Chapter 196 - Eight Thousand 2

It was the end of November, cold wind was blowing at night. Harold took a bath with water from the well, which was cold. He washed his clothes and hung them on the rope. Then, he did some push-ups naked and sweated from this exercise. Soon after, his body was getting warm.

The next day, the old man came out and passed without looking around the roasted fish on the stool, which was left by Harold at his door. He took his cloth bag and went down to the farmyard. Harold slept against the wall last night. He opened his eyes immediately when he heard the commotion. He was barely wearing but with his coat. When he saw the old man took the cloth bag out, he changed his clothes in a few minutes, and followed him.

After an hour of farming, the old man came back for some tea and something to eat. After he finished, he continued to work in the field.

Harold didn't eat anything and he was running out of energy. He was a eater but he ate so little yesterday and it gave him stomachache now. Because of the sourness in his stomach, he grabbed sweet potatoes on the ground, took a few bites, and found this very delicious. He ate two of them! Still, the old man didn't bother to look at him and regarded him as an invisible person.

Harold occasionally asked him one question. The old was deaf and could not hear anything being said, so he kept his doing his work.

Just like that, a day was wasted again in the field. The old man ignored him, as always.

Harold's phone was running out of battery. He called Emily and reported the old man's attitude towards him, including that of yesterday and today. He also reported the daily routines of the old man.

"Come back then," Miss Emily said,

Harold agreed. But he roasted a fish and placed it on the stool at the old man's door before he left.

As he drove away, the old man moved the stool and sat outside to look at the moon. He just glanced over the roasted. The fish was left untouched.

**

Emily gave Christy her ID card, and obediently stayed in her room. She read books and painted, until the phone call. It was from Harold the next night. He told her on the phone that all were in vain, he didn't make the old man notice him.

She put down the brush in her hand and stood up.

"It was clear what Trevor had said," she thought. But she didn't want to make use of this kind of relationship.

But, at the end of the day it was the time to use it when she had no choices.

She pictured it right. Stephanie was the granddaughter and Doctor Miracle was her grandfather. Nobody knows why but she lived in retreat in a small village which was known to no one. But she was the super star who was attacked by rumors in this secular world.

Emily took out her phone and looked at the internet. There were hurtful insults all around which seemed unstoppable. She frowned, thought for a moment, and went out with her phone. She walked to Christy room and knocked on her door.

Christy was making preparations for going out these days. The heat was on in her room. She only wore a thin sweater and her curvy body shape showed itself right on. She answered the door and asked, "What's wrong?"

Emily showed her the news on her phone, waited for her to finish reading and asked, "How should we deal with this situation?"

"I thought you are capable of everything," Christy gave her a smile, a friendly one. "Fortunately, you're not like this. Otherwise, you would really be a monster."

"..."

Christy opened her laptop and tapped Stephanie's name on the internet. She was not aware how she did it, but she uncovered many unknown stories that Emily didn't know, that were, all sorts of behind-the-scenes stories about Stephanie being framed. Her ex-boyfriend was also not that simple. Rumors about his unglamorous past were spreading online just like snowflakes flying everywhere. It was being said he used drugs, had inappropriate relationship with fans.

"It's been a month, the PR isn't working? They haven't dealt with this messy stuff online! See those haters online, they are still spitting hurtful remarks. They are reckless just because they are not required to register their true IDs. So, with keyboards on their hands, they spread the hurtful remarks all over the place." Christy filliped through a few pages and the insults were still there.

"Is there any way to help her?" Emily asked.

Christy did not ask her who she was or why she wanted her to help her. She paused for a thought and said, "Absolutely yes. You know, money can make the devil speak."

Emily got what she meant and said to her, "I will pay you and Noah 8,000 yuan per month as your salary."

Christy......

She was stunned for a moment. "We haven't done anything yet. Why do you want to pay us?"

"From now on, you are going to do something." Emily said pointing at her laptop.

"..."

Christy was a little bit suspicious of Emily. She suspected that whether it was her who pretended not capable of solving the problem and asked her for help on purpose.

"You don't have to pay me. Just give me as much as you need." Christy pointed at her computer. It was about Stephanie everything should be handled separately.

Emily nodded, but not sure if she made herself clear.

Anyway, when she came out, there was 8,000 on both Christy and Noah's phones with a receipt message, simultaneously.

Christy looked at the information on her phone and left out a sigh. Even though she knew what exactly she should do, she felt as if she was working for Emily.

Besides ... eight thousand was far from enough!

"Stephanie's problem was solved," Emily thought. She decided to put it aside. Then, she went into the studio and adjusted the color to draw. But she received another phone call from an unfamiliar number.

"Hey, it's me." It came from the other side.

"Who is it?" Emily was stunned for a moment.

"..."

"It is Janessa Diaz," there was a sigh, "Is my voice so unrecognizable?"

"Ah, it's you. What's up?" Emily said suddenly.

"I want you to come out tomorrow night to have some fun, will you?" Janessa asked.

"..."

"Have you ever been to a bar?"

"..."

There was no response from Emily. Janessa thought Emily was frightened. But how could someone like her who can handle big blocks of ice possibly be frightened by this kind of small stuff? Janessa decided to offer a brief explanation,"I will leave within two days. I just want to have fun with you guys one more time."

Emily wasn't frightened at all. She knew they were not that close. She didn't expect she would be invited to a party. The invitation was abrupt and she was confused a bit and didn't know what to do. After hearing the explanation, her worries and hesitations went away instantly and she agreed.

"You're coming to the party."

"Yes."

After hanging up the phone, the memory from that night in the guest house came back to her. A group of people were sitting in the hall, flickering candles reflecting the faces of people at the table. It was complicated and blurry but warm and sweet just like a family.

She took her colored pen immediately into the bucket, and washed it. She mixed the color again. All she was thinking was the guest house this time, the lively group of people, and the smiling faces.

She closed her eyes.. When she opened them, they were shining, brightly.