than the others. Therefore, they would often have to look for the other kids. If any of those kids get into trouble, the two of them will have to take the blame.

    "It will take sometimes for Hazel to warm up to you, President Mo," Edith said.

    "I hope so."

    As the two of them will be living together for a very long time, Neil wanted to improve his relationship with his niece. At least, he wanted Hazel to be able to talk with him freely.

    Neil Mo had decided to look after Hazel until she graduated high school before he was going to let her choose her future. If Hazel wanted to come and work for the company, he will be more than happy to teach her. If Hazel wanted to do something else, he will be supporting her.

    After an hour and a half of driving, the SUV stopped at an apartment block in A City.

    Neil Mo get off the vehicle and tilted his head up as he looked at the old building. Soon, the kindergarten teacher appeared beside him with her luggage at her side.

    "President Mo, thank you for your help," Edith said.

    "This is where you live?" His gaze was still at the apartment building. "Isn''t it too far from the kindergarten?"

    "It was not that far," Edith said. "Anyway, I''m used to it."

    Neil Mo wanted to speak again, but noticing the discomfort on Edith''s face, he decided not to say his thought. He quickly figured out that the reason that Edith has been staying at the apartment was due to its rent.

    However, a frown appeared on his face when he recalled how he had often shown up late to pick up Hazel from the kindergarten. Edith Qian would often be the last teacher who had to stay.

    Suddenly, Neil felt a tinge of guilt.

    "Then, I will go up first," Edith spoke again. "President Mo. Really. Thank you for your help today." She turned to the SUV and waved her hand.. "Hazel, bye-bye. I will see you tomorrow morning, alright?"

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 39 - Trouble

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    "I wish that I can go and visit Z Town. It has been a long time since I went there," Lily Zhao spoke as she took the small paper bag from her friend, Edith.

    The sun has begun to come out and at this time, Alex He was the first to arrive at the kindergarten.

    As Edith had got back from her hometown yesterday, she had brought some local snacks for her friend. The Zhao''s family had a villa in the west part of the Z Town and when she was younger, Lily would often visit the beach with her family. It was at this town that she became an acquaintance with Edith.

    "How is your grandfather?"

    Edith let out a loud sigh at the mention of her grandfather. "Don''t mention him. This morning, he called to let me know that he will be heading to the sea with a few of his friends to test some new fishing rod he bought. It seemed that I will not be able to contact him for the next few weeks."

    "Maybe he''s just bored after retirement. It''s good that he''s indulging himself in a hobby. At least he was not wasting away money with drinking and gambling."

    "But the fishing equipment was not that cheap!" Edith spoke with a hint of frustration.

    During her grandfather''s last birthday, Edith had thought about giving her grandfather fishing equipment and was surprised upon seeing the price tags. She did not expect the equipment to be so expensive. Some of them cost higher than her monthly salary!

    Lily laughed as she looked at her friend''s expression.

    At this time, another teacher walked by to greet the students. Seeing that a few students had started to come and it was almost time for her friend to get busy, Lily waved his son goodbye and left. Her steps halted upon encountering President Mo near her car and the two exchanged a nod as a form of greetings.

    "Alex''s mother, hello!" Hazel''s voice was heard.

    Lily shifted her gaze to the little girl and her lips curled up to an amused smile upon seeing the girl''s crooked pigtail hair. "Hello, Hazel. Alex has already entered the classroom not too long ago."

    The little girl''s eyes brightened. She had wanted to tell Alex how she had met their teacher in Z Town and thus, started to tug at her uncle''s hand to hasten their move.

    Once the two arrived at the gate, the teachers greeted the parents and students before they were ushered inside. Edith was watching a student and her mother at the side when Hazel''s sweet voice greeted her.

    "Hazel, hello!" Edith smiled at her student and lifted her head to meet her President Mo''s gaze. "Good morning."

    "Good morning," Neil replied to her with a nod and extended his arms as he handed her a bag. "Thank you for lending me the towel the last time."

    His voice was low and therefore, the teachers around them were not able to eavesdrop. However, they were still able to see that President Mo was handing Edith something and suddenly, their heart was itching to gossip.

    "I will let Grandpa Tang pick you up after school, alright?" Neil crouched down to Hazel''s height spoke to her. He watched her nodded and smiled. "Nanny Ann won''t be around to look after you, so Grandpa Tang will bring you over to my company after that."

    "Un," Hazel nodded. "Uncle, you have told me these this morning. Don''t worry, I know"

    Neil patted at his niece''s head with a helpless gaze upon noticing that his niece was too eager to enter her classroom and leave. After saying a few more words, the uncle and niece said their goodbyes.

    Once Hazel had entered the door and Neil had turned around to head over to his car, the teachers began to surround Edith.

    "Teacher Qian, what is that?" The short-haired Teacher Shen asked. "Did President Mo bestowed you a gift?"

    Edith shot her friend a helpless look upon hearing her choice of words. "What bestowing gift?"

    "Is it to thank you for looking after his niece?" Another teacher quipped.

    Every one of them has heard how Edith had stayed behind in school until it was very late as President Mo often late to pick up his niece from the kindergarten. It was not impossible if President Mo had prepared a gift to thank her for staying at the kindergarten past her working hours.

    Facing her co-workers'' intense gaze, Edith started to flinch. "You guys are thinking too much," she said after a while. "Last week, I let Hazel borrowed my towel when she got wet and President Mo only returned my things today." Her lips curled into a tight smile as she told her co-workers a lie.

    One of the teachers peeked into the bag and let out a sigh upon seeing that there was indeed a towel inside the bag. Although the towel was properly folded, one would be able to tell that it was not something that was recently bought and has been used a few times. As the mystery behind the gift was unveiled, the others began to disperse with disappointment on their faces.

    ¡­

    As Neil Mo arrived at the headquarter, his assistant, Shawn Zhong greeted him at the lobby and the two of them head over to the elevator together. The phone in Assistant Shawn''s hand vibrated and upon answering the short phone call, the assistant''s face began to pale.

    Neil glanced at his assistant as they entered the elevator and noticed the agitated look on his assistant''s face.

    "What''s wrong? Speak."

    Assistant Shawn shifted the weight on his feet and answered, "President Mo, there is a trouble. I received news from the construction manager. It seemed that there is a problem with the construction site on the north side of the city."

    Neil frowned as he thought of the projects. "The north side, you mean the hospital construction?"

    "Correct. I don''t know what really happened, but the construction workers refused to continue to work and they were holding a demonstration asking MH Group to pay their salary. It seemed that a few reporters had received the news and they were heading over to the site to get their scoop."

    Neil Mo''s eyes darkened upon hearing the matter. "Call out the managers who were involved in this matter.. I wanted everyone to show up at the construction site within half an hour."

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 40 - Unable To Leave

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    When Director Feng and a few managers arrived at the site, their face paled and sweat beads appeared on their forehead as they saw the group of reporters snapping pictures of the construction workers protesting at the site.

    Before they came over to the site, they were briefed by their man and had learned of the situation. Though they wanted to head over to those workers and tell them to stop creating a ruckus, they were unable to do anything with the presence of the reporters.

    Just then, one of the reporters had noticed their presence and soon started to surround Director Feng and the managers. There were continuous flashlights and questions directed to them, but they knew better not to comment on anything before they learn about the matters thoroughly.

    As they were thinking that they might not escape the reporters, Assistant Shawn appeared with a few guards to make way for Director Feng and the managers to enter the area.

    They were bought into a small office and once they entered, President Mo turned around with an intense gaze.

    Director Feng subconsciously took a step back, but the managers were blocking him.

    "President Mo," Director Feng greeted. The sweat on his forehead trailed down to his cheek, but he did not dare to move to wipe it under the man''s gaze.

    Neil Mo shifted his gaze to the managers and shifted again to look at the union leader who sat in front of him. He stood up and patted at the man''s shoulder. "Don''t worry. I promise that before the day is over, your salary will be deposited into your bank account."

    The leader''s stared at Neil with his eyes wide. Then, he stood up and bowed. "Thank you, President Mo!" The words were repeated a few times, and there was a hint of joy in his tone.

    Neil spoke to the man briefly before the man walked out of the room with a happy face.

    They have tried to contact the higher-ups for almost a month, but the managers would always treat them coldly and they were unable to meet the person in charge. It was after two days of demonstration, and until the reporters had learned about the matter that President Mo had come over to the site to meet him personally.

    When the President came to meet him, the leader had thought that the man was going to cause him trouble. After all, they were commoners and could not afford to fight against people with money. He did not think that the President of MH Group will listen to their problem attentively and had promised for a solution soon.

    At the thought that they would be receiving the two months'' salary soon, the leader could not contain his smile and had wanted to spread the good news to his friends.

    Meanwhile, Director Feng and the other managers were trembling as President Neil Mo continued to stare at them without saying anything.

    "President Mo," Director Feng decided to break the silence. "I can explain."

    Neil moved his gaze to the director and raised a brow. "Oh?" His lips tilted into a smile that did not reach his eyes. "Then, explain. Unless I am satisfied with your explanation on why didn''t the construction workers had not received their salary for the past two months, then, none of you will be allowed to leave."

    The managers turned to look at each other and swallowed to ease their nerves.

    ¡­

    The pitter-patter sound of rain was heard outside the kindergarten.

    At this time, there were only two students left in the kindergarten. Hazel Mo and Alex He sat down at the center of the room as they were playing with some blocks as Alex was telling the girl about some Gundam robot that his father had bought for him previously.

    Just an hour ago, Alex''s mother had called the kindergarten to inform her that she was going to be late because of the traffic. Meanwhile, Hazel was still waiting for the driver, Grandpa Tang to come over and pick her up.

    Edith glanced at her wristwatch and frowned when she noticed the time. It was late and usually, if Neil Mo was going to be late to pick up Hazel from the kindergarten, he would let his assistant give a call to the school. But until now, there was no news from them.

    Her gaze went to Hazel and Edith could not help but worry if something had happened to Neil. She took out a book from her desk and her phone from her bag.

    Once she found the name on the book, Edith tapped her fingers on the screen and hesitated. After inhaling a deep breath, Edith finally pressed the call button and placed the phone to her ear.

    The dial tone lasted for two seconds before someone picked it up.

    In the small modified meeting room at the construction site, the directors and managers sitting was too scared to utter a word as they watched their president pick up the phone.

    Currently, they were still discussing the matter about the construction worker as the president was not satisfied with their explanation. The discussion has gone for hours and it does not seem that it was going to end soon.

    When the phone on the table vibrated, the managers held their breath as they were ready to hear Neil Mo scolding the other side as he was in a very bad mood at this time.

    "Hello? Neil Mo speaking."

    Edith let out a sigh upon hearing his voice. "Hello, President Mo, this is Edith Qian from Sunflower Kindergarten."

    "Hazel." His tone changed upon realizing the reason for the phone call.

    "Yes. Hazel is still at the school. I just wanted to know if you are going to be late to pick her up and when will you be able to come?"

    Neil heaved a long sigh and rubbed his forehead upon realizing his mistake.

    Usually, Old Tang should be going over to the kindergarten to pick up his niece. However, with the sudden problem that the company was facing, there were a few changes in his plan.

    A few hours ago, he had sent his driver, Old Tang to head over the next town to deal with some matter for him. His driver had reminded him to pick up his niece from her kindergarten, but Neil was too preoccupied with the trouble at the company that he had forgotten to pick her up.

    "Sorry. I forgot," Neil quickly admitted his mistake. He glanced at the time and frowned upon realizing that it was late. "I will come over to the kindergarten to pick her up now. Is Hazel alright?"

    Edith smiled upon hearing that Neil''s concern for his niece. "She''s alright. Currently, there was another student at the kindergarten to accompany her."

    Neil glanced at the time again.. "Teacher Qian, please tell Hazel that I will come over soon."

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 41 - Hazels Presence At The Company

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    After forgetting to pick up his niece for the second time, Neil knew that he will need to learn to be more attentive towards Hazel''s matters. When his brother passed away, he had promised that he was going to look after Hazel and at this moment, Neil did not think that he had done a good job.

    The last time when he came to pick up Hazel from the kindergarten, the little girl was the only one who left. Although he could sense the glum look from Hazel''s expression, the little girl had not said a thing and smiled when he asked her a few questions.

    Seeing this made Neil a bit guilty.

    Because of his matter, he seemed to implicate the kindergarten teacher as well. As Edith Qian was Hazel''s classroom teacher, she had to stay until he came over to fetch his niece. Only then will she be able to return home.

    Neil still remembered that Edith stayed in an apartment in A City. Although the distance between the two cities was not that far, it would still require more than an hour if she commuted between the cities with public transport. After thinking about the matter for a while, Neil had insisted to send Edith home.

    In the next following days, Neil Mo had instructed Old Tang to fetch Hazel from the kindergarten to his office. Other than that, the driver was not required to do anything else and therefore, these days, Neil would drive himself whenever he needed to visit a place.

    Usually, after picking up Hazel from the kindergarten, Nanny Ann will look after his niece until he came back at night.

    However, Nanny Ann was recuperating after her accident and was unable to look after Hazel. With no other alternative, Neil can only let Hazel come over the office and let her stay there until it was time for him to return home.

    At this time, Neil walked out of his meeting room and head over his office. He pushed the door open and paused when his gaze stopped at the small figure on the sofa. He stretched his hand to stop his assistant from making a move. Turning his eyes to his niece again, his eyes began to soften as he saw that Hazel was curled into a fetal position and her body was shivering.

    Neil turned to his assistant again and placed a finger on his lips, signaling the other to keep his voice down. Then, as he walked into the room, Neil took off his coat to cover Hazel''s tiny body. His hand reached for the remote to adjust the temperature in the room.

    "How was the matter about finding a caretaker for Hazel?" Neil asked in a low voice as the two walked over to his desk.

    "I have made an arrangement and found a few candidates," Assistant Shawn replied. "They were just waiting to be interviewed by you."

    Neil paused, then nodded. "Ask the candidates to come over tomorrow. It''s not good for Hazel to stay at the office. At least if she was with a caretaker, Hazel will be able to rest properly."

    "Yes, President Mo." Assistant Shawn tapped something into her phone and looked up again. "When should I schedule this interview?"

    Neil thought for a while and glanced at his niece. "Just arrange them to come after Hazel came back from her kindergarten. It''s best to have her along during the interview and find someone she can get along with."

    ¡­

    The next day, Driver Tang came over to picked up Hazel from kindergarten just as a large group of students had left the premises with their parents.

    In the past few days, Edith no longer has to stay at the school late to look over her student as the driver would pick up Hazel before everyone had left.

    After announcing that someone had come to pick up Hazel, Edith spent a short time to exchange small talk with the driver. After waiting for about a minute, Hazel Mo finally came out and there was a weak smile on her face.

    "Grandpa Tang," Hazel greeted.

    Edith turned around and a slight frown appeared on her face when she looked at the little girl''s face. Though Hazel was tilting her head down, Edith was able to sense that something does not seem right. "Hazel, are you alright?"

    Hazel looked up as if she was startled upon hearing her teacher''s voice. Then a smile bloomed on her face before she nodded. "Un. I''m alright."

    Seeing the bright smile on her face, Edith let out a breath of relief and thought that perhaps she was thinking too much. After sending Hazel to the door, she then turned around to manage the other students.

    Hazel Mo closed her eyes and leaned back on her seat as soon as she entered the vehicle.

    Driver Tang looked at the rear mirror and was about to say something when he noticed that the girl had already closed her eyes. Knowing that Hazel was someone who did not like to talk to others much, Driver Tang chose to focus on his driving to MH Headquarters.

    As soon as they arrived, Driver Tang called up Hazel''s name softly and the girl opened her eyes and slid out of the vehicle.

    Assistant Shawn was already waiting at the lobby when Driver Tang led Hazel into the lobby. Seeing the way Assistant Shawn was treating the girl, some of the employees who were at the lobby began to whisper among themselves.

    Recently, they have started to notice that the little girl would show up at the company and as soon as she arrived, Assistant Shawn will be personally leading her to the President''s office.

    Very soon, the words that the young miss of MH Group came over to the company after school spread, and some curious staff would come out to peek at this little girl. After all, when her parents were still alive, both Adam Mo and Claire Fan had never brought her out for others to see.

    Some had planned to approach Hazel just to get close to the president of MH Group, but with Assistant Shawn around her, the others did not dare to get close.

    Assistant Shawn bent down to the girl''s level as they waited for the elevator to arrive. "Little Miss, is there anything you would like to eat for snacks?"

    Hazel bit on her lips and blinked slowly. "No." Her voice was a whisper.

    Assistant Shawn frowned upon noticing that there was something not right with the little girl. Just as he was about to speak, a voice called out his name.

    Turning around, the frown on his face deepened upon seeing that it was Manager Autumn Fang.

    The Assistant''s face twisted when he saw the manager approaching, but in a flash, the usual smile on his face returned.

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 42 - Interview

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    The high heel clacked as she stepped forward. "Assistant Shawn, I did not expect to see you here," Autumn Feng started.

    The assistant''s lips stretched into a smile that did not reach his eyes.

    It was not a secret that Autumn Feng had wanted to get close to President Mo. As the assistant who had been working under Neil Mo for years, Assistant Shawn knew that his boss had no patience with this woman. If it was not for her father, who was one of the directors in the company, Neil Mo was not willing to give this woman a face at all.

    "Manager Feng," Assistant Shawn chuckled. "Your words sounded a little bit strange. This is the company. Why wouldn''t you expect to see me here?"

    The smile in Autumn''s face froze and she shifted her gaze quickly to the little girl at the side. Surprise flashed into her eyes and the smile on her face returned as she pretended as if she had just noticed Hazel''s presence beside the assistant. "Assistant Shawn, this is¡­ President Mo''s niece?"

    "Yes."

    Autumn bent down and stretched her hand to touch the little girl''s head, but Assistant Shawn was quick to block her.

    "Manager Feng, President Mo had instructed that no one should get close to Young Miss."

    A frown appeared on Autumn face, but she quickly composed herself. "Don''t be too serious. I just wanted to say hello to the girl." Autumn quickly turned to the girl again and greeted, "Hello. You must be Hazel Mo."

    Hazel watched the woman in front of her and greeted her politely.

    "I am Autumn Feng. You can call me Sister Autumn."

    The little girl blinked but did not give her response. Previously, she had only greeted her because of her upbringing. Her late mother had taught her that whenever someone greeted her, she has to be polite. However, to continue a conversation with a stranger was something that Hazel could not do.

    Hazel gripped at Assistant Shawn''s hand tightly and spoke, "Uncle Shawn, can we go now? I''m tired."

    Facing the little girl''s indifferent attitude, Autumn felt a wave of anger surging, but she could not do anything about it. She was in public space and Assistant Shawn was around. It will not bring her any benefit to act recklessly and she did not want to be called petty for messing with a little girl. Earlier, Autumn had the intention to get close to Hazel and paved her way to Neil Mo, but this plan does not seem very easy.

    However, since Neil Mo seemed to care about this girl. And to get closer to Neil in the quickest way should be through Hazel Mo. At this time, she can only coax herself and try to be patient. Perhaps after some time, Hazel would warm up to her.

    Coincidentally, the elevator behind them opened, and Assistant Shawn quickly walked in with Hazel beside him and leave the woman behind.

    When they arrived at the floor, there were a few women sat around the lounging area. They watched as Assistant Shawn walked over the hallway and disappeared into the President''s office.

    "You''re back," Neil stood up and walked over to his niece. He watched as she shrugged off the backpack and asked, "How was school?"

    Hazel lifted her head and mustered a weak smile. "It was fine." Then, she walked up to the sofa and grabbed the drinking water on the table.

    A slight frown appeared on his face upon hearing her short answer. After spending their time together, Hazel had started to be more talkative with him. The thing that she liked to talk about the most was her teacher and classmates. As long as he asked her about her school, Hazel could talk to him for hours.

    "President Mo, the candidates are waiting outside," Assistant Shawn reminded.

    Neil lifted his gaze and spoke, "Send them in in five minutes." Then he looked at his niece and spoke, "Because Nanny Ann is still on a break, I am planning to hire a caretaker for you. Later I will be interviewing a few candidates as your new caretaker."

    Hazel tilted her head. Hearing that her uncle was going to hire someone, Hazel could guess at something. "Nanny Ann is not returning?"

    His gaze softened knowing that the little girl was still worried about her nanny. However, he did not tell her the truth about Nanny Ann''s condition as he was afraid that the little girl would worry too much.

    "When she returned to the city, Nanny Ann will come and see you," Neil said. "Until Nanny Ann returned, we will have to work with this caretaker. I cannot let you come over to the office every day after school. You would be able to rest at home comfortably."

    Hazel stared at her uncle for a while and nodded. "I understand."

    Neil Mo then proceeded to brief his niece about the interview. "I would like it if you stay and look at them. If you think that there is someone among them who you can get along to, you have to tell me."

    Hazel paused for a while before she nodded. "Alright."

    After a while, Assistant Shawn began to lead the candidates in, one by one.

    As Neil Mo interviewed them, Hazel would sit quietly at the side while observing them. From the start to finish, Hazel watched the interview with a blank face and would only speak to greet them.

    "What do you think of them?" Neil asked as soon as the last candidates had left.

    Some of the candidates had a good education, some with experience and some with a good temperament.

    He picked up the resume and glanced at the question paper that he had prepared for the candidates. He had asked them a few questions based on Hazel''s condition and was satisfied with half of the candidates.

    However, in the end, the one Neil was going to hire in the end was someone who Hazel would be comfortable with.

    During the interview, Neil had looked at his niece''s expression to guess at which candidate she liked best. However, he was unable to detect anything from her.

    Previously, his mother had reminded him that Hazel was someone who could get warm to a new person. It will take time for her to get comfortable with someone.

    It was the same with Neil. In the beginning, Hazel would not talk to him that much and they were still awkward together.

    To find someone who Hazel could get along with would be difficult.

    "They looked nice," Hazel answered. She shut her eyes briefly and turned to look at her uncle. "Uncle, I''m very tired. Can I take a nap for a while?"

    Neil glanced at the time and nodded. "Alright. You should be tired after listening to that interview" He patted at her hair and said, "Take a rest.. I still have some matter to do and once I''m done, I will wake you up and we can go home."

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 43 - Fever

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Edith glanced at the time as she walked along the street with a cup of milk tea in her hand. As she got to leave kindergarten on time, she decided to walk around the city to get her dinner before she took the bus and head over her home.

    At this time, the phone in her bag started to ring. Edith took out her phone and a smile curved on her lips as she saw the caller ID. She swiped her finger on the screen and pressed the phone to her ear.

    "Grandpa." Her voice contained her joy as she called his name. "You came back from your fishing trip?"

    "Hmm, just came back with Old George and your uncle Li," Mike Qian answered.

    "How was it? Did you caught a lot of fish this time?" She found an empty seat and sat down.

    Mike Qian let out a scoff. "Of course. The place that they took us this time is quite good. I caught a lot of fish this time. If you don''t believe me, later, I will send you some pictures."

    Edith laughed upon hearing his words. "Alright. Alright. I will believe you."

    There was a happy laugh on the other line.

    "But Grandpa, just in case, you should send me the pictures."

    "Edith, you!" Mike Qian paused and let out a helpless sigh. His lips curled into a happy smile as he listened to his granddaughter''s laugh. "Where are you? Are you still at school?"

    "I''m off work," Edith said. "Since it was still early, I walked around the city to get some stuff and had my dinner. Grandpa, have you eaten yet?"

    "Hmm, your Uncle Li pulled me to the B&B and won''t let me go until I ate something earlier," Mike Qian said. "His wife packed some leftover food for me to eat. You don''t have to worry about me. Just worry about yourself."

    A small smile appeared on her lips as Edith continued to listen to her grandfather''s nagging. Gradually, his voice turned soft and Edith could only nod and answered him with an occasional ''hmm''.

    "According to the weather forecast, the area you live in will be having rain. Edith, you don''t forget to bring along an umbrella with you," Mike Qian continued.

    "Grandpa, I always carry an umbrella with me."

    "Don''t forget to take your medicine if you get sick and tell me if you''re not feeling well."

    "Grandpa, did you just call to nag me?" Edith laughed. Her grandfather would always give her a call whenever the rainy season started to remind her to be careful. Though she was touched by his gesture, Edith could not help but to tease her grandfather a little bit.

    "I raised you for years and knew that you are someone who would not tell me anything when you were having your difficulties." Mike Qian sighed as a memory came to his mind. "Back then, when you started to live with me, you did not want to say a word whenever you were feeling unwell. At one time, you were determined not to say anything to me because I was busy with a case. In the end, I found you unconscious with your body hot all over. If I did not take you to hospital in time, perhaps we won''t be having this conversation right now."

    The grandfather and granddaughter went silent for a while as they thought of that incident. At that time, her temperature was really hot that the doctor had scolded her grandfather for neglecting a child.

    She had walked in the rain from school and when she was feeling unwell, Edith had not said anything to her grandfather as she was worried that she would irritate him. But because of that, her condition got worse.

    Fortunately, she had recovered. If something bad happened to her back then, Edith was sure that her grandfather would not stop blaming himself. He had lost his daughter, and to lose his granddaughter soon after would break him.

    However, she soon found out that her grandfather hated the rainy season. His daughter passed away in the rain, and his granddaughter almost gone in the same weather.

    The two of them continued to chat for a few minutes.

    Just as she was about to stand out, a droplet of water drop on her hand. Edith lifted her head and saw that it was raining lightly. She took out her umbrella from her bag and suddenly, a face came to her mind.

    The conversation with her grandfather just now had reminded her of Hazel. Just then, when Hazel left the school with the driver, Edith was sure that the little girl''s face did not look so good.

    Edith was suddenly reminded of her younger self and started to worry.

    The last time when Neil Mo had forgotten to pick up Hazel from the kindergarten again, she had saved his contact number to her phone. After going through her contact list, Edith pressed the phone to her ear again.

    ¡­

    Neil Mo had just come out from the meeting room with the people from the Accounting Department and spoke with his assistant briefly. After giving him some instructions, he then walked into his office.

    His niece, Hazel was still sleeping on the sofa. Her body was covered with a blanket up to her shoulder, Neil peeked at her face and let out a sigh before he walked over to his desk.

    The phone in his pocket vibrated and a frown appeared on his face upon seeing an unknown number. He slid his finger on the green button and spoke, "Hello, Neil Mo speaking."

    "President Mo!" An anxious voice came through. "This is Hazel Mo''s classroom teacher, Edith Qian."

    Neil Mo was startled upon hearing the name. "Teacher Qian, what can I do for you?"

    "President Mo, is Hazel with you?"

    "She is. But right now, she''s sleeping." He recalled her anxious tone and glanced at his niece who was still sleeping on the sofa. "Do you need to talk to her?" He walked over to the sofa and touched at Hazel''s shoulder, but unlike the usual, Hazel did not wake up.

    "President Mo, did Hazel said anything to you earlier? For example. she was feeling unwell?"

    The crease between his brow deepened. "No." Suddenly, his heartbeat escalated.

    Neil Mo moved his hand to touch the little girl''s forehead and was shocked upon feeling her hot skin. Swiftly, he moved to crouch down beside her and pulled at the blanket that was covering her body.

    His eyes widened upon seeing Hazel''s flushed cheek and her heavy breathing. His hand reached to her forehead again and he started to panic. "Hazel!"

    "President Mo, what happened?"

    "Teacher Qian, Hazel is having a fever."

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 44 - Sleep Talking

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Edith arrived at the hospital as soon as the call ended.

    During the phone call, Edith had learned a bit about Hazel''s fever and had suggested President Neil Mo bring the little girl to see a doctor.

    Although Neil had told her that he was going to take his niece to the hospital, Edith just could not stop worrying.

    After she guessed at which hospital that the man was going to take his niece, Edith took a bus and head over.

    Fortunately, she had made the right guess and the nurse at the pediatrician station had confirmed that there was a child named Hazel Mo in the hospital.

    Once she got the room number from the nurse, Edith walked through the corridor and stopped upon finding the room. She raised her hand and knocked on the door before she pushed the door open.

    As soon as Edith stepped in, her gaze met with Neil''s. The frown on his face eased the moment he saw her and soon was replaced by surprise.

    "Teacher Qian. Why are you here?"

    "I was worried about Hazel and came to see her," Edith said. She shifted her gaze and looked at the small figure on the bed. At this time, Hazel''s body was covered with a blanket and an IV drip beside her bed. "How is Hazel?"

    "The doctor has given her medicine. Her temperature had dropped. She should be alright after getting enough rest." Neil said. "Teacher Qian, please, come in."

    Edith walked over to the bed to take a good look at the sleeping girl. Her hand stretched out to test her temperature and frowned upon finding that it was hotter than she had thought.

    "The doctor said her temperature will go down after a while," Neil explained. "But, how did you know that Hazel was not feeling well?"

    "I noticed that Hazel did not look very good when she was at school." She raised her head and their gazes met for a few seconds before Edith lowered her head to look at Hazel again. "But when I asked, Hazel smiled and told me that she''s alright."

    There was a flash of surprise in his eyes and Neil''s gaze softened as he looked at his niece.

    This little girl was feeling unwell but had chosen to bear with the pain and had not said a word to the adults.

    "I almost missed the sign. But then, I was suddenly reminded of my younger self," Edith continued. "At that time, I chose not to say a word to my grandpa because I did not want to worry him. The expression that Hazel had just now was almost the same as mine and I thought that perhaps she was thinking the same."

    Sometimes, kids like Hazel would choose not to say anything when they got hurt as they fear that they would only be a nuisance. They would choose to bear with their pain until they could no longer hold on. Therefore, as an adult, it was their job to be attentive towards how the child behaved.

    Because she had been in the same position as Hazel in the past, Edith was able to guess at the little girl''s thought.

    Neil''s gaze turned complicated as he looked at Hazel. A pang of guilt attacked him at the thought that she had not said a word to him because she did not want him to worry.

    Previously, he had made Hazel join him in the interview. He had thought that Hazel was in a bad mood, but had not inquired further upon thinking that she was only tired after coming back from school.

    Hazel had listened to his words and joined him in that interview without complaining. Suddenly, Neil felt as if he was very incompetent and negligent as Hazel''s guardian.

    "If it was not for your phone call, perhaps I won''t notice her condition until much later." Neil took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. "The doctor said that Hazel might be too tired. Nanny Ann was unwell and had to stay home to recuperate. These days, Hazel had to go straight to my office and stay until I had finished my job."

    Edith''s gaze softened upon seeing that Neil was blaming himself.

    However, this was not his fault.

    President Neil Mo was always busy with his work. He had never had any experience in looking after Hazel and has not been close with her from her birth. But Edith could see that he cared and had wanted to look after his niece by himself.

    To raise a child alone, and being a single parent was not an easy task. But Neil Mo had done his best to look over his niece.

    The two adults continued to chat about Hazel.

    At this time, Hazel suddenly stirred in her sleep and a low mewl escaped her.

    The two grownups turned simultaneously to look at her and relaxed as she continued to sleep. Seeing the beads of sweat on Hazel''s forehead, Edith swiftly took some tissue on the bedside table and dabbed to dry the sweat.

    "Mama."

    Edith''s hand that was dabbing the little girl''s forehead froze.

    The little girl''s voice was hoarse and there was a hint of grievance.

    Edith continued to stare at Hazel in a daze. Suddenly, Hazel''s face contorted, her lips pouted slightly and tears streamed down on her face.

    The two adults looked at each other, surprised upon hearing Hazel''s call and how she had reacted.

    Edith retracted her hand and froze again when she heard her next words.

    "Mama, please, don''t go."

    The room turned silent for a long time. Both Edith and Neil looked at Hazel, realizing that she was probably talking in her sleep because of her high fever. Suddenly, they did not know what they should do.

    "Mama," Her voice was pleading and the tears on her face did not stop.

    Edith instinctively moved forward and sat beside her bed. She dabbed at the little girl''s tears and caressed her hair, coaxing Hazel to sleep.

    Perhaps it was due to her soothing words and gentle tone, soon, Hazel''s tears stopped and she continued to sleep.

    Edith breathed a sigh in relief. She continued to watch the little girl for a while until Hazel''s breathing stabilized. Just as she was about to retract her hand, Hazel tightened her grip around Edith''s arms, as if refusing to let her go.

    Not wanting to disturb Hazel in her sleep, Edith could only resign to her fate and let Hazel sleep while holding her hand.

    "Let me help you," Neil said as he stepped forward to entangle Hazel''s hand away.

    "It''s fine." Edith turned to the man and smiled. "Let her sleep like this."

    Neil hesitated for a while, then nodded. He glanced at her wristwatch and frown upon noticing the time. "I will get Old Tang to send you home later."

    "Don''t worry. I can stay at a friend''s place for the night," Edith said, as she made a mental note to text her friend, Lily, later. "Her place is rather close to the kindergarten. President Mo, don''t worry about me."

    "Then, I will have to trouble you."

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 45 - Awake

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Hazel Mo woke up with a parched throat. The first thing she saw upon opening her eyes was the white ceiling. Her eyes blinked a few times when she saw the unfamiliar scene.

    This place was not her bedroom or her uncle''s office.

    Hazel tried to move and winced upon feeling a slight pain in her throat. She looked around and panicked once she figured out where she was.

    This was the hospital.

    She could still remember sleeping on the sofa in her uncle''s office. But why was she here?

    Hurriedly, Hazel tried to get off her bed. However, someone tugged at her hand and when she turned around, Hazel was surprised upon seeing that it was her classroom teacher. Her eyes went wide and Hazel continued to stare at her and wonder if she was having a dream.

    "You''re awake," Edith smiled. She stood stretched her hand to touch the little girl''s forehead and breathed in relief upon finding that Hazel''s temperature had gone down. "Fortunately, your fever has gone down." She then stood up to stretched her body before she helped Hazel to tidy her hair.

    Last night, because she was having a high fever, Hazel had held on her teacher''s hand and had refused to let her go. In the end, Edith had no choice but to accompany Hazel at the hospital for the night.

    Though President Mo was worried that he would trouble her, Edith had convinced him that she did not mind to stay and look after Hazel.

    Anyway, as a woman, it would be much convenient for Edith to look after Hazel.

    "Teacher Qian," Hazel managed to spoke. "Why are you here?" Her eyes wandered around the room. "Why am I here?"

    Edith turned to pour a glass of water for Hazel. She heard Hazel''s slightly hoarse voice and figured that the little girl was having a sore throat. "You''re in the hospital. You had a fever last night and your temperature was very high. Your uncle bought you here." She urged Hazel to drink the water. "I came here because I was worried."

    Hazel took the glass from her teacher and drank the water with a dazed expression.

    Edith waited until the girl had finished drinking her water. Then, she put the glass aside and leaned forward. "How are you feeling now? Any discomfort?"

    "No." Hazel shook her head. She had a slight headache before she took a nap in her uncle''s office, but after a long sleep, it had disappeared.

    "Hazel, why don''t you say anything if you''re not feeling well?"

    Hazel lowered her gaze and not saying anything.

    "Your uncle was really worried and I was worried," Edith said.

    "Sorry." Hazel bit at her lips.

    Yesterday, she had realized that her body was feeling a little bit uncomfortable. She did not want to trouble her uncle knowing that he was busy with his work. She had thought that she would recover soon after she took a quick nap and had never thought that it was so bad that she had to come over to the hospital.

    Edith stretched her hand again and this time, she ran her hand on the little girl''s head. "Next time, when you are in pain, you have to let the adults know, understand? Hazel, you are only a five-years-old. You don''t have to bear with everything in silence. If you don''t let us know that you are hurting, then we will only worry about you."

    Hazel listened to her teacher''s words and nodded her head once in a while. "Teacher Qian," she called out after keeping in silence for a while. "I need to go to the restroom."

    Edith froze for a few seconds. Then smiled. "Alright. Come over. I''ll help you off the bed. Can you manage by yourself?"

    Once her feet touched the ground, Hazel nodded. "I can."

    "Then, I will wait for you here," Edith said as she flicked the bathroom light on. "If there is anything, you can call me."

    Edith watched as Hazel entered the bathroom and heaved a long sigh. Then, she turned around and grabbed her phone to check for messages. A chuckle escaped her upon reading her friend, Lily''s messages.

    She had thought that she was going to spend a night at her friend, Lily''s place, but after Hazel had refused to release her hand, Edith had to tell her friend that she had to stay around to accompany the little girl.

    Of course, upon hearing that her friend was going to spend the night around President Mo, Lily was suddenly excited and her imagination started to run wild.

    Fortunately, Edith had set her phone to silent mode and texted her friend that she will tell her everything later.

    However, that did not stop Lily from attacking her with missed calls and messages.

    A chuckle escaped her as Edith read the scenarios in Lily''s text.

    She had stayed in the hospital to look after her Hazel, how did this become a romance scenario in her friend''s head? She was worried about Hazel and had woken up every few hours to check on the girl''s temperature. Where would there be a scene where a budding romance would appear?

    Besides, she had urged Neil Mo to go home and let her stay the night at the hospital. There was not much interaction between them.

    Edith could not help but think that her friend was reading too much novel.

    At this time, there was a knock on the door. When Edith turned around, Neil appeared at the door with a bag in his hand. He looked around the room and finally, his gaze stopped at Edith.

    "Where is Hazel?"

    "She''s in the bathroom," Edith said. Her gaze shifted towards the bag he was carrying. "Did you bring Hazel''s clothes with you?"

    Neil nodded. "I brought everything you asked."

    Edith had volunteered to look after Hazel in the hospital and had urged him to go home and rest. When he had declined to rest at home, Edith had reminded him that he needed to pack up Hazel''s clothes. Due to her fever, Hazel''s clothes were all wet from sweat and it would be uncomfortable for her to wear her dirty clothes again.

    The bathroom door swung open and Hazel came out. She looked at her uncle and was surprised upon finding him there. Afraid that her uncle was going to scold her, Hazel lowered her head and shrunk her neck.

    "Hazel," Neil walked over to her. He crouched beside her and put his hand on her forehead. "Are you feeling uncomfortable anywhere?"

    The little girl blinked as she saw her uncle''s concerned look. Her posture eased when her uncle did not scold her. "I''m fine."

    Neil breathed with relief. "Fortunately, you''re alright." He leaned to kiss the girl on her forehead and smiled.

    "Uncle," Hazel called. "Can I leave this place? I don''t like it here." Her voice weakened.

    Neil paused and his expression grew softer as he guessed at his niece''s thought.

    The last time she came to the hospital, her grandparents had told her that her parents had passed away and she could not see them again. Ever since then, Hazel did not like the hospital or the smell of it. Hospital would always bring her a bad memory.

    "Alright." He nodded.. "I will ask the doctor to let you leave the hospital."

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 46 - A Job Offer

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Once the doctor had cleared that Hazel was well enough to leave the hospital, the three of them leave the place with Hazel looking as if she could not wait to leave the place. Her face grew livelier as she stepped out of the hospital.

    Seeing her expression, Neil then threatened that if she had kept her discomfort a secret from him again, he was going to take her to the hospital and in the end, Hazel had promised that she will tell her uncle immediately if something happened.

    Because Edith had helped to look after Hazel in the hospital, Neil Mo had offered to drive her home. Knowing that he had wanted to show his gratitude, Edith had not rejected his offer. It was the weekend and she still had a place she needed to go to her extra classes afterward.

    Neil Mo glanced at the rear mirror and looked at the two girls whispering among themselves.

    His lips curled into a smile and soon it disappeared as the thought he had last night came back to his mind.

    This incident made Neil realized how important he needed to hire a caretaker for Hazel. He could not let Hazel stay at his office and wait until he finished his work before the two of them will head home together.

    Hazel was still a small kid and she will need a proper environment to grow up. Staying at his office until it was late night was not healthy for her. If he had to stay and work overtime, then, what will happen to Hazel?

    Besides, with Nanny Ann recuperating after her accident, the little girl has been eating takeaway meals for the past few days. Although Hazel will not be deprived of food and clothing, the living environment that he can provide for her was not suitable at all.

    When he had convinced his mother that he can look after Hazel while managing the company at the same time, Nanny Ann was still around and Neil had thought that looking after an obedient child as Hazel would be easy as he had his help. But now, Neil had to change his mind.

    There were a lot of things that he needed to consider.

    Neil realized that he needed help and that was how a thought had suddenly come to his mind.

    Hazel was a sensitive kid and Neil wanted to hire the best caretaker for her. However, to find someone that Hazel could go along with would be difficult. It would take a long time before Hazel would be able to open up to someone.

    His gaze went to the rear mirror again to look at the two girls on the backseat. Looking at how Hazel was leaning her head on her teacher''s arms made his expression grew warmer.

    Neil felt a tug in his heart and thought of his idea to hire the kindergarten teacher as Hazel''s caretaker again.

    It was just that¡­ Neil was not sure how Edith was going to react when he proposed his idea.

    The SUV entered a suburban area and stopped as it reached to Edith''s apartment block.

    Edith thanked Neil for the ride and bid her goodbye to her little student. However, as Edith stepped down from the SUV, she was surprised upon finding that Neil had stepped down from the vehicle as well.

    "President Mo, is there something else?" Edith asked when she saw the conflicting look on the man''s face.

    Neil hesitated, then nodded. "Teacher Qian, I would like to hire you as Hazel''s caretaker."

    There was a long silence between them. The two grownups stared at each other for a full minute until Neil grew restless at the woman''s gaze. Seeing that Edith had not answered him, Neil readied himself to hear her rejection.

    Edith shifted her gaze towards Hazel who was sitting obediently in the vehicle. The little girl was staring at the adult with through the window, and wonder what was going on.

    "A caretaker?"

    Neil nodded again. "Nanny Ann had an accident and had to stay home and recuperate for at least two months. She is unable to look after Hazel."

    A light flashed in Edith''s eyes. She seemed to recall that there was one time that Neil had came over late to pick up Hazel from the kindergarten. He had explained that Nanny Ann was unwell, but she did not think that it was serious. "Then, who was looking after Hazel after school hour?"

    "These days, I had Old Tang to sent Hazel to my office," Neil said before he explained his and Hazel''s situation. "Teacher Qian, Hazel is someone who could not easily accept new people in her life. Even though I have been thinking about hiring a new caretaker for her, I still wanted her to be with someone who she can be comfortable with. Hazel had lost both parents recently and I am worried about her. Perhaps I was never close with Hazel when my brother was still alive, but seeing Hazel forcing herself to act grownup and not showing anything made my heart ached."

    Edith turned to look at the little girl who was in the vehicle again. Their gaze met and Hazel shot her a happy smile.

    "I see that you are quite close to her and this is why I am making this offer to you," Neil said.

    After meeting the caretaker candidates and see the way Hazel behaved around her teacher, Neil would prefer to hire Edith instead. The kindergarten teacher had spent a lot of her time around Hazel and perhaps, she would know Hazel better than he knew his niece.

    "Teacher Qian, I am not asking you to resign your job as a kindergarten teacher," Neil continued. "You can continue your job while looking after Hazel. If you agree to this, I can give you double what you make as a teacher at Sunflower Kindergarten."

    Edith inhaled a sharp breath at his generous offer.

    Double! She would receive a lot of money if she agreed to take Neil Mo''s offer! Even if she had to stay with Hazel as her caretaker for a few months before Nanny Ann would return and resume her job, the money she received would be enough to cover her living and tuition expenses for a few months!

    "Of course, you can negotiate with me your terms and conditions," Neil added when Edith did not give him her reply.

    Suddenly, Edith found herself unable to answer to his irresistible offer. "That," she spoke after a brief silence.. "President Mo, please give me some time to think of this offer."

    Read novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 47 - Lilys Opinion

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Once her class ended, Edith made her decision to head over to her friend''s place. Lily was excited upon hearing that Edith will be coming over and had gone to the kitchen to prepare something.

    Last night, Lily had heard that her friend has been staying at the hospital to accompany President Mo''s niece, and could not stop the urge to gossip and tease Edith at the same time.

    When Edith arrived at the door, the smell of something spicy wafted through her nose and Lily''s son, Alex stood at the door. "Auntie Edith!" The little boy''s voice contained his excitement.

    Edith sniffed into the air and the smell turned her throat itch. She looked inside and shifted her gaze back to Alex. "What is your mom cooking?"

    Alex replied with a shrug. "Mommy has been busy in the kitchen ever since she heard that you will be coming over. Auntie Edith, please, come inside." He grabbed a pair of slippers and placed it near her.

    As soon as Edith took a step inside, Lily''s head popped out from the kitchen. Her lips curled into a smile when she saw her friend. "You''re here! I made something. You cannot leave until you finished everything."

    Edith walked over to her friend and thought that the spicy smell was getting stronger. She let out a cough and frowned at her friend. "Why is it that every time I came over, you would always make spicy food? Lily, tell me the truth, are you trying to kill me?"

    "This is the only time that I can eat something spicy," Lily said. She turned around and walked into the kitchen. "Other than you who else would accompany me to eat these?"

    Edith tailed after her friend and saw that an auntie stood in front of the stove to help her friend with the cooking.

    "That''s right. How was Hazel? Is she better?" Lily asked

    "Hmm," Edith nodded. "Fortunately, she was taken to the hospital on time. Seeing that her fever had gone down, the doctor allowed her to go home."

    Lily heaved a breath of relief. "Are you staying over tonight?".

    "No. I''ll head home after this. I still have some matters to settle." Edith said. She watched as her friend pulled out a bowl and scooped a serving of spicy chicken into the plate.

    "What are you doing here? Go outside and wait." Lily put both hands on Edith''s shoulder, turned her around, and pushed her out the kitchen. "Go and play with Alex or something."

    Edith laughed as her friend pushed her out of the kitchen. Just at the door, Alex was waiting for her with a box of their unfinished Gundam model. His eyes were staring at her with an expectant look. In the end, Edith resigned to her fate and followed Alex to his room to help him with assembling the model.

    The meal was served almost ten minutes later.

    Edith peeked at the dishes and the corner of her lips twitched upon seeing the Sichuan dishes. A smaller plate of non-spicy dishes for Alex was at the side.

    As soon as Edith picked up her chopstick, Lily had clipped a red looking chicken wing into her bowl. Edith lifted her head and met Lily''s excited gaze.

    "Come on. Tell me everything that happened between you and President Mo last night," Lily said. "There''s no one else here. You don''t need to be shy."

    Edith stared at the chicken wing helplessly. "What could happen? I only stayed a night to accompany Hazel at the hospital. Later, I asked President Mo to return home and rest and come back with fresh clothes for his niece."

    Lily stared at her friend with a disappointed look on her face.

    She let out a chuckle and continued, "Anyway, who am I? Who is President Mo? That guy always had a serious look on his face. It would be difficult for someone like me to be in a relationship with him."

    Lily nodded her head as she thought further of what will happen if the two were dating. "That''s true. President Mo is an iceblock and you are a ray of warm sunshine. If you got frozen by him, then I would lose a lively friend."

    At the thought that her best friend might get infected by President Mo''s cold, Lily started to rethink again about pairing the two together. If Edith was together with President Mo, wouldn''t she had heartache and suffer being around someone who would treat her with his aloof attitude?

    Of course, none of them expected that someday, the iceblock President Mo would melt under this warm sunshine.

    "Auntie Edith, was Hazel unwell?" Alex He, who has been listening to the adult''s conversation, suddenly asked. "How is she now? Is she alright?

    "She had a fever last night," Edith said. "Don''t worry. Her fever was gone after the doctor gave her some medicine. After resting a bit at home, she should be able to return to kindergarten later."

    Alex heaved a breath of relief. Hazel Mo and he had recently become close after he had made Hazel interested in Gundam models. Although there were a lot of things that the girl did not understand, Alex had patiently taught her a lot of things.

    Previously, the other students would ignore him because he was too engrossed in playing with the robots. However, only his best friend, Tyler Lu and Hazel did not mind his hobby and would still talk to him.

    Now that he had heard that Hazel was unwell, of course, as a friend, Alex was worried. But now that her Auntie Edith had told him that Hazel was better, Alex then continued to eat his meal quietly.

    "That''s right," Edith paused and looked at her friend. "Lily, I have something to consult you."

    Lily tilted her head and gave her friend a questioning gaze. Her expression started to change the moment Edith told her about President Neil Mo''s job offer as Hazel''s caretaker.

    The job was not that difficult, and Edith will only need to look after the girl after school ended until Neil returned home. Then, she will be paid handsomely.

    "What do you think?" Edith asked cautiously.

    "I think you should take it."

    "Why?"

    "First of all, he is offering a lot of money," Lily pointed out. "But most important of all, Hazel is a good kid. That girl is pitiful and the uncle and niece needed help." A long sigh escaped her. "I could not imagine what Hazel had gone through at her age. But, at this time, she needed someone she could trust, and you happen to be that person.. I just thought that since you had a somewhat similar experience with Hazel, you should be the person who understood her the most."

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 48 - Ediths Answer

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Because of her fever, Hazel Mo took a few days off to stay at home for a few more days to recuperate, while her uncle, Neil Mo chose to work from home to look after her.

    After staying with her uncle for a few days, Hazel had thought that her uncle was even more strict than her mother.

    Her uncle had made her finished her meal and would stay by her side as she ate her medicine. Although Hazel did not like the taste of the medicine, she had no choice but to finish them under her uncle''s strict observation. With the fierce look on her uncle''s face, Hazel did not dare to trick him and throw away the medicine.

    As she was feeling unwell and week, Hazel found that she was missing her mother even more.

    At least, her mother would always give her sweets after she had obediently eaten the bitter medicine.

    Moreover, she was not allowed to move around too much and was asked to stay in bed to get enough rest.

    In short, Hazel had thought that spending her time with her uncle while recuperating at home was torturous and she could not wait to return to school.

    On the day that she was to return to school, Hazel had urged her uncle to send her earlier, and thus, she became the first to arrive.

    Hazel arrived at the kindergarten, there was a joyful expression on her face. She greeted the teachers at the entrance as well as the old guard. Then, she walked happily inside.

    "Teacher Qian!" Hazel greeted happily when she saw her at the door. She ran towards her teacher and stopped as she arrived. "Teacher Qian, good morning."

    "Good morning, Hazel," Edith bent down to get on the little girl''s height. "How are you feeling? Much better?"

    "En," Hazel nodded enthusiastically. "My fever is all gone a few days ago, but my uncle wanted me to rest at home for a few more days."

    Edith smiled upon seeing the way Hazel had pouted her lips.

    "Well, your uncle is right," Edith said. "It is important for you to stay at home until you are well enough. Or else, you might accidentally pass your fever to your friends."

    Hazel stared at her teacher with a grieved expression. "Teacher Qian, I miss you."

    Edith laughed upon hearing her words. She patted her on her hair and said, "I miss you too. Now that you are well enough, we can play together with everyone else, alright?"

    Hazel''s expression brightened up immediately and there was a smile on her face.

    After exchanging a few more words with Hazel, Edith then stood up and smiled towards the iceblock who was staring at her the moment he had arrived.

    It has been a few days since the last time they met and Neil had offered her a job as Hazel''s caretaker. Seeing the way he was looking at her, Edith knew that he was waiting for her answer.

    "President Mo, good morning."

    Neil replied to her with a nod, and his gaze did not move away from her. He was still anticipating a positive answer from her and hoped that now that it has been a few days, Edith had made her decision about his offer.

    "Teacher Qian, have you consider my offer?" Neil spoke as he stepped forward.

    "Yes," Edith nodded and saw a glint of surprise in the man''s eyes. "President Mo, I will accept your offer. However, I do have a few conditions that I need to discuss with you before I can agree."

    "Of course." Neil quickly agreed. At this time, he was relieved that Edith was willing to look after his niece. Although Neil had not said a word to Hazel regarding this matter, he knew that the little girl will be happy that she was able to spend more time with her favorite teacher.

    "Well then, let''s discuss the matter later," Edith suggested.

    Neil took out a card from his pocket and handed it over to Edith. "Teacher Qian, if it is convenient for you, you can look after me at the office after your work is over. I will talk to my assistant about this."

    Edith stared at the card and shoved it into her pocket. "Then, I will come over to the office later."

    ¡­

    When Neil Mo arrived at his office, his assistant, Shawn Zhong immediately reported to him of his schedule of the day. He was in the middle of reporting when Neil suddenly lifted a hand to stop him.

    "President Mo?" Assistant Shawn threw him a questioning glance.

    "Clear my schedule for this evening," Neil spoke. "Hazel''s teacher, Miss Edith Qian will be coming over to discuss a contract. Assistant Shawn, when she arrived, you should bring her to my office immediately."

    "Yes, President Mo," Assistant Shawn nodded. He tapped something into his tablet and paused. He raised his head again with a perplexed expression. "Hazel''s classroom teacher is coming over?"

    "I decided to hire her as Hazel''s caretaker and we will discuss a few terms and conditions before she can start," Neil said. "You know how it is with Hazel. I wanted Hazel to be with someone she can get comfortable with and her teacher seemed to fit this position."

    Assistant Shawn thought for a while and nodded before he continued to tap his fingers on the tablet.

    As Neil Mo''s assistant, he was aware of the President and his niece''s situation. Previously, he had met Hazel''s classroom teacher when he was assigned to pick up Hazel from the kindergarten. Assistant Shawn had thought that the teacher had a pleasant attitude and Hazel seemed to like her very much.

    He had seen Hazel as she grew up and was worried about her when President Mo announced that he was going to look after the little girl.

    At the thought that Hazel would be under her teacher''s care, Assistant Shawn let out a breath in relief, knowing that the little girl will be in a good hand.

    The two of them continued to discuss a few important matters when the intercom on his table beeped and his secretary announced that Director Lance Feng was there to see him.

    Neil gave his permission to enter and both Neil and Assistant Shawn turned their head to the door.

    "President Mo," Director Feng greeted. He glanced at the assistant and nodded towards him before he walked forward with documents in his hand.

    "You have something to report?" Neil raised a brow at the elderly man.

    "President Mo, the report you ask is here," Director Feng handed the file to Neil and watched as the President browsed through the report with a calm expression. However, President Mo''s calm expression only made him anxious.

    Neil closed the documents in his hands and looked at Director Feng. "Since you have the result of the investigation, just do things according to the procedure."

    Director Feng looked at him cautiously. "President Mo, you mean?"

    Neil''s expression darkened. "Manager Xiao needed to leave the company for embezzling the company''s money.. Director Feng, since you already have enough evidence, you should call the police."

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 49 - Negotiating

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    When Edith arrived at the MH Headquarters, there was a little commotion going on in the lobby. A group of people gathered around, preventing her from entering the building.

    Edith stood behind the group of people and tiptoed to get a clear view of what was going on. Shouting and cursing were heard coming from the direction of the entrance. Soon, a man dressed in a pale blue shirt and slack was dragged out by two policemen at the side.

    "It was not me!" The man continued to shout. "I''m telling you that I was wrongfully accused. Director Feng, you cannot do this to me! I demand to see President Mo!"

    "Shut up! If you got something to say, you can say it once we arrived at the station," One of the police shouted back before he shoved the man into the car.

    Edith turned her head and watched the man screamed angrily behind the window as the police vehicle drove away.

    From the whispering voices around her, Edith was able to find out that the man had embezzled some money and altered the accounting book. Fortunately, the higher-ups were able to find out of his misdeed and had called the police to take him away for investigation.

    The crowd in front of her slowly dispersed and Edith took her chance to walked into the building. Her eyes scanned around the lobby to find the receptionist and saw that they were blocked by a group of men in their suits and tie.

    "Miss Qian?"

    Edith turned around upon hearing her name. A man came out from the group and walked over to her with a smile on his face. As she had seen him a few times before, Edith was quick to recognize Assistant Shawn.

    "It is you." Assistant Shawn''s smile widened.

    "Assistant Shawn," Edith greeted him politely.

    Seeing their exchange, the other directors and managers who were still discussing the disturbance earlier immediately stopped to look at Edith with curious gazes.

    "You are here to see President Mo, right?" Assistant Shawn spoke. "He had instructed me to take you to his floor once you arrived."

    The others heard what Assistant Shawn had said and their interest towards Edith increased. After all, to be treated politely and received by Assistant Shawn to the President''s office, the others immediately guessed that Edith was an important guest.

    They began to look at Edith with their scrutinizing gaze but soon found that the way she dressed did not show that she was someone''s daughter from a wealthy family and it does not look like she was at the headquarter to discuss important business.

    Their interest in Edith deepened, but none of them knew who she was and why Assistant Shawn was treating her politely.

    "Assistant Shawn, this is," Director Cui, who could no longer tolerate the mystery, asked.

    Assistant Shawn turned towards the group of men and smiled without saying anything.

    Right now, Edith''s identity as Hazel''s teacher was only known to President Mo, Driver Tang, and him. Assistant Shawn was afraid that once the others found out that Edith was going to be hired as Hazel''s caretaker, the other would try to harass the kindergarten teacher and find a way to use her.

    Assistant Shawn excused himself and led Edith towards the elevator.

    "Is it alright to leave them just like that?" Edith asked as she peeked towards the group of men again. It was just as she had expected. They were still staring at her. Though she was a bit uncomfortable with their gazes, Edith was aware that the group of men were curious about her identity.

    "Miss Qian, you don''t have to worry. We were not discussing anything important."

    Edith let out a breath of relief.

    The two arrived at the top floor of the building and Assistant Shawn stopped just as they arrived at the door. He rapped his knuckle on the door and turned the doorknob to enter.

    "President Mo, Miss Qian is here to see you," Assistant Shawn announced.

    Neil lifted his gaze off the documents on his table and expression softened. "Teacher Qian, please, come inside." He gestured towards the empty seats across him. "Take a seat."

    "Teacher Qian?" Hazel looked up from her drawings. Her eyes widened upon seeing her favorite teacher stood at the door. Hazel stood up quickly and rushed over to Edith. "Teacher Qian!" Her voice was full of joy. "Why are you here?"

    Edith patted at the girl''s shoulder. "I came to discuss something with your uncle."

    "Miss Qian, would you like to have something to drink?" Assistant Shawn asked. "Coffee? Tea?"

    "Just give me a glass of water," Edith answered and she walked over to President Mo and took a seat before him.

    "Hazel, I have something to discuss with your teacher first," Neil said to his niece. "Why don''t you continue your drawing first?"

    "Oh," The little girl watched the two adults with a curious gaze, but then turned around to her corner in the office.

    Edith followed Hazel with her eyes and watched as she sat down at a carpeted area. There was a small chair, table and some toys arranged neatly on the shelf. Seeing that Neil Mo had prepared a small play area for his niece in the office, Edith could not help but smile.

    "I have mentioned and discussed your offer with Headmistress Fu," Edith spoke. "As long as this job you''re offering was not going to interfere with my job as a kindergarten teacher, Headmistress Fu was alright with this arrangement."

    Neil nodded and was grateful that Edith had spoken to the headmistress regarding the job. At least, Headmistress Fu would not think that he was thinking to poach her teacher.

    At this time, Assistant Shawn walked in with a glass of lemon water. He placed the drink on the table and left again.

    "Let''s discuss your terms and conditions."

    Edith took a sip from the drink and spoke. "I don''t have many conditions. President Mo, I can agree to look after Hazel as long as it did not interrupt my working hours with the kindergarten."

    "Of course," Neil nodded. "This job as Hazel''s caretaker will not disturb your job as a kindergarten teacher. I only need someone to look after Hazel and taking her with me to the office every day was not convenient for her."

    "Secondly, I won''t be able to accompany her on Saturday as I still have to attend classes. Moreover, if the kindergarten arranged some activities that would require me to be away, I will not be able to look after Hazel," Edith continued. "President Mo, if you are alright with this arrangement, then I will agree to accept your offer."

    Neil thought over her words and nodded without hesitation. "Then, we will arrange this to follow your schedule."

    Edith looked at the man and was surprised that he had agreed quickly.

    "Teacher Qian, I will pay you as according to what I have offered you earlier. However, I only have one request."

    "What is it?"

    "Teacher Qian, my only request is for you to move in to live with Hazel and me. We will be living together."

    There was a long silence in Edith''s part. "President Mo, what do you mean by living together?"

    Read novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 50 - Decision

    Living together?

    She was only going to look after Hazel, but why would this job require her to move in with them? No matter how she thought about it, Edith could not think of a reason.

    Edith was aware that previously when Nanny Ann was looking after Hazel, the elder lady was not living together with them.

    A few weeks ago, Nanny Ann will accompany Hazel and leave when the man came back from work.

    "Teacher Qian, you are living in A City. It would be inconvenient for you to travel back and forth from your place to L City," Neil pointed out. "By staying together, it would be easier for you to look after Hazel. It will save both of us a lot of time."

    It was then that Edith understood why the man had asked her to move in together.

    According to the job requirement, Edith was supposed to do this job until Nanny Ann was well enough to return to her job. Auntie Ann was injured and it would require some time to recuperate. It was expected that Nanny Ann was going to return to her job as Hazel''s caretaker in two months.

    It would be inconvenient if she wanted to look for a place to live in. The rent in L City was very expensive for someone like her and finding a new place where she was going to stay for a short period was going to be a hassle.

    Since it was the case, then, staying together under one roof would be very practical for both of them.

    Neil Mo would not have to worry much about his niece when he had to entertain his clients for dinner or work overtime, while Edith would save a lot of time and money by staying together.

    "Will this be inconvenient for you?" Neil Mo asked when he noticed that Edith has been staying in silence for a while.

    Edith hesitated as she continued to weigh the pros and cons.

    On one side, she was worried about Hazel and her living arrangement with her uncle.

    She lived with her grandfather after her mother passed away. Her grandfather was a cop and he had to work overtime. Sometimes, she had to stay with Li''s family at their B&B, and there were times when her grandfather would bring her along to the station. Edith was aware that living like that would be tiring for a child like Hazel.

    On another side, she was still worried that she had to stay with Neil under one roof. If her grandfather knew that she was living with a man, wouldn''t he come over and strangle her to death?

    What if her co-workers knew of this matter and started to think of her as a loose woman?

    Of course, there was an option where she can just keep this matter a secret from her grandfather and the others.

    These days, her grandfather spent a lot of time going on a fishing trip with his friends and had no plan to come over to her place. Besides, this work and living arrangement will only last for a couple of months.

    President Mo was someone who was always busy with his work. He left the house in the morning and only returned home at night. Although it was said that they will be living together, it was possible that she might not have the time to interact or meet him at all. Moreover, Hazel was going to be with them.

    Regarding her co-workers... perhaps she should mention this matter to Headmistress Fu. If the others started to talk bad about her, at least Headmistress Fu will be able to back her up.

    As she was deep in her thoughts, Edith turned slightly and her gaze was locked with Hazel, who was staring at her with an expectant look.

    Because she was excited and curious to see her favorite teacher in her uncle''s office, Hazel has been eavesdropping to the grownups'' conversation. She did not know much about what they were talking about, but Hazel understood that her teacher was going to look after her when her uncle was at work and that they will be living together.

    Her heart softened upon looking at Hazel''s adorable face. Edith immediately made up her mind and spoke. "Alright. I agree to this arrangement."

    Neil let out a breath of relief upon hearing her agreement. He saw the way she had hesitated and was ready to provide a place close by for her to live in, or increase her pay. But before he could say the words, Edith had agreed to his condition.

    He was aware of how much his niece loved spending her time with the kindergarten teacher.

    After consulting his mother regarding this matter, Neil had decided to ask Edith to move in with them for their convenience.

    Later, he had let his friend, Henry Wu to investigate Edith and found that she had a clean background.

    Rather than hiring a new caretaker to look after his niece, Neil had thought that Edith was the perfect candidate and he was ready to negotiate until she would agree to take this job offer.

    Fortunately, it did not take her too long to agree.

    The two of them continued to discuss their living arrangement and once they finished, Neil called Assistant Shawn into his office and instructed him to draft a contract.

    Due to Assistant Shawn''s work efficiency, the contract was printed, reviewed, and signed in less than fifteen minutes.

    Edith stared at the contract in her hand with a dazed expression. It was still unbelievable that she was going to move in to live with both President Mo and Hazel at the weekend.

    If Lily heard this news, perhaps she would squeal in excitement.

    There were countless women who were willing to do anything to get the chance to sneak a peek at President Neil Mo''s house. However, because she had agreed to look after Hazel, Edith was lucky enough to have the opportunities to live with him.

    She had two days to pack up her stuff and settle everything in her end before she will move in with Neil and Hazel.

    Next week, she was going to start a new job as Hazel''s caretaker!

    "Teacher Qian, is there anything else you would like to add?" Neil asked when he noticed that Edith has been staring at the contract for a long time.

    "Nothing." Edith looked up and smiled.

    "Then this weekend, I will come over to your place and pick you up," Neil said.

    Seeing that the adults had stopped talking, Hazel walked over to them. She tried very hard to mask her excitement, but the glint of joy in her eyes was apparent. "Teacher Qian, you are going to stay with me?"

    "Un," Edith nodded.

    "Starting next week, you don''t have to stay in my office after school," Neil spoke. "Teacher Qian will replace Nanny Ann for a few months.. When I am not around, she will look after you."

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 51 - Lilys Reminders

    "I still could not believe that you agreed to stay with President Mo and his niece," Lily Zhao said from the other line.

    A few days ago, when she was picking up her son from kindergarten, Edith had told her that she was going to move in with Neil Mo and Hazel so that it would be convenient for Edith to look after the little girl.

    Lily was aware of Edith''s intention to help the uncle and niece, but she did not expect that President Mo was going to suggest something like living together.

    "If you snap a picture of the inside of President Mo and sell it, you could be a rich lady."

    "Don''t be ridiculous." Edith scoffed. She closed the luggage, zipped it, and took a deep breath. "I signed a confidentiality agreement. If I was caught, I might have to go to prison."

    "I don''t have many things to advise you, just that¡­ Edith, you have to be careful with the way you behave. Don''t let your gangster attitude out. Or else, President Mo and Hazel would be shocked and you might lose this babysitting job."

    Edith narrowed her eyes as she listened to her friend''s laughing voice.

    As someone closed to Edith, Lily was fully aware that her friend might not be as gentle as she might seem.

    Actually, Edith was worried about this matter as well. She has been staying alone for years and her small apartment has been the place where she can act and behaved in any way that she wanted.

    Her job at the kindergarten paid well and she loved interacting with the children. However, she could not deny that dealing with kids can be very stressful as well. Especially as she had to look after the kids who came from a wealthy family. Not every one of them was well mannered like Hazel or Alex. There were some of them who were naughty beyond words. Whenever those kids did something wrong, she could not scold them and had to bear with their rich kids'' attitude.

    She had trained to always keep the smile on her face as she dealt with those kids. It was only when she came back to her apartment that Edith was able to relax. Her small apartment was her heaven.

    The gangster attitude that Lily had mentioned was something that she only dared to show to those people who were close to her and at this time, she was worried that she was going to subconsciously act that way in front of the uncle and niece.

    "Whatever you do, don''t drink," Lily reminded her. "At least not in front of the two of them."

    Both of them knew how terrible Edith can be once she was drunk.

    Edith massaged her forehead. "I can control myself," she said, though she was not sure if she would be able to do that for a long time. "I won''t drink."

    "Since we will be living in the same city, maybe we can hang out together often. Later, let''s hang out together with Hazel and Alex. Like a playdate for the kids." She stopped herself and sigh. "But my son is only interested in building robots. Hazel is such a nice kid and she will probably get bored with Alex as her playdate."

    "Maybe not," Edith looked around the room and was starting to miss living in her small apartment. "Alex and Hazel are pretty close in class."

    Lily let out a gasp in surprise. "My son and President Mo''s niece are close in class? When did this happen? Why didn''t I know this? And here I am, still worrying how Alex is going to find a girlfriend later."

    Edith rolled her eyes. The kids were still young and her friend had started to worry about her son finding a girlfriend. "I think Hazel had some interest in building robots as well," Edith said. "That is probably why the two were close in school."

    "I didn''t think that a girl like Hazel would have an interest in those things. Those from Mo''s family are surely different," Lily spoke. She glanced towards her son''s room and thought of asking him about his friendship with Hazel.

    Of course, later, the two of them were speechless when they found out that the only reason Hazel was interested in robots was that Alex had told her that Edith liked them as well. By this time, Hazel had genuinely had an interest in building robots and was really good at it.

    The two friends chatted for a while and hang up. Edith glanced at the time and quickly grabbed a clean outfit before she headed into the bathroom to take a shower.

    After cleaning up the house for an hour and packing up, her body was sticky with sweat.

    She had made an appointment with Neil Mo and she was not planning to let him wait when he came over to pick her up.

    Edith Qian came out of the bathroom, with half an hour left. She was looking at her checklist one last time when the doorbell rang. When she looked at the door, Edith was surprised to see that Neil Mo and Hazel stood in front of her door.

    "Why are you here?" Edith continued to stare at the uncle and niece alternately. "Didn''t we agree that I am going to meet you downstairs?" She shifted slightly to let the two of them step in.

    "You are going to move out, surely you must have a lot of stuff to carry," Neil said.

    Earlier that morning, Hazel woke up with the excitement on her face. She knew that Edith was going to move in to live with them and was so looking forward to it. Later, she stared at him for a long time as if she wanted to say something, but was afraid to. When Neil finally asked, Hazel, told him that she wanted to help her teacher with moving.

    Hazel seemed to remember that she had carried a lot of luggage and boxes when she started to move in with her uncle and thought that her teacher would have the same amount of stuff.

    After considering this matter for a long time, Neil finally agreed with Hazel and the two of them head over to A City earlier. With the address that Edith had written last time, Neil then brought Hazel upstairs.

    "Teacher Qian, I am here to help you to carry your stuff," Hazel added.

    Her gaze softened upon learning the two''s good intentions. Edith turned towards the luggage behind her and sighed. "I don''t have that much stuff. Just one luggage."

    Neil followed her gaze and frowned. "Will this be enough?"

    "I can always come back if I need to pick up anything," Edith said.

    She was going to move in with them for a couple of months and Edith was not planning to carry too much stuff. It would be troublesome for her when she needed to move back to her apartment.

    "Is everything ready?"

    Edith nodded. "Everything is all packed.. We can go now."

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 52 - Moving In

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Edith Qian sucked in a deep breath as she watched the building in front of her. Previously, she and Lily had walked past this area and Lily had mentioned that the pricing around this area was ridiculously high.

    Although Lily and her husband both came from a good family, their wealth could not be compared to Mo''s in L City.

    MH Group business was too big. It started as with property development and construction and later on grow their business into leisure, entertainment, and hospitality. It was said that their group was planning to venture into other businesses as well.

    "We''re here," Neil announced as he parked his car in the parking area.

    Edith helped Hazel to get out of the vehicle and watched as Neil took her luggage before he led her into the elevator. He pressed the button, and the three of them stayed in silence. Meanwhile, Edith continued to glance at her luggage with feeling a bit uneasy to let her boss carry her heavy luggage.

    Although carrying that much weight should not be a problem to her, Neil had argued that such heavy things should be carried by a man. Seeing the expression on his face, Edith decided not to argue with him and held Hazel''s hand instead.

    Didn''t Lily always call him an iceblock? However, after interacting with him within a short period, Edith found that President Mo can be courteous.

    "This is my place," Neil announced as they stopped by a door. He pressed the passcode and let Edith remember them.

    Edith walked into the house and swept her eyes around the duplex condo. The sunlight entered through the windows and brightened the room. From where she stood, Edith was able to see the city view.

    The interior inside the house was very minimal with most of the furniture in a dark scheme color. Fortunately, there were some indoor plants in the room to add a splash of color.

    It was clear that this place belonged to a single man. At once glance no one would be able to tell that a little girl was living in the house.

    Just then, an elderly lady walked out of the kitchen and stopped when they saw the three of them at the door.

    "This is Auntie Emma," Neil introduced. "She will come over everyday early morning to prepare breakfast for Hazel and clean up this place."

    Previously, Auntie Emma only came over once every two days to clean up. However, after that one time when Neil had caught Hazel preparing her own breakfast, he started to realize that he could not neglect this little girl and had asked Auntie Emma to come over every morning to prepare breakfast for Hazel.

    "If you needed anything, you can ask her," Neil continued. "Auntie Emma, this is Edith Qian. She will be staying here to look after Hazel until Auntie Ann returns."

    Both Edith and Auntie Emma exchanged their greetings and chatted a little bit to break the ice.

    "Uncle," Hazel called out with an excited voice. "Can I show Teacher Qian to her room?"

    After her uncle had explained to her that her teacher was going to live together with them to look after her, Hazel has been ecstatic. She was looking forward to this day.

    Her uncle might treat her nicely, but in the end, the two of them only got close after they agreed to live together. Meanwhile, her teacher was someone she was familiar with. Of course, with her teacher around, Hazel will have someone who will play with her.

    Previously, when Nanny Ann was looking after her, the nanny was only in charge of her meal and supervised her as she played by herself. Nanny Ann was someone who was in her late fifty and there were lots of things that she could not do to accompany the little girl. Her uncle was someone who always busy with work. Although he had bought a lot of books and toys for her, he had never accompanied her to play.

    Neil patted at her head and nodded. "Alright. Go ahead."

    With his words, Hazel held Edith''s hand and pulled her upstairs, leaving Neil to continue giving his instruction to Auntie Emma.

    "Teacher Qian, this is my room," Hazel said as she stopped at a door. She turned the doorknob and revealed the pastel pink room.

    Edith blinked as she adjusted her vision. Earlier, everything around her was in a dark scheme color, and this time, there was too much pink.

    "Your room will be next to mine." Hazel pulled her towards the next door and turned the doorknob to enter. "Teacher Qian, this is your room."

    Stepping into the room, Edith started to look around. Her eyes widened upon seeing the size of the room. It was massive as compared to her room in her small apartment.

    Although the furniture was almost in the same dark color scheme, the wallpapers and bedsheets added more color and turned the room livelier. Most of all, the bed looked so comfortable that Edith started to wonder if she will be able to get up in the morning after sleeping on the bed.

    "Teacher Qian, did you like it?" Hazel asked anxiously. The two of them had stepped into the room for a while, but her teacher had not said anything.

    "Un," Edith nodded. "It''s very pretty."

    "I helped my uncle to choose some of the decoration," Hazel spoke before she pointed out at what she had chosen to decorate the room. "Teacher Qian, previously, you mentioned that you liked blue, therefore, I chose a blue bedsheet for you."

    "It''s a nice color." Edith laughed upon seeing the little girl''s excitement. "You''ve got great taste."

    Hearing her compliment, Hazel immediately stopped herself and lowered her head as her lips curled into a shy smile.

    "How is it? Is everything alright with the room?"

    Edith turned around at the voice and found Neil stood at the door with her luggage. She stepped towards him and took her luggage from him. "President Mo, thank you. This room is... massive."

    "You can tell me if you need anything else," Neil said. He was someone who had never live with another person after he moved out of his parents'' house until Hazel come along. Therefore, a little bit clueless about what a woman would need in their room.

    Previously, he had to consult his mother and Hazel had volunteered as his adviser. He had Assistant Shawn to help him find some new furniture for this room in a day.

    "Everything looks fine, but sure, I will tell you if there is anything I need," Edith said.

    "You should unpack your stuff. I won''t disturb you." Neil paused to look at the two girls in front of him and suddenly felt that the house was livelier as Hazel could not stop chattering since her teacher had arrived. "I still have something else to do. Later, let Hazel gave you a tour in the house."

    Hazel accepted the job as a guide happily and made a plan to show her teacher around.

    "Auntie Emma will prepare something for dinner," Neil said.. "Since it was the first day for you to move in, let''s have dinner together to welcome you."

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 53 - Dinner

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Edith did not bring along a lot of things with her and therefore, it took her a short time to unpack her luggage. Then, she let Hazel took her on a tour around the house.

    For convenience, her room was located just beside Hazel''s. Neil''s bedroom and office were at the end of the hallway.

    Edith took note of everything made a note of where she can and where she cannot wander around.

    Seeing that there were not many things for her to do, Edith went into the kitchen and chatted with Auntie Emma to learn a few things about Neil.

    Still, there was not a lot of things that Edith was able to learn about her employer through Auntie Emma. According to Auntie Emma, she did not have a lot of contact with Neil and therefore did not know much about him.

    The two women chatted for almost an hour as Hazel sat at the kitchen counter with her paper and color pencils. Once everything the dishes was prepared, Edith helped Auntie Emma to set the table.

    Once everything was ready, Auntie Emma instructed Hazel to call out her uncle before she took off her apron and put on her brown colored jacket.

    "Auntie Emma, you''re not staying for dinner?"

    The elderly lady smiled. "Miss Qian, I still have to go back and accompany my husband to eat."

    Edith was stunned at this information. When Neil had told her that they will be having dinner together, she had expected that Auntie Emma will be joining them as well.

    Since that was not the case, doesn''t that means she will be having dinner with Neil and Hazel, just the three of them? She had shared a table with Neil and Hazel at a restaurant some times ago and thought that the atmosphere was awkward if it was not for Hazel''s presence.

    Now that she was about to have dinner together, Edith was starting to get anxious.

    Her gaze shifted towards Hazel who walked down the stairs after she had called her uncle. Edith took a deep breath and calmed down.

    Forget it. In the past, she even accompanied her grandfather at the police station and had a meal with a few thugs. Just having a meal with an iceblock like Neil Mo shouldn''t be too bad.

    "President Mo," Auntie Emma called as she saw the man walked down the stair.

    "Auntie, you''re going home?" Neil watched the elderly woman nodded and continued, "Old Tang is waiting for you downstairs. Since it is already this late, let him send you home."

    "Thank you." Auntie Emma grabbed her purse and exchanged a few words with her employer before she walked out.

    Neil returned to the dining area as soon as the elderly woman had left. He looked at the dishes on the table and flashed a casual smile. "Let''s eat."

    Edith pulled a chair and sat down next to Hazel. The three of them had a quiet meal together and Edith tried to dismiss the uncomfortable feeling by looking after Hazel and picking up some of the dishes for her.

    Meanwhile, Neil was observing the two girls in front of him with the same awkwardness.

    Although he was the one who offered Edith to move in for both his and Hazel''s sake, it does not mean that he was comfortable with it. He was used to living alone before Hazel came along and now, there were two girls in his house. The two of them looked like they were enjoying their meals together and Neil suddenly felt like an outcast.

    His eyes shifted to his niece and suddenly, Neil had a mixed feeling.

    He was glad to see Hazel''s happy expression but was not too happy upon realizing that his niece had not shown the same expression when she ate a meal with him. He could not deny that he was a bit jealous that his own family was closer to someone else.

    But that too was his fault. He did not want to get close to Hazel when she was a baby as she was very small and he was afraid that he might accidentally hurt her. As she grew up, Hazel would always hide behind her mother every time she saw him.

    At this time, Neil was silently regretting that he had not tried to get close to his niece from the very beginning. If he had shown his attention to her, then wouldn''t Hazel be close to him as well?

    He stood up abruptly, and the sound of the chair moving turned the two girls towards him. Neil froze and was suddenly aware that his movement had startled the two of them. He moved his gaze to Edith and spoke to ease the sudden tension in the room. "Teacher Qian, would you like to drink?"

    "No," Edith immediately declined. "I still have to work tomorrow."

    She had promised herself that she will never drink in the presence of Neil and Hazel lest she started to get very honest with her words and started to do something she would regret. It was her first day at work and she had no intention to get fired merely after a few hours.

    Neil nodded before he walked over to the kitchen counter and poured himself a drink. After a sip, Neil began to feel himself more at ease. He went back to his seat and picked up his chopsticks. A thought crossed his mind and lifted his head to look at Edith.

    "Teacher Qian, tomorrow morning, Old Tang will send both you and Hazel to the kindergarten," Neil said. "He is mainly responsible to send Hazel to school and pick her up. Later, I will give you his number and you can discuss your schedule with him."

    Edith started to relax upon realizing that Neil wanted to discuss their living arrangement. "I have to arrive at school early to receive the children. I was planning to grab a taxi to the kindergarten earlier and later, you can let Old Tang send Hazel at the usual time." She turned to Hazel when the little girl pulled at her shirt.

    "Teacher Qian, I wake up very early in the morning," Hazel said. "I can go with you. Let Grandpa Tang send both of us to school."

    Edith laughed upon hearing her words. "Really? If you want to go with me, you have to wake up very early, you know?"

    "I know." Hazel nodded. She stared back at her teacher with a serious expression. "Teacher Qian, don''t worry. I''m an early riser."

    "Then, it''s settled," Neil said. "I will let Old Tang come over earlier and send you both to school.. Unless if you have another matter to attend to, let''s just stay with this arrangement."

    Read novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 54 - Lies

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Edith did not think that Hazel was telling her the truth when she told her that she was an early riser.

    According to Auntie Emma, Hazel would usually arrive downstairs to have her breakfast earlier than her uncle. President Mo was someone who would rather skip his breakfast and spend his time reading the business section as soon as he woke up.

    Because she needed to hurry and arrive at the kindergarten, Edith and Hazel went out early in the morning before Neil even emerged from his room. Due to this new arrangement, Hazel became the first student to arrive at the kindergarten.

    Hazel accompanied her teacher at the entrance until the first student showed up. Her eyes brightened upon seeing that Alex He had arrived with his mother.

    The four of them exchanged greetings before Alex waved his hand to his mother and pulled Hazel into the classroom.

    "You were not joking when you told me that the two of them were close," Lily said as she watched the two kids disappeared into the class. "When did this happen?"

    Edith laughed and shrugged. "But this is good. Previously, Alex would choose to play alone. Other than his best friend, Tyler Lu, he did not like to mingle with the others."

    Lily started to frown and a long sigh escaped her. The first time she heard that her son did not have a lot of friends at the kindergarten, Lily could not stop worrying. Later, she came over to the kindergarten to spy on her son and found out that he was someone who did not gather in a large group.

    "You''re here early," Edith tried to change the topic and swiftly regretting her decision when she saw the bright look on her friend''s expression.

    "I came to get those juicy gossips from you." A wide smile curved on her lips. "Come on. Tell me. How''s the first night together?"

    "Ugh." Edith pulled a face. "What first night together? Don''t make it sound too dirty."

    "How was that dirty. It was literally your first night at President Mo''s place," Lily whispered. "I think, you are the one with those dirty thoughts."

    Edith rolled her eyes. She met Lily''s gaze and knew that her friend will not go away until she gave her some good story. "It was fine. We had dinner last night as President Mo wanted to welcome me." She watched Lily''s teasing smile and continued, "Sitting across him made me all jittery and I had indigestion. It was stressful."

    Lily laughed out loud as she imagined her friend''s face as she had to keep her manner in check while facing President Mo.

    "You''re enjoying this." Edith narrowed her eyes at her and saw the teasing smile widened.

    Lily stayed and teased her friend a while longer and left once she got what she wanted. Soon, the other parents came to sent their kids over to the school.

    When Edith walked into the classroom, the kids were running around and making a lot of noise. Her eyes wandered around the room and saw that Hazel and Alex were still together. Moreover, three other kids were surrounding the two of them as well.

    A sigh escaped her as she watched the five kids together, knowing that most of them never get along well. However, at this time, the five of them were playing together because of Hazel and Alex were together.

    Edith walked over to her table and clapped once before she asked the others to disperse. The class quietened down in two minutes and Edith began her lesson.

    It was only when the children were taking their afternoon nap that Edith was able to relax. She stretched out her body and took out her phone on routine. She saw a message from her grandfather and clicked it.

    A picture of a mackerel almost the size of her arms appeared on the screen along with her grandfather''s bragging that he had caught them on his fishing trip.

    Edith snickered and replied to her grandfather''s message.

    This time, Mike Qian replied as soon as he got her reply. Edith glanced at the kids before she walked out of the classroom silently to call her grandfather. Her phone call was connected after a few seconds.

    "Grandfather, you''re back from your fishing trip?" Edith asked the moment the phone call was connected.

    "Just arrived home an hour ago," Mike Qian said. He glanced at his friend, George Bei, and placed a finger on his lips, signaling his friend not to make a noise. "Did you see the picture I send you? How was it? It was a big fish, right?"

    "Grandfather, are you sure it wasn''t just luck?"

    "You!" Mike Qian gritted his teeth in anger. He closed his eyes and took a few deep breaths to calm down as her granddaughter laughed happily. "Anyway, Aaron had a matter to attend to in L City. I asked him to send over a box of fresh fish to you. He should arrive at your place around the time you get off work."

    "What?" Edith''s eyes widened in surprise and she started to panic. It has been only one night that she had moved out to President Mo''s place. If Aaron came over to her apartment and found out that she was not around, wouldn''t her grandfather got suspicious?

    "I sent over a box of food to you. Why are you so anxious?"

    Edith took a few deep breaths upon noticing the hint of suspicion in her grandfather''s tone. "Of course I''m anxious," Her mind whirled to think of an excuse. "I have something at the kindergarten and am planning to stay at Lily''s place for a few nights. If Aaron came to my place and found that I''m not around, wouldn''t he have to take those fresh produces back?" Her hands clenched into a fist, knowing that she was lying to her grandfather.

    Mike Qian thought of her granddaughter''s explanation and thought that it was very logical. "Then, I will call him and tell him to send it over to Lily''s place. What is her address again?"

    "Grandfather," Edith called out. "Don''t worry. I''ll call him. Anyway, he was not that familiar with Lily. It''s best if I arrange a meeting time with him."

    Once the phone call ended, Edith quickly browsed through her phone book to find Aaron''s number.

    Meanwhile, in Z Town, Mike Qian placed his phone on the table after the phone call with his granddaughter. His gaze shifted towards the scattered papers on the table and he picked up one of them to study the information on it.

    "Old Qian, was that Edith?" George Bei glanced at his friend and heaved a long sigh when his friend did not give him another response other than a curt nod. "How long do you think you''re going to keep telling your granddaughter that you went out on a fishing trip?"

    "For as long as I can," Mike answered quickly and shot his friend a warning gaze.

    "You''re not planning to tell her about Rachel?"

    Mike''s movement halted as he thought of his daughter who passed away years ago. "No. And you.... you should know better that you should never say a word to Edith about her Rachel."

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 55 - Playdate

    After school ended, Edith texted Neil about her plan to head over to the He''s residence and received a green light. She discussed the matter with Old Tang, and the older man drove her over to the He''s residence to wait for Aaron to arrive with the packaging that her grandfather had prepared for her.

    Hazel stepped into the house and was surprised to see that her friend, Alex He was inside. "Alex, why are you here?"

    Alex stared at the girl with the same surprised look. "This is my house. Why are you here?" He shifted his gaze to Edith and smiled brightly. "Auntie Edith!" His expression then changed upon realizing that the two were together. "Hazel, you''re with Auntie Edith?"

    The little girl frowned slightly at hearing the way Alex was addressing her favorite teacher. She moved closer to Edith and held her hand tightly as if claiming her territory.

    Lily, who stood at the side saw this exchanged and the corner of her lips twitched slightly. She nudged her friend at her waist and said, "It seemed that Hazel really liked you, huh?"

    "Of course." Edith looked at her friend with a proud expression. "I was voted as the children''s favorite teacher in the kindergarten last year."

    Lily rolled her eyes. She glanced at Hazel and whispered to her friend, "Will it be alright for you to take President Mo''s niece to my place?"

    "Don''t worry. I told him I had a place to stop by, and he was alright with it," Edith said. "As long as I looked after Hazel, it should be alright. Moreover, his driver came along with us."

    Lily led her friend into the living area and Hazel trailed closely after her. After a while, Hazel began to notice that Alex was around and there was a box of Gundam in his hands.

    Previously, Alex had told her that their teacher liked to build the model as well, and seeing the box in his hand piqued her curiosity.

    "Auntie Edith, are you here to help me build with my Gundam model?"

    "Teacher Qian, you know how to build them as well?" Hazel asked.

    "Your teacher is pretty good at it," Lily said. A smile curled on her lips as she looked at the little girl. "She helped Alex to build a few models previously. If you wanted to see them, let Alex show them to you." She turned to her son and raised a brow. "Why don''t you show those models to your friend?"

    Alex alternated his gaze at the three of them and finally stopped at Hazel.

    Although his relationship with Hazel was pretty good recently, it was the first time that a classmate came to his house. He had never shown his Gundam to anyone before. But, seeing the expectant look on everyone''s face, Alex then turned to Hazel. "You¡­ would you like to see the models that I built with Auntie Edith?"

    Hazel''s glanced at her teacher as if asking for her opinion before she nodded.

    "Then, you should come with me," Alex said after a while. "My father let me store those models on the shelf. It wouldn''t be convenient for me to bring them out."

    "Go," Edith urged the little girl. "I will call you over when it''s time to go home."

    Hazel nodded obediently before she followed Alex into the playroom."

    Once the kids were away, Lily turned to Edith and the corner of her lips tilted into a mischievous smile. "I didn''t think that you would get yourself into trouble on the first day you''re on your job."

    Edith massaged her forehead. "I didn''t think that my grandfather would send Aaron to come here."

    "Things would get pretty interesting if your grandfather finds out that you were living with another man."

    "You just want to see me get into trouble." Edith narrowed her eyes at her friend.

    Lily laughed out loud. Then, the two friends chatted for a while until the doorbell rang and an auntie came over and reported that a man was coming to meet Edith.

    When Edith came out, her friend, Aaron Li was holding an icebox cooler in his hand. He placed the box on the table and took a deep breath. "I thought I would have the chance to ask you out for dinner. It was not easy for me to come over to the city and find you."

    Edith laughed. "Sorry. But, I really have something to do. You should tell me earlier the next time when you''re coming to the city."

    "The next time I come, it will be your treat." Aaron flashed her a lopsided smile.

    "Alright. It''s a deal." Edith walked over to the icebox cooler and peered into it.

    There were a few types of fishes and other shellfish. Her eyes stopped at the mackerel in the icebox, but she soon noticed that this fish was not the same as the one in the picture that her grandfather showed her earlier.

    "I heard that your grandfather caught some mackerel this time. As for the other products," Aaron paused and smiled. "He bought them at the jetty this morning."

    A soft smile curled on her lips as a warm feeling spread throughout her heart.

    Perhaps her grandfather managed to caught just one fish during his last fishing trip and had wanted to share with her his prize. However, because he was a proud man, her grandfather had added some other fishes and shellfish as well.

    "Well, since I have completed the mission that your grandfather send me to do, I should go. I still have some places to go and people to meet," " Aaron said. He turned to Lily and nodded briefly at her before he turned around and left.

    Edith let out a breath in relief seeing that her friend was leaving. She really did not know what she was going to do if Aaron decided to stay around for a while longer.

    Anyway, she needed to go home with Hazel before her boss got home and realized that her niece was not at home.

    Edith watched as Aaron''s vehicle leave the area and heaved another breath of relief. However, before she was able to relax, a familiar SUV slowed on the road and stopped just in front of her residence.

    The door opened and someone stepped out of the SUV. Edith found her breathing hitched upon finding that the person was no other than Neil Mo. "President Mo. How come you''re here?"

    "I finished my work early and heard from Old Tang that you and Hazel were still outside," Neil said. "I send Old Tang back and came to pick you both."

    Lily poked at her friend''s waist a few times. At this time she was unable to utter a word as she was shocked to find President Mo of MH Group was right in front of her house. Her hair stood when Neil turned to her and nodded.

    "Teacher Qian, is your matter here done?" Neil asked.

    Read novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 56 - President Mos Trust

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    After saying their goodbyes to Lily and Alex, both Edith and Hazel hopped into Neil''s SUV and let him drive them home.

    Their journey back to the condo was silence and the situation was making Edith uncomfortable. At this time, she wished that Hazel would talk to her and liven the atmosphere, but the little girl was too tired after playing with Alex and she was now taking a nap beside her.

    Edith was not expecting that Neil would come over to fetch them from Lily''s place. Somehow, Edith was feeling as if her boss was checking up on her and it was making her slightly uncomfortable.

    Neil had hired her to allow his niece to have enough rest after school. Instead of doing that, she had dragged the little girl to Lily''s house. If it was not for her grandfather''s parcel, Edith would not have to head over to Lily''s place. Hazel could head home earlier and rest.

    Edith glanced at the rear mirror and saw a portion of Neil''s head.

    The man was still quiet as he continued to concentrate on his driving. He lifted his head to look at the rear mirror and was surprised to see to meet Edith''s gaze.

    Previously, Neil had this feeling as if he was being watched. He didn''t think that once he looked up, he would meet Edith''s gaze, and the woman made no move to look away.

    "Teacher Qian, what''s wrong?"

    "President Mo, are you checking on me?"

    She was curious. Instead of letting this uneasy feeling haunting her, it was best if she asked for his honest answer. At least, the next time, she would not repeat the same thing.

    Neil was startled by her question. It took him a few seconds before he could speak again, "Why would you think that I am checking on you?"

    "Why else would you appear at my friend''s place to pick us up?" Edith said.

    It was then that Neil was able to grasp what Edith was thinking. "It was not as you think. You have mentioned that you have a matter to settle and you were taking Hazel along as you. Teacher Qian, I have seen you with Hazel trust you with how you are planning to look after her. Or else, I won''t convince you to accept this job with such a high salary."

    Edith heard his explanation and felt the corner of her lips twitched upon seeing his iceblock expression through the rear mirror. She should be touched that President Mo had that much trust in her. But¡­ President Mo! Can you please not say those heartwarming words with such expression?

    "I was not planning to come over," Neil Mo spoke after a brief silence in the vehicle. He hesitated and continued, "I was planning to stay at the office for a while longer, but my mother reminded me that as Hazel''s guardian, I need to be close to her. Since I have told everyone that I will look after Hazel, I have to do my part well."

    Neil thought of her mother''s phone call an hour ago and pointed out that he should not relax just because he knew that Hazel will be well taken of under Edith. He was Hazel''s uncle, her relative, while Edith was only the little girl''s teacher.

    "You will have your chance. Hazel is a small child and at this age, it would be easier for you to get close to her." Edith turned to the little girl who napped beside her and heaved a soft sigh.

    As her teacher, Edith was able to see that Hazel was forced to mature after her parents'' death. As compared to her, Hazel''s condition and mental state were better. At least she did not cause trouble for her grandparents and uncle.

    However, this matter was making Edith worry about her as well. No matter what, Hazel will need to vent her feelings as keeping her emotion to herself will slowly eat her as she grew up.

    Neil''s SUV continued to cruise past the road and Edith was suddenly reminded that there was a supermarket near Neil''s place.

    "President Mo, can you stop by the supermarket for a while?"

    Neil glanced at the signage not far away from them and slowed down. "You have something to buy?"

    "Hmm," Edith nodded. "If it was too inconvenient, you can drop me and head home with Hazel first. I will grab a cab later."

    At this time, Hazel stirred up from her nap after listening to the adults'' conversation. She looked out the window and back at Edith. "Are we going to buy something from the supermarket?"

    "I''m going out to get a few things." Edith patted at the little girl''s head and smiled. "You should go home with your uncle first."

    Hazel blinked a few times and found that her sleepiness had disappeared. She turned to her uncle and said, "Can I go along with Teacher Qian? It has been a while since the last time I come here."

    Neil was about to tell the little girl that they needed to go home when he recalled that Hazel''s mother, Claire, would often take her along whenever she needed to get some groceries.

    In the end, Neil pulled his car into the parking lot and looked at Edith. "We will go with you."

    Edith hesitated for a brief second and nodded. "Alright."

    Just like that, the three of them walked into the supermarket, looking like a family of three. Hazel quickly volunteered to help Edith to push the trolley and Neil trailed after them without saying anything.

    Hazel has been keeping her eyes on the fresh produce that her teacher had put in the trolley for a while and her eyes were staring at those items with a curious gaze. "Teacher Qian," she whispered. "Are you going to cook something?"

    "Un," Edith nodded. "My grandfather sent me a box of seafood. They are still fresh. It would be a waste if I did not cook them quickly."

    "Your grandfather?"

    "You met him previously at the noodle stall in Z Town, remember?" Edith explained. "He was that grandfather with the fierce look on his face."

    Hazel frowned as she tried to recall her teacher''s grandfather, but she could not recall anyone with a fierce look. In Hazel''s eyes, those grandfathers who were at the noodle stall that day were all very kind. One of them had complimented that she was very well behaved.

    "Hazel, what do you like to eat?" Edith asked. "Let''s see if I can prepare something that you would like?"

    The little girl thought for a while and answered, "Noodle. I like noodles."

    "Then, let''s find some ingredients to make them? How about fried noodles?"

    "You don''t have to cook." Neil, who was at the side was listening to the two girls conversation finally decided to speak. "Let''s just get some takeaways."

    He was planning to order takeaways food for their dinner, anyway.

    After Hazel had come to live with him, Neil would often order for takeaways from a good restaurant for their dinner. It was only yesterday that he managed to convince Auntie Emma to stay longer and prepare some dinner for them.

    It was a special occasion and he wanted to make Edith feel welcome and therefore will be more at ease to stay at his place to look after his niece.

    "It''s fine." Edith stared at Neil''s cool expression and decided to joke around with him. "President Mo, could it be that you are worried that my cooking would be unpalatable?"

    "That is not what I meant." The iceblock expression disappeared momentarily and Neil was worried that Edith would misunderstand his intention.

    Edith laughed upon seeing the man''s expression changed slightly. "I can tell you that I''m really good at cooking seafood."

    Read novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 57 - Poor Mister Crab

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Once they arrived home, Edith took everything she bought to the kitchen. She turned around, watched Neil placed the icebox on the table, and thanked him. She opened the box and the three of them peered into the box.

    "Teacher Qian, that''s a lot of fishes!" Hazel stared into the box with her eyes wide.

    Edith heaved a sigh as she checked on the amount of seafood that her grandfather had sent to her. Fortunately, she had let Lily have half of them, or else, Edith did not know what she was going to do with them.

    If she was living alone in her apartment, she would not be able to finish the amount of food.

    "Hmm," Edith nodded. "I guess this amount of seafood would be enough for a week." She turned to Neil and smiled. "President Mo, you should go and do what you need to do. When everything is ready, I will let Hazel call you for dinner."

    Hazel raised her hand high. "Teacher Qian, I want to stay and help!"

    "Alright. You shall be my little helper for today."

    Neil stayed at the kitchen to watch the two interactions for a while longer and felt the same tad of jealousy that his niece was closer to Edith than she was with him. The smile on Hazel''s face right now was too dazzling.

    Hazel inherited her good look from both her mother and father. Her smiling face was the cutest and Neil recalled seeing the same smile whenever she was around her mother. However, this smile quickly disappeared as soon as her parents passed away.

    The first few weeks after her parents passed away, Hazel almost had no expression on her face. Neil had thought that his niece would never show the same smile again.

    It was after returning to school that Hazel started to show various expressions again.

    Neil was relieved, but he still wished that Hazel would have the same smile when she was with him. Looking at her now, Neil had wanted to stay in the kitchen and continue to look at his niece. However, the two of them were acting as if he was not present and Neil was starting to feel like an outsider.

    In the end, he shifted out of the kitchen quietly and head over into his office to deal with his work matters.

    ¡­

    Edith stepped backward to look at the little girl in front of her. "We don''t have a child-size apron at this home, so you have to make do with that," she said as she adjusted the apron on Hazel''s body. "Next time when we go out, we should get an apron that is suitable for you."

    "Un," Hazel nodded enthusiastically. She went to her teacher''s side and listened to her instruction as she was teaching her to wash vegetables. Then, she stood at the side and admired Edith''s skill in cleaning the seafood with ease.

    The sizzling sound caught Hazel''s attention, and the aromatic smell of garlic and other seasoning wafted through her nose. Hazel watched Edith stirred in the seafood into the pan and was amazed at how the prawn turned pink.

    Growing up, there was always an auntie who would cook at the house and her mother would always tell her not to enter the kitchen as it was dangerous for her. Therefore, to watch her teacher cooking up close was a new experience for her.

    To see the ingredients turned into something delicious in the pan made Hazel fascinated with cooking.

    At the end of it, Hazel looked at the seafood with pitiful eyes. The squid and crabs looked so different than they were at the beginning. Hazel poked her hand at Mr. Crab and whispered, "Poor Mister Crab." She stared at the crab for a while longer and continued, "But you''re very delicious."

    Edith stood at the side and smiled when caught the little girl''s mutterings to the crab. "Hazel, would you like to visit the aquarium with me?"

    "You''re going to take me to the aquarium?"

    "Un," Edith nodded. "I haven''t been to the aquarium for a long time. If you would like to go with me, then I will ask your uncle to let us go. What do you think?"

    The little girl''s eyes brightened. "I''d love to."

    "Then, we''ll talk to your uncle and convince him to let us go, alright?"

    ¡­

    Neil Mo walked down the stairs and was surprised to see the amount of food on the table. He lifted his gaze to Edith and spoke, "You made all these?"

    "I helped!" Hazel raised her hand enthusiastically. "I helped Teacher Qian to wash the vegetables and stir the ingredients in the wok."

    Seeing the excited look on Hazel''s face as she talked to him startled Neil for a few seconds. He recovered quickly and patted the girl on her hair. "You did a good job. The noodles look delicious."

    Hazel pulled her uncle''s hand and made him sit down. "Then, you have to finish everything, alright?"

    "Alright." A helpless sigh escaped from him as he saw Hazel''s rare enthusiasm towards him.

    Neil picked up the chopsticks and took a small bite at the noodle and was surprised at the fresh taste of the noodles and seafood. Though the noodle did not look very fancy, he was able to taste the sweetness and freshness of the seafood. It seemed that Edith was not lying when she told him that she was good at cooking seafood.

    Edith watched as the uncle and niece ate the noodles quietly and recalled her conversation with Hazel in the kitchen. "President Mo?"

    "Hmm?" Neil lifted his head and the chopstick in his hand stopped in midair.

    "I was planning to take Hazel to the aquarium this Sunday if it is alright with you?"

    Hazel put her chopstick down as she heard the word ''aquarium''. she looked at her uncle with an expectant gaze and spoke, "Uncle! I want to go! I''ve never been to an aquarium before."

    The little girl''s puppy dog eyes melted his heart and Neil nodded. "Alright."

    Once dinner ended, Edith sent Hazel to shower while she went back to the kitchen to tidy up. She was storing the dry plates back into the cupboard when she noticed the tall man, leaning on the wall, watching her.

    "President Mo, is there something wrong?" Edith asked as she wiped her hand on a clean towel.

    "About your trip to the aquarium," Neil hesitated. "I-I want to come along."

    The two adults stared at each other for a while before Edith broke the silence. "You¡­ want to come along?"

    Neil nodded. "Teacher Qian, you know that my relationship with Hazel is not very good.. Therefore, I hope that you can help me to mend my relationship with my niece."

    Read novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 58 - Disturbance

    MH Group.

    As Neil Mo stepped out of his office with his assistant, Manager Autumn Feng, who was trying to strike a conversation with the secretaries turned around and smiled.

    "President Mo," Autumn greeted enthusiastically.

    A deep frown appeared on Neil''s face when he saw the way Autumn''s hair was swaying around.

    Although he had never cared about the way his employee was dressed, Neil found that the way this manager was behaving was too annoying. It was not hard for him to figure out that Autumn Feng was trying to seduce him with the way she dressed, but after trying so long to attract his attention, shouldn''t she know when it was time to give up? Since he had never reciprocated her move, she should know that he was not interested.

    Meanwhile, the group of secretaries shot an annoyed look towards Autumn as they were worried that their boss would misunderstand that they spent their time gossiping during office hours.

    There were a lot of sensitive documents around President Mo''s floor and as President Mo''s secretary, they had to deal with a lot of important matters. Therefore getting caught gossiping would not be a good thing for them.

    Neil glanced at Autumn and his with indifference, but the woman was still smiling brightly at him.

    "Manager Feng, how can I help you?" Assistant Shawn stepped forward and stopped Autumn from taking another step towards their employer.

    Autumn shot a disapproving gaze towards Assistant Shawn, and the look on her face was quickly replaced with a smile when she turned to Neil again.

    "President Mo, I heard that you are going to attend the banquet to welcome Mister Han to MH City." The smile on her face stretched up. "You should know that I am very fluent in Korean. If you don''t mind, I can accompany you to this banquet."

    "Manager Feng, is the Business Development Department is very idle recently?" Neil said, causing the girl''s face to change slightly. "You are so free that you are willing to work extra hours and accompany me to a banquet?"

    "President Mo, I only wanted to help you."

    "Then, you should focus on your job and don''t make any mistake." Neil narrowed his eyes dangerously. "The last time you submitted a report to me, there were too many mistakes that even a rookie would not make. Manager Feng, don''t make the others think that the company only hired you because of your father."

    Autumn gritted her teeth as she watched both Neil and Assistant Shawn walked away. Her ears caught the snickering from the secretaries and she turned around angrily. However, the secretaries swiftly lowered their heads to look at the documents.

    Autumn Feng was not content with how Neil had treated her.

    She had known Neil for almost ten years when they were still teenagers. Her father was one of the directors in MH Group and the two had a lot of chances to meet. Autumn had always known that as compared to his younger brother, Neil was a bit cold to everyone else. He was someone who would not talk to other girls unless if it was for an important matter. But despite his cold attitude to people, Autumn had always known that Neil was a capable man.

    She worked hard to enter MH Group and rose to a managerial position at her age.

    However, why was it that now they have grown up, and she had come to work at MH Group, Neil would not spare another glance at her?

    Neil Mo entered the elevator and glanced at his assistant. "Next time, don''t let anyone unrelated to come to this floor."

    Assistant Shawn nodded. "Yes, sir."

    The elevator finally stopped at the ground floor and walked out. As they walked into the lobby, the two men stopped once they noticed the little commotion. There was a little bit of shouting, and the crowds were gathering to look at whatever was going on.

    Assistant Shawn frowned before he took out his phone to call the guards and instructed them to do their job properly. A deep sigh escaped him. They just got rid of one troublesome person, but now, another person was trying to make trouble at the company.

    It was the time where the employees clock off work and there was a lot of passerby around the area. No matter what reason it was for someone to cause a commotion, it would not be a good thing if someone recorded this and posted it on the internet.

    "Let me go!" A voice belonged to a male shouted out loud. "I will not go out until I see President Mo!"

    Assistant Shawn''s expression changed upon hearing the man''s words. He glanced at Neil''s face and was relieved upon finding that the man did not show a hint of anger.

    "President Mo, I will go over and see what is going on," Assistant Shawn spoke. He watched his boss nodded curtly and went over to the crowd to see the commotion. However, his steps halted upon hearing the man''s shouting again.

    "I was wrongfully accused! President Mo! You cannot do this to me! I have worked for this company for years. You cannot fire me just like this," the man continued to shout.

    Assistant Shawn glanced at his boss and found that his expression did not change much. He hurriedly walked into the crowd to check at what was going on and his face changed once he recognized Edward Xiao.

    Recently, the company found that he had embezzled a sum of money and with enough evidence, the man had to leave his job.

    Although Manager Xiao had voiced out that he was not guilty, the evidence pointed out that he was indeed guilty. No matter how many times they checked, everything was pointing towards Edward Xiao.

    Assistant Shawn glanced at a guard who stood at the side and frowned. "What are you doing? Why would you allow someone to make a mess here?"

    The guards immediately stepped forward to hold the man and drag him out of the building. Earlier, they have recognised Manager Xiao and did not want to treat him harshly. However, now that Assistant Shawn had arrived at the scene, the guards had no other choice but to prevent Manager Xiao from creating more disturbance.

    "The next time you see him, don''t let him enter the building," Assistant Shawn reminded the guards. Then, he went to President Mo''s side.

    "President Mo, it was Edward Xiao, the manager who was responsible for the misappropriation of salary for the construction worker," Assistant Shawn reported. "The guards have taken him away now."

    Neil stared at the direction where Manager Xiao was taken, and his eyes narrowed.

    Recently, there were too many incident happening at the company.

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 59 - Late Night Supper

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    After the banquet ended, Assistant Shawn drove Neil back to his condo. The sky has long turned dark, and the surroundings were quiet as at this time, many of the people in the city had entered the dreamland.

    When Neil entered the house, he was surprised to see that the living area was brightly lit and there was a delicious smell coming from the kitchen. Neil walked quietly towards the kitchen and found Edith.

    The woman was slurping her noodle eagerly with one leg on a chair and her arm resting on the knee. Her hands moved swiftly and once in a while, she would sigh as she chewed.

    As if she could sense that someone was watching her, Edith lifted her gaze and the chopstick in her hand paused midair. The noodle in her mouth fell back in the bowl and Edith started to cough loudly as the spicy soup got into her throat.

    Edith put her legs down, grabbed the glass of water on the table, and drank quickly. Her throat felt better, although slightly burning from the spicy soup. She took a deep breath and looked at the man before her.

    "President Mo, you''re back."

    Neil snapped out of his trance when he heard her voice. His lips tilted slightly as he recalled the way Edith had reacted when she saw him a few seconds earlier. "Sorry. I did not mean to startle you."

    Edith wiped her mouth with a paper towel and tried to calm down. At this time, her head was whirling with various thoughts. She did not think that Neil would return home at this time.

    She was counting that she would hear it when he entered the house, but Neil had walked in silently and appeared like a ghost.

    Neil shifted his gaze away lest Edith would be embarrassed. He looked around the area and could not find his niece. "Hazel?"

    "She went to bed a few hours ago," Edith reported. Seeing that Neil was not commenting on the way she ate, Edith planned to pretend that the incident did not happen.

    "Why are you not asleep?"

    "I was studying for my class. I got hungry and decided to make something to eat." She stared into her half-eaten bowl of noodles and found that she no longer has the appetite.

    Neil followed her gaze and saw that there Edith had not finished her meal. "You should continue and finish your noodles."

    Edith sat down on the chair and poked at the noodles. But with Neil''s presence around, Edith thought that everything was awkward. Nevertheless, Edith picked up a strand of noodles and chewed it slowly. Her gaze followed Neil''s movement as he walked over to the living area, took off his coat, and sat down on the sofa.

    Slowly, Neil raised his hands and massaged his painful head.

    Previously, when her brother, Adam Mo was still alive, he would often attend any banquet of any form of entertainment for the company. Now that he was no longer around, Neil had to take the job and attend those gatherings.

    Because he was not good at socializing as his brother, Neil thought that this gathering was somewhat strenuous. Every time he came back from those gatherings, he would often felt uncomfortable.

    "Here, drink this."

    Neil looked up and saw that Edith was holding a mug in her hand. The sweet smell of honey wafted to his nose.

    "I made you some honey water." She confirmed his suspicion. "It might help."

    "Thank you." He took the mug from her and took a few sips. The warm liquid went to his stomach and he felt slightly better and he emptied the mug.

    "Have you eaten? If you haven''t, I can help you to prepare something." Edith said. "Your stomach might feel a little better after eating something."

    Living with her grandfather, she would often look after him when he came back home after having too many drinks with his team. Usually, her grandfather would request her to make him some noodles.

    "President Mo, you don''t have to be too courteous. You paid me a high salary to look after your niece. Just making you a bowl of noodle would not be too difficult," Edith said when she noticed his hesitation. "Since we are living together, we should look after each other. Besides, I still have to attend the class tomorrow. I wouldn''t be at ease if I have to leave Hazel when you were unwell."

    Hearing her words, Neil could no longer find a reason to decline her offer. "Alright. Please, help me prepare something to eat."

    Edith walked into the kitchen, took out the ingredients, and in ten minutes, a bowl of piping hot noodles were served. Neil took a seat at the kitchen counter and found that the smell of the noodles was making him hungry. He picked up the spoon and took a sip at the soup.

    Noticing that she was looking at him, Neil lifted his head. "It''s good." He moved his gaze towards the bowl in front of her and said, "You should eat too."

    Edith picked up her chopstick again and picked at a strand of noodle and chewed slowly.

    "Why are you eating slowly? That is not how you eat your noodles just now."

    Hearing his words, Edith accidentally slurped on the noodle too quickly and she started to cough again. She thumped her fist on her chest and looked at Neil begrudgingly.

    Edith knew that Neil had seen the way she was eating her noodle earlier and thought that he was not going to say a word about it.

    Another cough escaped her when she noticed the slight smile on the corner of his lips.

    What is this? Was he teasing her? The iceblock President Mo was teasing her!?

    Edith whispered a few cursing words, but after pondering for a while, she decided not to care about his words.

    So what if she had seen the way she ate her noodles? If he started to complain about her manners, then she can only be mindful of her manners for as long as she was staying at his condo.

    "The noodles were a bit soggy and cold. It doesn''t taste good to eat it quickly," Edith came up with an excuse to ease the awkwardness.

    Neil saw that Edith was not lifting her head to look at him and decided not to say anything more about this matter.

    There was a long silence between them as they continued to eat their noodles.

    "About the trip to the aquarium," Neil spoke and broke the silence. "My assistant had booked tickets for us."

    "Oh." Edith nodded before she lowered her head again. "Right." She cleared her throat a few times and spoke, "President Mo, since you''re here, there is something that I need to tell you."

    Neil raised a brow and waited for her to continue.

    "Early next month, the kindergarten will be holding a parent and child activity day," Edith spoke. "President Mo, it would be good if you could free your time and come over.. Hazel would be happy to see you."

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 60 - Weekly Report

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    It was Saturday morning and Edith was preparing herself to go over to her class. When she went downstairs, Hazel was having her breakfast in the dining area and Auntie Emma was preparing some breakfast.

    Hazel stared at her teacher with her bright eyes and saw that she was dressed and ready to go out. "Teacher Qian, you have class this morning?"

    Last night, Edith had reminded the little girl that she will not be around as she had to attend a class.

    "Hmm," Edith nodded. "Today your uncle will be looking after you."

    "When will you get back?"

    Edith stared at the girl and a chuckle escaped her when she saw Hazel''s expectant gaze. She had been staying with the uncle and niece in the house for almost a week and Hazel has become really sticky towards her recently.

    Suddenly, Edith did not know how will this little girl react once the two-month contract ended.

    Edith sighed and pulled Hazel into a hug before she kissed the top of her head. This little girl was too obedient and cute. Edith was sure that she too will have a hard time to part with Hazel later. Fortunately, they can still see each other at kindergarten.

    "I will be back in the evening," Edith said. Her class should end around lunch hour, but she had planned to visit Lily later.

    "Oh," Hazel dropped her gaze back to the bowl of porridge. She had thought that Edith''s class would end sooner than that and she was planning to ask her to play with her.

    Hazel was very close to her mother and having Edith around the house made her feel more at ease.

    After living with Edith for a few days, Hazel was happy that she gets to learn a lot of interesting things¡ªthose things that she would never learn at her kindergarten. Edith would always fill her time with interesting activities and they both had a lot of fun.

    Edith''s smile curled into a helpless smile at Hazel''s disappointed expression. "Tomorrow, we will visit the aquarium together and we will have a lot of fun, alright?"

    The little girl''s expression changed again and this time, her happiness was apparent. Watching the cute expression, Edith could not help but kiss her on the head again.

    At this time, a sound of movement was heard and Edith lifted her head and saw that Neil was walking down the stairs.

    "President Mo, good morning," Edith greeted.

    "Good morning," Neil replied coolly. He gave Edith a look over and asked, "You are going to your class?"

    "Yes," Edith nodded.

    Seeing the indifferent look on his face, Edith subconsciously let out a sigh. She had thought that the President Mo who teased her with the way she was eating noodles was too strange. Perhaps, last night he was tipsy and therefore had acted differently.

    "Let me give you a lift," Neil said.

    "That''s alright. I can walk over to the main street and grab a cab."

    "It would be hard to grab a cab around this area," Neil pointed out. "Besides, I am taking Hazel out later." He walked over to Hazel and bent to her level. "Let''s go and see your parents later."

    "Un," Hazel quickly nodded.

    A rare smile curled on Neil''s face. He patted at the little girl''s hair and said, "Eat your breakfast."

    Once they had their breakfast, Neil drove Edith to her class before he drove to the cemetery.

    Neil helped his niece off the vehicle and watched as the girl stepped carefully with two small size flower bouquet in her hand. The two of them had made a quick stop at the florist earlier and Hazel had chosen some flowers for her parents.

    Hazel placed the bouquet on the grave, took a step back, and stared at the tomb in a daze. Whenever she came over to visit her parents at the weekend, Hazel would always stare at the tomb for a long time. It was as if she was afraid that she was going to forget her parents and had wanted to record how they look like in her brain.

    "Don''t you want to say something to them?" Neil spoke when the little girl stayed in silence for a long time. When Hazel turned to look at him, Neil pointed his hand to the corner and said, "I will head over there to call your grandmother. You can take your time to tell everything to them."

    "Un," Hazel nodded obediently. She watched as her uncle walked away and turned to the tomb. The little girl took a deep breath and flashed a smile. "Mama, Papa, it''s me, Hazel."

    Neil turned around to glance at the little girl and a heavy sigh escaped him. His heart tugged as he listened to the girl''s voice. Every time Hazel came to visit the cemetery, she would often have this expression; a smile on her face as if she was forcing herself not to cry.

    Hazel was only a child and seeing her suppressing her emotion to this extend was worrying him. She was a child and should be having fun in her childhood. However, after her parents passed away, the cheerful girl was never the same again.

    Although she was now able to smile and laugh happily, it was still worrying that she had tried so hard to suppress her feelings.

    Neil took out his phone and dialed his mother''s number. After two rings, Sophie Huang picked up the phone as if she was waiting for his call.

    "You are at the cemetery?" Sophie asked.

    "Hmm," Neil nodded. "Hazel is talking to her parents."

    Sophie let out a long sigh. "How is Hazel?"

    "She is doing well," Neil said. He thought of the recent change in the little girl and smiled. "Mom, perhaps hiring Teacher Qian and letting her live with Hazel was the right thing decision. Recently, Hazel has been showing a lot more expression and has been smiling and laughing a lot more. It seemed that she really liked having Teacher Qian around the house."

    Hearing his words, Sophie felt a bit at ease. "That is good. However, you must remember not to rely too much on Teacher Qian. She will not stay by your side and help you forever. You are Hazel''s uncle. Since you have volunteered to look after Hazel, you have to do it properly. Don''t forget to bond more with her."

    This was the weekly routine for the two of them. Hazel would talk to her parents and report everything about what was going on with her life, while Neil would stand at the side to report of his new living arrangement with Hazel to his mother.

    "Mom, I have asked Teacher Qian to help me with bonding with Hazel and she had agreed," Neil reported. "Tomorrow, I will take Hazel to the aquarium and spend more time with her..."

    Read novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 61 - Visiting The Aquarium (1)

    Hazel woke up early in the morning and was unable to conceal the excitement on her face. Last night she was unable to fall asleep at the thought of visiting the aquarium. The last time she went to an aquarium, she was still a toddler and had no recollection about it.

    After taking a shower and getting dressed up, Hazel went downstairs and waited for the grownups to come down. The moment she saw Auntie Emma in the kitchen, Hazel greeted her enthusiastically before she sat down at the dining area to eat her breakfast.

    Her gaze darted towards the stairs when she heard a movement.

    "Teacher Qian, good morning," Hazel greeted.

    Edith smiled upon noticing the bright smile on the girl''s face and knew how much Hazel has been looking forward to this trip ever since she mentioned it for the first time.

    "After you had your breakfast, let me help you to comb your hair, alright? Which style do you like?"

    "Teacher Qian, please help me and do twin tails."

    When Neil Mo walked down the stairs, the little girl ran to his side, moved her head left to right, and smiled brightly. He stared at the little girl and noticed that there was something different from her.

    "Uncle, look at this," Hazel said. "Teacher Qian helped me to do twin tails." Her hair was styled into high twin tails with soft curls. Then, her teacher had helped her to put on her cute starfish hair clip at the side. She had looked into the mirror and was very satisfied with her look.

    The three of them hopped into the vehicle and Neil drove over to the aquarium. Although this aquarium was one of the projects that the MH Group was involved in, this was actually Neil''s first time to step into the building.

    Assistant Shawn was already waiting for them at the car park. With his qualification and experiences, Assistant Shawn was someone who was charged with a lot of important documents and decisions for the President. However, he was forced to come over and accompany his boss to walk around the aquarium on his off day.

    Putting on the best smile on his face, Assistant Shawn greeted his boss and looked at Hazel. "Young Miss, you''re looking especially cute today."

    Beaming, Hazel then hid behind Edith and looked at the Assistant shyly. "Thank you."

    Sensing that someone was staring at him, Assistant Shawn turned around and saw that his boss was staring at him as if warning not to get close to his niece. Assistant Shawn cleared his throat and took out the tickets that he had kept in his pocket. "President Mo, your tickets. You can use the express lane and the VVIP area."

    Edith turned to look at the ticketing counter and was surprised to see the long queue.

    It was then that she recalled that the aquarium would be crowded with people during the weekend. She turned to Neil and sighed. "Fortunately, you have booked our tickets. Or else, we will have to join in the long queue."

    A thought crossed her mind, and Edith bent to Hazel''s level and spoke, "Later when we''re inside there will be a lot of people, so you have to hold on to your uncle''s hand tightly, alright?"

    "Un," Hazel nodded, although she wondered if she could hold on to her teacher''s hand instead.

    Edith smiled upon noticing the girl''s hesitant look. "Your uncle is taller and you would be able to walk around easily with him around. You will be much safer with him."

    Neil heard her words and wondered if this was her way to help him get close to Hazel. He had asked for her help a few days ago and she had agreed to help him.

    "If you need to visit the restroom, you have to tell us, understand?"

    Hazel nodded again. "Understand."

    "Don''t run around and stay close. If you see something that might interest you, you have to tell your uncle before you head over to the place."

    "I know."

    Edith patted at the little girl''s shoulder and smiled. "Alright. Let''s go."

    Hazel walked over to her uncle and held his hand tightly before the three of them followed Assistant Shawn towards the express lane.

    There were ten minutes left before the aquarium will be opened to the public, but because of his identity, Neil was granted an early entry.

    A few employees who recognized Neil and his assistant did a double-take. Their eyes went to the little girl who was holding on to Neil''s hand tightly and finally stopped at Edith. Their curiosity peaked and they started to whisper to each other. However, this curiosity was quickly killed once they noticed their manager''s warning gaze.

    They were working at the express lane and should know to keep their mouth shut with the VVIP around.

    An employee finally snapped out of her trance and stepped forward to hand them some brochures from the aquarium. Edith studied the map and the time table.

    "There will be an animal show in an hour," Edith spoke absentmindedly.

    Hazel turned around. "What animal show?"

    "Sea lions." Edith looked at Hazel and asked, "Would you like to go and see? If you''re lucky you might be able to touch them."

    Hazel turned to her uncle and gave him a pleading look. "Can we go?"

    "Of course we can," Neil answered before he turned to his assistant again.

    "President Mo, I have reserved a special seat for the three of you." Assistant Shawn smiled. "I recommend you to have lunch at the aquarium cafe," Assistant Shawn continued. "Young Miss Hazel will enjoy having her lunch surrounded by those colorful fish."

    Neil glanced at Edith as if asking for her opinion and nodded. "We''ll follow your arrangement.

    Assistant Shawn let out a breath of relief. Fortunately, he had asked around and talked to the manager that President Mo will be coming over and the manager had recommended to Assistant Shawn about the activities they can do in the aquarium.

    The four of them walked into a humongous shark mouth at the entrance of the aquarium.

    "Hold on," Edith spoke out quickly, causing the three others to look at her inquiringly.

    Edith looked at Neil and continued, "Since there is no one else, how about if I help you to snap a few pictures together. Usually, there will be too many people gathering at the entrance to take pictures. This is a rare occasion."

    Assistant Shawn turned to his boss. "President Mo, I will take a few pictures together. I''m sure the Chairman and Mrs. Mo would love to see pictures of Hazel."

    Neil thought over their suggestion and nodded. "Alright." He looked at Hazel and spoke, "Let''s take a few pictures first."

    Just like that, Hazel was staring at the camera with an adorable look, however, the iceblock beside her was ruining this portrait.

    Edith looked at her phone screen and let out a small sigh. "President Mo," She waved her hand and instructed, "Get down."

    Hearing her instruction, Assistant Shawn turned to Edith with horror. Although he understood Edith''s intention to let them the uncle and niece have a nice picture together, it was the first time that he had seen anyone giving an instruction this way to President Mo.

    Suddenly, Assistant Shawn was scared that Neil might be upset and spoke a few harsh words towards this fearless teacher.

    However, what Assistant Shawn was expecting did not happen. His mouth gaped open as he watched his boss crouched down beside his niece.

    "Like this?" Neil asked.

    "Un. Un," Edith nodded as she lifted her phone again. "Hold Hazel closer.. And smile."

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 62 - Visiting The Aquarium (2)

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Both Edith and Assistant Shawn felt their lips twitched upon seeing the awkward smile on President Mo''s face.

    His niece, Hazel had a big bright smile, while Neil¡­

    It was better to say that this was not a smile at all.

    For this reason, both Edith and Assistant Shawn hesitated to press the button, knowing that this would not turn into a good photo.

    Assistant Shawn glanced at Edith as if asking her if she could come up with a way to resolve this situation.

    Of course, Edith did not disappoint him. She lowered her phone and came up with another instruction. "Hazel, how about you put your right hand on your uncle''s shoulder?"

    Hazel obediently lifted her hand and followed her instruction. "Like this?"

    "Right. Right." Edith nodded.

    Just then, the uncle and niece turned to look at each other, and gradually, the iceblock expression on Neil''s face disappeared and his gaze on Hazel turned into something warmer.

    Seeing this picture, Edith took the opportunity to shot a few pictures.

    Neil and Hazel turned around to look at the same time when Edith did not give them further instruction and Edith managed to snap a few more acceptable photos of the uncle and niece.

    "Alright, it''s done."

    "It''s done?" Neil frowned, apparently, he did not believe in Edith''s words that she had taken their pictures. Shouldn''t she count one, two, three, and let them be ready before she snapped the photo?

    Edith smiled. She walked over to both Neil and Hazel and showed the pictures that she had taken.

    Neil froze the moment he looked at the photos and was surprised that he had such an expression on his face. He might be unprepared while Edith snapped the photos, but Neil could not deny that the photos looked good.

    "Send those photos to me later," Neil said.

    "Alright." Edith nodded and quickly transferred the best-looking pictures to Neil''s number. Just then, Hazel tugged at her shirt and looked at her with her big eyes. "What''s wrong?"

    "Teacher Qian, let''s take some photos together," Hazel said.

    Edith giggled at the little girl''s request. Assistant Shawn stepped up at this time and offered to be the photographer snapped a few pictures. When he handed her phone back, there were a few adorable shots of Hazel and Edith together.

    Neil stood at the back to peek at the photos and his expression softened upon seeing Hazel''s bright smile on those photos. A hint of jealousy tugged at his heart. Although his photographs with Hazel were lovely, they were not as good as the photo of his niece and her teacher together.

    He wanted a picture of Hazel with a bright smile with him too¡­

    "Alright. Let''s not waste our time," Edith said. "We should go and look around while there was still no one around and catch up with the show later."

    Hazel nodded enthusiastically. She held her uncle''s hand tightly and the four of them walk further into the aquarium.

    "Teacher Qian," Assistant Shawn called as the two were walking behind President Mo and his niece.

    "Hmm?"

    "You were good back there," Assistant Shawn raised his thumb, and whispered, "I wouldn''t know what do if I have to snap those pictures."

    Edith chuckled. "Thank you. But I picked up this skill after going out with my girlfriends a few times. One of us would ask to snap a few pictures and giving instructions on how to pose has become something that I''m used to."

    "I did not think that President Mo will listen to your instruction." He saw her puzzled look and continued. "Teacher Qian, don''t you think that President Mo is a scary person? In the office, most employees did not have the courage to say a word to him."

    Edith quickly understood his meaning.

    Neil Mo always had that expressionless look on his face and people would usually get frightened by it.

    "It was awkward at first," Edith admitted. "But I worked with him. If I did not talk to him, then how am I supposed to discuss anything regarding Hazel. Moreover," she smiled. "I met a few scary-looking people than President Mo."

    Assistant Shawn blinked. "Ah?" There were people scarier than President Neil Mo?

    Edith laughed and left the dumbfounded assistant behind.

    As they were the first few guests in the aquarium, Neil let Hazel run around the place to look around.

    Hazel looked at her surroundings and took a step back when a big shark passed by. Her grip on her uncle''s hand subconsciously tightened.

    "What''s the matter? Are you scared?" Neil asked.

    Hazel tilted her head up and shook her head. "I''m not afraid." She then approached the large tank again and took a deep breath to gather her courage. Her gaze wandered around to look at the various fishes inside and soon, she was hypnotized by the view.

    A while later, the other patron entered the area, and the sounds of kids laughing voice filled the area.

    Edith glanced at the man beside her and asked, "President Mo, do you find this kind of activity boring?"

    Neil heaved a soft sigh. "Hazel looked happy."

    President Mo was someone who managed MH Group and under this company, there were a lot of other businesses. To visit the aquarium to look at the fishes were of course, not something that he would enjoy to do. Even so, as long as it was something that will make Hazel happy, Neil thought that it was worth it.

    "If you wanted to get closer to Hazel, now would be a good chance," Edith said. "Stay by her side and try to talk to her about those various fishes in there."

    Neil turned to look at his niece and hesitated. "I don''t know how." A helpless sigh escaped him. "What do I talk to her about?"

    A small smile appeared on her lips and at this time, Edith thought that a helpless Neil was kind of cute. "For instance, you could ask her what she was looking at and what she is interested in. Then, you can continue your conversation from there."

    Neil thought over her suggestion and took a step towards Hazel. Then, he stopped and turned to Edith again. "What if Hazel did not want to talk to me?"

    "Hazel is a child who might be quiet, but once she was familiar with that person, she will become talkative," Edith said. "President Mo, you have to try. Perhaps she will not talk too much with you this time. But after a while, when she was more comfortable and closer to you, she will talk to you more."

    Neil stood in silence for a few seconds before he stepped towards Hazel again. Then, he crouched down beside his niece and the two of them turned to look at each other. A few seconds passed and Neil opened his mouth to ask, "Hazel, what are you looking at?"

    The little girl pointed in a direction. "Uncle, look.. It''s Nemo."

    Read novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 63 - Visiting The Aquarium (3)

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    After Neil had taken the initiative to have a chat with Hazel, the little girl would turn to him and pointed at everything that she found interesting to him. Having this rare chance where Hazel had talked to him with a bright smile on her face, of course, Neil was happy.

    Seeing the expression on their face while they were together, Edith took this chance to snap a few more candid photos and had edited some of them to make them appear cuter. A soft sigh escaped her as she continued to stare at the photos.

    The photos with Hazel and Neil both with cat whiskers were too adorable. She wanted to post it to her moments and share it with others, but this will only bring her a lot of trouble. Hazel might be able to appreciate this editing skill, but if her boss, Neil found out about this photo, Edith was sure that he would be furious.

    In the end, Edith could only appreciate her photographing and editing skills by herself.

    More patron filled in the aquarium as they stayed longer. As the announcer announced that the animal show will be starting soon, Assistant Shawn led them to the auditorium. The three of them were taken to the VVIP seat and he soon left.

    Seeing that their Assistant Shawn was not joining them, Edith turned to Neil and looked at him inquiringly. "Assistant Shawn is not joining us?"

    "Assistant Shawn had another matter to look after," Neil said.

    Edith nodded and turned to chat with Hazel and asked her about her experience earlier.

    It has been a while since Hazel had come out to visit a place like this and Hazel became very chattery as she talked to Edith.

    Meanwhile, Neil was watching their interaction with a hint of jealousy. Though he had his chance with his niece earlier, this girl did not talk too much as she did with his teacher. As Neil was wondering when will the two of them became closer, a trainer walked on the stage and three sea lion swam in the water.

    The crowd, especially the kids started to cheer out loud as the trainer and the sea lion did a little trick.

    Because of where they were seated, some water splashed towards them as the sea lion did its trick. Although Hazel was happy about it, Neil''s expression was very different than his niece. After all, because of his height, he had received most of the splash and protected Hazel from most of it.

    As the show ended, Edith glanced at the man and laughed a little bit. She pulled out a small towel from her knapsack and handed it over to her boss. "President Mo, please, use this and help yourself."

    Neil took a deep breath, accepted the towel, and started to wipe his face and some wet spot on his body. "Teacher Qian, do you always carrying a towel with you?"

    "That''s right," Edith nodded. "After being around kids for a long time, I feel that taking a small towel with me all the time was actually helpful."

    Neil''s movement paused.

    Was her words implying that he was a small kid. After all, this was not the first time he was splashed with water and had to borrow her towel.

    "You missed a spot," Edith said. She stretched her hand, took the towel from him, and helped to dab at a few spots just around his ear and hair. "You''re done." She turned to Hazel who sat between them and asked, "Are you ready to leave now?"

    "Un," Hazel nodded. She looked at her uncle and said, "I''m hungry."

    Neil, who had turned stiff after Edith had wiped some water off his face snapped out of his trance. He looked at his niece and nodded. "Let''s go and eat then."

    Just as the three of them were about to leave, a young girl with a pink polaroid camera in her hand stopped them.

    "Hello." The young girl shot a wary glance at Neil and smiled at both Edith and Hazel. "Just now, I was taking some pictures and saw your family''s interaction." She paused and handed over a polaroid photograph and said. "It was a very cute moment and I could not resist pressing the button. The photo turned out good. Here, you can have this."

    Edith stared at the photo where she was holding the small towel to dry Neil''s face. Because she had thought that the situation was rather funny, there was a hint of a smile on her lips. Neil was looking at her with a slightly surprised look and Hazel, who was in the middle were looking at her happily.

    It was a really nice photograph, except that¡­ they were not a family ah!

    Edith turned towards the young girl and saw that she had walked away. "Young girl!"

    The girl turned around and smiled. "Don''t worry. I won''t charge you anything. Madam, you can have that photo."

    Her breath hitched at the way the girl had addressed her. What madam? This was a misunderstanding! She was still unmarried! Edith raised her head to look at Neil''s expression and was relieved to see that he was staring at his phone to avoid the awkwardness.

    "Come on," Neil said as he glanced at the polaroid in Edith''s hand. "Assistant Shawn is waiting for us outside."

    "Oh," Edith nodded. She scratched at her head and finally decided to throw the polaroid picture into her knapsack before she went after Neil and Hazel.

    Assistant Shawn was already waiting for them outside the auditorium. He exchanged a few words with Neil and led them to the cafe. He had booked a table for three just beside the large aquarium and Hazel was staring at the fishes in the large tank in excitement.

    "Assistant Shawn, you will not be joining us?" Edith asked upon noticing the seating arrangement.

    "Teacher Qian, I have had my meal earlier," Assistant Shawn admitted.

    Just before Edith could say something else, the little girl beside her had already caught her attention and when she turned again, Assistant Shawn had left, and a waitress was standing beside her with a menu in her hand.

    "Teacher Qian, just order for anything that you like," Neil said.

    Edith browsed through the menu and called Hazel to look at them together. After a while, Edith had chosen a pan-fried fish and Hazel had chosen something from the kids'' menu. She accompanied Hazel to look at the fishes in the aquarium.

    Their food arrived and the grownups ate while continue to listen to Hazel''s chattering about the fishes and sea creatures that she had seen.

    "Don''t just talk, eat your food," Neil said to Hazel. He watched her took a bite at her pasta and asked, "How was it? Good?"

    Hazel raised her head and smiled at Edith. "It''s good, but Teacher Qian made a better pasta."

    Edith laughed. She patted at the little girl''s hair and kissed her hair. "Then, next time, I''ll make that seafood pasta for you again, alright?"

    Hazel nodded happily and turned to her uncle. "Uncle, can we come here again? With you, Teacher Qian and me?"

    Neil exchanged a glance with Edith and nodded to Hazel. "Alright. Next time, let''s come again."

    The little girl''s eyes brightened. "Promise?"

    Neil nodded.. "I promise."

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 64 - Because The Person Was Edith

    In the western part of Z Town.

    Sophie Huang and her husband Lucas Mo was looking at the picture that their son had sent them earlier. As they browsed through them, the smile on their face widened and there was gentleness on their expression.

    Hazel Mo was their only grandchild that they doted on her very much. They had wanted to let her stay by their side to raise her, but the little girl had chosen to live with her uncle who she was never close with.

    These days, they can only look at their precious grandchild through her photos.

    Although they were initially worried about the living arrangement with the uncle and niece, it looked like everything was going on smoothly for the two of them.

    "You look here," Sophie pointed at her husband. "This photo of Hazel with the turtles looks especially cute." She could only pray that her son, Adam, and her daughter-in-law, Claire would see that their daughter was living well under Neil''s care.

    "Hmm," Lucas nodded. They continued to browse through the photos and he looked up upon hearing his wife''s long sigh.

    "I''m glad that we gave both of them a chance to live together," Sophie said. "You look at your son. Did you not notice? Neil''s expression became gentler when he was with Hazel. How long have we have not seen this kind of expression from him."

    Lucas stared at the photo and sighed. "Well, our son had suffered a lot under the old master''s teaching. In the end, one of them became expressionless, and another one always put on a smile to hide their emotion."

    Sophie let out another long sigh as she recalled how her father-in-law had raised her two sons under his strict guidance. Her sons might be successful, respected, and became influential in L City despite their young age, however, as their mother, she hoped that her sons will be able to enjoy their life like others.

    Fortunately, her second son, Adam found someone he liked at a very young age, married her, and had a daughter. However, regarding her older son, Sophie was still worried about it.

    A lot of madame had approached her to introduce their daughter to enter Mo''s family through marriage, however, Sophie was determined to let her two sons chose the woman they were going to marry themselves. Growing up, her sons were not given the chance to make their choice. Therefore, regarding their marriage, Sophie wanted to let them decide.

    Just that¡­ looking at her Neil''s personality, Sophie was wondering if there would be any woman who could get along with him well.

    Lucas stared at his wife''s longing face and spoke, "The next time we went back to L City for my routine check-up, let''s stay at the city a while longer and accompany Hazel, alright?"

    ¡­

    After playing around in the aquarium with her uncle and teacher, Hazel was too tired and had gone back to her room and had fallen asleep earlier. Her eyes closed and she was holding tightly at the bunny plushy that her late mother had gifted her. At the head of her bed, there was the new dolphin and octopus plushy that Neil had bought for her.

    Edith looked at the girl''s steady breathing and closed the door before she headed downstairs to drink some water before going to bed. The moment she walked into the kitchen, her gaze met with Neil''s Mo. She froze momentarily and quickly regained her composure.

    "President Mo," she greeted. She saw that he replied to her with a nod and her eyes shifted towards his hands that was handling the coffee machine.

    It was nighttime. The only reason why he would need a cup of coffee was that he was planning to stay up and work.

    Her lips tilted into a smile at the thought that Neil had wanted to spend his time with his niece despite having a pile of work waiting for him.

    Edith went to a side, pick up a glass, and pour herself some water. Just as she was about to bring the glass to her lips, Edith heard the man called out her name. She turned to Neil and gave him an inquiring gaze.

    Neil had noticed her presence the moment she descended the stairs and had wanted to speak to her for a while. He continued to look at the person in front of him and noticed that the end of her hair was slightly wet.

    "Thank you for today," Neil said and looked away.

    "You''re welcome," she nodded and smiled. She watched as he turned away to press some button on the coffee machine and weigh her decision whether to initiate a conversation with him or not. After a few seconds, Edith spoke, "I hope that you are making some progress with Hazel today."

    Recently, Neil began to notice that the two of them would always have their chat in the kitchen.

    "Hmm," Neil nodded. He was reminded of Hazel''s happy face and a gentle smile curled on his lips. "I sent those photos you took to Hazel''s grandparents. They were very happy to see that Hazel is very happy here."

    The coffee he prepared poured out from the machine into his cup and the smell of coffee wafted in the room.

    "Well accompanying her and doing some activities with her together will help you get close to Hazel," Edith said. She thought for a while and spoke again, "Well, this is merely a suggestion, but President Mo, if you are not too busy, you should come home early and have dinner with Hazel. Didn''t they say that a family that eats together stays together? Besides, eating together as a family will help in Hazel''s growth as well."

    Neil stared at her for a long without saying a word. Then slowly, he nodded. "I will try."

    Hearing his answer, Edith smiled again.

    "Teacher Qian?" he called again.

    "Hmm?"

    "It has been a week since you moved in with us. I hope you''re adjusting yourself well," Neil said.

    "I am," Edith smiled.

    In fact, she was not the only one who had to adjust to this living arrangement. Neil had never shared his place with another woman before. The only reason why Edith was able to enter his place was that she was good with Hazel.

    Neil was grateful that Edith was someone who was not frightened to speak to him or someone who wanted to get close to him because of who he was. Although she might have some side that she wanted to hide from him, Neil thought that it was good that she was lively and would try to be herself.

    He had thought that the only reason he was able to adjust to this living arrangement quickly was that... the person was Edith. If it was switched to someone else, perhaps he would not be able to adjust this quick.

    "That''s good to hear," Neil retract his gaze, picked up the freshly brewed coffee mug, and took a sip. The bitterness spread through his mouth but his expression did not show that he was despising the taste.

    Edith waited for him to say something else, but when he stood silently with his coffee mug Edith turned to walk out. Her step halted as she reached the end. "President Mo?" She waited for him to turn to her and spoke, "Don''t stay up too late.. Good night."

    Read novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 65 - Missing

    MH Group

    The elevator at the president floor opened and a tall man in a gray suit walked out and headed straight towards the president''s office without turning his head at the people who were looking at him.

    Those who were able to work on the floor had long recognized Henry Wu, President Mo''s best friend, and did not stop him as he made his way to the office.

    Assistant Shawn stood up the moment he saw Henry Wu approaching the office. "Mister Wu."

    The man turned upon hearing his name and nodded. "Is he in?"

    "Yes," Assistant Shawn walked around the table. "President Mo has been waiting for you," he spoke as led him to the office. After a brief knock on the door, Assistant Shawn pushed the door open to let Henry in and closed the door.

    Neil Mo lifted his gaze before he continued to look at the documents on the table, ignoring his friend. Henry saw the way he reacted and clicked his tongue.

    "Is this how you treated a guest? How about asking me what I do I want to drink?" Henry asked as he sauntered in. Then, he sat down at the empty seat in front of the table and crossed his legs.

    "What do you want to drink?" Neil asked without looking up.

    "A cup of coffee would be nice."

    Neil pressed at a button on the phone, gave out his instruction, and closed the documents in his hand to look at his friend. "What have you brought for me?"

    "The report you wanted," Henry said.

    "That was quick."

    Henry Wu raised a brow. He pulled out a thin stack of documents from his bag. He placed it on the table and Neil was quick to take it away. Then, he watched Neil flipped through the documents and spoke again. "The first time I checked, I did not notice anything wrong. Everything was according to the previous report that one of your managers had prepared. Edward Xiao too the money meant to pay the construction workers and transferred it into a company where he was listed as the CEO."

    Neil''s hand paused as he reached another page and his expression darkened.

    "Until we found out that this was a dummy company," Henry continued. He watched Neil''s face and knew that his friend was looking at the evidence he had found. "The owner was not Edward Xiao. It doesn''t seem as if Mister Xiao had anything to do with the company. Whoever gave you the report did not do their job well or," he lifted his shoulders into a shrug. "they were covering for something or someone."

    His expression turned uglier as seconds passed by. Neil did not like both possibilities. If it was just like what Henry had said, then, he has really fired Edward Xiao for something that he did not do.

    "The thing that I asked you to do, did you think about it yet?"

    Neil remembered that Henry had asked him to look into the company''s accounting department after he had found some strange matters after his brother passed away, but Neil had thought that this was not the right time to investigate.

    Henry asked as he watched his friend. "I know that you want to lower your guard and let them reveal some loophole, but Neil, don''t take too long, or else, you might miss out on the evidence."

    "I know," Neil tapped his fingers on the table. "I will arrange for something before the auditing with the accounting firm began."

    ¡­

    Sunflower Kindergarten

    These days, the kindergarten was busy preparing for the upcoming parents and child activity day. The kids were asked to prepare some show to entertain the parents.

    Edith stood at the back of the hall as she watched the kindergartners rehearsing their singing and dancing on stages with Teacher Guo accompanying them with her piano.

    Her lips curled into a smile as she looked at the costume that the children were wearing.

    This was how the school for the rich kids looked like. The costume was so detailed and the materials were good. The children would probably wear them just for this performance, but their parents did not hesitate to donate more money to let their kids have the best.

    The hall was fully equipped with the best system and Edith wondered if the quality were comparable to those systems that were used in theatre.

    Her hand moved to her cheek and Edith let out a long sigh as she felt that her face had turned slightly chubbier. These days, she has been living in Neil Mo''s place as Hazel''s caretaker and no longer has to wake up early to catch up with the bus. The driver, Old Tang would drive her back and forth to school.

    Those good foods and less exercise have caused her to gain a few pounds! As Edith recalled the figure that she saw this morning, she was determined to wake up earlier and go for a jog to lose her weight!

    As the rehearsal ended, the children were given their break and most of them hurriedly head outside to play at the playground. Edith walked over to her class to look at the study materials and just then, Teacher Shen walked over to her and the two started to discuss the upcoming child and parents day.

    Their conversation then shifted towards the upcoming holiday next month.

    "Teacher Qian, are you going back to your hometown?" Teacher Shen asked.

    Edith thought of the holiday and wondered about Neil and Hazel''s plan. The school will be closed for a week. Since Hazel''s grandparents were living in Z Town, then if they were going back to see them, she should take this advantage to visit her grandfather.

    "I''m haven''t make any plan," Edith said. "My grandfather got addicted to fishing recently and I''m not sure if he would be home."

    The two of them continued to chat and just then, there were the sounds of footsteps approaching them. From the sound they make, Edith could tell that the kids were running in the corridor. Just before she was about to reprimand them, Hazel saw the anxiety in Alex''s expression.

    "Teacher Qian!" Alex shouted as he ran towards her. Behind him, several kids from her class followed and the expression on their face was making Edith nervous.

    Edith looked at them and saw that they were all from her class. There was Megan Xiao, Tyler Lu, Ian Huo, and Cindy Bai.

    "Students!" Teacher Shen scolded. "You know that you are not supposed to run around the corridor!"

    The kids froze as they heard Teacher''s Shen''s scolding, but Alex continued to look at Edith with an anxious gaze. He panted as he reached her side and Edith went down to the little boy''s level.

    "Alex, what happened?" Edith asked.

    "Teacher Qian, it''s not good," Alex spoke as he tried to control his breathing.. "Hazel. She had gone missing!"

    Read novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 66 - Hazel Mo! Where Are You?

    A light flashed in Edith''s eyes as she heard Alex''s words. "What do you mean missing?" She tried to hide her anxiousness and calm down before the kids. "Alex, tell me what happened exactly."

    "I don''t know what happened," Alex said. "I saw Hazel running away from the playground towards the back of the kindergarten. When I ran after her, I could not find her. I tried to look around but she was no longer there."

    Alex was playing with his best friend, Tyler Lu at the playground when he saw Hazel ran away with an aggrieved face. Recently, he was closer to the girl due to their interest in Gundam, and therefore, Alex was worried and had wanted to ask her what was wrong.

    However, after searching for her, Alex could not see her and decided to look for their teacher.

    Edith frowned.

    "Teacher Qian, I know what happened!" Megan Xiao, Hazel''s best friend spoke up. She glanced at the other kids and pointed at Cindy Bai. "It was Cindy''s fault!"

    "Megan Xiao! Don''t simply accuse me." Cindy looked at the teachers with a resentful expression. "I did not do anything! I do not know anything."

    "I heard what you said to Hazel," Megan said. She shot an angry look at Cindy and then, turned to her teacher. "Teacher Qian, Cindy told Hazel that she was unwanted and a bad luck bringer. That was why her parents passed away."

    Edith shot a look towards Cindy and the girl took a step back. Cindy''s expression showed as if she was going to cry anytime soon.

    "Teacher Qian, I really didn''t," Cindy said.

    "It was true," Ian Huo spoke. He turned to Cindy with a displeased look and said, "I was there. I heard you said those words to Hazel and that was why she ran away with tears on her face."

    Hearing Ian''s words, Cindy looked at him with her watery eyes, and her face scrunched up before she started to cry. "Ian! I hate you!"

    Edith looked at the group of kids and slightly understood why was this happening. Ian Huo was the handsome boy in the kindergarten and had a lot of admirers. Cindy Bai was one of them. However, Ian had always had his eyes on Hazel, even though that little girl was not paying attention to him.

    Perhaps something happened between the kids and Cindy had unintentionally spoken those unpleasant words to Hazel.

    However, to spoke those unkind words to her classmates¡­ she was disappointed that Cindy would say such things.

    Edith stood up quickly and turned to her colleague. "Teacher Shen, I have to ask you to inform Headmistress Fu about this. I will go out and ask the guards to keep their eyes on the kids and look for Hazel."

    Once Teacher Shen nodded, Edith quickly went out. After asking Guard Dan to help her look through CCTV, Edith then ran around the school to look for Hazel. She recalled that Alex had said that Hazel was in the playground earlier and started to look there first.

    When she arrived, the other kids were still playing around, but Hazel was nowhere to be seen.

    Edith looked at every corner and spot where Hazel might hide. Her heart grew anxious when she could not see the little girl. She was worried about the little girl''s mental state after being told of such hurtful words.

    Back then, when Edith had lost her mother, a few of her schoolmates had spoken almost the same words. Later, she had beat the others as hard as she could to the point that her grandfather was called over by the headmaster and had to receive some punishment.

    But Hazel was different.

    Hazel was a gentle girl. Although she would always show herself as someone matured, the little girl was quite a sensitive girl. Edith could still remember the last time Hazel had hugged her knee close to her body and silently cried because she was missing her parents.

    "Hazel!" Edith started to shout out her name. "Hazel Mo! Where are you?"

    As she continued to look around, Teacher Shen went to her side and asked, "Teacher Qian, how was it?"

    Edith shook her head.

    "Do you think Hazel had gone out of school?" Teacher Shen asked.

    "I don''t think so," Edith said. "But Guard Dan and the others were looking at the CCTV. Hopefully, we will find Hazel soon."

    "Then, I will continue to look for Hazel look over there," Teacher Shen said as she pointed at the opposite direction of where Edith was going.

    "Hazel!" Edith called out again once Teacher Shen had turned around. She recalled Alex had mentioned that Hazel had run towards the back of the kindergarten and head over there quickly.

    Almost ten minutes have passed, but Hazel was still missing. A few teachers and guards had joined her to look for the little girl, and Headmistress Fu had decided to call the police if they could not find the little girl in the next five minutes.

    The good thing was that Guard Dan had confirmed that the little girl had not stepped out of the school premises. She was last seen running towards the back area, entered a blind spot, and she was not seen since.

    What if she was kidnapped by someone else, but they have not realized it?

    She should inform Neil Mo and the police right away!

    Edith closed her eyes and stood under the hot sun. Her face reddened and she was sweating all over. Her chest heaved up and down as she tried to calm down and think of where the little girl might hide.

    Her surroundings were quiet. The only thing she was able to hear was the wind blowing and the rustling of the leaves.

    Edith started to wonder if Hazel had gone inside the school building hid there. She took a deep breath and was about to turn around to find her inside when her ear caught a familiar muffled sound. Edith stood up still and tried to listen carefully.

    Once she was able to pinpoint where the voice came from, Edith walked stealthily towards the direction. Her steps halted as she reached the big dumpster. The putrid smell assaulted her nose and Edith ignored the smell and walked around the dumpster.

    A sigh of relief escaped her upon finding that the little girl was crouching not far away from the dumpster.

    Because of the smell, no one had thought that Hazel was going to hide there and they almost could not find her.

    "Hazel," Edith called out her name softly.

    The little girl lifted her face and Edith has felt a tug in her heart upon seeing the girl''s puffy eyes and tear-stained face. She quickly went over to Hazel and pulled the little girl into her embrace.

    "Teacher Qian," Hazel spoke between her sob.

    "It''s alright," Edith patted at the little girl''s back and kissed the top of her head. "It''s alright. Don''t cry.. I''m here."

    Read novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 67 - Please Pretend You Know Nothing

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Edith stayed by the little girl''s side to calm her down. Meanwhile, she took out her phone and quickly texted the group of teachers that she had to find Hazel and that they will return soon.

    Hazel wiped her face with the back of her hand and lowered her gaze. Whenever she recalled how she had run after hearing what Cindy Bai had said to her, Hazel was upset. She knew that her action had made things difficult for her teacher, and this had made her embarrassed.

    Fortunately, Teacher Qian only accompanied her patted her back to coax her, and had not asked her why she was hiding behind the dumpster and cried. At this moment, Hazel did not know how she should explain and she did not want to make her teacher worry.

    Edith breathed a sigh and smiled as she helped Hazel to tidy up her clothes. The two of them reek with the smell of trash, but none of them mentioned anything about it.

    "Are you alright?" Edith asked. "Do you want to go now? The teachers and your friends are worried about you?"

    Hazel tightened her grip at Edith''s blouse and did not answer.

    "Earlier, Alex and the others came to me and told me that you have gone missing. Everyone is worried about you and they are waiting for you in class," Edith spoke slowly. "Let''s go back and see them or they would be anxious when you did not return for a long time."

    It took her for a while to answer her with a nod.

    Getting her response, Edith quickly took her back towards the building. However, just as they were about to reach, Hazel tugged at her hand again, forcing them to stop.

    "What''s wrong?" Edith asked.

    "Teacher Qian," Hazel spoke. Her voice was slightly hoarse after crying. "Can you¡­ can you not tell my uncle about this?"

    Edith stared back at the little girl in surprise. "Why not?"

    "I don''t want him to worry." Hazel looked at her teacher with a pleading gaze.

    No matter what, she did not want her uncle to know that she had cried at school. What if he ended up sending her to Z Town to live with her grandparents because he did not like it that she was bullied?

    Edith stared at the little girl for a while and wonder how she should reply. The little girl''s pleading gaze made her want to agree right away. However, Neil Mo was still Hazel''s guardian and he should know of what happened to his niece.

    After a brief pause, Edith spoke, "I will talk to Headmistress Fu about this, alright?"

    Hazel nodded. Since Teacher Qian will talk to Headmistress Fu, she can only hope that the headmistress will not call her uncle over for this matter.

    The other kids had long left the playground and head inside the school building. The two of them went into the building and went straight to Headmistress Fu''s office.

    Edith knocked her knuckles on the door and the two entered after getting the Headmistress''s permission.

    Megan, Hazel''s best friend went over to her side the moment she saw Hazel walked in. "Hazel!" She stared at her friend''s face and frowned. "Are you alright?"

    Hazel answered her with a short nod but did not say anything else.

    Noticing her friend''s puffy eyes, Megan turned to Cindy with an angry look.

    "Headmistress," Cindy hid behind the headmistress upon meeting Megan''s gaze.

    "Alright, you have all seen Hazel." Headmistress Fu clapped her hands twice and spoke again. "Everyone should return to your class now. Only Hazel and Cindy should stay in this room."

    Megan frowned. She wanted to stay around with Hazel longer but had no other choice as the Headmistress had given her instruction. In the end, she can only follow Alex and the others out and returned to their class.

    ¡­

    Because of Edith''s previous suggestion, Neil has been trying to come home early to accompany Hazel and have dinner together. After a few days, Neil realized that dinnertime was the time that he could spend his time with Hazel together.

    He would ask Hazel about school and the little girl would talk to him happily. However, this evening, Neil Mo had realized that there was something strange about his niece. Hazel did not talk as much as she used to and Neil was worried.

    His relationship with Hazel was starting to get better and he did not want it to go awry in just a few days.

    Neil watched as Hazel lowered her gaze and continued to eat her meal and turned to Edith with an inquiring gaze. Just before he could open his mouth and ask, Neil noticed the look on Edith''s eyes and quickly shut his mouth.

    The moment Hazel went upstairs to take a bath and prepare herself to sleep, Neil walked over to Edith who was drying the plates and leaned his body on the kitchen counter.

    "What is wrong with Hazel?"

    Edith''s movement paused briefly. She looked over her shoulder to check on their surroundings and turned to Neil. "Something happened to Hazel at school today," she started.

    His expression darkened and his anger rose as he continued to listen to what had happened to his niece. Hazel was his niece that was doted by everyone in the family, but someone had hurt her by saying those words.

    "President Mo," Edith called once she finished telling him about what happened. She has been observing the man''s expression all these while and had made her guess at what was on his mind. "May I ask, what are you planning to do?"

    "That kid bullied Hazel. Of course, she cannot stay at the same kindergarten."

    "Then, are you planning to withdraw Hazel from school?" Edith raised a brow. "Or are you going to make that student quit instead?"

    Neil narrowed his eyes dangerously. The choice he was about to make was apparent, but before he could say them out loud, Edith had spoken again.

    "I understand that you wanted to protect Hazel from getting hurt. But as a teacher, I don''t recommend that," Edith said. "President Mo, please hear me out. Earlier, that student had apologized to Hazel and Hazel had accepted. I know that you don''t think an apology is not enough. However, if we turn this matter into something big, Hazel might be uncomfortable. Recently, Hazel has been trying to get out of her comfort zone, play with other classmates, and joined in more class activities. I don''t want her to be uncomfortable and went back to being alone. Moreover, that student," Edith paused as she thought of Cindy Bai. "She is a good kid, but when people get into an argument, sometimes they accidentally spoke of those hurtful words."

    The frown on his face deepened. Neil had never dealt with such matters and did not know what was the right thing to do.

    "Then, what can I do?"

    "Hazel did not want you to know and she made me promised not to tell you," Edith said. "However, you are her guardian and you should know what happened. President Mo, I know that you care for Hazel.. Therefore, I hope that you can pretend that you know nothing about this incident."

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 68 - The Right To Call Auntie

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    For the next few days, Hazel has been sticking around Edith in school.

    The little girl had refused to be around her other friends and would only talk to her best friend, Megan. The children had smiles on their faces as they did their rehearsal on stage, but Hazel''s face remained expressionless as if nothing interests her.

    Looking at the way where Hazel had almost return to the way she was after her parents'' death, Edith could not help but worry.

    She could still remember the little girl''s attitude on the first week she had returned to kindergarten. Hazel would stay at the corner and ignored everyone else.

    It took her a while to coax Hazel to mix in with her friends and joined in the class activities. But now, she had almost reverted to the way she was. Although Hazel had said that she was alright, Edith knew that she was still upset.

    Which child will not be sad to be called a bad luck bringer and caused their parents to die?

    Edith could only coax Hazel not to mind Cindy''s words, but everything would depend on Hazel. Although Edith had faced almost the same situation, in the end, she and Hazel was not the same person.

    As she watched Hazel walked over to the corner after the rehearsal ended, Edith heaved a sigh.

    She had convinced Neil to pretend that he knew nothing, but Edith was still worried whether she was making the right decision. She wanted to protect Hazel, but as her teacher, there were not many things that she can do.

    However because she had promised Hazel, Edith can only let Neil pretend that he knew nothing.

    Edith was worried that once Hazel knew that she had broken her promise, that little girl will have a hard time trusting another person. Hazel was fragile at this moment and Edith did not want to harm her.

    In the eyes of the other, it might not matter if she told Neil this secret. After all, Neil was her blood-related uncle and guardian. However, this matter might be very important to Hazel.

    Right now, Edith was the closest person to Hazel, and the little girl would share with her almost everything. Edith did not want this thing to change. At least not until Hazel no longer needed her by her side and find another person that she can trust.

    Once the rehearsal ended, Edith returned to her class and resumed the lesson.

    When the class ended, Hazel sat at a corner with a storybook in her hand as she waited until her teacher clock out of her work so that the two can return to the house together.

    The student left one by one as their parents came and pick them up. After a long time, only Hazel and Alex were left in the classroom.

    Alex was playing with Lego and had constructed a robot with it as he waited for his mother to come. When he looked up again, he noticed that everyone had left. His gaze stopped towards the girl at the corner and a slight frown appeared on his face.

    He was getting used to having Hazel following him around and asked him to teach her how to build a robot. But these past few days, Alex realized that the little girl has stopped following him. After pondering for a while, Alex stood up and walked over to Hazel.

    "I will give this to you," Alex spoke as he stretched his hand with the robot in his hand.

    Hazel lifted her head to look at him, but after a few seconds, she turned to look at her book again.

    "Hazel Mo." Alex sat down beside her. "Have I done something wrong? Why won''t you talk to me anymore? Is it because you think that building robots are no longer an interesting thing?"

    The girl lifted her head again and there was a hint of surprise in her eyes. Hazel shifted her gaze towards the robot in Alex''s hand and spoke in a whispering voice, "That''s not it."

    "Then why?"

    Alex knew that because of his interest in robot and his quiet personality, he did not have many friends. It was rare that he found someone with the same interest. In front of Hazel, he could talk about robots and the girl would look at him in admiration. Having someone to look at him that way made him very happy. But these days, the cheery look in Hazel''s eyes had faded and Alex was not too happy to see it.

    Hazel retracted her gaze again. "Didn''t you know? I''m bringing bad luck. Aren''t you afraid that I might implicate you if I talk to you?"

    Although she had told her teacher that she did not mind Cindy''s words, Hazel was still keeping the words in her heart.

    "What nonsense are you talking about?" Alex stared back at her. "My dad said there is no such thing about bad luck. As long as you think of everything on the bright side, you will always be lucky."

    Hazel''s eyes flickered upon hearing that Alex did not think that she was a bringer of bad luck. "Your dad said so?"

    Alex nodded. "Just like yesterday when I played Gashapon and won myself a Gundam key chain."

    Hazel listened to Alex''s story about how he stayed positive and in the end, won the thing he wanted the most, and her lips formed into a slight smile.

    "Later when you come to my house again, I will show you," Alex said.

    At this time, Edith walked into the class. "Alex, your mother is here."

    The little boy hurriedly stood up and went to get his bag.

    "Hazel," Edith called. "Pack up, we should head back too."

    The three of them walked over to the entrance where Lily Zhao was waiting and Edith made a stop at the guard hut to speak with Guard Dan.

    Alex quickly walked over to his mother. "Mummy, when will Auntie Edith come over to our place with Hazel again? I wanted to show her that robot I got yesterday!"

    "Why do you ask me?" Lily frowned. "Go and ask your Auntie Edith when will she come again."

    Hearing his mother''s answer, Alex turned around and jogged towards her teacher who was still at the guard hut, leaving his mother and Hazel alone.

    Lily looked at the little girl and smiled. She had noticed the slight change in Hazel''s expression when her son had referred to Edith as Auntie Edith.

    She recalled Hazel''s confusion the first time she had heard Alex called their teacher Auntie Edith and a smile curled on her lips. Lily squatted and stared at Hazel with a mischievous smile on her face.

    Lily glanced at her friend and son who was still at the guard hut and whispered, "Hazel."

    "Mrs. He?"

    "Do you want to be able to call Teacher Qian Auntie Edith just like Alex?"

    Hazel nodded and the smile on Lily''s face widened.

    "I can tell you how," Lily said. She waved her hand, motioning the little girl to come closer, and whispered, "Teacher Qian is single, and your uncle is single. Hazel, if the two of them got together, Teacher Qian will be your auntie and you will have the right to call her auntie."

    Of course, Lily was intending to tease Hazel when she said those words and did not think that Hazel will take those words to heart.

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 69 - Hazels Invitation

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    "What are you doing?"

    Hearing her best friend''s voice, Lily stood up and a nonchalant smile curved on her lips. "Inviting little Hazel to come over our place and play with Hazel again," she answered. Then she turned to the little girl again and smiled. "Hazel, the next time you come over, I will bake you a cake."

    Hazel blinked, but once she saw Alex''s mother winking at her, she immediately knew that Alex''s mother did not want Teacher Qian to know about the words she said.

    This¡­ was supposed to be a secret between the two of them?

    Edith narrowed her eyes suspiciously at her friend and turned to the little boy beside him. "I will have to ask Hazel''s uncle first. If he let Hazel come along, then I will bring her next time, alright?"

    Alex walked over to Hazel and said, "Hazel, next time, you definitely have to come over and play with me, alright?"

    Edith looked at Alex with a helpless gaze. Noticing that the driver, Old Tang was waiting for them beside the car, Edith stretched her hand to Hazel and spoke, "Alright, Hazel let''s go home." Then, she turned to Lily and Alex. "I''ll see you guys tomorrow."

    The four of them separated at the entrance and Edith went to the vehicle with Hazel.

    After helping the little girl to put on her safety belt, Edith turned to Old Tang and said, "Uncle Tang, can you stop by the market on the way home?"

    The elderly man agreed and soon, the vehicle stopped at the supermarket nearby Neil''s place. Edith walked with Hazel by her side and the two went shopping for ingredients for dinner.

    Edith stopped as they reached the baking corner and stared at the item on the shelf in a daze. At this moment, she was suddenly reminded of her mother. Her mother was not a good cook, but she can bake delicious cookies.

    When her mother was still alive, she would accompany her mother in the kitchen and help with stirring the chocolate chips into the cookie dough. The dough was heavy for someone her age to handle, but the young Edith would always volunteer to do this job. Then, when her mother was not looking, she would sneak to eat those chocolate chips.

    Edith snapped out of her trance when Hazel tugged at her hand. Edith shifted her gaze and saw that Hazel was looking at her with an inquiring gaze.

    "Teacher Qian, what are you looking at?"

    The corner of her lips tugged into a smile. Edith squatted next to Hazel and asked, "Hazel, would you like to bake some cookies with me?"

    Hazel''s face brightened with joy. "Teacher Qian, you''re going to bake some cookies?"

    "Hmm." Edith nodded. A thought came to her mind and she spoke again. "Let''s bake some cookies together and have them as dessert later, alright?"

    The little girl nodded enthusiastically. She was someone with a sweet tooth and naturally, would not object upon hearing that her teacher was going to bake some cookies.

    "Right. Next week, there will be parents and child activity day. Hazel, you know this, right?"

    "I know," Hazel answered. These days, they were rehearsing to sing and dance to perform for that day to come. How can she not know this?

    Although she tried not to show it, Hazel could not hide her unhappiness. The other students will have their parents coming over, but she was someone without parents. She will have no one to accompany her and no one to look at her performance.

    "Later, why don''t you invite your uncle to come over to the parents and child day to school? I''m sure he would be happy to receive your invitation," Edith said. She saw the hesitation on Hazel''s face and continued, "Recently, you haven''t talked that much to your uncle and he was worried that you were unhappy."

    A panic look crossed Hazel''s face. She had wanted to hide the incident that happened a few days ago from her uncle, but it seemed that her attitude was making him worried. Hazel had thought that she had hidden the things from him very well.

    "If you invite him to come, your uncle will surely be happy," Edith said.

    "I will invite him to come," Hazel spoke. She has to let her uncle know that she was doing fine at school.

    Edith tilted her head as she thought of something. "How about making an invitation card for your uncle and you can give it to him along with the cookies we bake?" Edith suggested. "I will help you."

    ¡­

    These past few days, Neil had declined from going to any business dinner and had instructed his assistant not to arrange anything for him after working hours.

    Neil was worried about his niece ever since Edith had told him about what had happened to Hazel at school. However, he could do nothing about it and had to pretend that he knew nothing about it.

    Following the teacher''s suggestion, Neil tried to spend more time with Hazel and tried not to miss their dinner time together. It was during their dinner that Neil was able to talk to his niece and learned a little bit more about his niece.

    Edith watched the way Neil clipped a dish for his niece and her lips curled into a smile.

    The uncle and niece were very interesting and adorable. The two of them were not very close and their conversation during dinner was very stiff, however, Edith could see the way they cared for each other.

    While Edith was observing the uncle and niece, Hazel sneaked her glances towards her uncle and her teacher. The words that Alex''s mother had said to her came to her mind and Hazel could not stop thinking about it.

    Her teacher had come to live with them to look after her, and Hazel was enjoying her presence in the house.

    No. She liked Teacher Qian very, very much.

    As she was reminded of Alex''s mother''s words again, Hazel thought that it would be very good if she could stay with her teacher for a long time. This way, the three of them will be able to have dinner together every day. If her uncle was too busy with work, Teacher Qian can always accompany her to play and stuff.

    "Hazel, why are you looking at me like that?"

    Her uncle''s voice snapped her out of her thoughts and Hazel looked at him guiltily. "Nothing." She shook her head and an idea came to her mind. Hazel slipped off the chair and walked over to the living area. Then, she went back to the dining area and handed a card to him along with a big cookie wrapped in plastic.

    "Uncle, this is for you."

    Neil stared at the two items and felt an indescribable feeling in his heart. This was the first time that Hazel had given him something and he was very happy. However, his expression remained cool. "What is it?"

    "It''s an invitation card," Hazel said.. "There will be parents and child activity day at school next week. Uncle, can you come to my kindergarten?"

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 70 - Pinkie Promise

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    His gaze stayed at the invitation card in Hazel''s hand for a long time and it took him a few seconds to react. Neil finally put down the chopstick in his hand and asked, "For me?"

    "Un," Hazel nodded adorably.

    Neil finally moved to take the invitation card and the cookies.

    His fingers traced the invitation card as he looked at it. Hazel''s handwriting was pretty and there were drawings of flowers and her favorite bunny on it. There were cute stickers on it as well as some glitters.

    At the center of it, Hazel had written his name. Uncle Neil Mo.

    Neil had received a lot of invitation cards in his life, but he thought that this invitation card was the prettiest and the most elegant of them all.

    He spent a long time staring at the card and finally realized that the little girl was still waiting for his reply. Neil turned to the little girl and smiled. "Alright. I will definitely come to this event."

    The little girl''s eyes sparkled. Earlier, she was still worried that her uncle was going to tell her that he would be too busy with work to come. Surprisingly, he had said that he will attend this event.

    Since her uncle was going to show up, then she did not have to feel awkward being alone while her friends were surrounded by their parents.

    "You promise?"

    "I promise."

    Hazel lifted her pinkie. "Pinkie Promise."

    Neil let out a chuckle and raised his hand. He locked his pinkie with Hazel''s and spoke, "Pinkie Promise."

    ¡­

    Neil Mo walked out of the bathroom with a dark blue bathrobe on his body and a small towel to dry his hair. His movement halted the moment he saw the invitation card and the cookie in the gift bag on the side table. Slowly, his lips curved into a smile as he picked up the invitation card.

    His niece was the cutest. She had made him an invitation card just to ask him to come over to join her school activity.

    Although Edith had mentioned this activity day not too long ago, Neil was happy that Hazel had asked him to come.

    The invitation card and the cookie was Hazel''s first gift for him. This was Hazel''s handcrafted cards and it was enough to make him happy. The most important thing was that Hazel had invited him to come over to her kindergarten activity.

    Since she had invited him, that should mean that she wanted him around, right?

    Neil suddenly recalled that time when Hazel''s father, Adam, had come over to his office to brag that his daughter had gifted him a small jar of origami stars.

    Hazel was three years old and her craft was not that neat. However, Adam was so proud of his daughter and he had bragged at Neil for the whole day.

    His gaze moved towards the cookie. Neil wanted to take a bite and tasted it, but he was a little reluctant and wanted to keep this as a treasure. After a while, Neil grabbed his phone and took a few pictures of the gift before he posted it in his moments.

    Neil did not have a lot of friends in his circle of friends and had rarely posted any update. Therefore, the moment his post went online, the few people in his circle had left a few comments. A big grin appeared on his face when he read their praise at Hazel''s handcrafted gift.

    Once he was done looking at the comments, Neil slowly unwrapped the cookie and took a bite.

    Just as he was about to savor the taste, a tone of music came from his phone. He looked at the screen and swiftly swiped his finger on the screen upon seeing Henry Wu''s name.

    "Open up, I''m at your door," Henry spoke the moment the phone was connected.

    Neil hung up the phone and went to the entrance.

    When he opened the door, Henry greeted him with a nod and walked into the kitchen to pour himself a glass of water.

    "Why are you here?" Neil asked. He crossed his arms on his chest and watched his friend.

    Henry let out a big sigh and wiped this mouth with the back of his hand. Then, he took out some documents that he had bought over and placed it on the kitchen counter.

    "I came here as soon as I received this information," Henry spoke.

    Neil took the documents and his expression gradually changed after a while. He had asked Henry to continue and investigate the matter regarding Edward Xiao''s embezzlement and Henry had new information that one of the directors was involved in this case.

    Henry had tracked down some clues that led them to this discovery.

    "What are you going to do now?" Henry asked.

    Neil continued to stare at the new information quietly. His mind whirled as he thought of what he should do with this new information.

    "The evidence is not strong enough. It cannot be used to bring him to law," Neil said. His eyes flickered as he began to realize something. "Even though this director is involved in this matter, he is not working alone." Neil looked up from the documents and met Henry''s gaze. "This director is a coward and he is not capable of doing something like this unless if he was working with someone else."

    Henry opened his mouth to say something but paused when he heard a movement coming from the stairs.

    The two men turned around and saw Edith walking into the kitchen in her big T-shirt and sweatpants. For a few seconds, the three of them froze, each with different expressions and thoughts.

    Henry was the first to look away. His eyes widened as he looked at Neil.

    A woman is living in his friend''s place!

    He had known Neil for years and knew that Neil had never brought a woman home. Back then when he was dating someone, Neil had never taken his girlfriend to his house!

    He turned at his friend and nudged with his elbow.

    "Teacher Qian, you''re here to get a drink?" Neil asked, ignoring his friend.

    Edith snapped out of her trance and nodded. "Sorry, I didn''t know there''s a guest."

    Henry glanced at his friend and frowned when Neil did not initiate to introduce them. He stepped forward and stretched out his hand. "Hello, I''m Henry Wu, Neil''s friend."

    "Edith Qian." She shook her hand with Henry and quickly pulled away.

    "Edith Qian," Henry repeated her name and recalled something. "You are little Hazel''s caretaker." Previous, Neil had asked him to check on Edith before he decided to hire her as Hazel''s caretaker. However, Henry was not expecting that Edith would be living together with Neil and Hazel.

    "You know me."

    Henry smiled. "I''ve heard of you."

    Edith moved her gaze and caught the sight of documents in Neil''s hand. "Sorry." She raised the empty water bottle in her hand. "I''ll just go and get some water before I head upstairs."

    The two men watched as Edith walked past them, poured the empty bottle with water, and head back upstairs.

    Henry let out some cursing words once they heard the door shut. "I knew that you were going to hire her as Hazel''s caretaker, but¡­ living together?"

    Neil decided to ignore his friend and continue to look at the documents. "There''s nothing to be excited about. Teacher Qian is living here for her convenience. You know that I often get off work late. With her around, I can rest assure that someone is watching over Hazel." Neil shot his friend a warning look. "Let''s not talk about that.. We have important things to discuss about."

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 71 - Holding Hands

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    On the morning of the parents and child activity day, little Hazel was dressed in a pink flowery dress. Her hair was braided neatly and there were flowers and butterflies hair clips in her hair.

    Today, she was going to play as a flower fairy along with her classmates and they were going to perform for the parents in the big hall.

    Early that morning, Teacher Qian had helped her with her dress, her hair, and her makeup. Hazel looked into the mirror and was stunned. Her cheek was slightly blushed and her lips were tinted pink. There were drawings of pink and purple flowers at the side of her eyes and it was so pretty and lifelike.

    "How is it? Do you like it?"

    Hazel turned to her teacher and her eyes sparkled with happiness. "I like it. Teacher Qian, thank you."

    "I''m glad you like it." Edith smiled. Her hand that was about to touch the girl''s face froze upon realizing that she should not ruin the makeup. Seconds later, her hand moved to pat the little girl on her back. "My Hazel looks cute as a flower fairy. I''m sure your uncle would be stunned when he sees you."

    The smile on her lips stretched out. Hazel raised her head to look at the clock on the wall. Subconsciously, the smile disappeared and a slight frown appeared on her face and her hand tightened into a fist.

    "Don''t worry," Edith whispered. "Your uncle had promised that he will come over and accompany you today, right? He will come." She had noticed the expression on her face and knew that Hazel was worried whether her uncle will be able to make it.

    "Un, I know." Hazel nodded and there was a shy smile on her face.

    At this time, Teacher Guo entered the classroom and called out the students to the hall for their final rehearsal and preparation before the parents were going to fill the hall.

    After sending her students to the hall, Edith walked over to the entrance to greet the parents as she was assigned to this task.

    As time passed, the parents started coming to the kindergarten to fill in the hall. Edith raised her hand and frowned at the time. The show was going to start soon and she had not seen Neil yet.

    Little Hazel was looking forward to seeing her uncle at her kindergarten and Edith knew that the little girl was going to be disappointed if he did not show up.

    Her thought went back to their conversation early in the morning.

    Hazel had reminded him one more time to come over to her kindergarten before they went to school and Neil had promised that he was going to show up before it was her turn to perform on stage.

    At this time, Teacher Shen appeared with an anxious look on her face. "Teacher Qian, the show is starting soon. Is President Mo not here yet?"

    In the morning, the teachers received news that President Mo of MH Group would show up at the kindergarten''s event and they were excited about it. MH Group has become one of the biggest sponsors for Sunflower Kindergarten for years. Neil Mo could be said to be their special guest.

    Edith shook her head and Teacher Shen let out a long sigh. "How''s Hazel?"

    "She might seem alright, but I caught her peeking at the audiences a few times." Teacher Shen smiled helplessly. "Headmistress Fu said that she will try to delay the kids'' performance for another five minutes."

    "Thank you," Edith said. "I will try to contact President Mo and wait for him here."

    Teacher Shen nodded. "Then, I will leave this task to you."

    Edith continued to wait at the entrance after reminding Teacher Shen to look after Hazel. She took out her phone and dialed Neil Mo''s number, but that man did not pick up her call.

    Just as she was about to redial his number. His familiar SUV stopped before the entrance. The driver''s door swung open and a pair of long legs appeared.

    "President Mo!" Edith called out his name when he finally appeared.

    Neil Mo adjusted the buttons on his jacket and spoke to another person inside. "Assistant Shawn, you go and find a parking first." Then he turned around and met Edith''s gaze. "Sorry. Something came up." He noticed the way she was staring at him and asked, "Am I late?"

    "Yes. You are very late. The show is going to start soon and Hazel has been waiting for you," Edith spoke and noticed the man''s expression changed slightly. "Come on." She grabbed at his hand and started to pull him inside. "We have to hurry. Headmistress Fu is helping to buy you some time."

    Just like that, the two grownups were seen running around the school area, heading towards the big hall. The girl was dressed in jeans and a mint green t-shirt, while the man was dressed fully in suit and tie.

    Neil had noticed the anxious look on Edith''s face earlier and before he could say anything, he was suddenly pulled away into the kindergarten and ran.

    His gaze shifted towards the hand that was holding his as they ran and suddenly, his mind went blank and Neil could only let her as Edith continued to hold his hand tight and pulled him to run.

    Edith slowed her pace as they were getting near to the hall. Once they arrived, she peeked into the hall and was relieved to see that the Headmistress was still giving her speech and Hazel''s performance has not yet begun.

    She turned around to look at the man behind her and instinctively released her hand that was holding his. "Fortunately, we made it on time," Edith muttered as she placed a hand on her chest.

    Neil stared back at his empty hand and an indescribable feeling came to his mind at the thought that they were holding hands a few moments ago.

    "President Mo, you should go inside. Hazel has been waiting for you."

    Her words snapped him out of his trance. Neil adjusted his suit and put his hand on the doorknob to enter.

    "Hold on."

    Neil turned around and stared back at Edith with a puzzled look. His pupil contracted as he watched her stood on tiptoed and leaned closer to him. Her finger brushed a side of his hair before Edith took a step back.

    "Now you''re ready," Edith spoke with a smile.

    Neil blinked upon noticing that she was helping him to brush a strand of hair back with her hands. Just now, the two have been running and the wind had messed up with his hair a little bit.

    Noticing that he was not moving, Edith helped to pull the door open.. "President Mo, please, come in."

    Read novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 72 - Hazel! Your Uncle Is Here!

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Hazel Mo has been peeking behind the curtains for a while. As seconds ticked by, she grew agitated when she could not see her uncle. Earlier she overheard one of the teachers had mentioned that Headmistress Fu had prepared a front seat for her uncle.

    A few hours have passed and her Uncle Neil had not shown up.

    At this time, Headmistress Fu was giving a speech at the podium and by the look at it, the speech was going to end soon. However, the person she was waiting for has not come.

    Hazel felt her heart grew heavy. Her hand at the sides clenched into small fists as she forced herself not to cry and not to be disappointed.

    "Hazel, how is it?" Megan Xiao appeared by her side and whispered. She followed Hazel''s gaze and peeked behind the curtains.

    "He''s not here," Hazel spoke and moved away from the curtains.

    Staring at the audience and waiting for her uncle to show up will only make her heart grew sad. It was better if she did not look out and wait for him. If she did not wait for him, she will not be disappointed, right?

    "He will come," Megan said. She reached for Hazel''s hand and squeezed it hard. "Your uncle will show up."

    A small smile appeared on her lips upon hearing her friend''s encouragement. Hazel did not comment on anything and instead walked over to the others.

    The performance will begin once Headmistress Fu''s speech ended and they needed to get ready.

    Teacher Guo clapped her hands twice to get the students'' attention and everyone quickly stopped talking and focused on their teacher''s instruction. Teacher Guo let the students lined up and her gaze fell on Hazel.

    A sigh escaped her upon noticing Hazel''s disappointed face. Hazel has been peeking behind the curtain for a long time and Teacher Guo was aware that the girl was waiting for her uncle to come. Looking at her expression, Teacher Guo was able to guess that President Mo probably had not arrived.

    However, the show will have to go on. They could not wait and postpone this performance just to wait for him. There were other parents as well and the others will grow dissatisfied if they continue to delay.

    Soon, Headmistress Fu''s speech ended and the loud sounds of applause reverberate throughout the hall.

    "Alright, children the next one is our show," Teacher Guo spoke to the students. "Your parents will be outside and watch your performance. If you make a mistake, that''s alright. Just look at your friend and follow them. The most important thing is to do your best and have fun, understand?"

    "Understand, Teacher Guo!" The little students echoed.

    "Alright, let''s go!"

    Teacher Guo arranged the students according to their position and went out to the piano. Soon, the curtains rose and there were loud applauds.

    Following Teacher Guo''s instruction, the students stood at their place, bowed, and waited for the music to begin.

    "Hazel! Look up!" Megan, who was standing beside Hazel, whispered. "Your uncle is here!"

    Following Megan''s words, Hazel raised her head to look at the direction she had been staring at for the last few minutes. Her eyes grew wide and her body froze upon meeting her uncle''s gaze.

    The disappointing feeling she had earlier quickly dissipated and her excitement and happiness bloomed.

    Neil watched the surprised look on his niece''s face and slowly raised his hand to wave at her. Then, he balled his hand into a fist and motioned her to work hard. His mouth moved to give her his encouragement. "Do your best, Hazel."

    A pleasant melody came from the piano and Hazel felt a nudge on her waist.

    "Hey, it''s starting," Megan whispered.

    Hazel snapped out of her trance and started to move. Following the music, she started to dance and sing along with her friends as to how they have practiced for the past few days.

    The curtains fall and the hall was once again filled with thundering applause. The parents and everyone presented stood up with words of praise coming out of their mouth for the students.

    Hazel gathered with her friends backstage and listened to the teachers'' instructions to wait until the event on stage ended before they will be let out to meet their parents.

    The activities on stage soon ended and the parents had started to leave the hall. Hazel and her friends went out to look for their respective parents and the students were making a lot of noises as they went to search for their parents.

    When Hazel walked out, Teacher Qian was waiting for her at the door. Edith stopped Hazel and took her towards Headmistress Fu''s office.

    "Your uncle is waiting for you in the Headmistress''s office," Edith explained.

    Because of Neil Mo''s identity, Headmistress Fu had invited him to her office lest the others would start to swarm him for a chance to make their connection with the President of MH Group.

    After all, this was a kindergarten and it was the parents and child activity day. It would be inappropriate to let the parents discuss business and work.

    "Uncle, you''re here!" Hazel hopped towards her uncle excitedly. She was unable to mask her happiness upon seeing that her uncle had made it to see her performance just like he had promised.

    Neil nodded. "Un. I promised that I will come and see you."

    "I didn''t see you earlier. I thought you weren''t going to come."

    He was overcome with guilt upon hearing her words.

    Just now, when he was about to leave the office and head over to the kindergarten, Manager Autumn Feng had appeared at his office with important documents for him to sign.

    Neil had a habit to read and check the documents properly and because of that, he was unable to leave earlier. If he had left a minute later, he might not be able to watch Hazel''s performance from the beginning and recorded everything.

    "Well, I made it, didn''t I? I''ve promised you I would come." Neil ran his hand on the little girl''s hair softly. "You look very pretty. So, you''re a flower fairy today?"

    Hazel nodded. "Un. Teacher Qian helped with my make up and hair." A thought crossed her mind and Hazel asked, "Uncle, will you stay here until the end?"

    "Teacher Qian had mentioned that there will be other activities as well," Neil said. "Of course, I will have to stay until the end and accompany you. Later, let''s head home together."

    Just then, the door swung open and Teacher Shen showed up at the door with a tall man trailing after her.

    "Excuse me, President Mo," Teacher Shen called out. "But this man was looking for you and he said that he is your assistant."

    Neil shifted his gaze towards the door and nodded upon seeing his assistant trailing behind the kindergarten teacher.

    "President Mo," Assistant Mo called. Then, he turned to Hazel and called, "Young Miss Hazel."

    "Assistant Shawn, you''re here as well," Edith greeted.

    "Teacher Qian," Assistant Shawn nodded. "I''m here as Miss Hazel''s photographer. Of course, I will have to show up."

    Edith turned to Neil and smiled. "There will be a few games for the parents and child. President Mo, I hope you can cooperate and team up with Hazel to join this game. Of course, if you win, there will be some prizes for you and Hazel."

    The little girl''s face brightened up at the mentioning of prizes and she turned to her uncle with an expectant gaze.

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 73 - Choosing Games

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    "Hazel!" Alex He ran towards her as he saw her in the field. "You''re here. Come on over. The games are going to start soon. You haven''t chosen the one you wanted to participate in, right?"

    The expression on Neil''s face changed upon seeing a boy holding his niece''s hand. Before he knew it, the boy had pulled his Hazel away and entered the crowd of children. Fortunately, his height allowed him to locate where his niece went to, but it was still stifling to see that someone had snatched his adorable Hazel.

    Noticing the cold air around him, Assistant Shawn who has been trailing after his boss was starting to feel agitated.

    At this time, several parents were wanting to get close to Neil, but upon seeing his expression, they dare not to get close and initiate a conversation.

    "What are you standing here for?"

    A voice snapped the two of them off their trance. Both Neil and Assistant Shawn turned around simultaneously and saw that Edith stood beside them with a puzzled expression.

    Edith shifted her gaze towards the direction where the two men were looking earlier and walked over to Neil. "President Mo, you need to go to Hazel and pick a game or two that you two wanted to participate in."

    Neil did not move forward despite hearing her words. "The boy just now. Who was he?"

    Edith looked at the students and quickly located Hazel and Alex. The little boy and Hazel stood side by side as they stared at the board where the games for parents and children were listed.

    "That''s Alex He," Edith said. "President Mo, you have met him a few times. Last time, you came to his house to pick up both Hazel and me, don''t you remember?"

    A slight frown appeared on his face as he tried to recall this scene. It was then that he remembered seeing the boy a few times. It was no wonder that this boy seemed very familiar.

    "Alex He," Neil repeated the name. His eyes narrowed and Neil picked up his pace and walked over to his niece.

    As he was approaching, the parents pulled their kids away to make way for him until he reached Hazel and Alex''s side.

    "Hazel," Neil called out her name and the two children turned around.

    "Uncle, Teacher Qian said I should choose and join some games. If we win, we will get a prize," Hazel said. She shifted her gaze back towards the board. "Which one do you think we should choose?"

    Neil did not turn to look at the list of games, but instead, his gaze met with the short boy beside his niece. The little boy looked at him with unafraid eyes and finally straightened up his posture.

    "You''re Hazel''s uncle," the boy spoke. "Hello, Mister Mo. My name is Alex He, Hazel''s classmate."

    Neil nodded at him. His gaze then fell towards the boy''s hand which was still holding Hazel''s tightly. Before he could react, Hazel had tugged at his hand, gaining his attention.

    "Uncle, which one do you think we should choose?" Hazel blinked her eyes at him.

    Seeing the adorable look on his niece''s face, the annoying feeling he had towards the little boy beside her faded away slowly. Neil turned to look at the list of games and spoke, "You choose. I''ll just go with whichever games you pick."

    A tiny crease appeared on Hazel''s face as she was seriously considering the games she was going to pick. After listening to the teacher''s recommendation, Hazel finally picked two games and Alex had chosen another two before the two kids separated as Alex had chosen different activities to participate in with his parents.

    Edith stood at the side and a flicker of light appeared in her eyes as she saw the games that Hazel had chosen. Her gaze shifted towards Assistant Shawn who stood close to Neil and suddenly, her lips tilted up to an amused smile.

    Assistant Shawn noticed the strange look on Edith''s face and raised a brow. Her expression right at the moment was as if she was suppressing a smile that was about to burst. He did not know what was on the teacher''s mind, but her expression somehow made his hair stood.

    Of course, what Assistant Shawn did not know was that one of the games that Little Miss Hazel had chosen was meant for both parents to join in. Edith was expecting that both Neil and Assistant Shawn will team up together in this game and thus, her imagination had run wild.

    The teacher who was assigned at the game''s registration handed Hazel two cards and pointed towards a corner of the field where the games she had chosen would be held.

    Holding hands, both Hazel and Neil walked over to the direction and waited. At this time, another game had begun. Both Neil and Hazel stood at the side as they watched the other parents and child teamed up together in a chariot race. The child sat on the blanket and the parent had to pull at the corner of the blanket and run towards the finishing line.

    Little Hazel watched this game and silently regretting that she had not chosen this game earlier. From her observation, Hazel thought that this game looked fun.

    The chariot game ended and a boy from the next class won the race. The teacher announced that the next game will be starting soon and the parents and students who had chosen to participate should gather around quickly.

    Hazel pulled at her uncle''s hand towards where they should be gathering.

    Seeing the tall man in suit and tie, the parents around them started to greet President Mo and tried to initiate a conversation.

    His brow furrowed as some of them started to gather around and started to mention some of their business and collaboration ideas.

    "I''m sorry," Neil spoke as one of the men around him was eagerly trying to explain his business. "But I''m here to accompany my niece in her kindergarten activity. If you want to discuss a business proposal, you can talk to my assistant and arrange an appointment with him."

    Once his words fell, the others shifted their gaze to Assistant Shawn and suddenly, they started to surround the assistant and tried to get his contact to arrange an appointment with President Mo.

    Meanwhile, Neil stood silently as he was listening to the teacher in charge explaining the rules of this game.

    Soon chairs, small cones, balloons, and other stuff were scattered on the ground. A teacher came over and passed a black cloth to the parents. The teacher explained that in this trust game, the parent and child will take their turn to play. One of them will be blindfolded and one of them will have to instruct another to safely pass through the obstacle towards the end.

    Neil stared at the black cloth in his hand and turned to Hazel. "Do you want to start first?"

    Read novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 74 - Building Trust

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    In the first round, it was decided that students will be the first to be blindfolded.

    Neil Mo held the black cloth in his hand and carefully covered Hazel''s eyes with it. Then, he looked at the little girl and asked, "Is this okay?" A frown appeared on his face. "Maybe I should loosen it a little bit."

    "No." Hazel put her hand on her uncle''s. "This is alright. If you didn''t tie it tight, the cloth is going to slide down and fall during the game."

    "Alright," Neil spoke after considering Hazel''s words. He lifted his hand and waved in front of Hazel. "Can you see me?"

    "I''m blindfolded. I cannot see you." Hazel turned towards her uncle''s voice and her hand moved to grab his clothes.

    Seeing the way Hazel was holding into him tightly, a small smile appeared on Neil''s lips. He patted Hazel on her hair and spoke, "Later, you only need to follow my voice. Listen to me very carefully and I will lead you through the obstacle safely."

    "Un," Hazel nodded. "I understand."

    "Alright." Neil held Hazel''s hand tightly and led her towards the starting line. Then he bent to her level again and spoke, "I will be at the other side giving you instructions."

    Hazel nodded once again and Neil walked over to the other side and waited for the referee to start the games. Meanwhile, Edith watched the uncle and niece''s interaction with an amused smile on her face.

    Looking at Neil Mo''s expression, he seemed to take this game very seriously and Edith was wondering how will the games turned out. Of course, what Edith was looking forward to was the second game that Hazel had signed up for. Just at the thought of how Neil, Assistant Shawn, and Hazel were going to pass the last obstacle brought a smile to her face.

    "What are you smiling about?"

    Someone appeared by her side and nudge her hard on her waist. It was not hard for Edith to guess that the culprit was no other than Lily. As this was the parents and child activity day, and her son was a student in the kindergarten, of course, Lily Zhao would appear here.

    "Have your head turned silly after watching over those kids?"

    Edith clicked her tongue at Lily''s question. Then, she shifted her attention back to the field.

    One of the teachers who was assigned as the referee blew on the whistle and the parents started to give their instruction to their child who was taking part in this activity.

    Edith glanced at her friend who stood next to her and asked, "Why are you here? Aren''t you supposed to accompany your son with his activity?"

    Lily waved her hand. "His father is around to entertain him. You know how it is. Whenever Ethan was around, Alex would prefer to stick close to his father." The expression on her face changed as she continued to watch the games in front of them.

    The parents were shouting at their children to follow their instruction, but the shouting and noise created confusion among the children and they did not know which instruction to follow. The result was that the children ran into the chairs and the cones. Some of them fell on the ground and caused the balloon to popped.

    In the end, some of the children on the field seemed lost as to which voice they should follow, while the parents seemed as if they have started to lose their sanity when their children did not follow their instructions.

    The scene was hilarious for the spectator.

    "Hazel seemed very concentrate," Lily commented as her gaze fell on the little girl.

    Edith turned to her friend and chuckled. "Have you heard President Mo''s tone and voice? With that kind of authority tone, how can one not follow his instruction?" She raised her hand and pointed towards the field. "If you look clearly, you will notice that the other kids were following his instruction instead."

    "Hazel trusted President Mo," Lily commented. "Or else, she would not be able to follow his instruction this well."

    "Hmm," Edith nodded. "This game is very good to build trust between the two of them."

    After walking around the field and avoiding the obstacle, Hazel Mo became the first person to arrive at the finishing line. The spectators started to cheer and the other children started to panic once they heard that someone had won.

    On the field, Neil helped Hazel to remove her blindfold, and then, Assistant Shawn helped to put the blindfold on his boss. Once he was sure that the blindfold was tight enough, Neil went over to Hazel and patted the little girl on her hair. After saying a few words to Hazel, the little girl went over to the other side to start giving her uncle her instruction.

    "Now I''m scared," Lily said. "What if President Mo trip on something and fall? The kindergarten will really let President Mo lose his face by playing this game?"

    "Hazel was the one who picked the game," Edith pointed out. She continued to watch the uncle and niece and noticed the careful way that Neil was taking. Each step was cautious but full of confidence. His posture was straight. Even though he was listening to Hazel''s instruction, there was no trace of panic on Neil''s face.

    It could be seen that Neil was very calm, alert with his surrounding,s and was very focused on his task.

    With his long legs, he quickly arrived by Hazel''s side and the uncle and niece won the game.

    As Neil took off the blindfold, Hazel lurched towards her uncle and gave him a tight hug, surprising Neil. The two of them were not close to each other before Hazel''s parents'' passed away a few months ago.

    This was the first time that Hazel had initiated to hug him with that bright smile on her face. Of course, Neil was beyond thrilled. He had never thought that seeing the happy look on the little girl''s face would make him happy too.

    "Uncle! We won first place!" Hazel shouted out excitedly. Her little arms wrapped around Neil''s neck and the smile on her face reached to her eyes.

    "Hmm," Neil patted at her hair with a doting look on his face. "You did a great job, Hazel."

    Hazel let out a giggle. "There''s one more game that we''re going to participate in."

    "What are we going to do next?"

    Hazel stood at the field and started to look around as if looking for someone. The expression on her face brightened again when she saw her favorite teacher not far away from where she was.

    "Teacher Qian!" Little Hazel called as she ran over to her.

    Edith smiled as Hazel reached to her side. "Hazel, I was watching your games just now. You did a very good job and won. Congratulations!"

    "Thank you." A sheepish smile curled on her lips. Then Hazel raised her gaze again and spoke, "Teacher Qian, regarding the next games that I have chosen, can you join in my team?"

    Edith stared back at the little girl with a puzzled look. "Me? Join your team?"

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 75 - Hazels Cute Attack

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    A tinkle of laughter escaped her as Edith stared at the little girl. Edith glanced at the tag in Assistant Shawn''s hand and smiled. "The next game you''re joining is the Princess''s Race, right?"

    "Un," Hazel nodded. "Teacher Sun said that I need three people to join the race." She lowered her gaze and continued, "I don''t have my mama and papa around, only my uncle. Teacher Sun said I can ask anyone to join the team. As long as I have three people, I can enter this race."

    Edith watched her and a helpless sigh escaped her. "Why don''t you ask Assistant Shawn to join the race with you? Since I''m a teacher, it wouldn''t be fair if I join the race, right?"

    "Teacher Sun said that I can ask you to join," Hazel said. She lifted her head to meet her teacher''s gaze and there was a hint of stubbornness in the little girl''s eyes.

    "Uh," Edith found that she had no way to reject the little girl''s request.

    Hazel blinked her eyes and suddenly, her expression changed. Her mouth was slightly pursed and she was looking at her teacher with her eyes wide. "Moreover, one of the grownups is required to help me put on a dress and style my hair. I cannot ask Uncle Shawn to do that, can I?" Her head tilted to a side, looking all adorable and cute.

    "You should agree." Lily, who was beside her friend had listened to their conversation, nudged Edith''s shoulder. "Look at how adorable Hazel is. How can you have the heart to reject her request?"

    "Why don''t you go and team up with President Mo?" Edith grumbled to her friend in a low voice.

    "I''m married." Lily looked at her friend in triumph. "My husband would get jealous if I team up with another guy."

    Hazel started at the two grownups in front of her and her lips to pout a little bit. "Teacher Qian, you really can''t join us?"

    Edith stared back at the little girl and Hazel''s pitiful gaze was starting to making her resolution waver. She tilted her head down and took a deep breath. "Alright," she spoke a while later. "I will join your team."

    Hazel''s cute attack was very efficient!

    Hearing her agreement, Hazel lurched to hug her teacher, and the bright smile on her face returned.

    Edith tilted her head and saw that Neil was staring back at her. She did not know how it was going to be to team up with Neil to help Hazel win the race.

    The man always had a serious expression on his face. She had been watching the uncle and niece in their trust game and the man had a stoic expression throughout the game. No one knew whether he was enjoying the game or not.

    At this time, Edith was worrying about the final task from the race.

    The last task will require them to get close. When Edith found out that Hazel had signed up for this game, her wild imagination was envisioning that President Mo and his assistant will get close together. The two men were good looking and this scene would definitely drive a few of the spectator crazy.

    If she joined the race, she will have to get close to Neil?

    A soft sigh escaped her.

    Why did Teacher Sun even recommend Hazel to chose this game?

    Forget it...

    She should just treat him as an iceblock, an inanimate object, and stop worrying.

    The most important thing is that Hazel will be having fun and she was going to stay and help the uncle and niece grew closer.

    "Teacher Qian, remember to come over later," Hazel said before she went over to her uncle.

    Once the little girl had gone farther, Lily nudged her friend at her waist again. "Alright, tell me. Just what kind of activity that Hazel had signed up in?"

    Edith stared back at Lily and another sigh escaped her.

    ¡­

    While waiting for Hazel''s next activity to start, Edith walked around the field and helped to hand out drinks and snacks to everyone as she was assigned to.

    In the middle of the field, Alex He and his father were patiently building a tall tower with plastic cups and it looked like the pair was ahead. After building Gundam robots with her father a few times, Alex has become a meticulous person, and stacking plastic cups as this was easy for him.

    The surroundings were noisy with the cheering crowds, but it doesn''t seem as if this was affecting the duo''s concentration.

    At the side, Hazel and Tyler were watching the games and cheering for Alex and his father. Megan and a few others tagged along to watch them.

    Not far away, President Mo and his assistant stood farther than the crowd. From their expression, Edith guessed that the two of them were discussing something about work. After a while, Assistant Shawn nodded and walked away with his phone in his hand.

    Edith stared at the drinking water and a pack of sandwiches in her hand and walked over to Neil.

    "President Mo, would you like something to drink?"

    Neil looked up at hearing her voice. He stared at her stretched hand and took the drinking water. "Thank you." He swiftly uncapped the bottle and took a swig. Then, he searched for his niece among the crowd and his gaze deepened when he finally found her.

    Edith followed his gaze and heard his voice.

    "How is Hazel in school?"

    "She''s doing well," Edith turned to look at the man beside her and smiled. "Hazel has been isolating herself from others after that last incidents, but her close friends had pulled her out of it." She pointed towards the girl beside Hazel and spoke, "That was Megan Xiao, Hazel''s best friend. When Hazel first returned to the kindergarten after the accident, Megan had stayed by her side even when Hazel would give her a short reply."

    Neil continued to listen to Edith''s words and soon shifted his gaze towards the little boy who was taking part in the game.

    "You remember Alex He," A chuckle escaped her when Edith recalled the look on Neil''s face when he saw the boy was holding hands with Hazel. "The two have only become closer recently. Alex has always been looking after Hazel in class."

    His expression change as Neil heard from Edith that it was Alex who reported that Hazel went missing not too long ago.

    "Hazel is a quiet girl, but she''s pretty popular in school." Edith pointed towards another boy and continued. "You see that boy? He is one of the boys who had a crush on Hazel, but Hazel would always ignore him."

    A rare smile curled on his lips as Neil continued to listen to Hazel''s relationship with the people around her. At this time, Neil began to realize why Edith was against him taking action to the school when his niece was having trouble at school.

    Hazel had a good relationship with her small circle of friends. It would do Hazel no good if he chose to withdraw Hazel from the school or take action against the other girl.

    Hazel was facing a little setback the last time but had bravely faced everything and overcome her problem with the help of her friends. They helped her gather her courage to bounce back.

    As an adult with certain power and influence, there were various ways he can do for his niece, but in the end, Hazel had to face certain things and deal with them herself.. Everything was necessary for Hazel so that she can grow up normally, healthily to become a better person.

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 76 - Princess Race

    As the teacher in charge announced that it was time for the princess race to start, Hazel went around the field to look for her teacher and dragged her towards the center.

    "We''re here!" Hazel raised her hand high in excitement. Once the teacher in charge had marked her attendance, the little girl immediately grabbed her uncle''s in one hand and her teacher in another.

    The three of them stood side by side with Hazel at the center looking like a family of three while waiting for the game to start.

    Megan Xiao looked at her best friend and looked at the two grownups beside her. "Hazel, Teacher Qian will join your team in this race?"

    "Un," Hazel nodded. "Teacher Sun said I can ask any adults to join my team. As long as I have enough people, then I am qualified."

    "Hmm," Megan shifted her gaze to Neil and gave him a look over. Then, she pulled at Hazel closely and whispered, "This is your uncle?"

    "Un."

    "He doesn''t resemble your dad," Megan commented. She could still remember Hazel''s late father. The man would always have a smile on his face and it was as warm as sunshine. Hazel had inherited his smile and whenever Hazel was happy, Adam Mo''s smile would show on her face.

    "Really?" Hazel turned to look at her uncle and stared at her uncle''s face for a while. "I think they look almost the same."

    Her uncle might not smile as much as her father, but he shared a lot of features with her father. The two of them shared the same eyes and nose. Their resemblance was what help Hazel to be comfortable around her uncle quickly.

    Megan stared at the tall man again and finally looked away when the man caught her staring. No matter what, Megan did not think that the two men resembled each other at all.

    At this time, the teacher in charge called the contestants to gather up and get ready for the race.

    Because of its name, Princess Race, only the girls had signed up for this race with their parents or guardians. The game was pretty simple. The child will have to run and pass the obstacle until they reached the first checkpoint. Then, the child will sit down on a blanket and one of the adults will be pulling the chariot, went past the obstacle, and reached the second checkpoint.

    At this checkpoint, another adult will help the child to dress up nicely like a princess. Once the child was prettily dressed, the two grownups will have to create a two-handed seat and carry the child in this way towards the finishing line.

    The referee will then judge the princess and see whether her dressing is completed before the team was to be announced as the winner.

    Edith listened to the rules and silently muttered a few curses. She has been too weak against Hazel''s cute attack and now she had to team up with Neil in this race.

    The spectators who had noticed that the two will be joining hands stared at the trio with surprise. Some of them were looking at them in an envious gaze that the kindergarten teacher would have a chance to get close to President Mo. Of course, if they had the chance, they too would love to be on Hazel and President Mo''s team!

    Fortunately, none of them knew that the two of them were living in the same house and this living arrangement was only known to Headmistress Fu. Or else, Edith would face deep trouble.

    The teacher finally finished explaining the games and instructed everyone to head over to their checkpoint.

    Neil held on to Hazel''s hand to bring her towards her checkpoint and paused after a few steps. He turned to Edith and nodded. "Teacher Qian, we''ll be counting on you."

    "Oh." Edith nodded and watched the uncle and niece turned to head over to their place. Tilting her head down, Edith stared at the princess''s clothes and accessories with a resigned expression.

    "Edith!"

    At the side, Lily shouted her name out loud and waved. "Good luck."

    On the other side, Hazel stared at the obstacle in front of her with a serious look on her expression. Once the referee blew the whistle, Hazel ran as fast as she could and reached the first obstacle, the tire run obstacle course. Once she finished the first obstacle, Hazel reached the second one, the balance beam. At the end of it, she had to throw five balls into the basket before she can run to her uncle at the first checkpoint.

    Hazel was the third person to reach the first checkpoint. Seeing that a few of her friends and their father had led the race, Hazel quickly turned to her uncle with an anxious look on her face. She handed the blanket over and sat down quickly.

    "Uncle, quickly go!" Hazel shouted out as she held on to the two sides blanket tightly so that she won''t fall.

    With his strength, Neil easily pulled the blanket and reached the second checkpoint where Edith was waiting for them.

    Hazel glanced to her left and right and looked at her friends who were putting on their dress.

    "Alright, stay still," Edith spoke. "I''m going to do this quickly. Hazel, raised both hands high."

    The little girl did as she was instructed and the baby blue dress wrapped around her body in one attempt.

    Edith moved to zip the dress and quickly styled her hair into a half-up twist braid knot. Then, she put on the sparkling crown on the little girl''s hair and took a step back to check on her look.

    "Okay, you''re done." Edith nodded.

    Hazel turned to her uncle and blinked.

    "You look pretty," Neil commented and the little girl smiled happily.

    "Let''s go," Hazel shouted happily and the two adults looked at each other hesitantly.

    "What should we do next?" Neil asked.

    "Alright, let''s crouch down," Edith instructed. Then she looked at Neil with a serious look on her face and Edith grabbed his left hand and placed his arms around her shoulder.

    The man''s eyes deepened upon realizing that Edith''s face was too close to him. His nose caught the smell of shampoo on her hair and his body froze upon feeling a certain softness brushing against his sides...

    Before he was able to say anything, Neil felt her arms around his shoulder as Edith was holding his right hand tightly. Or rather, his wrist.

    This pose made it seem as if they were hugging.

    "Hazel, quick! Come and sit down," Edith spoke again. "Then, we''ll carry you to the finish line, alright?"

    Hazel sat down between them and their hands held below Haze''s knee securely.

    Neil finally figured out that they were creating a two-handed seat and in this pose, they should carry Hazel towards the finishing line.

    "Are you ready?" Edith asked Neil. "On the count of three! One. Two. Three."

    The two of them stood up at the same time and Hazel quickly put her arms around the two adults'' neck to balance herself. With Edith''s guide, the two adults walked towards the finishing line while holding on to Hazel carefully.

    Finally, they reached the line and the referee blew the whistle as a sign that the race has ended.

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 77 - Iceblocks Gaze

    Edith tilted her head up upon hearing the whistle and she immediately met Neil''s gaze. The two of them were standing very close and their faces were only a few inches from each other. Neil had his arms around her shoulder, and Edith''s arms were slightly lower due to their slight height differences.

    At this time, they were unable to take a step back as they were still carrying Hazel. Moreover, because Hazel had her arms around their neck, they could not pull away, or else, the little girl will fall.

    For a few seconds, Edith was staring back at the iceblock''s while admiring his good look. Now that she got a closer look at him, Edith began to notice that he had a pair of pretty eyes and long eyelashes.

    Edith was suddenly aware that his arms around her body were starting to grow warm.

    A strange feeling crept into her and her heart skipped a beat after staring into his eyes for so long.

    This iceblock''s gaze was so soft and unexpectedly warm...

    Their surroundings were lively with the sounds of cheering and shouting, but Edith found as if every sound around her was blocked. The only thing that she can hear was her breathing as well as the thumping of her heart.

    It wasn''t until Hazel called up their name that Edith was able to snap out of her trance.

    "Uncle, Teacher Qian, you can put me down now."

    It was as if she had suddenly regained her hearing. Suddenly, the cheering sounds around her sounded so loud.

    Edith blinked once and shifted her eyes away from Neil. "Oh."

    The two adults lowered their bodies to the ground and Hazel finally released her arms around their neck and slid off from their embrace. With this, Edith quickly retracted her hands and followed after Hazel who was receiving the number card from the referee.

    "Did we win?" Edith asked.

    "We got second place," Hazel said as she raised the number card.

    Edith patted at the girl''s head. "Well, second place is good too. At least we did our best, Princess Hazel."

    The little girl giggled upon being called a princess. Her hand moved to touch the crown on her hair and her smile widened.

    "Alright. You should stay with your uncle," Edith said. "I''m going over there and help the other teachers. Later, the teacher will call everyone over to hand over the prizes you win from the game."

    "Un. I know," Hazel nodded obediently.

    Edith turned to Neil again. She flashed him a smile and spoke, "President Mo, I should get going first."

    His eyes narrowed and Neil watched as Edith scurried away towards the school building. The frown on his face deepened as various thoughts appeared on his mind. When he could no longer see her figure, Neil looked away to his niece and the little girl was still holding the number card in her hand with excitement on her face.

    "Hazel," Neil called her name and the little girl walked over to him.

    "Uncle, look at this. We got second place."

    A rare smile curled on his lips. "Are you not upset that we didn''t get the first place?"

    "I''m not." Hazel bit on her lips as the memories of her mother came to her mind. "Mama said that there days when you will win and there are days you will lose. As long as I tried my hardest, that is enough. Besides," Hazel paused and forced a smile. "We won first place for the first game. This time, we should let others win too."

    Neil bent to kiss the little girl on her hair.

    A proud feeling surged into his heart. He could feel that both Adam and Claire had raised the little girl well. Although he knew nothing about being a parent or how to educate a child, Neil hoped that he will not disappoint his brother and sister-in-law in raising Hazel.

    As his mind drifted back to the couple, Neil heard a familiar voice calling out his name. Neil turned around and his expression softened upon finding Headmistress Fu standing behind him.

    "Headmistress Fu," he greeted politely. A thought came to his mind and Neil continued, "Thank you for your agreement with Hazel''s new living arrangement."

    "You don''t have to thank me. As long as this arrangement did not disturb Teacher Qian with her work, or cause any inconvenience to the kindergarten I will not disagree with it." The elderly lady glanced at Hazel who had run off to her friends and smiled. "I trust that the new living arrangement is well?"

    "Yes."

    "Then, I am relieved." Headmistress Fu let out a sigh.

    A few months ago, Madame Mp had come over to the kindergarten and asked her to look over the two. It was then that she decided to introduce Hazel''s classroom teacher, Edith.

    "Teacher Qian had almost the same experience as Hazel," Headmistress Fu continued. "This is why I had introduced her to your mother when she came over to this kindergarten a few months ago. I hope that she will be able to help Hazel to get better. Looking at Hazel, I am glad that she was better than the first day she returned."

    Hearing Headmistress Fu''s words, Neil was reminded that Edith had lost her parents when she was younger and it was her grandfather who had raised her. Suddenly, Neil found himself curious about Edith''s childhood and how she had grown up without her parents by her side.

    ¡­

    The parents and child activity day ended after the prize-giving ceremony. As Edith was a part of Hazel and Neil''s team, the three of them stood together at the stage to receive their prize.

    Hazel stood at the center while holding a unicorn plush toy in her hand with excitement.

    After a photographing session, the three of them head down the stage and Edith quickly walked away to get back to her assigned task.

    "Teacher Qian."

    Her steps halted upon hearing his voice and Edith turned around to meet Neil''s gaze. A thought crossed her mind and Edith glanced at the little girl beside Neil.

    "President Mo, it will take me a while before my job here ended," Edith said. "I still have to stay and clean up everything first. Will you bring along Hazel with you or will you let her stay with me here?"

    "We will wait for you," Neil said. "Hazel had done her best to join today''s activity. Therefore, I think it would be a good idea for us to celebrate. You don''t have to prepare dinner tonight. Let''s go out and have a meal together after you''re done."

    Edith stared back at the man''s face. After being too close to him earlier, she was starting to get uneasy and thought that it would be better if she did not get too close to him.

    However, a part of her was worried that he might notice that little change in her and therefore, she was hesitating.

    After weighing her decision, Edith finally answered.. "Alright."

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 78 - Fallen For President Mos Beauty

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Edith entered the restroom and splashed some water onto her face. The cold water seemed to wake her up of her trance and Edith raised her head to look at her reflection in the mirror.

    At this time, she did not know what was happening to her.

    Ever since that close contact with Neil, Edith had thought that she was feeling weird all over. Whenever she looked at him, her heart will thump out loud. It felt as if her stomach somersaulted and her blood rushed up to her brain, making her head feel dizzy.

    She had been living with that man for a few weeks but this was the first time that she was feeling this way.

    "Edith Qian, what is wrong with you?" She whispered to the reflection and cursed. "Don''t tell me that you have actually fallen for President Mo''s beauty? It couldn''t be, right?"

    SLAP!

    A deep frown appeared on her face at the slight pain on both cheeks. Edith looked back at her reflection as she cupped both hands on her cheek. "Edith, wake up. Don''t be like this," she continued to whisper to herself. "You will only live with him to accompany Hazel for less than a month. You cannot harbor any feelings towards him, do you understand?"

    Edith took a few deep breaths to calm down. "You better sort out your thoughts right now. Just treat him like an iceblock. You can do this."

    After meditating and encouraging herself for a few minutes longer, Edith finally left the restroom and went over to help her colleagues to clean up the area.

    The sky has turned orange when everything has been cleaned up.

    Edith walked out of the school area after she had changed her clothes and touched up her face. She took out her phone to give Neil a call, but just as she was about to press the call button, someone walked over to her and blocked the light. Edith tilted her head up and saw that it was the driver, Uncle Tang.

    "Teacher Qian... President Mo and Little Miss are waiting for you in the car," Uncle Tang''s tone was very soft and polite. He gestured towards the vehicle parked on the other side of the road.

    "Thank you, Uncle Tang." Edith glanced at the vehicle and a surprised look flashed on her face as a thought came to her mind. "Have they been waiting for me all these while?"

    Uncle Tang smiled. "Little Miss Hazel insisted that we wait for you. She was afraid that you would change your mind if we went back first."

    Edith let out a helpless sigh as she thought of the little girl. After adjusting her bag straps on her shoulder, Uncle Tang helped her with the door. Her movement suddenly halted when she caught Neil and Hazel sitting in the passenger''s seat.

    She had just spent her time to calm down and talk some sense into herself. Meeting his gaze again throw her off her guard.

    "Teacher Qian, please, get in."Uncle Tang urged, snapping her out of her trance.

    "Oh," Edith nodded before she climbed into the seat and quickly calm down.

    "Teacher Qian, you''re here," Hazel greeted her happily.

    Edith flashed a smile to the little girl as Uncle Tang started the car and drive away. "Why did you wait for me? It took me a long time to finish my job. You should go back and rest at home. Aren''t you tired?"

    Hazel shook her head. "Not tired. I didn''t wait for a long time. I took a nap and read some books."

    A slight frown appeared on her face as Edith thought that Hazel had taken her nap in the vehicle to wait for her.

    "Besides," Hazel went closer to her teacher and whispered, "I was afraid that my uncle would change his mind. What if he busied himself with work and then forgot about having dinner with us."

    Edith giggled at her words. If only President Mo heard her words, wouldn''t he be distressed?

    Hazel was such a cutie pie and she could not help but pamper her.

    With that thought, Edith caressed Hazel''s soft cheek and pulled the little girl into her embrace.

    Meanwhile, Neil continued to look at the tablet''s screen while he was observing the two girls with the corner of his eyes. It was not too long ago when Hazel had taken her nap with her head on his laps. But once her teacher showed up, this niece seemed to have forgotten about his existence!

    Uncle Tang pulled the car over as soon as they reached the destination and Edith looked at the building in front of her speechlessly. The three of them walked out of the car and entered the fast-food joint.

    The three of them picked a seat and Edith stood up to head over to the counter to queue and order. However, just before she could take a step, Neil had stopped her.

    "You stay. I''ll go," Neil said. "Teacher Qian, what do you want to eat?"

    "Uh," Edith glanced at the menu. "The regular set is alright."

    "Uncle, don''t forget my chicken wings, alright?" Hazel reminded him before he left for the counter.

    Edith followed after Neil with her gaze. Seeing that he was queuing up to get some fast food surprised him. His appearance in his expensive suit and tie was too striking in the fast-food joint. Heads turned to stare at him and a few girls looked at him as if dumbstruck.

    Snapping out of her trance, Edith shifted her gaze to Hazel and caught that the little girl was staring at her. Her cheek turned a shade of pink at the thought that Hazel had caught her staring at her uncle.

    Her mind whirled to divert the little girl''s mind away. "Hazel, do you like chicken wings?" As she was living with Hazel and had volunteered to prepare their dinner, it would be good to learn a little bit about her preferences.

    "Hmm," Hazel lowered her head and Edith caught the air of melancholy around her. "Mama said eating too much fast food is not that good. I am only allowed to eat them on special days." She lifted her head and forced a smile. "Because we are celebrating, I am allowed to eat them today."

    Her expression softened upon hearing the little girl''s words. Anyone would able to see how much Hazel was missing her parents at this time. She patted at the little girl''s hair and found herself unable to say a thing to comfort her.

    Hazel quickly jumped back to her usual cheerful self when she saw her uncle heading over with a tray in his hand.

    Seeing the way that man was balancing the tray with a frown on his face made her chuckle. Apparently, the staff had put everything on one tray and Neil had to carry a lot of stuff in one go.

    This scene was too... rare.

    Once he reached their table, the girls who had been staring at Neil quickly looked away with a disappointed look on their face.

    They had thought that it was strange for a good looking man like him to appear at the fast-food joint. It turned out that he had come with his family!

    Read novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 79 - Chaotic Heart

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    The first thing Hazel did when the tray was set down on the table was to look at the surprise toy inside. Hazel peeked into the meal box and her lips tilted up into a happy smile when she found what she was looking for.

    "I haven''t got this one!" Hazel said happily as she looked at the Hello Kitty toys in her hand.

    "Didn''t you say you were hungry?" Neil raised his brow at the little girl. "Quickly eat."

    "Oh." Hazel lowered her gaze. She put the toys on the table reluctantly with a slight pout on her mouth.

    "You can play with your toys after this," Neil continued.

    "Oh." Hazel nodded before she obediently reached for her food and eat.

    A chuckle escaped from Edith as she watched the uncle and niece''s exchange. However, the smile on her lips quickly disappeared when Neil turned to look at her.

    "You should eat up quickly too," Neil said. "There will be others who are waiting to use the table."

    It was then that she realized that a few more people were queuing at the counter. It was almost time for dinner and there were a lot of people coming to the fast-food restaurant to eat.

    However¡­ why did this iceblock tone sounded like the way he was talking to Hazel? Why does it feel as if she was scolded by him?

    As the thought crossed her mind, Edith heaved a sigh. She must have been crazy if she thinks that she might start viewing Neil differently after sharing a brief, almost intimate moment with that man.

    So what if he''s good looking? In the end, he was still President Mo, the iceblock.

    Fortunately, she was quick enough to slap some sense into herself before she turned into a silly woman.

    As she picked up a piece of chicken and took a bite, Edith caught the faint smile on Neil''s lips and her movement paused again.

    Her movement halted again upon seeing the smile.

    She had just sorted out her thoughts, and President Mo''s warm smile turned her heart slightly chaotic again.

    At this time, her phone buzzed in her pocket. Edith wiped her hands with a wet tissue and took out her phone to read the message. Her gaze softened upon seeing that it was a message from her grandfather. As if it was a routine, her grandfather had sent her pictures of the fishes he had caught during his fishing escapade with his friends.

    While Edith was busy looking at the messages on her phone, Neil was secretly observing her. The moment Edith looked up, Neil quickly shifted his eyes to Hazel, who was eating her chicken wing in a small bite.

    His surroundings were boisterous, but the three of them seemed as if they were minding their own business.

    Suddenly, Neil began to feel that the silence among them was too stifling. It was then that Neil began to realize that they would always engage in a talk whenever they had a meal together. Although their discussion would always revolve around Hazel, at least they were speaking.

    He was someone who would prefer silence while he was having a meal, but it seemed as if this silence was starting to make him uncomfortable.

    Hearing Hazel and Edith''s chattering voice has become something that he was used to and this strange surrounding was awkward.

    When did he start to change?

    Neil cleared his throat as this thought surprised him. However, the sound caught Edith''s attention and she was looking at him with a hint of worry.

    "Teacher Qian, will you be having your Saturday class tomorrow?" Neil asked, in the hope to stop the awkwardness around him.

    "Hmm," Edith nodded as she stuffed some fries into her mouth.

    His thoughts were taken back to her books that he had seen during the last time they ran into each other in a cafe. "Why did you choose to study French?"

    Edith paused for a brief second and smiled. "Because of my mother." She decided to answer him truthfully. "My late mother liked French very much and was very fluent in the language. When I was a little girl, she had taught me a few phrases. Now that she is no longer around, I thought that learning this language would make me and my mother somewhat connected. It made me feel as if we have something in common. It made me remember her." Her lips curled into a soft smile as Edith began to think of her late mother.

    Neil lowered his gaze upon realizing that he had made matters worst. He had wanted to initiate a conversation with Edith, but in his attempt, he had brought up a sad topic.

    He had heard from both his mother and Headmistress Fu a little bit about Edith and knew that she had lost her father when she was still in her mother''s belly. Then, her mother passed away in an accident. It was her grandfather who had raised her.

    Neil opened his mouth to apologize, but found that he was unable to say a word.

    "I don''t know what my mother and father like the most."

    The two adults snapped out of their thought upon hearing that voice. They turned to look at the little girl beside them simultaneously and saw that Hazel had her head lowered as she stared at her chicken wing. A slight frown appeared on her face as she tried hard to think of what her mother and father liked in the past.

    The two adults were guilt-ridden upon noticing that they have brought up a sensitive topic in front of Hazel. They turned to look at each other and then back at Hazel.

    "Hazel," Neil bent forward to look at his niece closely. " What your mother and father like the most are you. As long as you live well, they would be happy." He then turned to Edith with a helpless gaze. He really did not know what to do or say in this sudden situation.

    "Hazel, have you forgotten? You still have your uncle and grandparents," Edith spoke. "If you wish to learn about what your parents like to do, you can always find out from them, right? Let''s ask your grandparents the next time they called? Once you figured it out, I will help you to learn whatever you wanted to."

    The little girl thought about it for a while and nodded. However, her heart was feeling heavy as she was missing her parents.

    Earlier at school, she saw how her friends were surrounded by their parents. Although Hazel had concealed her expression well, she could not deny that she was jealous of her friends. She too wanted to spend her time with her parents and played games with them...

    Suddenly, she found herself in a warm embrace. Hazel felt her teacher patting her back gently and closed her eyes.

    "Teacher Qian, I missed my mama and papa."

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 80 - Heart Matters

    "Auntie Edith!"

    The little boy''s voice was heard as soon as Edith and Hazel arrived at the kindergarten. Turning around, Edith saw that Alex He was running towards her with his mother trailing behind him.

    A chuckle escaped her as Lily watched her son running happily towards her best friend. This was her son, but he was happily running towards her friend. Lily silently scold her son in her heart and paused upon noticing a displeased look on Hazel''s face.

    The little girl was holding on to Edith''s hand and as Alex reached their side, her hand tightened and Hazel inched closer to her teacher as if claiming her possession.

    Lily''s lips tilted up into an amused smile.

    This was not the first time that she had seen Hazel''s stance towards Edith. That little girl would pull a displeased look whenever Alex called Edith her aunt. Lily knew the expression on Hazel''s face well. The little girl was jealous.

    After Edith had taken the job as Hazel''s caretaker, the two of them had grown very close and Hazel relied on Edith a lot.

    Deep inside, Hazel had wanted to be closer to Edith, but right now, she could only address Edith as Teacher Qian. Hearing the intimate way Alex was calling her, of course, Hazel was longing to be closer.

    "Auntie Edith," Alex called again as he latched closer to her. "When will you come to my house? My dad brought a new model for me. Help me to assemble them, alright?"

    Edith felt the corner of her lips twitched. This boy would always act sweet to her whenever he wanted to request her help with his Gundam model. "What about your father? Why don''t you ask your father and build them together."

    "His father brought home a few models," Lily spoke as she approached them. A helpless sigh escaped her and she continued, "They have already begun a project together. Alex has been keeping another model and wanted to assemble them with you."

    Edith laughed upon hearing her friend''s words. "Really?" She patted at the boy''s head.

    "Un. Un." Alex nodded enthusiastically. "Auntie Edith, I think you can build them better than my dad."

    Or rather, his Auntie Edith had more patience while teaching him how to build the Gundam model. Although his father was very good at it, he did not have as much patience as Edith. In the end, instead of teaching his son how to build them together, Alex''s father would end up doing everything himself to avoid explaining too much.

    "I''ll try and come over during the weekend after my class, alright?" Edith gave in.

    The smile on the little boy''s face stretched up and it reached his eyes. The smile however disappeared seconds later when Alex seemed to notice a hostile air beside him. He shifted his gaze and for the first time noticed Hazel''s appearance beside their teacher.

    "Hazel, next time you should come over with Teacher Qian," Alex said, ignoring the envious look the girl has been giving him. "I still have a lot of things to show you."

    "Alright, the two of you should go into the class," Lily said after a while. "Alex, I''ll leave after chatting with Auntie Edith for a while, alright? Come on. Kiss me."

    "Mommy!" Alex''s eyes widened as he glanced at his mother. Hazel was still around and as a grown-up boy, he did not want to be seen as a clingy boy to his friend.

    "Alright. I know. I know." Lily sighed in defeat. "Go in and study hard. Listen to your teacher, alright?"

    Alex nodded. "Mommy, I''ll go in first, alright?" He turned around towards his class and paused. "Hazel, come on. Let''s play together before the others come."

    Hazel trailed after Alex once Edith nodded at her.

    The two adults stood to watch the two young children entered the classroom and Lily turned to look at her friend. "Hazel grew attached to you."

    "I know," Edith let out a soft sigh. "Hazel is such a sweet girl. It was hard to resist her charm."

    These past few days, Edith had spent her time with Hazel to coax the girl who has been missing her parents. Hazel''s parents had passed away for months, and the little girl was worried that she did not know much about her parents'' preferences.

    Because of that, the two of them would spend time talking about Hazel''s parents whenever they can.

    Hazel was worried that as time passed by, she would soon forget about her parents and made her parents sad. Therefore, she would always think about them a lot, but the memories would always make her sad.

    Edith had to coax the little girl and share with her what she would do whenever she was missing her mother. The living had to continue on living. They had to show that they were able to live very well and that their parents should not worry too much about living them too early. The only thing they can do was to remember them in their prayers and hope that they will soon meet again in another world.

    "How are you going to survive once the two months period as Hazel''s caretaker ended?" Lily asked, intending to tease her friend.

    Edith turned to look at her friend with a serious look on her face. "Should I kidnap Hazel and bring her home with me?"

    Lily rolled her eyes, knowing that her friend was trying to play dumb with her.

    Anyway, it was not as if Edith was not aware of what Lily was trying to do. Her best friend would often tease her after she had teamed up with Neil Mo during the Parent and Child Event.

    As her best friend, how could Lily miss their little exchange?

    Since she had seen those exchanges with her pair of eyes, of course, she had to tease her friend. What kind of friend would she be if she did not take this chance?

    However, Edith did not want to entertain this thought.

    She had spent days trying to rearrange her thoughts after President Mo turned her heart a little bit chaotic after that little intimate action during the game.

    To this day, Edith was scolding herself for being weak against Neil''s gaze. But then, whenever the three of them were sharing a meal, she could not help but steal a few glances at him.

    What was good about an iceblock? He can only give out cold air around him, no matter how warm his gaze can be. How can he made her heart flutter just by looking at with his warm gaze? It was not logical.

    But then again, there was nothing logical when heart matters were concerned.

    People fall in love in mysterious ways. Sometimes, a person would find that they had taken a liking for someone just after seeing the other person once and knew right away that the person was the one for him or her.

    Edith took a deep breath and told her brain to shut up.

    He was her employer and she was only going to live with him for a brief while. She had to extinguish whatever thoughts that the devil tried to imprint in her mind before she liked him even more.

    Neil Mo was someone that she can fancy from a distance, but she should never try to get close to him lest she would get heartbroken.

    Anyway, she could not share these thoughts with Lily, or she would have to suffer her endless teasing.

    Lily stepped closer to her friend. "What about kidnapping both uncle and niece?"

    "I''m too lazy to talk to you," Edith turned around to leave.

    "Hey, hey, don''t go," Lily immediately pulled at her arms.. "I was going to discuss with you about the school holiday."

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 81 - Assistant Wills Wife

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    While Edith was having a headache thinking about how she should cut off the budding feeling in her heart before it got the chance to bloom, Neil Mo was too busy with the company''s matter to think of anything else.

    At this time, Neil was sitting in his office while Assistant Shawn was briefing him on the current stock market. Once he reached the end of his report, Assistant Shawn stood to watch his boss with a hesitant gaze.

    "What is it?" Neil asked. Shawn Zhong had worked for him for years and Neil was able to read that there was something that was in the man''s mind.

    Assistant Shawn took a deep breath. "President Mo, do you remember Assistant Will from Finance and Accounting Department?"

    The pen in Neil''s grip paused and he tilted his head to look at his assistant. "Assistant Will?" A frown appeared on his face at the familiar name. His expression soon turned cold when the name finally registered into his mind. "He was that whistle-blower who tipped my brother."

    "Yes," Assistant Shawn nodded.

    "What about him?"

    "President Mo, not too long ago, you asked me to look over Assistant Will''s wife and kids," Assistant Shawn said. "I have been in touch with Assistant Will''s wife, and this morning she had contacted me and had requested to meet you."

    "She wanted to meet me? Why?"

    "A few days ago, the family has been tidying up Assistant Will''s belongings. His wife found something belonged to her husband and had wanted to hand over those things to you personally."

    Neil thought over the request and his expression darkened as he thought that Assistant Will had approached his brother, Adam, with information that in the end caused them all to death. "Arrange a meeting for us."

    "Yes, President Mo."

    "Wait," Neil called, as Assistant Shawn turned to leave the office. "Arrange this meeting somewhere farther from the office. I don''t want anyone to know about this meeting."

    As per his request, Assistant Shawn had arranged for the meeting to take place in A City in the evening.

    Neil parked his vehicle and raised his head to look at the signboard. He spent a few seconds mulling over his thoughts before he got off of the vehicle and stepped into the cafe.

    As he walked in, Neil immediately recognized Assistant Will''s wife. Their gazes met and the woman with the short hair immediately stood up to greet him.

    "President Mo," the woman''s lips tilted into a faint smile. "I am Sarah Lin, Assistant Will''s wife."

    Neil stretched his hand and the two shook hands.

    "I''m sorry for requesting this sudden meeting," Sarah spoke as she gestured the man to sit down. "But I don''t have much time."

    A waiter approached the table with a menu. Neil looked at the waiter and ordered a cup of black coffee without glancing at the menu. Then, he turned his attention back at the woman before him. "You''re going somewhere?"

    Sarah nodded. "It has been months since my husband passed away. There is nothing else left for me in this city. Therefore, I am planning to follow my brother and migrate." She cast her head down and raised her head again after a while. "President Mo, thank you for your help and assistance."

    She could still remember it when Assistant Shawn had appeared in front of her and offered help. At that time, her husband had just passed away and she was still at loss at what she should do.

    With President Mo''s help, she was able to clear her husband''s debt and was able to put some food on the table for her young children.

    The waiter returned with a cup of black coffee and Neil took a sip as he listened to the woman''s words.

    "My husband did not commit suicide," Sarah said after a while. "He was not someone like that. But the authorities were determined to conclude the case like that." Her hand balled into a fist as she thought of her dead husband. "A few months before my husband died, he was taken by the authorities and was accused of tax evasion and fraud. He fought and got away because they did not have enough evidence to sentence my husband. But later they said that my husband committed suicide because of guilt? I don''t believe it."

    Neil had been listening to the woman silently. "What can I do for you."

    "President Mo, I want you to help clear up my husband''s name," Sarah said. "I don''t want my children to grow up believing the lies those people spew."

    "I will definitely investigate and bring the truth to light," Neil said, neither promising nor rejecting that he was going to help her clear Assistant Will''s name. This matter was linked to his brother and sister-in-law''s death. It was a complicated matter and Neil did not want her to harbor too much hope.

    Sarah Lin''s lips tilted into a faint smile. She knew very well of Neil''s intention. After a while, she pulled out the brown envelope from her tote bag and slid it across the table.

    "I found these documents hidden in my husband''s office while cleaning up," Sarah said. "I might not understand about them much, but I think they would be a good help for you."

    Neil reached for the brown envelope and pulled out its contents. A slight frown appeared on his face as he browsed through the documents, and as time ticked by, his expression grew dark and heavy.

    ¡­

    Back at Neil''s place,

    Edith heaved a long sigh as she looked at the amount of leftover food in the pot. Earlier, she had cooked their dinner for the three of them, but later, Neil did not show up for dinner and she ended up having a meal with a disappointed Hazel.

    As she was transferring the food into a container, Edith glanced at the clock on the wall and noticed that it was almost midnight.

    Neil Mo has not returned home and he did not attempt to inform her or Hazel of his whereabouts.

    She had tried to reach for Neil but he did not pick up her phone calls or returned to any of her messages. Fortunately, Edith had kept Assistant Shawn''s number and the assistant had informed her that Neil had an important meeting and perhaps was unable to check on his phone.

    It was only then that she was able to relax, knowing that nothing had happened to him.

    Just then, a sound came over from the living area. Edith dried her hand with a towel and walked over to check if it was Neil. Their gaze met and the slight frown on Neil''s face disappeared when he saw her.

    "President Mo, you''re back," Edith greeted.

    A breath of relief escaped her knowing that he had returned safe and sound, but another part of her was annoyed by the loud thumping coming from her heart.

    "Hmm," Neil nodded as he closed the door behind him. "Why are you not asleep yet?"

    "I just have some clean up to do before I head to the room," Edith said. She looked at the man in front of her and noticed the solemn look on his face. "President Mo, are you alright?"

    "I''m fine." He walked over to the sofa and sat down.

    Edith stood at the dining area and hesitated before she walked into the kitchen to pour him a glass of water. "President Mo, have a drink."

    Neil obediently took the glass from her and emptied half of its contents.

    "Have you eaten?"

    Her question made him frown, and Neil seemed to realize that he had forgotten something vital.. "Hazel," he murmured.

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 82 - Sneakingly Touching Him

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    "Ugh¡­" A long, heavy sigh escaped him and Neil rubbed at his temple. His expression turned uglier as guilt surrounded him. "Sorry." Neil lifted his head to look at Edith. "I forgot to inform you that I won''t return for dinner."

    After the meeting with Assistant Will''s wife, Neil had spent a few hours to visit his brother at the cemetery. His mind was in disorder upon reading the files that Sarah Lin had gave him.

    Though it was incomplete, Neil was able to figure out what was the document about.

    He had thought that he knew the company well as the President of MH Group, but it seemed that a few shady things were going on behind his back.

    Assistant Will has been working with the Accounting Department for years and soon found a lot of suspicious things on the company''s account. He realized that his direct supervisor, the Chief of the Accounting Department was suspicious and found that he could not trust that man.

    That was when he sought his brother with the information. His brother then began to investigate things behind his back.

    Adam, who always had a bright smile on his face had chosen not to share this matter with him. There were a few directors and shareholders who were involved in this crime. If this matter was exposed to the public, it will only bring the company down. Moreover, there are a few influential people who were somewhat involved in the embezzlement. They are people that they could not afford to offend. Therefore, without enough evidence, Adam had chosen to keep things away from him.

    Knowing what Adam had tried to do made him angry that his brother had chosen not to share those important matters with him.

    In the end, Neil drove over to a place he had not visited for a long time and had a few drinks at The Rooftop.

    "It''s alright," Edith smiled. "Assistant Shawn mentioned that you have an important meeting."

    Neil covered his face with both hands as the feeling of disappointment towards himself surged. He had given his words to Hazel that he would accompany the little girl for dinner every day. He had promised that she will be the first to know if he was unable to come home, but it looked like he had failed to keep his promises.

    "How is Hazel?" Neil asked with his voice slightly hoarse.

    "She is not mad at you," Edith said.

    Neil lifted his gaze to look at the kindergarten teacher and his heart was at ease, knowing that she was telling him the truth.

    "These days, you have been accompanying Hazel and spend time with her." A smile curved on her lips. "That child understood that after making time to spend with her, there were going to be days when you would have to work overtime."

    A helpless sigh escaped her when she was reminded of Hazel''s words. The little girl had said that she was happy that her uncle had made time to come over to the Parents and Child Activity Day and played games with her. She would not throw a tantrum if her uncle missed dinner with her.

    After all, her uncle still had to work hard and make a lot of money to raise her.

    This is what Hazel''s mother would tell her when her late father had missed her birthday last year. In the end, her father had compensated her for spending a whole week with her as they went on vacation.

    Hazel was an understanding kid and looking after her was not difficult. The child was too mature for her age. As the thought of how she had behaved when she had to live with her grandfather after her mother''s death, Edith was embarrassed.

    Back then, she used to throw her tantrum and cause nothing but trouble for her grandfather.

    A slight smile appeared on Neil''s face as he thought of his niece.

    Neil stared into the glass in his hand and emptied its content. He lifted his head to look at the woman beside him and a thought came to his mind. "Teacher Qian, is there something to eat?"

    Edith''s gaze brightened up at his question. "There is some leftover from dinner. If you don''t mind, I can reheat them."

    Neil nodded. "Thank you."

    Edith turned towards the kitchen and her expression swiftly turned aghast. "Edith Qian, you''re such an embarrassment," she scolded herself in a hushed voice once she entered the kitchen. "How can you be that happy just because that Iceblock asked for something to eat? What about cutting the bud before it bloomed? Edith Qian, stop acting like a love-struck teenage girl. How can you fall for his look? Are you an idiot? Wake up before you get yourself disappointed!"

    As she stared at the reheated food that was served on the kitchen counter, Edith took a few deep breaths to calm down. She checked at the dishes one more time and turned to call Neil to eat.

    "President Mo."

    Her steps halted once she entered the living area. She looked at the man on the sofa and stepped towards him carefully. Her expression softened upon finding that the man had fallen asleep in his work attire with his breathing was slow and steady.

    Edith stretched her hand to wake him up but decided against it when she looked at his tired face.

    In the end, Edith spent her time observing the sleeping man for a while before she stepped forward to grab his coat. Slowly, she used it to cover his body lest Neil would wake up with a cold.

    As she draped the coat on his body, Edith shifted her gaze to look at his face and paused when she saw the frown on his face.

    Her hand moved subconsciously to touch the crease on the space between his brow. "The smell of alcohol is strong around you. You have been drinking too much tonight. You... What has been troubling you?" Her finger moved down slowly until it reached the tip of his nose.

    Edith sucked in some air once she realized that she was sneakingly touching him. She retracted her hand quickly and prayed that he would not wake up. A breath of relief escaped her as she studied his breathing.

    Fortunately, he was still sleeping and had not realized what she had done. If Neil Mo woke up at this time, she would be embarrassed to death and had no chance to explain herself.

    Edith squatted on the floor and continued to stare at the sleeping man. "Iceblock Mo," she whispered and waited for his reaction. When he did not move, Edith found her courage grew. "You''re not much of an iceblock when you sleep soundly like this."

    A few seconds later, Edith buried her face between her knees.

    What should she do, ah? She could not understand what did she like about this man, but every time she looked at him, her heart would beat crazily and she found herself liking him even more.

    "Edith Qian, you stupid girl," she whispered to herself. "Don''t tell me that you are already at a point of no return?"

    But what was this? Was it only just a crush, or something more?

    "What are you going to do? Cut it? Or pursue?"

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 83 - Undecided

    A pair of innocent round eyes were staring back at him when Neil Mo opened his eyes. The bright light entered his eyes and Neil narrowed his eyes to adjust his sight to the lighting.

    "Uncle, you''ve woke up," Hazel spoke when he looked at her again.

    "Hazel?" His voice was groggy as he had just woken up. Neil tried to sit up but paused when he felt that weak pounding on his head. Then, his body felt sore all over from sleeping on the sofa.

    Something slid off his body and Neil held the thick blanket in his hand.

    The memories of what happened last night went to his mind. He came back after having a little too many drinks. Then he ran into Teacher Qian and they exchanged a few words before he had somehow fallen asleep while waiting for her to reheat the food for him. Then, she must be the one who covered him with the blanket.

    "Uncle, good morning." Her lips tilted up into a smile. The little girl walked over to the coffee table and came back with a glass of water. "Uncle, drink."

    Neil reached for the glass and drank with a smile on his face.

    The feeling of having his niece to look after him was pretty good. Perhaps, this was the reason why his brother, Adam used to come over to his office and bragged about his cute daughter.

    When the glass was empty, Hazel''s little hand was stretched up to him again and this time, she was holding some medicine.

    "Teacher Qian said you will wake up with a headache. If you eat your medicine, it would not be too painful." The space between her eyebrow creased a little bit as Hazel tried to recall what her teacher had reminded her earlier.

    Hazel woke up that morning and went down to have breakfast and found her uncle sleeping on the sofa. Then, her teacher came out of the kitchen and reminded her to stay by her uncle''s side until he woke up.

    His lips turned into a warm, gentle smile. Neil took the medicine and patted the girl on her hair. "Thank you."

    Hazel took the empty glass from her uncle, refilled them with water, and brought them over. Then, she stayed to supervise as her uncle drink his medicine. When he was done, the furrow on her face returned and Hazel looked at her uncle hesitantly.

    A chuckle escaped him when he saw Hazel shifting her weight between her feet. He put the glass on the side table and looked at the little girl. "What is it? You have something you wanted to tell me?"

    "Uncle, you," she paused to look at him properly. "Next time, don''t drink too much, alright? Mama said drinking too much is not good for the body."

    Neil''s expression changed from surprise to pleasure. Recently, the little girl had started to talk to him a little bit more and had now expressed her worry about him. Of course, he would be happy.

    "Are you worried about me?"

    "Un." Hazel nodded. "You are my uncle. My family. I worry about you."

    Hearing her answer, Neil was unable to say a word a guilt feeling crept into his heart. He thought over Adam and Clare''s death again and was reminded of his promise to look after the little girl.

    "You said you were going to look over me," Hazel continued in a small voice. "Therefore, you have to look after your health and live for a very, very long time. If you drink too much again, then I will get angry."

    Neil stared at the little girl for a while and slowly, his lips tilted into a smile. The sight of Hazel pouting her little mouth in her attempt to show him her anger was too cute.

    "Alright. I won''t drink too much next time." He stretched his hand to pull her into his embrace but decided against it when he realized that he was reeking of alcohol. In the end, he chose to pat the little girl on her hair.

    "Sorry, I didn''t come back and have dinner with you last night," Neil spoke.

    Hazel shook her head and gave him an assuring smile. "It''s alright. You can accompany me again tonight."

    "Alright. I will come back and accompany you tonight," Neil made a promise. A thought crossed over to his mind and he made a suggestion. "How about I take you out to play this weekend to compensate for last night?"

    The little girl''s expression brightened up at his world. "Can we?"

    "Hmm," Neil nodded.

    "Can we take Teacher Qian with us?"

    "Of course."

    The little girl clapped happily before she composed herself. Neil let out a soft laugh as he watched his niece. Then, he urged Hazel to go and have her breakfast before he went upstairs to get ready for work.

    When he walked down the stairs again, Hazel had already left for the kindergarten with her teacher. He adjusted his cuff and was about to head out from the house when Auntie Emma who was in charge to look after the house walked over to call him.

    "President Mo," Auntie Emma called. "Miss Qian had prepared something for you to eat. She said it would help you to alleviate your hangover."

    Neil glanced at the kitchen and the smell of something delicious wafted over his nose. Seeing that he still had time before the first meeting started, Neil nodded and head over to the kitchen.

    ¡­

    Sunflower Kindergarten,

    Edith heaved a sigh as she slumped on her seat and laid her head on the table. The children were taking their nap and it was time for her to take a breather.

    Last night, she had tossed and turned in bed as she tried to decide what she was going to do with that feeling blooming in her heart. Ideally, cutting off that feeling would be the right move, as the chance of her to succeed was thin, but in the end, she could not bring herself to make any decision.

    Anyway, she hasn''t figured out whether the feeling she had was merely a crush or something else.

    If it was simply a crush, of course, she would choose to cut it off. However, if it was more than that, she hoped that she can at least give herself a chance before she back out.

    It looks like she will a little more time before she can make her decision.

    Perhaps she should calm down and rethink what she should do next?

    Edith took out her phone and began to check for messages. Her grandfather sent her a daily message to inform her that he was doing alright and that she should look take care of herself. Her hand froze as she stared at her grandfather''s message.

    Should she go back to Z Town and clear her mind?

    Anyway, wasn''t Lily planning to head over to Z Town with Alex on the school holiday?

    When the school holiday started, she will have to stay around and accompany Hazel. Perhaps she should start planning some activities for them to do together instead?

    Edith looked at the calendar and realized that the school holiday will begin in a few weeks. After the school holiday ended, she will have the opportunity to accompany both the uncle and niece for another week before she should return to her life and back to her apartment in A City.

    Since that was the case, she should take the opportunity to figure out what she was going to do next before the contract between her and Neil Mo ended.

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 84 - Making His Move

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Neil Mo was sitting behind the table with his focus on his computer when Assistant Shawn entered his office. On the sofa, Little Miss Hazel was napping with a thick blanket covering her body. Papers and crayons scattered on the coffee table.

    This has become a familiar sight for Assistant Shawn every Saturday.

    President Mo and Hazel will be visiting the cemetery in the morning before they came over to the office where the little miss would accompany her uncle while he settled with a few work.

    Assistant Shawn walked over to the table and spoke in a low voice, "President Mo."

    The man lifted his head for a few seconds before he continued working on the files. "Have you brought those documents for me?"

    Assistant Shawn nodded once before he placed thick documents on the table. "I have re-investigated the dismissal of the past employees and just as you have suspected, there are a few suspicious things regarding their dismissal. More than half of them were dismissed because of tax evasion and fraud."

    Neil stretched his hand to grab the documents and browsed through it. The crease on the space between his brow deepened as he browsed through more of them. He really was not expecting that a lot of his good employee has been a victim to those greedy directors and shareholders.

    A few minutes passed and Neil finally looked up at his assistant with a heavy look on his face. "Arrange for a meeting with these people. I need to find out more about their dismissal."

    "Yes, President Mo."

    "Remember to be discreet." He tapped his fingers on the table and paused as a thought came to his mind. "I heard that they were going to conduct an interview to fill in Manager Edward Xiao''s place. Tell the HR that I wanted to be a part of the interviewer."

    Assistant Shawn nodded again before he retrieved the files and stayed to listen to his boss''s further instruction.

    The phone on the desk beeped and the secretary announced that Henry Wu was had arrived to meet him. A while later, the door pushed open and Henry walked in with languid steps. His mouth opened to speak, but once he saw the sleeping figure on the sofa, Henry stopped himself. His gaze turned soft and his gaze set on the little girl for a few seconds longer before he strode towards the table.

    Henry glanced at Assistant Shawn who stood beside his boss and his lips tilted into a lopsided smile.

    "Mister Wu," Assistant Shawn greeted.

    "Assistant Shawn, can you help and bring a cup of coffee for Henry?" Neil spoke. His hand moved to pick up his pen, signed on the paper, and pushed aside the documents on a side of the table.

    Assistant Shawn grabbed the documents on the table and retreat from the room, leaving the two friends.

    Neil''s expression turned serious as soon as the door shut after the assistant. He clasped his hand and leaned forward to the table as he motioned Henry to sit down.

    "How was your trip?" Neil asked. "Did you find out anything?"

    Henry let out a long, heavy sigh and rolled his eyes. "I thought we finally had some clues on Jennifer Jiang''s whereabouts, but we ran into another dead end. But," Henry paused, placed his bag on his laps, and pulled out a paper bag. "I bought some souvenirs."

    Neil narrowed his eyes. "I don''t need a souvenir."

    "This is not for you." Henry stretched his hand to place it on the table. "This is for Hazel."

    Neil eyed the paper bag and did not make a move to take it. Instead, he bent down to pull a folder from his drawer and slid it on the table.

    "What is it?" Henry put his bag on the empty chair beside him and reached for the documents. He raised a brow at his friend and flipped at the documents when it doesn''t seem like Neil was going to tell him anything.

    Henry''s expression changed as he browsed through the documents. A few minutes later, he lifted his head with a disbelief look on his face.

    "I need your help in a few matters," Neil said.

    "You want me to investigate this?"

    Neil lowered his gaze. "This is a matter of MH Group. I will investigate the matter myself. What I need you to do is to help me find someone good enough to work in the accounting department."

    "What are you going to do?"

    "I am planning to plant someone in the department and keep my eyes on a few people in there," Neil said.

    Henry knocked his knuckles on the table and looked up again. "I thought you were planning on lying low."

    "I am," Neil said. "But I have to make my move. You''ve seen the list of people who might be involved. It''s not wise for us to take any action at the moment. We can only work slowly and discreetly and collect concrete evidence against them."

    Henry nodded. "Then, I will help you to find someone."

    The two friends stayed to discuss a few matters for hours.

    "It''s almost lunch hour, how about we go and grab something to eat together?" Henry said as he lifted his left arm to check on the time.

    "I can''t. I promised Hazel that we are will be visiting the mall later." He shifted his gaze towards the little girl on the sofa and continued, "She''s growing up so much in the past few months. We''re going to get her some new clothes."

    Henry cocked his head to the sides. "We?"

    The pen in Neil''s hand paused but decided not to comment on it.

    "Can I come along?" The smile on Henry''s face stretched up when he thought of the woman he met at Neil''s condo not too long ago.

    "You have to ask Hazel."

    As if the girl had heard someone called out her name, Hazel began to stir in her sleep. She sat up at the sofa and looked at the two men with her eyes squinted. "Uncle Henry?"

    "Hello Hazel," Henry turned around and waved.

    "Hazel, you''re awake," Neil spoke as he raised his head. "Did we disturb your sleep?"

    The little girl shook her head. "Uncle, is it time? Has Teacher Qian come?"

    A helpless sigh escaped him. The moment the little girl woke up, the first person she looked for was her teacher. How can he not get jealous?

    "She should have finished her class by now," Neil said. "I will let you know when she texts me."

    "Oh," Hazel nodded.

    "Hazel," Henry called. He raised the paper bag he brought earlier and waved it to the girl. "I bought you some souvenirs."

    The little girl pushed the blanket on her body away and walked over to Henry to take the paper bag. Her eyes widened upon seeing a cute, fluffy teddy bear in a ballerina dress inside. "Uncle Henry, thank you."

    A laugh escaped him and Henry patted the girl on her head. "Hazel, can I come along with you and have lunch together?"

    "Of course.." Hazel smiled brightly.

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 85 - Waiting For Her

    As the bus pulled at the bus stop and a few passengers were seen getting off the vehicle.

    Edith Qian was the last person who was seen getting off at the stop. She pulled at the straps of her bag, adjusted her blouse, and checked at the time. A breath of relief escaped her, realizing that she had arrived on time.

    Last night, Neil Mo had asked her to accompany him and Hazel to the mall after her class. The little girl wanted to have a meal together and play around and Edith had no way to decline her once Hazel launched her puppy dog eyes on her.

    To make it convenient for them, Edith had volunteered to head over to MH Group after class and meet the uncle and niece both in the lobby.

    The mall they were going to was somewhere close to MH Group Headquarters. It would be a waste of time for Neil to have someone to pick her up at her school and brought her over to the company. Anyway, Edith was aware that Neil would often stay at the company to deal with his work matter even on Saturday.

    From the bus stop, Edith would have to walk for less than ten minutes to arrive at the headquarters. Seeing that she had almost reached the place, Edith took out her phone and texted Neil that she was about to arrive.

    Just as she pressed the sent button, the phone in her hand vibrated and her grandfather''s name popped up on the screen. Her lips curled into a smile and Edith slide her finger on the screen.

    "Grandpa, what is it? Are you going to tell me that you are going on another fishing trip?" Edith spoke as soon as the line was connected.

    Mike Qian coughed out as his granddaughter had perfectly guess at his reason for calling. "What are you saying? Can''t I give my favorite granddaughter a call and check on her?"

    Edith rolled her eyes. What favorite granddaughter? She was his only granddaughter, alright?

    "Are you outside?" Mike asked as he heard the background noise.

    "Hmm, I finished my class a while ago and now I''m heading to the city to shop around."

    There was a brief silence on Mike Qian''s part. He knew that his granddaughter has been taking French lessons and knew her reason. As Mike thought of his deceased daughter again, a brief pain stabbed at his heart.

    "I don''t understand why you want to learn that language," Mike muttered and heard her laugh.

    "My mom was proficient in French and I want to be as good as her."

    "It''s fine if you''re learning it. But I don''t want you to have a job like your mother," Mike said. "That kind of job would require you to travel around the world for a long time. I just did not want you to stay too far away from me."

    "Grandpa, you won''t let me find a job in town and instead throw me to the city. You still said that you did not want to stay too far away from me."

    "This is different. You''re a good girl and I did not want you to waste your future in this small town," Mike said. "Anyway, the journey from A City to Z Town will only take two hours. It was not too far."

    Edith rolled her eyes again, feeling too tired to argue about this meaningless matter with her grandfather.

    "The kindergarten will be on a break a few weeks later, right?" Mike Qian asked. "Will you come back to town?"

    "I''m not sure." Edith heaved a sigh. "I might not be able to come back this time. I got myself a part-time job."

    "What kind of part-time job?"

    "Babysitting. Grandpa, you remember my student we met at Old Chen''s noddle stall?" She heard her grandfather hummed once and continued, "Well, I''m babysitting her during the school break."

    Mike Qian''s gaze softened as he was reminded that the little girl had recently lost her parents. "Alright. If you are unable to come back, then just stay in the city. That little girl is too pitiful. You have to look after her properly."

    "Grandpa, I know. I spent a few years babysitting after the kids back in town. I''m good at this."

    Hearing her words, there was a mixture of relief and guilt in Mike Qian. The only reason his granddaughter had such experience was that he had to work on important cases and had to send her over to Li''s Bed and Breakfast. Missus Li had to look after her B&B as well as the children. Therefore, elder children like Edith would often have to look after the young one.

    Mike Qian cleared his throat again. "Edith."

    "Hmm?"

    "Tomorrow," Mike paused, hesitant. "Old Bei invited me to accompany me on a fishing trip."

    "Grandpa, I knew it," Edith spoke with her gritted teeth. "You only call me to inform me about your fishing plan!"

    Her conversation with her grandfather lasted for a few minutes. When it ended, Edith immediately texted Neil to inform him that she would be arriving at the company anytime soon.

    Neil quickly replied to her and told her to wait at the entrance and his driver will pick them up and drive them over to the mall.

    Of course, Edith had no idea that the driver Neil had mentioned was not referring to Uncle Tang, but Henry Wu who had insisted to come along and them for lunch.

    After almost ten minutes of walking from the bus station, Edith was able to see the tall building of MH Group. Her lips curled into a smile upon seeing the two figures waiting for her at the entrance.

    The sight of a tall man and the petite girl standing next to each other as they waited for her had somehow warmed her heart. Her heart started to jump and her stomach was doing that annoying somersault again when she saw him. Edith sucked in a deep breath and shifted her gaze to Hazel, but the feeling just would not subside.

    "Teacher Qian!"

    Hazel was the first to noticed Edith at the walkway. The little girl''s expression brightened up as she was able to recognize her favorite teacher from distance away. She stepped down the stairs carefully and ran towards Edith happily.

    The little girl heard from her uncle that her teacher was going to arrive soon and had asked him to wait for her at the entrance instead of the lobby. As soon as she saw her teacher, Hazel was unable to conceal her excitement and had rushed forward to hug her.

    "Hazel, be careful!" Edith warned as she picked up her pace towards the girl. She was worried that Hazel was going to trip and fall.

    Just a few meters before Hazel reached her teacher, a black vehicle stopped at the side of the road with a loud screech.. The door swung open and Edith''s eyes went wide as she watched a man get off from the car and grabbed Hazel right in front of her eyes.

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 86 - Heroic Act

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    "AHHH!" Hazel scream pierced through the area.

    Her voice caused the people around them to stop abruptly and turned to the man who was holding the little girl hostage. Some of them began to take out their phone and recorded the scene, and some began to flee, afraid to get pulled into the situation.

    Seeing that the people had started to gather around them, the man held on to Hazel tightly and took a few steps back to his car.

    "Hazel!" Neil has been trailing after his niece and had kept his guard down, as the little girl was within his sight. He had not expected that someone would grab at his niece right before him.

    His heart thumped with panic and his expression darkened. The air around him turned stiff as he set his gaze on Hazel.

    "Let go of her," Neil spoke with a cold tone. He looked at the man and his anger multiplied upon recognizing the man who was holding Hazel.

    It was Edward Xiao, the manager who was dismissed from the company not too long ago after he was accused of embezzling the company''s money.

    "Stand back, or I will kill this girl," Edward shouted back as he stared back at Neil angrily.

    His brow furrowed and Neil obediently took a step back when he saw the small knife pointed on Hazel''s back.

    "Uncle!" Hazel started to tear up. Her face paled from fright.

    Edward Xiao sneered upon seeing that the great President Mo had obediently listened to his command. "President Mo, I finally got your attention, huh?"

    Things were very difficult for him ever since he was laid off from his job. He was someone with a high monthly commitment. Without his monthly wages, how can he survive living in L City? In the end, his wife had threatened to file for divorce if he could not find a job to support their life. However, he had to leave the MH Group because of embezzlement. How would the other company dare to employ him?

    He could not accept the situation!

    Therefore, he has been coming to the headquarters almost every day and hope that he will have his chance to meet with President Mo and explained his situation. However, every time he came, the guards will stop him from coming in.

    He had no other choice but to wait outside and hope that he could create a chance to meet with President Mo.

    After staying around for weeks, Edward had learned a bit about President Mo''s schedule and knew that he would usually take his niece to the headquarters every Saturday.

    Edward wanted to take this chance and have President Mo to talk to him. If kidnapping or threatening to harm the little girl would be the only way, then, he was willing to take the chance.

    "Let the girl go," Neil said. He eyed Edward cautiously, afraid that one wrong move would hurt Hazel. "Let''s talk in peace. The little girl is innocent. Let her go."

    The words somehow agitated Edward and he held the little girl tightly. "She''s innocent? Then what about me? I''m innocent too. I tried so hard to see you and explain my situation, but did you try to hear me out?"

    Hazel whimpered at the pain and Neil subconsciously stepped forward to grab his niece back.

    "Stay back!" Edward roared.

    "Alright!" Neil raised both hands with a distressed expression. His eyes shifted to a side as he noticed that his friend, Henry was standing not far away from Edward. His friend had come out from the parking lot and get off his vehicle upon noticing the situation.

    Neil''s heart was a bit at ease, knowing that if Edward tried to flee with Hazel, Henry would do anything he can to stop him.

    Edward grew angry as he caught Neil exchanging a glance with someone behind him. "I''m warning you not to do anything funny. If something happened to me, this little girl will die!"

    "Alright," Neil repeated. He motioned with his eyes and let Henry knew not to make any unnecessary movements. "What do you want? I will do anything as long as you promised to let the little girl go."

    At this time, he needed to buy more time for Henry to assess the situation and take action to save Hazel.

    "Ha-ha," Edward began to laugh. He had been wanting to talk to President Mo after he was dismissed unjustly. But now that Neil had promised to do anything as long as he let the little girl go, Edward suddenly did not know what he should ask.

    The smile on his face stretched up upon seeing President Mo''s anxious look. Edward Xiao raised his hand slightly to wipe the sweat trickling down his face.

    At the same time, Edith, who had been watching the situation for a long time took this chance to approach the man stealthily.

    As Neil was speaking to Edward and tried to persuade him to let Hazel go, Edith moved to grab at the man''s hand which was holding a knife, and pulled his hand back, causing the man to scream in pain and loosened his grip on the weapon.

    "What the¡ª"

    The knife in Edward''s hand fell on the floor with a clang. Edith kicked the knife away from Edward''s reach, revealing that it was actually a silver fountain pen instead of a dangerous weapon.

    Edward did not get the chance to finish his words as Edith had hit him behind his neck and kicked him behind his knee, causing him to fell on his knee.

    "Ah!" Little Hazel yelped at the sudden movement. Tears streamed down her face as she realized that she was finally free from the strange man''s grip.

    "Hazel, go!" Edith shouted.

    "Hazel! Come here!" Neil called out urgently and the little girl immediately ran off to his embrace.

    "Uncle!" Hazel buried her face in her uncle''s neck and started to cry.

    "It''s alright. I''m here. You are safe now," Neil continued to coax the little girl as he kissed the girl''s face repeatedly. His embrace tightened as he recalled the moment when Hazel was taken away.

    Neil realized that it was the first time in his life that he was so scared. Despite the slight expression on his face, his heart was unable to calm down. If something happened to Hazel, Neil would not know what he would do.

    "How dare you try to harm a little girl?" Edith said. "I have called the police. If you got something to say, you can wait until the officer came."

    Neil raised his head when he heard her voice and saw that the kindergarten teacher had successfully apprehended Edward Xiao.

    The man was lying on the ground with his face on the floor while Edith secured both his hand behind. Her right knee was pushing the man down with her weight so that Edward could not move around. The passerby began to cheer at her heroic act before they moved to help Edith hold the mand down.

    Neil narrowed his eyes as he saw the scene in front of him.

    He was not expecting that the person who would be the first to act and safe Hazel was Edith Qian. He was surprised when he saw the girl moved stealthily towards Edward.

    Neil was worried that her reckless act was going to hurt any of them, but her movement was quick and precise as she unarmed Edward and threw the weapon away.

    It was an intense moment but she had calmly saved Hazel and took down Edward. Her movement... It was as if she was trained with those moves.

    At that time, Neil could not deny that Edith''s pose and action just now were just too imposing and domineering.

    Read novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 87 - Teacher Qian, What Were You Thinking?

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    The police arrived soon after and the crowd parted to make ways for the authorities to apprehend the criminal. Edward Xiao who was pressed to the ground kept on yelling that he was innocent but was soon taken to the police station. The police spoke to Neil briefly and left after Neil had promised to come over and give his statement later.

    Some of the passersby who had recorded the situation on the phone had cooperated with the authorities by handing over the videos as evidence.

    Once the police were gone, Neil Mo stayed with Hazel to console her. The little girl had her arms wrapped around her uncle''s neck as she continued to bury her face in his neck and cried aggrievedly. She had refused to leave his side as she was still too traumatized over what had happened.

    Meanwhile, Edith sat at the stairs, watching everything in front of her as she buried her face in her hands.

    Just now, she was too anxious as she watched that man grabbed Hazel in front of her eyes. After evaluating the situation, Edith decided to make her move and take down the man. When she looked up, Neil Mo was staring back at her with his eyes assessing her.

    His gaze was frightening her.

    She had worked hard to show up the gentle, well-mannered side of hers in front of Neil and everyone else ever since she got her job as the kindergarten teacher. But she had exposed that side of her to save Hazel.

    Various thoughts went to her mind all at once.

    What if Neil got scared by her violent side after he saw the way she had attacked the kidnapper? Then, she has to forget her idea of pursuing him. After all, men like Neil Mo would prefer a gentle and meek woman, right?

    But, that was not the worst.

    What Edith fear right now was that Neil was going to think that she was too rough and decided to ax her as Hazel''s caretaker. Then, she will have no chance to get close to Neil Mo or stay with the cute little Hazel.

    Oh, God. Her romance story has ended before it even had the chance to begin.

    As the thought crossed her mind, Edith took a deep breath and groaned.

    The sound of footsteps approached. Edith lifted her head when she realized that someone was standing in front of her and immediately froze. "President Mo." Her heart jumped in fear as she watched the man''s penetrating gaze.

    The man was standing at the bottom of the stairs while she sat a few levels up. This situation allowed them to look at each other face to face.

    "Teacher Qian," Hazel called as she appeared behind her uncle. Her tiny hands were gripping tightly on her uncle''s trousers. She let go of Neil''s trouser slowly and leaped into Edith''s arms. "Thank you."

    Her eyes widened in surprise at the sudden impact and Edith felt Hazel tightening her hug around her neck.

    "Are you alright?" Edith asked as she patted Hazel on her back.

    "Un," Hazel snuggled into her teacher''s embrace. "Teacher Qian, you saved me. You were awesome." Hazel released her embrace and smiled sweetly at her teacher. Then, she planted a kiss on Edith''s cheek shyly.

    "Yes, you were awesome." Henry Wu spoke as he appeared beside his friend. He looked at the girl with a glint of admiration in his eyes.

    When he had seen Edith the first time at his friend''s place, Henry had thought that this girl was a sweet, soft-spoken woman. Imagine his surprise when he watched how Edith made her attack on Edward Xiao!

    "Teacher Qian, what were you thinking when you decided to make that move?" Neil asked. "You should know that with one wrong move, Hazel will be hurt."

    Edith took a deep breath. "I know." She lifted her head with a firm gaze. "But I was able to see clearly that the thing that the man was holding was a pen and not a dangerous weapon. That was why I decided to make my move. President Mo, I would not make a move if I was not sure that Hazel would be safe. I would not jeopardize her safety. You can trust me on that."

    Moreover, she was afraid of what that man would do once he realized that Neil was trying to stall for time. If he took Hazel into his vehicle and drive off, rescuing Hazel would be harder.

    The little girl would be scared without her uncle by her side.

    Neil frowned. His mouth opened to counter her words but found that he was unable to say a word upon meeting her gaze.

    He was grateful that Edith had saved Hazel, but whenever he thought of what happened, Neil could not help but worry. If Edith miscalculated, not only will Hazel be in danger, but Edith might as well get hurt.

    "Don''t get mad." Henry nudged at Neil with his elbow. "Miss Qian did save Hazel." He turned to Edith and smiled.

    "I am not mad." Neil heaved a long sigh. He looked at Edith and said, "Teacher Qian, I am thankful that you had saved Hazel, but I don''t wish for you to put yourself in danger. The situation was risky. I don''t want you or anyone to get hurt. If something happened to you, I would not be at ease."

    "I know." Edith lowered her gaze and bit her smile. Her heart bloomed at Neil''s concern.

    "Miss Qian, I saw the way you moved against that man. You were great," Henry spoke as he gave her two thumbs up. "Not only that you were quite skilled in self-defense, you were also quick to analyze the situation. Miss Qian, tell me honestly. Were you trained?"

    Edith twisted her fingers at his questions. She peeked at Neil''s expression with worry. "My grandfather was a cop. He taught me a thing or two."

    Whenever Auntie Li was unable to look after her, Edith would spend her time with her grandfather at the police station.

    Her grandfather and his men had taught her how to defend herself as well as some survival skills. The thugs who thought it was amusing to see a little girl hanging out at the station had taught her some fighting tricks and some other stuff that her grandfather wish she knew nothing about.

    Henry muttered a curse. "So that''s why." He took out his name card from his wallet and handed it over to Edith. "Miss Qian, in case if you decided to change your line of career, you can always find me."

    Edith took the card and frowned.

    Henry Wu, the CEO of the Iron Hawk Security.

    "I owned a security and private investigation company," Henry said. "We often received requests to provide female bodyguards. If you''re interested, you can always find me. I will give you the job."

    Edith let out a nervous laugh at his offer. Her grandfather would probably murder her if she ever decided to move into that line of career.

    "No!" Hazel''s tiny voice was heard.

    Suddenly, Hazel moved to block her teacher from the two men''s eyes. Her eyes were staring at Henry angrily and her hands were holding on Edith''s tightly.

    "Teacher Qian is my teacher," Hazel said. "Uncle Henry, you cannot take her."

    There was a brief silence before Edith broke the silence with her laugh.

    Her little Hazel was just too adorable.

    Edith pulled the little girl into her arms and rained her kisses on Hazel''s cheek. "Alright. I am your teacher. I won''t leave your side. At least not until you graduated kindergarten."

    "Un." Hazel nodded.. "Teacher Qian, you promised."

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 88 - President Mo Was Furious!

    With the sudden incident that scare Hazel and the grownups, Neil decided to cancel their trip to the mall.

    The little girl was traumatized by the incident and had stuck herself to both Neil and Edith like glue. When any of them had escaped her eyesight even for a second, Hazel was unable to sit properly and had wanted to look for them.

    It took that man seconds to snatch her right in front of the adult''s eyes. Hazel was worried that if she did not stay close to them, someone was going to snatch her again.

    As their plan had changed, Neil brought everyone back to his office and let Assistant Shawn order takeaway for their lunch.

    Despite everything they have gone through, the atmosphere in Neil''s office was quite lively with Henry inquiring Edith about her experiences and skills in self-defense.

    Of course, Edith did not dare to reveal too much about herself as she still wanted to keep her reputation as a demure young lady in front of the man she fancied.

    Neil Mo had already seen the way she had taken down that man and perhaps had a bad impression on her at the moment. It would be bad if she had accidentally revealed how she had got herself into a fight in school. If that happened, then perhaps she would really stand no chance to pursue her romance.

    Once Neil had ensured that the little girl had eaten enough and had calmed down, he let Henry drive them over to the police station to record their statements.

    When they arrived, Assistant Shawn was already waiting for them with Neil''s lawyer, Robert Han.

    Neil exchanged a few words with his lawyer and accompanied his niece to speak with the police. Once everything was settled, he sent both Hazel and Edith back to his place.

    Seeing that the little girl had calmed down and was drawing some pictures in the living room with her crayon, Neil decided to head over to the police station again to meet the man who had wanted to hurt his niece.

    "Uncle!" Hazel stood up abruptly and ran towards her uncle when she saw him heading towards the door. "Where are you going?" She gripped at his trouser tightly and had refused to let go.

    Neil bent to her level. "I''m going out to settle a few things." He patted the girl on his shoulder. "You stay home with Teacher Qian and take a rest. I will come back soon, alright?"

    "Oh." She nodded. Hazel hesitated and slowly released her grip on his pants. "Uncle, you have to take care, alright?"

    His lips tilted into a gentle smile, knowing that his niece was worried over him. "I will be fine. Uncle Henry will be with me. You know that he can fight very well, right?"

    Hazel nodded. "Uncle, you have to get home as quickly as you can. I won''t be at ease if you are not around."

    Neil kissed the little girl on her cheek and stood up. He then exchanged his gaze with Edith who was standing not far away from them and nodded, motioning her to take over.

    "Hazel," Edith called and smiled when the little girl turned to her. "Do you want to help me and bake some cookies?"

    Her eyes brightened. "Teacher Qian, I''ll help!"

    Once Edith had successfully distracted Hazel, Neil left the house and head over to the police station with Henry accompanying him. When they arrived, Assistant Shawn and his lawyer, Robert Han were still waiting for Neil.

    "President Mo," both of them stood up to greet him and froze upon seeing Neil''s expression. It was not hard to decipher his mood at the moment.

    President Mo was furious!

    "Is he still in the interrogation room?" Henry asked.

    Henry''s presence was like a light in the darkness. He was their hope!

    The two of them had worked for Neil for a long time and knew what will happen when their boss was angered. No one would be able to calm his anger.

    At least, with Henry around, there will be someone who can help them to reason with Neil if he wanted to do something excessive.

    Neil would surely listen to his friend''s advice.

    "Yes," the lawyer nodded. "The detectives had finished interrogating Mister Edward Xiao half an hour ago. I have talked to them. President Mo, you can go and meet Edward Xiao whenever you want."

    "I wanted to see him now," Neil said.

    "Certainly." The lawyer nodded. He left to speak with the person in charge and after a few minutes of waiting, Neil Mo was escorted towards the interrogation room.

    His expression darkened as he saw Edward Xiao''s figure behind the glass partition. Initially, Neil had asked Assistant Shawn to arrange a meeting with those who were laid off unjustly from the company. Edward Xiao was one of them.

    However, Neil did not expect that this man would be too impatient and had tried to threaten him with Hazel.

    He will not let anything bad happen to Hazel under his watch.

    The little girl was his only niece and the only heir of Adam and Claire. Neil had promised both of them that he will look after Hazel and he had no plan to break his promise.

    Whenever he was reminded of the scene where Hazel was in this man''s hand, Neil had the urge to punch someone. He was unable to forget Hazel''s pale face and the way she had cried in his arms.

    His anger rose and his face turned terrifyingly cold.

    "Neil," Henry called out his name and nudged him on his arms. "Calm down."

    Neil snapped out of his trance and took a few deep breaths. Then, he walked over to the door and entered the room, alone.

    Edward Xiao immediately stood up frantically as the door swung open. He watched as President Mo sat in front of him and his hands began to tremble.

    "President Mo, I did not mean to hurt her," Edward spoke with a pleading tone. "I was just trying to gain your attention. I just wanted to talk to you and explain my situation. President Mo, you have to trust me."

    A chuckle escaped him. "I''m here," Neil spoke and shrugged. "Now you have my attention. Since you wanted to speak to me, then go ahead. What do you want to say? I will listen. We have all the time you need. But before that, Mister Xiao," Neil paused to lay back on the steel chair and stared at Edward Xiao with a cold gaze. "There are some things you should know."

    "W-what?"

    "I was aware of what you have been doing outside MH Headquarters for the past few weeks. I have asked for your dismissal and your case to be investigated. If you just wait for another day, my assistant will call you and discuss this matter with you. However, you made one big mistake." Neil shook his head slowly. He leaned forward and his lips curled into a terrifying smile. "You should never threaten me with my niece."

    Neil stood up and slowly walked to approach the man.

    The air around them turned stiff and Edward found that he was unable to breathe properly.

    Edward licked at his lips and swallowed to ease his dry throat. "What are you trying to do? We''re at the police station.. You cannot do anything to me. It''s illegal!"

    Read novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 89 - I Walk Around Like A Ghost?

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Edith heaved a long sigh as she walked down the stairs and headed to the kitchen. It seemed that she had too much excitement on the day and she was too tired.

    Hazel was almost kidnapped and traumatized.

    The little girl would then stick to her and would be anxious when she was far away. It took her a lot of tried to distract Hazel from thinking of that incident and coax her to sleep.

    Edith lifted her hand and slowly massaged her head. She needed to figure out something that can help the little girl to overcome her fear.

    Perhaps should suggest to President Mo to teach Hazel self-defense. Didn''t they say that learning martial art would build someone''s self-confidence?

    She only wished that Hazel would overcome her fear and able to face the world with courage.

    Edith opened the refrigerator and stood there for a long time as if deciding what she was going to make as midnight snacks. Her gaze paused at the cans of beer that she had bought a while ago and hesitated.

    She had promised to herself that she will not drink as long as she was under Neil Mo''s roof, however, she was itching to take a few sips after going through too much excitement she had gone through on that day.

    After thinking about it for a while, Edith finally took out a can along with some ingredients to make some sandwiches.

    Just one can of beer will not cause any harm, right? Anyway, it was not as if she would get drunk with just one can of beer, right?

    After she had talked herself into it, Edith grabbed at the can. The can open with a soft pop and hiss. Edith took a long swig and heaved a satisfying breath.

    She was planning to eat and finish her drink before Neil came back from the station. Anyway, just a few sips will not cause her to do something stupid, right?

    Edith moved to butter the bread, slapped on some leftover shredded chicken from dinner, and lettuce to make her sandwich. Then, she took out her phone and turned on a costume drama that she had been following.

    Sitting on the stool at the bar area, Edith then enjoyed her sandwiches and drink while plugging in her earphone to watch her drama and push whatever problem she had to the back of her mind.

    With her ears plugged Edith was unaware that Neil had returned home. If she was not too focus on her drama, Edith should be able to hear the sound of the door closing and his footsteps. Unfortunately for her, the man heard her laugh from the kitchen and head over silently.

    Edith took another swig from her drink and paused when she had a feeling as if being watched. She lifted her head and froze upon meeting Neil''s gaze.

    The drink got stuck on her throat and Edith started to cough loudly.

    Seconds later, Neil walked over to her and pat her on her back to help her. She immediately sobered up at his touch. Edith lifted her head and took a few steps back to retreat from him.

    "President Mo, you''re back," Edith pulled her earphone and grabbed some napkins to wipe her mouth. Then, she grabbed a rag to wipe the drink splatter on the kitchen counter.

    "Teacher Qian, you¡­Why do you always choke on your food or drinks whenever I see you eating?" Neil looked at the kindergarten teacher with an amused smile.

    Right. Why was it that she would always show the embarrassing side of her in front of this man?

    When they saw each other at Old Chen''s noodle stall in Z Town, Edith was too surprised that she started to choke on her food. Then, the same thing happened again when he caught her having noodles in the middle of the night after she had started to move in.

    Neil would probably think that she was greedy for food.

    At this time, Edith really wanted to bury her head underground.

    Her lips then stretched into an awkward smile. "President Mo, isn''t it because you always walk around like a ghost?"

    His eyebrow rose. "I walk around like a ghost?"

    Edith bit at her lips, wishing that she did not say those words out loud.

    What was wrong with her today? She kept on making mistakes!

    "President Mo, that is not what I meant." Edith cleared her throat. "Just that, you walk silently and I could not hear any movement when you came back."

    "Actually, you would hear me entering the door if only you did not have your earphone on."

    Of course, he was right. Edith could only curse herself for her silliness.

    The smile on his lips stretched wider upon watching Edith''s embarrassed face. He raised his head to look at Hazel''s bedroom and asked, "What about Hazel? Is she asleep?"

    Edith nodded. "She went to bed an hour ago."

    "Is she¡­ alright?"

    "The incident this afternoon had probably shocked her too much," Edith said. "But once she woke up, her mood would be better¡­ I hope."

    "You hope?"

    "President Mo, I might not understand children psychology well. But every person had a different state of mind. Some were able to forget a bad experience and bounce back quickly after a good night''s sleep. But knowing Hazel''s personality," Edith paused and heaved a long sigh. "Even if she appeared as if she was alright the next morning, it was only because she wanted to hide what she felt so that she will not make us feel bad."

    Neil''s expression turned dark as he thought of the psychological trauma that Hazel will face after the incident. He quickly shifted his gaze and paused at the can of beer on the table.

    Edith followed his gaze and saw that he was looking at her drink. "President Mo, would you like to drink?" She offered and swallowed while preparing herself for his rejection. She had seen him drink hard liquor but had never seen him drinking beer. Surely, he was going to decline, right?

    His gaze stayed at the can for a few seconds longer and nodded. "Sure."

    Edith quickly turned around to grab a can for him. She slid the can on the counter and watched as he opened the can. "You''re hurt," Edith blurted upon noticing the slight redness on his knuckle. "Did you got yourself into a fight?"

    She was familiar with this kind of bruise and could guess that Neil had thrown a heavy punch on something¡­ or someone.

    Neil studied the back of his hand and noticed the redness for the first time. He did not expect that it would leave some marks. "It''s not that bad."

    Edith frowned. She turned around and grabbed a pack of ice from the freezer. Then, she walked over to Neil, grabbed his hand, and pressed the pack of ice on his hand.

    Neil let out a hiss upon the contact.

    "Painful?" Edith raised a brow. "And you said it was not that bad?" She raised her head at this time and was surprised to see that they have been standing too close.

    Slowly, Edith released his hand, stepped back, and continued to drink, acting nonchalantly, while hypnotizing herself to stop acting or saying anything stupid lest Neil will figure out her secret.

    However, it was easier said than done.. Her heart was beating furiously and it would not calm down no matter what.

    Read novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 90 - Teacher Qian, Are Youâ€¦ Drunk?

    Neil continued to press the ice pack to his knuckle as he eyed Edith with the corner of his eyes. After a minute, his knuckles were starting to feel a bit numb from the cold.

    "Just continue to press that ice pack to your hand," Edith said. "Or else, if Hazel sees that bruise in the morning, she will worry."

    A helpless sigh escaped him as Neil thought of his niece. Although he enjoyed Hazel''s care and reprimand, Neil did not want the little girl to worry. In the end, he could only listen to Edith''s suggestion and obediently applied the ice to his hand.

    His gaze stayed at the redness on his knuckle and his eyes turned darker as he recalled his conversation with Edward Xiao at the police station earlier.

    Neil wished that he could give harsher punishment to Edward Xiao for his attempt to harm his little girl.

    Before he left the police station, Neil had reached an agreement with Edward Xiao. What the man needed was a job to support his life and family, while Neil needed him to be a witness and testify against those greedy directors and stockholders for him for the time to come.

    Edward had caused a disturbance in front of MH Headquarters and this action will surely catch the attention of those who have been watching them.

    Thus, Neil was planning to give Edward a chance and send that man away from L City and keep him hidden until it was time for him to come out. With Edward''s attitude and this arrangement, the people who have been keeping their eyes on them will not find that it was strange if Edward was suddenly missing.

    Neil retracted his gaze, grabbed that can of beer on the kitchen counter, and swallowed a few mouthfuls of them. His expression then changed as the drink went through his throat and he realized that he was drinking beer instead of the usual hard alcohol he would drink.

    His gaze then moved to Edith who was staring silently at the can of beer in front of her. At this time, Neil was glad that this girl had not asked him any question about his bruised knuckles.

    "Why were you here, drinking alone?" Neil asked. He had offered her a few drinks he had kept in the house and each time, she would decline his offer. After a few times, he had stopped asking her if she wanted some drink.

    Perhaps, she was someone who would prefer beer over any other alcoholic drinks?

    "I just thought that I could use some drinks after too much excitement today."

    Of course, there were a few other things that she was worried about.

    For example, if Neil was planning to ax her from her job as Hazel''s caretaker after he had seen the way she acted in the afternoon. Then, she wanted to bid goodbye to her romance that will have no chance to bloom.

    As those thoughts came to her mind, Edith took another swig from her drink.

    "I thought you were someone who would not drink alcoholic drinks," Neil said and he was suddenly reminded of his friend who was in Y City with her husband and two children.

    Edith flashed him a smile and there was a long silence between them. When she glanced at Neil again, the man had already pulled a stool and sat down.

    From the look of it, he was not going to leave anytime soon and Edith was getting worried that she might accidentally do or say something stupid. She was not drunk, but when she was nervous, she tended to make a fool of herself.

    Edith continued to drink until she realized that she had emptied a can. After casting another glance at the man beside her, a butterfly started to appear in her stomach and her throat felt dry. Absentmindedly, she walked over to the fridge and pulled out another can of beer, and took a few mouthfuls of drink.

    It was clear that she had already forgotten Lily''s reminder.

    "President Mo," Edith spoke after a long silence.

    "What is it?"

    Edith turned and stared at the man in a daze for a few seconds. "Am I getting fired from my job as Hazel''s caretaker?"

    His movement froze and he turned to Edith with a puzzled gaze. "Teacher Qian, why would you think that I would fire you?"

    "Are you not?" Edith cocked her head to a side. "Earlier you don''t seem like you''re alright with me taking down the kidnapper. Aren''t you going to fire me because I''m too¡­ aggressive?"

    A chuckle escaped him. Neil placed the can back on the counter and asked, "Teacher Qian, are you¡­ drunk?"

    Edith waved her hand. "I''m not drunk. This is only my second drink. I won''t get drunk that easily."

    Neil shifted his gaze towards the cans in front of her. There were three emptied cans on the counter and she had just opened her fourth can a minute ago.

    Initially, he was impressed as he watched her walk over to the refrigerator to take the third, and then, fourth cans. He had thought that Edith was someone who could hold her drink, so Neil was not expecting Edith to get drunk this quick.

    "Teacher Qian, rest assured. I am not going to fire you because you are¡ª"

    Neil paused and suddenly he did not know if he wanted to use the word aggressive to describe her. She was lively and good at self-defense. Sometimes, Edith can be a little weird and humorous, but she was definitely not aggressive.

    "Anyway, you are great with Hazel and that little girl liked you very much. It would be stupid of me if I fired you. Hazel will be angry if I did that. And," He cleared his throat. "I was not mad at you. I was just worried about your safety."

    "Really?" Edith propped her head up on an elbow and looked at Neil with a lazy gaze.

    "Next time, please don''t do anything dangerous."

    "I know. I won''t do it again." Edith buried her face in her arms and let out a long exhale of relief, knowing that she did not have to leave this temporary job. When she looked up again, there was a silly smile on her face.

    His lips tilted into a slight smile. The woman in front of him was really drunk.

    "Actually, it is a good thing that you know self-defense, Teacher Qian," Neil said. "At least I know that Hazel will be safe as long as she''s with you."

    "That''s right," Edith slapped her hand on the kitchen counter. Then, she put a hand on her chest and raised the other to shoulder level. "President Mo! You can be assured that as long as I''m with Hazel, I will make her safe. I promise."

    Neil raised the can in his hand. "I''m glad that I can trust Hazel''s safety with you."

    Edith held her cheeks with both hands and the silly smile on her face stretched up until her eyes turned into a crescent.

    Seeing the silly look on her face, Neil immediately. "Teacher Qian, it''s late. You should return to your room." Neil finished his drink, flattened the can, and threw it into the bin. "Go ahead.. I''ll clean this up."

    Read novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 91 - Iceblock Mo

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Edith stood up quickly and snatched those empty cans before Neil was able to reach them. "No way. President Mo, let me do this. Since I had made a mess of this place, of course, I have to be the one to clean it up."

    Neil stared back at her and took a step back. "Alright. You do it."

    "President Mo, you should go upstairs first," Edith said. Her hand gestured for him to move along.

    With her gaze on him, Neil had no other choice but to turn around. However, as he reached the wall. Neil turned around and stood silently at the side watching as she attempted to clean up the kitchen counter. The cans were thrown into the bin, and the counter was wiped clean within a few minutes.

    Judging from the way she was able to do her task well, it doesn''t look as if she was drunk at all.

    For a moment, Neil was wondering if he had misjudged her. However, seconds later, Neil was convinced that the girl in front of him was indeed drunk as Edith went back to her seat and laid her head on the kitchen counter.

    Was she planning to sleep in the kitchen?

    "Teacher Qian?" Neil placed his hand on her shoulder and patted it slowly to wake her up. "You should be sleeping in your room."

    Her face scrunched up into a frown. Edith swatted his hand away from her. "Go away, you noisy fly."

    Neil felt the corner of his mouth started to twitch.

    Noisy fly?

    Not too long ago, this woman had called him a ghost, and now he was degraded to a fly? This kindergarten teacher was an interesting woman. He really wanted to see if she would dare to call him a fly when she was sober.

    A long and loud exhale escaped him as he watched Edith moved to get into a comfortable position and continued to sleep on the kitchen counter.

    Forget it, maybe he should leave her alone.

    He turned around to leave but stopped himself after a few steps.

    The last time he had fallen asleep on the sofa, Edith had helped and covered him with a thick blanket. Now that she had fallen asleep on the kitchen counter, he couldn''t possibly leave her to sleep here, right? She might wake up with a fever.

    Then, wouldn''t that make him a bad person?

    Moreover, if she kept on sleeping in that position, the next morning Edith would experience really bad shoulder and neck pain.

    Should he lift her to her room?

    Neil stared at the girl as he tried to make up his mind. Seconds later, he walked over and tapped her on her shoulder. "Teacher Qian, wake up. You will catch a fever if you continue to sleep here."

    Edith moved swiftly and in seconds, she had gripped Neil''s wrist in hers. Her grip on him tightened and her eyes narrowed as she watched him. "What are you trying to do to an innocent lady?"

    Innocent lady?

    This person''s choice of words was really interesting when she was drunk.

    "Let me tell you, I have learned a few judo move."

    His brow shot up. "Teacher Qian, are you bluffing?" He tried to remove her hand from his wrist but found that her grip was getting stronger and painful.

    It was not strange if Edith was able to take down Edward Xiao in the afternoon.

    "Who said I was bluffing?" Edith giggled as a memory came to her mind. "That''s right. That old man lost in betting against me. In the end, he taught me a few moves. Wait a minute." Her eyes were blinking a few times as she continued to look at the man in front of her. "I know you."

    Neil stared back at Edith.

    At this time, she was scrutinizing him with her eyes glazed.

    Suddenly, Neil wondered what she was going to call him next and hoped that it will not be something worst than a fly.

    Her eyes widened as she finally saw the man in front of her. Edith immediately released her grip on his wrist and clapped once. "Iceblock Mo!" Her finger was pointing to his face.

    Neil was starting to think that perhaps his ears were playing tricks on him.

    Iceblock Mo?

    He was aware that people had called him various names behind his back, but this was the first time that someone had dared to call him a name in his face.

    His lips stretched into an amused smile. "Teacher Qian, what did you just call me?" He held both her cheek and forced her to look at him. "Who do you say I am?"

    Edith narrowed her eyes for a few seconds again. "Iceblock Mo, are you drunk? Did you forget about who you are?"

    A laugh escaped him. Neil had not expected that the kindergarten teacher would have this amusing attitude when she was drunk.

    "Why am I Iceblock Mo?"

    "Isn''t it very clear?" Edith tilted her head. "You are Iceblock Mo because you often had this cold air around you. When you are around, the air suddenly turned cold and stiff. Your eyes were cold, your personality was cold. Therefore, you are Iceblock Mo."

    "Teacher Qian, aren''t you exaggerating?"

    How was it possible for the air to turn cold because of him?

    Edith laughed at his question. "This is what I heard from people."

    "What people?"

    "Lily Zhao. You know her?" A slight crease appeared on her face. "Of course you know her. You met her a few times."

    His thought went towards the woman who was seen hanging around Edith during the Parents and Child Activity Day not too long ago.

    The next time Lily met Neil, she would often feel as if the man was staring at her with a disapproving gaze, but could not understand why he would give her that look. If only Lily knew that her best friend had sold her like this, Edith would definitely suffer from her friend''s wrath.

    Neil released his hands from her cheek and retreated.

    He did not want to deal with a drunk woman.

    Just before he was able to turn around, Edith moved swiftly and this time, it was her turn to put both her hands on his cheek.

    "Actually, Iceblock Mo, I don''t think that you are as cold as people say you are," Edith spoke as she continued to stare at him at close distance. "For example, your gaze when you were looking at Hazel was very warm."

    Neil let out a chuckle.

    "And recently you have stopped giving me that cold look."

    His eyes flickered.

    When did he ever give her a cold look?

    Before Neil could utter this question, Edith had pinched at both his cheek, forcing him to smile.

    Edith stared at his lips and smiled. "Iceblock M,o you have a really nice and warm smile. You should smile a bit more." She let out a silly laugh. "Look at that. This expression is better."

    Then, without delaying a second, Edith stood tiptoed and gave him a peck on the lips.

    His eyes widened as he felt her warm, moist lips against his. Suddenly, Neil froze and did not know what he should do.

    "Iceblock Mo," Edith called out his name, patted at his cheek, and smiled.. "I like you."

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 92 - Aftermath

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Edith Qian woke up the next morning with a terrible headache.

    She only had a few drinks, but why was her head hurting so much?

    Edith blinked her eyes a few times and realized that she had been sleeping in the living room.

    The room was slightly lit by the light that came from the kitchen. Edith stared at the ceiling and her mind whirled to think of what had happened last night.

    As the memories came to her mind, Edith suddenly sat up straight. A cursing word slipped out of her mouth.

    The thick blanket on her body slid down to the floor. Just as she turned to pick it up, Edith began to notice that there was someone else in the living room and that person was watching her every movement in silence.

    He was sitting at the one-seater with his legs crossed. His hands clasped together and his elbows rested on the armrest. The way he was staring at her was very domineering.

    The air around them turned cold and stiff. Suddenly Edith had a premonition.

    "President Mo!" Edith placed a hand on her chest to calm down. She was shocked to find that the first person she saw the moment she woke up was Neil Mo. "Why are you here?"

    Neil did not answer and instead thought of what this woman had done and said when she was drunk last night.

    This kindergarten teacher had boldly called him Iceblock Mo, pinched his cheek, kissed him on the lips while he was unguarded, and gave him a confession.

    He was so dumbfounded by the sudden situation that he did not know how he should react. While Neil Mo stood in the kitchen in silence, the person who had caused the disturbance had returned to the kitchen counter and slept as if nothing had happened. No matter how he tried to wake her up, Edith continued to sleep with her head on the kitchen counter!

    He grew frustrated. But in the end, his conscience made him carry her to the sofa in the living room.

    The woman was sleeping comfortably on the sofa, but Neil found himself unable to sleep a wink.

    His mind kept on repeating the scenes as she pressed her lips against his.

    Suddenly, Neil could not help but wonder what the kindergarten teacher was going to do if she woke up. He had this feeling that if he returned to his room and did not confront her the moment she wakes up, this person will avoid him and pretended that last night did not happen.

    In the end, Neil chose to sit down on the sofa opposite her as he waited for her to wake up.

    Fortunately, she did not have any other strange habit after drinking.

    "You''re awake," Neil spoke.

    Edith immediately looked away the moment their gaze met. She did not know why, Neil''s gaze on her was making her uncomfortable.

    "Did you remember what happened last night?"

    Her movement paused as Edith tried to recall what had happened. "We had a few drinks."

    "A few drinks?" His brow shot up. "How many drinks do you think you had last night?"

    Her face scrunched as she tried to recall. Slowly, Edith raised her hand, with two fingers up. "Two?"

    "Four."

    Edith muttered a few cursing words. Her head was telling her that she was done for. Edith knew pretty well what would happen when she drank too much, and now she was worrying that she had said something that had made him upset.

    Wasn''t that the reason Neil was sitting across her with a scary look on his face?

    Neil saw the look on her face and frowned. "You¡­ Don''t you remember what happened?"

    Edith swallowed her saliva. "I don''t know. All I remember was that we had a few drinks and then¡­ you told me that you are not going to fire me. Then, I went to sleep."

    Right. Didn''t she return to her room after she had finished cleaning up the kitchen? Why was she sleeping in the living room?

    A look of doubt crossed his face and Neil wondered if Edith was only pretending that she could not remember a thing.

    "President Mo, I swear. That is all I remember." Her voice grew smaller as she met his angry gaze. Her mind was internally screaming as she still could not remember what she had done last night.

    Finally, Edith took a deep breath and gathered her courage. "President Mo, what did I do?"

    "You¡ª" Neil stopped himself before he could mention what she had done.

    Suddenly, Neil began to think that it was better if Edith had forgotten what had happened last night.

    Neil Mo has been confessed to many times, and each time, he had rejected the confession on the spot. However, towards Edith''s confession, he did not know what he should think or do.

    He did not want to reject her nor give hope to her.

    Neil was afraid that if he had mentioned that she had kissed and confessed to him when she was drunk, things would become awkward between the two of them. After all, he still needed her to look after Hazel and they have to stay under the same roof for another month.

    Perhaps letting her remained clueless would be the best decision.

    Neil stared at her with a doubtful gaze. "Did you really not remember a thing, or were you pretending that you could not remember what you have done?"

    "President Mo, I wouldn''t dare to pretend. Please¡­ Just tell me. What did I do? I am aware that sometimes I do absurd things when I got drunk."

    He stared at her with his scrutinizing gaze. Neil tried to figure out whether she was telling him the truth, and by the look on her face, Neil thought that Edith had really forgotten what she had done.

    "You called me Iceblock Mo." Neil enunciated each word slowly. His gaze stayed on the woman in front of him, observing her every move and expression.

    Edith''s face turned pale as she muttered another curse under her breath. "President Mo! I''m sorry!" Her face turned red and she was becoming flustered.

    She had called him Iceblock Mo and he was angry. At this time, there was nothing else that Edith wanted to do than knock her head on a pillar.

    She might as well die from embarrassment!

    Edith raised her head to look at Neil as she waited for him to continue. Somehow, she had the feeling that she had done something worst than that, but her brain could not recall what it was.

    "President Mo, is that all?"

    Neil raised a brow at her. "Were you wishing that you have said and done something worst?"

    "No!" Edith waved her hand to deny. "Of course not."

    Seeing the way she was reacting, Neil was finally convinced that Edith was not acting when she told him that she could not remember anything after she cleaned up everything and go to sleep.

    Edith shut her eyes tightly and clenched her hands into fists. "President Mo, don''t worry, I will pack up my stuff and leave quickly."

    "Where are you going?"

    "Of course, I''m going back to A City." Edith looked at him with her pitiful gaze.. "Weren''t you going to fire me after what I have done? I just hope that you can let me explain to Hazel."

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 93 - Guests

    Neil raised his hand and massaged his head as he listened to her request. "Teacher Qian, I am not going to¡ª"

    His words were left unfinished as Hazel suddenly appeared at the staircase.

    "No!" Hazel screamed. She walked down the stairs anxiously while gripping at the hand railing, careful not to stumble down. She reached in front of the two grownups and held on to her teacher''s shirt. "Teacher Qian, you are not going to stay with me?" Her eyes were blinking adorably at Edith.

    "That," Edith stopped herself. Although she was ready to explain her situation to the little girl, Edith was not expecting the little girl to show up. Suddenly, Edith did not know what she should do. Her gaze shifted to Neil.

    "Uncle, can''t you make Teacher Qian stay?" Hazel asked. Her attention shifted to her uncle and she was tugging at the man''s trouser. "I really, really like staying with Teacher Qian." She turned her cute attack to her uncle. "You said Teacher Qian is going to stay with us until Nanny Ann returns."

    Neil felt a tug on his heart as he looked at the little girl in front of him. He patted at Hazel''s hair and shifted his gaze back to Edith. "Teacher Qian, I did not say that I was going to fire you."

    "You''re not?"

    "Although it was not pleasant to hear someone call me Iceblock Mo, it was not enough reason for me to fire you," Neil said. His face twitched as he recalled that name.

    He had thought that even if he did not fire her, Edith might take the initiative to tender her resignation because she was ashamed of what she had done.

    Fortunately, he had not mentioned the kiss and the confession.

    "Teacher Qian, I hope that you can stay and continue as Hazel''s caretaker until our agreement ends," Neil continued. "Hazel and I¡­ We both needs you."

    Edith stared back at Neil in surprise. She was ready to leave and was not expecting him to ask her to stay.

    Moreover¡­ this was the first time that someone had told her she was needed.

    Hearing his words made her all tingly inside. Something warm ignited in her heart and spread all through her body.

    "President Mo! You cannot say something like this and expect that I won''t fall for you!" Edith muttered under her breath.

    This man was too good at swaying her thoughts and feeling without even knowing it!

    How was she supposed to cut off the bud before it bloomed? The flower has started to bloom!

    "Teacher Qian," Hazel turned to her again and launched her signature cute attack¡ªthat imploring look with slightly pouty lips and puppy dog eyes. "You are going to stay, right?"

    Edith hesitated.

    "Teacher Qian, please stay," Hazel persuaded.

    Her conscience was telling her to leave. She had done something that had made her boss upset and it would be awkward for her to continue to stay. However, Neil''s words and Hazel''s cute attack was making her heart waver.

    The uncle and niece were attacking her from left and right. She was defenseless!

    Moreover, Hazel had just faced a traumatic incident yesterday. Leaving the little girl at the time that she needed her the most would make her a heartless person.

    "Of course, I''m going to stay," Edith finally gave in.

    The little girl''s expression brightened up and the smile turned her eyes into a crescent. Hazel held her teacher tightly as if refusing to let go.

    Edith patted at Hazel''s hair and looked at Neil again. "President Mo, don''t worry. I promise you that I will never call you Ice¡ª" Edith managed to stop herself before she uttered the cursed word that got herself into trouble. She cleared her throat and corrected her words, "I promise that I will not drink again."

    Neil studied the woman with his scrutinizing gaze. "Hmm¡­" He nodded and turned around to head upstairs.

    He didn''t get enough sleep after what happened last night, and Neil thought that it would be better to be left alone to rethink his decision.

    Just before Neil took a step, the doorbell rang and the three of them turned at each other in puzzled.

    It was the weekend morning, and none of them were expecting any guests to come. Neil walked over to the intercom and pressed a button. His expression immediately changed upon seeing the familiar face.

    Swiftly, unlocked the door and let the guests in.

    "Mom, Dad, what are you doing here?" Neil asked.

    Sophie Huang stared at her son angrily. "What do you mean? We saw on the news that Hazel was almost kidnapped. If we did not happen to see it on the news, then were you not planning to tell us anything?"

    "Mom, I just did not want you to worry," Neil spoke with a helpless tone. He shifted his gaze to his father. "You know that dad cannot be agitated at his condition."

    Sophie stared at her son angrily though she could not say a word to refute his words.

    At this time, Hazel had recognized the voice and walked over to her grandparents. "Grandma, Grandpa!"

    The two elders had a big smile on their faces upon seeing their only granddaughter. A breath of relief escaped them, knowing that the girl was safe without any injury.

    "Hazel. Grandma and Grandpa came to see you," Sophie spoke. She bent to hug her granddaughter and rained her kisses on her cheek.

    "You should call me if you are coming to the city," Neil said.

    "We tried calling you a million times, but your phone is off," Lucas Mo said.

    A frown appeared on his face as Neil recalled that he had turned his phone off while he went to see Edward Xiao at the police station. After he returned, he was busy dealing with a drunk someone and a certain incident had kept his mind occupied¡­

    "It probably ran out of power," Neil gave his excuse.

    Sophie walked into the dimmed room as the curtains were still blocking the light from coming in. "Why are you staying in a dark room?" She glanced at the curtains and frowned.

    Seeing that her son was staying in a dark room, Sophie walked over to the window and pulled the curtains.

    The morning light shone through and the room was immediately lit brightly.

    Sophie turned around and was surprised to see that both Edith. She quickly regained her composure and smiled. "Teacher Qian, you''re here as well."

    "Chairman Mo, Missus Mo, good morning," Edith took the initiative to greet. She noticed the way Sophie was eyeing her clothes and was embarrassed.

    Although Neil had told her that both of them knew that they were living together for Hazel''s sake, Edith could not help but felt awkward. She was in her home clothes and had not had the chance to wash her face or groom herself before meeting them.

    The two elders are Neil Mo''s parents! Of course, she wanted to appear her best in front of them.

    Edith cleared her throat in her attempt to ease her anxiety. "Have you had your breakfast yet?"

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 94 - Breakfast With The Mo

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Sophie Huang stared at the scrambled eggs on the plate and her nose started to feel sour. Her gaze shifted to the little girl by her side and her lips tilted into a smile. "Hazel, you made this?"

    "Un." Hazel nodded. Her eyes darted towards the food on the plate anxiously. "I made one for grandma and one for grandpa. Grandma, try, and taste first."

    Sophie laughed happily. She picked up the cutlery and started to sample the scrambled egg. Her eyes widened at the taste. She was prepared to give the little girl her compliment words though it was not going to taste good, surprisingly, the scrambled eggs tasted delicious. Fluffy and moist.

    "Grandma?"

    She snapped out of her thoughts and smiled. "It''s delicious."

    It was the first time her granddaughter had cooked something for her and Sophie was naturally happy.

    Her granddaughter had grown up very well and had now known how to prepare scrambled eggs.

    Something warm spread in her heart and her eyes grew misty as she continued to stare at the little girl.

    A bright smile appeared on the little girl''s face. Hazel lowered her gaze and smiled shyly before she ran towards the kitchen to help her teacher with preparing breakfast.

    The old lady watched as her granddaughter retreated into the kitchen and shifted his gaze towards his son, who was munching his toast in silence. Her eyebrow shot up upon noticing something different about him.

    "Neil," Sophie called her son and watched as he lifted his head to look at her. "You look like you have gained some weight."

    The man''s mouthed paused from chewing.

    "I mean in a good way," Sophie continued. "You look healthy."

    This son was always so busy with his work that he tended to forget to eat properly. Although people would always say that her son had a good body built due to his exercise and muscle training, Sophie was always worried that his son was not eating properly.

    The first few months after he had assumed her position as the President of MH Group, Neil was hospitalized for gastric all because he wanted to focus on the company and had neglected his meal.

    If it was not for Adam who had to look after his brother, it was possible that Neil would continue to forget to have his meal in time.

    These past few weeks, Neil had ensured that he would return home early and accompanied Hazel for dinner. Edith would cook some simple, home dishes for dinner and he would find himself eating more than he usually does.

    A slight frown appeared on Neil''s face as the cause of his weight gain crossed his mind. However, seconds later, his hand moved to shove another spoonful of food into his mouth.

    Seeing that her son choose to ignore her, Sophie shifted her gaze towards the two people in the kitchen. Her granddaughter was watching intently as her teacher was teaching her how to prepare some simple breakfast items.

    "I didn''t think that Hazel is old enough to cook," Sophie spoke and a long sigh escaped her.

    Her thoughts went to his deceased son and daughter-in-law and her nose started to sour. If the two of them were able to see Hazel right now, they would be so proud.

    "Is it like this every day?" Sophie asked her son as she continued to observe the two girls in the kitchen. A helpless smile curled on her lips upon seeing how close her granddaughter was with her teacher.

    Previously, Sophie was worried when her son told him that Nanny Ann was unable to look after Hazel after she was injured. Sophie knew about her son''s living environment and was initially worried that Hazel will not get used to it.

    Fortunately, Hazel and Teacher Qian get along very well.

    Although she had been in the house for less than an hour, Sophie was able to tell that her son was able to live with both Hazel and Edith well.

    "Auntie Emma will come over every weekday to prepare breakfast for Hazel," Neil answered. "Hazel only helped Teacher Qian in the kitchen every weekend. I think it''s good for Hazel to learn to cook something simple. Teacher Qian assured me that it would not be dangerous for Hazel."

    Lucas Mo raised a brow as he looked up from the plate of scrambled egg that Hazel had made for him and looked at his son. Neil was someone who did not like to speak too much. It was surprising to hear him explaining the situation to them.

    "Hmm," Sophie nodded. "I think it''s good for Hazel too. She can do anything as long as it would make her happy."

    At this time, Edith walked into the dining area carrying a plate of toast.

    "Chairman Mo, Mrs. Mo, please eat a bit more," Edith said. She placed the plate on the table and flashed a charming smile.

    Sophie stood up and held on to Edith''s hands, causing the younger woman to look at her in a puzzle. "We have enough food here. Teacher Qian, come, sit down. Let''s have breakfast together."

    Before Edith was able to say a word to decline, Sophie had pulled her to sit down. Suddenly, Edith found herself sitting beside Neil.

    Edith glanced at the person beside her and felt her hair stood upon meeting Neil''s piercing gaze.

    She did not know what happened, but ever since this morning, Edith had this feeling that something was not right.

    Swiftly, Edith looked away and concentrated on Sophie.

    "I saw the video from yesterday''s afternoon," Sophie said. She gave a gentle squeeze at Edith''s hands and continued, "The situation was very dangerous, but you did not hesitate to take down that man. Teacher Qian, Chairman Mo and I would like to thank you. If something happened to her, I would not know what to do."

    "Mrs. Mo, I just did what I can in that situation." Edith was embarrassed upon hearing Sophie''s words. "Moreover, I was worried that the man would be agitated and would do something dangerous. Hazel is my student. It is impossible for me to ignore the situation."

    Sophie let out a long breath. There was a mixture of gratitude and helplessness on her expression. "Teacher Qian, you are also a woman. Next time, don''t do anything dangerous."

    "Mrs. Mo, you don''t have to worry," Edith flashed an assuring smile. "My grandfather was a policeman before he retired. He taught me a few self-defense moves."

    "Mom, you don''t have to worry," Neil spoke as he picked a slice of toast and smeared some butter. "Teacher Qian was someone who had experience in a fight. Previously, she had learned some Judo moves."

    Edith turned her head to Neil and wondered how did he know about this information. But before Edith was able to ask him, Mrs. Mo had already shot dagger at her son and reprimanded him.

    "Neil Mo, what do you mean? Is that something you should say to a girl?" Sophie looked at her son in displeased. "Even though Teacher Qian had learned some martial art, she is still a girl." She turned her head to her husband who was minding his own business and spoke again, "Lucas! You see, this is why your son was unable to get himself a girlfriend."

    Lucas Mo stared at his wife and blinked innocently.

    His son was unable to get a girlfriend, but what does that have to do with him?

    Sophie grew frustrated as she continued to look at the two men in her family. The moment she turned to Edith again, the amiable smile on her face returned. "Teacher Qian, Mo''s family owe you for saving Hazel. Later, if there is something you need my help with, you must tell me.. We will do our best to return the favor."

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 95 - Living Arrangement

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    "Mom, Dad, how long are you planning to stay in L City this time?"

    "Your father had an appointment for his checkout routine in two weeks," Sophie said. "Since we have arrived, it''s better if we stay around a while longer and accompany Hazel."

    Neil nodded. He then turned to his father and continued to discuss some matter about the company.

    Meanwhile, Edith had something else in her mind. Now that both Chairman Mo and Mrs. Mo were in L City, Edith was worried over something important¡ª the living arrangement.

    There were only four rooms in Neil''s house. The master room was occupied by Neil. One room was turned into Neil''s office. One room was occupied by Hazel, while Edith has been staying in the guest room.

    After thinking about this matter for a while, Edith decided to talk to Neil before that man went upstairs and locked himself in his office to handle some work.

    Seeing that Neil had finished his discussion with his father, Edith went over to talk to him. "President Mo, I will pack my things and head over to A City after the lunch hour."

    "Why are you going to A City?" A frown appeared on his face. "Something happened?"

    Edith glanced at the two elders who were playing around with their granddaughter. "Of course I should leave," she spoke in a low voice. "Or else, where would your parents stay?"

    Neil stared at the woman in front of him. A chuckle escaped him once he understood what she was trying to do "The unit across us belonged to my parents. Teacher Qian, my parents have a place to stay. You don''t need to worry about this."

    "Oh."

    "My parents are going to stay in L City for a couple of weeks to accompany Hazel," Neil said. "But you should continue and stay here. Everything will be as usual."

    Edith nodded as she continued to listen to the arrangement.

    "If there''s nothing else, I will head upstairs first." Neil turned around and raised his hand to touch his forehead.

    Because someone was troubling him last night, Neil had not slept a wink and his head was now throbbing slightly. If he did not get his rest, this headache would get worst.

    Neil took a step to leave and suddenly halted as Edith pulled at a corner of his sleeve. His brow raised disapprovingly when he turned to Edith.

    "President Mo, wait for a second," Edith spoke in a soft voice to avoid the others to hear. The corner of her lips tilted up as she saw his signature cold look. She swiftly pulled some tablets from her pocket and shoved it into his hand. "You should take some medicine."

    Neil shifted his gaze to the medicine in his hand. The crease on his face gradually disappeared when he saw what kind of medicine it was in his hand.

    "I saw the way you massaged your temple and neck earlier," Edith explained. "President Mo, if you had a headache, you should eat some medicine and sleep. Or else, I can prepare something for you?"

    "No. It''s fine." Neil tightened his grip on the medicine. "This is fine. Thank you, Teacher Qian." He turned around quickly and head upstairs to his office. He threw the medicine on the table and sat down on his leather chair. His hand began to massage his temple again and his gaze stopped at the tablet on the table.

    He frowned, wondering how did the kindergarten teacher know about his headache. She said that she had noticed that he has been massaging his temple and neck a while ago.

    So, she had been paying attention to him?

    As he wondered about this matter, the scene from last night appeared in his mind and the image where Edith told him that she liked him popped up in his mind again.

    Just how long has it been since she had liked him?

    His expression froze when he realized what was on his mind.

    It seemed that his brain was not functioning very well now that he did not have enough sleep. Or else, he would not bother to think about such things.

    Neil messed up his hair, stood up, and head over to the sofa before he forced himself to sleep.

    ¡­

    As their son was trying to get some sleep, Sophie and Lucas were accompanying their granddaughter in the living room.

    Initially, Sophie and her husband were worried about her granddaughter''s condition after she was almost kidnapped. But seeing the way that the girl was chatting happily with her, Sophie was relieved.

    After both Adam and Clare passed away, her adorable granddaughter turned into a quiet girl. Hazel would prefer to stay alone. Even when they tried to communicate with her, the little girl would only nod or shake her head. It took them a while to make the little girl speak again.

    Sophie was worried that the fear and experience from almost getting kidnap would make Hazel into that gloomy child again.

    Fortunately, Hazel was alright.

    Of course, Sophie knew that it was because both Neil and Edith had stayed by her side and continued to be by her side when she was scared.

    Perhaps it was the right decision to allow her granddaughter to live with Neil in the city.

    Although Neil was inexperienced in looking after a child, Sophie could see that he had made a lot of change. At least, his relationship with Hazel was getting better each time she saw them together. Hazel''s gaze on Neil was no longer estranged as it was at the beginning.

    Of course, Sophie was aware Edith had played a role in the change in Hazel and Neil.

    She could see that Hazel was very fond of her teacher and therefore had questioned her regarding their living arrangement.

    "Grandma, I really like Teacher Qian," Hazel said when her grandmother continued to ask her about her teacher.

    Her Teacher Qian was someone who would spoil her and accompanied her to do a lot of things. After Edith had saved her from the kidnapper yesterday, Hazel''s fondness and trust towards her teacher had increased to another level.

    "Is she really nice to you?" Sophie continued to probe.

    "Un," Hazel nodded. The little girl wanted her grandmother to like her teacher more so that her grandmother would not worry much about her living in the city with her uncle. "Teacher Qian was the nicest to me. Even in school."

    Sophie smiled as she saw Hazel''s happy face. A thought crossed her mind and her eyes flashed with a curious look. "Hazel, tell me¡­" She looked around suspiciously and asked. "When you were at your uncle''s office, is he close to any woman?"

    Hazel thought over her question and shook her head. "Uncle is always with Uncle Shawn. When I was at his office, only Uncle Shawn would enter his room."

    Sophie heaved a long sigh as she continued to worry about her son''s marriage.

    Was it possible that her son had different preferences after he had a few failed relationships in the past?

    Sophie immediately got rid of that ridiculous idea and turned to her granddaughter. "Hazel, later you must help me to look for your uncle. He is already this old and had not thought of his marriage. Is he planning to stay single forever?"

    Hazel stared at her grandmother as she continued to listen to her, worrying about her uncle.

    Suddenly, she pulled at her grandmother''s sleeve and gestured her to come close so that she could whisper. "Grandma, is it true that if my uncle marries Teacher Qian, I can call Teacher Qian as my auntie?"

    Sophie looked at her granddaughter in surprise. "Why do you suddenly ask me this?"

    "I heard Alex''s mother say it."

    Sophie had heard Hazel mentioned Alex a few times and knew that he was her classmate in kindergarten.

    "I want to call Teacher Qian my auntie too," Hazel muttered in dissatisfaction as she recalled how close Alex He was with her teacher.

    Though her words were a whisper, Sophie was able to hear what Hazel had said.

    Her expression quickly changed and another thought came to her mind.

    A grownup man and woman have been living under the same roof for a month. It would be impossible if something did not happen, right?

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 96 - Superhero

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Lily Zhao dragged her son forward the moment she saw Edith and Hazel walked out of the vehicle. Her gaze shifted towards the little girl and her gaze was scanning her with concern. "Hazel, are you alright?"

    Hazel stared at Lily with a puzzled look and nodded. "Mrs. He, I''m alright."

    "Fortunately, you are safe," Lily pulled Hazel into a hug. "We saw the news. Auntie and Alex are worried."

    Lily was shocked upon seeing the news on the evening news. She grabbed her phone and immediately called Edith to check on the little girl. Though Edith had assured her that Hazel was alright, Lily was still worried.

    After all, Hazel was just a little girl. The experience was too frightening and traumatic.

    "Un, un," Alex nodded at his mother''s side. "I saw the news with my mother. Hazel, were you afraid?"

    "I''m not afraid," Hazel said. She glanced at her teacher and held her hand tightly. "Teacher Qian saved me from that bad person. With Teacher Qian around, I don''t have to be afraid."

    Edith smiled at the little girl''s words and patted her hair.

    "Teacher Qian is awesome, right?" Lily heaved a sigh. "Let me tell you a secret. In the past, Teacher Qian had saved me from bad guys too. There were a few of them, but Teacher Qian was very powerful. With some moves, those bad guys scattered away."

    Whenever Lily was reminded of her first encounter with Edith in Z Town, a hint of admiration would always appear in her eyes. She was surrounded by a few guys with bad intentions and she did not know how to escape. Edith had appeared and saved her.

    Her appearance was very suave. Lily had a thought that if Edith was a guy, she would definitely fall for her. It took Lily a few years to get immune to Edith''s charm and she finally moved on when she met her husband, Ethan He.

    Hazel shifted her gaze towards her teacher again. The admiration in her eyes mirrored was almost the same as Lily''s. It turned out that her teacher would always help someone in need. She had now considered her favorite teacher as a superhero!

    Edith ushered both Hazel and Alex into the school and went back to find Lily and the two friends exchanged a few words regarding the kidnapping incident.

    Hearing that both Hazel and Edith were fine, Lily was relieved.

    "But Lily, something else happened yesterday," Edith spoke after a moment of hesitation. Her hands gripped at her clothes tightly.

    "What happened?" Lily asked. She saw the strange way her friend was acting and started to worry. "What is it?"

    "I¡ªI drank some beer in President Mo''s presence," Edith admitted and lowered her gaze.

    Lily''s eyes widened and her mouth gaped as she sucked in some air. "You¡­ didn''t I remind you to be careful?"

    "I was not expecting President Mo to return home soon," Edith looked at her friend with a pitiful gaze.

    Lily heaved a long breath and looked at her friend with a scrutinizing gaze. Her eyes narrowed upon realizing the most important thing about this situation. "Alright, just tell me. What did you do to President Mo?"

    "I called him Iceblock Mo while I was drunk." Her voice grew smaller towards the end.

    Lily stared at her friend in disbelief. "Edith Qian, I knew that you are a courageous person, but I did not expect you to be this courageous! What else did you do?"

    "That''s it. According to President Mo, that was all that I do."

    "So what now? Is he planning to fire you?"

    "No," Edith shook her head. "He said that he still needs me to look after Hazel as Nanny Ann was still recuperating from her injury."

    "Since he''s not going to fire you over this, you should be relieved," Lily said. "Just remember not to drink a sip as long as you are staying under the same roof. Or else, who knows what you are going to say or do next?"

    Edith nodded, but could not be at ease.

    Although Neil had said that he would forgive her for calling him with that name just this once, Edith had noticed a slight change in Neil. That man seemed to be avoiding her ever since that night.

    If both Chairman Mo and Mrs. Mo were not around to spend time with Hazel, Edith thought that she probably would not have the chance to see that man''s face at all.

    Somehow Edith had a feeling that Neil was keeping a secret from her. She must have done or said something worst to Neil on that night. Or else, he would not try to avoid her, right?

    However, no matter how hard Edith tried to think about it, nothing would came to her mind.

    Just what did she do on that night that she got herself drunk?

    ¡­

    MH Group Headquarter

    As the employee arrived in the company, everyone started to discuss the incident where the little miss was almost kidnapped by Edward Xiao.

    A few of them could not help but express their sympathy towards Edward Xiao as he will definitely have to be punished after doing something stupid. He was initially forced to leave the company after he was caught embezzling the company''s money.

    President Mo was generous enough to fire him and did not choose to sue him in court for his crime.

    He should leave L City and start again in a smaller city, but instead, he tried to kidnap the young miss and cause trouble.

    If Edward had a brain, he should not be thinking of doing such a thing!

    But now that he was caught, it would be hard for Edward to escape his punishment.

    As Neil walked into the lobby with Assistant Shawn following him closely, he immediately heard the staff talking about the incident last weekend.

    His steps halted and Neil turned around to look at the others. Suddenly, the surroundings turned very quiet and no one around him spoke a word. The staff lowered their gaze in fear that their President was going to scold them for gossiping.

    A deep frown appeared on Neil''s face as he saw this situation.

    Suddenly, the name ''Iceblock Mo'' appeared in his mind, and Neil could not help but recall the reason why Edith had called him that name.

    The air around him turned cold and stiff as long as he was around?

    When he heard it from Edith the last time, Neil had thought that the woman was exaggerating. However, looking at the situation around him, it seemed to be true.

    Was he that cold?

    His eyes flashed dangerously and Neil let out a chuckle before he turned around and entered the elevator, leaving the staff who were still in the lobby to tremble in fear.

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 97 - Strange Dream

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Neil entered the elevator to his office and his assistant trailed after him. Seeing that his boss has stayed mum, Assistant Shawn could only stand up straight and make his presence unnoticed.

    After spending his time around President Mo for a few years, Assistant Shawn was able to tell that his boss was not in a good mood from the moment he arrived in the office.

    Unfortunately, a few of those brainless staff had chosen to gossip about what happened last Saturday in the lobby.

    Now, the President''s mood has worsened, he was the one who had to face their President and prayed that President Mo was not going to make him his punching bag.

    The air around them turned cold and subconsciously, Assistant Shawn rubbed at his arms in his attempt to stay warm.

    "Assistant Shawn."

    The assistant jolted upon hearing his name. He tilted his head up and saw that his boss was staring back at his reflection on the elevator. "Yes, President Mo?"

    Neil shifted his gaze and turned to look at Assistant Shawn through the reflection. "Do you think that the air turned cold and stiff whenever I was around?"

    Assistant Shawn stared back at his boss in shock, wondering if this was a trick question. He had the feeling that if he answered with the truth, he would surely be sent away to manage the group''s project overseas!

    "President Mo, what do you mean?" Assistant Shawn asked, hesitant.

    Neil turned around slowly. "I heard that some people had given me an interesting nickname."

    "What nickname?" Assistant Shawn felt cold sweat wetting his back. Suddenly, he had a sense of foreboding.

    "Iceblock Mo."

    Assistant Shawn gasped and cursed the person who told President Mo about this nickname.

    In fact, Lily and Edith were not the only people who knew about this nickname. There were a few associates who had dealings with MH Group who had called Neil Mo as Iceblock Mo behind his back. Gradually, this nickname spread to the staff and they would call their President Iceblock Mo whenever he walked past them.

    It was all because he was very stingy with a smile.

    "President Mo, where did you hear about this?"

    Neil studied his assistant and his brow tilted up slightly. From his expression, Neil was able to discern that Assistant Shawn was familiar with this nickname. It seemed that this nickname had spread out among the staff.

    "A drunkard called me Iceblock Mo sometimes ago." His eyes flashed as he thought about that woman who had called him Iceblock Mo right in front of his face. Gradually, his expression changed again when he thought that he needed to avoid that woman for a while.

    Assistant Shawn frowned. He wondered which person was drunk enough and dared to do something like this.

    Neil tapped his finger on his chin and looked at his assistant again. The moment their gaze met, Neil flashed him a smile, causing the assistant to shiver in fear.

    President Mo! What with that smile?

    Assistant Shawn was scared witless. He silently prayed that the elevator to arrive on their floor quickly or he might die in suffocation uf he spent more time with his boss. "P-president Mo, do you need me to find that person?"

    "Forget it," Neil chuckled. As the elevator arrived at his level, the two of them walked out and headed straight into Neil''s office. As they approached the secretary''s desk, Neil instructed them to prepare a strong coffee and entered his office.

    "President Mo, are you not feeling well?" Assistant Shawn asked. He was aware that their President had a habit to drink strong coffee whenever he had a headache or when he was too tired.

    "No, I''m fine," Neil spoke as he looked at the pile of documents on his table. "I didn''t sleep well. My parents came over to the city to accompany Hazel after that incident."

    Neil quickly looked away, turned on his desktop, and sat down on his leather chair.

    It was true that he did not have a good sleep last night. However, the reason had nothing to do with his parents'' sudden decision to stay in L City for a few weeks to accompany his niece.

    If he wanted to blame anyone, Neil will definitely blame that drunkard who had unknowingly created chaos in his mind.

    Her light kiss and drunk confession replayed on his mind before he slept. Then, while he was sleeping, he had a strange dream. Edith had appeared in this dream and the two of them were doing something that adults do.

    When he woke up, his chest was heaving up and down. His face reddened and his body grew hot and excited. There was a wet spot on his pajama and Neil was so ashamed whenever he thought of that dream.

    His throat tightened whenever he recalled the way her soft mount felt in his hand.

    Previously, he had felt the way that softness brushed against his body while they were teaming with Hazel to win that Princess Race. On the night where she was drunk, Neil was able to feel that softness again as they were briefly pressed against his chest when he pecked him on the lips.

    Anyway, he was able to tell that she had a pair of big¡ª

    Neil closed his eyes and took a deep breath to calm down before his mind would continue to wander into that strange area again.

    Because of that dream, Neil then decided to keep his distance from Edith. Whenever he saw her, the scene from that dream would appear and he was embarrassed.

    "President Mo, are you alright?"

    Assistant Shawn called when he noticed that the man had been burying his head in his hands for a long time.

    "I''m fine." Neil cleared his throat and turned to his desktop. His hand moved to touch the mouse and in a few seconds, a few documents popped up on the screen. As he stared at the numbers on the screen, Neil felt a bit calmer.

    "Then, can I begin to report your schedule now?" Assistant Shawn asked.

    Neil nodded. "Go ahead." His eyes continued to stare at the documents on his computer as he listened to his assistant report. His fingers on the keyboard stopped abruptly when his ears caught an important thing in Assistant Shawn''s report.

    "Did you say that Joshua Fu invited me to his club tonight?"

    "Yes." Assistant Shawn nodded. "President Mo, do you want me to reject this invitation?"

    It was not the first time that General Manager Fu had invited Neil to his club. However, Neil would always decline his invitation. Now that Hazel was living with him, Neil had more reason not to go to the gathering.

    "No. Tell him that I will come over to their gathering tonight."

    Assistant Shawn looked at his boss in surprise. "President Mo?"

    "I have some proposal to discuss with General Manager Fu," Neil said. "My parents are around to accompany Hazel. You don''t need to worry about this."

    Anyway, Neil would really like to avoid that person for a few more days or he''ll be embarrassed to see her again.

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 98 - Ex-Girlfriend

    When Neil showed up at the club in the evening, those who were invited to the dinner party had already shown up. Neil looked around and found that some of them were familiar to him. He greeted them with a nod and walked away to find Joshua Fu.

    The moment he entered the private room, Joshua''s eyes widened in surprise. He left two girls beside him and immediately stood up.

    "Neil Mo," Joshua looked at Neil in hesitant, and soon, his lips stretched into a wide smile. "I was surprised hearing that you accepted my invitation this time, but I didn''t think that you would really show up." He stretched up his hand and the two shook hands.

    "I just thought that I should come here and look around since I have time to come," Neil said casually.

    Joshua laughed before he gestured towards the sofa. "Have a seat. What would you like to drink? Anything to eat?"

    Neil glanced at the few bottles on the table. "Anything is fine."

    Joshua nodded and signaled his men to bring more drinks and snacks for them. A few girls in tight and revealing dresses walked over and eyed Neil from head to toe.

    "Luna, Grace," Joshua looked at the two girls. "This is the first time President Mo is visiting my place. Why don''t you girls accompany President Mo and make sure he had a good time here."

    The smile on the girls'' lips stretched up. They obediently listened to their boss''s suggestion and walked over to Neil. Just before they were able to link their hands on Neil''s arms, the man had already avoided them. The look on his face was cold, causing the two girls to shiver in fear.

    Previously, their boss had reminded them that this guest was an important and powerful man. They wanted to please this man, but as mere shrimp, they could not offend this big boss.

    "I don''t need them to accompany me," Neil said. "I''m just here to discuss something with you."

    The two girls looked at their boss with a pitiful gaze and walked away when he signaled them to leave.

    "What do you want to discuss with me?" Joshua eyed the man cautiously.

    The two of them were around the same age but were in a different league. Ever since the Mo brothers had taken over the company and helped to stabilize and raise the company to another level, the elders had been pushing their son to try and build some connection with Mo''s family.

    Although Adam Mo was said to be friendly and would always attend a gathering like this, he was very hard to deal with. In the end, not many had their chance to build their connection with the group.

    A waiter walked in and placed a clean glass and a bottle of hard liquor in front of them.

    "I heard that your company was interested in our commercial building project," Neil grabbed the glass, eyed the golden color drink in the glass, and took a sip. Then, he turned to Joshua with a languid look in his eyes.

    Joshua had stared at Neil with surprise. The look on his face gradually disappeared as he realized that this was a chance of a lifetime for him to pitch his idea.

    The two men ended up discussing business for a while and once they are finished, there was a bright smile on Joshua''s face.

    As Joshua went back to entertain his guests, Neil sat alone, poured himself some drinks, and took a sip, minding his own business.

    The others watched him curiously, wondering if they should take the chance to talk to him. However, with the cold aura around Neil, none of them dared to approach him and initiate a conversation with him.

    As Neil was taking a few sips on his drinks while checking the time before he could return home, a woman in a midnight blue dress approached him and sat beside him.

    His face turned cold and Neil lifted his head, ready to drive that woman away. But once he saw that person, Neil stopped himself abruptly and stared at the woman with a frown.

    "Amanda," he spoke her name. "Why are you here?" Neil asked.

    "We''re in a club, why do you think I''m here for?" Amanda Shen flashed him a bright smile before she poured herself some drink and took a sip. "It''s good that you still remember me."

    The frown on Neil''s face deepened as he heard her words. Seconds later, Neil chose to look away and ignored this person beside him.

    If he had known that he would run into his ex-girlfriend, he would not come over to Joshua''s club.

    Suddenly, Amanda felt that their situation turned awkward. She had gathered her courage and was ready with her speech the moment she saw her ex-boyfriend walked into the private room. However, Neil''s indifferent attitude had killed this courage and Amanda did not know what to do.

    "Neil? Are you still mad over what happened two years ago? Do you still blame me for it?"

    Neil let out a chuckle. "Miss Shen, you think too much. I have already let go of the matters from two years ago."

    Amanda felt a stab at her heart upon hearing the way he addressed her. She lowered her gaze and a weak smile curled on her lips. "I''m sorry." Seeing that the man beside her did not utter a word to respond, her grip on the glass tightened a little bit. Then, she looked up and hesitated. "Neil, the thing between us, can''t you give me another chance? We used to be happy together."

    Although Neil Mo always had a cold look on his face, he had treated her well while they were dating. A few years have passed, and Amanda realized that she could not forget about him.

    He turned around to look at the woman and his face darkened. "You cheated on me. Jamie is my friend."

    "You cannot consider that cheating. Moreover, Jamie was the first to make a move," Amanda Argued. Whenever she thought of how Jamie Xu had tricked her, Amanda''s blood would start to boil from anger.

    "You know what kind of person Jamie is and you still dare to think that you''re not guilty?" Neil laughed coldly. "Miss Shen, the moment you decided to visit Jamie that night, you should know that I cannot continue to be with you."

    Neil glanced at his wristwatch again and decided that it was the time for him to go home. After exchanging a word with Joshua, Neil left the club and had Driver Tang to send him home.

    Driver Tang held on to the steering wheel and swallowed when he saw his boss''s mood was not right. As soon as Neil left the vehicle and headed upstairs, Driver Tang let out a breath of relief.

    It was past midnight when Neil walked into the house. The surrounding was dark and was only dimly brightened from the light coming from the kitchen.

    "You''re back."

    His movement paused when he heard the voice of the person he was trying to avoid.

    Read novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 99 - Playing Matchmaker

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Turning his head around, Neil found that Edith was in the living room. At one glance, he was able to see that she has been sitting alone in the dark. A look of surprise appeared on his face.

    Was she waiting for him?

    Neil watched her stood up and walked over towards him. She stopped in front of him and he was able to see her face under the dimmed light. "Why are you not asleep yet?"

    Hearing his tone of voice, Edith realized that Neil was in a bad mood. Suddenly, she hesitated and wonder if she should leave him alone.

    "Mrs. Mo asked me to wait for you," Edith said. "Earlier, Mrs. Mo took Hazel to stay at their place next door. She heard that you went to a business dinner and was worried that you are going to come home drunk. "

    He continued to listen to her report and watched as she crossed her arms on her chest. and suddenly, his eyes wandered elsewhere. He was reminded of that dream from last night again and Neil quickly looked away in embarrassment.

    "Aren''t you supposed to worry if I came home drunk?" Neil swallowed his saliva in his attempt to calm down. But that dream from last night appeared on his mind again. "Teacher Qian, what if I do something to you? After all, according to what you say, there were only two of us here."

    "I don''t want to brag, but I can protect myself against you, President Mo," Edith said.

    Neil stared at the woman in front of him and his lips stretched into a lazy smile. He opened his mouth to say something but stopped himself when Edith spoke again.

    "Besides," Edith said. "President Mo, you are still sober. I don''t think that you are that kind of person who would take advantage of others like that at your current condition."

    Edith had seen him when he was drunker than this and knew that he was someone who was able to control himself well. A few days ago, he have looked after her when she was drunk and he had not taken any advantage of her.

    She liked him, but Edith would be disappointed if Neil Mo turned out to be someone she did not expect him to be.

    Her words turned Neil surprised and suddenly, Neil did not know what he should say. "You trust me that much? Teacher Qian, should I remind you that men are animals. Moreover, I did have a bit of a drink."

    Edith stared at him for a while and suddenly, her lips curved into an amused smile. "I trust that my impression towards you would not be wrong, President Mo. However, if you turned into an animal, then I will have no choice but to take you down." She raised a brow as if challenging him. "You can try."

    Somehow, Neil had a feeling that this woman in front of him was telling him the truth. Though Neil knew that he can fight well, he believed that Edith will have her way to take him down. He was reminded of the way she had gripped his wrist tightly the other day and knew that Edith was quite strong.

    Wasn''t she''s a kindergarten teacher? Why would she be that strong?

    His eyes narrowed when he saw the expectation in her eyes.

    Didn''t this person say that she liked him? Why do her eyes look as if she could not wait to exchange blows with him? It seemed as if she was looking forward to beating him and demonstrate her strength.

    The person who kissed him and confessed to him a few nights ago must be an impostor!

    Suddenly Neil realized that there were many sides of Edith Qian that he did not know about.

    He looked away and cleared his throat. "Next time, you don''t have to wait for me." He walked past her and headed towards the stairs.

    "President Mo, I have prepared something for you to eat," Edith said. "You should eat them before you go to bed. Your stomach will feel better that way."

    Neil turned around and shifted his gaze towards the kitchen. After a few seconds of silence, Neil changed his direction and headed over to the kitchen.

    Her lips tilted up slightly. She trailed after him towards the kitchen to help him reheat the food. When she was done, Edith placed that bowl of noodle soup on the table along with some medicine that he might need to ease his headache later.

    "President Mo, enjoy your meal," Edith said. "I will head upstairs first,"

    "Wait a minute," Neil spoke as she stepped away. He watched the puzzled look on her face and continued, "I don''t think that I can finish these noodles by myself. Teacher Qian, you should have half of them."

    "Alright." She nodded.

    Her eyes brightened up as she wondered if he wanted her to accompany him to eat.

    Earlier that morning, she had this feeling as if Neil Mo was trying to avoid her. But seeing that he had acted differently this time, Edith started to wonder that perhaps she was mistaken.

    Edith grabbed a clean bowl and divided the noodles into two portions. Then, she pushed a bowl towards Neil and sneakily watched as he slurped his noodles.

    The ambiance around them was quiet as none of them choose to speak, but the atmosphere was very warming.

    Suddenly, Edith got a little excited at the thought that the two of them would often share midnight snacks. She bit at her lips, thinking if she could consider this as their date.

    ¡­

    Meanwhile, next door¡­

    Lucas Mo watched as his wife paced back and forth and wonder what was going on with her. After a few minutes of watching her walking around restlessly, Lucas put down the documents in his hand and tugged at his wife''s wrist, forcing her to sit down beside him.

    "What are you trying to do?" Sophie stared at her husband and blinked. "The doctor said you cannot be agitated or too excited. Besides, Hazel is still here." Her voice grew smaller as she glanced towards the small girl on the bed.

    "You tell me what you are trying to do?" Lucas frowned and wondered what was going on in his wife''s head. "You keep pacing back and forth and it was giving me a headache. Just what are you worrying about?"

    The two of them did not dare to speak up loudly lest they accidentally woke up the little girl.

    Sophie watched her husband and wonder if she should confide in him his plan to set up their son with the kindergarten teacher. The two grownups stayed under one roof and she had let Edith wait for her son and look after him. Sophie did not believe that nothing was going to happen now that she had created an opportunity for them.

    "Husband, you tell me¡­ What do you think of Teacher Qian?"

    Lucas thought over her question and answered, "She seemed like a good girl. She can adapt to any situation well."

    A smile appeared on her lips, knowing that her husband had a good impression of the girl.

    Lucas immediately caught the smile on his wife''s face and knew what she was planning to do. "Are you trying to play matchmaker again? Didn''t we agree that we will let our sons choose whoever they are going to marry?"

    "Let me tell you this, Hazel liked Teacher Qian very much and wanted to call her auntie. Moreover, our son did not seem like he dislikes Teacher Qian," Sophie said. "What''s wrong with playing a matchmaker? Anyway, our son, Neil just needed a little bit of a push. If they could get together, then, that''s great. If they cannot get together, then we''ll just have to forget about it."

    Hearing his wife''s idea and knew that he could not say a word to stop her, Lucas could only heave a long sigh.

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 100 - Sending An Innocent Lamb

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    During breakfast, Sophie Huang spent her time observing her son and was disappointed to see that there was not much change in Neil''s relationship with the kindergarten teacher.

    Sophie heard that her granddaughter liked Edith very much and knew that her son had a good impression of the kindergarten teacher. At least, he did not seem to show his dislike towards her. After observing Edith for a while longer, Sophie could see how she had treated her granddaughter sincerely and soon Sophie grew to like Edith more.

    After some inquiry, Sophie learned that Edith was still single and swiftly, she began to make her plan to match her son with Edith.

    If this girl was together with his son, then, she did not have to worry about Hazel. There will be someone to look after her son as well as her granddaughter.

    Moreover, Neil has stayed single for too long and it was time for him to settle down. Hazel was going to enter school soon and she will need a little brother or sister to accompany her.

    Anyway, the point is, it has been a long time since Sophie had held a baby and she was expecting her elder son to get married and have a child or two soon.

    Even though she had promised their sons that they could make their decisions regarding their marriage, Neil always gave excuses that he was too busy with the company matter to be in a relationship.

    As his mother, Sophie was determined to help her son.

    Last night, when she received a phone call from her son, informing her that he won''t be able to return for dinner as he had some entertainment to do, Sophie decided to use this chance to create an opportunity for the two single grownups to get to know each other well.

    Sophie knew that her son was able to control himself well even when he was drunk and would not do something that would put their family to shame. Therefore, she was counting on Edith to make her move.

    Her son was an astounding man and a good catch.

    The two of them have been living under the same roof for a while. As a single lady, it couldn''t be that Edith did not develop any feelings towards her son, right?

    After convincing Hazel to play along, Sophie decided to bring her granddaughter to the next door unit for a night. Then, she had asked Edith to look after her son who was going to return home from a business dinner.

    To make the kindergarten teacher agree with her request, Sophie had come out with a few excuses and one of them included that her son might pass out in the living room. Sophie had told the kindergarten teacher that her son had rarely attended a business dinner and she was worried that he might drink too much and was unable to look after himself.

    Fortunately, the innocent teacher had bought her words and agreed to look after her son when he came back.

    However, Sophie was disappointed to know that Edith did not take advantage of her son.

    She had asked her to look after her drunk son, and that was all she did.

    Her son might be a little aloof, but he had good looks and personality. Why won''t this girl took advantage to win him?

    Or perhaps, there were some problems with her son?

    As the thought came to her mind, Sophie quickly dismissed her thought. This was her son and she wanted to believe that there was nothing wrong with him. Anyway, she still wanted to hug her son''s big fat child.

    Thinking that the kindergarten teacher was probably too shy, Sophie raked her mind and decided to create another chance for them.

    Therefore, as Edith was about to enter the kitchen to prepare dinner, as usual, Sophie went over to her and asked for her help.

    As Sophie had finished, Edith stared back at her and blinked her eyes in confusion.

    "Mrs. Mo, you wanted me to send dinner to President Mo?" Edith asked. Her head tilted to a side and a slight crease appeared at the space between her brows.

    "Hmm," Sophie nodded. Her expression showed concern as she continued to lure Edith into her plan. "Neil called just now and he said he will have to work overtime. There was an important project coming up and he might have to stay in his office until midnight. But that''s the thing." Sophie heaved a long sigh. "I know my son well. When he was busy with projects, he tends to forget to eat. Some time ago, he was hospitalized due to a bad gastric problem. I''m afraid that something like that is going to happen again."

    Meanwhile, Lucas who was helping his granddaughter with her homework in the living room heard his wife''s words and let out a snort.

    Why does it feel like his wife was sending an innocent lamb to a wolf''s mouth?

    The two elderly couples exchanged their gazes. Noticing the warning look in his wife''s eyes, Lucas chose to lower his head and pretended that he did not hear anything.

    "Can you help me?" Sophie asked.

    Edith hesitated. She glanced at Hazel, and then towards the kitchen.

    She was looking forward to meeting Neil but was anxious at the same time.

    Though she would love to visit the person she fancied and see his appearance as he was working diligently, Edith still had her concern.

    What if he annoyed him with her presence?

    What if she ended up staring at him in admiration and he found out about her feelings?

    Edith wanted to continue to hid her feeling a while longer until she was sure that Neil had perhaps liked her a little bit. She did not want to get disappointed by hinting that she liked him when he did not feel the same way.

    "You don''t have to worry about the food. I have already prepared dinner and we will look after Hazel as you go out " Sophie continued.

    Seeing the worried look on Mrs. Mo''s face coupled with her worry towards Neil, Edith began to waver. "Alright." She agreed. "I will go to the headquarter to deliver the food."

    A look of relief washed over her face. "Thank you." The smile on her face stretched out until her eyes turned crescent. "I have already prepared everything. All you need to do was to deliver the food and wait until Neil finished his food."

    "Ah? I have to wait until he finishes his food?"

    Sophie nodded again.

    Her plan was, to let the two spend some time alone in his office and let them cultivate feelings. If her son had some conscience, he would worry that Edith was going to head home alone at night. Then, he will decide to come home soon to accompany Edith.

    "I worry that he was going to leave the food on the table and continue to work instead of eating. Therefore, your task is to monitor him until he finished everything."

    "This¡­ it doesn''t feel right," Edith hesitated.

    "Don''t worry. He won''t drive you away," Sophie said. "Just tell him that I send you over to monitor him with his diet. He won''t dare to do anything to you. If he dared to drive you away, then you call me."

    Edith found herself unable to say anything and could only agree with Sophie''s instruction and arrangements.

    Seeing that the girl had agreed, Sophie smiled happily. She quickly put the layered insulated food lunch box into a bag before the girl was going to change her mind. "Once you arrive at the lobby, just give a call to Assistant Shawn.. He will bring you upstairs."

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 101 - Wild Mind

    A long, helpless sigh escaped her as Edith looked up at the tall building in front of her.

    She had arrived at MH Headquarters almost five minutes ago but was hesitant to step into the building and deliver the food for Neil. She was very shy to go in and see Neil at this time, ah!

    Though they have been living together and she had seen his face every day for a month, the feeling of coming over to his office to deliver food for him was different.

    Little Hazel was not by her side and her wild mind was telling her that this situation was similar to a wife going over to the husband''s office to deliver home-cooked food.

    As the thought came to her mind, Edith could not help but curse herself for thinking too much. In the end, she spent a few more minutes outside to try and calm down.

    "Edith Qian, stop thinking too much."

    She always tried to portray herself as a cool and indifferent girl in front of Neil. Though she might have failed a few times when Neil had caught her doing or saying something laughable, she really wanted Neil to have a good impression of her.

    After all, that man was someone she fancied. Her attempt to cut out the bud before its bloom had failed. At the thought that this might turn into a very pretty flower, Edith did not have the heart to ruin it. Though she did not know how this might turn out, Edith wanted to continue and protect this flower for a while longer.

    Of course, Edith was unaware that ever since she had daringly attacked Neil with a kiss and confession, the man would not view her as a cool and indifferent girl. In fact, now that she had unconsciously gained Neil''s attention, the man had thought of her as a strange, but an interesting girl.

    "Hello, miss?"

    Edith looked up upon sensing that someone was talking to her. She lifted her head and was surprised to see a guard in front of her.

    Ever since the incident where Hazel was almost kidnapped in front of the company, Neil had tightened the security around the building and the guards on duty would check on anyone suspicious around.

    This guard had seen Edith walking back and forth in front of the headquarters for more than five minutes. Naturally, he was suspicious. As he approached Edith, his hand was slowly moving towards the baton at his wrist.

    "Ah! Hello!" Edith greeted warmly and the guard gradually relaxed.

    "You have been waiting out here for a while," the guard spoke. "Is there anything I can help you with? Were you waiting for someone?"

    Edith snapped out of her trance and recalled the reason she came over to the company. "That''s right. I''m waiting for someone." She recalled Sophie''s instruction and took out her phone to call Assistant Shawn.

    The phone call was connected in a few seconds and Edith heard Assistant Shawn''s voice at the other line.

    "Hello, Assistant Shawn? This is Edith Qian."

    The assistant who was busy sorting a few important documents frowned upon hearing that name.

    "Un. Mrs. Mo told me to call you once I arrived at the company," Edith continued.

    A light flashed in Assistant Shawn''s eyes when he figured out the caller. "Teacher Qian? I know. Madame Mo had called with her instruction earlier. Are you in the lobby? I will head down and pick you up in a while."

    After exchanging a few more words, Edith walked inside the building and waited for Assistant Shawn in the lobby.

    At this time, there were a lot of people pass by the lobby as they were about to head back home after working hours.

    A few pairs of eyes were watching Edith with their curious glance.

    Edith was dressed in jeans and a cute blouse. The slight smile on her face made her appearance livelier. And the thermal food bag in her hand gave the impression that she was there to deliver food for her boyfriend or husband.

    The passerby wondered who did she came to meet, but at the thought that they still need to catch up with their trains, they did not stop too long and their curiosity ended just like that.

    "Teacher Qian?"

    A familiar voice called and Edith found that Neil''s friend, Henry Wu in front of her with a bright smile. "Mister Wu."

    "Why are you here?" Henry asked.

    "I''m running an errand for Mrs. Mo," Edith lifted the thermal bag in her hand slightly.

    "Then, why didn''t you come up?"

    "I''m waiting for Assistant Shawn to meet me. I don''t have the authorization to go up."

    "So, it was like that." Henry smiled. "Then come with me. Coincidentally, I came to meet Neil as well."

    Just then, Assistant Shawn showed up in the lobby. He walked over and greeted the two. "Mr. Wu, Teacher Qian, you''re here." His gaze stayed at Edith and continued, "Sorry. I''m late. Did you wait for a long time?"

    Edith shook her head. "No. No. It''s fine."

    Assistant Shawn glanced at the thermal food bag and spoke, "Let me help you with the bag."

    Edith evaded him swiftly. "It''s fine. Assistant Shawn, I can carry this. It''s not heavy at all."

    Of course, she couldn''t tell him that she would not be at ease if she was not holding on to something.

    "Then, I''ll take you upstairs." He gestured for her to follow him and the three of them walked towards the elevator.

    The moment they disappeared into the elevator, a few people who happened to be around started to gossip. They noticed that the girl was familiar with both Henry Wu and Assistant Shawn and began to wonder about her identity.

    Meanwhile, Edith tightened her grip on the bag as she watched the number on the screen rose. Her heart was unable to calm down and she grew both anxious and excited.

    The elevator arrived at the floor with a ding and Edith trailed after the two men.

    A few staff who was still around on the floor glanced at them curiously before they went back to their business. As the people who were chosen to work on the President''s floor, the staff knew well that there are a lot of things that they are not allowed to be curious about.

    Henry walked over to Neil''s office, rapped his knuckles a few times at the door, and went in after he heard Neil''s voice.

    As usual, that aloof person merely spared him a glance before he lowered his gaze to look at his documents.

    "You wouldn''t believe who I ran into," Henry tried to ignite his friend''s curiosity but failed.

    Neil flipped through the documents and spoke in a lazy tone, "Who?"

    "Teacher Qian."

    His movement halted upon hearing the name. Neil raised his head in puzzled and soon, his expression was replaced with surprise when he saw the person stood beside his friend.

    "Why are you here?" Neil asked.. The frown on his face deepened, causing Edith to think that he was unhappy to see her at his office.

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 102 - I Can Wait For You

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Her grip on the thermal bag tightened upon seeing his expression and hearing his tone. However, Edith stood up straight and smiled. "Mrs. Mo heard that you were going to work overtime. She was worried that you will forget to have your meal. So, she let me deliver dinner for you."

    The man she happened to like was an iceblock. It would be a miracle if he greeted her warmly. At this stage, she could only bear his cold and aloof attitude. Fortunately, his iceblock face was still handsome and very good to look at.

    As the thought crossed her mind, Edith chided herself for her weak mind. She needed to toughen up and not fall for Neil too fast or else, she would suffer.

    Neil shifted his gaze towards the thermal bag when he heard her words. Then, he swiftly looked away. "Just put them on the table and you can leave it there. I will eat them when I am hungry."

    He had thought that he had misheard things when Henry said that he ran into Teacher Qian. Just as he lifted his head, the person magically appeared in front of him and he was stunned.

    In fact, Neil had decided to stay at the office and pull over time to avoid this person.

    It seemed that the more he tried to avoid her, the more she was going to appear in front of him. She was like a ghost, haunting him.

    Last night, he decided to attend that dinner party that he would usually decline to go to just to avoid meeting Edith at his home. But then, he ran into a lunatic and when he came home, the person who he tried to avoid was waiting for him.

    Though Edith had probably waited for him in the living room as per his mother''s instruction, Neil could not deny that his heart moved.

    Her eyes were slightly squinted, showing that she had fallen asleep and was awaken when he walked into the room. As they exchanged a few words, her eyes turned brighter that he could see his reflection in it.

    He was uncomfortable and had wanted to move away when he heard that she had prepared something for him to eat.

    At the thought that he did not want to let her hard work goes to waste, Neil took her offer and walked into the kitchen. He offered half of his portion and silently regretted his move.

    Wasn''t he trying to avoid her? Why did they end up sharing a meal?

    Neil quickly concluded that the alcohol was turning his mind befuddle.

    However, as they were having a quiet meal in the kitchen, a thought came into his mind and Neil realized that Edith had completely forgotten what she had done to him a few nights ago.

    Meanwhile, he was the one who seemed affected by that incident. Neil realized that when Edith was around, he would subconsciously raise his head and watched her movement through the corner of his eyes. The culprit was cool about it, while the victim was uneasy about this matter.

    "Mrs. Mo instructed me to supervise you as you eat," Edith said. "She was afraid that you were going to leave the food on the table and continue to work instead of eating properly."

    A loud chuckle reverberated in the room. Henry Wu stared at his friend with an amused look in his eyes. "Your mother knows you very well." He turned to Edith and smiled. "Mrs. Mo is right. If you leave the food here, there is a huge chance that President Mo is going to forget them as he was too engrossed in his work."

    Neil flashed his friend a dagger look, signaling him to shut up.

    "President Mo, Mrs. Mo had instructed me to return with the lunch boxes," Edith continued. "According to Mrs. Mo, those Tupperware are very valuable to her."

    The corner of his lips twitched at the mention of his mother''s favorite Tupperware. When he was in college, he had lost one of them and his mother was furious.

    "Neil, why don''t you have something to eat first and continue your work later," Henry said, in his attempt to help Edith. "No matter how important that work is, having your meal on time is important too."

    Neil took a deep breath, stood up, and walked towards the sofa. Sensing that both Edith and Henry was staring at him strangely, Neil raised a brow. "What''s the matter? Didn''t you tell me that I should eat my dinner before continue my work?

    "Oh!" Edith quickly walked over to the table, took out the lunch boxes from the thermal bag, and suddenly, a hand appeared in front of her, stopping her from taking the lid off. Edith turned her head and look at the man in puzzled.

    "I''ll do this myself," Neil said. "Teacher Qian, have a seat first. I will let finish this quickly"

    "President Mo, just eat slowly. I can wait for you."

    His movement paused. His gaze met with Edith briefly and his mind started to translate her words differently.

    Edith said that she was going to wait for him to finish his food, but his head was telling him that she can wait until he will like her back.

    Upset with the way his mind was working, Neil quickly looked away to the lunch box.

    The delicious aroma of the home-cooked food wafted through the room and Neil was able to see that they were something that his mother had prepared. However, the amount of food was a little bit too much. It seemed as if this meal was prepared for two.

    Of course, Sophie was it all figured out. She had prepared food for two people and hope that the two will share a meal. Hopefully, they could use this chance to cultivate their feelings.

    "Did auntie knew that I was going to come and prepared a portion for me as well?" Henry mused. He looked into the bag and saw that there was another pair of chopsticks inside. A look of surprise appeared on his face. Then, he quickly sat down and clipped at the stewed meat.

    "What are you doing?" Neil shot his friend a displeased look.

    "Don''t tell me that you can finish the food all by yourself?" Henry said. He pointed at the food. "This amount of food was definitely meant to be shared. Neil Mo, don''t be stingy. Good food is meant to be shared. Miss Qian, have you eaten yet? Come and join us. There are plenty of them."

    Neil narrowed his eyes dangerously at his shameless friend, who seemed to treat his meal as if it was his.

    Edith waved her hand to decline. "It''s alright. I have eaten before I came. You guys go ahead."

    The two men ate while discussing some unimportant matters. After a while, Henry turned to Edith and saw that she was staring at her phone.

    His brow rose and slowly, his lips tilted into a small smile. "Miss Qian, are you heading home after this?"

    Edith was secretly staring at Neil who was absorbed in eating when she heard Henry called her name. "Ah?" She snapped out of her trance and realized that Henry was asking her a question. "Un. I''m going home after this."

    Henry looked at Edith in disbelief. "You came here just to deliver food for us?"

    Neil shot his friend a dissatisfied look. Then, his gaze moved to Edith and a look of anticipation crossed his face.

    "Un," Edith nodded.

    "How did you get here? Public transport?"

    "Hmm," Edith nodded again.

    Henry put his cutleries down. He propped his chin with his hand and looked at Edith with a smile. "Miss Qian, let me send you back after this."

    Neil turned his head quickly. "Why are you sending her back?"

    "It''s late. Although Miss Qian was good at self-defense, it wouldn''t be good to let a woman walk alone on the street, right?" Henry turned to his friend. "Anyway, you still have to stay here and work overtime, right?"

    Read novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 103 - A Sudden Visit

    "Mister Wu, aren''t you here to look for President Mo?" Edith asked as they reached the lobby area. "You don''t need to send me back. I can manage. Besides, public transport in L City is pretty good."

    A chuckle escaped him. "Miss Qian, you don''t have to be polite. I came to see Neil just to hand over some documents to him. My mission is completed and I have time to send you home."

    Unable to decline his invitation, Edith followed Henry to his Range Rover and ride shotgun. He drove out of the basement and into the road.

    "Miss Qian, are you sure you are not interested in working for me," Henry spoke after a while. He glanced at Edith with a languid smile. "You can tell me. Hazel is not here today."

    Edith laughed and a gentle smile appeared on her face as she recalled how the little girl had prevented her from joining Henry and his security firm.

    "Mr. Wu, did you offer to send me home just to ask me to change my career?"

    The smile on Henry''s face stretched up. "Ah! I was found out."

    "Thank you for your offer, Mr. Wu." Edith chuckled. "But I have to decline."

    "You like working with kids? Other than little Hazel, I don''t think that I will be able to deal with kids. They give me a headache." Henry glanced at the girl beside him and watched her laugh. "You mentioned that your grandfather was a cop. Why didn''t you follow his footsteps."

    Edith chuckled. "It''s not that I didn''t want to. But, my grandfather would not like it if I choose to follow his career path."

    "Why not?"

    "My parents passed away early and my grandfather was the one who raised me. I am his only family and he is mine. Perhaps it was because of that, he didn''t want me to choose a dangerous career path and I didn''t want to do anything that would make my grandfather worry." A chuckle escaped her. "After high school, I have a hard time choosing what I wanted to do next as my grandfather would object to most of my choices. In the end," Edith paused and shrugged. "I chose to be around with kids."

    Henry let out a long sigh. "Too bad. I guess I don''t have such fate with you."

    The phone in Edith''s bag rang as the vehicle arrived at an intersection. She hurriedly took out her phone and a slight frown appeared on her face when she saw the caller ID. Edith swiped her finger on the screen and pressed the phone to her ear.

    "Edith Qian," Aaron Li''s voice was heard before Edith was able to say a word. "I''m in the city. Come over and meet me. Didn''t you say that you will treat me to dinner when I come again?"

    Edith was momentarily frozen upon hearing Aaron''s words. "What? Aaron, where are you right now?"

    "Me? Of course, I''m at the L City Police Headquarters," Aaron said. "I have just finished my meeting with the higher-ups. I can come over and meet you immediately. Where are you? L City or A City? I can come and pick you up."

    "You just stay there. I''ll come over and meet you."

    The phone call ended and Edith turned to Henry.

    "Is everything alright?" Henry asked. He did not know what was going on, but he could detect Edith''s anxiety when she was on the phone.

    "It''s fine," Edith answered and smile. "Mr. Wu, could I trouble you to drop me off at the L City Police Headquarters? Or you can stop at the side and I can grab a cab."

    "Why are you going to the police station?" A hint of worry appeared on his face at the thought that this girl had run into something troublesome.

    "A friend from my hometown came to visit. I promised that I will treat him to something delicious when he came over to the city." Edith saw the strange look on Henry''s face and chuckled. "My friend is a policeman."

    Henry heaved a sigh upon hearing her words. "I''ll send you over to the headquarter. Anyway, my office is somewhere near that area."

    After almost ten minutes'' drive, Henry pulled the vehicle on the roadside and watched as Edith took off after thanking him. His brow raised when he saw a man walked over to Edith and the two left in that man''s vehicle together.

    His phone rang and Henry pressed a button at his Bluetooth device.

    "Have you send her home?" Neil spoke as the phone was connected. He had looked at the time and thought that by this time, his friend had dropped off Edith back at the condo.

    "I drop her off alright," Henry answered. "But not at your place. Miss Qian asked me to drop her off at the police headquarter."

    Back in the MH Group Headquarters, the pen in Neil''s hand stopped abruptly and a long line of ink appeared on the important document.

    Assistant Shawn, who happened to see this accident could only scream in horror discreetly. It was an important document, but it looked like he will have to print it out again for his boss to sign.

    "What happened to Teacher Qian?"

    "Nothing," Henry chuckled. "She said that she was meeting a friend from her hometown. I saw them just now. Their relationship seemed pretty good."

    "A friend?" A crease appeared at the space between his brow.

    "Hmm," Henry nodded. "She mentioned that he''s a police officer."

    Neil was suddenly reminded of the man that he had met at the beach in Z Town. Back then, Edith had introduced him as her friend and he too was a police officer.

    The frown on his face deepened. He recalled that the two of them had a good relationship. Suddenly, Neil felt uneasy.

    ¡­

    Meanwhile, Edith took Aaron to a barbecued place by the street not far away from the police headquarters.

    Once their order arrived, Aaron stared at the grilled shrimp and heaved a long sigh. "I thought that you were taking me to eat something delicious. In the end, you took me to eat some street food. Edith Qian, you''re very stingy."

    "I only promised you some good food. Who said anything about expensive food?" Edith removed a piece of meat from the griller and placed it on Aaron''s plate. "Expensive food isn''t necessarily good. Let me tell you this, if you want to have good food, the first thing you should think about is street food."

    A waiter walked over and placed a few bottles of beer on the table.

    Aaron poured the drink in the glass and offered it to Edith. His brow rose upon noticing that the girl didn''t pick up the glass. "You''re not drinking?"

    "I can''t today," Edith said.

    Anyway, she still remembered that she had promised Neil that she will not drink a drop of alcohol as long as she was still Hazel''s caretaker. She didn''t want to return home drunk and accidentally said something that offended her boss.

    Edith picked up a piece of meat, blew on them, and stuffed them into her mouth. "Why did your supervisor frequently send you over to L City?"

    "We are working with those guys in L City with some case." Aaron waved a hand.

    Through Aaron, Edith heard about a murder case in L City that had some similar M.O with the case that they have seen in Z Town years ago.

    Edith remembered seeing news about this murderer before. The women were found at a secluded place in a gruesome manner. And these women... there were signs that they were violated before they died.

    Aaron placed his glass on the table once he had finished telling Edith bits about the case. "Right. Don''t run around if you got nothing to do. It''s not safe.. Where are you heading after this? Your friend''s place again? Let me drop you off."

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 104 - Dark, Cold, Empty House

    Aaron Li pulled over his car at the side road and craned his neck to look at the luxurious condo in front of him. "This place looks expensive." He turned at Edith and raised a brow. "Are you sure you have a friend who is staying here?"

    Edith rolled her eyes. "What''s wrong? You don''t think that I can have a wealthy friend?"

    It was late and Edith did not want to go back and forth from her apartment in A City to Neil''s place just to dupe Aaron. In the end, she came up with an excuse that she was staying at the condo for a few days to accompany a friend.

    "I didn''t say that." He paused. "How about introducing me to this friend?"

    "It''s late. Why do you want to disturb my friend? At this time, she might be sleeping." Edith rubbed at her head. Trying to come up with a lie was giving her a headache.

    Aaron''s gaze shifted and he looked at her friend with a slightly judging look. "Are you sure you are living an honest life? It couldn''t be that after living in the city for a few years, you got yourself a sugar daddy?"

    Just as he finished his word, Aaron felt a hard punch on his arm. A few cursing words escaped him. Aaron rubbed at the painful spot and look at Edith with a cowering look.

    "Aaron Li, I dare you to say something like that again," Edith narrowed her eyes.

    "Hey, I was only joking."

    He had been around with Edith for years and knew how violent this woman could be. He had suffered her punches and kicks and knew how painful they were.

    Back then, those grandpas and uncles had pampered Edith too much and had taught her self-defense and trained her to fight. As Edith''s best friend, he was the one who had to suffer as her punching bag.

    Of course, Aaron had forgotten that he did not have to suffer from Edith''s beating if only he refrained from saying, or doing things that would make her upset.

    "If you dare to say or think of something like that again, I will beat you until your parents would not be able to recognize you."

    "I apologize." Aaron raised both hands to surrender. He cursed mentally at his talent to be able to say things that would provoke Edith''s anger. He really needed to be careful of what he spoke around Edith the next time.

    He had known Edith for so long and should have known better at what kind of person she was. She was someone who was raised by the strict Grandpa Qian. Moreover, Edith was someone who would not do something to disappoint her grandpa.

    Seeing that her friend had repented, Edith exited the vehicle and spoke again. "You''re going back to Z Town tonight, right?" She watched him nodded and continued, "Drive carefully. Help me to look after my grandfather, alright?"

    "I know," Aaron waved his hand.

    The two friends bid each other goodbye and Edith watched as his vehicle disappeared into the night. She greeted the guards who were on duty downstairs and entered the elevator.

    Edith entered the passcode and swung the door open. Her eyes widened upon seeing that the living room was lightened brightly.

    Earlier, she had called Mrs. Mo to tell her that she was going to take a detour to meet a friend. Hearing that her friend was someone from Z Town, Mrs. Mo had allowed her to take a few hours off.

    Mrs. Mo had mentioned that she was going to take Hazel back to her unit and spend their time together, while Neil was going to stay at his office until midnight.

    Therefore, Edith was stunned to see that the lights were on. Sensing that there might be some intruder in the house, Edith fished into her bag and pulled out a pepper spray. Then, she walked into the house carefully.

    Her movement paused when she heard a noise coming from the kitchen. Seconds, later, Neil Mo appeared with a glass of water in his hand. He drank half of the water, paused, and turned to her.

    Neil''s gaze move slowly and halted towards the device in her hand. His eyes narrowed and his face darkened at the thought that Edith might attack him with that pepper spray.

    "P-President Mo!" Edith quickly threw the pepper spray into her purse. "What are you doing here?"

    "This is my house. Why can''t I be here?" Neil lifted his head to meet her gaze.

    "That is not what I meant," Edith let out a chuckle. "Didn''t you said that you are busy? I thought you were supposed to be at the office at this time."

    "I finished early and came home," Neil answered casually.

    Of course, he could not say that he was worried when Henry had mentioned that she had gone out to meet some man. In the end, he was unable to focus on his work and decided to come home earlier than planned.

    When he arrived, the house was dark, cold, and empty. Looking at the scene before him, Neil felt something uncomfortable in his heart.

    After living together with both Hazel and Edith, Neil realized that he had gotten used to returning to a home with someone coming over to greet him warmly.

    He has not returned home on time to have dinner with his family for a few nights, and he was beginning to miss their welcome.

    A brow raised and Neil took languid steps towards her. "Teacher Qian, aren''t you supposed to be at home hours ago? I thought that my friend was supposed to send you home?"

    This person had kissed him and confessed to him a few nights ago. But today, she had hopped into another man''s vehicle and had gone out with a different man until late at night.

    At this time, Neil was convinced that the person who kissed him and confessed to him a few nights ago was an impostor.

    How can she confessed to him and go out with another man just a few days after? This was not the right thing to do.

    She was too insincere with her confession!

    "A friend of mine called to tell that he was in the city," Edith said. "The last time, I have promised that I was going to treat him to something delicious. That''s right. President Mo, you know him too. Previously, you have met him in Z Town."

    "You drink?"

    "No. No. I haven''t tasted a drop. President Mo, I have promised that I would not drink as long as I''m here as Hazel''s caretaker."

    Her voice grew softer as she saw his penetrating gaze.

    Why does she felt as if she was explaining things to her boyfriend?

    A silly chuckle escaped her as the thought came to her mind. Seconds later, the silly expression quickly disappeared when she noticed his darkened face.

    "I called Mrs. Mo earlier and she said she can look after Hazel while I go out," Edith tried to explain, just in case that this iceblock was not happy because she was supposed to look after Hazel.

    She was paid handsomely to look after Hazel, but she had gone out to meet Aaron without telling her employer. Of course, Edith would understand if Neil was angry.

    "Sorry, President Mo. I forgot to mention this to you. Next time, I will let you be the first to know."

    Neil turned to grab the glass of water on the table and drank them to calm down.

    He could not understand why he was slightly upset.

    Edith shifted her gaze and noticed Neil''s coat hanging on the chair. At this time, the kettle whistled in the kitchen and Edith turned towards the direction. A thought crossed her mind and she could not help to ask, "President Mo, were you waiting for me?"

    His movement paused before Neil turned around to the kitchen. "You''re thinking too much. Teacher Qian, it''s getting late.. You should go up and rest. Tomorrow, you still need to work, right?"

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 105 - I Come To Pick You Up

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    After a few days of trying to avoid running into Edith, Neil Mo finally gave up.

    He found out that each time he tried to keep his distance, that person would magically around him. Unknowingly, his gaze would follow after her move, and was unable to compose his thought.

    Neil Mo was starting to think that there was something wrong with him.

    He could not understand why he was bothered when Edith had agreed to let Henry send her back, nor why he could not stop worrying upon hearing that she was meeting another man.

    Whenever Edith was around, Neil was embarrassed as she would remind him of that intense dream. Whenever she was not around, he would wonder what she was up to. He did not want to think about her, but she kept on appearing. That peck and the words, ''Iceblock Mo, I like you'' would replay in his mind at random times. That person would stay in his mind and suddenly showed up around him.

    In short, Edith Qian was everywhere.

    It was all because of that kiss and confession.

    It was slowly turning him crazy.

    However, Neil refused to think that something inside him began to stir after that night. He was someone with calm and composure. Surely just a peck and a confession would not be able to affect him much, right?

    Could it be that he had stayed single for too long?

    He had experience in dating and romance in the past, but this situation was driving him helpless. He did not know what he felt or think about Edith but did not want to think that he had feelings for Edith. She was Hazel''s kindergarten teacher, and the thought that he might like her a little bit felt... inappropriate.

    As Neil''s thought continued to dwell on his situation, the door to the vehicle swung open from the outside and a cheery voice was heard, coming from his niece.

    "Uncle!" Hazel greeted happily. She hopped into the vehicle and scurried beside him. "Uncle, what are you doing here?"

    Little Hazel had thought that Grandpa Tang will pick her and Teacher Qian from school and drive them back to the house. But today, as Grandpa Tang helped her to open the passenger''s door, Hazel found that her uncle was waiting inside.

    She could not hide that she was happy to see him.

    "I come to pick you up." He saw the smile on Hazel''s lips stretched up and her eyes turned crescent. "Are you happy?"

    "Un." Hazel nodded enthusiastically. "Very happy." Then she lowered her gaze and looked at him with a shy gaze. "Uncle, you haven''t come over to pick me up for a long time."

    Previously, Neil would come over to the kindergarten to pick up his niece. But ever since Edith had taken the job as Hazel''s caretaker, Neil had assigned Driver Tang to drive the send and pick up the two girls from the kindergarten.

    He indeed hasn''t come over and picked up Hazel from the kindergarten for a while.

    Neil raised a brow and asked, "You like it when I come and pick you up?"

    "I like it so much."

    Though she loved spending time with her favorite teacher, Hazel could not deny that she enjoyed it when her uncle showed up at the kindergarten. The other kids have their parents to pick them up at school and Hazel was a tad jealous of them.

    Her uncle might be different than her father, but he was her blood relative.

    A rare warm smile curled on Neil''s lips as he pulled the little girl to him before he planted a kiss on top of her head.

    These days, the little girl was closer to him. The little girl was no longer shy around him and would act spoil around him from time to time.

    His mother, Sophie had seen this situation and was surprised upon seeing this change. They had thought that it would take a long time for the uncle and niece to get closer. After all, the two of them had never had much contact before Hazel decided to live with his uncle.

    Of course, this change would not be possible without Edith''s help.

    When Neil lifted his head, Edith was standing still at the door, staring at him in a daze, while Driver Tang was still waiting for her to enter the vehicle.

    "Teacher Qian, what are you doing?" Neil raised a brow at her. He had long noticed the way she was staring at him and found that it was amusing. "Quickly come inside."

    "Oh!" Edith snapped out of her trance and slid into the car.

    Just like little Hazel, Edith too was surprised to see that Neil was inside the vehicle. She was not prepared for this sudden situation and wished that she had at least combed her hair nicely before she came out of the kindergarten.

    She was chasing one of the naughty students earlier and the wind had messed up her hair a little bit.

    "President Mo, I did not expect to see you here." She glanced at her wristwatch and noted that it was too early for Neil to leave his office.

    "Hmm," Neil leaned to help Hazel with her seat belt. "Hazel''s grandmother called to remind me that she needed new clothes. Since I''m free at this time, I thought we should visit the mall today. You do have time, right?"

    The last time that they planned to visit the mall to get a few things for Hazel, something else had happened and they had to cancel their outings.

    If his mother had not called to remind him that Hazel will need new clothes, Neil would have forgotten all about it.

    With his mother''s urging, Neil had no choice but to push back a few agendas to take Hazel to buy some stuff.

    "We''re going to the mall?" Hazel blinked her eyes at her uncle.

    "Hmm¡­" Neil caressed Hazel''s head. "It will get colder soon. You will need new clothes as the one you have no longer fit you." His eyes were glued at Edith''s expression. "Teacher Qian, I hope you can help me with this matter."

    Then she turned to her teacher with expectant eyes. "Teacher Qian, can we go?"

    Edith shifted her gaze to the little girl and was dazed with that cute face. Gradually, the corner of her lips tilted up. She pinched at Hazel''s cheek lightly and said, "Of course we can. I will help you to pick out a few cute clothes."

    After almost fifteen minutes'' drive, Driver Tang finally pulled up at one of the popular malls in L City. As this mall was one of MH Group''s businesses, there were a few staff who had recognized Neil. The small group of people stepped up and greeted their President properly, but Neil merely lifted his hand and signaled them to leave him.

    Hazel held on to her uncle''s hand with her right hand and grabbed at her teacher''s hand with the other.. The little girl looked at the two grownups with a wide smile and said, "Let''s go."

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 106 - Shopping For Hazel

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Glancing at the way his niece was holding to both his and Edith''s hand, Neil felt something complicated surging in his heart. The three of them walking along like this¡­ it made him think that they were really a family of three.

    Neil quickly dismissed that thought and tried to concentrate on his mission¡ªto find clothes for Hazel.

    As they walked into the mall, Neil noticed that the little girl has been holding his hand tightly. He turned at the little girl and saw her anxious expression. Perhaps due to the almost kidnapping incident, Hazel was frightened to go out in the crowds.

    He lifted his head and met with Edith''s gaze. For a moment, they both shared the same thought about Hazel. Although she tried to show her excitement, Hazel was still traumatized by what happened previously.

    Edith raised a brow at him. A slight frown appeared on her face before she shook her head lightly.

    Neil understood immediately that Edith wanted him not to mention anything to the little girl. In the end, Neil only tightened his grip on the little girl''s hand, silently assuring her that he was going to hold on to her and protect her.

    The three of them walked around close to the little girl as if they were her bodyguards.

    As they strolled from shop to shop, Neil began to notice that he did not know how to help the little girl to choose her clothes. The last time he came out to the mall with Hazel, he found himself in big trouble. In the end, he had no other choice but to ask the staff to help him choose.

    But once he brought back the clothes, Nanny Ann had told him that although those clothes he bought were very cute for Hazel, some of them were not suitable to wear as everyday clothes.

    After walking around for almost fifteen minutes, Edith finally stopped at the side and looked at the man beside him. "President Mo, what are we looking for exactly?"

    Neil touched his nose. "Hazel''s grandmother said that she will need new clothes for winter." He lifted his head to look at the several shops around him. Although there were many boutiques for children Hazel''s age, Neil did not know which shop he should head into.

    Every shop around them had different types of clothes and designs. Every one of them would be cute for Hazel to wear.

    Then, should he just buy every one of them? Anyway, Hazel could just change into each of them every day.

    "Let''s just go into that shop," Edith said as she pointed towards one of the children''s boutique at the front. "I noticed that Hazel had a lot of clothes from that shop." She inched closer to him and spoke in a low voice. "I guess, Hazel''s mother must have liked the clothes from that shop and found that they were very comfortable for her daughter."

    Neil stared at the person in front of him in a daze. Edith was standing too close to him that he was able to smell the light scent of shampoo on her hair. "Alright."

    Her lips curled into a smile before Edith turned to the little girl and pulled her towards the shop. With the way Hazel was holding on to her uncle''s hand tightly, Neil was pulled along with them.

    The shop attendant put on a polite smile on her face as the three walked in. She studied her customer and thought that the male looked very familiar. But in the end, decided to talk to Edith.

    After all, regarding a child''s clothes, the mother would often make the decision. If she wanted to increase the sales, it would be better to flatter the mom.

    The shop attendant mentioned the new products of their boutique and recommended a few cute dresses to Edith.

    "Let''s just buy them all," Neil decided as he thought that his niece was going to look adorable in those dresses.

    "Ah?" Edith stared at Neil, dumbfounded, while the shop attendant had a bright smile on her face. Edith walked closer to Neil again and whispered. "President Mo, I know that you have a lot of money, but let''s not be rash. Hazel won''t be able to wear them all."

    "What''s wrong?" Neil stared at the dresses then at his niece again. "Hazel can just wear a different one each day."

    Edith felt the corner of her lips started to twitch at his words. She really could not understand the way the riches were thinking.

    "Anyway, Hazel will still need to attend kindergarten. Those kinds of dresses are not suitable for her to wear as everyday clothes. A child her age would run around and be involved in various activities. Instead of buying lots of pretty dresses, why don''t you buy something more practical."

    Neil raised a brow. "Like what?"

    "Hmm," Edith tapped at her chin and looked around. A section on the rack caught her eyes and she went over to that area, tugging along the little girl who was holding her hand, and Neil.

    Picking up pants with a bunny head pattern at the knee areas, Edith studied the materials and turned around to show her pick. Her movement halted upon noticing that Neil was standing too close to her. Her eyes were staring straight at the protrusion on his neck and slowly traveled up to meet his gaze.

    Her heart pounded and her throat felt dry. Edith lifted the pants high to block his gaze from her. "This one." She took a step back and explained. "It will be warm enough for Hazel to wear, and the material is comfy and good to absorb sweats."

    Neil grabbed the pants from Edith and studied it.

    "Uncle, I like this one," Hazel spoke as she tugged at his sleeve. "The bunny pattern is cute."

    Edith bent down to Hazel''s level. "That''s right. Hazel, you like bunny patterns."

    "En. They look like the bunny that my mother gave me."

    Edith smiled as she recalled the pink bunny that would always accompany Hazel when she goes to bed. Then, she looked at Neil again. "Instead of buying everything, you can let Hazel choose a few dresses that she likes and a lot more of those comfy everyday clothes. That''s right, Hazel is going to need a few coats and jackets as well."

    As she thought of the few clothes that Hazel might need, Edith pulled Hazel to another section, and Neil was forced to come along. All this while, Hazel had refused to let go of their hands. Even when Edith had asked to release her hand so that she can check at the clothes properly, Hazel would then grab her hand again and hold it tightly.

    The shop attendance let out a chuckle as she watched how Edith was pulling the two people and moving around the shop like a small train.

    It was an adorable scene.. If only it was not against the law, the shop attendant would have pulled out her phone and snapped a few pictures.

    Read novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 107 - Set Up Her Son On A Date

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    The three of them finally left the boutique after spending almost an hour inside. Edith watched the total displayed on the register and shivered upon noticing the total for Hazel''s clothing was closer to her monthly pay.

    The price of the garments in the shop can be considered affordable, but Neil had decided to buy more for Hazel despite Edith''s reminder that Hazel was growing up and she could only wear those clothes for one season. Edith had the feeling that if she did not stop Neil, that man was going to buy a lot more than what they have.

    It seemed that Neil was unable to stop himself once he laid his eyes upon the cute clothes.

    Neil Mo had truly turned into a spoiling uncle to Hazel.

    Fortunately, to Hazel, everything that her uncle and teacher had chosen for her was cute. She was not a picky person with her clothes and would mostly agree with whatever her uncle had picked for her.

    As the shop had sold a wide choice of children''s clothing and stuff, the three of them did not have to visit another store to buy anything else.

    Once Neil had made his payment, he instructed the shop attendant to send their stuff over to the car, which was parked near the mall entrance.

    The shop attendant stared at the name card in her hand and paused before she sucked in some air. Her eyes widened as she turned towards the entrance.

    She finally knew why she had thought that the man was very familiar!

    He was their big boss, ah! And she had failed to recognize him even though he had spent almost an hour inside their boutique. The little girl who was with him was definitely Little Miss Hazel. Everyone had heard that President Mo was now looking after his niece.

    The shop attendance''s gaze changed again when she thought about the person besides their president. No matter how long she thought about it, the shop attendance could not figure out who was that woman.

    Judging from the way they interacted, the shop attendance could see that they were close. However, she had not heard any news or gossip that President Mo was seeing anyone.

    At this time, the shop attendant''s friend returned to the boutique after having her break. She saw the strange look on her friend''s face and frowned. "What''s wrong with you?"

    "President Mo was here just now," the shop attendant spoke excitedly. "She was with Little Miss Hazel and a woman."

    "What woman?"

    The shop attendant then retold her friend about the woman she saw earlier and the two attendants began to discuss Edith''s identity.

    On the next day, gossip that President Mo was seen with a rumored girlfriend spread among the staff. But of course, this rumor did not reach President Neil Mo''s ears.

    ¡­

    "Is there anything else that you need?" Neil asked Hazel. He watched the little girl shook her head and was about to suggest to head home when his phone rang. He looked at the caller ID and answered the call upon seeing that it was his mother.

    Neil glanced at Edith and the girl immediately coaxed Hazel to let his hand go. Neil stood at the side and pressed the phone to his ear.

    "Where are you? Still shopping for Hazel?" Sophie asked as the phone was connected.

    "We have just finished shopping for Hazel and will be heading home soon," Neil answered.

    "Since you are still at the mall, why don''t you walk around a while and have dinner before you return. Anyway, your dad and I were going to his friend''s house for dinner and I haven''t cook anything. If you return now, Teacher Qian will have to cook. I''m sure that she is tired after going around the mall for a while."

    Neil massaged at the space between his brow as he continued to listen to his mother''s nagging. "It''s fine. We can order takeaway."

    "What do you mean order takeaway?" Sophie spoke quickly to prevent her son to come home sooner. "Look at the time. Hazel should be starving at this time."

    Neil glanced at his wristwatch and frowned. He did not think that they have been shopping for a long time. "Mom, I know. I''ll just take Hazel and Teacher Qian to have dinner together before we return."

    Sophie spoke a few more things to her son before she hanged up. Her lips curled into a smile, knowing that her plan to set up her son on a date was working. Although Hazel was with them, Sophie had high confidence that the little angel will help her uncle as his wingman instead of being the third wheel.

    After all, Sophie had heard how Hazel had wanted to call Edith as her auntie.

    ¡­

    "What''s wrong?" Edith asked as Neil returned.

    Neil told her his mother''s words and saw the frown on her face.

    "At this time, most of the cafes and restaurants are full. I''m not sure if we could get a place to sit," Edith said and turned to Hazel. "Are you hungry?"

    Hazel nodded and touched her stomach.

    After considering their situation for a while, Neil decided to bring the two to a private kitchen not far away which was on their way home. Once they arrived, the owner greeted them before they were ushered to a seating area near the koi pond.

    "Hazel," Neil called as the little girl was drawn towards the koi. "What do you want to eat?"

    "Anything is fine." The little girl lifted her head briefly to answer before she went back to look at the fishes.

    Neil heaved a long sigh and stared back at the menu. He read a few lines on the menu and lifted his gaze to peek at the woman who sat across from him.

    Her forehead was slightly scrunched up, and her mouth pouted as she studied the menu with a serious expression.

    "What''s wrong?"

    Edith looked up from the menu and leaned forward to whisper. "President Mo, the food at this place is really expensive."

    Neil flipped the menu back and forth. "It''s affordable."

    The corner of her lips twitched upon hearing his words.

    President Mo! Your affordable and my affordable were very different!

    Edith took a deep breath and leaned forward to whisper again. "President Mo. I cannot afford such a price, ah!"

    His movement halted and Neil stared at the kindergarten teacher long enough to make her uncomfortable. "I can afford them. Teacher Qian, just orders whatever you want to eat."

    Edith hesitated, then, blurted out, "You''re buying for me?"

    A chuckle escaped him and his gaze turned cold.

    "I brought you here. Of course, I am paying for your meal." His eyes narrowed. "Teacher Qian, do you think I am someone who is stingy or inconsiderate."

    For a few seconds, Neil really could not understand what was going on through her mind.

    He was the person that she liked. Shouldn''t she at least have faith that the person she liked is a good, considerate man? Shouldn''t she at least believe that she had great taste when she fell for him?

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 108 - Why Are You Holding Grudges?

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Neil was shocked as the thought came to his mind. Why would he wanted Edith to like him? Was there something wrong with his mind? Wasn''t he trying to avoid any unnecessary contact with this woman?

    For a moment, he was confused about his feeling.

    Edith quickly look up and waved her hand frantically. "No. No. President Mo, I wouldn''t dare to think of something like that."

    He continued to stare at Edith with a dangerous look. "You dared to call me Iceblock Mo to my face. Who knew what else you dare to do?"

    Edith choked on some air upon hearing his words.

    President Mo, I was drunk! Why are you holding grudges?

    At this time, little Hazel who was busy looking at those fishes suddenly stood up and walked over to her uncle. She tilted her head and looked at her uncle with a puzzled look. "Uncle, what is Iceblock Mo?"

    Neil shifted his gaze to Edith and his lips curled into a languid smile. "This word¡­ you have to ask your Teacher Qian."

    Sensing the little girl''s eyes on her, Edith started to panic. "It doesn''t mean anything. I was joking with your uncle." An anxious laugh escaped her and Edith prayed that the little girl will not probe further into this joke.

    As she recalled how she had drunkenly called Neil Iceblock Mo, Edith would feel faint and wanted to hide. It was embarrassing.

    Fortunately, the little girl was very sensible and did not ask further into this joke.

    The flustered look on Edith''s face made Neil started to think that teasing her was interesting. Suddenly, his mood lightened up a little bit.

    "President Mo, I didn''t think that you''re stingy or inconsiderate," Edith quickly tried to explain. She averted his gaze and looked at the menu in her hand. "But I am trying to be logical. You don''t have a reason to buy expensive meals for me. What if you end up leaving me here when I cannot afford to pay?"

    Her words made him upset again. It was then that he recalled Edith saying, he was Iceblock Mo because he had a cold personality. Suddenly, he could not stop thinking about his cold personality.

    Was he really that cold?

    "Teacher Qian, you''re thinking too much," Neil said.

    Edith dropped her gaze.

    She was aware that she had this habit to think too much. Her mind liked to run wild and she too was helpless with this situation.

    However, she was not wrong to think of such things.

    When they arrived at the private kitchen, Edith was aware that the food in this place would be expensive. Unless if one had a reservation and a lot of money, one would not be able to enter this place. Even Lily and her husband never had the chance to enter this place.

    However, Neil had walked into this place without a reservation. Moreover, the owner had greeted him at the entrance. It can be seen that Neil was close to the owner and he was a frequent guest.

    She only had the chance to step into this fancy place because she happened to be Hazel''s caretaker. She was paid handsomely to look after the little girl and Neil had no other reason to treat her at this expensive place.

    "I don''t need to have a reason to buy you some food," Neil heaved a long sigh. "Just order whatever you want. If it makes you uncomfortable, you can think of it as if I''m thanking you for helping me with Hazel today."

    Edith met Neil''s sincere gaze and finally decided that she should take advantage of this man. However, when she turned to look at the menu again, her heart wavered and she chose the most inexpensive dish.

    His lips twitched as he heard the waiter repeating her order. "Teacher Qian, are you sure that will be enough?"

    Edith nodded with confidence. "Of course it will."

    Neil handed the menu back to the waiter and turned to Edith again. "Alright. I hope you will not be hungry later and scour for instant noodles at midnight."

    Her expression froze as Neil had guessed at her intention.

    ¡­

    Edith patted at her pitiful tummy and thought of the food she had eaten. She had thought that she would be able to tolerate eat a little bit less, but the portion they send out was simply too small despite the price! She can finish a plate of that grilled chicken in three bites!

    No matter how delicious the food was, surely it was ridiculous to charge their patron with such prices, right?

    Edith thought of the portion and the price again and had the urge to cry.

    "What are you standing around in the lobby? Didn''t I tell you to go to the car?"

    A voice came from behind her. Turning around, Neil stood behind her with a fancy paper bag in his hand.

    "We are waiting for you," Edith spoke.

    On cue, Hazel grabbed at the two grownups'' hands both at the same time. Then, she tilted up her head and smiled. "Uncle, let''s go together like this, alright?"

    His expression softened, knowing that Hazel had wanted to wait for him and Neil watched his niece with a doting gaze. Just like that, the three of them walked out of the private kitchen holding hands just like they did at the mall.

    "President Mo." A tall man in a suit greeted him as they were heading to the entrance. He pushed at his silver-rimmed glasses and looked at the two people with Neil.

    "Secretary Liu," Neil greeted and stepped forward to block the man''s gaze from both Hazel and Edith.

    "Going back already?"

    Neil smiled but the smile on his face froze when he recognized the man''s companion. The woman was someone he had met last week. It was his ex-girlfriend, Amanda Shen.

    He quickly composed himself and nodded to the bespectacled man. "Hmm¡­ My niece is tired after walking around the whole day."

    "Too bad," Secretary Liu heaved a sigh to express his regret. "Attorney General Leng is inside. If you are free, you might as well join us for a meal."

    "Then, I will have to ask for a rain check," Neil spoke. "My niece is too young. It isn''t good for a kid her age to stay up too late. I was told that sleeping early is good for their growth."

    "Right. I heard that you are now looking after your niece," Secretary Liu said and laughed. "Then, let''s meet again another time."

    "Have a good night, Secretary Liu," Neil smiled politely and watched as Secretary Liu and Amanda turned around to head over to the private kitchen.

    After walking for a few steps, Amanda turned around to peek at Neil before she disappeared into the building with Secretary Liu.

    Neil stayed out to give a few instructions to Driver Tang. As they slid into the vehicle, Edith had noticed that Hazel kept on peeking towards the building''s direction. She poked at Hazel''s cheek and smiled. "What''s wrong?"

    Hazel shook her head. "Nothing.. I just thought that the uncle and auntie from earlier were familiar."

    Read novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 109 - Stubborn Edith

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    The sky had turned dark long ago. As Edith laid on the comfortable bed, the only thing she could hear was the sound of the clock ticking and a low rumble coming from her stomach.

    A sob escaped her and Edith turned in her bed, trying to find a comfortable position to sleep.

    She had thought that once she had fallen asleep, she would probably forget about her hunger. But, no matter how much she tossed and turned, Edith was unable to fall asleep. Her tummy kept on making noises, begging her to eat something.

    After considering this matter for a while, Edith decided to go and grab something to eat. There were a loaf of bread in the kitchen and some slices of cheese in the refrigerator.

    Just imagining that simple cheese sandwich made her stomach grumble again.

    The door opened to a slit and Edith peeked out to study her surrounding. Once she was sure that there was no one around, Edith tiptoed and walk down the stairs. The surroundings were dark and quiet. Fortunately, Edith was able to adjust her eyesight in the dark and walk around.

    Her steps halted and her expression froze once as she saw a silhouette near the refrigerator.

    Suddenly, the kitchen was brightly lightened. Edith squinted to adjust her eyesight. When she looked again, Edith found Neil Mo in the kitchen. He was dressed in his dark cotton pants and a gray shirt. His body was half leaning to the wall and his eyes were staring at her with a languid gaze.

    Edith felt her hair stood. She wanted to turn around and leave, but her legs were suddenly glued to the ground. It was the feeling as if she was caught doing something bad.

    "P-president Mo!" Edith stood up straight. "What are you doing here?"

    Neil lifted the glass in his hand, silently answering her question with his gesture. The corner of his lips raised a little bit upon seeing the way she flustered.

    "Then, why were you sitting around in the dark?" Edith asked.

    "Saving electricity," Neil said. He tilted his head to a side and raised a brow. "What is it? Are you going to call me a ghost again?"

    An anxious laugh escaped her. Edith mentally muttered a few cursing words.

    This guy was so petty! Why would he remember the things that she had spoken about a long time ago?

    "Then, Teacher Qian, what are you doing here? Aren''t you supposed to be sleeping at this time?"

    His question snapped her out of her trance. Edith let out a dry cough and answered, "I was going to get some drink as well. The weather was a bit hot and dry today."

    She was planning to make herself some supper, but Edith did not expect that Neil would be guarding the kitchen at this time.

    "Oh¡­" Neil dragged his tone. "I thought you are here to scour for something to eat."

    "Of course not." Edith gritted her teeth as she walked over to the kitchen counter, picked up a glass, and poured herself some water.

    Forget it. At this time, she can only try to suppress her hunger with water. Perhaps she should wake up early and have a heavy breakfast in the morning.

    Her gaze paused at the loaf of bread on the kitchen counter and Edith could only swallow her saliva. Edith chugged the water, rinsed the glass, and walked out of the kitchen in frustration.

    Just as she walked past the man who was watching her intently, her stomach started to grumble loudly.

    Her movement halted. Edith did not know whether she wanted to laugh or cry at this embarrassing situation.

    She took a deep breath, gritted her teeth, and glanced at Neil, trying to peek at his reaction.

    Fortunately for him, he was not laughing at her situation. However, Edith could not miss that amused look in his eyes.

    The two of them stared at each other just like that before Neil looked away and sigh.

    Neil put down the glass on the table and turned to pull the woman towards the bar counter. He forced her to take a seat and lowered his body to her eye level. "Sit here for a while. I''ll come back soon."

    Edith stared at the man in a daze, wondering what he was planning to do. Her expression grew befuddled as she watched him walked over to the microwave and pressed a few buttons.

    Two minutes later, Neil returned to her side with a plate of seafood fried rice.

    "You''re hungry, right?" Neil said as he passed her the cutlery. "Take a few bites. Then, you can go back to sleep. It''s not good to go to bed hungry."

    Neil had seen the way Edith eat before and knew that the amount of dinner she had for dinner was not enough for her. However, she was too stubborn to order something else, despite him reminding her that it was fine to do so.

    Therefore, just before they left, Neil had asked the chef to prepare a portion of seafood fried rice for takeaway.

    He knew that she was going to get hungry soon and came down to the kitchen to look for something to eat. However, he did not think that she would continue to be stubborn. Edith was willing to suppress her hunger with just a glass of water.

    Since she was not willing to give in, Neil could only force her to sit down and have something to eat.

    Edith shifted her gaze to the food and suddenly there was a tug in her heart.

    Was he waiting for her in the kitchen because he knew that she would come into the kitchen to look for something to eat?

    Edith lowered her gaze. Her hand moved and she took a spoonful of the fried rice.

    Her eyes widened at the taste. The prawn and crab meats tasted very fresh. The rice was fragrant and light. Edith thought that this was one of the tastiest fried rice she had ever had.

    "President Mo, did you make this?" Edith looked at him with excitement in her eyes.

    "I don''t know how to cook," Neil said and chuckled.

    "Then, where did this fried rice come from?"

    "I knew you would be hungry at night. So, I ordered takeaway from that private kitchen."

    It was then that Edith recalled seeing Neil carrying a paper bag as they left the premises. She did not expect that he had ordered takeaway.

    Her movement of chewing the food in her mouth slowed down. Edith swallowed and look at the man in front of her again. She wanted to say something but as their gaze met for a few seconds longer, Edith hesitated.

    This man¡­ it couldn''t be that he knew that she would be hungry and therefore ordered for takeaway?

    Her heart jumped around in excitement at that thought.

    President Mo! If you continue to be this nice to me, I might fall for you to a point of no return!

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 110 - A Very Good Boss

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    "Why are you not eating? The fried rice doesn''t taste good?" Neil asked when he noticed that she had stopped one spoonful.

    It was freshly cooked and Neil was very sure that it wouldn''t spoil quickly. Could it be that he had reheated the rice for too long that it turned dry?

    Edith quickly retracted her gaze. "No. They''re good." She raised her head again once she was calmed. "Just that¡­ I''m touched."

    Neil looked away when he realized what he had just told her.

    "You are very nice to me." The corner of her lips tilted up slightly and there was a tinge of pinkish on her cheek.

    He was momentarily dazed upon seeing the expression on her face. Neil looked away, touching his nose. "So you know that I am not stingy or inconsiderate."

    A tinkle of laughter escaped her when she heard his words. The embarrassment she had disappeared at his joke. "Un. Sure. President Mo, you are very considerate. Definitely a very good boss."

    "A good boss?

    Edith gave him a thumb up. "En. You are the best."

    Neil laughed and shrugged.

    This time he was not a ghost, a fly, an Iceblock, or anything strange. A good boss sounded better than any others.

    Edith took another bite and paused. "I seem to recall that there was no seafood fried rice in their menu."

    "I requested the chef to prepare it. I figured you would be too hungry and a light meal would not be enough. It turns out that my guess is right."

    Edith lowered her head shyly and decided to focus on eating. Perhaps because of Neil''s kind intention, the fried rice tasted even better.

    His lips tilted into an amused smile as he continued to watch Edith eat.

    The girl was too hungry but was willing to push her hunger with just water because she was embarrassed. If he did not force her to sit down and eat, he knew that she was going back to her room on an empty stomach.

    Picking up his glass, Neil started to take a few sips as he continued to watch Edith savoring her fried rice.

    In just a short time, half of the fried rice was gone.

    Seeing the happy look on her face made him feel very satisfied. The expression on her face as she ate was adorable. He was glad that he decided to order food for her.

    He could see that Edith loved and enjoyed good food. Fortunately for her, everything she ate went down to all the right places. At least her body was not all skin and bones¡­

    Neil caught himself checking on the kindergarten and chugged at the water to calm down. However, he found that the glass was empty. He moved to refill the glass and went back to his position beside the refrigerator. Then, his gaze subconsciously went to Edith again.

    Neil thought that he liked being around Edith.

    The woman can be amusing at times. She can talk about something serious at a time and turned into a silly woman a few seconds after. Her expression was very interesting to look at. They were very lively.

    "President Mo, would you like to have some?"

    His lips twitched when he saw that there was only a quarter of that portion left. She had eaten so much and only remember that he was still around. "It''s fine. I''m not hungry. You can finish it all."

    Her eyes brightened up at his words.

    Neil chuckled and continued to watch her eat. "If you are hungry, then, just say that you are hungry and order more food. Why do you have to be so stubborn about it? I told you that I can afford to pay for it."

    "I know," Edith said. "But my late mother taught me that we cannot take advantage of one''s kindness. Just because you''re treating me to some expensive meal doesn''t mean that I have to take the advantage and order more expensive food."

    This was the first time someone had rejected his offer to pay for some meals because of the price and Neil did not know how to react.

    "But I cannot deny that the food from that private kitchen is really good. Even a bowl of fried rice would taste this delicious," Edith said as she placed the spoon on the empty plate. She turned to Neil and smiled. "But I guess the place is really popular. Even someone powerful as Attorney General Leng and that popular Supermodel Amanda Shen would visit the place."

    There was a slight fluctuation in his expression and mood upon hearing his ex-girlfriend''s name. It quickly disappeared before Edith was able to see it.

    After he had broken up with Amanda, he heard rumors that a few of her resources were taken away by her agency. However, she was still living well. Therefore, he was surprised to see that Amanda was with Secretary Liu. It hasn''t been long ago that she had asked him for another chance to be together, right?

    Of course, Edith had no knowledge that Neil and Amanda used to date a few years ago. Back then, Amanda''s career had just begun and her agency had requested that she should not be in any relationship.

    Apart from a few close friends and family members, not many were aware that the two used to date.

    Neil snapped out of his thought and caught Edith staring at him openly with a wide smile on her face.

    Edith quickly looked away nonchalantly and sighed. "Time goes by so quickly. In a couple of weeks, I will have to leave here."

    Neil watched her with a puzzled look on his face. For a few seconds, he could not understand why was this woman planning on leaving.

    "That''s right. President Mo, how is Nanny Ann? Is she recuperating well?"

    Her question reminded him of their agreement.

    Edith was supposed to live with him and Hazel until Nanny Ann had recovered from her injury and was well enough to look after Hazel. But... Neil did not think that two months would pass this quick. It felt as if Edith had settled in his place for a few days.

    "Nanny Ann is recuperating well," Neil mumbled. He noticed that the smile on her face was getting brighter and suddenly, he was annoyed at the thought that she could not wait to leave.

    Was that the attitude of someone who liked him?

    "That''s good." Edith lowered her gaze and her eyes flashed as she thought of her plan.

    Before their contract ended and she had to leave, Edith was planning to confess! No matter what his reaction will be after that, Edith wanted to take a chance and give it a try.

    This man might appear as an iceblock, but once she spent more time with him, he was not as cold as he first appeared to be. Neil was very good looking and had treated her very well. Although he can make her speechless at times, he was not difficult to talk to.. Perhaps people have misunderstood him and thought that he was cold because of his face.

    Read novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 111 - President Mos Rumored Girlfriend

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    The rumor that President Mo was seeing someone and had gone out with his girlfriend to shop for his niece spread among the staff at the shopping mall to the employee at the headquarter.

    As the rumor passed to a few people, it twisted and suddenly, a few were saying that President Mo was preparing to get married soon to have someone to look after his niece.

    When Autumn Feng heard of this rumor, she was furious!

    She had worked hard to attract President Mo to look at her, but each time her attempts failed.

    No matter how hard she tried or how well she performed in her work, the man she was eyeing had not spared a glance at her. She had tried very hard to get close to Hazel when that girl visited the company, but each time, the little girl would not speak a word to her, and Assistant Shawn would block her way.

    And now, suddenly there was a woman beside her man? Autumn could not accept this news.

    She always had her eyes on Neil and was sure that he was not seeing anyone.

    Therefore, where did this woman come from?

    Which lady from which family?

    How did that woman get close to Hazel when she could not even get close to that kid?

    Autumn could not stop thinking about the rumor. Though she tried to find out about the woman, nobody else knew about this person.

    Her eyes darkened as Autumn thought of someone. There were not many women around Neil. The closest that Autumn could think of was that supermodel, Amanda Shen.

    Through a friend, Autumn had heard that the two used to date, but the couple broke up a few years ago. Amanda left the country soon after that.

    Autumn heard rumors that the woman had returned a few months ago and had tried to approach Neil not too long ago.

    Could it be that the two had reconciled?

    As she stood in the lobby, Autumn continued to eavesdrop on the other''s conversation and hope that she was able to find out the identity of this woman.

    However, before Autumn could listen more, Assistant Shawn suddenly appeared from behind them and scolded them for gossiping on President Mo''s matter during working hours.

    Assistant Shawn narrowed his eyes as he watched the staff scurried to get back to their work.

    He had heard bits about the rumor and knew that he should stop them from spreading it out further before his boss would fire him for his incompetency to handle such matters.

    As President Mo''s assistant, he was well aware of his boss''s schedule. Assistant Shawn knew well that his boss had gone shipping with Little Miss Hazel. Then, the woman who was seen with President Mo and his niece was definitely Teacher Qian.

    Because of Neil Mo''s identity, there will be people who will try to find out the identity of the woman who was seen with him. The kindergarten teacher was innocent and did not know this matter. It wouldn''t be a good thing if people start to investigate Edith and harass her over this matter.

    After pondering over the matter for a while, Assistant Shawn decided to warn the others not to spread unnecessary rumors in the office. Then, he took out his phone and called the Managing Director of the shopping mall and gave a few instructions.

    ¡­

    Edith had just sent the last student to the parents when Teacher Guo walked over to her and informed her that Headmistress Fu had brought Hazel to her room. Thinking that it was almost time for her to clock off from work, Edith went over to the headmistress''s office and rapped her knuckle on the door.

    Headmistress Fu gave her permission to enter and Edith was surprised to see that Mrs. Mo was inside the office as well.

    Hazel looked up from the book she was reading and her expression bright with happiness upon seeing her favorite teacher.

    "Headmistress Fu, Mrs. Mo," Edith greeted. Her gaze stayed on Sophie. "I did not know that you are here as well."

    "I haven''t seen my friend for a while," Sophie said. "Since it was almost time for Hazel to return from school, I thought that I should come over and visit her as well. Anyway, we don''t get a lot of chance to see each other and talk."

    "What are you saying?" Headmistress Fu smiled. "With technology this age, you can just pick up your phone and call. You can always see me and talk."

    "But it does not have the same feeling as coming to talk to you face to face," Sophie said. She glanced at Edith and spoke again, "Since Teacher Qian had finished with her matter, then I will take my leave first. My husband is still waiting for me at home."

    Headmistress Fu chuckled and the two friends exchanged a strange glance.

    Sophie finished the tea left in her cup and smiled. "The thing that I asked you to do¡­"

    "Don''t worry, I will keep my eyes on them," Headmistress Fu assured.

    "Then, I have to thank you in advance," Sophie said. She turned to Hazel who sat beside her. "Hazel, come. We will go now."

    Hazel hopped off from the sofa and went to Edith. "Teacher Qian, we have been waiting for you for a long time."

    Sophie laughed upon seeing the cheerful look on Hazel''s face. Then, she turned at Edith and said, "Teacher Qian, let''s head back together."

    "Oh!" Edith snapped out of her trance and turned to her classroom to gather her stuff.

    When she walked out of the building, Sophie and Haze were waiting at the entrance. Headmistress Fu was accompanying her friend and the two continued to chat.

    Seeing that Edith had appeared, Sophie finally bid her friend goodbye and head over to the vehicle. Driver Tang helped them to get into the car before he slid into the driver''s seat.

    "Mrs. Mo, you can go back with Hazel first. You don''t have to wait for me," Edith spoke as the vehicle started to move. "I can get a cab and head back later."

    Sophie waved her hand. "It''s fine. Isn''t it better to save money like this? Besides," she paused and patted at Hazel''s hair. "Hazel wanted to wait for you."

    Hearing her name, the little girl turned to her teacher with a smile. Her expression was as if she was waiting for her teacher to praise her.

    "Well then, I have to thank you, Hazel."

    Sophie''s smile widened when she saw that her granddaughter''s relationship with Edith was very good. After spending a few days with them, Sophie could see that Edith genuinely cared for her granddaughter and was intent on pairing this girl with her son.

    Although she knew that her son and Edith''s personality were very different, Sophie had a feeling that even if they were together, they would be able to live with each other well.

    Haven''t they been living together well for more than a month already?

    "Grandmother.." Hazel''s voice snapped her out of her thought. "We are going to the supermarket after this, right?"

    Read novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 112 - Ediths Thoughts

    Little Hazel hopped around excitedly as she trailed after grandmother and teacher into the supermarket.

    Although Hazel was excited to walk around with both her grandmother and teacher, she was still a little bit anxious walking among the crowds. She followed the two grownups closely with her hand clasped with Edith''s hand tightly.

    From the way Hazel was holding on to Edith, one could see how much the little girl trusted her teacher. With Edith holding her hand tightly, Hazel felt a lot safer. No one will be able to snatch her away with Edith around.

    While Sophie was choosing a few ingredients to cook for dinner, Edith took Hazel over to the vegetable aisle and started to teach the little girl how to identify a few vegetables.

    After Edith came and live with them, she would often cook for dinner and Hazel would stay to help. Seeing that the girl had an interest in cooking, Edith has been teaching her a few easy dishes as well as how to recognize ingredients.

    Anyway, this knowledge would be very beneficial to Hazel. At least, while learning about ingredients, Hazel began to appreciate food more and was not as picky about her food. These days, Hazel began to eat a lot more vegetables.

    Sophie watched this scene and her lips curled into a satisfied smile.

    She had long wanted her elder son to settle down, but that was always busy with work.

    If it was a few months ago, Sophie would not mind if her son had planned to marry anyone, as long as she was someone that he loved. But now that Neil has volunteered as Hazel''s guardian, Sophie wanted her son to be with someone who can at least can get along with Hazel very well.

    The little girl had lost both her parents at a very early age and Sophie has been worried about her. She had wanted to raise Hazel for herself, but the little girl was stubborn to live with her uncle.

    It was not that Sophie did not trust her son, but Neil was always busy with his work. She was afraid that the little girl would feel abandoned when Neil was busy with the company.

    Fortunately for them, Edith had appeared in their lives and helped to look after Hazel. The kindergarten teacher loved Hazel and they get along really well.

    Unfortunately for them, her son was someone who was married to his work. Though he had a few girlfriends in the past, Sophie had suspected that her elder son knows nothing about courting a girl.

    This was why Sophie wanted to meddle in just a little bit in her son''s love life.

    Sophie has been watching her son the past few days she had been staying in the city.

    She thought that Edith was a pretty, cheery girl who knew how to adapt to her situation well. She can get along with kids as well as with the elders. Even Headmistress Fu had high praise for Edith.

    Her son, Neil did not seem to dislike Edith, and Edith can get along with her son well.

    Since that was the case, pairing them together seemed to be a good idea, wasn''t it?

    If the two get together, Sophie can be assured that Hazel will be well taken care of.

    "When we get back I will teach you to make a few of Neil''s favorite dishes," Sophie said to Edith as the butcher helped to wrap up a few of the raw ingredients she had picked.

    "Ah?" Edith looked at Sophie with a puzzled look.

    Sophie smiled as she saw her expression. Then, she walked towards another aisle as if she had not spoken anything.

    She was aware that Edith has been preparing dinner for both Hazel and Neil ever since she moved in with them.

    Edith was a good cook and Sophie had the chance to sample them as well. Then, the next thing she should do was to teach Edith a few things about her son''s preferences.

    Didn''t they say that the way to a man''s heart was through his stomach?

    That was how she had won her husband''s heart before they started to date years ago. Since this trick had worked for her and her husband, Sophie thought that perhaps it would work for her son as well.

    Edith stared at the elder woman as they went over to a different aisle.

    Perhaps she had been thinking too much, but Edith thought that Mrs. Mo has been a bit attentive towards her recently.

    Not that she has something to complain about it¡­ especially since she happened to fancy Sophie''s son.

    But Edith thought that this attention was a bit scary. She was worried that Mrs. Mo was going to notice that she had a thing for her son and was going to be despised for it.

    Edith really liked Mo''s family and thought that they have treated her very well. She did not want their good relationship to turn sour.

    She had been around Lily for too long to know that the riches valued someone with status. If Mrs. Mo knew that she had feelings towards her son, will their relationship change?

    Liking Neil was one thing and having his parents'' blessing was another matter.

    She and Neil¡­ The two of them were living in two different worlds. Edith was aware that there was a thin chance that someone like her can be with Neil.

    The man he liked happened to be one of the capable men in the business world. He had taken over the company with his brother just as the company was on the brink of bankruptcy and had turned everything around.

    Because of that, many ladies from an influential family was eyeing to enter Mo''s family. Every one of them was a better candidate as Neil''s wife.

    Realistically, she was not a good match for Neil.

    If Neil was going to marry anyone, it would be best if he married someone who can match his status. Someone who can help him with the company''s growth. Someone better than her.

    Who asked her to fall for someone with a high status?

    But Edith was not someone who would give up without giving her best shot.

    It wasn''t as if she had not thought of killing that feeling before it bloom. She had thought of it from the first time she realized what she had felt towards that man. But after being around Neil, she found that it was something that she was not willing to do.

    Neil made it hard for her to cut off that bud.

    In the end, Edith decided to confront whatever in front of her one by one.

    Take one step at a time, slowly.

    Anyway, it was not as if she was going to marry him right away. Edith was not dreaming of a Cinderella story.

    She only knew that she liked Neil and won''t be able to move on until she told him about it.

    As for what will happen after she had confessed to him, Edith thought that she was going to deal with them later on.

    If he was going to reject her, then, she can move on, knowing that at least she had tried. Even if she would be heartbroken, at least she will not have regret.

    If he accepted her, then she would be very happy.

    As for his parents and other stuff like their compatibility¡­ she will figure it out when those matters arise.

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 113 - A Spark Of Hope

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    "Teacher Qian, you have been staying with both Hazel and Neil for a month now, if I am not mistaken," Sophie said as she was watching Hazel helping her to slice the scallion with the kid-friendly knife she had bought just now.

    "Hmm¡­ That''s right."

    "It must be hard for you to look after my son and granddaughter," Sophie continued.

    Hearing that she was mentioned in the conversation, Hazel put down the knife and frowned at her grandmother. "Grandma, I am very obedient." Then, she turned to her teacher and tilted her head. "Right, Teacher Qian?"

    Edith laughed and pinched the little girl''s adorable cheek. "That''s right. Hazel is the most obedient one. You are my little helper."

    Hazel''s eyes sparkled with joy. Then, she turned to her grandmother with a slight gloating look.

    "Alright, I''m sorry." Sophie smiled helplessly. There was a tinge of joy on her face.

    It felt as if it was not long ago that this girl had chosen to sit alone with a dull look in her eyes. Now that Sophie had seen how this little girl had shown more expression on her face, Sophie was relieved.

    "My Hazel is the most obedient one and easy to look after," Sophie continued. "It was your Uncle Neil that was hard to look after."

    "Un. Un." Hazel nodded in agreement.

    Edith watched this scene and did not know whether she should laugh. If President Mo knew what his niece think of him, wouldn''t he be speechless?

    "I hope that my son did not give you too much trouble," Sophie said as Hazel concentrated on her task.

    "Mrs. Mo, he didn''t." Edith flashed her an assuring smile.

    "Don''t lie to me. I know my son well." Sophie laughed. "He has always been aloof from a young age. Trying to hold a conversation with him was hard." She paused, leaned closer to Edith, and whispered, "I heard that some people have been calling him an ice block."

    Edith froze at Sophie''s words.

    "Don''t you think it''s true?" Sophie saw the surprised look on Edith''s face and laughed.

    "Mrs. Mo, where did you hear that?" Edith asked with a slightly shaky voice. For a second, Edith was scared that Sophie knew that she had called that name right on his face just a week ago.

    Anyway, Hazel had heard them mentioning ''Iceblock Mo'' last night and it was not strange if she had spoken to her grandmother about it.

    Sophie waved her hand. "Aish, this nickname was known to the people in his company as well as in our social circle. I thought that this nickname describes my son well."

    Edith watched as Sophie made fun of her son speechlessly.

    "If my son made things hard for you, you have to tell me," Sophie said. "I will definitely help you to scold him."

    "Mrs. Mo, you don''t have to worry. President Mo did not make things hard for me," Edith said quickly. "He is not as cold as he looks. I don''t think talking to him was hard. At least, he would listen to my words whenever I gave him advice on Hazel."

    "Really?" A glint of light flashed in Sophie''s eyes upon hearing Edith''s words.

    Edith nodded. "Mrs. Mo I would not lie to you."

    "Then I''m glad," Sophie spoke.

    Her heart leaped in joy at the thought that there was a spark of hope in setting the two together.

    As long as Edith had a good opinion of his son, then everything was possible, right?

    ¡­

    When Neil arrived, the smell of his favorite braised fish wafted to his nose. His father, Lucas was sitting in the living room with a business journal in his hand and there were sounds of chattering voices coming from the kitchen.

    A slight frown appeared on his face when he heard the noise, but he found that he did not dislike this atmosphere.

    Neil greeted his father and walked over to the kitchen to see what was going on.

    His mother was in the kitchen, stirring something in the pot as she continued to chat with Edith and Hazel. At one glance, Neil could see that his mother was sharing her recipe with Edith. Once in a while, Edith would ask his mother questions and his mother would reply patiently.

    Neil leaned half his body against the wall and thought that this was a good scene to watch. His gaze turned soft as something warm bloomed in his heart. Neil found that he could really get used to this noisy chatter in his house.

    As if sensing that someone was watching them, Edith turned around and smiled. "President Mo, you''re back."

    Neil replied with a light hum and watched as Hazel hopped off the chair and walked over to him.

    "Uncle, you''re back." The little girl was stared at him with her pair of sparkling eyes. "Grandma is teaching us how to make your favorite braised fish. I helped to slice some vegetables. Later, you have to eat a lot."

    Neil crouched to get on Hazel''s level. He patted her hair and smiled. "You know how to use a knife now?" His hand moved subconsciously to check for any sign of injury in her hand.

    Although he agreed with Edith that teaching Hazel to cook a few dishes while she was still young could be beneficial, Neil felt heartache at the thought that the little girl would cut herself while handling a knife or suffer any burns or other injury.

    Hazel was the only child that his brother and sister-in-law had left. Neil could not bear to see something bad happen to her, even if it was just a tiny wound.

    "En," Hazel nodded. She noticed the anxious look on her uncle''s face and giggled. "Grandma bought a set of knives for me just now. It wasn''t sharp, but it can cut vegetables. Uncle, I know how to cut vegetables now."

    A breath of relief escaped him. "Well, you still have to be very careful, alright? Don''t use them unless under a grownup''s supervision, alright?"

    "I know," Hazel nodded obediently.

    Neil stood up and glanced at the set of kid-friendly knives on the kitchen counter.

    "Go and get changed," Sophie waved her hand at her son, urging him to leave the kitchen. "Dinner will be served soon. Don''t let Hazel go hungry waiting for you."

    Hearing his mother''s nagging, Neil finally left the kitchen with a helpless sigh.

    Neil came down in his house clothes after a quick shower.

    As they were having dinner, Neil could not help but noticed that his mother was acting strangely. She would keep on piling food on Edith''s bowl until it resembled a small hill.

    His eyes narrowed, wondering just what was his mother up to. It was not that he did not notice his mother''s strange attitude this recently. The strange glint in his mother''s eyes was telling him that his mother was brewing up something.

    Noticing the helpless look on Edith''s face, Neil decided to speak up. "Mom, stop piling up Teacher Qian''s bowl with too much food. She won''t be able to eat properly if you keep on doing that."

    Sophie clicked her tongue at her son. "I''m merely expressing my gratitude. What do you know?" She turned to Edith and smiled. "Teacher Qian, you have to eat more."

    Neil resumed eating as his mother has stopped piling up food for others and was glad that his mother was no longer acting strange.

    Just as he thought that perhaps he was overthinking about his mother''s attitude, he caught his mother saying something to the kindergarten teacher.

    He did not know what it was, but Edith had a hesitant look on her face.

    "What''s wrong?" Neil spoke as he approached the two.

    Sophie''s eyes brightened up when she saw her son. The smile on her face stretched up and her eyes turned crescent. "Perfect timing.. Neil, you go and accompany Teacher Qian."

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 114 - Wasted Chance

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Neil glanced at Edith and raised a brow. "Where to?"

    "I asked Teacher Qian to help me to get something for me from the store. Though the night is still early, it would be dangerous for Teacher Qian to walk alone," Sophie said. "Neil, you go and accompany her."

    Neil heaved a long sigh. "Mom, if you want to buy something, you can just ask me. Don''t make it hard for others."

    "Do you know how to choose a sanitary pad? Which brand, which type. Do you understand them if I give you the instruction?"

    Once he knew what his mother had asked Edith to help her with, Neil was speechless. "Mom..."

    "What?"

    "You''re fifty years old," Neil spoke in a low voice. "Why do you still..."

    "What is that supposed to mean?" Sophie''s eyes darkened as she looked at her son. "Let me tell you, even at this age, I can still give your father another son or daughter if I wanted to."

    Neil rubbed at his temple, wishing that he had not said a thing. Hearing his mother mentioning another son or daughter at her age was making him uncomfortable. He did not need to know such things.

    Sophie turned to Edith and a gentle smile curled on her lips. "Teacher Qian, sorry for the trouble. We rushed over from Z Town in a hurry after we heard about what happened to Hazel and I forgot to pack some essential. Anyway, at this age, my circle can be hard to predict."

    Neil closed his eyes, wishing that he had not heard anything about his mother''s circle.

    Edith watched the elder lady and understood her predicament. Although Edith had offered to give her some of her stuff, Sophie had insisted that she was most comfortable with a certain brand.

    "Mrs. Mo, it''s alright. I can help you and grab some of them," Edith said. "The convenience store isn''t that far from this building. I can go by myself. The neighborhood around here is pretty safe."

    Neil''s condo was situated around an elite area. Because of the house price around the area, the security was quite good. There were always guards patrolling around to guard the place.

    "Don''t be ridiculous." Sophie frowned in disapproval. "I know that you can protect yourself well, but it''s dark at night and you are still a girl. If something happened to you, how am I supposed to answer to your family?"

    Neil watched Edith''s helpless expression and heaved a sigh. "Mom, I will go with her."

    A flash of joy glinted in Sophie''s eyes, but it disappeared quickly before anyone was able to detect it. "That''s great." She gave her son a look as if she was glad that he at least had his conscience.

    Sophie fished into her dress and took out a roll of money. Then, she pulled out a few notes and stuffed them in Edith''s hand. "Take this money. Teacher Qian, thank you for your help."

    Neil''s expression darkened as he watched his mother handed Edith the money.

    Meanwhile, Edith looked at the amount of money in her hand in astonishment. "Mrs. Mo, isn''t this is too much?"

    "Use the balance to get yourself some ice-cream."

    Before Edith was able to say a word, someone had taken the banknotes in her hand and stuffed it back into Sophie''s hand.

    "Mom, I''m going along with Teacher Qian. I can still afford to pay for those things you want," Neil said. "I will pay for whatever you need."

    Sophie stared at her son for a few seconds longer and kept the money back into her pocket. "Alright. Don''t forget to get some ice cream for Teacher Qian as well."

    Neil let out an inaudible sigh. For a while, he wondered if his mother''s strange attitude got something to do with her menstrual cycle.

    Of course, if Sophie knew what was in her son''s mind, she would not hesitate to smack him on his head.

    Edith went to her room to get her purse and went out with Neil to the convenience store.

    After two minutes of walking together in silence, Edith was starting to get uncomfortable. Although she was very happy to go on a night walk with the man she fancied, the silence between them was making her anxious.

    Her mouth opened and close a few times to start a conversation, but the man beside her kept his head down, and not looking at her even for a second. The slight frown on his face made her think that he was thinking of something important and Edith did not want to disturb his thought.

    At least, she could glance at his handsome face and Edith was contented with the small blessing she received.

    The walk from Neil''s place to the convenience store would take almost five minutes, but Edith thought that this walk seemed longer than usual.

    The night sky was decorated with a full moon and twinkling stars. The street was brightened with colorful light, making the surroundings appear romantic, however, the two people dwelt in their own thoughts.

    The chance that Sophie had created for them to walk around while cultivating their feelings was wasted just like that.

    "We''re here. President Mo, do you want to come in or wait outside?"

    Neil snapped out of his trance when he heard the voice. He lifted his head and realized that they have reached the convenience store. His head replayed her question and Neil seemed to recall that they came over to get a few things for his mother¡­

    "You go ahead. I will wait outside." Neil said.

    A slight smile appeared on her face as Edith saw the embarrassed look on Neil''s face. She could guess that he was uncomfortable to go in with her as they were visiting the store to get his mother some sanitary pad.

    "Alright." Edith nodded. She turned around to enter the store and stopped when Neil tugged at her hand. Her gaze shifted to the spot where Neil was holding her and her heartbeat escalated.

    Neil pulled his hand quickly. Then, he pulled out a few banknotes and handed it over to Edith. "Take this. Go and get whatever you need to buy." He paused and rubbed his neck as he was feeling awkward. "Don''t forget the ice cream."

    A chuckle escaped her when she heard his reminder. "Alright. I''ll get the ice cream."

    Edith turned around and headed to the entrance.

    A teenage boy in a dark blue outfit lingered outside the store with one hand in his pocket.

    Edith entered the store and smiled politely at the attendant behind the counter.

    At this time, there were only two customers in the store. Edith glanced at the man who was choosing some chips at the aisle and went straight to get the thing that Sophie had asked her to bring.

    Then, she walked around the shop and stopped at the candy section to pick up a few of her favorite candy bars. Then, she went to the freezer to get a tub of ice cream.

    Once she got everything she needed, Edith went to the counter to make her payment.

    When she walked outside, the teenage boy was still outside. Edith looked around to look for Neil and saw that he was on the phone a few steps away from the shop. His back was facing her and he had not realized that she had come out.

    Edith tightened her grip on the plastic bag in her hand and adjusted her purse as she walked over to Neil.

    Suddenly, Edith felt a tug on her shoulder. Her body jerked forward before the grocery bag in her hand fell on the ground and everything she bought scattered.. Edith raised her head and her eyes narrowed dangerously as she watched the teenager outside the store was running away with her purse in his hand.

    Read novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 115 - I Promise I Wont Hurt You

    Neil Mo was feeling slightly awkward after the conversation with his mother that he was unable to look at Edith straight as they walked on the street to the store.

    Although he was famous for his aloof expression, Neil can be shy at certain matters. Therefore, he was quiet throughout their walk. It was not until he heard her voice announcing that they have arrived that he snapped out of his trance.

    Seeing the casual look on her face, Neil was relieved and embarrassed at the same time.

    As Edith went into the shop, Neil decided to wait for her outside as he did not want to feel awkward when he watched her pick out some stuff for his mother.

    Just as Edith entered the store, the phone in his pocket rang and Neil picked up the call from Assistant Shawn. There was a potential business deal with a well-known company in Country T and Assistant Shawn needed to check with him before he submitted the final report.

    "STOP!"

    As Neil was giving his assistant a few final instructions, his ears caught the familiar voice. His head turned to follow the voice. Suddenly, a silhouette in a dark blue outfit went past him. As he was trying to figure out what was going on, Edith ran past him, appearing to be chasing the man in front of them.

    "Hey! You! Stop!!"

    His body froze in place and the two figures had gone further away. Assistant Shawn called out his name a few times and asked what was going on at his side.

    The assistant heard Edith''s voice and was worried that his boss had run into trouble.

    Neil told his assistant that he had an urgent matter and disconnected the call before Assistant Shawn was able to say anything.

    When Neil looked up again, the two figures had disappeared from his sight. The frown on his face deepened as he recalled seeing the familiar purse in the teenager''s hand.

    Immediately, Neil picked up his pace and went to chase after the two.

    Meanwhile, Edith continued to chase after the teenage boy on the street. Her feet accidentally stumbled into a rock on the pavement but Edith quickly balanced herself before she fell on the ground.

    A slight pain stabbed her on her ankle, but Edith ignored the pain and continued to sprint towards the thief.

    She had been chasing after the thief for a few blocks, but it doesn''t seem as if he was showing any sign that he was going to stop anytime soon. The street was almost empty at this time. The few passersby who happened to see this chasing did not consider to give Edith a hand and help her to stop that thief.

    Her eyes darkened upon realizing that none of the passersby cared enough to help.

    A few cursing words escaped her lips as Edith continued her chase. "Hey, you! Stop! Give me back my purse"

    The teenager turned briefly. His eyes widened and he picked up his pace when he saw that Edith was still trying to catch up to him. The teenager had thought that the woman was going to give up after a few blocks. He was not expecting that the woman had a lot of stamina to chase after him.

    Soon, they reached a junction and the teenager turned into the dark alley.

    Edith followed after him and stopped abruptly when she saw that the teenager was pointing a knife at her. Instantly, Edith raised both hands to the air.

    The teenager cursed as he gasped for air. "Why do you keep chasing after me?"

    "You stole my purse," Edith pointed out.

    The teenager stared at her with a look of disbelief. He definitely was not expecting Edith to answer his rhetorical question. He shook his head to clear his head and waved the knife. "Stop following me. Or. Or I''ll hurt you."

    "Alright!" Edith took a step back. "I will stop following you."

    The teenage boy heaved a sigh in relief.

    "Just hand over my purse back. I promise I won''t hurt you."

    The boy looked at her in disbelief, but her later words surprised him. He was the one who was holding the knife, where did this woman get her confidence to hurt him?

    "No. You didn''t get to give orders." He tightened his grip around the knife and waved it around. "See here. I have a weapon. If you''re not careful, I am going to hurt you. So, you''re going to listen to me, not the other way around. Now. You are going to turn around and leave. Don''t try to do anything funny or I will hurt you.

    Edith continued to stare at the teenage boy, assessing his movement and any loophole for her to take her action. The boy was holding a silver knife in his hand and it was not wise for her to provoke him.

    Slowly, Edith nodded. "I understand."

    "Good," the boy backed away carefully. He glanced at the street anxiously for a chance to run away. His knife still pointing towards Edith.

    "But I still couldn''t let you go," Edith took a step forward to him carefully. "Not until you give me back my purse."

    The teenager was shocked when Edith took a step towards him. Anxiously, he lunged forward with the knife in his hand.

    Edith turned to evade him just before the weapon touched her. She grabbed at the boy''s wrist, pulling him forward. In one swift moment, Edith knocked the weapon off his hand.

    Before the boy was able to register at what was going on, Edith lifted her legs and landed her knee on his stomach, knocking the air out of him. The boy bent forward, and Edith hit him at a spot behind his neck.

    In just a few seconds, the situation had changed and the boy fell with his face facing the ground.

    Edith stepped over his body, kicked the knife far away, and retrieved her purse. Then, she swept a few strands of hair off her face and sneered. "You pick the wrong person to steal from, kid."

    The kid groaned in pain and cursed. "Who the hell are you?"

    Edith did not answer and instead studied the boy from head to toe.

    Seeing the way she narrowed her eyes dangerously at him, the boy did not dare to retaliate. He was aware that the woman in front of him was someone he could not defeat.

    He sat up quickly and glanced around in fear. "Please don''t call the police. Please. I beg you. I''ll do anything."

    Her eyes continued to assess the boy. He was still young and probably was still relying on his parents to live. His eyes showed repentance and Edith''s heart softened.

    Since she had retrieved her purse, Edith was not planning to do anything else to the boy or call the police.

    She turned around and halted when I found a man standing a few feet away from her with his arms crossed over his chest. Her mouth gaped open when she saw Neil''s cold gaze on her.

    Why.... does it seem like President Mo was unhappy?

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 116 - Scolded

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    The look in Neil''s eyes made Edith grew anxious.

    Sucking in a deep breath, Edith adjusted the straps on her shoulder and walked over to Neil. "President Mo, when did you get here?" As the question escaped her lips, Edith was suddenly worried about what had he seen and how much he had seen.

    "I got here not long ago," Neil said. "From that moment you started to knee that boy on his stomach."

    Her expression froze hearing him mentioning that move. At the thought that Neil had seen everything, Edith started to feel uncomfortable. Suddenly, she did not know where she should put her hands.

    "Are you alright?" Neil approached and gave her a look over. Once he saw that she was without injuries, the frown on his face loosened.

    "I''m alright." A slight smile appeared on her lips at his concern. However, that smile disappeared when Edith met his piercing gaze.

    It seemed that Neil was still unhappy, though Edith did not know what wrong did she do.

    The teenage boy saw that the two were not paying attention to him and was ready to sneak and leave.

    "Where do you think you were going?" Neil shifted his eyes to the teenage boy. "Did I tell you that you can leave?"

    The teenage boy shook his head. "No, sir!" Noticing that the man''s gaze was now on him, the boy took a step back and stumbled before he fell on his butt. "Please. Just let me go. I do not want to go to jail."

    Neil stared at the boy and his eyes narrowed. "I know who you are. You live around the duplex condo. You are the Chu''s couple''s son."

    The boy''s eyes widened and he started to panic. He scrambled to get to Neil''s side and started to plead. "Please don''t tell my parents. My father would kill me! Please. I will do anything you ask."

    Edith watched the boy and was surprised to know that they were living in the same condo.

    Since the boy''s family lived in the same condo, then his family should be quite rich. Then why would he steal from someone poor like her?

    Suddenly, Edith was curious about the boy.

    "Scram!" Neil said to the boy. "Don''t let me see you again."

    The boy shuffled to stand up and ran off. As the boy was no longer within their sight, Neil turned his attention back to Edith. His eyes narrowed dangerously at her, making her heartbeat accelerated in panic.

    Subconsciously, Edith took a step back.

    "Didn''t I tell you not to put yourself in danger?" His expression darkened as he spoke. "That kid was holding a weapon. This time, you can see clearly that it was a knife, not some pen. What if you got yourself injured?"

    Her eyes widened as she stared at Neil.

    She was scolded by the person she liked. The feeling was not that great.

    Neil thought back about how she had moved swiftly to disarm the weapon from the boy and took down the boy. Although he admitted that her movements were very skillful, Neil could not help but worry that something might go wrong and Edith might get herself hurt.

    His heart almost jumped out when he saw the way the boy swung his knife around. The boy was anxious and a lot of bad things could happen when one was not thinking straight.

    "I''m sorry," Edith lowered her head. Her mouth opened as she wanted to give her an excuse, but at the last minute, Edith thought that it was better if she did not explain her decision.

    All she wanted was to get back her purse. But, somehow, she had the feeling that Neil would continue to scold her if she said those words.

    Neil took a deep breath as he watched the woman in front of him. She had her head down, with an aggrieved look on her face. Suddenly, Neil was regretting that he had scolded her fiercely.

    He stretched his hand and stopped himself before he was able to touch her.

    He retracted his hand before Edith noticed it and cleared his throat. "Just¡­ don''t do that kind of thing again. Even if you run into trouble, don''t do anything as dangerous as that."

    A deep frown appeared on his face as he recalled what he had almost done. Just now, he was thinking of pulling her into his arms to comfort her. But fortunately, he was able to snap out of his trance.

    Edith finally raised her head to look at him when she heard his tone has softened.

    "I know that you can take care of yourself well, but I don''t want you to get hurt."

    Her heart skipped a beat and Edith tried her best to control her breathing. The discomfort she felt when he had scolded her suddenly disappeared and was replaced with a wonderful feeling.

    A surge of happiness came to her at the thought that Neil had been so fierce to scold her because he was worried that she would hurt herself.

    As expected, her Iceblock Mo was definitely not that cold.

    "I know," Edith nodded obediently. "I won''t put myself in danger again."

    Neil grew uncomfortable as Edith stared at him with her bright eyes. He quickly looked away and spoke again, "Let''s just go home."

    "Oh." Edith took a step as Neil turned around and suddenly, a sharp pain stabbed around her left ankle. A low groan escaped her and Neil turned to her with concern.

    "What''s wrong?" He noticed her strange pose and his gaze moved to her legs.

    "I think I sprained my ankle."

    The frown returned to his face and Neil crouched down to check at her injury, surprising Edith.

    Neil stood up again and looked at her with concern. "Can you walk?"

    Edith tried to move her feet. Although it was painful, it was still bearable. "I can."

    He looked at the way she hobbled and knew that he could not trust her words. After a brief consideration, Neil turned around and crouched down again. He looked over his shoulder and commanded, "Hop on."

    "Ah?" Edith stared at Neil''s broad shoulders and thought that she had misheard things.

    Perhaps her lust had overcome her that she had started to imagine things. There was no way...

    "Don''t make me repeat myself."

    Neil''s gaze made her realize that she was not imagining things. He really wanted her to climb on his back and gave her a piggyback ride!

    Suddenly, Edith found herself unable to move. She was very shy, ah!

    "President Mo, it''s alright. Don''t trouble yourself. I can still walk."

    Neil grew angry at her words. He turned to her with a cold look in his eyes. "Teacher Qian, don''t be stubborn."

    Edith hesitated for a few seconds and gathered her courage to stepped forward.

    Just as Neil thought that Edith will continue to be stubborn, he felt something soft pressed against his back. Then, a pair of soft arms wrapped around his shoulders.

    Neil swallowed as his mind drifted towards the softness.. He took a deep breath and stood up steadily, giving Edith a piggyback ride.

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 117 - Piggyback Ride

    Heat crept up to Edith''s face as their bodies were sticking close to each other. Because he has been running to catch up with her, Edith could smell the scent of his body wash mixed with his sweat as she leaned close to him. This scent was very pleasing.

    Slowly, she retracted her arms that were put around his shoulder and moved back to create a small distance between them as she thought that the pose was rather inappropriate. She did not want to get accused of taking advantage of him.

    "What are you doing?" Neil turned his head slightly. "Do you want more injury than a sprained ankle? Hold on tight. Don''t blame me if you fall."

    "Oh!" His stern tone turned her obedient. Her arms returned to wrap around his broad shoulder, holding on to his body tight.

    A slight smile curled on his lips when he felt her soft body pressed on his back. However, that smile quickly disappeared and a deep frown replaced his expression as Neil caught himself thinking inappropriately.

    It was not as if he did not notice the way he would sometimes think of this woman.

    Ever since that kiss and confession, his gaze would subconsciously trail after her, wanting to know what she was up to and wanting her gaze to continue to look at him.

    After all, she did say that she liked him.

    When he realized his thought, Neil was shocked. He did not know what was going on with him, or why was he having such thoughts. He was annoyed with himself and had wanted to keep his distance. But the woman kept on appearing beside him and Neil started to think that Edith was an interesting person.

    It was as if that kiss and confession had awakened something inside of him. After that night, he had started to view Edith more than just his niece''s teacher and caretaker.

    "President Mo, are you sure this is alright?" Edith spoke after they have walked a few distances away. "I am¡­ quite heavy, right?"

    Neil adjusted the person behind him and stood straight. "You are quite heavy. But I can still manage."

    His answer caused her to lower her head again. This time in anger.

    President Mo! You should never agree with me. Even though I''m heavy, you should say that I''m very light! This was why you are still single!

    Of course, Edith only dared to scold him in her heart and not say those words out loud.

    At this time, the man was still carrying her and Edith was afraid that if she said something that would upset him, this man might drop her off due to anger.

    The silence between them was slowly driving Edith crazy and uncomfortable. She can act shamelessly at a time, but now that she was sticking closely at Neil like this, the shamelessness disappeared and turned to shyness.

    She was still a young, innocent girl and she wanted to be reserve around the man she liked. She had to at least protect her image, right?

    However, being too close until she was able to feel his body temperature and smelling his scent was slowly turning her head dizzy.

    "President Mo, it is quite farther to get back to your place," Edith spoke as the silence became unbearable. "Why don''t you put me down? I can walk very slowly."

    Neil sneered. "Are you saying that I''m too weak?"

    His tone scared her and Edith lowered her gaze again. "I didn''t say that."

    "Then don''t ask me to put you down."

    "Oh." Edith nodded.

    As they walked along, they finally reached an area where people were walking around. A few passersby turned their heads at them and started whispering as they hid their smiles.

    Edith tilted her head down to hid her face. "President Mo?"

    Neil shivered slightly when he heard her whisper into his ears. Because she was trying to hide her face, at the crook of his neck, Neil could feel her slow and steady breath against his neck and ear. The spot started to grow itchy, but he had no way to scratch them as he was still carrying someone.

    "What?"

    His voice grew heavier, but Edith thought that it was only because he was tired after carrying her for a certain distance.

    "People are watching. You¡­ aren''t you embarrassed?"

    Neil snickered. "Why? Are you embarrassed?"

    He did not think that someone brave enough to kiss and confess at him would be embarrassed to be carried on a piggyback ride in front of others.

    "I''m not," Edith spoke quickly. "I am only worried about you. After all, you are President Mo. What if people saw us and started to spread some gossips about you. I¡­ I would feel guilty about it."

    "I don''t know them and they probably did not know I am. Why would I be embarrassed by what strangers thought about me?" Neil said. "Teacher Qian, if I let what others thought about me influence me in what I do, do you think I can still be in my position?"

    "President Mo, you are," Edith paused as she searched for a proper word, "a very nice person."

    A chuckle escaped him. "So you should know not to call me Iceblock Mo again."

    Hearing that nickname turned Edith speechless.

    This man was too petty!

    "Teacher Qian, please don''t talk too much."

    Her voice was so close to his ears. The fact that Edith was talking in a soft, almost whispering voice was not helping in his condition. Neil thought that his body was starting to heat up. The spot on his neck, his ear, and on his back was getting itchier. He was losing his concentration.

    Edith pouted slightly and chose to be obedient.

    The silence between them continued and the passersby saw that a tall man was giving his girlfriend a piggyback ride and thought that this scene was quite pleasing. The two were not talking, but it gave them a sense of harmony.

    They were getting near to the convenience store when a thought crossed Edith''s mind. "President Mo!"

    "Teacher Qian, didn''t I tell you not to stay quiet?"

    "I know. But President Mo, we need to make a quick stop."

    Neil frowned with a slight annoyance that the woman chose to continue and torture him. "What is it?"

    "We need to revisit the store. We cannot go back empty-handed. After all, your mother is still waiting for her sanitary pad."

    Neil halted when he heard her words. "What happened to the one you bought earlier?"

    "The plastic bag fell when that boy snatched my purse. I was busy chasing after him and had not a chance to pick them up," Edith said. Her eyes scanned the area and found that the things that were originally scattered on the sidewalk were no longer there. Someone must have picked them up and take them away.. "I think they got stolen as well."

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 118 - Who Said President Mo Is Cold?

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    When the two reached home, Sophie was shocked to see that Edith was limping with her son supporting her with his body. Although she had set up the two to go on for a night walk, Sophie was not expecting them to run into trouble.

    Seeing that Edith''s ankle had started to swell, Sophie was guilt-ridden. She quickly found some ointment and had instructed her son to help to rub the ointment on the swelling.

    By this time, Sophie was too anxious to think of a plan to bring them closer.

    It was only when Edith had returned to the bedroom to rest did Sophie felt a bit relieved.

    Fortunately, it was the weekend and Edith did not have to go to kindergarten. As for her French class, Edith can only text her teacher to take a day off and have a proper rest.

    Anyway, even if she wanted to leave, Sophie had convinced her to stay home. Seeing the guilt on the elder woman''s face, Edith''s heart grew soft and she immediately agreed to stay at home and rest.

    As she returned to her room, Edith slammed her body on the mattress and rolled around to stare at the ceiling. The room was silent as Edith continued to be in the same position for a long time.

    Suddenly, she raised her arms and bent them slightly, pretending that she was holding on to something.

    "It was around this wide," Edith muttered to herself.

    Her head was imagining the way she had wrapped her arms around Neil''s shoulders when he was giving her a piggyback ride and her lips curled into a silly smile.

    It seemed as if she could still feel his temperature around seeping into her skin, warming her body.

    Her face turned red with shyness. Edith covered her face with both hands and rolled around the bed as if this would help her to forget everything that happened that night.

    She had a stroke of bad luck, running into a thief, but she had gained something good from that.

    It was the first time someone had given her a piggyback ride. Although she was slightly embarrassed when the passersby stared at them, Edith could not deny that she was enjoying the situation.

    There was a tinge of pink on her cheek and a goofy smile on her face.

    The sky was dark at night, and inside the room, Edith was acting like a lovesick fool.

    Just then, her phone rang beside her. Edith rolled around to reach for her phone and the smile on her face stretched up when she saw the caller ID. She swiped her finger on the screen and pressed the phone to her ear.

    "Oh, you haven''t sleep yet. This is good," Lily spoke as soon as the phone was connected. "Are you coming to my place after class tomorrow? I''m thinking of making spicy boiled fish and a few other dishes. Right, what do you want to eat? Say it. For once I will accept your request."

    "Lily, I am not coming to your place tomorrow."

    "Ah? Why not?"

    "I am not going to class tomorrow. Something happened just now and my left ankle is swollen. I have to stay home and rest."

    "What happened?" Lily started to panic upon hearing that her friend was injured. "Are you alright? Wait. That doesn''t seem right. Your tone¡­ why do I feel like you are happy?"

    "Un. Lily, you are right. I am happy."

    Hearing Edith''s laughter on the other line, Lily Zhao was confused. Edith had told her that her ankle is swollen, but why does she sound so happy about it? Has she gone insane from pain?

    "Edith, what happened to you? Tell me properly."

    Edith giggled happily, confusing her friend. The giggle stopped abruptly and Edith sat up with excitement. "Lily! I almost forgot. I need your help."

    Noticing that Edith''s tone had turned serious, the frown on Lily''s face disappeared as well. "What is it? You know that I will do anything I can for you."

    "Lily, help me to think of a plan to confess."

    "What kind of confession are we talking about? Did you do something bad and you need to confess your wrongdoings to your grandpa?" Lily laughed it off.

    "No," her voice trailed off with a hint of sweetness. "If we''re talking about a confession, of course, it''s going to be a love confession."

    Lily froze when she heard her friend''s words. She had thought that she had probably misheard things, but Edith''s silly laugh convinced her that she was not imagining things.

    A cursing word escaped Lily. "A love confession? Who are you going to confess to?"

    "Take a guess."

    Lily started to think of the men around Edith. A few faces popped up in her mind, but Lily thought that Edith couldn''t confess to those men. Another face appeared in her mind and suddenly the phone went dead.

    Edith stared at her phone in confusion. Just as she was thinking of returning the call, Lily had a video called her instead. With a brief hesitation, Edith picked up the call.

    "You and President Mo?" Lily stared at her friend in surprise. "You are going to confess to her? Damn, Edith, you better tell me what is going on right now, or else, you will suffer when I see you at the kindergarten this Monday."

    Facing Lily''s threat, Edith decided to reveal a little bit of what was going on.

    "I was not expecting this," Lily finally spoke after a long silence. A few cursing words came out of her mouth as she was still in disbelief.

    She used to joke around that Edith should try falling for President Mo as they were living together. But Lily was not expecting that Edith would fall for that man for real.

    "Didn''t you say you were not going to fall for someone as cold as President Mo? Lily teased. "What happened to that."

    "Who said President Mo is cold?" Edith raised a brow. "That person was probably exaggerating. Lily, after being around him for a short time, that man isn''t as cold as you thought. This iceblock can actually be very warm."

    Lily saw Edith''s love-struck expression on the phone screen and started to shiver. She was not expecting that her friend would like President Mo this much just after spending a short time together.

    "I can help you with planning your confession," Lily said. "But what are you going to do if he did not share the same feeling like you?"

    "What else can I do? If he did not like me, of course, I will choose to cut him off my feelings and move on." Edith shrugged.

    Lily heaved a sigh, thinking that her friend could be cruel to herself to cut off her feeling just like that.

    "But before that happened, I need to tell him my feelings," Edith continued. "There were a few more weeks before this living arrangement ended.. Before this period ended, I wanted to give him a confession. Lily, you will help me , right?"

    Read novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 119 - Neils Thought

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    With enough rest and gentle care, the swelling on her ankle reduced a lot. Although Sophie was still worried about her ankle, Edith had convinced the old lady that she would be fine and thus was allowed to go to kindergarten.

    Anyway, the school break will start next week and Edith wanted to spend a little more time with her students.

    The moment she arrived at the kindergarten, Lily appeared and pulled her aside.

    "Alright, you have a lot to explain to me, young lady." Lily crossed her arms on her chest and slanted her eyes.

    Edith looked at her friend who was giving her a threatening gaze and suddenly did not know whether she should laugh or cry. "What''s there to explain? Didn''t I tell you everything?"

    "No. You only chose to explain what you want to explain and skip a whole lot of details. I''m here now, so don''t think about escaping. Edith Qian, you better tell me what did¡ª"

    Lily''s words were left unfinished as Edith had placed a finger on her lips. She followed her friend''s gaze and saw that two kids were staring at them curiously. The little girl beside them had an anxious look on her face. It was as if Hazel was worried that her favorite teacher was bullied.

    Seeing that Hazel might misunderstand her action, Lily took a step back and a gentle smile suddenly curled on her lips.

    However, Hazel was still anxious. The look on her face was silently asking whether her Teacher Qian had done something wrong.

    Lily touched her nose, wishing that she was not that fierce in front of the kids just now. However, she was a little bit too excited after hearing that her good friend''s plan to confess to someone.

    After announcing that she was going to confess, Edith seemed to avoid her calls and ignoring her messages. Lily had no other choice but to find her friend the first thing in the morning.

    "Don''t mind them," Alex, tugged at Hazel''s hand softly, making her turn to him. "The two of them are sometimes like that. But they are not quarreling."

    Lily shot a grateful look at her son.

    "Sometimes, adults talked like this," Alex continued. He put his hands on Hazel''s and gave it a soft tug. "Let''s go inside the class first."

    Hazel looked at the boy with uncertainty. "Are you sure?"

    "Un." Alex nodded. "Rest assured. I won''t lie to you."

    Anyway, he had known Auntie Edith ever since he was a baby and had grown up watching their relationship. There were at times when the two would talk loud and would seem as if they were getting into a fight, but his mother had assured him that sometimes, best friends would talk like this.

    They were close enough that they would not mind each other''s critique, scolding, or honest words.

    His mother was someone who adored Auntie Edith. Where would his mother dare to do anything harmful to her good friend?

    Edith saw that Hazel was still hesitant and knew that the little girl was genuinely worried for her.

    "Hazel, Alex, you two go in and help me to wipe the wipe the tables and chairs, can you do that?" Edith said.

    The little girl considered for a while and nodded. "I know. I will do my best to wipe cleanly."

    Once the two kids disappeared into the building, Lily turned to her friend and the interrogation began.

    ¡­

    MH Headquarters

    The phone on his desk buzzed and Neil shifted his gaze from the documents in his hand. Once he saw the name on the screen, Neil swiftly tapped his finger on the screen to read the message.

    His expression softened when he received news from Driver Tang that both Edith and Hazel arrived at the kindergarten safely. Though he could see that Edith was no longer wobbling as she walked, Neil was still worried that her ankle would still hurt.

    His mother had volunteered to call her friend, Headmistress Fu, and take a few days off for Edith to let her rest her ankle. However, the girl had convinced them that her ankle was no longer hurting.

    Neil was worried that Edith was only pretending at home to show everyone that her ankle was fine. After all, the girl can be really stubborn when she wanted to.

    He had no other choice but to ask Driver Tang to look after Edith. It was only when Driver Tang had reported that Edith could walk around just fine that Neil was relieved.

    Assistant Shawn who was in the middle of reporting a few important tasks froze when he saw a slight smile on his boss''s face. This smile was not as scary as the one he had flashed to him not too long ago, but Assistant Shawn was still frightened when he saw this smile.

    "P-President Mo," Assistant Shawn called when he noticed that his boss was staring at the documents in his hand in silence.

    "Hmm?"

    Assistant Shawn had goosebumps as he saw the smile on his boss''s face. He took a deep, shaky breath to calm down and asked, "Is everything alright? Should I continue my report?"

    Neil snapped out of his trance and focused on the documents in his hand. Then, he waved his hand. "No need. I know what to do next."

    The assistant nodded and was about to turn to the door when he heard the President called out his name. "President Mo, is there something else?"

    Neil tapped his fingers on the table and spoke. "I need you to check on Nanny Ann''s condition and see when is she able to return."

    Assistant Shawn nodded before he walked out. As the door shut close, a slight frown appeared on Neil''s face. He was reminded of his conversation with the kindergarten teacher a few nights ago and was suddenly anxious that the time seemed to pass by so quickly.

    He had promised Nanny Ann that she can come back to look after Hazel the moment she was well enough to come back to work. Nanny Ann had promised that she would return after two months.

    Once Nanny Ann returned, then, Edith had to leave. He had no reason to keep her in with him.

    When he first knew Edith, he had thought that she was an honest and serious person. She would often help and advise him with Hazel''s matter. These days, his relationship with his niece had gotten a lot better because of Edith''s help.

    After living together with Edith for a while, Neil realized that there were many sides to her.

    Neil was known to be a man of a few words, but just like Hazel, he became comfortable and turned talkative with Edith.

    Hazel loved having Edith around. Though he did not want to admit it, he too liked having her around. When he thought about her leaving in a few weeks, Neil realized that there was a large part of him that did not want her to leave after the two months contract ended.

    Just that.... what can he do to make her stay?

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 120 - Someone She Liked

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Neil Mo was in the middle of a phone call when his friend, Henry entered his office. Seeing that his friend was in the middle of a discussion, Henry went over to the sofa and played with his phone.

    Through his conversation and tone, Henry immediately guessed that Neil was talking to little Hazel''s caretaker, Nanny Ann.

    Henry was involved in investigating Nanny Ann''s accident and knew that a driver had run over the red light and hit the old lady as she was crossing the road. The driver panicked and run.

    Fortunately, the police were able to track the driver and the driver was taken to justice.

    Because of Nanny Ann''s accident, Neil had to look for a new caretaker for Hazel and that was how Edith Qian came and live with Neil and Hazel. According to their agreement, Edith was supposed to live in to look after Hazel until Nanny Ann was well enough.

    Henry raised a brow when he realized that the two months period was almost over. Soon, Nanny Ann would return and the kindergarten teacher will return to her place in A City.

    Then, the reason his friend was on the phone with Nanny Ann was to inquire about the old lady''s condition.

    Henry stood up and walked over to the table as the phone call ended. He sat down without being invited and looked at his friend. "Nanny Ann is returning to L City soon?"

    Neil heaved a long sigh as if something heavy was weighing in his mind. "Hmm," Neil nodded. He shot Henry an annoyed look and spoke again, "Don''t you know that eavesdropping is not nice?"

    Henry merely chuckled at the question. "Nanny Ann is recovering well and will be able to return soon. You don''t have to worry about Hazel. But," Henry paused and gave his friend a look over. "You don''t look too happy about it."

    "Who said I was not too happy about it?"

    Henry touched the tip of his nose as he watched his grumpy friend. His mood was clearly not good and he still did not want to admit it. For a few seconds, Henry was wondering what was wrong with his friend and what happened to make him this upset.

    "Why are you here?" Neil asked as the silence between them lasted for a few seconds.

    "Of course I''m here to give you my report," Henry said. He pulled out a stack of documents from his bag and placed them on the table. "I have already completed what you asked me to do. Edward Xiao''s family had took left the country and took the flight to Country T last week. As for Edward Xiao¡­ he will be on trial. Once he was proven guilty, they were going to put him in prison for a couple of weeks before someone will bring him out in secret."

    Neil browsed through the documents and his expression grew stern. Although everything was according to plan, Neil was still anxious that something might go wrong. If someone caught Edward Xiao or knew about his plan, he would be in a perilous position.

    "Don''t worry. The person who helped us is definitely trustworthy," Henry tried to convince. He tapped his fingers on the desk twice and stopped. "But are you sure you want to let Edward Xiao join his family in T Country? What if he changed his mind and run away?"

    "He won''t." Neil sneered. "If he tried to run away, he won''t be getting his money. Moreover, someone is already watching his family in T Country. If he decided to go back on our agreement, he and his family will be getting into trouble."

    "Whatever you are planning to do, just be careful," Henry reminded. "A few people are watching your move. Moreover, some high-rank officers were interested in Edward Xiao."

    "Do you know who they are?"

    Henry shook his head. "I don''t dare to investigate further at this point. We need to step carefully if we wanted to figure out what really happened to Adam and his wife. Let''s not beat the grass and startle the snake."

    Neil nodded and the two continued to discuss further into their plan.

    After a lengthy discussion, Henry glanced at his wristwatch and noticed that he had spent longer than he intended.

    "When will your parents return to Z Town?" Henry asked.

    "Tomorrow. My father had a routine check-up at the hospital in the morning. They were planning to return to Z Town if everything is fine with his check-up."

    "They have been staying in L City for a few weeks and I haven''t paid them a visit." Henry heaved a long sigh. Then, he turned to his friend and smiled. "Should I come with you and have dinner at your place?"

    "Suit yourself."

    "Then, don''t forget to tell your mother that I will be coming for dinner."

    Neil composed a short message to his mother and shifted his attention back to his computer.

    "Right. I almost forgot." Henry leaned forward and stared at his friend with his bright eyes. "Neil, can you give me Teacher Qian''s contact number?"

    His fingers paused at the keyboard and the words he wanted to type suddenly disappeared from his mind. Neil turned to his friend and cocked a brow. "Why do you need Teacher Qian''s number? Don''t tell me that you are still thinking of recruiting her to your firm."

    Neil was reminded of the way Edith had taken down an armed teenage boy with only a few swift moves. He could not deny that if Edith quit her job as a kindergarten teacher and worked for Henry, she would do very well as a female bodyguard.

    "Of course not," Henry scoffed.

    Neil released a breath of relief. "Hazel would be upset if you take her teacher away from her."

    Henry clicked his tongue. "I already asked. Miss Qian said she had no interest in a dangerous job like a bodyguard. Her grandfather would not like it."

    There was a slight crease on Neil''s face.

    It seemed that the two were quite close for Edith to discuss her grandfather with Henry. That silly woman had never told him about this matter.

    Neil narrowed his eyes as he stared absentmindedly at the files.

    Henry, of course, was unable to detect his friend''s mood change. He leaned forward and smiled. "Teacher Qian seemed like a nice woman. Therefore, I''m thinking of pursuing her."

    "What?" Neil lifted his head and wonder if he had perhaps misheard things. His ear caught Henry mentioning a few reasons why he should pursue the kindergarten teacher, but his head was tuning out whatever Henry had said.

    "Neil, are you listening to me?"

    Neil snapped out of his trance when Henry rapped his knuckles on the table. "I am," he lied and looked away.

    "Then, what do you think?"

    When he tried to think of his friend and Edith together, Neil felt very uncomfortable.

    "I think you should forget your idea."

    "Why?"

    "It would not work. Teacher Qian will not like you," Neil said.. "She¡­ already has someone she liked."

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 121 - Preparing Hazel

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Although he was a bit hesitant, Neil could only take his friend, Henry back to his house. His family and Henry''s family have known each other for a long time and Sophie was overjoyed when that man told her that he was coming over to have dinner together.

    Of course, once Neil saw that his friend had directly pulled Edith aside to chat, Neil had immediately regretted his decision to bring this friend back home.

    Neil glanced at his friend and Henry''s bright expression showed that he was not going to give up though Neil had told him the kindergarten teacher already have someone she liked.

    Earlier, Henry had casually mentioned some guns, and Edith took the bait and the two has been discussing Edith''s shooting experience.

    This silly woman was amazing. She even knew how to fire a gun!

    Neil was surprised that Edith had knowledge of some guns, but with her grandfather''s profession as police, it doesn''t seem strange that the woman would know a few things.

    Anyway, Edith had bragged that she had learned some Judo and had the ability to take him down. What else wouldn''t she know what to do?

    Although Neil admired Edith''s knowledge, his eyes narrowed as he watched the two people chatting amiably like they were old friends, ignoring him at the side.

    He did not think that his friend would be so sly to think of a topic that would steal Edith''s attention away. This silly woman was so happy chatting with his friend that she did not even turn to him once.

    And she still dared to say that she liked him.

    As he continued to watch them, Neil felt something heavy pressing his chest. Feeling a bit suffocated, Neil then went upstairs and hid in his office. He glanced at the bottle of liquor on his table and poured himself some drink.

    The liquid went down his throat and Neil felt slightly better. He slumped into his swiveled chair and rubbed his head. Once he was able to think things clearly, Neil started to wonder what was going on with him.

    He shouldn''t feel upset, but he could not help to feel that way.

    Suddenly, someone knocked on his door, and a while later, Hazel''s petite figure pushed the door and peeked into the room. "Uncle?"

    Neil sat up straight and smiled when he saw his niece. "Hazel, why are you here?"

    "I didn''t see you downstairs, so I came to find you," Hazel spoke. She took a step into the room and paused. "Uncle, why are you sitting in the dark?" Hazel bit at her lips and frowned. "Papa said staying in a dark room can damage your eyes."

    A chuckle escaped him. Neil seemed to remember that his brother, Adam had said the same words to him years ago. Back then, Neil had the habit of studying until late at night, and he would use little light to aid him to read.

    "I know. Your father said the same thing to me," Neil said. He walked over to the door and switched on the light. The light brightened up the room and Neil was able to see the little girl''s face clearly. "Do you want to come inside?"

    Hazel peeked into the room and nodded. Once her uncle moved his body aside, Hazel walked in with her eyes looking everywhere in the room. It was the first time that she had stepped into the room and Hazel was amazed to see the number of books on the shelf. Her eyes wandered around and finally stopped at a familiar photograph on the shelf.

    It was a picture of her late parents with her uncle. In this picture, her mother was dressed beautifully in white and her father was dressed neatly in a black tuxedo. Her parents were smiling happily and her uncle, Neil, stood rigidly at the side.

    Neil followed her gaze and his expression softened. "Have you seen this picture before?"

    "Un." Hazel nodded. "Mama showed me an album. Mama said she wore this white dress on her wedding day. At this time, I was in my mama''s belly."

    "You''re right." Neil smiled as he recalled the way Adam had anxiously find him to announce that he was going to marry his childhood sweetheart and that he was going to be a father.

    Adam was the most happiest and excited.

    Neil looked away and his gaze stopped at the glass of liquor on his table. He thought of the reason why he had come upstairs to hide and frowned. He walked over to the sofa and sat down. Then, he patted at the empty seat beside him and called. "Hazel, come here. I have something to discuss with you."

    The little girl obediently followed her uncle''s instruction and sat down with her legs dangling down.

    "Nanny Ann called me today," Neil spoke after a brief silence between them.

    Neil had given this matter a long thought after a conversation with Nanny Ann earlier that day. Neil was aware that Hazel was really close to Edith and has been relying on her kindergarten teacher for a lot of things.

    As Edith was going to leave, Neil wanted to let Hazel be prepared that soon, she might only see her kindergarten teacher only when she was at school.

    The little girl stared at her uncle with her eyes brightened with excitement. She has not seen her caretaker for months and was missing her. "How is Nanny Ann? Uncle, did she tell you when is she coming back?"

    "Nanny Ann is well. She told me that she will return to L City in a few weeks and come back to look after you when I was at work," Neil told her. He stared at his niece and spoke again. "Hazel, you remember that Teacher Qian will be living with us to look after you because Nanny Ann was unable to do so, right?"

    "Un, I remember." Hazel nodded. A few seconds later, there was a change in her expression as Hazel figured out something from her uncle''s words. "Uncle, does it mean that when Nanny Ann returned, Teacher Qian will leave?"

    Neil lowered his head and answered her with a low hum. "I explained to you about this matter before Teacher Qian came and live with us, didn''t I? Teacher Qian will only live with us and help me to look after you while Nanny Ann is away. In a few weeks, Nanny Ann will return. Since Nanny Ann will be around to look after you, Teacher Qian doesn''t have any reason to stay here."

    The little girl stared at her uncle with her mouth slightly opened. It seemed as if she wanted to say something, but nothing came out of her mouth.

    Hazel could still remember that her uncle had explained that Teacher Qian will come and live with them for two months. She remembered how excited she was knowing that her teacher had agreed to live with them. But, Hazel had not thought that the two months would be ending soon.

    Suddenly, Hazel was at loss. She wanted Nanny Ann to return. The old lady has been taking care of her when she was still a baby.

    But at the same time, Hazel could not imagine what it would be not to have her teacher around the house anymore. She has gotten used to having her teacher with her all the time. It would be strange if her teacher was no longer around.

    "Uncle," Hazel finally spoke up after a long silence. "Can we ask Teacher Qian to stay? I like having her around very much.. I did not want her to go."

    Read novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 122 - Sour Food Is Good For You

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    "What are the two of you up to?" Sophie asked as she watched her son walked down the stairs with Hazel. "Were you not planning to come down if I did not call you for dinner?"

    Sophie has been watching her son ever since he had bought Henry back.

    In the beginning, Sophie was a little upset that Henry has been stealing the kindergarten teacher''s attention. But then, she began to notice the change in her son''s expression. Sophie was happier as she watched the ugly look on her son''s expression.

    Her son was drinking vinegar and he does not seem to realize it.

    When Neil walked upstairs and chose to stay in his office, Sophie almost could not hide her laughter.

    Fortunately, there were guests and Sophie did not want to explain things to them.

    A while later, Hazel, who had just finished her homework walked into the living room and found that her uncle was absent. Thinking of his pitiful son, Sophie then sent her granddaughter to check on Neil.

    She did not expect that Hazel would stay in Neil''s office for a long time and only walked out when Sophie called them for dinner.

    "Uncle and I were talking," Hazel said.

    "Oh?" Sophie raised a brow. "What did you talk about?"

    Hazel glanced at her uncle and smiled. "Grandmother, I cannot tell you. It''s a secret."

    Sophie gave a gentle pinch at her granddaughter''s cheeks. "My Hazel have a secret? You really could not share them with me?"

    The little girl frowned slightly. "Grandmother, please don''t ask. This is a secret between my uncle and me."

    Sophie momentarily froze as she saw the serious look on her granddaughter''s face. She finally smiled and nodded. "Alright. Grandmother would not ask you anymore."

    Although Sophie was curious to know what was their secret, she decided not to probe into it. Anyway, it was not easy for her son to get close with the little girl. Since they were now sharing a secret, doesn''t that means that Hazel was starting to trust Neil a little bit more?

    "Alright, let''s go and eat before the food gets cold," Sophie announced.

    The three of them walked into the dining area just in time as Edith was helping to serve the side dishes on the table.

    With Henry Wu''s presence at the dining table, the atmosphere was livelier. The man was talkative and was good with his words. In no time, Sophie and Lucas were both chatting with Henry happily.

    Sophie''s lips tilted up into a slight smile as she watched the way her son was eating his meal in silence. Although Neil was someone who did not talk too much, as a mother, how can Sophie not notice the slight change in his mood?

    At the thought that Neil''s mood was affected by Henry''s presence, Sophie then continued to pick up some dishes into Neil''s bowl.

    "Eat a little bit more," Sophie smiled. "I spent hours in the kitchen to cook for you."

    A slight frown appeared on his face as Neil stared at the slice of fish in his bowl. "Mom, why do you keep on putting this fish in my bowl?"

    "What''s wrong?" Sophie blinked. "The hot and sour fish is delicious. Eating a little bit of sour food once in a while is good for your body."

    Neil narrowed her eyes at her mother, wondering if she was up to something. However, Neil was unable to detect anything from his mother''s expression.

    "Mrs. Mo, Mr. Mo, Neil told me that you were going back to Z Town tomorrow after the checkup," Henry spoke. "Why don''t you stay in L City a while longer? My parents will be coming to the city soon. They would love to meet you."

    "We can''t. It''s not good to live in the house for too long," Lucas said. "Besides, you know that with my condition, it isn''t good for me to stay in the city for too long." Lucas heaved a long sigh.

    Although he too wished that he could stay in the city and help his son to manage the company, his doctor had advised him to continue and recuperate where he will be able to breathe in clean and fresh air every day.

    Fortunately, Z Town was not too far from L City and he could still bear going back and forth once in a while.

    "Grandfather, grandmother, you are going to leave tomorrow?" Hazel asked. She shifted her gaze at the two with her wide eyes, as if asking them not to leave too soon.

    Just then, her uncle had explained that her teacher will soon leave their house and she will not be able to see her as much as she liked to. And now, she heard that her grandparents were leaving to return to Z Town the next morning.

    Hazel thought that everything was too sudden. Hearing that people were leaving made her sad.

    Hearing the little girl''s unhappy tone, Henry was silently regretting that he had brought up an unhappy subject. Just a while ago, the atmosphere was lively, but with his one question, Hazel was upset and the lively atmosphere had disappeared.

    Seeing the pitiful look on their granddaughter''s face, both Sophie and Lucas''s heart softened. If they were given a choice, they would want to stay and accompany their only granddaughter, but the little girl did not want to live farther and Lucas''s condition was not that great after his surgery.

    "You are not going to stay longer with me?" Hazel asked again.

    "Don''t be sad," Lucas tried to coax. "We can still see each other soon. We can still call you every day, right?"

    "Right." Sophie nodded. "Hazel, didn''t Teacher Qian said that your school break will begin next week? Why don''t you ask your uncle to take a few days off and visit grandmother and grandfather in Z Town instead? I can accompany you to play around at the beach."

    "It will only be a few days before your school break start, right?" Lucas continued to coax. He then turned to his son and coughed. "Neil, you should take a few days off and take Hazel to Z Town to play. The air is better in the countryside and it will be good for Hazel."

    The little girl heard her grandfather''s words and turned to her uncle. "Can we visit grandmother and grandfather in Z Town during my school break?"

    "Of course we can," Neil nodded. "Let''s visit Z Town and play around for a few days."

    Hazel''s expression brightened up upon hearing her uncle''s words. "Then, can Teacher Qian come along?"

    Suddenly, everyone''s attention was on Edith.

    Feeling everyone''s gaze on her, Edith found herself in an awkward position.

    "Right. Teacher Qian, I have almost forgotten that you are from Z Town," Sophie said. "This time, you should come along as well and take this chance to visit your grandfather."

    "Teacher Qian, you should come along with me. Last time, you said you were going to take me on a picnic when we come to the beach again," Hazel spoke excitedly.. "You cannot go back on your words."

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 123 - Her Worrisome Uncle

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Edith and Hazel both returned to the house and found that the atmosphere around the house has turned quiet after Grandfather and Grandmother Mo returned to Z Town.

    The two elders have been staying with them for a couple of weeks to stay around to accompany their granddaughter and finally decided to return to Z Town after Lucas Mo''s cleared his check-up with the hospital.

    Edith looked around the silent house and her gaze finally stopped at Hazel. Her lips tilted up into a helpless smile when she saw the sad look on Hazel''s face. Edith patted the little girl on her hair and spoke, "We will see your grandmother and grandfather again next week."

    "I know." Hazel nodded. Though she understood that she will be seeing her family again soon, Hazel could not stop the unhappiness she felt. Moreover¡­

    Hazel lifted her head and sneakily glanced at her teacher.

    A few days after her school break ended, Teacher Qiao will no longer be living with them.

    Last night, her uncle explained that her contract has almost reached the end and that would mean that Teacher Qian will no longer be living with them. Hearing the news made her sad. She liked having her teacher around the house.

    Teacher Qian had taught her a lot of things they have never learned at school. She would play with her, read for her, and helped her with her homework. Most important of all was that she felt safe whenever Teacher Qian was around.

    It would be difficult to imagine how it was going to be waking up in the morning and not seeing her teacher''s figure during breakfast.

    Little Hazel clenched her hand to calm down.

    Fortunately, her uncle had promised that he will think of something to make her teacher with them. The only thing she has to do was to be obedient and wait for the result.

    It was just that¡­ with the way her uncle interacting with people, little Hazel have almost no confidence that her uncle will be able to convince Teacher Qian to stay.

    Just a few days ago, Hazel had heard the way her grandmother was complaining to her grandfather that her uncle was not good at talking to girls.

    Hazel was reminded of the way her uncle had avoided being closer to her before this and thought that there was a little truth in her grandmother''s words.

    Her uncle would often stand aside to watch her. The look on his face was a little fiercer than it was now. Back then, she would be scared of her uncle and chose to hide behind her mother whenever her uncle came to visit them.

    It was not until recently that their relationship has gotten a lot better. If she did not take the initiative to talk to her uncle, perhaps they won''t be talking as much as they were now.

    Hazel heaved a long sigh as she thought of her worrisome uncle.

    "Are you unhappy?" Edith asked when she saw the little girl has been quiet for some time.

    "A little bit," Hazel admitted. Her head hung low in low spirit.

    "Hmm," Edith tapped her finger on her chin as if thinking something. "Then, how about we do something else to distract your mind? We will be visiting your grandparents in Z Town next week. Then, how about we made something for your grandparents as souvenirs?"

    Hazel lifted her head and finally looked at her teacher with interest.

    "Last time, when you made scrambled eggs for your grandparents, they were very happy, right?"

    "Un." Hazel nodded.

    "Then, what about baking some cookies or cakes for them?" Edith suggested. "They haven''t had the chance to taste your homemade cookies and cakes when they were staying with us, right? I''m sure they would be happy with the surprise. Especially knowing that they were made by you."

    Hazel thought of her grandparents'' happy expression the last time she made scrambled eggs. "Teacher Qian, will you help me?"

    ¡­

    Neil was expecting that the peaceful and quiet atmosphere would return now that his parents had gone back to Z Town. However, Neil could hear the lively atmosphere inside the house. It was as if his parents had not left his house at all.

    The delicious smell of food wafted into the air and the chattering and laughing voice came from the kitchen.

    Neil took off his jacket and placed it on the sofa. Then, he followed the sounds and smell into the kitchen, where Hazel and Edith were.

    The little girl had a serious expression on her face as she pressed the cookie cutter on the dough. Slowly, she picked up the dough and arranged them on the tray.

    After a while, pretty looking butter cookies were arranged on the tray.

    "Tired?" Edith asked when she saw the frown on the little girl''s face.

    Hazel shook her head. "Not tired. I can do it."

    "Alright. Tell me if you''re tired. Don''t push yourself too hard," Edith said. "I will put the cookies in the oven and bake them. Tomorrow after school, we will decorate them with colorful icings."

    Hazel tried to imagine how the bunny cookies would look like after they were decorated and was suddenly excited.

    Edith watched as the little girl pushed a few strands of hair off her face and laughed when some of the flour dirtied the little girl''s face. She turned around to reach for the tissue and paused when her eyes met with Neil.

    "You''re home."

    Neil replied with a soft hum. Edith''s simple words, ''You''re home'' caused something warm to spread on his heart. He walked over to the kitchen and peeked at the cookie dough on the tray.

    "Uncle, don''t they look cute?" Hazel asked.

    "Un. It''s cute. Just like Hazel." Neil patted the little girl on her hair and watched as she continued to do her task with a serious look on her face.

    "President Mo, dinner will be served shortly. You should go upstairs and get changed first," Edith spoke.

    Neil glanced at the stove where the soup was put into a simmer. "It''s fine. I will stay around and accompany Hazel for a while."

    Edith watched as Neil slid into the chair beside Hazel. "Then, you accompany Hazel while I go and prepare the dishes."

    Once her teacher had left to prepare the vegetables, Hazel put town the cookie cutter and peeked at her teacher. Then she inched closer to her uncle and whispered. "Uncle, have you think of something yet?"

    Neil cocked his head to a side with a puzzled expression. "What are you talking about?"

    The little girl peeked at her teacher again. "Didn''t you say you were going to ask Teacher Qian to stay?" Hazel whispered.

    Neil was momentarily stunned by his niece''s question. "Not yet."

    Even if he had figured out how he was going to ask, this was not something that he could share with Hazel. Wasn''t it too embarrassing to confide about this matter to a small girl like Hazel?

    The little girl''s face scrunched up into a frown. "Uncle, do you need my help?"

    Neil stared at his niece with an amused expression. "How are you going to help me?"

    "I''m cute and adorable. If I asked nicely, then Teacher Qian will not able to resist, right?"

    Neil laughed at her words. "Thank you for your offer. But I am fine." Neil pondered for a while and continued. "How about this.... If I am unable to convince Teacher Qian to stay, then I will ask for your help, alright?"

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 124 - Mike Qians Lies

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    "Grandpa, you finally know to return my phone call," Edith complained as soon as the phone call was connected. She has been trying to reach her grandpa for a few days to tell him that she was coming back to Z Town during the school break, but the old man was out of reach.

    Mike Qian cleared his throat. "Sorry, I just came back from¡ª"

    "I know. You went fishing again," Edith said before her grandpa could finish his words. "Where did you go this time? I wasn''t able to reach you for days."

    "You know how it is when I was on the sea. There is no signal at all," Mike Qian said. "Don''t worry too much. I am safe and sound."

    "How can I not worry about you. The sea is too unpredictable and dangerous. Grandpa, if something happened to you I will have no one left."

    Suddenly, there was a long uncomfortable silence between them. His heart grew soft as Mike was not expecting that his granddaughter would suddenly say something like that.

    Of course, Mike understood her granddaughter''s worry. After Edith''s mother passed away, there were only two of them. Edith relied on him a lot and they were very close. If he was no longer around, then his granddaughter will be truly alone.

    "Alright, I know. I''m sorry," Mike tried to coax his granddaughter. "I was wrong. Of course, you can worry about me. I am happy that you are worried about me." Mike Qian coughed a few times and spoke again. "Alright, why did you call me? Is there anything urgent?"

    Edith heaved a long sigh when her grandfather tried to change the subject.

    Back then, her grandfather was always busy juggling his time between his work as well as looking after her. He did not have enough time to manage himself or do anything that he liked.

    Although she would always worry whenever her grandfather went to the sea, Edith knew well that she did not want to stop her grandfather from doing something that he really liked.

    "Grandpa, the school break will start next week. I am coming back to Z Town this weekend."

    "You''re coming back?" There was a hint of surprise in Mike''s voice. "This weekend?"

    "Un. Grandpa, I miss you. You will be at home right?"

    The grandfather and granddaughter chatted for a while and Mike finally promised that he will not be going to the sea when Edith came back to Z Town.

    The phone call ended and Edith went back to the table where her friend, Lily was waiting for her along with Hazel and Alex.

    After the school session ended, Lily had asked her out for a cup of coffee. After texting her boss that she will be out for a while, Edith took Hazel and the four walked around the mall and finally decided to stop at a cafe.

    "Finished with your call?" Lily asked as Edith slid into the seat beside Hazel. "Did your grandpa went fishing again?"

    Edith rolled her eyes. "What else? I have to remind him not to go out on the sea every time I was going to return home."

    Lily laughed upon seeing her friend''s expression. "I really did not expect that Grandpa would be this addicted to fishing after his retirement." She turned to the two children at the table and noted that they both had finished their meal. "Alright. Let''s go." She looked at Edith and asked, "Do you need me to send you back to your place?"

    "It''s alright," Edith declined. "Driver Tang will come over to pick us up."

    Lily stared at her friend as if she was thinking of something. She inched closer to Edith and whispered. "How is it going with your plan? Have you decided when you were going to carry out your plan?"

    Edith glanced worriedly at Hazel. A breath of relief escaped her once she saw that the little girl was listening to Alex, chattering about some Gundam model.

    "Of course I will say it on the last day of my contract," Edith blinked her eyes innocently. "That way, even if I got rejected in the end, I can avoid that person and not see him again until I was able to calm down."

    "When did you became a coward?"

    Edith clicked her tongue. "I just want to save myself from being embarrassed!"

    The two friends argued for a while before Lily''s husband called to say that he was waiting for her at the entrance. After saying their goodbyes, Edith brought Hazel along for a walk around the mall and the little girl continued to hold on to her hands tightly.

    Edith halted as they were walking past a store. She stood outside and stared into the window display for a while.

    "Teacher Qian, are we going in?" Hazel shook at her teacher''s hand when she noticed that they have been standing in front of the store for a while.

    Just as Edith was about to answer, the shop attendant appeared at the door with a polite smile. "Miss, come in. You can have a look around first and see if you can find anything you like."

    Edith glanced at the fishing equipment in display and decided to walk in and take a look around as she still had a few minutes before Driver Tang was going to pick them up.

    "Miss, tell me what you were looking for. I can help you to find it," the shop attendant spoke when he noticed that Edith has been looking around.

    "I''m not sure what am I looking for," Edith flashed an apologetic smile to the man. "My grandfather loved fishing and I was thinking of finding something as a present. But I''m not sure what he liked or what type of fishing rod he usually uses."

    "Hmm," the shop attendant looked around as if thinking of something. "If you''re looking for something as a gift, I would suggest our T-shirts." He pointed at the row of apparel behind him. "Or, you can gift him a tackle box. They are very suitable as a gift."

    Edith followed the man''s gaze and peered at the box. There were plenty of small compartments and fish lure and hook inside.

    "There are over three hundred accessories inside. I''m sure that your grandfather would love this gift."

    Edith peeked at the price and thought that they were within her budget. After discussing with the shop attendant for a while, Edith asked the shop attendant to wrap it up.

    As they waited, Edith and Hazel sat around at the counter and looked into the glass rack where there were a lot of pictures of fishes and equipment.

    Hazel stared at the picture and was excited upon seeing the size of the fishes. They were almost as big as those fishes she had seen in the aquarium!

    They were looking around when a picture of the fishes caught her eyes. Swiftly, Edith took out her phone and browsed through her past messages with her grandfather. Her hand paused upon noticing that the picture was the same.

    "Excuse me," Edith called the shop attendant and smiled. "But, where did you get the photo of this fish?"

    The shop attendant craned his neck to look at the photo. "This one?" His lips curled into a smile when he recognized the photo. "I recognized this one. This photo was from that famous fishing blog." He took out his phone, tapped his fingers on the screen, and showed the blog to Edith.

    At the banner was a photo of a young man, posing with his biggest fish. The man blogged about his experience in fishing. As Edith browsed through the blog, she started to recognize that there were a few photos of the same fishes that her grandfather had sent to her not too long ago.

    She had always known that her grandfather was not good at fishing. But at this moment, Edith could not understand why did her grandfather took some photos from a blog and send it to her, claiming that they were fishes that he had caught.. She could not understand why her grandfather wanted to lie to her.

    Read novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 125 - Absent-Minded

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    After they left the fishing equipment store, Edith walked towards the entrance to meet up with Driver Tang with her mind occupied with her grandfather.

    Her grandfather would not be that silly to save pictures of someone else''s catch just to show her that he can fish right? She was not going to scold him even if he could not catch anything from his fishing trip.

    Edith could not stop thinking why her grandfather would do something so pointless to download a few pictures from a blog and send those photos to her just to tell her that he was having a good time.

    But what if her grandfather sent those photos just to provide them as evidence?

    As the thought crossed her mind, Edith suddenly wondered if her grandfather really went out to the sea to fish as he had said.

    But¡­ if he was not going fishing with Grandpa Bei and Uncle Li, then what was her grandfather up to?

    Edith snapped out of her trance when the little girl beside her gave a small tug on her hand. She looked at Hazel and saw the excited look on Hazel''s face.

    "Teacher Qian, my uncle is here." Hazel continued to shake her hands and turned her head in another direction. The girl seemed like she was going to run towards the other side, but was afraid of letting loose of their hands.

    Edith finally followed Hazel''s gaze and was surprised to see that Neil was waiting for them at the vehicle instead of Driver Tang. She walked over with Hazel and looked at him inquiringly. "President Mo! Why are you here? What about Driver Tang?"

    "I heard from Driver Tang that you and Hazel stopped by at the mall. Since I have a meeting somewhere near, it would be better if we head home together," Neil said. He cocked his head and asked, "Why are you looking distracted?"

    Edith flashed a smile and shook her head. "It''s nothing. I just had something in my mind."

    Neil stared at her for a while longer and finally looked away when he saw that she was alright. Neil turned to Hazel and patted at her hair softly. "Did you have fun?"

    "Un." Hazel nodded. "I ate a strawberry shortcake earlier. It was delicious. Uncle, are you here to pick us up?"

    Neil replied with a soft hum. "Didn''t you say that you like it when I come to pick you up? I especially come to pick you up because you liked it."

    Little Hazel giggled happily. "Un. I like it."

    Seeing the little girl''s cute face made him smiled. "Then let''s go home." He led them towards his SUV and helped Hazel to get into the car. His gaze stopped at the paper bag in Edith''s hand and Neil raised a brow. "You bought something?"

    "Just a little something for my grandfather," Edith said.

    Neil stared at the bag and took note of the logo on it.

    The three of them boarded the vehicle and Neil drove off. Edith took out her phone and texted her friend, Aaron to check on her grandfather. A breath of relief escaped her when Aaron informed her that her grandfather had indeed just come back from his fishing trip with his father early that morning.

    Everything was just as what her grandfather had told her.

    Perhaps, she was just thinking too much.

    Her grandfather was a proud person and only downloaded those photos because he did not want to be embarrassed in front of his granddaughter.

    The vehicle stopped and Edith snapped out of her thought. She looked out the window and was surprised to see that they were not at home. Suddenly, the door swung open and Edith stared at Neil with a dazed expression.

    "Where are we?"

    A lopsided smile curved on his lips. "Teacher Qian, you have been absent-minded for the whole time. I think you won''t even realize it if you were kidnapped and taken somewhere."

    Edith lowered her head seemingly embarrassed. It was true that she was thinking too much about her grandfather that she had not noticed that Neil had taken a different route and headed elsewhere instead.

    "Come on, we''re having dinner here," Neil said. He shifted his body to let the woman step out.

    "Why are we having dinner outside?" Edith glanced at the wristwatch. "It''s still early. It won''t be too late if we head home. I can whip something up real quick."

    "Looking at the dazed expression on your face, I am worried that you might accidentally burn down my kitchen."

    Edith froze for a few seconds.

    In the beginning, Neil Mo was someone who would prefer not to say much. He would only open his mouth to speak to her regarding Hazel or any important matters. Now that President Mo would spare a few more words to talk to her, Edith thought that this man would sometimes say things that would make her speechless.

    This man could be mean with his words. For a moment, Edith wondered how was it possible for her to like someone like him.

    Her eyes turned to stare at him again and Edith recalled that initially, it was his good look that blinded her.

    "I am not that careless," Edith muttered, but her voice was still clear enough for Neil to hear.

    "I am not willing to take the chance."

    Her eyes flickered at him and Edith shot him an angry look. She then started to imagine what would it feel like to pinch his face to vent her anger. Fortunately, he was her boss and she could not afford to offend him.

    Moreover¡­ she still wanted to make a good impression before she was going to confess to him. If she offended him now, there was a huge chance that he was going to reject her brutally.

    A blush of pink appeared on her cheek as she thought of that impending confession.

    Just then, an image flashed into her brain and Edith could see herself pinching his cheeks, stretching his face, and forcing his lips to curl into a smile. The image in her head seemed so real that she could almost feel the way his cheek would feel in her hands. It felt as if she had once done these things...

    Damn!

    Suddenly, Edith was scared of her imagination. Obediently, she slid out of the vehicle and helped Hazel to get off. Her gaze lowered as she was afraid of looking into Neil''s.

    Seeing the excited look on Hazel''s face, Edith followed her gaze and realized that they were standing in front of an Italian restaurant.

    The memories of their last visit to the fancy restaurant came to her mind and Edith was worried about the prices of food in this place.

    It looked like she won''t be able to have her dinner in peace. Later, she will have to sneakily enter the kitchen at midnight and whip something quick to eat.

    Fortunately, she had bought a few cups of instant noodles previously.

    Her expression brightened up slightly at the thought of food waiting for her back home.

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 126 - Continuing The Contract?

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    "Why do you suddenly wanted to eat Italian food?" Edith asked as she looked around the surroundings. Her voice was soft, almost like a whisper, but Neil could still hear them.

    "Teacher Qian, you have indeed been very absent-minded today," Neil looked at the woman in front of him and smiled. "Earlier, Hazel mentioned that she would like to eat pizza. This is why we came here. The pizza in this restaurant is the best in town.

    Edith turned to the little girl beside her, as if asking her if it was true.

    "Teacher Qian, did you not hear what I said in the car?" Hazel tilted her head and stared back at her with an adorable look on her face.

    "Sorry. I have something on my mind earlier and I did not hear what you say." Edith gathered the little girl in her embrace and gave a kiss on Hazel''s cheek, causing the little girl to giggle.

    "What are you thinking about?" Hazel asked.

    "I was worried about my grandpa. He went fishing a while ago and had just returned today."

    Neil listened to their conversation and recalled the bag that Edith had carried with her earlier. He immediately guessed that Edith''s grandfather was a fan of fishing and took note of the old man''s hobby.

    The food arrived a while later and Neil watched as Edith helped Hazel with her food before she ate her portion. Seeing the way the two girls were having fun while eating their pizza brought a smile to his face.

    Neil was aware of how much his niece had adored and loved the kindergarten teacher. Suddenly, he could imagine that Hazel would return being the quiet girl once the contract was up and Edith left their place.

    As if noticed that someone was watching her, Edith raised her head and her gaze met with Neil''s. Seeing that the man was staring at her, Edith suddenly panicked.

    "W-what''s wrong? President Mo, why are you looking at me like that?" Edith grabbed a napkin and wiped at the corner of her mouth. "Something at my face?" She turned to Hazel and checked with the little girl.

    "I am just making sure that you are eating properly," Neil spoke and shifted his gaze away. "I worry that you would hold yourself from eating and chose to eat instant noodles in the middle of the night."

    Her lips twitched upon hearing his remark. "Don''t worry. Today I am planning to eat to my heart content."

    "Hmm¡­ please do," Neil spoke languidly. "You can order more if it was not enough for you. Don''t worry about the price. This place is not as expensive as the private kitchen we visited previously."

    "Then, I won''t hold back." She gritted her teeth, picked up another slice of pizza, and took a big bite on it as she was imagining biting the man in front of her.

    "Remember to eat slowly. Don''t choke on your food."

    Just as Neil finished saying that, Edith felt something stuck on her throat and started to cough. A glass of water appeared in front of her and Edith looked up to see Neil''s worried gaze.

    "What did I just tell you?" Neil frowned. He watched Edith drank half of the water and calmed down when he saw that she was alright.

    Edith stared at the man in irritation. She would be fine if he did not mention choking on food. Wasn''t he the reason she got her food stuck in the windpipe?

    Meanwhile, Hazel gave a disapproving look at her uncle and shook her head slowly when she saw the way her uncle had made her teacher upset. She did not fully understand what the two were talking about, but seeing her teacher grew upset was not a good thing.

    He had told her that he was going convince her teacher to stay with them after their two months period ended, but with the way her teacher was looking at her uncle right now, Hazel was sure that her teacher would reject her uncle''s request if he had brought up the matter.

    Hazel seemed to recall her father tried to coax her mother with a big bouquet of roses. When she had asked him about the flower, her father had told her that he had made her mother upset. Her father then said that a good man should not make a woman upset.

    Since her uncle had made her teacher upset and did not try to coax her, doesn''t that make her uncle a bad guy?

    As the thought came to her mind, Hazel started to worry again.

    It seemed that she will need to talk to her uncle and advise him on how to talk to a girl.

    ¡­

    The three of them went back home after dinner.

    Seeing that Hazel was tired after accompanying her to the mall, Edith went to help the little girl to get ready for bed. She stayed around with Hazel and read her a book to sleep.

    When the little girl had settled, Edith walked out of the room and closed the door behind her softly. Then, she walked downstairs to fetch herself a glass of water.

    Neil Mo was sitting at the bar counter as she entered the kitchen. He lifted his head and smiled as he watched Edith walked in.

    "Don''t worry. I am not here to eat instant noodles."

    Neil chuckled upon hearing her snarky words. He had seen the amount of food she had eaten at the restaurant and knew that she would be too full to eat anything else. He watched as she poured herself a glass of water and waited until she had finished drinking.

    "Teacher Qian," Neil called when he saw that she was about to leave. He saw that she was still a bit angry at him and smiled. "Stay around for a little while." The smile on his face gradually disappeared and his expression looked more serious. "I have something to discuss with you."

    Sensing the change in his mood, Edith was suddenly worried. The annoyance she had suddenly disappeared. "What is it?"

    "About our agreement," Neil paused to study her expression. "Previously, it was agreed that you were going to stay here to look after Hazel for two months until Nanny Ann was well enough."

    Edith replied with a soft hum.

    "I was thinking... Would you consider continuing this contract to look after Hazel?"

    Edith stared at the man in surprise. "What about Nanny Ann? Is she not returning?"

    "Nanny Ann will return to look after Hazel," Neil said. "But Nanny Ann will only look after Hazel after the school hour until the time I returned home from work. However, I am still worried about Hazel. Especially after that incident a few weeks ago."

    Edith immediately knew that Neil was talking about the incident where Hazel was almost kidnapped by that man.

    "Teacher Qian, I have seen the way you interacted with Hazel. My niece trusted you.. Right now, the girl was still traumatized and would not dare to walk around without you by her side. Could you consider staying around until Hazel is a lot better?"

    Read novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 127 - Returning To Z Town

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    The image of a woman leaning back on her seat with her eyes closed appeared as Neil glanced at the rear mirror. The little girl leaned in her embrace and she too seemingly in a deep sleep.

    His gaze softened as he looked at the scene. However, his expression changed again as he recalled their conversation a few days ago.

    Neil Mo had brought up the matter about extending their contract. He wanted Edith to stay around and Hazel had agreed with his decision. Neil had thought that if he had brought up Hazel''s trauma after the incident, Edith was going to agree right away.

    Moreover, Neil had thought that since she liked him, the silly woman would not hesitate to agree.

    To be around someone you like was a great thing. Why would anyone reject that?

    But the answer he got from her that night was not what he had expected. Instead of agreeing, Edith had told him that she was going to think about his proposal first.

    His initial intention when he mentioned Hazel''s trauma was to trip her into agreeing, but when he saw the hesitant look on her face, Neil then agreed to give her some time to think.

    He had already given her the chance to stay with him, but the woman wanted to continue being silly and did not want to accept his generosity. Didn''t she say she liked him? Why was she not following the script then?

    Wasn''t the reason he wanted Edith to stay was because he liked her and wanted her to always be around? Why didn''t she have the same thinking?

    He liked her?

    Neil was shocked as the thought came to his mind. His heartbeat increased and the hand on the steering wheel tightened. His mind was suddenly in chaos and Neil did not know what he should think. He swiftly snapped out of his thought and concentrated on his driving.

    A few minutes passed and Neil continued to steal a few glances at Edith through the rear mirror. Some times later, the little girl stirred from her sleep.

    The little girl sat up slowly and peeked at her teacher''s expression. Once she was sure that her teacher was in a deep sleep, Hazel turned her head and met her uncle''s gaze through the rear mirror. After a brief hesitation, she unbuckled her seat belt and went closer to her uncle.

    Neil''s expression darkened as he saw what Hazel not on her seat belt. "What are you doing? Go back and put your seat belt on. It''s dangerous."

    "Just for a while. I have something to say to you."

    The little girl blinked her eyes adorably and Neil found that he was weak against it. "Be quick."

    "Uncle," Hazel called in a low voice. She positioned herself between the two seats and held on tightly at the back of the chair. "Have you talked to Teacher Qian about that matter?"

    Neil looked at the road and nodded. "I have."

    "Then, what did she say?"

    "She said she was going to think about it."

    The little girl lowered her head as she was thinking of something. "Uncle, do you need my help?"

    Neil chuckled at the little girl''s offer.

    He had considered asking Hazel for her help but thought that he would only let the little girl use her charm as the last resort. "Well, there is more than a week before it ended. I still have time. I will ask for your help if she still disagrees, alright?"

    "Oh," Hazel nodded.

    "Now get back to your seat and put on your safety belt."

    Hazel turned around, paused, and looked at her uncle again. "Uncle, I have another matter to tell you."

    "What is it?"

    "Uncle, when you talk to Teacher Qian, could you not say something that would upset her?" Hazel said.

    "What?" Neil was surprised upon hearing the little girl''s words. When did he do or say something that would upset her?

    "Daddy said it is not good to make a woman upset. And if you accidentally made her upset, you have to coax her immediately or you will get into trouble," Hazel said. "Uncle, if you continue to make Teacher Qian upset, what should we do if she hates you?"

    Neil turned his head quickly to the little girl before he concentrated on the road again. A deep chuckle reverberated as he processed the words that Hazel had told him. "Alright. I won''t make her upset."

    "Un." Hazel nodded. "Don''t forget to coax her or you will get into trouble."

    "Alright. I know." He watched the little girl went back to her seat and put on her seat belt. A helpless smile appeared on his lips as he thought of how the little girl was giving him advice.

    ¡­

    Edith woke up as they were nearing Z Town. She looked out the window and was greeted by the familiar scene of the blue sea. Her eyes sparkled with excitement. Edith turned to the little girl beside her and saw that she too was enjoying the scenery.

    "Is it pretty?"

    "Un." Hazel nodded enthusiastically. "Teacher Qian, we can go and play by the sea again, right?"

    "Of course we can." Edith pinched at the little girl''s cheek lightly. "I promised that we are going camping this time."

    Hazel tilted her head. "In my grandparent''s backyard?"

    Edith laughed. "No. I know a good place for camping. Later, I will take you and your uncle there, alright?"

    Neil watched the girls'' interaction and smiled. He looked at the road again and coughed to get their attention. "Teacher Qian, is this the right way to your grandfather''s place?"

    Edith looked out the window and started giving Neil''s the direction to her grandfather''s place.

    A few minutes the vehicle parked outside Mike Qian''s house. Edith hopped off the SUV and looked at the house. The door was locked. It was obvious that her grandfather was not at home at this time.

    Her eyes narrowed at the thought that her grandfather had gone out to fish or was hanging out at Old Chen''s noodle stall at this time.

    "It doesn''t look like there is anyone at home," Neil said.

    Edith heaved a sigh. "My grandfather should go out to hang out with his friends. He will be back soon."

    "Then, how will you get in?"

    "I have the keys. Don''t worry." She grabbed her luggage and turned to Neil. "President Mo, you should go back first. I will see you again tomorrow."

    Neil frowned in displeasure. It seemed to him as if this silly woman wanted to chase him out now that she had arrived at her grandfather''s place.

    "No. I will wait for you. I should at least greet your grandfather. After all, you have been staying with us to look over Hazel."

    Her eyes went wide upon hearing his idea. "President Mo, how about I introduce him to you next time?"

    Neil stared at her with a scrutinizing gaze. "You did not want me to meet your grandfather?"

    Edith coughed and rubbed her nose. "Actually, my grandfather did not know that I am living with you." She shifted her gaze anxiously. "He thought that I am living alone in my apartment in A City. It would not be good for both of us if he knew that his granddaughter was living together with a man."

    His eyes narrowed dangerously. "You did not tell your grandfather?"

    "The contract was for two months and I thought it did not matter if I did not tell him," Edith said. "Anyway, I worry that he will hack both of us to death if he knew. No matter what was my reason to live with you, I am still a single lady."

    There was a long silence between them and Neil heaved a long sigh. "Alright. I get it. I will meet your grandfather another time. I won''t mention anything about living together."

    Edith flashed him a grateful smile. "Thank you."

    "You should go and get inside," Neil said as he passed her luggage.

    Just as he turned around, an elder man stood not far away from them.. The elder man watched them with a scrutinizing gaze and finally, his eyes stopped at his granddaughter. "Edith? Did you just arrive?"

    Read novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 128 - Hostility

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    The deep baritone voice frightened her so much that she almost wanted to hideaway. Turning around, Edith saw her grandfather''s silhouette a few steps away from them.

    Their gaze met and Mike Qian walked over to his granddaughter with a stern look on his face.

    At this moment, Edith thought that she was going to faint from too much excitement. The look on her grandfather''s face was so scary.

    She was aware that her grandfather was not at home when she saw that the door was locked. For the first time, Edith was not mad that her grandfather was not at home to greet her.

    After all, this time, she had gone back to Z Town with Neil and Hazel. Knowing her grandfather''s suspicious nature that won''t lose to the ancient time''s emperor, Edith was naturally scared that her grandfather might figure out something. Her grandfather knew her so well that it was hard for her to lie to him.

    Edith was afraid that under her grandfather''s pressuring gaze, she was going to confess her crime voluntarily and faced her punishment.

    She had thought that she could ask Neil to leave before her grandfather came, but it looked like the universe was against her. What she did not want to happen, happened. Her grandfather had shown up before Neil was able to leave the scene.

    "Grandfather!" Edith flashed him a smile. "Where did you come from? Old Chen''s noodle stall?"

    Mike did not reply to his granddaughter and instead watched the young man in front of him with wary. "Who are you?" Mike gave the man a look over and turned to his granddaughter. "Did this man disturb you?"

    Sensing her grandfather''s hostility, Edith went into a panic mode.

    "Grandfather, no. He''s not disturbing me." Edith swiftly stood between the two men, intending to block Neil from her grandfather''s gaze. "Grandfather, this is Neil Mo. You have met him before."

    "Hello, Mr. Qian," Neil greeted respectfully.

    Mike turned to his granddaughter and frowned.

    "Old Chen''s noodle stall the last time I came back, remember?" Edith tried to jog through her grandfather''s memory. "He is the guardian of one of my students. The last time I traveled home, the bus broke down and Mr. Mo was generous enough to give me a lift. He heard that I was heading back to town and gave me a ride."

    Mike narrowed his eyes and continued to scrutinize the man. He seemed to remember meeting a family of his granddaughter''s student at Old Chen''s stall a few months ago, but he was not sure that the man in front of him was the same person.

    Before Mike was able to get into his interrogating mode, the window of Neil''s SUV rolled down and Hazel''s adorable face appeared. "Hello. Great Grandfather, are you Teacher Qian''s grandfather?"

    Mike was surprised at the sudden appearance of the little girl, but soon, his gaze softened. "Little girl, did you just call me great grandfather?"

    Hazel nodded. "Un. You are Teacher Qian''s grandfather, right? Then, isn''t it right for me to address you as a great grandfather?"

    Mike thought over the girl''s words and laughed. "Little girl, you are right. You should address me as ''great grandfather''. What is your name?"

    "My name is Hazel Mo. I am a student of Teacher Qian. Great grandfather, what is your name?"

    Hearing the little girl''s chatter brought a smile to his face. "My name is Mike Qian. Your teacher''s grandfather." He turned to Neil again and this time, the hostility from earlier had dissipated. "Little girl, is this your father?"

    "Great grandfather, you are wrong. This is my uncle," Hazel answered.

    Hazel''s words triggered something in Mike''s mind and he instantly recalled the conversation he had with an adorable girl at Old Chen''s noodle stall a few months ago.

    Back then, his granddaughter had mentioned that the little girl''s parents passed away in an accident and her uncle was now her guardian. The two of them should be the same people he had seen at the stall.

    Mike looked at the little girl again and this time, his expression towards both Hazel and Neil has become gentler. "Sorry about earlier," Mike said to Neil. "I thought a rogue was hitting on my granddaughter." A heartily laugh escaped him as soon as he finished his words. He let out a dry cough and smiled. "I should be thanking you since you have given my granddaughter a lift home. Mister Mo, little girl, why don''t you come inside?"

    "It''s alright," Neil declined. "Hazel and I still have to return to my parents'' place."

    "It turns out that Mr. Mo is also from Z Town."

    "My parents were staying in the west part of the town."

    Mike looked at Neil''s expensive SUV and finally able to connect a few dots in his mind. "Then, next time. Mr. Mo, thank you for sending my granddaughter home."

    After bidding them goodbye, the grandfather and granddaughter watched as the SUV left the area and turned to look at each other.

    "That little girl was the one whose parents passed away recently?" Mike Qian asked.

    Edith replied with a soft hum. She glanced at her grandfather and went closer to sniff at his clothing.

    "What are you trying to do?" Mike was alarmed at his granddaughter''s strange behavior.

    "Just checking if you really went fishing this morning." Edith patted at her grandfather''s shoulder and smiled. "Fortunately, there is no smell of the sea on you."

    Mike Qian chuckled at his granddaughter''s words.

    If he really went fishing with his friends, he would change his clothes and get rid of the evidence. But of course, he was not going to tell his granddaughter these words and put himself in trouble.

    Turning around, Mike watched as Edith carried her luggage and entered the house.

    "Why are you with your student''s family?" Mike asked. He turned on the fan and sat down on the sofa.

    "They knew that I am from Z Town," Edith said. "My relationship with Hazel, that little girl is pretty good and I often look after her knowing that she is an orphan. Her uncle was grateful for my help and offered a ride."

    Mike nodded. He had thought that it was strange for his granddaughter to hitch a ride from her student''s family. However, his suspicion gradually disappeared upon hearing his granddaughter''s explanation. "It''s good that you are treating the little girl nicely. It is always hard for a small child to suddenly lose their parents."

    "Un. I know. Grandpa, I have promised that little girl that I will take her around the town and take her camping at the beach during this break."

    "Go ahead. The little girl has lived in the city for too long.. It''s great if you could show her around and have fun in this town."

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 129 - Nagging Feeling

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Edith returned to her room after catching up with her grandfather to rest. Her lips tilted into a slight smile as her gaze swept around the room where she had grown up.

    Everything stayed the same as the last time she had left them. Knowing that she was going to return home, her grandfather had cleaned up the room leaving no speck of dust lying around.

    She dropped her luggage beside the wardrobe and slammed her body on the bed. The smell of fresh and clean linen entered her nose as she rolled around the bed. After a while, Edith finally stopped. She let out a long sigh and stared at the ceiling above.

    Her grandfather told her to take a nap after traveling in a car for hours, but she had taken a nap in the car and was not feeling sleepy at all.

    Usually, she was not someone who would fall asleep while traveling in a car. However, recently, Edith was having a problem sleeping and could not fight the sleepiness upon entering the car.

    It was all due to Neil''s proposal to extend the contract. Because of Hazel''s trauma after experiencing the almost kidnapping, the little girl was scared of going out without Edith or Neil beside her. The little girl was worried if neither of them was with her, someone was going to snatch her away and she won''t be seeing her family again.

    After living with Hazel and spending most of her time with her, they have built a certain trust and the little girl has been relying on her.

    The almost kidnapping incident happened just not too long ago and until Hazel started to forget it or got over her trauma, it would be too cruel for Edith to leave the little girl''s side.

    She understood Neil''s concern and Hazel''s situation. However, his question was too sudden that she thought that she will need some time to consider it. Although Neil''s attitude was driving her crazy recently, just the sight of him would make her heartbeat increased and the butterflies would dance around in her stomach.

    Whether he stood still and do nothing or say something that infuriates her, this man would still drive her crazy.

    It made her wonder if she really liked him very much. Although she had been in a relationship previously, this was the first time someone would make her feel like this.

    A long sigh escaped her as she tried to figure out what she wanted to do.

    She wanted to agree for Hazel''s sake, but at the same time, there were other things that she needed to consider. For example, her feelings towards Neil Mo. She had planned to give him a confession on the final day that she was staying with both Neil and Hazel.

    If she agreed to continue the contract, Edith was afraid that she will not have the courage to tell Neil that she liked him. After all, she needed an escape route just in case if her confession did not go as well as she had planned.

    What if Neil rejected her? Then, she would be too ashamed to face both Neil and Hazel.

    In the end, Edith told Neil that she needed to consider this matter before she can give him her answer. Just that¡­ between her love and concern towards Hazel and her blossoming feeling towards Neil, which one was more important to her?

    ¡­

    Edith walked out of her room and found that her grandfather was not at home. There was only a sticky note on the refrigerator, informing her that he was going out to the market, but Edith knew better. Her grandfather probably went away to look for his friends.

    The sky was going to turn dark in a couple of hours. At this time, there was no way that the market would still be open.

    Seeing that there was still time, Edith grabbed her keys and walked out. Riding on her scooter, she started to ride around the town for sightseeing. After a while, she stopped at Auntie Li''s B&B and parked her scooter outside. Without entering the building, Edith went straight to the beach and sat down to enjoy the scene. After giving it some thought, she pulled out her phone and send a text message.

    It did not take a long time for her friend, Aaron to appear by her side.

    The man pressed the cold bottle of orange juice to her cheek and stepped back immediately as a punch flew towards him.

    "I bought you a drink, is this how you thank me?" Aaron clicked his tongue while eyeing her fist warily. He has been friends with Edith for a long time to know that the woman did not play around when she beat someone.

    "Try to do that again and I''m afraid that I won''t be able to hold back and beat you." Edith raised her fist to threaten him

    "Don''t get mad." Aaron chuckled. He stretched his hand and spoke, "Here. Have something cold to calm down."

    Edith narrowed her eyes dangerously at him. Then, she walked over and took the cold bottle from Aaron. She uncapped the bottle and took a few sips. The sweetness from the juice turned her temper down.

    "You didn''t tell me that you are coming back," Aaron spoke. "If I did not get your message, I wouldn''t know that you are here. How long are you going to stay this time?"

    "A week," Edith answered. "The kindergarten is on a break."

    "Should I go and contact everyone? Let''s have a mini gathering tonight," Aaron suggested.

    "I''m spending my time with my grandfather tonight. Let''s go out and meet up with the others another day," Edith said. She tilted her head and raised a brow. "Speaking of my grandfather, have you check on what I asked you to check?"

    Aaron heaved a long sigh. "I already told you that your grandfather really went on a fishing trip with my father last week. As for the other dates you mentioned, well¡­ I can confirm that he took the boat and head to the sea. Sometimes, he went with my father. Sometimes he goes with Grandpa George. However, what they do while they were on the sea was something that I know nothing about."

    Edith was relieved to know that her grandfather really went to the sea as he had informed her. However, there was a nagging feeling that everything was not that simple.

    The two friends spent their time catching up and Edith left before the sky turned dark. When she arrived, her grandfather was in the kitchen, steaming some fishes.

    "Where did you go to?" Mike asked the moment he saw his granddaughter.

    "Just looking around. It has been a while since I came back." Edith peeked into the pan and noted that her grandfather had stewed some chicken soup as well. "I saw your note," Edith spoke. "Is the market still open at this time?"

    "I didn''t go to the market," Mike confessed. He saw his granddaughter raised a brow at him and chuckled. "I wrote that note the last time you visited and stick it up again. We need to save paper and trees. As long as you know that I went out, that is what matters, right?"

    Edith felt the corner of her lips twitched at her grandfather''s answer. She helped him with the cutlery and went back to the kitchen. "Grandfather, you remember that little girl you saw this morning, right?"

    Mike replied with a light hum. "What about her?"

    "I was thinking..." Edith paused as kept her eyes on her grandfather''s expression. "If you could take us on the boat to experience fishing? You said I should show her around and let her experience things in this town.. Moreover, Grandfather, you always complained that I nagged too much when you go out on the sea. How about bringing me along so that I can see what you do out there?"

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 130 - On Board

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    At this moment, Edith was silently regretting her decision to follow her grandfather to the sea. When she suggested the idea, she did not think that they will have to wake up very early.

    The sky was still dark and the temperature was too cold.

    All she wanted was to continue sleeping on her bed with the warmth of a blanket.

    This was definitely not a good idea.

    Edith closed her eyes and leaned her head on the pole lazily, trying to get some sleep while standing up while waiting for her grandfather and a few of his friends to get ready.

    A bright light suddenly shone over, irritating her. A few cursing words escaped her lips and Edith had the thought to beat the person who was disturbing her sleep to death.

    The lack of sleep has definitely turned her cranky.

    Edith raised a hand to block the light and the light suddenly died. Her eyes narrowed as she turned to where the light came from.

    The sound of a vehicle door open and close could be heard.

    Edith adjusted her vision in the dark and was surprised upon seeing both Neil and Hazel walking over to them.

    "Teacher Qian!" The little girl called out excitedly as she approached. The look on Hazel''s face showed that she wanted to run to Edith''s side, but the little girl still held on to her uncle''s hand tightly.

    Once she was closer, Hazel released her grip from her uncle and held on to her teacher''s hand tightly.

    Edith tilted her head down in a daze and met with Hazel''s excited gaze. The little girl was wearing a thick coat to stay warm.

    The sounds of footsteps approached and Neil Mo''s handsome face appeared before her. For a few seconds, Edith was convinced that she was still asleep on her bed and Neil had appeared in her dream.

    "Teacher Qian, good morning," Neil smiled.

    Hearing his voice snapped her back into reality. It was then that she recalled inviting the uncle and niece to join her to experience deep sea fishing. Edith was prepared that the two were not going to show up, but clearly, she had thought wrong.

    "President Mo, why are you¡­ here?"

    Neil replied with a soft hum. "Didn''t you said your grandfather invited me and Hazel to go fishing?"

    Edith glanced at the adorable girl beside her again. Her brain finally woke up and Edith stood up straight. "President Mo! Good morning!"

    Neil grinned as he watched the silly woman in front of him. He saw the way she was leaning on the lamp pole with her eyes closed earlier. He could see from the look on her face that she was having a hard time waking up.

    How can she sleep while standing up? This woman was indeed a silly woman.

    The temperature in Z Town was slightly hotter than L City, however, this woman was still dressed thickly in her coat.

    "Teacher Qian, good morning!" Little Hazel greeted. Her expression was lively and excited. "I slept early and woke up early today. Teacher Qian, I have never been on a boat to fish. I''m a little excited today."

    Edith laughed at the little girl''s enthusiasm and patted on the little girl''s head. "Are you cold?"

    "Not cold. Grandmother put on a thick coat on me."

    Edith turned around when she heard footsteps behind her. She adjusted her expression quickly and called, "Grandpa."

    "Get ready, we are leaving in a few minutes," Mike spoke to his granddaughter. He raised his head and smiled amiably, meeting Neil''s gaze. "Mr. Mo, good morning."

    "Great grandfather, good morning," Hazel greeted.

    Mike turned to the little girl and his expression turned gentler. "Hello. Little girl, you made it. You are so good at waking up early in the morning." He glanced at his granddaughter and shook his head slightly. "Unlike my granddaughter."

    "Grandpa!" Edith stared back at him, warning him not to talk nonsense in front of the two guests around.

    "Mr. Mo, let''s go. We will depart soon. Let me introduce you to the others," Mike said. A thought crossed his mind and he continued, "Have you been on a boat before? Right. If you started to feel a bit unwell, just tell me. We have medicine to help with seasickness."

    "Thank you." Neil followed after Mike and was introduced to his friends and fishing partners, George Bei and James Li. After a briefing, they all went on board and departed from the jetty.

    The little girl quickly won the grandfathers'' affection with her adorable face. For a while, Edith was speechless upon seeing how the bunch of elder men vying for Hazel''s attention. Every one of them wanted to show that they know more about fishing and the little girl excitedly play along, pleasing the bunch of old people with her compliments and sweet words.

    Edith heaved a sigh as she watched how her grandfather excitedly showed the little girl how to fish.

    Though she did not know much about fishing, she at least knew that her grandfather knew what he was talking about. Looking at his enthusiasm while talking about this hobby, Edith wondered whether she had been thinking too much.

    Perhaps her grandfather was telling her the truth about his fishing trip and was just too embarrassed about the fishes he caught that he decided to send a few photos he found on the internet to assure her that he was doing fine.

    At the thought that her grandfather wanted to do whatever he can to assure her that he was doing fine, Edith let out another sigh.

    "What''s with the sighing?"

    Edith turned towards the direction of the voice and saw Neil with a teasing smile on his face. The man stretched his hand and handed her a hot mug of coffee.

    The smell of coffee woke her up a little bit. Edith grabbed the mug with both hands and felt the temperature warming her hands. "Thank you." She took a few sips and felt the warmth spread through her body.

    "Finally wake up?"

    Edith nodded, but then stopped herself when she caught the man''s playful tone. Sure enough, when she looked at Neil again, the man had a teasing smile on his face.

    Neil let out a chuckle upon seeing her expression. At this time, Edith was wearing a thick coat with a hoodie covering her head. Though the surrounding was still dark, Neil was able to see the tinge of pink on her cheek. It gave off the feeling of wanting to pinch them.

    Edith narrowed her eyes as she stared at the man in anger. Just then, the wind died down and she could feel the boat gradually slowing down.

    "We''re arriving at the location in a few seconds," Uncle Li shouted.

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 131 - Lucky Hazel

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    After more than an hour on the boat, they finally reached the fishing spot. Because the elders were worried that a little girl was tagging along with them this time, they purposely steered the boat slower and did not go as far as they usually go.

    Once they arrived, the three old men immediately chose their spot, before they went to help and teach the newbies.

    The wind and waves were not big and the sky was beginning to turn bright. The weather was perfect for them to go out on the sea and fish.

    Edith wrapped her arms around her body in her attempt to stay warm as she watched her grandfather taught Hazel how to reel the fish. The little girl has been in a good mood ever since she arrived and won the grandpa''s heart almost immediately.

    "Why are you standing around? Didn''t you say you were going to try this?" Mike said as he looked at his granddaughter.

    "Grandpa, I only said I was going to come and watch you in action. I am doing exactly what I said I would do, right?" Edith flashed a cheeky smile and laughed when her grandfather gave her an annoyed look.

    Mike shifted his gaze back at the little girl who sat obediently beside him. The little girl was watching the fishing rod with a serious look on her face. It was as if she was afraid that she would miss one second and the fish would snatch the bait and run away.

    His granddaughter used to be this cute when she was little. When did she grow up to be this annoying?

    "Alright, don''t start arguing lest the two of you would scare the fishes," George Bei spoke.

    As Mike''s closest friend, George has gotten used to watching the grandfather and granddaughter''s bantering. Once they start their bantering, it would be hard to stop them. It was best to stop them before they have gone further.

    "This time your granddaughter is here to observe you," George continued. "Make sure you catch something this time. Don''t embarrass yourself. I am not going to give mine if you failed to catch anything."

    Both George and James started to laugh happily as they watched their friend''s face turned darker.

    "I won''t talk to you guys anymore," Mike looked away. His gaze went to Hazel again and he heaved a soft sigh. "Little princess, don''t listen to them. Today, I will definitely catch something for you. Then, I will let you try my cooking. Although Great-grandpa isn''t very lucky with fishing, I am a very good cook. My granddaughter learned cooking seafood from me."

    Hazel looked at the old man with her round eyes. "Teacher Qian is very good at cooking seafood. Great-grandpa, it turns out that it was you who taught her."

    A strange feeling crept into his heart. "You¡­ tasted my granddaughter''s cooking before?"

    "Un." Hazel nodded. "Teacher Qian''s ginger and garlic crabs is Hazel''s favorite."

    Edith, who was listening to their conversation suddenly panicked. She would be in deep trouble if her grandfather learned that she was now living with both Neil and Hazel.

    "Grandpa! Look at that!" Edith pointed to the fishing rod in her attempt to divert her grandfather''s attention. "It looks like there''s a fish on your hook!"

    Mike forgot what he had wanted to ask the little girl and turned his attention to the fishing rod. His eyes went wide upon seeing a slight movement. He picked up the fishing rod and was excited to feel that something really caught his hook.

    Seeing the man''s mood started to change; everyone''s attention turned to Mike as they all watched as he tried to reel in the fish.

    Seeing the excitement, the old men began to provoke that it would be impossible for Mike to catch anything.

    None of them had caught anything on their fishing rod. It would be impossible for their friend to be the first to catch anything.

    However, soon, their gaze started to change. Mike exerted more strength and a big fish jumped around on the floor. For a while, the situation turned lively.

    Mike was busy looking at the fish he had caught and the little girl beside him clapped and praised that he was the best. Hearing the little girl''s praise, Mike began to laugh happily and glanced at his friends mockingly.

    All this time, he was someone who had very bad luck at fishing. But today, his luck was pretty good. He was the first to have a fish on his hook and he had managed to reel in a fish as big as his arms.

    "Grandpa, you really caught a fish ah?" Edith spoke as she eyed the fish in disbelief.

    Mike clicked his tongue. "I keep telling you that I am pretty good at this, but you would not believe me."

    Seeing that Mike had successfully reeled in a big fish, his friends were envious. George eyed the little girl beside his friend and a thought crossed his mind.

    "Little girl," George called. He waved his hand and smiled amiably. "Come here and sit with grandpa."

    Mike''s instinct kicked in and he held the little girl tightly. "No. Little princess, you stay with Great-grandpa, alright? Don''t go and play with others. They were mocking that we would not catch a thing earlier." He then shot his friend a dagger look. "You are not allowed to steal my lucky charm."

    "This old man," George chuckled. "Why are you so stingy? She''s not even your great-granddaughter."

    "The little princess is my granddaughter''s student, so that makes her my great-granddaughter. What''s wrong with it?" Mike looked at the little girl adoringly and smile. "Little girl, I am telling them the truth, right?"

    Hazel stared at the two old men and blinked. "Great-grandpa, don''t fight. Teacher Qian taught us that friends should not be fighting. Even if you disagree on something, you have to sit down and discuss them properly."

    Mike shot his granddaughter and thought that this situation was pretty funny. Back then, it was this granddaughter who would often get into a fight until the principal had given him a call.

    Of course, Edith did not miss the look on her grandfather''s face. She narrowed her eyes and called Hazel over to her. "Hazel, come and sit with me. Have something to eat first."

    The little girl obediently walked over to her teacher and Edith wrapped her arms around the little girl, to warm her up.

    Mike watched as the little girl walked away and returned to his position. He cleared his throat and spoke to the man beside him. "Mr. Mo, you are really good at educating your niece. Hazel is adorable and obedient."

    "Grandpa, just call me Neil," he said and smile. "It is said that fishing could turn strangers into friends. Since we have spent a few hours on this boat together, let''s not be a stranger to each other."

    Mike thought over his words and found that there was some truth in it.. He laughed happily and called, "Alright, Neil."

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 132 - Mikes Advice

    Mike Qian glanced at the two girls who sat not farther away from them. At this time, Edith was holding the little girl in her arms as they were drinking some hot soup to stay warm.

    A helpless sigh escaped him as he watched how gentle his granddaughter was with the little girl. Edith was someone who liked kids and that was one of the reasons she chose to work as a kindergarten teacher.

    A few seconds later, the look in his eyes changed.

    Mike was reminded of the reason they went on a fishing trip and his heart jumped at the thought of his granddaughter was suspecting something. When Edith had asked to go on this trip, Mike had a feeling that his granddaughter might know something. He had to ask his friends to come and play pretend so that Edith would stop worrying.

    When did his granddaughter become so sharp?

    Fortunately, Mike and his friends were not clueless about fishing. Or else, it would be troublesome for them to pull off this play.

    Sensing someone was watching him, Mike turned around and noticed that the man beside him was watching him.

    Mike found that it was awkward that this man had come along with them on this fishing trip. Although he had such an adorable niece, Mike was aware that he was Neil Mo, the President of MH Group. He had thought that it would be hard for him to hold a proper conversation with such a man, but this young man beside him did not have such high air around him that would make him uncomfortable.

    He had seen how good this young man had treated his niece. At the thought that this man came over to join them on this fishing trip to make his niece happy, Mike had a good impression of this man. Mike knew very well that it was not easy for someone like him to volunteer to look after his niece. Looking at Neil and Hazel would remind him of his granddaughter after his daughter had passed away.

    "I heard from my granddaughter that you were looking after your niece after her parents passed away," Mike spoke as he turned to Neil.

    Neil replied with a soft hum. His gaze was at the fishing rod, but his mind was probably somewhere else.

    "How is the little girl doing?"

    Neil turned to the elderly man and answered, "She''s doing pretty well"

    "She did not throw any tantrum?"

    "In the first few months after her parents passed away, Hazel would not talk to anyone." A soft smile graced his lips as he was reminded of that period. "But, Hazel is a good girl. She did not throw any tantrum or make things hard for us."

    Mike heaved a long sigh. "The little princess is definitely a good girl. Totally the opposite of my granddaughter." He looked at Neil again and realized that the man probably did not know of his granddaughter''s past. "My granddaughter, Edith shared a similar experience as your niece. She too has lost her parents from a very young age."

    "I''ve heard," Neil said. "I guess it was the reason why your granddaughter was able to understand my niece and get along with her well. To tell you the truth, I am someone who had no experience with raising a small kid. It was with Teacher Qian''s help that I was able to get close to Hazel. Your granddaughter has helped us a lot with her advice. If it was not for your granddaughter, Hazel might not turn to be a cheerful girl as she is now."

    A laugh escaped him. Initially, Mike had a feeling that it was strange how his granddaughter seemed very close to this young man. He had seen this young man''s interaction with Edith and thought that they were a bit too familiar.

    Mike lowered his guard down upon knowing that her granddaughter was only helping this man to look after the little girl. "I am glad that my granddaughter helped you."

    There was a brief silence between them until Neil spoke again. "Forgive me for asking, but how was Teacher Qian when she lost her parents?"

    "Edith''s father passed away when she was still in her mother''s belly. Edith perhaps did not have much thought about her late father. But when she lost her mother, she was a bit older than your niece. She was very close to her mother and losing her suddenly was too hard. My granddaughter used to throw tantrums every day to express her anger. She was sad and angry that her mother had suddenly left her." Mike heaved a long sigh. "Raising Edith on my own was tough."

    Neil glanced at the woman who was accompanying his niece and find it hard to imagine how she would throw tantrum.

    "That granddaughter would often get into a fight at school," Mike continued. "I would get a call by the school''s headmaster at least twice in a month because that girl had injured her friend."

    For a second, Neil had thought that they were probably talking about two different people.

    "My Edith used to be a gangster at school," Mike whispered. "Her teacher would still have headaches if anyone mentioned her name."

    Neil stared at the old man''s face and found that the elder man was not joking with him. Suddenly, Neil recalled how Edith had taken down Edward Xiao and that robber.

    So... that was why the silly woman seemed as if she was experienced in fighting.

    "Fortunately, Edith was better as she grew up," Mike said. He raised his hand and gave a pat on Neil''s shoulder. "Young man, your niece might be in her adorable phase at this moment, but I would like to give you a heads-up."

    "A heads-up?"

    Mike nodded. "Things would get harder for you when your niece entered her teenage years. It was around that year when they started to show their temper and entered their rebellious phase."

    Neil blinked as he tried to imagine his niece in her rebellious phase.

    Mike was busy giving his advice to Neil that he did not notice the shadow looming over them. When he finally noticed it, it was too late for him. Turning around, his granddaughter stood behind him with both hands on her waist with a dangerous look on her eyes.

    "What did you two talk about?" Edith asked.

    "Nothing." Mike quickly responded. "I was giving this young man some advice on raising a daughter."

    Edith narrowed her eyes at her grandfather, but quickly pulled herself together when she noticed that Neil was looking at her with a slight smile.

    Under the man''s intent gaze, Edith found that a heat crept up to her face. She let out a cough and handed over a thermos flask and a bag of snacks.

    "Here. Grandpa, President Mo, have something to eat as well."

    Mike stared at the bag of snacks and then back at his granddaughter.

    Fortunately, President Mo was still around and his granddaughter had to drop off her gangster attitude. Or else, Mike was sure that he would get himself into trouble!

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 133 - Sticky Hazel

    The group finally returned after spending around five hours on the sea. When the boat docked on the jetty, Edith found that Hazel was sleeping in her arms.

    Perhaps the little girl was finally exhausted after waking up early in the morning and accompanying the grandpas to fish. Looking at the little girl''s adorable sleeping face, everyone tacitly agreed not to wake her up.

    Edith watched as her grandfather and everyone else hopped off the boat and carried their stuff ashore. Only when she saw that Neil had properly put all his belonging into the boot that she stood up while carrying Hazel in her arms.

    Before she was able to leave the boat, Neil had already stepped forward and stretched his hand to pick his niece from Edith. "Here. Let me hold her." He had only touched the little girl''s hand and Hazel shifted her position and held on to her teacher''s neck tightly. A deep frown appeared on her face as if she was displeased that someone was trying to disturb her sleep.

    Edith laughed at the situation. "President Mo. It''s alright. I will carry her. You go and wait by the car. I''ll carry her there and help you to put her in the car seat."

    Neil glanced at the girl''s sleeping face and quickly agreed.

    However, the moment Edith was about to put her down and entangled the little girl''s arms from her neck, Hazel only held on to her tightly, refusing to move an inch.

    Edith raised her head and looked at Neil with a helpless gaze. "What should we do?" Edith mouthed quietly.

    "Teacher Qian, can I trouble you to stay with Hazel a little longer?" Neil suggested. "I will send you back later."

    "Edith, you go with him." Mike, who was watching the situation suggested. "The little princess is too exhausted. It''s not nice to wake her up now. Just come back home when you have settled everything."

    Neil turned to the old man and shot him a grateful smile. "Grandpa, don''t worry. I will send your granddaughter home right away."

    Mike waved his hand as he watched his granddaughter entered the SUV. Once the vehicle left the area, the expression on his face changed and it looked as if he was in deep thought.

    "How was it?" George Bei spoke as he walked over to his friend. "Edith did not suspect anything, right?"

    "I hope not." The frown on Mike''s face gradually disappeared. He was secretly relieved that his granddaughter had left with Neil and the little girl. Since his granddaughter was no longer around, he did not have to keep on pretending.

    It has been a few days since his granddaughter came back. Though Mike was aching to continue his investigation, he had no way to contact his men. Edith has been keeping her eyes on him and he was unable to escape the girl''s eyes without arousing her suspicion.

    "We have done our best. Let''s hope that she will buy our act," Mike said.

    Though he was able to deceive his granddaughter now, Mike was still pondering what did he do to trigger Edith''s suspicion.

    Mike turned to George again and raised a brow. "Have we heard any news from those guys?"

    "Don''t worry. I have checked on them last night. Those guys were still keeping their eyes on that person," George said. "But, how long will Edith stay this time? Mike, you do know that we cannot stall this investigation for too long. It took us a long time to finally find a lead."

    "Three more days. Edith said she will leave for L City in three more days. In the meantime, we have to continue and be on our guard." Mike turned to James and narrowed his eyes. "You should be careful too. Don''t let your son figure out what we are up to. We all know that the two were close. If Aaron knew what we were up to, he will tell Edith."

    "You don''t have to worry," James said. "My boy and wife knew nothing about what we do. These days, Aaron was too busy with his own investigation that he did not have time to keep his eyes on me."

    ¡­

    The luxurious villa in the west part of the town¡­

    When Neil pulled into the parking spot, the little girl was still holding on to Edith''s neck tightly and refused to let go.

    With difficulties, Edith was able to slide off the vehicle without waking Hazel up.

    "Are you sure you can carry Hazel like this?" A helpless sigh escaped him when he tried to separate his niece from Edith again and failed. Hazel whimpered at the sudden movement and continued to bury her face in Edith''s neck.

    "It''s fine. Just show me where is her bedroom." Edith patted the girl softly on her back to coax her to sleep. "Maybe when she is lying on the bed comfortably, Hazel will let me go."

    Neil frowned as he looked at his niece who was beginning to resemble a koala. At this time, he had no choice but to listen to Edith''s suggestion.

    However, Edith was definitely not ready to run into Sophie the moment she walked into the house. The two women looked at each other in surprise before Sophie snapped out of her trance and smiled.

    "Teacher Qian, why are you here?" Sophie asked. Her gaze went to the little girl in Edith''s embrace and she finally figured out what was going on. A soft gasp escaped her and Sophie walked around to look at her sleeping granddaughter. "She''s sleeping?"

    "Un." Edith nodded. "She should be too exhausted after waking up too early today and play around. She refused to wake up and I have no choice but to come along. Mrs. Mo, pardon my intrusion."

    "No. No. You are not intruding. Teacher Qian, you are always welcome to our house," Sophie said quickly. "Just treat this place like your own house. If you need anything, you can tell me." She glanced at her son and a satisfied smile curled on her lips. "Teacher Qian, how about staying here for lunch. I will ask the auntie to prepare something for you. Right. What do you like to eat?"

    "You don''t need to prepare anything. Mrs. Mo, I will leave after putting Hazel to bed."

    "Ah? You''re leaving so soon?"

    Edith replied with a soft hum. "My grandfather is still waiting for me at home."

    "Then¡­ you go and put Hazel to her room. Let Neil send you back home." Sophie turned around and instructed one of the aunties to lead her to Hazel''s bedroom.

    However, Edith''s attempt to put the little girl on the bed failed as Hazel continued to hold on to her tightly. Edith let out a helpless laugh and tried to coax Hazel to let her go. "Hazel, be obedient. I still need to go back to my place."

    "No. Don''t go," Hazel mumbled. She let out a whimper and did not make any move.

    After failing a few times, Edith resigned to her fate and laid beside Hazel on the bed. She tried to substitute herself with Hazel''s favorite bunny plushy, but Hazel did not care for her bunny.

    When Neil appeared in Hazel''s room, he was surprised to see that Edith was lying down in the bed. His gaze moved to Hazel''s arms and he spoke, "Hazel still would not let you go?"

    Edith replied with a helpless nod.

    "Then, why don''t you stay here for a while?" Neil suggested. "Just until Hazel let you go. I promise that I will send you back home after that."

    Edith pondered over his suggestion and relented. "Alright.. But I will have to inform my grandfather first."

    Read novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 134 - Running Errands

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    "Where is Teacher Qian?" Sophie asked when her son walked down the stairs alone.

    She had already prepared a pot of tea and some snacks and was planning to detain the kindergarten teacher in the house a while longer until lunch hour. It was rare for her son to bring home a girl and Sophie was determined not to let Edith go back home so soon.

    "Hazel won''t let her go," Neil said. "Teacher Qian said she will stay over and come down when Hazel has let her go."

    A slight smile curled on Sophie''s lips before she quickly looked away. "That little girl, just what was she thinking?" Sophie heaved a sigh, pretending that she was complaining about the little girl''s act. "Then, just let Teacher Qian stay a while longer. Alright, I am going to the kitchen to prepare for lunch. Tell me when Teacher Qian is ready to leave."

    ¡­

    Hazel woke up feeling a bit warm. She opened her eyes to a slit and blinked, feeling that her eyes were deceiving her. A few minutes have passed but the scene in front of her did not change. In front of her was her favorite teacher and she was sleeping soundly beside her. Hazel tried to move back and realized that she had her arms around her teacher.

    Slowly, Hazel retracted her arms and continued to stare at the person beside her.

    Her brain whirled as she tried to figure out what was happening and how did her teacher appeared beside her.

    Hazel began to look around and realized that she was back in her bedroom in her grandparents'' house. It was strange. The last thing she remembered was that they were still on the boat.

    She had spent her days watching the grandpas fishing and they have taught her a few things. Hazel seemed to remember that she had helped Teacher Qian''s grandfather to catch two big fishes.

    But, how did she get home and why was Teacher Qian sleeping beside her?

    Hazel moved again and this time, the slight movement made Edith stirred from her sleep.

    The two girls looked at each other and Edith flashed a smile upon noticing the little girl''s confused look. "You''re awake?"

    Hazel nodded slowly. "Teacher Qian, why are you sleeping in my bedroom?"

    "You don''t remember? You fall asleep while we were on our way back. Then, you refused to let me go. I have no other choice but to follow your uncle home and stay with you."

    Hazel recalled how she had fallen asleep in her teacher''s arms while they were on their way back. "Sorry."

    "Don''t apologize." Edith stretched her hand to bop Hazel''s cute nose. "I have fun looking after you." She pulled the little girl closer and planted a kiss on her forehead. Then, Edith reached for her phone on the side table and looked at the time. Her head throbbed a little bit upon noticing that it was past after lunch hour.

    "If you are awake, let''s go downstairs," Edith said. "You should be hungry by now."

    Hazel touched her belly and felt a low rumble. She got out of bed and waited as her teacher went into the bathroom to freshen up.

    Sophie looked up when she heard their footsteps and smiled upon seeing the two head down the stairs holding hands. "Hazel, you''re awake."

    "Grandmother," Hazel called sweetly.

    "You should be hungry." Sophie patted at her granddaughter''s head. Then, she turned to Edith. "Teacher Qian, you should go and have lunch too. It''s late. I will ask Auntie May to prepare something for you to eat."

    Edith declined her invitation for lunch in the beginning but finally relented after Hazel had asked her to stay and accompany her for lunch. She took her chance to look around the luxurious villa and frowned when she did not see Neil.

    It was only after she had finished her lunch did Neil showed up in the kitchen. He had already taken a shower and changed into a clean outfit.

    Fortunately, she had spent a few minutes to freshen up, or else she might look like a disaster in front of the man she fancied.

    Seeing that the person she was waiting for had arrived, Edith did not want to waste more time to leave. After she made a promise with Hazel that they will be going on a camping trip the next day, Edith was finally allowed to leave.

    A few seconds after they have left the luxurious villa, Edith finally thought that it was a bit awkward without Hazel around them. Usually, with Hazel around, Edith would seat in the back with the little girl.

    Now that Haze was not present, Neil had insisted for her to ride shotgun. According to Neil, since he will need her to show the direction to her house, it would be better if she took the front seat.

    But sitting beside Neil made her feel happy and anxious at the same time. Her heart was beating fast as his scent filled the air. Her face grew slightly red and Edith lowered her head as shameful thoughts get into her head.

    These thoughts broke as her phone started to chime.

    Edith glanced at her phone and shivered upon noticing that it was a text message from her grandfather. Just the thought that her grandfather probably knew what was on her mind made her scared.

    The anxiety died down when she read the message. After a brief hesitation, Edith turned to Neil and spoke, "President Mo, can you drop me off at a place? My grandfather asked me to run a few errands for him."

    Neil glanced at the person beside him and nodded.

    She gave him the direction and a few minutes later, Neil pulled over into a parking spot. Edith gave a puzzled look as Neil hopped off the vehicle right after her.

    "What''s wrong? Didn''t you say you are running a few errands for your grandfather?"

    "President Mo, why did you get off as well?"

    "I promised your grandfather that I would send you home. I am not going to leave you here."

    Edith got muddleheaded for a few seconds before she finally responded to him. "Oh."

    Soon, she led him into a small alley and stopped at a small store. An old man greeted them at the entrance and smiled when he saw Edith.

    "Uncle Xiong." Edith greeted the man politely. "My grandfather asked me to come and retrieve something from you."

    The old man shot her a troubled look. "Can you come back in half an hour? It will be done soon."

    Edith looked at the time and glanced at Neil. "President Mo, I still have to wait for a while. If you''re in a hurry you can leave me here. I can get a cab home."

    "It''s fine. I will wait for you."

    "Right, why don''t you go and walk around first?" Uncle Xiong spoke when he heard their conversation. "There''s a new cafe in the main street." Uncle Xiong pointed towards a direction.. "Have a drink or something and come back later."

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 135 - Hes Mine

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    At this time, the cafe was almost empty with only two patrons occupying the seat beside the glass window.

    Edith tilted her head to look at the cup of coffee in her hand while stealing a few glances at the man across from her. The said man had a casual look on his face as he browsed through his phone, while Edith thought that she might die from too much anxiety.

    The situation made her thoughts go wild.

    They have shared a meal a few times, but this would be the first time that they were having a meal outside without Hazel around. Her mind was screaming that this was a date, and Edith wished for her brain to shut up for a while.

    For a few seconds, Edith was regretting her decision to listen to Uncle Xiong''s suggestion to hang around the cafe.

    The surrounding was pretty, the atmosphere was right. The man in front of her was looking as handsome as ever and Edith thought that she probably looked like a sack of potato beside him.

    She did not even have the chance to change her clothes after going on a fishing trip with her grandfather!

    "Why are you not drinking? The coffee isn''t up to your taste?"

    "No," Edith shook her head. "I am just waiting for the coffee to cool down." She hastily raised the cup, took a sip, and flashed him a nervous smile.

    Her expression changed hastily as the man across her suddenly stretched out his hand and touched the corner of her lips. She backed to her chair and blinked. Her gaze fell at the paper towel in his hand and understood what he had done.

    Edith was screaming internally and her heart was beating hard against her ribcage.

    "Have you give a thought about my suggestion?"

    "What?"

    Edith continued to stare at the man in front of her in a daze. Her mind was not functioning properly at the moment, probably because she did not have a good sleep the night before. Then, this man pulled a move on her, throwing her off her guard before he asked the question.

    Seeing that Edith did not answer his question right away, Neil was agitated. The first time he raised this idea to her, Neil was so sure that Edith was going to accept the offer. But looking at her attitude at this moment, Neil was not so sure anymore.

    "I thought about it."

    His grip on his coffee mug tightened a little bit.

    Neil thought of what will happen if Edith was no longer living with them. Surely, he would not be having any problem with Hazel''s arrangement as Nanny Ann will be back to look after her.

    However, the thought that he will no longer have the chance to catch her eating noodles as a midnight snack and tease her until she was rendered speechless made him uncomfortable.

    Just the mere thought of not being able to see her again in his house upset him. He did not realize when was it that he was starting to get used to her presence.

    "But I haven''t made my decision."

    Neil thought that he really wanted to pinch the woman on both cheeks. He was eagerly waiting for her answer, and what he gave her was neither a positive nor a negative answer.

    "Can you tell me what can I do to make you agree?" Neil asked. "What if I give you an increment than the last time? Will you agree?"

    "It''s not about the money," Edith said. "President Mo, I know that you are worried about Hazel. But, there is something that I have to figure out before I can give you the answer. Until I have sorted out this matter, I cannot give you an answer."

    Neil lowered his gaze and nodded. "I understand."

    Perhaps he should really listen to Hazel''s advice and let her deal with the matter.

    His reaction tugged at her heart and Edith was tempted to give him a positive answer right away. "I will try to give you an answer before my last day with Hazel."

    Suddenly, there was a long silence between them. Edith heaved a sigh and turned to look out the window. Her body froze upon noticing a familiar person staring back at her and Edith quickly looked away, hoping that the person would not recognize her.

    The cafe''s door swung open and the person stood beside her table.

    Edith raised her head and muttered a silent curse, knowing that it was too late.

    "Yo, Edith Qian, I did not expect to see you here," the woman said.

    "Vivian." Edith forced a smile. She could feel a headache coming when the loud woman came over to her table.

    "Aaron said that you are in town. Why don''t you come out and play with us? The guys are going to hang out at the Li''s B&B tonight. Come and join us."

    "Next time. I promised my grandpa that I will accompany him tonight."

    Vivian clicked her tongue and flicked her hair. Clearly, she was not happy with Edith''s answer. He turned to Neil and raised her brow. She flashed a charming smile and poked at Edith. "Who is your friend here?"

    "Neil Mo." He took the initiative to stand up and stretched his hand.

    "Vivian Zhou." She smiled. "You are not from this town, are you?"

    "No. Are you a friend of Edith?"

    Vivian glanced at her friend and shrugged. "We grow up together." A thought crossed her mind and she leaned forward. "Handsome man, how about you join us and hang out together tonight? I can take you sightseeing in the best spot in Z Town. If you''re up for a few drinks, I can take you around the club in the west part of the town. The stuff over there might be a bit pricey, but the ambiance is pretty good."

    Neil smiled apologetically. "Sorry, but I have something planned."

    "Too bad." Vivian heaved a sigh.

    The phone in his pocket chimed and Neil glanced at the two women before he stepped out of the cafe.

    Once the door closed, Vivian slid into Neil''s seat and turned to Edith with her bright eyes. "Who is that man? Why do I feel like I have seen him before?"

    "You do?" Edith feigned ignorance.

    Vivian narrowed her eyes. Then her bright smile resurfaced. "He seemed like a cool guy. Why don''t you introduce him to me?"

    "I can''t."

    "Why not?"

    "He''s mine."

    Vivian gave her a look over and chuckled. "You two don''t look like you''re dating."

    Edith raised her brow provocatively. "Why do you think we''re here? Clearly, you were intruding on our date."

    Meanwhile, Neil halted as he continued to listen to the women''s conversation. His phone conversation with his assistant ended shortly and he was about to return to his seat when he overheard Edith rejecting her friend''s request.

    He retracted his hand and decided to wait for a while before he went back in.

    Neil leaned back on the wall and thought of her proclamation over him.. Slowly, his lips tilted up slightly and a chuckle escaped him.

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 136 - Be Adorable

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Neil Mo thought that he really could not understand the mind of a girl.

    He was aware that Edith liked him after her drunk confession, and had begun to pay a lot more attention to the girl since then. Though she would sometimes do things that made him wonder if the drunk confessor and Edith were the same person, Neil thought that he at least knew how to read a person.

    Her starry eyes and the slight pink flush on her cheek, whenever she stole a glance at him, told him that the drunk Edith was not lying.

    She liked him. Or else, she would not declare him as hers to her friend the other day, right?

    When Neil recalled the way Edith had said the words ''He''s mine'', his lips would turn up into a smile. He recalled that Edith had the same domineering and imposing look on her face, just like the time he beat Edward Xiao in front of MH headquarters. Edith had bragged that she can beat up a person, and he had seen the way she does that with his eyes a few times.

    Previously, he had thought that Edith was a composed and a gentlewoman. He watched the way she had treated his niece and saw how gentle and patient she can be. But that other side of her was slowly leaked out after he continued to watch her. Neil realized that he was attracted to this gangster.

    However, he still could not understand why she did not agree to his offer to extend the contract. What matter did she have to figure out for her to hold back from staying with him and Hazel?

    Last night, he had asked his assistant to look up and investigate if Edith was running into some problems, but his assistant could not find anything. Neil thought to ask his friend, Henry to help and investigate. However, when he thought of how Henry had shown his interest in Edith before, Neil was hesitant.

    In the end, he can only suffer for a while longer and wait for the day Edith will be able to tell him her answer.

    The sound of knocking on his door snapped him out of his thought. Neil lifted his head and told the person to come in. Seconds later, Hazel''s head appeared at the door and she was peeking inside the room with a curious gaze.

    "Uncle, can I come in?"

    Neil waved his hand. "Un. Come in."

    The little girl happily hopped to his side and looked at him with her pair of adorable eyes. "Uncle, I have finished packing everything we need for camping."

    Neil patted the girl on his head. "Good job. Then, I will come down and see what you have packed. Did grandma helped you with packing?"

    "Un." Hazel nodded. "Grandma had prepared a lot of food and snacks for us as well. I asked them to come over and join us as well, but Grandfather''s health is not good enough to go camping."

    A laugh escaped him as he saw the slight pout on the little girl''s face. He paused for a while and looked at the little girl with a complicated look. "Hazel, let''s talk for a while."

    Hazel put on a serious look on her face.

    "Teacher Qian said she hasn''t made up her mind about staying with us," Neil spoke in a low voice.

    This matter was a secret between him and Hazel. He did not want to risk having his mother or anyone else overhearing this conversation or he would be embarrassed.

    "Then, do you need my help? Should I ask Teacher Qian instead?"

    "No. I want you to continue and pretend that you did not know about this matter," Neil said. He saw the puzzled look on Hazel''s face and smiled. "What you need to do is to be on your best behavior and continue to be adorable in front of Teacher Qian."

    Hazel huffed. "Uncle, I am always on my best behavior and adorable."

    Neil froze for a few seconds before a chuckle escaped him. He patted at her hair and spoke, "Alright. You are always the best and the most adorable."

    These days Neil started to realize that his niece could be narcissistic sometimes. He wondered where did she get this trait from?

    "Then, just be yourself and stick closer to your teacher so that she would be hesitant to leave you," Neil suggested. "When Teacher Qian realized that she likes you so much, she would not bear to leave your side. In the end, she can only agree to continue and live with us."

    "I always know that Teacher Qian likes me very much. If I acted cutely, Teacher Qian will definitely stay." Hazel said.

    Neil raised a brow. "Oh? Why are you so sure?"

    "Teacher Qian said so. Last time I found her sleeping beside me, after we came back from the fishing trip, right?"

    Neil replied with a soft hum. The little girl had stuck to her teacher like a koala and refused to let go. They were hesitant to wake the little girl up and let her release her tight grip.

    "Teacher Qian said she did not have the heart to wake me up because I was too adorable. Didn''t she stayed because I am too adorable?"

    Neil laughed at her words.

    "But Uncle, what about you?"

    "What about me?"

    "Teacher Qian likes me very much, but did she liked you?"

    His heart skipped a beat at Hazel''s sudden question. Neil was not expecting his niece to ask such a question.

    "Of course she did," Neil said. "What is it not to like about me? I am good looking and was very popular among other girls."

    "But Uncle, you always make Teacher Qian upset."

    Neil felt the corner of his lips twitched. Though he would like to refute the little girl''s accusation, Neil found that he could not do it. These days, he found that teasing the kindergarten teacher could be fun, and therefore he was unable to hold himself from teasing her a few times. The look on her face was amusing.

    "Uncle, the way I see it, it is you who should be on your best behavior," Hazel spoke after pondering over the matter for a while. "Uncle you need to try and be adorable so that Teacher Qian would not bear to leave our side." Her eyes brightened up and Hazel spoke up in excitement. "If you did not know how to do it, I can teach you how to be adorable."

    The expression on her face changed again. This time, there was a slight frown on her face as Hazel tilted her head down. "Wait. I am born adorable. Can this thing be taught?" Hazel''s voice was a whisper. She then looked at her uncle again with an unmasked worry.

    Though Hazel was mumbling to herself, Neil was still able to hear it well. He suppressed his impulse to pinch her cheek and took a few deep breaths to calm down.

    This little girl can really talk!

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 137 - Camping

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    "Great-grandfather!" Hazel called out endearingly when the old man came out of the house.

    Mike turned to the sweet, milky voice and smiled. "Oh, it''s our little princess."

    The little girl laughed happily. After spending a few hours with her teacher''s grandfather, Hazel has grown close to him. The old man would often spoil her and Hazel especially loved the way this great-grandfather called her a little princess.

    Which girl did not like to be spoiled and be called a little princess?

    "Little princess, you are going camping today?"

    "Un." Hazel nodded. "Great-grandfather, are you coming with us?"

    "Great-grandfather is too old to go camping. You go and have fun," Mike said. "I have already prepared some snacks for you. Later, you go and ask them from your teacher, alright?"

    "Thank you. Great-grandfather, you are so nice to me."

    Mike laughed happily. "Isn''t it because our little princess is too adorable?"

    Hazel smiled happily when the old man called her adorable. She did not have to act adorably and the elderly would always call her adorable. It was her greatest charm and weapon.

    Realizing that she really could not rely on her uncle, Hazel was already planning to go all out and win her teacher''s heart during this camping trip!

    "Little princess, when you arrived at the beach, you must listen to your teacher, alright?" Mike reminded. "Teacher Qian has been going camping on the site many times, she should know which part you should go or should not go. Most important thing is to stay close to her and don''t get too far."

    "Great-grandfather, I will listen to you."

    As the old and young were chatting outside, Edith finally walked out from the house carrying a small bag and an icebox cooler. Seeing her approaching, Neil, who was in the middle of arranging some stuff on the bonnet, walked over and helped Edith with her stuff.

    Edith stared at the uncle and niece alternately and heaved a sigh. They were going to the beach and camp, but the two of them were dressed fashionably.

    "Grandpa, I''m off," Edith said as she turned to the old man.

    "I know. Pay attention to safety. Look after that child and don''t let her off your eyes for a second," Mike reminded. "If you run into trouble, just let Uncle James or Aaron know."

    Edith was about to nod when she noticed something about her grandfather''s words.

    "What about you?" Edith asked. "Grandpa, where are you going?"

    Mike paused when he realized that he almost shot himself in the foot. He coughed and said, "I''m going to Old Bei''s place. He invited me and a few others for a drink and we''re going to play mahjong."

    "Teacher Qian, can we go now?"

    Seeing the little girl beside her, Edith was distracted and no longer think about what her grandfather was up to. Holding on to Hazel''s hand, Edith pulled her over to the SUV and the three of them left to the camping site.

    The smile on Mike''s face disappeared as the SUV was out of his sight. He took out his phone and began to dial a number.

    ¡­

    The three of them arrived at the camping site and quickly unloaded their stuff.

    Neil looked around the area and marveled at the beautiful scenery. The last time, Edith had taken him and Hazel to another beach. This time, because they were planning camp, Edith had taken them to another spot.

    Z Town was located by the sea and there were a lot of beautiful beaches. The first time Neil arrived at the west part of the town, he had thought that the beach at the side was very pretty. He did not think that there would be another place that would have an amazing scene.

    The sand was white, the water was blue and transparent. On the left side was a rocky area.

    Though this place was breathtaking, there were only two groups of campers around the area.

    It seemed to him that this beautiful place was mostly known to the locals as the tourist or visitors would frequently visit the beach in the west part of the town.

    "How was it, very pretty, right?"

    Neil turned to the voice and saw Edith''s gloating smile. "Un. It''s very pretty. There isn''t a lot of people over here."

    "Of course, we don''t usually let outsiders know about this place," Edith said. "Have you seen the beach in the west part? It was mostly dirty. Tourist, when they come over to the beach, they would litter everywhere, dirtying the beach. Though there were trash cans provided along the beach, they would still throw away their waste everywhere."

    Neil smiled. He was reminded of the last time Edith had taken him to the beach and she had given him a short lecture on how developing the area would destroy the scenery and ecosystem.

    "Uncle, Teacher Qian, can I go and play in the water later?" Hazel spoke. Her eyes were watching the view in front of her with dazzling eyes.

    "Of course you can." Edith nodded. "We will go together. First, let''s set up our tent."

    "Oh!" Hazel looked at the set of equipment and thought of something. "Teacher Qian, tonight you are going to sleep with me, right?"

    "Un. I''ll accompany you tonight." Edith grabbed a set of a tent and passed it over to Neil. "President Mo, you set up a tent, and Hazel and I will set up another. Can you do it?"

    Suddenly, Edith was worrying that this man would not be able to sleep soundly at night. As someone with high status, Neil should be someone who was used to a comfortable place to sleep. Sleeping in a tent with only a sleeping bag would not be comfortable for him.

    Neil felt his lips twitched as he looked at the girl''s doubtful gaze. "Of course I can."

    He was someone who had been on a few camping trips when he was in his teenage age. Her question made him feel the need to prove himself.

    A few minutes have passed and Hazel stood at a side while cheering for them both to set up the tent. Suddenly, this activity had turned into a competition.

    When she was done, Edith looked at her tent proudly and glanced at Neil with a smug smile on her face. "President Mo, I won."

    Neil inspected his tent and stepped back once he was convinced that he will be able to live in it for a night. "This isn''t a competition."

    "You agreed when Hazel suggested turning this into a competition," Edith pointed out. "Since you have lost, of course... you will be in charge of our dinner."

    "I don''t know how to cook."

    "How hard it is to grill some fish and other ingredients? You don''t need to bother with preparation. Everything has been cleaned and seasoned." Edith smiled. "President Mo, work hard. As long as the food is not burnt, it will still be edible."

    Just as Neil wanted to say something, the little girl stared at him with her eyes wide and mouthed, "Uncle, don''t forget to act adorable."

    Read novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 138 - So, What If He Was Not As Adorable As Hazel?

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Not long after Edith and Hazel entered their tent, a vehicle was seen parked just beside Neil''s SUV. A while later, both Sophie and Lucas walked over to their location.

    Hazel walked out of the tent in her swimsuit and run over to her grandparents in excitement.

    "Chairman Mo, Mrs. Mo, Hello," Edith greeted.

    "Teacher Qian, don''t be so polite. We only come to look around," Sophie said. "Hazel said the last time, you took her to a beautiful beach so we were curious." Sophie looked around and smiled. "This place is really beautiful."

    "It is," Lucas admitted. "Even prettier than our backyard."

    Mo''s villa was located near the beach and had a beautiful sea view. Lucas had visited a few of their neighbor''s villas and thought that this beach that Edith had taken them to is the prettiest in town.

    "Is it safe here?" Lucas asked.

    "Chairman Mo, this area is very safe and very suitable for camping. The water is not too deep. An uncle who owns the land nearby had provided some amenities for the campers. We only needed to pay a small fee to use them."

    "This weather is indeed good for camping," Sophie said.

    Lucas nodded. "It will not rain later, right?"

    "I have checked the weather. It won''t rain," Neil said.

    Sophie turned to Auntie May who came along with them and instructed her to serve some food. Soon, a variety of food and snacks were served on the picnic blanket.

    "I thought that you might be hungry after playing in the water later. That''s why I prepared a little something," Sophie said.

    "Grandmother, grandfather, you are staying for a while right," Hazel said. "You said you''re coming to have a picnic with me."

    Sophie laughed and patted at the little girl dotingly. "Right. Grandfather and grandmother will stay for a while to keep you company." She looked at the cute swimsuit on Hazel and nodded approvingly. "Are you going to play in the water?"

    "Un." Hazel nodded. "Teacher Qian said that she was going to set up a trap later. If we are lucky, we might catch some crab in the morning." Hazel started to drool as she was reminded of the last time her teacher had cooked some crab.

    Hazel was looking forward to eating some crab, but she could not help but wonder about the size of the crabs. Earlier, she had seen a few small crabs on the sand and thought that it would be too pitiful if they caught some to be cooked.

    "Go ahead," Lucas spoke. "We will be sitting over here to look around. Once you get tired after playing in the water, come back and have some snacks."

    Lucas watched as the little girl run off to the water with her teacher and turned to his son. "Aren''t you going?"

    "I''m in charge of cooking dinner."

    Lucas and Sophie turned to their son with a skeptical look on their face.

    Neil let out a helpless sigh upon seeing his parents'' reaction. "As long as I don''t burn anything, it should be fine right?"

    The two elders watched as their son set up a small portable grill and Sophie immediately asked the auntie to help with the preparation.

    Meanwhile, the two girls run were playing around in the water. Once in a while, Hazel''s excited scream could be heard as the waves came and splashed over her.

    After letting Hazel get used to the seawater, Edith tried to teach Hazel how to swim. The little girl stood at the side and watched as her teacher demonstrated a few strokes.

    Soon, Edith led the girl into the sea and Hazel laughed excitedly. Hazel held on to Edith''s hands tightly and was afraid to let go.

    Neil watched these scenes from a distance away and smiled upon hearing his niece''s laughing happily. Now that the two have entered the water, it looked like they were not going to come out anytime soon.

    "Why don''t you go along and join them?" Sophie said. "Anyway, Auntie May and I are here to look after your food. We''ll make sure we will not burn anything."

    Neil glanced at a plate of grilled fish that he had successfully cooked and nodded. Anyway, as long as he has some proof that he did cook something, that should be enough, right?

    After washing his hands from the residue of food, Neil walked over to the girls. Hazel turned around when she heard the movement and turned around. A bright smile appeared on her lips when she saw her uncle.

    "Uncle, Teacher Qian is teaching me to swim," Hazel reported. "After a lot of practice, I should be able to swim well."

    Meanwhile, Edith almost staggered backward when she saw the man suddenly appeared in front of her. Just now, she was too preoccupied with teaching Hazel to swim that she did not look up and notice Neil''s presence.

    Therefore, to see him standing in front of her at this moment was a great shock. Moreover¡­ he was currently shirtless with only blue and white swimming trunks.

    Edith has been living with Neil for more than a month, but this was the first time she had seen his body, and it was at such a close distance. She had always thought that Neil was someone who spent most of his time in the office room, therefore, she was not expecting that he would have such a good¡­ body.

    Though Neil did not have an obvious six-pack that most women would talk about, his abs still looked good. It made her wanted to walk over and touch them.

    As the shameful thought came to her mind, Edith lowered her head. She did not want to get caught staring. It would be embarrassing. She needed to show some restrain and be on her best behavior before her confession.

    Of course, Edith did not know that the man in front of her had long noticed her expression.

    Although Neil had his gaze on his niece, he was watching the silly woman''s movement with the corner of his eyes.

    His lips tilted into a smirk, knowing that this trick had worked. The silly woman liked what she had seen.

    So, what if he was not as adorable as Hazel? At this time, it was better to tempt her with his body. Perhaps, by giving her this chance to peek, Edith would be tempted to stay around.

    "Uncle, can you swim?"

    Neil shot a glance at his niece and chuckled. "Of course I do. Knowing how to swim is very beneficial. I learned how to swim from an early age."

    "Then, you should have a race and see who can swim the fastest."

    Neil raised a brow. "Why do you always try to make us compete?"

    At this time, Neil turned his head to the woman beside him. His mouth opened as if he wanted to say something, but froze at the sight before him.

    Earlier, this silly woman was wearing her oversized T-shirt on her body when she entered the water, but now that she had entered the water, the shirt was sticking close to her body, showing off her figure.

    His gaze trailed down and stopped at a spot. The memories of how that softness felt against his body resurfaced and Neil felt his throat tightened.

    He muttered a silent cursing and turned his head back to his niece."You stay here and continue to learn from Teacher Qian." He forced a smile. I''m going to swim around for a while."

    With a splash, Neil entered the water and swam away to cool down.

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 139 - Nosebleed

    The old Mo''s couple was enjoying the beach view while they sit around the camping area when they suddenly noticed the little girl running in their direction. They noticed the anxious look on the little girl''s face and stood up swiftly.

    "Grandfather, grandmother!"

    Sophie went over to her granddaughter and a sigh of relief escaped her when she saw that the girl was without injury. "What''s wrong? Why are you looking so anxious?"

    Hazel pointed her finger towards a direction. "It''s Uncle."

    The couple followed the little girl''s gaze and saw that their son was heading over with his head tilted up to the sky. Meanwhile, Edith was trailing behind him with a worried look on her face.

    "Uncle got a nosebleed!"

    The two paused in shock and then looked again at their son. When Neil approached, the couple noticed that the blood was still dripping out his nose and the hand that was covering his nose was bloody. Sophie quickly pulled his son and instructed him to lay down.

    Seeing that the man was well taken care of, Edith grabbed her towel to dry herself and put on her covering dress before she went to check on Neil.

    "You''re already this old, how did you get a nosebleed?" Sophie nagged with her voice full of concern.

    "Mom, it does not have anything to do with age," Neil replied with a sigh. He laid blanket with his head up and thought of how he came to have this nosebleed. He went into the water and dived in for a short while in hope that he could cool down after seeing an exciting view.

    However, Neil was unable to cool down. His head was replaying that dream where he was pressing down a certain someone appeared and he kept on thinking of how the softness would feel in his hand.

    The woman was someone who would always wear a big or oversize shirt in front of him. Surprisingly, she had a great figure¡­

    Shocked with where his mind was heading, Neil immediately resurfaced on the water to take a few deep breaths to clear his mind. He did not think that that certain someone would be standing in his line of gaze. His eyes stayed on her chest again and suddenly, the blood trickled down his nose.

    He could only tell his family that it was the sudden pressure of air that caused this nosebleed. Anyway, Neil thought that this reason was also possible.

    Edith stood at the side and watched Neil with a concerned look in her eyes. Seeing the pitiful look on his face, she could not stop herself and a giggle escaped. The man has always had a cold look on his face and to see him like this was definitely something that she will not forget.

    The laugh stopped abruptly when Edith noticed that Neil was staring back at her with a dangerous look in his eyes. Sensing the danger, Edith retreat slowly until she was no longer in Neil''s line of gaze.

    Fortunately, there was not another exciting incident afterward.

    The family hang around and ate the grilled fish and other barbecued food and left before the sunset. Because they have made a bit too much food, Edith had shared some of the food with their fellow campers and saved some for breakfast.

    Once the nightfall, they had set up a bonfire at the site and Edith took out some sparklers and played around with Hazel. A few of the campers'' children joined them for fun while President Mo was in charge of guarding their tent.

    When they ran out of sparklers, the three of them sat around the fire and looked up at the starry sky. Because the place was farther than the city, the starry night looked especially beautiful.

    After playing around for half of the day, Hazel was finally tired and Edith went into the tent to accompany the little girl to sleep.

    As the night was getting darker, the surrounding was quiet. The only sound they could hear was the music of ocean waves from afar.

    Edith woke up from her sleep with a parched throat. Her eyes narrowed as she looked around her surrounding. It took her a few seconds to recall that she was taking her little student to go camping. Reaching for her cellphone at the site, Edith then looked at the time.

    It was half-past midnight.

    She turned to the sleeping girl beside her and smiled at the little girl''s serene expression. It was just as she had thought. Children are the cutest when they were asleep.

    After tucking in the little girl, Edith unzipped her tent and walked out. Her step halted when her gaze met with Neil who was sitting near the fire.

    "Awake?"

    Edith snapped out of her trance upon hearing the man''s voice. His voice sounded a bit deeper in the silent night.

    "Hmm." Edith nodded. She adjusted the tent flap to ensure that the mosquitoes would not get in. Edith cleared her throat and spoke, "I just woke up to have some water. President Mo, why are you not sleeping?"

    "Someone has to keep on guard."

    Edith felt a little guilty upon hearing his words. "Then, do you want to get some sleep? I can be on guard."

    "It''s fine. I could not fall asleep anyway."

    Edith turned towards the area where they were keeping the food and drinks and grabbed a bottle of drinking water. She drank a few mouthfuls of water and glanced at the man who was sitting alone. After a brief hesitation, Edith walked over with an unopened bottle and sat beside him. She stretched out her hand and said, "For you."

    Neil glanced at the bottle, accepted them, and muttered his thanks.

    The two grownups then sat beside each other in silence, enjoying the night view. Suddenly, Edith noticed that the moon looked exceptionally bright.

    "You''re not going back to sleep?"

    "Seeing that you are staying on guard like this¡­ My heart would not feel comfortable if I went back to sleep."

    Neil chuckled. "Then, let''s talk a little bit. Teacher Qian," he paused and turned to look at her. "Tell me stories about how you grow up in this town."

    Edith brought her knees close to her chest as she pondered over his question. "Stories about me growing up in this town is pretty normal. There is nothing to tell. You already know that I came to live with my grandfather after my mother left me."

    Neil looked at the woman with a teasing smile. "How can there be nothing to tell. Teacher Qian, I heard that you were pretty popular among the people in the town."

    Edith had a foreboding upon hearing his words.

    "According to your grandfather, you were once a," he paused and chuckle, "gangster."

    Her eyes went wide and Edith muttered a few cursing words.

    Grandpa! Your granddaughter had painstakingly tried to keep a good image in front of this man! Why do you go around and tell that your granddaughter used to beat up people? How do you expect to get yourself a good grandson-in-law like this?

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 140 - I Dare You To Call Me Iceblock Mo Again

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Edith did not know whether she wanted to laugh or cry.

    Unable to look properly at the man beside her, she can only choose to bury her face under her hand. Edith lamented at her future confession. With the information that her grandfather had provided to him, there was a fat chance that her confession will not be successful.

    The gentle and demure kindergarten teacher turned out to be a high school gangster¡­ this was not something that Edith hoped the man she fancied to know about.

    Edith narrowed her eyes at the man. "What else did my grandfather tell you?

    Neil stared at the woman''s face and thought that her reaction was too amusing. The look on her face was amusing and adorable.

    "How he had to rush out of his office because your headmaster called him to school," Neil said and smiled.

    Edith took a deep breath and quickly made up her mind about what she was going to do next.

    Forget it. If this man knew about her past, then be it. It was already too late to try and save her reputation at this phase.

    Although the grownup Edith thought that her younger self was a little silly, whatever she did in the past had shaped her to become who she was today. Anyway, everyone has done something silly when they were young and hot-blooded, right?

    If he thought that she was not a good person because of her past, then it was his loss.

    "It is true that I was once very rebellious and had caused too much trouble for my grandfather." Edith heaved a long sigh. "Back then, I was too angry at my mother for leaving me suddenly. Causing trouble for everyone around me was my way to channel my anger. Though, it does nothing to bring my mother back to my side."

    The smile on Neil''s face slowly faded. He intended to tease her. He did not think that this subject would trigger something else. Neil''s gaze turned gentler as he was regretting his decision.

    "How was it? When you were growing up?" Neil asked in an unhurried tone.

    "Hmm? Well, it would be a lie if I didn''t say that it was not bad. I was often bullied and teased by the people around me. Whenever I did not do something well, people would bring up that I am an orphan. Those words they said were hurtful. I couldn''t bear it when they insulted my parents, so I beat them up." Edith flashed him a carefree smile.

    Neil coughed and silently made a vow not to do something that would make her angry.

    "My grandpa treated me and raised me well." Edith took a deep breath and let out a long sigh. "Sometimes I do regret causing him too much trouble."

    Neil was reminded of his conversation with Edith''s grandfather where the old man had shared with him stories about raising a child alone. The old man had reminded him that raising a child alone would need a lot of patience.

    "Fortunately, your grandfather is around."

    "Hmm¡­ I was lucky to have my grandpa around," Edith admitted. "And Hazel is lucky to have you and your parents around."

    "And we are lucky to have you around."

    Edith turned to Neil and was surprised to see the gentleness in his eyes. She quickly looked away and propped her chin on her knees. "When I look at Hazel, I only hope that she would not do stupid things that I had done. That little girl is too cute to turn out to be a little gangster."

    His laugh reverberated in the night. Neil could not imagine how it would be if his Hazel turned into a gangster.

    "I guess I don''t have to be so worried. Hazel is a lot more mature than I thought. I hope she would continue to act her age and don''t grow up so fast. She should enjoy her childhood to the fullest." Her lips tilted up into a slight smile. "Hazel is too adorable."

    "Of course Hazel is adorable. You have to look at her uncle. We are blood-related after all."

    Edith turned her head quickly and was dumbfounded when he gave her a teasing smile.

    "What? You don''t think that I''m adorable?" Neil seemed to remember the little girl''s expression whenever she tried to convince them to go her way and tried to imitate her face.

    Edith stared at the man with her mouth gaped.

    His imitation of his niece was too scary! President Mo! How can you scare people like this?

    She saw that he had started to laugh and knew that he was only teasing her.

    A mischievous thought came to her mind and Edith decided to retaliate. "President Mo, you always have that cold look on your face. I heard that the name ''Iceblock Mo'' is popular among your staff as well as the people in your social circle. How can an iceblock be adorable?"

    Edith laughed happily, but the laugh died down quickly when she noticed the look on his face.

    Sensing the danger, Edith shifted in her seat and backed away. Her eyes were watching him warily.

    "Ice block¡­ Mo?" Neil repeated the name with a dangerous tone. "I always have a cold look on my face, huh?"

    The realization that she had called him with the name that he did not like came to her mind and Edith scolded herself at her stupidity.

    Edith Qian! What gave you the courage to call him an iceblock right on his face? You''re not even drunk this time!

    "President Mo, I''m sorry. It was my mistake." Edith stood up quickly, thinking that it would be better to escape. Perhaps she should return to her tent and use Hazel as her shield. This man wouldn''t dare to do anything in front of his niece, right?

    "Oh?" Neil approached her whenever the person took another step back. "I dare you to call me Iceblock Mo again."

    "No. No. I wouldn''t dare. I promise that was the last time. I won''t mention that name again."

    "Now, where are you going? Why are you backing away?" He chuckled. Then, he crooked his finger at her. "Come here. I promise I wouldn''t hurt you."

    How would she dare to come over! Though Edith was sure that this man would not do anything to hurt her, the look on his face was just too scary!

    Instinctively, Edith tried to run, but before she was able to get too far, the man had already caught her by her waist. The sudden impact caused them to fall and roll around the white sand.

    Her mouth opened, but before she was able to let out a shriek, his large hand was already covering her mouth. Her legs raised to retaliate, but Edith stopped herself when she heard him speak again.

    "Shut up. Do you want the other campers to wake up?"

    Edith took a few deep breaths to calm down and the hand on her mouth slowly slipped away. She looked at the man in front of her and gradually let down her guard, knowing that Neil had no intention to continue playing around with her.

    However, Edith soon realized that there was something wrong with their position. She was lying on the sand with a man almost on top of her.

    Edith was about to ask him to help her to stand up when she noticed the way Neil was looking at her with a dazed expression.

    "President¡­ Mo?"

    "Hmm?"

    Edith swallowed as she continued to look into his piercing gaze. "Help me get up, will you?"

    "Hold on."

    His answer elicited a laugh from her. "Hold on?"

    "Just a while longer." Neil frowned. At this time, he was struggling in his mind. Although he reminded himself that he needed to get up, his body seemed as if they would not listen to him.

    Neil thought that looking at Edith this close was enjoyable. Her bright eyes were looking back at him curiously and her lips were slightly parted as she tried to catch up her breath.

    Various thoughts came up to his mind and Neil was not sure which should he listen to. After going back and forth in his mind, Neil decided to follow his instinct.

    Slowly, he lowered his head before his lips met with hers.

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 141 - Edith Qian, I Like You.

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Neil was not aware of what was going on in his mind.

    He only knew that he enjoyed teasing this silly woman and watching her reaction. The way she would look whenever she was suppressing her anger on him was too cute and he could not resist finding any chance to tease her and scare her with his look.

    It was not long ago that he had overheard how his cold look can be scary. Therefore, when he had heard her call him Iceblock Mo, he wanted to scare her by giving her that cold look.

    As to what he had predicted, her expression turned as obedient as a little rabbit. She looked so scared that she was going to run away.

    Fortunately, he caught her before she could escape. He was about to explain that he was joking around when he noticed that his hand was on her warm, moist lips. When he shifted his hand away, Neil began to realized that they were in a certain¡­ strange¡­ position.

    The woman was lying on the sand and her doe eyes that were staring back at him looked as bright as the stars on the night sky. Her black hair scattered on the white sand and at the moment, he was on top of her.

    Suddenly, the great President Mo found that his mind went blank. He did not know what he should do.

    For a few seconds, Neil was able to regain his senses. He was going to look away, but instead, his gaze trailed down and stopped at her moist lips.

    Perhaps because of the sudden excitement, her lips were slightly parted as she breathed in through them. But all he could think of was how tempting and inviting they looked like.

    Then, she opened her mouth to call his name. She spoke something and he replied, but he was unaware of what she was asking him to do. All he knew was that he wanted to continue and look at this scenery before him. Therefore, he told her to wait.

    Although he was aware that as a gentleman, he should move away and pretend that nothing had happened, his body had refused to listen to him.

    Something powerful and unfathomable rose from his chest and spread throughout his body and it made his body grew hot. Neil knew that if he did not release this feeling, it was going to torture him for a long time.

    All he could think of was how her lips going to feel against his. Last time, she had given him a peck while she was drunk. The kiss was very short, but he was able to remember the taste of her lips. It was soft, moist, a little bit sweet, and hot like fire.

    Neil kept on staring at those red petals and was yearning to taste them again. His throat rolled. Following his heart, Neil lowered down to capture her lips in his.

    At the moment their lips met, Neil found the relief he was looking for. It was as if he has been thirsty for a long time and had finally had something to quench his thirst. It was pure bliss.

    His kiss was hesitant at the beginning.

    Neil was aware that this woman was someone who would be capable enough to push him aside.

    He had seen the way she had fought against men who appeared stronger than her. Therefore, he tried to restrain himself, giving her the chance to push him without too much force and perhaps slap him across the face for his inappropriate behavior, but Edith continued to stay still.

    Neil pulled away a few seconds later to look at her expression and a heave of relief escaped him when he saw that she was not furious. Her eyes were staring straight at him in astonishment. Her cheek was slightly flushed as she was holding her breath.

    For a while, Neil wondered if he should laugh.

    The expression on her face was both funny and adorable. The corner of his lips tilted up slightly. "Edith Qian?"

    Her eyes flickered upon hearing the hoarse voice calling out her name. "Ah?"

    "Breathe."

    "Oh."

    A chuckle escaped him as he watched her take a few breaths. Then his gaze fell to her lips again before he leaned in for another kiss. He had tasted the sweetness and found that he was craving for more.

    Edith sucked in a deep breath as their lips met again. Her mind goes blank and her CPU overheated at the sudden development. The data in her brain was still processing the first kiss and suddenly this man had come and kissed her again.

    Her heart thumped loudly against her ribcage. Her hand that was resting on her stomach clenched against her t-shirt as Neil continued to massage her lips with his and sending a wave of emotion to her body.

    This time, the kiss was no longer as hesitant.

    His lips were moving with such want and desire for her. His tongue moved to lick her lips, prodding, and silently begging for her to return his kiss.

    Edith was still at a loss and uncertain at what she should do.

    The man she had secretly fancied had kissed her and the information was too much for her to process. Her heart raced as she tried to think of why was this man kissing her. She wondered if this was another of his way of teasing her. Or perhaps... it was something else.

    Edith stopped trying to figure out the answer. His kisses were distracting and she was unable to think straight.

    Her hand raised and paused at his chest. Her mind was weighing the decision of whether she should push him away. But the person who was kissing her was slowly taking away her sanity and strength as he deepened the kiss.

    Soon, her thoughts crumbled and Edith decided to give in to her emotion. This was the man she had fancied. Since he had presented himself to her, it would be stupid for her not to take the chance to kiss him back.

    Her hand on his chest moved and curled to grasp his shirt, forcing him to lean closer to her. Then, her lips parted to give him the chance to deepened and taking the kiss further. She was responding to him, kissing him the way he had kissed her.

    His throat made a low grunt as their tongue met briefly, parted, then met again as they continued to lose themselves in the kiss.

    They did not know how long they have been kissing, but after moments that felt like an eternity, Neil finally pulled away from her lips.

    At this time, her cheek has gone rosy and her lips were slightly swollen from his kisses. Her misty eyes were staring back at him as she tried to catch up with her breath.

    A strong wave of emotion was raging inside of him as he looked at the beautiful woman before him. His mind was telling him to go on and kiss her again, but this time, he held back. Neil knew that he had something urgent to tell her.

    Looking into her slightly questioning gaze, Neil then opened his lips. "Edith Qian."

    Edith opened her mouth to answer him but found that she was unable to speak at the moment. A soft hum came out and Edith was embarrassed at the strangeness of the sound.

    She did not think that she was able to produce such a coquettish sound.

    Neil moved his hand to touch her cheek and pushing a few strands of hair off her face. "Edith Qian, I like you."

    Her eyes were staring back at him in disbelief at his sudden confession. However, his next question gave her a mixed feeling.

    "Can you.... stay with me? Don''t move out, alright?"

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 142 - President Mo, You Talk Too Much

    Various thoughts came into her mind all at once.

    Just a moment ago, Edith was happy beyond words when the person she had fancied had taken the initiative to kiss her. His kiss was gentle at first and later turned fierce. Thousands of colorful fireworks suddenly appeared. His kiss made her breathless, senseless and hot. It turned her giddy.

    The moment Neil said that he liked her, Edith had thought that perhaps, she had a good dream. She was planning to confess to him after they returned from this trip, but this man had said the words before her.

    Then, he asked a question that shook something inside of her.

    Edith knew that Neil wanted her to stay and continue to look after Hazel. Her relationship with Hazel was good, and she loved the little girl dearly. She was always worried about the little girl and would not mind staying longer with her.

    The only reason she did not give Neil her answer was because she was still looking for that opportunity to escape. Edith realized that after living together with Neil for almost two months, she started to bore a romantic feeling towards him. She wanted to confess to him about her feeling and was preparing for a way out so that she would not embarrass herself later.

    Neil''s question right after puzzled her and Edith started to wonder if the only reason he had kissed her and say the words that shook her was that he wanted her to stay around for Hazel.

    "No." Neil''s expression turned anxious when he heard what Edith had thought about him. He looked at her with a serious look on his face and said, "I did not kiss you nor say that I like you because I wanted you to stay around and look after Hazel. Edith Qian, I really like you. If you want to say it like that, then it should be that I like you enough that I wanted you to stay by my side."

    Her breath stuck in her throat and a wave of emotion shot from the core of her body to her brain, making her dizzy.

    Edith was not expecting that Neil would say something like that.

    His brow furrowed as Neil tried to think of the right words to convince her that he did not do any of those things to make her stay and look after Hazel.

    "I like you," Neil repeated. "You could say that after living together for a while, I was starting to get used to your presence around me. Just the thought of not being able to see you again when I was at home made me feel at loss. I like the feeling of seeing you the moment I step into the house. I like having dinner together and was looking forward to it every day. I like having a conversation about Hazel or anything at all when we were sharing a midnight snack."

    The woman in front of him continued to stare back at him with a dazed expression.

    Neil thought of the words he said and thought that perhaps he did not make it clear enough for her. He was someone who had never had to spare his time to sweet talk even in his previous relationship.

    When he needed to coax a woman, all he needed to do was to spend his money on expensive brands. But if he had done the same trick on this silly woman, Neil knew that she will only throw those expensive things right on his face before she beat him up. Neil could almost imagine the scene vividly. Just the thought of how painful her punches will be scared him a little bit.

    "I like you well enough that I wanted to tease you whenever you were around." His eyes continued to lock with hers, not allowing her to look away. "I like you well enough that there are times that I just wanted to kiss you. In fact¡­ right now... I think I want to kiss you again."

    Her eyes widened and Edith raised a hand to block his mouth. She could not allow him to kiss her again. She needed to think straight and his kisses would only turn her head blank.

    "President Mo." Edith licked her lips. "You talk too much."

    He was usually a man of a few words. When did he start to talk so much?

    Neil held her wrist and removed her hand that was covering his mouth. "I can continue to talk until you are convinced that I am not doing this to trick you into staying for Hazel. I can talk until you believe my words. I like you."

    Her face turned scarlet. He had said the words multiple times in just one night. Initially, Edith was surprised. But after hearing it again a few times, the words sunk into her brain and she was embarrassed.

    Edith raised both hands to cover her face and hide away from him.

    "Why¡­ are you covering your face like this?" He put his hand on her wrist to remove her hands away. "Edith?"

    "I''m embarrassed!" Edith muffled under her hands. "Give me a few seconds to process everything."

    His deep chuckle reverberated, but Neil continued to stay in his position. His eyes were watching her every movement, waiting for her to calm down and finally look at him again.

    Slowly, her fingers parted and her eyes were visible for a few seconds before she closed them again.

    Edith took a few deep breaths to calm down. Neil''s gentle smile just a few seconds ago made her heart leaped. She wanted to scream out loud and tone down her excitement, but it was still in the middle of the night. If she started to scream, the other campers would come over and she did not want to explain what was going on.

    "What should I do?"

    Her voice was a whisper, but because of their proximity, Neil was able to hear it very well. He did not speak a word and waited for her to look at him again.

    He did not have to wait for so long to see her fingers parted again. This time, Edith slowly shifted her hands down from her eyes and stopped just around her nose. Neil was unable to see her lips, but he could tell from the look on her eyes that she was smiling.

    "You like me."

    Edith thought that his words and tone did not sound like a question, but a statement.

    Why was this man so sure?

    "Since we both liked each other, why don''t... we start dating?"

    Edith thought that she would perhaps suffer from a heart attack. Everything that has been going on today was too much for her to process.

    But as she continued to look into his eyes, Edith felt something bloomed in her heart into something sweet. Her answer came to her mind and suddenly, her quivering heart was at peace.

    Edith moved her hands away from her face and looked at the man in front of her properly. A smile tilted at her lips.. "Alright."

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 143 - Sleeping Beauty

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Edith took her time to wake up. Her eyes blinked a few times as she tried to get used to her surroundings. The sky was still dark, but Edith was able to see the waves, rolling to the beach.

    Confusion appeared on her face for a while as she wondered why was she seeing the scene in front of her. Suddenly, Edith found that her body was warm even though the wind was blowing. Her gaze lowered towards the blanket around her body.

    Last night''s event came to her mind and a tinge of pink appeared on her cheek.

    Last night¡­ she and President Mo was kissing around on the white sand. Then, he had told her that he liked her, and asked her to be his girlfriend.

    Her head dropped as the shade of pink on her cheek turned darker.

    She had agreed.

    Oh god! She had agreed!

    Edith screamed internally. Her hand under the blanket moved up to her thigh and she gave herself a hard pinch. Her face contorted from the pain, but Edith was still not convinced whether everything was just a dream. Everything was just too unreal.

    "You''re awake?"

    The voice made her jump slightly.

    It was at this time that she began to realize that she was leaning into something, or rather someone. Her head tilted up slowly and her throat tightened upon seeing Neil Mo''s face so close to her. Just a slight move and he would be kissing her forehead.

    It turned out that she was leaning on his body¡­ Then... she was sleeping in his embrace the whole night?

    "Edith?" He smiled brightly at her. His hand moved to push away a few strands of hair from her face.

    "Ah?"

    Before Edith was able to think properly, Neil had leaned forward to kiss her forehead. He flashed her a teasing smile and spoke, "Good morning."

    Her eyes widened and Edith quickly hid her head under the blanket.

    "Good morning." Her voice muffled under the blanket.

    A deep chuckle reverberated. Feeling the slight tremor, Edith began to realize that her head was resting on Neil Mo''s chest. At the thought of how close they were at the moment, Edith was suddenly embarrassed.

    Last night, after some kissing and such, the two decided to spend the rest of the night just sitting at the beach, talking about some stuff while enjoying the night ocean view. She did not even realize when did she fell asleep in his embrace.

    But to let him see her face the moment she woke up was too embarrassing.

    It hasn''t been twenty-four hours since they agreed to date each other, but she had let him see her dazed look upon waking up. She did not even have time to comb her hair, remove the dirt from her eyes, and make herself presentable. She had wanted to look her best in front of the person she liked¡­

    Edith touched the corner of her lips and sighed in relief upon finding that she did not have any drools.

    "This is really surprising. I really did not expect that you would easily be this embarrassed."

    Edith looked up and frowned, knowing that he was teasing her. Her neck shrunk when the man touched the tip of her nose.

    "Really cute." His hand could not resist giving her cheek a slight pinch. Then he leaned to kiss the top of her nose.

    Something inside her blew up and Edith was unable to react for a few seconds.

    She did not think that Neil was able to tease her so much that her face would turn scarlet and hot.

    Wasn''t he supposed to be an iceblock? Showing off a cold face all the time? When did he know how to say these words?

    "You''re not going to look at me?" Neil tightened his grip around her waist when Edith continued to look down. "What is it? Are you going to pretend that last night did not happen?"

    Noticing that there was something off from his tone, Edith quickly turned to Neil. Her eyes widened as if she was panicking. "No. That''s not it."

    "Then what?"

    "I just thought that everything was like a dream," Edith said. "I haven''t woke up properly. My mind is still fuzzy. I think... I need some moment to process everything."

    Everything was moving too fast. She was still planning to confess to this man after they came back from this short break in Z Town. Edith did not think that this man would act before her and she woke up in the morning as Neil Mo''s girlfriend.

    Neil touched her chin lightly and tilted her face up. Suddenly, his lips captured hers into a gentle kiss, stirring her heart and turning her mind chaotic.

    The two parted after a while and Edith bit at her lower lips, trying to numb the taste of his lips.

    "Still feel like last night was a dream?" Neil asked. His lips stretched up into a teasing smile.

    Edith shook her head quickly. Her doe eyes were looking at him innocently. "No. I have woken up completely."

    Neil continued to study Edith''s expression and thought that it was both adorable and funny.

    "So it is true," Neil spoke.

    "What is true?"

    His thumb caressed the bottom of her lips. "That a kiss could wake a sleeping beauty from a deep sleep. You see? You are now completely awakened."

    Edith watched him speechlessly.

    President Mo! How old are you? Have you been reading Hazel''s storybooks too much that you started to believe in fairy tales?

    Her expression changed as Edith thought of something else from his words.

    Did this man just call her beautiful?

    How did he know how to tease her like this?

    Suddenly, Edith found that she could not bear to look at his teasing smile for too long.

    This iceblock was usually too cold. But his smile was too dazzling. It gave her butterflies in her stomach.

    Quickly, Edith thought it would be best if she walked away and calm down. "The sun will rise soon. I should go and check on Hazel. She would be scared if she woke up and find that I was not around."

    Neil looked at the sky and saw that the sun was going to rise soon. He let the girl in his embrace go reluctantly, but the smile on his face stayed.

    "President Mo..."

    Neil raised a brow. "Still call me President Mo?"

    "N-Neil." Her breath shook slightly as she spoke his name.

    "Un." The smile on his face widened. "What is it?"

    "Let''s not tell Hazel about us at this moment alright?"

    A dissatisfied frown appeared on his face. "Why not? Hazel adored you so much. She would be happy when she knew that we are dating."

    "I know." Edith moved to touch his arms and pulled off a cute face. "I am her teacher. I just need a while to adjust myself to this change. Then, I will tell her, alright?"

    Neil stared at the woman and heaved a sigh, finding himself losing against her pleading gaze.. "Alright."

    Read novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 144 - Her Boyfriend

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    After Hazel woke up, Edith brought the girl to and checked on the crab trap they set up last evening. Seeing the fierce crabs caught inside the trap, Hazel was both excited and frightened at the same time.

    Then, Edith and Neil accompanied the little girl to play around in the water for a little while.

    Now that the two of them were in a relationship, Neil no longer headed off to swim around alone and instead stayed by the two girl''s side.

    Hazel was the most excited to be accompanied by the two grownups to play.

    Since Edith did not want Hazel to know about them at the early stage, Neil could only sneakily touch her hand and stole a few kisses whenever the little girl was not looking.

    Seeing the way this man was behaving, Edith was speechless.

    Those people who called him an ice block would be very surprised if they take a look at Neil at this moment as the man no longer had a cold look on his face.

    But that slight smile on his face was driving her crazy. His sneaky touches and kisses almost gave her a heart attack due to worry that the little girl might see something.

    Once they had their breakfast, packed up everything, and cleaned up the area, the three of them finally left the camping site.

    Hazel looked at the site with longing and turned to look at both her uncle and teacher. "Can we come over again?"

    Edith patted at the little girl''s hair. "Of course we can. Later, when your uncle was not busy with his works, you can ask him to bring you here again."

    The little girl''s gaze stopped at Edith. "Then, Teacher Qian, will you come along?"

    "As long as you want me around, of course, I will come along."

    A bright smile appeared on her face. Hearing Edith''s words, Hazel knew that there was a big chance for her teacher to stay around with them a bit longer. Now, all she had to do was to wait for her uncle to give her good news.

    ¡­

    When Edith entered the house, her grandfather was nowhere to be seen. She took out her phone and sent a text to him that she was at home. Recalling that she had brought home a bag of wet clothes after playing in the water, Edith decided to settle with her laundry first before she took a rest.

    Exhausted, Edith then went into her room and slammed her body on the mattress. Her eyes were looking up the ceiling and the scene of what happened in the night came to her mind.

    Now that Neil was not around her, Edith thought that it was a good chance for her to calm down and process the information in her head.

    Her gaze turned calmer as she continued to stare into space.

    Although she was still in disbelief at how everything had happened, she had finally accepted that what happened last night was not a dream. She was now in a romantic relationship with Neil Mo.

    The sudden chime from her phone broke her off her thoughts. A smile tilted on her lips upon seeing a text message from her boyfriend, urging her to rest well before he will come over and pick her up tomorrow morning and head back to L City together.

    Her boyfriend.

    Just the thought alone made her giggle.

    She was preparing herself that Neil was going to reject her confession later, but who would have thought that he would be the first to confess. Whenever Edith thought of the way Neil had kissed her senselessly that night, her cheek would turn red.

    She really did not think that the cold man was really good at kissing.

    Edith raised her hand to touch her lips. The taste of his lips still lingered. The kisses from last night turned her lips swollen.

    Fortunately, Hazel was not aware of it and her grandfather was not at home to see it. Or else, with her grandfather''s background as a detective, Edith knew that she could not escape his interrogation.

    After going through too much excitement, Edith finally fell asleep.

    When she opened her eyes again, it was way past lunch hour. Her grandfather was sitting in the living room, watching some documentaries.

    The old man turned his head and raised his brow. "You''re awake?"

    "Un." Edith nodded. "Grandpa, when did you get home?"

    "In the afternoon," Mike answered. "How was camping? Seeing how you have slept all afternoon, I guess she must have enjoyed playing around a lot?"

    Edith lowered her head and nodded. She could not let her grandfather see her expression at this time, or he might figure out something."

    "Are you hungry? I bought lunch for you. There is that egg tart that you liked as well."

    Her eyes brightened at the mention of her favorite pastry. Edith walked over to her grandfather and kissed his cheek. "Grandfather, you are so good to me."

    Mike chuckled. "You are my granddaughter. If I''m not good to you, then who should I be good at?" He watched as her granddaughter sat down around the dining table and took a bite at the egg tart. "You are going back to the city tomorrow?"

    Edith hummed. "President Mo and Hazel will come over and pick me up after breakfast. Then we''ll go back together."

    Mike stared at her for a few seconds longer. "The family really treated you good."

    Her movement paused briefly and Edith continued to chew on her egg tart. "Hazel liked me and I spent a lot of time with her. Previously, Mrs. Mo had come over to meet me and asked me to look after her granddaughter."

    Mike''s expression grew softer when he thought of that little girl. Knowing that the girl had lost her parents at such a young age, Mike found that his heart would ache for her. Hazel''s cheery and bubbly attitude would always remind him of Edith before she lost her mother.

    "That little girl is too pitiful. You have to look after the girl well and protect her," Mike reminded.

    A soft sigh escaped her as she understood his meaning."Grandpa, I know."

    Just as she finished her meal, the phone on the table chimed. Her eyes widened, seeing Neil''s name on the screen.

    Edith tried her best to conceal the look on her face and took a deep breath to calm down. Then went back into her bedroom with her phone tightly in her hand. Once the door was closed, Edith slid a finger on the screen and pressed the phone to her ear.

    "Hello?" Edith greeted. "Sorry. I was chatting with my grandfather earlier."

    Neil''s deep chuckle greeted her. "Edith, I miss you."

    Her cheek turned a shade pink at his words. Her lips tilted up into a sheepish smile.

    "Come out," Neil said.. "I''m waiting for you outside. Come out, alright?"

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 145 - Special

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Checking on her reflection in the mirror again, Edith was finally satisfied with how she looked like. Her hand that was about to reach the lipstick paused and Edith bit at her lips, wondering if she should go ahead and put them on.

    Her grandfather was still watching some program in the living room. She did not want her grandfather to notice the bright color she was wearing and started to get suspicious.

    Her relationship with Neil had just begun and it would be too cruel if her grandfather chopped his body into several parts and used them as fishing bait¡­

    She still wanted to date this man and fall in love with him.

    Edith opened the door to a slit and peeked outside. A breath of relief escaped her once she noticed that her grandfather was sleeping. She tiptoed towards the door and paused when she heard a movement.

    "Where are you going?"

    Though she knew that her grandfather had awakened, Edith still jolted upon hearing his voice.

    She took a deep breath, turned around, and flashed a smile to her grandfather. "Town. I''m going back to L City tomorrow morning. I going to get a few things for Lily as a souvenir."

    Mike nodded. "Then, go ahead. Help me buy a bottle of soy sauce before you come back."

    "Oh!" Edith turned around and put her hand on her chest. She always knew that mentioning Lily''s name would be useful. Her grandfather was grateful that Lily had helped her to get the job at the kindergarten and always had a soft spot for that girl.

    Her lips tilted into a smile knowing that she was able to go out without arousing her grandfather''s suspicion.

    Of course, what Edith did not know that her grandfather had something preoccupying his mind and therefore was unable to notice the slight difference in her granddaughter. At the same time, Edith was still worried about her grandfather finding out that she was in a relationship that she had missed to notice the slight difference in her grandfather.

    Just like that, the grandfather and granddaughter had missed something important about each other¡­

    It did not take too long for Edith to notice Neil''s SUV parked a certain distance away from her grandfather''s place. Neil walked out of the vehicle and helped her to open the passenger''s door.

    Edith peeked into the SUV and turned to Neil with a puzzled look. "Hazel did not come along?"

    A deep chuckle escaped him. "Silly woman, this is our first date." He tilted his head sideways and smiled. "Why would I bring my niece along?"

    Edith narrowed her eyes. "Who did you just call a silly woman?"

    Neil tucked a strand of her hair behind her ears. "Alright, let''s get in first." Neil motioned her to sit in the car in his attempt to change the subject.

    At the thought that her grandfather might suddenly come out and see her, Edith quickly went in. She turned to grab the safety belt, but Neil was quicker and Edith could only watch as Neil fastened her seat belt with a dazed look in her eyes. She opened her mouth to thank him, but at the same time, Neil leaned down to kiss her lips, catching her off her guard.

    Once he pulled away, Edith covered her lips and stared at the man with her eyes wide. "What are you doing?" She muffled.

    It was a rare occasion and she had put on her lipstick...

    Edith glanced at his lips and was relieved that her lipstick was not smudging his lips.

    "Exercising my right as your boyfriend."

    Edith stared at the man in a daze. His words triggered something in her heart, and the slight smile on his lips was dazzling. When he said it like that, she really could not do anything to him.

    Seeing the stunned look on her face, Neil shut her door and slipped into the driver''s seat. The car drove away and after a few seconds of silence, Edith suddenly burst into a laugh.

    "What are you laughing about?" Neil glanced at the silly woman with an unhappy expression. He had a feeling that this woman was laughing at him.

    "It''s you." Edith propped her chin up on her elbows and looked at Neil. Her eyes sparkled with laughter. "It was surprising to hear those words coming out of your mouth. Weren''t you a man of a few words?"

    Neil raised a brow at her. "What? Are you going to call me Iceblock Mo again?"

    Edith did not answer and instead continued to stare at him as he drove. Even though he had guessed what was on her mind, Edith did not say a thing.

    At this time, Edith knew that he would not dare to do anything to her as he was driving. However, she was afraid that this man would come and look for revenge afterward.

    Neil chuckled. "Isn''t it because I am comfortable around you? I would indeed prefer silence over talking. But, rather than saying a few more words to irrelevant people, it was better not to say too much. However, I am also someone who would turn talkative with the people I am comfortable with. Towards the people I cared about, I would not mind saying a few more words." He glanced at her again and smiled. "Edith Qian, right now, I am telling you that I feel comfortable around you."

    Her heart skipped a beat and something warm surge throughout her body. Those might not be the most romantic words she heard, but it was powerful enough to tug something in her heart.

    His words made her feel special.

    Ever since she was aware of her feelings towards him, Edith would sometimes wonder how it was going to be in a relationship with him. Their characters were very different.

    No matter how much she liked him, a relationship would not work with someone who could not communicate properly.

    At this time, their relationship had just begun.

    Edith was not sure how much he liked her or how much she liked him. But as long as they were comfortable with each other, as long as they could communicate properly, they could make this relationship work.

    "Now." Neil tapped his fingers on the steering. "Where should we head to?"

    "You asked me out. Why are you asking me this question?"

    As a man, shouldn''t he plan and decide on where they were going to and what they were going to do on the first date?

    "Aren''t you a local here? You know this town best.. Show me where is your favorite place in this town."

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 146 - Breaking The News

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    As their vacation ended, the three of them finally said their goodbyes to Z Town and returned to L City. Although there were a few more days until the school break ended, Neil could not leave the company for too long, or else, Assistant Shawn would have a mental breakdown, dealing with important matters in Neil''s stead.

    Edith spent her time accompanying Hazel doing various interesting activities to fill in the girl''s time.

    After coming back to Neil''s place for a few days, Edith was beginning to think that Neil''s speech about him being able to talk a little more because he was comfortable with her was total bull crap.

    Every word was just nonsense he spurted so that he can get away with kissing her.

    This man would find a way to steal a kiss whenever possible whenever little Hazel was not looking.

    In the beginning, Edith found that his action was cute and she kind of enjoyed his attention and the thrill of kissing with the risk of being caught by little Hazel. However, after a few days, Edith began to think that perhaps, this man was just a wolf in sheep clothing! A total flirt!

    This man was so good with his honeyed words that later on, she would be persuaded and seduced. Even if she wanted to get mad at him for stealing kisses, she would then change her mind.

    What comfortable? He was just saying those to trick an innocent lady!

    Edith was beginning to worry about whether her decision to continue living with Neil and Hazel was the right one.

    Fortunately, Neil was someone who knew his limit. Though he loved to steal kisses, he had never touched her inappropriately.

    Anyway, it was not that she was going to let him pass if he had ever initiated anything funny. She could always twist his hand and throw him over her shoulders.

    Edith had decided that before he began to understand him a bit more, and fall deeper in love with him, there was no way that she was going to let him do anything else. A relationship should be built slowly and carefully for it to grow sturdy.

    On the last day of the school break, Edith decided to bring Hazel to Lily''s place. The two have long discussed Hazel and Alex''s play date but was rarely had the chance to organize one.

    Edith still had to tell her best friend of what happened during her vacation in Z Town and it would be better to speak with her friend in relaxed surroundings.

    Knowing her friend, Edith knew that she was going to ask her about her confession plan when they see each other in school. Then, Lily will not let her go until she was done with her interrogation and find out everything she needed to know.

    Therefore, to avoid her colleagues'' curious gaze, Edith decided to come clean to her friend.

    As they arrived at Lily''s place, Alex immediately took his friend to his playroom to show the new Gundam model that his father had bought for him last week.

    These days, the two kids'' relationship had gotten closer due to their interest in those models. Alex found that Hazel was very meticulous with the way she was assembling the models and soon came to like dragging the little girl to help him with the model.

    As long as Edith bought Hazel along with her, Alex would not disturb her with his model, allowing her more chance to chat with Lily. By now, there are two models that the two have worked on together.

    As the kids were in the playroom, Edith followed Lily into the kitchen. Her gaze fell on the basket of chilies and knew that Lily was going to make her accompany her to eat spicy food again.

    "How is your confession plan?"

    Sure thing, those were the first question that Lily would ask.

    Lily was aware of her friend''s feelings towards the cold president and knew this friend was going to confess her feeling before her days of living together with the uncle and niece ended.

    However, recently, Edith had rarely mentioned this plan again and Lily was wondering if Edith had a change of mind.

    "I''m not going through with it," Edith said.

    Lily''s hand that was cutting some onions paused and Edith took a step back upon seeing the knife in her friend''s hand. Aware that she was holding a dangerous weapon, Lily put the knife on the chopping board and frowned. "Why? What''s wrong?"

    "Well." Edith shrugged. "It''s pointless."

    The frown on Lily''s face deepened. "You really changed your mind? You don''t like that ice block anymore? What is it? Why is it pointless?"

    Edith chuckled at her friend''s anxious face.

    Most people would tell her to forget those feelings towards someone like Neil Mo as the two of them were from a different background and status. Although Neil might agree to date her, they would be convinced that Neil was only hooking up with her for some reason and the relationship would not last long.

    However, Lily was very positive when she had mentioned her feelings for Neil. Instead of discouraging her, Lily had fully supported her idea to confess. If Neil accepted the confession, then, that would be good news. If he did not, well, it was his loss.

    Lily had always admired Edith after she had rescued her from those bad guys in Z Town. After spending a long time with this friend, Lily came to like this friend a lot and knew that anyone would be lucky to be with her friend.

    Edith shifted her weight between her feet and made an escape plan just in case if Lily would pounce on her after she broke the news.

    "It''s pointless because I don''t have a reason to confess."

    "You don''t like him anymore?"

    "No." Edith laughed. "It''s not that." She glanced around to ensure that there was no one else around. Then, Edith took a deep breath and said, "We are already in a relationship, so continuing that confession plan would be pointless."

    Lily stared at her friend with wide eyes and thought that perhaps her ears were playing tricks on her.

    "You did not hear wrongly. I am in a relationship with Neil Mo. Hmm." Edith tapped her fingers on her chin. "Right now, we are dating. He is my boyfriend."

    "Dating!" Lily raised both hands to put them on Edith''s shoulders but was stopped before she had the chance to do so.

    "Wash your hand before you touch me," Edith reminded.

    "Oh!" Lily walked over to the sink and turned to her friend. A cursing word escaped her lips as she thought of what she had just heard. "Dating! How did that happen? Don''t tell me that you were unable to resist that man''s charm that you decided to push the plan forward?"

    "It was Neil who confessed to me."

    Lily gasped. Then, cursed again.. "Edith Qian, if you did not tell me what is going on, I am not letting you leave this place. If you dare to escape any details, I won''t let you go!"

    Read novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 147 - Delivering Lunch

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Back in MH Headquarters¡­

    Neil Mo was browsing through a few documents with his assistant stood beside him.

    The past few days, Neil was not at his office as he was accompanying his niece to see her grandparents. Although he was physically absent from the office, Neil had given a few instructions to Assistant Shawn and let him handle a few matters for him.

    Now that he had returned to his office, several managers and directors were looking over for him in urgency. Suddenly, there was a pile of documents on his desk waiting to be check and signed.

    From the moment he arrived in his office, it was as if he was glued to his seat, unable to stand up. If he made a sudden move, Assistant Shawn would flinch as if he was going to step forward and beg him to stay. It was such an amusing scene.

    Fortunately, the company had hired a bunch of capable staff and Assistant Shawn was meticulous enough to check on every document he had left on his table. This way, Neil did not have to spend too much time with the documents.

    It was past lunch hour and Assistant Shawn was still guarding him to discuss some work matters.

    The phone on his desk started to chime and Neil''s eyes brightened up upon seeing the name. He swiftly picked it up and waited for the other person to speak first.

    "Neil?"

    His gaze softened and Neil lowered his gaze so that his Assistant would not be able to detect anything. "Hmm."

    Edith stiffened for a few seconds, finding that his silence was a bit too strange. After a few days of being together, Edith had started to accept that this man could speak a little bit more than usual, and sometimes, they were just honeyed words.

    It took her a while to get used to it, but eventually, Edith thought that their relationship had just started and it was not strange if Neil wanted to be a little bit flirty.

    "Why aren''t you speaking?" Edith asked. "Are you alright?"

    "Hold on." Neil turned at the assistant and saw the anxious look on his face. He seemed to recall that the assistant had mentioned that he needed him to check and sign a few documents so that they could pass deliver them to their business partner before the end of the day.

    However, his girlfriend was on the line. After looking at those documents for a long time, Neil thought that he deserved a quick break.

    He was about to ask Assistant Shawn to leave the room for a while when he heard the woman''s voice again.

    "Is there someone else around you?"

    His brow shot up, wondering what was in the silly woman''s mind. "I was working in my office with Assistant Shawn all day."

    Edith laughed.

    Why does it sound like he was explaining himself to her?

    "Have you had lunch yet?"

    Neil glanced at the time and noticed for the first time that it has past lunch hours. "Not yet."

    "I thought so." There was a helplessness in her tone. "I was showing Hazel how to make some dishes and we accidentally cook a little more. If you still haven''t had your lunch, then we can send you something to eat."

    His eyes darkened and his face brightened up. "Are you coming to deliver them personally?"

    He heard the woman''s laugh from the other side and suddenly, Neil thought that his ear was a bit ticklish. Then, he heard her speak in a teasing tone.

    "I was planning to ask Driver Tang to send it over to you. But, you... Do you want me to come?"

    "You should come. I will be waiting for you. Tell me when you arrive. I will ask someone to bring you up."

    Edith chuckled at his concise words.

    Assistant Shawn, who was busy organizing the documents on the side looked up at his boss and wondered who was he on the phone with. From the way he talked and the tone he used, Assistant Shawn was sure that this call was not work-related.

    Without warning, the voice on the phone changed to a childish tone.

    "Uncle, are you still at your office?"

    His expression softened upon hearing the little girl''s voice. "Un. I''m still at the office."

    "Teacher Qian said we can come over and visit you at your office," Hazel spoke. "Just now, we made some crab cake. Uncle, they tasted really good."

    Neil chuckled. After living together, Neil started to pay attention to Hazel and noticed that the little girl especially loved crabs.

    "When you come over with Teacher Qian, you have to remember to stay close to her and don''t talk to strangers, alright?" Neil reminded. "Listen to her words well."

    "Un. I know. Uncle, I will hold on to Teacher Qian tightly."

    Assistant Shawn, who was still at the side immediately guessed that President Mo was talking to the little miss. Sure enough, after the call ended, his boss immediately gave him an instruction to come down and personally receive the little miss and her teacher downstairs.

    "Right," Neil spoke, stopping Assistant Shawn who was about to head out the door. "When you go downstairs, arrange it with the security personnel so that both of them will be allowed to come up anytime they come over,"

    "Certainly," Assistant Shawn nodded. As if realizing that something was not right, Assistant Shawn stopped again and turned to his boss. "President Mo, if I was not mistaken, the contract with Teacher Qian should end next week."

    "We are planning to resume the contract with Teacher Qian," Neil said. "Hazel was still traumatized over the incident from last time and I did not want to separate her with Teacher Qian at the moment."

    "Then, do you need me to draft a new contract?"

    "No need," Neil said quickly. "I will arrange this matter myself."

    Anyway, once the contract ended, Edith was planning to continue and stay with him and Hazel. This time, not as Hazel''s caretaker, but as his girlfriend.

    As Neil thought of the woman again, his lips turned up into a smile. Teasing the silly woman was always amusing. He did not mind uttering a few more words with her just so he could see the exasperated look on her face.

    The slightly pout on her lips whenever he said something that made her speechless was just too cute and Neil could not resist teasing her again.

    Neil thought that perhaps he was bewitched by that silly woman. It all began with that drunken kiss and confession. But he was unable to stop thinking about her from time to time.

    He always wanted to be near her, tasting her lips over and over again while feeling the warmth of her skin on his fingertips.

    However, kissing her was no longer enough. He would always be reminded of that dream that turned his body hot. But at this stage, he could only choose to hold back.. Edith wanted their relationship to go slow and steady and he did not want to scare her.

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 148 - Dont Talk To Strangers

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Edith helped Hazel off the vehicle, and the little girl swiftly held tightly onto her hand. The little girl looked around her surroundings and suddenly inched closer to her teacher.

    As they stood outside the company, Hazel''s head began to replay the situation where a man grabbed her before she reached her teacher''s side not too long ago. Now that she was at the same place again, Hazel was worried. She imagined that the bad man would suddenly appear again and took her away.

    Sensing the little girl''s anxiety, Edith heaved a helpless sigh. She took the bag of packed lunch from Driver Tang and swung the little girl''s hand. "Let''s go."

    "Oh." Hazel nodded. Her eyes grew stern as she followed her teacher into the building. It was only when they reached the lobby did Hazel started to relax a little bit.

    Edith took Hazel towards the sofa in the waiting area and the two of them sat down side by side. "Hazel?"

    "Hmm?" She turned and saw that her teacher was looking at her with a slight smile on her face.

    "Just now¡­ Were you scared?" Edith had felt the way Hazel''s body turned stiff until they entered the building. Although she knew that Hazel was still traumatized by that incident, she was not aware of how frightened the little girl was.

    Hazel would always hold on to both her and Neil whenever they were at a foreign place and especially a crowded place. Just now, her grip on her hand was firmer, showing how frightened Hazel was as she had returned to the scene.

    Edith had thought that she would definitely turn around and leave if Hazel was unable to take a step forward, but the little girl was brave.

    Earlier, Edith could sense the little girl''s hesitation when she had suggested coming over to MH Headquarters and delivered lunch for her uncle. The little girl had was quiet for a long time before she agreed with a serious look on her face.

    Hazel was still afraid but wanted to take this step to overcome her fears. As long as she held on to her teacher''s hand firmly, she was convinced that no one can take her away. Their walk from the vehicle until they reached inside the building was suddenly too long for her. But fortunately, she had arrived safely.

    "Un. I was scared," Hazel answered. Initially, she wanted to show that she was brave and tell her teacher that she was not scared. However, Hazel thought that she should tell the truth. "Teacher Qian was by my side and I held on to your hand tightly. I did not run around."

    Edith looked at the little girl''s bright eyes and her heart melted at Hazel''s cuteness. She pulled Hazel into a hug and kissed the little girl''s forehead.

    "You were scared, but you were brave enough to come over and we get into the building safely. I am so proud of you."

    A shy smile appeared on her lips and a wave of happiness burst in her heart as Hazel heard her teacher''s praise.

    This was the place where her uncle worked. In the past, her father came to this very same building to work. In the past, Hazel had come over to this building with her mother to find her father. This place had certain memories of her parents and Hazel wanted to be brave and step into the building because of it.

    "Right." Edith jumped as she recalled that she had not informed Neil that they were waiting in the lobby. After receiving a confirmation that Assistant Shawn was on his way to see her.

    The sound of high heels was heard heading over to their direction as both Edith and Hazel were waiting in the lobby.

    Soon, a woman in her pink office suit pants approached.

    "Hazel?"

    Edith looked up upon hearing someone called out the little girl''s name. In front of her was a pretty woman with light makeup. Her long hair was tied into a neat ponytail. The woman had a bright smile on her face as she looked at Hazel.

    "What are you doing here? Are you waiting for your uncle?" Autumn Feng asked.

    She had noticed the little girl''s presence as she stepped out of the elevator. Seeing that the girl was left alone and Assistant Shawn was not around, Autumn decided to use this chance to get close to the little girl. Perhaps, later on, she can get close to the little girl''s uncle as well.

    The smile on her face stayed even though the little girl seemed as if she was ignoring her. "Do you want to go upstairs and find your uncle? I can take you to him." Autumn stretched her hand to grab on Hazel''s. Her movement halted when Hazel suddenly pushed her hand away.

    "Teacher Qian, I am scared," Hazel spoke as she held on to her teacher''s arms tightly and tried to hide behind her.

    Autumn''s expression changed again. Her eyes flickered to the woman beside Hazel and she finally realized that they were together. Seeing the suspicious look on the woman''s face made Autumn unhappy, but once she recalled the way Hazel had addressed the woman and the smile on her face widened.

    "Hello, I am Manager Autumn Feng who was working with MH Group. Are you here to drop Hazel? I saw Hazel here and thought that I could bring her upstairs to find her uncle. I work close to President Mo and I can help you."

    "No. I don''t know you." Hazel tightened her grip on her teacher. "My uncle said I should not go and talk to strangers."

    Autumn''s expression stiffened upon hearing Hazel''s words. "Hazel, I am not a stranger. We have met a few times before, don''t you remember?"

    The little girl did not answer and continued to peek from behind her teacher''s arms.

    "I''m sorry, but Miss, I have to ask you to leave," Edith spoke after observing the situation for a while. "Hazel said she did not know you and you frightened her."

    Though Edith was aware that Hazel knew the woman in front of them, she could also sense Hazel''s strong dislike towards this woman. Seeing that the little girl was uncomfortable with the woman''s presence, of course, Edith should protect her little student.

    Autumn''s face turned red with embarrassment, but she could not leave with such humiliation. She tilted her head up slightly and arrogantly looked at Edith. "Who are you?"

    Edith flashed a smile. "I am Hazel''s caretaker."

    "Hazel''s caretaker? Wasn''t Hazel''s caretaker an old woman?" Autumn gave her a look over and sneered at the way Edith was dressed in unknown brand clothing. "Anyway, that''s good too. Miss, you can let hand over Hazel to me and I will personally send her to President Mo''s office."

    "I''m sorry. Hazel is not a thing for me to hand her over. If something happened to Hazel, it will be my responsibility," Edith said. Her gaze suddenly shifted from Autumn and an amiable smile appeared on her lips. "Assistant Shawn."

    Autumn stiffened upon hearing the name. She turned around slowly and saw the man''s angry expression.

    "Manager Feng, I have reminded you not to try and approach Little Miss Hazel. President Mo would not like it," Assistant Shawn said. "Moreover." He lifted his arms to look at his wristwatch. "It''s still working hours."

    "No." Autumn forced a smile. "I just saw Hazel here and thought I should say hi. I''m going back to my office now."

    Once the woman was gone, Assistant Shawn turned to both Edith and Hazel with a smile. "Teacher Qian, Miss Hazel, sorry to let you wait."

    "It''s fine."

    "President Mo instructed me to bring you over to the security room and set up an identification.. Later, when you come again, you can go straight to President Mo''s office anytime you want."

    Read novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 149 - Hazels Lunch Box

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    The procedure at the security room went smoothly. Edith and Hazel only needed to write in their details and the security moved to prepare an access card for them. The next time they came over to the headquarters, they could use the cards and go straight to President Mo''s office without making any appointments.

    As Assistant Shawn went to check on the access card, Edith sat beside Hazel in the waiting area. She thought about their exchange with that pretty manager in the lobby and decided to talk to the little girl. "Hazel?"

    "Hmm?" The little girl looked up at her.

    "Earlier, that woman who talked to you in the lobby¡­" Edith paused when she saw a slight fluctuation in her eyes. "You know her right? She was not a stranger to you, am I right?"

    Little Hazel was about to deny it, but once her gaze met her teacher''s, Hazel found that he could not tell a lie. Her head nodded slowly. "Un. I have met her a few times. She worked with my father and my uncle."

    Edith heaved a helpless sigh and touched the little girl''s cheek. "Then, why did you say that you did not know her?"

    Hazel lowered her gaze and bit at her lower lips, refusing to speak.

    "Can you tell me why you don''t seem to like that person?"

    Hazel lifted her head slowly. Her gaze showed that she was hesitant to speak. "My mama did not like that auntie. She said I should not get too close to that auntie. If that auntie tried to talk to me, I should ignore her."

    Edith finally understood why Hazel had shown a strong dislike towards that woman. Suddenly, she was curious to know why Hazel''s mother did not like that person.

    ¡­

    Assistant Shawn quickly taught Edith how to use the access card and bought her over to the President''s office. When the three of them entered the office, there was a slight annoyance on Neil''s face.

    "What took you so long?" Neil asked.

    "President Mo." Assistant Shawn coughed. "I was helping Teacher Qian to register with the security office downstairs. They have prepared an access card for her."

    The annoyed look disappeared as Neil thought of his instruction. If he had known that it would take them a long time to settle with the security office, he would have asked Assistant Shawn to settle the matters afterward.

    "Uncle, are you hungry?" Hazel asked. She tugged at her teacher''s hand towards the sofa set and let her placed the bag on the table. Then, she turned to her uncle and waved her hand. "Uncle, come. You should eat first."

    Assistant Shawn touched at his nose in embarrassment as he watched the exchange.

    They were too busy to look at the piling documents that as an assistant, he had forgotten to remind his boss to take a break and eat. If Little Miss Hazel did not appear with the lunch box, Assistant Shawn would not remember them at all. Suddenly, Assistant Shawn heard the low grunt, coming from his stomach.

    It seemed that he had not eaten anything after his light breakfast, which consisted of a bagel and hot coffee that he bought from the local cafe.

    "Uncle Shawn, I prepared a portion for you too." Hazel took a blue lunch box on top of the bag and brought it over to him.

    His eyes shone brightly upon seeing the lunch box. "This is for me?" He glanced at his boss and finally took the lunch box.

    "Un." Hazel nodded. "Uncle Shawn, thank you for looking over my uncle." The little girl''s voice was very soft and sweet, and her bright eyes were staring at the man, beaming her cuteness.

    A laugh escaped him as he heard Hazel''s words. He really wanted to stretch his hand and pinched at the little girl''s soft cheek.

    Seeing that the little girl had turned into the bubbly little girl she once was made him felt a lot relieved.

    Assistant Shawn could still remember the first time President Mo brought the little girl to his office. At that time, Hazel would prefer to sit alone at the corner while doodling some pictures on her papers. Even when he tried to speak to her, Hazel would only stare back at him expressionlessly.

    Right now, Hazel was beginning to speak a bit more and smiled a lot more. She even knew how to care for people. As one of the people who was watching after her, Assistant Shawn was naturally happy to see this change.

    After thanking both Hazel and Edith, Assistant Shawn exited the office to let his boss have his break and spend his time with his niece.

    Once the door closed, Hazel immediately took her spot and sat down between her teacher and uncle. A gleam of happiness radiated from her sensing that the two people who were very close to her were right beside her.

    However, Neil was very unhappy with this seating arrangement.

    He had a girlfriend, but he had to keep them a secret from his niece. Right now, the little girl was sitting happily between him and Edith and he had no way to steal his kisses!

    Neil shifted his glance to Edith and saw the laughter in her eyes. He could guess that the silly woman was secretly enjoying his situation, and his mind quickly calculated how he was going to get back at her.

    "Uncle, why aren''t you eating?" Hazel asked as she saw her uncle staring at the lunch boxes without making any move. "I made them along with Teacher Qian. It tasted really delicious. Quickly eat them before they turned cold. Then, tell me what you think."

    Earlier, Hazel had made almost eighty percent of the preparation and only let her teacher give her instruction and handled the frying process. Of course, Hazel was excited to let her uncle tasted her craft.

    Neil heaved a sigh and peeked into the lunch boxes. A delicious aroma of food wafted in his office and his stomach made a slow rumble. He grabbed his chopsticks and sampled one of the crab cakes. When he looked at Hazel again, the little girl was staring back at her with expectation.

    "It''s delicious."

    Hazel''s lips stretched into a wide smile until her eyes turned crescent.

    "Why don''t you eat as well? The food would not taste good if I have to eat alone."

    A while later, Hazel took out a small lunch box from the bag where there was a portion of mixed fruits that they have prepared earlier. Seeing that the little girl had grabbed her crayon and paper to draw, Edith decided to help feed the girl.

    Just as Edith poked at a chunk of cantaloupe, a strong hand grabbed at her wrist and the fruit suddenly disappeared.

    Hazel stared at the fruit pick and then back at the man beside her. "Uncle, that''s mine!"

    "Let''s share," Neil said. "I wanted to eat some fruits too."

    The uncle and niece continued to argue and Edith looked at the childish man in disbelief.

    President Mo, why were you stealing food from your niece?

    Read novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 150 - Bribing A Child

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Seeing that it was a rare occasion for his girlfriend to make a trip to see him at work, the thought of wanting her to stay longer with him crossed his mind.

    "Why don''t you two stay around? I''ll finish my work quickly, and later, let''s go out and have early dinner together."

    Edith glanced at the piling documents on the desk, and then back at the man''s expecting gaze. "It seemed that you have a lot of documents to look at. Hazel and I should go back first. Lest we were disturbing you."

    Neil walked over to Edith, standing close enough that he could smell the scent of her shampoo. His throat rolled up and down, thinking that this woman was like a fragrant cake and he really wanted to take a bite. However, his niece was still in the office and he needed to hold back.

    "That''s more reason for you to stay." Neil bend down slightly and spoke in a low voice, "They said that women find a hard-working man very attractive."

    Her head tilted sideways, pondering the meaning of his words. "What are you implying?"

    "That''s why you have to stay and watch me at work."

    Edith found herself dumbstruck for a few seconds. The corner of her lips twitched as soon as she understood his meaning. "President Mo, why are you so childish today? If any of your staff heard this, they would think that someone had changed you with an impostor."

    "Stay?"

    Looking at the face that was trying to imitate Hazel''s puppy dog eyes, Edith could not help to laugh. "Let''s ask Hazel first. If she''s not too tired, then we will stay."

    Neil turned around to the little girl who was immersed in her drawing. "Hazel?" He watched the girl lifted her head and asked, "Do you want to stay at my office with Teacher Qian until I finished my work and head back together?"

    Hazel blinked. "Will it take a long time?" She seemed to remember that these few days, her uncle would arrive home later than usual and missed dinner together.

    Before Teacher Qian came to live with them, she would often accompany her uncle at his office until he finished his work. Hazel could still remember how long it would take her uncle to finish his work. In the end, she even fell sick because she was too tired of waiting.

    "No. If you''re around, your Uncle Shawn will let me go home on time."

    Edith, who heard those words suddenly wondered whether Assistant Shawn was the boss instead.

    "Later, let''s have your favorite chicken wings for dinner," Neil continued.

    The little girl frowned slightly as she thought over the generous offer seriously. "What''s the occasion?" She still remembered that her mother had told her eating fast food is not that good and she should only eat them on a certain occasion.

    "A compensation," Neil said. "Because I ate your fruits earlier."

    The frown on Hazel''s face disappeared and was replaced with a very bright smile. "Alright." She turned to her teacher and said, "Teacher Qian, let''s stay and accompany my uncle."

    Edith snorted as she watched the proud smile on Neil''s face.

    President Mo, do you think it''s good to bribe a child like this?

    A few minutes later, Neil went back to his desk to settle his work while Edith walked over to Hazel''s corner and accompanied her to draw. Looking at the colorful drawings, Edith seemed to find that recently, Hazel''s drawing had started to change.

    Hazel loved to draw her favorite bunny plush going on an adventure. In the past, this bunny in the drawing would be accompanied by a small cat. However, these days, that bunny plush would be accompanied by a robot¡­ It was quite strange.

    One creature was soft and fluffy, and another one was hard and steely. They were both fighting monsters in the forest.

    Edith immediately thought of Alex, who seemed to love dragging this little girl to help him with his Gundam model each time Edith took her to Lily''s place.

    Seeing how this robot had made its way into Hazel''s drawing showed how much Hazel liked them.

    After drawing for a while longer, Hazel finally grew sleepy.

    Edith carried the little girl to the sofa and covered her with a blanket. Seeing that the girl was sleeping beside her, Edith turned her head towards the hardworking man. His gaze was on his computer and his fingers danced as he typed something.

    Looking at the man''s serious face, her heart skipped a beat. Un. Definitely attractive.

    The cold air from the AC was blowing gently, and the clacking sound of Neil''s typing on the keyboard slowly lulled her to sleep. Soon, Edith fell asleep with her head rested on the backrest.

    Feeling something on her body, Edith jolted from her sleep. Checking at her surrounding, Edith found a thick blanket was covering her body. She tilted her head up and her gaze met with Neil''s.

    "Sorry, did I wake you up?" Neil touched the tip of his nose. He was too focused on his work, wanting to finish everything soon so that he could accompany his girlfriend and niece soon. He realized that the surrounding was too quiet and look out to find that both girls were sleeping on the sofa.

    Suddenly, he felt a bit guilty for his selfishness. He wanted to be able to look at his girlfriend whenever he looked up from the numbers and words in the documents and therefore, decided to hold them both in his office. Looking at how the two girls were sleeping, Neil was regretting his decision.

    "Are you done with your work?" Edith asked.

    "Just a little bit more." Neil flashed a helpless smile. "Are you tired?"

    "I''m fine." Edith flashed him a smile. "Get back to work so I can continue to admire an attractive man at work."

    Neil chuckled at her words. Just as he was about to turn to his desk again, Neil heard Edith called his name in a soft voice. Turning around, he found that the woman stood behind him. Before he figured out what she was about to do, Edith had tugged at his necktie, pulling him forward before her lips met his in a short kiss.

    The kiss ended before he was able to savor them, but there was still a smile in Neil''s eyes as he looked at his girlfriend.

    "An encouragement. So that you will finish your work faster."

    A playful smile curved on his lips before Neil bent down to recapture that lips again. Seconds later, the kiss broke again. This time, they were interrupted by the sound of something heavy fall down on the floor.

    Turning around, they both saw the surprised look on Assistant Shawn''s face as he stared at them.. A few documents scattered at his feet.

    Read novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 151 - We Are Dating

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Edith swallowed as she saw the surprised look on Assistant Shawn''s face.

    Because of the sound of the documents falling, Hazel, who was sleeping on the sofa woke up from her sleep. The little girl looked at her surroundings with a puzzled look and went back to sleep.

    "P-president Mo." Assistant Shawn was at loss at what to do.

    After two years of working under President Mo, Assistant Shawn was permitted to enter the office without knocking. Therefore, Assistant Mo was ready to enter the room to deliver some documents to him. Anyway, he had a few urgent documents with him and was in a hurry. Who would have thought that the moment he stepped into the room, he would see his boss lowering his head to kiss the kindergarten teacher?

    The documents in his hands fell and Assistant Shawn could see the cold look on his boss''s face. It was too scary and the temperature around him had dropped.

    Suddenly, Assistant Shawn wished that he could turn back to a few minutes ago and knock on the door before entering.

    Assistant Shawn snapped out of his trance and bent down to pick up the documents. "Sorry. You¡­ carry on with¡ª" He paused to take a deep breath to calm down. "I should go now."

    Edith turned to Neil and saw that the ice block expression on his face had returned. She poked at his arms and blinked her eyes, asking him what they should do.

    Neil heaved a sigh and rubbed his forehead. After a quick think, Neil walked over to Assistant Shawn. "Follow me."

    Assistant Shawn took another deep breath. He picked up the documents in his hand and followed his boss to the meeting room. His face paled and his steps weakened.

    The secretaries and staff who saw the look on Assistant Shawn''s face were curious to know what had happened. Although Assistant Shawn could be strict, he was someone who always had a bright smile on his face.

    Entering the meeting room, Assistant Shawn quickly closed the door behind him. He watched his boss walked around the room and finally stopped in front of him.

    Seeing that his boss continued to stare at him without saying a word, Assistant Shawn grew anxious. Various thoughts came to his mind and he was worried that he might end up being killed now that he had seen something that he should not have.

    Unable to bear the silence, Assistant Shawn finally spoke, "President Mo, you and Teacher Qian..."

    "We are dating."

    Assistant Shawn continued to stare at his boss in a daze, expecting his boss to say more, but after announcing the news. It took Assistant Shawn a few seconds to respond with an, "Ah?"

    How could he have forgotten that his boss would not care to explain more after giving out the crucial information?

    Neil narrowed his eyes at his assistant, wondering when did his assistant get so slow. If this were how he reacted every time he announced a project, they would lose millions, and he would have to fire him.

    "Sorry." Assistant Shawn cleared his throat. "I was just surprised."

    His expression darkened. "Why are you so surprised?"

    "I was not expecting this sudden news," Assistant Shawn admitted. He suddenly recalled their conversation earlier that day. He suddenly understood why President Mo had asked him to set up an access card and had rejected him when he mentioned drafting a new contract.

    It turned out that they don''t need the contract at all.

    Nanny Ann was going to return next week and Teacher Qian was going to continue and stay with the family. This time, not as the little miss''s caretaker, but as President Mo''s girlfriend!!

    However, Assistant Shawn really could not figure out when did the two began their relationship. The last time he saw them together, President Mo still had that cold expression on his face.

    If someone told him that his boss would be dating the little miss''s kindergarten teacher, Assistant Shawn would have a hard time believing it. The two''s characters were very different. Assistant Shawn could not imagine how a cheery person such as Teacher Qian was going to survive President Mo''s coldness.

    But just now¡­ he could swear that he saw the smile on President Mo''s face. This smile was not the same as that scary smile he had flashed to him a while ago. This smile... was very warm and full of gentleness.

    Assistant Shawn was not only surprised to caught his boss kissing his niece''s caretaker. He was also shocked as he watched how the gentle look on President Mo''s face turned cold within seconds just because he had barged in and caught them... kissing.

    Seeing that the look on his boss''s face continued to stay the same, Assistant Shawn quickly tried to figure out a way to appease his boss. "President Mo, congratulation."

    Suddenly, the coldness on Neil''s face decreased a little bit. The corner of his lips tilted up into a rare smile. He had worked for Neil Mo for years and this was the first time he had seen this smile up close.

    "I will be careful from now on," Assistant Shawn continued. "The next time Teacher Qian came over, I''ll make sure not to disturb you."

    The smile on Neil''s face stretched up further, giving Assistant Shawn a heart attack.

    "Assistant Shawn, you should know not to say a word to anyone about this. Not even to my parents."

    "President Mo, you can be assured. You can trust me."

    ¡­

    Neil finally returned to his office after discussing the important matters with Assistant Shawn in the meeting room. The little girl was still sleeping on the sofa, and Edith was browsing something on her phone.

    Edith looked up from her phone and stood up to walk over to him. "How was it? What did you tell Assistant Shawn?"

    "What else should I tell him?" Neil raised a brow. "Of course, I told him that we are dating."

    Edith looked at the man who had a bragging expression on his face.

    "Speaking about that, there is something that I have to ask you," Neil said. "Previously, you wanted to keep our relationship a secret from Hazel because you need time to adjust to it. Are you not adjusting well to this relationship yet? Have you not sort out your mind yet?"

    Edith smiled as she saw the slight frown appearing on his face. However, the smile only made the man impatient.

    "Just now, Assistant Shawn had seen us kissing.. Then, what are we supposed to do if Hazel stumbled into the same situation? Wouldn''t she be upset that we have kept this a secret from her?" Neil asked. "Edith, I wanted to be able to act like a proper boyfriend in front of my niece, can''t I?"

    Read novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 152 - Staying

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Little Hazel was especially happy.

    Her uncle had bought her to the fast-food restaurant to eat her favorite fried chicken wings. In the beginning, Hazel was hesitant to eat them. She could still remember that her mother had told her that eating that kind of food was unhealthy and therefore, she can only eat them on special occasions. Hazel had no intention of going against her mother''s teaching.

    Her uncle had explained that the chicken wings were his way to compensate for her fruits. However, as she looked at the chicken wings in front of her, Hazel felt a little bit guilty. It was only when her teacher explained that eating them once a month should be fine, that she finally took a bite at the chicken wings again.

    When they arrived home, Hazel spent her time watching some of her favorite cartoons and caught her uncle and her teacher discussing something in the kitchen with a serious look on their face.

    Hazel, who was sitting in the living room, was anxious and could not focus on her cartoon.

    She seemed to remember that her uncle was supposed to convince her teacher to stay with them even after Nanny Ann returned. However, to this day, her uncle had not brought up that matter again.

    The thought that her uncle had failed to convince her teacher made Hazel felt down.

    She had reminded her uncle, again and again, to be adorable, but he won''t listen to her and thus, failed on his mission to convince her teacher. Although her uncle had told her not to worry about this matter, Hazel thought that this was the time that she should interfere.

    If she acted cutely in front of her teacher, perhaps she will give in to her and agreed to stay.

    Just as the little girl was worrying over, the two grownups walked over to the sofa to her.

    "Hazel, we have something to tell you," Neil announced. "Can we turn off the TV for a while?"

    The little girl looked at her uncle''s serious face and knew that he was going to tell her that he was going to announce that the living arrangement with Teacher Qian has ended and they will no longer have the chance to live together.

    At the thought that she could no longer see her teacher every day, Hazel grew sad. There was a little pout on her lips and she lowered her head. "Oh."

    Following her uncle''s instruction, Hazel switched off the television and sat face to face with both her uncle and her teacher. Since she was expecting that her uncle was going to deliver bad news, Hazel was not in the mood to listen.

    With the television turned off, the atmosphere in the room grew silent.

    Hazel tilted up her head suddenly and blinked her eyes as she looked at her teacher. This was her final chance to entice her teacher to stay and she was not going to give up until the last moment.

    Meanwhile, Edith thought that there was something wrong with Hazel. The little girl was beaming with cuteness and all she wanted was to pull the little girl into a hug and rained her soft face with kisses.

    "Hazel, Nanny Ann will return next week," Neil said. His eyes were studying the little girl''s expression.

    Her eyes grew wide with excitement. "Really? When will Nanny Ann returned?"

    She had not seen her nanny for months and was starting to miss the elder lady very much. Nanny Ann had stayed with her for years and would always spoil her. Back then, when she was a little bit naughty, Nanny Ann will always defend her whenever her mother grew angry.

    However, at the thought that she will not be able to see Teacher Qian once her nanny returned, Hazel had a mixed feeling about it. She wanted Nanny Ann and Teacher Qian both around her and could not make a choice. Suddenly, Hazel did not know what she should do.

    "Nanny Ann will return in two days," Neil said.

    The little girl''s gaze went to her teacher again.

    Then¡­ Teacher Qian will be leaving the house in two days? She will not be able to see her teacher again unless if she was at school?

    Little Hazel grew sad at those thoughts.

    "You don''t look like you''re happy," Neil said.

    "I am happy that Nanny Ann will return," Hazel said. She lowered her head again. "But I am also a little bit unhappy."

    "Why are you unhappy?" Edith asked.

    Hazel turned to her teacher with an aggrieved look. "Teacher Qian, my uncle said that when Nanny Ann returned, you will no longer stay with me in this house."

    Suddenly, Hazel''s heart grew heavy and her eyes grew sour. Her lips trembled slightly.

    "Teacher Qian, I know that I can see you again at school, but I really like having you around. Can''t you stay with us?"

    Edith gasped when she saw tears streamed down the little girl''s face. She was not expecting that the little girl would cry. Edith was aware that Hazel liked her a lot, but she did not think that the girl would grow attached to her after living together for two months.

    At that moment, Edith''s heart grew soft. She walked over to the little girl and pulled her into her embrace. However, the moment Edith held the little girl tightly, Hazel''s tears started to fall even more. "Don''t cry. Why are you crying?"

    "Teacher Qian, don''t leave alright?" Hazel said between her sobs. "You said you were going to stay with me until I graduated from kindergarten."

    Edith grew speechless.

    She did remember saying those words when Neil''s friend, Henry Wu offered a job at his security firm. But when she said she was going to stay, she meant as Hazel''s kindergarten teacher, ah!

    "Okay, don''t cry." Edith wiped her tears with her fingers. "I am not going to leave. I already told your uncle that I am staying with you. Don''t cry, alright?"

    Hazel sniffled. Her gaze shifted between her teacher and her uncle before she spoke in a hoarse voice, "Really?"

    "Un." Edith nodded. "I''m not lying to you."

    Hazel turned to her uncle as if looking for confirmation. Once she saw him nodded, Hazel held on to her teacher tightly and buried her face in her embrace, turning that childish man who was watching the exchange, upset.

    "We have another matter to tell you," Neil said once Hazel had calmed down.

    Hazel looked up at her uncle with a puzzled look on her face. She had thought that this matter was settled and could not figure out what else her uncle was going to tell.

    "This time, Teacher Qian will not stay in this house as your caretaker, but as my girlfriend," Neil spoke with a straight face. "Do you understand what that means?"

    It took Hazel a while to process her uncle''s words. Then, she turned to look at the two grownups with her wide eyes. Finally, her gaze stopped at her uncle, and she nodded. "Un. I know. It means you are dating."

    Seeing that Hazel was accepting the news calmly, both Neil and Edith were at ease.

    These days, it was not strange for children in Hazel''s age to understand matters about dating and such.

    A thought suddenly came to her mind and Hazel went to her uncle''s side. Her tear-stained eyes grew wide with excitement. "Uncle, does that mean that later, when you married Teacher Qian, I can call her my auntie?"

    Edith froze and wondered whether she had heard the wrong thing.

    A glint of amusement flashed through Neil''s eyes. "You want Teacher Qian to be your auntie?"

    "Un." Hazel nodded again. "Alex always called Teacher Qian as Auntie Edith. He said he was allowed to call her that because his mom was a good friend to Teacher Qian. If Teacher Qian became my auntie, then I can call her that too. I will be closer to Teacher Qian more than Alex."

    Suddenly, Edith could guess that her friend, Lily might have something to do with this.

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 153 - Picking Up His Girlfriend From Work

    With Nanny Ann returning to the city and their new living arrangement, Hazel no longer need to stay at the kindergarten until Edith clocked out. Instead, Driver Tang would pick her up at school and sent her back to Nanny Ann. With this new arrangement, Edith no longer needed to rush on her work to get back.

    Edith was staying in the classroom to check on her lesson plan after the school session ended when someone knocked on the door. A while late, the door swung open and Headmistress Fu walked into the classroom.

    "Headmistress Fu," Edith stood up and greeted.

    The elderly lady smiled as she looked around. "Hazel Mo went back?"

    "Hmm¡­" Edith nodded. "Hazel''s previous caretaker, Nanny Ann had returned two days ago. Hazel doesn''t have to wait until I finished my job before she can go back home."

    "This is good." Headmistress Fu nodded. Her head lowered and her eyes were unfocused. It seemed as if she had something in her mind but was hesitant to say it out loud.

    Edith continued to wait for Headmistress Fu to say a word and suddenly recalled that she had not updated the headmistress of her new living arrangement.

    "Headmistress Fu, there is something else that I have forgotten to tell you."

    The elder lady looked up with a puzzled look on her face.

    "Although Nanny Ann has returned to look after Hazel, President Mo had asked me to continue and stay with them." Edith coughed in embarrassment. "You know about how Hazel was almost kidnapped recently. That girl was still traumatized by it and we thought that it would be best if I stay around with Hazel for a while longer. After all, that little girl has been attached to me after that incident."

    Her gaze shifted away, knowing that she was not telling Headmistress Fu the whole truth.

    However, to announce that she was living together with them because she was seeing Neil Mo was too embarrassing. Headmistress Fu was a good friend to Neil''s mother, Sophie Huang. There was no doubt that once Edith announced that she was dating Neil, Headmistress Fu was going to let her friend know.

    Although they have decided to let Hazel know about this matter, Edith was not in a hurry to let Neil''s parents or her grandfather know of her relationship. After all, the relationship was still a baby. Just the thought of Neil''s parents summoning them to see her make her scared. She was not ready to reach that stage yet.

    "This is what I wanted to talk to you as well." Headmistress Fu had a smile on her face. "I was worried about Hazel''s well being and was going to talk to you about this matter as well. Fortunately, you have discussed with President Mo and decided to continue to stay by the little girl''s side."

    Previously, her friend, Sophie Huang had asked her to look over for her son, Neil Mo. It seemed that Sophie had taken a liking to Edith and wanted to set up Neil and Edith together.

    According to Sophie, her elder son, Neil Mo was someone who would not warm up to a person easily. Seeing that her son got along with Edith very well, Sophie had wanted to try her luck.

    Headmistress Fu was still thinking of how she could help her friend with her request. But now that Headmistress Fu had heard that Edith will continue to stay with the Mo''s, she was relieved. At least, she will know what to tell her friend when she called to ask for progress the next time.

    Moreover, as the headmistress of Sunflower Kindergarten, Headmistress Fu was genuinely worried about Hazel. That little girl has been going through a lot after she suddenly lost her parents.

    Headmistress Fu could see how Hazel liked Edith and had slowly begun to change. During the parents'' child activity day a while ago, Headmistress Fu had witnessed how Hazel was slowly getting closer to her uncle. It was all due to Teacher Qian''s help. Since Edith bought positive results for the uncle and niece, it would be good if she continued to interact with them more.

    After spending almost ten minutes talking with Edith about Hazel, Headmistress Fu then left the classroom.

    Edith was packing her bag and head home when her phone chimed. A smile curled on her lips upon seeing the name on the screen. Edith swiped her fingers on the screen and pressed the phone to her ears.

    "Driver Tang said you are still at the kindergarten," Neil said as soon as he heard his girlfriend''s voice. "Why are you not at home yet?"

    "After a long school break, of course, there would be a pile of work waiting for me," Edith said with a sigh. "The kindergarten is planning to organize another activity soon and I have to look at them as well."

    "It sounds like you are very busy as well."

    Edith laughed. "It was only after the students had returned home that I can do other jobs. But recently, without Hazel accompanying me at the kindergarten, it was a little quiet."

    "Then, would you like me to accompany you?"

    Although Edith could not see his face, she could almost imagine the teasing look on Neil''s face. "It''s fine. I''m about to head back home as well."

    "Then, come out quickly. I''m waiting for you outside."

    "Ah?" Her movement paused. She checked at the time and saw that it was still early for Neil to clock out. "Aren''t you supposed to be at work?"

    "I''m the President of the company. If I can''t end work early to pick up my girlfriend, then, what is the point of hiring those people? As long as I delegate the job well, everything should be fine."

    Edith laughed upon hearing his words.

    After she packed up her bag, Edith walked outside and found Neil''s SUV parked not too far away from the entrance. The man stepped out from the driver''s seat and helped her with the door. His hand stretched out to hold her just before Edith entered the vehicle.

    His lips curled into a smile when he saw the puzzled look on his girlfriend''s face. He lowered his head and whispered, "What do you think about going on a date with me?"

    Edith raised a brow at him. "Have you forgotten that Hazel is at home, waiting for us?"

    The smile on his lips stretched up, liking the way she had said those words. "It''s fine. Nanny Ann will be looking after her. Besides, it was Hazel who thinks that I should spend more time with her auntie."

    Edith chuckled as she recalled how the little girl was excited to find out that she was dating her uncle. To think that Hazel would be jealous of Alex because he got to address her as Auntie Edith...

    Hazel was really, such an adorable child.

    Seeing the dazed look on his girlfriend''s face, Neil bent down to kiss her lips. "Come on.. I''ll take you to a good place."

    Read novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 154 - I Saw Them Kissing

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    As Neil''s SUV drove away, a figure walked out of the shadow. It was Headmistress Fu and she was watching the direction where the vehicle had disappeared to with her eyes wide and her mouth slightly ajar.

    The elderly lady stood at the same spot for almost two minutes before her knee finally grew tired and she finally snapped out of her thoughts. Headmistress Fu turned to her office and wondered if her eyes were playing tricks on her.

    Just now, she did see that Neil Mo was kissing with her teacher, Edith.

    From the way the two interacted, it does look like their relationship was more than she had thought.

    Headmistress Fu continued to ponder about what she had seen until she concluded. She had seen the world long enough to know what was going on between Edith and Neil.

    Since the two were obviously in a romantic relationship, then, what was the point of her friend asking her help to watch over the two and help them to develop a relationship?

    Headmistress Fu sat on her chair and reached for her phone. She dialed the number and someone picked it up after a few rings.

    "Why did you call me at this time," Sophie asked after exchanging a few pleasantries with her friend.

    Headmistress Fu smiled before she spoke. "Sophie, I don''t think you need me to look after your son and Teacher Qian. It seemed that we didn''t have to intervene."

    Sophie was surprised upon hearing that her friend had changed her mind about helping her. "What''s wrong? What happened?"

    "Do you know what did I just saw in front of the kindergarten?"

    "What did you see?"

    "It was your son, ah. I think he was here to pick up Teacher Qian after work. But that was not the most surprising thing at all."

    Hearing that her son came to pick up Edith from work made Sophie a little bit excited. At least, she knew that her son was not totally hopeless at wooing a girl. However, her friend''s tone and voice still made her worry and Sophie was unable to calm down.

    "What is it?" Sophie asked.

    "Just now, I saw them kissing." Headmistress Fu''s voice grew softer as if she was embarrassed to say it aloud.

    Because of her friend''s soft voice, Sophie had thought that perhaps she had misheard things. "What did you say? I did not hear it clearly."

    "Kissing. Your son and Teacher Qian were kissing at the entrance, ah."

    Sophie let out a loud gasp, shocked upon hearing the news. "You sure it was my son?"

    "Of course I''m sure. I might be old, but my eyesight is very good. It was definitely your son. I have seen his vehicle a few times and even memorized his plate number."

    Sophie grew excited. Various thoughts came to her mind and she could not wait to call her son and verify the news with him. Then maybe she could ask them to come over to Z Town this weekend. Or perhaps she should drag her husband to L City to see those two.

    Kissing. Her son was kissing a girl! Suddenly, Sophie was very proud of her son. A while later, the wedding firecrackers in her mind were lit up and Sophie started to plan a wedding¡­

    "The way I see it, I think they should be in a relationship," Headmistress Fu continued. "Since they already progress this much, then you definitely don''t need me to meddle in with their affair."

    Sophie Huang was all smiles after she hangs up the phone call with her friend. With that joyous news, she went to find her husband to gossip about their son.

    But just as Sophie told her husband about her idea about going over to L City to meet their future daughter-in-law, her husband, Lucas had quickly rejected her proposal.

    Lucas Mo has been married to his wife for more than thirty years and knew well that his wife was excited.

    "You have seen the way the two interacted during our last time in L City," Lucas said. "From the way I see it, their relationship had just begun. If we come over to see them, Teacher Qian would be embarrassed. Then, how do you expect their relationship to progress?"

    "Then¡­ should we ask them to come here?"

    Lucas heaved a long sigh. "If you ask them to come back and ask about their relationship, do you think Teacher Qian would not be scared? It was hard for your son to have a girlfriend. Do you want her to run away? The best thing we can do is to let them be. When it''s time, your son will bring back the person he wanted to marry back home. What are you worrying about?"

    After giving her husband''s words of advice a long thought, Sophie finally decided not to interfere with her son''s affair. She was still hoping to see her son coming back with a daughter-in-law for her. Hazel would need younger siblings to accompany her.

    ¡­

    Meanwhile, the couple that the elders were worried about was having their dinner date. As they stepped arrived, Edith held on to Neil''s arms as he led her inside the building.

    Her eyes swept around the unfamiliar surroundings until the waiter showed them to their table. Once they were seated, Edith propped her chin with her elbow and looked at the man seated in front of her.

    "Is this place expensive?"

    Neil chuckled at her question. "Don''t worry. I won''t let my girlfriend starve and end up hunting for instant noodles in the kitchen cabinet in the middle of the night. This place should be to your liking. The atmosphere is good and their food is pretty good."

    "President Mo, you take me out to this place to eat delicious food." Her lips curled into a teasing smile. "Aren''t you afraid that your niece would be upset when she finds out?"

    "She won''t be upset. Earlier, Hazel told me that Nanny Ann was going to make her favorite food. Moreover..." His brow furrowed in displease. "Why are you still call me President Mo?"

    "Why not? I think this name is cute."

    "You don''t work for me. Why do you want to call me that? Change it."

    "Then, what do you like?" A mischievous smile curved on her lips. "Iceblock Mo?"

    His eyes flashed with a dangerous glint. "What do you say?" He really wanted to bite this girl and see if she dared to call him Iceblock Mo again.

    Edith subconsciously leaned back on her seat. Seconds later, she leaned closer to him and smiled again. "Then..." her voice was a whisper.. Edith tilted her head sideways and blinked. "Should I call you darling?"

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 155 - Insecurity

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    There was a long silence between them.

    Seeing that the man was not answering but continued to stare at her, Edith started to wonder if he did not like that endearing term. Her lips parted to say something, but Edith stopped herself when she noticed the slight red on his neck that spread to his ear.

    Suddenly, Edith was shocked at these findings.

    It turned out that this man was embarrassed!

    This man often had a cool expression on his face and it was only recently that he would show different expressions when he was with her. However, this expression was something she did not expect to see.

    She did not think that this man would be this adorable! At this time, Edith suddenly had the urge to pinch him on both cheeks and planted a kiss on his lips.

    A sense of deja vu came over as she pictured that scene. Why does it feel as if she had done those things to him previously?

    Just then, a waiter walked over to the table and handed over a menu.

    Neil cleared his throat and the redness on his skins disappeared as he turned to look at the menu, pretending that nothing was wrong.

    A soft laugh escaped her before Edith turned to look at the menu as well. A few seconds later, her gaze grew softer.

    The last time he had brought her to that expensive restaurant, Edith had complained about the price and portion. So this time, Neil had decided to pick a place that would not make her uncomfortable. The price of the food was not ridiculously expensive and Edith hoped that the portion would be generous too.

    Once the waiter left with their food order, the couple spent their time chatting about various things. However, their conversation soon changed its direction to Hazel.

    Putting down the cutlery in his hand, Neil stared at the woman in front of him with a slightly displeased look on his expression. "Aren''t we on a date? Why are we talking about Hazel?"

    Edith laughed. "Darling, if Hazel heard those words, she would definitely be upset." The corner of her lips turned up slightly upon noticing how he froze when she used that endearing term. "You don''t like this name?

    "No. It''s fine," Neil said quickly. He lifted his fist to his mouth and coughed. "I''ll get used to it."

    The redness on his neck returned and Edith decided to restrain herself from teasing him lest he would choke on his meal. She watched as he picked up his cutlery again and stared at him for a long time.

    "I still find this unusual," Edith said.

    "What is?"

    "Us. Dating."

    Neil cocked a brow. "What''s so unusual about it?"

    Edith took a sip from her drink. "To tell you the truth, I was preparing myself to give you a confession. The last time you asked me to stay until Hazel is a lot better, I could not give you an answer right away because of this."

    His eyes flashed, and Neil stared at Edith, waiting for her to continue.

    After her drunken confession, he was aware that Edith had liked him. Therefore, when she did not give him an answer after he asked her to stay, Neil has been puzzled over this matter.

    Edith was now his girlfriend and she had chosen to stay and continued to live with them. Although that matter about living together was resolved, Neil would sometimes wonder why she did hesitate at the beginning.

    "I wanted to prepare an escape route," Edith continued. "If you rejected me, then, of course, I will reject that offer. I would not be able to face you if you rejected my confession. Surprisingly, you confessed to me first." She blinked her eyes at him and her lips stretched up into a wide smile. "Darling, when do you start to like me?"

    Neil chuckled. He was planning to keep her drunken confession a secret and naturally, he did not want to mention that it was after that drunken confession and kiss that made him realized that his gaze would often follow her.

    "But why do you think that us, dating was unusual?" Neil decided to steer the conversation somewhere else.

    There was a brief silence between them. Edith heaved a long sigh and spoke, "Of course, it was because of our differences. This matter will definitely rose later anyway, so I am going to bring it out now."

    A slight scrunch appeared in the space between his brow as he guessed at where this conversation was heading to.

    "Although I really like you, there are some things that I worry about as well. For example, our social status is different," Edith said. "You¡­ don''t think that us, dating will not be a problem later?"

    Neil was amused by her question. "What sort of problem?"

    "For example, what if your parents did not like me? For someone like you, isn''t it preferable to be with someone who can help with your company''s growth or such? Don''t you mind what others are going to say if they knew that you are dating a kindergarten teacher?"

    "Edith Qian, have you been watching too much drama?"

    Edith laughed. "No. They are serious questions."

    "If I am incapable to build up the company without having a political marriage or such, then I don''t deserve to be in this position, don''t you think?" Neil raised a brow.

    Edith thought of his words and thought that his words do make sense.

    "You don''t have to worry about my parents either," Neil continued. "The scene where my mother would come to you and offer you money to leave me would not happen. My parents trusted my judgment enough to know that I will not date just anyone. As long as I like that person, my parents will agree. After all, if I am marrying, I will be the one who will spend a lifetime with that person. Not my parents."

    Edith lowered her gaze and was suddenly embarrassed for asking such questions.

    Was she such a superficial person?

    "You have spent a week with my parents when they stayed in L City previously. You should figure out what kind of person they are," Neil said. He pushed his plate aside and leaned forward to look into her eyes. "Edith Qian, I don''t need you to match me. I just need you to be by my side. As long as you can be the place where I can return to, that is enough. What others say or think about us isn''t important to me.. What''s important is what you think about us. Do you understand what I am saying?"

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 156 - Playing Hooligan

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Edith thought that after talking with Neil during dinner, she had liked him a little bit more.

    This man might be a man of a few words to others, but he would say more than he usually does to convince her. Last time, he had convinced her that the reason he had kissed her had nothing to do with him wanting her to stay for Hazel. This time, he had convinced her that he did not mind her background and she should not be insecure when they are together.

    She did not need to match him and he did not need her to help him to boost his career.

    If he wanted to talk about business, he can always do that with the directors, managers, or his business partner. What he needed was for her to stay by his side and be the person where he could return to whenever he was tired. The person he needed was someone who can accompany him in life. As long as they love each other, everything else would not matter.

    Whenever Edith recalled his words again, she had the urge to swoon.

    Her boyfriend was good looking, rich, and knew the right thing to say to her. At the thought that she was currently dating him, Edith had a sense that she had won a huge jackpot.

    "What are you spacing out about?" Neil asked.

    The two of them went back to their place after their meal as Edith was worried that Hazel would be upset if they stayed out for a long time. He had pulled his vehicle into the parking lot a minute ago when he noticed that the person beside him was staring at the scenery with a silly smile on her face.

    Edith snapped out of her trance and turned to Neil. "Nothing." She beamed with a smile. "Just thought that you are so good to me."

    Neil chuckled at her answer. He stared at her face for a while and thought of her question earlier that he had evaded. "In fact, I do like it when you acted a little bit like a little gangster."

    Her brow raised questioningly. "Why? Because you haven''t met a female gangster before?"

    His hand suddenly moved to pinch her cheek. "No. I''ve met a few female gangsters before, but none of them are as cute as you."

    Her heart skipped a beat and Edith thought that this man was getting better with his sweet words. Perhaps, she should find a new nickname for him. It seemed that Iceblock Mo was no longer suitable for him.

    "Just that, I like it when you can act freely and just be yourself." He considered for a while, and continued, "Being together with me would not be easy for you. There will always be others who are going to say that we are not compatible. Whatever happened, I just wanted you to continue to be yourself."

    Unable to hold on against the temptation, Edith took off the seat belt, held his face in both her hands, and kissed his lips. After a while, she pulled away and rested her forehead against his.

    "What are you doing?" His gaze stared at her moist lips.

    "Playing hooligan." Her lips stretched up into a smile.

    Seeing the smile, Neil shifted his gaze to meet hers. His throat rolled upon meeting her intent gaze. Her bright eyes pulled his into hers, not letting him look away for a second. The atmosphere in the car was very quiet and the only sound that could be heard was their breathing.

    Her hand that was resting on both his cheek slowly moved down until they encircled his neck. A while later, Edith shifted her gaze to his lips. Then, she leaned forward to kiss him again. Her kisses were slow and unhurried. She was taking her time to taste his lips, trying to tell him exactly what she felt towards him at this time.

    And the man obediently reciprocated her kisses. His right arms wrapped around her waist, holding her in place. And a while later, his hands grew restless and he started to caress the area around her waist and her back.

    Neil wanted to feel more of her, but at this time, he could only swallow to suppress his feelings, knowing that the timing was not right.

    "Neil Mo," Edith whispered against his lips. "I think I like you even more now."

    A low, reverberating laugh escaped him. "Are you trying to seduce me?"

    Her gaze flickered to meet his. Seeing the black pool staring back at her, Edith suddenly sensed an incoming danger. When his hands moved away from her waist, Edith heaved a breath of relief. Slowly, she backed away from him, creating a distance between them.

    "We should go up," Edith said. "Hazel is still waiting for us and Nanny Ann will need to head back to her place."

    His eyes narrowed dangerously, but there was a hint of playfulness on his expression. "Trying to escape after having your way with me?"

    "Darling, you are the one who tried to seduce me first." Edith blinked her eyes innocently at him. "You said those sweet words to seduce me, isn''t that it?" She tilted her head sideways and swiftly slipped out of the vehicle before the man in could do anything to her.

    Seeing the helpless look in his eyes, Edith started to laugh. Then, she stood at the side of his vehicle as she waited for the man to calm down.

    When the couple returned to the house, Hazel sat up from the sofa and greeted them at the door cheerily.

    A strange feeling seeped into her heart and Edith suddenly thought this situation was almost the same as if having a child excitedly greet her at the door as she came back from work!

    After exchanging a few words with Nanny Ann, the elderly woman went downstairs and Driver Tang sent her back to her place.

    Edith accompanied Hazel to play around for a little bit and read her a book to sleep. When she walked out of Hazel''s bedroom, Edith found Neil stood in front of the door.

    He was holding a mug of warm milk in one hand, and her water bottle in another hand. The empty bottle was now refilled.

    "Drink this first," Neil said, handing over the mug to her. He watched her drink her milk and retrieved the empty mug from her. Then, he stretched his hand to pass her bottle. "I have them refilled for you."

    Edith smiled. She always had this habit to enter the kitchen in the middle of the night to refill her bottle, but after they started dating, her nice boyfriend had taken this task over. "Thank you."

    "Alright. Go in." Neil held the door for her and kissed her cheek. "Good night."

    Closing the door, Edith leaned on the door with a smile on her face. Although they were living together, she still got to experience the feeling of having her boyfriend sending her to her door after a date.

    Edith thought that this feeling was pretty good.

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 157 - President Mos Secretary Department

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    The secretaries who were stationed outside President Mo''s office noticed the recent change in their boss.

    At a certain fixed hour, Assistant Shawn will step out of the President''s office and reminded the secretaries to not let anyone disturb President Mo for about half an hour.

    No one knew why Assistant Shawn gave that order, or why President Mo needed a half an hour break when he used to be a workaholic. However, the secretaries noticed something.

    After that thirty minutes break, President Mo''s mood would improve greatly.

    For example, a week ago, a manager had made some mistakes on a very important proposal, causing President Mo to be in a very bad mood. Anyone who entered his room would be sent out crying. Even Assistant Shawn suggested everyone be on their best behavior if they did not want to provoke their boss''s anger.

    However, his bad mood miraculously disappeared after that half-hour break.

    As the secretaries were almost all female, they were naturally very interested in gossip. Their department was usually quiet as they shared the same floor with President Mo, and gossiping about their boss was very thrilling and entertaining at the same time.

    Some rumors circulated among the secretaries, but none of them dared to spread it out to others and risk losing their job. Whatever was said in President Mo''s secretary department stayed within the department.

    Curious at what was going on behind the closed door, a brave secretary decided to inquire Assistant Shawn about this matter before the others'' imagination run wild.

    Assistant Shawn merely told them that during this short break, President Mo was on a call with someone important.

    Suddenly, everyone was curious to know who was this important person. One of the secretaries deduced that President Mo was on the phone with Little Miss Hazel.

    Every one of them had seen the little girl coming over to the office a few times and knew how President Mo doted on the little girl.

    However, this phone call happened while Hazel was still in school, and therefore, this assumption was rejected. Then, someone came out with another guess: President Mo was on the phone with his girlfriend.

    None of them had heard any rumors or news that President Neil Mo was seeing anyone. However, they soon noticed that slight change in their boss. For example, his expression was screaming that he was in love.

    Soon, the group of secretaries concluded that their guess this time should be right. But of course, until the day President Mo''s girlfriend showed up at his office, none of the secretaries dared to spread anything to others.

    Of course, both Neil and his assistant were unaware of what was going on in the president''s secretary department.

    At this time, Neil was on his thirty minutes break. It might seem as if he was browsing through a few documents on his desk, but if one looked closer, they would notice that his Bluetooth headset was on and that his phone was facing him.

    Rather than saying that Neil was on a phone call, it would be accurate to say that he was on a video call with his girlfriend. During this time, his girlfriend was on a break and this was the only time he could give her a call.

    On the screen, Edith was seen having her lunch with her ears plugged with earphones.

    Although the two might not be speaking at this time, they were indeed on a video call. They were at two different places doing their own thing, but this was their way of spending time with each other.

    Edith took a final bite at her lunch and looked up at the camera. "I''m done with my lunch." She lifted her lunchbox to show it to him as proof.

    "Already?" A deep frown appeared on his face.

    "Darling, it''s almost time." Edith picked up her lunch box and smiled. "I still need to meet the other teachers and discuss the kids upcoming activities. We''ll see each other at home, alright? What do you want to eat for dinner?"

    Neil opened his mouth to answer, but suddenly recalled something important. "I won''t be able to have dinner with you and Hazel tonight. An important client comes over and I have to accompany them for dinner. Please inform Hazel that I will not be able to come back."

    "Alright." Edith nodded. A thought crossed her mind and Edith narrowed her eyes as she looked at him."Are you going alone? Or with a companion?"

    Neil chuckled, knowing that her girlfriend was checking whether he will bring one of his secretaries with him. "Assistant Shawn will accompany me. I don''t usually take a female companion with me unless necessary. If I have to take someone, I will let you know. Or else¡­ you can always come with me."

    "What am I going to do while you were on a business discussion with others?"

    "Just stay around where I can see you."

    Edith laughed at his answer. "I''d better stay home and accompany Hazel. Remember not to drink too much. Don''t drive by yourself. Have Driver Tang send you back instead."

    "Un. I know." Neil nodded obediently.

    After exchanging a few more sweet words, Neil finally ended the phone call and let his girlfriend return to her job. A few minutes later, there was a knock on the door and Assistant Shawn walked in with a few documents in his hand.

    Seeing that his boss'' mood had improved tremendously after that phone call, Assistant Shawn let out a long sigh in relief. Assistant Shawn still found that it was hard to believe that his boss was dating the kindergarten teacher. But seeing his boss''s good mood after his phone call, Assistant Shawn thought that Teacher Qian''s influence on President Mo was not that small.

    Although the days were getting colder, the temperature surrounding President Mo was not as cold.

    "President Mo, these are the documents that you asked me to fetch," Assistant Shawn spoke as he placed the documents on the desk.

    "Thank you." Neil reached for the documents and scanned through the contents. Sensing that his Assistant was still in front of him, Neil raised his head and cocked a brow. "Is there anything else?"

    "Yes." Assistant Shawn hesitated, knowing that he was going to deliver news that his boss was not going to like. His boss was in such a good mood after his routine phone call and he hated to be that person who was going to ruin his mood.

    "President Mo, I received news that Jamie Xu is returning to L City in two weeks," Assistant Shawn said.

    Neil''s expression darkened after hearing that name.

    "Last time, you asked Jamie to conclude the project in Country N and returned immediately," Assistant Shawn reminded him.

    "I know." A deep frown appeared on Neil''s face.. "But for that person to return at this time¡­ I''m afraid there will be trouble."

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 158 - Dinner Party

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Neil entered the private hall with his assistant trailing closely to him. The lively atmosphere suddenly halted with his presence. It was not until Neil had stopped and swept his gaze on the room did the lively atmosphere returned.

    A few of his close acquaintances walked over to greet him and exchanged a few words. Knowing that it was rare for Neil Mo to come over and joined a gathering like this, a few of them tried to take this chance to talk to him and casually mentioned business cooperation.

    At this time, a man in his early forty walked over to him with a smile. He had salt and pepper hair and an amiable smile. Although this man was slightly older than most of the party attendees, his handsome look could still steal a few young girls'' hearts.

    Neil walked over to him and stretched his hand. "Mr. Wang, thank you for your invitation."

    "Mr. Mo." Mark Wang gave the man in front of him a look over before he flashed him an amiable smile. "In the past, it was always your little brother who came over to my party. This is the first time you''re here." He coughed and his smile turned apologetic. "I''m sorry about the passing of Adam."

    Neil could still remember how his brother had talked about Mark Wang in the past. According to Adam, he did not like Mark Wang very much simply because the two of them had similar characters. Both Adam Mo and Mark Wang were people who liked to hide their feelings and thinking behind their smiles.

    However, Adam''s relationship with Mark was considered good. When Adam and Claire passed away, this man had attended his funeral to send him off.

    If it was not for this man''s invitation, Neil would definitely send Assistant Shawn or any of his directors to attend this party in his stead.

    The two of them exchanged a few words and discussed their business collaboration. At this time, a waiter walked over with a tray of drinks. Mark picked up a wine glass and handed it over to Neil. Then, he picked another one for himself. "I hope you will have a good time at this party."

    Seeing that the man still have other guests that he needed to entertain, Neil then turned around and find a quiet place to sit down.

    Assistant Shawn took the wine glass from his boss and put it aside. Then, he started to walk around and mingle with the others in his boss''s stead. Knowing that Assistant Shawn was someone that Neil had trusted a lot, they did not waste their time to get close to him. After all, to get an appointment with Neil Mo, one must go through his strict assistant first.

    Neil sat down quietly as he observed everything around him. Though his stance might look as if he was not paying attention to his surroundings, Neil was actually observing the people who were presented at this dinner party.

    A lot of them were someone very close to his brother, Adam Mo.

    And his other intention of coming over to this business party was to investigate Adam''s circle of friends and see if any of them would know anything about whatever Adam was working on before the accident.

    His gaze turned disappointed when he could not find the person he was looking for.

    The phone in his pocket vibrated and a smile appeared on his face upon seeing a message from his girlfriend, reminding him not to drink too much.

    Suddenly, Neil sensed a movement and found that a strong smell of perfume assaulted his nose. Turning to his left, the frown on his face deepened when Neil met Amanda''s pitiful gaze. He immediately stood up to leave, but that person had grabbed at his wrist, preventing him from leaving.

    "Miss Shen, what are you doing?" His gaze moved towards the hand that was on his wrist. "Let me go."

    Earlier today, Assistant Shawn had announced that Jamie was going to return to L City in two weeks. Although Jamie''s return was indeed good news for his company, Neil was not very happy. And now that his ex-girlfriend had appeared in front of him, all he could recall was the way how the two had betrayed him.

    Jamie took it as a challenge to seduce Neil''s girlfriend, and Amanda had taken the hook. In the end, it was Amanda who took the initiative to find Jamie that night.

    If it was not because they had known each other from a young age, Neil would not hesitate to treat his friend as a stranger, just like how he had treated Amanda.

    "No. I just need to talk to you for a while." Amanda Shen spoke. She bit at her lips and stood up next to Neil. "I-I just returned from Country T a couple of months ago, so I did not know. Neil, I''m sorry about Adam. My condolences."

    Previously, when the two were still dating, Amanda was lucky to meet with Adam a few times and knew how close the two brothers were. She did not expect that Adam and his wife had lost their lives in an accident.

    "The small girl that I saw at the private kitchen last time¡­ is she Hazel? Adam and Claire''s daughter?"

    His expression darkened. "Miss Shen, if I found out that you were trying to get close to my niece, I will not hesitate to harm you."

    Amanda laughed, but there was sadness in her eyes. "Do you think I am that kind of person?"

    "We might have known each other in the past, but now, I don''t know what kind of person you are, Miss Shen."

    His words stabbed her in the heart, but Amanda knew that she was the one who had hurt this man first. Seeing that he was about to leave again, Amanda grabbed at his wrist one more time.

    "Neil, wait." There was a trace of anxiousness in her tone. "I came here knowing that you are going to attend this business party. Neil, I need your help."

    Neil flung her hand away from his. "I heard that Jamie will return to L City in two weeks? Why don''t you go and find that person? I''m sure Jamie will not hesitate to help you."

    Her face paled as if blood was drained from it. Amanda watched as Neil disappeared into the crowd with her eyes and nose stung. The wetness behind her eyes was threatening to fall.

    In the past, this man had treated her the best, but she had made a mistake and now her life was in a mess. She did not know who she could turn to and can only hope that Neil would be willing to help her because of their previous relationship. But it seemed that she was wrong. This man will no longer treat her warmly like he did in the past.

    Amanda swept her gaze around the room and suddenly paused when she saw a familiar face. Seeing the man smiled back at her, Amanda started to tremble in fear.

    She was doomed.

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 159 - Recharging

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    The living room was dimly brightened by the light from the kitchen when Neil entered the house. His gaze swept around the room and he immediately found his girlfriend sitting on the sofa, looking back at him with a smile on her face.

    "You''re home."

    "Why are you not sleeping yet?"

    Both of them spoke at the same time.

    Edith laughed and stood up to approach him. "I couldn''t sleep anyway, so I waited for you. You should be tired. Go have a shower and rest early." A frown appeared on her face. "Have you eaten?"

    She seemed to remember that Sophie had mentioned that this man would sometimes skip his meal. Since he went to a business party, Edith was worried that this man would forget to have a proper meal when he was socializing and discussing business.

    "I can whip up something quick for you if you haven''t."

    Neil stared at her for a while and slowly nodded.

    "How''s a bowl of noodle? Are you okay with that?"

    Neil nodded again and watched as the woman turned around to head over to the kitchen. Just then, he stretched his hand and grabbed her shoulder. He turned her body around to face him and held her in his embrace.

    A giggle escaped her. "What are you doing?"

    "Recharging," Neil said.

    "Darling, are you drunk? No. You don''t seem drunk."

    "I don''t drink that much," Neil admitted. "Edith, just let me hug you for a while, alright?"

    Edith let him buried his face in her hair before her hands moved to return his embrace. Her hand on his back moved slowly, gently soothing him. If she did not notice it by now, she would be an idiot. Her boyfriend came home in a bad mood and this was what she can do to pacify him.

    After a couple of minutes, Neil released her and planted a kiss on her forehead. "I''m hungry."

    Edith let out a helpless smile and turned around to the kitchen. She took out a few ingredients in the refrigerator, took out a pot, and began to make him a bowl of noodles.

    Neil sat down at the bar counter and watched as she cooked. His lips tilted up into a smile as he continued to watch her prepare the noodles silently. Neil thought that he was getting used to watching this scene and was enjoying how peaceful it was. Suddenly, he felt a lot better.

    He had indeed returned home in a bad mood. Neil was not someone who would frequently go to a business party as he did not like the crowd and how some people would come and pester him. In the past, he always let Adam attend these occasions for the company. Now that Adam was no longer around, Neil had no choice but to show up and give a face to their business partners.

    However, he had run into Amanda Shen and the thought of what happened in the past disgusted him. Earlier that day, Assistant Shawn had informed him that his friend, Jamie Xu was going to return soon.

    As Neil continued to look at the woman who was concentrating on her cooking, Neil was suddenly worried about what will happen if Edith ran into his friend later. After all, Jamie was really good with words and that was how Amanda was attracted to that person.

    Neil snapped out of his thought when a hot bowl of noodles appeared in front of him. Edith handed him his chopsticks and urged him to eat. The delicious aroma of the noodle wafted to his nose and Neil suddenly found that he was hungry. He took a bite of the chicken noodles and ate slowly.

    When he looked up again, Edith had slipped into the stool across him. She propped her chin with both hands and stared at him with her bright eyes. Neil swallowed at the way she was staring at him.

    "Why are you looking at me like that?"

    "Admiring your looks." Edith pointed at the bowl. "Don''t mind me. Go on and eat more."

    Neil felt the corner of his lips twitched. How was he supposed to eat with the way she was staring intently at him?

    His gaze shifted between the person in front of him and the bowl of noodles. "Would you like some?"

    "Darling, don''t tempt me. I''m trying to restrain myself from eating past dinner time."

    His brow shot up. "Why?"

    Previously, he had caught her eating noodles in the kitchen past midnight a few times and knew that she loved eating them.

    Edith let out a long sigh. "Mister, I am now in a relationship. Therefore, I need to keep my body fit and watch my weight. The world is full of temptation. What am I supposed to do if my boyfriend runs away with someone else?"

    Her dramatic tone and expression made him laugh. "What nonsense are you sprouting?"

    Edith went back to stare at him and smiled, knowing that his mood had slightly turned better.

    "Then what about me?" Neil asked.

    "What about you?"

    "You let me have this bowl of noodle past midnight. What if I get fat instead?"

    "Then, mission accomplished!" Edith spoke happily. She watched the puzzled look on his face and continued, "You are too good looking. Of course, if you gained a little bit of weight, the girls would stop looking at you. Right. But you are still very rich and those girls will still look at you even if you''re a little fat. Darling, trying to keep you away from others will be very difficult."

    "Can''t you just beat them with your martial arts skills?" Neil decided to play along.

    Her eyes sparkled. "That''s true. Darling, you''re a genius!"

    His eyes narrowed, but Neil could not help but laugh at her words. "Edith Qian, sometimes I wonder what was inside your head."

    Edith stared at him for a few seconds and spoke, "Feeling better yet?"

    The smile on his face froze as he finally understood that Edith was only trying to cheer him up by speaking nonsense.

    "Why are you in a bad mood?" Her tone turned gentle. "You ran into something difficult? Although I might not understand your business, I can always listen if you need someone to talk to."

    "It''s not that." He let out a sigh. "I ran into some people I don''t wish to run into."

    Edith tilted her head sideways and made a wild guess. "Your ex-girlfriend?"

    Neil was surprised, but then, his head moved to nod. "Hmm."

    "Is she pretty?"

    A chuckle escaped him. Amanda was indeed very pretty, but these days, he would only felt disgusted whenever he saw her.

    "No." Neil shook his head. "You''re prettier."

    Just then, Neil felt her lips touching his in brief seconds. He looked at the woman in front of him with a dazed expression as he was not expecting the kiss to come.

    "A reward." Edith smiled happily.. "For giving me the correct answer."

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 160 - Past Relationships

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Neil was momentarily dumbfounded at what just happened that it took him a few seconds to recover. He was rewarded with a kiss because he had said that she was prettier than his ex-girlfriend.

    Looking at the satisfied smile on the woman across from him, Neil let out a chuckle.

    That''s right. When your girlfriend asked you who was prettier, you should always tell your girlfriend that she was prettier. It was common knowledge. But in the past, her darling had teased her and said things that make her want to beat him. Therefore, Edith was not expecting that he would say right away that she was prettier.

    Perhaps it was because Edith was slightly younger than him, or perhaps it was because she spent a lot of time surrounded by kindergartners, but Neil found that Edith can be quite playful. The two of them had different personalities but Neil thought that this difference made him very comfortable around her.

    Neil continued to eat his noodle when he heard her voice again.

    "Tell me the truth," Edith paused and waited until he lifted his head to meet her gaze. "How many times have you been in a relationship?"

    Neil stared back at her curious gaze and answered. "Twice before you."

    "Twice is a lot," Edith commented. "It turns out that you were not exactly an ice block after all."

    Neil shot her an angry look, but the woman merely laughed at him. Now that they are in a relationship, this silly woman was no longer afraid of him when he gave her this look.

    "The first one was during high school. We are in the same club. The members started to pair us together and we just go along with it. In the end, we broke up a few weeks before we graduated. According to her, I have never treated her like how a boyfriend should have."

    Edith heaved a sigh. "I don''t know whether I should be jealous that this girl was your first love or pity her for having a teenage Neil Mo as her boyfriend."

    His movement paused. Neil thought that his high school romance could not be considered a romance and that girl was not his first love. Just because they spent a lot of time together and everyone had said that they were compatible, he had decided to go along with that play.

    Now that he thought about it, their usual ''date'' was only when they met together to discuss their club activities. On the surface, she was his girlfriend, but they were not really in a relationship.

    "Then, what about the second?" Edith asked.

    Neil raised a brow at her. "Are you sure you wanted to hear me talking about other girls?"

    "What other girls? It''s not them that I''m interested in. I am interested in knowing your past." She hesitated for a while and continued, "But if you did not want to say it, then, that''s alright. I won''t ask."

    "The second one was three years ago," Neil spoke after a brief hesitation. "She was a friend of Adam and Claire."

    "Then, who did the chasing?"

    He glanced at the woman in front of him and was slightly disappointed that she was not a little bit upset.

    Neil fought against the temptation to lean forward and take a bite at her cheek to vent his frustration. In the end, he lowered his gaze to the noodle bowl.

    "She said she liked me." He stirred at his now soggy noodles and continued, "Seeing that she was very close to my brother and sister-in-law and that she had a good character, I agreed to go out with her. But in the end, we broke up because she had a change of heart."

    When he looked up again, Neil was surprised to see that his silly woman was looking at him with an excited expression on her face. He had just mentioned to her about his past relationship, why was she excited?

    Moreover, from the words he used, anyone could sense that it was the girl who had left him. His silly woman did not show her pity and instead, was very happy about it.

    Neil soon found his answer when Edith spoke again.

    "Darling, does that mean that I am the first person you''ve chased?"

    Neil was startled at first. He thought over her words and his lips tilted into a smile. "I guess you could say it like that."

    Seeing how the smile on her face stretched up until her eyes resembled a crescent, Neil wondered if his silly woman would be disappointed if he mentioned her drunk confession.

    On second thought, Neil decided that a drunk confession could not be considered a proper confession. Under the influence of alcohol, one''s mind was not in the best condition. Therefore, he should not count that as a confession.

    "Then what about you?" Neil pushed the bowl aside and propped his elbows on the table. As he leaned forward, the space between them decreased. "How many times have you been in a relationship?"

    "Just once," Edith admitted.

    "Was he good looking?"

    Edith laughed at his question. "Darling, can anyone be compared to you?"

    A satisfied smile curled on his lips.

    Edith let out a long sigh and spoke again, "At that time, I was slightly drunk, so I told him that if I can beat him in a fight, he should be my boyfriend." A smug smile appeared on her lips. "I took him down in ten seconds and he had no other choice since I won the bet. After being in a relationship for half a year, we decided that we were both suitable as friends. We just did not like each other that way."

    A slight frown appeared on her face when she sensed that something was wrong. Neil''s sharp eyes told her that he was upset. "Darling, what''s wrong?"

    They were casually mentioning each other''s past relationship, and Edith could not figure out which part of her words had made him upset.

    Could it be that her darling was upset that it was she who took the initiative to chase after someone else?

    "Edith Qian, you are not allowed to drink without my presence," Neil said after a long silence.

    He was upset at hearing that she had once confessed to another boy while she was drunk. Not too long ago, she had told him that she liked him due to the influence of alcohol. He did not think that she had done the same to another man.

    "Why not?"

    "I''m afraid that you would confess your love to another man when you''re drunk."

    Edith stared at him in a puzzled. "But, I don''t have a habit to give out a confession when I''m drunk."

    Edith Qian, are you sure?

    Neil felt the corner of his lips twitched. "Just don''t drink without my presence." He patted at her hair and sighed. "Listen to me.. Be good."

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 161 - Hazel Was Showing Off

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Alex He''s name echoed from the entrance through the playground area shortly after his mother showed up at the entrance. A while later, the little boy appeared and a little girl trailed closely behind him.

    "Mommy!" Alex ran over to his mother and hug her thigh as he would usually react whenever his mother showed up to pick him up.

    This time, instead of waiting for his mother to return his embrace, Alex immediately moved away. He turned around and suddenly his face turned red upon realizing that Hazel had seen that scene.

    He had always reminded his mother not to show too much affection in front of his friends as he was now a big boy. But whenever he saw his mother, Alex could not stop himself from going straight to his mother.

    A look of relief flashed on his face when Alex realized that Hazel was not going to mock him for the way he had reacted. Instead, the little girl walked over to their teacher and leaned her head on their teacher''s body.

    Alex did not know what happened, but recently, he had this feeling as if Hazel was looking at him strangely. This was not the first time that he had seen how his friend would walk over to their teacher and flashed him this strange look. But after looking at the same expression for weeks, Alex still could not figure out what was wrong.

    Alex stared at the girl in front of him and wondered if he had done anything to offend her.

    Of course, Alex was unaware that Hazel was showing off her close relationship with their teacher. Now that their teacher was seeing her uncle, Hazel had become closer to her than Alex. Sooner or later, when their teacher married her uncle, then they will definitely be a family. The wife of her biological uncle should be closer than a mother''s friend.

    "Hazel, are you tired?" Edith patted at the little girl''s hair when the little girl suddenly leaned onto her. "Do you want to go inside and wait? Driver Tang should arrive soon to pick you up."

    Hazel shook her head. "No. It''s fine. I will accompany you here for a while longer."

    "Alex, go and pick up your bag," Lily said. "I''ll wait for you here."

    Alex nodded obediently before he turned around to pick up his belongings.

    As the boy disappeared into the building, Lily turned to the little girl beside her friend and smiled.

    Ever since Edith started dating the little girl''s uncle, Lily began to notice that Hazel has been really sticky to her friend. She would either follow Edith behind or stick herself close to her as if she was afraid that Edith was going to disappear soon.

    Looking at how the little girl acted, Lily thought that Hazel was such an adorable girl. Suddenly, she wanted to have a daughter that would stick to her as well.

    "Little Hazel, will you come over to my place with Teacher Qian this weekend?" Lily asked.

    The little girl tilted her head sideways as she watched Alex''s mother lowered to get to her height level.

    "It will be Alex''s birthday this weekend," Lily whispered. He said he is too big to have a birthday party and therefore he did not want me to invite the others. I thought that it would be sad if he had no one coming to celebrate his birthday with him. So, I''m inviting you to come over."

    Hazel turned to Edith as if asking for her opinion.

    "Teacher Qian will definitely come, so you should come over too, alright?"

    Hazel thought over it for a while and nodded. Since Teacher Qian was going, of course, she has to show up.

    Driver Tang showed up to pick up Hazel ten minutes after Alex and Lily left the kindergarten, Seeing that the student from her class were all picked up by their parents, Edith went back to her classroom, took out her phone, and texted Neil that she will be heading home after she had tidied up the classroom.

    Back in MH Group headquarters, Neil Mo was having a discussion with one of the managers when the phone on his desk vibrated. Noticing the time, Neil raised a hand and asked the manager to pause while he returned the text message.

    At the thought that his boss had received an important message, Manager Yan stood still and waited. However, a few seconds later, his eyes caught the sight of his boss''s rare smile. His breath stuck in his throat. Manager Yan rubbed at his eyes and found that the smile was no longer there.

    A helpless sigh escaped him as Manager Yan thought that perhaps he was too old that his eyes started to play tricks on him.

    Neil placed the phone back on his desk and continued to discuss his work with Manager Yan with his usual cold countenance.

    Meanwhile, Edith stared at the message from Neil and hesitated.

    It was rare that she got to leave the kindergarten early. Edith was planning to head home early and spend her time with Hazel, but her darling wanted her to come over to pick him up at work and head back home together.

    After considering this matter for a few minutes, Edith gave a call to Nanny Ann and informed her that she will come back later with Neil. Then, Edith left the kindergarten and grabbed a cab to the company. She stopped over at a cafe across the street and bought some pastries.

    Once she arrived at the lobby, Edith registered her name with the receptionist before she headed over to the elevator.

    The last time she had come, Assistant Shawn had helped her to make an access card that will allow her to use the elevator that will lead her to Neil''s floor. Therefore, this time, Assistant Shawn doesn''t have to come down and receive her.

    Edith pressed the button and waited for the elevator to come down. Since this elevator only stopped by a few floors, Edith did not have to wait for too long for the elevator to arrive.

    Just as Edith was about to enter the elevator, a voice called her out and suddenly, someone grabbed at her shoulder.

    With her agile reflex, Edith quickly grabbed that person''s wrist, pulled and twisted the arms, and turned around. Edith pulled the person''s arms behind, causing the person to yelp in pain. Seeing that the person was dressed smartly in a suit and pants, Edith quickly let her go.

    Autumn Feng massaged her painful shoulder and shot a dagger look at the person in front of her. "What did you do that for?"

    "Sorry," Edith apologized. "I thought you had a bad intention towards me. Miss, it''s not a wise decision to suddenly grab someone else''s shoulder." After she finished her words, Edith realized that she had seen this woman before.

    Wasn''t this was the person that tried to talk to Hazel previously?

    The frown on Autumn''s face gradually disappeared when she saw Edith. "It''s you. You''re Hazel''s nanny. Are you here to see President Mo? You need to have an access card or else, the elevator will not move."

    "I know. I have them."

    At this time, the guard who was sitting at the reception area walked over. "Manager Feng, this is President Mo''s guest. She has her own access card to head over to President Mo''s floor."

    Autumn''s expression changed when she finally noticed the card in Edith''s hand.

    Her father was one of the directors in MH Group, but even someone like her could not get access to the president''s floor. How can a mere nanny have them?

    "Miss Qian, the elevator is here. Earlier, Assistant Shawn had reminded us to let you go upstairs quickly as soon as you arrived." The guard smiled apologetically at Edith. "I have already informed Assistant Shawn that you are here.. He should be waiting for you upstairs."

    Read novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 162 - What Did Assistant Shawn Tell You?

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    When Edith arrived at Neil''s floor, Assistant Shawn was already waiting for her outside the elevator. The assistant looked at her with a slightly embarrassed expression and greeted, "Miss Qian."

    Edith was slightly startled by the way this man addressed her. Previously, Assistant Shawn would always address her as ''Teacher Qian'', but now that she was dating Neil, Assistant Shawn had started to address her as ''Miss Qian''.

    As she recalled how Assistant Shawn had seen her sharing an intimate moment with his boss during her last visit, Edith''s face turned slightly red.

    "The guard notified me the moment you arrived," Assistant Shawn said. "Did you run into trouble?"

    By his calculation, Edith should have reached the floor five minutes ago, seeing that she was a little later, Assistant Shawn was worried. It was then that the guard informed him of the situation just outside the elevator.

    "No." Edith shook her head and hesitated.

    Seeing that the woman had something to say, but was reluctant to say it, Assistant Shawn flashed her a comforting smile. "Miss Qian, if you have something to say or ask, then go ahead. If it was something that I can tell you, then I will."

    Edith thought of the assistant''s words and decided to speak, "I run into that same woman from my last visit. The one who had her hair in a high ponytail."

    "That was Manager Autumn Feng." His expression when he thought of that persistent manager. "Did she made trouble for you again? Miss Qian, the next time you saw her, you can just ignore her."

    Assistant Shawn had heard of what happened between the manager and Edith from the guard. Although he knew that the incident was resolved without much trouble, it would not be a good thing if Edith was unhappy.

    "It''s not about that." Edith flashed a smile. "The last time I came here with Hazel, she had shown a strong dislike towards Manager Feng. Hazel mentioned that her mother did allow her to get close or talk to Manager Feng. Do you know why?"

    Assistant Shawn was startled, but a few seconds later, an awkward smile appeared on his lips. "This was something that happened in the past." He let out a dry cough and looked away in embarrassment. "But the late missus found that Manager Feng was trying to get close to her husband."

    Edith froze at the answer. Then, she forced a smile. "I see." She had thought of countless reasons why Hazel''s mother might not like that pretty woman, but she was certainly not expecting the answer. Since Manager Feng posed no threat to Hazel, Edith decided to guard up against the woman.

    However, Assistant Shawn had a different thought about it. He saw the relieved expression on Edith''s face and decided to tell her another secret.

    "After her attempts failed, Manager Feng has switched her target." Assistant Shawn flashed a smile that did not reach his eyes. "Recently, she was trying to approach President Mo through Little Miss Hazel."

    Edith stared back at Assistant Shawn.

    She definitely could not let her guard down against that woman, after all!

    ¡­

    Neil was sitting behind his desk and his fingers glided swiftly on the keyboard. Hearing a knock on the door, he gave his permission for that person to enter and finally looked up from his computer upon finding that the footsteps do not belong to Assistant Shawn. The corner of his lips tilted up when his gaze met with Edith.

    "You''re here." He stood up and met her in the middle of the room. "I thought that you were not going to come." He bent down to kiss her lips and frowned as he noticed that her expression does not seem right. "What''s wrong."

    Edith narrowed her eyes. "President Mo, it seemed that you have quite a few admirers in your company."

    Though this man often had a cold look on his face and was well known as Iceblock Mo in the company, he would still have admirers. There are still people who wanted the chance to get close to him.

    He shifted his gaze towards the door and his frown deepened. "What did Assistant Shawn tell you?"

    "Nothing." Edith shook her head. "I ran into that pretty lady with high ponytail hair. Then, I overheard that she was chasing you."

    Neil heaved a sigh. "Well, I am not interested in her at all. I''m only interested in you." He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her closer. "Edith Qian, can you trust me more?"

    "It''s not that I did not trust you." Her mouth pouted a little bit. "It''s just that, whenever I thought that there was someone else going after my darling, I feel a little uncomfortable. Moreover, she will have a lot of opportunities to see you."

    Neil stared at the woman in his embrace and laughed, causing a secretary who happens to walk past his office to startle.

    Edith punched at his chest lightly. "Don''t laugh."

    The laugh died instantly, but the smile on his face remained. He was slightly happy that his silly woman showed her jealous side.

    "You silly woman. Do you think it would be easy for someone like Manager Feng to see me? Other than in meetings, we rarely have the chance to run into each other."

    Of course, Neil did not mention that Autumn Feng would sometimes use her father who was one of the directors in MH Group to try and approach him.

    "You have to have an access card to get to this floor. Other than a few trusted people, only you have the access to come and go to this floor as you pleased. Even the secretaries and the others will have to register and let the guard send them up here."

    Edith thought about the strange look on Manager Feng''s face when she saw her holding the access card just now. Another thought came to her mind and Edith struggled out of Neil''s embrace and pulled out the access card from her bag.

    Seeing that Edith had shoved the access card into his hand, a deep frown appeared on his face and his eyes darkened. "What are you doing?"

    Edith did not notice the unhappy look on his face as she was still looking at the access card. "There should be a lot of company secrets stored on this floor. What if I accidentally lose this access card and someone, or your business competitors found this card and get the access to find out your secret. Then, that would bring you a lot of trouble."

    If the company''s secret was accidentally leaked out, wouldn''t she turn to be one of the suspects?

    Though they were in a relationship, Edith did not want Neil to be troubled if something like that happened.

    Neil''s expression softened at her words. "The security at this company was not that weak." He pulled her close again and chuckled. "I gave it to you so that you can come and find me whenever you want." He saw that she was about to argue and speak again, "Next time, I hope that I don''t have to lure you to come here and instead, come at your own will and give me a surprise visit. Therefore, you have to keep it with you."

    Seeing the hesitant look on her expression, Neil bent down slightly to her height and looked straight into her eyes. He blinked a few times, imitating Hazel''s adorable look as he tried to convince her that keeping the card with her would never be a problem for him or the company.

    A helpless smile finally appeared on her lips and Edith nodded.. "Alright."

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 163 - Its Not Enough

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Edith sat on the sofa as she waited for Neil to handle a few more documents before they can head back together.

    A knock came at the door and a female in suit and skirt walked in after Neil permitted to enter. Her short hair was styled neatly and she was wearing purple rimmed glasses. In her hand was a small tray with a small teapot and teacups arranged nicely. The woman took a glance at Edith and stood straight beside the door.

    "President Mo, the tea you asked."

    Neil looked up and gestured towards the sofa set. "Just place them on the table."

    The woman walked over to the table and cast another glance at Edith as she placed the tray down. When she stood up again, President Mo was already standing beside the sofa.

    "Edith, this is Secretary An Daisy. If you need anything and cannot find me or Assistant Shawn, you can look for Secretary An," Neil said. "Secretary An, this is Edith Qian, my girlfriend."

    Secretary An was surprised at the introduction, but after recovering in a few seconds, she turned at Edith and nodded. "Miss Qian."

    The secretary left after that brief introduction and Neil walked over to sit down beside Edith. He poured some tea into the cup and opened up the box of pastries that Edith had bought from across the street.

    Edith propped her elbows on her thigh as she stared at the man who was drinking his tea in an elegant move. "Is it alright to tell your secretary about our relationship like that?"

    "Why wouldn''t it be alright?" Neil turned to the woman beside him. "We are dating. It was not like it is something shameful."

    In fact, Neil would not mind if the people in the office knew that he was currently in a relationship. It would help him get rid of some trouble as well. But if rumors started to spread to his mother, then he would be in trouble. Neil was afraid that his mother would get a little too excited upon hearing this news and started to plan their wedding.

    But he was not in a rush.

    Marriage was an important matter for a woman, and Neil did not want his mother to scare Edith with her enthusiasm. Their relationship had just begun, but they have started living together. The least he could do was to court her properly and let her experience the sweetness of dating.

    Edith heaved a sigh. "It''s not that. I just thought that it would be troublesome for me if your admirers knew that you are taken. What if they come over and attack me?"

    Neil thought about it for a while. "If anyone comes and bullies you, you can just come to me." He stretched his hand to pinch her cheek and said, "Don''t worry. Secretary An will not gossip about us. Other than Assistant Shawn, Secretary An has been working for me for years. We can trust her."

    Edith leaned her head on his shoulder and sat up again.

    "What''s wrong?" Neil, who had wanted to put his arms around her was startled by her sudden movement.

    "President Mo, aren''t you supposed to working?" Her lips stretched up into a mischievous smile. "If my presence is distracting you, then I can leave first."

    Neil wrapped his arms around her shoulder and buried his head in her neck. "I''m tired after looking at those documents. Let me stay here for a while and recharge my energy."

    "Then what about Hazel?"

    "Nanny Ann will look over her."

    "Darling, if Hazel heard your words, she would be upset."

    Neil smiled but did not say anything. In fact, Hazel had once expressed her displeasure at him for stealing her time with her teacher. The little girl wanted to play around with Edith, but her uncle had taken her teacher out for a date.

    In the end, Neil can only convince her that these were important steps if she wanted her teacher to turn into her auntie. Though Hazel was not happy, she can only let the matter go. She would rather have her teacher stay with her for a long time.

    Edith let out a chuckle when the man stayed quiet.

    Recently, this man loved to hug her and told her that he was recharging his energy. Seeing how he would sometimes act spoiled and sticky reminded her of Hazel.

    The uncle and niece were definitely related.

    After staying in the same position for a while, her neck was starting to itch as his breathing tickled her. Edith bit at her lips and bear with that feeling a while longer. She raised her hand and started to move on his back, gently patting him.

    Suddenly, he felt as if his tiredness had slowly disappeared.

    Feeling her gentle touch, Neil started to close his eyes for a little bit. Although her action was like comforting a child, Neil found that having someone stroking and patting his back like this was quite comfortable. Perhaps it was this feeling that made a child stop crying after they were comforted this way.

    Just as he was enjoying this special treatment, Neil felt the way Edith turned her face towards him before she planted a kiss on his temple. He froze for a few seconds and lifted his head off her shoulder.

    "What?" Edith blinked when she noticed that Neil has been staring at her for a while.

    "I can charge up faster if you give me a kiss."

    Edith watched as Neil raised a brow and slapped him on his chest. "Shameless!" Seeing the way he continued to stare at her, Edith leaned forward to give a peck at his lips. "Is that enough?"

    His lips stretched up into a playful smile. "Of course, it''s not enough."

    Before Edith could come up with a clever remark, the man had already closed the gap between them, pressing his lips against hers. His lips gently messaging against hers. His kisses were unhurried as if he wanted to properly savor her taste.

    At first, Neil merely wanted to tease her. The kiss was supposed to be a short one. But, once Edith started to reciprocate his kisses, tasting her lips for mere seconds was no longer enough. He wanted to taste more and feel more.

    His right hand moved to clasp at the back of her head, keeping her in place, while his left hand pressed on the sofa so that he would not crush his body against hers.

    But her one move was slowly destroying his self-control. Edith placed both hands on his cheek and nibbled at his lower lips. Because she was tugging him closer, the softness of her chest was pressing against his. His throat rolled and Neil was slowly losing his mind.

    None of them noticed when did Edith start to lean down on the sofa¡­

    Sensing that Edith was starting to get breathless, Neil moved her lips to her cheek, then to her ears and then he moved lower to her neck.

    A low whimper escaped her and they both froze. The sound startled them. Suddenly, they realized that their position was a little bit¡­ wrong.

    Edith bit at her lower lips as she could not believe that she was able to make such a coquettish sound. She tried to catch up her breath and watched as Neil raised his head to look at her. Edith was stunned as she stared into his dark eyes. Her body froze realizing that she might be in deep trouble if she moved around.

    After a while, Neil rested his forehead against hers and closed his eyes. He took a few deep breaths to calm down and whispered.. "Let me stay like this for a while."

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 164 - Alexs Birthday

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    As the weekend arrived, Edith took Hazel to Lily''s place to celebrate Alex''s birthday. When they arrived, the spacious backyard was well decorated with balloons and colorful banners. Just like Lily had said, only a small number of guests were invited to Alex''s birthday. Other than Alex''s best friend, Tyler Lu, none of his kindergarten friends were invited to come.

    Alex was a quiet boy and preferred to play by himself. Since he was not close to the others, Alex did not think that it would matter if he did not invite the others to come.

    Lily Zhao was arranging some treats on the dessert table when both Edith and Hazel walked over. She greeted her friend and turned to the little girl. At this time, Hazel was wearing a pastel pink dress with small flowers stitched up to her skirt.

    "Oh my god! Hazel, you are so adorable!" Lily gushed as soon as she saw that little girl. "This is such a cute dress."

    "Thank you." Hazel smiled shyly. "My uncle bought it for me the last time we went shopping together."

    Lily heaved a sigh as she turned to her friend. "I didn''t think that Iceblock Mo would have such good taste."

    "Of course he had a good taste." Edith flashed a smile at her friend. "Didn''t he choose to date me?"

    Lily felt the corner of her lips twitched. "Get lost." She watched as Edith laughed and shifted her gaze back to Hazel. "I really want to have a daughter so I can play dress-up with her."

    "Then you will have to work hard."

    "How about lending Hazel to me for a day?" Lily whispered.

    "Then, you have to ask President Mo if he would allow you to borrow his niece for a day."

    Lily gasped as she thought of that cold and aloof man. Though she really wanted to play dress-up with Hazel, it would be impossible for her to ask President Mo about this. She might die before she could even ask.

    Forget it. Seducing her husband into giving her a daughter was much easier than talking to President Iceblock.

    "Where is the birthday boy?" Edith asked as she swept her gaze around.

    "He should be inside," Lily said. She turned towards the house and shouted, "Alex He, Auntie Edith, and Hazel are here. Come over and say hi."

    A few seconds later, the little boy ran over. His eyes brightened when he saw Edith. "Auntie Edith! You''re here!"

    Edith bent to pat his hair. "Happy birthday, Alex."

    "Auntie Edith, thank you." His voice was soft and polite. Alex shifted his gaze and stared at the girl with twin tail hair beside the teacher with a startling expression.

    Although Hazel had visited his house a few times with their teacher, this was the first time that she had shown up in front of him looking like a fairy. For a few seconds, Alex thought that perhaps his eyes were playing tricks at him. It was not until Hazel had spoken that he snapped out of his thought.

    "Alex He, happy birthday," Hazel said as she stretched up her hand to give him his birthday present. "This is something that Auntie Edith and I choose for you.

    Seeing how her son had turned into a statue, Lily poked at her little boy and smiled. "Hazel is giving you a birthday present. What should you say at this time?"

    Alex snapped out of his trance and took the paper bag. "Thank you." He raised his head to look at his mother as if asking her what he should do next.

    "Go and take Hazel to play," Lily said. "I will call you when your father comes back with your birthday cake, alright?"

    "Oh." Alex nodded. He turned to Hazel and said, "Let''s go." Habitually, he stretched out his hand to hold Hazel''s wrist before he dragged her inside the house to play.

    Lily tapped her fingers on her chin as she watched her son''s retreating. "This boy is someone who did not have many friends and I was worried that he would have a problem chasing girls when he reached that age. But maybe I''ve been worried too much. " Her eyes brightened up when she turned to Edith. "Do you think Alex will have a chance with Hazel? Hazel is a good girl and I wouldn''t mind having her as my daughter-in-law."

    Edith stared at her friend speechlessly. "They are still kids. Stop thinking too much. Besides, any boys who wanted to chase Hazel will have to go through her uncle first. Are you sure Alex can do that?"

    Lily thought about it and sighed in disappointment. "My son is too timid. It was good enough that he was making more friends now. Forget it. Let''s not pressure him to go against President Mo." Then she turned to Edith with a curious gaze. "That''s right. When did Hazel start to call you Auntie Edith?"

    "Wasn''t it you who told Hazel that she could call me Auntie Edith if I married her uncle?" Edith narrowed her eyes at her friend. "You don''t know how embarrassing it was for me when Hazel suddenly mentioned that."

    Lily laughed happily before she escaped to the side and turned to the auntie with a few instructions.

    Edith stayed around to help with the arrangement and once everything was done, Lily pulled her over to sit down as they waited for Lily''s husband to return with Alex''s cake.

    "Tell me." Lily propped her elbow on the chair and looked at her friend with a teasing smile. "Is it hard for you to live together with President Mo? You have been in a relationship for more than a month now. Tell me, how was your progress? Have you been naughty with President Mo yet?"

    Edith coughed dryly. She had always known that Lily can be shameless in this matter, but she was not expecting to get such questions!

    Lily leaned forward and studied her friend''s expression closely. "Your face is red. You''re embarrassed, but what does it mean? Have you done the deed or not?"

    "A kid is living with us. What do you want me to do?"

    "Just wait for Hazel to sleep and close the door. What''s so difficult about it?"

    Edith stared at her friend and suppressed the urge to choke her best friend.

    "President Mo can still restrain himself even though he was living with a beauty? I must really respect his self-control." Lily muttered. Suddenly, Lily felt a tug at her sleeve. Looking up, Edith was staring back at her with a hesitant look. "What?"

    "Lily," Edith dragged her tone. She hesitated for a few seconds and told her best friend what happened in Neil''s office a few days ago. "If something like this happened again, what should I do? I really liked him, but when I think about that, I am suddenly afraid." Edith inched closer and whispered a few words to her friend.

    Lily Zhao stared at her friend in disbelief. It just occurred to her that although Edith had dated before, she had never reached that stage.

    Edith''s mother passed away early and she spent most of her time with her grandfather and his colleague. Growing up, Edith was bullied by the girls at her school and did not make a lot of girlfriends. Although she can act like a hooligan, she had never had this kind of talk to anyone.

    To think that President Mo was really good at kissing that he had made her friend grew this restless...

    Lily thought of what she should say and slowly, her lips curved into a wide smile.

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 165 - The Wrong Script

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    "Honey, we have a guest."

    Lily was still speaking to Edith about matters that would make one blush when she heard her husband''s voice. Turning around, her eyes widened as she saw that Neil Mo was walking in right after her husband. Instantly, Lily released her grip on Edith''s arms and stood up straight.

    "President Mo!"

    Neil nodded before he shifted his gaze to his girlfriend. He thought about the scene that he saw when he walked in where his girlfriend was being hugged by another woman, and his face turned slightly dark.

    "I heard that your son is a good friend of my niece. Since today is your son''s birthday, I decided to come over as well." Neil lifted the paper bag in his hand and handed it over to Lily.

    "Then, President Mo, why don''t you take a seat first. I will go and find Hazel," Lily said. She took the cake from her husband and place it on the table. Then, she grabbed her husband and dragged him inside.

    Lily was not sure whether it was just her imagination or not, but she had this feeling as if she should run and hide when President Mo turned to look at her.

    "Honey, so it''s true that Edith brought over President Mo''s niece here?" Ethan asked as they entered the kitchen. He had met that little girl a few times and had a good impression of Hazel Mo.

    "Yes," Lily nodded. "You remember that your son had been building some models with her friend, right? That friend is President Mo''s niece."

    Ethan muttered a cursing word. "I was so scared when I saw him walking back and forth in front of our door. I thought that I have seen things wrongly. I almost dropped Alex''s cake."

    Though they were in two different business circles, Ethan had admired Neil for a long time. They were around the same age and Ethan had heard how Neil Mo and his brother had brought up MH Group when it was on the brink of bankruptcy.

    "But that''s not right." Ethan frowned. "Even if Alex and President Mo''s niece are close, why would he appear at our door with a birthday present? Don''t parent normally drop their child and left?"

    After all, his son''s best friend, Tyler Lu was dropped by his parents to attend Alex''s birthday party and they will pick up their son when the party ended later.

    "There is something else that I haven''t tell you," Lily spoke after pondering about it for a while.

    "What is it?"

    "That¡­ Edith is currently dating President Mo." Lily smiled innocently when she saw the shocked look on her husband''s face.

    ¡­

    Meanwhile, Edith looked at the man in front of her and smiled. "Why are you here?"

    "Aren''t you and Hazel here as well?"

    Edith laughed. "President Mo, I did not think that you would be willing to free your time to attend a child''s birthday."

    Neil frowned at how she addressed him. "That''s where you are wrong." He watched as she raised her brow in a puzzled look and chuckled. "I am here to spend my time with you and Hazel."

    Her heart skipped a beat at his words and a pretty smile bloomed on her lips. Her darling was really good at saying things that would make her heart flutter. At the thought that this cold man would only spare his energy to say those sweet words to her, Edith felt as if her heart was about to burst.

    Neil closed the gap between them. His hand moved to trailed his fingers along her arms. "Are you scared?"

    Edith looked at him, knowing that he was asking about the matter in his office.

    Slowly, she lowered her gaze. They were so close and her head rested on his chest.

    After kissing each other passionately in Neil''s office the other day, Edith sat up with her hair messed up and her clothes were slightly disorganized. The man above her was staring back at her with his eyes darkened with lust, tempting her and she was unable to look away.

    They have kissed each other many times once they started dating, but that was the first time that it has gone that intense and feverish. His kisses turned her on and Edith was suddenly afraid of how he had made her feel.

    She liked his kisses and touch and wonder if it was normal to feel that way.

    At the thought that what could have happened, Edith suddenly grew frightened.

    She liked Neil very much but was not sure if she was ready for the next stage. She had imagined throwing him on the sofa and have her way. But, she had no experience in that area and did not know what she should do.

    Thus, Edith has been minimizing her interaction with Neil to calm down.

    But the angel and devil on her shoulder have been arguing for days... But, she still could not figure out what she wanted to do.

    It was then that she decided to talk to Lily about this matter.

    "I won''t do anything you don''t want," Neil whispered. "Therefore, don''t try to avoid me."

    Edith chuckled. "It''s not what you think." She lifted her head and suddenly thought that his worried expression was a little cute. "Well, I will tell you something, but you... don''t laugh."

    He nodded.

    "You¡­ are good looking and so good at kissing." She lowered her head again. The redness on her cheek spread to her neck. "I was afraid that if I spend my time alone with you, I would not be able to hold myself."

    For a few seconds, Neil thought that he had misheard things. This¡­ seemed like the wrong script.

    "What?"

    "I wanted you to kiss me and then¡­ I started to think about ''that''. Then, I grew afraid and I did not know what to do." She looked at him and swallowed. "It''s that feeling of wanting something, but knowing that I am not fully ready for it. Do you understand?"

    Neil nodded although he did not know whether he could follow her words.

    "I was not trying to avoid you. Just that... I need some time to calm down and straightened up my thoughts."

    Neil was in disbelief as he continued to listen to her words. His heart lightened knowing that he did not make a mistake. But knowing that she wanted him as much as he does turn his body a little bit hot.

    "Then, have you calm down?"His voice was hoarse.

    "Un." Edith nodded. "But you''re here. My thoughts are running wild again."

    Neil was speechless. Why is his girlfriend so weird? Why didn''t he knew that his girlfriend can be this shameless?

    His throat rolled when Edith traced her fingers up to his chest. Before he could grab her restless hand, Edith had taken a step back.

    "I really shouldn''t."

    This silly woman was really testing him!

    Neil took a deep breath to calm down. "I really wanted to know what was going on inside your head."

    Edith blinked.. "Don''t you know? Right now, it is filled with you."

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 166 - Hazel Holding Hands

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Ethan froze as he walked into the backyard. The couple who stood under the tree was very close as they whispered something he could not hear. From his position, Ethan could see their silhouette was as if they were hugging.

    Although his wife had told him the news that their friend Edith was seeing President Mo, Ethan was still at a stage of disbelief. Neil Mo was famous for his cold and aloof attitude. While after being acquainted with Edith for years, Ethan thought that she was a cheery girl. Seeing that the two of them with different personalities get together seemed a little strange for him.

    Ethan stared at the cake knife in his hand and let out a dry cough. Soon, the couple in front of him parted and Edith flashed an embarrassed smile.

    "Well, Lily told me to bring out the cake knife," Ethan said. His gaze met with Neil and he slowly nodded. "Please, sit down. Lily went in to call the kids. We can eat soon."

    Neil took a seat at the garden chair and lowered his gaze. He had wanted to continue his talk with Edith, but the timing and place were not very suitable.

    Various thoughts went into his head when he realized that his girlfriend was acting strangely around him. He had thought that his enthusiasm last time had scared her and thus, Edith was trying to stay away.

    He did not think that the reason would be¡­ different.

    At this moment, Neil did not know whether he wanted to laugh or cry. Should he be lucky to have this hooligan girlfriend?

    Just as he was pondering how he was going to continue his talk with Edith later, his ears caught the sounds of footsteps. He looked up and saw three children running over towards them. His gaze softened when he saw Hazel in her pink dress. However, that calm gaze turned cloudy when he realized that a boy was holding his niece''s hand.

    "Uncle!" Hazel released her hands from Alex''s and ran over to her uncle. Her bright eyes were staring at him curiously. "Why are you here?"

    The frown on his face disappeared when Hazel reached to his side. "Of course I''m here to accompany you. Don''t you like me here?"

    "I like it." Hazel nodded. She hugged her uncle''s arms and said. "I just did not think that you would be here. Right. Let me introduce you to my classmate."

    "Wait a second." Neil grabbed at the little girl''s wrist and stopped her from turning away.

    "What''s wrong?" Hazel looked back at him with a questioning gaze.

    Neil did not answer and instead turned Edith. "Do you carry wet wipes with you?"

    Edith reached into her bag pulled out a packet of wet tissue. As someone who would often be around with small children, Edith had made it a habit to carry wet tissues and sanitizers.

    The corner of her lips twitched as she watched as Neil pulled out a few wet wipes and helped Hazel to wipe both her hands.

    "We''re going to eat later. Let''s wipe your hands clean first," Neil explained to his niece with a straight face.

    President Mo, are you sure it was not because you were upset that some boy was holding on to Hazel''s hands just now?

    Once Neil was sure that Hazel''s hands were now clean, Hazel ran towards the table and to both Alex and Tyler.

    "Hazel seemed close to that boy, Alex," Neil commented. He seemed to recall that this was not the first time that he had seen his niece and that boy together.

    "Hmm¡­" Edith nodded. "After Hazel returned to the kindergarten, she had been isolating herself from her friends. I did not know why she had become closer to Alex later. Perhaps, because Alex was a quiet child, Hazel felt comfortable around him."

    Initially, Neil did not like Alex, but once he heard from Edith how Alex had helped his niece, he could not bring himself from disliking that boy.

    "Are you worried about Hazel and Alex?" Edith laughed. "Don''t worry. Next year, Alex and the others would start primary school and will have no chance to see Hazel."

    "Weren''t they classmates?"

    Hazel will not enter the primary school for another year, but the boy will start going to school earlier. Therefore Neil thought that this was very strange.

    Edith smiled when she saw the puzzled look on his face. "When Hazel registered at the kindergarten, we found that her comprehension on some subjects higher than those who were around her age. Therefore, Headmistress Fu decided to put her in my class."

    Neil was shocked at this new information. He turned his head to look at Hazel and a proud look appeared on his face. "Hazel is a smart child. It must be in our genes."

    Edith glanced at the narcissistic person beside her and pulled him up to join the others at the table.

    A birthday song was sung and Alex blew the candle on the cake. Though there were not many guests coming over, the atmosphere was as lively.

    For Alex, who was not a fan of a big crowd, as long as he was surrounded by his favorite people, it was more than enough.

    After a while, Lily helped her son to cut his birthday cake. Alex was obsessed with the Gundam model due to his father''s encouragement and therefore, his parents had ordered a chocolate cake with a miniature Gundam model fondant on top.

    The birthday boy cut his cake excitedly and passed it around. Then, he brought his two friends to eat and play together with the new toys he got.

    The atmosphere surrounding the children was very lively, but with Neil''s presence in the backyard, the atmosphere between the grownups became somewhat awkward.

    In the end, Ethan took his role as the host and chatted with him about business.

    Seeing that the men''s conversation had gone deeper, Lily pulled her friend to a side and raised a brow. "How was it?"

    "I told him."

    Lily''s eyes brightened. "Was he happy?"

    "Rather than saying that he''s happy, I think he''s¡­ shocked." Edith lowered her gaze and rubbed at the back of her neck. "He thinks I was avoiding him for days because I got scared of us being intimate."

    Lily stared at her friend with a blank expression before she burst into a laugh.

    "It was not my intention to avoid him."

    A thought crossed her mind and Lily narrowed her eyes. "Is this why President Mo appeared at my son''s birthday party today? He was worried that you have been avoiding him since that day?"

    Edith nodded weekly. She noticed the strange way Lily was looking at her and raised a brow. "What?"

    Lily caressed her non-existence beard.. "Perhaps President Mo liked you more than I thought."

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 167 - Your Thoughts Are Not Running Wild Again?

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    The three of them went back home after staying with He''s family for hours.

    As they arrived, Hazel stared at the Gundam model in her hand with excitement written on her face. After attending Alex''s birthday, Ethan had given both Hazel and Tyler a box of those models as a gift for participating in Alex''s birthday party.

    Because she has been helping Alex with those models for years, Edith was aware of the price and the one that Ethan had given away was not cheap at all. Fortunately, there was only Hazel and Tyler at the birthday party.

    Hazel was too excited to have her own Gundam model for the first time. She pulled Edith into her room and the two spend their time together building them.

    Hazel was reminded that Alex had once told her how Edith had helped him with constructing the model. Now that she got to build them with Edith, Hazel was naturally happy. Once she returned to kindergarten, she was planning to show-off to Alex that she too had built a model with their teacher.

    Neil, who knew nothing about building this model could only look at the two girls discussing the model with envy.

    Seeing that the two girls were having fun for hours without him, Neil finally walked over to Hazel and reminded her that she needed to go to bed.

    After accompanying Hazel to take her bath and sleep, Edith walked out and closed the door slowly. Habitually, she went downstairs to drink some water before she was going back to her room.

    When she walked into the kitchen, Neil was sitting at the bar area. There was a mug on the bar counter and Neil was playing with his phone. His pose was as if he was waiting for her.

    Ever since she moved in, the two of them would often meet in the kitchen around this time. Most of the time, she would be having her midnight snack and Neil would accompany her and they would talk about Hazel.

    It seemed that meetings like this have become a habit and their topic of conversation had moved into different things as well.

    Edith crossed her arms on her chest and stood silently as she admired the man''s broad shoulder. Then, she walked over with a playful smile on her face. "Handsome, what would you like to drink."

    Hearing her voice, Neil looked up from his phone and smiled. "Is Hazel asleep?"

    Edith turned around to grab a glass of water and nodded. "Hmm¡­ she fell asleep a while ago." She started to talk about how excited Hazel was with her new model and noticed that the man has not responded to her.

    Turning around, Edith caught the way Neil was staring at her. His eyes were hooded and he was unblinking. Suddenly, Edith was uneasy.

    Neil stood up and walked over to her with his gaze never left her for a second. His lips tilted up slightly as Edith took a step back.

    She put the glass on the counter and chuckled. "What is it?"

    "We haven''t finished our talk."

    Edith recalled their conversation at Alex''s birthday party and suddenly felt embarrassed. Now that she thought back about what she had said to him, Edith realized that she was indeed shameless.

    "What talk?" Edith decided that in this situation, it was best to pretend that she knew nothing.

    Neil put his hands on the kitchen counter, entrapping Edith between his arms. Then, he bent slightly to get to her height. Soon, the two of them were looking eye to eye.

    "What are you doing?" Edith asked.

    "Now that I am in front of you, are you able to hold yourself?" He tilted his head sideways and the smile on his face turned playful. "Your thoughts are not running wild again?"

    Edith stared at the handsome man in front of her and swallowed. His dark eyes were staring into hers and she was unable to look away. Under the dim light, his face seemed more attractive.

    Was her darling trying to seduce her?

    Suddenly, Edith could see that the angel and devil on her shoulders appeared again. One of them was giving her suggestions and urging her to make her move, while the other was advising her not to do something that she would regret.

    Neil leaned closer to her and whispered in her ear. "Why don''t you tell me what you want to do to me?"

    His deep, hoarse voice was tickling her ears. Edith thought that the devil on her shoulder was almost winning.

    The man was smiling seductively and her composure was wavering. Edith thought that she was unable to look away from his thin lips.

    "Or else, you can tell me what you want me to do to you?"

    Edith was suddenly reminded of what happened in his office and the way he has been kissing her. A strange sensation spread throughout her body and her cheek blushed as Edith tried to dispel her perverted thoughts.

    The smile on his face widened and Neil ran his finger on her cheek. He glanced at her lips and snapped back to look into her eyes. "What were you thinking about?"

    Instinctively, Edith leaned forward to kiss him, but Neil backed away slightly and stopped her.

    "Tell me."

    Edith bit at her lips and stared at him in aggrieved. This man was bullying her, right? She had told him how his presence could affect her, but now that he had this information, he was using this to bully her!

    His expression grew softer when he thought that the silly woman might cry if he continued to tease her.

    Neil thought that his silly woman looked adorable with her misty eyes. Knowing what was playing in her when he was near her made him excited. However, he had to restrain himself for her.

    He has been thinking about her words and finally understood that this woman wanted him as much as he does. However, at this moment, she was not ready to move into that phase.

    They both understood that their relationship would change once they slept with each other. Until she was ready for it, he can only wait and help her to be ready.

    Neil hold her gaze and spoke, "As a man, it would be impossible to say that I didn''t want to do more than a kiss. But, Edith, we still have a long time together and I can wait. I will not do anything you are not ready for. Therefore, you have to speak to me, alright?" He stretched his hand and played with a few strands of her hair. "What can I do and what I shouldn''t do, you have to tell me everything. If you don''t say it, then I wouldn''t know anything. Do you understand?"

    Edith nodded once and swallowed. She stared at his lips again and debated with herself for a long time before she spoke, "Kiss me. I just want you to kiss me."

    "Alright." His fingers stopped playing with her hair and moved to cup her face.. Then, slowly, he moved closer and placed his lips on hers.

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 168 - A Mark

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Edith stretched up her body and sighed as she woke up. She rolled over on her bed and noticed that something was not right. She could still remember that battle that started in the kitchen and soon moved on to the sofa.

    Then how did she ended up waking in her room?

    The two of them kissed for a long time until she was breathless. She remembered resting her head on his chest to rest for a while. She probably fell asleep around that time.

    Then, the person who carried her back into the room should be her darling.

    Edith reached for her phone to look at the time and noticed that it was still early. Thinking that there was still an hour left until her alarm wound set off and she would have to prepare to go to work, Edith laid on the bed and stared at the ceiling.

    Her thought went back to what happened last night and suddenly, her lips curled into a wide smile. Grabbing at the pillow on the side, Edith pressed her face on it to hide her reddened cheek.

    She had told Neil that she wanted him to kiss her and then, last night, they spent their time kissing and not doing anything other than that.

    A low hum escaped her as she recalled the way his lips were slowly kissing her slow and patiently.

    Edith thought that his patience would soon drive her crazy. Then, she wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him closer to her before she pried into to get into his mouth.

    Feeling her enthusiasm, Neil wrapped his arms around her waist. Then, his hand slid down lower.

    Before Edith could say a word, Neil had lifted her off the ground. He gave her a peck on the cheek and carried her into the living room. His dark eyes were looking straight into hers as he placed her gently on the sofa.

    Meeting his gaze and noticing the way he was looking at him made her blush. Edith had this sensation as if her head was blown and she could not think straight. She was lost in his gaze and could not look away. Her lips trembled as if she wanted to speak, but found that she could not find her voice.

    Frustrated with her situation, Edith laid her hands on his stomach. Slowly, her hands moved further up to touch the contours of his abs under the shirt. She had seen his body previously at the beach and thought that his body looked really good. Edith did not think that touching them would feel better.

    His body trembled under her touch and Edith snapped to look at his face again. Her breathing quickened when she noticed his gaze turned a few shades darker.

    She was very aware that she was playing with fire and it was starting to burn her as well. Soon, she tugged at the front of his shirt, bringing their face closer before she moved to kiss his lips again.

    As they stayed in each other''s embrace, Neil began to move away from her lips and started to rain his kisses everywhere on her face and down to her neck.

    Realizing that her thought has gone astray, Edith pressed the pillow to her face harder. Once she was able to calm down, Edith walked into the bathroom to wash her face. Since she could no longer fall asleep, Edith went downstairs to find something to eat.

    Auntie Emma was in the kitchen preparing breakfast for Hazel when she entered.

    Sensing someone entering the kitchen, Auntie Emma lifted her head and greeted Edith. However, her movement suddenly halted and Auntie Emma looked away to continue her cooking.

    Unaware of the strange look that Auntie Emma was shooting at her, Edith peeked into the refrigerator and took out a few ingredients to make herself a sandwich. She poured herself a cup of coffee and finally noticed Auntie Emma''s sneaking glance.

    Before she got the chance to ask, Auntie Emma looked away and busied herself to check on the porridge.

    At this time, Edith heard a sound coming from the entrance door. She put the bag of bread on the kitchen counter and walked out and found that Neil was dressed in a midnight blue hooded jacket and long pants. His chest heaved up and down as sweat trickled down his face.

    Their gaze met and Edith looked at him with a smile.

    "Did you go out for a morning run?"

    "Hmm."

    Edith reached to grab the towel from Neil and helped to wipe the sweat on his face. Once there was no longer visible sweat on his face, Edith glanced around the room like a thief and tiptoed to give him a peck. "Good morning, darling."

    Neil chuckled at her sneaky move. He stretched his hand to push away her hair that was resting on her left shoulder and hooked his hand behind her neck. His movement halted just as he was about to lean in and kiss her. He studied the reddish mark on her neck and smiled.

    "What?"

    Neil leaned forward and whispered. "Teacher Qian, I think you should wear something to cover your neck today."

    Edith stared at him in a puzzle and winced when his finger pressed at a spot. A thought came to her mind and Edith ran into the bathroom to check at her neck. A gasp escaped when she noticed the marking on her neck.

    Although it was inconspicuous, if one stood closely, they would be able to see this mark. None of the teachers knew that she was dating. Once they saw the mark on her neck, Edith was sure that she would be bombarded with questions that she did not want to answer.

    As she recalled the way Auntie Emma was staring at her, Edith felt her face turned redder. At this time, she wanted to keep herself locked in the bathroom and waited for everyone to leave.

    The door swung open and the culprit appeared at the door. "What''s wrong?"

    Edith thought that she was too frustrated to talk to this culprit at this moment. She wanted him to kiss her, and not leave a mark on her body.

    Neil laughed when he saw the way her cheek was puffing slightly. "It will disappear after a few days. The marking was not visible unless if you look closely. Just wear something to cover them. The temperature outside is getting colder. No one will mind if you wear something extra."

    "What if Hazel saw this mark and ask?"

    Neil pondered over that question seriously and answered. "You can tell her that you were bitten by a bug."

    Edith looked at him angrily. "You are that bug."

    "Yes. Yes. I am that bug." He reached to take her hand and planted a kiss on her palm. "Don''t be mad. How about I take you and Hazel to play at the theme park this weekend?"

    Seeing the petting gaze on his expression, Edith felt her anger began to subside.

    "Or else, you can always return the favor. How about leaving a mark on my neck as well?"

    Read novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 169 - Youre Too Old

    In the end, Edith decided to wear a teal turtleneck and jeans. Though that mark on her neck was hidden under her clothes, Edith styled her hair to a side low ponytail in hope that her hair would provide extra coverage. The end of her hair was curly, giving her a cute and playful look.

    When she walked down the stairs again, the person who made her wear a turtleneck could not take his eyes off her. Seeing the way he was looking at her, Edith tilted her head sideways and smiled. "How do I look? Cute?"

    A chuckle escaped him. Neil walked over to her and twirled his finger into her curls.

    Previously, his girlfriend would always style her hair into a high ponytail or simply pulled her hair into a bun. As a kindergarten teacher, those hairstyles were very convenient for her as she will be dealing with children every day.

    This was the first time Neil had seen her with this hairstyle and naturally he was enchanted.

    "Un. Cute." He nodded. He continued to twirl his finger and inched closer to whisper. "Teacher Qian, I wonder if there is a spot for me to attend your class?"

    Edith chuckled. "I cannot accept you as my student. You''re too old." The smile on her face widened when she saw him frown.

    Even though he realized that he was indeed too old to join the kindergartners, Neil found it very unpleasant to hear his girlfriend mentioned his age. After all, between him and Edith, he was indeed slightly older than her. He was five years older than his girlfriend.

    "Alright, I need to head over to the kindergarten now," Edith said. She tiptoed to kiss the tip of his nose. "I will see you later at home."

    Neil heaved a long sigh. He dropped her curls and watched them fall softly on her chest. His eyes darkened when he noticed that the knitted turtleneck was showing off her figure. Her chest area especially appeared bigger.

    His throat felt dry and suddenly, Neil wished that his girlfriend was dressed in her usual oversize shirt. The thought that there were a few male teachers at the kindergarten made Neil unhappy. He did not want to let others see his girlfriend''s figure and had some ideas about her.

    ¡­

    "Teacher Qian, you look different today," Teacher Guo, who was receiving the students with her at the door commented. "This hairstyle looks pretty on you."

    "You think so?" Edith subconsciously touched her neck where Neil had left a mark last night. A breath of relief escaped her, knowing that her colleagues would not be able to see that mark under her clothing.

    "Un." Teacher Guo nodded. She gave Edith a look over and tapped a finger at her chin. "Your dressing is slightly different than usual as well. What''s with the change?"

    Edith blew a sigh. "No reason. I just thought that I should try something different once in a while."

    "Really?" Teacher Guo flashed her a teasing smile. "And here I thought that you are probably in a relationship." Her eyes widened when she noticed the fluctuation in Edith''s expression. "It seemed that I''ve guessed correctly. Teacher Qian, you''re in a relationship? Who is it? Was it someone we know?"

    Edith placed her finger on her lips, signaling Teacher Guo not to say anything. "Teacher Guo, I hope that you won''t mention this to anyone. My boyfriend and I have just started dating. When the time comes, I will introduce you to him."

    Seeing the shy look on Edith''s face, Teacher Guo decided not to say anything.

    At this time, a student ran over to them and announced that two boys were fighting in the classroom. Because the fight happened in her classroom, Edith soon left the receiving to Teacher Guo and went to look at the situation.

    When she arrived, the two boys were wrestling on the ground. Edith pulled the two boys apart and brought them over to Headmistress Fu''s office. After some questioning, the boys admitted that they were fighting because they both fancied the same girl. After informing their parents of the situation, Edith went back to her classroom and started the lessons.

    It was not until the children were taking their afternoon nap that Edith had time to take a breather.

    Habitually, she took out her phone to check on her messages.

    A smile curled on her lips when she saw Neil''s messages. Just as she was about to read his messages, her phone vibrated, and Aaron''s name popped up on the screen. Edith tapped at Aaron''s name and pressed her phone to her ear.

    "Aaron Li, I am still at school. You better have a good reason for calling me during my working hours," Edith spoke as soon as the phone call was connected.

    "Heads up. Your grandfather is heading to L City with Grandpa George and my father," Aaron said.

    "What? Why?"

    Edith started to panic upon hearing that her grandfather was heading to the city. She still hasn''t told her grandfather that she was now living with Neil and Hazel. Previously, she did not say a word to her grandfather as the contract only lasted for two months.

    But now that she was dating Neil, Edith was afraid that her grandfather would chop that man into pieces upon finding that her precious granddaughter was cohabiting with a man.

    "Remember that I am working on some murder cases with those guys in L City? Well, apparently, when something similar happened in Z Town a few years ago, your grandfather''s team was assigned to investigate those murders."

    Back then, Grandpa George and Aaron''s father were both in her grandfather''s team and they have been working together for years.

    "There was another murder last two days and we are getting desperate to solve this case. The team in L City wanted them to come over and share their knowledge."

    Edith frowned as she tried to recall the information Aaron had shared with her previously.

    A few women were found dead in a gruesome manner with signs that they were violated. The autopsy showed that there were similarities between the murders that took place in Z Town a few years ago and the recent cases in L City.

    It was due to this that Aaron has been traveling back and forth from Z Town.

    As she grew up, Edith often spent her time at the police station. Sometimes, she would overhear her grandfather and his men discussed murders and such. But she did not think that she had heard her grandfather mentioning this case before.

    "Don''t worry. Your grandpa and the others were planning to head back to Z Town once they are done," Aaron continued. "But your grandpa might want to have a meal with you before we leave.. I just called to remind you not to work overtime."

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 170 - Potential Rival

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    As the students left and the kindergarten''s atmosphere became quiet, Edith habitually went back to the classroom to call Neil and informed him that she will be heading out to meet up with her grandfather and the others for a meal.

    "Who else will be there?" Neil asked when he heard that Edith and her grandfather would be joined by a few others.

    "Grandpa George and Uncle James," Edith said. "You have met them both previously during the fishing trip. Aaron will also be there as well."

    "Aaron?"

    "Un." Edith nodded as sandwiched her phone between her left ear and shoulder to organize a few books on the table. "He''s Uncle James'' son. You''ve met him previously the first time we went to the beach together with Hazel. He''s that policeman."

    There was a slight fluctuation in Neil''s expression as he heard her words.

    Assistant Shawn, who happen to be in the office to retrieve a few documents suddenly felt the change of temperature around him. He tilted his head to look at the air conditioner before he shifted his gaze to his boss. A thought came to his mind and Assistant Shawn scrambled to leave the office as soon as possible.

    Neil remembered that cheery policeman he had met previously. That man left a deep impression on him because he had mentioned that he often patrolled the area his parents were living in.

    His eyes narrowed as he recalled that Edith''s relationship was pretty close. The last time Aaron visited the city, he had come to find Edith and the two had a meal together.

    "Do you need me to come along with you?" Neil asked.

    "No. It''s fine," Edith answered quickly. "Grandfather and the others will leave to Z Town after having a meal together." She pressed the phone close to her lips and whispered, "Grandfather was still unaware that I am living together with you."

    "You don''t want to introduce me to your grandfather?"

    "That is not what I meant." A giggle escaped her as she heard his upset tone. "I wanted to introduce you to my grandfather as my boyfriend. But with other''s presence, it would not be suitable."

    She was her grandfather''s precious granddaughter. What if her grandfather was upset and ended up beating her boyfriend in front of others.

    "Let''s find a time and go back to Z Town together to meet my grandfather," Edith continued.

    Neil''s expression softened a little bit upon hearing her words.

    "Where will you be having your meal?" Neil asked.

    "I haven''t decided. I will update you when I know."

    "Whatever happened, don''t drink," Neil reminded.

    His expression turned cold as he imagined his drunk girlfriend giving that policeman a confession.

    "Un. I know. Darling, I won''t take a sip."

    ¡­

    Edith left the kindergarten and went straight to the station where Henry had dropped her previously. She sent a text message to Aaron and the man appeared from the building with a smile on his face.

    "Your grandfather and the others are almost done," Aaron spoke as he reached Edith''s side. "They should come out anytime soon."

    After waiting for five minutes, her grandfather and the others came out of the station. Knowing that it was not the best place to have a conversation, the group left in Aaron''s vehicle and found a place to have a meal.

    They arrived at a Hainanese restaurant and entered a private room.

    Edith sent a text message to Neil to inform him of her whereabouts and continued to talk to her grandfather and the others happily.

    "Grandpa, what is it with the murder case?" Edith asked after a while. "Why do I feel like I have never heard you mention this case before?"

    Mike Qian exchanged his glance with his friend before he reached for the glass of water to take a sip. "It was something that happened a long time ago. You were not living with me when I was still investigating this case."

    "I guess you and Aaron were around three years old the first time the first murder happened," James said. "How would you know anything". He suddenly noticed the look Mike was giving him and immediately reached for his wine cup.

    "You still haven''t caught that murderer?"

    Mike''s expression grew darker. "The technology back then was not as good as it was now. Moreover, the murderer was really careful about leaving any useful clues for us. It was one of the toughest cases we handled."

    "We did not expect that the murder that happened twenty years ago to happen again in L City," George Bei commented. He turned to Aaron and slapped him on his shoulder. "That''s right. You should have told us earlier that you were helping those guys to investigate the case. We could have told you everything we know and perhaps they would stop another murder from happening."

    "How was I to know that you were in charge of this case?" Aaron rubbed at his shoulder with an aggrieved face. "Don''t you remember that the station in Z City caught on fire sixteen years ago? If I did not mention this case casually to my father, I would not know that you guys were the one who was investigating this case."

    The three old men''s faces turned gloomier as they recalled that big fire. It was because of that big fire that they had lost a lot of clues. Important documents were burned to ashes, leaving them with nothing useful.

    "Let''s not talk about this depressing matter," Mike said. He took a deep breath and tried to change the subject. "We are here to have a meal, aren''t we? Right. What happened to the food we ordered? Why are they not here yet?"

    Edith craned her neck to look at the door and stood up. "I will go and check." She took her phone and head out of the room to look for the waiter. Just as she reached the lobby, Edith her eyes caught sight of someone familiar.

    Noticing that someone was staring at him, that man turned around and smiled as their gaze met.

    Edith quickly walked over to him and chuckled. "Darling, why are you here?" Her voice was a whisper.

    "I just thought that you might need a lift after this meal ended," Neil said. "I don''t want you to walk around alone."

    Of course, he would not tell his girlfriend that he was worried that a potential rival was having a meal with his girlfriend.

    Neil''s expression changed when he saw that unpleasant person appeared behind his girlfriend. He was just worried that this person came to L City to snatch his girlfriend and now, he had appeared before him.

    "President Mo," Aaron greeted enthusiastically. "Why are you here as well?"

    "Mr. Li, am I right?" Neil smiled amiably.

    "You remember me." Aaron''s expression brightened. He looked at both Neil and Edith alternately and smiled. "Are you here to have a meal? Coincidentally, Edith''s grandfather, and a few of us are here to have a meal as well.. We had a private room. Why don''t you join us as well?"

    Read novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 171 - Drunken Edith

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    The three old men were surprised when Edith and Aaron returned with another person. They quickly adjusted their expression when they recognized his face.

    "We ran into President Mo outside," Aaron speak. "Since we''re all here to have a meal, I thought it would be better to invite him as well. Anyway, we are all considered people from the same town."

    "Neil," Mike greeted.

    "Grandpa, you are familiar with President Mo?" Aaron was surprised by the way the elder man had addressed Neil.

    President Mo was someone from high class and it was not easy to be an acquaintance to him.

    "Hmm¡­ The last time he came to Z Town, we had the chance to go fishing together. That''s right." Mike shifted his gaze to look around. "That little princess did not come along with you?"

    Neil coughed. "No. I came here alone. My niece is at home with her nanny, doing her homework."

    Noticing the slight change in Mike''s expression, Neil wondered if he should bring along that little girl to have a meal together. He knew that Edith''s grandfather liked his niece and they get along very well during the fishing trip.

    "Come on. Don''t just stand around. Have a seat," Aaron said. "The food should be here soon."

    Neil followed Edith and sat beside her. Seeing that his seat was taken, Aaron froze before he touched the tip of his nose and moved to sit at the other side.

    Noticing Aaron''s reaction, Neil''s lips tilted slightly upwards.

    "We have already ordered our food. If you would like to add anything, just tell to the waiter," Mike said. "Don''t be shy. Today, my granddaughter is treating us to a feast."

    Neil glanced at the woman beside him and smiled. "Then, I won''t be polite."

    The waiter came into the room and Neil added two more dishes to their order. Once the waiter had left, Neil turned to Mike and asked, "Grandpa, why did the three of you came to L City this time?"

    "It''s nothing." Mike coughed. "We just came to L City for an official matter."

    A frown appeared on his face. "Grandpa, if it was something that I can help you with, you have to tell me. I might not know much, but I do know a few people that could help with anything."

    MH Group was the top property and developers'' company in L City. In fact, most of the property in L City was under MH Group. Years ago, MH Group purchased a large land and develop that small town into the city they knew. As the president of MH Group, Neil had his own connection with certain people and was able to pull some strings in L City.

    "You don''t have to worry." Mike glanced at his friends. "We came to L City to help the authorities with some investigation. Before the three of us retired, we were with the police. Coincidentally, there was a case in L City that they needed our advice. So, we decided to come over and help."

    "If you have anything that you need my help with, you can find me," Neil repeated. "You can find Edith and she will know how to find me."

    At this time, the waiter walked in and started to serve the food. As the aroma of the food wafted to their nose, none of them realized that the way Neil addressed Edith had changed. The three old men started to laugh happily upon seeing their favorite wine being served.

    The atmosphere in the room turned livelier as they chatted happily. None of them brought up the matter about the murder case and instead started to reminiscing Edith and Aaron''s childhood stories.

    Of course, while the others were happily telling the stories, Neil could only put on a polite smile on his face as his gaze turned darker. Though he was interested to listen to his girlfriend''s childhood stories, it was not a pleasing experience to hear that there was always that one man in every part of the story.

    Neil raised the cup in his hand and took a sip as he silently observed the man sat across him.

    His eyes narrowed slightly upon noticing the way Aaron was staring at his girlfriend.

    If it was up to him, Neil would really like to announce to everyone present that the two of them were dating. However, Edith wanted to wait and he did not want to do something without consulting her opinion. At this time, he could only suppress his feelings.

    His gaze shifted toward the person beside him. Edith was happily drinking as she chatted happily with the grandpas.

    Seeing her reddened face, Neil rubbed the space between his brow.

    Who was it that made a promise to him that she will not take a sip? He had reminded her not to drink, but it looked like she had forgotten his reminder. It looks like he will have to punish this girl for not listening to his words well.

    Neil observed the situation and reached for his phone to send an important text to someone.

    Once the meal ended, everyone started to ponder over the same problem.

    The three elders looked at each other and wonder if they should stay a night in the city. From the look on Edith''s face, the three elder men were sure that this girl would be having a problem getting home.

    "Grandpa, don''t worry. I am not that drunk. I can get home safely." Edith tried to convince the elders though she was holding on to the wall to support herself. "Someone will take me home safely. Right." She took a deep breath and turned around. "I forgot to settle the bills."

    Neil reached to grab the woman before she fell. "Don''t worry about the bills. It has already been settled."

    Seeing his voice, Edith tilted her head up and stared at the man with her eyes unblinking. No one knew what was going on through her mind at the moment.

    Fearing that his friend would create a problem, Aaron went forward to take her away from Neil, but at this time, Lily Zhao showed up at the scene, calling out her name.

    "Edith Qian!"

    The group turned around and Grandpa Qian''s expression grew softer upon recognizing her granddaughter''s best friend.

    Edith looked at her friend and hugged her arms. "Lily, why are you here?"

    "Lily, are you here to pick up Edith?" Mike asked.

    Lily glanced at Neil and nodded. "Edith texted me earlier and said that she was going to crash at my place for a night. Grandpa Qian, you are heading back to Z Town tonight right? Don''t worry. I will look out for Edith."

    Mike glanced at his granddaughter and heaved a long sigh. Seeing that there will be someone looking after his granddaughter, Mike finally urged the others to leave.

    Once Aaron''s vehicle disappeared from their sight, Lily turned to Neil and forced a smile. "President Mo."

    Neil nodded. "Thank you for your help. I owe you a favor."

    "It''s fine." Lily waved her hand and transferred the drunk Edith to Neil.

    An hour ago, she received a text message from Neil, asking her to come over to the restaurant to help him with Edith. She was not expecting that she would see her friend in her drunken state.

    As Lily recalled her friend''s behavior when she was drunk, Lily started to pray for Edith and hoped that she would not be digging a grave for herself.

    "Can you walk?" Neil asked as he leaned over to Edith.

    Edith leaned on his arms and nuzzled her head on his shoulder. "Darling, I can''t walk. Give me a piggyback ride!"

    Lily sucked in a deep breath at her friend''s bravery! She was surprised to hear Edith addressing President Mo as darling. Then, she was brazen enough to ask for a piggyback ride!

    Her expression froze when she saw the doting look on Neil''s face. She was so sure that Neil would flip at Edith''s request, but she was wrong.

    Neil took a deep breath and carried his girlfriend in his arms in a princess carry. The drunk person then rested her head on his chest before she closed her eyes.

    Lily watched as the two leave and prayed that her friend would not cause more trouble later.

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 172 - I Only Like My Darling

    Edith opened her eyes to a slit when she felt her back colliding into something colder. Something was trying to pry her hands away from a warm source and she was not very happy about it. She adjusted her eyes and found that Neil was in front of her.

    "Be good. Let me go first. I will make you some tea to help you sober up." The man in front of her spoke in a very gentle voice.

    Edith loosened her hands from his neck before she moved on the sofa to get into a comfortable position. Her eyes shut as she continued to sleep.

    Neil heaved a long sigh as he watched her shut her eyes and continued to sleep.

    Earlier, after Driver Tang had sent him home, Neil had to carry her back into the house. Fortunately, his girlfriend was very well behaved in his arms.

    He bent down to kiss her on the forehead and walked into the kitchen.

    Little Hazel has gone to bed a few hours earlier, and Nanny Ann had left with Driver Tang just a few minutes ago. Although Nanny Ann had offered to look after Edith, Neil was worried that Nanny Ann would arrive home late, and therefore, he let her go home first.

    After spending a few minutes in the kitchen, Neil came back into the living room with a mug of tea. He lifted the person on the sofa and tried to wake her up gently.

    "Wake up. Have a drink first."

    Edith frowned when she heard his voice again. Then, she obediently opened her mouth and let Neil feed him the tea. Because of their awkward position, some of the tea trickled down from her mouth to her neck and went downwards.

    Neil placed the mug on the table and looked at the person in his embrace. Then, he pulled out a few tissue papers on the table and helped her to wipe her mouth. His gaze followed the water stain and stopped at where it had disappeared.

    His throat rolled as his gaze went down lower. Realizing his thought, Neil quickly turned his gaze away to meet his gaze.

    At this time, Edith was staring back at him with her eyes unblinking.

    The two of them continued to lock their gaze into each other for a while before Neil moved to pinch the woman''s cheek.

    "Didn''t I tell you not to drink? Why were you drinking too much just now?"

    Edith raised a hand and swatted his hand from her face. "Don''t pinch my cheek."

    Neil continued to stare at her as if challenging her to give him a proper answer. "Wait until you sober up and see how I will punish you."

    "Darling, you said that I am not supposed to drink without your presence. Since you were around, then, of course, I can have a few more drinks with my everyone. Darling, you said so. So you cannot get mad at me."

    His brow shot up at her words. Suddenly, Neil wondered if Edith had sobered up slightly. Edith would seem to respond to him whenever he asked her questions. The last time he found her drunk, was it not the same?

    He poked at her cheek and looked at her expression.

    "Were you very happy today?"

    "Un. Happy. I had a meal with everyone. Then, my darling came to pick me up."

    His lips tilted up slightly. "Do you know who I am?"

    "I know." She nodded. "Iceblock Mo!"

    His face twitched at that name. He pinched at her cheek again and leaned in to bite her lips.

    Edith pushed him away and rubbed at her lips. Her eyes were staring at him in aggrieved.

    Seeing the expression on her face, a helpless sigh escaped him. His thumb caressed her lips until she stopped giving him that look. Neil tilted his head sideways and asked. "Do you like me?"

    Edith studied his face and nodded. "Like."

    "How much do you like me?"

    "Very much."

    Noticing that Edith would answer his questions without fail, Neil decided to get some information from her.

    "Were you very close to that policeman, Aaron?"

    Her head moved slowly into a nod. "We grew up together. Grandpa always sent me over to his house whenever he went away to work on some case."

    He pinched her chin and forced her to look at him. "Do you like him?"

    Edith laughed. She wrapped her arms around his waist and buried her face on his chest. "No. I only like my darling."

    A satisfied smile curled on his lips upon hearing her answer. But that smile soon disappeared as Neil thought of the way Aaron was looking at her during their meals earlier. As a man, how can he not realize the way that man was looking at his girlfriend?

    "But Aaron likes you." His voice was a whisper, but it was laced with something dangerous.

    Edith raised her head to look at Neil. Then she began to pout. She struggled to get away from him and knelt on the sofa so that she seemed taller than him. Suddenly, her hands moved to pinch him on both cheeks, stretching them as far as she can get.

    "Darling, didn''t I tell you to smile?" She looked at his stretched lips and smiled happily. "Un. Just like this. Very good looking." She released her hands and poked at his cheek as if taking revenge because he did the same earlier. "But you can''t let others see this."

    The corner of his lips tilted up into a helpless smile. "Alright. I will only smile at you."

    Satisfied with his answer, Edith leaned to kiss the tip of his nose. She pulled away and stared at his face for a long time.

    A chuckle escaped him. Neil looked at her blushed face and asked, "How do you feel? You have to tell me if you''re uncomfortable."

    "Darling, I''m sleepy. I want to sleep."

    Neil heaved a sigh. "Let me help you back to your room."

    Edith spread her arms open. "Darling, carry me."

    A chuckle escaped him. Then, he picked her up into his embrace and took her upstairs into her room.

    The scent of her filled his nose as soon as he entered the room. He took the time to look around and thought that the air in the room had changed since Edith had moved in. Although there were not many changes, Neil thought that the room seemed livelier and brightened up.

    It seemed that the room had changed according to the person who stayed in it.

    Neil walked over to the bed and placed her gently on the bed. Then, he tucked in the blanket on her body and leaned to kiss her forehead.

    He turned to leave and stopped when Edith grabbed his hand. Turning around, Edith was staring at him with her eyes wide. He walked over and patted her hair. "Sleep. Good night. I will see you tomorrow."

    "Don''t leave. Sleep with me tonight."

    His expression froze and his gaze darkened as he looked at her. "Silly woman, do you know what you''re saying?"

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 173 - You Are Going To Kill Me

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Warning: Might be slightly unsuitable for underage

    Neil stepped over slowly and his gaze trained on that woman.

    "Sleep." Edith scooted over to a side and patted the bed. "Come here. Darling, accompany me to sleep."

    A chuckle escaped him, knowing that this woman literally meant sleeping and not anything else. He pinched at her cheek to vent his frustration, but suddenly, Edith grabbed his wrist and with a tug, Neil fell on top of her.

    The two stared at each other silently in that position and their eyes could only see each other.

    Neil felt her breaths caressing his face and his body began to heat up. His gaze started to trail down to her nose, then to her lips¡­

    "Darling?"

    "Hmm?" His gaze went back to hers. At this time, Edith was staring back at him with her eyes wide.

    "Why are you so good looking?"

    Edith continued to stare at him and watched as his lips slowly curved into a smile.

    Seeing the expression that she liked so much, Edith tugged at the front of his shirt, pulling Neil closer to her before she kissed his lips. Her lips brushed against his gently. She wanted to savor the way he tasted and could not get enough of it. His lips were so sweet and she was addicted to them.

    His throat rolled as Edith started to lick at his lips, begging for an entrance. Neil was slowly losing his mind and soon, his lips parted and he took the lead to kiss her.

    Edith let out a soft hum as he nibbled at her lips and continued to kiss her senselessly.

    Her hands that were crumpling at his shirt slowly loosened. Her hands trailed down to feel the muscle under his shirt.

    Suddenly, Neil let out a gasp as he felt her hands slipped into his shirt and touching his skin.

    Neil pulled away and looked at the woman under him. "Baby, are you trying to seduce me?"

    The woman smiled sweetly at him and her hands continued to roam around his body.

    "Edith Qian," he called her name through his gritted teeth. If she did not stop now, Neil thought that he might no longer hold back. He removed the paws from his body.

    Neil took a deep breath and kissed her cheek. Then, he pulled her body closer and patted her hair softly. "I won''t do anything to you when you''re not sober. I will just hold you to sleep, alright?"

    Silence filled in the room. Neil buried his nose on her neck and held the person in his arms tightly as he tried to calm down his raging urge.

    "I can''t breathe." Her voice sounded aggrieved.

    Neil heaved a sigh as he loosened his embrace.

    However, as soon as there was space for her to move around, her naughty hands started to roam around aimlessly on his body again.

    Neil quickly grabbed those misbehaved paws and locked them both above her head. He lowered his head to look at her and pecked at her lips. "Don''t do this. Let''s just sleep alright?" He pleaded.

    "Let me go." Edith struggled and with a few moves, she managed to escape from his grip. "Darling, let me touch you."

    A laugh escaped him as he felt the hands went back to their original position. "Baby, you are going to kill me if you continue to do this."

    The atmosphere in the room soon changed. The night was especially quiet, and inside the room, sounds that could make people blush could be heard.

    Neil buried his face on the crook of her neck as he held her body tighter. His lips parted and his throat rolled as his chest heaved up and down. Neil found that it was harder to control his breathing as seconds ticked.

    He lifted his head to look at Edith and frowned upon seeing the serious look on her face. A chuckle escaped him before he leaned to kiss her lips deeply.

    Suddenly, Neil closed his eyes. His breathing hitched and a low grunt escaped him. Neil rested his head on her shoulder as he steadied his breathing. Once he had calm down, Neil bent to peck at her lips before he pulled out some tissue papers to wipe her hands.

    Once everything was cleaned up and organized, Neil pulled Edith close to him and hugged her to sleep.

    ¡­

    The first thing Edith noticed upon waking up was her throbbing headache. After a while, she found that her hands were both sore and tired. Later, she started to feel that her body was surrounded by a very comfortable warmth.

    Edith shifted her body and turned around.

    Her eyes went wide when she saw Neil''s handsome face. His eyes were closed and his breathing steadied as he was in a deep sleep.

    Her mouth parted as she sucked in a deep breath. Her hands moved to check at her clothing and a sigh of relief escaped her knowing that nothing had happened between them last night.

    Edith calmed down immediately and started to observe her situation first. A deep frown appear on her face when she noticed that she was in her bedroom. But¡­ why was this person beside her.

    No matter how she thought about it, Edith could not figure out what happened last night.

    She remembered going for dinner with her grandfather and the others. Then, Neil appeared and joined them for a meal. She recalled drinking a few cups of wine with her grandfather, and later, Lily showed up and Neil took her home.

    But, wait. Why did Lily come over to the restaurant?

    Was she dreaming or seeing things?

    Edith rapped her knuckle on her head as if it was going to help her with her memory. After a while, her movement stopped and Edith stared at her hands with a puzzled look on her face.

    What on earth happened to her hands? Why does it felt as if they did not belong to her?

    Her gaze went back to look at Neil''s sleeping face.

    They had slept together but Neil had not done anything to her while she was under the influence of alcohol.

    "Stop staring at me like that or I might not be able to control myself."

    His eyes snapped open as he spoke.

    The two of them continued to look at each other for a long time before Neil leaned in to kiss her forehead. "Good morning."

    "Good morning," Edith whispered. She pulled at the quilt cover and hid half of her face under it. "Neil... why are you in my bedroom? Last night. What happened last night?"

    A chuckle escaped him. Because he had just woken up, his voice sounded especially deep. He tilted his head sideways and spoke, "Last night, you would not let me leave.. Edith Qian, you pulled me here to accompany you to sleep. Did you forget everything?"

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 174 - Damsel In Distress

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Edith really wanted to admit that she did not remember anything, but the expression on Neil''s face made her think that she needed to think things carefully. Edith continued to watch Neil as she was trying to figure out what she was going to do next,

    At this time, Neil pushed over the quilt cover and get up from the bed. Suddenly, there was a loud thud behind him. Turning around, Neil grew anxious when he saw Edith disappeared from the bed.

    There was a loud groan. When Neil reached her side, Edith was laying on the carpeted floor as she continued to massage her head.

    "What happened to you?" Neil inched closer. "How did you fell off the bed?"

    Edith looked up and gasped as her gaze met with Neil''s shirtless top. "Why¡­ why are you not wearing a shirt?"

    She was too shocked upon seeing that topless torso that she had accidentally rolled off the bed and hit her head on the floor. Fortunately, they were carpeted.

    He crouched down beside her and smiled. "You really don''t remember anything, do you? You took it off from me last night, saying that you wanted to touch me."

    Her eyes widened. "No way, I am not such a hooligan."

    "Really?" Neil sneered. He pointed at a spot on his shoulder. "You bite on my shoulder last night, saying that you want revenge for leaving a mark on your neck, did you not remember that as well?" His hand then moved to point at a few different spots. "Here. Here. You bit me over here as well. You said you wanted to touch me everywhere.."

    Edith sucked in a deep breath upon looking at the reddened spots on his body. There was even one tiny spot just below his Adam''s apple! The scene in front of her showed how much she was enjoying her night and did not think of the consequences of what will happen when she woke up in the morning.

    "Then¡­ why didn''t you stop me?"

    "Do you think I can stop you?" Neil raised a brow. "Last night, I was the damsel in distress while someone else was acting like a villainess. You know very well how strong you are. You can take down a man bigger than you without any problem. Every time I tried to restrain you, you would retaliate against my move and do just as you like."

    Edith''s Qian, what have you done?

    She did not expect that she could turn into a beast when she was drunk! This was the first time that anything like that happened.

    Her brain reprocessed the words he spoke and suddenly her face turned red.

    Touching him everywhere¡­

    Does that mean that she had touched some forbidden place as well? Would that explain why her hands felt as if they won''t be listening to her command anymore?

    Suddenly, she was embarrassed to face Neil.

    Her brain quickly processed everything and Edith flashed him a timid smile. "Darling, I''m sorry. The last thing I remember was watching my grandpa leaving with the others. Then, everything became hazy."

    Edith mentally cursed herself. She had the chance to look everywhere and touch everywhere, but she could not remember a thing! This was too frustrating!

    A teasing smile appeared on his lips. "Then, do you want me to help you recreate what happened last night?"

    Her face turned a few shades redder. "No. No. That''s not necessary." There was a brief silence between them before Edith spoke again, "I-I promise I will not drink too much again."

    Neil took a deep breath and stretched his hand to pull her up. "It''s fine." The smile on his face clearly showed that he was enjoying whatever happened last night. "You can drink as much as you want to as long as you are with me."

    ¡­

    When Edith showed up at the kindergarten in the morning, her best friend, Lily, was waiting for her outside the gate. Her eyes grew wide as she gave Edith a look from head to toe.

    "Edith, are you alright?"

    "Of course I''m alright. What''s wrong? Why are you asking such a question in the morning?"

    Lily turned to look at the two underage children beside them. After urging them to enter their classroom first, Lily pulled Edith to a corner and began her interrogation. "What happened after you left the restaurant last night?"

    Edith stared at her friend with her eyes wide, wondering how did Lily know that she was at the restaurant last night.

    "You don''t know how freaked out I was when I suddenly received a message from President Mo, asking me to meet you both at the restaurant."

    "Why did my darling asked you to meet us at the restaurant?"

    "My darling?" Lily felt the corner of her lips twitched. She quickly got over that endearing terms and explained what Neil had asked her to do last night.

    Seeing that her girlfriend had drunk a little bit too much, Neil had asked for Lily''s help and acted as a decoy so that her grandfather and the others will not worry about leaving Edith in her condition. Edith has not told her grandfather that she was now living together with Neil, and Neil wanted to save trouble for his girlfriend. Therefore, Lily had to step in.

    Everything was easier for them as it was not the first time that Edith had stayed over at Lily''s place and her grandfather trusted Lily very much.

    Thinking of her considerate boyfriend, a smile curled on her lips.

    "Are you sure you''re alright?" A curious look flashed on her face and that concerned look was suddenly transformed into a teasing look. "Don''t tell me that nothing happened between you and President Mo last night?"

    Edith blinked innocently. "I was drunk and quickly passed out when we arrived. What could happen?"

    ¡­

    Meanwhile, back in MH Group Headquarters...

    Assistant Shawn, along with others who worked closely with Neil had long noticed that their boss was in a very good mood.

    Earlier, one of them had made a mistake in their report, but instead of flying into a rage as he would usually do, President Mo had given that person a few pointers on how to make things better.

    This scene shocked everyone and soon, various rumors started to fly around as they tried to figure out the reason for his sudden change.

    Assistant Shawn had heard a lot of gossips, but none of them were near to the truth. A lot of them had thought that President Mo''s good mood could be associated with the company winning an important tender.

    He knew that the reason behind his boss'' good mood was related to his girlfriend. After all, that marking just under his Adam''s apple was quite clear. He had seen those similar markings before and knew what are they.

    However, President Mo had the audacity to tell everyone else that he was bitten by a bug! To think that everyone else would believe his words...

    Assistant Shawn massaged his neck area, feeling slightly tired. He knocked on the door and walked in into the office to see his boss sat down behind his desk, working diligently in such a good mood.

    He let out a cough to get his boss'' attention and slid a document on the table. Assistant Shawn watched as his boss scribbled his signature on the paper and retrieved the documents.

    "President Mo, a representative from GINA asked whether you would be attending their function this weekend," Assistant Shawn spoke.

    "I''m not going. I have another plan this weekend."

    Assistant Shawn nodded and was about to leave when he heard his boss called his name again.

    "This function, they will be held in Capital City, correct?"

    "Yes."

    Neil tapped his fingers on his desk and suddenly smiled. "Tell them that I will be attending."

    Assistant Shawn thought that his change of mind was too sudden, but knew that he was not in the position to ask. "Certainly, President Mo." He nodded. "I will help you book your flight."

    "Hmm." Neil nodded. "Book a ticket for Edith and Hazel as well.. They are both coming with me on this trip."

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 175 - Serial Murder

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    As the weekend comes, Edith and Hazel followed Neil to the airport early morning.

    When they arrived, Assistant Shawn was already waiting for them. The assistant handed over the flight tickets to Neil and exchanged a few words before he followed them into the departure hall.

    Edith looked at the little girl who was holding on her hands tightly and brought her over to sit down and waited for their flight.

    "Are you excited?"

    "Un." Hazel nodded enthusiastically. "This is the first time that we''re going on a trip together. Of course, I''m excited." The little girl smiled happily when Edith patted her hair. "Auntie Edith, have you ever been to Capital City before?

    "Me?" Edith pondered over the question and nodded. "I have been to Capital City once. But I don''t remember much about that trip."

    "Why not?"

    "I was still young when I visited the city," Edith said. "I think, I was around your age. That was almost twenty years ago. I''m sure that the city has changed a lot."

    Edith could not remember that trip much, but she could recall that she was visiting Capital City with her mother.

    Back then, there was an event and her mother had accepted a job as an interpreter. She had followed her mother into the hall and watched as her mother interpreted the speaker''s words.

    At that time, Edith thought that her mother was the most amazing woman. To understand a foreign language and able to interpret them within seconds was not an easy task.

    Edith had learned French for years, but she did not think she would be able to do something like her mother had done.

    "It''s fine if you don''t remember them," Hazel spoke. "This time, I will help you to make new memories."

    A warmth filled her heart as Edith heard the little girl''s words. She laughed and kissed the little girl on the cheek. "Un. I will make a lot of memories with you. Let''s have a lot of fun together."

    As they continued to wait, Edith wrapped her arms around Hazel as the little girl leaned on her body and read a book. Seeing that her boyfriend was still discussing work matters with Assistant Shawn, Edith looked up at the television and watched the news.

    At this time, the newscaster was reporting news of a homicide that happened last week. Due to the horrifying way that the victim was found, this news has been discussed for days, and the case only grew heated.

    The victim worked at a famous nightclub in L City and has been reported as missing for weeks before her body was found around the garbage disposal area. There were signs that she was violated and tortured before she died.

    Though the news did not give much information on how the woman was tortured, Edith had heard a few things from Aaron and knew that the details can be very... disturbing.

    The woman''s parents were grieving over their only daughter''s death and were upset that the police could not give them the answer they wanted. Therefore, they invited a few reporters to express their grieve, and soon, netizens had helped to make this case big.

    It was then that some netizens found out that this was not the first time a woman had faced the same fate.

    A few months ago, another woman was found dead in the same manner, but because that woman was an orphan, no one paid much attention to her death.

    But now that the case was heatedly discussed among the public, the police were now getting anxious. They had to face the public''s anger as well as the pressure from their superiors.

    Serial murder was always something that the public would be worried about.

    Some of the netizens commented that the reason the police were slow with the investigation was that this murder might be related to someone very high profile. Because of those comments, the public was now enraged, and the police had to ask the public not to make an assumption in case they might cause them to disturb them from finding out the truth.

    Edith immediately thought of her grandfather and Aaron. Although the newscaster did not mention anything about the same case that happened in Z Town years ago, Edith knew that this was the same case that they were investigating.

    As a woman, Edith was angry that this culprit has been violating women for years and was still able to walk around freely. She can only hope that this culprit would be caught before he causes more harm to other women.

    "Why do you look so upset? What were you thinking about?"

    Hearing the voice, Edith turned to her right and saw that Neil had slipped into the empty seat beside her. "Nothing. I was just watching the news and hearing what happened to that woman made me angry."

    Edith felt his arms snaked around her shoulders and she cooperated by leaning her head on his shoulders.

    The passerby who saw this scene could not help but did a double-take.

    The man was wearing sunglasses, but it could not hide his good look. The pretty woman beside him was leaning on the man''s shoulder as he hugged her tight, and the small girl was hugged into the woman''s arms. It was a perfect picture of a family of three.

    "Have you heard anything about this case?" Edith asked.

    "I''ve heard a few things about it," Neil admitted. "Why are you suddenly curious about this case?"

    "Aaron was working on the investigation."

    Neil''s face turned a shade darker at the mention of his potential love rival.

    "According to my grandfather, around twenty years ago, there were similar cases," Edith whispered. "Back then, he and his team were investigating the murders, but they were not able to catch the culprit. They think that the serial murders in L City this time were very similar to the one in Z Town."

    "Is that why your grandfather came over to L City the other day?"

    "Hmm." Edith nodded. "Grandpa came with the others to help the investigation. They think that the cases in L City and Z Town were done by the same person or group."

    Neil turned his head to look at the television and saw that the newscaster was reporting news that General Attorney Leng was planning to leave his position to enter politics.

    His arm that was hugging Edith tightened. He was aware of the news from the first day it was reported on the news. He had some insider news and knew how those women were murdered. Neil grew anxious at the thought that something similar might happen to the people he cared about.

    "You need to be careful as well," Neil said. "Don''t go out alone. If you have someplace you needed to go, ask Driver Tang to take you there when I am unavailable. Although I know that you can look after yourself well, I don''t wish for you to encounter something like that."

    Seeing the concerned look on her boyfriend''s face, Edith smiled and pecked at his throat. "Un.. I know."

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 176 - The Trip To Capital City

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    The flight to Capital City arrived in less than an hour. When the four of them arrived, Assistant Shawn immediately found the driver, and they were taken to The Orchid, a five stars hotel under Zhang Group Worldwide.

    Edith walked around and could not help but admire the ambiance of the hotel. Zhang Group Worldwide was well known for its luxury hotels. Their branch in Capital City was often visited by famous people from all over the world. Edith naturally had heard about this hotel brand as the world-class conventions and events would often be held at this hotel

    There are rumors that the pastries in the Capital City branch are the best. The pastry chef, Chef Qin Zhan was said to be a mysterious guy as he would often reject any interviews. However, anyone who tasted his craft would soon fell in love with the delicateness of his pastries and they could no longer find anything better than Chef Qin Zhan''s craft.

    Edith snapped out from her trance when she felt Neil''s arms snaked around her waist. Turning around, Edith found that the man was looking at her with a smile.

    "Come on," Neil spoke. "The room is ready."

    It was at this time that Edith began to worry about their sleeping arrangement.

    Fortunately, Neil was considerate enough to book a two-bedroom suite. After settling into one of the bedrooms with Hazel, Edith walked into the living area and the three of them made a plan to go out.

    "Let''s just play somewhere close by," Neil said as he handed over a brochure. "I still have to attend a function this evening."

    Edith studied the brochure and took note of the place they could visit. Then, she went over to Hazel''s side. "Hazel, where do you think we should go?"

    The little girl stared at the brochure for a long time and frowned. There were a few places that she wanted to go to, and she could not make her decision which place she wanted to go to the most.

    "You haven''t decided yet?" Edith asked. "Do you need me to help?"

    "No. I think I have made my decision," Hazel spoke with a serious expression on her face. She lifted her hand to point at the brochure and stopped herself at the last moment. Her eyes caught something she thought was interesting and Hazel pointed to another picture. "Here. I want to go here."

    Edith looked at the picture and frowned. Her expression changed seconds later and Edith patted at her hair. "The Science and Technology Center. Are you sure?"

    "Un." Hazel nodded. "Auntie Edith, I wanted to go here."

    "Alright. Let''s go to the Science Center then." Edith laughed. "I thought you were going to choose a petting zoo."

    There was a slight crease forming at the space between her brow as Hazel was reconsidering her decision. The petting zoo was indeed her first choice. Hazel loved small animals and had a collection of plush toys of various animals. However, she changed her mind when she saw the picture of the robots that almost resembled the model that Alex liked to play with.

    After accompanying Alex with building those models, Hazel began to show interest in robots. Hazel thought that building and assembling something was interesting.

    Seeing the hesitation on Hazel''s face, Edith pulled the little girl into her embrace and whispered, "We can always ask your uncle to bring us here again. Let''s go to the petting zoo next time."

    Hazel''s face brightened up upon hearing the suggestion. She looked at her uncle with her usual adorable look and blinked. "Uncle, let''s go to the Science and Technology Center today. Next time, can you take us here again? I wanted to play in other places as well."

    It was not the school break and Neil could only bring them to Capital City to play around for the weekend. Fortunately, the trip from L City to Capital City took less than two hours. They departed on the earliest flight that morning and was planning to head back in the evening tomorrow.

    Though time might be limited, it would be enough for them to play around.

    "Alright." Neil quickly agreed. "But first¡­" He paused and pointed at his cheek. "You have to give me a kiss."

    The little girl climbed up the sofa, wrapped her arms around her uncle''s neck, and planted a long, wet kiss on his cheek. "Uncle, you''re the best!"

    Neil laughed as he looked at the little girl. Though his cheek felt a little cold after Hazel had kissed him, he was very reluctant to wipe them away.

    The first time he took Hazel to live with him, their relationship was very awkward. They were related, but he did not know how to speak or interact with each other. During the first month, his mother had to help them get along. They were finally able to speak, but the way Neil would speak to Hazel was almost the same as the way he would talk to Assistant Shawn. Hazel would not take the initiative to talk to him and would prefer to answer by nodding or shaking her head.

    Slowly, with the help of the people around them, their relationship started to improve and got better after Edith had come to live with them. Look at them now. They have been living together for more than half a year, and their relationship only grew close and better.

    Neil pecked at Hazel''s cheek in return before he let her go away to get ready to go out. He lifted his head and saw that Edith was watching him. Neil raised a brow and his lips curved into a cheeky smile. "What is it? You want to kiss me here too?" He pointed at his cheek.

    Edith turned around to find Hazel and heard the person behind her laughing happily.

    "Edith, come here."

    She turned to look at him and watched as he patted the spot beside him. After a brief consideration, Edith walked over and sat at the end of the sofa. "What is it?"

    Neil looked at the person who deliberately sat a distance away from him and sighed before he inched closer. "Would you accompany me to attend a social function tonight?"

    Edith looked at him in surprise. Clearly, she was not expecting Neil to ask her to come along. "Is Hazel coming too?"

    "No." Neil shook his head. "Assistant Shawn will look after Hazel while we''re away." He raised his brow and continued, "Why do you think I wanted to bring Assistant Shawn along?"

    Edith thought that Assistant Shawn would definitely cry if he heard his boss''s words.

    "What kind of social event?" A thought came to her mind and a frown appeared. "But, I don''t have anything appropriate to wear."

    "You don''t have to worry about everything else. If you agree to come with me, I will arrange everything. All you have to do is to show up together with me." Neil stretched his hand to play with her hair. "This social function is not anything complicated. Just a gathering with a few friends. You just need to stay by my side. I will just show my face and then we can leave." He stared into her eyes and continued, "Edith, I really hope that I could introduce you to others as my girlfriend."

    Edith had wanted to decline. She had never been to a social function and was sure that she would be bored if she went with him. However, Neil''s gaze told her that he really wished that she would agree.

    They were dating. Neil had worked hard in understanding her preferences. It would be ridiculous if she did not try to work hard to understand his world. If she wanted to continue being by his side for a long time, she will need to get used to attending such a gathering.

    Two people in a relationship had to work together to be able to stand by each other side by side. It would not be fair if one person did all the job. In the end, the relationship would soon turn suffocating for the couple.

    "Alright." Edith leaned in to kiss his cheek.. "I''ll go with you."

    Read novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 177 - Family Outing

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    It was the weekend and The Science and Technology Center was crowded with people when they arrived. Looking at the crowd in front of him, Neil''s expression turned slightly displeased. However, his expression grew soft when he saw the excited look on Hazel''s face.

    Neil had thought that Hazel would be bored quickly after going to such a place, but Hazel seemed to be enjoying herself with various activities for her to join.

    As long as the little girl was happy, he would be happy.

    The little girl held on to Edith''s hand tightly and would often turn around to ensure that the two guardians were with her all the time. The event from the last time was still vivid in her mind and Hazel did not dare to go far away from them, especially when she was at a place with a big crowd.

    Neil looked at the way Edith was hugging Hazel as she explained to her something about the exhibition. He took out his phone to snap a few photos. He was about to send the picture to his mother habitually when he recalled that he has not told her that he was dating. If he suddenly sent the picture to her mother, wouldn''t his mother start to suspect anything?

    In the end, he could only send his mother pictures where Hazel was alone in the frame.

    After walking around the Science and Technology Center for two hours, Hazel''s step began to slow down.

    "Are you tired?" Neil asked. "Do you want me to carry you?"

    Hazel considered his question for a while and shook her head quickly. "No. Hazel is a big girl. I don''t need you to carry me."

    "Even if you''re a big girl, it''s not wrong for you to lean on me when you are tired," Neil pointed out. "You see, I even carry Auntie Edith the other day when she could not walk."

    The little girl''s eyes widened as she stared at Edith. The look on her face was as if she was wondering whether her uncle was telling her the truth or was just simply tricking her.

    Edith narrowed her eyes as she looked at Neil.

    Darling, could you at least give me some face in front of your niece?

    To admit that she had let Neil carry her in front of Hazel was too embarrassing!

    Edith cleared her throat and tried to explain. "Last time, I sprained my ankle, remember? Your uncle helped to give me a piggyback ride because I was unable to walk."

    The expression on Hazel''s face was as if she was slowly accepting their logic. Turning to her uncle, Hazel then spoke shyly. "Then, can you carry me?"

    Neil nodded. "Of course."

    They had thought that Neil was going to crouch down so that Hazel would be able to climb on his back. However, Neil lifted Hazel high before he placed her on his shoulder.

    Hazel was startled at the sudden move and Edith quickly went forward to safeguard the little girl from falling. It was only when she was sure that Hazel would not fall that Edith took a step back.

    Neil clamped both her legs in his hands and looked up. "Don''t worry. I won''t let you fall. Just sit still and don''t move around too much, alright?"

    "Un. I know." Hazel nodded. She raised her head and was amazed at what she could see at such height. Her posture began to relax and the three of them continued to walk around until they have seen almost everything.

    Once they had a late lunch at the hotel, the three of them returned to their room to rest.

    Neil had sent Assistant Shawn to look for a few people to help Edith dress up for their evening while they were going out to accompany Hazel to the Science Center.

    After taking a short break in the room, Edith was swiftly taken away to follow Assistant Shawn to get ready.

    Seeing that the person who was supposed to accompany her for her afternoon nap was taken away, Hazel was dumbfounded.

    It was only after her uncle had explained that he was going to take Edith out to attend a social gathering in the evening that Hazel began to relax.

    "Don''t worry," Neil said. "You won''t be alone. Uncle Shawn will look after you while we were away."

    Hazel hesitated. "When will you two return?" Her expression was as if she was worried that the two were going to leave her at the hotel.

    "We should come back before midnight," Neil said. "Will you be alright to stay here with Uncle Shawn? If you''re not alright with it, then, I will go alone and let Auntie Edith accompany you here."

    Hazel sat down quietly as she considered the idea.

    She did not want to be left alone at the hotel without both of them. After she was almost kidnapped, she did not have the courage to be anywhere without either her uncle or Auntie Edith.

    But at the thought that Uncle Shawn will accompany her, Hazel thought that she would be able to part with them for a few hours. She has been staying with Nanny Ann while her uncle and auntie were at work. She should be alright to stay a few hours with Uncle Shawn. After all, this will not be the first time that her uncle had put her under Uncle Shawn''s care.

    Hazel nodded. "You can bring Auntie Edith with you. But you have to come back like you have promised, alright?"

    His lips turned up into a smile. "I promise."

    "Pinkie promise."

    Neil locked his pinkie with Hazel''s and spoke, "Pinkie Promise." He pulled the little girl into a hug and kissed the top of her head. "Thank you. Next morning, I will take you to the hotel''s rooftop pool. I heard that scenery was very pretty."

    "Un." Hazel nodded in agreement.

    Neil took out a mobile phone and handed it over to Hazel. "Take this. You can call me or Auntie Edith whenever you want and we''ll answer your call. Here, let me show you." Neil taught her how to use the phone and which number she should call in case of emergency. "Now, you give it a try. Call me."

    Hazel pressed a few buttons and the phone call was quickly connected. Her eyes sparkled when she saw that she was able to contact her uncle quickly.

    After a while, Hazel''s sleepiness drifted away and she stayed by her uncle''s side as the man assured her that everything would be fine.

    The doorbell rang a while later and Assistant Shawn entered the room with a few dresses in his hands.

    "President Mo, these are the dresses you asked for. You can look at them and choose."

    "Thank you." Neil glanced at the dresses and turned to Hazel. "Which one do you think is good for Auntie Edith?"

    Hazel tapped her fingers on her chin as she walked back and forth to study the dresses. After a while, she pointed her tiny fingers at the sleeveless, long soft gold dress. "I like this one.. This one looks the best."

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 178 - His Goddess

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    "What do you think?" Edith turned around slowly and looked at the little girl hesitantly.

    Hazel climbed up the bed and watched Edith from head to toe. She asked her auntie to twirl around and finally nodded. "I knew it. Auntie Edith, this dress looked very nice on you."

    "Really?" Edith tugged at her clothes, feeling a little uneasy with the dress.

    She was used to pants and a comfy shirt as her job as a kindergarten teacher would require her to be flexible. The only time she would wear a dress like this was to attend a wedding.

    The last time she attended a wedding was two years ago, right?

    "If you don''t believe me, then we can ask my uncle," Hazel said.

    Edith looked at her reflection in the mirror in a daze. For a second, she was having a hard time believing that the person in the mirror was her. The people sent by Neil was definitely good at their job. Her makeup was light, but her lips were painted red. Her long hair was curled and swept to the left side, giving her an elegant look.

    If her grandfather saw her at this time, he probably would not be able to recognize her.

    Edith took a deep breath and turned to Hazel. "Then, I will get going now. If you need anything, you can call me or your uncle, alright?"

    "Un. I know. Uncle had taught me how to make a phone call."

    Edith heaved a sigh upon seeing the serious look on Hazel''s expression.

    The little girl was so confident that she would be alright, but right now, Edith was the overly worried one.

    Edith patted Hazel on her hair and smiled. "Will you be alright staying here with Assistant Shawn? What should I do? I am very reluctant to leave you."

    The little girl giggled happily and hugged her auntie tightly. "Auntie Edith, you should go and accompany my uncle. I will be alright. I''m a big girl and Uncle Shawn will stay with me. "

    "Alright. Don''t stay up too late. If you''re feeling sleepy, you should go to bed earlier. I will accompany you to bed when I come back, alright."

    "Un." Hazel nodded again.

    After reassuring that Hazel would be fine, Edith finally walked out. Her gaze met with Neil the moment she stepped out. Her breath hitched at the way Neil was staring at her. His gaze was burning and Edith felt her body heating up.

    "Do I look okay?" Edith tightened her grip on her dress before she quickly let go. A frown appeared on her face and Edith quickly looked away shyly. "Why¡­ are you looking at me like that?"

    His throat rolled as he continued to watch her.

    Edith was clad in a floor-length sleeveless empire dress with a lace bodice. The dress was modest, but the way it was hugging her at all the right places was making him unable to stop his mind from running wild.

    He had always known that Edith had a great figure. But to look at her dressed up prettily like this made his heartbeat escalated. She was a goddess. His goddess.

    Neil stepped closer and stopped in front of her. He looked at her smooth shoulders and thought that the soft gold complimented her skin well. Hazel had definitely made a great choice.

    He touched her chin gently, tilting her face up, making her look at him. "You''re beautiful." His gaze stopped at her lips, and he fought the urge to kiss her moist lips. At this moment, Hazel was still watching them and he did not want to ruin her lipstick.

    Edith bit back a smile. She looked at the man who was dressed in his formal attire in front of her and rested a hand on his chest. "Thank you. Well, you look handsome as well."

    A chuckle escaped him. Neil suddenly thought that it would not be a bad idea to skip the event and instead, took this beautiful lady in front of him on a date.

    "Didn''t you say that we are meeting some important friends?" Edith asked.

    It seemed that he had spoken out his thought out loud.

    Assistant Shawn who was standing at the side was surprised at the way his boss was acting. This was the first time that she had seen him in a daze.

    Countless women had tried to seduce him with their beauty before and Assistant Shawn was almost convinced that his boss was not interested in women when he never gave them any reaction.

    It looks like President Mo could be weak against a beauty as well. Just that, it would depend on the person before he could show a reaction.

    "Should we head out now?" Edith asked. "I haven''t worn high heels for a long time. You have to support me so I won''t fall."

    Neil let her held on to his arms and the two finally left the hotel after giving a few reminders to Assistant Shawn and Hazel. Neil led her to the entrance and helped Edith into the vehicle he had rented.

    Almost thirty minutes later, Neil finally pulled over the vehicle at a fancy club in the city center. He went over to the passenger''s side and helped her to get off. Then, he passed the keys to the parking attendants.

    He turned to look at Edith and noticed the way she was staring at the club''s entrance with a slightly dazed expression. His lips tilted into a helpless smile.

    How can he not know that his silly woman was worrying about what will happen as soon as they stepped into the building?

    Neil patted at her hand and raised a brow when she turned to him. "Are you worried?"

    Edith snapped out of her thoughts and smiled. "You are here, aren''t you?"

    A chuckle escaped him. "You are right. As long as I''m here, you shouldn''t be worried."

    Neil was about to lead her inside when his phone suddenly rang. At the thought that Hazel was calling him, Neil quickly swept his finger on the screen and pressed the phone to his ear.

    "Hello?"

    There was a silence on the other side.

    Neil glanced at his phone and noted that it was an unfamiliar number. Just as he was about to hang up, Neil heard a strange noise. He asked Edith to wait for him and stepped aside for better reception.

    "Hello?" Neil tried again.

    "Neil! Neil, it was you!"

    His expression grew dark upon hearing that familiar voice.

    "No! No! Don''t hang up. It''s me, Amanda!"

    "Miss Shen, I told you that we have nothing else to talk about. I have to trouble you not to call me again."

    "Neil, I really need your help. Please! I¡ª"

    Neil pressed the red button before Amanda could finish what she wanted to say. He took a few deep breaths to compose himself. The moment he raised his head and saw the beautiful woman waiting for him, his bad mood suddenly disappeared.

    He walked over to Edith and offered his arms. "Are you ready?"

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 179 - Social Gathering

    Edith held her breath as they stepped into the hall. Suddenly, it felt as if their surroundings turned quiet and everyone was turning their heads at them. Her heartbeat escalated and Edith started to get a little panic.

    A warm palm clasped over hers and Edith tilted her head to meet Neil''s smiling face. Her heart calmed down quickly and Edith tightened her grip on his arms.

    Once he was sure that his silly woman was more at ease, Neil led her inside. The guests approached him to greet him while sending Edith a questioning look. Neil left the crowd and headed towards a corner where a group of young men gathered.

    One of them noticed that Neil was heading over and quickly notified the others. Suddenly, the group of young men turned their heads to look at them. The man on the center walked over and patted Neil on his shoulder.

    "I thought that my eyes were playing tricks on me. Neil Mo, I did not expect that you would really show up today," the man said.

    "Thank you for your invitation, Matthew," Neil nodded.

    The man called Matthew replied with a smile.

    Everyone in their circle was aware that Neil Mo had rarely attended a social gathering such as this after his brother, Adam, passed away. They heard rumors that he was now looking after his niece and understood that it would not be easy for him to join them in their gathering.

    Therefore, to see Neil appeared at the gathering with a pretty lady beside him was definitely something shocking.

    "Let me introduce you," Neil glanced at the person beside him and smiled. "This is Edith Qian, my girlfriend. Edith, this is my friend, Matthew Liang."

    Matthew looked at Edith from head to toe, scrutinizing her. As someone who often organized and attended a social gathering, Matthew Liang was someone who knew almost everyone. However, he did not think that he had seen the woman beside his friend in their circle before, and suddenly, Matthew was curious about Edith''s identity.

    His lips curled into a friendly smile and he stretched his hand for a handshake. "Miss Qian, it''s a pleasure to meet you."

    The handshake ended quickly as Matthew noticed his friend''s displeased look.

    "It was surprising to know that someone like Neil would find himself a girlfriend," Matthew joked. "Miss Qian, I hope that you will have a good time at this party. Feel free to eat or drink anything you like."

    Edith nodded before she followed Neil''s lead and was introduced to the group of young men. From Neil, she found out that this group of men were among his friends during his university years. Although everyone was now involved in different businesses and industries, they have not failed to keep in touch.

    Neil was someone who did not enjoy a gathering like this, but he would attend this gathering at least once a year. Fortunately, his company was based in L City and he had reasons not to attend the gathering frequently.

    Seeing that the men were starting to discuss business, Matthew''s fiance, Clara, walked over and invited Edith to hang out together as they enjoyed the food.

    "Will you be fine?" Neil frowned when he heard his girlfriend''s agreement.

    He had promised that he will be around her all the time and was not expecting that she would agree.

    "I''ll just look around to pick up something to eat. What can happen to me?" Edith laughed upon seeing the frown on his face gotten deeper. "I promise I would not go far away."

    Neil nodded, reluctantly. "Just stay where I can see you, alright?"

    The men stared at their friends in surprise as they overheard the couple''s conversation. None of them expected that they would have the chance to see Neil Mo turn into a protective boyfriend.

    Edith went with Clara to the buffet table and Edith began to choose a few light dishes and sampled them.

    Clara was saying something when Edith decided to check on Neil. A look of surprise appeared on her face as their gaze met. Edith was not expecting that Neil would be looking at her. Slowly, her lips curled into a shy smile.

    "I''ve met President Mo a few times while I was with Matthew," Clara said. "But this is the first time I have seen President Mo with that look on his face. It seemed that your relationship was pretty good."

    Edith smiled at her words.

    "I don''t know I should tell you this, but, President Mo had a famous nickname. Almost everyone in the circle knew of this name."

    "Let me guess. Iceblock Mo?"

    Clara gasped. "How did you know?"

    "I''ve heard about it from others," Edith admitted.

    The two of them began to talk about this nickname and soon changed their topic to something else.

    After chatting with Clara for a while and found that the woman was someone easy to get along with. At least she did not look down at someone like her.

    At the thought that Neil has not eaten anything for diner, Edith began to choose a few dishes that would suit his taste. However, just as she was about to head back, a familiar figure walked over and stopped in front of her.

    "I did not expect to see you here."

    Edith looked at the woman in front of her and wonder if it was the famous scene where a rich heiress come to harass her for dating someone over her league.

    "Miss Feng," Edith greeted and smiled. "I did not expect to see you here as well."

    Autumn Feng gave Edith a lookover and scoffed. "Just because you are dressed prettily like this does not make you someone from an upper class."

    She was standing near Matthew Liang and his friends when she saw Neil. Autumn had wanted to greet Neil when she noticed that the man was with another woman. She had almost storm over to claw the woman''s face when she heard Neil introduced her as his girlfriend.

    Neil Mo was someone who would treat almost anyone coldly. She had never seen him with a woman before and was almost convinced that Neil was someone who had no interest in a woman.

    Seeing the way that woman was able to converse with someone like Neil and Matthew drove her insane with jealousy.

    It was after watching that woman for a long time that Autumn began to realize that she had seen the woman beside Neil before. Her eyes widened when she realized that the woman was no other than Hazel''s caretaker!

    A mere caretaker had appeared at a prestigious social gathering such as this and was introduced as Neil''s girlfriend!

    Autumn was sure that this woman had used her position as Hazel''s caretaker to seduce Neil!

    Clara glanced at the two women and was at ease upon seeing that Edith and Autumn knew each other. However, her expression began to change when she heard Autumn''s words. "Miss Feng, I don''t appreciate you saying something like this to my friend."

    Autumn bit her lips angrily. Although she wanted to say something to retort, Autumn knew that she was not someone who could go against Matthew Liang''s fiance. Moreover, this social gathering was organized by Matthew. If she had accidentally provoked his fiance, there was a big chance that she would never have the chance to step into this kind of social gathering again.

    "Miss Feng, it seemed that you have a problem with me," Edith said.

    "Yes. You are not worthy as Neil Mo''s girlfriend!"

    Edith raised a brow. "And who are you to decide whether I am worthy or not? Are you Neil''s mother? Whether I am someone worthy of him was not something someone like you should decide.. I don''t know how your thinking work, but in my opinion, as long as he likes me, I will always be someone worthy of him."

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 180 - The Crowd Was Waiting For A Good Show

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Of course, Edith''s words infuriated Autumn Feng to another level.

    But at the thought that her boyfriend has not eaten anything ever since they stepped into the building, Edith chose to ignore that woman and walked away with the plate in her hand.

    She could still remember that Sophie had once told her how Neil was once hospitalized due to a bad gastric problem. She was worried that her boyfriend was going to suffer later for skipping his meal.

    Seeing that the caretaker tried to run, Autumn tried to grab her arms. However, Autumn soon found that all she could grab was the empty air. With Edith swiftly moving away, Autumn had almost stumbled in her high heels. Just before she was about to fall flat on her face, Autumn felt someone held her on her waist, stopping her before she could fall.

    Turning around, Autumn found that Edith was looking at her with a smile on her face.

    The two women stood face to face and the crowd who noticed this little commotion turned their heads in the hope to see an exciting scene.

    "Miss Feng, you should be careful," Edith said before she slowly released her arm around Autumn. She took a step back as she balanced the plate of food in her other hand. "Or else, you might sprain your ankle."

    Autumn blinked, dumbfounded. It was not until Edith and Clara were far enough that she finally registered what was going on.

    No matter how upset she was at the moment, Autumn knew that she should not do anything brash as the crowd was still watching her, waiting for a good show. It was hard enough for her to use her connection to come over at this social gathering. She could not do anything that would put her friends in shame, or else she definitely would lose her chance to come again.

    Clara rushed over to catch up with Edith and gave her two thumbs up. "That was awesome!"

    Edith laughed at her comment.

    An embarrassed smile curled on Clara''s lips. "I hope you would not take Miss Feng''s words to heart."

    "Miss Feng was just someone who was unrelated to me. I won''t take her words to heart," Edith said.

    Edith was someone who grew up without her parents. Because of that, she often heard a lot of hurtful words from the people around her. That was also the reason she had often fought verbally and physically with others. As she grew up, Edith decided that she was not going to get hurt by those unkind words again.

    Seeing that Edith was not affected by Autumn''s words, Clara was more at ease.

    The two girls walked over to the corner where the boys were still catching up. Just as Edith reached Neil''s side, the man had already taken the plate off her hand before he went to check on her.

    "What''s wrong?" Edith blinked. Her look showed her confusion at her boyfriend''s strange behavior. When their gaze met, Edith quickly noticed Neil''s darkened expression.

    Although he was far away, Neil has been keeping his eyes on his girlfriend. He had seen how Autumn Feng approached his girlfriend and their exchange. He was the way the two women stood close to each other and he was upset at what Autumn was about to do to Edith.

    "Are you alright?" Neil asked.

    Edith flashed him a smile. "I''m alright." Her hands caressed his arms up and down to soothe his mood. Seconds later, the frown on his face gradually disappeared.

    "You brought you some food, " Edith said, trying to shift his attention. "Don''t just drink. Have something to eat as well."

    Seeing that there was nothing wrong with Edith, Neil finally let out a sigh. However, the next second, Neil wrapped his arms around her waist and refused to let her go for a second as if fearing that something bad would happen to her later.

    Edith was not expecting her boyfriend to be this overprotective.

    Neil''s friends looked at each other in disbelief. The majority of them were single and therefore, watching how Neil Mo, an iceblock, acting affectionately with his girlfriend was too much.

    After spending more than an hour with his friends, Neil finally pulled Edith to leave. Anyway, he could always use Hazel as his excuse to leave the party early.

    "What did Miss Feng say to you?" Neil asked the moment they entered the car.

    Neil had a little bit of drink with his friends and therefore, Edith was assigned the task to drive back to their hotel. After checking at the navigation system, Edith turned to her boyfriend and smiled. "What do you think?"

    The last time she had visited his office, Edith had overheard gossips that Miss Feng was after him and he had caught a whiff of jealousy coming from his girlfriend.

    Neil had worked with Autumn for a few years and had heard how displeasing her words can be. At the thought that Autumn said a few words to his girlfriend, Neil was worried.

    "Did she said something that upset you?"

    Edith studied her boyfriend''s expression for a while before she turned to start driving back to their hotel. "She said that I am not worthy of you."

    "Don''t listen to her," Neil said quickly.

    A chuckle escaped her. She glanced at Neil and then, back at the road. "I know. I won''t let her words affect me."

    "Edith Qian, you are good enough for me."

    Her lips curled into a smile and Edith chose to keep silent and focus on her driving.

    When they arrived at the hotel, it was an hour before midnight and Hazel was already sleeping in the room.

    Edith entered the bedroom she shared with Hazel as Neil spoke with Assistant Shawn in the living area.

    A soft smile appeared on her lips upon seeing Hazel''s peaceful sleeping face.

    Edith stretched her hand to caress the little girl''s soft face and tuck her into bed. Then, she took out her pajama and walked into the bathroom to remove her makeup and wash up.

    After half an hour, Edith walked out in her usual oversized T-shirt and pants. Her hand was holding a towel as she dried her hair. Edith sat down at the vanity table and reached for the hairdryer.

    Just as she was about to turn it on, Edith turned to look at the sleeping girl on the bed and paused. She stood up again and walked out of the room with a towel in one hand, and her phone in the other.

    The living room was quiet when she came out. Edith glanced at the door across her and figured that Neil might have already gone to bed at this time.

    Edith sat down and leaned on the armrest of the wing chair. Her hand moved as she continued to dry her hair while browsing some news on her phone.

    "Why don''t you dry your hair properly?"

    Edith looked up from her phone and found that Neil was staring at her with a hint of displeasure.

    "What if you catch a cold?"

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 181 - Will You Let Me?

    Edith sat up properly and looked at the man in front of her. "Hazel is asleep. I don''t want the noise from the hairdryer to wake her up."

    "Can''t you take the hairdryer and dry your hair here?"

    "The hairdryer is attached to the wall. How can I take it out?"

    To avoid guests from stealing their hairdryers, hotels have started to attach them to the wall and therefore guests were unable to take them around. They can only use them where the hotel had left them.

    Neil heaved a sigh when he realized that it was indeed the problem. "Come with me. Use the hairdryer in my room." He saw the hesitation in her eyes and continued, "It will take a long time for your hair to dry like that. Are you not planning to head to bed sooner?"

    Edith hesitated, then she stood up and walked into his room. She looked around and noticed the little difference between their room. Although the decoration was almost the same, Neil''s room was a bit smaller.

    This man had let them take the master room and used the smaller one.

    "Sit down."

    Edith turned around and saw that Neil was standing by the vanity table with a hairdryer in his hand. She tilted her head sideways and laughed. "President Mo, are you going to help me dry my hair?"

    "Why not?"

    Edith eyed the hairdryer in his hand and shrugged. "Well then, I am not going to let this rare chance pass." She sat down and turned. "You can start now."

    A chuckle escaped him. Seconds later, the hairdryer whirred and Neil combed her hair with his fingers. From the way he was working her hair clumsily, Edith was able to tell that he was not used to doing tasks like this.

    Her lips subconsciously curled into a happy smile.

    "My hair is a little long. It would take you a long time to help it dry," Edith spoke after a few minutes of silence between them. "Let me do it."

    "It''s fine. It will be over soon."

    The sound from the hairdryer coupled with the way Neil was caressing her hair softly was starting to make her drowsy.

    A while later, the sound finally stopped.

    "It''s done."

    His voice snapped her out of her daze and Edith tilted her head up and met Neil''s gaze through the mirror. Shyly, Edith lowered her gaze.

    Neil placed the hairdryer back on the table and continued to run his fingers in her hair. Edith''s hair felt very soft in his hands and he found himself addicted to playing with them. After a while, he gathered her hair to her left side, just like the way the hairdresser had styled her hair earlier for that social gathering.

    His gaze stopped at her exposed neck and his throat rolled. Instinctively, his head lowered and his lips touched her skin.

    Her neck recoiled at the sudden contact. Edith giggled and turned her head to look at the man behind her. "Don''t do that. It''s ticklish." Edith rubbed at the spot and stood up. "Thank you." She smiled. "That was a great hair drying service." Noticing the strange atmosphere between them, Edith quickly added, "I should go to bed now." She leaned in and pecked at his lips. "Good night, Neil."

    Before she was able to leave, the man had hugged her from behind and rested his chin on her shoulder.

    Neil snuggled to get into a comfortable position and tightened his embrace around her waist. "Are you really alright?"

    Edith blinked, not understanding the reason behind his sudden question.

    "The thing that Miss Feng had said to you, I hope that you won''t listen to them," Neil said.

    Earlier, he had told her that she was good enough for him. When Edith did not answer, Neil had thought that Edith was minding Autumn Feng''s words. It was not that long ago when they have talked about insecurities.

    He had reminded her that as long as they are together, there would always be voices telling her that they were not compatible. It was just that¡­ Neil had not expected Edith to hear them the first time he had bought her to a social gathering.

    This social gathering was something that was organized by his good friends. He had asked Edith to come with him to let her step into his world and build her confidence. He wanted her to get used to it as she would have to attend to them again sooner or later.

    But with the way Autumn had behaved, Neil was worried that his silly girl would have a weird thought in her mind. Perhaps he should consider punishing Miss Fang when they return.

    Edith released his arms around her waist and turned around to look at him. Her arms rested on his shoulders and looped at his neck. "I''m really fine. Miss Feng was just unrelated to us. I don''t mind her gibberish."

    Neil continued to stare at her as if he did not believe in her words. His eyes continued to look into hers as if searching for something.

    "Darling, you don''t trust me?"

    "It''s not a matter of trusting. I was more afraid that you would choose to hide things from me."

    They said words can cut deeper than a sword. What if Autumn''s words hurt her deeply and his silly woman would change her mind about dating him. It was hard for him to find someone he was comfortable with to be his girlfriend. What if this silly woman run away? Wouldn''t he have to stay single then?

    Edith tiptoed to peck him at the corner of his lips. "I am not hiding anything from you. I assure you. Miss Feng''s words would not affect me. I already knew that you are someone out of my league."

    Neil held her waist tighter and he did not hide his unhappiness upon hearing her words.

    "But as long as you think that I am good enough to stay with you then, I am contented." Edith smiled, tightening her hands to hold him. "I am dating someone with looks, money and would treat other women coldly except for me. Why would I let him go? I am not that silly."

    Seeing the bright light in her eyes, Neil finally believed that his girlfriend was telling him the truth. "You are right. I will treat everyone else coldly except for you." Neil swept strands of hair behind her ears and leaned in to give her a sweet kiss.

    Feeling his lips against hers, Edith started to reciprocate, enjoying the way his lips moving against hers.

    His hand moved behind her neck while he continued to kiss her deeply. This kiss... It was as if he was taking his time to let her know how much she means to him.

    A gasp escaped her when she felt his warm hand slipped into her shirt and rested on her waist. His thumb caressed her stomach as he continued to kiss her, making her dizzy with an unfamiliar emotion.

    After a while, Neil move back and stared at her. His eyes were dark and it was sucking her into it. Edith found that she was unable to look away.

    "Edith." His voice was low and a little raspy. His throat rolled as he tried to suppress his emotion.

    The first time he had felt this way, they were in his office. And again, when she had refused to let him go while she was drunk. Neil did not think that he would be able to suppress this urge again for the third time.

    He hesitated for a long time before he finally asked, "I wanted to make love with you. Will you let me?"

    Her eyes widened and Edith could feel her heart was beating furiously against her ribcage. Her face reddened at his question, but the man''s eyes only grew deeper as he waited for her answer.

    Edith bit at her lower lips, contemplating her decision. After a moment that seemed like an eternity, her arms around his neck loosened and the man could not hide the disappointment in his gaze.

    Just as he was about to take a step back and calm down, Edith had grabbed the front of his shirt and kissed his lips.

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 182 - I Need You Again (19+)

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    WARNING: This is a snu snu chapter. Read at your own discretion.

    Edith found herself gasping for breaths and a little whimper came out as she tried to shifted her body into a comfortable position.

    It took her a while until she was able to breathe normally. Her eyes were shut tightly and she was biting at her lips as she tried to calm down after that exciting experience.

    It was her first time, the man was gentle and it was not as painful as she had thought. Perhaps it was a little uncomfortable and sore at the beginning, but after a while, her mind goes blank and she was unable to focus on anything other than to remind herself to keep on breathing.

    After a while, she felt as if she had risen to the cloud. The feeling was amazing and she had enjoyed the moment.

    But now that the feeling had subsided, all she felt was exhaustion.

    At this time, her back was facing him and her head was resting on his arms. Neil wrapped his other hand around her waist and pulled her body close to him. Edith could feel the way his hard chest pressing against her back but was too lazy to move around.

    Her neck shrunk when she felt his breath tickling her before he planted his kisses on her shoulder. The person behind her continued to spoon her. His lips were trailing kisses on her back and his hands played with her hair as if trying to soothe her.

    Edith continued to shut her eyes as she still needed some time to regain her strength.

    A thought suddenly came to her mind and Edith groaned.

    "What''s wrong?" Neil asked. His voice sounded deeper and enticing as he was just beside her ear. "Are you uncomfortable?"

    When she did not answer him, Neil moved to rain his kisses on her shoulder and neck.

    "No. That''s not it." Edith mumbled tiredly. She shifted her shoulders, feeling that his kisses were starting to tickle her. "It was just that, I don''t know how I should be facing Hazel from now on."

    "What do you mean?"

    Her eyes snapped open and her gaze was looking at the tightly closed curtains."I''ve slept with her uncle." Edith groaned. "Somehow, that felt weird."

    A chuckle escaped him. "Then what about me? I''ve slept with her teacher. Doesn''t that sound weirder and immoral? Hmm¡­ I think it sounds exciting. Teacher Qian, what if we were caught by your favorite student doing a naughty thing like this?"

    Edith burst into a giggle before the room silent again. "I should return to my bedroom. Hazel would panic if she did not see me when she woke up. I told her that I will accompany her to sleep."

    Neil tightened his embrace on her. "Just stay here and rest. I will wake you up and you can go back to your bedroom before Hazel woke up."

    "Alright," Edith immediately agreed. Just as she was about to close her eyes to sleep, Edith felt the hand that was resting on her stomach started to move up to her chest. His palm cupped her chest and he kept on kneading them softly as if enjoying the softness in his hand.

    Of course, Edith did not know that her boyfriend had dreamed about touching her soft mound in his sleep before. The next day he woke up, he was unable to focus on his job because he kept on thinking about his dream.

    Now that he was able to feel her softness in his hand, Neil was unable to stop.

    The feeling of her chest in his hand felt very comfortable. Neil thought that he loved the way his palm cupped her breast perfectly. Her chest was just the right size for him to hold.

    "I always knew that you have an amazing body," Neil whispered.

    Her face reddened upon hearing his words. Edith covered her face with both hands and wished that she could hideaway. How can this man say something this embarrassing to her at a time like this?

    "Neil¡­" Edith gasped when she felt something hard poking at her butt. Her eyes shut tightly and Edith bit at her lips, knowing very well what was happening to her boyfriend.

    She tried to twist her body to get away, but she was too tired to move around and Neil had used this chance to tightened his grip around her body.

    Edith thought that if it was not because she had lost her strength, trying to get away from Neil would not be so hard.

    Suddenly, Neil leaned to rain his kisses on her neck and ear, causing her to shrunk her neck. His kisses were starting to get ticklish and her breathing grew heavier as it was starting to arouse her.

    Edith sighed, feeling the way his hands moved on her body.

    One of his hands was massaging her chest. His fingers flicked at the bud on top of her peak. Occasionally his mouth would find her breast as he continued to tease her.

    The other slipped between her legs. His fingers were touching her buds and moving further down into a slow, torturous movement inside her. It was driving her crazy.

    His mouth was whispering sweet love words to her ear.

    Her hands gripped the hand that was between her legs. But suddenly, Edith did not know whether it was to stop him from touching her or to keep his hand there so that he could continue giving her pleasure.

    Her cheek flushed, her eyes shut tightly while her lips parted to catch up with her breath as Edith focused on the way he made her feel. Her mind blacked out as she was drowning in that waving sensation.

    Edith burst a cry of ecstasy before her body gradually relaxed.

    "Baby," Neil nibble at her ear. "I need you again."

    A whimper escaped her as Edith felt his length entering her again. She latched to his arms as Neil continued to hit her at the same spot. Her body was very sensitive due to his touch. The tension was building in her and her lips parted as she let out soft moans.

    Neil moved to find her lips and his tongue plundered into hers as they were both focusing on the pleasure they brought to each other.

    After a while, their kiss parted and Neil pulled away from her body. Changing their position, he then entered her again and started to move inside her again, this time, a little quicker.

    Suddenly, something in her head exploded and cries of pleasure escaped her. Her thoughts faded and Edith thought that she was unable to feel or hear anything around her.

    Neil gave one last thrust before he buried himself into her and finally stopped moving.

    The two of them stayed quiet in each other''s embrace as they tried to steady their breathing.

    The last thing that Edith felt before she drifted into dreamland, was Neil''s gentle kisses on her eyes and forehead.

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 183 - Feeling Unwell

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Hazel woke up that morning and found that she was alone in a strange room. It took her a while before she was able to recall that she was visiting the city with her uncle and auntie.

    A frown appeared on her face when she found that the person who was supposed to accompany her to sleep was not in the bed. Hazel turned her head towards the curtain and found that they were tightly shut. She did not know whether it was still dark outside or whether it was already in the morning.

    Climbing off the bed with the help of the bedside light, Hazel then walked over towards the door to find Uncle Shawn.

    Surprisingly, the person who was sitting in the living area was her uncle.

    Neil looked up when he heard the door creaked open. After a while, the little girl appeared in her pink pajama.

    "Uncle!" Hazel called out in surprise. "You came back."

    "Un." Neil nodded. "We came back last night and you have already gone to bed. Did you sleep well?"

    Hazel looked around the room and her gaze finally stopped at her uncle again. "But, where is Auntie Edith?"

    Neil coughed upon hearing the question. "Auntie Edith was feeling unwell last night. She was afraid that she will disturb your sleep. Therefore, I asked her to sleep in my room."

    Hazel looked at her uncle who was holding a tablet in his hand. "Then, did you sleep out here alone?"

    His lips stretched up into a smile and Neil decided not to answer that question.

    Last night, he and Edith had slept together. After that intense activity between them, Edith was too exhausted and Neil did not have the heart to wake her up, even though Edith had reminded him to wake her up before Hazel.

    In the end, after waking up in the morning, Neil decided to wait in the living area lest Hazel would worry when she did not see either of them.

    "Did you want to go for a swim?" Neil asked in his attempt to change the subject. "I did say that I will take you to the rooftop pool. The scenery up there is beautiful."

    "Then, what about Auntie Edith?"

    "We''ll let her sleep for a few more hours," Neil said. "By the time we came back from the pool, she will wake up and join us for breakfast."

    Hazel turned her gaze towards the closed door across her and pondered over her uncle''s suggestion. After a while, she nodded. "Okay. Let''s go for a swim and wake Auntie Edith for breakfast."

    Neil heaved a sigh at her words. He walked over to his niece and patted at her hair. "Then, you go and change first. Do you need my help?"

    Hazel shook her head. "No. I can do it myself." She thought for a moment and continued, "I will call for you if I needed your help."

    Neil watched as his niece returned to her room and waited for a few seconds before he turned around and entered his room.

    His gaze turned soft upon seeing a sleeping figure in his bed. At this time, Edith was sleeping on her sides with her long hair was covering half of her face. The duvet was pulled down slightly, exposing her shoulders and back to him.

    Neil stepped forward to tuck her in but paused when he saw the marks on her skin. It hasn''t been long since he had left them there and the marks were still red.

    It seemed that perhaps, he had been slightly rough last night.

    Looking at the scene in front of him, his gaze turned a few shades darker.

    He was suddenly reminded of what happened last night and could not help but recall the way it felt when they became one.

    His throat rolled and after a brief hesitation, Neil pulled the duvet to cover her exposed shoulders.

    The person under the duvet stirred in her sleep. Edith turned her body slightly and whimpered at the soreness all over her body.

    "Are you awake?" Neil sat down at the edge of the bed and tucked her hair away from her face.

    Edith buried her face on the pillow. "No. Let me sleep a little while longer. I''m tired." Her eyes opened up to a slit and she was shooting daggers at the person who had made her tired to the point that she did not have the energy to lift her legs.

    Seeing her accusation gaze, Neil could only smile guiltily at her. "I''m sorry." He bent to kiss her cheek and his hand moved to give a light massage on her waist.

    "What time is it?" Edith asked. "What about Hazel? Has she woken up?"

    "Hazel is awake." He saw that she was about to sit up and pressed his hand on her shoulder. "Relax. Hazel is fine. I told her that you were feeling unwell and needed a few more hours to rest.

    Edith heaved a breath of relief and continued to lay down on the bed.

    "I am going to take Hazel to the swimming pool on the rooftop," Neil said. "Do you want to come?"

    Edith hesitated. She had told the little girl that she was going to accompany her to sleep last night and had not stuck to her words. Edith had thought about using this chance to make up for her, but she was too exhausted to move around.

    "Just stay here and rest," Neil said when he noticed her conflicted expression. "Later when we return, let''s have breakfast together, alright?"

    Edith shut her eyes and nodded slowly. She felt him running his finger in her hair and his soft kiss on her temple before he stood up and left to find Hazel.

    When Edith woke up again, the suite was very quiet. She recalled the words that Neil had told her earlier and stood up to head over to the bathroom.

    Her legs weakened just as her feet touched the ground. Edith took her time to steady herself and walked into the bathroom.

    A gasp escaped her as she saw the marks on her body. Edith gritted her teeth and muttered a few cursing words before she took a shower and refreshed herself.

    Hazel and Neil were going to return from the pool soon and Edith did not want to let Hazel see her in her condition.

    The uncle and niece returned to the suite just as Edith had come out from the room.

    Hazel stared at her with her bright eyes and ran straight to hug her. "Auntie Edith!" She pulled away seconds later and looked at Edith with worry. "Are you alright? Uncle said that you were feeling unwell."

    Edith coughed and glanced at Neil. "Well, I did not feel too well last night. Sorry. I did not accompany you to bed."

    "It''s okay. As long as you are feeling better now."

    "Thank you, Hazel."

    "But, Auntie Edith, you need to drink a lot of water. Your voice sounded a bit hoarse. Did you have a sore throat?"

    Hearing the little girl''s question, Edith''s face turned slightly pink. The reason for her hoarse voice... was it not because someone had made her scream a little bit too much last night?

    Edith shot another angry glance at her boyfriend.

    Hazel put her hand on Edith''s forehead when she noticed that her face had turned red. "You don''t have a fever." Hazel heaved with relief.. "But you still need to eat your medicine before your condition gets worst."

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 184 - Surprise Visit

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Ever since they have returned from their weekend trip to Capital City, Assistant Shawn began to notice a few changes in his boss. For example, he was more energetic and diligent at work.

    The speed he used to check on the documents he read was even faster. President Mo was in a good mood and Assistant Shawn was allowed to leave the office on time for the first time since he began to work as President Mo''s assistant.

    This situation has been going on for a few days.

    Those people from President Mo''s secretarial department found that this situation was strange and decided to ask Assistant Shawn about this matter. However, Assistant Shawn too was puzzled over this new change.

    It was not that he had never thought about asking his boss about his good mood. The last time he asked, President Mo only replied to him with an ambiguous smile.

    Of course, Assistant Shawn was not aware that someone else was having a hard time behind the scene.

    After their relationship was brought to another level, Edith found that there was one shameless person who would often sneak into her bedroom around midnight.

    The first time he snuck into her room, Neil had told her that he only wanted to hug her to sleep. Seeing the look that he had learned from Hazel, Edith''s heart grew softer and she had let him off. As long as he could wake up and leave before Hazel woke up and caught him in her room, Edith thought that she could yield to his request.

    But who knew that this ''hugging to sleep'' could soon turn into something else?

    Although Edith could always throw this person off her bed, she was too weak against his seduction.

    His gentle caress felt good and soon, it aroused her. By the time she regained her mind, they have already rolled around the sheet and she was panting to catch up her breath while contemplating her life.

    The same thing had been going on for two days straight, and Edith had no other choice but to warn him that he could only hug her to sleep and not move his hands around her body.

    Seeing his girlfriend''s upset face, Neil finally chose to be obedient and only hug her to sleep without doing anything else. Even so, Neil found that it was a good thing to have someone he could hug to sleep.

    The sweet scent and the warm temperature of the person who was sleeping beside him had helped him to get a good night''s sleep and the next day, he would appear at the office with full vigor.

    Assistant Shawn closed the door behind him and take a look at the documents in his hand again.

    Earlier, President Mo had noticed the minor typo he made on the agreement. Instead of throwing the documents to the floor in anger, President Mo had gently reminded him to fix them and bring the file back to him before the end of the day.

    It was strange and Assistant Shawn thought that he could not get used to this change.

    Just as he was heading to his table, Assistant Shawn received a call from the security department that someone was heading up to President Mo''s office. Hearing the name, Assistant Shawn''s expression brightened up, and quickly went over to the elevator to wait.

    A while later, the elevator door slid open and Assistant Shawn flashed a bright smile on his face. "Teacher Qian. I hope that you did not run into a problem on your way here."

    Edith thought over his words and chuckled. "I did not run into Manager Feng today."

    Assistant Shawn touched the tip of his nose and smiled. "A few days ago, President Mo had sent Manager Feng to another city to attend a seminar. If I am not mistaken, Manager Feng will only return after a month."

    Her eyes widened at his words. Edith had wanted to joke with Assistant Shawn by mentioning Manager Feng as that woman had tried to make things hard for her the last time she came to the company to meet Neil.

    "Is President Mo in his office?"

    Assistant Shawn nodded. "He''s reading some documents in his office. Teacher Qian, you can just walk into his office." He glanced at Edith and coughed. "Recently, President Mo has been in a good mood. Teacher Qian, I wonder if you have something to do with this change?"

    Edith blinked before she burst into a laugh. "Assistant Shawn, are you sure that you are not thinking too much?"

    "Of course not. The company was preparing for year-end account closing next month. Usually, President Mo would get very irritated around this time, but he has been in a very good mood."

    Edith pondered over his words and shook her head. "I am sure that it was not because of me. How can I be someone that powerful?"

    The two of them exchange a few words before Edith stood in front of Neil''s office. She knocked on the door and entered when she heard his voice.

    Neil looked up when he noticed that the footsteps did not belong to Assistant Shawn. The moment he saw the person he has been thinking about, Neil''s expression brightened up. He stood up from his seat and walked over to meet her in the middle.

    He gave a peck on her forehead and his arms intuitively wrapped around her waist to pull her closer to him. "Why are you here?"

    Edith tilted her head sideways. "I cannot be here?"

    A chuckle escaped him. "That is not what I meant."

    "Well, someone said that he hoped to see me coming over at my own initiative and give him a surprise." Edith poked a finger on his chest. "Do you like this surprise?"

    He replied to her with a deep kiss. Neil pulled away only when he was satisfied with the kiss.

    Edith lowered her gaze shyly as she scolded herself for going with the flow every time his lips met with hers. Edith thought that she needed to figure out something to control herself or else, she might be at a disadvantage.

    "I get off work early today and brought you some snacks."

    "Hmm¡­" He gazed at her reddened face. "I think this snack is quite sweet. I like it."

    Edith looked at the man and slapped at his chest when she understood his words. "Shameless."

    His laughter echoed in the room and Neil followed after Edith to the sofa. He looked at the box of pastry and blinked his eyes at her. "Feed me."

    Her gaze was shooting daggers at him, but her hand moved to grab the pastries in the box to feed him.

    The two of them chatted about her day in kindergarten as Edith continued to feed her boyfriend with snacks.

    At this time, someone knocked at the door.

    A displeased look flashed on Neil''s face before he permitted that person to enter.

    Seconds later, Assistant Shawn showed up at the door with an anxious look on his face.. "President Mo, the police are here to see you."

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 185 - Missing Person

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    A frown appeared on Neil''s face before he glanced at Edith. "The police? What did they want?" Neil stood up. "Is it related to Adam?"

    It was not too long ago that his brother, Adam, and his sister-in-law, Clare, passed away in an accident. A few days after their death, there were reports that their accident was premeditated. Since then, Neil has been cooperating with the police to find out the truth.

    However, the police could not find out many clues to prove that the allegation was true. The case was at a stalemate and Neil had to ask his friend, Henry Wu to investigate them secretly.

    "No. It seemed that they are here to find a missing person," Assistant Shawn said. "The detectives are here to ask you a few questions. They hope that you can spend a few minutes and cooperate."

    "A missing person? Did they tell you who?"

    "It''s Miss Amanda Shen." Assistant Shawn hesitated when his boss became silent. "President Mo, should I bring them to the meeting room? Or should I tell them to come again later?"

    Neil snapped out of his thought. "No. Just bring them here to my office."

    "Yes, President Mo." Assistant Shawn nodded and retreated silently from the room.

    The frown on Neil''s face deepened as the door close.

    Amanda Shen has gone missing and Neil could not help but wonder what had happened to his ex-girlfriend.

    Suddenly, Neil recalled the phone call that he had received from Amanda a few days ago. He was attending the social gathering in Capital City when he received her call. Her tone of voice was anxious as she had asked for his help but he had hung up on her.

    Neil grew anxious at the thought that something might happen to Amanda that night.

    Although the two had broken up years ago and he was still angry at the way she had cheated on him, it does not mean that he wanted anything bad to happen to her.

    "Neil, should I leave and come back later?" Edith asked after noticing the long silence.

    She had listened to the conversation between Neil and Assistant Shawn and thought that Neil would not want her to be around by the time the police came to talk to him.

    Neil turned his head to his girlfriend and his expression immediately softened. "No. It''s fine. Just stay here with me."

    Edith hesitated before she finally nodded. She watched as Neil sat down beside her and reached to hold his hand. "Are you alright?" Her expression showed her concern.

    Neil flashed her an assuring smile. "I''m fine." He patted at her hand and said, "The police are just going to ask some questions. There is nothing to worry about."

    "I know. I am not worried."

    She was raised by her grandfather who was also a police officer. After a few years of spending her time with her grandfather and his men, it would be impossible for her not to know the procedure.

    "That Amanda Shen that Assistant Shawn had mentioned¡­ was she the same Supermodel Amanda Shen?" Edith asked. "We ran into her the last time you took me and Haze to that private kitchen."

    "Hmm."

    "But, why would the police look for you to find Miss Shen?" Her tone was soft and cautious. There was doubt in her expression as she tried to guess at her boyfriend''s relationship with that supermodel.

    The last time they run into Miss Shen, the two of them had acted as if they were not familiar with each other.

    "We''ve dated before," Neil admitted.

    ¡­

    Two police officers walked into the office after Assistant Shawn. They flashed their badges and introduced themselves as Detective Ryan Su and Stephen Yao.

    Neil gestured them to sit and asked Secretary An to prepare some refreshments for the detectives.

    Then, Neil sat across the detectives with Edith by his side.

    "President Mo, I believe that your assistant had mentioned to you the reason for our visit today," Detective Ryan Su spoke the same time Secretary An entered the office with a tray of tea.

    "Yes." Neil nodded. "I was told that Miss Amanda Shen has gone missing. What can I help you with?"

    "President Mo, can you tell us what is your relationship with Miss Shen?" Detective Ryan asked.

    "We''ve dated a while ago and broken up," Neil answered. "That was two years ago."

    "Miss Shen is pretty with a good reputation in her industry. Why did you two break up?"

    "Will this question help you with finding Miss Shen?" Neil replied to Detective Ryan''s question with another question.

    The detective merely smiled before he turned the pages of his notebook. "Miss Shen has been reported missing by her housemate a few days ago. According to her housemate, Miss Shen was last seen leaving the apartment they shared the last Friday. According to Miss Shen''s call log, the last person she had talked to was with you, President Mo. And that was," he paused to check at the scribbling on his notebook, "last Saturday."

    "Yes. Miss Shen had called me that Saturday evening."

    "Can you tell me what did the two of you talk about?" Detective Stephan asked.

    "We did not talk about anything," Neil said, turning his head to look at the other detective. "I warned her not to call me again as I have no intention to get along with her again. I hung up before she could say anything. If you check the call log, you will notice that the call lasted for only a few seconds."

    "You seem pretty mad about your breakup," Detective Ryan pointed.

    Edith shot a dagger look at the detective, knowing very well what he was trying to insinuate.

    "Detective, what are you trying to imply?" Neil asked. There was a hint of irritation in his tone.

    "I am thinking that perhaps the break up with Miss Shen upset you. You two were last seen together at Mr. Mark Wang''s party. Perhaps, your encounter with Miss Shen a while ago had ignited your anger."

    Neil chuckled at his words. "You think I have something to do with Miss Shen''s disappearance?"

    "It could be." Detective Ryan shrugged. "That is what we are trying to investigate. Right. Can you tell me where were you last Sunday at around nine to ten p.m?"

    Neil heaved an impatient sigh. "I was in Capital City. I went to Capital City last Saturday with my niece and my girlfriend. I was attending a social gathering with a few friends when Miss Shen gave me a call that evening. My flight back was on Sunday, at eleven p.m. Around nine to ten p.m, I was still in Capital City''s airport along with my girlfriend, my niece, and my assistant. Detective, you can check with them as well as the security camera at the airport."

    The two detectives'' expression changed slightly upon hearing Neil''s alibi.

    "I am willing to help you with your investigation to find Miss Shen," Neil said.. "But detective, I don''t appreciate it if you are here to accuse me of doing something I did not do."

    Read novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 186 - Feelings Of Guilt

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    The two detectives left after asking Neil a few more questions.

    After they left, Neil sat down on the sofa and rubbed his temple. Noticing the quiet atmosphere, Neil turned to Edith and saw that she was sitting across him with her arms crossed on her chest and she was in deep thought.

    Looking at her serious expression, Neil let out a chuckle. "What are you thinking about?"

    Edith turned to his voice and her expression relaxed. "Just something that the detectives had said."

    Neil stood up and walked over to his girlfriend. He pecked at her cheek and smiled. "Don''t think too much about it. I have told them what I know. It will be up to those detectives to look for Miss Shen."

    Edith sat up straight and looked into Neil''s eyes. "Darling, don''t you think that it was a little strange?"

    "What is?" He tucked a few strands of hair behind her ear.

    "Miss Shen was missing and it was understandable that they would ask you questions as you were the last person they talked to according to her call log," Edith said. "But, why did they ask your whereabouts last Sunday?"

    She could not stop recalling the detectives'' strange expression upon hearing Neil''s alibi. Her intuition was telling her that the detectives were hiding something important from them.

    Neil thought over her question and shrugged. "Probably something happened at that period of time and they wanted to ensure where I was."

    Edith snapped her fingers. "Exactly. Something had happened during that time. That was why those detectives were asking for your alibi."

    Neil stared at his girlfriend and suddenly burst into a laugh. "Edith Qian, are you playing detective?"

    "I''m not." Edith pouted seeing his laughing face. "I am just trying to figure out what was going on."

    "Let''s not think about it too much and let the detectives do their job."

    "Darling, aren''t you curious?"

    Neil let out a helpless sigh. "It''s not that I am not curious. But, I don''t want to keep on thinking about it."

    Her expression changed upon hearing his tone.

    It was then that Edith remembered that her boyfriend might be the last person Miss Shen had talked to last Saturday. Amanda had called his number and asked for his help, but Neil had chosen to ignore her.

    If something bad really happened to her, wouldn''t Neil felt guilty?

    Edith stood up and pulled her boyfriend into a hug. "Darling, are you alright?"

    "I''m fine." He rested his head on her chest and sat quietly as Edith patted at his hair.

    "I''m sure that Miss Shen would be fine," Edith said. "Don''t worry. The police will find her in no time."

    "I hope so," Neil paused as he tightened his embrace around her waist. "I will ask Henry to look for her as well."

    The two of them head back home as Neil no longer had the mood to work. Their day resumed as usual. Edith went to the kitchen to prepare dinner with Hazel and the three of them ate their meals together.

    Afterward, Edith helped Hazel with her homework and tucked the little girl into bed. Once everything was settled, Edith returned to her room and took a shower.

    She climbed on her bed and took out her phone to browse for news of Amanda Shen. A few news portals had reported her as missing. The netizen had not reacted too much to this news, thinking that it was not strange for a supermodel like Amanda Shen to go off the radar to find some quietness for her peace of mind. However, her fans expressed their concern and worry.

    Just then, the door swung open and a familiar figure walked in.

    Edith glanced at the time and noted that it was a few minutes until midnight.

    "Don''t you have your own room?" Edith tilted her head sideways as she watched the shameless man climbed up her bed and slipped in under the duvet. "Why do you keep on coming to my room?"

    Neil leaned in to rain his kisses on her face before he stopped and looked at Edith with a big smile on his face. "Then, how about we move over to the master bedroom?" He leaned in and whispered, "The bed is bigger and we can do all sort of activity and position."

    The moment he finished his words, Neil received a smack on his chest. He laughed happily, grabbed the hand that had hit him before he pulled her closer to kiss her lips.

    Edith shot him a dagger look.

    This man! Can he stop being this shameless for a day?

    "Baby, when do you think you''re going to move into the master bedroom?" Neil asked. "Aren''t you tired of sneaking around Hazel all the time?"

    "I am not the one who was sneaking around." Edith batted her eyelashes innocently. "Darling, you are the one who sneaked into my room every night."

    "What am I supposed to do? I cannot sleep well without you by my side."

    "Then, how do you sleep before this?"

    Neil chuckled. "The keyword is ''sleeping well''. Before this, I did not have a good night''s sleep."

    Although his words were a little bit corny, Edith found herself unable to stop smiling. Edith thought that perhaps she had liked this man a little bit too much that everything he said sounded very sweet to her.

    Neil adjusted the pillow under his head and pulled Edith over so that he could hug her to sleep. "We should really consider being more open in front of Hazel." Neil had one arm under her head and the other wrapped around her waist as they were spooning.

    Edith adjusted to get into a comfortable position. "I will think about it. Let me talk to Hazel first."

    "Alright." His lips curved into a satisfied smile as he kissed her neck.

    Neil raised his head upon noticing the light that came from her phone. "What were you looking at earlier?"

    "Just news about Miss Shen''s disappearance," Edith said. She lifted her phone and was about to log out when she accidentally refreshed the portal she was on. The finger that hovered on the screen stopped and Edith did a double-take when she saw the latest news. "Darling¡­"

    "What''s wrong?" Neil asked upon noticing something from her tone.

    "Look at this," Edith shoved her phone over, and Neil narrowed his eyes at the sudden brightness.

    Then slowly, his expression changed as he read the news.

    On the news portal, it was reported that Supermodel Amanda Shen was found dead last night near her apartment. A beggar had found the body and reported it to the police.

    The beggar was not aware of her identity and therefore had not made any fuss about it. It was until the body was brought to be autopsied that they finally find out that the dead person was no other than Amanda Shen.

    But what raised the public anger was that the police were planning to keep this matter a secret from them.

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 187 - Renting A Place

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Someone from the higher up finally clarified that because of the condition Amanda was found, they were not able to find out her identity and they had no intention of keeping Amanda''s death.

    Of course, this statement garnered the public''s attention and wrath. Amanda''s fans especially wanted to know what happened to their idol and who was cruel enough to murder her.

    It was a while later that someone had leaked some details about Amanda''s death. A few photographs of how her body was found were passed around as well as some details from her autopsy report.

    This new information heightened public anger. The photograph was gruesome and the details told them what she had suffered before she died. It did not take the netizen too long to connect the dots.

    The higher-ups then appeared again and admitted that Miss Amanda Shen was a victim of the serial murder. She had become the third victim of that gruesome murder. It has not been a long time since the police announced that the first and second cases were linked. Now with Amanda''s death, the public grew anxious.

    Amanda Shen''s death has been the talk of the country for more than a week and the public showed no sign that they were going to stop discussing this matter.

    A few suspects were named, but fortunately, Neil was cleared with his alibi.

    The public petitioned for the police to do their job and bring that psychopath who had murdered the three ladies to justice. Until the murderer was convicted, they would not feel at ease.

    Edith looked at the person who sat across from her and was amazed at how Aaron had the appetite to eat even after looking at those disturbing photographs. "How can you still have the mood to eat after looking at those pictures?" She scowled.

    Aaron slurped the noodles loudly and let out a satisfied sigh. "Then, what am I supposed to do? Do you mean that I have to starve myself the whole day? Beside. It was not too bad. At least, the body has been cleaned up."

    "Miss Shen," Edith hesitated. "Is she really the third victim of the same crime?"

    The man''s face turned somber at her question. "It was as reported. The evidence pointed out that Miss Shen is the third victim in L City." His voice turned low and grim.

    Edith thought of his words and wonder how many victims were there in Z Town in the past?

    "I cannot say too much about it," Aaron sighed. "We were already in trouble after someone had exposed the details of that murder to the reporters."

    "Then, how long will you be staying in L City?"

    "I don''t know," Aaron shrugged. "The team in L City are shorthanded now that they have to deal with the public outrage. I guess I will have to stay around for a while to assist them. That''s right." He placed his chopstick down and smiled. "Edith, help me to find a place to live. I cannot afford to live in a hotel for a long time."

    "What kind of place are you looking for?"

    Aaron considered for a while. "Someplace with cheap rent. I understand that renting in L City is too expensive, therefore, I would not mind renting a place in A City as long as it took me around half an hour drive to the station. I''m not sure how long I will have to stay around, so it is more preferable for me to find a place without a lease. As soon as they don''t need me around, I am planning to head back to Z Town."

    Her lips twitched at his request. "Mr. Li, you sure have a lot of requests. Why don''t you just live in the police station? Wouldn''t that be more convenient for you?"

    "You know me. I was raised by my mother and could not stand living in a dirty place," Aaron sighed.

    Aaron''s mother owned a B&B in Z Town and was very particular towards hygiene. Growing up, Aaron was used to tidy and clean surroundings and could not tolerate staying in a messy place for a long time.

    "Crashing in with the others seemed troublesome. You don''t know this, but after working on an investigation for the whole day, some of those guys don''t really pay attention to their personal hygiene. Just imagining the way the takeaway boxes stacked up on their desk would make me puke. I just want a clean place to return to so that I can eat, shower, and shit in peace."

    "I still wonder how on earth did you became a policeman when you''re a neat freak."

    "Why not? Being a policeman and a neat freak are two different things." He chuckled. "A neat freak detectives are pretty scarce. At least a scarce species like me is likable among my female coworkers. You don''t know how many of them tried to get along with me."

    Edith rolled her eyes as she suppressed the urge from beating her friend to death. She tried to think of a place for Aaron to live and could not think of any place suitable for him.

    A place suddenly came to her mind and Edith spoke up. "You can stay at my apartment in A City." The moment she said those words, Edith immediately regretted her decision.

    "Living together?" Aaron''s eyes went wide at her suggestion. He backed up and leaned on his chair with his hands waving around and his head shook like a rattle. "Eyy¡­ your place is a one-bedroom apartment. Where do you think I am going to sleep? The couch? Besides, my mother adored you so much. She would kill me if she heard about this."

    Edith had wanted to take back her words, but Aaron is a good friend of hers and at this moment, he really needed a place to live. Since she had her ways to help him, it would be bad to pretend that she could not help him.

    "You don''t have to worry. I am lending you my place, but we are not going to live together."

    Aaron narrowed her eyes and leaned forward. "What do you mean? If I am living at your place, then, where will you be living? Edith Qian, you better explain everything to me."

    "You have to keep this a secret." Edith watched him nodded, and frowned. "Promise me. Never mention this to my grandfather or anyone at all."

    Aaron watched his friend skeptically but after seeing the firmness in her eyes, he raised his hands as if to surrender. "Alright. I promise. I won''t mention this to anyone. This is a secret between you and me."

    Edith took a deep breath before she spoke again. "I have moved out of my apartment in A City for a few months." Her voice grew soft as she spoke. "Even so, I am still renting that place as there are a few months lease."

    "Then, where are you staying now?"

    She looked away from meeting his piercing gaze.. "These days, I am living with my boyfriend in L City."

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 188 - Threatened

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Aaron stared at his friend for a long time and decided that his ears must have been playing tricks at him.

    He had grown up with Edith and thought that the idea of Edith Qian having a boyfriend and cohabiting with a strange man was too bizarre.

    Pushing the bowl of noodles farther away, Aaron stared at the girl beside him for a very long time, making her uncomfortable. "You try and repeat that. I think there is something wrong with my hearing."

    Edith took a deep breath and looked at Aaron in his eyes. "I am now living with my boyfriend." Saying those words for the second time felt much easier for Edith.

    "What boyfriend?" Aaron chuckled. "Edith Qian, you are trying to trick me with another of your joke, right? You? A boyfriend? It couldn''t be an imaginary one, right?"

    Her face turned darker at his words. "What do you mean by that? Aaron Li, are you looking down on me? Why is it so surprising to you that I have a boyfriend?"

    Aaron stared at her for a long time again as if to see whether this girl would be lying to him. A few cursing words escaped his lips when he noticed that there was no fluctuation in her expression.

    "You were telling me the truth?"

    "Why would I joke about something like this? What would I gain?"

    Aaron leaned on his chair as he continued to stare at Edith speechlessly. Somehow, he found that it was hard to process the information he received. Edith having a boyfriend was one thing, but cohabiting was another matter.

    How long have they been in a relationship? Wasn''t cohabiting a little too fast?

    "We''ve been living together for four months," Edith said.

    For the first two months, she was staying with Neil as Hazel''s caretaker. But living together is living together, no matter whether she was Hazel''s caretaker or Neil''s girlfriend.

    Another curse words escaped him. Suddenly, a thought crossed his mind and Aaron narrowed his eyes. "The last two times I came to L City to find you, you have been living with that bastard?"

    Seconds later, Aaron felt a loud smack on his head.

    Edith ignored the aggrieved expression on his face and warned, "Watch your words. Don''t call my darling with such vulgar name."

    Aaron felt the corner of his lips twitched. What darling? He had a lot to complain about but was afraid that this gangster in front of him would beat him to death.

    "I wanted to meet him," Aaron said. "Unless if you take him to me, I won''t believe that you have a boyfriend."

    Edith thought over his request and nodded. "Alright. I will arrange for a meeting later."

    "No. Today." Aaron stared at her with a serious look on his face. "You will let him know and ask him to see me today. "

    Edith clicked her tongue and shot a displeased look. "Who are you? Why should my darling make his time just to meet you?"

    Aaron tried his best to ignore that terms of endearing. "If you don''t call him up for a meeting today, I will tell your grandpa and we''ll see what he was going to do to you later."

    Edith gasped at his threat. "You wouldn''t. Aaron Li, you promised."

    "I changed my mind. What are you going to do about it?" Aaron raised a brow. "Anyway, I am doing this for your own good. As someone who grew up with you, I need to help you to evaluate whether this man is a good person or not."

    "The person I chose to date will definitely be a good person."

    Edith narrowed her eyes and after a staring contest between them, Edith finally gave up and took out her phone."Alright. I will give him a call and ask him to have a meal with us."

    Anyway, it would be very troublesome if Aaron went to her grandfather and told her secret. Her grandfather would be surprised to hear that she was cohabiting with Neil and she was not ready to face her grandfather''s wrath.

    The phone call connected to Neil after a few seconds and his voice sounded deep and sexy through the phone.

    "Are you done with your meeting with your friend?" Neil asked. "Do you want me to pick you up?"

    Earlier, his girlfriend had mentioned that she was going to meet Aaron after work. Although Neil was a little reluctant to let his girlfriend met up with his potential love rival, in the end, Neil decided to trust his girlfriend and made her promise that she was not going to take a sip of alcohol.

    "Darling, are you busy?" Edith shot a dagger look at Aaron when he rolled his eyes at her.

    The pen in Neil''s hand paused when he heard her question. "What''s the matter?"

    "I was wondering if you can come over and have a meal with my friend, Aaron." Edith stood up and went to a corner to get some privacy. "I told him that I have a boyfriend, but he refused to believe me until he sees you with his two eyes."

    "Alright," Neil answered quickly. The corner of his lips turned to a smile. Just the thought that Edith was going to introduce him as her boyfriend made him a little happier. "Just text me the place and time. I will be there soon."

    The two of them exchanged a few words before Edith hung up. Noticing Aaron''s stare, Edith turned to him and gave him a smug smile. "He''ll be here soon."

    "So, he''s a real person." Aaron leaned forward. "But if he is a good guy, then why did you want to hide him away from your grandpa and everyone else? What is it? He''s ugly?"

    "You''re the ugly one. My darling is better looking than you." Edith huffed. "It was not that I wanted to hide him away. We talked and decided to go back and break the news to my grandpa on the New Year."

    With such a festivity mood, her grandfather would go easy on her boyfriend, right?

    Aaron then recalled the important matter and decided to ask questions that have been haunting him since the very beginning. "Your boyfriend¡­ he did not take advantage of you, did he?"

    Edith looked away for a brief second and chuckled. "Do you think I am that easy to take advantage of? I am the one who takes advantage of him, okay?"

    Aaron pondered over her words and thought that there was some truth in it. There were not a lot of people who could take advantage of Edith. This woman gangster can be calculative at times and would not let herself suffer any losses.

    But... that was not what he wanted to know!

    "Who is he? Don''t he at least have a name?" Aaron decided to run this person''s information on the database and warn his friend if he found anything suspicious about this boyfriend.

    Edith flashed him a mysterious smile.. "You will know soon."

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 189 - Ediths Boyfriend

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Because Edith was going to introduce her boyfriend, she decided to change the venue and chose to have a meal at a Cantonese restaurant and opt for a private room.

    Aaron grew anxious as they were waiting for her boyfriend to show up. There were a lot of questions in his mind and Edith would not answer them until her boyfriend showed up. Aaron could not be at ease until he saw the person he was supposed to see.

    His legs shook impatiently under the table and Aaron would glance at the door from time to time. "Are you sure he''s coming?"

    "He should be here anytime soon. You must remember not to speak nonsense or I will beat you later," Edith said. "Anyway, why are you so anxious?"

    "I just wanted to see which innocent man did you trick to be your boyfriend," Aaron spoke exasperatedly. He was very worried about this girl upon hearing that she and her boyfriend have started to live together months ago, and yet, this girl was treating him like he was the enemy.

    His body froze upon hearing the knock on the door. Aaron clenched his fist and turned to the door.

    A waiter in his uniform walked in to hold the door and a familiar figure entered the room. Before Aaron was able to speak a word, he heard his friend''s cheering voice, uttering that endearing terms again.

    His eyes grew wide and Aaron could not hide his surprise upon watching how Edith had gone towards that man''s side and held his hand before the two walked over to him together.

    Aaron thought that perhaps his eyes were playing tricks on him. The person in front of him at this moment, was he not Neil Mo? The President of MH Group? That prominent group in L City and one of the largest property and development companies in the country?

    Why was he here and why was Edith holding on to his hand?

    The two of them finally stopped in front of Aaron. Edith flashed him a bright smile and spoke, "Aaron, meet my boyfriend, Neil Mo. Oh, wait. You''ve met him before."

    Neil flashed him an amiable smile and stretched his hand. "Mr. Li, Hello."

    Aaron snapped out of his trance and shook hands with Neil. Though he had met Neil Mo a few times previously, this was the first time he was anxious to be around him.

    His mind whirled and quickly connected a few dots.

    Edith had said that she has been living together with her boyfriend for four months.

    Then¡­ the last time they had ''accidentally'' run into this man, the two of them should already be in a relationship. When he left with those grandpas to return to Z Town, Neil had stayed around to wait with Edith until her friend, Lily Zhou showed up.

    According to logic, someone as busy as President Mo should have left earlier as soon as dinner ended, but he had stayed around because Edith was drunk.

    After Lily showed up, Aaron had left. Therefore, he would not know whether Edith would crash over at Lily''s place or go back with President Mo to his place.

    If she went back to President Mo''s place, then, doesn''t that make Lily Zhao an accomplice?

    Aaron suddenly recalled the last time he had drive Edith over to a luxurious apartment in L City. Edith had said that the place belonged to a friend, but Aaron knew now that the luxurious apartment belonged to President Mo.

    How could Edith trick him like this? Aaron really wanted to curse and scold this girl.

    "Mr. Li, please, have a seat," Neil said. "We can talk while we eat."

    Aaron nodded. He watched as the couple sat side by side just across from him and thought that this scene was a little strange.

    This girl was too violent and would hit people whenever she was upset. She would not care whether that person was a boy or a girl, if someone made her upset, Edith would beat that person they cry. And her kicks and punches were not light either.

    The last time he had said something wrong, Edith had swung her punch to his arms and that bruise lasted for a week.

    How can someone like this dated President Mo? Was President Mo blind? Or was he a masochist?

    Of course, if Edith knew what was on her friend''s mind, Aaron would have to suffer another round of beating.

    The waiter walked into the room carrying various delicacies. The aroma of delicious food wafted in the room. The food presentation was exquisite and colorful. The taste of each dish was very light and fragrant. However, Aaron thought that he was too full from eating too much dog food.

    Now that the secret was out, Edith was not ashamed to act frivolously with her boyfriend in front of him. The two of them were clearly flirting as if he was an invisible man!

    It turns out that this violent lady could act gently when she was with her boyfriend. She was not like this in the past!

    Aaron was tempted to take out his phone, record this scene secretly, and send the footage to Grandpa Qian. He did not mind suffering some beating, but he was a little afraid to offend President Mo.

    The three of them continued to have small talk while they were enjoying their meals. Though Aaron had a lot of questions for both of them, he did not dare to ask them straightforwardly and chose to eat in silence.

    He took this chance to observe the two''s relationship and found that their relationship was pretty good. At least, in front of him, Neil Mo had treated Edith well.

    After having a little too much tea, Edith stood up and excused herself to the restroom.

    Once the door closed after her, the atmosphere in the room suddenly turned stiff.

    Neil placed the chopstick in his hand down and reached to drink some water. He then raised his head to Aaron. "Mr. Li, from the way you have been staring at me throughout the meal, I assumed that you have a few things that you wanted to say to me."

    Aaron chuckled. "You are right. I do have a few things I would like to say. Now that Edith is not in the room, I hope you would not mind me asking a few questions."

    Neil gestured with his hand. "Please. I will try to answer them the best that I can."

    He narrowed his eyes and his gaze turned dangerous. The way Aaron was looking at Neil at this moment was the same as the way he was looking at the criminal while he was interrogating them. "Do you like Edith? Or were you using her adoration towards you like something to pass your time?"

    Neil stared at Aaron as if he was scrutinizing his enemy.. Then he flashed Aaron a smile that does not reach his eyes."I''m not sure which identity are you using to ask these questions? As Edith''s friend? Or something else?"

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 190 - A Frightening Iceblock Mo

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Aaron scoffed upon hearing the questions. "Edith and I have known each other for a long time. As a friend, of course, I am worried about her."

    Neil picked up the glass on the table and took a sip as he continued to listen to Aaron. As long as Aaron did not come to him as his rival, Neil thought that he would be able to spend his time entertaining his questions.

    "Edith might be a rash person. There are times when she would not think much of a consequence when she does something," Aaron said. "Dating you might be the same. Perhaps that girl was not thinking things through when she decided to date you. She did not know what she was going to face afterward when she stayed with you."

    "Are you saying that Edith is stupid?" Neil said in a languid tone.

    "Not stupid. But naive." Aaron narrowed his eyes. "President Mo, if you are not serious about her, I suggest you leave her side before she gets in too deep."

    "Then, you don''t have to worry. I am very serious about her."

    Aaron studied the man in front of him with distrust.

    Neil Mo was the President of MH Group. Countless women would want to be with him. They were all much prettier than Edith and some were heiress who could help him to bring up MH Group to another level. Therefore, Aaron could not understand why did Neil want to be with Edith. She was an ordinary kindergarten teacher who deserved a peaceful life and not anything messy from Neil''s world,

    "Mr. Li, you are worrying too much." Neil chuckled. "I don''t think that Edith is just an ordinary kindergarten teacher. To me, she is more than that. There might be a lot of others who are prettier, richer, or smarter. But to me, she is perfect. She made me comfortable being with her."

    The two of them might come from two different worlds, but Neil thought that the two of them could complete each other.

    There was a slight fluctuation in Aaron''s gaze. He continued to stare at Neil and found that the man was not saying those words to bluff him. At least, at this time, Neil Mo was really into Edith.

    Aaron had a very complicated feeling as he realized this.

    He chose to look away and grabbed the glass of water in front of him. He emptied the glass and looked at Neil again. "President Mo, tell me the truth¡­ did Edith beat you up so bad and make you say these words?"

    "..."

    A chuckle escaped him before Aaron burst into a fit laugh. A few seconds later, the laughter subsided and Aaron turned to look at Neil with a languid smile. "President Mo, I know that you are someone in a higher position, but if I ever found out that you are bullying her, I will not be afraid to offend you."

    Neil flashed the same smile at him. "Edith was not someone who is easily bullied. Even if I did bully her, don''t you think that she will beat me to retaliate?"

    Aaron continued to threaten Neil to treat Edith well and finally stopped once Edith returned to the room. The three of them spent their time together and finally left after the meal.

    Before he left for his temporary place, Aaron made a promise to see Edith again before he moved into her apartment in A City in two days.

    Meanwhile, Edith sat shotgun as they head back to the apartment. Glancing at the man beside her, Edith leaned forward with a smile on her face. "Darling, what did you and Aaron talk about when I went away? Aaron¡­ he did not say something bad about me, right?"

    A frown appeared on her face and Edith vowed to beat him up if she ever found out that Aaron was bad mouthing her in front of her darling.

    "What makes you think that we were talking about you?"

    "Then, what else could you talk about?" Edith raised a brow. "The atmosphere around the room had changed as soon as I came back. Moreover, Aaron no longer stared at you with the same hostility."

    Neil went silent until the car reached a red light. "I''ve been wanting to ask you a few questions." He turned to look at Edith. "What is your relationship with that person?"

    Edith blinked. "That person? You mean, Aaron? He''s a friend who I grew up with."

    "Really?"

    Edith stared at the man and thought that something was wrong with his expression. She cocked her head sideways as a thought suddenly came to her mind.

    Neil''s expression¡­ and the way he was looking at her¡­ could it be that he was jealous? But, why does she feel like the look on his face was really adorable at the moment? She really wanted to go and pinch him on both cheeks, ah!

    The light turned green and Neil turned his head to the road to concentrate on his driving. "Why do I feel like the way Aaron was looking at you is a bit different. He likes you."

    "I and Aaron can''t be together," Edith said and laughed She continued to study his expression and saw that her darling was not convinced with her words. "Darling, you are imagining things."

    Neil kept his silence. He was a man and naturally understood how a man looked at the person they liked. The way Aaron was looking at Edith was definitely different. It was not the way a friend would look at another.

    "Even if he liked me, I really cannot imagine us getting together again."

    Her words were a whisper but it caught his attention and Neil turned to her with a raised brow. "Again?"

    Edith touched the tip of her nose and she lowered her gaze, realizing that she had spilled something unnecessary. "We''ve... dated before."

    His grip on the steering wheel tightened upon hearing her words.

    So... when Aaron had said so much to him, was he saying those as Edith''s friend or her ex-boyfriend?

    Neil was not convinced how they can be exes and still be close friends.

    Neil recalled his conversation with Edith before and realized that Aaron was the person that she had given her drunk confession to years ago.

    The atmosphere suddenly turned cold and Edith was suddenly shocked at the change. She had heard about Iceblock Mo for a long time and thought that she had seen the real Iceblock Mo, but this was the first time she had experienced something like this¡ªthe temperature dropping and the stifling air.

    It turned out that the real Iceblock Mo was frightening! He could freeze the air with his aura.

    Sensing his anger, the words that she wanted to speak stuck in her throat and Edith did not dare to speak a word.

    In the end, Edith decided it was better to let him drive home safely first.. Once they were at home, only then it would be safer for her to explain her words and coax her darling.

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 191 - What Battle Armor?

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    When they arrived at the apartment, Hazel was sitting in the living room, doing her homework. As soon as she saw Edith, the little girl went over to her auntie and pulled her to sit down and help her with her homework.

    Neil exchanged a few words with Nanny Ann and went upstairs to his room. Edith watched his retreating gaze and heaved a long sigh. She could not understand why he was so angry that he did not want to say a word to her.

    They were just good a few minutes later, but his mood suddenly plummeted the moment she had mentioned that she used to date Aaron. Even if he was jealous, wasn''t his action was a little bit too excessive?

    In the end, Edith could only decide to let him calm down before she would try to calm him down. Anyway, little Hazel was with her and she did not want her to notice that something was wrong with them.

    However, Hazel was a sensitive child. She had noticed the way Edith would look up to stare at her uncle''s bedroom door in a daze and sighed. This action has been repeated more than twice and Hazel knew that something was amiss.

    Hazel put down the pencil she was holding and poked at Edith''s arms.

    Edith snapped out of her thought at the sudden contact. "Hazel." Edith forced a smile. "What''s wrong?"

    Hazel and wrapped her tiny arms around Edith''s neck and stared at her with worry. "Auntie Edith, you don''t seem alright. Is something bothering you?"

    Hearing the little girl voicing out her concern, Edith felt her heart melted. Edith pulled Hazel into her arms and spoke in a low voice. "Your uncle seemed angry at me. Hazel, what do you think I should do?"

    "Auntie Edith, what did you do?"

    Edith stiffened at her question. She also did not know what she had done to make her darling angry, ah!

    "My uncle would not be angry at you without reason, right?" Hazel spoke again. Since her Auntie Edith did not know what she had done wrong, Hazel thought that she should help to think about it together.

    Edith thought of their conversation in the vehicle. "Maybe¡­ I''ve said something wrong."

    "Then, you should go and apologize. Auntie Edith, you taught us that when you do or said something wrong, you should apologize."

    Edith looked at Hazel''s bright eyes and could only agree with her words. "You are right. I should go and apologize." She forced a smile and patted at Hazel''s hair. "I will let your uncle cool down first before I go and apologize."

    The little girl smiled happily upon seeing that her auntie had decided to listen to her advice. Then, she picked up her pencil again and continued to concentrate on her homework.

    Edith knew that she had to coax her darling. However, she was at loss at how to coax Neil. Although she had dated Aaron in the past, their relationship was not the same as other couples. Where would there be a day that she had to coax Aaron? That guy would be too afraid that he would be beaten up instead.

    It was inappropriate to ask for Hazel''s opinion regarding this matter. Therefore, Edith decided to turn to the person she could trust.

    Fortunately, Lily was not asleep and took less than a minute to reply to her text message.

    "You''re in a fight?" Lily asked.

    Edith thought of her question and wondered if this was the first fight between her and Neil since they decided to get together.

    "How can you be in a fight? I thought you guys were still in your honeymoon phase?" Lily texted again.

    "Lily, stop teasing me. Quickly help me to think of a way to coax my darling."

    "Do you need to ask? If you wanted to coax President Mo, the first thing you have to do is to wear your battle armor."

    "What battle armor?"

    "Of course¡­ your battle armor is your sexy lingerie. Then, you march into battle, take him down and make him forget about whatever argument you have. When the sun is up, your relationship would be restored to normal."

    Edith had the urge to throw away her phone. It was not hard for her to figure out what was her friend suggesting her to do to coax her darling. She should know that asking Lily''s opinion was not a great move. That woman''s thought was too impure!

    In the end, Edith decided to ignore Lily and try to come out with another method. It was not as if she owned a battle armor anyway!

    Edith went back to her room after Hazel had gone to bed. She took a shower and prepared herself to go to bed. She glanced at the time and saw that it was almost midnight. Edith was planning to coax her darling when he came into her room, but the person who would always sneak into her room did not appear.

    After debating with herself for a long time, Edith walked out of her room with her phone and headed over to Neil''s room. Her hand hovered at the door for a long time before Edith decided to knock on the door.

    She counted to three and knocked again when there was no answer. Then, Edith leaned closer towards the small slit between the door and whispered, "Darling, are you there?"

    She had checked his office seconds ago and knew that he was not in there.

    Seeing that the man did not open the door or answer her call, Edith started to panic. She raised her hand again and knocked at the door a little harder. "Neil?"

    A few seconds later, the door swung open and a topless Neil appeared at the door. At this time, he had a towel wrapped around his lower half and his hair was dripping wet with water. It was clear that he had just gotten out of the shower.

    Edith was momentarily in a daze as she stared at the droplets of water that streamed down to his abs.

    "Why are you here?"

    His question snapped her out of her trance. "I am looking for you."

    A slight frown appeared on his handsome face. "Why are you looking for me?"

    "We need to talk. Are you not going to let me in?" Edith peeked inside his room and turned to look at her boyfriend with an adorable expression, hoping that the man would stop being too cold to her and give in.

    Neil stared at the woman before him before he stepped aside. "Come in."

    A breath of relief escaped her when her darling finally let her in. Edith shut the door behind her and turned around.

    The sight of Neil''s naked backs was the first thing she noticed. Edith watched as his muscle rippled as he dried his hair with another towel and could not look away from it.. Her throat suddenly felt dry and the words she wanted to say to him were long forgotten.

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 192 - I Got Jealous

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Noticing the silence, Neil threw the small towel in his hand and turned to look at Edith. "What do you want to talk about?"

    Though he was now talking to her, Edith noticed that slight coldness in his voice. Her heart sank at his attitude. Edith did not know how she should deal with this situation. After all, she had never coaxed an adult before. Then¡­ should she try to coax him the way she coaxed her students?

    Or else¡­ should she borrow Lily''s suggestion? Take him down and coerced him into telling her what made him upset.

    Sensing his scrutinizing gaze, Edith turned to look at the carpet under her feet.

    Fortunately, the air in the room was not as stifling as it was in the car earlier. At the thought that her darling had calmed down a little bit, Edith took a deep breath and walked over to him.

    "You¡­ what is wrong with you?" Edith asked. "Are you angry? Why are you ignoring me? Did I do something wrong?"

    Neil walked over to his wardrobe and pulled out a shirt. Swiftly, he put his shirt on and turned around. "What do you think?"

    Her breath stuck in her throat. If she really knew what was on his mind, would she still need to come over and ask?

    "I don''t know."

    "Then, you should recall what you have said to me."

    Edith recalled the conversation in the vehicle before Neil had suddenly changed. The last thing they were discussing was Aaron. She had mentioned that she used to date Aaron in the past and that was when her darling''s mood started to go icy cold.

    Dating Aaron was something she did in the past. That relationship only lasted for what? Half a year? She had a little bit too much drink and had made a stupid bet. Whenever Edith recalled her impulsiveness, she had the urge to slap her younger self.

    But for Neil to be angry about this matter¡­ wasn''t he too much? She never minded that he had dated someone like Amanda Shen in the past. Why would he mind about the person she dated in the past?

    "I don''t understand," Edith said. "I know what we have talked about previously, but I don''t understand why you are acting this way. Neil Mo, why don''t you help me to understand what did I do wrong instead of ignoring me like this. We both had a previous relationship, but did you see me giving you a cold shoulder when I found out that you were dating supermodel Amanda Shen in the past?"

    Neil stared at the person in front of him for a long time. His lips moved as if wanting to speak, but no words came out of his lips.

    He knew well that he was acting unreasonable, but what can he do about it? The moment he heard that the two were exes, Neil could not control himself. That annoying feeling rose from his heart and spread throughout his body.

    He didn''t like that the two were exes and were still very close. Through his conversation with Aaron, Neil could sense that he was protective of her. Neil could not understand why an ex-boyfriend would be protective of his ex-girlfriend

    After a long silence on his part, Neil finally spoke, "I don''t like Aaron."

    Edith blinked upon hearing his words. "What?"

    "When I recalled how you said you have confessed to him, I got jealous."

    His voice was a whisper and Edith had thought that perhaps she had misheard things. But staring at his strange expression, Edith realized that she had not misheard things. Neil had admitted that he was acting strangely because he was jealous.

    "What''s there to be jealous about? Aaron and I," Edith heaved helplessly. "That was a long time ago. I was drunk when I blackmailed him to be my boyfriend. It could not even be considered a confession."

    "Really?" His eyes darkened. "You can be close to someone you used to date before?"

    "I grew up with him. We might not be blood-related, but I only see him as a sibling. We really did not like each other that way. Why do you think we broke up after a few months of dating?"

    There was a slight fluctuation in his eyes, however, he was still not happy.

    Seeing that he did not answer, Edith took out her phone and dialed a number. "If you don''t believe me, then you can ask Aaron and let him clarify."

    Before Neil could say a word, the phone call was connected and Aaron''s face appeared on the screen.

    Aaron muttered a cursing word. "Edith Qian, you better have a good reason for this phone call. I was about to take a dump."

    Edith felt the corner of her lips twitched. This man was too vulgar. How can her darling be jealous of someone as obnoxious as Aaron Li?

    "Aaron, you help me to explain to my darling."

    "What?" Aaron frowned. " Ah¡­ wait a minute. It''s about to come out. Can I just call you¡ª"

    His words were left unfinished.

    Aaron''s expression froze upon seeing a cold man''s face suddenly appeared on his screen. Suddenly, Aaron thought that his stomachache had miraculously disappeared and he no longer find the urge to do his business in the restroom.

    "President Mo. What can I do for you?" Aaron stood up straight and leaned on the wall behind him. They have just seen each other a few hours ago. Back then, Neil''s expression was not as frightening as it was now.

    "My darling was upset when he heard that we used to be together," Edith said. "Tell him that we don''t see each other that way."

    It took Aaron a while to process what was going on. Did the two of them get into a misunderstanding because of him?

    "President Mo." Aaron cleared his throat. "Don''t misunderstand. We don''t see that way towards each other. The only reason I dated her back then was because she had blackmailed me to it."

    "My darling thinks that you have feelings for me. Aaron Li, tell me the truth. Did you think of me that way?"

    His eyes went wide and Aaron started to wave his hands. "No. No. President Mo. I don''t have that kind of feelings for Edith. She is the person I grew up with and we always look over each other." A cursing word escaped his lips. "I was always her punching bag. Why would I like that violent woman? If I stayed with her, I might lose half of my lifespan."

    Edith turned the phone to her and narrowed her eyes. "Shut up. Don''t say anything unnecessary."

    "Yes. I''m sorry." Aaron pursed his lips and nodded obediently.

    The couple was arguing, but he was stuck in the middle to help them resolve their misunderstanding. One was cold as ice and another was as fierce as a tiger. Mommy! He wanted to cry ah!

    Edith turned the screen back to Neil, but before she could say a word, Neil had grabbed her phone and pressed the red button to end the call.

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 193 - I Was Wrong (18+)

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Warning: Half of the chapter is not suitable for underage. Read at your own discretion.

    Edith looked at her mobile phone in Neil''s hand. Then, she shifted her gaze to him and asked, "Do you trust me now?"

    His throat rolled upon meeting her intense gaze. He was perfectly aware that he was being unreasonable and the woman in front of him was aggrieved with the way he had behaved.

    Although he was not comfortable with how Edith and Aaron were close, he had made mistakes when he did not trust her enough and had not let her explain their relationship.

    "I don''t like your friend."

    Edith was startled and she started to wonder if he was going to prevent her from being a friend with Aaron.

    "But I trust you," Neil said.

    He was unhappy seeing Edith with her ex. Though he wished that the two would not be interacting much, he could not prevent her from doing anything she liked. He knew that Edith would not like it if he had restrained her.

    Edith stared at him with an aggrieved expression. "We are a couple. If there is any issue, you need to talk to me instead of ignoring me. Not saying anything is not going to help either of us. I don''t want our relationship to end when it had just begun."

    At the thought that his unreasonable behavior might have caused their relationship to end, Neil suddenly panicked. He walked over to Edith and pulled her into his embrace.

    "Sorry." Neil buried his nose in her hair and took a deep breath. "I was wrong."

    "That the relationship started because I had a little bit too many drinks and made a stupid bet. It was something stupid I did when I was younger," Edith said.

    Back then, they could only hold hands and not do anything beyond that. They tried to kiss but found that the idea was too repulsive. They broke up, knowing that they were better off as brothers who will look over each other''s back.

    "I know."

    "Really?"

    "I didn''t mean to ignore you. When I thought that you used to date him and how you are still very close to him, I get upset to the point that I did not know what to do. What if he still had feelings for you? What if that old feeling rekindled?"

    Edith found their situation was a bit surprising. He was President Neil Mo of MH Group, and he was out of her league. He could get any woman he wanted, but surprisingly, he had his own insecurities. He would get jealous to the point that he started to act unreasonably.

    She pulled away from his embrace with ease and looked at him in the eye. "Neil Mo. You listen to me. I only like you." Seconds later, she grabbed at the front of his shirt, forcing him to bent down before she pressed her lips on his in a kiss.

    Neil was momentarily shocked at her action. Her kiss was not as gentle as it usually was. Neil thought that her kisses at this time were a little bit rough and domineering. It was as if she wanted to punish him for doubting her.

    But he thought that her domineering side was quite attractive and he was enjoying this style.

    As he thought that the woman in his arms belonged to him, Neil felt his possessiveness grew. Soon, he followed suit and kissed her with the same desperation.

    The room grew hot and the sounds of heavy panting and moaning resounded. They were both kissing each other as if they had something to prove to each other. For Edith, she had wanted to let him know that she had only liked him, Neil Mo, and no one else. For Neil, he had wanted to let her know that she can only be his.

    His throat rolled and Neil tried to take dominance in their little dance.

    Sensing what he was about to do, Edith pulled away from him and broke their kisses. Her eyes grew darker, knowing that Neil was trying to use his height as an advantage to take control of their kiss.

    Edith raised her hands to his chest and gave him a little shove.

    The man staggered backward before he fell on the bed behind him. Neil tried to sit up. Before he was able to register what was going on, a shadow loomed over him and his lips were caught again.

    Edith parted her legs, straddled his body, and kissed the man under her senselessly. She wanted to give him a lesson for doubting her while trying to convince him what she felt for him. Until he was convinced that she only liked him and not somebody else, Edith was determined that she was not going to back down.

    Their bodies were sticking to each other close as they continued the battle.

    Even though he had a lot of strength as compared to Edith, she would always find a way to break away from his move.

    Noticing that he was unable to push her under him and turn the situation around, Neil decided not to fight for it. Someone was taking the initiative to coax him and he was not going to reject her attention.

    His hands stopped trying to push her under him and instead, Neil rested his hands on her waist to hold her in place. Slowly, his hand crept under her shirt and he started to grab her soft mount.

    A moan escaped her at the contact. Edith broke their kiss and stared at the man under her.

    She was suddenly reminded of Lily''s advice and thought that it was pretty helpful. At least, they have forgotten about whatever argument they had in the first place and Neil''s eyes on her were no longer as cold as it was a few hours ago.

    Neil froze when the woman on top of him had suddenly pulled away. He had thought that perhaps she was not happy that he had touched her chest and was going to push him away.

    However, a few seconds later, Edith leaned forward again and bite at a spot on his neck.

    Neil let out a sharp gasp. His breathing grew quicker as he felt the way she had sucked at the spot. Her move gave him both pain and pleasure.

    He closed his eyes to enjoy the way she had made him feel while his hand started to move again, exploring her skin under her big T-shirt. Suddenly, Neil felt a strong tug and the towel around his waist loosened.

    His throat rolled when her hand reached for his shaft and started to fondle them curiously.

    Neil grew excited as he was reminded of that night Edith had gotten too drunk and had insisted to touch him everywhere on his body.

    Her lips moved to leave her marks on his jawline, to his collarbone, and then, she went lower as she continued to tease him the way he would tease her previously. Her hand continued to move on his length, pleasuring him.

    This time, she was not drunk and was completely aware of what she was doing. The way she was touching him was different. Her hand would move to touch him and experiment at which way he enjoyed to be touched the most.

    It was torturing him.

    "Baby." His voice became hoarse as he continued to whisper her name. "A little faster."

    After a while, he was no longer able to bear the stimulation. His breathing hitched and a low grunt escaped him.

    When he came to his senses, the woman on top of him was staring at her hands which were smeared by his load. As if sensing the way he was staring at her, Edith turned to look at him with a languid smile on her face. "Do you like it?"

    Unable to find his voice, Neil only replied to her with a soft nod.

    Her body on top of him moved as she tried to find a comfortable place.. Leaning forward, Edith gave a peck on his lips and chuckled just beside his ear. "Then, do you want more?"

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 194 - Are You Going To Coax Me Again?

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Lily was right about one thing¡­ After a night battle, when the sun is up, the relationship would then turn to normal. Well¡­ at least, before she closed her eyes and sleep, her darling''s cold gaze had turned warm.

    Though she did not own battle armor, her battle instinct was high enough that it had saved her life.

    Edith blinked as she stared at the bare chest in front of her and the memories of last night rushed to her mind.

    It turned out that making love to dispel someone else''s jealousy could be quite fun. Although she did not enjoy his misunderstanding and jealousy, at least, coaxing him was exciting.

    As the thought came to her mind, Edith started to wonder if she should get them into another misunderstanding so that she could enjoy the process of coaxing him. But when she recalled that frightening Iceblock Mo, Edith decided not to go through with her plan.

    Fortunately, their misunderstanding this time was not that bad. They have resolved their misunderstanding and stopped fighting before they went to bed. Edith was sure that she could not bear the idea of going to sleep without resolving whatever issue they had.

    At the thought that Hazel might wake up anytime soon, Edith tried to get off the bed and slipped out of the bedroom. However, her movement halted as her waist was feeling a little bit sore.

    When she recalled the second half of their battle, Edith had the urge to cry. Although she was domineering the battle in the first half, her body started to go weak afterward, and soon, the man had turned around the situation to return her favor.

    By now, Neil knew her soft spot and would tease her here and there until her body grew weak with pleasure. Soon, she was at his mercy and could no longer slip away as she liked. Taking the chance, Neil then got his revenge and punished her until she had no strength to lift a finger.

    It seemed that she needed to work on her stamina. But still¡­ even if she had her stamina, this man still knew her weak spot and would torture her until she gave up.

    Edith let out a groan, knowing that she would never win the overall battle. Another thought came to her mind and Edith began to seriously consider getting a battle armor.

    Should she ask Lily to come and shop with her? Her friend has been married for years and would surely know which battle armor is the best¡­

    As if sensing that someone was watching her, Edith raised her head and met with Neil''s piercing gaze.

    His lips turned to a smile and he leaned in to kiss her forehead. "Good morning."

    Edith stared at him for a long time, not saying anything. Seeing that the smile on his face did not disappear, Edith shifted away slightly and asked, "Not angry anymore? Not jealous anymore?"

    The smile on his face froze. The tip of his ears reddened and Neil lowered his head, embarrassed. Seconds later, he looked at her again and flashed a roguish smile. "Are you going to coax me again?"

    Knowing that he was only teasing her, Edith turned her head away as if too lazy to look at him. However, her body was still sore from last night''s battle and she could not turn around too much. In the end, she could only find a comfortable position and buried her face on his chest.

    Edith closed her eyes as she felt his hand caressing her back. Just like that, the couple was enjoying the silence between them.

    "Darling," Edith spoke after a while. "You cannot be jealous of me and Aaron, alright? I''ve explained to you our relationship last night. When I started to live with my grandfather, he often left me at his parents'' place whenever he had to work overtime. We grew up with each other and found the idea of being together is too absurd."

    Neil stared at her and asked, "Is he important to you?"

    Edith nodded. "We look after each other. Whenever one of us gets bullied, the other would seek revenge. That was all. When I was bullied in the past, Aaron would be the first to help me. This is the kind of friendship we have. You can say that we are like sworn-brothers. Therefore, if you are going to ask me to cease contact with him, it would be impossible."

    "I am not going to ask you to do such a thing." Neil stared into her eyes and sighed. "I cannot promise that I would not get jealous." He watched her frowned and continued, "After all, that feeling was not something that I can control. But I can promise you that I won''t misunderstand your relationship anymore."

    Her eyes brightened up and Edith leaned to kiss a spot on his neck. She pulled away and studied the mark on his neck with a reddened face. Edith stretched her hand and touched the spot. "President Mo, how are you going to show up at work tomorrow with this mark on your neck?"

    "What''s wrong? Even if I showed up with this mark, who would dare to say a thing about it?" He chuckled.

    Alright. If he can be thick-skinned and appear at his office like that, she would not say anything. After all, other than a few people who were stationed at the president''s floor, none of the staff knew about their relationship.

    Neil moved a hand to her waist and started to help her massage the sore spot. A thought came to his mind, and Neil asked, "Where did you learn your self-defense move?"

    He could still remember last night, no matter how he tried to subdue her, the silly woman would often find a way to squirm out of that position and turned the table. It was how he had lost the first battle between them.

    Edith laughed at his question. She pondered over his question and answered, "I was around ten when my grandpa suddenly thought that I should learn self-defense skills. Even if I did not want to learn them, my grandpa was so determined to make me learn." A laugh escaped her as she recalled her childhood.

    The corner of his lips turned as he looked at the expression on her face.

    "Grandpa and his teammates would always try-out a few moves. According to my grandpa, as long as I can protect myself and escape safely whenever I''m in trouble, he would be relieved. Therefore, most of the moves I know was self-defense as well as ways to escape."

    "Your grandpa is right. It is good as long as you could protect yourself well and escape whenever you''re in trouble."

    "Hmm¡­" Edith nodded. "I am planning to teach those move to Hazel later on. They said that learning self-defense would raise one''s confidence. Perhaps Hazel would not be so afraid after learning a little bit."

    Neil leaned to kiss the tip of her nose and spoke, "I agree to whatever you say."

    After staying in each other''s embrace for a while, Edith finally shifted to look around. The room was still dark with the blind curtains blocking the window. She reached for her phone at the bedside table and froze when she saw the time.

    Swiftly, Edith pushed the man beside her, jumped out of bed, and scramble to pick up her clothes.

    "What''s wrong with you?" Neil asked as he observed his girlfriend.

    "I''m late!"

    Neil chuckled. "What do you mean. It''s Sunday. You don''t need to go to work today, do you?"

    "It''s not that." Edith slipped into her shirt. "Hazel should be up at this time. I don''t want her to see me coming out of your room." Edith picked up her shorts and paused when there was a sudden, anxious knocking at the door.

    Her heart skipped a beat and Edith turned to look at Neil.

    "Uncle!" Hazel''s voice sounded anxious as she continued to knock. "Uncle! Open up! Auntie Edith is missing!"

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 195 - Auntie Edith Has Gone Missing!

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    The two grownups paused and turned to look at each other.

    Neil was amused when he saw the surprised look on his girlfriend''s face.

    Though she had said that she was going to talk to Hazel and explained that they have been sharing a bedroom, Edith has been delaying on this matter for a long time.

    It looked like they can no longer pretend and keep this matter a secret from that little girl.

    Seeing that his girlfriend was unable to respond, Neil got off the bed and look for something to wear.

    "Uncle! Are you there?" Hazel knocked on the door again, and this time, the sound was a little louder.

    "Yes. Hold on. I''ll be out shortly," Neil shouted back.

    Edith watched as Neil slipped into a shirt and pants and immediately went to his side as he was a few inches away from the door. She grabbed at his wrist and stared back at him with horror. "What are you trying to do?"

    "I''m just going to open the door."

    "Why?"

    His lips twitched. "Hazel is out there looking for you. What do you think I should do? Hazel would be worried when she could not find you in your room." Neil inched closer to her face and whispered. "Then, do you think you want to stay in my room here forever?"

    "Why does this happen when I stay for one night in your room? You never got caught sneaking out from my room." Edith retracted her hand and looked at him with an aggrieved face. "This is your fault!"

    "Alright. It is my fault." Neil chuckled. He helped to adjust her shirt and turned to the door.

    Hazel''s eyes grew bright when she saw her uncle appeared at the door. "Uncle! Auntie Edith has gone missing! Do you think that she has run away?"

    Neil turned his gaze towards the person who was hiding behind the door and then back at the little girl. "Why do you think that Auntie Edith had run away?"

    "Last night, she told me that you were angry at her. Auntie Edith is a good girl. She should have apologized to you if she did something wrong."

    That was what her teacher had taught them. Whenever they did something wrong, they have to apologize. Little Hazel looked up to her Auntie Edith so much and she believed that her auntie would have gone to look for her uncle to apologize.

    A gasp escaped her and Hazel eyed her uncle suspiciously. "Uncle! What did you do?"

    Her uncle can be fierce. What if he had said something to her Auntie Edith because he was too angry and cause her auntie to run away?

    Neil felt that something was not right with the way Hazel was looking at him. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

    Hazel did not say a word, but the accusation in her eyes was too obvious. Neil could guess that the little girl was thinking that he had said something to her Auntie Edith and made her run away.

    The two of them were blood-related, but it seemed that his little niece favored her Auntie Edith more and would be on her side if they get into an argument one day.

    "Why are you so sure that she has gone missing?"

    "Her bedroom door was half-opened. She is not inside. I look for her in the kitchen and she is not there. Usually, if Auntie Edith went out to by breakfast, she would tell me or leave a note on the dining table. But she is not around and there is no note." Hazel''s voice trembled as she continued to speak.

    Various scenarios came to her mind and Hazel was worried that her Auntie Edith would suddenly leave and disappeared. It was not long ago that she had lost her parents. At the thought that the person she relied on and trusted most would suddenly leave her, Hazel grew afraid.

    "Uncle, help me to find Auntie Edith, alright?"

    The little girl''s lips were slightly pouted. Neil had a feeling that if he had said no, the little girl would cry.

    Neil glanced at the person who hid behind the door again and raised a brow at her as if asking whether she wanted to come out or not.

    Edith, who was listening to the little girl''s words felt a tug on her heart. She stretched her hand and tugged on Neil''s shirt.

    A sigh escaped him, knowing well what his girlfriend was asking him to do. Neil crouched to get to Hazel''s height and patted at the little girl''s hair. "Alright. Don''t get upset. Your Auntie Edith is fine."

    "Did she tell you where she was going when she left?"

    "She did not leave."

    Hazel''s eyes grew misty. She blinked and a tear streamed down on her cheek.

    Neil glanced at Edith and said. "Look, you have made Hazel cry."

    "Ah?" Edith panicked and suddenly walked out from her hiding place. Her eyes went wide upon seeing the tears on Hazel''s face. Edith leaned over and ran her thumb on Hazel''s cheek to wipe the tears. "Hazel, what''s wrong?"

    "Auntie Edith!" Hazel spread her arms and buried her face in her auntie''s embrace. Her tone was full of complaint.

    Neil stared at the scene with his mouth gaped. He wanted to tease his girlfriend and was not expecting Hazel to actually cry.

    "Why are you crying?" Edith asked.

    Hearing the question, Hazel''s crying grew louder. The two grownups looked at each other and both were at loss at what to do.

    "I thought," Hazel tightened her grip around Edith''s neck and sniffled. "I thought you have left me. Auntie Edith, don''t leave me, alright?"

    Edith patted her back and hugged the little girl tightly, giving her a sense of security. "Why would I leave you? Where would I go?" Her voice grew soft as she tried to coax the little girl. "I promised that I will stay with you, didn''t I?"

    Hazel bit at her lips and did not speak of her worry. She was afraid that if she had said her worry out loud, it will become true.

    The last time, Cindy Bai called her unwanted and a bad luck bringer. It had left a shadow in her heart and Hazel was afraid that Edith would not want her anymore.

    Suppressing her grievance, Hazel tightened her embrace on Edith and had refused to let go.

    It took her a while until Hazel was finally calm. Her face reddened and her eyelashes were wet with tears. She looked very pitiful and Edith was having a hard time letting her go. However, after crouching down for so long, her legs were starting to sore.

    "Are you hungry?" Edith asked. She watched Hazel nodded and smiled. "Can you wait for me downstairs with your uncle? I''ll take a shower first. Then, we''ll make breakfast together, alright?"

    Neil looked at Hazel and reached her hand. "Alright. Hazel, let''s go downstairs."

    Hazel stared at her uncle with uncertainty, but before she could say a word, her uncle had already carried her into his arms and headed downstairs. Hazel stared at Edith and her gaze did not leave her figure until Hazel saw her enter her bedroom.

    As they arrived in the living room, Neil placed the little girl on the sofa. Then, he turned around and pulled a few tissue paper to help Hazel clean her face.

    It was Sunday morning and therefore, Auntie Emma did not come over to cook.

    "Alright. Stop crying. Your Auntie Edith is fine, isn''t she?" Neil tried to coax. He stared at Hazel for a long time and hesitated before he spoke again. "She is not going to leave. You know that we are dating, right?"

    Hazel nodded.

    "Now that we are a couple, it is natural for us to be sleeping together. Your Auntie Edith is not leaving. She is just moving over to my room." Neil continued to observe her reaction as he prepared herself for Hazel''s questions.

    "Just like mommy and daddy?"

    "Un." Neil nodded. "Just like your mommy and daddy."

    Hazel listened to her uncle''s explanation and soon, her worry gradually disappeared.

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 196 - Jamie Had Returned

    Since Hazel had understood that a couple usually slept together, Neil had tricked Edith into moving her things to his room.

    Now that he no longer have to sneak around to sleep with his girlfriend, his mood has become much better and it was very noticeable among the staff in the company.

    A few managers who had a meeting him had noticed a hickey on his neck was initially shocked. A few of them had their detective sense on and quickly guessed that their president was happy because of his girlfriend.

    There was another wave of gossips among the staff but unlike in the past, Assistant Shawn did not make any move to shut down the rumor. This made them started to believe that the rumor was true. Soon, they started to try to find out the identity of President Mo''s girlfriend, but no one had heard anything.

    They tried to ask their friends who were working on the president''s floor, but none of them would dare to speak a word and lose their job.

    When Henry showed up at the office, he had run into a few gossiper staff and heard their speculation on President Mo''s girlfriend.

    However, Henry has been friends with Neil for years and knew that the possibility for Neil to have a girlfriend was very thin as not many would be able to tolerate an iceblock like him.

    The elevator arrived and Henry went over to Neil''s office. He knocked and entered with permission.

    "Why are you here?" Neil frowned when he saw his friend walked in.

    "We haven''t seen each other for a while. Don''t you miss me?"

    Neil rolled his eyes. He watched as Henry pulled out a few documents and turned to study them.

    A while later, Secretary An entered the room carrying a pot of tea and some refreshment. She placed the tray on the table and left the two friends inside.

    Henry poured himself a cup of tea and took a sip. "I went to the police headquarters and heard a few things about the serial murder case. I heard from a friend that before she died, Miss Shen was mingling around a few influential people. One of them is Joshua Fu and the other is Secretary Andrew Liu."

    A frown appeared on his face as Neil was reminded on the night that he had run into both Amanda and Secretary Liu a few months ago. "Secretary Andrew Liu? The man beside General Attorney Leng?"

    Henry nodded. "That''s the one."

    Neil pursed his lips into a thin line and lowered his head to hide from Henry''s gaze. "Now that the police had linked Miss Shen''s death to that serial murder, I don''t wish to hear such gossip about her anymore."

    Henry opened his mouth to speak but stopped himself when he saw the displeased look on Neil''s face. Then, he recalled the reason he had come over to meet Neil. "Jamie had returned to the city last night and the guys were going to hold a celebration party. Why don''t you come along?"

    "That person had returned?" Neil looked up in surprise. A few seconds later, he lowered his head again. "I''m not going. It''s enough for that person to come over and report for work next Monday."

    His lips twitched at the way Neil had addressed their friend. "Are you still angry?"

    Neil did not answer but instead shot Henry with a dagger look.

    Seeing the look on his face, Henry coughed dryly and looked away. "At least you should give me a reason. How am I supposed to answer the others when they asked for you?"

    "Just tell them that I wanted to spend my time with my girlfriend."

    Henry scoffed. "What girlfriend? Did you expect them to believe it?"

    "It''s up to them whether they wanted to believe it or not. It''s the truth."

    Henry stared at Neil''s face for a long time and soon, his expression changed. He had been friends with Neil for years and knew that Neil would not joke about this matter.

    Just as he was about to shift his gaze, Henry''s gaze fell on a mark on Neil''s neck. Although that mark was starting to fade, Henry was familiar with that mark and knew what it implied.

    Suddenly, Henry recalled the whispering voices he had heard while he was at waiting for the elevator. The staff was gossiping about their president''s mysterious girlfriend.

    A few cursing words escaped his lips and Henry looked at his friend with a surprised expression. "You''re not lying? You''re in a relationship?"

    "Why would I lie to you about this?"

    Henry grew excited at this news. "Who is that girl? Is it someone I know?"

    "You''re right. You know her too."

    A deep frown appeared on his face as Henry tried to think of the few girls who had been on Neil''s side. However, no matter how much he tried to think, Henry could not make a guess.

    "Who?"

    The corner of his lips turned up. "Edith Qian."

    "Edith Qian?" Henry repeated. "Teacher Qian??"

    Neil answered him with a hum.

    "When did you get together?"

    "Just a few months ago."

    A thought came to his mind and Henry stood up suddenly and pointed a finger at Neil. "The last time I mentioned my plan to pursue her, you told me that she had someone she liked. So was that a lie?"

    Neil looked at his friend calmly. "I was not lying. Back then, she did have someone she liked. That person is me."

    Henry stared at Neil in disbelief. He slid into the chair behind him and took a deep breath. "Alright. Tonight I will be having dinner at your place."

    "Why do you want to have dinner at my place?"

    "Of course it is to verify whether you are telling me the truth."

    "Didn''t you said you were going to Jamie''s party?"

    "I''ll go after having dinner at your place."

    Neil Mo looked at his friend and decided not to argue. He pulled out his phone and texted Edith to inform her that an uninvited guess would be coming for dinner.

    Henry waited for Neil to clock off work as he was planning to have a meal at Neil''s place. The two of them reached the basement and walked over to their vehicle which was parked side by side.

    However, their steps slowed when they saw a silhouette stood just beside Neil''s SUV.

    "Hey! Who are you?" Henry stepped forward. "What are you doing there?"

    The man was startled when at the sudden call. But his expression changed when he saw Neil beside Henry. His lips suddenly curled into a smile. "President Mo. I came here to see you."

    "If you have something to talk to me about, then I suggest you make an appointment with my assistant. I don''t have time to entertain you at this moment," Neil said. "Now, you need to step aside or I will call the security."

    The man watched as Neil took out his phone.. But instead of panicking, the smile on his lips widened. "President Mo, don''t you want to know what happened to your brother?"

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 197 - Rainmaker

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Neil walked into the cafe and found that Henry had his arms crossed on his chest as he stared at the young man in front of him. He slid into the chair next to Henry and the waitress came to serve their drinks.

    Sensing that his friend had returned, Henry eased his pose and barked, "Speak."

    The young man chuckled. He took a sip at his coffee languidly and smiled. "First, let me introduce myself. My name is Charles Tang. But you probably know me as Rainmaker."

    Henry laughed at his words. "Rainmaker? What''s that supposed to mean?"

    Meanwhile, Neil frowned upon hearing that very familiar name.

    "President Mo, I believe that you should recognize this name," Charles spoke. "After all, you have sent your lawyer to look for me previously."

    Henry turned his head to Neil and watched as he spoke slowly. "You''re that blogger."

    The smile on Charles'' lips stretched up.

    "You know him?" Henry asked.

    "We have a dealing with him previously," Neil said. "He operated a blog and mostly write on sensational news to attract his readers."

    Charles laughed. "Don''t confuse us with those yellow press. What my team and I did was to expose the truth to the public. We don''t write reports without carefully investigating them."

    Neil closed his eyes and leaned lazily on his chair. "Let''s not waste our time. Mr. Charles, I would appreciate it if you tell me why did you come to find me. What do you know about my brother''s death? Or, were you just bluffing to get my attention?"

    "President Mo, since I dared to publish those articles back then, naturally, I do know something about it," Charles said. "What was he investigating before he died as well as what he found out before he died."

    "How can we trust your words?" Henry asked.

    Charles turned to Henry. "Mr. Wu, I believe that you were looking for a prosecutor named Jennifer Jiang."

    Both Neil and Henry''s eyes turned darker at the mention of the name.

    Henry had previously found out that Adam and Clare had a few meetings with that prosecutor in a restaurant in A City. They sensed that the prosecutor might know something behind Adam''s death and had tried to find her. However, after Adam and Clare passed away, Jennifer Jiang seemed to be disappearing as well.

    Her co-workers mentioned that she had stopped showing up at work without notice and her family believed that she was on a holiday in Paris. It has been more than half of year but Jennifer Jiang has not shown up and her family continued to believe that she was on holiday all around the world.

    "You know where she is?" Henry asked. His eyes narrowed. "What is your relationship with Miss Jiang?"

    "Jennifer is my sister," Charles said. He saw the confused look on the men''s face and took the initiative to explain. "Our parents got divorced when we were still young. I went with my mother and my sister went with our father. We were separated for years and only reunited after we were in college. Regarding her whereabouts¡­ I''m sorry, for our safety, I cannot tell you where she is."

    "What do you know about Adam''s death?" Neil asked

    "I''m sure by now you should know that your brother has been investigating MH Group''s hospital project," Charles said. "He found out that the fund was misappropriated by a few of your directors."He took out a pen, write down a few words, and pushed the paper across the table. "These were the names that my sister had mentioned previously."

    Neil read the name and recognized that they were the directors of MH Group. Before he was able to take the paper, Charles had retracted his hand and tore the paper into tiny pieces.

    Through his investigation, Neil found out that Adam was looking into these directors before he died. At that time, Neil had a suspicion that these directors were somehow involved with Adam''s accident, however, they could not find out any leads and the evidence had disappeared.

    "Your brother found out something else during his investigation and that was how he and my sister started to contact each other," Charles continued. "My sister was investigating some higher-ups on a bribery case when they met. From what I understood, your directors and these higher-ups were working together. As for who was that higher-ups involved, my sister never mentioned them to me for my safety."

    The frown on Neil''s face deepened.

    "Your brother was cooperating with my sister to get these men," Charles said. "Later, I heard that your brother might have found strong evidence to put them behind bars. My sister was working on some papers to charge those men with their crimes when your brother suddenly met with an accident. After that, my sister went missing as well. It was not until recently that she began to contact me again."

    "Why do you come to me at this time and tell me all these?" Neil asked. "Why didn''t you come earlier and explain?"

    "President Mo, you threatened to close my company and sue me after I posted that article, do you think I would be in a mood to contact you?" Charles said and chuckled. "If it was not for my sister, I would not be here."

    "What do you want?" Henry asked. "Your sister asked you to find President Mo, what is she planning to do?"

    "Of course, she was hoping that President Mo would be able to cooperate with her and help her to continue where they have left off." Charles stared at Neil and continued, "President Mo, don''t you want to find justice for your little brother and your sister-in-law as well?"

    ¡­

    Neil and Henry left the cafe after exchanging a few more words with Charles Tang. Neil did not quickly agree to work together with the brother and sister and instead, told Charles that he was going to think about the matter first. Before they parted, Charles had passed him a black USB and asked him to look at them when he was at home.

    The talk with Charles took a long time. Henry decided to postpone his dinner at Neil''s place and instead went to the club to see his friends and welcome Jamie back to the city.

    When he entered the house, Hazel walked over to welcome him with a bright smile on her face. Seeing the face that resembled both Adam and Clare, Neil became momentarily stunned. Suddenly, the conversation with Charles came over to his mind.

    "Uncle, are you alright?"

    The little girl''s voice snapped him out of his thought.

    "Why are you late? Auntie Edith had made a lot of dishes. If you come back later, the food was going to get cold," Hazel complained. Her tiny mouth opened to continue, but Hazel stopped herself when her uncle suddenly pulled her into a hug.

    "Uncle, what''s wrong?" Hazel asked. "Are you unwell?"

    "No. I''m fine," Neil said.. "I was happy to see you welcome me at the door. Let me hug you for a while, alright?"

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 198 - To Think And Focus Better

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    When Edith walked out of the bathroom, Neil was not in the room waiting for her like he usually does. Recalling the strange mood from Neil during dinner, Edith went out to look for her boyfriend.

    She walked past his office room and saw that the door was slightly ajar. The lights coming from the room told her that Neil was inside.

    Edith knocked on the door, pushed the door slightly, and peeked inside. Her gaze softened upon seeing that her boyfriend was sitting behind the desk.

    "Why are you here?" Neil glanced at his computer screen where incomplete information of his brother''s previous investigation regarding the hotel construction was shown.

    After dinner, Neil went to his office to look at the contents of the USB that Charles Tang had handed to him.

    Most of the information that Charles Tang had was incomplete. Though that information would lead anyone to believe that the directors were involved in bribery, they were not concrete evidence and could not be used to put them behind bars.

    In the end, he spent hours processing the new information that he did not realize the time.

    "Don''t you have a class in the morning?" Neil continued to ask. "Why aren''t you sleeping yet?"

    "I didn''t see you in the room and decided to come and look for you," Edith said.

    A teasing smile curved on his lips. "What is it? You couldn''t sleep without me?"

    Knowing that he was intending to tease her, Edith decided to play along. "Un." She nodded. "It''s cold. It seemed that I was getting used to having someone warming the bed before sleep."

    A chuckle escaped him. The knot on his face gradually disappeared and he put the information he read on the USB earlier on the back of his mind. Neil closed the documents on his computer and switched to another window. Then, he leaned back on his swiveled chair and waved his hand. "Come here."

    Edith rushed over and stopped just before she reached his side. "Are you busy?"

    "I will be done soon," Neil said. "Accompany me for a while."

    Edith pulled a chair to sit down and stopped when the man in front of her patted at his thigh, motioning her to sit on his lap. Just as she was about to decline his offer, Edith heard his voice again.

    "Didn''t you say you''re cold?" Neil raised a brow and patted at his thigh again. "Sit over here and let me warm you."

    "I have a feeling that I will be in a dangerous position if I sit on your lap."

    "You don''t trust me?"

    Edith stared at the handsome man in front of her and laughed. "At this time, no."

    However, before she got the chance to escape, Neil had caught her wrist and gave it a little tug. In just seconds, Edith was lying in his arms. Her eyes blinked and her heart raced as they stared into each other''s gaze.

    Since she was already caught, Edith did not struggle to get off. Instead, she linked her arms around his neck and leaned on his chest. "Will you be able to continue your work like this?"

    Neil leaned forward to close the gap between their faces. "Otherwise, should we do something else?"

    Once she understood what he was trying to suggest, Edith gritted her teeth and attempted to get off his laps. However, Neil had prevented her from escaping again.

    "I''m on my period, remember?" Edith said quickly.

    "Just stay here for a while," Neil said with a laugh. "I just wanted to hug you. It won''t affect my work. I''ll just pretend that I am hugging a big baby while I read these documents."

    Edith thought of how Neil would often call her ''baby'' during their lovemaking and her face turned pink. Swiftly, she buried her face on his chest and refused to look at the man.

    Seeing that the girl was sitting obediently in his arms, Neil continued to look at the email in front of him.

    "Are you taking Hazel to the cemetery tomorrow?" Edith asked.

    It has become a routine for Neil to bring Hazel over to the cemetery to visit Hazel''s parents on the weekend.

    His eyes darkened at the thought of his brother and the conversation he had earlier that day. Neil let out a hum before he looked at Edith again. "We''ll come over to find you after your class, is that alright?"

    "No. That''s fine. I forgot to tell you that I will be meeting Lily after my class.

    "Where are you going?"

    "Just accompanying Lily to shop around. It won''t take too long."

    A while ago, Lily had asked her about the outcome of her battle strategy and Edith had admitted that she did not own any battle armor. Shocked, Lily then convinced her to go and shop around together. According to Lily, those pieces of garments would be useful, and she could always use them in an emergency.

    Neil leaned over to pull out the top drawer. Seconds later, Edith found a black card in her hands.

    "What is this for?" Edith asked.

    "Didn''t you say that that you''re going shopping? The PIN is written on the back of the card."

    Edith shot him an uneasy look. "I still have money with me."

    She had dated him because she liked him very much.

    Though Neil was very wealthy, Edith would feel uncomfortable whenever he gave him a little bit of money. It was understandable when he gave her some money for grocery shopping, but to receive a black card from him gave her a different feeling.

    Edith did not want to feel as if she was dating this man for his money.

    "You don''t have to use them if you didn''t want to," Neil said. "Just keep them with you for an emergency. If you found something that Hazel might like, just buy them for her."

    Hearing his words, Edith had no reason to reject his offer. Though Neil had given her his credit card, she didn''t need to use them.

    Edith clenched her hand on the card and sat comfortably in his embrace while Neil continued to read the emails from his assistant.

    Seeing that he was concentrating on reading his emails, Edith did not make any sounds or movements. However, after staying in his embrace and inhaling his scent for a while, Edith was starting to feel a bit drowsier.

    Just as she was about to fall asleep, Edith noticed that something was amiss. Her sleepy eyes snapped open and she stared at the man who had his attention on the computer screen with a serious look on his face.

    Edith could not tell whether he was really concentrating on his work or if he was just pretending.

    "What are you doing?" Edith asked.

    Neil snapped out from his thought as he heard her voice. He looked away from the documents and turned to Edith in the puzzle. "Just reading some information that Assistant Shawn send me earlier. What''s wrong?"

    Edith felt the corner of her lips twitched upon hearing his answer. "Then, what is your hand doing in my shirt?"

    Neil turned to look and noticed for the first time that his hand had somehow sneaked into her shirt and he was fondling her chest absentmindedly.

    Finding that it was comfortable to touch them, Neil did not attempt to pull his hand away. Instead, he gave them a gentle squeeze.

    Neil cocked his head sideways and continued, "I think they are helping me to think better and focus better. They felt comfortable in my hand."

    Edith wanted to curse and asked whether he thought of her chest as his stress ball. At this time, his finger carelessly brushed against her bud, causing her to stiffen.. After cursing him a rogue, Edith turned her head and took a bite on his chest for revenge.

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 199 - Lilys News

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Edith immediately noticed Lily''s vehicle the moment she stepped out of the class. She walked over, slid into the passenger''s seat, and glanced at the back seat only to find them empty. "Alex is not coming with you?"

    A chuckle escaped her. "Do you think the place where we''re going is suitable for me to bring my son along? Relax. Ethan is at home to babysit him. They should be spending their quality times building model."

    "Where are you taking me?"

    "Let''s go to the mall in the eastern district. I know a good shop over there."

    Edith nodded and let her friend decide. The two of them chatted in the car and finally reached the mall after almost forty minutes'' drive. It was the weekend. The traffic was pretty bad and it took them some time before they could find a parking spot.

    As soon as they entered the mall, Lily dragged her friend to a lingerie shop before Edith could change her mind.

    A female salesperson greeted them and her eyes brightened the moment she saw Lily. "Mrs. He, we haven''t seen you for a while. What do you need this time? Do you want to look at the new arrivals? They have just arrived this week."

    From the salesperson''s words, Edith quickly found out that her friend was the shop''s loyal customer.

    Lily laughed. "This time, I need you to find something for my friend." She grabbed at Edith''s hand and pulled her closer. "Miss Yu, what do you think about my friend?"

    The salesperson called Miss Yu gave Edith a look over. After a while, she inched closer and spoke, "Please excuse my rudeness."

    Just as soon as the words fall, Edith stood straight rigidly as the salesperson had put her hand on her body, feeling her curve under her shirt. After a while, the salesperson took a step back with an amused expression on her face.

    "I can think of a few styles that would look good on your friend," the salesperson said and turned around excitedly.

    "Are you alright?" Lily asked upon noticing that her friend had stood without moving. She then cocked her head sideways and smiled. "The salesperson was only trying to figure out your size. Do you need to be this surprise?"

    Edith quickly recovered upon hearing her friend''s teasing. "Lily Zhao, I did not think that you would be a frequent customer of this place."

    "I''ve told you that the garment is essential. It was helpful to keep things spiced up between Ethan and me."

    Edith put both hands on her ears. "God. I don''t want to hear anything about you and Ethan."

    Lily laughed again. Then, she inched closer and copied what the salesperson had tried to do to Edith a while ago, causing her friend to gasp in surprise.

    "What''s wrong with you?" Edith crossed her hands on her chest and took a few steps back.

    She had let her guard down because Lily was the person she trusted. In the end, she was taken advantage of¡­ twice. Why does everyone like to touch her chest?

    Lily let out a sigh as she continued to give Edith a look over. "You have a great figure. It''s too bad that you have to wear something loose and hide those curves."

    After working as a kindergarten teacher for years, Edith had this habit to wear loose clothes. The first few months of working, there would be a few naughty kids who would suddenly touch her chest. At least, with loose clothing, her curve was hidden and the kids would not tease her and touch where they were not supposed to touch.

    The salesperson came back at this time and showed them a few styles. Lily glanced at her friend again and helped to choose a few styles.

    "You must be crazy if you think I''m going to wear them," Edith said as she eyed the garments. She had seen a few lingerie and nightdress before, but none of them was as revealing as the one in Lily''s hand.

    Edith raised one of the lingerie where the area on the chest was covered with nothing but laces. Her heart jumped and her face turned red. Before she was able to throw that piece of garment away, Lily had stopped her and explained about various types and functions of those delicate and flimsy dresses.

    In the end, Edith walked out of the shop with a reddened face. She shoved the paper bag from that store into her knapsack and made a promise never to go with Lily to this kind of shop again.

    "Why don''t you get anything?" Edith asked upon seeing that her friend had walked out with an empty hand.

    Being friends with Lily for years, Edith was used to hearing Lily talked about her plan to seduce her husband from the moment they were in a steady relationship years ago. All this time, Edith was stuffed with dog food and had grown immune to them.

    Lily heaved a long sigh. "It''s not good to make Ethan too excited."

    Sensing that something was not right from her words, Edith then asked, "What''s wrong?"

    Lily turned with a mysterious smile on her face. "Well, this is supposed to be a secret. But since you''re my best friend, then, I''ll tell you my secret." She let out a giggle, leaned closer, and then whispered, "I''m pregnant."

    Edith stared back at her friend with her mouth ajar. Then, a bright smile curved on her face. "Congratulations!"

    She had always known that Lily had wanted to have a second child and the couple has been trying for a while.

    "We went to check with the doctor last week I should be on the twelve weeks." Lily patted at her flat stomach. "I hope this time, we''ll be having a daughter. Or else, I might really have to consider kidnapping Hazel to my home."

    After walking around to shop for a few more things, Lily dropped her over at the apartment and left.

    Edith heaved a sigh when there was no one at home when she arrived.

    Since she was planning to head out with Lily, Neil decided to stop by his office with Hazel and settle with a few of his work. An employee was going to return from their overseas branch and Neil wanted to prepare for that employee''s return.

    Seeing that the line was clear, Edith went into her bedroom to hide the garments away. Fortunately, the garments were very light and easy to hide. Edith only had to pray that Auntie Emma was not going to find them when she cleaned up the room later.

    Once everything was done, Edith changed her clothes and went into the kitchen to prepare for dinner. When Neil returned, Edith was surprised to see that he had brought home the guest who was supposed to come last night.

    Neil glanced at his friend and sighed. "Sorry.. He insisted to come over and have dinner here."

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 200 - Abused

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    After five minutes of staying in the house, Henry began to regret his decision to have dinner at Neil''s place.

    Initially, he could not believe that his friend, Neil was now in a relationship. Though he knew that Neil would not lie to him, Henry still has his doubt Henry believed that Neil wanted to deceive him into believing that he was in a relationship.

    After a long thought, Henry made an impulse decision to come over. He knew that Neil was at the MH headquarters and therefore, he waited at the lobby for his friend to return.

    Henry thought that since this was a surprise visit, Neil would not be able to come up with something to trick him. However, he did not expect that the moment he stepped into the house, he would see the kindergarten teacher in her apron.

    The way Edith stood at the entrance was as if she was welcoming her husband from work.

    It was a moving scene, but unfortunately for Henry, the woman came out to welcome someone else.

    After assigning him to accompany Hazel with her drawing in the dining area, the couple went into the kitchen to prepare dinner.

    At the thought that the two were only pretending, Henry decided to peek at the couple''s interaction. Through his seat, he was able to glance at the couple and witnessed their affectionate exchange.

    At first, Henry was in disbelief that his iceblock friend was able to act sweetly.

    He had known Neil for years and had seen the way Neil and Amanda interacted while they were dating years ago. Back then, Neil was someone who would never do PDA. He was dating Amanda, but as a friend, Henry thought that their relationship was akin to business partners instead.

    It seemed that Neil and Edith were not pretending to be in a relationship.

    After watching them for a long time, Henry was starting to get annoyed.

    Weren''t they supposed to be washing vegetables and cooking dishes? Was there any need to hug while you were washing vegetables?

    Moreover, when did Neil know to wash vegetables?

    From the way he moved, Henry could see that this was not the first time that Neil had entered the kitchen to help.

    Suddenly, Henry was worried that the two were going to serve him with dog food instead of something that a human could consume.

    Of course, Henry did not know that Edith had suggested for Neil and Hazel to bond together through preparing dishes in the kitchen. Hazel had enjoyed learning cooking and simple dishes and Neil had to join in Hazel''s activities.

    Henry turned to Hazel and saw that the little girl was focusing on her drawing. "Hazel, did your uncle often act like this?"

    The little girl tilted her head in puzzled. "Uncle Henry, what do you mean? What is ''like this''?"

    Suddenly, Henry was at loss at how he should explain to her. "You know¡­ Hugging and whispering to each other like what they are doing now."

    Hazel turned her head towards the kitchen and then, back at Uncle Henry. "Un." She nodded and answered seriously. "Uncle said that he and Auntie Edith are a couple."

    Henry felt the corner of his lips twitched at the way Hazel was addressing Edith.

    "They hug and kiss to show that they love each other," Hazel continued. "Just like mama and papa. In the past, mama and papa would always hug and kiss each other too."

    Henry heaved a sigh, wondering if it was alright for Hazel to know such things. Suddenly, he was worried that the little girl might have seen something that she should not have.

    Suddenly, Hazel stood on the chair and leaned to hug Henry''s upper arm. "I liked Uncle Henry too."

    Henry felt a tug on his heart at the little girl''s adorable action and patted at her hair.

    Soon, the food was served on the table and the delicious aroma of food wafted to his nose. However, Henry thought that everything he ate was a bit too tasteless. The two people across from him would not stop abusing him and he was forced to eat more dog food!

    Henry was sure that Neil was deliberately doing everything he can to show off that he was now someone with a girlfriend.

    After the dinner, Neil brought Henry to his study and the two began to discuss Charles Tang and the USB that he had given him the last time.

    "Do you think I should trust him?" Neil asked.

    At this time, Henry was sitting in front of the computer to read the documents that Charles had given them. Once in a while, his brow would furrow as he continued to digest the information.

    "I''ve looked into him," Henry said. "There was nothing unusual about him and my team had verified that everything he told us yesterday. At this point, we knew that he was not lying."

    His hand paused as he scrolled the documents. Henry has been investigating Adam and Clare''s accident and the investigation has met a dead end. But now that he was looking at the information that Charles had sent, Henry thought that he could begin his investigation from another angle.

    There were a few things that he can look into and perhaps through that lead, he might know what did Adam find out and why did he and his wife had to die.

    There was a long silence on Neil''s part. When Henry looked up, he noticed that his friend was in deep thought. Not wanting to disturb him, Henry turned and continued to read the documents.

    "I think¡­ I wanted to try and work with him," Neil said. "We have been stuck in a dead-end for too long. With this kind of case, it would be best if we find evidence quickly before they destroyed every lead we have."

    "Whatever you decided to do next, you have to be careful," Henry reminded. "I don''t have a problem with you working along with Charles Tang. However, I need to remind you not to trust him that much. I''m worried that he might try to get to our sides only to find out what we know. I don''t want him to come only to destroy everything we have worked on so far."

    Neil nodded. "I know. Next week, Jamie will return to the company. I''m planning to assign Jamie to the accounting department. With Jamie''s help, we might be able to find out something from the accounting department. We have half a year until the auditors are coming over. If anyone wanted to destroy anything, they should do them before the auditors came. Hopefully, Jamie will be able to gain the department''s trust and find out something for us."

    Henry let out a dry cough and eyed his friend cautiously. "Last night, Jamie was still worrying whether you were angry."

    "You''re worrying too much," Neil said quietly.. "If I am still angry, I would not let call that person to return to the city."

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 201 - Assistant Shawns Trick

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Neil has been busy since the morning. With his intention to put Jamie in the accounting department, there were a few things that he had to prepare. After sending Assistant Shawn to deal with the HR Department, Neil walked into the meeting room to listen to their reports.

    It was the beginning of a new month. There were a lot for them to discuss and the meeting lasted longer than it usually does. By lunch hour, the meeting was not yet adjourned. As the others went for their lunch break, Neil went back to his office and continued to browse through some files. An hour later, he got up again and headed to the meeting room to continue the meeting.

    When Secretary An entered the room, she was not surprised to see that the lunch box she had left for the president was remained untouched. With a sigh, Secretary An took out the lunch box and was ready to toss them away.

    Just as she reached the pantry, Secretary An ran into Assistant Shawn and the man eyed the lunch box in her hand.

    "President Mo didn''t touch his lunch?" Assistant Shawn asked. He watched as Secretary An nodded and sighed. "Got it."

    Assistant Shawn watched as Secretary An slid the lunch box into the bin and stood at the side. His lips pursed into a thin line as he was in deep thought. After a while, he took out his phone and texted a number.

    ¡­

    Back at the Sunflower Kindergarten¡­

    Edith was packing up her bag when her phone chimed. Picking up her phone, she was surprised to see that it was a text message from Assistant Shawn.

    His messages stunned her for a few seconds but soon, a frown appeared on her face.

    Earlier that morning, Neil had informed her that he was going to be busy at the office today. Knowing that he was going to be busy, the two of them did not have their video call during her lunch hour like they usually did.

    However, Assistant Shawn had suddenly texted her to tell her that her boyfriend has not had his lunch earlier and he was wondering if she could show up and coax him to eat something.

    After working with his boss for years, Assistant Shawn knew that Neil had this habit to skip lunch when he was too busy with work. Worried that he was going to have another gastric problem, Assistant Shawn decided to ask for Edith''s help.

    Usually, no one would be able to convince their boss to stop looking at the documents for seconds and have something to pad his stomach. Therefore, Assistant Shawn was counting that the president''s girlfriend might be able to do the trick.

    Of course, once Edith knew that her boyfriend was not eating well, she started to worry.

    After giving a call to Nanny Ann and informed that she was going to return late, Edith stopped by a restaurant near the kindergarten to buy some food and took a taxi to MH Group headquarters.

    Because it was the working hour and the employee was busy, there were not many people in the lobby and no one had noticed that she had used her access card to enter the special elevator.

    When she arrived, Assistant Shawn was already waiting for her outside the elevator. "Miss Qian, thank you for coming. I heard from the security that you''ve arrived and decided to wait for you here." His lips stretched up to a smile. Assistant Shawn glanced at the paper bag in Edith''s hand and asked, "Is that for President Mo?"

    Edith nodded. "How is he? Is the meeting over yet?"

    "They are still in the meeting room. But I think they should reach an agreement soon. President Mo and the others will come out soon."

    Edith hesitated. "Are you sure it''s alright for me to be here? I don''t want to distract him when he''s busy." A thought came to her mind and Edith made a suggestion, "Or I could leave the food with you. Just tell him later that I came to visit."

    Assistant Shawn eyed the paper bag but did not take it. "Miss Qian, I think it is better if you stay and accompany President Mo for his meal." He touched the back of his neck and said, "Actually, I have another intention when I asked you to come over and bring something for President Mo."

    Edith looked at the man with a puzzled look.

    "After hours of meeting, President Mo''s mood was not in the best mood." Assistant Shawn flashed an embarrassed smile. "There were a lot of others who were affected by his bad mood. I was hoping that your presence could help President Mo to be in a better mood."

    A laugh escaped her. "Assistant Shawn, you think too highly of me. I don''t think my presence will make any changes in his mood."

    "Miss Qian, whenever you are around, President Mo''s mood would turn better," Assistant Shawn said. "I''ve worked with him for years and I could see that your presence indeed would be able to make his mood better."

    "So, you tricked me into coming over," Edith teased.

    Assistant Shawn laughed. Before the woman could say a word to reject his suggestion, he had already ushered her towards his boss''s office. "Miss Qian, please wait for President Mo in his office. I think the meeting should end in half an hour tops. President Mo only had a few cups of coffee since morning. I am only his assistant and he would not listen to me when I urge him to have something to eat."

    Hearing his words, Edith could not reply to him. "Alright. I''ll go and wait for him in the office. Assistant Shawn, you go and keep your self busy. I know the way to his office."

    Assistant Shawn nodded and turned around to head over to the meeting room.

    Since Edith had come over a few times, the people who were working on the floor had recognized her and no one said a thing when she entered the President''s office.

    ¡­

    A while later, the door to the meeting room swung open and the managers walked out with a serious expression on their faces. They have spent hours in the meeting and their boss had scolded some of them for their incompetency when he noticed a mistake. Naturally, everyone was in a bad mood.

    When Neil stood up from his chair, Assistant Shawn walked over to him and whispered, "President Mo, Miss Qian came over a while ago." Seeing the way his boss''s expression brightened up, Assistant Shawn''s lips curled into a smile, knowing that his plan had worked.

    "Where is she?"

    "Since you were still in the meeting room, she decided to wait for you in your office."

    Neil gathered the file on the table and walked out quickly. However, just as he reached the door, Henry was waiting for him outside. The smile on his face dimmed and a frown appeared on his face. "Why are you here?"

    Henry stared at his friend speechlessly. "Didn''t you asked me to come and bring that person over? Since you were in a meeting, I asked Jamie to wait for you in your office."

    The atmosphere around suddenly turned cold and Neil''s expression turned frightening.

    At the thought that Edith and Jamie were meeting in his office, Neil grew anxious.. He slammed the stack of documents to Assistant Shawn''s hand and ran over to his office.

    Read novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 202 - Stay Away From My Girlfriend!

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Once she had entered the office, Edith put the bag of lunch box on the coffee table and sat down on the sofa.

    She glanced at the desk and sighed when she could not see Neil. Usually, Neil whenever she came in, Neil would be sitting behind his desk and he would lift his head to smile at her.

    Edith snapped out of her thought and smiled sheepishly to herself. They haven''t seen each other for a few hours and now that she could not see his face, Edith thought that she was missing him terribly.

    Seeing that she will need to wait for him for a while, Edith took out her phone and started to read some of the novels that she has been following. Just as she was about to reach an exciting part, someone pushed the door from the outside and entered.

    Edith stood up, thinking that Neil had returned from his meeting. However, the person in front of her was not Neil, but a very pretty lady in suit pants and short hair.

    The two of them looked at each other in a scrutinizing gaze.

    Since this woman had dared to enter Neil''s office without being stopped by the secretaries outside, Edith had thought that this woman should be someone important in the company.

    "Hello," Edith took the initiative to greet the other woman. "Are you looking for President Mo?"

    Seeing the smile on Edith''s face, Jamie Xu let her guard down and entered the room. A bright smile curved on her face. "Hello. I was told to wait for President Mo in his office." Jamie stepped closer and stretched her hand for a handshake. "My name is Jamie Xu. I am here for an interview."

    Edith seemed to recall hearing Neil and Henry talked about a new staff that will be joining the company.

    "I''m Edith Qian." Stretching her arms, Edith shook hand with Jamie. However, as their hands touched, Edith suddenly felt uncomfortable.

    Perhaps, she had been thinking too much, but Edith thought that Jamie was touching her hand differently. It was the same feeling she got when a lecherous man was touching her inappropriately.

    Edith quickly retracted her hand and motioned towards the two-seater sofa across her. "Please, have a seat. President Mo should be here soon."

    Jamie smiled and did not attempt to move. "Miss Qian, are you here for an interview too?"

    "No." She smiled and did not make another explanation.

    When Edith was seated, Jamie moved to sit closer beside her. "Then why are you here?" Seeing the strange look on Edith''s face, Jamie chuckled and explained, "I am merely trying to strike a conversation as we are both waiting for President Mo."

    Edith scooted away, feeling a little uncomfortable. "We can talk, but you don''t need to sit too close to me."

    "Sorry," Jamie lowered her gaze. Then, she looked at Edith again and her gaze grew brighter as she gave Edith another look over.

    No matter how long she looks, Jamie thought that Edith was just her type.

    Edith gave off an innocent vibe that she liked.

    Suddenly, her bad habit resurfaced and Jamie had the urge to tease the woman in front of her until her face turned bright red. Just imagining how she was going to react made Jamie excited.

    Noticing that Edith had turned to look at her phone, Jamie stretched her arms to touch a few strands of Edith''s hair. Her hands were an inch away when Edith suddenly moved to avoid her.

    Jamie was not sure what had happened, but seconds later, her hands were pulled behind her back and her head was pushed towards the sofa''s armrest.

    This was the scene that Neil had witnessed when he appeared at the door. "Edith, are you alright?" Neil asked.

    Hearing his voice, the two women turned their heads to the door.

    "Neil Mo, ask this crazy woman to get off me!" Jamie hissed. Her gaze peeked at the woman who had locked her movement. Jamie had thought that Edith was a soft and gentle woman. She did not expect that Edith would suddenly attack her when she only wanted to touch her hair.

    Neil walked over to his girlfriend and a breath of relief escaped him upon finding that his girlfriend was unharmed. "You can let her go now."

    Edith narrowed her eyes before she gave Jamie a shove.

    "Did she do anything to you?" Neil asked, concerned.

    Edith shook her head. "She was trying to touch me and I reacted quickly."

    His gaze darkened and Neil pulled Edith to hide behind him.

    Seeing that Neil was protecting the woman, Jamie grew angry. "She attacked me first, but you''re protecting her?"

    "You deserved it." Neil''s tone was cold and distant. "Jamie, I permitted you to return to L City, but it does not mean that you should continue to act recklessly. If I see you approaching my girlfriend again, I swear to god, that I will sever our friendship. I don''t care if our family has been friends for years. Stay away from my girlfriend!"

    "Your girlfriend?" Jamie took a step back. It was at this time that she noticed that the two were holding hands. "She''s your girlfriend?"

    She was not expecting Edith to be Neil''s girlfriend! Neil''s last relationship was with Amanda Shen, and that woman was very different than Edith.

    Suddenly, her expression changed.

    The last time, Jamie had almost ruined their years of friendship when she had made a move on Neil''s girlfriend, Amanda Shen. In her defense, Jamie had only wanted to make a point that Amanda was not suitable for her friend.

    Jamie had tried to seduce Amanda and that woman had taken the bait.

    She did not expect that Neil would be so angry when he found them in her apartment.

    Sensing that the two were about to get into a fight, Henry stepped forward and tried to ease the tension. "Alright, you two. Stop fighting." His gaze paused at Neil. "Jamie had just returned. She didn''t know that Edith is your girlfriend." He stepped closer to Neil and whispered, "Remember that you still need Jamie''s help."

    Neil turned to Henry angrily. "I don''t care. I can always find someone else to help."

    Henry muttered a cursing word before he turned to Jamie. "Aren''t you here to apologize?"

    Seeing that Jamie did not make a move, Henry heaved a sigh . He turned to Edith and sent her a distress signal. "Miss Qian, can you help me to coax him?"

    Edith glanced at her boyfriend and saw the angry look on his face. She tugged at his hand and smiled when he looked at her. "Darling, I''m alright. Don''t be angry. But," Edith turned to look at Jamie with a curious gaze. "Who is this person?"

    "Miss Qian, let me introduce you," Henry spoke. "This is Jamie Xu, a good friend of ours. I hope that you can forgive her if she had offended you." He paused to let out a dry cough.. "Jamie¡­ she¡­ had preferences towards women."

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 203 - A Shadow In His Heart

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    The room finally quietened down after Henry had dragged everyone away, leaving only Neil and Edith in the room.

    Edith looked at her boyfriend who was leaning on the sofa with his eyes closed and brought over a cup of water. She sat beside him and offered the cup to him. "Want something to drink?"

    Neil opened his eyes and the cold face turned soft upon seeing his girlfriend. He downed the water in one go, put the cup on the table, and pulled her towards him.

    "Are you alright?" Edith looked at his face and studied his expression.

    She did not think that Neil would be so angry upon finding out Jamie''s attempt to hit on her. Edith thought that his reaction was amusing. After all, Jamie''s a girl and Edith was not the person who would be attracted to people of the same gender.

    A helpless sigh escaped her as she felt the way he was tightening his hold on her body. "What''s wrong?"

    Neil did not answer and instead continued to look at his girlfriend for a long time. When he arrived and saw the way that Edith was restraining Jamie, he was relieved. However, the situation told him that something had happened. Knowing Edith, his girlfriend would not attack anyone without reason.

    But he was not worried that his girlfriend had attacked Jamie. What he was worried about was that Jamie had done something to Edith.

    The memories of that night when he found both Amanda and Jamie together were still fresh in his memories.

    He did not know how Jamie would do it, but that girl always had her way to attract another girl. Wasn''t that was how she had tempted Amanda in the past?

    "What are you worried about?" Edith raised her hand to poke at his cheek.

    Neil heaved a heavy breath. "You. I''m worried if you would someday find Jamie attractive."

    Edith looked at him in disbelief. Suddenly, she burst into a laugh. "How could you think that way?"

    The frown on his face deepened. "Amanda and I broke up because of Jamie. One night, I found them together and they were¡ª"

    He did not finish his words, but from his expression, Edith could guess his meaning. "And you think I would be the same? That I would be attracted to her and change my orientation?"

    The man continued with his silence.

    After he was betrayed by both Jamie and Amanda, Neil had this shadow in his heart.

    If Jamie did something and Edith changed her mind again, what was he going to do? It was hard for him to find a girlfriend and he really liked her very much. After living together for a few months, Neil was used to having her presence around. It was hard for him to imagine if one day, he would return home and found that Edith would no longer be around.

    Edith cupped his face with both hands. "You silly man." She gave a peck on his lips and continued, "Didn''t I tell you previously? Neil Mo, I only like you. Can you have a little more trust in me?"

    Neil found that he was unable to answer. Although he trusted Edith, the matter of the heart could be complicated. He was worried that someday, she might change her mind.

    Moreover, he saw the way Jamie had looked at his girlfriend earlier. Edith seemed to be Jamie''s type.

    At the thought that his girlfriend was someone who could attract bees and butterflies, Neil grew distressed.

    "Jamie is not my type. You are." She pecked at his lips again and smiled. "You are so good looking. Why would I like someone else?"

    A chuckle escaped him. "You only like me because of my look?"

    "It was your look that attracts me first," Edith said and laughed when he narrowed his eyes at her. "Neil Mo, I''m straight. I don''t like Jamie nor do I think that there will be a day for me to like her that way. As long as you continue to be good to me, I will stay by your side. "

    "Really?"

    "Un." Edith nodded. Her gaze fell on his lips and then looked up to meet his gaze again. "Moreover¡­" She lowered her gaze, went closer to his ear, and whispered. "I like the way you make me feel when we were in bed."

    The moment the words escaped her, Edith bit at her lips and her face turned red.

    She was beginning to think that after spending her time with Lily last weekend, her mind was starting to get dirtier.

    Neil froze. The way Edith had whispered to his ear made his body tingle, and the words she said had turned his body hot. "Baby." He swallowed and found that his throat was too dry. "You should know what kind of effect your words would do to me, right?"

    Edith blinked her eyes innocently. "I don''t know."

    Neil took a deep breath to compose himself. "You naughty girl."

    "Then, are you going to punish me?"

    His eyes darkened and his breathing quickened. "Edith Qian, you''re doing this on purpose."

    "What do you mean? I was only trying to coax my boyfriend. What did I do?"

    Seeing the way the girl continued to play dumb with him, Neil leaned forward to bite her lips. When he pulled away, Edith was staring back at him in aggrieve, causing him to feel guilty, and thus, he leaned in again to kiss her lips, gently this time.

    Edith was unaware of how long they have been kissing and coaxing each other. But once his hand cupped at her chest, a gasp escaped her and Edith pulled away.

    Her eyes were misty and her lips were moist and red. "We''re still in your office."

    "I don''t care."

    The corner of her lips twitched, knowing that if she did not stop him, she would be in deep trouble. Feeling the way his hands continued to roam around her body, Edith then reminded him, "I''m still on my period."

    Neil stared at her for a long time. He pecked at her lips and pulled her in his embrace. "How can you tease me so much and pour cold water on me like this?"

    Edith laughed at his words and stayed quiet as he continued to embrace her and calm down.

    After a certain time has passed, Edith gently pulled away. Her gaze fell on the lunch box she had bought for him earlier. "Wait for me here." Edith walked out to reheat the food in the pantry and came back after. "Come on. I came here after knowing that you have skipped lunch. Have something to eat before you''re going to harm your body."

    Neil looked at the food in front of him and frowned.

    Noticing his expression, Edith asked, "What''s wrong? You don''t like the food?"

    "It''s not that." Neil turned to her with a mischievous smile. "But right now, I prefer to eat something else."

    The way he looked at her turned her face red again. Edith shoved the chopsticks into his hand.. "If you don''t eat your food now, I''m going to leave."

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 204 - Jamie Asking For Favor

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    As Jamie was now working with MH Group, Neil had told Edith that she did not need to come over to the company to see him. He was worried that the two girls were going to run into each other and Jamie was going to take advantage of his girlfriend again.

    Though Edith had mentioned that she was not going to let herself be seduced by Jamie, Neil was still uncomfortable to let them meet each other. In the end, Edith could only agree with his suggestion to coax him.

    Moreover, Neil was going to be busy with Jamie''s return to the company. Even if she came over to visit him, Edith thought that she will only distract Neil from doing his work.

    However, just because Edith did not show up at the company, it does not mean that the two would not run into each other.

    That day, Edith was planning to meet Aaron and had a meal with him. As Aaron was busy and stuck at the station, Edith took the chance to walk around the mall to look around.

    Her step halted when she saw the shirt on the mannequin and thought that the style of that shirt seemed like something that her boyfriend would wear.

    Thinking that she has never bought any gift for him, Edith entered the shop to look around. Just as she was browsing through a few shirts, a figure loomed beside her. Edith turned and instinctively stepped back when she realized who it was.

    "Miss Qian," Jamie flashed her an amiable smile. "Are you here to buy something for Neil?"

    Edith gave her a look over before she continued to look at the garments on the rack.

    Seeing that she was ignored, Jamie touched the tip of her nose and chuckled. "I saw you entering the shop earlier and decided to come over and talk to you. Miss Qian, I owe you an apology."

    Hearing her words, Edith finally turned to Jamie.

    "Miss Qian, I''m sorry about how I have behaved the last time we met in Neil''s office," Jamie said. "I saw you in his office and thought that you are my type. My bad habit resurfaced and I just wanted to tease you a little bit. I did not expect that you would be Neil''s girlfriend. I hope that you can forgive me."

    "I have long forgotten what happened. But just so you know Miss Xu, I am straight."

    Jamie laughed and felt that the air around her has gone lighter now that Edith was speaking to her. Jamie was worried that Edith would ignore her after what had happened that other day.

    "Well, then, you don''t need to worry. I promise that I will not do anything to you as long as you are with Neil."

    Edith looked at the woman beside her and felt the corner of her lips twitched. Wasn''t her words implying that if she was no longer with Neil, Jamie was going to try and harass her again?

    A chuckle escaped her and Edith wondered if Jamie would be bold enough to try.

    Although Jamie might seem a little muscular than other women, Edith thought that she was not very strong. At least, Jamie was unable to fight back when she had restrained her.

    "There''s something else you need to know, Miss Xu," Edith smiled, but it did not reach her eyes. "Just because you are a girl, it doesn''t mean that it would be alright for you to harass another girl to tease them. Women these days don''t feel safe around men. Why do you want to make us wary of our own gender?"

    Jamie coughed and looked away. She also knew that her bad habit was inappropriate. In the past, it had gotten her into a few problems.

    In fact, her parents had warned her not to continue her bad habit. The last time she had caused Neil and Amanda to break up, her parents had sent her over to another country. Her parents were ashamed of how she had betrayed Neil and she was not allowed to return until Neil had forgiven her.

    It was only half a year ago that she had received an invitation from Neil to come back to L City. Jamie had heard the news of Adam''s passing and decided to help Neil with the company''s matter as her way to compensate for what she had done.

    Edith continued to browse through the clothing.

    Seeing a shirt that she liked, Edith took it off the rack and inspected the materials and style. Her gaze fell on the price and she hesitated, wondering if she would be willing to spend that amount of money for a gift.

    "Miss Qian, you have good taste. That shirt looked like something that Neil would wear. I''m sure that he would love it if you buy it for him."

    Edith turned to the salesperson and asked her to pack up the shirt before she turned to Jamie again. "Alright. What do you want from me?"

    Her lips curled into a smile. "Miss Qian, can I ask a favor from you?"

    Edith raised a brow and waited for her to continue.

    "It seemed that Neil was still angry about what had happened the other day and he was refusing to see me," Jamie said. "I came back this time and hope that I can reconcile with him. We have been friends for years and it''s a shame that we are fighting like this. Miss Qian, can you help me and say a few words to him?"

    "I could say a few words to Neil," Edith said. She watched as Jamie''s expression brightened up and chuckled. "However, if I started to speak up and say a few nice things about you, wouldn''t your plan to reconcile with him backfired? He already warned you to stay away from me. If I say a few nice things about you, then Neil will be suspicious. He will know that you came to talk to me and perhaps, his thought would go wild at what we might do behind his back."

    At this time, the salesperson returned with a new set of garments and handed it over to Edith.

    "Well then, Miss Xu, I hope you can find a way to solve your problem. If you excuse me, I still have some places I needed to be." Edith went over to the register, paid for the shirt, and walked out.

    Edith checked at the time and frowned when Aaron had not shown up. She took out her phone and was about to send a text to Aaron when his name flashed on her screen.

    Sliding her finger on the screen, Edith then pressed the phone to her ear. "Aaron, where are you? I''ve been waiting for you for an hour."

    "Where are you?"

    "I''m still at the mall. We agreed to meet here, right?"

    "Stay there. No. Wait. Go to the main entrance and meet me there. I will come over and pick you up."

    "Why do you need to pick me up?"

    "Don''t panic!" Aaron spoke. "I have something to tell you."

    Edith frowned upon hearing his tone of voice. She has been friends with Aaron long enough to know that his tone showed that something had happened and it was Aaron who was panicking.

    "What''s wrong?" Edith asked.

    "My father called. He said he and your grandfather was on their way to the city."

    "What?"

    "Edith," Aaron took a deep breath to calm down.. "They both were involved in an accident."

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 205 - Grandpas Accident

    Once Edith received the news, she quickly went over to the main entrance and waited for Aaron. Together, the two of them went to the hospital where the two elders will be taken to.

    While Aaron drove over to the hospital, Edith sat down at the passenger''s seat silently. Various thoughts came over to her mind all at once and she could not stop worrying about her grandfather.

    Her grandfather was the only remaining family member she had and Edith could not think of what will happen if she was to lose him suddenly. If something bad happened to her grandfather, then, she will truly be alone...

    The thoughts and anxiety were getting to her mind and Edith''s expression turned dull when she thought of the worst outcome.

    The ambulance had not reached the hospital when Edith and Aaron arrived. The two of them could only wait at the lobby anxiously as they waited for the ambulance to arrive.

    When the ambulance finally arrived and the stretcher was whirled in, Edith got the chance to peek at the figure on the bed. Seeing her grandfather''s body and face were dirtied with blood turned her body cold.

    A while later, Aaron''s father, James Li, was bought into the building in a wheelchair. As compared to her grandfather, Aaron''s father''s condition seemed a lot better. He was aware of his surroundings and was able to respond to people.

    The doctor brought them both to the Emergency Room to be given treatment. After a while, Uncle Li was whirled out of the room and was let to meet Aaron and Edith.

    James suffered a few bruises and cuts on his body. His condition was not very serious and he was allowed to return home to recuperate. Meanwhile, Mike Qian was still in the operating theater and Edith was still unclear about his situation.

    According to James, the two of them were on their way to the city. Mike was driving and James was at the back seat. A car suddenly came from the opposite direction and rammed into theirs. The driver was experiencing microsleep and had swiveled into their lane.

    Mike tried to avoid the car, but it was a little too late. To avoid the incoming vehicle, Mike lost control of his car and rammed into a pole. James was sleeping at the back when the accident happened, therefore his condition was not as bad as her grandfather''s.

    James got out of the vehicle and quickly found his friend. When he found Mike, the old man''s face was full of blood and he was unconscious from the impact.

    The other driver who merely suffered a minor injury had helped James to get Mike out of the car. They called the ambulance and Aaron decided to let his son know of the accident.

    According to the paramedics, Grandpa Qian had a few bruises and cuts. His bones might be fractured, but they will need to give him a thorough check-up once they arrived at the hospital.

    Mike was still in the operation theater after an hour.

    Seeing the anxious look on Edith''s face, Aaron handed her a bottle of water and urged her to drink and calm down. However, the girl only stared back at him with an expressionless face.

    The phone in Edith''s hand vibrated, but the girl made no move to answer the call and instead, stared at the screen for a long time with a dazed expression. Realizing that his friend was unable to function at this moment, Aaron took the phone from Edith and answered it for her.

    "Edith? Where are you? Hazel said you haven''t gone back," Neil spoke as soon as the phone was connected.

    Aaron glanced at Edith and sighed. "President Mo, it''s me, Aaron Li."

    A frown appeared on Neil''s face. Although he was aware that his girlfriend would be meeting her friend for a meal, Neil did not think that she would hang out with him for a long time. Moreover¡­ why did this man answered the phone call in his girlfriend''s stead?

    "President Mo, Edith is unable to answer the phone at this moment," Aaron said.

    "Where are you?"

    "We''re at L City''s hospital."

    "What?" Neil grew anxious upon hearing that they were at the hospital. Since his girlfriend was unable to answer the phone, Neil started to think that something bad had happened to Edith.

    He stood up quickly and rushed over the door to find his girlfriend.

    "How is Edith? What happened to her?"

    "President Mo, please be calm. Edith is fine," Aaron answered. "It was her grandfather. He was involved in an accident earlier today and is still in the operation theater. President Mo, please come over. I''m worried about Edith. Ever since she found out that her grandfather was in an accident, she was unable to react well to her surrounding. Until her grandfather came out from the operating room, I don''t think she will be able to do anything."

    After exchanging a few words with Aaron, Neil drove over to the hospital to find his girlfriend. When he arrived, Edith was seating outside the operation hall with her head tilted down.

    "President Mo, you''re here," Aaron greeted him when he saw him approaching.

    "How is she?"

    Aaron followed his gaze and sighed. "It was as you''ve seen. Edith has been staying that way from the moment we arrived at the hospital. She hasn''t taken a sip of water. President Mo, talk to her. Maybe she will listen if you talk to her."

    Neil nodded. "And Grandpa Qian?"

    "He is still in the operation theater," Aaron glanced at the closed door. "It has been more than an hour now and we still did not know what is going on inside."

    After exchanging a few words, Neil walked over to Edith unhurriedly. He stood in front of her and watched as she lifted her head slowly.

    His girlfriend would always smile whenever she looked at him. But at this time, her face was devoid of expression and her gaze empty. Seeing the look on her face, Neil felt his heart grew heavy.

    "Hey," He called her softly and brushed his hand on her cheek. "How are you?"

    The girl continued to stare back at him and did not react. The shock that her grandfather was in an accident was too much and Edith had retreated into a dark corner.

    Neil thought that if she cried, he could at least coax her and assure her that everything would be alright. But seeing his unresponsive girlfriend, Neil was at loss at what he could do.

    After a while, Neil sat down beside her and pulled her into a hug. His hand moved to pat her back. "It''s going to be alright. Grandpa will be alright," he whispered to her ear. Neil moved to kiss her hair a few times as he continued to talk to her and hoped that she would come out of her hiding place and responded to him.. "Edith Qian, I''m here with you."

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 206 - I Was Scared

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    An hour later, the door to the operation room slid open and the doctor in charge of the operation walked out.

    Edith turned her head towards the door but was afraid to look at the doctor. The thing she was scared of at this moment was that the doctor was going to announce that her grandfather''s condition was not good and that he was not going to survive. Edith thought that, as long as she did not look at the doctor and heard any unpleasant news from him, her grandfather will be alright.

    "Doctor, how is Mike Qian?" Neil asked.

    At this time, Aaron and his father had gone over to a nearby hotel. James''s condition was not that serious as compared to Mike''s. After his wound was dressed, he was allowed to leave and recuperate at home.

    After Neil had promised to give them updates on Mike, James and Aaron left for the hotel that Neil had prepared for them.

    "Are you his family?" The doctor asked.

    Neil nodded and motioned to Edith. "This is his granddaughter."

    The doctor glanced at her and saw the expression on her face. Perhaps he has been working at the hospital for years, the doctor was used to see the way the patient''s family would react. Understood that the girl was probably too shocked at what happened to her grandfather, the doctor chose to talk to Neil.

    "The patient is now stable."

    Edith heard his words and lifted her gaze to look at the doctor for the first time.

    "Mike Qian suffered from a few cuts and bruises. There were shards of glasses in his body and the operation was mainly to remove those glasses." The doctor continued to brief them about what had happened during the operation and assured them that everything would be alright. "I suggest the patient stay in the hospital for a few days so that we can monitor his condition."

    A tear streamed down to her cheek. Hearing that her grandfather was alright, Edith felt as if the heavy burden in her heart was lifted.

    "You can visit the patient when he is moved to another room. Then, all we have to do is to wait for him to wake up." The doctor continued to speak a few more words with Neil about Mike''s condition.

    Suddenly, the doctor lurched forward and shouted, "Madam!"

    Neil turned around in time and managed to catch her body before she fell to the ground.

    With the doctor''s instruction, he laid her body on the chair and let the doctor inspect her.

    "Your wife fainted because she was too tired," the doctor said after a while. "After getting enough rest, she should be fine."

    ¡­

    When Edith woke up, she realized that she was back in the bedroom she shared with Neil. For a few seconds, Edith was puzzled. She tried to recall what happened to her and remember the news that Aaron had brought to her.

    Her grandfather had an accident!

    Swiftly, Edith sat up. However, she only found herself restrained by a strong arm draped on her stomach.

    Turning around, Edith saw that Neil was beside her and his eyes were staring back at her, unblinking.

    "Awake?" Neil turned her body to face him and kissed the corner of her eyes.

    "Neil, something happened to my grandfather," Edith said. Her voice trembled.

    "I know." Neil caressed her back. "He''s fine now. The doctor said he should wake up in the morning. Then, he will need to stay at the hospital for a few days for observation."

    Edith stared at him in disbelief. "Really? You''re not lying to me?"

    "Why would I lie to you?" Neil pulled her body close and buried her face to his chest. "He will be fine. Your grandfather will be alright. In the morning, I will accompany you to the hospital and we can visit your grandpa together, alright?"

    His soothing voice and his gentle touch made her body relaxed and Edith was no longer as anxious.

    "Sleep." He pecked at her temple. "There is a few hours before the morning comes."

    Seeing that the girl had obediently stayed in his embrace, Neil let out a sigh in relief. However, the next moment, he felt something wet on his chest and his ears caught the sound of her sniffling.

    Neil pulled away to look at Edith and was shocked upon finding that she was crying.

    "Baby, what''s wrong?" His fingers moved to wipe the tears away.

    Edith bit her quivering lips for a long time. Though she wanted to speak, the words were unable to come out. Her tears streamed down on her face and her nose soured.

    Neil rained his kisses on her face and rubbed at her head as he tried to coax her. Seeing that the woman in his arm has not stopped crying, Neil started to panic. Edith was always so strong in front of him and this was the first time he had seen her cry like this. Hearing her sobs made his heart felt heavy.

    "I was scared," Edith spoke after a long time. Her voice was hoarse. "When Aaron told me that Grandpa was in an accident, I got scared. What if something happened to him? If grandpa is gone, then I will be left alone."

    "That''s not true." Neil put his hand under her chin and make her look at him. "You will always have me. And Hazel."

    Her eyes were wet with tears and it doesn''t seem as if she heard his words at all "¡ªGrandpa is the only family I have."

    "Then let''s get married."

    His words turned her stupefy. Her mind goes blank and it took her a while for her to compose herself. Edith stared at the man in front of her and sniffled. "W-what?"

    "Let''s get married. I''ll be your family and you will never be alone."

    Edith pulled back and stared at him. The look on his face was telling her that she has not misheard things and that this man was very serious about his words.

    "Do you know what you''re saying?" Edith asked.

    "I do."

    The tears in her eyes dried instantly and Edith was still in disbelief over his sudden proposal.

    "This is not something that I would say in a spur of the moment to coax you, but it was something that I had thought about the moment we began to date."

    "You thought about this the moment we date?"

    "Hmm." He nodded. "I am always serious at whatever I do and I would not waste your and my time on things I knew did not have any potential. I wouldn''t ask you out if I was not sure that perhaps, we are fit together," Neil said. "The longer we spent our time together, the more I thought that my life would not be complete without you. I wanted to share my life with you for a very, very long time." He paused to stare at her dazed face. Then, Neil leaned in to kiss her temple.. "Edith Qian, I love you."

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 207 - She Will Never Be Alone

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Feeling her face warmed up from his intense gaze, Edith tilted her head down to avoid him. She brought her hands to cover her face and found that her face was damp. It was then that she recalled that she had been crying, thinking of how scared she would be if she would suddenly lose her grandfather.

    The thing that frightened Edith the most was to suddenly lose her grandfather, the only family member she had.

    She grew up without a father and her mother passed away when she was eight. Her grandfather was the only person who she knew would love her unconditionally. Though her relationship with her grandfather was not that good at the beginning, she grew up and began to rely on her grandfather a lot. Her grandfather had become her mother, her father as well as her friend.

    He was so old, but he had to fit in so many roles just to raise her.

    Without her grandfather, perhaps, she would be sent over to an orphanage. There would be no one to look after her and she would truly be alone.

    If she was to lose her grandfather at this time, Edith did not know how she was going to live.

    She was not ready to lose her grandfather and to be left alone.

    But suddenly, Neil had said that she wanted to marry her and give her a family so that she will never be alone.

    Although the proposal came at a strange timing, his words had warmed her heart.

    However, it was too sudden and Edith did not know how she should react. And then, he dropped another bomb and told her that he loved her for the first time.

    At this time, her heart was racing and she was beginning to panic for a different reason. Edith was too embarrassed and was not sure what should she do or say. Should she tell him that she loved him too at this time?

    "Silly woman," Neil whispered into her ear. "What are you thinking about?"

    "Nothing," Edith answered quickly.

    "Really?" Neil chuckled as he looked at the woman who was refusing to look at him. "I am not asking you to marry me right away. After all, I haven''t asked for your grandfather''s permission to marry you."

    Edith peeked at his expression. Her mouth opened to say something but was unable to come out with a sound.

    "I want to marry you. But until you are ready, I will wait for you. For this kind of a lifetime event, we should consider everything and discuss it further. Let''s just talk about it slowly, alright?" Neil said. "I just wanted you to know that whatever it is, you will always have me beside you. Don''t ever think that you are all alone in this world."

    Edith felt her eyes grew hot again. Since she was unable to come out with a word to speak, Edith decided to follow her heart and leaned in to kiss his lips. Her hands moved to hold his face as she continued to kiss him fervently. It was the only way she knew to convey what she was feeling towards him at the moment.

    Her gratefulness that he was around during one of the difficult times in her life and how much she loved him.

    The two parted after a long time.

    When Edith looked up to meet his gaze, she was surprised to see the way Neil was staring back at her. His eyes were bright and it seemed as if it was sparkling. In his eyes, there was nothing else that he could see except for her.

    It was the sort of gaze that was able to tell her how much he love her even when he did not say it out loud.

    Edith felt something somersaulting her tummy. His gaze turned her body hot and her breathing grew heavy. At the thought that she might unable to control herself if she continued to stare into his eyes, Edith chose to look away.

    His hands continued to run through her long hair as he coaxed her.

    Once she was able to calm down, Edith tilted her head slowly to peek at him. It was not surprising when Neil was still looking at her with the same look in his eyes.

    Edith bit at her lips and raised her hand to touch his face. It was at this time that she noticed the dark ring under his eyes. Her fingers moved to touch them and her heart grew distressed.

    "Why do you have them?" Edith asked. Seeing that he did not answer, Edith bore a thought that this man had stayed up without sleeping a wink to look after her. "You haven''t been sleeping?"

    He merely answered her with a smile.

    Edith leaned in to kiss both his eyes and whispered, "Sleep. Didn''t you say that you were going to accompany me to see my grandpa next morning?"

    ¡­

    The next morning, Edith informed Headmistress Fu about her grandfather and was given a day off. After dropping off Hazel at the kindergarten, Neil drove his vehicle to the hospital.

    When they arrived at the hospital, the nurse pointed her to her grandfather''s room and Edith quickly went to find him. As soon as she walked in Edith saw that her grandfather had woken up and was chatting happily with a young man beside him.

    Hearing the sound at the door, Mike looked up and was surprised to see his granddaughter. The smile on his face disappeared and his expression changed. Seeing that his granddaughter had appeared, Mike was suddenly scared that he was going to be nagged for hours.

    "Grandfather!" Edith walked over to his side and gave him a look over.

    Although she wanted to pull him into a hug, Edith was worried that she was going to harm him. After all, his body was wrapped up with bandages and it looked pretty scary.

    "Grandfather, how are you?" Edith asked.

    "I''m fine." He looked at his granddaughter cautiously and heaved a sigh of relief when she did not show a sign that she was going to beat him. "Are you worried about me?"

    Edith shot him a look. She wanted to hit him for making her worry but had to restrain herself because he was a patient.

    "Of course I''m worried." Her gaze fell on his old face and suddenly, her eyes grew hot. Edith bit at her lips to control herself, but her brain refused to hear her command. Just like that, a sob escaped and her tears fell her face like a waterfall.

    Seeing his crying granddaughter, Mike started to panic.

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 208 - Ediths Weakness

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    The last time Edith had cried like this, she was sixteen years old. At that time, Mike was dispatched to investigate a kidnapping case. Some rich man''s daughter was kidnapped and they believed that the girl was brought to Z Town to hide.

    Mike and his team finally found out the whereabouts of the kidnappers. They were going to rescue the girl when one of the kidnappers took out a gun and shot.

    When Edith heard that her grandfather was shot, she was stunned and was unable to respond. It was only when she had seen her grandfather again that she started to bawl.

    She had lost her mother in a car accident and hearing from those uncles that her grandfather might not survive turned her dazed.

    It was only when her grandfather was awakened that Edith was able to react.

    The first thing Mike had to see the moment he woke up was his crying granddaughter. She was always a gangster and always get into a fight with him. Therefore, to see her suddenly crying had scared him. Mike did not know what he should do.

    Though he was injured, Mike had no other choice but to coax her granddaughter.

    Seeing her reddened and puffy eyes, Mike began to think that the gunshot around his stomach area did not hurt as much as his heart.

    Mike glanced at the male caretaker as if asking for his help. However, the man did not know what he should do and decided that it would be better if he left.

    The room was soon left to Mike and Edith. Mike stretched his hand to hold his granddaughter''s. "Alright. Don''t cry anymore. You see me here? I''m fine, right?"

    Mike heaved a helpless sigh. His granddaughter was now a big girl, but she still cried like a child.

    "There might be a lot of bandages around my body, but the doctor said that the injury isn''t that bad. I should be able to return home in a couple of days," Mike continued to coax. "You see¡­ the injury this time was not as bad as the gunshot."

    Hearing her grandfather mentioned the last time she had almost his life, Edith''s cries only turned louder.

    It seemed that mentioning the gunshot from years ago was not the right thing to say at this moment.

    In the end, Mike decided that it was best for him not to speak anything. Seeing that she was still crying Mike held his granddaughter''s hand and pulled her closer.

    "Grandfather, you promised that you will never get hurt again," Edith spoke after she had calmed down a little bit.

    His gaze softened as he heard her words.

    He indeed had promised that he would not get hurt and make her worry again.

    "Alright. This time, grandpa was wrong. I broke my promise." Although his body was still in pain, Mike pulled her head to rest on his chest and patted her hair to console her.

    When Neil walked into the room with the doctor, he was surprised to see that his girlfriend was crying in her grandfather''s arms.

    Earlier, he had asked Edith to go and find her grandfather first as he was going to talk to the doctor.

    But seeing the way she was crying sadly, Neil felt very distressed. It was not too long ago when she had cried in his arms. Neil had thought that her tears had dried. Surprisingly, she had cried again in her grandfather''s arms.

    Edith might always appear strong, but her grandfather was her weakness. At the thought that something would happen to him, her strength disappeared and she started to cry like a child.

    Mike turned his head to the door when he heard a movement. His eyes widened in surprise when he saw Neil at the door with the doctor. He patted Edith on her shoulder and whispered, "Alright. Be good. Stop crying. You''ll look ugly when you cry. There are others here. Don''t let them see you cry, alright?"

    Edith wiped her tears and pursed her lips to stop crying.

    "Neil." Mike greeted him. "Why are you here?"

    "Grandfather," Neil nodded. "I heard that you were in an accident. I came to visit you."

    Mike heaved a helpless sigh as he continued to pat his granddaughter''s hair. He can only hope that Neil would not found that his granddaughter''s situation was embarrassing.

    Edith stood up and walked over to the restroom to wash her face and Mike coughed to ease the strange atmosphere.

    "I heard from that caretaker that you hired him to look after me," Mike said. "Thank you.

    He woke up from a long sleep and found that the male caretaker was around. The caretaker introduced himself as Jacob Ye and told him that he was sent by President Mo to look after him.

    "Grandfather, this is what I should do," Neil said. "How are you feeling?"

    Mike heaved a sigh. "My body is sore from the accident and my neck hurts. Other than that, I feel fine."

    The doctor at the side nodded. He went to check on Mike''s condition and was relieved that everything was alright. "Mr. Qian''s condition is good. The cut and bruises on his body should be healed in a week. However, I would suggest that he stay in the hospital for a few days. We are worried that there will be a concussion after that impact."

    Mike looked at the doctor anxiously. "Doctor, how long is a few days? Since there was nothing serious with my body, then, shouldn''t I be allowed to return to recuperate at home? I don''t feel comfortable staying at the hospital for too long."

    At this time, Edith walked out of the restroom. "No. Grandpa, listen to the doctor and stay here for a few more days."

    "No. No. I want to return to Z Town."

    "Why are you anxious to return to Z Town at this time?"

    "I''m worried that the house was left unattended," Mike reasoned.

    "Let Grandpa George look after the house for a week," Edith said. "Grandpa, you stay at this hospital until you are well enough."

    Mike pulled at his granddaughter''s hand and whispered, "But staying too long at the hospital would cost a lot of money."

    "Don''t worry about the money," Edith said. "Grandpa, I have my savings and I can pay. You just need to stay here and recuperate well."

    Mike was about to come out with another excuse when Neil had spoken.

    "Grandpa, listen to your granddaughter. If you leave for Z Town at this time, Edith will worry about you every day and would not be able to work well," Neil said. "At least if you are staying here, Edith will be able to focus on her work, knowing that someone is looking after you and the doctor is around if you are in pain. When her work ended, we can always come over and accompany you here."

    Mike thought that there was something amiss about Neil''s words, but he could not put his finger on it.. As he thought about his granddaughter''s crying face, Mike''s heart began to soften and he gave in.

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 209 - Grandpa Playing Matchmaker

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    "Old friend, how are you feeling?"

    Mike heaved a long sigh before he repeated the words that the doctor had told him earlier. "It seemed that I will be staying in the hospital for a few days."

    "Your granddaughter''s right." James patted at the bed. "Just stay here and recuperated well. You don''t see Edith''s face when you were in the operation room. I think, if something bad happens to you at this time, Edith would really lose it."

    Mike listened to his friend''s about how his granddaughter had acted when he was in the operation room and got worried. If something happened to his granddaughter because of him, how will he be able to face his daughter? He would be ashamed to meet his daughter in the afterlife.

    "I know. I decided to let her accompany me for a few days and let her be assured." Mike said.

    "Right, what did you tell Edith about our trip to the city this time?" James asked. "She¡­ did not suspect anything right?"

    Mike observed his surroundings and noted that everyone had left his room and headed somewhere else. "What else I can tell her? Of course, I told her that we are coming to get some fishing equipment."

    "Are you not bored using the same excuse over and over again?"

    "What other reason would be believable to Edith? As long as I''m consistent with my words, she would not doubt me."

    James looked at his friend speechlessly.

    Mike suddenly leaned forward and spoke in a low voice. "Have you made contacts with the others?"

    "Don''t worry about it. I have already contacted them. They know that you were in an accident, but I told them not to come over. Before I went back to Z Town, I will collect the documents from them," James said. "You should just stay here and recuperate. Let me and Old George handle some matters for you. I will call and update you whenever I can."

    Mike nodded, feeling relieved that his investigation will not be put on hold. "When will you return to Z Town?"

    "Next morning. My wife is worried when she heard that we were both in an accident," James said. "If Aaron did not stop and convince his mother, perhaps, she would take the bus to come over and take a look."

    "Alright. You go home and don''t let your wife be worried. I still have my granddaughter to look after me."

    At this time, the door swung open and Aaron walked into the room.

    "Sorry. It was hard to get a parking spot at a time like this." Aaron spoke cheerily as he walked in. "Grandpa Qian, how are you feeling?"

    "I''m fine. These cuts and bruises might look scary, but they don''t hurt that much."

    Aaron laughed. "Grandpa Qian, that''s because you''re on the painkiller. Wait until your medicine ran out and then you will notice the pain." He looked around was amazed that Neil had helped the old man to be placed in a private room.

    Suddenly, Aaron started to wonder if the old man had already known that his granddaughter was now in a relationship.

    Even though his mouth was aching to gossip with the old man, Aaron did not dare to speak a word about Edith and Neil. He had promised that girl that he will not say a thing. If he broke his promise, Aaron knew that Edith will beat him again.

    A frown appeared on his face upon noticing that there were only the two old men in the room. "Where''s Edith?"

    "I came here without any changes or toiletries. So Edith went out to get a few things," Mike said.

    "Right. Grandpa. Do you want something to eat?" Aaron raised the bag of food in his hand and put it on the table. "My dad asked me to get them for you before we come over."

    The smell of shredded chicken porridge wafted in the room and Mike found that his stomach was grumbling. He let Aaron served the porridge for him and began to eat slowly. The caretaker that Neil had hired returned and began to tidy up the room a little bit.

    After emptying half of its contents, Mike turned to look out the window and turned to Aaron again. "After this, would you accompany me for a walk outside? If I have to spend all day on this bed, my bones might rot."

    The caretaker heard that Mike was planning to take a walk and spoke, "Grandfather, I can accompany you if you wanted to take a walk in the garden."

    "No. No." Mike waved his hand. "Just let Aaron do it. I have some matter to talk to him after all."

    Hearing that Mike had something he wanted to say to him, Aaron immediately agreed.

    "Then, I will prepare a wheelchair for you," the caretaker said.

    Once Mike finished his porridge, Aaron took the wheelchair from the caretaker and went to the garden for a walk. After pushing the wheelchair for a while, he found a bench and took a seat.

    "Grandfather, what do you want to say to me?" Aaron asked.

    Mike let out a dry cough and hesitated. Then he looked at Aaron and asked, "How is it with you and Edith? Everything is fine?"

    Aaron did not think too much about his question and nodded. "We''re good."

    "How do you feel about my granddaughter?"

    Mike''s next question triggered an alarm in Aaron and he began to feel that something was wrong.

    This situation... Why does it feel as if Grandfather Qian wanted to play as a matchmaker?

    "Grandpa Qian, why are you asking this?"

    "I saw the way Edith cried when she see me this morning and knew what she was afraid of," Mike said. "If anything happens to me, Edith will be left alone. I can imagine how lost she would be when the time comes. I''m worried about Edith."

    "Edith is the strongest person I know. Grandpa Qian, don''t worry too much."

    Mike''s lips curled into a helpless smile. "The two of you grew up together, right? Other than you, I don''t think Edith was close to any man," Mike said. "Are you not interested in my Edith?"

    Aaron felt his scalp gone numb upon hearing his question. "Grandpa Qian, I only see her as a friend. A sister. Please don''t think too much. It''s impossible."

    It was not too long ago when Edith and President Mo had gotten into a fight because of a misunderstanding. Aaron could still remember the fear of being stuck between Edith and Neil. After that experience, he had no intention of being the cause of their fight again.

    If either Edith or President Mo heard Mike''s words, wouldn''t he get into trouble?

    "Why? Is my granddaughter not good enough for you?" Mike was dissatisfied with Aaron''s rejection.

    "It''s not that," Aaron denied it quickly. "But we really did not see each other like that. Don''t suggest things like this again, or Edith might be angry with me. Moreover," He hesitated and decided that he needed to speak out to save his life.."Edith already has a boyfriend."

    Read novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 210 - Grandpa Knew

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    After confirming that her grandfather was fine and was not in any pain, Edith volunteered to go out and shop for a few necessities for him.

    When her grandfather and Uncle James came over to the city, they were planning to stop by a fishing store, buy a few fishing supplies, and return to Z Town. As they were not planning to stay overnight, the two had not brought any necessities with them.

    Seeing that his girlfriend was heading out, Neil followed after her and accompanied her to shop for a few things together.

    Once they got what they needed, Neil dragged Edith over to a restaurant for lunch.

    That morning, he noticed that the girl has not been eating too much because she was too worried about her grandfather. Now that her grandfather was alright, Neil decided to make her eat a little bit before they head back to the hospital.

    Neil quickly found a parking spot at the hospital and pulled over. He turned off the engine and turned to the person beside him, studying her expression. "How are you feeling?" Neil asked.

    Neil had noticed that Edith was not in her best mood after she heard that her grandfather was in an accident. Fortunately, her mood had improved after they went to visit her grandfather. Seeing that she had eaten a little more food, Neil was relieved.

    "I''m good." Edith turned to Neil and forced a smile.

    Seeing the smile that did not reach her eyes, Neil guessed that Edith was still unable to ease the fear of losing her grandfather.

    "The doctor said that your grandpa is going to recover soon," Neil said. His hand stretched to touch her hair. "Look at his attitude this morning. You see, he was as lively as usual. Grandpa will get better soon."

    Edith recalled the way her grandfather mentioned his plan to go fishing after he had recovered and smiled.

    Usually, when one had reached her grandfather''s age, they would prefer to stay home and rest. But her grandfather would prefer to go out and do all sorts of things. He was someone who could not sit quietly at home.

    Edith could see that even though her grandfather''s body was wrapped in bandages, his spirit was still high.

    "Neil, thank you."

    "What are you thanking me for?"

    "Well, for everything."

    A chuckle escaped him. Neil leaned to kiss her forehead and help her to unbuckle her seat belt. "Alright. Let''s go in. Your grandfather should be waiting for you to come back."

    Edith nodded and the two of them get off the vehicle together. She grabbed the shopping bag and Neil grabbed to hold her hand as they walked over to the hospital building.

    However, just as they were approaching the entrance, Edith paused and saw that her grandfather was sitting in a wheelchair at the entrance. Aaron stood still behind him and had turned his head away.

    At this time, Mike''s gaze shifted to the couple''s entwined hands. Edith followed her grandfather''s gaze and immediately knew that her grandfather had learned about her relationship with Neil. She was now in deep trouble.

    "Grandpa, what are you doing here?" Edith approached him guiltily. "Why are you out here? Why didn''t you stay in your room?" She glanced at Aaron and her eyes narrowed to a slit.

    This traitor!

    From Aaron''s body language alone, Edith was able to guess that Aaron had spoken something to her grandfather.

    "Why are you looking at Aaron? I was bored after sitting too long in the bed," Mike said. "I asked Aaron to bring me around for some fresh air. I didn''t expect that we would run into the two of you here." His gaze returned to their entwined hands and suddenly, he was unhappy.

    The granddaughter that he had raised was kidnapped by some man. And this granddaughter! She dared to keep this matter a secret from him. Of course, he was angry.

    "Grandpa, let''s go inside and rest," Edith coaxed. "You are a patient. It''s cold out here."

    Fearing that her grandfather would get angry and attracted the other''s attention, Edith quickly took over the wheelchair from Aaron. Of course, she did not forget to stomp her feet on Aaron''s to vent her anger.

    "What are you doing?" Mike asked.

    "Let''s just speak inside, alright?"

    Fortunately, her grandfather did not protest and let her push him back to his room.

    Sensing that the situation might turn awry, Aaron escaped with his father and told everyone that he needed to return to the station. However, before he left, Edith had pulled him aside and asked what did he tell to grandfather.

    Hearing that Aaron had only told her grandfather that they were dating and had not mentioned cohabiting, Edith was relieved. She let Aaron escape for the time being and decided to deal with him later.

    In the end, there were only the three of them in the spacious ward.

    Mike gave Neil a look over and snorted.

    Previously, the two of them had gone fishing together. Though he only interacted with Neil for a short time, Mike could see that Neil was a good man. At least, he did not put on some air around them.

    However, that does not mean that he would give this man his permission to date his granddaughter.

    Mike really did not expect that the two of them would be together.

    For a long time, the atmosphere in the room was very quiet.

    "Grandfather." Neil broke the silence.

    Mike snapped his gaze to him. "Who is your grandfather? Don''t easily call me Grandfather."

    "Grandpa." Edith tugged at his sleeve and acted coquettishly to ease his mood.

    "You still know that I am your grandpa. You are in a relationship and you were not planning to tell me?"

    "It''s not that I didn''t want to let you know. We were planning to tell you face to face when we visit Z Town."

    Mike felt the corner of his lips twitched when he looked at his granddaughter.

    A few hours ago, he was still worrying that his granddaughter would be left alone if some accident happened to him. he did not think that she would suddenly return with a boyfriend.

    "Grandpa, don''t be angry, alright?" Edith continued to coax.

    Mike glanced at Neil and felt his anger surged. He took a deep breath to calm down and turned to Edith. "You go out."

    "No. I''m not going out until you tell me that you''re not angry."

    "Go out first." Mike heaved a sigh. "I have something to talk to President Mo."

    Edith glanced at the two of them and had a foreboding. Her grandfather wanted to talk to Neil and she was worried that her grandfather would really chop her boyfriend into pieces and turned him into fish feed.

    "You go out. Let me talk to your grandfather first, alright?" Neil flashed her an assuring smile.

    Edith hesitated for a few seconds and turned around to leave.. Seeing that her granddaughter had obediently listened to Neil''s words, Mike thought that his blood pressure went up.

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 211 - Neils Promise

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Once the door closed behind her, the atmosphere in the ward turned silent again. and the temperature in the room dropped rapidly.

    If Edith was in the room, she would be amazed that the cold air did not come from her Iceblock Mo, but instead, from her grandfather.

    Inside the room, Neil stood up straight as if he was not affected by Mike''s intense gaze. He looked at the old man with a calm expression and waited for Mike to be the first to speak up.

    The way Mike was staring at Niel at the moment was as if he was looking at a dangerous criminal. However, Neil only looked back with a calm and compose face.

    Neil knew that the old man was upset to suddenly learn that his granddaughter was dating him. Mike was unprepared with the sudden news and therefore had treated him with hostility.

    Because of that, Neil let the old man reorganize his thought and knew that Mike would have any questions for him.

    In fact, Mike really wished that they were in an interrogation room. The atmosphere would be right for him to force Neil into telling him the truth. Unfortunately, he was just a patient who was recuperating from his injury. Even if he wanted to force out a confession using his domineering aura, Mike was unable to do so.

    Mike continued to access Neil and was dissatisfied that Neil had not shown a hint that he was going to back down under his pressure. The calm expression on Neil''s face annoyed him simply because he wanted Neil to be scared of him.

    If Neil would be scared of him, then this confrontation would be easier for Mike...

    Nobody knows how long time had passed when Mike finally opened his mouth to speak. "What is your intention towards my granddaughter?"

    "I love her. Of course, with your permission, I would like to marry her."

    Mike continued to stare at him as if judging Neil''s sincerity in his words. As seconds passed by, the expression on Mike''s face began to soften. However, the knot at the space between his brows stayed.

    Though he could sense that Neil was sincere when he spoke those words, there were a lot of things that he was worried about.

    "What did your family think about this?" His tone was still strict. "You should know that your family and ours are different. If my granddaughter is going to be bullied because of her status, then I will have to ask you to stop associating yourself with my granddaughter. I don''t want her to get hurt when the feelings get too deep."

    "My parents will not oppose us. Besides, they like and adore Edith very much."

    Although he has not mentioned a word to his parents, based on their interaction with Edith during their last stay, Neil was able to see that his parents liked Edith. He also knew that his mother had tried to play as a matchmaker during their last stay. If his parents did not like Edith, they will not try to pull some tricks to get them together.

    Mike continued to listen to Neil''s words with unmasked surprised on his expression. He was not expecting that Neil''s parents would not oppose them and had supported them instead.

    At first, Mike was hesitant that the only reason that Neil''s parents would not mind their relationship was because of Edith''s good relationship with Hazel. But his heart began to soften as Neil convinced him that it was not the case.

    At least, for Neil, he did not pursue his granddaughter just because of Edith''s close relationship with Hazel. He truly thought that Edith was a great girl and he liked being around her.

    Once Neil had finished what he wanted to say, the room turned quiet again.

    Mike turned to look out the window and heaved a long sigh. "After my daughter, Rachel passed away in an accident, Edith has been living with me. Although my granddaughter might seem strong most of the time, she was very dependent on me. The things that she might be afraid of was to be left behind."

    Neil continued to stand up silently as he continued to hear what Mike wanted to tell him.

    "I''m already this old and might not have a long way to accompany her," Mike said. "If Edith has someone who will care and love her, I would be relieved."

    "Grandpa, you are healthy and in high spirit. You will live for a very long time to accompany your granddaughter."

    Mike let out a snort, knowing that Neil was only saying sweet things to coax him into agreeing to their relationship. "It''s not that I wanted to oppose you, but I only have Edith as my granddaughter. As Edith''s grandfather, I have a lot of concern about your relationship with my granddaughter."

    "I understand what you are worried about."

    "Then, will you break up with her?"

    "No. But grandfather, I can promise that I will give her a content life and make her happy. I can promise that I will respect her, cherish her, love her and never let her be bullied. I can promise that I will not leave her alone during the time she needed me most."

    Another snort escaped him and Mike lowered his gaze as if he was in deep thought.

    Although Neil came from a rich and influential family, Mike did not think that this man was good enough to be with his granddaughter.

    For instance, Neil and Edith had a five years gap. And Neil was someone who had to be responsible to his niece. He might be single, but it was almost the same as him being a single parent.

    Mike simply did not want Edith to be the losing party in their relationship.

    His granddaughter had suffered a lot of grievances when she was younger.

    Her mother died young and Edith was always bullied and looked down on because of it.

    Instead of being with someone like Neil, Mike wanted his granddaughter to be with someone who can always be by her side when she needed someone. Someone who can protect her.

    With Neil''s career and responsibility, Mike worried that there would be times when he could not be around Edith. Therefore, he was a little dissatisfied upon learning that his precious granddaughter was seeing Neil.

    Neil was someone with a lot of money, but that trait was not what he wanted from Neil.

    As long as he can promise that he will be good to his granddaughter and never leave her side during a rough time, Mike would be satisfied. He had heard Neil''s words and promised and thought that as long as Neil did not turn his back on Edith, Mike would not object to their relationship.

    "I will remember what you have said to me today. But if you let her down, then I won''t let you go," Mike warned.. "I may not have as much money or influence as you are, but for my granddaughter and my family¡­ I will not let anyone who bullied them get away with it."

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 212 - I Like Him

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    It has been almost an hour since she has to leave her grandfather''s ward and Edith was getting anxious. She did not know what the two were discussing inside and was not allowed to eavesdrop.

    This was her first time to introduce someone as her boyfriend to her grandfather and Edith was worried that her grandfather was going to be fierce towards Neil. She did not know what her grandfather was going to say to him or how will he act towards Neil.

    After pacing back and forth along the corridor, Edith paused and glanced at the door again. However, the door remained closed.

    Just as she started to wonder if she should barge in, the door was pushed open and Neil walked out. His gaze met with hers and a warm smile curled on his lips.

    Edith stopped in front of him and gave Neil a look over. A breath of relief escaped her seeing that he remained unscathed.

    "What did you and grandfather talk about? Why does it take too long?"

    Neil chuckled. He stretched his hand to touch her head. "Nothing much. Your grandfather told me to be good to you. That''s all."

    Edith narrowed her eyes. "Really?"

    His brow shot up. "You don''t trust me?" Neil saw the hesitant look on her face and moved to peck at her forehead. "Alright. Go on in. Your grandfather wanted to see you."

    Edith turned towards the door and paused. "Where are you going?"

    "I''m just going to make a call to Nanny Ann and check on Hazel."

    Edith checked at the time and noticed that they have spent a long time outside. After exchanging a few words with Neil, Edith walked into the room and saw that her grandfather was leaning on his pillow.

    "Grandfather, are you alright?"

    It was not too long ago that her grandfather had an accident and had an operation. He has been talking with Neil for a long time and she was worried that he was tired. As a patient, he was supposed to rest a lot.

    Hearing his granddaughter''s voice, Mike opened his eyes and frowned. He recalled that he had to know about his granddaughter''s matter from Aaron, Mike got upset again.

    "If Aaron didn''t tell me about your boyfriend, were you planning to keep this matter a secret from me forever?"

    "Of course not," Edith answered quickly. She went over to her grandfather''s side and hugged him. She blinked her eyes at him and asked, "Grandfather, what did the two of you talk about?"

    Mike let out a snort. "What is it? You were afraid that I might make things difficult for your boyfriend?"

    "Of course not. I hope you would make things difficult for him. That way, he would think twice before he bullies me. He will always remember that there''s a powerful figure behind me."

    Edith''s survival instinct was on and she knew that at this time, she would have to do everything to coax her grandfather.

    His eyes rolled upon seeing the way his granddaughter was acting coquettishly to win his favor. Edith would always act like a little gangster around him and seeing her like this was a little strange.

    "You like him?" Mike''s tone of voice softened a little bit.

    Edith nodded. "I like him."

    Mike scoffed at her answer. "What''s there to like about him? He''s a little older from you don''t you think?"

    "Five years age difference is not that large. I think it''s just perfect," Edith said. "Grandfather, you always say that I''m a little childish. Isn''t it good for me to be with someone mature than myself?"

    Though Mike thought that what his granddaughter said was right, he was not going to agree to her immediately.

    His granddaughter can be so reckless and always made him worry. But surprisingly, at this time, his little girl had a calm air around her. Mike wondered if this had anything to do with her relationship.

    "Grandpa, you don''t like Neil?" Edith asked cautiously.

    "He was planning to take my granddaughter away from me. Why should I like him?"

    Edith held his hand and leaned on his arm. "Grandpa, don''t worry. You will always be the person I love most."

    Mike chuckled at her words. There was a long silence in the room until Mike spoke again. "Did he treat you well?"

    Edith nodded. "Un. Very well. Grandpa, Neil has always treated me well. Although he might seem a little cold towards others, he is very nice and warm to me."

    Mike heaved a long sigh as he continued to listen to his granddaughter telling him how well that Neil had treated her. "You were only saying those words to assure me, right?"

    "I would not lie to you about this. If he wasn''t very nice to me, I would not take the initiative to chase him."

    Mike looked at his granddaughter in disbelief. He did not expect that Edith was the one who chased after Neil. However, judging from her personality, Mike knew that she could chase after Neil. His granddaughter was really¡­ a little gangster. She dared to go after someone as big as Neil Mo.

    Seeing the way his granddaughter continuously stared at him with a pair of adorable eyes, Mike became helpless. He did not know where did his granddaughter learn to coax him with this technique, but it was working and his heart softened immediately.

    Even though Mike was planning to play as the bad guy and tested his granddaughter, in the end, he was reluctant. Whenever their gaze met, Mike was unable to say the things that he wanted to say. He could not even pretend to be angry with her.

    "Alright, stop looking at me like that," Mike said. "I was not going to stop you from dating that guy. As long as you like him and he can make you happy, I won''t say anything. If he bullied you, you have to tell me. I''ll teach him a lesson."

    Edith smiled. "Grandpa, don''t worry. It would not be an easy thing to bully me."

    "Right. I always forgot that you''re a little gangster," Mike said and laughed. He stretched his hand and pushed a strand of hair behind her ear. "I also hope that you can be with someone who can look after you. Your grandpa is already this old and I always worry what would happen to you if I suddenly leave."

    "Grandpa, stop saying that, or I''ll get angry with you." Edith looked at her grandfather in displeased. "You are going to live a long time. You still have to be around when I get married and see your great-grandchildren."

    Mike''s expression softened at her words.. But seconds later, a deep frown appeared. "I only agreed for you to date him, but you are already thinking about marriage and having children?"

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 213 - Ediths Parents

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    As the visiting hours ended, both Edith and Neil went back to their apartment. When they walked in, Hazel was waiting for them in the living room. On the table was the Gundam model kit that she had received during Alex''s birthday.

    Hazel was looking at the model parts with a serious look on her face. The moment she heard a movement from the door, Hazel looked up and a bright smile appeared on her face. "Uncle, Auntie Edith, you''re home."

    "Did you wait for us for a long time?" Edith asked. She walked over to the kitchen to wash her hand and turned to Hazel. "Have you eaten yet?"

    Hazel nodded. "Nanny Ann make some porridge tonight. Auntie Edith, how is your grandpa? Is he alright?"

    The last time Hazel came to Z Town, her relationship with Mike was pretty good. Hazel liked hanging around with Mike, and Mike had enough patience to play with her. Hazel could still remember Mike''s kindness towards her and therefore, she was worried upon learning that the man was in an accident.

    "My grandpa is alright. There are some bruises all over his body, but he will recover soon."

    "Then, can I go and visit him with you tomorrow?" Hazel asked.

    Edith glanced at Neil, who have just finished exchanging a few words with Nanny Ann, and saw him nodded.

    "Alright. Let''s go and visit him tomorrow after school is over," Edith said. "I''m sure my grandpa would be happy to see you."

    Hearing that she was going to visit Mike tomorrow, Hazel smiled happily.

    After accompanying Hazel for a while and tuck her into bed, Edith went back to the bedroom, took a shower, and laid on the bed to sleep.

    Edith has been worrying about her grandfather and has been going out all day from the morning. Her fatigue came the moment her head hit the pillow. Her drowsiness kicked in and she soon fell asleep.

    Feeling that an arm wrapped around her waist, Edith was jarred awake. Her breathing labored and she was staring at Neil with wide eyes as if panicking.

    "Sorry. Did I wake you up?" Neil pulled her body closer to him and patted her hair to calm her.

    After breathing in his scent for a while, her breathing gradually slowed down. She looked around the room and noticed that she was in their bedroom. "What time is it?" Edith asked.

    "Almost two."

    "Did you wrap up your business?"

    Neil has been accompanying Edith all day to visit her grandfather at the hospital. The moment they came home, Neil stayed in his office to deal with some of the work matters.

    "Don''t worry." Neil rubbed her head. "Assistant Shawn had dealt with most of the business. I just need to recheck them." He then pecked at her forehead and held her tighter. "Sleep."

    Neil closed his eyes and had a feeling as if being watched. Sure enough, when he opened his eyes again, Neil found that Edith was looking at him and her finger halted just a few centimeters away from his face.

    "What are you doing?"

    "Looking at you," Edith admitted.

    Neil let out a chuckle, noticing that her eyes had grown bigger. It seemed that his silly woman was no longer sleepy because of him.

    Edith buried her face in his chest and mumbled. "I can''t sleep." Her heart might have calmed down, but Edith was unable to forget the dream she had before Neil had shown up and wake her up.

    "Then, would you like to talk?"

    Edith lowered her gaze and stayed silent as she was in deep thought. "I haven''t mentioned to you about my parents, haven''t I? Would you like to listen about them?"

    Neil was surprised that Edith had wanted to talk about her parents at this time. At the thought that he had rarely heard her mentioning her parents before, Neil quickly agreed. "If you''re willing to tell me about them, then, I am willing to listen."

    Edith clenched her fist as the memories of her late mother came to her mind. "Well, you already know that my father passed away while I was still in my mother''s belly. I don''t know much about my father, but my mom would always talk about him." A soft hum escaped her as Edith tried to recall the words that her mother had said. "My mom said they met in Country C. My mom was the interpreter for my dad. They met and fell in love after spending their time together for a week."

    "A week?"

    "Do you think it''s silly?" She watched him smiled and continued, "We don''t have a lot of pictures of him, but my mom said that my dad is very handsome. Mom used to say that I got my good look from my father. In fact, my mom fell for his look the first time she saw him." Edith giggled. She tilted her head sideways and continued to smile at Neil. "Do you think that I am a lot like my mom? After all, I did fell for your good look."

    Neil chuckled and leaned down to kiss her cheek. His girlfriend had praised his look and he was happy with it.

    "They got a marriage certificate after dating for a few months and my mom immediately got pregnant with me," Edith continued. "A few months after that, my dad passed away. They didn''t know that he was ill."

    His gaze softened as Neil continued to listen to her, telling what she knew about her father.

    "My mom passed away when I was eight years old," Edith said. "At that time, my mom went over to the city as she had a job as an interpreter. She left me with my grandfather because I still have to go to school. My mom said that she was going to pick me up after a few days, but she did not show up."

    There was a long silence between them before Edith spoke again.

    "I still remember coming back home and my grandfather said that my mother was no longer around. They said that she was involved in an accident. It was a rainy night and the driver did not see her crossing the street." There was a brief silence before Edith spoke again. "I heard she died on the spot."

    Neil tightened his embrace on her body as he heard her tone. "You don''t have to tell me if you are uncomfortable with it."

    "Just now, I had a dream about my mom."

    Neil paused, remembering the panic look in her eyes the moment she woke up. "What did you dreamed about?"

    A frown appeared on her face as she tried to recall her dream. It was a memory from her childhood, but she could not remember what it was.

    "I don''t remember." Edith buried her face on his chest and took a deep breath. The tears on her eyes seeped into his shirt.. "But it was sad."

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 214 - Unpleasant Memories

    Mike read the information that James handed to him a while ago silently. His face turned ugly the longer he read the information. The hand that was holding the stack of paper tightened.

    Seeing the anger on his friend''s face, James grew anxious.

    If it was up to him, he really did not want to bring those documents and let Mike read them at this time, but Mike was persistent to read them.

    The two of them had an accident a few days ago and Mike was still in recovery. James was worried that seeing what was on the report would drive Mike mad with anger and then, it will affect his health.

    "Old Qian," James called. He looked at the way the papers were crumpled in Mike''s hand and sighed helplessly.

    James''s voice snapped Mike out of his thought and gradually, his hand that was tightening on the documents loosened.

    "You are still a patient. Let''s not get worked up." James hesitated and asked, "Should I call the doctor to check on you?"

    "No need." Mike took a deep shaky breath and turned to look at his friend. "I''m fine," he assured. His gaze stopped at the papers again. "The thing that they find out about Rachel¡­ is everything true?"

    "We already confirmed that Rachel was working with that man as an interpreter," James said. "There was a high chance that that man was the person we were looking for."

    Mike closed his eyes and looked away. His lips trembled as he tried his best to suppressed his anger. However, that move turned his nose sour and his eyes stung a little bit.

    Rachel was his and his late wife''s precious daughter. However, she did not get to live very long and had met her end in a tragedy.

    Every time he recalled the moment he saw his daughter''s body in the morgue, Mike was not able to control his sadness as well as his anger. His daughter''s body was broken everywhere and there were a lot of bruises. The autopsy proved that the impact from the car was too hard. Her head hit hard on the ground and she was bleeding everywhere.

    The driver realized that he had hit a person and run away.

    His daughter would not continue to live even if the driver turned around and take her to the hospital. However, the thought that Rachel had to lay down on the hard ground with the rain pouring on her body made him sad. His daughter was left to die alone and cold¡­

    Then, Mike saw something on the autopsy report that made his blood boil¡­

    "What are you planning to do now?" James asked.

    Mike bit the inside of his mouth hard. The pain, as well as the taste of blood in his mouth, seemed to turn him sober again. "Of course, we have to continue and keep our eyes on that person."

    James hesitated. "But that person¡­ he is not something that we can afford to offend. Even if we get all the evidence of his wrongdoing, there was still a big chance that we could never do anything.

    "We have been looking for this man for years. I don''t want to waste this chance to get my daughter the justice that she deserved. We cannot give him a chance to escape," Mike said. "James, I don''t care what power or influential support he has. I will give everything I got to fight him. I just wanted him behind bars."

    James thought about his friend''s words for a long time and heaved a long sigh. "I know. I will remind the others to be careful and not to make a mistake."

    ¡­

    After school hours ended, Edith went over to the hospital with Hazel to visit her grandfather. The little girl held on her auntie''s hand tightly and wore a serious expression on her face.

    Actually, Hazel did not like coming over to the hospital.

    The smell of disinfection brought her unpleasant memories from a few months ago. Her parents were in a car accident and they passed away after staying in the hospital for a few days.

    Although this place brought her unpleasant memories, Hazel still wanted to come over.

    Once she heard that her auntie''s grandfather got into an accident, Hazel was worried. Even though both her uncle and Auntie Edith had asked her repeatedly whether she was sure that she wanted to come over to the hospital, Hazel was determined.

    Hazel recalled the great-grandpa''s kindness towards her and wanted to make sure that he was really alright.

    Once they arrived, Edith knocked on the door and pushed the door to get in.

    The moment Mike saw the little girl beside his granddaughter, his mood changed and there was an apparent joy on his expression.

    "Oh my, isn''t this is our little princess?"

    Hazel flashed him a bright smile. "Great-grandpa, you remember me."

    "Of course I would remember you. Who would forget an adorable little princess like you?" Mike waved his hand and pointed towards the chair beside him. "Little princess, have a seat. What are you doing here?" He turned to his granddaughter and frowned. "Why did you bring the little girl here. A hospital is not a good place for her."

    "Great-grandpa, Auntie Edith had persuaded me not to come, but I told her that I wanted to come. I heard from my uncle and auntie that you got into an accident. I worry about you and would not be at ease until I see you," Hazel said. "Great-grandpa don''t be angry at Auntie Edith, alright?"

    Mike listened to the little girl''s words and was happy to know that Hazel was thinking about him. However, his expression changed again when he realized the way Hazel had addressed his granddaughter.

    She used to call his granddaughter Teacher Qian. When did she start to change it and call her Auntie Edith?

    Suddenly, Mike started to wonder if his granddaughter''s progress with Neil had gone farther than he thought.

    Mike spent his time chatting with Hazel and play around with her. Slowly, the unpleasant mood from his conversation with James that morning disappeared. He accompanied Hazel to do her homework and noticed the strange way his granddaughter was staring at him.

    "Why are you looking at me like that?"

    Edith glanced at Hazel who was writing something in her book and spoke in a low voice. "Grandpa, I had a dream about my mom last night."

    Mike''s eyes turned sad, but he quickly rearranged his mood. "What did you dream about?"

    Edith shook her head. "I don''t remember much, but I know that it was something sad. I just thought that perhaps hearing that you were in a car accident triggered an unpleasant memory."

    Hearing her words, Mike felt a little guilty. He heaved a long sigh and patted at his granddaughter''s shoulder.. "Don''t think too much about it. Wasn''t it just a dream?"

    Read novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 215 - Grandpa Was Discharged

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    After spending a week in the hospital, Mike''s injuries got better. As the doctor had checked that his body was fit enough to leave, Edith dealt with the discharge procedure and decided to send her grandfather back to Z Town.

    On the weekend, Mike followed his granddaughter and was surprised to see that the little princess was waiting for him downstairs. His lips turned into a smile and Mike picked up his pace to go over.

    "Great-grandpa!" Hazel called with her soft, adorable voice. As they were at a public place, Hazel did not dare to run around from her uncle and had stayed close to him.

    "Isn''t this is my little princess? Why are you here?"

    Every time he saw Hazel, Mike felt a little happier. Perhaps because of his old age, Mike found that he enjoyed being in the company of small children like Hazel. Moreover, the little girl was very obedient, adorable, and did not mind spending her time with an old man like him.

    "Great-grandpa, I come to accompany you back to Z Town."

    Mike lifted his head and noticed that Neil was standing beside his niece.

    It was at this time that Mike realized that Neil had volunteered to drive him back to Z Town. At the thought that he was going to spend a few hours with his granddaughter''s boyfriend, Mike felt a little uncomfortable.

    However, with his condition, his granddaughter will not allow him to go back on his own. Because he did not want to make his granddaughter worry too much, Mike could only swallow and chose not to say a thing.

    He followed Edith to the vehicle and hopped into the back seat.

    Fortunately, with the little girl accompanying him in the car, Mike did not think that the atmosphere was too strange. Hazel''s chattering voice liven up the mood and the one and a half hour journey did not feel too long to him.

    After pestering the great-grandfather beside her, Hazel finally fell asleep with her head leaning on Mike''s arm.

    Seeing Hazel''s sleeping face, Mike''s felt his heart grew soft and he was reminded of his granddaughter when she was very young. Before Edith lost her mother, didn''t she always acted spoiled around him?

    Once they reached Z Town, Neil drove to Mike''s house and helped to carry their stuff inside. Because he had told James that he was going to return to Z Town, his friend had helped to find someone to clean up his house before they returned.

    As soon as they arrived, Edith helped her grandfather into the room and went into the kitchen to cook something.

    Neil watched as Hazel took out a book to read and walked into the kitchen to see his girlfriend. He leaned his body on the kitchen counter and watched as Edith prepared a pot of porridge.

    "Why are you looking at me like that?" Edith lowered her gaze. "Don''t make trouble. My grandfather is sleeping next door."

    Neil let out a chuckle. "I just came here to accompany you. What trouble can I make?"

    Edith lifted her head to look at him, narrowed her eyes, and thought that she shouldn''t really trust his words.

    Just as she had thought, the man sneakily leaned forward and pecked at her lips. As if it was not enough, Neil took advantage of her dazed expression and leaned in for another kiss.

    When she finally came to her senses, Edith took a step back, scanned at her surroundings, and heaved a breath of relief.

    She was worried that her grandfather was going to come out of the room and saw them kissing. It would be embarrassing and Edith would not know how to look at her grandfather''s face.

    Fortunately, there was no one around.

    She shot a dagger look at Neil and spoke, "And you said you were not going to stir some trouble."

    Neil let out a laugh upon seeing her expression. Knowing that she would be mad if he continued to tease her, Neil could only suppress his desire to kiss her again.

    They have sat together in the car for more than an hour and he was not allowed to touch her hand even if he wanted to. Even though her grandfather had given them his green light, Edith was too shy to act intimately with her boyfriend with her grandfather''s presence.

    "Are you going to stay here for a meal before you head back to your parents''?" Edith asked.

    Neil nodded. "I''ll accompany you to eat before we left."

    Anyway, he had long noticed that Edith had added his and Hazel''s portion when she started to cook. Knowing her intention, it doesn''t feel right to leave right away. Moreover, he just wanted to accompany his girlfriend for a little while longer.

    "What are you doing this evening?" Neil asked after a brief silence between them.

    "Of course, I''m going to stay home and accompany my grandfather," Edith replied. "Why?"

    Neil stared at her face for a while and spoke, "Can you come out?"

    "Where do you want to take me to?"

    "To meet my parents." The corner of his lips turned up when he saw the surprise on her face. "We have already told your grandfather about us. I wanted to bring you to my parents and tell them about us."

    Her heart began to raced and she was panicked. Although Edith knew that she would meet Neil''s parents sooner or later and be introduced as his girlfriend, she still thought that it was too sudden.

    They mainly return to Z Town to send her grandfather back and she was not expecting that she was going to meet Neil''s parents as his girlfriend this quick. Edith had always thought that Neil would wait for a while longer.

    "You don''t want to come and meet them?"

    Edith met his gaze and under his warm gaze, her heart was suddenly calmed. "It''s not that. You didn''t tell me this plan earlier and now I''m worried."

    A deep laugh escaped him. "What are you worried about?"

    "I''m a little unprepared. God. I don''t even have anything proper to wear to meet your parents. If you mentioned this to me earlier, I would have brought nicer clothes."

    "Just dress up like you usually do. There won''t be anyone else other than my parents at home. My parents had met you before and they wouldn''t mind your dressing. Anyway, they have met you before." Seeing that she was quiet, Neil lowered his body to meet her gaze. "So, should I pick you up and have dinner with my parents tonight?"

    Edith bit her lips as she contemplated.. After a while, she lifted her head and nodded.

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 216 - Meeting His Parents

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Sophie and Lucas both had a very bright smile on their face when they saw their granddaughter entered the house. The grandparents ushered her in and asked her a series of questions before Sophie finally turned to her son.

    "Why did you decided to return?" Sophie asked.

    It was the weekend and it was a little strange to see her son and granddaughter coming over. Her son was usually busy with his work and her granddaughter had school. Although the distance between Z Town and L City was not that far, it was strange for Neil to come back when it was not even the school holidays.

    "Mom, do you have time tonight?" Neil replied with another question.

    Sophie looked at her son in puzzled. "What do you plan to do?"

    "I''m going to bring over your daughter-in-law to let you and dad see."

    Sophie''s eyes went wide and she exchanged a glance with her husband, wondering if she had not misheard things. Although she had heard from her friend, Headmistress Fu, that she had caught her son kissing the kindergarten teacher at the school entrance, Sophie did not think that her son would take Edith to see them so soon.

    "You''re dating?" Lucas asked.

    Neil replied with a soft hum.

    "Who is it? Was it someone we know?" Sophie decided to play ignorance.

    Neil pursed his lips and answered. "It''s Edith Qian."

    A bright smile appeared on Sophie''s face. She exchanged another look with her husband and could no longer hide her excitement. "Teacher Qian? Sure. We have time. I''m going to ask the aunties to help prepare a meal."

    ¡­

    Neil came to pick up his girlfriend in the evening a little earlier than he had promised. The corner of his lips tilted up when he saw his girlfriend walked over. Although her dressing was almost the same as everywhere, he could still see that she had spent some time dressing up.

    He watched as Edith hopped on to the vehicle and stared at her for a few seconds longer.

    "Why are you looking at me like that?" Edith looked at the man beside him and was suddenly uneasy. She bit at her lips and wondered if she had messed up her make up. It was an important date and she was going to see Neil''s parents. The way he was staring at her only made her anxiety grew.

    "You look beautiful tonight."

    Their surroundings were quiet and there were only the two of them in the vehicle. Because Neil had spoken in a low tone, making his voice sounded a little deep.

    Her heart skipped a beat and Edith quickly looked away from his penetrating gaze. She was very tense to meet his parents, and this man was flirting with her.

    The corner of his lips turned up, sensing that her anxiousness had toned down. Neil leaned forward to help Edith with her seat belt and pecked at the corner of her lips. When he pulled away, the woman was staring at him with a dazed expression.

    He turned and was about to start driving when he saw the bags that she had brought with her earlier.

    "What did you bring along?"

    "Just some stuff for your parents." Edith lowered her head, feeling a little depressed. It was after Neil and Hazel had left the house that she started to remember that she had not brought anything for Neil''s parents.

    In the end, she decided to go to the town to buy a few stuff for them. But after walking around for a while, Edith realized that she did not know what did his parents liked.

    "You don''t need to bring anything for them," Neil said. "Just coming over with me as my girlfriend would be enough to make my parents happy."

    "I don''t feel comfortable coming over with an empty hand," Edith admitted. A long sigh escaped her as Neil started to drive.

    Neil glanced at his girlfriend. "Don''t worry too much. My parents would like anything you give them. They are not difficult people to get along with."

    Edith took a deep breath and decided to trust his words at this time.

    As the SUV pulled over, Edith clenched her fist as if to gather her courage. She had visited the big house a few months ago, but coming over at this time, Edith had thought that the house was bigger than the first time she had seen it.

    "Are you ready?" Neil asked.

    Edith turned her head to look at him and noticed that Neil had stretched his hand towards her. His gaze on her was gentle, and the smile on his face told her that she could trust him.

    Without hesitation, Edith held his hand and entwined their fingers. His grip on her hands was firm and steady. It was as if he was trying to channel her courage to her.

    After setting her mindset that she should not think too much and just go with it, Edith was more relaxed.

    The couple walked over to the door and an auntie came over to greet them at the door.

    As soon as Edith entered, Hazel ran over to them with a bright smile on her face. "Auntie Edith! You''re here!" Turning around, Hazel went to find her grandparents. "Grandpa, Grandma! Auntie Edith is here!"

    A few seconds later, Sophie walked out of the kitchen and her lips curled into a friendly smile when she saw the couple stood together. "You''re here."

    She had always thought that Edith would be suitable for her son, but looking at them standing side by side, Sophie thought that the two of them matched well together.

    Suddenly, Sophie was proud of her great sight.

    "Mrs. Mo." Edith greeted.

    "Why are you still calling me Mrs. Mo? You are together with my son. Just call me auntie."

    Edith saw the expectant look on Sophie''s face and suddenly became timid. "A-Auntie."

    The smile on Sophie''s face widened, turning her eyes crescent.

    Although she was very excited at this moment, Sophie had tried her best to control her behavior. "Come in and sit down. Don''t be shy. This is not the first time you come over to our place."

    At this time, the auntie walked in carrying the bags that Edith had brought with her.

    Sophie heaved a breath, hearing that Edith had brought some gift for them. "You don''t have to bring anything for us. It''s enough that you can come here with Neil."

    Edith glanced at her boyfriend and saw a smug look on his face. She sat down on the sofa and Hazel came over quickly beside her.

    "Why are you here?" Sophie asked when he saw that her son was still around. "Go and call your dad. We''re going to have dinner soon."

    Neil looked at Edith and finally left to find his father after seeing that his girlfriend would be alright.

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 217 - You Are Still Edith Qian

    Edith watched as Neil disappeared from her eyesight and took a deep breath to calm down. As if realizing that someone was staring at her, Edith turned her left and saw that Hazel was staring at her, unblinking.

    "What''s wrong?" Edith asked.

    "Auntie Edith," Hazel called her in a whisper. "You look pretty today."

    Edith paused before her lips curled into a smile. "Then what about the other day? Am I not pretty as well?"

    "Pretty. But today you''re prettier." Hazel continued to look at Edith and wonder why does her auntie look a bit different.

    After exchanging a few playful words with Hazel, Edith gradually relaxed. When she looked up and found that Sophie was staring at her, Edith was no longer as tense.

    Hazel leaned forward and whispered, "Auntie Edith, my grandma is very nice. You don''t have to be scared. My uncle said I can stay and protect you. With me around, Grandma will listen to me."

    Edith laughed and patted at Hazel''s hair. At this time, this little girl was her biggest supporter.

    "What were you whispering about?" Sophie looked at her granddaughter.

    Hazel bought a finger to her lips. "Grandma, I cannot tell you. It''s a secret."

    Sophie narrowed her eyes to her granddaughter, but soon, her lips turned to a smile. She turned to Edith and spoke, "Don''t be too tense. It isn''t like this is our first meeting."

    Although she was very happy to finally see her future daughter-in-law, Sophie had to remind herself to be low key. She did not want to make Edith uncomfortable or awkward.

    "The last time we saw each other, I was not Neil''s girlfriend."

    "Whether you are his girlfriend or not, you are still Edith Qian," Sophie said. "My husband and I would not change our opinion towards you just because you are now dating Neil. I like you as Hazel''s teacher, and I will like you as Neil''s girlfriend."

    The two of them had spent a lot of time together the last time Sophie and her husband stayed in L City for more than a week.

    Sophie had watched the way Edith interacted with both Neil and Hazel was satisfied with it. She thought that Edith would be a good fit for her iceblock son and was happy when she heard that the two of them got together.

    However, knowing their difference in status, Sophie was still worried that Edith would not have the confidence to stay with Neil and stood by his side.

    The last time, her husband had said that Edith was someone who can adapt to any situation well.

    If Edith wanted to continue to stay by Neil''s side, she needed to have the confidence that she was good enough and adapt to the situation well. For some people, this can be a little hard to do. There were temptations and sometimes, a person can go astray.

    Now that Neil had brought Edith over as his girlfriend, Sophie thought that there were a few things that she should tell Edith. As Sophie continued to look at Edith, her instinct told her that the girl in front of her will do well if she decided to continue and stay with her son.

    A small smile appeared on her lips as Edith continued to listen to Sophie''s words.

    "You are not worried that I am dating Neil?" Edith could not help but ask.

    From Sophie''s words, Edith was able to tell that the elder woman was giving her the warning to let her be prepared for whatever situation that will come to her in the future.

    "Of course not. I have taught my son well and knew that he is wise enough to make whatever decision. Since he decided to date you, of course, I will give the two of you my blessings," Sophie said. "Moreover, I have confidence that the two of you can accommodate each other well to stay together."

    Edith looked at Sophie in surprise. She was not expecting that Sophie would have confidence in them when she would sometimes doubt whether they could adapt together well.

    As Edith continued to stare at Sophie in a daze, Hazel stood up beside her and called out. "Grandpa, uncle!"

    Edith looked up and saw that Neil was staring back at her with an inquiring gaze. He walked over to her side and gave her a look over. "Are you alright?" His voice was a whisper.

    Feeling his warm hands against hers, Edith snapped out of her trance and smiled. "Why wouldn''t I be alright?"

    Seeing the smile on her face, Neil was relieved. He held her hand firmly as if telling her that everything would be alright with him by her side.

    "Edith, you''re here," Lucas spoke when he arrived.

    "Uncle," Edith greeted and saw the elder man''s lips turned into a smile.

    "I heard from Neil that your grandfather was in an accident, how is he doing?" Lucas asked.

    "He had recovered well. My grandfather could not wait to get out of the hospital and return to Z Town," Edith said. "Every time I came to visit him at the hospital, he would always talk about going on a fishing trip."

    Lucas laughed. "That''s it. Us men could not sit still and always wanted to keep ourselves busy." He saw the way his wife was glaring at him and coughed.

    "You and Neil are together now?" Lucas asked. He heard Edith replied and nodded. "That''s good. Alright. Let''s go and have our dinner before the food gets cold."

    After Sophie and Lucas moved to Z Town, they did not receive a lot of guests as Lucas wanted to focus on his recuperation. Now that Neil had brought Edith home, the atmosphere became lively and they had their dinner merrily.

    Once dinner was over, Sophie took Edith to the side and continued to chat with her a little more. Staying in Z Town, Sophie did not have a lot of friends to talk to, and therefore, she was happy to talk to Edith about a lot of things. It was not until Neil came over and told them that he needed to send Edith home that Sophie let her leave.

    As Edith Grandpa was alone at home and had just recovered from his injuries, it would not be appropriate for them to ask Edith to spend the night.

    Neil pulled over his SUV at Mike''s place and turned off the light.

    "Are you still worried now?"

    Edith knew well that Neil was asking whether she was worried whether his mother would object to their relationship.

    Neil watched as Edith shook her head and smiled. "What did you and my mother talk about when I went away?"

    "A lot of things," Edith said. "Mostly about what I need to prepare to face if I wanted to stay with you."

    There was a slight fluctuation in Neil''s expression. "Are you scared?"

    Although Neil knew well that his mother meant well by telling Edith those things, Neil was worried that they would scare Edith.

    Edith reached to hold Neil''s hand and kissed his cheek. "With you around, why would I be scared?"

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 218 - Good Night Kiss

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Neil spent most of his time cooped up in the office after they returned from Z Town.

    While Mike was recuperating in L City, Neil made time to accompany Edith to the hospital and look after her grandfather. Now that Mike has returned to Z Town, Neil turned his focus on his piling workloads.

    After Jamie had returned, Neil had assigned her to sneak into the Accounting Department to find out evidence that someone was messing up with the accounts. With Henry''s help, he found a few people that he could trust and send them over to various departments as spies.

    Now that Neil had decided to work together with The Rainmaker''s blogger, Charles Tang, Neil had some clues at which directors and shareholders were involved in embezzling the company''s money.

    All they have to do now was to find the evidence quickly before his enemy figure out what he was going to do and destroy whatever hard work he had made.

    As Neil busy with his work and would not go home for dinner, Edith took the opportunity to pester Lily and had their meals together.

    As soon as Edith and Hazel entered the house, Alex greeted Edith at the door and pulled Hazel to his playroom so that he can show off a new model that he had build with his father a few days ago.

    Edith watched the two kids retreating and heaved a sigh. Until this time, Edith found it hard to believe that Alex had influenced Hazel to like building models so much.

    After receiving a model on Alex''s birthday, Hazel''s interest in building the model peaked. A few days ago, Edith overheard Hazel''s conversation with her grandparents and heard her mentioning wanting one of those models for her upcoming birthday.

    Edith walked into the dining area and watched as Lily prepared some dishes.

    As Lily was currently pregnant, the food she made this time was light and non-spicy. Looking at the friend''s glowing face, Edith was relieved that her friend''s pregnancy reaction was not that bad as the time she was pregnant with Alex.

    "How is your grandpa?" Lily asked as they sat down at the dining table.

    Edith heaved a long sigh when she recalled her grandfather. "He''s doing good. I asked Aaron''s mother to keep her eyes on him and she told me that my grandfather has been running around with her Grandpa George these days."

    "Going fishing again?"

    "Fortunately no." Edith watched as Alex took some chunks of carrot from Hazel''s bowl and ate them. A chuckle escaped her, knowing that although Hazel was not picky with her food, she did not like carrots that much.

    "Grandpa said that he was bored staying at home and Grandpa George took him to play mahjong with a few friends," Edith said. She lowered her head and frowned. She did not know why, but Edith always had this feeling as if her grandfather was lying to her.

    She did not know what her grandfather was up to, but she had a feeling that whatever her grandfather was doing was not playing mahjong with his friends.

    Edith was worried about what her grandfather was up to, but could not do anything to keep her eyes on him.

    If Aaron was in Z Town, she could at least ask him to look over her grandfather. However, Alex has been staying in L City for months to assists the team is investigating a serial murder.

    It has been a while and the police haven''t caught the person who was responsible for Amanda and the few girls'' murders. The public was still worried, but these days people did not talk about the murder as much as they used to, and instead, most people would be talking about the shift in politics in the city.

    After chatting with Lily for a while, Edith finally left her place and headed back to their apartment.

    When both of them arrived, Neil has still not returned.

    Edith accompanied Hazel until she was asleep before she went back to the bedroom. As she walked out of the bathroom, Neil entered the bedroom with a tired look on his face.

    "You''re home." Edith walked over and helped him with his coat. "It''s late. Go and take your shower and rest early."

    Neil replied with a soft hum, pecked at her lips, and entered the bathroom with his pajama.

    Edith watched his retreating back and heaved a sigh, knowing that he was busy with his work this recently. After hanging his coat, Edith slipped into the bed. Though she was planning to wait for Neil, Edith soon fell asleep.

    After a while, the side of the bed sunk and Edith felt a warm hand draped around her waist before she was pulled into a warm embrace. Feeling slightly ticklish on her neck area, Edith opened her eyes and frowned at the man in front of her.

    Edith put a hand on his chest and gave him a gentle push. "What are you doing?"

    The man blinked his eyes innocently and answered, "Giving you a good night kiss and hugging you to sleep."

    Edith stared at Neil speechlessly. The two of them have been together for a while and he was aware that she would easily get ticklish around her neck area. What good night kiss?

    Seeing her dazed expression, Neil leaned to kiss her forehead and speak, "You don''t have classes tomorrow, right?"

    "Hmm." Edith buried her face to his chest and inhaled his scent.

    Her French class officially ended last week, and Edith was still contemplating whether she wanted to join the next class into another level.

    "Let''s go out somewhere with Hazel."

    Edith pulled back and stared at Neil. "Aren''t you busy with work?"

    "I have to attend a banquet tomorrow evening. It will be held at a resort. I''m thinking about taking both you and Hazel with me," Neil said. "I haven''t been spending a lot of time with you and Hazel recently. What am I going to do if my girlfriend gets upset if I neglected her for too long?"

    "Do I look like such a person?"

    A deep chuckle escaped him as his hand subconsciously moved to caress her body. "Come with me, alright? We''ll spend a night there and return the next morning."

    Her heart grew soft as she looked at his tired face.. At the thought that a short break from work would be good for him, Edith quickly agreed.

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 219 - Should I Be Worried?

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    After an hour of journey, the three of them arrived at the resort.

    Hazel looked around the place and was excited upon seeing the thin layer of snow on the ground.

    Earlier that morning, her uncle had told her that they were going to a resort to play. As the temperature was lower in this area, Hazel had to wear thick clothing. Even so, Hazel thought that it was still a little cold.

    A smile curled on Neil''s face when he saw his niece eyeing their surroundings with her wide eyes. "Do you like this place?"

    Hazel turned and nodded enthusiastically. She had heard from her uncle that there might be snow, but Hazel did not think that she would get to see a thin layer of snow when they arrived.

    L City has turned colder in winter, but the temperature was not as cold as this place.

    "Then let''s go inside and put our stuff. Then, we can go out and walk around," Neil said.

    Hazel nodded. She took Edith''s hand and the two walked towards the resort with her uncle following behind. Once the check-in procedure was done, they went into the suite and Hazel started to run around to look at the surroundings.

    Satisfied with how her bedroom looked like, Hazel then went to find her auntie in the living area.

    "Did you look at your room?" Edith asked.

    Hazel nodded. "Un. Auntie Edith, will you be sleeping with me tonight?"

    The last time the three of them went to Capital City, Hazel was supposed to share her room with Edith, but as the night comes, her uncle had kidnapped her auntie away. Hazel woke up the next morning finding that she had slept alone.

    "Do you want me to sleep with you tonight?" Edith asked.

    Neil, who was speaking on the phone with his assistant, heard the girls'' conversation and became unhappy. Though he would be unhappy if Edith would choose to accompany his niece, he would not fight Hazel about such matters.

    Hazel pondered over the question and her gaze fell on her uncle''s silhouette. Noticing the way her uncle was looking at her, Hazel quickly shook her head. "No. It''s okay. I''m a big girl and I can sleep alone."

    Hearing her answer, Neil let out a breath of relief before he walked away to continue his conversation with Assistant Shawn.

    Edith patted the little girl on her hair. "Well, your uncle will be going to a banquet tonight. I can accompany you to sleep until he comes back, is that alright?"

    "You''re not going with my uncle?"

    The last time they went to Capital City, her uncle and auntie left to attend a banquet together and Hazel had to stay with Uncle Shawn. She had thought that this time, it would be the same.

    "Well, I''m staying with you. Let''s have fun together later, alright?"

    Hazel nodded happily. She ran towards the window and stayed there to enjoy the scenery. Once her uncle returned, the three of them went out and walked around the resort.

    Living in L City, they were surrounded by tall concrete buildings and such. Now that they were at the resort, the three of them walked around and to enjoy the fresh air and the beautiful scene of nature.

    Around them was the beautiful view of mountain scenery. The tall greenery trees, as well as the winter flowers, looked very pretty with the white snow around.

    Once they walked and played enough, Neil brought them to a cafe for lunch. The food in the cafe tasted even better as they were accompanied by a pretty view.

    Hazel was eating her strawberry cream cake happily when she noticed a familiar figure standing not far away from them. Her expression turned sour when Hazel saw that woman walked over to their table.

    "President Mo," Autumn Feng greeted happily as she approached them. She shot a displeased look at Edith and turned to Neil with a bright smile. "President Mo, are you attending tonight''s banquet as well?"

    Neil shot her an unhappy gaze. "Why are you here?"

    He was pretty sure that he had sent this girl far away to attend a seminar for a month. Has it been a month already?

    Autumn lowered her gaze and smiled shyly. "President Mo, I came to accompany my father to the banquet tonight. I saw you here and thought that I should say hi. Perhaps we can discuss what I have learned from the seminar."

    Neil shot her a dangerous look. "Miss Feng right now is my personal time with my family. I would appreciate it if you don''t disturb me at this time under the pretense of discussing works."

    His voice was cold, and Autumn was embarrassed as she felt as if everyone in the restaurant was looking at her. Her lips curled into an awkward smile and Autumn left after apologizing to them.

    Neil heaved a long breath when he saw that Autumn had left. When he looked up again, Neil was startled upon seeing the way his girlfriend was smiling at him. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

    "It seemed that Miss Feng will be attending the banquet tonight. Should I be worried?"

    Neil smiled when he sensed the jealousy in her tone. "Then, do you want to come with me?"

    "As your bodyguard?"

    "No. You can be my plus one."

    Edith studied his face and lowered her gaze. "No. I promised that I''m going to accompany Hazel tonight."

    The little girl looked up when she heard her name, but had no idea why the grownups were mentioning her at this time.

    Edith continued to eat her meal and paused when a warm palm covered her hand. She looked up and was surprised to see Neil''s worried face. Edith let out a chuckle and said, "Stop thinking too much. I trust that you will be able to protect yourself well. You come over for work and I am not going to be a nuisance."

    "You will never be a nuisance." Neil held her hand tighter.

    Seeing the smile on Edith''s face and knew that his girlfriend''s mood was not affected, Neil let out a breath of relief.

    As they were waiting for Hazel to finish her cake, Edith stood up and headed towards the restroom.

    She was washing her hands at the sink when she noticed that Autumn Feng was standing behind her with an angry look in her eyes.

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 220 - Compatibility

    "Miss Qian, we need to talk," Autumn spoke as she walked over.

    "I don''t think we have anything in common to talk about." Seeing that Autumn was trying to block her path, Edith ducked, spun around, and the next second, she had gone to the other side successfully.

    Autumn turned around with a puzzled look on her face. "How did you?"

    Edith gave her a wink, turned around to leave the restroom. Just as she stepped into the corridor, Edith noticed that when Autumn walked over and tried to pull her hand. Sensing that Autumn was approaching, Edith dodged to a side and Autumn could only grab at the air.

    The last time Autumn had tried to pull this move, she had almost fallen flat on her face and Edith had moved in time to prevent the accident.

    However, this time, Autumn was not too lucky. Edith made no intention to help her again and soon, Autumn stumbled and knocked her shoulder on the wall. The impact was a bit too hard and Autumn moaned in pain. She tried to take a step and found that her ankle was sprained.

    "Miss Feng, it was never a good idea to suddenly grab another person," Edith tilted her head sideways and continued, "I did remind you to be careful. With that high heel, it was easy for you to get into an accident."

    Autumn leaned on the wall and pointed her finger to Edith. "You pushed me!"

    Edith crossed her arms on her chest. "If we asked the security to look into the footage from the camera behind you, we will know what really happened."

    Autumn turned around slowly and her face paled upon seeing the CCTV.

    She was not expecting that there will be a camera in the corridor. From the position of the security camera, their exchange would be clearly visible. Even if she wanted to accuse that Edith was the one who caused her injuries, it was not going to work.

    Autumn gritted her teeth when she saw that Edith was going to leave again. "Stop right there." Autumn limped forward. "Miss Qian, do you think you are suitable for President Mo? Let me tell you this, he was only playing with you. A man like President Mo would not marry someone like you."

    Edith sneered and turned around. "Then, who will be suitable for him? You?" Her lips curled into a smile that did not reach her eyes. "You like President Mo, don''t you?"

    Her face turned slightly pink with embarrassment. Autumn did not expect Edith to suddenly point that question to her. Although she did like Neil, Autumn had never said them out loud.

    Autumn quickly composed herself. "At least someone like me is compatible with President Mo. Do you know who my father is? He''s one of the directors in MH Group and one of the biggest shareholders. If President Mo stayed with me, my dad can help him and the company to grow further."

    "Then, maybe President Mo should marry your dad instead."

    Autumn found out that talking to Edith could be very frustrating. Everything that came out from the woman''s mouth was able to make her blood boil. No one she knew dared to talk to her like this.

    "Anyway, Miss Qian, you need to wake up and realized that you are not compatible with him."

    "Who said that I am not compatible with him?"

    Autumn chuckled. "Miss Qian, you must be dreaming. In which aspect did you think you are compatible with someone like President Neil Mo?"

    Edith stood up straight and suddenly, her lips curled into a mischievous smile. She leaned forward and whispered. "At least in bed, we are very compatible."

    Autumn clutched at her heart. Her face grew red from both embarrassment and anger. She pointed her finger at Edith again and said, "You shameless woman!"

    "Well, President Mo happened to like this shameless woman." Edith turned around and noticed that both Neil and Hazel had appeared. "Why are you here?"

    "You were gone for too long and we were worried," Neil said. He shifted his gaze to the person who stood not far away from Edith and his expression grew darker upon noticing that it was Autumn.

    It was not hard for someone like him to figure out that Autumn Feng had come to find Edith to provoke her. Although Neil did not know what happened, at least, from the expression on both women''s faces, Neil could guess that his woman was not easily bullied.

    "I''m fine," Edith flashed him a smile. "Just ran into a fly."

    Hazel heard her words and was suddenly curious. "Auntie Edith, you ran into a fly?"

    "Un." Edith nodded. "It took me some time to drive away that fly."

    Hazel looked around as if worried that the fly was going to follow after her. "Is it gone?"

    "Don''t worry. That fly would not follow after us." Edith stretched her hand to Haze and spoke, "Come on, let''s return to our room. It''s time for you to take a nap."

    Once they returned to their suite, Edith accompanied Hazel to take a nap in her room while Neil was working in front of his laptop. After the little girl had fallen asleep, Edith walked out of the room and sat in the living area to watch some show on the television.

    A while later, Neil sat down beside Edith, wrapped his arms around her shoulders, and let her head leaned on his chest. "What did Autumn Feng said to you earlier?"

    Edith pulled away from his embrace and stared at Neil''s face for a few seconds longer, making the man anxious.

    Seeing the strange way that Edith was looking at him, Neil was suddenly worried that Autumn might have sprouted some nonsense to his girlfriend and made her upset.

    After she had looked enough at Neil''s handsome face, a smile suddenly curled on her lips. "Miss Feng think that I am not compatible with you. She said someone like you would need someone influential to be your wife."

    Neil''s face turned dark with anger. "Don''t listen to that woman''s nonsense."

    Edith put her finger on his lips, motioning him not to speak. "I know. I am not going to believe a stranger''s words. You told me that I am good enough for you and I will choose to believe your words."

    Neil heaved a breath of relief upon hearing her words.

    "But, darling." Edith paused as she traced her fingers at the shape of his lips. She gave him a mischievous look and asked, "Do you want to know what I told her later?"

    "What?"

    "I told Miss Feng that we are very compatible." She inched closer to his ear to whisper a few words. When she pulled away, Edith could see the way his eyes slowly darkened with desire.

    "Well then, Miss Qian." His voice was hoarse. "Should we try and check our compatibility again?"

    Edith put a hand on his chest and blinked innocently.. "Don''t you have to get ready for that banquet this evening?" The smile on her face widened as his face turned darker.

    Read novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 221 - Causing Trouble

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Neil slid into his suit and turned around to looked at the woman who was lying lazily on the bed. His eyes narrowed and his throat rolled when he saw the way her legs crossed. At this time, his girlfriend was wearing a large T-shirt and her long, white legs were exposed as if tempting him to caress them.

    Sensing that he was looking at her, Edith flashed him a seductive smile before she stood up and walked over. Once she stopped in front of him, Edith looked at the shirt Neil was wearing and recognized it as the one she hd bought for him previously. Edith tiptoed to adjust Neil''s collar and patted at his shoulder when she was done.

    She gave him a look over and smiled. "Very handsome."

    Neil wrapped his arms around her waist and lowered his head. His eyes darkened as their nose touched. "Are you sure you didn''t want to come with me?"

    "What about Hazel?"

    "We''ll take her along."

    Edith laughed. "President Mo, weren''t you attending this banquet to discuss business? Why do you want to take your girlfriend and your five years old niece with you? Your business partners will laugh at you."

    "I don''t mind. Let them laugh."

    Edith narrowed her eyes. "What are you trying to do?"

    "Somebody has been trying to lit up the fire, and now, I can''t take my eyes off her." Neil let out a sigh. "What if this person is going to cause trouble when I wasn''t looking?"

    "When did I ever cause trouble when you weren''t looking?" Edith blinked her eyes innocently and whispered. "I only cause trouble when there''s only two of us."

    Neil leaned to bite at her lips. "You naughty girl."

    "So now I''m a naughty girl and no longer a silly woman?"

    With a long sigh, Neil finally released her from his embrace. "Are you going to have your dinner in the coffee house later?"

    "Hmm¡­ I''m planning to walk around the resort with Hazel after dinner. I heard that there''s a playground on the west wing. We''re going to take a look."

    "Don''t go too far. Call me if there''s anything." Neil reminded.

    "I know." Edith patted his chest and smiled. "Just go to your business banquet with ease. I''ll look after Hazel." She took a step back to admire her boyfriend''s good look and trailed her fingers on his chest area. "Don''t get tempted by another woman."

    Neil stared at her with an aggrieved expression. If only he did not have to show up early at the banquet, he would surely stay in the room and fool around.

    When the two had started to date, Neil had never thought that Edith can be a temptress. However, she had this bad habit where she liked to play with fire and run away.

    It was driving him crazy, but he could not do anything as Edith always came up with a good excuse to escape.

    Neil took a deep breath, tugged at her wrist, and leaned in to give her a lingering kiss. Once he had thought that the kiss was satisfying enough to suppress his desire, Neil then turned around to leave. "I should go now."

    Edith watched as he left the suite and went to check at Hazel.

    ¡­

    In the evening, Edith took Hazel to walk around the resort and found a playground. Hazel played around for a while and the two of them headed straight to the restaurant.

    Because Neil had reserved a place for them, Edith and Hazel did not have to wait too long to get a place. The waiter greeted them politely at the entrance and brought them over to the seat beside the french window. Hazel sat down and looked out the window with excitement.

    "Do you like it here?" Edith asked as the waiter left with their food order.

    Hazel turned around and nodded. "Un. I like it. This place is very pretty." A thought came to her mind and suddenly, her expression grew somber.

    "What''s wrong?"

    Hazel pursed at her lips. "Mama said that once I was big enough, she was going to take me skiing."

    The way Hazel was suppressing her tears from falling tugged at Edith''s heart. Her expression softened, knowing that Hazel was missing her parents. Edith wanted to say something to ease her pain, but could not find the right word to say. Perhaps, for a child in Hazel''s age, the thing she was looking forward to the most was to spend her time having fun with her parents.

    "Maybe in a few weeks, this place will be full of snow," Edith said. "Do you want to come again?"

    Hazel hesitated and nodded.

    "Then, we''ll ask your uncle to bring us here again during your winter holiday. What do you think??"

    "Alright." A small smile curled on her lips. "Auntie Edith, do you know how to ski?"

    "I don''t. But, we can learn together."

    "Do you think my uncle knows how to ski?"

    Edith pondered over her question. "Your uncle seemed as if he would be good at anything. Maybe he would know how to ski."

    The two of them chatted until the waiter returned with their food. Edith took a picture of their meal, send them over to Neil, and enjoyed their meal together.

    At this time, someone walked past their table and headed further into a private area in the restaurant.

    Edith tilted her head in time to catch a glance at the group of men. Her expression froze when she recognized a few faces. Edith was not expecting her to see both Secretary Liu and Attorney General Leng at the resort.

    A while ago, Aaron had accidentally mentioned that Secretary Liu was one of the suspects in that serial murder case. The man was reportedly dating Amanda Shen before she died, but Secretary Liu had denied that rumors. He was a married man and his relationship with Amanda was nothing but friends.

    Seeing Secretary Liu''s face at a place like this made Edith a little bit uncomfortable. The last time she had gone with Neil to that private kitchen, she had run into both Secretary Liu and Amanda Shen. From the way they acted, Edith did not think that they were merely friends.

    "Auntie Edith."

    Hazel''s soft voice snapped her out of her thought. Edith turned to the little girl and saw that Hazel had her head lowered.

    "Can we return to our room now?"

    "What''s wrong? You''re not feeling well?"

    "Un." Hazel nodded weakly.. "I don''t feel very good."

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 222 - Unfinished Business

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    When Neil walked into the suite, his surroundings were only dimly brightened by the light in the dining area. The suite was very quiet as if there was no one inside.

    He took out his coat threw them on the sofa, and entered the master bedroom.

    A deep frown formed on his face when Neil noticed that the room was empty.

    He left the room and walked over to the bedroom across his and found that there were two figures on the bed. His girlfriend was accompanying his niece to sleep. Looking at the way the two girls were hugging each other as they slept and Neil did not have the heart to wake them up.

    With a sigh, he turned around and went back into his bedroom. Neil walked into the bathroom in his pajama and took a shower.

    A few influential people had shown up at the banquet and Neil had the chance to exchange a few business ideas with his potential partners. Although it was tiring and he did not enjoy talking to people that much, Neil thought that this time he had come out for nothing.

    As the banquet almost reached the end, a few of them had asked for him to join them for a drink or two at the club. Some of the directors had wanted to throw him a few girls, but Neil had rejected their invitation to spend his time with his girlfriend.

    He had been busy with the company matters recently and had brought both Hazel and Edith to this resort as compensation.

    But who would think that the person would be sleeping with his niece when he returned¡­

    Neil let out a disappointed sigh. He walked out of the bathroom and dried his hair with a towel. Just as he stepped into the room, his movement halted when he saw that Edith walked into the room with his coat in her hand.

    "When did you come back?" Edith asked.

    "Just a while ago." Neil watched as Edith hung his coat into the wardrobe and then, she walked over to the dressing table.

    "Come here. Let me help you dry your hair."

    Neil walked over obediently and sat down. A few seconds later, the whirling sounds of the hairdryer could be heard. Because Neil had short hair, his hair dried quickly.

    "I thought that you were going to accompany Hazel to sleep tonight," Neil said as he watched Edith put away the hairdryer.

    "Hazel was not feeling too good after dinner. Therefore, I thought it would be good if I stayed with her a while longer."

    A frown appeared on his face. "What''s wrong with Hazel? Is she alright?"

    "She''s alright now. After we returned to the room, her complexion turned better," Edith said. "She probably a little tired after playing around before dinner."

    Neil let out a breath of relief knowing that his niece was alright.

    "How was your dinner? Did you eat anything?"

    Edith recalled the last time she had accompanied Neil to a dinner party. At that time, she realized that he has been spending his time discussing the business matters and had not eaten properly.

    Moreover, every time Neil came back from a banquet, he would often ask her to prepare something to eat.

    "I asked the kitchen to prepare a bowl of porridge for takeout," Edith said. "You should eat some to pad your stomach. Wait here. I''ll go and reheat them in the microwave."

    Before Neil could respond, his girlfriend had left the room. Neil walked out of the room and found Edith in the small kitchen. He walked over to her and wrapped his arms around her waist.

    Edith let out a laugh and leaned on the sturdy chest behind her. "What are you doing?"

    Neil gave a peck at her cheek. "I just thought that it''s good to have you around. It''s a good feeling to have someone cared about me."

    Edith wriggled out of his embrace, turned around, and linked her arms around his neck. With a tiptoe, her soft lips met with his in a brief kiss. The microwave made a sound to alert them that their food was done and Edith pulled away to serve the porridge.

    "Come on. Eat before the food gets cold." Edith said.

    Seeing the look on her face, Neil could only sit down and eat his porridge. Edith sat across him and watched him as he ate.

    "I saw both Secretary Liu and Attorney General Leng at the restaurant earlier," Edith said. "They were with a group of men I don''t recognize. Were they a part of the banquet guest?"

    Neil replied with a soft hum. "Attorney General Leng is always interested in the property business. He came over to find a place he could invest in."

    Edith nodded. "It was the first time I saw him up close. He gave off a scary feeling."

    Perhaps it was due to his occupation, though the Attorney General had a smile on his face, he gave off a suppressing feeling and uncomfortable aura.

    Seeing that Neil had finished his food, Edith picked up the empty bowl and started to clean up the area a little bit. The next thing she knew, Edith was once again hugged from behind.

    A laugh escaped her. Edith thought that sometimes, Neil could be stickier than Hazel. He always wanted to stay closer and touched her.

    Neil rested his chin on her shoulder and whispered, "I''m still hungry."

    "We have some bread. Would you like them?"

    "No. Baby, did you forget that we have an unfinished business?"

    Edith immediately knew what was in Neil''s thought.

    She had teased him earlier and ran away. This time, Neil wanted to continue where they left off.

    Edith turned around and was not surprised to see his eyes darkened with desire. The way Neil was staring back at her made her face warm and her breathing labored.

    Every time she saw him looking at her like that, Edith would feel her body warmed up and she wanted to feel his touch the same way he wanted to feel hers.

    The two of them continued to stare at each other for a long time. Although the look on Neil''s face showed that he could not wait to devour her, Neil did not make a move and instead continued to look at her as if asking if it would be alright for him to continue.

    Edith tiptoed to give him a kiss and soon, the kiss turned heated.

    Her eyes closed as Edith was enjoying the way his hands trailed on her body. From her waist, up to her chest and then, down to the area between her legs. Edith felt her legs grew weaker with his touch.

    Suddenly, Neil lifted her body and placed her on the kitchen counter before he continued to kiss her.

    "Not here." Edith snapped out of her trance and pushed him away. "Hazel might wake up and see us here when she comes out."

    Neil took a deep breath to calm down.. Then, he caught her lips again and carried her into their room.

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 223 - Perky (18+)

    WARNING: Snu snu chapter. Read at your own discretion.

    Edith narrowed her eyes as the sunlight peeked through the curtains.

    She moved her body around and found that the space beside her was empty. Edith sat up on the bed and stretched out. Turning around, there was a note on the side table.

    Neil had woken up a while ago and had taken Hazel to walk around the resort.

    Edith looked at the time and was disappointed that she had not woken up earlier to join them for a walk. But she was a little tired after last night''s indulgence. Even though Neil had tried to wake her up, Edith couldn''t open her eyes.

    A sigh of disappointment came out as Edith rubbed at her waist.

    It seemed that she needed to work on her stamina, or else, she was going to suffer every time they had an intimate relationship.

    After sitting down for a while, Edith hopped off the bed and walked into the bathroom, and took a shower.

    Edith was in the middle of putting on her bra when she heard a movement outside the bathroom. A while later, someone pushed the bathroom door from the outside and Neil surprised face appeared.

    "Good morning," Edith smiled before she turned around to apply some cream to her body.

    Suddenly the bathroom door was shut. Neil stood up behind her and stared at Edith through the reflection from the mirror.

    "How was your walk with Hazel?" Edith asked.

    "It was good."

    Hearing his short answer, Edith lifted her head to look at Neil. At this time, there was a slight crease at the space between his brows. A thought came to her mind and Edith turned around to look at Neil.

    "How was Hazel this morning?" Edith seemed to recall that the little girl was feeling a little under the weather after dinner. She had accompanied the little girl to bed to rub at her tummy.

    "Hazel is fine. She was excited to walk around the resort."

    Edith let out a sigh of relief.

    She was worried that Hazel might be having a fever after playing around in the cold weather yesterday. But perhaps, the little girl had a slight discomfort after eating too much.

    Turning around to face the mirror again, Edith continued her routine to apply the cream. Her movement halted when the person behind her suddenly wrapped his arms around her waist.

    Edith raised her head and looked at the man with a puzzled expression. Her gaze fell on her reflection in the mirror, and Edith realized that she was in a dangerous position.

    Why didn''t she learn that walking around in underwear will always get her into trouble?

    Wait¡­ that''s not right. She was in the bathroom when this man suddenly entered and close the door.

    Neil stared at her through the reflection. His gaze moved down towards her chest area. "This bra looks good on you." His fingers trailed on her straps. "It makes your chest looks more¡ª" He paused to grope at her chest, "¡ªperky."

    A burst of laughter escaped her. "President Mo, I did not expect that you''re such a person."

    His eyes turned dark as he watched as Edith turned around in his embrace. Her arms linked around his neck and her soft chest pressed against his. Suddenly, his breathing turned labor.

    "What kind of person?"

    Her head tilted sideways. "You liked big breasted woman?"

    "That''s not true." He immediately denied her accusation. A frown appeared as Neil tried to suppress a surging feeling inside him. "I only like yours."

    Edith let out a chuckle. She shoved him lightly on the chest and took a step back until her back hit the sink cabinet behind her. "Alright. I''m going to put on my clothes. Then we can go out and have breakfast."

    Just as Edith turned around to grab her shirt, Neil wrapped his arms around her waist again. "Baby, let me hug you for a while." He inhaled her scent and was suddenly reminded of their activity last night.

    "You said that you were going to hug me, but what are your hands doing?" Edith caught his misbehaved hands that were roaming on her bottom.

    "I''m not doing anything."

    Her eyes narrowed and Edith thought that she really should not trust a man''s words.

    "Then, how about we go on one round?"

    Edith looked at him in disbelief. "Neil Mo, your niece is outside waiting for us to go on a breakfast together."

    "Hazel is in the living area, watching cartoons. She won''t notice if we came out a little later. I will be quick." His eyes were staring back at her pleadingly. "Baby, I really could not hold it anymore."

    Edith lowered her gaze and saw the tent forming at his crotch. Her throat goes dry, her body felt a little strange as the wave was surging inside her.

    Even though Edith knew that she was going to suffer in the end, Edith found herself too weak to reject his request. She liked the way he touched her body and love the way he can make her feel.

    Edith thought that ever since they slept together, her mind has become a little corrupted and dirty.

    Seeing the way Neil continued to stare at her, her resolve wavered and Edith let loose of his hands. Just like that, her body was lifted to sit on the sink cabinet and her lips were caught in a deep, fiery kiss.

    A low hum resounded as his hands moved to fondle at her chest. The friction between her bra and her tips was slowly driving her senseless. Suddenly, Neil pinched at her peak, making her gasp.

    Knowing that Hazel was still waiting for them in the living area, Edith tried her best to suppress her moan. It would be embarrassing for both of them if Hazel appeared at the door because she happened to hear a strange sound coming from the room.

    A while later, his mouth moved from her lips to her jaw and neck. Edith closed her eyes and braced herself on the cabinet as Neil continued to work his magic.

    Edith soon became impatient as the hot wave spread to her lower body. Her hands moved to fumble with his belt as Neil continued to kiss her.

    Neil pulled away to look at her face and his lips curled into a satisfied smile. He resisted the temptation to enter her body and instead rubbed his shaft against her entrance.

    The sensation was driving her crazy.

    Didn''t he say he was going to be quick? Why was he taking his time to tease her like this?

    A whimper escaped her as Edith could no longer hold on with teasing. Gritting her teeth, Edith then wrapped her arms around his neck and sobbed, "Darling. Please. Hurry up."

    She bit her lips to suppress her moan. Neil lifted his head to kiss her lips and his tongue drove into her mouth. Before Edith was able to process what was going on, Neil had suddenly entered her body.

    Her breath hitched.. Her nails dug into his shoulder and her toes started to curl.

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 224 - Jamie Xu, Why Are You Here?

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    MH Group Headquarters

    Edith spoke a few words with Driver Tang as she got off of the vehicle. Once the vehicle disappeared from her eyesight, Edith held on Hazel''s hand tightly and the two of them entered the lobby.

    The people who were around the lobby turned their heads around the moment the two girls entered the building. It was during office hours and it was strange to see a small child appeared in the building. A few of them who had recognized Hazel as President Mo''s niece started to wonder if it would be a good idea to approach the little girl.

    However, none of them dared to take a step forward.

    Just then, a woman in suit and pants halted the moment she saw the two girls together. Jamie hesitated for a while before she walked over. "Miss Qian."

    Edith turned around and was surprised to see Jamie stood behind her. The last time she saw Jamie was at the shopping mall. The two of them exchanged a few words and had not run into each other for a few months.

    After Jamie had returned to L City, Edith had stopped coming over to the headquarter as Neil was so worried that she was going to run into his friend.

    Who would have thought that on the day that she decided to visit Neil at his office, Edith was going to run into Jamie again? If Neil heard about this unplanned meeting, wouldn''t he be drinking a barrel of vinegar?

    "Miss Xu," Edith smiled politely. Her gaze fell at the tray of hot drinks that Jamie was carrying with her.

    "This is a coincidence." Jamie touched her nose with her free hand. "My colleague send me to get some coffee for them. I did not expect that I would run into you here. Are you here to see Neil?"

    "Yes." Edith nodded. Seeing that the woman in front of her had not tried to act frivolously with her, Edith was more at ease.

    Jamie''s gaze fell on Hazel and her eyes gradually softened. "This is¡­ Hazel? My God! The last time I saw you, you were still a baby!"

    Hazel stared back at the woman in front of her and her hand instinctively tightened against Edith. Her body shifted to hide behind Edith. She had never seen the woman in front of her hand was afraid that this person might snatch her away.

    "It''s fine." Edith patted at Hazel''s hair and whispered, "This person is a friend of your uncle."

    Hearing Edith''s words, Hazel stopped hiding and greeted Jamie politely. "Hello, I''m Hazel Mo."

    Jamie felt a tug at her heart upon looking at the smile on Hazel''s face. Jamie thought that Hazel''s smile resembled Claire''s the most. She had known Claire and the Mo brothers for years as they grew up together.

    When Jamie heard the news about Adam and Claire''s accident, she was devastated. However, because her parents had prevented her from coming back, Jamie was not able to attend their funeral. She could only send the couple off from far away.

    Jamie crouched down to get to Hazel''s level and spoke in a low voice. "I am not only a friend of your uncle. I am also a very good friend to your parents."

    Hazel tilted her head sideways, "You know my parents?"

    Jamie nodded happily. "I was there by your mother''s side when she gave birth to you."

    Jamie was accompanying Claire to buy some clothes for Hazel when the little girl suddenly thought that it would be a good idea for her to come out. When they arrived at the hospital, Claire was in such pain that she had gripped Jamie''s arms tightly and had refused to let go. In the end, the nurse had no other choice but to let Jamie accompany Claire as she gave birth to Hazel.

    For years, Adam was upset at her for this matter.

    At this time, the elevator arrived. Edith nodded at Jamie and entered the elevator with Hazel. Before the elevator shut, Jamie slipped into the elevator and smiled.

    "Miss Xu, weren''t you supposed to send those coffees to your colleague?" Edith asked.

    Jamie shifted her gaze towards the tray of coffee and a glimpse of hesitation flashed on her face. "It''s fine."

    Edith raised a brow but did not say anything. The elevator arrived at the president''s floor and the three of them walked out. Assistant Shawn, who was waiting for Edith and Hazel to arrive was stunned when he realized that Jamie had appeared along with them.

    "Miss Xu, why are you here as well?" Assistant Shawn spoke in a low voice to avoid others from listening. "You know very well that you weren''t supposed to make contact with the president in the building."

    "I know," Jamie said. "I will take responsibility for my action and this will not ruin Neil''s plan at all. Assistant Shawn, don''t worry too much."

    Assistant Shawn was still agitated, but Jamie was a good friend of President Mo and he could not speak too much about it. He led the three girls to President Mo''s office and braced himself.

    Just as Assistant Shawn had thought, President Mo was upset when he saw that Jamie had appeared in his office. His face darkened as he stood up from his seat. "Jamie Xu, why are you here?"

    "I ran into both of them downstairs and thought that it would be good for me to come over as well." Jamie placed the tray of hot coffee on the table and turned to Hazel. "I haven''t seen Hazel for years. Let me spend a little more time with her, alright?"

    Neil rubbed at the space between his brow as he watched Jamie sat down on the sofa.

    "Don''t worry. If anyone asked, I know what to answer," Jamie said. "I came back to help you. I wouldn''t ruin your plan. You weren''t the only person who wanted to find that murderer."

    "Jamie Xu!" Neil''s loud and harsh voice startled everyone who was inside the room. His eyes narrowed as he looked at Jamie. He shifted his gaze to Hazel and Jamie finally understood that she should not mention this matter in front of the little girl.

    Hazel always knew that her parents passed away in an accident. If she knew that her parents were murdered instead, the little girl would be heartbroken.

    "Sorry," Jamie lowered her gaze, knowing that she was at fault.

    Sensing the tension in the room, Neil heaved a long sigh. He turned to both Edith and Hazel and spoke, "You''re both a little early. Sit down a little while. When I finished my work, we can go out together."

    The Chinese New Year was approaching and the three of them were planning to go shopping before they are going to return to Z Town in a few weeks.

    Edith nodded before she accompanied Hazel to sit around the coffee table and helped the little girl with her homework.

    Neil turned his attention back at Jamie.. "You have been in the accounting department for a few months. Did you find out anything?"

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 225 - Accounting Department

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Jamie was still looking at Hazel with her eyes full of adoration when she heard Neil speaking to her. Turning around, Jamie thought about the accounting department where she had to stay to spy on a few people.

    "You''re not going to believe how f-cked up the accounting department is," Jamie said.

    Neil sent her a warning gaze. "Language."

    Hazel was still in the room and they did not want her to learn anything inappropriate.

    Jamie followed Neil''s gaze and instinctively put a hand on her mouth. At this time, Hazel lifted her head and Jamie suddenly felt a little guilty about the words she had said.

    Afraid that she might accidentally speak an inappropriate word, Jamie went over to Neil''s table and sat down. "Neil Mo, I have been working with the Accounting Department for months. Every day, I have to suffer from your staff''s bullying. After going through all these, don''t you think that I deserve your forgiveness?"

    Neil stared back with a sharp gaze. "I have this urge to beat you whenever I recalled what you did."

    Jamie put her hands on her cheek as she imagined getting her face hit by Neil. "What past is past. Moreover, you found yourself someone new." She leaned forward and spoke in a low voice, "It seems to me that your relationship with Miss Qian is pretty good."

    "You also tried to hit on my girlfriend again."

    Another cursing word almost came out of her mouth, but Jamie held back. "I didn''t know that she is your girlfriend." Jamie shrunk back as she met Neil''s dangerous gaze.

    The frown on his face deepened and Neil took a deep breath to calm down. "Let''s not talk about that." Amanda has passed away not too long ago and Neil did not want to think about her.

    When he thought about being the last person that Amanda had called before she died, Neil was uncomfortable.

    Jamie pursed her lips and decided not to mention Amanda again. "I''ve been bullied by your staff after you assigned me to the Accounting Department. The others acted as if they did not trust me enough and would always send me to do menial tasks."

    Neil rapped his fingers on the table as he pondered whether his decision to send Jamie over to the Accounting Department was useless.

    "However," Jamie spoke in an excited tone. "After everyone had left, I''ve been staying around to do overtime. After snooping around for months, I found that the money they siphoned out of the company might be a lot than you thought." Jamie took out her phone, opened the photo gallery, and showed Neil a few photos she had taken.

    Neil studied the photos and his eyes glinted dangerously.

    After Adam passed away, Neil had heard that his brother was investigating the hospital project on the west side of the city. From the snapshot shown by Jamie, Neil was very sure that there are huge problems with the project.

    Neil had given his green light and allocated a lot of money for this hospital. He wanted this hospital to be the best in L City and did not mind spending a little more to get the best. However, he did not think that some people would take advantage of the situation.

    This project was important for him and Neil did not want to think of what will happen if something were to happen to that hospital once the hospital was opened to the public.

    Moreover, some of the information on these documents proved that the Rainmaker was not lying. The things that he had pointed out to him was almost the same as what Jamie had found out.

    It seemed that the three directors were indeed very problematic. However, Neil could not simply dismiss them without concrete evidence. And to get those evidence, Neil had to work smart to trap them.

    "Where did you get this?"

    "Director Victor Cui. He sent me on a mission to shred those documents," Jamie said. "Once I saw the documents, I took a few snapshots with my phone. I wanted to show them to you, but I heard from Assistant Shawn that you did not want to see me around."

    "Then, what about the documents? Did you save it?"

    It would be vital evidence if they wanted the people who were involved in the embezzlement case to get the punishment they deserved.

    "I shredded them," Jamie admitted. "Director Cui wanted to see the evidence that I have done my job well. I had to destroy those documents to gain his trust and I had no way to save the documents intact." She watched as Neil''s face turned uglier and smiled. "However, I managed to save them from the garbage collectors. Don''t worry. I will try my best to repair those documents."

    Neil thought that he might have an incoming headache after having this conversation with Jamie.

    "Forget it. Just come over to me once you managed to rescue that document." Neil waved his hand, signaling Jamie to leave his office.

    "No way. Let me stay here for a while longer," Jamie protested. "I haven''t seen Hazel for years. Let me stay and look at her for a while longer."

    "You will get your chance later," Neil said. "Have you forgotten? You were not supposed to contact me while we''re in this building. I don''t know you."

    Jamie clicked her tongue and gave Neil a displeased look.

    "Next time, I will ask Henry to have dinner at my place. You can come with him and you can spend your time with Hazel."

    Jamie''s expression turned bright upon hearing Neil''s words.

    Since he had invited her to come over to his place, then, doesn''t that mean that he had forgiven her for the things she did years ago?

    "Neil Mo, you''ve said it. You cannot change your mind. Next time, I''m going to your place and play with Hazel." Jamie pointed her forefinger at Neil before she hopped off with the takeaway coffee in her hand.

    Once Jamie stepped out of the office, Neil took a deep breath and rubbed at the space between his brow.

    A while later, a pair of warm hands rested on his shoulders. Neil looked up and saw that Edith was smiling at him.

    "Tired?" Edith raised a brow as her hands moved to give him a massage. "We can go out next time if you''re busy."

    "It''s fine. I''ve been working for too long and I need to relax," Neil said.. "It''s been a while since the three of us had dinner outside."

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 226 - Sensible Hazel

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Neil drove his SUV to a shopping mall and pulled over at a parking space. The mall was beautifully decorated with the festivity''s decorations and the radio was playing cheerful songs. After spending a couple of minutes at the mall, anyone would suddenly have the mood to celebrate the upcoming festivity.

    The three of them had their dinner at the restaurant and then, walked around the mall to shop around.

    They were planning to return to Z Town and wanted to buy a few gifts as well.

    After walking around for almost an hour, both Neil''s and Edith''s hands were filled with shopping bags with Hazel''s clothing. Once Neil saw the cute clothing on display, he couldn''t help but buy a few more for his niece.

    When it comes to buying clothes for Hazel, Neil would be very generous and would not mind spoiling his niece.

    If Edith did not warn him that it would be a waste for Hazel to wear new clothes every day, it was possible that Neil would not stop buying. At this time, Edith was suddenly glad that Neil was not addicted to online shopping. Or else, his house would probably be filled with various things for Hazel.

    "Is this enough?" Neil asked as he glanced at the paper bags in his hands. He then turned to Hazel and asked, "Is there anything else you want?"

    "Un." Hazel nodded. "Uncle, this is enough. There''s too much clothing. Though they were all pretty, I cannot wear them all."

    "What about pajama? We haven''t bought enough pajama for you."

    "Uncle, you''ve bought a few pajamas for me last month. I don''t need a new one," Hazel said. "I''m a child and I am growing up quick. Let''s buy one when I can no longer fit into my clothes."

    Edith watched the uncle and niece''s exchanges and suppress her laughter. Sometimes, the little girl can be more sensible than her uncle.

    Neil let out a sigh in resignation. He glanced inside the store and his eyes suddenly halted at a pink dress with plum blossom embroidery.

    Little Hazel noticed that her uncle was still looking in the store and followed her uncle''s gaze. Her head tilted as Hazel stared at the cute dress not far from them. "Those dresses are too small for me. They''re for babies."

    Neil turned around and looked at Hazel in a daze.

    The image of a small baby in that cute dress appeared in his mind and Neil wondered what it would be like if he had a child. Suddenly, he wanted to have a daughter as cute as Hazel.

    Hazel stretched her hand and pulled at her uncle''s hand. "Uncle, let''s go. We haven''t bought enough for my grandparents. Didn''t you say we''re coming to buy gifts for them?"

    Heaving another sigh, Neil finally turned to follow both Edith and Hazel to another level to buy what they came to look for.

    Once they have bought everything they needed, the three of them left the shopping mall and headed back to their home. Hazel went back to her room and prepare for bed while Edith stayed downstairs to sort the stuff they bought earlier.

    When Neil entered the kitchen, Edith was putting aside the health product she had bought for her grandpa. He poured himself a glass of water and looked at her. "How do you usually spend your new year with your grandpa?"

    Edith lifted her head to look at his boyfriend. "When I was smaller, my grandpa would usually be on duty even on Chinese New Year. I usually spend my time with Aaron''s parents."

    A slight frown appeared on Neil''s face.

    "Now that my grandpa is retired, we would still come over to the Li''s place to celebrate together," Edith said. "Uncle Li would always gather his friends and they would play mahjong all day."

    "This year, why don''t you ask your grandpa to come over to our place? My parents would be happy to see you."

    Edith studied his face and saw the unhappiness in his expression. A thought came to her mind and Edith chuckled, knowing that this man was jealous that she was going to spend her time with Aaron again.

    However, Aaron had mentioned to her that he was not going back this year as he was still busy with the ongoing investigation. Of course, Edith was not planning to say this to her boyfriend.

    "What about the others? Your extended family is not joining you to celebrate the new year together?"

    "The elders in my family have passed away," Neil said. "Ever since my father was unwell, we usually welcome the new year with just us. We''re not that close with the extended family. This is why my family is not too restricted with rules and such."

    His eyes darkened as Neil recalled the time when his father needed the family the most. MH Group was in trouble and his father was sick. His mother tried to get help from the others, but none of them wanted to help them. His mother came to find her family but they pushed his mother away. They were avoided like plague.

    Fortunately, the company turned around after he and Adam took over.

    Now that the company was doing better than it used to, the extended family who once pretended that they don''t exist would sometimes appear at their door. Everyone wanted the chance to repair the family relationship, but for Neil and his mother, the pain of being pushed away by them when they needed help the most was too great.

    There was no way that he can pretend to be on good terms with such people.

    "I''ll come over," Edith said. "But I''m not sure about my grandpa. He probably wanted to go out and play mahjong with his friends again. My grandpa¡­ he''s pretty close with his ex-teammates."

    "Then, I''ll come over and pick you up when the time comes."

    "It''s fine. I can drive over to your parents'' place."

    "Let me come and pick you up." His lips tilted into a light smile. "I just wanted to be alone with my girlfriend for a while."

    He could imagine that his mother will pull his girlfriend away to chat the moment she set her feet into the house. Then, he will be shoved aside to accompany his father for a game of chess.

    Edith laughed. She looked around and then walked over until she reached in front of him. She linked her arms around his neck and smiled. "Well, we''re alone now."

    His smile stretched up and Neil lowered his head to capture her lips in a gentle kiss.

    Read novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 227 - About Hazels Parents

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    After a quick shower, Edith went to Hazel''s room and accompanied the little girl until she fell asleep.

    Neil came out of the bedroom and entered his study to look at a few documents as usual. He had a habit to recheck his email and schedule before going to bed to ensure that he did not miss anything important.

    He sat behind the desk to deal with a few important emails and paused. Recalling his conversation with Jamie earlier that day, Neil send a message to Henry and asked him to investigate a few things for him. His eyes darkened when he remember the details on the documents that Jamie had sent to him.

    Though Neil did not expect everyone who was working for MH Group, to be honest in their work, he did not think that the three directors were brave enough to steal so much money from the company.

    As Neil continued to stare at the computer screen, Neil suddenly sat up straight as if he was jolted. A thought came to his mind and Neil tried to recall the data that he had seen from Jamie''s phone earlier.

    A cursing word escaped him as he scolded himself for not asking Jamie to send over the photos to his email earlier.

    His fingers rapped against the wooden desk and finally stopped when he remembered what he had forgotten.

    Grabbing the pen and paper, Neil scribbled something on the paper. Then, he moved to his laptop and opened a file. His body tensed as he compared the address on the paper and the one on his computer a few times.

    The company name might be different, but the address was the same as the dummy company that was set up to frame Edward Xiao a while ago.

    Neil sat in his office to rearrange his thought and finally came out of his study after a long time.

    When he went back into the bedroom, Edith was in the bed, playing with her phone. Hearing Neil entering the bedroom, Edith lowered the phone in her hand and looked up. A slight frown appeared on her face as Edith noticed the way Neil was looking distracted.

    Edith pushed the quilt cover away and walked over to Neil. She stood in front of him with concern. "Darling, are you okay?"

    Neil snapped out of his trance and forced a smile. "I''m fine. Just a little tired after looking at some files." He stretched his hand to rub her head. "Why aren''t you sleeping yet?"

    "I was just chatting with Aaron." Her lips tilted upward noticing the slight change in his expression. "He wanted to ask me to send something to his parents."

    "Why is he asking you?"

    "He''s not coming back to Z Town for the new year. It has been a few months and they haven''t made progress with the case," Edith said. "The period between the time the second victim and Miss Shen''s death was not far away. Aaron said, the authorities are worried that a new victim is going to show up soon. His team is taking precautions."

    Hearing her words, the frown on Neil''s face deepened. "Don''t go and run around alone if you can. Ask Driver Tang to take you if you need to go anywhere. I know that you''re good with self-defense, but I don''t want anything to happen to you. Let''s not take the chance."

    Edith was sure that she had heard him giving the same advice previously. She smiled and nodded obediently. "I''ll listen to you."

    Seeing that his mood was not as bad as the time he entered the room, Edith went back to the bed and slipped under the cover. Soon, the space beside her sunk in a little bit, and Edith found herself being pulled into a warm embrace.

    Neil buried his face in her neck and took a deep breath.

    There was silence between them, but Edith was sure that Neil was not sleeping yet. After a few seconds of hesitation, Edith whispered, "Darling?"

    "Hmm?"

    "Are you asleep?"

    Neil let out a chuckle. "Why aren''t you sleeping yet? I thought you would be tired by now." He pulled away from her and stared into her eyes. "If you''re not tired, how about we try to do something meaningful?"

    Edith pushed at his chest and laughed. "Listen to me first. Darling, if I ask you something, will you answer?"

    Neil raised a brow. "Go ahead. We''ll see if it is something that I can answer."

    Edith took a deep breath to prepare herself. "Can you tell me what happened to Hazel''s parents? I know that her parents died in an accident, but you don''t seem to think that it was the case."

    Neil''s expression changed slightly. He had wondered about the kind of question Edith would ask him at this time, but he was not expecting her to ask about Adam and Claire''s death.

    "If you can''t tell me, that''s fine," Edith said quickly. She did not want Neil to get upset by her sudden question. They have been dating for a while. Though Edith hoped that the two of them would be free to talk about anything freely, there should be matters that he could not talk about.

    Edith was aware that Neil''s relationship with his brother, Adam, was very good. But perhaps, he was not comfortable to mention him to her yet.

    "Hazel''s parents¡­ It was just as what you have heard from the news. They passed away from that accident," Neil said. "However, a few days after they passed away, I received news that his accident might not be simple. It was a planned murder."

    Edith''s eyes were wide when she heard his words.

    "I received news that my brother was looking into misappropriation of funds in the company. Someone did not want him to report it to the authorities and that was why he died."

    Edith stared at her boyfriend''s calm expression but did not miss the anger in his eyes. Her hands moved to caress his arms softly as Edith continued to listen to his story.. Her eyes grew misty as Edith thought of how Hazel had lost both parents at the same time.

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 228 - Grandfather Planning To Visit

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Neil frowned as he watched Aaron loaded a few bags into the trunk. Seeing that everything was arranged, Aaron shut the door and walked over to Neil with a polite smile on his face.

    "President Mo, thank you for your help this time." There was an awkward smile on his face as Aaron looked at Neil.

    The last time he had accidentally got involved in the couple''s misunderstanding, Neil had sent him a cold look and it still frightened him to this day. Aaron had met a lot of criminals in his life and had seen the way they looked at others. But none were as cold as Neil Mo''s.

    Aaron could not understand how his friend, Edith was dating this man. The look on his face was too scary and she had to look at Neil''s face every day as they were living together.

    One was a hooligan and one was cold as ice. With such personalities, wouldn''t they have to fight every day?

    Neil merely replied to him with a nod.

    At this time, Edith was upstairs in their apartment with Hazel. Therefore, the two men had to stay together awkwardly.

    "I heard that the investigation is still ongoing?" Neil spoke after a while.

    Aaron nodded. Now that Neil had mentioned the case he was working on, Aaron''s expression turned serious and he no longer had that silly expression on his face.

    "Edith should have mentioned a few things about the case?" Aaron asked.

    "She mentioned that a new victim might be appearing soon. How are you sure about this?"

    Anyone would be worried and frightened to hear about this speculation. With the two girls, he cared about around him, Neil could not help but worry about their safety as well. No one knew how this murderer chose his victim.

    Aaron heaved a long sigh as he thought of the upcoming trouble. The speculation that the next victim was going to appear soon was a secret, but he had mentioned this matter to Edith because he wanted his friend to be careful of her surroundings.

    "You know that Edith''s grandfather and my father were both cops before they retired. Their team had investigated a case like this in the past and had not caught the murderer. The murder this time had the same style. After studying the case, we thought that the next victim might appear soon."

    Neil''s expression grew colder as he thought that Amanda''s killer was running loose. They might have broken up, but it was still worrying to have someone he knew was murdered in such an inhuman way.

    As Aaron continued to tell Neil what he can about the case, Edith came down with Hazel by her side.

    The two men stopped their discussion and the serious look on their face disappeared.

    Neil walked over and took the luggage from Edith. "Is everything done?"

    "Un." Edith nodded. "I locked the door properly. Don''t worry."

    Aaron stared at the way the two interacted with a dumbfounded look on his face. Where did his hooligan friend disappear to? Where did the iceblock man disappear to?

    It seemed that when the two were together, they were not as Aaron had thought. Aaron had to rub his eyes and blink to convince himself that he was not seeing things.

    After a while, Aaron sensed that someone was watching him and found that the little girl was staring at him with a curious gaze. He bent his body and waved. "Hello!"

    Hazel held on Edith''s hand tighter but made no move to hide away as she would always do.

    "I''m a friend of your Teacher Qian. We''ve met each other previously. My name is Aaron Li, but you can call me Uncle Aaron."

    "Auntie Edith." Hazel corrected him. "It''s Auntie Edith, not Teacher Qian. We''re not at school."

    "Ah?" Aaron tilted his head, wondering what was the difference between them. He decided not to pay attention to that matter and smiled. "You don''t remember me?" Aaron asked.

    "I remember," Hazel said. Her voice was soft and sweet. She stood up straight as she remembered her manners. "Hello, Uncle Aaron. I''m Hazel Mo."

    Aaron heaved a soft sigh. "Such an adorable little girl." He lifted his head to look at Neil and wondered how can Neil and Hazel be related to each other.

    After helping Edith to put the luggage into the trunk, Neil helped Hazel to get into the car and started the engine. Edith exchanged a few words with Aaron and finally hopped into the vehicle.

    The three of them were heading to Z Town to celebrate the new year with their family. Fortunately, Neil''s parents and Edith''s grandpa live in the same town. Even though they might be spending most of their time with their family, they can still meet each other whenever they wanted.

    Neil glanced at Edith who was typing something on her phone and asked, "Have you talked to your grandpa?"

    "Un." Edith put down her phone. "Right. I forgot to mention this to you. My grandpa said that he is planning to visit your parents in the new year."

    A look of surprise crossed Neil''s face. Previously when he had mentioned asking her grandpa to come over, Edith was very sure that her grandpa would not join them and instead, would rather spend his time with his friends.

    "Did your grandpa changed his mind?"

    Edith turned to Neil and smiled. "It seemed that my grandpa could not believe that your family would treat me well after knowing our differences. He is worried that his granddaughter might be bullied."

    Neil was about to convince his girlfriend that she should not worry about such things as his family did not mind a trivial matter such as that. However, knowing that Mike was only concerned about his granddaughter, Neil decided not to say anything.

    For Mike, Edith is his only granddaughter and family. Of course, he would be unhappy if his granddaughter was bullied. Coming over for a visit was just an excuse for Mike to look at how Neil''s family will treat his little girl.

    However, as someone who was planning to spend the rest of his life with Mike''s granddaughter, it would be Neil''s job to convince Mike that he will treat Edith well.. If he failed, there was no way that Mike was going to allow his granddaughter to stay by his side.

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 229 - Do You Like Him?

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    The surrounding around Mike''s house was very cheery. Everyone had put up some decoration in front of their house to join in the festivity mood. The younger generation who live in the bigger cities had all returned. Suddenly, the usually quiet neighborhood turned lively.

    Though they would be celebrating the new year with just the two of them as usual, Edith and Mike joined in the fun and decorated the house and pasted a few auspicious decorations around.

    In the evening, Mike went into the kitchen to start cooking for their dinner while Edith sat in the dining area, wrapping up some dumplings. The two of them had their dinner and watched the television together as they waited for a new day to come.

    Mike glanced at his granddaughter and saw the way she was smiling secretly as she played with her phone.

    It was not hard for him to guess that Edith was chatting with her boyfriend.

    Looking at the smile on her face, Mike could sense that his granddaughter was happy with Neil. This might be the first time he had seen such an expression on his granddaughter''s face. Mike could see how much Edith liked Neil. However, he was still worried that his granddaughter was going to be bullied.

    They were in a different social class and Mike did not want the Mo family to mind about his granddaughter''s background. Edith was such an amazing girl and those who look down on her background without getting to know her were not worthy to be with his granddaughter.

    No matter how grown-up his little girl was, Mike had vowed to protect Edith for as long as he lives.

    Just then, the phone in Edith''s hand started to buzz. Edith stared at the screen in panic. She glanced at her grandpa and saw that he was focusing on the television show. With the phone in her hand, Edith then went into her bedroom to answer the phone call.

    Her finger slide across the screen and her heart skipped a beat upon seeing Neil''s face on the screen.

    "Why did you give me a video call?" Edith asked. She saw her reflection at the corner of the screen and quickly tidied up her hair.

    Neil let out a deep chuckle when he saw the way she had reacted. "I miss you."

    Her hand paused at her hair and her lips curled into a sheepish smile. "I miss you too," Edith whispered softly.

    The television was blaring outside the room, but Edith was still worried that her grandfather was going to overhear her conversation with Neil. It was a strange thing to speak of those sweet words to Neil, knowing that her grandfather was still outside.

    Neil saw the expression on her face and regretted that he was not by her side. He liked seeing the shyness on her face and had the urge to kiss her senselessly.

    They were both in the same town, but will only be meeting each other again in a few hours.

    The thought that he was going to sleep alone without that certain someone on his side made Neil grew uncomfortable. Last night, he could not sleep well and had to toss and turn in his bed for hours before he could fall asleep.

    He was used to having Edith by his side and now, he did not think that he would be able to sleep well.

    "What did you have for dinner?" Neil asked, and soon, the two of them chatted and whispered sweet words for almost an hour.

    When Edith walked out of her room, her grandfather was still in the living area, watching the television. At this time, one of the popular singers was on the stage, singing a lively song.

    Edith sat down on the sofa silently and paused when her grandfather suddenly turned his head to her.

    Mike glanced at the phone in Edith''s hand. "Was that Neil?"

    "Hmm¡­" Edith nodded slowly.

    Mike let out an inaudible sigh when he saw the expression on Edith''s face. The corner of her lips tilted slightly into a shy smile, and her face was glowing with happiness.

    "Did you tell him that I will come along to visit his parents tomorrow?"

    "I did." Edith looked up to her grandfather. "Grandpa, I thought that you were going to play mahjong with Grandpa George."

    "I''ve never gone into those big villas and wanted to walk around," Mike said. "Since the Mo''s had invited me to come over to their place, of course, I have to take this chance to walk around."

    Edith laughed. She leaned forward and propped her chin on her palm. "Grandpa, are you worried that I was going to be bullied?"

    Mike paused before he let out a scoff. "Why would I worry about that? With your reputation in high school, I should be worried that you were going to bully others instead."

    The smile on Edith''s lips stretched out. Her grandpa was really a dishonest guy. He was worried about her and yet, did not want to admit it.

    A frown appeared on Mike''s face as he noticed the smile on his granddaughter''s face. He took a deep breath and decided not to be too stubborn. "That boy¡­ Neil Mo. How is he treating you?"

    "He treats me really good," Edith said. "Grandpa, Neil, and his family are really good to me."

    Mike thought that he should not trust his granddaughter''s words until he had met Neil''s family and looked at how well they treated his granddaughter before he made any decision.

    After all, a girl can be so foolish when she was in love.

    As the rational person, Mike had to watch over his granddaughter.

    Mike was worried that his granddaughter had only said those words to him to let him worry less. Until he had met Neil''s parents and exchange a few words with him, Mike was not going to lower his guard.

    His granddaughter was already this big, but Mike could not stop worrying about her.

    "Do you like him?"

    Her expression glow with bliss. "I love him."

    Mike paused when he heard her words. He gave his granddaughter a look over and snorted.. "Shameless."

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 230 - Grandpa Was At Ease

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Neil arrived at Mike''s place to pick them up a few hours before lunch.

    Initially, Neil had thought that he would have some alone time with his girlfriend when he came over and pick her up. However, he did not think that Edith''s grandfather had suddenly changed his mind and decided to come with Edith to his parents'' place.

    Neil heaved a sigh, knowing that he will not have his alone time with Edith. When they arrived at his parents'' place, he will have to fight for his girlfriend''s attention from both his mother and niece.

    Sensing that the old man was staring intently at him from the back seat, Neil could only sit up straight, behaved himself, and forget his plan to be alone with Edith.

    With Mike''s presence in the vehicle and without Hazel''s chattering voice, the drive from Mike''s place to the Mo''s villas was very quiet. Fortunately, the distance was not that far, and the three of them got through the awkward silence.

    Just as Neil pulled over his vehicle, Hazel ran out from the house to welcome them. "Auntie Edith! Great-grandpa, you''re here!" Hazel called out with her sweet cheery voice.

    Mike''s serious face suddenly disappeared when he saw the little girl running towards him with her short legs. The little girl was dressed in a pink cheongsam dress with scattered tiny embroidered flowers and her hair was clipped with small bunny shaped hair clips.

    "Oh, isn''t this is our little princess?" Mike greeted the little girl with a smile.

    Hazel lowered her head and smiled sheepishly. "Great-grandpa, happy new year!"

    Mike laughed happily before he took out a red envelope for Hazel. "Little princess, take this red envelope."

    The little girl looked at both Edith and Neil before she accepted them. "Great-grandpa, thank you." She took the initiative to hold the old man''s hand and led him inside. "Great-grandpa, come on in. My grandpa has been waiting for you for a long time."

    Neil watched as the two walked into the house and smiled. It seemed that he had really taught Hazel well. He had long realized that Mike had adored Hazel. Knowing that Mike was going to come, Neil had asked Hazel to be extra nice to Mike and hope that the old man would not make things too difficult for him later.

    As everyone had entered the house, Neil tugged at Edith''s hand and took her behind the vehicle. Then, he pressed her body against the SUV and kissed her lips.

    Although he was a bit reluctant, Neil had no other choice but to make the kiss short. He did not want to face Mike''s sour face when he noticed Edith''s swollen lips.

    Edith tilted her head sideways as she watched the conflicted look in Neil''s expression. "Is that enough?"

    Neil heaved a sigh. His thumb rubbed at Edith''s lips softly. "Baby, don''t tease me like this."

    Seeing the expression on Neil''s face as if he wanted to kiss her, but had to restrain himself made her laugh. Edith looked at him with her innocent eyes and blinked. "What did I do?"

    Neil narrowed his eyes as he fought the urge to pinch Edith''s cheek.

    At this time, Hazel reappeared at the door and looked over at the two adults. "Uncle, Auntie Edith, come on in. Grandma said we''re going to eat soon."

    Neil composed himself, grabbed the paper bags in the trunk, and walked into the house with his girlfriend.

    As soon as they walked in, his mother, Sophie had dragged Edith into the kitchen to chat with Hazel following them happily. In the end, Neil had to stay around with Mike and his father where they talked about Edith briefly before they moved on to the current political issue.

    Neil glanced at Mike''s expression and heaved a sigh in relief upon seeing that his amiable smile.

    Soon, Hazel reappeared again to announce that lunch was ready.

    Fortunately, with Hazel''s chattering voice and Sophie''s friendliness, the meal was not so awkward. At least, Mike would know that his family would not treat Edith badly. Edith was someone who was easy to get along with and his parents genuinely liked her.

    After their meal, Hazel took Mike to look around the house around the garden. Edith tagged along and watched as her grandfather played around with Hazel. After a while, Hazel ran around to pluck some flowers in Sophie''s garden, leaving the two grownups at the side.

    "Grandfather, what are you thinking?'' Edith asked. Her gaze stayed with Hazel who was not far away from them.

    "The Mo''s couple is good people," Mike commented. Their son, Neil, had a polite manner and Mike could see that his parents had brought up their son''s well.

    Mike has been watching the family''s interaction and how they had treated Edith during dinner. He could see that Sophie had treated Edith well. The look on her eyes was honest, and Mike was assured that his granddaughter would not be mistreated if it was fated for her to be the Mo''s daughter-in-law.

    "Then, are you assured that I won''t be bullied?"

    Mike looked at his granddaughter and snorted. "Even if you ''re bullied, I''m very sure that you are not someone who will let yourself be at disadvantage."

    "That''s right." Edith held at her grandfather''s arms and acted coquettishly. "If I ran into a troublesome problem, I still have my grandpa around."

    "Since you really liked that boy and his family is not dissatisfied with you, then I can be at ease. However, you should know that staying with people in their social circle is not that easy."

    "I know." Edith nodded. "Grandpa, it was just as you have said earlier. I will not let myself be at disadvantage."

    Mike did not know whether he should be happy or worried that his granddaughter had decided to brave herself for whatever difficulties to stay with Neil.

    "Since you have decided, I won''t say anything else," Mike said and looked away. "I promised that I will always stand behind you and your decision. I am not planning to go back on my words."

    Edith leaned her head in her grandfather''s arms. "Grandpa, you''re the best!"

    Mike chuckled as he watched the way his granddaughter acted. "Tonight, why don''t you stay here and accompany Hazel?"

    Edith pulled away and stared at her grandfather in shock. She did not think that her grandfather would suddenly let her stay the night with the Mo''s family.

    "Don''t be too surprised. It''s just that I have promised that I will accompany your Grandpa George and the others to meet up for a few drinks and a few rounds of mahjong.. I might be spending my night at Grandpa George''s place and I won''t feel at ease if you are to stay at the house alone."

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 231 - Clingy Neil

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Mike left the house later in the evening after James Li came over to pick him up and headed together to find their friends. When she told Neil about her grandfather''s suggestion, his face glow with excitement. Both Sophie and Lucas were more than happy and they welcomed Edith to stay at their place for a few days.

    As the plan to stay over at the Mo''s villas was unplanned, Edith had to head back to her grandfather''s place and grab a few clothes and necessities.

    Neil glanced at the clothing packed in her small bag and raised a brow. "Is that enough?"

    "I''m staying for one night. Why wouldn''t it be enough?"

    Neil did not say anything and continued to stare at Edith as she continued to pack her things. His parents had already agreed to let her stay at their place for a few days, but this girl was only intending to stay with them for one night.

    Though Neil wanted to voice his complaint, he knew that it was not easy for them to come back and Edith wanted to spend more time with her grandfather.

    "I''m done," Edith announced. She spun around and suddenly found herself in a warm embrace. Just as she tilted her head to look up at Neil, her lips were captured in a gentle kiss.

    Edith closed her eyes to enjoy his kisses and wrapped her arms around his waist. After a while, Neil pulled away and Edith looked at him with a puzzled look. "What was that for?"

    Although Neil was someone who would often find the opportunity to touch her, Edith was not expecting that kiss to come.

    "Later when we went back, I wouldn''t have much chance to kiss you," Neil said with a frown. "My mom will drag you to chat with her, then Hazel will ask you to accompany her to play."

    Edith looked at his slightly pouting face and laughed.

    Surprisingly, this Iceblock would have this expression and acted coy with her.

    She raised her hand to bop his nose. "Why do I feel like you''re even clingier than Hazel?"

    "What''s wrong with being clingy towards my girlfriend?" Neil hugged her tightly. "Why do you make me like you so much?" Her scent wafted to his nose and Neil thought that her scent had a calming effect on him.

    Last night, he did not sleep well and Edith''s scent made him relaxed. If they were not in a hurry to return to his parents'' place, Neil would have pulled the girl in his embrace to bed. He did not want to do anything except hugging her to sleep.

    With Edith''s urging, Neil finally released her and the two went back to Neil''s place. When they arrived, Neil noticed another vehicle parked outside. A frown appeared on his face as he wondered if there were guests coming over.

    Ever since his parents moved over to Z Town, they rarely received guests. Z Town was a small town and most people would not want to come over unless if they wanted to spend their vacation by the beach. Therefore, to see a luxury car parked in front of his house during this festivity season was a little bit strange for Neil.

    When Neil walked inside with Edith, his ears picked up the familiar sound of chattering voice and laughter.

    The sound of chattering stopped as they entered the living area. Soon a few heads turned to them and Neil watched his mother''s awkward smile. Neil''s expression turned dark as he shifted his gaze towards the three women sitting on the sofa. He recognized the elderly woman as his mother''s eldest sister, Ruby Huang.

    "Neil, you''re back." Sophie stood up and walked over to her son.

    Neil walked over to them and stopped. "Eldest Auntie," Neil greeted politely.

    Ruby nodded. Her lips curled into a happy smile. "We were heading over to L City and passed over this town. I remember that my sister is now living here and decided to come over and take a look. This place doesn''t look too bad."

    Neil merely smiled upon hearing the elderly woman''s words. His parents have moved over to Z Town after the company faced big trouble and his father was unwell. It has been more than five years and this auntie had never thought to come over and visit them.

    "Right," Ruby turned to the two young girls beside her. "You should remember your cousin, Tiffany. She had recently received her degree in business administration. How about you consider letting her work with MH Group?"

    Sophie''s expression changed immediately.

    At this time, a younger girl with shoulder-length hair and knee-length dress stepped forward with a confident smile on her face. "Cousin."

    Neil smiled at his aunt. "If she''s interested to work in MH Group, she can follow the procedure as everyone else." He shifted his gaze to his cousin and continued, "There''s a downloadable form on the company''s website. Just fill them in and email them to the HR department. If you''re qualified, the HR Department will contact you for an interview."

    Ruby looked at Neil with displeasure. "Why can''t you help your cousin? Aren''t we family?"

    Neil chuckled at her words. "It''s not that I did not want to help. But Eldest Auntie, previously, you have said that we should never mix family relationships and business together. What''s important is a person''s capability in doing business. I think it''s the same with employment. If my cousin is capable, then she can try to apply at MH Group."

    Ruby frowned, and a while later, her expression turned white.

    Those words were the same as what she had said the last time Sophie had come to find her when MH Group was facing financial trouble years ago. Hearing that Neil had returned the words to her, Ruby felt her face hot.

    "Eldest Auntie, if there''s nothing else, then I will have to excuse myself," Neil said. "As you can see, I have a guest that I need to entertain."

    Sophie turned to her son and smiled. "You go upstairs and show Edith to her room. After walking around for the whole days, she should be tired."

    It was then that Ruby noticed Edith''s presence. She gave Edith a look over and turned to Sophie again. "Sophie, this is?"

    "Eldest Auntie, this is Edith, my fiancee."

    The people around had different expressions on their faces. Sophie''s eyes were bright and her smile widened. Meanwhile, Ruby and the two girls were not very happy with the introduction.

    Edith turned to Neil in a daze.

    When did she become his fiancee?

    Read novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 232 - I Havent Agreed

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Once they entered the room, Edith walked over to Neil. Her finger poked at his waist as she gave him an inquiring gaze. "When did I become your fiance?"

    He stared back at her expression and let out an inaudible sigh upon noticing that she was not disturbed by his sudden claim in front of others. "You don''t like it?"

    Initially, Neil had only introduced Edith as his fiancee so that his Eldest Auntie will not have any idea about him. His Eldest Auntie had come over with two young girls following her. One of them was his cousin, but he did not recognize the other girl.

    After studying the situation, it was not hard for Neil to figure out that his Eldest Auntie had come over to visit them for two different reasons.

    One was to ask him to employ her daughter, and another was to set him up with a girl. Unfortunately for his Eldest Auntie, Neil did not even give her the chance to introduce the girl who sat quietly beside his cousin.

    "I haven''t agreed to it," Edith said.

    Neil went closer to Edith until they were standing toes to toes. He lowered his head and looked at the woman in front of him with an intense gaze. "If you''re not going to marry me, then who else are you going to marry?"

    Edith swallowed, wondering if Neil had suddenly turned into a domineering president.

    His hand was holding her waist as he pulled her closer to him. It was as if he would not stop staring at her until he got the answer he was waiting for.

    Edith curled her lips into a smile. "Then, you have to ask me properly. The last time you ask didn''t count. I''m one of those girls who looked forward to a romantic proposal. Darling, if you want me to agree, you need to give me a proper proposal."

    His brow raised. Suddenly, Neil found that he was in trouble. He did not know how to give a proper, romantic proposal.

    "How do you want me to do it?"

    Edith raised her shoulders to shrug. "It''s your job to think about it. Surprise me. If I''m happy with your proposal, then perhaps I will say yes." She saw the troubled look on his face and asked, "Are you not willing to do it?"

    "It''s not that." Neil frowned. "I just didn''t know how to do it."

    "Then¡­" Edith paused and poked her fingers on his chest. "You have to study it properly."

    Just then, a knock was heard coming from the door.

    Edith took a step back from Neil and turned towards the door. A shy look appeared on her face when she met Sophie''s teasing gaze.

    "What are you guys doing in here?" Sophie asked as she sauntered in. "The two of you are planning to get married anyway. What''s the use of staying in a separate room?"

    Edith''s face turned another shade redder.

    This was Neil''s parents'' house and Edith wanted to be very reserved in front of her elders.

    Sophie seemed to notice her embarrassment and smiled. "I''m not that old fashioned."

    A few days ago, she had a long chat with Hazel and found out that the couple had already shared the same bedroom. To suddenly assign Edith to a guest room would be too cruel to her son.

    Anyway, from the moment Sophie knew that her eldest son was seeing a girl, she had already prepared herself to plan a big wedding. At her age, Sophie was hoping that she would be surrounded by more grandchildren and Hazel will need a brother or sister to play with.

    "It''s fine. Tonight, I''ll just accompany Hazel to sleep," Edith said quickly.

    "Don''t worry about Hazel. She will be sleeping with us. After all, we don''t get to spend a lot of time with her." Sophie turned at her son and the amiable smile quickly disappeared. "What are you standing around for? Go and bring Edith to your room and let her have some rest."

    A mischievous smile curled on Neil''s lips. He entwined his hands with Edith and was about to lead her to his room when his mother suddenly turned around.

    "That''s right." Sophie stopped. "Your father is looking for you to discuss some company''s matters."

    ¡­

    In another part of Z Town¡­

    Mike pushed aside the mahjong tiles scattered on the table aside and watched as his friends took a seat in front of him. Earlier, James had driven him to George Bei''s place.

    His friend, George has been living alone since his wife passed away years ago. His only son was working in Country C as a researcher and was unable to take a few days of vacation to return home and celebrate Chinese New Year with him.

    George Bei will be alone and his place would be the perfect spot for them to gather their friends.

    There were mahjong tiles on the table, a few cans of beer, and packets of snacks and other foods scattered on the table. However, instead of playing a few games of mahjong like what he had told his granddaughter, Mike and his group were doing something else.

    "Thank you all for coming," Mike said as he lowered his head slightly. "I know that at this time every one of you should be spending your time with your family. But here you are¡­"

    "Old Qian, don''t say such words. To tell you the truth, we were glad to be here and help you," James said. "If we stay around at home, there''s a huge chance that we have to listen to our wife''s nagging."

    A few others started to laugh as they heard James'' words.

    "Old Qian, we have been working on this case for years," another spoke. "Just like you, we wanted to find the answers to our questions. Moreover, we have watched Rachel as she grew up beside you. We wanted to find justice for her as well."

    Mike felt his eyes stung. He was grateful that he had such good friends who were willing to help him. The first time he had gathered everyone and asked for their help to investigate his daughter''s death, every one of them had quickly agreed. None of them questioned his decision to re-investigate Rachel''s death when they know that Rachel passed away in an accident.

    At this time, his good friend, George, put his hand on Mike''s shoulder and gave him a few pats.

    "Old Qian, we have gathered the information you wanted," George said. "Tell us¡­ what are you planning to do next."

    Mike picked up the stack of paper that he had received earlier. There was a profile of a man written on the first page.. Mike continued to stare at the man''s photo and gradually, his eyes grew darker.

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 233 - Planning To Propose

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    After spending more than a week in Z Town, Edith went back to the city with Neil and Hazel. Of course, both Sophie and Lucas were a little sad to watch their granddaughter left, but Mike was especially relieved that Edith has gone back to the city.

    At least, he will no longer have to sneak around to meet with his friends.

    A few weeks ago, his team had received valuable information. His team has been trying to find out what really happened to his daughter for years and finally learned the truth about the tragedy. Now that he knew who was responsible for it, Mike had sworn that he was never going to let that person go.

    He did not care about that other person''s social status. Mike was not afraid of doing anything and everything to get that person behind bars. He was already this old and there was not afraid to lose anything.

    As for his granddaughter, Edith¡­

    He was relieved that she was together with Neil. After meeting Neil''s parents the other day, Mike was sure that the Mo family was not going to bully his granddaughter. The family was kind and Mike could see that they were not people who would look down on others because of their status.

    Neil liked his granddaughter very much and he had promised him that he will look after Edith well and never let her be bullied.

    Even if something was going to happen to him after this move, at least, he could rest assured that someone was going to look after Edith.

    What he was worried about most was leaving his granddaughter alone. His granddaughter might be his little gangster, but she can be very soft-hearted as well. If something happened to him, Edith would be devastated.

    Mike was not worried that she was not going to cry. He was worried that she was not going to function well. He could still remember his friends'' stories the last time he was shot. His Edith had sat down at the chair with a blank expression on her face. No matter what the others spoke to her, Edith had not responded. It was not until he had spoken the first word to her that Edith finally snapped out of her world.

    At least, with Neil around, he can be assured that his granddaughter was not going to stay in that dark place for a long time.

    Mike heaved took a deep breath as he looked at the bag he packed. After sending a message to his granddaughter that he was going to take a fishing trip for a few weeks, Mike walked out the door and walked over to where his friend, George was waiting.

    ¡­

    Back in L City¡­

    After the long holiday, Neil went back to his office to deal with his piling works. There were a few months left until the auditing began and Neil was hoping that he would find more evidence of the directors'' misappropriation.

    Assistant Shawn walked in into his room and slid a document on his table. Neil reached to take the documents and read the contents. Seconds later, his expression changed, and Neil tilted his head back to look at his assistant.

    "This is all that the Rainmaker gave us?"

    Assistant Shawn did not look too happy when he nodded. "President Mo, this person had said that he wanted to work with us, but he was still refusing to trust us. Should we continue and work with him?"

    A deep frown appeared on Neil''s expression. Perhaps he was desperate to look for the truth in Adam''s death when he agreed to work with Rainmaker. But at this time, Neil was starting to doubt his decision. Perhaps, he was just too hasty when he made that decision.

    "President Mo, what do you want to do next?"

    Neil rapped his fingers on the table and stopped after a while. "Tell the Rainmaker that he needs to arrange a meeting between me and his sister. Or else, I will cease to cooperate with him and he can go and find whatever evidence he wanted for himself."

    Assistant Shawn nodded.

    The two continued to discuss their plan for almost half an hour until someone knocked on the door. After giving his permission, Secretary An walked in with a few documents in her hand.

    "President Mo, this is the document that you have asked for." Secretary An placed the documents on his table and was about to turn around and leave when Neil called her. "President Mo, is there something else?"

    Neil''s gaze halted at Secretary An''s hand. She has been working as his secretary for years and this was the first time that he had noticed the ring on the secretary''s hand.

    "I have never seen you wearing a ring on your finger," Neil said. "Secretary An, are you getting married?"

    Secretary An halted before she looked up and nodded. "In a few months, yes."

    "Congratulations."

    "Thank you, President Mo." There was a hint of shyness in her expression. She was not expecting her iceblock boss to notice the ring on her finger that she has been wearing for the last few days.

    Secretary An was about to leave when she noticed that her boss was still staring at the ring on her fingers. Suddenly, Secretary An did not know whether she should stay around or leave. "President Mo, is there anything you would like to say?"

    Neil snapped out of his thought. He hesitated for a few seconds and let out a dry cough. "That¡­ can I ask you a few questions?"

    Secretary An nodded. "President Mo, please, go ahead."

    "Secretary An, what should I do if I wanted to propose to someone?" His voice was a whisper, but the two people around him could hear his words very well.

    Assistant Shawn exchanged a gaze with Secretary An. A realization hit him and Assistant Shawn turned to their boss again. "President Mo, are you planning to propose to Miss Qian?"

    Neil looked away and did not answer. But the awkward expression on his face told the two others what they needed to know.

    "President Mo, for a woman, a proposal does not need to be extravagant," Secretary An said. "As long as it was sincere and you can move the person''s heart, it should be enough."

    "Then, how did your boyfriend propose to you?"

    There was an awkward smile on Secretary An''s expression as she was not expecting to hear such a question. "This¡­ we went to a meal. He took out the ring after a meal and popped out the question."

    "A ring." Neil pondered over the matter. The last time he had asked her to marry him, he had not even prepared a ring. Perhaps, it was due to that that Edith had not agreed.

    "Yes. A ring. A proposal would not be completed without a ring.." Secretary An said.

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 234 - New Term

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    As the new term began, Alex, along with a few others no longer attended the kindergarten.

    Hazel sat in the classroom and looked at the unfamiliar kids around her. Although they were the same age, Hazel had entered an advanced class and therefore, she was not close with this batch of students.

    Seeing that everyone had their partners to play with, Hazel went to Edith and sat beside her.

    "Are you bored?" Edith asked.

    Hazel was someone who preferred to spend her time alone drawing and doing her own things instead of gathering together in a larger group. Therefore, she did not mind much that those kids did not include her while they were playing.

    The little girl shook her head quickly. "No." She glanced at her classmates and whispered, "Auntie Edith. You''re here with me."

    Edith looked at the little girl beside her and heaved a sigh. Because she was a little smart, Hazel had already learned what the kids her age were supposed to learn last year. This year, she had to return to kindergarten and learn everything again because she was too young to enter primary school.

    After discussing with Headmistress Fu, it was decided that Edith will be giving Hazel a different assignment while the class was in session.

    "Did you miss your friends?"

    Hazel pondered over the question and nodded. "Just a little bit. It felt strange without Alex and Megan around. Auntie Edith, can we go and visit Alex later? I want to look at the Gundam model that he made the last time."

    Edith laughed. "Alright. Your uncle is going to be busy recently. Let''s go and have our dinner at Alex''s place tonight."

    Hazel stared back with her round eyes. "Can we?"

    "Of course." Edith nodded. "I''ll tell Alex''s mother that we''ll be coming to her place. She will be happy to see you."

    As they had made a plan to head over to the He''s residence, Hazel did not return home to Nanny Ann and instead waited with Edith until her work was done.

    Driver Tang drove them over to the He''s residence and Lily appeared at the door to greet them both.

    "Oh my, Hazel, you''re looking pretty today," Lily said as the little girl stepped into the house. "Did Auntie Edith helped you to style your hair?"

    Her lips curled into a happy smile. Hazel touched her twin tails and nodded. "Auntie, is Alex home?"

    "Alex will return home in a while with his dad," Lily said. "Why don''t you sit down first. I''ll bring you some snacks, alright?"

    "Oh." Hazel nodded. Then, she followed Edith and sit down in the living area.

    As the two grownups were chatting, Hazel took out her homework. Since she won''t be able to see her friend at this moment, it would be better if she could settle her homework. If she can finish them right now, she can spend her time watching her favorite show at home.

    After a while, the door swung open and Alex and his father walked in.

    Alex saw that the guest in the house and his eyes grew brightened. Suddenly his fatigue after spending long hours at school seemed to disappear. "Hazel! Why are you here?"

    Just before he could run over towards Hazel, his father had already tugged at his backpack, preventing him from going further. "Alex, where are your manners?"

    Alex turned to his father with an aggrieved expression. "Daddy!"

    "There are guests in the house, how did you greet everyone?"

    Alex took a deep breath and turned to Edith. "Auntie Edith." His gaze turned to his mother and he walked over to her. "Mommy." He buried his head in his mother''s embrace and glanced at his father.

    Lily patted at his son''s back and chuckled. This son was someone who did not like to show intimacy with his mother in front of his friends. But now, because of his father, he was not ashamed to act spoiled even with Hazel around.

    "Alright go and put your bags in your room first and wash your hands." She leaned over and whispered, "Hazel is here, are you sure you wanted to let her see you acting like this?"

    Alex stood up straight once he heard his mother''s words. He glanced at Hazel and his face felt hot upon noticing that the girl was staring at him.

    "Mommy, I know. I''ll go and get changed." Then, picking up his bag, Alex ran over upstairs to hide.

    Lily let out a giggle as she turned to look at Hazel.

    The little girl had returned her attention to her homework. Her son was embarrassed with the way he had acted, but the look on Hazel''s face was as if she did not see the way Alex had acted spoiled.

    Lily went back to the kitchen to check on the food preparation. She came back to the living area and found that Edith walking back and forth with a worried expression. "What''s wrong with you?"

    Edith put down the phone in her hand. She glanced at Hazel who was still doing her homework and walked over to Lily. "Nothing. Just that, I''ve been worrying over my grandpa." Her voice was a whisper." He called me a few days ago and said that he''s going on another fishing trip with his friends. He was supposed to return this morning and call me. Usually, he would have called by this time. It''s late, but I haven''t heard a word from him."

    "Calm down." Lily patted at Edith''s hands. "You know his friends. Did you check with them?"

    Edith heaved a sigh. "I''ve been trying to call them, but none of them are picking up my call." Edith stared at her phone again and dialed another number. She pressed the phone to her ears and paused when the phone was connected.

    "Auntie Li?" Edith spoke anxiously. "Have you seen my grandfather?"

    "Your grandfather? Of course." Auntie Li spoke. "He came back with your Uncle James a while ago and had a little too much drinks. Right now he''s sleeping in one of the guest rooms."

    "Really?" Edith let out out a breath of relief.

    "Of course... Do you want me to wake him up?"

    "No, no. It''s fine. Auntie Li, just tell him to call me once he wakes up."

    The two of them exchanged a few more words before they ended the call. Auntie Li clenched her hands into fists and look at her husband. "Why do you ask me to lie? Old Qian has not returned from his fishing trip and you wanted me to tell a lie. He''s the only family she had. If something happened to Old Qian, Edith needs to know about it."

    "Stop speaking nonsense. Old Qian is alright. I just let you tell her a lie so that Edith would not worry much about her grandfather," James said. "Something came up and Old Qian said he was going to return in the morning. When he returned in the morning, Old Qian will give his granddaughter a call.. Don''t worry too much."

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 235 - Hazels Mentor

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Lily looked at her friend with concern. As soon as Edith put down the phone, Lily walked over and asked, "Is everything alright?"

    Edith heaved a sigh. Her lips curled into a small smile. "Yeah. Auntie Li said Grandpa hang out with the others at her B&B and had a little drink. He fell asleep afterward at one of the guestrooms."

    "Fortunately he''s alright," Lily said. She stayed with Edith and noticed that her expression did not change much. "What''s wrong?"

    "Maybe I am overthinking things¡­ but sometimes I have this feeling that Grandpa was not going fishing with his friends."

    "Then, what do you think he''s doing?"

    "I don''t know," Edith shook her head. "But my heart doesn''t feel at ease."

    "I''m sure you''re overthinking things," Lily said. "It was not long ago that Grandpa was involved in an accident. Now that you haven''t heard from him, you were worried that something might be happening to him. Edith, I''m sure he''s alright. Auntie Li said she will remind your grandpa to give you a call the first thing in the morning, right?"

    Edith nodded slowly but did not speak. Until she heard her grandfather''s voice, she cannot be at ease.

    "Come on," Lily patted at Edith''s shoulder. "Let''s eat first. Hazel and Alex should be hungry by now."

    Edith glanced at Hazel and finally, her gaze softened. The two went over to the dining table and chatted as they eat. Seeing that Edith had stopped worrying, Lily heaved a sigh in relief.

    As the grownups cleaned up the table, Alex went to his playroom with Hazel on tow. As soon as they walked in, Alex took out his incomplete Gundam model and continued to build it together with Hazel.

    Alex taught her what she should do and sat down to watch as Hazel stared at the parts as she decided what she should do first. Hazel reached for the large piece and paused when she noticed that Alex was staring at her.

    "What''s wrong?" Hazel put down the pieces in her hands. She looked at the parts hesitantly and asked, "Did I do it wrong?"

    "No. That''s not it," Alex said. "It''s just good to see you."

    Hazel paused, not knowing how she should respond to his words.

    Alex was someone who did not have many friends and preferred to play alone. Because of their Auntie Edith, Hazel became his first friend of a different gender.

    As they started to be friends and often spend their time together, Alex was no longer that awkward around others. He could tolerate having a normal conversation with other girls like Megan Xiao.

    However, now that they were in a different school, Alex found that the girls around him had become very strange. Those girls liked to stare at him, looked away, and giggled. Alex became very uncomfortable with them and thought that among the girls he had met, Hazel was probably the most normal one. At least, she did not treat him like he was a freak.

    Of course, Alex did not know that those girls were attracted to him as he was pretty smart in class.

    Hazel was different than Alex.

    Although she too would prefer to stay in a small group of friends, Hazel was someone who could attract others'' attention around her. Perhaps, it was due to her identity, a few parents had asked their child to try and befriend Hazel.

    Moreover, because of her look, the boys in their class wanted to get close to Hazel. Even though Hazel was unwilling to have a big group of friends, some people would stick close to her and refused to go away.

    "I didn''t know anyone in the new school. Tyler and everyone else was in different classes," Alex said. "It''s nice to find a familiar face to talk to."

    Hazel stared back at him and thought that she could understand Alex''s feelings. "It''s good to see you too. This year, there were other kids in Auntie Edith''s class. Everyone seems to know each other. I didn''t know anyone in the class either."

    "If only you were born a few months earlier, we could be in the same year."

    Hazel thought of his words, and could not find anything to say about it. "How is your new school? Is it nice?"

    "It''s tiring. But we get to learn many new things. I guess that was pretty interesting," Alex said. He thought about the homework he had to work with on the weekend and was suddenly dispirited.

    "That''s nice. The other kids were learning the same things we learned last year. Therefore Auntie Edith has to prepare some new exercise for me to work on."

    "It turns out that being too smart is not a good thing," Alex mulled. "Are you going to the same school next year?"

    Hazel nodded. "I think so. But we still would not be in the same classroom."

    "It''s fine. We can still see each other in school," Alex said. "When you enrolled in school next year, I can take you around and get you to familiarize yourself with everything."

    At this time, Hazel handed over the parts that she has been fiddling with to Alex. "It''s done. Try and look at it."

    Alex reached for the part and his eyes brightened up as he studied the part. "Hazel, you''re very good at this."

    The two kids continued to chat about school until Edith and Lily showed up in Alex''s room.

    Lily glanced at the half-assembled Gundam model on the table and felt the corner of her lips twitched. Her son had asked an adorable girl like Hazel to assemble a Gundam model with him. At this time, Lily was worried that her son would not be able to find herself a girlfriend when he grew older.

    "Did you assembled this?" Edith glanced at Alex as she picked up a part of the assembled model.

    "No. Hazel did that part," Alex said. "Auntie Edith, did you secretly taught Hazel to assemble them? Why is she very good at it?"

    Edith laughed at his words. "Hazel became very good at assembling them, wasn''t this is all because of you? Every time we come over, you would drag her over to help you with this. Of course, with your teaching, Hazel would be very good at it."

    Alex thought about it and suddenly realized that it was pretty cool that he had become Hazel''s mentor in assembling those models. Hazel started being clueless about assembling those models and now she had become good at it.

    Edith turned to Hazel and spoke, "Hazel, your uncle said he will come over and pick us in a while.. Go and get your things."

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 236 - Shes With Me

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    As they arrived home, Hazel went to her room and prepared to go to bed.

    After taking a quick shower, Edith went to Hazel''s bedroom to tuck her in. Once she was sure that the little girl had fallen asleep, Edith went downstairs and sat around in the living room. The television was on, but her attention was on the phone in her hand.

    Edith has been trying to hide her worry in front of Lily, at her place. But now that she was back at home, Edith could not stop worrying about her grandfather.

    Perhaps Lily was right. Perhaps she was anxious about her grandfather after he was involved in an accident a few months ago. However, Edith simply could not ignore that nagging feeling she had.

    Her grandfather was someone who would stick to his words. He had promised to give her a call once he came back from his fishing trip and he had always delivered his words.

    This was perhaps the first time that he had not given her a call on time.

    Edith could not help but think that the only reason he could not do as he had promised was that something had happened to him.

    And once that thought came to her mind, Edith was not able to sit still.

    Edith jumped slightly when she felt something on her shoulder. Turning around, her gaze met with Neil''s concerned gaze.

    "What are you thinking about? I called you a few times and you did not answer." Neil shifted his gaze to the phone on her hand and raised a brow. "Were you waiting for a call?"

    "My grandpa went on a fishing trip last week. He said he will return today," Edith said. "Usually, Grandpa would give me a call once he reached home, but he hasn''t called. I''m worried that something had happened to him."

    Neil frowned when he heard her words. He sat beside her and held her hand. "Grandpa will be alright. Have you checked with the others?" Neil seemed to recall that Mike was someone who had a lot of friends and would spend most of his time with them.

    "I called Uncle James." Edith heaved a sigh. She rested her head on Neil''s chest and let that man pulled her into his embrace. "His wife said that my Grandpa had a little drink and was sleeping in one of the guestrooms."

    "You think they were not telling you the truth?"

    Edith bit at her lips. "I don''t know. I had this bad feeling. Neil, I don''t think that my grandpa really went fishing with his friends."

    "What do you mean? If he''s not going fishing with his friends, where else would he went to?"

    "Grandpa has been acting secretive recently," Edith said. "My heart was telling me that he was not telling me the truth. He was up to something, but he did not tell me what he has been doing."

    Neil continued to listen for a while and spoke, "If you''re worried, I can ask someone to check on your grandpa."

    Edith looked up at Neil with wide eyes. "You can?"

    He touched the tip of her nose. "My parents are in Z Town, remember? I can ask someone to check on your Grandpa at the B&B." Neil looked at the expression on Edith''s face and knew that she will not be sleeping well until she knew for sure that her grandpa was alright. He patted at her shoulder and stood up. "Wait here. I''ll go and make the call."

    Edith nodded and watched as Neil went back upstairs.

    After a few minutes, Neil came down with his phone in his hand. "Someone is already heading to the B&B to check."

    At this time, Edith glanced at her phone and was surprised to see that it was half-past midnight. Suddenly, Edith was feeling a little guilty to have someone go out in the night to check on her grandpa.

    "Relax," Neil pulled Edith into his embrace again. He pecked at her forehead and hugged her tightly. "Grandpa will be alright. It would be just like Auntie Li said. Grandpa had a little drink and fell asleep. Perhaps he was a little too tired after going out with his friends."

    Edith took a deep breath and held on Neil''s body tightly.

    Almost half an hour later, the phone on the coffee table buzzed. Neil stood up to pick up the phone. After a brief greeting, he did not speak for a long time.

    Edith did not know what was the other person had spoken to Neil, but Edith thought that his expression did not look too good. Her heart jumped when Neil had suddenly looked away. His lips moved to say something in a low voice and Edith grew anxious as she could not guess what he was saying to the other person.

    "I understand," Neil spoke as he turned to look at Edith again. He rubbed at his temple and spoke again, "Please hand over your phone to him."

    "Hello. Neil?" Mike''s voice was heard at the other line.

    "Grandpa," Neil called. He watched his girlfriend''s expression changed and knew that she was anxious to know the news about her grandpa.

    "Is Edith with you?" Mike said.

    "Yes. She''s with me."

    Mike''s expression changed as he heard his answer. It was late at night, and his granddaughter was at her boyfriend''s place. It was not hard for Mike to figure out what was going on between the two.

    He had only known that the two were dating. He was unaware that their relationship was moving too fast that his granddaughter has been staying the night at Neil''s place.

    Mike grew upset when he thought that Neil had taken advantage of his granddaughter.

    Unfortunately, this was not the right time for him to ask questions. His granddaughter was anxious that he had failed to call and Neil had sent someone to check on him.

    Mike was planning to head over to home after going out for days. However, he received a tip-off from James about the lies he had told Edith and decided to spend a night at the B&B.

    When Mike arrived at the B&B a few minutes ago, he witnessed the exchange between James and the man that Neil had sent.

    The man was on the phone with Neil and he was reporting that Mike was not at the B&B.

    Fortunately, Mike had arrived in time to stop the news from reaching his granddaughter.

    "Pass the phone to her," Mike said with a sigh. "Wait. Neil?"

    "Yes?"

    "Don''t tell Edith that I have just arrived. I don''t want her to worry."

    "I know," Neil spoke briefly. Edith was in front of him and he did not want her to detect anything through his conversation with her grandfather.

    "Your Grandpa had just woken up when he heard some noise." Neil stretched his hand to pass his phone and smiled.. "Grandpa wanted to speak to you."

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 237 - Are You Blackmailing Me?

    Neil walked down the stairs the next morning and was relieved to find that his girlfriend was back to her cheery self. After speaking with her grandfather for more than ten minutes last night, her mood improved greatly and she was able to sleep soundly.

    His gaze darkened as Neil recalled the short conversation he had with his father''s driver last night.

    Edith was worried when she did not hear from her grandfather. Even though Auntie Li had told her that her grandfather had arrived a few hours earlier and had fallen asleep because he had a little drink, Edith was unable to sit still.

    It was then that Neil had offered to send his father''s driver to check on her grandfather.

    Who would have known that once the driver arrived to find Mike, Auntie Li had accidentally slipped that Mike was not at the B&B?

    Once the driver revealed his identity, both Auntie Li and her husband were shocked. They tried to reason with the driver and persuaded him not to let Edith the truth.

    Fortunately, Mike had arrived at the B&B in time to dissolve the matter.

    Neil was surprised to learn that Mike had let others tell a lie to Edith. He did not know what Mike was trying to hide from his granddaughter, but he did not like it when Edith was affected greatly as she was worried about her grandfather.

    It looked like he will need to speak to Mike about this matter.

    Neil snapped out of his thought and forced a smile when he saw Edith looked up at him.

    "You''re awake." Edith slid a few toasts on the plate and watched as Neil walked over to her.

    "Hmm. Good morning." Neil planted a kiss on her cheek and looked at the food on the table. He looked up and asked, "Where''s Hazel?"

    "Changing. She accidentally spilled some juice on her dress earlier."

    It was the weekend and the housekeeper, Auntie Emma, did not come to prepare breakfast for them. Neil leaned on the wall as he watched Edith walked around the kitchen, seemingly busy as she was preparing breakfast for them.

    "You''re in a really good mood?"

    Edith chuckled. "Knowing that my Grandpa is well in Z Town, of course, I would be in a good mood." A thought came to her mind and Edith put down the plate on the kitchen counter. Then she turned around and stared at Neil. "Do you think I was overreacting? Auntie Li had told me that Grandpa was at the B&B and I was doubting her words. I even let you send someone and let him wake Grandpa so that I can listen to his voice."

    "You''re not overreacting," Neil tucked a few strands of her hair behind her ears. "You just worried about your grandpa too much."

    Edith let out a long sigh at his words. "I don''t know. But recently, I had a bad feeling whenever Grandpa told me that he was going on another fishing trip. I had this feeling that Grandpa was not going on a fishing trip and instead, he was doing something else and was not telling me about it."

    Neil pulled her into his embrace and had a deep thought of her words. "Don''t think too much about it. Your Grandpa is fine now, isn''t he?"

    Edith pursed at her lips and stayed in Neil''s embrace for a while. The two finally parted when Hazel came down to join them on their breakfast.

    "I''m heading over to the company for a while after breakfast," Neil announced. He met Edith''s gaze and immediately looked away to his coffee.

    Edith looked at him with worry. "Something came up?"

    "There''s an important document that I need to look at and sign," Neil said. "When I come back, let''s go out and play around somewhere."

    "Alright," Edith immediately agreed. She turned to Hazel and smiled. "Your uncle is taking us out to play. Where do you want to go?"

    The little girl pondered over the question before she looked at her uncle. "I overheard the kids at the kindergarten mentioned about a new movie. Uncle, can we go and watch a movie?"

    Neil paused as he thought of his niece''s suggestion. He seemed to remember that when his brother was alive, he would often take Hazel and Claire to watch movies. It seemed that after Adam and Claire passed away, no one had taken the little girl to the cinema.

    "Alright," Neil agreed. "Just tell me the title. I go and book our tickets."

    A bright smile bloomed on Hazel''s face. She then looked at her bowl of porridge and ate happily.

    "That reminds me," Neil spoke again. "You and Hazel had frequently visited the He''s family. But we have never invited them to come over to our place. If you''re free next weekend, how about we invited them over for a meal? I am planning to invite Henry and Jamie to come along as well."

    Edith looked at Neil in puzzled. "Why did you suddenly suggest this?"

    Neil chuckled. "I just thought about this last night. The Lily and her husband had often looked after you and Hazel. It''s not wrong if I wanted to invite them to come over, right? Of course, I am not asking you to cook anything. I will ask Auntie Emma to come over and cook."

    Edith narrowed her eyes and wondered if Neil was planning something. But after giving the matter a thought, Edith agreed. Lily is her best friend. Since Neil wanted to invite her and the other for a little gathering between friends, she was not going to say no.

    ¡­

    Neil walked into his office and sat down behind his desk. After a while, his phone rang and Neil picked it up unhurriedly. As soon as the phone was connected, a familiar voice was heard from the other line.

    "Grandpa."

    "How''s Edith?" Mike asked.

    "She''s fine. After your phone call last night, her mood had improved," Neil said.

    There was a brief silence on his part before Mike spoke again. "What did Edith tell you?"

    "She thought that you were up to something. She thought that you were keeping a secret from her. Grandpa, what were you hiding from Edith?"

    "Nothing."

    "Then, why did you make Uncle James lied to her? You let them tell Edith that you were sleeping in the guest room when you were not there. Grandpa, what are you up to? Grandpa, Edith seemed to think that you were not going fishing, and instead, you were up to something else."

    Mike clenched his teeth upon hearing Neil''s probing. "That was none of your concern."

    "You can choose not to tell me anything, but I will tell Edith what really happened last night."

    "Are you blackmailing me?"

    "You can think of it that way. I just did not want Edith to worry." Neil heaved a sigh. "You weren''t there. You did not see the look on her face when Edith could not reach you.. Grandpa, if you wanted me to help you keep your secret, you have to let me know what you are up to."

    Read novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 238 - It Is Exactly What You Think

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    There was a long silence on the phone. If it was not for Mike''s breathing on the other line, Neil might have assumed that Mike had hung up on him.

    "You cannot tell Edith what I am about to tell you. Promise me that you will not say a word to my granddaughter."

    Neil frowned at his request but decided to agree with Mike''s request at the moment.

    Since Mike decided to be secretive about this, then perhaps, this matter would involve his girlfriend. However, whether he was going to tell Edith or not depended on what Mike was going to tell him. He will have to judge whether Edith needed to know about it or not.

    "You should know that Edith''s mother passed away when she was a little kid," Mike said. "Edith should have told you how she died."

    "She mentioned that it was a traffic accident."

    Mike laughed dryly. "Perhaps it was the accident that killed her mother, but something else happened to Edith''s mother. Before that accident, her mother was assaulted."

    His expression stiffened. Neil had prepared himself for a lot of things, but this was not something that he expected to hear.

    "I was the one who saw her body in the morgue. I saw the report that my colleague had given me," Mike spoke with a hint of anger in his voice. "My daughter¡­ before she died in that traffic accident, she was assaulted and tortured."

    Neil swallowed as he listened to that little description of what had happened to Edith''s mother.

    "Tell me, as a father, how can I sit still after knowing what happened to my daughter? She was my only daughter and she had died a tragic death."

    "So you''re investigating what happened to your daughter."

    "Yes," Mike confessed. "This is what I have been keeping from Edith. Neil, you cannot let Edith know. Once Edith knew that I was investigating, she would want to know what happened. Once she knows what happened, Edith would go crazy."

    Edith''s relationship with her mother was really good. Her father passed away early and perhaps because of that, Rachel had become Edith''s mother, father, and best friend all at the same time. The two would do all sorts of things together. His daughter, Rachel, pampered Edith and showered her with all the love she can give.

    If Edith learned of what happened to her mother, wouldn''t she be heartbroken?

    Mike did not dare to think of how Edith would react.

    This time, there was a long silence on Neil''s part. It took him a while before he decided that this matter was not suitable for Edith to know.

    "I won''t tell Edith about this conversation," Neil said and then, he heard Mike''s breathing in relief. "But Grandpa, you have to promise that you will look after yourself well. Edith¡­ she would be broken if something happened to you."

    "Didn''t you promised that you will look after my granddaughter well?"

    "Grandpa, you trust me that much?"

    "Are you going back on your words now?" His tone darkened dangerously.

    Mike had decided that if Neil was toying with his granddaughter, he would not be afraid to kill Neil.

    "That''s not what I meant. But Grandpa, you should know how important you are to Edith."

    Mike snorted. "Of course I know that." A thought crossed his mind and Mike was suddenly enraged. "That''s right. Why is my granddaughter with you in the middle of the night?"

    "It is exactly what you think." Neil did not bother to hide his relationship with Edith. "We are living together."

    "You stinky brat!"

    Mike might have been the first person who was brave enough to call Neil such a name. Though he was angry to learn that his precious granddaughter has been living together with Neil, there was nothing he could do about it at this moment.

    This was information that he wished that he knew nothing about. Though Neil had once told him that he was intending to marry his granddaughter, Mike was still uncomfortable with this information. It felt as if someone was going to steal away something that he treasured the most.

    What was his granddaughter thinking when she decided to move in with Neil?

    How long have they know each other? Wasn''t living together a little too early?

    If he asked his granddaughter to move out, would that girl listen?

    What if Neil retaliated against him and told Edith what he was up to?

    Various questions popped out in his head and Mike had a headache as he continued to worry about his granddaughter. In the end, Mike could only take a few deep breaths and forced himself to calm down.

    "Grandpa, don''t worry. I am not going back on my words," Neil assured. "I am planning to propose to Edith soon."

    Mike halted as he heard Neil''s words.

    ¡­

    As soon as Neil walked into the apartment, Hazel greeted him at the door with a wide smile on her face. Neil gave her a look over and chuckled upon noticing that Hazel was dressed up prettily in a lilac, long sleeve dress. Her hair was braided into a side ponytail and clipped with a cute, crown-shaped hair clip.

    The little girl was all ready and prepared to go out and was only waiting for him to come back and take her out for a movie.

    "You look pretty," Neil commented and smiled when Hazel laughed happily. "Where''s Auntie Edith?"

    "Auntie Edith is still getting ready," Hazel said. Her gaze darted towards the bedroom upstairs.

    Neil patted at Hazel''s hair softly, making sure that he was not ruining her hair. Then, he went upstairs to look for Edith. When he entered the bedroom, Edith was standing in front of the mirror and putting on her lipstick. His eyes turned a shade darker as he saw the way his girlfriend was dressed prettily.

    At this time, Edith turned to him and smiled. "You''re back."

    Neil walked over, hugged her from behind, and pecked at the crook of her neck. "I was thinking¡­"

    "What?"

    "We rarely have the chance to go on a date just the two of us."

    Edith giggled upon hearing his words. She turned around and rested her hands on his shoulders.

    Neil tilted his head sideways and speak again, "Dating me... does it feel like you''re dating a single dad who would always bring his kid on a date?"

    Edith met his gaze and found that there were all sorts of questions from the way he was staring back at her. For a while, Edith wondered what was going on in this man''s mind.

    "You don''t mind dating someone like me?"

    Edith chuckled and slapped at his chest lightly. "Of course I don''t mind. I love Hazel, and I love you. I think I had a good bargain."

    His eyes darkened. "What did you say?"

    "I had a good bargain," she repeated.

    "Not that one."

    Edith looked at him in puzzled and suddenly realized what she had slipped out to say. A smile curled up on her lips.. Edith leaned forward and repeated the words close to his ear, "Neil Mo, I love you."

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 239 - Double Date

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    His heart jumped and Neil felt as if blood rushed into his head all at once. His lips curled into a wide smile and Neil thought that he was too happy to hear those words that he was unable to stop smiling.

    Neil looked into Edith''s gaze and found that he was could not look away. With no other way to tell her how those simple words made him feel, Neil then leaned to capture her lips into a gentle kiss.

    Because of the words Edith had said, the two of them ended up staying a few more minutes in the bedroom and fooled around until Hazel came knocking on their door to remind them about the movie they were going to watch.

    Neil took a deep breath and shot Edith a look when he saw her laugh. Once he found a parking spot, Neil carried Hazel in his arms and dashed to the cinema.

    Fortunately, they arrived at the cinema on time. With only five minutes left before the movie start, Neil queued behind the counter and grabbed some popcorn for them. Surprisingly, the three of them met a familiar face as they waited for their turn to enter the cinema.

    "Hazel!" Alex released his hand from his dad and ran over to his friend. His eyes brightened as he gave Hazel a look over. "Why are you here?"

    Hazel glanced at both her uncle and Auntie Edith. "We''re going to watch a movie. Alex, are you here to watch a movie too?"

    "That''s right." Alex turned to his parents and waved. "Mummy, Daddy, look who I found?"

    Ethan looked at his son in displeased. "Alex He, what did I tell you about running around in a crowded place such as this?"

    Alex glanced at Hazel before he ran over to his mother with an aggrieved expression. He was scolded in front of his friend and the feeling was not that good. Alex peeked at Hazel and was relieved that she was not laughing at him.

    Lily saw the look on her son''s face and shot a look at her husband. Hazel was the only girl that his son was close to and Lily wanted her son to look good. Though she would sometimes joke with Edith that she wanted Hazel to be her daughter-in-law, it was no telling that her words could come true.

    In a few seconds, Lily composed herself and looked at both Edith and Neil. "This is a nice surprise. I didn''t think that we will run into you here."

    "Hazel said there''s a new movie she wanted to watch," Edith said.

    Lily glanced at the queue and a thought came to her mind. "Are you guys entering this hall too?" She saw Edith nodded and her eyes brightened up. "Really? Where are you guys seated?"

    Neil took out his ticket and saw that the six of them were seated in one straight line.

    "We''re on the same line. This is great!'' Lily said enthusiastically. She leaned to Edith and whispered. "God, this is our first double date, huh?"

    Her face turned a shade pink. "What double date?" Edith poked at Lily''s waist and the two friends began to chat happily with each other.

    Seeing this situation, Neil let out a long sigh. He wanted to go out on a date and bring out Hazel to play with just the three of them. Unexpectedly, there were a few additional people.

    With Lily''s presence, Neil could imagine that the two best friends would stay close to chat, and soon, his girlfriend would forget his existence. Suddenly, Neil was regretting his decision to pick those seats. He had thought that he wanted to experience enjoying a movie like a normal family, but it looked like his plan was not going too smooth.

    However, looking at both Edith and Hazel''s happy face, Neil decided not to say anything.

    With a popcorn barrel in his hand, Neil walked in with the others and went to their seat. Before Edith went to enter the row, Neil pulled at her hand to let Hazel walked in first.

    In this way, Lily and Ethan were seated together, then Alex and Hazel in the middle and Edith and Neil at the other end.

    Neil looked at the arrangement and decided to make do with it. Although he was not very happy to see that Hazel and Alex were seated next to each other, at least he can sit with his girlfriend.

    The movie started and Neil kept his gaze on the screen for ten minutes before he looked away. It was a children''s show and Neil was not interested in it.

    Surprisingly, the woman beside him was watching the movie with full concentration. It would not be an exaggeration to say that both Edith and Hazel had the same expression on their face as they watched the movie.

    The corner of his lips started to twitched. Perhaps, his girlfriend has spent a lot of time around kids that she was starting to enjoy movies like this. Neil tried to watch the movie again and lost interest after five minutes.

    He leaned towards Edith and intertwined their hands together. Edith tore her gaze away from the screen and looked at him.

    "What''s wrong?" Edith asked. Her expression changed and a smile curled on her lips, knowing that Neil was not enjoying the movie.

    "You like the movie?"

    "This movie is pretty good," Edith whispered back.

    Neil pursed his lips and decided to let her concentrate on the movie again. He had thought that he could at least enjoy a little bit of his girlfriend''s attention while Hazel was focusing on the movie, but noticing that the cinema hall was full of other parents and kids, Neil decided that he should behave himself.

    A resigned sigh escaped him, but a while later, Neil felt something heavy on his shoulder and found that Edith was leaning on him. She pecked at his shoulder and moved to snuggle into a comfortable position. Tacitly, Neil put his arms around her and pulled her close.

    Although he was not enjoying the movie, Neil thought that snuggling with his girlfriend in the cinema was not that bad.

    The movie ended after two hours and a half. It was closer to dinner time as left the cinema.

    Lily glanced at her son who was busy discussing the movie with Hazel and looked at Edith with a smile. "Are you heading back now?" She shifted her gaze to Neil and continued, "We are going to a restaurant for dinner. Would you like to join us? The place we''re going to had a small playground. Alex and Hazel can play around while we eat."

    "That''s right. Come and join us. The more the merrier," Ethan joined in.

    Hazel heard the invitation and looked up at her uncle with a gaze full of expectation.

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 240 - Playland Date

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Neil had planned that after the movie, he was going to bring both Edith and Hazel to a good western-style restaurant near their house. He had read reviews on this restaurant and knew that the place offered good food, a good portion at a reasonable price.

    He then changed his mind when he saw the way Hazel was looking at him and decided to take Lily and Ethan''s offer to join them for dinner. However, Neil did not think that the couple would take him to a large indoor playland.

    A frown appeared on his face as Neil looked around. The place was splashed with colors. There were slides all around and small, colorful plastic balls all around their feet. The kids run around and the sound of their laughter and screaming echoed all around.

    Fortunately, at this time, the place was not that crowded, but Neil was not very happy. The place was a little chaotic and Neil was shocked at the scene.

    He had never been to such a place and was doubting whether this playland would offer something for dinner.

    After Edith''s confession, Neil had wanted to bring her somewhere romantic, but who would have thought that he would be having his dinner at a playland!

    His gaze moved towards Hazel who was playing at a corner with Alex. The two of them walked around the jungle gym and Neil''s gaze darkened as he saw that the boy was holding on to his niece''s hand tightly. The little boy seemed to like holding on to Hazel''s hands whenever Neil was looking.

    At this time, Hazel looked up and there was a bright smile on her face.

    Seeing the expression on her face, Neil decided not to say anything. Hazel looked so happy and he did not want to ruin this moment for her.

    Previously, Edith had mentioned to him a few things about Hazel''s situation in the kindergarten. The little girl was someone who did not have a lot of friends at school.

    As the new term began, all of her friends had left the school and Hazel had to stay with new classmates. It was hard for Hazel to make a new friend as the other kids all known each other from last year.

    Alex was one of the few people that Hazel was willing to talk with after her parents'' death and Neil decided to let the little boy go.

    Neil shifted his gaze to Edith and saw the smile on her face. He knew that if he had tried to separate Hazel and Alex, Edith will laugh at him again and call him for being overprotective.

    He sat down quietly beside Edith and waited for the waiter to come back with their meal.

    "President Mo, how is it? This is the first time you had a meal at a place like this right?" Lily smiled.

    "I did not think that a place like this would be serving a meal," Neil said. He glanced at the counter again and wonder if the kitchen would be able to produce anything palatable.

    "Don''t worry." Ethan laughed. "The food at this place is pretty good. After having Alex, having a meal at this kind of place has become something regular."

    "Most parents come over at this place to let their kids run loose while they sit down and talk. Then, everyone leaves this place happily. Well, most of the time." Lily flashed a smile.

    Now that Edith was dating Neil, Lily did not think that this iceblock was as scary as he used to be. At least, Neil was not as scary as long as Edith was by his side.

    "Once we''ve become parents, going to a fancy restaurant was no longer possible with Alex around," Lily continued. "This place is not so bad."

    Neil nodded and thought that the couple''s words made sense. Of course, later when he had kids, Neil''s visit to the playland became frequent.

    As the thought came to her mind, Lily turned her head to Edith and wonder what she had done to melt this giant iceblock.

    The waiter soon arrived with their food order and Neil let out a breath in relief upon seeing that his meal looked very normal. The kids'' meal however was too adorable to eat.

    Ethan called the two kids and Alex ran back to his parents as he continued to hold on to Hazel''s hand.

    Hazel flashed a wide smile when she saw the bunny-shaped rice on the plate. For a few seconds, Hazel seemed very hesitant to eat them.

    "What''s wrong? You don''t like them?" Neil asked when he noticed that Hazel has not touched her food.

    The little girl shook her head. "That''s not it. The bunny is too adorable. I can''t bear to eat them."

    "Then, what if I help you to snap a picture for you before you eat?" Edith suggested.

    Hazel looked at Edith with an expectant gaze and waited for her to snap a picture. Seeing that the bunny was kept in a form of a photograph, Hazel began to eat her meal.

    A while later, a tiny hand hovered in front of Hazel''s plate to pick out a few carrots. Just before Neil was about to voice his complaints, Edith had tugged at his hands and shook her head at him. Meanwhile, Hazel saw that the food she did not like had disappeared in front of her meal and smiled happily.

    After the meal ended, Hazel walked over to Edith and whispered something.

    "I''m taking Hazel to the restroom," Edith spoke to Neil.

    "Wait, let me come with you," Lily spoke when she saw the two girls turned around to leave. "God. This pregnancy made me visit the restroom frequently."

    Then, the three of them headed over to the restroom with Edith holding on to Hazel''s hands tightly.

    Edith waited at the door as she watched Hazel entered the cubicle and Lily walked into the cubicle next door.

    A while later, someone pushed the restroom''s door from the outside. A familiar face walked in and the woman stared at Edith in surprise.

    Edith immediately recognized the woman and recalled the last time she had met her at Neil''s parents'' house during the Chinese New Year celebration. If she was not mistaken, Neil''s maternal aunt, Ruby, had wanted to introduce this woman to Neil.

    Of course, once they heard that Neil was engaged to Edith, they decided not to mention the matter out loud.

    "Miss Qian, right?" The woman greeted. "Do you remember me? I''m Hailee Ye. We met previously at Z Town."

    Edith flashed back an amiable smile. "Hello, Miss Ye."

    Hazel walked out of the cubicle and Edith walked over to help her wash her hands.

    A chuckle was heard and when Edith turned around, Hailee flashed her a disdain smile. "I''ve heard a little thing about Mo''s family''s situation from Auntie Ruby. I did not think that Miss Qian was someone who was capable to treat someone else''s child as your own just to marry into rich."

    Edith''s expression changed.. She looked at Hazel and was glad that the little girl was not affected by Hailee''s words.

    Read novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 241 - She Got Class

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    If it was up to Edith''s old temperament, Miss Hailee would be sitting in the corner of the bathroom with her tears streaming down her face. Fortunately for her, Edith was not so hot-tempered these days.

    Moreover, with Hazel by her side, Edith did not want to scare the little girl with her violent side.

    Hailee''s words had not hurt Edith.

    What Edith was worried about was that Hazel was going to doubt her love towards her. Edith might Hazel''s kindergarten teacher and her uncle''s girlfriend, but her love for Hazel was not less than a love of a mother to her child.

    The two of them had spent a lot of time together. They live in the same house, eat at the same table and sometimes, slept on the same bed. Gradually, their feelings towards each other deepened and Edith would not let anyone bully Hazel.

    Her chest heaved up and down as Edith tried to suppress the anger that started to bubble inside of her. The anger gradually faded as Edith felt Hazel''s hands clutching against hers. Edith shifted her gaze away from Hailee to Hazel and her gaze softened.

    Hailee was only a stranger. Whatever she said should not affect Edith in any way. Since Hazel did not care about Hailee''s words, Edith decided to treat Hailee as an invisible man.

    Seeing that she was ignored, Hailee grew impatient. She did not expect that Edith would not play along with the script.

    What Hailee wanted to do was to enrage Edith and let Edith embarrass herself. Of course, Hailee did not come over to such a place alone. Outside the restroom, a few socialites were waiting for her. Hailee wanted Edith to take action and then, she could take the opportunity to shame Edith.

    As long as Edith behaved badly in front of others, there was no way that she could join the top society no matter if Neil was backing her.

    Hailee stepped aside to block Edith from walking out of the restroom. Her eyes twinkled and her lips turned up into a smile that did not reach her eyes.

    Her Auntie Ruby had brought her over to Mo''s villa in Z Town to set her up with Neil. As the young miss of the Ye''s family, how can Hailee have never heard of Neil Mo? Almost everyone around their age admired that man and Hailee Ye was one of them.

    Although Neil was popular with his reputation as an iceblock, Hailee thought that she did not mind all that.

    She was an ambitious woman. As long as she can be beside an exceptional man like Neil Mo, who cares whether Neil was an iceblock or not.

    Her identity as the young miss of Ye''s family would not be able to give her what she wanted. But being with Neil Mo would guarantee her the life she was looking forward to.

    "Miss Qian, after we met the other day, I began to look into your background," Hailee giggled. "I hope you would not mind that."

    "I don''t mind." Edith tried to walk away with Hazel. No matter what, Hazel was just a little girl and she should not be here to listen to this nonsense.

    "We haven''t finished talking yet," Hailee said. "

    "What do you want from me?" Edith raised a brow.

    "Miss Qian, I heard that you are someone with no background. Do you think that someone like you is suitable with Neil Mo?"

    Edith laughed.

    This was not the first time someone had told her that she was not suitable for Neil. After hearing these words a few times, Edith no longer cared about them. Neil had told her that she was suitable for him and she will only believe the words from people who she cared about.

    "What does that got to do with you? Whether we are suitable or not, Miss Ye, this is something that you, as an unrelated person should not poke your nose into." Edith smiled. In a blink of an eye, her expression shifted and Edith narrowed her eyes and stared at Hailee dangerously."Move aside."

    Hailee flinched at Edith''s gaze and took a deep breath to calm down. Her hand stretched up to stop Edith from leaving, but before she could touch Edith, Hailee felt her world spun around and suddenly, her head was pushed towards the sink. Her right arm twisted and the pain almost made her cry.

    "What are you doing?" Hailee gritted her teeth. "Let go of me!" She tried to scramble around when the pain around her arms intensified. "Help! Someone help¡ª"

    "Shut up! If you make another sound, I will make sure that you will lose your voice," Edith whispered closely to her ears so that Hazel would not hear or see anything.

    Hailee did not know whether that threat was real, but she grew scared from Edith''s tone. Immediately, her lips pursed tightly and she did not dare to make a sound. Her body was pushed forward to the sink bowl, and soon, Hailee heard the sound of the door. When she looked up again, Edith was no longer around.

    "That bit¡ª"

    "Language!"

    Hailee turned around and saw a familiar face sauntered languidly towards her. Her eyes widened as Hailee recognized that woman. The Ye''s family might be rich, but there were a lot more reputable families above them. And Zhao''s family was one of them.

    "Miss Zhao?" Hailee forced a friendly smile.

    Lily walked over to the sink to wash her hands. She glanced at Hailee and chuckled. "So you recognized me."

    "Of course I do," Hailee spoke quickly. "Miss Zhao, you don''t remember me? I have attended your birthday party in the past."

    Lily gave her a look over and snickered. "Sorry, I don''t remember you."

    The smile on Hailee''s lips stiffened. "There were a lot of guests and it has been a long time. Of course, you wouldn''t remember."

    Lily walked over to dry her hands and then turned to Hailee with her arms crossed over her chest. "Miss Ye, no matter how hard you try, you will never be compatible with Neil Mo. "

    Hailee''s face turned red with embarrassment, knowing that Lily had overheard her conversation with Edith earlier. However, she was not content to hear Lily''s words. Hailee knew that she was beautiful and smart. How can someone like her not compatible with Neil Mo?

    "Even though Miss Qian might not come from a reputable family, she got more class than you. Miss Ye, just how low can you get to provoke someone? You tried to use that little girl to achieve what you wanted. Didn''t your family taught you that there are some things that you should never do?" Lily gave her a look over and clicked her tongue. "They said that money cannot buy class. I can see that this is true.. At least, I can see that Miss Qian had more class than you."

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 242 - Were You Scared?

    Once they got farther enough, Edith stopped at the corner and crouched down beside Hazel. She gave the girl a look over and a sigh of relief escaped once Edith saw that the little girl was unhurt.

    Edith let out a chuckle when she realized that she was being silly. Just then, Hailee Ye did not even have the chance to touch Hazel''s hair. She should not be worried that Hazel would get hurt, but Edith could not help but ask, "Are you alright?"

    "Auntie Edith, I''m fine."

    The two looked at each other and suddenly giggled.

    Suddenly, Hazel leaned in to wrap her arms around Edith''s neck and held on to her tightly. Edith''s expression softened and she patted at Hazel''s back softly.

    "Auntie Edith, were you scared?"

    Edith stiffened upon hearing the little girl''s question. "Why would I be scared?"

    Hazel buried her face into Edith''s neck. "I don''t know. But in the past, mama said that those aunties can be quite scary. I think that auntie is very scary."

    The little girl could not understand what the grownups were talking about, but she could sense that sometimes, her mother''s mood would be affected when she met some people.

    Just now, the way Hailee was looking at Edith was similar to the way some people would look at her mother when they wanted to cause trouble for her mother.

    Hazel thought that Edith would be upset like her mother would be in the past and therefore, she wanted to hug Edith to console her.

    "I''m not scared," Edith said. "I have you with me, haven''t I?" She pulled away and smiled at Hazel.

    "Me?" Hazel giggle. "Auntie Edith, I''m just a little kid. What can I do?"

    "Well, you can give me strength." Edith hummed as she pondered on what she should say. "Just then, the way you held on my hand tightly gave me strength and suddenly, that woman was not so scary."

    "Really?"

    "Un. Un." Edith nodded. "You don''t believe me?"

    "I believe you."

    She pulled Hazel into her embrace and her eyes grew darkened as she recalled the words that Hailee Ye had said to her earlier. Her embrace on Hazel tightened. "Hazel, I love you, do you know that?"

    "Un. I know." Hazel snuggled into a comfortable position. "Auntie Edith loved me the most."

    Edith smiled and was relieved that the little girl was not affected by Hailee''s comment earlier.

    The little girl had lost her parents not too long ago and words such as that could affect her greatly. Hazel was a smart and sensitive kid. Edith did not want the little girl to think that the only reason she had stayed by her side was because of her uncle.

    She loved Hazel and it has nothing to do with Neil as her boyfriend.

    The sound of footsteps approached them as the two girls continued to hug each other at the corner. When Edith looked up, she was surprised to see that Lily was standing beside them. It was at this time that she realized that she had left her best friend at the restroom just now.

    "Edith Qian, you left your pregnant friend behind." Lily narrowed her eyes and stared with an accusation gaze.

    "Lily!" Edith gasped. "Sorry! I forgot that you are with us."

    Lily shifted her gaze to Hazel and heaved a sigh upon seeing the two of them together. "Forget it." She gave Edith a look over and her gaze turned concerned. "Are you alright? I overheard whatever was going on in the restroom just now."

    "I''m fine." Edith glanced at Hazel. "We''re fine."

    "You don''t have to worry about Miss Ye. She won''t be bothering you for a long time," Lily said. "But," She paused and flashed Edith a smile. "I''m proud that you did not lose your composure just now."

    Edith chuckled. "Wasn''t this is all due to your teaching? After being by your side for years, it would be impossible if I did not learn a few things. Don''t be stupid and bite a barking dog, was that not what you taught?"

    Lily burst into a fit of laughter upon hearing the words. She nodded happily and patted at Edith''s back. "You''re right. I''m so glad that you have been listening to my teaching well."

    Edith might be a little gangster in the past, but after being around Lily for a few years, her friend, who was from a higher social status had taught her a few things.

    After checking on each other, the three girls went back to find the men.

    "What taken you so long?" Ethan asked as he saw his wife walking over. He reached to her side to give his wife a look over and his expression loosened up upon seeing that she was fine.

    His wife was pregnant with their second child and a lot of thoughts came over to his mind when the three of them did not return for so long.

    "We ran into a dog just now," Lily said. She glanced at Neil and flashed him a smile.

    The three of them spend their time together for a while longer before they parted to return to their home. Neil sat in the driver''s seat and noticed that Edith has been staring at him as he drove.

    "Why are you looking at me like that?" Neil chuckled.

    "Guess who did I ran into when I brought Hazel to the restroom earlier?"

    "Who?"

    Edith squinted her eyes as she continued to watch her man. "A fan of yours. Darling, I really did not expect that you will attract a lot of butterflies even though you are an iceblock."

    Neil frowned at her comment, but after inquiring from his girlfriend about the person she had run into in the restroom, Edith did not want to disclose the other party''s identity.

    His girlfriend was clearly upset with that encounter in the restroom but had refused to elaborate more about it. In the end, Neil could only ask his girlfriend''s best friend for more information.

    Neil''s eyes darkened dangerously upon hearing the bits of what happened during their trip to the restroom. He recalled the person that his Eldest Auntie had brought over during her visit to his parents'' place during the festivity and snorted.

    It was hard enough for him to meet a woman that he really loved, but some unrelated people would continuously run over to tell his girlfriend that they were not suitable. What would he do if his girlfriend listened to their words and run away?

    Seconds later, Neil picked up his phone and gave Assistant Shawn a few instructions.. Hel was not afraid to pull out a few strings to punish the people who had tried to cause harm to his relationship, no matter if the person comes from his mother''s side of the family.

    Read novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 243 - The Rainmakers Call

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    MH Group Headquarter¡­

    Neil sat behind his desk. There were a few documents spread on his desk and his phone was set on the table facing him. Neil glanced at the screen and saw that his girlfriend was eating her lunch.

    Having a video call with Edith during her lunch had become a habit for both of them.

    His gaze stayed at his Edith for a few seconds longer to watch as her lips were pouting slightly to blew on the hot chicken piece. His eyes turned dark as he was imagining the feeling to kiss those lips at the moment.

    He watched as she opened her mouth to eat and exhaled loudly.

    "What''s wrong?" Edith turned to look at the screen when she heard his long breath. Her gaze fell at the documents on his desk. "Trouble?"

    "No. I just missed you."

    Edith paused as she chewed the food in her mouth. She swallowed them and let out a chuckle. "Then¡­ Should I come over and visit you after work?"

    Neil swallowed as he watched the way Edith was staring at him with a seducing look in her eyes. His mind started to whirl as he thought of what he wanted to do to her when she came over to visit him later.

    Neil opened his mouth to answer, but at this time, there was a knock on his door. He rubbed at the space between his brow and let the person come in.

    A few seconds later, the door was pushed open and Assistant Shawn walked in with an apologetic look on his face. As President Mo''s assistant, he was aware of his boss schedule and knew that it was time for his private video call with his girlfriend.

    However, he brought important news and he could not wait for too long.

    "Hold on," Neil spoke to Edith before he turned to Assistant Shawn. A slight frown appeared on his face when he saw the anxious look on the assistant''s face.

    "President Mo," Assistant Shawn greeted. "The Rainmaker called earlier. He has finally given his reply. He had set a meeting at a cafe one hour from now."

    Neil frowned upon hearing the assistant''s words. "One hour from now? Isn''t that too soon?" As someone who had his life in control, Neil definitely did not appreciate an unplanned meeting such as this.

    "The Rainmaker said that if you wanted to meet his sister this was the only time he could arrange. If you cannot go and meet him today, then, you will have to wait next time."

    The frown on Neil''s face deepened and he was annoyed with the way the Rainmaker had behaved. The two of them clearly had an agreement to help each other, but at this time, it doesn''t feel as if the Rainmaker was sincere with their agreement. Neil had this feeling as if the Rainmaker was taking advantage of his desperation to find out the truth about Adam''s death.

    "He also said that his sister''s life is in danger and he needed to be careful," Assistant Shawn continued. "An unplanned meeting such as this is good to throw our enemy off their guard. President Mo, what should I answer him?"

    Neil rapped his fingers on the desk and made his decision. "Reschedule my meeting and appointment today to another date and tell the Rainmaker that I will be meeting him."

    Assistant Shawn nodded. "Yes, President Mo."

    Neil watched as his assistant turned around to leave and called him. "Assistant Shawn, tell Henry that I''m meeting Jennifer Jiang later. If he''s available, then ask him to come with me."

    Assistant Shawn nodded again and left the office quickly.

    "I guess you won''t be having dinner with us today."

    Neil turned to the small screen in front of him and realized that he was still on a video call with Edith. His lips curled and he shot Edith an apologetic smile. "Sorry."

    "It''s fine. Just do what you need to do," Edith said. "I''ll look after Hazel."

    Not too long ago, Neil had told her about his investigation on his brother''s unexpected accident. When Adam and Claire were still alive, Edith had met the couple at the kindergarten. She knew that the couple were good people and naturally, wanted whoever caused their death to be put behind bars.

    Neil heaved a sigh. His gaze turned soft as he continued to look at Edith. He was really grateful that he had met a woman like Edith. He knew that she loved Hazel and did not mind looking after the little girl when he was absent.

    As Hazel''s uncle and guardian, the little girl was his responsibility. But ever since he was dating Edith, his girlfriend has been looking after Hazel in his stead. Sometimes, Neil would feel a little guilty. He did not want to think that he was taking advantage of Edith''s close relationship with Hazel, but Edith had assured him that it was not the case.

    "Neil?"

    He snapped out of his trance when he heard Edith''s voice. "What is it?"

    "Be careful."

    Neil saw the concern on her face and smiled to assure her. "I know."

    ¡­

    Neil sat behind the wheel and headed towards the address that the Rainmaker had sent him earlier. Because of the sudden change in his schedule, Neil had let Assistant Shawn stay at the office and deal with a few matters in his stead.

    This was the first time that Neil will be meeting the prosecutor who had been in contact with Adam before he died and Neil could not shake off his anxiousness. There were a lot of questions that he wanted to ask once he met that woman called Jennifer Jiang.

    However, Neil was still worried that something might unexpectedly happen and therefore, he had called Henry to meet him at the address later.

    The drive to the address in A City took him almost half an hour due to heavy traffic. When Neil arrived, Henry was already waiting for him at the entrance.

    "You''re early," Neil pointed out.

    "I was somewhere around the area when Assistant Shawn called," Henry said. He leaned closer and whispered, "Neil, are you sure about this? Can we really trust this guy?"

    "They might be the only chance for us to learn why Adam had to die," Neil said.

    Henry pursed his lips and decided not to say anything much. As Neil''s friend, he knew how much his friend has been wanting to find out the truth about Adam''s death.

    "I got it," Henry said. He stared at Neil for a few seconds longer and raised a brow. "Are you ready?

    Neil took a deep, shaky breath and nodded.. "Let''s go in."

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 244 - Jennifer Jiang

    Neil walked into the cafe with Henry and the waiter immediately took them to a private corner upstairs. As soon as they arrived, both men immediately recognized the Rainmaker, or Charles Tang, at the table.

    Charles sensed their pairs of eyes were looking at him and looked up. His lips curled into a smile and he waved at both men. "President Mo, Mr. Wu," Charles greeted them both and stretched his hand for a handshake. "You made it here."

    Previously, Assistant Shawn had mentioned to him that Henry was going to join their meeting. Therefore, Charles was not too surprised to see the man with Neil.

    "Please, have a seat," Charles motioned towards the chairs across him. He snapped his finger and the waiter walked over to their table with a menu.

    Neil and Henry exchanged a tactful glance and ordered their drinks.

    Once the waiter left, Neil leaned forward and stared at the man in front of him with a dangerous look in his eyes. "Mr. Charles¡­ I come over knowing that you wanted to continue this cooperation, but it doesn''t look like you were being sincere."

    Charles laughed upon hearing Neil''s words. "President Mo, be patient. I know why you have agreed to come despite your busy schedule." He took a sip from his caramel latte and smiled. "Don''t worry. My sister will be here soon."

    Hearing his words, Neil and Henry''s expression ease up a little bit.

    A while later, a waitress walked over to their table with their coffee. After serving their drinks, the waitress slid into the empty chair next to Charles.

    Neil and Henry watched the waitress in shock at this sudden movement, but Charles does not seem surprised at all.

    "Hello," the waitress flashed them a smile. "I''m Jennifer Jiang."

    It took both Neil and Henry a few seconds as they snapped out of their trance. There was a slight fluctuation in their gaze as they saw the long, faded scar on her right cheek. Even with that scar on her face, the woman in front of them was still beautiful.

    After a few seconds of observation, they began to realize that the person who was sitting in front of them was indeed the person who they have been searching for months.

    "I''m sorry that I have to appear in front of you like this. But this is the only way I can protect myself," Jennifer said. She shifted her gaze to Neil. "President Mo, I''m sorry for the loss of both your brother and sister-in-law."

    Neil lowered his gaze as he thought of Adam and Claire.

    "Miss Jiang, I have been looking all over for you," Henry spoke. "Where have you been?"

    "Pardon me. But, something happened and I cannot come out. There was all sort of people waiting for me to appear and it was not safe outside." Jennifer subconsciously touched the scar on her face. The scar would sometimes tingle as if reminding her that they were still there.

    "I know that you have a lot of questions that you wanted to ask," Jennifer spoke. "I will do my best to tell you what I know and in exchange, I hope that President Mo could help me and continue to cooperate with me."

    "Why should I help you?" Henry asked.

    "President Mo, I''m sure that you wanted to bring the person who had caused both Adam and Claire''s death to be brought to justice," Jennifer said. "Only by exposing their crimes will both your brother and sister-in-law rest in peace. For that, we need to help each other."

    Neil shifted his gaze to Charles and was reminded of his attitude during their cooperation. He looked at Jennifer and spoke. "Miss Jiang, you need to tell me what you know. Only then I will decide whether this cooperation will continue or not."

    Jennifer shot her brother a look and sighed. Her brother had made it no secret that he did not like that she wanted to continue her cooperation with Neil Mo. In fact, Charles wanted her to stop investigating the case that led them to this disaster.

    A few months ago, she had almost died after she found out the truth. With no other choice, Jennifer could only look for her brother and ask for him to hide her. At that time, she had almost died. Charles was furious upon knowing what she was up to, but Jennifer was persistent to continue the investigation.

    She has been working on this case for a long time and she could not let the matter go when she knew the truth.

    "President Mo, you already know what your brother was investigating before that accident," Jennifer said. "A while ago, my brother had handed you a part of my investigation files. You know who was the people who wanted to harm your company."

    Neil''s expression darkened as he thought of the name on the files that Charles had given him earlier.

    "At that time, your brother had doubts about what was going on in the company and decided to come and look for me for advice," Jennifer said. "I helped him to investigate what he wanted to know and we found out about those directors. However, we did not expect that someone else was watching our movement."

    Her gaze lowered as Jennifer thought of the mistake that she had done. It was because of that that the others learned about their investigation. In the end, both Adam and Claire died while she had to stay in the hospital for months to recuperate.

    "Those directors were not powerful enough to pull something and harm your brother. But the person they were working with is different. This person was helping the directors to hide their crimes in exchange for a large amount of money."

    "Who is this person?" Neil asked impatiently.

    Jennifer leaned back on her seat. "President Mo, if I give out his name, what do you plan to do to him?"

    "Of course, I wanted to do everything that I can to put him behind bars," Neil said.

    When he thought of how Adam and Claire had died and that they have to leave their daughter behind, Neil would feel pain. The couple did not deserve to die in such a tragic way and Hazel should not lose her parents'' love and care at her age.

    Jennifer Jiang studied Neil''s expression and let out a breath. She knew that Neil wanted justice for his family members, but she was worried that Neil would be so consumed with hatred that he wanted to take matters into his hand. Seeing that his expression did not show the burning hatred that she was expecting, Jennifer was relieved.

    "You can only bring him and everyone involved behind bars if you cooperate with me," Jennifer said. "We both wanted to punish the same man. President Mo, we should continue to work together."

    "Tell me who this person is first," Neil said.

    Charles glanced at his sister. His mouth opened as if he wanted to say something, but seeing the look she gave her, Charles decided that it was not appropriate.

    Jennifer dragged forward a glass of water in front of her and dipped her finger in it.. Then, Jennifer moved her fingers on the table, scribbling down the name that every one of them knows so well.

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 245 - Happy Cooperation

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Neil''s expression changed as he saw the name on the table. His pupil contracted and he could not believe the information that Jennifer had written down.

    "Impossible. That person is not that sort of person," Neil spoke, but there was a trace of hesitation in his eyes. The way Jennifer Jiang was staring back at him with an unwavering look in her eyes made him conflicted.

    Jennifer raised a brow. "You don''t believe me? Do you think I''m lying?"

    Neil turned to Henry and saw that his friend was in deep thought as if he was considering the possibilities.

    "Of course, I would not be here, accusing that man without proof," Jennifer said. She turned to her brother, stretched out her hand, and raised a brow. "Give it to me."

    Charles rolled his eyes and reached for his tablet. His fingers danced on the screen before he slid the tablet to his sister. Jennifer then glanced at the information on the screen to ensure that her brother had clicked the right documents and passed the tablet across the table.

    Neil and Henry leaned forward to look at the screen. After browsing through the contents for more than five minutes, the two friend''s expression began to change.

    "This is only a part of the evidence I have," Jennifer said. "Before Adam and Claire were involved in that accident, we were preparing our evidence and was ready to bring them to my boss. But someone found out about what we were planning to do. Then, everything went down the drain."

    "Neil," Henry called. He stared at his friend and his gaze softened. Henry could guess at what was going on in Neil''s mind right now. The information they received was a little bit too much

    For a long time, Neil was not able to speak a word. Various thoughts came to his mind all at once and he did not know what he should think.

    It turned out that the person who was behind his brother''s death was someone he knew and respected. Perhaps, the only reason Adam had not said a thing to him was because of this man.

    Perhaps, Adam was aware of what will happen to him once he decided to join Jennifer in her investigation. He did not want Neil to be involved and thus, had decided to keep his mouth shut.

    The three directors in MH Group were involved in siphoning a large amount of money from MH Group, and a big part of that stolen money was used to bribe a big figure in L City.

    However, with this man''s position and the power he held, he could do everything that Jennifer had accused him to do.

    Neil continued to stare at the picture of the elderly man. In that photograph, the man was beaming. The smile on his face was both confident and smug. But all Neil could think of was that this man was smiling mockingly at him.

    Seeing that Neil had kept his silence for a long time, Jennifer was getting a little anxious. "President Mo, what do you think?"

    Neil snapped out of his trance and looked at the woman in front of him.

    "With the evidence, I have in hand will not be enough to put this man behind bars," Jennifer said. "This is why I hope that you can cooperate with me and provide a little to this investigation. Let me be frank with you. A lot of evidence I have collected was lost after that accident and I do not want to waste my time starting everything from scratch. If we delayed this investigation, later, we might not have the chance to put this man behind bars. Sooner and later, his power and influence will grow, and then, there will be nothing we can do."

    Henry turned to Neil and waited for his decision. Although Henry was not convinced of what Jennifer and her brother wanted to do, he decided that it was not his time to say anything.

    They have waited for a long time to find out why Adam and Claire had to die. Now that they know about it, they wanted the person who was pulling the strings behind the planned accident to receive his punishment.

    At this time, only Neil can make his decision whether he wanted to join hands with both Jennifer and Charles.

    "I understand," Neil said. He leaned on his seat and stared at Jennifer with a piercing gaze. "But according to what you have said earlier, even though we might compile another evidence to these people''s crimes, we might not be able to do a thing. His power is enough to stop you from filing his crime to justice."

    "I am aware." Jennifer glanced at her brother. "This time, I am planning to use the power of people to stop him. We will make a bigger noise. So much that once the people were aware of what he had done, he will have no choice but to step down."

    "It might still not be enough."

    "It will be enough," Jennifer said with confidence. "This time we will be prepared. This time, I will not let him escape. Regarding how we wanted to do this, I will tell you about it later."

    Neil kept his gaze on Jennifer. There was silence in the air and no one seemed to dare to speak a thing. "Alright," Neil said and shifted his gaze away. "I will do whatever I can to cooperate with you."

    Jennifer heaved a breath of relief upon hearing that Neil was ready to cooperate.

    "However, I do have a condition."

    "President Mo, please speak."

    Neil glanced at Charles before he spoke again. "I hope that you can be fully open and honest regarding your findings and result. I do not wish to be kept in the dark."

    Charles let out a chuckle and stopped himself when his sister slapped him on his thigh.

    "President Mo, you can be assured that I will not hide anything from you."

    Neil glanced at Jennifer''s stretched hands and heaved a sigh as he reached for it.

    "President Mo, happy cooperation," Jennifer said. There was a mixture of emotions in her eyes and smile.

    Their hands parted after a brief second. Neil shifted his gaze and looked at the tablet on the table.. On the screen, General Attorney Leng was still smiling brightly at him.

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 246 - Hes Drunk

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    The club was bursting with loud music and on the first floor, there were a lot of people dancing around whether with a partner or in a large group. Each of them acted as if they were in their own world.

    Henry watched the scene as he walked up the stairs before he turned to enter a private room. As soon as he walked in, the surrounding changed. The room was big but very quiet as compared to the dancing floor on the first floor.

    On the sofa at the center of the room, Neil Mo continued to pour himself some drinks. He raised his head when he heard some movement and smiled when he saw that it was Henry.

    The corner of his lips tilted into a smile as he raised the glass in his hand. "Henry, come on. Have a drink with me."

    Henry walked over to the sofa and sighed. He had left the room for a brief moment to answer an important call from his employee but never thought that once he returned to the room, his best friend would be this drunk.

    A deep frown appeared on his face as Henry tried to figure out how was he supposed to take this man safely home.

    "Stop drinking too much," Henry snatched the glass away from Neil before he sat down. A cursing word escaped his lips. "How did you drink this much in just a few minutes?" He picked up the half-emptied bottle in front of him and turned his head quickly at Neil. A few cursing words escaped his lips again.

    "Give me that," Neil tried to snatch back the bottle and failed. He raised his head and looked at Henry with a piercing, cold gaze. "Henry give me back my drink."

    "No. You''re drunk."

    "I''m not drunk."

    "That''s exactly what a drunkard would say."

    Neil shot his friend a piercing look. "I''m not drunk. I have a high tolerance for alcohol and you know that very well."

    Henry stared back at his friend and gritted his teeth. Indeed, even with the number of glasses that Neil had drunk, his friend did not seem as if he was drunk. His eyes were clear and focused. Or were they?

    "You can''t drink," Henry narrowed his eyes. The two of them continued to stare at each other for a while and Neil was the one who first backed down. "Drinking this much isn''t going to help you," Henry pointed out as he put the bottle back on the table. He reached for clean glass and poured a glass off plain water. "Here, drink this."

    Neil reached for the glass but did not drink it. He stared at the glass in silence as he was in deep thought. However, upon closer look, one would notice his hooded eyes and the sadness in his gaze.

    After he met with Jennifer Jiang and Charles Tang, Neil was unable to stop thinking about his deceased brother. Neil was angry at how Adam and Claire had kept a secret from him. But when he thought of how the two were no longer around, Neil found that he could not be angry at them.

    Adam knew that he would be in danger after he decided to work with Jennifer. Because of that, Adam chose not to let him know about what he was investigating. Adam did not want to put him in danger.

    While Claire¡­ the only reason she got involved in this messy situation was that she would stick to her husband and it would be impossible for Adam to keep a secret from his wife.

    At this time, Neil really wished that the first whistleblower would come to meet him to report the director''s wrongdoing instead.

    If the whistleblower came and find him first, then perhaps, Adam would not be in danger. Adam and Claire would not die and Hazel would have a complete family.

    But he also knew that the reason the whistleblower had come to see Adam was that he was more approachable than him. Neil was famous for his iceblock character. Who would dare to approach him and report such things to him?

    Various thoughts came to his mind and each of them only made Neil drown in guilt.

    He could not stop thinking of ''what if'' and ''if only'' things were a little different.

    Those thoughts only tormented him further and soon, Neil battled to snatch the bottle of liquor from Henry.

    ¡­

    Edith glanced at the clock and frowned before she walked over to the entrance. Henry''s face appeared before her as soon as she opened the door.

    "Miss Qian," Henry greeted and flashed a smile. "Sorry for my intrusion." He shifted his gaze to the man beside him and let out a helpless sigh.

    Edith followed his gaze and her eyes wavered when she saw Neil who was carried by Henry. The two of them had shared a few drinks a few times, but this was the first time that Edith had seen Neil this drunk. If Henry was not supporting him, Neil would not be able to stand at all.

    "How is he?" She took a step back to make some space, "Please, come in first."

    "He''s exactly as you see. He''s drunk," Henry spoke with a helpless tone. He dragged the unconscious Neil into the house and paused. "Do you want me to take him to the bedroom?"

    Edith nodded. "Yes. Please." She then led Henry to the bedroom and watched as Henry put Neil on the bed. A sigh escaped her as Edith watched his boyfriend continue to be in a deep sleep.

    Turning to Henry, Edith then led him out and accompanied him downstairs.

    "I should go now," Henry said. "Miss Qian, will you be alright to look after Neil by yourself?"

    "I''ll be fine."

    "Don''t worry, Neil did not have a strange or obnoxious habit while he was drunk."

    Edith forced a smile at Henry''s words. "But, what happened to him? The meeting with Miss Jiang¡­ it didn''t go well?"

    Henry stared back at Edith in surprise. Judging from her words, Henry knew that Neil had mentioned Adam and Claire''s death to Edith. Henry was not expecting that his friend would share this matter with Edith.

    At the thought that Neil had really liked and trust Edith, Henry felt a little more at ease.

    "It went well," Henry said. "But if you wanted to know what happened, you should ask Neil when he woke up."

    Edith nodded. "I understand."

    The two of them exchanged a few more words and Henry left after reminding Edith that she should give him a call if she needed his help. Once the door was shut, Edith returned to the bedroom and looked at the man sprawled on the large bed. With a helpless sigh, Edith walked over to him to help him get comfortable in his sleep.

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 247 - Secrets From Edith

    Neil woke up with a splitting headache.

    He sat up and put a hand on his head as if it could stop him from the pain. The memories of what happened last night came to his mind and a groan escaped him. Neil began to look around and was not surprised to see that he was in his bedroom.

    Taking a deep breath, Neil made a reminder to himself to thank Henry for accompanying him as well as delivering him back to his house.

    Neil swallowed and felt that his throat was a little too dry. Just as he was about to step out of bed, Neil began to notice the glass of water and medicine on the bedside table. A note was left beside it, telling him to take a drink and head downstairs to eat once he had woken up.

    A smile curled on his lips as Neil read the handwritten message. It was at this time that Neil noticed that his clothes were changed in a clean pajama. His eyes turned gentle as he thought of the girl who had stayed by his side to look after him. Touching the other side of the bed and noticed that it was cold.

    Glancing at the clock, Neil figured that Edith should be at the kindergarten with Hazel at this time.

    Neil took his medicine and walked out of bed. Once he had cleaned up in the bathroom, Neil walked downstairs and found that it was a little lively. Just as he reached the dining area, the noise subsided and Neil found that two pairs of eyes were staring straight at him.

    "You''re awake." Edith walked over to him and smiled. "Good morning. Are you feeling well?"

    Neil answered her with a soft hum. "Why are you two at home?"

    "Auntie Edith said you are unwell and we''re staying home to look over you," Hazel said. "Uncle, are you feeling well now? Where is it painful? Should I help you blow at it?" She recalled the way her mom would blow at her pain whenever she was injured and thought that it should work for her uncle as well.

    "I ate my medicine. Don''t worry, it''s not very painful now," Neil said. He raised his hand to rub the little girl''s head. "Are you worried?"

    "Un." Hazel nodded. "Uncle... Auntie Edith and I have prepared some porridge for you. Would you like to eat it now?"

    "Since you have made it for me, of course, I have to eat them."

    Hazel smiled happily at her uncle''s words. "Then let''s have breakfast together. I will help and prepare the table first."

    His lips turned up into a smile as Neil watched his niece''s turned around into the kitchen. His conversation with both Jennifer Jiang and Henry came to his mind and his gaze turned complicated.

    "What''s wrong? Are you still not sober?"

    Neil snapped out of his trance when he felt her hand on his forehead. He looked at Edith and was reminded of how much she liked going to the kindergarten and spend her time with those kids.

    "Is it alright if you didn''t go to the kindergarten today?" Neil asked. His arms intuitively moved to wrap around her waist.

    "Someone is unwell and I cannot go be at ease if I go to the kindergarten," Edith said. "Don''t worry. Headmistress Fu is giving me a day off. Another teacher will take over my class today."

    Neil leaned forward to kiss her forehead. His arms tightened around her body and Neil buried his face in the crook of her neck. He took a deep breath at her scent and his body gradually relaxed.

    At this time, Hazel called out the two''s name and tell them that they should have breakfast soon. Pecking at her lips, Neil then released his arms and they head over to the dining table to have breakfast.

    Edith filled her bowl with porridge and watched Neil interact with his niece. Seeing the way he was spoiling the little girl, Edith began to wonder about his meeting with Jennifer Jiang and that blogger yesterday.

    Judging from the way Henry looked last night, Edith knew that the matter might not be that simple.

    As breakfast ended, Edith assigned Hazel a few tasks and activities in the living room before she headed upstairs to find Neil.

    Edith rapped her fingers on the door and entered the room.

    Just as she had thought, even though Neil had taken a day off, he would not stop working and spent his time browsing some documents.

    "Busy?"

    Neil looked up and replied to her with a small hum. He patted on his thigh, signaling her to sit down, but Edith only walked over to approach him.

    "Why did you drink so much last night?" Edith asked. "The meeting¡­ it didn''t go as well as you thought?"

    His expression shifted and Neil looked as if he did not want to talk about it. However, Edith knew the truth about Adam and Claire''s accident and that he was planning to collaborate with Jennifer and Charles. It would not be right if he suddenly decided to keep his mouth shut.

    But still... there were a few things that he could not share with Edith. Neil was worried that if Edith knew a lot, her life might be in danger as well. Wasn''t that was the reason why Adam had chose not to share those things with him? For now... there were a few things that he had to keep as secrets from Edith.

    "It went well. I decided to cooperate with Miss Jiang and her brother," Neil said. He looked at Edith and saw the concern in her expression.

    This collaboration was supposed to be a good thing, but last night, he had drunk so much that he had passed out. If he didn''t explain to his girlfriend, Neil was worried that her mind might start to go wild.

    "Miss Jiang told me a few things regarding Adam''s investigation," Neil said. He paused for a few seconds and let out a heavy sigh. "I didn''t know that Adam was hiding so many things from me. When I think about Adam and Claire last night, I couldn''t help but drink a little more."

    Her expression softened as Edith heard his words. She couldn''t help but wonder what was Neil feeling at the moment. From the expression on his face, Edith could detect a hint of guilt and self-blame.

    At this time, Edith can only hope that there was something that she can do to help him.

    Finally, Edith walked over to his side, cupped his face in both her hands, and kissed the corner of his lips. "I wish that there was something I can do to help you."

    Neil wrapped his arms around her waist. "Of course you can help me." He raised a brow when Edith gave him an inquiring look.. "Didn''t I tell you previously? As long as you can be the place where I can return to, as long as you can be the place where I can put my head and rest, that is enough."

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 248 - Grandpa, Youre The First

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    The stars were glittering in the night sky.

    In one of the low-cost apartments in A City, A group of men was scattered in the living room. Some were sitting on the sofa, some were on the floor and then, another was sleeping on the portable mattress.

    There were empty food containers and canned drinks and bottles were scattered on the coffee table and the sounds of chatting were heard in the room.

    Mike Qian sat at the corner of the room with his friend, George Bei beside him. At this time, his phone on the coffee table buzzed. Mike glanced at the screen, stood up, and walked over to the door.

    "Where are you going?" George asked, surprised to see that his friend had suddenly wanted to leave without saying anything.

    Mike shook the phone in his hand. "I have an important call to make."

    George glanced at the clock and frowned. "It''s almost midnight."

    "I know." Mike smiled. "This is the reason I need to make this phone call. I''ll be on the rooftop if you need to find me" He grabbed his jacket hanging on the sofa and left the apartment. Turning to his left, Mike then climbed the stairs and headed up.

    Mike tightened the jacket around his body and walked over to a corner. He glanced at his phone and noticed that there was only a minute before midnight. He looked at the night scene before him and waited.

    His phone buzzed again and Mike was quick to turn off the alarm. His fingers then moved to browsed through his contact. Once he found his granddaughter''s name, Mike clicked at her name and waited for the call to connect.

    Edith answered after a few seconds. "Grandfather?"

    Mike answered with a soft hum. "Are you at home?"

    "En." Edith nodded. "I was preparing to go to bed."

    A slight frown appeared on Mike''s face as he recalled that his granddaughter was now living with Neil Mo. At the thought that his granddaughter would share the bed with that man, Mike was a little unhappy. His granddaughter was all grown up and was stolen away by some brat. His face turned uglier as Mike recalled his last conversation with Neil.

    Edith got off the bed, signaled the man beside her that she was going to take the call, and walked out to the balcony. "Grandfather, I thought you went on a fishing trip with Grandpa George. There''s a phone signal on the boat?"

    Her tone was cautious as Edith was worried that something might happen to her grandfather. After all, it was a little strange for her grandfather to give her a call around midnight.

    "We didn''t go far from the land today, of course, there''s a signal." Mike let out a chuckle. He raised his arms and looked at his watch. His lips curled into a smile as soon as the second hand moved to twelve. "My little gangster, happy birthday."

    There was a brief silence between them before Edith suddenly burst into a fit laugh. It has been a long time since she had heard her grandfather called her his little gangster. She was a little tense to suddenly received his phone call. It turned out that he wanted to wish her a birthday.

    "Did you forget that today''s your birthday?"

    Edith chuckled. Recently, she has been a little busy and had not paid too much attention to the date. She had forgotten about her birthday. "Grandpa, I would rather not remember the day I turned older." Edith joked.

    "You''re forever young for me." Mike laughed. "Alright. I just called you to wish you a happy birthday. How is it? I am still the first person to wish you your birthday, right?"

    "Grandpa, you''re the first."

    The smile on Mike''s lips stretched wider. For a second, he was really glad that he had set up an alarm to call his granddaughter. At least he was able to beat Neil on this matter.

    Suddenly, the door to the rooftop swung open. Mike turned around and saw that his friend, George stood at the door with an anxious look on his face.

    Mike raised a finger to his lips and signaled his friend not to say a thing.

    "Alright, go to bed early. I still have a few things to do before I sleep. We''re going to head to a new location and I''m not sure if I will be able to contact you." Mike looked at the night scene in front of him. His voice did not waver as he told his granddaughter those lies.

    The two of them spoke briefly and hung up. Mike walked over to his friend and frowned. "What''s wrong?"

    "Old Qian, we have received news that that person is going to Capital City next month," George spoke anxiously. "He''s set to meet a few leaders."

    Mike''s face turned ugly as he continued to listen.

    Meanwhile, after that phone call with her grandfather, Edith turned around and saw her boyfriend''s unhappy expression. Before Edith was able to say a thing, Neil had swept her into his embrace and leaned in to kiss her lips passionately.

    Once he had enough, Neil pulled away, but the slight frown on his face had stayed. "Happy birthday."

    Edith laughed before she leaned in to kiss the corner of his lips. Her head tilted sideways as Edith studied his expression. "Why do you look unhappy?"

    Of course, Neil couldn''t tell her that he was waiting for midnight to wish her birthday. However, just a minute before the clock struck midnight, her phone rang. It was a phone call from her grandfather and Edith would not miss talking to him.

    Neil heaved a long sigh as he brought her inside and pulled her into his embrace to warm her body. "Why did your grandfather called? Something happened?"

    Thinking that Neil was worried about her grandpa, Edith did not press on the matter.

    "No. Grandfather''s alright," Edith said. "He just called to wish me a happy birthday."

    His expression turned bad as Neil found out that Grandpa had beat him to be the first to wish her birthday. Fortunately, they were hugging and he was able to hide the expression on his face.

    A thought crossed her mind and Edith pulled away to look at her boyfriend with her sparkling eyes and dazzling smile. "Darling, did you ask me to invite Lily and the others here today to celebrate my birthday?"

    Neil looked at her adorable expression and couldn''t resist pinching her cheek. "Alright. My girlfriend is smart. You got me. Stop making a guess or you''ll ruin the surprise."

    Her eyes widened. "There''s a surprise?"

    Neil patted at her head. "Be good."

    The phone in her hands buzzed with a few incoming messages. Before Edith was able to check at her phone, Neil had snatched her phone away.

    "Let''s go to bed first and look at those messages in the morning," Neil said.. "You have a long day tomorrow."

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 249 - Happy Birthday

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    When Edith woke up, it was way past breakfast. Edith walked into the bathroom to clean up and put on a white, floral blouse and a pair of jeans.

    As soon as Edith walked down the stairs, a small figure ran towards her, and soon, Hazel was hugging her tightly. The little girl looked up with a bright smile on her face.

    "Auntie Edith, happy birthday!"

    Edith looked at the little girl who was dressed in a fluffy powder blue dress and she looked very much like a princess. If Edith''s grandfather saw her, he would definitely call Hazel his little princess.

    Crouching down, Edith then pulled Hazel into a hug.

    "Auntie Edith, let''s go and have breakfast first," Hazel said, pulling at her hands. "I made them myself."

    Edith laughed and followed the little girl into the dining room. In the kitchen, Auntie Emma was busy preparing a few dishes for lunch. Neil had planned to invite a few of his friends and Edith''s friends to come over for her birthday.

    "Miss Qian," Auntie Emma greeted with a smile. "Happy birthday."

    Edith touched the tip of her nose and thanked the elderly lady. "Auntie Emma, is there anything I can do to help?"

    Auntie Emma quickly declined her offer. "Miss Qian, you should have your breakfast first. Little miss had prepared a special breakfast for you."

    "Auntie Edith, come over here and sit down." Hazel pulled a chair and motioned her to sit down.

    Edith walked over to Hazel and realized that something was missing. She looked around and noticed that her boyfriend was not around. Edith turned to Hazel and asked, "Where''s your uncle?"

    Hazel pulled out a plate and slid in some toast and scrambled eggs on the plate. "Uncle went out to get something. He said he would be back soon." She slid the plate on the table and looked at Edith. The smile on her face was as if she was looking forward to Edith''s praising her and the food she prepared.

    Edith took a bite at the scrambled eggs and let out a soft hum. The eggs were soft, fluffy, and buttery. After learning some basic cooking with Edith, the little girl''s cooking skills were getting better and she could cook a simple dish.

    "It''s delicious." Edith patted at Hazel''s hair and pecked at her cheek. The little girl was so adorable and Edith could not help but plant a few more kisses on her cheek.

    At this time, the doorbell rang. Edith set down the fork on the plate and stared at Hazel in puzzled. She was reminded that Neil had mentioned that he was going to invite their friends over and thought that it could be them. However, it was a little too early for them to show up at this time.

    Edith told Hazel to sit still in the dining area and stood up to open the door. Edith peeked at the small screen and could not see anything. Whoever at the door had stood a little too close.

    Thinking that the apartment had an excellent and that no unauthorized will be allowed to enter their level, Edith was more at ease. "Who is it?" Edith asked.

    "We have a delivery for Miss Qian." The voice was a little familiar, yet strange. After ensuring that Hazel was seated far away, Edith swung the door open and a large bouquet of red roses appeared in front of her. For a few seconds, Edith was startled and she continued to stare at the roses blankly.

    "Are you Miss Qian?" The person behind the bouquet spoke again. "You need to accept the bouquet."

    The bouquet lowered a little bit and a Neil''s smiling face appeared behind those roses. It was at this time that Edith figured out that her boyfriend had pressed at his voice and pretended to be a delivery guy.

    A happy laugh escaped her and Edith took the bouquet from him. "Where should I sign?"

    Neil smiled mischievously and pointed at his lips. "Just put your stamp here."

    She narrowed her eyes at Neil and raised a hand to place a finger on his lips. "Done."

    "That''s not a valid stamp." Neil laughed. "Come on. Birthday girl, please kiss me."

    Edith felt her cheek red and glanced at the dining area. At this time, Hazel had disappeared into the kitchen to accompany Auntie Emma. Once she figured that it was safe, Edith leaned forward to kiss Neil on his lips. However, because of the bouquet, the kiss had to end quickly and Neil could only stare back at the bouquet in dissatisfaction.

    He had bought his girlfriend a pretty bouquet and was expecting a deep, feverish kiss in return. He was not expecting that the same bouquet would prevent him from getting the reward he wanted. However, that feeling quickly disappeared as Neil saw the happy smile on Edith''s face.

    "Do you like them?" Neil asked.

    Edith stared at the large bouquet, lowered her head, and took a sniff. The smell of those roses was very fragrant and fresh. There were probably around hundred red roses in the bouquet. It was probably very expensive.

    This was the first time that she had received such a big and vibrant bouquet and Edith could not hide that she was feeling very happy at the moment. "I like it."

    Neil held on to her waist and pecked at her forehead. "Happy birthday."

    She smiled shyly and walked into the kitchen to find a vase for the roses. As soon as Hazel and Auntie Emma saw the bouquet, the two could not help but praise the beautiful flowers.

    Hazel stared at the roses and turned to her uncle. "Uncle, I want a big bouquet too."

    "Well then, when you find yourself a boyfriend, you can ask him to give you a big bouquet."

    Edith watched the uncle and niece''s exchange and chuckled. She walked over to Neil and poked him on the waist. "Are you sure you want your niece to find a boyfriend?" Her lips curled into a teasing smile. "President Mo, you couldn''t bear to see your niece holding hands with another boy and you wanted your niece to find a boyfriend? Are you sure?"

    Neil pondered over his words and suddenly, his face turned white.

    Seeing the look on his face, Edith could only suppress her laugh. "Didn''t you invited Lily to come over today?"

    Neil thought about her question and suddenly realized a while later, Lily will arrive at their place along with her son, Alex. He was reminded of how that little boy would often hold hands with Hazel and Neil felt very uncomfortable.

    At this time, the doorbell rang again.. Edith walked over to the door and saw a few familiar faces appeared on the screen.

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 250 - Hazels Bouquet

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    It was the first time for Neil to invite a few more people to his house and with the presence of those unusual guests, the house became especially lively.

    At this time, Neil was discussing a few things with Henry in a low voice. His gaze however was trained on his niece who was playing around with her friend, Alex. His thought was on the words that Edith had said to him.

    Earlier, Neil had wanted to joke with his niece when he suggested she find herself a boyfriend. In his thought, Hazel was still young and the little girl had not shown her interest in the opposite gender.

    It was not until Edith reminded him about Alex''s existence that Neil started to worry about the possibility that Hazel will have a boyfriend someday. He had just reconnected with Hazel after the two decided to live together.

    Neil was starting to enjoy the feeling of having the little girl around the house. He began to understand why his brother, Adam, would often find him to brag about whatever his daughter had done for him.

    Hazel was such an adorable and obedient child. Now that their relationship was closer, Neil began to like her more and would spoil her with anything she wanted. However, he was not ready to imagine that Hazel would date another boy.

    However, from the moment Alex had stepped into the house, his little girl has been spending her time with Alex and had not come over to look for him once. Seeing this situation, Neil was a little unhappy but was not brave enough to try and separate those two.

    The two were only children. It was not easy for Hazel to make a friend and she would be unhappy if he had tried to prevent her from playing with her friend. Moreover, Edith would definitely laugh at him if he had tried to do that. Fortunately, Jamie had arrived with Henry. Seeing that the woman was eager to accompany Hazel, Neil could only let her watch the two kids for him.

    At this time, the doorbell rang again. Neil went over to the door in a hurry and was a little disappointed when he saw Aaron at his door. Neil glanced at the box in Aaron''s hand and then went to look at his face again.

    "Why are you here?"

    Aaron hesitated upon hearing the question. "This¡­ you invited me to come, remember?"

    Or perhaps he had read Edith''s message wrongly? Aaron was pretty sure that Edith had sent a message to him a few days ago to invite him to their house for a little gathering between friends. He checked the calendar, realized that it was Edith''s birthday, and decided to make time to come over.

    If he had known that he was going to face President Mo''s unfriendly gaze, Aaron would rather arrange another meeting with Edith to deliver her birthday gift.

    Neil narrowed his eyes at Aaron and slowly turned around when he heard the sound of footsteps approaching.

    "Who is it?" Edith asked. She turned to Aaron and her expression brightened up a little bit. "Aaron, you''re here."

    Aaron quickly moved his gaze to Edith and thrust the birthday present to her. "Happy birthday."

    Edith looked at the wrapped gift and smiled. At this time, the elevator behind Aaron slid open and a delivery man walked out with a bouquet in his hand.

    Neil quickly ignored Aaron to call the delivery man over. The two exchanged a few words before Neil signed his name and accepted the bouquet.

    Edith watched the whole scene and her gaze stayed with Neil as he turned into the house with that bouquet. A chuckle escaped her knowing well what her boyfriend wanted to do. Shaking her head helplessly, Edith then stepped aside to let Aaron in.

    "The food should be ready soon," Edith said. "Just stay around to chat for a while. Lily''s husband, Ethan, is also here."

    Aaron heaved a sigh knowing that there was someone he was familiar with at the gathering. At least, he would not be feeling awkward. Stepping inside, Aaron started to look around the house. He paused and turned to Edith. "I thought this place would be bigger."

    Edith laughed.

    Before Hazel came to live with him, Neil had always lived alone. He had bought the duplex and did not mind the size. He had thought that living in a bigger house alone would be too lonely. Moreover, with a smaller space, he did not have to hire too many people to clean up the house.

    Edith''s gaze found Neil who was in the middle of giving the bouquet to Hazel. She could not hear what he had said to the little girl but could make a rough guess at it.

    The overprotective uncle would probably tell his niece that she was too young to find herself a boyfriend. Therefore, until she was old enough to have a boyfriend, he would continue to be that person who would give her flowers.

    Whatever it is, Hazel looked very happy to receive the bouquet from her uncle. Although hers was not as big as Edith, Hazel was satisfied with it.

    "That''s right," Aaron spoke again. "Have you told your grandpa about this living arrangement?"

    Edith looked away with a guilty expression and shook her head. "I told him that Neil and I were dating, but haven''t mentioned anything about living together."

    Aaron raised a brow. "What are you worried about?"

    "Of course, I''m worried that Grandpa would suddenly invite Neil to go fishing and come back alone."

    Aaron laughed at her words. It was not a secret that Grandpa Qian loved his granddaughter the most. Aaron could not imagine what would the old man dry to do if he ever finds out that his granddaughter was living together with Neil.

    Soon, Auntie Emma announced that the meal had finished. Everyone sat around the table and ate as they chatted happily. Once they have finished the meal, everyone sat around to chat in the living room.

    Edith was still chatting with Lily about her pregnancy when the crowd had suddenly started to sing her a birthday song.

    Turning around, her gaze softened as Edith watched Neil stood at the dining area with a birthday cake. The two gazed into each other''s eyes and the birthday song had slowly faded in the background.

    Her lips could not stop smiling as Edith thought of his arrangement for her birthday. It was only a small celebration with close friends, but Edith thought that it was a good one.

    However, as they continued to stare at each other, Edith began to feel that there was something strange about Neil.

    Her man was someone who had confidence in whatever he does, but at this time, Edith thought that she could see a glimpse of anxiety in his eyes.

    Did she see things wrongly?

    As Edith pondered over the question, the crowd had stopped signing and they were urging her to make a wish and blow the candle. Edith obediently do as she was told and the cheering and applauding filled the air.

    Henry stepped forward to help Neil with the cake and shot his friend a look.

    Just as Edith was about to go and cut the cake, Neil had pulled at her hand, forcing her to face him. Before she could ask what was he going to do, the man had knelt on one knee in front of her. In his hand, was a red jewelry box.

    Edith stared at the sparkling ring in the box and felt her breath halted.

    "Edith Qian, will you marry me?"

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 251 - Proposal

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Edith stared at the man in front of her with her eyes wide.

    Although she had once mentioned that she wanted a proper proposal from him, Edith was not expecting that Neil would be proposing to her in front of their friends. She told him to make it a surprise and he surprised him on her birthday.

    At that moment, Edith did not know how she should react. She walked over to approach him and her gaze stayed at the sparkling ring in that red box in a dazed.

    Her mind blanked and she became speechless.

    Meanwhile, Neil continued to stare at her as he waited for her answer.

    Seeing that Edith has not responded, Neil felt his anxiety rising to another level.

    He had made a plan to propose in front of their friends on her birthday, thinking that it will be a special thing for her. However, Neil had never considered that there would be a chance for Edith to reject him.

    They had talked about marriage previously and she knew that he intended to marry her. Though she had never said yes, Edith had never said that she did not want to be married.

    Her silence made him worry that she would suddenly change her mind. Was she not happy with his proposal?

    As the thought came to his mind, Neil thought that it was better for him to persuade her.

    "In the future, I will continue to love you and be by your side when you need me. I will listen to you and work hard to fulfill anything you want as long as it was within my capability." Neil reached grasped her hand. "Edith Qian, please... marry me."

    His voice was a whisper as he gave her his speech. Although this proposal was done in front of their friends, there were some words that he wanted her alone to hear.

    Lily poked at her waist, causing Edith to snap out of her trance.

    "What are you in a trance? Are you not planning to give your answer?" Lily whispered.

    Edith looked around and saw that everyone was staring at her. Just like Neil, each of them was waiting for her answer.

    "Miss Qian, just agree to his proposal," Henry tried to persuade when he saw the look on Neil''s face. "If you don''t give him an answer, I''m afraid that I will face his iceblock expression for the whole month. Miss Qian, do me a favor and accept the man''s proposal."

    Jamie who stood beside Henry burst into a fit laugh. Noticing that everyone was looking at her, Jamie quickly stopped herself. She cleared her throat and smiled. "Miss Qian, quickly say yes. It was rare to see a love-struck Neil. Once you marry him, you can order him as you like. Or else, you can just beat him until he becomes obedient."

    This time, the others chuckled and suppressed their laugh.

    The few of them had seen the way Edith had beat up someone and knew what she was capable to do. When they imagined that Edith would beat up Neil, everyone thought that it would be an amusing thing to watch.

    Edith shifted her gaze back to Neil and saw his expectant gaze. Seeing the fear and anxiety on his face both at the same time was quite amusing. The man was not affected by his friend''s teasing and instead, continued to eagerly wait for her answer.

    Her nose turned sour and her tears were threatening to fall.

    They have dated and lived together for months and Edith could see that Neil had treated her really well. They were from two different worlds, and if it were not for Hazel''s situation, perhaps they would not be together. Though they were different, they both worked hard to live together.

    When they started to date, they both tried their best to understand each other''s world and differences. He was not the type of person who would talk a lot, but he had patiently talked and explained things to her.

    Though they were different, they were compatible together.

    Her lips moved to answer, but then Edith stopped herself. Various thoughts came to him all at once as Edith considered her answer. However, as she continued to look at the man in front of her, Edith could only found one answer.

    What had started from an infatuation had slowly turned to love. She didn''t know what will happen to them later, and there was a part of herself that was doubting whether she would be making the right decision if she had said yes.

    However, at this time, Edith decided to go with what her heart had told her.

    A great man was kneeling on one knee to propose to her and Edith thought that if she had continued to doubt herself, she was going to regret it.

    Her eyes stung and her nose turned sour. She opened her mouth and found that she was unable to speak without making a croaking sound.

    The moment she nodded her head yes, the room was filled with cheering and laughing voice.

    "Uncle, are you not going to put the ring?" Unexpectedly, it was Hazel who had spoken.

    The audience was laughing at Neil''s clumsiness, but the man steadily pulled the ring out of the red box and slid the ring to Edith''s finger. He grasped at her hand tightly and shot her a warning glance. "You cannot change your mind now."

    Hearing his words, Edith burst into a laugh. She helped him up and lurched forward to peck at the corner of his mouth.

    The sound of cheering could be heard again and Edith lowered her head shyly. When she pecked at Neil again, the man was beaming happily. His hand was holding hers tightly as if refusing to let go. Their friends congratulated them loudly and at this time, Henry walked over from the kitchen with a bottle of wine and a few glasses.

    The happy occasion continued as the birthday party had turned into a congratulatory party for the couple.

    At this time, someone''s phone started to ring loudly. After a few seconds, everyone''s gaze turned to Aaron, who was holding his phone in his hand.

    Aaron glanced at the caller ID and quickly walked to a corner. After a few seconds, he walked over to Edith and told him that he needed to leave quickly.

    "What''s wrong?" Edith did not miss the anxious look on his face.

    "Nothing. I got a phone call to return to the station. You know how it is with this career," Aaron said. He patted Edith on the shoulder and smiled. "Congratulation. Let''s hang out together again later."

    Edith watched as Aaron left hastily before she could even say anything.

    Just as Aaron stepped into the elevator, he took out his phone again and dialed a number.. "Hey," Aaron spoke as soon as the call was connected. "Did you say that they have found the next victim?"

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 252 - Presents

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    The guests left after they had enough fun, leaving behind a stack of dirty dishes to be cleaned, and the living room needed to be swept and mopped.

    After early dinner, Edith accompanied Hazel to bed. The little girl was especially excited. Earlier, Alex''s mother had told her that Edith would really be her auntie after she married her uncle. At the thought that her favorite person would stay with her for a long time.

    The little girl would not stop sticking closer to Edith until she had fallen asleep.

    Now that Edith had agreed to Neil''s proposal, Hazel could finally stop worrying over her uncle. Fortunately, he did not keep that his cold appearance and still know how to act adorable. Or else, how did he persuaded her Auntie Edith to marry him?

    Once the little girl had fallen asleep, Edith went back to the bedroom.

    After too much excitement in the morning, she was a little tired and wanted to get an early sleep.

    When she entered the bedroom, Neil was nowhere in sight. The man was busy from early in the morning for her birthday celebration and he could only return to his office to look at a few documents at this time.

    Edith slipped under the duvet and laid her head on the pillow. Just as she thought that she was going to fall asleep, Edith suddenly sat up straight to stare at the ring on her finger. It was a beautiful diamond ring. The design was simple and Edith thought that she did not have to worry much if she was to wear them at the kindergarten.

    However, Edith was someone who did not like to wear a ring due to her job as a kindergarten teacher. To feel the weight on her ring finger was a little strange¡­

    Staring at the ring gave her an indescribable feeling of happiness. Her heartbeat accelerated and her stomach was doing a little flip flop. When she thought about the man who had proposed earlier, her lips would instinctively curl into a happy smile.

    Just as she was admiring the ring, the door was pushed from the outside and Neil walked into the room, carrying a few paper bags in his hand. He glanced at Edith and a smile curled on his lips. "Do you like it?"

    Edith turned to his voice and nodded. "It''s pretty. But it felt a little strange to wear it."

    Seeing the smile on her face, Neil walked over and pecked at her lips.

    Edith quickly avoided him and giggled. She shifted her gaze towards the paper bags in his hand and raised a brow. "What do you have there?"

    "It''s your birthday present from the others. Would you like to look at them?"

    Hearing his words, Edith scrambled out of the bed to look at the presents. The first was from Jamie and she had gifted her a skincare set. Henry had given her a gift card from a branded store, causing Neil to scowl at his friend''s laziness to pick up a gift. Aaron had given her a box of chocolates and then there''s the present from Lily.

    When Edith saw the logo on that box, she was overwhelmed with a bad feeling. It was the logo of that store where Lily had introduced to her when Edith had decided to get a battle armor.

    During her last visit, Edith was allowed to look around. The things that the shop was carrying could render her speechless. Suddenly, Edith did not want to find out what did Lily gave her.

    "What''s wrong? You''re not going to look at what your friend give you?"

    Edith looked at Neil and knew that she shouldn''t open the present in front of him. "I''ll look at it later."

    Seeing her expression, Neil was suddenly curious to know what did Lily had given her. From the look on Edith''s face, Neil could sense that she knew what was inside the box.

    "Then, why did your face turned red?"

    Edith touched at her face and looked at him guiltily. "It might be your imagination."

    A chuckle escaped him. "Looking at your expression, I am suddenly curious to know what was inside the box."

    Edith grabbed at the box quickly and was about to run and hide that box away. Perhaps she was too anxious. When Edith turned around, her legs tripped on the bed and the box fell, and the contents of the box spread on the floor.

    The two of them stared at the pink garment in a daze. Before Edith could snap out of her trance and hide that garment, Neil had already reached the garment. The moment he looked at the pink, lacy nightdress in his hand, his eyes turned darker.

    Edith muttered a few cursing words under her breath and promised herself that she will get her revenge on Lily later.

    The man was a little excited knowing that he had successfully proposed. Now that Lily was giving her this sort of gift, wasn''t Lily practically sending her to the wolf''s mouth. Was she still her best friend?

    "Baby¡­" His voice sounded a little deep and dangerous at this time. "Don''t you want to put it on?"

    Edith quickly shook her head. "Let''s do that later."

    "What if it doesn''t fit you well?" Neil felt his throat dry as he continued to look at the garment in his hand. "You should try this outfit first. If it doesn''t fit, you can tell Lily to exchange it for the right size. Usually, with buying clothes, there will be a certain period for exchange and refund. If you do it later, you might forget."

    Her lips twitched at his words. "Why don''t you just say that you wanted to see me in that nightdress?"

    His gaze shifted to Edith. "I just wanted to see you in this nightdress."

    "Shameless." Edith narrowed her eyes at him.

    Seeing his imploring look, Edith finds her will started to waver. She glanced at the garment again and found that it was not as revealing as her battle armor.

    At least, this nightdress was a little modest. It covered where it should be covering while leaving a little room for imagination.

    Edith set up her mind and walked over to snatch the nightdress from Neil. She looked away and muttered, "I''ll go and try them on."

    A trace of happiness appeared on his face before Neil composed himself.

    Edith spent a little time cursing Lily in her mind as she changed. Seeing the way she looked in that garment, Edith thought that Lily was definitely very good at choosing the nightdress. The garment had highlighted the place where it should be. Suddenly, Edith was no longer as shy and the thought of teasing Neil in that dress excited her.

    After five minutes, the bathroom door opened up to a slit. Edith peeked at Neil from behind the door and raised her brow suggestively. Then, slowly, she stepped out behind the door, revealing her look in that lacy nightdress.

    The moment he laid his eyes on Edith, his breathing grew heavy and his eyes turned dark. The woman in front of him had approached him slowly as she tousled her hair. She had put a little makeup on her face, and suddenly, the timid kitten from earlier had grown into a seductive tigress.

    The domineering look she gave him had turned him on.

    Edith finally stopped as she reached in front of him. Her hand rested on his chest and she moved around to tease him.

    "Darling," Edith called.. She tilted her head sideways and smiled. Then, she inched closer and whispered, "Do you want to have some fun?"

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 253 - Who Are You Calling Mrs. Mo?

    As the school session ended, Edith grabbed her bag and headed out. She glanced at her watch and her lips tilted into a smile. Seeing that it was still early, Edith decided to stop over and find Neil at his office.

    Now that he had put a ring on her finger, Edith found that she would miss that man whenever she could not see him. As the thought came to her mind, Edith thought that perhaps, she had turned into a silly woman.

    Just as she was about to walk out of the building, the phone on her bag started to buzz. Edith glanced at the caller ID and was surprised to see that it was Sophie. Swiftly, she swiped her finger on the screen and pressed the phone to her ear.

    "Hello, Auntie?"

    Sophie''s laughter could be heard from the other side. "Why are you still addressing me as Auntie? Edith, don''t you think that it was time for you to change that way of addressing me to Mom?"

    Edith froze as she heard Sophie''s words. Then, a shade of pink slowly crept on her face. "Neil told you?"

    There was a long sigh coming from Sophie''s part. "This kind of matters¡­ you should tell me a little earlier. Although Neil can be a little unreliable, that doesn''t mean that you need to follow in his footsteps."

    When Sophie thought of how his son had waited for a day to tell her this important news, Sophie was very unhappy.

    It has been a while since Mo''s family had received happy news, but her son decided to announce this important matter after a day has passed.

    Neil was worried that his mother would disturb Edith the moment she found out about the news. Edith had just agreed to marry him and Neil wanted to spend his time with Edith.

    "Sorry," Edith whispered.

    A trace of guilt crossed her face as Edith recalled that she had not mentioned this matter to her grandfather. Anyway, she had tried to contact her grandfather last night, but he was unreachable.

    In the end, Edith decided to wait until her grandfather had returned from his fishing trip.

    "Don''t worry, I''m not blaming you. This time, it''s Neil''s fault," Sophie said again. She quickly readjusted her thoughts and decided to change the topic. "That''s right. When will you two come back to Z Town? Mom is planning to meet your grandfather to discuss your marriage."

    "Ah?" Edith was momentarily stunned when she heard Sophie''s plan that she had ignored how Sophie had changed the way she addressed herself.

    "Why do you sound so surprised?" Sophie laughed at the other line.

    "Isn''t this is too soon?" Edith spoke.

    "This kind of thing should be plan early. It can take a long time to arrange a wedding," Sophie explained. "But don''t worry. Mom is here. I will help you to prepare everything you need."

    Edith continued to listen to Sophie and her palm started to sweat as she heard of the things to do for a wedding.

    ¡­

    As soon as Edith arrived at the company, she went straight to Neil''s floor and ran into Assistant Shawn outside the elevator.

    "Miss Qian," Assistant Shawn smiled politely. He glanced at the ring on her finger and the smile on his face stretched up. "Congratulation. I heard that you have agreed to President Mo''s proposal."

    "Thank you." Edith exchanged a few words with Assistant Shawn and followed him to Neil''s office.

    As she walked from the elevator towards Neil''s office, Edith began to notice the light atmosphere in the office. She turned to Assistant Shawn and spoke, "Why does it feel as if things were a little different?"

    Assistant Shawn laughed. "Miss Qian, isn''t this is all because of you?"

    Edith turned to the man with a puzzled look. "Me?"

    "President Mo seemed to be in a very good mood today and he was constantly smiling," Assistant Shawn whispered. "The others noticed this little change and they were affected by the President''s mood. Just now, one of the secretaries had made a slight mistake on the documents, but President Mo was not angry."

    Assistant Shawn opened his mouth to continue but stopped himself when he noticed the looming shadow. His expression changed when he saw that it was Neil. He quickly composed himself and smiled. "President Mo."

    Neil glanced at the two people in front of him and narrowed his eyes at Assistant Shawn. "What were you two whispering about?"

    Assistant Shawn cleared his throat. "President Mo, I was only telling Miss Qian that you would be happy to see her here."

    Neil continued to stare at his assistant as if he did not believe his words. But he soon looked away when Edith placed her hand in his. "Why didn''t you tell me that you were coming?"

    "Didn''t you say you like a surprise?" Edith suppressed her urge to laugh as she stared at the jealous man in front of her. She inched closer and whispered, "Of course, I come over because I miss you."

    His eyes darkened as he heard the words. Neil pulled at her hands and head into his office, leaving Assistant Shawn in a daze.

    The door slammed shut, and in the next second, Edith found that her back was pressed on the wall. Then, his lips descended to meet hers into a fervent kiss. Her shoulder gradually relaxed, and Edith reciprocated his kiss with the same passion.

    The couple separated only after they were both breathless. Their forehead rested against each other and their gazes were burning.

    "Mrs. Mo, you''re getting bolder at teasing me, aren''t you?"

    Edith heard his words and laughed. "Who are you calling Mrs. Mo? I am not married to you yet."

    "Sooner or later, you will be my wife. It doesn''t make much difference." Neil shot her a warning gaze. "Anyway, you cannot change your mind."

    Edith leaned forward to peck at the corner of his lips. "As long as you treat me well, I won''t."

    His lips curled into a lopsided smile as a crazy idea came to his mind. "Should we go to the bureau and register our marriage first?"

    Edith slapped her hand lightly on his chest. "No. Let''s do this properly. Anyway, I haven''t mentioned this matter to my grandfather yet. Let''s wait until he had returned from his fishing trip."

    There was a slight fluctuation in Neil''s eyes as he heard about Mike and his fishing trip. In fact, earlier that morning, Neil had a conversation with Mike, and that elderly man naturally knew about his proposal.

    Suddenly, Neil wondered how will Edith react if she found out that her grandfather has been lying to her.

    Read novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 254 - An Invitation

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Edith sat on the sofa as she waited for Neil to finish his work.

    Secretary An walked in to deliver a tray of refreshments, glanced at the ring on Edith''s finger, and spoke a few congratulatory words. For a while, Edith wondered if the news about Neil''s proposal will spread in the company.

    However, when she thought of how the secretarial department in Neil''s office would not gossip with the others, Edith was a bit relieved.

    She was sure that Autumn Feng would come over and disturb her again once she heard the news. Though she did not mind the world to know about hers and Neil''s relationship, Edith thought that she appreciated a little peace. She wanted to be in a relationship with Neil without having to swat the flies around him now and then.

    Edith thought that sooner or later, her patience would run thin. If she started to beat those girls in a fight, her grandfather would be disappointed in her. After all, she had promised her grandfather that she would stop getting into a fight.

    Lifting the cup of tea in front of her, Edith then looked at Neil who was seated in front of her. "That''s right. Your mom called me earlier. You only told her about proposing this morning?"

    Neil laughed, then nodded. "I didn''t want my mother to get a little too excited and start to plan a wedding."

    Edith thought that Neil was a little too late. From the conversation with Sophie earlier, Edith seemed to grasp that Sophie has started to plan a wedding for them the moment she found out that they were dating.

    Of course, if she were to find out that Sophie has found out the news about their dating way before they had come and announced the news, Edith would be shocked. Moreover, the person who had broken the news to Sophie was none other than Headmistress Fu.

    "That''s right. Your mother said she has been waiting for your turn to get married for years."

    A helpless smile appeared on Neil''s face. "What did my mother say to you?"

    "She wanted to know when we will return to Z Town. She said she wanted to meet my grandfather and discuss a few things."

    A smile crept on his lips as Neil guessed at what his mother wanted to do. Then, he avoided her gaze and looked at the file again. "Let''s wait until your grandfather return before we decide."

    Neil recalled his conversation with Mike earlier that morning.

    After he had accidentally found out how Mike has been lying to Edith, Neil had blackmailed the elderly guy into telling him his secret.

    Neil was sure that Mike did not tell him the whole truth. But at least, Neil knew what was the old man was up to. At least, he knew that Mike was in A City instead of fishing in the middle of the sea like he claimed to be doing.

    There was a knock on the door and a while later, Assistant Shawn walked in with a pile of documents in his hand. He nodded to Edith and passed over the documents in his hand.

    Assistant Shawn watched as Neil checked those documents and placed the documents on the table. Once they have discussed a few matters, Assistant Shawn handed over a small envelope to his boss. "President Mo, this is for you. Chairman Chen is holding a full moon banquet for her grandson and she''s inviting you and little miss Hazel to attend."

    Neil studied the invitation card before he returned the card to his assistant. "It was only last year that I attended Ryan Chen''s wedding. He''s a father now?"

    Assistant Shawn merely smiled.

    Neil heaved a sigh. "Reply to Chairman Chen and tell her that I will come with Hazel. Tell her that I will bring a partner."

    "Certainly." Assistant Shawn nodded and retreated from the room.

    As soon as the door was closed, Neil turned to Edith and smiled. "Accompany me to the banquet, alright? Hazel will come over with us as well."

    Edith agreed readily. Even though Neil might be stuck with discussing a few business matters when he met a few acquaintances later, at least she could spend her time with Hazel.

    "The banquet will be held in the weekend," Neil said. "I will ask someone to prepare an outfit for you."

    Because Edith had come over to his office, Neil did not stay at the office for too long. The couple decided to leave a few minutes before it was time to clock out to avoid the crowd.

    Once they stepped out of the elevator, the couple was shocked when they ran into a familiar face.

    Neil''s eyes darkened, but he quickly regained his composure. As the man had already noticed his presence, it would not be wise for Neil to turn away. Putting on a polite smile on his face, Neil walked over to the elderly man with Edith and greeted him. "General Attorney Leng."

    The elderly man looked at Neil and nodded. "President Mo. You''re heading home?"

    "General Attorney, why are you here?"

    "I was meeting a friend a few blocks away from here and decided to stop by and meet Director Feng," Jeffrey Leng replied. "Previously, I heard that MH Group were going to develop that empty lot in the east side of the city. My son mentioned that it was a good project and I''m interested to look at this plot."

    Neil clenched his hand into a fist when he heard the answer.

    It was not too long ago that he had found out that the man in front of him was involved in Adam''s accident.

    From the investigation file that Jennifer Jiang had handed to him, Neil was able to find out that General Attorney Leng has been in contact with Director Feng and a few others for years. Who knows how much money did those three directors have given to this man to cover up their misdeed?

    His blood surged as Neil thought that it was General Attorney Leng who had given the order to kill Adam and his wife.

    At this time, there was nothing that he could do but suppress his anger. He was planning to drag everyone who was involved in Adam and Claire''s accident to justice and Neil could not afford to act carelessly.

    He has to be patient for a bigger purpose.

    At this time, Jeffrey Leng shifted his gaze to Edith. He noticed the way the two were holding hands and raised a brow. "President Mo, this is¡­?"

    Neil grasped at Edith''s hand a little too tight. "This is my fiancee, Edith Qian."

    Edith smiled and nodded. "Hello, General Attorney Leng."

    The elderly man laughed happily and looked at Neil again. "You''re getting married? Then, when the time comes, you have to invite me."

    "Of course." Neil nodded.

    Jeffrey Leng glanced at Edith again and a frown appeared on his face. "Miss Qian, have we met before?" He let out a dry cough and explained, "I just thought that you look familiar."

    "General Attorney, a few months ago, we ran into each other at the resort where you were attending a banquet," Edith said.

    "So, that''s it.." Jeffrey Leng stared at Edith in hesitant but decided not to pursue the matter.

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 255 - Loneliness

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    After dinner ended, Neil informed Edith that he had an important conference before he went into his study to contact the Rainmaker, Charles Tang. He mentioned his conversation with Attorney General Leng and discussed what they were going to do for a long time.

    Neil finally returned to the bedroom after the call ended. Edith was not in the room when he entered. Neil took his pajamas and went into the bathroom to wash up. This time, when he walked out, Edith was already under the duvet cover, with her phone in her hand.

    "Are you done with your conference call?" Edith asked.

    Neil halted for a second. He recovered quickly and nodded. "Hmm¡­ It was over a while ago." He looked away and hid his face under the towel.

    Upon noticing that Neil was drying his hair with a towel, Edith walked over, dragged him towards the sofa, and grabbed the towel from his hand. Then, she started to help him and dry his hair.

    "Can I ask you something?" Edith asked after a brief silence between them.

    Neil had his eyes closed as he was enjoying her attention. He opened his eyes and spoke, "What is it?"

    "Is there something going on between you and General Attorney Leng?"

    Neil chuckled to ease the mood. "Why do you ask me this?"

    "I just thought that you were a little uncomfortable around him when we ran into him in the lobby."

    "You probably overthinking things," Neil glanced at her and flashed her a languid smile. "I heard that General Attorney Leng is now interested in real estate. I just didn''t like that someone like him was close to a few directors in the company."

    Neil watched Edith for a while and saw that she was no longer interested in pursuing the matter. Whenever it was something related to the company, Edith would always try to stay away from it.

    A frown appeared on his face as Neil thought of his conversation with Mike.

    Mike had mentioned that his granddaughter could be a little sensitive with everything around her. He would often worry that his granddaughter might catch on that he was up to something whenever they spend their time together.

    Worried that Edith might think that he too was hiding something from her, Neil then tried to change their topic.

    "Is Hazel asleep?" Neil asked.

    Edith answered him with a soft hum. "She fell asleep after reading a book." She looked at his dried hair and turned to the bathroom to put the wet towel.

    "Why do you always accompany Hazel and wait for her to fall asleep?" Neil looked at Edith in a puzzle. "Isn''t Hazel big enough to sleep by herself?"

    Neil seemed to remember that before Edith came to live with them, the little girl had told him that she was big enough to go to bed by herself. However, after Edith had come over to live with them as Hazel''s caretaker, Edith would always accompany Hazel to bed whenever she can.

    Edith turned to Neil and laughed. "What are you trying to say?" She bopped at his nose and raised a brow. "Don''t tell me you''re jealous of your own niece?"

    Neil chuckled. He tugged at her hand and before long, Edith fell into his lap. "I''m genuinely curious. After Hazel came and live with me, there was a period of time when she could not sleep alone. Once she started to get used to this place, Hazel said that she doesn''t need me to stay and wait until she falls asleep."

    "Your niece is a bit mature for her age and very considerate. She knew that you were busy with work and didn''t want to make you wait for her." Edith smiled. "Actually, Hazel had said the same thing to me. It was me who was stubborn and wanted to accompany her while she fell asleep." Edith hummed softly as she snuggled into a comfortable position in his arms. "I was reminded of that time I suddenly lost my mother."

    Neil stared at the woman in his arms and his gaze turned soft. It was rare for Edith to talk about her mother but whenever she mentioned her mother, her gaze would turn gentle, and her lips would turn into a smile.

    "Back then, grandpa was busy running around here and there to deal with everything. I have lost my mother, but my grandpa had also lost his daughter," Edith said. "Although I might not notice it when I was still young, I realized that things were very hard for my grandpa too. Even to this day, it was hard for Grandpa to accept that my mother was long gone."

    Neil was reminded of his conversation with Mike the other day and knew some things that Edith was not aware of.

    "I used to sleep alone while my grandfather would have to work. At that time, I was reminded of how my mother would often accompany me to sleep and thought that it was one of the happiest moments with her," Edith continued.

    In fact, a lot of activities she made with Hazel were based on the memories of her mother.

    "There were only the two of us and my mother would always read me a book before sleep. My mom would hug me in her arms as I sleep."

    Hearing her words, Neil tightened his embrace on her body.

    "I have met Edith''s mother when she was alive and know that the two''s relationship was very close. Although Hazel said that she did not need me to accompany her until she fell asleep, I can imagine that Hazel would be lonely. Hazel... she had suddenly lost two people she loved the most just like that," Edith said. "When I looked at Hazel, I just did not want her to experience the same loneliness as I have. I want her to live better."

    Once she finished her words, Neil leaned forward to kiss Edith on her forehead.

    Hazel is his niece, but it was Edith who would often look after the little girl. It would be a lie to say that he did not appreciate what Edith had done for both of them.

    There was a long silence between them. Edith closed her eyes and her nose turned sour as she was reminded of her mother.

    "You don''t have to feel lonely anymore," Neil spoke after a long time. "I will be around to accompany you to sleep every night."

    Edith stared at Neil, slapped at his chest lightly, and laughed. "President Mo, are you sure you were not taking advantage of me?"

    "Of course not. But I will let you take advantage of me whenever you wanted."

    The sound of her laughter reverberated in the room. But soon, the sound turned muffled when Neil kissed her on the lips. Once he tasted her lips enough, Neil pulled away and caressed his finger on her slightly swollen lips.

    "Tell me more about your mother," Neil said.

    The smile on her lips stretched up and that night, Edith ended up telling Neil about the memories about her mother before they fell asleep.

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 256 - Full Moon Banquet

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    It was the weekend and in the morning, Hazel walked down the stairs in her pink cotton dress and a gray bunny sling bag. Seeing that both her uncle and auntie has not come down yet, Hazel walked into the pantry and pulled a drawer. She reached her hand inside and grabbed a handful of candies.

    Once she saw that her bag was filled with her supplies, Hazel shut the drawer carefully and went into the living room to watch her cartoons.

    Meanwhile, in the master bedroom, Neil stood up straight as he watched Edith tying up his tie for him.

    "There''s going to be a lot of people at the banquet. Just stay closer with me, alright?" Neil reminded her again.

    Edith lifted her gaze to meet his. "Darling, are you afraid that I will get lost?"

    "The hall is pretty big. Of course, I''m worried," Neil said helplessly. "I''m afraid that some irrelevant people will find and harass me without you by my side, alright, my future Mrs. Mo?" He watched as Edith raised a brow and continued, "Chairman Chen has this habit of trying to set up people. Her only son finally got married and had a child. Now, Chairman Chen was bored and is busy acting as a matchmaker for everyone. I just didn''t want to run into a troublesome situation."

    Patting her hands on his chest, Edith then took a step back to look at the tie. Satisfied with how it looked like, Edith then grabbed his jacket and handed it over to Neil. "Then, should I stay around you and acted as your bodyguard?" As the words escaped her mouth, Edith began to imagine how it would be like to stay around Neil as his bodyguard.

    It would be an interesting scene.

    Neil let out a chuckle. A thought crossed his mind and his eyes darkened. "Baby, are you into role-playing now?"

    Edith stared at him in puzzled but soon understood what he was trying to imply when she met his scorching gaze. "Stop playing around. President Mo, we shouldn''t show up late at this banquet."

    He watched as Edith turned around to grab her purse and admired the contour of her body from behind. The dress that the stylist had prepared for her was highlighting her curves in the right place without looking vulgar.

    Or perhaps, knowing that the woman in front of him was his made his thoughts run wild. He was very familiar with her body that even if Edith was dressed in her usual big T-shirt, he would be able to imagine what was underneath the clothing and it would turn him on.

    Neil took a deep breath to control his thoughts. He watched as Edith walked over to the door and followed after.

    Just as Edith reached the door, she suddenly turned around and flashed him a playful smile. "But darling, if you want to continue with role-playing after we return, then I''m up to it."

    Neil felt his breathing hitched and his throat tightened as he heard her words. When he was finally able to react, Edith had already left the room to find Hazel. He stood at the top of the stairs and watched as his girls dressed in a matching pink outfit and heaved a sigh.

    ¡­

    As they arrived at the banquet hall, Neil walked over into the building with Edith and Hazel by his side. The hall was full of people as the Chen had invited their family and friends to join the full moon celebration.

    Neil walked over to the man who stood beside the door and stretched his hand for a handshake. "Ryan Chen, congratulations. You''re a father." A slight frown appeared on his face as he thought of the situation.

    He had to admit that he was a little jealous.

    Not too long ago, Chairman Chen was still having a big headache when her only son had refused to get married and wanted to focus on his career. Suddenly, that man was now married and had a child.

    "Thank you." Ryan accepted the gift from Neil and handed it over to the person beside him.

    Neil glanced at the atmosphere in the hall and shifted his gaze back to the man in front of him. "Where''s your mother?"

    "My mother and sisters were still looking at the baby," Ryan spoke helplessly. "They should come out soon."

    It was his mother and sisters'' idea to have a grand banquet. But on the day itself, they had disappeared to god-knows-where and left him to greet their guests that he was not familiar with.

    Ryan glanced at the woman beside Neil and nodded politely. "Is this Mrs. Mo?"

    "This is my fiancee, Edith Qian." Neil wrapped his arms around Edith''s waist and pulled her forward. "When it''s time for our wedding, you definitely have to make time and attend."

    Edith glanced at Neil and noticed that recently, this man seemed to enjoy introducing her as his fiancee. The smug look on his face was too apparent and Edith became helpless. But Neil seemed genuinely happy about it and looking at the look on his face made her smile.

    The two men had a brief chat before Ryan Chen ushered them inside and told them to enjoy the banquet.

    As soon as they walked in, a few people walked over to Neil and started to discuss a few things about business and market trends. Edith glanced at Hazel and tugged at Neil''s shirt to inform him that she was going to take Hazel to walk around.

    "I have my phone with me," Edith said. "Don''t worry. We''ll just stay on that corner."

    Neil glanced at a corner where there were a few pink, gold, and white balloons around and nodded. His conversation with the bunch of men would be a boring topic for both Edith and Hazel.

    It would not be good for him to ask them to stay by his side. As long as they stayed at a place where he can see them, Neil would not stop them.

    Noticing the little girl''s bored expression, Edith brought her over to a corner where a few kids were playing around.

    A small activity corner was prepared for the smaller guest. At the side, there was a table full of assorted candies and other sweet treats.

    Edith pulled a chair to sit with Hazel and accompanied the little girl to draw as they waited for the banquet to begin.

    Just then, a shadow loomed over.

    Edith looked up and stood up immediately when she saw the familiar face in front of her. "General Attorney Leng," Edith greeted.

    "Miss Qian," the man smiled amiably at Edith.. "I didn''t expect to see you here."

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 257 - I Dont Like Him

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Edith looked up and noticed that the General Attorney had a group of people with him. There were two people that she recognized. One was Secretary Liu and the other was Autumn Feng.

    Her gaze met with Autumn Feng and Edith the woman''s fury.

    "Are you here with President Mo?" General Attorney Leng asked.

    Edith replied with a soft hum and turned to where Neil had stood with a few others. From the distance, Edith saw that Neil was keeping his eyes on them. Her heart grew warm and indescribable happiness bloomed.

    "Attorney General, let''s go and speak to President Mo," the director who stood next to Autumn spoke. "I''m sure that President Mo would be happy to hear that you had planned to invest in MH''s upcoming project."

    Jeffrey Leng turned his head in Neil''s direction and nodded. Then, he looked at the others who had been following him after a while and spoke, "You guys go over first. I''d like to speak with Miss Qian a little longer."

    "But¡ª"

    The Attorney General glanced at his secretary.

    Seeing his signal, Secretary Liu stepped forward and ushered everyone towards Neil, leaving his boss alone. The others had no other choice but to leave reluctantly. Secretary Liu halted after a few steps. He glanced at Edith and narrowed his eyes before he turned around and leave.

    "Attorney General Leng, is there something you need to tell me?"

    The elderly man smiled. "Previously, I have mentioned that you look a little familiar. When I saw your face, I had this feeling as if we had a connection." He let out a dry cough when he realized that there was something wrong with his words. "Of course, I did not mean to be a creep."

    Edith let out a nervous laugh at his words.

    "I just thought that perhaps, I know your parents," he continued. "Who are your parents?"

    In fact, Attorney General Leng had asked his people to investigated Edith after the last time they run into each other in MH Group headquarters. However, his people could not find out anything special about Edith.

    She was an orphan and was raised by her grandfather.

    However, Attorney General Leng still thought that there was something about Edith. Now that he had run into Edith at this banquet, he wanted to take the chance to figure out why did he think that the girl in front of him was very familiar.

    "Attorney General Leng, my parents were just ordinary people."

    The corner of his lips tilted as he heard Edith mentioned her parents. The information was no different than what his assistant had told him.

    Perhaps, he was just a little too sensitive?

    As he listened to Edith, Attorney General Leng began to notice the small girl dressed in a pink dress behind her. The little girl sat up straight with her eyes wide as she stared at the drawing on the paper.

    At that moment, Hazel turned her head slowly towards Attorney General Leng. Suddenly, her eyes grew wide and the color pencil in her hand fell from her hand and rolled over from the table.

    The Attorney General bent down to pick up the color pencil and handed it over to Hazel. He saw the way the little girl was staring at him and smiled. "Be careful, little girl."

    Hazel stood up suddenly and hid behind Edith. Her hand was gripping at Edith''s skirt tightly.

    "You¡ª" He was surprised at the way the little girl had reacted. Although the Attorney General was used to see people trembling in fear whenever they saw him, the little girl''s reaction was still a little too much.

    "I''m sorry." Edith moved to block the Attorney General from Hazel''s gaze. Her lips curled into a smile when the elderly man turned to look at her. "My niece is a little afraid of strangers."

    "Really?"

    "A few months ago, she was almost kidnapped. Since that time, my niece has become a little afraid of strangers."

    The Attorney General was a little startled at Edith''s words. He glanced at Hazel again and was disappointed when he could not see her figure. However, that gray bunny sling bag was still visible. A thought crossed his mind and his brow furrowed. Before he could open his mouth to speak, Neil had appeared beside him and there was a tensed smile on his face.

    "Attorney General Leng." Neil greeted. He glanced at Edith with worry and turned to the Attorney General with a polite smile on his face. "Is there something wrong?"

    "No." the elderly man laughed. "I just saw Miss Qian and decided to chat with her a little bit. President Mo, your fiancee is a very nice lady. You should marry her quickly before some other guys snatched her away."

    "I''m planning to do just that." Neil walked over to Edith and wrapped his arms around her waist. His hand was rubbing her arm up and down as if to console her.

    However, Neil knew that it was him who was scared. The moment he saw that Edith and Attorney General Leng were left alone, Neil became uncomfortable. After all, the elderly man was someone who had killed his brother.

    What if he wanted to harm Edith and Hazel next?

    "Attorney General Leng, Director Feng told me that you were interested in investing in the MH project," Neil spoke with a polite tone. "Let''s go over there and discuss things carefully."

    There was a hint of hesitation on his expression, but then, Attorney General Leng nodded before he followed Neil''s lead and joined the others to discuss business.

    As soon as the men had left, Edith turned around and crouched down to Hazel''s level.

    She has been staying beside the little girl for a long time to know that there was something strange with the way Hazel had acted.

    Edith put her hands on Hazel''s shoulder and looked into her eyes. "Are you alright? What''s wrong? Hazel?"

    The little girl pursed her lips tightly and lurched forward before she wrapped her tiny arms around Edith''s neck. "Auntie Edith," she whispered and her voice was a little croaked.

    "What''s wrong? You don''t like that man?"

    Edith had thought that Hazel was slowly recovering from her fear. But perhaps, Attorney General Leng was someone around Manager Xiao''s age and this had triggered something within the little girl.

    "I don''t like him," Hazel admitted.

    "Then, we don''t have to see him again, alright?" Edith patted her back, assuring her that she will be alright.

    Hazel stayed in Edith''s embrace for a long time before she spoke again. "Auntie Edith?"

    "I¡ª" She hesitated. "I want to go home."

    Her expression softened. "Alright.. I''ll tell your uncle. We''ll go home soon, alright?"

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 258 - Whats Wrong With Hazel?

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Once Hazel was a little calmer, Edith texted Neil that the little girl was not feeling very well. Seeing that Neil was still conversing with Attorney General Leng, Edith did not dare to step closer to them. After all, Hazel had expressed her opinion that she did not like the Attorney General.

    Although Edith did not know the reason for Hazel''s dislike towards that man, she did not dare to bring Hazel closer towards the Attorney General even for a second.

    Hazel was such an obedient child. Whenever Edith recalled the look on her face earlier, she began to worry. She had never seen Hazel so frightened. Her face paled and her hands turned cold.

    The little girl did not tell her anything when asked, but Hazel would continue to hold her neck tighter.

    When Neil finally broke away and arrived at their side, he was surprised to see that Edith was carrying his niece in her arms.

    Previously, Hazel would always say no whenever he or Edith wanted to carry her. Hazel would say that she was big enough to be carried around, and would only allow him to carry her when she was too tired.

    Therefore, when Neil saw that the little girl was lying her head on Edith''s shoulder, he began to worry.

    "What''s wrong?" Neil frowned as he came closer. He looked at Hazel''s face and put his hand on the little girl''s forehead. A breath of relief escaped him when he found that it was not hot as he had thought.

    "Hazel was not feeling too comfortable," Edith said.

    "Was it something that you eat?" Neil asked.

    The little girl blinked and did not answer.

    "Let me carry her."

    Just as Neil spoke those words, Hazel tightened her arms around Edith''s neck. It was clear that she was unwilling to part.

    "It''s fine. I can do it." Edith met Neil''s gaze and signaled him not to say too much at this moment. Whatever question he has at that moment, she will tell him everything she knew when they were back at home.

    Neil glanced at Hazel with worry one more time before he wrapped his arms around Edith''s waist. He walked around to find Chairman Chen and informed her that he needed to leave.

    Chairman Chen, Audrey, looked at the family of three and sighed. "You''re leaving now?"

    "My niece isn''t feeling too well."

    The elder lady glanced at Hazel and her expression softened. Their company had a few dealings with MH Group previously and they have become closer. Of course, Audrey had heard about Adam''s passing in an accident and had left an adorable daughter.

    Her gaze then fell at Edith and a warm smile bloomed on her face. She had thought that she wanted to introduce the single President Mo to a friend''s daughter. She did not expect that the man would come over and introduced his fiancee.

    After exchanging a few words, Neil led Edith and Hazel to the vehicle and left.

    All the time, Hazel refused to let go of Edith and continued to hold on tight. It was only when they arrived at home that Hazel began to relax a little bit. However, a few minutes later, both Neil and Edith realized that the little girl would follow after Edith closely.

    Seeing the way Hazel was sticking close to Edith, Neil called for delivery. His heart ached upon noticing that Hazel was unusually quiet and had not eaten that much. It was as if Hazel was back to herself when she first came to live with him. At this time, the little girl would not reply to him, and would only talk to Edith.

    Though Neil was unhappy with this situation, there was nothing he could do about it.

    He was curious to know what happened to Hazel, but he could not bring himself to ask in front of the little girl.

    Once Edith came out of Hazel''s bedroom, Neil walked over to her with a frown on his face. "What''s wrong with Hazel?"

    "I''m not too sure," Edith heaved a helpless sigh. "She was drawing in that corner quietly until General Attorney Leng come over. You were there too, remember?"

    Neil nodded. He remembered seeing Hazel hiding behind Edith''s back. At that time, he did not think too much about it. He only wanted the Attorney General to leave the two girls'' side.

    "After you guys left, Hazel was no longer her usual self. She said that she was afraid of the Attorney General. I''m thinking that perhaps, Hazel was still affected by that almost kidnapped incident. Perhaps, she saw that both Attorney General and that manager were around the same age and had the same build. Those could be a trigger."

    Neil did not agree with Edith''s theory but did not say anything about it.

    His brow furrowed upon Hearing that his niece has become like that because she was afraid of the Attorney General. The little girl looked as if she did not trust anyone else other than her Auntie Edith.

    At the thought that Hazel would revert to that quiet girl, Neil began to worry.

    He liked seeing a bubbly Hazel and was happy to see her whenever the little girl flashed a smile at him. But after meeting the Attorney General, the little girl did not even smile once.

    His eyes darkened when Neil thought of General Attorney Leng.

    Other than arranging that accident for Adam and Claire, what else did he plan to do to harm his family?

    "Darling?"

    Edith''s voice snapped him out of his thought. "Hmm?"

    "Don''t worry too much. Perhaps Hazel would be better after this nap."

    His gaze softened upon seeing the smile on her face. "I hope so." Neil heaved a sigh and wrapped his arms around her shoulder. "I''m going to my study first."

    Hazel''s condition was worrying and Neil was planning to give Hazel''s doctor a call and ask her opinion.

    Edith nodded. "You do your job first." She pulled away from Neil and went back into their bedroom to get change. After settling a few housework, Edith went back to Hazel''s bedroom to check on the little girl.

    Usually, Hazel would wake up around this time after her nap. However, once Edith walked into the room, the little girl was still asleep.

    A helpless sigh escaped her at the thought that Hazel was a little too tired.

    Seconds later, her gaze changed. Edith walked closer to Hazel and saw that her tiny face was full of perspiration. Her mouth opened into a tiny gap as she breathed.

    Edith put her hand on Hazel''s forehead and was shocked upon finding that her body was burning. Swiftly, Edith ran out of the bedroom and went over to Neil''s study. She opened the door without knocking and stared at Neil''s dumbfounded face in panic.

    "Darling.. We need to go to the hospital."

    Read novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 259 - Hazels Forgotten Memories

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    The couple ran into the hospital with Neil holding the little girl in his arms. As soon as they stumbled into a nurse, Edith explained about Hazel''s high temperature. Another doctor came and his expression changed the moment he noticed Hazel''s temperature. Soon, the little girl was brought into the emergency room and both Edith and Neil were asked to wait outside.

    Edith sat on the chair and buried her face in her hands. Then she looked up again and turned to look at the emergency room. However, all she could see was the doctors and nurses walking in and out of the room as they busied themselves.

    When she thought of Hazel''s high temperature as she found the little girl again, Edith grew very scared.

    She had tucked the little girl into bed and left once she was sure that Hazel was alright. However, Edith was not expecting that once she came back to check on the little girl, Edith would found her with her body heating up in a fever.

    Edith was aware of what will happen with a high fever, and suddenly, she grew terrified.

    Hazel was just fine in the morning. She did not show any sign that she was uncomfortable or unwell. How did she suddenly had a fever?

    "Hazel will be alright," Neil spoke as he tried to help Edith to calm down. His arms wrapped around her shoulder as Edith laid her head on him as they both seek comfort in each other.

    Edith took a deep breath to compose herself.

    At this time, Neil should be more worried. Hazel was his only niece and the remaining family of his younger brother.

    Her fingers entwined with his and Edith gave his hand a little squeeze as if channeling her strength.

    After waiting for a while, the doctor from earlier came out. Both Edith and Neil stood up at the same time to meet the doctor.

    Fortunately, Hazel''s condition was controlled, but she will need to stay in the hospital for observation. Once Hazel was taken to the ward, Edith and Neil both heaved a sigh in relief.

    ¡­

    In her dream, Hazel seemed to remember bits of the memories that her mind had suppressed.

    Hazel''s parents, Adam and Claire was a couple that spent most of their time together. Whenever her mother was not busy, she would often come over to her father''s office to pick him up at the company and Hazel would tag along everywhere they go.

    Seeing them acting intimately with each other was not something strange for Hazel.

    A few weeks before her parents were involved in that accident, her mother was coming over to pick up her father as usual. On that day, her parents decided to have dinner at a restaurant.

    After they ate, her father went over to the counter to pay for their meals, while her mother went the other way to the restroom. At that time, Hazel decided to go with her father.

    It was at the counter that Hazel had seen Attorney General Leng for the first time.

    Hazel did not know what was going on between the two grownups, but she could sense that her father''s mood was not very good. Her father had pushed her to hide behind him as he exchanged a few words that Hazel could not hear.

    Curiously, Hazel had peeked from behind her father and accidentally saw the man''s face.

    Coincidentally, Attorney General Leng had turned to her and they both exchanged a glance for a brief second before Hazel went back to hide behind her father. She did not know what happened, but the moment her gaze met with the man, Hazel could feel her body tensed, and her hair stood.

    She was scared of the man''s eyes but she could not understand why.

    In this dream, Hazel seemed to see herself wearing the same gray bunny-shaped sling bag that she had worn to the full moon banquet.

    Her dreams shifted and this time, the beautiful memories between her and her parents appeared. Her heart ached as Hazel continued to watch these memories. She could not describe how much she was missing her parents.

    Hazel was Adam and Claire''s pampered daughter.

    Her parents would give her the best and would try to be there with her whenever they can. Even though there were days that Hazel became frustrated with her parents, she loved them very much.

    If only she knew that her parents would leave her sooner, perhaps she would try to be more obedient.

    The dreams shifted again and this time, Hazel saw herself at the hospital.

    Her grandparents had explained that her parents were involved in an accident and they had brought her over to look at them. At that time, Hazel could see the anxious look on her grandparents'' face, but once they turned to her, the elderly would try to control their expression and feeling well.

    The moment Hazel saw her parents on the hospital bed, she did not know how to feel. Her heart numbed and her brain could not tell her what she should do.

    Her parents were wrapped in bandages and there were wires connected to their bodies.

    At that time, her grandmother had told her that she can continue to stay by her parents'' side and speak to them so that they would wake up soon.

    Hazel stood at her father''s side and continued to talk to him as she held her tears. Then, she moved over and did the same to her mother.

    Looking at both of them on the bed, Hazel was suddenly at loss. Usually, her parents would pull her into their embrace and rained their kisses on her face whenever they saw her. But this time, her parents remained unmoved.

    Hazel did not know when did she fall asleep on the sofa.

    Her grandmother went out to discuss a few things with the doctor about her parents'' condition and leave her to sleep. Her body was covered with a thick blanket, revealing only a part of her face.

    It was at this time that the door was slid open and a figure walked in.

    This was the second time that Hazel had seen Attorney General Leng. Hazel seemed to recall Attorney General Leng''s frightening gaze and chose to hide in her blanket without making a sound.

    The older man stood at the bedside and spoke something in a low voice before he left.

    Hazel could hear Attorney General Leng''s voice outside the door. Then, seconds later, a man in a white lab coat entered the room. Hazel pretended to be sleeping and peeked from her blanket as she watched the doctor walked over to her father''s bed. He took out a syringe from his pocket and injected something into the IV bag. Then, the doctor walked over to her mother''s side and did the same.

    Her grandmother returned to the room a few seconds after the doctor had left.. They went back home to rest and the next day, Hazel found out that her parents were both gone.

    Read novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 260 - Self Blame

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    It didn''t take Hazel a long time to figure out where she was. After coming over to this place a few times, Hazel became familiar with the white ceiling and the smell of antiseptic.

    She didn''t like this place.

    Upon remembering her dream, Hazel began to despise this place a little more. She couldn''t understand what had happened, but at this time, Hazel knew that the elderly man that she had seen at the banquet somehow had something to do with her parents'' death.

    Her eyes grew watery when Hazel thought about her parents again. She tried to shift her body and suddenly realized that someone was holding on to her hand. Her head turned and Hazel blinked when she saw her Auntie Edith by her side. Hazel opened her mouth to say something, but after a while, she pursed her lips again.

    As if sensing the little movement, Edith opened her eyes saw that Hazel was staring back at her. Edith stood up straight and placed her hand on the little girl''s forehead. A breath of relief escaped her once Edith found that her temperature was not as high as yesterday.

    "Are you alright?" Edith asked.

    The little girl nodded.

    Edith leaned forward and pressed a button to call the doctor in. Then she rubbed her hand on Hazel''s hair and rained her kisses on the little girl''s face. "I was very worried about you. Your uncle went back to get a few of your clothes. Auntie Emma made you some porridge. Later, let''s eat a little bit when your uncle gets here."

    At this time, a doctor walked in with a nurse. A look of relief appeared on their face when they saw that Hazel has awakened. The doctor stepped forward to check on Hazel''s body and asked a few questions.

    Hazel only replied to him with a nod or a shake of her head.

    It was at this time that Edith began to notice that something was not right. She walked over to the side table and poured a glass of water. "Hazel, do you want to drink?"

    The little girl nodded and stretched out her hand to grab the glass. Once she emptied the glass, Hazel passed it back to Edith and nodded once.

    "Do you need anything else?"

    Hazel stared back at her and shook her head.

    Seeing this, Edith felt her heart sunk. She was beginning to panic, but could only mask her feelings. "Are you not speaking to me now?" Edith flashed a teasing smile at her, hoping that the little girl would say something and dispel whatever thought she had in mind.

    Hazel opened her mouth to speak, but then, she pursed her lips again. Her eyes blinked and there was a trace of hesitation in her gaze.

    Edith turned to the doctor and he immediately knew what Edith was going to ask.

    "Mrs. Mo, don''t worry. Hazel is healthy. Her fever is gone," the doctor said before she gave Edith a few reminders of what should Edith watch for. Once he finished, the doctor signaled her to come over to the door and spoke again. "As for why she''s not talking, Mrs. Mo, you should give her some time." He hesitated as he recalled a conversation with the couple last night. "I noticed from the record that Hazel has been seeing Doctor Yang a few months ago."

    Edith nodded.

    "Perhaps, talking to Doctor Yang would help us to understand Hazel''s condition a little more," the doctor suggested.

    After Hazel''s parents passed away, her grandparents were worried about the little girl and had brought her to see a child psychologist. There was a period of time where Hazel had chosen not to speak to anyone. No matter what anyone said to her, Hazel would not react.

    It was as if Hazel had chosen to keep herself away from others. In that period, Hazel had not attended kindergarten and Edith did not know much about that except for what Neil and Sophie had told her previously.

    A thought surged in her mind as Edith recalled Hazel''s reaction after they ran into Attorney General Leng. The little girl''s face was pale and her frightened expression was clear.

    It was at this time that Edith seemed to recall their time at that resort. At that time, they saw Attorney General Leng at the restaurant from a distance. Everything has been going on well until Hazel saw that man.

    Then, Hazel had suddenly had lost her appetite.

    Just¡­ what had happened?

    Why did Hazel have such a big reaction towards that man?

    Edith buried her face in her hand as she blamed herself for not being sensitive enough. If only she had paid a little more attention to the little girl, then perhaps, things will be different?

    If only she realized earlier, then Edith will never allow for that Attorney General to get closer to Hazel.

    When Edith thought of how Hazel will choose not to speak again, her heart grew heavier.

    It took them months to see that the once quiet Hazel speak cheerily with the people around her. But now¡­ will Hazel stop talking to others again?

    ¡­

    Edith heaved a heavy sigh as she walked out of the doctor''s office. A while later, an arm wrapped around her shoulder. Edith turned around and saw that Neil was staring at her with a helpless look on his face.

    "It''s not your fault. Stop blaming yourself, alright?" Neil said. He leaned forward to plant a kiss on her forehead.

    "I cannot help it." Although Doctor Yang and Neil had both pointed out that what happened to Hazel was not her fault, Edith could not stop blaming herself.

    Doctor Yang had suspected that perhaps, there was something that Hazel was afraid of and that trauma had triggered her fever and her unwillingness to speak.

    There was something in the little girl''s mind that she was unable to process.

    It will take some time before Hazel would speak again and the most important thing was that, for both of them to stay by Hazel''s side to give them their encouragement and support.

    Both Neil and Edith have only spent their time closely with Hazel for a few months. Although their relationship was close, it would be difficult to say that they could understand Hazel well.

    Even birth parents would have difficulties understanding their kids. What''s more for both Neil and Edith who were still new at being parents to Hazel.

    These are what Doctor Yang had hoped for both of them to understand.

    As they stood outside the doctor''s room, Neil tightened his embrace around Edith''s body.. His eyes narrowed dangerously as he thought of the possible reason for Hazel to be afraid of the Attorney General.

    Read novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 261 - How Did He Offend You?

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    In another part of the hospital¡­

    Aaron Li walked out of a doctor''s office with a distracted mind. His thought was full of the report and explanation that doctor had given him earlier about the bodies they found a week ago.

    Just like the previous victim, the woman they found was assaulted and tortured. However, the assailant was too careful with everything he had done that the police were unable to find anything that will lead them to catch the person.

    Judging from the few marks left on the women''s body, and the way the women were tortured and killed, the investigating team had concluded that it was all done by the same person.

    Still... there were a few things that he could not understand.

    That supermodel, Amanda Shen was suspected murdered by this same serial killer, but there was something different about her death.

    For example... the injury on Amanda''s head.

    The team believed that something had happened and at one point, Amanda had probably fought back to receive that injury.

    Aaron rubbed his head as he thought about the case. It doesn''t feel like his team will be able to find a breakthrough to solve this case soon.

    To make things scarier, this assailant had previously appeared in Z Town and killed several women before he disappeared for a few years and returned.

    Aaron was still young when the murders occurred in Z Town and he had no recollection about the case. It was not until he was assigned to L City that he found out that his father and Edith''s grandfather had once investigated the same murder in the past.

    Years ago, the technology was not that good and they could not catch the murderer. After a few years, the technology had progressed, but they still failed to catch the murderer.

    As he thought of the women who had lost their lives, Aaron grew frustrated. How many lives will be lost? What if one day, a person he knew would be the victim?

    At this time, there was nothing else he wanted but to catch the murderer.

    "Stop thinking too much," his partner, who was assigned to him after he came over to L City, slapped him on his shoulder. "I''m going over there to take a smoke. Are you coming with me?"

    Aaron waved his hand. "Go ahead. I''ll go and get some drink first. Let''s meet at the car later."

    His partner left and Aaron walked along the corridor. He found a vending machine, brought a can of coffee, and head over to the garden. Just as he clicked the can open, Aaron noticed a familiar silhouette walking from the opposite direction. Raising his hand, Aaron then called, "Edith!"

    The girl turned around and a look of shock appeared on her face. "Aaron."

    Aaron walked over and glanced at the paper bag in her hands. The moment he came closer, Aaron could smell the whiff of chicken porridge. "Why are you here?"

    "Hazel had a high fever last night," Edith said.

    "That little girl?"

    Edith forced a smile and nodded. "Why are you here? Are you not feeling well?"

    Aaron took a sip from his coffee. "I''m here for work."

    "That''s right. I heard that they have found a new body last week. How was it? Is it really the same murderer?"

    "Hmm," Aaron took another sip from his drink and smiled. "We are still investigating things."

    One look at Aaron''s face and Edith knew that Aaron thought that the murder was done by the same person. However, because he was the officer who was investigating the case, Aaron could not say anything too much.

    "You work hard." Edith patted him on the shoulder.

    Aaron glanced at his friend and noticed the tired look on Edith''s face. "You okay?"

    Edith chuckled, then nodded. "Of course I''m okay." A thought came over to her mind and Edith tugged Aaron to a quiet corner.

    "What are you doing?" Aaron looked around anxiously. He was worried that Neil would appear at this moment and would flash him that frightening scary look.

    "Aaron! I have a matter that I need you to look into," Edith said. "Can you help me?"

    Seeing the anxious look on Edith''s face, Arron was no longer afraid of running into Neil, and instead, he was worried. "What''s wrong? If it is something that I can help you with, of course, I will help."

    "I need you to investigate someone for me," Edith spoke in a hushed voice.

    "What? Did you get into trouble with someone?"

    "Somewhat." Edith did not bother to explain. "I want you to look into the Attorney General."

    Aaron looked at his friend in shock. "Attorney General? That Attorney General, Jeffrey Leng?" He shifted around to study his surroundings. "Why do you want me to look into him? How did he offend you?"

    Edith grew helpless at his continuous questioning.

    "Wait. What exactly did you want me to look into?"

    "Hazel seemed to be afraid of the Attorney General," Edith said in a whisper. "I want to know what had he done to make Hazel grew afraid of him." The frown on her face deepened. "Aaron, you don''t know this, but I have never seen Hazel with that expression before. It''s not normal."

    Aaron pursed at his lips as he continued to listen to Edith''s words. He had met Hazel a few times and quite like that adorable little girl. To think that she had grown frightened after meeting Attorney General Leng, was definitely not normal.

    "I cannot promise him that I will find anything, but I''ll try to look into him," Aaron said. He patted Edith''s shoulder and smiled. "How is that little girl?"

    "She''s recovering well. It will take some time, but she will be alright."

    Aaron glanced at his wristwatch. "Let me come along with you. I want to visit her." He pulled out his phone to text his partner and followed Edith to Hazel''s wardroom.

    As soon as Edith walked in, Hazel stared at her with her eyes wide. The expression on Hazel''s face was as if she was relieved upon seeing that Edith had shown up.

    "I ran into Aaron downstairs," Edith said to Neil. "He heard about Hazel and wanted to see her."

    Neil exchanged polite greetings with Aaron and turned to Edith. "Hazel woke up and has been looking for you." There was a trace of helplessness in his tone.

    He had wanted to accompany his niece, but the little girl seemed to favor someone else.

    They both weren''t sure why, but Hazel became restless whenever she could not see Edith around. It was as if she would feel safer with Edith around.

    Of course, they were not aware that ever since Edith had rescued her from manager Xiao, Hazel had thought of her Auntie Edith as the person who could protect her from harm. To Hazel, Edith was the safest person she could be with.

    Edith placed the paper bag on the side table and walked over to Hazel. "Were you waiting for me?"

    The little girl nodded and stretched her hand to grip Edith''s shirt, refusing to let go.

    Read novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 262 - I Am Very Patient

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Hazel was allowed to leave the hospital after a few days of observation. However, the little girl was still unwilling to say a word. At this time, there was nothing that Neil and Edith could do but to stay patiently by the little girl''s side and wait for her to speak again.

    Doctor Yang had mentioned that their support was the most important thing for Hazel to overcome her fear. Perhaps, once she had overcome that fear, Hazel would start to speak again and took the initiative to tell them what was in her mind.

    Because of Hazel''s condition, Neil choose to work hard and continued his cooperation with Jennifer Jiang and her brother. The few men that Neil had sent into various departments were asked to keep their eyes on the managers and directors.

    One of those men, who was asked to keep his eyes on Director Lance Feng in the Project Development Division soon return to Neil with news of Director Lance Feng''s meeting with Attorney General Leng and their discussion on the project that the Attorney General was interested in.

    From the files that Assistant Shawn had brought to him and the files that Jamie had taken, Neil then found out that the directors were planning to take out another sum of money from the company.

    With Henry''s help, Neil was able to keep his eyes on his directors and managers movement.

    Seeing the way his niece had acted, Neil found his heart would ache and he could not go on watching the once talkative Hazel suddenly turned quiet. He had promised Adam that he was going to look after Hazel and had no plan to go back on his words.

    This time, he was very desperate to take down those who had dared to harm his family before they would have the chance to do something again. He could not let his family down.

    Meanwhile, Edith continued to attend the kindergarten with Hazel sticking closer to her side. Fortunately, Edith was also Hazel''s class teacher and it was not strange for them to stay together.

    Previously, Hazel would still join the other kids in their group activity. But now, Hazel would often sit at the corner in silence and watched as her classmates played around.

    The school session ended and Edith went back home with Hazel. In the evening, Edith went into the kitchen to start preparing for dinner as Hazel sat at the barstool, doing her homework.

    As she was waiting for the chicken soup in the pot to boil, Edith walked over to Hazel and saw that she was scribbling something on the paper. A frown appeared on her face when she saw the pictures that she could not understand.

    These days, Edith seemed to notice that Hazel had not drawn pictures as much as she would have in the past.

    "Hazel, what are you drawing?" Edith leaned forward and blinked her eyes at the little girl. Unfortunately, Hazel only blinked back before she continued with her drawing.

    Heaving a soft sigh, Edith stood at the side and continued to watch the little girl as her hand was caressing Hazel''s hair.

    It has been a few days since Edith had asked Aaron to help her and investigate the Attorney General, but her friend had not come up with any news as he was preoccupied with that serial murder.

    At this time, the doorbell rang and Edith walked over to the door after reminding Hazel to sit still.

    Once her auntie left her side, Hazel looked up from her drawing and continued to stare at Edith for a long time. It was as if Hazel was afraid that her auntie will suddenly disappear from her gaze.

    Edith pressed a button at the intercom and saw that Lily and her son had shown up at her door. She pressed another button and swung open the door to let the two guests in. "You''re here!"

    "How is it going?" Lily went forward to wrap her arms around her friend''s.

    Once she heard the news that something had happened to Hazel, Lily decided to visit as she was worried for both Hazel and Edith. Unfortunately, with Alex now in school, it was hard for her to find time to visit them both until today.

    Lily pulled away and stared at Edith with a faint smile on her face. "How are you?"

    "I''m good." Edith let out a chuckle.

    Hearing her words, Lily could only heave a long, helpless sigh. She liked Hazel. But at the same time, Lily thought that it was a bit distressing to see her friend in this state.

    Edith was someone who had no experience being a parent, but now that she was dating Neil, there was a lot that she had to sacrifice. Looking after a child was not easy, what''s more with Hazel''s condition.

    Hazel can be obedient and will not cause any trouble, Lily was still worried that there would be a time when Edith was going to get tired and grew frustrated when Hazel did not show much improvement. Lily is a parent herself and there were days when she would lose her patience and got frustrated over things.

    As a friend, all Lily could do was to give Edith her support.

    "Thank you for coming," Edith said as she stepped aside to let Lily and Alex in.

    "Auntie Edith," Alex whispered and waved his hand to gesture for Edith to come closer. "Is Hazel alright? Mommy said that Hazel is not feeling well."

    "I have explained a few things to Alex," Lily said. "He knew and he understood the situation.

    Edith mouthed a thank you to Lily and crouched down to Alex''s height. "Did your mommy tell you about what happened to Hazel?"

    Alex nodded. "Mommy said Hazel won''t speak because she''s not feeling well. But Auntie Edith, don''t worry. I won''t stop playing with Hazel. She is my friend and I really like her."

    Edith flashed a smile at the little boy. "Thank you. As a friend, you have to stay beside Hazel patiently. Don''t get mad when she did not respond to you, alright?"

    "Auntie Edith, Mommy said I am very patient," Alex said. His eyes were blinking innocently. "Or else, I won''t be able to sit still and build that Gundam model for hours."

    Lily chuckled. She had once said those words because she was too frustrated with her son who loved those models so much. Lily had never thought that her son had thought that those were a compliment to him.

    After exchanging a few words with Alex, Edith ushered them into the living room.

    The moment Hazel saw Alex walked into the living room, her eyes grew wide. She subconsciously slid off her chair and walked over to Alex. Her lips quivered, but after a while, Hazel moved her head to nod at both Alex and his mother as her form of greetings.

    Seeing this, Edith heaved a breath of relief.

    At least, Hazel''s reaction when she saw Alex was good enough. Usually at kindergarten, Hazel would not give a reaction when her classmates tried to talk to her.

    Perhaps, letting Lily bring over her son to accompany Hazel would be a good idea.

    Alex did not mind when Hazel did not answer his greetings. Instead, he stretched out his hand to hold Hazel''s. "I brought with me a new model, Hazel come and help me, alright?"

    The little girl nodded and let Alex led her to sit around the coffee table.

    Soon, the two children started to build the model together in silence.. Once in a while, Alex would speak and Hazel would nod before she obediently followed his instructions.

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 263 - Was It Really Because Of Him?

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    When Neil arrived home, he found Hazel in the living room with the parts of the Gundam model on the table. The little girl lifted her head to look at him and her eyes widened with joy.

    Seeing the cheerful expression on her face brought a smile to his face. Neil walked over to Hazel and sat down beside her. His hand stretched out to touch her head before Neil leaned to kiss the top of her head. "Hazel, what are you doing?"

    The little girl did not answer, but only lifted the Gundam box on the table.

    Neil looked at the box and then to parts that Hazel was working on. "I''ve never seen this one before. Is this new?"

    Hazel looked at him with a sparkled eyes and nodded.

    It would be a lie to say that he was not disappointed to see that Hazel did not speak to him. Neil thought that he missed hearing Hazel''s cheerful voice whenever he stepped into the house.

    The place seemed a little quiet without Hazel''s voice.

    "Have you had your dinner?" Neil asked.

    Hazel nodded before she continued to work on the model.

    When Hazel looked away, a trace of disappointment flashed on Neil''s face. His heart ached when Hazel continued not to speak.

    "Then you stay here. I''ll look for Auntie Edith, alright?"

    The little girl nodded again and Neil stood up to enter the kitchen to find Edith. The moment he arrived, Edith looked up and flashed him a smile. He walked over to her, slid his arms around her waist, and pecked at her lips.

    "Did you have dinner yet?" Edith asked when they parted. "I left some dishes for you. Would you like to eat them?"

    Neil let out a chuckle. "Alright." He took off his jacket, put them on the chair, and slid into the stool at the bar counter. "Hazel seemed a little happier today."

    Edith replied with a soft hum. "Lily and Alex came over to visit Hazel this evening." She put a few plates of side dishes on the table and turned around again. "Alex brought a new model and gave them to Hazel. I think Hazel was happy to see Alex. The two were playing along just fine."

    A slight frown appeared on his face when Neil thought of that little boy who seemed to like holding hands with his niece. Though he did not like Alex that much, Neil was glad that the boy had made Hazel happy.

    "The boy¡­ he did not mind Hazel''s condition?" Neil asked with a hushed voice.

    "Lily explained to him about Hazel''s situation before they come over," Edith said. "Alex understood that Hazel is unwell and he did not mind when Hazel did not respond to his questions."

    A chuckle escaped her as Edith recalled the way Alex had continuously complained about his school life while Hazel listened to him patiently.

    Now that she thought of it¡­ the two children were always like this.

    Hazel and Alex both were quiet children. But whenever they were together, Alex would talk a lot with Hazel. Mostly about the Gundam model.

    The first time Edith heard how Alex had explained to Hazel about those models with enthusiasm, Edith thought that Hazel would be bored. But the little girl continued to listen patiently and soon, she too became interested in those models.

    Alex had this habit where he liked to hold on to Hazel''s hand as he led her to play elsewhere. When Edith had casually asked Alex about this, the little boy had said that Hazel is a year younger than him. Therefore, as the big brother, it was his responsibility to look after his younger sister.

    The two kids were cute together and sometimes, Edith would wonder if Lily''s wish would come true¡ªthat Hazel would someday become her daughter-in-law.

    Realizing that she was thinking way too far, Edith quickly dismissed her thought.

    Alex and Hazel were still children and it was best to let them be kids and enjoy their life. They had a long way ahead of them and once they grew up, perhaps, they would no longer be as close as they were now.

    Edith glanced at the clock and noticed that it was late. "I''ll go and accompany Hazel to bed first."

    Neil nodded. "Go ahead. Don''t worry about the dishes. I''ll clean up everything when I''m done."

    ¡­

    After checking at the monitor beside the bedside table, Edith tucked Hazel in bed, planted a kiss on the little girl''s forehead, and slowly retreated out of the room.

    Neil stood, facing the french window with a phone pressed at his ear. His body turned when he heard the door swung open and Neil flashed Edith a smile before he continued to speak something in a low voice.

    Seeing that he was still preoccupied, Edith went into the bathroom to wash her face and dealt with her nighttime skin routine. When she walked out again, Neil was sitting on the bed with his phone in his hand.

    "My parents will be coming over this weekend," Neil announced.

    Edith paused for a few seconds before she nodded. Sophie and Lucas were both Hazel''s grandparents and has been worried over their granddaughter for days. Now that Lucas'' health was slightly better, the two decided to head over to L City to look at their granddaughter.

    "Is your father well now?"

    Neil answered with a soft hum. His lips tilted into a small smile when he saw Edith''s worried expression. They both knew about Lucas''s health and that he could not be agitated, but Neil decided to tell his parents the truth about Hazel.

    After all, it doesn''t make sense to lie to them. Neil''s parents are both smart and would figure out that something was wrong sooner or later.

    Edith slid under the cover and stared at the ceiling. "I still cannot figure out why Hazel would be frightened of the General Attorney. Was it really because of him? Or perhaps there''s something else that we don''t know about?"

    She can only wish that Aaron would help her to look into the General Attorney and contact her soon. Edith did not like the feeling of not knowing what was going on with Hazel.

    If she knew more, perhaps, there would be something that she can do to help Hazel deal with it better. But at this time, Hazel refused to say, or tell them anything.

    Neil hesitated as he heard Edith''s words. He turned to look at her and spoke, "There''s something that I did not tell you."

    Edith turned her body to face him and her expression gradually changed as she continued to listen to what Neil had told her.

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 264 - Grandparents Visit

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Aaron went to find Edith at her place with Neil around the weekend with the result of his investigation.

    As expected, Aaron could not find out too much about the General Attorney.

    Ever since Neil had told her that the General Attorney was involved in both Adam and Claire''s death, Edith was ready to hear that Aaron might not find anything at all.

    Apart from some scandal that he was in when he was younger, there was nothing else that Aaron could find. The man''s record was clean and he was dubbed as a clean and rightful man.

    But Neil had convinced her that the General Attorney was not as clean as people had expected. His team and the people he was working with had evidence that proved otherwise. At this time, Neil and the others were still collecting evidence.

    They need to be careful in what they do. At this time, the public was still in the dark about what the man had done. Therefore, Neil and the others needed to collect more evidence so that the Attorney General will have no way to escape his punishments. They needed to show the public that the General Attorney was not the person they thought he was.

    "I''m sorry," Aaron spoke. "I couldn''t find anything else about the man. Other than the Attorney General had previously met Adam Mo''s in a few meetings, there was no other way that I can link him to that little girl."

    "I know." Edith heaved a sigh and patted Aaron on his shoulder. "Will you get into trouble for investigating him?"

    "Now you''re concerned about your friend''s well-being?" Aaron chuckled. "How are you going to compensate me for doing this little favor?"

    "You said it yourself. It was a little favor. What do you want? How about I treat you for a meal?" Edith chuckled, but the worried look on her face did not disappear.

    Aaron rolled his eyes. "Don''t worry. That won''t get me into trouble. Coincidentally, we were looking into the Attorney General as well."

    Hearing his words, Edith was surprised.

    "You should have heard that his secretary, Secretary Liu was seeing supermodel Amanda Shen before she died," Aaron said. "General Attorney Leng had a few intersections with that model and we had to look into him as well." Aaron stared at Edith and coughed. "I heard that President Mo once dated her as well."

    "I know that. Neil had told me that they have broken up for years." Edith narrowed her eyes upon noticing what Aaron was going to ask. "The night that she died, I was with Neil and Hazel in Capital City."

    Aaron looked away again. "I know. I wasn''t saying anything. If it was not because we had the same cases in Z Town a few years ago, we might continue to suspect your boyfriend."

    Edith raised her hand and flashed the ring on her hand. "Fiance."

    Aaron rolled his eyes again, then raised both hands in a surrender position. "Alright. Your fiance."

    "How are you sure that the murder from the past was done by the same person and not by a copycat?"

    Aaron stared back at Edith exasperatedly. "In the end, do you want me to suspect your fiance or not?"

    "Hey, I was merely asking because I''m curious." Edith clicked her tongue.

    "Your grandfather and his team who had investigated that murder case before seemed to believe that they were done by the same person," Aaron said. "Grandpa said the marking left by the murderer was the same. It can only be done by the same murder or someone who understood the case or murderer well."

    As the two friends continued to chat about the case, Neil descended from the stairs with Hazel holding on his hands tightly. The little girl saw that Edith was in the living area and quickly left her uncle''s side to go to Edith.

    Seeing this situation, Neil could only sigh helplessly. His gaze met with Aaron and the two men nodded politely.

    "Are you staying here for lunch?" Neil asked Aaron.

    "No. I still need to return to the station to deal with my works," Aaron said.

    Neil nodded before he turned to look at his niece who had plastered herself to Edith. Her eyes were staring at Aaron with a curious gaze.

    As if sensing her gaze, Aaron shifted his eyes to Hazel and flashed her a smile. "Hello, little girl. Did you remember me?"

    Hazel continued to stare at Aaron. Though she had seen this man with her Auntie Edith before, Hazel was not sure whether she can be safe around this man.

    "Uncle Aaron is a policeman," Edith said to Hazel. "His job is to catch bad guys. You don''t have to be afraid of him."

    Hazel''s grip around Edith''s shirt loosened up a little bit upon hearing that Aaron was a policeman. Then, slowly, she took a step towards Aaron as she continued to give the man a look over.

    "Why is she staring at me like that?" Aaron whispered to Edith.

    Edith shrugged as she continued to observe the way Hazel reacted. It seemed that once she told Hazel that she shouldn''t be afraid of him, Hazel had let her guard down a little bit.

    At this time, the doorbell rang and everyone turned their head towards the door.

    "It should be my parents," Neil said. "I''ll go and get it."

    Hazel shifted as if she wanted to come over with her uncle, but a few seconds later, she decided to sit still and wait with Edith.

    A while later, the room was filled with the voices of both Sophie and Lucas. The grandparents quickly went to look at their granddaughters.

    Seeing that the little girl chose to stay silent no matter how they tried to talk to her, both Sophie and Lucas were sad.

    Their granddaughter was staring back at them with her bright eyes. It was clear that she was excited to see them. However, the granddaughter that they doted on was not speaking a word to them.

    Both Sophie and Lucas could only hide their sadness and frustration in front of Hazel as they did not want the little girl to worry about them.

    After a while, the doorbell rang again. As if remembering something, Lucas looked up to Edith and smiled. "That''s right, we almost forgot. Edith, we brought with us a special guest." He turned to his son and urged. "Quickly go and open the door."

    Edith stared back in confusion. "A special guest? Who is it?"

    The door swung open and a while later, a familiar figure appeared in front of them.

    "We ran into your grandfather at Old Chen''s noodle stall," Lucas continued. "Your grandpa heard about Hazel and decided to come with us and visit."

    Seeing her grandpa staring back at her, Edith began to panic.

    Although her grandpa was aware that she was dating Neil and had accepted his proposal, she had never told him that they were living together!

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 265 - I Already Know

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Her body froze as Edith watched her grandfather walked in. "G-Grandpa!" Her lips curled into an awkward smile. "Why are you here?"

    "I hear that the little princess is sick, so I came over to visit." Mike stopped as he arrived in front of his granddaughter. "What''s the matter with you? Why are you looking at me as if you did something wrong?" Mike raised his brow. "Did you do something wrong?"

    Edith lowered her head as the guilt surrounded her. "Grandpa," She called out his name in a coquettish way.

    Mike heaved a sigh at his granddaughter. Then, he handed a bag to Edith. "Here. I bought noodles from Old Chen''s noodle stall for you. Let''s go in first and talk later."

    Edith nodded and stepped aside. It was not a good time for them to talk. Neil''s parents were around and they did not want to make things awkward.

    As soon as Mike walked in, he shot Aaron a look upon noticing that he was also presented.

    Aaron clearly knew that his granddaughter was living together with Neil, but he too had chosen not to say anything about this matter to him.

    Sensing the older man''s anger, Aaron quickly told Edith that he had a call from the station demanding him to come back to the station and left the apartment.

    The two people were going into an argument later and Aaron did not want to be dragged into it. He had grown up with Edith and had seen how terrible it can be when Mike was angry.

    Edith watched her friend retreating and muttered a few cursing words.

    They were friends, but at the first sign of danger, this man had turned his back on her and escape!

    Hazel was especially excited upon seeing Grandpa Qian. Her eyes shone brightly when Mike started to call her his little princess. Seeing that the elderly man had crouched down, Hazel walked over and wrapped her arms around Mike''s neck.

    The name, little princess, always made her feel a little special. There was no one else who would call her that way except for Mike.

    Mike laughed when the little girl had greeted him with a smile on her face. "Are you excited to see me?"

    Hazel pulled away and nodded. Her gaze told him that she was indeed happy to see him, but his heart dropped seeing that the little girl had not said a word to him.

    He had heard from both Sophie and Lucas that something had happened to Hazel and the trauma made Hazel chose not to speak a word. However, Mike could not ask them what did the little girl had experienced.

    The grownups looked at each other with an understanding look and no one mentioned anything about Hazel''s unwillingness to talk.

    As both Sophie and Lucas busied themselves to entertain their granddaughter, Edith took her grandfather to the apartment next door to talk.

    "Grandpa, I''m sorry," Edith spoke as they sat around the living area. Her head lowered and her expression showed how remorseful she was at the situation.

    Mike clicked his tongue. "What are you sorry for?"

    Edith swallowed before she spoke again. "I didn''t tell you that I have start living together with Neil." Her fingers moved to pinch at a corner of Mike''s shirt, and Edith looked at her grandpa, feigning an adorable look.

    "Then why didn''t you tell me?"

    "I was worried that you might be angry."

    "I''m angrier that you didn''t tell me a thing."

    Edith lowered her head again.

    Seeing her granddaughter acting like this, Mike''s heart started to waver. Now that he was older, his heart would easily soften whenever Edith played this trick on him.

    Moreover, Mike thought that he did not have the right to be angry at Edith. After all, he had hidden a big secret from his granddaughter.

    "I already know that you are living together with Neil." Mike''s tone softened.

    Edith swiftly lifted her head and looked at her grandfather with a shocked expression. "Grandpa¡­ you knew? How did you¡ª"

    "You have forgotten, did you?" Mike clicked his tongue. "The last time you tried to reach me when I fell asleep at the Li''s B&B, Neil had sent someone to look for me." His eyes darted away as he tried to hid his guilty conscience. "It was late at night and the two of you were together. If I cannot piece the two puzzle together, then my years as a detective were nothing but a waste."

    Edith pursed her lips, knowing that this was not the time for her to speak. She did not think that her grandfather had known about their living arrangement for a while.

    So¡­ that was why her grandfather does not seem surprised when he saw her at the door.

    Edith reached for her grandfather''s shirt again and gave it a small tug. "Grandpa, are you angry?"

    "You''re my granddaughter. I won''t get angry at you because of this." Mike heaved a soft sigh. "Anyway, both you and Neil had decided to get married. As long as you''re not stupid to let yourself be played by a man, I won''t be angry. Since Neil had proposed and was willing to be responsible for you, why would I get angry?"

    Edith stared at her grandfather''s face for a long time, as if inspecting whether he was sincere with his words.

    "You don''t know this. But during the trip from Z Town to L City, Neil''s parents had already briefed me about your upcoming wedding non-stop. What wedding hall? What guests list?"

    His daughter, Rachel had married an orphan. The two of them chose to register their marriage and had never had any wedding reception.

    He realized that he had never had the chance to plan his daughter''s wedding. Now that his granddaughter was getting married, Mike wanted her to have the best.

    Therefore, when Sophie and Lucas started to talk to him about those things, Mike began to panic at the thought that there would be a lot to plan for a wedding.

    "From the look of it, they were excited to have you joined their family. As long as you like him and his family treated you well, I won''t say anything."

    Hearing her grandfather''s words, Edith felt her nose soured and her eyes stung. Before the tears fell on her cheek, Edith lurched forward and hugged her grandfather tightly. An indescribable feeling arose in her heart and her lips pursed, knowing that she could not speak a word.

    "Alright. Alright." Mike patted at Edith''s back to console her. "You''re a big girl now. Don''t cry."

    Edith sniffed before she buried her face in her grandfather''s neck.

    Seeing her reaction, Mike could only sigh.

    Once Edith pulled away, Mike began to ask her the question that he has been wondering for a while. "Tell me, what is wrong with my little princess? Why did she suddenly decide not to speak?"

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 266 - Mikes Anger

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    "Old Qian, why did you suddenly decided to go to L City?" On the other line, Mike''s friend, George Bei was speaking.

    "Something happened with Edith. I came here to visit her."

    Hearing that it was a matter about Mike''s granddaughter, George Bei was anxious as well. He had watched the girl grow up in front of him and had considered her as his granddaughter as well.

    "What''s wrong with Edith? Is she''s alright?"

    Mike paused when he realized that his earlier words had made his friend panic. "Nothing to worry about." Mike coughed. "Old Bei, my Edith is getting married."

    There was a brief silence on George''s part. "Really? Old Qian. Congratulations. It seemed that I will have to prepare a big red packet."

    Mike laughed happily. He scanned his surroundings and lowered his guard as he found that there was no one around.

    Before he came to the corner to answer that phone call, Mike had already checked at his surroundings.

    At this time, Neil and his father were in the study to discuss some work matters, while his granddaughter, Edith was in the kitchen with her future mother-in-law. The little girl was accompanying the women in the kitchen as she sat around the bar counter.

    "I''m staying a few days in L City to discuss the wedding with her future in-law. Once I finished my business here, I''ll come and look for you in A City. In the meantime¡­" Mike paused and his expression turned darker. "You should continue to keep an eye on that person. Don''t let him escape our eyes even for a second."

    "I know. That person is heading to Capital City in a few days. I won''t let others make any mistake," George said.

    A glint of light flashed in his eyes when he was reminded that the person will soon head to Capital City to meet a few leaders. "Don''t worry. I will return to join you and everyone else before that person heads over to Capital City. Old Bei, be careful. We already reached this stage. I don''t want something wrong to happen."

    George let out a heavy breath and agreed. At this time, there was nothing else that he wanted other than for this investigation to end. His friend, Mike has been investigating his daughter''s death for years. They finally knew who was that person responsible for it and they were working hard to find evidence to expose that person''s true face.

    The two friends chatted for a while before Mike finally hang up. He stood at the corner of the room, staring at his phone with a heavy look on his face.

    His thought alternated from his daughter, Rachel, and the words that his granddaughter had told him earlier.

    When he thought of the reason why that little princess had suddenly turned mute, Mike''s heart was ignited with anger. He did not expect that the person who had killed his daughter and the person who had harmed his little princess to be the same person.

    His Little Princess was such an innocent girl, but look at what had happened to her?

    He did not know what had happened between General Attorney Leng and Hazel, but for a grownup person to make a child so afraid of him that she could not speak, Mike could guess that it should be something terrible.

    Mike narrowed his eyes and the anger in his eyes was very clear.

    That person had caused harm to many women. Torturing them, assaulting them, and killing them in cold blood once they had lost their purpose and he could no longer find the satisfaction in torturing them¡­

    That person is such a psychopath.

    Other than those crimes, who knew what other crimes did that person had done with the power that he has?

    In this life, Mike promised that he will definitely catch that scum and brought him to justice. Until that happened, he will not be able to rest peacefully.

    It looked like he will need to see Neil and discuss a few things with him.

    As if sensing that he was being watched, Mike turned around swiftly. The moment his eyes met that pure eyes, the anger, and hatred in his eyes disappeared and was replaced with something soft.

    "Little Princess?" His lips curled into a gentle smile. "Why are you here?"

    Hazel blinked her eyes and hesitated. She had thought that a second ago, she had seen something scary in her great-grandpa''s eyes. But now that she looked again, it has disappeared.

    Perhaps she was mistaken?

    Hazel clenched her hands into tiny fists before she released them again. Then, she walked over to Mike''s side and held his hand.

    Mike stared at the little girl with a puzzled look when she suddenly tugged at his hand. Slowly, Mike crouched down to get to Hazel''s level. "What''s wrong? Is there something you would like to tell me?"

    Hazel did not speak. She stretched her hand to touch Mike''s wrinkly face and then, slowly moved to the corner of his eyes. Her innocent eyes were staring into his eyes. Hazel tilted her head sideways as she continued to inspected Mike''s eyes.

    "What are you doing?" Mike laughed. "Little Princess, do you want to play a staring contest with me?"

    Her eyes blinked when she could not find what she was looking for. Hazel shook her head and stepped back.

    Her Auntie Edith''s grandfather was a gentle person. It would be impossible for him to have that scary look in his eyes. It looked like she was mistaken.

    Hazel put her hand in Mike''s again before she gave him a little tug.

    "What''s the matter? You want me to play with you?" Mike asked.

    Hazel hesitated before she nodded.

    Mike stood up and stretched up his back. "Alright. Let''s go. Little Princess, what do you want to do?"

    Hazel led him to the living room and patted at the sofa, asking him to sit down.

    Mike followed the little girl''s instruction and soon, Hazel stuffed a completed Gundam model in his hand. He stared at the model and then back at Hazel. The little girl was staring back at him with her eyes wide as if she was asking for praise.

    "Did you make this?" Mike asked.

    Hazel nodded enthusiastically.

    He studied the model again and smiled. "You''re very good at this." Mike did not know anything about the model but knew that it was his Little Princess''s hard work.

    Seeing the wide smile on Hazel''s face, Mike stretched his hand to pat her head. "Do you like building these models?"

    Hazel nodded again.

    "Why do you like them?"

    Tiny lines appeared on her forehead as Hazel thought of the reasons. Initially, she began to follow Alex and learn about the models after Alex had told her that her Auntie Edith enjoyed building them. Later... Hazel found that building them was quite fun. When she sat down and concentrate to build them, everything around her seemed to disappear.

    Seeing that the little girl was in deep thought, Mike stretched his hand to caress Hazel''s smooth cheek. "Little princess, Great-Grandpa missed hearing your cheery voice."

    Hazel looked up at him with a complicated look in her eyes.

    She was aware that everyone around her was worried that she chose to be mute. However, every time she tried to open her mouth, the words she wanted to speak out seemed to be stuck in her throat.

    Hazel was afraid that the grownups would ask her things. She was afraid of telling them what she had seen and what she had remembered. Hazel was worried that perhaps, that scary grandpa would find her and do something to everyone around her as well.

    Just then, Hazel found herself pulled into Mike''s embrace.

    "Sorry. You can choose to speak whenever you are ready. Great-Grandpa won''t say anything that will put you under pressure."

    Hazel lowered her head, then slowly nodded.

    "Great-Grandpa is planning to stay here for a few days. Little Princess, do you want to learn self-defense from me?"

    Hazel turned her head towards the kitchen. Her Auntie Edith had already taught her a few basic moves the last time and she already knew a few things.. However, when Hazel saw the enthusiastic look in the old man''s eyes, she could not stop herself and nodded to agree.

    Read novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 267 - You Want To Work Together?

    During their meal, Mike continued to keep his eyes on Hazel.

    Perhaps because the little girl had lost her parents, Mike found that he cared a lot about Hazel.

    When he recalled how his granddaughter had described how Hazel was scared to the point that she had fallen sick and chose not to speak, Mike was angry again.

    The little girl was such an adorable kid. He could not understand what did that person had done to make Hazel so frightened.

    Seeing Hazel''s condition at this moment only strengthened his resolve that he should go on with his plan to make that person faced his punishment.

    Mike strengthened his resolve as he did not want another person to be a victim of General Attorney Leng again.

    After the meal ended, both Sophie and Lucas sat beside their granddaughter to accompany her.

    Seeing that the three people were preoccupied, Mike decided to find Neil to discuss the matter about that person.

    When he entered the kitchen, his granddaughter was doing the dishes with Neil helping her. The two were unaware that he was right behind them and continued to play around.

    Mike let out a dry cough to catch their attention and watched his granddaughter looking at him with a shy look on her face.

    "Grandpa," Edith called. The tinge of pink on her cheek suddenly became obvious. "Why are you here? Do you need anything? A glass of water?"

    A sigh escaped him. "No need." He then turned to Neil and put up a serious look on his face. "Do you have time? There''s something that I need to discuss with you?"

    "What do you need to discuss?" Edith asked.

    "This isn''t related to you," Mike spoke to his granddaughter.

    "I have time," Neil said to Mike. He then turned to Edith and smiled. "I''ll go and talk to your grandfather first. Coincidentally, I have a few things I need to ask him as well." His hand reached to pat her shoulder. "It should be alright. Don''t worry about it."

    Mike stared at his granddaughter and clicked his tongue. They weren''t married yet, but this granddaughter of his was too worried that he was going to harm Neil. He was her grandfather. Why doesn''t she have a little trust in him?

    Edith hesitated but nodded anyway. Then, she watched as the two retreated and headed upstairs.

    "Grandpa, please," Neil said as he invited Mike into his office. He gestured for Mike to sit on the sofa and asked, "Grandpa, do you need a drink?"

    "No. Just sit down and let''s talk."

    Neil walked over and sat obediently, facing the old man in front of him. "What do you want to discuss with me?"

    "Hazel."

    Neil''s expression stiffened. "Why do you want to talk about Hazel?"

    "I asked my granddaughter about what happened to the little girl and she had told me a little bit about it."

    "What did Edith said?" Neil lowered his gaze.

    "She mentioned something about General Attorney Leng."

    A frown appeared on Neil''s face. He did not like that Edith had told Mike about that man. Neil was aware that Mike was a cop, but he did not want to drag the old man into his matter.

    General Attorney Leng was a really dangerous person who had killed his brother. Neil simply did not want the old man to harm his family anymore.

    "I did not come over here and mentioned this matter to sow discord between you and my granddaughter," Mike said. He saw the look on Neil''s face and was worried that this man was going to think of his granddaughter as a big-mouthed.

    "Then, what do you want to talk about?"

    "I heard that you were investigating the General Attorney."

    "I am. But we haven''t found enough evidence that will drag General Attorney Leng to prison. We haven''t found out the reason Hazel was so afraid of the man," Neil said.

    Since Mike was aware that he was investigating the General Attorney, Neil didn''t find any reason to hide the matter from Mike.

    Mike clenched his hands into fists. There was a frown on his face as Mike was wondering how he should break the news to Neil. Once he made up his mind, Mike looked up again. "Neil, you know very well that I am now investigating Edith''s mom''s death."

    "I know."

    Mike had mentioned what he was doing behind Edith''s back the other day. However, Neil did not understand why did the old man would suddenly mention this matter.

    "There''s something else that you should know," Mike paused. His expression turned uglier when he thought of the murderer. "I already found the person who was responsible for my daughter''s death."

    "What?" Neil had a lot of thoughts in his mind, but this was not what he had in mind.

    "The person who was responsible for that murder was the same person who had murdered countless women in Z Town as well as in L City. You should have heard about the serial murder that became the talk of the people recently?"

    Neil nodded slowly. He could guess where this conversation was going. But¡­ what does Hazel have to do with that?

    "What if I tell you that the person who had murdered those women as well as Edith''s mother, is none other than General Attorney Leng?"

    Neil was stunned at the sudden revelation. "Grandpa, are you sure?"

    "I don''t have time and reason to joke about such thing. My team and I already have evidence in our hands. All we need to do was to find a way so that this scum did not have the chance to escape," Mike said.

    His eyes darkened. Neil was not expecting that someone like General Attorney Leng to have done such disgusting crimes against women. To think that he had once respected that man... Neil felt nothing but disgusted.

    "General Attorney Leng is very clever and he had a lot of people working for him. Once we made a mistake, he will have the chance to destroy our hard work and acted like he was not responsible for anything. That man had escaped my grasp years ago. I don''t want him to escape again."

    Neil leaned on the sofa as he tried to sort out his thought.

    "I heard from Edith that you were wanting to look for evidence for that man''s corruption as well," Mike said.

    A chuckle escaped him. "More than that. I have reason to believe that he had killed my brother, Adam as well as my sister-in-law, Claire. The news might have reported that they died in an accident, but recently, I found out that there is a story behind that."

    Mike leaned forward and met Neil''s gaze. "I want to know what you know. "

    Neil raised a brow when he understood Mike''s intention. "You want to work together?"

    Read novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 268 - You Talked About Hazel For Hours?

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    The two continued to discuss in Neil''s study for more than two hours. Knowing that Edith might be worried or suspecting something, the two decided to stop their discussion.

    Neil poured a glass of water and handed it over to Mike. He watched as Mike emptied the glass and asked, "Grandpa, are you not planning to tell Edith about her mother?"

    "No," Mike said quickly. He placed the glass on the table with a thud and turned to Neil with a serious look on his face. "Edith shouldn''t know about this matter."

    "Grandpa¡­" Neil had wanted to coax Mike into coming clean to Edith. As the daughter, Edith deserved to know what had happened to her mother, doesn''t she?

    However, once he saw Mike''s expression, Neil stopped himself.

    "It''s not that I wanted to keep this matter a secret from Edith. I told you, my granddaughter won''t be able to take this. I want Edith to have a good memory of her mother." Mike paused and a bitter smile appeared on his face. "If she ever found out what had happened to her mother before she died, Edith would be sad."

    Neil continued to stare at Mike. After a while, he finally promised that he will not let Edith know of the matter about her mother.

    Perhaps, someday, Edith will still know about what had happened to her mother, but as for now, Neil had decided to keep the matter a secret for Mike.

    Maybe once that person was caught behind bars and can no longer escape his punishment, then, Neil will tell Edith about her mother.

    Neil watched as Mike stood up from the sofa and recalled an important matter. "Grandpa, wait. You didn''t bring along a change of clothes when you come. I''ll get you a clean shirt for you."

    Mike halted when he heard his words. It was then that he realized that though he was planning to stay in L City for a few days, he did not have a plan as to where he was going to stay.

    Early that morning, Mike was hanging around Old Chen''s noodle stall when he ran into both Lucas and Sophie. When he heard that Hazel was unwell, Mike decided to come over with the couple to visit the little girl.

    He didn''t even bother about his clothes or other stuff.

    Initially, he was planning to leave early, went shopping for a few changes of clothes, and then head over to the nearest hotel to sleep. He didn''t expect that his discussion with Neil to last for a long time.

    Seeing that it was late, Mike could only agree to borrow a few clothes from Neil and crash over somewhere to sleep. At least his granddaughter would not worry if he stayed.

    When he thought of the sleeping arrangement for that day, Mike was instantly unhappy. His granddaughter was actually tricked into living together with this man¡­

    "That''s right. You have been living together with my granddaughter for a while. The proposal has been made and my granddaughter had already agreed. When do you plan to get married?"

    Although he had met Neil''s parents and had seen how Neil and Edith had a good relationship, he was still worried that Neil was going to change his mind. Mike had seen the look on Edith''s face and knew how much she had liked this man.

    If Neil suddenly changed his mind about marrying, wouldn''t Edith will have to suffer?

    Neil cleared his throat. "I will let Edith decide about this thing. Grandpa, if it''s going to make you feel relieved, we can always go and get our certificate first."

    "No." Mike frowned. "Since you''re planning to marry my granddaughter, then you should do it properly. Just discuss with your parents and pick up an auspicious date first."

    Edith was his only granddaughter and he wanted the best for her.

    The corner of Neil''s lips tilted into a smile.

    The old man can be a little adorable at times. Seeing Mike''s overprotectiveness and love towards Edith made him wonder if he would act the same way if one day, Hazel would bring over a boy and introduced him as her boyfriend.

    Then¡­ what will happen if he had a daughter later?

    As the thought appeared in his mind, Neil began to feel a sense of panic.

    He quickly got rid of such thoughts from his mind and led Mike to the unit where his parents were staying. It didn''t take him too long to find a few suitable clothes for Mike. Because his father often stayed over in L City, there were a few of his clothes that would suit Mike as well. Fortunately, their body build was around the same.

    Once Neil had settled with Mike''s sleeping arrangement, he went back to his unit and found that Edith was already waiting for him anxiously.

    "What did you and my grandfather talk about?" Edith asked the moment she jumped off the bed.

    "Grandpa wanted to know about Hazel," Neil said. "He seemed to worry about Hazel very much."

    "Hmm¡­ Grandpa once said that seeing Hazel would remind him of me of that time when I just lost my mother."

    His expression softened as Neil heard Edith mentioned her mother. He put his hand on the back of her head and pulled Edith closer to his embrace. His expression then changed when he recalled the conversation he had with Mike earlier.

    Edith would always have that gentle expression on her face when she mentioned her mother.

    "You talked about Hazel for hours?" Edith asked as she scrambled out of his embrace.

    A helpless smile appeared on his face, knowing that he couldn''t trick her and change the subject.

    "Grandpa heard that I am investigating Attorney General Leng and he offered to help."

    "Sorry. I didn''t ask your opinion when I decided to tell my grandfather a few things about your matter," Edith said. "But Grandpa seemed very worried about Hazel and I slipped out a few things."

    "It''s fine." Neil stretched his hand to ruffle her hair. "Grandpa said he had a few friends and connections. He offered to help me to find some evidence against the General Attorney. With Grandpa''s help, things will be much easier for us."

    "Really?"

    Neil replied with a soft hum. "It was as you said. Grandpa was worried about Hazel. When he heard of what happened, he wanted to help."

    Edith nodded, finding that his explanation was believable. Just as she was in deep thought, the man''s arms had already snaked around her waist. Edith tilted her head up with a puzzled expression and saw Neil''s teasing smile.

    "Grandpa had asked me something else as well."

    "What ?"

    "He wanted to know when will we be getting married." The smile on his face stretched up. "Edith Qian, when do you plan to be the rightful Mrs. Mo?"

    Edith laughed. "Your mother has been asking me about this as well." She put a hand on his cheek and leaned to peck his lips.. "Didn''t you said that you and that prosecutor were going to make a move soon? Let''s talk about this again once everything ends."

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 269 - Leaving L City

    In the next few days, Mike''s daily activities were very relaxing. Unlike the way he had acted when he was raising Edith, Mike was immersed in his role as a grandfather while he was with Hazel.

    Early in the morning, he woke up and taught the little girl a few exercise moves. Then, he would accompany the girl and everyone else for breakfast. He then disappeared somewhere else while Hazel and Edith went to the kindergarten, and went back to the apartment just before the two girls would return.

    In the evening, Mike would teach Hazel a few self-defense moves, and he was satisfied to see that the girl was able to pick up the move quickly.

    Because Hazel was still small and didn''t have too much strength with her, Mike had taught her moves that will allow her to escape when she encountered danger.

    It was the same move that he had taught his granddaughter when Edith was still a little girl. Mike had considered Hazel''s small build and improvised those moves to suit Hazel.

    Of course, Hazel was very happy to learn some new moves from Mike. She could still remember the scene where her Auntie Edith had rescued her from that kidnapper and the thought that she could someday make the same moves excited her.

    Seeing the way the old and the young''s close relationship, both Lucas and Sophie were a little jealous.

    However, they realized that it would be beneficial for Hazel to learn how to protect herself, the grandparents were happy. Moreover, even though Hazel still has not spoken a word, the glint in her eyes showed that she was happy.

    As long as the little girl can be happy, as Hazel''s grandparents, both Lucas and Sophie would be glad.

    Just as Hazel thought that Great-Grandpa Mike was going to stay with her for a long time, Mike announced that he planned to head back to Z Town.

    Hazel looked at the elderly man beside her and blinked. The expression on her face showed that she was not very happy with the news. Hazel was beginning to enjoy the liveliness, having everyone around her, but now, her great-grandpa was leaving.

    "Old Qian, why don''t you stay around a while longer?" Lucas spoke. "Hazel seemed to like you very much.

    "Grandpa, why don''t you stay around for a few more days?" Edith suggested. She noticed Hazel''s pitiful look and knew that the little girl liked being around her grandfather.

    Hazel looked at Mike again and this time, hope gleamed in her eyes.

    Noticing the way the little princess was staring at him, Mike can only choose to look away. "I can''t. I still have a few matters to look after in Z Town."

    "What matter?" Edith asked. "Grandpa, don''t tell me that you''re going fishing again."

    Mike coughed dryly. "Of course not. It''s just that¡­ you know that I cannot stay away from my home for a long time. That house in Z Town might be small, but I like it there."

    Edith thought of how her grandfather would be bored while she and Hazel had to leave for the kindergarten and could understand why he wanted to go back.

    At least, while he was in Z Town, her grandfather would be surrounded by his friends.

    "When do you plan to leave?"

    Mike lowered his gaze to the bowl of porridge in front of him. "After breakfast."

    Both Hazel and Edith looked at him in shock, but Mike pretended that he knew nothing.

    "That early?"

    Mike replied with a soft hum. "I had an appointment with a few friends from the station in the evening."

    Hearing that, Edith did not make further comment.

    Neil had told her that her grandfather was planning to help him with his investigation. Since her grandfather mentioned his friends from the station, Edith could guess that her grandfather was planning to ask his friends for their help.

    Edith let out a sigh in resignation. "Alright. Grandpa, don''t forget to call me once you arrived. Don''t be like the last time."

    Mike touched the tip of his nose as he recalled that he had lied to his granddaughter the last time.

    His friend, James Li had lied that he was in one of the guest rooms, while in fact, Mike was still away with a few others.

    Mike looked up to look at his granddaughter and noticed the look on Neil''s face. Mike thought that it was both amusing and frustrating. This young man had dared to threaten him that he was going to disclose his secret if he had failed to get back to Edith.

    "I know." Mike finally nodded. "This time, I won''t forget."

    After breakfast, Mike packed his bag and left the apartment the same time that Edith and Hazel went to the kindergarten.

    Neil had offered to call a driver to drive him over to Z Town, but Mike had rejected his offer as he still needed to visit the station to visit a few of his friends.

    Once Mike left the place, he took a taxi and headed over to A City where his hiding base was located. He met a few of his guys and exchanged a few information.

    The men who were teaming up with Mike were a few police retirees who had worked on the serial murder case a few years ago. Then, there were two fathers who had lost their daughters in this tragedy joining their investigating team.

    These past few days, while Edith and Hazel had gone to kindergarten, Mike would often meet these guys to discuss their next move. When Mike mentioned Neil''s finding that the General Attorney was involved in bribery and other cases, the others were furious.

    They were more determined to put that man behind bars.

    After exchanging a few words with those guys, Mike finally headed to the terminal to catch a bus back to Z Town.

    Mike was queuing to buy his ticket when he noticed a familiar vehicle from afar.

    He left the queue and monitored the vehicle from a distance for a long time. Finally, a man in a clean shirt and pants walked over to the vehicle.

    His eyes squinted and Mike quickly identified that man as General Attorney Leng''s ex-assistant.

    Mike had heard that this former assistant argued with the General Attorney before he decided to retire early and left the country. But, why did he suddenly return? When did the two start meeting again?

    As the assistant walked closer, the black tinted window rolled down, revealing the face of General Attorney Leng.

    The two men exchanged a few words before the former assistant walked around the vehicle and entered the passenger''s seat.

    A frown appeared on his face as Mike was in deep thought.. Finally, he hailed a taxi and left the terminal.

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 270 - The Call

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    As the school session ended, Edith stood at the entrance to send the little children to the door as their parents came to pick them up. In a short time, there were only a small number of children left in her classroom.

    At this time, Hazel sat close to her desk, busying herself with her papers and crayon. One glance at the drawing lets Edith knew what was in Hazel''s mind. A helpless sigh escaped her as she sat beside Hazel and caressed her hair.

    "You missed Great-Grandpa?" Edith asked. She looked at the drawing where two people were practicing martial arts and smiled.

    The little girl lifted her head to look at Edith and nodded weakly. Her eyes were looking pitifully at Edith.

    Edith let out a chuckle. In the last few days, everyone could see how much Hazel liked being around her grandfather. Her grandfather, who always had a fierce look on his face as he faced a criminal would suddenly turn into a marshmallow. Edith did not think that her grandfather would be that soft and sweet whenever he was with Hazel.

    Every time they came back from kindergarten, her grandfather would be downstairs to wait for Hazel. Then, the two would spend their time together.

    At the thought that her Great-Grandpa would no longer wait for her as she returned home, Hazel felt a little sad.

    "When Great-Grandpa have time, he will come again to play with you, alright?" Edith tried to coax. "Or else, let''s ask your uncle to bring us back to Z Town. Maybe Great-Grandpa will take you to his fishing trip again."

    Hazel looked at Edith for a long time before she finally nodded. As she thought about going on another fishing trip, the corner of her lips tilted up slightly.

    Edith let out a breath of relief upon seeing the smile on her face. "Grandpa Tang is already waiting for you outside. Do you want to continue and accompany me here, or do you want to go back to your grandparents?"

    The little girl thought about her grandparents who were still waiting for her at home, then started to pack up her crayons. Hazel had understood that her grandparents had come over to L City to visit her. If she stayed around and let her grandparents continue waiting for her, wouldn''t they feel sad?

    Once Hazel had packed up her belongings, she then followed Edith to the entrance where the driver, Grandpa Tang was waiting for her. Edith escorted Hazel to the vehicle and personally watch as the car left the area.

    Only then that she headed back into her class and wait for the other parents to pick up their kids. It was only until every kid in her classroom had safely left the kindergarten, will she be allowed to leave.

    After Hazel left, there were only three children left, waiting for their parents. The two girls were playing with their dolls, while the boy sat at the corner with a book in his hand.

    Seeing that everyone was sitting around obediently, Edith took out her phone to check on her messages.

    The corner of her lips tilted up when she saw a message from Neil.

    Since her Grandfather had already left for Z Town, Neil was inviting her to come over to his office and wait for him before they go home together. The man mentioned a trip to a cafe for a date before they head home to lure her over. Because his parents were around, the two of them did not have to worry about Hazel.

    It was a rare chance for them to go on a date. Of course, Edith will have to agree. She replied to his text and couldn''t stop smiling as she thought of their date.

    Her eyes darted towards the clock and Edith began to notice that someone had not kept his words.

    By this time, her grandfather should have arrived in Z Town. He had promised her that he will be giving her a call, or a text message when he arrived in town, but looking at her phone, Edith did not see any missed call or a message from him.

    Her expression turned sour at the thought that her grandfather had broken his promise again.

    Worried that her grandfather had encountered something on his way to Z Town, Edith dialed his number to check on him. After waiting for a few seconds, Edith was unable to hear the voice she was hoping to hear.

    Her grandfather did not pick up his phone and the phone call was soon directed to the operator, asking her to leave her messages.

    A frown appeared on her face and an uneasy feeling rose in her heart. Taking a deep breath and forcing herself to calm down, Edith then tried to redial her grandfather''s number.

    Edith heaved a breath of relief when someone finally picked up the phone. "Grandpa, where are you? Did you encounter something on your way to Z City?"

    There was a brief silence before the person spoke on the other line. "Hello, are you a relative of the owner of this phone?"

    Edith halted when she heard an unfamiliar voice, answering her grandfather''s phone. "Yes. He''s my grandfather. Where is he? Can you let me talk to him?"

    "I''m sorry Miss, but your grandfather won''t be able to answer the phone at this moment."

    "Why?"

    "Your grandfather¡­ the taxi that he was in had a little accident," the man said and explained briefly about the accident. "At this time, we are waiting for an ambulance to take him to the hospital."

    Edith felt her body trembled and her face paled. Just then, she could hear the sound of an ambulance approaching on the scene. "My grandfather... H-how is he?"

    "At this time, he is still unconscious."

    Edith bit at her lips to control her emotion.

    "But don''t worry," the man spoke again. "A passerby helped and after giving your grandfather a first-aid, he assured that your grandfather''s situation is not life-threatening."

    Edith let out a breath of relief, but she was still unable to calm down until she had seen her grandfather right in front of her.

    "Miss, the ambulance will be taking your grandfather to L City''s hospital." The man spoke again. "I suggest for you to head over to the hospital and wait for your grandfather there."

    Edith nodded. After she exchanged a few information with that man, Edith went to look for her colleague to tell them about her situation.. Once she had someone to look after her class, Edith dashed out of the kindergarten and dialed Neil''s number to update him of the situation.

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 271 - A Thick Envelope

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Because the kindergarten was closer to the hospital, Edith arrived at the hospital before the ambulance arrived. As soon as she arrived, her eyes darted around the hospital, unfocused. Her hands turned cold and her mind started to run wild.

    It was not long ago that her grandfather had an accident and had to be hospitalized. Now that he had gotten hurt again, Edith was worried. He was old and supposed to be staying home enjoying life in peace, but her grandfather was the kind of person who could never sit still.

    If only she knew that this will happen, Edith would have forced her grandfather to stay longer with her. If only she persisted, then, her grandfather won''t be in this accident.

    As she paced back and forth, the automatic glass door glided open and the paramedics pushed the stretcher in.

    Edith went over and was surprised to see that her grandfather on the stretcher. His face and body were full of blood. The scene was terrifying, and Edith felt her steps staggered backward until her body hit the wall behind her.

    A nurse''s voice, asking her to step aside snapped her of her trance. Edith turned around and saw another stretcher was pushed into the building, but that person''s injury does not look as bad as her grandfather''s.

    Edith walked over, wanting to enter the emergency room to find her grandfather, but she was stopped by a nurse.

    "Miss, you cannot go in there," the nurse advised as she blocked Edith''s way to the room.

    Edith looked past the nurse and stood on tiptoe to peek at the door. "My grandfather."

    "Miss, is your family in there?" The nurse seemed to hear Edith''s words.

    Edith nodded. She struggled to go past the nurse and in just seconds, Edith was able to dodge and walked past the nurse. "I wanted to see my grandfather."

    The nurse blinked at the sudden situation. She turned around quickly and grabbed Edith''s hand to stop her. "No. You have to wait outside. The doctors are doing their best to help the patient. Miss, how about you tell me your grandfather''s name. I will go and check for you."

    At this time, the door to the emergency room slid open and a doctor in a white lab coat stepped out. "What''s going on?" The doctor spoke.

    "Doctor Chen," the nurse heaved a breath of relief.

    The doctor nodded at the nurse once and saw the way the nurse was struggling to stop Edith from entering the room. A look of surprise flashed on his face when he saw Edith''s face. "You''re¡­ Neil Mo''s fiancee."

    Hearing her lover''s name, Edith stopped her struggling and looked up at the man in the lab coat. It was then that she realized that she had seen this man before during that full moon banquet. He was the father of that newborn baby girl.

    "My name is Ryan Chen. Everyone here calls me Doctor Chen," Ryan spoke in a calm tone. He turned to the nurse and signaled that he will take over the situation. "We''ve met before at my daughter''s full moon''s banquet.

    Edith noticed that he had walked out of the emergency room and gripped his arms tightly. "My grandpa is inside. I need to look for him. I need to know how is he."

    Ryan paused to think and recalled the two patient who was pushed inside. One of them was old and another was young. It was not hard to guess which one of those men was Edith''s grandfather.

    "Is your grandfather that accident victim?"

    Edith nodded.

    "Miss, you can be at ease. I look at his situation just now. He might be losing some blood, but his situation isn''t that bad. At least, he was fully conscious when I see him earlier," Ryan said. "The doctor and nurses are dressing his wound. Once they are done, your grandfather will be pushed out to a normal ward."

    Edith''s grip against Ryan''s arms tightened. "My grandfather is really alright?"

    "Yes." Ryan nodded. "He needs to stay a few days in the hospital for a few days for observation. If everything is fine, then he will be discharged."

    Edith heaved a sigh. Her legs suddenly felt like jelly and she was unable to stand well. Fortunately, the doctor took her over to the nearest bench and helped her to sit down and wait with her until she had calm down.

    After speaking a few words with Edith, Ryan stood up to get her some water, while texting Neil about Edith''s condition.

    At this time, a man in a black shirt and faded jeans walked into the area and started to look around. His gaze finally stopped at Edith and he hesitated a few seconds before he finally walked over.

    "Miss Qian?"

    Edith looked up when she heard her name and met the stranger''s gaze. "You are?"

    "I''m William Yao. We talked briefly on the phone just now."

    There was a slight fluctuation in Edith''s eyes when she heard his name. "Mr. Yao, hello."

    The man flashed her a smile. He saw the tear stain at the corner of Edith''s face and hesitated. "Miss Qian, don''t worry. Your grandfather will be alright. I was among the first who arrived at the scene. Your grandfather was driving the taxi a little too fast and lost his control."

    A frown appeared on her face as Edith heard his words.

    Her grandfather was driving a taxi?

    "We took helped him out of the car and called the ambulance. Your grandfather was given a first-aid and the paramedics had assured that your grandfather will be alright."

    Edith felt her nose sour and cheek wet with her tears. "Thank you, Mr. Yao. Thank you for your help."

    The man stretched his hand to pat at Edith''s shoulder but stopped himself. He lifted the black knapsack in his hand and spoke again, "Miss Qian, I believe that this bag belongs to your grandfather. We looked around and did not see any other valuables other than this bag. Your grandfather''s wallet was in the bag. You can check if anything is missing."

    Edith unzipped the bag and saw that there was a thick A4-sized envelope inside the bag. Other than that, her grandfather''s wallet was inside the bag. Edith found what she was looking for and thanked that man. After exchanging a few words, the man finally stood up and left.

    Once she was left alone, Edith turned her head towards the emergency room again. Her heart trembled as she prayed for her grandfather to be alright.

    Her grip on the bag tightened.

    It was at this time that she recalled the thick envelope that she had seen earlier. Thinking that she should check for her grandfather''s belongings, Edith took out the envelope to look at its contents.

    Her expression changed when she saw General Attorney Leng''s information on the paper.. As she continued to read the details on those papers, her face turned pale.

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 272 - I Dont Want To Talk To Him

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Neil Mo was in a meeting with a few of his partners when he got the call from Edith, informing him that her grandfather had an accident and will be taken to the hospital.

    After wrapping up the meeting hastily and delegated a few tasks to his assistant, Neil left the office and went straight to the hospital to look for Edith.

    Because of the timing, the traffic slowed to a crawl. As he was stuck in the traffic, Neil received a call from Ryan Chen who then informed him of Edith''s condition. With no other choice, Neil could only ask Ryan to look after Edith while he drove over to the hospital as quickly as he can.

    As soon as he arrived, Neil found Ryan waiting for him outside and the man walked him into the building towards the Emergency Room.

    When Neil arrived outside the room, Edith was not around, but Mike was finally pushed out of the Emergency Room towards a wardroom. The old man received a few stitches on his body and a thorough check-up on his body.

    Neil walked over towards Mike and heave a breath of relief when he saw that the old man was conscious. "Grandpa." He scanned the man''s condition with his eyes and asked, "How are you feeling?"

    "I''m fine." Mike tried to lift his hand and groaned, feeling his body aching all over.

    "What happened?"

    "I will tell you later." He motioned with his eyes, telling Neil to continue their conversation once they were alone.

    Neil turned to Ryan and the latter went away to help Neil and Mike to deal with the hospitalization process.

    The nurse pushed Mike into the ward and explained to him a few things before she left the ward.

    As soon as the nurse closed the door behind her, Neil walked closer to Mike and asked, "Grandpa, what''s going on? How did you get into an accident? I thought you were on your way to Z Town?"

    Neil had got the reports of Mike''s accident from Assistant Shawn earlier and knew that the accident happened a few kilometers away from the airport. It was in the opposite direction from Z Town.

    "I saw him."

    Neil did not have to think too hard to figure out who was Mike referring to.

    "I was at the terminal when I saw that person''s vehicle. Then, his former assistant, Nick Xiang walked over and entered his car. Neil, his former assistant has been laying low for years. Nick Xiang has been working as General Assistant for years and was the person who understood that person well. If we wanted to find evidence to put that person behind bars, we could find those evidence through Nick Xiang."

    Neil listened to Mike''s opinion and plan in silence and sighed. He could understand Mike''s eagerness to find anything that will help them to bring down the General Attorney, but he hoped that Mike would be able to look after himself.

    "How did you get into an accident? Did that person noticed your presence?"

    "No. I''m sure that that person has not noticed my presence. As for the accident¡­ it only happened when I tried to evade some debris on the road. Then, I lost control of that vehicle and crashed. It is my fault."

    As if remembering something, Mike looked up again. "Right, what happened to that taxi driver?" Guilt flashed on his face. "I offered him some money in exchange for letting me drive his taxi. I didn''t think that we''ll get into an accident."

    "Don''t worry. I talked to a friend and was informed that his injury was not serious as yours. He had a few bruises on his body, but that''s it. Don''t worry. I will look over for that taxi driver and settled things with him."

    Hearing his words, Mike lowered his head in embarrassment.

    He was the one who had acted carelessly, but it was Neil who had to look over for him.

    As if recalling something, Mike looked up at Neil anxiously. "Right. What about Edith? Did you tell her about this accident? Don''t mention this accident to her. I don''t want her to worry."

    Neil heaved a sigh and looked at Mike with pity. "It''s too late. Edith already knew about your situation."

    A look of displeased cross the old man''s face. "Why do you have to tell her?"

    "It wasn''t me." Neil looked at Mike with a helpless gaze. "It was Edith who called to tell me about your accident. She was worried when you did not tell her where you are and called your number. A person who was at the scene answered your phone and told her about the accident."

    Mike began to panic as he imagined himself being scolded by his granddaughter. Edith can be quite scary when she got mad and Mike was a little afraid of her.

    "Then, where is she now?" Mike asked. "Quickly call her in and tell her that I''m alright. Or else, who knows what will that child do when she couldn''t see her grandpa."

    The image of a young Edith appeared so lost and confused appeared in his mind and Mike felt his heart aching. It was the look that he wished to never see again on Edith''s face.

    "I haven''t seen her since I came," Neil said. "Wait, let me check with her." He took out his phone from his pocket and pressed the number on his speed dial.

    As soon as the phone was connected, Neil heaved a sigh in relief. "Edith, where are you? I''ve arrived at the hospital and met your Grandfather."

    There was a brief silence on the other line before Edith spoke. "My Grandpa¡­ how is he?"

    "Your grandpa is awake and he wanted to see you," Neil said. "Where are you? You''re at the hospital, right? Let me come over and get you. Grandpa is really fine. Do you want to talk to him?"

    "No," Edith answered quickly. "I don''t want to talk to him at this time."

    Neil paused when he realized that there was something wrong with Edith''s tone of voice. He glanced at Mike and walked out of his room. "What''s wrong? Why don''t you want to talk to your Grandpa?"

    Edith was very close to her grandfather after her mother passed away. She would always worry about her grandfather and logically, she should be at the hospital, scolding her grandfather for getting hurt again.

    There was another silence on Edith''s part.

    "Baby?" Neil grew uncomfortable at the silence.

    "Neil, sorry." Her tone was soft and a little distant. "But I won''t be returning home for a few days. There is something that I have to look after. Neil, please look after my grandfather for a few days."

    "What do you mean? Baby, what''s going on?" Neil grew anxious upon hearing her words. But just as he was about to ask her more, Neil found that the phone call was disconnected.

    Thinking that there was something wrong with the reception, Neil tried to dial her number again.. However, this time, his call went straight to voice mail.

    Read novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 273 - What Was In That Envelope?

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Neil stood in the corridor as he stared at his phone for a long time. It seemed that no matter how many times he tried to call her number, that person will not answer his call. It seemed that at this moment, Edith had turned off her phone.

    His heart grew anxious and Neil could not figure out what was happening. Edith was not talking to him and she could not understand what was going on.

    It wasn''t until Ryan Chen appeared by his side that he finally snapped out of his thoughts.

    "What''s the matter?"Ryan slapped at his shoulder. "Why are you standing here with a dazed expression."

    Neil turned around quickly and held on to Ryan''s arms tightly. "You said you''ve seen Edith waiting outside the Emergency Room, right?"

    Ryan nodded. "Yes. What''s wrong?"

    "Do you know where she goes to?" Neil asked anxiously. "I couldn''t find her."

    "The last time I saw her, she was still waiting for her grandfather outside the Emergency Room," Ryan said. "I left to give you a call and wait for you at the entrance." A frown appeared on his face as he realized that he had not seen Edith when he brought Neil over to the Emergency Room. "Maybe she just goes around to find something."

    Neil swallowed. He did not think that that was the case.

    The way Edith had spoken to him does not imply that she was still around the hospital. Edith''s tone of voice just then¡­ she sounded so lost and confused.

    Neil turned around and entered the ward, startling Mike.

    "What''s wrong?" Mike asked. He looked and Neil and frowned when he did not see his granddaughter with him. "Where''s Edith?"

    Neil hesitated before he spoke to him. "I talked to her. Edith said she did not want to see her at this moment."

    Mike''s expression changed. "Why? Don''t tell me that she''s angry at me? I did not choose to get into an accident."

    "No. That''s not it." Neil touched at his chin. "She said she has something to look after and that she won''t be returning home for a few days."

    Mike turned to look at Neil in surprise. "What? Did you quarrel with my granddaughter?"

    "Of course not." He was in his office and Edith was waiting for her Grandfather to come out of the Emergency Room.

    He had a premonition and did not know how to explain it. Turning around, Neil then saw that Ryan was right behind him. "I need your help," Neil spoke to Ryan. "Can you help me to check the CCTV? I just need to see where my fiancee has disappeared to. I couldn''t find her or reach her phone."

    Ryan thought about it for a while and nodded. "Come with me."

    Hearing that Neil had mentioned checking the CCTV, a bad feeling arose from his heart. "What''s wrong? Why do you need to look at the CCTV?" His face grew dark. "What happened to my granddaughter?"

    "Grandpa, you wait here for a while. I will go and find Edith."

    "I will come with you."

    "No, Grandpa, you are still unwell. Just wait here and let me figure out what was going on."

    Mike tried to move out of his bed and found that his body was aching all over. His body was weak as he had lost some blood in that accident. He had no other choice but to stay obediently on the bed and watched as Neil left the room.

    Meanwhile, Neil followed Ryan towards the security department. After exchanging a few words with the higher-ups, the two men entered the security room where there were a lot of monitors displaying what was going on with everything around them.

    Ryan spoke to the head of the security and sat in front of the monitor. Soon, the monitor started to show what was going on around the Emergency Room from the moment Edith stepped into the building.

    His expression grew somber when he saw the anxious look on Edith''s face as she sat outside the Emergency Room. Regret filled his heart and Neil could only wish that he had come over sooner to accompany Edith. Then perhaps, she wouldn''t sound so lost as she did on the phone.

    The image on the monitor continued to display what was going on and suddenly, Neil noticed a man walking over to Edith. The frown on his face deepened and he could not figure out who that man was. He could not hear what the two were discussing about, but soon, Neil watched as the man stood up and leave.

    So, it was not because of that man that Edith had suddenly left?

    He continued to watch the video and saw that Edith had pulled out a thick envelope from the knapsack.

    His eyes narrowed, recognizing that the knapsack belonged to Mike. He had seen Mike carrying that bag just before he left the apartment early in the morning.

    Neil watched as Edith read the documents in the envelope for a long time and suddenly thought that there was something wrong with it. The video continued to play, but Edith continued to read the documents carefully.

    A while later, Edith placed the documents back in the bag.

    Neil continued to watch Edith and thought that her expression was a little too calm. Her behavior was very different than the last time her Grandpa was admitted into the hospital.

    Just¡­ what was in that envelope?

    After sitting around and rearranging her thoughts, Edith finally stood up. He walked over to the nurse''s station and handed over a wallet. Then, turning around, Edith walked out of the building with the black knapsack sling in one shoulder.

    Neil stood quietly as he watched Edith left the building. After a while, he turned around and went over to Mike''s wardroom again.

    "Did you find my granddaughter?" Mike asked as soon as Neil walked into the room.

    He was supposed to be resting after what has been going on, but Mike was too worried about his granddaughter.

    As he sat alone in the room, Mike began to rethink Neil''s words again and found that something does not seem right. His granddaughter would not leave until he saw that he was well.

    "Grandpa." Neil walked over to him anxiously. "What was in that envelope?"

    "What envelope?"

    "Someone handed over your knapsack to her and Edith found a stack of paper in it. What was that document? Why did her expression doesn''t seem right after looking at the documents?"

    Mike''s expression changed when he heard Neil mentioning the envelope in his bag.

    "Grandpa?"

    "That document." Mike swallowed anxiously. He remembered going to A City and met a few of his men. They had some new information on the case they were working on and handed him over the envelope.

    "It contained some investigation report that I have received from my colleagues," Mike continued.. "If Edith saw those documents, then by now, he should know about her mother."

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 274 - Edith Has Gone Missing

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Mike Qian grew restless, knowing that his granddaughter now knew of what has her mother had to go through before she died. It was a secret that he wanted to protect until he dies. But he made a mistake somewhere and now, Edith knew his secret.

    As Neil continued to describe what he had seen through the footage, Mike felt his throat dried and his body grew cold. He turned to Neil and stared at him with worry. "Neil, you have to find Edith."

    Neil nodded. "Grandpa, you don''t have to worry. I will find her."

    His hands stretched up to hold Neil''s. "You don''t understand. There are reasons why I chose not to tell Edith about her mother. I told you that the news would break her, but what I''m most afraid of is that Edith is going to act recklessly."

    Neil frowned. "I''m sure that Edith isn''t someone who would act hastily."

    They have been in a relationship for a while and Neil really could not see his girlfriend as someone who would act impulsively. Edith was usually clear-headed as compared to him.

    "I''m just afraid that she can''t go through this news and would do something foolish. Or else, why else would Edith leave without seeing me first?"

    His granddaughter would worry when he got injured and would not able to react well until she saw that he was alright. Now that she had suddenly leave without seeing him, Mike could not shake off the bad feeling arising in his heart.

    Her mother was such an important person to her that Edith would start a fight whenever someone had said a few bad words about her mother. Now that she had found out that her mother was violated and tortured before she died, wouldn''t his granddaughter go berserk again?

    "I told you that Edith was once a gangster when she was in her teenage years. She might have changed now, but I know that once she was upset, Edith was going to be that reckless girl again." Mike looked at Neil and tears streamed down his face. "Neil, help me find that girl before she does something stupid, alright?"

    Neil thought that Mike was probably a little paranoid, but after a while, he agreed to the old man''s request and left the room.

    The first thing that he had done was to check with both Lily and Aaron if they had seen or heard anything from Edith. However, no one was seen to know where did Edith had disappeared to. After she had talked to Neil, Edith seemed to have shut down her phone and cut off contact with everyone.

    He called home and his heart sank upon hearing that Edith had not returned home. Neil then went around the city, going to the place where Edith would frequent to. However, he still could not find her.

    As the sky turned dark, Neil returned to the apartment in hope that he was going to see Edith, waiting for him at home, greeting him with a smile. However, as he swung the door open, Hazel appeared and gave him a questioning look when she could not see the person she was looking for.

    Her eyes widened and Hazel blinked at her uncle as if asking him where did her Auntie Edith go to. Suddenly, Neil did not know how to answer her. He stepped in and ruffled with Hazel''s hair before he walked into his bedroom.

    His steps halted and a disappointed sigh escaped him when he could not find Edith inside.

    "What''s wrong?"

    His mother''s voice snapped him out of his thought.

    "Edith did not come back with you?" Sophie asked.

    Neil flashed her mother a weak smile. "Her grandfather had a little accident. Edith won''t be coming home for a few days."

    Sophie was shocked upon hearing that Mike had gotten into another accident. She calmed down sooner and told his son to look after both Edith and Mike. With his thoughts dwelt on Edith, Neil then excused himself and walked into his study. He took out his phone and dialed Henry''s number.

    The call connected after a few seconds. "Henry, I need you to look for Edith."

    ¡­

    His eyes were bloodshot and there were black rings under his eyes.

    Neil did not want his parents or Hazel to find out that Edith has gone missing and therefore, chose to head over to his office as he waited for news about Edith. Neil could only hope that he will be able to find that girl before his parents or Hazel knew what was going on.

    The sun has risen a few hours ago, but at this time, there was still no news about Edith. Last night, he did not sleep a wink as he was worried that something might happen to Edith.

    As time passed, Neil grew anxious. He could not imagine what was in Edith''s mind at this time. She had suddenly found out the truth about her mother and Neil was sure that Edith would be devastated. He only wished that he could be by her side to console her, but instead of sharing what was on her mind with him, Edith chose to stay away alone.

    It would be a lie to say that he was not angry that she had decided to suddenly disappear. But at this time, Neil he was more worried about her safety and her well-being more than anything.

    Neil could not stop staring at his phone as if hoping that the phone was going to ring anytime soon and he would hear Edith''s voice again.

    There was a knock on the door and a while later, Assistant Shawn walked in, carrying a mug of coffee.

    A few of the secretaries had seen Neil and were aware that their boss was in a very bad mood. The secretaries grew afraid and had asked Assistant Shawn to face their boss in their stead.

    Assistant Shawn watched his boss and sighed, knowing that there was nothing he could do to help his boss be more at ease.

    At this time, the phone on his desk rang and Neil sat up straight and reached for it. A hint of disappointment flashed in his eyes when he saw that it was not Edith. A frown slowly appeared on his face when he saw that it was Mike.

    "Grandpa," Neil spoke as the line was connected. His voice was hoarse.

    "Neil, I know where she is," Mike said. "Old Bei called me just now and he said that Edith had come over to see him."

    Relief washed over him when he heard the news.

    Last night, Neil had asked a few people to keep their eyes on Mike''s house in Z Town, but none of them had seen Edith. He did not think that Edith would be going to see George Bei.

    Neil stood up immediately. "Grandpa, don''t worry. I''m heading over to Z Town immediately."

    ¡­

    In a part of Z Town¡­

    The person that everyone was worried about was seen walking slowly around the cemetery and finally stopped when she arrived in front of the tomb she was looking for. Her eyes stared straight at the faded photo. No one knew what was on her mind at this time.

    After standing silently for a few minutes, her legs weakened and Edith fell on both knees with a thud.. Tears streamed down her face and an aggrieved crying voice echoed.

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 275 - Finding Out The Truth

    Edith did not know how she should feel the first time she laid her eyes on the documents she found in her grandfather''s knapsack. For a moment, there was a loud buzz in her head and time had stopped for her.

    She was unable to process and react against the information she read.

    Various thoughts came to her mind all at once and she was unable to think straight.

    She sat down alone and finally snapped out of her thoughts.

    The first thing that she needed to do was to verify whether the information was the truth. However, Edith also knew that she could not stay and clarify those matters with her grandfather.

    Her grandfather can be slick at times, and Edith was sure that the old man would find a way to divert her attention away. Her grandfather would definitely find a way to avoid answering her question, and in the end, she will never hear a clear answer from him.

    He had lied once and will lie to her again.

    It was at this time that Edith decided to take the night bus and head over to Z Town. She was planning to find her grandfather''s best friend, and partner, George Bei, and get the answer from him.

    During the trip to Z Town, Edith was unable to stop rereading the documents in her hand for a long time.

    As soon as she arrived in town, Edith went straight to George Bei''s place. Her hand hovered to push the bell. She had come to get her answer, but now that she had appeared in front of Grandpa George''s place, Edith grew afraid and she did not have the courage to find out the truth.

    Her heart was in turmoil and she could not make up her mind whether she wanted to meet Grandpa George or to leave just like that and pretended that she had known nothing.

    In the end, Edith stayed outside the door, hesitating until the sun peeked at the eastern sky.

    George Bei was on his way to go out water his plants when he saw Edith outside his door. Seeing that the girl was cold, he immediately brought her inside. He was about to call Mike and asked about the situation when Edith had stopped him.

    The older man did not expect that the first time Edith opened her mouth, it was to ask him what had happened to her mother.

    For a moment, George did not know how to respond.

    It was then that Edith had suddenly walked over to a room that he had forgotten to close properly. He was not expecting a guest and was a little careless.

    George ran over to stop her, but the girl moved swiftly to avoid him and finally entered the room.

    Back then, he was among those who had taught Edith to fight, and now, the girl had used his move against him.

    When George saw the girl stood in front of the big board in front of her, George knew that everything was over and he could no longer keep anything a secret from Edith.

    Against Edith''s interrogation, George decided to tell the girl everything, including their ''fishing trip''.

    He was always against Mike''s decision to keep the truth from Edith. He always reminded his friend that keeping the truth would only get him into trouble. Now that Edith had come to find out the truth herself, George decided not to hide anything.

    Rachel is her mother and Edith had grown up to know the truth.

    Edith stood in the room alone as her eyes scanned the board in front of her. It was at this time that she had seen how long her grandfather has been working to investigate her mother''s death.

    From Grandpa George''s words, she knew that it was until recently that they figured out that the General Attorney was involved in her mother''s death.

    Edith left the house once her mind had calmed down a little bit. She took a taxi and stopped by the cemetery to visit her mother.

    The memories of her younger self with her mother appeared to his mind. Her mother was a gentle and soft-spoken woman. Though she had to raise her alone, her mother was always very patient. She was strict but had never raised her voice at her.

    To think that someone like her mother would have to die like that¡ªviolated and tortured before she died, Edith felt very sad. It was as if something stabbed at her heart and she did not know what to do with it.

    Her mother had told her that she was going away for a job when someone had tricked her into meeting the General Attorney. She was kept away for a few days before she managed to escape. It was a rainy night and she was hit by a car.

    As her mother''s daughter, Edith was devastated.

    When she thought of the General Attorney who always had a rightful reputation in front of others, Edith grew angry. Her heart was so full of hatred. Unable to suppress that feeling, all Edith could do was to cry her heart out.

    It was at this time that she understood why her grandfather had always stood alone in front of her mother''s tomb and cried his heart out.

    He was the one who was working on that case. To find that her daughter was one of the victims¡­ Edith could not imagine how would that make him feel. Her grandfather would definitely be as sad as she was.

    But she was younger and her grandfather had no other choice but to hid his feeling from her. Whenever he was in front of her, her grandfather would always have that gentle smile on his face.

    The sun has risen high, but the person who sat in front of the tomb doesn''t seem as if she was going to leave soon.

    George Bei sat behind the tree as he kept his eyes on that girl. As he kept on pacing back and forth, an SUV stopped just beside him. George looked up and a look of relief appeared on his face when he saw that Neil had shown up.

    "You''re here."

    Neil nodded. "Where is she?"

    George looked over to a side and pointed to the direction where Edith was at.

    Without wasting his time, Neil then picked up his speed and headed towards her, leaving both George and Assistant Shawn behind.

    His throat tightened when he saw the way Edith was kneeling just beside her mother''s tomb. Her back view gave him the impression that she was alone, lost, and pitiful. All he wanted to do was to walk over to hug her and assure her that everything will be alright.

    He finally stopped right behind Edith. Neil crouched down and wrapped his hands around her shoulder, pulling her into his embrace until he was sure that he could feel her warm body against his again. He burrowed his face at the crook of her neck, inhaled her familiar scent, and felt his heart gradually calm down.

    "Baby.." His voice was hoarse. "Come back with me, alright?"

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 276 - I Wont Do It Again

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Edith did not know how long has she been sitting around her mother''s tomb, or when did her tears had stopped falling. Her breathing was a little unstable. She was lost and did not know what she has to do next.

    After crying for a long time, the sadness and hatred in her heart became blurry and Edith felt numb all over. Her eyes were staring at the faded photograph of her mother with a blank expression. It was as if everything around her had stopped.

    Her body jerked when she heard a movement coming from behind her. Her first instinct was to stand up immediately and take down the person but stopped herself when she recognized his footsteps and his scent.

    A while later, Edith found herself in a warm embrace.

    "Baby." His voice was hoarse. "Come back with me, alright?"

    His voice snapped something in her mind and the tears suddenly started to fall again. Edith bit at her lips hard to control herself, but the sobs escaped her and soon, she was unable to stop herself from crying again. It was as if Edith has become a little girl again.

    Neil tightened his arms around her body. "Shh¡­ don''t cry."

    Of course, Edith would not able to stop crying after hearing his voice.

    She opened her mouth as if to say something, but she could not make any other sound that soft whimpering. Edith thought that the current her was a little useless. It was as if there was nothing she can do but cry.

    Was she made of water? Why did the tears that had stopped to fall a while ago had streamed down like a waterfall again?

    Helplessly, Neil turned her body around before he hugged her again. This time, he held her by the back of her head and pressed her face to his chest. His other hand was caressing her back, patting her, coaxing her to stop crying.

    By the time Neil noticed that her crying had stopped, he pulled away from Edith and saw that the person had fallen asleep in his embrace.

    ¡­

    Edith woke up again in familiar surroundings. It did not take her a long time to figure out that she was at Mo''s Residence in Z Town. The curtains were shut tightly and the room was dimly brightened by the floor lamp at the corner of the room.

    She shifted to wake up and felt her head throbbed from crying too much.

    "You''re awake?"

    It was at this time that Edith noticed that Neil was sitting beside her. His back leaned on the headrest and he was staring at her with a worried gaze.

    Edith stared back at him with a dazed expression and watched as Neil twisted his body to grab a glass of water.

    "You have been sleeping for the whole day. Here, have a little drink to replenish the water in your body." Then, Neil supported her with one hand and helped her to drink with another.

    A breath of relief escaped her as he watched Edith emptied the glass of water obediently.

    "Grandpa George told us that you are in Z Town. I came here as soon as I got the news," Neil said. He put down the glass on the side table and stretched a hand to touch her face. "Baby, please don''t run around anymore. You don''t know how worried I am when I couldn''t reach you."

    Her heart trembled with guilt. Edith lowered her gaze and spoke, "Sorry."

    Other than that word, she did not know what else she can say. She was aware that she had caused trouble for everyone around her when she decided to disappear suddenly. At that time, she was too shocked and confused. She just wanted to be alone and calm down. Her head was in a mess and she needed some time to rearrange her thoughts.

    Neil shifted closer and pulled her into his arms. "Please don''t do that again."

    "Sorry." Edith gripped at the front of his shirt and sniffled. "I''m sorry."

    Neil heaved a helpless sigh. He was slightly angered with the person in front of him, but when he felt her in his arms again, the anger was suddenly pressed down.

    It''s not like he could not understand why Edith had decided to run around. But instead of running around to a place that he could not see her, Neil wished that Edith would be able to share her thoughts and worry.

    When she was lost and confused, he wanted to be the place that she can rely on. If she could only turn her head around, she will be able to see him.

    "I won''t stop you if you wanted to have some alone time, but at least, tell me where you''re going to. At least, keep your phone on with you so that I can know that you''re safe."

    "I won''t do it again," Edith said. "I promise."

    She lifted her head to meet his gaze and her heart tightened when she saw the look on his face. His bloodshot eyes and black ring told her that he has not been sleeping well.

    The guilt intensified and suddenly, Edith did not dare to look at him.

    "How are you feeling? Are you calmer now?"

    Edith nodded. After a brief silence, Edith spoke with her hoarse voice, "Neil¡­ my mom, she was one of the victims."

    Her heart ached again when she thought of this one piece of information.

    "I know. Grandpa had told me."

    "There was some information in Grandpa George''s room, describing how the victims were tortured and humiliated. And my mom, she had gone through the same."

    His hand that was rubbing at her back halted. He had previously heard rumors of how those serial murder victims were tortured and could imagine their helplessness and pain that they had to go through.

    "I suddenly recalled the look on her face when she left for work for that last time. She was so happy," Edith said. "She told me that the organizer will be paying a little more than usual. Mom said that she was going to take me on a trip once she received the payment. She was so happy but then those people had destroyed her."

    "We will catch that person." Neil held her body tighter. "I promise."

    That person had continuously harmed his family. Of course, Neil will not let him go.

    "Grandpa and I will be working together to catch him," Neil continued. "We will not let him go away with any of his crimes, alright?"

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 277 - They Both Cowered

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Edith only noticed the night sky when she walked down the stairs. For a while, she was dazed. The sky was dark when she had left the hospital for Z Town. Then¡­ she had not returned home for two nights.

    "President Mo, Miss Qian," Assistant Shawn greeted them both from the dining table. He looked at Edith worriedly and heaved a sigh upon noticing his boss''s expression. At least, it was not as bad as it was a few hours ago.

    Assistant Shawn could still remember the dark clouds and the cold air around President Mo the few hours that Edith Qian went missing. It was only after his boss was carrying her in his arms that the cold air seemed to be disappearing.

    It seemed that Miss Qian had an important place in their boss''s heart.

    Edith nodded at the assistant with an embarrassed look on her face. She could guess that both Assistant Shawn had accompanied his boss to Z Town to look for her.

    After being around Neil for a while, Edith was aware that whenever Neil was not around at the company, it will be Assistant Shawn who will look after the company. But now that the two of them were in Z Town, Edith could not shake out her guilt.

    "Assistant Shawn came to drive me here," Neil said.

    Her head turned to Neil who was beside her. With his lack of sleep, of course, it was not suitable for him to drive. When she imagined Neil driving over to find her despite his condition, Edith grew worried and scared.

    She had spent most of her time with kids, but that was not the excuse for her to act like a kid and let everyone around her worry about her.

    The hand that was holding Neil tightened.

    At this time, the auntie who was staying at the resident came out of the kitchen with a bowl of hot porridge in her hand. She tilted her head and smiled upon seeing the couple. "Young Master, Miss Qian, the porridge is ready."

    Neil led Edith to the dining table and pulled the chair for her to sit. After instructing her to eat, Neil then walked over to the living area and exchanged a few words with his assistant.

    When he came back to the table, the person who was supposed to eat had not touched her porridge. A deep frown appeared on his face when he saw that his silly woman was being disobedient.

    "Why haven''t you eaten yet?"

    "I was waiting for you."

    Neil pulled a chair and sat beside her. "You want me to feed you?"

    "No. I just wanted to eat with you," Edith said.

    The man was busy looking for her last night and had accompanied her the moment he found her at the cemetery. It was not impossible if he had not eaten anything as well.

    Edith picked up her cutlery and began to eat slowly with Neil by her side. After a few mouthfuls of porridge, Edith turned to Neil again and stared at his profile look. As if noticing her gaze, Neil turned to look at her with a questioning gaze and Edith took this chance to ask him her question, "You and Assistant Shawn are both here, will the company be alright?"

    "The company didn''t hire incompetent people and give them high salaries. Leaving the company and let the managers work hard for a few days would test whether they are capable enough to stay in their position," Neil said. He put down his cutlery and stretched his hand to pinch her cheek. "If you''re worried about me, then, don''t run around anymore, alright?"

    Edith bit at her lips when she heard his words. "I told you that I won''t be doing that anymore."

    The corner of his lips tilted up slightly. Neil hesitated before he spoke again, "Let''s stay here for the night and return to L City in the morning." A breath of relief escaped him when he saw that she had agreed.

    "Tomorrow¡­ can we stop by to see my mother before we go back?" Edith asked.

    "Alright." Neil nodded. "I should take this chance to say a few words to my mother-in-law as well." He noticed that Edith had been staring at him in a dazed expression and urged her to eat.

    After they had their meal, both Edith and Neil returned to the bedroom. Neil walked into the bathroom and filled in the tub with hot water as he let Edith have a conversation with her grandfather alone.

    There were too many things that happened and the two people would have a lot to talk about.

    Mike had kept the secret from Edith for years. Now that the secret has come out, both of them suddenly did not know how they should be facing each other.

    Edith knew her grandfather well and was very sure that the old man will not be able to answer her truthfully if she had started questioning her grandfather about her mother. If she didn''t find out the truth from Grandpa Bei, his grandfather would continue to find a way to keep a few things from her.

    It was understandable that he wanted to hide things to protect her, but Edith thought that no matter what, as her mother''s daughter, she deserved to know the truth.

    If she had to find out the truth about her mother after the culprit was caught and brought to trial, it would only break her even more.

    Perhaps, at this stage, it was best for both Edith and Mike to talk through the phone where they could not see each other face to face.

    When Edith dialed her grandfather''s number, she had thought that there are a lot of questions that she wanted to ask. But in the end, they both cowered and did not mention anything about her mother.

    Neil walked out of the bathroom and found that Edith was sitting on the bed with her hands covering her face. He walked over to her and pulled her body into his embrace. His hand patted on her head softly as if to coax her.

    "How did it go?"

    "It''s fine." Edith raised her head and curled her lips into a slight smile. "We didn''t talk much and only mentioned a few trivial things."

    "Give your grandfather some time. Now that you know what he has been trying too hard to keep a secret, he too will need time to readjust his thought. Perhaps, when we come back to L City tomorrow, your grandfather will be ready."

    Edith stared at Neil for a long time and closed her eyes when he lowered to kiss her forehead.

    "I''ve already filled the bathtub with warm water. Go and take your bath.. Maybe you''ll feel better soon."

    Read novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 278 - Home (18+)

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Warning: There''s a little scene that is inappropriate for an underage at the end of the chapter. Read at your own discretion.

    A sigh escaped her when Edith entered the warm water. Her muscle began to relax and her mind felt more at ease. It was at this time that she was able to think things through.

    When she thought of her mother again, Edith could only bring her knees closer to her chest and buried her face in them. Her thoughts and feelings were all mixed up and she did not know which should she be focusing on.

    At this time, the bathroom door swung open and Neil suddenly appeared at the door. He put both hands in his pocket, leaned on the counter, and continued to watch the person in the bathtub.

    The water rippled as Edith shifted her position. "Why are you here?"

    Fortunately, the surface of the water was filled with bubbles and the view under the water was covered.

    "What should I do? The moment I take my eyes off you I''ll be worried that you might run around somewhere else again."

    Her lips turned up and Edith wanted to laugh, but the expression on Neil''s face was so serious that she was beginning to feel that he was telling her the truth.

    The way Neil was staring at her does give her the feeling as if he was keeping his eyes on her.

    Edith was stunned by her thought and did not know how she should react. The two of them continued to stare at each other for a while until Edith chose to look away first.

    It was then that she recalled seeing his face the moment she woke up. Suddenly, she had the feeling that Neil has been keeping his eyes on her as she was asleep.

    The man was so good to her that sometimes, Edith had thought that she was taking advantage of him. Her eyes stung and her nose soured. Edith moved and splashed a little water on her face. Then, she rested her hands at the side of the tub and looked at Neil again. He was still looking at her with the same expression.

    "Do you want to come in?" Edith asked and saw the flicker in his eyes. "There is still a lot of room in this tub." She moved a little bit as if to make space for him. "Come in."

    Neil stared at her for a long time and decided to take her offer. He took off his clothes slowly and watched her looked away when he was left with the final piece of garment on his body. After a while, Neil slid into the tub. As soon as he entered the water, Edith moved closer to him and let him wrapped his arms around her body.

    Edith stretched her hand to touch his face. Her fingers traced at the ring under his eyes. "Just how long have you not been sleeping?"

    "Don''t worry about me. It''s normal for me to sleep for a few hours when I''m busy with work." Neil tilted his head to a side. "Are you worried about me?"

    Edith answered him with a slow nod.

    Neil buried his face in the crook of her neck and spoke, "When you decided to leave without telling me anything, did you ever considered what I might feel?"

    She lowered her head, knowing well that it was a question that she should not answer. At that time, her mind was full of her mother and she was unable to think of anything else.

    "I thought that you might not want me anymore."

    "It wasn''t like that."

    There was a brief silence before Neil spoke again. "Edith Qian, we are getting married soon." Neil felt her hands on his arms tightened. "I only want you to rely on me. Just as how I want you to be the place I can return to, I want you to think the same of me."

    Edith turned around and wrapped her arms around his waist. At this time, there was nothing she could say other than ''sorry'', although that word was not what Neil wanted to hear.

    "When I saw those documents for the first time, I was suddenly lost. I couldn''t think straight. I just thought that until I got the answer to my question, I won''t be able to be at ease," Edith said. "I didn''t mean to shut you out. Neil, you will always be the place I can return to. You''re my home."

    The word seemed to spark something in his heart. "Really?"

    Edith nodded. "Really." Her eyes were looking straight into his eyes as if telling him that she was sincere with every word that came out of her mouth. "Neil, I love you."

    Neil stared at the person in his arms for a long time. It was until Neil thought that he can trust her words that he bent down to kiss her lips.

    Unlike the previous kisses that they usually shared, Neil''s kisses this time were a little domineering. The way he moved was as if he was venting his anger and punishing her for what she had done and knowing that she was guilty, Edith could only let him do as he pleased.

    Soon, the couple moved over from the bathroom to bed.

    Edith felt her body numb all over as he moved to touch every part of her skin. His touch was both hot and cold at the same time. A whimper would escape her whenever he trailed his kisses on her body.

    For the first time, Edith felt him entering her too deeply. The way he was holding her was as if he was afraid to let go. The way he pushed into her every time was as if he wanted to merge their bodies into his bones. It was both torturing and pleasuring at the same time.

    Her eyes rolled, and her legs held his body tighter to her as she was brought to the peek, but Neil did not show her any sign that he wanted to stop.

    When she looked at him again, Neil was staring at her as he moved. His gaze never went away from her face. He was observing her every expression and would not look away to miss anything.

    Facing the way he was staring at her, Edith grew shy. Just as she opened her mouth to speak, Neil lowered his head to kiss her mouth again.

    After a while, Edith felt something hot gushing into her. The feeling was too overwhelming. Edith could only hold his body tight as if it was the only thing that she can hold into.

    Her head felt a little dizzy and once they were done, her body felt sore all over.

    Before she had closed her eyes and drifted into dreamland, Edith heard him asking her a question. She could not hear clearly what he had asked, but could only remember that she had agreed to whatever he had asked.

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 279 - Youre Still Here

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    The sun peeked through the curtains and Edith slowly opened her eyes. She tried to move and stretched up her body and felt sore all over. Something heavy pressed at her waist, keeping her from leaving the bed.

    At this time, the memories of what had happened last night resurfaced in her mind and Edith''s face immediately turned pink. They have done it so many times, but this time, the feeling was too intense that she had thought that she was going to pass out.

    No matter how many tears she shed, the man just wouldn''t stop. Even if she wanted to open her mouth and beg him to go easy on her, the man would find a way to block her mouth first.

    In the end, everything became too exhilarating for her.

    Edith moved to look at the person beside her.

    At this time, his eyes were closed and his breathing steadied. Edith stared at his handsome face with a dazed expression. Her hand stretched up to touch his eyebrow and slowly moved to his nose.

    It was not hard for her to tell that Neil was a little angry with her. He won''t say or show it to her, but it was obvious from the way he had looked at her last night. His eyes were staring at her aggrievedly before it suddenly darkened with anger. A while later, the look in his eyes softened and he began to treat her gently before it shifted into something else again. It was a rollercoaster of emotion.

    Her heart tugged as Edith began to feel guilty again. At this time, she leaned forward and began to kiss his forehead.

    When she pulled away, his pair of eyes were staring back at her and neither of them spoke a word for a long time. Neil raised his hand and pinched at her cheek. A frown appeared on his face before he spoke in a soft voice, "You''re still here."

    His words made her shiver, knowing exactly what he meant.

    Neil was so worried that he will not be seeing her the moment he woke up. But once he saw her staring back at him, his first instinct had told him that it was just a dream. It was not until he felt her soft skin and warm temperature against his skin that he was able to tell that it was not a dream.

    Gradually, his heart began to calm.

    "I''m still here," Edith said. She wrapped her arms around his waist and snuggled to his chest. After a while, Edith heard the reverberating chuckle from him. She tilted her head up and a kiss suddenly landed on her face.

    The two of them stayed in each other''s embrace for a while before they get up and get ready. After having their breakfast, Assistant Shawn drove them over to the cemetery.

    Edith held on Neil''s hand tightly in one hand and the other was holding on a banquet.

    "Do you want me to wait for you here?" Neil asked before they arrived at Rachel''s tomb.

    "No." Edith shook her head. "Let''s go there together."

    Yesterday, she had spent a long time with her mother to say what she wanted to say and complain about what she wanted to complain about until her tears could no longer come out and her voice became hoarse.

    This time, the purpose of coming over was to tell her mother that she will be alright as well as to introduce Neil.

    Edith bent to put the bouquet down and pulled Neil closer to her. She stared at her mother''s photograph for a long time without saying anything. Worried that she might start to cry again, Neil turned around to check on her and saw that she was staring at the tomb with her clear eyes.

    Neil did not know what was on her mind, but as long as she was not going to act recklessly like what Mike had thought she would, Neil thought he would be alright.

    His hand unconsciously tightened against hers.

    At this time, Edith snapped out of her thoughts and turned to Neil with a faint smile on her face. She took a deep breath and finally spoke, "Hello, mom. I''m here again to see you. Don''t worry. This time I didn''t come to vent at you. This time, I came here to introduce someone. Mom, this is Neil Mo, my fiance."

    ¡­

    They left Z Town and head back to L City before the afternoon.

    Assistant Shawn drove the vehicle while Neil busied himself to look at the tablet in his hand. Once in a while, Neil would lift his head to discuss the work matter with his assistant. However, he still hasn''t forgotten to look after the woman beside him.

    Seeing that Edith was leaning her head on the window with her eyes closed, Neil then pulled her head to rest on his shoulder before he continued to look at his documents.

    The moment they arrived in L City, Neil instructed Assistant Shawn to bring them over to the hospital.

    Although Edith did not say anything, Neil knew that she was still worried about Mike and the old man would feel the same about his granddaughter. When Assistant Shawn pulled over at the parking spot, Neil patted Edith''s shoulder softly to wake her up.

    "We''re at the hospital. Do you want to visit your grandpa?"

    Edith looked around her surroundings before she turned to Neil again and nodded.

    The two of them alighted from the SUV and Neil led her over to Mike''s ward. When they arrived, Edith stood outside the ward for a long time in hesitation. Suddenly, Edith was feeling nervous about meeting her grandpa.

    "You don''t want to go in?"

    Edith turned around at the voice and did not answer.

    "I know you''re worried about Grandpa. We''re here anyway. Why don''t you go and take a look? I''m sure Grandpa is worried about you as well."

    Taking a deep breath to gather her courage, Edith then stretched up her hand and knocked at the door.

    Her grandfather''s voice was heard from the inside and Edith pushed the door open.

    The moment Mike saw his granddaughter at the door, his expression froze. His eyes began to sting and her nose soured. Mike held out his hand and called her over, "Baby girl, come over to me, alright?"

    Edith bit at her lips upon hearing the nickname that she has not heard for a long time. She walked over to her grandfather with a long stride and wrapped her arms around the old man''s neck.

    "Grandpa..." Her voice croaked.

    Mike patted her head softly and whispered, "I''m sorry.. Baby girl, I''m sorry."

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 280 - You Promised

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    The two of them spent their time apologizing to each other. Edith buried her face into her grandfather''s embrace, and the elderly man continued to coax her as he always did when Edith was still young.

    George Bei had told him that Edith had seen everything in his room and was forced to tell her the truth. This time, Mike could no longer tell his granddaughter a lie.

    Perhaps Edith sensed her grandfather''s discomfort. In the end, she did not ask too many questions about her mother''s death.

    Mike began to feel more at ease and soon the two began to chat about unimportant things.

    After spending a few hours with her grandfather, Edith finally left the hospital with Neil. When they returned to the parking spot, Assistant Shawn was no longer around and Neil had driven them both home.

    Their journey home was quiet. Neil glanced at the woman beside him and knew that there were too many things in her mind at this moment.

    Neil pulled over at his usual parking spot and turned to call Edith. Surprisingly, he found that she was staring at him in silence.

    His lips tilted into a smile. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

    Edith snapped off her seatbelt and lurched forward to wrap her arms around his waist. Her head rested on his chest and Edith took a deep breath.

    Her movement was too sudden that Neil was a little dumbfounded. Before he got the chance to inquire her about it, Neil heard her voice.

    "Neil, you are so good to me."

    A helpless chuckle escaped him and Neil reached to pat her hair. "Then stay with me and don''t leave. I will treat you better."

    Edith bit her lips and held him tighter. Neil had repeated those words a few times, and Edith understood that he was worried that she was going to leave again.

    When she left for Z Town the other day, Edith was only planning to find out the truth from Grandpa George and clear up the questions in her head. She had never intended to leave his side¡­ However, Edith did not expect that she would be creating too much trouble for everyone around her.

    "It turns out that Grandpa has known the truth about my mother for so many years," Edith spoke up. "I suddenly realized the reason Grandpa and the others have been teaching me self-defense was because of this. Grandpa was worried that something similar would happen to me. That''s why most of the moves he taught me were ways to escape when I''m in danger."

    She was a little gangster when she was in school and was involved in many fights. Edith had thought that her grandfather had only taught her those moves because he did not want her to get hurt during her fight.

    It turned out that there were different reasons for it.

    Neil thought about her move that he had experienced personally a few times. "Grandpa had taught you well."

    After a while, the two get off the car and walked over to the elevator. As soon as they reached the front door, Neil held her waist tightly and planted a kiss on her forehead. His eyes gazed into her for a few seconds before Neil turned around and entered the door.

    Sophie walked over and a look of relief washed over her face when she saw both Neil and Edith together. "You''re back. Quickly come inside." She held on to Edith''s hand and her eyes turned worried. "Are you alright?"

    Edith curled her lips into a faint smile and nodded. She guessed that Neil had probably told his parents a little bit about what had happened.

    "Don''t worry. The authorities will catch whoever responsible this time," Sophie said. A distress sigh escaped her as she continued to look at Edith''s swollen eyes. "Look at you. You should be tired after going back and forth to Z Town. Just go upstairs and take a rest. Mom will call you when it''s time for dinner."

    Edith was slightly embarrassed with how Sophie had treated her. "Thanks, mom."

    A wide smile spread on Sophie''s lips upon hearing the way Edith had called her.

    As Edith walked into the living area, she found a pair of wide eyes were staring back at her. Seeing the little girl, Edith put a smile on her face and walked over to Hazel.

    The moment she approached, Hazel''s lips quivered and tears dropped on her face. Seeing this situation, Edith began to panic.

    "What''s wrong? Hazel, why are you crying?" Edith crouched down and quickly pulled the little girl in her embrace. Her hand patted at the little girl''s back, coaxing her.

    However, Hazel suddenly cried louder. The aggrieved cry would tug at everyone''s heart.

    Suddenly, Edith was helpless and she did not know what she should do. Neil stepped forward to carry Hazel into his arms, but Hazel had held on to Edith''s neck tightly and refused to let go. Her crying only turned louder and Edith could feel her shoulder wet from Hazel''s tears and snot.

    The last time her uncle had come home alone, Hazel could sense that something was wrong. She couldn''t see her Auntie Edith and the adults had only told her that Edith went away for a few days to deal with a few matters.

    However, on the next day, the person she missed has not appeared. Her uncle had disappeared and Hazel grew anxious when her grandparents did not explain anything.

    Hazel has been around Edith for a while and knew that Edith would not go anywhere without telling her first. Her anxiety grew when her grandmother told her that she did not have to go to the kindergarten for a few days.

    Her thoughts went wild and Hazel grew sad. However, she had not shown her worry to the adults around her.

    It was only when she had seen Edith in front of her again that Hazel felt the surge of emotion. Suddenly, Hazel had the urge to cry. When she could no longer suppress that feeling her crying grew louder.

    "I thought that you no longer want me anymore."

    The adults around were surprised when they heard Hazel''s hoarse voice. They turned to look at each other and suddenly did not know how to react.

    It was a good thing to hear Hazel''s voice again, but in this situation, they could not show that they were happy.

    "Auntie Edith, you promised me that you will not leave me." Hazel continued to held Edith tighter. She sobbed and sniffled as she tried to control her breathing. "You promised."

    "Sorry. I wasn''t going to leave you. I went away to deal with a few matters." Edith continued to coax Hazel with a few more words.

    "You didn''t tell me. Auntie Edith, you always tell me before you''re going somewhere."

    Edith was stunned. She recalled that she does have that habit. Even before going to class on weekend, she would remind Hazel as she was worried that Hazel would look for her.

    "Next time, I will surely tell you where I''m going before I go anywhere alright?"

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 281 - Anxious To Marry

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Edith found that there was another person who was keeping an eye on her.

    Seeing that Hazel would not let her Auntie Edith leave her sight even for a moment, Edith did not know whether she wanted to laugh or cry. The anxious look on Hazel''s face when Edith wanted to go for a toilet break was amusing, however, Edith felt a little sad while looking at it.

    The two of them have spent a lot of time together both at the kindergarten and at home. After Edith had rescued her, Hazel became attached more attached to her. Therefore, when Edith had suddenly gone missing for a few nights, Hazel grew anxious.

    Hazel was worried that perhaps, the reason Edith chose to leave was that she chose not to speak. Hazel had kept quiet about it in front of her grandparents, and finally break down when she saw Edith again.

    Of course, little Hazel had never shared what was in her mind with the grownups.

    That night, for the first time, Hazel had slept in the master bedroom.

    As Hazel would not let Edith leave her side, Neil could only compromise by letting the little girl sleep together with them. In the end, Edith was sandwiched by the niece and uncle on both sides.

    When she woke up, Hazel was hugging her arms tightly while Neil had his arms on her waist.

    Edith thought that both uncle and niece were too adorable, but when she thought of why they were behaving this way, Edith felt a pang of guilt.

    In the morning, Edith had to convince Hazel that she was not going to leave secretly before she was allowed to enter the bathroom to freshen up.

    When Edith walked out of the bathroom, both Neil and Hazel were not around. Instead, Edith found an ivory knee-length casual dress laid down on the bed. She lifted the dress and inspected the lace details on the skirt. A note from Neil stuck on the dress, telling her to put it on.

    Seeing that it was in her size, Edith decided to wear the dress to pick up her grandfather at the hospital.

    Once she was done, Edith walked down the stairs and found that both Neil and Hazel were whispering to each other. Seeing the bright look on Hazel''s face, Edith became curious.

    "What are you two whispering about?"

    Her voice startled the uncle and niece, but the two of them quickly composed their expression.

    Hazel turned to look at her uncle anxiously before she ran over to Edith and hugged her legs. "Auntie Edith, you look pretty."

    Edith held the little girl tighter and rained a few kisses on her face. "Hazel looked adorable too." Before could ask Hazel what the two were whispering about, Neil had reminded her to quickly eat her breakfast as they were going out later.

    At the thought that her grandfather was waiting for her at the hospital, Edith quickly agreed.

    Both Neil and Edith left the apartment after breakfast. Although Hazel still had the worried look on her face, the little girl did not make a fuss and only stayed by her grandparents'' side.

    After Edith had promised that she will return home, Hazel''s expression gradually calmed down.

    Edith looked out of the window as Neil drive. After a few turns, Edith began to notice that there was something strange. She turned to Neil and said, "This is not the way to the hospital."

    "It''s not," Neil admitted.

    "Where are we going?" Edith frowned. "Weren''t we going to pick up Grandpa at the hospital?"

    "Before that, there is another place we need to go," Neil said. He glanced at Edith and suddenly, his muscle tensed. "Did you forget? We''re going to the Civil Affairs Bureau."

    "Ah?"

    "Darling, you have agreed. You said you''re okay with getting a marriage certificate as soon as we come back from Z Town," Neil said. There was a frown on his face. At the thought that Edith might change her mind on this matter, Neil was a little unhappy.

    Edith tried to remember when did such conversation took place and suddenly recalled their night in Z Town.

    She was a little tired after rolling on the sheet when she heard his question. It was only now that Edith seemed to recall the details.

    Neil did ask for her to collect a marriage certificate as soon as they return to the city and she had agreed to it.

    So, that was why he had prepared the dress for her to wear.

    "Are you going to change your mind now?" His grip on the steering wheel tightened.

    Edith continued to stare at the man''s face and saw his anxiousness.

    Neil was afraid that Edith might run off to another place, thinking that she did not have anyone to rely on. Therefore, Neil was anxious to marry her a little earlier. At least, before she could run off, Edith would remember that she still have a husband.

    They were planning on getting married anyway. It''s not that strange to get a certificate a little earlier.

    "I don''t. I haven''t changed my mind." Edith flashed a smile when he turned to her. "I just didn''t think that you would want to go today."

    Neil let out a breath of relief upon hearing her words. He glanced at her again and hesitated. "Are you sure?"

    If she decided to change her mind, Neil could only postpone this plan and get the certificate on another day. He would be disappointed, but marriage is a very important event. He did not want her to have regret.

    "I''m sure." Edith stretched her hand and squeezed at his arms. "Let''s go and get our certificate."

    His lips bloomed into a happy smile. "Later, we''ll go and pick up Grandpa at the hospital."

    Edith heard this and was a little worried about how her grandfather was going to react.

    Of course, Edith did not know that Neil had already talked to her grandfather about this matter and he had agreed. The elders, including Hazel, knew that they both were heading to the Civil Affair Bureau to get a certificate...

    When she caught Hazel and Neil whispering earlier, Neil was explaining to her his plan.

    Initially, Hazel was a little reluctant when her uncle told her that he was going out with her Auntie Edith and she could not come with them.

    However, once Hazel heard from her uncle that they were going to get a certificate, she was excited.

    When they both return in the evening, her Auntie Edith will really be her auntie!

    As the thought came to her mind, of course, Hazel will have to let her uncle take her auntie away from her for a few hours.

    Read novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 282 - Husband And Wife

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    When they arrived, Assistant Shawn was already waiting for them at the entrance. Because Assistant Shawn had already arranged for the paperwork and such, it did not take them too long to obtain the marriage certificate.

    In half an hour, the process was finished and the couple walked out with the red books in their hands as legal husband and wife.

    Edith stared at the red book in her hand with a dazed expression.

    "President Mo, Mrs. Mo, congratulations," Assistant Shawn spoke with a wide smile on his face.

    Hearing the name, Edith was a little dumbfounded. It took her a while to respond to Assistant Shawn''s words.

    Just like that, she is now married to Neil. She had become Mrs. Mo. The feeling was a little surreal.

    Edith had thought that she would panic the moment she walked out of the building. After all, they had come over to the bureau hastily. She did not even realize that she was going to get her certificate when they left the apartment.

    But after staring at their pictures in the book, Edith thought that her heart and mind were at ease.

    Marrying Neil felt right.

    Even if things might change and fate might have different plans for them in later years, Edith thought that she would not regret the decision she made.

    At least, at this moment, she knew that she loved Neil and wanted to spend her time together with him for a very long time.

    "Assistant Shawn, there will be a small party to celebrate this happy occasion," Neil spoke. "If you''re free, please come and join us."

    The assistant stared at his boss for a few seconds before he nodded. After giving his words that he will definitely show up, Assistant Shawn turned around and left, leaving the newlywed couple alone. As a single dog, it would not be wise for him to stay around.

    Once his assistant left, Neil held hand with Edith and walked over to his SUV. He held the door for Edith and watched as she hopped into the seat. Then, he helped her with her seatbelt and leaned forward to kiss her lips. His eyes sparkled and his lips stretched into a happy smile. "Wife."

    Edith felt her heart skipped a beat at this call. It felt a little strange, but it also made her feel a little giddy.

    Neil touched the tip of her nose and spoke, "From now on, don''t forget that you are someone with a husband, alright?"

    Edith laughed. "I know." She nodded obediently. Edith leaned forward and whispered, "Husband."

    His expression changed and after a while, Neil bent to kiss her lips again. He pulled away to let her catch her breath and smiled.

    Seeing the way Neil was looking at her with his tender gaze, Edith felt something sweet in her heart.

    In the past, she was used to doing whatever she wanted to do as she was still a single lady.

    From this moment, no matter what she decided to do, she had to consider that she is a married woman. From now on, she had a new family, a new home, and people who she can rely on.

    Edith could not stop stealing a few glances at Neil as he drove over to the hospital, thinking of how fate had brought them together. Staring at his handsome profile, Edith thought that she had really hit a jackpot.

    She looked at the red books in her hands and decided to snap a few pictures to post to her moments. In just a few seconds, her friends'' congratulatory comments appeared and Edith thanked them for their wishes.

    The couple arrived at the hospital after twenty minutes drive. Once they found a parking spot, the two entered the hospital building holding hands. They head over to Mike''s ward and Edith raised her hand to knock on the door before they entered.

    Mike''s face brightened up upon seeing the two of them walking in together. He stretched up his hand and spoke. "Quick. Let me see the red book."

    Edith stared at her grandfather in dumbfounded upon hearing his words. This¡­ was not the reaction that she was expecting to see from her grandfather.

    She was very positive that she had never mentioned getting a certificate with Neil¡­ Wait. She only knew that they were going to get a certificate on their way to the bureau.

    Then¡­ how did her grandfather know?

    "Why are you still in a daze?" Mike asked. "Quickly hand it over to me and let me see."

    Edith watched as Neil passed over the red books to her grandfather. Her curiosity deepened when she saw the wide smile on her grandfather''s face.

    "Grandpa, how did you know?"

    "Know what?" Mike blinked back in confusion.

    "How did you know that we''re getting a certificate today? I haven''t mentioned anything to you, right?"

    Mike glanced at Neil and felt a little strange now that the man had suddenly become his grandson-in-law.

    "Neil told me," Mike said. "The last time you two were in Z Town, he called and asked for my blessings."

    The person who had found his granddaughter was Neil. Other than him, the person who was the most anxious when Edith had suddenly gone missing was Neil.

    Seeing that the man really cared for his granddaughter, Mike naturally had no objection to let them marry. Anyway, before he had that accident, Neil''s parents had talked to him and discussed a few matters regarding their wedding.

    Since they were planning to get married anyway, it doesn''t matter if it was a little earlier. They could always get a certificate now and hold the wedding reception later.

    Mike coughed to clear his throat. "I have to call Old Bei and tell him to retrieve the household registration for me."

    Edith thought that her brain has been working a little slow recently. The process for them to receive their certificate ran too smoothly. She should have realized that it was strange that Neil had not asked anything about her household registration.

    It turned out that Grandpa had helped.

    A while later, a doctor walked over into the room. After giving Mike the last check-up, the elderly man was allowed to leave the hospital.

    Because his body was a little unwell, Mike decided to accept Neil''s suggestion to stay at his apartment to recuperate.

    If he decided to return to Z Town immediately, his granddaughter was going to worry about him and he would be uneasy about it.

    Moreover, his relationship with Edith was a little strange after he was caught with his lies.. Mike wanted to use this chance to repair his relationship with Edith.

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 283 - Call Me Mom

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Edith looked out the window and noticed that Neil was not heading back to their apartment. She turned to Neil and thought about where they might be headed next. Edith recalled his conversation with Assistant Shawn and just as she had thought, Neil pulled over his car at a parking spot and brought them over to a restaurant.

    A waiter greeted and led them to a private room.

    As soon as they entered the room, familiar faces appeared in front of them. Edith stared at the faces of their family and friends and was stunned for a while.

    From her side, Lily and Aaron had come to join their party. On Neil''s side were Henry, Jamie, and Assistant Shawn.

    Auspicious and congratulatory words filled the room. Edith glanced at Neil and wondered when did he make such preparation?

    "Why are you standing there in a daze?" Sophie asked as she walked over. She grabbed Edith''s hand and gave a gentle pat. She looked at Edith with her eyes sparkling brightly. "Quick, call me mom."

    "Ah?" Edith blinked and snapped out of her trance a while later. A faint blush appeared on her cheek. "Mom."

    Sophie laughed happily upon hearing the call and patted Edith''s hand again.

    At this time, Lucas cleared his throat and pulled a face when his wife turned to him. "Why are you blocking their path. Just let them enter the room."

    Sophie clicked her tongue and rolled her eyes at her husband. "You''re just jealous that our daughter-in-law called me mom."

    Edith shifted her gaze to Lucas and saw his expecting gaze. "Dad."

    His lips curled into a wide smile before Lucas looked away shyly.

    Seeing the expression on her husband''s face, Sophie began to laugh. Then, she pulled her daughter-in-law into the room, clearly ignoring his son''s darkened face.

    He was the one who had gotten married, but why did his wife have to enter the hall with someone else?

    Hazel ran over to Edith and hugged her legs. Her grandmother had explained to her that her uncle had gotten married and Hazel was very happy to know that from then on, she did not have to worry about her Auntie Edith was going to leave.

    At this time, Lily walked over with Alex to congratulate the newlyweds.

    Seeing that Alex had invited her to play with him, Hazel was a little hesitant. After weighing her decision, Hazel released her arms from Edith and followed Alex to play at the corner of the room. The little girl was too happy that she would not stop chattering.

    "Congratulations," Lily flashed a smile. "I got a phone call from President Mo early this morning and he invited us to come over. As your sister, of course, I have to come."

    "So that was why you haven''t responded to my post."

    Lily clicked her tongue. "A few days ago, I was shocked to hear the news that you were suddenly out of reach. And today, I was surprised to hear that you''re married. You need to stop giving me this kind of surprise."

    Edith smiled. "Of course."

    "Edith Qian." Lily pulled her friend into a hug and whispered. "Congratulations. I wish you a happy marriage and a blissful life with President Mo."

    As soon as everyone was seated, the waiter walked into the room carrying a lot of dishes. The food was delicious and the atmosphere was really good. Everyone around her started eating and chatting happily.

    Edith was listening to her grandfather retelling everyone about a story in her childhood when she felt a hand sneaking around her waist. Turning around, Edith found that Neil was staring at her and suddenly, Edith felt a little shy.

    Noticing the exchange between the two, Jamie then took the chance to liven the atmosphere and asked for the bride and groom to kiss. With the others started to join in and chanted, Edith glanced at Neil, and the next thing she knew, his hand was at the back of her head and his lips pressed onto hers into a lingering kiss.

    The others hooted upon seeing this scene.

    When the kiss ended, Edith found that her grandfather was looking at her with a mixed feeling. The old man was happy that his granddaughter was married, but seeing their affection didn''t make him too happy.

    All this time, there were only the two of them. His granddaughter would rely on him on almost everything. But now, there is another guy by his granddaughter''s side. It felt as if someone had robbed his granddaughter from him.

    As the dessert was being served, Sophie pulled her daughter-in-law aside for a chat.

    Neil was watching as Hazel ate her ice cream when he noticed Mike walked in into the room with a frown on his face. Noticing the phone in Mike''s hand, Neil immediately guessed that Mike had stepped out to receive a phone call. He stood up and walked over to the elderly man.

    "Grandpa, what''s wrong?"

    Mike stared at Neil for a while and hesitated before he gave out the news. "That person¡­ he was supposed to head over to Capital City in a few days. But one of the boys had sent news that he had caught a flight to Capital City almost half an hour ago."

    Neil''s eyes flashed dangerously.

    They both knew that General Attorney Leng was scheduled to head over to Capital City to meet a few influential people in the country. In fact, they were worried that once the General Attorney had more powerful people backing him up, both Neil and Mike would lose their chance to turn the General Attorney to justice.

    This was why Mike would frequently go to his fishing trip, while Neil was in a rush to find evidence against the few directors who has been working with the General Attorney.

    "The meeting isn''t scheduled until a few days," Mike said. "Could it be that the meeting was brought forward?"

    "Impossible," Neil said. "The ministers that he was supposed to meet aren''t in the country at the moment."

    Neil was working with Jennifer Jiang and her brother and had heard the same news as Mike.

    Mike continued to frown and the hand that was holding his phone tightened. Because of the sudden change of plan, only two of his men were following after the Attorney General.

    Neil watched as Mike raised the phone in his hand and was able to guess what the elder man was going to do. He put a hand on Mike to stop him and received the man''s puzzled look.

    "Grandpa, if you''re going to send someone to watch over the Attorney General, you don''t have to send your people."

    "What do you mean?"

    Neil pondered for a while and spoke, "I might have a friend that will be able to help us to watch over that person''s movement in Capital City."

    "Can he be trusted?"

    They were closer with their plan to trap the General Attorney and Mike did not want to ruin their hard work by trusting the wrong people.

    Neil nodded. "Of course."

    Once Mike heard the name of Neil''s friend, his expression changed again.

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 284 - Sophies Gift

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    After watching his mother dragging his wife into the next door unit along with everyone else, Neil went straight into his study and sat behind the computer. After rechecking the information that Mike had given him earlier, Neil picked up the phone and dialed a number.

    His call was connected after a few seconds and the man''s deep voice was heard from the other side.

    Neil greeted the man before he explained his matter. When Neil was finished, there was a brief silence between the two men.

    "President Mo, you don''t have to worry," the man said. "Regarding your request, I will definitely help you with it."

    "Are you sure it wouldn''t be a problem?"

    The man chuckled. "The Capital City is our territory. Don''t worry. Keeping an eye on that person shouldn''t be too difficult. I will have someone to contact you in ten minutes. He will tell you about the arrangement."

    Neil heaved a sigh upon hearing his promise. "President Zhang, thank you so much for your help."

    "You don''t have to thank me. Previously, when my wife was in trouble, you were among the first to offer your help. Of course, now that you needed our help, we can''t turn our back on you. Moreover¡­ my brothers and I detested this kind of person the most. If you need any help with that person, you don''t have to hesitate to call me."

    The conversation lasted for almost half an hour. A few minutes later, a man who introduced himself as someone from the Qi''s family called to inform Neil of their arrangement in Capital City.

    When the call ended, Neil heaved a long sigh. Knowing that those people are willing to lend their power to help him, Neil was very relieved.

    The Qi''s family had their influence in Capital City and it wouldn''t be too difficult for them to keep their eyes on the General Attorney.

    After exchanging a few information with the person, Neil dealt with a few works and returned to his room.

    When he entered, Edith was sitting at the bedside with her eyes staring at a few papers in a daze.

    Thinking that the two of them had just obtained their marriage certificate earlier in the day, Neil felt his heart swelled with happiness. He walked over to his wife and kissed the top of her head.

    With that kiss, Edith snapped out of her trance and lifted her head to look at Neil.

    "What are you looking at?" Neil asked. "What are you looking at? You didn''t even notice me approaching."

    Edith ignored his unhappy expression and pulled at his hand to sit down. Then, she shoved the papers in his hand to Neil. "Your mom gave me a house. What am I supposed to do with it?"

    Neil looked at the documents and then at Edith. It was then that he noticed the anxious look on her face. "Of course, you can do whatever you wanted with it."

    "What?" Edith stared at him in disbelief. "No. I cannot accept them."

    "Why not?"

    "It''s too expensive," Edith said. "I could accept your mother giving a few pieces of jewelry, but giving a house to my name is a bit too much, isn''t it?"

    Neil chuckled. "It''s not." He put the documents to the side table and hugged the person beside him. "Baby, you can accept that property with ease."

    He thought about the property that his mother had given to Edith and smiled.

    "That area that my mom had chosen is a really good area to start a family. The neighborhood is good and the security is tight." He rested his forehead on hers and smiled. "How about we move into the place? It would be more comfortable for everyone. Your grandfather didn''t have to feel awkward whenever he comes over to visit."

    Edith slapped at his arms. "Be serious."

    "I am serious." Neil laughed. "My mom already said that when her sons get married, she will give her daughter-in-law a house. Back then, when Adam and Claire were married, my mom had gifted her a house too. Since you are now married to me, of course, my mom would give you this property."

    A frown appeared on his face. "If you don''t want to live there, it''s alright. You can do whatever you want with that property. To rent it out or sell, it''s up to you."

    Edith felt a shiver at the thought of selling that property.

    Although she had never seen that property before, judging from the location of the land, Edith was able to tell that it was very expensive. Even if she had worked for thirty years and did not spend a single cent from that money, it would still be impossible for her to afford a house in that area.

    If she sold that property, she will be a rich lady and did not have to work until she retired!

    However, when she thought that the property was a gift from Sophie as a mother-in-law to her daughter-in-law, Edith did not think that she will have the heart to sell that property.

    "That land is very expensive, right?"

    Neil glanced at the documents and shrug. "It''s okay."

    Edith felt the corner of her lips twitched. Suddenly, she was a little jealous that he was not affected by that amount of money. Meanwhile, she was scared just at the thought that she had suddenly become the owner of that property.

    "Later, I will bring you around that area and you can look at that property," Neil said, snapping her out of her thoughts. "Then, you can decide what you want to do with it."

    Edith heaved a long breath and decided to put the matter about this piece of land in the back of her mind.

    If she did not think of it, then, she won''t find it troublesome, right?

    Just then, Edith noticed the pair of arms wrapped around her body. Edith raised her head again and met Neil''s gaze. Seeing the way he was looking at her, Edith became nervous. "What''s wrong?"

    "Wife..."

    His tone of voice send shivers to her spine,

    "Today is the first night for us as husband and wife, right?"

    Edith looked at his face and put a serious look on her face. "That''s right. But what are we going to do? I told Hazel that she can sleep with us again tonight."

    The smile on his face dropped instantly,

    Seeing the change in his expression, Edith chuckled before she leaned forward to kiss his lips. "I''m joking." She wrapped her arms around his neck and spoke again, "Hazel is busy looking after my grandpa. When she heard that Grandpa was injured in an accident, she then volunteered to look over him tonight."

    Neil stared at the teasing smile on her face and pinched at her cheek. However, he did not dare to exert too much strength on them.

    "Hubby.." Edith trailed a finger on his chest and felt the tremor. "What do you plan to do tonight?"

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 285 - Wedding Candies

    As soon as the vehicle pulled over at the parking spot, Assistant Shawn walked over and waited outside the door. A bright smile curled on his lips when Assistant Shawn saw his boss stepped out of the vehicle with his face full of vitality. "President Mo, congratulation on your marriage."

    One glance at Neil''s face, Assistant Shawn was able to tell that the man was in a very good mood.

    The smile on Neil''s face stretched up longer as he thanked the assistant. Seconds later, the smile on his face disappeared and Neil looked at his assistant with a serious look on his face. However, Neil''s reddened ears betrayed his emotion.

    Seeing the look on his face, his boss''s face, Assistant Shawn knew that he shouldn''t think about teasing his boss. He cleared his throat and quickly summarized the day''s agenda. They entered the elevator and went straight to the president''s floor.

    As soon as they walked into the office, Assistant Shawn handed over a file in his hand and watched as Neil put his signature on the papers. After it was done, Assistant Shawn looked up again and continued, "President Mo, that prosecutor, Jennifer Jiang, and her brother, wanted to arrange a meeting this evening. How should I respond?"

    Neil gave the matter a thought. "Do I have any arrangement in the evening?"

    "No."

    "Tell them to arrange the place and time," Neil said. "I will be there on time."

    Assistant Shawn left the room after a while and Neil clicked at some icon on his screen and looked at the calendar.

    Earlier, during breakfast, his mother had mentioned picking up a date for a wedding ceremony. Since they had already obtained their wedding certificate, Sophie was too excited to plan a wedding ceremony for the couple.

    His gaze swept across the screen and paused when he looked at the reminder.

    Hazel''s birthday was coming, and a few months after that¡­ it would be the death anniversary for both Adam and Claire.

    Neil lowered his gaze and a deep frown appeared on his face.

    Soon, his plan to expose those directors should take place. He did not want to drag this matter on for a long time. Moreover¡­ there was still that matter about Edith''s mother and the other murdered victim.

    As he thought about the General Attorney''s crime, he became so infuriated. Someone like him should never be allowed to wander around the street.

    Neil was in the middle of browsing through a few documents when a knock was heard from the door. Assistant Shawn reappeared at his door.

    "President Mo," Assistant Shawn hesitated before he spoke. "Your mother sent a few boxes of candies for you."

    "What?" Neil blinked, puzzled.

    Assistant Shawn cleared his throat when he realized that his words sounded a little strange. "They''re wedding candies. She said, it''s a good thing to share the good news with everyone and had instructed me to distribute the candy box to every employee. President Mo, what do you think I should do?"

    He was someone who worked under Neil and therefore, he should ask his boss''s opinion on this matter.

    Neil pondered over this matter and thought that it was indeed a good thing to share the news. Anyway, he had never intended to hide his marriage with Edith.

    "Go ahead and distribute them."

    Assistant Shawn smiled as he gave his response. Then, he walked out of the President''s office and went downstairs to deal with the boxes of candies.

    Just as his assistant had walked out, the phone on his desk buzzed. His expression changed when he saw the name on the caller ID. Neil swiped his finger on the screen and quickly answered the call.

    The person who called Austin reported to him of the General Attorney''s movement in Capital City told Neil that the man was meeting a few influential people in the city and on this trip, the General Attorney had brought along his former assistant.

    Neil''s expression changed slightly. He could remember that the last time Mike had an accident when he had encounter the General Attorney and his former assistant. On that day, the General Attorney was heading towards the airport.

    It seemed that the General Attorney was sending the former assistant to the airport on the day that Grandpa was following him. After instructing Austin to find out the former assistant''s purpose to visit the Capital City, Neil continued his work. His fingers on the keyboard halted when a face appeared in his mind.

    Neil touched his phone and stopped again when another knock was heard on the door. Heaving a long sigh, Neil gave his permission to enter.

    The door was pushed from the outside and soon a head was peeking behind the door.

    Noticing the silence, Neil lifted his head and saw the person he was missing had appeared. Thinking that he was probably missing his newlywed wife too much, Neil gave himself a pinch on his thigh. He only stood up when he felt the pain.

    "When did you get here?" he reached to her side and kissed her forehead.

    "A while ago," Edith said. "Mom took me and Hazel and we choose some candies to be distributed among your employees. I was downstairs to watch them lift the boxes into the building."

    "Assistant Shawn did not mention this to me." Neil frowned and a look of dissatisfaction appeared on his face.

    "I told him not to say anything. Or else, how can I come up here and surprise you?" Edith stared at him for a while and narrowed her eyes. "Now that everyone knows that you''re married, won''t there be a few disappointed girls?"

    "It''s good that everyone knows." Neil led her to the sofa and pulled her to sit down with him. "At least, they would give up and stop pestering me. Mrs. Mo, I only need you to stay by my side. I don''t care about what other girls might feel about it."

    A wide smile spread on her face and Edith felt a little giddy. She took out a box of candies from her bag and handed it over to Neil. "What do you think?"

    Neil looked at the box in her hand and commented, "It looked nice."

    "I think so too." Edith took out a piece of candy from the box, unwrapped it, and pushed it into his lips. Then, she tilted her head as if waiting for his reaction.

    A slight frown appeared on his face when his tongue tasted the sweet peanut candy. "It''s sweet."

    "That''s good." Her lips stretched up into a happy smile and Edith leaned forward to peck at his lips. "President Mo, let''s have a long, sweet marriage life."

    Neil felt something bloomed in his heart and he pulled her to deepen the kiss.

    Once they parted, Edith glanced at his desk. "Are you busy?"

    Edith was aware that Neil had taken a few days off from work because of her matter and she was feeling a little guilty about it. Now that she had returned to L City and married him, Neil had to return to the office and deal with his piling workload.

    "It''s not that bad," Neil said. A thought crossed his mind and Neil rested his forehead on hers.. "Mrs. Mo, what do you think about going on a mini honeymoon this weekend?"

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 286 - When Did You Get Married?

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Edith stared at the man in front of her before she shifted her gaze back towards the piling documents on his table. Before she could say a word, Neil had pinched her chin and pulled her to face him.

    "Surely, I should be allowed to have a short break on the weekend." His lips curled into a playful smile. "Mrs. Mo, it couldn''t be that you wanted me to come to work even on weekend, right?"

    "What are you thinking about? I''m just worried that you would force yourself to work overtime just so you can spend your time with me." Her hands stretched out to cup his face and her thumb traced at under his eyes. "I don''t want you to be tired."

    "It''s fine. Working hard for the sake of a beautiful woman who is waiting for me at home felt good."

    Edith giggled. "I fed you some candy and now your mouth became a little sweet. Maybe I should feed you more."

    "I won''t get tired easily." His fingers which were rested on her chin shifted to her cheek and Neil gave her a gentle pinch. "By now, you should know that I have good stamina."

    The teasing look in his gaze was too much and soon, Edith found that her face was a little hot.

    Neil laughed happily upon seeing her reaction. "My parents will be staying over in the city for a while. They would love to spend their time with Hazel. Let''s go somewhere just the two of us, alright?"

    Edith stared at her husband''s face for a while and nodded slowly. "Where are you planning to go?"

    "Is there any place you wanted to visit?"

    Edith thought about the question for a while and answered, "Didn''t you say you have good stamina? Let''s go on mountain climbing. I heard that there''s a nice place with an amazing view in A City. I always wanted to visit the mountainside but never had the chance to go."

    She had given it a proper thought and decided with that scenic spot. Anyway, the place was not very far from L City. At this time, Edith was still worried about Hazel and didn''t have the heart to leave the little girl for a long time after what had happened previously.

    Since they are going somewhere close, the two of them could still rush over to return to L City if there is an emergency.

    "Alright. I''ll arrange for something." Neil pecked at her forehead. "After the wedding, let''s have a proper honeymoon abroad. I''ll take a long break and we can prepare for it."

    Edith nodded and quickly agreed. She actually did not mind going on a honeymoon locally or abroad. As long as she was with Neil, then, everything should be fine, right?

    After talking for a while, Neil glanced at the time and noted that he should head out to meet the prosecutor soon.

    "I''m going out to meet someone," Neil said. "Why don''t you come along with me?"

    ¡­

    Neil found a parking spot and quickly pulled over. Once the car stopped, he turned to Edith and saw that she was a little agitated. He reached to touch her hands and gave them a little squeeze.

    "Are you sure it''s fine to bring me along?"

    "Of course it is," Neil said. "We are all working together to expose that man. If you come along and meet those people that I''m working with, you will be more at ease. This matter is somewhat related to you and I don''t wish to hide things from you."

    Edith listened to his words and nodded.

    The couple alighted from the vehicle and held hands as they walked over to the cafe.

    "What did Grandpa think about this?"

    "Grandpa said that he will continue his investigation on his end and I have to continue my investigation from another angle. Once everything is collected, we are planning to release all evidence to the public. We''re not going to give that man a chance to retreat to a safer place."

    From his conversation with Austin earlier, Neil found out that the Qi family was keeping their eyes on General Attorney Leng and they were trying to investigate the power behind that man.

    Those who were working with someone like General Attorney Leng shouldn''t be good people and they are planning to remove those people from Capital City. Such people who would only bring harm to the public should not be given too much power.

    When the couple entered the cafe, a waiter walked over to greet them before they were ushered to the next floor.

    The second floor of the cafe was empty, except for a table in the middle of the room.

    Neil led Edith to the table and pulled a chair for her to sit down.

    Seeing the way Neil was acting, Charles Tang put his arms on his chest and leaned back to his seat, acting as if he was watching something very interesting.

    Edith watched the strange exchange between Neil and Charles and decided not to say a word.

    Charles had made it no secret that he was not a fan of Neil and Neil did not want to waste much time talking to someone like Charles Tang.

    The silent atmosphere continued even after the waiter had returned with their order of drinks. For a while, Edith had this feeling as if she was going on a date with Neil, but a stranger happened to be joining their table as well.

    As they continued to wait in silence, a woman with a baseball cap walked over and sat beside Charles the moment she arrived.

    Jennifer took off her cap and glanced at Edith with a curious gaze. "President Mo," she flashed a smile. "Who is this?"

    "This is my wife, Edith Qian."

    "I thought you are still single. When did you get married? Why don''t I know anything about it?" Charles asked.

    "We just got our certificate yesterday," Neil said. "Oh right." He paused to pull out two small boxes from his bag and pushed them across the table.

    "What is this?" Charles asked.

    "Wedding candies," Neil said.

    Charles leaned forward and grabbed the box of candies. He inspected the contents and lifted his head with a shocked expression on his face. He had thought that Neil was joking. Charles was not expecting that the box indeed contained wedding candies.

    "President Mo, you and your brother are indeed the same. Every time I had a meeting with Adam, he would always bring his wife with him." A soft smile appeared on her lips as Jennifer thought of the couple, Adam and Claire.

    Neil smiled at her words. "I didn''t bring my wife to join this meeting without any reason. Regarding the Attorney General, my wife had her resentment towards that man as well."

    Jennifer glanced at Edith and raised a brow as she looked at Neil. "How so?"

    "When my wife was eight years old, her mother passed away." Neil paused to look at their expression.. "Recently, we found evidence that her mother was killed by that person."

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 287 - Where Are You Ugly?

    Once the couple left, both Jennifer Jiang and her brother sat at the table with a dazed expression on their face.

    Charles, who was the first who snapped out of their trance. He turned to his sister and swallowed. "Sister, do you think that they''re telling us the truth?"

    Jennifer shook her head, weakly. "I don''t know."

    "To think that that person could be that despicable. Accepting bribery and manipulating some documents is one thing, but to do that kind of thing to women?" Charles felt a shiver down his spine. "That person is not human at all."

    A deep frown appeared on Jennifer''s face. That time, when she has been working with Adam and Claire, they were really close to expose the truth about the General Attorney. But someone had exposed their plans and the General Attorney had sent his people to threatened both her and Adam.

    While Adam was killed in the accident, someone had caught her and she was confined at a place. She was tortured mercilessly for days as they demanded a confession from her. The others wanted to find out what kind of information she had and who else had known about their findings.

    She did not want to cooperate and had almost died. Until now, her knees would hurt whenever she walked. When it rained, the pain became unbearable.

    It was fortunate that she had managed to trick one of those men to let her go quickly find her way to escape. When she thought of what might happen to her if she was confined longer¡­ Jennifer was scared. She did not think that she would be strong enough to go through life if anything like those would happen to him.

    Perhaps what she had experienced was not as bad as what the other women had experienced, but it would still give her nightmares.

    Suddenly, something came to her mind and her face grew pale. Jennifer stood up quickly, causing the chair behind her to screech.

    "Sister, what happened to you?"

    "Nothing." She forced a smile at her brother and gathered her belongings into her bag. "I just remember that there is something else that I should do."

    "What?"

    "Something." At this time, her mind was somewhere else. Jennifer saw the worried look on her brother''s face and heaved a breath. "Look. I''ll call you when I get home, alright?"

    ¡­

    Edith looked out the window as Neil drove back to the apartment. The journey back was silent and Neil did not speak a word, knowing that his wife was in deep thought.

    Once he had pulled over at his usual parking spot, Neil turned to Edith and sighed when he found that she was staring into space. Neil stretched his hand to touch her shoulders and soon, the girl turned around slowly to face him.

    "We''ve arrived," Edith spoke softly. "Why didn''t you say anything?"

    Neil didn''t answer but only stared at her face for a long time. "What''s in your mind?"

    Edith lowered her head and suddenly, her forehead was leaning on his shoulder and did not say anything. Her eyes stung and her tears were threatening to fall. Edith bit at her lips and inhaled a deep breath. The scent filled her nostril and Edith leaned closer to his body.

    She had listened to him as he briefed the siblings about what had happened to her mother. She felt something tugging at her heart and began to feel sad again when she thought of her mother.

    After they had returned from Z Town, Edith had noticed everyone''s look of concern, especially from her grandfather. She had tried her best to show them that she was alright and told herself not to think of the matter too much, lest it was going to make her sad again.

    Her marriage with Neil had managed to take the matter off her mind temporarily, but after meeting the siblings and heard Neil briefing them about the matter, Edith became sad again.

    Neil patted at her back. He did not know what was going on, but he could guess what was on her mind when she started to grip her hands tightly on the front of his shirt. Her head continued to tilt down and Neil had the feeling that Edith did not want him to see the look on her face at the moment.

    With a sigh, Neil pulled her closer and continued to coax her silently. After a while, his movement halted when Neil felt the wetness on his shirt. He looked closely and noticed the slight tremble on her shoulders.

    Edith was crying silently without making any noise or too much movement.

    Rather than her heart-wrenching cry on the day that he had found her at her mother''s grave, Neil thought that seeing the way she had cried silently tugged at his heart even more.

    Neil put his hands on her shoulders as he attempted to pull her up, but the grip on her shirts only became tighter. Slowly, Neil released his hands. Knowing that she didn''t want him to look at her face at this moment, Neil decided to respect her wishes.

    After a few minutes, Edith finally calmed down and pulled away from his embrace. Her head continued to tilt down as she did not want to let him see the look on her face.

    It was then that she noticed the wet patch on his shirt. She stared at the spot in a daze for a few seconds and suddenly turned to find the tissue packet in her bag. Hastily, she tried to wipe the stains away and became frustrated when the wet spot only spread wider.

    Suddenly, Neil grabbed at her hand, forcing her to stop. His hand moved to pinch her under her chin, then, he raised her face to look at him and started to dab her face gently with a clean tissue. He paused to stare at her face and kissed both her eyes.

    Edith snapped out of her trance and pulled away. Then, she covered her face with both hands.

    "Don''t look at me," Edith said before Neil had the chance to pull her hands away. "My eyes are a little swollen. I''m ugly."

    Neil halted. A few seconds later, a chuckle escaped him. "Where are you ugly? My wife is beautiful even if she cried."

    Edith peeked at him through the small gap between her fingers and saw the smile on his face.

    "Come over, let me look at your face." A helpless sigh escaped him when she did not make any move. "If you didn''t wipe your face properly, everyone is going to think that I bullied you when we went upstairs."

    Edith panicked a little bit when she thought of those people who would worry about her. She took down her hands and let Neil wipe her face again.

    A chuckle escaped her when she thought of how Neil was treating her like a little kid.

    "In the end, you''re only worried that my grandfather is going to scold you, right?"

    "You''re wrong. I''m not scared of Grandpa. I''m more afraid of Hazel." Neil bopped at her nose. "You might not realize this, but Hazel is quite protective of you.. If she sees your face right now, she''s going to think that I did something and blame it on me." He watched as she checked at her reflection in the mirror and asked, "Are you feeling better now?"

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 288 - Big Enough To Be A Big Sister

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    After breakfast ended, Edith followed her grandfather into his room and looked around the spacious room. Her grandfather has been living with them for a few days and Edith knew that it was because of her.

    Knowing her grandfather, the old man would want to head back to Z Town soon or find an excuse for him to stay somewhere else, but because he was worried about his granddaughter, Mike tried his best to get used to living with the Mo''s.

    He was always a simple man and living in a luxurious apartment made him feel a little awkward.

    Fortunately, the little princess was around and she would accompany him most of the time.

    "When are you leaving?" Mike asked as he watched his granddaughter sat on the sofa.

    "In a while," Edith said. "Neil is arranging a few of his work stuff. Once he''s done, we''ll depart to A City. Grandpa, will you be alright to stay here when I''m not around?"

    Mike chuckled. "How old am I? Do you still have to worry about me?"

    "I''m just worried that you would be bored without me here."

    "Why would I be bored? There''s still Hazel here to accompany me." Mike flashed her granddaughter a smile. "You go ahead and enjoy your short trip with Neil. Take a break and clear your mind. I will be fine. Your in-laws are good people. They will look after me well."

    Edith heaved a sigh, knowing that her grandfather was embarrassed to trouble both Sophie and Lucas.

    However, the couple had assured him that they don''t mind having Mike around. Lucas at least would have a friend to talk to and he enjoyed listening to Mike telling him about his experience in the police force.

    "Grandpa." Edith stared at the elderly man''s face and hesitated. "I heard from Neil that you are going to work with him to get that person."

    Mike was startled when he heard Edith mentioning this matter. He has been waiting for a few days for Edith to bring up the matter about her mother''s death or his investigation. However, the girl had not raised the matter until now.

    "Hmm¡­" Mike lowered his gaze. "I have my way to find out the evidence of the Attorney General''s crime, but Neil had his way to expose the man''s crime. We were both looking forward to the same ending, it''s best if we work together."

    Edith observed her grandfather''s expression and noticed the same sad look on his face whenever he thought of her mother.

    From Grandpa George, Edith found out that her grandfather has been looking for the answer behind her mother''s death for years. It was only until recently that they found out the culprit.

    Her grandfather has been torturing himself for years.

    Edith felt a little sad when she recalled the look on her grandfather''s face whenever he came to visit her mother''s grave.

    Mike waited for his granddaughter to ask him questions, but after a minute has passed, he was both relieved and disappointed that Edith did not ask him anything.

    "You don''t have to worry about this thing." Mike cleared his throat when Edith raised her head to look at him. "Grandpa will make sure that we will bring that person to justice. The person who had harmed your mother and those women deserved to be punished according to law."

    Edith looked up and flashed him a smile. "Hmm¡­ Grandpa, I know you will. I have my utmost trust in you."

    Mike was momentarily stunned upon seeing her smile. It took him a few seconds to recover and suddenly the uneasiness in his heart gradually faded.

    The grandfather and granddaughter chatted for a few minutes and Edith reminded him not to do anything dangerous while she was away.

    When she walked out of the room, Hazel was sitting in the living room. Her hand was holding a pencil, but her eyes were staring at the luggage at the corner of the room in a daze.

    Edith walked over and sat down beside the girl.

    Noticing that someone had appeared beside her, Hazel turned around and her eyes widened when she saw that it was her Auntie Edith. Swiftly, Hazel evaded her gaze and turned to look at the homework she was working on.

    "Your uncle and auntie are going on a trip for two days and one night," Edith said. "Will you be alright to stay with your grandparents?"

    Hazel turned to her again and nodded. "I''ll be fine. You won''t be going for too long. I can still see you tomorrow evening."

    Edith patted at her hair and smiled, knowing that the little girl still remembered what she had told her earlier.

    "But I will miss you."

    The hand on top of Hazel''s head paused. Edith pecked at Hazel''s forehead and hugged her tightly. "Well, I will miss you too. Should I talk to your uncle and convince him to bring you with us?"

    Hazel giggled. "Auntie Edith, no. Grandma said that I cannot go with you. I have to stay home and accompany her. Grandma said that Hazel is big enough to be a big sister."

    Edith stared back at Hazel with a puzzled look on her face. It took her a while to guess what Sophie might have said to Hazel.

    Suddenly, Edith was a little embarrassed. They have been discussing marriage for some time but had never said anything about having a child.

    Neil was clueless the first time he had lived together with Hazel. It took him a while to finally be close to Hazel and learn how to look after a child.

    This was not the time for them to discuss the matter of having a child.

    Neil was still busy with the matter of Adam and Claire''s death as well as the company.

    Moreover¡­ Having a baby would require hard work and time. She still wanted to spend a little more time with Neil before they can start having a baby.

    Forcing a smile on her face, Edith decided to change the subject. "Hazel, can you help me with one thing?"

    The little girl looked at Edith and nodded with enthusiasm. "I can."

    "I haven''t mentioned what I need you to help me with."

    "Whatever it is, I will do my best to help you."

    Edith sighed helplessly at the little girl''s obedience. "I need you to keep your eyes on Great-Grandpa. He''s still injured and I''m a little worried that he will go out and run around. Can you help me to look at him and make sure that he stays at home while I''m away?"

    Hazel pondered over the request and nodded. "I can. Auntie Edith, don''t worry. I will look over Great-Grandpa and make sure that he will have a good rest."

    Edith patted at her hair upon hearing her answer. At this time, Neil walked down the stairs with a cheery look on his face. He turned to look at Edith and a glint of light flashed in his eyes. "I''m done. Come on.. Let''s head out now."

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 289 - Honeymoon

    After driving for less than an hour Neil pulled over his vehicle at the parking spot.

    It was the weekend and there was a crowd as everyone was looking forward to climbing up the mountain to enjoy the beautiful scenery. Neil took the heaviest backpack before he led Edith to the entrance to start climbing up.

    Neil wanted to take Edith to another place where they could enjoy their honeymoon, however with the way things are at this moment, he could not take a long break and it was not suitable for them to travel far.

    Perhaps, after the wedding, he would arrange for another trip for their honeymoon.

    For now, he can only bring her somewhere close. He intended to take her mind off the recent affair.

    As they started to climb, Edith took out her phone and started to take some pictures here and there. She turned around and snapped a few pictures of Neil.

    "Careful with your step." Neil stared at the place Edith stepped on anxiously. Watching the girl stepped here and there made him worry that she was going to be careless and injure herself.

    Edith turned around with a bright smile on her face and stuck out her tongue playfully.

    Neil heaved a helpless sigh upon seeing her playful attitude. His wife looked so cheerful and Neil was glad that he decided to bring her to this trip. After watching her for a while, his expression turned gentler.

    "Are you tired?" Edith unscrewed the bottled water and handed it to Neil.

    The start-up of their climb was easy and gradually turned a little steep in the middle. Fortunately, there were sturdy chains at the side and the way up was properly managed.

    Edith watched as Neil took a few sips at the water and took out a clean handkerchief to wipe the sweat trickling down his face.

    After walking for almost an hour, they reached a viewing platform and Edith looked around excitedly. It was almost the afternoon and the sun was up high. At this time, a few visitors were hanging around the place to enjoy the pretty mountain view.

    Edith looked at Neil''s slightly reddened face and laughed. The two have been walking around for a while and their body temperature rose slightly. Neil had insisted to carry the heaviest backpack and thus, he was a little breathless.

    "Let''s rest for a while," Edith suggested. She saw a nice spot and pulled Neil closer to take a picture of them together. The background was the beautiful view of the city and there was a bright smile on their face. Edith browsed through a few pictures and was satisfied with them.

    Seeing that a male visitor was walking around leisurely, Edith went forward and asked for his help to take a picture of them together.

    The male visitor quickly agreed and instructed them to stand closer and pose. After a few clicks, the man returned her phone and continued to walk around. Then, Edith looked at the picture and thought that it looked nicer than her previous photos.

    "Send it over to me."

    "Oh." Edith nodded and obediently send a few pretty pictures to him.

    After resting for a while, the two continued to climb up the mountain and finally arrived at the peak after another hour. The two finally arrived at the peak of the mountain after almost three hours of climbing up.

    Neil led her to the hotel that he had booked earlier and soon, they arrived at the honeymoon suite. Edith stepped inside and stared at the scattered flower petals in awe. The room was beautifully decorated and she could not stop going here and there to look at their surroundings. Putting their bag on the side, Edith then stepped out at the balcony to admire the view from there.

    The temperature at the top of the mountain was a little colder. The wind was blowing softly against her face and Edith took a deep breath at the mountain''s fresh air.

    Just then, a pair of strong arms wrapped around her waist and Edith quickly wriggled to get out.

    "Stop it. I''m covered with sweat."

    "Well me too. What''s there to be embarrassed about?" Neil raised a brow, hugged her again, and planted a kiss on the cheek. "When have I avoided hugging you when you''re covered in sweat?" He inched closer to her ear and whispered. "In fact, I like hugging you when you''re covered in sweat the most."

    Edith stared at his face in a daze and saw the teasing look on his face. Suddenly, her face turned a little red. This former iceblock was so good at acting hooligan!

    "Let''s get something to eat first," Edith said, pushing away the man from her. "After climbing up for hours, I am a little tired and hungry."

    "Do you want to go down and eat or have something to eat in the room?" Neil put his hand on the phone and was ready to call the room service.

    "My legs are asleep and I''m too lazy to move around. Let''s just have our lunch in the room."

    "Alright." Neil nodded and called the room service. When he was done, Edith had disappeared into the restroom to clean up. As he waited for their food to arrive, Neil took the chance to send a message to his mother and Edith''s grandfather to tell them that they have safely arrived at the hotel. Then, he checked on his emails and replied to a few important ones.

    When Edith came out of the bathroom, the man was sitting in the living area with his legs crossed. For a moment, Edith stared at the man with a dazed expression.

    It was said that a man would look handsome when he was working on something with a serious look on his face and Edith could not help but agree as she looked at his face at this time.

    Edith tiptoed slowly on the carpeted floor and stopped as she reached behind him. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pecked at his cheek as he continued to type on his phone.

    "Why aren''t you surprised?"

    "Baby, I already noticed you when you walked out of the bathroom."

    Edith pulled a face. "You''re no fun."

    Neil chuckled at her words.

    "Go and take a shower first. I''ll stay and wait for the food to arrive."

    "Hmm¡­" He slid his phone into his pocket and stood up.

    Edith watched as he entered the bathroom and suddenly let out a long breath. Her body slumped on the sofa and Edith bit at her lips.

    The two of them have been together for a while, but the thought that they were on their honeymoon made her heart pounded with a different kind of excitement each time that she laid her eyes on him.

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 290 - My Wife

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    After having their lunch, Edith found that her eyes were getting heavier. After lazying around on the sofa for a while, she could no longer move around and had fallen asleep.

    Seeing that Edith was curled up on the sofa, Neil lifted her and tucked her into bed. He turned off the light, set an alarm, and slid under the cover. Neil pulled her closer to him and the woman snuggled in his embrace.

    A chuckle escaped him as he watched her wrapped her arms around his waist and pressed her nose on his chest. The woman continued to cling to him and her chest was pressing against his. Neil swallowed and took a deep breath to steady himself. He pushed her hair from her face and pecked at her forehead.

    He was a little tired after climbing up the mountain, but with the adorable woman in his embrace, Neil found himself unable to sleep. In the end, he spent his time staring at her as he restrained himself from making any move.

    An hour later, Edith stirred in her sleep and stretched her body. The moment she opened her eyes, Edith found that her husband was staring back at her.

    Edith rubbed at her eyes and stared back at him in her drowsy state. "Hubby."

    The moment the word slipped out of her mouth, Edith found that the man had already pressed her on the soft mattress and kissing her lips senselessly. His hands moved around to touch the curves on her body, eliciting a moan from her throat.

    Sensing that she had almost gasping for her breath, Neil pulled away and rested their forehead against each other. His throat rolled as he stared back at her misty eyes and his thumb caressed her slightly swollen lips.

    After he had calmed down, Neil kissed the top of her head and pulled away. "What do you want to do today?"

    "Ah?" Edith blinked back. Her hand was holding the blanket tightly. "Do what?"

    Neil let out a chuckle when he saw the innocent look on her face. "Let''s go out and walk around the hotel. I heard that the cafe near the hotel''s viewing platform is pretty good. Let''s have our dinner there later."

    Hearing his suggestion, Edith snapped out of her trance. She buried her head under the cover and cursed at her dirty thoughts.

    He raised a brow and tried to pry her fingers from the blanket. "You don''t want to walk around?"

    "I didn''t say that." Edith peeked from her blanket, hiding her nose below. She bit at her lips and narrowed her eyes when she saw the laughter on his face. "You go and get ready first."

    Neil was about to say something to tease her but stopped himself when he saw the shy look on her face. His throat rolled at the sight of her pink cheek and misty eyes. He tried his best to restrain himself and get off the bed. Neil thought that if he continued to sit around, the two of them would definitely spend their honeymoon in their room until it was time for them to check out.

    In the evening, the temperature around the mountain top was a little colder. Edith was dressed in her black jeans and purple sweater. The two of them left the hotel and walked around the mountain top with the guide in their hands. They visited a few scenic places and snapped a few pictures here and there.

    Edith chose a few pretty scenic views and was about to post them on her moments when she noticed that Neil had made a post a few hours earlier. Edith clicked at the post and saw that it was the picture of them together at the viewing platform below.

    Their faces were a little red after they climbed up the mountain, but the smile on her face was radiant. In the picture, Neil was not looking at the camera, but at her face. His gaze was full of doting.

    There was only a short caption on the post: My wife.

    Edith was stunned when she saw the post.

    This was the first time that she had seen him post anything. Under this post, a few of his close friends had left their comments, but Neil had not replied to any of them. As she went through the comments, Henry''s comments popped up to explain to others that their Iceblock friends have indeed gotten himself a marriage certificate.

    And then, there were voices of disbelief. Some people had thought that Henry was pulling their legs, and then, the others started to demand the poster to clarify the situation.

    "What are you looking at?" Neil appeared beside her with a paper bag in his hand.

    Edith let him see what was on her screen and asked, "You didn''t reply to your friend''s messages?"

    "I already explained in the caption. It''s up to them whether they wanted to believe it or not. It''s no use to try and explain to them. They will know whether I am joking around or not when they attended our wedding," Neil said. He stretched out his hand and handed the paper bag to her. "It will be a while before dinner. Have something to snack on first."

    Edith slid her phone into her purse and took the bag. Hot air was released along with a delicious aroma. She peeked into the bag and saw a few pieces of roasted sweet potato. Instantly, her mouth began to water.

    "Careful, don''t burn your hands," Neil said. He gave her a napkin and helped her to take one of the sweet potatoes in the bag.

    They found a place to sit at the viewing platform and ate the sweet potatoes happily. From where they were seated, the view of distant mountains, valley, and the city could be seen.

    Once they finished the sweet potatoes, Edith felt her body a little warmer and the two of them continued to walk around the garden. Their hands intertwined with each other as they walked and chatted about various things.

    They arrived at another scenic view and Edith took a few photos. The cold wind blew and Edith wrapped herself with her arms. Suddenly, Neil hugged her from behind and rested his chin on her shoulder.

    "Do you like it here?"

    Edith nodded. "It was a little tiring to climb up the mountain, but the scenery is very pretty. Next time, let''s take Hazel to come over and play."

    "Alright." Neil chuckled. His lips stretched into a helpless smile upon noticing that Edith would always think of Hazel.

    He had decided to marry her because he loves her and thought that they were very compatible together. Fortunately, Edith did not mind that he had to look after Hazel and instead, would help him to look over his niece. Neil was grateful that the three of them could live well together.

    When the sky started to turn a little darker, Neil led Edith back to the cafe. He had already made a reservation and the waiter led them to the seat at the viewing platform. Edith looked at the menu and frowned when she could not make up her mind on what to order.

    "Stop looking at the price. Just order anything that you want. Your husband can still afford to pay for your meals."

    Edith looked up at him and was suddenly reminded of the last time that he had taken her to the private kitchen. At that time, she was a little reluctant to order anything expensive and in the end, she had to sneak into the kitchen to make herself some noodles.

    Surprisingly, someone was concerned that she was not eating much and had ordered some fried rice for takeaway.

    "It''s fine." Edith continued to browse the menu coolly. Then, she peeked at his expression and flashed him a teasing smile. "I packed in a bowl of instant noodles just in case I would get hungry."

    Neil was momentarily stunned at her words.. After a few seconds, he began to laugh at the memory.

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 291 - Its Good That You Like It (18+)

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Warning: A slight scene that is unsuitable for underage in the chapter. Read at your own discretion.

    The couple returned to their room after dinner. Seeing that Neil was busy answering a few emails, Edith curled up on the sofa and switched on the television. She stared at the show absentmindedly as her heart pounded loudly against her ribcage.

    They were on their honeymoon and Edith was expecting them to be doing some naughty stuff. Edith bit at her lips and lowered her head. She was sure that if Neil knew what was on her mind, he was going to tease her endlessly.

    Feeling that her mind was too full of dirty thoughts, Edith walked out to the balcony and sat at the swing. The cold air was blowing and her mind was clearer.

    Perhaps because they were farther from the city, the stars could be seen clearly from the mountain top.

    At this time, Neil walked out of the room with a blanket in his arms. "It''s cold. At least cover yourself well if you''re going to sit around here."

    Edith secured the blanket around her body. "Are you done with your work?"

    "Sorry." Neil flashed her a helpless smile.

    He had thought that he would be able to stay away from work as they were on a honeymoon, but it was an important matter regarding the hospital construction and Neil wanted to oversee the matter personally.

    "It''s alright. Just take your time."

    The phone on his hand buzzed again and Neil walked into the room after flashing her an apologetic smile.

    Edith watched his retreating figure and heaved a sigh. She browsed through her phone for a while and went back into the room. Seeing that he was still on his phone, Edith grabbed her clothes and went into the bathroom.

    When the matter was finally resolved, Neil turned around and found that his wife was no longer on the balcony. He went inside to find her and exhaled with relief upon hearing the sound of water from the bathroom.

    A few minutes later, Edith walked out of the bathroom with a bathrobe on her body. Her steps halted when she sees him and then, she flashed him a smile. "Are you done with your work?"

    "Hmm¡­" Neil nodded. He looked at the time and noticed that it was late. "It''s done. I am not going to look at my phone for work again."

    Suddenly, he felt a little guilty inside. He had wanted to go on this honeymoon to cheer up his wife, but then, he spent his time managing his works.

    "I heard that the sunrise view on the mountain is spectacular," Neil said. "Let''s get up early in the morning and watch the sunrise from the viewing platform."

    Neil opened his mouth to tell her his plan, but the words he wanted to speak suddenly disappeared. Seeing the view in front of him, Neil was a little stunned.

    He was not expecting that Edith would suddenly slide off her bathrobe and showed up in front of him in such eye-catching lingerie. The red, lacy one-piece lingerie looked very pretty against her white skin. The important part of her body was covered with laces, turning his mind and imagination wild. Her face was painted with light makeup, and her lips were bright red.

    Edith played with a few strands of her hair and walked over towards him. Just before she reached his side, Edith stopped and tilted her head teasingly. "You don''t like this piece?"

    "It''s pretty." His voice was a little hoarse. "I like it."

    A smile curled on her lips as Edith got the reaction that she wanted from him. "It''s good that you like it."

    "Where did you get this outfit?" His wife had a very alluring body, but now that she was dressed like this... He would not be a man if he was not excited.

    "Lily helped me to pick this up."

    Neil had a conflicted expression on his face. He did not know whether her friend, Lily was a good influence on his wife. He liked that she had helped his wife to choose a pretty outfit such as this, however, he was a little worried that Lily was going to corrupt his wife''s mind.

    Edith took another step towards him. She grabbed at his hand and placed it on her body. She saw the way his gaze changed and the smile on her face widened

    Their plan to go on this honeymoon was a little too sudden and Edith had no other choice but to take the battle armor that Lily had brought with her on this trip. Edith had wanted to try to look at his reaction and test whether this piece of lingerie was worthy to be called a battle armor and was happy with the way he had reacted.

    Neil gave a little squeeze at the softness in his hand before he bent down to claim that red lips. His hands continued to move around her body and his body grew hot with excitement.

    After he had kissed her enough, Neil pulled away and looked at his panted wife. The redness on her cheek intensified and the lipstick on her lips was no longer as red as it was at the beginning.

    He had thought that the kiss will help him to calm down, but when he looked at her misty eyes, his excitement only grew.

    Neil kept his gaze on the lingerie and his fingers began to trace along her outline. The plunging neckline stopped just above her belly button and the flowery pattern on the garment hid the spots that he wanted to see the most. His fingers grazed at a sensitive spot on her body and his throat tightened upon seeing the way her mouth was slightly parted.

    No longer able to hold back, Neil lowered his head to continue rained soft kisses everywhere on her body. Occasionally, he left a few traces of him and thought that they looked pretty on her body. He slowly guided her towards the bed and soon the two fell on the bed with him on top of her. His hand traveled at the area under her bellybutton and halted when he felt the wetness.

    Swiftly, he went back to look at her face and was startled by her anticipating gaze.

    At this time, Neil thought that he would go crazy with just the way she looked at him.

    Edith moved to help him get unbuttoned his shirt and her hands began to feel the contour of his chest. Leaning forward, she began to copy the way he had kissed her body.

    Suddenly, Edith felt his hands on her shoulders as she was pushed back to the mattress. Neil went back to kiss her lips and slowly moved downwards¡­

    A gasp escaped her and her fingers clenched at his hair as he continued to kiss her. The feeling was too overwhelming that her mind had gone blank.

    After she had to go through the torturous pleasure, Edith began to regret wearing the battle armor. Her body was moved into several different positions and had experienced countless pleasures. She was too tired that she could not move a finger.

    When she thought that she still has to climb down the mountain the next morning, Edith had the urge to cry. She could only beg him for mercy.

    However, the person on top of her seemed as if it would take him a while to put off the fire inside of him. The man was too good at coaxing her that Edith could only give herself away.  It was as if he did not know what is exhaustion.

    In the end, Edith had a little trouble figuring out whether what happened afterward was a dream or reality.

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 292 - Do You Want A Baby?

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    The water around her was warm and the slight movement made her feel as if she was floating in a calm ocean. Her muscle began to relax and it was not as sore as it was a while ago. Gradually, Edith found herself drowsy again.

    She leaned on the sturdy chest behind her and snuggled to get into a comfortable position.

    "Are you sleepy again?"

    Hearing the question, Edith snapped her eyes to look at Neil. "Isn''t it because of you?"

    The smile on his face widened. Neil began to put some pressure around her waist area, massaging her. "Sorry. You know well that I couldn''t restrain myself when you take the initiative." His throat rolled and his body heated up as he recalled the way wife would pant his name when they became one.

    Noticing that the man had hugged her tighter, Edith chose to stay still lest she would accidentally make him excited. Once she saw that his breathing had calm down, Edith pulled away and stared at his face.

    Neil tilted his head sideways when Edith continued to watch him without saying anything. "What is it?"

    "Nothing," Edith shook her head. "I just wanted to take a look at your face." Her hands cupped at his face and Edith tugged at the corner of his lips, making him smile. "Really good looking," she muttered before pressing her lips against his briefly.

    Seeing the way she acted, Neil was suddenly reminded of her drunken state. Once upon a time, she had done the same thing towards him and he began to take notice of everything that she had done around him. He then realized that he was attracted to her.

    Of course, Neil had never mentioned this incident to her.

    "Neil?"

    "Hmm..."

    "Darling?"

    Neil laughed and pulled her into his embrace. "What?"

    "Hubby... do you want a baby?"

    Hearing her question, Neil was stunned and he was unable to react. He stared back at his wife and wondered if he had perhaps imagined things.

    "You don''t want it?" Edith raised a hand and started to poke a finger at his chest.

    "Why did you suddenly ask about this?" He narrowed his eyes and a thought suddenly came to his mind. "Are you pregnant?"

    Her face turned red. Edith bit at her lips and lowered her gaze. "Of course not. But, we''re married. Sooner or later, people are going to ask about a child," Edith said. "I just wanted to know your opinion about this."

    The two of them had always use a safety measure whenever they were intimate, except for that one time when she had run to Z Town and Neil had come over to find her.

    After that¡­ the two of them were in a hurry to return to the city. It was only a few days ago that Edith seemed to remember that she had not taken any pills afterward. There are still chances that she might get pregnant from that time.

    Now that they are married, Edith wanted to know what he thinks about having a child. If something happened, later on, she would be prepare and would know what to do.

    "Moreover¡­ when we''re in Z City, we did not use that." Her voice gradually turned quiet.

    There was a slight fluctuation in his eyes when Neil heard his wife mentioned that night and he knew what Edith was concerned about.

    When he thought of what happened in Z Town, Neil thought that he was a bad guy.

    He was a little angry that Edith had run around without telling him where she had gone to. Neil was worried that this girl might someday choose to leave his side. That night, he purposely did not use protection, selfishly wishing that their union would give them a child.

    Perhaps with a child between them, Edith would not leave and s continue to stay by his side.

    It was only after that Neil realized how cruel he was, to decide something without consulting her opinion. Afterward, he was busy with a few matters that he had forgotten about it. When the matter arose in his mind again, Neil thought that it was a little too awkward for him to bring up that matter again. In the end, he chose not to speak a thing.

    "Then, what about you?" Neil stretched his hand to touch her face. "Do you want a baby? If we have a child from that night, will you choose to keep it?"

    There was a long silence between then and Neil thought that his heart was a little chaotic. His eyes were looking into hers, but he could not figure out what was in her mind.

    Her lips curled into a faint smile. "Of course I want it. If it''s your baby of course I want it."

    Neil was stunned upon hearing her words.

    "But what about you?" She was the first to ask this question, but Neil had not said his opinion, and Edith was anxious to know what he thought of having a child. "If there is something in my stomach, do you want me to keep it?"

    Edith has been helping Mrs. Li to babysit a few children when she was younger and found out that she loved being surrounded by kids. It was one of the reasons she had chosen to work as a kindergarten teacher.

    She grew up with only her grandfather by her side. Edith thought that when the time came, she wanted to have a family and being surrounded by many kids. Growing up alone without anyone was too lonely.

    "Of course, I would love you to keep it." He leaned forward and kissed the top of her head. "The important thing is what you think of it. Having a baby¡­ it will be tougher on you."

    The smile on her face widened and suddenly, Edith thought that she was a little silly. There were still a few days for them to figure out whether there was something in her stomach, but just the thought of them having a baby made her a little excited.

    "If there''s a baby, then let''s keep it," Neil said. "But if nothing happened, let''s wait for a while before we try again, alright?"

    Edith looked at him, puzzled. "Why?"

    Neil let out a chuckle. "We haven''t been together for a long time. I still wanted to be with just you a little longer."

    "Just me?" There was a teasing look on her face. "Darling, did you forget about Hazel?"

    Neil heaved a sigh. "It was bad enough that I had to fight for your affection with Hazel. Where would I be if we have a child early?"

    Edith stared at the man in front of her, dumbfounded. After a while, a heartily laugh burst out.

    "If we have a baby, wouldn''t your attention be on the child?" Neil continued. "I still wanted my wife to spoil me for a long time."

    "Darling, you''re adorable." Edith leaned forward and pecked at his lips a few times. Soon, the kiss turned into long, heated kisses.

    Edith smiled when they parted again. "How do you want me to spoil you?"

    Read novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 293 - Gossipy Teachers

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    After a week''s break, Edith returned to the kindergarten to resume work. The moment she arrived, her colleagues walked over to her with concern. They were relieved upon hearing that Edith''s grandfather had recovered well. Just as everyone was about to depart, someone saw that Edith was carrying a few paper bags in her hand.

    "Teacher Qian, what did you bring?" Teacher Guo asked. She peeked at the paper bag and saw the brand printed on it.

    "This," Edith stretched her hands. "Please distribute these for everyone."

    Teacher Guo peeked into the bag and took out a box. Looking at the red box, Teacher Guo then raised her head and looked at Edith with a hesitant gaze. "This¡­ Teacher Qian, don''t tell me that this is wedding candies."

    Edith flashed a timid smile. "It is. I got a marriage certificate last week."

    "Ah?" Teacher Guo had wanted to joke but was not expecting that Edith would really tell them that she had received a marriage certificate. Her gaze moved towards the ring on Edith''s finger and only then that she was convinced.

    "Teacher Qian, why didn''t we know that you have a boyfriend," Teacher Shen teased. Her expression froze as a thought came to her mind. "Don''t tell me that you got married to for your grandfather''s sake? It couldn''t be that you married a total stranger?"

    Teacher Shen was a fan of dramas and had watched something similar to this plot. The grandfather was sickly and was worried about his only granddaughter. To ensure her sick grandfather, Edith chose to get married to a stranger¡­

    Suddenly, Teacher Shen''s thoughts went wild. Teacher Qian had that innocent look on her face and as the eldest, Teacher Shen was a little worried.

    Edith felt the corner of her lips twitched the moment she saw the look on Teacher Shen''s face. "Teacher Shen, please don''t think too much. My husband and I have been dating for months."

    "You really hid your relationship well," Teacher Guo said. "We didn''t even realize that you are in a relationship. Teacher Qian, congratulations. Please invite us over to your wedding."

    "Of course." Edith nodded.

    At this time the headmistress entered the room and the teachers began to scatter to get into their classes.

    Edith walked over and greeted the headmistress. The headmistress and her mother-in-law are good friends and were aware of Edith''s relationship with Neil.

    "Teacher Qian, congratulations on your marriage."

    "Headmistress Fu, thank you," Edith looked at the headmistress and hesitated. "I took a few weeks off without saying anything to you. Sorry for the inconvenience I caused."

    After the headmistress was aware of her relationship with Neil, she had not mentioned a word to her colleagues and had looked after her well. Edith was grateful for the headmistress''s help.

    Edith had thought that she would lose her job after she did not show up at the kindergarten for a few days. Surprisingly, the headmistress had called and told her that she can return anytime she wanted.

    Headmistress Fu held on Edith''s hand and patted it gently. "Your mother-in-law has already told me what happened. How''s your grandfather? Is he well now?"

    "Mmm¡­ My grandfather''s health is better these days. He had already returned to our hometown yesterday." Edith heaved a sigh as she thought of her grandfather.

    Her grandfather was thought that it would be inappropriate to continue to stay with the Mo family after staying for a couple of weeks. At least, if he returned to Z Town, he would be free to move around anywhere he pleased.

    After assuring his granddaughter that he will not try anything dangerous or try to trick her, Edith finally let her grandfather return to Z Town.

    "It''s good that your grandfather had recovered well. Your mother-in-law and I are good friends. Later, if you encountered any trouble, come over and look for me."

    The two of them exchanged a few words before Edith went back to her class and resumed her class. The children saw her walked into the class and started to cheer up happily. A few of them rushed over to hug her.

    Seeing this situation, the little girl who was sitting alone in the corner of the classroom walked over to join the others. Hazel skilfully slipped through the others and held on Edith''s hand tightly.

    Her eyes widened with amazement, knowing that the tricks that she learned from her great-grandfather were very useful.

    After a while, Edith was finally able to calm down those little kids and they all went back to their place before the class started.

    ¡­

    The class was especially lively on that day and the children were very enthusiastic since their teacher had returned. In the end, Edith found herself especially tired after entertaining the kids'' endless questions.

    After the kids had left, Edith noticed that a few teachers had not left and instead hang around at the entrance.

    Seeing her coming over, Teacher Guo smiled and explained, "Teacher Qian, I heard that the others were curious about your husband. You have gotten married recently and the others were sure that he would come over to pick you up."

    They had seen the brand on the box and tasted the candies. After discussing among themselves for a while, the teachers concluded that Edith''s husband was not someone ordinary. The candies were expensive and it was not something that someone with a kindergarten teacher could afford.

    Edith turned to the others and watched them helplessly. "Teacher Guo, my husband is still working at this time. He won''t be coming over to pick me up."

    Of course, Edith did not tell them that later on, it was her who will be heading over to MH Group to pick up her husband from work.

    The others heard her words and quickly heaved a sigh of disappointment and dispersed.

    Her lips twitched as she watched everyone walked away. She had never thought that the fellow teachers to be very gossipy. It seemed that spending their time with the kids for long hours had made them quite bored.

    Edith made a note to tell Neil not to show up at the kindergarten lest the teachers would get over-excited. At this time, she was a little too shy to explain her love story with Neil.

    Once everyone had dispersed, Edith reached to hold Hazel''s hand and the two walked over towards the vehicle, where Driver Tang was waiting for them.

    Edith sent a few texts to a few people and turned to the little girl beside her. "Hazel, do you want to come over with me to Auntie Lily''s place?"

    Hazel''s eyes turned brighter. "Will Alex be there as well?"

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 294 - Because Hazel Is Cute

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    When the two of them arrived at Lily''s place, Hazel looked around the house, expecting her friend, Alex to come out and play with her. After a few minutes have passed, the person she was waiting for had not come out. Suddenly, her shoulders slumped as Hazel was feeling a little disappointed.

    Lily saw the look on Hazel''s face and chuckled. "Alex is still at school at this time. In half an hour, his school session will end and his father will pick him up. Hazel, will you wait for Alex?"

    The little girl''s face brightened up a little bit upon hearing Lily''s explanation.

    She had thought that Alex did not come out because he did not want to play with her. It turned out that he was still at school.

    Hazel nodded obediently before she sat down and took out a few books from her bag. As the two adults were discussing something in a low voice, Hazel decided to do her homework.

    Once in a while, Hazel would lift her head to look at the two women across from her.

    After a while, Hazel raised her head to look at Lily. After staring at Alex''s mother for a few seconds, Hazel tilted her head to another side. It seemed that there was something different about Alex''s mother.

    "Why are you looking at Auntie Lily like that?" Edith noticed the strange look on Hazel''s face and could not help but ask.

    Hazel hesitated. She could still remember her mother''s words that there are certain things that she should not speak out loud, for example, another person''s weight. However, after looking at Alex''s mother for a while, Hazel was very curious.

    In the end, the little girl moved over to Edith and whispered a few words. Edith''s face changed and a while later, Edith looked at Lily with a smile on her face.

    Edith let out a cough and spoke, "Well, Auntie Lily¡­ she had a baby in her tummy."

    After listening to Edith explaining about the baby, Hazel stared at Lily''s stomach with an amazement look in her eyes. It turned out that Alex will have a younger sibling soon and Hazel thought that it was a little strange.

    Hazel recalled the conversation with her grandmother not too long ago and turned her head to look at Edith''s tummy. If she was going to have younger siblings, then, her Auntie Edith''s tummy would grow as big as Alex''s mother''s?

    As Hazel continued to ponder about this mysterious thing, the door swung open and a figure ran in.

    "Mummy!" Seconds later, Alex was hugging her mother tightly.

    "How was school?" Lily asked as she patted at the boy''s hair.

    "It''s tiring. Mummy, I miss you." The little boy kissed his mother''s on the cheek and rubbed his face on his mother''s arms. His movement soon halted when Alex noticed that there were a few other people and they were all looking at him.

    Alex''s face turned pale when he noticed that Hazel was in his house. He covered his face with both hands, picked up his bag, and ran over to his room.

    "What happened to Alex?" Ethan asked when the boy ran past him.

    Lily laughed before she waved a hand to her husband. "Don''t worry about him. He''s just a little embarrassed."

    Ethan frowned. He turned to Edith, greeted her before he went upstairs to his room.

    "You just like to see your son getting embarrassed like that." Edith clicked her tongue disapprovingly at her friend.

    "Alex will be fine. I''m going to check on him first," Lily said and stood up.

    A few minutes later, Alex returned to the living area. His eyes were staring at Hazel with uncertainty. "Hazel, why are you here today?"

    "Auntie Edith said that she had something to discuss with your mother."

    Seeing that Hazel had not mentioned anything about his action earlier, Alex stopped hiding behind his mother. "Do you want to play with me? Let''s go and play outside. I will help and push you on the swings."

    The little girl stared at her homework. She glanced at Edith as if asking for her opinion. Once she had seen Edith nodded to give her permission, Hazel closed her book and walked over to Alex.

    Edith watched as Alex hold hands with Hazel and led her outside to play in the backyard. A sigh escaped her as Edith started to worry about Hazel.

    Next year, Hazel will start going to school. Edith and Neil both were worried that the girl will be able to make friends and adapt well. Though Hazel had started to talk again, the little girl was still a little afraid of people.

    Other than the people she was familiar with, Hazel had refused to talk or interact with anyone.

    In the class, Hazel would rather sit alone than joining others who were the same age as her. If it was not a requirement, Hazel would not join anyone for anything.

    Edith could only hope that by going interacting more with Alex, the little girl would slowly build up her courage to interact with other kids.

    ¡­

    Meanwhile, Alex took Hazel to the small playground and helped to push the little girl on the swings. Because he did not have too much strength, the swings only moved a little bit.

    "Alex, I heard that you''re going to be a big brother."

    "Hmm¡­" a smile curled on his face. "Mummy said I''m going to be a big brother to a cute little sister." His movement halted when he thought of something. "Tyler has a little sister as well and he always said that his little sister is annoying and not cute at all. Hazel, do you think that my little sister will be cute?

    Hazel stared at Alex''s face and did not speak. A little frown appeared on her face as she pondered over the question, but Hazel found out that she did not know the answer.

    "I think that if I have a little sister like you, I would be a relief."

    "Why is that?"

    Alex stopped and stared at Hazel for a long time until the swing stopped to move.

    He had spent his time around girls and thought that Hazel was the most nicest and obedient among everyone else. After spending a lot of time together, they became closer and Alex thought that he did not mind playing with a girl if that girl is Hazel.

    Alex looked into Hazel''s bright, round eyes and suddenly looked away with a little blush on his face. "Because Hazel is cute."

    Alex felt her face burned. This was the first time he had said those words and he did not know why he was a little embarrassed.

    The little girl was a little stunned. However, she did not give too much reaction towards Alex''s words. Growing up, Hazel was a little used to hear the people around her say those words to her.

    Seeing that the girl did not react, Alex took a deep breath to hid his feeling. "Alright. Sit tight. I''m going to start pushing you again."

    Hazel snapped out of her thoughts and nodded obediently.. "Oh."

    Read novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 295 - Heavy Burden

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    In the study, Neil was seen sitting behind the desk with Jamie and Henry facing him as they were discussing a plan to pull those dishonest directors into their trap.

    Neil held the stack of papers in his hand and read the reports that his spies had prepared.

    Previously, with Henry''s help, Neil had installed a few trusted people into various departments to keep their eyes on suspicious directors as well as employees. Neil was not expecting that other than those directors, there were a few others who were involved in various crimes.

    It seemed that after a few years of working with him, those directors and high-ranking managers no longer thought of him as a frightening person and had dared to steal from him. Looking at his report only made his blood boil.

    Jamie pushed the tablet in her hand to Neil and explained to him how she had found the managers had helped the director to alter the numbers in the accounts. There were a few employees who were working along with Director Cui as well.

    Neil''s expression grew heavy at the thought of the messy situation.

    Jamie paused when she saw the expression on her friend''s face. She exchanged her glance with Henry and hesitated before she spoke again, "Actually, I heard the news that Director Cui and the auditors are working together." She quickly avoided the look on Neil''s face and tapped on the tablet screen again before she pushed it forward. "These were some of the evidence that I came across."

    Neil studied the evidence for a long time and did not speak a word. At this time, none of his friends knew what was on his mind. After a long silence, Neil lifted his head and turned to Henry. "Did you check on the accounting firm as well?"

    Henry has been communicating with Jamie and had known about her findings.

    In fact, at the beginning of this investigation, Henry had reminded his friend to look after the accounting firm. When Neil decided to stay low, he had privately looked into this matter and found out about a few suspicious things.

    Henry tapped his fingers on the phone screen before he showed a few snapshots to his friend. "Recently, their meeting was getting frequent. The auditing period will begin soon and they were anxious to plan something."

    Neil stared at the photos where the two were seen entering the restaurant separately, but then the two went into the same room. The frown on his face deepened as he continued to listen to his both friends reporting about their investigation.

    Those directors have been working with so many people and have been making deals under the table. This was probably the reason why he had never suspected anything when he saw the annual report.

    The first whistle-blowers found out that something was not quite right with the accounts and had reported the matter to Adam...

    Since then, a few lives were lost.

    It was not too long ago since he and his brother had taken over the company. The two had worked together and raised it until the company has become one of the major developers in L City.

    He had thought that he had managed to cut off those troublesome people when he took over the company. However, it seemed that there are a few others who had stayed.

    With the directors'' greed to alter the accounts and supplies, sooner or later, the company might return to where it was before. Perhaps, the company will turn out worst than it was before.

    Suddenly, Neil felt a heavy burden on his shoulder.

    His father was too unwell to manage the company matters. In the past, his brother would help and share the burden with him. Adam was a smart person and he would always come up with a good plan. But now, he had no other choice but to manage the company matters by himself.

    The meeting lasted for two hours before Henry and Jamie walked out of the room. It was only after having a supper prepared by Sophie that the two of them were allowed to leave.

    Edith walked out of Hazel''s bedroom after tucking the little girl to the bed and found that Neil was not around. She turned around to look for her husband in the study. When she entered, Neil was still sitting behind his desk. He propped his head with one hand and his face was hidden. His posture seemed as if he was sleeping.

    She walked over to his site quietly and stopped just in front of his desk. "Hubby?"

    Hearing her voice, Neil snapped out of his trance and looked up. His eyes were slightly hazy and his face showed signs of fatigue.

    Edith felt a tug on his heart when she saw the look on his face. She stretched her hands to cup his face and rubbed at the area under her eyes.

    Neil looked up and a faint smile appeared on his face. "Why haven''t you gone to bed?"

    "It didn''t feel right when you are not around."

    There was a glint in his eyes as he heard her words. "Come here." Neil moved to wrap his arms around her waist and pulled her closer. He rested his head on top of her chest. His shoulder gradually slumped as he inhaled the familiar scent of her body.

    Edith smiled at the way he acted and recalled his words to be the place he can put his head whenever he was tired. She reached to pat at his hair and her eyes swept at the items on his table. There were an empty coffee mug and a few stacks of papers. "Will you be busy again tonight?"

    The man did not answer and instead, continued to press his face to her body.

    Edith turned her head to look at the paperwork on the table again. At this time, she wished that there was something she could do to help him but she did understand anything about his business.

    The only thing she can do was to care for him and be supportive.

    Her hands moved to his shoulders and she started massaging the area. "Tired?"

    "Hmm¡­" His arm around her waist started to loosen and he began to enjoy her massage. "There are a few documents that I still need to look at."

    Edith let out a chuckle. "President Mo, you''re very busy with your work, but you still make time to drag me to the Civil Affairs Bureau to register our marriage."

    He noted her playful tone and looked up. "It''s better this way. At least, I would not worry that you''re going to run around and forget me."

    Edith pinched at his chin, forcing him to look up. She lowered her head to peck at his lips and spoke, "I''m not going anyway. Neil Mo, I will always stay by your side. Even if you get bored with me, I am not going to leave you."

    The smile on his face widened.. "You better remember what you said. Since you have put on that ring on your finger, you cannot leave me, alright?"

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 296 - Hazels Birthday

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    In the morning, Hazel sat in her bed for a long time after she had woke up. The little girl was staring out the window with a dazed expression. A few minutes later, her hips quivered and Hazel quickly bit at her lips to suppress her tears.

    There was a knock on the door and Hazel quickly buried her face in the pillow. She listened as the door swung open but continued to stay unmoved. The mattress beside her sunk and by the rose-scented perfume, Hazel knew right away that the person who had entered her room was her grandmother.

    "Hazel?" Sophie touched at the little girl''s shoulder softly. Judging from the way Hazel breathed, Sophie knew that Hazel had woke up a while ago and now, she was just pretending to sleep. "Are you not going to wake up?"

    "Grandma, let me sleep a little longer," Hazel muffled against her pillow. Her hands moved to rub her eyes and Hazel was not surprised to find it wet with tears. "I don''t feel good."

    Sophie stared at her granddaughter for a long time. As seconds passed by, Sophie felt her heart grew heavy. Her eyes stung and her nose soured. It was not as if she did not know that Hazel was hiding her tears on the pillow.

    Hazel might think that she could not see anything, but Sophie had long noticed the stains on her pillow. Her eyes moved and Sophie caught her granddaughter hugging the pink plushy bunny in her hand.

    The plushy was her mother''s birthday present last year and Hazel especially loved that bunny that she would often imprint that bunny in her drawings.

    It was Hazel''s birthday and the little girl was missing her parents terribly.

    Last year, both her mother and father were still around to celebrate her birthday. That morning, her parents had come into her room to shower her with kisses.

    This year, her parents were no longer around to wish her a happy birthday. Hazel thought that she could not get used to it.

    Recently, Hazel has been trying to overcome her sadness. But now that she thought of how her parents would not be by her side to celebrate her birthday, Hazel grew sad. At this time, Hazel thought that she did not mind if her parents did not prepare any birthday present for her. As long as her parents could accompany her a while longer, the little girl would be satisfied.

    "Baby¡­" Sophie could no longer suppress her feelings. She leaned forward and hugged the little girl in her embrace. Her hands moved to rub at Hazel''s back as if to console the little girl. However, only Sophie knew whether she was consoling the little girl or herself.

    As Hazel''s grandmother, she only wished for her granddaughter to live well and happy. Seeing how Hazel had tried to hid her tear made her sad. Sophie could not stop a few drops of tears from falling.

    Sophie had planned to coax the little girl, but in the end, she could not find anything suitable to say. She was worried that her quivering voice would give away her feelings.

    It took Sophie a while before she recovered herself. She held Hazel tightly in her arms and whispered, "Grandma has made a bowl of noodles for you. Come over and eat before the noodles get cold, alright?"

    Hazel was about to decline when she heard her grandmother speak again.

    "Get up alright," Sophie coaxed. "Later, your uncle is going to take you to the cemetery."

    Hazel hesitated before she finally nodded. She rubbed her face against her pillow and finally sat up. Her face was a little red and tears hung at her eyelashes. "Grandma, I will come down after changing."

    Sophie heaved a breath of relief as she watched her granddaughter look at her. "Do you want me to help?"

    The little girl shook her head. "I will be fine. Grandma, I''m a big girl. I can get ready by myself."

    Seeing the look in Hazel''s eyes, Sophie nodded before she left the little girl to get ready. When she walked into the kitchen, Edith was preparing some breakfast with Auntie Emma.

    Edith handed over the task to cook the dumplings to Auntie Emma and walked over to her mother-in-law. "Mom, how is Hazel?"

    Sophie flashed a weak smile. "I managed to coax her to come down and have breakfast together. She will come down soon."

    Edith nodded before she turned to look towards Hazel''s bedroom. Her heart grew anxious as she waited for the little girl to come down. Edith could imagine what Hazel was feeling on her first birthday without her parents.

    The grownups who were sitting around the dining table finally heaved with relief when they saw Hazel walked down the stairs. Hazel might have washed her face, but the evidence of her tears was still there.

    Sophie stood up and walked over with a bowl of noodles for her granddaughter.

    Seeing that Hazel had started to eat her breakfast, everyone at the table was relieved. Their heart ached, knowing that Hazel did not have much appetite, but would still eat her noodles clean  because she didn''t want them to worry.

    After breakfast, Edith accompanied both Neil and Hazel to the cemetery. As soon as they arrived, Neil and Edith sat at the side as Hazel went to talk to her parents.

    It was the first time that Edith had come over to the place and watching how Hazel stood quietly in front of the tomb made her heart grew heavy.

    Once upon a time, Edith had gone through the same feelings as Hazel. The first year she celebrated her birthday without her mother made her feel terrible. Everything around her does not seem right.

    Edith seemed to remember how much she was missing her mother. Because she was a little rebellious as a kid, Edith had run away from home to find her mother and caused her grandfather to worry¡­

    She snapped out of her thought when Neil pulled her head to rest on his shoulders and the two stayed in that pose as they waited for Hazel to finish.

    After ten minutes, Hazel turned around and walked over to them.

    Edith peeked at the little girl''s face and saw her reddened eyes. However, the little girl''s expression was a little calmer.

    The three of them went back to Neil''s SUV in silence.

    Neil hesitated for a few seconds before he reached his hand to pat at the little girl''s head awkwardly. "Hazel, happy birthday."

    The little girl stared at her uncle in a daze before she nodded. After a while, she found that her cheek was a little damp when her auntie kissed her on the cheek.

    "Hazel, happy birthday," Edith said.

    Hazel looked at the two of them alternately and felt her lips quivered again. Suddenly, she wrapped her arms around Edith''s neck and sniffled. "Auntie Edith.. I missed my mama and papa."

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 297 - Did Someone Bullied You?

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    The three of them boarded into the vehicle and Edith sat at the back to accompany Hazel. The little girl continued to bury her face in her embrace and did not want to let go.

    Their heart ached as the sound of Hazel''s crying filled the vehicle.

    Neil was driving and could not help to glance through the rear mirror to look at the little girl with worry. In the end, he pulled over the vehicle at a safe place and waited for Hazel to calm down.

    A while later, Hazel''s crying gradually died out, but she kept on holding on to Edith tightly.

    At the thought that Hazel might have fallen asleep, Edith lifted her to sit on her thigh. The little girl did not resist and obediently raised her head.

    Seeing the tears hanging on the little girl''s eyelashes, Edith took out a clean handkerchief and wiped her tears. The little girl''s face and nose reddened and Edith pulled her into his embrace, coaxing her.

    Hazel seemed a little calmer after she had cried her heart out, but she was still a little embarrassed that she had cried out loudly. It felt as if it has been a long time since she had cried out because she was missing her parents.

    Her uncle would often bring her over to the cemetery to visit them, but the feeling was not the same as seeing them face-to-face. At this time, she was really missing her mother''s warm embrace and her soft voice.

    These days, she has become accustomed to living with her uncle and Auntie Edith. The two of them had spoiled and cared for her. Hazel thought that she has been living very well with them.

    At the same time, Hazel was a little worried that she might soon forget about her parents. If she did not peek at their picture for one day, Hazel was afraid that she might as well forget how her parents might look like.

    As the thought came to her mind, Hazel tightened her grip on Edith and laid her head on her auntie''s chest.

    "Auntie Edith." Hazel paused and to take a deep breath. "I''m fine."

    "Un. I know." Edith continued to hug her tightly, giving her a sense of security. "But I just want to hug you a little longer, is that alright?"

    Hazel nodded and obediently stayed in her auntie''s embrace.

    Edith raised her head to look at Neil and heaved a helpless sigh. Neil received signaled from his wife and started to drive back home.

    It was Hazel''s birthday and most girls her age would have a grand birthday party surrounded by their friends. However, the Mo family did not think that Hazel would be in a celebratory mood at this time.

    Other than making her a bowl of longevity noodles for her breakfast, Sophie did not know if they could do anything else to celebrate the little girl''s birthday.

    "Hazel?" Edith called after a long silence. Her hands rubbed at her back in a circular motion to make her feel calmer.

    "Un?"

    "It''s your birthday today." Her voice was soft as she spoke next to her ear. "Is there anything you want to do?"

    A frown appeared on Edith''s face when Hazel did not answer. At the thought that the little girl was still not in her mood to do anything, Edith heaved a sigh and decided not to push her in this matter.

    "I want to eat chicken wings."

    Edith did a double-take when she heard the voice. She lowered her gaze and saw that the little girl was staring at her.

    "Papa always buys me chicken wings on my birthday," Hazel said. "It''s a special day so, I am allowed to eat fast-food."

    Her lips curled into a soft smile. Edith lowered to peck at Hazel''s cheek and looked up at the rear mirror to meet her husband''s eyes. "Alright. Let''s tell your uncle to buy you some chicken wings on our way back home."

    ¡­

    When they arrived home in the afternoon, the three of them noticed that the house was a little livelier. Edith walked into the house and was surprised to see that Lily was talking with her mother-in-law in the living room.

    The little guy beside Lily jumped off from the sofa and walked over towards Hazel excitedly. The moment Alex noticed Hazel''s reddened eyes, his movement paused and suddenly, he was staring at Hazel in a dazed.

    "Why are you here?" Edith asked Lily the moment she stepped into the room.

    "Alex heard our conversation the last time and knew that today is Hazel''s birthday," Lily whispered. "Last night, he pestered his daddy to buy a present, and this morning, he told me that he wanted to visit Hazel. I didn''t have the heart to decline." She turned to Hazel who was holding Neil''s hand and noticed her crying face. "How is she?"

    "Missing her parents," Edith said.

    Hazel lowered her head and went into the bathroom to clean-up. When she walked out with a clean face and fresh clothes, Hazel was stunned upon seeing that Alex was waiting for her outside. Knowing that her face was a little messy after crying, Hazel did not dare to look up and meet his gaze.

    Sophie was helping Hazel to clean up in the bathroom. When she noticed that Alex was standing with a dazed expression, Sophie walked over to him and patted him on his shoulder. "Little boy, Hazel''s uncle had bought some chicken wings. Come over with grandma and let''s sit together and eat."

    Alex looked up and nodded. He then watched as Sophie walked away before he went closer to Hazel. "Are you okay?" His face frowned as he studied Hazel''s face. His hand stretched out to touch her face, but after a while, he paused and did not dare to touch her.

    "Un." Hazel did not look up when she nodded.

    "Hazel," Alex whispered her name. He scanned his surroundings and found that the grownups were gathered in the dining area. Seeing that they were not looking at them, Alex held on to Hazel''s hand. "Did someone bullied you?"

    "Ah?" Hazel blinked her eyes at him. "No."

    Alex tilted his head sideways. "Then, why did you cry?"

    Hazel lowered her gaze. "I didn''t."

    Alex opened his mouth to say something, but seeing the look on Hazel''s face, Alex decided not to press on the matter.

    "Come with me." Alex grabbed on Hazel''s hand and tugged her towards the living area. He picked up the paper bags next to his mother''s handbag and handed the bag to Hazel. "Hazel, happy birthday," Alex said. "I heard Auntie Edith mentioned this to my mother the other day." He thrust the paper bag forward. "This is for you."

    The little girl stared at the bag with puzzlement. Just then, she felt Alex''s hand patting her head. She met her gaze and saw that Alex was staring at her with a conflicted gaze.

    "Hazel... Don''t cry, alright?"

    Hazel stared back at her friend, flustered. "I''m not."

    "Okay.. If you say that you''re not, then, you''re not."

    Read novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 298 - Hazels Gifts

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    The two kids headed over to the dining table and tiptoed to look at the bucket of fried chicken. Seeing that Hazel''s mood had improved a little bit, the Mo family heaved a breath of relief.

    Edith placed two pieces of Hazel''s favorite chicken wing and watched as the little girl eat gusto.

    Perhaps, the little girl was a little tired after crying her heart out. Now, her stomach was a little empty and she had a little bit of an appetite.

    At this time, the doorbell rang and Neil went over to the door to take a look. When he returned, Neil was holding a pink flower bouquet in his hand. Then, he walked over to Hazel with the bouquet in his hand.

    Hazel''s face brightened when she saw the bouquet in front of her. "Uncle, this is for me?"

    "Hmm¡­" Neil nodded. "I promise that before you''re old enough to have a boyfriend, I will continue to give you flowers. Today is your birthday. It is an important day for you. Of course, I will get a bouquet." He glanced at the flowers and asked, "Do you like it?"

    Hazel lowered her head to sniff the flowers and nodded. Worried that she might accidentally ruin it, Hazel went to her grandmother and asked for her help to find a vase so that she can put the flower in her bedroom.

    Meanwhile, Alex was watching their interaction in silence. The smile on Hazel''s face was so dazzling that Alex was unable to look away. It was only after Hazel had disappeared from his gaze did Alex finally snapped out of his trance.

    Alex has been watching Hazel''s exchange and with her uncle and had kept this matter in his mind.

    Before anyone would notice the look on his face, Alex lowered his head and ate his fried chicken quietly.

    Of course, a few years later, Alex had remembered this matter and would always give Hazel a bouquet on her important days.

    After they ate, Hazel sat with Alex in the living room to unwrap the present that Alex gave her earlier. Hazel was stunned upon seeing the new Gundam model in her hand. It was her first time seeing a pink Gundam model and Hazel was a little stunned.

    Alex looked at the girl and his heart started to race. The expression on Hazel''s face was not as bright as the time she had received the bouquet from her uncle and Alex was a little worried that Hazel might not like his gift.

    He was aware that most girls did not like building those models. This was why the girls did not like to play with him in kindergarten. But Hazel was different.

    It was Hazel who took the initiative to talk to him about Gundam before. Whenever he would talk about building those models, Hazel would listen to him attentively, and soon, they bonded over those models.

    He had thought that after spending their time together to build those models, Hazel has grown to like them. Wasn''t that the reason why Hazel''s skills in assembling those models were getting better?

    But seeing the look on Hazel''s face right now¡­ Alex was starting to doubt himself. Perhaps, Hazel did not like those models as much as he had thought?

    The last time when he went shopping for a gift, his mother had advised him that a girl might not like a model as a birthday present, but Alex insisted. In the end, he only listened to his mother and chose the color that Hazel might like.

    It turned out that a Gundam model could not be compared to a bouquet.

    If he knew that this would happen, he would definitely listen to his mother''s advice and chose some plushy instead!

    "You¡­" Alex hesitated. "Hazel, you don''t like it?"

    "Ah?" Hazel looked up and saw the worried look on her friend''s face. Subconsciously, her grip on the box tightened. "I like it." She glanced at Alex and look back at the box. "Alex, is there really a pink model in here?"

    Alex followed her gaze and nodded. "Un. But first, you have to assemble them."

    "I know that." Hazel frowned at him.

    The tight expression on Alex''s face gradually loosened when he saw the glint in Hazel''s eyes. It seemed that he had misunderstood her earlier. It was not that Hazel did not like his gift, but she was in disbelief.

    Alex had a lot of collections in his room, but none of those models was in pink color. As someone who only knew about the Gundam model through Alex, of course, Hazel did not know anything about this.

    "If you open the box, wouldn''t you know whether there is a pink model or not?"

    "Oh." Hazel removed the plastic covering and was stunned upon finding that there were indeed pink parts in the box.

    "My dad said that this model is a little difficult to assemble," Alex said. "If you encountered a difficult part, you have to ask Auntie Edith to help you, okay."

    The mother and son left after spending almost two hours at the apartment. When they left, Hazel''s expression was not as bad as it was in the morning. She then stayed in her room to start working on the model that Alex has given her.

    Edith stood at the door and watched as Hazel took out the parts of the model to study them. The corner of her lips twitched when Edith saw the box on the table.

    Although she was not a big fan of the model, Edith had some knowledge regarding the model after interacting with Alex for a long time.

    It was not hard for her to figure out that the price of the model that Alex had gifted Hazel was quite expensive.

    According to Lily, her son had used the money he got from his grandparents to buy that model for Hazel. Alex was someone who would always remind his parents to save his money in the bank, but for Hazel, he was willing to part with his money.

    Perhaps, Alex was not as clueless about girls as Lily had feared.

    Most girls might not like those models, but Hazel was not like most girls. It doesn''t matter if a boy could not understand most girls. As long as he could understand the one girl that he liked, that would be enough, right?

    Edith turned around and saw a big jar of vinegar beside her. From the look on her husband''s face, Edith was able to guess that the man was jealous that Hazel had liked the gift that Alex had given her.

    In the beginning, Hazel was too excited upon receiving the bouquet from him, but later, she did not spend any glance at the flowers again.

    "Hazel is still a kid. Of course, she would prefer toys than flowers." Edith laughed and pinched at his cheek. "Don''t be petty. As long as Hazel is happy, that is all that matters, right?"

    Neil spent another glance at the box before he went back to his study to look online for another gift that his niece might like.

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 299 - Very Sweet

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    After the kids from her class had all return home, Edith went into her classroom to tidy up her belongings and decided to head over to MH Group headquarters to find her husband.

    The little girl had headed over to home earlier to finish the model that she had gotten from Alex on her birthday. Hazel was determined to finish the model soon so that she can show it to Alex the next time they met.

    As Hazel had already gone back home with Driver Tang, Edith booked a cab and head over to the company. She stopped by at the cafe across the company and bought a few pastries for Neil.

    Although the receptionists had seen her at the company a few times, none of them stopped her from using the elevator to the President''s floor. The security had already given them a heads up that the woman was someone who would be allowed to enter and leave as she pleased. Because of this, Edith had never run into trouble every time she wanted to find Neil.

    Once she arrived at the President''s floor, Assistant Shawn had already been waiting for her outside. The man greeted her with a smile and called, "Madam."

    The smile on her face froze. At this time, she was a little unused to hear anyone who would call her madam.

    Sensing her awkwardness, the smile on Assistant Shawn''s widened. "The President is in the meeting room. Madam, just go ahead and wait for President Mo in his office."

    Edith nodded. She handed over a box of pastries to Assistant Shawn and reminded him to share it with everyone in the secretarial department before she went into his office.

    Her gaze softened as they fell at the stack of paperwork on his desk. She placed the box of pastries on the coffee table and walked over to the side to boil some water to make tea.

    Just as the tea was prepared, the door was pushed from the outside and Neil appeared at the door.

    The iceblock expression on his face gradually disappeared when he saw his wife waiting for him.

    "Everyone in the secretarial department was happy that Mrs. Mo had brought them some desserts," Neil said as soon as he closed the door behind him. "You brought some desserts for everyone, did you bring some for me?"

    Edith put down the cup on the table and walked over to him. She pecked at his lips and smiled. "Your dessert." Her head tilted and Edith looked at him with a playful smile. "How is it? Sweet?"

    His eyes darkened, knowing exactly what she was insinuating. His arms snaked around her waist and he pulled the woman in her embrace closer. "Mmm¡­ Very sweet. However, just one bite is not enough." As soon as the words came out, his lips fell on hers, and soon, it turned into a deep kiss.

    The two were still in their honeymoon period and they couldn''t get enough of each other whenever they were together.

    "Are you here to pick me up?" Neil asked as they were parted.

    "Hmm¡­" Edith nodded. "These past few days, you have been preoccupied with works and had returned home late." She cupped her hands on his face and continued, "I''m worried that you''re going to force yourself too much. Did you eat your lunch properly today?"

    His lips curled into a helpless smile. "Mrs. Mo, are you worried about me?"

    "If I don''t worry about you, then who should I worry about?" Edith stepped away from his embrace and dragged him to sit down on the sofa. Then, he placed the fresh tea and pastries to him and urged him to taste them.

    Edith then watched him eat and glanced at his desk. "Will you be busy again today?"

    "Since my wife had already come here to invite me, of course, it wouldn''t make sense for me to stay here and work."

    "Sweet talker," Edith bopped at his nose. "If you''re busy, then just say so. I won''t disturb your work. I will leave after watching you eat your dinner."

    "No. Let''s head home together," Neil said. "I still have a few documents to look at. Accompany me for a while longer. Then, let''s have dinner together before we head home. Since you''re here¡­"

    Edith raised a brow when the man paused suddenly. She watched as he walked over behind his desk and pulled out a few documents. "Mrs. Mo, how about helping me to look at these documents?"

    A chuckled escaped her. "What can I do after looking at your documents? It''s not like I understand anything."

    "You will be able to help me with this," Neil said. "They''re in French. Help me to translate this for me."

    Edith glanced at the documents and laughed. "President Mo, you should know that I will charge for my translation."

    "I''ll pay no matter how much you charge me."

    Edith sat down on the sofa and scanned for the documents. By the time she finished looking at those documents, Neil had already done with his paperwork.

    The two of them walked out of Neil''s office together and headed for the elevator with their hands intertwined.

    "My grandfather called this morning," Edith said as soon as the elevator closed. "He told me that he''s heading to Capital City with Grandpa George in a few days."

    "Mmm¡­ Grandpa mentioned that to me." Neil looked at her face and understood what was on her mind. "Are you worried?"

    Edith did not answer but her hand was gripping against him tightly.

    "I already asked a few of my friends to look over Grandpa and his friends as long as they are in Capital City. Grandpa will be alright. Don''t worry. Grandpa will just stay to look at a few things." His face darkened as Neil thought about a few things. "The last time General Attorney Leng went to Capital City, he met the people he wanted to meet, but could not get what he wanted."

    "What do you mean?"

    Neil turned to her and a faint smile appeared on her lips. "A friend of mine decided to interfere. Without the support from the higher-ups, the General Attorney will not be able to do anything. But this way, it will be easier for your grandpa and me to find more evidence against him. Don''t worry." He raised their intertwined hands and planted a kiss at the back of her hand. "It will all be over soon."

    Edith heaved a sigh and flashed him an assured smile.

    The elevator slid open and the two of them stepped out into the lobby. Just then, the head of security walked over to them.

    His expression changed slightly after Neil heard the head''s words.  He turned to Edith and patted her hand.  "Wait for me here. I will come back soon."

    Edith nodded and walked over to the lounge.  She took out her phone to check at a few messages and looked up when she noticed that someone was approaching her.. Her expression changed when she saw Autumn Feng''s face.

    Read novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 300 - Are You Here To Congratulate Me?

    Edith let out a sigh upon meeting Autumn Feng''s angry gaze. It was not hard for her to figure out that the woman had come over to create trouble for her.

    In fact, Edith did not really understand why Autumn Feng would continuously look for her. Edith was aware that the woman had set her eyes on her husband, but even after a few years of trying to pursue him, the man''s heart did not move for her.

    Autumn was not happy when she heard that she and Neil are together. Each time they ran into each other, Autumn would look down on her, hoping that Edith would think that she was indeed unworthy to be with Neil.

    However, most of the time, Edith was not someone who would care much about what others would think about her.

    From the very moment she set her eyes on Neil and had this intention to pursue him, Edith was well aware of her shortcoming. However, as long as Neil was able to accept her for who she was, why should she care about what outsiders think of her. Autumn was not Neil''s mother.

    "Miss Qian, I heard that you and President Mo are married." Autumn sneered.

    Edith flashed her a smile. "Are you here to congratulate me?"

    "Don''t be shameless. Why would I congratulate you?"

    In the past few months, she was sent away to attend conferences and meetings in another city. Therefore, Autumn was not aware that President Mo had gotten married.

    It was only after she had returned to the headquarters that Autumn received the news. Someone had left a box of those candies on her desk and it was a few days ago that she heard someone in the company had mentioned that their President is now a married man.

    Autumn was shocked. She had thought that Neil Mo was only close to that kindergarten teacher because of Hazel. She did not expect that Neil would really marry her.

    She had seen the way the two were holding hands as they walked out of the elevator and the way that Neil had kissed the woman before he went away with the head of security.

    Although Neil had not disclosed the identity of his wife to everyone, he had acted intimately with Edith in public. It was enough for Autumn to guess who was Mrs. Mo.

    Autumn was not contented. She glanced at the outfit Edith was wearing and a disdain smile curled on her lips. "Just look at yourself. Do you really think that you''re a good match with President Mo? Just with the way you''re dressed, are you not afraid that you''re going to embarrass him by walking with him?"

    Edith gave Autumn a look over and raised a brow when she looked at the suit and pants that the woman was wearing.

    She''s a kindergarten teacher. Did Autumn expect her to wear a business suit and chase after those kids?

    "Miss Feng, are you my mother-in-law?" Edith spoke with a languid tone.

    "What?"

    "You''re not even a close family. Therefore, I actually don''t care about what you think." A smile curled on her lips. "Miss Feng, are you not tired of repeating the same words over and over again? Because I''m tired of listening to them. I can almost guess what you''re going to say next. The last time, you had criticized my background. Then, our compatibility. This time, my dress-up. The next thing¡­ are you going to criticize my personality or my manners?"

    "You¡ª"

    Autumn was furious because she was planning to point out that Edith did not have manners. She could still remember the last time Edith had pointed out her compatibility with President Mo. Her words made her face red with both anger and embarrassment. In Autumn''s opinion, Edith was a vulgar woman.

    "The next time you see me, you don''t have to waste your breath and come at me to say the same thing all over again. No matter what you''re going to say, I won''t think myself of someone who is not good enough for my husband."

    Hearing Edith called Neil as her husband managed to make Autumn''s blood boil. "You''re shameless."

    A chuckle escaped her as Edith watched how Autumn''s face changed.

    Actually, Edith never understood why did Autumn always come at her. Was Autumn expecting her to leave Neil''s side? Then, what was Autumn planning to do?

    Even if Neil was not with her, he would not choose to be with someone like Autumn Feng. Moreover, her husband was not an idiot. He wouldn''t marry her if he thinks she was not good enough for him.

    Her gaze shifted when Edith saw the person behind Autumn Feng and the smile on her lips stretched out. Edith gathered her belongings and stood up.

    "Where are you going? I am not finished with you."

    "Manager Feng, do you have a problem with my wife?"

    Autumn was shocked upon hearing that voice. She turned around slowly and was shocked upon seeing that Neil was standing behind her with a dark look on his face. Autumn felt her body grew cold as she met Neil''s icy gaze.

    Just how much had he heard?

    Her gaze shifted to Edith and Autumn grew angry at the thought that Edith had set her up.

    "Manager Feng, if you''re that free, I will consider sending you over to manage our branch in Y City."

    Autumn''s face turned white. "President Mo, I am not that free. I have just returned from a conference. I still have a lot to do here."

    Neil gave her a look over before he wrapped his arms around his wife''s waist and pulled her towards the entrance. "What did she tell you this time?" He whispered as they walked over to his SUV.

    "She said I''m too shameless to marry you."

    A deep frown appeared on his face. "Don''t worry. I will find a way to deal with her later."

    "It''s fine. I''ll just think of her chattering as a dog barking."

    Neil heaved a sigh before he pecked at her hair. "I won''t tolerate anyone who bullied my family."

    A faint smile crossed her lips. Autumn''s words came to her mind and Edith stepped away from him. "Hubby, did you mind that I never dressed up like those top socialites or fashionistas?"

    His brow shot up and Neil immediately guessed that Autumn might have said something about the way his wife was dressed.

    "Why would I mind? I think you look great in whatever you''re wearing." He inched closer and whispered, "Of course, you look the best when you''re not wearing anything."

    Edith narrowed her eyes and hit him on his chest. "I know you were going to say something like that."

    Neil laughed happily before he opened the door for her. Then, he slid into the driver''s seat and started to drive.

    When the vehicle pulled over, Edith noticed that they were not stopping at the restaurant as he had planned. She followed him and was surprised when he took her to an expensive shopping district.

    "Why are we here?"

    "To get you some clothes."

    Edith raised a brow. "I thought you don''t mind the way I''m dressed?"

    "I don''t. But I don''t want others to look down on you." Neil pinched at her cheek before he waved at the shop attendant. "Just get everything you have in my wife''s size and see which one she liked."

    The shop attendant''s eyes brightened upon hearing his words, while Edith stared at her husband in disbelief.

    She tugged at his hand and whispered, "Are you crazy?"

    "Why not? What''s wrong with splurging my wife?" Neil flashed her an assuring smile. "I always wanted to do this.. Be obedient and go with that shop attendant."

    Read novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 301 - Secretary Qian

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Edith followed the shop attendant around and her eyes widened in surprise upon seeing their price.

    Neil let out a helpless laugh when his wife returned with only two pieces of the garment after following the shop attendant around for half an hour. No matter how the shop attendant had convinced her that she would look good in a garment, Edith would always find a way to reject them.

    It seemed that his wife was not someone who can be easily swayed with pretty words.

    In the end, Edith sat at the lounge as she watched her husband pointed around the store and chose some outfit. Then, she was dragged out from the store before they went to the next one.

    The way he was choosing those clothes was almost the same as the way he was choosing clothes for Hazel. As long as he thinks that the outfit would look good on her, he would not hesitate to bring the clothes to the counter and asked the shop attendant to wrap them up.

    It was only when he was satisfied with the number of clothes he bought that he took her away and leave.

    Before they left the shopping district, Edith glanced at the paper bags piled at the side and sighed helplessly. As they could not carry the bags into the car, Neil had asked someone to deliver everything back to their place.

    At this time that Edith started to wonder whether her husband was a shopaholic. But seeing the satisfied look on his face, Edith did not say anything. They are already husband and wife. Since he was willing to splurge on her, she did not have any reason to decline his intention.

    When they both returned to the apartment, Sophie was in the living room, accompanying Hazel to watch her favorite show.

    "You''re back." Sophie looked at the couple in front of her and noted their intertwined hands. A faint smile appeared on her lips, knowing that Edith had successfully coaxed her son to come back earlier from work. "Did you two go shopping?"

    Hearing Sophie''s words, Edith was suddenly a little embarrassed, especially, knowing that those bags contained most of her clothes. Just one look at the brand printed on the paper bag, one would be able to guess how much they would cost.

    "Hmm¡­" Neil nodded. "I saw a few pieces that I liked and decided to buy them."

    The corner of her lips twitched. Sophie had taken a look at those bags earlier and saw that they were mostly women''s clothing. From her son''s words, wasn''t he admitting to her that he was the one who chose those clothing?

    When did her son know how to chose a woman''s clothing?

    "The delivery guy left a while ago. I had them send your bags upstairs." The smile on her lips widened as Sophie noticed her daughter-in-law''s awkwardness. "Alright. Don''t just stand there. Go upstairs and rest. Later, I''ll bring Hazel next door to sleep with us."

    After exchanging a few words with his mother, Neil tugged at Edith''s hand upstairs.

    Edith went into the bathroom to clean up and when she came out, her gaze stopped at the pile of paper bags at the corner of the room. Seeing that Neil was not around, Edith decided to look at the clothes that he had chosen for her.

    A tinge of surprise appeared on her face when she noticed that most of the color and style of clothing that Neil had picked was something that she would wear.

    Earlier, Edith was unable to tear up her gaze from her husband. It was the first time that she had seen him acting like a domineering president and she was momentarily stunned as she continuously watched him picking up some garments for her. She did not care to see whatever clothing he had picked up for her until now.

    Picking up a few clothes from the bag, Edith tried on a skater dress and stepped into the mirror. Seeing that she looked good in that dress, Edith took a selfie and sent them to Lily.

    A big smile spread on her lips when she saw Lily''s approval.

    Suddenly, Edith was a little curious to look at what her husband had picked for her. She went through a few paper bags and tried them on. A laugh escaped her whenever she found a few pieces that she did not think she would ever wear. Curious at how they were going to look at her, Edith tried them on and was surprised to see that the clothing looked really good on her.

    By the time she had finished going through those clothing, Neil had not returned to the bedroom. Suddenly, a naughty thought came to her mind.

    Didn''t her mother-in-law say she was going to take Hazel to sleep with her next door?

    Edith put on a set of clothing and put on a little makeup on her face. Then, she tiptoed to his study and knocked on the door.

    Once she heard his voice, Edith pushed the door and peeked at him from the door. "Are you busy?"

    "No. I just thought that I should look at a few documents while you''re in the shower," Neil said. He stood up and turned off his computer. "I''ll go and take my shower¡ª" His words were left unfinished when Edith stepped into the room. Neil was a little stunned when he saw his wife in a stylish business suit that he had chosen earlier.

    Edith stood at the center and twirled. "Do I look good in this?"

    He leaned back on his chair and his gaze raked over her body. "Didn''t I tell you that you would look good in everything?" He laughed when she rolled her eyes at him. "I bought so many clothes. Why do you choose to try this on?"

    "I''m just curious to see how I would look like in this outfit," Edith said and shrugged. "Surprisingly this looks good on me."

    "Of course." He raised a brow. "Didn''t I know your body well?"

    The tip of her ears reddened as she continued to listen to his teasing. Edith recalled the reason she had come over to his study and started to unbutton the two top buttons of her shirt. Then, she plumped up her chest and walked over with languid steps.

    His throat rolled at the scene in front of him. Neil took a deep breath and steadied himself. "Darling¡­" His voice thick with desire. "What are you doing?"

    "President Mo, tonight, you can call me Secretary Qian."

    Neil tried to swallow, but it felt as if there was a lump in his throat.

    "Did you forget that there is a document you need to stamp on?"

    "What document?" Neil stared at Edith with puzzlement at the sudden change of topic.

    Edith stopped at the edge of his table and pulled at her collar, letting him take a glance at her chest. She pointed at a spot and smiled. "Here. Why don''t you put a stamp here?"

    The consequence was that the woman was pushed to lie down on top of the large desk. After being taken high to the clouds until they both lose their senses, the two laid down on the sofa to catch up their breaths.

    Neil hugged his wife from behind as he continued to rain his kisses on her shoulders. He could not understand why she was a little enthusiastic, but Neil found that he really liked her little role-playing.

    Suddenly, the woman in his embrace turned around to face him. Edith stared at him for a long time but did not say a thing.

    "Why are you looking at me like that?"

    Edith raised both hands to cup his face. "Darling, there''s something that I need to tell you." There was a hint of hesitation in her tone.

    His hands continued to roam around her body. "What is it?"

    "I''m late."

    "What do you mean?"

    "My period is late for more than a week now."

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 302 - Lets Not Panic

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Neil sat up immediately and his eyes were staring back at his wife with a dazed expression. He suddenly recalled what they have been doing a while ago and his expression changed again.

    "Why didn''t you say this earlier?" His voice was a little hoarse. A frown appeared on his face when he recalled how his wife had deliberately come into his study and seduced him.

    Since she was aware that she was late for more than a week, why didn''t she say anything and still come over to seduce him?

    "Let''s not panic." Edith pulled at his arms. "I might be wrong about this. It could be that I''m a little stressed up after everything that happened these past few weeks."

    "Still, we need to be careful."

    "I know." Edith tightened her grip on his arms and looked at him with her misty eyes. "But I just wanted to be with you."

    When she thought of the chance that she might be pregnant, Edith was a little worried. Then, she thought about the possibility that he wouldn''t want to touch her during their early pregnancy, and suddenly, she had this urge¡­

    She browsed through a few sites and saw that it was safe to be intimate during early pregnancy. Edith then decided to jump on him for one last time before she goes to the pharmacy and bought a few pregnancy sticks.

    Neil looked at the woman in his embrace and he did not know whether he wanted to laugh or cry. At this time, she was staring back at him with an aggrieved expression. It was as if she was really afraid that he would scold her.

    His wife was someone who would not be shy whenever she wanted to be intimate with him and he had liked her for it. He didn''t expect that she would be like this¡­

    However, he really could not get angry at her. Neil could only pinch at his wife''s cheek to vent his frustration. Taking a deep breath, Neil then began to calm down. "Did you check yet?"

    Edith shook her head. "I haven''t. I heard the test would be more reliable if we wait for a while until my body builds more HCG."

    Neil thought over the matter for a while and spoke again, "Let''s go to the hospital and do a thorough checkup tomorrow."

    ¡­

    The next morning, Sophie noticed that something doesn''t seem right during breakfast. Her gaze went towards the couple across the table and she could not help but think that they were in an argument.

    Usually, the couple would chat about a lot of things as they had their breakfast and her son would tease his wife when he thought that nobody was looking.

    However, this morning, her son''s expression was so stiff that Sophie thought that he was worthy to be called an iceblock. Meanwhile, her daughter-in-law lowered her head as she ate and she had this worried look on her face.

    What happened?

    Last night before she left with Hazel to the unit next door, the couple was still acting lovey-dovey. Her son had bought his wife bags of clothes and they returned home with smiles on their faces.

    The couple has been married for only a month, but they were already in an argument? What happened after she left?

    Sophie exchanged a glance with her husband and heaved a sigh when she saw that he did not notice anything unusual about their son''s temperament. Truly¡­ men can be insensitive about this kind of thing.

    Worried that something was going on between them, Sophie waited until Edith walked into the kitchen before she followed after her. "Edith, did something happened between you and Neil?"

    Edith was stunned when she heard her mother-in-law''s question. "No. Why?"

    "If he bullied you, you can just tell me," Sophie said. She reached for Edith''s hands and patted at them gently. "Mom will help you to get justice."

    A faint smile curled on her lips. Edith hasn''t entered the Mo family for a long time, but she noticed how well Sophie had treated her. Her mother-in-law knew that she grew up without a mother and she would try her best to treat her as her own daughter.

    Back then, Sophie had two sons and had always wanted to have a daughter. That was why she was especially happy when her sons took home her daughters-in-law for her.

    Edith was quick to think about how they had behaved and knew the source of Sophie''s worry.

    "Mom, don''t worry. There''s nothing wrong."

    "Then why do you two looked like you were quarreling?"

    A giggle escaped her. "That''s not it. You know well that the company will go through their annual auditing and Neil was a little worried about it. Meanwhile, I was thinking about the upcoming kindergarten activity."

    Last night, they had agreed to keep the matter a secret until they were very sure that there was indeed something in her tummy. They did not want the grandparents to get a little excited and get disappointed later on.

    Sophie narrowed her eyes as if she did not believe her daughter-in-law''s words, but after a while, she decided to let them off. For now, Sophie decided to keep her eyes on the two.

    ¡­

    To stop their family from suspecting something unusual, the couple has decided to visit the hospital after she got off work.

    After the school ended and her students were all picked up by their parents or guardians, Edith went back to her classroom to pick up her bags. Once she walked out of the building, her gaze immediately found that familiar SUV parked not far away from the gate.

    Edith adjusted her bag straps and walked over.

    Soon, the man stepped out of the vehicle and waited for her to approach. He helped her with the door before he slid back into the driver''s seat.

    A tingle of laughter escaped her when Edith saw her husband''s serious expression.

    Neil turned to his wife and pinched at her cheek. "You still laugh."

    "Then, should I cry?" Edith watched as his gaze softened and she leaned forward to kiss his cheek. "Don''t worry. Whatever it is, we should get a proper check-up first, right? Let''s start worrying later after we know the result."

    Neil heaved a sigh and drove straight to the hospital. Earlier, he had made an appointment with a doctor for a check-up and they did not have to wait long before Edith could see a doctor.

    After the nurse had taken a few samples from her, Edith waited with Neil in the lounge until the doctor called them into the room.

    The doctor read the report on her table before she looked up with a smile. "Congratulations.. You are pregnant."

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 303 - Were Going To Be Parents

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    After a while, the husband and wife left the hospital with mixed feelings. Once they entered the vehicle, the two continued to stay in silence.

    Previously, the two might have talked about this matter, however, now that they found out that she was indeed carrying a child, both of them were unable to react.

    The news was a little unexpected and it took them a while to process the news.

    Edith turned to her husband and the two looked into each other''s eyes for a long time, as if they were searching for something. Suddenly, her lips curled into a smile. Edith stretched her hand to touch his face. "What are you thinking about?"

    There were a lot of things in Neil''s mind at this moment.

    The last time, due to his selfishness, he had decided not to use protection. At that time, he had thought that if they had a child together, perhaps, Edith would not run around and continued to stay by his side.

    He did not think that from that one time, the two would really have a child.

    Although the two of them have been living together for a while, Neil found that living together as husband and wife gave him a different feeling. He was starting to enjoy the life of a newlywed, but now that his wife is pregnant and Neil did not know what he should think.

    He had the intention to let her get pregnant with his child, but now that she was carrying his child, Neil found that he was a little helpless.

    After all, he still wanted to enjoy their newlywed life, ah.

    "We''re going to be parents," Neil spoke each word slowly.

    The smile on her lips stretched up wider. "Yes."

    He was affected by her smile and subconsciously, the corner of his lips curled up. The look on her face showed how happy and excited she was with the news. Seeing the look on her face, Neil was very relieved. At least, his wife was not angry that she had really gotten pregnant after that night.

    Edith cocked her head sideways. "Are you not happy with this news?" It took him a while to reply to her and Edith was a little worried by his slow reaction.

    "Of course I''m happy." Neil hugged her tightly and kissed her forehead. When he pulled away, there was a little frown on his face. He did not like it when his wife think that he was not happy with the news. "I was just worried. There are too many things to consider" He continued to look at her and thought of something. "How are you? Are you uncomfortable?"

    Edith let out a little giggle. "I''m fine. The doctor said, after a few days, I might start to get uncomfortable."

    Neil could still remember how his brother, Adam, had come over at him with worry when his sister-in-law was pregnant with Hazel. Hazel''s mother had a severe pregnant reaction. She was unable to eat well and had to stay at the hospital for a certain period of time.

    When he imagined his wife going through the same thing, Neil was a little uncomfortable. He did not want his wife to go through such difficulties.

    "Next time, we should ask the doctor for things that a pregnant woman should watch out for," Edith said.

    The frown on his face deepened. "Let''s break the news to mom. I am clueless about what to do. At least with mom around, she would know what to do."

    Edith nodded and quickly agreed with his opinion. Although she was good with children, Edith was really clueless about what she should or should not do as a pregnant woman.

    Neil let out a sigh and continued. "Back then, after Claire gave birth to Hazel, I did not dare to hold her because Hazel was too small. I don''t know if I''m going to be a good dad." A helpless smile curled on his lips. "Do you think I can do it well?"

    "Of course you will." Edith leaned over to peck at the corner of his lips. "You''ve been great with Hazel. I know that you are going to be a great father." She reached for his hand and held it tightly. "Let''s do our best together to be good parents alright?"

    Once the two of them had calmed down, Neil finally drove away from the hospital.

    Edith glanced at her husband as he was focusing on his driving. She took a deep breath and the doctor''s words and reminders replayed in her head.

    It was still a little strange to find out that she was pregnant. Edith put her hand on her stomach and suddenly was in a daze.

    The thought that she was going to be a mother both excite and frightened her.

    After a while, Neil drove into a mall and parked.

    Seeing that it was a little too early, Neil decided to take his wife out for dinner. Moreover¡­ when she started to have a pregnancy reaction, there will be a lot of food that she would not be able to eat.

    Just as they were walking around to find a place to eat, they went past a shop and the two decided to stop by and look around. Seeing the cute baby stuff displayed, Neil suddenly had an impulse to buy everything.

    "It''s still early to buy the stuff for our baby," Edith said.

    Neil felt his heart trembled when he heard her words. ''Our baby'' sounded very good for him to hear.

    "Let''s wait until we know the gender of the child before we start buying stuff," Edith said. "We have to consider buying stuff that we actually need. Or else, we won''t have a place to keep the baby stuff."

    Neil heard her words and pondered about their apartment.

    For years, he had found it convenient to stay in his apartment as a single man. When his brother passed away, Neil had decided to look over his niece. And now, he is a married man and was going to have a child soon.

    Soon, it would be a little unsuitable for them to live in the apartment. It would be best if they stayed at a bigger place.

    As the thought came to his mind, Neil made a mental note to look for a new place before the child was going to come out. He soon thought about the child''s nursery and knew that he will have a lot to do next.

    When he snapped out of his trance, Neil saw that his wife was holding a blue baby boot. The boot was so tiny and Neil could not imagine that anyone was going to fit into that.

    Suddenly, Edith turned around and smiled at him. She held up the boot for him to see and asked, "Hubby, what do you think? Is this nice?"

    Neil nodded absentmindedly.

    Then, Edith turned around and took out another pair of pink boots.. She held both boots in each hand and gave him an inquiring look. "What do you think we''ll be having? Do you think we''ll be a boy or a girl?"

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 304 - Im Going To Be A Big Sister?

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Knowing that the grandparents will have a lot to say after they heard the news of Edith''s pregnancy, both Edith and Neil decided to break the news to Neil''s parents on the weekend.

    The grandparents were hanging around in the living area, accompanying Hazel as she continued to assemble the model that Alex had given her. Both Sophie and Lucas did not understand much about their granddaughter''s recent hobby but found it interesting how Hazel could stay focus on building them. The focus and serious look on Hazel''s face were especially adorable.

    Neil exchanged his glance with his wife before the two walked over and sit on the sofa.

    Sensing the sudden movement, both Sophie and Lucas looked up. They saw the serious look on their son''s face and knew right away that the two had something to talk about.

    "What''s with that look on your face?" Lucas asked.

    "Mom, dad, there is something that we have to tell you," Neil said after a brief silence.

    The grandparents exchanged a glance. Sophie sat up straight as she began to worry. A lot of thoughts went to her mind after hearing those words. Her son''s tone was a little firm and Sophie was afraid that he was going to break the bad news.

    Sophie never knew much about the company. However, she had heard a few things from her husband and she knew that her son was a little busy with a lot of things, especially the upcoming audit.

    Meanwhile, Hazel looked up at the grownups, wondering if she should stay around with her model or leave. However, when her Auntie Edith started to pat hat her hair, Hazel decided that it would be alright for her to listen.

    Neil reached for Edith''s hand and held it tightly. "Mom, dad." He paused to look at their expression. "Edith is pregnant."

    The grandparents turned their heads swiftly towards Edith. Their gaze fell on her flat stomach and they were starting to wonder if they have perhaps misheard things.

    "Then, I''m going to be a big sister?" Hazel was the first to speak.

    The little girl could still remember the last time her Auntie Edith had spoken to her a little bit about it at Alex''s house. At the thought that she was going to be a big sister, Hazel was a little excited. However, she then recalled that her friend, Alex had mentioned Tyler''s little sister, and suddenly, Hazel was a little worried.

    "That''s right." Edith kissed the top of Hazel''s hair. "You''re going to be a big sister."

    It was at this time that both Sophie and Lucas were able to react.

    "Are you sure?" Sophie said. Her gaze shifted between her son and daughter-in-law. The expression on her face was as if she was excited, but did not dare to celebrate too early in case it was only a false alarm.

    "Hmm¡­" Neil nodded. "We went to the hospital and had a check-up. The doctor confirmed that there is a baby."

    Sophie turned to her husband and suddenly tightened her grip on his hand. The smile on her face widened and she could no longer hide her excitement. "That''s good. That is good news."

    "Now that you are expecting a child you need to look after your wife more," Lucas said. "I know that you are busy with the company, but make sure you spend time with your wife and Hazel as well." A long sigh escaped him. Lucas turned to his wife and his gaze became gentler. "When I build MH Group, I intended to let my wife and kids live well without worry. What''s the use of that amount of money if you cannot make your wife and kids happy. Neil, do you understand what I said?"

    "I know." Neil nodded. "Dad, don''t worry."

    A while later, Sophie pulled her daughter-in-law aside and began to ask her all sorts of questions about her pregnancy.

    Edith lowered her head as she was a little embarrassed to answer those questions. "Mom, actually, I don''t know much about pregnancy. I was hoping that since you''re going to stay in the city for a while, you can teach me a thing or two."

    Sophie slapped her thigh as a thought came to her mind. "That''s right. I have almost forgotten." She looked at her granddaughter-in-law and smiled. "You don''t have to worry. I will employ an auntie to look over you and your diet."

    "Ah?" Edith blinked back.

    "In a few weeks, you might start experiencing morning sickness. It''s better if we have a professional to look after you." The look on her face turned gentler. "Previously, when Hazel''s mother was pregnant with her, we have hired a professional to look after her as well. This way, we would be more assured."

    As someone who did not know much about pregnancy, Edith quickly agreed.

    Suddenly, Sophie''s expression changed again and this time, there was a tinge of panic. "I almost forgot. Edith, ask your grandfather to pack up. Later, we will ask someone to drive him to the city."

    "My grandpa?"

    "Now that you are pregnant, we cannot delay the wedding any longer. Let''s bring your wedding forward before your stomach started to show." Seeing the blank look on her daughter-in-law''s face, Sophie was a little hesitant. "Or would you rather have the wedding after you''ve given birth?"

    Edith snapped out of her thoughts when she realized that Sophie had wanted to invite her Grandfather to discuss the wedding.

    "No. Mom, we''ll just follow your arrangement," Neil said. "Let''s have the wedding before Edith''s stomach would start showing." He turned to his wife and was relieved when he saw her smile.

    Edith lowered her head and saw that the little girl has been staring at her for a long time.

    Seeing that the little girl kept glancing at her tummy, a thought came to her mind, and Edith was suddenly worried about how Hazel was accepting the news.

    She pulled Hazel closer to her and studied the little girl''s expression. "Hazel, you''re going to be a big sister soon. What do you think about this?"

    The little girl blinked as she pondered over the question. "Will I have a little sister like Alex as well?"

    "We still didn''t know whether it will be a little sister or a little brother," Edith said. "We will have to wait for a few more months before we can know about this."

    Hazel pondered over her conversation with Alex again. "Alex said that he will have a little sister. I want a cute and adorable little sister as well."

    Sophie reached her hand to touch Hazel''s head. "Hazel will definitely be a good elder sister. You have to help your uncle and auntie to teach your little sister or little brother well, you know."

    Hazel stared at her grandmother with a serious look on her face and nodded.

    She did not know how to be a good elder sister, but Alex might know about it.. As the thought came to her mind, Hazel decided that the next time she saw Alex, she will have to ask him a few things.

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 305 - Worries

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Later in the evening, Edith made a call to her grandfather and finally got the chance to speak to him.

    These days, her grandfather has been in Capital City to meet a few people who might be able to help him with finding evidence on General Attorney Leng''s misconduct. The old man was busy running around here and there. It was hard for Edith to reach for him.

    If it was not due to her husband''s assurance that someone will look after her grandfather while he was in Capital City, Edith would not be at ease.

    Mike Qian, who was still in Capital City was shocked upon hearing that he was about to become a great-grandpa. For a few seconds, the old man was not able to give any reaction. A lot of thoughts went to his mind and he could not think straight. Even after the phone call ended, Mike was still in a trance, causing his friend, George Bei to worry about his well-being.

    When he finally snapped out of his trance, Mike turned to his friend and held him on both shoulders.

    "What happened to you?" George asked. "I thought you went out to answer a call from Edith? What''s wrong? What did she say? Don''t tell me that she got herself into an accident?"

    Mike ignored his friend''s questions and spoke in a choked voice. "George! I''m about to become a great-grandfather!"

    "Ah?" George was a little muddleheaded and his thought went towards the little girl who would always follow Edith around. "That little princess? She always called you great-grandfather, right? What happened to that little princess?"

    "I''m not talking about that little princess," Mike said. "It''s my granddaughter, ah. She''s going to have a baby. I''m going to be a great-grandfather!"

    George sucked in a deep breath when he heard the news.

    "Old friend, we need to settle our job in Capital City fast," Mike said. "I need to visit my granddaughter and meet my in-laws to discuss my granddaughter''s wedding."

    ¡­

    Meanwhile, Neil watched as his wife put down her phone on the bedside table and walked over to her. He wrapped his arms around her waist and hugged her from behind. His head lowered to kiss the spot on her neck before he rested his chin on her shoulder.

    "What did your grandfather say?" Neil asked.

    Edith struggled out of his embrace before she turned around to face him. She put both hands on his shoulders and looked at him with a smile. "I don''t know. I don''t think my grandfather was able to react well after he heard that he was about to become a great-grandfather."

    Neil laughed. A breath of relief escaped him upon knowing that the old man was not going to gather all his cop friends to beat him up. Mike Qian was so protective towards his granddaughter and Neil was a little worried about how he might react when his wife told him the good news.

    The couple continued to be in each other''s embrace and Neil placed his hand over his wife''s tummy. The thought that there was a life growing in her stomach made him feel a little anxious.

    He was both excited and frightened at the thought that he was going to be a father.

    When Hazel was born, he did not dare to get close to her as she was too small. Now that he was going to have his own baby, Neil did not know whether he will be able to do a good job at being a father.

    What if he was too afraid to hold his own child?

    "What are you thinking about?'' Edith asked. She saw the frown on his face and couldn''t help but laugh.

    Neil took a deep breath and shook his head. Until the child is born, Neil decided not to worry about the matter.

    After kissing his wife for a while, Neil went into the bathroom for a long shower.

    Edith went out of the room and found Hazel in the living room. The little girl was watching her favorite show all by herself while Sophie was in the kitchen, stewing some soup.

    Earlier, when she and Neil had told everyone about the news of her pregnancy, Edith has been watching Hazel''s expression secretly. It has been a while since they began to live together and the two had a very good relationship. She might not give birth to Hazel, but Edith definitely thought of Hazel as her own child.

    Little Hazel has been dependant on her ever since the last time she had rescued her from that kidnapping incident. After Edith had disappeared for a few days to return to Z Town, Hazel has become very sticky towards her. It took them a few days before Hazel started to believe that her Auntie Edith was not going to leave her side.

    However, Edith was a little worried that Hazel might felt a little left out now that she was about to have a child.

    After she had told everyone about her pregnancy, Hazel did not give any reactions. The little girl continued to stare at her tummy and did not say anything. Edith could not figure out what was in the little girl''s mind.

    Edith sat down beside Hazel and accompanied the little girl to watch her favorite show. After a while, Edith laid her head on Hazel''s shoulder and rained her kisses on the little girl''s cheek.

    "Auntie Edith," Hazel spoke with her soft, milky voice and giggled. Then she counter-attacked by holding her auntie''s face and kissing it back.

    The atmosphere in the room was good as the child and grownup were teasing each other.

    "Hazel¡­" Edith paused and looked at her for a few seconds longer. "Can we talk?"

    A little frown appeared on Hazel''s forehead before she nodded. "Auntie Edith, you say."

    Edith took a deep breath and her lips curled into a faint smile. "What do you think about the news I told everyone earlier?"

    "The baby?"

    "Un." Edith nodded and continued to watch the little girls'' expression. "What do you feel about it?"

    The frown on Hazel''s face deepened. "I''m going to be a big sister."

    "Are you happy?"

    "Later, I will have someone to play with. Of course, I''m happy," Hazel said. "Auntie Edith, when the baby arrives, I will help you to look after the baby. Just like how I would look for the younger classmates."

    Hearing her words, Edith breathed a sigh of relief.  She leaned forward to kiss the little girl again and spoke, "Little Hazel, I wanted you to know that even after the baby is born, you will always be important to me. I will always love you, you know?"

    The little girl started to giggle. She held Edith''s face with both hands and kissed her auntie on the nose.. "Auntie Edith, I love you too."

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 306 - Elder Brother

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Just like everyone else, Lily was surprised when she heard that Edith was pregnant.

    Once she was able to process the news, Lily gave Edith a look over before she muttered a cursing word. She gave a thumb up and spoke, "President Mo is good! The two of you got a marriage certificate a month ago and you''re already pregnant. He''s that impatient?"

    Edith let out a laugh upon hearing Lily''s words, but couldn''t tell her that this was unplanned.

    Lily heaved a sigh and continued, "I can understand why he is impatient. How old he is this year? Even Hazel will start to enter school next year."

    Who knew what was in Neil''s mind when his younger brother, Adam get married and had a child earlier than him? Perhaps, after looking after Hazel for a few months, Neil was starting to regret that he did not have a child sooner.

    "When will you give birth?"

    "I''m expected to give birth in early spring next year."

    Lily clicked her tongue. "If it was a few months earlier, our child might start school in the same year." A thought came to her mind and suddenly, Lily''s eyes brightened up. "Next time, let''s go shopping together. I''ll help you to choose your stuff for the baby."

    Edith put a hand on her forehead. The next day after the family knew that she was with a child, her mother-in-law had dragged her around to shop for a few necessities for an expecting mother.

    Seeing the bright smile on Sophie''s face, Edith decided to go along. However, once they arrived at the mall, Sophie could no longer suppress herself and started to buy things like crazy. It was at this time that Edith started to think that both Sophie and her son are alike. The two of them can be shopaholics! Edith did not dare to think of what will happen if the two of them went shopping together.

    It was only after Edith had mentioned that they would not have the space to keep too much stuff that Sophie started to slow down.

    However, the amount of paper bags they brought back could not fit the car and they had to ask for delivery.

    When they came home and started to rearrange the stuff, Sophie realized that they have bought too many things and the two-unit apartment will soon be unsuitable for them to live in. For the kids'' comfort, Sophie then suggested for them to move to a bigger place.

    There are many land and properties under Neil''s name and they decided to look at them before they decide which place would be suitable for them to live in and raise their child.

    Edith heaved a sigh at the thought that they will soon start to move into a new place. It seemed that there are too many things that they will have to settle before the child arrive.

    They still have to prepare for the wedding¡­

    While Edith and Lily were busy catching up, Hazel and Alex were in the playroom, looking at the Gundam model that Alex had finished with his father a few days ago.

    Hazel stared at the model for a while and turned to look at Alex.

    Sensing that someone was staring at him, Alex looked up and was surprised to see that Hazel was staring back at him. The little girl did not have too much expression on her face but facing Hazel''s cute and innocent look, Alex found his face a little hot.

    Alex soon became flustered as he did not know what was wrong with him.

    In his new school, there were a lot of girls who would always stare at him, but he was never as uncomfortable as he was at this moment. Alex began to realize that being around Hazel would give him a strange feeling, but it was not something that he disliked. It was a feeling that he could not describe. However, he was a little shy to mention this matter to his mother.

    "Hazel¡­" Alex tugged at the hem of his shirt. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

    "Alex, Auntie Edith told me that soon, I will be a big sister," Hazel spoke up.

    "Ah?" Alex was a little confused with the sudden news. "You''re going to be a big sister?"

    "Un." Hazel nodded. "There''s a baby in Auntie Edith''s tummy. Just like you, soon, I am going to have a sibling."

    "You''re going to have a little sister too?"

    Hazel shook her head. "I don''t know. Grandma said it is too early to tell if it will be a little sister or little brother. But, I don''t know how to be a good big sister. Alex, do you know how?"

    In Hazel''s opinion, Alex has been teaching her a lot of things and he seemed to know about a lot of things. Of course, the best person to ask was Alex.

    Alex pondered over the question for a while before he answered, "Mummy said, like a big brother, I will need to help her to look for my younger sibling. When she cried, I have to coax her. When she is bullied, I have to protect her."

    "Just like you did for me?"

    Alex was a little stunned to hear Hazel''s words.

    "Don''t you always look out for me?" Hazel asked. Her head tilted sideways and the little frown on her face only made her adorable. "The last time when I cried, didn''t you try to coax me?"

    Hazel seemed to remember that the last time she was bullied at school, it was Alex who found her Auntie Edith and reported that she had gone missing. She knew this because Megan had told her.

    "You said you didn''t cry," Alex said.

    Hazel gave him a look that made Alex quickly pursed his lips tightly. It was at this time that Alex figured out that there are certain things that he should not say out loud, or else, it will only get him into trouble.

    "I''m a year older than you, so I have to look out for you," Alex said.

    "Then, you''re like my big brother?"

    "Un." Alex nodded. "I am like your big brother."

    Hazel thought of her conversation with her grandmother a few days ago. Her grandmother had said that when she became a big sister, her younger sibling would have to call her Elder Sister.

    She then looked at Alex and met his gaze. After staring into Alex''s eyes for a long time, Hazel then spoke again, "Then, should I call you Elder Brother?"

    Hearing the little girl''s soft voice calling him, Alex felt as if something was tickling his heart.. Heat crept to his face and his face turned red again.

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 307 - Everything Remain Unchanged

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    In MH Group Headquarters¡­

    Neil was browsing through a few documents on his desk when his assistant entered his room.

    Assistant Shawn walked over to him and placed a few documents on his table. "President Mo, this is the information on the properties that you have asked. "

    Neil took a look at the documents and took out a few properties that he liked. He pointed the documents to Assistant Shawn and spoke, "Let''s choose these two first. Later I will take my wife to take a look at the site."

    Assistant Shawn glanced at the documents that his boss had picked up and nodded. Then, the two of them continued to discuss a few things regarding their company before the assistant left.

    At this time, Neil''s phone on the table rang. The moment he saw the name on the screen, his expression softened. He picked up the phone and slid his finger on the screen.

    "Mrs. Mo, why did you call me at this hour? Are you off work?"

    Edith laughed at the other line. "I am working. Mr. Mo, I am calling you regarding Hazel."

    The smile on his face quickly disappeared and was replaced with a deep frown. "Hazel? What happened to her?"

    "Nothing. But next week, the school will be organizing an activity. All parents are invited to spend their time together with the kids. Mr. Mo, are you coming?"

    Neil clicked an icon on the computer and checked his planner. "Next week?" After checking the time and date with Edith, he then nodded. "I''ll make time for it."

    The last time he had joined the kindergarten''s activity, Neil had seen how the other parents were involved in their kids'' activities. If he didn''t come, wouldn''t his Hazel have to stay alone without anyone supporting her? Even though Edith was around, the feeling wouldn''t be the same.

    Anyway, it was a rare chance for him to spend his time at his wife''s workplace. If he came, he will be able to watch as his wife was at work and accompany Hazel at the same time.

    "When will you get off work?" Neil asked. "I''ll come and pick you and Hazel from the kindergarten, alright?"

    "Are you not busy working?"

    "I''ve chosen a few properties as our future home. Let''s go and take a look at which one did you prefer best. Then, we can have dinner outside before we go back to the apartment. What do you think?"

    Edith looked up from the paperwork on her desk and pondered over his suggestion.

    "Let''s bring Hazel with us," Neil continued. "It has been a while since we bring her out and play."

    Edith was about to say that she did not mind whichever property that he was going to pick up. However, once she heard that they were going to bring Hazel out, Edith changed her mind and quickly agreed.

    ¡­

    When both Edith and Hazel walked out of the kindergarten, Neil''s vehicle was already waiting for them outside. The moment they came out, Neil helped them both with the door and went back into the driver''s seat once the two girls were seating properly.

    Hazel looked out of the window and saw that they were passing by familiar scenery. She turned to her uncle and asked, "Uncle, where are we going?"

    "We''re going to look at a new house to live in. Later, you will have a bigger bedroom and playroom," Neil said.

    He knew that his niece had a hobby of building and collecting Gundam like her friend, Alex. Previously, Edith had told him a little bit about this hobby. He knew that once Hazel''s collection grew, they will need a proper place to display them.

    His niece was still young, but she managed to build such a complicated model. Although he could not understand much about this hobby, Neil had a sense of pride every time he saw that Hazel had managed to complete a model. His niece is definitely a genius!

    "This road¡­" A light frown appeared on her face as she continued to look at the scenery outside the window. Hazel had thought that the road looked familiar and she was sure that previously, she had passed by this area countless times with her parents.

    "Hmm¡­" Neil''s expression changed a little, knowing what his niece was trying to say. "This area is closer to your house." There was a brief silence between them before Neil spoke again. "Would you like to visit your house?"

    Hazel did not speak for a while. "Can we?"

    Neil nodded. "Of course we can."

    Surprisingly, the property that Neil had brought them to was only next door to Adam and Claire''s house.

    The relationship between Neil and Adam was very good. Years ago, when the development in the area began, Neil and Adam decided to purchase a property next to each other. They had long planned that after they had their own family, they will continue to look out for each other.

    However, the house was a little too big for Neil to live alone. Neil did not want his brother to constantly worry about him and therefore, he decided to stay at his current apartment. The place was closer to the company and Neil find it convenient to move around.

    After taking a short tour at Neil''s property, the three of them went next door to look at Hazel''s old house.

    The last time Hazel stepped into the house was after her parents'' funeral. After packing up her luggage and following her uncle to his apartment, Hazel had no longer stepped into the house.

    As soon as they entered the courtyard, the old housekeeper greeted them and was surprised to see Hazel. She went over to Hazel with her teary face and greeted both Neil and Edith and ushered everyone inside.

    The three of them walked around the house and Hazel stopped at her own bedroom. She stood outside the door and stared at her old bedroom with a dazed expression. Her plushy and toys were still where she had left them.

    It seemed that nothing had changed from the time she left the house. The housekeeper had tidied up the place, but let everything remain unchanged.

    Hazel then entered her father''s study and looked around. She went over to the balcony and recalled how she would often hide at the place whenever she made her mother angry.

    Back then, other than her bedroom, Hazel would spend most of her time in her father''s study. Her father would sit behind the desk and she would sit at the coffee table with her crayons and paper.

    Walking around the house made Hazel missed her parents a lot. Every she turned around, Hazel would remember her parents and her lips quivered at the memories.

    Hazel scrunched her nose as she sniffled.

    Her movement halted the moment she stood in front of her parents'' bedroom.

    Suddenly, Hazel turned around. She lifted her head and saw that her uncle and auntie have been following her from the beginning.. Stretching up both hands, Hazel then said, "Uncle, I''m tired."

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 308 - I Like Hazels Smile The Best

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    As soon as Neil carried Hazel in his arms, the little girl quickly buried her face in between her uncle''s neck. Hazel wrapped her arms around her uncle''s tightly and a second later, Neil could feel his neck wet with Hazel''s tears.

    After exchanging a few words with the aunties who looked after the house, Neil then took Edith and Hazel to leave the place.

    As soon as Neil put Hazel in the back seat, the little girl went over to her Auntie Edith and buried her face in Edith''s laps. Although Hazel was not making any sound, her quivering shoulders showed that she was crying.

    Edith felt a tug in her heart whenever she saw the little girl cried. Her hands moved to pat Hazel on her back as she tried to soothe Hazel''s emotion.

    Just as Neil was about to enter the vehicle, the housekeeper walked over to them with a paper bag in her hand. Neil stopped and turned to the housekeeper. "Auntie, what''s wrong?"

    "President Mo, I stumbled into Hazel''s drawing folder when I was cleaning up the Master''s study a while ago. In this folder, there were a lot of Hazel''s favorite drawings." The old housekeeper glanced at the paper bag and her gaze turned gentle. "Back then, Hazel would draw her parents and put everything in this folder. I just thought that she might want to keep this close to her."

    Neil glanced at the paper bag and smiled. "Thank you, auntie."

    The old housekeeper smiled. She glanced at Hazel who was sitting in the backseat of the SUV and a frown of worry appeared on her face. "How is she recently?"

    "She''s living quite well. Once in a while she would cry like this whenever she remembers her parents."

    The housekeeper heaved a long sigh.

    A while ago, she had seen the tears streaming down the little girl''s face and her heart started to ache. The housekeeper has been serving the family from the first day they moved into the house. Naturally, she had seen Hazel from the day she was brought back from the hospital and watched her as she grew up.

    When Hazel''s parents passed away, the housekeeper was as heartbroken. She was worried about Hazel but was glad that she was living well with her uncle.

    "President Mo, please look after Hazel well."

    Neil nodded. He stuffed the paper bag in the vehicle and went into the driver''s seat. As he started to drive, Neil glanced at the rear mirror and watched as his wife continued to help Hazel to calm down.

    Seeing that Hazel was not in a good mood, Neil decided not to look at their second property and instead, drove over to the mall near their house.

    With the way Hazel look at this moment, Neil was sure that his parents would worry. Previously, he had told his parents that the three of them were going to have dinner outside. Even if they returned now, there would not be anything for them to eat.

    Hazel had calm down when Neil pulled over his vehicle at the car park. Edith took out a wet tissue and wiped the tear stain on the little girl''s face. Hazel looked at the mall in front of her and recalled that she has been to the place before.

    The last time she came over to the mall, Alex and his parents had joined them as they had dinner at the indoor playland. She recalled having a lot of fun at the playland with Alex and the two of them played until they were tired.

    The moment Hazel saw the large indoor playland in front of her, Hazel was a little surprised. She was not expecting her uncle to take her to the place.

    Seeing the colorful place and hearing the sound of laughter of everyone around her, Hazel''s mood lifted slightly. She followed her uncle and auntie to the dining area and picked a seat.

    Edith saw the way Hazel was watching the kids in the playground and asked, "Do you want to go and play?"

    "It''s fine." Hazel lowered her gaze. "I will eat first."

    Hazel recalled that the bunny-meal that she had the last time and thought that they were quite tasty. Now that they were at the playland again, Hazel could not wait to eat the delicious and cute meal again.

    Edith patted at the little girl''s hair and the two of them chatted a little bit as they waited for Neil to return with their food.

    At this time, a few familiar faces walked over towards them and stopped at their table.

    "Hazel, why are you here as well?" Alex asked when he arrived at the table. His expression shifted slightly when he noticed Hazel''s reddened eyes. However, he did not mention anything about it and instead turned to Edith and called, "Auntie Edith."

    Edith looked up and saw that her friend, Lily, and her husband, Ethan walking over.

    "You guys are here as well?" Lily spoke as she rubbed her slightly bulging stomach. She looked around and the corner of her lips twitched at the sight of that President Mo was queuing to get food at the counter.

    "Did you guys just arrived?" Edith scooted inside and pointed at the empty seat around the table. "Why don''t we all seat together?"

    Alex quickly pulled the chair and sat beside Hazel. He stared at the girl and asked, "Hazel, do you want to go and play together?"

    Edith heard their conversation and looked at Hazel, "Go ahead. I will call you to eat when your uncle returned with your food, alright?"

    Hazel pondered over her auntie''s words for a while before she decided to go with Alex.

    Seeing that the girl had agreed, Alex reached to hold Hazel''s hand and pulled her over to the playground to play. As soon as they reached a place where there were not many kids, Alex stopped to study Hazel''s face for a long time.

    Alex released Hazel''s hand and frowned. "Hazel, are you unhappy today?"

    Hazel did not answer and instead, stared back at his friend for a long time. After a while, Hazel lowered her gaze. "How did you know that I''m unhappy?"

    "Because you didn''t smile," Alex said. His gaze was at reddened eyes. Now that they were standing closer, Alex began to notice that her eyes were a little swollen.

    Alex became flustered at the thought that the girl was crying again. His heart ached and he wanted to know what makes her unhappy. However, Alex knew that Hazel did not like it when he pointed out her tears. Therefore, he chose not to mention it.

    Seeing that the girl did not say anything, Alex stretched his hand and touched Hazel''s cheek. Heat crept up her face as he felt the girl''s smooth skin. "You need to smile a little more.. I like Hazel''s smile the best."

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 309 - Morning Sickness

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    By the time Mike and George finished their business in Capital City, Edith had started to experience her morning sickness.

    Mike went straight from Capital City and was surprised to see that his granddaughter has gotten a lot thinner.

    The last time his wife was pregnant with their daughter, she had never had a bad pregnancy reaction. The last time his daughter was pregnant with Edith, she had never had such a reaction.

    Edith''s morning reaction was a little serious and she was unable to eat a lot of food. Her body was a little too week and the doctor had advised her to stay home and rest. These days, she couldn''t even make it to the kindergarten.

    Looking at how Edith was lying weak against the sofa, his heart started to ache. The baby in the tummy was as small as a blueberry, but it has already made his mother suffer so much.

    "Grandpa, I''m alright." Edith tried to sit up properly, but her stomach felt a little uncomfortable and Edith had no choice but to lay back on the sofa.

    At this time, Neil entered the room and handed Edith a glass of water, and helped to prop up her pillow.

    Seeing the way the man was treating his granddaughter, Mike felt as if he had no way to vent his frustration. The frown on his face was evidence that Neil too was worried about his granddaughter''s condition.

    Moreover, he had heard that his in-laws had employed a caretaker to look after his granddaughter''s meal. He didn''t need to see his granddaughter live a lavish lifestyle. As long as everyone treated her well, Mike would be relieved.

    "I don''t know if this will work, but when your mother was pregnant with you, she would often drink a lot of ginger tea and eating some tangerine peels."

    Neil looked up when he heard his words. "Grandpa, I will ask them to prepare those and let Edith try."

    Mike nodded. He turned back to Edith and the two started to exchange a few words. Because he did not want his granddaughter to worry too much, Mike did divulge too much on his business in Capital City.

    As his granddaughter was starting to get drowsier, Mike decided to leave the room and let her granddaughter rest. When he left the bedroom, Neil was already waiting for him outside.

    "Grandpa," Neil called. "How is your trip?"

    A frown appeared on the old man''s forehead and his gaze turned darker. "Let''s talk in a private place."

    Neil nodded and brought him over to his study and let him sit on the sofa.

    "Grandpa, did you meet the people you wanted to see?" Neil asked.

    "That person agreed to testify against General Attorney Leng as long as we can provide her protection," Mike said. "The Qi''s family agreed to cooperate and provide protection for her."

    During his investigation, Mike found out that there was one woman who managed to escape the General Attorney''s cruelty and had been living in hiding for years. The reason he went to the Capital City was to convince that woman to help him to reveal the General Attorney''s true colors.

    Mike heaved a sigh. "This time, I have to thank you for introducing me to those people."

    Neil poured a glass of water for Mike before he sat down across from him. "The next two months, the company will undergo auditing. We are planning to set a few traps to get those directors and soon, expose General Attorney Leng''s crime along with it. My friends are ready to release the materials to the public soon."

    He tapped his fingers on the sofa as he thought of what they were planning to do next. He had discussed his plans with the former prosecutor and knew that their plan might be a little risky and there might be a chance that the other side was fully prepared to get through their trap.

    At this time, Neil did not have concrete evidence in his hand. Setting a trap for the Attorney General and the directors was the only thing he could do now.

    The two of them continued to discuss their plan to expose General Attorney Leng''s wrongdoing to the public until he no longer has a way to escape the law.

    "Once everything is done, I will hold a wedding with Edith," Neil said after a while.

    "Will you have time to prepare?" Mike asked.

    "My parents are helping with the wedding preparation," Neil said.

    With the wedding planner''s help, it was not hard for them to prepare for a wedding.

    "Edith is my only granddaughter and my only family. I won''t expect a grand wedding, but Edith needs to have a proper wedding."

    "Edith wanted a small wedding just between close family and friends," Neil said. "And we have agreed."

    Mike nodded. "A wedding is supposed to be a celebration with family and friends. It doesn''t matter if it was a small or a big wedding. As long as all important people are presented and Edith is happy." A sigh escaped him as he thought of his pregnant granddaughter. "Moreover, with her current body, it won''t be suitable for Edith to have a big wedding. It will only make her tired."

    A small smile appeared on Neil''s face. "Grandpa, you have just returned from Capital City. Stay with us these few days. Edith would be happy and relieved to see you around."

    Mike quickly agreed with his suggestion.

    The two men finally finished their discussion and exchanging information almost two hours later.

    Hazel walked over to the room and knocked on the door to remind her uncle that the dinner was ready. When the door swung open, Hazel was surprised to see that Mike sitting on the sofa.

    Her eyes brightened and Hazel walked into the room with a big smile on her face. "Great-Grandpa!"

    "Oh! Isn''t that my little princess?" The smile on Mike''s face widened the moment he saw the little girl.

    Earlier, the atmosphere in the room was a little gloomy as they were discussing their plan. However, once Hazel showed up, the mood was suddenly lifted.

    "Let me take a look at you." Mike gave Hazel a look over and nodded. "Little princess, it seemed that you have gotten a little taller."

    "Really?"

    "Un." Mike nodded. "Would I lie to you?"

    Hazel lurched forward and gave Mike a big hug. "Great-Grandpa, I miss you. You haven''t come over for a long time."

    "I was a little busy and only have the time to come over today," Mike said. "This time, I will stay over with you for a week. Later, I will accompany you to play, alright?"

    Hazel nodded happily. "Great-Grandpa, I''ve practiced the move you taught me the last time. Will you teach me another move?"

    Neil watched their exchange and chuckled. "Didn''t you come here to call us for dinner? Let''s go to the dining room and let Great-Grandpa eat his meal."

    Hazel bit at her lips and smiled sheepishly at her uncle''s reminder.. She tugged at Mike''s sleeve and  said, "Great-Grandpa, let''s go and eat together."

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 310 - Baby Bump

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    When Edith woke up, she found that the person who was supposed to be beside her was not around. Edith grabbed her phone on the bedside and noticed that it was three in the morning.

    She got off the bed slowly and went into the study. The door to his study was slightly ajar. Edith pushed the door slightly and saw her husband behind the desk. His attention was fully on the computer screen and he had a serious look on his face. Her lips curled into a faint smile and Edith continued to stand there to watch him as he worked.

    As if noticing that someone was at the door, Neil raised his head and was startled when he saw Edith at the door. He stood up immediately and walked over.

    "Why are you here?" His hands quickly reached to support her and his gaze raked all over her body with worry. "Are you feeling uncomfortable?"

    Edith shook her head. "I''m fine. I woke up and didn''t see you in the room."

    Neil looked at his wife helplessly. "I will accompany you to bed. Next time, don''t walk around. Your body is still very weak."

    "No. Can I stay here for a while and watch you work?" Edith asked. "I''ve been staying in bed for too long. I just want to walk around and straightened my back."

    A frown appeared on his face as he was still worried about her health. "Come inside." He moved his body to another side and helped her to the sofa. The doctor had told them that her body was a little weak as she was unable to eat well. With her thin body at this moment, Neil was a little worried that she might slip and fall.

    Seeing that Neil was still staring at her with worry, Edith quickly waved her hand. "Go and continue with your work. I''ll be fine sitting here for a while. I will tell you when I get tired, alright?"

    Neil walked over to his desk, poured a glass of water, and passed it to his wife. Once he saw that she had taken a sip, Neil returned to his computer to look at a few documents.

    After five minutes, he tore his gaze away and rubbed his eyes. His gaze then fell at the woman in the room. Neil was suddenly in a trance as he was looking at the person who was sitting on the sofa with a book in her hand.

    The lights on the ceiling were lit to brightened the room, but at this moment, he felt as if the light were all focused on his wife. The look on Edith''s face was so calm and serene. He could not tear his gaze away.

    Suddenly, he stood up and walked over to her. He wrapped his arms around her shoulders from behind and rested his chin on her shoulder. After taking a whiff at her familiar scent, Neil then pressed her lips on her cheek.

    Edith giggled and turned her head to look at the man beside her. "Did my presence disturb you from focusing on your work?" Her lips curled into a faint smile. "Sorry. I''ll go back to the room and sleep."

    The past few days, Edith has been staying in her room for too long and she wanted to have a change of environment. However, she also understood that Neil was busy with his work and his plan with her grandfather.

    "It''s fine. Just stay here in a while," Neil tightened his hug. "I have been staring at the computer for too long. I should take a break once in a while."

    Her gaze softened as she listened to him. Edith put the book she was reading on the side table. Then, she patted at the space beside her and spoke, "Sit here."

    Neil loosened his embrace before he went to her side and sit down.

    Edith patted at her thigh next. "Lay your head here."

    Neil stared back at her, feeling a little unsure.

    "Come on."

    After a brief hesitation, he put his head obediently on her thigh and soon, felt her fingers running through his hair. Then, her fingers started to move, giving him a light massage.

    He looked up and met her gaze. The couple continued to look into each others'' gaze affectionately. None of them said a word as they were enjoying the silence.

    Suddenly, Edith lowered her head and kissed his forehead. Her lips then trailed down and touched the tip of his nose before they stopped to meet his lips in a brief kiss.

    When they parted, Neil could see the smile in her eyes.

    Instantly, Neil felt as if his fatigue had slowly disappeared.

    "How are you feeling?" Neil asked.

    "Good. These days, I didn''t throw out most of my meal," Edith said. "I''m entering the second trimester in a few days. Auntie said that after a while, this morning sickness will pass and I could eat normally."

    The slight frown on his face disappeared when he heard her words. "That''s good."

    "But staying too long in the house is making me tired." Edith blinked her eyes, flashing him the best innocent look, and spoke, "Hubby, when you''re not that busy, accompany me for a walk, alright?"

    She has been staying at home the moment her morning sickness got worse and Edith was dying for some fresh air.

    "Where do you want to go?"

    "Just a walk at the park would be good."

    Neil pondered over her request and nodded. "If you''re feeling better, let''s go out this weekend. The renovation at the new house is halfway done. I will need your opinion on some matters. Help me to choose the color of the room."

    Her eyes brightened upon hearing that she would have the chance to walk outside on the weekend. "Alright."

    He turned around slightly and his gaze rested on her stomach. At this time, her stomach had formed a small bump. It was not very visible, but as someone who has been watching her body every day, Neil could still notice this little difference.

    Moreover... because she was not eating well, her body was a little thinner and the bump could be seen a little clearer.

    Neil stretched up his hand and touched her stomach.

    A lot of thoughts went through his head. It has been a few months, but he still found it unbelievable that he was about to become someone''s father. Sooner or later, a little child would be running around the house and cause mischief everywhere. That thought felt a little unreal.

    Neil did not notice this, but as he continued to stare at her stomach, his eyes turned gentler and a small smile formed at his lips. If anyone saw him at this moment, they would never believe that the man in front of them was the same ice block they know.

    "Baby, grow up quickly and don''t cause too much trouble for your mother, alright?" He then leaned forward and pressed his lips on her stomach, causing Edith to giggle at the slightly ticklish feeling.

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 311 - A Date

    As the weekend arrived, Edith stared at her husband with her puppy dog eyes, begging her to take her out for a walk.

    Seeing that her morning sickness had decreased, Sophie helped to convince Neil to bring his wife for a walk before she would suffocate, staying at home for a long time. Anyway, walking around for a while would be beneficial for pregnant women and therefore, Neil had no reason to decline.

    As Hazel will start going to school next year, Neil and Edith had agreed to choose a place that would be closer to Hazel''s school. After looking at the house, Neil then asked for the construction to begin.

    The construction greeted them as soon as they arrived. He brought them around the house and showed them the renovation progress. Coincidentally, the designer was at the house to look around and they spent a while discussing the look they wanted for the house.

    Edith stared at the pink-painted room in a daze until Neil appeared beside her. The man wrapped his arms around her waist and pecked at her shoulder.

    "What are you thinking about?" Neil asked.

    "Why did you paint this room pink?"

    Neil raised a brow. "Of course, it''s for our daughter."

    Edith struggled out of his embrace and looked at him. "Then, what if it''s a boy?"

    "The room next door is painted blue."

    Edith stared at his face for a few seconds before she moved to look at the other room. Just as he had said, the room next door was painted in blue. Edith then turned to her husband speechlessly. "What are you planning to do?"

    "Anyway, there are many rooms in the house," Neil said. "Didn''t you said that you wanted to have a lot of children? Baby, I''ll work hard to help you realize your dream." A playful smile appeared on his face and Neil leaned in to kiss her cheek.

    The interior designer was about to approach the couple and ask for their opinion on the kitchen design when he overheard their conversation. Seeing that the couple was acting affectionately, the designer back off to discuss his plan with the constructor instead.

    Because the place was a little dusty, both Neil and Edith did not stay for too long before they leave.

    It was a rare chance for them to go out only the two of them. After checking that his wife was in a good condition, Neil decided to take her to walk around a park. There was a cafe near the park and the two decided to walk around and take a rest at the cafe later on.

    Edith glanced at Neil and laughed when she saw the worried look on his face. "I''m fine."

    Neil heaved a long sigh. Although Edith had assured him a few times that she was alright, Neil could not help but worry. This was his first time being a father and after reading a few websites and encountered stories of how a mother was suddenly suffering miscarriage due to carelessness.

    His wife is a kindergarten teacher and was used to an active life and Neil grew scared that his wife would have an accident.

    However, asking her to restrict herself from doing what she liked was an impossible thing to do. He liked her for her liveliness and had no intention of stopping her in whatever she liked to do.

    The two of them continued to walk around and talk while enjoying the fresh air. After walking around for a while, the two arrived at the cafe. The waiter greeted them at the entrance and take them over to the seat facing the small lake. The waiter came over to their table and Neil ordered a light meal for both of them.

    The weather was pleasant and the wind was blowing softly. Edith sat across Neil as she looked out at the scenery before her and was suddenly a little drowsier. Her eyes were closed and there was a faint smile on her lips.

    Neil stared at his wife and was suddenly in a trance. Neil thought that ever since she was pregnant, her temperament became a little calmer. Though she was a little skinnier after experiencing bad morning sickness, at this time, Neil thought that she was slightly glowing.

    As if sensing that someone was staring at her, Edith opened her eyes and looked at Neil languidly.

    "Are you tired? Should we go home?"

    "You have already ordered something. Let''s stay here and eat first." She stretched out her hand to hold his when she saw the worried look on his face. "Darling, once the baby comes out, it would be difficult for us to have a date like this."

    Hearing her words, Neil suppressed his worry and decided to follow her lead. It was indeed hard for them to go on a date.

    Their food arrived soon after and the two continued to eat and talk about various things. As they have finished their food, Edith grabbed at his hands and spoke, "Hubby, wait here for a while. I need to go to the restroom."

    The worried look returned on his face. "I will go with you."

    "It''s alright. The restroom isn''t that far." Edith pointed towards the door inside the cafe. From where they were seated, Neil could see the entrance to the hallway to the restroom area.

    After reminding one of the waitresses to look after his wife, Neil then waited at their seat while guarding her purse.

    Edith heaved a sigh in relief when she came out of the restroom. From the spot she stood, Edith was able to see her husband sitting alone at their seat. At this time, his head was tilted down as he was looking at something on his phone.

    Her heart skipped a beat as she continued to stare at him and her lips subconsciously turned up into a smile. Edith was aware that the man was busy with his work, but he had still made his time to accompany her for a walk.

    At the thought that he would worry when she did not return, Edith quickly headed over to him. Just as she was about to push the door that led to the patio, someone else had blocked her path. Edith muttered an apology and stepped aside to let the person pass.

    "Miss Qian?"

    Edith looked up when she heard her name and her expression changed the moment she saw General Attorney Leng in front of her.

    Hatred towards the man surged, but Edith chose to suppress her feeling and forced a smile. "General Attorney." She looked at the man properly and saw that a slightly elder man was with him.

    "Are you here to have a meal?" General Attorney Leng asked.

    "I''ve just finished eating. But I have to go now."

    "So soon?" The General Attorney raised a brow. "Why don''t you stay around and accompany me?"

    Edith felt her hands trembled. "No. My niece is still at home and I need to look after her. If I don''t come home in time, she will make a fuss."

    The General Attorney heaved with disappointment. "Next time, then."

    Edith nodded. "General Attorney, I have to go now." Once she finished, Edith quickly went out to look for Neil.

    As soon as Edith disappeared from their sight, the elderly man leaned forward to whisper a few words to the General Attorney, causing him to turn back towards the direction that Edith had gone to with a hint of surprise in his eyes.. A few seconds later, his expression changed again, and there was a deep frown on his face.

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 312 - That Woman Was An Interpreter

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Neil looked up when he heard the approaching footsteps immediately noticed that something was wrong with his wife when he saw her pale face. He stood up immediately, held her hand, and was surprised to find that it was cold.

    "What''s wrong?" He tugged her closer and ran his hand on her long tresses. "Are you feeling unwell?"

    Edith shook her head and buried her face in his chest. She opened her mouth to speak, but when she recalled the documents and photos that she had seen in Grandpa George''s room, Edith was suddenly frightened.

    Though she had grown up with her police grandfather and had met a number of criminals, her grandfather had never told her or showed her details or evidence of what did those criminals had done.

    But when she entered Grandpa George''s room in Z Town, she had seen everything. The photographs of the deceased showed how much they have to go through those tortures. The reports told her what might happen to the women. The details were too gruesome!

    Neil pulled her body closer into his embrace and tried to calm her down. A deep frown appeared on his face.

    Just a while ago, his wife was in a very happy mood. Something must have happened during her trip to the restroom to make her trembled like that.

    Neil turned his head towards the restroom direction before he swept his gaze around to look for anything that caused the sudden change in his wife''s mood.

    After a while, Edith managed to whisper, "Let''s go home. Please. I''ll tell you once we get out of here."

    "Alright." Neil nodded. He checked on her condition and heaved in relief upon seeing that her complexion was not as bad as it was before. He grabbed her purse and put his arms around her waist to hold her back to their vehicle.

    His steps halted when he saw familiar faces not far away from him.

    In an instance, Neil knew the reason why his wife was a little rattled after she had returned from her trip to the restroom.

    "Baby," Neil whispered to his wife. "The General Attorney is here."

    Edith stiffened before she held on to her husband tightly.

    "President Mo," General Attorney Leng stepped closer with a bright smile on his face.

    "General Attorney Leng," Neil greeted politely.

    He then moved his gaze and saw the man who was accompanying the General Attorney. A glint flashed in his eyes when he recognized that man. He had seen Grandpa Mike showing the picture of that man before and could recognize him at a glance. That person was no other than the General Attorney''s former assistant.

    "I met Miss Qian in the restaurant earlier and recalled that her expression doesn''t seem right," the General Attorney spoke. "I was worried that she might be unwell and decided to check on her. I didn''t expect that the two of you would be together."

    Neil flashed him an amiable smile. "The weather is good. I just thought that it was a good day to go on a date."

    The General Attorney laughed. He glanced towards Edith and noticed that the woman had not lifted her head. A frown appeared on his face and he looked at Edith with concern. "Miss Qian, are you alright? You don''t look too good."

    Edith forced herself to look at the man. "I''m alright. Just that¡­ my stomach is a little uncomfortable."

    General Attorney Leng recalled that he had bumped into Edith after she had come out of the restroom and did not think too much about it. His lips turned up into a smile when he recalled the words that his former assistant had told him earlier.

    "Miss Qian, the last time we''ve met, I mentioned to you that you looked familiar," General Attorney Leng spoke. "I finally remember who do you look like."

    A trace of fear appeared in Edith''s eyes and her grip on Neil''s shirt tightened.

    "When I was younger, I met someone who looked just like you." A smile appeared on his face as he recalled the memory of his younger self. "It was at an international event and that woman was an interpreter." A heavy sigh came out. "Sadly, before I get to know her better, the woman had left. I didn''t get to know her name at all."

    Edith felt a lump on her throat. Hearing the man speaking about her mother made her stomach felt sick. At this time she had the urge to throw some punches to his face a few times and kicked him all over his body to vent her anger.

    Neil sensed his wife''s uneasiness and his hand around her waist tightened. He then looked at the General Attorney with a nonchalant look on his face. "General Attorney Leng, I didn''t think that you would have a romantic side on you."

    The elder man laughed happily. "We all been young once."

    His lips formed another polite smile. "General Attorney Leng, I''d love to stay around and chat, but my wife is feeling a little unwell at this moment."

    General Attorney Leng raised a brow when he heard the word. "Wife? You got married?"

    "Mmm¡­ We registered our marriage not too long ago."

    There was a complicated look on the General Attorney''s face, but it disappeared in mere seconds. "Congratulations. Then, President Mo, I will look forward to your wedding."

    "Of course." Neil held Edith tighter before he led her away from the cafe.

    Once she was safely seated in the SUV, Edith leaned forward and buried her face into her palm. She took a few deep breaths and felt Neil''s hands caressing her back as he tried to help her calm down.

    Edith finally looked up a moment later and Neil felt a tug in his heart upon seeing the traces of tears on her face. He quickly held her closer and whispered assuring words.

    ...

    Mike''s expression turned uglier as he listened to his granddaughter retelling him about her encounter with the General Attorney. The two of them spent almost an hour on the phone until Mike was able to assure her that sooner, the General Attorney will receive the punishment for his evildoing.

    Once the phone call with his granddaughter ended, the phone in his hand started to vibrate again. Mike glanced at the screen and was not surprised to see that it Neil.

    "What''s going on?" Mike asked the moment the phone call was connected.

    "Grandpa, it was as what Edith had said. We run into the General Attorney while we went out today," Neil said.

    "From what Edith had said, that person seemed to guess at her relationship with Rachel."

    "The General Attorney''s former assistant was with him when we run into them."

    Mike narrowed his eyes dangerously. When his daughter met with that tragedy, the former assistant was still working with that person. According to his investigation, that former assistant seemed to know things about the General Attorney''s crimes.

    General Attorney Leng had sick preferences. Who knew what was on his mind when he laid his eyes on Edith just now.

    "Grandpa, don''t worry.. I will protect Edith."

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 313 - Aaron Didnt Know

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Neil was busy with the company matters as the auditing period was approaching. These days, he would often have a meeting with Jamie and a few men who were working as his spy to ensure that no one will have the chance to disturb their plan.

    A trap has been set and all they were waiting for was for the corrupted directors to take the bait. Only then will be able to use those evidence and pull the General Attorney into that mess.

    Although Neil had no concrete evidence that the General Attorney had done something to cause his brother''s death, the other evidence of a crime that the man had done was enough to get him the death penalty.

    After Edith''s last encounter with General Attorney Leng, Mike had made a trip to L City and was planning to stay with the family until the wedding. Even though Neil had promised that he will protect his granddaughter, Mike was still afraid.

    He would often dream about the time he walked into the morgue and was told of everything that had happened to his daughter. Mike did not want something bad to happen to Edith and his unborn great-grandchild.

    With the guise of helping Edith with the wedding, both Sophie and Lucas did not suspect anything. With Mike''s presence, the house became livelier and Hazel was especially happy to be surrounded by people who would pamper her.

    Neil had left for the office early in the morning.

    Seeing that his granddaughter was bored, Mike decided to take his granddaughter out for a walk. At this time, the bump on Edith''s stomach had become more visible and she had wanted to shop a few things for the baby.

    After walking around for a while, the grandfather and granddaughter decided to take a break and rest at a cafe. As soon as they were seated at the table, Edith''s phone started to ring. She took out her phone and was surprised to see Aaron''s name.

    Edith swiped a finger on the screen and pressed the phone to her ear. The two friends exchanged a few words in less than two minutes before Edith hung up the phone.

    "Who is that?" Mike asked.

    "Aaron. I told him that we''re at the cafe and he said that he will come over to join us," Edith said.

    Mike nodded. The waiter walked over to deliver their food and Mike began to urge Edith to eat a little bit more.

    Edith was now in her second trimester and her morning sickness had stopped. However, her body was a little too thin and everyone around her was worried that she was not eating enough.

    "Grandpa, is it alright for you to accompany me until the wedding?"

    "What''s wrong? You don''t like me staying with you?"

    Edith heaved a sigh. "I''m worried that you would be bored. I thought you love staying in Z Town. Every time you come over and visit me in the city, you always wanted to hurry back to Z Town."

    "Why would I be bored? These days, that little princess is around to play with me." A smile tilted on his face as he thought of the little girl. "It''s fine. Moreover, I wouldn''t feel too good to let your in-laws do all the preparation for your wedding."

    The two of them continued to talk about the wedding preparation until Aaron walked into the cafe.

    "Grandpa Mike," Aaron greeted as soon as he saw the elderly man.

    Mike gave him a look over and nodded when he saw that Aaron was healthy and well. "How are you these days? When will you be transferred back to Z Town?"

    Aaron heaved a long sigh. The waiter came and left after Aaron had placed his order of beef noodles. "I don''t know," Aaron answered. "We are still investigating the serial murder and at this moment, we think that we might hit a dead end."

    Hearing his words, Edigh glanced at Aaron and wonder if her grandfather had not told Aaron about his investigation.

    Aaron continued to rant about the case and stopped when his noodles arrived at the table. He took a sip at the soup, a bite at the noodles, and complained that Grandpa Chen''s beef noodles in Z Town were still the best he had in his life.

    "At one point, we are relieved that the killer had stopped kidnapping and murdering woman," Aaron continued to talk about his case. "At the same time, we are worried. Now that the killer had stopped, we are unable to find a new lead."

    It was then that Edith realized that she had not heard anything about a new case in a while. "The killer had stopped?"

    Aaron nodded. "We thought that there would be a new murder, but we were wrong. We guessed that something had happened to the murder."

    Edith thought about his words and wondered if something did happen to the General Attorney. However, from what Aaron had said, the murder seemed to stop after the General Attorney had visited Capital City a few months ago.

    Aaron turned to Mike after giving his insight on the case and asked, "Grandpa, what do you think about this? What can you advise us to do?"

    "The last time your father and I were chasing after the killer, we failed when the killings suddenly stopped," Mike said. "The only thing I can advise you to do was to continue to look again from another angle. Perhaps, you have missed something."

    The three of them continued to chat and soon parted their ways with Aaron. Once they were in the vehicle, Edith turned to her grandfather and asked, "Grandpa, Aaron didn''t know about General Attorney Leng?"

    A deep frown appeared on Mike''s face. "This was what your Uncle Li had decided. We might know that General Attorney Leng is the murderer. At least, with your mother''s case, we do have evidence. However, your mother''s death is slightly different than the other women''s. Your mother managed to escape. After she was hit by that vehicle and left in the rain, there was some evidence on her body that had disappeared with it. This was the reason that I could not link your mother''s death to the women when I was in charge of the case."

    Mike looked at his granddaughter and continued, "There are reasons why Uncle Li didn''t want Aaron to know. We suspected that someone in his team is working for the General Attorney. Uncle Li did not want Aaron to be in danger. Until everything is prepared, until we found out who was the person working for the General Attorney, we decided not to tell Aaron." A deep sigh escaped him. "Moreover... we are also worried that once the other party knew that there was a group of people investigating the old case, they will do something more dangerous. We worked hard for years to find the evidence.. We did not want to lose everything if the evidence falls into the wrong hand."

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 314 - Luring A Whistle-Blower

    "Take a look at this," Jamie said.

    In a private restaurant in L City, Neil was meeting with Jamie to get an update on their plan before the auditing period began. Ever since she returned to L City, Jamie has been helping Neil as an undercover staff to spy on the people in the accounting department. Because of that, Neil and Jamie often meet outside, farther away than the headquarters to avoid any suspicion.

    A large sum of money was missing from the company and the most suspicious department was the accounting department. It didn''t take Jamie a long time to found out that Director Victor Cui was involved in this misappropriation.

    From the men that Neil had sent to various departments to spy on them, he later found out that Director Cui was working together with Director Feng and Director Huo. The three of them were the biggest fish that they wanted to catch.

    Neil glanced at the documents on the table and raised a brow at Jamie. After looking at the documents, his face gradually turned darker. Though Neil was aware that the directors will be preparing the auditing, seeing a part of the evidence made him angry.

    "From what I see, the moment everything is going out in public, the one who will suffer the biggest blow will be Accountant Ye," Jamie said.  "Anyway, she is the one who did their dirty job." She crossed her arms on her chest and chuckled. "I wouldn''t be surprised if the directors will use Accountant Ye as their scapegoat and pushed everything to her."

    "What do you think about Accounting Ye?"

    Jamie had mentioned Accountant Ye''s name and Neil could grasp that his friend had a plan.

    "She''s actually a timid person," Jamie said. "Accountant Ye doesn''t look like someone who would dare to move out that large sum of money or falsifying the documents."

    "Looks can be deceiving," Neil reminded her.

    "I know. I asked Henry to run a check on her and we found out that Accountant Ye''s younger daughter had a lung problem since birth and they required a large sum of money for her medication." Jamie paused to scratch the tip of her nose. "Also¡­ I put a tap in Director Cui''s office and found out that Assistant Ye was forced to do this dirty deed." Her lips suddenly curled into a smile. "President Mo, if I can lure Assistant Ye to be a whistle-blower, would you mind consider lowering her sentence later?"

    "Why do you want to help her?"

    Jamie heaved a long sigh. "Accountant Ye had always helped me from the first day I came into the department. After interacting with her for a while, I found that she was not a bad person. She was just desperate to live. Her daughter was sick and she was threatened to do things for Director Cui. With Accounting Ye as the whistle-blower, the directors could not get away from their crimes."

    Neil thought about Jamie''s words for a while. Although the woman had once infuriated him when she had ruined his relationship with his girlfriend, regarding certain things, Neil would still trust the woman''s opinion.

    "If you can make her volunteer and come forward, then I will consider it," Neil said.

    Jamie''s expression grew softer and she then agreed.

    The two of them exchanged a few words before Neil asked her a question. "What do you plan to do after this matter ended? If you don''t have anything planned, why don''t you consider staying in the Accounting Department? After all, there will be a massive shuffle in the company."

    Jamie pondered over his suggestion and chuckled. "I will think about it."

    After their discussion ended, the two departed separately at different times. Jamie left the restaurant first and Neil left ten minutes after.

    Neil went back to the headquarters and stayed a while in the vehicle to check on his wife. Once he heard that she was fine and the baby in the stomach did not cause her too much trouble, Neil heaved a sigh in relief before he ended the call and walked out.

    Neil had just entered the lobby when he heard someone called his name. Turning around, his eyes flashed with anger before it quickly disappeared when he saw General Attorney Leng heading towards him.

    "General Attorney," Neil greeted him politely.

    "Did you just come back from lunch?"

    "Mmm¡­" Neil nodded. "General Attorney, why are you here?"

    The elderly man flashed a smile. "I came over to meet Director Feng to discuss a few things." He cleared his throat and spoke again, "President Mo, I heard that you are going to put a halt on the development project on the east side."

    "Yes. That is what I''m planning to do."

    General Attorney Leng heaved a long sigh. "When Director Feng told me about this project, I saw its potential and knew that it would be a very profitable project. President Mo, are you not afraid to lose the shareholders'' and the government''s support when you make this decision?"

    A faint smile curled on Neil''s face.

    The moment he knew that the General Attorney was interested in that project, Neil had his men investigate the project and found a few suspicious things. Therefore, the project was currently put on a pause.

    "General Attorney, the project in the east side will only be stopped temporarily. Currently, we are viewing the project and wanted to make a few changes. Once everything is settled, then I will give them a green light to let them proceed."

    The General Attorney''s expression brightened up when he heard Neil''s words. "That''s good. That''s good."

    Neil watched the elder man''s expression and spoke again. "Previously, this project was something that my brother, Adam had proposed. He and his team had worked hard to win that land. Of course, I would not have to work hard to continue realizing what my brother had visualized."

    There was a slight shift in the General Attorney''s expression, but Neil pretended that he did not see them.

    "Your brother, Adam is a talented person," General Attorney Leng said. "It''s such a shame that he had to leave early."

    Neil''s grip on the bag he was holding tightened. "In a few weeks, it will be a year since both Adam and his wife left us."

    "Time goes by very quickly. I didn''t think that it has been a year."

    The two of them exchanged a few more words and the General Attorney finally excused himself to leave. Although the man''s expression did not reveal much, Neil knew that the General Attorney was not comfortable when he mentioned Adam.

    Neil glanced in the direction where the General Attorney had disappeared to as he walked over to the elevator.

    A glint of light flashed in his eyes as he thought of the surprise that he planned to give the General Attorney during Adam and Claire''s death anniversary.

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 315 - I Want You

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    After disappearing for a few weeks, Jennifer Jiang finally came out a few days before the company''s auditing began. As usual, Jennifer sent her brother, Charles to contact Assistant Shawn and sent them the address to meet.

    In the evening, Neil went over to the meeting with Assistant Shawn.

    When they arrived at the cafe, both Jennifer and his brother were already waiting for them. As soon as they were seated the waiter walked over to take their order.

    "Miss Jiang, I haven''t seen you in a while," Neil commented.

    The woman flashed him a smile. Then, the group exchanged a few pleasantries words until the waiter return with their order of drinks. Once the waiter left again, their expression turned serious.

    "How is the preparation? I trust that everything is going well?" Neil asked.

    Jennifer has been missing for a few weeks and Neil was worried that the woman might change her mind about working together with him. Even when Neil had asked her brother about his sister''s plan, Charles was unable to say a thing as he did not know what was his sister up to. The only thing that Charles can do was to assure Neil that his sister was not planning to back down from their plan.

    "President Mo, don''t worry. Everything is going as we had discussed," Jennifer said.

    "Where have you gone to the past few weeks?"

    "I went to find someone who might be able to help us."

    Neil raised a brow and motioned her to continue.

    "After our last meeting and heard about what had happened to your mother-in-law, something came to my mind and I recalled a friend who has worked under that person." A low chuckle escaped her. "In the beginning when my boss sent me to investigate that person''s corruption, it was this friend who had come forward to report. We don''t know what happened, but my friend suddenly changed her mind. She quit her job, changed her name, and moved away."

    A few thoughts came to his mind and Neil narrowed his eyes.

    "It took us a while before I was able to find her again. However we met her again, she no longer wanted to help us. It was only after hearing what had happened to your mother-in-law that I finally connected a few dots and found out what happened to her. After talking to her, I finally able to convince her to help us."

    Her eyes turned chilly before she told Neil about a few victims who were harassed but were unable to take any action towards that man. Jennifer was expecting that once Attorney General Leng''s crimes were exposed, the other victim will come out as well.

    "With my friend''s testimony, it will be hard for Attorney General Leng to get out of his crimes," Jennifer said. "Oh, right. President Mo, have you heard about it? It seemed that those big shots are refusing to help that person to widen his influence in Capital City."

    "I''ve heard a little thing about it," Neil said.

    However, he did not mention that it was with the Qi family''s help that the Attorney General was unable to step into the Capital City. These days, Neil had continued to communicate with the man that the Qi family arranged to help him. He did not know what that man was planning to do, but Neil heard that sooner or later, the Attorney General''s supporters in L City will slowly back down.

    He had heard of how the Qi had set their foot in Capital City. Judging from their power, it would not be hard for them to set up their influence in L City as well.

    The discussion with Jennifer Jiang and Charles Tang lasted for about three hours.

    Once the auditing began, Neil was going to drag down the directors who dared to steal from MH Group. Then, Charles will use his influence and help Jennifer to spread words of how the Attorney General had his part in this corruption. And then¡­ it will be Mike''s turn to make his move.

    With so many things to deal with all at once, the Attorney General will not have the time to counter-attack. At this time, what they all wanted was for the Attorney General to receive his punishment and for the victim to get their justice.

    After the meeting ended, Neil parted with his assistant and headed home.

    The house was dark when he arrived. He glanced at the clock and noticed that at this time, everyone should have gone to sleep. Neil tiptoed into his room and was surprised to found that his wife was still awake. Edith leaned on the bedhead with her right hand rested on top of her stomach.  A pretty smile curled on her lips when she saw him entered the room.

    "Why aren''t you sleeping at this time?" Neil took off his coat and started to loosen his tie.

    "It feels a little uncomfortable to sleep." Her hand was caressing her bulging stomach.

    Now that her stomach was a little bigger, trying to get some sleep became a little difficult. No matter where she turned, her stomach felt a little uncomfortable.

    A deep frown appeared on his face. "Is everything alright?"

    "Everything is fine." Edith gave him an assuring smile. "Just that it will take me a while before I can fall asleep."

    "How is your discussion with that prosecutor and her brother? Everything going well?"

    "Mmm¡­ As long as everyone did their part, I guess everything will work out well," Neil said. He walked over to Edith and bent down to give her a peck on her forehead. However, before he was able to get up, his wife had tugged at his tie and his lips met with hers in a passionate kiss.

    A chuckle escaped him once they parted. Their gaze met and suddenly, Neil was felt a lump in his throat. He raised his hand and covered her eyes. "Don''t look at me like that."

    Edith pulled his hand away from her eyes and tilted her head. "Like what?"

    With the way she was looking at him, Neil knew that the woman was trying to provoke him. However, once his gaze fell on her bulging stomach, he started to worry and his mind was repeating a few mantras to suppress his desire.

    Edith tugged on his sleeve, and this time, Neil was surprised to see the look in her eyes.

    "Hubby¡­" Her voice became coquettish. "I want you."

    His breathing labored and the consequence was that... Edith had to accompany him as he took his shower and then, the two continued to toss around on the mattress. His wife was staring back at him with a fervent gaze, but Neil had to force himself to be gentle due to her condition.

    When they were done, Neil pulled Edith into his embrace as he watched her steady her breathing.

    "Tomorrow, let''s go out for a walk," Neil said. He watched her puzzled gaze and continued, "Once the auditing begins, I won''t have much time to accompany you.. Let''s go out somewhere before I start to get busy."

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 316 - Youre Keeping A Secret From Me?

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Edith woke up the next morning and noticed that she had overslept. The memories of last night came to her mind and she was a little shy.

    Ever since she had entered the second trimester, Edith thought that her mind and body would unconsciously think about that¡­ However, when she thought of her body, Edith tried hard to suppress her need.

    It was only until last night that she had the courage to take action.

    In the morning, although her body was a little tired and sore, Edith woke up feeling refreshed.

    "You''re up."

    Edith turned her head towards his voice and saw that Neil had just walked out of the bathroom. The towel only covered his bottom half and some water drops were trickling down his torso.

    Subconsciously, Edith swallowed and bit her lips. She had just woken up and the sight of his upper body made her thoughts gone wild. Perhaps there was something wrong with her body.

    Neil leaned forward and kissed the top of her head. "Come on. Didn''t I tell you that we have someplace to go today?"

    "Where are we going?"

    "You will know later." Neil flashed her a mysterious smile. His gaze trailed down and halted at a spot.

    Facing his intense gaze, Edith felt her body heated up. She raised her arms to cover her chest area and asked, "W-what are you looking at?"

    His hands moved to fondle the area. "Baby, it seemed that this area has grown bigger."

    Edith met his darkened eyes before she swatted his hand away. "I''m going to shower." She got off the bed and went into the bathroom to clean up. His laughter reverberated in the room.

    When she walked out of the room, Edith noticed that everyone was staring at her with a strange smile on their face. Her face grew hot at the thought that they probably guessed at what she had done last night.

    She lowered her head and greeted the elders before she took a seat at the table and had her breakfast.

    "I heard that you''re going out with Neil today," Mike said when he saw his granddaughter walked down the stairs.

    Edith quickly dismissed her earlier thought and lowered her head.

    "Mmm¡­" Edith nodded. "Neil said that he''ll take me somewhere, but he won''t tell me where."

    Mike exchanged a gaze with Neil and decided not to be a spoilsport. Since Neil decided not to tell Edith where he was taking her, Mike quickly guessed that Neil wanted it to be a surprise.

    At this time, Hazel walked into the dining area. Her eyes sparkled when she saw Edith. "Auntie Edith, did you eat your breakfast? Are you ready to go out?"

    Edith gave Hazel a look over and saw that she was dressed in a black tutu and pink T-shirt. Her little bag slung on one shoulder. "Hazel, you''re looking pretty in that outfit."

    The little girl''s eyes sparkled. "Grandma picked up the outfit for me. Uncle said he''s going to take us out."

    Edith glanced at the man who had entered the dining area right after Hazel and gave him a puzzled look. However, Neil only flashed her a smile. Her curiosity grew when she knew that Hazel will be going out with them.

    It has been a while since the three of them had gone out together and Edith found that she was looking forward to it.

    After breakfast, the three of them sat in the SUV as Neil drove them over to the unknown location. Edith turned to the little girl in the backseat and asked, "Hazel, do you know where we are going?"

    Hazel nodded. "I know." Her gaze met with her uncle through the rear mirror briefly. "But I cannot tell you."

    Edith stared back at Hazel and blinked her eyes. "You''re keeping a secret from me?"

    Hazel was suddenly at loss. She exchanged another glance with her uncle through the rear mirror and lowered her head. "But I''ve promised to keep it a surprise."

    Seeing the way Hazel was looking helplessly and pitifully at her, Edith decided to let her go. "Alright. Since you have made a promise, of course, you have to keep your words."

    Hazel raised her head. "Auntie Edith, you''re not angry?"

    "Of course not. I''m proud that Hazel is turning into someone who would keep her promise." Edith flashed her an assuring smile. "I will know about this surprise sooner or later, right?"

    Hazel nodded her head. When she was sure that her Auntie Edith did not mind that she had not told her the secret, Hazel smiled with relief.

    After half an hour''s drive, Neil finally pulled over at a parking spot. Edith tilted her head to look at the signboard and then, she looked back at her husband. "Why are we here?"

    Neil raised a brow. "What do you think?" He stretched his hand to her and smiled. "Come on. Let''s go in."

    The three of them walked into the wedding boutique hand in hand and were soon welcomed by the shop attendant. The shop attendant''s expression brightened when she recognized the customer.

    "President Mo," she greeted politely. "We have prepared everything according to your request." She then turned to Edith and smiled. "And this is Mrs. Mo?" The smile on her face widened. "Come in."

    Neil then exchanged a few words with the shop attendant before he looked back at Edith. "Go with the shop attendant and choose a dress. I''ll wait here."

    Edith tilted her head as she looked at him. "Are we here for our wedding photo?"

    "Mmm¡­ It won''t be long before the wedding. Of course, we will need our wedding photo." Neil then turned to Hazel. "Will you help Auntie Edith to pick her dress?"

    Hazel nodded enthusiastically. "Of course. Uncle, leave this to me."

    The two girls then followed the shop attendant further into the shop to choose a suitable dress. Half an hour later, the two of them walked out. Hearing their voices, Neil tilted his head up and was suddenly in a trance.

    His wife was wearing a white wedding dress. The dress wrapped her upper body, showing off her curve. The skirt flare from below her chest area, making her seem a little taller while hiding the bump on her stomach. Behind her, Hazel, the flower girl, was wearing a pastel pink dress. In her hand was a bouquet of baby breath.

    Edith stopped at the center of the room and twirled around slowly. "How do I look?"

    Neil stood up and walked over to her. His gaze never left hers. He then reached to hold her hand and planted a kiss on the back of her hand.. "Beautiful."

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 317 - The Auditors Arrival

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    MH Group headquarters¡­

    The staff in the company has been running around here and there from the moment they clock in. The higher-ups were barking their commands and instructions while the others tried their best not to stand out lest they would catch their supervisor''s attention and end up as a punching bag.

    The accounting company was going to send a team over to help them with auditing and everyone in MH Group was anxious, especially the accounting department.

    At this time, there were a group of people preparing to welcome the team in the lobby. Director Victor Cui stood in the lobby along with the manager with a bright smile on his face as he was waiting for the team to arrive.

    This was the normal scene that would happen once every year.

    Even though Director Cui didn''t need to come out personally to greet the people from the accounting company, he would still come out to make sure that the team would receive a warm welcome. For Director Cui, he wanted everything to be perfect. He wanted the team who came to do the auditing to be happy.

    The director was busy instructing a few accountants to tidied up and make their presence look professional when he noticed that someone was missing from the scene. He swept his gaze around the lobby and finally stop when he saw the manager.

    "Where is Accountant Ye?" the Director asked. "Hasn''t anyone told her that she should be here and welcome the team? I told you I want everyone here to welcome the team."

    The manager wiped the beads of perspiration on his forehead with the back of his hand. He has been running around from the moment he arrived in the company and was agitated with the way the director kept on barking his order at him. Turning around, the manager found one of the accountants and asked. When he came back to Director Cui''s side, there was a hint of hesitation on his face.

    "Director Cui¡­" the Manager bit on his lips before he continued. "Accountant Ye did not show up at work today."

    "What?"

    "The others said that Accountant Ye had taken an emergency leave. Probably something happened to her child at home," the Manager tried to explain.

    Director Cui stared back at the manager with a dazed expression and snapped out of his trance a second later. He let out a snort before he paced around the lobby to check on the preparation.

    At this time, the elevator slid open. The surroundings suddenly turned quiet and the sounds of footsteps echoed when the people came out.

    Director Cui put on an amiable smile on his face as he walked over to the man. "President Mo," he greeted. Then, he glanced at Assistant Shawn and nodded.

    "Has the team arrived?" Neil asked. His gaze swept across the lobby for a few seconds before he settled at the Director.

    "President Mo, they should be arriving here soon." Director Cui stared at his boss for a few seconds and noticed that something was a little strange. "President Mo, are you going to wait and welcome them as well?"

    "That''s a good idea," Neil nodded. "Since I''m already here, I might as well wait and welcome them to the company."

    Director Cui opened his mouth to say something, but Neil had already turned to speak with his assistant. Suddenly, Director Cui was regretting that he had asked the man such a question.

    If he did not mention the matter, then the president would not think of waiting for the team to arrive with him, right?

    The director was getting agitated. No matter how he tried to speak to Neil, the man continued his discussion with his assistant in a low, voice. Director Cui hesitated before he decided to step closer. However, the moment his gaze met the president''s icy gaze, Director Cui subconsciously backed down.

    The elevator opened with a ding again. This time, the sounds of laughter could be heard even before the people came out.

    Director Lance Feng from Project Development and Director Moses Huo from Business Development walked out of the elevator at the same time. The moment they saw Neil not far away from them, the laughter gradually stop and the smile on their faces froze.

    The two directors walked over to their boss and greeted him. "President Mo."

    Neil merely spared them a glance and a nod before he continued his discussion with his assistant.

    Seeing the iceblock expression on Neil''s face, the two directors felt a shiver down their spine. Instantly, they turned to their friend, Director Cui, for an explanation, but only received a shrug.

    The three friends huddled together to discuss the sudden change of situation.

    "Why is President Mo here?" Director Huo asked.

    "I don''t know. He said that he was going to stay and welcome the team of auditors with us." Director Cui stole a few more glances towards their boss, feeling a little bit lost.

    Director Cui had planned to speak a few words with the head of the auditor and reminded him of a few things that he had forgotten to say a while ago. But with President Mo''s presence, how would he dare to mention anything? That would be suicide!

    "Then¡­" Director Feng grew anxious. "Have you reminded the head of the auditor?"

    "I haven''t." Director Cui heaved a long, exasperated sigh. "That person is unreachable since yesterday. I am planning to remind him today." A deep frown appeared on his face. "Don''t worry. I will find a way to talk to him later."

    Hearing his words, both Director Feng and Director Huo was at ease.

    At this time, there was a little commotion coming from the outside.

    Someone had announced that the team of auditors had arrived and Director Cui quickly shouted some instructions for the staff to welcome them. His body suddenly grew frigid when he sensed that their president was standing next to him.

    "President Mo, they''re here." Director Cui forced a smile.

    "Mmm¡­ I know."

    Everyone''s attention turned towards the entrance as they waited for the auditors to walk in.

    Director Cui put on the best smile on his face as he was going to greet them. However, just as the team of auditors entered the lobby, the smile on Director Cui''s face gradually faded.

    The three directors exchanged their glances when they could not recognize the people in front of them.

    Director Cui turned to the Manager and whispered, "What''s going on? Why did you welcome the wrong people?"

    The Manager felt his sweat trickled down on his back, but he could not find a word to explain.

    Soon, the man who was leading the group stopped in front of Neil and smiled. "President Mo." He stretched his hand for a handshake.

    At this time, Director Cui picked up his courage to step forward. "Excuse me, but you are¡­?"

    The man turned to Director Cui with the same amiable smile. "Hello, I am Miles Gu, from CY Accounting Firm."

    "CY¡­" Director Cui was momentarily speechless. "But, isn''t Mr. Chu and his team was the one who was supposed to come over today?"

    Miles looked at him with a puzzled look. "You are¡­?"

    "Director Victor Cui from Accounting."

    "Director Cui." The smile on Miles Gu''s face widened. "Haven''t you heard? Yesterday, Mr. Chu and a few staff under him were fired. Mr. Chu was found guilty of altering some accounts and now they were all facing several charges of fraud and misappropriation of funds. Yesterday.... there was a massive shuffle in the company."

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 318 - Have You Made Your Decision?

    Director Cui along with the two others was startled upon hearing the news. For a few seconds, none of them were able to function well. The only thing they can do was to watch as their president led them into an elevator. Soon, the manager and the rest of the staff rushed up to head over to the meeting room where the auditors will be stationed for a week until the auditing is done.

    As soon as the door closed, the three directors began to look at each other. Each of them had a tense look on their face.

    "Mr. Chu is not leading this time''s auditing," Director Huo spoke. He looked at his friends anxiously. "What do we do now?"

    Director Cui sent an annoyed look at his friend, wishing that he would shut up. At this time, his brain was working hard to find out a solution to their problem and his voice was disturbing him from thinking clearly.

    A thought came to his mind and Director Cui then recalled how he was unable to reach for Mr. Chu''s phone from yesterday.

    Of course, what Director Cui and the other did not know was that Mr. Chu and a few people under him were taken to the police station for an investigation. Thus, their phone was taken away from them.

    Director Cui quickly took a deep breath to calm down. "Relax. Even if they have changed the auditors, they wouldn''t find out anything wrong with the accounts."

    Director Feng looked back at him with a frown. "Are you sure?"

    "Accountant Ye had already prepared what needs to be prepared." Director Cui answered and snorted. "What are you worried about?"

    At this time, the phone in Director Cui''s pocket started to ring. He quickly answered the call and his expression changed upon hearing the reminder from the manager that he need to head up to the meeting room.

    When the three directors walked into the meeting room, the auditors from CY Accounting Firm had already taken their seats. The computers were set up for them and the thick pile of papers was arranged in front of them.

    At the side, Miles Gu was having an amicable conversation with President Mo.

    Director Cui did not know what the two were talking about, but once she laid is gaze on the pile of paper, he suddenly had a premonition. His heart grew restless and his instinct told him that he shouldn''t stay in the room for too long.

    He tried to calm down and turned to look for the manager. "Contact Accountant Ye for me. Tell her that she needs to come over to the company now." He hissed.

    The manager nodded before he scurried away.

    Director Cui watched as the auditors started to organize the documents on the table and took a deep breath.

    He was sure that he had let Accountant Ye cover up everything that needed to be covered. There can be no mistake at this time or else, he and everybody else will have to face the consequences.

    As the thought came to his mind, Director Cui walked out of the meeting room. He needed to find a way for him to escape just in case something bad would happen.

    The auditor will spend a minimum of one week working on the pile of papers. It should give him some time to work on an escape plan¡­

    Once Director Cui walked out of the meeting room, Neil glanced at the man and his eyes narrowed dangerously.

    He then exchanged a few more words with the new auditor before he left the room with Assistant Shawn. The moment he stepped out from the crowd, Neil tapped his finger on the phone and sent out a few messages.

    ¡­

    A faint smile curled on her lips as Jamie read the message from Neil. She quickly replied to his message and slid the phone back into her pocket. Then, she adjusted her vest and ran her finger in her short hair.

    The moment she walked into the cafe, several ladies who have been hanging around the place turned their heads to look at her. Sensing their gaze, Jamie then turned to give them a playful wink. The room was suddenly noisy with the sound of the ladies whispering.

    Jamie let out a chuckle. Then, she walked upstairs and walked over to the corner. She pulled a chair and sat down. Her long legs crossed and she leaned back on her chair in a languid manner. "Accountant Ye." Her voice contained a trace of laziness.

    The woman in front of her quickly looked up. On her face were traces of tears and fatigue. Accountant Ye looked straight at the short-haired woman in front of her and suddenly, her gaze turned sharper.

    "Have you made your decision?" Jamie tilted her head sideways. The smile on her lips stretched out when the woman in front of her did not reply. Her fingers tapped at the table twice. "If you are still reluctant, I cannot find a way to help you and your family."

    Hearing Jamie mentioning her family, Accountant Ye finally snapped out of her trance. She wiped her face with the back of her hand and looked at Jamie with a sharp gaze. "The thing you told me last night, will you be able to promise me?"

    "Of course. I give you my word. Once you agree, your daughter will receive the she needed. Your family will be given protection. I will not let Director Cui or anyone touch them. The authorities will not be looking for them."

    Though she had made her decision earlier, she still wanted to hear Jamie''s assurance that her innocent family will not receive any consequences of her deeds.

    A few years ago, when Director Cui had approached her with his proposal, Accountant Ye was very reluctant to be a part of it. Though the reward was tempting, her moral conscience did not allow her to agree.

    However, her youngest daughter was suddenly admitted to the hospital and the doctor said that she will need a lot of money for her surgery. In the end, Accountant Ye had succumbed and had agreed to help Director Cui and the others to alter the numbers on the account. In exchange, she was given a lot of money for her daughter''s surgery.

    In the beginning, Accountant Ye had thought that it was a one-time thing. Who would have thought that Director Cui was threatened her with that matter and had wanted her to help him alter the number again?

    It didn''t take her a long time to agree. After all, her daughter''s condition did not improve much even after surgery.

    Accountant Ye had thought of quitting a few times, but in the end, she had stayed and continued to work with Director Cui. All because she knew that Director Cui will not let her go as she had known too many of his secrets.

    When Jamie had approached her and spoke of what she had done in the last few years, Accountant Ye was scared. She had thought of reporting Jamie to Director Cui, but in the end, she did not take any action.

    Accountant Ye had thought that, even if Jamie had reported her to the police, she would be relieved. At least, the heavy burden she was carrying for the past few years would be lifted.

    She did not think that Jamie would come to meet her with an offer that she could not refuse.

    Accountant Ye closed her eyes for a few seconds.  "I agree," Accountant Ye said.. "I will do anything you ask and help in any way that I can."

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 319 - Call The Police

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    When Director Cui heard that Accountant Ye was unreachable, he began to panic. The woman was the one who was responsible for most of his business and transaction. She was supposed to show up when the auditors showed up and assist them during the auditing.

    However, from the first day that the auditors had appeared, Accountant Ye could not be contacted. None of those who were closer to her in the company knew where she had gone to. Director Cui had sent a few men to look for her and later found out that the woman seemed to disappear into thin air.

    Her family members had suddenly disappeared and their neighbor said that something happened to the sick daughter, thus, the family decided to move away in one night. No one seemed to know where did they went to.

    Hearing the news, Director Cui was infuriated. His first thought was that Accountant Ye had done something wrong with the accounts and had run away because of that.

    He then asked the manager to check on it and found that everything was what he had wanted. Only when the manager had assured him that there was nothing wrong with the documents that Director Cui could lower his guard down.

    Accountant Ye had done what he wanted and nothing can be traced back to them.

    Perhaps, something did happen to Accountant Ye''s daughter causing her to move away in a rush. Anyway, as long as he will be safe, Director Cui did not care what happened to Accountant Ye.

    The only problem was that... Without Accountant Ye, he will need another reliable person to help him manage the accounts soon.

    After three days of the auditing process, Director Cui and the others began to relax.

    The auditors were working hard as they should have. The process was smooth and it seemed that there was no problem with the accounts. Even if there was something wrong with them, it doesn''t seem that this new team could find anything wrong with the accounts.

    Director Cui visited the meeting room which was occupied by the group of auditors and watched them as they worked through the window glass. His gaze fell at the new auditor who had replaced Mr. Chu and thought that it was better this way.

    If Mr. Chu had appeared, then, he will have to hand him over a large sum of money as per their agreement. Now that the man had not appeared, Director Cui could pocket that money for himself. Wasn''t it better this way?

    As the thought crossed his mind, a wide smile appeared on his face.

    Director Cui recognized the woman who had just come out from the meeting room and stopped her. He gave the woman a look over and asked, "How is everything inside? Everything is well?"

    The woman was a little startled when the director had stopped her. She has been working for the company for a few years and this was the first time that the director had taken the initiative to speak to her.

    "Director Cui," the woman lowered her gaze. "Everything is going well inside."

    "How is the new team? Did they make anything difficult for you?"

    "No." The woman shook her head quickly. "The team that they sent this time is very professional. I have learned even by standing at the side to assist them."

    Director Cui continued to listen to the woman praising the new team as he watched them from behind the glass. After watching the head of the auditor for a while, he then began to notice that something seemed a little wrong.

    The anxious look on the auditors'' face told him that something had happened. Suddenly, the group gathered around the head of auditors and it seemed as if they were discussing something on the paper.

    "What¡­ What''s going on in there?" Director Cui asked.

    The woman finally stopped her rambling and turned around to look into the room. A frown appeared when she noticed that they were gathered at the front. "Director Cui, I will go and check."

    Director Cui nodded but did not make a move. His eyes continued to watch the situation inside the room as he waited for the woman to come out and tell her what had happened.

    At this time, Director Cui heard footsteps coming from behind him. He turned around and was surprised to see that the president and his assistant were walking towards him.

    "P-President Mo," he greeted.

    Neil swept his glance towards the elderly man with his usual iceblock expression.

    "President Mo, why are you here?" Director Cui asked.

    "This is the first time that the new team is sent over for auditing. Of course, I will have to check out how they are doing." Neil narrowed his eyes as he continued to look at the situation inside the room. "But, what is going on inside? Why does everyone look¡­ restless?"

    "President Mo, I''m not too sure myself," Director Cui said. Before he could say more, President Mo had walked over to the meeting room and entered. Anxious, Director Cui then followed him closely.

    The moment Neil entered, everyone in the room stopped in whatever they were doing.

    Miles Gu was the first to snap out of his trance. He stood up straight, walked over to Neil, and greeted, "President Mo."

    "Is everything alright in here?" Neil asked.

    A deep frown appeared on Miles''s face. "While looking at the figures in the accounts, we noticed that something does not seem right. Although it was not very noticeable, the figure in the accounts did not match."

    Neil''s expression turned cold and the temperature in the room dropped down several degrees. "What do you mean?"

    "President Mo, look here." Miles Gu pushed the swiveling chairs to another side and turned the computer to face him. He then started to show and explain to Neil what was wrong with the numbers and then, pulled a few papers on the table to compare.

    Director Cui''s face began to pale as he continued to hear the man''s explanation. He had wanted to stealthily back away and leave the room, but Assistant Shawn was standing too close behind him. Even if he wanted to text the others and warn them that something had happened, Director Cui did not dare to make a move.

    "Mr. Gu, what are you mean?" Neil asked after the man finally stopped after a lengthy explanation.

    Miles took a deep breath. "President Mo, someone had tempered with the number in the account. I suspected that someone has been stealing a large sum of money from your company."

    Neil''s gaze turned darker. His eyes swept at everyone in the room before he finally stopped at his assistant.. "Assistant Shawn, call the police."

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 320 - Let The Show Continue

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    After the new auditors had pointed out the problem in the account, Director Cui and the two others became anxious. The three of them knew that sooner or later, someone would found their secret and they will be facing a lot of trouble.

    Within a short time, the investigator had come over to search the Accounting Department. Documents, computers, and a few other possessions were confiscated. Everyone in the Accounting Department was asked not to leave the city. The manager as well as most of the senior accountants were taken to the station to help with the investigation.

    The three directors began to make plans to escape. They tried to find anyone who had received money from them to help them find a way to leave the country, but at this time, no one wanted to be associated with them.

    Even if they wanted to escape, they would not be able to leave the city as Henry had a few people to keep an eye on them.

    When Director Huo was stopped at the airport, trying to leave the country, the others who had their share in this matter became scared. However, there was nothing that they can do but to stay down low.

    It was not known who had leaked the news, but someone posted the news on a blog, and later, the news began to spread that MH Group was investigated. The netizen was quick to come out with their speculation. At this time, Neil''s name was dragged into the mud and someone had accused that he had his involvement in this matter.

    However, an unnamed staff had then disclosed that it was President Mo himself who had reported this matter to the police. The police stepped up to verify this matter and advised the public not to come out with theories that will only disturb their investigation.

    At this time, Neil had issued a warning through his lawyer that he will not hesitate to press charges against anyone who had the intention to malign him or the company.

    The netizen became obedient for a while, but the discussion did not stop.

    As the public continued to guess what was going on, a woman who claimed to be a senior accountant in MH Group stepped forward. Through the live stream video on one of the popular news channels, the woman revealed the corruption in MH Group that has been going on for a few years. A few directors'' and senior managers'' names were mentioned and the police were quick to investigate them. The three Directors were obviously among those who were investigated.

    Accountant Ye then appeared at the police station to give her statement and was quickly put under the police''s custody.

    The public became excited at this sudden development. Seeing the faces of the directors and managers on the screen, the public started to criticize them. They wanted to know what they have done, how much they had stolen from MH Group, and which big shots were involved with those directors.

    The netizen was quick to do their job and soon a few ministers'' names and high-ranked officials in L City were mentioned. Even if they had taken a picture together with one of the directors, their past scandal would be all dug out.

    For a while, the ministers and high-ranked officials were annoyed that they have once had an intersection with one of the directors. Because of them, they were suddenly put into the spotlight. Fortunately, the public did not focus on their matter for too long.

    This matter became a sensational topic in L City. Even the higher-ups from Capital City had kept their eyes on this matter.

    Two weeks have passed but the public would not stop speaking about this matter.

    Of course, Charles Tang had used his connection as Rainmaker the blogger to make a louder sound. As long as the bloggers keep on coming with more news on this matter, the public would not stop talking about it.

    On that day, the clock has just struck at midnight when the Rainmaker posted a piece of news that had shocked the people in L City

    Their most well-respected and clean figure in the city was mentioned as having his involvement in this corruption. The man was said to receive a large sum of money and lands in exchange for a few favors.

    In the beginning, the public had refused to believe this news, however, with the evidence that Rainmaker had provided, they had no choice but to trust the credibility.

    It caused an uproar among the public and they started to criticize the man.

    Before afternoon, Attorney General Leng was taken to the police station to assist with the investigation. The man came out of his office with a calm expression on his face. He looked up straight at the camera and threatened to press charge against everyone who had malign him.

    ¡­

    The cemetery¡­

    Neil Mo stood in front of Adam and Claire''s tomb with an unreadable expression on his face. He sensed Hazel''s movement beside him and quickly snapped out of his trance. Slowly, he took a step back and watched as his parents stood in front of the tomb.

    It was the couple''s death anniversary and he was taking Hazel and his parents to visit the tomb. Because of Edith''s condition, she was not allowed to come along and had stayed at home to accompany her Grandpa.

    Early that morning, he received news that Charles released the Attorney General''s news on the internet and the post quickly went viral. Because this matter was under public interest, the police were quick to do their job and apprehend the Attorney General.

    As he continued to watch Hazel offering her respect to her parents, the phone in his pocket started to vibrate. Neil stepped aside to the corner where he often stood to wait for Hazel and looked at the caller ID.

    His eyes narrowed and Neil swiped a finger on the screen. "Miss Jiang."

    "President Mo, I received news that a few people will be visiting the General Attorney to help him with his situation," Jennifer Jiang did not waste any time to report the news to him. "The directors might not be able to do anything but with Attorney General Leng''s power and influence, it would not be hard for him to escape."

    His expression turned darker upon hearing her words. "We cannot allow that to happen."

    "No. We will not let that happen, " Jennifer agreed.

    "Is everything all set?"

    "My friend is ready to speak and reveal what had happened during those years she had worked under the General Attorney," Jennifer said. "When that happens, we will release a few other materials to the authorities as well to the public about his disgusting behavior."

    There was a brief silence between them before Jennifer spoke again. "Should we continue?"

    "Let''s do it as according to plan."

    Jennifer chuckled on the other line.. "I''m on my way to pick up my friend and let the show continue."

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 321 - New Charges

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    In the police station¡­

    Attorney General Leng tugged at his sleeve and buttoned them properly. He glanced at the officers with disdain and he was secretly making plans to make their life difficult.

    Yesterday, the police had come over to his office with an arrest warrant. As a law-abiding citizen, Attorney General Leng had no other choice but to follow the police back to the station. Before he left, he had instructed Secretary Liu to contact his lawyer to help him out of his situation.

    The lawyer one of the top lawyers in the city and had a high winning percentage in his record.

    When Attorney General Leng saw his old friend, his heart quickly was at ease. With his friend''s help, it would not be long before he can get away with the accusation.

    The Attorney General sneered when he thought of the reason he was taken to the police station. Previously, he had a few dealings with Director Feng and the others. He did not think that because of their carelessness, he would be implicated in their problem and had to face all this bullshit.

    He has been following the news about MH Group from day one and was aware of everything that has been going on. It was just that¡­ Attorney General Leng did not expect that the directors would get caught. He had thought that those people would at least be smart enough to cover their tracks that would lead to him, but who would have guessed that those directors would be stupid enough.

    Those people wanted to give him money and he only wanted to help them with legal matters. What was wrong with that?

    Fortunately, he was someone with influence and could still get out of this predicament.

    The door was suddenly pushed from the outside and soon, his lawyer walked in. After exchanging a few words, Attorney General Leng walked out of the room with his lawyer following behind him.

    He snickered as he walked past the officer who has been accusing him of that crime in the interrogation room a while ago. His lips curled into a smile as he was approaching the glass door.

    In just a few steps, he would be free. His lawyer had guaranteed that he could help and push all crimes to the three directors and wash his name from this crime. Attorney General Leng was sure that he would win.

    However, just before he was able to reach the door, an officer with a burly figure stopped just in front of him.

    Instantly, Attorney General Leng''s face turned ugly. "Move aside!"

    The officer stared at the Attorney General''s face and his expression grew cloudy. "I''m sorry, but you cannot leave this place."

    "What are you doing?" the lawyer stepped forward. "Attorney General Leng is allowed to leave this place. He has been cleared of all charges." Pulling a few papers from his briefcase, the lawyer started to wave them at the officer''s face.

    The officer curled his lips into a smile that did not reach his eyes. "I''m sorry. But you really cannot leave this place." He glanced at his partner and soon, his partner start to wave a paper to the lawyer. "Attorney General Leng, you are under arrest."

    Attorney General Leng stared at the officer with his eyes wide. "What do you mean by this? Don''t you know who I am? Do you not want your job? I''m telling you, with one phone call, I can make you no longer able to stay in this city!"

    The officer ignored his word and instead, pulled out his handcuff. Then, he started to read the Attorney General''s new charges and his right.

    His face turned pale when he heard about his new charge. "R*pe and assault?"

    "Attorney General!" The lawyer tugged at the man''s arm. "Tell me this isn''t true." He waved the paper in front of the Attorney General and his expression grew uglier.

    The old man stared at the paper and started to read the words on the paper. Suddenly, Attorney General Leng felt a lump in his throat. "This is not true!" His eyes were looking at his lawyer with his sharp gaze. "You go and find out just what the hell is going on!"

    "I will help you and tell you what is going on," the officer said. "Last night, when you were spending your time in that room, a woman named Susan Xiong uploaded a post claiming that she worked for you a few years ago."

    Attorney General Leng felt his breath hitched upon hearing that name. It has been a few years since the last time he heard that name. Why did she have to appear now?

    "You wouldn''t believe what she said in that post." The Officer let out a chuckle. "Miss Susan Xiong had admitted that all charges against you are true. Other than the evidence we gathered, the lady had provided us with more evidence."

    "It was all lies!" General Attorney Leng shouted, causing a commotion in the police station.

    The police officer cocked his head and smiled. "Furthermore¡­ that lady had said that a few years ago when she was working under you, she had found out about your corruption. When she talked to her direct supervisor¡­"

    "Shut up!" General Attorney Leng looked at the officer angrily.

    "When she talked to her supervisor, you then arranged for a private meeting with that lady where you then assaulted her." The officer''s expression turned gloomy by the time he finished talking.

    "That''s a lie!" Attorney General Leng hissed. "I don''t know who that lady is, but clearly, she was just trying to get some attention using my situation."

    "That lady came over to the station a while ago," the officer spoke. "A report has been made. Whether it is a lie or not, as the officer in charge, we will have to keep you here to investigate. Attorney General Leng, I hope that you can understand my position."

    Attorney General Leng''s face turned red with anger and his chest heaved up and down as he tried to steady his breathing. He stared at the officer for a long time and realized that he had never seen his face before. "Who are you? I have never seen your face before! What is your rank here? Do you even know who I am?"

    "Attorney General Leng," his lawyer called. "Stay calm. I will go and check what is going on. I promise, once I return, I will let you out from here."

    He took a deep breath as he looked at his lawyer and slowly, Attorney General Leng nodded before he went away with the new officer.

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 322 - The Baby Is Kicking

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Neil leaned on his swiveling chair and his gaze turned darker as time passed by. On his computer screen was the live steam of the shocking news of the Attorney General''s new charges.

    The journalist has been camping out of the police station on the day that the three directors were caught. Therefore, when the lady appeared at the station to give her statement to the police last night, the journalist did not waste any time writing what needed to be written and published the news.

    The public went crazy again with this sudden development. Some had thought that this lady was just an attention seeker, while others urged the police to investigate things clearly. Assaulting and r*pe were very serious and they hoped that if the accusations were true, then the Attorney General should face his crime.

    With the new accusation, Attorney General Leng''s reputation started to crumble even before the police could investigate things clearly.

    A while ago, Neil received news that the Attorney General''s lawyer has been running around to find a way to help his client out of his situation.

    It was then that another woman had stepped up and claimed to be the Attorney General''s victim as well.

    This woman was no other than the victim that Mike and George had persuaded to come forward a while ago.

    By this time, Neil was sure that the lawyer, who had just found a way to drop the bribery charge from Attorney General Leng would be at loss.

    Of course, this was not the end for this matter. Soon, before the lawyer can do anything about the Attorney General''s new charge, the bloggers who were working with the Rainmaker will release a few news. Then, evidence that Mike had collected all over the years will be released.

    The netizen will play their part and soon, the truth about what happened in Z Town years ago would finally be revealed. The Attorney General will soon have murder linked to his name.

    A soft knock was heard coming from the door. When Neil looked up, his wife had walked into his study with a faint smile on her face and a tray of refreshment in her hand.

    Instantly, the dark expression on his face disappeared and a matching smile appeared.

    "Are you still working?" Edith asked sauntered towards him and placed the tray on a spot on his desk. "Are you hungry? I brought you some snacks."

    "No. Just watching some news. Leave the snacks there. I''ll eat when I''m hungry." He spread his arms and waited for her to come over to his embrace. But instead, his wife walked around him before she draped her arms around his shoulder, hugging him from behind.

    Neil let out a chuckle. "What are you doing? Come over to me." He patted at his thigh, motioning her to sit down.

    "No. I''m heavy. Hugging you like this is enough."

    He peeled her arms away from him and led her until Edith was in front of him. Then, with a soft tug, Edith was sitting on his lap and her arms quickly find their way and rested on his shoulders. Neil pulled her head closer so that they were resting on his chest. He buried his nose in her hair and pecked at her cheek.

    "Not heavy at all," Neil said.

    Edith giggled. Seconds later, the smile on her face disappeared and a frown appeared on her face. "Oh!" Edith retracted her hand and placed it on her stomach.

    "What''s wrong?" Seeing the change in her expression, Neil was worried.

    "Nothing." Edith flashed him a smile. She reached for his hand and placed them on her tummy. Then, she continued to watch his expression changed.

    "The baby is kicking," Neil said. The look in his eyes was pure happiness.

    "Mmm..." Edith nodded.

    "Does it hurt?"

    Edith shook her head. "It doesn''t hurt. Perhaps, the baby only wanted to say hi to daddy."

    The smile on his lips stretched wider. Neil began to caress her tummy and rained his kisses on her face.

    Edith turned away when it was starting to feel ticklish. She glanced at the news on the screen and a slight frown appeared on her face. "Is everything going well?"

    "So far, everything is going well," Neil said. "But, we should not look down on his lawyer. That man is very capable."

    "It will be alright." Edith patted his cheek and kissed the corner of his lips.

    Although she did not take part in his plan, Neil would often speak of them in front of her and Edith knew of everything that happened to the Attorney General.

    A few days ago, Edith was in the living room, accompanying her father-in-law and her grandfather to watch the news when she heard that the Attorney General was taken to the police station as he was facing a few bribery charges.

    Seeing the old man''s calm expression on his face made her feel disgusted, but knowing what will happen to him later, Edith began to relax. Her grandfather has worked hard for years trying to find evidence against this man, and Neil too was working to find evidence for Adam and Claire''s death.

    Neil and his team were planning to hit the Attorney General every time the man find a route to escape his crime. With so many accusations and under the public eyes, the authorities and higher-ups could never let this matter pass, or else, they will have to face the public''s wrath.

    The Attorney General''s backers will have no choice but to abandon him.

    Then, he will find a way to entice the people who were working closely with the Attorney General to find out more about his brother. Someone like Secretary Liu should know a lot of the Attorney General''s dirty secret. After all, he was one of the Attorney General''s most trusted men.

    Soon, the matter about what had happened in Z Town when she was still a little girl will be out. With new evidence, the authorities will have to re-investigate the case openly, and soon, they would find a link between those murders with the serial murders in L City.

    The truth about her mother''s death will be revealed, and so will the other women.

    At this time, there was nothing else that they wanted other than for the Attorney General to face his punishment. He had harmed too many people and he needed to stop.

    ¡­

    In the police station¡­

    The reputable lawyer with a high percentage of winning, Jordan Peng walked into the station with his expression darkened.

    He has been working hard for a few days to find a way to help the Attorney General to get out of his predicament. In the beginning, it was easy for him to do his job. Using his connection, he found a few people who are willing to pull some strings for the Attorney General. After all, everyone had a good relationship with him.

    After spending a long time in their line of work, they could understand that accepting some money under the table was something unavoidable.

    So what if the Attorney General had done that as well? Unlike the netizen, they were not surprised.

    However, none of them had expected that the Attorney General would be accused of r*pe.

    When they heard about this matter, the other who had agreed to help him, in the beginning, started to pull away. No one wanted to be associated with such a case. Everyone had their mother, sisters, and daughters. If they started to defend a pervert, then how will others view them?

    Lawyer Peng was frustrated. No matter how he had asked the Attorney General to tell him the truth, the man would rather kept his mouth shut.

    He was forced to investigate on his own and soon, discovered a few dark secrets....

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 323 - The Attorney Generals Weird Hobby

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Lawyer Peng heaved a long sigh, dreading his meeting with the Attorney General. At this time, the expression on his face was no longer the same as it was a few days ago when he came to meet the Attorney General for the first time after he was taken to the station.

    After learning of what the Attorney General had done, Lawyer Peng was tired. His manner was no longer as confident or arrogant as before.

    The last few days, he has been doing a lot of thinking. After the first r*pe accusation, another woman had appeared at the police station to file a report against the Attorney General. Then, there was the third accusation and the fourth.

    At this time, Lawyer Peng did not know how many women have become the man''s victim. But, no matter how he tried to find out from the Attorney General, that man would not tell him anything.

    It was then that he met a few of the Attorney General''s men. His secretary did not want to say anything, but his driver had let out a few clues and thus, Lawyer Peng found out that the Attorney General liked to hire a woman to accompany him. Later, he would bring them to a club and would always stay in the same private room.

    From a staff of the club, he then learned that the Attorney General had some weird hobby. He liked to torture the women before he slept with them.

    Apparently, this matter has become an open secret for everyone in the club. Even though they were aware of it, none of them dared to report it. Anyway, nothing would happen to the Attorney General when they filed a report, but instead, they might lose their job.

    One of the club staff who chose to be anonymous had once seen what the Attorney General did and he could not bear it and later choose to file a police report. The next day, he was beaten by a group of men and later, was accused of stealing from the customer before he was fired.

    When Lawyer Peng heard how the women would be found half-dead in the room the next morning, his face turned dark. He tried to find some of those women to ask, and heard that the allegation was true.

    Suddenly, Lawyer Peng became dispirited.

    Like everyone else, he too looked up to Attorney General Leng. But after he heard their stories and saw the evidence that they have provided, the image that Attorney General Leng had in his mind started to crumble. The respect he had for that man gradually disappeared.

    Lawyer Peng halted when he noticed a man blocking his path. Looking up, he realized that this man was the same police who had apprehended the Attorney General just before he could walk out of the door.

    "Lawyer Peng," the man nodded at him as a form of greetings.

    "You are¡­"

    "Captain Steven Qi," he offered him a handshake.

    A light flashed in Lawyer Peng''s eyes. He scrutinized the man in front of him and noticed that, unlike the first time they ran into each other, this time, the man was in his uniform. The badges on his uniform showed his rank. Previously, this man was not in his uniform and he did not pay too much attention towards him.

    "You''re new here," Lawyer Peng said.

    "Mmm¡­ I was transferred here a few weeks ago."

    Lawyer Peng continued to study the man in front of him and suddenly thought that the captain looked a little familiar. His eyes and nose resembled a respected figure in the country. "You''re not from Y City, are you?"

    The smile on the captain''s lips widened. "Lawyer Peng, you are smart."

    Lawyer Peng was a little startled that he had guessed it right. He let out a chuckle and asked, "What? The Qi family is planning to spread their influence in L City now?"

    "We have no such intention," the captain said and chuckled. His transfer to this city was due to a special request by a member of his family. Later, they thought that it would not be a bad thing to let him keep his eyes on some people in the city.

    Seeing the deep frown on Lawyer Peng''s face, the captain''s smile stretched up. "Lawyer Peng, a word of advice from me. If you want to keep your job and reputation, you should drop that troublesome client of yours. You might be able to pull some strings, but we are not going to back down and let him go."

    Lawyer Peng did not answer but he had a feeling that the person in front of him had investigated and knew about Attorney General Leng''s heinous act. He swallowed his saliva and curled his lips into a faint smile. "I came here to meet my client."

    Captain Qi stared at the lawyer''s face for a while before he led him towards one of the rooms.

    ¡­

    When Aaron came over to the apartment, he was surprised to see the number of boxes lined up at the corner. He turned to Grandpa Mike and asked, "Are they moving out?"

    "Mmm¡­" Mike nodded. "The baby will come out soon. They wanted a bigger place so that the kids will be able to run freely.

    A while ago, Mike was informed that both Edith and Neil were planning to move out to a new place. Although this apartment had excellent security, he would still find it uncomfortable to live among the brick and stones.

    Previously, he had seen the new place. It was big, but what Mike liked the most about the place was the large courtyard. There are spaces for the kids to run around and the place gave off a relaxing feeling.

    As Aaron walked in, he saw that his old friend was walking down the stairs and his eyes grew wide. "I haven''t seen you in a few weeks, and you''ve grown bigger."

    Edith stared back at her friend with a threatening gaze and seconds later, Aaron got a slap on his arms from Mike.

    "Where is my granddaughter big? Aaron Li, if you talk nonsense, you can leave now."

    Aaron touched his nose. "Grandpa, I did not mean it that way. It hasn''t been a long time since I saw Edith, but her stomach has gotten slightly bigger than the last time." Seeing the dissatisfaction on Mike''s face, Aaron quickly held on to the old man''s arms. "Grandpa, I''m guessing that your great-grandchild should be a very healthy kid."

    Hearing Aaron''s words, his heart softened a little bit. Mike snorted and walked over to the living area. He took a seat and looked at Aaron again. "Why did you come here to see me?"

    Aaron went over to sit down next to the old man. "Grandpa, the higher-ups wanted you to come over and help us with the case again."

    Mike raised a brow. "What''s wrong? The last time, didn''t you guys said that you have nothing more to ask?"

    "Recently, a new captain was transferred to the station and there has been a major shuffle in the team," Aaron said. His eyes grew dark. "Some of the guys were pulled out and transferred away when they were found guilty of some crimes. Later, we found out that they have been messing with the investigation files.. This is why the higher-ups wanted you to come over and help. Grandpa, will you come?"

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 324 - You Are Done

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Lawyer Peng could not hide the fatigue in his face.

    In the past few weeks, he has been running around here and there to help the Attorney General to get out of his situation. The moment he brought up Attorney General''s name, the others would straightaway declare that they would not be able to help the Attorney General with his case.

    A few of them had advised for him to let go, but when Jordan Peng thought of his past relationship with Attorney General Leng, he thought that he could not just back away. When he had just started, the Attorney General had helped him a lot until he reached his position.

    Lawyer Peng thought that he should not be ungrateful and leave the Attorney General when he was at his lowest. Lawyer Peng was not that heartless. Attorney General Leng might have committed some mistakes, but this was not the reason for him to forget the man''s kindness.

    Heaving a sigh, Lawyer Peng began to pick up a few documents on his desk. The look on his face turned serious as he tried to find any loophole that would allow him to protect his client.

    After spending almost an hour, a knock was heard on the door.

    A while later, his assistant walked into his room with an anxious look on his face. "Lawyer Peng."

    Hearing his assistant''s trembling voice, Lawyer Peng lifted his head and massaged his temple. "What''s wrong with you? Why did you look so anxious? Did you find anything useful for me?"

    "No. Lawyer Peng, there''s trouble."

    Lawyer Peng quickly sat up straight and a deep frown appeared on his face. "What kind of trouble?"

    "You need to switch on the news," the assistant said.

    Lawyer Peng sighed tiredly but his hand soon reached for the mouse on his desk. He turned to the computer screen and started to click on an icon. Soon, the news appeared on the screen and the reporter''s voice filled in his room. His expression changed as he continued to listen to the report.

    "This is impossible," Lawyer Peng whispered. His hand reached for his phone and Lawyer Peng started to check at some of the news portals.

    Similarly, the news on the front page of the website was the same as what the reporter had spoken: Attorney General Leng was suspected to be involved in the serial murder that had rocked L City a few months ago.

    "Just¡­ what on earth is going on? How did Attorney General Leng was involved in a murder? A serial murder?"

    As a few more victims had stepped up to speak against Attorney General Leng, the police found that the way the Attorney General had tortured had a few similarities with the bodies they found.

    At this time, the police were investigating whether the two cases were related.

    Lawyer Peng continued to listen to the news and soon, his body slump down to his seat.

    ¡­

    Attorney General Leng did not know what was going on. He had thought that he would be sitting in the police station for at least a couple of days, but it has been a few weeks and he was still detained.

    He shouted a few cursing words and demanded them to let him free, but none of them seemed to listen to him. He was the reputable Attorney General, but at this time, the people around him keep on looking at him with disdain in their eyes.

    At this time, Attorney General Leng heard footsteps heading towards him. A deep frown appeared on his face as he recognized the man.

    Not too long ago, this man had pushed him back behind bars when he was supposed to leave this place.

    He remembered this man well and later, he heard that this man, Captain Steven Qi, was transferred to L City after the previous captain decided to retire early.

    However, Attorney General Leng did not believe that the previous captain had decided to retire early. He has been lived long enough and seen a lot of things. It was not hard for him to figure out that someone had pulled out his connections. After spending his time alone in his cell, he figured out that someone had set him up.

    His mind reeled as Attorney General Leng was trying to figure out which of his enemy would have such power to pull such things, however, he could not think of anyone.

    "Jeffrey Leng, your lawyer is here to see you."

    He watched as an officer unlocked the cell before he followed the officer to a room. When he walked inside, Lawyer Peng was waiting for him. A frown appeared on his face as Attorney General Leng noticed something different about his lawyer, but he could not put his finger on it.

    "You haven''t come to see me for a while," Attorney General Leng said. "What''s going on? Don''t tell me that you have no way to help me."

    Lawyer Peng pursed his lips. He glanced at the officer and nodded. He took a deep breath and motioned towards the chair in front of him. "Sit down."

    Attorney General Leng chuckled when he noticed the lawyer''s discourtesy. He slid into the metal chair and raised a brow. "What''s going on with you? We haven''t seen each other for days and you already show disrespect towards me?"

    Lawyer Peng stared back at the old man''s face. The room was filled with silence for a while and Attorney General Leng began to feel slightly uncomfortable with the way Lawyer Peng was looking at him.

    "What is it?" Attorney General Peng coughed dryly and his tone began to soften a little bit. "Lawyer Peng, tell me that you have found a way to get me out of here. I told you that you can meet a few people who can help me. How did it go? Did they agree?"

    "Jeffrey Leng, I am here to tell you that I can no longer represent you."

    "What?" Attorney General Leng was startled by the way the lawyer had called him. It took him a few seconds to process his next words. His expression grew darker. "Why not?"

    Lawyer Peng pulled out a few documents from his briefcase and slid them across the table.

    The moment Attorney General Leng read about the serial murderer, his expression grew pale. "No. This is not true." He looked up at his lawyer anxiously. "It is not me. Lawyer Peng, you know me. I am not capable of doing anything like this!"

    "Apparently, I didn''t know you enough," Lawyer Peng said. A chuckle escaped him. "You don''t need to deny it anymore. Last night, your secretary had come forward and confessed what you have done. There is evidence."

    "No. I have been set up!" Attorney General Leng said. "You have to help me. Aren''t you the best lawyer in L City?"

    "Jeffrey Leng, you are done. I might be the top lawyer in L City, but even so, I cannot help you," Lawyer Peng said. "At this time, no one will accept you as a client.. Jeffrey Leng, from now on, you can only defend yourself."

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 325 - No Way Out

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Once Attorney General Leng was linked to that serial murder, the public became enraged again. Those who still had thought that they could do something to help him finally gave up. With that, Jeffrey Leng was removed from his position and his assets were frozen.

    Later his wife and kids had left him. The family made a sudden decision to migrate to another country, leaving the former Attorney General behind.

    With Secretary Liu''s confession, Jeffrey Leng''s disgusting hobby was exposed. The public found out that Jeffrey Leng had used both money and women as a means to win others'' support.

    The club he frequently visited to torture those women, was forced to close down as the public was enraged that such an establishment would help to hide such an act. Because of this, the club was under investigation and a few hot shots were brought to the police station for different offenses.

    Of course, with Rainmaker and his circle of group intervention, the public did not pay much attention to the other hotshots and instead, focused on Jeffrey Leng. The public was disgusted with Jeffrey Leng''s behavior and they continued to scold him online.

    The family and friends of the victims soon managed to gather a large number of people and held a demonstration, demanding for the authorities not to be partial towards a disgusting man such as Jeffrey Leng.

    From this investigation, they later found out that Amanda Shen had visited this club before she died. At this time, she was close to Secretary Liu and had followed him to meet the Attorney General.

    However, during this visit, Amanda had accidentally overheard some conversation she was not supposed to hear and had found out about Jeffrey''s disgusting secret.

    Jeffrey Leng had kept her in his private room where she was tortured for a few days. Later, Amanda had tricked the person who was supposed to send her food and was able to escape. She managed to call Neil before she was recaptured and had met her death.

    With details on Amanda''s death was exposed, the police were quick to link it to the serial murder where four women had died.

    A week after the matter was exposed, the authorities suddenly announced another shocking news. The police found a link between the serial murder in L City with the one in Z Town years ago.

    The netizen was quick to find out that before Jeffrey Leng had risen to his rank, he had served a few years in Z Town. The timing of his service matched with the year of that event and later, they found out that there were more than ten women!

    Soon, his former assistant was apprehended to help with the investigation.

    One of the news channels had described what Jeffrey Leng had often done to those women and had come out with a list of his crimes. A long list of his previous dealings came out as well as the list of the women who had died in his hand. It was rumored that there might be a few more victims, but no one could be really sure.

    With the list of witnesses and evidence, no matter how good he was in court, Jeffrey Leng could not find his way to escape his punishment.

    ¡­

    At this time, Edith was seated in the living room as her eyes wandered around the new, unfamiliar surroundings.

    A few days ago, the movers came to pick up their stuff and they were now living in the new house. This place was a lot bigger than the two apartment units that she had lived in for the past few months. Because this place was bigger, Neil had employed a few people to look after the house. Moreover, his parents and Grandpa Mike will be staying with them for a period of time. It would be better if there are more people to look after them.

    With so many people living together, Edith thought that the house has become a lot livelier.

    Hearing a movement coming from the front door, Edith turned around and saw that her grandfather had come in. A gentle look appeared in her eyes as she greeted, "Grandpa."

    Mike looked at his granddaughter and smiled. "How are you? Have you eaten yet?" His gaze rested on her stomach and Mike heaved a sigh. "Don''t starve my great-grandchild. You must remember to eat in time."

    Edith giggled. "Grandpa, I have eaten." With the nanny that her mother-in-law had hired to look for her diet, how can she miss her meals?

    "That''s good." Mike continued to stare at her stomach and felt a little uneasy. It was the same feeling he had experienced the last time his daughter, Rachel, was pregnant with Edith. He could not stop worrying.

    "Grandpa, did you come back from the police station?"

    "Mmm¡­" Mike nodded.

    The past few weeks, Mike has been visiting the police station to help with the serial murder investigation. Years ago, Mike was the one who was leading his team to investigate the murder. Since he knew a lot of details regarding the murder, the investigation team had chosen to consult him. With the evidence that Mike had collected in the past few years, it was not hard for them to link that Jeffrey Leng to that murder.

    "The investigation was done. In a few days, his trial will start," Mike said. "I heard that no one wanted to represent him and he chose to defend himself in court." Mike''s expression turned darker slightly. "Although he might be good in court, he cannot win this one. We will make sure that he will not be able to plead for leniency."

    As the two continued to talk regarding Jeffrey Leng''s case, Hazel ran over happily towards them. The little girl saw Mike in the living room and her face brightened up. "Great-grandpa, you''re back."

    "Mmm..." Mike patted her on the hair. "Did you practice what I taught you while I was away?"

    "Great-grandpa, I''ve practiced," Hazel said. "Auntie Edith had helped me with a few moves. Later, I will show it to you to see." The little girl turned to Edith and rubbed her face on Edith''s arms. "Auntie Edith, I''ve arranged my stuff in my bedroom. Help me to see if it''s alright."

    Edith went over with Hazel to her new bedroom to inspect the little girl''s arrangement for her room. The corner of her lips twitched upon seeing the large glass rack that Neil had built so that Hazel could display the Gundam model she assembled.

    Her eyes caught the sight of the folder on Hazel''s table. It was then that Edith recalled that the auntie at Hazel''s old house had handed the folder to Neil before they left.

    Edith reached to grab the folder and looked at Hazel. "What''s in here?"

    Hazel followed her gaze and her expression shifted slightly. "My drawings." She took the folder from Edith and hesitated. "Auntie Edith, would you like to see them?"

    Before Edith could react, Hazel had pulled out the stack of papers in the folder. The little girl stared at the picture of her parents that she had drawn with a dazed expression.

    Seeing the look on her face, Edith then pulled Hazel into her embrace and watched as Hazel goes through her past drawings one by one.

    Almost all of the drawings in the folder would contain the picture of Hazel and her parents. Edith could see just how much Hazel loved her parents and how much she must be missing them at the moment.

    At this time, Hazel might not understand much about what had happened to her parents, but later, when she grew up, Edith and Neil planned to tell her the truth. As her parents'' daughter, Hazel deserved to know the truth.

    Her movement halted when Hazel saw a few papers that were not supposed to be in her folder. There were many words on these papers and she could not understand most of them. Haze turned to Edith and asked, "Auntie Edith, what is this?"

    Edith glanced at the papers and as she read the words on the documents, her expression started to change.

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 326 - Im Begging You

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    While the investigation on Jeffrey Leng was going on, Neil was busy with the matter of his company. The auditors noticed a lot of problems in their account after Accountant Ye had revealed the corruption going on in the company. To plead for leniency, Accountant Ye had revealed a few documents that she was supposed to destroy.

    The accountant had admitted her wrongdoings and as promised, Neil had promised some leniency for her case.

    Once the new auditor had pointed out the problem in his company, Neil decided to conduct a large scale on the problematic departments and people. In the end, a few people were fired.

    The employees who were dismissed unjustly like Edward Xiao was called back to give out their statements against their bosses. Later, Neil had offered to return to the company and only one-third of them had chosen to accepted it. The others were enjoying their current life and lifestyle and were satisfied to get the justice they deserved. With the compensation that Neil had given and a clean name, they only wanted to live life peacefully.

    As soon as Edith walked into the lobby, the receptionist quickly noticed her and her bulging stomach.

    It has been a long time since they have seen her at the company and was surprised upon realizing that she was pregnant. They quickly confirmed that Edith should be the President''s wife and had stopped showing up at the company for a long time because of her pregnancy.

    After exchanging a quick nod with the receptionist, Edith walked towards the President''s elevator to wait.

    "Edith Qian!"

    Edith quickly turned around upon hearing that someone had shouted out her name. Turning around, she was surprised to find Autumn Feng walking over towards her.

    At this time, the woman''s appearance was no longer as it was in the past. Her previous silky and smooth face now showed her tiredness. Her hair was a little fizzy and the clothes she wore were no longer as expensive. It actually took Edith a few seconds before she was able to recognized Autumn.

    Autumn halted on her track when she saw Edith''s stomach. At this time, it was as if she had forgotten what she was going to say.

    Seeing the way Autumn was staring at her stomach, Edith instinctively moved her hand to cover her stomach. If the woman wanted to do anything at this time, the most important thing for her was to protect the child in her belly.

    Autumn snapped out of her trance when she noticed that Edith was keeping her guard on her.

    The elevator dinged at this time. Seeing that the woman was about to leave, Autumn moved to grab Edith''s hands but soon noticed that she was only able to grab thin air. Looking up, the receptionist who was sat behind their station earlier was now protecting Edith behind their back.

    "Madame, are you alright?" One of the receptionists had asked Edith, while the other was on guard against Autumn.

    Edith nodded and thanked the receptionist upon noticing what they had done.

    "M-manager Feng?" The receptionist who was guarding against Autumn finally realized who she was. Judging from her appearance at this time, the receptionist had thought that she was a crazy person who wanted to harm others. It was because of this that the receptionist had stepped forward.

    "What Manager Feng?" Her friend poked her on the waist.

    It was at this time that she realized that Autumn Feng was no longer working at the company after the matter regarding her father, Director Feng, was exposed.

    Even if Autumn Feng was not related to the corruption, she was not thick-skinned enough to stay at the company and faced others mocking. However, after her father was detained, his assets were frozen and the family had suddenly lost a place to live. Autumn had to use her savings to find a new place to live as well as to bail her father.

    These days, her family had to live in a smaller house. Autumn had tried to find a new job, but once they knew who she was, none of the big companies dared to hire her. In the end, Autumn could only choose to work at a smaller company after hiding her background.

    Autumn watched as Edith was about to step into the elevator again and quickly went forward, but her movement was stopped by the receptionist again.

    "Miss Feng, I will have to ask you to leave before the security will come and drag you out," the receptionist who was guarding Edith spoke.

    Just then, footsteps could be heard and Autumn could see the security heading over towards them. Autumn stared at Edith helplessly, knowing that she would not be able to come close. Suddenly, Autumn drop down on both knees. She stared back at Edith with teary eyes and a pleading gaze.

    Autumn''s sudden movement startled Edith and she stared at the once proud and arrogant woman in shock.

    "Edith Qian, please¡­ I have no other choice but to look for you. Help me to talk to President Mo, alright? Tell him to be lenient to my father, alright?"

    Edith was stunned upon hearing her words. "Miss Feng, I''m sorry. I will not be able to help you. I won''t get involved in the company''s matter."

    "Please. Just take it that I''m begging you," Autumn continued.

    "Miss Feng, if you can ask those workers who had been wronged by your father to forgive him, then I will try to talk to my husband."

    Autumn stared at Edith with a complicated gaze. She had heard about her father''s crime and knew that while he was the Director of Project Development, her father had pocketed a lot of money. He had stolen the money that was meant for the construction workers. Her father had opted for cheaper materials and neglected the safety of the workers. She had heard that a few people had died and were seriously injured after an accident.

    When those people finally found out that their wages were not meant to be that little, they were angry and had cursed her father along with those who were involved in this matter. There was no way that they would want to forgive her father.

    Seeing that the security had arrived to grab Autumn, Edith thanked the receptionist again before she walked into the elevator.

    As soon as the elevator stopped, Assistant Shawn was already waiting for her outside the elevator as usual.

    "Madam," Assistant Shawn greeted. He glanced at her bulging stomach and asked, "When will the baby come out?"

    Edith put a hand on her tummy. "The baby should come out early spring next year."

    Assistant Shawn smiled as he realized that it was because of this that his boss has been running around here and there to prepare the wedding banquet. "I heard that someone tried to cause trouble for you downstairs. Madam, are you alright?"

    "I''m alright. The others are quick to assist me," Edith said. "Is President Mo inside?"

    "He''s in his office. Madam, you may go in."

    After thanking Assistant Shawn who had sent her over to Neil''s door, Edith rapped her knuckles on the door and pushed the door open. As soon as she walked in, Edith was stunned to see that Neil was inspecting the wedding photos they took the other day.

    Turning around, Neil was surprised upon seeing his wife. "Why are you here?" As he walked over to her, a smile appeared on his face and Neil leaned forward to peck on her forehead.

    Edith cocked her head and said, "I miss you."

    A chuckle escaped him. Neil reached to hold her hands before he leaned in to kiss her lips. When they parted, Neil glanced at her bulging stomach with a frown. Because of her pregnancy, he did not dare to pull her closer.

    "The studio had sent over the photograph just now," Neil said as he tugged at her hand.. "Come on, let''s take a look at them."

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 327 - Hidden Evidences

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Edith stared at the photograph in the frame with a dazed expression. She did not expect that the photo would turn out really good. In the photograph, she was seated on a chair while Neil stood behind her with his arms wrapped around her shoulders.

    In the picture, she was looking shyly at the camera while Neil had his gaze on her. His gaze was full of doting.

    Looking at the picture, Edith felt her cheek burned slightly. Though she was used to the way Neil would stare at her, it was a different feeling to see him with that look on his face through another perspective.

    "I look at other photos and thought that this one is the best," Neil said. "What do you think?" A thought came to his mind and Neil paused. "If you don''t like this one, we can choose another one." He let her sit down on his leather chair and pushed the photo album to her.

    There were hundreds of photographs in the book and each of them had a different pose and facial expression. There were a few pages of her in the dress alone, and then, there were photos with the three of them.

    Previously, Neil had said that he wanted to let Hazel in the photograph as well as their flower girl. It was because of Hazel that they met and had the chance to be together. As their little matchmaker, how can she not be in one of the photographs?

    After browsing through the photos, Edith put the album aside and turned towards the photo frame. "Un. I think I like that one better."

    The smile on his lips widened. "Then, we''ll choose this one and use it for the wedding." Neil put the album aside and watched as Edith stood up and headed over to the sofa.

    "I thought you might be skipping your lunch earlier today," Edith pulled the paper bag on the table and took out a few lunch boxes. "Come over and eat first. It''s not good to let your stomach empty. Have your dinner earlier."

    His gaze turned warm as he looked at her. Neil walked over and sat down beside his wife. "Did you come here to deliver food for me?"

    Edith smiled as she continued taking off the lid. She accompanied him to eat and waited until he had finished. Then, Edith turned around to grab her bag and pulled out a stack of paper.

    Neil was cleaning the lunch boxes on the table when he saw his wife holding the papers. He raised a brow at her and asked, "What is that?"

    "Do you remember the last time we went over to your brother''s house?" Edith asked. "That auntie gave you a folder with Hazel''s drawing."

    He thought about the matter and nodded.

    "Earlier, I was accompanying Hazel to look at a few of her drawings," Edith said. "Then, we found this stack of paper slipped inside the folder. Neil, I think your brother, Adam had hidden them with Hazel''s drawing."

    The moment Neil heard his brother''s name, he quickly put the lunch boxes down and reached for the papers. He scanned for the information and after a while, his eyes turned darker.

    After his brother had suddenly passed away, Neil had heard a few rumors and knew that before the accident, his brother was looking into their hospital project on the west side of the city.

    MH Group wanted to venture into other business other than property development and construction. Once this hospital is completed, it will become the first hospital under MH Group. The public''s eyes were on this project the moment they announced it.

    It will be the company''s first hospital project and they were collaborating with a few big groups. A large sum of money was invested in this project and everyone was waiting to see it complete. The new hospital was expected to share the burden with L City''s Hospital.

    However, according to that prosecutor, Jennifer Jiang, Adam found out that some people had stolen a large sum of money from this project. He was investigating this matter in secret and had found shocking evidence.

    They were planning to reveal this matter to the public, but before Adam could have done so, he was involved in an accident and passed away. Meanwhile, Jennifer Jiang was taken away and had managed to escape. She had to live in hiding as she was afraid that those people would kill her.

    Neil had tried to search for the evidence and thought that perhaps their enemy had managed to destroy them after Adam died. He did not expect that Adam would be hiding the evidence in Hazel''s drawing folders.

    After spending her time for a long time in the office Edith left the headquarter with Uncle Tang driving her home.

    An hour after Edith left the headquarter, Neil entered his SUV and drove over to the detention center. When he arrived, his friend, Henry was waiting for him in the parking area. Henry walked over to Neil and gave him a look over. A heavy sigh escaped him when he saw Neil''s darkened face.

    "I''ve looked into the matter," Henry said. "The youngsters who died in that accident a few months ago were working under Secretary Liu''s nephew."

    Neil lowered his head. The first time he saw the name on Adam''s document, Neil had thought that the name was a little familiar. It was then that he recalled the youngsters who had died in that accident.

    A few hours ago, Neil had given Henry a call and explained the situation to him. He then asked Henry to look into a few matters and told him to meet him at the detention center with the investigation report.

    "Previously, Secretary Liu''s nephew and his gang were also the same people who had tried to cause trouble at the hospital construction site. If your assumption is right, then, someone had asked those youngsters to cause trouble for Adam on the night of the accident."

    Neil looked at the stack of paper in Henry''s hand with a solemn look on his face.

    "Are you going to talk to him?" Henry asked.

    "I need to find out the truth."

    Henry nodded before he followed Neil into the building.

    As soon as they arrived an officer greeted them with a polite smile on his face. "What can I do for you?"

    Before Neil could answer, a voice came over from behind them. "I''ll take care of this."

    Turning around, Neil quickly recognized the man as Captain Steven Qi, who was recently transferred from Y City. Seeing that the Captain seemed to know the man, the officer quickly walked away to continue his job.

    "President Mo, why are you here?"

    Neil scrutinized the man in front of him and spoke, "I came to meet Secretary Liu. Do you think you can help me and arrange for a meeting with him? There are a few questions that I would like to ask."

    Steven was silent for a while. Then he nodded. "Come with me.. I''ll help you and arrange a meeting with him."

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 328 - An Accident

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Neil sat down in the room with Henry accompanying him. Various thoughts went into their mind, but no one said a word. Previously, Secretary Liu had testified against Jeffrey Leng''s and revealed his corruption and disgusting behavior.

    Although they were all taken into the detention centers and will be punished for their crime, Neil was still unaware of the truth about what happened to his Adam and Claire.

    After Adam had passed away, Neil has heard that his brother was investigating the hospital project and found something. He had tried to find the evidence that Adam had gathered and had tried to search for them in Adam''s study. However, he could not find anything. Neil didn''t expect that his brother would hide the evidence inside his daughter''s drawing folders.

    On the evidence that Adam had collected, it was revealed that the directors had pocketed a lot of money from that project. While Adam was investigating the corruption, he found out that Director Feng would often meet up with Jeffrey Leng and had given the man a lot of money.

    To build that hospital, MH Group had bought a few lands around the area, including some old shop lots. During their discussion, MH Group had agreed to purchase their land according to the price that they have agreed on.

    He did not think that once he had handed the matter for Director Feng to handle, the man would pocket the money meant to purchase those shop lots. Director Feng had then had purchased those land at a price lower than what they have agreed on.

    Jeffrey Leng had helped to suppress those landowners with legal matters. When the landowners had wanted to fight back, Jeffrey Leng had helped to hire some thugs to create trouble for them.

    It was Secretary Liu who had found those thugs. The group of thugs was the people working under his nephew.

    After talking with the landowners, Adam had later found out the names of the thugs and had compiled everything under the evidence that he was gathering.

    The door creaked as it was pushed from the outside and Neil snapped out of his trance. His expression turned cold as he watched Secretary Liu entered the room.

    "President Mo?" Secretary Liu stared back at the man in surprise. It was already a little strange that he would receive a visitor during the non-visiting hour. When the officer told him that someone wanted to see him, Secretary Liu did not expect that he would see Neil in this room.

    Neil stared at the man in front of him with his cold eyes. At this time, Neil could not help but think of how suitable the uniform look on Secretary Liu''s body. The man had caused a young girl to lose her parents. He deserved to be in prison!

    The officer led Secretary Liu to sit down before he stood at the door to guard.

    "President Mo, why are you here?" Secretary Liu asked. He could sense that something was not right with the way Neil was staring at him and Secretary Liu was starting to feel a little uncomfortable.

    The silence in the room lasted for a while until Neil chose to speak.

    "Bruce Tian, the youngster who died in an accident a few months ago worked under your nephew, right?" Neil said. "Secretary Liu, did you remember him?"

    Secretary Liu frowned as he thought that this name sounded familiar. A few seconds later, the expression on his face changed, knowing the reason for Neil''s visit at this hour.

    "Before my brother, Adam passed away, he was investigating the corruption with MH Group hospital project and found the evidence that would bring Attorney General Leng down," Neil said. "He wanted for Adam to stop investigating and had sent a few people to find trouble and had asked you to find those people. Bruce Tian was one of those guys."

    Secretary Liu pursed his lips. "You''re here because of your brother."

    Neil did not answer but only kept his gaze on the man in that detention center''s uniform.

    Secretary Liu chuckled. Although he wanted to deny this, he was already in the detention center as Jeffrey Leng''s accomplices. He had volunteered to testify against that person and was promised leniency, but Secretary Liu was aware that he would still have to face the consequences for what he had done. He might as well admit to all the crimes he had done.

    Taking a deep breath, Secretary Liu then said, "Yes. That person worked under my nephew. But President Mo, you have to know that we have no intention for that accident to happen." His posture was straight as he spoke. "Attorney General Leng asked me to find my nephew to scare Adam. We only wanted him to back down and stop investigating. You should know that Attorney General Leng was planning to enter politics. The time was crucial and he could not afford to have a bad reputation."

    Neil''s gaze turned darker and the temperature in that room dropped a few degrees.

    "Those guys gave him some warning, but Adam refused to listen," Secretary Liu said. "That night, my nephew and his men went to look for Adam. They were going to threaten him to stop investigating, but Adam got away. Those men wanted to chase after him and that was how the accident happen. President Mo, we did not expect that the two of them would get into an accident and Adam would die."

    Neil spent more than an hour in the detention center. When he got out of the building, the sky has already turned dark. Henry had volunteered to drive him home, but Neil had rejected him. He drove back home with a dark look on his face as he kept replaying his conversation with Secretary Liu.

    Once he pulled over at the parking spot, Neil sat in his SUV for a long time in a daze. There were just too many things that happened on the day and he had received a little too much information. At this time, Neil thought that his brain was a little overloaded.

    He did not know that his brother was threatened to stop his investigation. He was unaware that there were people who would look for Adam and tried to cause trouble.

    Neil tried to recall the last few months before Adam passed away. Every time they met, Adam would always have a smile on his face. He did not look as if he was encountering any problem. However, Adam was always like that. No matter what it was, he would always have that bright and sunny smile on his face.

    At times, Neil was a little jealous that Adam was able to hide everything under that smile, but at this time, Neil thought that he hated that Adam would always smile. If only he was a little more attentive, perhaps he would discover that Adam was facing those things.

    If only Adam had found him and discuss things together with him, would things be different?

    The house was dark when he entered. An auntie greeted him before Neil went upstairs to the bedroom. His steps halted at the door when Neil saw that his wife was sitting at the bed with a book in her hand.

    Edith looked up when she heard the movement. She put down the book on the bedside table and walked over to Neil. She gave him a look over and heaved a breath of relief upon finding that he was fine and that there was no smell of alcohol around him.

    "Did you go to the detention center?" Edith watched him nodded lightly and held his hand. "How was it?"

    Neil did not answer. Instead, he pulled her closer and buried his face in her neck. His heart grew calmer as he smelled the familiar scent, his heart  "Stay.. Let me hug you for a while."

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 329 - The Trial

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Mike Qian has been attending Jeffrey Leng''s trial from the first day it began. Because of Jeffrey Leng''s reputation, the public has been following his case closely. The family and friends of the victim had come over to watch the trials. The media was following this high-profile case. Everyone wanted to see him punished and not get away with his crime.

    As there were many victims, in this case, it was expected that the trial would take months before the jury will come up with the verdict.

    At the beginning of the trial, the shameless man had pleaded himself not guilty against all accusations. Jeffrey Leng stood in the court with his expression devoid of emotions.

    As Mike was leading his team to investigate the murders in Z Town years ago, he was called to give his testimony. Years ago, Jeffrey was aware that Mike was investigating him and could recognize the old man when he showed up at the court.

    The pictures of the women that he became his victim appeared on the screen one by one, but Jeffrey saw no remorse in his expression. However, his gaze shifted the moment the picture of Rachel Qian appeared on the screen.

    Among the victim that he had caught, Rachel was the only woman who had managed to escape.

    Fortunately for him, the woman was later hit with a car and the rain had destroyed any evidence that will lead anything to him. That year, after Rachel had escaped, Jeffrey had to restrain himself from having fun with the women. Every time he was almost close to killing those women, his assistant would remind him not to make any move as they were in hiding.

    Later, those women were released before he could kill them and they were given a large sum of money as compensation. Jeffrey had threatened those women not to go to the police. The women understood that against someone with a lot of power and influence like Jeffrey, there was no way that they would be able to get justice. Thus, they chose to keep their mouth shut.

    It was only a few years ago when he was transferred to L City did the habit came back. At first, he could still restrain himself not to be too rough. However, he had accidentally killed a woman, and his blood began to boil again.

    Jeffrey did not think that Mike would be able to link Rachel''s death to him.

    It was only after learning Rachel''s name that he was able to figure out that the woman who had escaped from that time was Mike''s daughter.

    A chuckle escaped him.

    No wonder Rachel was very defensive towards him. No matter what he tried to do, no matter how much he would torture Rachel, that woman would always fight back. It turned out that her father was a police officer.

    Jeffrey seemed to recall his intention to keep Rachel''s lives longer because of her fighting spirit. Usually, those women would give up once they could no longer tolerate the pain, but Rachel was different. The more Rachel had resisted him, the more exciting it was for Jeffrey. Perhaps it was because of that that Jeffrey would remember Rachel even after years has passed.

    His lips curled into a faint smile as Jeffrey recalled that woman''s daughter.

    He had always thought that Edith Qian seemed a little familiar the first time he saw her. It was not until his former assistant had reminded him that Edith resembled that woman who had escaped that Jeffrey was able to figure out that the two were related.

    No wonder he had felt a certain connection when he saw Edith. Whenever he saw her, Jeffrey always wanted to talk to her. When Edith was in front of him, he would start to imagine a lot of exciting things.

    It was fate that led him to meet Rachel''s daughter, wasn''t it? It would be a waste if he did not take his chance.

    Unfortunately, he was a little too late. He found out that Edith was married to President Mo. Even if he wanted to mess up with that woman''s daughter, it would be too much of a problem considering Edith''s status as Neil Mo''s wife.

    Jeffrey continued to stare at Mike who was answering the prosecutor''s questions and narrowed his eyes. At this time, he still refused to believe that no one among his friends would not help him. He was still confident that he would be able to get out of this situation with only a slap on the wrist.

    After four hours of the court session, the judge announced the court to be adjourned and the people started to leave.

    The officer escorted Jeffrey to leave the court. As he was nearing the crowd, Jeffrey slowed down and stopped. His eyes were looking straight at Mike until the man was looking back at him.

    Mike was discussing some matters with his friends when he noticed that Jeffrey had stopped in front of him. He looked up and frowned upon noticing the disgusting smile on Jeffrey''s face.

    "Officer Qian," Jeffrey nodded.

    The officer who was escorting Jeffrey pushed him forward, asking him not to delay their time.

    "Slow down," Jeffrey turned to the escorting officer. "I have something to say to an old friend."

    The escorting officer glanced at his friend and spoke, "Make it quick."

    "I really did not expect you to be Rachel Qian''s father," Jeffrey said. His tone was low. In the noisy court, the others would not be able to hear their exchange unless if they were near the two of them.

    Hearing the man spoke his daughter''s name made his blood boil. Mike clenched his hands into fists as he tried to suppress his anger. Fortunately for him, Aaron and George were accompanying him. George put his hand on Mike''s shoulder, to stop him from making any move that he would regret later.

    Jeffrey sneered when he saw that the old man was not going to reply to him. "Officer Qian, please send my regards to your granddaughter."

    "You!" Mike lurched forward to beat the person in front of him, but George had once again restricted his movement.

    "Mike! No!" George whispered. "He''s only trying to provoke you."

    "When the charge against me is dropped, I will come and find her," Jeffrey said.

    "Don''t listen to him," George continued to whisper. "He won''t have a chance to get out. We have worked so hard to get this far. Don''t give that man a chance to anger you. It''s not worth it."

    Jeffrey laughed before he continued to walk away with the escorting officers guarding him closely.

    As soon as that person had disappeared from his gaze, Mike turned around to his group of friends with a dark face. "We cannot let the judge go lenient on him. Unless if that person is sentenced with a maximum penalty, I cannot be at ease."

    "Don''t worry." Jennifer Jiang, who was seated with Mike earlier during the trial, spoke. "He is delusional. There is no chance that he will escape his punishment.. We will fight until he is sentenced to death."

    Read novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 330 - Im Willing

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    In of the hotel room of one of the prestigious hotel in L City¡­

    Edith leaned on the chair with her eyes closed as the makeup artist was working on the makeup on her eyes. She has been sitting on the chair for two hours and her waist was getting a little sore. Moreover, the little guy in her stomach was a little active as if he was excited to join in the wedding.

    A knock was heard coming from the outside. Hazel, who was sitting on the sofa with a book in her hand slid down and walked over to the door. "Who is it?"

    The assistant who was in the room, accompanied Hazel to open the door. Lily entered the room with a big smile on her face and exchanged polite greetings with the assistant. She shifted her eyes to Hazel and her eyes brightened at the sight of Hazel in her dusty rose tulle dress. Her hair was styled into a low ponytail and a flowery crown rested on top of her hair.

    "Hazel, you look like a princess," Lily said.

    The little girl laughed happily. "Today, I''m a flower girl."

    "You''re the cutest flower girl today." Lily nodded. "Alex is in the banquet hall with his little sister. Would you like to see him?"

    Hazel thought about it for a moment before she spoke, "Later. I still wanted to stay and look at Auntie Edith in her dress."

    "Auntie Edith still hasn''t worn her dress yet?"

    Hazel shook her head. "She''s still doing her make-up."

    The two of them walked into the room together and the moment Lily saw Edith sitting on the chair, a loud gasp escaped her.

    "Oh my god! Edith Qian, you look beautiful!" Lily spoke as she came closer. She began to inspect the makeup on Edith''s face and nodded, giving the makeup artist her approval.

    Her make-up was delicate, her cheek was rosy and her lips were moist and pink. At this time, her face was brimming with radiance. Her long hair was styled into a half up and half down with soft curls. A few small, white flowers were weaved into her hair, giving her a romantic air.

    "You''re here." Edith smiled when she saw her friend. "I thought that you might not be able to come."

    "Nonsense. You''re my best friend. Of course, I have to come and give you my support."

    Edith scanned her surroundings and was surprised to see that Lily had come alone. "Where''s your little girl?"

    A couple of months ago, Lily finally gave birth to a baby girl. Although Lily was very happy now that she will have a daughter to play dress-up with, the newborn baby was a little too sticky and would always cry at night. Fortunately, Ethan had employed an auntie to look after the baby, or else, Lily thought that she might go crazy.

    "She''s with her father," Lily said. "Alex is looking after her, she''ll behave."

    Among everyone in their family, the He family''s little princess would listen to her brother the most. The first time Alex had seen his little sister, he was a little disappointed that she was not as cute as he had imagined.

    Fortunately, as time passed by, the little girl''s skin was no longer as wrinkly as it was on the day she was born. Seeing that his sister had grown cuter, Alex was satisfied and he had willingly volunteered to look after her.

    The two friends chatted as the make-up artist continued to do her job. After half an hour, she announced that her makeup was done and Edith stepped into her wedding dress.

    Lily helped to pull the zip behind her and Edith turned around to look into the mirror. Her breath stuck in her throat the moment she saw herself. "Lily," Edith called her name.

    "Yes?"

    Edith laughed as she shook both hands. "I''m nervous."

    ¡­

    When Edith walked towards the banquet hall, her grandfather was waiting for her in front of the door along with the wedding planner and Hazel. Edith halted when she saw her anxious grandfather in his suit. It was the first time she had seen him dressed like that and she was a little stunned.

    As if noticing that someone was watching him, Mike turned around and gasped when he saw his granddaughter standing in front of him. Suddenly, Mike felt his eyes grew hot and her nose sour. His baby girl was getting married and he could not contain his emotion.

    The last time, his daughter, Rachel only got herself a wedding certificate with her husband. They did not manage to have a wedding before her husband died. Therefore, this will be Mike''s first time to walk someone into the hall.

    "Grandpa¡­" Edith walked over to him and her grandfather pulled her into his embrace.

    "Don''t cry," Mike coaxed. "Let''s not ruin your make-up."

    Edith giggled at his words.

    "I still cannot believe that I''ll have to hand you over to Neil," Mike said. He took a deep breath and exhaled loudly. "If your parents are still alive, they would be happy for you."

    As Mike continued to coax his granddaughter, the wedding planner walked over to tell everyone to get into places. As soon as the music was played, Hazel walked into the banquet hall carrying a basket of flowers in her hand.

    When the wedding planner gave her the cue to enter, Edith took a deep breath and held on to her grandfather''s arms as they both entered the hall. Around them, were her close family and friends. Fresh flowers in soft pink and white were decorated in her left and right. The banquet hall was decorated prettily, giving off a romantic feeling, but at this time, Edith could not look away from the man who was waiting for her at the end of the aisle.

    Various thoughts came into her mind as she walked this short distance from the door to her husband.

    The first time she met Neil, Edith would never guess that she would soon fall for him. The man was someone who would rarely put a smile on his face. He was cold and people would call him an iceblock behind his back. But after living together with him during her time as Hazel''s caretaker, Edith found out that this man could be a warm person to the people he cared about.

    At the beginning of their relationship, Edith merely wanted to give herself a chance. He liked her and she liked him. After the two get together for a while, Edith found that her feelings towards him only grew.

    All the small things that he does for her, even his smile and the way he made love to her¡­ everything made her love him even more. Every time she turned to look at this man, her heart would thump loudly as if it was about to burst.

    Neil swallowed when he saw his bride entered the hall. At this time, Edith was wearing an A-line wedding dress. The bodice was full of lace, and the tulle skirt was hiding her bulging stomach. Neil found himself in dazed as he watched her taking slow steps towards him.

    With Edith, Neil had learned a lot of things. He was clueless the first few months that he had to live with Hazel. However, it was this woman who had taught him how to be¡­ warm.

    Living with her, Neil began to lower his guard, and soon, he had let her into his life and his heart. Neil could not remember when was the moment that he started to fall for Edith. Perhaps, it was on the day that she had given him a drunk confession, or perhaps it was earlier than that.

    Neil met her at the stairs and Mike spoke a few words to remind him to take good care of his only granddaughter. It was only after Neil had given his promise that Mike was willing to hand his granddaughter over to him.

    The moment he held her hands, Neil stared into her eyes and was mesmerized upon seeing her face up close. "Edith Qian?"

    "Huh?" Edith flashed him an anxious smile and asked, "Neil? What''s wrong?"

    Neil leaned forward and whispered, "The moment we stepped onto the stage. The moment we say yes, you can never back down or regret."

    Edith let out a chuckle. "We already have a marriage certificate and the child will come out in a few months."

    Neil let out a light laugh. "Even so, are you willing to accompany me in this lifetime until we both get old?" His eyes were looking into hers as if searching for the answer.

    Her heartbeat accelerated as Edith continued to look into his. In his eyes, Edith could see the reflection of herself and a thought came to her mind. At this time, Edith knew that as long as she stayed by his side, this man would do anything that he can to protect her and make her happy.

    Tightening her grip against his, Edith then answered, "I''m willing."

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 331 - Baby Hayden (End Of Part 1)

    Two months after the wedding, Edith gave birth to a healthy baby boy.

    The little guy was born somewhere around midnight. Edith was accompanying Hazel to play around the house when she suddenly started to have a contraction. Her face was pale and Hazel started to panic and had called the auntie to see what was going on.

    Both Lucas and Sophie had returned to Z Town after the wedding and only Mike had stayed around as he needed to attend the court.

    When Mike heard that his granddaughter was about to give birth, he started to join Hazel and panic. It was the auntie who had called Neil and the ambulance.

    After almost seven hours in the labor room. The baby finally came out and everyone outside the labor room let out a breath of relief.

    Neil took one look at his son before he went to check on his wife. Her face was sweaty and her hair plastered on her face. Seeing the tired look on her face, Neil leaned forward and pecked on her forehead.

    When Lucas and Sophie heard that their grandson had come out a week earlier than expected, the two of them hurriedly went back to L City.

    It was the first grandson for both Lucas and Sophie. At the thought that they now have a pair of a boy and a girl as their grandchild in the family, the two of them were very happy.

    The first time Mike saw his great-grandson, his eyes started to sting and his nose soured. He had never thought that he would live long enough to see his great-grandson. Seeing the little boy swaddling in his arms, Mike thought of how he should teach the little boy to fight when he was old enough.

    What happened to his daughter and what Jeffrey Leng had spoken about his granddaughter would still haunt him. It was good to have a great-grandson. Perhaps later, the little boy would help him and protect his mother and his sisters when he grew up.

    After spending more than a month in the confinement, the little guy was then revealed to their family and friends. Neil had introduced his son as Hayden Mo and just like his father, Hayden was a quiet guy who rarely showed too much expression on his face. Whenever the grownups would tease her, Hayden would choose to stare at them. The look in his eyes was as if he was judging their action.

    Edith sat on the bed with the little boy in her arms and patted his back. He had just drunk his mother''s milk and was now sleeping soundly. Edith held the little boy in her arms and inhaled the milky smell on his body. A warm smile curled on her lips when she saw his little mouth slightly pouting and moving as if he was still suckling his mother''s milk.

    The little boy was a little fat, but he still won''t stop thinking about eating even in his sleep. Seeing that he continued to sleep soundly, Edith handed him over to the nanny.

    Glancing at the clock, Edith then walked down the stairs and planned to wait for Neil.

    As soon as she walked into the living area, Edith found that her grandfather had returned from the court and was asking Hazel about her school. The trial has been going on for months, and her grandfather had never missed going to court.

    Seeing that her Auntie Edith had come down, Hazel ran over to her and wrapped her arms around Edith''s waist.

    "Auntie Edith, is baby Hayden asleep?"

    Edith nodded. "He fell asleep after drinking some milk."

    Hazel lifted her head to look at her brother''s room. She wanted to play with him, but the baby would be asleep most of the time. Heaving a sigh, Hazel then walked over to the kitchen to look at what the auntie was cooking.

    "I saw the news. I heard that the judge has given out his verdict today," Edith asked her grandfather as he Hazel had disappeared into the kitchen.

    "Mmm¡­" Mike nodded. He swallowed the food in his mouth and looked up. "Fortunately, the judge is sensible enough to sentence Jeffrey to death." His voice was low as Mike did not want Hazel to hear their conversation. "In a few months, he will be executed by firing squad."

    Edith was stunned to know that the judge had come up with the verdict.

    After she gave birth to her son, Edith was busy and did not have much time to follow Jeffrey Leng''s trial. Although her grandfather would often update her with the case, Edith did not think that the trial would end so soon.

    She was a little surprised to hear about the death sentence, but Jeffrey Leng had killed and harmed too many people. It would be ridiculous if he could get away with those evidence against him.

    The judge''s decision was well praised by the public. The family and friends of the victims gathered and cried with tears of relief upon hearing the sentences. Meanwhile, Jeffrey Leng was in a trance upon receiving his sentences.

    Up until the end, he would still say that he was innocent and believed that someone will come to rescue him. When he was dragged out of the court, Jeffrey Leng had shouted and screamed for the first time he was taken by the police. He was acting like a maniac.

    It seemed that he was in disbelief that he will be executed by firing squad. He could not believe that in a few months, he was going to die.

    Hearing stories about Jeffrey Leng from her grandfather, Edith was very sure that the man was very sick. It was unbelievable how he can act like a good person in front of others and turned into a demon when he was with a woman.

    After having her dinner, Edith went back to her room to rest. A frown appeared on her face as she felt a little pain in her chest area. She looked at her swollen chest and was not surprised to see that her bra was slightly wet.

    Picking up the device on the bedside table, Edith started to pump out the milk to reduce the swelling on her chest. It was a little painful, but at the same time, it made her feel a little relieved when the milk came out.

    At this time, the door was pushed from the outside. Neil walked in and Edith froze as their gaze met.

    His gaze stopped at the device in her hand and slowly, trailed towards her swollen chest. Because she had just given birth and was breastfeeding their son, her chest had grown up in size. Neil looked at the scene in front of him and swallowed.

    "The freezer is brimming with Hayden''s milk," Neil pointed out. He was aware that after his wife had pumped out the milk, she would store them in the freezer for Hayden to drink later.

    Edith lowered her head and the tip of her ears turned slightly red. "I don''t know what the auntie has been feeding me. It just won''t stop flowing."

    He took off his coat and walked over to the bathroom to freshen up. When he walked out, his wife was still struggling with the machine.

    After watching her for a few seconds, his throat felt parched and his chest felt a little stuffy. He walked over to his wife''s side and without realizing it, Neil put his hand on top of Edith''s as if he was going to pull that machine away from her.

    Edith raised her and was startled upon meeting his gaze. "What''s wrong?"

    "Is it still painful?"

    Edith nodded at the thought that he was worried about her. "It is. Unless the swelling came down a little bit, I won''t feel comfortable." She continued to look into his eyes and felt that something doesn''t seem right with the way her husband was looking at her.

    "Let me help you."

    Before Edith was able to say anything, the device on her hand was taken away and the man had lowered his head. Suddenly, Edith let out a sharp gaze and tightened her grip on the mattress.

    A few minutes later, Edith tugged at her clothes as she looked at the misbehaving person.

    A knock was heard on the door and the nanny announced that the baby was hungry. Edith walked over to the door and took the little boy from the nanny. As soon as she was seated, she pulled aside her clothes to let the baby drink.

    After a few seconds, Hayden pulled away and started to cry. As if knowing the reason that he was unable to suck out his meal, Hayden moved his head to look at his father and continued to cry, feeling a little aggrieved.

    He was still a baby and could not eat anything else, but a shameless someone was fighting for his food! Baby Hayden was angry!

    Seeing the way his wife was looking at him, Neil quickly looked away and handed over the bottle with the milk that she had pumped out earlier.. Neil let out a cough and said, "At least, these won''t go to waste."

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 332 - Growing Up Together

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Alex He could still remember the first time he saw Hazel.

    On that day, Headmistress Fu had come over to their class and announced that the little girl was going to join their class. Hazel Mo was supposed to enter another class for those who were a year younger than him. However, Headmistress Fu had said that Hazel''s comprehension would allow her to enter another class.

    Because Hazel was younger than everyone else, their classroom teacher, Auntie Edith, had reminded everyone to look after this little sister.

    His first impression towards Hazel was that she seemed like a good, obedient kid. He saw her in class and admitted that she was a very smart girl

    From the moment Hazel entered the class, the others started to gather around her. The female classmates wanted to act as her big sister, while the boys were attracted to her look.

    Alex admitted that Hazel was a cute girl. She always had a dazzling smile on her face whenever he saw her at school.

    She would often show up in class with a twin tail. Most of the time, she would always have bunny-shaped hair clips or a hairband on her hair. The little girl looked so fluffy giving the others an urge to pinch at her cheek.

    Anyway¡­ Alex decided not to mind the new girl in his class. He was aware that the two of them were in two different worlds and a girl like Hazel would not talk to him. After all, most of the girls in his class would not care to play with him. He was used to it.

    After a few months, Alex noticed that Hazel has stopped going to school. Auntie Edith had only said that something was going on in her house and she was unable to show up at school.

    A few days before Hazel had returned to school, Auntie Edith had told everyone that Hazel had lost her parents in an accident. She had reminded everyone to treat Hazel gently and as an elder brother and sister, no one should bully her and instead, everyone should treat her nicely.

    On the day Hazel returned to the kindergarten, Alex noticed that there was something different about her.

    When she returned, Alex could no longer see the dazzling smile on her face. The talkative girl had suddenly become quiet.

    The new Hazel would choose to sit alone in the corner, minding her own business. At this time, the only classmate she would talk to was Megan Xiao. When Hazel returned, Auntie Edith would often look after her and the two became very close.

    He had once run into Hazel at the mall. At that time, he was surprised to see the girl was with Auntie Edith and a scary uncle. It was later that he learned that after Hazel''s parents had passed away, Hazel has been living with that scary uncle.

    Alex had thought that perhaps, Hazel''s personality change had something to do with that scary uncle. If he had to live with someone scary as that uncle, Alex was sure that he too would turn into a timid boy.

    When they see each other at school again, Hazel had asked why did he like to play with his robot by himself.

    It was at this time that Alex had mentioned his hobby to build Gundam robots. Surprisingly, Hazel had shown her interest in his hobby.

    For a few seconds, Alex was stunned. There were not a lot of people who would think of his hobby as interesting. Building and assembling them would require too much time and patience. Most kids around their age did not have the patience to sit still in one place and focus on building them. Or else, things would not be great.

    When Hazel had shown her interest, Alex was excited.

    It was the first time that someone had asked him about building them. Even though Hazel did not know too much about Gundam, Alex had patiently explained to her what he knew.

    At that time, he did not pay attention too much to Hazel. Alex only knew that there was someone who would enjoy his hobby and there would be someone who he can talk to.

    Later, whenever Auntie Edith came over to his house to meet with his mother, she would often bring Hazel over as well. Whenever Hazel come over, he would often take her over to his playroom and the two would build those models together.

    In just a few months, Hazel became very good at assembling the model and there were times when Alex would worry that she would soon be better than him. When he thought that it would be difficult to find someone who shared the same interest with him, Alex decided not to mind about this matter too much.

    After spending their time together, the two became closer and Alex started to pay attention to her. Slowly, Hazel began to talk and smile a lot, although it was not as much as it used to be.

    Alex then realized that he liked seeing the smile on her face and would get distressed whenever he saw the tears on her face. If he could, he would like to see her with a smile on her face all the time.

    Across the University entrance, a tall man was seen standing under the big, weeping willow tree. From his standing posture and the way he would have glanced at his wristwatch before he turned to look at the entrance, the passerby quickly thought that he was here to wait for someone. From his soft gaze and warm smile, as he continued to stare at the entrance, the passerby assumed that this man was waiting for someone important. For example¡­ a lover.

    The girls who walked past by would glance at him before they lowered their heads with a shy look on their faces. They wanted to take a chance to talk to him, but the moment they saw the look on his face, none of them dare to get closer.

    A few minutes earlier, there was one brave student who had dared to approach him and asked for his contact number. But of course, that student was rejected. No one could hear the words that the man had said, but everyone around understood that they would not stand a chance.

    Alex He took a deep breath when he noticed that those girls were staring at him again. At this time, there was nothing that he wanted other than for Hazel Mo to walk through the gate as quickly as she can.

    It was not that he minded waiting for her, but at this time, Alex thought that he really wanted to see her face. It has been a while since they saw each other and he kind of... missed her.

    Just then, his eyes caught the sight of the girl in a white blouse and dusty pink pleated skirt. As she walked, the skirt would sway around, attracting the attention of the people around her.

    His lips turned up into a smile the moment he saw the person he was waiting for.

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 333 - Goddess Mo

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    From the spot he stood, Alex could immediately spot Hazel in the crowd.

    At this time, Hazel was walking out of the university gate with her roommate. His eyes brightened and he was about to raise his hand and wave at her when he saw a male student stopped in front of her.

    The male student spoke something to Hazel and she stared back at him with a poker face.

    His eyes darkened and a frown appeared on his face when he saw the male student was blocking his vision.

    "Looks like someone is here to confess to Goddess Mo again. Damn. Isn''t that the basketball captain, Kevin Xu?"

    "Un. Un. This time, another high-profile candidate decided to confess! Do you think that she will accept?"

    "I bet that man is going to be disappointed. The last time, the campus heartthrob,  Evan Yu had confessed to her during that festival. It was such a big move. In the end, he was rejected, right? This time, I think Captain Xu is going to get rejected as well."

    A sighed was heard. "What kind of person do you think she liked? Do you think she prefers woman instead?"

    "What''s the matter? Don''t tell me you wanted to try and pursue Goddess Mo?"

    The girls beside him had spoken in hushed voices, but Alex could still hear them loud and clear. From the girl''s words, Alex was able to gather some information, for example, this was not the first time that someone had confessed to Hazel.

    Although he was confident that Hazel was not going to accept that man''s confession, Alex had a sense of crisis.

    At this time, Alex was silently hating that they were not born in the same year, or at least take the same course in the same university. If only he was close to her all the time, he would certainly help her to swat those flies away.

    Previously, he could still do that when they were in the same school. However, once he entered university, their chance to see each other began to lessen. Then, Hazel moved to another city to study and the two of them were separated with such a long distance between them.

    It was only until recently that Alex had moved to B City. His friends wanted to kick start a company. Alex had decided to invest in them and suggested them to start in B City. As that friend was originally from B City, of course, he quickly agreed. It took them a while and finally, they were able to start the company in B City.

    As the investor, Alex chose not to be involved too much in the company. The only reason he had agreed was to build his chance to get close to Hazel. Whenever Hazel was in B City, of course, he will be around. Whenever she went back to L City, of course, he will follow her.

    Alex continued to watch the scene in front of him. Just as the girls had predicted, the male student who had stopped Hazel in front of the gate was rejected.

    Hazel continued to walk forward with her roommate, leaving the male student behind with a dejected expression. After a few steps, that male student suddenly raised his head and went over to Hazel.

    Kevin Xu was not very happy that he was rejected. He was aware that Hazel Mo had rejected a lot of guys, however, he had thought that Hazel had liked him. After all, Hazel would often show up at the basketball court to watch their basketball practices.

    He had thought that if he gave his confession in front of others, Hazel would at least give him some face and agreed. He did not think that he would be mercilessly rejected!

    Kevin put a hand on Hazel''s shoulder, wanting to force her to turn around and demand a reason why she would not give him a chance.

    However, he did not expect that in one swift move, Hazel had tugged at his wrist, and suddenly, his hand was pinned behind his back. Kevin gritted his teeth and cursed as he bore with the pain.

    "I don''t like it when people touch me," Hazel warned him. Seeing that sweat had trickled down his face, Hazel quickly pushed him away.

    Kevin glanced at his surroundings and noticed the way everyone was looking at him. His face grew red with embarrassment as he did not expect that Hazel would be able to make such a move on him. Shooting a dangerous look towards Hazel, Kevin then chose to leave the scene before he would experience another embarrassing situation.

    "Are you alright?" Crystal Mao, Hazel''s roommate, asked. Her voice laced with worry.

    Hazel narrowed her eyes towards the direction where that male student had disappeared to. She took out a wet wipe and wiped her hand thoroughly. She did not even know who that person was, and was not interested to know him. Therefore, Hazel could not understand why he would force her to give him a chance.

    Initially, Hazel had planned to let him leave without causing a commotion. He did not expect that he would try to act rough with her. Just now, the way he had gripped her shoulder was a little strong.

    A soft sigh escaped her as Hazel thought of her slow reflex.

    "I''m fine," Hazel answered. She threw the wipes into the trash can and smiled at her friend. "Don''t worry. Come on. Didn''t you say that you needed to catch a train? Why don''t you go first?"

    It was the beginning of winter vacation and most of the students are leaving to return to their hometown.

    "What about you?" Crystal asked.

    "Don''t worry. Someone will come over and pick me up later." Hazel took out her phone and started to draft out a message. However, before she could send out the text, Hazel heard someone called out her name.

    "Hazel Mo!"

    When she lifted her head, Hazel found that Alex was walking over towards her. Her eyes brightened and a smile bloomed on her face.

    The passerby turned their head the moment they heard someone called out Hazel''s name. When they saw that a man was walking over towards her, their curiosity perked up and they could not wait to see what will happen next.

    Everyone was betting that this man would receive Hazel''s cold treatment just like the other guys have.

    However, to their surprise, Hazel had grabbed her bag and stride over to the man.

    "Alex! How long have you been here?"

    The others who were eavesdropping on their conversation were shocked to know that the two seemed to know each other. Suddenly, they started to pay attention to this newcomer, and gossip that Hazel Mo''s boyfriend was someone not in the same university spread out among the students.

    "I just got here," Alex whispered. He glanced at the bag on her shoulder and raised a brow. "Is that all you''re taking home?"

    "Un." Hazel nodded. "This is enough. I don''t need to pack up too many things. I have everything I need at home."

    "Come on. We should go now before the traffic turned heavy."

    "Hold on. Let me introduce you to my roommate." Hazel turned to her roommate who was staring at the two of them with her eyes wide. "Alex, this is Cristal Mao, my roommate. Crystal, this is Alex He. My best friend."

    Alex''s eyes darkened slightly at the introduction. He turned to Hazel''s friend and the two of them exchanged polite greetings.

    "Crystal, do you need a lift to the station?" Hazel asked.

    Crystal glanced at Alex and noticed his cold eyes. Quickly, Crystal shook her head. "No. It''s fine.. I already called a driver to pick me up."

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 334 - Rumors

    As soon as Hazel was slid into the passenger''s seat, her phone started to chime. Hazel pulled out her phone and saw several messages from Crystal, demanding to know her relationship with Alex.

    After clarifying to her that Alex is her childhood friend, another text came in, and this time it was her other roommate, Michelle Zhuang. Her movement halted when she saw that Michelle had posted a link in their roommate''s group. Hazel clicked on the link and found news on her.

    Apparently, the story about the basketball captain had come to confess to her had spread in the forum.

    Moreover, someone had taken a few pictures of Alex and her and spread some rumors that the two are a couple. It was said that Alex was the reason she had rejected other''s pursuit.

    It seemed that the other students had too much time in their hands that they could spend their time gossiping all the time.

    However... something tugged at her heart upon seeing the post.

    Hazel knew that their relationship was not as what others had speculated. The two of them had grown up with each other and they definitely did not see each other that way.

    Suddenly, she was worried that Alex was going to see the post.  Wouldn''t he feel uncomfortable?

    Seeing that Alex had returned and slid into the driver''s seat, Hazel quickly told her roommates not to spread useless gossips, and turned off the chat.

    Alex started the engine and turned around. Then, he handed her a bag of drinks and snacks. "It will be a while before we reach L City. You can have something to snack on if you''re hungry."

    "Thank you," Hazel peeked into the bag and saw the snacks and drinks that she liked. She saw a brand of milk that she liked and drink it slowly.

    The vehicle started to move and just as Alex entered the main road, he glanced at the girl beside him who was tapping her fingers on the phone. A faint smile curled on her lips told him that she was texting someone she liked.

    The event he had witnessed earlier came to his mind and Alex started to worry again. The two of them had known each other for years, but he had never heard anything about Hazel''s being in a relationship.

    When the two of them went to the same school, he could still found out about her circle of friends or rumors circulating her, but after Hazel had entered university, Alex had lost his chance to find out about the people around her.

    What if Hazel had someone she liked?

    His grip on the steering wheel tightened as the thought came to his mind.

    "Alex, green light."

    Hearing her voice, Alex snapped out of his trance and started to drive again.

    "You''re alright?"

    "Yeah." He flashed a smile at her before he focused back on his driving. "Sorry. I was just thinking about which route should I take."

    "Just take whichever route is safer. We''re not in a hurry." Hazel put down the phone she was holding. "I just texted Auntie Edith and tell her that we''re on our way. She told me to remind you to drive safely.

    "Mmhmm¡­ You were texting Auntie Edith just now?"

    "Uh-huh. She wanted me to let her know when we leave B City."

    His heart calmed down a little bit upon knowing that the person Hazel was texting earlier was Auntie Edith. Hazel''s relationship with Auntie Edith was very close. At times, they looked like mother and daughter. At times, they looked like sisters.

    Of course, Alex knew well that for Hazel, Auntie Edith was one of the most important people in her life.

    There was a brief silence between them before Alex spoke again. "How was your study?"

    "It''s alright," Hazel said. "Next year, I will start to go on an internship before I can graduate."

    "Have you applied to any company yet?"

    Hazel shook her head. "I have a few places I''d like to apply to, but I am still trying to decide."

    "If you need any help, then let me know. I may know a few people who can help you get a place."

    "Alright."

    A few years ago, Alex was surprised when Hazel had told him that she was going to study engineering. He had always thought that Hazel was going to take over MH Group someday and learn something that was related to their business. However, Hazel had told everyone that she was interested in building robots.

    Her uncle had promised that he would support her in anything that she wanted to do.

    Just that, Alex had not expected that after he had influenced her to build those Gundam when they were very young, Hazel would choose to study something related to building robots. Alex knew that Hazel still liked to assemble those models and nowadays, her model collections had grown larger than his.

    Fortunately, Hazel was good at her study and would always top her class, or else, he might feel a little guilty about leading her towards this path.

    After a slow crawl, Alex finally entered the highway and the journey became a little smoother. If nothing goes wrong, it should take them around four, five hours to arrive in L City.

    "You have a month''s break for this winter vacation, right?" Alex spoke after a while. He glanced at Hazel and saw her nodded. "A week after the new year, my class is planning a reunion. Do you want to come with me? You can be my plus one."

    Hazel pondered over his words and was about to decline when she heard Alex continued.

    "A few of people you know will be there too," Alex said. "In the past, weren''t you close to Megan Xiao?"

    Hazel thought about her friend from kindergarten and recalled the last time she saw her, Megan was departing to C Country to further her study. In the beginning, the two would still contact each other on media social. But after a few years, the two were busy with their study that they both lost contact with each other.

    "Megan has returned to L City?"

    Alex nodded. "I heard from Tyler that she''s getting married. This time, she returned to L City to introduce her fiance to her family."

    "Megan is getting married," Hazel repeated the words. Her expression showed that she was still in disbelief. It felt as if she had just graduated high school. But now, someone she knew was going to build a family.

    Hazel could still remember Megan who always looked after her in class when they were in kindergarten. After her parents passed away and she had chosen to isolate herself from others, Megan had stayed around and continued to talk to her even when she did not reply. Megan was always good to her.

    But they were all still kids, ah! How can one of them get married and started a family It was unthinkable.

    "I''ll go with you," Hazel quickly agreed. "I haven''t seen Megan for years."

    "Then, later, I will text you the date and come and pick you up?"

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 335 - Mos Family

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    The sky had turned dark when they entered L City. After almost six hours of driving, Alex pulled over his AUDI in front of Mo''s Residence. He turned off the light and the engine. Then, Alex looked at the girl who was sleeping soundly beside him.

    Hazel''s face was facing him and Alex took this chance to observe her look. His gaze trailed from her eyes, nose and then stopped at her slightly pouting lips. His throat bobbed as he continued to watch her sleeping face. He has been watching this face from his childhood and Alex thought that he had never grown tired of watching her face.

    His hand stretched to touch her face, but seconds later, he retracted his hand and balled it into a fist. Alex closed his eyes and took a deep breath. When he opened his eyes the look in his eyes earlier had disappeared.

    Alex stretched his hand and touched her arms. "Hazel?"

    The girl stirred in her sleep. Hazel opened her eyes and a faint, languid smile curled on her lips when she saw a face that she recognized. "Alex. Why are you here?"

    A chuckle escaped him. "We''ve arrived at your uncle''s house. Aren''t you going to come down?"

    Hearing his words, Hazel turned her head and stared at the entrance with a dazed look on her face. A few seconds later, Hazel took off her seat belt and rubbed her eyes.

    The front door opened from the inside. Alex then alighted his vehicle and smiled when he saw Edith. "Auntie Edith." Alex greeted.

    "You''re here." Edith watched the two kids who had grown up in front of her and then, peeked into the vehicle to see that Hazel was scrambling to gather her stuff. From the look on Hazel''s face, Edith could guess that the girl had just woken up. Her gaze went back to Alex. "How was the traffic?"

    "Not bad. Sorry. We stopped by for a quick break a few times and was delayed."

    "It''s fine. As long as you''re safe. Have you had your dinner? Would you like to come in?"

    Alex glanced at the SUV parked at its usual spot. "No. My mom should be waiting for me at home."

    Edith chuckled as she was expecting to hear his answer. Whenever Neil was at home, Alex would usually reject her invitation to go inside. She then stretched out her hand with a bag in her hand. "We received fresh crabs from Z Town this morning. Give them to your mom. Tell her to come over during the new year."

    "Alright." Alex nodded politely.

    At this time, Hazel finally alighted from the car. She adjusted the straps on her shoulder and leaped forward to hug Edith. "Auntie Edith, I missed you."

    Edith laughed helplessly when as she patted the girl on her back. "Alright. I missed you too. Let''s go inside. I made your favorite food."

    Hazel''s eyes brightened upon hearing the words. It has been a few months since she came home and she was missing her Auntie Edith''s cooking. Although she had learned cooking from Edith, Hazel found that she could not replicate the same taste.

    "Un. I''ll go in and wash up first." Hazel then turned to Alex. "Alex, thank you for the ride."

    The boy nodded. He watched as Hazel walked inside and shifted his gaze. When he noticed the way Edith was looking at him, Alex quickly lowered his head and coughed. "Auntie Edith, I should get going now."

    "Hmm¡­ Safe journey." Edith watched as the car disappeared from her sight and a helpless sigh escaped her.

    When she walked into the house again, Hazel was talking with the two siblings with her daughter, Hailey hugging Hazel tightly. A faint smile curled on her lips upon seeing the three of them in good relationships.

    "Alright, don''t disturb your sister. She just arrived. Let her have a rest. Your sister is on a break for a month. Whatever it is you can discuss later."

    Hailey pouted when she heard her mother''s words and slowly released her arms. "Mom¡­ Sister Hazel said she''s going to take us shopping later."

    "I still haven''t shop for new clothes," Hazel said. "It''s better to have Hayden and Hailey come with me this weekend. We haven''t spent our time together for a while."

    Edith walked over to the kitchen and came out with a few dishes. Hazel peeked at the dishes on the table and was surprised to see her favorite crab dishes on the table.

    "Everyone has eaten. I specially set aside the biggest crab for you."

    "Un. Un. Auntie Edith, you love me the most." Without wasting time, Hazel started to dig in. She peeled out the crab flesh and sighed when the food entered her mouth. This was the taste that she was familiar with. Suddenly, Hazel thought that her tiredness after rushing around to complete her assignments before their break had disappeared.

    Home-cooked dishes are the best!

    Edith continued to chat with Hazel about her life in B City as she accompanied the girl to eat her meal.

    A while later, someone showed up at the dining area with a slight frown on his face.

    "Hazel, you''re home," Neil said.

    "Uncle!" Hazel stared at her dirty hand and nodded at her uncle.

    "Your auntie said you got home with Alex," Neil said. "Why don''t you take a flight? It would save you a lot of time."

    "It''s fine. Alex needs to drive his car back anyway," Hazel said. "I don''t feel good to let him drive alone. It''s better if he has someone to talk to. At least he would not feel bored."

    The frown on Neil''s face deepened as he thought of various things that the two of them could do when they were alone in the car. Neil was aware that the boy had tricked his niece to accompany him on a drive. Driving the car back was his reason to spend some time alone with Hazel, wasn''t it?

    Sensing the way his wife was looking at him, Neil quickly looked away and left.

    "How are you planning to get back to B City after the break?" Edith asked in a low voice.

    "I promised Alex that I will accompany him," Hazel said. "Coincidentally, he''s returning to B City around the same time to meet his partner and he would not mind someone to accompany him."

    "Alright. Just don''t tell your uncle about this first."

    Hazel cocked her head but did not ask why. "That''s right. Auntie Edith, you said you have something to tell me. What is it?"

    Edith flashed her a mysterious smile.. "Let''s talk later."

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 336 - Little Princess

    Hazel woke up in the morning feeling refreshed. It felt as if it has been a long time since she had the chance to sleep in.

    These days, she was too busy with her assignments and exams. It was not easy being a top student. Every night, she had to stay up late and work on her assignment. Then, she had to wake up early in the morning and go through her books before class started.

    Hazel lay down on her bed lazily as she looked around her familiar surroundings. The bed in her room was very comfortable that she did not want to get up.

    After rolling around the bed for a few minutes, Hazel finally get off her bed and walked over to the window.

    The sunlight touched her skin gently. Hazel pushed open the window and took a deep breath. She looked at the scenery in front of her and saw that the swings that her uncle had built for her when she was still a kid were still there.

    After washing up and changing her clothes, Hazel went downstairs and met the auntie who was looking over the house.

    "Auntie, where is everyone?"

    "Young master and young miss should be at school at this time," the auntie said. "President Mo and madam went out together earlier this morning."

    Hazel glanced at the clock and realized that she had woken up late. Her lips curled into a faint smile knowing that they had let her sleep in a while longer as she had just arrived in L City last night.

    "Old Master Qian is in the dining room," the auntie continued.

    Hearing her words, Hazel went into the dining area and found that her Great-Grandpa was in the kitchen, eating his porridge slowly. Hazel stood at the entrance and watched as Mike continued to eat. Suddenly, her nose started to sour and her eyes sting when she realized that her Great-Grandpa had gotten older.

    After Hazel had graduated high-school, Mike Qian finally succumbed to their persuasion and decided to move in with them in L City. After all, he was old and there were some things that he could not do.

    Edith was worried to let him stay in Z Town alone. Although he still had a few people to look after him, it would not be the same as having his own granddaughter looking after him.

    Moreover¡­ a few of his close friends had passed away. Edith was worried that he would be lonely.

    After his great-grandchildren had coaxed him to move in with them, Mike finally agreed.

    Fortunately, the house was surrounded by nature. Therefore, Mike did not feel suffocated to stay with them. These days, he stayed in the house doing nothing but lounging around. Whenever he got bored, Mike would go for a walk in the garden for fresh air and looked at the fishes in the small pond.

    As if noticing that someone was looking at him, Mike raised his head and met Hazel''s gaze. The old man stared at her for a few seconds as if trying to recall her face.

    Mike put down the cutlery in his hand and smiled. "Isn''t that my little princess?"

    "Great-Grandpa!" Hazel walked in and gave Mike a hug. A streak of tear fall on her cheek as she noticed that Mike had gotten a lot thinner than the last time she saw her. When he had stared at her for a few seconds longer, Hazel was a little worried that her Great-Grandpa might have forgotten about her.

    Fortunately, he would still call her his little princess.

    Even though she was in her early twenties, Hazel thought that she would not get tired to hear her Great-Grandpa call her his little princess.

    "When did you get home?" Mike asked. He pulled away to look at Hazel''s face.

    "Last night," Hazel said. "Auntie Edith said you have already gone to bed. I don''t want to disturb you."

    Mike patted at her hand gently. "It''s good that you''re home. How long will you stay this time?"

    "One month. Great-Grandpa, I will accompany you every day until my vacation ended."

    Mike laughed happily before he patted at the seat beside him. "Come. Have breakfast with me."

    "Un." Hazel nodded. After a while, the auntie walked over with a serving of porridge and steamed bun for Hazel. "Grandpa, why did you have your breakfast this late?"

    "Earlier, I was not that hungry," Mike said and sighed. "This is what happened when you get older. You won''t have that much appetite. Just one serving of bowl would be a little too much for me."

    "Great-Grandpa, you''re not that old. Even at this age, you''re strong enough to take down a bad guy."

    Mike laughed upon hearing her words. "How was your study? Is everything going well?"

    "Un. I ranked top three in class again."

    "Mmm¡­ my little princess is such a smart girl." He put down the bowl of porridge and pulled out a few red packets from his pocket. "This is for you. Take it."

    Hazel looked at the several red packets in her hand with a dazed expression.

    "Just take them. At this age, I won''t be needing a lot of money."

    The corner of her lips curled into a smile. "Great-Grandpa, thank you."

    Hazel noticed that after Mike had moved in to live with them in L City, he had this habit to carry several red packets with him.

    Mike was now living with his granddaughter and her husband. Although everything was prepared for him, as a man, Mike would still feel uncomfortable that he was not contributing anything. Since his granddaughter did not want to receive his money, he can only give them to his great-grandchild.

    Auntie Edith had said that whenever Great-Grandpa gave them red packets, they are not allowed to reject them. Or else, Great-Grandpa would be in a bad mood. As he got older, Great-Grandpa became sensitive and would sulk whenever things did not go his way.

    "Little princess," Mike called her name and flashed a teasing smile. "Tell Great-Grandpa, did you already have a boyfriend?"

    Hazel was a little stunned upon hearing the question. "Great-Grandpa, I don''t have one."

    "Why not? My little princess is such a lovely girl. Why don''t you have a boyfriend yet?"

    Hazel lowered her gaze. "The subject that I''m taking is very hard. I still want to focus on my study."

    Mike looked at her and sighed. "Focusing on your study is good. Just don''t forget to raise your head and look around at what is in front of you once in a while. Or else, you might miss something without realizing it."

    Hazel nodded obediently. "Great-Grandpa, I know."

    "You''re a young girl. You should enjoy your youth while you still can, understand?"

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 337 - The Result Was... Positive

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    After chatting with Mike and accompanying him to walk around the garden for a while, the old man finally returned to his room to rest. Hazel was aware that her Great-Grandpa would take a nap and wake up again in the afternoon.

    Since she had nothing to do, Hazel decided to grab a car key and went to her parent''s old house.

    When she turned eighteen, her uncle had handed over everything that her parents had left behind, including the big house where she had lived with them before they passed away.

    Hazel recalled that the auntie who was looking after the place had mentioned a few letters and documents that she needed to look at and decided to retrieve them before she would forget about it.

    It took her around ten minutes to arrive. When she arrived, Hazel stood outside and stared at the building for a long time. After so many years, the house still looked the same. The caretakers had looked after the house and maintain everything as it was before.

    Previously, her uncle had told her that she could move into the house if she wanted to. However, Hazel thought that living alone in such a big place would be too lonely. She would sometimes come over and live in the house once in a while but would prefer living with her uncle instead.

    Of course, her Auntie Edith was relieved when she chose to continue and live with them as it was too dangerous to live alone.

    Hazel walked over to the entrance and an auntie who was always looking after the house came out before she could press the doorbell.

    "Auntie," Hazel greeted and flashed a smile.

    The auntie led her inside and handed her over some letters and documents that she needed to see. After exchanging a few words with the auntie, Hazel decided to walk around the house.

    Memories of her childhood with her parents came to her mind as she saw the big photograph of the three of them in the living room. In the photograph, she was only three and her father had carried her in his arms.

    Hazel took this chance to look at her parents'' faces for a long time. It has been a long time since they both passed away and Hazel was a little worried that she might forget how they looked like.

    Most people would say that her face really resembled her mother the most. However, one could still see the similarities between her and her father on her face.

    Her lips quivered and her eyes grew misty as she continued to look at the photograph.

    When she turned eighteen, her uncle did not only returned everything that belonged to her parents to her. On that day, her uncle had also told her the truth about her parents'' death.

    Hazel could still remember that moment when her grandparents had told her that her parents were no longer around. She had always thought that the two passed away in an accident after returning from a business dinner. Hazel did not think that there would be a story behind their death.

    Her father only wanted to uncover the truth about the corruption that has been going on in the company, but someone wanted him to shut up and an accident happened.

    It was then that she recalled after her Auntie Edith had come over to live with them, there was a period where she had refused to speak because she was too frightened of something or someone.

    Ever since then, she would often have this strange dream where she had witnessed someone walked into her parents'' wards and injected something into their body and caused them to stop breathing.

    In that dream, the younger version of her was watching everything from the side. No matter how much she wanted to stop that man, Hazel found that she could not touch him or do anything. When that man finished, he then turned to look at her with a strange smile on his face.

    Hazel then woke up from her sleep with her body drenched in sweat.

    Of course, Hazel had never mentioned this dream to her uncle or Auntie Edith.

    After looking around the house, Hazel then left and return to her uncle''s house. She recalled that everyone had gone out earlier and she did not want to let her Great-Grandpa have his lunch alone.

    However, when Hazel arrived, she could see her uncle''s SUV parked at his usual spot. She turned off the ignition and walked into the house. Her steps halted the moment she walked into the living area.

    At this time, her Auntie Edith had her arms wrapped around her uncle''s neck and the two were exchanging an intimate kiss.

    Although she had always seen this scene since she was a child, Hazel thought that seeing this scene again when she was an adult gave her a different feeling. She was embarrassed, ah!

    As if noticing someone else''s presence, Edith pulled away and froze the moment she saw Hazel at the door. Swiftly, she took a step back and hinted at her husband with her eyes.

    Neil turned and his expression mirrored his wife the moment he saw his niece. He let out a dry cough and muttered something about an important e-mail that he needed to see before he left for his office.

    "When did you get home?" Edith asked.

    "I just arrived." A smile curled on her lips. For the first time, Hazel thought that the embarrassed look on her auntie''s face was adorable.

    "You went out?"

    "Hmm¡­" Hazel nodded. "I went back to my parents'' place to look at a few letters and documents." The smile on her lips stretched out as she reached Edith''s side. "Auntie Edith, your relationship with my uncle is really good."

    Edith recalled the scene a few seconds ago and lowered her head to hide her embarrassment.

    Hazel giggled and decided not to tease her auntie again. "Where did the two of you went to? Uncle didn''t go to the office today?"

    Edith lifted her head to look at Hazel and this time, her lips turned into a faint smile. "We went to the hospital."

    The smile on Hazel''s face disappeared and she looked at Edith with worry. "Hospital? Why?"

    Edith took Hazel''s hand in hers and patted it gently. "You remember that I told you that I have something to tell you?" She watched Hazel nodded and hesitated for a few seconds before she spoke again in a low voice. "I''ll let you be the first to know this news." There was a brief pause. "I''m pregnant."

    Hazel thought that something might be wrong with her hearing.

    "Earlier, we went to the hospital for a checkup." Edith reached for her purse, pulled out a photograph, and handed it over to Hazel.

    Hazel looked at the photograph in her hand and was momentarily stunned. After a few seconds, her expression changed again. "Auntie Edith¡­ this¡­ you''re having twins?"

    Edith nodded slowly.

    She too was not expecting that she would get pregnant again.

    After they had Hailey, the two of them decided that having a pair of a boy and girl would be enough.

    However, the last time she accompanied Neil to a banquet, Edith ended up drinking a bit too much. She had acted like a hooligan and had seduced her husband in the SUV. A few weeks later, Edith noticed that her period did not come and bought a few pregnancy sticks to test. The result was... positive.

    She was already in her late thirty. Her two children were already in high school. The last time she gave birth to Hailey was around fifteen years ago. Of course, she was worried. Who would have thought that the doctor would announce that she was pregnant with twins!

    Suddenly, Edith found herself in Hazel''s embrace.

    "Auntie Edith, congratulations!" Hazel pulled away and continued to look at the photo in her hand. "I didn''t expect my uncle to be this good."

    Edith felt the corner of her lips twitched at Hazel''s words.

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 338 - Shopping With The Siblings

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    On the weekend, Hazel took the two siblings to the mall to accompany her for their last-minute shopping. When they arrived, the car park was almost full. Fortunately, this shopping complex was one of MH Group''s and Hazel was able to park at the privileged parking spot.

    Hazel and Hailey walked around from shop to shop with Hayden obediently followed after two girls as their guard as well as a to carry their shopping bags. Since the two siblings had accompanied her, Hazel bought a few things for them as a gift.

    After shopping around for almost two hours, Hazel took the siblings to a cafe to rest as well as to have their lunch at a cafe. As they were waiting for their food to arrive, Hazel looked at the shopping bags to check that she had gotten everything.

    Her gaze paused at the light blue overall that she had bought earlier and took it out to inspect it properly.

    "What do you think, this is cute, right?" Hazel asked.

    After Hailey has grown up, most of the baby stuff has been donated away. Now that her uncle and auntie were expecting newborn babies, they would need to buy baby stuff. As Hazel walked around the mall, she stumbled upon some cute baby clothing and could not resist buying some for the unborn babies

    The two siblings looked at the baby clothes in their elder sister''s hand and exchanged a glance.

    "I still cannot believe that I''m going to have little sisters or brothers," Hailey, the youngest of the siblings said.

    When her mother had announced that she will soon have another sibling, Hailey was shocked. She had always thought that she would be the youngest in the family. But soon, there will be two babies around. Moreover¡­ their age gap was too large!

    "Don''t be too sad," Hazel poked at Hailey''s cheek. "In a few years, you and Hayden will be leaving for college. It''s good that your parents will have someone to accompany them."

    Before her Auntie Edith quit her job to focus on the siblings, she was a kindergarten teacher. Back then, Hazel was one of her students and Hazel recalled how much the kids loved Edith.

    Her auntie was someone who loved being surrounded by kids. Although it was tiring to look after the children, Edith found it enjoyable. Perhaps, that was the reason she chose to quit her job to look after the two kids.

    But now that the two of them had grown up, and will soon leave to pursue their study. When that time comes, her Auntie Edith will be at loss in that big house. Although her uncle loved her auntie dearly and would always accompany her, he will still have to deal with the company matters.

    Perhaps it was good that they would soon have more kids. This way, Edith would not be as lonely and would find something to keep herself busy with.

    Hazel shifted her gaze to Hayden and spoke, "Back then, when Auntie Edith gave birth to you, she was two or three years older than I am now." She recalled her conversation with her Great-Grandpa a few days ago and sighed. "Should I start to get into a relationship?"

    Hayden felt the corner of his mouth started to twitch. "Elder sister, everyone should follow their own pace. There is no one too early or too late."

    Hazel looked at the boy and raised a brow. "What are you trying to say?"

    "I''m saying that you should not get married and have kids too early like our mother," Hayden said.

    "Why not?" Hailey asked.

    "If you have kids early, wouldn''t the twins got confused as to why they will be addressed as uncle or auntie when they were still so young?" Hayden explained.

    Hazel laughed at his words.

    Soon the waiter delivered their food and the three of them ate their meal as they chatted happily. The crowd in the shopping mall has gotten bigger that it was hard for them to walk around. Seeing that they had everything they needed, the three of them decided that it was time to go home.

    As they were nearing the entrance, Hazel saw two familiar faces. Her eyes brightened up and Hazel quickly walked over. "Auntie Lily," Hazel greeted. Her gaze shifted to the teenager beside Lily and Hazel called. "Ellie."

    Lily was looking at her phone when Hazel had approached. The moment she saw Hazel and the two siblings, a smile appeared on Lily''s face. "Did you three come out to shop around?"

    "Hmm¡­ We''re just finished shopping around. Now that the crowd has grown, we''re planning to return home." Hazel shifted her gaze between the mother and daughter. "Auntie Lily, did you come here just the two of you?"

    Lily flashed a smile. "Initially, I wanted to ask Alex to accompany us here, but last night, Alex was discussing some business matter with his father until late at night. When we came out, he was still sleeping. I don''t have the heart to wake him up."

    "Auntie Lily, are you waiting for someone to pick you up?"

    "The driver is supposed to pick us up," Lily said. "But the traffic heading to the city is really bad. It has come to a complete standstill. It would take him around half an hour to reach here."

    "Auntie Lily, just tell the driver to turn around. I can drive you home."

    "Mom, let''s just go with Big Sister Hazel," Ellie said. "We have been standing here for a while and I''m getting tired."

    Lily glanced at the siblings and after a brief persuasion, she then agreed.

    Lily took a shotgun while the three teenagers sat at the back. The three of them were of close age and as they were all familiar with each other, it did not take them too long to find a topic to discuss.

    Meanwhile, Hazel chatted with Lily and their talk revolved around Edith''s unexpected pregnancy.

    Fortunately, the traffic heading out of the city was not as bad as it was towards the opposite direction. After around twenty minutes drive, Hazel pulled over the vehicle in front of the He''s residence.

    Swiftly, both Hayden and Hailey helped both Lily and Ellie to carry their stuff inside the house.

    "Don''t just leave yet. Since you have helped us, how about staying for a while for a cup of tea?" Lily said.

    Hazel glanced at the two siblings and agreed. She went into the kitchen to continue her conversation with Lily as she watched the elder lady preparing a pot of tea.

    "Mom."

    Suddenly, there was a slightly hoarse and lazy voice coming from the entrance. Swiftly, both Hazel and Lily turned towards the direction of the voice and found that Alex was watching them with a surprised expression on his face.

    His hair was messy and the shirt on his body was slightly creased.. It was clear that he had just got up from bed.

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 339 - An Indirect Kiss

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Hazel continued to watch Alex''s dumbstruck expression for a few seconds longer. Seeing that he still had not moved after a few seconds had passed, Hazel raised a hand and waved. "Hi, Alex. Did you just woke up?"

    Her voice seemed to snap him out of his trance. Alex turned around and scrambled to get out of the kitchen.

    A brow raised and Hazel let out a little giggle upon seeing the way her friend reacted. Hazel turned to Lily and asked, "What''s wrong with him?"

    Lily flashed a helpless smile. "Maybe he was not expecting to see you here. Just look at the way he looked. It would be strange if he was not embarrassed with the way he had appeared in front of a guest."

    In fact, Alex had run into Hayden and Hailey in the living house earlier. His little sister was close to the two siblings and Alex did not think that Hazel would come along with them.

    Hazel smiled and the memories of a younger version of Alex, running away to his room once he saw that she had visited. A few minutes later, Alex would always reappear with a clean and neat look.

    It felt as if Alex had not changed a lot since they were kids. As the thought came to her mind, Hazel shook her head.

    Hazel emptied the tea in her cup and looked at the time. Noticing that she had spent almost an hour accompanying Lily for a chat, Hazel decided to call the siblings and leave.

    It will be the new year in a few days and her Auntie Edith should be busy with the preparation. Now that Auntie Edith was pregnant again, everyone was worried. The doctor had reminded her of the risk of late pregnancy and she was asked to relax and not move around too much. Moreover, this time, she was pregnant with twins.

    Alex walked down the stairs and found that his sister and the two siblings were no longer in the living room. He then went into the kitchen and found that his mother was rearranging the stuff she bought from the mall earlier. Hazel was nowhere to be seen.

    "Mom," Alex called. He looked around and was a little disappointed when he could not find the face he was looking for. "Where is Hazel and the others?"

    "She left," Lily said without looking at her son. "When you run back to your room as soon as you see her, Hazel thought that you did not want to see her. So she left with her siblings."

    Alex stared at his mother with his eyes wide. "Really?" He scrambled to get his phone to call her and explain.

    "Alright, I''m joking." Lily laughed. "Don''t call her at this time. She should be driving at this time. Don''t distract her. She had spent an hour accompanying me for a chat."

    "Mom¡­" Alex rubbed at his neck as he watched the smile on her mother''s face. It was apparent that she found the situation amusing and had wanted to tease him about it.

    Alex was not expecting that he would see Hazel the moment he walked into the house. The smile on her face was too dazzling and Alex panicked when he recalled that he had just woken up a while ago. He did not want the person he liked to see him with his disheveled look, ah!

    Lily gave her son a lookover and narrowed her eyes. "Who asked you to take a long time to take a shower?"

    "Why did Hazel come over?" Alex asked.

    Lily clicked her tongue when she heard his question. "Your sister and I ran into her at the mall. The traffic heading towards the city was bad and the driver was unable to enter the city. Fortunately, we ran into Hazel and she offered to give us a lift. Or else, we might have to wait at the mall for a few more hours.

    At this time, Alex seemed to remember that his mother had asked him to accompany her and his sister to the mall. But he had overslept.

    "Sorry." Alex ran his fingers in his hair. "The discussion with dad lasted longer than  I expected."

    Lily placed the new towel that she had bought on the table and looked at her son with concern. "Aren''t you tired, running around from L City to B City?" Her tone softened down as she spoke.

    When Lily and Ethan both heard about Alex''s plan to invest in his friend''s business in B City, they did not have a lot of opinions. Alex had already said that he would not be too involved in the company, unless if he was required to make a big decision. Anyway, it was a good opportunity for Alex to gain more experience and learn as he was starting a new business.

    However, they did not expect that Alex would buy a property in B City and decided to spend most of the time there.

    In the beginning, the father and son would quarrel about this.

    It was only after Lily realized that the property was very close to Hazel''s university that she was able to figure out what her son wanted to do and she was able to help Alex to talk to her husband.

    Ever since the kids were young, Lily had always liked Hazel and would joke with Edith that she wanted Hazel as her daughter-in-law. Now that she knew that her son wanted to pursue the girl, of course, Lily would not complain about it.

    To think that her joke would come true...

    It was just that, she was afraid that her son would get too tired. After all, Alex had agreed to take over his father''s business when the time comes.

    "It''s fine," Alex said. He looked at the teacup in front of him and a teapot with half tea remaining. He poured the tea absentmindedly and took a sip. "I''m more like a sleeping partner in with my friend''s company in B City. Until the business is more stable, I can just show up once in a while to check on progress." Alex looked up and saw that his mother was staring at him with a strange look on her face. "What''s wrong?"

    Lily glanced at the teacup that Alex had put down on the table. "That was the same teacup that Hazel had used earlier." She dead-panned.

    Alex felt his breath hitched. Fortunately, he had swallowed the tea safely into his stomach. Or else, he might accidentally sprayed them at his mother!

    "My God, Alex. That was an indirect kiss, ah!" Lily teased.

    "Mom¡­" Alex felt his throat parched. He wanted to pour more tea and drink, but he seemed to remember that the cup in front of him was the same cup that Hazel had used. Alex stared at the teacup that he had drunk from a while ago and noticed the faint lipstick stain printed on it for the first time.

    Suddenly, Alex did not know how to react.. He recalled that he had put his lips at the same spot and his face turned redder.

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 340 - New Year

    It was New Year and the house was lively with the sounds of laughter.

    Hazel walked down the stairs and caught the sight of her uncle pulling his wife away from the kitchen. The two of them argued at the corner before her uncle lifted her auntie in his arms to let her sit down in the dining area. Then, their arguments continued.

    However¡­ that argument could not be called an argument. From the eye of others, what the two were doing was called flirting.

    It did not take her a long time to guess what the two of them were arguing about earlier. Auntie Edith was now pregnant with twins and her uncle was especially worried that she might overwork herself.

    In previous years, their family would always return to Z Town to celebrate New Year with her grandparents. However, these days, her Great-Grandpa''s health was not that good and her grandparents decided to come over to L City instead.

    Because of that, her Auntie Edith was especially busy in the kitchen. Her uncle had hired a few helpers, but her auntie was someone who could not sit still without doing anything.

    Even after her uncle had reminded her to rest, her auntie would still sneak into the kitchen to check on the dishes. It seemed that unless she checked on the dishes herself, she would not be satisfied.

    Her uncle was helpless. Even though he wanted to scold his wife, he could not bear to do it. In the end, he could only coax his wife until she will listen to him.

    The couple has been together for years and their relationship only grew. At this time, Hazel recalled how she would often worry that her uncle would not able to win her auntie''s heart.

    Back then, her uncle was someone who did not know how to coax a girl, but after years have passed, he had become good at it. Of course, he would only have such patience to coax his wife.

    Hazel let out a giggle as she watched how her auntie was carried away. When her auntie tried to struggle, her uncle only held her tightly as he was worried that she might fall.

    Seeing the way the two of them acted, a faint, warm smile curled on her lips.

    It was good to see them acting lovey-dovey even if the family members were around.

    Most parents would choose to hide from their kids instead of showing off their affection. However, both her uncle and auntie were not ashamed. They would never hide from their children. Instead, it was the siblings who often choose to look elsewhere. Sometimes, even Hazel thought that she would get embarrassed after watching their affections.

    However, they were so in love. Why would they want to hide something like that?

    Now that she thought of it... when her parents were alive, the two of them were not ashamed to show off their affection in front of her as well.

    Seeing the example that her parents and uncle had set up, Hazel thought that if she met someone she like, that person should not be ashamed of showing off their affection as well.

    After watching her auntie and uncle for a while, Hazel finally helped her uncle to coax her auntie to take a rest. She then walked into the kitchen and helped to prepare their dinner. Hazel had learned to cook from her auntie and naturally knew the standard that she had set.

    Knowing that Hazel will look after the food preparation, Edith finally relaxed. It could be seen just how much she trusted Hazel instead of the aunties who were more professional at cooking.

    Once the food was prepared, everyone sat around the table and ate merrily. The elders would reminiscence the olden time and the youngsters would listen.

    Mike, who usually did not have much appetite to eat had suddenly eaten two bowls of rice. Seeing the younger generation eating happily, he was in a very good mood.

    After the meals ended, Mike returned to his room to rest while the others gathered in front of the television and wait for the new day to come.

    On the television, the host had finally asked the artists to gather on the stage as they were going to start the countdown.

    Hazel and the siblings sat up straight as they were waiting for the countdown to begin. Once the host started to count backward from ten, Hailey had excitedly counted along with them.

    Soon, a loud booming sound was heard and there was a fireworks show display on the television screen. At the same time, the sound of firework could be heard outside.

    Hazel glanced at her uncle and saw that he was whispering something to her Auntie Edith. Seeing that both Hayden and Hailey had gone upstairs to watch the firework show from the balcony, Hazel decided to follow them.

    The surroundings were very noisy with the sound of fireworks and the night sky was full of colorful fireworks with different shapes and styles. It didn''t look as if the show was going to end anytime soon.

    Just as she was enjoying the fireworks show, the phone in her hand started to vibrate.

    Hazel looked at her phone and saw a few messages from her friends. Hazel scrolled her phone to look at the people who had messaged her and smiled. Her movement stopped as she saw the name on her screen.

    Hazel tapped her finger on that name and read his message.

    "Hazel, Happy New Year!"

    It was the same, simple message as everyone else had sent her, however, seeing the name of the sender brought a smile to her face. Hazel began to tap her fingers on the screen and hit send.

    "Alex, Happy New Year!"

    "Mom said that we will come over to your place tomorrow."

    "Un. I know. I will wait for you to come."

    Alex stared at the last message that Hazel had sent to him with a dazed expression. His fingers hovered over the screen. Alex knew that he had a lot to say to Hazel, but at this time, he could not decide what he was going to say to her.

    In the end, he was unable to type anything.

    Just as he had decided on a topic to continue their conversation, a new message from Hazel popped up on the screen.

    "Alex, Good night. Sleep early."

    His lips subconsciously tilted up into a helpless smile. In the end, Alex could only wish her good night before he turned off the phone and laid back on the sofa.. He can only wish for the sun to rise quickly so that he can see the person he was longing to see soon.

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 341 - Childish

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Alex stood near the vehicle and stared at the entrance as he waited for his family to come out. His fingers tapped on his thigh impatiently. His mother had said that they were going to Mo''s residence, but he had waited for so long and they haven''t gone out yet.

    At this time, his sister, Ellie finally came out. She walked over towards him and grinned as she looked at the thick red packets in her hand.

    As if realizing that someone was watching her, Ellie looked up. She glanced at her red packets in her hands again and stuffed them into her handbag. "Brother, I hope that by next year you can give me a thick red packet."

    Alex raised a brow, shooting his sister a questioning look.

    The smile on Ellie''s face stretched up. "I will pray that you can bring home a wife soon."

    A chuckle escaped him when he realized what she meant. "Thank you."

    As Ellie has grown up, Alex has always thought that his sister was no longer as adorable as she was a baby. However, at this time, Alex thought that his sister was a little cute.

    However, even if he wanted to get married sooner, Alex was sure that a certain someone will not agree. As the face of Hazel''s uncle appeared on his mind, Alex began to shudder.

    Finally, after waiting for so long, his parents came out of the house. Alex heaved a sigh and slid into the driver''s seat.

    Lily saw the anxious look on her son''s face and tugged at her husband''s hand. "Hurry up. Can''t you see that your son is getting impatient?"

    Ethan finally followed his wife''s line of guess and entered the car.

    Now that their son was old enough to drive, Ethan and Lily had decided to let Alex do the task. Meanwhile, the two of them could sit back and relax in the back.

    Lily leaned her head on her husband''s arms as she looked at her phone. Sensing that the vehicle had slowed down, she glanced out the window and saw the traffic. She shifted her gaze to Alex and saw that he was drumming his fingers on the steering wheel.

    "What are you getting anxious for? Hazel is not going anywhere," Lily said the moment she met her son''s gaze through the rear mirror.

    Alex did not answer and continued to focus on his driving.

    He knew that Hazel was not going anywhere, but he just wanted to see the person he liked a little earlier. The last time he had seen her, he was in his groggy state. Just before he can return with a clean look, the person had already left.

    Alex shifted his gaze towards the rear mirror again and caught his parents whispering to each other. Judging from the smile on his father''s face, Alex could guess that his mother should be whispering sweet words again.

    At this time, he was a little bit jealous of his parents.

    Being a married couple is so nice. They can be together all the time and flirt whenever they wanted.

    The drive to Mo''s residence that was supposed to be a fifteen minutes drive took them almost half an hour. When they arrived, his parents went over to the entrance and pressed the bell, followed by his sister.

    Alex took a deep breath and finally trailed after his family members.

    The moment they entered, Mo''s family members greeted them warmly. They exchanged their greetings and pleasantries before they were ushered inside. Varieties of food were served and Alex ate them silently.

    Ellie found the two siblings and the three of them chatted about the latest movie on the theatre. Everyone chatted happily and Alex felt a little invisible as he ate the pastries silently. He did not see the person he came to see, and the others were too engrossed in their conversation that Alex could not find an opening to ask.

    At this time, Hazel''s grandmother, Sophie, walked into the room and saw that Alex was sitting alone. She walked over and handed him a plate of cookies.

    Alex looked up and an embarrassed smile curled on his lips, knowing that he was in a trance and had not noticed that Sophie had approached him. Alex took a piece of the cookies and took a bite.

    "Is it delicious?" Sophie asked.

    "It''s good," Alex answered absentmindedly.

    A warm smile appeared on her lips as she continued to look at the young boy in front of her. "I''m glad you think so. Hazel made them this morning."

    Alex snapped out of his trance when he heard her name. The look on his face was as if he had noticed that Sophie was in front of him for the first time. Alex let out a dry cough and looked at Sophie again. "Grandma, where is Hazel? Why don''t I see her around?"

    Sophie laughed as she had long expected the question. "Hazel is in the garden. She is on the phone with her maternal grandparents who are in F Country. Go and look for her. Tell her to come in when she finished her call."

    Alex nodded. His eyes brightened, but his lips curled into a shy smile. Finding the reason to look for Hazel, Alex thanked Sophie and immediately left to find Hazel in the garden.

    As soon as the boy left, Sophie shook her head softly before she walked to the kitchen. She met her son at the dining area and saw his unhappy expression.

    "Mom, you''re helping him."

    Neil has been keeping his eyes on Alex ever since he stepped into the house and was a little happy to see the unhappy look on the boy''s face. But then, his mother had to appear and ruined it for him.

    "Why not? Don''t you see how pitiful that boy is?" Sophie asked.

    Neil thought that it would be best to let Alex suffer a while longer. At least he will know that it will not be easy to win his Hazel. Didn''t they say that people will only appreciate things that were hard to obtain?

    Sophie chuckled as she heard her son''s thoughts. "You''re about to become a father again, but why do I think that you''re getting childish?"

    "Mom¡­"

    "Moreover, Hazel is not a thing. She has her own thoughts and feelings."

    Neil let out a sigh, knowing that he will not win this argument with his mother. "Hazel does not even like that boy in that way," He mumbled to himself.

    Apparently, his mother heard his words and shot him a fierce gaze.

    "Mom, I''m doing all these for Hazel. I just did not want her to be unhappy or hurt," Neil said. "That girl had experienced too many things from childhood. I just wanted to do whatever I can to protect her."

    Sophie''s gaze softened as she heard his words. "Let''s not forget you have made a deal with that boy. From the way I see it, that boy had already passed with flying colors. Neil, you shouldn''t bother them anymore.. The kids are old enough to decide their path."

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 342 - A Deal

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Following Sophie''s words, Alex then walked into the garden to find Hazel.

    The garden in Mo''s residence was very spacious. In the past, there was a lot of space for Alex and Hazel to run around. But after many years, Edith had planted many flowers and trees around the place.

    Though the scenery was beautiful... but Alex had wished that the camellia bushes were not obstructing him to find Hazel.

    Fortunately, it did not take him too long to find Hazel.

    At this time, Hazel was sitting on the swing under that big, shady tree. The sunlight peeked through the leaves and finally landed on her face. Because of the festivity season, Hazel was wearing a light pink modern cheongsam dress with red flowers embroidery. The swing was swaying a little bit and her long ponytails followed the movement.

    If Sophie did not mention that Hazel was on a phone call with her maternal grandparents, he might have thought that Hazel was speaking to a lover because there was a breezy smile on her face.

    Alex was momentarily stunned the moment he saw the scene before him. His heart was beating hard against his ribcage. It was as if everything around him had stopped and faded away. The only person he can see was Hazel.

    Suddenly, he was brought back to the past where he was a fifteen years old boy.

    In fact, Alex did not always know that he liked Hazel.

    His mother and Auntie Edith were best friends. They would always visit each other''s house and let the kids play together.

    For Alex who did not have a large circle of friends, Hazel might be his first close friend of the opposite gender. Perhaps, it was because Hazel would always listen to him patiently talking about his hobby that the two of them became close.

    After spending their time together, Alex thought that Hazel was a good girl and he liked spending his time with her.

    The two became best friends and would talk and discuss anything.

    When they were both in school, Alex was a senior who had always looked after Hazel. Though the two were not in the same class or the same year, they would still spend a lot of time together. Whenever their class ended, they would wait for each other before they went on their separate ways and this has become a habit.

    The first time that Alex realized that he might have feelings for Hazel, he was fifteen years old.

    That day, his mother had taken him and Ellie to Mo''s residence. His sister and Hazel''s siblings are around the same age and the grownups would often let them play together.

    His mother and Auntie Edith were in the kitchen, preparing a meal while gossiping. The kids were playing some games in the living room. Seeing that Hazel was not around, Alex had gone out to look for her.

    On that day, he had also found Hazel sitting on the swing. There was a book in her hand. She had her hair down and the wind blew gently, messing with her hair a little bit. He then watched as Hazel lifted her hand and tucked the strands of hair behind her ears.

    Alex could still remember his feeling when he saw Hazel on that day. His heart was suddenly beating loudly and Alex could feel his face and ears grew hot.

    He thought that the fourteen years old Hazel was very beautiful.

    However, before he was able to figure out his feeling, Hazel had noticed his presence. She walked over to him and the two went back into the house where Alex had continued to tutor Hazel in the dining area.

    Ever since that day, Alex has been conscious of Hazel. His eyes would always go to where she goes and he started to pay a little more attention to her. He slowly learned about her preferences.

    It took him a few months to figure out his feelings.

    The moment he realized that he had fallen in love with his best friend, Alex was a little excited. It took him a while before he decided to come clean about his feelings. He wanted to tell Hazel that he loved her and wanted to know whether she was feeling the same.

    However, before he was able to tell Hazel anything, someone had approached him first.

    That person was no other than Neil Mo, Hazel''s scary uncle.

    The first time he stepped into Neil''s office, Alex was a little scared. The air around him was a little stifling and Alex did not know why he was called into the office.

    At that time, he also wondered how did Auntie Edith end up marrying such a scary man. In his opinion, Auntie Edith was someone who always had a warm smile on her face. As her former student, Alex had never seen Auntie Edith screaming at the children. Even when she was angered at something that the children do, Auntie Edith would always talk gently.

    Alex thought that meeting Hazel''s uncle in the office was much scarier than the time he was called by the principal to his office.

    When Neil began to speak, Alex was a little shocked.

    He had always thought that he had hidden his feelings so well, but apparently, the man in front of him had seen through him.

    On that day, Hazel''s uncle had warned him that he was not allowed to tell Hazel what he felt.

    As Hazel''s guardian, Neil thought that his niece was too young to fall in love. She was so good at studying and Neil did not want her to get distracted by other things.

    Most of all, because both Hazel and Alex were still young, Neil was worried that what Alex felt for Hazel was something temporary. He did not want the two of them to be in a relationship while they were still young and later, broke up once they had seen that there was so much more in life.

    Although Neil was aware that he could not always protect Hazel, he did not want to see his niece got hurt. For Neil, Hazel had suffered enough as a child. He did not want her to go through another heartbreak.

    Therefore, the man offered a deal to the young boy.

    If Alex can wait for a few more years until he was able to support himself. When he had seen the world and still thought that he cannot let Hazel go, then Neil will not stop Alex from pursuing Hazel.

    If Hazel was the first to confess, Neil will not stop them, no matter how much he disagreed for them to be in a relationship at a young age.

    It was a simple deal and the fifteen years old Alex was confident that he will not change his mind about Hazel. Thus, he had agreed.

    Ever since then, Alex had worked hard in his study. Years passed and Alex found that his feelings for Hazel had not faded but instead, it has only got stronger.

    He had done what he promised to Neil and Alex knew that the only thing left to do was to confess to Hazel.

    Alex was not sure what Hazel felt for him, but has been around Hazel for a long time and knew that she hasn''t met anyone she liked.

    However, he also realized that Hazel might be a little slow regarding relationship matters. Or else, how can Alex successfully swat the flies around her when they were in school?

    Therefore, what Alex wanted to do now was to make Hazel fall for him. It was a mission that he cannot fail.

    "Alex?"

    Hearing his name, Alex finally snapped out of his trance and saw that Hazel had walked over to him with a bright smile on her face.

    "When did you get here?"

    Alex touched the tip of his nose and spoke, "Just now. Everyone is inside." He let out a cough. "Your grandmother wanted me to tell you to come in after you are done with your phone call."

    Hazel flashed him a smile before she habitually stretched up her hands to hold his. "Come on.. Let''s go inside."

    Read novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 343 - Why Are You So Slow

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Alex was momentarily stunned when Hazel had suddenly held his hand. In the past, the two of them would always hold hands like this as they walked around. However, as they grew up, they no longer hold hands.

    Now that they were back in the garden with their hands intertwining, Alex thought that they had returned to their childhood.

    Alex did not say anything as Hazel continued to hold his hand. However, the smile on his face was a little transparent. Anyone who saw it would know how happy he was at the moment.

    When the two entered the house, the chattering voice suddenly grew quieter.

    Everyone had their attention towards their intertwining hands, each of them was trying to guess whether the two had made a progress while they were out there in the garden.

    However, before their mind started to run wild, Hazel released her hands from Alex and walked over to her grandmother to deliver her maternal grandmother''s New Year greetings. As if noticing that people were watching her, Hazel then looked up and coincidentally met with Lily''s gaze.

    "Auntie Lily, what''s wrong? Why are you looking at me like that?"

    From Hazel''s reaction, everyone seemed to understand nothing had happened while the two of them were outside. Most of them let out a sigh of frustration, but one person seemed a little happy that the two had not made any progress.

    Lily glanced at her son and smiled at Hazel. "Nothing. I just saw your cheongsam dress and thought that it is very pretty."

    Hazel''s smiled at the compliment. "Mmm¡­ Auntie Edith bought this for me."

    After exchanging a few words with Hazel, Lily shot her son a disappointing gaze. She had thought that after spending a long time outside with just the two of them, her son would definitely take his chance to confess.

    When Alex was younger, he did not have a lot of friends. At some point, Lily was worried that her son will have a problem bringing home a daughter-in-law for her. However, once Lily was aware that Alex had feelings for Hazel, her opinion began to change. She saw how well Alex had treated Hazel and thought that perhaps her son was not that hopeless¡­

    It turned out that her son was indeed hopeless¡­

    He had already waited for years. When was he going to tell Hazel the truth?

    Alex shot his mother a helpless look before he turned to sit on the sofa. His eyes might be watching the television, but his attention was on Hazel.

    Hazel has always been good at interacting with older people. It did not take her a long time to make his parents like her.

    Watching as Hazel interacted with everyone else, Alex felt a tinge of jealousy spreading. He really wanted to keep this astounding girl to his side where she would pay attention to no one but him.

    As the thought came to his mind, Alex lowered his head and his hand clenched into a fist at the side. He really needed to gather up his courage again and find a way to tell her how he feels.

    Even if there would be a chance where Hazel might not reciprocate his feelings, he still wanted to let her know.

    The He family spent almost two hours at Mo''s residence before they left. Once they arrived at home, Ethan went to his study while Ellie went to her room to rest.

    Seeing that Alex had entered the house after carrying some stuff from the car, Lily waved her hand at him and asked him to follow her. Lily gestured her son to take a sit before she turned around to pour some drinks for both of them.

    "Alex, why are you so slow?"

    A sigh escaped him as he heard his mother''s question. He could come out with a lot of reasons why his mother had wanted to talk to him privately, however, Alex was not expecting that his mother was going to ask him about Hazel.

    "Didn''t you see how pretty Hazel is in that dress today?" Lily continued to provoke. "What if some other guy comes over and takes her away? My son, if you don''t hurry, someone is going to snatch the girl you like. I really like Hazel as my daughter-in-law."

    "Mom, you don''t have to worry. I know what I am going to do. I''ve waited for seven years for the chance to pursue Hazel. I am not going to back down easily," Alex said.

    Alex was always close to his mother. Naturally, his mother knew about his deal with Hazel''s uncle.

    The first time Alex had mentioned the deal to his mother, Alex was a little surprised that his mother would take that scary uncle''s side. He had always thought that his mother would be on his side.

    His mother had told him that being in a relationship earlier might be sweet, but, once he turned to an adult, he would be more mature and have a clearer mind. Even if the two get into an argument, the two of them will know to be rational.

    Alex thought about his mother''s words for days and thought that his mother should be right.

    Anyway, he had already promised Hazel''s uncle that he would only pursue Hazel once he was qualified enough. Therefore, he can only wait.

    "Mom, you know that I always liked Hazel," Alex said. "But I didn''t know what Hazel think of me. Before I tell her that I liked her, I wanted to at least give her some hints so that she will be prepared." His head dropped. "I don''t want to scare her. Don''t worry." He lifted his head and flashed an assuring smile. "I have my plan."

    Lily stared at her son and sighed helplessly, wondering when did her son turn into a foolish?

    She opened her mouth to say more, but once she saw the determined look on Alex''s face, Lily decided not to say anything. Since Alex already had his plan, as his mother, she could only support him.

    The mother and son spoke for a while in the kitchen before Alex went back to his room.

    He lay down on his bed and took out his phone. Seeing that there were a few notifications on the phone, Alex decided to check on his messages. His movement halted when he saw a message from Hazel.

    "Alex, I forgot to ask. You will pick me up before we head to that reunion dinner, right?"

    His lips tilted up as he thought of attending that reunion dinner with Hazel.

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 344 - Stumbled Into A Secret

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    "You''re going out?" Neil asked when he saw Hazel walked down the stairs. A frown appeared when he saw that Hazel had put on a nice dress and wore light make-up.

    "Mmm¡­ I''m going with Alex to his classmate''s reunion."

    Neil was about to ask why does she want to go to Alex''s reunion when his wife spoke.

    "Please say hi to Megan for me," Edith said. She sensed that her husband was looking at her and explained. "Megan is one of my students and she had a good relationship with Hazel until high school. She used to come here a lot."

    Neil tried to recall his niece''s friends and thought of a face.

    At this time, Hazel''s phone chimed and a bright smile curled on her lips. "Alex is here. I better get going."

    Edith nodded. "Go ahead. Don''t make others wait. Have fun, Hazel." Once the door shut behind Hazel, Edith turned to her husband again. "Why are you unhappy?"

    Neil heaved a sigh. "It feels as if a pig is eyeing to steal the cabbage I raised. I just don''t feel good about it."

    Leaning forward, Edith pinched him on both cheeks and kissed his chin. "Well, you still have another cabbage. Sooner or later, Hailey will grow up and someone will want to marry her."

    His expression grew ugly at the thought that his daughter might marry someone. In the past, Neil always thought that it was good to have daughters. Girls are more adorable and sweet as compared to boys.

    But now, he was starting to think that it will be better if he had boys. At least he can teach his sons to steal other people''s cabbages.

    "Just what are you thinking about?" Edith cocked her head and laughed.

    Neil reached to touch his wife''s stomach "I hope this time we''ll have sons."

    Edith stared at her husband helplessly. It was not hard to guess what he was thinking. "This is not something that I can decide, alright?"

    Meanwhile, Alex alighted from his AUDI when he saw someone at the entrance. The corner of his lips tilted up and his throat bobbed up and down when he saw Hazel walking over to him. At this time, Hazel was wearing a dark blue skater dress with glitters on the skirt. Her hair was down with soft curls.

    Alex snapped out of his trance and helped her with the door. "Hazel."

    Hearing her name, Hazel paused and turned to Alex before she slid into the car. Her head tilted to a side when Alex did not speak.

    "You look beautiful."

    A smile bloomed on her lips. "Thank you." Hazel took a step back and gave Alex a look over. "You don''t look too bad yourself. It''s rare to see you dressed up formally like this." She lifted her head to meet his gaze. "It suits you."

    His heart was beating erratically. Alex lowered his head and smiled shyly. "Come on. Let''s get going."

    Once Hazel was seated in the passenger''s seat. Alex went to the driver''s seat and started driving. The two of them chatted about the people who might show up to the reunion until they arrived at The Orchid, a luxury hotel under Zhang Group Worldwide.

    Alex handed the car key to the valet and Hazel habitually held his arms before they walked into the building.

    It did not take them a long time to find the restaurant. The voices gradually quietened down as the two of them walked in.

    "Alex He!" One of the boys stood up and shouted his name.

    Suddenly, the voices grew again and everyone was commenting that they have not seen him in such a long time. Some were complimenting that he had grown up to be such a handsome guy.

    Once they recognized Alex, some of them who were acquaintances with Hazel began to recognize her. Almost everyone in Alex''s class knew that he was very close to a junior and have seen both Alex and Hazel together in school.

    Seeing that the boys wanted to chat with Alex, Hazel immediately searched for familiar faces among the girls. Her eyes brightened when she saw Megan walking over. After exchanging a few words with Alex, Hazel left his side and joined Megan.

    "I haven''t seen you for years!" Megan exclaimed. She gave Hazel a look over and smiled. "God! You don''t look much different than the last time I see you. Still very pretty."

    "I heard from Alex that you''re getting married," Hazel said. "Megan, congratulations!"

    A bright smile appeared on Megan''s face. "Thank you. I''ll give you my invitation cards later. Hazel, you definitely have to come. It will be held in summer."

    "I''ll try my best to be there," Hazel gave her a non-committal answer as she was unsure of her schedule. Unlike Alex and his batch who have started to enter the workforce, Hazel still had another year before she can graduate.

    "Come on, I''m sure you recognized some of our friends here," Megan said as she brought Hazel to the table. Then, she started to introduce the girls. "You should remember Cindy Bai. She went to the same kindergarten with us."

    Hazel flashed Cindy a polite smile.

    When they were in kindergarten, Cindy had said something that made her sad. Although Cindy had apologized to her, Hazel could not forget the words she said. As they grew up, Hazel would run into Cindy a few times. However, each time, Cindy would flash a polite smile at her before she lowered her gaze and walk away.

    Cindy greeted Hazel politely before she continued to chat with her friends.

    Megan watched their interaction and sighed. Then, the two sat down at an empty spot and started to chat. Hazel asked Megan about her life abroad and Megan told her stories about how she and her fiance met.

    "I can''t believe that you are still with Alex," Megan said.

    "Well, Auntie Edith and his mother are good friends. We met each other all the time," Hazel said.

    Years ago, Megan and everyone else were surprised when they heard that their kindergarten teacher had married Hazel''s uncle.

    Megan''s expression changed a little bit. "That is not what I meant."

    Hazel cocked her head.

    "Aren''t you and Alex¡­ a couple?"

    Hazel stared at her friend with her eyes wide. "Megan¡­ we are not like that." She grew flustered. "Alex and I¡­ we''re very good friends."

    Megan raised a brow. She glanced at where the boys were gathered and caught the way Alex was looking at Hazel when he thought that no one was looking. Then, she looked at Hazel again and her lips tilted into a helpless smile.

    It looked like she had stumbled into a secret.

    Megan thought that the way Alex was looking at Hazel was the same as the way her fiance was looking at her. It was full of love and affection. It was obvious that Alex did not think of Hazel as mere good friends.

    Looking at Hazel''s clueless face, Megan decided not to say anything.

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 345 - A Chance To Pursue

    Once the waiter walked in and served the food, everyone started to find a seat and they all ate and chatted merrily together. As Alex''s plus one, naturally, Hazel was assigned to sit beside him.

    As the others reminiscent about their teenage years, Hazel sat quietly as she continued to listen.

    Just then, one of the boys suggested for them to make a weekend trip to somewhere near. It has been a long time that they had time to gather. There were a few of them who lived abroad and rarely returned to the country. Since most of them were still living in L City, those who had time decided to join in the fun.

    "Hazel, join us," Megan said. "It''s fine. Everyone here knows you. Besides, most of the girls won''t be joining this trip. We needed more girls to join." She held on to Hazel''s arms and blinked. "You can share a room with me."

    Hazel glanced at everyone and hesitated. She was not part of their classmates and Hazel was a little embarrassed to crash in and join them.

    "Come on, it was not easy for us to get together," Megan said. "In a few months, I''m getting married. I''m not sure when will I return to L City and meet everyone again."

    The others heard Megan''s words and started to convince Hazel to come along. Her heart wavered as Megan reasoned that it would be easier for them to distributes the room among the girls. There were odd numbers of girls. If Hazel chose to come along, then, the girls can share two people per room.

    Hazel tugged at Alex''s shirt and whispered, "Are you going?"

    Alex nodded. "Tyler is planning to further his study abroad. Later, it will be hard to see him." Seeing the hesitant expression on her face, Alex flashed her an assuring smile. "You should come along with us. Everyone else would not mind. Besides¡­ some of them are going to bring their partner to join this trip. You won''t feel awkward."

    Hazel pondered over Alex''s words and agreed. It has been a long time since she hung around with Megan. Since everyone did not mind her presence, Hazel decided to join them.

    The party continued and everyone began to discuss their trip. Someone mentioned that they wanted to see the sea, and another had suggested Z Town. These days, Z Town was getting popular as a tourism spot. Their beaches were beautiful and more hotels were developed.

    As Hazel often went to visit Z Town and knew a few hidden gems in the town, the others started to ask for her recommendations. One of the boys volunteered to deal with the hotel bookings and everyone made a plan for what they wanted to do during this trip.

    The reunion party ended after dinner and some of them began to make plans to continue the night and visited KTV.

    Knowing that he still has to make a good impression on Hazel''s uncle, Alex decided not to join in the fun. After parting with the others, Alex drove Hazel back to her house.

    The two of them chatted about the party and the upcoming trip.

    "What did you and Megan talk about?" Alex asked. He glanced at Hazel and focused on the road.

    "Not much. She told me about her life abroad. Megan said I should come over and look for her in C Country. Then, she''ll take me around to visit some scenic spots," Hazel said.  "I''ve never been to C Country. Maybe I''ll take her offer once I graduated."

    "That sounded like a good plan." Alex flashed a smile.

    Hazel recalled her conversation with Megan earlier and suddenly turned her body sideways so that she can look at Alex properly.

    "What are you doing?" Alex laughed when he noticed that Hazel has been staring at him strangely. "Why are you looking at me like that? Is there something on my face?"

    "There''s nothing in your face." Hazel giggled. "Don''t worry. Just concentrate on your driving."

    "How can I concentrate when you were staring at me like that?"

    Hazel swiftly retracted her gaze from him. "I was just thinking about what Megan had said to me earlier."

    Alex raised a brow. "What did she tell you?"

    "Megan seemed to think that we''re a couple."

    His heart was beating erratically. The smile on his face turned stiff and Alex tightened his grip on the steering wheel so that he can stay sober and focus on his driving. Fortunately, he was able to control his feelings well, or else, the car might sway elsewhere and they might get into an accident.

    The words were just too sudden and Alex was still shocked.

    He did not think that Megan would discuss something like that with Hazel. Other than his family members, Alex was sure that no one knew that he had a crush on Hazel.

    Hazel laughed. "You think this is amusing as well, don''t you?"

    Alex glanced at the girl beside him and forced a smile.

    "Don''t worry¡­ I have clarified to Megan that we were just friends,"  Hazel said. "I don''t know why Megan would think that we are dating."

    At this time, the phone in Hazel''s hand started to ring. Seeing that it was a call from her Auntie Edith, Hazel quickly answered the call and explained that she was on her way home.

    Meanwhile, a deep frown appeared on Alex''s face as he thought about the words that Hazel had told him.

    After a few minutes, Alex finally pulled over in front of the residence.

    Before Hazel could alight from the car, Alex tugged at her hands lightly, and Hazel turned to him with a puzzled look on her face. "Alex? What''s wrong?"

    "Hazel¡­ What do you think of me?"

    Hazel swallowed when she saw the serious look on Alex''s face. Suddenly, Hazel had a feeling that something was a little strange with Alex. "What do you mean?"

    "The two of us¡­ can''t we be more than just friends?"

    Her lips parted as she wanted to say something, but nothing came out.

    "Hazel Mo, I love you." His eyes turn gentle as he spoke those words. "I want to be more than just friends with you."

    Her eyes widened. Hazel thought that she might have misheard things. "But Alex¡­ I don''t think¡ª"

    "I know that you might not feel the same way as I do," Alex spoke before Hazel finished. His hands balled into fists and Alex could feel his palms were full of sweats. "But before you say anything... before you reject me, can you give me a chance to pursue you? Three months. No. One month. In this one month, I will do my best to pursue you. By the end of it, you can give me your answer. If you still think that you don''t have that kind of feelings for me, then, I will accept your decision."

    There was a long silence between them. Under Alex''s scorching gaze, Hazel found that she was unable to reject him.. "I-I will think about it."

    Read novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 346 - A Speck Of Hope

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    The house was dark when Alex arrived. He walked around in the dark and finally sat down when he arrived in the living room. Alex threw his keys on the coffee table and leaned back on the sofa.

    His hand touched his chest and Alex could feel his heart was still beating rapidly.

    When he recalled that moment again, Alex felt a little feverish. His face turned red and his body felt hot everywhere. The feeling was as if he was a little drunk.

    Alex was still in disbelief at what had happened. He was not planning to tell Hazel what he felt for her in such a situation. However, once Alex heard how Hazel had insisted to Megan that they were nothing but friends, Alex was suddenly had a sense of crisis.

    If Hazel continued to think that they were nothing more than friends and finally settled that she could not see him more than a friend, then, what was he supposed to do?

    He had liked Hazel for years and he could not imagine not having her by his side. Just imagining that there will be another man who will stay by her side would make his heart hurt.

    In the end, he decided to say it. In an impulse, Alex had confessed to her.

    Alex could not remember exactly what he had said, but he knew that he had told her that he loved her and that he wanted to be given a chance to pursue her.

    Fortunately for him, Hazel did not reject him straight away. Hazel had said that she was going to think about it. It was all that he needed to hear at the moment.

    As long as he had a speck of hope, Alex thought that he would be satisfied.

    ¡­

    Meanwhile¡­

    Someone was unable to sleep well. Hazel Mo walked down the stairs with her bloodshot eyes and dark ring under her eyes. Last night, Hazel was unable to sleep no matter how much she tried to.

    Every time she closed her eyes, Hazel would recall the way Alex had looked at her. That scorching gaze imprinted in her mind and the words he said repeated in her head again and again. She turned to one side and then, Alex would appear again.

    Hazel was caught off her guard. She had never thought that Alex would want to be more than friends with her. A lot of thoughts went through her mind. Hazel began to wonder when was it that Alex started to like her?

    The sunrise up, but Hazel was unable to sleep a wink.

    In the end, she decided to leave her bed and walk around. Maybe once she was a little tired, she would be able to sleep.

    Hazel walked into the dining area and found her Auntie Edith sitting around as she wrote something in her book.

    Sensing a movement, Edith lifted her head and smiled when she saw Hazel. "Good morning, Hazel."

    "Good morning, Auntie Edith." Hazel forced a smile. She looked around and noticed that the surroundings were a little quiet. "Where is everyone?"

    "Your uncle went to the office to look at a few documents. Hayden and Hailey went to a friend''s house. Grandpa is upstairs taking a nap," Edith said. She stood up and turned to the kitchen. "Are you hungry? I made some dumpling soup earlier. I''ll go and reheat them for you."

    Hazel slid into a seat without saying anything. She laid her head on the table and stared into space. Her mind was a little messy.

    Suddenly, Hazel felt a warm hand on her forehead.  She snapped out of her trance and saw that her Auntie Edith was looking at her with concern.

    "Hazel, are you alright?" A deep frown appeared on her face. "You don''t look too good. Should I call the doctor to look at you?"

    Hazel sat up straight. Her gaze shifted to the hot bowl of dumpling soup. "It''s fine. I just didn''t have a good sleep."

    Edith heaved a sigh. Hearing that it was nothing serious, Edith was relieved. She would always worry whenever the kids were feeling unwell. "I''ll make you some tea. It will help you to sleep well."

    Before Edith could leave for the kitchen, Hazel had tugged at her hand to stop her from leaving. Edith turned and looked at Hazel with puzzlement.

    "Auntie Edith, can I talk to you?"

    Hearing her tone, Edith began to worry again. "What''s wrong?"

    Hazel forced a smile. "It was nothing serious. Just that, I need your opinion on something."

    Edith smiled. She sat down next to Hazel and patted her on the hand. "You know that you can always talk to me about anything. Tell me. What is it that has been bothering you until you were unable to sleep well."

    Hazel was a little embarrassed upon hearing her words. She was the one who wanted to talk, but now that the two were sitting, Hazel found that she was unable to explain what was bothering her.

    Edith did not urge Hazel to speak and instead waited until she was ready to speak. Judging from the way Hazel had acted, Edith could sense that Hazel was troubled with this matter.

    "Auntie Edith¡­"

    "Hmm?"

    Hazel lowered her head, not daring to meet with her auntie''s gaze. "Last night, Alex said that he wanted to be more than friends. He said he liked me."

    Edith was a little surprised that Alex had confessed to Hazel about his feelings. However, the feeling disappeared quickly as she has been expecting this day to come.

    "Auntie Edith¡­ you don''t seem surprised?"

    Edith smiled and decided to be honest. "I am not surprised."

    "You¡­ know? That Alex towards me¡­" Hazel frowned. "Why don''t you tell me?"

    "This was a matter of the two of you. How can I meddle in and say anything? If Alex liked you, you should hear it from him and not from someone else."

    "At least I can be a little more prepared¡­" Hazel muttered slowly. Then, she lowered her head again.

    "Is this what has been bothering you?" Edith said. A light smile appeared on her lips. Edith was not expecting that it was a love and relationship matter that made Hazel unable to sleep well.

    It was the first time that something like this happened to Hazel.

    Hazel nodded. Then, she started to tell Edith everything that Alex had said to him last night. "Auntie Edith, what do you think I should do?"

    "What do you want to hear from me? I can give you some advice, but Hazel, I cannot help you to make your decision." Edith said. "Whether or not you wanted to give Alex a chance... it was all up to you. However.... I think you know what your answer is in your heart."

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 347 - Roommates Test

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Neil walked into the room and his steps halted when he saw his wife walked out of the bathroom. Her cheek was slightly reddened and the tip of her hair was a little wet. He closed the door behind him and walked over to her slowly. Seeing that Edith had reached for the hairdryer, Neil gestured her to sit down and helped her to dry her hair.

    Once he was done, Neil put the hairdryer on the table and bent to kiss a spot on her nape. Edith coiled as she was feeling ticklish then, she turned around and pecked at his nose.

    "What are you doing?"

    "Baby¡­ you smell nice."

    "There is still a month before the first trimester ended," Edith reminded him.

    "I know." Neil lifted her off the chair and placed her on top of her laps. Holding her tightly, Neil then buried his nose in her nape. Smelling the familiar scent, his heart became a little calmer.

    "Darling¡­"

    "Hmm?"

    "Do you want me to help you?"

    His movement paused. Neil bit at her ears as if punishing her. "Don''t tempt me. Just stay like this for a while. I''ll be fine."

    Seeing the dark look on his face, Edith began to laugh happily. The husband and wife continued to stay in each other''s embrace while enjoying the silence.

    After a while, Neil broke the silence. "Why do I feel like there is something wrong with Hazel? Just now, I found her sitting in the library with her mind elsewhere. I had to call her a few times before she can respond. This is not the first time this had happened. Recently, she''s been staring into space a lot."

    "Hazel is fine. It''s just that she has been a lot of thinking."

    "Thinking about what?"

    "Don''t ask. When she''s ready to tell, she will speak to you."

    Neil raised a brow. "You know what is in her mind, don''t you?"

    Edith replied with a smile and pecked at his chin. "I know. But I promised Hazel that I won''t speak about it to anyone."

    ¡­

    Hazel continued to stay in the library and stared into space after her uncle had left.

    There was a book in her hand, but she has been stuck on the same page for more than an hour. No matter how many times she tried to read her book, Hazel found that she could not get past the first sentences.

    Her mind was too preoccupied with some matter, or rather, Alex''s confession.

    Auntie Edith said that she should know the answer in her heart, but Hazel was still a little confused.

    She liked Alex as a friend and found that he was someone that she can be comfortable with. Among her friends, Alex was the person that she trusted the most. She can tell him anything without worrying that he will judge her.

    However, Hazel was not sure if she wanted to be more than a friend with him. Being in a romantic relationship could change a lot of things for them.

    Whenever they quarreled as friends, they could always apologize and then, returned to being friends. However, what would happen they were in a relationship? If they broke up, then, she would lose Alex as her friend as well.

    She really did not want to lose him as a friend. Hazel wanted to continue being friends with Alex, but her feelings were telling her that the answer will only make her lose him as a friend. Alex would be too embarrassed that he will start to avoid her, wouldn''t he?

    Suddenly, Hazel was a little angry that Alex had told her those things. If he did not say anything, then she can continue being by his side without feeling awkward¡­

    Hazel put down the book in her hand and heaved a long sigh. She picked up her phone to look at the time and was surprised to see that it was already late. Just how long has she been sitting in the library?

    The phone on her hand vibrated and Hazel noticed that her roommates'' group was actively chatting about their New Year. There was around one week left until their vacation ended but everyone was a little sad that they will have to return to the university. Everyone knew what will be waiting for them as soon as they returned¡ªlots of tests and assignments. Just thinking about them would make them feel dizzy. They were enjoying the festivity and good food a little too much and were reluctant about returning.

    Seeing that Hazel had shown up in the group, the girls started to ask her about her vacation.

    Hazel was typing something when a thought came to her mind. After a brief hesitation, Hazel then tapped the send button.

    The chat group became quiet for a long time that Hazel began to think that there was something wrong with her internet connection.

    "Hazel Mo! Did someone confess to you again? Who is it?" Michelle asked.

    "Why do I feel that this time, it was a little different?" Eira asked.

    "That''s right. Hazel has been confessed to many times. When did she ever want to discuss it with us? The Hazel Mo we know would ruthlessly reject that person straight away," Crystal typed.

    Hazel stared at the incoming messages speechlessly.

    What do they mean many times? There were perhaps one or two of them.

    "Honey, there were more than one or two. I, as your classmate, had watched several boys who wanted to get close to you. However, you treated them as an invisible man," Crystal typed.

    Hazel cocked her head. When did she treat anyone as an invisible man? Why can''t she remember any of this?

    "Let''s not talk about this. I''m more curious about this new boy. Hazel Mo, tell us! Which boy confessed to you? Which faculty did he come from?" Eira asked.

    Hazel hesitated as her friends continued to urge her. Then, she began to tell them about what happened with Alex.

    "Your childhood friend? It was that guy from that time, wasn''t it?" Crystal asked.

    "That handsome guy?" Michelle quipped.

    "He''s actually looked better face to face," Crystal said and suddenly, the others were complaining that they were not around when Alex had shown up to pick her up.

    "It was not very hard to figure out whether you''re attracted to this person. Let me give you a few tests," Michelle said. "Do you trust him? Are you really comfortable being around him?"

    It didn''t take her a long time to answer this question. Hazel was really comfortable being around Alex. She can tell him anything and would trust him with anything he said.

    "Do you often find yourself thinking about him?" Michelle asked again.

    At this time, of course, she often found herself thinking about Alex. After all, she was still trying to figure out her feelings.

    "That''s not what I meant. Before he confessed to you, do you often think about him?"

    Hazel thought about it again. She would constantly worried about him and think about him a lot. What was wrong with thinking about her best friend?

    "Then... how would it make you feel if you see him being in a relationship with another girl?"

    Alex has never been in a relationship with another girl.

    Michelle blew a sigh. "Just imagine. When he is in a relationship with another person, then you would not be the first person he would look for whenever something happened. A happy occasion, or a sad occasion, he would share everything with another person first."

    Hazel tried to imagine this scene and suddenly felt as if something stabbing at her heart. She could not bear to imagine that Alex would do everything without her.

    But does this really meant that she liked him?

    "Maybe you do like him a little bit subconsciously," Crystal said. "If you are still in doubt, then how about giving him a chance? They say, if you don''t take a chance, you will never know. Perhaps, the two of you are meant to be together."

    "That''s right.. Even if this relationship did not work out, at least you would not regret that you have given it a try."

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 348 - Give You A Chance

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Just like Hazel, there was someone else who was unable to sleep in the past few days.

    The last time Alex met with Hazel was the night he had sent her home. The two separated awkwardly because of his sudden confession. On the next day, Alex had texted Hazel as usual but the girl had told him that she needed some time alone to think.

    To find out news about Hazel, he had to pester his mother and find out about Hazel''s mood.

    However, his not-so-cute sister then showed up and teased him about his misfortunes. Ellie then gloated that Hazel would still reply to her text.

    Really. Why can''t his sister be as cute as Hazel? Alex thought that her little sister has stopped being so adorable after she learned how to talk.

    He was a little unhappy with their current situation, however, a large part of him was relieved that he had told her the thing that he wanted to say to her for the past few years.

    But¡­ after not speaking or texting Hazel for a few days, Alex was starting to get worried. What if this situation continued for a long time? What if they both ended up not speaking to each other forever?

    It was slowly driving him insane.

    For a few days, Alex has been depressed that he has not spoken to Hazel.

    He can only count days until the field trip with his classmates.

    Hazel had told Megan that she will come and join the class for a trip and he was sure that Hazel will not back down once she had made a promise. It seemed that he can only see her again in a few days.

    After rolling around for a while, Alex finally got off the bed.

    If it was up to him, Alex thought that he would really like to continue to roll around and not leave the bed. He was not in any mood to do anything, but Alex had promised his father that he will show up at the company and help him to look at a few documents.

    After having his shower, Alex walked into the kitchen to find his mother.

    His steps halted when he heard a familiar voice coming from the kitchen. Suddenly, Alex found that he could no longer take another step forward. He was afraid that once he walked in to find that the space was empty, he was going to be disappointed.

    Alex continued to stay behind the wall as he continued to listen to the voice of his mother and Hazel discussing something about the new boutique. Even if this was only a dream, Alex wanted to continue and listen to her voice.

    "What are you doing?"

    A voice snapped him out of his trance and Alex found that his sister, Ellie, was beside him.

    "Brother, are you eavesdropping on other''s conversation?" Ellie shot him a disapproving look.

    Alex stretched his hand and pinched the girl on her cheek. Swiftly, Ellie swatted his hand and took a step back. "It hurts! What are you doing?" Her expression darkened.

    Hazel''s laughing voice could still be heard coming from the kitchen. Alex lifted his hand and studied it. He could feel Ellie''s warm cheek as he pinched them earlier. "So this is not a dream."

    "Mom!" Ellie ran into the kitchen and pointed at her brother who was standing outside. "Big brother is bullying me!"

    Suddenly, Alex found that every pair of eyes in the room turned to him as Ellie continued to complain to their mother about his action earlier. He had only given his sister a light pinch, but it still left a redness on her face.

    His gaze met with Hazel''s and Alex could see the hint of laughter in her expression. His throat bobbed and his heart started to beat a little faster.

    Alex was expecting Hazel to avoid him when they met again, therefore, he was relieved to see Hazel smiling back at him with the same. The familiar smile on her face immediately warmed his heart.

    At this time, Alex had this feeling as if whatever they were back to the way they were before.

    "I came here to deliver something from Auntie Edith," Hazel said, then, she shifted her gaze towards the box on the top of the kitchen counter.

    Lily watched their little exchange and her lips curled up into a scheming smile. These past few days, Lily and Edith have been worrying about the two kids.

    Now that Hazel had voluntarily shown up at her house, Lily knew that Hazel had made up her mind about Alex. However, the two of them were acting awkwardly and Lily thought that if she did not give them a push, the two will continue to be in this awkward position for a long time.

    "Alex, since you''re going out, why don''t you drop Hazel back at her house?" Lily said. She looked into Alex''s eyes and flashed him a few hints. She had already given them a chance to reconcile. If her son was smart, she should not waste the opportunity she had created.

    "You did not drive over?" Alex asked.

    "It was the driver who sent her here," Lily said.

    "The driver dropped me on his way to send Hayden to his friend''s house," Hazel said. "He''ll come and pick me up on his way back."

    Lily watched their exchange and was amused to see her son turned shy. His face turned slightly red and he was a little timid to look at Hazel. If only Hazel was not around, Lily would surely pull out her phone and snapped a few pictures of Alex.

    "If you don''t mind, I can give you a lift," Alex said.

    "Right. Go ahead. It will take a while before the driver going to return and pick you up," Lily said. "It would be better to let Alex send you home."

    Hazel pursed her lips as she looked at Lily, "Auntie Lily, are you kicking me out?"

    "Of course not." Lily held on to the girl''s hand. "You''re always welcome here. I was just worried that you would be bored staying with me."

    The corner of her lips twitched. Hazel was aware of what Alex''s mom was trying to do. However, if she continued to insist to stay with her, then her purpose of coming over to the He''s Residence would be wasted just like that.

    In the end, Hazel turned to Alex. "Alright. I''ll take your offer."

    His eyes brightened up and Hazel was surprised how her answer could cause his mood to change instantly.

    After exchanging a few more words with Alex''s mother, Hazel finally trailed after Alex to his AUDI. The two of them sat in the vehicle in silence as Alex drive her home. Alex was concentrating on his driving while Hazel kept pulling at her fingers.

    They finally reached their destination, but the two of them were keeping mum.

    Seeing that Hazel had no intention to speak, Alex let out a breath of frustration. He then unlocked the car, expecting Hazel to alight.

    "I''ve given it a thought."

    His heartbeat accelerated when he heard her voice.

    "I still haven''t figure out what I feel about you."

    His heart dropped upon hearing this sentence. At this time, Alex began to prepare himself to get his heart broken.

    "However, I am willing to give you a chance."

    Something bloomed in his heart again. Alex felt as if he was riding a rollercoaster with the constant change of mood. Alex continued to stare at Hazel as if he could not believe what he was hearing.

    "I will give you one month to convince me why I should date you." Hazel felt her face reddened as she spoke.. "If you can convince me, then I will agree to date you."

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 349 - Grown Conscious

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Edith leaned on the kitchen counter with a bowl of fruits on the table. She stabbed one of the apple slices and took a bite as she listened to her friend, Lily, updating her about their kids'' situation.

    "Doesn''t this mean that Alex is sort of on probation?" Lily asked after a while. "They were going to date anyway, why not just agree and date."

    "Hazel had never paid attention to anyone and think of being of a relationship. It was not easy to find out that her best friend is in love with her." Edith let out a sigh. "Hazel thinks it was a little hard to think of Alex as something else other than friends, but at the same time, she finds it hard to imagine a life without Alex around her. Since Hazel couldn''t figure out what she wanted to do, giving Alex a chance to convince her was the best thing she can come up with."

    "You''re taking Hazel''s side."

    "Of course, she''s my kid," Edith said. "Whatever it is, I will support and respect her decision."

    Lily let out a long, exasperating sigh. "It''s not that I don''t understand what Hazel was thinking¡­ Just that, I''m anxious about my boy. This is the first time he was going to chase after someone."

    "You think Alex couldn''t do it?"

    Lily went quiet for a few seconds. "I believe in Alex. That boy¡­ ever since he was a little child, he would be able to achieve what he wanted to achieve if he put his heart and mind into it." She knew her son best. Even if he might fail, Alex was someone who would fight for what he desired.

    "Then, just sit back and relax," Edith said. "This matter¡­ it would be best if we stood at the side and watch. They will work together and figure out their future. Don''t you know that if the mother-in-law meddled too much in the kids'' relationship, it will only make a couple unhappy?"

    Hearing the word ''mother-in-law'' made Lily slightly happy. In the end, she agreed with what Edith had said.

    Edith heard a movement coming from the living room and craned her head to see that Hazel had come down with her luggage. "Alright. Hazel is here. Alex should be here soon. I''ve got to go."

    After ending her call with Lily, Edith walked over to Hazel in the living room.

    "Auntie Edith," Hazel flashed an awkward smile.

    "Mmm¡­ have you packed everything you need?" Edith glanced at the luggage beside the sofa.

    "Yeah¡­ we will be going for one night. I''ll come back tomorrow. Auntie Edith, don''t miss me too much."

    Edith laughed upon hearing her words. "You know Z Town best. If you run into trouble, just go and find your Uncle Aaron, alright?"

    "I know," Hazel nodded.

    The two of them turned around simultaneously as one of the aunties mentioned that Alex had arrived outside.

    Hearing his name, Hazel was suddenly anxious. It was their first meeting after she had agreed to give him a chance and Hazel did not know how she should face Alex at this moment.

    The doorbell rang and Alex entered the house a while later. His expression was bright and it could be seen just how much he was looking forward to this trip. The second Alex walked in, his gaze immediately found Hazel and he was unable to look away. In his eyes, Hazel Mo''s smile was as bright as the sunlight.

    Someone let out a cough and Alex finally retracted his gaze. "Auntie Edith," he greeted timidly. Earlier, he was a little stunned to see Hazel that he had not noticed anything else.

    Edith tried to suppress her laughter. As someone who stood at the side, Edith thought that the two of them were adorable. At this time, Edith was a little relieved that Neil had gone out. Or else, she cannot imagine what that vinegar jar would do to make trouble for Alex.

    "Alright. You still a few hours before you reach Z Town," Edith said. "You need to be there before lunch hour, right? Go ahead or you will be late."

    Hazel grabbed her bag at the side and turned to head to the door.

    "Let me take that for you," Alex said. Habitually, he reached for her luggage habitually and turned to head over to his vehicle.

    "Alright." Edith patted the girl on the shoulder. "Let loose and have fun alright. If you need me, you can call me anytime."

    A warm smile appeared on Hazel''s face. Hazel leaned in and hugged Edith. After a few seconds, she pulled away and followed Alex. She took a deep breath and watched as Alex helped her with the door.

    Her eyes widened as Alex suddenly leaned over to her. Hazel froze as she wondered what he was going to do. The soft click snapped her out of her trance and it was then that Hazel realized that Alex had helped to fasten the seat belt for her.

    Alex stepped back and closed the door.

    Hazel took a deep breath to calm down and was surprised upon finding that Alex''s smell wafted to her nose. This was not the first time that Alex had helped her to fasten her seat belt, but Hazel thought that ever since she had agreed to give him a chance, she had grown conscious of Alex and everything he does.

    It felt as if everything was going on as usual. Alex had not changed much after that day, but it was her alone who had changed the way she viewed Alex.

    Alex slid into the driver''s seat and turned around to grab the bag of snacks. "It will be a while before we arrive at Z Town. You can have something to eat and drink to pad your stomach."

    "Thank you."

    "Don''t be nervous," Alex said. "I'' won''t do anything that will make you unhappy, You can treat me as usual if it will make you feel better." He pursed his lips, feeling a little conflicted as he said those words. "But Hazel, I hope that you can look at me more."

    Hazel swallowed and slowly nodded. "Oh."

    Alex heaved a sigh of relief when Hazel did not push him. Then, he turned and started to focus on his driving.

    As Alex''s AUDI moved to leave the house slowly, Hazel peeked into the bag and saw that it was full of the snacks that she liked.

    Really¡­ Alex had not changed much from the last time she mentioned that she was willing to give him a chance. Everything he did was almost the same as what he would do previously. The things that he did for her were something that a boyfriend would do for a girlfriend.

    It was at this time that Hazel seemed to realize something¡ªperhaps, Alex has been trying to court her for a long time.. It was just that¡­ she was a little too slow and a little blind to see it.

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 350 - Seven Years

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    The journey to Z Town was quiet. The two of them did not speak much. Alex continued to focus on his driving and Hazel turned on the radio to listen to some songs.

    She had visited Z Town many times and was very familiar with the scenery outside the window. As the two sat side by side, Hazel continued to look out of the window.

    She could not imagine having Alex as her boyfriend, but at the same time, Hazel could not imagine not having Alex by her side. How many years have they been together? They went to the same kindergarten and then, the same school. They visited each other''s house countless times and shared the same hobby. In short, they have spent a lot of time together.

    Hazel could not deny that she was a little used to Alex''s presence around her. Perhaps, it was because of that that she had missed a few clues that Alex had sent to her.

    Each time that Alex turned to her, he would only ask her various things¡ªDid she feel comfortable? Is she hungry? Is the air-conditioner was too cold for her?

    Now that she was conscious of his feelings, Hazel started to notice that he was always concerned about her.

    Hazel did not know just how long has she been in a trance as she was trying to figure out what she really felt for Alex. When she looked up again, Hazel noticed that they have almost reached Z Town.

    She peeked at the person beside her and was surprised when their gaze met for seconds.

    "We will arrive soon," Alex said. "Do you want to go straight to the hotel or would you like to stop somewhere to grab a lunch first?"

    "Let''s just go straight to the hotel," Hazel said. "Didn''t your classmates arranged for everyone to have lunch together?"

    "Mmm¡­ You''re right." Alex nodded and did not speak again.

    After a while, the two of them finally arrived at the hotel. Alex found a parking spot and pulled over.

    Initially, Alex wanted to drop Hazel at the entrance and let her wait in the lobby, however, Hazel had rejected him as she was not too close to his other''s classmates.

    They both did not bring too much luggage, and Hazel thought it would be better if they walk from the parking together.

    Hazel watched as Alex took out their luggage and called his name, "Alex?"

    "Hmm?" Alex turned around swiftly and smiled. "What''s wrong?"

    "You¡­ how long have you liked me?"

    His movement halted. Alex put his luggage on the ground and closed the trunk. His expression was a little awkward as he was not expecting Hazel to ask such a question. Hazel''s expression told him that she was genuinely curious and she would not move until he gave her the answer she wanted.

    "Around seven years."

    Hazel widened her eyes. "Seven years ago... I was fourteen!"

    "Mmm¡­" Alex shifted his gaze and picked up the luggage that he had put down earlier.

    It turned out that Alex had liked her for so long!

    "Then, why have you never said anything to me before?" Hazel asked.

    There was a brief silence before Alex answered. "I was waiting until we both grew up." At this time, he decided not to mention anything about his deal with Hazel''s uncle. "I did not want anyone to assume that this was nothing but puppy love. I liked you, so, I am willing to wait."

    Hazel shifted her gaze from him and lowered her head. It was not hard for her to figure out that the reason Alex had decided to confess to her after so long. Right now they were both grown-ups. Alex had entered the workforce, and she would finish her study soon.

    Alex wanted to be stable before he can pursue her.

    Hazel thought of any hints that Alex might have dropped for that seven years and suddenly, Hazel thought that all these years, she has been a little slow and stupid.

    A smile curled on his lips upon seeing that the girl in front of him was a little embarrassed. "Hazel, you can ask me anything that you wanted to know about me. I will try and answer your questions." A chuckle escaped him when Hazel stared at him with her round eyes.

    The look on her face was too adorable and Alex was a little worried that he might be unable to restrain himself.

    "Come on," Alex said. "Let''s go and check-in first. The others should be waiting for us."

    "Oh." Hazel nodded slowly.

    A few of Alex''s classmates gathered around the lobby area as they waited for the others to arrive. Once they saw both Alex and Hazel together, the Class Monitor, who was put to be in charge of their room walked over. After exchanging a few words with Alex, he then gave them two sets of keys.

    "Alex, you''re going to be in the same room with Tyler," the Class Monitor said. He turned to Hazel and smiled. "As for you, you''re going to stay with Megan." His gaze returned to Alex and a teasing smile curled on his lips. "Don''t worry, I assigned your rooms to be side by side."

    "Thank you," Alex said.

    "Tyler has not shown up yet, but Megan has arrived around ten minutes ago," the Class Monitor said. "She should be in her room. You can rest around for half an hour, then, everyone should gather in the hotel''s coffee house for lunch. We are planning to have a barbecue party in the evening. I will assign tasks during lunch."

    After exchanging a few more words, Alex led Hazel to the elevator and they both arrived at their floor.

    The Class Monitor had assigned their room to be next to each other as per Alex''s request. Hazel had come with him to attend his classmates'' gathering and he wanted to stay closer to Hazel so that he can look after her.

    They arrived at their rooms and stood in front of their doors. Alex turned to Hazel and saw that she too was looking at him.

    "I will see you again in half an hour," Alex said. "Don''t be late."

    Hazel nodded. "I know."

    Alex waited for Hazel to walked into her room and exhaled a long sigh as he watched Hazel closed the door. He thought about their little interaction since early morning and thought that they did not make a lot of progress.

    He really needed to work hard if he wanted Hazel to stay by his side as his lover.

    Read novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 351 - Every Little Thing

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    As soon as Hazel entered the room, Megan greeted her with a wide smile before she leaped to Hazel and pulled the girl into her embrace.

    "Hazel! I thought that you were not going to show up."

    Hazel laughed. "Why would you think that? I promised that I will come and join you, right? Moreover, it is a rare chance for me to see you. Who knows when will be the next time I can see you?"

    Megan giggled happily as she pulled Hazel to the bed and then showed her around the room. The two of them chatted for a while and Megan realized that it was almost time for lunch.

    "Let''s go," Megan said. "Our Class Monitor is a punctual man. He would nag for hours if we did not show up on time."

    After freshened up a little bit, the two girls walked out of their room.

    Just outside the room, Alex stood in the corridor with his back leaning on the wall. He had one hand in his pocket as he was looking at something on his phone. The moment he heard the door move, Alex instinctively shifted his gaze.

    "Alex, you''re here," Megan said. Her lips tilted up when she saw the man''s posture. "Were you waiting for us?"

    "Mmm¡­" Alex glanced at Megan before his gaze moved to Hazel again. "Let''s go. The others should be waiting for us downstairs." He stretched his hand and Hazel moved to hold his hand.

    At the side, Megan watched the two people in front of her with a dazed expression. Seeing the two of them walking together side by side and holding hands reminded her of their younger days.

    The look on Alex''s face remained the same, but Megan noticed that there was something different about Hazel. But¡­ what was it?

    "Alex, wait up," Megan called when she realized that she was a few steps behind. "You were always the same. Always so cold. Can''t you be gentler to the other gender?"

    The man did not even look at Megan. Alex thought that he can only be gentle towards the person he really liked.

    Seeing that Alex continued to walk forward, Hazel tugged at his hand, making him slow down so that the three of them could walk to the elevator together. As the elevator arrived, the three of them entered together. Alex continued to stay silent as the two girls were chatting about their activity next.

    When they arrived at the restaurant, the Class Monitor had arrived along with a few others. The waiter led them to a reserved corner where everyone sat around freely.

    Naturally, Hazel was seated next to Alex.

    As everyone was seated, the Class Monitor stood up and coughed. "Our classmate, Tyler Lu called earlier and said that he will not be able to join us today. Something came up at his company and he was called to return."

    Hazel glanced at Alex and noticed for the first time that Alex''s best friend, Tyler, was not around.

    After giving everyone a few updates on their activities, the Class Monitor called for the waiter and their food was served. Soon, varieties of food were served on the table and everyone started to dig in.

    The food selection was discussed a few days earlier after the Class Monitor had asked around for everyone''s preferences and allergies.

    Hazel picked up her cutlery and took a bite at the stir-fried vegetables on her bowl. A few seconds later, Alex reached over with his chopstick and took out the carrot from her bowl.

    Swiftly, Hazel turned her head at Alex and saw him munching those carrots as he continued to listen to his classmates'' chatters.

    Another thought came to her mind. Hazel was not a big fan of carrots and would always avoid eating them whenever she can. She was not a fan of its taste.

    Every time the two of them had a meal together, Alex would always take out any carrot from her plates and eat them for her.

    Hazel tried to think of when did this begin and was shocked upon realizing that Alex had done so from the time they two started to get close during kindergarten.

    Suddenly, Hazel realized that the man beside her was always attentive to her. Hazel tried to think of everything she knew about Alex. Although she was always close to Alex from a young age and know of his secret and preferences, Hazel did not think that she can be as attentive as Alex.

    Alex had told her that he had liked her for seven years. But was it really true? Once she started to analyze things, Hazel realized that Alex had started to treat her differently earlier than that.

    Various thoughts came to her mind and Hazel slowly lowered her head to eat. From the corner of her eyes, Hazel began to observe Alex''s movement and every little thing he does.

    The meal finally ended after the Class Monitor had briefed everyone about their barbecue activity on the night. Since there were a few hours before they can start to prepare, the others decided to return to their room and rest.

    Alex waited for the others to leave before he turned to Hazel. "Do you want to walk around this place?"

    Hazel looked out the glass window towards the blue sky. The weather was good and it was always good to take a walk after eating. "Alright." She turned to Megan and asked, "Megan, do you want to join us?"

    Alex wrapped his hand on Hazel''s before he shot a look at Megan.

    As if she could understand Alex''s warning, Megan rolled her eyes and waved. "You guys go ahead. I''m going to call my fiance lest he worries about me."

    If her fiance was free to join them, then she would not have to suffer being fed with dog food!

    From the moment Alex had shown up, the man kept on showing off his affection to Hazel. Although Hazel had insisted that they were only friends, as the person who stood at the sideline, how can Megan not see anything? A person had to be blind if they cannot see just how much Alex had doted on her clueless friend.

    Megan was feeling slightly aggrieved and decided to complain a little bit to her fiance later.

    Hazel watched Megan left with a puzzled expression. Her friend was still alright a few seconds ago, but why did Hazel sense as if Megan was a little annoyed?

    "Let''s go."

    Hazel turned to Alex and nodded. "Oh."

    The sky was blue and the weather was great. The sea breeze blew gently as walked around the hotel area.

    Hazel looked at the scenery in front of her and felt as if the hand that Alex was holding was a little sweaty. The two of them had always walk around holding hands, but for the first time, Hazel was a little anxious.. The two of them were alone and Hazel was looking forward to seeing what Alex would do next.

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 352 - Adorable, Clueless Girl

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Hazel peeked at Alex and was a little startled upon meeting his gaze. Swiftly, Hazel looked away and tucked a few strands of hair behind her ear. Her face fell a little hot and Hazel was sure it was because of the scorching sun.

    After a while, Hazel peeked at Alex again and heaved a sigh when she found that he was not looking at her.

    Now that she thought about it, these days, she would often catch Alex watching her.

    Or perhaps, Alex had always been watching over her. It was just that, she was the one who was too slow to notice him.

    The two of them were always together, but how was it possible that she had never noticed this? When did she become clueless towards the people around her? Was it possible that she has been too focused on her study that she had started to notice things?

    Suddenly, Hazel was reminded of her last conversation with her Great-Grandpa. He had reminded her to raise her head and look around at what was in front of her.

    Her gaze shifted towards their intertwining hands. Alex had always held on to her hands whenever they were together. Now that she looked closely, Hazel began to realize that Alex''s hands were big and warm.

    The two of them were supposed to be on a walk and enjoying the beach scene, but in the end, they were both watching each other secretly.

    Without realizing it, the two of them had made a full circle at the hotel''s garden.

    "There are still a few hours before everyone would gather around to play at the beach."

    Hazel snapped out of her trance when she heard his voice.

    "Let''s go upstairs and rest before the time comes. Later, we can play by the beach before the barbecue party began," Alex said. "The others are planning to swim around the beach. Let''s go together, alright?"

    Seeing that the girl in front of him merely replied to him with a nod, Alex let out a chuckle. He ruffled her hair before he held her hand again and led her to the elevator and back to their floor.

    Before she realized it, she had already walked into the room that she shared with Megan. Hazel leaned her back on the door and wondered just what on earth just happened.

    She was expecting that Alex was going to make a move and convince her why she should be dating him. But other than watching the beach scenery and taking a walk together it seemed that Alex had not done anything. Didn''t he say that he was going to court her? Why didn''t he do anything?

    Or was it that she was expecting too much from him?

    As Hazel continued to ponder what was going on, Megan walked out of the bathroom and smiled. "You''re back. How was your walk?"

    "It was interesting¡­" Hazel said. Her mind was still on Alex and his strange behavior.

    Megan watched as Hazel walked over to the sofa and sat down. The television was on, but Hazel does not seem to be interested in the show.

    "Hazel¡­ can I ask you something?"

    Hazel snapped out of her trance when she heard Megan''s voice. "What is it?"

    Megan stared at Hazel silently as she tried to rearrange the question in her mind. "Alex and you¡­ why does it feel as if the two of you were acting a little different than the last time I saw you?"

    "Ah?"

    "Well, to be precise, why does it seem as if you''re acting a little different when you were with Alex?"

    "What do you mean different?"

    "Although the two of you are together, it seemed that you were avoiding his gaze." Megan pondered over Hazel''s strange action and could not think of anything. Now that she thought about it, the air around the two of them had changed a little bit.

    Hazel was a little surprised upon hearing what Megan had said. "You think I was avoiding him?" She watched Megan nodded and was a little anxious. "Was it that obvious?"

    Megan opened her mouth to speak but stopped herself as her intuition warned her that there was something strange from Hazel''s words. Megan sat down beside Hazel and narrowed her eyes. "Speak out. What is going on between you and Alex?"

    Hazel shrunk her neck, her cheek felt a little hot. "Nothing is going on."

    Megan continued to observe her friend. "It doesn''t look as if there''s nothing." She poked at Hazel''s waist and smiled. "Come on. Tell me."

    After thinking about the problem that has been in her mind for a while, Hazel decided to confide in Megan. After all, Megan was someone who had been in a relationship. Surely, she would be able to offer some advice to her.

    "It is a little different," Hazel spoke in a low voice. She peeked at Megan''s reaction and continued, "After that class reunion dinner, Alex confessed to me."

    Megan let out a loud gasp and a cursing word. "That boy finally grew some balls, huh?" Her gaze shifted to Hazel again and Megan had to suppress her laugh upon seeing how Hazel''s face had turned red. "Then, the two of you have started dating?"

    "We''re not dating."

    "Ah?" Megan could not hide her surprise. "Why not?"

    "I honestly not sure what I feel towards Alex," Hazel said. "I just thought that it was a little strange to be dating Alex."

    "What''s so strange about it? From what I see, the two of you are always together. It almost looks as if you have dated him for a long time."

    Hazel was slightly startled by Megan''s words.

    "Holding hands and doing almost everything together... aren''t those are what a couple would do? The two of you have always been together from kindergarten and are always for each other while you were growing up. Back then, we always thought that the two of you were dating. We always dubbed you two as childhood sweetheart." Megan heaved a sigh.  "The two of you had done almost everything a couple would do. Why don''t you go out with him? You don''t like Alex that way?"

    Hazel bit at her lips. She really could not explain well the reason why she did not agree right away to go steady with Alex.

    She was uncertain of her feelings. Hazel thought that it would be cruel for Alex if she agreed to date him with this feeling.

    "I''m a little confused," Hazel nodded.

    "What are you confused about? Come, tell me." Megan waved her hands. "Big sister will help you to analyze things for you."

    Hazel took a deep breath before she started to tell Megan about the promise she made with Alex and how it was bothering her when Alex did not seem as if he wanted to work on it.

    When she finished, Megan burst into laughter. "Hazel Mo, you''re such an adorable clueless girl. Everything that Alex had done today, wasn''t those counted as courting you? Sometimes, a man did not have to make a big gesture to pursue a woman. Sometimes, a small gesture was enough. Don''t tell me that you weren''t a little touched after watching how Alex moved around you. He would help you to get the dishes that you couldn''t reach and stopped the boys from teasing you too much during lunch."

    Hazel was surprised that Megan had noticed those little things. She did feel something fluttering in her heart when she started to watch Alex a little closer and noticed those things.

    "You were surprised when you know that Alex wanted to be more than friends with you... I think Alex was worried that he might frighten you if he made a sudden big move.." A thought came to her mind, but Megan decided not to say them out loud lest she would ruin Alex''s plan.

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 353 - Figure Out Things

    In the evening, when the sun was not as hot, Hazel and Megan decided to head over to the beach and joined the others. Alex was already waiting for the girls outside. He looked up from his phone and his gaze instantly went to Hazel.

    After having a little chat with Megan about Alex, Hazel was prepared to look closely at his action. Seeing that the man had kept his eyes on her the moment she came out, Hazel felt a little embarrassed. Alex¡­ he did not even bother to look at Megan who was with them.

    Was this how he would always look at her?

    Unable to bear his scorching gaze, Hazel lowered her head and urged, "Let''s go. Didn''t you say that we''re going to play at the beach?" Instinctively, Hazel stretched her hand to hold Alex''s.

    Her movement halted when she realized what she had done. From the corner of her eyes, Hazel could see that Megan was secretly laughing at her.

    Holding hands had become a habit from childhood and she was used to it. However, now that she was aware of Alex''s feelings towards her, reaching to hold his hands first gave her a different feeling.

    Her heart was beating furiously and Hazel was a little worried at how Alex was going to react.

    Just as Hazel was about to pull her hand away, Alex had grasped her hand tightly in his.

    "Let''s go."

    Hazel could imagine that the smile on his lips although she was not looking at him. She pursed her lips and followed his lead.

    Megan rolled her eyes as she watched the silly couple in front of her. She pulled out her phone and texted her fiance how much she was missing him.

    Their classmates gathered at the beach when they arrived. They saw how Alex was holding hands with his sweetheart and started to whistle to tease them. The single boys began to complain and urge them to stop showing PDA.

    "Do you want to go for a swim?" Alex asked.

    Hazel turned to look at the sea and was a little stunned at the beautiful scenery. However, the scenery was not as beautiful as the beaches that Auntie Edith had taken her. Hazel still thought that the beach on the east side was a lot prettier.

    She saw a few kids playing around the water and suddenly had the urge to go in. It felt as if it has been a long time since she dipped her feet in the seawater.

    "You guys go ahead," Megan said. "Let me watch over your stuff. I''m just going to sit around and enjoy the sun."

    Hazel handed her belongings over to Megan and took off her cover-ups.

    Alex swallowed the moment Hazel reached to his side in her high neck halter and shorts swimwear. Although it was very modest, Hazel had exposed a lot of skins. His gaze stopped at her toned tummy and he had the urge to touch them.

    Hazel has been training with her Great-Grandpa and Auntie Edith from a young age and had never slacked off. Because of that, her body was well proportioned.

    Alex noticed the way the others were throwing their glance at her and suddenly regretted asking the question. He should have asked her to walk around the beach instead.

    Hazel ran slowly towards the beach and quickly entered the water.

    "If you don''t go over, the other guys are going to join her."

    His face turned darker as he listened to Megan''s reminder. After leaving his possession to Megan, Alex then entered the water to join Hazel. When he reached her side, Ian Huo, one of his classmates was seen swimming around Hazel.

    The moment he saw that boy, Alex was a little unhappy. He had always known that Ian Huo had liked Hazel. Back then, it was because of this boy that Cindy Bai had made Hazel run away with tears on her face.

    Every time he saw her tear-stained face, Alex would feel distressed.

    "You''re here." Hazel quickly went over to Alex''s side the moment she saw him approaching.

    If one looked closely, one will notice the relief on her face when she saw him.

    "Alex, you''re here as well." Ian was a little unhappy upon seeing Alex around. He had thought that he would have a chance to talk to Hazel for a little bit, but suddenly, this light bulb appeared. It was not as if he did not know how protective Alex can be towards Hazel.

    Back then, when they were in high school, Ian had witnessed how Alex had warned other boys to stay away from Hazel. Hazel was popular for her indifference towards the other gender. Then, there were rumors that a senior who was in the soccer club had approached Hazel.

    Somehow, Alex had caught rumors that the boys from the soccer club made a bet. Whoever can ask Hazel out will receive an amount of money. Then, a fight broke out, and fortunately, a teacher had walked past by to stop them.

    Ian was not sure of the details, but in the end, Alex got off the situation unscathed, while the senior was given a warning.

    "Mmm¡­" Alex merely nodded towards Ian.

    Seeing Alex''s unpleasant gaze, Ian did not know whether he wanted to get angry or laugh. He raised both hands and smiled. "I was just asking Hazel if she''s having fun."

    He knew that Hazel had joined this trip as Alex''s plus one and knew that he would be at a disadvantage if he tried to create trouble.

    "I am," Hazel said. She swam over to Alex and hid behind him. "Alex is here, so I''ll be fine."

    Ian got the hint and finally left with an awkward smile on his face.

    "Are you alright?" Alex asked. He watched Hazel nodded and let out a breath of relief. "Let''s just swim around for a while."

    "Alex, hold on," Hazel called.

    Alex cocked his head as he watched Hazel approached him and slowly reached to touch his arm. His gaze followed to look at the place she touched and Alex was puzzled at what Hazel was trying to do.

    "What are you doing?" Alex continued to watch her, amused.

    His voice snapped her out of her trance. Hazel lifted her gaze to meet Alex''s and was suddenly shocked at what she had done. "Nothing. I was just trying to figure out things."

    "What thing?"

    Earlier, she had lowered her guard and let Ian grabbed at her hand. Hazel always knew that she did not like it when others tried to touch her. But, why was Alex a little different?

    These days, her heart would jump whenever they hold hands. It was a strange feeling. But, it was not an uncomfortable feeling. In fact, with Alex, everything felt very natural.

    "I don''t like it when other people touched me. But, I think being around you is quite comfortable."

    Alex was surprised upon hearing her words and a little happy knowing that Hazel was slowly trying hard to figure out her feelings. If he leaned in and kiss her, would she find it uncomfortable?

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 354 - Hazel Had Left Suddenly

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    The man and woman were facing each other and the background scenery was beautiful. However, Alex decided to suppress his urge. Hazel was still trying to figure out things and he did not want to scare her. Alex thought that he was lucky enough that Hazel had wanted to give him a chance. If she was frightened and chose to run away, it was him who was going to suffer.

    Since he was already planning to take small steps, he can only be patient. Didn''t they say that waiting will only make things sweeter?

    After changing their clothes, Alex and Hazel went to the hotel''s barbecue area. When they arrived, someone had already started the fire. The boys gathered over the grill while the girls were arranging the side dishes. A few commis and hotel staff were at the side to assist them.

    The sky was turning darker and there were fairy lights hung around. The barbecue area was facing the beach and everyone was enjoying the beautiful scenery and the gentle breeze.

    Megan waved her hand the moment she saw Hazel walked over with Alex. "Hazel, over here!"

    "Go ahead." Alex motioned her to join Megan and the other girls. "What do you want to eat?" I''ll bring them over to you."

    Hazel glanced at the griller and answered, "Anything is fine. I''m not picky."

    There were too many people around and Hazel figured out that the others are going to be scrambling for food. After swimming around earlier, she was a little famished and did not mind having anything to pad her stomach.

    Hazel left his side and walked over towards Hazel where the girls were gossiping about their classmates and then, moved to discuss the latest fashion. Although Hazel knew everyone in the cycle, she was not very close to them. Therefore, she only sat there while listening to their conversation.

    Just then, the boys walked over towards the group of girls while carrying a tray of barbecued foods. Instantly, the girls started to clamor and fight for the food.

    Most of Alex''s classmates were from high-status families. The sight of everyone fighting for food was quite interesting. Before Hazel was about to join in the fun, a plate of mixed grilled food appeared in front of her. Hazel tilted her head and met Alex''s gaze.

    "For you," Alex said. "I pick a little bit of everything."

    Hazel glanced at the plate of food and her stomach started to grumble, demanding to be fed. "Thank you." She took the plate from Alex and noticed that there was only one serving. "What about you?"

    Alex turned towards the griller where the commis continued to grill more food. "I can wait."

    "We can share," Hazel suggested. She bit her lips and watched as a smile bloomed on his lips.

    "Alright," Alex nodded. He led Hazel to sit down near the others and the two began to share their food.

    With good food on their plates, the others began to eat and chatted merrily. The food was prepared by the professional chefs as per their request and it tasted delicious. The boys were initially going to be in charge of the grilling, but after a while, they gave up and passed the job to the staff.

    Their laughter reverberated around the area as they joked around about various things.

    Hazel munched at the chicken skewers as she continued to listen. Her lips tilted up to a smile as she watched one of the boys pulling a prank at another.

    Just as she had put down the skewers, Hazel noticed that the prawn on her plate was peeled. Hazel turned to Alex and saw that he was busy peeling the prawn as he discussed something with the person beside him.

    The peeled prawn was closer to her while its shell was piled up at his side. It didn''t take her too long to figure out that Alex had peeled the prawn for her.

    A chuckle escaped her. Hazel picked up a piece and ate them slowly. Somehow, Hazel thought that this prawn tasted a little sweet than the one that she had peeled herself.

    The barbecue party continued with the others discussing various things.

    After a while, one of the boys began to mention a serial murder case that happened around Z Town around thirty years ago. It was gruesome and the boys decided to liven up the mood with this story.

    Hazel ate her food silently as she continued to listen to their chattering. A few minutes passed and soon, Hazel''s expression began to change. It did not take her too long to figure out about this case.

    A few years ago, her Uncle had told her the truth about her parents'' death. They told her that her parents died in an accident after investigating corruption in the company.

    Then, Auntie Edith had mentioned to her about this serial murder. Auntie Edith''s mother was among the victim of this murder and Great-Grandpa and Uncle Aaron took part in the investigation.

    Both her Uncle and Auntie Edith then told her that the person who caused her parents to die in this accident was the same as this murderer.

    Sometimes, pieces of her childhood memories would return and Hazel would recall that man''s face. Hazel recalled that how frightened she was every time she saw that man. Then, she would recall her dreams¡­

    Alex seemed to notice that something was not right. Hazel was still eating her food a few seconds ago, but then, he began to notice that her movement had paused.

    Turning around, Alex was a little surprised to see that Hazel''s face was a little pale. He placed the plate on the table and frowned. "Hazel? Are you alright?"

    Hazel snapped out of her trance when she heard his voice. She stared at Alex with a dazed expression and blinked.

    "Are you feeling uncomfortable? Do you want to return to your room?" His frown deepened when he noticed that Hazel did not answer his question.

    "I''m¡­ fine." Hazel evaded his gaze. She swallowed and suddenly felt that the atmosphere was a little stuffy. Hazel picked up a napkin beside her and started to wipe her hands. "I''m sorry, I need some fresh air." She stood up suddenly and left the crowd in silence.

    Alex was surprised when Hazel had got up and left suddenly. He tried to figure out if he had done something wrong but could not think of anything. It was at this time that he overheard the others were discussing the serial murder that happened years ago.

    Previously, Alex was busy discussing some other matters with the person beside him and he did not listen to the others'' gossiping. But once he had listened to their discussion, Alex finally figured out why Hazel had left suddenly.

    His expression darkened.. Alex then left the plate on the table and rushed to find Hazel.

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 355 - Hazel Decided To Talk

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    When Alex found Hazel again, the girl was alone in the dark. His steps halted as he watched Hazel bent forward with both hands on her knees. Alex blew a breath of relief when he found her safe and sound. He took a step towards her and stopped again, wondering if he should leave her alone.

    He had heard a few words of his classmate''s discussion and knew that Hazel was upset.

    A few years ago, his mother had once told him about what had happened to Hazel and her family. It was Hazel''s parents'' death anniversary and he saw how her mood was a little off. Alex was worried about Hazel, and it was at this time that his mother told him that if he really liked Hazel, he has to treat her well and never bully her. Hazel was a pitiful girl and had suffered a lot of grievance from a young age.

    When Alex found out how Hazel had lost her parents, he was unable to react.

    How old was Hazel when she lost both parents at the same time?

    It was then that recalled their childhood. There was a period when Hazel had not shown up at kindergarten. When she returned, the cheerful Hazel had suddenly become very quiet. It was around this time that the two of them started to be close.

    His heart ached when he thought of what happened to Hazel. Fortunately, that man was dead years ago and could no longer harm Hazel or other people.

    Standing at the other side, Alex continued to watch Hazel from afar. As long as he was close by, he could always guard her. If something happened, he would reach her in time.

    Just then, Hazel stood up straight and started to pace back and forth. Then, she stopped again before she suddenly fell on her bottom.

    Alarmed, Alex ran over to her side only to see that she was hyperventilating. For a few seconds, Alex was a little lost at what he should do. He fell on both knees on the white sand and placed his hands on her shoulders.

    "Hazel, are you alright?"

    The girl lifted her head to look at him with a teary face. Hazel tried to open her mouth to speak, but no words came out.

    Alex held her face in his hands and forced her to look into his eyes. "Relax. Just focus on me. Take a deep breath."

    Hazel whimpered.

    "Just follow me, alright? Take a slow, deep breath through your nose." His voice was soft and coaxing. Alex continued to monitor her until she started to breathe as per his instruction. "Now, breathe out slowly through your mouth. Good. Now breath in again."

    Alex continued to assist her until her breathing gradually calm down. "Are you feeling better now?"

    Hazel nodded slowly and Alex heaved with relief upon finding that the girl was alright. Slowly, he gathered her in his arms and pulled her into his embrace. His hands started to stroke her back, coaxing her as if she was a child.

    "It''s alright. It''s going to be alright. I''m right here with you."

    Hazel nuzzled to find a comfortable place in his arms and closed her eyes as she tried to think of happy things to distract her mind. Suddenly, her eyes shot open. Her head went blank and her body froze momentarily when Hazel felt something warm and wet pressed against her temple.

    It did not take her too long to figure out what just happened.

    Did Alex¡­ just kissed her face?

    Suddenly, Hazel was unable to react. Previously, her heartbeat had started to calm down after Alex had helped her with the breathing exercise. However, her heartbeat accelerated once again due to his action.

    Her face grew slightly hot and Hazel was suddenly at loss. At this time, she did not dare to lift her head and look at his face.

    She stayed in his embrace and suddenly thought of how his scent filled her nostrils. Hazel had wanted to pull away, but she was still embarrassed. After staying silent for a while, Hazel began to find that this familiar scent had a calming effect on her. She closed her eyes again and listened to his coaxing.

    "Hazel... Don''t cry, alright?"

    An image of a younger version of Alex saying those words to her appeared in her mind. Hazel finally pulled away from his embrace and wiped her tear-stained face with the back of her hand. "I''m not crying."

    His lips turned up into a faint smile. "Okay. If you say that you''re not, then, you''re not."

    Hazel stared at his face and saw the concern on his face. It seemed¡­ as if Alex had not noticed what he had done earlier. Perhaps he was too anxious when he saw her panicking and had only tried to help her to calm down.

    There was a brief silence between them before Alex spoke again. "Are you feeling better?"

    Hazel replied with a nod. Then, she leaned in and pressed her forehead on his shoulders. Her thought went back towards the scenes that keep on appearing in her nightmares. Now that she was calmer, Hazel was able to think with a clear mind.

    At the thought that Hazel was still feeling a bit rattled, Alex stayed still and continued to coax her.

    "The murder that your classmates were discussing earlier¡­"

    Alex paused when he heard her started to speak.

    "The person who had murdered those women¡­ had also murdered my parents." Her voice was soft and weak. "They say that my parents had died in an accident, but that''s not true. It was that man who had murdered my parents."

    Hazel felt his arms tightening around her shoulders. In fact, she had never told anyone about what she had witnessed in the hospital. Perhaps this matter has been bugging her mind for too long. Perhaps she was in a weak state and Alex was someone she trusted. Whatever the reason was, for the first time, Hazel decided to talk about it.

    "I have always thought that I was imagining things," Hazel continued. "It was later that I understood what was going on. The scene I saw was not just a dream. Alex¡­ I was at the hospital when that man entered. He did not see me because my grandma had wrapped me in a blanket. But I saw him. That man had someone injected something into the IV drip. The next morning, my parents were gone."

    There was a glint in his eyes as Alex continued to listen to Hazel''s story. His throat felt a little dry as he tried to imagine what Hazel felt when she was forced to witness such scenes. When her parents passed away.... Hazel was only five!

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 356 - Did You Bully My Hazel?

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Alex stood at the side as he watched Hazel washed her tear-stained face. A few minutes passed and Hazel finally turned off the tap water. However, she did not dare to lift her face and look at Alex.

    "What''s wrong?"

    Even without looking into the mirror, Hazel was able to tell that her eyes should look very swollen at the moment. Somehow, she did not dare to let Alex see her ugly face.

    Hazel gently tapped the area around her eyes in hope that she could reduce the swelling around her eyes. However, she knew very well that there was no way that the swell would go down in a short time.

    Seeing that the woman in front of him did not answer her question, Alex then grabbed at her hands and pulled them away from covering her face. Hazel continued to lower her head, avoiding his gaze.

    Alex placed his finger under her chin and tilted it up so that Hazel would look at him.

    This time, Hazel quickly shut her eyes. She raised her hand again and covered her eyes.

    Because Hazel was still trying to cover her eyes, his gaze moved downwards and finally stopped at her lips. Realizing that his thought might have gone astray, Alex forced himself to shift his gaze away.

    "What are you doing?" Alex asked at the strange way Hazel was behaving.

    "Don''t look at me," Hazel said. Her voice was a little shaky after crying for too long. "My eyes should look very swollen right now."

    His lips twitched. The two of them had grown up together and he had watched her crying face from a young age. However, he had learned his lesson in the past that there are some words that he should not say out loud.

    "Really? Let me take a look at them?" Alex tried to coax.

    Hazel turned away. "No. It''s fine. Let''s head back upstairs. The others should still be enjoying the barbecue. If we go now, we won''t run into them."

    "Hazel¡­" His voice turned slightly mellow. "Let me look at them, alright? If it was bad, then, I''ll help you to get some ice."

    Hearing his words, Hazel started to waver. Slowly, she removed her hands away from her eyes and tilted her head up to look at him. "How is it?"

    Alex looked at her slight puffy eyes and pursed his lips.

    "Is it really bad?" Hazel asked when Alex did not say a word.

    Alex stretched his arms and started to help her to massage the area to stimulate blood flow. "I will get you some ice. Next morning, the swell should disappear." He stopped after a few minutes and tucked a few strands of hair behind her ear. "Let''s go back first."

    "Oh." Hazel nodded. She watched the way Alex held her hand and intertwining their fingers. Something warm flow in her heart as she looked at his large hand envelope hers. After a few steps, Hazel stopped on her track and tugged at his hands lightly.

    Alex turned around and saw the hesitation in her expression.

    "Alex, the thing I mentioned to you just now¡­ can you promise that you will not let others know about it?" Hazel said.

    His eyes darkened Alex could not believe that Hazel would ask him such a question. "I won''t say a word to anyone else."

    "You cannot let my Uncle or Auntie Edith know about them as well."

    A frown appeared on his face. "They¡­ didn''t know?"

    Alex was a little surprised at this information. He knew how close Hazel was with Auntie Edith. The two would share almost everything with each other. He had thought that the two of them should know about such important matters.

    However... he did not like that Hazel had chosen to suffer alone for a long time. Just how many times that she had to experience that nightmare? She had no one to console her after she woke up from that nightmare.

    Hazel shook her head. "I don''t want to mention this to them. It has been a long time and that person had received his punishment and died. My uncle and my late father were very close as brothers. It was not easy for my uncle after my parents passed away. If he knew the truth, he would be sad. Moreover¡­ I don''t want them to worry."

    She could still remember how her Uncle and Auntie Edith would often worry about her. Growing up, sometimes, Hazel had thought that the couple had treated her better than they treated the two siblings.

    Alex stared continued to stare at Hazel for a long time before he spoke again. "You don''t need to ask. I won''t mention this matter to anyone. Hazel, you can trust me."

    "Un." Hazel nodded. "I know."

    The two of them continued to walk and soon returned to their floor. Hazel took her key card from her pocket and pushed the door open. Just then, the door was suddenly pulled from the inside, and Megan appeared with an anxious look on her face.

    A look of relief washed over her as Megan saw Hazel in front of her. "Hazel! You''re back!" Megan quickly pulled the clueless girl into her embrace. "You disappeared for so long and I was worried." She took a step back and finally noticed that something was not right with her friend. "What happened to you." Her eyes shifted and Megan noticed that Alex was with Hazel.

    Suddenly, Megan tugged at Hazel''s hand and pulled her behind her. Megan stepped forward and shot a dangerous look at Alex. "Did you bully my Hazel?"

    His expression turned dark at the accusation. Moreover¡­ he did not like the way Megan had claimed Hazel as hers. Clearly¡­ Hazel was his!

    Megan turned to Hazel and patted her shoulders lightly. "Hazel, tell me. What did Alex do to you?"

    "Nothing."

    "Don''t be afraid. I can protect you."

    Something warm spread through her heart as Hazel saw what Megan was trying to do. Although their relationship was not as close as it used to be, Megan continued to act protectively towards her. Ever since kindergarten, Megan had taken her role as the big sister seriously.

    "Megan¡­ Alex really didn''t do anything," Hazel spoke. Her face was a little red from embarrassment.

    "Then, why did he makes you cry?" Megan asked. She watched Hazel opened her mouth and warned, "And don''t tell me that sands got into your eyes because I will not believe that lousy excuse."

    "He didn''t make me cry." Hazel tugged at the corner of Megan''s shirt. "We were just talking and somehow, we talked about my late parents. I missed them, so I might have cried a little bit."

    Megan continued to stare at Hazel as if she did not believe her words. After a while, her gaze softened and Megan pulled the girl into a hug. Then, she narrowed her eyes at Alex and shot him a warning gaze.

    Alex heaved a breath when he saw that they have cleared the misunderstanding. "I''ll just go downstairs to get some ice and some food. Hazel.... you should wait here with Megan."

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 357 - Alex Would Always Be There

    The class''s reunion trip ended the next day and everyone checked out from the hotel after breakfast as most of them would have to head back to the office the next day.

    Hazel exchanged a few words with Megan and the two promised to keep in touch with each other before they parted on their own way.

    Alex sat behind the wheels as he drove them back to L City. Once in a while, Hazel would glance at the man beside her. Their trip was short, but Hazel thought that she was no longer weird out at the thought of dating Alex.

    Last night, Alex had returned with a pack of eyes to help her with the swelling around her eyes along with some food that he ordered from the hotel''s coffee house.

    Hazel was still eating when the boys brought up the serial murder in Z Town. Then, she had left and had not had her meal properly. Her stomach grumbled the moment Alex arrived with food.

    After Alex had left, Megan eyed the food that he had brought for Hazel and commented that he should earn an extra point for being a good boyfriend. At this time, Hazel was too hungry that she did not have the time to correct Megan that Alex was not her boyfriend. At least not yet.

    In this two days and one night trip, Hazel had watched Alex properly and thought that his moves indeed touched her.

    Although she was still a little unsure of her feelings, Hazel thought that after a month had passed, she would be willing to try and date him. She didn''t know how the change in their relationship will end up, however, Hazel was willing to give it a chance.

    Everyone around her advised that if she didn''t take the chance, she might miss out on something great. Hazel did not want to miss out on something that could have been amazing. She didn''t want to regret anything.

    As the thought came to her mind, Hazel thought that her body felt a little lighter and soon, she drifted into sleep.

    When Hazel woke up again, the vehicle had just entered L City. She glanced at Alex and was suddenly a little embarrassed that she had slept through the journey instead of accompanying him.

    "You''re awake," Alex spoke as he glanced at Hazel.

    "Mmm¡­" Hazel nodded. She glanced at her reflection in the mirror and was relieved that she did not look too terrible after waking up.

    "We should arrive at your house in twenty minutes," Alex said. His heart was a little heavy at the thought that they were going to separate after this.

    Tomorrow, he had promised his father that he would show up at the company. Because Alex was planning to stay in B City so that he can stay closer to Hazel, Alex had to work hard and clear his workload.

    The next time he can see Hazel again was probably next week when he would drive her back to B City.

    "Do you have time?" Hazel spoke. She turned to Alex and cocked her head. "Want to have lunch together?"

    Alex glanced at Hazel, and then at the clock. "Are you hungry?"

    Hazel saw the way his gaze lit up a little bit after she had brought up having lunch together and was suddenly amused. She didn''t think that Alex would get excited about this easily. "Mmm¡­ a little hungry."

    "Then, let''s have lunch together." The corner of his lips tilted up at the thought that he would have a few minutes more with Hazel. "What do you want to eat?"

    "Noodles. I want to eat noodles."

    Alex pondered over her words and decided to take her to her favorite restaurant. He found a parking spot and pulled over. As soon as they alighted, Alex took time to look around.

    This place was very close to their high school. Once upon a time, the two of them would often come over to this area to eat.

    "It has been a while since I come over to this area," Hazel said. "I wonder if the elderly couple is still around?"

    Alex reached to hold her hand and the two walked over to the restaurant together. Hazel looked around at the familiar surrounding and the memories of her life as a student flashed in her head. In each memory, Alex would always be there with her.

    An older woman greeted them as soon as they entered the restaurant. The woman''s expression changed when she recognized both Hazel and Alex, and suddenly, her bright smile showed on her face.

    "Auntie Liu, I haven''t seen you in a while," Hazel greeted.

    "Hazel and Alex," Auntie Liu called the moment she recalled their name. "The two of you haven''t visited this shop for a long time. Auntie Liu missed you so much." She then turned around and shouted, "Old Liu, come here and look who came over to our shop today."

    Alex glanced at the woman beside him and the corner of his lips tilted up. He didn''t know how Hazel had done it, but it seemed that wherever she goes, the elderly would like her a lot.

    In a short while, an elder man in glasses walked out from the kitchen. It took them seconds to recognized their guests and he walked over to greet them. His gaze went to their intertwined hands. "It''s good to see that the two of you are still together."

    Hazel felt her face heating a little bit upon hearing the old man''s words.

    "Come on in," Auntie Liu ushered. "Go and sit down first. I''ll bring out the food soon. What do you feel like eating today?"

    "The usual fish soup noodle," Hazel answered.

    "Make it two servings," Alex said.

    The two picked a table near the entrance where they would often sit whenever they come over.

    Hazel watched as Alex started to wipe the cutlery and was suddenly in a daze.

    "What''s wrong?" Alex asked when he noticed her gaze.

    Hazel shook her head. "Just had a thought¡­ In the past, you would always sit at this very same table whenever I come over to meet you after school activity."

    She would always choose a spot in the corner if she was to be the first to arrive. However, Alex would always choose this seat.

    A faint smile curled on his lips. "Mmm¡­ this spot would make it easier for me to see you and you can always spot me right away when you come to find me."

    Hazel was a little stunned upon hearing his answer.

    Back then, in their last years in the same high school, Alex would always end his lesson first, but Hazel would be busy joining the extracurricular activities. Therefore, it was always Alex waiting for her.

    Hazel felt a bit touched and guilty at the same time. Alex said that he had liked her for seven years.. This man has been waiting for her for a long time and she was very clueless about it.

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 358 - Why Are You Whispering?

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    After having lunch together, Alex sent Hazel back to Mo''s residence. When Alex pulled over his AUDI, Neil had just alighted from his SUV. Neil narrowed his eyes as he watched Alex helped his niece with the door.

    "Uncle, did you just got here as well?" Hazel asked with a bright smile on her face.

    Neil finally shifted his gaze away from Alex. He saw the smile on Hazel''s face and finally, his expression became lighter. "Mmm¡­ Did you make a stop somewhere?"

    Earlier, Hazel had texted him and Edith to inform them that she had checked out from the hotel. Because Neil was used to traveling back and forth to Z Town, he knew that based on the time given, Hazel should have arrived at least an hour earlier.

    "We went out for lunch," Hazel said.

    Seeing the look on their faces, Neil began to suspect that something had happened between the two kids. Neil shifted his gaze back to Alex and wondered if the boy had told Hazel the words he always wanted to say from seven years ago.

    In Neil''s opinion, the bright look on Alex''s face was a little suspicious.

    Mmm¡­ It seemed that he should talk to his wife and ask if she knows anything.

    "Alex, do you want to come inside?" Hazel asked as she took her luggage from him.

    Alex glanced at Neil and saw that the man doesn''t look too happy. "It''s fine. You should be tired. Go in and rest."

    He would love to spend more time with Hazel, but at this time, Alex was not ready if Neil would ask to see him in the office for the second time. Anyway, when they return to B City next week, he can always find an excuse to see Hazel.

    "Oh," Hazel lowered her head to hide her disappointment.

    Since Alex had declined Hazel''s invitation, Neil found no reason to stay around and head back into the house.

    Alex released a breath of relief when Hazel''s uncle turned around. Suddenly, he found that the air was no longer as heavier. "Just go in first. I''ll call you when I get home, alright?"

    Hazel nodded. "Oh. Drive safely, alright?"

    A faint smile turned on his lips at her concern.

    Hazel watched as Alex went into his car and left. Then, she stood alone and pondered over her interaction with Alex the past few days. After a while, Hazel finally turned around and entered the house.

    Edith was in the living room when Hazel walked in. She studied Hazel''s expression for a few seconds and flashed a smile. "How was it? Did you have fun?"

    "Mmm¡­" Hazel nodded. "The beach was not as pretty as the one you always bring us to. Even the beach near Grandma Li''s B&B had a prettier scenery."

    Edith laughed upon hearing her words. She tilted her head up to look in the direction of the office and saw that the door was closed. "Come over here." She patted the sofa softly. Her expression showed her eagerness.

    Hazel placed her luggage at the side and walked over. She sat down beside Edith and cocked her head. "Auntie Edith, what''s wrong?" Seeing the strange smile on her Auntie Edith''s face, Hazel was suddenly worried.

    "How was your trip?" Edith spoke with a low voice.

    A slight frown appeared on Hazel''s face. A few seconds ago, didn''t Auntie Edith had asked the same thing? Suddenly, Hazel was a little worried that perhaps, Auntie Edith''s pregnancy had turned her into a forgetful person.

    "Why are you in a daze?" Edith said. "Quickly answer me."

    "Auntie Edith," Hazel whispered back. "Why are you whispering?"

    Edith glanced at her husband''s office again. "Of course it''s because I''m afraid that your uncle going to suddenly show up."

    Earlier, the first question Neil had asked her the moment he walked into the house was about Hazel and Alex. Edith told him what she knew, that Hazel and Alex were not dating. However, she did not mention anything to Neil that Hazel was still considering the idea of dating Alex.

    "Ah?" Hazel was a little clueless why her Auntie Edith wanted to hide from her uncle.

    "How was it?" Edith urged when Hazel didn''t answer. "Quickly tell me¡­ During the two days trip, did your opinion of Alex had changed a little bit? Have you considered properly?"

    Hazel''s face gradually turned a little red upon hearing the questions and Hazel lowered her head. It was not the first time that the two of them had a conversation about Alex, but this time, Hazel was a little embarrassed to look up.

    "Oho¡­ judging from that expression,  I''m guessing that something did happen?" Edith teased.

    "Auntie Edith, don''t tease me. Nothing happened," Hazel said a little quickly.

    Edith narrowed her eyes as she studied Hazel''s expression.

    "However¡­" Hazel pulled at her fingers. "During this trip, I did look at Alex and try to consider that."

    Edith was a little stunned upon seeing the shy look on Hazel''s face. The pink on her face spread from her cheek to the tip of her ear. Hazel''s expression was a little adorable and Edith had the urge to pinch her on both cheeks.

    "What do you think?"

    Hazel was a little embarrassed to speak, but she felt that she needed to talk to someone about whatever was going on in her heart. Moreover, Auntie Edith was someone that she trusted and she was used to telling everything to her.

    "I guess¡­ after thinking about it, it didn''t feel too weird if I date him." Hazel sighed. Though she had decided to share her thoughts with her Auntie Edith, Hazel found that she did knot know how she can express her thoughts.

    At this time, her head was a little jumbled.

    She recalled the way Alex had stared at her when the two were swimming at the beach and then, that time when Alex had pressed his lips on her temple.

    Hazel was always worried that she would not be able to adapt to the change in their relationship if they suddenly turned from friends to lovers. She knew what will happen once they change the status. Once they dated, Alex will want to do other things that friends would not do.

    However, she found that she was not disgusted when they shared a brief intimate moment.

    "Then, are you planning to date him?" Edith asked.

    "Mmm¡­ but not right away. Megan said I should let Alex chase me first." Hazel looked up and smiled. "Auntie Edith, back then, how did my uncle chase you?"

    "Your uncle?" Edith tried to think about it and suddenly realized that she could not remember anything. The only time he chased her was when she had suddenly left his side and headed to Z Town. He caught her and dragged her to get their marriage certificate. Later, she was pregnant with Hayden.

    Of course, Edith could not say these things to Hazel.

    "Your uncle didn''t chase me."

    "Then, did you chase him instead?"

    Edith laughed. "I guess, with your uncle, everything just happens naturally. He said he liked me and then we started to date."

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 359 - Hazel Mo, I Miss You

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Later at night, Edith walked out of the bathroom and saw that her husband was sitting on the one-seater sofa in a corner of their bedroom. She walked around him before she draped her arms around his shoulders from behind.

    A familiar scent entered his nose and Neil looked up from the book he was reading, tilted his head sideways, and pecked at his wife''s cheek.

    "Darling¡­" Edith called with a languid tone.

    Neil found that he was distracted when his wife whispered close to his ears."Hmm?"

    "I just realized something... How come you didn''t chase me before we started to date?"

    Back then, the two of them has been living together for Hazel. Therefore, when Neil had asked to date him, Edith had quickly agreed. She liked him and didn''t want to miss out on a chance of being with him.

    But after her conversation with Hazel earlier, Edith realized that she had never experienced the feeling and excitement of being chased.

    Neil was startled by her question. "Why did you suddenly ask me this?"

    Edith pursed her lips, knowing that couldn''t tell him about his conversation with Hazel. "No. I was just wondering."

    Neil continued to stare at the woman in front of him. Because she was pregnant with twins this time, the bulging on her stomach could be seen at this earlier stage. Fortunately, her pregnancy reaction was not as bad as it was during her pregnancy with Hayden.

    Neil thought back about their early relationship and recalled how it started. Edith was a little drunk when she had suddenly kissed him and told him that she liked him.

    It was after that event that he had started to pay a little more attention to her. Perhaps, one part of the reason they were together was because of Hazel, but after getting along together in that short time, their feelings accumulated and Neil knew right away that Edith is the person he wanted to spend his life with.

    "What?" Neil cocked his head. "Are you going to tell me that you''re silently regretting that we got together a little earlier?"

    "It''s not that." Edith let out a sigh. "I was just thinking how I have missed out on the excitement."

    He closed the book and placed them on the side table. Then, Neil removed her arms around his neck, pulled her over, and let her sit on his lap. "Well¡­ Look. I already caught you."

    Edith narrowed her eyes at him and clicked her tongue.

    Neil chuckled when he saw the look on her face. He buried his nose in her neck and inhaled deeply. "Let''s not talk about chasing or running away. Isn''t it good that we can get together a little earlier? Each second spent with you is very precious to me." He pulled away and looked straight into her eyes. "If you wanted some excitement, we can always try something else."

    Edith bit at her lips when she saw the way his eyes slowly darkened. She had seen this look on his face for years and knew what was in his mind. Her lips curled into a teasing smile. "Darling, what do you have in mind?"

    Neil leaned forward again and whispered a few words to her. When he looked into her eyes again, he did not miss the anticipation of her expression.

    Her gaze went down towards his lips. Edith hooked her arms around his neck and began to kiss him slowly.

    ¡­

    Meanwhile¡­

    Hazel sat in front of the mirror and patted her face slowly as she applied some night skincare routine. The phone on her table buzzed and Hazel looked at her roommates'' group chat.

    At this time, her roommates were discussing that their vacation would soon end and they will have to return to their college in a few days. Hazel joined in their conversation and discussed the various tests and assignments they will have to face once they returned.

    Hazel thought about how she will return to B City with Alex in a few days and was suddenly found herself looking forward to it.

    Her phone rang to a different tune. Hazel glanced at the screen and a faint smile appeared on her lips when she saw that Alex was video calling her. After adjusting her shirt a little bit, Hazel swiped her fingers on the screen.

    Hazel felt her heart skipped a beat the moment his face smiling appeared on the screen. "Alex? What''s wrong?"

    Alex was a little dazed when he saw that Hazel''s filled his phone screen. The lighting in Hazel''s bedroom was a little dim, but he can see her soft and moisturized face clearly. Suddenly, Alex had this urge to bite at her cheek.

    Sensing that his thought had gone astray, Alex shifted his gaze away for a few seconds before he looked at her again. "I can only call you when there is something wrong?"

    "That''s not what I meant," Hazel said. "It''s late. I thought that you called for something urgent."

    His expression turned solemn. "Well, I do have an urgent matter."

    "Ah?" Hazel sat up straight. "What is it?"

    "Hazel Mo, I miss you."

    It took her a few seconds to react. Hazel lowered her head and was a little embarrassed. The AC was on, but her body heated up. Her heart was beating erratically and Hazel thought that her head would explode.

    Alex saw her shy expression and was a little happy. The look on her face was as adorable it was years ago. However, he knew that he should not be teasing her too much, and therefore, Alex decided to change the subject.

    "Do you have any plan for tomorrow?"

    Hazel pondered over the question and shook her head.

    "Then, I will pick you up tomorrow, and let''s have lunch together, alright?"

    "Didn''t you say that you have to help your father to look at the company''s matter? Won''t you be busy?" Hazel asked.

    She knew that the reason Alex was able to send her back to B City was that he wanted to look at the company that he had invested in. However, because of this, he had to work hard and deal with a few things in L City.

    "Mmm¡­ But I will still need to eat," Alex said. He thought for a while and continued, "My work is important, but convincing you to agree and date me is equally important."

    Hazel was a little stunned upon hearing his words. She had known Alex for years, but why didn''t she know that he can be a sweet-talker? She was not used to this and her face went red again.

    At this time, Hazel suddenly recalled her conversation with her Auntie Edith earlier. Her Auntie had told her stories about why she had agreed to date her Uncle. In the end, Auntie Edith said that a person should have the courage to love.

    Since she had already decided to give Alex a chance, she had to cooperate and not make things too hard for him.

    "Accompany me for lunch, alright?" Alex spoke when Hazel did not answer.

    Hazel saw at the anticipation on his face and nodded.

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 360 - One Of The Perks Of Dating Me

    Hazel looked at her reflection in the mirror and heaved a sigh. She still thought that the slim-fit jeans and the blacktop were a little too simple.

    Should she wear a dress instead? But wouldn''t that show that she was trying too hard? After all, Alex was still pursuing her. She was just going to accompany him to lunch. It cannot be considered a date, right?

    After going back and forth several times, Hazel decided that the jeans and blacktop were the most suitable. After spending her while on her makeup, Hazel walked downstairs and saw the two siblings were accompanying their Great-Grandpa to eat.

    Hailey was the first to notice her. A soft gasp escaped her and suddenly, Hazel found that everyone was looking at her.

    "Sister, are you going out?" Hailey asked. Her eyes were bright as she looked at Hazel curiously.

    "Mmm¡­" Hazel replied with a slow nod.

    "Sister, are you going out alone? Can I come with you?" Hailey said. Her gaze was pleading.

    "That¡­" Hazel hesitated a little bit.

    In the past, it was normal for Hazel to bring out the siblings with her whenever she went out with Alex. Moreover, Alex would be taking his sister, Ellie, too. However, at this time, she was a little reluctant to take Hailey with her.

    At this time, Edith walked in from the side door that led to the garden. In her hand was a basket of fresh vegetables that they have planted. She looked at Hazel and smiled. "Going out?"

    "Mmm¡­" Hazel nodded again.

    Edith turned to her daughter and frowned. "Why do you want to follow your sister around? Hailey Mo, you haven''t finished your revision yet."

    Hailey pouted. "Mom¡­"

    "You can only go out when you have finished your revision," Edith said. She turned to Hayden and continued, "Hayden, you stay and look after your sister."

    Hayden looked up from his bowl of dumpling soup and alternate his gaze between his mother and sister. "Oh." He gave a short answer and resumed his eating.

    Seeing that her brother had not cooperated with her, Hailey can only resign to her fate and spend her days studying.

    Edith handed over the basket of vegetables to the auntie and walked over to Hazel. "Going out with Alex?"

    Hazel nodded again. Because her Auntie Edith knew about her relationship with Alex, Hazel was a little shy. "Auntie Edith, do I look alright?"

    Edith looked at her outfit and the light makeup and nodded, giving her approval. "You look adorable. Don''t worry. Just go on, be yourself, and have fun."

    At this time, the phone in Hazel''s hand started to chime. She glanced at the caller ID and felt her heart skipped a beat. Hazel swiped her finger on the screen and pressed her phone to her ear.

    "Hazel, I''m here," Alex said.

    "Un. I''ll come out shortly," Hazel spoke softly. When she hung up, her Auntie Edith was staring at her with a teasing smile.

    "Alright. Have fun. Don''t go out for too long," Edith whispered. After all, it would be a little complicated if her husband came back and run into both Hazel and Alex again.

    After exchanging a few more words, Hazel walked out and found that Alex was leaning on his AUDI as he waited for her. Seeing that the man was wearing a suit and tie, Hazel was a little stunned. She could not remember when was the last time she had seen Alex dressed up like this.

    As if sensing that someone was watching him, Alex looked up from his phone and smiled when he saw Hazel. He watched as Hazel walked over to his side with unblinking eyes.

    "I didn''t know where we''ll be having our lunch," Hazel said. "Is my outfit too simple?"

    Alex looked at the woman in front of him and felt a lump in his throat. Although this was how Hazel would usually dress, Alex could imagine that she had spent a little more time picking up the outfit. The makeup on her face was light and fresh. At this time, he had an urge to play around the soft curls rested on her shoulder, then, maybe he could run his hands in her hair before he can kiss her luscious lips.

    As the thought came to his mind, Alex quickly looked away and wondered why did he sound like a pervert.

    "It''s fine," Alex said. "Just wear anything that you are comfortable with." He moved to a side and helped her with the door and leaned in to help her with her seat belt.

    Hazel held her breath and pressed her back on the seat as Alex was too close. His cologne filled her nostrils and Hazel felt a little dizzy. It was only after Alex had finished that she realized what was Alex trying to do.

    "Hazel?"

    "Huh?" Hazel looked up and blinked.

    A smile tiled on his lips. "You look beautiful today."

    His voice was a little deep and Hazel felt her ears turned hot. "Thank you."

    Alex let out a soft chuckle before he walked around the vehicle and slid into the driver seat.

    "Where are we going?" Hazel asked as Alex entered the main road.

    Alex glanced at her and flashed a mysterious smile. "A secret. Don''t worry. I promise that I will send you back to your place in one piece once we had our lunch."

    A frown appeared on her face as Hazel wondered why was he being so mysterious. As Alex continued to drive, Hazel looked out the window and admired the scenery outside.

    They soon entered a newly developed area and Hazel immediately recognized that this area was one of MH Group''s development projects. She had seen the brochure before and knew about the safety and amenities provided for this area.

    "Isn''t this is a housing area?" Hazel asked. However, the man did not answer and continued to smile mysteriously at her.

    After a while, Alex pulled over at a parking spot and led Hazel into the elevator. Knowing that the man would not answer her question, Hazel decided to just follow his lead.

    They entered a unit and Hazel was a little surprised that Alex had taken her to a small studio apartment.

    Hazel looked at Alex and frowned. "What are we doing here? Didn''t you say that we are going to lunch?"

    Alex saw the anxious look on her face and began to worry a little bit that his plan might go awry. "We are going to have lunch."

    "Here? What are we going to eat here?" Hazel was a little upset at the thought that Alex might have tricked her. "Don''t tell me that you are planning to cook?"

    He nodded and saw the look of disbelief on her face. "You are right. I am planning to cook."

    "Ah?" Hazel was a little startled.

    "The reason I brought you here was to tell you... one of the perks of dating me is that.... I can cook."

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 361 - Who Is Miss Carina Lin?

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Hazel walked around the unit and finally stop when she reached the kitchen. She stood at the entrance and leaned on the wall as she looked at the scene in front of her.

    At this time, Alex had taken off his coat and tie. The top button of his shirt was unbuttoned, his sleeve was rolled up, and he was wearing an apron. Looking at how he was chopping the garlic in a quick motion, Hazel was a little stunned.

    She didn''t think that he would really cook. Moreover, the way he was holding the knife showed this was not the first time he had cooked.

    Alex glanced at Hazel when he saw that the woman was watching her. His lips curled into a smile as their gaze met.

    "Focus on your chopping," Hazel warned. Her tone was a little anxious. "You''re still holding a knife. Don''t get yourself cut."

    He let out a helpless sigh before he focused on his task. He was trying to seduce her with his smile but got scolded instead. However, the thought that she was concerned about him made him happy.

    Hazel did not leave and continued to stand at the entrance.

    "Is this apartment¡­ yours?" Hazel asked.

    "Mmm¡­" Alex answered. "I saw the brochure and thought that it was not bad. After thinking about it for a while, I decided to buy a unit."

    "Then, I have to thank you for supporting MH Group''s project."

    Hearing her words, Alex let out a chuckle. Since she had the mood to joke around, Alex guessed that she was not as angry as she was before and was relieved that he did not ruin this day for them.

    "I heard that the value of this area would rise in a few years," Alex continued. "It''s good for an investment."

    After standing at the entrance and watching him prepare the vegetables for too long, Hazel then asked, "Do you need any help?"

    "It''s fine. I can do this." Alex glance at her again. "Anyway, the main purpose for today is to show you how capable I am."

    Hazel fought the urge to roll her eyes. Feeling a little tired, she finally took a seat at the bar counter. "When did you learn how to cook?"

    "A while ago. But I cooked a lot when I was in college," Alex said.

    He had taken a few part-time jobs while he was still studying. In his final year, Alex had rented a place near his college. It was during this time that he had started to cook more. After looking at a lot of recipes and videos, his cooking skill had improved a lot.

    "If you''re bored, you can stay in the living room and watch TV. I''ll call you when the food is done," Alex said. "It will not take too long."

    "Didn''t you say that you want to impress me with your cooking skill? Just continue and cook. I will sit here and watch."

    Alex laughed before he continued and cooked silently.

    A while later, the kitchen hood was turned on and the fragrant smell of garlic filled the air. Alex continued to move around from the stove, the kitchen counter, and the sink. His movement was smooth and it did not look like he was going to need her help at all.

    Hazel propped both hands under her cheek as she continued to watch him.

    At this time, a tone could be heard coming from the living area. Alex immediately recognized it as his ring tone and turned to Hazel. The way she propped her hands was a little cute and the slight pout on her lips gave him ideas.

    Alex let out a dry cough and spoke, "Can you help me and get my phone? It should be in my coat."

    "Oh."

    The call might be from the office, or something important had come up.  Hazel saw that at this time, it would be inconvenient for him to pick up his phone and decided to help him. She went to the living room where Alex had left his coat and found his phone in his pocket.

    One glance at the caller ID told her that the caller was a woman.

    Hazel took the phone back to the kitchen and dangled his phone in front of him.

    Alex looked up from the stir-fry beef and spoke, "Just let it be. I''ll return the call later."

    "Oh." Hazel placed his phone on the bar counter and slid back into her seat to watch him cook. The name she saw on his phone popped up in her mind and Hazel was a little curious.

    "Who is Miss Carina Lin?"

    Alex turned when he heard her question. He saw the probing look on her expression and became a little happy at the thought that Hazel might be a little jealous.

    "A lawyer who was helping us with the company in B City," Alex said.

    Hazel felt her heart was a little lighter. "Then, is it alright if you did not pick up the phone? What if it''s something important?"

    "It''s fine. She will try to reach my business partner once she could not reach me," Alex said. "Moreover, I am more of an investor in the company. Any decision should be made by my friend."

    Hazel nodded, thinking that his words do make sense. "Since you''re an investor and are not directly involved in the business, why did you decide to move to B City."

    Alex paused. He could not tell her that his intention to get close to her at this time. He was very sure that he will only get scolded again once she learned of his intention. "It was decided that I should help them around until the business is a lot more stable."

    "Oh."

    A while later, the food was done and served in the dining area. Alex had prepared three dishes and one soup. Looking at the dishes on the table, Hazel was amazed at how the food turned out. They were simple dishes, but each of them was plated as if they belonged to a restaurant.

    Hazel could not fight the urge to snap a few photos. When she looked up, Alex came out from the kitchen carrying their bowl of rice. Their gaze met and Hazel immediately looked away and focused on her phone.

    "I''m taking commemoration photos," Hazel said. "This is the first time that Alex had cooked for me."

    The smile on his face widened. Alex pulled a chair and looked at Hazel. "My lady, please have a seat."

    Her cheek turned slightly pink upon hearing the way he had called her. Hazel took a seat and Alex slid into the seat beside her. Picking up her chopstick, Hazel clipped at the broccoli dishes and took a bite.

    It tasted good, tender, and well seasoned.

    "How was it? Not bad, right?" Alex stared at the girl across him anxiously.

    He has been cooking the same dishes many times, but facing this important judge in front of him, Alex was a little worried that his anxiousness would lead him to make a mistake somewhere.

    Did he made a mistake somewhere and substitute salt for sugar?

    Although he was familiar with the taste that Hazel preferred, he was still worried.

    Soon, Hazel looked up and smiled. "Not bad."

    Alex heaved a sigh upon hearing her words. "Then, how about dating me?"

    Hazel was a little relieved that she had swallowed her food before he asked her the question. "Mmm... It''s good that you can cook." She let out a long breath and frowned as if she was in deep thought. "But this is an important matter after all. I still have a lot to consider." She looked at him and flashed a teasing smile.. "Alex He, you should continue and work harder."

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 362 - Alex Was Very Confident

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    The vacation finally reached the end and it was time for Hazel to return to B City.

    Hazel walked down the stairs and saw that everyone was watching her. Seeing the expression on their face, Hazel was somewhat reluctant to return to her college. It seemed that a month''s break was not enough to spend her time with her family.

    At this time, an auntie walked over from the outside to announce that Alex had arrived.

    "Sister¡­" Hailey pouted when she saw the luggage.

    After she was born, it was Hazel who often looked after her and they have been close ever since. Because they were closer in age, Hazel became the person she would often confide in.

    Edith swiftly pulled her daughter aside. "Alright, stop looking at your sister like that. She''s only going back to college. We''ll see her soon when she returned for another break."

    Hearing his mother''s words, Hailey could only bury her feelings.

    "Is everything packed?" Edith asked as she walked over.

    "Mmm¡­" Hazel nodded.

    "I made a few snacks for you to bring back to college. Later, don''t forget to share them with your friends, alright?" Edith turned to her son and spoke, "Hayden, go and help your sister carry the snacks to the car."

    The boy looked up from his phone, stood up, and went into the kitchen to pick up the boxes that his mother had prepared earlier.

    As Hazel was going to leave, she exchanged a few words with her Great-Grandpa and Hailey. Then, she looked at her Auntie''s stomach and blew a soft sigh. "This time, I would not be able to stay and watch the babies grow."

    Edith laughed as she heard this. "I will post you an update. You won''t miss anything."

    Hazel flashed a smile but knew that the feeling would not be the same. Suddenly, she was regretting a little bit that she had chosen to study in a different city. Hazel snapped out of her thoughts and walked out with her luggage.

    When Hazel and Edith stepped out of the house, Alex had alighted from his car and was talking to Neil. Edith saw this scene and felt the corner of her lips started to twitch.

    A few days ago, Hazel had mentioned that she was going to head back to B City with Alex and Edith could see that her husband was a little upset. Fortunately, he did not make any comment about this matter.

    Seeing that the two men were talking in a low voice, Edith turned around and dragged Hazel away with her.

    It would be better to leave the two men to talk alone. Though Neil would always say that he did not like how Alex has been around Hazel, Edith had the confidence that her husband would not do anything that would harm Alex and make Hazel hate him.

    Hazel looked at her auntie and blinked. "Auntie Edith, where are we going? I need to put my luggage first."

    "I forgot that there is something that I wanted to give you," Edith said. "Let Hayden and Alex help you with your luggage."

    "Oh." Hazel nodded obediently and the two went back into the house.

    Meanwhile, Alex could not hide his anxiousness the moment he saw Hazel''s uncle was walking over to him. Initially, he was going to take out his phone and tell Hazel that he had arrived.

    But the man had appeared out of nowhere, scaring him. In the end, Alex could only greet Hazel''s uncle politely. The air suddenly turned colder and Alex could only pretend that he was not affected by the man''s scrutinizing stare.

    Alex wanted to say something to break the ice but found that he could not come up with a topic after he had said his greetings. The two continued to stare at each other for a long time, making Alex uncomfortable¡­

    "I heard that you are starting a company with a few friends in B City." It was Neil who broke their silence. "Why B City?"

    Alex felt his back was starting to perspire upon hearing the question. Just as he opened his mouth to speak¡­

    "Forget it. It''s not like I don''t know why you choose to start in B City," Neil said. "Starting a business is not an easy thing. Are you confident that you can do it?"

    After their conversation a few years ago, Neil had someone to keep an eye on Alex. Back then, the boy was persistent that he wanted to pursue Hazel. Neil had given him his condition and the boy was very confident that he will be able to do what Neil had requested.

    Since then, Neil had asked someone to keep an eye on Alex. Naturally, he was aware of the things that Alex had done and all of his achievements.

    Alex had gone to a different university in the past and had done very well in his study. Moreover... Neil also found out that the boy had never been entangled with another woman and instead, had kept in contact with Hazel as friends.

    Though he could not deny that Alex might be good for Hazel, Neil decided that he could not make things easier for Alex.

    Hazel is the child that Adam and Claire had left behind. As Hazel''s uncle, as Adam''s brother, Neil thought that it was his responsibility to look after Hazel. His wife might say that he was a little overprotective, but Neil knew that he only wanted the best for Hazel. The girl was pitiful enough after she had lost her parents. Neil just did not want to see the girl suffer any grievance anymore.

    Alex stood up straight. He had heard that Hazel''s uncle was a legend in the business world when he took over the almost bankrupted company with his brother and turned things around. Up to this day, the story would still circulate when one was talking about Neil Mo.

    "Although I am only part of the company as the investor and advisor, I am confident that the company will go well," Alex said. He shifted the weight between his feet and continued. "I still remember what I have promised you previously. I think at this time I am qualified enough to pursue Hazel. I can protect her and will do my best to protect her."

    Neil shot a dangerous look at Alex, and he was suddenly irritated that the boy was not as frightened as he was a few years ago. From his words, Neil was able to guess that Alex had started to pursue Hazel. Suddenly, Neil was a little unhappy.

    "Whether you can pursue Hazel or not, it will all depend on Hazel," Neil said and snorted.

    "Of course." Alex was very confident that Hazel and he will eventually end up together.

    Neil gave Alex another scrutinizing look before he turned around and headed into the house.

    Alex''s eyes glinted when he noticed that Hazel''s uncle was not as difficult as he was years ago. Doesn''t this mean that Hazel''s uncle will not make things difficult for him once Hazel agreed to date him?

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 363 - His Little Bunny

    After five hours of driving, the two of them finally arrived in B City.

    Because Hazel had too much stuff in the car, Alex found the reason to drive into the campus until they reached Hazel''s dorm. Hazel went back to L City with only one small bag but came back to B City with the car full of her stuff.

    Earlier, Auntie Edith had filled the car with boxes of snacks. Since the snacks were personally prepared by her Auntie Edith, of course, Hazel would take them all with her. Then, Alex mentioned that his mother had packed a few snacks for her as well.

    Hazel looked at the amount of food in the trunk and did not know if she should laugh about it. The elders were so worried that she would not be eating while Hazel was a little worried that she might gain some weight after this.

    She had already eaten too much good stuff and gained a little weight after indulging herself in festivity food. Moreover... her Auntie Edith''s craft was always good and Hazel was unable to refuse them.

    "How do you plan to carry all these?" Alex asked as the two of them stared at the boxes in the trunk.

    If only men would be allowed to enter the dorm, Alex would have helped Haze to carry her stuff to her room.

    Alex tilted his head up to look at the tall building. He seemed to recall that Hazel had said that her room was on the third floor. Wouldn''t she get tired of carrying everything by herself?

    As the thought came to his mind, Alex was a little distressed.

    "Hold on. I will get someone to help me," Hazel said. She took out her phone and tapped her fingers on the screen. A few seconds later, Hazel flashed a smile to Alex. "My roommates are coming to help."

    A few minutes later, two girls were seen walking down the stairs. Hazel called their names and waved the moment she saw her roommates. Just as the two girls were heading towards Hazel, they began to notice a familiar figure behind Hazel and their steps gradually slow down.

    Michelle poked at Crystal''s waist and whispered, "Don''t tell me that is the same person who picked up Hazel before our winter break?"

    Crystal nodded and whispered back, "It was him. Last time, Hazel had introduced him to me."

    Michelle let out a cursing word. "You''re right. He actually looks better in real life." She grabbed at Crystal''s arms tightly. "Then, this should be the same person that Hazel was talking about a while ago. That childhood friend who confessed to her?"

    Crystal let out a loud gasp. "Why did Hazel still need time to consider him? If I had a childhood friend who is good looking as this man, I''d agree to date him right away!"

    The two girls reached Hazel''s side and decided to stop their discussion. They glanced at Alex and then at Hazel.

    "Alex, these are my roommates," Hazel said. "You remember Crystal."

    Alex nodded to Crystal. "Hello."

    "Hello. Hello," Crystal greeted anxiously.

    "And this is Michelle," Hazel introduced.

    The two of them exchanged a polite greeting before Hazel led them to look at the stuff in the trunk. Seeing the number of boxes, the two girls were surprised.

    "It will take us two trips to get everything upstairs," Michelle said. She turned to her friend and commented, "Are you sure you are not trying to open up a small snack stall?"

    The girls joked around as they helped Hazel to lift the boxes upstairs while Alex waited at his car. When everything was brought upstairs, Hazel walked down alone while her friends tried to watch the situation from the window.

    After going up and down the stairs while carrying her stuff, Hazel was a little out of breath. Her chest heaved up and down, her cheek was a little rosy and there were beads of perspiration on her forehead.

    Alex watched the woman in front of him in a daze. He snapped out of his trance and pulled out a few tissue papers to help her dry her sweat.

    Hazel was totally unprepared when Alex suddenly stretched his hand to dry her sweat. She stared at his hand and lowered her gaze. Her rosy cheek turned into a darker blush.

    "I will be in this city for a while. If you encountered any trouble or need any help, you can come to me."

    Hazel nodded. "Un. I know."

    "Hazel Mo."

    "Ah?" Hazel looked up swiftly and her heart skipped a beat as she met his gentle gaze.

    "What should I do? I don''t think I''m willing to part with you." Alex heaved a sigh knowing that saying those words will only make parting with her a little harder.

    "We''re going to be in the same city. We can still see each other during the weekend," Hazel said.

    A light smile appeared on his lips when Alex heard her words. There were still around two weeks left for Hazel to consider him and finally give him an answer. Alex was a little anxious to know what her answer will be and wished that the time will come soon. Noticing that the way Hazel looked at him had changed, Alex was sure that he would get the answer he wanted. However, this was not the reason for him to slack off.

    "I will call you later, alright?"

    Hazel nodded again.

    "Don''t forget to think of me."

    Hazel was a little stunned when she heard those words. She continued to stare at him with a dazed expression before he looked away and nodded. "Un. I know."

    A light chuckle escaped him. His Hazel was too adorable. The look on her face just now was just like a rabbit caught in the headlights.

    Mmm... his little bunny.

    The two of them exchanged a few more words. Then, Hazel waved her hands as she watched as his vehicle drive away to leave. Hazel heaved a soft sigh when she could no longer see his car. She raised her hands and placed them on her chest.

    At this time, Hazel thought that there was a strange feeling. It felt as if she was not willing to part with him¡­

    Hazel was a little surprised when the thought crossed her mind. She slapped at her cheeks lightly before Hazel went up the stairs slowly.

    The moment she entered her room, her roommates were staring at her with a weird glint in their eyes. Hazel thought the way they were looking at her was almost the same as a hungry lion looking at its prey¡­

    Hazel subconsciously took a step back.

    "Hazel Mo," Michelle called her name.  Her lips stretched up into a strange smile.. "Tonight, you are not getting any sleep until you answer everything we need to know."

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 364 - The Onlookers Were A Little Excited

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Hazel pulled out her phone as she walked out of the lecture hall and saw that there were a few missed calls and texts. Her heart skipped a beat when she saw that Alex had called her earlier. After thinking about it for a bit, Hazel decided to return his call.

    In less than five seconds, Alex had picked up the phone and spoke on the other line. "Hazel?"

    Hazel felt a tremor upon hearing his voice.

    Ever since she had decided to give Alex a chance and considered changing their relationship from friends to lovers, Hazel realized that there would be times when she would feel like this¡ªa little excited and a little anxious when she was around Alex.

    It was a strange feeling, but Hazel found that it was not something that she disliked.

    According to her roommates, the only reason she felt that way was because her feelings were awakened. Perhaps, all this while, she had liked Alex a little bit but had not realized anything. After Alex had confessed to her, Hazel began to realize that she had feelings for him and that feeling had continued to bloom and grew.

    "Mmm¡­" Hazel bit at her lips. "Sorry. I was in class just now and had set my phone on silent. Why did you call?"

    At this time, Crystal walked out of the hall to look for her. The moment Crystal saw the expression on Hazel''s face and the phone pressed against her ears, she immediately figured out who was the caller. Their gaze met and Crystal wriggled her eyebrow teasingly at Hazel.

    Seeing the warning look on Hazel''s face, Crystal decided to run to save her life.

    "I miss you," Alex said.

    Her heart warmed and her heartbeat accelerated. It was as if there was a group of deer jumping around in her heart. Hazel looked away, knowing that her face should look a little red at this moment.

    Noticing that the woman on the other line did not answer, Alex could guess that Hazel should be a little shy at this moment. He could almost imagine the pink blush on her cheek.

    Recently, this was the image he would always see whenever he had teased Hazel. He realized that he liked the pink blush on her cheek and the shy look on her face. It was adorable and it would give him the urge to pinch her cheek. Later, he could not stop himself from teasing her.

    A sigh escaped him, knowing that Hazel would not say those words back to him. "Later, send to me your class schedule. So that I will know when I should call you."

    "Oh."

    "Do you have any plan for the evening?"

    Hazel thought about it for a while and answered, "No."

    "Then, do you want to have dinner with me?"

    Hazel was a little stunned to hear his invitation. Slowly, her lips curled into a smile. "Are you going to cook for me again?" She thought of the last time he had invited her to his apartment in L City so that he can cook for her. Alex''s cooking was good and it was something that suited her palate.

    "Then¡­" Alex made a pause. "Do you want to come over to my apartment?"

    Hazel jumped at the thought of visiting his apartment and the thought made her a little anxious.

    The last time she had visited his apartment in L City, Hazel was a little upset as she had thought that Alex had wanted to trick her. Afterward, the two ate their lunch and chatted as usual. It was a while later that Hazel thought that it was a little awkward for her to come over to Alex''s place.

    Although she trusted that Alex would not do anything that she did not like, it was still a little awkward.

    "No," Hazel answered quickly. "It''s fine. Let''s just have dinner somewhere close to the campus. I still need to return early and do some revision for tomorrow''s class."

    Alex let out a chuckle. "Alright. We''ll have dinner somewhere nearby. I will come over and pick you up."

    The two exchanged a few more words before Hazel hung up.

    Hazel slid her phone into her bag and lowered her head. She found that the smile on her face would not go away even after she could no longer hear his voice. Suddenly, Hazel was a little worried that whatever was going on with herself would turn her into a fool.

    "What are you still standing here for?"

    Hazel snapped out of her trance and was surprised to find that Crystal had crept up to her. The teasing smile on Crystal''s face remained and Hazel was a little embarrassed that her friend had caught her smiling like an idiot.

    Crystal was a little surprised to see the look on Hazel''s face. She had known Hazel for so long and knew that Hazel was someone who always wore a serious look on her face. But after she had returned from their winter break, everything had changed. Crystal thought that the Hazel in front of her looked and acted more girlish.

    It was a little cute.

    "Are we still going to watch the game?" Crystal asked.

    Hazel glanced at the time and realized that they should be heading to the basketball court at this time. Picking up their pace, both of them headed over to the court. When they arrived, their roommates, Michelle was already waiting and had reserved a place for them.

    The moment Hazel appeared at the basketball court, everyone turned their head at her and started to whisper a few things.

    It was well known among everyone that Hazel had rejected the basketball captain, Kevin Xu a month ago.

    The basketball captain had confessed to Hazel in front of a lot of eyewitnesses. Because of that, the news that Hazel had rejected him had spread like wildfire and Kevin Xu was embarrassed. Fortunately for him, the winter break had started and he could avoid the others for a while.

    Now that Hazel had appeared at the basketball court, everyone was starting to make a lot of assumptions.

    It couldn''t be that Hazel Mo had set her eyes on someone else other than Captain Kevin Xu, right?

    Suddenly, the onlookers started to guess at the person that Hazel had set her eyes on.

    Meanwhile, Kevin Xu had just entered the area when he had heard the discussion. He looked at Hazel for a long time and his eyes narrowed dangerously. He tried to follow her gaze and saw that she was looking in the direction where a junior in his team was standing.

    A chuckle escaped him as he thought that Hazel''s taste was a little peculiar. Kevin Xu threw the water bottle in his hand to his friend and walked over to Hazel.

    The onlookers saw this situation and were a little excited to see the drama that was about to start.

    Read novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 365 - Ganging Up On A Few Girls

    Hazel and her roommates were sitting on the bleachers, unaware of the upcoming drama.

    Crystal had told Michelle about the silly face on Hazel''s face when she talked to Alex and the two of them began to tease her until her the pink blush appeared on her cheek. Suddenly, they noticed that someone had blocked the sunlight in front of them.

    The three roommates looked up and were surprised to see Kevin Xu stood in front of them. Instantly, both Crystal and Michelle had a frown on their faces.

    Kevin stood in front of the girls and narrowed his eyes when he saw the blush on Hazel''s face. Hazel was well known among the guys as the goddess who always had a cold look on her face. It was a little surprising for Hazel to have this expression on her face.

    At the thought that Hazel had pulled this look on her face because of his junior, Kevin became unhappy.

    Kevin tightened his hand into a fist and sneered. "Hazel Mo, so you like that kind of guy, huh?"

    Hazel tilted her head to look at the person in front of her and blinked. The shy look on her face completely disappeared and the cold look on her face returned. "Excuse me, but who are you?"

    The onlookers who had their eyes on their interaction chuckled and laughed upon hearing Hazel''s question.

    It was only a month ago when Kevin Xu had confessed and was rejected. However, it seemed as if Hazel could not remember who he is.

    The onlookers began to gossip behind their backs.

    Even if Hazel could not remember about the person who had confessed to her before their winter break began, surely, she would know about the basketball captain, Kevin Xu, right?

    After all, Kevin Xu was popular on their campus for basketball and his good look.

    Some of them could not help but wonder if Hazel was only pretending.

    However, Hazel really could not recall seeing the man in front of her. For Hazel, she would not remember the people she did not have interaction with on daily basis.

    Kevin Xu was not someone from the same department and she had never shared a class with him. To Hazel, he was merely a passerby and was not important enough to remember.

    Meanwhile, Kevin''s expression turned ugly when he heard her question. The onlookers'' words entered his ears and Kevin was infuriated. However, he could not just leave and bear the humiliation.

    "Who are you pretending for? The last time didn''t you rejected me in front of so many people?" His voice was low and only those who are closer could hear his words.

    Hazel frowned as she tried to recall the person in front of her, but she could not remember him.

    "I always saw you coming over to watch our basketball practice, but I did not expect that it was to for someone else. Hazel Mo, rather than setting your eyes on that person, how about you date me instead? Every one around can see that I am a better choice." Kevin raised his hand and wanted to grab Hazel''s.

    However, before he could touch her, Hazel had swatted his hand away. His lower arm was in pain, causing Kevin to be in a daze. Then, Hazel hit him on his stomach area, causing him to stagger a few steps backward.

    Fortunately for him, his friends were right behind him, or else, Kevin might fell on his butt and embarrass himself further.

    When he looked up again, Hazel had already stood up and was watching him with a dangerous look in her eyes.

    Kevin could still remember how Hazel had pulled his hand on his back the last time he tried to touch her. Back then, Kevin had thought that Hazel was very lucky to be able to pull such movements.

    "I don''t know who you are but you better leave me and my friends," Hazel spoke with a threatening gaze.

    Kevin felt his face heated up with embarrassment. All around him, he could feel the others were looking at him with their mocking gaze.

    "What a pretentious woman," Kevin spat.

    Hazel really did not want to pay attention to a person like Kevin. It was such a waste of time. She had come to watch the basketball practice, but it was not to watch the boys.

    At this time, a group of girls in their basketball jersey walked over to their side. They were having their practices at a side of the court when they noticed the commotion. However, with so many people around, they could not get a clear view of what was going on.

    A girl with a long ponytail pushed the crowd apart to walk through. She looked at Hazel and saw that she was looking at someone with an angry expression. Following Hazel''s gaze, the girl then saw that Kevin Xu was at the scene as well. She immediately figured out what was going on.

    A chuckle escaped her. "Captain Xu, what are you doing, ganging up on a few girls?"

    Everyone around heard the voice and immediately turned around. The onlookers began to whisper and wondered how will this drama progress as Eira Zhang, the captain of the women''s basketball team had made her appearance.

    "How about spending your time to practice with your teammates? Let''s not forget how you had lost to me a few months ago," Eira said. A smile curled on her lips. "Should we have a rematch?"

    Kevin turned his head to the newcomer and his expression changed. "You stay out of this."

    Eira clicked her tongue. "I can''t. Not when you are harassing my roommates."

    The onlookers began to discuss this new turn of events. The girl''s words stuck in their head.

    Roommates?

    She pointed her fingers at the three girls in front of her. "They are my roommates."

    Instantly, they were able to figure out the truth.

    Kevin Xu had thought that Hazel has been coming to watch the basketball practice because of him. It turned out that Hazel would always show up at the court to watch the women''s basketball practices!

    Eira overheard the onlookers'' discussions and laughed. "Captain Xu, can you not be narcissistic? What makes you dare to assume that my roommates came to watch your practice? Obviously, they come for me."

    Kevin gritted her teeth. "Don''t fool around. What roommates? Everyone knows that you never live on campus."

    "Just because I don''t always stay in my dorm doesn''t mean that I don''t live on campus," Eira said. "My grandmother happens to live in B City. Of course, as a good granddaughter, I always stayed over at her place." She crossed her arms on her chest and continued, "Do I have to return to my dorm and spent a few nights to convince everyone?"

    Only the people around her knew that Eira would return to her dorm to take a nap. In the evening, she would then return to her grandmother''s place. Her grandmother made delicious meals for her every day and would always spoil her. Why won''t she choose to return and accompany her?

    However, just because she did not always stay in the dorm, doesn''t mean that her relationship with her roommates was not good.

    The girls in the basketball team who knew about this habit immediately help to speak for her.

    Hearing their words, Kevin could only grit his teeth. Although he did not like Eira Zhang for her arrogance, there was nothing he could do about it. He still knew that there are people that he should never mess up with. Eira Zhang was someone with a strong backing. He did not expect that the girl was very close to Hazel.

    In the end, he could only bear the humiliation and left the basketball court. He could only choose to retaliate another time.

    Seeing that Kevin Xu had left, the others began to laugh and cheer.

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 366 - Hazels Roommates

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    "Wait, is he going to leave just like that?" Eira asked. She turned to the direction where Kevin had disappeared and clicked her tongue. "And here I thought, I can make him accompany me a game or two."

    Michelle stood up and patted at their friend''s shoulder. "Alright, you basketball maniac. Stop bullying other people. The boys'' basketball team would cry if they heard your words. You''re even stricter than their captain!"

    Their roommate, Eira Zhang was a little tomboyish and domineering. Truly the daughter of Zhang Group Worldwide''s President. Just like her father, she loved basketball a little too much and would bully people with her skills. It is said that she was the only girl in her generation. Being surrounded by her male siblings, she was naturally a little spoiled.

    "What bullying? I was about to ask for a friendly match, okay? It would do their team a favor to practice with us." Eira laughed happily when her roommates rolled their eyes at her. She turned to Hazel and asked, "Are you alright? He didn''t cause you any trouble, did he?"

    "I''m fine." Hazel smiled. "He could not make trouble for me."

    "Let''s not forget that Hazel is really good at self-defense," Crystal said. "You didn''t see it just now. Hazel hit him two times and the expression on his face was too funny. Eira, you will never get your chance to play a hero with Hazel around."

    Michelle heaved a sigh as she turned to Hazel. "I did not think that Kevin would dare to harass you after you had rejected him the last time. Even if you have someone else that you liked, what does that got to do with him?"

    "He had never got a rejection from any girls and Hazel was the first." Crystal shrugged. "I guess this hurts his pride and he could not accept it."

    "Let''s stop talking about him. He''s not that important to us," Hazel said. She looked at Eira and raised a brow. "Are you still practicing or what?"

    Eira heaved a long sigh. "The girls will file a complaint against me if I continued to make them practice." She turned towards her teammates and smiled.

    "No. No. Captain! We can still practice!" One of the girls spoke and received her teammates'' threatening gaze.

    "It''s fine." Eira laughed. "Let''s call it a day. I still want to hang out with my fellow friends."

    The rest of the basketball members had a cheery look on their faces upon hearing their captain''s words.

    "Alright. Alright. Our practice ends here. Go ahead and leave." Eira waved her hands. The members shouted their gratitude and scampered away.

    "Are you really going to stay the night at the dorm?" Crystal asked.

    Eira thought about it and said, "Maybe next time. I have told my grandmother that I will return tonight. She said that she was going to make my favorite chicken wings!"

    Crystal heaved a sigh. She went over to Michelle''s side and draped her arms on her shoulder. "Michelle ah¡­ It seemed that we''ll be having dinner just the two of us today."

    Eira heard her words and turned to Hazel "Where are you going?"

    The smile on Crystal''s face stretched out wide. "Our Hazel here got a date with her childhood friend. He invited Hazel for dinner together and our Hazel had agreed."

    "You weren''t there the last time Hazel''s boyfriend dropped her off," Michelle said. "He''s really good-looking."

    "He''s not my boyfriend," Hazel said quickly. Sensing her roommates'' gaze, Hazel lowered her head. "At least, not yet."

    The girls rolled their eyes at Hazel.

    "Wait! You''ve seen Hazel''s boyfriend?" Eira stared at Michelle with her eyes wide. "Doesn''t this mean that I''m the only one who had not seen him yet?"

    Michelle laughed. "Isn''t it because you rarely spend your time in your room?"

    Eira sucked in a deep breath and turned to Hazel. "Hazel Mo! I thought we are sisters! How can you do this to me? Quickly introduce him to me and let me see if he''s qualified enough to be your boyfriend."

    "How about you hang around on campus a while longer?" Michelle suggested. "Then we call all spy on them together."

    "Alright, stop teasing me too much," Hazel said. Her face gradually turned red.

    This was the first time that Eira had seen a shy expression from Hazel and she was a little surprised. She thought that Hazel should like the boy a little bit. Or else, she would not have that expression on her face, right?

    "Hazel, how about taking this boyfriend over to my house and introduce him to my mother as well," Eira said. "My mother will be very happy to see you both coming over."

    In the past, Hazel''s parents and Eira''s mother were best friends. Hazel''s mother and Eira''s mother went to the same college and became friends ever since. Years have passed and this time, Hazel and Eira were admitted to the same college and were fated to be roommates. Because her mothers were a friend, the two of them had known each other for a long time.

    Hazel thought about her friend''s words and spoke, "I will think about it."

    The roommates continued their chat and fooled around a little bit before they all returned to their dorm.

    Curious at how Hazel''s boyfriend would look like, Eira had called her grandmother and told her that she will be heading home a little later.

    Hazel looked at her roommates and let out a helpless sigh.

    Once they were back in their room, the girls started to help Hazel to choose an appropriate dress and did her makeup. When they finished, Hazel took a step back and stared at her reflection in the mirror. Seeing the light blue dress on her body, the light makeup on her face and the soft curls rested on her shoulders, Hazel was a little stunned.

    "We''re only having our dinner somewhere closer to the campus," Hazel said. "I don''t need to dress up like this."

    "What do you know?" Michelle stopped Hazel from tugging at the hem of her dress. "It''s not about dressing up. It''s about making effort. Your boyfriend would be motivated when he saw that you''re making effort to see him. This is how you''re telling him that you are interested in him without saying it out loud."

    Hazel thought of how Alex was going to react when he saw her and her face turned crimson again.

    The phone on her desk started to ring and the girls exchanged a look when they saw the name on the screen.

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 367 - Dinner Date

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    When Hazel walked downstairs, Alex was already waiting for her. The man was standing under the tree inconspicuously. His head lowered to look at his phone, but the moment he sensed someone was staring at him, Alex lifted his head to look at Hazel.

    Their gaze met and Alex was a little stunned, looking at the beauty in front of him.

    Seeing the way Alex was looking at her, Hazel could not help but to lower her head. After a brief pause, Hazel walked over and stopped in front of him. "Why¡­ are you looking at me like that?"

    Alex snapped out of his trance when he heard her voice. He turned and let out a dry cough before he looked at her again. "Nothing. Just that¡­ you look beautiful today."

    Her face was a little heated up. Being stared at by Alex and was called beautiful made her heart jumped up. At this time, loud laughing voices could be heard coming from one of the dorm rooms, startling them both. Subconsciously, they both looked up.

    Hazel saw her roommates stood on the balcony and closed her eyes. Knowing that the girls were spying on them, Hazel was a little embarrassed. Suddenly, she couldn''t help but want to look for a hole to hide in immediately.

    "Let''s go," Hazel said. Her hand moved to reach Alex''s, wanting to drag him away from the place quickly.

    Alex looked at their intertwined hands and a satisfied smile. He tightened his hold against hers and led her to his car.

    The moment Hazel sat in the passenger''s seat, her phone started to chime. The corner of her lips twitched as she read her roommates'' reminder to let Alex pick a day and buy them a meal.

    Alex slid behind the wheels and noticed the strange way Hazel was staring at her phone. "What''s wrong?"

    "Nothing," Hazel lowered her phone and smiled. "Just my roommates asking me questions about some assignments."

    Alex turned the ignition and turned the car to leave the campus area. He glanced at the woman beside him and her lips couldn''t stop from smiling. "Have you been busy with your studies and assignments?"

    "It''s my final year. I don''t have many classes, but there are a lot of assignments. But it''s still manageable," Hazel said. She looked out the window and watched as the scenery changed. "Where are we going?"

    "A friend recommended a western restaurant," Alex said. "You don''t mind that, do you?"

    "It''s alright. As long as I don''t have to spend my money."

    Alex laughed when he heard her words.

    The two of them continued to talk about Hazel''s study on their way to the restaurant. Alex noticed the way her eyes would sparkle when she explained about her robotic studies and was a little stunned.

    After a twenty minutes drive, the two of them passed by a large amusement park. Hazel lifted her head to look at the dazzling lights. She seemed to remember that this site was a collaboration of MH Group with a few large companies.

    When her parents were still alive, they had once taken her to this amusement park to play around. However, she was too young and she could not remember anything other than what she had seen from the pictures in the photo album.

    Once she came to B City to pursue her study, Hazel would sometimes pass by around this area but had never entered the amusement park again. Her friends had invited her to play at the amusement park a few times, but she was always busy with her studies.

    Alex glanced at the woman beside him and noticed that she was staring out the window in a daze. "Have you went to this amusement park before?"

    Hazel snapped out of her thoughts and turned to Alex. "My parents took me here once. But of course, I don''t remember much about it."

    Alex pursed his lips into a thin line. At the mention of her parents, Alex suddenly did not know how to continue this conversation. He recalled the secret that Hazel had shared with him at the beach.

    He just did not want to let her remember all the unpleasant things and see her sad expression. Alex could still remember how she started to panic and how she had cried until her eyes were swollen when she talked about her parents.

    "Alex?"

    He snapped out of his thoughts and turned to Hazel. "Huh?"

    A smile bloomed on her face. "Do you want to come with me and play at this amusement park? I''ve been living in B City for a few years and had never set my foot in here. I just thought that it would be too bad if I graduated and leave B City without stepping into this place."

    "Alright." Alex nodded. "Let''s set a date."

    The light turned green and Alex finally turned and entered a district. He found a parking spot and pulled over.

    When they alighted, Hazel was a little dazed as she looked at the rows of restaurants and cafes. The area was lively with people walking down the street. On one side, there was a long line of people who were queuing to buy the new flavored ice creams.

    It was then that she recalled how Eira would often mention this district. According to her friend, there is one restaurant around this area that served chicken wings that is worth dying for.

    However, Hazel had never gone out to this part of the city. She was someone who was not very picky about her food and would not care to travel far to eat delicious food. Her Auntie Edith is an excellent cook and Hazel thought that her auntie''s home-cooked meal is the best.

    "Come on." Alex stretched his hand and Hazel linked her hands with him.

    The two of them walked around the area for a while and arrived in front of a western-style restaurant. Hazel looked at the interior from the outside and was stunned to find how pretty it was. It has a minimalist design, but the decorative plants will make it seem as if they were having a meal in a pretty garden.

    As Alex had already made his reservation, the two of them were lead to their table on the second floor.

    The waiter handed them their menu and poured them with glasses of water.

    The two made their decision quickly and waited for their food. Seeing the pretty interior, Hazel could not help but to snap a few pictures to show her roommates.

    "There''s still no one around. How about you stand at that corner and I''ll snap a few photos for you?"

    Hazel turned to the direction where Alex had pointed at her and hesitated. The greenery background with fairy lights was indeed pretty. Seeing that they were the only people around, Hazel immediately agreed.

    The two of them walked over to the corner and Hazel struck a few poses. However, because she was a little timid, they only spent a short time taking pictures.

    "Come, look at the pictures."

    Hazel walked over to his side and looked at the phone. For a few seconds, Hazel was a little stunned. The girl in the photo was pretty and Hazel had a hard time believing that she could have that expression on her face. Her lips bloomed into a smile and there was a twinkle in her eyes.

    "Later, I''ll send the pictures to you, alright?"

    "Oh." It was then that Hazel realized Alex had used his phone to snap the pictures.

    The waiter showed up with their drinks and the two returned to their seat. A while later, her phone started to buzz and Hazel saw that Alex had sent the pictures to her.

    "How about I snap a few pictures for you as well?" Hazel cocked her head as she looked at Alex.

    Alex laughed. "It''s fine."

    Just then, the two of them heard a movement and saw that a waiter had let a couple upstairs. The woman''s eyes caught the sight of Alex and Hazel and quickly dragged her partner to greet them.

    Flashing the sweetest smile on her face the woman then spoke, "Alex He, what a nice surprise.. I did not expect to see you here."

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 368 - Why Do You Like Me?

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Hearing the woman''s words, Hazel turned to Alex and shot him an inquiring gaze.

    Alex flashed a smile that did not reach his eyes. He looked at his friend who was being dragged by the woman and narrowed his eyes dangerously. "Daniel?"

    "I met Miss Lin outside the office just now," the man said. "She invited me for a meal and I didn''t expect that she would ask me here. Alex, this is a coincidence."

    Alex quickly shifted his gaze away.

    Earlier, when he was asking for the staff''s for their restaurant recommendation, Daniel was just beside him. It would be impossible for him not to know that he would show up at the restaurant.

    He took a deep breath and turned to Hazel again. "Hazel, this is my business partner, Daniel Qin, and our company''s lawyer, Carina Lin. Daniel, Carina, this is Hazel Mo."

    Hazel blinked when she heard that familiar name. She gave the woman a look over and smiled. However, Hazel did not miss the provocation look that Miss Lin shot at her.

    "It was a rare chance for us to run into each other like this," Carina said. "Since this is a fated meeting, why don''t we have a meal together. I''m sure¡ª"

    "No," Alex spoke before the woman could finish her sentence.

    The smile on Carina''s face turned stiff.

    "I''m sorry," Alex said. "You see, I am still in the process to woo this lady to become my girlfriend. It would be inappropriate if you join our table, Miss Lin."

    Carina glanced at Hazel with an awkward look on her face. Though Alex''s words should let her know about Hazel''s position, she thought that this was not her time to give up. After all, she had been chasing after Alex since they were in college.

    It was fate that Alex would move to B City. Why should she let go of this chance?

    Hazel saw the pleading look that Carina shot at her and was amused. Just a while ago, this woman has been shooting daggers at her. Now that Alex had chased her away, why did she wanted her to help? She did not know Carina too well and she was not that generous to strangers.

    Swiftly, Hazel looked away. She grabbed at her glass of water in front of her and took a slow sip. It was as if she was enjoying the drama that was about to come, and this drama had nothing to do with her.

    "I was just thinking that we could discuss your business project while we eat," Carina said. Her tone sounded a little pitiful and it would usually melt the opposite gender''s heart.

    "Miss Lin, as I have mentioned to you previously, every business decision will be made by Daniel," Alex said. "If you needed to discuss, you can discuss everything with him." Once he finished his words, Alex shot his friend a look.

    Daniel felt his body trembled upon meeting Alex''s gaze. He immediately knew that if he did not leave with Carina, Alex would be furious. What would happen if Alex chose to pull away from his investment in his company? His company was just a baby. He would not be able to survive the impact if he lost a large sum of investment.

    As the thought came to his mind, Daniel let out a cough and tugged at Carina''s arms. "Miss Lin, it''s not good for us to be a huge light bulb and disturb these lovers." He seemed to notice Carina''s angry stare, but at this time, Daniel was more afraid of Alex. Daniel turned to Hazel. "Miss Mo, pardon me for disturbing your date. I won''t disturb you any further."

    Seeing that Hazel had flashed him an understanding smile, Daniel was relieved. Before Carina would stop causing trouble for him, Daniel quickly pulled that woman away.

    Once the two people had disappeared from their eyesight, Hazel put down the glass in her hand and flashed a smile at Alex, causing the man to worry over his life. "That Miss Lin¡­ she seemed to like you."

    "Too bad. I only like you." Alex said. His gaze was staring straight at Hazel, unblinking. It was as if he was worried that he might miss something important from her expression.

    Hazel lowered her head upon hearing his words. Seconds later, she looked at Alex again and was not surprised to see that he was still staring at her. "Why do you like me?"

    "Hmm¡­" Alex pondered for a while and smiled. "You''re cute."

    Hazel started to laugh. "So, it was because of my look?"

    "I like your smile and how you laughed."

    Instantly, her laughter stopped.

    "I like how you would always focus on building those models," Alex continued. "I like your positivity even after everything you have gone through. There are just too many things that I liked about you. In the beginning, it might be because I am used to having your presence around¡­ But once I realized that what I feel was not something that a friend would feel for another, I just could not imagine being around anyone else other than you."

    "Really?" Hazel flashed him a stiff, teasing smile.

    "You know me. The moment I found something that I liked, I was unable to look away," Alex said. "Just like how I liked building those models after my father introduced them to me¡­ the moment I like you, I could not like anyone else. It did not feel right. Hazel Mo, I love you that much."

    Hazel stared back at Alex with a stunned expression. Her heart was beating furiously against her ribcage. She could feel the heat creeping on her face, but at this time, Hazel thought that she was unable to look away from his gaze.

    At this time, the waiter decided to come and deliver their appetizer, giving her the chance to look away.

    Alex heaved a breath, slowly, with frustration at the waiter timing.

    He was beginning to enjoy getting lost in Hazel''s gaze when this man had appeared. Seeing that Hazel had chosen to stare at her food instead of looking up at him, Alex was a little disappointed.

    Hazel poked at her shrimp appetizer and paused as Alex''s words replayed in her mind. "You''re saying that you''re a loyal type."

    Alex was surprised when Hazel started to speak again. A smile appeared on his lips. "Hmm¡­ after knowing that, would you consider giving me an answer at this time?"

    Hazel cocked her head to one side. "No."

    Alex lowered his head upon hearing her answer.

    "You said that you were going to chase me for one month. Therefore, you have to chase me for one month." Hazel saw the sparkle in his eyes and quickly looked at her appetizer again. She stabbed at a piece and shoved it into her mouth. "Good things happen to those who are patient."

    His heart trembled at her words. Those words¡­ don''t they meant that he had a huge chance to change their relationship status from friends to lovers once the one-month period is over?

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 369 - Ask Him Out On A Date

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Remembering that Hazel wanted to return to her dorm earlier to do her revision for tomorrow''s class, Alex decided to send her back after dinner.

    Hazel thought that Alex would take her to walk around after dinner and was a little regretful that she had told him such lies. In the end, their meeting was cut short and they have to part again.

    Alex pulled over his vehicle at a spot and turned to Hazel, who was looking at something on her phone. "We''re here."

    Hazel lifted her head and saw her dorm building in front of her. She heard Alex opened his door to alight before he went over to her side and helped her with her door. After she stepped out of the vehicle, Hazel patted at her skirt softly, trying to flatten the crease on them. She looked up again and saw the hesitation on his face. "What''s wrong? Why are you making that face?"

    A sigh escaped. "What am I going to do? Time flies so fast and I am not willing to part with you."

    Hazel chuckled upon hearing his words. Recently, she found that Alex was getting better at speaking sweet words.

    "Did you say these words to everyone?" Hazel teased.

    "If everyone is Hazel Mo, then I will say these words frequently."

    Seeing the serious look on his face, Hazel could not help but laugh. "Such sweet-talker."

    Alex took a deep breath and smiled. "Go in. I will text you once I arrived at my apartment."

    "Alright."

    "Study well."

    "I know."

    "Don''t forget to think of me and my suggestion whenever you''re free."

    "I will." A soft smile curled on her lips. Hazel thought that even if she did not want to think of Alex, the man would sometimes pop up in her mind, reminding her to think of his suggestion properly.

    Alex pursed his lips into a thin line as it seemed that he had run out of things to say. He moved slightly to give her room and leave. "Alright. I won''t take your time anymore."

    Hazel took a few steps forward and stopped. When she turned around, Alex was still watching her. The smile on her face widened upon seeing the expression on his face that was beginning to look like a lost puppy.

    A thought crossed her mind and Hazel took out her phone. After checking the information she wanted to find, Hazel looked at Alex again. "Are you free on Saturday, eleventh?"

    His mind whirled as he tried to think of his schedule and wondered if it was a special day. "I''m free." Even if he was not free, he would make time for Hazel.

    "Good. Then, let''s go and play at the amusement park, alright?"

    His expression turned slightly bright at the thought that Hazel was taking the initiative to ask him out on a date. "Alright."

    Hazel clenched the phone in her hand a little tighter. Her cheek was a little red, but fortunately, Alex would not notice them under the night sky. "Then¡­ I will give you the answer on that day."

    A glint appeared on his eyes when Alex realized that the one-month duration would end on the eleventh. Before he was able to react well, the woman had already turned around and walked over to her dorm.

    Alex continued to stand at the spot as he wanted to watch her enter the building. Just before her figure disappeared behind the wall, Hazel turned around and waved at him.

    A chuckle escaped him as he thought of how adorable that girl is. Suddenly, Alex was anticipating the day to come. He had a feeling that Hazel would not let him down with her answer.

    After he had calmed down a little bit, Alex slid behind the wheels and reached for his phone at the side. He recalled that he had snapped a few photos of Hazel earlier and had wanted to set them as his wallpapers.

    However, the little smile on his face gradually disappeared the moment he saw the text messages. After composing a reply, Alex put the keys in the ignition and drive off.

    Once he arrived at his apartment building, Alex saw that his friend, Daniel was waiting for him at the lounge. He walked over to his direction and Daniel lifted his head upon hearing the sound of his footsteps.

    "Alex!" Daniel stood up immediately. "I''m sorry. I did not expect that she would come over and try to disturb you on your date. Miss Lin said that she had something important to discuss with you."

    "Even so, I am not happy when someone disturbs me during my private time. This is not working hours and I am merely an investor and advisor to your company, Daniel. I told you from the very beginning that you will be the one who will make a decision."

    "Sorry." Daniel lowered his head. "You know that I am lacking confidence in managing the company. I just thought¡­ that if you were around during any negotiation, everything will be alright."

    Alex took a deep breath to calm down. "You need to build that confidence fast. I trust that you will do well and decided to invest in this company. Why can''t you have a little more trust in yourself?"

    His expression grew warm upon hearing Alex''s words. They became friends in college and Alex would often tell him that he always had good ideas and would become a good leader if he had a little more confidence.

    "I won''t be staying in B City forever," Alex reminded him. "After a year, I will leave and return to L City."

    "I know. I remember." Daniel nodded. There was silence between them. Daniel peeked at Alex''s face and recalled his date earlier. "That woman earlier¡­ Miss Mo¡­ is she the woman you often mentioned previously?"

    The two were friends in college and Daniel had witnessed a few girls trying to hit on him, but the man would never give them any chance. Later, they had asked him why Alex was never interested in those girls and Alex told them that he had someone he liked. Later, Alex would sometimes mention his childhood sweetheart whenever he was in a good mood.

    Hazel''s gentle face appeared on his mind and his expression grew lighter. "Hmm¡­" He then recalled the thing that Carina tried to pull and decided to give Daniel a little warning. "Previously, I had agreed to hire Miss Lin as our lawyer as she was someone from the same college, but Daniel, I don''t like how she would always show up around me."

    "Sorry. Miss Lin asked for my help and I couldn''t find a reason to reject her," Daniel said. "I didn''t know that your childhood sweetheart would be in B City as well."

    "If Miss Lin continued to pester me, then I would suggest you work with a new lawyer instead," Alex said. "You can tell those words to Miss Lin."

    "I know."

    Alex heaved a sigh. "It''s getting late.. Go back to your place and have a rest. Tomorrow, don''t you still have an important business meeting with a client?"

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 370 - Make An Excuse To See Him

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    After her class ended, Hazel went straight back to her dorm and found that a parcel from home. After carrying the parcel back into her room, Hazel peeked into the box and found that there were more snacks and delicacies inside.

    A helpless laugh escaped her and Hazel picked up her phone and dialed her Auntie''s number.

    The phone got through after a few rings. Her heart softened the moment Hazel heard her Auntie Edith''s voice on the other line. It hasn''t been a long time since the last time she went back home, but Hazel found that she was missing her family.

    "Auntie Edith, what are you doing just now?"

    "Nothing much. I had just returned from a checkup with your uncle just now," Edith reported. A soft sigh escaped her. "Your uncle has been really overly worried about my pregnancy this time."

    Now that she thought about it, Neil was a little more anxious than the first time she was pregnant with Hayden.

    Hazel laughed at the other line. "Auntie Edith, this time, you are pregnant with a twin. Of course, my uncle would be worried," Hazel said.

    Moreover, after reading too many articles online, Neil was beginning to worry that her late pregnancy might be a little risky. Every linked he clicked would list out the risk for the mother and child.

    "The doctor said, as long as I look over my diet well and don''t stress up myself, everything should be fine," Edith said.

    "How are my younger siblings? Are they behaving well?"

    "They were very small. Even if they moved around a little bit, I couldn''t notice their movement yet. But in a few months, they will start to move. I just hope that the two would not quarrel too much in there and move around too much," Edith said. "Why did you call? Miss me?"

    "Auntie Edith, I always missed you. Especially your crab dishes."

    Edith laughed. "Alright. I know. I will make them again when you come back for your next vacation."

    "Auntie Edith, I called to let you know that I have received your parcel," Hazel said. "Why did you sent me more snacks? My roommates and I have not finished the snacks that you packed for me the last time. Are you not worried that I might gain a little too much weight?"

    "Those are from your maternal grandparents in F Country," Edith said. "It seemed that the postage got delayed because of the festivity and reach home after you had gone back to B City. Therefore, I sent them over to you. Later, don''t forget to call your grandparents in F Country, alright?"

    "Hmm¡­ I know." Hazel glanced at the parcel again. Though she was happy that her maternal grandparents remembered to send her a box of snacks and delicacies, it was still a little too much.

    "If you think that you cannot finish them, go ahead and share them with your classmates," Edith suggested. "Or¡­ you can give some to Alex as well. Mmm¡­ go ahead and make an excuse to see him."

    Hearing the suggestion, Hazel lowered her head shyly. "Auntie Edith¡­"

    "What are you embarrassed about? It can''t be that you cannot make an excuse to see your best friend, right?"

    Hazel thought that her auntie was a little addicted to teasing her.

    The two of them exchanged a few words before hanging up. Hazel glanced at the box of snacks again and thought of her Auntie''s suggestion.

    After they had gone out for dinner together, Hazel was suddenly busy with too many assignments. Because she was in her final year, her professors were even more demanding. Although they would still talk on the phone every day, Hazel has not seen Alex for a few days¡­

    Hazel thought of her Auntie Edith''s suggestion and hesitated. Taking a deep breath, Hazel pressed the call button.

    The call went through immediately and her heart skipped a beat upon hearing his voice, calling out her name.

    "Hazel?"

    It was at this time that Hazel began to realize that Alex''s voice was a little deep and rich. The sound of his voice entered her ear and Hazel felt a little tremor.

    "Mmm¡­"

    "Is your classes over?"

    "It was over a while ago," Hazel said. "My next class is canceled as my professor had something urgent. So now I am back at my dorm to take a break."

    Alex chuckled at the other line. "Then, you should take this chance to rest well. Recently you have been too busy with too many assignments."

    "I know." Hazel clenched at the hem of her shirt and asked, "What are you doing?"

    "Nothing much. I was just looking at some documents in my office."

    "Are you busy?"

    "It was still alright."

    "Then¡­ will it be alright if I come over and find you?"

    Alex paused when he heard her words.

    "My maternal grandparents sent me some snacks and I wanted to share them with you," Hazel said.

    "I will come over and find you."

    "No. Let me go and find you instead," Hazel said. "I thought about it. It seemed that I have never been to your company before and I am curious to know about your new company. Is it alright if I wanted to come over and look around?"

    Alex was a little stunned. He snapped out of his trance immediately and smiled. "Of course. Hazel, you can come over anytime you want. Are you sure you won''t need me to  come over and pick you up?"

    "It''s fine. The public transport in B City is pretty good. Just send me your address. I''ll come over and find you soon."

    A faint smile curled on Alex''s lips as they ended their conversation. The thought that Hazel had made an effort to come over and see him made him a little happy. Suddenly, Alex found that the documents on her table were not as interesting as it was before. At this time, he was looking forward to seeing Hazel appeared in the office.

    Meanwhile... Hazel raised a brow when she saw the address that Alex had sent to her. She did not think that his office and her campus would be quite close.

    Hazel stood in front of her closet and pondered about her outfit. This time, her roommates were not around to help her dress up as they were all spending their time studying in the library.

    After arranging the stuff that she wanted to give to Alex, Hazel left her dorm with a small paper bag in her hand.

    She took a bus and arrived at Alex''s office building almost fifteen minutes later. Hazel tilted her head to look at the tall building and took her phone to call Alex again.

    "You''ve arrived?" Alex asked the moment the call was connected.

    "Un..." Hazel could not help but smile when she heard his anxious tone. "I just got here."

    "Just wait for me at the lounge.. I will come over and find you."

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 371 - Alex Was Pretty Popular

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Hazel walked into the building and began to scan around the place.

    To enter the office''s floor, one will need a special pass or register at the security. Since Alex had told her to wait, Hazel chose to walk around. Her eyes caught the list of the companies in the building and she began to guess at which one was Alex''s.

    Hearing the footsteps coming from behind her, Hazel turned around and saw the man''s anxious face as he walked over to her. The moment their gaze met, his gaze turned gentler and a warm smile appeared on his lips.

    "Why do you look so anxious?" Hazel asked when she saw him.

    "I didn''t want you to wait for too long," Alex said.

    Hazel stretched her hand to pass him the paper bag in her hand. "For you."

    Alex reached to grab the bag but did not spare a glance at it. His gaze on Hazel''s face was unwavering. "Let''s go upstairs. I''ll show you around the place."

    "Mmm¡­" Hazel nodded. She let him reached for her hands and the two walked into the elevator.

    "Do you have any plan after this?" Alex asked as they were waiting for the elevator to arrive on their floor.

    Hazel had guessed that Alex was going to ask her out for a meal. Earlier, she had texted her friends that she will be going out and would return to the dorm after dinner. Perhaps, the girls were too preoccupied with their studies in the library, and the last time Hazel checked her phone, the girls have not replied to her messages. Fortunately, she could still get away with their teasing at this time.

    "I don''t," Hazel said.

    "Then, let''s go out and have dinner together afterward," Alex said. "I will send you over to your dorm later."

    The elevator arrived on the floor and the two walked out. The moment Alex led her into the office, Hazel began to notice the strange way that the receptionist was looking at her.

    In the beginning, Hazel thought of nothing, but once they walked further into the office, she began to notice that everyone around her was looking at her with the same, strange smile on their faces. Just as she thought that she wanted to turn and look properly, the other side had lowered their heads quickly.

    Her head cocked to one side as Hazel wondered if she was imagining things.

    Of course, Hazel was unaware that Alex had told the staff that his girlfriend would be visiting their office. Once they heard that the boss''s girlfriend would be visiting, the staff was a little excited and curious.

    Seeing that the two walked into the office with their hands intertwined, the staff guessed that the couple''s relationship was pretty good.

    After a brief tour around the office and explaining what they do at the company, Alex brought Hazel into his office to rest.

    "Currently, we only hired eight employees in the office," Alex said. "When the company grew, we''ll consider adding more staff. Right. Do you want something to drink? Coffee? Tea?"

    "Water is fine," Hazel said.

    "Wait for a while." Alex popped his head outside and came back in a while later. He was explaining to Hazel something about the technology they used when someone knocked at the door.

    One of the staff walked in with a tray of refreshments and placed them on the coffee table. Just as the woman was about to leave, she glanced at Hazel with her lips curled in disdain.

    Her brow shot up. This was the first time that she had seen this woman and Hazel could not understand the woman''s attitude towards her.

    Hazel caught the way the woman peeked at Alex in a brief second and understood what was going on. The door was closed and other than the rusting sounds of the papers, there was only silence in the room.

    "Who was that?" Hazel asked.

    Alex lifted his head to look at Hazel and glanced at the door. "The person who sent in the drinks?" He watched Hazel nodded and continued, "That''s Ashley Tang, Daniel''s assistant. Since I don''t come over often, she would sometimes come and act as my assistant as well. What''s wrong?"

    Hazel shook her head. "Nothing. I was casually asking." A smile curled on her lips. "Go ahead and do your job. Didn''t you say that you''re going to take me to dinner later?"

    His eyes sparkled and Alex lowered his head to look at the documents again.

    The smile on Hazel''s face gradually disappeared. A few days ago there was a Carina, and now, there''s another one called Ashley. It seemed that Alex was pretty popular among the ladies.

    As the thought crossed her mind, Hazel began to observe the man in front of her for a long time.

    It was true that Alex is quite attractive. With his look alone, he could easily attract some bees and butterflies. Hazel seemed to recall that his academic record in school, was pretty good. After he had joined her to attend a few self-defense classes, Alex began to work out more and his body built was not that bad. She could always feel his toned muscle every time she held on to his arms while they were walking together.

    Hazel paused as the thought crossed her mind and she quickly scolded herself for letting her mind go astray.

    At this time, someone came over and knocked on the door. Alex''s partner, Daniel showed up at the door and hesitated when he saw Hazel.

    "What is it?" Alex asked.

    Daniel let out a dry cough. "No. It''s just that something happened. I''ve gathered everyone in the meeting room for a brief discussion." He looked at Hazel again and flashed an awkward smile.

    After Alex had warned him the other day, Daniel decided that he needed to be careful around Hazel. If he accidentally makes this woman upset, then wouldn''t Alex find him to settle the score?

    "Go ahead. I''ll just stay here and wait for you," Hazel said as she looked at Alex.

    "Will you be alright?"

    A soft laugh escaped her. "Of course."

    Alex felt as if something bloomed in his heart when he heard her laughing voice. "If you''re bored and wanted to look around the office, go ahead. Just don''t leave without saying anything to me alright?"

    Hazel flashed a smile and watched Alex walked out.

    Finding nothing to do, Hazel checked on her phone and was surprised to see her roommates'' messages in their group. Hazel told them that she would return after having her dinner with Alex and soon, the girls started to tease her again.

    Hazel chatted with the girls for a while before she put her phone down. She decided to walk around the office area and finally, stopped in front of the french window to look at the scenery outside.

    The sound of high heels clicking on the floor could be heard from a distance. Hazel turned around and was a little surprised as her gaze met with the woman.

    "Why are you here?" Carina asked.. She did not bother to hide her contempt.

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 372 - My Boyfriend

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Hazel tilted her head to one side. "Why can''t I be here?"

    Carina swept her gaze around the office and saw that the staff was not around. A front appeared on her face. "Did you sneak into the office?"

    "Miss Lin, you are a funny woman," Hazel let out a laugh. "The security in this building is quite tight. How do you think I can sneak in? Obviously, someone allowed me to be here."

    Her hands clenched into fists, knowing that Hazel was telling the truth. One of the reasons that Alex and Daniel chose this office space was because of its safety. Not anyone could enter the building. Unless if they had a special pass or if they were invited by the tenant upstairs, the security will not allow just anyone to enter.

    Carina was allowed to enter the building after she had registered her information at security. Then, the security had to confirm with Daniel that she had an appointment with him before she was given the pass and was allowed to enter the building.

    However, when Carina saw Hazel''s appearance at the office, she was very unhappy.

    Just a few days ago, Daniel had warned her not to cause any trouble or else they were going to fire her as their lawyer and used someone else instead.

    When Alex and Daniel decided to use her service as their lawyer, the law firm had given her a lot of raise. If she had suddenly lost this important client, how would she face her colleague?

    However, at this time, there was no one around. Even if she said something to the woman before her, no one would know. The last time they ran into each other at the restaurant, Carina had seen the way Hazel interacted with Alex.

    Looking at her indifferent expression at that time, Carina was very sure that Hazel did not have a feeling towards Alex.

    Hazel continued to look at Carina''s changing expression and thought that it was a little amusing. "You¡­ like Alex."

    Carina''s expression turned awkward. However, that expression quickly disappeared. "Yes. I like him. Since you''re not his girlfriend yet, who said that I won''t have a chance to be with him?" She took a step closer. "Miss Mo, since you''re not interested in Alex, why don''t you just back off?"

    "Who said that I am not interested?" Hazel flashed her a playful smile. "If I''m not interested, why would I show up here?"

    The woman''s expression turned unhappy. She gave Hazel a look over and saw that the outfit on Hazel''s body was nothing expensive. A thought crossed her mind and Carina let out a scoff. "I have seen a few girls like you when I was in university. A girl like you isn''t suitable for Alex at all."

    Hazel did not care for her mocking, but she did not miss that little information. "You and Alex¡­ you went to the same university?"

    "That''s right." There was a look of arrogance on her face as Carina thought of how she had known Alex longer than Hazel. "We went to the same university and I have known him for years."

    Hazel was suddenly curious at how Alex was during his years in university.

    The two of them always went to the same school. It was only after Alex had entered university that the two of them were no longer together. Hazel could not deny that she grew a little restless the first month that she couldn''t see him. Fortunately, they were still able to talk through phones and meet during their holidays.

    It seemed that from then on, Alex had grown up. Every time she met him again, the man seemed to grow a little taller.

    "Miss Mo, don''t get your hopes up high. Alex might seem as if he is interested in you now, but I''m sure that it will not last too long," Carina said. "Once he learned of your intention to get close to him, he will only hate you."

    Hazel snapped out of her trance. "You think I have an intention to get close to Alex?"

    "Don''t you?" Carina''s lips curled into a mocking smile.

    "Then, what do you think is my intention of getting close to him?"

    Carina scanned the clothing on Hazel''s body again. "You know that he''s from a wealthy family in L City. You only got close to him for his money. Don''t try to pretend otherwise."

    Hazel thought that this should be one of the funniest jokes she heard.

    Even though Alex came from a wealthy family, the He''s family money could not be compared to the Mo''s.

    Moreover¡­ after her uncle had given her her parents had left behind, Hazel had turned into a rich lady. If one added the amount of money she received from MH Group every month, Hazel could live her life doing nothing at all and still able to feed her family for a few generations.

    From the way Carina was looking at her in contempt, Hazel knew that the woman was looking down at her just because of the way she had dressed. From the beginning she entered university, Hazel has always kept a very low profile.

    Unlike in the school that she attended, there will be a lot of students coming from different social classes. Showing off will only make things a little troublesome for her as she might run into people who wanted to be friends with her for other benefits.

    This was what her Auntie Edith had said to her when she entered university.

    Until now, there were not many people who knew that she''s Hazel Mo of MH Group.

    "Miss Lin, are you sure you are not talking about yourself?" Hazel asked. "The reason you liked Alex, wasn''t it because of his money as well?"

    The room turned silent as Carina was unable to respond. Carina''s face turned a little red, as she was not expecting Hazel to return her accusation. However, she was not willing to admit that initially, that was the reason why she was attracted to Alex.

    Suddenly, the two of them heard a voice coming from a direction and saw that the group of employees had come out of the meeting room. As Carina was someone who would frequently come over to the company, the employee had recognized her and exchanged their greetings.

    "Hazel?"

    The two women shifted their gaze upon hearing the voice. The employees parted to make ways and Alex appeared. The moment Alex saw that Carina was around, his expression turned darker.

    "Alex!" Carina went forward to him, but her movement halted as someone had moved faster than her. Seeing the way Hazel had linked her arms with Alex''s Carina became unhappy. However, under the employee''s eyes, she could only behave herself.

    "Sorry to let you wait. Are you bored?"

    "It''s fine." Hazel flashed him a smile. "Miss Lin accompanied me for a chat, so I wasn''t that bored."

    Alex narrowed his eyes dangerously at Carina, but that look disappeared when he looked at Hazel again. "What were you two chatting about?"

    "Just something about my boyfriend''s years in university."

    A glint flashed in his eyes upon hearing her words. Alex was very sure that his mind was not playing tricks on him. Just now... when Hazel mentioned her boyfriend, she was obviously talking about him, right?

    Before Alex could question Hazel about it, the woman had already looked away, avoiding his gaze.

    "I''m hungry.." Hazel tugged at his arm. "If you''re done with your work, let''s go out and have something to eat, alright?"

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 373 - A Little Unhappy

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Alex noticed that the person beside him has been keeping her silent the moment they entered the vehicle. Seeing the way she acted, Alex was worried, but he did not know what went wrong.

    Hazel was still fine when they were at his office. He had even thought that Hazel had mentioned him as her boyfriend. Could he be mistaken?

    A soft sigh escaped him. Alex thought that sometimes, a woman''s mind was a little too hard to understand. He had known Hazel for years, but there would still be a time when he could not figure out what she was thinking about.

    Alex tried to think of the reason for the sudden mood change in Hazel. The last person she had talked to was Carina.

    His face darkened at the thought that Hazel became unhappy after chatting with that woman. Alex made a note to talk to Daniel and let him choose a new lawyer to aid the company matters.

    After twenty minutes of driving, Alex parked his vehicle and turned to Hazel. "We''re here."

    Hazel snapped out of her trance and looked out the window. Noticing that the car had pulled over at the lakeside garden, Hazel swiftly turned to look at Alex. "Why are we here?"

    "To have dinner. I heard that there''s a pretty good seafood restaurant nearby," Alex said. "We may have to walk a little bit."

    "Oh." Hazel nodded at his explanation. She got of the vehicle and looked around the surroundings. The fresh air and the green scenery immediately make her feel more at ease. Hazel turned around when Alex tugged at her hand. She looked at him and cocked her head to one side. "What''s wrong?"

    "Hazel¡­" His voice sounded as if he was aggrieved. "Are you angry?"

    A look of surprise flashed on her face. "Why would you think that I''m angry?"

    "Then, why aren''t you speaking to me?" Alex asked. "Did Miss Lin said something that upset you?"

    Hazel thought of the conversation with Carina earlier and lowered her head.

    "What did she said to you?" Alex continued to ask when Hazel did not answer.

    Initially, she had tried to avoid Alex''s gaze because she was a little embarrassed after referring to him as her boyfriend in front of others. Hazel did not think that Alex would misunderstand her.

    She had finally calmed down and adjusted her thoughts, but hearing Carina''s name again, Hazel became unhappy.

    That woman was annoying and a little brainless for a lawyer. That woman had tried to show off her relationship with Alex and once Hazel saw that she had tried to get closer to him, she instinctively moved to Alex just to annoy her. So what if she was being petty?

    "Stop thinking too much. I am not angry." Hazel flashed him a smile.

    His lips pursed into a thin line. Though he was not convinced, Alex thought that if he pried too much into it, Hazel would really get mad at him. "If you said you''re not angry, then you''re not angry."

    A laugh escaped her and her mood lightened up a little. Hazel recalled that when they were both kids, Alex would often say something like this to coax her.

    Hazel let out a helpless sigh when she saw that the frown on his face had disappeared. "Let''s go. Didn''t you say that there''s a pretty good seafood restaurant around here?"

    Alex held on her hands and led her to walk around the park. After a brief silence, he spoke again. "Earlier¡­ I heard it."

    Hazel looked at him inquiringly. "What did you hear?"

    His steps halted and Alex turned so that they were facing each other. His expression showed that he was a little hesitant, while the look in his eyes showed his hopefulness.

    "You called me your boyfriend in front of others¡­ right?"

    Her heart skipped a beat. As he had not asked anything, Hazel had thought that Alex had not noticed the word she said. There was a brief silence before Hazel nodded softly. "Un."

    His eyes flashed with joy. His lips slowly turned into a smile. Alex had thought that Hazel would avoid this matter and tell him that everything was just his imagination.

    "You said that you were going to wait until it has been a month before you can give me an answer," Alex said.

    "Well, I changed my mind." Hazel narrowed her eyes at him. "There are just too many people set their eyes on you and I''m worried that you might be tempted by them. What? You''re not happy? If you''re not happy then, we''ll just pretend that I didn''t say anything."

    There was a touch of blush on her cheek. Hazel was shy but had still chosen to act tough.

    Alex knew well that Hazel was embarrassed but, seeing the cold look on her face reminded him of her scary uncle. Suddenly, he was a little scared of teasing her.

    "No. I''m happy. I''m very happy." He gave her hand a little tug and wrapped his arms around her. The smile on his face widened. Alex tightened his embrace and spoke again, "You said it. You cannot change your mind."

    "That would have to depend on your performance," Hazel said. Initially, she wanted to struggle out of his embrace but feeling his tight embrace, Hazel decided to stay still. and let him hug her.

    "I won''t let you change your mind."

    Though Hazel was unable to look at his expression, she could imagine that silly grin on his face. A faint smile curled on her lips. Hazel rested her on his chest and was a little surprised to hear the loud beating of his heart. As she closed her eyes, the familiar scent of Alex entered her nose.

    "Alex He..."

    "Hmm?"

    "I''m a little unhappy."

    Alex released her from his embrace to look at her face. "What''s wrong?"

    "If we were born in the same year, then, the two of us could attend the same university," Hazel said. "I suddenly feel like I have missed the four years you were away to study."

    There was a glint of amusement in his eyes. "Why do you suddenly think of this?"

    "Miss Lin said that there were a lot of girls who tried to get close to you in university," Alex said. " I just thought that I don''t know anything about the university''s Alex."

    His lips curled into a helpless smile. "If you wanted to know, then, I can tell you anything. Don''t listen to Miss Lin''s words. I am not that close to her, whether a few years ago or now." Alex raised his hand and could not stop pinching at his girlfriend''s cheek.

    Mmm... His girlfriend. Alex thought that he really liked the sound of that.

    "It doesn''t matter if we have lost a few years," Alex continued.. "All I know is that, in the future, you will always have me and I will always have you."

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 374 - Hazels Spring

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    When Hazel returned to her dorm, both Crystal and Michelle were already there. The two of them looked up from their books the moment Hazel entered and quickly blocked her path.

    Hazel looked at the two girls each holding on to her arms and grew a little scared upon meeting their gaze.

    "Hazel Mo¡­" The smile on Crystal''s lips turned a little frightening. "Tell us honestly, where did you go with that childhood sweetheart of yours today?"

    "You said you were going to drop off some stuff, but look at you¡­" Michelle clicked her tongue as she gave Hazel a look over. "Only returning to your dorm five minutes before curfew. Young lady, tell us what you did."

    Hazel opened her mouth but did not know how to answer them. When she thought about what happened earlier that day, her cheek turned a shade redder.

    Unfortunately for her, Michelle seemed to notice the change and a loud gasp escaped her. "Hazel Mo, what did you do? If you don''t tell us this moment, don''t think about going to bed."

    Crystal nodded in agreement. "That''s right. No sleep for you tonight." There was a look of confusion on her face for a few seconds. Crystal shifted her gaze between Hazel and Michelle and finally noticed Hazel''s sheepish smile.

    Hazel lowered her head as her friends continued to tease her. "What did I do? After sending some staff, of course, we went for a walk and had dinner together."

    "Just having dinner together, and your face had turned red like this?" Michelle said. "I don''t believe you."

    Crystal continued to stare at Hazel. After a while, she turned to Michelle and said, "Detective Michelle, what did you find out?"

    Michelle started to caress her imaginative beard. "I can almost see it. Hazel''s spring is here. That smile on her face and the glint in her eyes is the evidence."

    Hazel looked at her roommates and could no longer hold her laughter, especially when she saw the dramatic look on Michelle''s face. Hazel walked past her roommates and turned around with a mysterious smile on her face. "Do you really want to know?"

    The two girls nodded simultaneously.

    Initially, Hazel had wanted to keep the news a secret from her friends, but once she saw the look on their faces, Hazel was suddenly excited. "Earlier today¡­" Hazel paused to study the two''s expression, then lowered her head in the last seconds. "I agreed to be Alex''s girlfriend."

    The girls let out another gasp. It took them a few seconds to process the news. And then, they started to bomb her with questions and Hazel willingly answered them.

    Crystal held up a hand as a thought crossed her mind. "He sent you back just like that? No good night kiss?"

    Seeing that Hazel''s face turned red again, her roommates could not help but to tease her again.

    She had just agreed to be his girlfriend and Hazel had not thought further about kissing and stuff. Last time, Alex had kissed her on her head to coax her to stop crying, but that kiss was different, right?

    At the thought that they were going to act more intimate than just holding hands, Hazel felt as if her head was about to burst from the overloading CPU. Just trying to imagine kissing Alex had turned her face as red as lobster.

    Michelle looked at Hazel''s expression and heaved a sigh. Hazel always had this cool look on her face. Those who were not close to her had thought that she was a little cocky and pretentious. As Hazel''s roommate, Michelle knew that Hazel was a sweetheart once she got to know her.

    Seeing the shy look on Hazel''s face, Michelle could not help but want to tease her again. Their roommate was a little innocent and precious. If she was a man, Michelle thought that she would definitely go for someone like Hazel.

    A while later, Crystal reached for her phone and filled in Eira with the latest situation. It was at this time that Eira was regretting that she had not lived in the dorm. It seemed that she had always missed the fun while staying away with the girls.

    After answering their questions, the girls finally let her off. Hazel went to the bathroom to wash up and prepared to go to sleep. As she laid down on her bed, the phone on her hand started to buzz.

    Once she saw the name on the screen, a sweet smile appeared on her lips as she slid her finger to pick up the call.

    "What are you doing?" Alex asked as the phone call was connected.

    "Just getting ready for bed," Hazel answered She heard his deep chuckle at the other line and bit at her lips shyly.

    Hazel thought that it was a little strange. The two of them have been speaking to each other from kindergarten, but after knowing that Alex liked her, her heart would often feel a little strange when she heard his voice. Now that their status has changed from friends to lovers, she had suddenly felt a little giddy.

    The smile on her face could not disappear and her heart felt like it was going to burst.

    "When will you be free tomorrow?" Alex asked.

    "Tomorrow¡­" Hazel thought of her schedule and a frown appeared on her face. "Tomorrow, my schedule is jammed pack with classes. In the afternoon, I have to meet one of my professors to discuss my thesis."

    "Then, let''s meet up and have dinner together," Alex said.

    "Un."

    A smile curled on his lips. "I''ll come over and pick you up, alright?"

    "Okay."

    The two continued to chat for a while until Alex realized that he should not be disturbing his girlfriend as she still had to go to class tomorrow.

    "Alright. I won''t hold you back," Alex said. "Go to sleep."

    "Un. I know. You too." Hazel rubbed at her eyes as she was starting to feel a little sleepy.

    "Hazel?"

    "Un." Her voice was starting to sound a little groggy.

    "I love you."

    Hazel felt as if the sleepiness had suddenly disappeared upon hearing those words. Though this was not the first time that Hazel had heard those words from Alex, hearing them again would still make her heart beat a little faster.

    Her lips parted as she wanted to give her response, but her throat felt a little dry and she could not find her voice. A few seconds later, Hazel felt her face grew hot and the heat spread all through her body. Hazel thought that she was still a little shy to say those words back.

    Alex let out a soft chuckle when he could not hear a thing from Hazel''s side. He let out a breath helplessly and spoke, "Good night, Hazel."

    "Good night, Alex."

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 375 - Delivering Breakfast

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    In the morning, Hazel was walking out of the female''s dorm with Crystal when her friend suddenly gave a tug at her arms. Turning to Crystal, Hazel noticed that her friend was staring in a direction. Hazel followed Crystal''s line of sight and was surprised to see that Alex was standing under a tree.

    The girls who had just gone out to head to their classes took a second glance at him as they wondered who was this man and what was he doing standing around the female''s dorm.

    It was a rare sight for someone that good-looking to appear around the women''s dorm. Looking at the way he acted, the girls knew the man was waiting for someone. It was just that¡­ they could not figure out who was that lucky girl.

    While the girls were looking at him and checking him out, Alex had his head lowered as he stared at the pebbles under his feet.

    For a second, Hazel was too stunned that she was unable to move. It was only after Crystal had nudged her on the waist did Hazel snapped out of her trance.

    "Hazel, I''ll be heading to the cafeteria first," Crystal whispered before she disappeared along with the crowd.

    Hazel lifted her head again to look at the person who stood not far away from her. At this time, Alex suddenly raised his head. The moment their gaze met, Alex''s lips bloomed into a smile. Hazel thought that the look on his face was too mesmerizing.

    A few girls around her started to whisper and talk about Alex. Hearing them praising her boyfriend, Hazel was both proud and unhappy. She walked over to him in slow, small steps and tilted her head to look at him. "What are you doing here?"

    "I was going out for breakfast," Alex said. "Then, I remember that you will have an early class today." He raised the bag in his hand. "I bought breakfast for you as well. Have you eaten yet?"

    Hazel shook her head. "I was about to head over to the cafeteria for breakfast."

    "Then, I''m glad that I caught you before you had your breakfast."

    Hazel watched the man smiled at her again and was a little stunned. The way Alex was staring back at her was making her face turned red again. Hazel lowered her head again and her hand moved to tuck a few strands of hair behind her ear.

    Alex swallowed as he watched her movement. Though Hazel did not do anything much, her shy reaction made his heart pounded. Hazel probably did not realize how adorable looked at this moment. He really wanted to pull her into his embrace and never let her leave his side.

    Her ears picked up the voices of the girls praising Alex''s good look again and the unhappy feeling she had earlier resurfaced. She did not want others to stare at her boyfriend.

    Once she was able to figure out that feeling, Hazel was surprised that she can be someone that petty.

    "Next time, you can just wait in your car and call me. I will come over to you," Hazel said.

    All around her, Hazel could still hear the girls discussing their relationship. Hazel could guess that in a few minutes, the forum would be filled with the news of her and a good-looking man outside the female''s dorm. Soon, they will start trying to find out news about Alex.

    "Hazel¡­"

    "Ah?" Hazel raised her head again and looked at him.

    "I miss you." Alex simply wanted to let her know that the reason he was came over to find her early in the morning.

    He woke up early in the morning in a good mood knowing that the girl that he has been in love with for so many years had become his girlfriend. He was doubting whether everything that happened was nothing but a good dream. Suddenly, Alex had the urge to see her and would not feel at ease until he had seen her again.

    There was a stampede in her heart and Hazel was starting to feel a little giddy. She had known Alex for years, but why didn''t she know that this man can say words that make her feel very light-headed. She was embarrassed, but Hazel did not hate the way he made her feel.

    Suddenly, the conversation with her roommates last night resurfaced. The thought of having an intimate moment with Alex made her mind go blank. Hazel scolded herself for having such thoughts and tried her best to stop her mind from going astray.

    "I''ll accompany you for breakfast, alright?"

    Hazel looked at the person in front of her absentmindedly and nodded. The moment they showed up in the cafeteria, the noise all around them had gradually turned down.

    It was their first time for everyone to see that Hazel was walking around the campus with a boy and they could not hide their curiosity. The two picked up a quiet corner and Alex took out the food that he had bought for her.

    Hazel was stunned the moment she saw that there were a few selections of food on the table. Each of them came from a well-known store near her campus. A few of them had a long line queue and one will have to show up earlier if they wanted to buy the breakfast item.

    "I didn''t know which one you feel like eating today, so I bought a few."

    Hearing his explanation, Hazel was a little speechless.

    "Come on." Alex flashed a smile. "Eat up."

    Hazel picked up her cutleries and started to eat her breakfast.

    Walking around the campus and having breakfast with Alex gave her the feeling as if the two were attending the same university. Hazel was reminded of what she had said to Alex yesterday and wondered if he had this intention when he came over to find her.

    Whatever it was, Hazel knew that at this moment, she was happy.

    ...

    Meanwhile, in L City...

    Lily could no longer suppress her excitement the moment she heard the news from her son last night. Initially, Lily wanted to give her best friend, Edith a call the moment she heard the good news. However, once she recalled that it was late, and her friend was pregnant and probably has gone to bed early, Lily had to cancel her plan. After all, Lily did not want to make Edith''s husband unhappy by disturbing their time together at night.

    As soon as Ellie had left for school and Ethan had left for work, Lily immediately picked up the phone and dialed a number.

    Edith picked up the phone after a few rings and greeted Lily with a languid tone.

    "Have you heard the news?" Lily asked.

    Edith laughed when she heard Lily''s excited voice. "Un. I heard about it last night."

    "My dear friend, we are going to be in-laws soon!"

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 376 - A Date At The Amusement Park

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    On the weekend morning, a tall man was seen waiting for someone near the female''s dorm. The students who were walking past by the area could not help but to spare another glance at the man and whispered a few words.

    Recently, this man had frequently appeared around the female dorm and had caught the attention of the mainly female passerby. In the beginning, some of them would try to talk to him. Once they figured out who was the person this man was waiting for, the girls had reluctantly given up trying to get his attention.

    However, not everyone would have the same thinking.

    At this time, a girl in a blue midi dress and high heels was walking over towards the man. The girl had an innocent and pure look on her face and would usually attract the opposite gender with her docile look.

    Everyone knew that this man belonged to Hazel Mo. The man was seen delivering breakfast for Hazel every morning, and the two would eat together in the cafeteria.

    Seeing that the girl had daringly approached the man, the passerby was getting excited that they were about to get another interesting drama. A few busybodies took out their phone and ready to record the footage.

    Whether this pure girl was going to be rejected or not, it will still make it interesting content for them to post on social media.

    When Hazel walked out, she was surprised to see that the entrance was blocked by a few students. Hearing their whispering, Hazel walked through the people and saw that a girl was talking to Alex.

    Instantly, her expression turned dark.

    As if sensing her gaze, Alex looked up in time and saw the dark look on her face that resembled her scary uncle. A sense of panic came over. Alex was annoyed at the girl who would not leave him though he had made it obvious that he did not want to talk to her.

    Alex immediately stepped forward, ignoring that chatty girl, and stopped in front of his girlfriend. "Hazel." His voice sounded a little helpless.

    Hazel shifted her gaze between Alex and the girl. "Do you know her?"

    "I don''t," Alex answered quickly. "She came over and would not stop asking me this and that. I did not say a word to her."

    "I know." Hazel flashed him a smile. "What are you anxious about?"

    Seeing the smile on her face, Alex felt his anxiety heightened.  However, he did not know how should he convince his girlfriend that he was really innocent.

    "Come on. Let''s go." Hazel linked her arms with Alex''s and shot a warning gaze towards that woman before she dragged him away.

    Once they reached tho his car, Alex peeked a few glances at Hazel to check on her mood. Alex heaved a sigh upon seeing that Hazel was not upset after that incident.

    He put the keys into the ignition and started to focus on the road.

    "I already got a pass from a friend. Later, we can go and play around using this express pass," Hazel said.

    Due to Hazel''s request, the two of them were planning to have a date at the amusement park.

    "A friend?"

    "Mmm¡­ You should know that the development project in Tourism City is one of MH Group''s projects with a few big companies. My friend''s father was one of the investors. It was easier to get a pass from my friend rather than asking from my uncle."

    Alex glanced at the woman beside him. "Your friend¡­ is she the one from Zhang Group Worldwide? I seemed to recall you mentioning her before."

    Hazel was happy knowing that he would remember things that she had mentioned in the past.  "My parents and Eira''s parents were best friends." Her head lowered again when Hazel thought of her deceased parents. After a while, she forced herself to look up and smile. "Right. Later, I will introduce you to my friends. My roommates¡­ they were eager to meet you. As my boyfriend, you should treat them to a meal, right?"

    Alex let out a chuckle. "Of course. Let your friends pick the date and place."

    After almost half an hour of driving, the two finally arrived at the amusement park. Alex found a parking spot and the two walked over to the entrance, holding hands. After showing the pass, both of them were allowed to enter through the VVIP passage.

    The two of them started to walk around and stopped in front of the big map in the middle of the park.

    "This park is a little similar to the one in L City," Alex commented as he looked at the layout.

    "Mmm¡­ I heard that they have the same designer team." Hazel turned to Alex and raised a brow. "What do you want to ride first?"

    "Your choice."

    Hazel scanned the map and pointed in a direction. "Then, let''s ride the cable car. It''s closer and we can look around while we''re at it."

    Alex obviously had no objection. The two of them went over to the cable car station, flashed their express pass, and were allowed to enter without having to queue like others. The two of them sat down and started to look around. They both began to make their next plan as they watched the scenery.

    Hazel took out her phone and started to snap a few photos of the scenery. A thought came to her mind and Hazel passed her phone to Alex. "Help me to take a picture."

    "Alright." Alex turned the camera to Hazel and snapped a picture.

    "No. I meant our photo."

    Alex halted. Then, he stretched his hand to take their picture together and noticed that there was a space between them. "Come over closer."

    Hazel scooted closer. "Like this?"

    His lips curled into a smile. He wrapped one arm around Hazel''s shoulder and hugged her tighter. Then, he snapped a few pictures of them together.

    Because of his unexpected move, Hazel had different expressions in each photo. In the beginning, she was a little shy and after a while, Hazel finally lifted her head and looked at the camera.

    Seeing that the girl has become a little relaxed in his embrace, Alex then lowered his head to kiss the top of her head. Then, he snapped a few photos of this act as well.

    Hazel was unprepared by this sudden move and did not have the time to react. When she finally realized what was going on, Alex had returned the phone to her.

    "Take a look at the photos first. If it''s not good, I can help you shoot again."

    Hazel lowered her head as she checked on the photos. Her gaze stopped at the last photo and her heart began to pound against her ribcage. The top of her head felt a little hot and Hazel thought that she did not dislike this feeling.

    "Alex?"

    "Hmm?"

    "Next time you don''t have to wait for me in front of the dorm," Hazel spoke. "This is not the first time some girl would come over and try to talk to you."

    Alex heaved a sigh helplessly. "I won''t talk to them. You know that."

    "I know. But watching them going around you makes me feel a little uncomfortable."

    Alex was a little stunned upon hearing her words. He had thought that Hazel was not affected by the incident earlier.

    It was at this time that he seemed to recall that it was because of Carina that Hazel had changed her mind and decided to agree to be with him. At the thought that his girlfriend was someone who would easily get jealous, Alex did not know whether he should be happy or not.

    "Next time, tell me when you arrived," Hazel said. "I will come over and find you, alright?"

    His gaze turned warmer. "Alright. I''ll listen to you.. We''ll do as you say."

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 377 - Bunny Plush

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    The couple walked around the park and tried a few attractions in the park.

    After getting off the roller coaster ride, Hazel sat at the bench to calm down. She saw the ride from their cable car ride and thought that it looked a bit fun. It was said that riding a roller coaster could relieve stress and Hazel wanted to try them.

    At the end of it, Hazel thought that the experience almost let her soul leave her body. It was exciting, but the speed was a little scary. Hazel was a little worried that she might have left a bad impression on Alex with how she had screamed all the way down.

    "Drink up. This should help you a little bit."

    Hazel looked up and found that Alex was looking at her with concern. "Thank you."

    Alex watched as Hazel took a few sips and was relieved to see the color on her face. "Are you alright?"

    Hazel nodded. "Let''s not take another exciting ride."

    A chuckle escaped him at her words. "We can continue to walk around the park. Then let''s and have our lunch somewhere else."

    Hearing his suggestion, Hazel quickly agreed. After resting a little bit, the two walked around and decided to enter the arcade. Hazel dragged Alex to the Dance Dance Revolution machine and challenged him for a duel.

    After losing to Hazel for a few rounds, Alex finally gave up and decided to watch his girlfriend as she was having fun. Her long hair bounced along as she moved, her cheek turned red and there were beads of perspiration on her face after going on the machine for a while.

    Once Hazel had enough, Alex passed her a bottle of drinking water and helped her to wipe her sweats with tissue paper.

    "Did you have fun?"

    "Mhm¡­" Hazel nodded enthusiastically. "I didn''t think that you would be so bad at it. Your sister, Ellie, liked to play this game with Hayley. I thought that she would drag you to play with her as well."

    "She tried." Alex chuckled. "Later she said I''m too hopeless and decided that it would be better if I never step on the machine lest I would embarrass her." A thought came to his mind and Alex tried not to grimace. "The moment I stepped off the machine, Ellie tried to stay away from me and would not admit that I''m her brother.

    Hazel laughed as she heard this. She could almost imagine Ellie''s disdain expression after watching her brother on the machine. Hazel thought that it was funny how the siblings often tease each other when they met. However, since Ellie was the younger one, Alex often had to give in to his sister.

    "After a few more practice, you should be good at it," Hazel said.

    Alex replied with a smile. Seeing that Hazel was still trying to catch up with her breath, Alex took her towards the claw machine at the corner. He turned to Hazel and raised a brow. "Which one would you like?"

    Her eyes brightened up. "Are you going to win them for me?"

    Alex nodded.

    "I heard that winning one is difficult," Hazel said. "It''s fine. We have a few tokens left. You can try and play, but let''s not get our hope up." Seeing the determinate look in his eyes, Hazel peeked into the machine and pointed at the pink bunny. "That one."

    Alex followed her direction and saw that it looked a little tricky for him to pull out the pink bunny. After assessing the situation for a while, he put in the token and started to move the claw.

    Hazel stood at the side and watched in anticipation. Although she had said that she would not get her hopes up, seeing the way the claw started to move, Hazel was a little excited.

    A sigh of disappointment escaped her upon seeing that the claw had dropped to another plushy. However, as they watched that the claw had grabbed that plush towards them, Hazel became excited again.

    A while later, Hazel was hugging an adorable sleepy sloth plush with a bright smile on her face. The sloth expression was a little funny and Hazel could not help but laugh upon seeing the face.

    Just then, Hazel noticed that Alex had put in another token in the machine.

    "You''re going to try again?"

    "Hmm¡­" Alex nodded.

    "You already win this adorable sloth. I think this one is enough."

    "It''s fine. I just wanted to finish the token," Alex said. His lips tilted up to a smile. Then, he started to focus on the claw machine again.

    After he had removed that sloth, it was easier for him to grab the pink bunny. Alex pushed the button and watched as the claw descended and grabbed that bunny.

    Hazel held her breath as she watched the claw raised the pink bunny and brought it over to them.

    Alex bent down to pick up the plush and handed it over to Hazel. "For you."

    Hazel watched the two plush toys in her arms with a dazed look on her face. Then, she looked up and there was a look of admiration in her gaze. "It turned out that you''re really good with the claw machine."

    "Mmm¡­" Alex smiled. "In the past, Ellie would beg me to win some plushy for her and cried when I failed. It took me a while to finally figure out how to use this machine."

    "Then¡­ have you win anything from the claw machine for someone else?"

    Alex thought about it and suddenly, an amused smile curled on his lips. "No. It''s just you and Ellie. Fortunately, with the past experience, I know how to use this machine and make my girlfriend happy."

    Hazel felt a heat crept up on her face. Something warm burst in her heart and spread throughout her body.

    "I seemed to remember that you have a pink bunny plush when you were little," Alex said. "You used to drag it around everywhere you go."

    "Hmm¡­" Her lips curled into a faint smile as she recalled the plush bunny that she always carried around in the past. "That plushy was something that my mom gave me. It was the last gift she bought for me."

    Alex looked at Hazel with a complicated gaze. He did not expect that there will be a story behind that bunny plush.

    "It was a little worn out, but I still have them in my uncle''s house." Hazel lifted her head and saw the look on Alex''s face. "Why are you looking at me like that? I''m fine."

    His heart ached upon seeing the sad look in her eyes. He pulled her into his embrace and ran his hand on her back as if coaxing her.

    Hazel was a little startled. She laid her head on his chest and let him hug her for a while longer. A few seconds later, Hazel pulled away as it was getting uncomfortable with the plush toys pressed between them. "Let''s leave this place and have something to eat.. It''s lunch hour and I''m hungry."

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 378 - Inexperienced

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    The two of them left the amusement park and Alex drove over to a street where there was a lot of restaurant and cafes around. A while ago, they have come over to this street and Alex had bought her to a Western restaurant. At that time, they ran into Alex''s partners, Daniel, and Carina.

    This time, the two did not make any reservation and instead, chose to walk around and find a place that they think would be a good place to eat. After a while, they decided to enter a cafe. The atmosphere looks good and it was not as crowded as other places.

    Once they entered, the waiter ushered them to a corner and jotted down their order.

    As the waiter left, Hazel took out her phone and checked on her phone.

    Earlier, she had posted a few pictures of her and Alex having fun at the amusement park. Seeing their comments under her pictures, Hazel finally realized that she had unintentionally revealed to everyone that she was dating Alex.

    Ellie: Sister, are you dating my brother?"

    Her gaze stopped at the comment and Hazel suddenly forgot how to breathe. Scrolling at the list of people who had liked her photos, Hazel saw that even Auntie Lily had liked the pictures.

    At the thought that Alex''s family was aware of their relationship, Hazel was suddenly shy.

    Of course, Alex would notice the change in her expression. "What''s wrong?"

    Hazel looked up and bit at her lips. "No. I just realized something. I¡­ made a mistake." Hazel turned the phone to Alex and showed him its contents.

    Alex saw the post that Hazel had shown to him and smiled. "Why is it a mistake. Hazel, could it be that you don''t want others to know about our relationship?"

    "No. That''s not what I meant. I just¡­ did not expect that your mother would know about it too." Hazel covered her face with both hands. "Suddenly, I did not know how to face Auntie Lily again."

    Alex laughed softly. "My mother and Auntie Edith are best friends. Even if you did not post that photos, did you think that the two of them would not discuss us?"

    Hazel thought about it and found that it was indeed true. Since she had told Auntie Edith about it, surely, Auntie Lily would know about it as well. Moreover¡­ she did not tell Auntie Edith that she could not tell anyone.

    "Then¡­ what did your parents say? They don''t mind?"

    "Why would they mind?" Alex looked at the woman in front of him, amused. "Hazel, my mother loves you. If it was up to her, she would want you to be her daughter-in-law as soon as possible."

    Hazel was momentarily stunned. Her pink cheek turned into a darker shade of red. "What daughter-in-law?"

    Alex''s expression turned serious. "Hazel, I dated you intend to marry you. Did you perhaps¡­ did not share this thought?"

    "But we¡­ had just started to date."

    "For others, they used this dating period to get to know each other and their families well. However, we have known each other for a long time. You know my family and I know yours. Our families are very close."

    "But I haven''t thought about this matter. I don''t think that I''m ready for it."

    "I didn''t say that we should get married right away." Alex flashed her an assuring smile. "I will wait whenever you are ready for it."

    "I¡ªI will think about it."

    Alex heard her answer and his heart was all warm inside. He was going to hand Hazel her phone back when he noticed a new comment under the post.

    Uncle Neil: Hazel, are you dating?

    Seeing the name that suddenly popped up, Alex almost dropped the phone.

    He had just mentioned marriage to Hazel and suddenly, her scary uncle had appeared.

    Fortunately, he was quick to compose himself and had tightened her grip on the phone before it would fall.

    ¡­

    After walking around for a while longer, Alex finally sent Hazel back to her dormitory. The sky had turned dark and Alex wanted to let Hazel rest after playing around all day.

    Alex parked his car at a dark corner under the tree and helped Hazel with the door.

    "Wait here," Alex said before he walked over to the trunk.

    Hazel followed him with her gaze and watched as Alex came back with a bouquet. Her eyes widened and Hazel was a little surprised to see the bouquet of pink flowers.

    "For you."

    Hazel took the flowers from Alex and lowered her head to inhale the fragrant flower. Then, she looked at Alex again with a smile on her face. "Why did you buy these flowers?"

    "To woo my girlfriend." His lips stretched up upon seeing the shy look on her face.

    Hazel tucked a few loose strands behind her ears. "When did you buy them?"

    "A while ago, when you went away to the restroom."

    Hazel held the bouquet tighter and could not stop inhaling the fragrant flowers. This was the first time that someone else other than her uncle had given her a bouquet and she was happy to the point that she could not stop smiling.

    A thought came to her mind and Hazel felt a little giddy. Seeing that Alex had turned his head in another direction, Hazel stood up tiptoed and aimed her lips to his cheek.

    However, Alex turned his head at this time.

    Instead of kissing his cheek, their lips met for a peck. When she realized what was going on, Hazel swiftly took a step back. She lowered her gaze and her face was a little flustered.

    "I¡ªI''m sorry. It was an accident." Hazel glanced at his face and saw that he did have any reaction. She bit at her lips and spoke again, "I should go now. Good night, Alex."

    "Hazel."

    Before Hazel could turn around, Alex had tugged at her arms, forcing her to face him. Suddenly, his lips were pressed against hers again.

    Hazel felt her heart pounded. This time, it was no longer a brief touch. The sensation sent firework inside her brain and Hazel felt a little dizzy. Hazel found that she did not know what she should do and froze on spot.

    This was the first time that Alex had kissed anyone and he too was a little clueless at what he should do. The moment his lips touched her soft and delicious lips, Alex grew anxious.

    The two of them stood in this stiff and awkward position until Alex finally tried to move. However, due to their inexperience, their nose and forehead bumped into each other. With the slight pain, Alex had no other choice but to pull away. Seeing that Hazel was uninjured, his gaze went back to her lips and he pondered whether he should go and kiss her again.

    Hazel thought that her head might explode anytime. Seeing the way Alex was looking at her, made her breathless.. Hazel gripped the bouquet in her hand tightly and quickly made her escape.

    Read novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 379 - Not Angryâ€¦ Or Uncomfortable

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Closing the door behind her, Hazel then leaned on the door and tried to catch up her breath.

    Her face turned scarlet. It was not known whether it was because she was embarrassed after what happened, or whether it was because she has been running up the stairs.

    As soon as she was able to calm down, Hazel was surprised to find a pair of eyes staring back at her.

    "What''s wrong with you?" Michelle asked.

    "Yes. Why do you look so frightened? You look as if you have seen a ghost." Crystal asked. Her gaze then fell on the bouquet in Hazel''s hand and her lips curled into a smile. "Is that from Mr. Childhood Sweetheart? How was your date?"

    Can she just tell them both that she had encountered a ghost at the stairs earlier?

    Hazel followed Crystal''s gaze and the scene from earlier replayed in her mind. Fortunately, because she had her head lowered, her friends were unable to see her expression. She wanted to touch her lips but was afraid that her roommates were going to find out what happened based on her action.

    Seeing that Hazel had not said a word, her two roommates began to worry.

    "Hazel?" Michelle called again. "Are you alright?"

    "I''m fine. It''s nothing. I ate a little too much and wanted to exercise a little bit by running up the stairs."

    The two roommates exchanged a glance but decided not to ask further.

    Hazel put the bouquet on the table and glanced outside the window. However, it was too dark outside and she could not be sure whether Alex was still standing at the same spot.

    Just then, her phone started to buzz.

    Her breathing quickened again. However, she was a little disappointed to see the name on the screen was not the person she was expecting. Hazel took a deep breath to compose herself before she picked up the phone call.

    "Hazel."

    "Un. Auntie Edith."

    Edith laughed softly at the other line. "Are you still outside? Or have you returned to your dorm?"

    "I''m at my dorm. What''s the matter?"

    "Nothing. It''s your uncle." Edith glanced at the person who was sitting behind the desk. His gaze was on his computer, but Edith knew that he was looking at her, waiting for her to tell him the answer. "It''s getting late and he wanted to know whether you had returned safely to your dorm after going out all day."

    A faint smile curled on her lips. "Auntie Edith, tell my uncle not to worry."

    Edith mouthed at her husband to tell him that his niece had safely arrived at her dorm before she walked out of his study. She closed the door behind her and asked, "How was your date?"

    Hazel walked over to the balcony. The cold wind helped to make her head a little clearer. "It was good," Hazel told her a few details about their date but did not mention anything about the kiss. The thought that she was hiding something from Auntie Edith made Hazel felt a little guilty.

    The two of them chatted for a while and after hearing news about the twins'' progress, Hazel began to calm down a lot.

    "That''s right." Edith''s voice turned serious. "Will you come back next month? Do we need to book a flight ticket for you or will you come back with Alex?"

    Hazel thought about the date and recalled that it would be her parents'' death anniversary next month. "I will come back. Don''t worry. Just that¡­ I haven''t asked Alex whether he wanted to return with me. He might be busy with his new company, but I will ask him later."

    "Hmm¡­ if you need to book a ticket, just tell me alright? I will help you handle that matter."

    "Thank you, Auntie Edith."

    Hazel hung up after talking to her Auntie for a while. Seeing that her roommates were busy looking at their computer, Hazel grabbed her clothes and went to the bathroom to clean up.

    She looked into her reflection in the mirror and her gaze fell at her lips. The memories of that brief kiss came to mind and Hazel raised a hand to touch her lips. The touch felt a little different. At least, Alex''s lips were warmer and softer.

    Her thoughts had gone astray again and Hazel immediately looked away and scolded herself.

    When she walked out of the bathroom, Crystal turned to her and spoke, "Hazel, your phone has been buzzing non-stop."

    Hazel walked over to her bed and picked up her phone. There were several messages and missed calls. Hazel stared at her phone in a daze upon seeing that they were all from Alex.

    At this time, her phone started to buzz again. Alex''s name popped up on the screen. Knowing that he would be worried, Hazel picked up the phone call.

    "Hazel?" His tone was anxious.

    "Un."

    Alex finally breathed a sigh in relief when he could hear her voice again. "I called you earlier and was worried when you did not pick up."

    "Sorry. I was in the bathroom just now."

    "You forgot to take the plush toys with you."

    It was then that Hazel recalled that she had put the plush toys that Alex had won for her on the back seat. "Then, can you keep it for me and give them to me when we meet again?"

    "Of course," Alex said. There was a brief silence between them. It was as if none of them know what to say next. "I''m glad that you are not angry." Alex broke the silence.

    Hazel bit her lips. "Why would I be angry?" She glanced at her roommates, worried that they would be listening to her conversation. Fortunately, they were both on their headphones.

    "You did not pick up your phone or reply to my messages. I just thought that you would be angry after I kissed you earlier," Alex said. "If that makes you uncomfortable, I promise that I won''t do it without your permission again."

    Hazel thought about that brief moment when their lips touched and felt her face heated up again. "I''m not angry¡­ or uncomfortable. Sorry. I ran away because I was too embarrassed."

    She liked the way it felt when their lips touched, but Hazel found that she could not say them out loud.

    "Then¡­" Alex smiled. "Will it be alright if I kiss you again next time?"

    Her heart was beating hard that she could hear them in her ears.  Hazel thought that it might jump out of her chest anytime soon if she did not calm down. However, the thought of kissing again made her excited and Hazel found that she was anticipating for it to happen again.

    "Okay."

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 380 - Gossips Threads

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    In the next few days, Hazel''s friends were surprised that they could not see Alex waiting for Hazel with her breakfast in his hand. Usually, whenever they came down with Hazel, the man would be waiting for Hazel under the tree.  However, these past few days, Hazel would be the one who had to look for Alex after she came down.

    "I asked him not to wait for me," Hazel said. "There are always girls who tried to talk with him when he was waiting. Since he did not like it when others tried to approach him, it would be better if he waited in his car and waited for me to go and find him instead."

    Michelle nodded. "That''s true. It''s better if you didn''t give them any chance at all. Later who knows what kind of story would pop up in the school''s forum."

    Hazel turned around. "Why? Is there anything about me on the forum?"

    Michelle and Crystal exchanged a glance.

    "Michelle? Crystal?" Hazel raised her brow at them. "Why aren''t you guys saying anything?"

    Crystal shot a look at Michelle for mentioning this matter. Previously, they had agreed that it would be better if Hazel was unaware of this rumor. Hazel was someone who did not check on the school''s gossip forum. It would be better if it stayed that way. They did not want this rumor to affect Hazel in any way.

    Seeing Hazel''s probing look, Michelle decided to answer. "Just something about you rejecting the previous guys because you''re aiming to date someone with money,"

    Hazel was shocked. She glanced at Crystal and knew that Michelle was telling the truth.

    Taking out her phone, Hazel began to scroll the school''s gossip forum that she rarely went to. To her surprise, there were a few gossips threads about her. It seemed that the students have been too stressed out with studying that they decided to gossip about her for fun.

    Hazel thought that this was amusing. Why would people assume that she would be after Alex''s money?

    It was at this time that Hazel seemed to realize that there were times when she noticed that others have been looking at her strangely. However, when she first entered the university, she was used to getting those kinds of looks from them and Hazel thought that it would be best if she chose to ignore them.

    "Do I look like I''m poor enough that I would choose to date for money?" Hazel asked as she looked at her friends.

    "Of course not," Crystal said. "We have been roommates with you for years. We know that you are not that kind of person."

    Both Crystal and Michelle were not clear about Hazel''s background. However, they knew that both her parents had passed away and she was living with her uncle. Hazel did not seem as if she came from a loaded family. However, she did not seem as if she was someone who would need money desperately either.

    "Alright. Stop looking at that forum. It wouldn''t do you any good," Michelle said and smiled. "Your boyfriend is still waiting for you. Go ahead and find him or else, he would be worried."

    Hazel turned her head to the direction where Alex had parked his vehicle and went over to find him after parting with the girls. Hazel knocked twice at the window before she sat in the passenger''s side.

    Seeing his warm smile when he saw her, the rumors she saw on the forum earlier quickly disappeared from her thoughts.

    "Good morning," Alex said. He glanced at the place where he had seen Hazel chatting with her roommates earlier and asked, "What were you and your roommates chatting about earlier?"

    "You saw us?"

    "Hmm... I can always find you in the crowd, don''t you know?"

    Hazel narrowed her eyes and laughed. She thought that Alex was only bluffing. "Nothing. We were just discussing our class."

    Alex did not think that it was nothing. Though he was far away, he could still see that Hazel was tensed and upset. However, since Hazel did not want to tell him, he could not force her to tell him anything.

    "Are we not going to have breakfast at the cafeteria today?" Alex asked.

    "Let''s not," Hazel said. "I don''t have a morning class today. How about we go out and have breakfast somewhere else?"

    Hazel did not want Alex to notice the student''s strange gaze and get affected by it. Anyway, Hazel was too lazy to face people who were unrelated to her.

    "Alright." Alex nodded. "I know a good place that served good breakfast around here. How about we try to go to that place?"

    "Un. I don''t mind."

    Hazel held her phone and was about to check on her messages when she noticed that Alex had suddenly come closer. Her eyes widened and Hazel held her breath at the thought that Alex was going to kiss her.

    A few seconds later, Hazel heard a clicking sound and Alex flashed her a  smile.

    "Safety first."

    It was then that Hazel realized that Alex had helped her to put on her seat belt. At the thought that she has been expecting a kiss from him, her face turned bright red and Hazel did not dare to lift her head and look at him.

    The vehicle move and entered the main street. Hazel turned the air-conditioner to face her and her heart gradually calm down. She cast a few glances at Alex and thought that his side profile was quite attractive.

    "Don''t look at me like that," Alex said. "I''m afraid that I cannot concentrate if you continue to stare at me like that."

    Hazel laughed. "It''s not like I''ve never looked at your face in the past."

    "This time it''s different. This time you are my girlfriend," Alex said and glanced at her.

    Various exciting thoughts came over to her mind as she heard his words. It felt as if being Alex He''s girlfriend is a magical thing. Just hearing that word, ''girlfriend'' alone could make her heartbeat accelerated.

    Hazel bit her lips and lowered her head. She could imagine that the look on her face would be very silly at the moment. She shifted her gaze at the back seat and noticed that her plushy toys were not there.

    "Where are my plushies?"

    Alex tightened his grip on the steering wheels. "They are in my apartment. Next time, I''ll bring them to you."

    "Oh." Hazel did not think too much about it and nodded. "That''s right. I forgot to tell you that I''m going back to L City next month. It''s¡­ my parents'' death anniversary."

    "Have you bought your tickets yet?"

    Hazel shook her head. "Not yet."

    "Good. Then, let''s head back together. Anyway, I can help my father to look into a few matters as well."

    "Aren''t you busy with your work at the new company?"

    "It''s fine." Alex smiled. "Daniel is capable enough to handle everything."

    Hearing his words, Hazel immediately agreed and the two made a date to head back together to L City.

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 381 - The Gossips Accelerated

    Once they arrived at the restaurant, Alex helped to pull a chair and the two ordered several choices of breakfast. Their food arrived and Hazel heard her stomach growled. After sampling the dumpling soup, Hazel had to admit that the food in the restaurant was indeed tasted good.

    "Last time, you mentioned that as your boyfriend, I should treat your friends to a meal," Alex said. "Have you decide on the date yet?"

    Hezel thought about her roommates'' discussion a while ago. "Un. Will you be free next Wednesday?"

    "I''m free." He did not have to check on his schedule to know that he would be free for Hazel. Anyway, his main purpose to stay in B City was to accompany Hazel.

    "Then, I will tell the girls to get ready and pick a place to have a meal."

    Alex smiled before he helped to pick up a steamed bun and placed it on Hazel''s plate.

    Unbeknownst to them, someone from Hazel''s class saw them together and had snapped a few pictures of the couple together.

    ¡­

    After her class ended, Hazel went to find her professor in his office. She spent almost half an hour discussing her assignment and finally looked up with a smile on her face when she finally figured out what she was going to do next. Just as Hazel was about to pick up her books and leave, the professor called her name and Hazel stopped in her tracks.

    "Professor Jiang, what''s the matter?" Hazel asked. She studied the old man''s face and saw the hesitation on his face.

    The Professor let out a dry cough before he looked at Hazel again. "Nothing. It was just that¡­ I heard a few students discussing some rumors previously."

    Hazel frowned and wondered what was the Professor trying to tell her. "What rumor?"

    A heavy sigh escaped him. "Recently, the were rumors that said that you are dating others for money. Are you¡­ on short of money?"

    Her expression turned darker. Hazel had not thought that the people in the school gossip forum would be talking about her in the open to the point that even her Professor would hear about it. "Professor Jiang, is that what you thought of me?"

    "Of course not." The Professor''s expression turned serious. "Hazel, you are a good student who is very consistent in your study. I am only mentioning this because I am worried about you. Whoever you choose to fate is your own personal matter. However, I just hope that this matter will not be affecting your studies. This is your final year after all."

    Hearing his explanation, Hazel began to calm down. She was afraid that her Professor would misunderstand her after hearing those rumors. "Professor Jiang, don''t worry. There are reasons why rumors are called rumors. I am indeed in a relationship, but it was not as what the others said and I am not going to jeopardize my future because of this. I know that my studies are my top priorities."

    Professor Jiang heaved a breath of relief as he listened to Hazel''s explanation of her situation. "If that''s the case, then don''t worry. I will ask the school to investigate this for you and hopefully, they can stop the rumors from spreading around. Since this is clearly a libel, I will ask someone to investigate the matter and bring that person who slandered you to authorities."

    Hazel flashed him a grateful smile. "Thank you, Professor Jiang."

    After she left the office, Hazel took out her phone and began to check on that forum again. It seemed that there were thousands of more posts since the last time she had visited the forum.

    Hazel go through a few of those posts and laughed. In the recent posting, there were pictures of her alighting from Alex''s AUDI and pictures of her in a fancy restaurant with Alex a few days ago. Her face was clearly shown, but Alex''s face was pixelated. Then, the poster had claimed that she was dating someone way older than her because she needed money.

    Under the posts, the number of people who wanted to slander her was more than those who wanted to defend her.

    Then¡­ someone dared to say that the only reason she befriended Eira was because of money. One part of the reason that Eira did not want to stay in the dorm was that she wanted to avoid Hazel as she was tired of being used.

    Her expression darkened when Hazel saw that the poster had even dragged her friends into this matter.

    After thinking about it for a while, Hazel checked at the time and decided to find her Eira. At this time, she was sure that Eira should be at the basketball court with her team.

    When she arrived at the basketball court, Hazel saw that both Crystal and Michelle were seated at their usual spot. The two of them seemed to be in a deep discussion that they did not even notice her presence. Hazel walked closer and saw that her roommates were browsing through the forum. Noticing that the two were posting on the forum to defend her, Hazel felt her heart warmed.

    Crystal was the first to look up. She noticed a shadow looming and was surprised to see that Hazel was standing behind her. She poked at Michelle on her waist and soon, the two girls were staring at Hazel with their eyes widened in surprise.

    "Hazel¡­ When did you get here?" Michelle asked.

    Hazel glanced at the phone in their hands and a soft sigh escaped her. "You don''t have to post anything under that rumors."

    Both Michelle and Crystal hid their phone behind their back at the same time. However, Hazel had already seen what they were doing. Knowing that it was useless to hide things from Hazel, the two decided not to hide again.

    "What are you going to do about this?" Michelle asked.

    "Hazel, you cannot let those people go," Crystal said. "The last time, we decided to ignore this matter and thought that sooner or later, they were going to stop. But look at it now. This matter is getting worst. The gossips have accelerated to this point."

    Hazel lowered her head. She could not think of anyone that she had offended. She could not understand why would people wanted to harm her like this.

    "I talked to Professor Jiang earlier. He said that he will help me to look into this."

    At this time, Eira walked over to the girls as her team was taking a break from practice. Seeing that her roommates were discussing something with a serious look on their faces, Eira had wanted to surprise them. Her gaze stopped at Crystal''s phone screen and was surprised at what she had seen.

    "What the?" Eira grabbed the phone in Crystal''s hand and started to go through the forum.. Her expression changed a few seconds later and a cursing word escaped her.

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 382 - Someone Bullied Me

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Because of this rumor, Hazel and her roommates gathered as they thought of a way to suppress this rumor.

    Although Hazel did not pay too much attention to this rumor, she is, after all, a girl. Michelle and Crystal both agreed that such a rumor could hurt her in the future.

    While Michelle and Crystal were looking at the computer and contacting the people who would want to help, Eira pulled Hazel at the side.

    Because of this rumor, she had decided to return to the dormitory and spend her night there later.

    "Those people are too much! Why don''t you just tell them about your parents?" Eira asked in a low voice. However, if one listened carefully, they would be able to detect the anger in her voice.

    The original poster had made up a story that Hazel was an orphan who was in need of money. This was why she wanted to date someone with money.

    "I''m sure that once everyone knows that you are the heiress of MH Group, they would not dare to speak any of this nonsense," Eira continued.

    Hazel rubbed at her neck, feeling a little tired after looking at the messages that were slandering her. "I know. I guess that was the only way." She looked at Eira and flashed her an apologetic smile. "I''m sorry. I even get you implicated in my matter."

    "Why are you apologizing? They didn''t hurt me. The person who was hurt most in this incident is you."

    Hazel heaved a sigh. She still couldn''t understand who would be that free to spread such a rumor about her. Rather than cleaning up the rumor, Hazel was more interested in the people who were editing and spreading those photos.

    According to both Michelle and Crystal, the original posters had used a fake account to slander her.

    They can always suppress such rumors and Hazel could always show the proof that she was not such a woman. However, what Hazel wanted the most was for the person who was responsible for such action to face the consequences of his or her activity.

    Hazel thought that it would not be fair for that person to get away just like that. Next time, this person might find a way to harm her again.

    "It''s not impossible if you wanted to investigate the people who were posting those rumors," Eira said. "I can ask my dad to help me. He knows people who can look into this stuff."

    Crystal looked up from the computer screen and turned around to look at her roommates. "I''m hungry. It should be dinner time in a while. What do you girls want to eat? Should we order something?"

    "Chicken wings!" Eira answered without hesitation.

    Then, the girls began to discuss their dinner.

    At this time, Hazel''s phone started to ring. She looked at the caller ID and her lips curled into a smile upon seeing Alex''s name. Hazel walked over to the balcony, pressed the phone to her ear, and heard Alex''s voice.

    "What are you up to? Have you eaten your dinner yet?"

    "Not yet." Hazel glanced at her roommates who were in the middle of discussing their meal.

    "Are you still busy studying? How about I bring you dinner instead? What would you like to eat?"

    Hearing his voice, Hazel felt her mood lightened up. The unpleasant feeling she had from earlier after reading those posts in the forum gradually disappeared.

    "Are you sure you want to bring me dinner?" Hazel asked. "I am discussing with my friends. If you want to bring me dinner, you will  have to bring for my friends too."

    "Not a problem. Just tell me what they wanted to eat. I''ll deliver them afterward."

    Hazel let out a giggle upon hearing his words. Her gaze fell on the computer screen a few distances from her and a frown appeared on her face. "Alex?"

    "Hmm?"

    "Actually, I don''t feel good."

    "What''s wrong?"

    Hazel hesitated for a while. Then, she lowered her gaze and spoke. "Someone bullied me."

    The hand that was holding the documents halted and there was a deep frown on his face as Alex continued to listen to the details.

    An hour later, Hazel sat in the student''s area while watching the man in front of her, tapping something on the computer. Hazel cupped her cheeks with both hands and propped her elbow on the table as she continued to look at him. A smile curled on her lips when she saw the serious look on his face. Hazel thought that Alex looked exceptionally handsome at the moment.

    When Hazel told Alex about her situation, Alex had offered to help her and find the person who was responsible for posting such rumors.

    Someone was slandering his girlfriend. As the boyfriend, Alex could not just stand there and do nothing.

    Fortunately, Alex was someone who knows his ways around the computer. After all, the He''s family has been in the computer and technology industries for years. As someone who often helped his father at the company, Alex had learned a few things from his father as well.

    It did not take Alex a long time before he finally stopped working on the computer. He read the details on the computer and turned to Hazel again. "It''s all done."

    Hazel raised a brow. "That fast?"

    "Hmm¡­ It wasn''t too difficult to find the original poster," Alex said. "Perhaps, she was not expecting that anyone would be able to find her."

    "Who is it?"

    Alex turned the computer to face her. "Vivian Xia."

    The frown on Hazel''s face deepened. "I don''t know any Vivian Xia." She grabbed her phone and gave Crystal a call."

    "How is it? Did you figure out anything?" Crystal asked the moment she picked up the phone call.

    "Crystal, do you know Vivian Xia?"

    Crystal turned to Michelle and the two had a brief discussion.

    "Hazel." It was Michelle who spoke at this time. "I heard the last time, Vivian tried to chat up with your boyfriend when he was waiting for you downstairs. Previously, I heard that she was a little dissatisfied that you had stopped her from chatting with your boyfriend." Michelle let out a dry cough. "I heard from others that Vivian has been spreading words that Alex showed his interest in her until you showed up."

    Hazel was a little stunned when she heard Michelle''s report.

    Just based on that, the girl wanted to smear her reputation and dared to make up such stories about her? How stupid!

    Alex looked at his girlfriend''s expression and raised a brow. "What are you going to do with the evidence?

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 383 - Brother-In-Law

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    A few days later, the school gossip forum exploded when Hazel finally came forward to clarify her family background. Everyone was shocked! No one expected that Hazel would be the heiress of MH Group that was famous in L City.

    Hazel was someone from a wealthy family. There was no reason for her to find another rich man to support her life!

    From the beginning, Hazel had mentioned that her parents had both passed away. Perhaps, it was because of that that everyone around her had not paid too much attention to her background.

    It has been years since Hazel''s parents passed away and none of them would remember anything that happened a long time ago. No one expected that Adam Mo and Claire Fan to be her parents.

    Of course, some people had refused to believe in that story and thought that Hazel was bluffing. However, Eira then stepped out and verified the story. Zhang''s family and Mo''s family have been friends for years and had a few project collaborations. Eira had no reason to lie.

    Once the bystanders read the story about Hazel''s childhood, everyone started to feel sympathize with her.

    How old was Hazel when her parents passed away in that tragedy? She was very young! They could not imagine what it would feel to suddenly lose both parents at the same time. From a young age, Hazel had lost the people she could depend on.

    It was not easy for Hazel to grow up to be the person she was now.

    The students began to change their opinion on Hazel and a few of Hazel''s classmates spoke up for her. Although Hazel was from a wealthy family, she was always humble and never showed off.  She had good upbringings and her classmates had a good impression of Hazel.

    More positive stories about Hazel came out and the students started to call out the original posters for posting such disgusting news.

    A day later, the school received another shocking news. A student named Vivian Xia was exposed to the original posters that had slandered Hazel.

    Vivian was quick to deny the accusation. However, a lawyer from a reputable firm personally showed up and notified her that Hazel had filed a lawsuit against her for slandering! This incident happened in the cafeteria during lunch hour where there were too many students around.

    No matter how Vivian wanted to hide, she could not do so. Some of the students had pulled out their phones and recorded this situation. In just a few minutes, everyone in the university, including the professors and staff were talking about this matter.

    Vivian began to shout that she was set up and that she had nothing to do with this incident. However, someone had posted the evidence on the forum that pointed to Vivian as the person who spread such dirty gossip.

    The students were once again in shock. Initially, they were still wondering if the lawyer had found the wrong person, but with the evidence, no one wanted to say anything.

    No one would guess that a demure person such as Vivian would do such a thing. Both Vivian and Hazel had no previous grievance. To think that Vivian would pull such a stunt because of a man she barely knew¡­ The students began to look down on Vivian.

    Some people who were not on good terms with Vivian began to expose her lifestyle and scandal. It was shocking to see that Vivian was not as demure as they had thought. It was clear that the person who wanted to date for money was not Hazel.

    Even if the university wanted to stop the students from talking, this matter was already bought to the police''s attention. Moreover, with Zhang''s family watching over the situation, the university could only let Vivian defend herself.

    ¡­

    In one of the famous restaurants in B City, four women and one man sat around the table.

    Hazel watched as her friends started to eat the food on the table and nibbled at her food softly. A while later, a spoonful of crab meat appeared on her bowl. Hazel looked up and saw that Alex was looking at her with a smile on his place.

    "Eat more," Alex said.

    "Oh." Hazel nodded. She clipped the crab meat with her chopstick and put them into her mouth. Soon, the sweet and fresh taste of the crab meat filled her mouth.

    "Brother-in-law, seeing the way you treated Hazel makes me feel relieved. It''s good that Hazel is happy with you."

    Hazel began to choke on her food. She grabbed the drinking water on the table and took a few mouthfuls to calm down. Then, she stared at Eira with a shocked expression. "What brother-in-law?" Her voice was a whisper.

    Eira Zhang, can you speak properly?

    Contrary to Hazel''s reaction, there was a wide smile on Alex''s face.

    Eira saw the shy look on Hazel''s face and decided to tease her further. "Hazel, we are sisters. Naturally, we should call your man as our brother-in-law."

    Hazel felt heat crept to her face. First, brother-in-law, and then¡­ her man? Hazel thought that she could not get used to this.

    "That''s true." Michelle nodded. "I heard that the two of you have been together for years. Sooner or later, you will be married. It''s not too early to call him as our brother-in-law."

    Hazel turned to Michelle speechlessly.

    She might know Alex for years, but the two of them only got together recently, alright!

    "Brother-in-law, thank you for your treat tonight," Crystal decided to join in the fun.

    Alex stretched his hand to Hazel and gave her a gentle squeeze. Then, he looked at her roommates again and smiled. "Thank you for looking after Hazel the past few years. If you need any help, please don''t hesitate to find me."

    Seeing that Hazel''s relationship with her friends was good, Alex was at ease. He had watched the way her friends had stood up to protect his Hazel when someone wanted to bully her and he began to have good impressions on Hazel''s roommates.

    The group began to chat amiably as they eat. By the time their meal ended, Hazel''s face was red as she had to listen to her friends'' teasing.

    Alex sent the girls to the dormitory and the girls quickly ran away to escape after thanking Alex for his treat, leaving the lovers behind.

    Hazel looked at her roommates retreating and pouted. She turned to Alex and spoke, "Alex, I wanted to file a complaint."

    "What''s wrong?"

    "You joined the girls and bullied me!"

    Alex laughed when he heard her words. "Then, what do you want me to do? How do you plan to punish me?"

    Hazel gritted her teeth and turned around. "I''m not talking to you."

    "Alright. Don''t get angry." Alex tugged at her hand and pulled Hazel into his embrace. "I''m just very happy."

    Hazel stopped struggling and buried her face into his chest. His scent began to fill her nostrils and Hazel began to relax. "What are you happy about?"

    "That you choose to trust me with your trouble." Alex smiled. "I''m happy that your friends called me brother-in-law."

    "Why are you happy about such a thing?"

    "Guess?"

    Hazel lifted her head and met his dark gaze. Hazel swallowed when she saw something that she could not decipher in his eyes. "I-I don''t want to guess."

    Alex let out a long breath. "Hazel Mo, I really, really like you."

    Her heartbeat accelerated. Meeting his gaze and having her holding her so close to him while listening to those words made her head a little jumbled up.

    Hazel bit at her lips as she continued to look into his eyes as if searching for something.. A couple of minutes passed and soon, Hazel stood on tiptoe and pressed her lips against his.

    Read novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 384 - Purely Instinct

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Hazel pulled away after that brief kiss. Her cheek reddened and her eyes were looking into his with curiosity as if wondering how that kiss had made him feel.

    Alex certainly was not expecting that Hazel would kiss him. After all, his Hazel was such a shy girl. Her face would get as red as a tomato right after her roommates had teased her. Therefore, Alex was very sure that Hazel would not take the initiative to kiss his lips.

    The last time did not count. It took Hazel a while to gather her courage to kiss his cheek, but the kiss had landed on his lips instead. It was an accident that let him tasted their first kiss.

    Therefore, when their lips met again, Alex was a little stunned that he was unable to react well.

    "Alex?" Seeing that the man in front of her had not reacted, Hazel was a little worried.

    "Hmm¡­" Her voice seemed to snap him out of his trance. His gaze began to move from her eyes lower to her lips. The memories of their brief kiss resurfaced in his mind again and his heartbeat accelerated.

    He had never expected that just staring at her lips would make him unable to think straight. Alex struggled to snap out the thought out of his mind, but he could not stop looking at those luscious lips. He was well aware of how soft her lips would taste, the sweetness and the fragrant taste...

    At this time, the angel and devil on his shoulder began to offer their advice.

    Feeling his scorching gaze on her lips, Hazel intuitively took a step back and bit her lips as if to hide them away from his eyes.

    A slight frown appeared on his face when he could no longer see her lips.

    "I-I should go now." Hazel tried to get out of his embrace but found that his arms around her body were tightening instead. Her eyes were looking everywhere except at him.

    His throat bobbed up and down.  His body felt a little uncomfortable. Alex thought that until he can meet her lips again in a kiss, he would not be able to calm down.

    With that thought in mind, Alex tugged at her hand and called, "Hazel."

    "Huh?"

    Just as Hazel lifted her head to look at him, Alex lowered his head to her to claim those lips in one sweep motion.

    The moment their lips touched, Alex felt as if his surroundings turned quiet. The angel and devil who were busy advising him on what he should do earlier had suddenly disappeared. At this time, the only thing he knew was that he was kissing Hazel again.

    This was the second time that they have kissed.

    It was still a little awkward as their first time. But this time, Alex had learned to be careful and not to bump their forehead and nose. His hand moved to cup her face, holding them so that Hazel would stay in place. Then, his lips started to move.

    His kiss was a little hesitant as he was unsure about what he was doing. However, even if he was still inexperienced, Alex refused to let this kiss ended abruptly just like it had the last time.

    He did not care whether Hazel was going to laugh at his inexperience. All he wanted now was to taste her lips.

    Everything then was purely instinct.

    It was moist and sweet. It was nothing like he had ever tasted before. The scent of her filled his nostrils and he was craving for more.

    His heart hammered against his ribcage. His head was full with the need to kiss her. The softness of her lips was slowly driving him crazy.

    God, kissing Hazel felt magical.

    Alex pulled apart for mere seconds as he was giving them the chance to breathe. Staring at her reddened cheek and misty eyes, he then returned to meet her lips again.

    As though he could not get enough of her, Alex began to tightened his arms around her waist and tried to pull her closer to his body. The only thing that preventing him from pulling her closer was her hands that rested on his chest.

    This time, he started to nibble at the bottom of her lips, working on his magic as silently begging for her to return his kiss.

    Meanwhile...

    Hazel was a little stunned. Her CPU was overloaded again and she was having a hard time processing what was going on. Hazel was fully prepared when Alex had lowered his head to kiss her again. However, she was not expecting to be kissed for a long time.

    Time passed and seconds turned to minutes.

    Her heartbeat accelerated and Hazel was aware of the heat that started to build inside her. There was a feeling that she could not describe. His kisses were slowly tormenting her, leaving her with the need of wanting more.

    A soft gasp escaped her the moment Alex nibbled at her lips. Her mind went blank and something warm began to spread all over her body. It was slowly killing her.

    Unable to comprehend the change in her mind and body, Hazel began to part her lips, allowing him to deepen their kiss.

    It was hot. And sweet. And Irresistible. It was turning her world upside down and her senses were melting with his kisses.

    Aware that her legs were slowly turning weak, Hazel grasped at the front of his shirt to keep herself in balance, and slowly, her hands began to move up until her arm snaked around his neck.

    This action only pulled them grew closer. A low groan escaped him as Alex felt the softness of her chest pressing against his body. His body began to tremble and their closeness was burning him. The hands around her waist tightened as Alex tried to fight against a new emotion that was building inside him.

    After a moment that seemed like an eternity, the two began to part. Their foreheads rested against each other. His gaze was on her reddened face, while Hazel had her eyes closed, as she tried to catch up with her breath.

    Seeing the way Hazel had licked ad her lips, his eyes darkened, and the desire to kiss her again was ignited. However, seeing her slightly swollen lips, Alex tried his best to control his emotion.

    "Are you alright?"

    Hazel tried to open her mouth to reply, but at this time, her lips were a little swollen from their kisses. "Hmm..."

    Alex raised his hand and his thumb started to caress her swollen lips. "Sorry. I should be gentler."

    Her cheek turned a shade darker. "Shut up."

    A faint smile appeared on his lips as he wondered what was going through her mind at the moment.

    "I should go in before the girls would worry," Hazel spoke once she was able to compose herself.

    "Alright." A frown appeared on his face as he did not want to be apart from this girl. Taking a deep breath to control himself, Alex gave her hand a gentle squeeze and pecked at her forehead.. "Go in."

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 385 - They Knew!

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    The moment Hazel entered her dorm room, she could see her roommates'' eyes looking at him. Noticing the strange smile on their faces, Hazel immediately figured out what happened.

    They knew!

    Her head felt a little dizzy as blood rushed to her head. Meeting her roommates'' gaze, Hazel was feeling a little shy.

    "Alright. Alright. Stop teasing her," Crystal said as she blocked Hazel from the other''s view. Then, she turned around and started to examine Hazel''s lips closer.

    Hazel instinctively bit at her lips. She knew very well that her lips were swollen after that kiss and she was embarrassed to let them see her lips after she had kissed Alex for a long time.

    "You don''t need to hide," Crystal said. "We all an adult here. We could guess at what happened by looking at your reddened face, Hazel."

    Hazel raised both hands and touched her face. Although she has been spending a long time outside, her face was too hot. Hazel could almost imagine the look on her face at this moment.

    "Anyway," Michelle spoke. She stood up from her seat and smiled. "We saw what happened."

    "You saw?" Hazel wished to dig a hole and hide. This was too embarrassing.

    Michelle started to laugh. "You spent a long time downstairs and Eira was worried. She went down out of the concern and saw what was going on. Once she returned and tell us what she saw, we had to spy on you from the balcony. But don''t worry. It was very dark and we cannot see too well."

    Hazel watched her friends speechlessly. She almost could not believe that they would be spying on her.

    "Hazel..." Eira went over and latched into her arms. "Tell me. How does it feel to kiss him?"

    "Is he good?" Michelle started to ask.

    Hazel narrowed her eyes dangerously at her roommates. "I''m not talking to you girls."

    The girls began to laugh.

    She decided to ignore their teasing and walked into the room. She put her bag on the table and caught a glimpse of her face in the mirror. Seeing her appearance in the mirror, Hazel let out a gasp.

    Her lips were too swollen! Just how much force did Alex use to kiss her? Suddenly, Hazel was embarrassed to go out and meet people. If the swelling did not go down by tomorrow morning, she might as well consider skipping class!

    However, once she recalled the upcoming tests, Hazel knew that there was no way that she can skip her class.

    "Don''t get mad," Michelle said. She patted Hazel on her shoulder and smiled apologetically. "You always had a serious look on your face. It was rare to see that shy look on your face. Just one look on your face, we can see how much in love you are with Alex."

    "Uh-huh," Crystal agreed. "Ever since you started to date, we''ve been seeing this look on your face a lot. I think... you are really happy dating Alex."

    "You can see them on my face?" Hazel asked.

    "You might not realize this, but after you started to go steady with Alex, you''ve been smiling a lot," Crystal said. "You are glowing. You have this look that screamed: ''I''m in love'' on your face."

    Hazel shook her head as she thought that Crystal was teasing her. Hazel glanced at the mirror again. Her reflection showed her an image of a girl with a reddened face and a shy smile on her face. She looked closely and realized that there was something different on her face. However, Hazel could not pinpoint what they were.

    "It''s nice to be in love," Eira said with a sigh. "Maybe I should start thinking about dating as well."

    Hazel turned to her friend and her lips started to twitch. "Are you sure you can think about dating? The moment any boys tried to approach you, your brother would appear and stop them."

    Eira laughed as she tried to imagine her little brother''s appearance out of nowhere to stop her from dating. However, this was not impossible. Her little brother might be a few years younger, but he was a little overprotective.

    Hazel took her pajamas and went into the bathroom to take a shower. When she came out again, her friends were already sprawling in their bed, doing their own things, and getting ready for bed. Hazel took her phone and saw that Alex had texted her that he had safely arrived at his apartment.

    After thinking for a while, Hazel decided to send him a text.

    "My lips are swollen. I have no face to meet people."

    "I''m sorry." Alex''s reply came back a few seconds later. "This is my fault. Next time, I will let you bite me back."

    Hazel gritted her teeth when she saw his reply. "Who wants to bite you?"

    She put down her phone on the table as she was too lazy to talk to him. After a minute has passed, her phone buzzed again and this time, it was a phone call from Alex.

    "Are you angry?" Alex asked as soon as the phone was connected. His voice sounded a little deep as he was speaking in a low tone.

    Hearing his warm voice, her anger had dissipated. Hazel walked over to the balcony to hide from her roommates. She looked at the scenery outside and answered, "Not angry."

    "If it makes you feel a little better, my lips are swollen too," Alex said. "I still have to go to the office tomorrow."

    "Then don''t go to your office."

    A chuckle escaped him. "Would you want to accompany me then? You can skip your class and I can skip work. Then, let''s go on a date."

    "Alex He¡­ are you trying to be a bad influence on me?" Her lips curled into a small smile.

    "Well, I just missed you."

    Her heart jumped and Hazel lowered her head upon hearing his words. "We just saw each other a while ago."

    "I know. But as soon as we apart, I wanted to see you again." He took a deep breath as he recalled pulling the girl into his arms. "It would be good if I can have you by my side all the time."

    The corner of her lips tilted up. "I really did not think that you could be such a sweet-talker."

    "Mmm... I ate something sweet earlier."

    Hazel did not think too much about it and asked, "What did you eat?"

    "Your lips."

    Her face felt hot again. "I''m not talking to you anymore. Alex He, I''m hanging up."

    Alex laughed on the other line. Recently, he began to have this habit to tease Hazel.  Her reddened face gave him an urge to bite at her cheek. "Alright. I won''t tease you anymore.. Just go to bed early. Tomorrow, I''ll come to you and deliver your breakfast, alright?"

    Read novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 386 - Alex He, My Boyfriend

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    A few days before her parents'' death anniversary, Alex picked her up and they both headed back to L City together. On the trip back, the two spent their time chatting about various things before Hazel finally dozed off in the passenger''s seat.

    Because she was planning to head back to L City, Hazel has been busy catching up with her assignments before she could ask for a few days off from her professor. This morning, she had to get up really early as they wanted to arrive at L City quickly. As soon as she sat in the car, Hazel could no longer fight her drowsiness.

    When she woke up again, the vehicle had entered L City.

    Hazel rubbed at her eyes and swiftly turned her head to one side to check if she had drooled in Alex''s presence. Seeing that there were no such thing, Hazel turned to Alex again and the two exchanged a glance briefly.

    "You''re awake."

    "Hmm¡­" Hazel pursed her lips. "Sorry. I fell asleep. Are you tired?"

    A chuckle escaped him. Alex stretched his hand and patted at her hair. "It''s alright. You should get a rest. You haven''t been sleeping well this past few days to finish your assignment."

    "But I still feel bad to let you drive me back to L City," Hazel said with a sigh.

    "Then, how about giving me compensation?"

    Hazel narrowed her eyes at him. "I''m sure it wouldn''t be anything good."

    Alex burst into a laugh. Then, he pointed a finger to his cheek. "How about a kiss here?"

    Hazel poked at his cheek and said, "Concentrate on the road first. I don''t want to be a distraction and cause an accident."

    Her parents got into a car crash and passed away. Of course, Hazel would look seriously on this matter. She had reminded Alex a few times to take a rest whenever he felt tired and told him to always be vigilant on the road.

    Alex heaved a soft sigh when he heard her words. Then, he held on to the steering tightly and focused on the road.

    "Alex," Hazel called after a brief silence between them.

    "Hmm?"

    "Two days later¡­ do you want to come with me and visit my parents?"

    Alex glanced at her face and saw the serious look on her face. A warm smile curled on his lips. "I''d like to."

    Hazel let out a long breath. Earlier, she was a little worried that Alex was going to reject her. The two of them have been friends for a long time, but this was the first time that she had asked him to come with her to visit her parents.

    "Then, you can come over and pick me up. We''ll head over together with my uncle."

    Hearing her mentioned her scary uncle, Alex started to tremble. He could almost imagine the cold air emitting from that man''s body when he showed up with Hazel.

    "Auntie Edith won''t be going?" Alex asked. At least, with Auntie Edith''s presence, the atmosphere would not be as scary.

    "Auntie Edith is pregnant with twins and the doctor asked her to take a lot of rest. My uncle would not let her come with us," Hazel said.

    Alex took a deep breath and assured himself that he should not be scared of Hazel''s uncle. Although the man could petrify anyone with his cold gaze, he is still Hazel''s uncle. If he wanted to be with Hazel, he would have to get used to that man''s presence.

    Moreover, he had done as the man had asked him to do. He had patiently waited until he was old enough before he pursued Hazel and at this moment, the two had a very good relationship. Hazel''s uncle cannot do anything to prevent him to go after Hazel anymore.

    A while later, Alex pulled over his vehicle and parked in front of the house. He helped Hazel with the door and helped to pick up her luggage.

    When they entered the house, Edith walked out and greeted them with a warm smile on her face.

    "Auntie Edith!" Hazel walked over to hug her. However, once she saw her auntie''s bulging stomach, Hazel had to stop herself. "Oh my!" Hazel lifted her head to look at her auntie again. "I haven''t seen them in a few months and they''re getting bigger. No wonder my uncle is too worried."

    Edith laughed. "Alright. Come over and give me a hug."

    Hazel wrapped her arms around her auntie''s shoulder and kissed her cheek. "Auntie Edith, I missed you so much."

    Edith pulled away and turned to Alex. "How''s the drive?"

    "Auntie Edith," Alex greeted. "It was fine. The road is clear."

    "That''s good." Edith nodded. She glanced at the clock and spoke, "It''s almost lunch hour. Alex, would you like to stay and have a meal with us?"

    Alex hesitated.

    The corner of her lips turned up when she saw his hesitation. "Hayden and Hayley are both at school and Hazel''s uncle is at work. There''s a new project that they are working on and he won''t be coming back for lunch."

    A glint flashed in his eyes when Alex heard that the man would not show up. "Then, I''ll tell my mother that I''ll be having my lunch here."

    Seeing that her Auntie had turned to head over to the kitchen, Hazel walked over to go with her. "Auntie Edith, what are you making? Let me help you."

    "It''s fine." Edith waved her hand. "There''s a lot of help in the kitchen. Your uncle hired a few more helpers after we entered the second trimester."

    Hazel peeked into the kitchen and noticed a few new faces around.

    "Go ahead and accompany Alex. He''s a guest. Don''t leave him alone."

    "Oh." Hazel nodded obediently before she turned around to find Alex again. Entering the living area, Hazel found that Alex was chatting with her Great-Grandpa. Her lips turned up and Hazel went over to the old man.

    "My little princess. You''re back."

    Hazel let out a little giggle before she hugged the old man. "Great-Grandpa, I miss you." Her tears threatened to come down upon noticing that the man had turned thinner than the last time she saw him. Hazel sniffled before she forced a smile. "Great-Grandpa, what did you two talk about?"

    "Nothing much." Mike turned to Alex again and frowned. "I just thought that this boy looked a little familiar. He said that we''ve met before."

    Hazel was a little stunned.

    Auntie Edith and Auntie Lily were best friends and Alex had met with her Great-Grandfather a few times while they were growing up. She did not think that her Great-Grandpa would have forgotten about Alex.

    "Little Princess, did you return to bring back your boyfriend?"

    Hazel quickly composed herself and smiled. "Hmm... Great-Grandpa, the last time, you told me to find a boyfriend quickly. I found one and brought him home to let you see. Great-Grandpa, this is Alex He, my boyfriend. What do you think?"

    Mike squinted his eyes as he continued to observe Alex. A few seconds later, he started to nod his head, giving his approval.. "Not bad."

    Read novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 387 - A Secret

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    After the lunch was over, Alex followed Hazel upstairs and the two ended up in her bedroom.

    Once he entered the room, Alex could not stop looking around. This was the first time he had entered her room and Alex was fascinated to look at everything around him.

    Hazel''s room was neater than what he had imagined. The moment he walked in, Hazel''s sweet scent filled his nostrils and Alex thought that he might get drunk by inhaling them too much.

    There was a lot of pink stuff around. A few plush toys of various animals were arranged neatly on the sofa beside the bookcase. At the side of the room was a tall, glass case with assembled Gundam model arranged neatly.

    Alex walked over to the glass case and his gaze stopped at the model at the center of the case. He recognized the model as the one he had gifted to her on her birthday a long time ago. The pink model that his mother had helped him to buy.

    At that time, he did not have too much money in his hand and he had talked to his mother to use the money in his bank.

    As the thought came to his mind, Alex was a little stunned. How old was he when he had persuaded his mother into buying a gift for Hazel? At that time, the pink model was rare and expensive, but the moment he saw it, Alex was sure that Hazel was going to like it.

    Suddenly, he wondered if he started to like Hazel from that early age.

    "What are you looking at?"

    Alex turned around and saw Hazel was staring at him inquiringly. "Just admiring the models you assembled."

    A soft laugh escaped her as Hazel turned to look at the glass case. "Mmm¡­ I did not expect that I would collect this much." She poked him on the arms and said, "Isn''t this is all due to your influence?"

    Alex pulled her closer to hug her from behind. Then, he kissed her on the cheek. Before he could enjoy having the girl in his embrace, Hazel wriggled out and looked at him with a playful smile on her face.

    "Let me tell you a secret."

    His brow raised. "What is it?"

    "The only reason I was interested to listen to you talking about assembling this model was because of Auntie Edith," Hazel said. "Once I heard you said that Auntie Edith is good at assembling the model, I thought¡­ I should give it a try."

    There was a complicated look on Alex''s face.

    "What''s wrong?" Hazel tilted her head to one side.

    Alex heaved a soft sigh. "And I thought you were genuinely interested."

    Hazel laughed when she saw the disappointed look on his face. She patted her hand on his chest and said, "Don''t be disappointed. After working on a few models, I think this hobby is quite enjoyable. See¡­ I assembled a few of them after you taught me how to do it once."

    Alex stared at her for a long time. After a while, the corner of her lips turned up. "But this is also good. If it was not because Auntie Edith you would not take the initiative to talk to me. Then, we wouldn''t be this close." He turned her around to face him and pushed a few strands of hair behind her ears.

    Seeing the way Hazel was staring at him, Alex then leaned closer and gave her a soft kiss.

    Hazel closed her eyes and put her hands on his shoulders as he continued to kiss her. Once she was satisfied with the kisses she received, Hazel pulled away and stared at Alex with a playful smile on her face.

    Before she came into her room, both Great-Grandpa and Auntie Edith had returned to their room to rest. Knowing that there would not be any surprise visit to her room, Hazel was not too shy to be alone with Alex.

    After staying in his arms for a while, the smile on her face gradually disappeared. Hazel ran her fingertips on his cheek and asked, "Alex, are you not sad that Great-Grandpa seemed to forget you?"

    Alex wrapped his arms around her body and pulled her closer. "It would be a lie to say that I''m not. Are you afraid that Great-Grandpa would forget you soon?"

    Hazel did not answer and instead, lowered her head and buried her face in his chest.

    Although Hazel did not have any blood relation with her Great-Grandpa, the old man had treated her as his own kin. When she was little, her Great-Grandpa had always played with her and taught her self-defense skills. Seeing that his health had deteriorated every time she came home, Hazel felt sad.

    Moreover¡­ her grandparents were getting older. Hazel became helpless at thought of how she might not have a long time with them. Her parents had left her early and soon, people she cared about will no longer be around.

    Alex lowered his head and kissed her on top of her head.

    With her parents'' death anniversary approaching in a few days, Alex could understand that there were too many things in her mind and her mood was a little off.

    However, at this time he could not find a word to ease her mind. The only thing Alex could do was to hug her tightly and channel his strength to her. At this time, Alex made a silent promise to accompany Hazel until they were both old.

    After spending his time at the house for a long time, Alex decided to head home to avoid rush hour.

    When he reached home, his mother was in the living room, arranging a few stuff. Alex walked over to his mother and sat next to her.

    "You''re back." Lily smiled. She turned her head to the door and raised a brow when she looked at Alex again. "You didn''t bring back my daughter-in-law?"

    "Mom."

    Lily started to laugh. Recently, she found that teasing her son was too interesting. This was the first time that Alex had a girlfriend. Although her boy would always put on a serious look on his face, he could be a little timid when she started to tease him with Hazel.

    "How long will you be staying in L City this time?" Lily asked.

    "I''ll head back to B City on Sunday," Alex answered. "On the day after tomorrow, I will accompany Hazel to visit her parents."

    "Mmm... You go ahead and accompany her. She will need a lot of support. As her boyfriend, it is natural that you should accompany her."

    "Un. I know."

    Lily let out a sigh. Then, she turned to her son and smiled.. "Since you are going to be in L City for a few days, tell Hazel to come over and have a meal with us, alright."

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 388 - Play Nice

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Alex showed up at Mo''s residence early in the morning. He alighted from his vehicle and took a couple of deep breaths before he walked over to the door and pressed the doorbell.

    The door swung open and his expression turned frigid upon meeting a certain iceblock.

    Alex inhaled sharply and muttered, "Good morning."

    Neil narrowed his eyes as he looked at the pig that was eyeing his little cabbage. After a while, he stepped aside to let him in. "Come in."

    Seeing that the man had let him in without saying anything much frightened him. At this time, Alex was wondering if he had perhaps misheard things, or perhaps, this was a trap. If he walked through the door, would he end up being killed instead?

    "Alex, you''re here." Edith walked out from a corner and looked at him with a smile. She sauntered towards her husband and wrapped her arms around his waist. Then, she looked at Alex again. "Come on in and join us for breakfast." Seeing his hesitation, she then continued to persuade, "Hazel is still getting ready. She should come down soon."

    Alex clenched his fist. He glanced at Neil before he entered the house and followed an auntie towards the dining area.

    Edith watched as Alex went farther inside and turned to her husband. There was a warning look on her expression. "Play nice."

    "I did not do anything," Neil said with a sigh. He noticed that there was no one around and sneaked to press kiss her on her slender neck. His eyes darkened when he heard her soft hum.

    "Quit playing around. The kids are still around." Edith turned around and poked her husband on his chest. "You''re going out with Hazel and Alex later. Don''t make trouble for them, alright?"

    Neil raised a brow. "You don''t trust me?"

    Edith cupped her hands on his cheek and tiptoed to kiss his lips."Iceblock Mo, I''m just afraid that you were going to frighten that poor boy if you continued to wear that cold expression."

    Neil laughed upon hearing that words. It has been a while since his wife had called him ''Iceblock Mo''.

    Her hands started to pull at the corner of his lips, making him smile. "There. This expression is better." Edith leaned forward to peck his lips again. "My handsome man."

    Neil was slightly in a daze as he recalled the first time his wife had done something like this. At that time, she had a little drink and spoke to him honestly about liking the look on his face when he smiled.

    He thought about how his wife liked him smiling and his lips tilted into a warm smile.

    "Hazel is now dating Alex. Don''t make things difficult for him, alright?" Edith reminded him again.

    "You¡­ liked that boy?"

    Edith laughed. "I watched Alex as he grew up. How can I not like him? Besides¡­ what matters most is whether Hazel liked him or not. Since Hazel chose to be with him, how can I not like him? Hazel is a smart girl. I believe in her choice."

    Neil pursed his lips, knowing that he could not win an argument with his wife.

    After a while, Hazel walked down the stairs and grabbed something light for breakfast as she did not have an appetite. Then, the three of them walked out to head to the cemetery.

    Neil looked at the couple in front of him and was a little unhappy. However, he still remembers his wife''s reminder not to make trouble for Alex and had no choice but to keep his mouth shut.

    Moreover, it was Hazel''s parents'' death anniversary and he did not want to make his niece unhappy. Even if he had a few words that he wanted to say to Alex, Neil decided to wait until later.

    Neil looked at Alex''s AUDI parked at the side and turned to Hazel. "You go and take Alex''s car. I will let the driver take me to the cemetery."

    "Uncle, we are not going together?" Hazel asked.

    "Hmm¡­ I still have to go to the office afterward," Neil said. "It would be convenient if we go out separately." He glanced at the helpers who were helping to carry a few stuff to Alex''s car and turned to Hazel again. "I''ll head over first and wait for you there."

    Hazel thought of the situation and agreed. She hopped into the passenger''s seat and sat quietly as Alex drove to the cemetery.

    When they arrived, Hazel cradled the bouquets in her arms and let Alex help her carry a few other things. Her uncle had arrived a few minutes earlier. From a distance, Hazel could see that her uncle was talking to her parents and had a few drinks.

    She hesitated and decided to give him a few minutes to be alone. Once she saw that her uncle was no longer talking, Hazel stepped forward and stopped in front of the tomb. She placed the bouquet down, gave her parents her bow and stood beside her uncle.

    Neil looked at his niece and put his arms around her shoulders, patting her softly and Hazel leaned on his shoulders.

    The two of them stayed that way for a long time as they stared at the tomb. No one knew what was going through their mind.

    After a while, Neil heaved a long breath before he looked at Hazel. "Alright. I have to go now. Don''t stay here for too long."

    Hazel nodded. "Un. I know."

    Neil hugged his little girl and kissed her forehead. Then he gave her a light pat on the shoulder and turned to Alex. "Look after her."

    Alex was a little surprised when the man spoke to him. However, he quickly composed himself and nodded. "I will."

    Both Alex and Hazel watched her uncle as he left with the driver following him closely by his side. Once her uncle was no longer visible, Hazel turned to look at the tomb again.

    Alex stepped closer to her and let the girl lay her head on his chest. Sensing that her mood was not right, Alex decided to keep quiet. A frown appeared on his face as he was reminded of what Hazel had told him about her parents'' death.

    Subconsciously, Alex held the woman in his arms tighter, channeling his support to her.

    After a while, Hazel tilted her head up and watched Alex''s profile from the side.

    As if noticing her gaze, Alex lowered his head and met her eyes. A faint smile curled on his lips and Alex lowered to peck at her hair.

    Her eyes fluttered. Hazel pulled away from him and chuckled. "I forgot."

    Alex shot her an inquiring gaze. "What did you forget about?"

    Hazel did not answer and instead, intertwined their hands together and held him tightly. Then, she turned to the tomb again and spoke, "Mama, Papa, let me introduce you. This is my boyfriend. Alex He."

    Alex turned to Hazel, slightly surprised by her introduction. Seeing her expectant gaze, Alex then turned to look at the faded photograph.. "Uncle, Auntie, Hello."

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 389 - Back To The Old House

    The sun was up high by the time both of them left the cemetery. Alex helped Hazel into the passenger''s seat and slid into the driver''s seat. When he put the keys into the ignition, Alex noticed the way Hazel was looking at him and turned to look at her.

    Alex let out a chuckle. "What is it?"

    "Do you have to go to the office after this?" Hazel asked.

    "No. I told my dad that I won''t be coming in today," Alex said. He grasped her hand and planted a kiss on her wrist. "Today, I''m going to accompany you. What do you have in mind?"

    Hazel lowered her head for a few seconds, then spoke, "Do you want to come home with me? Not the place where I''m staying with my uncle and Auntie Edith, but the place where I stayed with my parents."

    Alex watched the person beside him and nodded. "Alright."

    Based on Hazel''s instruction, the two of them finally reached her house. As they stood in front of the house, Alex took his time to look at the house where Hazel had lived with her parents years ago.

    This was his first time coming over and Alex could not help but wonder about Hazel''s life when her parents were still around. If it was not because of the tragedy, then, Hazel would be happier.

    Just as the two walked over to the house, the door swung open from the inside and an elder lady walked out.

    The moment she saw Hazel, her eyes brightened up and her lips stretched into a wide smile. "Young Miss! You''re back."

    "Auntie." Hazel greeted.

    The older lady looked at Hazel from head to toe and patted her hands a few times. Her eyes started to redden and her nose sour. "Did you went over to the cemetery?"

    "Hmm¡­ I just came back from visiting my parents," Hazel said. "Auntie, are you well?"

    "I''m just the same." The older lady heaved a soft sigh. It was at this time that she noticed that a tall man was standing beside them. The elder lady looked at Hazel inquiringly and asked, "Young Miss¡­ This is¡­?"

    Hazel turned to Alex and her lips curled up into a smile. She stretched her hand and pulled him closer. "Auntie. This is my boyfriend. Alex He."

    Alex tried to conceal the joy on his face as he exchanged her greetings with the caretaker. Every time Hazel introduced him as her boyfriend to the people around her, Alex became elated.

    The older lady gave Alex a look and her head bobbed as if giving her approval. "That''s right. You are old enough to bring home a boyfriend." She let out a sigh in content. "If both Master and Madame could see you now, they would both be happy."

    Hazel replied with a faint smile.

    "Come in." The lady ushered them in. "Have you eaten yet? How about staying around for lunch. Auntie will prepare your favorite food." She halted and there was a hesitant look on her face. "Ah¡­ You''re already this grown-up. Auntie did not know what is your favorite food now."

    "Auntie, you can prepare anything. Alex and I¡­ we are not picky."

    The lady nodded. She left for the kitchen and left both Hazel and Alex alone. After all, this was Hazel''s house and she did not need to stay around unless if Hazel needed her.

    Hazel walked over to the side table and started to look at the letters. After she had sorted out all the important documents, Hazel turned around and found that Alex was staring at the big portrait of her and her parents from the time she was three.

    "What are you looking at?"

    Hearing her voice, Alex turned around and flashed a smile. "Mmm¡­ Baby Hazel is too adorable."

    Her cheek turned a little pink upon hearing his words. She hit him playfully on his arms and heard his laugh. Suddenly, she was pulled into his embrace with his arms around her waist and his chin rested on her shoulder. Hazel began to relax against his broad chest.

    "You have your mother''s look," Alex said as he looked at the woman in the portrait.

    Hazel turned her head sideways to look at him and felt his lips brushed against her cheek. "I heard that a lot."

    "But your eyes resembled your father the most." A thought crossed his mind and a chuckle escaped him.

    "What is it?" Hazel narrowed her eyes at him.

    "I just thought of something." Alex paused. He turned to look at Hazel and stared into her eyes for a long time. "Whenever you''re angry, the look on your eyes would resemble your uncle the most."

    Hazel frowned. "Uncle Neil?" She watched him nodded and started to touch the corner of her eyes, as she wondered if he was telling her the truth. She looked at the portrait again and thought that her eyes really did resembled her father. However, Hazel did not know how she would look like when she was angry.

    After staring at the portrait for a while, Hazel wriggled out of his embrace. Seeing that it was still too early for them to have lunch, Hazel decided to take Alex around the house for a tour.

    The house stayed the same, but some of her childhood memories had slowly faded away. The two of them finally stopped at Hazel''s old bedroom and Alex began to look around. Just like the other room, Hazel''s childhood room was full of pink and animal plush toys. There were a few old toys at the side and a small castle as her playground.

    Alex could almost imagine Hazel as a little princess running around the place. "You like pink."

    Hazel laughed at his words. She looked at the clean bed sheet and sat down. After a while, Alex joined and sat down beside her. He tugged at her hand and soon, the two of them fell on the bed together.

    Because this was the bed that she used when she was a little kid, the size was a little smaller and the two of them had to stay closer.

    Hazel stared into his eyes and felt her heartbeat grew faster.

    Alex tucked a few stray hairs behind her ear and asked, "How are you?"

    Hazel was a little startled upon hearing his question, but soon, a faint smile curled on her lips. "I''m alright. Just that¡­ I haven''t been sleeping well."

    "I can see that." A deep frown appeared on his face as he traced the dark circle under her eyes.

    Lowering her gaze, Hazel then shifted closer to his body. "I had those dreams again. About the scene that I saw in the hospital. And then, I woke up and could not fall asleep again."

    Alex thought of the scene that Hazel had watched before his parents passed away and knew that the girl was talking about that one. He wrapped her body in his embrace and his hands caressing her back as if coaxing her. "It''s alright. It''s in the past now."

    "I know. But when I dreamed about that scene again¡­ I was scared. I thought that if I close my eyes again, I will be forced to see it again." A chuckle escaped her. "I was worried that the man was going to turn around and kill me in my dream."

    Alex was distressed as he imagined how frightened Hazel was. "I''m here now." He continued to speak a few words to assure her that everything will be alright. Then, he leaned in and started to rain his kisses on her face. His fingers ran in her long tresses and soon, Alex saw that Hazel was staring at him with a dazed look. "If you''re tired. You can sleep. Don''t think of anything. I will stay here and guard you."

    "You don''t mind?" Her voice sounded a little lazy. After Alex had run his fingers in her hair and rained his kisses on her face for a long time, Hazel began to feel a little sleepy.

    His lips curled into a smile.. Alex kissed her eyelid and whispered, "Just sleep."

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 390 - Two In The Morning

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Hazel went back to the residence and found that her Auntie Edith was in the garden, looking after some flowers in the garden. She walked over and looked at the flowers.

    "You''re back," Edith said. She turned around and smiled. "Have you eaten?"

    "Un." Hazel nodded. "We dropped by the old house and the auntie made something for us to eat." She looked around and noticed that the house was a little quiet. "Where are the others?"

    "Hayden and Hayley are working on their homework," Edith said. "Your uncle is still at the office."

    "He''s been very busy recently," Hazel pointed out.

    "He wanted to settle a few important works before he can take a long break." Edith rested her hand on her tummy. "He said he wanted to accompany me before the twins came out."

    "He''s worried."

    "Hmm¡­ things will get busy again after the twins came out. There is a lot of preparation to do as well." Edith heaved a sigh.

    Looking after one baby was tiring enough. She did not know if she would be able to look after two babies at the same time. When she had Hayden and Hayley, the two were very active. If it was not for her mother-in-law''s help and auntie that they hired, Edith was sure that she would go crazy.

    Hazel looked at Edith''s stomach. "Auntie Edith, did you found out the gender of the twins yet?"

    Edith raised a brow at her. "What do you think the gender will be?"

    Hazel stared at Edith''s bulging stomach for a few seconds and tilted her head to one side. "Girls?"

    "The doctor said the twins are boys."

    Hazel heaved a long sigh. "I thought that my uncle would like it more if he had more daughters."

    Edith laughed as she was reminded of her conversation about raising pigs and cabbages with her husband. At that time, Neil had said that he would prefer boys. It turned out that she was pregnant with boys.

    "Having you and Hayley are enough. When the boys are old enough they can help to look after their sisters," Edith said. A faint smile curled on her lips. "How is your relationship with Alex? Is everything going well?"

    Her cheek blushed. Hearing his boyfriend''s name, Hazel was reminded of how she had woken up earlier and found that Alex was staring at her. Hazel could remember the feeling of waking up in his embrace. The way Alex was staring at her was so gentle that it makes her heartbeat accelerated.

    She thought of how Alex has been staring at her sleeping face and was embarrassed. Suddenly, Hazel was worrying whether she would drool or snore when she slept.

    Alex then kissed her forehead before he went to the restroom to wash his face.

    It took her a while before she finally snapped out of her trance. Hazel thought that sleeping next to Alex was pretty comfortable. His body was warm and she liked his scent. Most important thing was that... that dream did not appear.

    "Looking at your face, I''m guessing that your relationship is going very well," Edith pointed out.

    "Auntie Edith."

    Noticing the girl''s cheek turned a shade darker, Edith decided not to tease her anymore.

    Fortunately, a vehicle drove over and parked. Seeing that her husband had returned from the office, Edith put the garden scissors on the side table before she walked over to him.

    The moment Neil alighted the vehicle, there was a deep frown on his face. "What are you doing out here?" Neil asked. "Didn''t the doctor said you have to take a lot of rest?"

    Edith heaved a sigh and pulled a face. "I was bored. Walking around the garden could help to lift my mood."

    Neil felt slightly guilty upon hearing her words. These days, he was too busy that he had not spent his time with his wife. He wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her cheek. "This weekend, I''ll accompany you for a walk, alright?"

    The couple exchanged a few words in a low voice before they finally noticed that Hazel was standing not far away from them.

    Neil flashed his niece a smile and asked, "Did you went to the old house today?"

    "Un." Hazel nodded. "I went to check at the letters and bills."

    "If you need anything, don''t hesitate and tell me," Neil said. Then, he turned to his wife again and his expression turned gentler. "Let''s get inside. It''s not good for you to spend a long out here.

    ¡­

    Her body sweated profusely.

    Hazel was aware that she was in a dream, but no matter how she tried to wake up, Hazel was unable to do so.

    Once again, she was forced to watch the moment where her parents were murdered by that man. She watched as the doctor injected something into their IV bag but was unable to stop him.

    In the end, Hazel watched as her parents'' health deteriorated until they were no longer breathing. The doctors and nurses rushed into the room to check on her parents, pushing her aside until she was unable to see her parents again.

    Hazel woke up.

    Her breathing labored and her body trembled. Her body was cold and wet with her sweats.

    Hazel pulled her knees closer to her chest and buried her hands in her palms. She tried to dispel her dream, but the scene kept on playing on her head over and over again.

    Tears filled her eyes and her shoulders quivered as she forced herself to forget the scene she was forced to witness.

    Whenever it was around her parents'' death anniversary, Hazel would have these dreams for a few nights. Though this had happened many times, Hazel would never get used to it.

    After taking a few deep breaths, Hazel finally calm down. She closed her eyes tightly and opened them again. Her mind was a little clearer this time, but she was still frightened of what she had dreamed.

    Hazel grabbed her phone on the side table and looked at the time. It was two in the morning.

    Though she was sleepy, Hazel found that she could not fall asleep as she was worrying that she would have those dreams again.

    A face appeared in her mind and Hazel hesitated. After a few seconds, Hazel finally sent out a message.

    "Alex, are you awake?"

    A minute has passed and Hazel heaved a sigh when Alex did not reply.

    It was two in the morning and it would be strange if Alex would still be awake at this time.

    Just as she was about to give up and try to fall asleep again, her phone screen lit up.. Hazel picked up her phone again and found that Alex had requested a video call with her.

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 391 - Sneaking Out

    The moment she saw the name on the screen, Hazel felt a wave of relief washing over her. After taking a deep breath, Hazel swiped her finger on the screen.

    In just seconds, the screen turned black.

    Hazel squinted as she tried to check whether the call was disconnected, but then, she heard his voice.

    "Hazel?"

    Her heartbeat gradually calmed down. "Un." At this time, Hazel could see some movement. She figured out that Alex should have his lights off, which was why she could only see the dark. Then, she realized that his voice sounded a little groggy. "Sorry. Were you sleeping just now?"

    "It''s alright." Alex cleared his throat a few times. "Were you having a bad dream again?"

    "Hmm¡­"

    "Are you alright?"

    "It''s okay. Just that¡­ I cannot fall asleep without having those images in my mind and then¡­ I thought of you." Hazel let out a long sigh as the guilt of waking him up surrounded her. "I''m sorry. I didn''t think that I would wake you up at this time."

    "Don''t be sorry. I''m glad that you would think of me," Alex said. "Hazel, you can call me anytime you want. I will always be there for you."

    Her heart was filled with warmth and her lips curled into a faint smile. There was a movement on Alex''s side and a while later, she was able to see his face in the dark. Hazel let out a chuckle when she saw his eyes turning into a slit.

    "What are you laughing at?"

    "Nothing." Her hands stretched up and Hazel tried to poke at his nose through the video. "I just thought that¡­ this is how your face would look like when you just woke up from sleep." Her head tilted to one side. "It''s not that bad."

    Alex laughed. His heart was more at ease upon seeing that her mood had improved a lot. He thought of the scene earlier that day where Hazel was sleeping in his embrace with a peaceful look on her face and suddenly, Alex could feel his body grew hot.

    His throat bobbed and Alex lowered his gaze so that Hazel would not notice anything strange. Then, he took a few deep breaths.

    "It felt a little strange."

    Alex looked at the blurry image of Hazel in the dark. "What is strange?"

    "How is it that once I heard your voice, my mind was suddenly at ease?"

    His heart skipped a beat. Suddenly, Alex had this urge to meet his girlfriend face to face. He wanted to hold her in his arms and kiss her. However, noticing the time, Alex could only suppress his desire.

    Alex pressed his lips into a thin line and suddenly, he exhaled a long breath. "Hazel Mo."

    "Mhm?"

    "Suddenly, I had this urge to see you." Alex noticed how her eyes grew wide and continued, "Hazel, I miss you."

    Her eyes fluttered and her heartbeat sped up.

    It was dark at night and the two of them has been speaking in a low tone. Because of this, Alex''s voice sounded a little deep and seductive.

    Hazel bit at her lips to calm down and spoke, "I miss you too."

    His eyes grew dark and his jaw clenched. "Do you want to see me?"

    Hazel hesitated. There was a long pause at her side as Hazel was considering his question. "Yes." She opened her mouth to give him reasons why they could not see each other at this time, but Alex had spoken again.

    "Then, wait for me for ten minutes. I will arrive at your doorsteps soon," Alex said.

    "Ah?"

    "Didn''t you say that you wanted to see me?"

    Hazel wanted to decline, but reasons quickly faded as Hazel continued to look at Alex. At this time, his eyes were no longer a slit, and instead, it looked like he has been wide awake. Hazel clenched tightly at her blanket. Then, she answered, "Okay. I will wait for you."

    The video call ended and the screen turned dark. Hazel stared at her phone screen in a daze. For a while, she was unable to believe what just happened.

    Did she just agree to meet up with Alex in the middle of the night?

    Hazel looked at the time again. Then, she seemed to recall that Alex had told her that he will arrive at her doorstep in ten minutes. Swiftly, Hazel jumped out of her bed and switched on the light.

    She looked at the mirror and was glad that the light was still off when she was on a video call with Alex earlier. If Alex had seen her bird nest hair, would he still want to see her?

    Aware that she was looking like a mess, Hazel started to scramble to find proper clothes to wear and make herself presentable.

    Her heart raced at the thought that she will have to sneak out to see Alex. At this time, everyone should be sleeping and Hazel did not want to accidentally wake up anyone. If anyone saw that she was going out at this time, then, there will be questions, and Hazel was not sure if she could answer them.

    It felt as if she was going on a secret rendezvous!

    Her cheek turned red again and Hazel was excited.

    Her phone screen lit up as she was combing her hair. Hazel picked up the phone and saw that it was a text message from Alex, informing her that he had arrived at the door.

    Hazel grabbed her purse and phone before she tiptoed to come down. Alex''s AUDI was parked outside with his light off. She walked over to his car and Alex quickly alighted to help her with the passenger''s door.

    Once the two were seated inside the car, they turned to look at each other with an anxious smile on their faces.

    "Did you tell anyone you''re going out?"

    Hazel shook her head. "No." She looked at their intertwined hands and said, "But I left them a note. Just in case they would come to find me."

    Alex chuckled at her answer.

    "Where are we going?"

    ...

    Meanwhile, in a certain bedroom...

    Edith turned around when she noticed that someone had walked into the bedroom. She rubbed at her eyes and saw that it was her husband.

    "What are you doing?" Edith patted at the empty spot beside her. "It''s late. Come to bed."

    Neil looked at his wife with a complicated expression.

    "What is it?"

    "Hazel sneaked out just now."

    Edith glanced at the clock and saw the time. "This late?"

    "Hmm..." Neil nodded. "That boy, Alex picked her up."

    Hearing that Hazel was with Alex, Edith was more at ease. "Hazel is a grown-up. She trusts Alex and knows how to protect herself. It will be fine." Seeing that her husband was hesitating, Edith flashed him a faint smile. "Darling, they are grownups. They know what they are doing. Even if you don''t like Alex, you should have a little more trust in Hazel."

    His expression gradually softened. Neil took a deep breath before he walked over to his wife''s side.. "I hope you''re right."

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 392 - Hilltop View

    Alex''s AUDI finally pulled over once they reached the hilltop.

    He glanced at the woman beside him and stretched his hand to hold hers. Seeing the anxious look on her face, Alex sort of understood her feeling at the moment.

    A few minutes ago, her adrenaline pumped. and she was feeling excited, sneaking out in the middle of the night with him.

    Now that she had calm down and was able to think sensibly, Hazel was feeling guilty about sneaking out behind her uncle and auntie.

    "Should we head back?"

    Hazel snapped out of her thoughts and turned to Alex. Her gaze softened and Hazel shook her head. "It''s fine. We''re already here. Let''s just stay here for a while."

    Alex tilted his head to one side as he continued to watch her. If Hazel mentioned heading back, he would definitely turn around and send her back to the residence.

    A long sigh escaped him. "I am really a bad influence on you, aren''t I? If your uncle heard that I helped you to sneak out¡­" Suddenly, Alex did not know what will Hazel''s scary uncle do to him.

    Hazel laughed when she heard his words. "My uncle isn''t that scary. He is someone who will understand if you talk to him slowly."

    Alex merely smiled. He looked out the window and said, "Do you want to go out and walk around?"

    It was at this time that Hazel chose to look out the window and noticed their surroundings. Her eyes widened and she was a little surprised upon seeing the night city view. Turning to Alex again, Hazel nodded and the two alighted the vehicle.

    As soon as she stepped on the ground, Hazel felt something warm draped around her shoulders. Looking up, Alex had put his jacket around her body.

    "Wear them or you''ll get cold," Alex said.

    Hazel lowered her gaze and nodded. "Un." She wrapped the jacket tightly on her body and instantly, Alex''s scent filled her nostrils. At the thought that she was being hugged by Alex, her cheek turned a little red and her body warmed.

    Alex stretched his hand to hold hers. He led her and walked along the path and soon arrived at a small park.

    Hazel looked around and was surprised to see that there were a few groups of youngsters hanging around the place at this time. A few couples walked around the park, enjoying the night scenery.

    "I didn''t expect that there will be many people around at this time," Hazel said.

    "Mmm¡­ There are always a lot of people hanging around here with their friends." Alex led her to the spot where they could watch the city''s view.

    The city light from the distance looked absolutely beautiful. Hazel stood behind the railings and stared at the view in front of her in awe.

    "Most of them would spend their time here until sunrise," Alex continued.

    Hazel turned and looked at Alex with her eyes wide. "You can watch the sunrise here?"

    Seeing her excitement, the corner of his lips turned up. "Mmm¡­ Do you want to stay around and watch the sunrise?"

    Hazel paused and hesitated as she considered his question. After a while, she nodded. Her grip on his hand tightened. "Let''s stay around." She looked at the city view again and asked, "How do you find this place?" A thought came to her mind and Hazel tilted her head to one side and a teasing smile curled on her lips. "Don''t tell me that you''ve taken your previous girlfriend here?"

    His eyes narrowed and Alex pinched at both her cheek to express his anger. "What previous girlfriend?"

    "I''m sorry. I was just teasing you." Her words were a little incomprehensible as her cheeks were stretched up.

    Seeing her misty eyes and reddened cheek, Alex was a little satisfied. Finally, he let go of her cheeks and turned to pull her into his embrace. "Hazel Mo I only liked you in the past and will continue to like you in the future. Do you understand?"

    "Un." Her heart warmed and Hazel found that she could not stop smiling.

    "It was Tyler who introduced me to this place," Alex said. "He liked hiking and found out that there was a path for hikers to climb up here. Years ago, he make me come with him to hike up to watch the sunrise. It was then that we found out that some people would come over to this park just to walk around. This area is pretty safe with guards patrolling around. Because of that, the two of us would come over and hang around to watch the city view at night a few times."

    "So, this is like your secret base with Tyler."

    "Mhm..."

    A soft laugh escaped her.

    Alex looked at the girl in his embrace and saw the teasing look in her eyes. He immediately understood what she was trying to imply and narrowed his eyes. "Hazel Mo. What was that look in your eyes?"

    Seeing the way he was looking at her, Hazel immediately turned away. Her hands covered both her cheeks as she was afraid that he was going to pinch at her cheeks again.

    Although it did not hurt, Hazel thought that it was embarrassing as they were in public.

    His eyes darkened. Hazel had both hands cupping her face and her lips were pouting. Alex put his hands on top of hers before he leaned in to kiss her lips.

    Her hands were still at her cheek and Hazel could not find a way to escape. After being kissed by Alex for a while, her mind turned dizzier and she started to reciprocate to him.

    In a distance, a group of youngsters started to cheer when they saw them kissing.

    Hazel snapped out of her trance and pulled away. Her hands were still covering her reddened cheek. "Look. It''s your fault that they were laughing at us."

    Alex did not care about their teasing. He merely wanted Hazel to stop having a strange thought in her mind. He needed to tell her that the person he liked will only be her and that was why he has to kiss her.

    Seeing that she was embarrassed, Alex pulled her closer and let her hide her face in his chest.

    Once Hazel had calm down, Alex pulled her closer and the two chatted as they waited for the sunrise to come. After a while, Alex began to notice her droopy eyes. He pulled her over to a bench and sat down.

    Alex wrapped his arms around her shoulders and let her leaned on his body. It did not take a long time for him to see that Hazel had fallen asleep.

    A faint smile appeared on his lips.. Alex leaned to kiss her forehead before he continued to hug her and guarded her as she slept.

    Read novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 393 - President Mo Is Here To See You

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Hazel came home after her uncle had gone out to the office.

    The moment she saw her Auntie Edith at the corner with a book in her hand, Hazel felt a little guilty about sneaking out and not telling them anything. Suddenly, Hazel had lost her courage to speak.

    "You''re back," Edith was the first to speak.

    "Hmm¡­"

    "Have you had your breakfast?"

    Hazel was a little stunned at the question. She was expecting to get scolded, but her auntie only asked whether she had eaten with her usual warm voice. Facing this situation, Hazel felt the guilt intensify.

    "I ate a little before coming back," Hazel said. She hesitated and asked, "Auntie Edith, are you not going to ask me where I go?"

    "Didn''t you left a note in your room?" Edith smiled. She saw the look on Hazel''s face and tried her best not to laugh.

    Hazel lowered her head. "Then¡­ Is my uncle angry when he found that I had suddenly gone missing?"

    "He did not think that you went missing."

    "Ah?" Hazel wondered if her uncle was unaware that she was not in her bedroom.

    "He saw you sneaking out with Alex last night."

    Her expression grew frigid. Hazel certainly was not expecting her uncle to see her leave the house in the middle of the night. Then¡­ since he had seen her sneaking out, would he not get angry?

    That was the first time that Hazel had tried to sneak out and she was feeling guilty about it.

    Seeing the look on Hazel''s face, Edith decided not to tease the girl lest she would continue to worry. Hazel has been such an obedient little girl. Edith thought that it was interesting to see that Hazel had sneaked out.

    "Come over here." Edith waved her hand and patted the space beside her. A soft laugh escaped her as Edith watched the way Hazel was walking over with her head lowered.

    Hazel sat down and was pulled into Edith''s embrace.

    "Out of all my children, you are the one I would worry about the most," Edith said. She helped Hazel to tuck a few strands of hair behind her ears and continued. "And you are also the one that I trust the most."

    Hazel bit at her lips. She had always known that her uncle and auntie had treated her like their own child. It was because of this reason that she was feeling guilty.

    "I believe that both your uncle and I had taught you everything you need to know. You are grown up enough to know what you are doing," Edith continued. "As long as you are sure that you are safe and you know how to protect yourself, we won''t stop you from doing whatever you want."

    "I''m sorry," Hazel said. "I could not sleep last night and then, after talking to Alex, I just thought that I wanted to see him."

    Edith flashed her a teasing smile. It felt that it was not long ago that Hazel was still hesitating about dating Alex. In just a few months, Edith could see that the kids'' relationship had gotten better.

    It looked like Alex''s decision to stay in B City is the right one. He had wanted to stay closer to Hazel and pursue her and it looked like his patience to wait and pursue Hazel had finally paid off.

    ¡­

    Hazel went back to her room after talking to Edith for a while. Her phone rang just as she had come out of the bathroom. Hazel looked at the screen and her lips curled when she saw Alex''s name.

    "Did you get into trouble with your uncle and Auntie Edith?" Alex asked.

    "No. They were fine with it. However, Alex¡­"

    "What is it?"

    "My uncle saw me when I sneaked out of the house last night."

    Alex halted when he heard her words. His heartbeat accelerated as he could sense an incoming danger. However, Alex quickly calm down and composed himself. Even if Hazel''s uncle was going to scold him, Alex was ready for it.

    It looks like he will have to arrange a meeting with Hazel''s uncle soon.

    The two chatted for a while and Alex assured Hazel that he did not mind getting into trouble with her uncle for her.

    Once they hung up the phone, Alex made a phone call to Edith and explained to her what they were doing sneaking out. Although his mother and Hazel''s auntie were best friends, he did not want them to misunderstand his intention towards Hazel. He really liked Hazel and hoped that perhaps soon, once she had graduated, he can propose to her.

    Fortunately, Auntie Edith trusted them. After assuring her that he will not do anything to hurt Hazel, Alex hung up and get ready to head over to the office.

    He was going to stay in L City for a few days to accompany Hazel and he should take some time to visit the company and looked into a few documents.

    Previously, Alex had promised his father that he would not neglect his responsibility just because he wanted to pursue Hazel. Anyway, if he was someone who was that irresponsible, there was no way that Hazel''s uncle will allow him to continue to court Hazel.

    To be with Hazel, he needed to be the best.

    Alex arrived at the company and was greeted by his assistant. Seeing the anxious look on the man''s face, Alex had a sense of foreboding.

    "What''s wrong?" Alex asked when his assistant continued to hesitate.

    "That... President Mo of MH Group is here to see you."

    "What?" Alex was unable to hide his surprise. "Where is he?"

    "President He... Your father heard of his visit and invited him to his office," the Assistant reported. "Both of them are now in the President''s office."

    A deep frown appeared on his face. Alex could sense that Hazel''s uncle had come over to find him because he had instigated Hazel to sneak out with him. Although Auntie Edith was cool about it, it does not mean that Hazel''s uncle would think the same.

    Alex was aware of how much the man cared about Hazel.

    He went to his father''s office and rapped his knuckles on the door. Soon, Alex heard his father''s voice and he pushed the door and walked in.

    Two pairs of eyes were looking at him, and Alex had to play it cool. He greeted the two men and looked at Hazel''s uncle anxiously.

    "You''re here," Ethan spoke when he saw his son. He glanced at Neil and frowned at his son. "Hazel''s uncle came over to see you, but I told him that you would only come to the office in the afternoon."

    "I need to talk to you," Neil said. He stood up and walked over to Alex.

    He took a deep breath and smiled. "Sure.. Please come with me."

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 394 - Uncle, Why Are You Here?

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Alex looked at the man in front of him and could guess that the reason for his appearance at this time was related to Hazel. Hazel had said that her uncle had seen her when she snuck out with him early in the morning and Alex was preparing himself to face the consequences.

    However, a few minutes passed between them but the person in front of him had not said a word. With each passing second, Alex found that he was growing agitated. He knew very well that the man in front of him was trying to test his patience.

    "Don''t worry. I only have a few things I have to say to you. It would not take too long," Neil said. He took a sip from the coffee and continued. "You should know why I came here to find you." He did not wait for Alex to reply and continued, "I already know that Hazel and you are in a relationship."

    Alex was aware that Neil would know about them. After all, he had accidentally seen the man''s message on Hazel''s phone.

    "Since Hazel had agreed to be with you, then I would not say anything or try to stop you."

    Although Neil was not too happy that Hazel had agreed to date Alex, Neil decided that he should not do anything to stop him. His wife was right. Hazel is a grown-up and knew what she was doing. Moreover, Alex was someone that they have watched for years. Rather than seeing Hazel dating someone they were not familiar with, it would be better if Hazel dated someone they know.

    Meanwhile, Alex was surprised that Hazel''s uncle would give his permission to date Hazel without making things difficult for him. He could not help but think that there was a trick behind this.

    The corner of his lips turned into a smile. Neil was aware of what was going through Alex''s mind at this time. "What? You think I would make things difficult for you?" His brow shot up. "Am I such a person?"

    Of course, Alex could not say what was truly on his mind.

    However, a few years ago, when he had the intention to pursue Hazel, was it not this man who had come over and stop him from going through with his plan? If that was not considered as making things difficult, then what is?

    "I have told you that once you grew up, I will not stop you from pursuing Hazel," Neil said. "However, that does not mean that I will stop from keeping my eyes on you." There was a brief pause between them before Neil spoke again. "The most important thing for me is Hazel''s happiness. Alex He, if you dare to hurt Hazel, you will have to face me."

    "Uncle Mo, you don''t have to worry. In this life, I will not do anything to hurt Hazel."

    Neil merely chuckled at the boy''s response. The two of them had a long way to go. Although he was aware that Alex liked his niece, he could not be too sure about what will happen in the future.

    "It''s good that you think of it like that." Neil paused as a thought came to his mind. "However, I still did not appreciate you and Hazel sneaking out in the middle of the night. Hazel is a girl and the city at night can be dangerous."

    Alex nodded obediently. "I understand."

    As he got nothing else to say to Alex, Neil stood up to leave. However, just as he was approaching the door, a thought came to his mind and Neil turned around.

    "I heard that you have helped Hazel when someone tried to create a problem for her in B City."

    "Yes. Hazel said told me that she ran into some trouble and asked if I can help her to find the person who was responsible for it," Alex said. He was unaware of how Hazel''s uncle would know about that matter. After all, his role in helping Hazel was very minor.

    "You don''t have to be surprised." Neil chuckled. "President Zhang is a good friend of mine. Since her daughter was somehow implicated in that matter, of course, I will know about it."

    Neil had heard bits of the accusation on Hazel. He was upset when he heard that there were some classmates who had mocked Hazel for being an orphan.

    Hazel was five years old back then, but Neil could still remember how his wife had told her how Hazel had cried because one of her classmates had said that she was unwanted. He would never want Hazel to be sad because of her status again. However, he did not expect that once his little girl had lived far from him, she would be facing some grievance.

    Although Hazel did not mind their mean words, it does not mean that he would feel the same. Neil was very angry when he heard the news. He was the one who had asked his friend, President Zhang to help him and arrange for the best lawyer to sue that girl for defamation.

    Neil nodded. "Thank you for helping Hazel."

    In the beginning, Neil did not like it when he heard that Alex had moved to B City to start a company. He knew very well that Alex had a hidden agenda for moving over to the city. However, at this time, Neil was relieved that Hazel would have someone to look after her when she ran into trouble.

    Once he had finished what he wanted to say, Neil swung open the door to leave.

    His movement halted when he saw Hazel stood in front of the door.  His niece had her hand raised up as she was about to knock on the door.

    The moment their gazes met, the two of them were unable to hide their surprise.

    "Why are you here?" Neil asked.

    Hazel was flustered upon seeing her uncle in front of her and she was not expecting to see him here. Moreover, she was aware that her uncle had seen her sneaking out last night and she was still worried that her uncle would be upset. Seeing that he had shown up in Alex''s office, Hazel was worried that her uncle came to make things difficult for Alex.

    "It''s lunch hour. I came to accompany Alex for lunch," Hazel answered.

    Didn''t they just meet a few hours ago?

    His eyes narrowed as Neil could sense the girl''s distress. It seemed that she was really worried about her boyfriend.

    "Uncle, why are you here?" Hazel asked.

    "I came to discuss something with Alex."

    Hazel tilted her head to one side. "About what?"

    "Just some matters about cabbage."

    "Ah?"

    Neil laughed at her reaction. "Go on in. I still have to head to my office."

    Hazel snapped out of her thoughts. "Oh. Okay."

    Neil paused for a while and asked, "You''re going to return to B City this weekend, right?" He watched her nodded and continued, "Come over and see me before you head back.. I have something to talk to you."

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 395 - Choosing Gift

    Hazel was still in a little muddle-headed after meeting her uncle at Alex''s office. She was still unable to process that she had run into her uncle until Alex appeared at her side.

    "Alex, what did you and my uncle talk about?" Hazel asked.

    "You." Alex bopped at her nose.

    Her eyes grew wide at his answer. "What did my uncle say to you?" Hazel took a step back to give Alex a look over. Although her uncle has always been a gentle person, at this time, Hazel was worried that he had come to beat Alex because of her.

    Alex thought of an appropriate reason. "He heard about that incident in B City. He came to thank me for helping you up to find that instigator."

    "Oh." Hazel was certainly not expecting her uncle to find out about that incident.

    Initially, Hazel was planning to keep quiet about it. She did not want her uncle and auntie to worry. Anyway, the incident has passed and her name was cleared. However, she recalled that her uncle and Eira''s parents had a good relationship. It was impossible for her uncle not to hear about it.

    "Why are you here?" Alex asked. He pulled Hazel closer to him and a playful smile curled on his lips. "You¡­ miss me?"

    Hazel narrowed her eyes and punched him lightly on his arms. Her expression showed that she was very shy. "Who misses you? I came over because your mother asked me to come."

    Alex tilted his head to one side. "My mother?"

    "Hmm¡­" Hazel nodded. "She asked me to accompany her to shop around. She said Ellie''s birthday is coming soon and she wanted my help to choose an appropriate gift."

    It was at this time that Alex recalled that it will be his sister''s birthday in a few weeks. However, at that time, he should be in B City to accompany Hazel.

    "Then, can you help me to choose a gift for her as well?" Alex asked. He grabbed his wallet and passed her his card. "Just use this. Buy anything that you think Ellie would like."

    Hazel stared at the card for a while. Then, she tilted her head and raised a brow. "Alex He, the expression on your face is telling me that you have just remembered your sister''s birthday."

    "You''re right. If you don''t remind me, I might forget."

    Hazel clicked her tongue at him. Her gaze then shifted to the stack of papers on his table and the words she wanted to say stuck in her throat. Hazel was aware that Alex has been busy looking after his new business in B City as well as learning to manage his father''s company. But still, the man always made time for her.

    Suddenly, Hazel was feeling slightly guilty. Wasn''t it because of her that Alex did not have enough sleep? He had to work hard while accompanying her.

    Hazel bit at her lips and leaned to hug him. Her head rested on his chest and his scent filled her nose. Recently, Hazel thought that she began to like Alex''s scent a lot. Surprisingly, his scent had a calming effect on her.

    "What''s the matter?" Alex asked. He combed her hair with his fingers and bent to kiss the top of her head.

    "Alex He, you are so good to me."

    Alex let out a soft chuckle. He could not understand why did her mood had suddenly changed. However, decided not to mind it. His girlfriend was acting coquettishly with him and Alex found that he was enjoying this.

    "You''re my girlfriend. If I''m not good to you, then who should I be good to?"

    Hazel did not answer and instead tightened her hug around his body. After a while, she finally pulled away. "Alright. Go ahead and settle your work."

    "You''re leaving now?" There was a hint of disappointment in his tone.

    Hazel stared at the man in front of her and chuckled. "No. Your mother asked me to wait for her here. She said she had an appointment with a friend somewhere around here and it will be convenient for us to meet here. Alex, will it be alright if I stay here for a while?"

    His eyes brightened up. "Of course you can."

    Hazel sat down on the sofa and played with her phone as she waited for Alex''s mother to show up.

    Alex was satisfied that he was able to see the person he liked whenever he looked up from his computer. The smile on his face widened and his fingers moved swiftly on the keyboard.

    After waiting for half an hour, Alex''s mother finally showed up.

    Lily glanced at the two kids and held her laugh when she saw the dissatisfied look on her son''s face. It was clear that Alex was enjoying his time alone with his girlfriend and was not too happy knowing that his mother had come to kidnap his girlfriend away.

    "Hazel!" Lily went over to her and smiled. "Sorry. Have you waited too long? My appointment lasted longer than I thought."

    "Auntie Lily, it''s not that long." Hazel picked up her bag and walked over. "Anyway, Alex is here to accompany me."

    Alex watched as the two chatted for a while before he walked over. He turned to his mother and asked, "Mom, where are you going?"

    "Don''t worry. I will only take Hazel to walk around the shopping mall to choose some gifts for your sister. Once we get what we are looking for, I will hand Hazel back to you."

    Hazel''s cheek turned a pink upon hearing Lily''s words.

    It was at this time that Hazel seemed to notice that this was the first time that she had met Alex''s mother after she had agreed to date him. Suddenly, Hazel did not know how she should act around his mother.

    Before Hazel was able to adjust her feelings, Lily had already linked their arms together.

    Lily flashed a teasing smile at her son and looked at Hazel. "Come on. Let''s go."

    Alex did not have the chance to protest. He watched the two of them left his office and could only hope that his mother would not scare Hazel. His mother was too playful and Alex was worried that she was going to tease his girlfriend until Hazel was embarrassed.

    Once the two left the building, Lily asked the driver to take them to the mall. The two of them walked around for a while before Lily took Hazel to a jewelry shop.

    A shop attendant quickly greeted them and brought them over to look at the displayed jewelry.

    "Hazel, come over." Lily pulled her over to the counter.. "See which one you like best."

    Read novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 396 - A Gift

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Hazel followed Lily to the counter and looked at the jewelry displayed. "Auntie Lily, what are you planning to buy to Ellie?"

    Lily let out a long breath as she continued to browse through the jewelry. "I''m thinking about buying a new bracelet. What do you think?"

    Hazel followed her gaze and nodded. "A bracelet sounds good." She looked at the rows of bracelets and quickly noticed a few designs that Ellie would like to wear.

    "Help me choose which design would be appropriate," Lily said. "I''m already this old, You youngsters have different tastes. You are close to Ellie as well. You should understand her preferences as well."

    "Auntie Lily, you''re not old at all. Your skin looks good. If you stood next to Ellie, people would think that the two of you were sisters."

    Lily giggled happily at Hazel''s words. "You have a sweet mouth."

    The shop attendant came forward and introduced to them a few designs that would look nice for teenagers like Ellie. After looking at them for a while, both Lily and Hazel were down to three choices.

    After looking at them for a while, Hazel finally helped to choose a simple-looking bracelet for Ellie. Then, she chose a few charms that Ellie might like. Hazel''s relationship with Ellie was good and she knew a bit about the girl''s preferences.

    Once they were done choosing, Lily went with the shop attendant to settle some bills and Hazel took the chance to look around the store.

    Alex had handed her his card, hoping that she would help him to pick out a present for his sister. Hazel seemed to recall that Ellie and Hayley have been discussing a newly released bag and decided to look at them later.

    Her steps halted something in the display caught her attention. Hazel stared at the bangle on display and was smitten. The design was simple, but the small diamond at the center made it looked expensive.

    "Did you fancy anything?"

    Hazel turned around and smiled when she heard the voice. "Auntie Lily, are you done with your payment?"

    "Mmm¡­ they are helping me to wrap up the gift." Lily looked at the bangles in the case. Then, she waved for the shop attendant to come over and pointed to the bangle that Hazel has been watching for a while.

    The shop attendant took out the bangle from the display and handed it to Lily.

    "Hazel, come. I noticed that you have been looking at this bangle for a while. Take a look if this will suit you."

    "Ah?" Hazel swiftly composed herself and shook her head. "Auntie Lily, I was just looking around."

    "It''s fine. They are still wrapping up the gift for Ellie. Come. Take a look."

    After a brief hesitation, Hazel finally went over to look at the bangle. Her eyes sparkled when she got a closer look at the bangle. The design and style were definitely something she liked.

    The shop attendant helped her to put the bangle on her wrist and Hazel continued to admire the piece.

    Seeing that the bangle looked nice on Hazel, Lily did not hesitate to ask the shop attendant to help them pack up the piece as well.

    "Auntie Lily, are you buying this one as well?"

    "Mmm¡­" Lily nodded. "It''s for you."

    Hazel was about to say a few words of protest when Lily put her hand on hers.

    "I know that you can buy this piece yourself, but I want to buy this as a gift for you," Lily said. "Please don''t reject this." Her lips stretched into a smile. "I always look forward to the day that Alex would bring home a girlfriend.

    Hearing that Lily was mentioning her relationship with Alex, Hazel was shy again.

    "I have watched the two of you grew up together and was relieved when Alex told me that the two of you are together."

    Hazel lowered her gaze. "I did not expect that I would be together with Alex."

    "Well, thank you for giving Alex a chance. If Alex tried to bully you, tell me. I will help to set him straight."

    Lily had wanted to tease Hazel, but at the thought that her son would be upset if she continued to make his girlfriend shy, Lily can only hold back. "Both of you are staying in B City. Auntie can only hope that you will help me to look after Alex."

    "Auntie Lily, I will definitely help you to look after Alex."

    Lily flashed a relieved smile when Hazel did not try to reject her gift. This can be considered buying a present for her future daughter-in-law right? Just thinking about her son will bring Hazel back home as her daughter-in-law in the future made her happy.

    She had always liked Hazel. The girl was obedient and had good manners. She always had a good relationship with  Hazel and the girl would accompany her and Edith to shop. The most important thing was that Hazel is someone that her son liked very much.

    "Let me tell you a secret."

    Hazel stared back at Lily curiously.

    "Alex would probably not mention this, but he had liked you from high school. Back then, he had wanted to tell you about his feelings, but someone had stopped him from doing so."

    "Someone stopped him?"

    "Hmm..." Lily nodded and did not attempt to reveal who that person was. "We all thought that the two of you were too young to get in a relationship. Your uncle wanted you to focus on your study and I thought that the two of you should be allowed to experience the world outside first. After giving it a thought Alex then agreed that he will not start to pursue you until he had graduated. We did not think that after a few years, he would still like you."

    Hazel was surprised that the others had long known that Alex had liked her for years. She continued to listen to Lily''s story and was astonish at Alex''s patience to wait for her.

    Once the shop attendant helped Hazel to remove the bangle, Lily asked the attendant to help her to wrap up the bangle and she settled the bills together.

    Afterward, the two continued to walk around and Hazel finally helped Alex to pick up a gift for his sister.

    Seeing that Hazel was waving her son''s card, a faint smile curled on her lips, however, Lily decided not to say anything.

    Somehow, she had a hunch that her cunning son had made a plan to hand over his card to Hazel and would not take it back in the future.

    After walking around the mall for almost three hours, the two of them were finally done with their shopping. Lily turned to Hazel and asked, "Hazel, you are going back to B City in a few days, right? How about having dinner at our place today?"

    Hazel gave it a thought and finally agreed.

    Read novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 397 - When Did You Learn To Eat Spicy Food?

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Alex returned home and was surprised to find that Hazel was in the kitchen with his mother. The two of them were preparing something for dinner. The smell of something spicy wafted through the room and Alex immediately knew that his mother had invited Hazel to accompany her to eat something spicy again.

    In their family, both Alex and Ellie followed after their father. They could not tolerate spicy food. However, his mother was someone who loved to eat them.

    In the past, whenever his mother wanted to eat something spicy, she would always invite Auntie Edith to eat with her. After a while of eating with them, Hazel had built her tolerance for spicy food and would accompany the two women to eat.

    Although Alex had tried to eat them, he could not bear the level of spiciness that his mother had always liked.

    Noticing that someone was standing at the kitchen entrance, Lily turned around and smiled when she saw her son.

    "Mom," Alex called with a helpless tone.

    "I asked you to bring Hazel back home to have a meal together, and you haven''t said a word to her." Lily narrowed her eyes at her son. "In the end, I have no choice but to ask her myself."

    "Mom, I told you that I will ask Hazel to come before we headed back to B City," Alex said.

    Lily watched her son with a hint of dissatisfaction. "You''re just too slow."

    Hazel stood at the side and smiled as she watched the mother and son''s exchange. She had always thought that Alex''s interaction with his mother was very amusing.

    Sensing that his girlfriend was staring at him as he continued to argue with his mother, Alex was a little embarrassed. He let out a cough and escaped.

    Lily watched his son''s retreating gaze with a triumph look in her eyes. When she turned to Hazel again, Lily did not miss the way the girl was looking at her son.

    Although Lily wanted to tease Hazel, she also knew that the girl would easily get embarrassed. The purpose of having Hazel have dinner with them was to let her be more at ease.

    Once Ethan came home, the family had dinner together with Hazel as their guest.

    Because Hazel had come over frequently to their house since she was a little child, no one felt awkward to have her around. Ethan had always treated her gently and Lily was very excited to have someone who can accompany her to eat spicy dishes. With Ellie around the table, the atmosphere in the He''s residence was very lively.

    Alex watched this harmonious scene with a mixed feeling. He was glad that his family liked Hazel and had treated her as family, however, he was not happy that everyone around was trying to snatch her attention away from him.

    His father was busy asking her about her studies. His mother was busy shoving more food into her bowl. And his sister, Ellie would not stop trying to talk to Hazel about some new cafe nearby her school. His girlfriend did not even spare a glance at him.

    In the end, he could only continue to eat silently. Because he was not in a good mood, the food he ate was a little tasteless.

    When he looked up, Alex noticed that his sister was staring at him with her eyes wide.

    "Big brother, when did you learn to eat spicy food?" Ellie asked. Her tone was filled with awe. "And you eat so much of them!"

    Hearing his sister''s question, Alex shifted his gaze towards the food that he had been eating for the last few minutes. His sense returned the moment he saw the chicken coated in red, spicy sauce clipped between his chopstick.

    Suddenly, Alex could feel the numbing spice on his lips and tongue. His face grew hot and his throat started to hurt. The food seemed stuck on his throat and Alex immediately stood up and headed to the kitchen to spit out. He washed his mouth thoroughly and drank a lot of water to neutralize the spiciness, however, it doesn''t seem to work.

    "Don''t just drink water, it won''t help you."

    Alex turned around and saw that his girlfriend was staring at him with concern.

    Hazel walked over to the refrigerator and pulled out a chocolate bar. Then, she broke the chocolate into tiny pieces and pushed them into his mouth.

    "Try to put them over your tongue. It will help to neutralize the spiciness better. I can''t find any milk, but a piece of chocolate will help." Hazel continued with a serious look on her face. Once she saw that Alex had stopped panting from the spiciness, she grabbed a tissue paper and helped to dab the sweats on his face. "Why are you so careless? You know that you cannot eat spicy food, but you continued to eat them."

    A warm feeling spread from his heart as Alex continued to listen to his girlfriend''s nagging. The spiciness in his mouth gradually toned down.

    Alex tried the best to stay still as Hazel continued to help him wiped his sweats. The corner of his lips turned up as he was enjoying his girlfriend''s attention.

    Hazel paused when she realized that the situation does not seem right. She looked up and met Alex''s burning gaze. Just like that, she was pulled into his embrace.

    She was still trying to figure out what was happening when she heard his voice.

    "You keep paying attention to everyone but me." His voice was low and a little hoarse. "I was unhappy and did not realize that I''ve been eating too much of that spicy chicken."

    Hazel looked up and saw that her boyfriend was looking at her with pitiful eyes. The look she was giving her was as if he was an abandoned puppy.

    "Hazel, you were busy chatting with the others and didn''t even look at me."

    Her lips twitched when she understood what happened. "Alex He, I did not expect that you can very childish."

    "Well, I can only act childish in front of you."

    Hazel bit her lips as she tried to suppress her laughter. She pulled away from him and looked at his face. "Are you feeling alright now?"

    "I feel better." His lips and tongue felt thick, but it was not as painful as it was before. His gaze fell on her lips and a playful smile appeared on his face. "I heard that eating something sweet will help to neutralize the spiciness."

    Hazel placed her finger on his lips. Her eyes narrowed. "I also heard that splashing a bit of vinegar on your tongue could help to reduce the spiciness. Alex He, have you not drink enough vinegar yet?"

    Once they have finished their meal, Alex happily took the task to send Hazel back to her uncle''s place.. After giving his boyfriend a goodnight kiss, Hazel went into the house and was startled when she ran into her uncle as she was going upstairs.

    Read novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 398 - Discussing Marriage

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Neil glanced at the clock before he looked at Hazel again. "Did you had dinner with Alex and his family?"

    Earlier, his wife had told him that Hazel would not join them for dinner as she will be having dinner at the He''s residence. He did not think that Hazel would return home earlier.

    "Hmm¡­" Hazel nodded. The grip on the phone in her hand tightened. She was reminded that her uncle had seen her sneaking out last night and was a little embarrassed about it. Then, in the afternoon, she had run into her uncle at Alex''s office.

    Would her uncle think that she was too sticky to Alex?

    Neil stretched his hand and patted her hair gently. "Then, go on and take a bath. Have an early rest."

    Hazel was surprised when her uncle did not say anything to her. Seeing that her uncle was about to turn around, Hazel tugged at his hand.

    He turned around and looked at her inquiringly. "What''s wrong?"

    "Uncle, didn''t you say that you have something to talk to me?"

    Neil stared at his niece and smiled. "Do you have time now?" He watched her nod and stepped aside. "Then, come with me to my office."

    Hazel followed him to his office and sat down on the sofa. She watched as he took a seat and could not help but wonder what did he wanted to talk to her about.

    Suddenly, Hazel recalled her conversation with Alex''s mother earlier that day.

    Auntie Lily had mentioned that her uncle did not want her to date in high school when he found out that Alex had liked her. Although Hazel had known that Auntie Edith might know about Alex''s feelings, Hazel would never guess that her uncle was the first to know about it.

    "How are you and Alex?"

    Hazel was prepared that her uncle might want to ask her about her relationship with Alex, but hearing him talking about it felt awkward.

    "We''re... good."

    Neil noticed how her cheek turned pink as he mentioned that boy. Anyone could see that Hazel had feelings for that Alex. It was rare for Hazel to have this shy expression when she talked about a boy.

    The shyness on her face was almost similar to her mother. Years ago, when Claire and Adam had just dated, Claire would often have this expression on her face whenever she looked at Adam.

    Suddenly, the words that he wanted to say to Hazel were stuck in his throat.

    "You really like him."

    Hazel stared at her uncle with her eyes wide. She¡­ did not expect for him to be straightforward. "Un." Something warm spread in her heart as she thought about Alex.  She really, really liked him.

    After changing their relationship from friends to lovers, Hazel began to really watch him and noticed the things that she had previously missed about Alex. For example, he had a really nice smell, and that his voice can be soothing and will be able to calm her. He was also getting better at kissing her.

    Hazel was not sure that the word ''like'' is enough to express her feelings towards him.

    Neil took a deep breath. "Then, what is your plan?"

    Hazel tilted her head to one side. "My plan?"

    A soft cough escaped him. Neil thought it was awkward for him to have this conversation with Hazel. However, regarding Hazel, Neil would rather listen to everything through her mouth. He wanted to know what was in Hazel''s mind and what she thought about Alex. "Your relationship is good. Then, are you planning to marry him?"

    Hazel''s face turned darker shades of red and her ears burned. She could almost imagine some smokes coming out of her ears. She had never thought that she would be discussing marriage when she walked into her uncle''s office.

    This question¡­ she did not know how to answer. Can she not answer?

    Previously, Alex had mentioned marriage and she had said that she will think about it. She had not thought that far ahead.

    "Have you not discussed this matter with Alex?" Neil asked when his niece did not answer.

    "Alex had mentioned about this previously," Hazel answered. "I told him that we have just dated and it was too early for me to think about marriage."

    Neil was a little unhappy that Alex had mentioned marriage at their early stage of dating. However, he was relieved when he heard Hazel''s answer.  In the end, he was not prepared to let this cabbage leave his side. He wished that he would have a little more time to dote on his niece.

    He was reminded that he had caught Hazel sneaking out last night and was suddenly concerned about her. However, his wife is right. Hazel is a grownup and she knew what she was doing. In the end, Neil did not speak out his concern. He should put his trust in Hazel.

    "If you wanted to think about marriage, at least wait until you have graduated," Neil said. This was what his brother would like too, right?

    ...

    After spending her time talking to her uncle about her relationship with Alex, Hazel returned to her room and took a long, hot bath.

    Last night, she had snuck out with Alex and in the afternoon, she had gone out with his mother to shop around. It was only after spending her time at the He''s residence that she had returned home. She did not have enough sleep and her body was a little tired. However, once she thought that she had spent her time being with everyone she loved and cared about, Hazel thought that it was all worth it.

    A long sigh escaped her as Hazel leaned on the bathtub.

    Marriage, huh? She really hasn''t thought that far.

    Did she like Alex that much that she wanted to marry him and spend the rest of her life with him?

    Hazel closed her eyes and thought about this question.

    In the end, she figured that she could not imagine her life without Alex by her side. Thinking about him with some other girls made her chest hurt.

    She really liked being around him. When they were together, Hazel wanted to get closer to him. Whenever they parted, she found that she was looking forward to seeing him again. When they were not together, she would often found herself thinking about him.

    The feeling was too overwhelming.

    Once she had changed her mindset about Alex, once she was conscious of him, her feelings towards him continued to grow. It was like the dam was broken and the feelings kept pouring out.

    It seemed.... that she had really fallen in love with him.

    Read novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 399 - House-Hunting

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    After they both returned to B City, Hazel was immediately busy with various assignments and tests. Hazel''s field of study was quite difficult and as one of the top students in her course, her professor was expecting a lot from her.

    The time for her to meet up with Alex was reduced, but Alex would still show up in front of her dormitory every morning to give her breakfast. Sometimes, the two of them would go on a date to the library.

    Although there was nothing that Alex could do but watch as his girlfriend continued to read her books, Alex had never voiced his complaint. After all, with his presence, he was able to stop those who had wanted to get close to his girlfriend.

    Ever since Hazel had revealed her identity as the MH Group''s heiress, there seemed to be more boys interested in her. Even if they would never have the chance to pursue Hazel, everyone was looking forward to building a friendship with her.

    If one had a good relationship with her, then afterward, it would not be that hard to find a job through Hazel''s connection. Unfortunately for them, it was not an easy task to approach Hazel.

    Even if her boyfriend was not around, Hazel was someone who will let others take advantage of her.

    In the afternoon, Hazel had just finished her test when she noticed her Auntie Edith had posted something in her circle. Seeing the post about the twins, Hazel quickly walked over to a corner and gave her auntie a call.

    The call went through after a few seconds. After exchanging their pleasantries, Hazel immediately asked about the twin''s well-being.

    From the latest checkup, the doctor had confirmed that both mother and babies are in good condition. It was the first time that anyone in the family had a twin and they were all excited.

    "Auntie Edith, are those really the baby''s footprint?"

    Earlier, Hazel had seen the post where she could see one of the twin''s footprints on her Auntie Edith''s stomach. She was excited and was looking forward to meeting the twins soon.

    "You''ve seen them?" Edith laughed. "The boys are very active recently and have been kicking around. That was the first time that we could get a clear picture of the footprint."

    Hazel heaved a long sigh. She was far away from them and was unable to see that footprint with her very own eyes.

    "Auntie Edith, there is still a couple of months before you gave birth, right?"

    "Supposedly, yes. But the doctor said that with the twins, I might have to enter the labor room sooner," Edith said. Moreover, there was a possibility that she will have a cesarean instead of natural birth.

    Hazel thought about her schedule and was regretting that she would not be able to return to L City to look at the babies. "Once I started my internship, it would be hard for me to come back."

    "Speaking about your internship, have you start house-hunting?"

    "I haven''t. Alex said that he is going to help me to look for a place to stay," Hazel said. "There is still a time to look for a place."

    "Just remember. The most important thing is safety, alright?"

    The two exchanged a few words before they hung up. Hazel stared at her phone for a few seconds before she sent out a text message to Alex.

    Hazel went to the cafeteria and found her roommates. The four of them were having meals together when Hazel''s phone started to chime. Seeing the name on the screen, Hazel went to a corner to pick up her phone.

    "Sorry. I was in the meeting earlier," Alex said the moment the phone was connected.

    "It''s alright. It was nothing important."

    Alex heaved a soft sigh. To him, everything about Hazel is important. However, just now, the company was facing some trouble and everyone had to gather in the meeting room to discuss their next step. As he was concern about some matter, Alex had joined the meeting and had forgotten to bring along his phone.

    "You don''t have class afterward, right? I''ll come over and pick you up in half an hour. Is that okay? Let''s go and see the house."

    Hazel checked at the time and immediately agreed to his words. "Have you look at the place yet?"

    "I have. It''s a good spot. The location is convenient and close to several facilities. The most important thing is that the place isn''t that far from your internship company.  I think the place should be suitable for you."

    "Well then, I will trust your judgment."

    Alex laughed upon hearing her words.

    Realizing that she did not have a lot of time before Alex was going to pick her up, Hazel went back to her dormitory to put down her bags and changed her clothes. She was tying up her long hair into a ponytail when Alex''s message came to tell her that he was waiting for her at the usual place.

    Hazel looked at her reflection one more time before she grabbed her purse and sprinted to meet with her boyfriend.

    Just as she was nearing the vehicle, Alex alighted and frowned when he looked at her. Initially, he wanted to scold her when he saw her running towards him. However, the moment he saw the smile on her face, his anger quickly disappeared.

    After running for a short distance, her cheek had turned red as Hazel tried to catch up with her breath.

    "What are you running for?" Alex asked. His tone was full of pampering.

    "I did not want you to wait for too long."

    Alex let out a helpless sigh when he heard her answer. He stretched his hand and gave her cheek a soft pinch. "I would not mind waiting for you a while longer. Next time, don''t run around. It''s dangerous. What would happen if you fell?"

    Hazel stuck her tongue at him. "I''m not a child."

    "I know that. But an adult could also fall if you''re not careful."

    Hearing that his boyfriend had started to nag, Hazel exhaled a long sigh and could only resign to her fate. Fortunately, it was lunch hour and there was not a lot of passersby as most of them were having lunch at the cafeteria. Or else, it would be embarrassing to let others see this scene.

    "Alright. I know. Next time, I won''t run around anymore.."

    A smile curled on his lips. "Un. Good girl." Alex leaned forward to peck at her nose and turned around to help her with the door. "Come on in."

    Hazel slid into the passenger''s seat and waited for Alex to enter.

    "Have you had your lunch?" Alex asked.

    "I ate a little." She was having her lunch before Alex had called. Then, the moment he said that he was coming, Hazel had told her roommates that she needed to leave and her food was half-finished.

    "Then, accompany me to lunch first. Then, we''ll go and look at the house, alright?

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 400 - Her Next-Door Neighbor

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    After having lunch together, Alex drove towards a residential area. He pulled over at the parking lot and brought Hazel upstairs to look at the house.

    Hazel looked at the signboard and thought that the name of the apartment seemed a little familiar, but she could not remember where she had seen it.

    She was busy telling Alex about her conversation with her Auntie Edith earlier that she failed to notice that Alex had led her into the elevator and used the residence access card. The two of them finally reached their floor and reached the door. Alex keyed in the password and led her into the house.

    As soon as Hazel walked in, she started to go around the house to look at its condition and such. Looking at the layout and decoration of the place, Hazel was immediately satisfied.

    The place was exactly as what Alex had told her. It matched her style and it was closer to the company. She could reach the company in ten minutes by bus.

    Hazel was just about to ask a few questions about the place when she noticed that they did not come into the place with an agent. It was at this time that she started to realize the strangeness of the situation.

    "What''s wrong? Alex asked when he saw the strange look on Hazel''s face. "You don''t like this place?"

    "No. That''s not it." Hazel bit her lips and walked over to Alex. "I just remember that there are a few questions I need to ask¡­ then I just realized that we did not come over with an agent or the landlord. Alex, how did we get in?"

    Alex laughed at her question. "The landlord did come with you."

    "Ah?" Hazel tilted her head to one side. She wondered if she was too distracted that she had not seen anyone coming over with them earlier. She looked around and was very sure that they did not come over with anyone.

    Was Alex trying to trick her?

    He grinned when he saw her expression. "Well, the landlord is in standing in front of you."

    Hazel stared back at Alex and blinked. "You?"

    "Mhm¡­"

    "You''re my landlord?"

    "Yes, it''s me."

    Her mouth agape as she stared at Alex in disbelief. "This is your property?"

    "Mmm¡­ I bought this place last year after I moved to B City," Alex said. "As I said, the place looks great and was close to local amenities. It''s not too bad to invest in properties."

    Hazel did not know when did Alex start to have the interest to invest in properties.

    "What do you think of this place? I think the style would suit you." Just like a real estate agent, Alex started to tell her the advantage of choosing this place. Once he was done, Alex turned to his dazed girlfriend and could not stop himself from pecking at her lips. "The most important thing is that your next-door neighbor is a good person."

    "You even know the neighbor?"

    The smile on his lips widened. "Mmm¡­ You know that person too."

    Hazel looked at him quizzically. The people that they both were familiar with should be someone from L City, right?

    The look on his girlfriend''s face was too adorable that Alex was having a hard time trying to bite at her cheek. Alex burst into a laugh before he pinched at her cheek. "It''s me."

    Hazel stared back at him like a lost bunny. She was not expecting this plot twist. It was then that she realized the reason she had thought the name of the apartment building to be familiar. Previously, Alex had mentioned this place to her. He had told her that she is welcome to find her anytime she wanted, but she never found the time to visit his place.

    If she stayed at this place, then it will be convenient for her to meet Alex every day and night. As the thought came to her mind, Hazel was both excited and shy.

    She narrowed her eyes at him and gave him a look over. "Alex, tell me the truth. Did you plan this? Did you buy this place knowing that I was looking for a place to stay?"

    "Of course not." Alex chuckled. "It was a coincidence. Initially, I bought this place for privacy."

    The apartment had two units per floor and he had occupied one. Since Hazel needed a place to live before her internship began, of course, he was going to offer his place.

    He would be happier if Hazel wanted to move in with him. But knowing Hazel, Alex decided to take a slow step at a time. The most important thing was to make her comfortable.

    Previously, he had asked Hazel to come over to visit his apartment in the past, but Hazel had rejected his invitation. Alex thought that at that time, they had just begun to confirm their relationship and Hazel was shy. Afterward, he had never asked again.

    Anyway, it does not make any difference even if she was staying next door. As long as he knew that she was close to him, Alex would be at ease.

    "What do you think of this place? It''s not bad right?" Alex continued to sell the place to his girlfriend. "Once I heard that you are looking for a place, I asked someone to redecorate this place to your taste. I thought you might like it."

    Hazel stared at the man in front of her and after a while, a playful smile appeared on her lips. "Then, Mister Landlord, would you consider giving me a huge discount?"

    "Of course. I will give you a girlfriend''s discount for you." He pulled her into his embrace and spoke. "Just stay here. At least, I will be more at ease when I can look after you."

    It did not take her too long before Hazel agreed. It was definitely a good thing to have Alex living close to her. Because her friends all were accepted to different companies, Hazel decided to rent a place alone.

    It was dangerous to live alone and her Auntie Edith was worried about her. However, with Alex living closer to her, she could always rely on him if she encountered any trouble.

    After looking at her new apartment, Hazel followed Alex next door to his apartment. It was the first time that she had stepped into his place.

    It was clean and neat with minimalize style. Hazel thought that the decoration of this apartment really suited his style.

    Hazel started to look around and her gaze halted when she saw something that seemed out of place.

    "My sloth and rabbit!" Hazel picked up the two plush toys on the sofa and hugged them tightly.

    Previously, Alex had won those toys on the claw machine for her. However, she had left them in his car and Alex had kept them with him.

    "Hmm... They have been waiting for you to come over and pick them up for a long time. Fortunately, you are here now."

    Hearing his words, Hazel had a feeling as if she was being tricked.

    Read novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 401 - Couple Mugs

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    It was the first time that Hazel had come to Alex''s place. Seeing that she had no other schedule, the two of them decided to stay around and Alex was going to send Hazel back to her dormitory after having dinner together.

    Alex took this chance to bring Hazel around the apartment to look at the facilities. Even though Hazel had agreed to stay at the apartment, Alex continued to tell her about the advantage of staying around. It was as if he was afraid that Hazel was going to change her mind anytime soon.

    Since Alex had offered to cook their dinner, the two of them decided to head over to the nearest supermarket to buy groceries together.

    As soon as they arrived, Hazel pulled the trolley and the couple entered the supermarket side by side.

    "What do you want to eat?" Alex asked. He had one arm circling her waist, as he pulled her away from bumping into another customer.

    Hazel began to look around as she gave his question a thought. "Let''s go and see the ingredients first. At this time, there shouldn''t be a lot of fresh ingredients left."

    As she grew up, Hazel had always followed her Auntie Edith to the market and knew that if they wanted to get the best ingredients, they should visit the market early in the morning.

    The two went to the wet market first. The supermarket was quite large and there was a selection of ingredients sold. Perhaps, it was because this market was located around the elite area, therefore the ingredients sold remained fresh. The staff would continue to replenish their fresh stock.

    Hazel walked around the wet market and her steps halted as she arrived at one section. Suddenly, she turned to Alex and flashed him a strange smile.

    "What is it?" Alex raised a brow before he turned to look at the ingredients on the rack. A laugh escaped him when he noticed her favorite ingredients.

    "Alex He, do you know how to prepare crab dishes?" Hazel batted her eyelashes at him. The look on her face was adorable.

    Seeing that his girlfriend was acting coquettishly with him, Alex did not have the heart to reject her. Even if he did not know how to prepare crab dishes, he will have to learn.

    Alex stared at the woman in front of her with a pampering gaze. "I don''t know how to do it. But, if you want them, I can learn."

    In Alex''s opinion, cooking a crab dish would not be so difficult. As long as you have the right ingredients everything would turn out okay. The thing he was worried about is how to clean and prepare them. Perhaps he should look at some videos and study how to deal with crab first before he attempted to cook them.

    Her heart warmed knowing that he was willing to learn to cook her favorite food for her. Hazel leaned on his arms and lowered her head to hide her smile.

    At this time, a promoter walked over to the couple with a tray of her promoted item. After greeting the couple, the promoter straightaway began to introduce the product in her hand.

    "Handsome brother, pretty sister, coincidentally today we had a promotion where you can buy two bottles of this yogurt drink and get  free couple mugs."

    The promoter''s voice was gentle and fluent. It looked like she has been repeating the same words over and over again for a long time. However, the way she spoke, there was no way for others to butt in to stop her from talking.

    Both Hazel and Alex were about to decline the promoter''s offer before she continued to talk.

    "Don''t go away just yet," the Promoter said. "Let me show you the design first." She put her stuff on the rack and pulled out the sample of the mug from the bag that she was carrying. "You see. This design is perfect for a beautiful couple like you two." She looked at Hazel and smiled. "Pretty sister, take a look."

    Hazel stared at the mug and halted. When the mug was put side by side, one could see the image of two bunnies kissing could be seen. The illustrations of the bunnies were cute and adorable. With just one look at it, Hazel was smitten. She had always been a fan of bunnies.

    Of course, the moment Alex saw the expression on her face, he knew that she was interested to have the mugs.

    "You see, pretty sister, this pair of mugs should be perfect for you and your partner right?" The smile on the promoter''s face widened. "If you like this pair of mugs, you have to make your decision fast. We are only giving out fifty sets of mugs today. Right now, there are less than ten available."

    Alex looked at the promoter and thought that she was good at her job.

    "We''ll take it," Hazel said.

    The promoter looked at Hazel with a happy expression on her face. Swiftly, she picked up two bottles of yogurt and placed them into their carts. "Thank you, pretty sister. Once you made your payment at the counter, you can come over and meet me with your receipt. Then, I''ll give you the mugs."

    As the promoter walked away, Alex turned to Hazel and asked, "You like it?"

    "Mhmm... The bunnies print is very cute, don''t you think?" Hazel smiled. Her eyes were shining brightly. "Let''s put them at your place. Next time I can use them whenever I come over your place."

    Of course, Alex had no opinion about this matter.

    Once they bought everything they need, the two of them headed back to Alex''s apartment.

    As Alex went online to look for some tutorials to clean the crab, Hazel took out the coupling mugs and put them side by side. Seeing how adorable they look together, Hazel took out her phone, snapped a few pictures, and posted them in her moments.

    When she went walked into the kitchen, Alex was seriously staring at the crab. Hazel walked over to him and decided to help him out.

    "Let me show you how to clean them up." Hazel tied her hair into a high ponytail. Then, she grabbed a crab and a pair of scissors. After demonstrating to Alex to clean the crab, Hazel stood at the side and watched him.

    Seeing that he was cleaning the crab with a serious look on his face, Hazel let out a laugh and took a picture of him. As she browsed through her gallery, Hazel was surprised to see that there were a lot of his photos on her phone.

    In just a few months, her album was filled with photos of them together.

    The cooking process ended after almost an hour. Alex set up three dishes and one soup on the table and the two of them sat down together.

    Alex glanced at the new mug they got earlier and a faint smile curled on his lips.. Eating dinner together like this made him look forward to their future together.

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 402 - Shopping For The House

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    As the weekend comes, Alex took Hazel shopping to buy some furniture and everything that Hazel might need in the new place. The apartment was empty and instead of making his own decision, Alex had always wanted to let Hazel chose whatever she liked.

    Alex drove over to a furniture shop and the shop attendant immediately greeted them amiably at the door. Hearing that the two were going to buy a few sets of furniture for a house, the shop attendant was immediately happy.

    The couple was led towards the sofa area and the shop attendant started to introduce them to a few best-selling and new arrivals in their store.

    Seeing that the couple started to discuss which sofa set they liked best, the shop attendant tacitly left to give them some privacy.

    "I still think that we don''t need to fully furnish the apartment," Hazel said. "Anyway, I will be living there for a few months. It will be a waste if we buy too many things for the house."

    Alex listened to her words and a smile curled on his lips. He liked how this discussion sounded like they were looking to decorate their house together.

    "It''s fine. Once you graduate and return to L City, I can always rent the apartment to someone else," Alex said. "With a fully furnish apartment, it would be easier to get a higher rent."

    Hazel nodded. "That''s true." Her movement halted and Hazel turned to Alex with a quizzical expression. "Didn''t you say that you bought that unit because you wanted privacy? Once I return to L City, are you planning to rent the apartment to someone else?"

    Alex chuckled. "By the time you graduated, my project in this city should stabilize as well. Danel won''t need me to help him manage the company so much. Of course, I''m planning to head back to L City and help my dad with the company matters."

    "So, it''s like that." Hazel nodded.

    She had always guessed that Alex was going to take over his family business someday.

    A thought came to her mind and Hazel tilted her head to one side as she looked at him. "Alex He, why does it feel like you''re staying in B City to accompany me?" Her eyes narrowed and Hazel laughed. "I''m probably thinking too much, right?"

    Alex did not say a word and merely smiled at her. "Speaking of that, the company send me to attend a banquet in a few days." Alex tried to change the subject before Hazel would think further into the matter. "Would you come with me as my plus one?"

    Hazel thought of her schedule and nodded. "Sure. I''ll come with you." After the last assignments, her schedule was not as pack as before.

    At this time, the shop attendant returned to ask them about their decision. After a brief discussion with Alex, the two finally settled on the dark gray sofa set. The color was suitable to match with any color and it would not look too dirty.

    After choosing the dining set, the two walked into the bedroom area.

    The unit that Alex had bought was prepared with a built-in closet. Therefore, there were not many items that they have to search for. After deciding on the bed frame that she liked, the two of them went to look at a few mattresses on display.

    After trying out a few of them, Hazel went back to the second one she tried.

    Alex watched as Hazel lay down on the mattress before he sat down beside her. "You like this one?"

    "I think this is the most comfortable one so far." Hazel inched inside to create a space between them and patted at the mattress. "Here. Try and lay down and tell me what you think?"

    His gaze darkened, but Alex quickly looked away. He lay down beside her and looked up at the ceiling.

    "How is it? Comfortable, right?"

    Alex turned around when he heard her voice. Suddenly, the two of them were looking at each other. A few seconds passed and a strange feeling rose as Hazel looked at the man beside her.

    Laying down beside Alex on the mattress gave her a strange feeling.

    He was so close to her that Hazel could feel his breath tickling her skin. Their pair of eyes were looking into each other. Hazel thought that Alex''s eyes looked very beautiful. She could almost see her reflection in them. Suddenly, she had a feeling was as if she was going to be sucked into them.

    His eyes were pulling her closer to him and Hazel was fighting the urge to kiss him.

    The shop attendant chose this time to return. He let out a dry cough and smiled amiably when the couple looked at him. "Sorry for the interruption. Have you made your choice? Or else, I can show you a few other choices that we have."

    "No need," Hazel said. She sat up quickly and get off the mattress fast. "We like this one."

    The attendant''s smile widened. "Excellent choice. This is one of the best-selling mattresses we have here. In fact, most of the newlyweds would choose this one as well. The material is excellent and good for any postures. It''s easy to clean, durable, and heavy-duty."

    Hazel lowered her head shyly upon hearing the attendant''s words. Suddenly, she was worried that the shop attendant had misunderstood her relationship with Alex.

    They were not newlyweds, ah! Moreover¡­ why does she think that the shop attendant''s words seemed a little strange?

    The thought made her heart skipped a beat. Hazel glanced at Alex and the memories of lying down beside him resurfaced on her mind. Contrary to Hazel''s expression, Alex had a cool look on his face as he continued to talk to the shop attendant.

    After settling down with the payment and the delivery, the couple stopped by a restaurant to have their lunch. Then, they headed over to the mall to buy a few things that they might need for the house.

    Hazel looked at the sets of plates and bowls before she looked at Alex for his opinion. "Isn''t this is a little too much? Why would we need too many bowls? There are just the two of us, right?"

    His expression softened upon hearing her words. He could already foresee that the two of them were going to share many meals together. "Mmm... you''re right. Just buying a pair of everything should be enough."

    Hazel agreed before she grabbed two sets of everything and put them in her trolley. Alex looked at the items and his eyes darkened.

    Shopping and choosing things together made him really feel as if they were going to move into one place together. As the thought came to his mind, Alex made a plan to slowly integrate himself into her life.. Perhaps soon, the two would live in one place instead of two different units.

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 403 - My Girlfriend Could Not Tolerate Alcohol

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    In a few days, Alex brought Hazel to accompany him to a banquet.

    Hazel had shown up at his apartment in the afternoon to tidy up the new unit. Then, in the evening, Hazel walked out of her apartment in a rose gold tulle evening dress. The skirt glittered under the light and Alex finds a hard time trying to look away from her.

    "What are you staring at me for?" Hazel nudged at his waist.

    Alex let out a cough and finally snapped out of his trance. A warm smile curled on his lips. "You''re beautiful."

    Her cheek turned a shade pink with the way Alex was staring at her. Hazel gave him a look over and said, "Well, you look handsome as well." She bit at lips to suppress her smile and tugged at his hand. "Let''s go. Or we''ll be late."

    He offered his hand and soon, the couple walked together to the elevator and headed to the hotel.

    There were a lot of people around the hall when they arrived. Since she was not familiar with the people in the room, Hazel stuck closely to Alex as he proudly introduced her as his girlfriend to everyone they met.

    It was the first time for her to join Alex in a banquet. Seeing the way he was talking to the people made her see him in a new light. He was dressed handsomely in suit and tie and the way he spoke was full of charisma.

    For a while, Hazel was in a daze as she watched him. When they were a child, Alex was someone who would not speak to others except for people he was close with. Afterward, the two had spent a lot of time together and Hazel rarely see him with anyone else.

    Looking at Alex at this moment, Hazel had suddenly realized that the Alex she knew had really grown up.

    "Are you hungry?" Alex said as he turned to her.

    Hazel flashed a smile and shook her head. "I''m still alright."

    Alex hesitated as he recalled that it has been a few hours since they had their lunch. Fearing that his girlfriend might be suppressing her hunger to accompany him, Alex decided to excuse himself from the others and head over to the buffet table.

    "Are you not going to discuss your business matter?"

    "I''m hungry. Let''s go and get something to eat first."

    Hearing his words, Hazel had no reason to reject him. The two walked over to the buffet table and chose a few dishes to pad their stomach. This banquet was held to give the young businessmen to mingle and build their network. Therefore, the foods prepared were light snacks and finger food.

    As the two were having their meal at a corner, an elder man walked over to them and told Alex that he had someone important he wanted to introduce him to. Once Alex heard the name of the man, his eyes brightened up. Although he wanted to leave, he was still worried about his girlfriend.

    Hazel would notice his hesitation and saw the look on his face. He wanted to meet that person. She poked him on the arms and smiled. "Go ahead and meet that person. I''ll be right here."

    A deep frown appeared on his face. After a few seconds, Alex heaved a soft sigh. "Alright. Stay here and don''t go anywhere else."

    Hazel narrowed her eyes at him. "Un. I know. I''m not a child."

    After pecking at her cheek, Alex left Hazel at the corner as she ate her food silently. The hotel had prepared a crab in filo pastry dish and it was amazing that Hazel was having a hard time stopping eating them.

    Suddenly, someone stood in front of her and blocked the light. Hazel looked up and was surprised to see a familiar face. Although Hazel could not remember his name, she still remembered that the man is a basketball captain in their university.

    Instantly, Hazel was on her guard.

    "Miss Mo." A faint smile curled on his lips as he greeted Hazel. "I did not expect that I would run into you at this place." Kevin Xu seemed to notice the girl''s perplexed look and decided to explain. "I came here with my brother. He said I should look around and build my networking."

    "Then, I hope that you will have a good time here."

    Kevin did not miss Hazel''s hostility towards him and he was used to it. After all, Hazel had never given him the chance to get close to her from the very beginning.

    Ever since it was revealed that Hazel is the heiress of the MH Group, Kevin has been trying to approach her but had never got the chance to do so. Now that he saw her alone at the banquet, of course, he was going to take this opportunity to talk to her again.

    "Don''t be scared. I am not here to harm you," Kevin said. "Miss Mo, I came over to apologize for my rudeness the last time we saw each other."

    Hazel lowered her gaze. Actually, she had long forgotten about what happened. The incident happened a few months ago and the misunderstanding he had for her was clarified.

    At this time, a waiter walked over holding a tray. Kevin took one glass of wine in each hand and passed one to Hazel. "Miss Mo, I hope you can accept my apology and have a drink with me."

    Hazel stared at the glass and hesitated.

    "Please. I hope that we can forget everything between us. I promise that I will not disturb you again after this."

    Seeing his insistent, Hazel stretched her hand to grab the glass. However, before she was able to reach for it, another hand had appeared and grabbed the glass from Kevin.

    His gaze darkened and Kevin was about to curse until he saw the man''s face.

    "Apologies." Alex flashed a smile that did not reach his eyes. "But my girlfriend could not tolerate alcohol."

    Hazel raised a brow, knowing that Alex was telling lies for her.

    "Instead, why don''t I help her to drink this wine?" Alex continued. Before Kevin was able to say a word, Alex had downed the glass quickly. Then, he looked at Kevin again. "I hope you will accept my sincerity."

    Kevin noticed the hostility in Alex''s gaze and decided not to fight back. Although he was frustrated that Alex had shown up and ruined his plan, Kevin knew that he will not be able to fight against Alex. Moreover¡­ He would be dead meat if his brother knew that he came to create trouble.

    His gaze shifted towards the empty glass in Alex''s hand and Kevin shivered before he swiftly escaped the area.

    It was only when Kevin had disappeared into the crowd that Alex began to relax. He glanced at his girlfriend and the hostility in his face swiftly disappeared. "Are you alright?"

    "I''m fine." Hazel stared at his face and frowned as she recalled the way Alex had downed the wine. "But you. How could you drink a glass of wine just like that? Alex He, what if you got sick?"

    His expression softened when he saw her worry. "I saw that you were uncomfortable when he approached you. I could not leave him alone with you." Alex stretched his hand to pinch her cheek. "Don''t worry.. I''ll be fine."

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 404 - The Wine Was Spiked

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Worried that the boy would come over and pester his girlfriend again, Alex decided to keep her close with him.

    Since the moment he left Hazel''s side to look for that potential investor, Alex had always kept his gaze on Hazel. He was watching her eating her food silently when the man had suddenly appeared.

    Alex had recognized that man in an instant.

    The last time he came to pick up Hazel before her winter break began, he had witnessed the same man confessed his love to Hazel. Back then, Hazel had rejected the man and he was not too happy about it.

    Therefore, from the moment Alex saw that man, he could sense that he was trying to create trouble for Hazel.

    "What are you thinking about?" Hazel asked when she saw that Alex was staring into space.

    Alex snapped out of his thought and smiled. "Nothing." His hand started to adjust his necktie. Alex swallowed as he glanced at the ceiling. He was not sure if the air conditioner was not working well, but Alex thought that the temperature has gotten slightly hot and his mouth felt dry.

    A waiter walked by and Alex asked him to help him to get a glass of water.

    "Alex, are you alright?" Hazel asked when she noticed his discomfort.

    "I''m fine." Alex cleared his throat. "Just a little thirsty after talking to a lot of people today."

    Hazel watched him in skeptical, but her thoughts dissipated as the waiter returned with a glass of water.

    Alex took the glass of water from the waiter and felt slightly better after drinking some water. His throat was no longer parch, however, his body still felt hot. His temperature only increased and Alex felt a little uncomfortable.

    "You don''t look alright," Hazel said. She has been by his side and noticed that Alex had suddenly grown quiet. Her face showed an obvious worry when she noticed his slightly reddened face. Hazel stretched her hand and placed it on his forehead. A soft gasp escaped her and Hazel quickly retracted her hand in surprise.

    His temperature was too hot!

    Alex let a soft sigh as he felt that Hazel''s hand was cool and comfortable. He glanced at Hazel and swallowed. At this time, she was standing too close to him. Her scent filled his nostrils and his body grew warmer. His gaze shifted towards her red lips and the urge to kiss her senselessly surfaced.

    He clenched his hand tightly into a fist to calm down. It was at this time that Alex began to notice that something was wrong.

    "I think you had a fever," Hazel said. She started to grow worried again. "We need to go to the hospital." She wondered if it will not be rude for them to leave the banquet. But looking at Alex at this time, Hazel would not be at ease until he took him to the hospital.

    Meanwhile, Alex started to think of what had happened. His gaze darkened as he recalled grabbing that glass of wine from that boy. He had down the wine to stop the boy from pestering Hazel. Alex scanned the hall to look for the boy, but he could not see him.

    It did not take him too long to figure out what had happened. It seemed that the boy had done something to that wine. His target was Hazel, but Alex had become the victim when he snatched the glass and drank the wine for Hazel.

    "Alex?" Hazel continued to call his name. "What''s wrong with you?"

    Alex turned to the Hazel again. He lowered his head and inched closer to her. However, he stopped as they were inches apart. "Take me to the hospital, please."

    His voice was hoarse and Hazel knew right away that something had happened. She wanted to question him, but after looking at his expression, Hazel decided that the most important thing was to take him to the hospital first.

    As they both walked out of the hotel, Alex took his phone and dialed Daniel''s number. He told him that he had was not feeling well and had asked Daniel''s help to apologize to everyone as he had left without saying a word.

    When they reached the car park, Alex knew that he could not drive in his condition. He handed his car keys to Hazel and halted the moment their hands touched.

    His heartbeat quickened. Alex swallowed hard before he pulled her closer and started to kiss her lips. He was unaware of what he was doing. The only thing he knew was that her body felt cold and he needed her to cool down.

    Hazel struggled to get out of his embrace. The way he was kissing her was rough and Hazel grew scared at what was happening. This was not the Alex that she knew.

    With a few swift moves, Hazel slipped out of his embrace. His face was pressed to the vehicle and both hands were pinned on his back. It was one of the moves that her Great-Grandpa had taught her.

    Hazel took a few deep breaths to calm down. "What is wrong with you?"

    It was at this time that Alex snapped out of his mind. He bit his lips until it was bleeding and spoke. "Hazel, please. Take me to the hospital."

    Hazel loosened her hand on him. "What happened to you?"

    "Hazel, I''m feeling hot. That wine from earlier," He spoke with a shaky breath. "It was spiked. If you don''t take me to the hospital quickly, I might do something for you. So please¡­ take me to the hospital."

    Her pupil contracted when she listened to his words. Hazel thought of the way that the basketball captain had insistently asked her to drink the wine and accept his apologies and his eyes grew dangerous.

    If she had drunk that wine earlier, she would be the one in Alex''s position.

    Swiftly, Hazel unlocked the car and let Alex into the passenger''s seat. Then, she slid into the driver''s seat and looked at Alex. "I will get you to the hospital soon, but you need to try and stay focus. If you start to misbehave, then, I might not be able to get you safely to the hospital."

    Alex closed his eyes and groaned to suppress his emotion. "I know."

    Seeing the way Alex was tightening his hands into a tight fist, Hazel swiftly shifted the gear and speed away.

    Her expression grew ugly as he thought of the culprit.. Since that basketball captain had dared to try to do something silly and harm the people around her, then he should not blame her when she retaliated.

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 405 - Harbored An Evil Intention

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Once they arrived at the hospital, the doctor quickly took him into a room to give him treatment. Hazel found a parking spot before she walked into the building to find Alex. A nurse came forward to tell her that the doctor was helping Alex with an antidote and finally, Hazel was able to calm down.

    Taking a deep breath, Hazel sat down on the bench and start to rethink everything that happened.

    In the banquet hall, Alex had eaten everything that she had eaten. The only thing that she did not drink was that wine that the basketball captain had offered to her.

    Without a doubt, some drugs were added to the wine and caused Alex to behave strangely.

    After giving it some thought, Hazel took out her phone and dialed a number.

    The phone call was connected after a few rings.

    "Hazel, I heard that you are accompanying your boyfriend to a banquet. How is it? Did you have fun?" Eira''s voice was heard as soon as the phone call was connected.

    "Eira, I need your help."

    "What''s wrong?" Hearing Hazel''s serious tone, Eira swiftly dropped her playful tone.

    Hazel quickly told her friend of everything that happened at the hotel and her suspicion that the basketball captain had done something to her drink. "Eira, I need you to check on the security camera and find evidence. Can you help me?"

    "Of course I can."

    "Thank you." Hazel let out a breath of relief. "Sorry for the trouble."

    "Don''t say that. That hotel is one of ours. Checking at the security camera isn''t anything troubling at all." Eira heaved a heavy breath. Her face turned ugly as Eira thought of what the basketball captain had wanted to do to her friend.

    According to Hazel''s words, she was unaware that Kevin would show up at the banquet. It seemed that carrying a drug with him had become a habit. Or else, Kevin would not conveniently have a drug with him as no one was aware that Hazel was going to show up at the banquet.

    "Look. I''ll give them a call right now and get back to you once I found out anything," Eira said.

    "Un. Thank you."

    "How about you? Are you alright?"

    "I''m fine. I''m at the hospital, waiting for Alex to come out." Hazel rubbed at her head. "He should be fine after a while."

    "If you need anything, tell me. I''ll be here for you."

    The girls chatted for a while before Hazel hung up. Then, Hazel called Crystal to brief her on what happened and informed her roommate that she was not going back to the dormitory.

    Seeing that Alex had come out of the treatment room, Hazel stood up swiftly and walked over to him. Her steps halted as she got nearer. Hazel gave him a look over and a breath of relief escaped her once she saw that his face was no longer as red and his gaze had turned sharper.

    "Are you alright?" Hazel asked. She walked over and helped him to sit down on the bench. "How are you feeling? Better?"

    "I''m fine." His heart warmed when he saw her concern. Alex forced a smile and spoke, "The doctor said I need to stay at the hospital for an observation for twenty-four hours."

    At this time, a nurse came out to explain to him about the procedure. Hazel listened attentively and turned to Alex again. "You stay here for a while. Let me deal with your hospitalization."

    Alex nodded obediently and watched as she left. Once Hazel was no longer within his eyesight, Alex pulled out his phone and dialed a number.

    "Alex," Daniel spoke as soon as the phone call was connected. "I did as you told and apologized to them. But what happened to you?"

    Alex briefed what happened before he gave him a few instructions. When he finally hung up, there was a dark look on his face. The doctor''s words repeated in his mind.

    Whatever drug that person had added into the wine... it had an aphrodisiac effect. After consuming it once, there might be a chance that one might be depending on it. Like any other drug, once a person became dependent on it, it would only be damaging to one''s body.

    He could not imagine what would happen to Hazel if she was the one who had drank that wine, and he was not around her.

    It seemed that the boy harbored an evil intention towards his girlfriend and Alex was not planning to let that boy from escaping.

    ¡­

    Hazel adjusted the pillow under him and let Alex lay down comfortably. Just as she was pulling up his blanket to cover his body, Alex stretched his hand and grabbed her wrist.

    Their gaze met and the couple looked at each other in silence.

    "Sit down." Alex heaved a soft breath when Hazel did not react. "I''m fine. I''m not hurt or disabled. You don''t have to do things for me." He flashed her a smile.

    Hazel hesitated before she leaned into him and laid her head on his chest. Her breathing gradually calmed down as she continued to listen to his heartbeat.

    She could not describe the fear when she saw how Alex had behaved strangely. His gaze was misty and his temperature high. The way Alex had kissed her was rough and she could sense his desire.

    If she had not learned that move to protect herself, there was no doubt that the two might do something in the parking lot. Her face grew sullen as Hazel thought of what might happen.

    The two of them has been seeing each other for months and Hazel had long prepared herself that something might happen between them. However, that was not how she wanted it to happen.

    Once Alex told her that the drink had been spiked, her heart turned cold. Hazel had driven past the limit to reach the hospital as soon as she can and perhaps, his car would receive a few speeding tickets tomorrow.

    "Sorry," Hazel whispered. "It was because of me. If you did not drink that wine¡ª"

    "Why are you blaming yourself? It''s not your fault," Alex spoke before she could finish her words. "It was that boy''s fault."

    He would gladly drink that wine for her. Alex could not imagine what he would do if it was Hazel who had drunk that wine. He would probably go ballistic right then, right there.

    That person must be crazy to dare and harm his precious girl.

    Alex ran his fingers in her hair. He was relieved to find that his girl had not tried to avoid him after what had happened. When he recalled what had happened in the car park area, Alex''s expression grew solemn.

    "Did I scare you earlier?" Alex bit at his lips when she did not answer. "Sorry. I lost control of myself."

    Hazel sniffled. She lifted her head and wiped at her tears. "I don''t blame you. It was just as you said. It was his fault. Don''t worry.. I won''t let him get away."

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 406 - Reaped What He Sowed

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Hazel stayed over at the hospital to accompany Alex.

    When the morning comes, Eira stopped by the hospital with a few paper bags in her hand. She knocked at the door and pushed the door open to enter. Her movement halted the moment Eira saw the scene in front of her.

    At this time, both Alex and Hazel laid on the bed. The man had his arms wrapped around her body as Hazel laid her head on his chest. This scene was a little too much for her and Eira was unable to react well.

    When she had texted Hazel earlier, her friend had told her that she can come directly into the room. This was why she did not think of anything and had entered after knocking on the door.

    Just as she was about to back away, Hazel had woken up. She sat up quickly and looked at her friend who was tiptoeing towards the door. "Eira."

    Eira paused. She turned around slowly and saw that Hazel was staring at her. An awkward smile curled on her lips. Eira lifted the paper bags in her hand and whispered, "I brought what you asked me to bring."

    Hazel nodded. She glanced at the sleeping Alex and her gaze turned soft when she saw that the man was sleeping soundly. Hazel placed a forefinger on her lips, signaling her friend to keep silent. Then, she went down and walked over to Eira.

    "A fresh change of clothes for both of you and some toiletries," Eira explained as she passed the bag to Hazel.

    Hazel peeked inside the paper bags and nodded.

    "That''s right. Have you had your breakfast? I bought some porridge as well," Eira said. "This is something that my grandmother prepared this morning."

    She lifted her head and smiled. "Eira, thank you."

    Eira waved her hand. "Hey, don''t mention it. We''re sisters."

    Hazel placed the paper bags on the table and waved her hand to Eira, gesturing her to follow her outside as Alex was still sleeping. The two walked over to the corridor and took a seat at a quiet corner.

    "When will Alex get discharged?" Eira asked.

    "He needs to stay in the hospital for an observation for a few more hours," Hazel said. "But the discharge procedure can only be done in the next morning."

    "You''re going to stay in the hospital again tonight?"

    Hazel answered her with a nod. "I won''t be going to class today. I have already told Crystal and asked her to help me and relay my message to the professors." She turned to Eira with a frown on her face. "About the thing that I asked you to do¡­"

    "It''s all done. You don''t have to worry about it." Her expression turned ugly as Eira recalled what she had found out. "I asked the hotel to check on the surveillance camera. It seemed that Kevin Xu had bribed the waiter to add the drug in the wine and bring them to you. The waiter had confessed that he had received some amount of money."

    Hazel shifted her gaze away.

    None of them had thought that the basketball captain would do something as trying to drug her. Hazel could not understand why did Kevin wanted to hurt her. She was not interested in him and had rejected him straightaway. Unfortunately, the man could not accept that and had wanted to hurt her.

    However, to use drugs with an intention to harm her reputation¡­

    Hazel could not find a word to describe that person. He was worst than a beast!

    "The moment we got the evidence, I have filed a report to the police," Eira''s face grew solemn as she spoke. "We heard that Kevin Xu had tried to flee from the country. He bought the earliest flight to Country F." A chuckle escaped her. "It seemed that he was aware that you will go after him once you find out that he was trying to drug you."

    "I don''t want him to get away."

    "He won''t." Eira gave a squeeze at Hazel''s hand. "The police raided his place last night and found a few date-rape drugs in his possession. No matter how many lawyers he hired or how capable they are, Kevin Xu will not get away with this. This does not seem like the first time he had done such things. We will find some victims and witnesses to testify against him as well. Basically, he had ruined his future and his family when he tried to scheme against you."

    Hazel continued to listen to Eira''s report and heard that Kevin''s Xu''s family had wanted to plead for him. Kevin was in his final year and was about to graduate in a few months. However, with this incident, the university will definitely expel him. Everything he had worked for had disappeared in a blink of an eye because of his own stupidity.

    No matter what his parents were going to say to her, Hazel had no intention to forgive him.

    This time, she got away safely because of Alex.

    Next time, perhaps she would not be so lucky.

    Kevin Xu had reaped what he sowed.

    Hazel did not want someone like Kevin Xu to get away with his crime. If such man was allowed to be free, then, he would find his chance to hurt her again.

    Before such things could happen, she should cut off his chance to harm her.

    "It''s good that you decided not to show up at class today," Eira said. "I''m guessing that everyone will learn about this matter soon. Once the news spread, there will be a lot of people who will disturb you. But don''t worry. I will try and figure out something."

    "It''s fine. There are a few days left before we leave and start the internship. I won''t care about what they think of me."

    Eira heaved a sigh at her answer. A thought crossed her mind and Eira sat up straight. "Hazel, there''s something else that you need to know."

    "What is it?"

    "I heard that this matter had reached your uncle''s knowledge as well," Eira said.

    A frown appeared on her face. Hazel was not surprised that her uncle was going to find out about this news, but she did not expect that he would hear about it soon.  As for how he had heard the news... Hazel did not have to think too far. Once she had asked for Eira''s help, of course, her uncle was going to hear the news.

    "I heard that he had arranged a few things on his side as well so that Kevin will not get away from his crime."

    Her heart grew warm, knowing how much her uncle had doted on her.

    "Un. I know." Hazel nodded. "Thank you for the heads up.. I''ll talk to him later."

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 407 - How Did Her Uncle Appeared In B City?

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    After Eira had left, Hazel walked into the room again and found that Alex was still sleeping. Last night, Alex had tried so hard to resist the drug''s effect and because of it, he had lost his energy. The moment he closed his eyes, Alex had drifted into sleep and only woke up in the middle of the night for a toilet break.

    Hazel checked on the paper bag that Eira had handed her earlier and pulled out a fresh change of clothes. Then, she walked over to the bathroom to take a shower. When she came out again, Alex had woken up and was looking at something on his phone.

    The moment he heard her movement, Alex put the phone on the side table and stared at Hazel with a dazed expression. The end of her hair was still wet and her cheek was slightly reddened.

    "You''re awake." Hazel walked over and stretched her hand to touch his forehead. A breath of relief escaped her when she felt that his temperature was normal. "Are you hungry?" Hazel picked up the paper bag on the table. "Right. You haven''t eaten anything since last night."

    Her movement halted when Alex grabbed her wrist. Hazel tilted her head to one side and looked at him quizzically. "What''s wrong?"

    Alex let out a chuckle. "Why are you walking around? Sit down with me. Hazel Mo, I told you that I am not disabled." With a tug, Hazel fell with her head leaning on his chest. "I thought that you have returned to your dormitory by now. Don''t you have to go to your class?"

    "I won''t leave you alone."

    His gaze softened, knowing that his girlfriend was concern about him. However, he did not want her to worry about him because of her guilty conscience. Last night, Hazel had blamed herself for what had happened to him. "I am not a child."

    "I know you''re not."

    "The doctor only wanted me to stay for an observation period. I am not injured."

    "Alex," Hazel spoke his name softly.

    "Hmm?"

    "I hate the hospital."

    Alex was surprised that Hazel had suddenly brought up this matter. Hazel had caught him off guard. For a while, he did not know how he should respond.

    Hazel lifted her head to look at him. When their gaze met, Alex could see a hint of sadness in her eyes. His heart ached upon seeing the expression on her face.

    "What''s wrong?"

    Hazel took a deep breath before she spoke again, "Ever since I began to understand that dream, I began to dislike the hospital even more." Her nose started to sour and Hazel lowered her gaze again. "Alex, I was afraid that if I leave you alone, then, someone will come over when you''re asleep. I am afraid that the same thing that happened to my parents will happen to you.

    "It won''t happen that way." Alex pulled the girl in his embrace and kissed the top of her head as if to coax her.

    "I know." Hazel bit at her lips. "But I cannot help myself and think that way. Do you think I''m being silly?" She had already lost her parents in the hospital. Hazel was afraid that she might lose Alex the same way.

    "Of course not. How is that silly? You''re not silly at all." Hazel was worried that something might happen to him and chose to stay around to guard him. How was that silly? Alex thought that Hazel was too adorable.

    At least it does prove that Hazel loved and cared for him very much, right?

    "If you don''t like it here, then, I will ask the doctor to let me get discharged earlier, alright?"

    Hazel sat up immediately. She stared at Alex with a serious look on her face. "No. The doctor said that the drugs might affect your body. You need to stay here under the doctor''s observation."

    Alex watched the girl in his embrace helplessly. Though he wanted to persuade her and return home earlier, Alex did not have the heart to speak anything when he saw her expression. He liked how she was worried about him.

    "Alright." His lips curled into a smile. "I will follow what you say."

    Hazel was startled when she heard the pampering tone in his voice. She sat up quickly and slid down from his bed to take the container of food. "You should be hungry. Let''s have some breakfast first. My friend brought some porridge. It will help you to pad your stomach."

    As soon as she placed the container on the table, her hand was tugged again and this time, Alex leaned to capture her lips into a kiss. Feeling the kiss that she was familiar with, Hazel began to relax. The tension around her shoulders disappeared and Hazel began to reciprocate his kiss.

    It was not known how long they have kissed, but everything around them seemed to disappear the moment their lips met. The two were unaware that someone had knocked on the door and entered the room.

    That person''s gaze darkened when the couple in front of him doesn''t look like they were going to stop kissing anytime soon.

    A loud cough reverberated in the room.

    Once Hazel heard a familiar coughing voice, she pulled away from Alex and turned towards the sound. Her eyes widened when she saw that her uncle was standing there, looking at them with an unfathomable expression on his face.

    Her heartbeat stopped for mere seconds.

    This¡­ who can tell her how did her uncle appear in B City?

    Hazel scrambled to get off the bed. "Uncle! When did you get here?"

    "Just now." Neil shifted his gaze from Alex to Hazel. The moment he looked at his niece, the coldness in his eyes suddenly disappeared. "I heard about what happened to you last night and decide to come over and settle a few things. How are you?"

    He had taken the first flight to B City to visit his niece. Who would have thought that the moment he entered the room, he would catch the two of them kissing?

    "I''m fine." Hazel did not dare to meet her uncle''s gaze as she was too embarrassed. "It was Alex who had to suffer."

    Neil had already heard about the details from President Zhang before he headed to B City. He had heard that the boy had hold a grudge against his niece just because she had rejected him.

    Fortunately, Alex was around and had protected his little girl. Though he was annoyed with Alex at this moment, Neil was grateful that Alex had stayed with Hazel.

    "Uncle, how long will you stay? Should I help you book a place for you?" Hazel tried to shift his attention.

    "No need. I will only stay for a few hours. I came over without letting your Auntie Edith know," Neil said. "Now that I see you safe and sound, I will head back to L City and catch the earliest flight." He walked over to his niece and patted her head gently. "Don''t worry about that boy.. I will help you to solve this."

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 408 - Kevin Was Found Guilty

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Neil left shortly after he had finished his business in B City. Because he did not want his pregnant wife to worry about Hazel, Neil had requested that the matter be settled in a low profile. Other than those who were involved, there were not many people who knew about what Kevin Xu had done.

    The university was of course, happy with Neil''s decision. After all, it would never be a good thing to have someone like Kevin be related to the university. No one would want to be associate with someone who had used date rape drugs. It would only drag the university''s good name down.

    Alex was allowed to be discharged once the doctor cleared that there was nothing wrong with his body.

    However, there was a certain someone who could not stop worrying about him. In the end, there was nothing else he could do but to take a few days off work and rest at home to assure his girlfriend.

    Fortunately, his family members were unaware of what had happened in B City. Or else, Alex was sure that his mother would drag his father to fly all over to B City to visit him.

    With Hazel around, Alex could sit back and enjoyed her treatment. Because Hazel wanted to keep a close eye on Alex, she had decided to move earlier to the nit next door.

    Seeing that he could see her face every time he ate his meal, Alex was naturally happy. The two of them spent most of their time doing nothing other than keeping each other''s company until Hazel was assured that there was nothing wrong with his body.

    After he was sent to the detention center, Kevin had requested through his lawyer to meet up with Hazel but his request was rejected.

    Since he had harbored an evil intention towards her, Hazel saw no point in meeting him. He had done something wrong and deserved to be punished for it. Even if he wanted to apologize, Hazel was not going to forgive him.

    Fortunately, she was able to avoid this drug and Kevin''s plan. What if she fell for it instead and Kevin succeed in doing what he wanted to do?

    Then, would he plead for her mercy as he would do now?

    Kevin did not suffer alone from his stupid act. A few days after he was detained, Kevin''s elder brother came to meet him in the detention center and demanded to know about the person he had offended.

    It seemed that after the police had caught him, Xu''s family had faced a lot of pressure from all sides. His father''s political career that was about to begin had ended. Meanwhile, his brother''s company that was starting to grow had almost gone bankrupt. The investors who were interested in his company had suddenly pulled out without giving out any reasons.

    Some of them were willing to pay a penalty for breaching their contract rather than staying with them. It seemed that everyone wanted to distance away from their family.

    However, Kevin did not dare to say anything.

    When his brother finally found out about the people that Kevin had offended, he was shocked. He had never thought that Kevin would dare to offend such people.

    As a businessman with a company that had only started to flourish, the brother had always wanted to attract the bigshots'' attention. However, this was not the way that he hoped to get their attention.

    After fighting to stay around, the Xu family finally gave up and decided to move away from B City and settled in a smaller city.

    Later, Kevin was put on trial. When the judge had read his case, Kevin had pleaded not guilty. However, the evidence piled up in front of him and a few victims had stepped forward to testify against him.

    The trial lasted for a few months. In the end, Kevin was found guilty and had received the maximum penalty for his crime. It seemed that he will have to stay in prison for a long, long time.

    Once a bright student who had a good future in his academic and basketball had to spend his youth behind bars for years because of one stupid move.

    Hazel''s internship at a robotic company finally began. Because the company was not that far from Alex''s company, the man had offered to drive her over and pick her up from the company.

    On the first day of her internship, Alex came and picked her up in front of the company and helped her with the door. Seeing the tired look on her face, Alex let out a chuckle. "How is it? Tiring?"

    "Un." Hazel nodded. "There are just too many things to learn. I did not think that it would be this tiring. Working and learning are definitely different. Alex, I think my brain is too tired to think."

    Alex laughed. He stretched his hand to pat her hair. "Well, it was only your first day. You''ll get used to it."

    Hazel flashed a faint smile. "Hmm¡­ After a few days, I will get used to it."

    "Did anyone bullied you?"

    "Of course not." Hazel chuckled. "The people are nice and helpful."

    "Well, since this is your first day, let me treat you to a meal."

    The smile on her lips widened. "Good."

    Instead of starting the car and drive, Alex turned around and picked up something from the back seat. "For you."

    Hazel was stunned when she saw the bouquet in his hand. She took the bouquet from him and sniffed at the flowers. Instantly, her expression brightened up. "What is this for? It''s not a special day, is it?"

    Hazel had noticed that Alex would give her a bouquet on her special days. The last time he had sent her flowers, it was to congratulate her for winning first place in a robotic competition.

    "Well, it is a special day." Alex smiled. "Congratulations for going through your first day at your internship."

    Hazel laughed upon hearing his words. "Thank you." She sniffed at the flowers again and felt her mood was slightly better. Leaning forward, Hazel pecked at his cheek. "Your reward."

    Alex raised a brow and his lips curled into a playful smile. "Is that it?"

    Hazel leaned forward again. This time, her lips landed on his for a peck. "Will this be enough?"

    Of course, a mere peck would never be enough. Alex leaned forward and pressed his lips against hers again. After the fire in his heart was gradually calmed, Alex pulled away and stared at the girl with misty eyes.

    His lips curled into a smile.. Satisfied with his reward, Alex drove away to the restaurant that he had booked earlier.

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 409 - Mister Landlords Breakfast

    The sky had long turned bright when Hazel woke up. She sat up in a panic and grabbed her phone to check on the time.

    A long, soft breath escaped her when Hazel realized that it was the weekend and she did not have to show up at the company.

    Her body fell back on the soft mattress behind her and her body curled lazily. Hazel took a long breath as she recalled that she had survived the first week of the internship. Although the work was hard, Hazel thought that she enjoyed learning something new from her seniors.

    Last night, she had turned off the alarm, knowing that she could sleep in a little longer.  After working around eight hours for five days straight, her body was a little too tired and she was feeling lazy.

    Hazel thought that she deserved a break after working hard.

    Just as she was about to close her eyes and continue to sleep, her ears picked up a noise coming from the outside. Instantly, she grew alarmed at the thought that there was an intruder in her house.

    Then, she recalled that she had let Alex hold her keys so that he could come and go to her apartment as he pleased. Hazel listened carefully and recognized that it was the sound of pots and pans in the kitchen.

    After washing her face and make herself presentable, Hazel walked out of the room and found Alex standing in front of the stove, stirring something in the pot.

    As if noticing her presence, Alex turned around and flashed a smile. "Good morning. You''re awake?"

    Hazel walked over with slow, languid steps. She peeked into the pot, wrapped her arms around his waist, and leaned her head on his back. "Mister landlord, what are you doing here?"

    Alex laughed when he heard the way Hazel had addressed him. "Making your breakfast." He turned around and pecked at her forehead. "Did you get enough sleep?"

    "Hmm¡­" Her lips turned up. "My landlord comes over to prepare my breakfast. I guess the service at this apartment is pretty good."

    "You cheeky girl." Alex turned to peck at her forehead. Though he wanted to pull her into his embrace, Alex decided to focus on his cooking lest he burned their breakfast.

    As Alex stood still in front of the stove, Hazel closed her eyes and buried her face on his broad back.

    The scent of him filled her nose, and Hazel felt sleepier. Hazel thought that she could probably sleep while leaning on to Alex''s body like this. She had never thought that Alex''s broad shoulder and the scent would give her a sense of security that she would instantly let her guard down whenever she was with him.

    The feeling was quite nice¡­

    "I bought you some egg tarts earlier. If you''re hungry, you can eat a few pieces," Alex said. "The porridge will be done in a while."

    Her eyes perked up upon hearing that Alex had bought some egg tarts. She quickly retracted her hands and walked over to the dining table. Seeing the box of egg tart on the table, Hazel was suddenly in a daze.

    The brand printed on the box told her where Alex had bought them.

    It was from the pastry shop around her university area and it was quite popular. One had to queue early in the morning to buy them before they would be sold out. Previously, Hazel had brought Alex to the shop a few times and had mentioned that the shop''s egg tart was probably one of the best egg tarts she ate.

    The egg tart was not too sweet and the pastry was buttery and crumbly. It was a taste that she really liked.

    "You went out early to buy them?"

    "Mmm¡­ I went out for a jog in the morning," Alex said. "Seeing that it was still too early, I decided to go and queue. Fortunately, I did not have to wait for too long."

    Hazel did not think that Alex was telling her the truth. She had been to the shop many times, and there was never a moment where she did not have to wait for too long. Since Alex had told her that he did not have to wait so long, Hazel had no intention to say anything.

    Her hand stretched to grab a piece and Hazel took a bite. The sweet and mellow taste of the egg tart filled her mouth and a soft sigh escaped her.

    "Is it good?"

    Hazel looked up and saw that Alex was carrying two bowls of porridge to the table. "It''s good. It''s perfect as always." She stretched her hand and offered the remaining half of her egg tart to him. "Do you want to take a bite?"

    A playful look flashed in his eyes. Alex placed the bowls on the table and walked over. Just as Hazel had thought that the man was going to bite at the egg tart, the man inched closer and stared into her eyes intently. Then slowly, his gaze shifted to her lips before he came closer and kissed her.

    Hazel was stunned and was unable to react. It took her to figure out what was happening and Hazel closed her eyes.

    The kiss was soft and warm. Alex continued to kiss her leisurely as if savoring a sweet treat. Alex kissed her for a long time, tasting her lips until she became restless.

    It was only then that he pulled away.

    Alex continued to look at the woman in front of him and his lips curled into a smile. "Well, it does taste good." His voice sounded a little deep and hoarse.

    Hazel shrank back. Alex was too close that she could feel his breath tickling her neck. At this time, Hazel did not know whether he was talking about the egg tart of her lips.

    "Come on. Let''s eat our breakfast."

    "Oh." Hazel bit her lips, feeling his kiss lingering around. She sat down and picked up her cutlery absentmindedly.

    "Be careful. The porridge is still hot."

    Fortunately, Alex had reminded her about the porridge, or else, Hazel might scald her tongue. After blowing at the porridge a few times, Hazel at her breakfast and felt her stomach grew warmer.

    Alex''s craft had definitely got better.

    "What are you planning to do today?"

    Hearing his question, Hazel looked up to meet his gaze. She thought of her schedule and shook her head. "I don''t have anything plan. I''m feeling lazy. Maybe I will just stay at home and laze around."

    "Then, do you want to go out?" Alex asked.

    "Where do you want to go?"

    Alex let out a chuckle.. "If you''re not feeling too lazy, let''s go on a date."

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 410 - Exciting Play

    After breakfast, Alex returned to his apartment unit to let Hazel get ready. An hour later, Alex appeared at Hazel''s door and was momentarily stunned upon looking at her all dressed up.

    Hazel was dressed casually in jeans and a pink top, but Alex thought that his girlfriend was beautiful like this.

    No matter how long he had looked at this girl, Alex seemed as if he was not tired of her. Every time she appeared in front of him, Hazel would always be beautiful.

    "Let''s go," Hazel spoke, snapping him out of his trance. She stretched her hand to intertwined with his and the two walked towards the elevator together.

    Alex drove to the city center and parked at the largest mall in the city.

    The two of them were planning to watch some movie and walk around for their date.

    It was crowded when the two reached the top floor of the mall. It was the weekend and just like them, everyone else was looking forward to spending their time with their loved ones.

    "I did not think that it would be this crowded," Hazel mumbled as she looked around the space. After a while, she began to realize that there were too many kids around them.

    "Mmm¡­ I heard that a few new movies were coming out this week. I guess everyone wanted to catch up with the latest movie." Alex wrapped his arms around her waist as he led her through the crowd. There were too many people around and he was worried that some kids might bump into his girlfriend.

    "Alex, look at that. They''re adorable."

    Alex turned to follow his girlfriend''s gaze and a warm smile curled on his lips. Not far away, a small boy and girl around the age of six were holding hands as they stared at the new animation poster on the wall. As he looked at them, Alex was reminded of their childhood.

    His mother would often take them to watch the movie together. Those kids were exactly like them in the past. They would often hold hands wherever they go.

    Seeing the kids together, Alex turned to Hazel and pecked at her forehead.

    As they had booked their tickets online, Alex and Hazel skipped queuing for the tickets and instead joined the queue to get some snacks.

    Though Alex had told Hazel that she could have a seat and wait for him, Hazel insisted to queue with him together. The two of them stood in the line while holding hands and discussed the movie advertisement on the screen.

    Alex looked at the woman who was half leaning on his body and could not help but smile.

    It felt as if it was not long ago since he had confessed to her. At the beginning of their relationship, Hazel was still a little awkward around him. These days, Alex realized that Hazel had gotten more comfortable around him and would not mind occasional PDA.

    The two of them bought a set of popcorn and drinks. Soon, they followed the crowd and entered the cinema. They found their seat in the last row and sat down. Hazel placed her drinks in the cup holder and leaned on Alex''s arms.

    "Are you cold?" Alex wrapped his arms around her shoulder, pulling her closer to him.

    "No. I just wanted to lean closer to you."

    Alex laughed. When the light in the cinema dimmed, Alex turned to steal a kiss from his girlfriend before he turned his head towards the screen, pretending that nothing had happened.

    Once the movie started, the two of them watched the movie with full concentration. The two had chosen to watch a Hollywood sci-fi, dystopia movie. The plot was a little complicated and gripping. The cinematography was beautiful and the CG Effect was dazzling.

    The scene changed to the part where the two lovers met after a long separation. Suddenly, there was a scene that would be inappropriate for kids to watch.

    Hazel watched this scene for five seconds and her cheek turned red. Although she was embarrassed to watch such a scene, Hazel did not dare to move and shift her gaze away, lest Alex would notice her discomfort.

    Her throat felt a little dry and Hazel wanted to reach for her drinks, but in the end, she could not move. She wanted to peek at Alex''s reaction but found that she was too embarrassed to do so.

    This was the first time that she had watched such a scene with Alex!

    How can they add a scene like this? What if there were underage kids around?

    Hazel snapped out of her mind as she recalled the movie rating. She had thought that the rating was due to the violent scenes in the movie. Who would have thought that there would be a scene like this as well?

    Just as Hazel was wondering what she should do in this situation, her ears caught the sound of a strange sound from the side. From the corner of her eyes, Hazel saw that the couple beside her was kissing.

    It was dark and Hazel was not sure if kissing was the only thing they did. Suddenly Hazel could hear the man''s panting and a low groan. His voice was a little strange and without knowing why Hazel could feel her cheek turned a shade redder.

    Hazel did not know where she should look. The screen was still showing an intimate scene and the couple beside her was probably doing an exciting play as well.

    Fortunately, the scene on the screen did not last for too long. It was only then that Hazel released a breath.

    "What''s wrong?"

    Hazel forced herself to look at Alex. It was dark in the cinema, but Hazel could see that the man was not as affected as she was. His expression remained calm. Hazel wondered if he was not affected by that scene between the couple, but could not muster her courage to ask him.

    "Nothing." Hazel shook her head before she found a comfortable position in his embrace and continue to watch the movie. However, this time, as she leaned into his embrace, Hazel could feel that his body had grown warmer. Her head leaned on his chest and Hazel could hear his heart beating rapidly.

    The scene that she had witnessed earlier came to her mind and Hazel thought that perhaps, Alex was just as uncomfortable as she was. It was just that... Alex was better at masking his expression. The two did not speak again and continued to watch the movie until the end.

    Once they leave the hall, Hazel let out a long sigh. The cold air from the air conditioner blew on her face and her face was no longer as hot.

    The couple walked over to a less crowded place. Hazel looked up and raised a brow. "Where are we going next?"

    Alex let out a dry cough. "I want to visit the washroom first. Later, let''s walk around and grab something to eat."

    Hazel nodded obediently. "Alright.. Then, I''ll just wait for you here."

    Read novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 411 - Misunderstanding

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    As Alex went to the washroom, Hazel leaned on the wall as she waited for him to return. Meanwhile, she took out her phone and started to browse through her message. At this time, her friends were discussing in the group chat about their experience in their internship.

    Some of them were having a good time at their company and some of them were bullied.

    Hazel replied to a few of her friends as she kept her eyes on her surroundings.

    Sensing that someone was walking over to her, Hazel lifted her head and saw that a man was standing in front of her. Seeing the hesitation on the man''s face, Hazel gave him a quizzical look and asked, "Can I help you?"

    The man turned his head towards his friends before he looked at Hazel again. "Did you come here alone?"

    Hearing his question, Hazel was instantly on her guard. Her eyes narrowed and her gaze became dangerous. If this man wanted to do something funny to her, Hazel would not hesitate to harm him.

    The man let out a dry cough when he saw the way Hazel was staring at him. "If you don''t mind, do you want to join me and my friends?"

    Hazel followed the man''s line of gaze and saw that he was looking at his friends. Seeing that the others were looking at her with a polite smile, Hazel began to lower her guard.

    "I''m sorry, but I came here with my boyfriend."

    The man flashed her a smile. There was a trace of suspicion in his eyes. He has been watching the girl for a while, and it doesn''t look like her boyfriend was going to appear anytime soon.

    Knowing that this was not the first time that he had heard an excuse like this, the man continued to ask," Then, where is your boyfriend?"

    "He stepped away for a while. He should be here soon." Right on cue, Hazel saw that Alex was heading in her direction. She waved her hand at him but failed to notice the unhappiness in his expression.

    As soon as Alex arrived by her side, he gave a scrutinizing look at the man before he turned to Hazel again. "Who is this? Someone, you know?"

    The man saw the hostility in Alex''s eyes and subconsciously backed away. He turned to Hazel, forced a smile, and spoke, "Sorry to trouble you." Then, before Hazel was able to say anything, the man had turned around and joined his friends.

    Seeing that the man was no longer around, Alex was more at ease. "What did he say to you?"

    "Nothing much. He was just asking whether I wanted to join him and his friends."

    Alex wrapped his arms around her waist and heaved a long sigh. "What am I supposed to do? I only leave you for a short while and come back only to find that a guy is hitting on my girlfriend."

    Hazel laughed it off. She tugged at his arms and pulled an adorable look on his face. "Alex. Let''s go. I''m hungry."

    Alex stretched his hand to pat her hair. His gaze on her was full of doting. "Then, what do you want to eat?"

    Hazel wanted to eat something spicy, but when she recalled that there was a certain someone who could not handle spicy food, Hazel decided to walk around and find a place to eat.

    The couple decided to eat at a Cantonese restaurant and picked a place at the counter seat.

    Alex let Hazel order their food and noticed that the girl had picked dishes that he liked. Once the waiter walked away, Alex pulled at Hazel''s hand and kissed her hand.

    "What are you doing?" Hazel quickly retracted her hands.

    "Kissing you."

    Alex had a serious look on his face, but his tone was playful. The man was looking straight at her and there was an unmistakable teasing in his eyes. Watching him face to face like this made her heartbeat grew faster and her face turned red.

    Swiftly, Hazel turned her head away. At this time, her eyes caught a pair of father and daughter sitting a few tables away from them. The little girl was somewhere around five and she was chirping happily as her father continued to feed her.

    Looking at this scene, Hazel was reminded of the time she had first come to live with her uncle.

    When she thought about her uncle, Hazel would think about the twins. The twins should be born sometime soon. Suddenly, Hazel remembered that she hasn''t bought anything for the twins yet.

    Hazel turned to Alex and flashed him a smile. "Let''s go and shop around. I want to look for some gift for the twin brothers."

    Alex of course, had no other rejection.

    After their meal, the two walked around the mall together. After visiting a few shops, Hazel finally stopped at a baby store.  On the display were a few rompers with different animal prints. Hazel walked over and was interested to see that the rompers came with a small cap with the same design.

    Just imagining the twins dressed up in these animal rompers made her excited.

    However, there was another problem. There were too many to choose and Hazel could not make her decision.

    Suddenly, Hazel seemed to understand why her uncle had always bought too many clothes for her when she was a little girl. It turned out that babies'' and kids'' clothing were just too cute that it would be hard for one to resist buying them.

    Should she buy every one of them?

    After pondering for a long time, Hazel turned to Alex and tilted her head. "Which one should I choose? What do you think?"

    "Which one do you like best?" Alex asked.

    Hazel picked up one piece of the clothing on display. "This Koala is adorable." Then, she picked another one. "And so is this giraffe. And this lion." Hazel let out a sigh. "I can''t choose. Every one of them is too adorable."

    At this time, a shop attendant walked over with a polite smile on her face. The shop attendant looked at the couple and then, towards the rompers in Hazel''s hand. "Are you looking for clothes for newborn babies?"

    Hazel nodded. "This rompers should be suitable for newborn babies, right?"

    The smile on the shop attendant''s face widened. "Madam, you are right. These rompers are suitable for newborn babies up to six months old."

    Hazel froze when she heard the way the shop attendant addressed her. Seeing the way the shop attendant was looking at her stomach, Hazel knew that the shop attendant had misunderstood her.

    "These rompers are our best sellers and suitable for both baby boy and girl." The shop attendant looked at the couple again and continued. "The two of you are very good-looking. I''m sure your babies would be adorable like the parents. If your baby wears these clothes, they would look very cute as well."

    At this time, Hazel thought that her CPU was overloaded again.

    What babies? What parents?

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 412 - Rainy Night

    By the time Hazel came back to her senses, it was too late to clarify to that shop attendant that she was not expecting a baby. Because of that, the enthusiastic shop attendant started to introduce a few products for a newborn baby to the couple.

    The shop attendant''s misunderstanding had made her too embarrassed to look at Alex.

    Hazel was unaware of what Alex was feeling, but she was sure that he was feeling as awkward as she was.

    Her relationship with Alex was pure and the two of them were still young. Hazel did not think that she was going to be a mother anytime soon.

    After rejecting the shop attendant''s offer to buy a few more products, the couple walked out of the mall carrying several paper bags from that baby store.

    For the first time, Hazel thought that shopping can be very tiring. The shop attendant was too enthusiastic and she was too embarrassed.

    Once they were farther away from the store, Hazel picked up her courage to look at Alex. As she was expecting, Alex had a serious look on his face, but Hazel could see that his mind was wandering somewhere else.

    She wondered what was going in his mind, and whether Alex was feeling as awkward as she was.

    Seeing that he was not looking at her, Hazel took a few glances at Alex.

    Hazel could not deny that Alex inherited his parents'' best feature. Auntie Lily is a beautiful woman and Uncle Ethan is a handsome man.  Because she had grown up with Alex, Hazel thought that it would not be too difficult to imagine what his child would look like. If they had a son together, it would be best if the son inherited his good look.

    Hmm...

    Hazel was shocked as the thought came to her mind. A deep frown appeared on her face as Hazel tried to get the image off her mind. It seemed that after spending a short time in that baby store, her mind had became corrupted. It was all that shop attendant''s fault.

    She quickly dispelled that thought from her mind and cleared her throat.

    The two continued to walk around for a while and finally left the mall when they could not find anything interesting.

    Once Hazel returned to her apartment, she took out the clothes that she bought for the twins and send a picture to her Auntie Edith. After a few seconds, her phone started to ring. Seeing the name on the screen, Hazel swiftly picked up the phone call.

    Soon, the image of her Auntie Edith appeared on the screen.

    "Did you go out shopping earlier?" Edith asked.

    "Un. I went to watch a movie with Alex," Hazel said. "Coincidentally, I saw those outfits and decided to buy them for the twins."

    Edith laughed. "You bought too much."

    Hazel heaved a sigh. "I just could not decide. Every one of them looks adorable."

    Edith moved the camera and let Hazel see her bulging stomach. Coincidentally, the baby started to kick around his mother''s tummy and a faint shape of his small feet. A blissful smile curled on her lips as Edith looked at her tummy. "You see that? The baby thanked their sister for the gift."

    Meanwhile, Hazel was stunned by the scene that she had just witnessed.  "Auntie Edith, does it hurt?"

    "It doesn''t hurt at all. Just¡­ a little ticklish." Edith smiled as she looked at the pretty girl on the screen. "Alright. Tell me about your date with Alex."

    "Ah?"

    "Didn''t you say that you went to watch a movie with Alex?" Edith said. A sigh escaped her when she thought of how it has been a long time since she had watched a movie at the cinema. Because of her pregnancy, it was inconvenient for Edith to walk around.

    "Auntie Edith, we just went out to watch the movie and had a meal together," Hazel said. Her face was a little red. "Alex thought that it would be a good idea to walk around and have fun after a stressing week at the internship company."

    "Mhm¡­" A teasing smile curled on her lips. "What a thoughtful boyfriend." Seeing that Hazel''s face turned red again, Edith started to laugh.

    As she grew up, Hazel became easily embarrassed. Nowadays, whenever Edith mentioned Alex''s name in front of her, Hazel''s cheek would definitely turn a shade redder.

    The girl was too adorable and Edith was having a hard time not teasing her.

    The two of them chatted for a long time and Hazel filled in about her life in B City. Now that she was no longer living in the university''s dormitory, both her uncle and auntie were worried. Fortunately, with Alex staying closer to her, both Edith and Neil were relieved, knowing that there would be someone to look after Hazel.

    After the call ended, Hazel went to the bathroom to take a shower. When she came out, Hazel took her phone and send a text to Alex. The two of them chatted for a while before Hazel decided to call it a night.

    The two of them has been walking around for a long time and her feet were aching a little bit.

    After saying her good night to Alex, Hazel went to bed and sleep.

    Hazel did not know just how long she has been sleeping, but when she woke up again, she could hear the sound of the rain tapping on the window and the thunder rumbled loudly outside.

    Picking up her phone, Hazel looked at the time and realized that it was just half an hour past midnight.

    Feeling slightly parched, Hazel stood up and walked over to the table to pour herself a glass of water. Then, she walked over to the window and watched the scenery of the rainy night.

    The sky was dark, but the city was still brightened with lights.

    Just then, Hazel saw the flash not far away from her and the sound of the thunder was very loud. Suddenly, the building around her turned dark. The sleeping lamp in her bedroom suddenly disappeared.

    Hazel stood still in a daze. Her heart was beating loudly against her ribcage and her body quivered. She was both shocked and frightened upon witnessing the lighting so close to her that she was unable to react.

    It was only when her phone started to chime did Hazel snapped out of her trance. Seeing Alex''s name on the caller ID, Hazel walked away from the window and picked up the call.

    "Hazel, are you alright?" Alex''s voice could be heard from the other line.

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 413 - Rabbit And Wolf

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Hazel opened the door and found that Alex was standing outside her door. Seeing that he was holding a torchlight in his hand, Hazel stepped aside to let him in.

    "Were you sleeping when the power trip?"

    "No." Hazel shook her head. "I was thirsty and woke up a little earlier."

    Alex stretched his hand to pull her closer. Then, without warning, he lowered his head to kiss the top of her head. "Were you scared?"

    Hazel laughed. "I''m not a kid anymore. I''m not afraid of the thunder."

    A faint smile appeared on his lips. Using the torchlight, Alex walked further into the house and headed over to the tall rack. After checking several drawers, Alex pulled out the portable emergency lamp that he had bought previously.

    With just one click, the room brightened up a little bit.

    "I called the maintenance earlier," Alex said as he turned around. "They are working to let the power back on. But, several buildings around this area are affected. I''m afraid that the problem isn''t that simple."

    "Mhm¡­" Hazel rubbed at her arms absentmindedly. It was raining and the temperature had dropped several degrees. Suddenly, Hazel was feeling a little cold.

    Alex noticed her movement and let out a heavy sigh. "Go on and put on more clothes. We don''t know when the power will be back on." He grabbed the emergency lighting and passed it to Hazel. "Take this one."

    Hazel nodded obediently. She walked into her room and pulled out a jacket from her closet. After a brief hesitation, Hazel took out a blanket as well.

    It was just as Alex had said. They would not know how long the electricity will be back. With the rain outside, Hazel estimated that it would be a very cold night.

    When she came out, Hazel was slightly panicking when the living room was dark and she could not see her boyfriend anywhere. "Alex?" Hazel called his name anxiously.

    "In here!" His voice came from a corner of the apartment. "In the kitchen."

    A breath of relief escaped her. Hazel walked over to the kitchen and found that Alex was pouring himself a glass of water. "What are you doing?"

    "It''s cold. I was thinking about boiling some water." He chuckled. "And then, I remember that there was no electricity at this time."

    Hazel giggled. "Why are you so silly?"

    Alex heaved a sigh. He walked over to Hazel and pulled her towards the living room. "Let''s just sit around here and wait until the electricity is back."

    Hazel naturally has no rejection. She followed him to the living room and the two sat on the sofa.

    Alex saw the blanket on the sofa and began to wrap his girlfriend with it. In just a few seconds, Hazel had turned into a dumpling. Seeing that his girlfriend was wrapped up until it was only her head that can be seen, Alex let out a laugh.

    Hazel pouted as she tried to wriggle her hand out. However, she was wrapped up a little tight and it was difficult for her to move around. Alex saw the situation Hazel was in and pinched at her cheek.

    His girlfriend was too adorable.

    Alex picked up Hazel to the sofa, wrapped his arms around her body, and patted at her head. "Sleep. You should be tired after walking around the whole day." His lips tilted into a faint smile as he saw her crinkle eyes. He could tell that she was sleepy, but was trying the hardest to stay awake. "I''ll stay with you until the power is back on."

    "Hmm¡­" Hazel found a comfortable spot in his arms and closed her eyes.

    Alex shook his head as he watched the way Hazel was behaving obediently. He then turned his head to another side and pulled out his phone to check on a few important emails.

    The room was only illuminated with the faint light of the portable light. On the sofa, the woman and man huddled together for warmth.

    Alex did not know just how long have been looking at his phone. When he looked up again, Alex saw a shadow on the wall. After observing it for a while, Alex began to recognize the shape. He turned to the person who was supposed to be sleeping was playing with the puppet shadow. Her eyes were wide and there was a playful smile on her lips.

    The shadow rabbit continued to hop around on the wall, moving freely. Suddenly, a wolf appeared out of nowhere and started to chase after the poor rabbit. In just seconds, the wolf opened his mouth wide and swallowed the poor rabbit.

    Hazel stared at the wolf shadow in disbelief. She turned to Alex and pouted. "My poor bunny."

    Alex chuckled. "Aren''t you supposed to be sleeping?"

    "Not sleepy anymore."

    "You keep saying that you''re not a kid. Hazel Mo, what are you doing playing with shadow puppet?"

    "Isn''t this is nice?" Hazel lifted her head and smiled at him. "I haven''t play like this for a long time. Back then, Great Grandpa would teach me to make a lot of shapes. I forgot most of it, but I can still remember how to make the rabbit." As she finished her words, Hazel used her two hands to make that rabbit shape again.

    Just as the rabbit was hopping happily, that wolf returned and chase the rabbit around.

    Hazel tried her best to escape the wolf, but it was a little difficult. To make a rabbit shadow, it would require her to use both hands. Meanwhile, the wolf shadow was easier to make and to move around.

    Just like that, the two adults were playing with shadow puppets, chasing after each other. It was still raining and cold outside, but the atmosphere in the living room was warm. The two''s laughing voices reverberated in the room.

    Hazel yelped just before that wolf managed to eat the rabbit. Seeing that Alex had failed, Hazel started to laugh happily.

    After a few more tries, the wolf finally bit at the rabbit again.

    Hazel came to her senses and noticed that the situation between her and Alex does not seem right.

    She was laying on the sofa and Alex hovered over her.

    Her eyes went wide and Hazel started to swallow when she met Alex''s gaze.

    He was staring back at her intently. Hazel thought that she could not look away from him no matter how hard she tried. There was something in his gaze and it was igniting something inside of her.

    The two of them were too close that she could feel his breath tickling her skin.

    Slowly, Alex raised his right hand and tucked a few strands of hair behind her ear.

    Her heart was beating erratically at his little movement.

    Then, his lips came closer and closer.. Hazel closed her eyes and shrank back as their lips met in a kiss.

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 414 - That Thing (18+)

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Warning: Just in case you are not comfortable with reading such a scene but the scene was not in detail.

    Alex''s lips were soft and warm.

    Hazel stretched her hand and rested her hand on his shoulders, preventing him from pulling away as she parted her lips to allow him further access and deepening their kiss.

    A soft sigh escaped her as Hazel began to enjoy the way Alex was kissing her. She could feel that he was taking his time and was very cautious. Her body started to relax as Alex continued to kiss her lips slowly.

    After a while, Alex pulled away to allow them a chance to catch up with their breath. His eyes were staring into hers. His gaze darkened with so many emotions.

    Alex was having a hard time suppressing his emotion. He merely wanted to kiss his girlfriend and was not expecting that his action would wake up something inside him.

    This feeling had made him conflicted. Alex did not know what he should do at this moment.

    Earlier, this was the exact feeling he had while the two of them were watching the movie. There was an exciting scene on the screen and his girlfriend nestled in his embrace.

    Alex wanted to look away but was unable to as he did not want Hazel to notice the change in him. In the end, it had tormented him when Hazel squirmed about in his embrace.

    This time, he was in almost the same situation. This time, Hazel was pinned under his body and they were both in an ambiguous position. Her eyes were misty as she stared back at him. Her cheek was rosy and her lips were a little swollen from their kiss.

    There was one part of him that wanted to lean in and continued to kiss her senselessly. Another part of him was reasoning with him that it was not a good idea.

    He loved her too much that he wanted to be careful with everything. It took him years to confess and finally had her agree to be his girlfriend. They were awkward at first, but Hazel had warmed up to him and would occasionally act coquettishly to him.

    Alex simply did not want to make one wrong move and destroy anything.

    "What''s wrong?"

    Hazel''s soft voice snapped him out of his thought. Alex tried to shift his gaze away but stopped at her heaving chest. Her hand stretched up to touch his cheek. Leaning forward, Hazel kissed him on the corner of his lips, turning his skin hot.

    As if he was mesmerized by the way she was looking at him, Alex placed a hand to cup her cheek and leaned forward to kiss her again.

    He immediately regretted his decision.

    Her scent filled his nostrils and her soft body pressed under him. Alex became aware of the change in his body and that feeling only grew. He was worried that if he did not stop soon, he might do something that would make Hazel resented him.

    Strengthening his resolve, Alex was determined to pull away. Just then, Hazel grabbed at his hand, stopping him from leaving. Alex opened his mouth to say something but was surprised when Hazel had placed his hand on top of her chest.

    His eyes widened in surprise, wondering if the girl knew what she was doing at this moment. His throat bobbed as he felt the softness under his hand. His hand became hot and he was not sure if his hand was still a part of his body.

    "Hazel," Alex whispered, in surprise. His voice hoarse and thick with desire.

    The girl tilted her head to one side and blinked. "Don''t you want me?"

    His eyes darkened and Alex was unable to think straight upon hearing her question. "Do you know what you are doing?"

    Her eyes were burning as she looked at him. Hazel bit her lips and slowly nodded. "I know." As if trying to prove her words, Hazel wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed his lips with such wanting.

    At this point, Alex knew that he could no longer hold back and started to reciprocate her kisses. The temperature in the room increased and the sound of their exchange reverberated in the room.

    Her hand reached up under his clothes, feeling his warm skin against her palm. A soft gasp escaped her as Hazel felt the contour of his body. She did not think that touching him would feel good.

    Seconds later, his shirt was tossed across the room. Alex leaned in again to kiss her again. He rained his kisses all over her face before he slowly went down to her ears, neck, and collarbones. His tongue swept every inch of her skin, causing her to shiver.

    Hazel closed her eyes as she was enjoying the way Alex had made her feel.

    Her head felt a little lighter and something warm spread all over her body. Hazel did not know what was happening to her, but she knew that she did not want Alex to stop doing whatever he was doing.

    "Alex,"

    Hearing her panting his name made his body heated up. However, after a while, Alex began to stop again. He looked at the girl''s disheveled appearance and tried his best to suppress his feeling.

    Hazel was at a loss when she could no longer feel his touch. She stared back at him with a puzzled look. "What''s wrong?"

    Alex hesitated. "I don''t have that."

    It took her a while to understand what was ''that''. Her face turned a shade darker when she finally figured out what ''that'' was.

    "I have them."

    Alex looked at her in surprise.

    "The other day¡­ there was a talk at our university about safety and they gave out a few pieces to the students." Hazel tried to explain before she quickly looked away. "It''s on the bedside table."

    Alex hesitated. Then, he carried the person under him to the bedroom and looked for that thing.

    Finding the thing they were looking for, Alex turned around and pounced on her. His hands started to peel their clothes as he kissed her again.

    The couple was both inexperienced. Using their instinct and what they knew, the two began to explore love-making together. The thunderstorm had long stopped and ambiguous sound filled the room.

    Hazel opened her eyes to look at the man on top of her. His forehead was beaded with sweats and there was a deep frown on his face as he tried to control himself before he could lose control inside her.

    An indescribable feeling spread all over her body. Hazel wrapped her arms around his shoulder and muttered a few words.

    Hearing the three words that he had been wanting to hear a long time, Alex finally lost his control.

    Her mind went blank before she rose to the clouds.

    Read novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 415 - All The Crazy Things They Did

    When Hazel woke up, the sky was already bright. A streak of light entered through the slit of the curtains. Hazel shifted slightly and whimpered when she felt the soreness all over her body.

    "You''re awake?"

    Her movement halted when Hazel heard his voice. Alex''s voice in the morning sounded languid and somewhat sexy. Hazel felt her ears heated up and that feeling spread all through her body.

    Suddenly, the memories of what they did last night resurfaced in her mind¡ªhis warm skin as he pressed into her, the way his voice sounded like when he called her name, and all the crazy things they did. Hazel was too embarrassed.

    At this time, there was nothing she wanted to do other than to dig a hole and hide.

    She could not understand how did she became so courageous last night to take the initiative and seduce him.

    Hazel moved to hide her reddened face and realized that she was lying on his arms and her face pressed against his bare chest. At this time, Hazel did not know whether the loud heartbeat belonged to her or Alex.

    Alex loomed over and kissed her forehead. A faint smile appeared on his face as he watched the girl beside him. Seeing her shy expression, Alex felt something in him stirred.

    However, he knew best that he had to suppress whatever he was feeling at the moment. He had heard how it would hurt for a woman after the first time. Moreover¡­ they had run out of protection. Last night¡­ they have used up the two condoms that Hazel had kept.

    As the thought came to his mind, Alex made a mental note to buy a few the next time he visited the store.

    Alex ran his fingers in her long tresses as he kept his eyes on her. "Are you¡­ still uncomfortable?"

    Hazel was too embarrassed to answer his question. Of course, it was still uncomfortable. It was her first time, after all. Although Hazel had heard how it would be painful for the first time, she did not expect that her body would hurt like this. She wanted to complain but was too embarrassed to face him.

    Alex had a guilty conscience. "I''m sorry. It was my bad last night." He hesitated and continued. "Next time¡­ Next time, I''ll be more careful."

    Hazel looked at him in shock.

    Her body was still aching, but he had already think about their next time?

    Suddenly, his hand moved to her waist and Alex started to massage that area. "Does it feel slightly better?"

    Her eyes grew warm upon hearing his question. "Hmm¡­" Her throat parched and she was too lazy to talk.

    Hazel gave a slow nod and continued to bury her face in his chest. After a few minutes of enjoying his massage, Hazel was starting to feel a little sleepy and started to doze off.

    She was unaware of how long she had fallen asleep.

    When Hazel opened her eyes again, Alex was no longer beside her. Hazel laid alone in her bed and began to rethink what had happened between her and Alex. Now that he was not beside her, the initial confusion she had when she had woken up earlier had disappeared. Hazel was able to think with a clearer mind and was no longer that embarrassed.

    Their bodies intertwining in different positions. It was painful for the first time and Hazel had thought that perhaps, she was too hasty when she had decided to sleep with him. But after a while¡­ there were no words that she could use to describe the way he made her feel.

    It was too overwhelming that she had lost her mind.

    Hazel was not expecting that their relationship would progress this fast, but Hazel did not regret giving her first time to Alex. Actually, she was relieved that her first time was with Alex.

    When she started to think of his expression as he embraced her last night, Hazel felt a little giddy.

    Just then, the door swung open from the outside. Hazel turned her head in the direction and was momentarily in a daze when she saw Alex''s handsome face at the door.

    The man walked over to the bedside table and poured a glass of water. Then, Alex turned to Hazel and smiled. "Have a drink first."

    "Oh." Hazel nodded obediently. She sat up and winced at her aching body. Then, she drank the water slowly. Her eyes peeked at Alex and their gaze met.

    "Are you hungry?" Alex asked. "I made us lunch when you were sleeping."

    "Ah?" Hazel turned to look at the clock and saw that it had passed lunch hour.

    Alex chuckled at her action. "Come on. Get up and have something to eat."

    Hazel leaned on the bed frame. "I''m too lazy to move."

    The moment she spoke, Hazel was shocked upon hearing her hoarse voice. Thinking that it was because of her parch throat, Hazel began to finish the glass of water and had asked for Alex to refill her glass again.

    "Thank you," Hazel spoke again after drinking a little more. This time, her voice was not as hoarse and Hazel felt a little better.

    "I made some nourishing soup for you," Alex said. He lowered his gaze and smiled. "I did not know how it tastes like, but I read that it would be beneficial for you to drink."

    Seeing the look on his face, Hazel felt a little warm inside. She shifted her legs slowly and spoke, "Let me take a shower first."

    Alex nodded. "Do you need me to help you?"

    Hazel quickly shook her head. "No. My body¡­. is not that aching anymore." She thought about it for a while and added, "It was thanks to your message."

    Alex smiled. He watched as she wrapped the blanket around her body before she walked over to the bathroom.

    The pastel blue blanket wrapped from her chest below. Her long hair fell on her back. This scene was too seductive. From where he stood, Alex could see the trace of their lovemaking on her shoulder and collarbone. Swiftly, he looked away to suppress his desire for her.

    Suddenly, Alex recalled the three words that she had spoke to him just before they reached the peak.

    "Hazel."

    "Hmm?" Hazel turned around and tilted her head to one side.

    Alex did not know how he could ask to hear those words again. After a brief hesitation, he walked over to her and placed his hands on both sides of her waist. Alex bent to kiss her forehead again and spoke, "I love you."

    Hazel stared back at him in surprise. A while later, her lips curled into a smile. "En. I love you too."

    His throat bobbed and his gaze could not mask his happiness upon hearing the words again. Alex bent down to kiss her lips for a long time before he let her go again. He took a deep breath to control himself and took a step back.. "Go and have your shower."

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 416 - Living Together

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    After the first time that they have slept together, Hazel began to notice that someone seemed to have moved into her apartment.

    In the past, Alex would leave her apartment and head back to his unit after they ate dinner together. These days, that man had been staying around her apartment and would not leave even when it was time for her to go to bed.

    Then, the next morning, Hazel would find herself in bed with Alex beside her. His arms wrapped around her waist, pulling her closer and her head would lay under his other arms.

    In the beginning, Hazel thought that it was strange to find him in her bed the moment she woke up. After a few days, Hazel was starting to get used to his presence.

    Anyway, with Alex around, Hazel did not have to set her alarm and that man would be the one to woke her up and helped her to get ready before she went for work.

    It was as if Alex had moved into her apartment and the two of them were living together.

    In her closet was a small space for his clothes. Over the sink counter in the bathroom, there were a few of his items. Whenever Hazel turned around in her apartment, she would always find a trace of Alex.

    Her eyes fluttered as she woke up from sleep. It took her a couple of seconds to realize that she had slept in Alex''s arms again.

    Seeing that the man was still sleeping, Hazel decided to stay still and stared at his face for a long time. After a while, her hands slowly reached to touch his face. Her finger moved to trace the shape of his face¡ªhis tall nose, his jaw, and then it reached to his lips.

    A faint smile appeared on her lips as she continued to tease him like this. After she had played enough, Hazel stared at his face again. She wanted to remember the way Alex''s sleeping visage.

    Hazel thought that the way he looked at this moment was too adorable. He looked a little lazy and seductive. Staring at his face silently like this made her feel a little giddy. Subconsciously, Hazel moved to get close to him.

    Her face pressed against his chest and her body turned warmer. Alex''s body always felt warm and comfortable. Hazel thought that it would give her a sense of comfort and security.

    It was the same feeling she got when Alex had held her hand in his. From their childhood, Hazel would always felt comfortable and safe whenever Alex held her hand.

    As the thought came to her mind, Hazel started to reach for his hand that rested on her waist. She peeked at his sleeping face again before she raised his hand. Then, she began to scrutinize his hand for a long time as if she was watching something very interesting.

    Alex opened his eyes slowly to look at the girl in his arms.

    He had woke up a few minutes earlier than her and thought that he wanted to savor the moment where he had a beauty in his embrace a while longer. Anyway, it was the weekend and the two of them could spend a long time lazying around like this.

    However, Hazel woke up a few minutes later and her naughty hands had touched him everywhere on his face. Sensing that she was having fun, Alex decided to let her do whatever she wanted.

    At this time, Hazel was touching his hand. Their palm met as Hazel was measuring their sizes. After a while, her attention shifted and Hazel started to trace his palm line. A slight frown appeared on her face and Alex could not help but wonder what was on her mind at this time.

    "What are you doing?"

    Hazel was startled the moment she heard his voice. She quickly released his hand and looked up to find that Alex was staring at her curiously.

    "Nothing." A guilty smile curled on her lips.

    A chuckle escaped him. Alex placed his hand on her waist and pulled her body closer before he kissed her face. "Good morning."

    Hazel had never thought that these words could make her very happy. Her expression mirrored her feelings and Hazel leaned to kiss the corner of his lips. "Good morning."

    Before she could pull away, Alex had put his hand behind her head and his face descended before he caught her lips. He kissed her for a long time, continuously tasting her lips as if he could not get enough of them.

    After a while, his hand started to trace along her body in slow, torturous movement, and slowly, he reached under her shirt.

    A gasp escaped her as Hazel felt his thumb caressing the side of her chest and something moister build up between her legs. Feeling slightly aroused with his teasing Hazel leaned forward to deepened their kiss. Her hand rested at the back of his neck as she kissed him with the same enthusiasm.

    It was slowly making him crazy. Alex rolled and pressed her under his body before he started to rain his kisses everywhere on her body and leaving his mark on her white skin.

    Sensing her arousal, Alex went back to kiss her lips. He pulled back and stared at her face for a long time.

    Her cheeks were pink, her eyes were misty and her lips were a little swollen from his kisses. Seeing her state at this moment made his body grew hot and Alex did not know how long he could hold on. He wondered if Hazel knew how adorable and seductive her appearance looked at the moment.

    "Hazel," He called her name with a sense of urgency.

    "Huh?" Hazel tried her best to focus on him. Seeing the questioning look in his eyes, Hazel understood his silent question. She bit at her lips and nodded. Wrapping her arms around his neck, Hazel pulled him closer and kissed him again.

    When everything ended, Hazel closed her eyes as she tried to regain her focus. However, after a few minutes had passed, Hazel continued to feel as if her body was in a high cloud. It was the same feeling she would experience every time their body became one.

    Her phone on the side table rang, and Hazel snapped out of her trance.

    Before she could reach to get her phone, Alex had grabbed them and passed her phone to her.

    "It''s Hailey."

    Her eyes snapped open. Hazel tried to calm down and adjusted her voice. Then, she slid her finger across the screen and pressed the phone to her ear. "Hailey? What''s up?"

    It was early morning and it was a little strange for her sister to call her at this time.

    "Sister."

    Hazel was alarmed the moment she heard Hailey''s voice. "Hailey? What''s wrong? Why are you crying?"

    "Sister," Hailey called again. Then she started to sob. "What am I supposed to do? Mom is about to give birth.. Dad had taken her to the hospital a few minutes ago, but I''m worried."

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 417 - Edith Gave Birth To The Twins

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Hazel picked up her stuff and headed straight to the airport with Alex.

    Because she was in a hurry, the two of them took the flight to L City instead of driving back as they usually do. The moment she found her seat and sit down, Hazel closed her eyes and started to pray for her Auntie Edith''s safe delivery.

    The twins were supposed to come out a week later, but Hailey said that her Auntie Edith had slipped in the bathroom earlier and they were worried for both mother and child.

    Hazel thought that she was going to faint when Hailey mentioned blood. Suddenly, her mind goes blank and she could not think well. It was Alex who had spoken to Hailey later to find out the details before he booked their flight home.

    Alex had then coax her to calm down and get ready. It was then that Hazel snapped out of her trance. She composed herself, took a quick shower, and get ready before they headed to the airport.

    "Relax." Alex placed his hand on top of hers and gave it a gentle squeeze. "Everything will be fine. Auntie Edith will be fine."

    Her eyes stung and her nose soured. Hazel felt her lips quivered and buried her face in Alex''s chest as she cried silently.

    Auntie Edith was such an important person to her. She had grown up with Auntie Edith by her side and the two of them had gone through a lot together. Hazel could not bear to think if something bad was going to happen to her.

    She would be devastated.

    The flight reached H City in less than two hours. Then, from H City, the two took a cab and headed to L City.

    Hazel took out her phone and called Hailey''s number again. The phone call was quickly connected and Hazel heard Hailey''s voice on the other line.

    "Sister, are you in L City now?"

    "Mmm¡­ We just landed and on our way to L City. How is it? Is there any news on Auntie Edith?"

    "Sister, you should head over to the hospital."

    Her body grew cold as all bad thoughts came to her mind.

    "Mom gave birth to the twin boys an hour ago," Hailey continued. "Mom and the twins are fine. At this time, everyone is heading to the hospital to visit them."

    Hazel heaved a breath of relief upon knowing that her Auntie Edith had safely given birth to the twins. She hung up after exchanging a few words with Hailey and turned to Alex. "Auntie Edith gave birth to the twins an hour ago. She and the babies are safe."

    Alex wrapped his arms around her shoulders in response. His heart was more at ease knowing that everything will be alright.

    Just like Hazel, Alex too was worried when he heard about that slight accident. Auntie Edith was not only his kindergarten teacher but an aunt that he loved dearly. He had grown up under that woman''s eyes and their relationship was very close.

    The cab soon reached the hospital. After getting the room number from the nurse''s station, Hazel headed over to the private ward with Alex. She knocked on the door and entered the ward alone.

    Auntie Edith had just given birth and it might be inappropriate for Alex to enter the room at this time.

    When Hazel entered the room, her Auntie Edith was alone with an elder caretaker. She walked over to the bed and felt her eyes welled up.

    "Why are you here?" Edith asked as she adjusted the pillow behind her. "Aren''t you supposed to be in L City?"

    She had reminded her husband not to tell Hazel about her accident as she did not want the girl to worried. However, the girl still found out that she had given birth and had shown up in front of her with an anxious look on her face.

    "Hailey was worried and she called me this morning," Hazel explained.

    Edith let out a sigh. She knew that both her kids were worried earlier. The house became hectic in the morning because she had slipped into the bathroom. Edith recalled the panic look on her husband''s face that morning and felt a little guilty.

    "Auntie Edith, how did you slip in the bathroom?"

    "I was trying to pick up something on the floor and then it just happened." Edith let out a soft sigh and tried to change the subject. "Did you come alone?"

    "No. Alex is with me. I thought you might be inappropriately dressed, so I let him wait outside," Hazel said. "Where is everyone else?"

    "Your uncle took them to see the babies. Because they were born prematurely, the twins had to stay in the incubator room," Edith said. A warm smile curled on her lips. Then, she spread her arms and spoke, "Hazel, come here."

    Hazel walked over and hugged her auntie. Her nose soured as she thought of how worried she was when she got news from Hailey earlier. "Auntie Edith, are you alright?"

    Edith tried to laugh, but the pain made her stop. "I''m fine. Stop worrying."

    A few seconds have passed and Hazel finally pulled away. Just then, Edith grabbed at her wrist, stopping her from moving. Her gaze fell on the markings on Hazel''s collarbone and she immediately knew what it was.

    "Have you met your uncle when you come here?" Edith asked.

    "No." Hazel was stunned upon seeing her auntie''s alarmed expression. "What''s wrong?"

    Edith took a deep breath before she turned to look at the caretaker. "Auntie, can you help me to get my shawl from my bag?"

    The elder caretaker stood up and came back with a light blue shawl in her hand. Edith took the shawl from that auntie and waved her hand to let Hazel came closer. Then, she began to wrap the shawl around Hazel''s neck.

    "What are you doing?" Hazel asked, puzzled.

    Edith flashed her a faint smile and whispered. "There are¡­ some marks that aren''t very appropriate for others to see."

    Hazel was startled. She recalled the strenuous activity she did with Alex in the morning and instantly, her face turned red.

    That morning, she was too anxious to see her auntie that she did not care much about the clothes she wore.

    The last time, her uncle had caught her kissing Alex. This time, her Auntie Edith had seen the marks on her body. Hazel thought that she had lost her face to see the two of them.

    "Fortunately, you haven''t met your uncle yet," Edith said. "Or else, I''m sure that he would find Alex, pointed a gun at his head, dragged him to the Civil Affair Bureau, and asked him to take responsibility."

    Her eyes were wide and Hazel started to adjust the shawl around her neck. "Ah? That serious?"

    Edith smiled when she saw Hazel''s reaction. "I''m joking."

    Of course, Edith did not doubt that this could be something that her husband would do.

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 418 - Two Little Monkeys

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    As Hazel and Edith were still chatting in the room, the door swung open and there were the sounds of footsteps coming in.

    "Sister!" Hailey called the moment she saw Hazel in the room. The girl hasten her footsteps and hugged Hazel tightly. Then, she raised her head and looked at Hazel apologetically. "Sorry, I made you worry."

    Hazel patted at the girl''s hair. "It''s fine. I''m glad you called me." A smile curled on her lips. "Did you just came from the baby''s room?"

    Hailey''s expression brightened. "Un. Un. Sister, the babies are just too cute and small. Let''s go and watch them later."

    A chuckle escaped her. "You''re a big sister now. Later, you have to help your mom to look after the twins alright?

    Hailey nodded happily before she pulled away.

    When Hazel looked up again, her uncle was staring at her with a concerned look in his gaze.

    "You''re here," Neil said. He glanced at his daughter and knew that it was Hailey who had told Hazel that her Auntie Edith had given birth. That morning, he was too anxious after he found his wife in the bathroom. He could not think of anything else other than to bring his wife to the hospital.

    Hailey saw the way her father was carrying her mother with an anxious expression and became worried. There was no one she can talk to other than Hazel.

    "Mmm¡­ I just arrived a few minutes ago with Alex," Hazel said.

    Neil looked at the shawl around Hazel''s neck and recognized that it belonged to his wife. However, because the two girls would share their clothing at times, Neil did not think too much of it and let the matter slip. "How long are you planning to stay?" Neil asked. "What about your internship?"

    "I will only stay for one night. I''ll head back to L City tomorrow morning," Hazel said. "I heard that Auntie Edith had given birth and had to come over and see the twins."

    A smile tilted on her lips. "Uncle, congratulation on becoming a father again."

    Neil let out a helpless smile. There was an obvious trace of happiness in his eyes. He was in his forties and he did not expect that he was going to be a father again at this age.

    In the beginning, he was too worried when he found out that his wife had gotten pregnant again. After they had Hailey, the two of them decided that it was enough for them to have a pair of a boy and girl.

    Who would have thought that his wife would get pregnant again and had a twin on top of that?

    Now that his wife had given birth to the two little monkeys, Neil felt as if a heavy rock has been lifted off his chest. He was just too happy that his wife and kids had come out safely from the delivery room.

    "Do you want to see the twins?"

    Hailey''s ears perked up. She raised her hand and looked at her father expectantly. "Dad, let me go and bring sister over."

    "Did you remember the way to the baby''s room?" Neil asked.

    Hailey pouted. "Dad, I''m not a kid anymore. Of course, I remember the way. Besides, it was not far away."

    Neil looked at his daughter dotingly. "Alright. Go and take your sister to see the twins."

    Hailey smiled brightly upon getting her father''s permission.

    "Later, I need you to take my car and bring Hailey home with you," Neil said.

    Initially, Neil was planning to send his daughter back home. However, his wife had just given birth and he did not want to be apart from her for a long time.

    Although he had hired an auntie to look after his wife, Neil was more comfortable doing all sorts of things by himself. Edith had worked hard in the delivery room to give birth to his children. He just wanted to do something more for his wife.

    Hailey held on to Hazel''s hand before she excitedly pulled her over to the door. The two girls met Alex outside the door and Hazel pulled him along with them to look at the babies.

    "Hayden did not come along?" Hazel asked Hailey as they walked along the corridor.

    "Mmm¡­ Brother is at home. He said that he will come and visit mom in the evening," Hailey said. "Great-Grandpa is at home and it would not be right if everyone left at the same time."

    Hazel nodded.

    Once they arrived at the babies'' room, Hailey called one of the nurses on duty and told her that they are coming to visit the babies again. The nurse had seen Hailey with Neil a few minutes ago and recognized her.

    A faint smile curled on her lips as Hazel watched the twins for the first time. Perhaps it was because they were born premature, the babies'' skins were red and wrinkly.

    At this time, one of the babies opened his mouth and yawn. It was a small, adorable movement.

    Seeing this scene, Hazel felt a warm feeling surged through her heart. Her hand that was holding Alex tightened up a little bit. Hazel leaned her head on his arms as they continued to look at the sleeping babies together

    ¡­

    Meanwhile¡­

    Neil sent the auntie who was watching over his wife to go out and take a rest. Then, he sat down beside his wife and pecked at her cheek. "How are you feeling?"

    Edith looked at her husband with watery eyes. "Darling, my body is all painful and sore."

    "Sorry, it has been very hard on you." Neil held his wife closer. He let her rest her head on his chest and kissed her head repeatedly.

    Whenever he recalled the moment he found his wife on the bathroom floor, his face would turn white. There were traces of blood coming from his wife''s legs. Neil was so frightened that his expression turned rigid.

    He could not bear to think of anything bad that would happen to his wife.

    Fortunately, he was quick enough to bring his wife to the hospital. The doctor mentioned that if he was a little late, it would endanger both the mother and child. After a thorough check-up, The doctor mentioned that the babies are ready to come out and Edith was pushed into the labor room.

    Fortunately, he did not have to wait for a long time until he heard the babies'' cries.

    It was only after he had seen his wife''s tired smile did he began to relax. Fortunately, his wife and kids are safe.

    Neil let out a heavy sigh as he held Edith tighter in his embrace. "Wife, thank you. You''ve been amazing."

    "Hmm..." Edith lifted her head and pecked at Neil''s jaw.. Her gaze turned warm as she continued to look at her husband.

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 419 - Her Strongest Support

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Knowing that Edith and the twins were alright, Hazel had no reason to stay in L City for too long. Hazel and Alex booked an early flight on the next day and they were scheduled to depart around the afternoon.

    Before she was going to return to L City, Hazel decided to visit her Auntie Edith and the twins.

    After they returned to L City, it would be hard for her to see the twins again. It seemed that she was going to miss watching them grow up just like she had with both Hayden and Hailey. Although she had not spent a long time with the twins, Hazel knew that she was going to miss them so much.

    As Hazel entered the wardroom, her Auntie and Uncle were sitting on the bed, whispering something. Seeing the two were acting lovey-dovey, Hazel felt her cheek heated up and she stepped back.

    Although she was used to seeing the two of them acting affectionately in front of her, this time Hazel was slightly shy.

    She wondered if she was starting to feel a little awkward after experiencing all sorts of things with Alex.

    Unfortunately, before Hazel was able to step away, Edith had noticed her presence.

    "Hazel, you''re here." Edith looked at the girl who was standing at the door and a faint smile escaped her once she noticed that Hazel was wearing a turtleneck. She was reminded of the marks she had accidentally seen and glanced at her husband.

    Fortunately, Neil was a little preoccupied with everything else that he had failed to notice anything strange about Hazel. However, her gaze turned warm as she recalled how Neil has been running back and forth from her wardroom to the babies'' room.

    This man had hired an experienced auntie to look after her, but he would not be at ease until he did everything himself.

    Edith thought that perhaps, Neil was a little traumatic after yesterday''s event that he was not willing to leave her alone.

    "I heard that you will be heading to B City this evening," Edith said as her husband helped her to adjust the pillow behind her.

    "Hmm¡­" Hazel pouted as she walked over.

    "Let your uncle send you to the airport."

    "No. That''s not necessary. I''m sure my uncle would love to accompany you here." Hazel smiled. "Besides, Auntie Lily had offered to drive us to the airport."

    A thought crossed her mind and Hazel rummaged her purse. She pulled out a set of car keys and handed it over to her uncle. "Uncle, your car keys. I parked your car at the same spot as yesterday."

    Neil nodded. He slid his car keys into his pocket and stepped out to give the two girls a chance to chat.

    "I''m going to miss watching the twins grow up," Hazel spoke as soon as her uncle had left the room.

    Edith laughed. "Don''t worry. I will post a picture of them every day. That way you will not miss anything."

    Hazel smiled, knowing that it would not be the same thing. "I will return during the twins'' full months celebration. Yesterday, I was in a hurry to visit you that I forgot to bring those rompers with me. Next time, I will post them over through the courier service."

    The two of them chatted about the babies for a while and Edith mentioned recuperating in the hospital for a few more days to accompany the twins. The babies were born prematurely and she was anxious if she had to be far away from them.

    After chatting for a while, Hazel''s phone started to chime. Seeing that Alex and Auntie Lily were on their way to pick her up, Hazel bid her goodbyes and stopped by the baby''s room again. She spent a few minutes watching them sleep and headed downstairs when Alex had arrived.

    "How''s your Auntie Edith?" Lily asked the moment Hazel slipped into the passenger''s seat. "I haven''t had my chance to visit her yet. When will she be discharged?"

    "Auntie Edith is planning to stay for a few more days. Just until the twins are more stabilized," Hazel said. "The doctor said that the boys are quite strong. Maybe the two will be discharged soon."

    Lily thought about the newborn babies and heaved a sigh.

    She could almost imagine that things were going to be lively in Mo''s household again with the twins around. The image of small kids running around appeared in her mind.

    Suddenly, Lily wanted to hold a baby as well. However, she couldn''t get pregnant again. After she had Ellie, Both Lily and Ethan had decided that they were not going to have kids again.

    Her gaze fell on the girl sitting beside her and suddenly, a mysterious smile curled on Lily''s lips.

    ¡­

    Both Alex and Hazel reached the airport and headed straight to the departure hall.

    Earlier, the traffic was congested due to an accident and the two of them nearly did not make it to the airport to catch their flight.

    Hearing the announcement on the speaker, Alex held on Hazel''s hand tightly before they both ran over to the terminal. After passing through the security check, both of them arrived in the nick of time.

    They found their seat in the plane and heaved a sigh of relief.

    Hazel glanced at the man beside her and laughed. "That was tiring."

    Alex let out a chuckle. He helped Hazel with her seat belt and held on her hand tightly as the plane took off. Once they were given the signal that it was safe for them to remove their seat belt, Alex waved his hand at the stewardess and asked for a glass of water for his girlfriend.

    "Alex."

    "Hmm?"

    "I''m going to miss the babies."

    A chuckle escaped him. "We can always head back and visit them every weekend.."

    Hazel let out a long sigh. "Forget it. I''m going to be busy with this internship. Let''s just come back during the twins'' full month celebration." A faint smile curled on her lips as she recalled the adorable look on the twin''s faces as they slept.

    "Why are you smiling?"

    Hazel shook her head. She lifted her head and flashed a smile. "Thank you for coming over with me this time."

    "What are you thanking me for" Alex pinched at her cheek. "If I did not come with you, I would not be at ease."

    Hazel recalled the way she had almost lost her mind when Hailey had called to tell her about Auntie Edith''s accident. It was Alex who had stayed around and helped her to calm down. This man had always been one of her strongest support.

    "Alex?"

    His lips curled into a helpless smile. "What is it?"

    Hazel leaned into his embrace and whispered, "Have I ever told you that I love you?"

    His eyes darkened. Alex had wanted to kiss the girl senselessly, but he recalled that they were both on a flight. "You have.. But I love to hear that words over and over again."

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 420 - When Do You Plan To Marry Me?

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Once they both returned to L City, Hazel was immediately busied again with the amount of work she had to face during her internship. Her supervisor liked her enthusiasm for building robots and had wanted her to join him on his project.

    During this time, Hazel would frequently video called home to look at the twin boys.

    It was interesting to watch as they grew up. Their skins were no longer red and wrinkle. Although all they do was sleep, Hazel was satisfied to look at them.

    According to Auntie Edith, the brothers were very easy to look after. Unless if they were hungry or have stained themselves, the two of them would sleep soundly.

    However, if one of them started to cry, the other would join in as well.

    Once Hailey mentioned that the babies had a unique, milky smell and this had made Hazel burned with jealousy.

    At the thought that the babies'' smell would disappear by the time she returned home during their full moon celebration, Hazel became a little sad.

    She wanted to smell the babies too.

    Alex heard her spoke about this and laughed.

    "What are you laughing about? Hazel hit at his arms playfully.

    Alex lowered his head and smiled seductively at her. "If you wanted to hold a baby and smell them all the time, there is a way to do it."

    The little rabbit tilted her head with an innocent look in her eyes. "What way?"

    "Of course¡­ you can have a baby as well."

    Hearing her answer, Hazel''s face turned bright red and she did not dare to look at Alex''s face. Her hand reached to pinch him at his waist. "Hateful. I''m still young. It''s too early for me to give birth."

    Just thinking about having his baby made her feel shy and excited.

    Alex laughed happily. He wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her face repeatedly, making her dizzy. Once he was able to calm down, Alex hugged her tightly as she rested her head on his chest. "Hazel Mo."

    "En?" Hazel wanted to lift her head to look at him, but Alex was pressing her head to his chest and she was unable to move. No. It was she who did not want to move.

    "When do you plan to marry me?"

    Her heart skipped a beat. Hazel was in a daze, thinking that perhaps she had misheard things. However, when she lifted her head to look at his expectant gaze, Hazel knew that the man was very serious about her.

    This was not the first time that she had heard Alex mentioned marriage.

    When they started dating, Alex had spoken about his intention to marry her someday. Back then, Hazel was not very sure about her feelings towards Alex. She could only tell him that she will think about it.

    A few months have passed since that time and Hazel thought that her feelings towards Alex had definitely changed.

    This person had accompanied her for a long time and she could not imagine her life without Alex by her side. After spending her time with him, Hazel realized that her liking towards him was not because he had always been around for her.

    From the way her heart would beat erratically whenever she saw him, Hazel knew that she was crazy about him.

    At least, she could say confidently that she really does love this man.

    "I don''t know," Hazel spoke after a long silence between them.

    His gaze drop. Alex knew that with Hazel, he has to be very patient. He had waited for years before he could ask her to date him. He had patiently let her know everything about him including the way she made him feel.

    Alex knew that he would not mind waiting for Hazel. No matter how long it will take for Hazel before she would agree, there was nothing else that he could do other than to convince him that marrying him would be the best choice.

    "Let''s just wait until I graduate," Hazel continued. "Then¡­ we can think about it." She recalled her previous conversation with her uncle and knew that it would be the best decision to wait until then.

    There was an obvious trace of joy in his eyes. Alex was not expecting that Hazel would give an answer. His heart soared and Alex could not describe the happiness he felt.

    Since Hazel was no longer hesitant about marrying him, then, the next thing he should do was to prepare a proposal and formally asked her to marry him.

    "Alright." His voice was a little deep and hoarse as he could not mask the way her words had made him feel. "We''ll wait until you have graduated.

    ¡­

    On the weekend, Hazel spent her time at home with some chores.

    Alex had gone out earlier to meet a business partner and told her that he would return home after dinner. Without him around, Hazel had managed to settle her laundry and cleaned every nook of her apartment. When everything was done, Hazel sat down on the sofa and looked at the time.

    A slight frown appeared on her face.

    Alex had said that he should return around this time, but the man had not returned home.

    Just as she was about to call him, her phone rang and Alex''s name appeared on the caller ID.

    A smile turned on her face and Hazel slid her finger on the screen to accept the call. However, the person who had greeted him on the other line was not Alex. Instead, it was his business partner, Daniel.

    "Sister-in-law," Daniel greeted, making Hazel startled. "It''s me, Daniel. Alex''s business partner. Do you¡­ remember me?"

    "Un¡­ Why is Alex''s phone with you? Where is he?" Various thoughts came to her mind and Hazel began to worry. "Is he alright? Did something happen to him?"

    Daniel let out a chuckle. "Sister-in-law, don''t worry. Alex is alright. It''s just that, the business partner was being a little difficult and Alex had drunk a little too much." He let out an awkward cough and continued, "He kept on calling your name and would not want to leave. If it''s alright, could you come over and pick him up?"

    Hazel paused as this was the first time that she had heard that Alex was drunk.. After getting the location from Daniel, Hazel grabbed her purse and called for the cab.

    Read novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 421 - Wife, Do You Not Want Me Anymore?

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    When Hazel arrived at the address that Daniel had sent to her, Hazel quickly walked in to look for Alex. The club was booming with music and people kept on bumping into her.

    Hazel did not spare anyone a second glance as she continued to look for Alex. However, the moment the boys noticed that there was a girl, walking alone in the club aimlessly, they could not help but want to get closer.

    Suddenly, Hazel''s path was blocked and two guys were standing in front of her. A deep frown appeared on her face and Hazel was not too happy at this moment.

    Hazel stepped aside to walk past by, but the man had followed her and continued to block her way.

    "Excuse me." Her tone showed that she was irritated and impatient. "But could you move aside?"

    "Why are you in such a hurry?" The man with short, blue hair asked. His lips tilted into a playful smile as he inched closer to Hazel. One look at his face and manner would tell anyone that this man was an experienced playboy. "Since you have come here, why don''t we go and have fun together."

    Hazel shot him a disgusted look. "I''m not interested. Move aside."

    "Don''t be like that." The man continued to block her path. He waved a hand to his friend and someone stepped up with a glass of drink. The man picked up the glass of colorful drink and raised a brow at Hazel. "How about this? Why don''t you finish this drink, then I will consider letting you pass."

    Her expression turned ugly. Hazel was reminded of the drink that Kevin Xu had prepared for her. She could guess that this drink would not be that different than what Kevin Xu had prepared.

    "I''m not interested." Hazel pushed his hand away.

    The alcohol in the glass splashed on the man''s hand and the man''s expression turned ugly. "Listen to b*tch" He turned around to grab Hazel''s hand.

    Just before he managed to touch her, the man found himself staring at the ceiling. The air was knocked out of his body and he was unable to figure out what just happened.

    Meanwhile, the people in the club turned quiet. The people stopped talking and the room was only filled with blaring music.

    Everyone nearby was still shocked to see how a skinny girl could throw a muscular man over her shoulders. They tried to peek at Hazel''s face and were surprised to see the cold and angry look on the girl''s face.

    The people around them subconsciously took a step back. None of them wanted to catch Hazel''s attention and accidentally offended her.

    However, just because most people were sensible, it doesn''t mean that everyone will be the same.

    The blue-haired man snapped out of his trance and stood up. He looked at Hazel with a mix of fury and embarrassment on his expression. Though Hazel had thrown him off her shoulder, the man refused to back down. He thought that the only reason he had to suffer this embarrassment was that he was not paying attention and Hazel got lucky.

    He tried to grab Hazel''s shoulder but this time, Hazel had kicked him on his chest, causing him to stumble backward. Fortunately, his friends had held him from falling.

    The man''s face turned red with anger. However, even if he wanted to get back to Hazel, his friends were holding him tightly, preventing him from moving. His chest area was painful and breathing became harder.

    The crowd parted to make way for Hazel. A few guards stepped forward but were clueless about what they should do. One glance at the situation told them that Hazel was the victim and her movement was merely self-defense.

    Seeing that the blue-haired man was injured, the guard decided to lead him to a room to stop him from making any reckless move.

    Hazel finally found Alex sitting at a booth upstairs. She looked at the bottle on the table and then, her gaze moved to the man on the sofa. Her anger rose the moment she saw this scene.

    "Sister-in-law." Daniel noticed her presence and stood up to greet her.

    "What happened to Alex?" Hazel asked. "How much did he drink?"

    Daniel sensed her anger and quickly summarized what happened. "The other party decided to have a drinking contest with Alex. Unless if he wins, the other party did not want to sell the stuff to Alex."

    Hazel narrowed her eyes. "What stuff? Was it worth it to suffer this much to win that bid?" She was aware that sometimes, a businessman will need to attend a dinner party and entertain their client. However, Hazel did not think that it would be like this.

    A drinking contest?

    Daniel let out a dry cough. "The stuff that Alex wanted to buy is definitely worth for him to go through this trouble."

    Hazel pursed her lips tightly. She knew that Daniel was Alex''s business partner. However, Alex had told her a few times that he was merely acting as an investor and a consultant for Daniel until the company was stabilized.

    At this time, the owner of the company, Daniel, looked as if he had not taken a sip of alcohol. Instead, Alex had to go through the trouble for him to win some bidding.

    Of course, Hazel was not happy. Considering that Daniel was Alex''s friend, Hazel decided not to say a thing.

    However, Hazel did not know that the item that Alex had wanted to bid had nothing to do with their company.

    "Did he win?" Hazel asked.

    Daniel smiled. "Of course. In the end, that person got drunk first and his assistant had to drag him to leave.

    Her heart was more at ease upon hearing that Alex had won. She walked over to Alex and shook his shoulder to wake him up. "Alex?"

    The man opened his eyes to a slit. The moment he saw Hazel, a wide, silly grin appeared on his lips. "My wife!" He then proceeded to bury his head in Hazel''s chest and rubbed his face a few times.

    Hazel was startled and was unable to react. Her face grew red as she realized that Daniel was still around. She pushed him away and fought the urge to beat him. "What wife? Alex He, you better behave yourself."

    Alex was surprised when he was pushed away by Hazel. He looked at her with an aggrieved expression and asked, "Wife, do you not want me anymore?"

    Hazel stared at Alex with her eyes wide.

    When did Alex know how to act coquettishly like this? Can someone tell her who was this man?

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 422 - You Have To Be Responsible

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Hazel felt an upcoming headache upon looking at Alex. Daniel was still around and she did not know how should she handle this situation.

    She had known Alex for a long time and had seen him drinking on a few occasions. Hazel was aware that Alex was someone who could hold his liquor well. She could guess at how much drink he had to win that bidding.

    However, this was the first time she had seen Alex acting like this and Hazel found this situation was amusing and annoying at the same time.

    Hazel gritted her teeth. "Alex He, if you don''t stop playing around, I will leave you here?

    Alex''s expression showed his surprise. Then, he started to look at Hazel as if he was an abandoned puppy.

    Hazel let out a long sigh, wondering how she should drag this intoxicated man home. She turned to Daniel and spoke, "Can you help me to carry him?

    Daniel nodded. He walked over and stretched his hand to help support Alex up.

    Just then, Alex slapped his hand away and the look in his eyes was full of disgust. "Who are you?" Alex narrowed his eyes dangerously. "Don''t touch me. You''re not my wife and I don''t have interest in you."

    Daniel suppressed his laughter. "Alex, it''s me, Daniel. Come on. I''ll help you to get home."

    "No. Don''t come near me. Or else, what would happen if my wife misunderstood me?"

    Hazel watched the interaction between the two men and thought that Alex was pretty cute when he was drunk. Unfortunately, Hazel did not remember to take out her phone and record his interaction. Or else, she could use this video to make fun of him.

    Alex turned to Hazel with puppy dog eyes. "Wife, don''t misunderstand. I don''t know that person."

    Hazel felt the corner of her lips started to twitch. "Alex He, get up. We''re going home."

    His expression perked up. "Oh." Then, he stood up still and continued to stare at Hazel, as if he was waiting for her next order.

    Hazel exchanged a glance with Daniel before she turned around.

    Daniel stepped forward to help Alex, but his hand was swatted away again.

    Alex shot him a warning look before he stretched his hand to hold Hazel''s. "Wife, let''s hold hands. It would be bad if you got lost."

    Hazel shifted her gaze towards their intertwined hands. Then, she looked at Alex again. "Can you walk? She watched him nodded and chuckle. "Well then, let''s go home."

    As they walked down the stairs, Hazel was surprised to see that Alex was able to walk properly. If he had not behaved strangely just now, Hazel would be convinced that the man was not drunk.

    Hazel led him over to the exit. The crowd saw Hazel again and swiftly made way for her to leave. The image of her trashing a man almost half her size were still fresh in their mind. No one dared to disturb her.

    As soon as they walked out, Hazel hailed a cab and asked Daniel to help her with Alex''s car. The moment they sat in the passenger''s seat, Alex sat obediently beside Hazel. He held on to her hand and refused to let go.

    Hazel was still worrying about how she was going to drag Alex upstairs. Fortunately, when they arrived, Alex did not cause any trouble and continued to listen to Hazel obediently.

    As long as he could look at the woman beside him and held her hand all day long, Alex would behave obediently.

    Hazel took him to her apartment and asked him to clean up. However, the man refused to move as he did not want to be apart from Hazel.

    Alex tugged at Hazel''s hand and soon, the two of them were sitting on the sofa. Before Hazel could react, Alex had already put his head on her thigh. He closed his eyes and a satisfied smile curled on his lips.

    "Alex He, are you not going to take a shower?"

    "No. I want to stay like this forever."

    Her lips twitched again. Hazel pinched at his cheek to vent her frustration and asked, "Do you know who I am?"

    Alex opened his eyes to a slit. Then, he smiled again. "Hazel Mo. My wife."

    "Who''s your wife? I am not married to you yet."

    Alex stared at her in surprise. Then he said, "No. It doesn''t matter. You will be my wife eventually. Hazel Mo. You have taken a lot of my first time. You cannot shirk responsibility. You have to be responsible for me."

    Her face turned red as Hazel heard his words. Hazel turned away and refused to look at him.

    Fortunately, they had returned to their apartment. If someone heard his words just now, Hazel did not know how she was going to face the people.

    "Wife, are you angry?"

    "What do you think?" Hazel narrowed her eyes at him. "How could you drink so much? What would happen if you get sick?"

    "Then... it''s my fault. I''m guilty."

    "Of course, you''re guilty.  Was it worth it to drinking this much to win a bid?"

    Alex nodded. "It''s worth it."

    Hearing his answer made her angry again. "Just what is it that you wanted to win so bad? Why are you so determined to win that bid?"

    Alex opened his mouth to answer. However, a few seconds later, he changed his mind. "Not telling you. It''s a surprise. I cannot tell you."

    Hazel let out an angry laugh.  Just as she was still wondering what she should do with Alex, the man had wrapped his arms around her waist and buried his head in her stomach.

    "Hazel Mo, don''t cry."

    Hazel was startled. She looked at Alex again and saw that he had close his eyes to sleep.

    "I will not let anyone bullied you in this lifetime, "Alex continued to mumble. "So, don''t cry, alright?"

    Her gaze turned gentle upon hearing his words. She looked at the man who was lying on her thigh and let out a helpless sigh.

    The next morning, Alex woke up and was startled to find himself lying on the bed, naked. He raised the blanket and found that he was only sleeping with his boxer on.

    His mind reeled to think of what had happened after he had that drinking contest last night. He seemed to recall seeing Hazel at the club, but Alex was not sure if it was merely his imagination.

    What happened after he passed out?

    His head throbbed with pain and Alex made a silent vow not to drink too much the next time.

    At this time, the door swung open and Hazel appeared at the door.

    She crossed her arms across her chest and looked at Alex coldly.. "You''re awake."

    Read novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 423 - He Wanted To Give Her A Surprise

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Alex halted. He felt a shiver down his spine upon seeing the cold look on Hazel''s face. He did not know what had happened, but Alex was sure that Hazel was not very happy with him. She was angry.

    "Go and take your shower," Hazel said. "I made something for you to help with your hangover. Come over and eat once you are done."

    A breath of relief escaped him. Though his girlfriend was angry, it doesn''t seem as if it was something serious. As long as she still cared and concerned about him, he could still fix the situation, right?

    As soon as Hazel left the room, Alex quickly scrambled off the bed and headed to the bathroom. He stood under the shower and tried to figure out what he had done to make her angry.

    Alex tried to rethink last night''s event. He remembered Raymond Qiu had challenged him to drink if he wanted to win the stuff. He knew that he had beat that man and won that bet.

    Afterward¡­ he cannot remember what happened. A deep frown appeared on his face as he seemed to recall something.

    Wife¡­ Why did this word suddenly appeared in his mind?

    Alex dried his hair as he walked out of the bathroom. He wanted to call Daniel to ask what happened, but unfortunately, his phone had run out of battery.

    He put on his clothes and went to find Hazel.

    From the bedroom door, Alex could see Hazel''s silhouette as she stood in front of the stove. The smell of something delicious wafted to his nose and suddenly, Alex could hear his stomach grumbled.

    Alex wanted to give her a back hug, but before he could reach and hold her, Hazel had turned to him.

    "Go and sit down."

    Seeing the cold air around her made him feel uncomfortable. Alex obediently sit down and waited as Hazel walked over with two bowls of porridge. On the table, Hazel had prepared a tea that was going to help him with his hangover.

    Alex drank his sobering tea quietly and ate his breakfast.

    The silence between them was making him uncomfortable. Alex put down the spoon in his hand and turned to Hazel. "Hazel, are you angry?"

    Hazel raised a brow. "Did you do something to make me angry?"

    Alex frowned, thinking that this was definitely a trick question. He knew that he had not done anything wrong, but from Hazel''s expression, it was clear that he had done something that had made her angry.

    He still could not figure out what he had done.

    Hazel continued to watch Alex''s expression with the corner of her eyes. The corner of her lips tilted up slightly before it disappeared. Hazel did not think that watching Alex''s flustered expression could be fun.

    However, a few seconds later, Hazel changed her mind. Although she was enjoying teasing him, Hazel found that she did not have the heart to continue this prank.

    The look on Alex''s face was too pitiful.

    Hazel hardened her heart. She cannot let him scoot free without giving him a warning.

    "Why did you drink so much last night?"

    Alex lowered his head, knowing that he did not know how he should explain his situation. Will Hazel think that he was too silly to drink too much just because he wanted to win a bet?

    However¡­ if he did not come out with an answer, Hazel will continue to be upset.

    "I wanted to purchase something, but that other party would not sell it to me unless if I win the bet," Alex decided to come clean. He would explain everything Hazel needed to know. Just that¡­ if Hazel was going to ask him what is it that he wanted from Raymond Qiu, he would not be able to answer that question.

    He wanted to give her a surprise.

    After Hazel had agreed to give him a chance and the two of them had started to date, Alex has been looking for the perfect ring that he was going to propose to her with.

    Finally, he found what he wanted. This ring was a symbol of eternity. There was a legend behind it. It was said that if one propose with that ring, their marriage would last for a lifetime.

    He liked the story and wanted to purchase that ring, but that person who had the ring was being too difficult. It was only last night that Raymond had agreed to sell him that ring.

    Alex had set his eyes on that ring for a long time. Once he had set his eyes on something, he was unable to let go.

    No matter what was the condition, Alex had to agree. Since he had asked him to win in a drinking game, Alex could only drink and win that game.

    "Was it that important until you have to drink so much?" Hazel asked. She recalled the number of bottles on the table as she found him in the club and was very upset.

    Hazel knew how damaging it to one''s body if one was drinking too much. A lot of things could go wrong and Hazel could not bear to watch Alex lay down on the hospital bed again.

    Alex lifted his head to look straight at her. "It''s important to me."

    Hazel was startled by his answer. Seeing the determination in his expression, Hazel found that she could not say anything. It was an important thing for Alex and as his girlfriend, she did not want to prevent him from doing what he liked.

    A deep, long breath escaped her. "I don''t mind if you wanted to drink, but you shouldn''t drink too much," Hazel said. "Do you know how worried I was when your friend, Daniel had called to say that you were too drunk to go home? You insisted that you would not return home unless if I come over and pick you up."

    Alex thought about the club area and how Hazel had to go out late at night to pick him up. Suddenly, he was feeling guilty.

    "Next time, you should ask someone to drink in your stead," Hazel said. "Alex He, I did not like it when you drink too much. What if you hurt your stomach? What if Daniel was not around to watch over you? What if something bad happened to you?"

    "I promise that there will be no next time," Alex said. He raised a hand to show that he was committed to this promise.

    "Don''t make a promise that you cannot keep," Hazel reminded him. She pursed her lips and spoke again. "Next time, when you decide to do something, can you please think of me?"

    "I won''t make you worry again."

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 424 - The Twins Full Moon

    During the twin''s full moon celebration, both Hazel and Alex took the flight and went back to L City to attend the banquet.

    The last time Hazel saw the babies, they were still in the incubator room and she was unable to hold them. It was the first time for her to hold the babies and she was very excited. She lowered her head to smell that unique milky smell and was very happy that the smell did not fade away.

    An indescribable emotion came over as Hazel held the small baby in her arms.

    A month ago, the babies were very small and thin. There were two of them in their mother''s tummy and they had to learn to share their food.

    After they came out, the twin drank a lot of their mother''s milk and grown some meat on their bodies.

    When they were born, the elder brother, Leo, came out a few pounds heavier. However, in a short time, the youngest one, Noah had grown fatter than his elder brother.

    Watching the way Noah would suck the milk greedily made Hazel laugh. The little guy would look around with his tiny eyes as if he was worrying that someone was going to steal his food.

    As the twins shared the same face, it was a little hard for Hazel to figure out which one was the elder and which one was the youngest. According to her Auntie Edith, Leo always had a serious look on his face, while Noah was a little playful.

    However, after observing the babies for a while, Hazel was still having difficulties telling them apart.

    Fortunately, their clothes and body size would often help Hazel to identify them.

    The first time Hazel carried the babies, both of them would stare at her for a very long time. The babies thought that Hazel''s voice sounded very familiar as their mother would often have a video call with their sister.

    However, the babies could not figure out Hazel''s smell. After staring at Hazel with their curious gaze for half of the day, the boys gradually began to accept Hazel and slept in her arms peacefully.

    Her gaze softened as she watched the sleeping baby in her arms.

    "Just put them in their crib if you''re tired," Edith reminded her.

    Hazel flashed a smile. "Just let me hold him a while longer. I have to head back to B City tomorrow. The next time I see the twins again, they would grow bigger."

    Edith let out a helpless sigh as she watched his youngest son in Hazel''s arms. This little guy was especially spoiled and loved to sleep in one''s arms.

    "Do you like babies that much?" Edith asked.

    "Well, they''re adorable," Hazel said. "And they smelled really good." She could not stop smelling them now and then. It was a relaxing scent.

    "Then, have you thought about getting married and have a baby?" A teasing smile curled on Edith''s lips. She shifted her gaze towards Alex who was chatting with a few of their guests. "Your relationship with Alex seemed very good."

    Moreover¡­ Edith noticed the way two people were looking at Hazel as she was carrying one of the twins.

    Alex had a loving gaze in his eyes as he watched Hazel. It was not hard for her to guess that Alex was looking forward to marrying Hazel and build a family of their own.

    The boy has been waiting for Hazel for a long time. It would be understandable that he would get impatient.

    Edith could almost imagine that Alex should be making his plan to propose.

    Meanwhile, her friend, Lily had almost the same gaze as her son. How can Edith did not know what was behind her friend''s mind?

    Lily was looking forward to having a grandchild too.

    "I won''t stop you if you wanted to get married at this age," Edith continued. "After all, I married your uncle at your age." A sigh escaped her as she recalled how her husband had dragged her to the Civil Bureau Affairs because he was scared that she was going to leave suddenly. Not long after, they had Hayden.

    A soft sigh escaped her at the thought that her little Hazel would marry soon. It was a little hard to believe that the little girl would grow up so fast.

    Hazel''s face turned red at the thought of marrying Alex. "Auntie Edith."

    She really did not know how to answer this question. Anyway, when she heard her Auntie Edith mentioned her relationship with Alex, Hazel was reminded that Edith had accidentally seen the marks that Alex had left on her body previously.

    Edith laughed. She had always known that the young couple''s relationship was very good. However, Edith did not know what Hazel thought about marriage.

    Anyway, at this age and time, there were a lot of youngsters who preferred to live together as a couple without the bond of marriage.

    "It''s too early to think about marriage," Hazel said. "At least, I want to wait until I graduate." Her uncle had once mentioned that she needed to wait until she graduated if she wanted to get married.

    She had then agreed. Life as a student was too hectic. She couldn''t imagine getting married while she was still studying. It would be too tiring.

    A smile curled on her lips. From her words, it does seem like Hazel was considering marrying Alex, right?

    "Alright. Alright. I won''t tease you." Edith pinched at Hazel''s cheek.

    Seeing that there would be someone to look after her boys, Edith stood up to greet their guests. Just as she was talking to one of the guests, Edith caught the sight of Alex trailing after her husband as they both headed to Neil''s office.

    A deep frown appeared on her face. Edith could not figure out what the two of them were going to talk about in private. Whatever it was, Edith was very sure that it should be something that related to Hazel.

    Edith thought about trailing after them as she was worried that something was going to happen to Alex, but changed her mind.

    There were guests all around and Edith was sure that her husband would not do anything to Alex under this circumstance.

    The two men spent almost half an hour in the office. When they came out, Edith noticed the faint smile on Alex''s lips, while her husband looked slightly unhappy.

    Her brow shot up, as Edith wondered what had made them reacted this way.

    Edith walked over to his husband and asked, "What did you and Alex talk about? You spent a long time in your office."

    Neil chuckled. Then, he leaned in and peck at her lips. "Baby, nothing ever escaped your eyes, huh?"

    "Stop playing around."

    "Are you worried about Alex?"

    "He''s the child that grew up under my watch. Don''t make trouble for him." Edith stared at her husband and poked at his hard chest. "Are you not going to say?"

    Neil let out a long exhale. "Nothing much." A deep frown appeared on his face. "Just that.... he came to ask me permission to marry Hazel."

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 425 - Graduation

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    After almost four years in the university and six months doing her internship, Hazel finally graduated.

    On her graduation day, both her uncle and Auntie Edith came all the way from L City to watch her walked up the stage and accepted her scroll. Soon, the graduates were allowed to heave the hall. Hazel exchanged a few words with Crystal before she made way to find Alex and her uncle.

    As soon as she left the hall, Hazel was surprised to see the sea of people. The parents were waiting for their kids to come out, while the graduates were finding their family members outside the hall.

    Seeing that there were too many people around, Hazel took out her phone and called Alex.

    The man picked up her phone quickly and told her that he was waiting for her near the fountain area with her uncle.

    Once she found out their location, Hazel quickly went over to find them. However, her steps gradually slowed down as she was getting nearer.

    The sight of Alex and her uncle standing next to each other was just too strange. Hazel could not help but snap a photograph and send that photo to her Auntie Edith who was resting at the hotel with the twins.

    At this time, Alex raised his head and met her gaze. He raised a hand and waved her to come over.

    "Sorry," Hazel said. She flashed a smile at the two men. "There were too many people just now. It was hard to walk through the sea of people."

    "It''s fine," Neil said. "You look great on the stage just now." He paused as he thought of something. Then, Neil handed her a bouquet and chocolate. "This is for you. Congratulation on graduating."

    Hazel sniffed at the bouquet of daisies and her smile widened. "Thank you."

    Alex let out a dry cough, attracting Hazel''s attention. When the girl finally looked at her, Alex handed her another bouquet of roses. "This is from me. Congratulation on your graduation."

    Her eyes brightened as she looked at the bouquet in her hand. "Thank you."

    Neil glanced at the bouquet that Alex had given and snorted. Fortunately, his bouquet was bigger than Alex''s.

    Hazel hugged the bouquet in her arms and passed her phone to Alex. Then, she walked over to her uncle and held him in his arms. "Alex, come and help me to take pictures of me and my uncle together."

    Neil''s gaze turned warm. The childish President Mo was happy that his niece had prioritized him.

    When it was time for him to take pictures for Hazel and Alex, the man put on a slightly unhappy expression. However, once Neil saw the bright smile on Hazel''s face, the bad mood gradually disappeared.

    Up to this time, Neil still found it hard to believe that he had raised Hazel until she had grown up and graduated university. It felt as if it was only yesterday when he had told his mother that he wanted to raise Hazel.

    Neil was not sure if he had done a good job, raising his niece. However, he hoped that his brother, Adam would be proud of Hazel.

    At this time, a classmate walked over to speak with Hazel. Then, she offered to take a picture of Hazel with Alex and her uncle together. Once Hazel got her phone back, she could but laugh.

    There was a bright smile on her face, but the two men beside her had a slightly awkward position.

    In the end, Hazel sent this photo to her Auntie Edith as well.

    "I have to go," Neil said after he had spent his time around the people. "Your Auntie Edith is still waiting for me at the hotel. I''m worried that the twins were going to make trouble for her."

    The twins were now a few months old and their personality had come out. They both could not be away from their mother for too long. If Edith carried one of them, the other would cry to get her attention.

    It was only after their father was around will the twin behaved.

    "Un." Hazel nodded. "You go ahead. Alex is here to accompany me."

    Neil pursed his lips into a thin line. He stretched his hand to pat Hazel on her shoulder and smiled. "Then, your Auntie Edith and I will meet you again for dinner."

    Hazel nodded again. "I know."

    Once Neil left the area, Alex accompanied Hazel around the university as the girl went around to take a few graduation photos with her classmates.

    When everything was done, Alex drove her back to their apartment.

    As soon as she arrived, Hazel sprawled on the sofa with a tired look on her face.

    She had to get up early in the morning to get ready.  They were worried that the traffic was going to be a disaster and decided to head out an hour earlier.

    "Are you not going to get change first?" Alex asked. He walked over to his girlfriend and kissed the top of her head.

    "Alex, I''m too tired." Hazel pouted. "My legs are killing me." She had worn her high heels and walked around in them all day. Just now, there was a small blister on her feet as she had been wearing those shoes for a long time.

    A helpless sigh escaped him. "Do you want a foot rub?"

    Her expression brightened up. Hazel quickly put both legs on the sofa. However, when Alex sat down and was about to hold her feet, Hazel retracted.

    "What''s wrong?" Alex looked at Hazel quizzically.

    "No. On second thought, I don''t need you to rub my foot." She recalled that she has been walking around all day and now, she was worried that her feet would smell.

    Alex watched her for a while before he stood up. He took off his coat and headed over to the kitchen.

    Before Hazel could figure out what was going on, Alex had reappeared from the kitchen, holding a basin in his hand. Then, he knelt beside her and lifted his head to meet her gaze. "Put your feet in here. The water isn''t that hot. I promise that you will feel slightly better afterward."

    Hazel hesitated. Then, she listened to him and submerged her feet into the water.

    As soon as her feet touched the warm water, Hazel could feel as if the pain and sore had disappeared as well.

    Hazel closed her eyes to enjoy the comfortable feeling but soon found that Alex was holding her feet.

    "What are you doing?" Hazel asked.

    "Giving you a foot rub." Alex smiled. "Relax. Just let me pamper you a little bit alright? Just close your eyes for a while.. I''ll tell you when I''m done."

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 426 - From Kindergarten Until Now...

    The phone on the bedside table rang. Hazel opened her eyes lazily and stretched her arms to turn off the alarm. She looked at the time and then fell back on the bed.

    It was at this time that she seemed to realize that she was lying in her bed. The last thing she remembered was that Alex had given her a foot rub. It was too comfortable that she had fallen asleep afterward.

    It seemed that Alex had carried her to sleep in the bedroom.

    Stretching her body, Hazel then found that she was no longer wearing the clothes she wore earlier. The man had helped her to change into a cotton t-shirt and pants.

    The corner of her lips tilted up into a smile and she became a little giddy as she thought about her boyfriend.

    Hazel reached for her phone to check the time and noticed a sticky note on the bedside table for the first time. The neon pink paper was too striking. Hazel stretched her hand to pick up that paper and saw his message.

    ''Wake up? Go and get ready first. Come over to my apartment and let''s head to the hotel together.''

    Hazel checked at the time again and realized that she had more than two hours to get ready. She had attended her graduation ceremony in the morning and was supposed to have a celebratory dinner with her uncle and auntie.

    Seeing the note, Hazel quickly guessed that it was Alex who had set up an alarm for her. After sending him a message that she had woke up, Hazel rolled off the bed and walked over to the bathroom.

    After half an hour in the bathroom, Hazel got out, picked up a dress, and wore some make-up.

    She glanced at her reflection in the mirror again and left her apartment once she was satisfied with how she looked like. Then, she texted her Auntie Edith that she will be arriving at the hotel''s restaurant a while later as she headed to Alex''s apartment.

    Alex had given her his passcode the first time he took her to his apartment so that it will be easier for her to come and go.

    Once she had entered the passcode, Hazel walked into Alex''s unit and was surprised to see that the surrounding was too dark.

    It was at this time that Hazel seemed to remember that Alex had not texted her back just now.

    "Alex?" Hazel called out his name.

    A sense of panic overcame her as she did not hear his reply. Worried that something might happen to her boyfriend, Hazel felt at the wall and switched on the light.

    Her eyes widened upon seeing the scenery in front of her.

    The floor was decorated with heart-shaped roses. On the center of the roses, Alex stood still in his best suit. It was clear that he had taken time to groom himself and Hazel thought that her boyfriend was exceptionally handsome at this time.

    It was at this time that Hazel seemed to notice the fragrant of the roses. Earlier, she was too anxious as the surroundings were too dark.

    "Alex He, what are you doing?" She walked over to Alex and realized that his face was a little pale. It was obvious that Alex was feeling very anxious at this moment.

    "Hazel Mo."

    "Ah?"

    Alex went down on one knee and opened the red velvet box in his hand.

    "Hazel Mo." He spoke her name again and this time, his voice sounded a little shaky. "We grew up together and had spent most of our time together. From kindergarten until now, you have always stayed beside me, as a very good friend and later, my girlfriend." His lips turned into a slight smile. Then, he opened the red velvet box in his hand.

    Her gaze fell on the diamond ring in that box and Hazel knew right away what was going on at this moment. Suddenly, Hazel felt her eyes grew moist.

    This¡­ was a proposal?

    "I hope that you will continue to be by my side. Later, as my wife and the mother of our child."

    Her face turned red at his words.

    "If you are willing, I hope that we can continue to be there for each other. I hope to spend the rest of my life with you until we both grew old with white hair and wrinkles. Hazel Mo, will you¡­ Marry me?"

    Hazel put a hand on her chest as she tried to suppress the overwhelming feeling in her heart. Her nose started to sour and her tears threatened to come out.

    Suddenly, memories of their childhood came over.

    Hazel recalled that in every important phase of her life, this man would always be there for her. From childhood, until now, he had always held on to her hand tightly, telling her not to cry or be scared as he will always be there beside her.

    She could not imagine herself being with another man. Hazel realized that just like him, she too wished that Alex will continue to accompany her in this lifetime.

    Her eyelashes trembled. Hazel met his gaze and saw that Alex was still waiting for her answer, patiently. Although Alex had masked his feeling well, Hazel could still see the fear in his eyes. The man was frightened that she was going to reject him.

    Now that she thought about it, this was the first time that Hazel had seen him so frightened.

    Hazel swallowed. She took slow steps towards him and stretched her hand. "I will."

    A look of relief washed over him. The anxious look on his face disappeared and there was a bright smile on his face. Alex took out the diamond ring from the box and slid the ring to her ring finger. Just like he had expected, the ring would fit her perfectly.

    Alex tilted his head to look at her again and found that he was too happy that he could not stop that silly grin on his face. He stood up and held her hands tightly. Leaning forward, he then placed his lips on hers. The two of them kissed for a long time until they were both breathless.

    A chuckle escaped him. Alex leaned his forehead on hers as they both took their time to breathe properly. His thumb caressed her slightly swollen kiss. At this time, her lipstick had faded, but Alex did not regret that he was the one who had ruined her pretty make-up.

    "Hazel Mo." His voice was deep and husky.

    "Hmm?"

    "Thank you." He pecked at her lips again and smiled. "I love you."

    Hazel lifted her head to meet his gaze. Her lips stretched up into a bright smile.. "I love you too."

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 427 - Ill Listen To My Wife

    As the two were heading to the hotel, Alex had one hand on the steering wheel and the other was holding on to Hazel''s hand tightly. From the look at it, it doesn''t seem as if he was going to let her go anytime soon.

    The smile on his face was too bright that Hazel did not have the heart to pull her hand away.

    "Are you sure you can drive like this?" Hazel asked. "Let''s put our safety first."

    Alex nodded. "You''re right. I''ll listen to my wife."

    Her face turned red upon hearing his words. "Who is your wife?" Hazel lowered her head as she was too lazy to deal with Alex''s teasing. Seeing that the man had put his focus on the road again, Hazel lifted her hand and stared at the ring on her finger.

    Hazel was still in disbelief that Alex had proposed to her and that she had agreed. Every time she saw the ring on her finger, her heart would beat faster and there was an indescribable feeling in her heart. Whatever it was, that feeling certainly made her giddy.

    It was still a little strange to feel that little weight on her finger. Though she had worn many rings before, the ring that Alex had put on her ring gave her a different feeling.

    The diamond was just the right size and it was shining brilliantly whenever she set her eyes on it. One look at it tell her that the price of this ring was not cheap.

    "This ring should cost you a lot of money right?"

    Alex laughed when he heard her words. He recalled how he had won that ring and smiled. There was no way that he was going to tell her how he had managed to purchase that ring. After all, that girl would only scold him and called him careless.

    "Are you sure you wouldn''t go bankrupt after this?" Hazel continued when he did not answer.

    Alex let out a helpless sigh. "Do you like it?"

    Hazel took her time to stare at the ring a little longer. "I like it. It''s beautiful. Moreover, this is something that you picked for me." The smile on her lips widened. "You know my taste the best."

    "There is a legend behind this ring."

    Hazel looked at him with interest. "What legend?"

    "It was said that if one proposed with this ring, their marriage would last for a lifetime."

    Hazel let out a chuckle. "Alex He, you do realize that that is the advertiser''s tactic to lure people into buying their product."

    "Whether the legend is true or not, I want to believe in it." Alex glanced at Hazel and flashed a smile. "I want to spend the rest of my life with you."

    Her heartbeat accelerated upon hearing his words. Hazel quickly looked away shyly. "As long as you treat me well, I promise that I will stay by your side for a very long time."

    Alex stretched his hand to hold hers. Then, he pecked at her wrist.

    ¡­

    When they arrived at the restaurant, Hazel was surprised to see that Alex''s parents were around as well.

    However, when she saw how Auntie Lily kept on glancing at her hand, Hazel understood that Auntie Lily should have known about Alex''s proposal.

    "Did you tell your mother that you''re going to propose to me?" Hazel whispered.

    "Un." Alex nodded. He touched his nose and explained, "Actually, every one of them knew that I was going to propose to you today."

    Hazel stared at him with her eyes wide. Her face was red again and Hazel was embarrassed."Why did you go around and tell everyone?"

    "I did not know how you would answer," Alex said. "I need everyone''s blessing before I can propose to you."

    At this time, Edith walked over and pulled Hazel into a big hug. "Congratulations on your graduation ." She pecked at Hazel''s cheek and a wide smile tilted on her lips. "I heard that Alex had proposed to you today. Seeing that ring on your finger, I''m guessing that you have agreed. How does it feel to have that ring on your finger?"

    "Auntie Edith, I''m still having a hard time believing that everything is real," Hazel whispered.

    Edith laughed. "Come and sit down. You must be hungry. Let''s wait for the food to be served and chat."

    On the round table, Hazel was seated in the middle of her Auntie Edith and Alex. The twin boys came over as well and they were sitting in their stroller obediently as they stared at their toys.

    The moment the boys saw Hazel, they immediately squirmed around excitedly. The eldest brother stretched up both hands as if he was asking his elder sister to carry him.

    After the last time she saw them, the boys had grown up and have gained a little weight. Hazel teased the twins for a while and saw the way the younger brother would stare at the ring in her finger with his eyes wide.

    The waiter walked in to serve the food and Hazel began to focus on eating her food.

    Earlier today, she had fallen asleep without eating. Now that she could smell the tasty food, her stomach growled, asking to be fed.

    Hazel ate her food slowly as she continued to listen to her Auntie Edith and Auntie Lily''s conversation. When she looked at her bowl again, Hazel seemed to notice that the carrot on her bowl had gone missing.

    She glanced at the man beside her and understood that he had taken the carrots away.

    A faint smile appeared on her face as Hazel thought of how Alex would always take those carrots away from her bowl.

    Suddenly, Hazel noticed that both Auntie Edith and Auntie Lily was looking at her with a teasing smile on their face.

    "It seemed that we will become family soon," Lily said to Edith. Then, she turned to Hazel and asked, "When do you want to get married?"

    Hazel glanced at Alex and spoke, "We haven''t decided yet."

    Alex had just proposed to her and they haven''t properly talked about a wedding. She had once mentioned that she wanted to wait until she had graduated. But now that she had graduated, it seemed that there were a few other things that she had to consider before having a wedding.

    "At this time, Alex is still busy with his company''s matter," Hazel said. She recalled that Alex was in the process of handing the company to Daniel.. "Let''s just wait until we both return to L City."

    Read novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 428 - Youre Getting Married!

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    After dinner, Alex and Hazel headed back to their apartment while the others stayed at the hotel.

    Although Hazel wanted to accompany the twins a while longer, she still had to head over to the campus and deal with a few things. Since she had to get up early, Hazel could only return with Alex.

    As Alex was discussing with Daniel about their company matter, Hazel went into the bathroom and took a long bath. While leaning on the bathtub, Hazel could not stop looking at the ring on her finger.

    She found that she would unconsciously touch her rings and played around with them. Then, she recalled that she had agreed to marry Alex and the smile on her face turned silly again.

    When Hazel walked out of the bathroom, Alex had already dressed in his pajama. Hazel assumed that the man should have taken a shower in the guest room.

    She sat down in front of the vanity mirror and took out the hairdryer.

    Just then, Alex walked over to her and took the hairdryer from her hand. Without saying a word, Alex helped her to dry her hair. Hazel had long hair, but Alex had patiently dried them. His fingers combed into her hair softly, as if he was afraid that a single tug would cause her pain.

    Hazel thought that his skills were definitely as good as going to a salon.

    The whirring sound coupled with the way Alex had touched her hair softly made her a little sleepy.

    While she was slightly in a daze, Hazel realized that someone had lifted her body off the ground. She opened her eyes and met Alex''s eyes. Seeing the way he was looking at her, Hazel took the chance to wrap her arms around his neck.

    Alex let out a chuckle. "Are you tired?"

    Hazel nodded. "Very tired."

    She had attended her graduation and later received Alex''s surprising proposal. The excitement was too much and Hazel felt her energy drained a little bit.

    Alex lowered his body as he put Hazel on the bed. Just as he had wanted to pull away, Alex realized that her arms were still encircled around his neck, preventing him from moving around.

    Sensing that she had no intention to let him go, Alex looked at the woman in his arms and raised a brow. "Are you not going to let go? Should we sleep while hugging each other like this?"

    Hazel pursed her lips into a thin line. Her cheek was a little pinkish as she had just taken a hot bath.

    Looking at the seductive scene in front of her, Alex felt a change in his body. His throat bobbed as he continued to look at Hazel.

    "Kiss me."

    His heart skipped a beat but he tried to suppress a certain feeling. "Didn''t you say that you''re tired?"

    "Un." Hazel nodded. "But I still want you to kiss me."

    The smile on his lips stretched out. He loved it when  Hazel took the initiative to do something with him. Since she had asked him to kiss her, of course, Alex had no intention to reject her request.

    Alex leaned in slowly to kiss her lips. Just like the other time, Alex felt a surge of electricity whenever his lips brushed against hers. That feeling spread all through his body slowly, awakening his senses.

    Her arms around his neck gradually loosened, and her hand went under her shirt. A low groan escaped him as her hands were caressing his abs with a slow, torturous move.

    He pulled back and looked at her with a warning look. "Mrs. He, once you tease me, don''t even think about backing down."

    Hazel bit at her lips. Her brain was telling her that there was something wrong with the way he had addressed her, but before Hazel could figure out what it was, the man had caught her lips into a hot passionate kiss.

    Soon, the room began to be filled with sounds that were going to make one blush.

    It was a cold night, but the temperature in that bedroom continued to rise to another level.

    ¡­

    The next morning, Alex sent Hazel to her campus before he drove to his office.

    Hazel met a few of her professors and went to settle a few matters with the administration office. Once everything was done, she went over to the west gate and met with her roommates.

    When she arrived, Eira, Crystal, and Michelle were waiting for her nearby the shady tree. The four of them decided to head over to their favorite restaurant nearby the campus for lunch.

    The four of them sat around the table and chatted happily. As they catch up with their life, Hazel began to feel a little sad that the four of them were going to separate and started a new chapter in their life.

    She had spent a few years getting along with the girls and the four of them had experienced all sort of things together. Everyone will have to walk their own path.

    Soon, it will be hard for them to gather around like this.

    Michelle had received a job offer in her city and she will start working next week.

    Eira had studied hotel management and was planning to work with her family''s company.

    Crystal was planning to take a month''s break and travel around before she will figure out what she was going to do next.

    Meanwhile, Hazel hasn''t made her decision if she wanted to help her uncle in the company or work somewhere else. Anyway, she was not in a rush. Hazel thought that she wanted to spend her time with her family before she figured out her next step.

    At this time, the waiter arrived with their drinks.

    Hazel picked up her cup of coffee and noticed that her friends were looking at her strangely.

    "Hazel Mo¡­" Crystal narrowed her eyes as she stared at the sparkle on Hazel''s finger. "That''s a new ring. Is that what I think it is?" She had noticed that ring a while ago, but this was the first time that she got a good look at it.

    Her gaze went to the diamond ring on her finger. Her face turned pink and Hazel nodded shyly. "Un. Alex proposed last night."

    "You''re getting married!" Michelle gasped.

    "Hazel, congratulations!" Eira, who sat beside Hazel, swiftly pulled her friend into a hug.

    Her roommates demanded her show the ring on her finger and praised Alex for having good taste. As women, every one of them loved jewelry and shiny things. Seeing the sparkling diamond on Hazel''s finger, they congratulated Hazel happily and their teasing soon followed.

    "When do you plan to have a wedding?" Michelle asked.

    "We haven''t decided," Hazel said. She looked at her roommates and smiled.. "But when that day comes, I hope the three of you can attend my wedding as my bridesmaid."

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 429 - Her Mothers Dress

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Initially, Hazel was planning to head back to L City after she had graduated. However, because Alex needed to stay in B City for a while longer to manage a few things in the company, Hazel decided to stay and accompany him.

    These days, the two of them have been living together.

    Hazel thought that it would be uncomfortable if she had to be away from Alex. Anyway, since she had not made a plan for what she wanted to do next, it would be better to accompany Alex.

    Of course, Alex was more than happy upon hearing her decision to stay. Alex had suggested for Hazel to help him at the company as his special assistant and Hazel immediately agreed.

    They were engaged and were inseparable. The girls who were eyeing Alex finally realized that they had no choice but to give up. Seeing the way Alex was looking at Hazel, the girls then realized how much Alex loved Haze and they stood no chance. Alex had never look at any woman the same way he would be looking at Hazel.

    Even if they wanted to play some tricks against Hazel, Alex would always block Hazel away from the others.

    Seeing that the two of them were busy thinking about their wedding, Lily had dragged Edith to organize the kids'' wedding. After asking both Hazel and Alex about the preferences of their wedding, the elders began to plan for the wedding.

    When both Hazel and Alex returned to L City, they will only have to try out their dresses, took some wedding photos,s and showed up at their wedding.

    To Edith''s surprise, her husband was not against them planning this wedding.

    Her husband cared so much about his little cabbage that Edith had thought that he would want to delay the wedding.

    However, Neil thought that since the two kids were already living together, it would be better if the two of them get married soon. This way, Neil would not worry that the stinky boy would back out.

    Everyone is an adult and they knew what would happen when a man and a woman started to live together under the same roof.

    Hearing his reason, Edith began to smile. She linked her arms around his neck and pecked at his cheek. "Darling, you''re too adorable."

    Alex finally finished his matter in B City after two months and the couple headed back to L City. Because of this, the two of them were no longer able to stay with each other all the time.

    Hazel was living at her uncle''s place and Alex had to help his father and learn more about the family''s business. Because of that, their time together became very limited.

    They could only see and hear each other through the phone. This situation had made Hazel a little uncomfortable. It seemed that she was too used to have Alex by her side, accompanying her to bed. Suddenly, she was missing their days in B City.

    Back then, she was able to see him every day and anytime that she wanted.

    However, it was her who had told everyone that she wanted to continue living with her uncle until she got married.  Hazel had wanted to be with her family a while longer before she would become Alex''s wife.

    She just did not think that she would be missing Alex very much¡­

    On that day, the two of them were scheduled to try out their wedding suit and dresses.

    Alex picked her up from her uncle''s place and headed to the city center together.

    As he was driving, Alex noticed the way Hazel has been staring at him. "What''s wrong?"

    Hazel let out a sigh. "I miss you."

    The smile on his lips reached his eyes. Alex held her hand and kissed the inside of her hand. "I miss you too."

    Hazel laughed as she was feeling ticklish. Once he had released her hand, Hazel let out a sigh. "I missed our days living in B City just the two of us."

    His heart warmed at her words. He too missed their days in B City together. Alex thought that that period of time was one of the happiest moments in his life.

    He was a simple man. As long as he could be together with Hazel, Alex would be very happy. At this moment, he could only wait until their wedding before they can be together.

    However, her words had awakened a feeling deep inside him. Fortunately, he was still driving and had to focus on the road. Or else, Alex would have taken this chance to kiss her senselessly.

    "Forget it. It won''t be long until the wedding," Hazel said.

    Though they could always choose to bring forward their wedding date. However, Hazel''s maternal grandparents are planning to attend her wedding. While they were picking a date for their wedding, Hazel had to consider a date where it would be convenient for her maternal grandparents to fly back from F Country.

    It would not be possible to change the date again.

    Soon, the two of them arrived at the wedding parlor for their dress fitting. As Hazel did not want to let Alex see her in her dress, the two of them went to two separate rooms, where Alex tried his suit and Hazel tried her dress.

    The shop attendant took Hazel into the fitting room and helped her with the dress.

    When everything was done, Hazel spun around slowly to look at her reflection. Her dress was actually something that her mother had worn before. The moment Hazel saw her mother''s wedding dress, she knew right away that she wanted to wear it to her wedding. That way, it would feel as if her mother was with her all the time.

    Jer mother''s wedding dress was already very beautiful and fashionable.  But with the tailor''s skill, the old dress had turned into something modern and elegant. Hazel inspected the little adjustment that the tailor had made and was surprised at the final product. The dress was simply breathtaking.

    The tailor helped her to make a few more adjustments to the dress before Hazel was allowed to leave.

    Alex was already waiting for her when Hazel left the fitting area.

    "How was it?" Alex asked.

    "It''s beautiful."

    Alex touched the corner of her eyes. "You''re crying again."

    Hazel bit at her lips. "Well, I cannot help it. I did not think that I would be wearing my mom''s wedding dress. The feeling was just too overwhelming. My mother... She would be happy if she sees me in her dress, right?"

    "Of course." Alex nodded. "You are her daughter.. She would be very proud of you."

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 430 - The Girls Wedding Present

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    A few days before the wedding, Hazel''s roommates arrived in L City.

    As it was the first time for both Michelle and Crystal to visit the city, Hazel took the girls out for sightseeing before they went to a spa to pamper themselves. Of course, as Hazel would change her status as someone''s wife soon, the girls could not stop but to tease her.

    Afterward, Hazel took her friends to one of the famous restaurants in L City for dinner.

    The girls continued to chat as they were waiting for their food to be served.

    Just then, her three roommates exchanged a glanced and smiled.

    "We have a present for you," Eira spoke.

    Crystal pulled out a paper bag beside her and passed it over to Hazel. "This is a wedding gift from the three of us."

    Hazel took the paper bag from Crystal and peeked inside. There was a medium size pink colored box inside the paper bag. Hazel raised her head and asked, "Can I look at what''s inside?"

    The three girls exchanged a cheeky gaze.

    "Sure. Go ahead," Michelle said.

    Hazel watched the girls suspiciously. Then, she took out the pink box and shook it gently. A frown appeared on her face when she could not get a hint of what was inside.

    "Just go ahead and open it." Eira laughed. "I promise it''s not something dangerous. Just that something that would be very beneficial to you after your wedding."

    Hazel looked at her friends again. Then, she lifted the lid and stared at what was in that box. Her mouth gaped when Hazel recognize what was inside the box. She did not have to look clearly to know what was that black, lacy item.

    It was a sexy nightgown!

    One look at it, Hazel knew that the fabric was too thin and that there would be a lot of revealing parts.

    Suddenly, her face turned bright red and Hazel could not utter a word.

    After dinner, Hazel sent the girls back to their hotel and drove back to her uncle''s place. When she arrived, Hazel was surprised to see that Alex''s car was parked outside.

    The moment she parked her vehicle, Alex alighted from his car and waited for her to come over.

    A smile turned on her lips as Hazel walked over to Alex''s side. "What are you doing here?"

    "I miss you." These few days, he was busy with the company''s matter. As Alex will finally enter the company, after delaying it for few years, there was so much for him to study and learn.

    Fortunately, he was going to take a long break after the wedding and the two of them were planning to visit a few places for their honeymoon.

    The smile on her lips widened as she heard his words. Hazel stretched her arms and placed her hands on both sides of his waist. "Well, I miss you too. Why don''t you come inside and wait?"

    Alex let out a chuckle. "I just wanted to wait for you here." He leaned forward to kiss her on the forehead and smiled. "Did you have fun with the girls?"

    "Un." Hazel nodded. "It has been a while since the last time I saw them. I took them to play around the city and nearly forgot the time." She looked at Alex shyly and bit her lips. "I just hope that you were with me as well."

    Alex saw the paper bag that Hazel was carrying. "What is that?"

    Hazel followed his gaze and realized that she had taken the girls'' wedding present with her. "Nothing." Hazel avoided his gaze. "Just something that the girl gave me."

    Seeing her expression, Alex decided not to probe. He turned his head towards the garden and cocked his head. "Let''s go for a walk."

    "Where are we going?"

    Alex laughed. "Just around the garden."

    The couple intertwined their hands as they walked over to the garden.

    The night was dark, but their path was brightened with the garden light along the path.

    Hazel glanced at the man beside her and noticed that he was exceptionally quiet. His hand held her tightly as if he did not want to let her go. Once they reached the swing under the big shady tree, Hazel turned and faced him.

    The two of them stared at each other for a long time without saying anything.

    Suddenly, Hazel tilted her head to one side and smiled. "The wedding is on the day after tomorrow. Alex He, are you nervous?"

    Alex chuckled. He raised his hand and bopped at her nose. "It would be a lie to say that I am not anxious." He took a deep breath to calm down his emotion. I think I am getting anxious as the day is getting nearer."

    In a few days, he will finally marry the woman he had loved for years.  Alex was both anxious and happy.

    Up to this time, Alex was still in disbelief that Hazel had agreed to marry him. To him, this little angel is perfect. Sometimes, he wondered just how he could be so lucky.

    They will stand at the altar and exchanged their vow in front of their family and friends,  Afterward, the two of them will never be separated again.

    No matter what happened, Hazel would always have him and he will always have her. From then n, he will continue to protect her and do his best to make her happy.

    Hazel thought that she could understand his feelings well.

    Although she might not show it much, Hazel was anxious about their upcoming wedding. however, there was a part of her could not wait until that moment the two of them would legally become husband and wife.

    She just wanted to spend her time being with him.

    "What are you nervous about?" Hazel decided to tease him.

    "That I am going to make a mistake during the wedding." He thought for a while and added. "I''m afraid that you might have wedding jitters and change your mind." Alex laughed as he thought of himself as silly. "And then, I start to look forward to our wedding." He held her hand tightly and smiled. "I just wanted the world to know that you are mine and that I am yours. This way there would be no room for you to regret."

    "Silly." Hazel laughed. "I am not going to change my mind. I have given it a long thought after the first time you mentioned marriage to me. I know that I want to marry you.." She tugged at his hand slightly and whispered, "Alex He, I love you."

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 431 - Beautiful Bride

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    The wedding was held in early summer.

    The sky was blue and the white cloud gathered.

    In one of the hotel rooms in L City, Hazel sat down on the chair with her face tilted up slightly. The makeup artist was holding her chin in one hand and a brush in another.

    The make-up artist finally stopped and stared at Hazel''s face.

    "Is it done?" Hazel asked.

    "Are you anxious to get married?" the make-up artist teased. She saw the blush on the bride''s face and laughed happily."It''s all done," she said. She took a step back for one last look and flashed a satisfied smile. Hazel released a breath of relief. She has been sitting for a long time and can finally move around.

    The makeup artist''s assistant stepped forward with the wedding gown in her hand. She helped Hazel into the dress and adjusted the skirt. Once everything was done, the assistant helped to move the mirror closer to show Hazel the final look. Hazel looked at her reflection and was surprised by her look. The makeup made her face looked very soft and alluring. Suddenly, she wondered how Alex was going to react when he saw her like this.

    Hazel thought that she could almost see the way on his face when they meet later.

    His eyes would darken and his Adam''s apple would bob. It was the expression that she loved. It was the kind of look he would always give before they would roll around the sheet.

    Just the thought of it made her face blush.

    Once Hazel realized that her mind has gone astray, Hazel quickly scolded herself.

    At this time, her bridesmaid walked over to look at her. The moment they saw Hazel, their movement halted.

    "Wow, look at you," Crystal said.

    Eira nodded in approval. "What a very beautiful bride. I''m sure that Alex would not be able to suppress his feeling when he saw you like this." She heaved a sigh and continued, "If I''m a man, I might be tempted to steal you for myself."

    Hazel laughed at her words.

    Michelle nudged at Crystal who stood beside her. "It seemed that someone will get into trouble tonight." She raised her brow suggestively at Hazel. "I''m sure that Alex will be unable to control himself when he sees you like this."

    "Stop teasing me." Hazel lowered her gaze and the girls began to laugh happily.

    At this time, someone knocked on the door. Michelle walked over to open the door and Hayden walked in. The boy was stunned the moment he saw his sister in a wedding dress. Hayden stood still in his position and was unable to look away.

    Hazel felt a little awkward upon seeing his reaction. "Do you think I look weird?"

    Hayden snapped out of his trance. A bright smile appeared on his face. "No. Sister, you look very beautiful." He looked at the others and let out a dry cough. "Sister, I heard that my brother-in-law has arrived."

    Hearing the way Hayden had addressed Alex made her tightened her grip around her bouquet. Her heartbeat accelerated as she was waiting for Alex to show up.

    Her bridesmaid left the room and began to make trouble for Alex.

    Hazel laughed as he listened to the commotion outside the room. She did not know what was going on outside. From the sound of it, the situation was very lively. Although she wanted to take a look at how the others were bullying Alex, Hazel could only sit down and wait for him to fetch her.

    Suddenly, someone on the outside announced that Alex had passed with flying colors.

    The girls returned with a red packet on their hands and a wide smile on their faces. Hazel laughed, knowing that Alex managed to buy his way in by giving them a thick red packet.

    She lifted her head and her breath hitched the moment their gaze met.

    Hazel grew embarrassed at the way Alex was staring at her, unblinking. Alex always knew that Hazel is a beautiful person. Back then, it was her adorable look that made him fall heads over heels for her. He had never expected that Hazel would look even prettier in her wedding dress.

    Suddenly, he had an illusion of Hazel in her princess dress as she ran around the playground with him, holding her hands tightly.

    From small to adult, he had always been by her side, holding her hand. This time, they were going to be husband and wife and Alex had no intention of letting her go.

    "Mister He, are you not going to carry your bride?" Michelle teased. "Be careful that someone else might steal her away from you if you are too slow."

    Alex snapped out of his trance. He walked over to Hazel with slow and steady steps. The moment he stopped in front of Hazel, a bright smile curled on his lips.

    He could not wait to marry her and make her his Mrs. He.

    Alex stretched out his hand to carry his bride but was stopped by Hazel instead.

    "I haven''t worn my shoes," Hazel reminded him.

    Alex followed her gaze to a corner and saw the glittering high heel at the side. He went over to pick them up and went down on one knee before Hazel. Stretching his hand, Alex held her feet lightly and helped her with her shoes.

    At the side, their friends were cheering for the bride and groom.

    "It''s done," Alex said. Then, he stood up and carry his bride like a princess.

    Hazel let out a soft yelp as her feet were lifted off the ground. Subconsciously, her hand linked around his neck as she was afraid that she might fall if she did not hold on to him.

    Alex held the person in his arms securely and whispered, "You''re very beautiful today."

    Her smile stretched until they reached her eyes. "Thank you. You''re very handsome as well."

    "Are you ready?"

    Hazel nodded. "Un."

    The others continued to cheer louder as they watched the way the bride and groom were looking into each others'' eyes.  Suddenly, everyone presented felt thought that it would be better if they find their other half soon.

    Staying as a single dog is very boring. They wanted to experience such love and affection too!

    With a bright smile on his face, Alex began to carry Hazel out of the room.. Soon, the couple headed over to the wedding hall together to continue the ceremony.

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 432 - I Do

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    The wedding planner''s expression turned brighter when she saw that the bride had arrived. She called her staff to help adjusted Hazel''s dress and spoke a few words with Hazel.

    Once she had explained everything that she needed to say, the wedding planner turned and went around to check at everything in the hall.

    This was the wedding of the year! As she was paid a large sum of money to do her job, the wedding planner was determined to make sure that everything will go on smoothly.

    Hazel took a deep breath as she stood in front of the large door.

    At this time, her friends stood aside as they were waiting for their turn to enter the hall. They could see that Hazel was nervous and decided not to tease her anymore.

    Hazel closed her eyes and opened them again when she heard footsteps heading to her.

    Turning around, a bright smile appeared on her face as she saw that it was her uncle. "Uncle, you''re here."

    Neil gave his niece a look over.

    After his brother, Adam, and his wife, Claire passed away, Neil decided to take Hazel in and raise her. Initially, their relationship was estranged. However, with his wife''s guidance, his relationship with Hazel grew closer. He loved Hazel just as much as he loved his other child.

    In just a short time, the little girl had turned into a beautiful woman and will soon be married to another man.

    His heart was aching a little. There was a part of him that wishes to keep Hazel around with him for a few years. But that boy had promised him that he would love her and look after Hazel well. He had given his word that he will never let Hazel suffer any grievance.

    Seeing how much his niece loved this man, Neil simply did not have the heart to stop them from being together.

    What was important was Hazel''s happiness. If she can be happy with Alex, Neil will let his little cabbage marry the man she loved.

    "You look beautiful today."

    Hazel lowered her eyes shyly. "Thank you." The smile on her face refused to stop and Hazel wondered if she would look a little silly.

    Seeing that his niece was holding the bouquet in her hand tightly, Neil held Hazel on her arm and gave her a little squeeze. "Don''t be nervous."

    Hazel took a deep breath to calm down. When she looked again, Hazel saw that her uncle was still watching her. There was a faint and doting smile on his face.

    "Promise me that you will live happily afterward."

    Hazel nodded. "I will."

    "Whatever happens, you should know that I will always be there for you," Neil said. "Me, your Auntie Edith, and everyone else."

    Her eyes grew misty and her nose soured. "Un. I know."

    "If Alex bullied you, you have to tell us," he continued. "Whatever it is, you will always be my niece, my little girl. I will always protect you."

    "I know." Hazel bit her lips before she hugged her uncle tightly. "Uncle, thank you."

    The two of them stayed that way for a while until the wedding planner returned to tell them that it was their turn to enter the hall. Seeing Hazel''s misty eyes, the wedding planner help to dabbed her tears with tissue paper.

    "Shall we?" Neil offered his arms and Hazel hold on to him tightly.

    Taking a few deep breaths, the bride finally entered the hall accompanied by her uncle.

    The moment the large door was pulled open from the inside, Hazel was a little stunned upon seeing the decoration inside. Colorful flowers were decorated everywhere. The hall had suddenly turned into a small garden.

    The music played. The guests stood as they watched the bride walked on the path full of flower petals as she made her way to the altar.

    Hazel was too nervous to look at the guests who came to this ceremony. The moment he looked up, her gaze was locked to Alex, and she was unable to look away.

    Alex swallowed as he watched the girl walked over in small, slow steps until she reached his side. It was only when he heard how someone was making a dry cough at the side that Alex finally looked away.

    "After this, I will have to ask you to look after Hazel," Neil said to Alex. "You should know that Hazel has a family who loved her. if you dare to harm her, we will not hesitate to take her back."

    His eyes darkened at the warning. "I will not let that chance appear," Alex promised. With that, Alex took the bride''s hand into his and led her to the altar.

    At the altar, the wedding officiate spoke, "Today you choose each other before your family and friends to begin your life together." After his speech, he then turned his head to Alex. "Alex He. Do you take Hazel Mo as your partner in life, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, to support and to respect, to love and to cherish, from this moment forward until death do you part?"

    Alex stared deeply into the woman in front of him. "I do." His voice, unwavering.

    The wedding officiates smile before he turned to Hazel. "Hazel Mo. Do you take Alex He as your partner in life? For better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, to support and to respect,  to love and to cherish, from this moment forward until death do you part?

    Her heart jumped and a wide smile appeared on her lips. "I do."

    The wedding officiates watched as the couple exchanged their rings and took a deep breath. "By the power vested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may now kiss your bride."

    Alex let out a chuckle. He leaned forward and bent his head in one swift motion before he caught her lips in a gentle, lingering kiss.

    With that, the friends and family started to cheer, chanting auspicious words as they gave the newlyweds their blessings.

    Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 433 - Husband

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    When Hazel woke up, it was nearly six o''clock. Her surroundings were dark and the person who was sleeping beside her earlier was no longer around. Hazel stood up and continued to look around with a dazed expression.

    After the ceremony, they both returned to their room. Because they were both too tired, they decided to take take a nap before dinner will start,

    At this time, the bathroom door swung open and Alex walked out with a towel around his waist. The light source came from behind him, but Hazel could see the droplets of water sliding down his chest clearly.

    "You''re awake."

    His voice snapped her out of her trance.

    "Hmm¡­" Hazel looked away and grabbed her phone to look at the time. "Why didn''t you wake me up?"

    "You seemed tired. I thought it would be best to let you rest a little more."

    "But I''m going to need more time to get ready." Hazel pouted. The thought of sitting on the chair for hours to put on her make-up made her sigh.

    "It''s fine. I''ll wait for you. The guests can wait. The wedding banquet would not start before we arrived." Alex walked over to the bed and stretched his hand.

    "What are you doing?" Hazel eyed his hands suspiciously.

    His lips curled into a smile. "Helping you to get off the bed. Come on."

    Hazel put her hands in his and let him pull her out. Because of the momentum, her face hit him on his chest. Hazel raised her hand and rubbed at her nose. She looked at him with an aggrieved expression and saw that Alex was watching her intently.

    Suddenly, the words she wanted to say were forgotten.

    "Mrs. He?"

    "Ah?" Hazel continued to watch him with a dazed expression.

    His lips stretched into a teasing smile. "You should go and get ready or else, we''ll be late."

    Her face turned red again, knowing that Alex was teasing her. Hazel quickly walked around him and headed to the bathroom to take a quick shower and get ready for their dinner banquet.

    An hour later, the newlyweds went down to the hall and met their guests. Neil had invited a lot of people to attend his niece''s wedding banquet. Hazel was the only child of Adam and Claire. Because of this, Neil wanted Hazel to have the best.

    The couple walked from table to table to greet their guests as well as to receive their blessings. Her maternal grandparents had moved to F Country a few years ago, and this time, they flew over just to watch their granddaughter get married.

    After the banquet was over, the two went back to their room and met with Alex''s best man, Tyler Lu, on their way. Tyler patted Alex on the shoulder and whispered something before he walked away.

    Once Tyler was no longer within their eyesight, Hazel turned to Alex with a questioning gaze. "What did he say to you? So secretive?"

    Alex laughed. "No. He just wanted to let me know that he had dragged a few troublemakers away."

    "What troublemakers?"

    Alex bent forward and whispered, "The boys are planning to disturb our wedding night.:

    Her heartbeat grew faster. Just the thought that this will be their first night as husband and wife made her feel a little bit excited. Embarrassed with how it made her feel, Hazel turned around and walked over to their suit.

    The door closed behind them. Hazel thought about her roommates'' wedding gift and went into the bathroom to clean up.

    Alex let out a chuckle upon seeing that his little rabbit had escaped before he could do anything to her. He took off his suit and loosened his tie. He sat down on the sofa and started to massage his temple. He had a headache after drinking earlier.

    Just as he was about to close his eyes, the bathroom door swung open. Alex turned in that direction and his eyes grew darkened upon seeing the scene before him.

    At this time, Hazel was wearing a deep red sexy lingerie dress. The color of that lace on her skin was very striking. Hazel walked towards him in slow steps, with a hesitant look in her eyes.

    She was not sure if Alex was going to like this style. After all, this would be the first time that she had worn something so revealing.

    His throat bobbed as Alex watched the materials swayed. There was a huge slit that ended just until it reached her bra. When the material moved, he could see the string of panties that did not resemble a panty at all.

    Suddenly, Alex felt his mind goes blank.

    "Do you not like this?" Hazel asked as she reached his side.

    Alex snapped out of his trance. He lowered his eyes and his gaze paused at the twin mound on her chest. "No. I like it." His throat dried and his voice sounded a little hoarse.

    Hazel laughed when she noticed the change in him. She lowered her gaze and poked at his chest. "Well then, why don''t you say a thing?"

    Alex took a couple of deep breaths to calm down. Although his expression did not show much, his heartbeat was still beating furiously. "Mrs. He?"

    "Huh?" Hazel looked up to meet his gaze again.

    Suddenly, his warm lips met with hers in a deep kiss. Hazel staggered backward until her back hit the wall behind her. Knowing what will happen between them next, Hazel wrapped her arms around his neck to stabilize herself. Then, she started to reciprocate his kisses.

    The sound of their wet kiss reverberated in the room, making her face grew redder.

    Hazel felt his hand moved along the slit of her dress until it reached his waist and moved upward until he touched the side of her chest.

    At this time, Alex suddenly drew back. His dark eyes were full of desire as he looked at the woman in front of him. Alex moved his hand on her body, teasing her slowly with the way that he knew that she loved to be touched. "Call me."

    Hazel gasped. "Alex."

    He leaned to nibble at her ears. "Not that. Hazel, what am I to you?"

    Her mind was unable to think properly and it took her a while to answer. "Husband. You''re my husband."

    His lips stretched into a satisfied smile. "Good girl. Call me again."

    Hazel closed her eyes and whimpered as his teasing was too much. "Husband, please."

    Once he had heard the word he wanted to hear, Alex bent to kiss her again.. Then, he carried her into his arms and brought her over to the bed.

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 434 - Little Dumpling (The End)

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    When the couple got married, the two had discussed that they wanted to wait for a year to enjoy their newlywed life before they have a child.

    After two years of marriage, Hazel was finally pregnant.

    Alex had a mix of emotions when he heard the news. He was happy that he will become a father, but at the same time, Alex was sad, knowing that soon, there will be someone else who will fight for his wife''s attention.

    Hazel noticed that there was something not right with his mood. When she found out about his dilemma, Hazel could not stop herself from laughing.

    "Mr. He, why are you jealous of your own child?"

    "I like being like this. Just the two of us together." Alex wrapped his arms around her waist and stared at his wife''s face with a serious expression. "I heard that a child will always be attached to the mother. Once the child comes out, will you still have time to spoil me?"

    Hazel tilted her head to one side. "Why not? If we need a space for ourselves, we can always send the child to your mother."

    Alex raised a brow, intrigued by whatever idea she had in mind.

    "Don''t you know?" Hazel continued. "Your mother has been looking forward to becoming a grandmother."

    Alex stared at his wife for a long time as if trying to probe at her mind. "Has my mother been urging you about us having a child?"

    "No." Hazel flashed him an assuring smile. "But I can see it from her expression. Every time she looked at the twin brothers, her eyes would sparkle. She loved hanging around with Auntie Edith just so that she can play with the twins."

    A long sigh escaped him. He stared at his wife''s slightly bulging stomach and could not stop worrying. He did not know much about pregnancy, but he had heard that it would be hard for a mother.

    He loved his wife so much and could not bear to see her get hurt¡­

    When the couple broke the news to their family, Lily was the happiest. She has been looking forward to carrying her grandchild for a while, but could not say a word to urge the kids to have a child quickly.

    Knowing how much her son doted on his wife, Lily had once suspected that perhaps, her son planning to have a child. Fortunately, her guess was wrong.

    The moment Neil knew about Hazel''s pregnancy, he immediately helped her to find a personal carer to look after his niece''s diet.

    After watching the couple for a few years, Neil was used to seeing Alex around and was no longer as hostile towards him. He understood that Hazel had married Alex. If he continued to treat that boy with hostility, then what would happen if Alex started to dislike Hazel instead?

    Moreover¡­ He was relieved, knowing that Adam and Claire''s linage would continue.

    After nine months of carrying the child, Hazel was finally pushed into the labor room.

    Alex was at home when his wife suddenly shouted that the baby was about to come out.

    He dropped everything in hand and drove her to the hospital. His face was calm, but Alex was nervous, knowing that the child was going to be born.

    Alex did not have the time to inform their family. Because he was afraid that Hazel would be in pain, he had requested from the doctor to accompany his wife to the labor room.

    Seeing the sweats on her face the moment he walked into the room, Alex was distressed. He walked over to his wife and held her hand tightly. "Don''t be afraid, I''m here."

    Hazel turned to him and frowned as she tried to bear the pain. Her jaw clenched and Hazel was gripping his hand tightly. The pain was too much that she was unable to speak. Though she had heard stories about giving birth before, Hazel did not know that it would be this painful.

    The pain subsided a while later. Hazel took a few deep breaths and looked at Alex. Seeing his distressed look, Hazel tried to smile to assure him that she was fine. However, that look on her face only made him anxious.

    "Is it painful?"

    Her face scrunched up and Hazel nodded. After a while, the pain came again and each time, the pain would only grow fierce. Holding on to his hand tightly, Hazel started to listen to the doctor''s instruction and pushed.

    After more than an hour later, a baby girl was born.

    Alex merely glanced at the baby before he let the doctor clean up his daughter. Then, he walked over to his exhausted wife and kissed her on the forehead. "Wife, you have worked hard. Thank you."

    When Alex walked out of the labor room, he was surprised to see the elders around. His parents, and Hazel''s uncle and auntie stood in front of him with an anxious look on their faces. It was then that he recalled that he had forgotten to inform them about his wife.

    "Auntie Jiang called and told us that Hazel is giving birth," Lily spoke when she saw the dumbfounded look on her son''s expression. "What about Hazel? And the baby?"

    "The mother and daughter are fine."

    The elders let out a sigh in relief before they started to ask Alex various questions. Soon, a nurse came out, carrying a baby girl in her arms. The moment they saw the baby, their attention shift, and they finally let Alex off.

    After they had a child, their life began to change again, and this time, to the baby.

    Initially, Alex was worried that his wife would pay attention to their child and neglect him, but after his daughter was born, the little girl preferred to be with her father. The only time that little dumpling would love her mother was when she was hungry and needed her meal.

    Seeing this situation, Hazel thought that it was amusing. She stood at the side as she watched the daughter and father tease each other. The smile on that little dumpling''s face was especially happy.

    Seeing the way her daughter was lying obediently in her father''s arms made her feel a little jealous.

    Hazel walked over and picked up her daughter. Then, she hugged the baby in her arms and laid her head on her husband''s arms.

    Alex was momentarily stunned at what was going on.

    Before he could say anything, Hazel looked up with a little pout on her lips. "Hubby, I want a hug too."

    Alex laughed when he heard her words. He then wrapped his arms around Hazel''s shoulder, pulled her closer, and kissed the top of her head. Then, he lifted her chin and kissed her on the mouth.

    The baby saw the scene where her parents were kissing and started to voice her complaint. Her little lips parted as she shouted some incoherent words.

    Hazel pulled away and looked at the baby in her arms. "No. This is my husband. You grow up quickly and go find someone else to kiss you."

    The baby was stunned. She turned to her father and continued to voice her complaint. However, her father was ignoring her and continued to look at her mother with a doting gaze.

    Seeing that she cannot win against her mother, the little dumpling could only bit at her tiny mittens to vent her frustration.

    "Are you jealous of your own daughter?"

    "It is said that daughter is the father''s lover in their past life. How can I not get jealous?" Seeing that Alex started to laugh, Hazel furrowed her brow at him. "What is it? You don''t like it when I''m jealous?"

    "Of course not." Alex held the person in his arms tighter. "I like you. Hazel Mo, in this world, I love you the most."

    Hazel was stunned. Soon, she flashed him a satisfied smile. Happy with his answer, Hazel tilted her head up and rewarded him with a peck on his lips.

    -The End-

    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net