Chapter 451

The bus jolted along the mountain switchbacks.

They finally arrived in the small town.

The three of them got off and let out a long sigh of relief.

That last stretch of road had been a nightmare.

Hannah Morse bought a drink and gulped it down. "Are we here?"

Sophia Sullivan shook her head. "This is the town. Caleb's family is in the village. We still have a ways to go."

"More driving?!" Hannah's face paled.

Marcus Lawrence spoke up. "There's no bus to the village."

Hannah just started to relax.

He continued. "We can only take an auto rickshaw."

"?"

Ten minutes later, Hannah was jolted off her seat for the third time.

On a sharp turn, she nearly flew out.

"...This is what you call 'a little bumpy'?"

Marcus gripped the handrail tightly, his face ashen. "The GPS says it's not far. Just hang on a little longer."

He hadn't expected the road to be this bad. It was all primitive dirt track.

Hannah noticed his expression. "What's wrong? Are you okay?"

Marcus gritted his teeth. "I'm fine."

Sophia frowned. "Carsick?"

The moment she said it, Marcus lunged for the window.

He vomited with a loud "Whoa!"

Sophia: "..."

Hannah Morse: "..."

Marcus wiped his mouth and pulled his head back in. "I'm really fine!"

Sophia and Hannah: "..." Yeah, right.

Hannah fished a dried plum from her bag and shoved it at him. "It's sour. It'll help."

Marcus tried to refuse.

Hannah forced it into his hand.

"Just eat it. Don't be stubborn."

"I..."

Hannah: "I know, you're fine. No need to keep saying it."

Marcus: "...Thanks."

Hannah turned and winked at Sophia: Too proud for his own good!

Sophia: Is it okay to trash-talk him like that?

Hannah: I'm totally trash-talking him!

Marcus: "..." I'm not blind.

The driver was around fifty, with dark skin and a bright white smile. "You're from out of town, right? The road to Lower Dam Village is terrible. If I wasn't heading that way myself today, no one would dare take you on this stretch!"

"A special trip would cost extra."

Sophia's eyes flickered. "Are you from Lower Dam Village, uncle?"

"Yep. Just heading home and making a bit for gas."

"Are there any families named Watson in the village?"

"Several families named Watson. Which one are you looking for?"

Sophia: "Their son is a top student at MIT..."

"Oh! Walter Watson's place? You're really looking for him?" The driver paused. "Strangers never come to their house."

Sophia: "We're looking for his son."

"Caleb?"

"Yes, do you know him?"

"The first from the village to get into university. I remember him a bit."

Hannah: "We're Caleb's classmates. Can you take us there?"

The driver gave them a strange look for a second, then nodded. "Alright. I'll drop you right at the door since it's on my way."

"Thank you!"

Marcus suddenly spoke. "Why do you call him Walter Watson?"

"His leg is lame. He walks with a limp."

From the conversation, they learned the Watson family was very poor.

His mother had a chronic illness and needed medicine year-round.

His father was the only breadwinner. He'd been injured on a construction site years ago, crippling his leg, and had returned to farm.

His fruit orchard harvests were hit or miss.

But the medical expenses for the sick were relentless, and his son was studying far away in Cambridge and couldn't help.

The three fell silent.

They only knew Caleb was being exploited by Professor Victoria Lowell. They hadn't known his family was this hard up.

The auto rickshaw stopped.

"We're here. The Watson place is right ahead. You can go on by yourselves."

"Okay, thank you." Sophia scanned the code to pay.

Before them stood a dilapidated, old-fashioned farmhouse.

The trio's moods were complex.

On the way, they'd passed other villages full of multi-story, self-built houses, some even like villas.

There were also small Western-style buildings at the entrance to Lower Dam Village.

But the Watson family...

Hannah had only seen houses like this in period dramas.

The cheapest rental building her family owned was better than this.

Sophia stepped forward and knocked.

No answer.

Hannah knocked again.

There was a faint rustling sound inside.

A hoarse voice called out, "Who is it? Sweetie, go see..."

"Okay!"

The sound of a door bolt being drawn.

The door opened a crack.

A little girl in a faded cotton coat stood there. She wasn't very tall, but her eyes were bright, and her features resembled Caleb's.

She was wary and didn't open the door fully. "Who are you looking for?"

Sophia explained gently, "Hello, we're Caleb's classmates from MIT. We're here to see him. Is he home?"

The little girl turned her head and called inside, "Brother! Your classmates are here!"

From the inner room came the sound of a bowl shattering.