"That man?" Aria repeated, focusing on the way Frank addressed Landon. "He's not a member of the Carver family?"Frank dared not expose Landon's identity, of course, so he said stiffly, "You could say he's a distant relative. His last name isn't Carver."Chewing on a piece of candy, Aria said with a faint smile, "I thought you'd insist that the old patient wasn't named Carver, Mr. Levin.""That's because I now consider you a friend," Frank said glibly. "Furthermore, you seem like a principled and ethical person, so I have nothing to worry about. You're right. My boss is indeed one of the Carvers of Janovin, the wealthiest family there.""Uh-huh," Aria said, still sucking on her candy.Realizing that she didn't seem to care at all, Frank chuckled and remarked, "I should've known to expect as much from you. You're able to take this news without making a big deal out of it. I was worried about nothing earlier. Do accept my apologies.""It's only right for you to protect your employe
Frank didn't put it to heart and glanced at Aria. "What a funny joke. It's fine as long as you know what you're doing. Let me know if anything happens. Although I'm just a general manager, I can help you pull in some connections."Aria was quite surprised that Frank was a general manager.After all, Frank seemed like an errand runner from his appearance. Well, it appeared that she'd misunderstood.Frank added, "There's something else I need your help with."Aria raised her eyebrows. "Go ahead."Frank looked around before lowering his voice. "Mr. Carver Senior came to Southbury because his granddaughter was abducted here. There were some leads before, but we lost them. Since you'll come across many people in your field of work, can you help me keep an eye out?"Aria was reminded of the job she had turned down.It seemed she was quite fated with the Carver family's daughter."Okay." Aria didn't question further.Frank didn't want to tire her out. "Let me take you home. The road'
It was Georgina's favorite cooking book, filled with recipes for healthy meals. She'd often sit in the reclining chair of the inner courtyard, engrossed in its pages. "This one looks promising," she'd say to Aria. "How about steamed fish with mushroom soup tonight?" Now, the book lay in ruins.A cold fury settled over Aria. She marched toward the inner courtyard.Upon spotting Aria, a young boy dressed as a masseur quickly set down his bucket and gestured toward her.Aria placed her hand on his shoulder. The former's eyes were filled with concern despite her aloof voice. "Sam, calm down. Slowly tell me what happened."Georgina had adopted Sam from the streets out of kindness. Born mute, he had only recently learned to produce some sounds, though he still primarily communicated through sign language.Despite his petite frame and neat appearance, Sam looked around 11 years old. As he gestured to Aria, his eyes conveyed a mix of liveliness and seriousness."You're saying that the
Aria wheeled Georgina forward. "You needn't worry about my studies. You should focus on getting better. Listen to Sam, and stop eating so much sweet food."Georgina mumbled, "How could you not continue your studies? I heard their daughter is at the top of her class.""Isn't that great? She's as smart as you." Aria smiled lightly.Georgina lifted her head. "What are you going to do, then?"Aria removed Georgina's shoes and socks. "I'll earn money. I won't starve myself to death. Sam, get the bucket."Sam mumbled an answer.He exerted considerable effort to lift the bucket, ran to fill it with water, and hurried back.It seemed that he had plenty of energy.Aria was already used to seeing that.Georgina couldn't help but laugh. "He seems to be bursting with energy. Our neighbor bought a pair of stone statues yesterday, but they couldn't unload it. Yet, Sam lifted it effortlessly. It's like he isn't afraid of breaking his hand."Aria raised her eyebrows upon hearing that.Sam p
Sam's features, deemed wicked by some, mirrored the harshness of his abandonment. Forsaken at a tender age by his parents, he never learned the clear lines between right and wrong.Instead of saying that Georgina had adopted him, it was more so that Sam was impressed by Aria and chose to stay at the clinic.Over the course of three years, exposure to the herbs had somewhat softened Sam's appearance, but his nature remained unchanged. Those he targeted continued to suffer. Meanwhile, Aria sat serenely in the courtyard, twirling locust flowers between her fingertips with a tranquil smile.That night, Salome was confined to her bed at home due to shock.Many medical students were gathered downstairs, all of them her apprentices. They were there to express their loyalty in this crucial moment.Among them, Jimmy and Joseph stood out the most. Notably absent was Lily, summoned upstairs by Salome along with Karen upon her awakening.Tears welled in Lily's eyes at the sight of Salome,
Salome seemed to have misunderstood. Her eyes gleamed when she saw the medical book. "Karen, I can always entrust you with anything. With these two items, I can cure Mr. York's illness soon!"Karen was delighted. "Really? When can we meet Mr. York, then? Dr. Gunther, can you bring me along if they have any events? You know that the Yorks only invite families with a long line of doctors. Both my family and the Kents don't have any connections in this area."Salome stopped leading her on now that she got Whisperwind Herb. "Of course, I'll bring all of us there when the time comes. When I cure Mr. York's illness, I'll even introduce you to the Yorks."Karen got even more emotional when she heard that. Immediately, she started to butter up to Salome.Meanwhile, Lily stood aside and didn't say anything. She kept her head lowered, pondering about something.However, Salome didn't care what Lily was planning. It didn't matter if they missed out on an opportunity with the Carvers. Once sh
Aria glanced up in the direction of the voice.Warren had already risen from the sick bed. Despite his old age, his eyes exuded a sense of composure. It was a temperament honed through years of navigating the business world, a quality not possessed by everyone.Though Marshall was also a businessman, he paled in comparison to Warren. Even in his weakened state, Warren's authority was evident in his tone.Besides Warren, the good-looking patient from yesterday was also there.The man was seated by the bed with his legs crossed. Shorn of his formal suit, he still carried an air of elegance. His slender hands, with their pronounced knuckles, rested on his lap as he prepared a chess move for Warren. Upon noticing Aria, he offered her a warm smile, which she returned politely.Then, she set her black bag down and stood before Warren. She had a humble smile on her face. "It's too much to call me your savior. It's my duty as a doctor to cure patients."Warren's hand, reaching for a ches
Warren was taken aback. "I find it hard to believe you would trust someone so readily."Landon casually adjusted his sleeve. "My life is currently in her hands, just like yours. Naturally, I need to proceed with caution."Warren wasn't entirely convinced that he was telling the truth. After all, Landon was difficult to read. Despite his frail appearance, he harbored many hidden intentions.Warren often pondered whether he should call off Landon's engagement with Rainbow. Yet, Landon was undeniably charming and admired by all the women in their circle.At the thought of that, Warren resolved to uphold the engagement. He couldn't bring himself to agree with Landon's suggestion to end it.Warren sneered. "It's not like you're fully recovered. Why did you ask me to call off the engagement?"Landon furrowed his brows. "This is a different matter."However, Warren refused to be reasonable and threw a tantrum. "I disagree. If you want to call it off, wait for Rainbow's return and tell