Love at First Novel by Gu Lingfei

Chapter 778
Zachary finished wiping down the stove, washed the rag, and proceeded to wash his hands again. Then he turned to walk
toward Serenity and stopped before her. His large hands cradled her face and pinched it lightly a few times before he said,
smiling, “I told you, you should go only if you want to go. If you don’t, then you don’t. I don’t mind either way.”
Serenity grabbed his hand, walked to the balcony with him, and sat down on the swing. She leaned against his shoulder and
together, they looked out at the city lights.
“When all the houses below are all lit up, the huge building opposite us goes all dark. They’ve all gone home for New Year’s.”
“Tomorrow morning, we’re going back to the old residence. I’ve already informed Nana and there’s already a room arranged for
us to stay in.”
Zachary had his arm around her shoulders as their heads leaned against each other.
That moment was full of warmth and sweetness.
“Seren, our old York family residence is really old. I hope you won’t mind it when you’re there.”
“How old is it? Is it a clay tile house? Or is it a thatched cottage?”
Zachary laughed, “It’s not that bad. It’s just the old residence left behind by the York ancestors. Although it’s maintained yearly,
we can’t deny it’s obviously an old place. And all of us live together there–I think I’ve mentioned it to you before.”
“How big is the old family residence?”
“Our ancestors started doing business in the 1900s and made a small fortune then, so the old residence spreads across quite a
wide area. Back then, it was considered a luxurious place. Every family unit has its own wing, although it’s all connected. We go
in and out through the main entrance.”
“Is it like a mansion?”
“Yeah.”
“Your old family residence was built in the 1900s and it’s still livable? It’s pretty well maintained then.”

Zachary chuckled. “You don’t think we’re very poor and that we don’t have money to build other houses, so that’s why everyone
still lives in the old residence left behind by our ancestors?”
Since their grandparents‘ generation, their family had moved out of Whitmore Mansion and built the Wildridge Manor. To the
younger generation, Wildridge Manor was considered their old family residence, because all the cousins lived in their own villas
and would only return to Wildridge Manor during the holidays.
“You could afford a villa and even paid for our current place in cash. How could you be so poor as to not have money to build
another house? The older generation probably kept staying there for nostalgia’s sake.”
Zachary smiled. “My wife is so clever. That’s right. Especially Nana–when she married into the York family, she moved straight
into Whitmore Mansion, so she was feeling sentimental about the place. She didn’t want to move out, so everyone could only
accompany her and spend lots of money and labor every year to maintain the place to prevent it from collapsing.”
“The older generation is all like that,” Serenity expressed her understanding.
“Look, Nana came to live with us for only a few days before she ran back home. She’s not used to it.
“To us, living here is great, but Nana just feels that the old residence is better. One’s own shack is better than another’s
mansion.”
Zachary scoffed internally. Nana only slunk back home early to avoid Mrs. Stone exposing their identities.
“Zachary, can we go for a walk? We’ve been married for a while now, but we’ve never held hands and strolled on the streets like
other couples do. Most people have gone home for the holidays, so there should be much fewer people and cars on the streets
now. It’ll be quiet, too.”
Zachary said fondly, “I’ll support you and be by your side no matter what you want to do.”
He got up, pulling her with him. “I’ll go get you a jacket from the room. The temperature drops at night. It’ll be cold.”