Chapter 320 Ashley's Mentor
Ashley and her family arrived in Larkville after more than a day of driving. They then hiked for over half a day to reach the residence of Ashley's mentor, William.
The mountain was all misty, and there was this bamboo house in the forest that looked straight out of a fairy tale. The air smelled like flowers, and everyone felt pretty happy.
"William," Ashley called out. William, who was busy watering flowers in the yard, heard her and saw Ashley at the door with three others.
"Ashley!" William said, grinning, "Did you bring your parents?"
Ashley had given William a heads-up that she'd be bringing her folks, so he wasn't shocked to see the two older people with her.
Ashley nodded, "Yep."
She introduced them, "Dad, Mom, Liam, this is my mentor, William."
"William," Ashley went on, "this is my dad, my mom, and Liam."
As she introduced them, William checked them out one by one.
John looked a bit lost and gave William a goofy smile.
Mia gave William a faint smile, her eyes kind of empty, "Hello."
William looked at Liam, who gave him a slight smile and said, "Good afternoon. Sorry for dropping by unannounced."
William nodded at Liam and said, "Don't just stand there, come on in and sit."
They all went inside.
The bamboo house had this light fragrance that made everyone feel super comfy.
"Ashley, make some tea." William's tone was firm but gentle.
"Okay." Ashley got up and went to a small room nearby to make tea. While she was gone, William started chatting with Mia.
Mia said with a smile, "Mr. Lynch, we came here mainly to show our appreciation. Hayes was lost and homeless from a young age. I worried for decades, fearing she would suffer outside."
Mia looked ashamed, tears welling up in her eyes, "Thank God, Hayes met someone like you who taught her medical skills. Thanks to your teaching, she's become so amazing. As Hayes' mom, I'm really grateful to you."
William listened, his face blank, eyes looking out the window like he was thinking about something else.
"Liam, go get the gifts I brought for Mr. Lynch."
Liam got up, brought the gifts inside, and put them on the table, "Mr. Lynch, please accept this small token of our appreciation."
William smiled, but it was kind of forced, "Put it over there, not on the table. It's in the way of my tea."
Mia's smile froze, and she looked embarrassed, "Mr. Lynch, don't you like these gifts?"
William shrugged, "They're just an eyesore."
His tone made it clear he wasn't too thrilled, and he kept a bit of distance. Mia looked even more embarrassed.
John, though, kept smiling foolishly at William.
William stared at John, studying his expression like he noticed something, his gaze deepening.
Seeing William's stern face, Liam started to think that the mentor Ashley always praised might not be so easy to get along with. He had no choice but to place the gifts on a cabinet beside the house.
Just then, Ashley finished making the tea and brought it into the house on a tray. She half-knelt beside William and served the tea to everyone like a pro.
For a moment, everyone was silent and it felt pretty awkward.
Ashley cleared her throat, trying to break the ice, "I heard you talking while I was making tea. What were you discussing?"
Mia waved her over, and Ashley came to her side. Mia whispered, "Hayes, Mr. Lynch doesn't seem to like us."
Ashley chuckled, "Don't overthink it. That's just how he is!"
Ashley glared at William and said, "William, did you bully my parents while I was away?"
William glanced at her, took a sip of tea, and slammed the cup on the table with a loud thud, clearly showing his irritation.
Liam tensed up, feeling speechless.
Liam looked at Ashley, his eyes asking, "What's wrong with him?"
Ashley patted William and said, "William, what are you doing? You're scaring my family!"
William glared at her and asked coldly, "How long are you staying?"
Ashley smiled, "Not sure, maybe ten days to half a month."
Hearing this, William got up and walked out silently. Except for Ashley, who remained calm, everyone else looked surprised.
Ashley opened the window beside the bamboo house and saw William walking into the yard. She called out, "William, where are you going?"
William turned back and glared at her, "I'm going to pick some vegetables from the field, or else you'll go hungry tonight!"
Ashley laughed, "Wait, I'll go with you."
Before leaving, Ashley told her family, "Liam, make yourselves at home. We'll be back after picking some vegetables."
Liam hesitated.
He watched Ashley follow William out, shaking his head and sighing. Liam and Mia, as if sharing a thought, said in unison, "What a strange old man! I wonder if Ashley has suffered all these years with him!"
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