Chapter 254 - 253: Hating a Father with No Sense of Boundaries

Even a regular security guard from the Lowell Family could take on three mercenaries, let alone a squad leader.

’Although their skills can’t compare to Leo Loster’s, none of them are pushovers, right?’

’Does this mean he has to take on at least five of them?!’

"That’s right, you heard me. It’s not just for the school’s assessment, but for your own self-defense. A bodyguard can’t be by your side 24/7, so you need to be strong enough to protect yourself."

After a pause, Yvonne Lowell continued,

"Also, you need to practice shooting. I’ve already had someone start the application for your legal firearm license in Country M. You don’t have to use it, but you must have it, and you must know how."

You don’t necessarily have to point it at someone. Sometimes, just pulling it out is enough of a deterrent.

There are bullies everywhere who prey on the weak and fear the strong. In short, it’s never a bad thing to be prepared.

"Okay, I get it. Don’t worry," said Yancy Lowell.

’He might be the biggest noob among the brothers when it came to fighting, and he’d never actually shot anyone with a real gun, but he had done live-fire target practice before!’

’He was about to fight a squad leader to a draw, so wouldn’t practicing his shooting be a piece of cake?’

’Could anything in this world possibly be harder than proving a mathematical conjecture?’

’Impossible.’

...

The days passed one by one, and Yvonne Lowell lazed around in Kingsland for another half a month.

「The Lowell Family Villa.」

"Kingsland University’s anniversary celebration? Do you really think it’s appropriate for an outsider like me to go?"

Yvonne Lowell sat on the rug, petting Goldie and Trixie, and spoke to the phone on speaker on the table.

"Why wouldn’t it be? How will you know if our school’s academic atmosphere suits you if you don’t come? Maybe you’ll only realize how great our university is after you visit!"

Principal Hawthorne’s old yet steady voice came from the other end.

Yvonne Lowell’s lip twitched. "I know how to use the internet, you know. Or are the pictures on your university’s official website not real?"

’Has the sales pitch for tricking people into working for you gotten this sophisticated these days?’

’She had never been to Kingsland University in person, but was it possible she’d never used a smartphone?’

"I don’t care, you have to come! Your dad said you’ve been in Kingsland recently and have nothing but free time! I’ve already saved you a seat in the very front row. If I don’t see you there, I’m coming to your house to drag you over myself! That’s all, I’m hanging up, goodbye!"

With that, Principal Hawthorne hung up the phone.

BEEP... BEEP... BEEP...

Staring at the now-dark screen of her phone, Yvonne Lowell felt a headache coming on.

*Yvonne Lowell: I hate old men who play dirty, and I hate fathers with no sense of boundaries even more!*

"Nola, come quick! Auntie made you some ginger milk curd!" Auntie Lowell’s voice called from the kitchen.

"Okay, coming!"

Yvonne Lowell scrambled to her feet and hurried toward the kitchen, with two big fluffballs trotting obediently behind her.

Trixie and Goldie were almost a year old and had grown into giant babies. Their big, fluffy bodies felt wonderful to pet.

Besides, the two siblings were both the color of dark soy sauce, and they were smarter than most people, knowing exactly who to follow to get meat.

So every time Trixie came to the Lowell home, playing with her "brother" Goldie was just an excuse. The real goal was to see if she could find Yvonne Lowell and Wendy Sutton.

Whoever was there, she’d latch onto them and milk them for all they were worth.

Today, Charles Lowell had invited Caleb Lowell and Mr. Grant over for tea (i.e., to show off). Mrs. Grant and Auntie Lowell had come along too, joining Ms. Sutton for yet another dessert time.

Wendy Sutton watched Yvonne, who was devouring the food in front of her, and teased, "Whose call was that just now? Their voice was so loud we could hear it in the kitchen."

Ms. Sutton wasn’t someone without a sense of boundaries (a subtle dig at someone, *if you know, you know*), and she knew that if it were a private matter, Yvonne Lowell definitely wouldn’t have put the call on speaker.

So, having just heard a booming, powerful voice shouting, and seeing her daughter’s less-than-thrilled expression, Ms. Sutton was curious about who could have left her this speechless.

’Others might not have noticed, but as her own mother, how could she not see it?’

Yvonne Lowell swallowed the Portuguese egg tart Mrs. Grant had fed her before answering, "It was Principal Hawthorne. He wants me to attend Kingsland University’s anniversary celebration in a few days."

Wendy Sutton thought for a moment, then said,

"Oh, that’s right. Your father received an invitation too. He’s even supposed to give a speech on stage as a distinguished alumnus."

"No wonder," Yvonne Lowell said, her lips twitching with exasperation.

She had already heard about the Kingsland University anniversary from Leo Grant. He had asked her to be his date to watch him, another distinguished alumnus, give his speech, but she hadn’t agreed.

She had been worried about being roped into working, and now, great, her own father had sold her out.

’Selling out his daughter... besides being pressured by his respected former teacher, it was also because he was giving a speech himself.’

"No wonder what?" Auntie Lowell asked curiously.

"No wonder Patriarch Lowell told Elder Hawthorne that I’ve been in Kingsland recently with nothing but free time. It turns out he’s giving a speech.

So that’s why Elder Hawthorne was so insistent on dragging me over this time, saying he wanted me to ’experience the academic atmosphere of Kingsland University.’ So Patriarch Lowell and Elder Hawthorne get a win-win situation, and a world where I’m the only one who suffers is achieved."

Yvonne Lowell said, her face a picture of despair.

The table fell silent for a moment, then erupted in unabashed, mocking laughter.

Yvonne Lowell watched speechlessly as the three women put on a ’Pure Hahahahahaha Show’. The sound of their laughter was honestly starting to hurt her eyes.

Forced to attend another school’s anniversary: Speechlessness Level 10%

Finding out she was sold out by her own father: Speechlessness Level 100%

Complaining only to be mocked by everyone: Speechlessness Level 1,000,000%

Once they’d had their laugh, Mrs. Grant offered some comfort,

"It’s fine. Leo will be giving a speech too, so you two young people can keep each other company."

"How could she not know Leo is giving a speech? She’s worried Principal Hawthorne will drag her into teaching a class if she goes, plus she’s mad at her dad for selling out his teammate," Wendy Sutton said, holding back a laugh.

Ever since their last trip to Country M, she had realized just how much Yvonne Lowell disliked teaching classes.

If it hadn’t been to get her family a chance to tour the campus, she probably wouldn’t have agreed to Principal Patrick’s request to go back and teach one class.

*Yvonne Lowell: Actually, it’s not that I dislike teaching. I just plain dislike working. That’s all.*

"It’s a shame my goofy husband and I are both from Aurelian University of Politics and Law. Otherwise, I’d love to follow our Professor Lowell and experience Kingsland University’s academic atmosphere. See if I could get a chance to sit in on a master class," Auntie Lowell teased.

Yvonne Lowell’s lip twitched. "Auntie, if you take that back, we can still be good friends."

"Oh? Then I’d better take it back quickly. Good thing it hasn’t been two minutes, or I’d lose a good friend," Auntie Lowell played along.

Wendy Sutton and Mrs. Grant exchanged a look and shook their heads, amused. ’So childish.’

’But... it’ll probably take more than a simple "recall" to appease Patriarch Lowell’s daughter this time.’

’The days ahead are going to be interesting.’

*Charles Lowell: Who? Who called me? How did you know I was drinking Golden Melon Tribute Tea today? Yes, that’s right, the Golden Melon Tribute Tea you’ve all heard of. The very rare and valuable kind. Sigh, I don’t have much myself, I only managed to get three pieces...*