Chapter 662 - 658: The Jennings Family

They say an elder in the family is a treasure, and this saying was especially true for the Jennings Family.

When he got angry, his imposing aura could silence everyone without him even saying a word. But most of the time, the old man was capricious and willful, at times as stubborn as an unruly child.

Most of the time, the family had to coax him, just like they would a small child.

Randall Jennings gave a resigned smile and played along. "Alright, Dad. If you don’t want to move around, then just use the massage chair I bought you. It’s imported and works wonders—much more comfortable than when Matthew gives you a massage."

"Hmph. Don’t try to win me over with that flattery," the old man grumbled, refusing to take the bait. He shot Randall a sideways glance. "Your brother is being a dutiful son. And you? Forty years old, not married, no children. I have to drag my old bones around all day looking for potential wives for you."

"Dad, I’m thirty-eight, not forty," Randall Jennings corrected. He then turned to his older brother. "If you think Matthew is so dutiful, why don’t you just have him give you another grandson?"

Matthew Jennings knew his brother was teasing and shot him an exasperated glare.

But the old man retorted, "Him? Your brother’s over fifty. He’s firing blanks! What damn kid is he going to have!"

"Dad!" Matthew stared at his father, shocked. "How can you say something like that?"

Randall started laughing at his father’s bluntness, but the old man glared at him. "You have the nerve to laugh? I’m talking about *your* problem now! If you don’t get a move on, you’ll end up just like your brother. A man’s sperm quality plummets after forty. Do you want to have children or not?"

"But we have Kael Jennings, don’t we?" Randall said calmly. "The family line isn’t ending. Why are you so hung up on this with me?"

"Because I am!" The old man’s mustache bristled. "You have to get married. Look at me. I had the three of you, so now that I’m old, I can call you all over and have some fun chewing you out."

"If you don’t get married and have children, how boring will your old age be?"

"Look at your younger brother. Even he’s more on the right track than you are!"

Suddenly being put on the spot, Reginald Jennings gave his second brother an embarrassed smile, but quickly wiped it off his face when he was met with a cold stare.

"Him? On the right track? He changes girlfriends constantly."

"That’s still better than you! At least he gives me a glimmer of hope. With you, I practically have to hold a gun to your back just to get you to a blind date. People in the know might think you’re just busy with the company, but anyone else would think you’ve become a monk! Stop giving me a headache. My blood pressure spikes every time I look at you. Reginald, go get my blood pressure medicine."

At his father’s command, Reginald got up and trotted upstairs.

Randall Jennings stopped arguing with his father, genuinely worried the old man would feel sick if his blood pressure actually went up.

A few moments later, Mr. Ford came in to announce that the madam and the young master were back.

In the Jennings Family, only the eldest, Matthew Jennings, was married. His wife was a well-bred lady from a scholarly family in Lorcain, named Ivy Winters.

Their son was Kael Jennings, the only grandchild in the family and the successor Randall Jennings was currently grooming to take over the company.

"Dad, I brought you some high-quality Mugwort. When you have time, have Mr. Ford give you some moxibustion. Didn’t Dr. Lynn say you still have too much ’dampness’ in your body?"

"And this Codonopsis and Snake Gallbladder, they’re all cleaned. Later, have Mr. Ford soak them in wine for you. It’s nourishing."

"Last month, I brought back a tiger skin blanket for you from abroad. The weather is getting cold, and since you don’t like to move around much, you can cover yourself with it to stay warm. Don’t catch another cold. At your age, you can’t afford to get sick. You have to be more careful."

As soon as Ivy Winters walked in, she presented all the gifts she had brought for the old man. She had an elegant air and a gentle tone, and though she was over fifty, she was still a graceful beauty.

In the old man’s eyes, the best thing his eldest son had ever done was marry such an impressive woman. Everyone who met her sang her praises.

Moreover, she had given the Jennings Family its eldest grandson, who was also an exceptionally bright young man. As a result, Ivy Winters held a very high position in the family, and Randall deeply respected his sister-in-law.

"How thoughtful of you, Ivy." Just a moment ago he was scowling and cold towards his sons, but upon seeing his daughter-in-law and grandson, the old man instantly grinned from ear to ear, his expression changing faster than a three-year-old’s.

Randall had just said hello to his sister-in-law when she pressed a bag into his hands. The text on it was all in a foreign language, clearly an imported product.

"Sister-in-law, what is this?"

"It’s a foreign health supplement," Ivy Winters said frankly, not beating around the bush. "It’s for improving male bodily functions. Your brother has been taking it, and it works quite well with no side effects. I brought a box back for you from my trip. Why don’t you give it a try?"

Randall Jennings froze for a moment, then glanced at his older brother with an embarrassed expression.

His older brother looked even more mortified. He had been taking it in secret, and now the cat was out of the bag.

"Tsk. What’s there to be embarrassed about? It’s perfectly normal to look after your health. Women have to balance their qi and blood, so what’s the big deal?" Ivy Winters said, looking at Randall with a serious expression. "This is especially true for you, Randall. You plan to get married and have children someday, so you need to be extra careful with your health. Forty is a major turning point for a man. It doesn’t hurt to prepare ahead of time."

Those words were music to the old man’s ears. His eyes widened as he declared, "Your sister-in-law is right! You take that home and make sure you take it. If it works, we’ll have her get you more."

Randall was at a loss for words. ’Fine, I’ll take it,’ he thought. ’But what then? Where am I supposed to put it to use? I’ve got no outlet for it!’

Reginald returned with the blood pressure medication just in time to overhear them. His eyes lit up. Seizing the opportunity, he eagerly approached his sister-in-law. "Sister-in-law, is there one for me too?"

"Not for you," Ivy Winters replied. She had studied some traditional Chinese medicine—her maternal grandfather and uncles were all practitioners—so she had a basic grasp of its diagnostic methods. She looked at Reginald and offered a blunt warning. "You’re already showing signs of overindulgence. You just need to pay more attention to your habits."

Reginald: "..."

Just then, Mr. Ford came over and said the meal was ready. Kael Jennings took the initiative to help his grandfather up, and the others waited for the old man to move first before following one by one towards the dining room.

The dishes served today were mostly prepared to the old man’s liking—authentic Lorcain cuisine.

Ever since getting a taste of Jasmine Sterling’s cooking, Randall Jennings had become rather picky about restaurant food. However, today was a family dinner, and he always enjoyed eating at home, so he was in high spirits.

Ivy Winters looked at the family maid and instructed, "Sanders, give Randall an extra serving of rice. He loves home cooking and always eats well when he’s here."

Then she added, "Did you add a little extra water to the rice? The old man can’t eat it if it’s too firm."

"Rest assured, Madam. I remembered all your instructions. See? The rice is cooked perfectly, soft but not mushy, and it smells wonderful."