Chapter 80

Chapter 80 “Home Visit!”

Before the last rays of light dissipated, Duncan saw the familiar façade of the antique shop again.

The gas street lamps on both sides of the road had long been lit, and the slightly yellowed lights illuminated the signs and gray walls in front of the door. By the glow from the windows inside, it’s clear that Nina was already inside and waiting.

Strictly speaking from Duncan’s point of view, he and Nina have just met. Still, for some reason, he got this inexplicable warm feeling in his heart knowing someone was waiting for him at home.... But also, a hint of regret....

Is this apologetic emotion because I haven’t returned on time after going out?

Duncan stepped forward and pushed open the door of the antique shop. With the crisp ringing of the bell, he immediately picked up on the rushing footsteps of someone running down the stairs.

“Uncle Duncan!” Nina stopped at the corner of the stairs like a gush of wind, her eyes full of surprise and joy, “I thought you were again today...”

“I went around the city and lost track of time until it was already getting dark.” Duncan shook his head, “I’m sorry, but I was actually going to pick you up from school at the Crossroad, but then I had an accident.”

“You went to the Crossroad?” Nina widened her eyes in surprise and bewilderment. Then eyeing her uncle up and down to confirm the man’s not drunk or under the effects of drugs, “Pick me up... from school?”

Her Uncle Duncan showed a strange and familiar side again, which left Nina unsure of how to react.

“I’m just a little curious about your current situation at school,” Duncan said casually. “Anyways, you don’t have to worry about me going out to drink or hang with ‘friends’ in the future. If I come back late, it’s because I have business to attend to, understand?”

Nina dumbly watched her Uncle Duncan enter the house and close the door behind himself. Even afterward, all the girl could do was nod unconsciously without uttering a single word.

“It’s getting late,” Duncan said to Nina, who was standing at the top of the stairs, “Have you eaten?”

“Uuhh... Not yet,” probably because she was still not adjusted to her uncle’s changes yet, Nina sounded hesitant and unsure. “When I came back, I saw that you weren’t home, so I didn’t know if you would come back tonight. That’s why I haven’t cooked yet.... But I bought some bread, I was going to...”

“Bread alone isn’t nutritious enough. Let’s go, there’s some good stuff in the kitchen,” Duncan was about to climb the stairs when he cocked a smirk, “I’ll cook today.”

Uncle is going to cook?!

The sound of knives clashing against cutting boards was heard, the gas stove was hissing, and the broth in the pot was bubbling.

Nina hadn’t heard these noises in how many years?

Then a hint of hesitation appeared on her face after recalling something. After several minutes of being troubled inside: “Uncle, tomorrow.... Mr. Morris is coming for a home visit.”

“Home visit?” Duncan looked stunned for a second, “Mr. Morris... as in your history teacher?”

Nina nodded: “Yes.”

“The teachers at that school even make home visits?” Duncan threw the processed fish into the pot and glanced back at Nina in surprise while he put the knife away, “I thought this was the ‘specialty’ of those schools in the upper sector only.”

“The school... indeed doesn’t have that requirement,” Nina said carefully while paying attention to Duncan’s attitude, “But Mr. Morris is special. He... pay extra attention to his students.”

Duncan didn’t speak for a while because this exceeded his expectations.

He had considered dealing with the church, the police, and even the city-state navy and military if the worse occurred. Still, he never envisaged in his plan that an old man teaching history would visit him from the public schools.

Why is reality always so unexpected?

“Uncle?” Nina grew a little worried after seeing Duncan didn’t respond, “Are you unwilling? Then I can tell Mr. Morris... In fact, I told him today. I told him your health is not very good, so I can’t accept a home visit this time. He didn’t say anything at that time...”

Duncan watched Nina’s somewhat nervous reaction and found a flood of emotions hidden behind that behavior.

From the looks of things, this is not the first time Mr. Morris requested a home visit. How many times has Nina refused using the same excuse?

“...... He’s teaching history, right?” Duncan suddenly asked again.

Although she didn’t know why her uncle asked this question again, Nina nodded: “Yes.”

“This is a good opportunity. I happen to want to meet a professional historian,” Duncan laughed, “when is he coming over tomorrow?”