NovelApptent at the front, selling piping hot breakfast.
Quite a few people frequented his stall, the tables and chairs even spilling over to the front of number 111.
"Boss, one hot milk, please." Arabella approached the stall and noticed that the tables and chairs in front of number 111 were all occupied. She couldn't help but ask, "Boss, doesn't this obstruct the neighbors’ entrance?" "Ah, | can tell you're new here. You're not from this village, are you?" The owner filled a cup with hot milk, giving Arabella a once-over.
There wasn't a girl this pretty in the village.
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇt"I'm here to find a classmate, and it's my first time visiting." Seeing Arabella's candidness, the shop owner didn't hold back.
"Next door is Professor Earwood's place. He and his wife quit their jobs to look for their daughter. They've been gone for a couple of months now." "Their daughter is missing?" "She claimed to have found her birth parents a year ago, planning to settle abroad. After that, she lost contact with them. No matter how many calls or messages Mr. and Mrs. Earwood made, they received no reply." Arabella's eyes deepened.
"Professor Earwood said that their daughter was always obedient and sensible. She wouldn't just leave like that.
Supposedly, she found her birth parents, but those birth parents never showed themselves. Mr. and Mrs.
Earwood felt that something must have happened to her, so they decided to quit their jobs and go to Iridia to find out.” The shop owner handed Arabella a cup of hot milk.
"That'll be a dime." "Iridia is a massive place. Without a detailed address, finding someone is like searching for a needle in a haystack." Arabella paid, striking up a casual conversation.
"I heard she was in some place called ‘Lida’. The name was too long, and I didn't remember it.” The shop owner continued making sandwiches.
"Lidaria." "Yes. You educated folks are so clever. That's the name!" Another customer arrived at the breakfast stand, casually asking, "Has Professor Earwood returned yet?" "Nope, it's been a couple of months. | wonder if they've found Carol. What a terrible situation, to raise a child only for her to leave with her birth parents. It's practically killing Mr. and Mrs. Earwood." "I've always thought Carol wasn't heartless. Do you think she might have been scammed abroad?" Another villager speculated.
"Impossible, she must have found her birth parents. Think about it, Carol's been fluent in different foreign languages since she was little. She must be living well abroad, and | bet they're just not letting her contact anyone here." "Carol has always been quiet, but | always thought she had potential." "Indeed, she had an air about her, unlike anyone from our small village." "Poor Professor Earwood spent most of his life in this town. Now he's off abroad looking for his daughter." The crowd began to discuss amongst themselves.
Arabella found a spot to sit, sipping her hot milk in silence.
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏm"Do you think it could be related to those people who visited our village a while back?" Arabella lifted her gaze to the woman who spoke.
"Who knows, Professor Earwood says we shouldn't blow this out of proportion. Best not to bring it up again." "True, if Carol really found her birth parents and has no plans of returning, bringing it up would just be rubbing salt in Professor Earwood's wounds. Better to drop it." Arabella continued sipping her hot milk. When she noticed the woman who'd spoken earlier leaving after buying her breakfast, she got up and followed her.
The woman was walking home with her breakfast when she heard someone Calling her.
"Excuse me, could you tell me more about those people you mentioned earlier?" Arabella explained sincerely.
"Carol is my senior at school, and she's been very helpful to me in the past. | borrowed some books from her, but | can't get in touch with her.
I'm worried something might have happened." Seeing the genuine concern in Arabella's eyes, the woman didn't think she was a wrong person and decided to share. "That happened a few months ago. One night, a group of people burst into Professor Earwood's house around two or three in the morning. My roof was leaking that night, and the rain was dripping onto my bed. My husband saw them when he went to fix the roof."
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