Chapter 319 - 319 One hundred seventy-six

Words : 1315 Updated : Oct 5th, 2025

319: One hundred seventy-six. Time and the earth will bury everything. 319: One hundred seventy-six. Time and the earth will bury everything. Dark red hid behind the clouds, and delicate rustling sounds emerged all around. The branches were not swaying, there was no wind; the sounds came from raindrops hitting the wet ground. It had started to rain. Bang— Lu Li opened the umbrella he carried with him and held it above his head, isolating the sound of the rain outside. Some raindrops fell on Anna, but they were blocked by an invisible thin layer, unable to touch her soul. It seemed that the sound brought Anna back from her memories. She put the drawing paper back into the wooden box and placed the box back into the pit. “You can take it with you,” Lu Li’s voice came from behind her. “No, forgetting is what allows me not to be sad anymore.” Anna, with her back to Lu Li, stood up as the piles of earth on either side automatically filled in, covering both the wooden box and the dirty doll that had rolled into the pit. Time and earth would bury everything. “I’m sorry, I wasn’t able to help you,” Anna said, lowering her head, her expression despondent as she moved under Lu Li’s umbrella. This emotion dispersed the chill and silence that had pervaded her earlier. “It’s nothing.” Lu Li didn’t move the umbrella forward in a gentlemanly way to shelter Anna underneath—as there was no need, for the rain wouldn’t wet her anyway. Anna, who spent most of her time with Lu Li, often couldn’t discern his emotions, but just then, she heard something akin to “it’s quite normal” in his words. As if Lu Li had already... “Did you already know?” Anna asked, looking up blankly from the edge of the umbrella. Lu Li lowered his head, gazing into Anna’s clear eyes: “No one buries treasures and dolls together.” Ms. Mary, not far away, looked at the two standing face to face in front of the locust tree, the feeling of relief in her heart made her ignore the cold raindrops falling. It’s good to be young, what a pity Anna had already... Footsteps approached, and Ms. Mary came to her senses, seeing Lu Li and Anna walking towards her. “Aunt Mary, besides the gallery and manor, did mother leave anything else?” Anna suddenly asked as they approached. Ms. Mary, somewhat puzzled, answered, “Annette had not much left. She devoted her life to painting and to you. When you went... when you left, she felt her health deteriorating and decided to hand over the gallery to a guy named Benjamin, and gave me the manor to start an academy, donating all her savings.” Anna felt even more dejected. They had come in vain. What made her feel even worse was that she had wasted Lu Li’s already scarce time. Ms. Mary sensed something and glanced between Lu Li and Anna, “Are you two encountering any problems?” Anna nodded slightly: “We need money.” “How much?” “As much as possible.” Ms. Mary showed a troubled expression. The plans for the academy, as discussed with Anna’s mother, decided it would be entirely free—aside from paint and paper, students wouldn’t spend a shilling. This meant that although Ms. Mary was the head of the academy, she had no other income. “I can only take out 5,000 shillings, maybe it’s not enough but that’s all my savings...” Ms. Mary said regretfully, sad that she couldn’t help the young couple more. “Then thank you for your help,” Lu Li expressed his gratitude to Ms. Mary. Anna didn’t want to end their visit to Himfast just like that, she was thinking about something, she looked up at the building behind the fountain, her former home. “This—” No sooner had Anna begun to speak than she felt Lu Li looking at her, shaking his head gently as if he knew what she was about to say. Anna looked puzzled, “If we sell this manor, we will have enough money.” “It’s not that time yet.” “What time?” “The time to abandon everything.” Anna fell silent. Ms. Mary quietly listened to their conversation, then softly said to Anna, “Would you like to go up and see? Your mother and I have kept your attic the way it was when you left.” Anna showed a hint of reminiscence but still shook her head, “No need, my home is no longer here.” Her response filled Ms. Mary’s heart with sadness, but it was followed by a relieved smile, looking at Anna, “It seems someone has taken good care of my dear friend’s daughter.” Lu Li didn’t show any emotion as if it didn’t concern him. Thinking of something, Ms. Mary asked, “Where are you guys staying later? Are you planning to head back to Belfast overnight?” Anna looked towards Lu Li, and he answered, “We’ll find an inn to stay at.” There was a base for investigators in Himfast, but it wasn’t a place for lodging, especially with Anna in tow. “Why not come to my place?” Ms. Mary offered gently, looking at Anna, “I’d like to talk to you about some things, about your mother...” Anna looked at Lu Li again, seeking his opinion. “Then we’ll impose,” Lu Li said. Anna broke into a relaxed smile, “Thank you, Aunt Mary.” Ms. Mary raised her hand instinctively wanting to touch Anna’s soft black hair but stiffened mid-air as if she remembered something and withdrew it with a gentle smile, “If Anlei knew that you were still, in a way, alive in this world...” Anna’s expression subtly darkened. “Let’s go over now,” Ms. Mary quickly changed the subject, trying to sound casual. Anna asked curiously, “Now? The students are still in class.” “School is about to be dismissed, and there are teachers around, no need to worry,” said Ms. Mary with a smile. “But wait for me for a moment, I need to get some things from my office.” “We’ll wait for you in the carriage,” Anna nodded, seemingly not at all eager to step into her former home. Ms. Mary sighed softly to herself, not showing her emotions, “Alright, I’ll be out shortly.” ... A light rain began to fall on every corner of Himfast. Pedestrians on the streets hastened their pace, as night usually arrived more quickly in rainy weather. On a secluded street, in front of a dark alley, several figures hurrying past suddenly heard a cry for help coming from the alley. They instinctively looked and saw a woman with disheveled hair and a bloody face rush to the edge of light and dark at the mouth of the alley. She screamed desperately for someone to save her, but the next moment, numerous hands reached out from behind her, pulling the struggling woman back into the darkness. Only the sound of cries for help and dragging remained in the alley. The figures paused for a brief moment, glanced at each other, and then, as if by agreement, remained silent, bowed their heads, and quickened their steps to leave the place. They failed to notice that the moment they turned away, the dragging sounds and the woman’s cries abruptly vanished. Just as suddenly, their own figures disappeared. There were no more passersby on this secluded street, and no one witnessed this bizarre incident. Meanwhile, from within the dark alley, the voice of the woman who cried for help echoed low and cold. “Why won’t you save me?” “Why won’t you save me... ” The woman’s voice repeated the whisper, slowly fading away. The alley was left with only the eerie sound of chewing.

Chapter 319 - 319 One hundred seventy-six

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