Chapter 111: A Gift For The Old Man
Of course, less than ten seconds later, Luca’s Mom opened the front door again.
"Hehe, Mom." Luca Hale flashed her an ingratiating grin.
Mrs. Hale shot him a glare. "You’re so cheeky. Honestly, you’re impossible."
With that, she turned on her heel and walked away, deliberately leaving him with nothing but the dramatic sight of her retreating back.
Lowering his gaze, Luca noticed a pair of brand-new men’s slippers neatly waiting by the entrance. A quiet warmth spread through his chest.
His mother always acted as though his antics drove her crazy, yet every little detail showed just how much she cared.
From the kitchen came her voice.
"Do you want me to make you a bowl of homemade dumplings?"
It was already well past lunchtime. Since Luca hadn’t told anyone exactly when he’d arrive, he’d naturally missed the family meal.
Fortunately, his mother always kept handmade dumplings in the freezer, ready to cook whenever someone came home hungry.
"Absolutely!"
Even someone with master-level culinary skills like Luca couldn’t help swallowing in anticipation whenever he thought about his mother’s cooking.
Less than twenty minutes later, a steaming bowl of dumplings was placed in front of him. The rich aroma of chili oil blended with freshly chopped scallions instantly awakened his appetite. The snack he’d eaten during the flight suddenly felt laughably insignificant.
Without wasting another second, Luca picked up his chopsticks and dug in.
Across the table, Mother Hale rested her chin on one hand, quietly watching her son eat with a gentle, satisfied smile.
"By the way," she asked after a while, "I noticed you drove a BMW home today. Last time it was a Mercedes-Benz. Did you replace your car already?"
Truthfully, Mother Hale didn’t know much about luxury cars, but BMWs and Mercedes-Benzes were famous enough for anyone to recognize. As she spoke, a slight frown formed on her face.
She knew her son had become very wealthy, but constantly replacing expensive cars still didn’t sit right with her. It seemed wasteful, and no matter how much money someone had, she believed it should be spent wisely.
More importantly, she worried that if he became too casual about material things, that attitude might eventually spill over into other parts of his life.
After all, that Mercedes had looked practically brand new.
"Not... ah, hot!"
Luca nearly burned his tongue on a freshly cooked dumpling.
After hurriedly blowing on it a few times, he continued, "The BMW is for Dad. My own car’s still back in San Fierro."
Mother Hale’s expression softened immediately.
"Your father is going to be over the moon when he sees it."
"Really?" Luca laughed. "Wasn’t he the one who kept refusing every time I offered to buy him a car?"
"Tch."
She waved her hand dismissively.
"You actually believed him? Ever since you went back to San Fierro, he’s been bringing it up almost every day. He just refuses to admit he wants one because he’s too proud."
Luca was speechless.
’So the old man really has that much pride...’
That was definitely a side of his father he hadn’t expected to discover.
Sure enough, when his Dad returned home that evening, the first thing he noticed was the silver BMW X5 sitting inside the garage.
The moment he learned it was a gift from Luca, he immediately began muttering about how unnecessary it was and what a waste of money it had been.
Yet his hands never stopped moving.
He circled the SUV again and again, gently running his fingers across the paintwork before climbing into the driver’s seat. He adjusted it, gripped the steering wheel with both hands, and turned it left and right repeatedly, unable to wipe the grin off his face.
At that moment, he looked less like a middle-aged father and more like a little boy who’d just received his favorite toy.
Early summer had already arrived, and the weather was warm.
Yet for some strange reason, Old Hale’s fingers trembled nonstop as he held his cigarette.
Perhaps it wasn’t the weather after all.
Maybe he was simply too excited.
That very evening, he couldn’t wait to take his wife out for a drive around the neighborhood.
Watching the two elders leave hand in hand without sparing their son so much as a second glance, Luca stood alone in the doorway.
He silently wiped away an imaginary tear.
’So this is what people mean when they say the parents are true love, and the kids are just happy little accidents...’
With the house suddenly empty, Luca returned to his bedroom.
He spent the evening catching up on the latest shows while casually exchanging messages with the women in his life.
When Sophie Kennedy learned that he’d returned to Ashford, she immediately replied that she wanted to come see him.
Seeing how late it had become, Luca suggested they meet the following morning instead.
Sophie didn’t reply right away.
About thirty minutes later, his phone suddenly rang.
The caller ID displayed one familiar name.
Sophie Kennedy.
Luca answered almost immediately.
"Hello? Sophie?"
The background on her end was lively. Music from the neighborhood echoed through the phone, mixed with people’s conversations. She was clearly outside.
"Luca!" Sophie’s cheerful laughter rang through the speaker. "Bet you didn’t expect this. I’m downstairs outside your house!"
Luca froze.
A second later, realization dawned on him.
He had completely forgotten to tell Sophie that his family had moved to Stillwater Bay Estate. Naturally, she had gone to their old neighborhood instead.
His heart softened instantly.
She had come all this way at night just to see him.
How could he possibly let her go home disappointed?
"Sophie, stay right where you are. Don’t wander around, okay? I’ll come pick you up. Give me about forty minutes."
"Huh?" Sophie’s voice immediately filled with surprise. "Luca... aren’t you home?"
"I’m sorry."
His tone became apologetic.
"I completely forgot to tell you. My family moved a while ago. We don’t live in the old neighborhood anymore."
"Oh..."
Sophie’s voice visibly lost some of its brightness.
"Then... I’ll just head home."
"No."
Luca answered without hesitation.
"Go wait inside the convenience store by the neighborhood entrance. It’ll be warmer there. Uncle Max is really kind. He’ll definitely let you sit while you wait."
Hearing how determined he sounded, Sophie’s disappointment quickly faded.
"Okay~"
Her sweet voice returned.
"Drive safely, alright?"
"I will."
After letting his mother know he was heading out for a bit, Luca grabbed the keys to his electric scooter and rode straight toward the old neighborhood.
Night had settled over the city.
Crickets chirped softly from the roadside bushes as a cool breeze swept through the streets. Luca had rushed out without grabbing a jacket, and the wind felt surprisingly chilly against his skin.
But thinking about Sophie waiting all alone, he wished the scooter could somehow fly.
Back in the old neighborhood, the crowd at the neighborhood party had begun to thin out.
Groups of residents chatted as they slowly headed home.
Inside the convenience store, Sophie kept checking the time on her phone before glancing anxiously toward the entrance.
She wanted Luca to arrive as quickly as possible.
At the same time, she hoped he wouldn’t rush and would ride safely.
The conflicting emotions left her unable to sit still.
Finally, a bright headlight appeared at the far end of the street.
It grew larger... closer... brighter...
The beam was so dazzling that Sophie instinctively raised a hand to shield her eyes.
Then, through the glare, she recognized the familiar tall figure riding toward her.
It was Luca.
Joy instantly lit up her face.
She jumped to her feet and hurried toward the entrance before suddenly remembering her manners.
Turning back, she bowed politely to the elderly shopkeeper.
"Uncle Max, Luca’s here. Thank you so much for letting me wait inside."
The old man smiled warmly as he tapped the ash from his pipe against the concrete step.
"It’s nothing at all, child."
He waved her off.
"Go on. The young man’s waiting."
The moment Luca parked the scooter and lowered the kickstand, Sophie was already standing in front of him.
Her eyes were slightly red, as though she’d been holding back her emotions for quite some time.
She simply looked up at him without saying a word.
But the longing in those beautiful eyes spoke louder than anything she could have said.
"Sophie..."
Luca opened his arms.
Without hesitation, he pulled her small, soft body into a gentle embrace.
"Luca..."
Sophie’s voice trembled slightly as she buried her face against his chest.
"I missed you so much..."
Though her words carried the faintest hint of tears, they were filled with unmistakable happiness.