Seeing Edmund's teary eyes, Rachel felt a strange vibration rise in her heart. However, thinking it was just sympathy, she said, "Sorry, Mr. Hills. I didn't mean to bring up your old wounds. I'm just trying to understand your situation." “No, please don't apologize. It's not your mistake. You're innocent. I'm the one who should apologize. I have involved you in my problems. You must think me a strange and impudent man. Sorry if I acted like a jerk.”Rachel snorted slightly. "I don't know whether it's right to say, but I'm relieved that you're aware about it. I hope you don't do that again. You can treat Sky as if she were your daughter, but please remember, I am not your wife. I look forward to your understanding." Edmund fell silent for a moment. After taking a deep breath, he nodded. “Okay then, since we have made it clear, can we be friends?” "Unfortunately, I need Lucas' permission for that. I don't want him to get jealous and beat you up again. The hospital is too far from her
"Isn't rattan usually used for handicrafts and furniture?" Edmund asked while they were still on the way. Sky nodded vigorously. "Yes! Rattan can be used to make chairs, tables, shelves, and much more because the material is elastic and strong. I heard it's cheaper than wood, lighter, and it grows faster. People should only use rattan to make furniture. Don't cut down any more trees." Edmund smiled at that explanation. “You're very smart, Sky. I got a lot of knowledge from you. But, is it true that rattan can be eaten? You guys are not secretly conspiring to poison me, right?” While Rachel snorted, Sky burst into laughter. “We couldn't possibly poison you, Uncle. You are our special guest and my friend. But if it's true that rattan is poisonous, you're not the only one who will get sick. Mama and I too because we often eat rattan. But you should remember, Uncle. Only ant rattan. Don't try to eat other types.” Edmund nodded. “Do you like eating rattan? How does it taste?" Sky's l
“Mama, Uncle!” Sky returned with a cheerful face. "Look at this! I have made a lot of plans!" She spread her journal next to the cutting board. Edmund glanced at it while raising his eyebrows. “Can you explain what those are?” His voice was a little hoarse with the remaining sadness stuck in his throat. Sky's chin rose to press against her lips. “Is this still hard to understand? I've tried to make it as simple as possible. Mama, do you understand what I'm drawing?" Rachel looked at what Sky was showing her. Seeing images she didn't expect, she froze. “You ... want to do that with Mr. Hills?” "Yes! I want to learn to swim, learn to climb a tree, harvest fruit in the forest, learn how to tie a rope, explore the forest to look for pangolins, mark cool places on the globe, and play with my animal friends." After mentioning one by one the meaning of the pictures she made, Sky smiled sweetly in front of Edmund. "I want to do all this with Uncle Ed." Edmund's eyes suddenly filled wi
Worried that her daughter's thoughts were going too far, Rachel could no longer remain silent. "Honey, you're still small. Why are you already thinking about a partner?” “Because Uncle Ed is perfect, Mama. When else can I meet a man like him?" Edmund chuckled. Pinching Sky's cheek, he said, "One day, there will be a perfect man to be your partner. I am more suitable to be your father than a partner." “Oh, what a shame.” Sky lowered her shoulders. Rachel could only sigh in disbelief. “Honey, why don't you take a shower now? Looks like you're drunk on rattan.” Sky's eyes widened as her mother took her hand. "Rattan isn't intoxicating, Mama. How could I be drunk?" “Mr. Hills, please continue my work. I'll cook it after I finish bathing Sky." Edmund could only smile in amusement. He still couldn't stop thinking about that little girl. Sky really looked like Alice. Back when they were just dating, Alice also mentioned that. "I'm really lucky, Ed. You are perfect. When else can I f
"Yes, can't Mama and Uncle see it?" Sky turned the book 90 degrees clockwise. "Look! Doesn't it look like two waterfalls side by side? This is Chamarel Falls!" Edmund and Rachel could not help but laugh. Their heads shook, amazed by Sky's imagination. "How could you think of such creative ideas, Sky? You're amazing." Edmund rubbed her head. Smiling sweetly, Sky looked back. "That's because I really like Chamarel Falls. It's easy for me to see it." Meanwhile, Rachel secretly held her breath. She was touched by her daughter's interaction with Edmund. He was just a stranger who came from nowhere, but his attitude showed that he knew Sky very well. He knew exactly how to handle her, even better than Lucas. "Then what other letters do you want to memorize?" Edmund's question made Rachel blink. When she turned her head, Sky was tapping her chin with a finger. "What about your wife's name? What letter is her initial?" In an instant, Edmund's cheerfulness faded. Rachel's expression st
"Uncle Ed, are you sad because of what Mama said?" Edmund blinked and straightened his back. He didn't know when Sky opened the door. As he looked around, she already stepped in with a guilty face. “Please don't be sad. Mama also thought the compass was beautiful. It's just that Mama didn't want to say it. Maybe it's because Mama was embarrassed that her compass was not that nice." Sky leaned against the edge of the bed, right next to Edmund. Edmund smiled wryly at the her misunderstanding. "Rachel also has a compass?" Sky nodded. “But it was broken and never used again. Papa said, people nowadays rely on GPS. That compass is old.” While stroking Sky's hair, Edmund whispered, "Do you agree with him?" "In my opinion, it's true that the compass is old, but it doesn't mean we don't need to use it anymore. People who still use a compass are actually cool." The corners of Edmund's lips turned up. "Do you often disagree with Lucas?" “Papa rarely agrees with my opinion, but I realize
"But Uncle, pangolins are usually active at night. During the day like this, they like to sleep in their nests. That's why we have to be more alert. Look for scratch marks or big holes in the ground. That could be their nest." "How do we differentiate their claw marks from those of other animals?" Edmund asked seriously. "I don't know either, Uncle. That's why, every time we find a hole, we have to check it," Sky said as she continued walking. Her head occasionally turned back. Edmund never got tired of responding with a smile. "All this time, I always hope to see pangolins. I am curious what they look like when they feel threatened. Is it true that they look like balls and can roll?" Her voice sounded sweet."Unfortunately, their numbers are getting smaller now. That's why they are protected animals. I'm confused why naughty hunters still target their meat and scales. Pangolins are wild animals. They should live in the wild, not be killed for food or medicine." Sky stamped her foo
"Do you like children?" Rachel asked when she could no longer hold back her curiosity. Edmund glanced for a moment. With a crooked smile, he focused on the camera. "Not really. The children always like me." "I can understand that," Sky interjected with a faint smile. "You're the best person I've ever known. A little above Uncle Green, but please don't tell him. I'm afraid he'll be sad." Edmund's smile widened. He was actually curious about Lucas' position, but he didn't want to be disappointed. So, handing Sky the photo he had just taken, he said, "And you are the best child I have ever known. Please don't tell the other children. It will be troublesome if they all cry later." Sky giggled again. While receiving the photo paper from Edmund, she stood on tiptoe. "Thank you, Uncle Ed. Now, how about we follow the footprints? Maybe, the pangolin isn't that far away. The trail looks still fresh." "Sky," Rachel stroked her shoulder, "The sun is going down. How about we go home now?" S
"Sky, we should have brought that rifle too. Why did we leave it in the tent? The hunter could have taken it," Emily whispered as she shook Sky's hand. Feeling uncomfortable, Louis elbowed his sister in the arm. "Emily, there's nothing to regret. We'd better think of a way to defeat this evil man." "You think you can beat me?" The hunter laughed harshly. "Don't dream!" The hunter raised his rifle again. However, when he was about to aim, a strange sound came from above. Seeing a big orangutan about to jump from a branch, Sky hurriedly pulled the twins to run. She no longer cared about the rifle lying on the ground. She knew very well that angry orangutan was much more dangerous than the hunter. Meanwhile, the hunter was already stunned. He could only scream when the large mammal fell on him. The other hunters who watched did not dare to act. They didn't even move, afraid that the orangutan would think of them as their next target. "Aaargh! You guys .... Don't just sta
The twins fell silent. They didn't know what the right answer was. They didn't want to go back to that cramped confinement, but they also didn't want to be shot. Moreover, the hunter in front of them seemed serious about his threat. "Louis, I don't think we should fight back. He won't hesitate to shoot us. Look, his finger is ready to pull the trigger," Emily whispered anxiously. Louis swallowed hard. He agreed with his sister, but was reluctant to admit it. "Relax, Emily. There must be other ways to survive." He thought hard, forcing his brain to come up with spontaneous ideas. "Sir, how about we negotiate?" he said unexpectedly. The hunter pulled his eyes back from the lookout hole. One of his eyebrows rose. He didn't expect to hear those words. "What kind of negotiation can a little kid like you offer?" "We are not ordinary kids. We are the heirs of the Savior Group, potential great leaders in the future. If you are willing to free us, we will pay you a large amount.
"Papa, what a coincidence, Louis' GPS is with me. I'm looking at the coordinates of our location," Sky blinked stiffly. "That's great, Baby. Can you tell me the coordinates? I will be heading straight there." Sky swallowed hard. Cold sweat beaded on her forehead. "That's the problem. I forgot the numbers I had memorized." Edmund fell silent for a moment. Sky could imagine him sighing in disappointment. "Papa, are you angry? Change." "No, Baby. I'm not angry. I understand that you are too nervous. Try to take a deep breath, calm your mind. You have managed to remember all the numbers and even letters, Darling. Slowly, you will be able to read them." Sky followed Edmund's advice. After closing her eyes for a moment, she looked carefully at the coordinates. "There's a little line sleeping here, Papa." "Okay. That's a negative sign. It means you are south of the equator. Then?" "There's an egg. It's zero, right?" "Yes. You're doing well so far. What's next, D
"Do I see correctly? There is a human child in the middle of the forest?" The man spoke a language that Louis and Emily didn't understand. An annoyed chuckle came from the other man. "Damn! Just adding to our work." "What should we do now?" "What else? We can't possibly let them escape. They can report to other people. Our plan could be ruined. Let's catch them!" The twins blinked at the rifle pointed at them. Emily immediately hid behind Louis' back, while Louis bravely stepped forward and stretched his arms in front of Mimi. "Don't hurt these orangutans! They are rare animals protected by the whole world. They should not be hunted and traded!" Louis exclaimed loudly. Over Louis' shoulder, Emily peeked out. "Yes! Orangutans must be conserved, not hunted. Don't you feel sorry for them? Look! The baby is scared!" Unexpectedly, the two hunters laughed. Not long after that, another person arrived with a frightening aura. His skin color was much paler than his friends. Obvio
"No, Louis." Emily frowned. "We can't leave Mimi here alone. She could die." "But that's what she wants. She wants her child to be safe! She will survive. We just need to save her child quickly. I think we can do it. We are trained children, you remember?" Once again, Emily shook her head firmly. "No, Louis. That's too risky. We can't be selfish and think about our own pleasure. How about we just call the forest house? This is a serious matter." While Louis took a deep breath, Sky knitted her eyebrows. She looked very serious with her lips folded inward. "I think Emily is right. We can't solve this problem alone. We need help from adults. Our parents and the foundation people. We have to report this to them. Mimi needs medical help, while the poachers need to be caught." Louis pondered for a moment. He was actually reluctant to contact his parents. He wanted to be independent. However, Emily and Sky's words made sense. The problem was too big for them. "Okay. I'll call Dad
"Sky, what's that sound?" Emily whispered in a choked voice. "Is that an explosion?" "I think it was the sound of a gun," Louis interrupted before grabbing the smaller girl's arm. "Sky, could it be a poacher?" Sky blinked angrily. "Maybe yes. This area is outside the scope of the foundation. The patrol team only checks it occasionally, when they have time." "Isn't illegal hunting prohibited? Only bad people still kill animals. What do you think they just shot, Sky? Is it an orangutan?" Louis asked with a serious expression. Emily immediately shuddered in horror. "Oh, if the hunters are targeting orangutan, I hope it manages to escape and survive. Orangutans are rare animals. It would be a shame if they became extinct." "And I hope it's not Mimi," Sky continued, stomping her foot. "She always takes her child everywhere. She must have difficulty moving and is vulnerable to attacks." "How about we check it? If it is indeed the work of poachers, we can immediately report this
"Honey, have you seen the kids?" Alice asked as she approached Edmund. "Kids?" Edmund looked away from his laptop. His eyebrows raised. "Aren't they still sleeping? I didn't see them come out of the tent." "I thought so too. But after I checked, they weren't there." Edmund looked around. His eyes and ears sharpened. However, no trace of the children was detected. "Are they playing in the back garden?" Alice shook her head. "I've checked it. They're not there." "Chicken coop? Who knows, Sky took the twins to see the chicks." "Not there too." Edmund snapped his fingers. "The geese coop! They must be playing with Gigi and Gusi." Alice took a deep breath. The lines on her forehead looked clearer. "I've looked everywhere, Ed. They're not anywhere." "Have you searched the house? Who knows, they might be playing hide and seek. They might be hiding somewhere." Edmund got up from the chair, about to check another room. At that moment, Russell ran out of the gue
Louis' brows furrowed at Edmund's question. "Why did you ask that, Sir? Of course I love Sky. She's my friend. She's like a little sister to me." Edmund blinked stiffly. "Is that so? You think of her as a little sister?" Louis nodded firmly. "Yeah, I think Emily is like that too. She used to want a younger sister. When Russell was born, she was sad. Sky's presence helped her to forget that disappointment." Edmund's lips slowly pursed. His hands were shoved into his pockets. "So, you consider my daughter to be your sister?" he muttered. For some reason, a feeling of relief rose in his heart. "Does it mean you will look after her like your little sister?" "Yes, I will take good care of Sky. I won't make her cry." Edmund's eyebrows knitted together. "But earlier, I saw you picking on Emily. Can you be trusted to look after your younger siblings?" Louis' lips suddenly twitched. While scratching his temple, he chuckled. "About that, I actually like teasing Emily. She's a cr
Everyone clapped when Sky and her animal friends finished performing. It wasn't just the Harper kids who were amazed, but their parents too. "Thank you, Sky. This is the sweetest welcome we have ever received," Kara said with a big smile. "Yes, this is an extraordinary welcome. How did you train those animals? Not just cat and dog, you also managed to train two geese." Frank gave Sky thumbs up. The little girl chuckled proudly. "That's because they're not just animals, Sir. They're my friends and they're smart. I think they want to follow my instructions because we get along well." "They're your friends?" Frank raised an eyebrow. The twins immediately scrambled to explain. "There are no other children here, Daddy. Therefore, Sky only plays with her animal friends." "Sky said she always fed them a lot. I think that's why the animals obey her. They like Sky!" Sky jumped enthusiastically. "Louis and Emily are right. Every day, I spend most of my time with my animal friend