CHAPTER 9: CHAPTER 9: LET CLAIRE MARRY INTO THE LOCKWOOD FAMILY

Serena caught the apron.

The action was so familiar to her, it was completely instinctual.

However, holding the dirty apron, she didn’t immediately tie it around herself as she used to.

In the past, at every family gathering, Serena was always the busiest one.

There were over thirty dishes in total, each one from washing, picking, cooking to plating was all her work.

Grandpa felt for her and told her not to work so hard, after all, there were professional chefs and nannies at the old mansion.

But Serena knew grandpa preferred meals she cooked with her own hands, so she always rushed to work.

The other relatives, for the sake of grandpa, would also compliment her lightly a few times.

Afterwards, washing all the family dishes and tidying up was also Serena’s job.

Because her mother-in-law said a woman should know how to manage household chores to be considered virtuous.

Though Serena was tired, after a day of hard work, Caleb would thank her.

Upon hearing the thanks, she didn’t feel tired at all—

which was indeed foolish.

"What are you standing there for? Hurry up!"

Urged by Lucy, Serena remained still and tossed the apron to the side.

"There are chefs and nannies in the kitchen, I’d only be in the way if I went."

Lucy was taken aback.

"What are you saying? How can a daughter-in-law of the Lockwood family not work?"

"Aunt, aren’t you also a daughter-in-law of the Lockwood family? Why don’t you work?"

This retort from Serena nearly caused Lucy to bite her tongue.

"How dare you speak like that, don’t you know your manners? You’re the younger generation, how can you compare to me?"

"Then as an elder, you should be more lenient, setting an example for juniors by taking the initiative to work, right?"

Serena’s words left Lucy stunned.

Lucy had never seen Serena being so sharp-tongued before.

"Have you lost your mind today? Lilian, come, come here and look at your good daughter-in-law!"

Lucy called over Lilian Young.

Lilian Young was Serena’s mother-in-law.

Their argument drew the attention of others around.

Out of the corner of her eye, Serena saw the deep disappointment in Caleb’s eyes.

"What’s the commotion?"

The authoritative voice came from the second floor. Serena looked up, unsurprisingly seeing Caleb’s grandpa, Lance Lockwood.

If there was anything holding her back from divorcing Caleb, it was grandpa.

Serena felt a little guilty, always feeling indebted to grandpa.

"Oh, Serena’s here! Come, come, keep grandpa company and chat for a bit."

Lance Lockwood beckoned to Serena.

In the entire Lockwood family, only Serena could make Lance’s stern face break into a kind smile.

After chatting with Serena, Lance turned to Lucy and said, "If there’s not enough help in the kitchen, just hire more staff."

Lucy dared not talk back, and Lilian lost her arrogance too.

Now, no one in the Lockwood family dared to order Serena around.

Claire approached Caleb Lockwood and whispered, "I didn’t expect Serena to have such authority in the Lockwood family, even the elders heed her."

Seeing Caleb’s already tense brow furrow further, delight filled Claire’s heart, reaching her eyes.

Serena chatted with Lance for a while until it was time to eat.

The whole family gathered around the extra-long table, Caleb sat with Serena on his left, and Claire on his right.

At a table with dozens of people, Serena was invisible, like air, while everyone was inquiring about Claire.

From her psychology Ph.D. to her work at FY, Claire patiently answered each question.

Serena’s knowledge of Claire mostly came from Caleb’s comparisons.

Claire was a top graduate returning from abroad, a rising star in jewelry design, a piano master, and more, while she was just a housewife who didn’t finish high school.

So Serena thought Claire must be quite remarkable.

"My thesis at that time was on Jung’s collective unconscious. Jung proposed the iceberg theory in his 1923 article ’On The Relation Of Analytical Psychology to Poetry’. He divided the iceberg into three parts: consciousness, pre-consciousness, and unconsciousness..."

Claire continued to speak eloquently.

"Wow, psychology is so profound, you’re really amazing, Claire."

"This is nothing; Claire is knowledgeable and well-read, unlike a certain someone who is just a parasite relying on others."

Serena knew Lucy was talking about her.

"Aunt, actually... someone unwilling to be self-reliant also has an explanation in psychology!" Claire feigned mystery and went on with another analysis, making Lucy nod in admiration.

"Oh, Lilian, wouldn’t it have been great if Claire had married into the Lockwood family back then, at least she’s presentable! Look at now..."

Lucy said this while casting a contemptuous glance at Serena.

Lilian, also embarrassed, cleared her throat and said, "A woman’s virtue lies in her lack of talent..."

"Exactly, Serena does well in that aspect."

Caleb chimed in nonchalantly, leaving it unclear whether it was praise or mockery towards Serena.

Serena originally didn’t care how Lucy or Lilian viewed her.

But Caleb’s words aroused her rebellious spirit.

"Jung proposed the collective unconscious theory in 1922, not 1923. The iceberg analogy was first proposed by Fechner, then borrowed by Freud. Jung was Freud’s student, and he further divided Freud’s unconscious into collective unconscious and personal unconscious..."

As Serena spoke, Claire’s face turned pale.

"How could you get such basic information wrong? Did someone take your psychology exam for you?"

"Serena, stop talking nonsense!" Lucy saw that Claire’s eyes were turning red.

"Why don’t you check it on your phone to see if I’m talking nonsense?"

Lucy promptly picked up her phone to do some searches, intending to prove Serena was making things up, but ended up falling silent.

Claire quickly covered herself by saying that she had been so busy with design lately that she had forgotten all about psychology.

"Forgotten yet flaunting it..."

"Serena, just say a little less. Claire is our guest today." Lilian clearly disapproved of Serena today, as if she had taken some stimulant, completely different from her previously virtuous and obedient self.

"When Lucy mocked Serena earlier, why didn’t you tell her to shut up?" Among the people at the table, only Lance stood up for Serena.

Lance was clearly delighted because he had discovered yet another new merit in Serena today.

"She’s indeed the granddaughter-in-law of my choice, good at cooking and well-versed in knowledge. Caleb, if you dare treat Serena poorly, like being swayed by some superficial vixen, I, as grandpa, will be the first to object." As Lance said this, he looked not at Caleb, but at Claire.

Claire hung her head, pretending to know nothing.

"Rest assured, grandpa." Caleb glanced at Serena through his peripheral vision, his charming and indiscernible smile on his lips, "I treat her very well."

Serena looked up at Caleb and saw the mocking smile in his eyes.

Perhaps to Caleb, he indeed thought he had given her enough!

After the meal, Caleb left with Serena and Claire.

Claire was visibly upset, even shedding tears as they approached the car.

"Claire, grandpa wasn’t targeting you," Caleb consoled.

"Yes, I know... It’s just... I just wanted to leave a good impression on your relatives, as I hadn’t seen them in years, but unexpectedly... I’m sorry, Caleb, I’ve embarrassed you..."

The more Claire spoke, the more she cried, tears streaming like rain on a pear blossom.

Serena saw Caleb intimately hold Claire’s shoulder, letting her into the car.

She originally intended to tell Caleb not to drive her back; she’d go herself, but Caleb beat her to it.