Chapter 53
Hou Yunfei, a young girl who was scanned by the old man's narrowed eyes, felt a wave of unease. She had no idea what misunderstandings were swirling in her grandfather's mind to elicit such an unpleasant expression.
It was uncommon for her grandfather to act so resolutely in her presence. Typically, she was the one who felt the most at ease around him within the family.
After a moment of awkwardness caused by the shift in her grandfather's mood, his cold countenance suddenly softened and warmed, as if the snow had been gradually melted by the sun's rays.
Sensing that the atmosphere was no longer tense, Hou Yunfei let out a sigh of relief.
Then, the old man uttered something unexpected, something that had never crossed Hou Yunfei's mind.
"Well, what do you say? Is my little granddaughter ready to get married now?" Grandfather playfully inquired.
Hou Yunfei, taken aback by his question, found herself briefly stunned. Images of her being with Ray unexpectedly surfaced in her mind.
Despite often expressing disdain towards him, she felt a certain happiness when interacting with that shameless guy. She even found herself occasionally bestowing favors upon Ray, who possessed a somewhat dubious character.
Initially, she contemplated whether her sentiments towards him were romantic, or if she simply held a stronger affinity for him as a friend. It seemed irrational to develop such attachments to someone so quickly. How could she exchange valuable books and knowledge for a measly wild game and random trinkets?
Furthermore, they had only just met and were not yet familiar with one another.
Despite her hesitations and confusion, she was introspective and discovered the underlying reasons for her behavior.
Within the family, she was the only girl and happened to be the youngest among her siblings and cousins. Consequently, she received extra attention and care from everyone, regardless of blood ties.
Her family treated her like a precious gem.
However, upon encountering Ray, she experienced a distinct sensation. She found herself capable of nurturing and caring for him. Normally, she felt guarded and instructed.
This new emotion was exhilarating and greatly appealed to her.
Only then did she realize that she regarded Ray as a brother, devoid of any romantic sentiments. Although his words were often unreliable, this truth was unwavering.
She now found herself at a loss in how to respond to her grandfather's question.
"No, Grandpa! How could you suggest marrying off your granddaughter at this age? Aren't you afraid of legal consequences and ending up in jail?" Hou Yunfei attempted to playfully object in front of her grandfather.
Upon hearing her response, the burly old man chose not to pursue the matter further. He continued sipping his tea, acknowledging his granddaughter's filial piety with a radiant smile that starkly contrasted his earlier cold demeanor.
…
On the sidewalk, a young man could be seen walking with a troubled expression on his face. That young man was none other than Ray, who had just disembarked from the bus.
Lately, Ray had been plagued by recurring nightmares whenever he slept. Although they weren't as intense as the initial one, they still bothered him and left him feeling uneasy. What frustrated him the most was having a particularly disturbing nightmare earlier that morning, which had left him on edge throughout his classes.
Each time he had a nightmare, Ray felt drained. It wasn't only his body that was affected but also his spirit. It felt as if his very soul had been slowly pulled away, just like in those haunting dreams. At present, he felt a void within his being.
However, despite being aware of his unfavorable condition, Ray insisted on going camping. He wasn't accustomed to deviating from or disregarding the meticulously planned schedule he had crafted for himself. Ray would feel embarrassed if he failed to follow through with his well-organized tasks. He believed that it was better to perform poorly than not to do them at all. After all, he persisted through difficulties, leaving discomfort as a mere memory while success remained a lasting achievement—this was Ray's principle.
Ray continued his walk, moving uneasily towards the outskirts of the city walls. Lost in his thoughts, he unintentionally bumped into a middle-aged man who was struggling with a substantial amount of luggage. As a result of the collision, some of the man's belongings were scattered onto the surrounding streets.
Once Ray regained his composure, he hastily offered assistance to the man, apologizing profusely. "I'm sorry, sir. It was unintentional. I will compensate you for any damages you've incurred..."
Ray spoke rapidly in a panic, feeling remorseful for the accident.
The man didn't say much, but his hands remained active, diligently collecting the fallen items with an expression mirroring Ray's panic.
After some time, they managed to gather all salvageable belongings. Only then could Ray collect his thoughts and offer another apology. "Sir, I apologize once again. I'm not in a good condition," Ray expressed, feeling remorseful for troubling the man.
"Yeah, it's alright, little brother. Just be more careful next time..." the man responded casually.
"Okay, sir. Please let me know the extent of your losses so that I can compensate you."
"Well, it's fine, little brother. Don't worry about it, don't bother," the man replied nonchalantly.
Observing the man's sincere face, Ray couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt. "How can it be like this? This man earns a living for his family and can't afford to bear the loss!"
With that in mind, a debate ensued between the two regarding compensation. Eventually, the man grew impatient and agreed to accept reimbursement, as he was in a hurry to open his ramen shop.
Ray, witnessing this, assisted the man in carrying all of his groceries to a nearby shop. The establishment wasn't overly large or extravagant, but it exuded an air of cleanliness and organization—evidently well-maintained.
Feeling a little hungry, Ray decided to have a meal at the man's ramen shop. Initially, he hadn't thought much of it, but as he devoured a large bowl of greasy ramen, he realized that the man's culinary skills were impressive. The flavors were delightful.
After satisfying his hunger, Ray settled the compensation bill and paid for his bowl of ramen before quietly leaving the premises. To express his gratitude, he left a portion of venison and a heartfelt note for the kind man.
…
In the afternoon, Ray skillfully pitched the tent in no time, finally arriving at the camping spot. He didn't have to cook dinner as he had packed a serving of ramen from his uncle. The thought of the delicious taste of the ramen lingered in Ray's mind, making him consider visiting his uncle's place more often to enjoy a comfortable meal.
Although Ray still felt a lingering discomfort, he noticed a slight improvement and believed he could carry on. Tonight, he decided to refrain from engaging in any strenuous activities and focused solely on his regular training routine, excluding any additional camping activities for the day. Ray aimed to recover and prepare for a relaxed hunting session the following day.
As Ray enjoyed the process of rejuvenating his spirits, a series of peculiar occurrences unfolded in the forest.
"Grrr..."
"Woo grr..."