Chapter 754: An Eye-Opener for Mrs. Green

"I came in such a hurry I didn’t have time to get a gift. Please take this for the children to buy some candy."

Mrs. Green took out the red envelopes she had hastily prepared from her pocket. She had asked around before coming and learned that Phoebe Huxley’s family had a little girl and a young son, so she had prepared two red envelopes. She couldn’t show up empty-handed on her first visit, and more importantly, she didn’t want to make things difficult for her daughter.

"There’s no need. You’re just here for a simple meal. Rosalind, tell your mother to take it back. We don’t do that sort of thing here."

Phoebe Huxley pushed it back. She was so strong that Mrs. Green was completely unable to resist. Adrian Hawthorne smiled and gently persuaded her, "Grandma, please take it back. It’s really not necessary here."

"Exactly. It’s not like you’re strangers. You could come eat here every day and it would be fine."

Phoebe Huxley chuckled and told Rosalind Green and the others to go inside and sit down while she and Phoebe Thorne went to cook.

Mrs. Green had no choice but to put the red envelopes away. It was clear that her daughter and grandson had an excellent relationship with this family. ’I’ll understand more after staying for a few days,’ she thought. Mrs. Green discreetly sized up the Thorne family’s home. The house was bright, and the furniture was new. A radio and a mantle clock sat on a cabinet. A bicycle was parked in the yard, and under the eaves hung a large amount of cured pork, preserved duck, and dried fish. It was obvious they were very well-off—definitely one of the wealthy households in the village.

The dinner spread was also lavish: boiled chicken, braised crucian carp, boiled shrimp, dry-fried loach, steamed eel, and steamed egg with cured pork. The meal was so sumptuous that Mrs. Green’s heart skipped a beat; she worried they were eating the Thornes out of house and home.

"This is too much! You didn’t have to make so many dishes!"

"Help yourselves. It’s just a simple home-cooked meal. Grandma, please make yourself at home," Phoebe Huxley urged.

Dinner was a joyous affair. Mrs. Green had been a bit reserved at first, but seeing how generous and straightforward the Thornes were, always speaking their minds, she started to relax. They chatted as they ate, and by the end, the entire table of food was finished. Jim Thorne polished off whatever was left, leaving not a single scrap of food behind.

Mrs. Green couldn’t help but sigh to herself. ’It would be impossible to afford to raise this kid in Tristone.’

After dinner, Jim Thorne started clamoring to watch cartoons. The daily cartoon was his greatest source of joy, and he never missed an episode. Mrs. Green was stunned again. ’They even have a television?’

Even in Tristone, televisions weren’t common yet. Her family didn’t have one, and in her entire alley, only one household owned a TV—a small 14-inch black-and-white set. The owners were so proud they practically walked around with their noses in the air.

"Grandma, would you like to watch TV? My mother-in-law has one," Phoebe Huxley asked enthusiastically.

Mrs. Green nodded. She wanted to see it for herself.

When they arrived at Raina’s courtyard, a large crowd was already seated. A television set, which looked much bigger than 14 inches, had been placed in the yard and was playing a cartoon.

Mrs. Green was incredibly envious. She remarked to Rosalind Green, "This village is even more prosperous than the city folks. They can even afford a television."

Rosalind Green smiled, pressing her lips together. "The Thorne family is one of the wealthy households in the village, so their circumstances are a bit better. This is the only television in the entire village."

Mrs. Green felt more at ease. Her daughter and grandson were on good terms with the wealthiest family in the village. ’Good company rubs off,’ she thought. ’My daughter’s life here probably won’t be too difficult. I’ll know for sure after staying a few more days.’

The next day, Tang Xiaonan went with Phoebe Huxley to the Hawthorne family’s home to help with some work. Mrs. Green looked much better than she had the day before. When she saw Tang Xiaonan, she smiled kindly and slipped a few pieces of candy into her hand.

"Thank you, Grandma."

Tang Xiaonan thanked her politely but didn’t eat the candy. ’I’ll give it to Amanda Chapman later,’ she decided. The more Mrs. Green looked at the chubby little girl, the more she liked her. She was pretty and polite, and her clothes were neat and clean. She didn’t look like a village child at all—she was just too adorable.