It was already nine in the evening when Erin returned to the small village. Her feet were screaming at her after walking far, and walking on heels was not helping.
She returned to the same spot where she had met Aaron and stopped to scan her surroundings, letting her eyes wander over the unfamiliar scene before her until she spotted a small restaurant that was still open.
Erin quickened her steps and entered.
Surprisingly, the restaurant bustled with the hum of chatter. The scent of recently cooked dishes wafted through her nose, and at the same time, her stomach rumbled in protest. Though her entrance garnered some attention from the local villagers, glancing at the elegant young lady, they still looked away as soon as she walked toward a table.
Erin's lips broke into a delightful smile as she gracefully approached.
"Ah, it's you again," the auntie from before also noticed her and said, "Did you find the construction site?"
Erin nodded. "Yes, thank you for pointing me in the right direction."
"Did you meet him?"
Knowing the elderly woman was talking about Aaron, Erin lowered her head. "I saw him, but… I didn't get to talk to him."
The elderly woman's eyes softened for a moment. "You don't have to be disappointed. You're not the first one to be rejected by him. A lot of girls come in to take a look at him, but all of them went back in tears."
Erin sat down and smiled, deigning a reply before changing the subject. "By the way… is there a hotel around here?"
The elderly woman stared at Erin for a second, and before she could answer, a burst of laughter erupted from a nearby table. A group of middle-aged and elderly men with red faces from being drunk shook their head at Erin.
"A hotel?" one of them repeated, taking a swig from his beer. "Missy, this isn't the city. If you want to go to a hotel, you'll have to go back to where you came from, or cross the bridge to the central market."
Another drunkard added, "I suggest you go in the morning. It's dangerous for a pretty little thing like you wandering outside at night."
Although they were crude in the way they spoke, they reminded her of the dangers, which Erin appreciated. Having a woman from outside a city in the middle of the night wandering around the village, it would quite attract a lot of trouble.
"If you hurry, you might reach the market before midnight," another local added.
"Mi…midnight?" Erin blinked. Just how far is this market?
The elderly woman patted her shoulder gently. "Don't go tonight. You can stay in my house, and you can ride out to the central market the next morning."
Erin sighed in relief and was about to thank the elderly woman when everything stopped. Her thoughts quickly worked. The central market was on the other side of the bridge. The construction site was just before anyone could reach it. Of course. Aaron hadn't come from there earlier. He had appeared from within the village.
She turned back to the auntie. "Auntie, I don't really like crowded places so I don't want to go to the central market. And as much as I appreciate your offer, I can't impose on you and your family."
The elderly woman was about to say it was alright when she thought of her daughter-in-law, who had just gotten pregnant, and her son.
She looked at Erin for a second time, then sighed. Bringing in this beautiful young woman home would only make her son bold and invite trouble.
"Then—"
Erin leaned toward her slightly. "Then, do you know where Aaron Hunter lives?"
The elderly woman's brows furrowed, suspicion flashing across her face.
Crossing her arms, she said with a slightly guarded stance, "Why do you want to know? Let me tell you, if you're one of those girls, leave! You look well-off. Don't chase him anymore. Go find someone who came from the city like you!"
Erin didn't feel offended by being brushed off. Instead, her smile deepened. "Auntie, you don't have to be so guarded with me. I just want to thank him for saving me before. I would never cause any harm to him!"
The elderly woman was still doubtful of Erin, but for some reason, the way the young lady's eyes shone with unwavering sincerity made her hesitate. She studied Erin for a moment before she finally softened toward Erin.
"Fine. But remember this, Aaron has been through a lot. We may not be much, but we look after our own." The auntie lowered her voice. "If you try anything… I'll be the first one to chase you out of here. Understand?"
"Don't worry, Auntie. I would never do anything that'll harm him."
In fact, Erin will make sure no harm can ever find their way to him.
Before the elderly woman could speak again, the middle-aged man from the nearby table slapped his thigh in frustration. "Damn it! If I could find those rats, I'd throw them in jail!"
"What happened?" The auntie knew the middle-aged man and asked in concern, momentarily distracted.
The middle-aged man sighed. "Old Pen, you know the family who moved here six months ago? I trusted them because they were recommended by that old man, Sam, but they ended up scamming me. They didn't even pay the six months they were living there!"
"Isn't that where that young lad Aaron is staying?"
All the villagers knew that the middle-aged man had a son working in a larger city. Because of his roots, the old man didn't want to move. So, he rented out the house his son and his family used to live in. The young lad, Aaron, was the first to rent the first room. To maximize his income, the old man rented the last room to another person. But they ended up running away.
"That's right! IAt least that young man knows how to pay his rent, but these rats… Ha…" the middle-aged man deflated at the end and leaned his cheek against his palm.
Erin felt like heaven was watching her and helping her. She should donate to a charity to show her sincere thanks next time.
Not wanting to waste such a good opportunity, Erin swiveled on her seat and turned her entire body to face the man.
She held her excitement back for a bit and asked with little change on her expression, "That… do you want a new tenant?"