novelraw Chapter 266: Keeping the Appointment
Chapter 266: Keeping the Appointment
"Maya, you’re here!"
A little girl with her hair in a bun and round eyes squeezed shut with a smile approached; she was Rena, the village chief’s granddaughter.
Maya gently hugged her and stroked her hair, "Where’s your grandpa?"
Rena led her by the hand towards the house, "Grandpa is at home, waiting for brother and sister in the living room." She giggled, "Grandma said you’d be coming today, and I almost didn’t believe it. I’m so glad it turned out to be true! It would be great if you and big brother could come and play more often!"
Maya just patted her fluffy hair comfortingly without making any promises. After all, she wouldn’t be staying here long, and failing to keep a promise would be deceiving a child.
Recently, Maya and Miles had been roaming around the village quite a bit, winning over the hearts of many children.
As they entered the house, they saw the other four guests they hadn’t seen in a long time. They didn’t know how long they had been there, but they were sitting next to the village chief, smiling.
Jamie Miller was the first to greet them, "Long time no see, Maya, Miles!"
Maya nodded slightly and responded, "Jamie."
Miles also greeted him.
Kiki Monroe’s gaze unintentionally fell on Maya and Rena’s intertwined hands. She knew Rena was the village chief’s only granddaughter, pampered since childhood. Gaining the village chief’s favor through Rena was a good entry point.
However, Kiki couldn’t believe that she wasn’t the first to act and saw Rena running outside, unable to be stopped by anyone.
Unexpectedly, she went to find Maya and Miles...
The scene that followed made Kiki’s eyelids twitch uncontrollably.
Elaine Sinclair skillfully invited the two to sit and went to pour them water.
"I haven’t seen you two lately. Have you been busy? If you need help, just let me know!"
"Thanks, Elaine," they replied.
Laura Ward pulled Rena into her arms, "You disappeared for a moment and ran off!" She playfully pinched Rena’s nose, "Did you sneak out to play again, you little rascal?"
Rena retorted, "Grandma, I wasn’t playing; I went to pick up Maya and Miles!"
Her small fingers pointed towards Maya and Miles, "If you don’t believe me, ask brother and sister!"
Laura laughed, "Alright, alright, I believe you. You’re a good kid."
"Of course!" Rena said excitedly, "Brother and sister really came over, Grandma, you didn’t deceive me!"
Laura chuckled, "How could I ever trick you?"
"Can I play with brother and sister all day now?" Rena’s clear voice was full of anticipation.
"No way," Laura refused, "Be good, brother and sister have important things to do here, don’t cling to them."
Rena grudgingly agreed.
"I didn’t expect... Maya... do you come here often?" Kiki asked quietly, with a shy smile like the girl-next-door, likable and endearing.
Maya glanced at her with indifference and replied with a nonchalant "Mhm."
"Your place is quite far from here, right? We’ve been chatting with the village chief for a while, talking about the customs and culture. You missed it, which is a pity," Kiki sighed.
Maya gave her a casual side glance, "Because I was preparing gifts, it took a bit longer on the road."
"Gifts?" Kiki frowned, her eyes falling on the large black plastic bag in Miles’ right hand.
What kind of gifts could Maya bring? They were living in a place where even getting a sip of hot water was difficult.
Kiki felt a disdain in her heart but didn’t show it on the outside.
Laura laughed and chided, "Why bring gifts again! We haven’t even finished what you gave us last time. Don’t do it again!"
"With Sister Laura’s cooking so good, of course, we have to find ways to join in for a meal," Maya said, making Laura beam with joy.
She turned to the village chief, "You know, the beef the kids brought last time was so fresh, I’ve never seen such good beef."
The village chief, with a pipe in his mouth, didn’t light it, nodded slowly, his cloudy eyes revealing a subtle smile.
Laura opened the plastic bag and exclaimed, "Wow, so many ingredients, we can have a feast today!"
Kiki peeked through the gap in surprise, her eyes widening with astonishment.
Tuna, foie gras, beef, caviar...
These things shouldn’t possibly be here... How could Maya have gotten hold of such food?
Jessica Young asked the question for her, "How did you get these, Maya?"
"A gift," Maya replied simply, offering no further explanation.
Everyone knew how difficult Maya could be, and seeing her growing impatience, they wisely chose not to ask more.
Jessica chuckled, "Lucky indeed..."
Elaine handed Rena a bag of snacks, comforting her in her arms.
Once everyone was seated, the village chief slowly put down his pipe, "You’ve all been here for quite a while, and I haven’t invited you to stay, which is my oversight."
"The reason for this visit is to chat and strengthen our bond, so everyone feel free."
Kiki took the opportunity to ask, "Village Chief, I was wondering if there are any special stones here? Any with special meanings or that are particularly beautiful?"
Justin Morgan quickly chimed in, "Yes, any stones like that?"
Others turned their gazes to the village chief as well, a common curiosity.
The village chief raised his cup and took a sip, speaking steadily, "Every stone in Stonewell is unique. Perhaps it’s not quite right to say so, but in this world, each stone is special, each with its unique significance."
Remembering Stonewell’s obsession with "stones," Kiki belatedly realized how foolish her question was.
The village chief then started talking about the local customs and the unpredictable weather, advising them to prepare suitable clothing.
Others chimed in, responding with occasional laughter, their approach now quite different from their first visit. Their enthusiasm now carried hints of intentionality.
The village chief noticed but didn’t comment.
He paused for tea after every few sentences, and soon his cup was empty.
Maya, sitting beside the village chief, noticed and got up to refill his cup.
Suddenly, a shadow flashed before her eyes - it was Kiki, quickly snatching the cup.
Laura frowned slightly, looking displeased.
Though the young girl seemed well-behaved, her ambition was too blatant. Snatching something from someone’s hand like that?
Kiki quickly explained, "I... you’ve all walked so far, you should rest. Let me get the water."
Unexpectedly, someone eager to work, but Maya saw through her. Not wanting to engage further, she sat back down leisurely.
Jessica Young stood, trying to replicate the grab from Kiki’s hands.