North America 1849, from Gold Rush to Warlord

Chapter 73 Don't worry, I won't do anything.

It's still the same Dolores Church, built in the Spanish colonial style.

Guided by the young priest, Azu and Vivian met the tall and dignified Bishop Evan.

The moment Bishop Evan saw Vivian, all the solemnity on his face vanished, replaced by a fatherly kindness.

"Oh, my dear little niece, you've finally remembered your lonely uncle! Vivian, why haven't you come to see this poor old man in so long?"

Vivian said coquettishly, "My dear uncle, I'm sick!"

With that, Vivian kissed Bishop Evan on the cheek.

Bishop Evan's eyes softened with affection as he smiled and said, "Little Vivian, don't lie to this poor old man. Are you really sick? You just don't want to go to church school, do you?"

"Uncle, no! I'm really sick!"

“Your Excellency Bishop Evan, it is a great pleasure to see you again!” Azu nodded respectfully to him.

"Young Chinese, I am also very happy to see you again!"

The three sat down facing each other, and Bishop Evan said earnestly, "Vivian, I opposed your father taking you to faraway China back then. That distant country has never been bathed in the glory of my Lord. There, without a good environment to grow up in, you cannot receive a good education."

As he spoke, Bishop Evan glanced at Vivian's jeans again and couldn't help but sigh, "Ah! It turns out my hunch was right. Look at you now, you hardly resemble a lady of the Parker family!"

"Uncle...!" Vivian pouted, "What's wrong with me not being a lady?"

"Heh heh!" Bishop Evan chuckled helplessly. "Alright, you're a lady! But ladies have to go to school too!"

"The church school in San Jose has been open for half a month already, we can't keep delaying like this. Go back and pack your things, I'll arrange for someone to take you there tomorrow."

"Uncle, I...I don't want to go to school!" Vivian pouted, her face full of reluctance.

"Why?" Bishop Evan's face showed no surprise.

“I…I feel that I can learn more by following Azu!”

Vivian mustered her courage and continued excitedly, "Uncle, do you know how much our grandfather has accomplished, how much money he has made, and how large a business he has built in just a few months?"

Bishop Evan's gaze then fell on Azu: "I've heard a little about it! I heard that your Huamei Company just bought all the assets of the Bay Area Bank, is that right? And your jeans and Eden Cottage have now been sold all over California."

“Now, even many believers who come to worship are wearing your Levi’s jeans.”

"To achieve such great success in such a short time, Mr. Li, I was right about you. You are indeed a true Chinese who has cut off his queue, and you are very capable!"

“But…!” Bishop Evan’s tone shifted: “My dear little niece, what does all this have to do with going to school? At school, you can receive a systematic education, develop good manners, and make more friends.”

"And don't forget, this was also your parents' original intention in sending you back to China!"

Bishop Even's voice was soft, yet it carried an undeniable and irrefutable quality. This was a habit naturally cultivated from his long-term high position.

Upon hearing her maternal uncle mention her mother, Vivian's expression darkened, but she stubbornly insisted, "However, by Azu's side, I can learn knowledge that cannot be found in books."

“Dear Uncle Evan, do you know how busy and fulfilling I am every day!”

"Watching our company grow bigger and bigger gives me a great sense of accomplishment every day!" "You can't experience this at all in a dull church school."

"So, Uncle Evan, do you understand?"

Bishop Evan glanced at his little niece, then at Azu, a meaningful expression on his face: "My dear little niece, is it that you don't want to leave Huamei Company, or that you don't want to leave Li?"

"I...!" Vivian's face instantly turned bright red, and she quickly shook her head shyly, "Uncle, what nonsense are you talking about...!"

Although he was a high-ranking clergyman, Bishop Evan understood perfectly well from his little niece's expression.

“Sigh…!” Bishop Evan couldn’t help but let out a long sigh: “My dear little niece, although in my eyes everyone is a lamb of my Lord, without distinction of skin color or race, you and Lee are impossible!”

"Why?" Vivian looked up in surprise at her uncle.

Bishop Evan shook his head slightly: "Your father and I are both devout Christians, and we will not allow you to marry a heretic! So, you'd better go to school as soon as possible and leave this young Chinese man!"

"Uncle, I...!"

"Stop talking!" Azu, who had been silent all along, gently patted her arm: "Vivian, go outside and wait for a while. I have something I want to talk to the bishop about alone."

"But……!"

"You can go out now, trust me!" Azu smiled slightly at Vivian.

"Oh, okay then!"

Weiwei reluctantly got up and walked outside, but after taking only two steps, she suddenly remembered something, turned around, and looked at Azu with some nervousness.

Vivian said nervously in Cantonese, "Grandpa, Uncle Evan is my maternal uncle! He's doing this for my own good! Please don't...!"

Ah Zu turned around and smiled, "What are you thinking with your little head? Do you think I would lay a hand on my own uncle?"

Vivian felt slightly relieved before opening the door and going out.

“Your Excellency, do you have any wine?” Azu turned around and asked Bishop Evan.

Bishop Evan paused for a moment, then stood up, poured two glasses of red wine, handing one to Azu and keeping the other for himself.

Ah Zu took a small sip of red wine and exclaimed, "Elegant and smooth, with rich layers of flavor, a fine wine!"

Bishop Even took a small sip before replying, "This is a 1824 Margaux from Bordeaux, France. In the west, this kind of wine is very hard to come by!"

Azu inhaled the elegant and smooth aroma of the wine and replied unhurriedly, "Is Château Margaux one of the four great wineries in France that was personally named by President Jefferson?"

"Hmm?" Bishop Evan was slightly surprised: "You, a young Chinese man, actually know about this?"

Azu nodded slightly: "Margaux, Lafite, Latour, and Haut-Brion—these are the four most famous wineries in France, personally named by President Jefferson during his tenure as ambassador to France. I've only heard of them briefly; this is the first time I've actually had the chance to taste them!"

At this point, Azu changed the subject.

"Your Excellency, you still owe me a favor, do you remember?"

(End of this chapter)