章 27: Surprise Visitors
"Cut it out. I'm actually scaring you." She pouted.
Victor smirked and said, "I'm actually joining your club."
"I don't have a club." she pointed out.
"Well, a secret club!"
"Whatever…" Violet rolled her eyes. She muttered, "I just know that if they mine the minerals around here in the western-south province, which town would be most affected with their wastes?"
"Well, Remy Town is not the only town to prosper. However, the town would receive the impact most after it contaminates the reservoirs, especially the lakes around the White House Garden."
"That's right. These companies have no care at all, as long as they fill their pockets. Thus, they work hard to win the neighboring town."
"Hmm… you have a point there." Victor concurred. He actually heard talks circulating. Now he proves it was true. "I could see now why there are countless companies who never stop persuading the town mayors. It was all because of the huge deposit of Jadeite. I think it will be a substantial fortune for the town to mine this rare mineral. However…"
Staring at Violet with a meaningful look, Victor trailed his last words. Violet immediately understood it.
"There are many pros and cons in mining. It also includes the danger of biodiversity loss. True, we can mine using advanced equipment these days without involving many people, but I would not exchange these fortunes and give up my principles of protecting those mountains. Besides, they would have to face the Shangs once they assassinated me. Anyway, the townspeople are fine. The town is doing well."
"Because you are giving them a livelihood." Victor pointed that out.
A small smile appeared on Violet's face, choosing not to answer Victor as it was too obvious already.
If it were other people who are as wealthy as Violet, they would never remember to care for people but use them for their own gain. That's the reality in this world.
However, Violet loved this town as it was the home of her ancestors. Her parents also had a beautiful love story in Remy Town.
Moreover, the White House Garden brought both local and foreign tourists, which helped the economic development of Remy Town and the neighboring tourist spots.
Many things in this world are already run by technology. Thus, Violet had all the choices to handle the work of these robots and advanced machinery. With that, she only needs a few people to pay—those to operate them and do regular inspections.
Regardless, Violet employed humans to work in the White House Garden and her Flower Farm she marketed to Mainland City, giving the townspeople sufficient incomes to support their families.
"How about Allen?"
"Huh?" Violet was pulled back to her senses. Immediately, her face soured. "And how about that guy?"
Glaring at Victor, she mumbled to herself.
'Why would he love bringing up Allen? All that came out of his mouth was Allen.'
Suddenly, Violet woke up when a huge rock fell on her. 'No way! Does Victor have a crush on Allen?'
Victor is his great friend, but Allen is her archenemy. Would she support her friend if such a thing happened? Would she accept it?
Wait! Something is amiss there. Victor has a lover. She better behave and removes all of her crazy thoughts. What she was thinking was insane.
"Are you listening, Violet?" Victor snapped his fingers close to her face.
"Oh!" she realized she zoned out due to shock, which was her wild thought's fault. "I'm sorry. Could you repeat what you'd said?"
"I said, how about Allen? Is he also interested in Jadeite? Why did he suddenly want to cooperate with you and deal with it himself? Isn't it suspicious?" Victor repeated his series of questions.
Dumbfounded, Violet was in disbelief upon listening to Victor. The guy can be right. However, Even though Allen was a bully, somehow, she was confident that he would not be that greedy after the Jadeite. His father, Shun Williams Crow, is also a preservationist, proving how he cares for the man-made forest on Hiryuu Island.
'Impossible that Uncle Shun would allow Allen to destroy a mountain.'
"I think Allen is just a pure businessman who wants to expand his hotel chain, and Remy Town is a perfect location. As you can see, countless foreign tourists visit the White House Garden for their prenup photos and even hold their weddings here. They are willing to travel that far, so building a hotel nearby was a brilliant investment." Violet stopped talking when Victor pulled the corner of his mouth. Glaring at him, she mouthed, "What?"
"Nothing! I'm just amused that you are actually defending him."
Violet dropped her jaw. "I did not!"
"Yes, you are, dear." Victor was in the mood to tease her further, which upset Violet.
"Stop this nonsense! I am not defending him! Who is he to me? He is just an insignificant being!"
"Is that so? Well, the more you hate, the more you love." Victor quoted with a grin.
"Please! I don't know where you get this idiom because it was too lame!"
"Come on!"
"Leave me alone!" Violet scowled. "You were abusing my kindness to you."
Victor has been too persistent lately. Seeing the frown on her face, he gave up.
"Alright. I surrender."
Finally, Victor stopped teasing her and served a sumptuous creamy soup. Meanwhile…
"Achoo!" Allen pulled a sheet of Kleenex and wiped his nose.
He wondered if he got some colds when the weather where he took an emergency landing was warmer.
"Who is gossiping about me?"
~
Two days later…
Violet had just woken up.
In the past two days, she and Victor busied themselves baking some cookies for the evacuees.
Everyone did their best to accommodate the guests. The staff was swamped with work night and day, Violet helped make sandwiches for the evacuees, and the bodyguards distributed them.
She also has an organic vegetable farm in the eastern walls. Violet provided and let them harvest some to make a giant pot of soup for everyone.
And today, finally, the sky is clearing out. Violet thinks of bringing the shield down.
"Flora, take her down."
[Shield is down.]
"Could you give me a report of the entire town's status?"
[Drones are launched. Began the aerial shots and recording the footage.]
"Alright…"
[Miss, there are aircraft approaching and asking permission to land.]
"Can you identify the aircraft?"
[One aircraft belonged to the Shang Company, and the other was from Crow Corporation. Shall I grant their request, Miss?]
"Alright. Let them in. It must be dad who sent someone to check on us."
Thinking that it was just random people from the Shang company, Violet did not watch as one of the aircraft made its careful landing on the private landing area near the main house.
She occupied herself looking at the drone's footage, and the scene broke her heart. Too many houses were destroyed because of landslides. Not only that, but it also covered many parts of the road, and a few bridges were down.
"Violet?"
Upon recognizing this sweet voice, Violet made an abrupt turn. At the door, a middle-aged man and woman entered the house.
"Mom? Dad?"
Her parents would not return till next month, so Violet was surprised to have a glimpse of her visitors, Theo Shang and Nikki Lindsey.
"Why did you come back already?"
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