Chapter 6: Not Interested

Upon hearing this voice, everyone in the hall turned to look, their eyes filled with surprise. They saw an elderly man, around seventy years old, walking in, followed by a beautiful woman. It was none other than William and Evelyn. "Isn't that William, the former head of the Ford family, and his granddaughter Evelyn? What are they doing here?" "The Ford family and the Tatham family are equally powerful and are competitors. Today is the day Tatham Group goes public. William showing up uninvited—could he be here to cause trouble?" Seeing William enter, David's expression darkened. "Mr. Ford, today is a joyous day for our Tatham family. May I ask what brings you here?" Even though they were competitors, William was still the head of the Ford family, so he had to show some respect. "Mr. Tatham, I'm not interested in your celebration. I've come here to find someone," William replied. David frowned, "You're looking for someone? May I ask who you're looking for?" "Grandfather, there he is," Evelyn suddenly spoke up, her eyes already fixed on Jonathan. William quickly stepped forward and, with a slightly respectful tone, asked, "Dr. Cornell, do you need any assistance?" His words left everyone around in shock. The person William was looking for turned out to be this young man from the countryside. How could this be possible? David was utterly confused. He glanced at Matthew and Luna, who were both equally bewildered. Andrew stepped forward and said, "Mr. Ford, you must be mistaken. He is just a country bumpkin; he can't possibly be the person you're looking for." "What business is it of yours who I'm looking for?" William shot back, not hiding his disdain. Among the people present, the only one qualified to speak to William on equal terms was David. As for Andrew, he wasn't even worth William's time. Andrew's face turned pale, but he persisted, "I'm just concerned for you, Mr. Ford. If you've mistaken this country bumpkin for someone important, and word gets out that you showed him such respect, it could tarnish your family's reputation!" "And who do you think you are, daring to speak to me like this?" William replied, visibly annoyed. "I'm Andrew of the Lewis family!" Andrew responded arrogantly. "Even if the head of the Lewis family were here, he would show me respect. What makes you, a mere junior, think you can speak to me this way? Get lost!" "You..." Andrew's expression darkened. He hadn't expected William to show him such disrespect. At this moment, Luna interjected, "Mr. Ford, Andrew is right. This is just a country bumpkin. Today, he even dared to dream of marrying me, which just goes to show how audacious he is. You mustn't let him deceive you." Hearing Luna speak about him this way, Jonathan couldn't tolerate it any longer. He immediately retorted, "You wretched woman! Who do you think you are to judge me? Do you think you're the only one I would consider marrying? Let me tell you, there are plenty of women out there who would be more than happy to marry me!" Luna sneered, "You? A country bumpkin? I'd like to see who would actually marry you!" As soon as she finished speaking, laughter erupted from the crowd. "Exactly! Who would give their daughter to a country bumpkin?" "Kid, you better hurry back to your village before you embarrass yourself even more." "You think you can just waltz into Skyward State like it's no big deal?" Jonathan was fuming inside, just about to fire back, when a voice suddenly interrupted. "Dr. Cornell, if the Tatham family doesn't want you, it's their loss. I have an idea—what do you think of my granddaughter, Evelyn? If you find her acceptable, I'll marry her to you." What? "Is Mr. Ford really offering his granddaughter?" "Did we all misjudge this young man? Could he really be someone special?" "Special? No way! Have you ever seen someone special dressed like a commoner?" Everyone was stunned. Evelyn was even more well-known in Skyward State than Luna, and she was also more beautiful. More importantly, William didn't seem to be joking—he was serious. Luna's heart skipped a beat. She looked at Jonathan in disbelief. How could this be? This country bumpkin was clearly beneath her, so why would William offer his granddaughter to him? Could it be that she had misjudged him? Impossible! He was just a country bumpkin—how could he be special? She reckoned Jonathan must have tricked William somehow. That had to be it! Meanwhile, Jonathan was just as bewildered. Oh my gosh, city folks really do play by different rules! They're just offering up a beautiful woman like that? Evelyn wasn't any less attractive than Luna, and she had a voluptuous figure—perfect for having sons. His godmothers would definitely be thrilled. No! I can't make decisions about my life without my godmother's approval. I'll have to wait until they return. Even though he couldn't agree to the proposal, he could still use this to annoy that wretched woman. Thinking of this, Jonathan grabbed Evelyn's shoulder and said smugly, "You wretched woman, see that? I told you there are plenty of women who want to marry me. As for you, even if you were free, I wouldn't be interested!" "You!" Luna's face turned bright red with anger, but she was at a loss for words. At that moment, Evelyn's face flushed slightly, feeling a bit shy. She initially wanted to pull away from Jonathan, but then she thought about how Jonathan had healed her grandfather. She decided to just go along with him this time. Seeing everyone around stunned, Jonathan, feeling quite satisfied, began to walk out with Evelyn. Andrew saw this and quickly stepped forward. "You can't leave! You insulted Luna. Do you really think I'm just going to stand by, you bastard?" Jonathan stopped in his tracks, a hint of anger flashing in his eyes. This guy just won't quit. Does he think I'm that easygoing? But before he could say anything, William glared at Andrew and said, "If anyone dares to touch Dr. Cornell today, they won't live to see the sunrise tomorrow!" His words stunned everyone, and the hall fell silent once more. Has William gone mad? He was actually willing to oppose the Lewis family for the sake of this country bumpkin. "Mr. Ford, thank you," Jonathan said, turning to point at David, "Oh, and I almost forgot—one month from now, when you're paralyzed and begging for death, don't forget what you did today. And don't bother asking me to save you!" With that, Jonathan, with Evelyn in tow, left the hall under everyone's watchful eyes. David watched Jonathan's retreating figure, and for some reason, he felt as if his body had aged significantly. The pain... it seemed to have already started. Luna quickly said, "Grandpa, don't believe that bumpkin's words. Back in the day, his godmother only used some minor tricks. If you're not feeling well, I'll immediately find someone to treat you. Don't worry. Every renowned doctor in Skyward State will show due respect to the Tatham family!" Andrew also chimed in, "Don't worry, Mr. Tatham. My family has many connections in the medical field. Once I marry Luna, I'll bring in the best doctors from across the country to treat you." David nodded, "Thank you both. But as for that Jonathan, with the Ford family backing him, he might cause trouble." Andrew sneered, "Don't worry, Mr. Tatham. He's just a country bumpkin. My family has already made connections with Thomas. With him on our side, William won't dare make a move!" "Thomas!" The people around couldn't help but gasp. Thomas was a major figure in Skyward State, more powerful than the Ford family. "Well done, Andrew. You're indeed the one I've approved of," David said with relief, his gaze toward Andrew filled with more affection. Luna's expression returned to normal as she coldly smiled inside. Jonathan, do you really think you can rise from a lowly country bumpkin to a bigshot by clinging to the Ford family? A bumpkin will always be a bumpkin; you'll never escape the stench of a lowly peasant! Once the Tatham family strengthens its ties with Thomas, what will the Ford family do? You'll always be beneath me, under my feet! Luna was confident that she hadn't misjudged him. Compared to that bumpkin, Andrew was a hundred, no, a thousand times better.