Chapter 7: Splitting up the family and saving loved ones from danger

In the bustling state-owned restaurant, the lights are warm and the dishes are tempting. The braised pork belly is shiny, the pan-fried crucian carp is fragrant, the mapo tofu is spicy, the egg custard is delicate and tender, and there is a bowl of steaming and fragrant chicken and mushroom soup, which makes up a rich table of delicacies.

Juliana carefully selected these dishes, especially the bowl of egg custard, and brought it to Celeste to make up for Celeste's regret that she had silently contributed countless times to the James family but never tasted it.

However, Alexander and Celeste were at a loss and terrified in the face of this sudden feast. They stared at the table full of delicacies with wide eyes, and didn't even dare to pick up the chopsticks easily.

" Dad, Mom, what's wrong with you? Hurry up and use your chopsticks!" Seeing that they were hesitant to move, Juliana personally handed the chopsticks to them and picked up a piece of braised pork belly for each of them.

Celeste was tense all over and said nervously, "Juliana, did you hide your salary? You can't spend this money carelessly. If you don't give it to grandma, she will beat you!" She remembered the time when Juliana was beaten by Grace because she paid two dollars less to buy new shoes, and her heart was still throbbing.

Juliana seemed exceptionally calm. She said calmly: "Mom, don't worry, this money is not my salary. Even if it is, I earned it with hard work. I have the right to decide how to spend it. If grandma dares to hit me, I will resist."

Speaking of resistance, Alexander and Celeste couldn't help but look at each other. They remembered the firm look when Juliana pushed Grace away not long ago , and they couldn't help wondering: Is this really their daughter?

Juliana saw their confusion and continued while picking food for them, "Dad, Mom, I'm already 19 years old. I'm an adult, not a child who can be bullied. Don't worry, I know what I'm doing."

Hearing this, Alexander and Celeste calmed down a little. They sighed, maybe their daughter has really grown up.

However, Juliana's next words almost made them drop the chopsticks they had just picked up: "Dad, Mom, I'm getting married."

Juliana 's words were still calm, but a blush appeared on her fair face. When she mentioned marriage and Jonathan , the corners of her mouth could not help but rise.

Alexander's eyes widened when he heard this, and he asked in astonishment, "Get...married?"

"Yes, it's a marriage." Juliana nodded to confirm, "It was introduced by Marry, the women's director of the textile factory. He is an officer and you can rest assured about his organizational background."

Alexander and Celeste both breathed a sigh of relief when they heard that the other party was a soldier. Celeste noticed that although the military uniform on Juliana was loose and ill-fitting, it looked majestic. But she was still a little worried: "Juliana, you decided to get married after just one blind date?"

Juliana naturally couldn't mention the unexpected things with Jonathan . She selectively introduced Jonathan 's basic situation: "He is a soldier and is stationed in the army all year round. It will be inconvenient for us to contact each other in the future, so it's better to get married directly. In this way, I don't have to join the educated youth going to the countryside, and I can follow the army to his army."

Alexander and Celeste thought about it and felt that it made sense. After all, the conditions for the educated youth in the countryside were difficult, while in the army at least the living environment was guaranteed, and there were men to take care of Juliana. Although they were still a little worried about Juliana's sudden marriage, in this era, it was not uncommon for men and women to get married blindly. It was a great blessing for Juliana to be introduced to marriage by the director of women's affairs.

Juliana continued, "Dad, Mom, don't worry, he treats me very well. He is treating you to this meal today. If you don't believe me, just look--" As she spoke, Juliana opened the pocket of her military uniform and showed them a bag full of money and bills.

Alexander was stunned and gasped. He had never seen so much money in his forty years of life. Celeste looked around nervously, holding Juliana's hand and covering her pockets tightly: "Shh! Don't let anyone see!" Then she asked in a low voice, "He really gave you so much money directly?"

Juliana nodded: "Yeah, he told me to spend as much as I want, no need to save, he can support me."

Alexander and Celeste were more and more satisfied with this son-in-law whom they had never met. This was the first time for the three of them to eat the special dishes of the state-owned restaurant. The fragrant pork belly made them eat with gusto, and they all smiled, as if they had temporarily forgotten the smoky and foul atmosphere at home.

However, when they were about 80% full, Juliana had to bring up a heavy topic: "Dad, Mom, I will join the army after I get married, so you don't have to worry about me. But - I am worried about you. Do you really want to continue like this? All the money you worked hard to earn was given to grandma and that ungrateful person?"

As soon as these words came out, Alexander and Celeste 's faces instantly became solemn, and even revealed a numb expression after being oppressed for a long time. Alexander whispered: "Juliana, there are some things you don't know..."

" Dad, I know everything." Juliana interrupted him, "You are not grandma's biological son, but she picked him up."

This sentence hit the nail on the head. More than 40 years ago, Grace found Alexander on the roadside and adopted him because she couldn't give birth to a son. There is a saying in the countryside that "adopt a son, adopt a son, and you can give birth to one if you adopt one." Grace was indeed pregnant with her biological son two years after adopting Alexander . From then on, Alexander 's treatment took a sharp turn for the worse, from a son to a servant, a servant, and a long-term worker of the James family . This is also the reason why Grace is partial to him. Alexander is honest by nature and has been exploited without complaint because he remembers the grace of raising him.

" Dad, it's been almost 40 years. Isn't everything you've done for the James family enough to repay their kindness?" Juliana asked with a stronger tone. Alexander 's emotions fluctuated violently. He asked in disbelief, " Juliana, how do you know this?" Celeste was so sad about Juliana 's words that her eyes turned red and she wiped them with her sleeve.

Juliana knew these things not because of the original owner's memory but because they were mentioned in the original text. At that time, Cindy told these things like a joke and thought that Alexander and Celeste's silent efforts were justified!

Juliana had no feelings for the James family, but she was full of sympathy for the original owner's hardworking parents. She wanted to pull them out of the pit, so she suggested in a heavy tone: "Mom and Dad should separate from them."