Chapter 83
Adeline boarded a bus.
She'd never been so impulsive before, embarking on a spur-of-the-moment journey.
The bus traveled from the bustling city to remote mountain roads.
The surroundings transformed from lively to peaceful, and even the air seemed to improve.
Adeline found this new environment fascinating.
A friendly woman sitting nearby struck up a conversation. "First time here, honey?"
Adeline nodded.
The enthusiastic woman, Kaia Hayes, continued, "Then you're in for a treat. Let me tell you, this place has gorgeous scenery, fresh air, and most importantly, the villagers are so genuine."
"You seem very familiar with this place?"
Kaia's face radiated pure joy. "Of course I am! I'm from here. My brother is the village head. When I was young, I left to work in the city, thinking I would make a lot of money out there. But honestly, there's no place like home. This time, I'm back for good."
Adeline hadn't expected to meet a local villager.
"Don't worry, honey. Since it's your first visit and I've taken a liking to you, just come to me if you need anything. My brother can help—he's the village head, you know, carries a lot of weight around here."
Kaia thumped her chest confidently.
Adeline smiled. "Thank you. I won't hesitate to ask if I need anything."
As they chatted, the bus pulled over.
A grand old elm tree stood by the roadside, marking the village entrance. Mountains surrounded the village, lush with greenery. The air was infused with the scent of trees and grass.
Kaia warmly invited Adeline to rest at her home.
Kaia's family was delighted by her return and welcomed Adeline enthusiastically upon learning she was Kaia's friend.
Adeline felt somewhat out of place with all this attention.
But things were turning out better than she'd imagined. She'd expected to arrive in a strange place, face unfamiliar people, and possibly encounter numerous problems.
None of that had happened.
Before dinner, Kaia's nephew, Jace Hayes, took her out to explore.
They came upon a flower field. Jace, looking at Adeline's beautiful face, seemed a bit nervous. "This is our family's flower field. People in the village used to farm crops, but now we grow flowers. Look at all these flowers—they're all ours."
Jace was incredibly proud.
He seemed content just gazing at this field of flowers.
Adeline took a deep breath. No wonder she'd smelled floral fragrances when entering the village, though she hadn't seen any flowers then.
They were all behind the mountain, hidden by the village.
"You can enjoy the scenery here. I'll go get you some of our village's best fruit."
Jace ran off with the wind at his back.
Adeline found a spot to sit at the edge of the flower field. Blue sky, white clouds, a riot of colorful blooms.
This beautiful scene would remain etched in her memory for a lifetime.
She walked along the flower beds and spotted a stream not far away. The water was crystal clear; she could even see the pebbles at the bottom.
The water didn't look deep.
It was so pristine.
This place seemed untouched by worldly corruption, so clean it felt wrong to taint it. She even thought that if she could rest eternally in such a place, it might not be so bad.
But she felt too tainted.
She didn't want to soil this place or frighten these warm-hearted, simple villagers.
Just then, Lily called.
"Mommy." Lily's voice was as cheerful and lively as ever. "Where are you? I want to come find you, okay?"
"Come find me? What about your dad? Did he agree?"
At the mention of her father, Lily sounded dejected. "Daddy's not home. He said he has some important inspections to do, and he has to go personally. He mentioned that the place might be a bit dirty, so he didn't take me. Since Daddy's not home, I could sneak out to find you."
Adeline sighed. "Mommy's not home either."
"Then where are you?"
"I'm in..."
Adeline looked around. "A beautiful place."
"I want to go too."
"It's my mistake. I should have brought you to see such a beautiful place."
Adeline felt a pang of regret.
Such breathtaking scenery should be enjoyed with Lily.
Hearing this, Lily quickly consoled her mother. "It's okay, it's okay. Don't be sad, Mommy. I'll wait until you come back, then talk to Daddy about visiting you."
"That's my good girl."
"Have fun, Mommy, and remember to take pretty pictures for me."
Listening to Lily's sweet voice, Adeline hung up with a heart full of contentment.
Looking at the clear river bottom, she suddenly didn't want to jump in anymore.
She still needed to take photos for Lily.
She opened her camera app, about to snap a picture.
"Adeline!"
Jace returned to find Adeline standing motionless by the river. He immediately thought of a friend who had accidentally fallen in and died.
"Don't stand there! It's dangerous!"
Jace pulled Adeline back.
Adeline moved a few steps away with him. "Thanks for the warning. I just thought the water looked so clear and shallow. Even if someone fell in, they probably wouldn't die, right?"
"You're wrong. The water is very deep."
Jace said seriously, "Haven't you heard the saying? The clearer the water, the deeper it is."
Worried she didn't believe him, he picked up a pebble from the path and tossed it into the river.
The pebble slowly sank to the bottom.
When still, the water's depth wasn't apparent, but with the pebble as a measuring stick, Adeline realized the river was far deeper than a person's height.
It must have been at least six feet deep.
"Thank you for the warning."
She felt a chill run down her spine.
Jace didn't think much of it. He pulled out a handful of fruit from his pocket and handed it to her. "I brought these from home. They're washed. You can sit here, enjoy the view, and eat slowly. I need to head back now. We'll call you when dinner's ready."
"You're not staying with me?"
Adeline had taken a liking to this young man.
"I need to help with dinner."
With that, Jace waved goodbye, his figure growing smaller as he ran through the flower fields.
Adeline bit into a fruit.
The fruit had a greenish tint, not particularly appealing, but it tasted tangy and sweet—quite refreshing. She ate two in succession.
The remaining fruit she carefully tucked into her pocket.
Suddenly, she sniffed the air.
Besides the floral scent, another aroma seemed to drift on the breeze.
Was that barbecue?
She followed the smell, pushing through some bushes, and finally saw what lay beyond.
"What are you doing here?"
Alicia looked up and saw Adeline, her expression immediately souring.
Adeline hadn't expected to find them here either.
Yes, them—a whole group.
The Alicia siblings, Vivian, Aaron, and Edward.
She recalled Lily's words. "Didn't you say you had work to do?"
Was "work" just code for a countryside getaway?
Before Edward could respond, Vivian spoke up, "Edward is here for work. The government decided to develop this village, and Edward, as an outstanding entrepreneur, was sent by the government to support the village. We're not here for sightseeing; we're here for an inspection."
Aaron said coolly, "We just got hungry while walking, so we decided to make something to eat."
In the middle of nowhere, they could only barbecue the food they'd brought.
These wealthy young men and women weren't about to settle for dried fruits, rations, or snacks.
"I won't disturb you then."
Adeline acknowledged with an "Oh" and turned to leave.
"Wait." Vivian smiled slightly. "Since you're already here, why not join us?"