Chapter 72: Beaded Necklace

Chapter 72: Beaded Necklace

I was really feeling the fatigue, but the vehicle was so basic that there wasn't even a space to lie down and rest.

We hadn't slept well the night before at Whispering Willow Village, and after returning, we barely got any rest before rushing off for Suncrest City.

The man noticed how tired I looked, and with a gentle smile, he softly vocied, "It's getting pretty late. If we enter the village tonight, the road might be in bad shape. Let's just stay at a hotel in the city tonight and head to the village early tomorrow morning."

I had no objections to this suggestion.

Resting in the car for a long time had made me feel exhausted, and the idea of a comfortable night in a hotel sounded really appealing.

The man was very friendly and considerate to both of us. He first took us to a hotel, helped us settle in, and then took us out for dinner.

I didn't want to turn down his kindness, after all, we had traveled a long way specifically to help him.

We ended up at a small restaurant outside the hotel. It was small, but it looked clean and tidy.

The man ordered a few local specialties. I was already starving, so I didn't stand on ceremony and started enjoying the food right away.

As I devoured a large bowl of steaming pasta, I felt my energy returning. After satisfying my hunger, I decided to ask about our plans for the next day.

"Sir, how long does it take to get to your village from here?" I asked curiously.

The man smiled and replied, "It's actually not far from here to the village, about two hours of mountain road."

Hearing this, I was a bit surprised. I didn't expect the village to be so remote.

I continued to ask, "So when are we leaving tomorrow morning?"

The man smiled again, "We'll leave early in the morning."

He looked a bit eager.

"What's the name of your village?" Howard, who had been silent, suddenly asked.

The man was taken aback, as if he hadn't expected Howard to ask.

He looked up, meeting Howard's deep, mysterious blue eyes, which felt like they could see right through a person's soul.

The man instinctively looked away, seeming a bit uneasy. "It's called Floral Drum Ridge Village."

I spoke with some surprise, "Floral Drum Ridge Village? That's quite an unusual name."

The man smiled and simply explained, "It's a name passed down from the old days. There aren't many people in the village, most of the young and able-bodied have gone out to work, leaving only a few elderly folks behind."

There was a hint of helplessness in his tone.

That made sense. In economically struggling areas, it's common for rural families to send someone away to find work and support the household. They had to leave their hometown for the sake of their livelihoods.

"Miss, can I take a look at the cross in your hand?" The man asked, his eyes fixed on the cross in my hand.

I was taken aback and instinctively looked at the cross. "This one..."

Since leaving the Martinez family today, I had been holding the cross in my hand. The silver color, under the warm light, emitted a glossy sheen, very beautiful.

The cross seemed to radiate a soft white glow, almost as if it held some kind of hidden power, evoking thoughts of ancient legends and mysterious rituals.

The man asked, "Yes, Mr. Martinez mentioned it's a special thing, so I wanted to take a look. Can I see it?"

This wasn't a big deal. I was about to hand it over when Howard interjected. "Hold on. This thing has spiritual energy, it's not good for just anyone to touch it. If touched, it loses its power."

I was surprised, not expecting such a reason behind it, and quickly put the cross back. "Sorry, I can't let you see it. After all, it's someone else's thing, and I have to return it after using it."

The man looked at the cross in my hand with some regret, his eyes showing a hint of longing. "Alright."

After dinner, we returned to the hotel, and the man was about to book rooms.

"Three rooms for us..."

Before he could finish, Howard interrupted. "No need for that, two rooms will be fine. I'll share with her."

The man's gaze shifted back and forth between us.

I felt my cheeks flush a bit, embarrassed, but I didn't object. After all, having Howard by my side in this unfamiliar place made me feel much more at ease.

"You two?" The man hesitated, clearly trying to guess our relationship.

Howard wrapped his arm around me and pulled me close, his voice low and firm, "We're a couple, can't you tell?"

In the end, the man opted to book two rooms, one for Howard and me, and another for himself next door.

As he handed us the room keys, I caught him glancing at my cross.

It was obvious he had a real interest in it.

Sitting in the hotel room, I kept examining the cross. This thing looked no different from ordinary cross, but Aiden had said it could save me, making me very curious about how it worked.

"No matter how much you look at it, it won't help." Howard came out of the bathroom after a shower, seeing me holding the cross, he spoke lightly.

Howard sat down on the chair opposite me and continued, "Aiden always likes to be mysterious, you can't take everything he says at face value."

"But," Howard suddenly changed his tone, "since he gave it to you, there must be a reason. Maybe, it will play an unexpected role at a certain moment."

I nodded lightly, my gaze moving up, only then noticing Howard was just only wrapped in a towel, his bare chest on full display.

Howard's skin was incredible, a nearly flawless tan. His muscle were well-defined, each abdominal line looking like it had been sculpted to perfection. The light made his eight-pack abs stand out. Water droplets slowly slid along his muscle contours, sparkling with a crystal-clear luster, reminiscent of morning dew.

I couldn't help but admire his physique; it was stunningly beautiful.

I even felt a strong urge to reach out and touch, to feel the firm muscles under my fingertips.

Realizing what I was thinking, I immediately felt guilty, quickly averting my gaze, my cheeks burning with heat.

"Why did you come out without clothes?" I coughed lightly, trying to cover my embarrassment with a reproachful tone.

Howard seemed unconcerned, shrugging his shoulders, he answered matter-of-factly, "I didn't bring a change of clothes, what I wore today is already in the washing machine, what do you want me to wear?"