Mrs Hale, I Surrender
Chapter 286 - 285 Payne Family’s Elders Investigate: Getting Old, Not Foolish (2 updates)

Chapter 286: 285 Payne Family’s Elders Investigate: Getting Old, Not Foolish (2 updates)

Zoe Bell saw her and immediately smiled, "Hello, Grandma."

"Hello." The Old Lady had already concealed the emotions on her face and glanced indifferently at the two people behind her, "And these two are...?"

"They helped me with deliveries."

Zoe Bell did not expose her relationship with Tim Payne.

Old Lady: "Hired employees, eh?"

"Yes."

"Come inside first, it’s quite cold outside." The Old Lady came out to greet them personally, leaning on a walking stick with one hand and helping them lift the windbreak curtain with the other.

Capital City already had centralized heating, so it was very warm inside. A pot of dark plum and dried tangerine peel tea had been warmed, along with many tea snacks laid out.

Zoe Bell entered the room first. Kyle Lowe should have been the last, but Tim Payne deliberately let him go ahead, turning his head to exchange a meaningful look with the Old Lady.

With furrowed brows, that look seemed to ask:

What’s going on?

Isn’t Grandma supposed to be abroad, why is she here?

The Old Lady grabbed his arm, signaling him to shut up!

Tim Payne was going crazy.

What is Grandma playing at?

At her age, acting?

Seeing he did not respond, the Old Lady directly took her walking stick and poked his calf, her eyes warning:

Shut up!

Get inside!

Meanwhile, Zoe Bell, who had already gone inside, noticed at first glance that there was also a septuagenarian old man in the room, with a smoking pipe set beside him.

Silver hair, sharp brows, and eyes.

Zoe Bell politely greeted, "Hello, Grandpa."

The old man merely nodded, and the Old Lady gestured for Zoe Bell to sit down. She felt somewhat on pins and needles because the old man kept staring at her, his gaze never shifting away.

Acutely piercing.

Her brother had said he was worried they were a group of elderly scammers.

But now the grandfather’s gaze made her feel as if she were the one keen on swindling old people.

Scrutinizing, sizing up, even somewhat defensive.

"Ahem—" Tim Payne cleared his throat.

The old man retracted his gaze and looked down, fiddling with the pipe in his hand, stealing a glance at his own grandson.

That gaze seemed to ask:

What brings you here, boy?

Then his examination of Zoe Bell became extremely unusual.

The grandson was usually so busy he barely touched ground; even at his idlest, he wouldn’t have time to accompany someone with delivery;

Moreover, the girl had a husband, and as an unmarried man, he should be avoiding any suggestion of impropriety. Rushing to accompany her indicated to even a fool that there was another motive.

Ever since the granddaughter "passed away," his daughter-in-law fell ill and could not recover, with the son taking care of her, this grandson had been brought up under their roof. The old couple knew his temperament all too well.

This Zoe Bell...

Indeed had secrets about her.

Tim Payne kept his head down all the while, daring not to make eye contact with the grandparents.

What a mess.

Returning to Capital City without notifying anyone.

Could they have noticed something?

He stole a glance at his grandfather, but the old man’s scrutinizing look made his scalp tingle.

He might act tough outside, but in front of his own grandfather, the pressure of blood ties still made him cowardly.

Fearing to give himself away, he kept his head down, playing dead.

The old man snorted lightly:

Good lad, doesn’t even dare to look at me!

"Is it very cold outside? Have some tea first," the Old Lady smiled and invited her, "It’s really tough for you to make a trip in such cold weather."

"It’s the least I can do."

Zoe Bell sipped the tea and then signaled for Kyle Lowe to bring over the incense sticks.

She tried one for calming the mind; its aroma was refreshing and warm.

"I’ve picked out a few that should be suitable for you. You can try them first, but please make sure to open the windows for ventilation," Zoe Bell cautioned.

"Okay."

The Old Lady smiled and nodded, "Someone sent a set of tools earlier, they’re for carving incense seals. I don’t really know how, could you teach me?"

"Okay."

Zoe Bell carefully taught her how to manage the ashes, compress them, place the incense seals, and fill with incense powder, but the Old Lady only stared at her intently, and Kyle Lowe, standing by the side, couldn’t help but feel uneasy.

"Kyle Lowe, do you remember the way?" Tim Payne suddenly spoke up.

"I remember."

"Could you get me a cup of coffee?"

"..."

When Junior President Payne made a request, Kyle Lowe couldn’t refuse and had to leave first.

"Young lady, how old are you?" the old gentleman asked.

"24." Zoe Bell smiled at him.

"Your parents must have cherished you very much, to raise you so well."

"I’m an orphan."

"I’m sorry." The two elders exchanged a glance but remained silent.

Tim Payne was at a loss for words:

It’s done, Grandpa has started investigating.

He should never have tagged along.

With how astute Grandma and Grandpa were, they might not have guessed before, but now they must have realized something.

"Grandma, would you like to try it yourself?" Zoe Bell passed the incense seal-making tools to the Old Lady, who wasn’t really paying attention and just started to zone out after hearing her say she was an orphan, and she couldn’t help her eyes from reddening.

Zoe Bell was taken aback, "Grandma, are you alright? Is the smoke bothering your eyes?"

"It seems so."

Zoe Bell quickly extinguished the Incense Stick and handed her a tissue.

But her tears only grew more abundant as she wiped them away.

It seemed endless.

"Will you accompany me inside to wash my face?" the Old Lady looked at Zoe Bell.

After the two left, Tim Payne cleared his throat and approached his grandfather, "Grandpa, when did you and Grandma come back?"

"A few days ago."

"Why didn’t you tell us?"

"We didn’t want to."

Tim Payne took a deep breath, "Then why are you and Grandma looking for her?"

The so-called "chance encounter" at the hospital, mentioned by his sister, was probably not so simple.

"Celine called, said she was bullied, and that person is a daughter-in-law of the Hale Family, said that you also favor her, that you’re close to her, of course I was curious."

Tim Payne was speechless.

He knew it, Celine Payne had to have complained.

"Grandpa, don’t listen to her nonsense. She was the one bullying others first and ended up shooting herself in the foot."

"I didn’t believe all of it, so I came back with your Grandma to investigate."

Tim Payne’s lips twitched:

It really wasn’t necessary, to investigate like that.

"A child we’ve watched grow up, I still understand your cousin’s character."

"It’s just she cried so pitifully, I was curious about what actually happened."

But he and his wife weren’t foolish enough to take everything she said at face value.

"Your mother’s sudden return to Capital City and her revitalization efforts made us quite happy, but you’re hosting dinners and renovating the old house, there must be other reasons."

"And your uncle has stayed a long time in Capital City this time around."

The old man was astute; he immediately sensed the reasons weren’t simple.

"And you!"

"You’re usually too busy to be seen, but now you’re free to accompany someone on deliveries."

"That William Hale is said to be a cold and aloof man, difficult to get along with. I heard he’s very fond of his wife, yet you’re so close to her and he has no reaction? Isn’t he afraid you might run off with his wife?"

"And you and Finn Hale are archenemies, you don’t like each other, and you never attend any events he’s at."

"How would he suddenly be so kind to offer to design our ancestral home?"

Tim Payne was at a loss for words.

Indeed, the old saying is true: old ginger is hotter than young.

The old man snorted:

"We may be old, but we’re not fools!"