Zuko paused and called Jacob. "What happened at home?"
"It's not your family," Jacob replied in a low voice. "It's the Thompsons."
"The Thompsons?"
"It seems... it's about the little girl betrothed to you in childhood," Jacob said hastily. "I couldn't inquire too much about your family matters. Just make a trip back."
"Okay, got it," replied Zuko, agreeing and ending the call.
Lina was walking ahead and did not hear him making the call. The night enveloped her joyful figure as she occasionally turned around and waved at him.
Zuko spent the next two days contemplating how to take a "leave" from the Jenners. After much consideration, he decided to be honest. "My younger brother called and said there's something going on at home. He wants me to go back for a while. I won't be away for long, just two or three days, and I'll definitely rush back."
After speaking, Zuko looked directly at Jesse and Melissa, who were standing in front of him. They both stared at him intently for a moment before exchanging a smile and nodding.
Zuko was taken aback. In the blink of an eye, the couple swept the shelves clean and packed everything into a large duffle bag.
"Sir, ma'am, you—"
"Zeke!" Jesse looked at him, beaming. "We got nothing much for you to take home, but we run a supermarket. We have plenty to eat and drink!"
Melissa also smiled warmly. "That's right. You can bring these to the in-laws— Oh no, no, I mean to your parents as a small token of our regard!"
Zuko was dumbfounded.
The couple acted as if the goods were free, filling the bag with staple foods and various snacks—two big bags of them. Even when they could not fit more inside, Melissa still managed to squeeze in a few bags of calcium-rich crackers for the elderly…
Zuko looked at the empty shelves and the couple's satisfied expressions, feeling both speechless and touched.
"You don't need to do this…"
"Why not?" they said in unison.
"Zeke, when are you leaving? We'll help carry these to the train for you if it's too much!"
Zuko felt like telling them a private plane was coming to pick him up.
"By the way, where's your family located?"
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