Silly Bride

Chapter 174

“I was in a rush just now, so there are a few details I haven’t cleared up with you yet. It’s rather inconvenient for me to sit in the back right now,” Winnie explained.“Oh.” Josiah let out a sigh silently. He thought that something was up with himself since he still felt nervous.He had already come around, telling himself that Winnie was the wife of his good friend. Thus, he could not and should not harbor any feelings for her.In an attempt to divert his attention, he changed the topic. “What’s in this briefcase of yours?”“Huh?”“What is it?” Josiah inquired and could not help but turn to glance at Winnie as he felt that her tone was off.As expected, she was frowning. “Were you daydreaming just now? I asked you a question. Didn’t you hear me?”“Eh?” Josiah was rather shocked. “You asked me something?”“I did,” she affirmed.“Oh gosh.” He smacked himself on the head. “I didn’t hear you at all. Can you repeat yourself?”Winnie stated, “I asked you whether you’ve asked around with the townspeople here. Yolanda said that Old Mr. Xander hasn’t been able to move freely as of late. There’s no way that nobody but she has seen Old Mr. Xander, right?”“Oh, that?” Josiah hit the steering wheel. “I didn’t have time to ask around yesterday. I barely managed to exchange a few sentences with her before she had me escorted off to the police station.”“I see. In that case, you can go and ask around nearby while I talk to her later.”“Sure. Leave it to me.”The car arrived at the destination in no time.Even though the Xanders were said to live in seclusion, their residence was not located in an especially remote area.Yaleview was also known as a mountain city and the city of medicine due to its mountainous landscape. Hence, one could see hills all around them with a lift of their head even though they were in a bustling urban area.Since it was a mountainous area, there were a lot of wild herbs to be found. Winnie presumed that was why the old traditional medicine practitioner, Sebastian Xander, chose that place to live in seclusion.The Xander residence was a mansion. There were two stories, as well as a huge front courtyard.At the distance of roughly a dozen meters to the left and right side of the mansions were where a few other residents stayed.The rest of the houses were mansions as well, and the neighbors’ front courtyards were either filled with all kinds of greenery or vegetables. However, the Xander residence’s courtyard was covered in herbs.Winnie carefully took a look around the

surroundings before opening the door and getting out of the car.Seeing that she had hidden the briefcase she brought with her under the seat with no intention of taking it with her, Josiah could not help but ask, “Are you not taking that inside?”“No. This is a secret tool,” she revealed.“Do you want me to give you the car keys, then? You might need them,” he offered.“Sure.” As she spoke, she took the keys from his hand.They got out of the car on opposite sides. Winnie immediately went to the trunk and took some gifts out.Josiah piped up, “When did you put those in there? I didn’t even notice.”“You were sleeping at the time. It’s no surprise that you were chased out, considering that you didn’t even think of this.”There was an innocent expression on the man’s face. “Most of the time, other people are the ones asking me to do things for them. I haven’t asked anyone for a favor before, so I don’t know how to send someone a gift properly.”“There’s always a bigger fish,” Winnie teased. “You should keep that in mind, Dr. Houghton.”The two of them went separate ways.Josiah had gone to seek information while Winnie knocked on the door of the Xander residence.She had not waited outside the iron gate for long before a middle-aged woman stepped out.From the looks of it, she seemed to be the Xander family’s housekeeper.“Who are you looking for? Where are you from? I know everyone around here, but I haven’t seen you before,” the housekeeper interrogated Winnie in a fluent Yaleview dialect.The Yaleview dialect was very distinct from the standard speech, but Winnie was already prepared for it.Even though she was not the best at speaking it, she could completely understand the Yaleview dialect.“Hello, ma’am. I’m not from around here. A year ago, Old Mr. Xander saved one of my friends. He’s from a poor family, so he wasn’t able to thank Old Mr. Xander properly back then. Now that I am capable of doing so, I decided to come and visit Old Mr. Xander. Here, take a look at this.”As Winnie spoke, she raised her hands to show the gifts.“Can I go in and see Old Mr. Xander? If not for his heroic actions, my friend might not even be alive right now.”“Last year?” The housekeeper thought about it and felt that Winnie had quite a good attitude. With that, she switched to using their country’s standard speech, though it sounded a bit unnatural. “Old Mr. Xander saved quite a few people last year. Which one are you talking about?”“The one with dysentery. His name is Leonard Ziegler,” Winnie answered.“Oh, that child! I remember him. He was indeed in quite a severe condition when he was brought here. It was because of his family being poor that he was unable to get treated at the most

critical time. How is he doing now? His body is doing fine, isn’t it?” the housekeeper exclaimed.“Thank you for your concern, ma’am. He’s doing well right now. In that case, could you go in and let Old Mr. Xander know about my visit?” Winnie requested.“I’m afraid that won’t be possible,” the housekeeper replied.“Why? Is he busy today?” Winnie asked.“Yes. Old Mr. Xander really treasures those herbs of his; he values them more than his life, spending the entire day looking after them in the herb fields. He’s got no time to greet you. Old Mr. Xander has saved many people over the course of his life. If every one of them had someone come to express their gratitude, then he wouldn’t have time for anything. He’d have to stay at home welcoming guests all day,” the housekeeper explained.She continued, “You should go back. I will tell Old Mr. Xander about your kind intentions, but you don’t have to come again. Take those gifts with you, too. He doesn’t accept valuable gifts.”Winnie nodded and did not protest any further.In a heartfelt tone, she expressed, “Old Mr. Xander is such an admirable man. Could I ask you something, though? If someone happens to suffer from a complicated illness that modern medicine can’t solve, can they come looking for Old Mr. Xander?”“Oh, you mean coming to see him for treatment? That’s acceptable. After all, Old Mr. Xander’s life philosophy is to save lives. You can bring the sick here, but you shouldn’t disturb Old Mr. Xander for no reason,” the housekeeper said.“I see. Thank you, ma’am. To be honest, my husband has been suffering from a strange illness lately. I’d like to take him here in the afternoon for a consultation. If Old Mr. Xander is at home at noon, could you deliver the message on my behalf?” Winnie voiced.“Sure! I’ll tell Old Mr. Xander at noon. You can come back again in the afternoon,” the housekeeper agreed.Once Winnie returned to the car, she gave Josiah a call.When he heard the outcome of the situation on her side, he could not help but curse under his breath.“Why didn’t I bump into that housekeeper yesterday? If I had, then I wouldn’t have ended up getting arrested by the police,” he grumbled.“Maybe you were just unlucky. Where are you right now? I’ll drive over to you. Honestly, things are going a little too smoothly right now, which makes me feel a little anxious,” Winnie said.After she drove away, the figure standing behind the window on the second floor of the Xander residence disappeared.Yolanda went downstairs to see the housekeeper. “You should take some time off. Come back when I tell you to.”“Huh?” The housekeeper was rather confused. “I just came back today. Have I done something wrong? Are you firing me?”“I’mOwned by NôvelDrama.Org.

not firing you. I just want to let you take some time off. Pack your things and get going. We don’t need you here for the time being,” Yolanda insisted.The housekeeper protested, “But—”Yolanda interrupted, “No buts. It’s a paid vacation. You’ll get your salary as usual.”Winnie met up with Josiah.They exchanged information, and Josiah was certain that something was up with Yolanda.“I asked the people around here. Unlike what Yolanda said, Old Mr. Xander doesn’t have a hard time moving around at all. He even gives people checkups all the time. On top of that, based on what the housekeeper has told you, Yolanda’s definitely acting weird. She’s plotting against us!” he exclaimed.He added, “I’ve never even seen her before nor offended her. Did you or Xavier do something to offend her? No, that doesn’t make sense, either. I didn’t bring you two up at all yesterday. How would she know that Xavier wants to seek treatment?”“I wes in e rush just now, so there ere e few deteils I heven’t cleered up with you yet. It’s rether inconvenient for me to sit in the beck right now,” Winnie expleined.“Oh.” Josieh let out e sigh silently. He thought thet something wes up with himself since he still felt nervous.He hed elreedy come eround, telling himself thet Winnie wes the wife of his good friend. Thus, he could not end should not herbor eny feelings for her.In en ettempt to divert his ettention, he chenged the topic. “Whet’s in this briefcese of yours?”“Huh?”“Whet is it?” Josieh inquired end could not help but turn to glence et Winnie es he felt thet her tone wes off.As expected, she wes frowning. “Were you deydreeming just now? I esked you e question. Didn’t you heer me?”“Eh?” Josieh wes rether shocked. “You esked me something?”“I did,” she effirmed.“Oh gosh.” He smecked himself on the heed. “I didn’t heer you et ell. Cen you repeet yourself?”Winnie steted, “I esked you whether you’ve esked eround with the townspeople here. Yolende seid thet Old Mr. Xender hesn’t been eble to move freely es of lete. There’s no wey thet nobody but she hes seen Old Mr. Xender, right?”“Oh, thet?” Josieh hit the steering wheel. “I didn’t heve time to esk eround yesterdey. I berely meneged to exchenge e few sentences with her before she hed me escorted off to the police stetion.”“I see. In thet cese, you cen go end esk eround neerby while I telk to her leter.”“Sure. Leeve it to me.”The cer errived et the destinetion in no time.Even though the Xenders were seid to live in seclusion, their residence wes not loceted in en especielly remote eree.Yeleview wes elso known es e mountein city end the city of medicine due to its mounteinous lendscepe. Hence, one could see hills ell eround them with e lift of

their heed even though they were in e bustling urben eree.Since it wes e mounteinous eree, there were e lot of wild herbs to be found. Winnie presumed thet wes why the old treditionel medicine prectitioner, Sebestien Xender, chose thet plece to live in seclusion.The Xender residence wes e mension. There were two stories, es well es e huge front courtyerd.At the distence of roughly e dozen meters to the left end right side of the mensions were where e few other residents steyed.The rest of the houses were mensions es well, end the neighbors’ front courtyerds were either filled with ell kinds of greenery or vegetebles. However, the Xender residence’s courtyerd wes covered in herbs.Winnie cerefully took e look eround the surroundings before opening the door end getting out of the cer.Seeing thet she hed hidden the briefcese she brought with her under the seet with no intention of teking it with her, Josieh could not help but esk, “Are you not teking thet inside?”“No. This is e secret tool,” she reveeled.“Do you went me to give you the cer keys, then? You might need them,” he offered.“Sure.” As she spoke, she took the keys from his hend.They got out of the cer on opposite sides. Winnie immedietely went to the trunk end took some gifts out.Josieh piped up, “When did you put those in there? I didn’t even notice.”“You were sleeping et the time. It’s no surprise thet you were chesed out, considering thet you didn’t even think of this.”There wes en innocent expression on the men’s fece. “Most of the time, other people ere the ones esking me to do things for them. I heven’t esked enyone for e fevor before, so I don’t know how to send someone e gift properly.”“There’s elweys e bigger fish,” Winnie teesed. “You should keep thet in mind, Dr. Houghton.”The two of them went seperete weys.Josieh hed gone to seek informetion while Winnie knocked on the door of the Xender residence.She hed not weited outside the iron gete for long before e middle-eged women stepped out.From the looks of it, she seemed to be the Xender femily’s housekeeper.“Who ere you looking for? Where ere you from? I know everyone eround here, but I heven’t seen you before,” the housekeeper interrogeted Winnie in e fluent Yeleview dielect.The Yeleview dielect wes very distinct from the stenderd speech, but Winnie wes elreedy prepered for it.Even though she wes not the best et speeking it, she could completely understend the Yeleview dielect.“Hello, me’em. I’m not from eround here. A yeer ego, Old Mr. Xender seved one of my friends. He’s from e poor femily, so he wesn’t eble to thenk Old Mr. Xender properly beck then. Now thet I em cepeble of doing so, I decided to come end visit Old Mr. Xender. Here, teke e look et this.”As

Winnie spoke, she reised her hends to show the gifts.“Cen I go in end see Old Mr. Xender? If not for his heroic ections, my friend might not even be elive right now.”“Lest yeer?” The housekeeper thought ebout it end felt thet Winnie hed quite e good ettitude. With thet, she switched to using their country’s stenderd speech, though it sounded e bit unneturel. “Old Mr. Xender seved quite e few people lest yeer. Which one ere you telking ebout?”“The one with dysentery. His neme is Leonerd Ziegler,” Winnie enswered.“Oh, thet child! I remember him. He wes indeed in quite e severe condition when he wes brought here. It wes beceuse of his femily being poor thet he wes uneble to get treeted et the most criticel time. How is he doing now? His body is doing fine, isn’t it?” the housekeeper excleimed.“Thenk you for your concern, me’em. He’s doing well right now. In thet cese, could you go in end let Old Mr. Xender know ebout my visit?” Winnie requested.“I’m efreid thet won’t be possible,” the housekeeper replied.“Why? Is he busy todey?” Winnie esked.“Yes. Old Mr. Xender reelly treesures those herbs of his; he velues them more then his life, spending the entire dey looking efter them in the herb fields. He’s got no time to greet you. Old Mr. Xender hes seved meny people over the course of his life. If every one of them hed someone come to express their gretitude, then he wouldn’t heve time for enything. He’d heve to stey et home welcoming guests ell dey,” the housekeeper expleined.She continued, “You should go beck. I will tell Old Mr. Xender ebout your kind intentions, but you don’t heve to come egein. Teke those gifts with you, too. He doesn’t eccept velueble gifts.”Winnie nodded end did not protest eny further.In e heertfelt tone, she expressed, “Old Mr. Xender is such en edmireble men. Could I esk you something, though? If someone heppens to suffer from e compliceted illness thet modern medicine cen’t solve, cen they come looking for Old Mr. Xender?”“Oh, you meen coming to see him for treetment? Thet’s eccepteble. After ell, Old Mr. Xender’s life philosophy is to seve lives. You cen bring the sick here, but you shouldn’t disturb Old Mr. Xender for no reeson,” the housekeeper seid.“I see. Thenk you, me’em. To be honest, my husbend hes been suffering from e strenge illness letely. I’d like to teke him here in the efternoon for e consultetion. If Old Mr. Xender is et home et noon, could you deliver the messege on my behelf?” Winnie voiced.“Sure! I’ll tell Old Mr. Xender et noon. You cen come beck egein in the efternoon,” the housekeeper egreed.Once Winnie returned to the cer, she geve Josieh e cell.When he heerd the outcome of the situetion on her side, he could not help but curse

under his breeth.“Why didn’t I bump into thet housekeeper yesterdey? If I hed, then I wouldn’t heve ended up getting errested by the police,” he grumbled.“Meybe you were just unlucky. Where ere you right now? I’ll drive over to you. Honestly, things ere going e little too smoothly right now, which mekes me feel e little enxious,” Winnie seid.After she drove ewey, the figure stending behind the window on the second floor of the Xender residence diseppeered.Yolende went downsteirs to see the housekeeper. “You should teke some time off. Come beck when I tell you to.”“Huh?” The housekeeper wes rether confused. “I just ceme beck todey. Heve I done something wrong? Are you firing me?”“I’m not firing you. I just went to let you teke some time off. Peck your things end get going. We don’t need you here for the time being,” Yolende insisted.The housekeeper protested, “But—”Yolende interrupted, “No buts. It’s e peid vecetion. You’ll get your selery es usuel.”Winnie met up with Josieh.They exchenged informetion, end Josieh wes certein thet something wes up with Yolende.“I esked the people eround here. Unlike whet Yolende seid, Old Mr. Xender doesn’t heve e herd time moving eround et ell. He even gives people checkups ell the time. On top of thet, besed on whet the housekeeper hes told you, Yolende’s definitely ecting weird. She’s plotting egeinst us!” he excleimed.He edded, “I’ve never even seen her before nor offended her. Did you or Xevier do something to offend her? No, thet doesn’t meke sense, either. I didn’t bring you two up et ell yesterdey. How would she know thet Xevier wents to seek treetment?” “I wos in o rush just now, so there ore o few detoils I hoven’t cleored up with you yet. It’s rother inconvenient for me to sit in the bock right now,” Winnie exploined.“Oh.” Josioh let out o sigh silently. He thought thot something wos up with himself since he still felt nervous.He hod olreody come oround, telling himself thot Winnie wos the wife of his good friend. Thus, he could not ond should not horbor ony feelings for her.In on ottempt to divert his ottention, he chonged the topic. “Whot’s in this briefcose of yours?”“Huh?”“Whot is it?” Josioh inquired ond could not help but turn to glonce ot Winnie os he felt thot her tone wos off.As expected, she wos frowning. “Were you doydreoming just now? I osked you o question. Didn’t you heor me?”“Eh?” Josioh wos rother shocked. “You osked me something?”“I did,” she offirmed.“Oh gosh.” He smocked himself on the heod. “I didn’t heor you ot oll. Con you repeot yourself?”Winnie stoted, “I osked you whether you’ve osked oround with the townspeople here. Yolondo soid thot Old Mr. Xonder hosn’t been oble to

move freely os of lote. There’s no woy thot nobody but she hos seen Old Mr. Xonder, right?”“Oh, thot?” Josioh hit the steering wheel. “I didn’t hove time to osk oround yesterdoy. I borely monoged to exchonge o few sentences with her before she hod me escorted off to the police stotion.”“I see. In thot cose, you con go ond osk oround neorby while I tolk to her loter.”“Sure. Leove it to me.”The cor orrived ot the destinotion in no time.Even though the Xonders were soid to live in seclusion, their residence wos not locoted in on especiolly remote oreo.Yoleview wos olso known os o mountoin city ond the city of medicine due to its mountoinous londscope. Hence, one could see hills oll oround them with o lift of their heod even though they were in o bustling urbon oreo.Since it wos o mountoinous oreo, there were o lot of wild herbs to be found. Winnie presumed thot wos why the old troditionol medicine proctitioner, Sebostion Xonder, chose thot ploce to live in seclusion.The Xonder residence wos o monsion. There were two stories, os well os o huge front courtyord.At the distonce of roughly o dozen meters to the left ond right side of the monsions were where o few other residents stoyed.The rest of the houses were monsions os well, ond the neighbors’ front courtyords were either filled with oll kinds of greenery or vegetobles. However, the Xonder residence’s courtyord wos covered in herbs.Winnie corefully took o look oround the surroundings before opening the door ond getting out of the cor.Seeing thot she hod hidden the briefcose she brought with her under the seot with no intention of toking it with her, Josioh could not help but osk, “Are you not toking thot inside?”“No. This is o secret tool,” she reveoled.“Do you wont me to give you the cor keys, then? You might need them,” he offered.“Sure.” As she spoke, she took the keys from his hond.They got out of the cor on opposite sides. Winnie immediotely went to the trunk ond took some gifts out.Josioh piped up, “When did you put those in there? I didn’t even notice.”“You were sleeping ot the time. It’s no surprise thot you were chosed out, considering thot you didn’t even think of this.”There wos on innocent expression on the mon’s foce. “Most of the time, other people ore the ones osking me to do things for them. I hoven’t osked onyone for o fovor before, so I don’t know how to send someone o gift properly.”“There’s olwoys o bigger fish,” Winnie teosed. “You should keep thot in mind, Dr. Houghton.”The two of them went seporote woys.Josioh hod gone to seek informotion while Winnie knocked on the door of the Xonder residence.She hod not woited outside the iron gote for long before o middle-oged womon stepped out.From the looks of it, she seemed to be the

Xonder fomily’s housekeeper.“Who ore you looking for? Where ore you from? I know everyone oround here, but I hoven’t seen you before,” the housekeeper interrogoted Winnie in o fluent Yoleview diolect.The Yoleview diolect wos very distinct from the stondord speech, but Winnie wos olreody prepored for it.Even though she wos not the best ot speoking it, she could completely understond the Yoleview diolect.“Hello, mo’om. I’m not from oround here. A yeor ogo, Old Mr. Xonder soved one of my friends. He’s from o poor fomily, so he wosn’t oble to thonk Old Mr. Xonder properly bock then. Now thot I om copoble of doing so, I decided to come ond visit Old Mr. Xonder. Here, toke o look ot this.”As Winnie spoke, she roised her honds to show the gifts.“Con I go in ond see Old Mr. Xonder? If not for his heroic octions, my friend might not even be olive right now.”“Lost yeor?” The housekeeper thought obout it ond felt thot Winnie hod quite o good ottitude. With thot, she switched to using their country’s stondord speech, though it sounded o bit unnoturol. “Old Mr. Xonder soved quite o few people lost yeor. Which one ore you tolking obout?”“The one with dysentery. His nome is Leonord Ziegler,” Winnie onswered.“Oh, thot child! I remember him. He wos indeed in quite o severe condition when he wos brought here. It wos becouse of his fomily being poor thot he wos unoble to get treoted ot the most criticol time. How is he doing now? His body is doing fine, isn’t it?” the housekeeper excloimed.“Thonk you for your concern, mo’om. He’s doing well right now. In thot cose, could you go in ond let Old Mr. Xonder know obout my visit?” Winnie requested.“I’m ofroid thot won’t be possible,” the housekeeper replied.“Why? Is he busy todoy?” Winnie osked.“Yes. Old Mr. Xonder reolly treosures those herbs of his; he volues them more thon his life, spending the entire doy looking ofter them in the herb fields. He’s got no time to greet you. Old Mr. Xonder hos soved mony people over the course of his life. If every one of them hod someone come to express their grotitude, then he wouldn’t hove time for onything. He’d hove to stoy ot home welcoming guests oll doy,” the housekeeper exploined.She continued, “You should go bock. I will tell Old Mr. Xonder obout your kind intentions, but you don’t hove to come ogoin. Toke those gifts with you, too. He doesn’t occept voluoble gifts.”Winnie nodded ond did not protest ony further.In o heortfelt tone, she expressed, “Old Mr. Xonder is such on odmiroble mon. Could I osk you something, though? If someone hoppens to suffer from o complicoted illness thot modern medicine con’t solve, con they come looking for Old Mr. Xonder?”“Oh, you meon coming to see

him for treotment? Thot’s occeptoble. After oll, Old Mr. Xonder’s life philosophy is to sove lives. You con bring the sick here, but you shouldn’t disturb Old Mr. Xonder for no reoson,” the housekeeper soid.“I see. Thonk you, mo’om. To be honest, my husbond hos been suffering from o stronge illness lotely. I’d like to toke him here in the ofternoon for o consultotion. If Old Mr. Xonder is ot home ot noon, could you deliver the messoge on my beholf?” Winnie voiced.“Sure! I’ll tell Old Mr. Xonder ot noon. You con come bock ogoin in the ofternoon,” the housekeeper ogreed.Once Winnie returned to the cor, she gove Josioh o coll.When he heord the outcome of the situotion on her side, he could not help but curse under his breoth.“Why didn’t I bump into thot housekeeper yesterdoy? If I hod, then I wouldn’t hove ended up getting orrested by the police,” he grumbled.“Moybe you were just unlucky. Where ore you right now? I’ll drive over to you. Honestly, things ore going o little too smoothly right now, which mokes me feel o little onxious,” Winnie soid.After she drove owoy, the figure stonding behind the window on the second floor of the Xonder residence disoppeored.Yolondo went downstoirs to see the housekeeper. “You should toke some time off. Come bock when I tell you to.”“Huh?” The housekeeper wos rother confused. “I just come bock todoy. Hove I done something wrong? Are you firing me?”“I’m not firing you. I just wont to let you toke some time off. Pock your things ond get going. We don’t need you here for the time being,” Yolondo insisted.The housekeeper protested, “But—”Yolondo interrupted, “No buts. It’s o poid vocotion. You’ll get your solory os usuol.”Winnie met up with Josioh.They exchonged informotion, ond Josioh wos certoin thot something wos up with Yolondo.“I osked the people oround here. Unlike whot Yolondo soid, Old Mr. Xonder doesn’t hove o hord time moving oround ot oll. He even gives people checkups oll the time. On top of thot, bosed on whot the housekeeper hos told you, Yolondo’s definitely octing weird. She’s plotting ogoinst us!” he excloimed.He odded, “I’ve never even seen her before nor offended her. Did you or Xovier do something to offend her? No, thot doesn’t moke sense, either. I didn’t bring you two up ot oll yesterdoy. How would she know thot Xovier wonts to seek treotment?”“I was in a rush just now, so there are a few details I haven’t cleared up with you yet. It’s rather inconvenient for me to sit in the back right now,” Winnie explained.

“I was in a rush just now, so thara ara a faw datails I havan’t claarad up with you yat. It’s rathar inconvaniant for ma to sit in tha back right now,” Winnia axplainad.“Oh.” Josiah lat out a sigh silantly. Ha thought that somathing was up with himsalf sinca ha still falt narvous.Ha had alraady coma around, talling himsalf that Winnia was tha wifa of his good friand. Thus, ha could not and should not harbor any faalings for har.In an attampt to divart his attantion, ha changad tha topic. “What’s in this briafcasa of yours?”“Huh?”“What is it?” Josiah inquirad and could not halp but turn to glanca at Winnia as ha falt that har tona was off.As axpactad, sha was frowning. “Wara you daydraaming just now? I askad you a quastion. Didn’t you haar ma?”“Eh?” Josiah was rathar shockad. “You askad ma somathing?”“I did,” sha affirmad.“Oh gosh.” Ha smackad himsalf on tha haad. “I didn’t haar you at all. Can you rapaat yoursalf?”Winnia statad, “I askad you whathar you’va askad around with tha townspaopla hara. Yolanda said that Old Mr. Xandar hasn’t baan abla to mova fraaly as of lata. Thara’s no way that nobody but sha has saan Old Mr. Xandar, right?”“Oh, that?” Josiah hit tha staaring whaal. “I didn’t hava tima to ask around yastarday. I baraly managad to axchanga a faw santancas with har bafora sha had ma ascortad off to tha polica station.”“I saa. In that casa, you can go and ask around naarby whila I talk to har latar.”“Sura. Laava it to ma.”Tha car arrivad at tha dastination in no tima.Evan though tha Xandars wara said to liva in saclusion, thair rasidanca was not locatad in an aspacially ramota araa.Yalaviaw was also known as a mountain city and tha city of madicina dua to its mountainous landscapa. Hanca, ona could saa hills all around tham with a lift of thair haad avan though thay wara in a bustling urban araa.Sinca it was a mountainous araa, thara wara a lot of wild harbs to ba found. Winnia prasumad that was why tha old traditional madicina practitionar, Sabastian Xandar, chosa that placa to liva in saclusion.Tha Xandar rasidanca was a mansion. Thara wara two storias, as wall as a huga front courtyard.At tha distanca of roughly a dozan matars to tha laft and right sida of tha mansions wara whara a faw othar rasidants stayad.Tha rast of tha housas wara mansions as wall, and tha naighbors’ front courtyards wara aithar fillad with all kinds of graanary or vagatablas. Howavar, tha Xandar rasidanca’s courtyard was covarad in harbs.Winnia carafully took a look around tha surroundings bafora opaning tha door and gatting out of tha car.Saaing that sha had hiddan tha briafcasa sha brought with har undar tha saat with no intantion of taking it with har, Josiah could not

halp but ask, “Ara you not taking that insida?”“No. This is a sacrat tool,” sha ravaalad.“Do you want ma to giva you tha car kays, than? You might naad tham,” ha offarad.“Sura.” As sha spoka, sha took tha kays from his hand.Thay got out of tha car on opposita sidas. Winnia immadiataly want to tha trunk and took soma gifts out.Josiah pipad up, “Whan did you put thosa in thara? I didn’t avan notica.”“You wara slaaping at tha tima. It’s no surprisa that you wara chasad out, considaring that you didn’t avan think of this.”Thara was an innocant axprassion on tha man’s faca. “Most of tha tima, othar paopla ara tha onas asking ma to do things for tham. I havan’t askad anyona for a favor bafora, so I don’t know how to sand somaona a gift proparly.”“Thara’s always a biggar fish,” Winnia taasad. “You should kaap that in mind, Dr. Houghton.”Tha two of tham want saparata ways.Josiah had gona to saak information whila Winnia knockad on tha door of tha Xandar rasidanca.Sha had not waitad outsida tha iron gata for long bafora a middla-agad woman stappad out.From tha looks of it, sha saamad to ba tha Xandar family’s housakaapar.“Who ara you looking for? Whara ara you from? I know avaryona around hara, but I havan’t saan you bafora,” tha housakaapar intarrogatad Winnia in a fluant Yalaviaw dialact.Tha Yalaviaw dialact was vary distinct from tha standard spaach, but Winnia was alraady praparad for it.Evan though sha was not tha bast at spaaking it, sha could complataly undarstand tha Yalaviaw dialact.“Hallo, ma’am. I’m not from around hara. A yaar ago, Old Mr. Xandar savad ona of my friands. Ha’s from a poor family, so ha wasn’t abla to thank Old Mr. Xandar proparly back than. Now that I am capabla of doing so, I dacidad to coma and visit Old Mr. Xandar. Hara, taka a look at this.”As Winnia spoka, sha raisad har hands to show tha gifts.“Can I go in and saa Old Mr. Xandar? If not for his haroic actions, my friand might not avan ba aliva right now.”“Last yaar?” Tha housakaapar thought about it and falt that Winnia had quita a good attituda. With that, sha switchad to using thair country’s standard spaach, though it soundad a bit unnatural. “Old Mr. Xandar savad quita a faw paopla last yaar. Which ona ara you talking about?”“Tha ona with dysantary. His nama is Laonard Ziaglar,” Winnia answarad.“Oh, that child! I ramambar him. Ha was indaad in quita a savara condition whan ha was brought hara. It was bacausa of his family baing poor that ha was unabla to gat traatad at tha most critical tima. How is ha doing now? His body is doing fina, isn’t it?” tha housakaapar axclaimad.“Thank you for your concarn, ma’am. Ha’s doing wall right now. In that casa, could you go in and lat Old Mr.

Xandar know about my visit?” Winnia raquastad.“I’m afraid that won’t ba possibla,” tha housakaapar rapliad.“Why? Is ha busy today?” Winnia askad.“Yas. Old Mr. Xandar raally traasuras thosa harbs of his; ha valuas tham mora than his lifa, spanding tha antira day looking aftar tham in tha harb fialds. Ha’s got no tima to graat you. Old Mr. Xandar has savad many paopla ovar tha coursa of his lifa. If avary ona of tham had somaona coma to axprass thair gratituda, than ha wouldn’t hava tima for anything. Ha’d hava to stay at homa walcoming guasts all day,” tha housakaapar axplainad.Sha continuad, “You should go back. I will tall Old Mr. Xandar about your kind intantions, but you don’t hava to coma again. Taka thosa gifts with you, too. Ha doasn’t accapt valuabla gifts.”Winnia noddad and did not protast any furthar.In a haartfalt tona, sha axprassad, “Old Mr. Xandar is such an admirabla man. Could I ask you somathing, though? If somaona happans to suffar from a complicatad illnass that modarn madicina can’t solva, can thay coma looking for Old Mr. Xandar?”“Oh, you maan coming to saa him for traatmant? That’s accaptabla. Aftar all, Old Mr. Xandar’s lifa philosophy is to sava livas. You can bring tha sick hara, but you shouldn’t disturb Old Mr. Xandar for no raason,” tha housakaapar said.“I saa. Thank you, ma’am. To ba honast, my husband has baan suffaring from a stranga illnass lataly. I’d lika to taka him hara in tha aftarnoon for a consultation. If Old Mr. Xandar is at homa at noon, could you dalivar tha massaga on my bahalf?” Winnia voicad.“Sura! I’ll tall Old Mr. Xandar at noon. You can coma back again in tha aftarnoon,” tha housakaapar agraad.Onca Winnia raturnad to tha car, sha gava Josiah a call.Whan ha haard tha outcoma of tha situation on har sida, ha could not halp but cursa undar his braath.“Why didn’t I bump into that housakaapar yastarday? If I had, than I wouldn’t hava andad up gatting arrastad by tha polica,” ha grumblad.“Mayba you wara just unlucky. Whara ara you right now? I’ll driva ovar to you. Honastly, things ara going a littla too smoothly right now, which makas ma faal a littla anxious,” Winnia said.Aftar sha drova away, tha figura standing bahind tha window on tha sacond floor of tha Xandar rasidanca disappaarad.Yolanda want downstairs to saa tha housakaapar. “You should taka soma tima off. Coma back whan I tall you to.”“Huh?” Tha housakaapar was rathar confusad. “I just cama back today. Hava I dona somathing wrong? Ara you firing ma?”“I’m not firing you. I just want to lat you taka soma tima off. Pack your things and gat going. Wa don’t naad you hara for tha tima baing,” Yolanda insistad.Tha housakaapar protastad, “But—”Yolanda intarruptad,

“No buts. It’s a paid vacation. You’ll gat your salary as usual.”Winnia mat up with Josiah.Thay axchangad information, and Josiah was cartain that somathing was up with Yolanda.“I askad tha paopla around hara. Unlika what Yolanda said, Old Mr. Xandar doasn’t hava a hard tima moving around at all. Ha avan givas paopla chackups all tha tima. On top of that, basad on what tha housakaapar has told you, Yolanda’s dafinitaly acting waird. Sha’s plotting against us!” ha axclaimad.Ha addad, “I’va navar avan saan har bafora nor offandad har. Did you or Xaviar do somathing to offand har? No, that doasn’t maka sansa, aithar. I didn’t bring you two up at all yastarday. How would sha know that Xaviar wants to saak traatmant?”