Chapter 79 Picking Strawberries
Oliver watched Nancy as she left. Then Oliver patted Donny on the head and came back home slowly with Donny.
Oliver found his grandfather was playing chess alone. Oliver walked over to sit across from his grandfather and placed half a basket of strawberries in front of him.
"Did you visit Granny Hill again?"
The Elderly Mr. Barton glanced at Oliver and knew where he had gone.
Oliver nodded and put a white chess piece on the chessboard.
Oliver began playing chess with his grandfather. Both of them were silent and Donny lay down quietly at the table.
Until the end...
"Grandpa, I lost."
Oliver put down his chess pieces and stood up. He had a tall and slim figure, which was pleasing to the eye.
"Grandpa, have some strawberries. I'll do my homework first."
The Elderly Mr. Barton looked at the strawberries in the basket and mumbled with doubt. "Why did you bring fewer strawberries than usual today? What did you barter with Granny Hill?"
After a pause, Oliver kept his reply intentionally vague.
Oliver went to the small garden where his grandfather cultivated flowers. He moved an orchid plant into a container and quietly left with it.
After the Elderly Mr. Barton finished eating the strawberries, he strolled to enjoy the flowers in his small garden as before. He fell silent as he discovered the pit.
After a few seconds, the Elderly Mr. Barton shouted angrily.
"Oliver."
The Elderly Mr. Barton took his cane and went to find Oliver. Oliver had expected his grandfather would scold him, so he and Donny hid themselves.
Inevitably, Oliver was punished and asked to the family rules, although he was not beaten. He wrote more than 10,000 words with a brush.
Oliver kept kneeling on a seat cushion with his back straightened. He stayed up to copy the family rules.
Nancy didn't know what happened to Oliver.
Ivan had been drawing in his studio for several hours. Nancy brought some washed strawberries and milk to Ivan. She found Ivan's hands, clothes, and even his face were stained with pigments.
"Ivan."
Nancy pulled at the hem of Ivan's hoodie. Ivan, who focused on drawing, was aware of Nancy's presence and stopped drawing.
"Nancy."
Ivan moved his stiff arms and legs with a paintbrush in his hand. He stretched out and clenched his fists to massage the aching muscles in his shoulder.
"My shoulders ache."
Nancy held a strawberry in her hand and stood on tiptoe to feed Ivan.
"Ivan, have some strawberries. They are delicious."
Ivan bent over and bit half of the strawberry off. It tasted sweet and slightly sour.
"It's delicious. When did you buy these strawberries?"
Ivan thought the strawberries looked fresh.
Nancy said crisply, "Oliver and I went to Granny Hill's house to pick strawberries."
Ivan was surprised, "When did you go? Did Oliver come here?"
Ivan didn't know at all.
Nancy nodded and also ate a strawberry merrily. She stared at Ivan's painting and was amazed to find it was almost done.
"Oh my God..."
Nancy thought she seemed to be another person in the painting. The sunlight penetrated through the bamboo curtain and fell on Nancy. The painting seemed to be bathed in soft lighting.
" Your drawing of me is more beautiful!"
"Nonsense."
Ivan walked up to Nancy and pinched her cheeks, "You are the most pretty."
Ivan's praise made Nancy feel shy. Nancy thought she was not as beautiful as Ivan said and Ivan just wanted to please her.
The painting was finally completed after dinner. Ivan put away all the painting tools and carefully took down the painting.
"I'll ask someone to have the painting mounted tomorrow. Then I will give it to you as a gift."
"Thank you, Ivan."
Nancy hugged Ivan happily. She looked at the painting with pleasure, her eyes gleaming.
Ivan was satisfied to see Nancy liked this painting so much.
"Ivan, let me massage your shoulders." Nancy was delighted to get this painting but also felt sorry that Ivan had been sitting for almost a day to finish it.
Nancy pulled Ivan down on the chair and ran behind him. She clenched her fists and thumped Ivan's shoulder to give him a massage.
Ivan was satisfied with the pressure he received during the massage. Ivan narrowed his eyes comfortably and asked in surprise.
"Nancy, why are you good at massaging?"
Nancy said as she massaged Ivan's shoulder, "I will give Granny a massage when she has a headache and shoulder pain."
Ivan thought for a while before he understood that Granny was the one who lived with Nancy in the Stream Village. Ivan's mother also told him about where Nancy lived before she came back to the Brook family. Ivan felt sorry to hear that.
Ivan decided that he must treat Nancy well in the future. Of course, Nancy deserved such kindness from Ivan.
After a while, Ivan stopped Nancy from massaging, and ate a lot of delicious food together with her. Both Ivan and Nancy sat cross-legged, and Gee also stayed with them.
But the two elders also realized that Nancy was not Anna after all. Because Nancy had a different personality from Anna.
"Nancy, we are old. And your great-uncle Scott is in bad health. So we can't fly to L City to see you. You come to visit us frequently in the future, okay?"
Nancy followed the two elders to heel. She was well-behaved and replied softly.
"Okay."
Scott smiled gently and stroked Nancy's head.
"Good girl. I am old now. I am happy that I can still see you at this age."
Nancy tilted her head and smiled at Peter and Scott.
It was the first time Nancy met her two great-uncles. They gave Nancy a lot of gifts, but Nancy only accepted some trinkets. She declined to accept valuables.
"I like these trinkets, great-uncle Peter, great-uncle Scott. You don't need to give me credit cards and money. My elder brother and dad have saved a lot of money for me. I can't use it up."
Peter even wanted to transfer some shares in his company to Nancy. James was stunned that he almost begged Peter to abandon this idea.
James thought shares in the company should not be transferred at will. James took Nancy here just to visit relatives, not to incur the hatred of other relatives.
Peter whose idea had been rejected looked displeased. Nancy took his hands and persuaded him patiently.
"I will make money by myself in the future, great-uncle Peter. You have given me lots of gifts. I can't be greedy, or I will become a bad child in the future."
Nancy's face crinkled up and didn't know what to do. It amused Peter so much that he didn't insist anymore.
Peter also knew that it was a bit too much to transfer his shares to Nancy, but he couldn't help but do it.
Peter thought he went senile as time went by.
The younger members of the Kingsley family breathed a sigh of relief, especially the daughters-in-law of Peter and Scott. They had a better impression of Nancy.
The daughters-in-law weren't greedy for money and the shares in the company. But if Nancy accepted the shares, it would be unfair to their sons and daughters. So they would be displeased for sure. Besides, Nancy wasn't a member of the Kingsley family after all. If something terrible happened, it won't be good for anyone.
Nancy stayed at her great-uncles' house until the evening. She waved her goodbye and returned to her uncle's house. When the car drove to her uncle's house, Nancy saw at first glance Ivan sitting at the door and resting his chin in his hands
"Ivan!"
After Nancy got out of the car, she rushed into Ivan's arms and rubbed her head against his chest.
"Welcome back!"
Ivan, who was drowsy, laughed happily with Nancy in his arms.
"Do you miss me?"
Nancy smiled and nodded her head several times. She threw her arms around Ivan's neck and rubbed her face against him. She said in a sweet voice.
"Yes, I miss you so much."
Everyone in the yard laughed. But James was jealous and wondered why so many people loved Nancy!
Comments
The readers' comments on the novel: Doted by My Seven Brothers
All i had to see was one piece and i like this book even more plus i didnt like the kid brother but after his collection love him lol...