After she finished, Grandma Dixon leaned in conspiratorially toward Vera Xavier and said, "I’ve heard about that factory in Corvale. It’s a real sweatshop. Never mind the pay; the work is said to be back-breaking. A girl from the west side of town went to work there last year, and when she ca back, she was nothing but skin and bones. She said the managers there are no good, always getting ideas whenever they see a pretty girl."
Vera Xavier gave a small smile. ’So Grandma Dixon already knows about Rona Langdon trying to send to work in Corvale.’
Grandma Dixon added, "Your dad is back now. You don’t have to be afraid of that tigress anymore."
Vera Xavier felt a wave of relief. "Thank you, Grandma Dixon."
"Don’t ntion it." Grandma Dixon smiled. "You’re such a sweet and sensible girl, I’ve really grown fond of you. Oh, right, it looks like you have guests over today. They still haven’t left, so you should hurry on back!"
Vera Xavier wasn’t particularly interested in who the Preston Family’s guests were. All that mattered was that with Zachary Preston back, she could finally return ho.
However, when she pushed open the door and saw Nathaniel Nathan standing in the courtyard, her eyes flew wide. She almost blurted out, ’Why are you here?’
Before she could say a word, she heard Zachary Preston’s cheerful voice. "Vera, you’re back! Have you said hello to Nathan yet?"
’Nathan?’ Vera shuddered at the form of address. She looked up at him, only to see a teasing glint in his eyes as he said, "Hello, little sister Vera."
His tone was as cool and detached as ever, and his expression was impassive, but those words nearly made Vera Xavier keel over in shock.
’Little sister Vera? Oh my god! That na is just mortifying!’
The truth was, she had forgotten that it was popular for young n and won to call each other "brother" and "sister" in this day and age.
Seeing her reaction, Nathaniel Nathan gave a rather uncharitable laugh.
Just then, Zachary Preston walked out of the house with Master Nathan by his side. The mont Vera Xavier saw the old man, she recalled what Nathaniel Nathan had told her yesterday—that he would co to the Preston Family to thank her in person.
At the ti, she hadn’t taken his words seriously, assuming he was just being polite. ’Even if he did co,’ she’d thought, ’he’d surely wait until Master Nathan had recovered a bit more.’ She never expected them to arrive so soon!
Master Nathan gave Vera Xavier a quick wink before his expression turned serious. "Vera, I owe you everything this ti. If it weren’t for you, this old bag of bones would have been done for. From now on, you’re my lifesaver!"
His words made Vera’s head spin. She quickly replied, "Mr. Nathan, you’re being too kind. I just happened to be passing by. I didn’t really do anything."
"The fact that you just happened to be passing by, saw an old man collapsed on the ground, and imdiately offered your help is proof of your outstanding character. That makes your actions all the more comndable," Master Nathan said with great seriousness.
Zachary Preston smiled. "Not to brag, but our Vera is a good kid."
Master Nathan had just finished singing Vera’s praises to Zachary Preston, giving him a brief account of how she had saved him. However, he had altered the story slightly, saying only that Vera had rescued him and then left, making no ntion of her spending the night at the Nathan Family’s ho.
This version of events had actually been Nathaniel Nathan’s idea. He knew Vera didn’t have an easy life with the Preston Family, and for a young woman to spend the night at another family’s house could harm her reputation. It would be better for her if it wasn’t ntioned.
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