chapter 32 Dalang, just eat it

In the eyes of Peter and Sophia, the ideal candidate for their daughter-in-law was still Jaxon. Even though it was Maxwell who saved Abigail that day, it was Jaxon who resolved the financial crisis for the Jerome family. The couple warmly invited Jaxon to dinner, while Abigail remained cold toward him, showing no enthusiasm whatsoever. The more indifferent she appeared, the stronger Jaxon's possessiveness grew. If it weren't for Peter and Sophia present, Jaxon truly felt the impulse to transform into a beast and shatter Abigail's icy demeanor with his own hands. After Jaxon left, Abigail suddenly asked Sophia, "Mom, did you save some dinner for Maxwell?" Sophia was taken aback. "Save dinner for him? If he didn't come back at mealtime, there's none left!" "He's doing strenuous work outside, so we should prepare something for him. He might want to eat when he comes back." "Hmph!" Sophia said discontentedly, "I don't feel like preparing food for that country bumpkin! It's his fault for not coming back on time!" "Abigail, do you care whether Maxwell is hungry or not?" Peter chimed in. "He's not an idiot; he can take care of himself outside!" "He doesn't have much money, so he can't afford to eat much either," Abigail said. "Forget it, I'll order some takeout for him. If he wants to eat when he comes back, he can." Sophia looked puzzled. "Abigail, why are you suddenly concerned about him?" "After all, we wronged him before, and I feel a bit guilty." "But that's not our fault. We were also deceived by that girl Avery!" "But..." Abigail pondered, "If Grandpa comes back and finds out that he can't even have a proper meal at home, he'll be angry." Sophia frowned. "That's true... Victor has a confused mind! Bringing such a troublemaker home! What a hassle! Well, order takeout for him then. I'm not in the mood to prepare meals for that country bumpkin! Just thinking about it makes me angry!" Peter sat on the sofa, flipping through the newspaper, and sighed. "Abigail, tell Maxwell not to work at the construction site anymore! The newspaper reported that a crane collapsed at a construction site, killing several workers. If something happens to him, it'll be too ominous!" "It's best if he gets crushed to death!" Sophia said angrily. "If that country bumpkin dies outside Abigail will be relieved!" "Do you think it looks good on our faces if others know that he died as our son-in-law?" Peter retorted. "I'm just venting! Why are you taking it seriously? Just thinking about that country bumpkin makes me so angry!" ... Abigail shook her head, too lazy to listen to their bickering, and ordered a few hamburgers. When Maxwell came back, it was almost eleven o'clock, and he was surprised to find Abigail sitting on the sofa in the living room. "You're still not sleeping? Are you waiting for me?" Maxwell asked in confusion. "Yeah..." Abigail nodded toward the kitchen. "There's food in the kitchen. I'll heat it for you." Huh? Maxwell was puzzled. Did the sun rise from the west today? Why did Abigail change her attitude? In no time, Abigail brought out the hamburgers. "Eat now," Abigail said indifferently. Maxwell couldn't help but wonder. Why was she being so proactive? Did she poison the food? Was she trying to emulate Lady Macbeth, planning to poison her husband and then remarry? Thinking this way, Maxwell took the food. There was no poison! Although it was strange, Maxwell still devoured the hamburgers without hesitation. Before coming back, he had been practicing at the villa for a while, sparring with Colin and the Larson sisters. Now he was feeling a bit hungry. He quickly finished one burger and proceeded to eat another without hesitation. Watching him eat, Abigail felt a bit sorry. Physical labor was indeed hard. "Maxwell... don't you want to work at the company? I can arrange it for you," Abigail suggested. Maxwell shook his head. "No, I said I won't go! I can earn money on my own." "If you don't want to join Jerome Group, I can arrange for you to work at a friend's company. We can say you're a distant relative of the Jerome family." "Why do you always want me to work at the company?" "Going to the company is better than working outside as a laborer! Look at you, coming back so late and not having a proper meal. You will suffer. If something happens to you, how can I explain to Grandpa?" Maxwell looked strange. "Do you think I'm just doing labor work outside?" "Isn't that what you're doing?" "Of course not!" Maxwell laughed. "What I do requires more skills than laboring!" Abigail furrowed her brows. If not labor, then what? Bricklaying? Isn't that almost the same? "Anyway, if you go out to do this kind of work, it will bring shame to the Jerome family and make me unable to hold my head up in front of relatives." Maxwell couldn't help but laugh. "You really are a young lady who has never experienced life! Am I embarrassing you by earning money with my own skills? Your mindset is wrong! Every profession is respectable, and there's no distinction between high and low!" "You..." Abigail was infuriated. Are you living in the world of elementary school ethics textbooks? After finishing another hamburger, Maxwell said, "I'll handle how I earn money outside; you don't need to worry about it. Thanks for the hamburgers. I'll eat in my room." With that, he took the remaining burgers and left the living room, heading upstairs. Abigail gritted her teeth, clenching her fists. This stubborn jerk! Couldn't he just behave? Why cling to such a ridiculous pride? He could just do his labor! Work himself to death! That country bumpkin! This conversation failed. Abigail had intended to apologize to Maxwell but didn't mention it at all. She sighed and said, "I'll have to rely on Avery... sigh! Hopefully, this bastard Maxwell won't treat Avery so badly!" ... Deep down, Maxwell didn't want Abigail to know too much about what he was doing. Reviving the Xelooe Palace was bound to be filled with danger and bloodshed. He didn't want to involve Abigail. It was too dangerous! Regardless, after that crazy night, Abigail was already his woman. Married in one day, grateful for a hundred days of kindness! A man shouldn't let his woman take risks. For Abigail, ignorance was bliss. ... At four in the morning, while most people were still sleeping soundly, Maxwell suddenly opened his eyes, got up silently, and left the Jerome family's house. He took a deep breath, tiptoed, and ran towards the mountains to the east. With incredible speed, he even created a whistling sound as he ran, his figure in the night resembling a galloping dragon. In less than twenty minutes, he covered a distance of over ten kilometers, much faster than the world record holder for the ten-thousand-meter race. Reaching a cliff at the foot of a mountain, Maxwell climbed up like a monkey, using both hands and feet. Within a few minutes, he had reached the mountaintop. Standing at the summit, Maxwell took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. A faint white mist appeared in the air. The east was starting to brighten up, revealing the contours of the land. Maxwell smiled with satisfaction, "Indeed! It's a good place!" Here, mountains encircled the waters nearby with distant peaks nodding in welcome. At the foot of the mountain lay a clear pool, shrouded in mist, exuding vibrant vitality. This whole area was an incredibly auspicious spot in terms of geomancy. When Maxwell returned from the villa, he had noticed something unusual from afar. Taking advantage of the early morning, he came to investigate and found it to be true! "The air here is fresh, and there are hardly any people around. It's a great place for cultivation!" He found a clean spot and sat cross-legged. He settled into a meditative posture, letting his thoughts drift inward. With each breath, he sought balance, his attention shifting from his surroundings to the rhythm of his heartbeat. Calming his breath, his heart, and his mind. Gradually, he melded into the surroundings. "Hmm?" Maxwell suddenly opened his eyes and saw a figure falling straight down from the cliff next to him.