novelraw Chapter 280 - 167 Fifth Young Master’s Intentions, Don’t Guess_3
Chapter 280 - 167 Fifth Young Master’s Intentions, Don’t Guess_3
I’ve really made a colossal joke of myself, having spent all this time trying to find Ella Johnson, only to discover she was hiding in my own house. No wonder Atlas Hallow and Charlotte Miller couldn’t find her.
Back then, Hailey Hill always dressed in white, her gaze constantly following him. He thought Vivian Hill was a simple girl, never realizing her mind was so complex.
In truth, Atlas Hallow realized it wasn’t that he hadn’t thought of these things, but rather he had never focused his attention on Hailey Hill.
He never considered what Hailey wanted from him, because Atlas Hallow knew that all he could offer was money.
Before meeting Charlotte Miller, he thought perhaps giving her a child would be enough to atone for his debts in life. This was an extreme expression of his subconscious desire to rid himself of guilt.
Reflecting on this, Atlas Hallow’s palms were slick with cold sweat, thankful that he hadn’t actually done something so absurd, as he’d regret it for life.
Atlas Hallow didn’t thank Flower Snake because their friendship didn’t require such formalities.
After drinking two pots of tea with Flower Snake and chatting for a while, Atlas Hallow rose to leave.
He needed to go somewhere now; Fifth Young Master had been working on this matter for quite some time. Now that there’s been a result, he must provide a conclusion, as the person he wanted Fifth Young Master to search for was hiding in his own house—a bizarre yet true fact.
Flower Snake still didn’t stand to see him off; his legs had been troublesome for years. As Atlas Hallow was nearly out the door, Flower Snake uttered blandly, "Take care..."
With just a nod, Atlas Hallow kept moving, striding out of Flower Snake’s house.
He walked through an alley covered with snow and approached the Foster Family’s estate.
The Foster Family’s courtyard remained the same; while snow fell outside, inside was swept clean.
The plants in the large flower pots still stood green; surely, the housekeeper had devoted a great deal of care to maintain them in this state.
The copper fire bowls in the yard had multiplied since a few days ago; high-quality silver charcoal burned hot, occasionally popping loudly. It seemed a hint of sandalwood had been added to the copper furnace, filling the entire courtyard with a light fragrance.
The yellow and white daffodils bloomed exuberantly. Fifth Young Master sat in the flower hall wearing his fox fur robe, apparently in a joyful mood today.
The housekeeper carried a large sandalwood tray, filled with various Qing Dynasty trinkets, setting them out for Fifth Young Master to choose from.
Fifth Young Master was glancing at the tray of small items; Cecilia Wilson had mentioned recently that she was watching a Qing Dynasty palace drama.
Fifth Young Master always wanted to find a gift for Cecilia Wilson since he deeply appreciated her massages, and Cecilia was indeed an understanding young woman.
When massaging him, she did it with dedication. Sometimes, when bored to death, he wanted to ask her to stay longer and chat. But to his joy, Cecilia would stay even before he asked.
Truly, it was time he gave her a gift.
He had initially prepared precious jewelry, but when it came time to give it, he found it unbearably vulgar. Upon learning that Cecilia liked palace dramas, he had the housekeeper gather many small trinkets—not valuable but meant to be gifts she’d like.
The housekeeper looked at the large sandalwood tray, holding many small items.
There was a Scent Wood Peaceful Token, adorned with two pink tourmalines, a fine wood carving from the mid-Qing period, and also an auspicious Scent Wood token from Emperor’s time. Each carving exhibited skilled craftsmanship, elastic lines, and exceptional design, elegant and uniquely sophisticated—rare treasures, yet in Fifth Young Master’s eyes, mere trinkets, although every piece was indeed quite valuable.
He even found a Scent Gold Seed Longevity Eighteen Bead Bracelet for Fifth Young Master; the red coral and small jadeite alone were worth considerable money, similar to the one in Seattle Museum.
When Fifth Young Master’s gaze fell upon the Longevity Charm, the housekeeper promptly flattered him, "Fifth Young Master, this is a top-notch charm, with coral beads inset to form the longevity character, the beads vibrant red and sleek, the lettering seamlessly inset in red and black. The character’s contours are stitched smoothly, pleasantly turned, refined and lively, with intricate peacock blue silk—no identical piece exists. And these are gold-mounted tortoiseshell nail guards, frequently used in palace dramas, crafted with elaborate materials, making them elite pieces."