CHAPTER 383: CHAPTER 383: LOVING MOM AND DAD

Ethan Sterling pulled her forward, feeling much more at ease, as if without holding Ruby Sullivan’s hand, she might get lost.

He didn’t want to care about how she was at this moment or if she was annoying. He just knew that in the current situation, she definitely wouldn’t throw a tantrum and shake off his hand.

Honey, who ran out from the backstage, saw her parents holding hands from a distance. She stood there excitedly, then turned back before they could see her. She thought her brother would also want their parents to hold hands a little longer.

Ethan Sterling and Ruby Sullivan couldn’t find Honey, so they went to the preparation room behind the auditorium to look for her. Naturally, he was still holding her hand.

Ruby Sullivan tried to pull her hand back, but it was held tighter.

"Stop messing around," Ethan Sterling chided.

Ruby Sullivan rolled her eyes, thinking to herself that she should have been the one to say this. But the occasion wasn’t suited for her to snap back, so she could only silently swallow her frustration and let the man keep holding her hand.

Thinking that she probably wouldn’t have the chance to hold hands in the future, she cherished the current moment even more.

She only wanted to separate from him; it was never about not loving him anymore. No matter what methods he used to discipline her, she wanted to bear it calmly.

As Ruby Sullivan thought about this, she bent her fingers and held onto his hand.

When the family of three came out of the kindergarten, Honey was particularly happy, holding her dad’s hand in one hand and her mom’s in the other. She felt like nothing had changed at home, and her parents were still as loving as they used to be.

She skipped ahead, "Dad, Mom, did I dance well just now?"

"Of course, Honey dances the best among the kids," Ruby Sullivan praised.

Honey giggled and looked at her dad, "Why didn’t Dad say anything?"

Ethan Sterling smiled down at her, "Dad thinks the same as Mom and also thinks you danced the best."

Actually, he was a bit absent-minded, thinking about that brief grip from Ruby Sullivan. He believed it wasn’t just his imagination—was it just a casual squeeze or did it mean something more?

Ethan Sterling didn’t dare to guess too much and even dared not look her in the eye.

They called Leon Sterling on the way. The opening performance had just started, and Seth wouldn’t be on stage for a while, so there was still time.

This time, the play was selected school-wide. Seth’s age was a disadvantage, but he had prepared a lot for this selection, even watching "The Wizard of Oz" and memorizing all the characters’ lines, which impressed the teachers during the interview.

In the end, during the discussion, the teachers agreed that except for the female lead, Seth could stand out in any role. When they asked Seth, he chose the Scarecrow role himself.

Because he thought among the major roles, only this character could show his face.

He researched the requirements for skipping grades, realizing that he must excel beyond academics.

He wanted to complete his studies in as little time as possible, ideally entering the workforce around fifteen, whether in his dad’s company or his mom’s. He hoped to stand on his own soon and didn’t want to waste time at school with other kids.

Parents of participating students had privileges and could choose front-row seats. Since Leon Sterling valued attending his nephew’s parent-child activity, he arrived before Seth and took the best front-row seats, initially knowing Ethan Sterling would bring Honey, so he reserved two extra seats.

However, Honey was small, so sitting on her dad’s lap also worked.

Seeing Honey’s makeup, Leon Sterling couldn’t help but laugh, "Honey, do you think your teacher has a grudge against you?"

Honey couldn’t catch the implication in her uncle’s words, and he spoke softly, so she didn’t hear clearly. She just felt her uncle was laughing and talking to her, which must mean he was praising her beauty. She was very satisfied with her makeup, which looked so different from usual.

Thinking this, Honey smiled sweetly, cupping her face like a flower’s calyx, "Do I look pretty today?"

Leon Sterling laughed out loud, pinched her small face, "Yes, Honey looks especially beautiful today." He meant it sincerely, not complimenting her current makeup, but her pure, innocent heart.

After the family of three sat down, Seth soon came on stage.

Watching the heartfelt Scarecrow on stage, Ruby Sullivan was instantly amazed. With such acting skills, her son could become a child star! He might even be a future movie emperor!

Of course, she just mused about it; with Ethan Sterling having only one son, there’s no way he’d let him become an actor. Besides, her son was always studying astronomy and geography, not necessarily interested in performing arts.

Watching, she couldn’t help but feel a pang of sorrow. Her son’s performance must mean he practiced at home often, but she knew nothing.

Ruby Sullivan thought of what Ethan Sterling said earlier, realizing that half her recent busyness was caused by him. She couldn’t help feeling angry, stepping hard on his leather shoe.

Ethan Sterling frowned and tilted his head, "Ms. Sullivan, don’t you find it a bit indirect?"

"Oh, did I step on your foot? I’m so sorry." Ruby Sullivan batted her eyes innocently, giving a soulless apology before turning back to focus on their son’s performance.

Ethan Sterling’s smile froze, too lazy to argue with her.

The three-hour play featured young actors who were very professional, and the story had many changes from the original version, filled with interesting snippets, making it enjoyable for adults too.

The school recorded this performance. After the event, they would upload the video to the school website for parents to download on their own.

After the performance ended, Ruby Sullivan, Ethan Sterling, Leon Sterling, and Honey waited outside. Ten minutes later, Seth came running out, still wearing a round red nose.

Seeing his sister with makeup like a monster, he was stunned for a while, then awkwardly asked, "Honey, did Sophie from your nursery school do your makeup?"

He knew the teachers there well after a year, and though named Sophie, she was a forty-year-old lady, whose wardrobe and aesthetic were often questionable.

Honey was surprised, "Brother, you’re so smart! How did you guess that?" After praising him, she mimicked their uncle’s earlier gesture, batting her eyes, pretending to be a flower, "Don’t I look pretty?"

Seth’s lips twitched, seeing the three adults behind her winking at him, he had no choice but to nod against his will.

Honey giggled, covering her mouth, unable to resist whispering her biggest secret to her brother, a secret she planned to tell him only at night. But seeing her brother, she just couldn’t hold it in!