Lord Thorne let out a deep sigh, a gesture that conveyed a shared sense of regret among everyone present.


    Mrs. Thorne quickly pinched his waist and whispered, “Honestly, you all never know when to stop. I hurried the kids inside to get ready for dinner!”


    Lord Thorne responded with a sigh, “Oh, Deana has grown so much. She understands things far better than we do. What I sayes from the heart; there’s no need to tiptoe around it.”


    Deana nodded earnestly, replying, “Mom, I promise I’m really not upset or ufortable about this at all, so you don’t need to worry so much.”


    Mrs. Thorne looked taken aback. “Deana, Zayne has been avoiding you for years. You’re truly not angry?”<h3 style="background-color:DodgerBlue">


    Deana replied with sincerity, “Not angry at all; in fact, I feel relieved.”


    Lord Thorne smiled and said, “That’s wonderful! Feeling freed is a good thing! To be honest, I’ve felt for years that you were unhappy. Now that you’ve opened up, it brings me joy!”


    Deana nodded seriously, a small smile breaking through, “Thank you, Dad!”


    Lord Thorne chuckled, waving his hands. “Come on! Let’s go enjoy some Shabu-Shabu. Your siblings can join me for a couple of drinks!”


    Dalton, the eldest son of the Thorne family, nodded eagerly. “Absolutely, Dad! My brothers and I will drink with you tonight!”


    Deana’s sister, Alice, chimed in with a bright smile, “Dad, don’t forget there’s still red wine at home! My sisters and I will join you for some drinks too!”


    Allie, the youngest daughter, added with a grin, “That sounds great! My older sisters and I will happily drink with you!”


    Lord Thorne beamed with happiness. “Alright! Since your sisters couldn’te back for New Year’s Eve, let’s celebrate today like it’s the Chinese New Year!” Allie quickly said, “Dad, we wanted to celebrate with you during the New Year, but you insisted we stay away.”


    Lord Thorne replied earnestly, “You’re now part of the Hartley family, and as such, you should spend the New Year with your inws. The same goes for your sisters. It’s just how things are. Your brothers will be here to celebrate with your mother and me. If you three sisters came too, people would think I’m inconsiderate and only care about my own family.”


    Allie responded, “I understand, Dad. I can talk to Brent Hartley and make arrangements to return next New Year’s Eve.”


    Lord Thorne smiled, “Let’s see what Brent Hartley thinks when the timees. If he’s not on board, don’t feel pressured to make it happen.”


    With that, Deana, Dalton, Alice, and Allie apanied their parents to the restaurant.<fnfe7a> Official source is Find_Novel(.</fnfe7a>


    In the restaurant, the chef had prepared a beautiful brass pot for the family. A vibrant green me flickered beneath it, simmering a pot of clear broth. The table wasden with an array of fresh cuts ofmb.


    In Eastcliff, people take theirmb seriously. They rarely settle for machine-cutmb rolls from hot pot restaurants; instead, they prefer fresh, hand-cutmb.


    There was an abundance of hand-cutmb, each part having its unique name: upper brain meat, tenderloin, big three-pointed, small three-pointed, and cucumber strips.


    Each type of meat has its specific cutting technique, size, and thickness, along with various cultural nuances surrounding them.


    The Thorne family is not one to unt their wealth or lead an extravagant lifestyle. They appreciate quality over ostentation, focusing on taste and authenticity.


    For example, when ites to food, the Thorne family has discerning ptes. Even fried oil cakes, which had remained non-greasy for a decade, be unptable if the craftsmanship falters, even slightly.


    Throughout his life, Mr. Thorne maintained no vices, aside from his love for smoking.