Chapter 26: Chapter 26: Everything Is the Best Arrangement
The process of house hunting was much harder than Serena Sinclair had imagined.
Every house she liked had its own merits.
The only downside was that they were too expensive.
She couldn’t afford the rent.
And the houses she could afford all had their drawbacks.
Either they were too far, too old, or too small, resulting in two to three hours spent commuting daily.
As the glaring sun shone directly from overhead, Serena made a resolute decision.
"Let’s eat first! Fill up and then continue searching. If not today, then tomorrow, and if not tomorrow, there’s always the day after."
She couldn’t believe that such a vast Aethelgard wouldn’t have room for a little person like her.
The wontons she couldn’t finish on other days, she devoured slurpily today and still felt unsatisfied.
Serena looked at the owner behind the stove, "Mr. Warren, another small bowl please!"
"Alright!"
Mr. Warren responded, starting to roll and cut dough for wontons.
As she prepared to pay and leave, Mr. Warren chuckled, "Ms. Sinclair, today’s on the house! Remember last time when the owner said free meals, you were there too."
Serena remembered.
Una Hutton also remembered.
As they walked out of the wonton shop, Una gave Serena a teasing look.
Her ears felt warm, perhaps because of Una’s teasing.
Serena defended herself, "What does it have to do with me? Don’t you remember he broke off his engagement that day? Maybe he’s celebrating being single again!"
"Well, you have a point there."
Una nodded, but her face clearly showed disbelief.
As they reached the alley entrance, Una suddenly stopped, "What did you say when we got here earlier?"
???
When they were together, they chattered nonstop, never having a quiet moment.
These days they talked especially much.
How could she remember everything they said?
"You said Adrian Lockwood came with you a few times but didn’t want to anymore because there’s no place to park here."
In their view was the glittering Hawthorne Tower.
Behind them was the orderly Old Town Lane.
More precisely, the holdout houses forgotten in the flood of history.
"Most importantly, there are free wontons, aren’t they your favorite!"
With Una’s words, Serena understood immediately.
They turned around in unison and plunged into the old alley.
Over an hour later, they came out, took a cab straight to the hotel.
Seeing Serena’s belongings barely filling four hands, Una couldn’t help but sigh, "You left with nothing, really nothing at all..."
Serena: ...
The rented house was on the second floor of a small loft on Old Town Lane.
The landlady was an elderly woman in her sixties, with gray hair but spirited demeanor.
She lived on the first floor.
"Two keys for the upstairs room, you take one, I take one. But don’t worry, I won’t come upstairs to your room."
"I sleep early at night, remember to lock the courtyard gate when you return. Also, no high heels in the room..."
Handing over the keys to Serena and giving a few more reminders, the landlady took her small stool and left.
The room wasn’t big but had everything necessary.
It seemed the landlady cleaned often, as even the top of the wardrobe was spotless.
So clean that no further cleaning was needed.
Except it was a bit hot.
"Do you regret it?"
Opening the window to air out the room, Una turned to ask Serena.
Serena shook her head, raising her chin slightly.
Una turned around and froze.
The view outside the window at dusk was breathtaking.
Green vines stretched to the window sill, with a few pink and white morning glories turned orange-red by the vast sunset.
Looking down, the palm-sized courtyard was neat and tidy.
The small vegetable seedlings in the garden were lush and verdant.
A pleasing sight for anyone with OCD.
The rent was 3000 yuan.
The courtyard was worth 500, the window view 2500.
Standing silently at the door, Serena watched.
On the glass-topped desk by the window, floral fabric underneath, with a small lamp on top, she felt a strong throwback to her childhood.
On childhood evenings, she sat at the desk doing homework, while her mom sat on the bed sewing, occasionally leaning over to check her work.
In those sepia-toned memories, those were the only peaceful years for her and her mother.
Later, she got into high school.
Tuition, living expenses... the financial burden grew, and her mom started taking on more part-time jobs.
As a nanny, maternity nurse... whatever paid, her mom did.
Afterwards, her mom became the beloved employee of a domestic service company, recruited by Beatrice Sutton into the Lockwood Family.
Even now, Serena remembered her mom’s excitement on passing the trial period, "Serena, mom passed the assessment, passed it..."
A salary of 5000 a month, a super high salary for those days.
According to Selene Summers, the male owner was gentle with few words, the female owner was beautiful and generous, the young master cool and handsome, and the young lady lively and cheerful.
That family in the villa seemed like a model of happiness.
With no biological father around.
Her mom found joy at work.
She had no worries about her studies, focused solely on getting into Aethelgard University, and eventually succeeded.
The four years before the incident felt like a blessing from heaven for Serena.
But it seemed as if heaven couldn’t bear her happiness.
Overnight, her mom turned into a criminal.
Luckily, everything was about to end soon!
"My mom did really well, not only completing her work diligently but also teaching illiterate inmates to read and write newspapers..."
Mentioning her mom, Serena felt no shame.
Her words were full of pride, "Originally sentenced to 13 years, her good behavior got her three years of reductions. Just three more months, and she’ll be out."
"Una..."
Serena looked up at Una, "When I bring my mom home, come over for a meal."
During college, living in the same dormitory, Selene Summers’ meals for Serena were always half scooped away by Una.
Later when they met, Selene would prepare extra meals for Serena, in two portions.
So no wonder Una always clung to Selene’s arm coquettishly, claiming to be her unofficial daughter, wanting to stay close to "mom."
Every time, Selene’s face blossomed into smiles, saying how blessed she was to gain an extra daughter by chance.
"Of course!"
Una nodded, "The day you pick up our mom, let me know in advance, I’ll go with you! Let her know her unofficial daughter hasn’t been loved in vain!"
"...Alright!"
Serena’s eyes welled up with tears.
After a whole day of hustling, their shoes were almost worn through.
Serena more so.
Not wanting to go far, they walked out of the courtyard to Mr. Warren’s wonton shop for dinner on the street.
The cool breeze relaxed them.
The moonlight was like water.
Serena linked arms with Una, walking down the cobblestone lane, filled with hope for future life.
Things will get better.
They definitely will!
In just 16 more days, she’d get her divorce certificate.
In 30 days, she’d be promoted and become an official employee in the Hawthorne Corporation’s project design department.
In 89 days, she could bring her mom home and live a peaceful, happy life.
Everything was the best arrangement!
With the sun-kissed scent of quilts and pillows, Serena fell into a deep sleep.
The next day, Serena woke up early.
Before the sun rose, she boarded a short-distance bus heading to the women’s prison in the outskirts of Aethelgard.