Afterlife Department

Chapter 208 - Sentiment

"What do you want to eat?" Jiang Ce asked as he pulled the chair for Mary Jackson and Mary Jackson sat before Jiang Ce sat on the chair across her. "This restaurant is where I frequent with before from when I was studying in the university until I entered the lab where I am working now." he explained with a slight smile on his face as he looked at Mary Jackson, observing her expression.

Because Mary was hit very hard with Huo Ling's death, he invited her out to divert her attentions on other things. It was already a week after Huo Ling's funeral, yet Mary Jackson still can't let go of him. Even though Huo Ling was her child with Gerard Jackson, and he was conceived without feelings between his parents, but he is still blood-related to her. Mary Jackson treasured him so much.

As well them, they treasure him, too. So, in the end, who can let go of Huo Ling? Jiang Ce bitterly thought and made a satirical smile. They might have been too fond of Huo Ling that they treated him as their treasure, since there's only Huo Ling as the child they could shower their affection to.

Mary Jackson remarried to Huo Jinghua, but they still haven't bore a child. For one, Mary Jackson already has Huo Ling, and she isn't in a rush to have another child.. Even if Huo Ling is already an adult, yet she loves him so much. Meanwhile, Huo Jinghua also wasn't in a rush to have a child with Mary Jackson, and he's very fond of Huo Ling to the point when, after Gerard Jackson and Mary Jackson's divorce, Mary Jackson changed her son's name to Chinese after she found out her true origin, and her son took Huo Jinghua's surname. However, even though Huo Ling was Howee Jackson's new name, but they have been used to calling him 'Howee', thus their address of him never changed, aside from Jiang Ce who met Huo Ling only later, and since his name is also Chinese, so he calls Howee by his Chinese name.

As for Gerard Jackson who remarried to Lewis Jackson, with the technology very advanced at this age that two men can have a child between them now, but they haven't had yet. It was not because their feelings aren't deep between them, or else what was the point they married each other, then? It was not because they are awkward to conceive a child, since although the era is advanced now, but the traditional way of reproducing is between a male and a female. That is senseless.

It was because they are too busy with their career as colonels that they haven't conceived a child, and also, Lewis Johnson is too possessive of Gerard Jackson he would definitely be jealous even with their child for taking Gerard Jackson's time in the future.

As for Kale and Sam, the emperor and the empress, they are the most logical to conceive a child. Yet, they still haven't, since Kale is too possessive of Sam. Despite the previous empresses are women, but because Kale is too much in love with Sam, he fought against the tradition and made Sam his empress. He never even took in a concubine. Since males can conceive a child now, the former emperor helplessly let Kale appoint Sam as his empress.

However, the headache of the people is that the emperor and his empress still haven't sired an heir! Sam is helpless with Kale, too, since every time he would open up the topic of children to Kale, Kale would get mad and punish him on their bed. We're doing this and that every day, how can we still not conceive a child?! Sam frustratingly thought as he thinks of Kale. Kale is too powerful to still not impregnate him even though he was crazily in love with Sam. But, Sam could understand Kale's feelings. Kale is afraid that after a child was born, Sam would neglect him. He's that very in love with Sam to the point he wanted to tie Sam by his waist.

And, as for Jiang Ce and Harry Walter, they had just married recently. And, like Gerard Jackson and Lewis Johnson, he and Harry Walter are also busy with their careers. Having a child hasn't crossed their mind yet, as they are too preoccupied with their jobs. Harry Walter is the marshal while Jiang Ce is the head scientist, and their job is too demanding they rarely even see each other. However, Jiang Ce could guess Harry Walter doesn't want to have a child, since he doesn't see the need to have one. Jiang Ce didn't marry him just to have a child, either, but because he loves him. He also doesn't see the necessity of having a child, and since he already has Huo Ling as his nephew, he treats him like his own son, and so he didn't bring up the matter to Harry Walter.

And so, with only Huo Ling as the child they all focus on, doting on, they deeply love him as their own. Thus, the grief and sorrow they felt when they lost him. They are all influential figures: a princess, colonels, a general, a head scientist, a marshal, and even the emperor and empress. Yet, they let Huo Ling's life slip away by their fingers. Huo Ling died right under their nose. And it is more painful since they are aware, and even witnessed, Huo Ling died.

They all nearly went crazy right then and there. Gerard Jackson, Huo Ling's biological father; Huo Jinghua and Lewis Johnson, Huo Ling's stepfathers; and Harry Walter, Huo Ling's step-uncle. They are all powerful, yet they could only helplessly watch Huo Ling die.

Jiang Ce snapped out of his thoughts when the AI robot gave him the menu. When one stays in a place for a long time, and alone, they can't help but think over things. Most especially when that place constantly reminds them of someone they lost.

He thought he was doing this for Mary Jackson; yet he knew, deep in his heart, he was also doing this for himself. He can't forgot his nephew who unjustly died in the enemy's planet, but heroically took down with him an enemy.