Chapter 195 - 194: Returning to Sinclair Village

Chapter 195: Chapter 194: Returning to Sinclair Village

"Rian, are you done?"

A voice echoed beside her. Rian looked up to see Ruby Forrest, Wyatt Winslow, and Noel Sutton standing quietly to the side. A faint smile graced her lips at the sight of them. "I’m done. Let’s go."

The moment she closed the door, the doubts that had plagued her for years vanished into thin air. It was just as Old Man Sinclair used to say: "Live in the present."

Though Noel had a lot on his mind, he refrained from prying. If someone didn’t want to talk, pushing them would only be rude. Looking at Rian, he said, "Let’s go, Rian. We’ve already booked a restaurant."

Ruby nodded enthusiastically beside him. "That’s right, Rian! I’m telling you, the food at this place is absolutely amazing! I wouldn’t lie to you!"

Rian cast her eyes down at Ruby, who was holding up three fingers in a solemn vow, and chuckled softly while shaking her head. "I think I’ll sit this one out. You guys go have fun."

After bidding them farewell, Rian turned and walked away.

As the evening breeze brushed against her face, memories of her childhood echoed in her mind over and over again.

She remembered Old Man Sinclair’s earnest teachings.

She remembered him sitting under the thatched awning out front, brewing tea.

She remembered him smiling, telling her to go have fun with her friends.

And finally, she remembered holding Old Man Sinclair’s urn, her eyes vacant as she buried him next to his favorite tea tree.

Old Man Sinclair had been kind—so kind that it felt unreal.

He was also incredibly sharp, smart enough to see through her schemes from the very beginning.

Young and destitute, Rian had schemed against Julian Sinclair, who was similarly old and entirely alone. The two of them had clung to each other for warmth and survival. He had taught her so much, broadening her horizons and expanding her knowledge drastically from a young age.

In truth, it wasn’t Rian who had saved Julian Sinclair. It was Julian Sinclair who had saved the orphaned Rian, who had been struggling to survive in Sinclair Village with nothing but her younger brother to rely on.

Julian Sinclair was the light of her youth. His arrival had pulled her back from the very edge of the abyss.

The staff at the villa remained silent upon seeing her demeanor. Her mood today was distinctly different.

Rian stood on the balcony of her room, lost in a whirlwind of thoughts. Scenes from her childhood played out in her mind like a film reel, replaying every moment she had spent with Old Man Sinclair.

"Host, Julian Sinclair will live a peaceful and prosperous life in his next incarnation."

The System’s voice chimed in her ear, but Rian didn’t reply.

The System wasn’t just offering empty comfort. Julian Sinclair had accumulated immense merit and virtue in this life, which guaranteed a smooth, stable, and peaceful existence in his next.

The System could understand its Host’s emotions and knew everything about her past experiences, but it had no idea how to comfort her. It didn’t know whether its own appearance in her life had been a sudden anomaly or a destined outcome. However, as they spent more time together, the System realized that even without it, the Host would still have skyrocketed to success.

"Host, another auction is about to be held in The Undercity in Meridia. I suggest you attend."

The System’s voice echoed again, but Rian simply had no desire to think about it anymore. Instead, she booked the earliest available flight back to Basilia.

It was already the early hours of the morning when she landed in Basilia. This time, she hadn’t brought anyone with her, nor had she informed Ash Sinclair of her return.

After contacting the car rental agency she had used before, she drove toward Andale. The journey took over two hours, and upon finally arriving, she casually picked a hotel and checked in for the night.

The next morning, she drove toward Sinclair Village.

As she passed by Starlake Bay, she was reminded of the grand, ambitious promises she had once made to Old Man Sinclair.

"Old Man Sinclair, when your little apprentice grows up, I’m going to buy you a massive villa right here. I’ll plant your favorite tea trees all over the backyard and hire a housekeeper who’s an expert at brewing tea. Whenever you want a cup, the housekeeper will pick the leaves fresh for you."

Back then, the old man had smiled and ruffled her hair, his eyes shining like the stars. "Alright. My little Rian is destined for great things. When the time comes, this old man will get to enjoy a life of luxury."

His words echoed in her ears over and over again. Sitting in the driver’s seat, Rian couldn’t hold back her tears anymore—perhaps the gentle breeze had stung her eyes.

Turning onto a narrow dirt road, the bustling traffic gradually gave way to desolation. Houses were spaced far apart, only appearing after long stretches of road. Sinclair Village was no longer as lively as it used to be; many families had moved away.

The few households that remained were occupied solely by the elderly. Even the livestock had dwindled significantly, though the occasional bark of a stray yellow dog could still be heard, making it feel as if she had traveled back in time.

Returning to the familiar tiled house, she gazed at the structure, perfectly matching it to the home in her memories.

Yet, somehow, it felt different from before.

The weeds in front of the house were growing wild and tall, but the area directly around the tea tree remained completely bare. Watching the surrounding weeds sway gently in the wind, it looked as though they were playing with the old man resting beneath the earth.

Looking at it that way, Old Man Sinclair wasn’t so lonely anymore.

Stepping into the brush, the weeds reached almost to her waist. She walked forward until she found a narrow trail. Since it was walked at least once a year, the overgrowth around it hadn’t grown too tall.

She arrived at a small mound of earth. Paying no mind to the dirty mud or the dew clinging to the weeds, she sat down right there.

Placing the items she had bought in front of Old Man Sinclair’s grave, the scene felt like a glimpse into a long-forgotten past.

She remembered sitting opposite him as he taught a young Rian how to brew tea. He had taught her all sorts of knowledge, always telling her that the outside world was vast and that she absolutely had to go out and see it.

Back then, young Rian had been confined to Sinclair Village; the farthest she had ever been was Andale. So, she had merely laughed it off. How big could the world really be? It was probably just hundreds or thousands of Sinclair Villages patched together.

But eventually, when she left the village and stepped into the outside world, she realized that it truly was massive—so massive that every single person was as insignificant as an ant.

Rian poured herself a cup of tea. "Old Man Sinclair, I’ve come to see you again. Don’t go complaining that your little apprentice is being too noisy like you used to.

"I’ve seen the world you talked about. I know it now. It really is huge, but without you here, it all feels a bit dull.

"Ash has found his calling too. He’s gone into professional gaming.

"I don’t know if you’d think the kid is slacking off and not doing honest work, but I’ve watched him play, and I know how deeply he loves it. So, I let him go. I let him chase his dreams.

"Selena and Sarah are both doing great in their studies. They have their goals set and are preparing to upgrade their degrees, take their entrance exams for their master’s, and eventually go for their doctorates.

"Unlike other parents, you never thought they were bad influences just because they didn’t have the best grades. You never stopped me from befriending them. Because of that, I have two amazing best friends. Thank you for that, Old Man Sinclair.

"Your little apprentice is living a pretty good life right now. I have money, I’ve studied everything I needed to, and I’ve experienced this big world. Along the way, I’ve also made a lot of great friends.

"They’re really wonderful people.

"Old Man Sinclair, you once told me that if I had talent, I should use it to serve my country. Your little apprentice has done exactly that.

"I’ve even been working hard on research. I lost quite a few hairs over it during that time! That’s why I couldn’t come back to see you a while ago. You have to forgive me."