Substitute Marriage: Reborn As The Top Big-Shot-Chapter 1046 - 277: Family Portrait, the Capital City is about to change!_8

"Nurse, did you mix something up?" Isla Astir darted over to the nurse and asked.

The nurse flipped through the documents, "Is your father's name William Astir?"

"Yes." Isla Astir nodded.

"Then there's no mistake," the nurse continued, "A Mr. Thompson prepaid a month's hospital bill for your father. Moreover, he arranged for the surgery as well, with a professor who recently returned from Cigacan as the chief surgeon."

Mr. Thompson?

Isla Astir immediately thought of Brandon Thompson.

Isla Astir, who hated owing others anything, instantly phoned Brandon Thompson.

Brandon Thompson laughed, "Miss Astir, there's no need for you to feel pressured. You saved my grandmother. Had it not been for you, our family wouldn't be able to celebrate this New Year. Consider this my repaying your favor. Like you, I detest owing others anything. After today, we will be even."

With that, Brandon Thompson hung up.

Isla Astir intended to express her gratitude, but Brandon Thompson had already ended the call.

Mrs. Astir walked over, laughing, "Isla, this VIP ward is different. It even has a kitchen. A night's stay must cost several hundred dollars, right?"

In Mrs. Astir's perception, a few hundred dollars per night was already expensive.

Not wanting her mother to feel burdened, Isla Astir nodded, "Yes."

"Isla, who is this friend of yours? They seem influential! They've arranged everything from the ward to the chief surgeon!"

Mrs. Astir had initially assumed that they would need to wait in line for one or two weeks just to secure a ward!

She hadn't expected it to happen this quickly.

Having friends certainly had advantages!

Isla Astir responded ambiguously, "He's okay."

In reality, she didn't know much about Brandon Thompson, but gauging from the extent of his generosity, he wasn't an ordinary person.

...

The following day.

Th𝓮 most uptodate nov𝑒ls are publish𝒆d on ƒreewebηoveℓ.com.

New Year's Eve.

Thompson Family Manor was bustling that year.

The family of more than a dozen was all gathered in the living room.

Mrs. Thompson sat on the sofa, chuckling at the sight of the house filled with her children and grandchildren. She then turned to Brandon and Harry Thompson, "Brandon, Harry, when are you two going to bring a granddaughter-in-law home for me?"

Harry Thompson touched his nose, "Grandma, I'm in no rush. You should urge my elder brother first! He's a year older than me."

"When I was your age, kids were running all over the place!"

Brandon Thompson grabbed some red paper to cut window decorations, "Grandma, matters like this can't be rushed."

Mrs. Thompson heeded the red paper and scissors, "After the New Year, you'll be thirty-two!"

Brandon Thompson said, "Perhaps destiny hasn't called yet."

"How would destiny call if you don't take initiative?" Mrs. Thompson fired back with a spiritual interrogation.

Brandon Thompson: "..."

At that moment, Viola Thompson brought over a pair of written couplets, "Grandma, how's my writing?"

"Beautiful! My Viola is truly talented!"

Mary Perryne and her sisters-in-law busied themselves preparing for the New Year's Eve dinner.

After dinner, everyone gathered in the courtyard to set off fireworks.

Mrs. Thompson had scheduled a photographer in advance, but because the photographer had to return home for other commitments the next day, he came to take a family portrait that night.

Everyone changed into the specially customized outfits. With the fireworks illuminating the night sky as a backdrop, the photographer pressed the shutter. A beautiful family portrait was thus captured.

The photo was developed instantly.

The photographer laminated the photo and handed it to Mrs. Thompson, smiling, "Mrs. Thompson, are you satisfied with the photo?"

Mrs. Thompson nodded, "Satisfied, very satisfied."

Looking at the long-awaited family portrait, she felt for a moment that her life was fulfilled.

Mary Perryne, Elena Williams, and Penny Kalafatis gathered around to look at the photo, laughing, "It's so beautiful! Look how happy mom looks! And Viola, she's truly beautiful! Mr. Xie, could you please print a few more copies for us?"

"Sure," Mr. Xie nodded.

Mr. Xie developed a total of twenty family portraits.

After the family portrait was taken, it was time to stay up and welcome the New Year. The Thompson family custom was to stay up till midnight.

During the vigil, everyone sat together to watch the Spring Festival Gala, cracked melon seeds, and played a card game called DouDizhu.

There was no betting in DouDizhu; the loser received a paper stick-on on their face. Mary Perryne and Penny Kalafatis ended up with full faces of paper tabs.

A few cousins chatted about business news and their individual objects of affection...

Viola Thompson was on a video call with Terrence Lentz, watching the Spring Festival Gala with him.

The revival within the living room was splendid.

Looking at her descendents' smiling faces, Mrs. Thompson's grin became even wider.

How wonderful.

After midnight, everyone returned to their respective rooms to rest.

Viola Thompson took Mrs. Thompson back to her room, "Grandma, go to bed early."

"Hmm." Mrs. Thompson nodded.

"Goodnight."

"Goodnight."

After freshening up, Mrs. Thompson lay down to sleep.

On the night of Chinese New Year's Eve, fireworks could be heard everywhere. Mrs. Thompson ordinarily would be kept awake by the noise, but that year she fell asleep instantly.

Until three in the morning.

Mrs. Thompson awoke from her sleep.

At that moment, she felt very refreshed. Looking at the light on the ceiling, she seemed to realize something. She immediately got out of bed, changed into her New Year's outfit.

Then she sat at her desk, pen in hand, and started to write her will.

Yes.

She had an intuition that her last moments were approaching.

In truth, knowing that she could survive till the New Year left her feeling contented. At least, she got to see the family portrait during her lifetime.

With that in mind,

Mrs. Thompson looked at the family portrait on the desk, scanning the faces one by one. Mrs. Thompson broke into a smile.

Her handwriting was beautiful.

Perhaps because she had not written for many years, after writing for a while, her hand got a bit tired, so she took little rest breaks while writing.

At the end of her will, she wrote, "Flowers bloom and wilt in their own time, an end is just a new beginning. I'll just be watching over you in a different form. My children, don't feel saddened or grieved, I feel truly blessed having all of you accompany me through the last phase of my life."