"Okay, ma'am." In the passenger seat was Richard Shaw's assistant. Richard Shaw couldn't make it to the Foster family today, so he sent his assistant to accompany her.
Ten minutes later, the assistant reported back: "Ma'am, that car that just pulled in is Mr. Knight's."
"Mr. Knight?" Mrs. Shaw thought for a moment, then realized: "Mr. Reid?!"
The top-level chess master Mr. Reid!
The assistant nodded: "Yes."
Why would Mr. Knight suddenly visit the Foster family? There had been no rumors of a close relationship between Mr. Knight and the Fosters.
Mrs. Shaw took out her phone and searched through her contacts. She actually found Mr. Reid's number.
Looking at the closed gates of the Sea Bay Villa, Mrs. Shaw didn't hesitate and dialed Mr. Knight's number.
The phone rang.
After dozens of seconds, the unanswered call is automatically disconnected.
Mrs. Shaw slapped the armrest in frustration.
Why did Mr. Reid get to enter the Sea Bay Villa while she couldn't?
Fueled by anger, Mrs. Shaw called Mrs. Foster for the umpteenth time. She had already lost count of how many calls she had made today to get into the Sea Bay Villa. She had exhausted all her face to convince Mrs. Foster, but to no avail.
Mrs. Shaw expected the call to be rejected, but to her surprise, it was answered.
"Mei, why are you calling me again?" Mrs. Foster's impatient voice came through the line.
Mrs. Shaw, whose real name was Mei, didn't care about the impatience in Mrs. Foster's tone. She asked: "Lan, are you home now? We haven't seen each other in a long time. Let's meet up."
"Yes, I'm home, but I'm lazy and don't want to entertain guests." Mrs. Foster laughed: "You're not still waiting at the door, are you? Don't waste your time. Go home and rest. You're not young anymore. Why are you so bored? Just stay at home comfortably."
Mrs. Shaw's anger flared up even more.
Not wanting to entertain guests? What about Mr. Knight who just went in? Wasn't he a guest?
Mrs. Shaw gritted her teeth: "Lan, I don't remember ever offending you. Why are you so displeased with me that you won't even see me now?"
Mrs. Foster frowned: "What nonsense are you talking about?"
Mrs. Shaw sarcastically said: "I saw Mr. Knight's car go into your Sea Bay Villa. You said you don't want to entertain guests, but he went in. Why is that?"
"Oh, Mr. Knight isn't here to see me, so I don't need to entertain him." Mrs. Foster was too lazy to explain further: "Anyway, just go home quickly. I won't meet you."
"But you—"
"Beep beep beep—"
Before Mrs. Shaw could finish, Mrs. Foster had hung up the phone.
Mrs. Shaw angrily threw her phone on the seat: "Damn it!"
The Fosters were getting more and more outrageous!
Mrs. Shaw clenched her teeth and glared at the tightly closed gates of the Sea Bay Villa.
The Fosters were clearly being biased! They obviously wanted to spite the Shaws!
After decades of friendship, if you didn't have enough status, you couldn't even enter the Sea Bay Villa!
Mrs. Shaw slapped the armrest angrily: "Drive!"
The driver hesitated: "Ma'am, are we going home?"
"Of course we're going home! Do you dare to break into the Sea Bay Villa?" Mrs. Shaw snapped: "Do you have a brain? Asking such stupid questions!"
As they drove away from the Sea Bay Villa, the Fosters' guard reported Mrs. Shaw's departure to Mrs. Foster.
Mrs. Foster was still with her adorable little granddaughter, enjoying the flowers that supposedly had "spiritual energy." Little Grace was comfortably nestled in her grandmother's arms, surrounded by her six older brothers.
Curious about the guard's report, Grace asked her grandmother: "Grandma, why does Mrs. Shaw insist on seeing you?"
"I don't know." Mrs. Foster didn't want to discuss it with her granddaughter: "But she's gone now, so let's not talk about her anymore."
Grace didn't ask further, but she had another question: "Grandma, what about Mr. Knight?"
"Oh, he's probably still apologizing to your grandfather in the living room." Mrs. Foster laughed: "We'll wait until they clear up their misunderstanding before we go in."
And that was why Mrs. Foster wasn't in a rush to leave the flower garden.
Mr. Knight had entered the living room and immediately apologized to Mr. Foster: "Old Foster, it was my fault for not explaining myself clearly on the phone. My intention is to take your granddaughter as my disciple, nothing else."
Mr. Foster sat on the sofa and glanced at him, huffing: "At your age, you still don't know how to speak properly!"
"It was my mistake. I didn't choose my words carefully." Mr. Knight relaxed when he saw that Mr. Foster wasn't angry anymore. He looked around and casually asked: "Where is everyone? It's just you here?"
"You think our guards are fake?" Mr. Foster saw through Mr. Knight's attempt to find his granddaughter and refused to bring her up.
Mr. Knight was eager to see his potential future disciple and couldn't wait any longer. "Old Foster, where's your granddaughter?"
"She's not here." Mr. Foster slowly sipped his tea, then added: "You're in a hurry for what? Whether she becomes your disciple or not, it's up to her. I won't interfere, but I'm telling you in advance that she might not want to recognize you as her master."
Mr. Knight was about to argue but was cut off by Mr. Foster:
"Do you think it's up to you to decide who your disciple is? Hmm? You're not even considering whose granddaughter you want to teach!" Mr. Foster was haughty.
Mr. Knight swallowed his pride and said: "You're right. I won't force her. It has to be mutual consent for a master-disciple relationship to work."
The guard served Mr. Knight some tea, which he drank slowly.
After finishing his tea, Mr. Foster stood up: "Let's go."
Mr. Knight stared: "What, you're kicking me out already? I'm not leaving!"
He hadn't even warmed the sofa yet!
"Not leaving?" Mr. Foster snorted: "Then I'll go see my granddaughter by myself."
Mr. Knight quickly changed his attitude, smiling and supporting Mr. Foster's arm: "Let's go, old Foster! Watch your step."
In the garden.
Grace Foster was the first to hear the footsteps, pricking up her ears: "Grandpa came."
There was another unfamiliar step she did not recognize.
Henry Foster listened closely: "It's definitely Grandpa, and I think Mr. Knight must be with him too."
Mrs. Foster looked lovingly at her little granddaughter in her arms, "Grace's ears are so sharp, even sharper than your four older brothers."
Grace Foster giggled, covering her mouth in delight.
Mr. Knight arrived with Mr. Foster, scanning the garden and finding no one there.
He frowned: "Old Foster, you're not playing a trick on me, are you? There's no one here."
"Don't be impatient," said Mr. Foster, walking confidently towards a flower bush, sitting down after putting aside his cane.
Through the gaps in the flowers, he saw his grandsons hiding and sneaking glances, disdain barely concealed on their faces.
How old are they, still playing hide and seek in the bushes? So childish!
Looking further inside, he finally spotted his wife and his precious little granddaughter.
Mr. Foster beamed, "Grace, do you want to stay in the bushes and play some more?"
Mr. Knight's expression shifted, finding it strange to see Mr. Foster, whom he knew as a dignified man, sitting on the grass and grinning at the flower bushes like a fool.
Just then, a soft, cute voice came from within:
"Grandpa~ Grace is coming out now!"
Mr. Knight stiffened, realizing this must be his future student, and hurriedly sat down like Mr. Foster, eagerly peering into the bushes.
His six grandsons were the first to be seen by Mr. Knight, who was taken aback by their scrutiny.
Lucas Foster: "Who's this?"
Michael Foster: "Isn't it Mr. Knight that Four Brother mentioned earlier?"
Henry Foster: "Yes, it is."
David Foster: "Be nice, don't scare him."
Alexander Foster, Ethan Foster: "Mr. Knight, hello."
Mr. Knight, flustered by the six pairs of eyes, forced a smile and greeted them back.
The narrow bushes seemed to fit so many people!
Embarrassed, Mr. Knight stood up, unable to continue peeking like Mr. Foster, who was the owner of the garden.
"I'll wait over there," he told Mr. Foster and walked towards the garden's pavilion.
Mr. Foster nodded in agreement.
With Grace about to come out, her six brothers exited the bushes one by one.
Mr. Foster looked at his tall grandsons and remarked, "It's so narrow inside, why do you all have to squeeze in there?"
Lucas Foster dusted himself off, reminding his grandfather: "You've done it before, Grandpa."
That was true, and Mr. Foster had no rebuttal.
Snowy, the white goose, also emerged, stretching its neck and shaking off the dirt.
Oh, it was nearly squeezed flat!
Finally, little Grace Foster wiggled her way out, and Mr. Foster eagerly went to her, full of joy.
"Ah, Grace's finally out! Let Grandpa check if you got squished by your brothers."
Grace puffed out her cheeks and pouted her little belly, "Grace's not flat~"
"Ha ha ha... yes, yes, not flat, nice and round." Mr. Foster indulgently rubbed her chubby cheeks, his face filled with smiles.
Lucas and Michael huddled together, whispering.
"Is Grandpa being biased?"
"Totally biased! He scolds us and hits us with his cane, but look at how he dotes on Grace!"
Mr. Foster swung his cane in their direction, his ears still sharp despite his age.
The two boys continued to tease: "See? Biased! Grandpa's being mean to us again!"
Mrs. Foster stepped out of the bushes, laughing at their antics.
"Enough, enough, don't tease your grandfather anymore, or we'll have to check his blood pressure," she chided.
At this, Lucas and Michael calmed down.
Ethan approached Mr. Foster and felt his pulse, seriously advising: "Grandfather should not get too excited."
Mr. Foster glared at his second and fifth grandsons, taking deep breaths to calm himself.
Since Mr. Knight's visit was to take Grace as his disciple, the six brothers returned to the castle, leaving the garden.
Mrs. Foster looked towards the castle and asked, "Should we call William over?"
Mr. Foster agreed, sending a bodyguard to fetch him.
Grace counted on her fingers, "Daddy has been busy for two hours!"
After returning home from a chess tournament, William had gone to his study.
Mrs. Foster reassured her, "Your dad has work to do, and work means money."
"Grace understands," Grace said, patting the prize money in her pocket. "When Grace has lots and lots of prize money, Daddy won't have to work so hard anymore!"
Mrs. Foster hugged her, praising: "Grace is so good."
When William finally came out of the castle and headed towards the garden, they joined Mr. Knight in the pavilion.
Grace, her short legs moving slowly, saw the unfamiliar old man in the pavilion and greeted him sweetly: "Mr. Knight, hello!"
Mr. Knight, who had only seen her on surveillance footage before, was delighted to meet her in person and couldn't hide his admiration.
Mr. Foster, sensing Mr. Knight's envy, proudly lifted his chin and smiled smugly.
Let him be envious!
Mr. Knight crouched down to Grace's level and asked, "Grace, do you know who I am?"
Any chess enthusiast would surely know the name Mr. Reid, and Mr. Knight posed this question to boost his own reputation.