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Novel Catalog
Chapter_267
After the meal, the living room fell into a calm, almost serene atmosphere. The TV was showing the latest news about the country’s new energy developments.
Aurora and Yvette lounged on the sofa, both leaning back in a relaxed and informal way, looking more like sisters than mother and daughter-in-law. Aurora, with her youthful appearance, could easily be mistaken for Yvette’s peer, and the two of them seemed at ease in each other’s company.
Clifford, ever the attentive husband, handed Aurora a freshly made bowl of milk from the servant, but Aurora immediately passed it to Yvette, her expression full of genuine concern. “Yvette, you should drink this! We women need more milk. It’s good for our health.”
Yvette paused her gaze from the TV and turned to the bowl of milk. “Thanks,” she said simply, accepting the offering.
Aurora watched Yvette drink it down, then turned back to Clifford. “Honey, could you ask Cara to bring out another bowl?”
Clifford hesitated for a moment, a thought crossing his mind. I’m a senior director of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and here I am, playing housekeeper at home. Well, it’s acceptable, I suppose.
Jeremiah, who had been quietly observing, glanced at Clifford but didn’t comment. Who’s really in a better position in this family? he thought to himself with a wry smile.
Clifford, distracted by the image of James on the TV, spoke up after a brief pause. “Developing new energy has always been a priority for the national physics lab. For years, there was no breakthrough. But suddenly, this year, they’ve succeeded. Mr. Owens had a hard time finding the right successor for the lab—none of them met his standards. I heard he almost had to be hospitalized from exhaustion recently. I wonder how he’s doing now.”
The topic took on a serious tone. The older generation had given everything to the country. They didn’t retire when they should’ve been enjoying their golden years. Instead, they continued working, still at the forefront of research. The patriotic spirit that people like Mr. Owens embodied was so deeply rooted in their bones that even death couldn’t erase it.
Jeremiah peeled a plump, shiny grape for Yvette and placed it on her dessert plate, then joined in. “Mr. Owens is feeling better. Yvette met with him yesterday, so everything should be fine now.”
Clifford, surprised, turned to Yvette. He had never known she was acquainted with Mr. Owens. After all, Mr. Owens never left Betrico. Even if he did, he required a national guard escort. To say he was reclusive was an understatement.
“You know Mr. Owens?” Clifford asked, his curiosity piqued. “How did you meet him?”
Yvette half-closed her eyes and, lifting her clear gaze, casually pinched her fingertips. “We met online. Yesterday was our first meeting.”
Yvette wasn’t lying. Her first real conversation with James was indeed just the day before. However, she left out the part about accepting him as a god-grandfather after such a brief chat.
Clifford blinked in surprise. “Online? Mr. Owens actually knows how to browse the internet?” he muttered to himself. That’s not such a big deal, but I never imagined him chatting online, especially with Yvette.
Aurora, however, wasn’t as surprised as Clifford. She didn’t overthink it. With a playful grin, she turned to Yvette. “Yvette, should we exchange contacts too? That way, next time I miss you, I won’t have to go through Jeremiah. That’s such a hassle.”
Yvette lowered her eyes, and hearing this, she quickly pulled out her phone and opened the app. Her voice was calm, almost neutral. “Do you want me to scan your code, or should you scan mine?”
Aurora, appreciating Yvette’s straightforwardness, smiled. “I’ll scan yours.”
After they exchanged contacts, Aurora excitedly sent Yvette a cute meme—a funny cartoon character with the word “Hello!” next to it. Yvette responded with one of her own.
The phone buzzed, and Aurora glanced down. A cool little character appeared, next to the words “Hey there!” The memes they sent seemed oddly fitting, almost like they had chosen characters that resembled their personalities.
Jeremiah and Clifford exchanged a silent glance, their faces betraying nothing. Chatting on the phone while sitting right next to each other? It seems unnecessary and confusing, they both thought in unison.
Traditionally, the relationship between mothers-in-law and daughters-in-law was often fraught with tension, yet it was unclear who would clash with whom in the future.
At that moment, James’s voice suddenly filled the room from the TV. “Welcome, media friends. The physics lab will hold a new energy press conference in two days. More details will be provided soon.”
Clifford sipped his Grandos, the same coffee that Jase drank. It was his only coffee preference. His eyes flickered slightly as he stared at the TV. After a moment, he spoke again, his tone turning more serious. “The press conference James is hosting is timely. It’ll give our country more confidence at this year’s international conference and save significant costs. I’ve heard that the success in new energy development is thanks to someone named Siren? Quite a mysterious figure. From what I heard, James once tried to recruit this person, but then backed off. Do you know anything about it?”
Clifford’s question was directed at Jeremiah. Given their respective positions, Clifford couldn’t very well ask Yvette or Aurora about it directly. Jeremiah’s involvement with Seacrity and the search for Siren was a top-secret matter, and Clifford wasn’t privy to those details.
Yvette’s fingers paused momentarily around her spoon when she heard the name “Siren.” Her eyes, ever so calm and composed, darkened just slightly, but she didn’t react further. She continued eating her dessert with quiet poise.
Jeremiah, sensing the shift in the conversation, fell silent for a moment before responding in a neutral tone. “Yes. The breakthrough in new energy development owes much to Siren. The project is largely thanks to them, but I don’t know the specifics. Maybe Jase knows more about it.”
Jeremiah didn’t dwell on why James had changed his mind about sending him to find Siren. It had been a task, and when it was canceled, it no longer mattered to him. There was no need to think about it any further.
A few days later, Jeremiah would see a figure appear at the International Physics Conference, and regret would hit him hard. He wished he had pursued the matter more thoroughly at the time.
Clifford nodded thoughtfully. His expression grew more serious. “I wonder if Mr. Owens ever found Siren. Our country, Clusia, really needs talent like that right now.”
Aurora, ever perceptive to her husband’s concerns, placed a hand on his. “Our country is doing much better now. It’s not like it was in your day. If Siren is really as talented as you say, Mr. Owens would definitely pass on the information. You know how stubborn he is, so there’s no need to worry.”
Jeremiah, holding Yvette’s hand, added, “Yeah, I know. We’ve grown old, and we can only do so much for the country now. The future depends on the younger generation. A strong youth makes for a strong nation. We need more talents like Siren.”
Yvette lifted her gaze and, after finishing her dessert, smiled faintly. Jeremiah noticed and quickly handed her a napkin, his gesture a silent act of service.
Clifford, observing this, couldn’t help but feel a bit taken aback. He realized that his usually distant son was now completely under Yvette’s influence.
Then, Yvette spoke softly, her voice clear and composed. “Mr. Owens has already successfully recruited Siren.”
