CHAPTER 127: CHAPTER 127: SINCERITY, EVER-CHANGING

He spoke as he gave a suggestive wink.

Truth Hale said slowly, "My Poppy, after all, she has a child, and your family..."

"What’s wrong with having a child! Having a child means Poppy can give birth and likes kids. Look at how well she teaches Florence, how bad can she be herself? Children learn by example. I can tell Poppy is a good kid just by looking."

Almost spoke of Poppy Hale in glowing terms.

Mrs. Hawthorne said candidly, "There are plenty of women who haven’t had children, but there’s only one like Poppy."

Truth Hale sighed.

Mentioned today’s matter.

Mrs. Hawthorne’s face darkened.

"Feudal old stubborn."

In ancient times, people liked women who had given birth, as it proved their fertility.

Nowadays, why are people more feudal than those in ancient times?

Mrs. Hawthorne quickly added.

"Our Hawthorne Family isn’t like that."

Not entirely untrue.

But the most feudal one probably doesn’t have much chance to be feudal anymore.

Mrs. Hawthorne didn’t hide it, "It’s just that my father-in-law is a bit annoying, but it doesn’t matter, he doesn’t have time to manage these things. He’s busy with matchmaking recently."

"Matchmaking?"

"Yes, Declan said the old man has been alone for so many years, it’s better to find a companion."

Of course, it wasn’t Old Master Hawthorne’s idea.

But Declan Hawthorne made the matchmaking arrangements immersive.

And most of them have some cooperative relationship with the Hawthorne Group.

Someone sent their madam over, and Old Master Hawthorne could only accompany her with a smile.

A little bad-tempered, and Declan would coldly ask if he didn’t want the Hawthorne Group to become better.

Back in the day, the old man often used to admonish Declan Hawthorne and the other kids this way.

Little did he know the boomerang would come back to him.

Unable to complain, he could only start meeting the ladies every morning.

The day’s schedule was quite full.

Chatted like this with Mrs. Hawthorne for a bit.

Truth Hale’s pent-up depression was swept away, and she didn’t expect Mrs. Hawthorne to be quite easy to get along with.

By the time Poppy Hale returned with the two kids.

Truth Hale, initially sitting opposite Mrs. Hawthorne, was now seated beside her.

After a few words, they realized they actually graduated from the same university.

Just different majors and not the same year, almost ten years apart.

But in the conversation, they both found a sense of closeness.

The food had just been served.

Florence sat on Mrs. Hawthorne’s lap, looking at the door, and shouted, "Uncle Hawthorne."

Iris Quill, her mouth full of honey-glazed chicken wings, also called out, "Uncle."

The man walked in and casually sat next to Poppy Hale, casually tugged at his tie, and stood to take a small plate of dessert in front of Mrs. Hawthorne.

Mrs. Hawthorne felt a little guilty.

"Oh, I ordered that for Poppy, I didn’t eat it."

Declan Hawthorne exposed Mrs. Hawthorne’s little intention.

Placed the dessert in between Florence and Iris Quill.

"Poppy doesn’t eat chocolate."

Mrs. Hawthorne’s blood sugar was a bit high, and she had to control herself from eating too sweet things.

The usual diet was strictly regulated.

Poppy Hale kept her head down, eating silently.

Declan Hawthorne cut the steak and placed it before Poppy Hale, and after she said thank you, she ate it too.

But she always remained indifferent, maintaining a distance.

The two mothers exchanged a glance.

They both noticed the undercurrents between the two.

To say it’s a flower falling with intention, flowing water ruthlessly, wouldn’t be quite apt.

Truth Hale understood Poppy Hale.

If she were truly uninterested, she wouldn’t accept Declan Hawthorne’s subtle attentiveness.

But she didn’t spare Declan Hawthorne another glance either.

Could it be they’re having a tiff?

After the meal, Florence and Iris Quill went to the glass window to look at the puppies.

She loved Maltese dogs the most, small and dress-up-able.

Iris Quill liked tall and mighty German Shepherds.

The two kids argued for a long time about which dog was cuter.

Ran back to the four adults for a vote.

Mrs. Hawthorne stood by Florence’s side, while Truth Hale said both dogs were cute.

Also showed Iris Quill a past video of little dog Hannah Lynch on her phone.

"This was our old dog, a merle Border Collie, isn’t it cute?"

"So amazing!"

In the video, Poppy Hale threw a frisbee, and Hannah raced up and grabbed it, running back to Poppy Hale.

Connor Lynch beside asked, "Poppy, are you having dinner at home tonight?"

Poppy Hale chirped, "No! I’m going to find my friend; today he won a competition and is treating me to dinner!"

Connor laughed and asked, "A boyfriend?"

"Oh, Dad, don’t ask so much, I’m off!"

Just listening to the voice, you could imagine the lively shyness on young Poppy Hale’s face.

Even Mrs. Hawthorne watched with a smile.

"Poppy used to be so lively."

"Yes, she was quite mischievous when she was young. In the yard, a few boys bullied a little girl, and she rushed in to help. In the end, she got hit too."

Truth Hale’s face was full of nostalgia.

Florence asked, "And then? Was Mom beaten?"

"Not severely. She said she was just waiting for those boys to hit her first, whoever started it was wrong. She wanted to have the initiative."

Mrs. Hawthorne also asked, "How old was Poppy then? So smart and chivalrous."

"Five or six. Back then, she often said her waist hurt. I said, ’Kids don’t have waists,’ and she patted her shoulder and said, ’It hurts here.’"

"It wasn’t really pain; she found carrying her backpack tiring and wanted to act spoiled with her dad, so pampered. From then on, her dad never let her carry her backpack herself."

Poppy Hale felt a little embarrassed.

"Mom, stop it."

Talking about her childhood made Poppy Hale’s face flush a little.

"Alright, alright, I won’t say anymore."

That video, Poppy Hale didn’t even know Truth Hale had recorded.

That day, Declan Hawthorne had participated in a competition and won a gold prize with a ten-thousand-dollar reward.

He said he wanted to treat her to dinner.

Poppy Hale went joyously, but at the mall, they had a fight.

She wanted to eat at a slightly cheaper restaurant to let Declan Hawthorne save his prize money; back then, he was paying for his own university tuition.

But Declan Hawthorne reserved a five-star restaurant.

Poppy Hale insisted on Declan canceling the reservation; Declan was unwilling.

In the end, they never had that meal.

In retrospect, all the past is a thorn.

Every detail of their interactions constantly reminded Poppy Hale.

This man had been deceiving her all along.

In all their memories, whether good or bad, there were ever-present lies.

He thought she was a fool just because she liked him.

Poppy Hale took a bite of the roasted pumpkin.

It was sweet, but to her, it felt like chewing wax.

She was an adult and understood the emotions in Declan Hawthorne’s eyes, knew his intentions.

He might like her.

But how many sweet traps lay beneath "like," how many lies were concealed?

Poppy Hale didn’t want to think about it.

It’s not that she doesn’t believe in true feelings.

But true feelings can change in an instant.