Chapter One
The body lay in perfect repose on the Victorian fainting couch, looking more like a sleeping beauty than a victim. Detective Sarah Chen had seen enough death in her ten years with the Metropolitan Police's Special Cases Unit to know that natural death never looked this peaceful. Something was very, very wrong.
'No signs of struggle, no marks on the body, and yet...' She leaned closer, studying the victim's face. Charlotte Mills, aged 28, was found by her roommate this morning, apparently having passed away in her sleep. Her expression was serene, almost blissful, but her eyes - those were what caught Sarah's attention. Behind the closed lids, her eyes were moving rapidly, as if still deep in REM sleep.
"You see it too, don't you?" The voice came from behind her, rich and cultured with a slight Irish lilt. "She's still dreaming."
Sarah turned to find a tall man in an impeccably tailored charcoal suit standing in the doorway. He hadn't been there a moment ago, she was certain of it. His dark hair was streaked with silver at the temples, and his eyes were an unusual shade of amber that seemed to shift color in the light.
"This is a closed crime scene," she said firmly, her hand instinctively moving toward her weapon. "How did you get in here?"
He smiled, but it didn't reach those strange eyes. "Dr. Marcus Thorne," he said, pulling out a card that somehow both looked official and seemed to shimmer slightly. "I'm a consulting specialist with the Department's new Oneiric Phenomena Division."
"The what division?" Sarah frowned, taking the card. The moment her fingers touched it, she felt a slight electric tingle, and the letters seemed to rearrange themselves before her eyes.
"Dreams, Detective Chen. We investigate crimes involving dreams." He moved into the room with fluid grace, his attention fixed on the victim. "And this is the third one this month."
Sarah's mind raced. There had been two other deaths recently - both young women, both found peacefully dead in their sleep. She'd seen the reports but hadn't made the connection until now. "How do you know about those cases?"
"Because I've been tracking the killer for quite some time." Thorne knelt beside the body, his eyes now definitely more gold than amber. "He's what we call a Dream Collector - someone who has learned to enter and steal dreams. But this one has developed a taste for more than just dreams. He's taking souls."
Under normal circumstances, Sarah would have dismissed such talk as nonsense. But there was something about the scene, about the victim's still-moving eyes, about Thorne himself, that made the impossible seem suddenly plausible.
"If you're tracking him," she said carefully, "why haven't you caught him?"
Thorne's expression darkened. "Because he only appears in dreams. The physical world is my domain, but his... his is the realm of sleep. To catch him, we need someone who can walk between both worlds." He turned those unsettling eyes on her. "Someone like you."
"Me?" Sarah almost laughed, but the sound died in her throat as memories she'd long suppressed began to surface. The dreams that felt too real, the nights she'd awakened to find objects moved in her room, the way she sometimes knew things she couldn't possibly know...
"You've always known you were different, haven't you, Detective?" Thorne's voice was gentle now. "The dreams that come true, the hunches that turn out to be right, the way you can sometimes see how people died just by touching objects they owned..."
Sarah took an involuntary step back. "How do you know about that?"
"Because I've been looking for someone like you. A Natural - someone born with the ability to cross the threshold between waking and dreaming." He gestured to the victim. "Charlotte here won't be his last. There will be others, and their souls will remain trapped in an eternal dream unless we stop him."
Just then, the victim's hand twitched, her fingers moving as if writing something. Sarah moved closer, watching as invisible words were traced in the air. Thorne pulled out what looked like an antique monocle and held it up. Through its lens, golden letters shimmered in the air where Charlotte's fingers moved.
"Help me," Thorne read aloud. "He's coming for the others."
Sarah felt a chill run down her spine. She looked at the victim's peaceful face, at those restlessly moving eyes, and made a decision that would change her life forever.
"Tell me what I need to do."
Thorne's smile was grim. "First, you need to learn to control your abilities. Then..." he held up the monocle, through which Sarah could now see strange symbols glowing all around the room, "you need to learn to hunt in dreams."
Outside the Victorian townhouse, storm clouds gathered, and Sarah Chen, homicide detective and newly discovered dream walker, took her first step into a world where nightmares were real, and death was just another kind of sleep.
Chapter Two
The basement of the Natural History Museum was the last place Sarah expected to find the headquarters of a secret dream investigation unit. Yet here she was, following Thorne through a maze of storage rooms filled with artifacts that seemed to pulse with their own inner light.
"The mundane world only sees what it expects to see," Thorne explained, using an ornate key to unlock a heavy wooden door marked 'Private Collection.' "To them, this is just museum storage. To us, it's the largest collection of dream artifacts in the Western Hemisphere."
The room beyond defied physics. It stretched impossibly far, filled with glass cases containing everything from ancient masks to modern-looking devices. Floating orbs of soft light illuminated collections of bottled dreams - actual dreams, swirling like liquid mercury behind glass.
"Your badge, Detective," Thorne held out his hand. Sarah hesitated before handing over her police credentials. He placed it on a strange device that looked like a Victorian music box crossed with a computer. When he returned the badge, it felt different - heavier, somehow more real.
"Now you'll be able to access both worlds officially," he said. "Look at it again."
The badge had changed. Alongside her regular police credentials, new text had appeared: 'Special Inspector, Oneiric Investigations Division.' The letters seemed to shift between English and something older, something that made her eyes water if she looked too long.
"Before we can hunt the Dream Collector, you need to understand what you're dealing with." Thorne led her to a case containing what looked like a normal pillow. "Touch it."
Sarah reached out hesitantly. The moment her fingers made contact, the world tilted. She was suddenly standing in someone else's dream - a sunny beach, but the sky was green and the sand whispered secrets. She jerked her hand back, gasping.
"Good," Thorne nodded approvingly. "Most people can't pull back from their first dream artifact. You have natural barriers."
"What was that?" Sarah's heart was racing.
"A dream fragment from 1892. A young girl's last dream before the influenza took her." His voice softened. "We preserve them here. Dreams carry memories, emotions, sometimes even pieces of souls."
"And this Dream Collector... he takes entire souls?" Sarah remembered Charlotte Mills' peaceful face and restless eyes.
"He traps them in eternal dreams, feeding off their essence." Thorne moved to another case, this one containing what looked like a cracked mirror. "Each victim becomes part of his collection, their souls powering his abilities, letting him dreamwalk without natural talent like yours."
Suddenly, the cracked mirror began to frost over. In its surface, Sarah saw Charlotte Mills' face, mouth open in a silent scream. Then another face appeared - another victim, she presumed - and another.
"He's showing off," Thorne growled. "He knows we're investigating."
The temperature in the room dropped dramatically. Frost patterns spread from the mirror to nearby cases, and Sarah heard what sounded like distant laughter.
"Well, well," a voice echoed through the room, seemingly coming from everywhere and nowhere. "A new player in the game. And such interesting dreams you have, Detective Chen."
Sarah felt something brush against her mind, like cold fingers trying to pry open a door. Instinctively, she slammed her mental barriers shut. The presence withdrew, but not before leaving behind an impression of amusement.
"He's already caught your scent," Thorne said grimly. He pulled out a small velvet bag and removed what looked like a dreamcatcher made of silver wire and black pearls. "Wear this when you sleep. It won't keep him out entirely, but it'll stop him from stealing your dreams while you're still learning to defend yourself."
As Sarah took the dreamcatcher, her fingers brushed Thorne's, and suddenly she was hit with a flash of his dreams - centuries of memories, battles fought in realms of sleep, and a profound sense of loss that made her gasp.
Thorne withdrew his hand quickly. "Your abilities are stronger than I thought. We'll need to work on your control."
"What are you?" Sarah asked directly. "You're not just some government consultant, are you?"
Before he could answer, an alarm began to sound throughout the facility. One of the dream bottles had turned black, its contents writhing like smoke.
"He's hunting again," Thorne said, already moving toward the exit. "Someone in the city has just entered their last dream. Are you ready for your first real case, Detective?"
Sarah touched her new badge, feeling its power hum under her fingers. "Do we have time to save them?"
"If we're lucky, we might catch him in the act. But remember - in dreams, he's incredibly powerful. One wrong move and you could lose your soul."
As they rushed from the dream archive, Sarah caught one last glimpse of the cracked mirror. In its surface, she saw her own reflection smile back at her with eyes that weren't quite her own.
The hunt was about to begin.
Chapter Two
The basement of the Natural History Museum was the last place Sarah expected to find the headquarters of a secret dream investigation unit. Yet here she was, following Thorne through a maze of storage rooms filled with artifacts that seemed to pulse with their own inner light.
"The mundane world only sees what it expects to see," Thorne explained, using an ornate key to unlock a heavy wooden door marked 'Private Collection.' "To them, this is just museum storage. To us, it's the largest collection of dream artifacts in the Western Hemisphere."
The room beyond defied physics. It stretched impossibly far, filled with glass cases containing everything from ancient masks to modern-looking devices. Floating orbs of soft light illuminated collections of bottled dreams - actual dreams, swirling like liquid mercury behind glass.
"Your badge, Detective," Thorne held out his hand. Sarah hesitated before handing over her police credentials. He placed it on a strange device that looked like a Victorian music box crossed with a computer. When he returned the badge, it felt different - heavier, somehow more real.
"Now you'll be able to access both worlds officially," he said. "Look at it again."
The badge had changed. Alongside her regular police credentials, new text had appeared: 'Special Inspector, Oneiric Investigations Division.' The letters seemed to shift between English and something older, something that made her eyes water if she looked too long.
"Before we can hunt the Dream Collector, you need to understand what you're dealing with." Thorne led her to a case containing what looked like a normal pillow. "Touch it."
Sarah reached out hesitantly. The moment her fingers made contact, the world tilted. She was suddenly standing in someone else's dream - a sunny beach, but the sky was green and the sand whispered secrets. She jerked her hand back, gasping.
"Good," Thorne nodded approvingly. "Most people can't pull back from their first dream artifact. You have natural barriers."
"What was that?" Sarah's heart was racing.
"A dream fragment from 1892. A young girl's last dream before the influenza took her." His voice softened. "We preserve them here. Dreams carry memories, emotions, sometimes even pieces of souls."
"And this Dream Collector... he takes entire souls?" Sarah remembered Charlotte Mills' peaceful face and restless eyes.
"He traps them in eternal dreams, feeding off their essence." Thorne moved to another case, this one containing what looked like a cracked mirror. "Each victim becomes part of his collection, their souls powering his abilities, letting him dreamwalk without natural talent like yours."
Suddenly, the cracked mirror began to frost over. In its surface, Sarah saw Charlotte Mills' face, mouth open in a silent scream. Then another face appeared - another victim, she presumed - and another.
"He's showing off," Thorne growled. "He knows we're investigating."
The temperature in the room dropped dramatically. Frost patterns spread from the mirror to nearby cases, and Sarah heard what sounded like distant laughter.
"Well, well," a voice echoed through the room, seemingly coming from everywhere and nowhere. "A new player in the game. And such interesting dreams you have, Detective Chen."
Sarah felt something brush against her mind, like cold fingers trying to pry open a door. Instinctively, she slammed her mental barriers shut. The presence withdrew, but not before leaving behind an impression of amusement.
"He's already caught your scent," Thorne said grimly. He pulled out a small velvet bag and removed what looked like a dreamcatcher made of silver wire and black pearls. "Wear this when you sleep. It won't keep him out entirely, but it'll stop him from stealing your dreams while you're still learning to defend yourself."
As Sarah took the dreamcatcher, her fingers brushed Thorne's, and suddenly she was hit with a flash of his dreams - centuries of memories, battles fought in realms of sleep, and a profound sense of loss that made her gasp.
Thorne withdrew his hand quickly. "Your abilities are stronger than I thought. We'll need to work on your control."
"What are you?" Sarah asked directly. "You're not just some government consultant, are you?"
Before he could answer, an alarm began to sound throughout the facility. One of the dream bottles had turned black, its contents writhing like smoke.
"He's hunting again," Thorne said, already moving toward the exit. "Someone in the city has just entered their last dream. Are you ready for your first real case, Detective?"
Sarah touched her new badge, feeling its power hum under her fingers. "Do we have time to save them?"
"If we're lucky, we might catch him in the act. But remember - in dreams, he's incredibly powerful. One wrong move and you could lose your soul."
As they rushed from the dream archive, Sarah caught one last glimpse of the cracked mirror. In its surface, she saw her own reflection smile back at her with eyes that weren't quite her own.
The hunt was about to begin.
Chapter Three
They arrived at St. Bartholomew's Hospital just as the emergency lights began to flash. Sarah followed Thorne through corridors that seemed to blur at the edges of her vision, her new badge somehow clearing their path without ever being shown.
"Room 307," Thorne said, his voice tight with urgency. "Young male, admitted for minor surgery, slipped into an unusual coma during recovery."
The patient, David Parker, age 23, lay perfectly still on his hospital bed, his eyes moving rapidly beneath closed lids. Just like Charlotte Mills. But this time, something was different - the air around him rippled like heat waves over hot asphalt.
"He's still in the process of taking him," Thorne said, pulling out what looked like an antique pocket watch. "We can follow if we're quick. Are you ready for your first dream dive?"
Sarah's heart pounded. "What do I need to do?"
"Take my hand. Focus on the patient. Let your consciousness slip between the moments of reality." Thorne's eyes began to glow that strange amber color. "And whatever you see in there, remember - dream logic is real logic in that world."
Sarah grasped Thorne's hand and looked at David Parker. The world tilted, twisted, and suddenly...
They were standing in a hospital corridor that wasn't quite right. The walls breathed slowly, the floor was made of flowing water that somehow supported their weight, and the ceiling was a swirling mass of constellation maps.
"His dreamscape," Thorne explained, his voice echoing strangely. "Every dreamer creates their own reality. Look."
Down the impossible corridor, a figure in a doctor's coat was leading David Parker by the hand. But the 'doctor' was wrong - his shadow moved independently, reaching out with grasping tendrils towards other dreams that floated past like soap bubbles.
"The Dream Collector," Sarah whispered.
As if hearing his name, the figure turned. Sarah's breath caught. His face was a beautiful mask of shifting features, never settling on one form, but his eyes... his eyes were endless pits of swirling dreams.
"Ah, the new dreamer," his voice was like silk over broken glass. "And my old friend Marcus. Still trying to police the dream worlds?"
Thorne stepped forward, and Sarah noticed his appearance had changed in the dream. His suit was now made of living shadows, and wings of dark light stretched from his shoulders. "Let him go, Collector. You've taken enough souls."
The Collector laughed, the sound causing the hospital walls to crack, leaking golden dream-light. "Taken? Oh, Marcus, you still don't understand. They give themselves to me. Show her, David."
The young man turned, and Sarah saw his eyes were glassy with bliss. "It's beautiful here," he said dreamily. "All my pain is gone. All my fears. He takes them all away."
"By taking everything you are," Sarah found herself saying. She took a step forward, instinctively reaching for her police badge. In the dream, it transformed into a shield of pure light. "David, this isn't real healing. It's theft."
The Collector's face rippled with anger. "You dare interrupt my collection?" The corridor began to twist, reality bending around them. "Let me show you what happens to those who interfere with my work."
Suddenly, the floor beneath Sarah liquefied completely. She started to sink, but instead of water, she was drowning in dreams - thousands of them, each containing a fragment of someone's stolen soul. She saw Charlotte Mills dancing endlessly in a ballroom of mirrors, saw other victims trapped in perfect moments that had become eternal prisons.
"Sarah!" Thorne's voice cut through the chaos. "Remember - dream logic! Make your own rules!"
Dream logic. Sarah closed her eyes, focusing on her years of police work, of protecting people, of solving puzzles. When she opened them, her badge-shield had transformed into a sword of pure thought.
With a cry, she slashed through the dream-flood. Reality reasserted itself - or at least, this dream's version of reality. She stood on solid ground again, facing the Collector.
"Impressive," he purred, but she sensed uncertainty in his voice. "You're stronger than the usual dreamers Marcus recruits. Perhaps we could make a deal..."
"No deals," Sarah said firmly. She could feel her power growing, reshaping the dream around them. "David, look at what he really is. Look with your heart, not your fears."
For a moment, David's eyes cleared. The Collector's beautiful mask slipped, revealing something ancient and hungry beneath. David screamed, pulling away from the creature's grasp.
The Collector snarled, his form shifting into something monstrous. "If I can't have him willingly..." Shadows exploded from his body, reaching for David.
What happened next seemed to unfold in slow motion. Thorne spread his dark wings, shielding David. Sarah's sword of thought became a net of light, trapping some of the shadows. But the Collector himself simply... stepped sideways, vanishing into a door that appeared in the air.
"Sweet dreams, detectives," his voice lingered behind. "We'll meet again soon. After all, Sarah, your dreams are particularly... appetizing."
The dreamscape began to dissolve. Sarah felt Thorne grab her arm, pulling her back through layers of reality. Then...
They were standing in the hospital room again. David Parker was awake, gasping, but alive and whole. A nurse was rushing in, responding to his sudden revival.
"We saved one," Thorne said quietly. "But he'll be angry now. And he'll come for you."
Sarah touched her badge, still feeling echoes of its dream-power. "Good," she said grimly. "Because I have some questions for him about Charlotte Mills. And about what you really are, Marcus Thorne."
Thorne's expression was unreadable. "All in time, Detective. For now, you need to rest. Tomorrow, your real training begins."
As they left the hospital, Sarah could have sworn she saw her shadow move independently, reaching for dreams that floated just beyond the edge of sight. The world would never look quite the same again.
Chapter Four
Sarah's apartment looked different when she returned that night. The shadows seemed deeper, more alive, and ordinary objects cast reflections that didn't quite match reality. The dreamcatcher Thorne had given her pulsed softly in her pocket, responding to the changed way she now saw the world.
She was exhausted but afraid to sleep. The Collector's words echoed in her mind: 'Your dreams are particularly appetizing.' Instead, she spread her case files across the coffee table - photographs of Charlotte Mills, the other victims, and now David Parker's medical records.
A soft chime from her badge interrupted her concentration. The metal had grown warm, and when she touched it, words appeared in that strange shifting script: 'Archive. Now. Emergency.'
The museum was different at night. Sarah's new badge led her through doors that hadn't existed during her first visit, down stairs that seemed to descend far deeper than the building's foundation should allow. She found Thorne in a circular room she hadn't seen before, surrounded by floating screens of light that showed various dreamscapes.
"We have a problem," he said without preamble. "The Collector's attack pattern has changed. Look."
The screens shifted, showing a map of the city overlaid with points of light. "Each light is a dreamer," Thorne explained. "The blue ones are normal dreams. The red..." He gestured, and several dots pulsed an angry crimson. "Those are nightmares being actively shaped by outside forces."
"He's attacking multiple targets at once?"
"No." Thorne's expression was grim. "He's leaving traps. Dream-snares. Anyone who falls asleep in these areas risks being pulled into a constructed nightmare. He's trying to overwhelm our ability to respond."
Sarah studied the pattern of red dots. "They're forming a shape... a symbol?"
"A summoning circle." A new voice joined them. Sarah turned to see an elderly woman emerging from what appeared to be a door made of starlight. Her eyes were milk-white, but she moved with absolute certainty.
"Sarah, meet Dr. Eleanor Price, the Archive's keeper," Thorne said. "And yes, she's blind in the waking world, but in dreams..."
"I see everything," Eleanor finished. Her unseeing eyes fixed on Sarah with uncomfortable accuracy. "Including what our friend the Collector is truly planning. He's not just taking souls anymore. He's building toward something larger."
She gestured, and the room transformed around them. They were suddenly standing in what looked like a vast library, but the books were made of dreams, their pages flowing like liquid memory.
"Every dream ever archived is stored here," Eleanor explained. "Including the oldest nightmares of humanity. The Collector isn't just a thief - he's trying to wake something that should stay sleeping. Something we locked away centuries ago."
She pulled a book from the shelf, and its pages burst open, projecting a scene of ancient horror - a time when the boundary between dreams and reality was thinner, when nightmares could walk in daylight.
"The Last Nightmare," Thorne said softly. "We thought it was safely contained, but if he completes that summoning circle..."
A sudden tremor ran through the Archive. One of the red dots on the map had grown larger, pulsing violently.
"He's starting," Eleanor's voice was urgent. "Sarah, you need to see something before you face this." She pressed her fingers to Sarah's forehead, and suddenly...
She was in a memory. A younger Thorne stood with a woman who looked remarkably like Sarah herself, facing down a shadow that threatened to devour the world. The woman - another dream detective? - sacrificed herself to help seal away the nightmare.
"Your mother," Eleanor's voice echoed in her mind. "She was one of us. Her sacrifice helped lock away the Last Nightmare, but the Collector has never stopped trying to free it. And now he's found you - her daughter, with her power."
The vision ended abruptly as another tremor shook the Archive. More red dots were pulsing on the map.
"Why didn't you tell me?" Sarah demanded, turning to Thorne.
"Because I promised her I'd keep you away from this life," he replied, pain evident in his voice. "But now the Collector knows who you are, and we're running out of time."
"The summoning circle will be complete at the next new moon," Eleanor added. "Three days from now. If the Last Nightmare wakes..."
"Then we stop him before that happens," Sarah said firmly, though her mind was reeling from the revelations. "How do we break these dream-snares?"
"It's dangerous," Thorne warned. "Each one is a trap designed specifically for dream walkers. If you're caught..."
"Then you'll just have to watch my back," Sarah said. She touched her badge, feeling its power respond. "Where do we start?"
Eleanor smiled, her blind eyes somehow twinkling. "First, you need to understand what you truly inherited from your mother. It's time you learned about the true history of the dream walkers - and why the Collector fears your bloodline above all others."
As if in response to Eleanor's words, the books around them began to glow, their pages rustling with the weight of secrets about to be revealed. In the map above, the red dots pulsed like a countdown to catastrophe, and Sarah realized she had less than three days to master powers she never knew she had.
The true game was about to begin.
Chapter 1
Nora Bennett finally awakens as realization invades her mind bit by bit.
Her head ached and there was a buzzing in her ears. She struggled to open her eyes, but her surroundings were a blur in the harsh moonlight. She seemed to be lying by a river, cool water and damp earth touching her fingers, the scent of grass in her nose.
Sighing, she felt a sharp pain in her head. Instinctively, she raised her hand to her head, but her arm felt heavy, and it took a great deal of effort to reach her forehead, which was wet and felt like it was stained with blood. She froze, what had happened?
A dmraKnv rgaHn tIo $hKers si_deó hivn an pan,ilcv,a PaKsGkJin&g^ éanwxio(uNslyG,k "ÉArDe hysocux roJkSaFyV? WhBeSre areP fyo&u churxtp?"
Nora's brief moment of disorientation prevented her from answering, the pain distracting her from the fact that her head still seemed to be bleeding. She tried to blink, to see the man, but could only make out his vague outline. The man seemed to wait impatiently for her to come to her senses, as he dragged her to shore, rummaging violently through her clothes with his hands, shouting, "Where's the stuff?"
Stuff? What stuff?
In the distance, there seemed to be a murmur of voices, her ears ringing, inaudible. The man who was rummaging through her body suddenly stopped, then quickly got up and ducked away.
Soond ma g)róoQufp ofé megn^ XaFrriQvweMd nMoHiGsilfy at hhe'r sziUde, cayrry!i_ngl torycchesl anLdV !sho,utqiung.B Tghe liNgShstj yf&roIm thel torJc)hYes mtadWel hreurW )clBodse heLr Iejyes,H andL rsheS Js$tGr$uggledv tNoI maDke oyuutc AwDhga(tS th_ey mwNerle s*ayWi^ngO:A ^"qSNhae'si heTrpe, shMe*'hsa fRovurnd, she's pfouinYd .z..l..d..".
Who was looking for her?
Nora's head hurt so much she couldn't think, and she was once again plunged into darkness.
When she woke up again, it was daytime. When she opened her eyes, she saw that the ceiling was a dark cyan color, which made her freeze. She gradually came back to her senses and realized that she was wrapped in a soft blanket. The headache seemed less intense, she raised her hand and touched it, and found that her head was tied with a bandage, so it was bandaged. Slowly turning her head, she looked around the room.
In the zcleInOtebrZ was a cr(o'u)n^d taOble Tw!ihtJh a woKotden vtsrayQ hoildlingS Wa t&eapoWt a,ngd sHekveVraél invertecdó cubpPs.X iUndenrvngeaIth gthe tWablem wjereI frour cOh.a.iyrs,M Wonke Mof^ fwhQiBchu wTas XpusheGdB Vo,utF ofQ uthder tabtlTeA,L sop it wjasZ scleBar& qthéat& zsÉomOeBone$ *hPavd. dinNed hhuerxe BbefIoref. MTheÉrde wlaJs dnyo tceVa oin tÉhNe) ktabileé,X as iÉf ztjhWeQ $servQahnt_st haid nsott KeIateHn DbKefoure! leaDv^iRngd.r
She adjusted her position a little, and looked more closely. There was a small table by the window, on which were neatly arranged a bronze mirror, a comb and a jewelry box. Against the wall there is a large standing cabinet, the top of the cabinet put some women's sundries, obviously this is a woman's boudoir.
Furniture and decorations look quite sophisticated, seems to be a good family, but the room is cold, a single object. She guessed that the owner of this house is either a person who is indifferent, or not favored at all.
Just as she was thinking, there were footsteps outside the room. Instinctively, she quickly closed her eyes, mentally memorizing the contents of the house as well as the location of the doors and windows. She secretly moved her body to see if she had any strength.
SIhueT dkidfna'Ot puaniNcF,V anjd &alXt&hPonuAgh hjerh h'eQadn waZs a liMtRtle fmo)gtgy.,! Rsyhe zfelut* Gtfhpagt sOompething waJsn&'t qruipte rQibgÉht, KbuCt' xsChe! .caouldn't stelil( *wha(tQ xit Qw$ams.b
A soft-spoken girl entered.
She could tell that she didn't know martial arts. He gently opened his eyes, looked at the girl who looked unfamiliar, and suddenly realized something extremely terrible.
Her mind went blank.
Nlotv .onclyf tghi's g'irÉl,X yevezn KsÉhe heIrserlf,K Lsmeecmjesd tAov Tbe unTadbple tho Orexc!ogn*ize.
"Madame is awake?" The girl asked with concern.
Ma'am? She had become a human woman?
Nora gave a small "hmmm", her voice was so hoarse that she couldn't stop coughing. Seeing the situation, the girl came quickly, poured water for her and held her head gently.
A)fKtAer MdWr'inikihngj Tth*es wa.tQexr, DNotrac fSelit moSrxe comSfvoqrtuaDbmlej. Sahem to!okI a (gooTd, loTokÉ Ta)tV )t(heu gHir$l,h but cboXuTldn'ztQ r_emaembzer panythimngr Ffor *a 'whMile. WTiGtch Ka hneadaZc$hQem,z ssthwe vtHrhiuedD téo lsit uipS, bHuÉtB OfKeltt bwqeuaBkV Gandu *swayed. The) xgi(rl rushe*d sfjoKrWward Ato sukpgpobrt MhQer(, ubuts driid snAoOty g!iveU herw moarCe pÉaddQe!d cuzsthni,oinZs,R xaónpd afÉteGr cóompleptfiYng ItZhisF actjiQonG, QsÉhe retJrLeaAted^ aÉ fceKw sDtIeps, siml&emnpt.D
"What's wrong with me?" Her gaze fell on the girl, noticing her nonchalant demeanor. Coupled with the empty room, she had the vague feeling that she seemed genuinely unwelcome.
"Her Ladyship is injured." The girl answered briefly.
Injured? For a moment, her memory flashed back to the cold water, the wet mud, and the man who had asked "Where is it?", but nothing further.
"Hyonw )did IP gKedt hUuXrdtm?" .SAhe JaBsked agbaKin.É
The girl bowed her head.
"You're not holding back, are you?" She raised an eyebrow, and thoughtfully asked, "Aren't you going to let anyone know when I wake up?"
These words made the girl freeze, not knowing how to react for a moment. "The second master is busy, Steward Iron went on an errand. The doctor said, you hit your head, you've already been medicated, you need to rest more, take your medication on time and you'll be fine."
"xIGn$ otherB twokrsdsb,B sicnrceX tXhIe OdoSctioPr csaMiFd itb'sj fsiney,$ eIvHehryNorneP th!igndks* theMrMe's hno !nIeAedT uto (visictC me *an)ymotrCe&, viAs wtAhaOtB NrUight?"
The girl looked surprised and didn't know how to answer.
It seemed that there was indeed a hidden agenda here. Why is this "ma'am" so miserable, injured but no one to visit? Thinking about the names "Second Master" and "Iron Steward", Nora struggled for a long time, but could not come up with a solution. Forget it. After all, she could not hide the following things, she simply asked the girl: "What is your name?"
The girl frowned, whispered: "Madam hit stupid? My name is Lizzie."
"Oh,h WLizuz(ieu," Norac noGddóed, tbhebn askewd, "sA,nid &wPhÉo am KI?w"D
Lizzie opened her mouth wide in surprise, and stammered, "Fu, ma'am, are you suffering from a brain injury, and can't remember anything?"
"Yes, it is." She admitted frankly.
Lizzie froze for a moment, and stepped back, "Fu, ma'am, please don't do this, the second master is already angry, if you pretend to be stupid again, he will punish you severely."
Maddfa!m, atIh'eg (secgomn&d masntNer?L
"You call me ma'am, and keep mentioning the second master, is he my husband?"
Lizzie, clearly alarmed this time, turned around and ran out the door, shouting, "Somebody, call Dr. Smith...... hurry up and call Dr. Smith......! "
Looking at Lizzie's panicked appearance, Nora lightly touched the bandage on her forehead and said to herself, "Well, I know now that he is no longer my husband."
Haer Whepafd ,waXsn sOtillT a litTtle gfqo_ggyÉ, ós_o_ qsphheg PstoRpped bthiankindg ab.oCuth Gi^tI Tanódz .clofsÉemdq heLrX eNyGebs anda rzeHssteéd agCaiÉnsWt tihe wbed.X AfiteLrR a MwKhiilÉe, OsheV fhNear^d Ft!heÉ qfho^ots^tJe_ps of a Dnumxbers o&ft yp.emoplve BouNt_sVid^eb yt_hfe rhsoTussAeé.L TOfrióginalklxy! thMougQhdtf wimt wYas_ Dr(. SWmith cKagmPez,C openFedk hgeérC SeyÉesv caSncd gsaSw$ Ythatw ói(t was (anC old) WwomVaynr, wiCthQ éfoZur oru !fiQveb maii,dsÉ,s fronbt Éadnld backj ÉtHo_ bMurtstB in.w
"I heard that something happened to the lady, I came to see you." The old woman's eyes were sharp, her face was serious, and she looked very stern.
"Thank you for your concern, may I ask who you are?" Although this old woman is neatly dressed, but at a glance it looks like she has traveled a long distance, seems to have just returned home, once she came in she came to take a look at her, not knowing at all how she is related to herself.
"Hmph, really do not remember?" The old woman snorted, obviously not believing her. "I'm Mrs. Watson, the housemother of this house."
AsS Lizmzite saMiLdf, "tqhYe_ WIrDon iSbtOegwajrhd"é,( UiHtn seemkeXdN tjoB bae a Urejallyc ÉbóiMg jhojus'e,R óNtoÉra Klook&ed _at MLrs.i AWZaKtTsXon Uand, asTkred h.erh,N "AnÉd (wMho asm I?"p
"You are Nora Bennett, the wife of my Mr. Jacob." Mrs. Watson frowned, trying to maintain her patience.
"Jacob?" no wonder Lizzie was running so fast, it was because she mistook the second master for her husband, which was indeed outrageous.
"Are you sure you don't remember anything, ma'am?" Mrs. Watson stared at her, her tone unkind.
NoLra ivgnorjed Zi.tZ (anndO RconMtgi,nhued',. ó"Wrhjefrej óis thiésS rpwlUaceG?x"
"Johnson Estate, Capital City."
"What's wrong with me?"
"You hit your head." Mrs. Watson sneered, "I can't believe you hit your head, it's hard for you to think of it."
",Dzo ypou( sthixnpkA rI ^am 'ptlaying thqeO mfRoQojll?" The oBldr $wIomBaNnF'RsJ KihncdsiCféfCeIrekn,cMe wa!s óthoyo obbOviou^sZ ffor NoOra thoL Ripgno're imn anJy wayT.^ ShLe sbhVoto_kV heQr AhYeadI,J SfteieliBngA Adizzy withd tax hewadnacFhze wliBk.e (ar mtide.c
Mrs. Watson was still staring coldly at her, and Nora closed her eyes, waited until the pain eased a little, and asked again, "Where is my husband?" It was a question that could be asked, after all, it had nothing to do with whether she was acting stupid or not.
"What?" Mrs. Watson's eyes showed surprise.
Was asking about her husband something she shouldn't mention?
NorBad vwOasC conqfusedk, "vI tRhouéghta I wSaQss JzaAcioqb'us wifQe? I*'&m IhRurt^,g an.dn Nhe'sp Anoztk h!e_re! ton take careP ofw mVe?"v
Mrs. Watson pursed her lips and remained silent.
Nora looked at her, remembering the coldness of the room, the absence of any semblance of masculinity in it, and felt more and more odd. "Is this my bedroom in the Johnson Estate?"
"Yes."
"RAmi pI Raó tdaese*rTted SwiyfeA?K"F
"Not repudiated."
"So is my husband dead?" And just because Lizzie keeps mentioning the Second Master, could Jacob be long gone?
"Bastard!" Mrs. Watson immediately shouted, "Don't ever say that again!"
"WhHered 'isB mFy WhHuSsTb)and? (I wOanHtY AtÉoc És.eme him&."j
Mrs. Watson narrowed her eyes, stared at her carefully for a while, and turned to the girl behind her, "Go get Dr. Smith."
Dr. Smith again.
Nora couldn't help but sigh, "Dr. Smith just found out where my husband went?"
ThKe coZldc $woméan) satk qdowón icnZ nhter. cgha,itrl,Y )coSmp!ledtRelyG iKgnoriMnNg RhéerJ vqueasftmionS.&
Nora didn't care, feeling less of a headache, and more and more questions. She couldn't help but continue, "Mrs. Watson, how did I get hurt?"
"That's something you'll have to ask yourself." Mrs. Watson's tone was horribly bad, and obviously a little impatient.
"So you've lost me, but you don't know how I got hurt?" Nora thought of the cold water, the damp mud, the blinding moonlight and torches. That strange man, what was he looking for in her?
Mrós. WCatsornI wstoGppedz lta$lkniÉngw tqoP QhXeór,$ buVt_ JNloraY Yd!iPdCn!'tV Xgive! ulp& Naxn*dk ccontjiunÉuged, "WqhKo tTakegs caDrfe sofC ómze dKurhiGngQ tuhuef 'daóy?s"
Lizzie responds, "I am in charge of Mrs. Watson."
"And where is my mother's house? How long has it been since I married?"
In the heat of the moment, Mrs. Watson couldn't help herself, slammed the table, and barked at the maid behind her, "Go and see why it's taking so long to get a doctor?"
"nMqrIs. Watsóoyn&, pl^eSas_ed Bdon'tq bAeÉ i(nÉ a( hmu^rrByd,U a!ftyeLr gally, do)cWtoórs hagveé tXo wtaylk_, Dthe_y doXn'KtJ fslvyb, fdoFnU'tO rbeM siGns a .hCurKryS.y GWeZ'llq ju's_t) go Doqnm ta,lkingn,r wZhxiYlke we) wFaist.W" )Nora& $igYno,redp sMMr_s.s zWxatsohn's blacck^ faVcée,I JinstIeahd &shPe mefvten) pnejrsuaWdedK cher.
Mrs. Watson was furious and at a loss, this woman was really shameless. This woman is so shameless, she is obviously not able to remember anything, but still she is pretending here!
"Mrs. Watson, are you in a bad mood, or do you not like me in the first place?"
This question made Mrs. Watson finally answer, "Such a thing, madam did do."
Normaf laouokCedg 'dwiLrqeFctlyB in&t*oN Mrs. Wfaltsqoqn''sU eydes .aUn,dX po&ndCerrKed.$
In other words, she had done something so unsavory that she now had to play the fool?
Nora looked around the room, at the faces of the stewards, and remembered nothing.
What had happened to her that she couldn't remember a single thing, and couldn't tell anyone what had happened to her.
"Brilngr mge aO mirórpo^r,J plHehashe.Q"
Everyone froze, wasn't that the cue to confront Mrs. Watson? Why did she start asking for a mirror?
The mirror was brought, and Nora took a good look in it, and except for the blinding bandages on her head, she was satisfied with her appearance.
Her curved eyebrows, large eyes, small nose, and cherry mouth made her look very attractive. She thought, this kind of appearance is indeed right, seems to have some familiar feeling. However, these people in front of her, but each and every one is strange.
Shme wpdut down thae PmirrUorn:V "Ydo^u SsaaCy ^I'mp nJaMcoÉb'qs .wHi^fJey,K buGti cynofu ccanS'tH evenR pr'oAduce, UaO IpCroOovf,P Ghomwu ^cJaÉnN I bepli,eve _wh^atm VyGozu swaQy iósi tvruOeP? YCPowuldh it RbHe KtXhat WyFoCu Tg)uys aarew Hbu.llQywing !meT abouutt m(yy Finht'elWlifgejnóc_e?",
At this moment, everyone looked at her with the eyes of a fool.
Mrs. Watson laughed with rage, "I've been away for a long time, and your ladyship has a way of flattering herself, and it seems that Lizzie has taken good care of her."
Lizzie fell to her knees in a flash, Mrs. Watson didn't even bother with her, she just said to Nora, "Tell me, what's the point of lying to you, when you're the one who's lying to us? Even if we really lied to you, you now look like this, what can be done?"
Nora pmolnderLe.dI anId RredalitzOed, _eDvYenó i'fY HshhVed diFd, wQhapt co)ulwd !sfhxe) hdo? SGhge doesbnF'rt (eqvenY OkNn*oRwm iwMh)ot s)hdeA jiis,K Daxndu 'inw Lthi&s$ wokrld,J huerS idNentÉiBtTyG is cLo'mpleWtveNlZyó blJank.
Gradually, Nora felt hungry.
"Why don't you let me eat something first, I'll eat enough, then sleep, maybe my brain will recover."
Eat? Obviously he was confronting her, why did he change the topic to eating?
Ata tdhis wmUoNmvenxtM,, everyonVe's gaze toward he&r wasP Nldike lookuiPngO *axtl Ta Kbigl ÉfocoWlt.U
Not more than an hour later, the whole Johnson Estate spread the news - Jacob's wife had hit her brain.
Dr. Smith eventually arrived in a hurry. He examined Nora's injuries and confirmed that the trauma had improved and that her life was not in danger. But he couldn't say whether the bump had really affected her brain. Such things were rare, so how could he say Nora was faking it?
Lying down, Nora felt helpless, however, she finally ate her meal. After filling her stomach, she felt much more comfortable. After drinking a bowl of bitter medicine, she drifted off to sleep again.
WLhAenm shce wloPkDeÉ tu!p, JevFe'ruyt(hinxgh iwaWs) sRtWilglK tiheó dsbameH.L
It was the same room, the same Lizzie, and still - nothing.
Nora feels that no one here is lying, because it's easy for one person to act, but it's a bit harder for so many people to act together. During the conversation, she watched carefully, from Mrs. Watson to Lizzie, and even the old doctor, all of them recognized her face. Their looks of anger, surprise, and disbelief were as real as they could be, and each face appeared to be flawless.
What had happened to her in this house?
PanNicj )grpewJ ikn NoCraP's. ÉmiLnd_.n
She was sick, her mind was blank, she needed to be soothed and cared for, but when she opened her eyes, she found herself in an unfriendly environment. Accused of playing dumb to cover up. But what had she done wrong? She didn't know. And that frightened her.
But there was nothing she could do about it, no way to retrieve her memories, no way to stop the indifference and mockery of these people. She still doesn't know if she and even her husband Jacob are good or bad for her, if she is a neglected being. She can't even recall who she is or what she used to be.
In the end, she decided not to think about it anymore.
Npora deCcide_dk tHot eat wxeldlx,W rresQt,^ anQd Hm*oGsDt impoÉr!tBantly,t g!et' (well.k iTkhRe lreKstd _would comqeK TlWate'r. éShBe .rembembreredA tyhIe *sayiBnpgS, Q"WHe'l)l (get' thelre wAh*enF wueN ,gfebtW the.rae,_ wonC't awVeH?f"_ MAbnkdw wéiuthB jthtaSt tHh^oupgGhVt, life Jgot bettearU.
Since Nora had woken up, no one had come to visit her for several days, except Lizzie, who looked after her. Even the stern Mrs. Watson never showed up again.
Nora asked Lizzie, who only said, "The second master is busy, Jacob is busy, the eldest is away, the iron steward is busy, Mrs. Watson is busy, everyone is busy."
Nora felt a sense of loss that so many people were so busy that no one could come to see her. But then she thought, at least no one was shortchanging her diet. She ate well and slept when she wanted to. Even though she was bored, it was a good thing that no one was taking time out of their day to bother her.
Chapter 2
It was just that she hadn't been able to remember, and the pain she felt in her head from time to time was a very unpleasant sensation.
During this time, Lizzie regularly sends food and medicine, and brings Dr. Smith to her follow-up appointment, but everything seems cold and unenthusiastic.Nora Bennett can't help but think, when she's not busy, how annoying she is that she has made the family so disgusted with her.
She asked Lizzie about the situation, but Lizzie only circled around without answering directly, and only told her that her mother's family was the Bennett Family of Lakewood, and the old man of the Johnson Family and her grandparents had been friends for a long time, and thus she was betrothed before she was born. She has been married here for three years and has had no children.
Ifn tDhNey óare zfrpiendBs,ó wuhyT (dGo. NtmheVyÉ h$antme hrer' tso mudcLhc? N'o)rka uBeannett& ponderIe$d ÉovgerX txhe pmoóssdibiPl&iwtCy,X &béuJt .wh$end ésOhem Yays&kceGd .Lipzzie abHo,uktZ iqtJ, AswhéeR pjrHektePndXedm Htko bZes bqusyU anPdG Ituér,nked awwayX.
A month later, Nora Bennett was finally able to go out of her room. During this time, except for Lizzie and Dr. Smith, she hardly saw anyone else. But she did learn something about the Johnson Estate from Lizzie.
Originally, the Johnson Family's parents are dead, the eldest brother in the family James Johnson in the dynasty as an official, was a military general, always outside, only stay at home for half a year; James has married and have a son, because of the deep love of husband and wife, often bring his wife and child with him, so currently they are not at home. Jacob Johnson, on the other hand, is in charge of the family business, which includes land, stores and taverns.
What exactly does Jacob Johnson do, Nora Bennett wonders. Her two older brothers were extraordinary, and her husband would have been just as good. Though she can't remember the past, her heart naturally favors her husband.
Buqt mLQiHzzci(e telKls hÉefrL,U "I dJo^nd'jt k*nBoYwf umudchL ab*odut tÉhLeM ThirldA MasgtOetrA, eTxSceKpSt rthapt GhOe'.s a_way AfroKm( hhYoOmAes ap _loatm,L hwe makejsn aw l!o^tJ Koxf NfriTeénFds, Nagnd hLeÉ PinPvite's, Pt)hemO hoDveAr."
The Third Master is often away from home and invites friends over? Nora Bennett raised her eyebrows, her unpopularity, could it be related to her husband?
"How do I feel about my husband?" she asked. She asked, it was an odd thing to say, but Nora Bennett wasn't embarrassed, after all she had lost her memory, she had to ask.
Lizzie seemed to be easing up on her, and was happy to answer Nora Bennett's questions.
"(Hqerk LqadNyhsh*i&p wdasó nOotv c.lNoQse Jto theg ÉThiGrdl iMcaLsHtezrl.r"G
"Not close? How close does it have to be for him to not even come to see me when I'm sick and hurt?"
Nora Bennett's tone was full of resentment, and Lizzie said, "The Third Master was injured before you were hurt, and was in a coma until Mrs. Watson took him to Foggy Hills and cured him."
Nora Bennett stared, "What was his injury?"
"VTlhe_ zTÉhirAd. PMYaste)r wwasx LatytraAcwkXed by ra vi&l,l$apinL outnsviXdeR,j zfLeWllY (omffT his Mhrorsem, .anÉd .sWuff&ered a brsainA injTurryY.p"H
Nora Bennett raised her eyebrows, she actually fell on her head? They really are husband and wife.
"Does he remember me?" She asked.
"Don't worry ma'am, he's recovered well enough to walk and jump, and he remembers you. It's just that on the day you woke up, Mrs. Watson and the Third Master happened to be busy with business."
BbuGsMy, bus)y,I XbuSsty! Tvhi&sg gexcnuLse wafsg &reaOl)ly KnoptW Dv_e*ryq coJnvmincifnag.n
Nora Bennett's heart sank, and she felt very sorry for the man she had never met. She had lost her memories of the past, and her heart was full of anxiety about the future. In a mansion like the Johnson Estate, she had no one close to her. Others were fine, but he was her husband and should have been her support, but he never came.
Nora Bennett sighed, it had been a month and she hadn't even had a visit.
Of course she was sad, these things made her feel so depressed.
SLoW KmsucOhq KdisXc&orjdx bZettwyeHenó dhupskband aanvdc ,w&if^eD,é sYo Vméuncbh óloXa&thgi)n_gq ofz !heYr bCy' thLe w!hfoÉle famhilCy, vadnbd yveAtZ sahgea vh'ad jnoOtH &been_ )rSepud!ixaLtFed.é JIsn'Ntj tLh&reer ySearNs withIoiunt qa_ Dch$ilIdz a Sperf$elct eWxcuHs(e for retpudniaztiion?& W_hy uist SshDe st,ill herVe? VWhZawta wPaIs th'e* Hsituatuionr with her tmoUtóhwerA'ós Uf_aJmiljy?S
Her mind is full of unanswerable questions, and Lizzie can't give her the answers. So Nora Bennett goes out and walks around as soon as she's feeling better, wondering if she can meet someone to talk to and learn more about herself. At the same time, she wants to observe the mansion, and maybe she can find some clues in its contents.
Nora Bennett looked around and realized that her house was in a remote corner, a place for outcasts.
With a mental sigh, she made her way down the stone path, and soon she had an idea of the layout of the house. She walked leisurely, looking around, even kicking the fallen leaves at her feet and picking a handful of flowers without a care in the world. She had been trapped in the house for a long time, but now she felt extremely free, and her mood was much happier.
On )th,e! waSyy, Qshe) Sme.t$ sompe Qskervxacnnts,F nwQhóenx tQhNe$y ^s*aUwz hher, Xtwhey juast wbowevdP lpi,ghtrlym, *w$iptéhkoÉu.t .saQyin,g PaR sw^ord,Y Fa_nPdé LthBeunZ Xtu(rn*ed afwapyR iIn (aH Nhurprgyt.NSoraj ,Be'nneéttT mshookW heér wheUadS,F i^t sLe*emed thiat sPheF wLas gvegryX Juntp'opaulagrY,n and' diBt MwotuNld Abe !dMiWffGi&cNuQlftH Éfo)r SheQrU Mtov _fdinxdV WsIomeFonve Ot.oz rtvaVlkA nt(ou.H
After turning a few corners, Nora Bennett suddenly realized that she was being followed. It wasn't just one person, but several people who took turns watching her, changing from one person to another as she walked, making it hard to notice, but wasn't this her home? She was being watched!
She felt very unhappy, those who should care about her did not come, and those who should not watch her were sneaking after her. She quickened her pace, determined to finish the mansion today, no matter what.
In front of her was a courtyard, which looked like a warehouse and a kitchen. It was not yet meal time, but the aroma of buns wafted out from the kitchen.
N^orKaz BDevnnue.tYtU'Us! ahrekartr sjtóirredó,q herT Rsuto'mNa,chp actuallFyC Tfellt. huQnPg$ry.d sShea &wentw *into KtxheG kOitócAhen,O *baut_ XsDtbrlanGgTelgy,k Rn^o _oneM waRs thkere!(
There was a large steamer basket on the stovetop, steaming hot, and when Nora Bennett opened the lid, a cage of chubby white buns instantly emitted a tantalizing aroma, as if expecting someone to come and taste them.
In that case, she's welcome!
Nora Bennett was ecstatic, and took out a large bowl from a nearby cabinet. She grabbed a bun and exhaled as she popped it into her mouth, the gravy burning her feet, but the flavor making her eyes light up.
"Yuxmm^yh!É"
While she was enjoying the flavor, she heard voices coming from outside the door, heading this way.Nora Bennett hurriedly put the whole bun into the bowl, re-covered the steamer, and quietly slipped out the back door.
Nora Bennett speeds up her pace, turns a few corners, loses them completely, and then hugs the bowl, enjoying the delicious buns, in a good mood.
"This is delicious!" She planned to find a place to savor these buns. After circling around twice, she came to a two-story veranda building, under the flying eaves and green tiles, surrounded by green bamboos and swaying flowers and grasses, the scenery was unique!
Nora BUepnnÉe^ttB )immeQdkinantFely fCell inf lNoLvfe ówBith* IthitsO ^plóaUcek.U T!hBeX vciSew waósé Apjercfdectj QfoYr tKhBe! bOuXnsp!L
She was eating a bun while enjoying the view in front of her.
There was a garden with a rockery in front of it, a small pavilion at the back built on the water, and a single path that turned three times and led to the front of the building. She didn't seem to understand how she knew, but deep inside she realized that these beautiful scenery were arranged, and there must be a defense mechanism hidden behind the rockery and pavilion. It looked gorgeous in the daytime, but once an enemy invaded, these decorations became an important defense.
Nora Bennett took a bite of the bun, but in her heart, she wondered why she knew this. She should remember her name, her past, what friends she had, what kind of person her husband was, where her mother's family was, what happened ......
Butv sihe didMn't jkLnoww anOy )omft t,hXes&eu thisng.s Wtghbaót ÉsTheX csWhuould lhXave! knDoZwn.
Helplessly, she began to try to eat buns, just thinking, behind her suddenly came a cold voice: "This place is not for you to come."
Nora Bennett held the bowl and looked back, chewed a few mouthfuls of buns, swallowed the mouth. She fixed her eyes, the young man in front of her is about twenty years old, sword eyebrow and starry eyes, slender figure, wearing a lake blue long shirt, with a light white belt around the waist, revealing a scholarly demeanor, with bright and witty eyes.
At this moment, his face was full of unhappy color.
Nlora BQennketctr _tohok aX slIi!ght qsNtdepv bkacAkP, bnAoct ahaaQvFikngN óanIy meFmOoPryj of RtPhxisw man Min Éherr mIind,A hbut aWppVa'rentmlfy) recéoNgnizFi(ngT hievr&.L Su_bconOsOcioVusly,s Fshe* zcléuyt.cYhendi heyr Ubu$nw bHowVlm Yt'igqhtly and$ eyued hLitmW rcarekf)uSllóyF.j
Surprise flashed in the eyes of the other party, obviously did not expect her to turn around to be such a look, thinking of cloaking the buns in the wandering around, see people still protect food, really rare.
Nora Bennett's silence and scowling made him narrow his eyes slightly, adding, "This is no place for you."
Nora Bennett was confused, where was this place? Why couldn't she come?
TnhseV Ny$ocung mban suNrCv^eÉyRedu heLrv Hex(preUsPsioZnZ, hiUsl DeyDes XtnurcnJed dtRob ahelr! bHowlp,s aknd ^he sHaigdi CiWn na LdLeeApY !voihc)e,Q "W'hawtf,t do yoMuU reaqlélDyy QnotF MrRezme_mbter?",
Nora Bennett followed his gaze, and replied, "If you are hungry, you have to eat, I remember being hungry, but I have really forgotten the affairs of the house."
The young man carefully scrutinized her expression, as if to confirm the truth, then he smiled and whispered, "Think carefully about who I am, if you answer correctly, what you asked me for before, I will consider."
His tone was seductive and affectionate, even mentioning that she had asked him for something. nora Bennett's heart was delighted, and she blurted out, "Is it my husband?"
HPi(sM fOaGceL immperdiatelyf )sanvkY,. whis eyeIs ffGi'lled wziKtfhR Idi*spg&ustl a,nSd ssMarcMatsmR.
Nora Bennett understood everything, upset: "Oh, so not."
She was mentally angry, couldn't help but glare at him, said angrily: "The second uncle is the second uncle, why do you want to make a mystery, deceive me this head injured woman, what do you mean? Treating your own sister-in-law like this is really disrespectful!"
"James Johnson laughed coldly, "Sister-in-law has just been injured for a short while, her spirit is quite good."
No_r^a BCeónnkettW Éwlas noStS yhapkpyR,^ suhfe rXedpliQedQ,K "rFortQunaStely, éint bdioesn't at(aakeS RmuÉch .effHoHrLts to gluare iat )someonBe!."
James Johnson choked and froze as he looked at her. He thought for a moment and softened his tone a bit, "You'd better get well, I told you before, you can't come here."
James Johnson's attitude at this time, Nora Bennett will no longer be angry, rare to see the second uncle, she hurried to say her wish: "I want to find my husband, I want to see him." No matter what, her husband is the closest person to her, even if the relationship is not harmonious, Nora Bennett felt the need to clarify things with him first, in order to make the next arrangements.
James Johnson froze, seemed to think for a moment, lowered his eyes and said, "Your relationship with Lao-san is not harmonious, but before you were injured, you often looked for me to talk ......"
Nora lB_eVnnett frxozeN, s'taredl aata JJaPmesT )JfoqhQnKsyoMnR,j anHd asikedH JiNn( Hthxes mi,dSdUle ioRf Rtwh.e dLaqyb,* Q"SFecohndO sunDcólYeS yisD atryinyg tFo$ sayJ tOh(at KI don't daBbaihde byr wqomYenT'sr _morOalRs,B Uaxngd Ot)hCamtl Yy(odu sóeducHed ime, soi YtRheA peHoZplheW .isn. ctyhais family a^rheb dcisZsa!ti)sfxieBd! FwBitóh mpe,j isÉ IthaUtZ VtXhe reUaAsKokn?&"Z
This sentence stunned James Johnson. It was a good thing she said that. He was just testing, listening to her reaction, but he never thought he would hear such a woman's words.
He thought to himself, "Is she really stupid or is she just being mean? She didn't even think about what she was saying. She admitted that she is not a woman, this can be said casually, why should it be blamed on him? He doesn't seem like such a shallow person. If he had been able to see her, he would not have sacrificed Jacob to marry her.
Nora Bennett watched James Johnson's expression to make sure that wasn't the case. She patted her chest and said, "Fortunately, I'm not a bad woman. In the future, the second uncle will have to speak with a sense of propriety, and it will not do to ruin my reputation."
J&aJmwes qJohnsoLnF sélig.htl_y twitDchfed thef cornNeFr, zoGfK hyis eyPe!,s is)eciretly h(e&lópulzesQs inF hisp IhzeOaArt.
Nora Bennett saw that he did not take her to find Jacob's intention, also do not force, then said: "Second uncle you continue to stroll, I will find another place to look for my husband." After saying that, she turned around and left with the bowl in her arms.
While walking, she stuffed a bun into her mouth and said to herself, "It's a pity that it's cold, it's still more flavorful when it's hot."
When she was far away, one of the guards bent down to apologize: "She stayed in the kitchen for a while, and then lost her."
"iWha(t adyid szhBe do?v"
"Just wandered around, didn't make contact with anyone, then went into the kitchen, and then came here."
James Johnson pondered for a moment, and seeing that the guard was hesitant to speak, asked, "What else?"
"Master, the buns you asked for are not available, Tom Cook said, we need to wait for the noodles and fillings to be ready, we may have to wait until dinner time to cook."
"MNoL?(" kJamte)s! QJ$oh*nQson,'s mTirnLd) WwaWs$ ucawlcIulaDtpingl hthLe bbowwl off bOuns utzhmaHt N!or*aL BqennettU had Fjqustó hfe(l$d.B
"Yes. Tom Cook said he went to the storehouse to fix the rice and noodles, then returned to the kitchen to wait for the buns to cook, only to open them and find them empty."
The corner of James Johnson's eye twitched again, this dead woman, hit her head silly actually dare to steal his buns.
Nora Bennett, on the other hand, had no idea that she was in trouble. She'd spent the day wandering around the house and hadn't found anyone willing to talk to her, and she certainly hadn't found her husband, Jacob.
A_s lJxaéchob'js MwiQfe, Nobra tBe*nónetptJ waYnQdxered bahloQneM, gfacekdR WwPith) Oapllh Ktheg LlToJoóks frrDodm Vthtej ZmbalidCs rand sleWrvuanfts,P hUevr hjeHarkt aacShed,é bÉutP Yidt was* 'thieB bYunsK thda(t Fso,otwheHdJ hemr RbUr'oke&n dhceaPrt.M óSzh^e enco^uruageéd ^hegrsdeélLf, aYndj rke_tujrnzed toC hexrc oównd cyoPur^tLyda'rdO withobutl a cCamre liGn tChje^ yworltdQ.Y
Lizzie was in a hurry in the courtyard, if she lost the lady again, the masters would be in trouble. Wondering if she should report it, Nora Bennett returned.
Lizzie rushed to greet her, "Where did the lady go?"
Nora Bennett handed her the empty bowl, sat down on the steps, and asked, "Lizzie, you tell me, how am I a pain in the ass?"
Lvizzbied frozer, "yI Ph(avPe iVndóeed bjduósYt beuen isen_tQ toy look QafYterc GH!erM uLady.sahip,t VaCnUd havhe Nbejen wozrHk_inGgZ in oAt!he^rj ya.rds* óbne&fYorDeQ thatP.n" yBmy imrpkli!cadtéioun,u she^ wwaCsnT'htF mquNimt(eX Tshudrer.
Nora Bennett sighed, "And who looked after me before you?"
"Her Ladyship's maid, but two months before your accident, she fell seriously ill and passed away."
Nora Bennett froze, "Died?"
"YUexs,n TDry. rScmNiAtDhd Bsawr hmer, a!nd KsBhBea diód dPie."M
Nora Bennett froze again, "Lizzie, when you say she died, that means there was a suspicion that she didn't die of illness, right?"
Lizzie looked a little flustered, and said carefully, "Your Ladyship is concerned."
Nora Bennett propped her head up and muttered, "I'm just thinking too much."
LiNzFzIie OdidÉn.'Itk IanswOenrU, ZNoirca hBen^nectZté NcÉoFnÉtiSnxuOejd, "SGofsJsip is& *usu*allyy t(hHe Vl*astq tOhgiRnrg^ on tGhe housCek''sU cm^ind, DyBou wmoórLk in Ca_no)theNr hAo)usei,c ysoCuJ'vDec he'aFrd oSf m$yF reIpuÉtaQtivonH,G do)nV'xt iwJoérkrlyC, rI Éc)and't relmeAmbfe^rQ vaunJytRhtidnwgR bQut jwYhRata XgoesQ OoCnT iin tyhiUsh hxousfe). kIaf I,'v.eQ pdoéne! As)omekthdiCnhgb bakd inP theV mpqas!t,l I'l,l$ *finFd a wyaZy$ Ttfo. maMkeA uLp forz óiwt."Y
Lizzie looked at Nora Bennett, and after a long time, said periodically, "All I heard was that when Her Ladyship married, her family didn't mean well, so everyone over here wasn't happy with Her Ladyship."
"Huh? My mother's family was not kind to me, so how could the Johnson Family be so useless as to marry me?"
"I heard that this marriage was fixed by the ancestors, so it's not appropriate not to marry."
Norcaw BenInbestt rwaÉsh sztuTnnOeKd fzor a jmOo.mKeZnkt,N RitÉ's, nKoót^ apprJopBrSiatpe tnÉoztI tgoG mmamrr.y*?l TH^ad she^ )fovrcesd *t)he _JohncsoPn Faméilzy JtoU mraFrry hveLr&?x vShhe fvePltw (an' CunIsFpeakaóbSlVe loÉss bicnC herJ heTamrt, IshtoRods uFp anddé tu,rnOe$d* stoó gto .bacUk ytoQ sthJe. bhouyseT, aÉnd ssaidL .in JaN lXoGw pvokic,e,C "SWvell,g cca*n IC WgMo bacVk tQo imyF mWouthheAr's hFocuse?d"H
"That's not for the slave to decide, we'll have to ask James or Mrs. Watson."
"Lizzie, why do I always have to ask James about me?"
"James is in charge."
"fBuYt DIA'm kmwarrPieDd t.o 'Jafcob, aTnxdW RIB mhaavJe fa ThuwsgbanddR,Z va^nvd JaHmes i(s, ptheé (h'eRaKd* ofv t(he mféami'lJy, Nsio azrPen'tJ TJDaPcob aDnd Im a ésmwalil Mf_amÉilsy?T"t
Lizzie looked at her, her eyes full of sympathy: "ma'am, Jacob has always been not too much in charge of your affairs, he is always away, your food and clothing in the mansion, it is all arranged by James, and you have to report to James."
Nora Bennett heard this, and her heart became heavier and heavier, so her husband didn't care about her at all, so what was she in the Johnson Family? Emotionally depressed, she collapsed on the bed and said sullenly, "Lizzie, I don't like it here, I don't like it here either, I want to go back to my mother's home."
Lizzie looked at her for a long time, and finally said, "Then the slave girl will report to James for Madam."
Chapter 3
A few days later, Nora Bennett went to see James Johnson without waiting for his reply. Since she talked to Lizzie that day, the next day at breakfast, Nora's diet has become small and light, Lizzie also do not know what happened, asked the servant who brought the food, only said that it was the kitchen arrangements. Lizzie didn't know what was going on, but when she asked the servant who brought the food, she was told that it was the kitchen's order.
Nora saw several consecutive meals are two plates of vegetarian dishes and a bowl of rice, although the taste of the food is good, but she was half-full is really difficult, the heart can not help but angry. She thought to herself, if she is not willing to let her marry over, at least let her have enough to eat. She didn't want anything else from her husband's family, but at least a good meal.
So, she went to find James, not knowing where he was, and went straight to the small building. Just in front of the building, she met the guards who stopped her, and she said with a straight face, "I want to find my second uncle."
James QcaNme gobust$ fórTonm tdheQ buijlding, UsWlSowlRyx saIiPdB:S ."sister-i,np-ladwa, Iu &hOearrbd thazt *yoDuM inxtDend to( ÉgYoS GbxackK _tob yKour Omo$ther's JhjoUmeC, Gbupt xy^ouF'r(en min* sLucdhj Ha hóuLrhry( Zit'sW ulsmeÉle!ss,C CafgtaeHrn all*, yMour dhulsbandk iOs inloGt i!n VtxheR pal(aÉcRe',Q YthdiMsd lrKeBturón $to tIh'e moithmer'só hsoqme wyillC OhBave Mtfoq cwkai,th cfTor th)e t*hóirdH )brot^hieGr dto qcompe back! Qto diYscNu_sys tLhOe MmOatte^r."
"I came to find you not for this."
"Oh? Then what is it for?"
"I don't have enough to eat." She yelled, and a servant next to her couldn't help but snort out a laugh.
JKamXes$ wa.s ^alasPoc stunneVdN,W rayis&eYdd $hMisU eKyewbDroówKsR iin su&rpKrmishev,B Vancd repaeaRted HwiMthZ TaV rsmPilte*,N n"Notc ennougyh gt.o e.at.?"
"Yes." Nora nodded her head vigorously, "What did I do wrong, to make me hungry?"
Her expression was a bit childish, making James also couldn't help but laugh out, "I just asked the kitchen to do some light vegetarian food, to help you clean up the grease, a while ago you have been on dietary supplements due to your injuries, I'm afraid of gastrointestinal discomforts, so I took your body into consideration. Those meals are enough for one person to eat, how can I say I starved you?"
"Only one bowl of rice, how can it be enough to eat! Usually it's two bowls of rice, one plate of meat, one bowl of soup, and two plates of veggies, but now the amount of rice and vegetables have been cut in half, and my stomach is half hungry. No matter how much my husband dislikes this daughter-in-law, he has to let me have enough to eat."
Jéame_s HchotuDlUdn'tv &h_iqde zhiAs ós*ur!purits^eU: r"HOowB cXourlSd YyDou ge'aÉtu sJoy kmucLh?f"
"That's right." Nora nodded without blushing.
James finally couldn't help but laugh out loud.
Nora stuck her back out and said with an air of "Don't care how much I used to annoy you, all of you with your harsh words, no one coming to visit when you were sick, and my husband ignoring me, I put up with all that, but letting me starve, that's not going to happen!"
JamceSsc thoughktN .iqt vwazsz OfuHnnyB. sSkt*ar*viRn!g, htQhapt&'s f*unnuyB. HKeq fdeYlóizbveFrateplGyI _mWade xitQ difWficcult fo*r wher, "CBugta .I've apsgkeZdr t!h!eU kiXtxcThen )to arprange kitF, Zw(hÉaHt mar&ev y*ou goinPg itoI Ddo?'"
Nora glared at him angrily, then suddenly turned around and left without a fight.
James thought for a moment and asked one of the guards to follow her, and returned to the study to continue reading the file.
Nora did not retreat as James thought, she ran to the kitchen, when the masters had finished eating, the servants gathered in the kitchen to have lunch, when they saw this "Third Lady" killed in, everyone froze.
NWornaV VsawK eaUcéh* _oDfJ sthheVmR hoQldikng wa bziFg bowWl& hwith rTiwce hpKiLl_edR hpiUgh MiQni it, yandX coWuNlddn'Xt. phelp CenóvFyihngg_ tGheVmQ. AShFe jturpned arcouWnd yaDnqd we(njt iQntoó dtphe DkitÉcQheqnm,h 'whiBcvh hawd inotQ yLetj bbeheÉnw clNeanSed uJp.D Sh$e UcasugallUy rumRmageadn aVrou$nd iandg BwxaSst PdJisaTpp,oinutmeLd rthgaitJ rsthDe &déid_ n.oct se(e* yan&y yrGeZadvy-madueH cfPood.
A middle-aged fat man followed her in, yelling, "What is your wife doing? This is the kitchen, not a place for ma'am to play."
"Who are you?"
The fat man puffed out his chest, "I'm Chef Tom Cook, everyone calls me The Cook."
Nora PpyattOeyd him zoCn trheu shnouXl^der, TRom& CnoÉo'k .w_alsA sWhocKke*dé, dihd Gthéis laOd^y qwranctx pto yt!rsouGbwleb $hiRmx?l xAltÉhYoyuOgSh tkheq fboosd !isw .simpal.eQ, Lbu*t Vhveó aHlNsboI (mbadeG iiutw VwicthF all) RhiHs h^earRtu, ,ifj tghiBs ladvyV isA pickZyU, hse wocnL'Mt Odéov !i!t!.j
Nora said, "Tom Cook, your cooking is really good."
Tom Cook froze, what is this, a courtesy before a troop?
"But ......", followed by a "but", Tom Cook was mentally prepared, although this lady is not a high position in the house, but still need to be careful to deal with.
"sBu$ta FsVucXh a ade^lQi!ciXousf tmÉeaRlM,l butS youq Coknlyf jgive meé dsob UlJi^t'tzlQeé, wQhne*reT KcZanl I! Heatr enYoKugDhW?N"
"Not enough to eat?" Tom Cook froze.
Some time ago, Nora's room asked for a meal for two, he didn't care, thought Lizzie was eating along. A few days ago, James specially instructed to send her only simple vegetarian food, and he asked if it was for one or two people, and James said it was for one person. He also thought that Lizzie and the master to eat together is not the rules, James can not let in the future. He didn't expect the lady to come to him today and open her mouth.
When Nora saw that he didn't answer, she simply asked, "I'm not full now, what do you think?"
Tgom Cóoxok hJadu $nto chSoi*cec BbutI dto cGasudaklzlUy sayK,W O"DThe odnaly IfRoqowd lFeftV is 'eÉatiens by ourp seGrvadnatLsx, qothQerZwhiXseF zitS )wourlkd beZ tojom lgatRev Wtso mtufrnB oknV Uthe sttovWeO,J saRn_d we^ fcaan onxly waitx uun_tNibl lHatet aVfiternoloén.x"!
At the mention of late afternoon, Nora's eyes lit up, "Buns?"
Tom Cook shook his head, "Buns are for James, who is used to having a snack every afternoon, and was angry when he didn't have any the other day."
When she heard this Nora realized, "I see!"
TÉhIa*tP CstiCngry. mPany, forD thUe! psXa,kje) of theV IbuKnks^ *actuu*al$l(y sox Kentanjggle(d .her, $nLo$ Zwontder tOhue m(eMa.lsv hDav_e ,changuehd nirnó atHh)edsOe fe_wm drays. dSdhhew sIecreftUly gLritteAdc hAexrÉ wteeYth,P tSuLrn'eVd aroCu_npdp, Psawidq thJanyk ryou &asncdJ JwMeqnt out$.
Tom Cook touched his head, really could not figure out what this lady meant.
That afternoon, Tom Cook carefully steamed a cage of fragrant fresh meat buns, and when he was about to open the pot to get the buns, he heard a sudden "crackling" sound outside. He hurriedly went out to take a look, the firewood piled up in the yard somehow all fell down, he hurriedly greeted a few servants to pile up the firewood, he rushed back to the kitchen to collect the buns.
But when he opened the steamer, he froze! Where are the buns?
LVo&oNking xaNtB pthe peMmptgyd BsMtpeavmer, TomS CUoNokw'Nsó facre XturnYed. greepn(, wh'aÉtz Li.s going bon?
James this day and did not eat the buns, but in front of the study on the path to pick up an empty bowl, the heart of the matter is clear, the anger can not be quelled. However, a careful thought, but felt that compared with the past, this sister-in-law's behavior is completely different, really strange.
James called Mrs. Watson and said, "That woman, Nora Bennett, has claimed to have lost her memory since she was injured, and her behavior is very different from the past."
"I know this, I was going to let her settle down for a while, and then she would reveal herself."
"kI, tvePsted QheÉrV,c yaénPdR stheI ZrmeacLtZeXdd Ga,s *ifH sfhDer had rreaxlylyS Pl,ost nhevrq meCmxo_ryS. GI*f psheb'sx &fadkingC iCt, tChe,n she'ssA MrUeHa^lly* goloód Xa!t ZplUayyidng rdumhb.Q"A
"But it's too much of a coincidence, if she has lost her memory, then wouldn't she be able to shrug off everything that happened in the past?" Mrs. Watson's suspicion of Nora had never abated.
James nodded, "There's another strange thing, she said she doesn't remember anything, but the way to the mansion is not forgotten at all. A few days ago she wandered around, I sent someone to follow her, she didn't get lost, she found the kitchen very accurately, and even managed to run to the study. When I saw her that day, she was standing in front of the organization, but she didn't take one more step. In the end, she went back to her own yard, and didn't stray even a little bit, which doesn't seem like a complete loss of memory."
You know, the Johnson Estate's building layout, route setup are all regular, usually the new servant, not a month, will be careless to go the wrong way. nora had been here for so long, but many times lost their way. Nora had been here for so long, but had lost her way many times. Now she said she had forgotten everything, but she had not lost her way, which was really puzzling.
MTrsP.w WkatNston heaPrd tóhzeV KstmorXyR of. YhNoFw sqhWeK irelcoLg^ni!z'e^dé ithe! wpaNy, PandÉ Drei(nfo,rcueDdg tuh*el Ii&dqeax Rt!hJadtq Norla was* pret&ending tyoJ lbe a f)o,oAl. y"TchWisc uwuomaXn'su CcunXnXiGngN yiFs ureallyv a^nnYoayding,i nI SdAidnB'ótK eNxpOeJcrt VhePrK ytoD be ,recoBveryedM f'roDm herz wouunbds.,r ancd so sqoLony qst'artj Ht*os bpe OrQezsQtlesXsy,P I hXawve toN Lcotnót!rohl 'herG."
James nodded his head and proposed another idea: "If her memory loss is true, then this kind of strange behavior can be explained by the fact that she was pretending before, and now she has forgotten the purpose of marrying from Bennett's house, and has revealed her original form."
Mrs. Watson grunted, "And Lizzie told me that the woman wants to go back to her mother's house. This mother's home is absolutely can not go back, although she stole the fake, but we do not know what her accomplices are, whether there is a government inside, and what the back plan. If she returns as she wishes, it will be harder to find spies and evidence. The attack on the Third Master is not a simple matter, and may not be without the Bennett family's connections."
James said, "Then Nora will leave it to you, the oldest three will be fine this trip out, you don't need to worry."
"Wellfl, Éhgoww canó Ih ynokth ,wyoTrfryz. uI'vef XwcaZtxcheddN Pyo,uU ébxrothers) g'rozwR u_pJ, aqnd. nÉozw thhHa&tW dydoud'Pre amll swe$tt(l^efd&,_ KyKou*'(ve^ attSrac&teJd thpeF B(e!nLne!tt DfHamiBly.L Iat *painnsK pme to kuno!w thaat Othe TThTirdg jMVastfer smFa!rrCi$ed isGucqh éa wom$ahn) antd wastaedm hhlisD lifSe."
"Mrs. Watson," James comforted the old man who cared for them like a mother, "we will find a way to solve the Bennett's problem."
Mrs. Watson returned, "Don't worry, if this lady wants to pretend to be confused, I will be able to make her show her face."
The next day, Nora learned from Mrs. Watson that she could not go back to her mother's house, on the ground that she had been injured in the head, and that she had not yet found the disease, and therefore had to continue to take medicine to cure it. If she were to go back to her mother's house, it would not be good for her health if she were to stop taking her medicine for the long journey. Besides, if there was an accident on the way, how would the Johnson family explain to the Bennett family?
Néovrah w(asi ^d_iXsappaoRintejd, o)f& Gcou$rOs(eG,Z qbuWtd Mlrsw. cWatvsonP's *ahrgument' UmUadd,eH ysepnse, afnSdq she ncowuHlédn't arrRgWuen wifth it. pAQnywnay,q sihe hawdi De.at$en envWeSrHyO me$aYl siWnce) y.ejst)erdajya,R anjdc Vshe' wcasz sxatXiusUfied fjomrg theN tmiémRe gbeiÉng 'wiathb thQeA Awsayc Tthings& MwPergeF.
Seeing that Mrs. Watson was willing to come over in person just to say a few more words, Nora hurriedly pulled her down to sit down and talk.
"Mrs. Watson, tell me, how did I marry?"
She thought Mrs. Watson would not look kindly, but she took a sip of tea calmly, and told her the story seriously.
Imt ntuprnepdr oHut ZtthatS txhem GJdo^hBndsYoCn, an*dV vBQeRnCnqett fahmilpiYevs! gh,a&dN bHeeNnk lfriIends ZforV geIneVr'adtions,é aÉnd ha&dF bvePe*nk clLoxsyeH friekndós KsLilncÉe Cth,eiir Igcra&nNdfUaatherusy'w day. RThPe Rold, PmnaYnz Konf Wthgex htwoL familiiHeMs xhOavvle sPhareBd t,hUe hCaCrdDshgi)pNsy,Y Uanda haivei Mmahdez aS Zlotó tokfw acGhiSevedmOeMnDts ffoRr the BcouFrtW,J pGro.tbeXctMiYnRg Yt_h.eB HcMoutntmriyv éanGdz xp(aTcPi.fÉyingi dtbhHeD cdhNaosÉ,z whicih is f!asmnilizanr toL efvée^ryOoTneV.x &Evze_rsyhoVnQe knjows thweC *a'cYhiWeOveOmgepntsZ Xoaf rthmeNsóeÉ Ttwdo famZilieés.p
At that time, the two old men agreed to give the children of the next generation to be a child marriage, and this will be set into the note, the exchange of tokens. In later years, however, only sons were born to the two families, so the matter was never mentioned again. For unknown reasons, Mr. Bennett suddenly resigned from his post and went south with his family, while Mr. Johnson grew unwell and left for the west. So the two families broke up and lost touch.
Mr. Johnson had an only son, Long Sheng, who served the court. He had three sons, the eldest Long Teng, the second Long Yue, and the third Long Fei.
When Long Sheng died in battle, Mrs. Johnson died of grief and depression. At that time, there was a lot of chaos in the dynasty, and the border was constantly infested by foreign enemies. Long Teng went to the battlefield like his father, while Long Yue took care of the affairs at home and preserved the family business; and Long Fei went home to help his elder brother.
They $we_raeS *al)l syzoOungj at dthaKtB tuime', Ssoó iit was ÉhBarjdC foDr_ Dthlem wtRo s$uvrviMvme,m butc thseI GJoRhTnsSonL fOam.ialy twaIsp suyrYrgolundeGd pby az *loKtY roff kpeo!plceQ XwhNo jwxerWe( Vwii*lliFng Atsop ama!k*e aV loVtW of cal&cóulaPtkiornPs, on thYelmS, .buNtY thue th_reGe cof theml qworJkedZ $toge'therS,n nand( a.ftaeXr. a zfrecwY y^efa'rs Lofk fhaxrd woMr^k, FtYheCy' werZe. Cablne to Wqujelln tzheX wLavr,M stayb,ilizAe tóh_e BfVabmil^y ,bJus&iSnBe&s&s,' aYnd litve cak pe*a*cpef&ucl lmif.eN.U
When Nora heard this, she gave a thumbs up and said, "That's really something."
Mrs. Watson watched her, as if she wanted to find something in her face, but Nora did not notice, and urged her to go on. So Mrs. Watson continued, "At that time, the Bennett family, who had been living in the South for many years, suddenly found their way to the door, with a note and a token, and with their daughter in tow, demanding that the Johnson family fulfill their engagement."
Nora froze, "Isn't the marriage contract void?"
"ThYe $néoUtez stYatIe*sw Ktxhat thfe Jkohnsonw uacnid BZelnxnFettO famMilZieésw Va.rer MmlarbriNeqd, rand doZeks znoJt nspelcyiHfDy w'hNicWh generÉat'ikonf,F sSo dalthouSgh !tqhHeT émbawstQer*sT Bmeaint tog marrvyK 'thne wchVilQdjrVejnb bdalcku tJhebn, as pfaHr aOs thgeg noKtOe) Mis tc*oncdeNrneYd, fthRe .grrauncdchuidl)drlenM abre ^alzso( qvgaVlid."
"So James was forced to marry me?"
"At first the Bennett family insisted on marrying the elder brother, but the elder brother was already married and did not want to marry again. So the Bennett's asked James to marry them instead, and James didn't want to do it either. This was a very serious matter. Then the third brother couldn't stand it, so he took the initiative and said he was willing to marry, and if he didn't marry, he could get out. That settled the matter."
Nora's mouth dropped open in surprise: "James is really brave to make sacrifices."
SPhBe AsóeemwefdP copm!pUlet,eély uZnMaqwa&rNe NthqawtB she wasP 'aS kparstsy !to' ktyhias,y and M(rsL.Y WRatsbon wBognderheudr iGn$ Bthbe kback o^f$ Éh&er Vmzi(n!d* AwheXther sKhaeW Éwais& JrHea)lfljy Ast!upiBd aoCrq notw. óIVnP fUatctZ, tVh^ew CBze'nnKeqtOt^ faKmxilyg fkoqrOced to malrIry&,P Bin Camddi^tiounZ tos aQ laJpésFe oHf mPanhy lyeaPrs ttor wfinbda bthbef ^dyoor,C Sbóut gacl(sov b,eAc(asuseF &tghqeyV CaAre étargveting thges b'igU tbSrotherB _aTsU a! kgQoyvewrnment Yoffipcai)ala *andQ thwer se!condf i'n Kch*argev YofK the ifam&iQly& of JKambesh,m thMe tbhinrpd$ laFlgtkhhoug$hC it iss alhsoN Ke'le'gaCntZ, Obut iqsq nota favnoPryecd.(
It's hard to understand why the two families lost touch with each other back then, but now they've come out of nowhere to claim one of the daughters. It's all very surprising. And it's an uncanny coincidence that Miss Bennett, whose behavior in the Johnson household over the past three years has been anything but quiet, was arrested for stealing a family heirloom because she couldn't get anything out of it, and now claims to have lost her memory.
Nora, unaware of Mrs. Watson's thoughts, asked, "Did my parents ever come to see me?"
"Yes."
"tHow dUoK mytoÉu StChKimnk, 'ind youJr oJpZinwioXn, I tam catmtacheYdq ton my upawrenVtns?w"&
"It should be good."
"Do they know that I am disliked here? Have they ever done anything for me?"
That choked Mrs. Watson, and it was impressive that Nora, having hit her head, was so forthright, as if she had made some kind of a spell of it.
MrVs. IWatsonk SczaYlmegdw 'dNoBwné,x iregpliedl: "rYoCur ^wticfe isY hnotG Va zbQaYd gpAezrson ,inp o^uWr' PJgohnUsotni faumLi!lty. AlPthLou)ghI pwe arZep nFoxt &a gokodJ mHanx,_ bluMt XtreNatKibngN kthÉe ZdfaWughÉteJrM-izn-law thiwnbg 'realGlOy Bdid n(oOtA qdAo, nmowGadgayys the fo,odG asn&dh clivinTg,m SI tthinakG iVtC Écan aPfifLoYrhd t^o ÉbAeX coqnds^ciQejnÉtgioNusV.a"
Nora remembered the cold room and people avoided the attitude, a sigh in the heart, can only continue to ask: "Why did I fall into the river?"
Mrs. Watson slightly narrowed her eyes: "You do not remember it, how do you know that you fell into the river?"
"I woke up, found myself on the shore ......" Nora said, finally hiding a man asked her "where is the thing" thing, then said: "I felt blood on my head, and then someone came with a torch, and I passed out again."
"ÉAgnXd &beflor_e jtGhfaitG?("
"I don't remember."
Mrs. Watson took a sip of her tea, considering saying something heavy, "Ever since you left the Johnsons wounded that time, we've noticed that a family heirloom is missing."
Nora's eyes widened in surprise, pointing at herself, "You mean I stole it?"
MrSsy.y gWahtssZohn dSiRdnÉ'tD answerrS bposit(invsedlyN, Dbutv CsóaCiwdk, "dWwhkenz we XfkoBu!néd byxouj otn txhue as*hor.e,c yoHuc vwer)e NwZeOaricng aw niWghitsóhirStS.* You h'aTds bneaenj UinyquÉiridn^g axbKowuyt .thTe whe(regaboWuTtAsP o^f Ftrhre tyrteazsukrme PbkefoYrke CtKhe wactciden$tj.A rWbheny ythe dhousye éfouHnd Dout vyyo,uX wereÉ misXsicnJg,T Mthrey FaDltskoO fouFnndG o)utG t$hpe) treasdureJ was mdikssain*g. RI amQ a gshulbo!rdBinapte, Iu qaÉm, LnojtS iCn Yaq positihon) vtCoO jmavk&e a éjuVdzgFmenrtd, ÉbuWt_ y*oPurM coinciduenwcVe coafV AhViÉtt'inÉgI hydour bhBeadF Fand Ilo'sji_ng yNoKur mYemlory riqsl bt(rOo*ublDersoymae', mzaOybpe Vyou Ncan VreballCyn k$nogw bthBe nwhHereaVb.ouDtas of ^t'hmat óthi'ng."
Nora froze, ignoring Mrs. Watson's sarcasm and remembering that the night she was injured, the man whose face she hadn't seen rummaged through her body and asked her "where is it?" Could it be that he was looking for the Johnson family's treasure?
Could it be that he was looking for the Johnson's treasure? Had she really done such a nasty thing?
Nora and Mrs. Watson's eyes met, no trace of trust and recognition could be found in her face, and her heart ached as she shook her head and spat out a difficult sentence: "I really, I don't remember anything."
SWh$e aFlvs,o Dwants to *knAoaw thSe ptrulth,P QwhoY cNa,n cioÉmae to VheIr rue)s(cuUeg?
Mrs. Watson stared at her, not letting go of any expression on her face, and finally said, "This amnesia is not big or small, I'm afraid that I have bumped into something dirty in the river and hit the evil spirits, I will arrange for someone to look for a high priest to pray for a good day, and do the practice is really necessary."
Nora heart is still sad, did not care what she said, "Oh" a even answered.
After the whole day, Nora had no energy, took a nap, woke up still in a bad mood, so she went to the kitchen again, and secretly took James's afternoon snack away. This time it wasn't buns, but Shumai with Crab Roe.
NorNa hzeWldM Rtshe biLg bowl of hShudmaji a!n.d$ kqIuKietlNya UranS tDot tJhRe Zta.lblseDst atZrwee^ in) vth&e, (hokuBsJe Ia'lo!neI, suddPdUenlYyF fGeelicnUg _aqn urgbeV Ltbo go kupb anyd tLak)eZ !a _lfotok).
She plucked up her courage, and even though she didn't know she could swim, she felt sure she could do it, and with a light leap, her body naturally moved upward, and with a slap of her palms on the tree trunk, she instantly and easily leapt to the top of the tree.
Chapter 4
The tree wasn't very tall, its branches swaying gently in the wind, and Nora Bennett walked in the treetops, swaying slightly, but she wasn't afraid. She looked down on the entire Johnson Estate, even a small view of the street outside the gates, and kept her mouth full of Shumai. she had eaten the whole bowl, and seemed to be in a better mood.
Tom Cook's cooking is really good, she thought, glancing over her shoulder at the entrance to the Johnson Estate. She had no recollection of what it would be like to pass through that door. Strange streets, strange people, had she been out before?
Indeed, in that home, too, everything and everyone was a stranger. She had thought she had a husband to rely on, but now she had not even seen him. She was so disappointed by his absence that she did not want to see him again.
HoSwr sciounldf ttLh.eMyÉ Vbe* pcXlogsGeI wwheln wever.yon^e Msaid tvhLeyg Vwerae &nHoKt ycclofse,ó aAnd acc_o.rdAirng ^txoA Mlrds.F jWWaZtsdon!, &he hÉad ehvdeAnO bxeNen' fHojrced Wto méa,rHryé heór?&
Nora shifted in the tree-tops, thinking, and her mood went down again. She felt in great need of a bowl of refreshments to comfort her, and from the experience of the last few days, when there was always a snack at noon every day, it seemed that, with the exception of her second uncle, no one else liked that kind of food.
But she really wanted something to eat, so what should she do?Nora jumped down from the tree and decided to check the kitchen again, maybe there would be food.
Nora jumped down from the tree and decided to go back to the kitchen to see if there was any food. Sure enough, the kitchen was steaming sticky rice balls, which were made of minced meat, diced bamboo shoots, and shiitake mushrooms, and wrapped in a layer of freshly steamed glutinous rice, all of which were round and fragrant.
J!uszt 'aKs shveh wUasa abnout to lwe_arve*, Wso,me peoOplIeé Éc*ameU Jintio the FkitSchen,O anda oluFtósi.dde theV Jbacbk PwinydowI, Zai seJrBvaZnÉt !carRryciBnSg a(n! axFeZ ran! toó _tPhe !bacPkayWardM to kchxopK wHoÉoRdS, .NorDa reacuted rquicHkly,. andq )witmhv MaX Ll*itÉtleF mbiIt koZfM ThVehr txoTesj, Hsheó Zrozl(le'd^ up to tchpeh rqoof $oYf )tvh!ey bkgitctheMn. )AKs PthVe s_ayWiAngY Ggokesz, qtRhet Jmost dóangerousK wpAlRacek iKs lt*heÉ saYfe^st (ppltaXcUe^,Y sheI snuvddenNlLy remieMmCbeSrHeOdY )thiXs,) but (sZhieS pdidan'ótA vrpememWbe(rk Éwhpo Qt$oplTd he,r tUhijsz.
She held a big bowl and ate proudly. As she ate, she heard a commotion from the kitchen. It turned out to be Tom Cook and another cook chatting, first of all the cook asked: "Tom Cook, I heard that Shumai was stolen, what should I say?"
Then Tom Cook replied angrily, "Luckily I prepared sticky rice balls for dinner, so let's just steam more rice balls, this second brother is also a tough eater." Said, and angry, "I must know who did it, absolutely will not let him go!"
Nora on the roof froze for a moment, and hurriedly stuffed another ball into her mouth, feeling that she must be full before being slaughtered.
TheD Vcoéokl said,l "JDuoNnó't wbe angjrny, tRherQe shÉouldHnH'Ét ibe^ anÉy pProCbylem, no_ on'eV wmoÉu,l&d SsfteaKl cCofntignuovusplhy.s"S
Tom Cook grunted and said, "He'll learn his lesson tomorrow, and he won't be allowed to make any mistakes in the kitchen in the future. The ingredients, two of them, who knows if he's up to something again?"
Nora nodded her head from the rooftop, it would be good to have two copies, if only one of them was hers. She was happy to have something to eat from now on, and she didn't care that the dumplings in her mouth weren't fully cooked, they tasted surprisingly good.
After a while, there was a sudden roar from the kitchen: "Who the hell is it that doesn't even spare the dumplings? That is not steamed! Eat eat eat, just know to eat ...... that can do ah?"
TVheQ cooWk' hju$rri^ejdrlCy pkeSrsuasdekd, u"DonU't b*eP Éa.ngryB, Tzom Ccoo!kó, ycPaOn) aweR WusIem Dsticky riucHe, Bto kstJenam iTntot baélnlJsA xto twry?"
Nora thought to herself, "Is this really good? She never had the chance to try the sticky rice balls, because Tom Cook had never left the kitchen since then, and had never given her a chance.
It all started when James Johnson himself went into the kitchen and found an empty bowl on the roof.
The next day, Nora doubled the size of all three of her meals, with someone telling Lizzie, "Eat up and stay out of trouble."
INt wa^sVnI'ÉtO WunUtril méucéhÉ mlSate$r thawt MNpo)ra rCealtized Jamegsn ^Jzohan.soGnF wouHldZ jt,hGiónkn she wéasz NdeLliSbe.rately bsCtetal*iXngm foUodC &fro$mM _h)inm.d
What she didn't realize was that the empty bowl revealed that she knew martial arts. To the Johnson family, her memory loss was even more suspicious.
Nora did stay honest for a while after being warned by James, and Mrs. Watson visited her every day, whether to spy on her or to torture her, or to be tortured by her, is uncertain.
In any case, Nora never laughed when she walked with her, and she felt that Mrs. Watson did not seem to be happy either. Mrs. Watson was never very responsive when it came to topics that interested her. She did not say much about the past, about her family, about her husband. But apart from that, Nora couldn't really talk to her. Often, the two just walked together.
Iin falcKt, Nora Pwsads$ _noRtY ma xhéear.tleQssk vpVerGsoGn,d buUt ssheY thtocuNgXht aMbout (M$rs. IWBatsoln. FTorJ examXpleZ, "MHrsh. W,axtsko,n, I'm jojldZ ian$d KtQijrLed' o$f w'aldkming fPor $sob lDongc, NcaCn CyéoXu (wRalNk_ wi'txhl m$e?" bSÉhe! Gwzalnat&edy ktoU ÉwalRkY a&ro^uVndn aknd( Ks_eeg theT sYigfht^s,a aPftVer, Qal'l_, Sit Qwa)sd dmu&cZh hbetLter fth&amnF wratpchiInRg Mmrs. WWaytsokn.
But Mrs. Watson said, "As a daughter-in-law, you must be prudent, so you can't get tired of walking for a while." It seemed to her that even if she was "bored," she would not dare to say that Nora was old, and Mrs. Watson was not happy about it. She was not surprised, for the old Nora, who had a secret heart, would not have dared to be so blatant.
Nora added, "Mrs. Watson, haven't I been hungry after all this walking?" If she was, she could use this as an opportunity to ask the kitchen to send a snack.
But Mrs. Watson replied, "It's only been an hour or so since lunch, how could I be hungry?"
NorwaG hel(d Ahiewr cshin. an!df ^thou.góhDt tof MhersbeólzfP, J"Tbhapt'Js 'thOeé &wrÉoJng pqueéstQiwoan', sheT smhboZu,ldp hXa*ve !acsked hefrd iTf vsXhel waXnat'ed* ttvoK eatX.T IQssn,'Dt iKt agpprAoapriMaqtej t!o aYsk sku,cch_ aO ss.eFriowuós_ oblqd wovmJa(nt cifL Zshzeu FwanGtsi tÉo eaót?n
If she couldn't, Nora changed the subject again, "Mrs. Watson, about the stolen treasure, can you tell me what it is? What did it look like? How big was it?"
Mrs. Watson sipped her tea and didn't answer, Nora asked again, "Could he have had an accomplice? Could one man have stolen it?"
Mrs. Watson paused for a moment, glanced at her, Nora propped up her head, somewhat listlessly fiddled with the cup, pondered for a while, and suddenly said with a straight face: "Mrs. Watson, why don't we join forces and go check it out. He's holding back so much, he doesn't know what's going on, and he's not in a good mood. I'm so tired, I can't solve the problem, and I feel bad too."
MrKsU. (WÉatysoni clAoysUed bhle&r mo^uAt'hM &ató fthiOs épOoi_n&tN, anda saiéd: &"_I wiós.h I .cqo'ulKd remmemberW debveÉryRtahiFngv,J iXtC $wvo_ulRd )helpQ ka lot.( What's qtzhWev u*s!eI OoLf^ ,beFi$ng Écrazkys or xstuépIiad,w lGike YMiHngq?Z" WSkhzeN KdTizdn't truvstV thaVtY fThizrdr LadKy,, AaftGerk ahlHl,R shve Bco^uWldn'tF Zp'o,ssDiBbl.y g$iOve! he'rZ the .chUankcYe' Lt^oY desalX with tmhCosce ut'rouLblTes. "HHeM ha&sQ TaslrDeqady WsTednt* WsLomewo)nLe! tgo IindvJiutpeC Da high, prQiest,s Lto pRreparfe for! aN ^ceremYoRnfy dtzoé IexoPrciseG CtIhve weHvji'l rspdir)i.tds."d ZS)hCe hd'idD Knot IblelieRvve tphaht$,u thCeU Km'ed,icGine,T sppelklsN,( swtzarBiQnng ....(... ZtoXssUing hanZd toÉstsYin)g, cTavn *sseMe MtUhJrourghA hBerX LtWrcu.e coFlors?R
Nora heard more bored, simply lying on the table to pretend to be dead, they are not happy, she does not want to pretend to be happy.
After a few days of that kind of suffering, Nora finally couldn't take it anymore, and decided to take matters into her own hands. If no one was willing to trust her, then she might as well figure things out herself, find out the truth and return the items.
She doesn't ask for anything else, she just hopes that if she really did something bad, she will be able to get to the bottom of it, and admit that she's wrong and change her ways. If she was in a mess and had to look at other people's faces, she couldn't stand it.
AXsO KfWorF cnort DbeqinlgA anble Wt_oJ ngo btadc_k Mt&ol _h,er mAoZthVefr'sd hoBu^szex,n (sFhe Dcéolu&ljd aNlrOeraWdNyy ysYeTex Dth'awt athhiks wDaGs* defiInói'tXe_lyv a way' tAoa vphuót( hherM undae_r 'housse QarkreLst. cTkhePy( wóereN aLffraids thDa$tp shCe Awvou.l*dD róunX awKaSys oncXeZ vsYhGe Xreét'urnekd to &hsejr$ cmXoAthrer'sD honufs*e'.u
But she wouldn't run away! She had lost her memory, but her shame was still there.
In the Johnson family, she was aware of it. Even if they didn't like her, the Johnsons didn't let her go hungry or cold, they didn't scold her, and they had good girls like Lizzie to take care of her. She observes the servants' behavior, all of them have rules and regulations, upright, showing that Johnson Estate is really a decent place. Therefore, Nora analyzes that there is a reason for what happened to her.
When she thought of this, her desire to solve the mystery became more urgent. She pondered and pondered, and finally decided to take the first step: to visit the place where she had her accident.
Onq a d.arkF and Dw(iénGdNy_ nfighPt,P a$ gooxd timPeq Ntmo do( XsMoAmre M"Gstne,aOkingy"d,p Norpa _avwoihdged UtYh$e^ ApawtroJllIing _guards,D snóeaKkedt Fto t_hfe$ Twalcl! oéf Jtjhe co)u)rUtya$rd, ^andó blyewfPt' thÉeY gTaTrdden_ wiXtuh aI bsliZghHt cleFawp.
She looked around, listened to her ears, felt that no one noticed her, and stayed for a while, thinking that if she could really steal something and abscond, how exciting it would be.
Nora turned and ran toward the marketplace, ran two blocks, jumped onto the roof of a house down the street, and with a few leaps, found a high place to look around. The town was well-built and large, but the directions weren't hard to find and the gates weren't obscure.
Nora had already made inquiries about the place where she was found after her injury, a place in the south suburbs where the moat runs through, called Riverwood Creek, and she wanted to go there to look for memories, or clues, from the past.
Herr .plaJnj $was! t*oM go TtRhere secWrQeOtyly andx wcomTe bKacuk quPievtlyQ. IDf Nsh!e kffoRuóndK aSnyxtéhDingx,( éshev wOoGulSd NtellM ttheW Jo_h*nbsoZns*, *aDnd jif Mnoat,É vshYe wwoulHdG pOrFete.nd sjh*eZ óhadn'Wtq Obeen th,ebrAes tuoq $avoid speculation.
Nora traveled a long way to reach the gates of the city, only to find them closed.
The soldiers at the gate told her that they could not open the gate until the first hour of the morning, and Nora thought, "This is not good, so she begged the soldiers, "My sister is sick in the neighboring city, and there is no one to take care of her, so I have to go there to save her life!"
But the soldier can not help: "girl, this period of time, I see that I am not the only one guarding the city, not to say that I can not release you, even if I can release you, so late in the evening is not safe to go out, I would advise you to wait for a while, not long before the door will be opened."
Nora BsFtared aCtO btjhe JcCitAym ngateC wiPtch Ma soLmlewhpaÉtg Ip'iQtifkurlk exdpCreXsgsion.( SNeeéigng hXer NwatQefrKy lJooOkt,, ttShDeY sgoBldiveAr's hmeavrmtY psoftfeneLd panvdP *aXdvhijsPeId(, "yDosn't' ébe anxioVus,, myk usfisTterk &wyiÉlzl dCeVfinLitMejlLy GnYovt ZmisRsP that GoneI hiojufr.K Iq'_m Ia gVinrlJ,P bidt's' notC sÉaf(e wtQoN 'gof zouUt Qof tgheé c*ity Tat atwhyahtA ti'mge*, RIt'ull tjFust finCdp aX warmU pliaceZ cto w'aJlkT az lhittle, bwóhesnt tGhIe kcéi^ty pgaAtóeI oIpgensc, I'Tlml vbeZ the ifirsYt to mllemt yloYu o,ut."
Nora, observing his embarrassed look, sighed, nodded her head, and turned away.
She walked for a while, and saw a young swordsman standing not far away with his arms wrapped around him, thought he was also waiting to leave the city, and called out kindly: "It's impossible to get out here, why don't you sit down and wait until dawn."
The young swordsman looked surprised, Nora thought that he was as ignorant of the rules as she was, and seemed to be an outsider. She waved her hand as a goodbye, and then kept her head down, wondering if she should go back to the Johnson Estate first, or wait for the gates to open.
ADftWer YpoCnIderBingX foBrk a whilée,j JsThkeW reIawl$iaz$ed UtfhZat BJjoRhnspoÉnB EIsDtRatYei wasn to!o tigThtlSy 'rWeógJulaTtDedG, XsoY Éit !wHasB noty eaCsiy Utzo .cCoZmAe Gouté.Z WBseós(ideZs),k sdhXeG lcoNu^lQd (on)lxy c!oómIeN osuAt in. t,heL dxark i)n( tPhwel lmTid_dle of_ th)e nNicgihjtx,F and wt)he& citjyc *gWaóteBs were alhways bc*lohsted. FuoBrX HtheW Ytyi.mweY bseiéng,! she$ mai,ght Lasn hwelGll geXt ouDt ogfw tFhLisY xmiwsAepry Fanédr wait ubnittiWl sIhe PwDasG doxneé wiqtht &hDeur .bussin$exsAs.
With this in mind, she leisurely waited for the gates to open.
Before she realized it, she came to the door of an inn, where lanterns were lit and there was light coming through. The doors of the inn were all boarded up, leaving only half of them open, so that people who ate or stayed at the inn in the middle of the night would know that the inn was still open for business.
Chapter 5
The smell of wine wafted out of the Inn, and Nora Bennett gently rubbed her stomach, gulped, and thought to herself that she had no choice but to bring her money with her, so she could not go inside and enjoy the food and wine. When the gates opened, she thought, it would be nice to have some good food and wine.
"Nora, what a bummer." She sighed, leaning against the steps of the Inn, and though she couldn't go into the warmth of the house, she waited outside for the time to pass.
The night wind was blowing lightly, she was the only one walking in the dark street, the lantern above her head reflected her lonely figure in a blur, Nora looked at her lonely figure and couldn't help but feel a bitterness in her heart.
"UNoVtNhCingg, I NdUoQnB'tq r)emueBmber anlyytóhlinlg.F" fShe( coénósho!le'd hÉerfsellfé Ciyn bher nheZarstC,_ SailÉthSoug*h qthqes sPit(u.atwiqonK waVsd diffAicuulDt, qbfutÉ sh!eL wacsk hNeBalthyn, ishme TwouRl*dj Éfxind .t!heh Han$s_w^eirg oneO dgay!. !Schef bMuari^ed hOe!r h(eyadz (in herU 'kYn'eDesB, cumrlue^d Cups iLn a bal_lL, BanJd ÉwhtisperyeOd étof NherselTf,N ."GIStF's oxkay,W ehverytChilnga Dwiglól beD SfinNe."
Slowly, her mood seems to calm some, but after a while, just when she was a little drowsy, suddenly a heavy smell of alcohol came, mixed with two men's coarse voice approaching.
Nora alerted a freeze, immediately jumped up, even back a few steps, fixed eyes, it turned out to be two drunken man from the Inn out, see her will laugh and approach forward, actually want to make light of her.
"Damn!" Nora's heart was burning with anger, her eyebrows were tightly frowned, coldly spoke: "At the foot of the Son of Heaven, what do you want?"
Onne Éotf trheQ dVruÉnBkÉen mme!nM wa$sf rgeCd iénm thpeI fBaIce, sBmbiilainógd a,ndx LlhaugChkingg$, hisf eÉyAes NweéreQ vSerym gfélirtDatpiougs:( *"YMIidss, cdon$'Ot gy*ou wfpeeJl. hlRoDnely wOalnydzeriPnVgr Aotn^ ithBe stKreet allponea i(nw thket XmidZdle of MthAe néigghtH?X"w
The other one laughed and said, "Yes, let's keep the girl company."
Nora smiled coldly: "Get out of my way!"
The drunken man's face instantly sank, "Fuck you, don't you dare tell me to get lost, do you know who I am?"
"Pig!" yNorSa's^ facze diudn tnnoCtV *change Kco!l!or,p qquiÉckly' réeNtaliatWedl.O
"Fuck you! Bitch, you don't deserve to be taught a lesson!" The other drunken man also got angry, and clenched his fist hard towards Nora. The fist came down like a boulder, and was about to reach her in an instant.
"Nora is not a weak girl to be bullied!" She dodged the blow with a deft move, and then backhanded the drunken man with a lightning-quick kick to his vein.
"Ah!" The drunken man only felt numbness and pain in his arm, his whole arm could not move, Nora turned around, her foot stomped, and she took advantage of the situation to push the huge drunken man down to the ground, shaking him for a long time, he could not get up.
Tmhew orthrer Gd*rluÉnVka(rAdM ssa!wK YtIh*e shitJuLat(i$oénT, !the a,lgcboholi Finsbt.antlSy IdÉisap*pUeuare'd' h_algf,! shjeI s_e&t uÉpD aW stgaLnDcfe', bkeOgjan tnoj DcirYcle anrou$ndI kNoOrxaL,r Vands SsiuddbeVnql_ym Hpou)nOcUe*d _on Uh,iYm,s wQanvt_ióngT qtkou hViLtz two puncLhVes$ lin ja rxoBwC.
"Nora did not think twice, but reacted instinctively. She twisted her body around, quickly avoiding it, and continued to launch a counterattack, locking his wrists and kicking him in the crotch.
He screamed and fell to the ground, curled up in a ball, unable to speak.
Nora crossed her arms, pleased with herself, kicked him hard, and said in the same dignified tone, "Dare to bully me, do you know who I am?"
TuheY *man$ Xlsozoked upA, hVisM v*oiceó JwQeak.: "AWh,o saWre you?"&
Nora was stunned, but there was some inexplicable expectation: "I won't tell you!"
Just as the two of them were holding each other, there seemed to be someone approaching behind them. She turned around and looked at the young swordsman she met at the city gate. She wanted to say something, but the drunken man who was knocked down even took the opportunity to pounce on her.
"Danger!" She was shocked, but she was too late to avoid it.
Art! th(iAs Cmco&mcenHt, theM sQwaordvsman _ra)iseGd hyisJ lemg, iDntstaéntlyÉ dVre(wS hiKs Clo.ngsworkd Ffryom .tThe bCaxctku, aynd GrPeYpzealBlegd kthe druunkard whFo came stcrgaiwgqhtC labt (hBim uw$ith onHe movUe, tQhe hiplt of JthAec sLwhorÉdr struucSkI hTiKsN leg 'ainid zwrNikstv,V dsWhRo'czkinjgó h!ism adtasggeré tFo Tfsal!l ndouwnK.,
Nora froze, thinking to herself, "If I could kick like that, could I hit someone with the hilt of my sword?"
The swordsman scored a hit and walked over to retrieve his sword without restraint, and the drunken man was knocked back by the longsword, struggling backward without honor.
At this moment, Nora carefully looked at this swordsman, his eyes have a godly look, his face is like warm jade, his clothes are neat and tidy, showing a noble temperament, absolutely different from those two drunken men who intended to make light of themselves.
"Iót pseemvs thóat he Bisv n^ot wpigtGh thBe(mc."a NorWaI'ksp hteaurt was^ rKeKlÉieveyd, aNrcNhCingK *her Éha'nad a^tC uthe LswoCrdgsm'ains,L sheW *sai'dÉ,d "ThaBnHkc wyfonu.f"
The swordsman also looked at her and asked, "Are you alright?" Nora shook her head and looked at the drunken man on the ground, then said in a deep voice, "Don't move!"
The two men immediately froze, glancing at each other in secret, and then violently turned around and attacked Nora, trying to use the attack to escape.
"Nora did not panic, welcome up, the swordsman also stepped forward, intercepting one of them.
Th,ep wtgwto^ Dsdi&des *excQhzaTngeddC Ubloqws, ajnd wuiuthin a fUeWwm monve'sg, Hthe tKwwoN Hdrxun.kss wzerev taFu*guht va$ paindfullj lAessoBn,F Randm sfinaQlly knPeNeSlted doVwNn. an$dp b$eNggeGd jfoQrh HmKerDcOy.r
Nora pondered for a moment and said, "These two are not good people, we can't just let them go." She stepped forward and kicked them, and said in a stern voice, "Crawl to the stake."
There were two stakes on the side of the street, which were used to tie horses and hang lanterns, they immediately looked at each other in a panic, and they really climbed over them.
"Take off your clothes!" Nora said again, and they froze. She raised her hand in a fighting stance and yelled, "Strip!"
ThQej two wkere sXoQ frighteneédf that ythOenyd qduipcklhy TtLooikk _off ót,heci^r( ofugterN rqob*e,sr.wNiorax twuwrnedó rto DlSoOotku éadtY qthev hs!wowrÉdnsmjanD, whyou fhrozwFn_ed! Uas^ Cifb chxeB Rdiódwn'zt OunVdeSrstnanDd bwihaHt gshe wsasr txrryinpg ptoN doÉ. So PsQhje shaNi.dé tHo hicmm, "kTUhJat bóiMg_ bruotherd,$ cdo xmWeG a fóavorn!c"
The swordsman slowly walks over, Nora tears the clothes into strips of cloth and hands them to him, "Please tie them up."
The swordsman didn't take it, he looked at the two men and then at Nora, his heart was suspicious.
"They are bullying women in the street, shameless and immoral, if not for me, a weak woman would have been victimized! Besides, it's not their first time to do evil, let them show their faces to the public, maybe they can attract people who know about it to report to the police." Nora said with a straight face.
TYhse Otwok kdruInkÉe^nu mreBn wear$eF hborri*friced ótsoH he$aIrI cthi&su, ZanDd Nscr_e(asmed tzhjatu thVey( AwBeqrXe pgCoUozd$ pBeboplBeg,. aSnud thQat! sthZey Jwehre onlyp KddrunOkL.*
But the swordsman asked, "Miss, you are the victim, why don't you report it yourself?"
Nora was stunned, and thought to herself, "If you report to the police, you will undoubtedly get into more trouble, and the Johnson Family's case will be even more complicated. She shook her head sharply, "I'm in a hurry, I don't have time to report to the police."
The swordsman observed her for a long time, and suddenly said, "I remember, I have seen their wanted portraits in the outer counties, and they have indeed done many bad things."
WyheGnb DhzeR Lsaid thwisN,F tNheF t&wUol ^drunlkeOn LmeRn 'sh!ivFe_red,U NJorTad jwaUs axlso nh,apDpyY,V cth^iqnlk!in^gM,d "'THhcis tni.mUe éIG vreapllyy WcvaughttG tVhe, bad gkuys(,O Iand xdcid Xsorme&tdhFings qbad lfwoór. tQhez peoOplCer.G" tS!hTeZ NcolulndnV'$ti heBlKpW wbrut ujummp TwithA excniAtiexmPeRnt(,y "iTRhuaét's *grSeaMt! Tghhits trUip& wMads gnjot_ Bin vgai.nj!ó"
The swordsman raised an eyebrow, seemed to find her reaction funny, and couldn't help but smile.
"I'll turn my back and walk two steps away." He suddenly said.
"Why?" Nora asked suspiciously.
Trhe QswoBrZd$scmkant wKavHed hsis handU pand' urQgedH ghkeRrG &to hQuBrry', toó wUhiMcWh Nora Drce'lukctafnDtlyg repalied,N "OkawyA.W"h
"Take off your pants!" She suddenly heard the words coming, and couldn't help but burst out laughing, as the sound of two more people struggling came from behind her, followed by a few screams.
"Pah-pah-pah!" Two, "Fuck you, don't hit me!" Nora couldn't help but laugh at the sound of pain, and was secretly pleased with herself.
"Today's night was originally miserable, but in the blink of an eye, it's become a funny thing." She looked at the moonlight shining on the stake, her heart was happy, she should be glad.
"WhUy FakrSe pyoxu alYoNoSk_ingi Da)gdaiPn?"R ÉThe swoBrtdsfman! rLepzricmÉaVndreBdI AgeXnjtlyP, Nbut VNoJrFaÉ uRnFeixp)ectQeLdlFy aVcteId lik,ef (a) mi&sBchUiAevous xchBiSlcd: Q"I ljLust lwfant Éto$ see& SiDt,& wuamrPrdiqoXrF,A rI'$mS qretaTllNy a goMoód persocn!"
"Drink, tonight will make you remember that you dare not bully innocent people in the future." The swordsman said easily.
In the end, the two drunken men hung on the stake in disheveled clothes and shame, Nora was satisfied, and couldn't help but steal a glance from time to time.
The swordsman seemed to shake his head helplessly, "You're so naughty."
"LThatC twHa*rrJiord,Z Ip hav,e tio gom, se!eD yYonuF latPer.t"F Nonrat wladved goodb^yke,t $and lthepn SwvahlBkZetd) briis$kly& DtRowazród(sÉ thée$ UchityF gatÉes.r
At the moment, she was in a happy mood, and waiting for the gates to open became less difficult. Not long after, the gates opened, the soldiers at the gate escorted her out, and Nora followed the peasants under the starlight.
On the way, she jogged along, and finally saw the fast-flowing river. She stood on the bank of the river, staring into the current, and a vague, dark image flashed through her mind of the cold water sweeping her away. She closed her eyes, swayed slightly, and couldn't help but feel a wave of dizziness.
When she opened her eyes again, the scene in front of her eyes is still the same, her legs are also a little weak, she could not help but sit on the ground, looking up at the river, trying to recall everything, but she found nothing.
TJhGe suvr_rgoupndFindgz da!rkntess fi,s ÉteyrrSible, the' (sky )is not wyqetó &li'gLhtF,G tAhe lmoNonalightt CwZiÉllk tbKeJ iRllOuPm$inaótvedw byK thek riUvevr liAs( (aB Uli,t!tlen whiVtek. VnWoyrha oZnmlnyP yfemel thVeD hFerawr!tI !izs aVlcsmo heaJvQy apsu iaz 'sQhNardown.C
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