Horatio was loungingfortably in a plush armchair, his fair face radiating a serene aura that
seemed almost divine. The prayer beads in his hand, engraved with ancient scriptures, added to his
mystique, making him appear as a sage from another world.
Bowie was stunned to encounter Horatio at the airport!
As the revered abbot of the Dragon Monastery, Horatio had been a monk since the tender age of
three. Born with a spiritual essence, he was a vegetarian by nature, destined for a monastic life.
But Bowie knew Horatio was no ordinary monk!
In Imperial City, many high-profile figures sought Horatio''s counsel, making pilgrimages to the
Dragon Monastery and often failing to secure an audience with him. Thest time Horatio had left
the monastery was to counter a global flu outbreak, devising a solution that became well-known
among the inner circles of Imperial City.
Desperate, Bowie hoped to persuade Horatio to visit the Richardson family.
"Horatio, my family''s home has been rather unsettledtely. I was hoping you could perform a
blessing."
Horatio closed his eyes, his youthful face serene yetmanding attention, his presence both awe-
inspiring andforting.
"Bless you, but you should put your faith in science. If your home feels unsettled, perhaps calling
the police would be more effective. I''m afraid I''m not the one you need."
Bowie was taken aback by Horatio''s reluctance.
"Master, name your price, and I''ll meet it!"
"You''ve mistaken me for someone else. I''m not Horatio."
Confusion spread across Bowie''s face. He had seen Horatio once before, from a distance, while
with Lucian. Could he have been mistaken?
At the VIP lounge entrance, a cool voice suddenly broke the silence.
"Monk, let''s go."
"Ah,ing." Horatio, seeing Noe at the door, quickly stood and followed her, paying no mind to
Bowie.
Bowie had seen Noe in live streams and knew of her through the Schnabel family''s public
appearances. Tristan Schnabel and Beckett Schnabel had given her a significant share of the
Schnabel Group, so he recognized her on sight.
Seeing Noe and Horatio together, seemingly familiar with each other, Bowie followed.
"Ms. Schnabel, hello, I''m Bowie Richardson."
Noe nced back at the man trailing behind her.
Bowie, unlike Lorne, was sophisticated with a schrly charm, his sses framing his expressive
eyes.
"Do you need something?"
"My family''s been troubled recently, and I was hoping to invite Horatio over, perhaps to cleanse...
Could you possibly facilitate an introduction? I would be eternally grateful."
Noe''s gaze shifted to Horatio. "Can you perform such rituals?"
Horatio shrugged. "I told him to trust in science, or call the police if necessary, but he wouldn''t
listen."
Noe nodded at Bowie. "He''s not the one you''re looking for. Try someone else."
Without another word, she and Horatio turned to leave.
Horatio, rubbing his hands together, asked, "So, Noe, what''s on the menu today? I heard you
acquired a famous painting recently. Gift it to me!"
"You''re a monk. Why do you need such worldly possessions? To take with you to the grave?"
Horatio appeared to be ustomed to the way of interacting with Noe, as he gently touched his
head, smiled with a hint of brightness, appearing less like a monk.
"Everyone has their hobbies, I just have a few too many."
Bowie, watching them leave, gritted his teeth but decided to follow.
"Horatio..."
Horatio, discussing the painting with Noe and noticing Bowie still on their trail, grew impatient.
"My friend, if you can''t understand spiritual or worldly advice, I must warn you, I''m also versed in
martial arts." His voice held a note of annoyance. "Understood? If so, please step aside."
Bowie reluctantly stayed back. "If you change your mind, Horatio, you can still reach me..."
Horatio caught up with Noe, not sparing Bowie another nce.
A few stepster, Horatio noticed a man standing close to Noe, an unusual sight given her usual
distaste for malepany.
"Ah, you''re not just anyone to Noe."
Observing Palmer''s handsome and reserved appearance, Horatio mused aloud. "Oh, her fiancé.
That exins it."
Original from N?velDrama.Org.
Just one look was enough for Horatio to understand Palmer and Noe''s rtionship.
Palmer, having heard of the revered Horatio, hadn''t expected him to be the one Noe was
meeting.
"Horatio, you''re aware of my rtionship with Noe?"
"It''s obvious at a nce. Not difficult to see."
What truly surprised Horatio wasn''t Palmer and Noe''s rtionship but Noe''s demeanor towards
Palmer. Knowing Noe for years, he had never seen her allow any man other than members of the
Pris Star to get close, let alone hold her hand.
Horatio chuckled to himself.
For Noe, Palmer was clearly special.
Acknowledging this, Horatio gave Palmer a closer look and advised, "Young man, it''s a blessing to
have few familial ties. Your connections with your parents and siblings are light, which can be a
good thing. Don''t dwell on past lives too much! Sometimes, learning to let go of family ties isn''t such
a bad thing. Living life is all about finding your own path!"
Palmer looked surprised as he saw Horatio head towards the car, waving his hand as he went.
"Family ties might be thin, but… There''s always a silver lining," Horatio quipped, his coat fluttering
open in the wind, giving him an almost mystical aura, like a sage from another world.
Noe bit her lip. "The monk might be a bit entric, always rambling on. But if he says so, it''s not
without reason."
Noe knew that Horatio wasn’t one for small talk. If he was opening up to Palmer like this, it must
be because he saw how much Palmer was troubled by his family situation!
Palmer had never gotten over his mother''s departure and had refused to forgive his father. His
contact with his siblings had been minimal over the years. Sexton was a permanent resident of the
hospital, and Helen was in a nursing home. It was as if the family never saw each other.
This thought made Noe think of the cold, distant Pock family. Their home felt nothing like one;
its decor could have been lifted straight from a showroom.
Palmer nced down at Noe, her fair, delicate profile stunningly beautiful. Her skin was so soft it
seemed it might break at a touch, and the delicate curve of her corbone was highlighted by a
ne, its diamond sparkling under the light.
"Then I should thank Horatio, and my friend as well. With Horatio''sst words, I feel like the solitude
and hardships of the past twenty-four years might finally find their resolution."
Horatio''sst words unspoken was: family ties might be thin, but thankfully, the bond of love is deep!