Hela, who dearly loved her son, immediately explained, "Darlan later said the items were misplaced. We were in a hurry that day, so we didn't buy much."

Daniel's face instantly darkened, and it was clear Darlan's explosive temper was about to flare up again.

Luis quickly stepped in to mediate, saying, "Uncle, I believe they must have been misplaced. Frankly, the types of cigarettes and alcohol your generation prefers are different from what our generation likes. It isn't necessarily that Brother-in-law kept them for himself."

This was undoubtedly a lifesaving straw. Daniel immediately said, "Dad, I had too much to drink and left them in the car. The next day, they were gone."

Hearing this, Darlan's expression softened slightly. "Then why didn't you report it to the police?"

Daniel promptly replied, "Dad, I couldn't report it. The community happened to be in the middle of its 'Safe Spring Festival Month' evaluation campaign."

Daniel had previously boasted that nearly all his relatives, both on his father's and mother's side, had bought homes and settled in that community. Even the heads of the property management and the local police precinct were relatives.

Because one of his uncles was a shareholder in the development company that built the community, he was able to get the initial, lowest price.

Therefore, almost all his relatives and friends in the city lived in the same community, making this spur-of-the-moment excuse sound particularly plausible.

"Even so, you cannot neglect propriety," Darlan said, immediately understanding the reason and thinking to himself that his son was being sensible. However, he still felt the need to speak sternly in front of his son's father-in-law. "You should have bought a new set of gifts before going to your father-in-law's home for the New Year visit."

Daniel offered another explanation, "Dad, all the stores were closed by then. I had money but nowhere to spend it. I thought I could just get through the visit somehow. After all, time was too tight."

Nancy, who normally might have taken the opportunity to kick him while he was down, was still preoccupied with the fact that her husband had witnessed her being groped on the thigh by her brother-in-law.

He had been suppressing his anger. Outwardly, Nancy used a domineering attitude to mask her own guilt, but inwardly, she felt somewhat remorseful towards her husband and didn't want to see him being cornered and made so helpless.

After all, he used to be such a dashing young man. The current Daniel had truly changed.

Nancy also chimed in, "Dad, there really was no other way. It was the second day of the Lunar New Year; everywhere was shut. We got up early and searched everywhere but couldn't find any suitable replacements. All the decent cigarettes and alcohol were sold out too."

"Oh, I see..." Darlan finally had a way to save face. He immediately said harshly, "Next time something like this happens, tell your Dad. How can a youngster handle things so poorly?"

"Understood!" Daniel looked gratefully at his wife. One could easily imagine how much fear he held for his father, who came from a military background and was exceptionally severe.

Hela seemed somewhat unsatisfied. She continued, smiling at Luis, "Well, that misunderstanding has been cleared up. But this second son-in-law is quite impressive. Now I'm curious to know how you and your wife ended up together."

Her words were dripping with sarcasm. Darlan's brow was furrowed, and he was even clenching his fists subtly.

Arthur's face also darkened. His second daughter was born so unattractive that he demanded a paternity test—this was his greatest regret and also the biggest stain on Lily's life, creating the largest rift between her and her father.

He was closer to his eldest daughter, and now, whenever he spoke to his second daughter, he felt a pang of guilt.

In the past, he wouldn't have gotten this angry, but now his second son-in-law had not only agreed instantly to lend him three hundred thousand dollars, but even offered five hundred thousand outright, worried that Arthur might face cash flow problems.

To put it bluntly, he wasn't very close to these three daughters anymore, let alone their so-called sons-in-law.

What's the best way to ruin relationships with relatives and friends? Borrow money. The composure and restraint shown by the second son-in-law clearly indicated he was no fool.

He was also aware of the family dynamics. Frankly, people like him were more pragmatic. Lending out such a large sum so readily suggested he probably had no intention of asking for it back.

This was the first time Arthur had experienced the feeling of being respected and honored as a father-in-law.

Arthur's expression instantly became extremely ugly. He sneered, "What's the matter, dear in-law? Do you find some fault with my son-in-law?"

Compared to last time, Darlan could sense that Arthur was genuinely furious.

"Not at all. I just think this son-in-law is truly remarkable. A live-in son-in-law who's also financially independent. I truly envy the great fortune your family must have cultivated," Hela said, accustomed to being domineering. She smiled and added, "Please don't misunderstand, dear in-law. I'm just wondering, since our brother-in-law here is so outstanding, why was he willing to become a live-in son-in-law?"

Her tone had softened slightly, no longer directly poking at sore spots, but it was still a veiled barb.

Daniel couldn't help but interject, "Mom, their relationship is their own business. What does it have to do with you?"

Being admonished by her son seemed to fuel Hela's temper instead. She rarely scolded her son, but now she did, "You little rascal! Marriage isn't just a matter between two people; it's a matter between two families! You're brothers-in-law; what's wrong with wanting to understand each other better?"

This statement was ostensibly reasonable, and one couldn't find fault with the wording itself. It also showed that Hela was quite skilled in such exchanges.

"That's enough!!" Darlan was already seething with anger. He slammed his hand on the table and roared, "The affairs of young people are none of your business! Why are you interrogating them like this?"

"Is it wrong for me to ask?" Hela was clearly not convinced, especially after her son had been so badly beaten this time.

It seemed the two of them were on the verge of losing control and starting a full-blown argument.

Luis smiled warmly and raised his glass, intervening, "Uncle, Auntie, honestly, there isn't some complicated story behind it. Lily and I have been together since very early on. We were each other's first love, and it's a wonderful thing that we managed to build a life together."

"As for the marriage and the live-in arrangement, well, I had some savings back then, but not a lot. It didn't seem right to have an extravagant wedding."

"My family situation is unique. I've had to rely on myself for everything. So, being straightforward and honest seems like the better approach."

Luis ran his hand through his hair and said cheerfully, "Anyway, the most important thing is that my wife and I are happier than anyone else, whether we were poor before or have a bit of money now."

Hela remarked with a hint of acidity, "That's true. When taking a wife, one should seek virtue. To marry a wife who is virtuous and can even bring prosperity to her husband... that really is a blessing."

This comment was clearly a double-edged sword, simultaneously insulting Lily for her looks and implying that Nancy was somehow unlucky or brought misfortune, suggesting that marrying her was a disaster for the family.

Nancy's face visibly darkened. Just as she was about to speak, Arthur immediately stopped her with a sharp look.

Darlan also snorted sternly, "Alright, that's enough of this trivial chatter. We're all family gathered here; let's talk about something more pleasant."

"I need to take this call." Hela picked up her phone and walked out of the private room.

Darlan offered an apologetic smile and said, "She can be a bit petty. Please don't take it to heart."

Although Darlan was strongly chauvinistic, Hela was certainly not any less formidable than him.

"Fortunately, my mother-in-law didn't come. She isn't exactly broad-minded either. If those two were to meet, they'd definitely end up arguing."

--

Grandpa Zester's family is planning a grand celebration for his 80th birthday, so they intend to make it quite formal, even sending out physical invitations and so forth.

After eating, Nancy and Daniel's family returned to the countryside first. After all, there were still many preparations to handle, and they couldn't be careless even though three days remained.

Arthur, in a rare display of amiability, discussed the matter with Ruth. Wanting to show respect for her eldest daughter, Ruth decided to attend the banquet. However, she stated that Lily and Luis could not go.

Lily is currently a pregnant woman with many considerations; she must avoid any involvement with joyous red events or somber white funerals. According to folk taboos, it's best to prohibit even activities like praying to gods or visiting famous mountains and great evil spirits. No matter what, she is very concerned about her first grandchild.

On Saturday, Arthur and his wife set off together. Mother-in-law Ruth was dressed flamboyantly, wearing light makeup that made her exceptionally graceful and charming. She had always disliked her plain, unmade-up appearance, but now, with just a light touch of cosmetics, she could be described as utterly captivating.

Particularly the brand-name long dress that Nancy had chosen for her, it outlined her full, curvaceous figure with an elegant yet sexy charm. It wasn't revealing in the slightest, but no matter how you looked at it, it was incredibly alluring.

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