"What on earth is Howard up to? He's being so secretive."
In the morning, Howard Thorne had shoveled down his food and rushed out. He'd done the same thing for two days straight, and Phoebe Huxley grew suspicious and started grumbling.
Felix Thorne, however, wasn't concerned. He peeled an egg for Tang Xiaonan and said, "He's a grown man now. Why are you keeping such a tight leash on him? He probably went out to have fun with his classmates."
He'd been that age once himself, so he understood his eldest son. School was finally out for break; what was the harm in letting him have some fun?
But Phoebe Huxley grumbled in dissatisfaction, "He can't just play all day, every day. He's not a child anymore; he needs to help around the house. I'm going to have a word with him tonight. He's not allowed to go out having fun during the summer harvest rush."
