Chapter 791 - Soon, Soon (2/2)
”But ..” Beatrice began, hesitating.
”Say it. Come on, come on, say it,” Anton pleaded, giving her puppy dog eyes, ”Graaandpaaaa.”
”Grandpa,” Beatrice finally relented and Anton broke into a huge smile.
”Yay!” he shouted happily, then coughed and blinked while trying to look serious, ”I mean, good, good. Good girl. Now, wear your shoes and I'll take you for breakfast.”
Beatrice's mind reeled at the speed the old man kept changing from one point to another as he talked. She found herself obediently doing what he said in a daze. She just couldn't say 'no' to that adorable face who was looking at her like an excited child waiting for a treat.
She felt like a bully if she rejected him.
”What about Zack and Yuri?” Beatrice asked as she put on her shoes.
Anton snorted, ”Those two useless grandsons of mine? We don't need them! It's just you and me today. Oh, and Chen. This is Chen. Have you met Chen?”
Chen nodded and shook Beatrice's hand, ”Nice to meet you.”
”Likewise,” Beatrice said.
”Okay! Great! Now you know each other. Let's go, let's go,” Anton said excitedly, reaching out to take Beatrice's hand again.
This time, however, Beatrice shook her head and avoided his hand. Seeing the disappointment on the old man's face, Beatrice explained, ”Let me lock up first, Grandpa.”
Anton smiled again, and waited.
Right after she locked up, she went and took Anton's arm and held on, saying, ”Let me, Grandpa. Be careful as you walk.”
Anton looked at Chen smugly, his head held up high as if he was saying, 'look look! My granddaughter is taking such good care of me!'
Chen just smiled, and walked behind them.
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To Beatrice's surprise, Anton brought her to a small corner shop that wasn't a high-class restaurant but a small family-owned noodle shop.
”I used to come here a lot when I was younger,” Anton said as he looked around, ”Hasn't changed a bit.”
His eyes then had a sadness to them, ”Wasn't the same when Annie left so I never came.”
”Annie?” Beatrice asked gently, wanting to know even though it looked like a sad memory.
”My wife,” Anton replied softly, leading her to a table, ”This used to be our table.”
”Come, sit, sit,” he said, patting the chair.
He looked about, his eyes misting over, ”No matter how you want things to remain the same, things will change. You can't remain in the same spot all the time.”
”Even those that look the same, are different. The interior is the same but the people manning it are different,” he continued, ”So naturally, the food will also taste a bit different even if the menu is the same.”
Beatrice listened to him but knew that he wasn't really talking about the place. He was merely using it as an analogy.
”But no matter what, if it warms you up inside, embrace it,” Anton finished with a smile.
Beatrice smiled at him, playing with the glass of water on the table. She held it, and twisted it around, thinking … and decided to say what was on her mind and heart.
The old man was sincere and kind, and she wanted to reciprocate that.
”Certainly, Grandpa,” Beatrice began, ”Change is inevitable and one should go with the flow. Accept what may be out of the norm. Like, say, marriage.”
”Marrying one person is normal. Two, not so,” Beatrice continued and saw how the old man looked rather upset and agitated at that, ”But one shouldn't reject it just because it is different and out of the norm.”
Anton broke into a big smile at that.
”Grandpa, I am not against polyandry and I know, although Zack and Yuri are identical twins, they are different,” Beatrice said softly, ”But, I am still unsure whether they are 'the one', so to speak.”
”I understand,” Anton said, ”Can you accompany this old man today? I'm ... lonely.”
”Okay,” Beatrice agreed.
Anton grinned and they ordered.
He peeked at Beatrice and thought, 'Soon, soon.'