“Humph! If the queue of bridal cars is not long enough, I won't marry; if he is not rich enough, I won't marry; if he is not handsome enough,

I won't marry; if he is not tall enough, I won't marry!"

“Huh! Do you think you are good enough to be making such demands? Be realistic!" Wesley almost immediately despaired, dreading the possibility that no man would want to marry Erica.

Erica asked innocently, "Father, do you think I am being demanding?

Considering our family’s position and my brother's influence in Askor,

I don't think I'm raising my standards too high at all. Marriage is about two people with the same social status and family backgrounds coming together. Matthew, am I right?"

Matthew's attention, however, was focused on watching Gwyn playing.

Everyone wondered whether he had heard what Erica had said, as he answered perfunctorily, “Yes, I think Erica is right."

“See? Dad, even Matthew thinks I'm right!" Erica cocked her head to one side with a sly smile, like a toddler coaxing a treat from a grownup.

Wesley cast a sullen stare at Matthew, who had long turned back to

Gwyn. He snorted irritably towards Erica and said, “Two people with the same social status and family backgrounds? No problem. I'll just find a young man from a military family for you. That will be a good match."

"Please don't do that, Dad. Military men are seldom around their family. I'm afraid I might do something wrong if he doesn't return home for a long time!" Erica blurted out the words without even thinking but everyone understood what she meant by the words "something wrong."

Wesley stood up at once and drew his hand back to deliver an open-handed reckoning.

Blair and Debbie had gone upstairs to have a private talk and Terilynn wasn't there at the moment. The only people sitting around the Living room were Carlos, Evelyn, Matthew, Sheffield, Wesley, Erica and

Gifford.

Gifford had seen this play before. When it came to Erica, Wesley's bark was always worse than his bite. Although he had raised his hand, he would never actually hit her. Even on the off chance that he did, he would never hit her hard enough to hurt.

However, the other people in the room had no idea about that.

Evelyn jumped up from her seat in a hurry and insisted, "Uncle Wesley, don't be angry. I think Erica was just kidding."

Carlos put down the teapot, stood up and grabbed Wesley's wrist.

“What are you doing? She is just a kid. A good scolding would do the job. Why would you raise your hand?"

Wesley wasn't as furious as he pretended to be. He always assumed a strict face in front of Erica, because otherwise, she would never be afraid of him, But he had already given up on scolding her.

During this time, Matthew whispered something into Gwyn's ear. Shifting her gaze back to Look at the angry Wesley, she ran to him with spread out arms and called in a sweet voice, “Grandpa! Hug."

At the sight of the Little girl, Wesley's anger melted away completely.

He crouched down and picked her up, Laughing.

“Gwyn, did Grandpa scare you?"