Chapter 494 I Used to Be Like Her
Angie and Zeke had to alight a few vehicles before they could finally board a janky bus that headed straight for Silvercreek District’s fishing village.
They’ve spent nearly an entire day traveling, yet they still hadn’t reached the fishing village when the sky turned dark. Exhausted, Angie leaned against the horrifically dusty window. The beautiful afterglow outside shone on her face, making her alluring features even more gorgeous.
Silvercreek District used to be a janky old fishing village that only got prosperous in recent years because of its tourism culture. Now, the locals had become relatively well off. However, where Angie and Zeke were heading was a more remote village.
Zeke mentioned that Walter had been hiding in this village after resigning and had become a fisherman.
Later, the bus pulled over at the Silvercreek District’s bus stop, and a bunch of middle-aged women with pricing signs surrounded Angie right as she got off the bus. Having zero patience to entertain them, Zeke pulled Angie out from the crowd.
“I’ve asked around. All the vehicles that can take us to the village have stopped operating for the day. And I bet we won’t be able to find Walter even if we get a cab and go there now. It’s better that we crash here for the night and head over tomorrow.”
Angie nodded at that, agreeing with his suggestion.
Silvercreek District wasn’t big, so after the two checked-in into a relatively clean hotel and roughly sorted things out, Zeke took Angie to the restaurant below the hotel for dinner.
After the food was served, Zeke dug in immediately while Angie barely had an appetite, distracted by the thoughts in her mind. After a couple of forceful bites, a young girl—looking to be fifteen or sixteen—next to their table caught her attention.
The young girl was dressed in punk fashion from head to toe, and her colorful dreadlocks were exceptionally showy. When Angie looked over, the young girl was sitting with her legs crossed on the restaurant’s bench, chugging a stein of beer without a care for the world.
Sitting across her was a middle-aged man. He looked like a decent guy with his white dress shirt and briefcase next to him. Right then, he said nothing but snatched the stein glass from the girl.
“Piper, I’m not joking with you.”
Piper nodded as she smiled brightly. “Neither am I. I’m going wherever you go.”
“You shouldn’t. I’ll only hold you up.”
“Divorce her then. I’m waiting. Hehe…”
As Piper smiled, she began swaying side to side, and her pair of eyes gleamed from the reflections of the restaurant’s lights. On the other hand, the middle-aged man’s face tensed up because of her words.
“You’ll have to wait a little longer.” His face turned grave as he spoke. Angie watched silently aside, having a nagging feeling that a hint of viciousness inconceivably flashed across the man’s eyes.
However, the young girl, tipsy at this point, suddenly got up and walked to the man. Then, she wrapped her arms around his neck and bawled, “It’s been three months since you last came to me, and you wouldn’t answer my calls either. I thought you didn’t want me anymore. Don’t ever do this to me again!”
The girl’s sobs attracted the surrounding customers’ attention. Even Zeke, who had his head buried in his food the whole time, had put his cutleries down. Mortified, the middle-aged man hurriedly coaxed and dragged the young girl out.
Zeke had a huge mouthful of food in his mouth, and he couldn’t help commenting upon seeing the scene, saying, “Why do so many young girls nowadays like to throw themselves at married, middle-aged men? They sure don’t cherish themselves.” After swallowing the food in his mouth, he thought for a moment and added, “And her dreadlocks don’t look good either, unlike your hair now.”
Angie turned grim upon hearing his words and slammed her hand on the table. Her unforeseen action startled Zeke, and the poor guy choked on his food again, rendering his face scarlet from suffocation.
“Not even food can shut you up, huh?” Angie grumbled and left the restaurant straight, heading back to her room to sleep.
When she was waiting for the elevator to arrive at the lobby, she saw the couple again. The young girl had her arms wrapped around the man’s neck, giving him smooches as she said, “I’ll leave with you tomorrow. We’ll leave tomorrow.”
The man raised his chin, trying to evade the young girl’s kisses, but to no avail. Just then, he noticed Angie, who was approaching their direction, and a hint of embarrassment and contempt flashed across his face evidently.
It took Angie aback, and she stopped a distance away from them. Later, when the elevator arrived, the man helped the young girl inside, and Angie raised her hand, signaling for the couple to head up first.
After waiting for a while more, Zeke showed up, jogging over to her. Suddenly, his words at the restaurant, in addition to the scene of the couple waiting for the elevator a few minutes ago, popped into her mind.
So love like this is ridiculous and even sordid in other people’s eyes, huh?
As the elevator ascended, Zeke, who had been sneakily observing Angie a few times, spoke up gingerly. “I spout bullsh*t very easily after a meal. I’m sorry, please don’t be mad.”
Just then, a ‘ping’ sounded, and the elevator door opened. Angie got out first, and after her mood got a little better, she stood in front of her door, saying plainly, “I used to be like her, so I overreacted a little.”
“Sorry?”
Angie rolled her eyes in response and pointed to her hair. “I’m talking about her dreadlocks.”
——
The following day, Angie and Zeke took a cab first thing in the morning to the fishing village Walter was said to be at. The village was smaller than they imagined, so they managed to enquire about Walter’s house without barely any effort.
An older lady was mending a fishnet under a huge banyan tree at the entrance to the village. Upon hearing their inquiry, she pointed inside the village with her lips, taking her time to say, “Walk straight ahead. Walter lives in the easternmost house. You should consider yourselves lucky. He and his family had left a long time ago and only returned recently.”
As they walked further into the village, Angie’s heart grew heavier. She said nothing the entire walk as an indescribable worry lingered in her heart.
“My husband’s out. What brings both of you here?”
The woman, who was drying a fishnet at the entrance, looked up from beneath her straw hat and sized Angie and Zeke up with wary eyes.
Just when Angie wanted to answer, Zeke beat her to it. “We’ve come to return Mr. Church the money. He had relieved us back in Melrose City. We’ve found jobs and managed to save up a bit of money. So we thought we should return it to him.”
As he explained, he pulled up a stack of cash, so the woman, who had been on guard this whole time, eased up completely. With that, she invited Angie and Zeke into her home.
“The receipt for the loan is with Mr. Church, so we’re wondering when will he be back?”
The woman nodded continuously, expressing that she understood, but the next second, she frowned. “Walter barely tells me anything, and he headed out this morning before the sun even came out. I don’t know why he went out, so I can’t say for sure when he’ll be back.”
“No worries. We’ll wait.”
With that, Angie shot Zeke a hinting gaze, and he rolled up his sleeves immediately. “Mrs. Church, are you going to sun-dry these fishes? This looks heavy. Why don’t I help you out?”
The woman giggled at that, quite pleased with this warm-hearted young man. Meanwhile, Angie snuck into the cubicle aside.
