Mystery: Gray Walker

Chapter 15 Dinner at the Hayes' House

"What right do you have to touch my things!"

A girl's voice, trembling with tears, pierced the tranquility of No. 27 Embankment Street.

It's Sula.

Green frowned, quickly turned the key, and pushed the door open to enter.

The view from the lobby is immediately apparent.

Sula clutched a faded old rag doll, her eyes red-rimmed, glaring at the person opposite her.

His cousin Emily, meanwhile, leaned leisurely against the opposite door frame, toying with a rather exquisite-looking gold-plated fountain pen in her hand.

That was the birthday gift that the original owner had saved up to give to Sula last year.

"Will you touch your things?"

Emily scoffed, her tone dismissive. "This broken pen is a waste of your time. Your dear brother is probably lying in some sewer right now, never to return. Do you really expect him to teach you to write with this?"

These words turned Sula's face deathly pale. Her lips trembled, but she couldn't utter a sound, and tears streamed down her face uncontrollably.

"I assume,"

A cold voice came from the doorway, "The 'good brother' you're talking about, are you referring to me?"

Emily's smug expression froze instantly. She turned her head sharply and saw Green standing calmly in the doorway.

"......elder brother?"

Sula whispered incredulously, tears streaming down her face.

Emily quickly hid the hand holding the pen behind her back, forcing herself to remain calm:

"When...when did you get back?"

"Just when you were speculating that I died in the sewers."

Green stepped into the foyer, closed the door behind him, glanced at Sura, and finally looked at Emily. "Looks like I'm not too late."

His unremarkable words made Emily instinctively take a half step back.

"What happened?"

Aunt Sylvia, wearing an apron and holding a soup ladle, rushed out of the kitchen. Seeing Green at the door, she paused, then her face lit up with relief. "Green! Thank goodness, you're finally back safe and sound!"

Her gaze immediately fell on the two sisters facing off, and she instantly understood most of it. A look of helplessness and headache appeared on her face:

"Emily! Did you bully Sula again?"

"I didn't!"

Emily immediately retorted, "She's just being stingy! It's just a broken pen..."

"Even a broken pen," Green interrupted her, "is better than you taking someone else's things without permission. It seems you haven't heeded the manners your uncle taught you."

She walked over to Sula, gently patted her sister's trembling shoulder, and then held out her hand to Emily: "It's not your place to decide whether Sula's things are wasted. Here, take the pen."

Emily's face flushed red and then turned pale. Under Green's gaze and her mother's disapproving look, she reluctantly slapped the pen into Green's hand.

"Hmph! What's with the attitude!"

She stomped her foot in anger and embarrassment, glaring at Sula, "Living under someone else's roof..."

"Emily!" Sylvia shouted sharply, stopping her from saying anything more hurtful.

Emily shut her mouth angrily, turned around and rushed up the stairs, stomping loudly on the wooden planks.

"Oh, this child..." Sylvia sighed, looking apologetically at Grin and Sura. "Grin, don't take it to heart. It's good that you're back, it's good that you're back..."

Green gently placed the pen back into Sura's hand and whispered, "Keep it safe."

Aunt Sylvia stepped forward and took the gifts Green brought back. "You bought so much stuff? Why haven't you come home these past few days?"

She scrutinized Green, her eyes filled with inquiry. Her nephew's sudden disappearance for several days, followed by his return with these not-so-cheap foods and gifts, clearly exceeded the scope of his usual commissions.

Green patted Sura's head and gave his aunt a tired smile: "Yeah, I was on a business trip. I took on a commission from a wealthy businessman outside the city, handled some trouble, and the pay was alright."

The lie slipped out.

Sylvia looked at him with a complicated expression.

She may not have completely believed this explanation, but Green's safe return and these tangible gifts temporarily suppressed her doubts.

"It's good that you're alright... Next time something like this happens, at least send a message back through someone."

She took the gift. "Wait a moment, your uncle will be back soon, and then we can have dinner."

Green nodded. Sula wiped away her tears, her earlier grievances and sadness vanishing. She happily took Green's hand and eagerly pulled him upstairs to her room.

"Brother, come quick! I have so much to tell you!"

Green let Sula pull him into the simply furnished, small room.

The moment the door closed, it seemed as if all the noise and distractions were shut out. Sula immediately transformed into a little sparrow, chattering away about everything she had found interesting over the past few days.

Things like the always-sleepy fat cat at the corner bakery, the boy from the next class clumsily trying to imitate a bard but falling down, and her own painting that received praise from the teacher in art class...

Then the conversation turned to school, about which teacher was particularly strict, which friend shared candy with her, and even mentioned that a female classmate wanted Sula to introduce Green to her as a boyfriend.

Green had just taken a sip of water when he picked up his cup and almost spat it out. He really had no idea what those little girls were thinking.

"Brother, let me continue!"

"Of course, I've been listening..."

Green had no choice but to agree, occasionally interjecting with a "Really?" or "And then?" during her pauses, or giving her an encouraging look.

During the days Green was away, Sura was clearly bursting with pent-up emotions. She poured out all the secrets she had been holding back, things she couldn't say freely in front of Emily and her aunt.

The commotion stopped abruptly when the door was rudely knocked on.

Emily's still-sullen voice came from outside the door, "Dinner's ready!"

Sula's interest was interrupted, and she pouted somewhat unhappily, stuck out her tongue in the direction of the door, and made a face.

"Let's go," Green stood up, "Don't keep your uncle and aunt waiting."

The two walked down the stairs one after the other.

Inside the restaurant, Emily was already seated, deliberately turning her head away from them, idly poking at the placemat in front of her with her fork. Aunt Sylvia was still busy moving between the kitchen and the dining room, bringing out steaming soup and toast.

Their uncle, Mr. Victor Hayes, was sitting on an old sofa in the living room, holding up a copy of the Oberhafen Daily News, which blocked most of his view.

Hearing footsteps coming downstairs, he slightly lowered the newspaper, his gaze lingering briefly on Green for a moment, then he raised the newspaper again without saying anything, as if the municipal news on it was far more worthy of attention than his nephew who had just returned home.

This silent neglect exerted an invisible pressure more than Emily's direct provocation. But Green was already used to it; he simply pulled out a chair for Sura without making a sound and sat down next to her.

It wasn't until my aunt placed the last dish on the table, took off her apron, and said softly, "Dinner is ready," that we could finally eat.

Victor neatly folded the newspaper and placed it on a corner of the sofa. Then he got up and sat down in the head seat.

"Thank you for the goddess's blessing," everyone said in unison.

After a brief thank-you speech, dinner began in a slightly somber atmosphere, with only the soft clinking of cutlery against plates.

Sure enough, after only a few bites, Uncle Victor wiped his mouth with a napkin and turned to Green, asking, "I heard you've been away on a business trip these past few days?"

coming.

Green put down his knife and fork, met the scrutinizing gaze, and repeated his prepared remarks:

"Yes, Uncle. I took on a commission from a wealthy merchant outside the city to help him with some inventory and paperwork. Time was tight, and I didn't have time to inform the family."

"Oh? Which wealthy businessman? What kind of business does he do?" Victor's questions followed one after another.

"It's a Mr. Robert who deals in spices, from the south," Green said without batting an eye, giving a common name and type of goods, the details of which were both authentic and difficult to verify immediately.

"The business isn't large, but it seems to have gotten involved with some local bullies. The main thing is to help him clarify his accounts and communicate with the local chamber of commerce."

Sylvia looked at her husband nervously, then at Green, trying to ease the tension:

"Alright, honey, Green just got back, let him eat properly first..."

Victor ignored his wife's words and continued looking at Green: "The pay seems good."

His gaze swept over the bottle of gin on the table, one of the gifts Green had brought back.

"Well, the task is more troublesome than expected, but the employer is quite generous," Green replied briefly.

Emily let out a soft hum, but dared not say anything more because her father was present.

Victor remained silent for a moment, and finally, he seemed to accept the explanation for the time being, or rather, he did not intend to delve into it at the dinner table.

He picked up his knife and fork and said casually, "In the future, if something similar happens, let me know in advance so your aunt won't worry."

"I understand, Uncle."

The topic seemed to have been dropped. Sylvia visibly relaxed and urged everyone to eat more. Emily pouted and focused intently on cutting the steak on her plate.

Sula also became lively again, muttering to herself which dish was the best.

However, Green knew that this did not completely dispel Uncle Victor's doubts. As the head of the customs inspection team, dealing with all sorts of people was his daily routine, and suspicion had long been an instinct of his profession.