novelhk Chapter 270 Redeeming Your Past Self
Chapter 270 Redeeming Your Past Self
Chapter 270 Redeeming the Past Self
Sumeru City, an unnamed slum.
Dolly stuffed a handful of candy into the hand of the little girl whose face was covered in mud, and gently stroked her messy hair.
The girl looked no more than seven or eight years old. The original color of her clothes was no longer visible, and they were covered with patches of various colors.
Although she looked a little dirty and had a flat stomach, her beautiful brown eyes still sparkled.
Perhaps, the name of that light is hope.
The girl hugged the candy in her arms with delight and sweetly thanked the older sister who wasn't much taller than her.
She knew that the purple-haired woman in front of her came often, and her arrival was always accompanied by surprise and hope.
Sometimes she would bring candies that they only dared to peek at as they passed by; other times, she would bring essential daily necessities that they could use to survive.
For these children abandoned in the slums and who have always been ignored, perhaps the hope that she will appear at the entrance of the settlement again constitutes an extremely rare and luxurious moment in a day of arduous struggle for survival.
That's why they have the courage to keep going.
Then, she patted the corner of her clothes, carefully cleaned out a piece of cloth that was still relatively clean, rolled up the candy, and ran towards a low little house in the distance.
As for the candy, it's better to leave it for my younger sister. Maybe if she eats the candy, she won't be in so much pain tonight?
Not far away, people dressed in similarly tattered clothes turned their gaze away in pity, and a woman began to sob softly.
Where there is light, there is darkness. This chaotic corner is another side of the wise city-state of Sumeru.
Not everyone can get what they want from the high tower of the Order of the Church. Even though the Demon Scale Disease is no longer rampant, the trauma it left behind is still deeply imprinted in the veins of Sumeru.
Some people lose everything, some are destitute; ordinary families are almost unable to withstand the disaster of any major illness.
For example, the sisters mentioned earlier were abandoned on a rainy night simply because they were born with a hidden illness.
They ate meals from various families in the slums and barely managed to survive on the meager herbal remedies provided by the Health Home.
But now, the girl's younger sister's condition has worsened, and if nothing unexpected happens, she may not survive more than a month.
The girl didn't cry. She continued living her life as usual, calm and serene. Perhaps she had long anticipated this day.
The day before yesterday, she used her meager income to buy a cake and blew out the birthday candles for her sister right there on her sickbed.
No one knew that she hadn't eaten for three days because of this cake. When the girl saw the candlelight reflected in her sister's eyes, she knew that she had never regretted it in the slightest.
Dolly watched the girl's figure disappear into the distance, her lips pursed, a complex light flickering in her pale golden eyes.
Few people know that Dolly Sangmahabai, the legendary merchant who was famous throughout Mount Sumeru, was just a struggling member of this slum when she was a child.
However, she was slightly better off than the girl in front of her; she had a mother, an older sister, and a father who worked tirelessly away from home.
Most importantly, in times when she was in dire straits and had nowhere to turn, someone had once reached out to her for help.
She still remembers the warmth of those hands, which is why she still occasionally appears here.
Hidden among those candies was a contract and a check, the same style as the one from many years ago.
Perhaps she wasn't so noble, nor was she redeeming that girl; perhaps she was redeeming her past self.
Dolly stood up, glanced silently at the familiar yet unfamiliar place, and quietly turned and left.
As for what choice she makes, she won't interfere; all she can do is give her a reason to keep going.
As long as you live, there is always hope for tomorrow; that's what that guy once taught her.
After leaving Sumeru City, Dolly followed the path slowly toward the villa by the river outside the city.
Although she now has her own palace, the magnificent El Casazale Palace, countless Mora, and has become the greatest merchant, just as she dreamed of as a child.
However, she did not often feel happy, because the sudden separation seven years ago changed everything.
It turns out that even with enough Mora, it's not enough to protect everyone she wants to protect...
So... no matter how much wealth she has, it doesn't mean much anymore, because there's a debt she can never repay in her lifetime.
Liar... You said that night that we would meet the next day... But you broke your promise.
Dolly gently bit her lower lip. She didn't want to cry, stubbornly refusing to show weakness or her longing.
She's the biggest merchant in Sumeru, Lord Sangge Mahabay. If she doesn't come back, she doesn't come back. Anyway, it's not her loss... at least she saves money on paying off debts...
The purple lantern spirit was unusually quiet, simply floating around her and nuzzling against her palm.
But perhaps only the crystal bracelet she has never taken off all these years knows her true feelings.
As the babbling of the stream drew closer, the girl suppressed her turbulent emotions, lowered her head, and pushed open the door to enter the villa.
My older sister can't stay still, so she went on an adventure in Liyue a while ago, and now she's all alone here.
The swing in the garden was covered with vines. Dolly gently brushed away the dead leaves and quietly sat down on it.
The swing swayed gently, making a creaking sound. She took out a yellowed paper contract from her bosom and stood there speechless, stunned.
The signature is still there, the child's immature handwriting and the boy's elegant signature, as if it were just yesterday.
"From now on, this will be your home."
It's funny, isn't it? Her business rivals call her a stingy, unscrupulous businesswoman, but actually, she has always had things and people that she values even more than Mora.
A light drizzle began to fall, and water stains gradually appeared on the paper. It was hard to tell if it was rain or tears…
Thunder rumbled and the rain intensified. She knew that, no matter how reluctant she was, it was time to go home.
For some reason, she suddenly remembered someone she had done business with before, something she wouldn't normally pay much attention to.
Checks, alleyways, and rainy nights... Was that fleeting illusion really, really just an illusion...?
She should have investigated the stranger's background, but... she was afraid, afraid it was him, and afraid it wasn't.
She feared it was all just wishful thinking, a fleeting illusion, yet she also feared discovering the reason why he, so close yet so far, wouldn't acknowledge her.
The more she overthinks, the more fragile her courage becomes, even though she's not like that when making business decisions.
She could be stubborn, but she couldn't lie to herself; she cared about him, and every moment she prayed for a miracle.
Perhaps it's time to face the truth.
If... he really is that liar, she absolutely, positively wants him to know, to make him know...
The girl walked into the room and picked up the investigation intelligence document that had been sitting on the table for a long time and had never been opened.
Thunder rumbled across the sky, and the rain intensified.
……