Chapter 555 The Cold Shoulder


    The Shi family were waiting in anticipation on Stone Road.


    They had already received news of John''s return.


    With a serious look on his face, Sam sat in his wheelchair, with vacant and emotionless eyes. His


    hands stiffened as he rested them on his legs. He was excited. John had disappeared for a whole year


    and he hadn''t even contacted his family once.


    For the first few months, Sam tossed and turned every night, terrified that John hadn''t ovee his


    fear of water and would be having a hard time on C Ind. He was more afraid that the royal family


    would make things difficult for John.


    In just a couple of months, it looked like Sam had aged at least ten years. His skin was loose and


    dropped so much that it looked as if it was going to fall off his body.


    N?velDrama.Org (C) content.


    ''I really am quite old.''


    "Sam, they are here." Jake saw a ck caring towards them.


    Dora happily jumped up in her dress, held her mother''s hand and said, "Here they are. Uncle John is


    back. Uncle John is finally back."


    Ang patted her daughter''s hand and smiled, "He is finally back."


    The whole family seemedpletely overjoyed, everyone but Chester. As he saw the car stop, he


    turned around and started walking off.


    Noticing that something was wrong with her son, Sandra followed him and asked, "What''s wrong,


    Chester? Aren''t you happy that your uncle is back? Are you angry with him?"


    "No. I knew about his n all along." He then walked straight into the living room.


    Sandra asked, "Then why?"


    "Nothing." He was just a little upset.


    ''Uncle John hasn''t contacted me for a year. He clearly doesn''t care about me. I don''t want to care


    about him either.''


    "Well, I''m such a horrible mother. Why doesn''t my son want to tell me when something''s bothering


    him?" Sandra sighed.


    After she made herself heard, she nced at Chester. When she saw him turn around, she smiled.


    She knew Chester all too well. Even though he looked cold like John, he was nowhere near as


    emotionless and antisocial.


    "Mom, don''t worry. There are just too many people in front of the door. The sun is really beating down


    out there so I just feel like it''s better to wait inside." Chester walked over and pulled his mother to sit on


    the sofa. He then considerately peeled her an orange and handed it to her.


    Sandra happily took the orange and touched his head. "My sweet boy is so kind."


    "Mom, that''s for girls. You can have a daughter so that I''ll have a sister." Although Chester didn''t smile


    much, he was not as aggressive as John. Instead, he adopted his mother''s gentle nature.


    After thinking for a while, she said, "I will ask for your dad''s opinion."


    "Why do you always have to listen to Dad? Aunt Nina seldom listens to Uncle John," Chester


    Sandra was an old fashioned woman, and she didn''t even think about disobeying her husband.


    "I''m not like your aunt," Sandra answered, looking slightly embarrassed. After all, Nina was from the


    royal family. "And why do you talk about her all the time anyway? She only raised you for a period of


    time while I''ve been taking care of you all these years."


    Chester looked at her and said, "Don''t be jealous. You will always be my mother."


    "Good boy, you are so considerate." Her embarrassment immediately vanished and was soon reced


    with a bright smile.


    As the noisy crowd seemed to be approaching, Chester didn''t even care and continued eating the


    orange.


    "Uncle John, Grandpa has asked the chef to cook many of your favorite dishes along with the most


    authentic ones in Lexingport City. You probably miss the taste of home, right?" Dora said excitedly as


    she followed John.


    Nelson pitched in, "Of course he does. Everyone misses their family."


    "I don''t think so. He seems to have lived a good life away from home," Sam interjected with a long face.


    The air froze in an instant.


    Everyone fell into a hushed silence. It seemed that Sam was still mad.


    John didn''t know what to say. He just had to get on James'' good side on the car ride over here, and


    now he had to coax his father.


    He missed Nina. If she were here, she would know how to coax Sam.


    "I''m hungry," John announced, swiftly changing the topic.


    Sam was so furious that he wanted to curse. But hearing that John was hungry, he felt helpless and


    sighed.


    "We were waiting for you before we could have lunch."


    John could tell that his father wasn''t angry anymore. He walked behind the wheelchair and said, "Let


    me wheel you."


    Jake stepped aside and noticed the fleeting smile on Sam''s face. Tears welled up in his eyes.


    On the way to the dining hall, John asked, "Where is Jessica? I haven''t seen her yet."


    "She..." Mentioning his daughter, Sam wanted to say something but didn''t know what to say.


    Daniel patted his brother on the shoulder and said, "She feels sorry for you and Nina. She tortured


    Vivian for a few months and then left."


    "Left? Where did she go?" A hint of worry shed through John''s eyes. No matter what, Jessica was


    his sister. He couldn''t me her as she was fooled by Vivian.


    John felt like there was nobody else to me but himself for not able to resolve the conflict between his


    wife and sister.


    "You may be surprised, but she took a page out of your book. She went to the northwest to pursue her


    love," James informed, putting one hand on Dora''s shoulder.


    Dora added, "Uncle John, since you were courting your love thousands of miles away, Aunt probably


    wanted to do the same."


    "Jason?" After a short pause, John said, "She''ll be fine as long as he''s there."


    James shrugged and said, "Who knows? She deserves to suffer a little more."


    "What nonsense are you talking? She is your aunt after all. We should be considerate to our family."


    Ang red at him and barked.


    James had changed a lot after a year. He retorted, "Is Grandpa not family? Are Uncle John and Aunt


    Nina not family? Besides, she used to have a family of her own, but she disrespected Uncle Jason. You


    have to respect your partner and that''s something my wife and I knew even before we were married."


    Ang couldn''t me him and she was quite proud in all honesty. ''My son is right.''


    As if scripted, everyone glossed over this topic and continued talking.


    John nced around the room, frowning. He didn''t see Chester.


    He was not around even though it was almost time for lunch.


    "Has B University''s new term begun?" asked John.


    "No. B University will only begin the new term in the middle of September," Dora answered.


    James looked around and instantly noticed that Chester was missing. He found pleasure in this and


    said, "Uncle John, you''re in trouble."


    John felt helpless.


    "Grandpa, let me wheel you." Out of nowhere, Chester appeared, ignored his uncle, and wheeled Sam


    to the dining table.


    He sat opposite John and they were on either side of Sam. They could see each other''s eyes when


    they raised their heads.


    John realized that his nephew had grown a lot taller and had adopted a more reserved temperament.


    He looked like an adult instead of a teenager.


    The tension between them was palpable.


    "Chester, how has university been for you?" John stared at the boy in front of him but didn''t even see


    the slightest affection.


    "Fine. Thank you for your concern, Uncle."


    John thought to himself. ''I am doomed.


    He is really distancing himself from me. That''s so much worse than just being angry.


    What reason could they have to give me the cold shoulder?''


    John was clueless.


    He was lost for words.