Chapter 1416

Austin could no longer hold it in. “Granduncle, I understand if you’ re partial to your secret apprentice, but what does she know? You can’t possibly be so biased, can you? Also, she’s taking so many precious herbs from you. Does she even know how to use them? Whenever I try to get some from you, you only let me take a little yet her bag...”

He grew jealous when he looked at Lily’s bag.

All the plants there were precious medicinal herbs that Dominic had carefully cultivated. Austin wanted to take them several times but got turned down, except for the few times Dominic gave him a little bit.

Still, Lily’s bag... Austin was indeed jealous.

“They belong to me, and I can give them to whoever I like! You spend your days hanging around with those rich people, so don’t think I don’t know what you’ve been up to. Instead of focusing on herbal medicine, you keep trying to get famous, even at my expense. You stay the hell away from me, okay?”

Dominic rarely got so angry and scolded him in one breath.

Lily was surprised, and Austin did not know what to say.

A dead silence fell, and the vibe was awkward with hostility until...

“Hehehe...” Galen stood by the fence, playing alone, and watched them as they talked. Instead of startling him, Dominic’s outburst made him giggle.

The boy did not mean anything by it.

However, his giggle embarrassed Austin further. He felt he had been made fun of by a young child who hadn't even finished teething. Austin’s face flushed and then paled.

“Granduncle, it’s okay if you say I’m not hardworking or talented enough, but you’re belittling me if you think all I care about is getting famous! I know you’ve always been prejudiced against my whole family and me because of my grandpa, but I’m sincere in wanting to learn herbal medicine from you.

“Even if you're biased against me, shouldn’t you stop being that way after so many years?” Austin emphasized each word, speaking through clenched teeth. After he finished, he threw a conflicted look at Lily and turned to leave.

‘He’s gone.’

It was the first time he voluntarily left without Dominic telling him. The house got so quiet that it had an unnerving quality to it.

Lily looked at Dominic’s face. Although he showed no particular expression, she could tell from the quiver of a corner of his lips that he was not as calm as he looked.

“Old man...” She spoke softly but got interrupted.

Dominic held up his hand and said toughly, “Let him be! He should be gone. If not, I’ll have to kick him out anyway!”

“No, I’m trying to...”

“Stop! I know what you’re going to say. Don’t I know what my relative is like? He’s a bit smart and talented, but he’s unscrupulous. People in our field could be easily led astray if we have no scruples! I chose to teach you not only because of Wilfred but also because you—”

Before he could finish, a crash sounded. Stunned, he stopped talking, then slowly turned his head to the noise source, having a bad feeling.

“Boom!” This softer sound came from the culprit’s mouth. The little boy somehow climbed onto a shelf and waved his tiny hand at them, grinning.

Dominic had his staff remove most of the decorations from the shelf so that only his two prized porcelain teapots were visible. He wanted to keep them away too, but thinking they were safely locked inside the showcase, he reckoned they should be fine and left them alone.