Silly Bride Chapter 174
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 exined.“Oh.” Josiah let out a sigh silently.
He thought that something was up with himself since he still felt nervous.He had alreadye 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 nce 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.
Ynda said that Old Mr. Xander hasn’t been able to move freely as ofte. 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 herter.”“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
ce 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 couldpletely 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 toe 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 peoplest 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 eximed.“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 someonee to express their gratitude, then he wouldn’t have time for
anything. He’d have to stay at home weing guests all day,” the housekeeper exined.She
continued, “You should go back. I will tell Old Mr. Xander about your kind intentions, but you don’t have
toe again. Take those gifts with you, too. He doesn’t ept 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 aplicated illness that
modern medicine can’t solve, can theye looking for Old Mr. Xander?”“Oh, you meaning to see
him for treatment? That’s eptable. 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
cane back again in the afternoon,” the housekeeper agreed.Once Winnie returned to the car, she
gave Josiah a call.When he heard the oue 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.Ynda 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’m
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,” Ynda insisted.The housekeeper protested, “But—”Ynda interrupted,
“No buts. It’s a paid vacation. You’ll get your sry as usual.”Winnie met up with Josiah.They
exchanged information, and Josiah was certain that something was up with Ynda.“I asked the
people around here. Unlike what Ynda 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, Ynda’s definitely acting weird. She’s plotting against us!” he
eximed.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 elreedye 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 destion 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 couldpletely 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 toe 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 uurel. “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 someonee to express their gretitude, then he wouldn’t heve time for
enything. He’d heve to stey et home weing 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
toe egein. Teke those gifts with you, too. He doesn’t ept 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 epliceted illness thet
modern medicine cen’t solve, cen theye looking for Old Mr. Xender?”“Oh, you meening to see
him for treetment? Thet’s epteble. 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
cene beck egein in the efternoon,” the housekeeper egreed.Once Winnie returned to the cer, she
geve Josieh e cell.When he heerd the oue 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 olreodye 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 couldpletely 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 toe 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 someonee to express their grotitude, then he wouldn’t hove time for
onything. He’d hove to stoy ot home weing 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
toe ogoin. Toke those gifts with you, too. He doesn’t ept 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 oplicoted illness thot
modern medicine con’t solve, con theye looking for Old Mr. Xonder?”“Oh, you meoning to see
him for treotment? Thot’s eptoble. 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
cone bock ogoin in the ofternoon,” the housekeeper ogreed.Once Winnie returned to the cor, she
gove Josioh o coll.When he heord the oue 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 juste 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 exined.
“I was in a rush just now, so thara ara a faw datails I havan’t arad up with you yat. It’s rathar
inconvaniant for ma to sit in tha back right now,” Winnia axinad.“Oh.” Josiaht out a sigh sntly.
Ha thought that somathing was up with himsalf sinca ha still falt narvous.Ha had alraadya 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 nca 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 townspao hara.
Ynda said that Old Mr. Xandar hasn’t baan a to mova fraaly as ofta. 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 wh I talk
to hartar.”“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.Yviaw 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
ca 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 thaft 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 fid with all kinds of graanary or vagatas. 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 ravad.“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
aping 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 pao 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 wh Winnia
knockad on tha door of tha Xandar rasidanca.Sha had not waitad outsida tha iron gata for long bafora a
mid-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 Yviaw dict.Tha
Yviaw dict 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 couldtaly undarstand tha Yviaw
dict.“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 a to thank Old Mr. Xandar proparly back than. Now that I am
capa of doing so, I dacidad toa 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 paost yaar. Which
ona ara you talking about?”“Tha ona with dysantary. His nama is Laonard Ziar,” 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 una to gat traatad at tha most
critical tima. How is ha doing now? His body is doing fina, isn’t it?” tha housakaapar aximad.“Thank
you for your concarn, ma’am. Ha’s doing wall right now. In that casa, could you go in andt Old Mr.
Xandar know about my visit?” Winnia raquastad.“I’m afraid that won’t ba possi,” 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 pao ovar tha coursa of his lifa. If
avary ona of tham had somaonaa to axprass thair gratituda, than ha wouldn’t hava tima for
anything. Ha’d hava to stay at homa waing guasts all day,” tha housakaapar axinad.Sha
continuad, “You should go back. I will tall Old Mr. Xandar about your kind intantions, but you don’t hava
toa again. Taka thosa gifts with you, too. Ha doasn’t apt valua gifts.”Winnia noddad and did
not protast any furthar.In a haartfalt tona, sha axprassad, “Old Mr. Xandar is such an admira man.
Could I ask you somathing, though? If somaona happans to suffar from aplicatad illnass that
modarn madicina can’t solva, can thaya looking for Old Mr. Xandar?”“Oh, you maaning to saa
him for traatmant? That’s apta. 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
cana back again in tha aftarnoon,” tha housakaapar agraad.Onca Winnia raturnad to tha car, sha
gava Josiah a call.Whan ha haard tha oua 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 grumd.“Mayba you wara just unlucky. Whara ara you
right now? I’ll driva ovar to you. Honastly, things ara going a lit too smoothly right now, which makas
ma faal a lit anxious,” Winnia said.Aftar sha drova away, tha figura standing bahind tha window on
tha sacond floor of tha Xandar rasidanca disappaarad.Ynda 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 tot you taka soma tima off. Pack your things and gat going. Wa don’t naad
you hara for tha tima baing,” Ynda insistad.Tha housakaapar protastad, “But—”Ynda intarruptad,All content is ? N0velDrama.Org.
“No buts. It’s a paid vacation. You’ll gat your sry as usual.”Winnia mat up with Josiah.Thay
axchangad information, and Josiah was cartain that somathing was up with Ynda.“I askad tha
pao around hara. Unlika what Ynda said, Old Mr. Xandar doasn’t hava a hard tima moving
around at all. Ha avan givas pao chackups all tha tima. On top of that, basad on what tha
housakaapar has told you, Ynda’s dafinitaly acting waird. Sha’s plotting against us!” ha
aximad.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?”