Chapter 505: The Old Madam’s Obsession
"Hurry back to your classroom. It’s sunny out here."
Clayton Xavier offered a small smile, looking to be in a very good mood. Tang Xiaonan waved at them, then pulled Amanda Chapman along as she ran into the school.
This was the first time the old lady had seen Tang Xiaonan up close, but she wasn’t sure which of the two girls was the "Xiaonan" her grandson so often mentioned. Both of them had seemed quite lovely just now. The chubby one was adorably naive, while the thin one was sensible and capable. Both were clearly well-mannered; you could tell at a glance they came from respectable families.
"Is the chubby one the girl from the Thorne family?" asked the old lady, her voice raspy.
Clayton Xavier nodded with a smile. "Grandma, please don’t call her fat to her face. She gets really upset when people say that. The thinner one is her cousin."
The old lady laughed as well. "A little pudge is cute on a young girl."
’That chubby girl had a well-proportioned face and delicate features. With her fair, tender skin, she was sure to grow into a beauty. I can’t believe two coarse people like Felix Thorne and Phoebe Huxley could have such a pretty daughter.’
COUGH, COUGH...
The old lady let out a few light coughs, a flush spreading across her face. Clayton Xavier gently patted her back. "I’ll take you to get your shot again tomorrow," he said softly. "You’ll be better after you take the medicine."
After a few days of selling cloth, he had earned about thirty yuan. Clayton Xavier gave twenty yuan to Verna Golding. He planned to use the rest of the money to take his grandmother to the town’s health clinic. Fortunately, the doctor said she only had a case of bronchitis that had lingered for too long. A few shots of penicillin and some prescribed medication would clear it up; there was no need to go to the county hospital.
"I’ll go by myself tomorrow. You don’t need to take me. It’s not like I’m helpless."
The old lady refused. She was feeling much better now. Maybe it was psychological, or maybe the Western medicine was really working wonders. After the penicillin shot, the tightness in her chest had eased, and she felt much lighter.
’Besides, she was very gratified. Her grandson had finally grown up; he could shoulder the family’s burdens now. Last night, when she saw him take out so much money, she could hardly believe her eyes. All she knew was that he had been leaving early and coming home late, but she had no idea what he was actually doing. Who would have thought he’d secretly managed such a big feat, earning thirty yuan in just a few days.’
Verna Golding, on the other hand, was terrified, afraid that Clayton Xavier would be taken away by the authorities. The old lady, however, wasn’t worried. ’I listen to the radio every day, so I’m up-to-date on current events. The government is now encouraging private enterprise. In a little while, there might even be bigger policy changes from the top. My Clayton is ahead of the curve, seizing the best possible opportunity.’
’The old lady had also learned that Clayton Xavier was working with Adrian Hawthorne and the Thorne family. Or to be more precise, that Adrian Hawthorne and the Thorne family were willing to give her grandson a way to make a living. Otherwise, they could have hired anyone; they didn’t have to choose Clayton.’
"Work hard, but don’t neglect your studies. You must get into Aethelgard University," the old lady advised with great earnestness.
Aethelgard University was the goal she had set for Clayton Xavier. She looked down on every other university. This was because Clayton’s grandfather, Anton Xavier, had harbored a lifelong dream of getting into Aethelgard University. But while Anton Xavier had a talent for business, his academics were lacking. He had barely scraped his way into high school, and Aethelgard University became an obsession for him.
But there was another reason the old lady was so insistent on Clayton Xavier getting into Aethelgard University—an old wound she could never get over.
’That slut had been a student at Aethelgard University. The bitch stole Anton Xavier away and even had the gall to come and tell her to her face that Anton didn’t love her, that theirs was just an arranged marriage, a relic of feudal thinking. Hmph! Her marriage to Anton Xavier was arranged by their parents and a matchmaker. She had been carried into the Xavier family home in a grand eight-bearer sedan chair, a proper bride who had kowtowed before the Xavier family ancestors.’
’That little tramp was the real harlot, unfit to be seen in public.’