Chapter 123: Chapter 123: Idiot! Can You Use Someone Else’s Offerings?

Tristan Lawson and the rest of the Lawsons looked up to see Sophie Hughes at the head of a group. The people behind her carried a wide variety of offerings for the ceremony.

"Sophie."

Joshua Lawson was thrilled to see her and ran straight for her.

Tessa Lawson quickly grabbed Joshua. "You little rascal, what do you think you’re doing?"

Sophie Hughes just smiled, not at all angry. She walked up to the group and addressed Old Master Lawson, "Uncle Lawson."

Old Master Lawson’s expression was grim.

Then she called to Nathaniel Lawson, "Brother-in-law."

As for Nathaniel Lawson, he gave an awkward laugh and said politely, "Long time no see."

Sophie Hughes had her people lay out the offerings and continued, "Yes, it has been many years. My father asked me to prepare extra offerings for the Mid-Autumn Festival this time and come see my sister."

The offerings Sophie Hughes brought completely filled the space in front of the tombstone.

Talia Lawson said with a grin, "Well, this is great. Now Tristan won’t have to run out and buy offerings."

Nathaniel Lawson thought, ’That’s true. It’s all Noelle Sutton’s fault for not preparing anything. Sophie Hughes is a godsend; she’s saved us from the embarrassment of having no offerings.’

Nathaniel Lawson then said to Old Master Lawson, "Dad, since Sophie brought offerings, let’s get ready and begin the rites."

Old Master Lawson swung his cane and struck the back of Nathaniel Lawson’s knee. The pain sent Nathaniel dropping to his knees before the tombstone.

Pointing his cane at Nathaniel Lawson, Old Master Lawson said, "You imbecile! What family uses offerings prepared by an outsider to pay respects to their ancestors, huh?"

Only then did it dawn on Nathaniel Lawson that such things were taboo. Sophie Hughes was not a Lawson, after all. The Lawsons couldn’t use the things she had prepared.

Nathaniel Lawson lowered his head and didn’t dare speak again.

This was not something that could be delegated to others.

In the end, Tristan Lawson still had to go prepare the offerings himself.

Old Master Lawson and Tessa Lawson ignored Sophie Hughes. Sophie paid her respects to Tristan Lawson’s mother and burned paper money. Knowing the Lawsons didn’t particularly care for her, she didn’t stay long.

Only after she left did Tessa Lawson let go of Joshua.

Joshua said unhappily, "Auntie, what’s your problem? You wouldn’t even let me talk to Sophie."

Tessa Lawson said with a straight face, "Listen here, you little rascal. From now on, when you see her, you call her ’Grand-aunt.’ You are not to call her ’Sophie’ anymore!"

’Call her something that makes her sound older. Let’s see how she has the nerve to seduce Tristan Lawson then.’

Joshua rolled his eyes and pouted. "But she’s so young."

Old Master Lawson wasn’t as strict with Joshua. He squatted down and explained earnestly, "Your aunt is right. She is your grandmother’s sister. Your own father has to call her ’Auntie,’ so you really should call her ’Grand-aunt.’ If you call her ’sister,’ doesn’t that mess up the family hierarchy? If word got out, people would laugh at us."

Joshua wasn’t old, but he could sense that, except for his dad, no one in the family seemed to like Sophie Hughes very much. Sophie was so nice; he didn’t understand what the problem was.

But he knew that if he said anything nice about Sophie in front of them, they would definitely be unhappy.

To protect Sophie, Joshua didn’t say any more and agreed with Old Master Lawson.

’It’s no big deal. From now on, I’ll call her Grand-aunt in front of them. In private, I can still call her Sophie.’

Fortunately, Tristan Lawson was quick. The offerings were soon purchased and delivered.

After the ancestor worship, it was already one in the afternoon by the time they returned to the Lawson estate for lunch.

Old Master Lawson hadn’t lost his temper in front of his ancestors, fearing he would offend their spirits. But back at the Lawson estate, his face was long and sullen.

The problem was eventually solved, but the whole affair involved a major taboo. Having things turn out that way felt deeply disrespectful to his ancestors, in Old Master Lawson’s opinion.

He reprimanded everyone in the Lawson family, from top to bottom, warning them that if anything like this ever happened again, he wouldn’t let them off the hook.

Because of this, everyone was a little displeased with Noelle Sutton.

If only she had stayed home where she belonged, none of this would have happened.

The old master was furious, so they could only swallow their own anger and say nothing.

What should have been a happy Mid-Autumn Festival was now cast under a dark cloud at the Lawson estate. The atmosphere was all wrong.

Tristan Lawson didn’t even have the heart to eat lunch. With Noelle Sutton not at home, he decided to let Joshua stay at the old family home for the time being.

He left the Lawson estate, got into his car, and dialed Noelle Sutton’s number.

Noelle Sutton didn’t answer.

Tristan Lawson gripped his phone, his knuckles turning white. After a moment, he put the phone down, started the car, and drove back to Westhill Villa.

From the safe, he took out the pearl necklace and brooch he had previously asked Secretary Shaw to redeem.

The brooches that the boutique sent over later were all placed in his office safe after he received them.

’Those will never see the light of day again.’

The necklace was his mother’s heirloom. The brooch was one he had personally selected, believing it suited her best, and had bought specially for her.

’It’s time to return them to their rightful owner.’

He had been a little angry about what happened today, at first.

If Noelle Sutton had been home, none of it would have happened.

But on second thought, for the past seven years, she had devoted herself entirely to the Lawson Family and never once tended to her own deceased relatives.

When he returned to the Lawson estate that morning, they were complaining that she wasn’t participating in the Mid-Autumn ancestor worship.

And in her absence, not a single person had thought to prepare the offerings.

And in those seven years, because she had no living family on her side, he had never gone back with her.

Let alone accompanying her to visit the graves and pay respects to her ancestors.

Tristan Lawson packed the necklace and brooch, then stood up and left the villa.

He drove past a flower shop and ordered the finest white chrysanthemums, then bought some more offerings and got on the Jiangyun Expressway.

That morning, on his way to buy the offerings, Secretary Shaw had called him to say he hadn’t been able to pick up his wife. He had told him not to come back until he found her.

Now, Tristan Lawson dialed Secretary Shaw’s number.

"Where are you?"

"Still in Mrs. Lawson’s hometown."

Secretary Shaw sounded quite aggrieved.

After paying her respects, Mrs. Lawson had refused to return to Glenwater with him, leaving in Wyatt Yates’s car instead. Then Tristan Lawson had ordered him not to come back without her. So now he was stuck waiting outside her family home, and she still hadn’t returned.

"Go find out where Mrs. Lawson’s mother and grandmother are buried."

"I know the location."

’Good thing I followed them this morning.’

"Good. Wait for me. I’m on my way, about an hour or so out."

Secretary Shaw let out a sigh of relief. ’Once CEO Lawson gets here, I can probably go back.’

Tristan Lawson didn’t ask Secretary Shaw if Noelle Sutton was home. When he arrived at her family home, he just had the secretary take him to her mother’s and grandmother’s graves.

Only after arriving did Tristan Lawson realize how simple and crude his mother-in-law’s and her mother’s graves were.

After paying his respects, Tristan Lawson gave Secretary Shaw a new task.

"Find a feng shui master, pick an auspicious date, and have these gravesites completely redone."

Returning once more to the front of Noelle Sutton’s family home, Tristan Lawson got out of the car and told Secretary Shaw to handle the arrangements for the graves.

Seeing Tristan Lawson standing at the door and knocking, Secretary Shaw said, "CEO Lawson, Mrs. Lawson isn’t home."

"Didn’t you say you saw her? Where did she go?"

Just as he spoke, a car pulled up.