Chapter 726: The Birthday Lunch
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At exactly 1 pm, the long-awaited Lauriel finally arrived. He went straight to the garden to meet Aleksis and hugged his favorite child once he found her standing next to Alaric while arranging flowers on the tables.
"Father, you have arrived!" Aleksis exclaimed while responding to Lauriel's hug warmly.
"I'm not late, aren't I?" Lauriel asked, smiling, and ruffling her hair.
"Ahaha ... the event will not start without you, Father," Aleksis replied while kissing her father inlaw's cheeks. "What gift do you bring for me?"
Since she was little, Lauriel had never forgotten Aleksis' birthday and always gave her memorable gifts.
"You're getting greedy, aren't you? I've given you my most precious possession, my son. Is he not enough?" Lauriel answered jokingly. He glanced at Alaric, who hid his smile. The man was glad his father called him his most valuable possession. Lauriel then took out a small box from his pocket. "I'm just pulling your leg. Of course, I brought you a present. This is for you."
"Hahaha .. I was just kidding too, really, but Father still give me a present. Thank you. I love you, Father." Aleksis hugged Lauriel very tightly. With a happy face, she kept the gift from the man in the small bag she was carrying. "I'll open it later."
"Did Alaric give you a present?" Lauriel asked.
"Uhm ... it seems like I was the one who gave him a present last night," Aleksis answered, smiling mischievously. She pretended to cough while glancing at her husband. Alaric just smiled thinly and nodded in agreement. He knew what she meant was their s.e.x.u.a.l activity last night, which only ended when it was near dawn.
Lauriel pretended not to hear that and immediately walked over to Caspar, who was sitting at one of the tables holding his wife on his l.a.p and conversing in a low voice.
"You married people are really cruel to us who are single," Lauriel grumbled to his best friend. "So many dog foods thrown at us."
Caspar looked up at Lauriel's arrival, and, upon hearing the man's words, he immediately realized that he and Alaric were indeed too intimate with their respective wives in front of many people. If he were in their position, of course, they would feel awful.
"Ahaha .. I'm sorry. This has become a habit." Caspar smiled lightly, but he prevented when Finland was about to get off his l.a.p. "After more than a hundred years ... are you still unable to open your heart to another woman? I'm sure your children also want to see you happy."
Lauriel shook his head. "I do not know."
"Caspar, Lauriel is right. You'd better put me down," whispered Finland, still trying to get away from her husband's l.a.p. "I told you we are too old for this."
"Sshh ... what's wrong with you? How many times do I have to tell you, we're not old. If Lauriel wants to act his age, that's his business. But I don't see the reason why we should act like strangers, just because we're surrounded by single people. After all, everyone here is family. They must understand," Caspar answered.
Finland could only roll her eyes at her husband's answer. Finally, she tried another way. "I'll help London take care of Lily. It looks like the kid needs a break."
Only then, Caspar loosened his arms, and Finland could escape from her husband's l.a.p. She nodded at Lauriel and hurriedly walked over to London, who was sitting in the corner of the garden holding Lily and talking on the phone at once.
"Honey, let me carry Lily. It looks like you're busy," Finland said, reaching out her arms to carry Lily.
"Thank you, Mom." With a grateful expression, London put down his cellphone and handed the baby over to his mother. After kissing Lily, who had moved into his mother's arms, London resumed his conversation with Jan on the phone.
Lunch with their extended family was carried out warmly. They ate and talked and admired the three babies in their midst. The atmosphere was very pleasant and memorable. Aldebar and Jean each sent a birthday present to Aleksis because they could not attend the event this time.
Aldebar was attending a science conference in Switzerland, so he could not come, while Jean had to take care of Marion, who was pregnant with their second child and had a very difficult first trimester. He could barely leave the house.
When Terry delivered the birthday gift from his father and the news of Marion's pregnancy, Caspar pinched his wife softly, as if reminding her that even Jean was now enjoying being a father again at the age 60.
"What are you doing? You have four children and five grandchildren," Finland grumbled while pinching her husband back.
She still did not want to give in to her husband's nagging to give birth to another child. She understood Jean's situation. He was still considered a new father because Jean got married late and only had his first child ten years ago. Terry didn't count in this context, because neither Jean nor Finland was involved in the first 15 years of his life.
Caspar and Finland had become parents 31 years ago. Now, including Terry, they had acc.u.mulated four children between them. This was considered too many already since most people these days didn't really want to have children. When they do, max they would have was two.
Some countries even provided incentives for every family who were willing to give birth to a baby because the countries were facing population issues with their citizens getting older, like Singapore and Japan.
Caspar only smiled at his wife's answer. She was resolute about not wanting to have more children. He would keep trying though. He understood that Finland only felt ashamed if she gave birth to another baby, while her grandchildren were still very young.
But give her several decades, or even one hundred years, that longing will come back, and the maternal instincts would kick in. His wife definitely would want to have more tiny humans their home. When Altair, Vega, Ireland, Scotland, and Lily have all grown up, Caspar believed Finland wouldn't feel that awkwardness anymore.
Therefore, he would wait patiently.
Team of musicians and some world-famous singers performed to entertain the family while they were having lunch to celebrate Aleksis' birthday. The atmosphere was very lively and cordial.
Inwardly, London felt a little relieved that L did not come to his sister's birthday. She would surely be worried about being gossiped if the artists invited to perform here spread the word about her presence among the Schneider family members.
Although those artists were obliged to sign a confidentiality agreement, there was no guarantee that they would not leak anything they saw or heard on the event, intentionally or not.
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At exactly 1 pm, the long-awaited Lauriel finally arrived. He went straight to the garden to meet Aleksis and hugged his favorite child once he found her standing next to Alaric while arranging flowers on the tables.
"Father, you have arrived!" Aleksis exclaimed while responding to Lauriel's hug warmly.
"I'm not late, aren't I?" Lauriel asked, smiling, and ruffling her hair.
"Ahaha ... the event will not start without you, Father," Aleksis replied while kissing her father inlaw's cheeks. "What gift do you bring for me?"
Since she was little, Lauriel had never forgotten Aleksis' birthday and always gave her memorable gifts.
"You're getting greedy, aren't you? I've given you my most precious possession, my son. Is he not enough?" Lauriel answered jokingly. He glanced at Alaric, who hid his smile. The man was glad his father called him his most valuable possession. Lauriel then took out a small box from his pocket. "I'm just pulling your leg. Of course, I brought you a present. This is for you."
"Hahaha .. I was just kidding too, really, but Father still give me a present. Thank you. I love you, Father." Aleksis hugged Lauriel very tightly. With a happy face, she kept the gift from the man in the small bag she was carrying. "I'll open it later."
"Did Alaric give you a present?" Lauriel asked.
"Uhm ... it seems like I was the one who gave him a present last night," Aleksis answered, smiling mischievously. She pretended to cough while glancing at her husband. Alaric just smiled thinly and nodded in agreement. He knew what she meant was their s.e.x.u.a.l activity last night, which only ended when it was near dawn.
Lauriel pretended not to hear that and immediately walked over to Caspar, who was sitting at one of the tables holding his wife on his l.a.p and conversing in a low voice.
"You married people are really cruel to us who are single," Lauriel grumbled to his best friend. "So many dog foods thrown at us."
Caspar looked up at Lauriel's arrival, and, upon hearing the man's words, he immediately realized that he and Alaric were indeed too intimate with their respective wives in front of many people. If he were in their position, of course, they would feel awful.
"Ahaha .. I'm sorry. This has become a habit." Caspar smiled lightly, but he prevented when Finland was about to get off his l.a.p. "After more than a hundred years ... are you still unable to open your heart to another woman? I'm sure your children also want to see you happy."
Lauriel shook his head. "I do not know."
"Caspar, Lauriel is right. You'd better put me down," whispered Finland, still trying to get away from her husband's l.a.p. "I told you we are too old for this."
"Sshh ... what's wrong with you? How many times do I have to tell you, we're not old. If Lauriel wants to act his age, that's his business. But I don't see the reason why we should act like strangers, just because we're surrounded by single people. After all, everyone here is family. They must understand," Caspar answered.
Finland could only roll her eyes at her husband's answer. Finally, she tried another way. "I'll help London take care of Lily. It looks like the kid needs a break."
Only then, Caspar loosened his arms, and Finland could escape from her husband's l.a.p. She nodded at Lauriel and hurriedly walked over to London, who was sitting in the corner of the garden holding Lily and talking on the phone at once.
"Honey, let me carry Lily. It looks like you're busy," Finland said, reaching out her arms to carry Lily.
"Thank you, Mom." With a grateful expression, London put down his cellphone and handed the baby over to his mother. After kissing Lily, who had moved into his mother's arms, London resumed his conversation with Jan on the phone.
Lunch with their extended family was carried out warmly. They ate and talked and admired the three babies in their midst. The atmosphere was very pleasant and memorable. Aldebar and Jean each sent a birthday present to Aleksis because they could not attend the event this time.
Aldebar was attending a science conference in Switzerland, so he could not come, while Jean had to take care of Marion, who was pregnant with their second child and had a very difficult first trimester. He could barely leave the house.
When Terry delivered the birthday gift from his father and the news of Marion's pregnancy, Caspar pinched his wife softly, as if reminding her that even Jean was now enjoying being a father again at the age 60.
"What are you doing? You have four children and five grandchildren," Finland grumbled while pinching her husband back.
She still did not want to give in to her husband's nagging to give birth to another child. She understood Jean's situation. He was still considered a new father because Jean got married late and only had his first child ten years ago. Terry didn't count in this context, because neither Jean nor Finland was involved in the first 15 years of his life.
Caspar and Finland had become parents 31 years ago. Now, including Terry, they had acc.u.mulated four children between them. This was considered too many already since most people these days didn't really want to have children. When they do, max they would have was two.
Some countries even provided incentives for every family who were willing to give birth to a baby because the countries were facing population issues with their citizens getting older, like Singapore and Japan.
Caspar only smiled at his wife's answer. She was resolute about not wanting to have more children. He would keep trying though. He understood that Finland only felt ashamed if she gave birth to another baby, while her grandchildren were still very young.
But give her several decades, or even one hundred years, that longing will come back, and the maternal instincts would kick in. His wife definitely would want to have more tiny humans their home. When Altair, Vega, Ireland, Scotland, and Lily have all grown up, Caspar believed Finland wouldn't feel that awkwardness anymore.
Therefore, he would wait patiently.
Team of musicians and some world-famous singers performed to entertain the family while they were having lunch to celebrate Aleksis' birthday. The atmosphere was very lively and cordial.
Inwardly, London felt a little relieved that L did not come to his sister's birthday. She would surely be worried about being gossiped if the artists invited to perform here spread the word about her presence among the Schneider family members.
Although those artists were obliged to sign a confidentiality agreement, there was no guarantee that they would not leak anything they saw or heard on the event, intentionally or not.
At exactly 1 pm, the long-awaited Lauriel finally arrived. He went straight to the garden to meet Aleksis and hugged his favorite child once he found her standing next to Alaric while arranging flowers on the tables. "Father, you have arrived!" Aleksis exclaimed while responding to Lauriel's hug warmly. "I'm not late, aren't I?" Lauriel asked, smiling, and ruffling her hair. "Ahaha ... the event will not start without you, Father," Aleksis replied while kissing her father inlaw's cheeks. "What gift do you bring for me?" Since she was little, Lauriel had never forgotten Aleksis' birthday and always gave her memorable gifts. "You're getting greedy, aren't you? I've given you my most precious possession, my son. Is he not enough?" Lauriel answered jokingly. He glanced at Alaric, who hid his smile. The man was glad his father called him his most valuable possession. Lauriel then took out a small box from his pocket. "I'm just pulling your leg. Of course, I brought you a present. This is for you." "Hahaha .. I was just kidding too, really, but Father still give me a present. Thank you. I love you, Father." Aleksis hugged Lauriel very tightly. With a happy face, she kept the gift from the man in the small bag she was carrying. "I'll open it later." "Did Alaric give you a present?" Lauriel asked. "Uhm ... it seems like I was the one who gave him a present last night," Aleksis answered, smiling mischievously. She pretended to cough while glancing at her husband. Alaric just smiled thinly and nodded in agreement. He knew what she meant was their s.e.x.u.a.l activity last night, which only ended when it was near dawn. Lauriel pretended not to hear that and immediately walked over to Caspar, who was sitting at one of the tables holding his wife on his l.a.p and conversing in a low voice. "You married people are really cruel to us who are single," Lauriel grumbled to his best friend. "So many dog foods thrown at us." Caspar looked up at Lauriel's arrival, and, upon hearing the man's words, he immediately realized that he and Alaric were indeed too intimate with their respective wives in front of many people. If he were in their position, of course, they would feel awful. "Ahaha .. I'm sorry. This has become a habit." Caspar smiled lightly, but he prevented when Finland was about to get off his l.a.p. "After more than a hundred years ... are you still unable to open your heart to another woman? I'm sure your children also want to see you happy." Lauriel shook his head. "I do not know." "Caspar, Lauriel is right. You'd better put me down," whispered Finland, still trying to get away from her husband's l.a.p. "I told you we are too old for this." "Sshh ... what's wrong with you? How many times do I have to tell you, we're not old. If Lauriel wants to act his age, that's his business. But I don't see the reason why we should act like strangers, just because we're surrounded by single people. After all, everyone here is family. They must understand," Caspar answered. Finland could only roll her eyes at her husband's answer. Finally, she tried another way. "I'll help London take care of Lily. It looks like the kid needs a break." Only then, Caspar loosened his arms, and Finland could escape from her husband's l.a.p. She nodded at Lauriel and hurriedly walked over to London, who was sitting in the corner of the garden holding Lily and talking on the phone at once. "Honey, let me carry Lily. It looks like you're busy," Finland said, reaching out her arms to carry Lily. "Thank you, Mom." With a grateful expression, London put down his cellphone and handed the baby over to his mother. After kissing Lily, who had moved into his mother's arms, London resumed his conversation with Jan on the phone. Lunch with their extended family was carried out warmly. They ate and talked and admired the three babies in their midst. The atmosphere was very pleasant and memorable. Aldebar and Jean each sent a birthday present to Aleksis because they could not attend the event this time. Aldebar was attending a science conference in Switzerland, so he could not come, while Jean had to take care of Marion, who was pregnant with their second child and had a very difficult first trimester. He could barely leave the house. When Terry delivered the birthday gift from his father and the news of Marion's pregnancy, Caspar pinched his wife softly, as if reminding her that even Jean was now enjoying being a father again at the age 60. "What are you doing? You have four children and five grandchildren," Finland grumbled while pinching her husband back. She still did not want to give in to her husband's nagging to give birth to another child. She understood Jean's situation. He was still considered a new father because Jean got married late and only had his first child ten years ago. Terry didn't count in this context, because neither Jean nor Finland was involved in the first 15 years of his life. Caspar and Finland had become parents 31 years ago. Now, including Terry, they had acc.u.mulated four children between them. This was considered too many already since most people these days didn't really want to have children. When they do, max they would have was two. Some countries even provided incentives for every family who were willing to give birth to a baby because the countries were facing population issues with their citizens getting older, like Singapore and Japan. Caspar only smiled at his wife's answer. She was resolute about not wanting to have more children. He would keep trying though. He understood that Finland only felt ashamed if she gave birth to another baby, while her grandchildren were still very young. But give her several decades, or even one hundred years, that longing will come back, and the maternal instincts would kick in. His wife definitely would want to have more tiny humans their home. When Altair, Vega, Ireland, Scotland, and Lily have all grown up, Caspar believed Finland wouldn't feel that awkwardness anymore. Therefore, he would wait patiently. Team of musicians and some world-famous singers performed to entertain the family while they were having lunch to celebrate Aleksis' birthday. The atmosphere was very lively and cordial. Inwardly, London felt a little relieved that L did not come to his sister's birthday. She would surely be worried about being gossiped if the artists invited to perform here spread the word about her presence among the Schneider family members. Although those artists were obliged to sign a confidentiality agreement, there was no guarantee that they would not leak anything they saw or heard on the event, intentionally or not.
