Chapter 65

Chapter 65

"You've both grown so much." Ewan murmured.

Priscilla exchanged a few perfunctory pleasantries with Ewan.

"Where are they?" Soon, Priscilla got straight to the point.

Ewan glanced outside. "Let me take you there."

The Anderson family's old house had already been sold to someone else. If Dewdrop Village didn't have a shred of kindness left, Ryder and Haven wouldn't even have a place to stay.

Priscilla followed Ewan toward the back mountain. Before arriving, she heard the cackling of chickens and ducks.

Her gaze moved to the distance—the back mountain had been fenced off to raise quite a few chickens and ducks.

Even before reaching it, she could smell something.

Ewan instinctively looked back at Priscilla and Kieran, but both wore calm expressions, showing no disgust whatsoever.

"Where are they?" Priscilla asked, somewhat confused.

They'd already reached the place—why was no one around?

At her question, Ewan also seemed puzzled.

"When I came yesterday, they were still here! Strange." Ewan looked around.

No one was in the small house by the entrance either.

"How odd. Where could they be at this hour?" Ewan was also confused.

There was water on the table. He touched it—the cup was still slightly warm.

They couldn't have gone far.

Their phone had been left at home too—calling wouldn't work.

"Let's look around." Priscilla suggested after thinking.

Ewan agreed.

"There's only one decent path up the back mountain. I'm guessing they went up to forage for wild vegetables. Why don't we take that route?" Ewan asked tentatively.

Priscilla agreed.

The back mountain path was truly difficult. Priscilla always had the impression something might dart out from here and bite her.

When a leaf brushed against her, Priscilla startled and instinctively stepped back.

Kieran reached out to steady Priscilla. "Priscilla, are you okay?"

His eyes were full of concern, increasingly regretting telling Priscilla about this matter.

Priscilla shook her head after collecting herself. Just as she was about to leave, she caught something in her peripheral vision—something in a tree.

"Wait!" Priscilla called out, stopping the group about to leave.

Everyone turned around in unison to discover hanging from the tree were Ryder and Haven.

"Save them quickly!" Priscilla reacted fastest, immediately pushing through the undergrowth.

Ewan hadn't expected to encounter such a shocking scene right upon climbing the mountain. His legs went weak with fright.

Several people frantically got them down from the tree. Ryder and Haven were barely breathing.

"Call an ambulance!" Priscilla checked their conditions.

After the examination, she exhaled in relief. Good—they were both still alive.

Priscilla noticed Ryder's leg, wrapped in thick gauze.

The gauze looked filthy—apparently from repeated use.

He was completely different from when he'd come looking for her last time.

"Let's carry them down first. Staying here isn't helping." Ewan said.

The signal in the mountains wasn't good, and the path was difficult. Priscilla made a quick decision to drive them to the hospital in her own car.

Outside the emergency room, Priscilla sat with her arms crossed, eyes closed, lost in thought.

Kieran sat nearby, occasionally glancing at the "surgery in progress" sign.

Only Ewan paced restlessly by the door.

Fortunately, this ordeal didn't last long.

The doctor soon emerged, removing their mask to look at them. "Rest assured, the patients aren't in life-threatening danger. However, the soft tissue contusions and brain oxygen deprivation will still have some impact on their bodies."

These effects wouldn't greatly affect daily life, but brain damage always had far-reaching consequences.

After hearing this, Priscilla showed little reaction.

At the payment counter, Priscilla pulled out her phone and efficiently paid the medical fees.

Just as she was about to leave, Ewan hurried after her.

"The doctor just said they've woken up. Won't you go see them?" Ewan asked.

"Alright." Priscilla, who'd been about to leave, thought about it—since she was already here, she might as well visit.

In the hospital room, Ryder had just woken and was staring blankly at the ceiling. Haven, being physically weaker, hadn't regained consciousness yet.

Priscilla entered to see Ryder wearing an oxygen mask. Behind her, Ewan spoke first. "Ryder! What were you thinking!You had a perfectly good life—why did you want to die!"

Hearing voices at the door, Ryder slowly turned his head, his gaze falling on Priscilla behind Ewan.

Not expecting to see Priscilla, Ryder's first reaction was that he was seeing things.

Seeing Ryder's dazed expression, Ewan quickly stepped forward. "Thanks to Lynn—she paid both your medical bills."

Ryder's expression became somewhat complicated.

Priscilla really disliked this kind of expression—it felt like being forced to accept gratitude.

"I'll have the doctor send you the itemized bill later." She moved her lips, ultimately saying only that.

Ewan looked at Priscilla in shock. "He raised you for eighteen years—you're going to make him repay medical expenses?"

Priscilla looked up at Ewan. "Even if he doesn't have to repay the medical expenses, shouldn't he at least know how much was spent?"

That was also true.

After saying this, Priscilla glanced at Kieran beside her. "Stay here and chat with them for a bit. I'm going to find the doctor to understand the situation."

Without giving anyone a chance to refuse, Priscilla pushed open the door and left.

In the doctor's office, two freshly taken X-rays lay side by side on the desk. One, perhaps from being rolled up, already had slightly damaged edges.

Seeing Priscilla enter, the doctor pushed up their glasses, their tone carrying some reproach.

"You are too careless. We already told you—with the patient's condition, timely surgery and bone setting still offered hope for recovery. Now it's been delayed until the bones have healed crooked. To recover now, they'd have to re-break and reset the bones." The doctor said irritably.

Re-breaking and resetting bones wasn't easy and came with many risks.

After listening to the doctor's rambling, Priscilla only gave a mild response. "I understand. Thank you, Doctor. We'll discuss it and get back to you."

The doctor seemed to see through Priscilla's difficulty and sighed softly. "Alright. You family members should discuss it quickly. The sooner you decide, the better."

She took the examination report and returned to the hospital room. The sight that greeted her was Ryder holding Kieran's hand.

Ryder's sun-darkened, wrinkled hand formed a stark contrast with Kieran's slender, well-proportioned hand.

These past few years abroad, Priscilla had taken good care of Kieran.

By now Haven had also regained consciousness and was quietly crying with her head down.

Seeing Priscilla return, everyone's gaze fell on her.