The Shi family were waiting in anticipation on Stone Road.
They had already received news of John's return.
With a serious look on his face, Sam sat in his wheelchair, with vacant and emotionless eyes. His hands stiffened as he rested them on his legs. He was excited. John had disappeared for a whole year and he hadn't even contacted his family once.
For the first few months, Sam tossed and turned every night, terrified that John hadn't overcome his fear of water and would be having a hard time on C Island. He was more afraid that the royal family would make things difficult for John.
In just a couple of months, it looked like Sam had aged at least ten years. His skin was loose and dropped so much that it looked as if it was going to fall off his body.
'I really am quite old.'
"Sam, they are here." Jake saw a black car coming towards them.
Dora happily jumped up in her dress, held her mother's hand and said, "Here they are. Uncle John is back. Uncle John is finally back."
Angela patted her daughter's hand and smiled, "He is finally back."
The whole family seemed completely overjoyed, everyone but Chester. As he saw the car stop, he turned around and started walking off.
Noticing that something was wrong with her son, Sandra followed him and asked, "What's wrong, Chester? Aren't you happy that your uncle is back? Are you angry with him?"
"No. I knew about his plan all along." He then walked straight into the living room.
Sandra asked, "Then why?"
"Nothing." He was just a little upset.
'Uncle John hasn't contacted me for a year. He clearly doesn't care about me. I don't want to care about him either.'
"Well, I'm such a horrible mother. Why doesn't my son want to tell me when something's bothering him?" Sandra sighed.
After she made herself heard, she glanced at Chester. When she saw him turn around, she smiled.
She knew Chester all too well. Even though he looked cold like John, he was nowhere near as emotionless and antisocial.
"Mom, don't worry. There are just too many people in front of the door. The sun is really beating down out there so I just feel like it's better to wait inside." Chester walked over and pulled his mother to sit on the sofa. He then considerately peeled her an orange and handed it to her.
Sandra happily took the orange and touched his head. "My sweet boy is so kind."
"Mom, that's for girls. You can have a daughter so that I'll have a sister." Although Chester didn't smile much, he was not as aggressive as John. Instead, he adopted his mother's gentle nature.
After thinking for a while, she said, "I will ask for your dad's opinion."
"Why do you always have to listen to Dad? Aunt Nina seldom listens to Uncle John," Chester complained. "It seems that she hasn't come back with him though."
Sandra was an old fashioned woman, and she didn't even think about disobeying her husband.
"I'm not like your aunt," Sandra answered, looking slightly embarrassed. After all, Nina was from the royal family. "And why do you talk about her all the time anyway? She only raised you for a period of time while I've been taking care of you all these years."
Chester looked at her and said, "Don't be jealous. You will always be my mother."
"Good boy, you are so considerate." Her embarrassment immediately vanished and was soon replaced with a bright smile.
As the noisy crowd seemed to be approaching, Chester didn't even care and continued eating the orange.
"Uncle John, Grandpa has asked the chef to cook many of your favorite dishes along with the most authentic ones in Lexingport City. You probably miss the taste of home, right?" Dora said excitedly as she followed John.
Nelson pitched in, "Of course he does. Everyone misses their family."
"I don't think so. He seems to have lived a good life away from home," Sam interjected with a long face.
The air froze in an instant.
Everyone fell into a hushed silence. It seemed that Sam was still mad.
John didn't know what to say. He just had to get on James' good side on the car ride over here, and now he had to coax his father.
He missed Nina. If she were here, she would know how to coax Sam.
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