I'm on the Ark, and I start out as Gretchen.

Faced with his child's rebuttal, Hua paused to think for a moment before hesitantly speaking.

It wasn't that she didn't want Xiaoshi to pick up Gretchen, but mainly... it wasn't just her own child who was coming back this time. Thinking about what Chen, who had come along, might say after they met, and then thinking about someone's temper... sigh, headache.

"Old fogey, the way you're talking makes me sound like I'm unreliable! It's just a small matter of picking someone up, no need to make such a fuss. I'll go alone, you stay here!"

After saying that, Xiao Shi didn't give Hua any chance to react. She threw the large bag of dolls in her hand into Hua's arms and rushed out.

"Hey, Xiao Shi, you..."

"Sister Hua, please let Sister Xiaoshi come over. It's alright."

Watching Xiao Shi rush out and disappear from sight, Hua instinctively wanted to chase after him. However, before she could take a few steps, a voice suddenly echoed in her mind, successfully stopping her.

Is it alright?

Hua stopped walking and silently communicated with Gretchen in her mind.

'?' Yeah, it's really okay. If Sister Hua comes over, it might actually make your image seem less reliable in Sister Huijie's eyes...?

'Alright then, if anything happens later, Gretchen, remember to help stop them.'

'it is good. '

Since the person involved had said so, Hua had no choice but to give up her past plans and went to find a place to rest, carrying the large bag of dolls in her arms.

---------------

the other side--

"what happened?"

Chen, who had just led Gretsch away from the Guard Bureau building, noticed that she was somewhat distracted and waved his hand in front of her, asking her a question.

Her words also drew the attention of Lin Yuxia, who was walking with the two.

"Nothing... I just suddenly thought of something." Upon hearing this, Gretchen snapped out of her reverie and replied.

Then, as if remembering something, she turned to look at Lin Yuxia beside her and said, "Um, is Sister Yuxia going back?"

"Well, after all, someone has already taken over my job of taking you back, Gretchen." In response to Gretchen's question, Lin Yuxia gave her a gentle smile and said.

"Can I go play with Sister Yuxia from now on?"

"Of course, Gretchen, once you get back to the hotel and your phone, have Chen give you my contact information so you can contact me later." Lin Yuxia paused slightly, then, as if remembering something, added:

"However, I hope that when we meet next time, Gretsch won't be all alone."

"Hmm... I understand???" Upon hearing this, Gretchen gently nodded her little head and agreed.

"Alright, I'll be going now. I'll leave this child in your care from now on. Don't forget what you promised me." After seeing Gretchen agree, Lin Yuxia looked up at her old friend and said.

"Don't worry, I will. See you later."

"Goodbye, Sister Yuxia..."

From this point on, Gretchen said goodbye to all the older sisters she had met that morning, except for Chen.

"Okay, let's go too."

"Ah."

Although Chen said she was leaving, she actually hailed a taxi before she had gone very far from the Guard Bureau.

It wasn't that she didn't want to go shopping with Gretchen, her new sister who made her feel a little awkward; it was mainly because she was worried about Gretchen not wearing shoes.

Putting aside whether the little girl herself would feel bad, Chen, who was walking with her, was already feeling "bad" because of the condemning and accusing looks from passersby.

……

"..."

“Hmm… Sister Huijie, is there anything you want to ask?” Sitting in the taxi, looking at Chen who had been hesitant to speak for a long time, Gretchen took the initiative to speak.

"Um... has she really been doing well these past few years?" After the quiet atmosphere in the carriage was broken, Chen Cai finally spoke after a moment of hesitation.

"Didn't Tarua tell you this in the first letter?" Faced with Chen's question, Gretchen didn't answer directly, but instead asked in a low voice.

"In that letter, she only briefly mentioned that she was doing well, and the rest was mostly about your special qualities, plus asking me to take care of you and such." As she spoke, Chen's originally calm tone couldn't help but carry a hint of resentment.

"???) Huh...?"

This time it was Gretchen's turn to be surprised, although she had guessed that Talulah might mention her in the first letter, which could even be considered a "letter of introduction" to prove her identity.

But she never expected it to be so long! What do you mean by just a brief mention, and the rest is all about her? Is this supposed to be a reminiscing session? Is this supposed to be a reminiscing session? ???

Judging from this letter alone, Chen will be angry, he definitely will...

As Gretchen looked up, she met Chen's eyes, which held a hint of resentment.

"???) Um... Sister Huijie, don't be angry. Besides the previous letter, Tarua gave me a lot more!" As she spoke, Gretchen quickly pulled out a large, square, and somewhat heavy box from a corner out of sight of the driver and stuffed it into the arms of the person next to her.

"These letters should contain the answers to the questions that Sister Huijie just asked... so I won't say more, just see for yourself."

"..."

The moment the heavy box was stuffed into her arms, Chen couldn't help but freeze for a moment. Then she raised her trembling hand and opened the box.

P.S.: I thought of a question. I know that Talulah has a habit of writing letters to her younger sister, but when did she start this habit? Was it after she killed the black snake and escaped, or had she been writing them all along?

Chapter 81 New Gift

When Chen opened the box and saw the thick stack of envelopes neatly arranged inside, he was completely stunned.

While she was lost in thought, Gretchen, who was sitting next to her, shifted her position slightly and then curiously leaned over.

It wasn't just Chen, the person involved, who was curious about what was in Talulah's box; Gretchen was equally curious, especially since she had previously been in charge of it.

After seeing the neatly arranged envelopes, ranging from old to new, inside, even the little girl who already knew they contained letters couldn't help but silently sigh at the weight of this longing.

Indeed, the fact that this longing could not be conveyed in the "original work" is a huge regret...

Just as Gretchen was quietly sighing, Chen suddenly raised his hand and reached out towards the oldest-looking letter in the box.

"and many more……"

The little girl, noticing this, snapped back to reality, grabbed Chen's hand to stop her, and whispered as Chen looked over, "Don't worry, Sister Huijie, these envelopes stained with warm colors won't disappear..."

"Later, find a quiet place and savor this color that carries your longing."

"...I'm sorry, I lost my composure."

Chen was slightly taken aback when his actions were stopped, then silently closed the box and said with his eyes lowered.

“It’s alright, it’s normal at times like this…” Gretchen seemed to remember something, clapped her hands lightly, and continued, “Oh, right, besides these letters, I also prepared a gift for Sister Huijie.”

"I think you'll like it, but in exchange, I'd like you to prepare the same gift for me before I leave Lungmen, is that alright?"

"...?"

"can."

Upon hearing this, Chen was somewhat confused, but after thinking for a moment, she nodded in agreement.

She wanted to see what kind of gift her older sister's new younger sister would bring out that she would like.

As for the return gift, Chen wasn't too worried, because she didn't think she would be unable to afford even a small gift for a child.

"Well, let's do it that way then..." Gretsch said, no longer keeping her in suspense, and quickly and carefully took out a new envelope from her space.

This is a special gift prepared by the little girl, completely separate from Talulah's letter.

"?"

As Chen watched Gretchen pull out another envelope, a question mark slowly appeared above his head. He began to wonder if his sister's side of the family all had some kind of letter-writing fetish.

Otherwise, why would a child sitting next to her write her a letter? Couldn't she just say it directly?

Just as Chen was wondering, Greta smiled and handed her the envelope.

"Is it filled with greeting cards or postcards?"

However, the moment Chen received this "gift," she keenly sensed something was wrong with the texture; the contents were too hard, unlike letter paper...

"Hmm, Sister Huijie, you can open it and take a look now..." Faced with Chen's question, Greta simply blinked her beautiful eyes at her gently, without giving a direct explanation.

"..."

Seeing Gretchen's adorable appearance, Chen didn't say anything more. He simply obediently opened the envelope and poured out the cardboard-like contents.

However, it would have been better if she hadn't looked inside. Once she did, Chen was stunned again. Lying in her hands were photos, two photos...

No matter how many years have passed, no matter how long the two haven't seen each other, Chen recognized Draco in the photo with just one glance...

At this moment, Chen had to admit that the gift prepared by his new sister had indeed captured his heart.

As she stared blankly at the photo in her hand, Greta, who was sitting obediently beside her, began to introduce it in a low voice.

"The first photo, this group photo, is one I took with Tarua and Alina. Alina and Tarua are very good friends..."

"Well, of course, Tarua has many other companions, but for some reason, they weren't brought along for the photo."

"The second photo was taken secretly when I was in Tarua's office. Doesn't she look very serious?"

handsome???)?"

Although Gretchen called it a clandestine photoshoot, it was practically the same as an open one. After all, who would just walk in and start snapping photos like that?

Even the final product of this second photo was chosen by Talulah herself and Alina together.

"Hmm... I really like this gift, thank you. I'll prepare a matching gift for you later..." As she finished speaking, Chen's eyes became somewhat unfocused, and she couldn't help but turn her head away.

If she's not mistaken, just like the two photos she has now, her later "return gift" will probably end up in Talulah's hands too...

"Hmm, is there anything else you want to know, Sister Huijie? If you can, I'll tell you." After hearing Chen's words, Gretchen nodded slightly, and then asked.

"There really are some, um, they're about you, Gretchen..."

---------------

+*【q|group?/?√stroll$you&?∑?!Mio≤8[㈡+)(*^ⅱ∩

the other side--

After parting ways with Gretchen, Lin Yuxia took a car back to her family's candy store.

"You're back so soon? Did you send that little girl back?" Lin Gerui raised an eyebrow and asked when he saw his daughter return so quickly.

"I didn't personally send him back. Some things happened later, and then Chen Huijie took over the child." Upon hearing this, Lin Yuxia gently shook her head and answered truthfully.