Chapter 68
Chapter 68
The conference room fell into an awkward silence
Curtis was taken aback for a moment before bursting into a hearty laugh “Don’t mind her folks She just speaks her mind.” he said, trying to lighten the mood.
The other high–ranking military officers exchanged glances, feeling it was more insulting than harmful.
Curtis knew Quinlyn hail a sharp tongue, so he quickly changed the topic. If they’re just arrogant, it’s easier to handle. Pall all our people back, and they might suface.”
But Quinlyn shook her head. “They’re not stupid. If no one’s following them anymore, they’ll just be more cautious”
Everyone listened as she analyzed the criminals‘ mindset with such certainty, giving them an indescribably strange feeling It was almost as if Quinlyn was one of them.
Curtis sensed the change in the atmosphere, a clever gleam in his eyes, and chuckled, “Oh well, it’s pointless to ask you about this. Let the crime investigation team handle it; it’s their expertise.”
The others were speechless and someone muttered inwardly, “She’s been involved this far. Hasn’t she specialized enough already?”
After the meeting, Curtis asked the security guard if there were any kid–friendly meals in the cafeteria for dinner. If not, we can just drive out for food,” he said.
“Curtis, Quinlyn suddenly called out to him, sitting on the chair and looking up with eyes full of innocence and clarity. T can find them.”
Theft of cultural relics was the most common smuggling case in the borderlands. At the very least, she could contact those who had wanted to adopt her before to get some information.
Curtis lowered his gaze, and his sharp eyes softened immediately. He gently placed his large hand on her head and sighed. “I know you’re smart and very capable, but sometimes standing out too much isn’t a good thing.
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“It was my fault before. I’m getting old. I was so happy when I first met you that I got a little carried away.”
Curtis finally realized if he truly cared for Quinlyn, he shouldn’t have pushed her into the limelight before she had the ability to protect herself.
Quinlyn didn’t understand why he sighed and felt a bit disappointed. It wasn’t that she wanted to grab attention, but rather she wanted to show her gratitude. Quinlyn had never experienced kindness from others, and she simply wanted to help where she could.
That night, Curtis personally took Quinlyn back to the Wilson residence. After hearing about the incident at Frostlight Monastery, Elowyn was quite worried and gave Quinlyn several small crystals to soothe her nerves.
“Why are you so daring? What if something unexpected happens?” Elowyn asked, worried. Then she turned to Joseph and said, Joseph, why don’t you go to school tomorrow and ask for a leave for Quinlyn so she doesn’t have to join the camping trip anymore?”
Joseph slightly furrowed his brow, sensing something wasn’t right, so he said, “Mom. Quinlyn has her own ideas.”
Ordinary kids might want to hide under their parents‘ protection to avoid responsibilities, but Joseph knew Quinlyn wasn’t like them; her upbringing probably made her dislike being confined.
However, surprisingly, Quinlyn didn’t object. “Okay, I’ll listen to you, Elowyn,” she said obediently, holdin
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Chapter 68
firmly in her hand, her eyes showing no emotion.
That night, Joseph tossed and turned, unable to sleep, remembering how Stanley had told him to take good care of Quinlyn when he had left the Anderson Manor. Eventually, he got up and went to the room next door.
He wanted to talk to Quinlyn, but after knocking for a while, he realized she wasn’t there. The room was empty, and there was no sign that the bed had been used.
“Quinlyn,” he exclaimed in surprise, instinctively thinking about calling the bodyguards nearby, but then his eye caught. rope dangling by an open window. Moving over, he noticed a climbing hook hanging in mid-
Following the rope, he used all his strength to climb to the mot, and sure enough, Chinlyn was sitting quietly on the roof’s edge.
Joseph was really tired, his muscles aching from the tension, and as he sat down carefully, he said helplessly. “You’re really not afraid of falling halfway, huh? This is the sixth floor. Deep down, he muttered, “What kind of kid in this daring?
Seeing he was scared. Quinlyn tossed the rope tied to her waist over to him, showed him how to secure it to the roof, and then looked up at the sky, saying, “I wanted to see the stars, but I couldn’t from the yard.”
Joseph looked with her but saw only a hazy sky with a few scattered twinkles of light. The city’s too industrialized; the starry sky can’t be as bright as it is in the borderlands.”
His words paused, and he suddenly thought of something. “Are you homesick?” he asked, thinking that would explain her unusual behavior.
Quinlyn shook her head and replied calmly, “I don’t have a home in the borderlands. Instead, many people are like family to me here.
“Claude gave me a villa, Edward treated me like the real Hailey, Curtis taught me everything he knows, and Elowyn cares about me a lot.”
She mentioned the elder people she had met one by one, but her expression was lonely and confused as she continued. “They’re so nice to me yet I have nothing to give back. It seems like only by being obedient can I make them happy.”
But was just being obedient really enough? She didn’t understand.
It was Joseph’s second realization that the child in front of him was a blank slate, and the first was when he realized she couldn’t read.
Quinlyn was certainly strong, but when it came to interacting with others, she was as awkward as looking up words in a dictionary to learn pronunciation. Moreover, she believed in the principle of mutual benefit and couldn’t easily accept kindness from others.
However, if he showed sympathy, she probably wouldn’t like that either. Joseph lowered his eyes and chuckled softly. “You’re really just a kid; only children worry about things like that
Quinlyn replied, puzzled, “But I am indeed a kid.”
Seeing her so serious, Joseph couldn’t help but laugh even more. “Yeah, you’re still a little kid. You should understand that you’re on the side of receiving unconditional love and kindness. Understand now?”
Quinlyn thought he was talking nonsense and just silently watched him.
Joseph moved closer to her and then noticed two small crystals next to her, which surprised him for a moment. He smiled and sighed. “You appreciate my mom’s intention and I believe she’ll be touched and happy.
“But if she knew you went against your heart and skipped the camping trip because of these small crystals, she would feel guilty.”
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Quinlyn pressed her lips together and said. “I won’t let her find out She was confident about that.
“I know you’re amazing Joseph’s gaze softened as he gently pulled her frail shoulders into his embrace In a warm voice, he added. “The wind is strong, and I want to shield you from it. That’s my way of being kindl
“But I understand you don’t like physical contact. So, if you don’t want me to, you can push me away, and I won’t be upset or disappointed.
“Quinlyn, you are who you are, and there’s no need to change. If we must go by your rules, then my mom, Curtis, and I all hope that you can succeed in the future.
“We know you have the capability to make greater contributions to society and this country. That’s the best way to pay us
back.”
Quinlyn felt as if she was back in the bookstore where Josephi picked out picture books with her. They were all stories, but each had a different meaning behind it, and reading them felt different too
He helped her with understanding the readings and shielded her from the cold night wind.
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