When His Nauseous Sweetheart Frowns, the Tycoon's Family Takes Turns Pampering Her-Chapter 154: Three’s a Crowd in the Kitchen

The Veridian Lake Villas were a collection of single-family homes built around Veridian Lake.

The community management kept the front gardens in immaculate condition, a riot of colorful blossoms where every flower seemed to vie for attention.

The beautiful gardens were enough to make anyone forget the weariness of the outside world the moment they came home, leaving them free to simply enjoy life.

Everything about the place seemed to tell its owners that all their hard work had been worth it.

Luna Axton sat in the backyard overlooking the lake, where a table and a barbecue grill had been set up.

Her easel faced the lake and the mountains in the distance. She took out her brush, ink, and paper, intending to capture the landscape.

If she could finish before sunset, she wouldn’t miss the beauty of the evening glow on the mountain peaks.

While she painted in the backyard, Russell Frost and Jenna Axton were in the kitchen, simmering soup and preparing ingredients for the barbecue.

The two grandfathers and the pregnant Luna couldn’t make a meal out of barbecue; at most, they would just have a few bites for the novelty of it.

The two elderly men hadn’t come for the food, anyway; they just didn’t want to be party poopers.

Opportunities for the family to gather were rare, so of course, they wanted everyone to be together.

"Did you ever teach our little treasure how to do traditional painting?" Russell Frost asked, gazing through the kitchen window at his daughter, who looked every bit the artist, and at the painting before her.

"Back in kindergarten, she loved to draw on the walls with crayons," Jenna replied.

His wife’s words made Russell Frost recall a wall in their Kensing home that was a completely different color from the rest.

His most vivid memories were of her drawings of candied fruit skewers and flowers.

For the skewers, she would draw a line, and the fruit on it wasn’t just a big red patch. She would scribble with a crayon and then smudge the wax with her finger to form the round shape. You could tell what it was at a glance.

It was the same with the flowers. She would first draw the basic shape on the wall, then outline it with different colors and add the center.

Her color combinations were striking, a clear sign that Luna was a child with a rich inner world.

For a moment, an image flashed in his mind: a little girl with one hand braced against the wall, her lips pursed in concentration as she drew.

Jenna smiled. "That’s right. That was your daughter’s kindergarten masterpiece."

Russell Frost declared proudly, "To have such a great sense of color even in kindergarten... She’s my daughter, all right."

Jenna gave him a playful shove, retorting, "What do you mean, ’your’ daughter? I’m the one who gave birth to her!"

"Well, I made a contribution too," he countered.

Jenna shot him a smiling glare. "You’re impossible."

Russell continued to peel the chestnuts in his hands, a grin plastered on his face.

Jenna continued reminiscing about Luna’s childhood. "Later, when she was a bit older, she saw me painting on paper and started to copy me. I never formally taught her or signed her up for classes. I just bought her good brushes, ink, and paper and let her paint whatever she wanted."

After listening, Russell praised her, "My wife is a woman of great wisdom."

It was a piece of wisdom both husband and wife understood well.

If you want your child to do something, you should set an example. This was especially true for children who were already developing their own independent thoughts and ideas.

Children have their pride, and nagging them often just makes them rebellious.

"Hmph," Jenna said, lifting her chin proudly. "She’s the daughter I looked forward to with all my heart. Of course I would put my all into guiding her."

Russell wanted to grow even closer to his daughter, to be like friends who could talk about anything. "Darling, tell me some more stories about our little girl’s childhood."

Jenna paused what she was doing. When it came to stories, she hardly knew where to begin.

"Well, anything I can do, she can do," she said, knowing the daughter she’d raised so well. "Outsiders might think Luna married up when she got together with Blaze, or even that she’s not good enough for him. But I’m certain that’s not necessarily true."

Thinking of his friend’s grandson, Russell sighed regretfully. "That boy, Blaze... The damage Ian and Susie did to him was just too great."

His heart ached for Blaze, who not only grew up without his parents’ company but was also the one they had hurt most deeply.

"Before we knew about Luna’s family background, everyone said that after Blaze got married, he started to seem more human. He would laugh, worry about people, even get jealous. They were small changes, but for him, it was a drastic transformation."

Speaking of transformations, Russell recalled a funny misunderstanding. He chuckled before he even began to speak.

Jenna was curious. "What is it? What’s so funny?"

Russell composed himself, fighting back a laugh. "Blaze once thought Ethan was his rival in love."

"Ethan told you?" Ethan Frost admired his Uncle Russell the most, so he was naturally more willing to confide in him about things.

It was mainly because his parents were so absorbed in their own world that they would sometimes forget they even had a son. Ethan had been so affected by this that he used to think it was best to stay single, like his uncle.

Russell nodded. "Mhm. He was worried and didn’t know how to bring it up with Blaze, so he came to me for advice..."

Just as Russell and Jenna were happily chatting about the misunderstanding between the three ’kids,’ a voice suddenly came from behind them. "Dad. Mom."

The unexpected voice made them both stop talking. As they turned, they exchanged a silent, knowing glance.

Getting caught gossiping about their children’s love lives was awkward, to say the least. They both felt a pang of guilt.

But one was a teacher and the other a diplomat; they were experts at keeping their emotions from showing on their faces.

The two of them turned to Blaze Fairchild in unison. "Blaze, you’re here."

"Mhm." If they weren’t going to act awkward, then he, the person they were just talking about, wouldn’t either.

"Where’s Grandpa?"

"He’s sitting in the front garden." After a long car ride, the old man didn’t feel like moving once he got out.

Jenna said, "Have Grandpa come to the backyard. Luna is out there painting."

"I’ll bring him over."

After Blaze left, Jenna chided her husband, "This is all your fault."

Russell retorted, "You were enjoying it just as much as I was."

’They had to share the joys and sorrows, so they might as well share the blame, too. He wasn’t going to take the heat for this alone.’

Luna was so engrossed in her painting that she didn’t hear the footsteps behind her.

Suddenly, Blaze’s figure appeared before her, blocking her line of sight.

"You’re here." Her serious expression instantly melted into a smile, her eyes curving into crescents that made Blaze’s heart skip a beat.

Luna stood up and looked behind him. "Grandpa."

Julian Fairchild’s face lit up with delight. "Luna, my dear, how many hidden talents do you have?"

Luna herself was very pleased with her work. It had probably been too long since she’d last painted, and all her pent-up passion flowed out with the ink, leaping onto the paper in a single, fluid motion.

She had always been well aware of her own talents and had a good sense of self. Hearing Grandpa’s praise, she blinked playfully. "Probably... not too many left to hide."

The essence of traditional landscape painting lies in its use of negative space. With black ink on white paper, the artist must decide how much to leave blank, for it is in that emptiness that the painting finds its spirit and leaves room for the imagination.

Julian Fairchild was an avid painter, a connoisseur, and a collector himself. Looking at his granddaughter-in-law’s work now, he realized that all the praise Luna had given his calligraphy in the past had just been her way of flattering him to make him happy.

"Oh, you, you clever little thing," he chuckled.

Blaze didn’t know the first thing about art, but he could clearly hear the admiration in his grandfather’s voice.

His grandfather rarely praised anyone so openly, not even him.

Luna linked her arms through Blaze’s. "I was just doing what Mr. Fairchild told me to do back then—keeping his dear old grandfather happy."

Blaze feigned ignorance. "When did that happen?"

’How could he possibly not remember?’

But she remembered it perfectly. "You’re the one who told me not to make Grandpa sad."

It was the day Rosalind Fairchild had taken her shopping for clothes at Summit Plaza. The trip had been unpleasant, and in the end, it was Blaze who had helped her pick things out and paid for them.

He had escorted her out and specifically told her to say that her aunt had bought the clothes for her.

That was why, after returning to Fairchild Estate, she had gone to Pinehurst Estate and found his grandfather practicing calligraphy.

Blaze asked, "Did I?"

Luna didn’t believe him for a second. Just because he couldn’t remember didn’t mean it hadn’t happened. "Well, *I* remember," she insisted.

Julian Fairchild watched his grandson and granddaughter-in-law bicker, his eyes crinkling with amusement.

’Absence makes the heart grow fonder. After just a few days apart, their relationship was already this strong. Excellent, excellent.’

"Grandpa, would you like to play chess, read, or have some tea?" Blaze asked, changing the subject.

’How could he have known back then that one day he would fall in love with Luna?’

"My hands are itching to paint. I think I’ll join Luna," Julian said.

The scenery here really was lovely. The wide, open view was enough to lift anyone’s spirits.

’His grandson and Luna had been apart for three or four days; they must have endless things to talk about. He wouldn’t keep them busy entertaining him. He’d just paint quietly by himself for a while.’

Grandpa Fairchild and Luna painted together in the backyard, occasionally exchanging a few words about the scenery or their composition.

Blaze had planned to help in the kitchen—wash vegetables, skewer ingredients—but his father-in-law had mercilessly shooed him out. "This is our private world for two. Don’t you come meddling. A kitchen with three people is too crowded."

So, he had no choice but to grab a chair and sit down next to Luna.

’A backyard for three people isn’t crowded at all!’

Luna saw him leaning back leisurely in his chair, basking in the sun with his eyes closed, with nothing to do.

"I can give you a piece of paper if you want. You could try doodling," she offered.

"Not interested." He had never learned elegant hobbies like painting or calligraphy, and he was no good at them.

"Blaze has been busy learning how to take over Evergrow Group since he was a child. He never had time to learn these things," Grandpa Fairchild said. Though his mind was on his painting, the look he cast toward the distant mountains was tinged with guilt for his grandson.

Compared to other children his age, Blaze had been deprived of so much in his childhood.

Out of Luna’s line of sight, a sharp glint appeared in Blaze’s dark eyes. He took his grandfather’s cue and added, "That’s right. I was incredibly busy back then. Thinking about it now, growing up really isn’t easy."

Julian Fairchild’s brush-wielding hand faltered, leaving an ugly blot of ink on the paper.

’This damn brat, give him an inch and he’ll take a mile. Now he’s playing the victim!’

"It’s okay. You’ve done a wonderful job with Evergrow Group," Luna comforted him. "There aren’t many big bosses who are as considerate of their employees as you. Lindsey used to tell me that the benefits for female employees at Evergrow Group are fantastic, and those were all policies you implemented."

Julian Fairchild’s eye twitched. ’Look at this little rascal, so full of tricks he’s even playing his own wife!’

Blaze’s scheme had worked. Hearing exactly what he wanted to, he let a smirk spread across his face. "Speaking of Lindsey, how come she hasn’t contacted you recently?"

"She’s on a business trip, not in Valoria." When they had decided to have a barbecue that morning, Luna had asked Lindsey if she wanted to come, offering to have her parents pick her up.

Luna also suddenly remembered that it had been a while since she’d seen Wyatt Kingston.

’Did things between him and Lindsey really just end after his part-time job was over?’

Luna’s painting was nearly done. She stood up to stretch, deciding to take a look around the lakeside villa.

Blaze followed her.

Luna’s delicate brows furrowed slightly. "What are you doing?"

’His following me is a dead giveaway, isn’t it?’

If the two of them went upstairs together, people would definitely get the wrong idea.

Blaze lowered his head, leaned close to her ear, and whispered, "Why can’t I come?"

’Why can’t he come?’ Of course, she wasn’t about to admit she was worried people would assume they had snuck upstairs for a private rendezvous.

She said nothing.

Blaze pressed, "What’s going on in that little head of yours, Luna?"

’He’s asking even though he already knows!’

Flustered and annoyed, Luna clenched the fabric of her sleeves.

Just as she was struggling for a comeback, she caught a scent—sweet and cloying, yet with a hint of something faintly exciting.

Blaze never wore cologne. This was a woman’s perfume.

And his clothes were different from the khaki suit he’d been wearing that morning.

Yara York’s face, and her long legs, immediately flashed through Luna’s mind.

She was well aware of Blaze’s preferences when it came to their... private life.

He had expressed his fondness for her legs in bed on more than one occasion.

She asked suspiciously, "Who did you have lunch with today?"

Speaking of that lunch, if he’d known what those people were really like, he never would have agreed to it.

The moment the door to the private room closed, the group of scumbags had shown their true, beastly colors.

Luna didn’t miss the flash of disgust in his eyes, however fleeting.

She grabbed Blaze’s arm. "Were you drugged again?"

"Drugged?"

"You smell like a woman’s perfume." Even with her suspicions, she hadn’t wanted to ask directly, not wanting Blaze to think she was being paranoid or neurotic.

’He even changed his clothes, so how could he still smell of perfume?’

Blaze didn’t believe it and sniffed his own arm. "There’s no smell. How can you smell it?"

"In your hair." She had smelled it when he’d leaned in to whisper in her ear. 𝑓𝘳𝘦𝑒𝑤𝑒𝘣𝘯ℴ𝘷𝘦𝓁.𝑐𝑜𝑚

Blaze lifted her pale face and looked into her eyes. "Are you angry?"

Luna replied, "It was a work dinner. What would I be angry about?"

Blaze said, "Your eyes are telling me you think I’m cheating on you!"

"She’s a national icon. And those legs... and her voice..."

Blaze raised an eyebrow. "Am I just any other man?"

Luna’s luminous eyes widened. "Her legs are nice."

Blaze’s voice dropped to a low, husky rasp. "Luna Axton, if you weren’t pregnant with Lucky and always complaining your hands are tired, do you think I would settle for second best and torture myself like this?"

Luna refused to be sidetracked. "You’re the one who smells like another woman! How did this suddenly become my fault?"

’She’s quick on the uptake!’

Blaze released her chin and chuckled. "I wasn’t drugged. The perfume you smell is from the female brand ambassador. We were in the same room for a bit, so the scent must have rubbed off. I’ll go take a shower right now."

Seeing his expression, Luna understood.

She breathed a sigh of relief. As long as he hadn’t been drugged. "Okay, you go shower. I’m going back downstairs."

"Why are you running off? Just wait for me here." Blaze grabbed her hand, unwilling to let her go.

He hadn’t held her in almost forty-eight hours.

Luna pried his hand away. "Grandpa and my parents will be here soon. If I stay up here, it’ll give them the wrong idea."

"We’re a married couple. So what if we did do something up here?"

"I..." She looked down at the floor, unable to come up with a rebuttal.

"Don’t worry. I’ll just hold you after my shower, I absolutely won’t do anything else." If it weren’t for the lingering scent in his hair, which he found disgusting himself, he would be holding her already.

Luna wasn’t convinced. The man was an expert at pushing his luck—especially in bed, where his promises were worthless.

He’d dared to kiss her in the middle of a public road; what wouldn’t he do in a room with just the two of them?

For the sake of his own pressing needs, Blaze cajoled her, "I promise. I’ll really just hold you. I absolutely won’t do anything else."

"You’re coming home tomorrow anyway. I can definitely hold out for just one more day."

Luna had been on her feet all day and did want to lie down somewhere. With all the elders downstairs, she couldn’t very well just sprawl out on the sofa.

"All right. But just holding," she conceded.

"Mhm." Blaze nodded with the utmost sincerity.

Then, right in front of her, he started taking off his shirt, revealing his well-defined chest and lean, firm waist.

Luna turned away, pulled back the covers on the bed, and prepared to lie down.

Blaze knew she was shy, so he stopped teasing her and went into the bathroom, still in his pants.