Marshall came here by bus, but Stella did not even have her ID with her. She could only come by a private car, where each passenger would get off at different places. In that way, the car would have to make a few different stops, which would cause her to arrive slower than taking a direct bus.So, he decided to stay after thinking about that.Arthur did not know what had happened, but he was delighted to have a guest over. He had provided Marshall with a place to stay and also cooked various delicacies for him.Marshall was still worried about Stella, so he did not really enjoy any of the food.He stayed at Arthur's place for two days, yet Stella did not show up. On the third morning, he suddenly woke up from a nightmare.There was always an endless fire in his previous dreams. However, this time, he dreamed of Stella jumping off the bridge with Keegan.He was drenched in cold sweat as he abruptly opened his eyes. He stared at the old ceiling above him. It took him some time to f
The bald man was startled and tried to deny it, "I—I don't know what you're talking about—Ah—"Before he could finish talking, Marshall twisted his wrist, causing a sharp pain that made him cry out."I'm not going to repeat myself!"His tone was icy and emotionless, sending a shiver down the bald man's spine.The bald man was nothing but a swindler and quickly confessed everything after Marshall threatened him.Indeed, a woman came to the wishing well three days ago.She was heavily dressed in casual clothes, but she was exceptionally generous with her money. She had donated several thousand dollars to make a wish. People would usually leave after making a wish, but she knelt in front of the wishing for a long time. It was apparent that she was desperate, making her an easy target to be scammed.So, the bald man initiated a conversation with her, but she kept quiet until he mentioned a stone on the mountaintop called the "Reincarnation Stone". He told her that if she wrote her l
There was a bottle of water beside Stella's feet. It did not seem like she had the intention to end her life.Marshall heaved a sigh of relief upon thinking about that.There was a very steep drop just less than six feet away from Stella, and Marshall dared not to startle her. So, he sat down not far from her and accompanied her in silence.It was past noon. Although the sun shone brightly, it felt chilly at the mountaintop.Stella wore a windbreaker. It did not look very thick, and her exposed earlobes turned bright red from the coldness."Stella..."Marshall called out to her softly.Stella remained still, and Marshall did not know if she had even heard him.Marshall gazed at the distant mountains surrounded by mist and spoke again after some time, "I had a younger brother called Ryan who was two years younger than me. Not only that he was adorable and well-behaved, but he was also incredibly smart too. He could say plenty of simple words before he was even a year old. He alw
"Keegan once told me something, and I'll say the same to you now."He said: 'You can be weak with me around.'"Marshall's voice spoke in the wind, and Stella could feel like she heard Keegan whispering in her ear, "I'm willing to die with you, although I'd always put myself first."What a liar!Stella could not bear the overwhelming pain anymore and broke down crying.Her cries echoed in the wind, in the mountain, and in the cascading river. She wondered if they could reach Keegan and show him how much she missed him.She could not control her emotions any longer, and her heart was filled with resentment and hate."Why did you have to bring the police there?"Why did you have to save me?"She cried as she asked, and Marshall was heartbroken listening to her questions. With a tearful eye, he repeatedly apologized.Stella vented without holding back. Her voice even turned hoarse from the crying.Her cries gradually subsided and eventually stopped. Then, Marshall spoke again, "
Stella was awakened by a dog's barking.She opened her eyes and found herself in a room with mud walls covered in newspaper. The tungsten lightbulb on the ceiling looked old, and the glass wall had black mold all over it. The room was filled with various antique items, and she realized she was covered under a large floral-patterned blanket that was very warm and soft, exuding a faint scent of the sun. Suddenly, Stella felt like she was in a movie where she had time-traveled to the 80s.'Does that mean that Keegan had also time-traveled?' she wondered.However, the smartphone on the table shattered her fantasy. She lay in bed for a while but soon decided to get up.The fever had left her feeling weak and sweaty. After spending a few days in the mountains and sweating all night, her body had an unpleasant smell.She wanted to freshen up but realized there was nothing in the room. So, she adjusted her clothes and went outside.She only noticed that she was sleeping in the master bedr
Stella shot him a glance, "Go back then. I didn't ask you to come anyway."Keegan was taken aback. Then, he scoffed and retorted, "Do you think I wanted to come here? I just didn't want people to gossip!"He just would not express his true feelings, which was probably why Arthur "bullied" him.Marshall could not carry out the task at all, so Arthur had to call over some youngers from next door to help.With swift and precise movements, they soon castrated over a dozen of piglets. Marshall was stunned as he asked in a low voice, "Doesn't this... hurt?"Arthur paused for a moment before saying, "Why don't you ask them?"Marshall was left speechless.As Arthur spoke, he grabbed the fattest piglets and asked Stella excitedly, "Stella, how's this one? Or you can pick which one you like, and I'll butcher it for you later."The piglet squealed and struggled as its hind legs were being held up. Stella reached out to rescue it from Arthur's hand and said in a low voice, "I don't feel li
Stella paused for a moment and then lowered her gaze. She remained silent for a while before saying, "Mr. Moore, Keegan treats you as his best friend, and so do I.""I know." Marshall smiled gently, though his face looked a little pale. "I've never dared to imagine replacing him. I just want you to be happy.""I will," Stella replied softly, "Because I know he'll want me to be happy too."Marshall tightened his grip on his phone and stopped saying anything else.Jorgeville was a peaceful and tranquil town.Some years ago, there were some government projects in Jorgeville that took up quite a bit of land. So, many local residents received a substantial amount of compensation for relocation, making their lives relatively comfortable.However, the town did not have any major industries supporting its economy, and the quality of education was subpar. So, many of the younger generation chose to move out.So, when the two good-looking and graceful youngsters came to visit Arthur, ever
So, Arthur said in a gentle tone, "Would you buy a pack of Doral then?"Marshall had never heard of that cigarette brand, but he agreed anyway, "Sure."He grabbed his jacket, turned to Stella, and asked, "Stella, do you want anything?"Stella shook her head, "No, thank you."Her tone sounded polite but somewhat distant. There was a clear hint of disappointment in Marshall's eyes as he spoke softly, "All right. I'll be back in a minute.""Mhm," Stella responded.After Marshall left, Arthur said to Stella, "Stella, stop working and come sit with me for a while."Stella wiped her hands and walked over, feeling somewhat nervous. Arthur patted the doorstep and said, "Come, sit here."Then, Stella sat down next to Arthur."What happened to that kid from the Kane family? Did you guys get into a fight?"Stella initially thought Arthur would ask her about Albert. But to her surprise, he asked about Keegan instead.After coming down from the mountain, Stella had been trying hard to hi